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Review: Just Immigration
October 24, 2017 October 23, 2017 / rtrube54
Just Immigration, Mark R. Amstutz. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2017.
Summary: A carefully researched work on American immigration policy, various Christian responses and why they generally fall short and the necessity of nuanced advocacy that recognizes the competing values of compassion, the rule of law, and the requirements of justice.
Immigration is perhaps one of the most contentious public policy issues facing the United States (and other nations today). While some want to "build the wall" others are announcing that they are "sanctuary cities" or at least "sanctuary churches." Immigration policy is incredibly complicated as the competing demands of immigration for business, for study, for reuniting families, for representing diverse populations, for providing asylum and accommodating refugees, and dealing with the unauthorized entry of people, some for nefarious reasons, and others simply to work.
The popular perception is that our immigration system is "broken" and needs radical attention. Yet in terms of sheer numbers, the United States in recent years has admitted more immigrants than any other country (although some other countries have higher per capita immigration rates). Because of our oceans, we have been less involved in recent refugee resettlements than many European countries. All of this moves many Christians to insist we need a more just and compassionate immigration policy, one that is much more consistent with a biblical commitment to "welcome the stranger."
Mark R. Amstutz takes a much more careful look at American immigration than most have, and challenges American Christians in this work that they need to do likewise. He begins by a careful and extensive description of how the American immigration system works and the various agencies involved with immigration. From this, Amstutz summarizes the strengths and shortfalls of the current system. For strengths, he sees a system that is relatively generous in admissions, that prioritizes family ties, that seeks to be inclusive in its use of diversity visas, is committed to due process protections, and shows special concerns for the persecuted and abused. At the same time, we provide inadequate numbers of work visas for our work force requirements, chain migration concentrates immigration numbers on family-based visas, while at the same times delaying family reunifications, sometimes up to twenty years, we have inadequate employment verification processes, inadequate tracking procedures for nonimmigrant visitors, weak border security and problems in our judicial processes. The biggest challenge is how we deal with unauthorized (or illegal) immigration, which is where concerns for compassion bump up with real questions about the undermining of the rule of law when laws are not enforced, while many unauthorized immigrants (11 million or so) "live in the shadows."
Amstutz sees two competing theories concerning immigration that undergird the differences people have. One is a cosmopolitan approach that sees us all as one people sharing the planet and minimizes the nation-state. The other is the communitarian that recognizes the world as a series of nation-states with the right to regulate borders. This ultimately leads to conflicting priorities that acknowledge that any person should have the right to emigrate at will, but that no one has a right to be admitted to another country.
After overviewing the theoretical constructs brought to this discussion outside the church, he turns to the thinking of Christians in the Roman Catholic Church, with evangelical, and mainline Protestant bodies. In general, what Amstutz found was some biblical theology around immigration, and then public policy advocacy that did not particularly connect to their biblical convictions. In general, very few statements provided any extended moral analysis of American immigration policy, and that while most came down heavily to advocate compassion for immigrants and refugees, and amnesty for unauthorized immigrants and their children. Few dealt with the issues around law enforcement and the rule of law in anything more than passing references. Furthermore, most were directed to the political process, and in many cases little attention was given to congregational education. Amstutz acknowledges that there is often a wide divide between leaders and their congregational base.
Amstutz holds up as a model of the kind of statement that can be effective, he points to the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops statement on nuclear arms during the 1980's. This statement took several years to draft, involved careful biblical and theological work, and careful moral analysis based on extensive research on the nuclear arms and strategy. An eye was given both to catechesis in the church and public advocacy and because of this careful work, the document did shape public discourse on nuclear arms and may have contributed to nuclear disarmament.
This is the best book I've found on this topic for several reasons. One is that it provides good, detailed information on how our immigration system works, in its strengths and weaknesses. Also, this is a good book for those who want to take a hard look at what the Bible says about this issue who have concerns both about compassion and about justice, including the rule of law. It is valuable in assessing the various statements that have been made by church bodies about immigration. Amstutz is thoughtful about what can realistically be accomplished, in talking about "proximate justice." It is a book that can equally challenge those on the compassion side and those on the law and order side of the discussion, and may provide a meeting place for those who want to work toward proximate solutions that recognize both concerns.
Perhaps the most challenging message of this book is that we often have responded in public discussions on this issue out of poorly formed biblical frameworks and moral sentiments–that we have not done the hard intellectual work to make a constructive contribution at a policy level, or to provide teaching that doesn't simply feel like the propaganda of the left or the right. We often simply have wanted to do something, to advocate for something, to resist something. Might it be that our "ready, fire, aim" approach to these things accounts for the counterproductive character of the conversation? Could it be that the careful work of study, moral analysis, and then thoughtful advocacy and service is what's called for?
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Immigration, Mark R. Amstutz, Public policy
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Wrinkles are a natural part of aging, but they can sometimes make you look older than you feel. Dr. Hussam Kujok uses the advanced cosmetic laser technologies Pellevé® and Cynosure ICON® to help his patients smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles at the NorCal Medical and Aesthetic Center in Carmichael, California. Call or book online to discuss how cosmetic lasers can give you smoother skin.
What treatments are available to reduce wrinkles?
Botox® and laser resurfacing are two of the most popular methods. Botox injections block the signals from the nerves to the muscles, so the muscles can no longer contract. Laser resurfacing stimulates collagen production.
While there are many options to reduce wrinkles, Dr. Kujok believes that cosmetic laser treatments are the most effective and typically the best choice for more lasting results.
Some laser technologies require ongoing maintenance treatments, while others offer results in just one session. The lasers safely use gentle heat and laser energy to promote the growth of collagen and new skin. The procedures are quick, safe, and virtually painless. Topical numbing cream is applied to the area to reduce any possible discomfort.
Pellevé is an exciting, innovative laser technology that uses heat to stimulate collagen growth and rejuvenate your skin. Radiofrequency produces the heat, and the level is adjustable. It's a skin-tightening system that can even treat the delicate areas around your eyes and above your top lip.
The Cynosure ICON Laser successfully reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles by delivering laser energy deep into your skin and stimulating the regeneration of brand new skin. It's an excellent treatment alternative that doesn't involve surgery or an extended recovery period.
ICON is entirely safe and effective. It even has unique dual cooling modules to ensure your comfort.
The results of your laser treatments depend on the depth and location of your wrinkles, and the way your skin reacts to the laser. You may need multiple treatments to achieve optimal results.
Dr. Kujok will discuss the wrinkle-reduction laser treatments with you in more detail at your consultation, and he will devise a custom treatment plan to help you achieve your desired look.
If you want to improve the appearance of your wrinkles, call the NorCal Medical and Aesthetic Center or book an appointment online.
Click here for a before and after gallery.


Last March 23, 2018, I had the opportunity for the first time in my more than sixty years of giving speeches to address the most heterogeneous audience as regards the ages of those present. It was the graduation or moving up of three sets of students at the Rosevale School run by parents in Cagayan de Oro. The oldest batch was made up of those finishing their senior year (or Grade 12). The second batch were those transitioning (or moving up) from Grade 10 (junior high school) to Grade 11 (senior high school). The youngest were those graduating from Grade 6 of elementary school to first year high school. This was a milestone for me also because it was the first time I addressed products of the newly installed K to 12 curriculum. Obviously, as in all graduations or moving up ceremonies in the Philippines, there were the ubiquitous parents, grandparents and even great grandparents. It was a challenge to deliver a talk to those four or five generations and say things that would interest them all.
Fortunately, as I found out when I heard the Valedictorian of the Grade 6 group deliver a talk, the school has such a high quality of education that the 12-year-olds in that batch were very mature and could understand issues and matters of interest to the adults. There was no need for me to engage in child talk. I did not hesitate to tell them that all those who were graduating or moving up are very fortunate because they will be seeing the Philippines transition from Third World to First World in their lifetime, i.e. the next twenty to thirty years. Their parents and even grandparents were glad to hear this prediction because, given the increasing longevity of Filipinos and especially Filipinas as the Philippines attains First World status, many of them can still realistically expect to live at least another twenty years or more (in the next twenty years, the parents of the graduating students would be only in their late fifties and the grandparents would be in their late seventies or eighties).
What does it mean to be a First World country? In per capita income terms, that means that in the next twenty years, the Philippines can aspire to move first toward an upper middle-income economy with a per capita income ranging from $3,955 to $12,235 (in today's prices). That means we would resemble Malaysia, China or South Africa today. Then in those twenty years, we can finally reach a standard of living of those who have per capita incomes of $12,235 (also in today's prices) and up. That would make us comparable to Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, or Spain today. Like these countries today, we would be able to bring our poverty incidence (percentage of population living below the poverty threshold) to single digit levels (from more than 20 percent today). In fact, a leading investment bank Goldman Sachs had forecasted that by 2050 the Philippines will be the seventeenth largest economy in the world.
To explain my optimism about the long-term prospects of the Philippine economy, I told them the reasons why my own generation (the baby boomers) and the Generation X (those born between 1965 to 1982) saw the Philippines deteriorate from being the most advanced economy in Asia, next only to Japan, to the "sick man of Asia" by the end of the last century. Cutting a long story short, I told them that the most important reasons had to do with erroneous economic policies. For almost fifty years after the Second World War our leaders implemented an inward-looking industrialization strategy that spawned a host of very capital-intensive and unproductive industries that were protected from international competition by high tariff walls, very low interest rates, and a strong peso. These industries were concentrated in the National Capital Region, leading to a very unbalanced growth that kept the regions outside Metro Manila economically backward. This strategy prevented the country from taking full advantage of its demographic dividend as our neighbors did. The tiger economies (first Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea and then later, Thailand and Malaysia) followed the exact opposite and nurtured export-oriented, labor intensive industries that took advantage of the global markets to sell their goods and to employ their people. To make matters worse, unlike what Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia did, we completely neglected countryside and rural development by underinvesting in farm-to-market roads, irrigation systems, post-harvest facilities and other services that the poor farmers needed to earn a decent living. Of course, corruption also siphoned off large amounts of money away from development, but so did governments in South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand. In fact, even today South Korea and Malaysia—already middle-income or First World economies—are still struggling to eradicate corruption. I mention this so that we do not despair if it will take us a longer time to remove corrupt officials from both the public and private sectors.
Fortunately, over the last fifteen to twenty years at least, we have been overturning these flawed economic policies. Our Governments have been moving away from the inward-looking, protectionist policies and have been encouraging more labor-intensive industries though more realistic exchange rate and interest rate policies. Especially under the present Government that has implemented a very aggressive Build Build Build program, we are catching up in infrastructure spending, especially in the countryside. Although much is still to be done, there has been some improvement in good governance, especially with the abolition of the pork barrel system in Congress that was the biggest source of corruption in the past. There is also a very conscious effort to promote the development of regions outside the National Capital Region. Today, regions that are already growing faster than Metro Manila are those in Davao, Northern Mindanao, Ilocos, Central Luzon, Central Visayas and Eastern Visayas.


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The Universal Peace Federation, in cooperation with Ambassadors for Peace of all nations and faiths, has been involved in peacebuilding throughout the world through interreligious dialogue, consultations on peace and security, initiatives for peace in areas of conflict, peace education, and a multitude of other programs. In this session, the UPF peacebuilding principles and practices will be presented, and respected statesmen and Ambassadors for Peace will give their perspective on the critical challenges of our time and their vision for bringing effective peacebuilding solutions.
While Middle Eastern countries struggle under the weight of millions of refugees, European nations offer opened doors or high fences. Today's crises raise questions of economic survival and cultural identity. Is migration a right? Is hospitality an obligation? How to balance the needs for integration and the preservation of one's native culture? Panellists will address these questions and recommend principles, policies and action steps that can lead to sustainable models for peaceful coexistence.
Integration processes in Eurasia are a strategic priority for Russian foreign policy, while integration with the western part of the former Soviet Union is a European Union foreign policy objective. Sharing common security challenges and threats, such as conflicts in the Middle East, Europe and Eurasia have a clear interest in cooperating and meeting the challenges and opportunities aroused by Asia's export economies, notably with regard to the ambitious Chinese Silk Road Economic Belt project.
In this session, panellists will assess the challenges and opportunities offered by trade and economic integration between Europe and Eurasia, and the opening of trade routes toward Asia and beyond.
The "Peace Road" is a global peace project aimed at actualizing the International Peace Highway originally proposed in 1981 by the UPF Founders, a modern "Silk Road" intended to make the world a single community. In recent years, symbolic Peace Road events have been held throughout the world. In February 2016, Peace Road activists began a symbolic ride at the North-South Korean border as a call for the Reunification of Korea and World Peace, with the support of parliamentarians from around the world. In London, parliamentarians will have the opportunity to support Peace Road campaigners engaged in the project in Europe.
A most pressing contemporary issue is violent religious extremism. What role can religious leadership play in confronting extremism? At what level can their cooperation with political leaders bring effective, lasting solutions to the current crisis? Panellists in this session will offer their perspective and recommend policies and action steps fostering a positive contribution of faith-based organisations and leaders in the prevention of extremism.
It is time for humanity to embrace universally shared values, going beyond differences of ideology, race, nationality, and religion, and pursuing a path of mutual cooperation and mutual prosperity. In this way it is possible to build a world of lasting and sustainable peace that can be bequeathed to future generations. In this session, parliamentarians will propose the formation of a world-level association of parliamentarians as a forum through which to work together for peace and human development.
The family is extremely important for social stability, and relevant to advancing all of the Sustainable Development Goals. How do stable and resilient families foster human development and social peace and prosperity? What family policies are conducive to sustainable development? Panellists in this session will give their perspective on the role of the family in peacebuilding, its impact on social stability and prosperity, and assess challenges in defining family policies for sustainable development.
Social media have become a catch-all phrase for a spectrum that runs from word-of-mouth rumour to The New York Times and BBC live blogs. They are fast and can have immediate global repercussions. But how much do they really help or hinder efforts to build peace? Are they more relevant than the introduction of printing, radio, television or the Internet itself into fractious societies? To what extent should the law step in to regulate the messages they bring? Addressing these questions, panellists in this session will assess the impact of social media on peacebuilding.
In efforts toward the prevention of violent extremism, women play a crucial role. As mothers and wives, they may detect early signs of radicalization in the family. As members of the community, they highly value family protection, education and well-being. As leaders in society, they prioritize connectivity, inclusiveness and peaceful solutions to conflict. In this session, panellists will offer their thoughts and perspectives on the role of women's empowerment and leadership in countering extremism and resisting radicalization.


St. Francis Winery welcomes your critters to its annual Blessing of the Animals on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2-5 p.m.
Take part in this Sonoma Valley tradition by bringing your best furry friend to the winery to be blessed and spend the afternoon helping raise money for the Sonoma Humane Society.
Father Ron Serban of Holy Spirit Church in Santa Rosa will be on hand to administer the blessings.
There will be raffle prizes and silent auction items donated by local businesses. This year the goal is to raise over $6,500 for this great cause. Proceeds from the raffle, silent auction, wine by the glass and the Winery Dog of the Year contest will be donated to Humane Society.
St. Francis Winery is located at 100 Pythian Road. For more information, go to www.stfranciswinery.com.


When we think "Yoga", what usually comes to mind is physical postures or asanas. Usually, yoga is recognized as merely a physical practice that involves stretches. However, this is just a glimpse of the vast universe of yoga.
This age old tradition of mental, physical, and spiritual practices is said to have four branches apart from Hatha Yoga, the one that deals with asanas and pranayamas. These branches are better described as different "approaches" to yoga.
Yoga can be likened to a tree with branches, with each one of them representing unique characteristics and functions that lead to the personal and spiritual development of the individual. Each branch represents a different approach to life. Yoga encompasses meditation, philosophy, breath work, behaviour; hence,in short ,our whole attitude towards life.
Different people may find different branches appealing. These branches are not mutually exclusive, rather, they are seen to be overlapping on many aspects. Other than Hatha Yoga, the other branches are Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, Raja Yoga, and Jnana Yoga.
The body is respected and cared for in yoga, as it is believed that an unhealthy and weak body is an impediment to spiritual development. Through breath control during asanas, yoga practitioners discipline the mind. By mastering the mind, one can live up to the principles of yoga and lead a more positive life.
Because of the vast domain that yoga covers, it has a number of benefits ranging from physical to spiritual. It not only tones our muscles and joints but also ensures that our internal organs are in vibrant health. Breathing exercises, commonly known as "Pranayama", rejuvenate one's full system. Club all of this with meditation and positive thinking, and we access our soul too.
The infographic below will throw light on the five branches and benefits of yoga.


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Q: Django how to properly add validation error message in views I am trying to add validation in my views but error message not showing in my template. I am getting this page if user enter wrong input:

views.py
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from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
if request.method == "POST":
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                raise forms.ValidationError('inc')

This code prevent submitting my forms until user input correct details which is great but why validation error message not showing in template?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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News Refresh
Students can no longer be kicked out of school for truancy, given chance to increase attendance
By: Lauren Wilson, Cristina Sicard
Students can no longer be suspended or expelled for excessive truancy immediately after being caught.
House Bill 410 will go into effect for the first time this school year for online education systems and every school district in Ohio.
Instead of heading straight to court, students will have a chance to take part in an intervention plan with teachers, school counselors and the principal.
School personnel have 60 days to work with the students and their families to improve their attendance.
"I believe it's asking all educators to view truancy as a barrier as you would for any scholar who struggles to sit still or who struggles to read," Lorri Hobson, the Director of Attendance of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, said.
She believes suspending students due to truancy was never the right response.
Students like John Hay High School sophomore Carter Harris acknowledge that not all kids skip class just to have fun - some may struggle with deeper issues.
Education is extremely important to Harris - she rarely misses a day.
Her friend Ciera, a freshman at Cleveland Central Catholic, also values school. She says she tries to tell ditchers and skippers how important school is, but they don't seem to listen.
This statewide bill is intended to address and reduce student absences, removing the term "chronic truancy" from the Ohio Revised Code.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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This entry was posted in ZAZ and tagged 2011, ZAZ auto, ZAZ Forza 1.5 (109 Hp) car. Bookmark the permalink.


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		$headersPadrao .= "Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1\n";
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	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Mirada D.R. Horton
By Appointment Only, San Antonio, FL 33576
San Antonio, FL 33576
From I-75, take the exit for FL-52 and head east. Entrance to the community will be ahead on the right. Follow directional signs for our D.R. Horton model row.
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By Appointment Only! Mirada showcases new homes in San Antonio, located off State Road 52 and just 5 minutes from I-75, this community is bringing a 15-acre crystal MetroLagoon to this quiet town. With the new SR-52 extension in the works, you'll be just minutes from our neighboring lagoon community, Epperson, and have an even quicker commute to the interstate and nearby areas. The Market at Mirada is within the community, where you'll find Publix, and a few small restaurants. The town may be quiet, but it's only 15 minutes away from the bustling Wesley Chapel, where The Grove, Wiregrass Mall, and Tampa Premium Outlets can be found, along with many dining options such as Rock N Brews, Blaze Pizza, Cheddars, and countless others.
Throughout Mirada, you'll be able to find miles of walking trails, golf cart trails, tot lots, and dog parks, providing something to do for everyone in the family, and conservation and pond lots that offer beautiful views right in your backyard. Mirada is built on Metro Place's ULTRAFi internet infrastructure, giving up to 400/400 Mbps symmetrical download speeds at home, keeping you connected to the people and place that matter most.
Each home is constructed with concrete block on 1st and 2nd stories, comes equipped with D.R. Horton's Smart Home System, and is backed by America's #1 Builder since 2002.
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San Antonio Elementary School
Public | K-5
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Pasco Middle School
Pasco High School
Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation
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Elston
10430 Laxer Cay Loop
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Explore the Features of Our New Homes in Tampa
Tampa has become the heart of Florida's Gulf Coast and a top destination for new homeowners. With its convenient location, you'll be close to the Downtown, the Tampa International Airport, the International Mall, and just a bridge commute away from world-class beaches in St. Petersburg and Clearwater. Surrounded by the Bay, Tampa provides many unique waterfront dining and entertainment options and family-friendly attractions such as Busch Gardens, the Lowry Park Zoo, and The Florida Aquarium. In addition, this growing metro city has attracted sports enthusiasts with professional sports teams such as hockey, football, baseball, and soccer. Add in well-known hospitals, top-rated schools, and Universities, and you'll have every reason you should call Tampa home.
D.R. Horton has built a wide range of homes in several communities around this area, and we'll help you find the one that fits your style and budget.
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Whether you're looking for modern, energy-efficient features or an interior and exterior design that is particularly appealing, you can find a range of options. We have various floor plans with anywhere from 3 to 5 bedrooms, 2.5 to 4.5 bathrooms, multi-car garages, multiple stories, and a full range of cost-effective amenities. We have a wide variety of floor plans, so you'll find a home for every stage in life, whether you're looking for a cozy, comfortable home or more room for your growing family.
You'll find parks, pools, playgrounds, clubhouses, and more in the communities. Some have gated entries, while others are set in some of the most picturesque landscapes in the area. You'll also have quick, convenient access to local businesses and entertainment, and it's also just a short commute to Tampa and Sarasota.
There are several move-in-ready homes available, so you can get started if you're ready to take the step into homeownership.
Making the Move with D.R. Horton
D.R. Horton has been building quality homes since 1978 and has helped people find the homes of their dreams across the country. Our goal is to help you get into your dream home at the right price. Contact us today to get started.
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Price $150,000 $250,000 $350,000 $450,000 $550,000 $650,000 $750,000 $850,000 $950,000 $1,000,000 $1,250,000 $1,500,000 $1,750,000 $2,000,000
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You often have to feel a bit sorry for the social media giant. Facebook has endured a lot of heat lately, and this last issue of groups, pages and streams involving white nationalism, separatism and especially racism, has caused quite a stir in society to the point where Zuckerberg simply had to take action: he had to enforce the rule. The rule that stated "hateful content" would not be allowed. It turns out that white nationalism has become exactly that, and the latest news of what occurred at the Christchurch is proof of that.
And from a certain point of view, it makes sense. After all, within the context of the guidelines set within the online platform, who discerns? -- the platform. it is their platform. This then becomes not an issue of discrimination, but of law. When a group or business or individual on Facebook violates it, it's perfectly within Facebook's right to then do due diligence and set the consequences accordingly.
As a measure of the larger picture here, it's pretty clear: technology must make a stand for what's right, not what's acceptable or "fair" from a certain perspective, lest the innovations we use can then be taken advantage of in ways we don't like. Facebook may get plenty more heat for banning white supremacy, nationalism and separatism -- facing accusations of discrimination and indifference -- but in the long term overall this may benefit the technology space with a balance to hopefully provide mankind with a space they can call their own and not feel like we're all losing our identities in this thing called the Internet.
We, therefore, have a responsibility to ensure that the correct identity is portrayed in the Internet for the betterment of all. That's hopefully the entire purpose everyone should believe when it comes to technology. Do you thrill at the innovation of technology? SIGN UP FOR A VIGYAA ACCOUNT AND BECOME A TECHNOLOGY INFLUENCER RIGHT NOW and also CHECK OUT THE DATA DRIVEN INVESTOR FOR MORE INSIGHTS INTO THE INDUSTRY.


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Tag Archives: Style
The Olsen Twins: A Timeline of Coordinated Outfits
February 27, 2015 ThesaltyjuAshley Olsen, Billboard Dad, Fashion, Getting There, Holiday in the Sun, Mary Kate Olsen, Olsen Twins, Our Lips Are Sealed, Passport to Paris, Style, Winning London 2 Comments
The heyday of Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen was pre-Twitter, Memes and Vines, and what a true shame that is. They may be high fashion queens now, but I feel like it's necessary to remember them for who they used to be—the pinnacle of coordinated outfits and envy of all non-twins. The Olsen twins were the trendsetters of my generation and it's about time we bow down to them for it. Here are the best of the worst coordinated outfits, complete with the top trends they made cool (in chronological order by movie, obviously).
It all began with the exact matching outfits with theme. This is easily my favorite. Two wittle sailors circa the 90's. I respect this look because my mom also went through a phase of sewing my sisters and I matching outfits for Christmas cards with coordinated patterns. Isn't that the cutest thing you've ever seeeeeen?
Once the girls got a little older they were like ENOUGH, mom. We want to be individuals! This is when they started the same outfit but opposite colors trend. This pretty much stuck for the next ten years. Because it's not matching if it's not the same color, DUUUHHH. These neon backwards hats were edgy and cool for their "You're Invited" intros.
For their ever so classic Sleepover Party that I was obviously invited to, they decided to T it down with the matching so their friends didn't think they were total losers. If we're being candid I don't think they needed to worry about a girl who brings a framed picture of her dog to a sleepover because she misses him so much judging them. Anyway, they rock these jean headbands and coordinated purple and florals as they teach us how to spell PIZZAAAA, P-I-Z-Z-A.
Is it bitchy of me to post this picture where they're clearly going through a hairstyle identity crisis phase? Probably, but when you stumble upon gold like this it's pretty much a crime not to share it with the world. The girls revert back to their old ways for a press appearance with exact matching outfits right down to the frizzy blowout and chunky black platform sandals. The pastels that complement each other were a nice touch though.
Billboard Dad was when the girls' personalities really started to shine through in their fashion choices. Anyone whose anyone knows that MK has always been more tomboy and Ashley more feminine. Even though their styles started to part ways, they held it together with matching colored lenses and well-placed butterfly clips because they're spunky AF. Also quick LOL to the baby boobs coming in during this era.
Ah we've arrived in the Passport to Paris era. The girls embark on a new country during Spring Break and set off the tradition of a new vacation movie every year…which I am forever grateful for. This movie showed how they handle international style and just how much they've grown up. We get to see travelwear like we've never seen it before, with the opposite color one-straps. Blue for MK (duh) and Pink for Ash. The moment this movie premiered I marched right over to JCP to buy my own one strap. Mine was also blue because I was going through a tomboy phase like MK and the sound of that velcro strap was like music to my ears. Also has anyone ever looked cooler in pleather?
Paris also treated us to THE HANKERCHIEF. Instead of matching exactly, they matched themes with their peasant tops paisley print for Ash, gingham for MK. Ever having a bad hair day with your perfectly blown dry bob? Slide a headband with a triangle hankerchief hanging off it right on and all your problems are solved.
After reviewing this outfit choice, I'm beginning to think that Paris started to think all Americans were trashy around this point in time. Wearing camis fit for a PJ set out for a day of sightseeing isn't exactly approps for the City of Lights. The shell chokers, beaded hair and matching purses make up for it though, obviously.
Formal wear for the ladies consisted of a loose strand in the face (it's elegant), a string of pearls and a spaghetti strap dress. It's no wonder those french boys were all about slow dancing with these fine young American women. Bonjour, Bonjour, OH MY GAWD.
Right around the same time the Olsen's started jet-setting, they also personally invited me to their Dance Party. I'm glad I could make it because there were some really cool rapping moments in the girls bathroom. What IS all the noise about boys? Since they're at the age when they're dancin it up with boys, MK&A got real edgy with the animal prints. Zebra bags, cheetah lined pockets, RAWR. Did they take the black choker/wrist cuff and slightly racist Japanese shirts a little too far? No, no they did not.
Shortly thereafter, the girls witnessed a diamond robbery in Our Lips Are Sealed. They had to be placed in the witness protection program, which gave us a live look at how they dress for their geographic location. In Cali they were all about the graphic tees and tinted shades:
In Seattle they were hipsters with chokers plus hers & hers hemp bucket hats/bandannas:
And Aussieland gave us the tropical vibes with hawaiian prints and bathing suit skirts:
I must've been really good that year because my reward was a yacht party in Australia that yielded the greatest matching 70's outfits alive. Not only were those white Go-Go boots (that eventually were ditched on the boat to jetski with the cute guys) on point, but they danced with peace signs and told classic jokes to the camera. "Oh am I supposed to say something funny? SOMETHING FUNNY!" Ohh Ash, you should've just let your outfit do the talkin.
The girls really matured when they started to grow their hair out and join the debate team. They had their first educational movie in Winning London and they really showed they were there to work hard with their trench coats and scarves, but their patterned flare pants revealed that they have a wild side too. Classic case of business on top, party on the bottom. The comeback of the tinted aviators kind of throws off that theory though because that could also be perceived as party on top. Let's reiterate: Party(shades):Business(turtlenecks, scarves and smart coat):Party(plaid/tie-dye slacks):Business(a smart pair of leather mom boots). WHAT a balance.
SHIT. I forgot to factor in the puke colored plaid bucket hats. I don't even know where these fall on the spectrum. WHY ARE TWO FIFTEEN YEAR OLDS WEARING SO MANY EARTH TONES? That's so Brit of them.
Thank GOD they lose their overcoats and kick off their chunky heels to get TURNT at the club one night. Unfortunately that means they don these icelandic eskimo dresses, pink vs. blue of course. Although this time Ashley's in the blue. Really throwing us for a loop there. The turtle necks, however, are apparently even necessary while partying. Let your necks FREE, Chloe and Riley! (For the record, their names in this movie were so good they re-used them for their show So Little Time. Chlo + Riles 4eva.)
Holiday in the Sun blessed us with some more Hawaiian patterns as the girls were whisked away for winter break on their dad's private jet to Atlantis in the Bahamas. If you think I'm complaining about these tacky floral prints, it's got nothin on the level of whining that came from the twins when they realized they were going on a family vacay instead of partying it up South Beach style with their trashy high school friends.
Instead of being thankful for their all expenses paid tropical vacation and a full box of Krispy Kremes, they amped up their "we're basically legal in this country and we can do whatever we want" vibes and went balls to the wall. Falling in love with the local who cleans the shark tank and investigating smugglers occupy their time, and skintight tube tops and one-shoulders occupy their bodies. Even their beach wear consisted of tight wifebeaters, I'm assuming to show off their fully grown boobs. All to the tune of Weezer, obviously.
Other notable trends from the Bahamas: The comeback of the pigtail braids
Murica themes…(Seriously if this tube top were still around today I'd wear it to a 4th of July party because it's cute AF).
And from day-wear to night-wear, the black one shouldered tank paired with opposite colors geometric skirts. Club READY. Now he's what time it is. Ok you got me, I think I actually genuinely liked every outfit from this movie. The girls reached their fashion peak in Atlantis. Hair, accessories and clothing were on point. All the awards. The beach suits them.
Road trips on the other hand, didn't suit them so well. It's hard to imagine that these two globe-trotting beauties were only just turning 16 but after making out with so many cultured men it was time to get their licenses and celebrate with a classic cross-country road trip in Getting There. They discovered straighteners and how to look casj in addition to a bright red 'stang. Nothing says road trip like aviators and converses.
If they wanted to look a little more mid-western casj, they threw on their sleeveless plaid shirts and earth tone corduroys. It seems as though they learned nothing from the barf tones from Winning London. 16 certainly didn't start off with a bang for these two. It's nice to see that they celebrated the big year with continuing the ultra matching theme right down to the jeweled choker.
Italy was much kinder to their fashion sense in When In Rome. They're artsy and cool as they intern and immediately get fired from unpaid work. It doesn't matter though because they have their hotel room directly IN the Colosseum and their cozy neutral wrap sweaters to fall back on.
The final installment in the straight to VHS collection of our two favorite gals is The Challenge, where all of their past lovahs come back to ask why the hell they only got a peck and nothin else. This movie was an overall DUD mostly because it played out much like an MTV Real World/Road Rules Challenge without the drinking or the sex. Booooo. However, it brought us the linen pants and beach waves. YAS. Lip gloss for an extreme challenge? Duh.
We've finally arrived at the end of the Olsen girls' career as we know it. New York Minute, the full length feature film that people (me) actually paid to see. Boy was it a shit show. Apparently going mainstream made them cocky they could pull of anything, because they made the executive decision to wear these I ❤ NY t shirts with tacky red skirts and chunky heels for like 98% of the movie. No, thank you. In a sense, we came full circle because we started with exact matching outfits and ended the same. We end the saga not with a bang but with a whimper.
And because I never end the list with a whimper, please feast your eyes on a little then and now version of Rebellious Olsens. If this childhood doo-rag picture doesn't make you laugh out loud then I pretty much don't want to know you as a person. The second shot (obviously not present day because it's not terrifying) was roughly 8 years later on their short-lived TV show So Little Time. Wildly underrated in my opinion, also fire theme song. From bandannas to clip-in color extensions, fake tattoos to fake tattoos. We've watched these two grow up before our very own eyes. A fashion evolution, if you will. They're in their 20's now and I can only hope they still call each other to plan coordinated outfits for outings, even if they are black cloaks, at least they keep the twin fashion sense alive for the rest of us.
Now excuse me while I check if their WalMart clothing line is still available online…
February 13, 2015 Thesaltyju50 Shades of Grey, Alyson Stoner, Blake Lively, Brett Eldredge, Jamie Dornan, karaoke, Missy Elliott, Music Video, Nashville, New York Fashion Week, NYFW, Rihanna, Style, Taylor Swift, The Tonight Show Leave a comment
1. NYFW-DIS BLAKE'S SHIT. RESPECT THAT. BOW DOWN BITCHES. Seriously though is it New York Fashion Week or Blake Lively Week? Did she just have a baby or something? NBD but HBD.
Also Rihanna probably should've just turned around and went home in that bathmat top and strategically hanging off of her arms bedazzled jean jacket.
2. Taylor Swift releases music video for Style on Friday the 13th (duh). It was certainly not what I expected from Tay for this little number but watch below and then I'll force my commentary on you.
Obviously Blank Space was a bananas video so to follow that is already tough stuff. This was an artsy approach to the one of many songs that were about her former lovah Harry. I guess I can respect the visuals and the tree trunk growing in her spine for the most part…Things that I really liked: the red lips when he looks in the rearview mirror although I don't condone scaring someone when they're driving at night. It's been a known fear of mine to drive somewhere in the dark by myself, look in the rearview mirror and see someone's face. So although it looked cool in the video it's also terrifying. Anyway, I got sidetracked there–other things I liked: gratuitous abs and another stellar hot male lead, girl never disappoints in the man candy dept. Also when things got scandalous and there was a little sex tryst that resulted in lightning. I think she's trying to tell us she's got mad bedroom skillz. Lastly the white criss cross crop was killing it. Things I could do without: barefoot in the woods,all of the superimposed eyes coming in hot. Too many eyes, too little faces. Will they ever find each other?
3. Brett Eldredge throws an impromptu karaoke bar crawl in Nashville. Sex on a stick, Brett confirmed what I've believed for many years now, that I should probably live in Nashville, when he posted an instavideo telling people to meet him at Warner Music if they wanted to do some karaoke. He then filled a party bus and went bar hopping with a bunch of strangers singing karaoke. Some of the songs he sang included: No Diggity, Ignition, Bang Bang, The Joker by Steve Miller Band and obviously he did his best impression of himself when he noticed his own songs were on the karaoke machine as well. My obsession with Brett grew three sizes and I wasn't even there to witness this. If I was there I ABSOLUTELY would've knocked it out of the park with Bye, Bye, Bye. Brett could be the JC to my JT any day.
Karaoke last night with my fans was bang bang BANGIN….I guess you could say we had fun😂
A post shared by Brett Eldredge (@bretteldredge) on Feb 10, 2015 at 4:54pm PST
4. Missy Elliott's music video dancer still goes HAM on those moves. While rest of the world quickly forgot about Missy after the Super Bowl I obviously did not and went on a binge of her classics so when I stumbled upon this video I felt it was necessary to share, to keep the Missy love alive. Alyson Stoner was like an 8 year old dancer in every single one of Missy's music videos and she was a little white girl with puffy bangs who was G AF. Example:
She was also in Cheaper by the Dozen, Step up (s), and Mike's Super Short Show for all you Disney kids like me. Naturally as fading stars do, Alyson caught a wiff of the Missy nostalgia and just made a Missy Tribute video (she ain't dead yet gurl) showing off her moves from the music video days–mostly to hawk that she's now a singer too, but we'll let it slide. She's still a straight up gangster and I'm big enough to admit my dance skillz are sub-par so it was cool to watch. All this buzz is probably leading up to a Missy comeback and I love every minute of it.
5. In honor of 50 Shades opening weekend, here's the only appearance leading up to the premiere that didn't make me cringe all over. Jamie Dornan on the Tonight Show doing some sexy accents and popcorn reading. If you're going to see the movie this weekend just close your eyes and picture his buttery accent wafting over your body instead of bland.com Dakota Johnson/Anastasia meekly whispering her lines while the two of them exude the sexual tension of cardboard. Happy Valentine's Day ❤


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|| Masterpost
"You were always lugging home wild things. Once it was a hawk with a broken wing, and another time it was a full-grown wildcat with a broken leg…"
February 2, 2008. Bethesda, MD
Damon rubbed his eyes tiredly and sank into a waiting room chair next to Abby. The moment his ass hit the cushion, Gibbs came marching in with coffee. Damon got back up and stood at attention, even as he mentally chided himself for doing so. Why the hell couldn't he stop doing that?
Gibbs smirked, probably thinking the same thing. He was carrying a tray with two Grandes and a CafPow. Abby smiled gratefully and grabbed her drink, but Damon had to be prodded to take his. Once he had it in his hand, he didn't resist and took a big sip of super strong black coffee, no cream or sugar. It was heavenly.
"Have you seen him yet?" Gibbs asked.
Abby had urged Damon to go in the moment Gibbs left for his coffee run. But something about sneaking in behind Gunny's back hadn't seemed right. Damon just shrugged and Gibbs shook his head like he'd been expecting it.
"Come on," he turned and Damon eagerly followed. Abby grinned as she watched the two men enter Tony's room.
"Thanks, Gunny." Gibbs didn't reply, didn't even look at him.
Inside, Tony was fast asleep under the heavy sedation. He looked pale, the usually golden tinge of his skin dull in the unflattering white light of the room. Wires and tubes tethered various parts of his body to all the medical equipment surrounding him, including a breathing tube taped under his nostrils. Damon frowned when he noticed the leather restraints around Tony's wrists.
Gibbs sensed his discomfort. "Tony has an aversion to needles. Trust me, those things are needed or he'll just hurt himself."
Damon nodded, connecting the dots to a brief memory from weeks ago. "That's why the o-dark thirty physical appointment?"
Damon couldn't get his eyes off the sleeping agent. His gut clenched tightly and his hands trembled. He felt a fervent need to reach out and touch Tony, gather him into his arms again and never let him go. But he was too afraid to get any closer, no thanks to Gunny's presence in the room.
"Take a seat." He ordered gruffly, pointing to a second chair in the room. Damon pulled it up to the other side of the bed and sat facing Gibbs who was seated closer to Tony, close enough that the veteran could take Tony's hand in his.
"When you asked me if I'd let you date my daughter…"
Damon swallowed. "You told me I was dangerous, b-but that… you were dangerous too."
Gibbs glared, not amused with his back-talk at all. "Start from the beginning."
And Damon did. Starting with their encounter at the court, to the one in the squad room, to the altercation in the basement followed by the movie then the club… he omitted details about that night for obvious reasons, until he finally got to his run-in with Tony in the gym. He left the details of that meeting out too, for obvious reasons.
Gibbs gave him the evil eye, that mean look fathers save for their daughters' prom dates.
"I-I know what you're thinking. Why am I stalking Tony when he clearly wants nothing to do with me?"
Gibbs didn't respond.
Damon exhaled. "I don't know, I just… was so sure we had something. I didn't want him throwing us away for nothing. I just wanted to know why, what was scaring him off…"
"Tony doesn't scare easily."
"You're right. I've come to realize that it's not exactly fear. There's something else going on. Something completely out of my hands."
Abby had helped piece the rest of the puzzle together. At least now he knew, even if he was still pretty helpless to do much about it.
He was just going to respect Tony's wishes, and get the hell out of Dodge.
"Tony isn't some girl you can woo over with flowers and chocolates." Gibbs muttered, and Damon frowned, wondering if the man was referring to their little ploy earlier.
"I realize that. And that's why I'm not going to bother him anymore," Damon whispered. "I just accepted that job offer with the PMC in Langley."
Gibbs looked at him with genuine surprise. "When are you leaving?"
"In the morning. First assignment's in Uruguay. I'm kind of excited about it." Damon lied, even though he knew Gunny was not going to be fooled.
"I-I also wanted to thank you. For your support, for letting me in your home, for… giving me the strength to see that there is life outside the Corps. The Corps will always be a part of who I am, no matter where I go, no matter how many vet benefits I don't get," he smiled, a real smile, if slightly sardonic. "But I am more. I can be more, I see that now."
Damon looked at Tony and willed his eyes to not brim with tears, at least not yet. He stood up, smoothing over the blanket that covered Tony's frail, unconscious body as a way to buy some more time.
"Can I ask you a question, Gunny?"
"Shoot."
"Were you aware that Tony was… that he swung both ways?"
Gibbs stared at him blankly. "I've known for years."
Damon nodded, keeping his eyes on Tony. "Good, that's good."
"Tony doesn't know you know. I think he's worried you won't approve."
"Are you saying that's why he broke up with you? Is that what you're choosing to believe to make this easy on yourself?"
Damon scoffed. "Trust me, Gunny. That's a very, very tiny part of it."
"Why would it even matter? Even if I didn't like it, Tony wouldn't care."
Damon turned towards Gibbs and just looked at him. He could do condescending too. "Do you really not know the answer to that question, Gunny?"
Gibbs didn't reply, and he was starting to look a little uncomfortable with this conversation.
"Everything Tony ever does, it's for your approval. It's to make you proud. You know that, don't you?"
Gibbs looked away, but Damon pressed on. "There is something between the two of you, something unspoken, but it's painfully obvious. Anyone who's been a father or a son sees it, recognizes it. It's in the way Tony hangs on to your every word, how he jumps into freezing waters after you without a care for his own life."
He noticed Gunny's hand squeeze harder around his agent's on the bed. "And you think you're doing such a bang-up job hiding your feelings, Gunny, but I saw it in the way you touched that baseball glove on the kids' bedroom door every time you walked past it. I felt it wrapped inside all your exasperation and annoyance when you talked about him."
"It's time you left, Werth." Gibbs tried to dismiss him, but Damon didn't budge. He acted like he hadn't been interrupted at all.
"Just because you don't say it out loud doesn't make it any less real, Gunny. You think if you don't show it, if you don't put it in words, it will just go away. Or it won't matter so much and the pain that you feel every time Tony gets hurt will be any lesser. But ask yourself, tonight when those guys were dragging Tony away, was it possible for you to be any more scared and worried than you were?"
Gibbs turned away from Damon, choosing to look into Tony's face instead. But Damon refused to back down. "Do you think you'd care more for Tony if he were your son by blood?"
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"Then by all means, enlighten me, Gunny! Please, will one of you just level with me here?" Damon knew he sounded desperate and needy, but he couldn't help it. He put his hands on the bed and bent his upper body so he could look right into Gibbs' eyes.
"Tell me why you're shutting him out and making him so insanely insecure that he's throwing away a perfectly good relationship? Healthy or not, appropriate or not, you know how much he depends on you! So why is your selfish, stubborn stonewall of self-preservation ruining my damn life?!?"
Gibbs stood up suddenly. "That's where you're wrong. He does not need me. NOT ANYMORE!"
The decibel level was so high that even Tony stirred in his sleep, and it brought the attending nurse running into the room. The marines glared at her, and she swiftly turned on her heels and left.
Seconds ticked away in silence broken only by the sound of panting breaths and the systems beeping around Tony.
Damon sighed tiredly. "You know, Gunny, sometimes, you're wrong too."
Gibbs fixed him with a stone cold glare but did not react. Soon though, Damon began to regret his outburst because there was one last thing he wanted to do, and now he wasn't sure if Gunny would allow it.
"Mind if I… have a minute?" He wanted to say goodbye to Tony in private.
Gibbs did not hesitate; he might have even welcomed the opportunity to step out for a bit. He left Damon alone with Tony for the first time that night.
Damon took Gibbs' chair and gently reached for Tony's hand. He could no longer keep up his brave façade and leaned in to desperately kiss the cold forehead. His lips traveled down to very lightly brush against Tony's, but that was all he allowed himself.
"I love you," he whispered, his voice wet with tears. "You hear me, Tonio? I will always love you. Be happy, okay?"
He stood up in a hurry, knowing he needed to walk away now before he lost his nerve, before the reality of what he was about to walk away from set in.
Calling all his determination and grit as a marine to bear, Damon turned abruptly and strode out of Tony's room and Tony's life forever. All arrangements had been made, and he had a plane to catch in six hours. There was nothing left for Damon Werth to do here anymore.
Maybe, just maybe, taking a leaf out of Gunny's book of self-preservation wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.
When Tony finally came to, it was just starting to lighten up outside. He kept his face turned toward the window and watched the day break, feeling too lethargic to do much else. But the uneasy peace could only last for so long.
He turned to his other side to find Abby sleeping in a chair with her head on the bed beside him. He smiled; trust his little sister to not leave his side come hell or high water. But when he tried to reach for her, he realized his old friends were back – fucking restraints.
Tony sighed even as he tried to laugh. Of course. That pointy thing that shall not ever be named was obviously still in his hand, and just thinking about it was making Tony wheeze. He forced himself to do his deep breathing exercises to calm himself down. After a couple of minutes, he felt a little better, and looked down at Abby again. He wondered how long she'd been here. Maybe it was time she got some real rest in her own bed, er… coffin.
The restraints had some give and Tony stretched until his long fingers could reach Abby's pigtail. Grinning with mischief, he tugged at it with all his might.
"Oww! Tonyyyyyy…" Abby groaned without even opening her eyes.
Tony chuckled as Abby pulled herself up to look into his face. While she checked on him, he studied the lines on her face. Her black liner was smudged, and her pigtails were now uneven thanks to his efforts. She was obviously tired and caffeine-deprived for longer than was safer for anyone in the immediate vicinity. But she was smiling as warmly as she always did for Tony. It made him want to cry.
"How're you feeling?"
It hurt to so much as breathe, but Tony wasn't about to tell her that. "And good morning to you too, sunshine." he said attempting a perky deflection his weak throat didn't quite manage to deliver.
"That bad, huh?" She narrowed her eyes and reached for the call button.
"No, don't do that," Tony grimaced. "No more sedatives."
His head felt like it didn't actually belong on his neck, and moving it even a little made him all the more disoriented. The pain was actually helping him focus better, so it wasn't entirely unwelcome, at least not yet.
"You look like crap," he said.
Abby scowled, "Look who's talking."
"Why don't you go on home? Get some rest."
"Go? I just got here, sweetie. Like," Abby glanced at her watch. "An hour ago. Gibbs kicked me out after you went under; he was the one who stayed the night."
Oh. "What time is it?"
"O-seven hundred."
Tony nodded. Gibbs must already be at his desk by now. McGee and Ziva won't show up for another hour there. At least he didn't have to spend the day writing reports, now that the case was truly wrapped up.
"No need to stay, really, Abs. I'm fine."
Abby rolled her eyes. "When has that line ever worked for you, Tony? I'm staying till lunch and Ziva will take over after that. Ice chips?"
Tony started to shake his head but stopped 'cause it made him dizzy. "I'd just like to get these damn cuffs off me, please."
"Sure," Abby undid the buckles and picked up the closest hand to gently massage his wrist. Tony sighed as Abby lowered her lips to his knuckles and kissed his hand almost reverently.
As sensation started to return to his extremities, Tony became more and more aware of all the unmentionables that made every trip to the hospital such a horrific affair.
"I want to go to the bathroom," he grunted uncomfortably.
Abby frowned. "But, sweetie, you have a catheter."
"That's exactly what I don't want!"
Tony started to wheeze. He hated those damn things so, so damn much! "Call the nurse and get it out of me."
"But Tony…"
Tony tried to reach the ringer himself, which unfortunately happened to be on his right. He ended up straining his injured shoulder and groaned, even as Abby rushed over to his side.
"Tony, calm down, okay, I'll call. Just take it easy…"
"Call now!!! NOW damn it!!!"
Through a red-colored haze of panic and frustration that blanketed his senses, a new voice broke through. "What happened?"
Gibbs was back.
Tony froze, although his wheeze still didn't take the hint. He collapsed against his pillow and looked at the older man briefly before looking away. Abby turned to Gibbs and they probably used their stupid sign language to communicate because no words were spoken for the next few seconds. What could possibly be the sign for a Foley catheter, Tony wondered.
Gibbs walked over to his bed as Abby stepped away from it. Tony caught some more furious signing in his peripheral vision – he guessed Abby was being asked to leave and she wasn't too happy about it. But she finally relented, to Tony's dismay. He really, really didn't want to be alone with Gibbs, not with his wheeze giving away the state of panic he was in at the moment.
"So what's all this fuss about, DiNozzo?" the boss asked casually.
Tony swallowed heavily but pasted a plastic grin to his face. "Nothing, Boss. I was just messing with Abby."
His hands continued to tremble as he tried hard not to think about that thing inside his dick.
Gibbs sat next to him. "You lost a ton of blood, DiNozzo. And you have a bullet hole in your left leg. They're gonna keep you here a couple days at least and you're not going to be doing much walking during this time. I say we leave it in for now, okay?"
As if he had a choice. For the millionth time he cursed his inability to refuse Gibbs anything. Tony closed his eyes for a bit, forcing his body to be still and impassive like his face. It was show time.
"Yes, Boss."
Gibbs sat back in his chair and studied his agent's face. The mask had fallen back in place, and Tony was busy playing the part of a comatose person with his eyes wide open.
Was this what he'd done to this once spirited young man? Reduced him to suffering in quiet agony for absolutely no fault of his own?
Gibbs gulped hard, fighting to keep his emotions at bay. Part of him was just plain angry – why would Tony do this at all? What the hell had Gibbs ever done for him to deserve such blind, unyielding loyalty? This wasn't about a job. They weren't on some mission with the question of life or death hanging over their heads. And Gibbs was so not the boss in here. This was a hospital, for fuck's sake. And Tony was lying here, hurt, and vulnerable and scared to the point of hyperventilation. How could he possibly still be trying so hard to obey an eccentric old man's pointless orders he had no business barking in the first place?
Gibbs put a hand on Tony's arm and felt it reflexively shudder. "Tony, look at me."
Of course, Tony complied again.
"How badly do you want it out?"
Tony tried to shrug but his body was painfully taut. "It's okay."
He squeezed the boy's arm, gently. "Don't do it for me, kiddo. If you want it out, just say you want it out."
Tony's face started to crumple, before he schooled it back to blankness. Once he realized Gibbs was still waiting for an answer, he looked down at his hands and whispered meekly. "I want it out."
"Okay," Gibbs retorted immediately, making Tony look back up. "On one condition – you will accept my help or McGee's help or anyone who's here with you to go the bathroom, without complaint."
Tony's eyes momentarily sparked with rebellion, but he nodded. Gibbs hit the switch and called the nurse on duty to the room, then told her to get rid of Tony's catheter. The tone of his voice warranted no argument and she got to work at once. Gibbs stood by with his back turned, but within earshot in case he was needed. He turned when he heard the rustle of Tony's gown being pulled back in place which meant the nurse was done.
"I got it," he told her, taking the covers right out of her hands.
Tony was so pale, and he'd lost so much blood, still he managed to color up a little when his boss fixed the blankets around the boy's supine form, tucking him in not so tightly.
Tony bit his lip. "I will be if we can also get rid of this…" he held up his hand with the IV needle taped to it.
Gibbs just smirked, and for the first time that day he spotted the beginnings of a hesitant smile on his agent's face.
"Worth a try," Tony quipped, while a big yawn muffled the last word out of his mouth.
"Sleep, kiddo," Gibbs whispered, watching Tony's eyelids droop, drained more emotionally than physically. "You're okay now. You're okay."
Next Chapter >
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Wrong at the top of my Voice: Chapter Eighteen
Previous Chapter || Masterpost
Tags: fic: ncis: wrong at the top of my voice


text:
Q: Ссылка на скайп не работает Пытаюсь установить на сайт кнопку с переходом на скайп. Ссылку ставлю верную, 100 раз проверила. А открывает пустую вкладку about:blank. Почему это может быть и что нужно сделать?
Ставлю такую ссылку
SkypeUser

только вместо SkypeUser свой скайп

A: Попробуйте ещё такой вариант:
http://www.skype.com/en/create-contactme-buttons/
Пример:

A: Чтобы заставить Skype звонить нужно добавить call:

Отправление сообщения в чат, добавить chat:

Пример:

Call

Chat

источник

A: Проверьте, правильный ли логин скайпа. И проверьте этот вариант:
Skype to call my Skype username


text:
Unter Aspri Petra ( im Sinne von: 'Weißer Stein') ist eine Felsformation und eine Höhle bekannt, die sich auf der Halbinsel Kefalos am südwestlichen Ende der griechischen Insel Kos nebeneinander befinden.

Oberhalb der Höhle erhebt sich der eigentliche und namensgebende Weiße Stein, eine weithin sichtbare, weitgehend hellgraue Felsformation mit einem sehr markanten Durchbruch (Loch).

Lage
Die Felsformation und die Höhle befinden sich etwa auf  über Meer. Diese liegen rund fünf Kilometer von Kefalos entfernt am südlichen Hang des Berg Zini. Die Zufahrt ist sehr weit auf einer Schotterpiste möglich, danach sind die Objekte über einen Wanderweg erreichbar.

Ausgrabungen
1922 fanden durch italienische Archäologen Ausgrabungen in der Höhle statt. Es wurden dabei Gebrauchsgegenstände aus verschiedenen Epochen gefunden, wobei die ältesten Fundstücke aus dem dritten Jahrtausend vor Christus stammen. Dies sind bislang die ältesten nachgewiesenen Spuren einer Besiedlung der Insel Kos.

Die Felsformation und die Höhle sind jederzeit frei zugänglich.

Weblinks

 Stefan O. Schüller: Kos island - The White Stone Cave +++ Insel Kos - Die Höhle Aspri Petra, Youtube-Video

Einzelnachweis

Höhle in Griechenland
Höhle in Europa
Tourismus (Griechenland)
Geographie (Kos)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


My first list was accused of being too American-centric. So here are 10 more corrections to misconceptions that non-Listverse people may have but this time you'll need your passport handy to read it.
The Error: The former Soviet Union celebrated the October Revolution in October.
Although the Bolsheviks took control over October 25-26, 1917, this was under the Old Style (Julian) calendar. One of the first things the Communists did was to modernize their calendar to the Gregorian Calendar – thereby pushing the day ahead 13 days (into November). This was a major holiday in the Soviet Union, mostly because with the official ban on religion the biggest holidays were civil holidays such as May Day and the October Revolution.
The Error: The British king George I of Hanover used English or German when speaking with his cabinet.
I don't know that this is so much a misconception as "it's obvious" that a British monarch would speak English. Those who know history and realize George I was a German prince who spoke no English may then think that "it's obvious" he and his advisors spoke German. The reality is that since his cabinet did not speak German, the lingua franca in the meetings was French.
The Error: The Titanic was the first ship known to use the distress code "SOS"?
Although British ships preferred the traditional distress call "CQD", most of the other European countries used the International Conference on Wireless Communication at Sea standard set in 1908 of "SOS". The French ship Niagara is known to have used "SOS" well before the Titanic did. Incidently, in CQD, the CQ was a general call on a telegraph line with the D standing for Distress. In James Cameron's "Titanic", he did get it right that the radio operator tried both CQD and SOS after the new distress call was suggested to him.
Yes, the misconception is American but the backstory is international. American politicians are renowned for plagiarizing their best lines from foreign sources. For example, Abraham Lincoln took the phrase "a government of the people, by the people and for the people" from the preface of John Wycliff's 1384 edition of the Bible and current Vice-President Joe Biden cribbed a few speeches while in the Senate from Labour Party MP Neil Kinnock. This quote thought by many Americans to be pure Kennedy was actually from Lebanese writer Khalil Gibran in an article advocating his Lebanese brethren to rebel against the occupying Ottoman Turks.
The Error: Alexander Fleming invented the antibiotic "penicillin".
Many will disagree with this since it is more a question of semantics than a misconception. Although Alexander Fleming DISCOVERED that the mold Penicillium notatum has antibacterial properties, he was not a chemist and growing and culturing the mold was difficult for him. Howard Florey with the assistance of Ernst Chain was able to purify the penicillin and put it in a form for use in humans, thereby INVENTING penicillin as a true antibiotic.
The Error: Watson and Crick discovered DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid).
Again, people on Listverse will say "everyone knows that" but many people learn the simplified version that James Watson and Francis Crick discovered DNA, probably because they won the Nobel Prize for their discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA. The true discoverer was Friedrich Miescher was analyzing pus cell nuclei in 1868 when he discovered nuclein. He was able to analyze this further and discovered an acid component which he called deoxyribonucleic acid. Scientists Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty were the first to show a link between DNA and heredity in 1943 and Rosalind Franklin did the first X-ray diffraction pattern study of DNA. What Watson & Crick did was to develop a model of DNA that accounted for all of the previous research discoveries.
The Error: Mouton-Rothschild is a top-grade Chateau claret.
The five growths (classes) of red Bordeaux were determined in 1855. Four were considered First Class Lafite-Rothschild, Latour, Margaux, Haut-Brion. Mouton-Rothschild did not like being place in second class so their motto is "Premier ne puis. Second ne daigne. Mouton suis." (First I cannot be. Second I do not deign to be. I am Mouton.) All I know is I certainly would not turn down a glass of it.
The Error: The fax machine was invented after the telephone.
Scottish inventor Alexander Bain had invented the electric clock back in 1841. In 1843 he used his work on electric clock to patent a device that could be synchronized with a twin over telegraph lines, which according to some stories he did so he could transmit a picture of a new-born calf (if true it would need to be a daguerreotype which seems very unlikely for just a cow). Frederick Bakewell patented a better fax machine in 1848, two years before Bain updated his and in 1861 an Italian Giovanni Caselli invented the first high quality fax. All of this was done before both Alexander Bell and Elisha Gray independently filed for the telephone patent on 14 February 1876.
The Error: Albert Einstein was a poor student.
The myth that Einstein was a poor student started when an American researcher mistranslated some of Einstein's report cards by not taking into account the grading system at the time. While Einstein was in school, students were given grades 1 to 6, 1 being the best. This was reversed (1 was worst) the year after Einstein graduated. Further research has uncovered a letter from Albert's mother to his aunt complimenting his grades, but I guess the image of Einstein going from failing school to being a top physicist is too good to be changed because of the truth.
The Error: Pandas eat only bamboo.
The Error: The United States is the only country that measures things by feet, gallons, pounds, and degrees Fahrenheit.
To demonstrate how out-of-date the U.S. is from basically everyone else in the world, it is pointed out by scientists and metricians that we still use the archaic English system. It may be true, but we are not the only ones. Liberia uses the same system which is not a surprise considering that the country was started by former American slaves who named their capital after American president James Monroe and it was only recently that Liberia's president was not a descendent of the original American emigrants. And there is a third country that uses the system – Myanmar (pictured above). As a former British colony, they of course adopted the English system. After gaining their independence, the country changed its name from Burma but not how it measured things.


In thinking about some resolutions for the upcoming year, one, in particular, struck my mind. Musikal Makinations needs to cover some more indie bands!
So, in the spirit of keeping up with this resolution, and the fact that it's been quite some time since an indie band album was reviewed, let's start out the new year right!
A YouTuber named tyrashanon performed a wonderful guitar cover of the Radwimps song, Osha Kasha Ma. In the description she says she's 13 years old, is a junior high school student, and has been playing the guitar for 2 years. So at this point, she's played guitar for as long as I've currently been playing the bass. Call me intrigued and interested about what else she's worked on!
Trusty YouTube search to the rescue!
I can't say I'm a fan of Orianthi, but this cover of Addicted to Love by tyrashanon (real name is Serina) was simply amazing. Serina was channeling some Stevie Ray Vaughn with the outfit she's wearing as well as the smooth guitar play. To top it off, she uploaded this video on February 7, 2012, as a memory for her 14th birthday! 14. I wonder what the heck I was doing at 14. Certainly not this and certainly not with nearly any talent like this! I was even more intrigued!
And, thanks to the wonders of YouTube suggestions, I was able to look up even more!
Among her many other guitar covers, this gem she uploaded on June 14, 2013 struck me the most as she is singing. Yes, singing! What an awesome voice to complement her great guitar play!!!
I had to find out more about Serina, and, once again, YouTube did not fail to deliver. I noticed a few videos for Rick Rack in the suggestions list.
"Wait, Serina is in a band?" I thought. Indeed she is, along with two other members that make up Rick Rack!!
And thus, my curiosity completely activated, I decided to track down all the information I could, including their 1st mini album, for this months review!
distributor of their mini album, which I'll get to later).
Rick Rack is a three-piece band from Nara-shi, Japan, that formed in August 2013. It features Serina on guitar and lead vocals; You on bass and vocals; and Natsuki (who would officially join the band in October 2013) on drums.
According to their website profile, they are active mainly in Osaka and Nara, which makes sense since they are still students. It would be interesting to find out how they juggle the time for their studies and music. I'm sure it's a challenge all young up and coming bands deal with.
August 15, 2013 Rick Rack won the Music Revolution Grand Prix at their district tournament.
March 27, 2014 "Teen White Paper" Grand Prix win at Kansai's largest teen contest.
October 31, 2014 "Flash Riot 2014" finals contestants.
Serina is multi-talented beyond her guitar and singing. She also plays drums, bass, keyboard, and shamisen.
Serina wrote the lyrics and music, and also created the album art for their 1st mini album!
I think that's a good enough introduction to Rick Rack. Let's get to the review shall we?
Overall, I give Rick Rack's debut mini album a Musikal Makinations first 10/10!! I can't think of any band I've reviewed, much less a newer indie band, that has such a profound set of songs in a single release… their FIRST release at that! And no other has been so deserving. These three girls have so much going for them. They are young and talented. All they need is a boost to the next level. I've been following them on Twitter for the last few months. After several performances at venues like Osaka Muse, you can see they are gaining popularity and confidence. I can only hope that their successes continue and that we see more from them in the coming months and years amid the competitive indie band market in Japan. This reviewer will certainly be rooting for them. You should too!
Once again, if you made it this far, I thank you for reading and leave you with one of my favorite pictures that I found from the variety of photos from live performances on Rick Rack's website!
Well, that's all for this months article! Thanks for taking the time to read it. Post your comments, suggestions, gripes, etc,. so I can fine tune my reviews!
Until then, stay tuned to 91.8 The Fan, where you get Everything You Want, and Nothing You Don't!