Tricia and Chris were married at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. I love all the horizontal and vertical lines in and around the center. It is such a contemporary place to have a wedding and it's neat to work there and take in all of these elements into the photographs.
Tricia and Chris were so laid back and easy to be around – it made shooting their wedding a breeze. They also had a great sense of humor. One of the most memorable moments was when the recipient of the garter was blindfolded and placed the garter up the leg of what he thought was the lovely bouquet cacher and it instead was the hairy leg of one of the groomsmen. The look on his face was priceless! See below.


Dr. Majid Serushan, MD is a geriatric medicine specialist in Olympia Fields, IL and has been practicing for 39 years. He graduated from Tabriz University Of Medical Sciences, Faculty Of Medicine in 1973 and specializes in geriatric medicine and rheumatology.
Very understanding man. Did not make me feel uncomfortable for trying to deal with chonic pain and not rushing me for more surgeries.This man did not push me away even though I have several issues to try and deal with, unlike a previous care giver. You will be missed Dr. Serushan.
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Imagination is the only limitation with our new Minecraft curriculum! Campers will learn the foundations of real-world Java coding knowledge to alter how Minecraft works. They'll create new types of blocks, come up with their own mini-games, and even have the ability to take their mods from the week and play them on Minecraft at home. It's going to be one crazy week! Price before 5/1/19 is $197; after 5/1 it is $219. No discounts after May 1.


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text:
Q: Get a number from other html page I want to get active connections number to compare with a set number to check if a server can handle more connections or that it should redirect to a other server.
Stat page of the server:

Active connections: 2
server accepts handled requests
 208 208 232
Reading: 0 Writing: 1 Waiting: 0

I am looking for a code that put the '2' in this case in to a variable. Where I can work with.
Thanks in advance!

A: Download the source of the file, remove html tags and use regex to find the value.
$html = strip_tags(File_get_contents("source.html"));
Preg_match("/Active connections:\s+(\d+)/", $html, $number);

Now $number is an array with the value.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Something of fundamental importance happened last week in the Ethiopian capital Addis Abbeba. At the AU summit of heads of states, the AU peace and security commission's proposal to send AU peace keepers to Burundi was unwelcome. That's the basic message. But beneath the rejection lies a hidden message- that the world is waking up to the commercialization and politicization of a legal term "genocide". This, assuming you know what underpinned the clamor for AU peacekeepers in Burundi, which has been aptly explained on this forum.
At the center of the trajectory lies a debate- and consequent exporting of it, of a genocide- central of which is what has been referred to as the "Tutsi genocide" of 1994. After the military 1 and 11 trials at the ICTR and the BBC's untold story, the rejection of the AU PSC's proposal is yet another indictment of people benefitting from the genocide currency.
In my earlier submissions, i presented a lot of legal literature on why the events of 1994 leave grey areas subject to a rational, legal inquiry. In this note, I intend to examine the events of 1994 from the RPA/F point of view.
To get to this; we need to examine the character of the RPA from the onset of the invasion. It is almost a "judicial notice" that prior to RPA invasion, there was already deadly intrigue within the military ranks of the RPF Tutsi exile community in Uganda. It was clan rivalry that would result in the murder of the first commander, Major General Fred Rwigyema at the hands of Maj. Dr. Peter Bayingana and Maj. Chris Bunyenyezi. Why is this important? It is important because, as my good friend Kalyegira put it, if there was this level of bad blood and struggle for power within the RPF and it could result in the murder of their overall commander so soon into the war, what havoc would these ruthless men inflict on the Hutu civilians they encountered in villages as they made their way into Rwanda after October 1990?
When the RPA invaded Rwanda, they made their rationale very clear. Reported the Uganda government-owned newspaper, the New Vision: "The force which invaded Rwanda on Monday [Oct. 1, 1990] has the prime aim of overthrowing the government of President Juvenal Habyarimana…They say they are not planning an immediate overthrow but a prolonged struggle which would mobilise the people…The RPF has an 8-point programme calling for, among other things, national unity, democracy, a self-sustaining economy and an end to corruption…They said they had no plans as to who should be Rwanda's president and that the 'people will choose". The RPA further said they were prepared for a protracted war: 'We don't mind about speed, we mind about getting to the people'" (New Vision, Oct. 4, 1990, p.1, 12).
That was their first formal statement. Even the pro-RPF New Vision admitted that "its aim is to overthrow the government of President Juvenal Habyarimana." There was no mention or allegation that the Habyarimana regime was massacring or planning to massacre the Tutsi. From there, we realize that had the RPF surely uncovered any plan by Habyarimana to exterminate the Tutsi, it would have been the number one point among the eight. Yet here was the summary of the RPF's philosophy and goals and there was no single point on averting a genocide or even anything remotely to do with human rights.
Where then does genocide and death at a grisly, monumental level start, since we now know that at the time the RPF invaded Rwanda, there was no plan by the Hutu to massacre the Tutsi? Asks Kalyegira?
In late April 1994, a Kampala radio station, 91.3 Capital FM invited the long-serving Rwandese ambassador to Uganda, Claver Kanyarusoke as a guest on their Sunday evening programme, Desert Island Discs. Kanyarusoke, a Hutu, arrived on a Thursday afternoon for the recording, dressed in a dark brown business suit. At the time, the Rwanda genocide was underway and bodies were floating down the River Kagera from Rwanda into Lake Victoria in Uganda and during the interview, William Pike, then New Vision MD and co-Managing Editor of 91.3 Capital FM, asked Kanyarusoke to explain the massacre of innocent Tutsi civilians.
Kanyarusoke reminded Pike that under the 1993 Arusha peace accords between the Habyarimana government and the RPF guerrillas, Rwanda had been divided into two geographical areas of control, one for the Tutsi and the other for the Hutu. Since the world believed that the Tutsi-dominated RPF was a both a strong and disciplined force, fully in control of its area, Kanyarusoke asked, how were we to explain the fact that all the bodies floating down the river, without exception, were from the RPF-controlled region of Rwanda?
What happened in April 1994?
Stephen Kinzer, in his book about Rwandan President Paul Kagame, writes that the Habyarimana regime started killing opposition members and presumed RPA sympathizers; indiscriminately. May be or may be not. But the truth of the matter is that in early 1994, as Kalyegira aptly puts it, Kigali saw a sudden rise in violence and insecurity, with many people being killed. Leaders of the opposition Social Democrat Party and Liberal Party, as well as 2,300 other people, were gunned down in the months before April 6, 1994.
The Ugandan newspsper, The Monitor published an interview on March 25, 1994, with Justin Bahunga, who was the Second Counsel at the Rwanda Embassy in Kampala. Bahunga's answers give us a clue to what the world might be missing as to what happened in 1994. "In whose interests would the government of Habyarimana cause insecurity in Kigali"?
Bahunga further added: "If you want to rule, you can't rule by insecurity…So the only person who can cause insecurity is the one who wants to make a government fail."Less than two weeks later, President Habyarimana was dead in an assassination after a surface-to-air missile was fired on the presidential jet. Fighting broke out in Kigali and in many other parts of Rwanda.
Intense fighting rocked several parts of the city.
The Hutu-dominated interim government fled its headquarters in the Hotel des Diplomates in the city centre 'for a more secure place', a Rwandan soldier in the hotel said. Unconfirmed reports said the week-old government had moved to the town of Gitarama, south-west of the city. As the rebels closed, residents emerged from hiding and tried to escape an expected wave of revenge killings by the Tutsi forces. 'It's going to be carnage,' predicted a Nairobi-based Rwandan diplomat.
The last foreign residents seeking to leave the city were escorted to the airport by French and Belgian paratroopers. France, Russia, Germany and the United States said they had evacuated virtually all their nationals from Kigali.
In Kampala, Christine Umutoni, spokeswoman for the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), said its forces had entered Kigali and were about to join a battalion of 600 fellow rebels camped outside the city under a UN-sponsored peace plan approved by the government and the rebels in August.
She said RPF forces were awaiting instructions to seize the capital, where she said 'government forces had dispersed, many of them surrendering with their arms to the RPF'. The rebels' entry into the city was later confirmed by the UN in New York.
The RPF has around 20,000 soldiers, against an estimated 30,000 government troops. RPF radio said advancing rebel forces had signed an agreement with UN officials yesterday guaranteeing the evacuation of foreign nationals."At this juncture, we pause to reflect.
Over the years, President Paul Kagame has railed against the UN and the world community for failing Rwanda in its time of great danger. "Where was the UN?" is a refrain we have heard countless times from Kagame in person and many of the top RPF leadership over the last 15 years.
We now see, in the report, that the RPF's own radio station broadcast a news item saying they had "signed an agreement with UN officials yesterday guaranteeing the evacuation of foreign nationals." The UN was cooperating with the RPF, not standing by indifferently as we have been told.
Clearly the RPF was in a stronger position and was rapidly gaining the upper hand in the days following Habyarimana's assassination.Thirdly, the AFP report said "In Kampala, Christine Umutoni, spokeswoman for the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), said its forces had entered Kigali and were about to join a battalion of 600 fellow rebels camped outside the city…" The RPF was in Kigali, according to its spokeswoman, within a week of Habyarimanas death.
These news reports were written in the fast-moving atmosphere of the day, and so nobody can claim that because the AFP is a French state news agency, it was somehow doctoring its reports. However, just in case some detractors might dismiss the AFP report, is there any other we can turn to for an alternative angle to this story? Indeed there is.
The Monitor, founded by Kevin Aliro, Wafula Oguttu, James Serugo, Teddy Seezi Cheeye, Richard Tebere, Davi Ouma Balikowa, and Charles Onyango-Obbo was a decidedly pro-RPF Kampala newspaper. There can be no question about it for those who know its history.
"As the looting, indiscriminate killing by the Presidential Guard, regular troops and rampaging Hutu vigilantes went from bad to worse, there were indications that Kigali is about to fall to the rebel Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA).
Truckloads of reinforcements for RPA rebels could be seen moving to Kigali from their northern stronghold.
Hundreds of Rwanda government forces are said to be deserting to the RPA to secure positions in the subsequent government when the RPA topples the current interim government under the leadership of Theodore Sindikubwabo which was installed a few days ago. A member of the RPF Poliical Bureau (Maj.) Christine Umutoni yesterday told journalists at Speke Hotel [in Kampala] that the RPA will advance to 'crush' any forces which stand in defence of the 'hoax government' headed by Theodore Sindikubwabo, whether thos forces are local or foreign.
"If any foreign force comes our way, while we are advancing, we shall regard them as the enemy,' she said. 'We are going to crush them." Though Umutoni could not commit herself to actual distances, she said the RPA forces are 'very, very close.' So far, RPA has faced minimal resistance and has reported 3 casualties and no deaths.
Reports from Kigali say that rampant massacres by Habyarimana loyalists have narrowed to specific targets, killing whole families of people opposed to their government. The targets include nearly every Tutsi and what has been described as 'moderate Hutus.' Umutoni however told journalists that Kigali remains a horror town and condemned the United Nations for their passive role. 'The situation about massacres in Kigali now is very horrific,' she said. 'The UN has failed to control the situation.' Maj. Umutoni boasted that the RPA had been capable of taking power as far back as February 8. 'It was capable long ago…even February 8 when we were 30km from the town [Kigali].
Once again, we stop and reflect on this story by the Monitor. It is even more revealing than the AFP story.
1) The RPF in a position of increasing strength, advancing on Kigali and at various stages of taking control or having already taken control.
2) Hutu government troops either fleeing or surrendering to the RPF and the government in disarray.
The RPF is reported to be at 20,000-strong while the rapidly crumbling government army, the FAR, is at 30,000, so the two armies are at nearly the same strength.
We see, in fact, Christine Umutoni, the RPF spokesperson, "boasting" that the RPF was in a position to capture Kigali as far back as February 1994.
Take a careful look at this Monitor news story: "The overall RPF/RPA commander, Maj. Gen. Paul Kagame talks of the RPF overrunning government bases and positions and, according to the Monitor, boasting to the BBC World Service Kiswahili service that (in his own words) "We are in Kigali and we have had very little resistance to get here."And then, we have the strange turnabout from Umutoni.
She was the first RPF official to accuse the UN of doing nothing, and yet all other reports, including one by the RPF's own radio, were speaking of an agreement between the RPF and the UN to ease the humanitarian crisis. Umutoni's comments at Speke Hotel in Kampala were the first indications of the dishonesty of the RPF. This is why it is so important for research and investigation to become a part of our societies. So much history is distorted and allowed to remain so, because we are not bothered about re-reading and re-searching what we have been told.
Having now seen, both from the AFP and the pro-RPF Monitor, that the RPF was in a position of rising strength and the remnant of the Habyarimana army and government was in disarray and either fleeing or surrendering, we come to the all-important question: What then happened? Remember, the RPF stalwarts Gerald Gahima and Claude Dusaidi had just penned an ultimatum to the UN with a clear threat: There are no Tutsis left to save and there is no need for additional UNAMIR troops to Rwanda (this writer is in possession of their letter to that effect).
It is clear that the RPF was in control, or gaining control, of Kigali and other towns and was unchallenged by the fleeing FAR government army. If, as we have seen too, the Hutu-dominated government was fleeing Kigali, the army also fleeing or surrendering, how then was this government, falling apart and fleeing, able to orchestrate a genocide that claimed more than 800,000 lives, with the 20,000-man RPF army in control or about to be, but not doing anything about it?
If Christine Umutoni told that Speke Hotel press conference that the RPF was strong enough to take power as far back as Feb. 8, 1994, what then prevented the RPA from stopping the genocide, if, as they claim, they knew of a plan by Habyarimana to exterminate the Tutsi minority? The answer begins to appear when we go to the next news excerpt from 1994.
Parts of the Rwandese capital remain in the hands of The Presidential Guard, regular troops and paramilitary forces to former president Juvenal Habyarimana who was assassinated in a rocket attack on his plane April 6…Anxiety has gripped supporters of the RPA/F cause who view their 'delay' to capture Kigali as a sign of trouble.
On Wednesday afternoon an RPF official told a Monitor reporter at Mulindi, the RPF headquarters, that Kigali would fall in 12 hours, but it did not happen. The rebels have besieged Kigali for almost a week now but have failed to take full control.
There is an estimated force of 18,000 RPA men laying siege to Kigali on three fronts. Latest reports say that some strategic hills around Kigali such as Nyamirambo, are in the hands of RPF.
According to a military analyst, the RPF is being cautious about destroying down-town Kigali. The Monitor was told that RPA was surrounding Kigali leaving only one outlet through Gitarama that could be used by fleeing soldiers.
RPF spokesman Shaban Rutayisire told the journalist at Mulindi that "It is a question of time and tactics so that we rout the murderous Rwanda army." 'The puzzlement that Kigali has not fallen is only deepened, because the entire interim cabinet fled Kigali on Tuesday. Interim President Theodore Sindikubwabo and 19 of his ministers fled to Gitarama, 50km, south west of Kigali.
Another source watching developments said "The RPA was militarily ready to enter Kigali and there is no doubt they will win the fight within the week, but they were not politically ready.
But, on the face of it, the death of Habyarimana and the blood that flowed the Kigali streets was an 'opportune time' for the RPF to enter Kigali.
There we have it. The story of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in crystal clear light at last. There is no question that the RPF held the upper hand militarily by the beginning of 1994.
That much Christine Umutoni was able to tell a public press conference at Kampala's Speke Hotel. And in case we might want to dismiss her observation as that from a junior official, we have Maj. Gen. Paul Kagame's own direct and unambiguous words to the BBC Kiswahili service that "'We are in Kigali and we have had very little resistance to get here.
Far from the FAR government army embarking on a mass murder of Tutsi, they were fleeing Kigali, as we have already seen and, in fact, even being helped by the RPF to escape. The comments by the Ugandan military expert to the Monitor fill in all the remaining blanks.
He said that while RPA had support, it was not clear whether they had the majority of the people on their side…"It confirms that the RPF was militarily victorious but, being a minority ethnic group, moreover from a foreign, English-speaking country Uganda, they could have walked into Kigali, taken control, but how would they have governed politically?
They had to develop their political standing. How? By resorting to the sinister tactics their mentor President Yoweri Museveni had employed so successfully in Luwero in central Uganda — commit atrocities against the population and then blame them on your adversary and by that make the population believe it was your enemy who carried out the massacre, so that you gain the population's support, some have argued.
And they are not entirely wrong. Many a times have I expounded Yoweri Museveni's under-graduate thesis at the university of Dar-El-Salaam where he dwelt on Franz Fanon's theory of violence. If you have been following, then you know what is being talked about here.
A simple question can answer all this: If Museveni used the tactics of causing havoc in Luwero, dressing his NRA men up in UNLA uniform, in order to convince the population that it was the UNLA killing them, and it worked, leading many Baganda to support the NRA, and we read that Paul Kagame was deeply influenced by the tactics and success of the NRA in Luwero, would the RPF, made up of commanders who had served under Museveni in Luwero, not resort to the tactics they had seen work so well in Luwero when it came to Rwanda?
Let's get a panoramic view of events: the RPF advances on Kigali and is within distance of gaining power by early February. When Habyarimana is killed on April 6, the government and the Hutu-majority army start to fall apart as the RPF rapidly moves in.
The RPF moves in, takes control or near control, then…..silence. It does nothing. It allows the Hutu soldiers to flee by way of the Kigali-Gitarama road.
It cooperates with the UN in evacuating all foreign nationals. They leave. The RPF is now in charge of Rwanda. But they sit….and do nothing.
For three months from April to July 1994, the RPF is in total charge of Rwanda, including the capital Kigali. A genocide starts to take place.
Bodies are scatterd everywhere. Tens of thousands float down the Kagera River into Uganda.
But this force of Tutsi exiles, most of them born in Uganda, away for 30 years, this force which says it knew of a plan by the Hutu government to massacre hundreds of thousands of Tutsi, is in full control of Kigali, as its own Paul Kagame and Christine Umutoni publicly boast, but it watches…and does nothing.
It is obvious, given all this evidence, given the fact that the RPF was part of the NRA that fought in the central Ugandan region of Luwero in the 1980s, that what was going on from April to July 1994 may prolly have been war crimes by the RPF against the Rwandans so as to have it blamed on the Hutu to acquire the much needed legitimacy.
Don't rush. Let us cast an eagle's eye on this.
Where have we heard of this guerrilla tactic before? Certainly in Luwero Triangle in central Uganda during the NRA war.
So if "The way the NRA fought made a deep impression on Kagame" and it "decisively shaped his idea of what a guerrilla force should be and do" and furthermore "it proved invaluable to him when he began to forge, and later emerged to lead, the force that would liberate his homeland," we must then go to Luwero to examine what these vital lessons were that left such a mark on Kagame that he would use years later in Rwanda.
This method of fighting, where you commit the atrocities in order to blame them and have them blamed on your adversary, was the central plank of the NRA war in Luwero.
A report on this was published by the Shariat newsletter, a Kampala publication edited in the mid 1990s by Haruna Kanaabi and the late Musa Hussein Njuki.
…[Museveni] kept the skulls of those he killed or caused to be killed to use in his campaigns…He knew that if he could keep on telling Baganda that the skulls are the creation of Milton Obote, he could remain a hero for as long as he showed the skulls of UNLA soldiers which he now claims to be of innocent civilians — something he calls 'heroes'".
"At the burial of [UPC stalwart] Adonia Tiberondwa recently [on December 28, 2004], Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire, for example, revealed that the National Resistance Army rebels used to wear UPC colours and then go into villages in Luwero and kill people in order to make the people think these were actions of the UPC government. Otafiire was boasting of the "tricks" NRA employed to win support in Luwero, but was also revealing the sinister side of Museveni and his insurgents… Each time there was a reported case of mistreatment of civilians by the army, we arrested those responsible and punished them severely.
"The truth is that most of the soldiers in the army who were committing atrocities were Museveni's people. And whenever we zeroed in on them, they would run to join him in the bush in Luwero. Take the example of [Colonel] Pecos Kutesa. He had an interview with William Pike on Capital Radio in Kampala in [January] 1995 in a programme called Desert Island Discs. He told Pike that he was in UNLA but as an NRA infiltrator whose mission was to undermine the credibility of the army from within.
"Pecos Kutesa's testimony is instructive of how Museveni personally orchestrated the killings of innocent people and the harassment of civilians not just in Luwero but other parts of Uganda as well during the 1980s. His testimony is also important because it fits very well with what Otafiire and Lt. Gen. Elly Tumwine have confessed. Let us listen to Pecos Kutesa, whose interview on Capital Radio Tim has kept as evidence. He told Pike that he used to be at a roadblock in Konge. As a lieutenant, he was the man in charge of that roadblock. According to Pecos Kutesa's own testimony on Capital Radio, Konge roadblock was the most notorious in harassing civilians, robbing them of their money and killing some. Kutesa says reports reached army headquarters of his harassment of the civilians and Oyite Ojok summoned him to Kampala for disciplinary action. He ran to the bush." (Daily Monitor, April 15, 2005).
From all the above quotes, we must ask ourselves the all-important question: If this is the way Museveni's NRA conducted itself in Luwero and according to Stephen Kinzer's admiring book on Kagame, the methods of guerrilla warfare in Luwero we have just read about left a "deep impression on Kagame", is there anything more to be said about the way the RPF fought its war under the command of the now Maj. Gen. Paul Kagame between 1990 and 1994?
According to the Citizen newspaper in Jan. 1991, this is late Dec. 1990 and what do we already see, long before the 1994 genocide? Reports of bodies floating down the Kagera River from the RPF-held areas.
Why do the international media, governments, historians, the ICTR in Arusha, and others not want to listen to this side of the story? Why are the Hutu being persecuted when this report plus the one on today's cover story clearly point to who it was who orchestrated that 1990-94 genocide in order to have it blamed on the Hutu?
"The New York Times led the charge into Rwanda, and the Western media continued to beat the 'Tutsis as victims' drum roll. There was, after all, a lot of money to be made. Wall Street vultures began drooling. Military and intelligence operatives like David Kimche (Israel) and Roger Winter (USA) jockeyed for position – organizing logistics, maintaining supply chains, arranging weapons shipments – to support 'our' man Kagame and our proxy guerrilla army, the RPF. The Washington Post, Boston Globe, CNN, the Observer all described the RPF guerrillas as a highly 'disciplined' army: if any woman was raped or civilian massacred, it was an accident, a rogue soldier, and said soldier would be duly punished (of course, they never were).
Just as Museveni had infiltrated, massacred and terrorized Uganda (1980-1985), the RPF infiltrated soldiers disguised as civilians into Hutu villages, Hutu political parties, even into Hutu youth groups organized to defend Rwanda from the invading terrorist guerrillas. While the RPF used the airwaves to terrorize the people, scapegoat and stereotype enemies real and perceived, and whip up fear of 'Hutu power' – the same kinds of nasty propaganda, often sexualized, used by the Kagame regime to demonize its detractors from the West even today – we only even hear about 'Hutu power' hate radio, not extremist Radio Muhabura.
Don't remind me that Keith is a genocide denier. I have already heard of that. But how about Jonathan Cook- an award winner of the Martha Gellhorn Special Prize for Journalism whose latest books include "Israel and the Clash of Civilisations: Iraq, Iran and the Plan to Remake the Middle East(Pluto Press) and Disappearing Palestine: Israel's Experiments in Human Despair (Zed Books)?
According to him, Paul Kagame, the hero of the official story of Rwanda's genocide, was almost certainly the biggest war criminal to have emerged from those horrifying events. Kagame led the Tutsis' main militia, the RPF. He almost certainly ordered the shooting down of the Rwandan president's plane, the trigger for a civil war that quickly escalated into a genocide; on the best estimates, his RPF was responsible for killing 80% of the 1 million who died inside Rwanda, making the Hutus, not the Tutsis, the chief victims; and his subsequent decision to extend the civil war into neighbouring Congo, where many Hutu civilians had fled to escape the RPF, led to the deaths of up to 5 million more.
Are we still in doubt at what happened?
The Hutus have pleaded innocence but world opinion refuses to believe them. May be the world is right. I don't claim to be right or wrong but rather making a rational inquiry.
In Dec. 2005, a British-based team of investigators, the Sanders Research Associates, published a report that questioned the basis for apportioning blame for the 1994 Rwandan genocide. We already discussed the Stam and Davenport report about the numbers of the dead; supported by the 1991 government census that clearly make the numbers of the Tutsi dead an impossibility.
But there is as well the Sanders report, which stated thus: "There is a stunning lack of documentary evidence of a [Habyarimana] government plan to commit genocide".
There were no orders, minutes of meetings, notes, cables, faxes, radio intercepts or any other type of documentation that such a plan ever existed. The ICTR, needless to say, confirmed this in military trials 1 and 11. In fact, the documentary evidence establishes just the opposite." (View from Rwanda: The Dallaire Genocide Fax: A Fabrication, Sanders Research Associated Ltd., December 1, 2005).
Of paramount importance is not only the fact that this story is being revisited but the fact that its export base is declining, as we saw last week in Addis Abbeba. But how about for the sake of historical clarity for the sake of a genuine co-existence between Rwanda's bi-polar divide? Unless the right questions are asked, the past is blurred and the future is constructed on lies. It's nigh that right questions should be asked at 10 Downing Street and the Pentagon. Till then!
Appel à soutenir fortement Emmanuel Macron, « Candidat de la Nouvelle Génération » à la Présidence de la République française en 2017.


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CD REVIEW: Offpiste Gurus – In Case of Fire
By ljazzn on 23 January 2016 • ( Leave a comment )
Offpiste Gurus – In Case of Fire
(Yellowbird yeb-7757 CD Review by Peter Slavid)
It's only a few weeks since the outpouring of words about David Bowie included a lot of praise for his work with jazz musicians. This prompted me to think about what I see as an encouraging blurring of the boundaries between rock, pop, folk and jazz.
I have personally never found the words of jazz standards to be exactly stimulating intellectually, and successful jazz flirtations with pop and folk have tended to concentrate on exploiting the tunes rather than the words.
So when I get a CD from a singer/songwriter who describes herself as working "in the borderland between rock, jazz and indie-pop" it at least deserves a proper listen.
Offpiste Gurus are an interesting combination. Trinelese Vaering from Denmark is basically an indie pop singer – a really nice pure voice but quite straightforward. Her collaboration with Frederik Lundin goes back for over two decades and their 1993 album People, Places, Times and Faces was nominated for a Grammy. (More here). They have also collaborated with Nordic jazz musicians such as Palle Danielsson and Bobo Stenson. She writes and sings words that are a cut above the average pop song with a wry sense of humour. These are tales of modern not entirely successful relationships. They catalogue the angst of a single woman. The words are sometimes a bit spooky "I roamed through your garbage, listened in on your calls" and sometimes bitter "Are you one of those guys who can't buy a decent gift unless provided with a shopping list"
The music is from an acoustic, folksy jazz trio including the talented well established saxophonist and bandleader in Fredrik Lundin with drummer Jeppe Gram and bass Thomas Vang plus a few guests. The music shares some of the quirkiness of the words. Sometimes its a sparse accompaniment, sometimes funky, sometimes a touch of the blues. There's even occasional touches of banjo.
And I must offer a word of praise for the CD design in a bold red and white, with a proper booklet containing all the words of the songs in clear and legible print (something all too rare these days).
Your view of this CD will depend a lot on how you approach it. It's not the most exciting and original jazz, and the singing is good but not exceptional. But in my view the words elevate this above the mundane – its the songs that win through and make the whole greater than the sum of the parts.
Peter Slavid broadcasts a weekly radio show at mixcloud.com/ukjazz
CD REVIEW: Carl Orr- Forbearance
INTERVIEW/ PREVIEW: Mads Mathias (talking to Ian Shaw – UK Tour Dates 5th-14th Feb )

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


All bets are on for the royal baby's moniker!
Mere months after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle said, "I do," the royal newlyweds are now expecting their first child together! And just days after the announcement, the world has already started placing bets on the baby's name.
Victoria, which was Queen Elizabeth II's great-great grandmother's name, currently takes the lead, according to Ladbrokes, a London-based betting and gambling company. Albert, Arthur, Philip, and Alice also come in as the top five names. Even if the child is named after a royal family member, here's why Prince Harry and Meghan's baby won't be getting a royal title.
Other current royal family member monikers also made the list such as Charles and Elizabeth—even William. Unsurprisingly, Diana, inspired by Harry's mother, made it to the eighth spot on the list. People are even placing bets on the baby's gender, birthday, and time of birth! Next, check out the 14 royal pregnancy rules Meghan Markle will have to follow.


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Global Views Monthly announced 2022 domestic university ranking, NSYSU ranks 2nd for social reputation
Global Views Monthly magazine has announced the best universities in Taiwan ranking 2022. National Sun Yat-sen University is listed in the top 5 universities. In addition, for the indicator of social reputation, NSYSU is the second highest ranked school, going up three places from last year and outranked only by National Taiwan University.
To keep up with changing social trends, Global Views Monthly has been updating its key indicators and weighted scoring for years in order to provide credible ranking results. For the indicator of social reputation, according to Global Views Monthly, it looks to academic contribution, development of patented technology and SDGs participation. Schools need to raise talents who efficiently apply knowledges into industries and meets general social expectation. Thus, the indicator of social reputation is relatively unique. In addition to objective scoring results, peer evaluation of school presidents, alumni's contribution and social issue participations are also included in the scoring process.
In 2022, National Taiwan University, National Sun Yat-sen University, National Tsing Hua University, National Cheng Kung University and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University are listed the top 5 schools respectively for social reputation. NSYSU has been moved from the fifth to the second place this year, outranking many well-known schools.
Global Views Monthly emphasized that NSYSU has evidently proved its progress in social contribution by establishment of Post-Baccalaureate Medicine School, College of Semiconductor and Advanced Technology Research and School of Banking and Finance, complying with national higher education policies. NSYSU also presents outstanding contribution of SDGs studies and patent. Moreover, the school put much effort to support students from low income families by providing the highest bursary per person funded by school among all domestic universities. All these matter of facts evidently strengthen NSYSU's social reputation. As University Social Responsibility projects has been moving up to the stage of practice, Global Views Monthly also include quantifiable indicators, such as number of SDGs papers and number of SDGs patent, as evaluating social reputation of schools.
Global Views Monthly emphasized that there are fundamental methods to evaluate if the university provides abundant educational resources: to assess faculties by educational quality, academia /industry contribution and services. However, for students who obtain higher education resources, they should be problem solvers with expertise, people skills and positive mentality. In addition, schools are responsible for encouraging them to pay attention to international affairs, economy, industrial trends and environmental protection. As Net-Zero carbon Emissions policies and bilingual education are both high-profile topics for years, it is reasonable that Global Views Monthly added indicators like SDGs performance, bilingual education into evaluation for 2022 domestic universities ranking.
Source:《Global Views Monthly》


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Cruiser Safaris hunting client Mike Cochran, reference letter and hunting photos.
Cruiser Safaris was my trip of a lifetime! The planning of the trip was expertly handled by Cruiser Bob, and I can't thank him enough for his expertise. Everything, from beginning to end, went off without a hitch.
I really want to thank Pieter and Lizelle, for their gracious hospitality. I especially want to thank Craig for putting up with this ole geezer for 10 days. All the trophies were "big enough"! Tanya, the cook put out such fabulous meals, I wanted to smuggle her home. The laughs and discussions around the fire at night were fabulous. Thanks Grassie, Johann, Jaco and Hans for the great camaraderie, and hospitality.
You could do no better anywhere than hunting with CRUISER SAFARIS!
Mike hunted with Cruiser Safaris in July 2008.


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Dennis Lee Eckersley
Born: 10 / 3 / 1954 at Oakland, CA (USA)
This article was written by Joseph Wancho
Cleveland pitcher Dennis Eckersley was pitching pretty well. His last outing was a 12-inning game against Seattle, in which he held the Mariners without a hit from the sixth inning on, covering the last 7 2/3 innings. He was rewarded with a complete-game win, when the Tribe pushed a run across in the last of the 12th inning to give Cleveland a 2-1 victory.
His next assignment was a tough one, to be sure, a Memorial Day matchup against the California Angels and their ace, Frank Tanana. As in the previous game against the Mariners, the Cleveland lineup had a difficult time putting together an offensive attack. Duane Kuiper's one-out triple to center field in the first inning led to the Indians' lone tally, when he scored on a suicide squeeze by Jim Norris.
But the 22-year-old Eckersley was spectacular on the warm late spring evening of May 30, 1977. After surrendering a walk to Angels first baseman Tony Solaita in the top of the first inning, Eck mowed down the Angel hitters. Pressure mounted as the game progressed, inning by inning; it was three up and three down for the Halos. In the eighth inning, outfielder Bobby Bonds advanced to first base on a swinging third-strike wild pitch. But he was erased at second base on a questionable call when the next batter, Don Baylor, bounced into a 6-4-3 double play.
In the bottom of the frame, Ray Fosse flew out to left field for the third out. As Angels outfielder Joe Rudi jogged back to the dugout, he planted a light kiss on the baseball and tossed it to Eckersley as he approached the mound. "Joe kissed the ball, smiled and tossed it out to me. I think he was wishing me good luck or something. It was nice of him. It showed he's got real class," explained Eck.1
The sparse holiday crowd of 13,400 was up on their feet for the top of the ninth inning. After retiring the first two batters, only Gil Flores remained between Eckersley and the no-hit game. Flores was not too anxious to step into the box. "I yelled at him to stop messing with me and step in," said Eck. "I threw him all sliders and got him."2 Eckersley later told the Contra Costa Times. "I pointed at him, 'Get in there. They're not here to take your picture. You're the last out. Get in there.' I was pretty cocky back then."3
Flores was the 12th strikeout on the evening for Eckersley. Angels starter Frank Tanana pitched well, too, scattering five hits and surrendering just the one run, in the first inning of the 1-0 loss. California manager Norm Sherry was complimentary of Eckersley's near-perfect performance. "A super ballgame right down the drain," lamented Sherry. "But Eckersley was simply outstanding. He threw hard and he threw strikes. We didn't make a well hit out all night."4 Rudi agreed with Sherry. "Eckersley had a great fastball, great curveball, great everything," he said.5
Reporters informed Eckersley that the record for consecutive hitless innings was 23, held by Cy Young in 1904. The mark gave the 22-year old right-hander a record to shoot for. His next start was against the Mariners at the Kingdome on June 3. He went the first 5 2/3 innings before giving up a home run to Rupert Jones, the only hit the Mariners managed in a 7-1 defeat. His total was 22 1/3 innings of pitching hitless ball, falling two outs shy of Young's record.
Dennis Lee Eckersley was born October 3, 1954, in Oakland, California, the middle child born to Wallace and Bernice Eckersley (he had an older brother Wally and a younger sister, Cindy). Wallace Eckersley worked as a warehouse supervisor, and Bernice worked as a keypunch operator. Eckersley was a standout athlete at Washington High School in Fremont, California. Cleveland selected him in the third round, (#50 pick overall) of the June amateur draft in 1972.
Three days after graduating from high school, the 17-year-old Eckersley embarked on his professional baseball career, reporting to Reno of the Class A California League. He stayed there for two years, honing his skill. Before the 1973 season, he married his high school sweetheart, the former Denise Jacinto. They had one daughter, Mandee.
The next season, he started off on fire at AA San Antonio of the Texas League. He won his first eight decisions for the Brewers, including a seven inning one-hitter against Shreveport. He ended the season posting a 14-3 mark with a 3.40 ERA.
His effort propelled him right past Triple A ball, and to the Indians in 1975. New manager Frank Robinson liked what he saw of Eck in spring training, and convinced General Manager Phil Seghi to keep him on the varsity. "Every time I used him in spring training, he got people out. I mean, every time," recalled Robby. "He didn't have one bad game. They (the front office) worried about his confidence if he got hit a couple of times in the majors, but Dennis had tremendous confidence. Finally I said, 'Look, let me keep him. I'll work him out of the bullpen, break him in gradually and keep the pressure off.' That is the only reason Dennis opened that season as a reliever. I wanted to start him, but the front office wouldn't let me. I figured that having Dennis in the bullpen was better than not having Dennis at all."6
Eventually, Robinson got his way. Eckersley made his first start at home against the three-time World Champion Oakland Athletics on May 25, 1975. It was a baptism by fire of sorts, and Eckersley proved that his promotion to the rotation would be heavenly. He blanked the A's on three hits, striking out six in the 6-0 win. "I was giving them my fastball until I began to feel a little dizzy from the heat," said Eck. "My stomach cramped up, too. Then I went to my sinker. It sank more, the more tired I got. So I stayed with it the rest of the way."7
To prove it was no fluke, Eckersley won his next start in Oakland on May 31. Pitching before family and friends, Eckersley scattered six hits and struck out five in the 4-1 victory. "I got by because I throw strikes and made 'em keep the ball in play, and everybody behind me caught it or picked it up," said Eckersley.8
He finished the year with a 13-7 record and a 2.60 ERA. He led Cleveland's starters in ERA and the entire staff in strikeouts (152). He was named American League Rookie Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News.
Over the next two seasons, Eckersley pitched just a tad over .500. He posted career-high numbers in strikeouts (200 in 1976 and 191 in 1977) and was named to his first All-Star Game in 1977 at Yankee Stadium. He pitched two innings of no-hit ball for the American League. However, the Indians offense did not give Eckersley much run support. Only one player hit over 20 homers, and only one player hit over .300 in each year. No batter surpassed 83 RBIs in either season.
Although it appeared Eckersley, at 23, would be a star pitcher, rumors persisted that the Indians were trying to move him. The front office noted that Eckersley gave up the long ball much too often, had trouble against left-handed batters, and that base runners ran too easily on him. They were also concerned about his delivery from the mound. He used a high leg kick, to emulate his boyhood idol Juan Marichal. He followed it with a side-winding delivery that the Tribe brass worried could eventually cause him arm problems. Boston was seeking a number one starter to their staff, believing that was the final piece of the puzzle to overtake New York in the East Division. So on March 30, 1978, Cleveland sent Eckersley and catcher Fred Kendall to the Red Sox for pitchers Rick Wise and Mike Paxton, infielder Ted Cox, and catcher Bo Diaz.
"Eckersley can do for us what Tom Seaver does for Cincinnati," said Bosox manager Don Zimmer. "He's that good. He's one of the five best pitchers in the league. Last year we finished 2 ½ games behind the Yankees because of pitching; our top winner had 13 victories and he was a reliever (Bill Campbell). Give us a 17-game winner and we win it."9
Eckersley went from a perennial second division club to a contender. He lived up to his "Number 1 Starter" billing by posting a 20-8 record with a 2.99 ERA. Nine of his victories came after a Red Sox loss, each time giving Boston a victory when they needed it. He was the consistent starter Zimmer had craved. He also adapted quite well to Fenway Park, posting a record of 11-1 at home. "Eckersley has adapted himself to Fenway very well," said the New York Yankees' Graig Nettles. "Instead of letting his fastball get up, he is keeping his sliders down low. If he continues to do that, he's going to be awfully tough to beat." 10
For the Red Sox, it was a streaky year. They held a seven-game lead over New York on August 30, then went on a 3-14 skid to trail the Yankees by 3 ½ games. Boston put together a hot streak of 12-2, winning their last eight in a row to catch the Yankees on the final day of the schedule and force a single-game playoff, won by New York. In the hot streak down the stretch, Eck won four straight games.
Eckersley continued to pitch well the next season, posting 17 wins. From July 11 to August 14, he won eight straight games, with the first seven of those being complete game victories. He developed a sore arm and won only one game the rest of the year. "I was just tired from all the pitching [246 2/3 innings]," said Eck. "It usually happens to me every year, although only once before did it really hurt. That was either my first or second year when I was in Cleveland, but the arm bounced back after the long winter rest."11
Eckersley had gotten divorced shortly after he came to Boston. In the offseason, he married the former Nancy O'Neil. They had one son, Jake, and a daughter, Allie.
But the soreness never did subside and Eckersley also developed back and shoulder injuries over the next few years in Boston. He still pitched well on occasion, as shown by a one-hitter he threw at Toronto on September 26, 1980. He struck out nine Blue Jays, giving up a solo home run to John Mayberry for their only hit in the 3-1 win. But home runs continued to plague him. Not counting the strike-shortened season of 1981, Eckersley surrendered 142 round-trippers in five full seasons with Boston.
The Chicago Cubs found themselves in the unlikeliest position of first place early in the 1984 season. They had a strong offensive club, but injuries to Dick Ruthven and Scott Sanderson depleted their mound corps. General Manager Dallas Green went looking for help, and on May 25, he dealt first baseman Bill Buckner to Boston for Eckersley and infielder Mike Brumley. Three weeks later he acquired Rick Sutcliffe from Cleveland, and together, Eckersley and Sutcliffe won 26 games for the Cubs, bringing stability to the pitching staff. "His attitude and personality are just special," Cubs reliever Dickie Noles said of Eck. "He's a unique person. He's got his own lingo for balls and strikes and hits. 'Throw some gas.' That man ain't taking me bye-bye'. He would say 'I got the slide Johnson going and threw some gas.' One thing about Dennis Eckersley, I never saw anyone work as hard as this guy and it shows." 12
The Cubs won the National League's Eastern Division, returning to the postseason for the first time since 1945. They looked poised to have their ticket punched to the World Series as well, having won the first two games of the NLCS at Wrigley Field. Eckersley toed the rubber for the Cubs in Game Three, but the Padres chased him in the sixth inning. Eck gave up five runs and did not strike out a batter in the loss. San Diego won the next two games, eliminating the Cubs.
In 1986, Eckersley developed tendinitis in his shoulder, which led to a miserable year. He posted a 6-11 record, with a 4.57 ERA, the fourth-highest among NL starters. He led the league in doubles, giving up 58 two-baggers.
Nancy Eckersley began to notice that Dennis had started drinking, a problem that he had off and on during his career to this point. "The first year in Chicago wasn't too bad," said Nancy. "But then Dennis started drinking again. I could see it in his eyes; hear it in his voice on the phone."13 The disease took hold of him at an early age. As a teenager, he hung around a lot with his older brother Wally, who carried a big influence over his younger sibling. "We were out to get drunk, not to have a couple of beers," said Dennis.14
His miserable season in 1986, combined with day games in Chicago, was a recipe for Eck to fall back to his old ways. Nancy attended Al-Anon meetings because of Dennis' drinking. He hit rock bottom, when over the holidays, he watched a videotape of how he was acting when he was on a binge. He was horrified by the sight, and also that it was in front of his daughter, Mandee. Although the videotape was shocking, it told a truth that Eckersley may not have been ready to admit or face: He was an alcoholic. He subsequently checked himself into a rehab facility, and has been sober ever since.
As he tried to put his personal life together, his professional life took another turn when Chicago dealt Dennis to Oakland before the start of the 1987 season on April 3. He was returning home, although he was unsure of what his role on the A's would be. Manager Tony La Russa dispatched Eck to the bullpen. When stopper Jay Howell developed arm problems, Eck was given the closer role. Howell and Eckersley shared the team lead in saves with 16 apiece, but it was Howell who was traded after the season as part of a three-team deal that brought Bob Welch from the Dodgers.
The Athletics were putting together a juggernaut in the American League. They had offensive firepower with Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, and Dave Henderson. They had speed with Rickey Henderson, and with the acquisition of Welch, another starter to go with Dave Stewart and Mike Moore. But the one constant to the team was Dennis Eckersley in the back end of the bullpen. La Russa used Eckersley as his stopper, inventing the one-inning closer. In keeping his work down to one inning, his arm problems were a distant memory. "A year earlier, I don't think it would have worked," said Eckersley. "I couldn't have been an every-day pitcher when I was drinking. But at Oakland I changed jobs at precisely the right time, and I give the A's credit for that. They took the gamble by trading Howell last winter."15
La Russa credits Oakland pitching coach Dave Duncan with coming up with the idea of first using Eck being a reliever, then a stopper. Duncan explained Eckersley's transformation this way: "Eck always throws strikes, and he has the heart of a giant. His natural response is to challenge a crisis head-on. That's what makes him such a great reliever. And it's not tough on his arm if he's used right. Think of it this way: Aren't you less likely to break down running two miles every day than 10 miles every fifth day?"16
In 1988 Eck led the majors in saves with 45, as the Athletics captured the first of three straight pennants. Eck was named Most Valuable Player of the ALCS, when he saved all four Oakland victories as the Athletics swept Boston. But every closer has a bad day, and unfortunately for Eckersley, his came on baseball's biggest stage. In Game One of the World Series, Eckersley was brought in to face the Dodgers in the bottom of the ninth inning, trying to preserve a 4-3 lead for the starter, Dave Stewart. He retired the first two batters with little trouble, but then walked pinch-hitter Mike Davis. Up stepped Kirk Gibson, another pinch-hitter who was suffering from a sore leg. Gibson hit the 3-2 backdoor slider from Eckersley over the right-field wall of Dodger Stadium; the Dodgers won the game, and waltzed their way to winning the Series, four games to one. "When he hit it, I just sank," said Eckersley. "I guess I'm glad it wasn't a Ralph Branca job that ended the season, but it was bad enough. Usually when you give one up, teammates will pat you on the behind, and say 'Go get 'em next time.' We were all so stunned, no one said a thing." 17
But Eckersley shook it off, and the next two years he was so magnificent, he lowered his ERA by almost one whole run each season, and in 1990 it was a miniscule 0.61 in 63 appearances, all in relief. From 1988 to 1991, he surrendered just 16 walks. The Athletics were at opposite ends of sweeps in the Fall Classic, sweeping the Giants in 1989, but then falling to the Reds in 1990.
The 1992 season may have been his best yet when he again led the league in saves with 51 with an ERA of 1.91. Opponents hit a meager .158 against Eck with runners in scoring position. He swept all of the postseason awards. The Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) awarded Eckersley the Cy Young Award and Most Valuable Player. The Sporting News named him AL Pitcher of the Year and AL Fireman of the Year. He was also the recipient of the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year. Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jesse Orosco, a fine reliever in his own right, was amazed by Eckersley. "Eck's numbers are unbelievable. I don't know how, but he doesn't walk anybody. And a great reliever will have a few blown saves. The man doesn't even have that."18
La Russa left Oakland after the 1995 season to take over as manager in St. Louis. Eckersley soon followed when Oakland traded him to the Cardinals for pitcher Steve Montgomery on February 13, 1996. Over two years in St. Louis, Eck saved 66 games. He also saved all three games in the NLDS against San Diego in 1996.
Eckersley finished his career in 1998, pitching one season for the Red Sox. His 390 career saves rank him sixth on the all-time list. His 1,071 games pitched was a record, until eclipsed by Orosco a year later.
Dennis Eckersley was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown on July 25, 2004. Like many players in their induction speeches, he offered thanks to a great many people who supported him during his climb to a great major-league career. But he took special note of La Russa and Duncan saying: "I'm being inducted into the Hall of Fame in large part because of Tony La Russa and Dave Duncan. Not only did they change how late innings of a baseball game would be played, they carved out a role that was tailor-made for my personality, aggressiveness, competitiveness and intensity. They created a platform to me to pitch another 12 years. And it is in those 12 years that were my ticket to Cooperstown"19.
In retirement, Eckersley did not move far from the game that he loved. He was a studio analyst for NESN, offering postgame comments on the Red Sox. He was nicknamed "Honest Eck" for his blunt observations. He has also worked as a studio analyst for TBS, working mostly in the postseason. On August 13, 2005, the Oakland Athletics retired his number 43. Washington High School renamed their baseball field in his honor in 2007.
He resides in Ipswich, Massachusetts.
Last revised: April 25, 2014
1 Russell Schneider,"'E' Is For Eckersley and Easy No-Hit Effort" The Sporting News, June 18, 1977, 5.
2 Bob Sudyk, "Talent and Luck Equal No-Hitter", Cleveland Press, May 31, 1977, D3.
3 www.baseballlibrary.com
4 Marc Lombardo, "Angels Sing Eck's Praise", Cleveland Press, May 31, 1977, D2.
6 Terry Pluto, The Curse of Rocky Colavito (NY: Simon & Schuster, 1994), 159-160.
7 Bob Sudyk, "Eckersley's Three-Hitter Saves the Day for the Tribe", Cleveland Press, May 26, 1975, D3
8 Russell Schneider, "Eckersley, HR's stop A's streak", Cleveland Plain Dealer, June 1, 1975, Section 3, p. 4.
9 Peter Gammons, "Sox Got 'No.1', But Gambled", Boston Globe (March 31, 1978)
10 Larry Keith, "Suddenly They're Up in Arms in Boston", Sports Illustrated, July 3, 1978, 17
11 Joe Giuliotti, "Traveling Man Eckersley Plans To Reduce Routes", The Sporting News, February 23, 1980, 33.
12 Peter Golenbock, Wrigleyville (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1996), 470-471.
13 Steve Wulf, "The Paintmaster", Sports Illustrated, August 24, 1992, 62-73.
14Ibid.
15 Peter Gammons, "One Eck of a Guy", Sports Illustrated,(December 12, 1988)51-59.
16 Ibid
19 Baseball Hall of Fame Website
http://sabr.org/
http://baseballhall.org/
http://www.baseballlibrary.com/homepage/
http://www.baseball-reference.com/
http://www.retrosheet.org/
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/
Various Issues of Baseball Digest


text:
Shade: The Frankenstein Saga, Book 1
A Re-Imagining of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
By: Merrie Destefano
Narrated by: Katherine Holt
Series: The Frankenstein Saga, Book 1
Categories: Teen & Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Dusk: A Re-Imagining of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
The Frankenstein Saga, Book 2
A holiday in Switzerland is supposed to lift Mary Wollstonecroft Godwin's spirits. She wants to forget the past and have fun. In fact, everyone in her party is running away from one indiscretion or another — from her fiancé Percy Shelley to Lord Byron to Mary's stepsister, Claire. But from the moment Mary arrives at Byron's villa, she knows something is wrong. He rushes her indoors and forbids all of them to go out at night, claiming that the horrible weather has driven wild animals down from the mountains.
Book 2 Is Like a Horse In Full Gallop
By Consulting Writer on 01-16-21
Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs
Half-Moon Hollow, Book 1
By: Molly Harper
Narrated by: Amanda Ronconi
Maybe it was the Shenanigans gift certificate that put her over the edge. When children's librarian and self-professed nice girl Jane Jameson is fired by her beastly boss and handed $25 in potato skins instead of a severance check, she goes on a bender that's sure to become Half Moon Hollow legend. On her way home, she's mistaken for a deer, shot, and left for dead.
Refreshing take on the Paranormal Genre
By Captain Skurvy on 02-21-10
Magical Midlife Madness
Leveling Up
By: K.F. Breene
Narrated by: Nicole Poole
"Happily Ever After" wasn't supposed to come with a do-over option. But when my husband of 20 years packs up and heads for greener pastures, and my son heads away to college, that's exactly what my midlife becomes. A do-over. This time, though, I plan to do things differently. Age is just a number, after all, and at 40 I'm ready to carve my own path. Eager for a fresh start, I make a somewhat unorthodox decision and move to a tiny town in the Sierra foothills.
NOoOOooo! It's Over
By Taryn Sikes on 02-29-20
A Curse So Dark and Lonely
By: Brigid Kemmerer
Narrated by: Kate Handford, Davis Brooks, Matt Reeves
It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his 18th year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.
I felt nothing
By Marisa J Machado on 02-24-20
Truth and Other Lies: A Loki Norse Fantasy (The Nine Worlds Rising Book 1)
By: Lyra Wolf
Narrated by: Casey Eade
Nothing is trickier than the truth. All Loki the trickster god of Asgard wants is a peaceful life where he's free to stir up a bit of harmless mischief. But when he's struck by a painful vision of blood, ash, and death he knows his fun has run out. Refusing to have his life obliterated by some stuffy prophecy, Loki feels he must save Asgard. Except the gods stand in his way. They don't trust the God of Lies, which means his only hope is to return to Odin, the man he wished to forget thanks to their complicated history.
This made me cry
By: Alix E. Harrow
Narrated by: January LaVoy
In a sprawling mansion filled with peculiar treasures, January Scaller is a curiosity herself. As the ward of the wealthy Mr. Locke, she feels little different from the artifacts that decorate the halls: carefully maintained, largely ignored, and utterly out of place. Then she finds a strange book. A book that carries the scent of other worlds and tells a tale of secret doors, of love, adventure, and danger. Each page turn reveals impossible truths about the world, and January discovers a story increasingly entwined with her own.
Laborious story
By Karen on 11-28-19
Gilded Rose (A Beauty and the Beast Retelling)
Celestials, Book 1
By: Emma Hamm
Narrated by: Aida Reluzco
A monster is holding me hostage inside a chateau. The world is plagued by creatures called the Dread. And he's their king. I've tried to run. I've tried to hide. But there's no escaping him. He wants to turn me into one of the creatures. Unless...I find a way to break the curse. A curse that has turned him into the monster that he is. He wasn't supposed to destroy cities. He's one of the Celestials meant to save humanity. As I uncover the truth and break his curse, I wonder if I've lost myself in the process. Can I still escape him?
Gilded Rose
By Gabrielle on 10-25-20
Serpent & Dove
By: Shelby Mahurin
Narrated by: Holter Graham, Saskia Maarleveld
Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned. As a huntsman of the Church, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. But when Lou pulls a wicked stunt, the two are forced into an impossible situation - marriage. Lou, unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, must make a choice. And love makes fools of us all.
Story is okay, Male narrator almost ruins it
By Megan Barber on 01-23-20
Star Mother
A Novel (Star Mother, Book 1)
By: Charlie N. Holmberg
Narrated by: Khristine Hvam
When a star dies, a new one must be born. The Sun God chooses the village of Endwever to provide a mortal womb. The birthing of a star is always fatal for the mother, and Ceris Wenden, who considers herself an outsider, sacrifices herself to secure her family's honor and take control of her legacy. But after her star child is born, Ceris does what no other star mother has: she survives. When Ceris returns to Endwever, however, it's not nine months later - it's seven hundred years later.
such a great story!
By Pinklady on 11-08-21
By: Marissa Meyer
Narrated by: Rebecca Soler
Long ago cursed by the god of lies, a poor miller's daughter has developed a talent for spinning stories that are fantastical and spellbinding and entirely untrue. Or so everyone believes. When one of Serilda's outlandish tales draws the attention of the sinister Erlking and his undead hunters, she finds herself swept away into a grim world where ghouls and phantoms prowl the earth and hollow-eyed ravens track her every move.
First in a series
By Claudyus on 11-11-21
Sorcery of Thorns
By: Margaret Rogerson
Narrated by: Emily Ellet
All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer's Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery - magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power. Then an act of sabotage releases the library's most dangerous grimoire.
Enchanting, confident and thoroughly entertaining!
By Kay Esselle on 06-06-19
Crimson Yuletide
By: Rachel Ford
Narrated by: Lynne Ennis
An ancient evil prowls the quiet streets of Wixcombe. An old man is murdered in the town square. Children disappear in the night. Villagers report sightings of Krampus, the Christmas demon. For siblings Nan and William Fitzgerald, the season began with a promise of new loves and Christmas magic. But they find themselves in the eye of the storm when their godfather becomes the prime suspect in the killings. To protect both the women they love and their village, the siblings must discover Krampus' true identity.
Naughty Children Beware
By Christi Love4Books.me on 08-29-20
Shattered Snow
By: Rachel Huffmire
Narrated by: Rachel V. White
In 2069, time-travel is restricted to observation and research. But Keltson Grammar doesn't mind breaking a few laws. Known only as "The Mirror", Keltson runs an underground empire that rescues unfortunate souls throughout history. However, a single misstep could send an entire agency to reinstate his clients to their original dismal fates. Lilia Vaschenko is a Russian mechanic surrounded by cinderblock towers, ladders she cannot climb, and a glass ceiling that holds her down like a casket. She'll do anything to escape - even work for the world's most wanted renegade.
Simply Brilliant!
By Beau on 09-04-19
The Winter King
By: Christine Cohen
Narrated by: Christine Cohen
Ever since Cora's father disappeared through the ice, whispers about her family's "curse" have grown increasingly louder. Desperate to help her mother and siblings survive another bleak season in the Winter King's frozen grasp, Cora begins to bend (and even break) the rules she has kept since she was a little girl.
Part Allegory, Part Traditional Fiction
By justkeepswimming on 03-27-21
Chain of Iron
By: Cassandra Clare
Narrated by: Finty Williams
Cordelia Carstairs seems to have everything she ever wanted. She's engaged to marry James Herondale, the boy she has loved since childhood. She has a new life in London with her best friend Lucie Herondale and James' charming companions, the Merry Thieves. She is about to be reunited with her beloved father. And she bears the sword Cortana, a legendary hero's blade. But the truth is far grimmer. James and Cordelia's marriage is a lie, arranged to save Cordelia's reputation.
As always, Cassie's books are magical
By Mona on 03-28-21
Crier's War
By: Nina Varela
Narrated by: Kim Mai Guest
After the War of Kinds ravaged the kingdom of Rabu, the Automae, designed to be the playthings of royals, usurped their owners' estates and bent the human race to their will. Now, Ayla, a human servant rising in the ranks at the House of the Sovereign, dreams of avenging her family's death...by killing the sovereign's daughter, Lady Crier.
the ending was so unsatisfying
By April Ohms on 11-23-19
The Deathless Girls
By: Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Narrated by: Aysha Kala
They say the thirst of blood is like a madness - they must sate it. Even with their own kin. On the eve of her divining, the day she'll discover her fate, 17-year-old Lil and her twin sister, Kizzy, are captured and enslaved by the cruel Boyar Valcar, taken far away from their beloved traveller community. Forced to work in the harsh and unwelcoming castle kitchens, Lil is comforted when she meets Mira, a fellow slave who she feels drawn to in a way she doesn't understand.
A different take on the vampire women
By 🎀💖🎀😊Happy💥To💥Help🎀💖🎀😊 on 07-12-20
Teeth in the Mist
By: Dawn Kurtagich
Narrated by: Marisa Calin, Polly Lee, Gemma Dawson, and others
Sixteen-year-old photography enthusiast Zoey has been fascinated by the haunted, burnt-out ruins of Medwyn Mill House for as long as she can remember - so she and her best friend, Poulton, run away from home to explore them. In 1851, 17-year-old Roan arrives at the Mill House as a ward - one of three, all with something to hide from their new guardian. 1583. Hermione, a new young bride, accompanies her husband to the wilds of North Wales where he plans to build the largest water mill and mansion in the area.
Holy crow!!
By Melissa 'Dog/Wolf Lover' on 09-03-19
Book 1 in the Award-Winning Series:
A dangerous holiday.
A deadly curse brought to life.
When Mary Shelley accepted an invitation to Lord Byron's house party deep in the Swiss Alps, she hoped it would serve as a welcome distraction from her broken heart. Instead, she finds herself surrounded by enigmatic guests with their own dangerous secrets to hide. From the moment of her arrival, the party is more than it seems, as Mary and the others are strictly forbidden from leaving the villa after dark.
But tales of feral beasts aren't the only rumors whispering through the halls. Doctor John Polidori, a handsome and mysterious party guest, fervently pursues local legends that the dead can rise, ruled by their own barbaric king. When the group plays a game of storytelling to pass the time, they weave together tales of nightmarish ghouls and horrible villains inspired by the myths — and Mary soon realizes their harmless stories have the power to conjure.
Twisted creatures will come to call. The dead will stalk the villa. And their royal master will stop at nothing to claim Mary as his own....
2019 Realm Award Winner in Supernatural/Paranormal/Horror
2019 Moonbeam Children's Book Award, Silver Medal Winner, Young Adult Fiction — Horror/Mystery
Frankenstein meets Dracula in this Gothic retelling of Mary Shelley's classic tale.
©2018 Merrie Destefano (P)2020 Merrie Destefano
Thrillers & Suspense Fantasy
Dawn: A Re-Imagining of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
A Sister's Curse
What listeners say about Shade: The Frankenstein Saga, Book 1
R. Marks
Dangerously Good!!!
This reimagined view of history, where winter swallows the world and three of England's most influential creators meet their own personal monsters, is so inventive and clever. There needs to be a Netflix series made of this gem of a tale asap! Very addicting! It really got my imagination buzzing. Especially in this audio version. The reader was sublime! I'm jumping immediately into Part Two!!
Mark Mackey
Shade: The Frankenstein Saga, Book 1 review
I actually liked this. It really was an interesting retelling, and now look forward to part two and beyond in this series.
Consulting Writer
Exciting, Hair-Raising, Absolutely Chilling!
If you are a fan of Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, you are sure to enjoy Shade. A holiday with two well-known authors seeking inspiration in their writing… Suddenly, a pack of wolves is brutally attacked by an unknown creature thought to be a bear. For me, the mystery really takes off when Mary catches John carting wolf carcasses to look over and determine cause of death? Uh...no. More like to sew bits back together and see what happens! Surely nothing can go wrong. And then....it all goes horribly wrong. This is a perfect story for a dark and stormy night, sitting by the fire to warm yourself from the hair-raising chills of Merrie's words...or are they warnings for us all? Be prepared to get hooked on this trilogy. You might as well buy all three right now, because you are not going to want to end with just book one. Trust me.
I loved this audiobook
The narrator, Catherine Holt was quite remarkable. She set the tone of the story so perfectly. The descriptions of the characters and their surroundings came to life for me. I was thrilled by the originality of the story and was totally engrossed in it. I've listen to it once and I'm looking forward to listening to it again.
Cathrine Bonham
Haunting and beautiful
Shade is a fictional reimagining of the writing of Frankenstein by Mary Shelly.
It takes may elements from classic gothic literature and posits that Shelly's fiction may have been inspired by supernatural events.
We meet shades of Doctor Frankenstein, and Dracula and well as what might become a Werewolf.
The narrator Katherine Holt, has a beautiful voice that sweeps you up into the first person narrative and seems to make reality melt away as you become engulfed in the dark world of Victorian horror.
This is only the first book in a trilogy so be prepared to be left wanting more.
Rose Paul
Death & Rebirth - Science vs Supernatural Horrors
Love this thrilling, unique take on the events of the summer of 1816. Popularly known as the Year Without a Summer, the unusually cold 1816 led to the challenge that birthed two of the greatest horror icons of our time - Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and The Vampyre, which helped inspire one Bram Stoker.
DeStefano, with a very deft hand, reframes the original account with far more horrifying and deadly results, even weaving in hints of a third classic monster tale.
Stellar narration by Katherine Holt brings DeStefano's prose to terrifying new heights, draws the listener in and doesn't let go.
Highly recommended for horror and Universal monster fans, as well as anyone looking for a new twist on a historical novel.
Shade is one of my favorite books from Merrie Destefano, I just had to take a listen, and boy am I happy I did!
The story is fantastic, the prose is dark and delicious, and Katherine Holt's execution as the narrator is exactly what I'd dreamed of as a reader. It made the perfect trifecta!
If you've already read this outstanding trilogy and call yourself a fan, then you must listen to the audio edition.
And if you haven't, this is a great way to get started on the series.
I definitely recommend it!
I was surprised that the author mentioned Mary's baby and that she was thinking a lot about death and reanimation as a result, I've studied Mary a lot out of interest and that was something I kept circling back to as well after finding out she lost her baby girl before writing Frankenstein. Overall, this audiobook was good!
LaurinB
Interesting retelling
I liked Destefano's twist on Mary Shelley's inspiration for Frankenstein. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.


text:
Jonathan Ross says daughter is 'showing some improvement' amid health struggles
The TV star updated fans on how his daughter Betty is getting on, saying she is doing better
Julia Hunt
·Contributor
30 December 2022, 12:02 pm ·2-min read
Jonathan Ross and wife Jane Goldman and their children Betty and Honey. (PA Images via Getty Images)
Jonathan Ross has opened up about his daughter Betty's health struggles, revealing she is using an electric wheelchair.
The TV star has two girls with his wife Jane Goldman – Betty, 31, and Honey, 25 – and said his eldest suffers from fibromyalgia.
Speaking on Loose Women, he said it had been "a tough couple of years" but that she was "getting slowly better".
Read more: Jonathan Ross's daughter Honey Kinny poses naked with hero Lena Dunham
Ross said: "She has fibromyalgia and she has chronic fatigue syndrome and PoTS syndrome as well, which is where your heart rate shoots up.
Jonathan Ross has two daughters. (PA Images/Alamy)
"We found a good… there's a thing called the Perrin treatment. The guy who invented it, he came to talk to me about it and she looked it up online because she's a smart young woman, so she has to want to do the treatment.
"You know, I mean, I can't just say to her 'try this, try that' if she thinks it's wrong in some way and if she's not going to enter it 100%, of course it's not worth doing. But we've been having that treatment going on and she's definitely showing some improvement."
The star told presenter Kaye Adams and co that Betty "still can't walk very far".
"We got her an electric wheelchair in the summer, so we can at least go out and go for walks with the dogs and that's lifted her spirits a lot," said the 62-year-old.
"Because that's the problem, if anyone out there who knows or who's got someone with a long-term illness, you know, it's the depression. Being stuck indoors and not being able to join in with things because even stairs are a challenge to her."
Ross said if they are going out they make sure to give Betty a lot of time to get ready and get downstairs.
"It does have an impact," he told the panellists.
"But the good news is she's definitely showing improvement and feeling better in herself.
Jonathan Ross with his daughter Betty. (PA Images/Alamy)
"So we're relieved and we're happy with that."
Read more: Jonathan Ross backtracks over support for JK Rowling in 'anti-trans' row
According to the NHS, fibromyalgia, which is also called fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), "is a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body".
Loose Women airs weekdays from 12:30pm on ITV1 & ITVX.
Watch: Holly Willoughby arrives at Jonathan Ross' Halloween party
The Queensland man accused of abducting his own mother, who was later found dead, was on bail at the time of the alleged offending.Slade Murdok, 30, was arrested on Wednesday after his 61-year-old mother Wendy Sleeman went missing.