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LA Catholics Local
Celebrate Catechetical Sunday
Longbeard Admin
This year, the church will celebrate Catechetical Sunday on Sept 16, and will focus on the theme "Catechists and Teachers as Agents of the New Evangelization." The theme and focus is a reminder that we are agents — because of our baptism — given the power to act on behalf of our God to evangelize. This day affords us a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the role that each person plays in passing on the richness of our faith tradition: our beliefs, our rituals and our symbols. It is also an opportunity for all members of the Church to rededicate themselves to the mission of sharing the Good News of our Catholic story in our communities of faith.Sunday's Gospel recalls our baptism into the Paschal Mystery of Jesus: his life, death and resurrection. Mindful of our catechetical vocation we reach out to evangelize in a world that struggles with loss, poverty and insecurity. Acknowledging that a measure of pain is at the heart of discipleship, we turn to Jesus who points the way to hope. Within each of us, there are stories of lived faith, courage and perseverance in face of the inevitable trials and challenges encountered on the journey. Our stories are grounded and sustained by hope of which this world is in dire need.But, do we share our personal stories of faith on a regular basis? Do we foster Gospel values in our society, affirm the importance of the family, the common good of Society, so that our nation may be transformed by the saving power of Jesus? Do we understand the power of the new social media and the use of technology to bring about an enthusiasm for living our faith in Jesus and freely sharing it with our brothers and sisters?As parish and diocesan catechetical leaders, we have a responsibility to evangelize our catechists, and in turn we must ensure that every catechist is evangelizing his or her learners. In the spirit of evangelizing catechesis, this calls for ongoing spiritual formation, and commitment to promoting communion and intimacy with Jesus Christ. The New Evangelization beckons us to forge new paths in response to the changing circumstances and conditions facing the Church in her call to proclaim and live the Gospel today. At the center of our ministry, the command of Jesus — "Go, make disciples of all the nations" — resounds in the hearts and lives of several hundred catechists in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles who have said "yes" to this invitation and will be commissioned by Archbishop Jose Gomez on Sept. 23 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. As we enter this Year of Faith, we need, more than ever, women and men committed to serve the catechetical needs of their parishes. And today, we rejoice that Christ's light continues to burn deep and hope is restored in the witness of lives given away in service of God's Word. Religious Sister of Charity Edith Prendergast is director of the archdiocesan Office of Religious Education. The Catechist Commissioning will take place Sept. 23, 3 p.m. at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.
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Catechetical Cataclysms: Restored Holy Stairs give meaning to crisis by Carol Glatz October 15, 2020
From Sunday to Sunday by Archbishop José H. Gomez July 21, 2021
Second Sunday of Easter: Sunday of Divine Mercy by Scott Hahn April 22, 2022


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Column | Long live King Donald
By Will Durst
Originally Published: June 20, 2018 5:57 a.m.
The president's lawyers must wake up every morning wondering if they're in the throes of a mescaline fever dream. Which altered reality will they have to deal with today? The legal ground melts out from under them and scary hallucinations swirl around mutating versions of the boss: the Donald Trump who changes his story more often than his underwear and the one who tosses away members of his legal team like used Kleenex.
They recently sent a letter to the Special Counsel asserting that Donald Trump is above the law. Not to be confused with the first Steven Segal movie, "Above the Law." Although the two do have much in common: both think Vladimir Putin is a great guy and they are in similar physical condition these days.
The argument is the president cannot commit obstruction of justice, because as chief law enforcement officer of the United States, he is the justice department. King Donald. Not only incapable of committing a crime but incapable of being held accountable. Laws are for losers. Take the knee and kiss the ring.
The President tweeted that many legal scholars say he has the absolute right to pardon himself, even though he won't need to because he hasn't committed any crimes. Similar to a "Get Out Of Jail Free" card, only better. More like a "Get Your Stinking Paws Off Me, You Damn Dirty Ape" sort of thing.
The good news is he probably won't wear a crown and risk messing up his aerodynamic coif. But other royal trappings are imaginable: golden jewel-encrusted scepter, floor-dragging ermine trimmed robe and the serial discarding of wives who can't provide a decent hereditary successor. And yes, Don Jr. and Eric, we're talking about you.
He claims to possess special powers that immunize him from criminal prosecution. Apparently he was bitten by a radioactive spider at Camp David. And is willing to admit that everything he ever previously said in public was a lie. Wasn't under oath, so it doesn't count. And if he does lie under oath, who cares? Who's going to arrest him, Jeff Sessions? Dream on.
His defense has shifted more than the sands of the Kalahari during one of those windstorms they call a haboob. And speaking of boobs, Rudy Giuliani says the Deep State is framing the president and he might take the 5th if questions about crimes he didn't commit get too close to disproving that.
Carl Sandburg famously said; "If the facts are against you, argue the law. If the law is against you, argue the facts. If the law and the facts are against you, pound the table and yell like hell," and Rudy is the best table pounder in the business. As anybody from New York can tell you, this guy leaves splinters.
Trump's lawyers also claim the president is too busy to answer questions, although the Supreme Court knocked down that claim when Bill Clinton invoked it, and he didn't spend one-sixth of his presidency at a golf courses. One tenth, maybe.
They're throwing up alternative defenses like hyperactive Rhesus monkeys flinging feces at a zoo. Not only can't he be constitutionally prosecuted but the prosecution is a conspiracy. The FBI is full of jack- booted thugs and his hands are too small to fit on the Bible. Can't wait for them to float the diminished capacity defense. That one might be easier to sell.
Column | No, Trump doesn't stand above the law
Trump says he has 'absolute right' to pardon himself
Trump assails special counsel after he says president not exonerated
Column | Are we shook up enough, yet?
Giuliani to AP: Trump will not answer obstruction questions

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


"Relief, be around the bend" artwork!
AAAHHH! We are proud to present the (cd) artwork for our upcoming album "Relief, be around the bend". All credit goes to Joost Stokhof (The Things We Are) for creating a piece of art that gave us so many goosebumps that our bodies now look like minefields! We'll show you the vinyl artwork next week!


A Heritage Jersey is that cow in the iconic frozen-in-time portraits of turn-of-the-century milkmaids or a solitary woman milking her cow in the pasture—a cow of manageable size and temperament that produces rich, creamy, life-giving milk; a cow that has a small frame and from her head down, has smooth lines. While more angular than rounded, her body flows elegantly. Her overall appearance is that of a sweet, simple, and classic beauty.
Her face is kind and refined—forming an acute triangle from her nose or muzzle, back along her jaw line, up to her poll or the crown of her head, and gently sliding back down the bridge of her nose. Her ears are alert and large, yet still proportionate. She has bright, large, knowing eyes that are set evenly on either side of the bridge of her nose—eyes that beckon you to fall in love with her.
Her strong and elegant neck flows back to her shoulders and down into her chest. Her withers, where her shoulders meet her neck, are sharply angled to the ground but still splayed enough to allow for a wide chest—a chest that fits a good pair of lungs and a big heart.
Her front legs extend down, strong and straight, able to support the weight of her body. Her knees and hooves (feet) may have a slight outward turn to them. The hooves should be large enough to comfortably hold the weight of her frame and full udder of milk, but never clunky, always slender.
Her barrel or center of body, between her front legs and hips, should be more wide than long. A line drawn around her body just behind her front legs forms her heart girth, and the space stretching back to just in front of her hips or hook bone forms the barrel. The barrel of a Heritage Jersey must be able to hold a large stomach that fuels her and her milk production and still has extra room for a growing calf. From her neck to her heart girth and the width of her barrel to her tail should split her frame into three somewhat equal parts.
Her hips are set wide for calving ease and legs that leave room for a large udder. Her hocks, or the knee of the rear legs, are set slightly back and turned out but are strong and straight enough to support her frame. Her udder floor is above her hocks.
Her udder is prominent, yet proportionate to her overall frame. From the front attachment of her udder under her barrel, the udder expands through her legs and curves up smoothly and attaches high up between her legs.
All four quarters—the sections of the udder—are evenly set and of similar size. The udder should be no larger than her frame can support.
Her teats are set slightly wide of center and evenly spaced on the four quarters of her udder. The rear teats should be set for convenient access. The teats should be firm and fit in the palm of your hand nicely. If they are too large, calves might have difficulty nursing. They should not drip milk; however, it should be easy to squeeze milk from them.
Jerseys come in a wide range of colors. They can have solid or broken colors that vary from white to very light gray to tan with varying degrees of subtle red to different shades of fawn to black. Some Jerseys have white patches on their shoulders, faces, hips and legs. Their switches (long hair at the end of their tail) can be black or white. Their trademark coloration is their dark, knowing eyes surrounded by dark pigmented skin and dark noses accented oftentimes by a lighter band around their muzzle. Mature bulls are commonly darker around the hips and the head and shoulders because of their levels of testosterone. Jersey lovers vary in their color preference, but everyone agrees that a cow's ability to produce is far more important than her shade of color or whether or not the color is solid or broken.
They are a naturally horned breed, although there are genetics for polled Jerseys as well.
The Heritage Jersey is the dairy queen of milk production. She is the top in milk quality, milking ease, health of udder and body, birthing, overall manageable temperament, and the grand champion of efficiency.
A Heritage Jersey will produce milk with a high amount of cream, rich in butterfat and protein. Properly cared for, she has a very low occurrence of udder health problems. Comparable to her small frame size, she produces a generous amount of milk, enough to feed a calf and provide for a family.
Her temperament is calm and unafraid, with an ease that makes her manageable for all members of her family. After all, that is her purpose, to provide delicious, life-giving milk for the family who loves and cares for her.
We at the Heritage Jersey Organization know there are very good Jersey cows that don't meet this exact description. These are breed characteristics for the ideal Heritage Jersey. Over time, we'll develop a classification system using a scale of points, setting forth categories for evaluation—things like stature, back, rump and tail, feet, legs, dairy character, chest and barrel, polled or horned, fore udder, rear udder, teats, mammary system, etc. But we're in the early stages for anything other than general breed character.
We would like to encourage breeders to keep these characteristics in mind when mating a pair, and we would like buyers to keep them in mind when looking for a cow. But our main purpose is to emphasize and support the community of people who own or long to own this classic beauty called a Heritage Jersey.


This year we're having Easter dinner at the home of my brother and sister-in-law, and my brother asked me to bring dessert. After considering several possibilities, I decided to make a coconut cake. A recipe from America's Test Kitchen inspired my own adaptation and I'm really pleased with the results. So without further ado (drumroll, please) I bring you my recipe for an absolutely Sensational Coconut Layer Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting!
For this recipe you'll need Coco Lopez Real Cream of Coconut which you'll find near coconut milk in the ethnic foods aisle of your grocery store or in the section with the cocktail mixers and sodas. Coco Lopez is an essential ingredient in pina colada cocktails and it's the key to this moist cake with fabulous coconut flavor. You'll also need coconut extract (imitation is what I had on hand), sweetened coconut, and semi-sweet chocolate.
Coco Lopez is the secret to the moist cake with great coconut flavor. Tender sweet coconut tops the cake, while melted and drizzled semi-sweet chocolate adds the finishing touch.
Here is a selection of my favorite tools when I'm baking cakes. First is our food scale that weighs ounces and pounds, or grams and kilograms and is one of the busiest tools in our kitchen.
A kitchen scale is useful every day, this one handles up to 11 pounds. Weigh messy and sticky ingredients instead of measuring by volume to eliminate washing extra dishes. Weigh the two cake pans after you've added the cake batter to ensure that one pan isn't filled significantly more than the other which results in overbaking one cake and/or underbaking the other. Use it to weigh portions of ground meat for burgers or meatballs. Buy meats in bulk and weigh portions for freezing. Weigh fruits and vegetables for more accuracy in recipes.
Next are my cake pans, cake strips, and the thin plastic spreader (less than $1 from a restaurant supply store) that I use to run around the outside of the pan to help release the cakes when I turn them out to cool. The plastic works great and doesn't damage the pan like a metal knife will.
Tools for professional looking baked goods include heavy cake pans with straight sides, cake strips to prevent a hump or dome in baked cakes, and a thin plastic spreader to run around the sides of the pan when releasing cakes or breads after baking.
This golden butter cake is fast to make, especially if you weigh the dry ingredients. Whisk the eggs in a large mixing cup and whisk in the rest of the liquid ingredients. Unless I'm entering a baking contest, I use all-purpose flour for all my cakes, even in recipes that specify cake flour, but you can use the same amount of cake flour for this recipe, if you prefer. Put all of the dry ingredients in the bowl of your mixer and turn on low speed for half a minute to combine, then toss in the cold butter a piece at a time until the mixture looks like the photo below.
When the cold butter and the dry ingredients have combined to look like moist crumbs, you're ready to add wet ingredients.
Now add most of the liquids to the mixing bowl, turn the mixer to medium speed, and beat for about a minute until smooth, then add the remaining liquid and beat until it's smooth once again, about a half minute.
Scrape the batter into the baking pans, smooth the tops, and drop the pans onto the counter from a height of a couple of inches to break up any bubbles. If you have them, wrap cake strips soaked in cold water around the pans to keep the cakes from doming in the middle, and slide the pans into the oven for about half an hour.
When the cakes are done, remove the cake strips and cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes then turn them out of the pans onto a rack to cool completely before you frost them.
Watch out for the bunnies; keep them away from the cakes, they're sneaky and they love cake!
Keep an eye out for renegade bunnies looking for treats!
When the cakes are completely cool, sift the powdered sugar (seriously, does anyone really call it confectioner's sugar??) and make the cream cheese frosting. I added Coco Lopez and coconut extract to my signature cream cheese recipe that everyone loves.
Here's my favorite sifter; sifting powdered sugar is essential for making silky smooth frosting without unpleasant lumps that clog frosting tips. If you don't have a sifter, you can use a fine mesh strainer. I've had several sifters in different styles that all rusted out after just a couple of years even though I always handwashed them, so I finally invested in this stainless steel one that is easy to use and has been worth every penny.
My all-time favorite sifter is stainless steel with a crank handle. I've tried the kind with a handle that you squeeze, but my hand cramped up and they didn't seem to work as well for me.
Here's a link to the offset spatulas that I own in three different sizes. The larger ones are great for frosting cakes and bars or evenly spreading fillings in lasagna or cinnamon rolls, etc. The small ones are so handy for icing individual cookies or correcting "oopsies" when I'm decorating.
If you want the best baking results, I recommend that you get the heaviest baking pans you can buy, and look for straight sides instead of sloping sides. Square pans with rounded corners or sharp right angles–your choice. Have at least two sturdy cooling racks and consider the price as an investment. Check out Hockenberg's restaurant supply in the Midwest or Beltram in Florida (they both sell to the public). Cruise Home Goods, or the kitchen departments at TJ Maxx or Marshall's for one-off great deals. Crate and Barrel has some good stuff at reasonable prices. And Target will occasionally offer high-quality cooking tools at a reasonable price. A couple of times, when I was frustrated because I couldn't find a specific high-quality item after extended searching, I just bit the bullet and bought it from Williams-Sonoma, like that sifter.
Once the cakes are cool, put one of the layers on a serving plate, bottom side down and smoothly spread about a 1-1/2 cups of frosting on it. Add the second layer, bottom side up, then frost the top and sides, smoothing with the spatula. Cover the frosting on the top of the cake with a layer of sweetened coconut, then drizzle with melted semi-sweet chocolate. Pipe top and bottom borders, if you want, add candy eggs, and you're done.
All decorated and ready to be the centerpiece for a special dinner.
Now serve the cake to your adoring family and friends.
This 8″ cake will serve 12 to 16 delighted guests.
Be sure to save some for midnight snacking. Here's a tip anytime you have leftover cake: spread a thin layer of frosting (extra that you didn't need or some that you scoop from borders or decorations) over the cut sides of the cake to keep it from drying out, then cover with a cake dome or a large bowl and store covered in the refrigerator.
A luscious coconut layer cake with silky-smooth coconut cream cheese frosting.
Try this easy recipe for Sensational Coconut Layer Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting.
The cakes can be torted to make 4 layers with frosting in between each layer, as I've done in these photos. Shredded coconut and/or drizzled chocolate can be added to the middle layer, if desired. The cake can be made a day ahead and stored uncovered at cool room temperature or in the refrigerator; remove from refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving. Leftovers should be covered and refrigerated.
Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 350°F.
Spray two 8" round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray, line them with parchment, and lightly spray the parchment..
Use a fork or a whisk to lightly beat the eggs in a 4-cup meausring cup, then whisk in the Coco Lopez, water, vanilla extract, and coconut extract.
Using the mixer's flat paddle, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in the bowl of stand mixer at low speed.
With the mixer on low, toss in the pieces of butter one at a time and mix until the mixture resembles moist crumbs.
Add all but 1/2 cup of the egg mixture to the bowl and beat at medium speed (or high speed if using handheld mixer) until smooth, light, and fluffy, about 1 minute.
Reduce speed to low and add remaining 1/2 cup of egg mixture and beat 30 seconds more on medium.
Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and spread into even layer; lift the pans about 2" and drop the pans on the counter to eliminate bubbles in the batter, then wrap pans with wet cake strips, if using them.
Bake until the cakes are light golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes, depending on whether you used cake strips.
Remove the cake strips, if used, and leave the cakes in the pans on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then turn cakes out onto the rack, remove the parchment, flip the cakes right side up and cool completely, about 2 hours.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the flat paddle, beat the butter on medium until creamy, a minute or so, then with the mixer at low speed, add half the powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
Add the Coco Lopez and extracts and beat on low speed until smooth.
Add the remaining powdered sugar on low until combined, then beat on medium high until light, fluffy and smooth, 4 or 5 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.
Frost the cake completely on top and sides, add shredded coconut to the top, then drizzle melted chocolate over.
Add piped top and bottom borders and/or candy, if desired.
I loved this cake! I was lucky enough to have a piece and it tasted as good as it looked. It is an absolutely beautiful cake and perfect for Easter! Very light and moist and I loved the Coco Lopez in the icing. Thank you, Mary Jo. It was wonderful!
Thanks, Pam! It was fun to make.


TOC introduces The Polemic, a new feature by our new columnist KJ. It will feature fortnightly on Thursdays.
Morning assembly. You find yourself back in Primary school, sitting in the large quadrangle. All two thousand of you, from Primary One through Six, silently reading the Little Red Dot[i]magazine. The magazine introduces you to the breezy Dot Values family members, who tell you stories, and make you laugh. And you learn about your country Singapore, about the world, and about Singapore's place on this planet called Big Big World. You learn that Singapore is small – a little red dot.
Afterwards, in Social Studies class, you learn about Total Defence. You don't really understand what it means, but it feels like something important. You remember that the Dot Values family had mentioned it. And you like the thought of Singapore already, because you are just like Singapore: small. A pristine little dot in this Big Big World.
Later, when you go on to Secondary school, the Little Red Dot is replaced by the IN magazine. From IN, you continue learning about Singapore. You have grown much bigger. But somehow, Singapore still seems so small. And so vulnerable. A new word.[ii] You are reminded about Total Defence. You talk about it in History class, in Social Studies, in Civics and Moral Education class. You read about it in your English Language and Mother Tongue comprehension passages.
When you outgrow the IN magazine and start reading the newspapers, you continue to encounter these words: Singapore was vulnerable then; it is still vulnerable now; and it will always be vulnerable. And as time passes, they become part of your daily vocabulary.
You learn to repeat these maxims without giving them another thought, without missing another beat: Vulnerable Singapore, always a Little Red Dot. Always vulnerable, always Little and Red.
This narrative of vulnerability justifies many things, amongst which are authoritarian government and Total Defence. One reinforces the other, and this suits the ruling regime just fine. This narrative consequently renders the doctrine of Total Defence compelling, logical, and systematic.
And circular too: Singapore is vulnerable; hence a strong military force must be built. But in order to build it, a strong economy must sustained. And in turn, a strong economy requires protection from a strong military. However, as Singapore is 'small' and 'vulnerable', Total Defence is necessary to build up that strong military – and that economy – and that neverending vulnerability – and Total Defence – Etc. – Repeat – and etc. – Repeat.
These words link together, forming a chain and a logical fallacy – no matter what Singapore does, it is always 'vulnerable', always 'fragile', always needing protection.
But is it simply because Singapore is 'small'? Or it is because when it suits us, we think ourselves small; and when it doesn't, we think not?
This is not a call to cancel National Service, military build-up, and Total Defence. They are necessary, perhaps. But it is important that we unpack the terms and assumptions coded within these narratives – codes that we have come to internalize. This is because the discourse of 'vulnerability' can perpetuate a fiction of it. And as this fiction encircles Singapore, it can potentially become an enclosure for Singaporeans.
Singapore may indeed be vulnerable – as is every other sovereign state, strong and weak, big and small. But perhaps consider a few parallel possibilities and realities: Consider the possibility that our sense of vulnerability is an overestimation that eventuates the self-fulfilling prophecies of realpolitik and belligerent diplomacy – and that our security dilemmas have become intractable insecurity dilemmas fanning regional arms races.
Consider also the possibility that in addition to its objective of 'defending' Singapore, MINDEF might have become a vast military-industrial complex facilitating vested interests in arms manufacturing and defence science research (some of which might not be adhering to international conventions), fueling the economy and feeding on itself[iv] – and that there are other ways of instituting NS and organizing the country's defence capabilities.
Most importantly, consider the possibility that the argument for a strong military based on the tenuous description of vulnerability has abetted the ruling regime's authoritarian impulse for total control – and that Total Defence is the fulcrum for this function.
On one level, Total Defence is deployed as a comprehensive framework for national defence. On another level, the inscription of Total Defence is both a representation, and a production of it, including a production of a knowledge about it.[v] At the same time, Total Defence operates as an empty signifier – part ambiguous and part invisible. We know what Total Defence refers to, but we do not know what it means. Thus anything can be used to invoke Total Defence – from vulnerability to sedition to terrorism to nationalism. It is kept inchoate so that this hallowed space – the script of Total Defence – can be scripted according to the desires of Power, emanating from the State.
Thus, given the nature of Total Defence ('Total'), and its proclaimed objective ('Defence'), whoever inscribes Total Defence holds the power to conscript its subject – the nation – totally.
This inscription of 'Total Defence' is essentially a totalitarian one. It is conferred by decree in the name of national defence and elaborated across the spectrum of Singaporean society. As a result, it brooks no objection, it obliterates defiance, and it commands complete obedience. Interestingly, Total Defence achieves its supreme function of control during peacetime.
Consequently, quite apart from enhancing military capability, Total Defence also ensures that propaganda is seamlessly and synergistically spread through the apparently neutral channels of society.
For example, through Total Defence, the Shared Values ideology is propagated, National Education and curricula are crafted, joining uniformed groups in schools are encouraged, mass media programmes are scripted, the National Day Parades[vi] are staged. Invariably, these culminate in the programming of our minds with the permanent avatar of the PAP.
Through Total Defence, the rhetoric of racial and religious 'harmony' is perpetuated, and through which social control is exerted. Consider how our curious phenomena of racial and religious 'harmony' are little more than hollow performances,[vii] and genuine attempts to foster 'harmony' are countenanced by the State's apparatus of control. Are we necessarily harmonious simply because we do not (because we're not allowed to) talk about it?
Through Total Defence, a reliant, compliant, and disciplined population is continually moulded under the dominance, and for the dominance, of the State. Simultaneously, the fate of the Party becomes entwined with that of the nation,[viii] such that we equate the elimination of the Party with the death of the nation. Such it might live on, shaping lives and controlling minds.
The siege mentality that Total Defence conditions in Singaporeans predisposes them – from soldier, to Leader – towards an increased readiness to enter a war. That is, a war that can potentially be avoided. This conditioning militarizes the nation by glorifying, and then naturalizing, the particular language and semiotics of war into civic life, making palatable, even desirable, Singapore's brutalist form of compulsory conscription that stretches beyond the two years and into a lifetime.
Accordingly, full-time NS has been consecrated as a 'ritual', and romanticized as a 'rite of passage', and where boys shall be transformed, not into ordinary men, but valorized guardians of the land.
But if Singapore must be defended and loved, then it must be defended and loved critically and self-consciously, not blindly and automatically. Not least when it is under a dominant one-party state and adopting the disturbing strategy of pre-emptive first strike. This strategy is underpinned by offensive operations and weaponry, along with a doctrine of pre-emption [ix] that, when put into effect, they contravene international law. This strategy is also in itself an admission that Singapore is ultimately indefensible.
Nation before community and Society above self? Perhaps this is so that the 'self' can be mechanized – the men bear arms, the women bear children, and for the sake of survival, we all bear with it.
Comprehensive conscription of the nation, under the fluttering flag of Total Defence, in the service of the State.
'What will you defend?' is this year's slogan for Total Defence. There is a semantic slippage and sleight-of-word here, and perhaps they will go unnoticed. First, the question naturalizes Total Defence, and assumes the omnipresence of conflict. It demands your uncontested loyalty. It precludes the possibility of refusal, of resistance. Isn't the question "What will you defend?" a legitimate one too? Can one say "No"? Second, if you must go to war, you defend your loved ones. You defend people. You defend yourself. You defend the 'who'. 'What' is a pronoun that intuitively leads one to articulate an inanimate object. A 'thing'.
When you are asked, 'What will you defend?', the desired answer might be, I (the 'who') will defend (my 'home') Singapore (the 'what'). Even if 'Singapore' is not articulated, this unnoticeable linguistic dissonance ensures that 'Singapore' looms at the back of the respondent's subconscious. This is a psychological subterfuge that one needs to interrogate. This is a question that privileges objects and mechanizes people.
Singapore is a construct, a concept, an abstract. And if you must defend as abstract a concept as a constructed country, then it seems moral to defend a democratic one – one where you have a stake, rather than one whose stake has been thrust upon you – an inanimate and powerless 'you'.
In Singapore, where Party – Government – State – Nation have been conflated into one entity – PAP – is this unity? Or is this totalitarianism?
Are you defending the nation, or are you being used by the nation to defend it?
To answer this question, that is also to reflect upon what it means to be a citizen, the architecture of Total Defence has to be deconstructed. Total Defence weaves, through an order of things and archaeology of knowledge, a particular (His)tory of Singapore. This artifice in turn embeds in the nation, comprehensive structures that shape, discipline, and punish. It enhances and is enhanced by the State. It then evacuates the altruistic substance of 'Total Defence', and replaces it with its own ideological agendas of de-politicization and de-humanization, further consolidating and entrenching total control.
In Singapore, when you think a thought and express an opinion, how free is it from year after year of overt and subliminal State conditioning?
This process of conditioning stretches back decades. Back to when you were a child sitting in the school quadrangle reading a colourful little magazine, unaware of the surreptitious manoeuvres that were leading you to One prayer of Progress.
Unaware that your life was being slowly but surely shaped in One vision of Modernity.
And unaware that the allure of Total Defence is also, through the rouged lips of One Nation, a captivating camouflage for Total Indoctrination.
[i] The Little Red Dot and IN magazines are published by Singapore Press Holdings, and targeted at Primary and Secondary school students respectively.
[ii] Singapore's 'vulnerability' is most comprehensively analyzed in Michael Leifer, Singapore's Foreign Policy: Coping with Vulnerability, NY, Routledge, 2000. But this realist reading is increasingly being critiqued by 'constructivist' ones: ideas, diplomacy, and norms in the evolving regional and international system enable Singapore to not only survive but also thrive. See Joseph Liow and Ralf Emmers, eds., Order and Security in Southeast Asia: Essays in Memory of Michael Leifer, NY, Routledge, 2006.
[iv] See also Tan See Seng and Alvin Chew, "Governing Singapore's Security Sector: Problems, Prospects and Paradox",Contemporary Southeast Asia, Vol. 20, No. 2, August 2008, pp. 241-63.
[v] As have been theorized by Michel Foucault, The History of Sexuality, trans. Robert Hurley, Harmondsworth, Penguin, 1981, and further operationalized by Edward Said, Orientalism, NY, Penguin, 1980.
[vii] Following Judith Butler's work on the structural discourse of power that regulates and constrains. See Gill Jagger, Judith Butler: Sexual Politics, Social Change and the Power of the Performative, NY, Routledge, 2008.
[viii] This is a classic trait of fascist regimes.
[ix] Singapore's Military Modernisation: Upgrading the City-state's Deterrent, IISS, Vol. 13, Iss. 10, December 2007. See also more generally, Tim Huxley, Defending the Lion City: The Armed Forces of Singapore, London, Allen & Unwin, 2001.


Have you deleted important data on your Android device accidentally? If you have, you are not alone. Many users find that they've hastily and mistakenly erased data they didn't want to from their device.
In this post, we have a way you can try to recover you data. The method is a bit tricky and it doesn't work all the time but we have had some good results.
There are two ways to perform this recovery operation and it depends on whether you have a rooted or unrooted device. There are also two things you need to do to prepare your device to recover the data.
First of all, if you've found you've accidently deleted something, perform a recovery right away. Do not switch the device off or save anything else before trying to retrieve the lost data.
Secondly, you need to block all write operations to your device storage. We recommend that you immediately go into Airplane mode first to quickly block these operations.
These two precautions are essential to ensure that the deleted data remains in the trashed blocks of your device's interal storage or on your SDcard. Now, let us go on to the recovery process.
After installing the app, open it.
Go to the storage device where the data you want to retrieve was previously stored. So either on your devices internal storage or your external storage – your SD card.
Perform a scan of your device for deleted files. Depending on the size of your storage device and its access speed, the amount of time the scan will take may vary. Just wait.
After the scan is performed, you will see several tabs (Files, documents, music, videos and pictures) where you will see retrieved data.
Choose the file you want restored. You can also choose to restore the file to its original location or specify another location.
Note: This will actually work with a rooted Android device as well.
Install a data recovery software onto your PC. We recommend the Dr.Fone Android Data Recovery tool which you can download here.
You should now see a screen that will prompt you to connect your device to PC.
Before connecting your PC and your device, make sure that your device's USB debugging mode is enabled. You can enable this by going to Settings> Developer Options>USB debugging. If you can't see Developer Options in your Settings, first go to About Phone where you will see your Build Number, tap this seven times. Go back to Settings and you should now see Developer Options.
When your computer detects your device, click Next and the program will begin to analyze your device. This could take some time so just wait.
When the scan is completed, just choose the files you want recovered and click the Recover button.
Have you recovered accidentally lost data on your device?


Android has become the largest mobile operating system in an extreme short period of time. Currently 90% of all new telephones are equipped with the Android OS, so there is quite a big chance your mobile runs on Android. Besides of the immense growth in the telecom market, Android is gaining more and more attention in other markets, like the Automotive industry. Nowadays various leading OEM's have embed the Android as being part of their strategic technological roadmap.
For many software engineering professionals out there, one of the most interesting Android aspects is the development of applications, or in short "Apps". But how can you create these Apps on your own?
This workshop will guide you through the necessary software engineering steps.
The workshop will be organized in two parts, separated by two weeks to be able to allow the participant to perform homework in between. Desired knowledge for this workshop is that you must be able to make a software program. Java is nice to have but not required.


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Regardless of the reason for wanting to transform your smile, our cosmetic dentist in Henderson is available to help you look younger and healthier, and that begins with your teeth.
Cosmetic dentistry in Henderson allows patients to take the next step toward an improved smile in only a few dental visits at Green Valley Dentistry. From whiter teeth to the replacement of missing teeth, cosmetic dentistry offers a solution for most patients that will get you smiling once again!


Background: Founded in 1990 by Catlin Donnelly, E. Catlin Donnelly & Associates (ECDA) has built an extensive record of empowering organizations to develop strategies and plans that facilitate understanding and change, whether the need is for expansion, reorganization, succession planning, consolidation, or performance improvements. Catlin partners with other independent consultants with whom she has long-term collaborative relationships, and who bring complementary expertise and a passion for our clients' missions. We work with a diverse range of organizations spanning the health care, social services, academic, philanthropy and government sectors.
We provide both organizational consulting and executive search services; often combining aspects of both as we partner with our clients through an engagement. In the search arena, our strength is in matching candidates' skills and experience with an organization's current and future leadership needs and culture, leading to a track record of successful long-term placements. We have trusting, long-standing relationships with many of our clients, and are known for skillful coaching and advising of boards and senior leadership around a variety of organizational issues. Word-of-mouth referrals and repeat business attest to the high quality of our work.
Prior to founding ECDA, Catlin spent 16 years in both hands-on and leadership positions in community-based non-profits and state government. Early in her career she served in advocacy and program development roles, including starting programs in communities in England, Minnesota and New York, related to education and other services for children with special needs and their families. She has served on many Boards of Directors, grant review panels, and committees for not-for-profit organizations, including serving as Chair of the Governor's Commission on Employment of the Handicapped. In addition, she is a frequent invited speaker at local colleges and universities.
Catlin is a skilled facilitator with a keen ability to listen, to assess complicated organizational issues, and to develop strategies to overcome those challenges. She brings expertise in organizational and community dynamics, change management, strategic planning, and recruiting exceptional talent to best position an organization for the future.
Janet Baker has more than 20 years experience in helping organizations to manage change. Whether as a senior manager, small business owner or management consultant to non-profit organizations, Janet excels at researching effective practices that can add insight into solving client's challenges and putting in place processes that help to solve complex problems. As a management consultant, her past clients include large health care organizations, colleges and universities, independent schools and community-based not-for-profits. She has been an integral part of teams developing organization-wide strategic plans, diversity and inclusion strategic plans, recruiting for senior level non-profit positions, and undertaking organization redesign projects. Prior to consulting, Janet served in progressively responsible public sector positions including Deputy Administrative Manager of a large public works project, where she oversaw job training programs for women, minorities and economically disadvantaged individuals. Janet holds a BA from Connecticut College and an MBA from Simmons School of Management.
Erica Beade provides administrative, editorial and research support on all consulting engagements. She has 13 years of experience providing administrative and logistical support to senior faculty and research groups for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and MIT. At HHMI/MIT, she was responsible for the smooth running of faculty offices and laboratories, served as a liaison between faculty, technical staff and students, and coordinated federal grant applications. Erica also has extensive experience as a scientific illustrator and educator. She holds a BA from Wesleyan University.
Walter Holmes, Senior Associate and Engagement Director, is a management consultant specializing in organizational development, executive search, human resources, operational analysis, facilities management and coaching. His clients include many universities and public institutions. Walter has broad senior management experience, having served as Vice President for Administration at Brown University, Deputy General Manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, and Deputy Commissioner at the MA Department of Public Welfare. Walter earned his MPA at Suffolk University's Graduate School of Management and has a BS from Northeastern University's College of Business Administration.
Jinevra Howard has a Bachelor of Science and a Master of City Planning from the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at MIT. She has been working with E. Catlin Donnelly & Associates since 2008. Jinevra also provides recruitment support for Taproot Foundation, which engages professionals in pro bono service projects for local nonprofits. Previously, through her work with Economic Development Research Group, she has provided analytic and communications support for clients including the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Lincoln Center, Logan Airport, and the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce. Jinevra also worked for Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, a nonprofit research and consulting firm dedicated to stimulating private sector investment in U.S. inner cities, and in administrative roles for the Harvard School of Public Health and Massachusetts General Hospital's Center for the Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology.
Mary Kay Leonard is a seasoned leader with more than 30 years of strategic and operational experience in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. She has served as an executive, board member, advisor and consultant to dozens of organization, bringing a data-driven, collaborative and results-focused approach to her work. Mary Kay has developed a particular expertise in leading and supporting merging organizations. She served as a key executive with two different mergers–one a merger of two for-profit companies and the other an alliance between a nonprofit and a for-profit organization, the implementation of which was supported by a grant from the Catalyst Fund. She recently provided integration support to a newly merged arts organization which was also funded by the Catalyst Fund. She is now serving on a joint board merger committee for two nonprofits considering a merger.
Jane O'Hern received her Masters in Management from the Heller School at Brandeis University, and has held a series of senior management positions in both the public and private sectors. She began her career providing education services to persons with developmental disabilities. She has worked extensively with Partners HealthCare, first as a consultant and then as an employee, serving as their Administrative Director for Scientific Programs. More recently, she has provided policy and financial analysis in support of transportation financing advocacy. With more than fifteen years of experience consulting with a wide range of clients, Ms. O'Hern provides support in the area of financial planning, budgeting, and program evaluation.
Dorrie Pizzella Dorrie has had a thirty-year career in environmental advocacy, education, conservation, and stewardship serving in various non-profit and public sector leadership roles. She recently served as Chief of Staff at the MA Department of Agriculture and earlier was Director of Grants and Technical Assistance at the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, helping to manage and coordinate the agency's conservation, recreation, and water resource protection grant programs. Dorrie came to EEA from the New England office of the Trust for Public Land, where she served as executive director of the statewide Community Preservation Coalition. Between 1982 and 1993, Dorrie served in various capacities within the state Executive Office of Transportation and Construction under the Administration of Governor Michael S. Dukakis. She holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government, and a B.A. from Wellesley College.
Lyn Rosoff is an advertising and marketing professional, providing marketing and strategic communications training and coaching services to help clients effectively define their brands and communicate clearly in a cluttered and crowded marketplace. Past clients have included CATCH Neighborhood Housing, SmartPower, World Team Sports, the John Merck Fund, and the Clean Energy States Alliance. Lyn worked for 18 years at Arnold Worldwide, where she served as Senior Vice President with clients including Blue Cross Blue Shield and the United Way. Lyn also provides executive coaching and workshops to improve communication and team-building. She has served as Chair of the Board of Directors of Greater Boston Food Bank, and as Vice President of the Board of Directors of United Way of the Greater Seacoast, among other involvements.
Beth Wald, Senior Associate, has over 20 years of leadership, management and consulting experience in the private and public sectors. She has spent her career working for and contributing to organizations that have an underlying mission of making a difference in the lives of others. In addition to leadership and management experience, Beth has expertise in human resources, communications, strategic planning, operations, sales and customer service. She has served as a member of executive leadership teams, been an entrepreneur, run a homeless family shelter program for the City of New York, managed community relations for a state-wide elected offical, led executive seraches for a wide variety of organizations, and advised clients on management practices, organizational structure and staffing. She has a track record of building high performance teams focused on goals, excellence and results, leading and executing complex organization-wide projects and strategic initiatives, and improving organizational capacity and capabilities by enhancing customer service, improving productivity and optimizing resources. Beth has a Master's in Public Administration from Columbia University and a BA from Hamilton College.
"E. Catlin Donnelly & Associates is so much more than a traditional search firm. When Catlin helped recruit me to my current position, I was initially struck by the write up of the job, which was incredibly inviting. Once I'd been offered the position and accepted, Catlin continued to work with me during the transition, helping me to understand the lay of the land and to identify immediate priorities and longer term needs. Everything she did was completely individualized to the organization and its specific needs. Having her as a resource to go back to has been invaluable. During many years of working with search firms, I had experienced nothing like it."


OTTAWA (CIS) – There are no less than four changes at the top in this week's CIS national rankings, with UBC (men's swimming), York (men's track & field), Trinity Western (men's volleyball) and Brock (men's wrestling) moving to No. 1 in their respective disciplines.
In other CIS sports, Windsor (women's basketball), Carleton (men's basketball), McGill (women's hockey), Calgary (men's hockey), UBC (women's swimming & women's volleyball), Guelph (women's track & field) and Brock (women's wrestling) all held on to the pole position.
In men's swimming, UBC moves past reigning CIS champion Toronto following a dominant performance at the Canada West championships. The Thunderbird men claimed the conference banner with a comfortable cushion over meet host Calgary, finishing with 941 points compared to 755 for the Dinos.
In men's track and field, York and Guelph both move ahead of last week's top-ranked squad, Windsor, after finishing 1-2 at the prestigious McGill Team Challenge, the largest indoor track meet in Canada. The Windsor men settled for sixth place at the competition.
In men's volleyball, Trinity Western is back at No. 1 following McMaster's first loss of the regular season, a five-set defeat at the hands of No. 7 Waterloo. The top-ranked Spartans, meanwhile, swept a two-game set at No. 5 Thompson Rivers to improve to 17-1 in league play.
In men's wrestling, Brock takes over from defending CIS champ Alberta, which had led the first two national rankings of the campaign.
Other teams receiving votes: Ottawa (60), McMaster (36).
Other teams receiving votes: Lethbridge (69), Winnipeg (20).
* McGill is ranked higher than UQTR based on number of higher-placed votes.
Other teams receiving votes: Ryerson (13), Queen's (5), Saskatchewan (5), UPEI (2).
Next highest votes: Alberta (17), Dalhousie (16.5), Toronto (13), Regina (10), McGill (7).


Thed Ruid just tries to keep from getting stepped on in the mess, but soon as Megamieuwsel falls he runs to the mans side touches his head, "My Yondolla heal you my friend" heal 17hp.
Standing up he yells something in halfling, then hurls a sling stone at the beast. It hits the beast soundly.
OOC: If the wyvern is as per the MM I hit and did 4pts of damage.
Hopeless cases, that must be my special talent.
A wild looking dwarf strides in just in time to see the wyvern flee and the green-haired druid drop. He unhurriedly moves to guard the fallen spellcaster, dodging the axe aimed for him. He retailiates with an axe swipe of his own, more to keep the brute back than anything else, and the orc easily dodges it. They circle each other, looking for openings.
The green haired man picks himself up, spitting out dirt and grass, muttering to himself "..stupid stupid stupid....tripper..". Glancing about he watches him whirling a sling and firing at the retreating wyvern.
Rearing back, he lunges forward, and delivers a punch across The Druid 20's face, screaming "DO NOT ATTACK RETREATING ANIMALS!"
He then moves toward the orc engaged with the dwarf, always trying to keep the orc between the Dwarf and himself.
Elanor's mouth snaps shut as Cappucina admonishes her to be quiet. Well, she guesses that makes sense, although she doubts that the large, winged creature - is it some kind of dragon? - is going to be paying much attention to either of them. It seems to have plenty to keep it occupied just at the moment, and in fact, it appears to be turning tail, and beginning to move off.
Of course, there are still a few orcs milling about. Cappucina took care of one - a nifty piece of work - but there were a couple more still standing. Were there injured people up there? There was so much confusion it was hard to tell, but she thought she saw the green haired man fall to the ground. Perhaps she had better follow the halfling and try to get closer to the fray. Quietly, of course.
Rod notices the orc leader crackling with electricty and writhing in pain, he sees the man in grey is staring at the orc intensely.
Last edited by BigRedRod; 15th of February, 2002 at 05:57.
Watching the beast flee in pain and anger Cadrius cannot help but feel a slight twinge of regret. It may have come here seeking easy prey but it definitely got more than it bargained for. It was not something he wished to kill nor something he wanted to die fighting. It simply was not fitting.
Turning around he examined the situation recognizing the orcs is various conditions, be it burned, crispy, or just slightly charbroiled. Two were in stasis and one was currently circling with a dwarf.
The tall man shrugs and nonchalantly moves toward the pair engaged in a most deadly dance. He could simply strike out over his head, but having dealt with dwarves in the past Cadrius knew of their pride in battle. He also could have simply struck those orcs that were held, even though he did not like the look of the electricity arcing around and over them, but he was not a cold-blooded killer, not anymore. He scowls as another man buries his thin blade into an orc's back.
So instead he calmly wipes the blood from his blade and examines the puckered wound on his side where the creature's tail had struck him. Satisfied that he was not in any mortal danger he calls out to the wild looking dwarf, "Do you require any assistance dwarf?"
Did anybody get the number of that donkey-cart?"
Shaking his head to clear the cobwebs from his mind , Megamieuwsel rises to a sitting position.
"OH MY FROG! LOOK AT MY HAT! My taylor's gonna KILL me , if he sees this. "
Furiously leaping to his feet , he looks left and right , in search of the reptilian "hat-molester" , his eyes ablaze with rage.
Alas ; the lizard isn't there anymore .
"There! As good as new!
Now , how's the rest doing..."
The remaining two orcs last only for a short second longer with the group closing in around them, and no large winged distraction.
"Everything seems to have calmed... perhaps the Wyvern was hunting the Orcs which invaded its wood... but mistakenly cuaght some bistandards in the process."
Whonan makes quick work of removing the bodies of the Orcs from near the campfire. The two guards seem to be wearing leather armor, and had greataxes in their possession. The Chief Orc wears a crowned helmet that is well decorated. He has a small rough looking bag that hands at the side and what appears to be an "out of place" map case tied to the belt, much too refined for the Orcish tastes most likely along with the crown a spoil of war. All of their things are well stained with blood.
The wind kicks up a bit and the fire roars, as the scent of insence is now slightly noticeable coming from the fire... upon further examination of the area, the intent of the circle and fire become a bit more evident, the women must have indeed been performing some sort of ceremony. They now are huddled together, comforting the youngest who is visibly shaken by the bloodshed.
For an answer the dwarf splits the Orc's head open like a ripe melon, dropping the foul beast with a spray of blood (alot of this)and brains (not so much here).
"I think I got this one," he grunts to the tall human, "Thanks for the offer, though".
He sketches a quick salute with his axe. He kneels by the fallen orc, carefully wiping his bloody axe on the beasts ragged cloak. He stands and tests the edge again, catching Crito's eye as he does so.
He sits by the fire and hauls a flask from his belt, taking a quick drink. He notices Rod and offers the flask before setting about oiling his fine axe.
Cadrius nods and says, "I suspected as much," managing to avoid most of the spray of gore.
He glances over to the trio of women two consoling the one who had been down. She did not appear to be severely wounded and seemed to be in capable hands. If not he could always see what he could do, perhaps the old combat medic training he had received years ago might still serve him.
Momentarily the throbbing pain located in his side he bends down and picks up the crowned helmet and the map. A puzzled expression crosses his face as he tries to imagine from whom they had taken these things.
With his thumb he wipes a smear of blood off the front of the helmet and reveals a symbol. His eyes widen in surprise as he makes out a griffon grasping a rose in its talons. Unconsciously his other hand reachs up and traces a faint symbol of the same flower running across the guard of his sword.
He stares in thought at the meaning of finding such a thing before unrolling the map. He frowns as the map is not in perfect condition and he walks over to the purple panted man and the one in a gray cloak saying, "What do you make of this?"
As if suddenly realizing his breach of ettiquette the man snaps to attention his already good posture becoming perfect and says in a formal voice, "My apologies. My name is Cadrius, I trust you all are well after that battle."
With the dragon-thing gone, and the orcs dead, Elanor approaches less cautiously. There do indeed seem to be injured folk here, although it is hard to tell what has happened to whom, and which of those bleeding need help the most. She notices that the three women huddled together near the fire seem to be badly shaken, and she tries to offer some comfort. The blonde woman is crying softly, but as Elanor approaches, she shakes her head and looks over at the man in gray. Elanor can see that fresh blood soaks his clothing. She stands and moves toward him.
"Can I help you? I have some skill in healing..."
The tiny air snake hovers over her shoulder, near her ear.
OOC: AHHH, Did it again... Editing to account for other posts.
The brunette woman Shrieks in horror as Rod throws the Garbage on their sacred fire. She stares at him very crossly with growing anger. Her older sister steps in and quietly speaks to her... "The circle has already been tainted, it is no use to us now anyways."
The brunette woman attempts to shrug off her upset mood. The grey clad man walks forward to where the others are seated, grasping the map .... "May I take a quick look"
"Thank you for heeding my call. Let me introduce Ember, Jasmine, and Annastania.... for it is their aid you were truly coming to." As there names are called the three women give a respectful bow in order from eldest to youngest. When the man finishes Ember steps forward... "My sisters and I thank you for your help... we did not expect to be caught in the clash of Orc and beast as we were."
Whonan opens the map e with a motion, studying it by the fire light. An expression of discovery comes upon his face... and he holds it directly between him and the flames as hidden markings begin to appear and shine through the parchment. He rolls it up, and hands it to the man that spoke of the artifact. "I might think this could be of use to you."
The women meanwhile speak a few words to each other privatly and then begin picking various things up from the area and carefully storing them away in a bag, and case. The last thing they pick up seems to be pieces of a split gem pulsing with a strange glow. Anna holds the glowing crystal in her hands after her sister placed it there in amazement. Jasmine also hands a piece to her older sister and finally one to Whonan. "At least we finished this portion of the ritual." She smiles and they all go to sit with the others... The wounds of the Grey clad man now oddly closed, with only a bit of blood stains to hint where they were.
Whonan speaks to the kind lady offering him medical attention. "Thank you, I believe I am alright now though."
In all the commotion of the battle Crito's attention turned away from Cadogan for a mer moment only to turn and find the mage missing. Now with the Orcs stopped and the Wyvern gone and Cadogan still not in sight it becomes apparent something is not right.
To everyones amazement the Mage appears on the edge of the woods where the Wyvern had just retreated, its Cadogan alright and he looks less then healthy. His body is covered with blood and every step must be a pain no doubt. His shield arm has been mauled and he is bleeding fast in his hand is his little morning star, covered with blood also. He drifts blindly towards the group, stops short and falls face first into the dust. Giving a little cry of pain as he does so.
Cappucina stayed hidden for the rest of the fight. She has already retrieved her dagger. Flitting over to the body like a shadow and then finding a new place to hide. No one saw her and no one sees her now.
She is about to step out of her hidey spot when something catches her eye. She freezes, her eyes become little slits, everything 'happy go lucky' about her is no longer evident and now she looks more like a hungry alley cat stalking some feathered prey. She watches carefully, very carefully, as the big split green gem is passed out among the three women and the man in grey. Each sister tucks her piece away quickly, but Cap has noted where each piece ended up. One tucked deep inside a hidden pocket, one in a pouch now inside a shirt, and one gone away in a pouch around a neck.
She then gathers herself together and wiggles her way through the shrubs and bursts out from the foliage and into the clearing around the fire. She weaves her way through all of you around the fire asking, "Everyone OK? No one dying? I saw the whole thing from there," she squeaks and points to her first hiding place. She stops when she's gotten next to Cadrius and looks up and up and up at him and gives him a shy look of admiration. "I am impressed with everyone. I think that if we all wanted to find an artifact that we could. Do we have a map now? Let's form a group and think of a name. We'll be famous throughout the lands for slaying orcs and beasties and finding artifacts soon enough." She smiles at all of you happily. "We will need a leader and a treasurer. I nominate myself as treasurer!"
Just then Cadogen appears, stumbles up from his chase and collapses. "Eek! Cadogen! We've got to help him!" Cappucina shreeks and starts tugging the well armored fighter with her toward the fallen blind man.
Last edited by cappucina; 17th of February, 2002 at 05:14.
Elanor sees a figure stagger out of the woods. It's the blind mage! He appears to be badly injured, but makes his way towards the group, collapsing in the dust just as he reaches them.
Elanor kneels over him, quickly taking a small kit out of her pack. She opens it to reveal rolled up strips of soft cloth, numerous bottles and jars of ointments and salves, and small intstruments. As soon as her hands touch the mage, he feels something flow into him, something soothing and comforting. She works to stop his wounds from bleeding, then she cleans them and bandages them with the strips of cloth.
Cadrius frowns as he is tugged along by the halfling toward the heavily wounded man. He did not have anything on him that would help wounds like that. A ripped shirt makes a good bandage, but it means little when one is in such terrible shape. Fortunately a young woman gets there first and produces a very professional looking medical kit.
"Easy little one," he says, "I do believe she has everything under control." As he says this he notices that the bleeding almost immediately stopped after the bandages were placed on. He blinks once and then says, "An astounding job madam healer."
He bows formally and then goes to one knee next to the wounded man, "How are you sir? Did you have a run in with that beast as it fled?"
He still clenches the mostly blood-soaked helmet in his right hand as he talks to the man. It is only after the wounded one opens his eyes and does not look directly at him when spoken to that he suspects a form of vision impairment.
Cough "All I..." Cough "..Remember was being picked up by sharp blades.." Cough Cough "...And incredable pain, somehow I managed to get my morning star and hit whatever it was. Apparently it doesn't like food that fights back." The mage attempts to make a joke, but the sarcasm doesn't seem to go well with the people around him.
As Elanor ministers to Cadogen's wounds, Cap moves up close and watches. While Elanor kneels and rearranges the bandages, Cappucina gently picks all the leaves and twigs out of the nice lady's hair. "Did you do that with magic?" she asks.
"I guess it's magic. I really don't know how I do it," Elanor confesses to Cappucina. "Something just flows out of me like that when people are hurt.
"Is everyone here OK now?" she asks, looking around at all those assembled.
The three women sit crosslegged around the fire, as the odd man gives them each a bit of food and water from his satchel. The eldest two looking over the others, only recognizing the woman tending to the injured man. The youngest is still enthralled by the gem in her hands.
"So what do you make of it?" Whonan asks the Purple clad man, reffering to the map.
"Seems those orcs plundered a Party with the same intentions as yours, aye."
"Hmmm.... the markings on it don't make any sense to me this way.
Stepping up to the fire , Megamieuwsel holds the scroll in front of him close enough to be heated , yet not so close as to scorch it.
The heat works its own magic on the piece of vellum and new lines appear on the scroll , completing an elaborate depiction of a vaguely dragon-shaped volcano(which can be deducted from the column of smoke arising from it) next to a huge waterfall , which on its turn plummets into a valley that lies in the shadow of the volcano.
Even though the depiction is in back-and-white only , the artist managed to make it look like one particular spot in the overcast valley appears to shine like silver in moonlight.
"There we have it , gentlemen.
Another clue to further my quest for Gargeltjes Goggles , cleverly hidden with the old-fashioned trick of writing in acid.
Now , where is this tableau located?
And ," turning around to scan the area , " Where's that darn mule of mine?
PATOKKEL!!! Where in the name of lady Bureaucratia are you , you darned donkey!"
The tall man raises his eyebrow creating a series of ridges on his forehead. He then shrugs and says, "If that is true then you have an incredible gift madam."
Once hearing this Cadrius quickly covers up his wound by dropping his right arm down to his side. He continues to clean off the crowned helmet with his right hand and a spare piece of cloth.
He looks over and observes the purple panted man go off about the map found and the acid etching. Once he starts yelling for what could only be the mule he had been with earlier Cadrius sighs and resumes cleaning the helmet by the fire.
Last edited by Cadrius; 19th of February, 2002 at 13:33.
Cappucina sees that there are more people hurt, the tall man for one, but that not all of them want to be healed. She doesn't understand the motivation for this at all. But, she keeps quiet on the matter.
Cappucina takes the chance now that everyone is recovering around the ladies' fire to introduces herself to anyone she missed before - while she was spying on the magic shop or pretending to be the dwarf. She introduces herself to Cadrius, "I'm Cappucina. You are very handsome. Maybe you wouldn't be so sad if you found the right ladyfriend. The next spell I was going to learn was for seeing invisible people, but I don't have to learn that next. I could maybe learn a spell that shrinks or grows people." She seems to think it important that you consider all possibilities. When Cadrius doesn't seem too interested, Cap makes a mental note to go to a beauty shop tomorrow and get a more attractive hairdo. It must be the topknot.
She introduces herself to the other halfling. "I'm Cappucina and Yondalla must be proud of you for how you used your healing today!" She tells him in an aside, "You and I will really be a help to these big folks I think."
Cap looks around, everyone else has met her and she's met them. Except for the sisters. Cappucina thinks that the women are a little strange, so she approaches them cautiously. "Excuse me. Excuse me ladies. Hello! I heard you are sisters. Real life sisters or some witchy type sisters? I bet your mom was happy that you all had diffferent hair color so she could always tell who was who, because otherwise you look quite alike. What were you doing out here with the fire. Why was it sacred? Is this guy your brother (she asks pointing to the grey man)? Is he nice or not?, Cap really needs the answer to this question so she knows whether or not she may steal away his quarter of the emerald. She doesn't steal from nice people, so Elanor and her shop are safe. S'okay, she's got a feeling Elanor might help her learn a spell or two and she has found lots of better things to pocket. Lots of shiny green sparkly things.


All applications so far have been approved.
Everyone got their picks in?
All sorted about a week or so ago. I haven't really changed my mind much in the interim so I think I'll leave them as they are. Hopefully I've done it right though, I've made a pick on every fight, the winner, method, round etc but I haven't done anything with regards to wagers as I didn't know if we needed to?
Wagers are just a little side league where you bet virtual money and there's a league table for the whole website on the amount you win, you don't need to use them.
Which section do I make my picks in?
In the Pick-Em Leagues section it's called The Big Show, it'll have all the events on a tab.
Thanks TildeGuy. I now have it at 100% complete for that show in that section.
How did everyone get on then? Despite getting the main and co-main completely wrong I still managed to pull in 56 points. Overall I went 8-5, but think I got a few bonus points for picking an underdog or two who got their wins.
@ReturnOfTheMack is sitting pretty at the top after one event on 62 points.
50 points and 7-6 if I remember correctly. I only got a chance to see the main card, but called most of it incorrectly, but the one that helped me out was the Adesanya Vs Gastelum fight being for increased points. That saved my bacon a little.
Pure fluke on my part. Here's hoping my lucky guesses based on nothing more than gut instinct and how amusing I find their pictures continues.


This entry was posted in James Tissot on January 31, 2019 by canvasart.
The Adoration of the Shepherds, James Tissot One of a remarkable series of 350 paintings done primarily in gouache — in which Tissot depicted events in the Bible's New Testament relevant to the life of Christ. At the suggestion of John Singer Sargent, the entire series was acquired by the Brooklyn Museum in 1900. They selected some for an exhibition in 2009, and have the entire series online, along with other works by the artist.
This entry was posted in James Tissot on January 24, 2019 by canvasart.
This entry was posted in James Tissot on January 17, 2019 by canvasart.
This entry was posted in James Tissot on January 10, 2019 by canvasart.
This entry was posted in James Tissot on January 3, 2019 by canvasart.
This entry was posted in James Tissot on December 27, 2018 by canvasart.
This entry was posted in James Tissot on December 20, 2018 by canvasart.
Type of Beauty, James Tissot. Definitely made me want to start oil painting, this one.
This entry was posted in James Tissot on December 13, 2018 by canvasart.
This entry was posted in James Tissot on December 6, 2018 by canvasart.


To top it off, Neurocrine has already dipped a toe in the gene therapy pool by signing a new collaboration deal with Voyager Therapeutics. In March, Neurocrine handed Voyager $165 million for rights to VY-AADC, an experimental gene therapy for the treatment of Parkinson's disease that's ready to begin a pivotal study.
Cory Renauer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Biogen. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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pa2a.org » The Think Tank » General Politics » National Politics » Analyst: Obama has formed strategic alliance with Muslim Brotherhood
Analyst: Obama has formed strategic alliance with Muslim Brotherhood
Pocketprotector
Re-Education challenged
City / State: PA
County: Bucks
07-02-2013, 10:52 AM (This post was last modified: 07-02-2013, 11:39 AM by Pocketprotector.)
mmm mmm mmm.....Strategic??? "Strategic" for whom?????????
http://www.worldtribune.com/2013/06/30/a...otherhood/
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has launched a drive for a U.S.
alliance with the ruling Muslim Brotherhood movement in Egypt, a leading
analyst said.
Analyst Barry Rubin asserted that Obama has formed a U.S. strategic
alliance with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and other countries. Rubin,
director of Israel's Gloria Center, said Obama signaled his intention to
establish such an alliance as soon as he entered office in 2009.
"For all practical purposes the closest allies to the United States are no longer Israel, Saudi Arabia, and a moderate Egypt, but an Islamist Egypt, an Islamist regime in Turkey, and the Syrian rebels led by the Brotherhood,"
Rubin said in a recent analysis.
Rubin said the Brotherhood alliance formed the basis of the U.S. security doctrine in the Middle East. He said the doctrine was concealed from the American people, although hinted in Obama's speech in Cairo
"In 4 more OMao years you won't like how America looks....I guarantee it."
"When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty." -- Thomas Jefferson
Connal
City / State: Oil CIty PA
County: Venango
An alliance? I wouldn't call it that.
I mean, he is a member isn't he?
This will be the best security for maintaining our liberties. A nation of well-informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved. It is in the religion of ignorance that tyranny begins. -Ben Franklin
Ten*K
There is no conflict...
City / State: bethlehem
County: lehigh
Next you guys will be telling me he's sent the Egyptian MB F-16s and a few billion dollars. That's as completely unlikely as deciding to give military grade weapons to Al Qaeda in Syria.
Come on. I mean... COME ON!
tolerance for failure meter... LOW
07-02-2013, 04:41 PM (This post was last modified: 07-02-2013, 04:42 PM by Pocketprotector.)
AQ#1 certainly qualifies as a member
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