For the rank 8 enchant, see Thunder (Enchant).
This skill involves creating high-voltage clouds using mana, then firing thunder at unsuspecting enemies. The sheer power of the thunder affects every enemy in the vicinity. Summon the spell multiple times to accumulate more voltage, creating a more powerful thunder.
Requires a Lightning-Type Wand or lightning-charged Staff to use.
An intermediate magic spell that uses compressed Lightning within a magic weapon to create Thunderstorms.
Thunder can be stacked up to 5 charges. With less than 5 charges, the final thunderbolt will deal 1.5x damage (including a single charge). With 5 charges, the final thunderbolt will deal 2x damage.
The spell may be fired with any number of charges, and when it is fired, all stacked charges are released.
The user cannot move with Thunder charged.
From Ranks F to 2, the user will lose all charges when knocked back. At Rank 1, this changes to one charge.
When Thunder is cast, first a single lightning bolt is discharged from the Wand/Staff, stunning and hitting all targets affected by the spell for minor damage. Seconds later, a barrage of thunderbolts strikes the targets, knocking them down. The number of thunderbolts is determined by the number of charges (each charge = 1 bolt).
They will not be stunned for regular stun time, but will be unable to move until they are struck by thunderbolts. As the rank of Thunder increases, the time between the initial lightning bolt and the thunderbolt barrage increases.
Targets in Defense stance or that have Mana Deflector Level 2 or 3 will not be stunned and will be free to move after the initial bolt. However, these targets will still be struck with the following barrage of thunderbolts. The final bolt will knock them down.
If Thunder is cast on enemies that have already been knocked down, their knockdown animation may be interrupted and they may charge at the spellcaster, rather than being stunned as they normally would be. Timing is crucial.
If the target gains invulnerability frames (e.g. hit by Smash),the remaining thunderbolts may be canceled.
If the target is killed before it is hit by the charged thunderbolt(s), the thunderbolt(s) will not strike.
However, if the target has "finish" above its head, the charged thunderbolt(s) will strike, allowing the bolts to deliver the finishing-blow.
You will not be able to change/switch weapons until the first thunderbolt strikes.
When Thunder is fired at the target, it may also hit a number of nearby enemies depending on the number of charges and the rank of the skill. Thunder will chain to any nearby enemy, even if the enemy is standing in or behind a wall.
The number of targets hit by the first charge is dependent on the rank of the skill. Thunder will hit two more nearby enemies for each charge after the first.
Example: At rank F, the first charge will hit one enemy. Each successive charge will increase the number of enemies hit by two, for a total of 9 enemies at five charges (1+2+2+2+2 = 9).
At Rank 1, however, the first charge will hit four enemies. Each successive charge will increase the number of enemies hit by two, for a total of 12 enemies at five charges (4+2+2+2+2 = 12).
Between Ice Spear and Fireball, Thunder has an average Mana cost and deals moderate damage.
A single charge of Thunder uses more Mana than either of the other two spells; however as each charge costs less Mana than the last, Fireball has a larger 5 charge cost and Ice Spear will require more Mana at high skill ranks (excluding Elves).
Similar to Ice Spear and Fireball, Thunder ignores Magic Protection when calculating Critical chance.
When Rafting, if lag is experienced, Thunder may not kill Hobgoblin Warriors as their jumping animation will intercept the Thunder animation and make the skill cancel. This happens when the Hobgoblin uses Jump after the initial bolt.
Also, if a lag spike occurs exactly right before the first "thunder strike" hits, it will be the only thunder strike no matter how many charges you obtained.
Every 100 Intelligence decreases Mana Usage and Casting Time of Thunder by 2%.
Obtaining this skill allows you to create Thunder Crystals via Mana Crystallization.
The Caladbolg has a random chance to attack with a single hit of Thunder.
*Standby Time is the delay between the initial lightning bolt and the first thunderbolt.
**Mana use is consistent for all ranks of Thunder. It does not increase with rank. Mana costs are affected by Mana usage modifiers and casting speed.
Talk to Stewart with the Skills Keyword with a Lightning-type Wand equipped and at least rank F Lightning Bolt.
The Emission Lightning Wand, Heart Lightning Wand, Savage Lightning Wand, and all Staves will not start the quest.
Attempting to start this quest with the "the Elemental Apprentice" title equipped will instead prompt the Fireball quest.
The book needed is located in the library bookshelves and is 1x2 size.
After completing the quest, a 1x2 Collection Book, Electric Magic for the Advanced - Thunder, is given. Be sure to have enough inventory space.
The book has a total of 5 pages.
The pages are dropped by monsters at a relatively low rate.
Unlike Fireball, Arrow Revolver, or Shock, the book is a collection book rather than pages being enchanted into it. The pages also do not need to be placed in order and they do not expire.
The book can be traded to other players, and stored in pets or bank. The skill can only be rewarded once from a single book, however.
Players that have learned the Bolt Mastery skill but do not have the Fusion Bolt skill yet will be unable to obtain this quest, as speaking to Stewart using the Skill keyword will prompt players to start the Fusion Bolt quest, regardless of the title or wand the player has equipped.
Page 3 is also a reward from Mail. All thunder pages are available from Strange Books from the Shadow Mission Ghost of Partholon any difficulty.
This page was last edited on 30 March 2019, at 19:46.


All pieces for this sign will be made from powder coated laser cut aluminum.
Each of the letters will be individually cut and powder coated a light silver. They will be made to be directly mounted to the wall, and stand off 1". A template will be provided to show exactly where the holes should be drilled in order to mount the letters.
The logo will be made using a total of 5 layers, spaced apart 1/2"-1" from each other. The back layer will be powder coated to match the lettering, and the other pieces will be powder coated to match the mockup. A french cleat will be installed onto the back of the sign to allow for easy and secure mounting.


text:
The grown up touring and adventure magazine
MSL Extra
More MSL
Latest Issue Contents
Brecon Beacons Adventure
9th July 2018 Mikko Nieminen Touring Bikes
When it comes to exploring the Brecon Beacons, you can't beat experiencing it by bike…
Measuring 835 square miles, the Brecon Beacons is quite simply massive. It's one of the largest national parks in the UK and, undoubtedly, one of the most stunning. Especially when you start getting off the beaten track to see it from the less-travelled lanes and trails that criss-cross it like a spider's web. Of course, most people don't know about these routes and probably never will, unless they join the BMW Off Road Skills' (ORS) Brecon Beacons Adventure.
The trails were never the same, with a wide variety of surface types.
Headed by 10-times Dakar competitor Simon Pavey, the world-renowned training centre is based in the small town of Ystalyfera, just north of Swansea. It's famed for its three-tier adventure bike tuition, which takes place in an enormous private playground, perfectly suited to pushing the limits of anything and anyone. But a less well-known side of the company is its off-road adventures. With trips ranging from several days to several weeks, hosted in Australasia and Europe, ORS is the place to go if you want to get out and dirty on a motorcycle. Being limited by both time and money, I had to overlook the school's Australian Savannah Way tour, but the popular Brecon Beacons Adventure seemed a more realistic trip. It takes place over two days, twice a year, and is open to anyone who's completed the school's Level One training course — a box I'd ticked a few years previous.
The trip also gets you out riding the ORS's private training grounds.
At the booking stage you can choose between any of BMW's GS-range models. I've been lucky enough to go to the centre a few times and I always end up on an R1200GS; they never fail to amaze with their ability. But I'm less familiar with the F800GS — it lacks a lot of its bigger brother's technology, which means you can't depend as much on electronics to get you out of trouble, but I fancied a challenge so chose it for the trip.
Simon Pavey introduced himself and his team to the group of all ages and sizes, giving a brief explanation of the more delicate intricacies of the trip and helping to divide us into three groups of riders, based on ability. Lumping everyone in the same group would have been carnage, and unpleasant for those who weren't as confident on the rough. In my group were eight other riders, plus Simon and fellow instructor Chris Northover. A great pair of guys, they led us out in convoy on the local roads.
Fantastic roads ran between the Brecon Beacons' fantastic trails.
Ystalyfera sits in a valley, so whichever way you go leads you into the hills. Our bikes were fitted with off-road rubber, so the pace on the Tarmac was steady, but I wasn't complaining. Wherever you looked, the views were stunning; lush green pastures with waterfalls and rock faces. Postcard stuff. But we weren't there on a sightseeing trip, as was firmly reiterated when we suddenly branched off the main road and took to our first trail.
Hitting the dirt for the first time on a legal byway.
ORS puts no pressure on anyone to perform like a Dakar rider; the aim is fun. Despite being in the advanced group, the initial pace on the dirt was slow and considered. Wide tracked and overhung by trees, it didn't take much riding to feel completely removed from civilisation; it was exciting and unnerving at the same time. Having clocked up a few miles, the trail ended and we found ourselves back on another remote and narrow road. It had been the perfect warm-up.
We'd come to ride trails, but there was a real pleasure in exploring the local, winding roads, which seemed devoid of traffic. Thirty minutes later we pulled up once more. We'd arrived at a hole in a hedge, not much wider than a bike. This was to be our first proper green lane and we set off one by one. The F800 is narrower than the GS, with the biggest advantage being its cylinders tucked away within its frame. The trail descended sharply, the tree stumps on each side of the steep banks etching outwards and catching the cylinders of the 1200cc riders. Now was the time to start concentrating, carefully determining the best route downwards while making sure not to apply too much front brake and lock the wheel.
What are you waiting for? These great trails are waiting for you to ride them.
The addition of deep ruts made the ride even more exciting, bouncing the bike all over the place and giving the impression that the GS was crossed up. It wasn't, but by the time I'd reached the bottom of the slope, I felt like I'd had 10 minutes on the edge. A river crossing up ahead brought everyone to a stop, offering a much needed breather. Traversing it one at a time, I'd caught my breath and despite a few slides on the slippery stones below the water, the crossing was straightforward enough.
Just around the corner was the next major challenge; a steep climb. With everyone's bikes dripping wet, the soft soil below was getting a good watering, which made the challenge of rounding an uphill corner and racing up a harsh climb even more difficult. This was where some people got stuck.
Body position can make a big difference to off-road handling.
The disadvantage of traction control is that it reduces the machine's output and costs you momentum. A number of the RI200GS riders had elected to keep the aid switched on and stopped halfway up. Heavy throttle hands only made it worse, digging the rear wheels into the ground. Chris and Simon had their work cut out, yanking bikes out of ruts and showing riders the best techniques to make it to the top. Progress was slow but eventually everyone, bar myself and Chris, was up.
Come my time, the terrain was chewed to bits and there was no straight path to the top. Building my speed, I attacked the hill in second gear and kept the throttle open while keeping the revs low. The bike was dancing around, the rear tyre never being in line with the front and I was conscious of not pulling in the clutch and compromising drive. It doesn't matter how many times you tackle such an obstacle, there's always a little bit of doubt in your mind. It had been the first major test of the adventure and it felt great to reach the summit…
LIKE A LOTTERY WIN
Lunch was a good chance to regroup with the other riders and instructors. Riding off-road really takes it out of you, so the organised feast was a welcome sight. We were told again about the importance of keeping hydrated, while being handed bottles of water by Simon's wife, Linley. Fuelled up, the afternoon saw us ride out on some even more impressive routes, switching relentlessly from roads to trails and back again. With fantastic weather, the riding was even more pleasurable, but the real highpoint came when we arrived at a private wood. Hundreds of acres of trails, varying in altitude and complexity, were to be our play pen for the next few hours. It felt like a lottery win.
You'd be amazed where you can take a GS.
Despite all three groups being in the forest at the same time, the sheer vastness of the complex meant that we seldom saw one another; the only sightings often being across the valleys. Simon and Chris had got the measure of our group's ability and went out of their way to help us have the most enjoyable few hours possible. Gradually increasing the pace of the ride, along with the technicality of the terrain we were riding, it wasn't long before we were made to feel like proper adventurers. Having never met any of my fellow riders before the day had started, it was great to see how quickly they'd dismount their own machines to get stuck in and lift me and my bike up, each time I toppled over. As the riding went on, the frequency of assistance increased as we began to take the bikes down ridiculously tight and complex routes. From riding down stone-based streams, to bashing bracken in forests, it was relentless and it felt epic.
Simon was always on hand to offer advice to the group.
Throughout the ride Chris and Simon had been offering sound advice, whether on how to pick the bike up or how to master hill starts; the information was delivered in a clear and non-patronising way. At one point we arrived at a fallen tree – some two feet in diameter – blocking our path. I thought it crazy when Simon suggested we ride over it, but that's exactly what he did and he showed that it was possible. One by one, we each rode our bikes up and over this natural obstacle, witnessing some funny and terrifying scenes along the way. But the point is that we all achieved what none of us would have considered before that day. Without realising what was happening, we were upping our game.
Beered, fed and rested, the following morning saw a prompt start, kicking off the second and final part of the tour. Everyone's confidence was up and there was a hearty feel to the morning's first trail, which turned out to be fast and mostly loose-stoned. Because someone fancied a swap, I'd also managed to land myself an R1200GS. The differences between it and the F800GS were considerable, with the bigger bike being much torquier and easier to ride. The clutch felt lighter and the weight lower, and easier to manage.
I'd had a great time on the smaller GS, but the larger machine just seemed to make everything easier. The F800 had a tendency to be led more by ruts, owing to its narrow front wheel, whereas the 1200 seemed more capable of ploughing its own path. That first ride of the day saw us undertake some pretty undulating routes and I was impressed by the big GS's ability to smash anything that came its way.
The F800 is a capable adventure bike, but the R1200GS is actually easier to ride.
The suspension, set in Enduro mode, absorbed imperfections better and the power and versatility of the motor meant I had to worry far less about which gear I was in. It also felt more comfortable when sat down on the branching stretches of roads. The other advantage to the bike, as I was soon to discover, was that when you fell off it the cylinders meant the bike was propped slightly off the ground, so was easier to pick back up. Having got a few spills out of the way, the day was progressing nicely and the trails again proved exceptional. As we made our way towards the top of the Brecon Beacons, the terrain began to morph from dense woodlands to open moorlands. The confines of narrow routes changed to broad expanses of grassland, with less-defined paths to follow. We were riding where few people ever travelled. The views across the Beacons were something else, unobstructed and vibrant with different shades of green.
Checking the route before tackling it can help avoid mishaps.
Much of the route was easy-going and felt effortless on the big GS. Things changed drastically, though, when we descended back down from a summit and arrived at a rocky and severe-looking trail. With little run-up, power from the bottom was essential to blast up the initial climb. Having watched the guy in front make his way effortlessly to the top, I was perhaps a little too confident of doing the same. To the crowd watching behind, the sight of me being flung over the front of the bars must have been hilarious. Fortunately, I somehow managed to land back on the bike and cracked on up the ascent. Loose rocked all the way, the ride was tremendously bumpy and ridiculously fun to tackle. Logic dictated that slowing down would have made for an easier ride, but I was in my element on the big GS, determined to push myself and maximise my enjoyment of what was to be the last bit of off-road during the trip. Eventually the trail broadened and its severity lessened. A cattle grid brought us back on to a public road, where I waited for the rest of our party to arrive. The look on their faces expressed exactly how I was feeling; pure elation.
Momentum is key when you're riding boggy ground.
The ride back to base was sobering; the caked mud on our bikes and kit a reminder of a memorable weekend of adventure bike riding. Everyone had had a great time and already people were talking about booking onto the following Brecon Beacons adventure. As we all gathered to be awarded a certificate of completion and biking goody bag, it became apparent that a large proportion of those who'd been on the event had already partaken before, and were likely to do so again. I can't blame them, and would happily join them if the chance ever came again. No wonder the adventure's always fully booked.
I tried it: Oriol Espinet
FROM: BARCELONA
BIKE: BMW R1200GSA
I love being out in the middle of nowhere, and that's exact what the Brecon Beacons Adventure delivers. You get to see things you simply can't see from the road, plus you get to have a lot of fun riding a bike down some pretty fantastic trails. I have a GSA of my own, but I wouldn't dare ride it down the routes we've taken our hire bikes. Another great thing about the trip has been the spirit of the event; everyone's so happy and excited. I'd definitely came back and do it again.
I tried it: Rachel Andrews
FROM: SOUTHAMPTON
BIKE: BMW F800GS
This is the second time I've done the Brecons Adventure, and I think I've managed to enjoy it even more this time. Getting lots of off-road training is great, but you can't beat being let loose to ride routes like the ones you do on this trip; it's so liberating. I really like the simplicity of the system; all you have to do is turn up and everything from the bike to the accommodation is perfectly organised, so all you have to do is worry about enjoying yourself.
Besides offering some of the best off-road tuition for all levels of rider, the BMW Off Road Skills team offers adventures around the world. Check out the calendar at www.offroadskills.com
Available to hire
A fleet of superb bikes are available to hire.
The bikes can take a beating – it's little surprise that riders prefer taking the hire bikes out to their own.
Words: Bruce Wilson Photography: Llel Pavey & Bruce Wilson
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


When I saw this simple graffiti, I had to stop and take a shot of it. Four words that say so much.
Yes, 'cowards' is a really strong word. It works, though, when you consider that for most of us, greatness is a choice. We're not 6 foot 4, 3% body fat natural-born athletes. We're not musical prodigy with perfect pitch. For the majority of people, greatness is work. Hard work. Lots and lots of hard work. The good news is that work can be done by any of us if we just have the courage and the will to choose to do it.
Mediocrity is for cowards. Be brave enough to create something great.


text:
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
LA's Omicron Surge is Peaking Now, Researchers Say. Is It Time To Make Travel Plans?
Home All States Russia demands US, NATO response next week on Ukraine
Russia demands US, NATO response next week on Ukraine
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia on Friday strongly reaffirmed its demand that NATO doesn't expand eastward despite the rejection of that by the military alliance amid a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that Moscow wouldn't wait indefinitely for the Western response, saying he expects the U.S. and NATO to provide a written answer next week.
Lavrov described Moscow's demands for binding guarantees that NATO will not embrace Ukraine or any other ex-Soviet nations, or station its forces and weapons there as essential for the progress of diplomatic efforts to defuse soaring tensions over Ukraine.
He argued that NATO's deployments and drills near Russia's borders pose a security challenge that must be addressed immediately.
"We have run out of patience," Lavrov said at a news conference. "The West has been driven by hubris and has exacerbated tensions in violation of its obligations and common sense."
Amid the tensions, Ukraine sustained a massive cyberattack Friday, which hit websites of multiple government agencies.
This week's negotiations in Geneva and a related NATO-Russia meeting in Brussels were held amid a significant Russian troop buildup near Ukraine that the West fears might be a prelude to an invasion.
Russia, which annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014, has denied having plans to attack its neighbor but warned the West that NATO's expansion to Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations is a "red line" that mustn't be crossed.
Washington and its allies firmly rejected Moscow's demand for security guarantees precluding NATO's expansion, but Russia and the West agreed to leave the door open to possible further talks on arms control and confidence-building measures intended to reduce the potential for hostilities.
Lavrov said that those issues are secondary in respect to Moscow's main demand for the non-expansion of NATO and the non-deployment of its weapons near the Russian territory, emphasizing that the Russian proposals represent a "package, not a menu."
"They must understand that the key to everything is the guarantee that NATO will not expand eastward," Lavrov said.
He countered the U.S. and NATO's argument that Russia doesn't have veto power to prevent other nations from joining the alliance by pointing to international agreements emphasizing that the security of some states mustn't be achieved at the expense of others.
Russia's top diplomat warned that "if our proposals are rejected … we will make a decision on how to ensure our security in a reliable way," citing President Vladimir Putin's warning that Moscow will take unspecified "military-technical measures" if the West stonewalls its demands.
Lavrov's deputy, Sergei Ryabkov, who led the Russian delegation at the talks in Geneva, said Thursday that he would "neither confirm nor exclude" the possibility of Russia sending military assets to Cuba and Venezuela if the U.S. and its allies don't curtail their military activities on Russia's doorstep.
U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan dismissed the statements about a possible Russian deployment to Cuba and Venezuela as "bluster in the public commentary."
The negotiations took place as an estimated 100,000 Russian troops with tanks and other heavy weapons are massed near Ukraine's eastern border. The U.S. and its allies urged Russia to deescalate by pulling troops back to their permanent bases, but Moscow has rebuffed the demand, saying it's free to deploy forces on its territory wherever it deems necessary.
Lavrov called the Western demand "absurd," noting that "while they are demanding that we pull troops on our own territory back to their barracks, the U.S. and British troops are deployed to the Baltics."
The Russian Defense Ministry said Friday that troops stationed in eastern Siberia and the far east region have been scrambled for movement across the country as part of snap drills to check their "readiness to perform their tasks after redeployment to a large distance."
The ministry noted that "a special attention will be given to the assessment of the country's transport infrastructure to ensure the movement of troops," adding that the troops will conduct drills involving firing live ammunition after the redeployment.
Russia seized the Crimean Peninsula after the ouster of Ukraine's Moscow-friendly leader and in 2014 also threw its weight behind a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine. More than 14,000 people have been killed in nearly eight years of fighting between the Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces in the country's industrial heartland called Donbas.
Ukraine's military intelligence said Friday that separatist forces have launched drills involving firing live ammunition that are overseen by Russian military officers.
Ukraine and the West have accused Russia of deploying its troops to Donbas to back separatists — accusations that Moscow has denied.
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What leads to a lost package? UPS and USPS explain


text:
KU softball beats OSU for milestone win
Kansas University softball coach Megan Smith collected her 200th career win as KU took down Oklahoma State, 3-2, Saturday at Arrocha Ballpark.
Smith, the Jayhawks' third-year head coach, deflected praise to her players, who won their first back-to-back Big 12 Conference games since 2009. Kansas defeated OSU, 1-0, on Friday.
"It means a lot," Smith said of her milestone. "Conference wins have been hard to come by recently for us. So for this to come in a conference win at home is big. I didn't even know it. I had forgotten. It's all about the girls, the players that come out and work hard for me every day. The wins are theirs."
Kansas softball vs. Oklahoma State
After starting pitcher Kristin Martinez gave up a run in the first inning, Smith turned to Morgan Druhan, who pitched five innings while giving up just two hits and one run for the win. Alicia Pille closed out the seventh inning for the save.
Oklahoma State pitcher Simone Freeman allowed just three hits in six complete innings, but sisters Maggie and Rosie Hull made those few KU hits count. The pair combined to drive in all three KU runs, which came in the third inning. Rosie started the inning with a sacrifice fly that drove in Chanin Naudin. Maggie followed it up with a two-run home run, which drove in Elsa Moyer.
Chelsea Garcia led the OSU offense, going 3-for-4 with one RBI. Shelby Davis had the Cowgirls' only other RBI. KU allowed five hits total to Oklahoma State batters.
The Jayhawks (22-5 overall, 2-3 Big 12) will try to sweep the Cowgirls (15-12, 0-2) in the series finale at noon today.
KU softball loses finale of OSU series
Jayhawks fall in softball, 3-1
KU softball wins home opener with strong pitching, walk-off HR


A gift basket of treats from Devon/Dee. All four Victorian Holiday Hearts novellas in one multi-volume set.
The holiday spirit has forsaken Simon Harris. A recent reminder of the man who used then left him sends lonely Simon on a glum visit to his club to while away a few hours. A breath of fresh air in the form of Christopher Andrews is about to enter his stale life. Simon and Christopher enjoy a few hours of pleasure together, never expecting to see each other again, but Simon's newfound resolution to change might just transform both their holidays.
Will Andrews wishes to escape the craziness of his bohemian family and create some order in his life. Hiding his eccentric theater background and presenting false letters of recommendation, he interviews for a position at a legal aid society. The last thing he expects is to fall hard for his genteel employer, Hugh St. John. As the pair plans a Valentine charity dinner, they grow ever closer to surrendering to Cupid's arrow.
Young Micah "Mike" Cordett's blunders into a trap in a seamy part of London and endures months of abuse before escaping. But with the help of the Andrews family, he's begun to climb out of his fear. Yet, when a reminder of his happier past erupts into his life in the form of Lucas Spring, Mike's not certain he's ready to face the remnants of the charmed life he'd once enjoyed. He's certainly not ready for love.
Delaney, former pickpocket and now a member of the Andrews theater clan, performs magic tricks at a fancy dress ball where he is struck by the dramatic figure of the Grim Reaper. He follows Death to a quiet room for a glorious, lustful encounter. With his identity hidden, impoverished gentleman Bartholomew Bancroft dares to indulge in an out-of-character moment to quench his forbidden yearning for another man's touch. But in the light of day, he can't dismiss his memories of the mysterious magician or a craving to see him again.
Copyright © 2016-2019 Bonnie Dee. All rights reserved.


text:
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void UniValue::setArray()
{
    clear();
    typ = VARR;
}

void UniValue::setObject()
{
    clear();
    typ = VOBJ;
}

void UniValue::push_back(UniValue val)
{
    checkType(VARR);

    values.push_back(std::move(val));
}

void UniValue::push_backV(const std::vector<UniValue>& vec)
{
    checkType(VARR);

    values.insert(values.end(), vec.begin(), vec.end());
}

void UniValue::__pushKV(std::string key, UniValue val)
{
    checkType(VOBJ);

    keys.push_back(std::move(key));
    values.push_back(std::move(val));
}

void UniValue::pushKV(std::string key, UniValue val)
{
    checkType(VOBJ);

    size_t idx;
    if (findKey(key, idx))
        values[idx] = std::move(val);
    else
        __pushKV(std::move(key), std::move(val));
}

void UniValue::pushKVs(UniValue obj)
{
    checkType(VOBJ);
    obj.checkType(VOBJ);

    for (size_t i = 0; i < obj.keys.size(); i++)
        __pushKV(std::move(obj.keys.at(i)), std::move(obj.values.at(i)));
}

void UniValue::getObjMap(std::map<std::string,UniValue>& kv) const
{
    if (typ != VOBJ)
        return;

    kv.clear();
    for (size_t i = 0; i < keys.size(); i++)
        kv[keys[i]] = values[i];
}

bool UniValue::findKey(const std::string& key, size_t& retIdx) const
{
    for (size_t i = 0; i < keys.size(); i++) {
        if (keys[i] == key) {
            retIdx = i;
            return true;
        }
    }

    return false;
}

bool UniValue::checkObject(const std::map<std::string,UniValue::VType>& t) const
{
    if (typ != VOBJ) {
        return false;
    }

    for (const auto& object: t) {
        size_t idx = 0;
        if (!findKey(object.first, idx)) {
            return false;
        }

        if (values.at(idx).getType() != object.second) {
            return false;
        }
    }

    return true;
}

const UniValue& UniValue::operator[](const std::string& key) const
{
    if (typ != VOBJ)
        return NullUniValue;

    size_t index = 0;
    if (!findKey(key, index))
        return NullUniValue;

    return values.at(index);
}

const UniValue& UniValue::operator[](size_t index) const
{
    if (typ != VOBJ && typ != VARR)
        return NullUniValue;
    if (index >= values.size())
        return NullUniValue;

    return values.at(index);
}

void UniValue::checkType(const VType& expected) const
{
    if (typ != expected) {
        throw std::runtime_error{"JSON value of type " + std::string{uvTypeName(typ)} + " is not of expected type " +
                                 std::string{uvTypeName(expected)}};
    }
}

const char *uvTypeName(UniValue::VType t)
{
    switch (t) {
    case UniValue::VNULL: return "null";
    case UniValue::VBOOL: return "bool";
    case UniValue::VOBJ: return "object";
    case UniValue::VARR: return "array";
    case UniValue::VSTR: return "string";
    case UniValue::VNUM: return "number";
    }

    // not reached
    return nullptr;
}

const UniValue& find_value(const UniValue& obj, const std::string& name)
{
    for (unsigned int i = 0; i < obj.keys.size(); i++)
        if (obj.keys[i] == name)
            return obj.values.at(i);

    return NullUniValue;
}


The Board of Sunrise Media is pleased to announce that Kilcullen Kapital Partners have signed an agreement to acquire the Sunday Business Post for an undisclosed sum.
Siobhán Lennon, the Chief Executive of the Sunday Business Post, said "I am delighted that the sales process has been concluded and want to thank everyone at Key Capital. Also I would like to pay tribute to the team in The Sunday Business Post for their commitment to championing Irish business and promoting independent quality journalism. We look forward to our future with the Kilcullen Kapital team and driving The Business Post on to its next exciting phase".
A successful businessman and former Irish Times journalist, author and magazine publisher, Enda has been active in a range of investments in technology, energy, and finance. Most recently he completed a solo circumnavigation of the World in the Vendée Globe sailing race on his 60-foot yacht Kilcullen Voyager and is looking forward to a new challenge. O'Coineen who is not based in Ireland, sees this as a reason to 'spend more time on the island'. Meanwhile, no significant changes are anticipated for what is expected to be a strong final quarter for the Sunday Business Post which will be profitable for 2018. Advertising and digital sales are growing while print circulation is holding its own. The completion of the transaction is subject to customary approvals which we are confident will be met.


text:
Mi Escuelita
18711 Saticoy Street Reseda, CA
See pricing (opens in a new tab)
See enrichment activities (opens in a new tab)
About Mi Escuelita
Mi Escuelita values what early education can do for the hearts and minds of children. Mi Escuelita hosts a child care program in a center-based facility, bringing the best of a stable, structured learning environment to the families and students of Los Angeles. Centers like Mi Escuelita are popular choices amongst families looking for an early education providers with the space and resources to provide real enrichment, activities and socialization opportunities, all while not sacrificing the community and relationships that help students grow and thrive. With a full-time schedule, Mi Escuelita further provides the best for the most formative years! Children at Mi Escuelita have an environment where day in and day out they can learn something new and explore with their peers. Parents will have a front-row seat to all the learning and cognitive development that comes with the stimulation of a full-time schedule. The full-time schedule also provides a real community for families, as children get to know each other well!
Safety features & procedures
See all information (opens in a new tab)
Related Preschools, Child Care, and Nursery Schools in Los Angeles
Vardanyan Family Child Care
Up to 6 yrs
Vardanyan Family Child Care supplies early care and education for the families of Los Angeles in a cozy, intimat...
Beachy Avenue Elementary School Cspp
Beachy Avenue Elementary School Cspp hosts early child care and education in a center-based environment in Los A...
Jems Preschool
Fun and learning ahead at Jems Preschool! Jems Preschool is an early care and education provider in Los Angeles ...
Gonzalez Partida Family Child Care
The in-home setting at Gonzalez Partida Family Child Care can be a good choice for Los Angeles parents looking f...


text:
NOWCAST WESH 2 News at 10 on CW
Deputies name person of interest in double murder at Orlando apartments
On Wednesday night, the Orange County Sheriff's Office named a person of interest in the case of a double murder at an Orlando apartment complex.Deputies said Nicholas Lopez could be in the Orlando area or could have traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina.On Aug. 5, 27-year-old Amanda Johnson and 32-year-old Ron Williams were killed in the shootings at the Misty Oaks apartments.Another woman was shot but survived.Also see: People getting into wrong cars, think it's their Uber rideIf you have any information about Lopez' whereabouts, you are asked to the Sheriff's Office.Images: Deputies investigate fatal shooting at Misty Oaks
ORLANDO, Fla. —
On Wednesday night, the Orange County Sheriff's Office named a person of interest in the case of a double murder at an Orlando apartment complex.
Deputies said Nicholas Lopez could be in the Orlando area or could have traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina.
Victims identified in Misty Oaks double shooting
On Aug. 5, 27-year-old Amanda Johnson and 32-year-old Ron Williams were killed in the shootings at the Misty Oaks apartments.
Another woman was shot but survived.
Also see: People getting into wrong cars, think it's their Uber ride
If you have any information about Lopez' whereabouts, you are asked to the Sheriff's Office.
Images: Deputies investigate fatal shooting at Misty Oaks


text:
Deseada fue una estación de ferrocarril que se hallaba al oeste de la oficina salitrera Astoreca, en la Región de Antofagasta de Chile. Fue parte del Longitudinal Norte y actualmente se encuentra inactiva.

Historia
Originalmente el tramo del Longitudinal Norte donde se encontraba la estación estaba proyectado más al este, pasando por el centro del Llano de la Paciencia, por lo que en los bosquejos iniciales no aparecen detenciones en el sector de Deseada; sin embargo, posteriores modificaciones durante su construcción establecieron de forma definitiva la estación. En mapas de 1929 aparece la estación contigua a la oficina salitrera Higinio Astoreca (posteriormente denominada Astoreca).

Fue clausurada temporalmente a partir del 31 de diciembre de 1943 debido a la paralización de las faenas mineras en la oficina Higinio Astoreca, ubicada en las cercanías, siendo reabierta el 5 de septiembre de 1947. La estación no aparece consignada en publicaciones turísticas de 1949, sin embargo aparece en mapas de 1968, lo que da cuenta de su actividad de manera intermitente. Según Santiago Marín Vicuña la estación se ubica a 1389 .

El 22 de agosto de 1960 la estación fue convertida en un paradero sin personal. Dejó de prestar servicios cuando finalizó el transporte de pasajeros en la antigua Red Norte de la Empresa de los Ferrocarriles del Estado en junio de 1975. Las vías del Longitudinal Norte fueron traspasadas a Ferronor y privatizadas, mientras que la estación fue abandonada.

Referencias

Deseada
Estaciones de ferrocarril de Chile de 1913
Estaciones de ferrocarril clausuradas en 1975
Estaciones de ferrocarril abandonadas de Chile
Estaciones del Longitudinal Norte

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
namespace policy {

class MockCloudPolicyClient : public CloudPolicyClient {
 public:
  MockCloudPolicyClient();
  virtual ~MockCloudPolicyClient();

  MOCK_METHOD2(SetupRegistration, void(const std::string&, const std::string&));
  MOCK_METHOD6(Register,
               void(enterprise_management::DeviceRegisterRequest::Type type,
                    enterprise_management::DeviceRegisterRequest::Flavor flavor,
                    const std::string&,
                    const std::string&,
                    const std::string&,
                    const std::string&));
  MOCK_METHOD0(FetchPolicy, void(void));
  MOCK_METHOD0(Unregister, void(void));
  MOCK_METHOD2(UploadCertificate,
               void(const std::string&, const StatusCallback&));
  MOCK_METHOD3(UploadDeviceStatus,
               void(const enterprise_management::DeviceStatusReportRequest*,
                    const enterprise_management::SessionStatusReportRequest*,
                    const StatusCallback&));
  // Sets the DMToken.
  void SetDMToken(const std::string& token);

  // Injects policy.
  void SetPolicy(const std::string& policy_type,
                 const std::string& settings_entity_id,
                 const enterprise_management::PolicyFetchResponse& policy);

  // Inject invalidation version.
  void SetFetchedInvalidationVersion(
      int64_t fetched_invalidation_version);

  // Sets the status field.
  void SetStatus(DeviceManagementStatus status);

  // Make the notification helpers public.
  using CloudPolicyClient::NotifyPolicyFetched;
  using CloudPolicyClient::NotifyRegistrationStateChanged;
  using CloudPolicyClient::NotifyClientError;

  using CloudPolicyClient::dm_token_;
  using CloudPolicyClient::client_id_;
  using CloudPolicyClient::submit_machine_id_;
  using CloudPolicyClient::last_policy_timestamp_;
  using CloudPolicyClient::public_key_version_;
  using CloudPolicyClient::public_key_version_valid_;
  using CloudPolicyClient::types_to_fetch_;
  using CloudPolicyClient::invalidation_version_;
  using CloudPolicyClient::invalidation_payload_;
  using CloudPolicyClient::fetched_invalidation_version_;

 private:
  DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(MockCloudPolicyClient);
};

class MockCloudPolicyClientObserver : public CloudPolicyClient::Observer {
 public:
  MockCloudPolicyClientObserver();
  virtual ~MockCloudPolicyClientObserver();

  MOCK_METHOD1(OnPolicyFetched, void(CloudPolicyClient*));
  MOCK_METHOD1(OnRegistrationStateChanged, void(CloudPolicyClient*));
  MOCK_METHOD1(OnRobotAuthCodesFetched, void(CloudPolicyClient*));
  MOCK_METHOD1(OnClientError, void(CloudPolicyClient*));

 private:
  DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(MockCloudPolicyClientObserver);
};

}  // namespace policy

#endif  // COMPONENTS_POLICY_CORE_COMMON_CLOUD_MOCK_CLOUD_POLICY_CLIENT_H_


text:
Alison Hirsch
Hirsch was granted funds by The Graham Foundation, which awards grants to individuals whose projects will make a meaningful impact on the architecture field as a whole, both in 2019 and 2013.
The University of Southern California School of Architecture has announced the appointment of associate professor Alison Hirsch as the new director of the Master of Landscape Architecture + Urbanism program, effective August 2019.
Hirsch received her Master's of Landscape Architecture, Master's of Historic Preservation and Ph.D. in Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania. As a landscape theorist, designer and historian, Hirsch's research areas include: cultural landscapes; spatial politics of landscape architecture; contested urban landscapes; activist design methods; practices of representation; and landscape's intersections with performance and choreography.
In addition to serving on the USC Architecture faculty since 2013, Hirsch is also the co-founder of Foreground Design Agency and a writer. She is the co-editor of a book of essays by James Corner, titled The Landscape Imagination, and is currently working on a book titled The Performative Landscape.
Hirsch previously taught landscape architecture theory and design at Harvard's Graduate School of Design (GSD), the University of Virginia and the University of Toronto. She also was a 2017-2018 Prince Charitable Trusts / Rolland Rome Prize Fellow at the American Academy in Rome.
To read the full press release from USC, click HERE.
Filed Under: EDUCATION, USC, GSD, ALISON HIRSCH, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Ian McHarg Exhibition at Penn
MIT Researchers Use Wave Energy to Stem Erosion
Penn State Research Team Receives Grant
Penn State Stuckeman School's Interim Director
CCNY Spitzer School of Arch. Announces New Dean
USDOT Funds University Transportation Centers


PRE-REGISTRATION & PAYMENT REQUIRED: Once you've reviewed the event details, and decided you'd like to join us, you MUST sign up at the bottom of this page. You will then make your payment for this event at the venue, NOT in advance to the EOC.
**As of Feb 28th, there are 17 tickets left. If you're interested, please purchase your ticket using the link below then I'll add you to the attendee list. Hope to see you there!
You are invited to a special one night screening of THE BIKES OF WRATH in Edmonton.
**Sign up on the wait list then purchase your ticket HERE. Once you're done, e-mail me that you've bought it then I'll move you onto the attendee list.
SYNOPSIS: Oklahoma to California: 2600 kms, 420 dollars, 30 days, 5 bikes, 3 cameras, 2 guitars and one of the most influential novels of the 20th century � The Bikes of Wrath is the story of adventure, human connection, and an in-depth look at today�s America through the lens of John Steinbeck�s seminal novel, �The Grapes of Wrath�.
Make a Payment: Although there is a cost for this event, you do not pay through the EOC. Please review the event details carefully for information about how/where to make your payment.


text:
Guilty Crown Wiki
Inori Yuzuriha
Shu Ouma
Mana Ouma
Gai Tsutsugami
Hare Menjou
Void Genome
Apocalypse Virus
Void Ranking System
Endlave
Apocalypse Virus Meteorite
Title ギルティクラウン
Rating 7.6/10
Genre Sci-Fi, Super Power, Action
Release October 13, 2011
Platform Anime
Guilty Crown (ギルティクラウンGiruti Kuraun?) is a 2011 Japanese anime television series produced by Production I.G which airs on Fuji TV's noitaminA program block in October 2011. The story of Guilty Crown is set in 2039 and revolves around Shu Ouma, a boy who has acquired an ability called the "Power of the Kings" that allows him to draw out tools or weapons from another person. He joins a resistance group named "Funeral Parlor" which aims to restore Japan's independence from an international organization known as the GHQ.
A manga adaptation will begin serialization in the November 2011 issue of Gangan Comics' Monthly Shōnen Gangan. A spin-off visual novel tentatively named Guilty Crown: Lost Christmas is being developed by Nitroplus.
Guilty Crown's setting begins in 2029 when an unidentified "Apocalypse Virus" spreads and plunges Japan into a state of emergency in a chaos known as the "Lost Christmas". An international organization known as the GHQ intervenes with martial law and restores order to Japan at the cost of its independence.
Ten years later in 2039, Shu Ouma, a 17-year-old high school student who keeps to himself in school, meets Inori Yuzuriha, the lead singer for Egoist, while visiting one of his favorite places on his way home from school. Shu is a big fan of Inori, a singer who has taken the Internet world by storm. However, he also discovers the other side of her, which is that she is a member of "Funeral Parlor", a resistance group that aims to liberate Japan from the GHQ. Shu starts taking a part in the actions of "Funeral Parlor" and the "King's Mark" appears on his right hand. This "mark" bestows on him the power to reach inside another person's body and extract and materialize a weapon from it.
A newly discovered deadly virus that crystallizes it's victims. Originated from a meteorite crash in Japan, the transmission mechanisms are currently not understood but upon infection, the host's body will begin to show various stages of symptoms where a crystalline substance forms on their body. There is a vaccine to prevent infection where regular inoculations are required.
The "Lost Christmas" incident
On December 2029, an outbreak of the Apocalypse Virus appeared in Roppongi, Tokyo leading to a chaotic turmoil in the country. Unable to contain it, the Japanese government asked for international help.
A multinational military force backed by the United Nations to help Japan contain the Apocalypse Virus during the "Lost Christmas" incident. After containing the outbreak and restoring order, Japan gave it's administrative duties to the GHQ where it became the official interim government of Japan with the GHQ forces policing the country under martial law. The GHQ headquarters is located at Area 24, a mega-structure constructed on Odaiba, Tokyo Bay.
Anti Bodies
Official known as the Special Virus Countermeasure Force, the Anti Bodies are the GHQ epidemic control unit. An independent military unit, the Anti Bodies are an elite force that have access to special equipment and resources to combat the spread of the Apocalypse Virus. They have the authority to detain and quarantine suspected Apocalypse carriers and if necessary, use deadly force to contain any outbreaks.
Undertakers/Funeral Parlor
A resistance group/terrorist organization that aims to free Japan from the GHQ. Their headquarters is located in Roppongi at a building called Roppongi Fort.
Humanoid battle mechs. Pilots operate the Endlaves via a remote cockpit where they control it's movement using their brains. Because they also experience any damage that is happening to their Endlaves, the pilot must disconnect themselves before their Endlave is destroyed or they will suffer a backlash.
Known as the "Power of the Kings", it is a genetic weapon that has the ability to extract "Voids", genetic items or weapons from individuals, though there are two limitations. Firstly, the person must be 17 years or younger, and secondly, they must think there's eye-contact between the person extracing the Void and the person, who gets their Void extracted. The person from whom the Void is extracted remembers nothing of the incident due to shock and once the Void has been used, it returns to the original owner.
Sephirah Genomics
A multinational pharmaceutical company with close ties to the GHQ and Anti Bodies. Sephirah Genomics is responsible of creating the Apocalypse Virus vaccine, the Void Genome and is currently researching for a cure for the Apocalypse Virus.
Guilty Crown is being directed by Tetsuro Araki with the series' script's supervision being handled by Hiroyuki Yoshino and assisted by Ichirō Ōkouchi. Jin Hanegaya from Nitroplus will also be assisting with the screenplay. The mechanical designs will be done by Atsushi Takeuchi and prop designs handled by Yō Moriyama. The original character designs are being drawn by Redjuice[4] while Hiromi Katō are providing the character designs for the anime. Yusuke Takeda will be the anime's art director. The animation production is being done by Production I.G's Division 6.
When asked what circumstances lead to his involvement, Redjuice responded that the production staff's illustrators and animators felt that his concept art exhibited a sense of compatibility with final product. While Ryo of Supercell was providing the insert songs for the show, Redjuice himself was not participating in a project as a member of Supercell. Besides liking Inori, the main heroine of Guilty Crown, Redjuice stated that he has done many drawings of Tsugumi. The staff had no qualms with the cat-like ears of Tsugumi so Redjuice feels that he has slipped his personal tastes into the series. Redjuice also likes Kanon although she was not originally written into the scenario but since she was included in one of the key visual drawings, Kanon got added. As Redjuice has not worked with 3D CG much, he was able to learn a lot from the staff at Production I.G.
New York Anime Festival will screen the first two episodes of Guilty Crown on October 15, 2011. The screening of the second episode will be a world premiere as the episode will not air in Japan until October 20, 2011. At Anime Weekend Atlanta 2011, Funimation Entertainment announced that it will simulcasted the series this October, followed by a DVD and Blu-ray release in 2012.
The music used in the Guilty Crown anime is composed by Hiroyuki Sawano. Both the opening and ending themes of Guilty Crown are written by Supercell. The opening theme is entitled "My Dearest" and will be performed by Koeda. The CD single for "My Dearest" will be released on November 23, 2011. The ending theme is entitled "Departures ~あなたにおくるアイの歌~" (Departures ~Anata ni Okuru Ai no Uta~ Departures ~Send your Love Song~?) and will be performed by Egoist, a fictional band from the series. The single for "Departures ~あなたにおくるアイの歌~" will be released on November 30, 2011. A new 17-year old artist named Chelly will be providing the vocals. Chelly was picked by Ryo of Supercell after an audition of 2000 candidates. Chelly will also be singing the insert song of Guilty Crown.
Retrieved from "https://guiltycrown.fandom.com/wiki/Guilty_Crown?oldid=8235"
More Guilty Crown Wiki
1 Shu Ouma
2 Inori Yuzuriha
3 Mana Ouma
Guilty Crown Wiki is a FANDOM Comics Community.


80 Baycliffe Drive - SOLD $110k over asking with 5 competing offers.
We listed 80 Baycliffe Drive for clients that were interviewing 4 different agents. They interviewed some of the "number 1" agents in the area and they had heard good things about all of them. When we went for the meeting about the sale, Sarah and myself met with the sellers for about an hour.
These sellers had a horrible experience in the past. Their agent was a friend of a friend and there was a concern about trust. They felt they were being under serviced and that ultimately they didn't get value.
After meeting with all 4 different agents, the husband said to me.. "Ravi you've won over my wife, we are going with The Connexus Group".
That's when the prep started. Kudos to the entire team, we quarterbacked the cleaning, the furniture removal, the junk removal, the declutter and the staging. The house had a 92 hour makeover and we were very proud of the outcome. Lots of funny stories to tell at about moving futons and surveillance cameras and more (but we'll save that for another time).
Then our exposure story started. We had built hype around the property through our ReMax Hallmark colleagues and we had our in-house photography/videography team create some wonderful marketing pieces. Very proud of our custom site for the unbranded tour, that featured the music video shot by the very talented Jordan DeGuzman, newly drawn floor plans by Real Floor Plans and MarCom copy written by myself and Alicia. The photos were shot using HDR and very high end equipment. My favourite part of the video was capturing the golfers and the playground. As well as the joggers and the Canadian flag. We knew we were selling more than 4 walls. We were selling a lifestyle and a location.
$110,000 OVER ASKING PRICE - CONGRATULATIONS!
Exposure isn't just about creating content, its about delivering it to the write audience. In this case, open house, Instagram videos, sponsored Facebook targeted videos, For Sale signs and geographic targeting all helped our cause. Sarah showed the property to 6 different buyers. One in particular said many times "I saw the video on my train ride home and called my wife saying we need to see this house. Then the video just followed me around".
So what was the end result? We had 61 showings. We had 5 second showings. We had 4 people show the house 4 times. We ended up with6 offers.
We sold this house. We helped this family. We crushed records on the sale price. We got a new member of our Connexus Client Family. They got #theconnexusadvantage.
Buying or selling? Please email or call me directly. We'd love to talk to you about your sale.


Maureen here from Cornwall in the Uk.
We all start off earning a little, then a little more and then a little more; providing we put the work in and stay consistent; and never give up!
But how do we all get started? One step at a time.
Each day you should be moving forward with your business.
You should be learning new things all the time.
You should be staying forcused.
You should be promoting things you are passionate about.
If you are doing all the above you will be successful. It's all just a matter of time.
When a new site is launched and/or you join a new site, get to know it well. Then share it to as many people as possible.
Track everything you are promoting. Focus on whats working and dump what's not.
Remember when a new site is launched, new members are action takers and we all know action takers get results.
So do your homework first, google the site owner, if they have been around for a while and have a good reputation and/or you know and trust the person who recommended the new site to you, then join and get your ads in.
Joining as a free member is fine, but if you find you are getting results then upgrade.
Whenever you join a new site and you have upgraded be sure to promote the site as you need to get into profit; don't forget to fill in those downline ids and remember creating your own unique squeeze page and banners makes you stand out from the crowd. I use Instant Splash to create my squeeze page and fugly banners to create my banners. Both are free and fun!
Hope you found the above information useful?
Always here to help - but you've gotta give me a shout!


text:
Q: How to use wait() and notifyAll() to pause a function until a value is increased past a certain amount I am having a small issue with a program I am writing, it is a bank simulator, and the specific part I am having issues with are with these two functions:
The following code is in the Account class:
    public synchronized boolean withdraw(int amount){
        try{
            System.out.println("Balance = " + balance + " amount = "+ amount);
            while(amount > balance){
                wait();
            }
        }
        catch (InterruptedException e){
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
        int currentBalance = balance;
        //Thread.yield(); // Try to force collision
        int newBalance = currentBalance - amount;
        balance = newBalance;
        return true;
    }
    public synchronized void deposit(int amount) {
        int currentBalance = balance;
        Thread.yield();   // Try to force collision
        int newBalance = currentBalance + amount;
        balance = newBalance;
        notifyAll();
    }

Edited to add the following:
The Bank class is what calls the withdraw and deposit functions: here is that code:
    public void transfer(int from, int to, int amount) {
        synchronized (this) {
            counter++;
            try {
                while (isTesting) {
                    wait();
                }
            } catch (InterruptedException e) {
                e.printStackTrace();
            }
            if (accounts[from].withdraw(amount)) {
                accounts[to].deposit(amount);
            }

            counter--;
            notifyAll();

            if (shouldTest()) test();
        }
    }

the wait() call in transfer() works perfectly and I don't think I should be concerned about its functionality. But as you can see the first call to withdraw checks to see if the transaction can happen, and if it can, it will return true and move on to deposit. When actually running the program, once in any thread the balance is below amount, the program freezes, it does not switch to another thread, I've confirmed this with print statements.
Basically what I need the withdraw function to do is to check the balance of the current account, and if the balance is lower than the amount to withdraw, it will wait for the available funds from other accounts to deposit.
I want deposit to be able to accept money from other threads and call the notifyAll() function to wake the thread currently waiting, and to check the condition again. Unfortunately, whenever the wait function is called, the program stops completely hangs, and all of the other threads are in the monitor state according to the debugger.
I really appreciate any help, and if there are any questions you have for me about my code, or if you want me to include more, feel free to ask me and I will edit the question. If there is another thread already asking the same question, would you mind helping me to find it? I searched online already and nothing I found helps with my specific situation. Thank you very much.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
The BRWC Review: Black (2015)
Alex Cole
A modern re-telling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet set in the context of Brussels' dark gangland; Black is a powerful and harrowing insight into the dungeons of European youth and gangland violence. After an unlikely meeting in the police station, star-crossed lovers Marvela (Martha Canga Antonio) and Marwan (Aboubbakr Benaihi) are forced apart as gang loyalty and duty take hold. As their gang affiliations become deeper the stakes rise until the final moment where their once separate lives collide.
Never shying away from the truth and brutality of the situation, Black is both beautiful and disturbing. Our two protagonists, although not likable at first, are soon entwined with the viewer and its hard not get behind the characters. Marvela in particular is hard not to feel a connection with, as she goes from insubordinate teen to victim with such poignancy that it would be difficult not to shed a tear. As Marvela realises both her mistakes and the number of lives she's helped destroy, Martha Canga Antonio gives the performance of her life when it becomes her turn to take the fall. As I said before, with intensely violent scenes, without fear, Black gives us an open display of sexual violence that very few films choose to tackle. What could be a tricky subject, Black does this incredibly well.
It displays the horror of the events disturbing nature freely, but by focusing on the pain of the victim instead of the mind of the perpetrator Black is a brilliant commentary on the deepest problems in the poorest areas in Europe and how difficult it can be to oppose them.
The skill of writers and directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah in providing a flawless commentary is without question and so is the performance of Antonio who's journey is unbelievably real. Yet, the most amazing part of Black is just how great a film it is overall. Everything about this film is fantastic and I was tempted to watch it again immediately after it concluded. Despite the increasing number of Romeo and Juliet-esque tales in existence Black manages to bring something different to the fray and creates a fantastic film that anyone and everyone should view.
BLACK is released in UK cinemas & on VOD from Friday 19th August and you should DEFINITELY watch it!
Films, games, Godzilla and Scott Pilgrim; these are the things that Alex loves. As he tries to make use of the fact he's always staring at a screen or in a book, you'll hopefully be treated to some good reviews along the way (though he doesn't promise anything).
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Tinkle leads to tussle in bizarre San Francisco assault
By BY Examiner Staff • December 1, 2011 12:00 am
Credit: Photos.com
While this tale starts out as a sterling example of civic cooperation, you can't expect much from humans that urinate like dogs in front of San Francisco homes.
Police were called to a bizarre incident around 8:40 p.m. Wednesday in which a man peed on the sidewalk in the unit block of Duboce Avenue. After a neighbor cronfronted him about it, he offered to clean it up.
But the clean-up job never happened and the resident ended up slapped in the face and thrown to the ground, San Francisco police Officer Albie Esparza said.
Now police are hunting the vermin who fled after defiling the sidewalk and beating up the neighbor, a 49-year-old man.
The neighbor told police he confronted a 5-foot 4-inch, 160-pound man who was peeing in front of his house. The suspect apologized for the vile act and agreed to clean it up. The victim joined the suspect on the walk to the store, where they planned to purchase cleaning supplies, Esparza said.
But then a third person became involved, a friend of the urinating man, and all hell broke loose. The pal began arguing with the resident and slapped him. When the resident pulled out his cellphone to call police, the suspect grabbed the phone and threw it to the ground, Esparza said.
That led to a brawl. The suspects ganged up on the resident, throwing him twice to the ground, Esparza said.
The goons then fled southbound on Woodward Street, where they hopped into a car and sped off.
During the fight, the victim suffered scrapes and bruises and his head struck the pavement, Esparza said. He was treated for nonlife threatening injuries at the California Pacific Medical Center's Davies Campus, the police spokesman said.
Police are seeking the public's help in finding the weak-bladdered buffoons. The man who peed is Hispanic and in his late 20s. He had black hair, dark eyes and wore a San Francisco 49ers jacket and dark colored jeans and boots, Esparza said.
His brutish pal, a 6-foot-tall white man, had brown hair and was last seen wearing a T-shirt and dark-colored pants.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the SFPD's Anonymous Tip Line at (415) 575-4444 or send a text message to "Text-A-Tip" at TIP-411.
maldax@sfexaminer.com
Tags: Bay Area News, Crime, Crime & Courts, Law and Disorder, San Francisco, SFPD


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Arsenal legend Tony Adams says Arsene Wenger couldn't coach his way out of a paper bag in new book
Sports FP Sports May 19, 2017 19:27:50 IST
Just when Arsene Wenger's problems seemed to be behind him, a new one has arisen — one that will no doubt cause the Arsenal manager a severe embarrassment.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger congratulates captain Tony Adams after their FA Cup final win in 1998. AFP
Former Arsenal defender Tony Adams has, in sensational claims made in his autobiography Sober, claimed that Wenger was so keen to avoid confrontation with his players that he once delayed training sessions just because star striker Ian Wright would turn up late, according to a report in The Sun.
In the book, Adams also details why he may never work for Arsenal as long as Wenger is in charge.
"Back in the day, I said in an interview coaching wasn't Arsene's strong point. Actually in the original draft, I said he couldn't coach his way out of a paper bag. And though I modified that in the final article, it didn't go down well.
"It all left me feeling that I would never get a chance in any capacity while Arsene was there. Much as I respected him for his long and successful tenure, my occasional willingness to pass comment on him and the team probably counted against me," Adams wrote in the book.
Adams, who was named as the new Granada coach in April, has bared his soul on panic attacks and depression in a new book on his life since he gave up alcohol in 1996.
Wenger has flak from multiple quarters over the season, most damagingly from his own fans who have called for him to step down after it became apparent that Arsenal would not be able to finish above arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur for the first time ever in the English Premier League.
Tags : Arsenal, Arsène Wenger, English Premier League, Football, Granada, Ian Wright, KickingAround, Sober, Tony Adams
Premier League: Arsenal manager Unai Emery says his team must 'keep moving ahead' as Laurent Koscielny's transfer saga continues
Premier League: Arsenal captain Laurent Koscielny refuses to travel for club's pre-season tour to United States
Premier League: Laurent Koscielny's decision to boycott Arsenal's pre-season tour adds to club's gloom
1Arsenal legend Tony Adams says Arsene Wenger couldn't coach his way out of a paper bag in new book


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March for abortion rights brings hundreds from Brooklyn to Manhattan
Hundreds upon hundreds of abortion-rights supporters marched from Brooklyn to Manhattan on Saturday in one in all a number of mass demonstrations across the nation protesting the presumed impending finish to Roe v. Wade.
Proponents of abortion rights in main cities round the US mobilized in a present of power over the weekend, with different giant demonstrations in cities like Washington D.C. and Los Angeles.
Originating in Cadman Plaza Park, the march took demonstrators via the streets and over the Brooklyn Bridge, touring to Foley Sq. in Decrease Manhattan.
The temper in Brooklyn was full of life and spirited, with a number of youngsters and households current, regardless of the undercurrent of anger and tales of unlawful abortions which have fueled related protests in current weeks. Supporters of abortion rights have taken to the streets to voice their anguish over a leaked Supreme Courtroom draft opinion displaying the bulk in favor of ending the courtroom's longtime place on abortion rights.
Advocates have decried the impression this can have specifically on low-income girls of shade who come from states which might be poised to curb abortion entry, ought to the ruling turns into remaining.
Music blared over the audio system in Cadman Plaza as some demonstrators danced to the beat. A number of smiled as they chanted and sang. One shouted "I love protests!" from the transferring crowd.
Isla Grant-Reyes, an 11-year-old from Brooklyn who confirmed up to the protest along with her household, voiced her anger to Gothamist.
"I'm here because I want to be able to terminate my pregnancy if that's the need," she stated. "I don't want to be a 15-year-old that's pregnant. That's your choice, and it should be your choice. I'm here because I deserve rights."
Elected officers held a press convention in a close-by park earlier than becoming a member of the march. Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer and New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams joined a slate of different distinguished politicians, together with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and New York Lawyer Basic Tish James, in pledging Democrats' assist for defending reproductive rights.
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Q: Initializing Firebase Functions Emulator For Correct Project I am developing a project with Firebase backend, utilising Firebase Functions. I actually two projects: myProject and myProject-test (used for deployment testing).
When submitting API calls, my (React) front-end is configured to call the myProject-test URL when running in local development, and only direct the calls to myProject when deployed on PROD.
The problem I am facing is that when I start my cloud functions emulator using firebase emulators:start, my cloud functions get started on the localhost:5001/myProject/... url instead of localhost:5001/myProject-test/..., and hence the API calls from my local development instance never arrive.
How can I control for which project the emulators start?

A: This is what the firebase use command is for.  Read the documentation on managing aliases.  You can run the command firebase use PROJECT_ID|ALIAS to set the current project or alias that is currently use use for the emulator or other commands.


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MoviesAvengers
Repercussions
By: Kanae Yuna
"Tony really hated magic. Guns and skilled assassins, Tony could handle, but having his own teammates turned against him because they thought he was the enemy? He had to draw the line there." After a fight with the Enchantress, Tony is left badly injured, but no one knows what happened. The problem? He refuses to tell anyone the truth.
Rated: Fiction T - English - Hurt/Comfort/Family - Iron Man/Tony S., Captain America/Steve R. - Chapters: 7 - Words: 36,545 - Reviews: 171 - Favs: 1,061 - Follows: 533 - Updated: 6/19/2013 - Published: 7/13/2012 - Status: Complete - id: 8315903
1. Chapter 12. Chapter 23. Chapter 34. Chapter 45. Chapter 56. Chapter 67. Epilogue
First of all, I have to tell you guys that I have never read any of the Marvel comics or have any in-depth knowledge of the Avengers. I'm basing the characters off what my interpretations of the movie, stories that I have read, and Wikipedia, so if there are any discrepancies, I truly apologize, but please don't flag me on it.
Anyway, this story is Steve/Tony with an established relationship. If you don't like the idea, please click the back button and look for other stories to read. If you still choose to read, then please keep an open mind. There aren't really any other pairings, but if I do end up having some, I'll be sure to let you know.
I don't own Avengers or any Marvel products.
Other than that, enjoy!
Tony really hated magic. No, scratch that. He hated anything that was anything remotely not of this world. Guns and skilled assassins, Tony could handle, but having his own teammates turned against him because they thought he was the enemy? He had to draw the line there.
He grunted as he felt an arrow pierce through his armor, barely grazing his right shoulder. Glaring at Hawkeye, he jerked out the projectile and eyed the rest of his team warily. He had the advantage of the sky - the Capsicle couldn't touch him and neither could the spies. Well, as long as he stayed away from the buildings, Natasha couldn't catch him off guard. For once, Tony was relieved that the Asgardian god had been visiting his girlfriend down in New Mexico; otherwise, Tony would be nursing more than a few bruises and a broken rib - courtesy of him getting a little too close to the Superhuman.
A roar distracted him for a moment and he turned to see the Enchantress flying out of the Hulk's grasp once again. It all started with her - stupid Asgardian had somehow made her way to Earth and sprung out of nowhere! One moment, the Avengers were enjoying their normal pre-battle banter, and the next, they had their defenses up and were seconds from killing each other. Obviously, Tony had to step in - if anyone died, it would mean so much paperwork for him. It wasn't that he cared about his teammates. Not at all - Iron Man didn't do emotions, at least not on the outside.
It should have been pretty easy, knocking out his teammates one by one while they were distracted with each other, but the Enchantress had figured out that her magic didn't work on him or Banner (probably because of his suit and Banner being the Jolly Green Beast), so she had to make his life difficult by showing the Avengers some type of illusion. Then, all of a sudden, they were attacking him in an organized fashion. That made things difficult.
Tony had taken a hit to his chest plate by Steve in the first few seconds. The pain of his fractured rib and the fact that it was Steve who had hurt him kicked Tony's mind into gear. He left the Enchantress to the Hulk and flew into the sky, thinking that the other three couldn't touch him, but he had forgotten about Hawkeye.
Gritting his teeth, Tony took several swallow breaths as he did calculations in his mind. "JARVIS, reduce power in the repulsors to five percent."
"Understood," came the British monotone voice.
Tony dodged another arrow and dropped his height a little. He raised his right hand and shot at Barton. Perhaps the magic made Barton's movements slower, but Tony really hadn't expected his attack to work. Barton flew backwards, smacking his head on the cement wall, and crumbled to the ground unconscious. Tony winced. He did not envy Barton when he woke up.
Then, he heard a beeping noise behind him. He made the connections before he even saw the bomb tip. The blast knocked him closer to the buildings, but he managed to stay airborne. Panting, Tony glanced back down. Cap was by Clint's side, checking on him. The worry in those dull blue eyes faded and Tony let out a sigh of relief that turned into a hiss as his rib ached. Warning bells went off in his head. Where was the Black Widow?
Too late did Tony realize his close proximity to a building that had balconies. There was a snarl and Tony's height dropped as he felt a weight fall on him. Natasha had wrapped her arms around his neck and he was forced to release his back thrusters so that he wouldn't burn her to a crisp, but that meant they were falling to the ground dangerously fast. He would be able to survive it - he had his suit - but Natasha, even as skilled as she was, wouldn't, which meant that he had to make a choice between himself and her.
The answer was easy. Tony didn't even bother to defend himself and used his foot and hand thrusters to lower their descent. About ten feet from the ground where Captain America stood waiting, Tony felt a sharp pain lance through his back. He gasped as the burning and ripping sensation coursed through his body; his vision blackened for a brief second and suddenly, everything felt like fire was spreading from his lower right back.
Then he was falling.
He bit back a scream as he landed on the hard pavement. Lighting shot through him, taking away any strength he possibly could have had, but if he thought being stabbed was bad, the pulling out of the serrated blade was a thousand times worse. Though Natasha had pulled it out in one swift movement, Tony felt every jagged edge biting, cutting, and ripping through his battered flesh. This time, he couldn't stop the cry from escaping him.
His consciousness waned as a wave of hot agony pulsed through him. Breathing hurt; even blinking tortured him, but he had to get up. He had to help the Hulk, but his limbs would not obey him.
A strong hand lifted him up from the ground, drawing a groan from his lips, and he stared at those blue eyes that he had grown to love through the flashing red lights in his HUD.
"Steve..." Tony whispered, pleading with the pain unveiled in his voice.
But the soldier didn't hear him and cruelly threw the billionaire to crash harshly against the wall beside Hawkeye. He slid to the ground like a broken puppet with his strings cut.
JARVIS' voice came in and out of his comms before dying completely. Someone really hated Tony, didn't they?
Steve and Natasha approached him threateningly when they froze, blinking through their confusion as a loud roar and a high pitched scream echoed in their ears. Looking up, they saw the Enchantress caught in one of Hulk's deadly hands - her concentration broken, making her illusions vanish. The green monster smirked as he tightened his grip, but the Enchantress teleported away. She reappeared seconds later twenty feet behind Steve and Natasha.
Immediately, Captain America and the Black Widow sprang into action. He flung his shield towards the Enchantress, the revolving sharp edges more lethal than the bullets that Romanoff was shooting. The Enchantress merely smiled and shouted something while thrusting her hand out towards the two. An explosive burst of fire erupted from her fingers. Steve and Natasha both ducked and turned in horror to see her attack heading straight for the unconscious Barton.
There was a flash of red and gold and suddenly, Barton had been lifted into the air awkwardly by his right arm by the Iron Man who was now lowering them both to the ground.
No longer worried, Captain America swiveled back around readied himself for the next attack, but the Enchantress had disappeared. The threat was gone for now, confirmed by the Hulk changing back into Banner a few feet to his right.
"We're clear," Steve said to Natasha, who instantly ran to Barton's aid. Tony had wrapped Hawkeye's arm around his shoulders, supporting his entire weight.
He followed, taking his time, knowing that Natasha wouldn't let anyone near the wounded archer anyway. He felt a little worried at the sight of the blood dripping down the side of Clint's head, but it was probably better than it looked - at worse a concussion. He frowned as he tried to think back to how he got it. There was nothing - just blank fuzziness.
Natasha shoved Tony to a side, "I got him, Stark," she said, though not unkindly.
Tony merely nodded and stumbled a few steps back. Steve's frown deepened. No snarky remarks? No boasting of his amazing prowess? Something was wrong and Steve's feet quickened.
"Tony, are you alright?" he called, getting nearer.
At his words, Natasha's head snapped up to give Tony a once over. Her eyes widened and Steve's heart dropped. Seemingly at the same time, they both saw the small growing puddle of blood pooling at his armored feet.
"Tony!" shouted Steve, breaking into a run.
Tony swayed and without warning, collapsed. Steve sprang forward and caught Tony before he hurt himself further.
"Tony!" Steve called out again, ripping off Tony's helmet when he didn't remove it.
Natasha crouched in front of them, Barton lying comfortably not too far from him. "Where's he hit?" she asked, her fingers delicately prodding, searching.
"I don't know." Steve pressed a free hand to his earpiece, "SHIELD, we need medics. Iron Man has been badly hurt. Hurry!"
"They'll be on site in five," came Fury's voice. If Steve wasn't so worried, he would have noticed the concerned edge to their director's tone.
"Steve, I think he's injured on his back. Flip him over!" she hissed.
Steve made to, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.
"Don't. You may hurt him more. Just sit him up," Banner said quietly.
The soldier obliged, but no one could discern where the origin of the blood was through his suit. The crimson liquid blended in with the metal.
Frustration and panic fueling him more than anything, Steve swiftly pressed the buttons that he knew would release the suit's hold on the genius. The front and back plates fell down with a clang and the three of them sucked in a breath at the sight of the jagged stab wound.
"What the hell could have caused this?" Steve burst out. "When did it happen?"
"You mean you don't remember?" asked Banner, "Put pressure on that."
Steve shook his head as he complied, wincing as Tony let out a small whimper. "The Enchantress did something. Natasha..." he looked at her, meaning to ask her if she was the same way as him, but his words died in his mouth.
Natasha had gone pale, her eyes wide and her mouth open slightly.
"You know what did this..." Steve breathed.
She didn't answer. Instead, with trembling hands, she reached into one of the sheaths on her side. She closed her eyes as she pulled out her marine-grade knife. There was no need to look to know that it was covered in Tony's blood.
They didn't have time to react to the knowledge when helicopters landed down around them. Men surrounded them all, checking each for injuries. Before they even knew it, Tony had been ripped from Steve's grasp and Clint had disappeared somewhere.
Numbly, Steve felt someone guide him to another helicopter and all of a sudden, they were back on the helicarrier. Before he knew it, several hours had passed and he was sitting in the waiting room of the helicarrier's hospital with Banner and Natasha.
Low murmurs reached Steve's ears, pulling him out of his guilt-ridden and worried daze.
"He hasn't spoken since SHIELD picked us up. I'm a little worried..." whispered Natasha.
"I think he's in shock," Banner replied, his voice just as low.
Natasha gritted her teeth, "I can understand why. What the hell happened in that fight? No one can remember anything!"
"Think carefully. What was the last thing you remember?"
"We were fighting the Enchantress," Steve said quietly, making Natasha and Bruce flinch, "And then suddenly, it was Tony in front of us."
"You alright, Steve?" Banner asked.
Steve let out a mirthless chuckle, "Better than Tony."
"Or Clint for that matter," Natasha added softly.
"What happened to Clint? Please tell me that you two remember that part."
"The Enchantress took him out," the spy replied.
"That can't be possible. The Other Guy had her occupied the entire time."
Steve frowned, "Then who knocked him out?"
Natasha thought for a moment. "Clint did have slight burns on his chest. Stark?"
Steve shook his head, "Tony would never hurt a teammate."
"Do you think Clint would know?" asked Banner.
"I doubt it." Natasha paused, "Do you think..."
Knowing exactly what she was about to say, Steve cut her off before she could get any further, "You wouldn't harm a teammate either, no matter how much he gets on your nerves," smiled Steve.
"It was my knife."
"Doesn't mean you were the one to use it. We'll just have to wait until Tony wakes up."
At that moment, a very angry Fury stormed in with a couple of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents following close behind, holding paperwork in their arms. "Will someone tell me what the hell happened out there?" he boomed.
Steve stood, facing the director. "Sir, none of us can remember. The only one who knows is Iron Man."
"And his prognosis?"
"Unknown, sir."
"Then keep me updated."
"Yes, sir."
Fury's one eye swept over the rest of the team, as if checking for possible injuries before he stomped away, barking out orders to scampering passing agents.
"Aw...he so cares about us," came a familiar cheeky voice.
The three turned to see Clint leaning heavily against the wall with bandages wrapped around his head. No doubt he had escaped the clutches of the nurses and doctors in the infirmary, but they couldn't bring themselves to care at the moment and rose to greet him.
"Clint!" they exclaimed together. Natasha was the first to reach him and guided him to a chair with movements that were far gentler than anyone had ever seen.
"It was just a concussion. I'm alright though," Clint said, answering any of the questions that they might have had. "That witch really did a number on me, huh? Where's Stark?"
He read the crestfallen expressions on his teammates. His heart clenched and he felt a darkness spread over his numb limbs as he immediately jumped to the conclusion that his comrade had been killed. Hot anger fueled by revenge lashed over his grief and he stood, growling, "I'm gonna kill her!"
Natasha leapt up, forcing Clint back down before he did anything rash. "Stark is in surgery. And you're not in any shape to go on a crazy suicide mission."
"What happened to him?"
"You don't know either?" Steve swallowed hard.
"What are you guys talking about?"
Before anyone had a chance to explain to him, a bald doctor approached them, looking extremely haggard. In seconds, he was surrounded by four of the Avengers.
A little overwhelmed, he took a step back, but there was nowhere to go.
"How's Tony?" Steve asked, sounding a little breathless.
"Mr. Stark suffered from a fractured rib on his left side and a swallow cut on his left shoulder, which required a few stitches. The stab wound in his lower back was the most problematic. Though the blade avoided hitting any vital organs, the injury was hard to close up because of the jagged nature of the weapon. He lost a considerable amount of blood, but he will make a full recovery."
The team let out a collective sigh.
"Can we see him?" Bruce questioned.
"Mr. Stark is still recovering from surgery, so I must insist that only one visitor at a time."
There was no hesitation. Bruce, Natasha, and Clint all turned to Steve and nodded at him.
"Go," Natasha said quietly. "Stay with him."
Steve merely nodded his thanks and found himself almost sprinting to Tony's room. Skidding to a stop, he stared at his boyfriend lying bedridden on sheets of white; machines beeped steadily in the room. An oxygen mask had been placed over Tony's nose and mouth and an IV was stuck into his right wrist. He was lying on his left side to keep pressure off his wound.
Steve sucked in a breath when he saw the white bandages wrapped tightly around Tony's entire torso and covered his right shoulder. Bruises on his lax face had turned purple and slightly bluish. There was a blanket covering his lower half, but Steve had no doubts that it was just as discolored as his upper body.
Almost shakily, Steve dropped down on a chair that had been conveniently placed by Tony's bedside. Reaching out, the soldier grasped Tony's left hand – the only part of him that didn't seem bruised or hurt. He made comforting circles around the back of the genius' hand; he caressed Tony's hair with his other hand, soothing and lovingly.
He didn't know how long he sat like that – touching Tony and checking to see if his breathing was still constant. The memory of Tony completely limp and broken in his arms kept him awake even though his body was aching for some rest.
The two had only been officially dating for a couple of months now, but they had been together far longer than any of them had thought, and no one minded the slightest. In fact, all the Avengers just wanted to see Tony happy.
Tony – being the genius, billionaire, playboy and philanthropist he was – had somehow wormed into all of the Avengers' hearts. He had offered all of them a place to stay in his tower – a place that they were free to be who they were without fear of harming others or being judged. He was Bruce's lab buddy and was the only one that the Hulk adored; he pulled pranks with Clint and pretended to be petrified of Natasha with him. He constantly upgraded the spies' weapons and always made sure that there was a never ending supply of coffee and pop-tarts for Thor. And for Steve, he was always there for him whenever the times overwhelmed him or if he found himself missing the forties so much to the point that he wanted to get drunk even though it was impossible for him.
Steve really didn't know when he had fallen so hard for the genius or how it happened. He just found himself constantly searching for that broad grin Tony would have when he was being his usual snarky self, but more so for the genuine, soft smile that Tony held in reserve for when the two of them were alone. He missed Tony's laughs and touches whenever he left for a conference. He missed Tony going out of his way to teach Steve all that was to know in their time and to find places that would make Steve feel more at home, like a forties-styled diner.
They never talked about it – of when they meant more to each other than anything else in their lives. One day, after a particularly romantic dinner that Tony had cooked (who knew the billionaire could cook?), they found themselves tumbling into Tony's bedroom, their lips crashing against each other passionately.
They haven't looked back since.
Steve lightly pressed his lips against Tony's hand for the hundredth time. This time, he felt a slight movement.
Glancing up, blue met black and a warm smile found its way to Steve's face.
"Hey, you," he said softly.
Tony blinked a couple of times, working through the drug haze, before recognition set in his eyes. Tentatively, he moved his right hand to shift off his oxygen mask, but the slight movement sent fire through his body and he hissed.
Worried, Steve made to touch Tony, but Tony merely shook his head to indicate that he was alright. The billionaire snuggled into Steve's grasp on his left hand, but his eyes didn't leave Steve's. The silent plea was heard loud and clear.
Steve pulled down Tony's mask with a frown.
"You know that it's there for a reason, Tony."
Tony cleared his throat a couple of times. "D-don't need it," he rasped out.
"I would ask you how you feel, but you'll just glare at me."
Tony smiled, feeling too tired to chuckle. "How's Barton?" he sighed.
"Clint's fine. He just had a concussion."
"He escaped the evil clutches of the manhandling nurses, I see."
Steve bit the bottom of his lip, itching to shoot questions at Tony. Tony noticed the silence.
"I…" Steve hesitated and changed his mind, "It can wait."
Tony gritted his teeth. "I'm injured – not fragile. Spit it out!"
"Do you remember what happened?"
Something flickered in Tony's eyes. "Yes."
"Tony, what happened?"
Tony looked at him now, his eyes searching. A frown became pronounced on his features. Steve could see him connect the dots and became increasingly puzzled when a look of relief spread across Tony's face.
"Don't worry about it, Steve."
"What do you mean don't worry about it? You're lying here with a stab wound in the back!" Steve took a breath, steading himself. "Look, you're the only one that knows exactly what happened with the Enchantress. We need to know."
"I lied. I don't remember."
"Tony!"
But Steve could see Tony building up walls, hiding himself behind them. He had only seen Tony do this a couple of times before, and usually it was because something had greatly upset him, like the time a little girl died in the collapse of a building before Tony could save her.
Steve's words sent Tony spiraling back to the fight with the Enchantress – the pain of betrayal stronger than anything physical. He could still see Steve's cold eyes regarding him like the enemy. He could feel Natasha's fury bury itself in his back and Clint's murderous arrow piercing him. These were the people that had become his family – people that were more precious to him than his own life. He had thought that nothing could be worse than Afghanistan, but he was so horribly wrong. His greatest fear had come alive at the Enchantress' hands – the Avengers turning away from him, leaving him alone in this harsh world.
Suddenly, the beeping of the machines were grating against his ears; the dimmed lights were too bright. The sounds of nurses and doctors bustling around put him on edge. He didn't feel safe here. All those nameless faces – all those judging people could tear him apart in minutes in his current state. He needed to get out of here. He needed familiarity.
"Steve," he whispered out, his voice cracking, "I want to go home."
"Tony…" Steve started on his lecture of why it was important for Tony to stay in the hospital, but Tony didn't give him a chance to go any further.
"Please…"
It was the 'please' that did Steve in. It was so broken, so tired and raw that Steve found himself unable to refuse Tony, even though his entire being was screaming at him to keep Tony here where doctors could keep an eye on him.
"Alright," Steve said, "I'll let the doctors know."
Tony nodded numbly and sank back down into his pillows, closing his eyes. He felt Steve touch his brow briefly before the warmth disappeared all together. The coldness was overwhelming – it suffocated Tony, drowning him in the darkness of his mind.
There wasn't anything he could do but give in.
The shadows swallowed Tony Stark whole and he knew nothing more, save for the cold, blue eyes that haunted his nightmares...
I hope you liked it! And as always, please review!
~ Kanae Yuna