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Worlingworth Cricket Club - Martin's Blog
Martin's Blog - Island Life
Obviously the big news was the arrival of the very first aircraft to land at Saint Helena Airport. Following a two legged trip from South Africa, the small aircraft (to be used for calibration of the airport navigation system) was able to land at the first time of asking and not delayed by low cloud or poor weather. The pilot took two passes over the airfield and landed on the third, watched by a significant population of the island. This itself required the installation of a temporary one way system through the local village of Longwood and onto the unfinished 'haul road', which will eventually link the airport with the main town Jamestown. It was a little confusing one afternoon to hear the buzz of the plane – the first such noise for nearly ten months. The following day I was able to watch the take-off (from the 7th tee of the golf course). There are some pictures posted in the gallery and note the barren aprons – typical of that part of the island - and contrast that with the lush interior and it gives you a feeling of the extra-ordinary island.
The islands athletes did not win any medals at the Commonwealth Youth Games but did set a number of personal bests. Quite an amazing adventure for them as getting to/from Somoa they have circumnavigated the globe. On arrival back on Saint Helena a short ceremony was held on the worth attended by the Governor, marking their achievement and representation of Saint Helena on the world stage.
Our weather has now begun to change with the end of winter and well into spring; temperatures are climbing 15c in the mornings and on sunny days back into the mid 20's. The locals still consider this 'winter' and for them quite cold and therefore I do get several looks and comments about wearing just shorts and T-shirts when they are in coats and woolly hats (I jest not). The days are also getting longer with now dark about 6.30pm (remember even in summer its pitch black at 7.30pm).
Having a dog and being asked to join the Society for Protection of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), one of the highlights of the year was the annual quiz hosted at the Governor's Mansion. Ours was an eclectic team and thanks to a final picture round worth as many points as the rounds previously, we won the evening by two points.
HMS Lancaster, one of the Royal Navy's Type 23 Frigates, and the tanker RFA Gold Rover, are expected to visit St Helena from Tuesday 13 to Friday 16 October 2015 to take part in the bicentennial anniversary of Napoleon's arrival to the Island 200 years ago (aboard HMS Northumberland). She will take part in the Napoleon anniversary commemorations, and further strengthen existing ties with the Island.
One of the local landmarks and past-times for tourists is to climb 'The Ladder'. It has quite a rise, approximately 250-300 metres with 699 steps which takes you out of Jamestown and up to Half Tree Hollow. The world record time is a little over 5 minutes, I did it in a respectable 19 mins and 7 secs, having paced myself to the half way point behind Gill (who had climbed it 7 times). The following day I picked up the certificate and bought the T shirt!
Our latest fishing trip was another enjoyable day out, although we did not catch any tuna or wahoo – its main season is November to June - we did catch Grouper, Mackerel, Sea Bream, Bullseye and Rock Fish. The later needed specialist local knowledge to remove the poisonous spines and bones before the more adventurous volunteered to take it home for tea!
We are preparing for our holiday, which starts at the beginning of November with a five day 'cruise' to Cape Town. So next months 'Island Life' will be the last for 2015. We've just been informed that the next ship (beginning of October) will be the last to ensure Christmas cards reach the UK via Cape Town! It might explain why they have been in the shops since June!!
Hope you are all well
The RMS Saint Helena was in fact several days late leaving dry dock and commencing her onward journey. This meant that the future schedule has been thrown out and won't be on track for 4-6 weeks. Already a longer period of time between trips it meant that as part of catching up the only cargo off-loaded was the perishables. Therefore there was further anticipation than normal as another five days before the goods expected actually arrived – thankfully my wine cellar had sufficient stock!
Will air travel be any more reliable? During the 'winter' months it may well be very debatable, with several days in the last couple of months where the cloud-base bloated out any visibility less than 200m – I jest not! Hopefully, the light system mentioned last time will be particularly effective. St Helena Airport's Calibration Flights are scheduled for mid-September. It is expected that the calibration flights will generate a great deal of public interest, much like the first runway light switch on last month, especially to see the first landing. There are some rather enlightening images of the runway approach on the Saint Helena government website - http://www.sainthelena.gov.sh and a little background to the controversial airport logo – a final version is in the gallery.
The island also has a new Director of Tourism – whose role will be working with Enterprise St Helena and the Tourist Office and build on the work already started in expanding, developing and enhancing St Helena's tourism industry.
An easy area for the aforementioned Director of Tourism to review is the natural wildlife riches; the several endemic species of plant and birds, visiting whale sharks in Dec to Feb. and the Hump Back whales which are currently arriving. I had heard them whilst diving, and saw the huge splash of a breeching whale whilst on a boat trip but no sighting of the mammals so far. We had a great day out watching the year round dolphins and taking a trip around the islands south west point into the rougher seas towards Sperry Island – see photos.
On a more serious note you may remember that Gill had a challenging role to fulfil and during the last few weeks a great deal of work culminated in the charging of a local man with a significant number of historical sexual offences relating to offending from the late 1980's through to the mid 1990's. The local police team is also to be bolstered by the arrival of officers who specialise in Historic Case Reviews, re-examining closed cases and assessing whether further lines of enquiry can be pursued. Unfortunately, like Gill, their home forces failed to support their appointments either by secondment or career break. The Wass Enquiry is also scheduled for publication in September and awaited with special interest as to the recommendations and their impacts.
The island had a lovely weekend for the Bank Holiday which made up for the previous poor weather and hopefully signals the end of winter and the arrival of spring. It has been a little odd watching the arrival of lams, kid goats and the blossoming of many of the islands plants and trees. Temperatures are definitely climbing with the morning drive to drop Gill off at 15c and reaching low 20's during the day.
The 1st September also saw a landmark in the islands development with the very first mobile call made live on local radio. Whether the island will support the use of mobiles remains to be seen with the packages extremely expensive and a number of 'dark spots' on the island due to its terrain. Obviously sea coverage is not part of the planned area and therefore we've been reminded the mobile is not a replacement for marine radio systems.
You may recall a sponsored swim I undertook in March – well the beneficiaries have just arrived at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa and are due to commence their participation after a few days acclimation. I'll keep you informed of their progress next time.
All the best to everyone
Welcome to 'Scruffy August' which is supposedly the wettest month of the year (July was particularly wet as well). It is so named because in the past, allegedly within the last two generations, when the population didn't wear shoes the rain would bounce off the surface throwing up the debris onto the backs of their legs. It's a good story for any passing non Saint or tourist. The rain also means the hose pipe ban was lifted and the reservoirs are all now filling up nicely and of course the Heart Shaped Waterfall actually becomes a stunning waterfall.
The rain also caused some major headaches of keeping our new homes drive from turning into a small patch of Glastonbury in the South Atlantic, with nearly 15cm depth of mud for us and the dog to negotiate. For several days in a row the rain fell or, being at 500m above sea level, we were up in the clouds. Eventually and following a quick word with the landlords local agent two tonnes of 4cm gravel we have a lovely drive for us and everyone else to use. We were also able to put in a rotary dryer to lessen our use of the de-humidifier and two bar heater (remember there is no central heating here) – first world problems eh?!
Our landlord is one of the many 'Saints' who work abroad – Ascension, Falklands and large populations in areas of the UK such as Swindon(elena),Leicester and Oxford. The former because that used to be the end of the railway line and the later because the bus from Brize Norton finishes there. They often work for many years sending money home to pay for their house to be built before coming 'home'. Therefore very few, if any, have mortgages and do not expect or have a culture of borrowing money. Whilst this means they usually have relatively high disposable incomes, when it comes to business the thoughts of borrowing to expand or even purchase stock becomes an issue – especially so when it comes to ensuring the shelves remain stocked with food following a poor month of sales!
A small team of Saints made the journey to the Natwest Island Games, held in Jersey at the beginning of July. Competing against 700 competitors and 15 other islands the highlights were 2 bronze medals in the 50m Prone Smallbore Rifle Women's Team event and a silver medal in the 50m 3 Position Smallbore Rifle Women's Team event.
The airport milestones keep on coming now. Recently strange twelve red lights were seen in the sky but later found to be the remote operating lights for the major obstructions on the approach to the runway. Secondly the final concrete was poured for the runway – though it has to be scored for traction and drainage. Finally, the big switch on of the runway lights. Lots of activity but still another six months at the earliest before its open for business.
For the last six weeks we have had a MoD team of mine clearance and salvage divers working on a sunken Royal Navy Fleet Auxiliary ship, Darkdale, which was torpedoed in James Bay during WW2. Three ships have been involved in removing unexploded ordinance (taken further out to sea and sunk in two miles of ocean) before extracting the heavy fuel oil. So far there has only been a small oil leak from the process due to a valve failure.
In a few days we are expecting RMS Saint Helena to arrive following her annual visit into dry dock. As it's the only link with the outside world the extended period of isolation is quite noticeable with some items of food becoming scarce (even more than normal) and the wait for post even longer. It also means another group of ex-pats leaving for leave or finishing their contracts as part of the regular 'churn' of faces on the island. There is a lot of speculation on the RMS's future beyond next July when she is due to be de-commissioned and becomes the historical end of the Royal Mail Ships. Rather belatedly a Facebook campaign has been started to save her and she would make a rather interesting if quaint floating hotel for the island? She is due to make one last voyage back to the UK, arriving July, and be moored in the Thames so put the date in the diary and feel free to pay her a visit.
PS: Fantastic effort on the Auction of Promises and best of luck for the final weeks of the season
The 'additional' bank holiday on the 15th June was a great success, with the Sunday host to the annual charity Gravity Rush – home-made carts hurtling down the main street, raising funds for islands major charity Shape. (St. Helena's Active Participation in Enterprise -is a Social Enterprise established to offer training, support and employment opportunities to disabled and vulnerable adults). There were 13 entries this year, which all 'paraded' in the main square before the races begin. Thankfully, the course is lined (most of it) with tyres to avoid injuries to the spectators and generally successful – there were only three visitors to the hospital this year. The winner, Skeleton, was crowned at the end of a thoroughly enjoyable and social day.
Whilst I have never been particularly interested in fishing I was convinced to organise a boat trip for a group of guys to seek out tuna and possibly the super-fast Wahoo. Setting out at day break, as there were no takers for the optional bait fishing at 4.30am, trailing lures but no such luck so early in the morning. After about 90 minutes we had our first bite and so began a couple of hours of landing tuna by game rods and eventually poles (literally a pole of bamboo with a length of string and a hook) off the back of the boat. Feeling pretty chuffed at our haul, but at the same time disappointed not to landed a Wahoo one of the trailing lures set off and moments later we had our first (of three Wahoo) – they could shift and put up a bit of fight. The days catch was divided up amongst us all and leaving a small amount for the captain not a fish was wasted and we have all enjoyed the freshest fish possible.
I celebrated my 50th birthday on the 19th June and had a lovely lazy day (more so than usual – before anyone points that out) with Gill taking the day off. Unfortunately the weather prevented us going on our picnic boat trip so we settled for breakfast overlooking the ocean and lunch in town. There were lots of messages from home (thanks everyone) but many cards didn't coincide with the ships arrival on the 18th from Cape Town (but arrived on the shuttle run to/from ascension where most of our post is routed from). Similarly, our champagne was also quarantined until the boat departed – aarrghhhh! However, the evening was a delightful dinner with four friends at Farm Lodge Country Hotel - built in approximately 1670 as an East India Company Planters' House, the hotel is set in it's own grounds of 10 acres with lawns and lush tropical gardens. Like most venues the menu is mostly selected in advance but in this case several courses are the hosts own choice and a stunning crème brulee followed local fillet steaks to cap a wonderful day and one I'll always look back on (my other landmark birthday, 21st, was spent in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois)
The ships arrival on the 18th signalled the last part of the jig-saw of settling on the island, as the day after my birthday I went on a five day round trip to collect our dog Saffi, who had made the 12 day journey from Southampton to Ascension Island, via the MoD supply ship. Having had five months with friends in the UK (an animal trainer and ex police dog handler) and a few days on the island I was a little apprehensive of whether she would remember me. After a moment's hesitation Saffi leapt forward and lots of excitement let me know I had not been forgotten. A similar episode was repeated on arrival back on Saint Helena with Gill. The journey itself was a lovely break for me as the weather, heading back to the equator became very warm within a few hours and the boat provided a variety of food not seen on the island for five months (not all at once anyway). Also an opportunity to play cricket - well a version of it - at the 'right' time of the year, playing with a rope ball and nets to avoid losing a ball over the side.
So the 'family' are all settled and looking forward to another eighteen months on one of the most extra-ordinary islands in the world.
6 photos added to gallery.
I finished the last instalment with a post script, regarding the weather, that the bank holiday brought a steady drizzle and hopefully an end to the mini drought. Well the following days have seen a number of days where drizzle became deluges, with several hours of heavy rain. But, as with authorities the world over, there doesn't appear to be enough – we still have warnings of shortages. Some on the island who maintain the computerised weather stations you can buy are publishing their data (150mm in the last month alone) and putting a little pressure on the water company to explain its maintenance of the islands infrastructure. The island has introduced hose pipe and sprinkler bans, with accompanying fines of up to £2000 or potentially six months in prison. Given the average Saint earns £650/month it's easy to see the likely outcome. With the rain comes cooler temperatures; somewhere between 17 and 24c but as no-one has heating or air conditioning we are starting to feel the chill in the air! I even had to resort to long trousers (after five months in shorts) and one of my many sweatshirts (you may recall Gill's scathing of my packing abilities prior to us leaving).
As Airport accreditation and opening nears, the St Helena Sea Rescue Service continues to develop. This service will not only support Airport operations on flight days but will significantly enhance sea rescue operations for St Helena. Two new boats are being provided as part of the Airport contract. The boats will provide a fast response to marine emergencies and rescues. Recruitment is underway to identify both full-time and auxiliary staff to crew the boats, with extensive training planned for July and August to prepare the team for sea rescue operations. As you might expect, we cant use British expertise so the training will be provided by the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), from South Africa.
International Nurses Day was recently celebrated, with an event held at the General Hospital. International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world on the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth. This year we will see dramatic improvements made to the Hospital premises; including new operating theatre and diagnostic suites, with better health care provision for all residents of the island. I have taken part in a programme of triage training for the local staff (and become an expert hypochondriac in the process) and deeply appreciative of the improvements to come as we have no facilities for CT scans etc. that you take for granted in the U.K.
Personally, Gill and I are looking forward to the imminent arrival of the migrating whales, which are due to be with us anytime between now and September. The islands dolphins can also be seen on a regular basis on any boat trip you take and visible with a good pair of binoculars from many of the islands clifftop viewpoints of James Bay.
This week was the tenth week of my Rock Radio show (you can use Facebook to make a request or listen to rock from the sixties onward to the modern day – saintfmcommunityradio – Thursdays between 11am and 2pm). Feedback has been really good and I usually receive two or three requests a week. It is a pleasant change from the country and western, which is also really popular on the island, especially so on Sunday mornings when it's combined with a gospel theme!
The weekend is our extra public holiday to the UK to celebrate the Queen's birthday. We are moving house and I am off deep sea fishing with a group of fiends – hopefully to 'land' Wahoo (but will be quite happy with tuna).
2 photos added to the gallery
Living on an island in the middle of the South Atlantic, the phrase" water water everywhere but not a drop to drink" is currently very pertinent. With no significant rain since Easter, appeals from the utility provider for reduced usage, naming and shaming individual areas of the island have appeared in the press. At the current rates June could be the critical month where rationing and stand-pipes are brought into use. Questions are also being asked of the provider regarding their investment and capital programme to improve matters over the last three to four years. The immediate issue is on the farmers who are not allowed to irrigate and therefore some foodstuffs, particularly salads and vegetables are not coming to market. Never thought I would be looking forward to rain (though personally drinking water is not an issue as our area is served by an artesian well).
The cricket season came to an end recently with the knock out final preceding the end of season awards. The final, for the first time ever, was between the two Levelwood teams and turned out to be a very one sided affair; the Allstars scoring briskly to reach 210 in 25 overs. The Rebels just managed to get over the hundred before being bowled out. The awards were presented by the deputy Governor and we collected our league runners up trophies with some personal satisfaction for two of the team taking leading batsman and bowler (father and youngest son). It left the rest of us to ponder our collective team skills that we hadn't won any of the competitions, apparently the first time in years. The photos sent show the final game, the position of the ground (the only bit of flat ground on the island) illustrating the long climb or descent to the pitch, the awards and the team bbq (echoed around the pavilion with each team having their own).
The 21st was St Helena Day, commemorating the founding of the island in 1502 (and so-named as it was the birthday of Saint Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great) when it was discovered by the Portuguese (it became a Dutch possession in 1633 and then a British possession (initially under the East India Company then the Crown) from 1659). For those wanting to know more the following link may be useful - http://sthelenatourism.com/the-island/history. Celebrating its history, it was our bank holiday in lieu of May Day and those with annual leave added Friday to make it the second very long weekend break (along with Easter) in successive months. It was a day celebration starting with a church service and parade; various water based options, five-a-side competition, float parade and rounding off the day fireworks and music via the islands favourite group The Big Easy. Obviously timings were 'St Helena time', so the parade was two hours late – though not helped by Napoleon falling off his float (then getting stuck under the entrance arch) and Jonathan the Tortoise being impaled on a street bollard.
Preparations for the airport opening next year continue, though this time it is the announcement of the final schedule for the mail ship. The new schedule includes; the RMS being anchored in Jamestown on the proposed official opening of the Airport on 21 May 2016, a final voyage to the UK and after disembarking her passengers RMS making a promotional trip up the river Thames and mooring alongside HMS Belfast near the Tower of London. The focus of these final voyages is to commemorate the life of the RMS over the last 25 years and its strong links to the local community.
Next year's St Helena Day is a Saturday and has been announced as the official opening day for the airport. This years was marked by the announcement of a charter service, run by ex BA pilots Atlantic Star Airlines - http://www.atlanticstarairlines.com - to the island to compete with ComAir.
Post script: Being a bank holiday weekend it has started to rain, a lovely steady drizzle, but don't feel too sad its still 22c!
Well my first season in the southern hemisphere ended without a ball played; as not being selected for the game – the first knock out - the Barracuda's lost and the season ends from a playing perspective. However the season continues until the knockout final on the 18th May.
It's great to see the First XI have got off to a flyer this season and congratulations Sam on your century. I know it's early but hopefully a quick return to Division Six. Similarly, the Second's and Third's will have equally successful seasons?
So with no cricket I'll get to play more golf and go diving more often. The golf course is only nine holes and you simply go around twice, visiting different tee positions for the 'back nine'. The club's logo features the, unique to St Helena, 'Wirebird', which run along the fairway as you approach and several holes have goats tethered providing free grass cutting. The fairways are rough and the greens not the best but with the right investment in equipment and a full time green-keeper it could be a lovely course – it must be one of the most picturesque I've played on. One advantage is that the bunkers are simply dirt traps and you just putt out of them (allowing for the jolt of the bunkers lip). Maybe once the tourists start arriving it might get the attention it needs?
The diving is incredible; as it feels like you are descending into an aquarium. Having snorkelled with Whale Sharks on arriving in January, to then have swum with Devil Rays on my first dives was quite an adventure. The steep slopes of the islands shelf provide homes for lots of wildlife and with boats going out most days there are ample opportunities. The water is crystal clear, giving visibility of about 12-15m, and at the moment a comfortable 26c. Thankfully, whilst Thresher, Mako and Hammerhead sharks have been seen they are very rare on the diving side of the island. I am also anticipating the arrival of Wright and Hump Back whales in August/September. As you might expect, the Dive Club is one of the most active clubs on the island (Facebook page – Saint Helena Dive Club) and hopefully the pictures uploaded give you an idea?
The end of April became a bit of balancing act with our internet usage. Remember we only have a data bank of 13.5gb each month (we are on the top Gold Plus package – at £240/month), after which it becomes 9p/mb, and so we scaled back the Skype calls home, use of Facebook and turned off all the updates. Thankfully we don't seem to have missed much from the outside world – the election is still going on (and on) and we now have a new Princess. What we do miss is the May Day bank holiday – we get a different day off in the month – 21st May for Saint Helena Day (which I'll comment on in the next instalment).
Another of my spare time hobbies is a DJ slot on the local community radio – Saint FM Community Radio – so if anyone would like a request, send me a post. Just remember it's a rock show and actually not sure whether you can listen on the internet (Thursdays 11am to 2pm) but give it a go!
It might be surprising to some that currently the island does not use much solar generation, beyond the hot water collectors on most if not all houses. This is shortly to be rectified then the island's first sun farm; a collection of photo voltaic panels that will generate up to 10% of the islands energy will come on stream. Located on the slopes above Jamestown it will be phase one of hopefully four, which will complement the current wind farm located across the island at Flagstaff.
21st April 2015 - Island Life, Part 3
Best wishes for St George's Day and the start of the English cricket season! Being in the Southern Hemisphere we are now approaching the end of our summer and with the completion of the T20, the last competition of the season – a limited over knock out begins this weekend. Morning temperatures are now down to 18 or 19c and only occasionally breaking into the early 30's in town. It's a hard life?
The Easter weekend saw no cricket being played. In fact much of the island was closed. As the 'Saints' do not have the opportunity to leave the island due to both cost and time (it takes five days to get to South Africa), a large number go camping and whole households move from one side of the island to another.
The airports recent airline announcement was joined by the signing of the agreement to refurbish a set of buildings to become a 4* hotel (but don't think European standards) with the Mantis hotel company winning the contract to run it. You can check out more details on their website – www.mantiscollection.com. The other announcement was of the refurbishment of the hospital, including the upgrade of much of the equipment.
Several cruise ships have visited in the last two weeks. Most are smaller vessels with about 200-300 people, plus a similar number of crew coming ashore. Many take organised tours to the island wide sights and take the opportunity to browse at the local stalls set up in the main square, during their day long stay. One exception to this was The World an exclusive ship where you require a recurring income of at least $10m per annum to be considered to purchase an apartment – which start at $900k up to $17m for the penthouse suite – www.aboardtheworld.com. The ship stayed for three days and again many toured the island but also spent time in the crystal waters of the bay snorkelling and diving. On their last evening, the ships house band – The Fabulous Fossils -joined the islands Big Easy for an afternoon and evening of music.
Many of you may recall our dog Saffi, who is still staying with friends, was due to sail on a MoD ship but as they have declared many 'no pet' voyages, she has been bumped several times to her new passage on the 5th June. This 'bumping' is often due to taking military dogs or cargo such as ammunition down to the Falklands (via Ascension Island) and because of tensions rising we are not confident this latest delay won't be the last.
We are also moving shortly to a newer more European standard home. Houses are bungalows with simple layouts and usually a kitchen (where you also eat your meals), lounge and bedrooms. Unfortunately still no air conditioning! We will still have a great view and being out of town will be several degrees cooler.
After a final group game against local rivals Jamestown Zodiacs, which went to the final four balls of the game the Barracudas made it through to Finals Weekend. Our semi-final was against the Levelwood Allstars and played in the morning and were asked to chase down a decent 158. When our openers were dropped four times in the first few overs it did not look good and sure enough we fell short by six runs (after the opposition were fined six runs for a slow over rate). The final was therefore the Allstars versus St Matthews Lions – the later beating the Half Tree Hollow Dolphins. The final was an epic with the Lions chasing down 166 with three balls to spare despite being 55-4 at one point. Now onto the Knock Out.
Regards to all
See Gallery for photos.
6th April 2015 - Island Life Part 2
I trust you all had a pleasant Easter – chocolate eggs were available but at two or three times the UK price it's an expensive luxury reserved for those with children. What was nice to see a slower more peaceful holiday time, with everything shut from Good Friday to the following Tuesday, the wharf was closed from Maundy Thursday. Time to just kick back, enjoy the weather and relax – unfortunately it rained for three of the four days! And being sub-tropical I mean rained!?!
In little over a year the island of St Helena will lose its title as one of the most remote British Territories in the world, as it can take up between one and three weeks to get here, and top 50 remotest islands in the world with the opening of an international airport. As yet un-named, favourites include Wirebird (after the islands endemic bird) and Longwood. Linking into the international hub of Johannesburg and the Comair (subsidiary of BA) Saturday flight to/from St Helena will be 4.5hours from the mainland and just a day from the UK.
So how do you get here? There are two routes via RAF Brize Norton to Ascension Island and a three day cruise or to Cape Town and a five day cruise on the Royal Mail Ship St Helena. The latest ship was launched into service in 1990 and is also a freight carrier (up to 92 containers) as well as able to carry up to 150 passengers. Ship life is quaint but well equipped to keep you from being bored with two lounges and a main dining room. Food is plentiful and a delight to sample items not regularly seen on the island. However, with the airport opening the ship is to be de-commissioned in July 2016, with one last UK sailing scheduled to complete the 12-15 day voyage.
And the food? Being an island it's very much a fish based diet – though of the more meaty types. Fresh tuna is in the market every day, with Wahoo, Marlin and Cavelley depending on the success of the fishermen. The island produces lots of pork and some beef and chicken, but imports much from Cape Town. It's a local frustration that the island cannot produce more, as it used to supply up to 1000 visiting ships a year. So it's quite an event for the ship to come in and the teasing wait for the produce to make its way into the shops. The shops are small (think 'express' size) and lots of locals convert a garage to be the local hamlet shop for emergencies. However, it is not unusual for the island to be out of items; recently Diet Pepsi, any form of fruit cordial and lettuce!
One of the biggest bug bears, especially for the ex-pats., is the cost of using the internet. To be able to download 13.5Gb of data in a month it costs £190! The speed is also an issue with download speeds of only 1.5Mb/sec. The only concession is usage is free from midnight to 6am; so there are lots of timers in use. Hopefully as the island opens up greater competition will make its way to the island?
Back to cricket. The league season finished with a three way play off for the title and despite bowling out the opposition, in the crucial deciding game, for 114, the Barracudas choked and were all out for 91 (I wasn't playing, but memories of the eight runs required and losing at St Osyth's came flooding back). So the honours went to the Levelwood Allstars and better luck for next year's league. So onto the T20 and unfortunately in the first match the hang-over from the defeat obvious, losing again, after posting 188. This time due to the Half Tree Hollow Dolphins able to field a South African Academy player, from within the airport builders workforce. Normal service was resumed the following week with a win over the Sandy Bay Pirates, in the 18th over.
martin.payne@hotmail.co.uk
23rd March 2015 - Island Life Part 1
Welcome to Saint Helena, a small island British territory in the South Atlantic. About 4500 miles from the UK, it is most well known as the exiled home of Napoleon and in fact it is the 200th anniversary this year – more of that to come as we head to the actual anniversary of his arrival in October.
The island itself is volcanic in origin and has a single main town Jamestown, in a short valley or 'gut', with the island rising quickly to heights of between 500 and 823m – the later Diana's Peak the tallest point.
Let's start with the British obsession the weather! Generally sub-tropical and in the southern hemisphere we are now in the mid-summer. Apparently this year has been a poor summer with day time temperatures in the main town in the early thirty centigrade. So far it has not dropped below 20c (this the early morning and night-time temp). In the sun over 50c has been recorded. Thankfully, with the altitude comes a slightly (3-5c) cooler climate in the interior of the island.
So to the cricket. There are ten teams across the island and recently changed from playing in whites to pyjama cricket and many of the sides adopting nicknames to the original district or village names. Hence, my own side went from Jamestown 'B' to the Jamestown Barracudas – as they wanted to retain the 'B' within the club. Others include the Jamestown Zodiacs, Half Tree Hollow Dolphins, St Matthews Lions, and Western B Warriors.
There is only one pitch, the local Prince Andrew School Francis Field and surprisingly the island is affiliated to the African Cricket Association rather than the ECB. St Helena is an international side, affiliated to the ICC and in 2012 competed in its first international tournament, the ICC Africa Division 3 T20 Tournament. It was held in South Africa where Saint Helena beat Mali, Gambia, Cameroon and Morocco. They finished in fifth place out of eight teams.
Locally, there is a league competition (earliest records are from 1903, though cricket recorded as long ago as 1844), followed by a 20/20 league and finally a knock out cup marking the end of the season in May, having started in early November. The league is 35 overs a side and takes 3-4 hours with two games each Saturday and Sunday – therefore there are regular fixture breaks so a little more family friendly than back in Worly.
Playing on a concrete strip the carpet surface doesn't slow the ball much and the dry grass/scrub of the outfield means the ball whizzes along – though the locals often go ariel!
In the next instalment some of the frustrations of island life, the reliance on the venerable Royal Mail Ships and food foraging – though the island never runs out of beer!
If there are any particular aspects of life you would like to cover or suggestions feel free to ask


text:
Imprint: Chatto & Windus
Format: Trade Paperback
A Town Called Solace
LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2021
Mary Lawson
Set in the frozen north of Canada in 1972, this is a novel about childhood trauma, painful histories that need reckoning with and the moments in life when we can change for the better
'I've been trying to tell everybody I know about Mary Lawson... [Each of her novels is] just a marvel' ANNE TYLER
Clara's sister is missing. Angry, rebellious Rose, had a row with their mother, stormed out of the house and simply disappeared. Eight-year-old Clara, isolated by her distraught parents' efforts to protect her from the truth, is grief-stricken and bewildered.
Liam Kane, newly divorced, newly unemployed, newly arrived in this small northern town, moves into the house next door, a house left to him by an old woman he can barely remember and within hours gets a visit from the police. It seems he's suspected of a crime.
At the end of her life Elizabeth Orchard is thinking about a crime too, one committed thirty years ago that had tragic consequences for two families and in particular for one small child. She desperately wants to make amends before she dies.
Set in Northern Ontario in 1972, A Town Called Solace explores the relationships of these three people brought together by fate and the mistakes of the past. By turns gripping and darkly funny, it uncovers the layers of grief and remorse and love that connect us, but shows that sometimes a new life is possible.
Mary Lawson is a Canadian author. Her first novel, Crow Lake (2002), is a tense and heart-breaking drama of family love and buried resentment set in rural Ontario, carefully crafted and sparkling with humour, which won the 2003 McKitterick Prize. Her second novel, The Other Side of the Bridge (2006), is the compelling and vivid story of two generations of a family who are tragically torn apart by the Second World War, which was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize that year and selected for the Richard and Judy book club. Her most recent novel, Road Ends (2013), tells the enthralling tale of the Cartwright family unravelling in the aftermath of a tragedy, set against the chilling backdrop of a frozen landscape in the first half of the 20th century.
Also by Mary Lawson
Praise for A Town Called Solace
There's a beauty and simplicity in her [Lawson's] stories set in small-town Canada
Nina Pottell, Prima
A lovely, gentle novel with edge, worthy of Anne Tyler
This is Mary Lawson's fourth novel and I'd recommend a binge immersion... Lawson has carved out a world in Northern Ontario that's vividly, absorbingly real; she captures tones and voices with exactitude in writing that's idiomatic but never flashy and carries you along from midnight to dawn, oblivious of the time.
Nooni Minogue, Literary Review
Poised, elegant prose, paired with quiet drama that will break your heart. The sort of book that seems as if it has always existed because of its timeless perfection
Anne Tyler is a big fan of this Canadian author and so am I
[An] absorbing novel
Charlotte Heathcote, Sunday Express
Mary Lawson writes with a pure simplicity... she has the God-given ability to convey the complexities of human nature in everyday language... It was only on a second reading that I came to realise quite how intricately plotted A Town Called Solace is: like a magician, Lawson hides her technique, and makes it all seem as natural as breathing... she possesses an instinctive feel for when to withhold information, and when to release it
Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday
Lawson's books are a pleasure to read - they conjure a space where quiet reflection and owning your past mistakes bring gentle rewards; they feel kind and wise and brimful of empathy
Siobhan Murphy, The Times
Completely absorbing... A Town Called Solace pleases at every level. It's a captivating tale suffused with wisdom and compassion
Brett Josef Grubisic, Toronto Star
[In A Town Called Solace] doubts, difficulties and uncertainties of the human condition are examined carefully in a way that is both heartbreaking and joyful
Bridie Pritchard, UK Press Syndication
Subtle and darkly funny, this tender novel unspools the interconnected lives of her beautifully drawn characters, as they grapple with grief and loss, while steadfastly hoping for a change of happiness in the face of life's uncertainties
Eithne Farry, UK Press Syndication
Lawson's writing is such that it appears effortless but, as all the strands come together to create a rich and satisfying tapestry, her genius for storytelling becomes apparent.
Beautifully written and so finely crafted; told in the kind of prose I most admire because it takes what appears to be complicated and makes it clear . . . These interwoven stories of three people at different stages of life, and yet each struggling with their own form of loss and grief, will stay with me the way good friendships stay with you. It's already one of my favourite books of the year
[Lawson] writes an unpretentious prose that zings with metaphorical vim and humour
Tablet, *Summer Reads of 2021*
Lawson's writing is clear and emotive... In this poignant novel, rightfully recognised by the Booker judges, the steadfastness of children brings solace to lost grown-ups
Francesca Carington, Sunday Telegraph, *Novel of the Week*
Exquisitely poignant
Liane Moriarty, Good Housekeeping
You can't get much farther north than the Ontario of Mary Lawson's icy, compelling stories of calamity and redemption. A Town Called Solace keeps you breathless with anxiety, then relief and finally even joy
Ferdinand Mount, Observer
Christina Hardyment, The Times, *Audiobooks of the Year*
A contemplative story about loss and regret, a slow burn of a read with a fire at its heart
John Boyne
It's already one of my favourite books of the year
She has the God-given ability to convey the complexities of human nature in everyday language... Like a magician, Lawson hides her technique, and makes it all seem as natural as breathing
John Boyne, Irish Times
Lawson's writing is such that it appears effortless but, as all the strands come together to create a rich and satisfying tapestry, her genius for storytelling becomes apparent
The doubts, difficulties and uncertainties of the human condition are carefully examined in a way that is both heartbreaking and joyful
Subtle and darkly funny, this tender novel unspools the interconnected lives of her beautifully drawn characters
An absorbing novel
Sunday Express
Lawson has carved out a world in Northern Ontario that's vividly, absorbingly real... Carries you along from midnight to dawn, oblivious of the time
A Town Called Solace keeps you breathless with anxiety, then relief and finally even joy
Daisy Jones and The Six
The Spy's Wife
Fiona McIntosh
Damon Galgut
You and Me on Vacation
Silverview
We Were Never Here
Andrea Bartz
Showtime!
The Paper Palace
Miranda Cowley Heller
Rachel's Holiday
Bewilderment
Richard Powers
The Echo Chamber
The Island of Missing Trees

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


How Do You Feel About Fake Animal Prints???
a future of veg*ism and animal liberation?
"made on shared equipment that uses eggs and milk"
Why do you think omnivores don't turn vegans sooner ?
Embarrassed by our sub-forum about PeTA?
PeTA Activists dressing as KKK members?
Peta: is this for real?
How to complain to caterers/food outlets about lack of vegan option?
Are you an abolitionist or a welfarist?


T-Shirt of the Day Award for NOT Back to School!
So after Labor Day, everyone is in school … except the homeschoolers! But homeschoolers need t-shirts too, right? Right.
Simply put, homeschooling is the education of school-aged children at home by their parents. Homeschooling is legal in every state, though regulations governing homeschooling requirements vary from state to state.
Remember if you click on any t-shirt, you can choose the style, color, and size you want, for infants to adults!
Read this Homeschool FAQ to answer your questions about homeschooling.
← T-Shirt of the Day for Back to School!
I love these homeschooling t-shirts! Brings back great memories. I think the Love Peace Homeschool one is my favorite. Great design!
Great collection of homeschool T-shirts. I agree with you and Susan, Peace Love and homeschool is my favorite.


So pretty and what a great way to package up your yummy goodies!
fantastic Job! perfect for your yummies!
Love, love, love! JB - the perfect products to share your treats!
absolutely fantastic!!!! i bet whoever gets these is going to love them!
Super cute treats!!! Awesome job!
What a great way to package your goodies for the bake sale.
Super cute!!! These will be perfect to hold goodies!!!!


text:
<?php

/**
 * sfPatternRouting class controls the generation and parsing of URLs.
 *
 * It parses and generates URLs by delegating the work to an array of sfRoute objects.
 *
 * @package    symfony
 * @subpackage routing
 * @author     Fabien Potencier <fabien.potencier@symfony-project.com>
 * @version    SVN: $Id$
 */
class sfPatternRouting extends sfRouting
{
  protected
    $currentRouteName   = null,
    $currentInternalUri = array(),
    $routes             = array(),
    $cacheData          = array(),
    $cacheChanged       = false,
    $routesFullyLoaded  = true;

  /**
   * Initializes this Routing.
   *
   * Available options:
   *
   *  * suffix:                           The default suffix
   *  * variable_prefixes:                An array of characters that starts a variable name (: by default)
   *  * segment_separators:               An array of allowed characters for segment separators (/ and . by default)
   *  * variable_regex:                   A regex that match a valid variable name ([\w\d_]+ by default)
   *  * generate_shortest_url:            Whether to generate the shortest URL possible (true by default)
   *  * extra_parameters_as_query_string: Whether to generate extra parameters as a query string
   *  * lazy_routes_deserialize:          Use lazy route deserialization optimization: not all routes are deserialized
   *                                      upfront but on demand (false by default)
   *  * lookup_cache_dedicated_keys:      Whether to use dedicated keys for parse/generate cache (false by default)
   *                                      WARNING: When this option is activated, do not use sfFileCache; use a fast access
   *                                      cache backend (like sfAPCCache).
   *
   * @see sfRouting
   */
  public function initialize(sfEventDispatcher $dispatcher, sfCache $cache = null, $options = array())
  {
    $options = array_merge(array(
      'variable_prefixes'                => array(':'),
      'segment_separators'               => array('/', '.'),
      'variable_regex'                   => '[\w\d_]+',
      'load_configuration'               => false,
      'suffix'                           => '',
      'generate_shortest_url'            => true,
      'extra_parameters_as_query_string' => true,
      'lazy_routes_deserialize'          => false,
      'lookup_cache_dedicated_keys'      => false,
    ), $options);

    // for BC
    if ('.' == $options['suffix'])
    {
      $options['suffix'] = '';
    }

    parent::initialize($dispatcher, $cache, $options);

    if (!is_null($this->cache) && !$options['lookup_cache_dedicated_keys'] && $cacheData = $this->cache->get('symfony.routing.data'))
    {
      $this->cacheData = unserialize($cacheData);
    }
  }

  /**
   * @see sfRouting
   */
  public function loadConfiguration()
  {
    if (!is_null($this->cache) && $routes = $this->cache->get('symfony.routing.configuration'))
    {
      $this->routes = unserialize($routes);
      $this->routesFullyLoaded = false;
    }
    else
    {
      if ($this->options['load_configuration'] && $config = sfContext::getInstance()->getConfigCache()->checkConfig('config/routing.yml', true))
      {
        $this->setRoutes(include($config));
      }

      parent::loadConfiguration();

      if (!is_null($this->cache))
      {
        if (!$this->options['lazy_routes_deserialize'])
        {
          $this->cache->set('symfony.routing.configuration', serialize($this->routes));
        }
        else
        {
          $lazyMap = array();

          foreach ($this->routes as $name => $route)
          {
            if (is_string($route))
            {
              $route = $this->loadRoute($name);
            }

            $lazyMap[$name] = serialize($route);
          }

          $this->cache->set('symfony.routing.configuration', serialize($lazyMap));
        }
      }
    }
  }

  /**
   * Load a lazy route from cache
   *
   * @param string $name The name of the route
   *
   * @return sfRoute The route instance unserialized from the cache
   */
  protected function loadRoute($name)
  {
    if (is_string($route = $this->routes[$name]))
    {
      $this->routes[$name] = unserialize($route);
      $this->routes[$name]->setDefaultParameters($this->defaultParameters);

      return $this->routes[$name];
    }
    else
    {
      return $route;
    }
  }

  /**
   * Load all lazy routes
   *
   * @return void
   */
  protected function loadRoutes()
  {
    if ($this->routesFullyLoaded)
    {
      return;
    }

    foreach ($this->routes as $name => $route)
    {
      if (is_string($route))
      {
        $this->loadRoute($name);
      }
    }

    $this->routesFullyLoaded = true;
  }

  /**
   * @see sfRouting
   */
  public function getCurrentInternalUri($withRouteName = false)
  {
    return is_null($this->currentRouteName) ? null : $this->currentInternalUri[$withRouteName ? 0 : 1];
  }

  /**
   * Gets the current route name.
   *
   * @return string The route name
   */
  public function getCurrentRouteName()
  {
    return $this->currentRouteName;
  }

  /**
   * @see sfRouting
   */
  public function getRoutes()
  {
    if (!$this->routesFullyLoaded)
    {
      $this->loadRoutes();
    }
    return $this->routes;
  }

  /**
   * @see sfRouting
   */
  public function setRoutes($routes)
  {
    foreach ($routes as $name => $route)
    {
      $this->connect($name, $route);
    }

    if (!$this->routesFullyLoaded)
    {
      $this->loadRoutes();
    }

    return $this->routes;
  }

  /**
   * @see sfRouting
   */
  public function hasRoutes()
  {
    return count($this->routes) ? true : false;
  }

  /**
   * @see sfRouting
   */
  public function clearRoutes()
  {
    if ($this->options['logging'])
    {
      $this->dispatcher->notify(new sfEvent($this, 'application.log', array('Clear all current routes')));
    }

    $this->routes = array();
  }

  /**
   * Returns true if the route name given is defined.
   *
   * @param  string $name  The route name
   *
   * @return boolean
   */
  public function hasRouteName($name)
  {
    return isset($this->routes[$name]) ? true : false;
  }

  /**
   * Adds a new route at the beginning of the current list of routes.
   *
   * @see connect
   */
  public function prependRoute($name, $route)
  {
    $routes = $this->routes;
    $this->routes = array();
    $newroutes = $this->connect($name, $route);
    $this->routes = array_merge($newroutes, $routes);

    if (!$this->routesFullyLoaded)
    {
      $this->loadRoutes();
    }

    return $this->routes;
  }

  /**
   * Adds a new route.
   *
   * Alias for the connect method.
   *
   * @see connect
   */
  public function appendRoute($name, $route)
  {
    return $this->connect($name, $route);
  }

  /**
   * Adds a new route before a given one in the current list of routes.
   *
   * @see connect
   */
  public function insertRouteBefore($pivot, $name, $route)
  {
    if (!isset($this->routes[$pivot]))
    {
      throw new sfConfigurationException(sprintf('Unable to insert route "%s" before inexistent route "%s".', $name, $pivot));
    }

    $routes = $this->routes;
    $this->routes = array();
    $newroutes = array();
    foreach ($routes as $key => $value)
    {
      if ($key == $pivot)
      {
        $newroutes = array_merge($newroutes, $this->connect($name, $route));
      }
      $newroutes[$key] = $value;
    }

    $this->routes = $newroutes;

    if (!$this->routesFullyLoaded)
    {
      $this->loadRoutes();
    }

    return $this->routes;
  }

  /**
   * Adds a new route at the end of the current list of routes.
   *
   * A route string is a string with 2 special constructions:
   * - :string: :string denotes a named paramater (available later as $request->getParameter('string'))
   * - *: * match an indefinite number of parameters in a route
   *
   * Here is a very common rule in a symfony project:
   *
   * <code>
   * $r->connect('default', new sfRoute('/:module/:action/*'));
   * </code>
   *
   * @param  string  $name  The route name
   * @param  sfRoute $route A sfRoute instance
   *
   * @return array  current routes
   */
  public function connect($name, $route)
  {
    $routes = $route instanceof sfRouteCollection ? $route : array($name => $route);
    foreach (self::flattenRoutes($routes) as $name => $route)
    {
      $this->routes[$name] = $route;
      $this->configureRoute($route);

      if ($this->options['logging'])
      {
        $this->dispatcher->notify(new sfEvent($this, 'application.log', array(sprintf('Connect %s "%s" (%s)', get_class($route), $name, $route->getPattern()))));
      }
    }

    if (!$this->routesFullyLoaded)
    {
      $this->loadRoutes();
    }

    return $this->routes;
  }

  public function configureRoute(sfRoute $route)
  {
    $route->setDefaultParameters($this->defaultParameters);
    $route->setDefaultOptions($this->options);
  }

  /**
   * @see sfRouting
   */
  public function generate($name, $params = array(), $absolute = false)
  {
    // fetch from cache
    if (!is_null($this->cache))
    {
      $cacheKey = 'generate_'.$name.'_'.md5(serialize(array_merge($this->defaultParameters, $params))).'_'.md5(serialize($this->options['context']));
      if ($this->options['lookup_cache_dedicated_keys'] && $url = $this->cache->get('symfony.routing.data.'.$cacheKey))
      {
        return $this->fixGeneratedUrl($url, $absolute);
      }
      elseif (isset($this->cacheData[$cacheKey]))
      {
        return $this->fixGeneratedUrl($this->cacheData[$cacheKey], $absolute);
      }
    }

    if ($name)
    {
      // named route
      if (!isset($this->routes[$name]))
      {
        throw new sfConfigurationException(sprintf('The route "%s" does not exist.', $name));
      }

      $route = $this->routes[$name];

      if (is_string($route))
      {
        $route = $this->loadRoute($name);
      }
      $route->setDefaultParameters($this->defaultParameters);
    }
    else
    {
      // find a matching route
      if (false === $route = $this->getRouteThatMatchesParameters($params, $this->options['context']))
      {
        throw new sfConfigurationException(sprintf('Unable to find a matching route to generate url for params "%s".', is_object($params) ? 'Object('.get_class($params).')' : str_replace("\n", '', var_export($params, true))));
      }
    }

    $url = $route->generate($params, $this->options['context'], $absolute);

    // store in cache
    if (!is_null($this->cache))
    {
      if ($this->options['lookup_cache_dedicated_keys'])
      {
        $this->cache->set('symfony.routing.data.'.$cacheKey, $url);
      }
      else
      {
        $this->cacheChanged = true;
        $this->cacheData[$cacheKey] = $url;
      }
    }

    return $this->fixGeneratedUrl($url, $absolute);
  }

  /**
   * @see sfRouting
   */
  public function parse($url)
  {
    if (false === $info = $this->findRoute($url))
    {
      $this->currentRouteName = null;
      $this->currentInternalUri = array();

      return false;
    }

    if ($this->options['logging'])
    {
      $this->dispatcher->notify(new sfEvent($this, 'application.log', array(sprintf('Match route "%s" (%s) for %s with parameters %s', $info['name'], $info['pattern'], $url, str_replace("\n", '', var_export($info['parameters'], true))))));
    }

    // store the current internal URI
    $this->updateCurrentInternalUri($info['name'], $info['parameters']);

    $route = $this->routes[$info['name']];

    if (is_string($route))
    {
      $route = $this->loadRoute($info['name']);
    }
    $route->setDefaultParameters($this->defaultParameters);

    $route->bind($this->options['context'], $info['parameters']);
    $info['parameters']['_sf_route'] = $route;

    return $info['parameters'];
  }

  protected function updateCurrentInternalUri($name, array $parameters)
  {
    // store the route name
    $this->currentRouteName = $name;

    $internalUri = array('@'.$this->currentRouteName, $parameters['module'].'/'.$parameters['action']);
    unset($parameters['module'], $parameters['action']);

    $params = array();
    foreach ($parameters as $key => $value)
    {
      $params[] = $key.'='.$value;
    }

    // sort to guaranty unicity
    sort($params);

    $params = $params ? '?'.implode('&', $params) : '';

    $this->currentInternalUri = array($internalUri[0].$params, $internalUri[1].$params);
  }

  /**
   * Finds a matching route for given URL.
   *
   * Returns false if no route matches.
   *
   * Returned array contains:
   *
   *  - name:       name or alias of the route that matched
   *  - route:      the actual matching route object
   *  - parameters: array containing key value pairs of the request parameters including defaults
   *
   * @param  string $url     URL to be parsed
   *
   * @return array|false  An array with routing information or false if no route matched
   */
  public function findRoute($url)
  {
    $url = $this->normalizeUrl($url);

    // fetch from cache
    if (!is_null($this->cache))
    {
      $cacheKey = 'parse_'.$url.'_'.md5(serialize($this->options['context']));
      if ($this->options['lookup_cache_dedicated_keys'] && $info = $this->cache->get('symfony.routing.data.'.$cacheKey))
      {
        return unserialize($info);
      }
      elseif (isset($this->cacheData[$cacheKey]))
      {
        return $this->cacheData[$cacheKey];
      }
    }

    $info = $this->getRouteThatMatchesUrl($url);

    // store in cache
    if (!is_null($this->cache))
    {
      if ($this->options['lookup_cache_dedicated_keys'])
      {
        $this->cache->set('symfony.routing.data.'.$cacheKey, serialize($info));
      }
      else
      {
        $this->cacheChanged = true;
        $this->cacheData[$cacheKey] = $info;
      }
    }

    return $info;
  }

  static public function flattenRoutes($routes)
  {
    $flattenRoutes = array();
    foreach ($routes as $name => $route)
    {
      if ($route instanceof sfRouteCollection)
      {
        $flattenRoutes = array_merge($flattenRoutes, self::flattenRoutes($route));
      }
      else
      {
        $flattenRoutes[$name] = $route;
      }
    }

    return $flattenRoutes;
  }

  protected function getRouteThatMatchesUrl($url)
  {
    foreach ($this->routes as $name => $route)
    {
      if (is_string($route))
      {
        $route = $this->loadRoute($name);
      }
      $route->setDefaultParameters($this->defaultParameters);

      if (false === $parameters = $route->matchesUrl($url, $this->options['context']))
      {
        continue;
      }

      return array('name' => $name, 'pattern' => $route->getPattern(), 'parameters' => $parameters);
    }

    return false;
  }

  protected function getRouteThatMatchesParameters($parameters)
  {
    foreach ($this->routes as $name => $route)
    {
      if (is_string($route))
      {
        $route = $this->loadRoute($name);
      }
      $route->setDefaultParameters($this->defaultParameters);

      if ($route->matchesParameters($parameters, $this->options['context']))
      {
        return $route;
      }
    }

    return false;
  }

  protected function normalizeUrl($url)
  {
    // an URL should start with a '/', mod_rewrite doesn't respect that, but no-mod_rewrite version does.
    if ('/' != substr($url, 0, 1))
    {
      $url = '/'.$url;
    }

    // we remove the query string
    if (false !== $pos = strpos($url, '?'))
    {
      $url = substr($url, 0, $pos);
    }

    // remove multiple /
    $url = preg_replace('#/+#', '/', $url);

    return $url;
  }

  /**
   * @see sfRouting
   */
  public function shutdown()
  {
    if (!is_null($this->cache) && $this->cacheChanged)
    {
      $this->cacheChanged = false;
      $this->cache->set('symfony.routing.data', serialize($this->cacheData));
    }
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
/**
 * The Pantropical layer module for use on canvas.
 *
 * @return PantropicalLayer class (extends CartoDBLayerClass)
 */
define(['abstract/layer/ImageMaptypeLayerClass'], function(
  ImageMaptypeLayerClass
) {
  'use strict';

  var PantropicalLayer = ImageMaptypeLayerClass.extend({
    options: {
      urlTemplate:
        'https://s3.amazonaws.com/wri-tiles/tropicalcarbonstock{/z}{/x}{/y}.png'
    }
  });

  return PantropicalLayer;
});


Listen, Kid! is one of New York's premier sketch comedy duos. Housed at The Magnet Theater, these boys have brought their zany act to the New York, Chicago and San Francisco Sketch Festivals as well as to Boston, Philadelphia and Toronto. Get ready to guffaw at these two human cartoons.
Check 'em out on the Interwebs.


Symbol of commitment & togetherness this graceful five brilliant-cut diamonds surrounded the band. 2mm half round regular-fit wedding band made in highly polished 14K white gold & has a total weight (TDW) of 0.05 carat. This band thickness is about 1.2mm.


text:
Board index ‹ Projects ‹ Resources
Reincarnation of Evil - Remaking Doom 3/4 Content in 2
Sprites, textures, sounds, code, and other resources belong here. Share and share-alike!
Before posting your Resource, please make sure you can answer YES to any of the following questions:
Is the resource ENTIRELY my own work?
If no to the previous one, do I have permission from the original author?
If no to the previous one, did I put a reasonable amount of work into the resource myself, such that the changes are noticeably different from the source that I could take credit for them?
If you answered no to all three, maybe you should consider taking your stuff somewhere other than the Resources forum.
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Re: Reincarnation of Evil Monster Pack - Betas pg4
by Grimm » Tue Jun 03, 2008 9:55 pm
Do we have a good YouTube video for the Archvile? Heretic (via the Maulator) had a good variety of flame sprites. Hexen as well.
And you're quite welcome, Ghastly_dragon
by przndoom » Wed Jun 04, 2008 12:09 am
well look what ifound when i was cleaning my comp
i was trying to make a hell knight sprites
przndoom
Release the hounds! Tally oh! Gentlemen, shall we proceed?
Location: Right behind you
by CaptainToenail » Wed Jun 04, 2008 1:57 am
Lol! A gurning imp! Aaargh
CaptainToenail
by Ghastly » Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:06 am
@Grimm: I downloaded all of the Doom 3 videos of someone playing through on nightmare mode (I'll use it as a walkthrough if I get Doom 3), and there are some times where he doesn't use the soul cube or chainsaw on an archvile immediately, so I have a pretty good idea how the archvile acts. The Heretic and Hexen flames (maulotaur's especially) wouldn't really work, but I think I could use Photoshop to edit them a little.
@PrznDoom: The stone imp could probably be used as a base for the Hell Knight, but it would take a huge amount of editing.
Rather ghastly
Spotlight Team
by Onslaught Six » Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:25 am
I dunno, I'd rather see the Hell Knights done up using the Barons or existing Hell Knights as a base. But that's me.
(Another random thing is that I really don't like a lot of the D3 designs in general--a lot of the monsters end up as blobby grey things that look more at home in Duke3D than in Doom.)
Onslaught Six
Oozing of Onslaughttitude
Location: Hell.
by Grimm » Wed Jun 04, 2008 9:46 am
Hmm. Well you know someone just uploaded a "Doom 3 Baron" to the archives. It's the latest /newstuff at Doomworld. It's a little hokey but it's a start.
The thing is those suckers were so wide. I'd say you'd have to try and base it off the Demon somehow, if anything. Maybe the Cyber, too.
by Vegeta(dw) » Wed Jun 04, 2008 2:14 pm
Any chance for my Hell Knight from DOOM 2.5? It's a bit big, but fits with the other monsters I made.
Vegeta(dw)
by Ghastly » Wed Jun 04, 2008 2:47 pm
There's a Hell Knight in D2.5? *Checks* Oh, looks cool, but the limbs look a little odd. The legs look like it's running full tilt and the arms are in the same position for all of it. It's -MUCH- better than I could ever do, though, and with a little editing would be perfect .
After the Hell Knight's done, it could be edited easily for the three Hunters and maybe Bruiser.
Yeah, when I made it I had no access to DOOM 3, and I didn't know about youtube. I based in a DOOM 3 preview pic where the Hell Knight was running toward the player. I was disappointed then to see how slow it is in game. Perhaps you can give it a slightly faster speed than the other monsters like the Cyberdemon or a little faster, but nothing too fast.
There are other DOOM 3 monsters that may fit, like the Vagary, Chainsaw Zombie, Guardian (with the floating ball of light included), a kick ass Trite (in one of the big wads, forget the two variants included in the small ones, they just suck, the one I talking about was made by KRoNoS using these of mine as a base). Then there are some poor creatures like the Cherub, flaming zombie, and others.
For the fat zombie, my advise is to use the fat guards from Corridor 7 (or a game of these), adding the guts from the Mancubus, and a different head, so they fit with the civilian zombies. The Blood's Butcher, while cool, has a very different style that may look out of place near the other zombies.
There's also a machinegun and a shield Z-sec zombies, but I understand that you may want to use the one you made instead.
There was also a different Lost Soul than the one included in DOOM 2.5 it was made by Nmn, it was just perfect, almost from scratch, it's a real shame that it got lost.
That Trite looks really good, but the problem with it is that it has no rotations. I was going to use the Chainsaw Zombie from the Realm667 Beastiary (which is almost exactly the same, but the arms were edited), and I'm trying to figure out the best way to recreate or replace the Vagary's main attack (I'm leaning towards a random spread of projectiles), which is the reason I haven't started on that, yet.
Once they're finished, I was going to use the Trite, Tick and Vagary (with some R667 Beastiary monsters) for a few Hell-set maps.
And idea I had was to give the Vagary the archvile walking action. Then put some entities in the map that start dead, and on its resurrection frame they dissapear. But the trick is that the Vagary in the resurrecting frame ends shooting an entity that looks like the one that dissapeared. Once they hit something, they keep in the floor, waiting for the Vagary to restart the cycle. Something like this was done for the final boss of Action DOOM, and in a boss of Batman DOOM, except this one was not able to use multiple times each of these objects in the floor.
To make it more dynamic, they could have some gravity in air, so they fall faster to the floor, and they could home a bit to the player to make them harder to dodge, and more telekinesis looking.
As in DOOM 3 archviles don't resurrect monsters, you can remove the respawn frame of all monsters, change Archvile walking code to behave as a normal monster, and then it could work.
Other than that, you could have some objects that have 0 speed, are not shootable, and have the lost soul attack code (with the same sound the Vagary does on it telekinesis attack). When the Vagary dies, it activates a script that kills them all. This may be more accurate, and you could have more than one kind of these objects, adding to the realism.
by Ghastly » Fri Jun 06, 2008 11:01 am
I was hoping to make something a little less map-specific. For someone trying to use the Vagary for a boss fight, that would work, but as common monsters (or even just two in one map) that would be tricky to pull off correctly. Hopefully, the monsters in this pack will just simply have to be placed in a map to work, though I'll include a few things that will have to be activated with ACS (like a state for the trite to use some webbing to drop down to the floor), and some argument specific things like an imp that leaps when it sees the player.
By the way, does anyone want to edit the standard Lost Soul to make the Forgotten One (wider, larger horns, empty eyesockets), or should I just recolor it so it's more brown and has darker fire?
by Vegeta(dw) » Fri Jun 06, 2008 2:43 pm
Then what about invisible (or not) projectiles fired by the Vagary in different angles (not toward the player) with 0 missile damage, with a very high speed so they behave like a hitscan attack, and have some gravity so they explode in the floor. When they explode they spawn a Vagary Ball (these egg like things that are in the Vagary arena, included in the DOOM 2.5 resources), with an animation to make them look like they were spawned. To make it look realistic the Vagary should be doing some animation that fits with this spawning, or at least some sound.
The egg like things have 0 speed, but attack like the Lost Soul (perhaps homing a bit), and can't be destroyed by the player yet they block projectiles. They also explode (without causing damage) at the end of their attack frame (some seconds after they start charging).
They'd keep in the floor, but once they attack they'd have a no-gravity and floating flag.
On this way, they could be usable on any map, and retain some relation with the original.
I'm sending you a PM with the e-mail of the guy that coded the DOOM 2.5 monsters, he never implemented it, but he told me he had ideas for the Vagary (yet he coded for Edge, not sure how much things can be translated from a port to other). He also made the maps, perhaps he feels like helping you on this.
by Grimm » Fri Jun 06, 2008 3:23 pm
I could work on that Lost Soul thing for you, long as you can set me up with the appropriate screenshots/videos
by Ghastly » Fri Jun 06, 2008 3:35 pm
Here's a screenshot from the Doom wiki: http://doomwiki.org/wiki/Image:Doom3- ... en-one.jpg, and a youtube video with it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jmaO4Iwh60. It should be fairly easy, as it looks really close to the original. The horns, if anything, should be edited, though. Thanks!
@Vegeta: That attack would probably work, actually. I'll test it out, thanks .


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Sifat Azad
Sifat is pursuing her MFA in Creative Writing at Kingston University in London as the first-ever recipient of the Hilary Mantel Creative Writing Scholarship Award. She is a CUNY Baccalaureate graduate with dual concentrations in Literature and Creative Writing. Her piece, "Covered," was featured in John Jay's Finest and her short story, "Brownstone," was published in J Journal: New Writing on Justice.
What If You Could Vote on Who Wins a Trial: eQuibbly Now Crowdsources Disputes
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Editor's Note 5/12/14: eQuibbly has recently re-launched and offers a more focused service (only private online arbitration) and no longer uses crowdsourcing for dispute resolution. The recent startup eQuibbly.com serves as a platform for resolving…
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George Zimmerman Should Be Charged For Trayvon Martin's Murder By Sanford Police Department
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Helin Newroz Boztosun is a 23-year-old history and English graduate living in London. The following are excerpts from her March 20, 2018 article headlined "The Massacres and Oppression of the Kurds in 20th Century Turkey".
The 20th century was one of the most destructive eras in Kurdish history. While you may be aware of the current Kurdish-Turkish conflict, such as Turkey's recent attacks on Afrin, Syria, most of you probably don't know of their historical campaigns against the Kurds, and other minorities for that matter, until now. Although my focus here is the brutality that Kurds have suffered since the birth of modern Turkey, especially during the Zeylân and Dersim massacres, it's worth mentioning that the Kurdish-Turkish conflict actually emerged during the Ottoman Empire.
P.S. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey, led Turkish nationalists in the Turkish War of Independence (1919-1923). He rejected the Treaty of Sèvres (1920) which was replaced by the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923. Unlike the former treaty, the latter made no mention of an independent Kurdish state.
The Great Turkey Hoax of 2016. How likely is Turkey to join the EU ??
Turkey being rocked by blowback?


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Clearing your cache, cookies and web history in Google Chrome can fix certain problems, like loading and formatting issues. Clearing your cookies can also enhance Chrome�s performance and stop websites and third-parties from obtaining your data. After � Continue reading "How to Clear Your Cache, Cookies and Web History in Google Chrome"... Clearing your cache, cookies and web history in Google Chrome can fix certain problems, like loading and formatting issues. Clearing your cookies can also enhance Chrome�s performance and stop websites and third-parties from obtaining your data. After � Continue reading "How to Clear Your Cache, Cookies and Web History in Google Chrome"
Clearing your cache, cookies and web history in Google Chrome can fix certain problems, like loading and formatting issues. Clearing your cookies can also enhance Chrome�s performance and stop websites and third-parties from obtaining your data. After � Continue reading "How to Clear Your Cache, Cookies and Web History in Google Chrome"


The group believes that there is an "economic war" against coloured people.
Gatvol Capetonian is a name that continues to gain attention in the Mother City. With protests over land spread out across the Cape, this new organisation is causing quite a bit of controversy.
With the group being so new (they only formed on 30 April), we thought it would be best to explain who Gatvol Capetonian is and what the organisation stands for.
While the organisation has quite a few goals that it wants to achieve, it describes itself as a "group of gatvol [fed up] Capetonians" who are sick of "racist" B.E.E policies, poor service delivery and crime.
The first goal listed on their Facebook page? Achieving "Cape independence".
The group was founded and is led by three coloured men from Cape Town. Oscar Lyons is the Media Liason, Fadiel Adams is the National Spokesperson and Ebrahiem Davids is the Chairperson.
While the group has already faced heavy criticism over their comments about black South Africans coming into Cape Town from the Eastern Cape, the men say they are not racist.
"I am not a racist. We have never shown hatred towards blacks. This is about fairness, justice and equality. We have welcomed people from the Eastern Cape until we discovered they don't want us here. They want our land," Adams said.
Gatvol Capetonian and united minorities?
Aside from Cape independence, Lyons has described the organisation's goal as "raising awareness" in the minority community.
While the group shows no political allegiance, it believes that coloureds have been "suffering at the hands of black oppression and black racism". Why? Purely because they "are not ethnically black citizens of this country".
Although the group shows the often exceptionally fractured relationship between black and coloured South Africans, it also shows that the issue of land is much more than just "black and white".
In an explainer video on the group's page, Adams explains that "all arms of government have declared an economic war on the coloured people".
What does he mean by "economic war'? Adams highlights how when one walks into any retail store in the predominantly coloured Mitchells Plain area, "over 80%" of the staff employed are black.
While the criticism of the group continues to grow on a national level, the men are confident that they are growing their support base amongst the coloured community.
Whether it's "racist" or "misguided", South Africa's post-apartheid race relations seem to be reaching boiling point.


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Auto industry notches connected car privacy victory in Nevada
The auto industry won't have to fear new restrictions on connected cars in Nevada after winning a broad exemption from a new privacy law, in what could be a harbinger of more state-level lobbying efforts.
The recently-enacted state law grants consumers the right to stop online services from selling personal identifiers — data such as e-mails, telephone numbers and home addresses.
Not subject to the new law are motor vehicle manufacturers, which gained a blanket exemption after lobbying by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a Washington, DC-based organization of large carmakers including Ford, GM and Toyota.
The amount of data generated by Internet-connected cars is growing exponentially, creating a new venue for consumer services and income for carmakers. A 2016 McKinsey study predicts automotive data will create between $450 billion to $750 billion of new revenue for the global auto industry by 2030.
When contacted by MLex, the Auto Alliance said it needed the exemption to notify car owners of recalls and warranty-related repairs. It's an assertion contested by David Friedman, a former deputy and acting administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration during the Obama administration.
Vehicle ownership data is commercially available to automakers through data brokers who get it from departments of motor vehicles, said Friedman, now vice president for advocacy at Consumer Reports.
The Nevada law exempts "data retrieved from the motor vehicle that has nothing to do with recalls," he said. If consumer safety were automakers' primary worry, industry would have crafted a narrower exemption, he asserted.
The Nevada exemption "is a sledgehammer," Friedman said.
Bill sponsor Nevada Senator Niccole Cannizzaro, a Democrat from metro-Las Vegas and also the Senate majority leader, didn't respond to multiple attempts to reach her or her office.
So long as states have the initiative on privacy legislation — Beltway conventional wisdom holds the chances of a federal bill this year are less than even — expect lobbyists to roam state capitals on the lookout for exemptions, say privacy advocates.
"We're always working to make certain that laws and regulations do not unnecessarily block the flow of information that will help consumers," said Auto Alliance spokesperson Bryan Goodman.
"Each sector wants carve-outs," said Askhan Soltani, a technologist who helped author the sweeping California privacy law set to go into effect next year. California legislators are considering a narrower auto industry exemption that would exempt vehicle information from the Golden State law, so long as the data is related to warranty vehicle repair or a recall.
The auto industry's data-fueled aspirations are hardly a secret. "Their overall goal is to make their cars stickier, and to really increase brand loyalty," said Lisa Joy Rosner, chief marketing officer of Otonomo, which partners with car companies to manage connected car data.
Potential new services include preventive maintenance calibrated by information about car routes, speed, condition and weather. Drivers running low on gas could be incentivized to fuel up at a brand-name service station, or even have their tank fueled for them when parked. Entertainment options could become personalized and a venue for in-car tailored advertising.
Investing in those services isn't cheap, Rosner said. Turning a car into the on-road equivalent of a smartphone requires a return on investment, which in the online world is paid through data.
"What's the difference if it's in your pocket or if you're behind a steering wheel? If you're online, you're online," she said. "The currency is your data."
Auto manufacturers are sensitive to accusations they're poised to convert cars into Big Brother on wheels and quickly point to a set of privacy principles that 20 automakers pledged allegiance to in 2014 and again in 2018. The principles hinge on consumer consent, which privacy advocates say is the wrong approach, especially since consent often gets buried inside owner's manuals or in contractual fine print.
"At a high level, they talk about useful principles. But then they leave loopholes wide enough to drive an SUV through," Friedman said.
A 2019 survey of 981 global auto industry executives by KPMG found more than a third believe vehicle data belongs to the auto manufacturer, not the consumer.
Meta's record $725 million settlement leads crop of big US privacy payouts, but wouldn't require major data changes
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Bedoya, focused and passionate, talks about putting consumers first
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FTCWatch


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ALS May 28, 2020
Longtime AMG CEO Sean Healey Dies Following ALS Diagnosis
Sean Healey, the longtime chief executive of Affiliated Managers Group Inc. and a local business and philanthropy leader, died Tuesday at the age of 59 after living for more than two years with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, according to the firm. Healey, the husband of former Mass. Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, joined AMG (NYSE: AMG) as an executive vice president in…


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Launch of SpaceX 'SpX-5' slips to no-earlier-than Jan. 6 – UPDATE
SpaceX has readied one of the company's Falcon 9 rockets to ferry a Dragon spacecraft, loaded with cargo bound for the International Space Station. Launch is currently set to take place at 1:22 p.m. EST from Cape Canaveral's SLC-40. Photo Credit: Jason Rhian / SpaceFlight Insider
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fl — Space Exploration Technologies' (SpaceX ) fifth contracted mission under the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS ) initiative – might take a little longer to be given the green light for launch. A report appearing on NASASpaceFlight.com has stated that due to issues surrounding the rocket's static test fire that was attempted on Dec. 16 that the flight might have to be delayed. The static test fire is the last milestone that the Hawthorne, California-based company has to complete prior to liftoff. Since this appears to not have happened the flight of SpX-5 – likely will not happen until early January – at the earliest.
SpaceX has not made any announcement as of yet, with even NASA's Public Affairs Office responding to inquiries as if the launch was moving forward. The launch of SpX-5 has already slipped several times, the most recent of which had placed the launch at this Friday, Dec. 19 at 1:22 p.m. EST. The launch site is Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 40 located in Florida.
When it does take to the skies, the mission, dubbed SpX-5 or CRS-5, will see one of SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft ride the Falcon 9 v1.1 booster to orbit. Once there, the Dragon spacecraft will ferry an array of supplies, crew cargo and scientific experiments to the International Space Station.
The static test fire – is the last milestone that has to be completed before the Falcon 9 v1.1 is cleared for launch. Photo Credit: SpaceX
The static fire test – is just the last in a long series of requirements that has to be conducted before the Falcon 9 v1.1 is given the final go-ahead to launch. During the test fire, controllers walk the Falcon 9 all the way up until launch. The F9 is fueled with RP-1 (a refined version of kerosene) propellant as well as the liquid oxygen oxidizer two hours and thirty five minutes before "T-0."
In fact, SpaceX walks the booster through the entire launch sequence – even activating the nine Merlin 1D rocket engines in the F9's first stage. The rocket is held in place and the engines are only on long enough to confirm that everything is functioning as advertised.
"While the recent static fire test accomplished nearly all of our goals, the test did not run the full duration. The data suggests we could push forward without a second attempt, but out of an abundance of caution, we are opting to execute a second static fire test prior to launch. Given the extra time needed for data review and testing, coupled with the limited launch date availability due to the holidays and other restrictions, our earliest launch opportunity is now Jan. 6 with Jan. 7 as a backup," said SpaceX spokesperson John Taylor.
Taylor went on to note that both the Falcon 9 and Dragon were in good health and that the launch team is looking forward to carrying out this flight after the start of the New Year. He also provided details as to why the launch would not be taking place sooner.
"The ISS orbits through a high beta angle period a few times a year. This is where the angle between the ISS orbital plane and the Sun is high, resulting in the ISS being in almost constant sunlight for a 10 day period. During this time, there are thermal and operational constraints that prohibit Dragon from being allowed to berth with the ISS," Taylor said.
Tagged: Falcon 9 Kennedy Space Center SpaceX SpX-5
Michael McCabe
Argh, dang it Jason I was counting on this due to missing the second attwmpt of Orion. Was there the first day at LC-39 the day of the scrub and was supposed to be back the next day on December 5th when she launched so I needed to be at the drive in 5 launch to be back to whole again!!!
what's funny is how the space xer's will point out how other company's have failures and delay's as if they are so perfect.
SlipX at it again. Surprise, surprise.
After Orbital's tragedy, all eyes(commercial & otherwise) is on SpaceX. You could say that part of commercial space's future is riding with this launch. Just my opinion. Hope the Gremlins take a day off during the launch…
Ron Bruers
As an airline employee, I'm aware of how things can go wrong on one of the most reliable aircraft in the world. So I won't be too critical with SpaceX when they're trying to send Dragon 5 into orbit. I wish them luck when they light the candle.
Who knows what's really going on at KSC Spacex, I do know they have burned out their workforce due to excessively long grueling hours. Yah, Spacex has this attitude that it's a privilege to work hours on end for months at a time. But in reality, this causes things to get overlooked especially in a environment were there is very little Quality control oversight. I'm sure this is a factor into these frequent delay's and the fact that the best of the best refuse to work for a company that doesn't understand the importance and value of family time.


On a remote South China Sea island, a deadly hunt is underway... but not the kind of expedition the participants expected. In this remote, jungle-covered island somewhere between Thailand and Indonesia some of the most exotic animals in the world have been gathered as the prizes in a challenge of human against nature. The hunters come from all walks of life. Each has come to the island for personal reasons, some secret, some deadly. But when the encampment's owner, ex-Khmer Rouge Colonel Rath Preap, finds the fences cut and his security men missing, it's clear that the game has turned. And as the hunters battle for survival, they discover there is another creature out for blood... an adversary that has faced death on a thousand worlds - a Predator with an unstoppable lust for conquest!


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11 Don't speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters.[a] If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God's law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.


NB: Cruising Fleet Members are welcome to join events marked as or By Road which will be run even in bad weather. (Organiser to be advised if attending) Standing Orders apply to all Cruising Events undertaken under the flag and auspices of the Island Sailing Club. In consideration of being accepted for participation in such events all participants shall be deemed to have accepted and agreed to be bound by and to fully observe the terms of these standing orders.