Here at CruisesOnly, an agent's professional education is far more than some "one-and-done" introductory program - it's a way of life. Every one of our agents receives over 100 hours of training per year, and each agent must complete an extensive series of cruise-line certifications before they've taken even a single booking. And our agents' expertise isn't limited to the ships you'll be sailing and the places you'll be visiting, either - they know how to locate and deliver the best value, too!
Set sail with confidence. Our team, comprised of over 500 experts, will keep you informed and make sure that you're an active participant in the cruise-planning process.
Dedicated to the promotion and growth of the cruise industry, CLIA is the world's largest cruise association. Comprised of the twenty-five major cruise lines that serve North America, CLIA is also affiliated with approximately 100 strategic business allies ("Executive Partners") and more than 16,000 North American travel agencies. CruisesOnly is a proud member of CLIA. Many of our agents have achieved one or more levels of achievement in CLIA certification, including the association's "Luxury Cruise Specialist Designation" (LCS).
Carnival offers agents informal learning opportunities (e.g. on-demand webinars) as well as structured training via its CCL University. A "Bachelor's of Fun" degree is the first step in their formal accreditation process. Participating agents complete a specially designed, five-chapter course focused on the Carnival brand; they're then eligible to continue on to a CCL post-graduate degree (the "Master's of Memories" and/or the "Ph.D. of Awesome"), earning CLIA certification credits and continuing-education credits (CEUs) along the way.
Celebrity provides accreditation to our agents by way of a five-level approach. Each level, or module, focuses on specific aspects of the Celebrity brand (e.g. accommodations and dining venues in Level 2, itineraries and ports of call in Level 3); agents earn formal certification and special recognitions (e.g. "2-Star Agent," "3-Star Agent") as they complete each. Agents that complete all five levels are also eligible for up to fifteen CLIA credits. CruisesOnly itself has received a "Five-Star Accredited Agency" designation from the cruise line.
Launched as part of Norwegian's "Partnership 2.0" initiative (which was put in place to further strengthen the cruise line's ties with the travel-agent community), NCL University offers our the ability to earn up to 15 CLIA credits while simultaneously becoming "Freestyle" certified. Participants receive access to the very latest information on Norwegian Cruise Line sailings, share selling tips and interact with other travel agents via the university's social-networking function, watch videos and read blogs, and much more.
Royal Caribbean International's "University of WOW!"
An innovative and comprehensive accreditation program for agents, Royal Caribbean's "University of WOW!" allows our agents to learn all about the ships, itineraries, services, and selling tools offered by the cruise line in a virtual-classroom environment. As our enrolled agents progress through the program, they earn incremental incentives, escalating certifications (e.g. "Expert" and "Expert Plus"), and CLIA credits. Since its launch, the university has expanded the program to include additional elective modules and a pass-fail program.
The honors we've been fortunate to receive are, above all else, a testament to the knowledge and commitment of our people. Whether it's an accolade from one of travel's leading publications or an award bestowed upon us by a top-brand cruise line, they help reinforce that we're doing right by our customers and our colleagues within the industry. Many of our most valuable offers are exclusively available to you as a result of the longstanding and close connections we've forged with our cruise-line associates.
"The Academy Awards® of the Travel Industry", presented by travAlliancemedia, recognize the highest standards of excellence in travel, honoring agencies, agents, executives, destinations, and products for their outstanding achievements (more than 100,000 industry professionals cast their votes annually). World Travel Holdings won four of these prestigious statuettes at 2017's ceremony, including the most coveted Travvy of them all - "Gold, Best Large Retail Travel Agency" - beating out several household names.
MSC CRUISES' PRESIDENT'S AWARD, "OVERALL PARTNER OF THE YEAR"
Presented as part of MSC Cruises' 4th annual True Partnerships' Awards, which recognize the line's leading partners. The President's Award, MSC's highest accolade, honors the fleet's top-performing partner for the year, based on overall business growth (both revenue and guests), as well as continuous partnership support and innovative marketing efforts that help increase awareness of the MSC brand. MSC is currently the world's fourth-largest cruise line and the fastest-growing cruise line in the industry.
ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL'S "ONLINE PARTNER OF THE YEAR"
Awarded to the travel partner that exhibits unwavering loyalty to the Royal Caribbean brand - not only by building the cruise line's business for the long-term, but by reacting to its close-in needs, helping to fill ships via strategic marketing and online placements. Presented annually as part of the cruise line's "Travel Partners of the Year" honors, this particular award is just one of several categories of achievement, and this is the fourth time overall that World Travel Holdings has been a recipient of Royal Caribbean's recognition.
The most prestigious distinction bestowed upon a travel partner by the cruise line. The Chairman's Award, given annually since 2013, is reflective of our extraordinary sales achievements in North America and the unrivaled service that we provide to Celebrity guests. World Travel Holdings' home-based agencies - CruiseOne, Dream Vacations, and Cruises Inc. - were also honored, sharing Celebrity's "Future Cruise Sales Award" for the highest percentage increase in onboard bookings.
Carnival's newest and most illustrious award - named for the late Ted Arison, the cruise line's founder - honors a travel partner who has consistently demonstrated tremendous partnership, loyalty, and support for the Carnival brand, upholding Ted Arison's vision that everyone deserves a great cruise vacation. "Receiving Carnival's first-ever Ted Arison Founder's Award is such an outstanding honor," said Jeff Tolkin, Co-Chairman/CEO of World Travel Holdings. "We have enjoyed a strong partnership with Carnival for many years and the collaboration between our two companies continues to strengthen and grow."
Viking River Cruises' "Platinum Circle Plus"
Viking River Cruises has announced our agency as the recipient of its 2015 "Platinum Circle Plus" award. This prestigious distinction is given to a travel partner with the highest level of sales volume in river-cruise bookings in 2015. Our agency is proud to receive this reward, and reaffirms our commitment to providing exceptional river cruising experiences by partnering with Viking River Cruises.
Apple Leisure Group's "Platinum Preferred Partner"
For the fourth consecutive year, World Travel Holdings is honored to have to receive Apple Leisure Group's "Platinum Preferred Partner" award. Comprised of extremely successful separate entities such as Apple Vacations® and AMResorts®, Apple Leisure Group continues to grow and excel in the resort vacation marketplace. The company has chosen World Travel Holdings from among its top partners to acknowledge and celebrate a committed and highly effective business relationship.
Norwegian Cruise Line's "Elite Travel Partner of the Year"
Norwegian Cruise Line's top annual award is bestowed upon the travel partner that best demonstrates a continuing commitment to the cruise line's year-over-year growth, its total revenue, and the overall success of its brand. Our agency is also a proud member of Norwegian Cruise Line's President's Elite Club (which is exclusively comprised of the company's top-performing travel partners) and a participant in their "Partners First" initiative.
Royal Caribbean International's "President's Award", "Partner of the Year"
The President's Award, Royal Caribbean's top honor and one of the cruise industry's most prestigious awards, is given annually to the company's "Partner of the Year." Adam Goldstein, Royal Caribbean's President and CEO, recognized us in his presentation speech as the line's "go-to account" and an "undisputed presence in the travel community," noting our ability to drive tremendous sale results on multiple occasions and in a variety of situations.
This annual award recognizes U.S.-based companies for their innovative efforts in building workplaces that cultivate employee engagement. Companies are evaluated based on eight criteria including leadership, communication, culture, and professional/personal growth. Achievers is a leader in employee rewards and recognition software; World Travel Holdings, CruisesOnly's parent company, is proud to have received this honor for two years running.
Celebrity Cruises' "National Account Partner of the Year"
Honoring "the best of the best" among its travel partners, Celebrity Cruises' top honor recognizes those agencies that best serve as ambassadors for the brand and excel in delivering extraordinary revenue performance. World Travel Holdings received the honor for the second time in just three years in 2010; company executives and 35 of our travel agents were pleased to be in attendance aboard Celebrity Eclipse for that year's presentation.
Carnival Cruise Lines' "Travel Agency of the Year"
Awarded to the cruise-selling agencies that demonstrate an ability to grow as a business partner, exhibit exceptional professionalism and enthusiasm, and develop innovative sales and marketing techniques. World Travel Holdings and Expedia CruiseShipCenters (2009's co-winner) were chosen for the honor from among more than 30,000 candidates in the U.S. and Canada; both agencies had reported a record number of Carnival bookings for the previous year.
In just its third year on the list, World Travel Holdings jumped several places to earn a top-fifteen spot on the industry-leading magazine's annual ranking of the nation's top travel retailers (based on annual sales and company size). In addition to the coveted "Power List" ranking, CruiseOne - our sister company and part of World Travel Holdings' franchise division - placed sixth on the publication's "Top 8 Franchisors" list for the year.
One of the industry's top publications waded through the Internet's enormous number of travel-related websites in order to determine which were best-equipped to prepare you for your next trip, and only one cruise retailer's site was worthy of inclusion on their list: CruisesOnly.com. We're confident our site has only increased in value since: we've added a huge amount of user-friendly features and content since 2004, including more than 17,000 customer reviews.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Please read the Regulations and Syllabus prior to registering your students or groups to make sure the classes are available.
Take the time to read the instructions and all the information written on your screen before entering and submitting your registration.
Canadian Composers List - Please visit www.musiccentre.ca.
For School Teachers - Comprehensive Guide to THE FAMOUS Rotary Music Festival.


 Science Café Sessions Brochure, 2017-2018.
 Science Café Sessions Brochure, 2016-2017.
 Brief Introduction about Oman Animal and Plant Genetic Resources Center, 2017.
Science Café Sessions Brochure, 2015-2016.
Gulf Eco Exhibition, Gulf Eco, 2013.
Gulf Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Wealth Exhibition, GAFAEX, 2013.
Genetic Resources: Our Heritage, 2012.
Oman Animal and Plant Genetic Resources Center Strategy, 2012.
 Brief Introduction about Oman Animal and Plant Genetic Resources Center, 2012.


Easy-Access Line of Credit - Overdraft protection.
This convenient, personal loan saves you the worry of having funds available for your everyday purchases. It's the easiest way to access funds when you need them. It can be linked to your Checking Account so when you write a check or use your Visa debit card for purchases, the funds are withdrawn automatically from the Easy-Access Line of Credit.
Since it is a line of credit, as you pay off the loan each month, the funds become available to you again – similar to a credit card.


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Nation's Pubs To Heave With Guilt-Free Husbands Tonight As Gilmore Girls Returns To TV
WENDELL HUSSEY | Cadet | CONTACT
For the first time in many years, majority of Australia's married men and women will go to bed unbelievably content tonight, it has been confirmed
With the return of Gilmore Girls tonight, the series that captured the hearts and minds of women across the globe over ten years ago, Australia's male population has been willingly granted free passes to indulge in a piss riddled Friday night, with no consequences.
"I can't fucking believe it. I knew she loved this TV show, but she has told me "It's fine, I can head out Friday and Saturday night" says Luke Roundtree, a 29-year-old tiler.
"She said it without even the slightest hint of sarcasm, I think she genuinely doesn't mind if I eat 15 beers and come home in a state where shitting myself is a real possibility," he explained in bewilderment.
Mr Roundtree's girlfriend, Chelsea Lee, says she is genuinely so excited, that she just wants him out of the house while she settles in for the Friday night.
"I honestly don't mind, I just don't want him or his mates interrupting us"
"My friends and I will need 100% concentrating for this reunion episode. Depending how the night goes I won't even mind if he jumps into my bed, smelling like a brewery, and tries to subtly massage my lower back with his dick," she said.
Local publican Phil Ayers says that he has called all his casuals in for tonight as he expects huge numbers of blokes who have been given the go ahead to piss away a decent portion of their weekly wage.
Mr Roundtree says that while he has settled for the pub, there had been talks between his mates of a random Gold Coast trip to really let the hair down.
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S10E01 - The Louwers Job Air Date: 24 February 2013 02:00 -
Sorry, but right now we don't have any sources for this episode.
S10E02 - The Yunker Job Air Date: 03 March 2013 02:00 -
S10E03 - The Jurcak Job Air Date: 10 March 2013 02:00 -
S10E04 - The Schiding Job Air Date: 17 March 2013 01:00 -
S10E05 - The Stingl Job Air Date: 24 March 2013 01:00 -
S10E06 - The Ellis Job Air Date: 31 March 2013 01:00 -
S10E07 - The Threatt Job Air Date: 07 April 2013 01:00 -
S10E08 - The Jenkins Job Air Date: 14 April 2013 01:00 -
S10E09 - The Weinand Job Air Date: 21 April 2013 01:00 -
S10E10 - The Switzky Job Air Date: 28 April 2013 01:00 -
S10E11 - The Storms Job Air Date: 05 May 2013 01:00 -
S10E12 - The Zelwin Job Air Date: 12 May 2013 01:00 -
S10E13 - The Meyer Job Air Date: 12 May 2013 01:00 -


You would think that a student who had been the Bryan High School Golden Bear would want to try out for Brutus, especially one who had been an Ohio State fan long before she enrolled. This student, Mary Burnett, did long to be Ohio State's mascot, BUT (imagine a big dead end sign) she couldn't see the logic in going from the mobile, crowd-engaging Surewin the Golden Bear to the 1980 version of Brutus, slowly tottering around the field with a heavy round head that required the arms to be inside, sorely limiting antics.
In late April of her sophomore year in 1981, Mary couldn't believe what she was reading in The Lantern. On the front page, assistant Athletic Director Richard Delaney was announcing plans for a revised outfit for Brutus that would make the mascot more mobile. A conceptual drawing showed Brutus with a smaller head on the shoulders, wearing a letter sweater and pants and carrying a megaphone. Interested students were invited to sign up for tryouts.
Mary recalls about 42 others went to the meeting where they learned of the expectations for tryouts in May. They needed to dance to Hang on Sloopy, do a basketball handling routine and perform a skit.
Mary spent the next month preparing. Two of her Pi Phi sorority sisters who were cheerleaders helped her with the dance routine. The basketball routine was a cinch. She had played full court women's basketball at Bryan HS and intermural basketball at Ohio State's Larkins Hall. For the skit, Mary created an encounter with the Michigan Wolverine.
Delaney gave Mary full rein to create her own costume. Over the summer, Mary worked with Donna Burns, a Pi Phi alumna she knew from Bryan, to create the new look for Brutus.
The day of the Duke game, the Columbus Citizen-Journal gave a preview of Mary in costume, a beanbag sack-like dress, big clown feet, white gloved hands, and red and white striped socks. The Brutus head, which sat on her shoulders, looked very similar to its current iteration, which retains the smile and button nose of the first fiberglass model.
Brutus now had the freedom he deserved to move about the stadium, playfully interacting with fans. Mary gave out 100 Dum-Dums lollipops each game as a gift from Spangler Candy Company, based in her home town of Bryan. What didn't change was the visibility from inside the head. Even though she could see out the mouth, Mary remembers tripping on the Band Director's box. She was taken off the field in a golf cart from the 40-yard line.
That year there was only one Brutus. Mary attended home football games, away games at Stanford, Purdue and Michigan, the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, and the women's basketball tournament at Drake. She flew with the team on a charter jet. Mary remembers giving high 5's to basketball great Clark Kellogg, seeing John Elway in his quarterback role at Stanford, and doing a local television cooking segment making buckeye candies.
Her biggest rush came each home game when she led the band and cheerleading squad from St. John Arena to The Shoe. She was the first one through the tunnel and ran the 100-yard field with the crowd standing up and cheering.
Mary's Brutus career ended at next year's tryouts when Eric Mayers beat her out. Brutus went on to become more male looking and Mary finished up her B.A. in Physical Education. I asked her whether she put Brutus on her resume. The answer was a firm, "Yes!" When she visited her parents in Ft. Worth, where her parents had moved during her senior year, American Airlines was hiring. They wanted Brutus, so much so that they hired her on the spot and gave her a ticket back to Columbus.
Mary wore the costume, minus the head, during the band's half-time rendition of "Happy Birthday" to Brutus, while the former Bruti "blew out" the candles. The costume will eventually be featured in the Brutus Room at the Ohio Union.
When not in the skies, Mary, the photographer and poet, posts on Instagram and Facebook. Her main focus in life is HEART. She advises, "The main thing is to Follow Your Heart. If you follow your heart, your dreams will come true." She followed her heart when applying to American Airlines, when marrying Tom Brown, and trying out for Brutus. All in all, Mary's motto is working out for her.


Social housing giant Thirteen has unveiled a £1bn investment package to build new stock and create thousands of jobs in the next five years.
The housing association, which owns and manages 34,000 homes, unveiled the 10-figure package on Wednesday morning to "improve existing homes and neighbourhoods" and build new properties up to 2024.
It's all part of the group's five year strategy to create 6,000 construction jobs in the region, help 2,000 people into training or employment and "secure up to £6m in additional welfare benefits" for its tenants.
It also wants to offer 300 to 400 apprenticeships in the programme and build 3,000 more affordable homes.
Ian Wardle, chief executive of Thirteen, said the £1bn would allow improvements to 20,000 homes in the next five years and spark a "40% increase" in the amount it invests in its properties.
He added: "There are new homes being created - about 3,000 affordable homes.
"When people need a home and are in housing need, we'll be able to respond to that."
£411m to improve 20,000 existing homes with new roofs, kitchens, bathrooms, boilers, doors and windows - with £5m to allow older people to stay in their homes for longer.
£393m for 3,000 "affordable and shared ownership homes" - £58m of this will be for 700 new independent homes for people with specialist needs.
£159m for "neighbourhood improvements" - including employment and training for young people, money advice and help for people in crisis.
£59m for 298 "market sale homes" with profits "reinvested".
Mr Wardle said the £1bn would come from Thirteen's reinvested "surplus" and grants from government body Homes England.
But he added the "vast majority" of the sum would be from borrowing.
The social housing structure on Teesside has seen a big reorganisation in the past decade - with large chunks of stock passed over from councils.
In 2017, Tristar Homes joined Erimus Housing, Housing Hartlepool, Tees Valley Housing and Thirteen Care and Support as the new not-for-profit "single landlord" - the Thirteen Group.
Mr Wardle said the £1bn would start being used in April to improve all Thirteen estates this year.
He added the programme would include 92 two, three and four bedroom homes at Grove Hill, in Middlesbrough.
Plans are also taking shape at Roworth Road, in Middlesbrough, and Alma Street, in Stockton.
The firm announced it was demolishing five of its high rise tower blocks on Teesside last year.
Anson House and Hudson House, in Thornaby, Jupiter Court, Milford House and Portland House, in Pallister Park, and Brambles Farm, Middlesbrough, are all due to go in the next 12 to 18 months.
The housing giant said maintaining the blocks was "not sustainable" and more than 100 homes are earmarked to be built in their place.
Mr Wardle said some of the money would go into refurbishing homes for people to move into.
He added: "Some of the new homes in the development programme will provide accommodation for people relocating out of the high rises.
"When those high rises are demolished, we will use some of the funding for planning permission to replace them with affordable homes on that site - lower density, family-sized accommodation - not flats."
Thirteen's strategy is also hoping to put 2,000 people into training programmes or employment in the next five years.
On top of an estimated 6,000 construction jobs, there are ambitions to create "300 to 400" apprenticeships.
Mr Wardle added Thirteen was also investing £11m in its staff to help people navigate the benefits system.
He added: "It's quite difficult at times and because of that we're making a significant investment in our teams to help people get tax credits and Universal Credit, help people apply for jobs, learn a trade or go on course.
"We saw a massive increase in demand and we increased the size of our team last year."
Val Scollen, chairwoman of Thirteen's "customer engagement group", said the £1bn investment was "great news" for tenants.
The Billingham resident added: "It's going to make a big difference because the money they are spending - they're doing up lots of houses and offering community apprenticeships.
"When I go to the board meeting I'm not just a nodding dog, if anything comes up with tenants they ask me about it straight away.
"It's absolutely fantastic, especially for the North-east - some of the other associations want to start looking at what Thirteen is doing."


Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, iOS, macOS , watchOS and more. Visit the site to learn, buy, and get support. Apple has just released the very final version of iOS 4.2.1 for iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G, iPad and iPod touches. This version of iOS brings a number. Aug 2, 2016 . So here goes my list of the top 3 Installous alternatives for ios 8 and below that you should really try on your iphone,ipad The best iOS site for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Watch how-to guides, jailbreak, apps, tweaks, hacks, tips, news, rumours and reviews. Download iTools for iphone, iTools is a free alternative to iTunes.It is overall management of your iDevice (itools Latest version updated) - iTools 2014 Build. The all-in-one untethered iDevice jailbreak for iPhone 3.1.3, iPad 3.2 and iPod touch 2G/3G is finally here. Available for both Windows and Mac OS X, Spirit. InstallOus iOS 8.1.2 alternatives help you to install many paid apps at free of cost. Many iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch users jailbreak their iOS to get Installous. Feb 13, 2014 iOS 7 Installous Alternatives for 2014: Download Apps for Free let's you get free program installation on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.
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Cydia jailbreak iPhone App review by AppSafari - iPhone Apps, iPad Apps, iPod touch apps, Honest reviews of quality iPhone apps and games by iOS application experts. Hope it helped This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Hal ini dapat menurunkan performa iPhone 3G anda. Untuk pengguna iPhone 3G Software Unlock (SU) : Pilih opsi Install Cydia, Enable Battery Percentage dan Install. With today's technology, there are a few ways to install Zeusmos to your iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad and here is one of the tastiest way to do so. There many. Intro: Easy Jailbreak for Your IOS 4.2.1 IPhone/iPod. Have you been searching for how to jailbreak your iPhone/iPod TOuch on firware 4.2.1? Well your search If you have ever tried to view a password protected PDF file on your iOS device, in the Mail app or Dropbox you might have noticed that your iPhone display.


You can hide files on any operating system, but hidden files can be accessed by anyone with access to your PC or its storage. Encryption actually protects your files, preventing people from accessing them without your encryption key.
Even if intelligence agencies could bypass this encryption — and we're pretty sure they can't — it's still useful. Encryption can protect sensitive financial, business, and personal data from people with access to your hardware.
Windows has built-in BitLocker encryption. BitLocker drive encryptio ncan encrypt your entire Windows system drive or another internal drive. BitLocker To Go can encrypt a USB flash drive or another external media device. BitLocker can also be used with a VHD file, creating an encrypted container file that contains encypted files. BitLockeris only available on Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions of Windows. It's not available on the standard editions of Windows, like Windows 7 Home or the "core" edition of Windows 8 or 8.1.
New Windows 8.1 computers also offer "device encryption", but this requires specific hardware and the use of a Microsoft account that backs up your encryption key online. This is a very limited encryption feature, but at least it works on every edition of Windows!
Since you probably can't use BitLocker, you'll need a third-party encryption solution on Windows. TrueCrypt was previously the encryption solution nearly everyone recommended. It offers a variety of encryption methods, so you can encrypt your entire system drive, encrypt a removable drive, or just create an encrypted container to encrypt some specific files.
Unfortunately, TrueCrypt's status is now uncertain. On May 28, 2014, the TrueCrypt project's website was replaced with a messagesaying TrueCrypt is no longer maintained and is unsafe to use. TrueCrypt's website recommends you use BitLocker on Windows instead. However, an audit of TrueCrypt's code has found no serious problems. The Gibson Research Corporation site maintains a page with the final releases of TrueCrypt you can download and use. They argue that it's safe to use.
Is TrueCrypt really safe to use? Well, we don't really know — there's a lot of debate and uncertainty here.
No other free, open-source encryption tools are as polished on Windows. TrueCrypt was the tool everyone had congregated around. However, you can still use other tools. For example, 7-Zip and other file-archiving tools include built-in encryption. You can use 7-Zip to create an AES-256-encrypted archive file you need a password to open. This solution won't let you encrypt an entire hard drive, but it will let you encrypt a few files.
Ubuntu includes built-in support for encryption, and so do many other Linux distributions. Encryption features are available to all Linux users. For example, Ubuntu allows you to encrypt your system while installing it. Ubuntu and other GNOME-based Linux distributions also allow you to easily encrypt removable drives with the Disk Utility application.
Linux offers many other encryption tools. For example, you can also use encfs to encrypt files in any other folder. The graphical Archive Manager tool can easily create encrypted archives. The examples here are all for Ubuntu, but these methods are similar on many different Linux distributions and desktop environments. Perform a search to see what encryption tools your Linux distribution of choice includes.
Apple's Mac OS X also includes a variety of built-in encryption features. There aren't different editions of the Mac OS X desktop with different included software, so these encryption tools are available on every Mac.
FileVault allows you to encrypt an entire system drive. You can also quickly encrypt a removable drive from the Finder — you'll see an encryption password prompt when you plug it into a Mac in the future. The Disk Utility allows you to create an encrypted disk image file you can lock and unlock on demand. All of these features are built-in and can set up and used with a few clicks.
Encryption is a complex topic. Whatever encryption scheme you choose to use, be sure to set a strong passphrase. Encrypting your files with a weak passphrase will make them easy to decrypt in the future.


What we see, hear, touch, taste & smell we believe. There are many things in life we cant sense using the 5 senses. Do they cease to exist in reality? Infrared, X rays aren't visible and neither they can be felt but they are real. Similarly the existence of power that operates this universe exists yet it cant be felt within our senses. Its real. This may take us to the discussion about God which is a synonym to this power. If a computer requires carefully written program to run, how could life run without such a program written by master programmer, synonyms to god.


Grade 9-College. Students assume the role of environmental forensic scientists to solve a fictional crime, an algal bloom breakout, by integrating core concepts in physics. Students engineer LED conductivity testers to test water samples and build a scale reservoir model to test water flow rates created by an upstream dam. Activities challenge students to use deductive reasoning, scientific methodology, and data comprehension. This kit is designed for 32 students working in 8 groups of 4.
Grade 9-College. The Lake Carson City Park is in desperate need of your help. An algal bloom has broken out in the lake, and it is threatening to shut down local businesses and send this vacation paradise into a downward spiral. Physics students jump into the role of forensic scientists as they work to solve this fictional crime. Using deductive reasoning and scientific methodology, they process evidence from the crime scene and integrate concepts—such as data analysis and scientific writing—to help build a compelling case. Students stay engaged throughout the investigation as they build LED conductivity testers to test water samples and create a scale reservoir model to test water flow through a dam. This compelling kit brings forensic science into your physics classroom. The kit is designed for 32 students working in 8 groups of 4.


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David Proctor
David J. Proctor is a Research Associate for the Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy at the US National Academy of Sciences where he is working on a study investigating the state of the postdoctoral experience for scientists and engineers in the United States. David recently completed a Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Fellowship, also at the National Academies. Prior to joining the Academies, David completed his postdoctoral research at the University of Dundee where he characterized the structure and activity of the RNA enzyme from the fungus Neurospora crassa. While in Scotland, he co-founded the UK Research Staff Association to provide a collective voice for UK postdoctoral researchers. David continues to nurture and build bridges between research communities as a member of the UK Research Staff Association and the US National Postdoctoral Association, and as co-chair of the Outreach Committee of the AAAS Science and Human Rights Coalition. David's interests include strengthening the national and global scientific endeavor by creating effective mechanisms for information sharing, international cooperation, and fostering dialogue for the creation of effective policy around such issues as biosecurity. David holds a PhD in chemistry from The Pennsylvania State University and a BS in biology and chemistry from Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania.


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School Notes: updates from the 8/25 school committee meeting
by abingtonnews August 25, 2021 August 25, 2021
We're at tonight's School Committee meeting, where the board is expected to discuss back-to-school plans, including the state's new mask mandate.
All school department officials and school committee members are wearing masks except Chairwoman Wendy Happel. There are about 40 parents and guardians in attendance in the Middle/High School auditorium.
Parents speak out against mask mandate
Inital speakers are urging school officials to consider the mental health impacts of students wearing masks.
Selectman Mike Kolodziej, an Abington firefighter, said hospital emergency rooms aren't filled with patients on respirators, rather with patients battling acute mental health issues. He said he's lost track of the number of calls involving young people experiencing a mental health crisis.
Michael McDonald insisted that the "depression and suicide rates are astronomical" and that masks are damaging our children. "Unless we push back as a town committee, we're going to watch our children descent into a mire," he said.
Another mother brought two of her sons saying they're struggling and wants the school commitete to see their faces.
Existing school policy
The mask policy from the 2020-2021 school year is still in place, Happel explained, so the board needs to vote to rescind in order to stay aligned with state education rules.
Before the vote School Committee member Heidi Hernandez said there was too much misinformation floating around and encouraged parents and guardians to reach out to board members if they have questions. She said she understands both sides, knows everyone has a family member that roams the schools' halls, and hopes everyone will remain kind.
School committee members explained their feeling on the mask mandate. Not all support the state move. And a handful of aprents got very angry during the discusion, shouting from their seats that the mandate is not a law, and that the school district should should ignore it.
The committee voted unanimously to revoke last year's mask policy.
School opening plans
Masks will be required until Oct. 1, including on the buses. After that schools with at least 80% vaccination rates can drop the mask mandate. Students will eat unmasked in the cafeterias. Parents are reminded to NOT SEND THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL IF SICK. Students identified as close contacts wont have to quarantine if they're both asymptomatic and fully vaccinated, or if exposed in a classroom while at least 3 feet apart and both are masked. Students will not be in cohorts this school year and may be mixing through the day. Under a new Test and Stay policy, close contacts can come to school is asymptomatic and take a rapid antigen test each day for up to 7 days from day of exposure. Testing will be available on weekends for student athletes. Test and Stay is not required.
There were more outbursts from cocnerned parents.
"If masks worked you wouldn't need to do close contacts," Kolodziej said before leaving angrily.
In response to a questions from a parent, Schafer said if the school district does not follow the mandate, that the days in school woudn't count towards the required "time on learning," which is also connected to state and federal funding.
Happel said discipline for students who refuse to wear masks is up to the school district and its disciplinary code. Schafer said for students who miss school because of quarantine, the policy for having students make up the work would be the same as it was for missed days pre-COVID.
The meeting has ended.
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We present you with a detailed summary of their characteristics the 10 most popular mountain bike pants/shorts/baggies for you to buy online. Ideal for Downhill, Enduro, Freeride and All Mountain. Leading brands with experience in the sector like: Troy Lee Designs, POC, Dakine, 100%, Fox, Endura, Gore Bike Wear, Alpinestars, Maloja, Oneal, Madison, Karpos, Speecialized, Mavic, Vaude, Craft, Race Face.
Giant Transfer Baggy Short 34-36 waist"
The new Troy Lee Design Terrain mountain bike pants stand out for the integration of the best technologies of the textile sector. They are made with 89% nylon and 11% elastane. This mixture gives them excellent flexibility and breathability, to the point that they do not cause discomfort to the cyclist when he rolls the bicycle. In addition, this type of fabric achieves excellent levels against abrasion and protection from rain and mud. Inside the Troy Lee Designs Air 2.0 Liner detachable bezel for total comfort. Finally, its fit with the body is made by a button and very reliable belts.
Made for Downhill, Poc Resistance DH MTB shorts provide great comfort. Its structure has been designed taking into account the position of the rider when riding a bicycle. If we add a fabrication with coated ceramic the result is a low friction when pedaling and excellent protection against falls. In reference to the pockets of this garment we can say that incorporates two in the middle side that go well when storing the mobile, with zipper included. The adjustment is made by a belt and have impermeable properties. Color: black and blue.
Fox Flexair shorts are the ideal choice for lovers of risky MTB disciplines like DH. Firstly, it is perfect because it prevents the accumulation of heat by means of micro perforated inserts with laser. However, its major argument lies in the TruMotion 4-way fabric, which allows a greater degree of elasticity, and therefore a greater range of motion when cycling. Besides, it is one of the lightest garments in the whole market, an important point when it comes to increasing comfort. As for the protection against falling of these pants we can say that TruMotion fabric is 40% more resistant and durable.
As in the Downhill model, these POC Resistance Enduro are very comfortable and lightweight. They differentiate in that this version their objective focuses more on the efficiency of pedaleo and the weight, leaving in a second place the protection before the abrasions. Thus, we are in front of a very light model (on the scale give only 267 grams), which is manufactured with very durable nylon. They incorporate a zipper to ventilate well in the multiple changes of unevenness that there is in the cycling of Enduro. In addition, there are also 2 cremalles on the sides and 1 on the legs with zip.
With a minimalist yet functional design we get the new MTB Endura Hummvee Lite II pants. As we say, its texture has an aspect of simplicity. This is because it seeks to improve lightness first. Despite this, this garment is one of the most comfortable transfers to the rider. It has a series 200 series, which, apart from perfectly fitting between the gluteus and the saddle, acts by quickly evacuating the sweat of the area. To make matters worse, it has antibacterial treatment and does not generate pressure points. In short, shorts that stand out for their great value for money.
If you are looking for a shorts with a high performance, protection, lightness and ventilation the Troy Lee Designs Sprint are your ideal choice. This model combines lightness with great freedom of movement when pedaling. Another of its attributes lies in the perfect fit that the rider can make through a belt that has up to 5cm of tolerance. In addition, it incorporates pockets with zipper and its ventilation system is of the most effective. In short, a garment that adapts very well to the demands of disciplines like Enduro and Downhill.
Colors: black, blue, green, red, white and other designs.
100% R-Core shorts are ideal for DH. These mountain bike shorts are characterized by a very attractive aesthetic, which together with its high performance make them a very complete model. Its manufacture is made with polyester 600D and poly spandex. This blend gives them excellent flexibility and excellent resistance. On the other hand, to create a constant airflow in the interior a fabric of elastic mesh is used. These shorts incorporate the best systems, such as zipper pockets to hold important items, mesh lining for comfort or ventilated laser seams.
The new shorts of MTB Dakine Ridge stand out for their extreme lightness. They only give 140 grams on the scale. Therefore, they are perfect for high yields on top of the mountain bike. Drawing on their design we see that they are made with nylon with flat seams. In this way, great comfort is achieved for both walking and pedaling. The fastening is to measure of the rider and all the strong that he wishes. In addition, they are very resistant to any misfortune and their useful life is high.
Just as we are accustomed to in other models the brand 100% has wanted to put all their experience and good to do in the Airmatic pants. They are made of polyester and elastane of high quality and very light. They are characterized by an immediate drying of the sweat of the area of the legs and a great range of movement in any position. To this last one must be added the lining with full mesh that also manages to increase the comfort of the cyclist. Its design has a loose appearance, which is confirmed by putting them, which allows pedaling without difficulty.
Elegant design and competitive performance; This is how the new MTB shorts Royal Storm are defined. Its differential value lies in a revolutionary system of heat evacuation. They are made of perforated polyester, which guarantees an immediate drying. To this we must add that they take antimicrobial treatment to avoid bad odors. As for its structure, in the area of the waist we will find a micrometric closure very useful to hold tightly the pants. Technologies such as inverted waterproof zippers or logos to transport heat complete the garment. Black color.
MTB Troy Lee Designs Ruckus shorts are perfect for All Mountain practice. They are very versatile and light and do not fade under any circumstances. They are made with 92% polyester and 8% spandex. They are perfect for endless routes and demanding climbs and descent. They ergonomically fit the cyclist's legs, which is important when exerting force on the pedals. We highlight the following technologies: top fly with snap closure, large number of pockets with zip, several zippers with the utility to evacuate body heat, removable bean, Velcro closure of the belts.


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Q: Add subplot to existing figure? I'm trying to get to grips with matplotlib. I am having difficulty understanding how to add subplots when the grid shape already exists.
So for example if I create a figure with a 2*2 grid of subplots, how can I add a 5th or 6th. i.e. how can I change the geometry to accomodate another subplot. If I do this:
x = np.linspace(0, 2 * np.pi, 400)
y = np.sin(x ** 2)
f, ((ax1, ax2), (ax3, ax4)) = plt.subplots(2, 2, sharex=True, sharey=True, facecolor='red', \
dpi = 100, edgecolor = 'red', linewidth = 5.0, frameon = True)
ax1.plot(x, y)
ax1.set_title('Sharing x per column, y per row')
ax2.scatter(x, y)
ax3.scatter(x, 2 * y ** 2 - 1, color='r')
ax4.plot(x, 2 * y ** 2 - 1, color='r')

and then I want to add another subplot below:
f.add_subplot(3, 2, 5)

Then the new subplot overlaps with the fourth one, when I want it positioned below obviously. Do I need to change the geometry? If so, how? Or is it just a position thing?
More generally what is going on with the **kwargs with subplot? If anyone can help me work out how to start using those, that would also be very handy.

A: I think your intuition that you should change the geometry of the plot layout is correct. You are starting off by specifying a (2,2) geometry which is 2 rows and 2 columns, so naturally adding a 5th plot by conventional means can cause some issues. There are various ways to work around this, but one of the simpler solutions is just to give yourself a bigger subplot grid by using a third row of plots--using a (3,2) geometry as in my example below:
%pylab inline
import numpy as np
x = np.linspace(0, 2 * np.pi, 400)
y = np.sin(x ** 2)
#probably easiest to add a third row of plots (3,2) at this stage:
f, ((ax1, ax2), (ax3, ax4),(ax5,ax6)) = plt.subplots(3, 2, sharex=True, sharey=True,    facecolor='red', \
dpi = 100, edgecolor = 'red', linewidth = 5.0, frameon = True)
ax1.plot(x, y)
ax1.set_title('Sharing x per column, y per row')
ax2.scatter(x, y)
ax3.scatter(x, 2 * y ** 2 - 1, color='r')
ax4.plot(x, 2 * y ** 2 - 1, color='r')
#now the fifth plot shouldn't clobber one of the others:
ax5.plot(x,y**3,color='g')

If you want the fifth plot to take up the whole bottom row rather than having a blank 6th plot there you can use more advanced options like matplotlib.gridspec described in the gridspec documentation.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Q: Refresh Angular JS Factory without page Re-load I'm accessing data stored in local storage through factory in angularjs. On page load the factory loads and accesses data from local storage and stores them in variables. I'm able to call that factory and fetch the value in the variables.
However whenever I call the factory after localstorage values have been changed the factory returns the old value instead of the new value. Is there a way to refresh the factory so that it again fetches the local storage values without refreshing the entire page?
Javascript Code..
headerApp.factory('userFactory', ['$rootScope', function($rootScope){
    var dataFactory = {};
    dataFactory.user = localStorage.getItem("valueA");
    dataFactory.userName = localStorage.getItem("valueB");
    dataFactory.userAccessToken = localStorage.getItem("valueC");
    return dataFactory;
}]);

On calling userFactory.user, userFactory.userName after a function changes localstorage values returns old values instead of new ones. Please Help

A: How about moving the code where you are pulling info from your local storage into a function in the factory, and then any time you update any of the local storage, you call that function to update the dataFactory too?
headerApp.factory('userFactory', ['$rootScope', function($rootScope){
  var dataFactory = {};

  this.updateUser();
  this.updateUserName();
  this.updateAccessToken();

  updateUser () {
    dataFactory.user = localStorage.getItem("valueA");
  }

  updateUserName () {
    dataFactory.userName = localStorage.getItem("valueB");
  }

  updateUserAccessToken () {
    dataFactory.userAccessToken = localStorage.getItem("valueC");
  }

  return dataFactory;
}]);

And then at any point, say the user name got changed on the local storage end, you can call this.userFactory.updateUserName(); to update dataFactory.userName.


Legend has it that in 1519, on the Roman Catholic Feast Day of Corpus Christi, Spanish explorer Alonzo Alvarez de Pineda discovered a lush semi-tropical bay on what is now the southern coast of Texas. The bay, and the City that later sprung up there, took the name of the feast day celebrating the "Body of Christ."
The spot Pineda discovered is now home to the largest City on the Texas Coast and is the sixth largest port in the nation. Key industries include petrochemical, tourism, healthcare, retail, education, shipping, agriculture and the military. Since its incorporation in 1852, Corpus Christi has grown into a regional hub for marketing, processing, packaging and distributing agricultural commodities for a 12-county trade area.
Corpus Christi began as a frontier trading post, founded in 1838-39 by Colonel Henry Lawrence Kinney, an adventurer, impresario, and colonizer. The small settlement was called Kinney's Trading Post, or Kinney's Ranch.
It remained an obscure settlement until July 1845, when U.S. troops under General Zachary Taylor set up camp here in preparation for war with Mexico. The Army remained until March 1846, when it marched southward to the Rio Grande to enforce it as the southern border of the United States.
About a year later, the City took the name Corpus Christi because a "more definite postmark for letters was needed." It incorporated on Sept. 9, 1852. Residents elected a City council and a mayor, Benjamin F. Neal, who served from 1852 to 1855.
The City charter - a document establishing a City's principles, functions, and organization of its government - was adopted in 1876. The City's first ordinance adopted Jan. 15, 1879, made it against the law to let hogs and goats run loose.
Corpus Christi has a home-rule government with a mayor, eight council members, and a City manager. The City manager functions as the chief executive officer, carrying out policy and handling operations as directed by the City council.
In 1983, the City adopted single-member districts, which allowed voters in a particular area to elect someone from their district to represent them on the City council. Single-member districts provide equal representation among communities or groups with different interests. Five City council members are elected through single-member districts, while three others and the mayor are elected at-large. The City also has over 40 boards and commissions providing a direct link between citizens and the City council and staff.
The City of Corpus Christi provides a variety of facilities and services to the community, including police, fire and emergency medical services, health, parks, and recreation, which include youth and senior programs, a natural history museum, libraries, an airport and a marina. Other services include water, wastewater, gas, garbage and brush collection, recycling, street maintenance, traffic signs and signal maintenance.
The water department alone oversees more than 1,600 miles of water transmission/distribution mains and has a combined storage capacity of more than 16 million gallons. The wastewater department operates six treatment plants with a combined treatment capacity of 42.7 million gallons per day.
The City strives to be progressive in updating its infrastructure and planning for future resources, annually updating a comprehensive capital improvement program. The drought of 1996 brought statewide attention to water problems. The City, through an extremely effective regional partnership with the Nueces River Authority and the Port of Corpus Christi Authority, completed construction of the 101-mile Mary Rhodes Pipeline, which transports water from Lake Texana to the City's O.N. Stevens Water Treatment Plant. In addition, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission approved the Garwood trans-basin diversion as another water source proving that, through planning and cooperation, water can be secured for the region in record time.
While the City places strong emphasis on infrastructure and basic services, the organization also has a commitment to provide a variety of recreation and cultural amenities. Part of that commitment includes substantial funding for local arts organizations. Citizens and visitors can easily access any one of five libraries or spend a fun and educational day at the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History. Another beautiful and popular attraction has always been the bayfront marina, located a stone's throw from downtown Corpus Christi.
To ensure the continuity of quality services, the City follows sound financial policies and practices. The City's fiscal year begins August 1 and ends July 31, and the budget is made up of six major funds. The General Fund pays for the administration of City government and traditional public services such as police, fire, streets, park and recreation and solid waste services. The Enterprise Fund accounts for services provided to the general public on a fee basis, including funds for aviation, ambulance, golf, marina, and utilities. The Internal Service Fund provides goods and services for other departments on a cost-reimbursement basis, including health insurance, maintenance services, and information systems. Other funds account for debt service, special revenues, and trusts. To enhance economic development efforts, the City provides funding and support to the Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corporation.
Maintaining a safe community is a major priority for the City. The Police and Fire Departments have established state-of-the-art communications systems and work closely with the county, the Local Emergency Planning Committee and industries to be on top of any emergency situation. The Corpus Christi Crime Control and Prevention District, which uses sales tax revenues to fight crime, has in recent years enabled the City to increase its police force, equipment and support personnel, especially targeting youth and neighborhood initiatives. In addition, the City's emergency medical services are ranked number one in the state, excelling in response time and patient survival rates.
The City of Corpus Christi constantly strives to continuously improve the programs and services it provides for local residents and visitors, with a special importance placed on responsive customer service. In fact, the City's organizational goal is to be a national leader of excellence in public service.


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You are at:Home»News»EU»Call for EU membership debate to address meat export implications
Call for EU membership debate to address meat export implications
By	PW Reporters on	 June 18, 2015 EU
Scotland's meat wholesalers have warned that whatever decision is reached on the UK's future relationship with the European Union, it must not be allowed to damage Scottish meat export links which are currently delivering business worth around £75 million a year.
Commenting ahead of a visit to the Royal Highland Show today (Thursday) by EU farm commissioner, Phil Hogan, the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW) said its member companies had worked hard to develop exports across Europe and that close attention needed to be paid now to ensuring such efforts weren't "wasted" in the years ahead.
"As a membership organisation, we are neutral concerning the promised referendum on the UK's membership of the EU," said SAMW president, Alan McNaughton (pictured above). "At the same time, however, we have very strong views on how, whichever route is chosen for the UK in the future, the meat industry in Scotland may be affected."
In addition to highlighting the £75m a year value of current Scottish meat exports, Mr McNaughton also drew attention to the export potential which might flow from the EU/US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.
"Here again," he added, "it is vital that whatever route the UK takes in relation to the EU, our members would not want to see future export opportunities being lost."
Soaring pork exports buck downward trend for UK food and drink
EU pig meat production recovering, but growth less than expected
Government under fire over import standards stance as key Agriculture Bill vote looms


Pierre Cardin, black suit jacket.
Men's Brand new Tommy Hilfiger Shirt Size XL RRP $150, bought for $100. Selling for $80. Bought as a gift and didn't suit, never worn.
I bought it from Westfield for $300 last year. I did not have a lot of opportunities to wear it. They are in really good conditions 9/10. It is size L but it is a slim fit so if you are a M it will also suit you really well. I am willing to negotiate so message me if interested.
2XL mens jacket. Only worn 2 or 3 times max. Original price 250AUD.
Size S. Would suit a M too. Perfect condition. Unlined, so it's quite lightweight. Perfect for spring! Fishtail end. Free postage!
Authentic. Great condition! Minor pilling, no tags. Would suit a L to XL. Awesome details in the sleeves. Had a hood which clipped on, but went missing. I'd post this for free, tracking included! Happy to do deals for multiple items! PayPal or Bank transfers ✔ Pickup Ballarat city centre.
Complete River Island two piece suit in black with tan piping. Minor ink stain on jacket hem but otherwise in good condition. Measurements: neck 44R waist 36 leg 32.
In solid condition, no flaws except for the inner tag is missing. This is a size L. Would suit a M too. Quality jacket, pretty light. Can post this free of charge and can take PayPal or bank transfer w/tracking. Pickup Ballarat city centre.
BNWT Zara mens jacket/blazer never been worn. Received as a gift but unfortunatly it did not fit me. Size M-L Detachable hoodie to make a casual/night out coat/jacket. Free tracked express shipping within aus. Please don't hesitate to message me for more info and pics.


The Sea-breeze is back by popular demand!!!!!!! A casual dress from Pixie Girl that she can wear anywhere! Signature swirl ruffle detailing adds the perfect amount of flair to this versatile "Tank" dress. This belongs in every little girls closet! This will be one of her favorite "go to" dresses for Summer. How can you resist?
Luxurious Rayon Spandex. Gentle wash, Lay flat to dry.


text:
Q: How to get they key and value of a LinkedHashMap randomly? I'm trying to write a little vocabulary test. The LinkedHashMap vocabulary consists of vocabulary. They key is a french word and the value is an english word. I already have a GUI but I'm struggling to get a random french word from the vocabulary and its position to find out if the entered word is right. I tried to do it with an ArrayList but then I only get the value but I also need the key to show which word the person has to translate. Any help is appreciated.
LinkedHashMap<String, String> vocabulary = new LinkedHashMap<String, String>();

    Random random = new Random();
    int number = random.nextInt(ReadExcelFile.lastRowNumber);
    String value = (new ArrayList<String>(vocabulary.values())).get(number);

A: Put the keys into a list, then pick a random one:
// Do once after loading (or changing)
List<String> keyList = new ArrayList<>(vocabulary.keySet());

Random random = new Random();
int number = random.nextInt(vocabulary.size());
String key = keyList.get(number);
String value = vocabulary.get(key);

A: You can go in the following way!
Map<String, String> myMap = new LinkedHashMap<String, String>();
myMap.put("Bonjour", "Hello");
myMap.put("moi", "me");
myMap.put("tue", "you");

List<String> val = new ArrayList<String>(myMap.values());
int randomIndex = new Random().nextInt(val.size());
String randomValue = val.get(randomIndex);

System.out.println(randomValue);


Every team needs a mascot, and every mascot needs a compelling silhouette.
If one looks closely at the wings of the owl graphic, in particular each individual feather in the wing, he will notice that the wings are in fact overlapping pen quills. Again this visually reinforces the theme of wisdom by the studious mixed martial artist. Note taking has been a staple of my martial arts learning process. The organic figure of the wooden beam in cross reference is a nod to the forest and the tree refined to dimensioned lumber. Organic and refined. The "X" is also used to refer to a "strike". Striking is something that we practice a great deal. And of course X marks the spot.
Every team needs a mascot, and every mascot needs a compelling silhouette. The power of an irreducible, original, one color print is in my considered graphic opinion the holy grail of brand identity. Corporations spend millions on simple solitary, unadorned images that convey in a glimpse the corporate mission and brand. I can't say that this rivals the Apple computer logo, but there is something compelling about its silhouette, and I didn't pay much; just a sheet of paper and a piece of graphite, some power.
Originally the owl motif was sourced for Ludus FC, which preceded Ludusport Academy and Gymnasium. Ludus FC is the official title of the competition team created by Drew Brokenshire and me as we left our previous moorings. As Drew began to compete under the new heading, a number of the promotions with which we dealt began to infer, speculate and even parrot that FC stands for "fight club". It was often the loquacious ring announcer that would fill in the blank. I never explicitly branded the team that way, but it is a reasonable inference, if not woefully uninspired and one dimensional. Hence the Ludusport team website name and url, fcstandsfor.com. Here the curious observer will find a myriad of word play titling that involves "FC". "Fallen Clown", "Fire Catcher", "First Class", and on and on… Thus FC stands for all manner of existing expression and indulgence. As of now there is no official FC meaning of which to speak. To be sure, one of Drew's early shirt designs is based on a European football club style jersey, i.e. fc stands for football club. It's as good as any I've ever heard. Have you ever been kicked in the shin by a soccer player?!
Next Post Boxing, Wrestling Or No Shoes For MMA Training?


Ok, I stole that headline from Gizmodo. I don't know why, I just think it's funny. Actually, since Jamie sent me a link to an MSNBC/MSN story about the new Palms, my brain was tuned to scan for reviews of the units. They really aren't bad units when you read what you get. For $299 (which is what I paid for my Vx back in the day), the Zire 72 is a spiffy little Palm. Now, if it only had a GSM phone integrated.


text:
Tiger Style! at La Jolla Playhouse: An Interview with Playwright Mike Lew and Director Jaime Castañeda
Guest Post by Raymond J. Lee
Tiger Style! is a new comedy premiering this month at the La Jolla Playhouse. Actor Raymond J. Lee, who appears in the play as Albert, interviewed playwright Mike Lew and director Jaime Castañeda.
Raymond Lee: I would love to get some history on Tiger Style! and how it came into fruition and how it came to La Jolla. Mike how was this show birthed?
Mike Lew:: This show was a really long time coming because throughout my early theater education, I kept on getting these suggestions that I should write about my family or I should write about my culture. It kept coming up and I thought, "What does that mean?" And then I figured out I should write an Asian immigrant story, but I don't have that because I'm third generation Chinese and I don't have access to those stories. So for a long time I wrote any other story I could. At a certain point with all the kind of backlash around the concept of Asian tiger parenting I realized that there were a lot of people coming out saying that it's a terrible way to raise your kids and I realized that I grew up like this. I was expected to be a high achieving kid and I have a tight relationship with my parents and I realized I could write a story specifically about that.
RL: Jaime when did you come on board with the play?
Jaime Castañeda: I've always been a fan of Mike's and we were kicking around several different projects when I was at the Atlantic Theater Company. He had sent me this play and I immediately fell in love with it. I thought it was super sharp. I was laughing out loud when I was reading it. And shortly after, we ended up working on it at the O'Neill for several weeks, spending hot summer days and nights in the Northeast doing some work on the play. That was the summer before I came out here.
ML: Yeah it was 2014 and you immediately moved out to LA. And then you immediately moved to San Diego!
JC: Yeah and we had this intense summer experience working on the play. It was one of the plays I started talking to Chris [Ashley] about. I knew Mike was from out here. I knew the play was set in Southern California. I felt I had a strong personal connection to it. I felt like a story about racial conflict and tensions with some nuance was what San Diego and La Jolla Playhouse needed. We kicked it around here. Chris and the team really loved it. Mike's a writer that I really believe in and I've always been excited about his writing. I've been yelling at him for years and I'm excited for all his plays to be making the rounds in different parts of the country.
RL: Can you explain the themes of the show and how it relates outside of an Asian American audience?
ML: I think we're at a really interesting moment right now nationally in terms of how we think about race relations. To me, the play is a split between this internal journey of coming from a multicultural perspective and how that is woven into the American fabric, and this external question of how we address unconscious bias. How do we give everyone their fair shot? And I think that at its most severe you see that nationally. But in no less consequential is the fact that for Asian Americans we have the highest rates of college education but if you look at the upper ranks of companies, there's a real glass ceiling. We get to middle management but we never get to upper management and a lot of that has to do with bias. This play, even though it's really comedic, is attempting to poke at a nerve about this national dialogue and how to get a more honest discussion around race.
JC: I think bias is the thing that everyone is beginning to interact with in an in-depth way. I came to the play... I was kind of joking at the O'Neill that it felt like a Latino play to me. I'm a first generation, born and raised in San Antonio, but my parents were born in Mexico and I felt a lot of parallel ties, just from what these characters go through and what these parents have experienced in thinking about stories about history and lineage, but also thinking about the American machine and systems, and how to break through those systems.
ML: I think that artistically the theater is locked into the same patterns of narratives, whether it's a rich family dinner play where everyone yells at their parents or immigrant stories. I think it's damaging to keep on repeating the same story within different plays so this is trying to push us beyond those tropes to get at what's happening in America now.
RL: I love that you wrote "No Chinese accents ever. Not ever. Also, cast Asian actors to play Asian characters. Great" on the first page.
ML: The play is already very political and very wide-eyed about where we are. I wrote that on the first page because there's definitely white washing going on in our media and an erasure of Asian stories. I think for our acting community, because we are so often asked to play Asians from Asia, it becomes a real box. You have Asian performers that never get to take on their own actual identity and are asked to adopt an aspect that reflects a part of who they are and not who they are as a whole. I didn't want Asian accents in this play because I wanted the performers to be able to use other tools in their toolbox and stretch their muscles.
RL: What have been both fun and challenging about the rehearsal process?
JC: For me, it's being able to build it into a three-dimensional form. I love working on new plays and I love spending time around the table and having conversations with the writer. Also being able to test out moments and taking the work that we started at the O'Neill and being able to follow through on that out here has been exciting. There's a lot of production challenges and tonal challenges to the material and it'll be an exciting first week of previews to test that in front of the audience and see those ideas on stage.
ML: The play has very sharp political intentions even though the style is so comedic and for me, it's been about making sure the underlying story is clear and impactful. I think that we have a lot of laughs in there but is it going to kick you in the gut? I feel like this rehearsal process has been about making sure that it's not a bunch of levity and that you see the play's deeper intentions.
RL: As a cast member I feel like I'm opening the audience's eyes and world. What do you hope the audience leaves the theater feeling or realizing?
ML: I think with every play I try to jam a lot. There's no one thing I want the audience leaving, but I do want them to laugh a lot while they're here and then think a lot after and feel something.
JC: It is true that we've spent a lot of the time trying to figure out what are the circumstances, what are the family dynamics, what are these siblings trying to get from one another. But I do think there's a deep exploration of race and who you are and how race informs that both internally and externally. My hope is that a lot of people will be able to connect to that and be able to walk away and potentially be drawn or provoked to think about their own upbringing and how they interact with race in the United States.
Tiger Style! starts previews on September 6 with an official opening date of September 14 at La Jolla Playhouse. The cast includes Jackie Chung, Maryann Hu, Raymond J. Lee, Nate Miller, and David Shih. For more information, please visit www.lajollaplayhouse.org/tiger-style
Raymond J. Lee currently resides in New York City as an actor. He has appeared on television, film, and on several Broadway stages. For more information please visit www.raymondjlee.com and follow @raymondjlee on Twitter/Instagram.
FILE UNDER: jaime castaneda, la jolla playhouse, mike lew, raymond j. lee, theatre, tiger style


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Founder Palmer Luckey lashes out at 'unwarranted' abuse following Facebook acquisition
Oculus staff and their families receive death threats
MCV Staff 1st April 2014 PC
Oculus staff and their families have received death threats following the $2bn acquisition of the virtual reality firm by Facebook.
A section of Oculus fans have expressed their anger since Facebook's purchase believing that VR's future now lies away from the game industry, despite both firms' protestations to the contrary and the continued development of a plethora of games for the tech.
Founder Palmer Luckey said on Reddit that while a negative reaction was expected he was not prepared for the amount of abuse directed at employees.
He claimed these threats and harassing phone calls were also being directed at the families of staff members.
"We expected a negative reaction from people in the short term, we did not expect to be getting so many death threats and harassing phone calls that extended to our families," said Luckey.
"We know we will prove ourselves with actions and not words, but that kind of shit is unwarranted, especially since it is impacting people who have nothing to do with Oculus."
He later added that his goal for Oculus was the long term success of VR and suggested many people complaining about the acquisition did not have all the facts.
"We expected a kneejerk from reaction from people who don't have all the information we do, and will not have it for some time," he said.
"We expected a negative reaction, that does not mean we think the reaction is warranted. My primary goal is the long term success of VR, not short term warm and fuzzy feelings."
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Saint Valentine's Day
Michele Lang
A story of love and techno-disaster in New York City...
On Valentine's Day, an epic storm hits the Big Apple, and Amy desperately wants to get home to her daughter.
When the storm becomes part of an ominous military attack, a beloved stranger on Amy's subway car rises to the terrible challenge with the old school courage of St. Valentine. But how will they survive?
Author's Note: I wrote this story in February 2011. At the time, we in New York were having a lovely winter, with weekly blizzards, massive shut downs, and general angst about the economy, terrorists, etc.
My mood demanded an apocalyptic tale. Instead of writing a story set in a distant place and time, or one long after "the end," I instead wrote a story that extrapolated from the crummier aspects of daily life, a tale that I could easily imagine happening down the street from here, next Thursday.
But the story is about more than this. "Saint Valentine's Day" is really about love, and the sacrifice that love demands. So often, the problems in our lives – the big ones, the little ones even more – blind us to the people who matter the most, the people who bring magic into the world, no matter how grim it can sometimes get during the daily grind.
You might love a child the way that Amy loves Suki. Or it's your passion for classical music that means everything to you. Or maybe you just love life itself, in all of its imperfect, crummy glory.
When things go apocalyptic, it's love that matters in the end…
Five Tigers Publishing
More Books by Michele Lang
The World of Lady Lazarus
Dark Victory
A Very Faerie Christmas
Women of the Apocalypse: Multi-Author Bundle
Rebel Angels
Netherwood


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Kjartan Sveinsson
Kjartan "Kjarri" Sveinsson at Methodist Central Hall Westminster, London, 2008
(1978-01-02) 2 January 1978 (age 45)
Instrument(s)
Piano, keyboards, flute, tin whistle, oboe, banjo, guitar, bass, vocals
Musical artist
This is an Icelandic name. The last name is patronymic, not a family name; this person is referred to by the given name Kjartan.
Kjartan "Kjarri" Sveinsson (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈcʰar̥tan ˈsveinsɔn]; born 2 January 1978) is the keyboardist for the Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós. He joined the band in 1998.[1] A multi-instrumentalist, he has also played such instruments as the flute, tin whistle, oboe, guitar and the banjo, as well as many of the unorthodox instruments that contribute to Sigur Rós's distinctive sound.
Kjartan has performed under the pseudonym "The Lonesome Traveller" with Sigur Rós bandmate Orri Páll Dýrason and Amiina violinist María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir (whom Kjartan married[2] in 2001). "The Lonesome Traveller" covered Sigur Rós songs acoustically in an alt-country style.[3][4]
Kjartan also composed scores for the 2005 Academy Award nominated short film Síðasti bærinn (The Last Farm) by Rúnar Rúnarsson, for award-winning director Ramin Bahrani's 2009 short film Plastic Bag which features the narration of filmmaker Werner Herzog, and for the 2009 film Ondine directed by Neil Jordan. Kjartan was the composer on Volcano (2011) and Sparrow (2015) both directed by Rúnar Rúnarsson. Kjartan also contributes to Sigur Rós's orchestral and string arrangements, along with the group Amiina. He is also featured heavily on The Album Leaf's album, In a Safe Place, playing a wide variety of instruments.
Kjartan is a member of the advisory board for Kraumur Music Fund,[5] which aims to "strengthen Icelandic musical life, primarily by supporting young musicians in performing and presenting their works."
On 16 November 2010 Kjartan Sveinsson performed in The Whitelight Festival, along with Jonsi & Alex and The Hilliard Ensemble. Kjartan composed Sonnets of his own, as well as the world premiere of his new piece entitled Credo. The performance was streamed live on NPR's website.
On 17 April 2011 Q2 - a listener-supported, New York City-based Internet stream devoted to the music of living composers - along with NPR named Kjartan Sveinsson in a list of "100 Composers Under 40".[6]
In a post on Sigur Rós's Facebook page announcing an "ask me anything" Q&A session with fans via the social news website Reddit on 24 January 2013, the band referred to themselves as being a "now three-piece band."[7] The band confirmed Kjartan Sveinsson's departure during a Reddit Q&A session, stating that "...he has left the band. He said he spent half his life in the band and it was time to do something different."[8]
On 19 February 2014 Kjartan showcased 'his most ambitious musical work' since leaving the band in the form of a collaborative theatre set-piece with Iceland's acclaimed contemporary artist, Ragnar Kjartansson. The work, titled Der Klang Der Offenbarung Des Göttlichen (The Sounds of the Revelation of the Divine) was performed at Berlin's Volksbühne theatre, in cooperation with the Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg and the Filmchor Berlin.
In February 2015, Kjartan Sveinsson again collaborated with Ragnar Kjartansson, being involved in a performance art exhibition at the John Curtin Gallery and the Fremantle Arts Centre in Perth, Australia.[9]
On 14 February 2022, Sigur Rós made a social media post announcing Kjartan was returning to the band [10]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kjartan Sveinsson.
^ "sigur rós - frequently asked questions". sigur-ros.co.uk. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
^ "eighteen seconds before sunrise - sigur rós news » 2005» August» 17". sigur-ros.co.uk. Archived from the original on 27 February 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2009.
^ "sigur rós - the lonesome traveller, ísafjörður, iceland (10th April 2004)". sigur-ros.co.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2009.
^ BWW News Desk (30 June 2020). "Gyda Valtysdottir Releases Epicycle II August 28". BroadwayWorld.com. Broadway World. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
^ "About Kraumur (English)". kraumur.is. Retrieved 12 November 2008.
^ Ambrose, Alex. "The Mix: 100 Composers Under 40". National Public Radio. Retrieved 19 April 2011.
^ "Reddit Q&A Announcement". Sigur Rós (official page). Facebook. 23 January 2013. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
^ "IAm Sigur Ros". reddit.com. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
^ "Ragnar Kjartansson and Iceland's revolutionary heart". ABC Arts Online. Australian Broadcasting Commission. 26 February 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
^ ""Sigur Ros Twitter Post"". Twitter. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
Jón Þór Birgisson
Georg Holm
Orri Páll Dýrason
Ágúst Ævar Gunnarsson
Ágætis byrjun
Takk...
Valtari
Kveikur
Hvarf/Heim
We Play Endlessly
Englar Alheimsins
Hlemmur
"The Saga of Carl"
Odin's Raven Magic
Remix albums
Von brigði
Extended plays
Rímur
Ba Ba Ti Ki Di Do
Valtari Film Experiment
"Svefn-g-englar"
"Ný batterí"
"Vaka"
"Glósóli"
"Sæglópur"
"Hoppípolla"
"Hljómalind"
"Gobbledigook"
"Inní mér syngur vitleysingur"
"Ekki múkk"
"Varúð"
"Brennisteinn"
"Ísjaki"
"Rafstraumur"
"Óveður"
"Viðrar vel til loftárása"
"Fjögur píanó"
"Hrafntinna"
"Stormur"
"Kveikur"
Jónsi & Alex
Riceboy Sleeps
Kronos Quartet Plays Sigur Rós
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kjartan_Sveinsson&oldid=1074548343"
Icelandic musicians
Icelandic male musicians
Sigur Rós members
Rock oboists
Pages using infobox musical artist with associated acts
This page was last edited on 28 February 2022, at 20:33 (UTC).


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Saintly Bernard
After eight seasons on a hit sitcom, Spring's Crystal Bernard is spreading her Wings with a country CD—and seeing how far she can push her good girl image.
By Jamie Fields
HERE ARE THE THINGS CRYSTAL BERNARD misses about Texas: The house in Spring where she grew up; digging dirt in her back yard; her grandmother, who lives in Houston; Christmases; and the weather. It was muggy—she misses the muggy weather. Otherwise, she doesn't remember much about the place, even though she spent half her life there. But lounging around one October afternoon in her dressing room on the set of her hit sitcom, Wings, she is trying to jog her memory by thumbing through an issue of Texas Monthly. She first stares at the cover, which shows three ranching types, one of whom is a woman. "I think I recognize her," Crystal announces hopefully, but then decides she doesn't. Luminous and tiny, the 35-year-old flips from page to page before stopping cold on an ad for LeAnn Rimes's chart-topping country CD, Blue. Crystal glowers at the blond prodigy, who grew up in Garland, and grouses, "She's in everything."
Crystal, who recently cut her own country CD, The Girl Next Door (River North), could do without another reminder of Rimes's popularity—especially today. This is an "add day," when radio stations nationwide decide which songs make it onto each of their high-rotation playlists. If Crystal's sentimental tune "Have We Forgotten What Love Is" doesn't measure up to new songs by Rimes and other "new country" sensations, it—and she—will be ignored. "When you get an 'add,' that means they add you and take someone off," she explains. "And they have to get rid of Reba or someone, so it's really hard." To improve her odds, Crystal has been visiting radio stations in three cities a day. When she hasn't been plugging the CD—which features several you-dumped-me ditties along with sudsy songs she co-wrote—she has been back in Hollywood running her music video production company or shooting Wings, which is now in its eighth seasonon NBC. The pace of life has her frazzled. "There's just so much on me that I go and do things like drink way too much coffee and smoke cigars," she says, reaching into her purse to produce a dainty cigarillo.
It's truly odd to watch Crystal Bernard puff on a cigar, even if it is a girlish one. The sight just doesn't jibe with the image of her character on Wings, Helen Chappel Hackett. Sunny Helen is the childhood friend of Joe (Tim Daly) and Brian Hackett (Steven Weber), brothers who own a one-plane airline on Nantucket Island, off the coast of Massachusetts. Though she dreamed of being a world-class cellist, Helen is pretty much content to run the airport's lunch counter. Two seasons ago, she fulfilled her other great dream—to marry Joe; this season she will finally consider having "baby sex" with him. Such is also the ethos of The Girl Next Door, on which Crystal as the girl warbles longingly for commitment, mostly to a perfidious cad who bolts for another woman. Unswervingly wholesome, she sings, "Frankly dear, I don't give a . . ." but just can't bring herself to say "damn."
The real Crystal, however, isn't entirely this confection. "Boy, she says words she can't say on TV," says pop star Peter Cetera, who invited her to sing with him on his hit "Forever Tonight." Furthermore, unlike Helen, Crystal is far too ambitious to sling hash. At age eighteen, as a sophomore in college, she fled her life in Texas, a place of limited possibilities for a girl on the make. "I just couldn't stay there anymore," she says. "School was easy for me. I was itching for a career. I wanted stimuli." Her determined ambition, in fact, makes a mockery of Wings' idealized domesticity. Not only does Crystal not want babies; she says she has never even fallen in love. "I'm too busy," she explains. "Crystal expects a lot from a man," says her mother, Gaylon Bernard. "She used to tell me, 'You know, Mama, there's a lot of great guys out there, but there's something wrong with every one of 'em.'" Indeed, while Crystal divides her time among an adoring gaggle of what she calls "guy friends," she seems more consultant than girlfriend to them. "I'll see something in a man that he's not doin' for himself career-wise," she reports, "and I try to nourish that."
What Crystal and Helen do have in common is a comic appeal. "She's about as funny as she is on TV," observes Cetera. Gaylon Bernard recalls that whenever her other daughters were getting attention, Crystal would "do something to try to take the show, like turn upside down or lift her dress up and stick out her bottom." She doesn't stick out her bottom on Wings, but she does use her body to good effect, with much flailing of the hands, the occasional crying jag, and the rare leap into some male's arms. Her trump card is a sweet, jabby drawl that goes up and down, up and down. Never mind that the accent is a bit illogical: Helen supposedly lived in New England until she was ten, then moved with her family to Texas and returned to Nantucket as an adult, yet her sister Casey has no accent whatsoever. But even though Crystal says she can curb the twang "to a certain extent," her bosses don't want her to. "When we write, we hear her rhythms in our head," says Wings executive producer Howard Gewirtz. "Crystal's accent is humorous because she has such a great delivery. She just knows how to put a spin on a line that makes it funny."
Most interesting, though, is how she achieves girl-next-door likability despite her copious good looks. Wings producers quite shrewdly made Helen a former fat girl who shed 68 pounds just in time for the series premiere. Trim for nearly a decade now, she recalls being reviled as "Helen, Helen, the watermelon" by nasty classmates. Likewise, the girl next door on Crystal's CD is invariably humiliated; not once does she get to jilt anyone or meet the man of her dreams. The message is clear: Crystal feels your pain. And if she's sexy, she doesn't throw it in your face like some hayseed vixen. Shania Twain and Lorrie Morgan may dance seductively amid Egyptian pyramids and preen in black catsuits, but in the video for "Have We Forgotten What Love Is" Crystal dons forties garb and flings a laundry basket onto the floor for excitement. "It's not that I would never show my midriff," she says. "If it's appropriate, then I guess I'd go there. But just for the sake of goin' there, sellin' somethin', I don't think so."
Crystal learned tasteful presentation from Gaylon, who at nineteen was voted best-dressed girl at Baylor University in Waco; she got her stage ease from her father, Jerry Wayne Bernard, a handsome crooner who at eighteen turned down a movie contract with RKO, became a Southern Baptist evangelist, and eventually cut seventeen gospel albums. Jerry, Gaylon, and their girls—Robyn, Crystal, Scarlett, and Angelique—were a sort of Christian Partridge Family: Whenever school was out, they packed a motor home with amplifiers and instruments and traveled to far-flung churches and crusades, where the family sang and Jerry preached.
The Bernards briefly went mainstream in the late seventies, when singer Bobbie Gentry discovered them at a gospel jubilee in Mississippi and hired Crystal and Robyn to sing backup for her in Las Vegas. Their parents, of course, kept a watchful eye on their behavior. "It was so funny," Crystal says. "We could play Vegas, but we couldn't talk on the phone." Nor were they allowed to have boyfriends. In fact, though she was a perennial cheerleader, Crystal recalls a hapless social life: "After the games, everybody'd go to the pizza parlor and drink beer. I went to the games, cheered, and went straight home."
A straight-A student, Crystal studied acting at Houston's Alley Theatre and took correspondence courses to graduate from Spring High School South at age sixteen. A summer's jaunt to Paris and London inspired her to major in international relations and drama at Baylor. But during one school break, while she was performing with her dad in Santa Ana, California, she announced that she would not be returning to Texas. "I was just too close to Hollywood," she says. "I thought, 'Man, I'll never get out here again.'" A church member who managed a Ramada Inn in Santa Ana let her stay in the hotel's storage room.
A few days later, the five-foot-two-inch blonde was eating lunch at a coffee shop when she struck up a conversation with a man who turned out to be Peter Terranova, the vice president of talent development and acquisition at Universal Studios. Immediately charmed, Terranova met with her again the following week and subsequently asked modeling mogul Nina Blanchard to see her. "I told him, 'She's too short. I don't want to see her,'" Blanchard says, "but he sent her anyway." After Crystal was turned away at the door, she ran into the bathroom crying. Later, when no one was looking, she ambushed Blanchard and delivered an impassioned speech about her father, about being a singer, about just knowing she could do something. "She had great bravado," Blanchard recalls. "I said, 'Well, you're a god-damned midget, but I think you're going to be a star.'" Crystal brought the same energy to her earliest auditions, and within a week she landed a Perrier commercial that aired in Mexico. "I didn't know enough to realize how hard it was out here," she says.
It was only a year later that Crystal got her first big break, when word of her singing abilities got back to casting maven Ronny Marshall Hallin, sister of acclaimed TV and movie director Garry Marshall. Ronny, who had previously discovered Robin Williams, recommended Crystal to her brother. "I think she always wanted to make a living rather than bang a tambourine in a tent," Garry says. "She wanted to become an entertainer." He helped by hiring her to play K.C., the Cunninghams' cousin from Texas, during the last two seasons of Happy Days. "She was very, very cute," he says. "She was not much of an actress yet, but like many of the kids on the show, we gave them a start and let them grow until they learned to act."
From there, Crystal copped a four-year stint as a straight-laced Southern waitress on the sitcom It's a Living. "They'd write all those corn pone lines for me, like 'She's as silly as a snake on her belly,'" she says. "But I'm like, 'We don't talk like that in Texas. We don't kick poo on the ground.'" Still, it impressed then—NBC entertainment president Brandon Tartikoff enough that in 1989 he urged the producers of the fledgling Wings to give Crystal an audition. Eight seasons later, she and her castmates are about to film their 150th episode, a landmark only six other comedies presently on the air can claim. NBC even wants to renew the show for one more season, though its future is uncertain. "The last thing you want to do is write it till no one wants to watch it anymore," Crystal says.
Fair enough—but then what will she do? She could take her lead from former Wings castmate and fellow Texan Thomas Haden Church, who gave up his supporting role as Lowell the mechanic for his own show, Ned and Stacey, on the Fox network. Ned and Stacey hasn't won many viewers, though; and anyway, another sitcom, even a winning one, would be a letdown for Crystal. It is more likely she'll end up in the movies, just like Wings castmates Weber and Daly and Tony Shalhoub, who've all made big splashes lately (in Jeffrey, The Associate, and Big Night respectively). She wants tough roles, she says, and she even anticipates taming her accent: "Not all films can accommodate me."
But as important as a career in the movies is, it may not be enough. "I think she wants to make it in big-time singing for her dad's sake," says Garry Marshall. "I don't think she'll ever really be satisfied until she becomes a successful singer." While precious few TV stars ever do cross over, Crystal is not some screen queen flitting into Nashville on a whim; she has been singing before crowds since she was three. Mindful of the credibility issue, however, she says she wants to work with "all the great greats." She did that on her CD by getting respected country artist Billy Dean to co-write and sing on "Have We Forgotten What Love Is." The song's other backup singer, it should be noted, is Jerry Wayne Bernard.
Freelance writer Jamie Schilling Fields was born in Canyon and grew up in Amarillo.
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