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text:
News about coronavirus in Florida and around the world is constantly emerging. It's hard to stay on top of it all but Health News Florida can help. Our responsibility is to keep you informed, and to help discern what's important for your family as you make what could be life-saving decisions.
You can order free COVID tests again by mail
By NPR Staff
Households can order four free COVID tests on COVIDtests.gov starting on Thursday. They'll begin shipping by mail next week.
People are gathering indoors for the holidays, and there's been an uptick in COVID-19 cases. The federal government says you should test often to try to prevent the spread of the virus.
Americans can order four more free COVID-19 tests through the mail, starting on Thursday. It's part of the Biden administration's plan to deal with an increase in COVID cases sparked by indoor holiday gatherings.
The tests can be ordered on COVIDtests.gov and will start to ship the week of Dec. 19, a senior administration official told reporters on a conference call. The government is urging people to test themselves when they have symptoms, and before visiting with family.
It's the fourth round of free rapid tests this year. The White House had suspended the program in September and said that it would not be able to send out more kits because Congress denied requests for more funding for the program. But the administration shuffled around funds to buy more of the tests for the national stockpile, the official said.
"We know that the virus will circulate more quickly and easily as folks gather indoors for the winter holiday season," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Officials saw cases increase after Thanksgiving, and anticipate that there could be another uptick after December holiday celebrations.
Tests are also available at community testing sites, food banks and schools, and through Medicare. People covered by private health insurance plans can get fully reimbursed for eight tests per month.
The federal government is trying to make it easier for Americans to get vaccines, tests and COVID treatments like Paxlovid during the winter months. It is staging supplies like ventilators as well as personal protective equipment, and wants to help states set up mobile and pop-up vaccination sites.
The government has a particular focus on nursing homes and long-term care facilities, and wants to work to vaccinate residents with the latest booster shot, and offer Paxlovid to people who get the virus.
"We are a few years into this pandemic, and we are prepared for this moment," the official said.
NPR Health COVID-19Coronaviruscoronavirus tests
As STDs proliferate, companies rush to market at-home test kits. Are they reliable?
If we have at-home test kits for COVID, why isn't there one for flu?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Google cuts Play Store fees for subscriptions and music streaming apps
Apple has also reduced fees in recent months as both companies face antitrust scrutiny.
K. Holt|10.21.21
@krisholt
K. Holt
In this article: android, news, gear, music streaming, play store, developer, subscription, google, google play store, apps, e-books
SOPA Images via Getty Images
Google is cutting Play Store service fees for more developers. The company currently charges a 30 percent commission for the first 12 months of a recurring subscription, which drops to 15 percent after the first year. Starting on January 1st, Google will lower the service fee to 15 percent from day one. The company said it's making the change because developers say "customer churn makes it challenging for subscription businesses to benefit from that reduced rate."
Elsewhere, fees for music streaming apps and e-books will be as low as 10 percent. "The new rates recognize industry economics of media content verticals and make Google Play work better for developers and the communities of artists, musicians and authors they represent," Sameer Samat, vice president of product management for Android and Google Play, wrote in a blog post. The service fees for apps "primarily offering video, audio or books in which users pay to consume content" will be between 10 and 15 percent if they meet certain conditions as part of the Play Media Experience Program.
Earlier this year, Google reduced its Play Store fees from 30 percent to 15 percent for the first $1 million in annual income that an app generates. The company said that move would cut the fees that 99 percent of Android developers pay the company by half.
Apple has also slashed App Store fees in certain cases over the last two years. Apps that make under $1 million in annual revenue, news organizations who use Apple News and some streaming video services give Apple 15 percent of payments rather than the standard 30 percent. However, as CNBC notes, Apple still takes a 30 percent slice of subscriptions for the first year before lowering its cut to 15 percent, so Google's making its move before Apple this time around.
Google and Apple have been facing more intense antitrust scrutiny over their app stores in recent times. Dozens of state attorneys general filed suit against Google in July, in which they accused the company of maintaining a monopoly over Android app distribution.
Both companies are tangled up in litigation with Epic Games as well. Apple largely won its case against Epic, though it asked for a stay in the sole ruling in Epic's favor: a requirement to let App Store developers direct users to alternate forms of making payments. Google, meanwhile, countersued Epic this month for bypassing fees on in-app purchases and allegedly violating the Play Store developer agreement.


JOCO has come to the rescue of your daily ritual. Whether you like a Latte sitting neatly in your rides cup holder, or prefer your mint tea to fit snugly in your palm as you trek the mountains we are sure that JOCO will be your new best buddy throughout your journies.
Explore the features below to get a better look into the innovation behind the world's favourite glass re-usable cup.
The philosophy is as simple as it is honest: Longevity, flavour and style. Glass is made from natural materials, lasts longer and is BPA and chemical free. Glass doesn't taint flavour and glass never goes out of style. Consciously, your JOCO cup doesn't compromise on anything.
The cups can also be used to stsore things as in this picture.


text:
Newsbits round-up…
On 8 October 2004
In Kate Bush news, Newsbits round-up
Newsbits roundup: Adrian spotted a brief mention of of Kate in this article from The Guardian (thanks Adrian)…Kate was also mentioned in a fashion supplement for the Saturday Telegraph newspaper (18.09.04). The editor of 'Pop' magazine, Katie Grand, included Kate in her 'Best Dressed List'. Grand admires Kate for her 'wild catsuits' and commented that: "I love every outfit in her Babooshka video" (thanks Liza)…on her new album On Your Shore, Charlotte Martin sings the line "With a kick inside / In the dark you hide" in the song Up All Night. Charlotte is known for her admiration of Kate. Also, on her new album Day One, Sarah Slean mentions her 'lionheart" in the title track, both references spotted by Wouter (thanks W)…Q Magazine's 'Essential 20 Tracks' for October has at Number 11 'Hounds of Love', covered by The Futureheads. The link on the Q site takes you to HMV, where a further link allows you to listen to the track in question. A clip from the track was also included on the Month CD ROM Oct '04 from the Sunday Times. (thanks to David and Orla Murphy)…Swedish fashion magazine Rodeo (www.rodeomagazine.se) in an article on Kim Jones by Daniel Björk: "In the background in Kim's apartment Kate Bush is playing. One of his favorite songs is Army Dreamers by Kate Bush indeed, and Running Up That Hill was the soundtrack to his latest collection film." (thanks to Henrik Nilsson in Stockholm)…on the UK soap Coronation Street on August 30th Kate got a mention from Deirdre Barlow's mother Blanche who was telling some one about a Bed & Breakfast, called 'The Heights,' the lady who owned it was, she said, a big Kate Bush fan (thanks Kyla)…"Rewind", a CD and DVD package from EMI/Universal includes the Cloudbusting video. (thanks to Philip Lau)…Finally, if you click on this person's journal and scroll down to the entry for the 11th August 2004 you can watch the red dress Wuthering Heights video. (thanks to L Thompson)
Two upcoming UK Kate related events to note
Peter Gabriel & Stuart Elliott talk Kate, plus release date rumours…


Visiting the three islands of Mishima: 3 days, 179km. Measured currents are shown in colors corresponding to tidal phase: red is low tide; flood tide goes through purple and blue towards high tide (turquoise); green, yellow and orange represent the ebb tide. The strongest current encountered was 2.0 knots (north of Takeshima). Note that the tidal currents here are influenced by the Kuroshio current, which is quite variable but generally flows west to east at about 1 knot near the Mishima islands.
Late September in southern Kyushu generally still means midsummer weather, and the long weekend of the Autumnal Equinox (a national holiday) was to be no exception. We would have preferred slightly cooler conditions, but since we were granted three days off work on account of the autumnal equinox national holidays, we fully intended not to waste this rare opportunity. We set our sights on Mishima Village in Kagoshima Prefecture, a name which means, rather appropriately, Three Islands. Indeed, the village consists of three loosely spaced islands about 50km off the southern coast of Kyushu: Kuro-shima, Iou-jima, and Take-shima. With a total population of only about 450 people, virtually no stores and not a single drink vending machine, it's the kind of place we really love to visit. We would be reunited with friends we made on our visit to Kuroshima last year, experience the steaming volcanic scapes of Ioujima with its dormant volcano, and take in the scenic rocky coasts of Take-shima as well as the other islands and rocks along the way. On Sunday and Tuesday we would do the traverses there and back, respectively, which would leave Monday to explore the archipelago. Two days of open-water paddling seemed a high price to pay to see these isolated specks of land, but the call of the unexplored in us was strong enough to overcome the monotony of the approach and return days. In retrospect, of course, it was worth it.
Cape Bou, the southwest end of Kyushu, was our point of departure and return.
With a touch of apprehension Leanne surveys an approaching squall.
The weather forecast looked reasonably good but our own conditions left a bit to be desired. On the morning of the day before our departure we got up very early to bike up a mountain in Amakusa well known as a milepost in the seasonal migration of goshawks from Siberia into the tropics. And on Saturday after work, we loaded the Waterfield "Whale Watcher" tandem on top of our tiny car (it was about twice the car's length) and departed southward. Virtually sleepless for the second night in a row we arrived at Bounotsu on the southwest tip of Kyushu, our kayak departure point, at about 2am on Sunday morning. But we were too exhausted to embark just then on the difficult, long traverse, so we felt obliged to grab a few hours of sleep. But as soon as it got light we were on our way. The morning's clear weather soon deteriorated and some rain showers made a rather dramatic approach from the northwest. At least in the downdraft of the first squall we got the opportunity to try the new oversize WindPaddle Cruiser sail specially designed for tandems and bigger boats. We were giving the sail a test run before sending it off to the Commando Team who would use it for their tour in their 4-person kayak designed for them specially by Mr. Mizuno of Water Field Kayaks. And though the wind was no more than 15 knots, the sail propelled our tandem at 6 knots or so – very respectable. Too bad the wind changed after only 30 minutes or so, leaving us to propel ourselves the rest of the way by our own paddle power.
Numerous waterfalls like this one drop down Kuroshima's cliffy coast.
The welcome party at Kuroshima.
We arrived at Kuroshima in the late afternoon in gloomy conditions, but we were delighted to see our friends waiting for us. Of course, where else would they be on a Sunday on this tiny island, except in the port fishing. Not feeling especially tired, I went snorkeling with Mr. Eguchi, a local teacher and our friend, until it got dark, and was delighted to find clear water with many interesting fish to look at. In the evening we retired to Eguchi's house and enjoyed an evening of drinking and chatting with several other school teachers. We stayed up a little later than we planned, of course, and were up again at 3am, an appropriate time, I figured, to catch favorable currents on our way to Ioujima. A cold wind was blowing but once we paddled out it became dead calm and much warmer – the wind had only been cool air descending from the 700m summits on the steep, mountainous island.
Yuze Rocks, also known as Den-shima, poke out unexpectedly from the sea halfway between Kuroshima and Ioujima.
Sunrise caught us as planned near the isolated Yuze Rocks located half-way between Kuroshima and Ioujima, and one of Kyushu's more famous fishing spots. Atypically, the sea was calm and smooth as a mirror. For once the currents were turning out as expected and the rest of the 30km traverse also went smoothly and uneventfully. In late morning we were already enjoying the bizarre rocky formations along the western coast of Ioujima.
Approaching the volcanic island of Ioujima.
One of numerous scenic rock fomations along the western coast of Ioujima.
As we rounded the long, southward-projecting cape of Kuchinoerabu-saki, the water suddenly turned the color of mango juice. This was due to mineral rich volcanic springs scattered along the coast and the sea bottom along the entire eastern half of the island which is dominated by the steaming volcano. We made a lunchtime stop in the port and village where we met a friend of Mr. Eguchi's, who had been forewarned of our imminent arrival the night before. He told us interesting anecdotes about the island and showed us the village's tiny museum of local artifacts. Through his assistance we were also able to check the weather forecast on the Internet, which continued favorable although a bit of swell from a distant typhoon would be coming in overnight. He kindly offered to drive us around the island to see the sights and tempting as this sounded, we realized we had to move along if we were to reach Takeshima comfortably before dark.
A family crest on display at the Ioujima village museum.
Underwater volcanic springs tint the seawater in Ioujima's port.
Higashi Onsen - as far as hot springs go, it doesn't get much better than this.
Under Ioujima's volcano, the coastal cliffs are stained by mineral hot springs.
Before leaving Ioujima altogether we stopped at Higashi Onsen, one of several natural hot springs. Besides the manmade pools designed to catch the ample steaming hot mineral water gushing from cracks in the cliffs, there are no facilities and the use of the pools is free of charge. Unfortunately, it was the middle of a hot, blindingly sunny day and although we took a brief dip in the 44C water, it was much too hot to be truly enjoyable. We'll have to come back in the winter! Anyway the scenery around the pools was wonderful, with views of the volcano, rocky coastline, and the open ocean. Continuing eastward along the coast, we saw multicolored cliffs and caves dyed by hot springs that seemed to issue out of every crack in the rock. It was like looking at a surrealist paining, and we'd never seen anything like it before. Several of the caves had a stream of hot water dropping straight into the sea from the ceiling. We would paddle through these curtains of hot water with great delight, thinking, what an incredible place this is, and incredulous that more tourists, be it kayakers or others, do not come here in greater numbers to enjoy it.
Hot water raining down from the cliffs.
The awesome scenery of Ioujima's volcano.
On the relatively shorter traverse to Takeshima, we passed by the "New Ioujima", a pillow of bizarrely sculpted lava that emerged out of the sea sometime in the 1920's, very black and still completely devoid of plants. A little further on, we spotted a pod of dolphins swimming in an eddy line of the current, jumping playfully. The sea was glass smooth although the forecasted swell could now be felt a little. Takeshima, the flattest of the three Mishima islands, nevertheless has a steep, cliffy coast with now loomed in front of us. In a most unlikely place among some rock pinnacles, a small bay tightly surrounded by vertical 60-meter cliffs on three sides suddenly appeared and presented a claustrophobic harbor. Lit by the setting sun, it was a scene of great beauty and we felt tempted to camp here. A small concrete pier within the pristine landscape offered a convenient camping surface. A vertiginous staircase that zigzagged straight up the cliff above. After a relaxing swim we decided to climb out and look around the village; it was only then that we noticed the staircase was in great disrepair and barely passable. On the top was a historical sign describing the disasters that befell mariners from ancient times onward who were lulled by this deceptive cove. Once battering waves from the south block the narrow entrance, there was literally no way out and their boats were smashed against the vertical cliffs.
Approaching the deceptively flat-looking Takeshima.
Takeshima's flat interior is guarded by fearsome sea cliffs.
Komori-kou, a claustrophobic cove from where we would make a midnight escape.
The seascape of vertical cliffs was a stark contrast to the plateau-like surface of the island interior. Impenetrably overgrown by a species of low bamboo – Take-shima means Bamboo Island after all – which had long ago choked out all other forms of vegetation, the only passable spaces here were man made. A network of rustic roads connected fields where the bamboo had been cleared. The small village was set into a slope which led steeply down to an unnecessarily large, concreted harbor on the island's north side. As we filled our water bottles (the island's tap water was surprisingly delicious) we met a diminutive old lady returning from the fields with a basket of freshly picked vegetables. We immediately struck up a bright conversation. It turned out she had come back on the ferry earlier today after visiting her ailing husband, who is confined to a care home in distant Kagoshima City, a world away. To visit there, we knew, is a small journey of several days, and we felt melancholy for her. But unflinching endurance of unthinkable hardships is one of the marks of the Japanese race, and this lively little old lady was no exception: not a shade of wistfulness showed in her eyes. In the meanwhile, darkness fell on the village; it was time to return to our private harbor. Once there, we pitched our tent halfway out on the jetty to avoid the possible hazard of falling rocks. But it was not to be the restful night we so badly needed. Sometime near midnight the swell increased and waves came crashing in noisily all around us. Finally one leapt clear onto the jetty and soaked half of our tent. Realizing that by morning the seas might be too high to launch into, and recalling the sign high on top of the cliff above us, we felt obliged to make a furtive escape in the darkness from this death trap of a harbor. Apprehensively, we prepared the boat and launched. Struggling with the surf among the dark cliffs, we aimed for the safety of the open sea. Once a safe distance from land, we followed the coast, rounded the island and made for the concrete port, where it was dead calm and quiet. After a short stroll to calm our nerves, we were able to get a couple more hours of shuteye before the sun came up.
Fuji-like Mt. Kaimon seen in the distance while returning to Kyushu.
Takeshima and Ioujima seen on the distant horizon from near cape Bou.
It was time to make our return trip back to mainland Kyushu. As expected, we had to work against the prevailing current. The forecasted headwind came in as well in the early afternoon. But it was an uneventful, if somewhat slow, traverse. About half-way across, a front with some light showers rolled through, clearing the hitherto hazy air like a stroke of a gigantic broom. One by one the surrounding islands re-emerged into sight, and soon the coast of Kyushu could be seen ahead, half-sunken under the horizon. Mt. Kaimon, a faithful ¼-scale replica of Mt. Fuji, loomed to the East draped with odd-shaped, multi-level, skirt-like clouds. Though exhausted by lack of sleep, mid-summer-like heat and the considerable distance we covered on this trip, our fatigue seemed to lift along with this curtain of haze. As we approached the coast at the end of our journey, we could not help thinking how lucky we were to have such amazing places available within the reach of the blades of our paddles.
A juvenile kite encountered on the coast.
A lot of tidewater has gone under the bridge, so to speak, since our last update. We'd like to say we've been too busy doing things to have time for blog updates. A big trip, river runs, island linkups, mountain bike tours, sundry summer adventures, slideshows…it's all been piling up. For now we'll put up some pictures of our summer trip. We had promised our sponsors to write an article for an English language magazine about this and so we feel obliged to leave out the English text for now. Should the story appear somewhere, we'll let you know.


I'm back posting since I didn't get a chance to blog on Tuesday. It was a very long, but very good day.
First, we had adoption appointments in the morning. Minyu is officially a Giles!!! 🙂 I think my favorite part of the adoption was after we had finished signing the documents…The documents that state, "YES! We are really, really, REALLY sure we want this child!" (Since we haven't stated that yet on 15 other official documents. Ha.) Our guide instructed all the parents, "Please carry your baby over here…" and Todd translated to Minyu what she had said, then scooped up his "baby" and brought him to the circle with all the other parents with their (much smaller) babies and toddlers. Hilarious! And poignant at the same time. Minyu laughed and laughed and laughed. And I thought about how a small part of me wishes we hadn't missed out on so much of his childhood. He is THIRTEEN. [By the way, our responsible little boy just came in to inform me that there was a spot on his shirt, so he is going to wash it in the sink.] There is no way to ever get back all the years we missed with him. But at the same time, he wouldn't be the same person today if his past were different.
After lunch we made the three-hour trek to Puyang–our 3rd time now. We had to travel there to apply for his passport and we opted to visit the orphanage since Minyu and Jasmine really wanted to see everyone. When we drove up to the door there were 15- 20 people all waiting to see him. They were so excited as he walked up. We toured around the orphanage, saw his room, met his friends and roommates (all boys who were older than him). We took pictures with them, and with his ayis. His ayi was holding a baby boy, and Minyu talked about how he sometimes helped take care of him.
The orphanage visit was good, but difficult as usual. They showed us all of the children who are waiting for families, and told us about some of the older ones who ask, "When will my mama and baba come??" Oh my heart. I had to work really hard to put a smile on at that point. It's hard to see. Why do some children get parents and some don't? Are they less deserving?? (We all know the answer to that.) They are my children's friends. They are just like Jasmine and Minyu. They are good children–sweet, smart, happy–just waiting for their parents to find them. I hope it's sooner rather than later. I don't feel we are in a position to adopt every child, but I do want to do something more for my kids' Puyang friends. I will be posting pictures of a few of them to advocate for them. Maybe their families will find them sooner!
Minyu with his ayi, and the baby boy he helped with.
Surprise! He had a pet rabbit!
Two of Jasmine's friends. These little girls often ask when their mama and baba are coming. I have a video of them singing. They are precious.
You guys are such amazing people. I wish I could become like you someday so that I can serve others. Thank you for posting this.
I am so happy that you were able to visit the orphanage again. Jill, I have said that we are done, but when I read of these children asking for mama and baba, my heart just feels sad. Are any of these children paper ready? Love the picture of "baby" Minyu with his baba.
Megan, I don't know for certain if they're paper ready. It's likely though, especially since the ayis were advocating for them during our visit. It seems that if these children ask for families, Puyang is pretty good about getting them ready for adoption. Jasmine's best friend was adopted, so she started asking for a family, and they got her ready. Minyu asked for a family, and I think that's why they got him ready too–even though he was already 12.
Hello there! I just got home from adopting our son Max and he was at the Puyang Social Welfare Institute too! I know this is a long shot, but do you happen to remember the name of the baby that your son Minyu helped out with? He looks a lot like our little one! We received very few pics of him as a baby and it would be so neat if this was him! It's so hard to tell b/c he got sick when he was around 7 months old, so most of the pics we have of him are when he was very small and frail.


text:
Q: php how do you retrieve post from database? I know this question has been asked many times, but I can't ever make it work for my code, please bear with me, I'm pretty new to php oop pdo.
My objective
Retrieve a post title stored in the database using php oop pdo
The Problem
It returns this error:
Undefined property: PDOStatement::$fetch

I looked at the php docs about pdostatement
I learned crud from this tutorial, but i can't translate it with my code,
Here is my code:
Crud.php
<?php

include 'connection.php';

class Crud{

    private $db;

    function __construct($pdo)
    {
        $this->db = $pdo;
    }

    public function create_post($post_title, $post_content)
    {
        try{
            $query = "INSERT INTO posts(post_title, post_content) VALUES (:ptitle, :pbody)";
            $stmt = $this->db->prepare($query);
            $stmt->bindParam(':ptitle', $post_title);
            $stmt->bindParam(':pbody', $post_content);
            $stmt->execute();

            return $stmt;
        }

        catch(PDOException $e)
        {
            $e->getMessage();
        }

    }

    public function setQuery($sql)
    {
        try{
            $query = $this->db->prepare($sql);
            $query->execute();

            return $query;

        }

        catch (PDOException $e)
        {
            $e->getMessage();
        }
    }

}

Index.php (Where I want to posts to post)
<?php
error_reporting(E_ALL);
require_once 'inc/Crud.php';

?>

<!doctype html>

    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <title>Welcome to house</title>

This is the home page

<?php

$crud = new Crud($pdo);

$sql =  "SELECT * FROM posts";

if($result=$crud->setQuery($sql) )
{
    if($count = $result->fetch)
    {
        echo '
', $count, '
';

        while($row = $result->fetch_assoc())
        {
            echo $row['post_title'], '
';
        }
    }
}

?>

I'm pretty confused. Any recommendations and best practices (for php5 and up)?

A: fetch is a function, not a property
Use this instead:
    if($count = $result->fetch())
                              ^^

A: Thank you for all the help guys you all steered me in the right direction.
here is the correct code
<?php
error_reporting(E_ALL);
require_once 'inc/Crud.php';

?>

<!doctype html>

    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <title>Welcome to house</title>

This is the home page

<?php

$crud = new Crud($pdo);

$sql =  "SELECT * FROM posts";

if($result=$crud->setQuery($sql) )
{
    if($count = $result->fetchColumn(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC))
    {
        echo '
', $count, '
';

        while($row = $result->fetch(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC))
        {
            echo $row['post_title'], '
';
        }
    }
}

?>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Morina King
#Guild Wars #Guild Wars 2 #FFXI #Aion Classic #WoW Classic TBC #Cheap New World Coins
Beginner's Guide to Amazon New World Coins
by Morina King October 7, 2021
Are you ready to enter a New World? While Amazon's latest game has been available to play in a closed beta, the actual release will be on September 28, 2021. Like any game of this style, you will need in-game currency to buy the items you need. Knowing how to access this currency is essential ...
WoW Classic: How long does it take to level in TBC
by Morina King July 17, 2021
Reaching max level in WoW: The Burning Crusade is half the battle. Once you get to level 70, a massive weight is taken off your shoulders and you can finally start sinking your teeth into endgame content. But unlike retail WoW, leveling through Classic content takes a while. It'll take a s...
Knowing These Things Will Make Your Aion Classic Experience Ama
Aion Classic The early iconic dungeons of some games have been revived, leaving only the original four character classes available to players (each with two original subclasses). While maintaining the spirit of a classic MMORPG experience, Aion Classic players will progress at a moder...
Final Fantasy 11 is still worth trying on 2021
In October 2003, Final Fantasy XI was released for the PC in North America, and by March 2004, players could also access it on their PlayStation 2. Nearly 18 years after its launch, FFXI still has a robust player base, with over 1 million subscribers and nearly 100K daily playe...
Episode Five of Guild Wars 2's The Icebrood Saga
by Morina King March 25, 2021
With a new year comes new content and the second instalment in Chapter 5 of The Icebrood Saga comes to Tyria. Since Episode 1 launched back in November 2020, Guild Wars 2 players have been following the warfront as they trudge deeper and deeper into a new terror. Ominou...
Guild Wars 1 "could last forever"
The original Guild Wars came out in 2005. By MMO standards, it's ancient. Two developers took it upon themselves to keep the game alive, and in the process figured out how to make it better than it had been before. Preserving old games is a huge challenge in 2018, the year of the endless m...


dancing Light TV interview: part one (includes Jingle Dancer and Welcome the Change) - Duration: 7 minutes, 8 seconds.
dancing Light TV interview: part two (includes Rice Cakes and Broken Wing) - Duration: 4 minutes, 28 seconds.
dancing Light TV interview: part three (includes This Light Becomes You and Yes It Does) - Duration: 8 minutes, 15 seconds.
dancing Light: This Light Becomes You - Duration: 5 minutes, 28 seconds.
When a guitar string breaks (How Can I Keep from Giggling) - Duration: 5 minutes, 10 seconds.
Greg Webb & Kiki Carter Webb- Common Ground - First Air Date May 5, 2011 - Duration: 11 minutes.
Segment from Lakeland Public Television's weekly series Common Ground.
Heart meditation - plant music from Valara's Garden - Duration: 15 minutes.
Ave Maria: Prayer for Humanity (Kiki and Kathleen) - Duration: 5 minutes, 6 seconds.
Ave Maria - about the Songbirds - Duration: 2 minutes, 35 seconds.
Ave Maria - Prayer for Humanity - Kiki Carter Webb, Kathleen Olive and Songbirds - Duration: 2 minutes, 42 seconds.
Rice Cakes from the Moon - dancingLight - Duration: 7 minutes, 28 seconds.
Dear John (Lennon) - Duration: 5 minutes, 3 seconds.
kiki's mini-studio - Duration: 6 minutes, 26 seconds.
dancing Light sings "Abraham" (Peace Song) - Duration: 5 minutes, 30 seconds.


text:
2 face over dozen charges in connection to Twin Cities robberies, thefts
Two St. Paul residents each face more than a dozen charges for several robberies, thefts and carjackings across the Twin Cities metro area.
Eighteen-year-old Kashawn Jason Wertman and 19-year-old Nautica Alaja Argue each face multiple charges of first-degree aggravated robbery, second-degree aggravated robbery and simple robbery, as well as a charge of theft. In total, Wertman faces 17 charges and Argue faces 14.
Authorities say additional charges are expected.
According to a criminal complaint, investigators began looking into a string of robberies, carjackings and thefts in the Twin Cities area that were linked by Wertman and Argue between Jan. 7 and Jan. 17.
On Jan. 18, Ramsey County deputies went to the 1700 block of Maryland Avenue in St. Paul to look for Wertman in connection to the crimes. Officers found Wertman and Argue in a stolen vehicle and attempted to stop them, the complaint states. However, they sped away and a pursuit began. The complaint states the pursuit went through several communities, into Minneapolis and then back into St. Paul before stopping. Authorities then arrested Wertman and Argue.
Kashawn Jason Wertman (left) and Nautica Alaja Argue[Hennepin County Jail]
The following are some of the incidents they're charged in connection to, according to the complaint:
On Jan. 7 at 12:10 p.m., a woman reported she was warming her Toyota Rav 4 in her driveway when she saw someone driving her vehicle away.
On Jan. 7 at 1:30 p.m., a man told police he was delivering food to a home in the 1800 block of Birch Street in White Bear Lake when someone pointed a gun at him through a jacket, grabbed the victim's keys and stole his Jeep Grand Cherokee. The vehicle with the suspect was a Toyota Rav 4.
On Jan. 9, Roseville police found the stolen Toyota Rav 4 in a motel parking lot in Roseville. Hotel video showed two people going to a room rented using Wertman's grandma's credit card.
On Jan. 9 at 3:35 p.m., a woman told police she was at Wayzata East Middle School in Plymouth for her child's basketball game when she went to her vehicle to get a water bottle. As she walked back toward the school, a man believed to be Wertman demanded her keys, got into her vehicle and drove off. Wertman was dropped off by a Jeep Grand Cherokee.
On Jan. 9 at 6:55 p.m., a woman stated she was in the parking lot of a grocery store in the 2300 block of Rice Street in Little Canada when a white SUV approached her, a passenger ripped her purse off the victim's arm and then fled. The description of the passenger matched Argue. Later that night, the victim learned her credit card was used at a Lakeville gas station. Surveillance video showed Argue there in the Grand Cherokee.
On Jan. 9 at 7 p.m., Roseville police responded to reports of people in a Jeep Grand Cherokee assaulting and stealing from people as they walked to their vehicles.
On Jan. 10 at 11:11 a.m., a woman in St. Louis Park said she was walking to her vehicle when a man wearing a mask ripped her purse from her arm and demanded her keys. When told her keys were in the purse, the man pushed her to the ground and fled in the victim's Range Rover. A Jeep Grand Cherokee was seen at the scene on surveillance video. The Range Rover was recovered on Jan. 18 in Eagan.
On Jan. 11 at 8:30 p.m., the Jeep Grand Cherokee was recovered at the apartment complex where Wertman's girlfriend lives.
On Jan. 12 at 10:09 a.m., a woman told Richfield police two people described to be Wertman and Argue had their hands in pockets like they had guns and demanded her keys in the 7500 block of Lyndale Avenue. They got into her Chevrolet Traverse and left.
On Jan. 12 at 10:09 a.m., another woman at the same Richfield parking lot said two people believed to be Wertman and Argue demanded her keys and tried to steal her dogs as she walked them. She was able to run away and saw them steal the Chevrolet Traverse.
On Jan. 12 at 1:45 p.m., a woman at a gym in the 1500 block of Shingle Creek Crossing in Brooklyn Park reported a vehicle pulled up next to her, demanded her keys, punched her in the face when she resisted and then fled. The suspect vehicle matched the stolen Chevrolet Traverse.
On Jan. 12 at 4:09 p.m., a woman in the 7700 block of Computer Avenue in Edina told police she was picking her child up from daycare when an SUV pulled up by her, demanded her keys, which she gave up, but was able to grab her purse and phone. As she fled, she fell and Argue got on her until the daycare owner intervened and pulled Argue off. The suspects then fled in a vehicle matching the stolen Traverse.
On Jan. 12 at 4:49 p.m., a woman said she was walking to her vehicle in the 1400 block of Dakota Avenue South in St. Louis Park when two people approached her, demanded her keys, and, after a struggle, left in her Nissan Rogue, leaving behind the stolen Traverse.
On Jan. 15 at 1:12 p.m., a woman said she was making a delivery to an apartment complex in the 2700 block of Louisiana Avenue South in St. Louis Park when two people with hands in their pockets as if they had guns demanded her keys and threatened to shoot her. One then left in the victim's Nissan Rogue while the other left in the other previously stolen Nissan Rogue.
On Jan. 16 at 3:18 p.m., a woman reported she'd just parked in a parking ramp in the 5200 block of Cedar Lake North in St. Louis Park when Wertman demanded her keys, elbowed her in the chest when she didn't comply and then drove off in her Audi TT.
On Jan. 17 at 4:37 p.m., St. Louis Park officers responded to the 1600 block of Duke Drive and a woman said she'd just gotten out of her vehicle when two suspects put their hands on her shoulders and demanded her purse. She ran but her phone was taken. Her phone was later recovered by police inside the stolen Audi.
Later on Jan. 17, Minneapolis police went to the 700 block of Ninth Street Southeast after two women said they'd parked their Subaru when a car pulled up, the occupants grabbed her purse and then fled in the stolen Audi and Subaru.
Argue and Wertman had their bail set at $250,000.


text:
The Ups And Downs Of Writing And Blogging – A Guest Post By Aimer Boyz @boyzbooks
Published on November 21, 2017 November 21, 2017 by Hugh W. Roberts50 Comments
The R.C.M.P. (Royal Mounted Canadian Police) don't go in for top hats — but I do. Unfortunately, this particular topper leaves a nasty red mark on my forehead, so my friend the moose here gets to wear it.
Who owns a top hat these days? Uh, someone who was obsessed with Kurt Hummel in Glee. Someone who was insane enough to order a top hat online to duplicate one of the outfits Kurt wore on the show. Someone who dragged her kids to Glee Live in Concert and wore the top hat. Someone who's lucky her kids still talk to her.
Hi, I'm Aimer Boyz — more or less. Out here in the blog world, it's more. Over the entire scope of my life, it's less, much less. I've been Aimer Boyz for a little over three years now. Since the day I self-published my first book Fireworks in August of 2014.
Aimer's first book, Fireworks
Read Hugh's review of Fireworks by clicking here.
Click here to buy the book.
I write and blog and hang out on social media as Aimer Boyz. In the real world, I'm — not saying.
Why a pen name? Because I write a lot of sex scenes and that makes people, myself included, a little uncomfortable. Back when I was working on Fireworks, I told my mother bits and pieces about the characters as I developed them. She could hardly wait to read the book — until she read it. I don't think she ever made it past Chapter Three. It was two weeks before she could look me in the eye again. She couldn't reconcile the person who had written Fireworks to the girl she had raised to be a lady. Penname? Definitely.
I live in Toronto — more or less. I live in a suburb north of the city, a traffic jam away from the CN Tower.
I'd never even read a blog, much less thought of writing one, until a Social Media Setup Guide landed in my inbox with a big red star next to the URL for WordPress — Blogger born.
Hugh was one of the first people I met here on WordPress, a definite case of beginner's luck. It's entirely down to Hugh and his WordPress-for-Dummies posts that my blog isn't an uncategorized jumble. If I send out an S.O.S. via Twitter — and I do — Hugh throws me a life preserver.
I'm still learning my way around, but I've met some amazing and amazingly generous people here on WordPress. Bloggers like Ryan Lanz and his group of writers over at A Writer's Path and Ronovan Hester and his friends over at ronovanwrites whose posts guide me along the path to writing better blogs and better books. Bloggers like JP over at It's My Husband and I who writes posts that have me smiling over my morning coffee. Bloggers like Hugh here, who feel like friends even though I may never meet them in the real world.
I started blogging because that's what self-published authors do, but what made me think I could write a novel? Same thing that made me buy a top hat. Insanity — and Kurt Hummel.
Because of Kurt, I found fan fiction. I found it and loved it and wrote Kurt-centric stories for two years. In my own biased opinion, I gave Kurt a better boyfriend than Ryan Murphy did. Once I'd created an original character for the Glee universe, I thought maybe …
How does a dream become a reality? Everyone's path is different, but — I'll tell you a story. I'm a writer, that's what we do.
Once upon a time …
A mother and daughter sat in a hospital room — for six long weeks. The daughter messaged friends and colleagues and watched downloaded TV episodes, all while trying not to go into labour because it was too early and her unborn baby was too small. The mother waited with her daughter, waited on doctors' reports, waited for the baby to grow. She sucked down too much coffee and too many chocolate chip muffins while typing up snippets of conversation that would eventually become the first chapter of her first book.
That was almost five years ago. My daughter is now healthy and happy and the mother or three. Me? I've switched from chocolate chip muffins to chocolate chip cookies, self-published two books, and am now working on a third.
How did any of this happen?
It's simple — I didn't know what I was doing.
Years ago, when I was younger and braver, I went parasailing. It was incredible. I felt like God sitting up there in the clouds, looking down on hotels and ocean and beach.
That experience was one of the highlights of my life, and it would never have happened if I had known that on that particular beach people had fallen out of the sky because the tethers on a sail had broken.
But I didn't know, and I did it, and I don't regret it — the parasailing or the writing.
Writing, it turns out, is a lot like parasailing. Some days you feel like God, some days you're stuck on the beach, and nothing can get that sail in the air.
In the last three years, I've learned that adverbs are evil, blogs should be scheduled like clockwork, and always, always have your manuscript professionally edited.
I'm still learning, still writing, and still blogging. Stop by Aimer Boyz — Books and Blather anytime and if you like a little sex with your romance, check me out on Amazon.
Ainer second book, A Little Blood
Buy 'A Little Blood' by clicking here.
Connect with Aimer
Blog: AimerBoyz
Twitter: boyzbooks
Facebook: Aimer Boyz
Amazon: Author's Page where you can buy her books
© 2017 Copyright-All rights reserved-hughsviewsandnews.com.
Categories Guest Bloggers•Tags Aimer Boyz, Author, Blogging, Books, LGBT, Writing
Book Of The Month-What Tim Knows, And Other Stories – By Wendy Janes
Published on October 1, 2016 October 1, 2016 by Hugh W. Roberts47 Comments
Wendy Janes recently popped by to tell me all about her new book. It was a welcome break from getting my short story collection ready for publication.
Over to you Wendy…
Thank you to Hugh for inviting me to his blog to talk about my latest release.
What's the name of the book?
What Tim Knows, and other stories.
The latest book from Wendy Janes – What Tim Knows, And Other Stories
What inspired you to write it?
The characters! After I'd pressed 'publish' on my previous book, What Jennifer Knows, some of the supporting and minor characters kept popping into my head and talking to me. They kept telling me stories, but those stories refused to be corralled into a novel. At that point I realised I was writing a short story collection.
I loved the challenge of ensuring the stories can stand alone, but also linking them to each other and to the original novel, with Jennifer appearing in each story.
Tell us a little about the stories and the characters
The stories begin in the 1960s when Jennifer is a student, and the last story is set in the 2000s when Jennifer is a grandmother.
Flamboyant art collector, Rollo, is at the forefront of modern art in London in the 1960s, but is at a loss to understand pop music. His life is dominated by his need to surround himself with beautiful things. Will he find the beauty he's searching for?
Young dancer, Cynthia's tale has a darker theme than Rollo's, and essentially looks at the mores of the late 1960s, and I hope readers will question how far we have actually come since those days.
Sue is a new mother in the 1970s, struggling to cope with her baby daughter. Everyone else seems to know what to do with their babies. Why doesn't Sue?
Gerald's career as a sculptor has been on the ascendant for over twenty years, but is he still on-song in the 1980s? His initial response to criticism may strike a chord with anyone whose artistic endeavours haven't appealed to everyone.
Teenager, Blythe, is an only child in the 1990s, who wishes she could escape the focus of her parents' smothering love and hide within a big family. However, the reality of being one of many children doesn't turn out to be quite as perfect as she thought it would.
Life is very confusing for young Tim, and his experiences at a friend's birthday party are a huge challenge for him. He tries so hard not to make mistakes, but sometimes it's hard to know what the rules are.
Who do you think the book will appeal to?
I hope my book will appeal to those who enjoy a quieter, character-led story. Some themes are quite serious, but there's always hope and humour to be found in them. I've been told my stories are very English (I take that as a compliment!).
Where can people buy the book?
What Tim Knows on Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Tim-Knows-other-stories-ebook/dp/B01IKYOJLS
What Tim Knows on Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/What-Tim-Knows-other-stories-ebook/dp/B01IKYOJLS
Do you have any plans for a follow-up book?
I'm currently working on another novel. As much as I love the characters I've already written about, it's time to move on and create new ones, explore new relationships, and tell a new tale. However, I don't rule out one or two characters from What Jennifer Knows making a brief appearance in my new work. I'm not a big fan of reading sequels, but I do enjoy it when an author gives a nod to previous work, so I take great delight in weaving my own subtle links.
Where do your ideas for your stories come from?
Sue's story in What Tim Knows is directly based on my own experience. I'm not usually quite so autobiographical in my storytelling, and I generally gather my ideas from other people's experiences and from localities I'm familiar with. I then take a step or two away and allow my imagination to turn them into fiction. I find old family stories are a fantastic source. My husband's family, in particular, is chock-full of English eccentrics who, in fact, barely need any additional imagination to turn into fiction.
What three pieces of advice would you give to someone who wants to write and publish a book?
An excellent way to develop and sharpen your skills as a writer is to read the work of other authors.
Network. Networking with authors and bloggers can be a great source of practical and emotional support. You can learn so much about the business of writing and meet some amazing people.
I'm very grateful for all the friends I've made in the blogging world – the camaraderie is wonderful. I feel invested in the writing careers of others, cheering along their launches and successes, and getting an equally warm and fuzzy feeling when they reach out to support me.
Get your book edited and proofread. If your book is in the marketplace, you need to have a professional product. A good editor and an eagle-eyed proofreader can help you achieve that. If you don't have the cash, then consider a trade in skills – a cover for a proofread, for example.
The vast majority of people cannot proofread their own writing. This has nothing to do with intelligence, or knowledge of grammar, or writing talent. You simply don't see your own mistakes. I'm happy to come clean here and declare that I am a proofreader, but I'm honestly not trying to drum up work for myself (my diary is full!).
I guarantee that readers are far more likely to enjoy your writing, become invested in your characters and your story, and give you a good review if your book is free of errors. I shall now dismount from my soapbox.
Author & Writer: Wendy Janes
Links to connect with Wendy.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wendyproof
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/Wendy-Janes-976051022455216/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14433891.Wendy_Janes
Author Central page UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B016J66C9G
Author Central page US: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B016J66C9G
Website: http://wendyproof.co.uk/published-works/
Categories Book Promotions•Tags Author, Book Promotion, Book Recommendations, Books, Interview, Wendy Janes
True Stories: Gay Memories - Coming Out Of The Closet #LGBTQI #LGBT


Our GOAL is to provide players rich opportunities to develop character, fitness, skill, and game sense in the world's most popular game: SOCCER!
Community is a KEY ingredient in helping players achieve their best. Worthington provides superb resources: Worthington Parks and Recreation fields, Worthington Schools Fields, the Worthington Recreation Center (indoor and training opportunities), Thomas Worthington and Worthington Lilbourne Stadium Turf, outdoor street soccer venues, a central location with our practice facility, a committed sponsoring organization (Worthington Youth Boosters), and most importantly an incredible group of community members.
Providing opportunities to develop young players can happen right here in our community. Many of the best international soccer stars honed their skills and JOY for the game in their local environment: pick-up games, street soccer, futsal. Our vision is to create this environment right here in Worthington. US Soccer recommends limited travel for young players. This makes sense in many ways: lower cost and commitment to families, less burnout by the age of 12, an opportunity to play and crosstrain in other sports, more time to be a family, less driving around Ohio for league play, and more opportunities to 'be a kid'.
Our goal is to help players become the best they can be while enjoying their experience. To achieve this goal we believe strongly in cultivating the 4 areas of Player Development.
Fitness: Soccer players need to be agile, quick, and have lasting endurance. Through objective fitness assessments we can help players know where they currently are, set goals to get where they want to be, and reassess to see progress. We also encourage a basic S.E.E. Principle for life - Sleep the right amount for your age and activity time; Eat healthy and nutritious foods, and exercise 60 minutes a day.
**Our first two Player Development Spokes are lifelong lessons that will outlast time on the soccer field and will develop habits that will help them through their schooling years.
Skill: So much JOY in sport comes from learning and building skill. We have a focused plan for all teams and players to develop needed skill IN game situations, and we WILL continually develop our players' comfort on the ball.
Game Sense: We want our players to UNDERSTAND HOW to play the game of soccer in a joyous and competitive manner. Through watching the game (at team functions), focusing on a possession and attacking style, and through informal 'street soccer' sessions, we WILL develop a 'soccer brain' for our players that will enhance their JOY for the game.
**Our second two Player Development Spokes are specific to experiencing the JOY of soccer.


How can I add a talk to my Developer Story?
I've done a few talks at meetups and finally did my first conference talk recently. How can I add this to my Developer Story?
Ideally I'd like to add details of the talk and the group I presented it do, links to my slides and video if it exists.
Browse other questions tagged support developer-story .
Developer Story - missing tags in "personal tech stack"?


People love to spend leisure time lavishly but there are some elements that make this process complete and this must be performed effectively. Bath tubs come on the first place because this tiresome environment completely numbs the brain out. Folks require a complete bath that relaxes all the parts of the body especially the head. In this league portable hot tubs are known as the perfect solutions. They can easily be purchased because they are economical and the installation is easy as well. The traditional spa and hot bath tubs are generally hard to setup and require appropriate care along with proper electricity. The main part is that they are expensive and if there is any mistake then all the leisure experience will fade in a moment. The portable hot tubs are the substitutes that are getting popular because they provide same experience and are cost effective as well.
If a person wants to take the authentic experience of bathing with hot water and bubbles that are fired by the water jets then there is no need to spend money in spa or any other place. Just bring home the portable hot tub and plug the machine and get ready to play the real game. It can accommodate four people inside it and all the parts are already attached in it. Therefore it becomes handy and easy to use machine. However, the main requirement for this masterpiece is leveled ground. After that one can easily place it over the surface ad take out when there is no use. These are only few benefits, the real ones are experienced when it is originally used by a person because the richness comes from inside after taking a dive inside the tub. These are the main points that are associated with the portable hot tubs.
The next part comes when a person really goes to buy a tub and this is truly a breath stopping task. There are ample things that are to be managed by the buyer until it finally reaches home. However, this task is made easier by the online mode. There are different websites that offer these tubs in a far better price compared to the market. The person just has to turn on the computer or mobile and place the order for the tub and there is also an option to choose the favorite color. After this the product will be dispatched and it will directly reach the address that is provided by the buyer.
This is only about buying but there are many other things as well like offers and discounts. One gets free service coupons and other offers if this is purchased from the online websites. Therefore, it is a great deal that requires few clicks and that is enough. Portable hot tubs are the real things that are required for enjoying the life and it is a must have equipment in home because relaxing the mind is important for all and it is the right of every individual.


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From point to pixel: A genealogy of digital aesthetics
Meredith Hoy
Humanities Research, Institute for (IHR)
Art, School of
In this fiercely ambitious study, Meredith Anne Hoy seeks to reestablish the very definitions of digital art and aesthetics in art history. She begins by problematizing the notion of digital aesthetics, tracing the nineteenth- and twentieth-century movements that sought to break art down into its constituent elements, which in many ways predicted and paved the way for our acceptance of digital art. Through a series of case studies, Hoy questions the separation between analog and digital art and finds that while there may be sensual and experiential differences, they fall within the same technological categories. She also discusses computational art, in which the sole act of creation is the building of a self-generating algorithm. The medium isn't the message-what really matters is the degree to which the viewer can sense a creative hand in the art.
Dartmouth College Press
Arts and Humanities(all)
Dive into the research topics of 'From point to pixel: A genealogy of digital aesthetics'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Digital Aesthetics Arts & Humanities 100%
Digital Art Arts & Humanities 79%
Art History Arts & Humanities 18%
Computational Arts & Humanities 17%
Viewer Arts & Humanities 17%
Acceptance Arts & Humanities 15%
Hoy, M. (2017). From point to pixel: A genealogy of digital aesthetics. Dartmouth College Press.
From point to pixel : A genealogy of digital aesthetics. / Hoy, Meredith.
Dartmouth College Press, 2017. 257 p.
Hoy, M 2017, From point to pixel: A genealogy of digital aesthetics. Dartmouth College Press.
Hoy M. From point to pixel: A genealogy of digital aesthetics. Dartmouth College Press, 2017. 257 p.
Hoy, Meredith. / From point to pixel : A genealogy of digital aesthetics. Dartmouth College Press, 2017. 257 p.
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We wish to thank you for the great commitment you have shown to revisit the punitive approach to drug policy, particularly with regards to the pardon of low-level drug offenders.
These individuals have committed no violent act, yet they have been judged as criminals under strict drug sentencing laws and handed lengthy prison terms. What purpose does this serve except to create huge obstacles for them to ever lead productive lives?
Even people who use drugs or possess them for personal consumption risk tough sentences, when they should be protected by the principle of individual rights. The State should interfere in a private decision only if it puts society, public safety and public health at risk.
Those whose consumption has caused physical or mental distress require support and access to health services. In no event should their consumption be criminalized.
Drugs have destroyed many lives, but wrong government policies have destroyed many more. A criminal record for a young person for a minor drug offence can be a far greater threat to their wellbeing than occasional drug use.
We therefore hail the fact that you have commuted the sentences of more than 1,000 inmates during your presidency. However, there are still thousands more incarcerated in federal correctional facilities, serving long sentences for drug offenses that were non-violent in nature. We hope, therefore, that in these final days of your presidency, you will use the power of your office to commute even more prison sentences of low-level drug offenders, and restore dignity and hope to their lives. May your example inspire not only your successor, but also governors across the country.
We further acknowledge your respect for the laws passed by referendum in many states regarding the regulation of marijuana, and hope that the will of the people to reform drug policies will continue to be heard.


text:
Are You Green With Envy?
by Nina Miscioscia '24
A&E Staff
Reviewing She-Hulk Without the Review-Bombing
Extreme battle lines have been drawn between those who love the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase 4 releases and those who, to put it lightly, don't. However controversial this may be, Phase 4 has some of the best projects the MCU has released to date and one of them is 100 percent She-Hulk. She-Hulk follows Jennifer Walters as she figures out the "highs and lows of high school football"—wait, wrong show. The show offers a new perspective on She-Hulk's origin story and has Jennifer come to terms with the new change being green, mean, and unfortunately, a bit leaner than fans were expecting.
She-Hulk has been controversial since its first teaser trailer release revealed pretty underdeveloped CGI, but the biggest issue: a super petite version of the newest Hulk family member to the MCU. You would think that after the endearing success of Luisa Madrigal in Encanto, that Disney would have taken the hint that visibly strong women were well-liked by viewers and a great representation for girls and women everywhere. But no. According to visual effects artists working on the show, orders came directly from the top to make her less muscular and less "Hulk-like" overall. If you have seen the comic issues before the 2022 release, you will understand fans' anger. Still, I would not be as inclined to add to the 36 percent of one-star reviews released on IMDb leaving the show with a 4.9 out of 10 rating on the site. In recent episodes, many fans are baffled on the site about the fact that She-Hulk "also apparently twerks?" Because Thor decapitating Thanos is totally fine, but She-Hulk twerking with a major celebrity is just too much to handle.
I digress—despite my initial negative reaction towards her appearance on the show, particularly after realizing I had bigger calves and thighs than an actual Hulk, I have to say, I am loving the show. Each episode is packed full of great female representation and the perfect balance between being an "attorney at law" and a positively entertaining comedy. And WONG! And, of course, the long-awaited cameo and possible love interest coming in the next few episodes.
Overall, She-Hulk is a show written primarily by women, for women. The episodes more than accurately depict the struggles women go through while simply living their lives, from the shame of attending a family member's wedding alone to having your success measured only by your relationship status. Even a future Avenger is subjected to bad dates and not getting a text back from a weekly crush—we are not alone! Moreover, it is incredibly refreshing to have supportive (and alive) parents in the MCU for essentially the first time with She-Hulk and Ms. Marvel, especially after the soul-wrenching family dynamic in Moon Knight. Finally having relatable content in the MCU after growing up with the male-dominated Avengers sphere and overly sexualized Black Widow is interesting to see. I guarantee you will find yourself hitting "Next Episode."
Not the Oscars, but Close
Claudia Fennell '24
Music in Full Swing at PC
Jack Downey '23
Death-Cast is Calling
Madelyn Young '25


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Jamie on TV
Here's what's new this tax filing season, from climate incentive credits to expensing your service dog
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The beginning of March marks the end of RRSP season and the start of tax season. The Canada Revenue Agency began accepting electronic returns as early as last week. Last year, nearly 90 per cent of the over 29 million returns Canadians filed were completed online. Let's take a look at what's new this tax-filing season and provide some tips to help you start your return.
Most Canadians' tax returns are due on April 30, 2019. If you or your spouse or partner are self-employed, you have until June 15, 2019 to file your returns; however, since June 15, 2019 falls on a Saturday, the CRA will consider your return to be filed on time as long as the CRA receives it by (or it's postmarked by) midnight June 17, 2019. Note that any balance owing is still due by April 30, 2019.
The federal tax rates on your 2018 return haven't changed at all from the prior year, although the brackets have been indexed to inflation by 1.5 per cent over 2017. The lowest bracket last year – 15 per cent federally — was for taxable income up to $46,605. Combined with provincial or territorial tax, that resulted in a combined rate of anywhere from 19 per cent in Nunavut to 30 per cent in Nova Scotia.
The highest income-earners were taxed at a 33 per cent federal rate on taxable income over $205,842 in 2018. Combined with provincial/territorial taxes, the top combined marginal rate for the top income-earners ranged from 44 per cent (Nunavut) to 54 per cent (Nova Scotia).
No new tax deductions have been added to the return for 2018 and only one obscure deduction (the "employee home relocation loan" deduction on former line 248) has been eliminated.
New Schedule 14 — Climate action incentive payment
For residents of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick, the most significant change to the 2018 tax return is the climate action incentive (CAI) payment. Announced last fall as part of the government's climate change plan, it directs proceeds from carbon pollution pricing received under the federal system back to the residents of the four jurisdictions that do not meet the Canada-wide federal standard for reducing carbon pollution. The federal government has stated that it would not keep any direct proceeds from carbon pollution pricing.
Saskatchewan residents can claim a base amount of $305, Manitoba residents $170, Ontario residents $154 and New Brunswick residents may claim $128. In addition, if you're married or living common law, an additional 50 per cent can be claimed for your spouse or partner. If you have qualified dependents under age 18, 25 per cent of the base amount can be claimed for each child.
In addition, a 10 per cent supplement is available for residents of small and rural communities who live outside a Census Metropolitan Area (as defined by Statistics Canada), "in recognition of their increased energy needs and reduced access to clean transportation options."
Being a rare, refundable credit, the CAI payment will first reduce any balance owing for the year, and may increase any refund.
No more Schedule 4
If you've been searching online or in your tax software for the Schedule 4, entitled "Statement of Investment Income," that you used in prior tax years to report your dividend, interest and foreign income along with any carrying charges and tax-deductible interest, you can stop looking as it's been eliminated for the 2018 tax year. It has been replaced by an optional "Federal Worksheet" which can be filled in (if you find it helpful) but is not ultimately submitted with your return. Instead, you can simply tally up each type of investment income and report it on the appropriate lines of the return: Canadian dividends on line 120, interest income on line 121, and carrying charges and tax-deductible interest on line 221.
Bye-bye "super" credit
If you were a first-time donor in 2018, you can claim your donation credit on Schedule 9, like the rest of us. But don't go looking for that extra 25 per cent First-Time Donor's Super Credit — it was eliminated for 2018 (and subsequent tax years). The 2017 federal budget announced that it would be allowed to expire, as planned, at the end of 2017, "due to its low take-up, small average amounts donated, and the overall generosity of existing tax assistance for charitable donations."
Medical expense tax credit (METC)
For the 2018 tax year, valid medical expenses for you, your spouse or common-law partner, and your dependent children born in 2001 or later, qualify for a 15 per cent federal credit as well as a provincial credit, provided they exceed a minimum threshold equal to the lesser of 3 per cent of your net income or $2,302.
For a number of years now, the METC has provided tax relief for certain expenses incurred for an animal specially trained to assist a patient in coping with blindness, deafness, severe autism, severe diabetes or severe epilepsy.
Last year's federal budget expanded the list to include expenses relating to service animals specially trained to perform specific tasks for a patient with a severe mental impairment in order to assist them in coping with their impairment (e.g., a psychiatric service dog trained to assist with post-traumatic stress disorder). These tasks could include guiding a disoriented patient, searching the home of a patient with severe anxiety before they enter or applying compression to a patient experiencing night terrors.
Eligible expenses include the cost of the animal, as well as costs for its care and maintenance, including food and veterinary care. Note, however, that these expenses won't qualify if they are for an animal that provides comfort or emotional support but that has not been specially trained to perform these specific tasks.
Finally, if you received foreign income, incurred a foreign tax deductible expense or sold a foreign stock or vacation property in 2018, you'll need to convert that income, expense or amount to Canadian dollars before reporting it on your tax return. You should use the Bank of Canada exchange rate in effect on the day you received the income or paid the amount. If the amount was paid at various times in the year, you can visit the Bank of Canada website for an average annual rate. For example, the average foreign exchange rate for 2018 to convert U.S. dollars to Canadian was $1.2957.
Copyright © 2000-2020 Jamie Golombek


text:
Q: MySQL IN statement using Laravel Im having the user filling checkboxes in my view for each year so that they can query based on selected years. The query is looking for a pH value between a minimum and maximum value.
As you can see there can be a variety of different years selected.
View
    @foreach($years as $year)

    {{ Form::checkbox('selectedYears[]', $year->year) }} {{ $year->year }}

    @endforeach

In my controller i then have something like this:
Controller
      $implodeYears = implode(', ',$input['selectedYears']);

      DB::select('SELECT samples.*, costumers.*
      FROM samples
      LEFT JOIN costumers
      ON samples.costumer_id = costumers.id
      WHERE
      pH            BETWEEN ? AND ?
      AND YEAR IN ( ? )
      Order BY Year DESC, samples.costumer_id DESC
      ', array(
        $minph,
        $maxph,
        $implodeYears
      ));

I checked my variable, and it seems to be fine:
    dd($implodeYears);
    string(34) "2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013"

The problem is that the query only returns the first year in the string. So i get that there is something wrong with this being a string.
When i query like this it works fine:
Static years in controller
  DB::select('SELECT samples.*, costumers.*
  FROM samples
  LEFT JOIN costumers
  ON samples.costumer_id = costumers.id
  WHERE
  pH            BETWEEN ? AND ?
  AND YEAR IN (2008, 2010, 2012)
  Order BY Year DESC, samples.costumer_id DESC
  ', array(
    $minph,
    $maxph
  ));

I have had this query working fine when i previously worked without Laravel. Thats the weird thing, and i get the exakt same thing in that version when var_dumping the imploded variable. Result below.
Old Version with a standard MySQL query using var_dump
 string(89) "1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014"

Is there someone who can give me a hint?
Im shure there's a pretty good explanation for this. But i have googled for some time, and can't find it.
Thanks, Simon

A: I strongly recommend you do not do something like that. The reason your code is currently returning only the first year is a combination of prepared statement misunderstanding, and typecasting.
When you do what you are doing there, the where part of the SQL query fired off to the server is equivalent to:
YEAR IN ("2008, 2009, 2010...")

As your field is most likely an integer, MySQL tries to understand/make sense of what you sent it, and transforms to this:
YEAR IN (2008)

This explains your first value.
How to fix it
The short version is properly use the Laravel query builder. The following will work:
  DB::table('samples')
      ->select('samples.*', 'costumers.*')
      ->join('costumers', 'samples.costumer_id', '=', 'costumers.id')
      ->whereIn("samples.year", $input['selectedYears'])
      ->where("samples.pH", ">=", $minph)
      ->where("samples.pH", "<=", $maxph)
  ->get();

Pay very close attention; if the year list is empty, this will fail (but then again, so will yours)


text:
Maxtor: Hard Drive Market Soaring
Doug Olenick ⋅ Published: December 3, 2001
The hard drive market, once mired in a rather dull replacement cycle, is picking up speed on the PC and consumer electronic fronts, according to Maxtor.
Maxtor introduced two new external hard drives at Comdex last month and company executives said the introduction of USB 2.0 and the proliferation of 1394 ports are opening up the replacement hard drive market to a new wave of consumers. The new 3000LE is an entry-level model with 40GB of storage capacity and will connect to a PC through a USB 2.0 port. It will have a $199 suggested retail price. The high-end 80GB 3000DV, $349 suggested retail price, uses a 1394 FireWire connection. These models started hitting retail shelves in October.
"1394 and USB are bringing in those customers who would not have otherwise purchased hard drive upgrades," said John Hamer, marketing manager for Maxtor's personal storage business.
The new buyers are open to an installation process that requires a wire to be plugged into a PC port, but would never crack open a computer's casing to install an internal hard drive, Hamer said. Despite this renewed growth potential for PCs, Maxtor sees the majority of its business taking place in the personal video recorder and hard-drive-based stereo component markets, said Bentley Nelson, the company's head of strategic marketing.
"The PVR will keep us busy, it is still a huge growth market," he said. "HDTV is the next area for us. It requires more space to store so we are getting ready. When it hits we will have hard drives to hold this data." Developing higher capacity drives is not a problem for Maxtor. The company has actually slowed down the rate at which it introduces higher capacity drives. It had been doubling the size about every 10 months, but has since slowed this down to every 12 to 15 months.
Nelson said that while the stereo component market is set to break out, there are still some teething problems to overcome.
"We still need the retailer to grasp the product and to learn how to properly merchandise it," he said, adding that too many tend to separate the hard-drive-based components from the conventional types being sold. "All stereo components should be sold side by side. There is no reason to separate the digital devices from all the others."
By Doug Olenick
HP Joins Compaq In Hard-Drive Jukebox Market
Maxtor: 160GB Hard Drive Fits Consumer Niche
Maxtor To Grab Quantum Hard Drive Division In Stock Deal
The iPocket Drive, a Hard Drive with a Built-In Lightning Plug for iPhones and iPads, launches Crowdfunding Campaign on Indiegogo
SimpleTech Enters External Hard Drive Market
Samsung Readies NAND Flash Hybrid Hard Drive
Samsung Readies Hybrid Hard Drive
WD® Expands Surveillance-Class Hard Drive Line
Hard Drive Server Category Playing Zone
Hard-Drive Jukeboxes, Servers To Proliferate


J. Maurer is sent for an early shower!
K. Zobeck enters the game and replaces S. Guenzatti.
Daniel Mendes goes into the referee's book.
S. Dimitrov is cautioned by the referee.
M. Stokkelien comes on for S. Dimitrov.
Juliano comes on for F. Franks.
J. Johnson enters play, replacing H. Chirishian.
Juliano is cautioned by the referee.
R. Burgos comes on for J. Watson.


This year, don't wait for New Years to bring out the bubbly. Instead, ring in the holiday season with a glass (or three!) of your favorite sparkling wines. Each of José's DC-area restaurants, as well as Zaytinya Frisco, will be featuring a different flight, each one celebrating the regional diversity of sparkling wines and ciders. The anchor of each will be the Cuvée José, a new sparkling wine from José's favorite Cava producer Raventós i Blanc. America Eats Tavern will be pouring two different American wines alongside the Cuvée José, one from Oregon's Argyle and the other from New Mexico's Gruet. China Chilcano will be pouring a Chilean sparkling cider as well as an Argentine sparkling Rosé. Grecian favorites from Kir-Yianni and Laziridi will be on the menu at Zaytinya, while each Jaleo will pour a selection of Cavas and ciders from Spain.
Accompanying each flight will be paired bite, like Zaytinya's Salmon Crudo, America Eats Tavern's Hush Puppies, and Oyamel's Striped Bass Ceviche Con Citricos.
Cocktails are also in order, including Oyamel's Vallarta 75, with hibiscus-infused gin and Cava, as well as China Chilcano's Alpaca Punch.
To get your sparkle on early this year, make a reservation at any of José's restaurants - or just come on in between November 26-December 9.


Contains custom resources for adding Ohai hints and installing custom Ohai plugins. Handles path creation as well as the reloading of Ohai so that new data will be available during the same run.
Creates Ohai hint files, which are consumed by Ohai plugins in order to determine if they should run or not.
hint_name - The name of hints file and key. Should be string, default is name of resource.
plugin_name - The name to give the plugin on the filesystem. Should be string, default is name of resource.
path - The path to your custom plugin directory. Defaults to a directory named 'plugins' under the directory 'ohai' in the Chef config dir.
source_file - The source file for the plugin in your cookbook if not NAME.rb.
cookbook - The cookbook where the source file exists if not the cookbook where the ohai_plugin resource is running from.
resource - The resource type for the plugin file. Either :cookbook_file or :template. Defaults to :cookbook_file.
variables - Usable only if resource is :template. Defines the template's variables.
compile_time - Should the resource run at compile time. This defaults to true.
Copyright: 2011-2016, Chef Software, Inc.
This file is used to list changes made in each version of the ohai cookbook.
Fix lack of .rb extension when deleting plugins.
Added the ability to specify the source cookbook for the cookbook_file or template used in the ohai_plugin resource.
The 4.0 release of the Ohai cookbook removes the previous cookbook_file behavior that required forking the cookbook and adding your own plugins. Instead the cookbook ships with a new ohai_plugin custom resource for installing plugins. In addition to this new custom resource the cookbook now requires Chef 12+. See the readme and test recipe for examples. If you require Chef 11 support you'll need to pin to version 3.0 in your environment.
Change the default value for node['ohai']['hints_path'] to use the Ohai config value. This should be the same value in most use cases, but if a custom path is specified in the chef client config this value will get used automatically by the cookbook.
Please note, this changes the name of a remote_directory resource. It is not expected that anyone would be explicitly notifying this resource but, please review PR #16 for more info.


text:
Your view: Showing character
An open letter to the citizens of the Eighth Congressional District:
Though our district is large, I am so proud of how we have pulled together in the days following Hurricane Katrina. The efforts of so many individuals in Southern Missouri have meant the world to men, women and children who are suffering all along the Gulf Coast. To say this district has made a difference to our neighbors is a colossal understatement.
I wish I had space to recognize every person I have seen or heard of going above the call of duty. In the end, it is easier to simply thank everyone, because everyone is helping. In Cape Girardeau, Kennett, Leadwood and all along the I-55 corridor, contributions of much-needed supplies have been loaded up and driven South. From Farmington and many, many other communities, firefighters and emergency personnel have departed their homes and families to help out. In Rolla, a radio telethon raised over $100,000 for relief efforts in two days. From Perryville, Company B of the 1140th Army National Guard Unit have deployed to Mississippi and Louisiana just months after returning from Iraq. Guard Units from all over our state, including the 1137th and 1138th, have also deployed to help. An 18-wheeler from Dexter is on its way to the Gulf Coast, laden with supplies. Across the district, our churches have become clearinghouses for donations and relief supplies. In towns like Piedmont, families have opened their homes to people whose homes were destroyed by Katrina. A Sikeston men's clothing store donated hundreds of pairs of pants and shirts. Poplar Bluff businesses have set up collection points and sent tractor trailers to points throughout the region. From West Plains, a convoy of water and emergency supplies from there, Brandsville, Thayer, Cabool and Summersville set out for a suburb of New Orleans called Kenner. I went with them.
We have shown our best character and our true spirit through good works like these all across our district. With so many people helping out, it is impossible to name every effort. It is also impossible to predict the generosity of weeks and months to come, though there will be many opportunities. We will rise to each new challenge together. Thank you for every effort, every donation, every hour volunteered, every single one of the thousands of different contributions made to our fellow Americans in crisis. Let's keep it coming.
Jo Ann Emerson


Here you will find a little more about my story, my artwork & what feeds my passion for portraying everything furry from the animal world.
Whilst my main focus nowadays is teaching, both via workshops around the world & also online via my Patreon channel, I will still consider the occasional private commission piece. If this is something that you are interested in, please let me know.
Due to popular demand from those who either have been unable to attend my workshops, or those that have attended & now simply want to continue their learning, I now have my own Patreon channel. Each month patrons are rewarded with reference photos, line drawings, hints & tips, downloadable tutorials & full voiceover tutorial videos. Please click the button to visit & see what it is all about. Watch the intro video next to this or below explaining it all.


text:
Community Concert Series
2019 Culture Days
About Our Ensembles
Intro to Fiddling
Claude Giguère
Co-founder and Executive Artistic Director
Claude has a winning combination of passion and good humour that inspires music lovers of all ages. Since founding the NSCE in 1998 alongside Jay Knutson, his artistic vision has been our organization's guiding light. Claude brings his orchestral violin experience from the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, and the CBC Radio Orchestra together with a passion for folk music, creating an innovative youth strings program that has touched thousands on the North Shore. It sprung from a desire to explore and interact with all aspects of music, to connect with community and bring out the best in others, and an innate quest for excellence in music. For this accomplishment, Claude was recognized with a 2016 Outstanding Supporter of Youth Award from the City of North Vancouver.
Beyond the NSCE, Claude teaches private violin lessons in Lynn Valley. When he doesn't have a violin - or even a recorder - in his hands, he loves hiking in his backyard: the North Shore mountains. He also works toward becoming fluent in Japanese, his third language.
Kirin Lamb
Director of Novice Programs
Flute, piano, voice
Immersed in Celtic music since childhood, Kirin brings a passion for and deep knowledge of the folk tradition into the classroom. She began her musical journey with the Coast String Fiddlers of Roberts Creek, BC and went on to acquire a Diploma in Jazz Piano from Capilano University. The NSCE met Kirin backstage at the 2013 Aberdeen International Youth Festival. Since then, she has been a regular composer, arranger, and performer for the group. Kirin performs as a duo with guitarist William Chernoff.
Kirin is also passionate environmental educator and hobby beekeeper. In 2016, she received an Award of Excellence from Interpretation Canada for her work in educational musical theatre with Alberta Parks. Presently, she facilitates nature stewardship programs in city parks.
Clara Rose
Fiddle, voice
Clara Rose is one of Vancouver's most distinguished young performers. Clara began composing for violin at age 10, drawing inspiration from her community and the vivid landscape of British Columbia. In live performances, she layers intricate, funky fiddle grooves and pensive melodies, with jazz, Celtic, Balkan, and Scandinavian folk heavily influencing her sound. Currently, Clara performs with Canadian bands Twisted Hazel, The Burying Ground, East Van Jug Band, cozy, and Surprise! Surprise! In addition to her musical pursuits, she also performs as a clown, fire spinner and acrobatic stilt dancer!
Clara has studied fiddle with Canadian greats such as Trent Freeman, Oliver Schroer, Daniel Lapp, Jaron Freeman-Fox and Anne Lindsay. In 2018, she was selected as one of 16 young string players to participate in the prestigious Acoustic Music Seminar in Savannah, Georgia, directed by Mike Marshall and Julian Lage. Exploring new ground while staying connected to classical, jazz and folk roots, Clara brings a flare of variety and youthful enthusiasm that is sure to inspire!
"… this music that reaches out to each and every tired body in a concert hall is miraculous in its ability to strip away all modern day distractions and give the gift of spiritual renewal. From toddler to wizened fiddler, the children of the North Shore Celtic Ensemble entrance them, lead them and me into motion, physically vibrating with each rollicking and melancholy tune, and send us out into the evening air with a shared confidence that life is good ... from humble beginnings to gala events…the North Shore Celtic Ensemble ... can give much more than it takes."
- Caroline Canfield Cole,
Professional Violinist
North Shore Celtic Ensemble
3999 Woodbury Avenue
North Vancouver, BC V7N 3N4
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"Azhwar" are saintly souls who had immersed themselves in the exclusive devotion to Lord Sriman Narayana in unconditional surrender. The advanced saints, were the supreme devotees of Lord propagating Sri Vaishnavism among the masses through their poetical compositions glorified as Divya Prabhandams highlighting the beautiful effulgent form, auspicious attributes and divine deeds of the Supreme Lord in His various incarnations based on their personal mystic experiences. They lived as human beings and burst out bhakti laden great works for the sake of humanity. The direct result of the Lord's divine grace on Azhwars made their outpourings special and therefore called ' Divyam'. It is because of this that the works of Azhwars are called ' Divya Prabandham' and are 4000 poems (pAsurams).
The Divya Prabhandams of the Azhwars are, therefore, held in as great veneration and reverence as the Vedas in Sanskrit. All the Azhwars held the view that Lord Sriman Narayana is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and one's only goal of life was to attain Him. And, the path that each one of these Azhwars advocated was chanting the Divine Name of the Lord! which is the easiest path to attain the lotus feet of Lord.
Of the twelve Azhwars , the first three — Poigai Azhwar, Bhoodhatazhwar and Pey Azhwar were believed to be of mystic birth dating back to Dwaapara era. The fourth, Thirumazhisai Azhwar was said to have been brought up by a couple who had the good luck to have his darshan in a forest . Kulashekara Azhwar was a Chera king. Periazhwar, Thondaradippodi Azhwar and Madhurakavi Azhwar were born into brahmin families. Nammazhwar was born in a farmer's home and Thiruppannazhwar belonged to the Pana community. The only female among them was Godha (Andal) glorified for "Thiruppaavai pasurams " even to a common man and celebrated as an incarnation of Mother Earth (Bhoodevi). Thirumangai Azhwar, the youngest of the Azhwars was a chieftain of a Chola king.
"ones who were not born from a womb".
They appeared on water-flowers at three different water sources.
Poigai AzhvAr manifested on a lotus flower at Kancheepuram Lord YatthOkthakAri perumaL temple tank on the " sravanam" star during the month of "aippasi" (November ) .
The second Azhwar was Bhudhath AzhvAr who appeared on a nIlOthphala (kurukkaththi flower in tamil ) near the seaside at thiru-k-kadal-mallai (present day Mahabalipuram) on the day subsequent to Poigai Azhvar (month of Aippasi, Avittam star ).
The third Azhwar "Pey Azhvar" appeared on a sengazhuneer flower in a well in thiru-mayilai (present day Mylapore, the temple of Lord Adikesava perumal on the day after Bhudath Azhvar appeared (aippasi month, sathayam star).
All the three Azhwars were blessed by the Lord with supreme knowledge, and as a result, they lived a life focused on divinity, worshiping the Supreme Lord at different temples, and living a life of ascetics.
To them the entire cosmos , all sentient and the insentient entities in it were alive and vibrating with the underlying divinity of Lord represented by HIS body and HE being the inner controller of the soul .
Azhwars point out very clearly in their outpourings the most important attribute of Lord is HIS immense compassion represented by HIS divine consort Sri: the divine mother forever residing in HIS heart and most easily accessible and who helps in the ultimate redemption of the embodied souls .
the three Azhvars had to meet to fulfill the purpose of their appearance, to wit, give the world the esoteric truths in a manner accessible to common man .
The stage was set at Thirukovilur and the divine plan was already about to reveal. Lord Sriman Narayana achieved this by making the Azhvars meet and become the harbingers in the effort towards the composition of the holy Dravida Vedas.
Thus Lord arranged a divine plan and made each of them go to the town Thirukovilur which is located 75 kms from Cuddalore and about 200 kms from Chennai.
The rain clouds had overcast the sky and cover of darkness spread all around in the holy town of Thirukovalur . The torrential rain began pouring generously . It was as if the sky will tear open to give its opulence .
Proceeding the temple streets , Poigai Azhwar found out a small front passage ( dehali or rayzhi , thinnai in tamil ) in front of Mrikanda Ashrams hut ( the present Thirukovalur temple sanctum sanctorum ) which was fit for one person to lie down.
Thanking Lord for his mercy , Poigai Azhwar moved in and occupied the space to lie down . Meanwhile , Bhoodath Azhwar coincidentally arrived there looking for a shelter.
Poigai Azhvar welcomed him and said , Holy Sire ! Please come !!
"we have enough space for one to be supine, two to sit ,… please come in".
Both the Azhwars were now seated , and were indulging in bhagavad guna anubhavam (recounting the innumerable auspicious qualities of the Lord) . Meanwhile pEy Azhvar also came at the same time to the same Ashrama. The two Azhvars already present in that little room said…..
"in this place, one can lie down, two can sit, and three can stand …. please come in".
PEy AzvhAr joined them, and the three Azhvars continued their joy filled discussion of the Lord's auspicious qualities and divyaanubhutee which was one of the most auspicious moment to be remembered in the history of Thirukovalur. Lord pleased with the divine outcome now decided to be amongst HIS favourite devotees .
The darkness became denser and inside the small room they were not able to see each other. In the thunders and lightning that flashed across, the trio could see a fourth person exquisitely charming entering the room and they felt as if they were overpowered with a sublime, divine feeling.
thus the first Azhwar composed hundred verses glorifying the Lordships …. now glorified as "Mudhal thiruvandhAdhi (first poem of the type andhAdi, meaning the last word becomes the progenitor of the thought for the following verse) which is among the Naalayiram Divya Prabhandam …………….
using his immense love for the Lord as the lamp structure, and his longing for union with the Lord as the energy engendering the flame. He composed a beautiful set of 100 divine verses known as "iraNdaam thiruvandhAdhi" (second poem of the type andhAdhi)….
"thiru-k-kaNdEn, pon mEni kaNdEn .
thigazhum aruKKan aNi niramum kaNdEn..
meaning, "I had the darshan the divine consort of the Lord – Maha Lakshmi I had the darshan of the divine body of the Lord , the beautiful complexion of the Lord and the auspicious discus (chakra) verily the remover of obstacles that prevent us reaching the Lord, and the beautiful white, divine conch in the hands of the Lord".
This becomes the first verse of " Munraam Thiruvandhadhi (third poem of the type andhadi), which is a set of 100 verses too counted among the Naalayiram Divya Prabhandam . This uplifting divine experience bound them into a state of togetherness. They traveled across various parts of India spreading the divine message of the Lord for attaining HIS abode and remaining in that bliss through there divine pasurams (The three thiruvandhadhis).
The one hundredth verse in turn hooks up to the first verse forming a lovely garland of verses maintaining the eternal thread of continuity .
To all the Azhwars LORD was a living presence experienced in the totality of HIS being and manifestation in HIS myriad creation .
HE lived in them and they lived in HIM ..
Thus Lord arranged a divine plan and made each of them go to the town Thirukovilur which is located 75 kms from Cuddalore and about 200 kms from Chennai.The rain clouds had overcast the sky and cover of darkness spread all around in the holy town of Thirukovalur . The torrential rain began pouring generously . It was as if the sky will tear open to give its opulence .Proceeding the temple streets , Poigai Azhwar found out a small front passage ( dehali or rayzhi , thinnai in tamil ) in front of Mrikanda Ashrams hut ( the present Thirukovalur temple sanctum sanctorum ) which was fit for one person to lie down.
Hari Om! "He lived in them, They lived in Him" Too Profound saying! – Adiyen Ramanuja Dasyai, Jai Sriman Narayana!
Jai HO. Hare Krsna. Wonderful!!
I was not aware off.