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Star Traks: Waystation Stories
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Star Traks: Waystation
Waiting for the Other Shoe...
DISCLAIMER: Five out of five doctors believe that Star Trek is the property of Viacom. No doctors are aware that Star Traks and Star Traks: Waystation belong to Alan Decker, and they really don't care.
Author: Alan Decker
"Waiting for the Other Shoe…"
By Alan Decker
"Science Officer's Log. Stardate 53742.6. This was not my fault. Ever since I accidentally opened that breach into the Happy Universe, I've gotten blamed for every bit of scientific weirdness that has hit this station. 'Whoops. The consoles are melting. What did you do, Porter?' 'Hey! Where are my arms? Craig!' Well not this time! I did not have anything to do with this one…"
Captain Lisa Beck tightly gripped the edge of the science/operations console as once again Waystation bucked violently under the barrage buffeting its hull.
"Just a little spatial disturbance, huh Craig?" she grumbled at the console's operator, Lieutenant Commander Craig Porter.
"I'm not a weatherman," Porter replied, watching the spiking energy readouts of the storm outside. It had looked so innocuous in the beginning. A small distortion that would pass by the station in moments.
But then the disturbance decided to stick around…and grow…exponentially. Until now…
ZAPOW!
The power in ops flickered again as another massive blast of energy arced out of the storm and slammed against what remained of the station's shields.
At the tactical console across ops from Porter and Beck, Lieutenant Sean Russell turned several shades of green as the deck rolled beneath him. His knuckles had long since turned white from clutching the sides of his console.
"Report!" Captain Beck shouted at him.
Russell refocused on his monitors. "Shields are at…"
KAPOW!"
"…forget that! Shields are down!"
Beck stumbled over to the station's status console where her first officer, Commander Walter Morales, was being flooded with frantic comms from around the station and the few docked ships that hadn't made a run for it once the storm began unleashing its fury.
"Get everyone to the middle sections," Beck ordered.
"Already on it," Morales replied quickly. "But Bradley Dillon has commed at least eight times. He's wants exclusive merchandising rights should this turn into an all-out crisis."
"I've got some bad news for you. It's already at that point," Beck said. Alien attackers were one thing, but being trapped at the mercy of some natural phenomenon made her feel so helpless. How was she supposed to fight back against a storm?
"Captain!" Morales cried suddenly, breaking into her thoughts. "The Knievel just cleared moorings. They're making a break for it."
"On screen," Beck said, spinning around to face the large viewscreen on the front wall of ops as Morales switched the image to show the Knoxville-class vessel pulling away from one of the upper saucer's docking ports. Almost instantly, it was knocked hard to starboard by distortions from the storm.
"They're going to get fried," Russell muttered.
"Try obliterated," Porter said. "That ship is way too small to handle…"
Before Porter could even complete his statement, the storm went after the Knievel in earnest, blasting the ship with a searing-white bolt of energy. Beck watched in horror as one of the craft's nacelles was ripped clean off, then exploded.
"Morales, get those people out of there!"
"They've got a core breach in progress!" Porter shouted.
"MORALES!"
"Energizing!"
Morales's hands frantically worked the transporter controls on his console just as a plasma stream erupted from the Knievel's hull. Seconds later, the entire ship exploded in a massive surge, rocking the unshielded station yet again.
"We just saw our future if this thing doesn't move on soon," Beck said grimly. "Anyone know how to appease mother nature?"
"I learned a rain dance in elementary school once," Russell said.
"No help, but we'll keep that in mind for the next drought," Beck replied as the station rocked again.
Porter chuckled, then trailed off as he looked at the storm's energy readouts from the last several minutes. What the…
ZAPOOOOW!
Another searing blast lanced at the station, this time searing into the unshielded hull of the upper saucer.
"Damage report!" Beck shouted.
Porter tore himself away from the science scans long enough to check his operations readouts. "Hull integrity is still intact, but barely. I've got teams on the way to reinforce the damaged sections, and I'm pulling more power to the structural integrity field."
"Which isn't going to do a whole hell of a lot if we get hit again," Beck said as Porter turned back to his scans. He checked the readouts again from the explosion of the Knievel. The storm's energy center had visibly shifted…toward the explosion!
"We're just going to have to try to disrupt this thing," he heard Beck say. "Russell, launch a full spread of torpedoes. Three second firing delay. Morales, tell everyone to hold on. This is going to be ugly."
"Stop!" Porter exclaimed suddenly. "It's us! We're powering the storm!"
"Craig, we don't have a lot of time here," Beck said. "Talk and talk quickly."
"The storm veered toward the explosion of the Knievel. It was attracted to the energy. Before the storm got here, it was quite small. Since it's arrival, it's intensified immensely. It's feeding off of us. If we fire those torpedoes…"
"We'll have officially created a monster," Beck said. "New plan. Shut it down. All of it! Porter, lead the storm somewhere more nourishing please."
"Working on it," Porter replied, his hands flying across his console as he issued the commands to shut down almost all of Waystation's power. With that done and the power-down sequence commencing, he reworked one of the station's long-range probes, upping its power usage to maximum. The probe would burn itself out in a matter of days, but it would be enough to get to a high-energy pulsar. In the meantime, relative to the dormant Waystation, it would radiate energy like a supernova.
The rocking of the station slowed, gradually disappearing all together as the crew stood in the darkened ops, illuminated only by the slight glow coming from Porter's console.
"Probe away," he said finally as he watched the device streak away from the station on his monitor. The storm, which was already rapidly shrinking, moved off in pursuit, soon moving out of range all together.
"Craig?" Beck said.
"I'm bringing life-support and emergency power back up now. We'll need to do the rest gradually so that we don't accidentally draw that thing back."
"Hard to say. I wouldn't feel comfortable bringing full power back online until tomorrow morning, though," Porter replied.
"Then I guess we're roughing it this evening," Beck said. "But I'll take it over the alternative."
"Considering the alternative was becoming space debris, I'd agree," Commander Morales said.
"I want a full damage survey tomorrow morning," Beck said.
"I'll take care of it," Porter said nodding.
"Good. And nice job, Porter," Beck said. "Even if you did completely blow your weather forecast," she added with smirk.
By the time evening rolled around, power had been restored station-wide to the lighting and turbolift systems as well as the more critical computer systems; however Lieutenant Commander Porter still hadn't felt comfortable with the idea of bringing the primary or secondary power cores online. The probe should have led the storm a good distance away by now, but why risk drawing it back?
With the situation stabilized, Porter decided to go ahead and attend a meeting of his creative anachronisms group. He'd joined the group several weeks earlier after hearing Lieutenant Russell talk about seeing a bunch of men and women in armor waiting to use the holodeck. Porter had read a bit about the medieval period as a child, but never really thought much about it. Somehow the idea of actually engaging in holodeck games with other people sounded intriguing. His social life certainly wasn't providing him with anything else to do.
The mood of the other group members when Porter arrived in the multi-purpose room in the Starfleet Conference Facility used for meetings pretty much matched that of most people he'd encountered since the storm: pissed off. Some people just didn't know when to show a little gratitude. Here they were still alive due to the actions of the command crew, but all they cared about was that their precious replicators were offline. Well, that and one other thing…
As the meeting came to order, Richard Theroll, one of the bureaucrats assigned to Waystation's colonization administration office and the group's leader, stepped to the front of the room to face his dejected members. "Well, we WERE going to battle the dragons of Halonia this evening," he said, fixing Porter with a pointed glare, "but our holodecks seem to be offline for some unknown reason."
Porter sank a little deeper in his chair as fifteen armor-clad men and women all turned and pointed at him in unison. "You're alive, aren't you?" he muttered.
"Therefore," Theroll continued, "we're going to try something a little different tonight. Many ages ago, our ancestors who did not own armor and who were not fortunate enough to live in the time of holography would still battle dragons and free peasants from tyranny, but they did so in their imaginations. We're going to do that tonight."
"How are we supposed to fight in our minds?" Gial Kiliana, a lab technician from the Academy Research Annex, asked.
"With these!" Theroll replied, holding out a handful on small multi-sided objects. "Dice!"
The other members sat in silence for several moments.
"I think I need to polish my armor," Ensign Mike Waits, one of Lieutenant Sean Russell's security officers, said finally. It was quickly followed by a cacophony of other excuses and clanking metal as the members beat a hasty retreat from the room leaving only Theroll and Porter…and that narcaleptic Tellarite. Theroll's eyes blazed as he stared unflinchingly at Porter.
"See you next week," Porter said with a half-wave, then got the hell out of there before Theroll got his hands on a weapon. So much for creative anachronisms. Ungrateful louts. Next time the station was under attack, Porter was going to personally see to it that they were beamed over to the attacking ship to fight. They'd see just how well a sword did against phasers.
Porter looked across the primary engineering section of Waystation's upper saucer at Lieutenant J.G. Oliver Mason, who was standing at the main EPS status board. Mason gave Porter a nod and a thumbs-up.
"All right, ops. We're all set down here," Porter said, turning his attention back to the console positioned in front of the primary core, a massive cylindrical structure stretching up ten decks through Waystation's upper saucer. The matter-anti-matter reactions in this one core powered the entire station, which was a great deal more convenient than the scattered array of smaller fusion reactors that had powered Waystation's pre-refit configuration.
In the case of a problem with the primary core, a slightly-smaller secondary core stood on stand-by in the lower saucer. Of course, due to the storm, both cores had been taken offline, a situation that Porter planned to rectify right now. Besides, after an entire night of dealing with a station at minimal power, the residents were ready to revolt.
"We're all set up here," Captain Beck's voice replied. "Everybody hope for clear skies."
"Commencing crossing of fingers," Porter said, typing the first couple of commands to begin the core initialization sequence. The engineering section, which until that point had been unnaturally quiet, filled with the growing (and quite soothing) thrum of the reactions beginning in the core as the glowing energies within the intermix chamber swirled.
Then, out of nowhere, the core's energy readings spiked. Before Porter could get out the beginnings of a warning, a wave shot out of the core in all directions, rippling through the station and all of the people in it.
Just as quickly as it began, the spike vanished as the ripple passed out of the station and dissipated.
"Craig, what was that?" Beck said confused.
"A ripple, Captain."
"And why did we just ripple?"
"I'm not sure," Porter said, looking over his readings. "Everything's normal down here currently. I'm not seeing any damage to the core or other systems. Or us for that matter. Rippling felt a bit weird, but I think we're fine."
"I'm sure Doctor Nelson will value your medical expertise on the subject," Beck replied.
"Oh yeah. I'm sure," Porter remarked. "I'm going to run a few checks down here, then bring up the secondary core. After that, I'll do that external damage check."
"Sounds like your day is packed. You do have a staff, you know."
"There are just certain things I'd prefer to handle myself," Porter said.
"Understood. Ops out," Beck's voice replied.
The secondary core came up without incident…or ripples. With Waystation back up to full power, Porter headed to the main docking bay where he'd arranged to meet Lt. J.G. Mason for a runabout survey of the station. Mason jogged into the bay and up the ramp into the Runabout Cumberland several minutes later, shaking his head and chuckling.
"Don't tell me I missed something good," Porter said as he finished the pre-flight check.
"Some people just weren't meant to have technology," Mason replied, sliding into the co-pilot's seat beside Porter.
"One of our oh-so-wonderful residents called engineering a bit ago with a replicator problem. The guy ordered his lunch, ate it, then turned back to his replicator to find his plate of lunch sitting there uneaten."
"Wait," Porter said confused. "His plate or another one?"
"His plate. He says the plate he just finished was gone."
"Wait a minute. Isn't it possible that he just imagined eating it in the first place and that the plate on the replicator was actually his original lunch?"
"The thought crossed his mind," Mason replied. "So he ate the second plate. Same thing happened."
"Oookay. What did he expect you to do about it?"
"Tell his replicator not to clean up his dishes without telling him and to have it stop encouraging him to eat more."
"I hope you gave it a good scolding," Porter said sarcastically.
"You know it. But like I said, some people just shouldn't be allowed near technology."
"On that note, let's go check on some of our technology," Porter said as he steered the Cumberland out of the docking bay and into the space around Waystation. He brought the craft up and over the upper saucer, skimming along the saucer's surface until he spotted the long streak of scoring caused by yesterday's storm.
"Looks pretty nasty from here," Mason said, peering out the viewport. "But the underlying conduits seem to be intact."
"What about hull integrity?"
Mason turned to the scanners. "Hard to tell. The space around us is still fairly energized from the storm. We're getting a lot of interference."
"I'm going down to take a closer look then," Porter said, putting the runabout to station-keeping above the saucer and heading toward the supply locker. He removed an EVA suit, which he quickly slipped into.
"See what you can do with the sensors up here," Porter said, programming coordinates into the Cumberland's small transporter. "Be back in a bit." He tapped a final command, stepped into the transport chamber, then dematerialized, rematerializing moments later on the saucer itself.
From this angle, the scoring seemed to stretch off into infinity. Once he ascertained the extent of the damage, Porter's first priority would be to get some teams out here to put things back to their original condition. The large black streak had to go.
Porter whipped out his tricorder and started to scan. He was close enough to the damaged region to actually get some readings. The hull had definitely been weakened by the blasts. Actually, he was surprised that the pressure from within coupled with him clunking around on the hull hadn't…
The readout on his tricorder went berserk at the hull directly beneath his feet began to give way. A split-second later, it ruptured, the force of venting atmosphere from the station blasting him upward past the Cumberland and out into space. Porter tumbled helplessly, trying to right himself with the EVA suit jets…
…then all of a sudden he was back on the hull, which was still intact. It was scored, but intact. Wasting no time, Porter slapped the emergency beam out beacon on his suit and returned to the runabout.
Mason was up out of his chair, gaping. "What the hell!"
"I have no idea," Porter said, pushing the fact that he'd almost been killed out of his head as he rushed to the sensors. "Maybe a time warp. Could be some chronometric…" He trailed off as he got to work on the sensors, further refining Mason's efforts to clear the view. The interference was thick, but none of it was chronometric. He finally managed to compensate, leaving him with a clear sensor picture…a clear picture completely without chronometric particles.
"So much for that," Porter muttered. He thought for a bit. If it had been a time warp, why hadn't the ship's chronometers or the one in his tricorder been affected. Why did he and Mason remember what happened? Under standard temporal mechanics theory, this couldn't happen and not leave some sort of trace.
"Get some teams up here to repair the hull. That's top priority for them."
"What about the…glitch?" Mason asked hesitantly.
"The sensors didn't pick up anything. I guess the only thing we can do is wait and see if it happens again," Porter replied.
"What if it doesn't?"
"It will. Trust me," Porter said as he steered the runabout back toward the docking bay.
As the head of a massive corporation with interests spanning across most of the Alpha Quadrant, Bradley Dillon was a busy man, to put it mildly. Waiting for him on his desk currently were three separate business proposals from people eager for him to invest in their projects, a prospectus for the further expansion of Dillon's Supply Depot, and notes concerning a conference call he had scheduled for later in the afternoon regarding the possibility of starting his own passenger ship line to compete with those twits over at Simms Ship Lines who wouldn't know luxury if they were dropped into it on their heads.
Despite all of these pressing items, Bradley felt the need every so often to check on things at the front lines, which, in this case, meant dropping by the Dillon's Supply Depot in Starfleet Square Mall. This store, in its original incarnation, had been the beginning of his current empire, and, since it was located on the same station as Dillon Enterprises' headquarters, Bradley demanded that it be the flagship store of his franchise.
That said, he was a little concerned about a couple of the new employees his store manager had hired. Ansola had made solid enough decisions so far during her tenure as manager, but everyone made mistakes, particularly when it came to judging people. Bradley, however, had always felt that he was able to read people fairly quickly, which had come in quite handy during his days in the cutthroat field of used spacecraft sales, and his gut was telling him that there was something not quite right about the two Skevians currently manning the store.
Not wishing to draw undue attention to himself, Bradley strolled casually into Dillon's Supply Depot, which was surprisingly deserted for a mid-afternoon. One lone Liseppian male hovered near the holo-projector aisle, eyeing the merchandise completely without assistance from one of Bradley's employees. The two employees in question were currently leaning on their elbows on the front counter, gazing out at the people passing in the mall.
As Bradley approached, he could hear bits of their conversation.
"You must be joking. She wouldn't even look at Russell."
"Come on, Dant'A. You know his reputation. They've known each other a long time. I say he banged her."
"Yeoman Jones? But she looks so sweet."
"That doesn't mean she's not a wildcat when you…"
Bradley had heard enough. "What are you two doing?" he demanded. The two Skevians looked up at him through half-lidded eyes. Actually, all Skevians eyes were half-lidded, making the entire species appear tired or to be under the influence of narcotics.
The Skevian called Dant'A stood up quickly. "Mister Dillon! Sorry about that. Ra'Andyl and I just got into a conversation for a moment about…"
"Oh quit your babbling," Ra'Andyl said, straightening his posture with a slow stretch. "Mister Dillon, you're a high-powered individual, aren't you? In contact with those in the know."
"I generally am the one in the know," Bradley replied, unsure where this was headed.
"Good. Then you're just the man to answer my question."
"Has Lieutenant Russell ever banged Yeoman Jones?"
"Ra'Andyl!" Dant'A shouted.
"What? It's a fair question."
Bradley's fists clenched reflexively. "If I ever come in here again and see you two…" He trailed off as he noticed the Liseppian tossing a furtive look over his shoulder, then head out of the holo-projector aisle and out of the store. "He just took something!" Bradley said, charging down the holo-projector aisle, then toward the exit.
"That was too close," Dant'A said. "Keep it up, and you're going to get us fired."
"Fired? Me?" Ra'Andyl said. "You're the one who couldn't put together a coherent sentence in front of our employer. Some head cashier you are."
"Forget it. Just forget it," Dant'A said tiredly.
"Already forgotten." The two sat silent for a few seconds. "I still say he banged her."
Bradley ran out of the door of Dillon's Supply Depot into Starfleet Square Mall. This was perhaps a tad undignified behavior for one of the wealthiest beings in the known galaxy, but he was not above taking action to protect his assets. He'd run down the holo-projector aisle on his way out of the store and saw that a top-of-the-line Daystrom Devices Holo-Jam 4000 was missing from the shelves. The Holo-Jams were so expensive that each Dillon's Supply Depot kept only one in stock. Unfortunately, the device was small enough that fiends like this Liseppian could abscond with it relatively easily.
The noise from the crowds milling through the mall covered the sound of his footfalls as he approached the Liseppian, who was strolling toward the nearest turbolift, a pack slung casually over his shoulder.
Bradley grabbed onto him, spinning the surprised alien around. "Security!" Bradley shouted as the Liseppian's eyes widened in alarm. He pulled against Bradley, trying to free his arm from the Dillon Enterprises' CEO's iron grip. "SECURITY!"
"Okay. What's all this about?" Security Officer Ensign Mike Waits said, stepping over to the pair. He was already in a bad mood after having his weekly Medieval combat night ruined by the power outage, so dealing with some petty squabble was not real high on his list of things to do.
"This miscreant just robbed my store!"
"We'll see about that," Waits replied.
"Are you doubting me? Do you know who I am?"
"I'm well aware of your identity, Mister Dillon. But throwing around words like 'miscreant' is not going to impress me any. We have a little thing in the Federation called due process. Innocent until proven guilty."
"Check his bag!" Bradley demanded, snatching the shoulder pack off of the Liseppian. "Inside you will find a very valuable Holo-Jam 4000 taken from Dillon's Supply Depot not five minutes ago!"
"May I look in your bag, sir?" Waits asked professionally.
Cronlo, the Liseppian in question, inwardly grimaced. This was it. If he let this Starfleeter look in the bag, he'd see the Holo-Jam. If he didn't let him look in the bag, he'd probably be arrested on suspicious of larceny, at which point the bag would be searched anyway. Cronlo handed the bag over to Waits, who looked inside.
"This is an empty bag, Mister Dillon," Waits said flatly.
"WHAT?" Bradley cried, peering side. He jammed his hand into the bag, feeling for a secret compartment. Nothing.
"You're free to go, sir. Sorry for the trouble," Waits said with a curt nod of his head. Cronlo, who was at that moment incredibly confused, raced off down the concourse.
"But I saw him put it in there," Bradley said. "Come with me!" He charged back to Dillon's Supply Depot, followed by an unamused Waits, then led the officer down the holo-projector aisle.
"Look! The Holo-Jam is…" Bradley gaped at the shelf. "…right where it's supposed to be," he finished softly, looking that the gleaming piece of expensive technology sitting in its proper place on the shelf. "How…" He stormed up to the counter, where Dant'A and Ra'Andyl were still standing.
"You saw that Liseppian steal the Holo-Jam! Tell the officer!"
"Sorry, Mister Dillon," Ra'Andyl said. "But I didn't see that, and I wouldn't want to be called a liar. You came in here yelling at us, then you ran out the door yelling some more. It was strange behavior, really. Are you getting enough sleep?"
"If you'll excuse me, I'll be returning to my patrol," Waits said, shooting a quick glare at Bradley, then heading out of the store.
"I think…," Ra'Andyl began.
"AHH!" Bradley shouted, holding up his hands. "No more!"
"AHHHH!" Bradley clapped his hands over his ears and charged out the exit.
"You know," Ra'Andyl said, turning to Dant'A. "I worry about that guy."
Dant'A sighed and slouched over the counter to resume his boredom.
After returning to the docking bay, Lieutenant Commander Porter and Lieutenant J.G. Mason headed back to the Upper Saucer Engineering to run a few internal scans relating to hull integrity around the area of scoring on the hull.
Surprisingly, the room was almost entirely empty when they entered, with one lone ensign watching the status board.
"Did I miss the announcement of the afternoon coffee break?" Porter asked.
"I guess we both did," Mason replied, heading over to a nearby console. He pulled up the current standing repair request listing. "We've got five people shoring up force fields under the damaged area. And everybody else is…" Mason started chuckling.
"What?" Porter asked.
"Looks like the replicator problems are going around. There are thirty calls here about food mysteriously reappearing. And the science labs are having trouble as well. Reactions not occurring, and such. They're blaming us."
"They figured me out. I've secretly sabotaged all of their experiments," Porter said. "I will be the ONLY scientist on the station. HA HA HA!"
"Very convincing, sir."
"Thanks. I just hit maniacal laughter in my How To Be A Villain correspondence course. Next week is mustache twirling," Porter replied, heading toward the exit. "I'm heading to ops to see if I can't figure out what the hell is going on around here."
"Are we even sure that something is actually going on? Looks like random events to me."
"There's a pattern, Mason. And as soon as I figure out what it is, I'll let you know."
Was this some kind of cosmic joke? Divine intervention to prevent his arrest? Cronlo had no idea. He took another lick of his soup on a stick as he sat in Starfleet Square Mall's food court considering the empty shoulder pack on the table in front of him.
How could it be empty? He'd prepared this bag himself, creating a special shielded liner that would render its contents invisible to the scanning security systems in most stores and on Waystation itself. Then he'd gone into Dillon's, put the Holo-Jam in his bag, and slipped out. He remembered each event clearly, so how in all that was Liseppian could it not be in his bag?
There was only one thing for it. He had to try again.
Cronlo made his way back to Dillon's Supply Depot and took a furtive look inside. Bradley Dillon was nowhere to be seen, and the store's two employees where behind the counter locked in some argument about the past relationships of one of their current girlfriends by the sound of it.
He moved through the Dillon's aisles looking for another tempting item. Sure the Holo-Jam was a prime piece of merchandise, but taking the same thing again was just too big of a risk. Soon his eyes locked on the all new TerryFormer III, capable of terraforming a ten square kilometer region but still the same size as the compact TerryFormer, Jr. This little morsel would be worth some serious latinum out in the Cardassian sector.
The device fit snugly in his shoulder pack, but it's not as though the morons behind the counter would notice. Cronlo strolled out the door back into Starfleet Square Mall without so much as a look over his shoulder.
Speaking of his shoulder, why did it suddenly not feel nearly as weighed down.
Cronlo whipped the bag off of his shoulder and practically tore it open.
Empty!
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Cronlo cried, shaking his fists to the sky.
"Pathetic. The whole group of you are nothing but a bunch of whiney pathetic losers who don't deserve to be in my presence much less wear the uniform of Federation Marines," Colonel Martin Lazlo said as he paced in front of a squad of his troops.
"That's the truth," Lieutenant Colonel Dan O'Neal seconded, following two steps behind Lazlo. The gathered Marines in front of them stood in line, stiffly at attention while along the far wall, three silver dodecahedrons hovered. The dodecahedrons, which served as moving targets for the Marines' rifle training, should by all rights have been slag at that moment, which was why Lazlo was currently berating them.
"Am I seriously to believe that fifteen people who are supposed to be among the finest the Federation has to offer can't hit three simple targets? Those don't shoot back! Now tell me what the hell you people are going to do when faced with a real enemy?"
"Um…shoot it?" Corporal Copeland said meekly.
"DIE! You'll all die!" Lazlo bellowed.
"SHUT UP!" Lazlo screamed, sending the Marines hopping back half a step in fear.
"Now watch," he said, his eyes locked on them as he pulled his hand phaser out of his holster and jacked up the power setting. In one fluid motion, he spun toward the target, fired, and…
"WHAT THE HELL!"
Cronlo was almost laughing now, but it was not the laugh of someone who was finding things very funny. There were psychologists who would have had him committed after hearing the laugh emanating from his mouth.
The TerryFormer III was right in front of him…RIGHT BACK ON THE SAME DAMN SHELF HE'D STOLEN IT FROM!
The Liseppian rubbed his hand across his mouth again, his glazed eyes staring at the TerryFormer III.
Fine! If it didn't want to go with him, he'd try something else. Oooh! Excavating mechbots. One of those would just fit in his bag.
Ill-gotten gains safely ensconced in his pack, Cronlo ran out of the store and turned a corner leading toward the restrooms. All right. Now then. Open pack. Look inside. And…
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Richard Theroll winced as Doctor Amedon Nelson turned his arm. "How long ago did you do this?" she asked disapprovingly.
"Last night," Theroll replied sheepishly.
"There are reasons we have holodeck safeties," she said. "Wait a minute. The holodecks weren't online last night. You morons didn't start hacking and slashing each other with your swords for real, did you?"
"Oh no," Theroll said as Nelson went for her bone knitting equipment. "I managed to find a few people to try a dice game, and…well, we had a disagreement."
"I'll say. Your arm's broken in four places. I don't know how you stood it all night."
"Ale. Mead. Ale. More Mead. Ale."
"I get the idea," Nelson said, running the bone knitter over Theroll. "There we go. That should do it," she patted him gently on the arm.
"AUGGGHHH!" Theroll wailed in pain.
"Oh grow up! I just fixed it."
"PAIN! Horrible pain!" Theroll wailed.
Nelson narrowed her eyes skeptically, but scanned the man with her tricorder again just in case. Four fractures were still plainly evident. "Hang on a second," Nelson said, picking her bone knitter back up and scanning it. The device seemed to be working perfectly. She tried fixing Theroll's arm again, then scanned it. Four fractures.
Nelson got another bone knitter and tried again. Four fractures. Now that was impossible.
"Mind if I try something?" she asked.
"I guess," Theroll said. Nelson picked up her laser scalpel and made a small incision on Theroll's arm.
"HEY!" he screamed, then abruptly stopped, following Nelson's surprised stare down to his arm. "I thought you cut me," he said confused.
"I did," she replied.
"I don't see a cut."
"That makes two of us. Excuse me." Nelson turned and headed out of the Infirmary.
"What about my arm?" Theroll called after her.
"Try some more ale."
Okay. One thing could vanish, but not five. Cronlo scooped the five porta-replicator power packs into his bag and ran out of Dillon's Supply Depot and back down the corridor toward the rest rooms.
One might vanish. Even two, Cronlo thought as he pulled his shoulder pack open. But five couldn't…
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
All heads turned toward Lieutenant Commander Porter as he stepped into ops. "Okay. You got me. I ate the last piece of Sean's birthday cake," he said, holding up his hands.
"I knew it!" Lieutenant Sean Russell shouted from the tactical console. "I was saving…"
"Later, Russell!" Captain Beck said tersely as Porter headed toward his station and placed the padd he'd been carrying on the top of his console.
"May I take it that we have a real crisis?" Porter asked Beck.
"Honestly, I'm not sure," Beck said. "Is there a problem in engineering I need to know about? Your people have all gone MIA."
"They're all out on calls," Porter replied. "Replicator problems. Lab reactions not occurring properly."
"Well, since people can't reach engineering, they're comming ops," Beck said. "We've been flooded," she gestured over toward Commander Morales, who did indeed look swamped as he fielded incoming comms. "What the hell is going on?"
"I don't know, but I don't see how it could be an engineering problem. The replicators are a separate system from the labs entirely."
"Beck!" a furious voice shouted. Colonel Lazlo stormed out of the turbolift cradling one of his silver dodecahedrons in his arms. "Explain this!"
"You mistook some modern art for your teddy bear?" Beck said.
"This 'art' is a very sophisticated piece of training equipment, which should by all rights be slag right now!" Lazlo said. "My Marines and I have hit this with everything we have, and look! Not a scratch!"
"I'll have to tell Ih'mad about this. Maybe he could line some of his pots with it."
"This isn't a joking matter, Beck."
"Then what is it, Colonel?" Beck replied. "Your target isn't broken. Why should I care?"
"Because it's wrong!"
Porter tuned out of the conversation for a bit as he checked reports coming in from across the station. More lab reactions. Holodeck problems during a baseball game. The ball was hit, but didn't go anywhere. It was back in the pitcher's mitt.
Reaching for another control, Porter bumped his padd, which toppled off of his console…
…then was right back on the console as though nothing had happened.
Porter froze, staring at the padd. He focused the internal sensors on the padd, then hit it again, knocking it off the console.
It was instantly back on the console.
He tried it one more time. Same result.
The sensor scans didn't show a bit of chronometric activity, which he would expect in such an event. It was almost like the hull breach. An event happened, but the expected result never came. He checked the readouts more closely. What were those quantum fluctuations?
"We have a problem," Porter said, jogging over to Beck and Lazlo.
"What is it?" Beck said.
"Hey!" Lazlo snapped. "I was not through."
"Watch this," Porter said. Suddenly, he hauled off and slugged Lazlo, catching the surprised Colonel square on the jaw. But nothing happened. Lazlo just stood in the center of ops looking bewildered.
"Did you just hit me?" he asked.
"Does it feel like I hit you?"
"No, but…"
"Why don't you go sit in the conference room and think about it or something?" Beck said, shooing the Marine colonel away. Rubbing his jaw checking for any sort of injury or sign that he'd been hit, Lazlo wandered away, muttering to himself.
"You want to explain that to me?" Beck said, turning on Porter.
"You want it in high-tech or low-tech terms."
"Low-tech. The lower the better."
"Continuity's broken," Porter said simply.
"Okay. Maybe a little higher tech than that."
The turbolift doors opened, allowing Dr. Amedon Nelson to charge out into ops. "Somebody had better have a damn good explanation for what the hell is going on in my Infirmary. I've got broken arms I can't heal and cuts that won't stay open!"
"You're just in time," Beck said. "Go ahead, Porter."
"I don't fully understand it all yet, but everything on this station has somehow been affected on the quantum level. Under normal circumstances, we don't notice, but for some reason certain types of actions seem to trigger a sort of quantum fluctuation that prevents the reaction from occurring."
"Like you hitting Lazlo and him not noticing," Beck said.
"Porter hit Lazlo?" Nelson said surprised. "Good for you."
"But he didn't react. To him, it's as though it didn't happen. Chalk it up to quantum weirdness."
"That doesn't make any sense at all," Nelson said.
"But just think, Doc," Russell said suggestively, sliding up next to Nelson. "Every time will be like the first time."
Nelson violently slammed her knee up into Russell's crotch, then hit him with a double-fisted upper cut. Russell flinched, but no pain came. Even though he knew that he wouldn't experience a reaction, the effect was still surprising. "That was…"
"Incredibly unsatisfying," Nelson grumbled. "I'm getting back to my patient, not that I can do a damn thing for him."
"We'll get this resolved, Doctor," Beck said. "But on the bright side, no one else can get hurt."
"I don't suppose we can get drunk either," Nelson said, stepping into the turbolift, which whisked her down toward the mall level.
"Hmm…I don't know about that one," Porter said. "I could go down to Victoria's and run a few tests, though."
"I'd be tempted to join you, but let's figure out what the hell caused this so we can get it fixed," Beck said.
"I have one idea."
Beck and Porter looked at each other. "The ripple," they said in unison.
Cronlo's tears poured into his yet-again-empty bag.
"NOOOOOO!" he wailed, slumping against the wall. "NOOOOOOOO!"
He turned his face to the heavens, his eyes blurry with tears. "Why gods? WHY?"
How long could this go on? Ih'mad watched his patrons frantically stuff food down their throats, only to have it reappear instantly on their plates. The Andorian restaurant owner was completely unaware of the details of the continuity issue plaguing the station. All he knew was that his customers could eat all they liked, but the meal would instantly vanish from their stomachs and reappear on the plates as though it had never been touched.
As a result, his customers were angry…furious even as hunger rumbled within their stomachs. Ih'mad had the distinct feeling that this was going to get ugly very soon.
"Waiter!" a particularly peeved Rigellan shouted, drawing D'aarb, the restaurant's head waiter while Baughb was in exile, over to his table.
"Yes," D'aarb said testily.
"That's 'yes, sir.' Show a little damn courtesy!"
"I would offer you the same suggestion. Now what do you want?"
"Want? I want to eat a meal that actually stays in my damn stomach!" the Rigellan said, standing up toe to toe with D'aarb. Ih'mad, as subtly as possible, inched his way over to the host's stand where he kept his official latinum-crusted Andorian Restauranteurs' Association club.
"If I don't get some satisfaction right now, I'm going to eat you!" the Rigellan bellowed, sending spittle flying in D'aarb's face.
"Then I truly hope you find this satisfying," D'aarb replied flatly. Suddenly, he slammed his tray into the Rigellan's head. The Rigellan shook his head, trying to figure out whether he'd been struck or not. Deciding it didn't really matter, he smashed his fist against D'aarb's blue nose. D'aarb didn't so much as reel back.
D'aarb grabbed a chair and swung it at the Rigellan, who jumped back, causing the chair to shatter against the back of a Yridian woman seated at the next table. A split-second later, the intact chair was back in D'aarb's hand as the woman looked up at him confused.
The entire restaurant had fallen silent by this point, contemplating what they'd just witnessed.
Mere moments later, the sound of thirty battle cries filled the air as the patrons pounced on each other, venting their frustrations through joyous, pain-free mayhem.
Ih'mad smiled and sighed a satisfied sigh. His restaurant was packed, his customers were beating the hell out of each other, and, best of all, his furniture was reforming the second it broke against someone's back or over a head.
Life just didn't get any better than this.
He raised his club, let out a battle cry of his own, then hurtled over the host stand into the churning melee.
"You're mocking me, aren't you?" Cronlo said, whispering conspiratorially at the shelf of Sense-O-Matics sitting in front of him. "Am I really asking so much? Just come with me. I promise I'll treat you well. My quarters here are simple, but clean. We'll travel. I'll take you to a good home elsewhere. Please PLEASE come with me!" Cronlo cried, falling to his knees in front of the shelves.
Dant'A and Ra'Andyl looked up from the holoporn they were watching behind the counter, shrugged, then turned their full attention back to Ravagers of Risa VI.
Porter looked up from his console at Beck, who was waiting expectantly for a report. "It was the ripple all right," Porter said.
"No surprise there," Beck said. "So what do we do about it?"
"Well, the good news is I can create a mirror version of the ripple that should counteract its effect."
"Why am I guessing there's bad news here as well?"
"If my calculations are the least bit off, the core goes and takes the whole station with it," Porter said.
"Correct me if I'm missing something here, Craig, but with continuity out of whack, the explosion won't really happen, right?"
Porter thought for a moment, a smile slowly spreading across his face. "No. I guess not."
"That doesn't mean you have to rush things, though," Beck said.
"Actually, I already did most of the calculations while I was looking at the readings," Porter replied. "I'm ready to go."
"Hopefully you don't mean that in the metaphysical sense," Beck said with a grin. "Go ahead."
"I'm sending the commands to the core now…"
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
As expected, everything was instantly back to normal. Colonel Lazlo charged out of the conference room on the opposite side of the central turbolift shaft, storming over to Beck and Porter.
"Did we just blow up?" he demanded.
"You're still here aren't you?" Beck said. She turned back to Porter. "Adjust those calculations a bit, Craig."
"Working on it…okay. I think I've got it. Sending to the core…"
"Or not," Porter said as they blipped back from the explosion.
"We did blow up!" Lazlo said, turning on Porter with an accusing finger. "And you caused it!"
"Curses. My evil plan's been exposed," Porter muttered.
"Don't get smart with me, Porter. I'll…"
"May I?" Porter asked.
"Please," Beck said.
"You did that on purpose!" Lazlo shouted once the room had reformed around them.
"Little ole' me?" Porter said innocently.
"I should kill you…"
"Don't make me blow up this station again," Porter warned.
"He'll do it, too," Beck said, trying not to laugh in the Colonel's red face. The man was almost vibrating with rage. "Now can we finish our work?"
"All right," Lazlo said, taking a couple of steps back. "But I'm watching you."
"And the feeling gives me such a thrill," Porter said, punching a few last commands in his console. "Sending now…"
Power around Waystation dimmed as a massive wave of energy blasted out of the core in all directions, sending another ripple through the structure.
"Did it work?" Beck asked.
"I'm not sure," Porter said, checking his console. "We didn't blow…hull breach!" he shouted as he watched a section of hull plating of the upper saucer blast outward…just as it had when he'd been outside. "The emergency force fields my people put in place are holding," he finished.
"All right. I get it that your engineers have been working the problems," Beck said. "But that still doesn't answer my question."
"I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens," Porter replied.
All of this eating had officially made Yeoman Tina Jones tired. She ate a meal, then it appeared right back in the replicator, leaving her stomach empty again. She was now up to her fourth attempt at a plain old cheeseburger and fries.
"Computer…OH DEAR GOD!" she cried as her stomach suddenly bloated, threatening to rupture. She collapsed to the floor of her quarters, feeling more full than she ever had in her life.
"Computer," she gasped. "Bucket…hurry."
"That food item is not in the database," the computer replied flatly.
"Bucket!"
"That food…"
Jones tuned the computer out as she began to taste acid in her throat. Seconds later, the inevitable happened.
BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!
Maybe this was a sign. A sign straight from the gods that Cronlo wasn't meant to be a criminal. After fifteen separate attempts to carry a veritable mountain of merchandise out of Dillon's Supply Depot, he'd come away with absolutely nothing.
If that was the way it was going to be, that was the way it was going to be. He'd turn his back on crime and find a new life for himself.
In the more literal sense, Cronlo turned his back on Dillon's Supply Depot and slung his empty bag over his back.
"Even this emptiness is starting to feel heavy all of sudden," Cronlo thought to himself just before he was crushed under a mountain of all the Dillon's merchandise he'd attempted to steal throughout the day which spontaneously appeared in his pack, ripping it too shreds.
Of course, considering Cronlo's condition at the moment, the pack got off easy.
This brawl could go on forever! What a way to live! Ih'mad laughed out loud with joy as he clubbed an elderly Betazoid who'd just stuck a fork in his right antenna. The fork instantly appeared back in the unharmed Betazoid's hand.
"I feel the weight of the universe lifting off of my shoulders," the Betazoid said happily.
"Relaxing, isn't it?" Ih'mad asked, just before clubbing him again.
But in an instant…
"AAAAAAUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!"
Everyone in the restaurant wailed in agony as every single injury they'd sustained hit them at once. All around, the furniture collapsed into splinters with several unconscious patrons following close behind.
"Ow," Ih'mad said simply, then passed out.
In the corridor outside the restaurant, Dr. Amedon Nelson was stopped in her tracks by the screams from inside the restaurant. She peered through the windows at the carnage inside and sighed. So much for her afternoon.
Meanwhile, in ops, Porter's comment of "I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens" was just fading from the air.
Suddenly, Lazlo's head whipped sideways, sending the Colonel staggering. Russell then doubled over, moaning and clutching his crotch. A split second later, his head jerked back as he was launched backwards and landed with a pained thud to the deck.
"I guess it's all fixed," Beck said as Lazlo and Russell moaned in harmony. Beck's eyes widened. "Except…"
"THE CORE!" she and Porter cried. Porter frantically tapped commands into his console, shutting down the core before the station could actually blow up from his earlier failed attempts at creating an anti-ripple.
"There!" Porter announced several seconds later. "The core's coming back up, and we're still alive."
Beck slowly opened her eyes, which she'd clenched shut expecting to be blown to bits. "Are you sure everything is back to normal now?"
"I sure as hell hope so," Lazlo grumbled, clutching his aching jaw. "And I will be filing a report blaming all of you for this."
"We should really run a test to make sure continuity is operating again," Porter said.
"I concur," Beck said. In a blur, she hit Lazlo with a solid punch to the opposite side of his jaw.
"What the hell was that?" Lazlo demanded, cradling his throbbing face.
Beck smiled. "Quantum weirdness."
Tags: Waystation
Alan Decker • 2022 • www.star-traks.com


Most frequently sold out in the streets by roaming vendors, taho is a mixture of silken tofu and arnibal.
Philippine Taho Seller. Photo by Mildred Cruz.
Filipino Taho Street Vendor. Photo by Mildred Cruz.
Photos by Mildred Cruz of the street vendor who sells taho in her barangay every morning.


Who here is into meditation?
Why did you start practicing meditation?
What have your experiences been since you started practicing meditation (how did it change your life, beliefs, etc)?
What books / teachers / schools of thought have been the most helpful to you?
'Mindfulness in Plain English' by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana. Apparently it was written by a ghost technical writer which is why it is so clear. 'Turning the Mind into an Ally' by Sakyong Mipham is also a really great book.
Recently I tried going into a sensory deprivation tank which was the shape of an MRI scanner but roomier and with shallow water. Afterwards when I came out, my senses felt heightened – colours were brighter and sounds were sharper, and time seemed to slow down.
It was a really great (and challenging) exercise because for the first 15 minutes (out of 90 minutes) I was panicking because of the feeling of claustrophobia (the tank door is heavy and closes behind you and it's pretty dark in there). But gradually I realized I had enough air, and enough space, and my body was fine, but it was just my mind which was going crazy.
But a sensory deprivation isn't really necessary for that experience, I was just curious about it. Have a look at those books. The first one in particular will probably answer a lot of questions.
I started meditation when I started practicing yoga. I noticed after a session of breath matched movement I felt extremely content and balanced. Straight meditation is still rather new to me but I like to wind down in random spots at random moments and breathe the mantra "I breathe in I arrive, I breathe out I am home" which I picked up from the book Peace is Every Breath by Thich Nhat Hanh. Very easy to read and very user friendly.
I found meditation to be very useful on a recent turbulent plane ride. The more I meditate, the more familiar I become with this "place". It is like hitting a reset button and all the accumulated tension can be approached from a calmer less attached perspective.
Also there is pure pleasure in breathing. It just plain feels good!
Relax your tongue. When you do so, mental chatter is minimized. Might sound odd but it works brilliantly.


text:
Bachelor of Engineering in Software Engineering (Honours)
The Software engineering programme at Xiamen University (XMU), which was introduced in 2002, is supported by the Software School, one of the 35 national exemplary software engineering schools approved by China's Ministry of Education. The school has established joint research and development collaborations with a number of overseas IT enterprises including MICROSOFT, IBM, BEA, ORACLE, SYBASE, SUN and DELL.
We have achieved great success in cultivating talents with practical abilities and an international outlook in the field of software engineering since the inception of the programme. We were approved as the "Innovative Area of Talent Training Mode" and "Excellent Engineer Training Programme" by China's Ministry of Education. Moreover, the course Software Engineering has been rated as a top-quality course by XMU, Fujian Province, as well as the Ministry of Education respectively.
Our programme at Xiamen University Malaysia Campus is geared at producing graduates who are able to strike a balance between theories and practical implementation in software engineering, applying their knowledge and skills to design, develop, maintain and manage computer and mobile application systems in the context of a real-world engineering environment.
Course Fees (RM)
RM 26,000 (USD 6,190) per year; Estimated Total Cost - RM 104,000 (USD 24,761)
Foreign Degree (Malaysian Branch Campus)
February, April, September
Minimum Grade C (NGMP 2.00) in 2 subjects, and pass in SPM or equivalent with credit in Additional Mathematics
Minimum passes in 2 subjects, and pass in SPM or equivalent with credit in Additional Mathematics
At least Grade B in 5 subjects, including Advanced Mathematic
Matriculation/Foundation
At least CGPA 2.0 in the relevant field, and credit in Additional Mathematics in SPM or equivalent
SAM - TER 70 and Grade B in 2 relevant subjects including Mathematics
CPU - An average of 70% and pass 6 subjects including Mathematics
Direct Entry to Year 2 of Degree
Pass in Diploma in Computer Science/Information System/Information Technology/Software Engineering or equivalent with a minimum CGPA 2.5*, and credit in Additional Mathematics in SPM or equivalent
*Note: Applicant with CGPA of less than 2.5 but more than 2.0 may be accepted subject to a stringent internal evaluation process
All incoming foreign students are required to sit for the English Placement test (if they do not meet the minimum TOEFL or IELTS band score)
Computing Mathematics
C and C++ Programming
Principles of Information Systems
Principles of Artificial Intelligence
Introduction of Software Engineering
Fundamentals of Network Technology
Software Architecture and Design Patterns
Algorithm Analysis and Design
Object Oriented Modeling
Software Quality Engineering
Software Verification and Validation
Digital Media Technology
Advanced Software Engineering
Software Requirement Engineering
Introduction of Cloud Computing
Mobile Application System Design
Technology and Application of Internet of Things
RM 26,000 (USD 6,190) per year

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Quality Insights Quality Innovation Network, chartered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to improve care for Medicare patients, commends Pennsylvania's hospitals for their impressive work in reducing hospital-acquired conditions, as evidenced by a US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) report released earlier this month.
The HHS report estimates that nationally, 87,000 fewer patients died in hospitals between 2010 and 2014, and that hospitals saw 2.1 million fewer incidences of harm such as adverse drug events, pressure ulcers and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI).
As the previous state-based Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Pennsylvania and now as part of the five-state Quality Insights Quality Innovation Network, Quality Insights of Pennsylvania has been partnering with Pennsylvania's hospitals and other healthcare facilities on projects aimed at improving healthcare delivered to people with Medicare since 2002.
We have seen firsthand the hard work, dedication and innovation behind these reductions in harm, and we congratulate the staff in hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, and physician offices on their progress in the face of the complex challenges that accompany transformational change. The significant results of this new report are encouraging and provide validation that we are all moving in the right direction.
Quality Insights is currently working closely with our state's healthcare providers on various patient safety projects such as reducing CAUTI, reducing the use of antipsychotic drugs in nursing homes, and increasing the number of people with Medicare that get preventive vaccines.
There is still much work to be done, both nationwide and within our own state. But, we have 2.1 million reasons to be optimistic for the future.
On behalf of Quality Insights, I look forward to continued collaboration with CMS, our state's healthcare providers and our many other partners as we strive to achieve better care, smarter spending and healthier people. We invite you to join us and learn more at qualityinsights-qin.org.
The holiday season is a time of generosity and kindness but it is also a time of focus on the many in our community who are in need. Many groups and individuals in Lebanon, come together to lift each other up, to help those in need. This is our community at its best.
This time of year reminds me of the good our United Way of Lebanon County does all year. As a board member for almost 20 years, I have seen first-hand how that spirit of caring giving thru United Way extends far into the coming new year to help people of all ages and in all corners of Lebanon County.
Last year, support from our great community helped 53,000 people in need in Lebanon County, supported 23 non-profit partner agencies, and enabled 16 grants for programs targeting specific, local needs. Some of these essential programs would not have survived without these contributions. Such support has made our community richer, fuller, and closer.
During our recent LIVE WARM Drive, United Way volunteers collected and distributed more than 1,600 gloves, mittens, scarves, hats, coats, and other clothing donations to folks needing to keep warm in the winter ahead . It's an example of community members joining together to making a positive impact in the community.
Like many of our neighbors in need of support, some of the organizations that provide care to individuals in Lebanon County are struggling to fund the programs and services they provide. The state budget impasse, limited resources, and increasing community needs all play a part in creating an even larger gap for those requiring services this year. Now more than ever - your support as individuals and businesses is critical.
You can have confidence that your gift to the campaign will be used effectively. Since 1924,The United Way of Lebanon County has served as a trusted bridge between caring givers and those in need— from counseling services to meals for the elderly, from extended services in our public libraries to afterschool programs for youth and so much more.
I'm proud to serve through the United Way and I hope that you will consider joining us in participating in this year's "Great Things Happen When We LIVE UNITED" campaign this holiday season. Every dollar you give makes a difference in the lives of Lebanon County residents.
To learn more and to join us in supporting our community, contact us at unitedwaylebco.org or call 273-8144.


Saima Violet Henio Matson, age 95, passed away peacefully on Wed., June 15, 2016 at her home in Mulino, Ore. She maintained her spirit of independence throughout her 95 years.
She was born July 10, 1920 on Meadowbrook Hill in a bathhouse to Senia Halbacka Henio and John E. Henio. She was the oldest of six children. Saima graduated from Molalla High School in 1938 and this year attended her 78th class reunion.
She married Orien E. Matson (her Honey) on June 9, 1938 and they were blessed with two wonderful children, Judith Ilona Matson Ramsay and John Matson.
Throughout Saima's life she held many unique positions, from being a nanny, working on the family farm, a dietitian at Culver Schools and at the Madras Hospital to name a few.
She was always helping others and upon her retirement in Central Oregon, she moved back to Mulino to care for her mother Senia.
Saima had a passion for life. She loved dancing and recounted many stories of her dancing at the Liberal Dance Hall.
She was the winner of a bathing beauty contest in her early years, a 1937 Princess of the Molalla Buckaroo and an active member of the Buckaroo Royals at her passing. She loved to be part of Molalla's Fourth of July Parade. Her parade wave and smile from the Royal's float will be remembered by us all.
Saima, known to many as Si, Nana, and Mom lived a full life not only in age, but by her loving heart. You could always stop by for a cup of coffee, a sweet treat or loving words.
One of her well-remembered sayings was: "All roads lead to Meadowbrook!" Her cabana, as she called her home, was a sweet little place that has served many as a favorite spot for quick visits, longer stays, or even a simple honk on the way by. She loved her home and took great pride in it.
She called it "her little piece of Heaven", as her yard and home are surrounded with abundant beauty and her favorite things: bright, blooming flowers and bushes; trees she planted when she was young; butterflies, birds and other wildlife; and the beautiful creek she watched every day. Through her love of Mother Nature, she taught many about cultivating flowers, gardens and the Land. She was a teacher of respecting and caring for one another, the world and all living creatures.
She touched many lives in her 95 years and radiated a special kind of love. All of us that had the privilege of knowing Saima will miss her, but she will live on in the kindness she shared and the love she gave us. We love you more Nana, sweet dreams.
In her blessed life she had to say good bye to many loved ones including her Honey, a grandchild, all of her siblings, and both of her children. Even through difficult times she taught us strength and grace.
Family, friends and others whose lives Saima touched, are invited to A Celebration of Saima's Life held at 2:00 pm on July 2, 2016 at the Matson Residence, Mulino, Ore. 97042. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in memory of Saima Violet Matson to the Molalla Adult Center, Meals on Wheels, P. O. Box 797, Molalla, OR 97038.


At the age of twenty I received from God the great gift of vocation.
I would not have entered if there was no war. I was a nurse at that time and my friend took me to SAC for refuge.I was the only nurse there and M Garre was impressed by my self giving. Later M Vittoria Garre sent an old sister to ask her what she intended to do after the war. As Ihe did not know, I was asked to pray to know what God wanted of me.
Later I had a call that Mother Provincial wanted to see me. I was asked to join the sisters, " be one of us", I was very touched by mother's loving ways.
Thus, I presented myself at St Anthony's Canossian Convent and was welcomed with a Canossian embrace, by M Garre.
In 1941, I remembered there were four young ladies. My feeling was so great that I thought I had reached heaven. The novitiate was a long preparation for it was war-time. I made my first profession in June 1946.
Now, I feel very happy. I thank God for this wonderful gift to be the spouse of Jesus Christ. I am waiting to receive the eternal embrace.


Bombay Rayon Fashions Ltd is one of the leading, vertically integrated textile companies in India. They are having a strong presence across the entire value chain of design, yarn dyeing, weaving, fabric processing, garment manufacturing and retail. The company manufactures a wide variety of fabrics and garments. The company operates through 13 manufacturing facilities including one sampling unit in Mumbai. They are located across Bangalore in Karnataka, Navi Mumbai and Thane in Maharashtra and Silvassa; in Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Bombay Rayon Fashions Ltd was incorporated on May 21, 1992 as Mudra Fabrics Pvt Ltd. On October 13, 1992 the company was converted into a public limited company. In September 30, 2004, the company got their present name, Bombay Rayon Fashions Ltd. During the year 2003-04, the company expanded the capacity by adding plant & machinery and other assets to the value of Rs. 402.61 lacs. In the year 2005, the company consolidated the Bombay Rayon Group business into Bombay Rayon Fashions Ltd. In March 2005, Bombay Rayon Private Ltd was amalgamated with the company with effect from April 1, 2004. Also, the two partnership firms namely Garden City Clothing and BR Exports were consolidated with the company with effect from March 1, 2005. This results the consolidation of businesses from fabrics, design development and garments under one corporate roof. In September 5, 2005, the company incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary company, BRFL Europe BV in Almere, Netherlands. In March 2008, the company commenced commercial production in their Garment unit in Bangalore which is having a capacity to manufacture 7.8 million pieces of garments per annum. During the year 2006-07, the company acquired DPJ Clothing Ltd, a UK based company which is engaged business of wholesale marketing and distribution of clothing products. Also, the company incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary namely, Bombay Rayon Retail Ltd with a view to expand into domestic market through retail segment. In April 2007, the company inaugurated the Integrated Textile unit at Doddaballapur in Karnataka. Bombay Rayon Apparels Pvt Ltd was incorporated on June 26, 2007. In August 2007, the said subsidiary company has taken over the garment business from Leela Scottish Lace Pvt Ltd at a consideration of Rs. 155 crore. Subsequent to the takeover, the name of the company was changed to Leela Scottish Lace Pvt Ltd. During the year 2007-08, the company entered into an MOU with Government of Maharashtra for setting up of new capacities for manufacturing of fabrics and garments at various locations. In October 2007, the company acquired LNJ Apparel, a unit of RSWM Ltd which is engaged in the business of manufacturing and exports of garments for a consideration of Rs. 25.50 crore. In May 2008, the company acquired garment business of Maryan Apparels Pvt Ltd for a consideration of Rs. 14.74 crore. The unit is engaged in the manufacturing and exports of garments and is situated at Thiruvananthpuram, having manufacturing capacities of 2.40 mn pcs per annum. In May 5, 2008, the company has set up a subsidiary under name BRFL Italia SRL at Parma, Italy, which has taken over the brand 'Guru', and other retail business of Jam Session Holding S r l, an Italian company. The company is in the process of setting up the manufacturing units in the Integrated Textile Parks at Islampur & Latur. Also, the company approved the Scheme of Amalgamation of Leela Scottish Lace Pvt Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary with the company.
BELOW 102 IS VALUE BUY FOR LONG TERM.


Sporty hatchbacks seem to be the car of choice for the majority of British owners. They look cool, they are practical and can be relatively cheap. The 'hot hatch' was brought to us by a team of Volkswagen engineers who saw the potential in the Volkswagen Golf, and after working on it in the early 70's, they eventually produced the VW Golf GTI, which was the start of the Hot Hatch revolution. In honour we have compiled a small list of our favourite hot hatches.
The Ford Focus ST hatchback is one of the bigger cars in the line-up but its extra size doesn't compromise its performance in the slightest! The Focus ST can hit 60mph in 6.5 seconds and offers a top speed of 154mph. As is the way with hot hatches the Focus is incredibly fun to drive but it offers a little more than the others in terms of space. Carrying passengers is made much more bearable not only because of the space, but also because it has 4 doors. For some this means the focus suffers in terms of sporty looks as a result. But we think it looks just as good as other hatches, and we'd rather not have our passengers climb over the driver's seat.
Technically the Scirocco isn't a Hot Hatch, but it's our list so we're going to put it in! It looks the part anyway and it is superb. This is probably our favourite looking of the list; it is sleek, aggressive and unique. Furthermore it is an absolute thrill to drive, it handles well and is pretty pacey. It has received a lot of praise from reviews as it ticks all the boxes. For what it is the Scirocco has got a pretty appealing price tab which starts from £20,550 though you could save at least 5 grand by buying a second hand Volkswagen Scirocco.
Another Ford and another classic. This is easily the most popular car on the list and for good reason. The Ford Fiesta ST has won numerous awards in the hot hatch category thanks to the excellent driving experience it offers coupled with its modern streamlined looks. The fact that is so fun to drive does mean that fuel prices are a little on the large side compared to some of the others in the class but it is a small price to pay for the pleasure the performance provides.
The Seat Ibiza Hatchback is one of the main rivals to the Fiesta and the rivalry really heats up when we consider the SEAT Ibiza Cupra. Whilst it might fall short of the Fiesta in some respects you'd get a fair chunk off the price if you opted for the Ibiza over the Fiesta. If you wanted to go cheaper still you can get a good deal on a second hand SEAT Ibiza online.


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Security Companies Exaggerating Hackers' Skills?
The technical director of the UK's National Cyber Security Centre has said in a security conference speech that computer security companies may be exaggerating the abilities of malicious hackers.
Exaggerating to Boost Security Sales
During a speech at the Usenix Enigma security conference, Dr Ian Levy of the National Cyber Security Centre appeared to say that computer security companies who specialise in cyber security, may be simply playing up the abilities hackers' as a means to boost sales of their own security hardware and services to frightened businesses.
Like Witchcraft
During the speech, Dr Levy is reported as saying that the extent to which the hackers' skills had been overplayed, and the way in which security companies appeared to be saying that only they could defeat them, were similar to the idea of medieval "witchcraft". Carrying on the theme, Dr Levy is reported to have said that security companies have therefore been able to depict their hardware as being a kind of "magic amulet" that could defeat hackers.
Dr Levy reportedly drew attention to the fact that the security companies were incentivised to define, often using frightening language, a false public perception of hackers as being like highly skilled masterminds.
Not Always That Sophisticated
One example that Dr Levy used in the speech to illustrate the point that cyber attacks are often not very sophisticated, was from last year. Dr Levy highlighted the case of a UK telecommunications company that had been attacked using a technique that was even older than the teenager who was thought to be responsible for the attack.
NCSC Already Protecting Government Departments
One key message of the speech was that the work of the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), which was only set up in October, has already been responsible for protecting a government department from spam, phishing and other web-borne attacks. The system used by the NCSC for that department had been so successful that it may now be rolled out to other departments.
What Does This Mean For Your Business?
Although Dr Levy made some good points, it should be viewed in the context of a speech made by someone with detailed insider knowledge, just before a Commons Public Accounts Committee issued a report that questioning the effectiveness of the UK's digital defences.
For Businesses, who are not experts on cyber threats and security, and who are faced with anecdotal evidence, regular media reports, perhaps personal experience, and reports showing cyber crime levels as being high, an assumption that cyber criminals are sophisticated and skilled is a healthy one. The NCSC does offer some useful cyber security advice to and recommendations to business. It is also important for businesses to take the threat of data breaches and cyber crime seriously and to, at the very least, set up simple systems and methods to tackle the basic known threats. This could include:
Making sure that staff receive the relevant awareness raising messages and training to ensure compliance, best practices, and to help avoid costly human errors.
Making sure that default passwords aren't used, passwords are made strong and /or are changed frequently and / or making 2 factor authentication compulsory.
Keeping up with patching and updates for all computers, even the old ones that don't get used often. Make sure that third-party CMS plug-ins are patched too.
Helping to defend against phishing by making sure that your email filtering works well, segmenting your network, and using layered authentication rather than static passwords when moving around networks.


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32nd State Controller Betty Yee of California
California State Controller Betty Yee
c/o Office of the California State Controller
300 Capitol Street, Suite 1850
Dear State Controller Yee,
My name is Matt Winick, an Asian American from Ann Arbor, Michigan and I have a strong interest in learning history including social justice. In these subjects, I like to learn the need for Civil Rights to be stronger to reduce discrimination, protect the environment from pollution, and many others. State Controller Yee, the main reason I'm writing you a letter is to explain how I find your work when you served as California Board of Equalization from the 1st District and current role as 32nd State Controller of California to be very inspiring to me.
When you served as Member of the California State Board of Equalization from the 1st District from 2005-2015, I truly appreciated on how you were a strong supporter of Civil Rights by advocating for people with disabilities' rights, supporting funds to help fund women including minorities businesses to help them compete in the economy, and expressing the need for equal pay for women to help protect them from being discriminated based on gender. On the environment, I liked on how you supported funds for renewable energy resources help reduce addiction to oil with gas and work with both political parties in the Members of the California State Board of Equalization to provide funds to local cities to help clean up parks including water resources to make them safe for people to use. On education I like on how you supported to fund special education to help students with disabilities get accommodations they need to learn and implemented after school programs to provide students with help on their assignments from tutors. Expressing the need to raise the minimum wage to help assist minimum wage workers afford to live and expanding job-training programs to help train youth including workers develop work-skills to help prepare to work for the workforce is common sense to improve the economy. In your current role as 32nd State Controller of California, I like on how you are a continuous supporter of Civil Rights including people with disabilities' rights, provide funds to help restore historical sites including museums or attractions to help restore them along with improve learning, work on pushing for ethics reform like banning gifts to staff members or public officials from lobbyist to reduce corruption, and advocate for the need for affordable housing to help people who are poor or can't afford to live get shelter. Besides your work in public service, I like on how you use your role as an Asian American to advocate for Asian Americans including Asian American with people with disabilities' rights, work with the Asian American communities get fund to help repair them, and express the need for immigration reform to help protect immigrants including refugees from being oppressed.
State Controller Yee, I have autism with a learning disability. Having a disability is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different advance subjects, sometimes I struggle to communicate my thoughts, and get teased. Your commitment to be a strong supporter of Civil Rights including people with disabilities' rights really inspires me to work hard on my disability. Also your role as former Member of the California State Board of Equalization from the 1st District and as current 32nd State Controller of California gives me some motivation to continue to learn history including social justice. Also being an Asian American with a disability is difficult when some Asians or some Asian Americans tease me or get judgmental about me being different. Your advocacy for Asian American rights including Asian Americans with disabilities' rights helps give me some confidence about being an Asian American when I face different challenges. My future goal is to someday work in these areas to help emphasize the need to make civil rights stronger to reduce discrimination, protect the environment from pollution, and many others.
I strongly believe that you made a great difference in public service. I'm very proud on how you are working hard to support civil rights, protect the environment, expand on ethics reform, and advocate for Asian American communities. You have inspired me to work hard on my disability, be confident about being an Asian American when I face challenges, and to continue to learn history including social justice. Thanks for taking the time to reading my letter, working hard to make a great difference, and inspiring me. Please continue to advocate for common sense ideas.
Mr. Christopher Gorham Actor Covert Affairs
Mr. Christopher Gorham
Insatiable Season 2 (Until Jun 25 2019)
c/o EUE/Screen Gems Studio
175 Lakewood Way SW
Dear Mr. Gorham,
My name is Matt Winick and I'm a fan of your acting. My favorite tv show that you played in was Covert Affairs. Covert Affairs was a great tv show on USA Network about Annie Walker, a young CIA trainee who is sent to work in the Domestic Protection Division to stop terrorism across the globe including in her home country. Mr. Gorham, I thought you did an excellent job portraying as August Auggie Anderson because I liked on how you made him have different unique traits like working hard to overcome different challenges on his disability which is blind to help the agency, being a mentor to Annie to help provide tips or knowledge to help her on the field, and being loyal to his own team when they face politics. In Covert Affairs I enjoyed watching season1 through 5 because I like seeing how Annie would work on improving herself in the spy world while balancing her personal life, seeing Auggie and Annie have a friendship including partnership along with being in a relationship, and many others.
Mr. Gorham, I have autism with a learning disability. Having a disability is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different advance subjects, sometimes I struggle to communicate my thoughts, and get teased. Your character Auggie on working to overcome his disability in Covert Affairs really inspires me to work hard on my disability. Also Covert Affairs show helped me continue my interest in watching spy theme movies including tv shows like 007 James Bond movies.
I strongly believe that you are a very talented actor. You do such an excellent job making your character Auggie in Covert Affairs have different unique traits. You have inspired me to work hard on my disability and be a fan of Covert Affairs. I was wondering if you could please take the time to answer some of my questions that I have. Thanks for taking the time to read my letter and doing an excellent job acting. I wish you the best.
Mr. Ricky Schroder Actor
Mr. Ricky Schroder
c/o Ricky Schroder Productions
22603 Pacific Coast Highway
Dear Mr. Schroder,
My name is Matt Winick and I'm a fan of your acting. My favorite tv shows that you played in were Silver Spoons, NYPD Blue, and Strong Medicine. Silver Spoons was a great comedy show about Ricky Stratton who moves in a mansion of his father who he never met and understand life. In Silver Spoons, I liked on how it focus on Ricky trying to improve his relationship with his father, understand how friendships work when he struggle to make friends including fit in, and many others. NYPD Blue was a an awesome crime drama about how NYPD police detectives solve cases along with how they deal with trying to balancing their work life along with their personal life. I liked on how you made Detective Danny Sorenson a unique character in NYPD Blue by making him have traits like examining evidence to help the other detectives in the unit solve cases, learning on the job to improve himself to gain more experience on the job, and many others. Another show that I really enjoy watching was Strong Medicine. Strong Medicine was a great medical drama show about Dr. Lu Delgado who works with other doctors and a staff at Rittenhouse Health Center where they help patients with different medical issues. In Strong Medicine, I liked on how the show focuses on social justice, different health issues, and class conflict. Also in the show I really liked on how each on the main characters would have different unique traits and do soul-searching to find ways to help use a different approach to a situation. Mr. Schroder, I thought you did an excellent job making Dr. Dylan West a great character on Strong Medicine because I like on how you made Dr. West have great traits like willing to work hard to get along with Dr. Lu Delgado when they have differences, wanting to improve himself on different skills to learn from his mistakes, wanting to go the extra mile to help patients who have trouble with different things in their lives, and many others. Also in Strong Medicine season 6 I like on seeing how Dr. Dylan West would work together with Dr. Lu Delgado to find some common ground to help each other.
Besides your acting, I truly appreciate your activism on supporting Civil Rights including people with disabilities' rights causes, advocating for the need to reduce bullying, expressing the need for diversity to make society including entertainment accept people who are different, and expanding funds for the arts to make entertainment better for people. Mr. Schroder, I have autism with a learning disability. Having a disability is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different advance subjects, sometimes I struggle to communicate my thoughts, and get teased. Your commitment to be a strong supporter of Civil Rights including people with disabilities' rights really inspires me to work hard on my disability. Another thing that I struggle with a disability is when I have trouble with friendships when I lose some friends when they lose faith in me due to having a disability and some peers of friends get judgmental about me. Your characters Ricky Stratton in Silver Spoons and Dr. Dylan West in Strong Medicine helps give me some motivation to try to understand how friendships works when things get difficult and find ways to improve myself so I won't repeat the mistakes.
I strongly believe that you are a very talented actor. You do such an excellent job making your characters have different unique traits. You have inspired me to work hard on my disability, try to understand life including friendships when things get difficult, and be a fan of your acting. I was wondering if you could please take the time to give me some advice about working hard on my disability when I face different challenges. Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, doing an excellent job making a great difference, and inspiring me. Please continue to make a great impact on society.
P.S. my letter is a gift to you for inspiring me and to wish you a Happy Birthday for April 13th.
Ms. Naomie Harris actress
Ms. Naomie Harris
Bond 25 (March 4 2019-May 15 2019)
c/o Pinewood Studios
Pinewood Road
Iver Heath
SL0 0NH
Dear Ms. Harris,
My name is Matt Winick and I'm a fan of your acting. My favorite movies that you played in were Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, 007 Skyfall, and 007 Spectre. Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom was a great biopic movie about Nelson Mandela's life on how he work hard overcome his struggles to advocate for the need to end apartheid in South Africa. You did an excellent job portraying as Winnie Mandela because I liked on how you made her a great historical figure like caring about her husband Nelson Mandela when he faces discrimination including facing difficult times when he is in prison for speaking out against apartheid and continuing the work to combat against apartheid when Nelson Mandela is in jail. The movie did an excellent job explaining what South Africa was like when Africans were suffering to discrimination in the apartheid laws, how Neslon Mandela along with Winnie Mandela worked hard to fight for African rights including combat against the apartheid movement. In 007 Skyfall and 007 Spectre, I enjoy the plot of the James Bond movies about how James Bond works to stop different organizations that are trying to destroy the world. Ms. Harris, you do such an excellent job making Ms. Eve Moneypenny a great character in the bond films because I liked on how you made Ms. Mooneypenny have different unique traits like caring about James Bond's wellbeing when he has a struggle on a mission, being resourceful at different information to provide 007 with help on the mission, and many others. Another thing is I think that you and Mr. Daniel Craig do an excellent job making Ms. Moneypenny and James Bond a great team.
Ms. Harris, I have autism with a learning disability. Having a disability is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different advance subjects, sometimes I struggle to communicate my thoughts, and get teased. Your acting really inspires me to work hard on my disability. Also your role in Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom helps me continue my motivation to continue to learn history. In history I like to learn about how famous people or different individuals (minorities, women, and people with disabilities) work hard to make a great difference, the need for human rights including civil rights to reduce discrimination, protect the environment from pollution, and many others. Also I'm a James Bond fan because I liked on how James Bond would have a sense of humor, use gadgets to help him on missions, and many others.
I strongly believe that you are a very talented actress. You really do such an excellent job making characters have great traits. Another thing is you did a great job making Ms. Moneypenny a great bond character. You have inspired me to work hard on my disability, be motivated to continue to learn history, and continue being a James Bond fan. I was wondering if you could please take the time to answer some of my questions. Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, doing an excellent job acting, and inspiring me. I wish you the best to continue acting and to continue to make Bond movies fun to watch.
Mr. Bob Newhart Actor
Mayor Catherine S. Blakespear of Encinitas, Califo...
Ms. Mary McCormack Actress (In Plain Sight tv show)
50th Attorney General Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania
Ms. Susan Sarandon actress
Honorable Bill Walker of Alaska


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EMX's Kjøli project is located in the historic Røros mining district in southern Norway. The Kjøli Project represents an extensive trend of VMS-type occurrences and historic mines. Kjøli is positioned along the northern extension of the belt of VMS deposits in Norway that comprise the greater Røros district, which has seen mining for over 300 years, beginning in the mid-1600's. The Kjøli project contains the Killingdal mine, which operated from 1677-1986, and produced 2.96 million tonnes averaging 1.7% copper, 5.5% zinc, and 0.4% lead*. Recent airborne geophysical surveys identified numerous exploration targets on the Kjøli project that have not yet been followed up.
In August 2020 EMX announced the execution of an option agreement for Løkken project with New Dimension Resources (renamed to Capella Minerals TSX-V: CMIL, FRA: N7D2)("CAP") which provides EMX with up to a 9.9% equity interest in CAP, annual advance royalty payments, 2.5% Net Smelter Returns ("NSR") royalty interests in the Projects and other considerations. See Company news release dated August 11, 2020 for more information.
*Historic production figures are from Birkeland, A. (1986) Mineralogisk og geokjemisk undersokelseav Killingdal gruver, Sor-Trondelag. M. Scient. Thesis, University of Oslo in Geological Survey of Finland, Special Paper 53 pg. 86.
Note: The nearby mines and deposits mentioned above provide context for EMX's Project, which occurs in a similar geologic setting, but this is not necessarily indicative that the project hosts similar tonnages or grades of mineralization.


Look who joined us this past weekend!
Chris Stefanick had a great message.
This entry was posted in Catholic Men's Conference 2018, Dr. Scott Sullivan, Red Shirt Activites and tagged Catholic Men's Conference 2018, Chris Stefanick, scott hahn, www.FremontCatholicMensGroup.org on March 1, 2018 by ManofFaith.


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Previous articleThe Inside Voice: An Interview with Mac Huff
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By Erin Guinup
When I was an undergrad, I was told that belting would ruin my voice. I shunned the music I loved and focused solely on building my voice for opera. At that time, most of the voice educator community scorned contemporary commercial music, and few people were teaching it or training others. However, as musical theatre has rapidly grown in popularity, there has been a huge surge of research to improve our understanding of what is happening acoustically and anatomically when these sounds are made. These findings have disproven claims that belting is inherently damaging to the voice.
Belting is prominent in most of the music our students are listening to, including pop, rock, soul, world music, and of course, musical theatre. When I finally returned to musical theatre, I found that my classical technique did not automatically enable me to sing all the styles I loved and required substantial adaptation. Regardless of whether we endorse these styles or not, many of our students will in fact belt one out from time to time. We can be better music educators if we adapt our understanding to take advantage of their passion and empower our students to find greater confidence in their voice.
What Is Belting?
Belting is an umbrella term to describe chest voice quality, but most of the time singers do not sing exclusively in this way. Thyroarytenoid (TA) and cricothyroid (CT) muscles are both active in any healthy voice. TA-dominance is responsible for chest voice quality and CT-dominance is responsible for head voice quality as the vocal folds become either thick and short or thin and lengthened.
Children naturally yell and use a TA-dominant sound as they play on the playground, and CT-dominant sound is common as we sigh (or "whoop," as described by Professor Kenneth Bozeman, chair of the voice department at Lawrence University). The key to belting is to maintain balance between these two primal vocal instincts.
While understanding these mechanics is important for teaching students to belt, the most critical skill needed is listening to develop an aural aesthetic for this genre. Simply listening will help you hear that the tone derives from a speech-like quality, that songs are seldom belted throughout, and that there is a difference in timbre and the pressure required to produce this sound. While listening, keep in mind that cast recordings are engineered and it is nearly impossible to create the same results live.
As you listen, you may notice some of these general differences between the head voice heard in classical singing and belting heard in musical theatre:
Classical Belt
Head-dominant based Chest-dominant with pressure as pitch ascends, based on speech
Legato emphasis Text-driven delivery
Balanced resonance (warm/rich) Twang/extremely bright
Low larynx Floating larynx (may be elevated)
Rounded lips Retracted, wider lips
Inverted megaphone mouth Megaphone mouth
Low to moderate subglottic pressure Higher subglottic pressure
High breath flow with breath support Low breath flow resulting in longer closed phase
Vibrato is even Vibrato is sparing
Strong first formant (F1) tracks the first harmonic (H1) Strong first formant (F1) tracks the second harmonic (H2)
Thinner, lengthened vocal folds Short, thicker vocal folds
As you begin to work with singers, it is helpful to consider why there are differences between classical and musical theatre singing in the first place. Musical theatre singers average eight shows a week and audiences expect visceral performances that feel heroic and heartbreaking every time. Whereas classical singing developed in Europe and generally prioritizes beauty of tone, musical theatre evolved out of the demands of this predominantly American genre. Influenced by jazz, rock, blues, hip hop and more, audiences expect the music to reflect the aesthetic heard in pop culture and to vocally and physically embody their characters. A strong emphasis on text and story means that songs often seamlessly transition from speech to singing, and emotional response, rather than beauty of tone, is the priority.
My strategy for working with students is to help them get to a healthy functioning sound that they can feel good about as soon as possible. There are many ways to accomplish this – here are a few:
Ensure that the student has access to his/her head voice (CT-dominant sound) as it is easier to add extra weight to the tone than to lighten up. I often use SOVT (semi-occluded vocal tract) exercises and "ooh" descending scales.
Practice calling out with phrases such as "Hey," "Hey taxi," and "Hey, hey, hey, I'm Yogi Bear!" I encourage students to make the sound bright and free of tension. They may feel a bit of pressure in their chest, but I want to make sure they aren't tightening their throats.
Call out "1, 2, 3, 4, 5" at the same volume without tension.
Extend the length of each word as you call out "1, 2, 3, 4, 5" after mastering this practice without a deep breath and noticing that not a lot of breath is needed.
Transition into speech-like singing with phrases using an interval of a fifth (a natural occurrence in speech). Penn State voice professor Norman Spivey uses the phrases, "May I come in?" and "Oh no you don't" on a 1-5-5-1 pattern.
I encourage my students to play with sounds and experiment within certain parameters. I often say that though they may not know how to sing the song, their character does. Connecting with the motivations of the character will often help overcome technical weakness when given some foundation and guidance. Some common mistakes I hear students make are:
Relying entirely on belt rather than mixing. I remind students that most singers do not spend a whole song in a full belt and need to mix by balancing the tone with more head voice quality and saving the heavier chest voice quality for the climaxes.
Trying to belt with a breathy quality, which indicates incomplete vocal fold closure. These students benefit from brighter resonance and onset work. Be aware that girls in early to mid teens go through a stage of vocal change where sound becomes more breathy due to cartilages changing size at different rates (mutational chink), and this can temporarily make belting more challenging.
Forgetting tension is the enemy of sound. The most common tension I see from belters is from the extrinsic swallowing muscles.
Holding back because they don't trust themselves. There is no halfway in belting. It is loud and powerful, and students may need encouragement to really go for it.
As we embrace the interest in contemporary music and musical theatre and educate ourselves, we can help our students thrive singing the music that they love.
Here are some resources to help practice belt singing:
Musical Theater Anthologies
Broadway Vocal Scores
Broadway Vocal Selections
Stage & Screen for Young Vocalists
Choral Music Show Tunes
Musical Theater Junior Shows
Erin Guinup is the founding Executive and Artistic Director of the Tacoma Refugee Choir. In their first three years, they have welcomed over 400 people from 45 countries and performed for over 21,000 people at events including WE Day, Race & Pedagogy National Conference, and the Families Belong Together Rally in collaboration with Grammy-winning recording artists and political leaders. They received standing ovations at TEDxSeattle and have been featured on PBS and network television sharing their unique combination of hope, integration, empowerment, advocacy, and entertainment. Erin's internationally performed one-woman show, "The Ladies of Lyric and Song: Female Composers and Lyricists of the American Musical Theatre" has been praised as "an amazing tour-de-force," and she frequently performs as a guest soloist with ensembles including Northwest Repertory Singers and Tacoma Concert Band. Specializing in both classical and contemporary technique, she is a sought after clinician and voice teacher with students on Broadway, regional theatre and operatic stages, and television's American Idol, The Voice, and America's Got Talent. Other career highlights include conducting the world premiere of Orson Scott Card and Mark Mitchell's "He is There" and annual performances of Rob Gardner's "Lamb of God" and Handel's "Messiah"; singing with Israeli-Palestinian choir Common Ground Voices in Jerusalem and Europe; and vocal workshops with Fortune 100 companies. She is a composer and author, contributing to the books "So You Want to Sing Music by Women" and "My Body Was Left on the Street: Music Education and Displacement."