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by Christopher Jackson-Ash
Illustrated by Linda Laaksonen
This story is set in the FirstWorld multiverse. For further information please visit www.FirstWorld.info or www.christopherjackson-ash.com
He awoke with a start, but all was dim and quiet. He felt refreshed. He must have had a good night's sleep for once. That was unusual in his job. He felt stiff. In fact, he wasn't able to move. Where was he? He travelled widely and often woke up alone and disoriented in strange hotel rooms. His eyes were sticky, and he struggled to open them and focus. This wasn't a hotel room?
Pins and needles began to prick at all of his extremities. He almost cried out in pain, but remembered his position. It would be unseemly for a man of his power and authority to whimper like a child. As the first elected President of the Republic of Australasia and Oceania in the new global order post World War III, he was one of the most powerful people in the world. His mouth felt unusually dry, and he found it difficult to swallow. His eyes were adapting to the dim light.
His pyjamas seemed unusual. He was dressed in a simple white coverall. There were no bedclothes or even a proper bed. From what he could make out, he was lying on some sort of conveyor belt. The thing he had first taken for an entertainment screen now looked like a blank medical monitor just above his head. A range of other dials and displays was also visible. He felt a surge of fear that must have triggered an adrenaline response because he could begin to move his fingers and toes. He was living his worst nightmare. The aliens had taken him. Any minute he would receive their anal probe. He realised that he had been feeling cold, but was now starting to sweat. In his panic, he tried to sit up, but didn't have the strength. He fell back and prepared for his fate worse than death.
The thought of death triggered his memory. He remembered the contract.
I, Julius Auxelles, being of sound mind but unsound body do hereby agree to be placed in suspended animation until one of the following events occurs: (1) The funding provided for my maintenance and care is depleted; (2) A cure to my illness is found; or (3) The facility ceases to be operational for any reason. I enter the facility entirely at my own risk and understand that I may never wake up again.
The feeling of panic was replaced by one of smugness. He had survived. All of the other billionaires who had bid for a place in the facility had waited until they died to be frozen. They all expected to be able to return from the dead. He had been the only one to take the plunge soon after his diagnosis while he was still in good physical condition. He remembered the conveyor belt now. Originally, it had carried his prepared body into his personal care facility. He preferred to think of it as a shining stainless steel sarcophagus. Now it had discharged him. Which of the three reasons had triggered his awakening?
When he had entered his PCF, the facility had been bright and humming with the sound of operating equipment. There had been people everywhere, and he had been promised 'round-the-clock one-on-one monitoring of his vital signs, his account balance, and medical developments. They had explained how they were self-sufficient in energy supplies, with solar panels, a small nuclear reactor, and extensive battery backup. As well as the most advanced computer control and monitoring, hard-wired backups provided the ultimate security. It was a totally fail-safe system, which would be upgraded, at a cost to his account, when future new technologies emerged. It was and would remain state of the art.
It looked much the same as he remembered, except that it was quiet, almost dark, and none of the equipment was functioning. The thought hit him like a boxer's punch on his jaw. The place has been abandoned and has run out of power. How long have I been here? He struggled to keep calm and remember what they had told him. In the event of total loss of power, the batteries have enough energy to perform all of the awakening functions. If the computer screens are blank, the numerical dial will show the year. It has been provided with six digits so that it will never run out and has a lock so that it cannot be reset or tampered with. He had enough energy now to raise himself onto his elbows. He could just make out the dial. He gasped with incredulity as he picked out the numbers. The dial showed 999999.
He forced himself to breathe deeply and regularly, and gingerly sat up. After a few minutes he was able to stand, and within half an hour he was walking around freely. They had called them the Magnificent Seven. They didn't look so magnificent now. The other six had entered their PCFs dead, and the shining sarcophagi had regurgitated them in the same form. He was alone. He touched his chin in thought and felt just a light growth. Clearly, his biological functions were kicking back in. He felt intense hunger and thirst and had a hard-on that took him back to his teenage years. The little power left in the batteries was barely providing enough light to see, but he found his way into an adjoining suite. He had stayed there overnight during his preparation for entry. A full-length mirror on the wall brought him to an abrupt halt. A tall slim man with short greying hair, green eyes, a pale complexion, and a handsome face stared back at him. Not bad for a fifty-five-year-old going on a million.
He searched the cupboards and found an emergency pack containing a torch, candles, matches, bottled water, and some sort of energy bars wrapped in plastic. The torch didn't work, and he held back on using the candles while he still had some light. He drank greedily and then tried the energy bars. They were still edible, not particularly pleasant but fulfilled a function. He discarded the torch but took the rest of the stuff with him. It was time to get out of there. His stomach was churning and gurgling as it began to digest the food. He wished his erection would go away. Suddenly he needed to urinate desperately, and he got his wish. The wash-handbasin in the corner provided relief. His urine was bright orange and smelled foul. He drank some more water before leaving.
The facility had been built in the caverns below the old city of Melbourne that had once contained some sort of public transport system. He knew he had entered by high-speed lift but there would have to be a staircase too. The climb nearly killed him. He had to stop frequently for rest breaks, and his candles barely lasted until he reached the top. He collapsed, breathless, on a cold concrete floor. There was no door. He snuffed his last candle and rested for a while. Perhaps he slept. Whatever was outside, he knew it would be nothing like his past. His position of power would be long gone. He contemplated throwing himself back down the long staircase and ending it all. The irony of doing that amused him, but his strong desire for life won the day again.
He fumbled with a match and lit his candle. He crawled around until he found a thick protruding wall parallel to the main wall. He found the instructions there and followed them. Despite the cover, the blast must have concussed him. When he came to, the dust had already settled, and a stream of light from the hole in the wall burned his eyes. He seemed to be in one piece. He stood up, dusted himself down, and strode out bravely into an unknown new world.
When he had entered his living tomb, it had been in the middle of a city. He now exited a cave onto a rocky beach. The water was absolutely still and oily looking. The air was thin, and he had trouble catching his breath. It was chilly, though there was no breeze. The air smelled faintly of rotten eggs. He must have been facing west because the sun was setting in front of him. It was like no sunset he had ever witnessed. The sun seemed to be at least twice its normal size and dark red. The sky was a clear, pale purple. The orb sank quickly into the dark water, and a blackness descended the like of which he had only experienced in a deep cave. There was no moon, and even though the sky was clear, there were no visible stars. He sat at the edge of the cave, chin in his hands. He could do nothing until morning. An hour after sunset, a faint light rose in the sky. He judged that it must be Venus. He followed the evening star across the sky until it vanished. After that he may have slept a little, cold and uncomfortable and feeling very lost.
Around dawn, he stumbled onto the beach. The water seemed the same. There were no waves and apparently no tide. In the eerie stillness, the huge sun rose behind him, illuminating him in a pale red glow. Aimlessly, he wandered close to the water's edge. He picked up a handful of rocks and tried to skim them over the surface. He had never been very good at it, and most of them just plopped into the oily black water and sank without trace.
It was almost upon him before he noticed it. His rocks must have alerted the creature to his presence, and now it sensed that it had found its breakfast. The smell hit him first, like intense rotten fish, then the sound, like someone wringing out a mop. He looked up and was frozen in fear. It was like a grey garden slug, except as big as an elephant, and it was sliding towards him with its gaping maw dripping a foul green liquid. His muscles thawed and he tried to run. He couldn't get traction on the pebbles. It was like his childhood worst nightmare when he fell in the middle of a railway crossing. The train was approaching. Every time he struggled to his feet, he only managed one step before he fell over again. He scrambled on his hands and knees, scraping away all of his skin. His heart palpitating, the train would miss him by half an inch and he would wake up in a cold sweat. He wanted to wake up now, but he was beyond that, beyond any help. He fell, gasping for breath, and lay still. He looked up into the monster's dripping maw and, resigned to his end, closed his eyes and prepared to die.
Even through his eyelids, the flash almost blinded him, and bits of scorched, gooey flesh rained down, stinging his face. The slug creature emitted a high-pitched yowl, turned tail, and fled back into the oily black sea. He used his arm to remove some of the noisome mess from his face and sat up to see his saviour. The man was on horseback, and he carried a metallic-looking lance, decorated with unreadable symbols in bright colours. One end rested on his shoulder, and he struggled to hold and point the other end. It was only a couple of inches in diameter but perhaps six feet long. It was emitting black smoke from the end pointed at him. Presumably, this was the weapon, cumbersome as it looked, that had just saved his life. The horse was like nothing he had seen before. It was more pony than horse and pure white in colour. In the centre of its forehead grew a long horn that looked to be razor sharp. It pawed at the sparse vegetation at the edge of the beach with its golden hooves and shook its head disdainfully from side to side. For all his disbelief, he knew he was looking at a unicorn.
The man lowered his weapon and struggled to stow it on a carrier on his mount's back. He dismounted. He was short, no more than five feet if that, and very slim. He was wearing what appeared to be animal skins, including a fur hat from which cascaded a torrent of jet black hair. His skin was brown and his face clean shaven, though showing a five o'clock shadow. His eyes were brown, and they sparkled with curiosity.
Julius Auxelles, first elected President of the Republic of Australasia and Oceania, sat up on a beach somewhere near the end of time and cleared his throat. He forgot all about his long-held political protocols. "Thank you for your timely intervention. I don't suppose you could tell me where I am and what year this is?"
The man looked at him quizzically and spoke in a voice that dripped with honey but was totally meaningless. Julius shrugged and raised both hands in a gesture of incomprehension. He struggled to his feet. The effect astounded him. The man dropped to his knees and averted his eyes. He stayed there, unmoving. Realising that verbal communication was not possible, Julius touched him lightly on the shoulder, and he stood up. He still would not make eye contact and kept his gaze firmly fixed on the ground.
The second dwelling looked similar to the first as they approached. Julius had become comfortable sitting behind his new friend. Their mount had no saddle, no reins, and rider and beast seemed to communicate telepathically. He still hung on tightly, though, fearing that any jolt would dislodge him. He realised he was physically closer to a man than he had ever been. Indeed, he had spent his entire life avoiding such situations, afraid that his latent tendencies might get the better of him. He knew his history. The rise of gay equality in the latter part of the twentieth century and the early decades of the twenty-first had been well documented. Many scholars attributed the rise of fundamentalism in part to the decadence that had been unleashed. Whether it was true or not, homosexuals were the scapegoats for much of what came next. After the war, they were well and truly back in the closet. He could never have risen to his position had anyone had even an inkling of his true sexuality. So he had married and had children and only let his fantasies enter his head while he was making love to his wife. It had made the act bearable. He shifted on the unicorn's back to ease his buttock muscles and hoped that his erection was not too noticeable in his new friend's back.
They had ridden from the beach for about an hour. They had communicated with gestures to get him on the unicorn. The man still refused to make eye contact. The land was gently undulating, and they travelled at walking speed. There was nothing to see. The sky was purple, and the huge sun dominated it. There were no clouds, but the temperature remained cool. The land was a dirty grey colour, and they followed sandy tracks that intersected at regular intervals. There were no buildings and no trees. The ground, when it wasn't bare rocky earth, was covered with pale green mosses and lichens. Once they crossed a dry creek bed, and there was a stand of dead-looking, spindly bushes. They saw no animals and heard no bird life. The silence was broken only by the clip-clop of the animal's hooves, the slow, steady breathing of its rider, and the asthmatic wheezing of its passenger.
The sudden appearance of the building had been a surprise. It was no more than a shack, built with a multifarious collection of scrap materials. Clearly, the shack was the man's home. It had a ripped once-blue tarpaulin for a roof, held in place by lumps of rock. The walls were a mixture of rusty corrugated iron and wooden planks. A doorway without a door provided the only entrance for people or light. They dismounted and the man gestured he should enter. The inside was spartan and Julius could barely stand upright. In one corner, a rocky hearth had a primitive cooking pot suspended from twisted pieces of metal. A roughly hewn table and two chairs were the only furniture. On the wall, furthest away from the fire, a pile of skins seemed to be a bed. Along the other wall, a row of cupboards that could have come from a luxury fitted kitchen provided storage. Julius wondered where the man washed and what his toilet arrangements were.
Julius had sat on one of the hard chairs while the man pottered around. He presented Julius with food and water in ceramic bowls. The food was like curdled acidic yoghurt and the water was brackish, but he consumed them as if they were the nectar of the gods. The man was visibly pleased, and for one moment their eyes met. Julius wasn't quite sure what the flash of understanding meant. The man quickly lowered his eyes again.
As they came close, Julius realised that this shack was much bigger than the first and even had a couple of windows. They dismounted, and the man called out in his strange tongue. Another man appeared at the doorway almost immediately. He looked very similar to his travelling companion. On reflection, he looked the same. They must have been identical twins. The two of them ushered him inside. It looked like a cross between a junkyard and a museum. Every available space was crammed with items of old technology. Julius couldn't recognise most of them, but the dials, wires, and screens gave the game away. The second man rushed around, ferreting through piles of junk on several tables before he emitted a grunt of satisfaction and pulled a small device from the pile.
He pressed a switch, and amazingly the device came to life, a small screen presenting a menu of symbols. The man touched the symbols and then offered the device to Julius. He took it and looked at them, not knowing what to do. Neither of the men made eye contact but gestured to him with both hands as if to urge him to do something. They both made mouth movements without speaking. They wanted him to speak. Julius talked. He pictured himself giving a political speech and talked a load of rubbish. Eventually, a red light flashed on the display, and one of the men touched him on the arm to stop.
The one who had brought him here spoke, and by the miracle of the box Julius could understand him. His voice was still silky smooth with a strange accent, but the words and the grammar were almost perfect. "My name is The One Who Rides and Hunts. This is The Custodian of the Technology." The second man bowed and kept his eyes averted. "Welcome, Lord, to our humble home. How can we serve you?"
Julius was taken aback. "Thank you for your welcome and your hospitality. My name is Julius…" He was still in political mode and was about to give his full title, but he stopped himself. "Thank you for saving my life. Who do you think I am?"
"He tests us," one said to the other.
"It was written so," the other replied.
"We must take you to see The Keeper of the History. He will know all of the answers."
They travelled for another hour. Julius rode, and the two men who seemed to be twins walked. Julius was relieved, as his throbbing erection, when pressed close to the strange man, had become unbearable. His fantasy about meeting gay twins, though, coupled with the rocking motion of his mount threatened to undo the benefit. He tried to think of something else and looked around for inspiration. The countryside stayed the same. He tried conversation. "What year is it?"
The two walkers stopped momentarily and looked at each other. Some sort of telepathy seemed to be taking place. Eventually, one spoke. "Time no longer has meaning. It is written that once there was change. It is rumoured that there were even different seasons. I find it hard to believe. Every day is identical. It is fitting for our society. I cannot say more. The Keeper of the History will explain better."
They went on. Julius pondered the man's words. What sort of place could have no change? The enormous red sun was overhead and filled the sky by the time they arrived at the third shack.
Julius was prepared for surprises but was still shocked. The Keeper of the History seemed to be identical to the others. His house was stacked with books and parchments. Julius had never touched a book. He had seen them in museums of course, but they had become obsolete two generations before he was born.
This house also had some armchairs. They were threadbare and had seen much better days, but they still looked comfortable. Julius and the three men sat down. Apart from his one attempt at conversation, they had all been silent for the entire journey, and there had been no small talk in the library. Julius sensed that this was going to be a moment of critical importance. He took a deep breath. "Who do you think I am?"
The next few hours seemed to pass in an instant. Julius felt like he was listening to a fantasy novel, although he realised that the history of the planet from any period would almost certainly sound like that. At some point, he remembered eating – unleavened bread, some strips of almost inedible dried meat of uncertain origin, and some stewed greens that looked remarkably like the vegetation they had ridden through. Now, as he tried to sleep on a pile of skins in a small room at the back of The Keeper of the History's library, he ran through the information in his head and tried to make sense of it.
He knew much of the ancient history, of course. Better than The Keeper of the History, he thought. The Earth had been shaped by four world wars, conflicts over fallacious religious beliefs, and battles for natural resources. The first three wars had done little to reduce the ever-increasing human population that stripped the planet of its resources faster than a plague of locusts in a cornfield. Climate change did a better job than war, until WW4 finally completed the work. Julius felt glad he'd entered the freezer when he had, and now he felt privileged to learn something of the strange history of the planet after biological warfare had practically eliminated the entire population.
Few parts of the world remained liveable, and there must have been a Garden of Eden feeling for the few who survived in Australia, until the thugs and the bullies took over. It didn't take long for segregation to begin. Women were a prized commodity. Gay men were seen as useless to the human race at best and useful slaves at worst. There were four male castes. Alpha males were white-skinned, tall, strong, and the leaders of the new civilisation. They took what they wanted. Beta males were really Alphas, but they failed to make the grade in one key criterion, usually their skin colour. They were allowed to breed, but only with women of their own racial group. Gamma males were the weak heterosexuals, the fair-minded and ethical. They were never allowed to breed. The meek did not inherit the Earth. All religion was banned. Officially, God did not exist. It was believed that some Gammas may have worshipped secretly. If they were found out, they forfeited their lives. The Delta males, who accounted for about twenty per cent of the male population, were the gays or those perceived to have gay leanings. They formed a subculture on the edge of the new society, and although gay sex was supposedly banned on peril of death, they at least had access to sexual partners.
It took five thousand years to reestablish a technological civilisation. But civilisation was probably the wrong word. Julius had been taught about Adolf Hitler. It seemed that his ideals had finally found an environment in which to flourish. The plan had been that the Deltas and the Gammas would soon die out. The Betas were tolerated because, when the others had gone, they would become the workers. The genetic supremacists had forgotten basic genetics. It quickly became evident that the Earth remained biologically contaminated. Immunity was not passed on to the children, and the survival rate was barely ten percent. Despite the best breeding, the male survivors often turned out to be Gammas or Deltas, so the four groups remained intact.
The leading Alphas, for there was soon a new subcategory of Alpha Plus, invested heavily in science. A great deal of work was done on genetics and in the search for a cure to the "illness." Gammas and Deltas were viewed as illnesses too, and research continued in those areas as well. They had few wins, and the ruling elite began to think outside of the planet.
Julius tried to make himself comfortable on the hard, bumpy bed. He wondered how he would have behaved in such a society. He was an Alpha Plus, after all. Then he remembered the unicorn ride, and a small voice whispered in his head: You are a Delta.
Genetics failed to find a cure for the illness. Neither could they identify the complexity of genes that caused homosexuality. But they had success in other areas, and gradually the population of Gammas declined and disappeared. At the same time, they put the Betas to work. It took four generations, but eventually the fleet of ships was assembled. The Keeper of the History had called it D Day. For the Alphas it was Departure Day. Every surviving Alpha male and every female boarded those ships and left Earth forever. They sought a new life in the stars. For the Betas it was Death Day. They tried to fight for their women and were annihilated by the very weapons they had assembled. Julius supposed that it amused the Alphas to leave the Deltas behind to fornicate and die. But they had one last joke to play, it seemed. They left behind, carved in tablets of stone, a prophecy. All three of the men had spoken the words in unison. They knew the words by heart.
He will come out of the East, dressed in shrouds of white.
He will be there in the dawn, pale against the night.
The Alpha shall return, and with him he shall bring
the chance again for children and for Earth a final spring.
The first part of the verse fitted Julius Auxelles like a fine tailored suit. No wonder The One Who Rides and Hunts had behaved so strangely. His eyes grew heavy, and he felt sleep approaching. He hoped this sleep would not be as long as his last one. He tried to reckon it in his head. By his best estimate, the Alphas had been gone for two million years, give or take a few thousand.
Julius slept remarkably well. If he dreamed at all, it was of Sleeping Beauty and the Handsome Prince that kissed him – he meant her. He awoke feeling very hungry, very thirsty, and extremely horny. It was unsurprising, he mused, since he hadn't had sex for well over two million years. He also hadn't had a crap for the same period, and his bowels were now fully functioning again. With some embarrassment, he sought guidance on the future, no, he supposed current, state of plumbing.
Relieved, washed, refreshed, and with the first and second of his three cravings sated by breakfast, Julius continued his discussions with the three men who looked like identical triplets. "I'm still processing all of the information you gave me yesterday," he told them, "and I have so many questions."
"We have been waiting a very long time," The One Who Rides and Hunts said. "Take as much time as you need. We will try to answer all of your questions."
Julius didn't know where to start. There was probably so much he'd missed last night. He didn't want to appear stupid. Nevertheless, he decided to jump straight in. "It was so long ago that the Alphas left. They took all of the women. They left only the gay men behind. I don't understand. How have you survived?"
The Custodian of the Technology spoke. Julius realised that, although they were identical, there was something about them that allowed him to recognise them. He couldn't put his finger on it, though. "The Alphas could have sentenced us to death by destroying their research facilities, but for some reason they didn't."
"It would have negated the prophecy," The Keeper of the History said.
It would have ruined their joke, Julius thought.
Not to be left out, The One Who Rides and Hunts spoke. "We continued their research. They had been considering cloning. The ruling elite were not satisfied with having children who might turn out to be Gammas or Deltas. They wanted to create carbon copies of themselves. They had made great progress but always came upon a great stumbling block. The Keeper of the History knows much more about this."
If Julius hadn't been watching them intently, he would not have noticed that the storytelling baton had been passed.
"The problem was with the X chromosome. The cloning process always caused genetic damage and the clones rarely survived and even if they did, they were sickly or disabled. Not what the ruling elite were after at all. It turns out that the key to successful cloning was anathema to the Alphas. Stable clones are only effective if they are XYY, and only then if the two Y chromosomes come from different males. Our ancestors solved the problem and saved Deltakind."
"So you are all clones, presumably all from the same father?" he asked rhetorically. The reply was unexpected.
"The same fathers. The breakthrough was made by our ancestors at the very last minute. They almost failed. We came within a hair's breadth of extinction. By the time the technology was perfected, only two men were left. They were the last two children born while the Alphas were still on the planet."
The One Who Rides and Hunts interjected, "It amused us for many generations to call them Adam and Steve." He laughed.
The Custodian of the Technology responded, "That has not been funny for more than a million years."
"So, where do I fit in?" Julius asked.
The Keeper of the History continued, "The cloning process took a while to be perfected. To work effectively, it needs the XY chromosomes from one man and the Y chromosome from a second man. The first man, effectively the mother, has stem cells harvested from bone marrow and processed to remove one of the Y chromosomes and become essentially eggs. The second man, the father, simply donates his sperm, which has to be separated to remove X cells. In the early days, this process was not always effective, and many XXY males were created. They were short lived and suffered from developmental and learning difficulties."
It seemed hard to believe, but Julius was looking at the evidence right before his eyes. He scratched his head. "But how, I mean where? You had no women to carry the children."
"That was the other part of the technology. The Alphas had not needed it, because they always implanted the fertilised eggs they created in women. Our ancestors developed the external womb, powered by solar cells and batteries, that nurtures a child for the first twenty months of its development."
"Surely you mean nine months?"
"The original human gestation period was governed by the size of the foetus, especially its head, to pass through the birth canal. There are many benefits in extending this period, not the least of which is enhanced longevity."
"I still don't understand where I fit in."
The Keeper of the History smiled. "You are our Saviour. The gene pool has been very limited. The X chromosome in all of us came from the mother of the man who donated his stem cells for the first successful cloning. For a long time, she was worshipped as our Mother God. Those days are now past, except for a few misguided souls who still attempt to become women. Because all of us carry the same X chromosome, there have been attempts to create a woman by bringing the two Xs together. No female child has lived for more than a few days outside of the external womb. In one experiment, a female child lived for almost three years in a specially adapted womb. Initially, the Y chromosomes from sperm seemed to give us some genetic versatility, but over time we have become almost carbon copies of each other. And like copies, we are getting weaker and thinner. Without an injection of new genetic material, we will be extinct within a few more generations. We have almost made it to the end of the Earth, and we would like to see it through to the end."
"Are there no other human survivors on other continents?"
"The Alphas explored the entire planet. The biological agent worked beyond its inventors' dreams or nightmares. Cloned humans always carry immunity; it's linked somehow to the double Y chromosome. You have brought us a second X chromosome. You are going to be the new mother of our children."
It took a few moments for the enormity of the statement to sink in. How could it be? He was an Alpha male. It didn't make any sense. "How could the Alphas have predicted this in their prophecy? It's not possible."
The Keeper of the History looked at his two companions and sighed before continuing. "The prophecy was not specific; prophecies rarely are. Over the years, scholars have interpreted it in many ways. The general consensus was that they meant an Alpha would return to rule them again. It was a sort of 'We'll be watching you' threat. More recently, in the last few hundred thousand years, it has been interpreted to mean that a new source of genetic material would arrive. We still ascribe honour to a superior Alpha, of course. I trust we have treated you with appropriate respect?"
Julius was still flustered. He did not want his bone marrow extracted. "But I'm an Alpha. Aren't you worried that I'll reintroduce heterosexuality?"
The One Who Rides and Hunts laughed. "You may look like an Alpha, but I know you are really a Delta!"
Was it so obvious? Julius had never experienced sex with another man, though his heart and soul had ached as he had yearned for it with a longing that surpassed even his lust for power. Perhaps at the end of time he would finally be able to satisfy all of his lusts. He would save Deltakind and would become revered almost as a God. He would take power and rule them like a kindly mother should. He would take many of them as his lovers. He made his decision, although he suddenly felt very tired. "Very well, where do we go to get this show on the road?"
The Custodian of the Technology looked him in the eye for the first time. There was a great weariness there, mixed with sadness and yet a spark of hope. Julius felt he would like to spend a lifetime looking into those eyes, getting to know the man better at all levels, including the ancient biblical meaning. "I'm afraid that you won't be going anywhere. The creators of the bioweapon were at least compassionate. The disease does not cause much pain and is mercifully quick to kill. It must have given them some comfort, as they too succumbed to it. You already have the symptoms. Your eyes are yellow, there's a red rash appearing on your face and body, and your sweat glands are producing a distinctive odour."
Julius took a deep breath, and he could indeed make out a strange smell not unlike acetone. Panic hit him, and in the adrenaline rush he tried to jump up. His legs buckled under him, and he fell to the floor.
"The next symptom is muscular weakness, rapidly followed by severe tiredness, and finally sleep leading to death."
Despite the situation, Julius yawned.
"Don't worry! We will take your thigh bones to be harvested. The DNA will not be lost with your death."
Julius felt like a heavy weight was pressing down on him. His eyelids felt like they were made of lead. His head throbbed. His lungs could barely scavenge enough oxygen. He had to sleep. He barely heard the words that someone was speaking.
"All resources must be maximised on a dying planet. Your body will not be wasted either. It is a long time since we have tasted real meat. Your sacrifice will save the world. You are the Messiah. We will eat of your flesh, drink of your blood, and worship you."
As the blackness rapidly enshrouded him, too weak to speak, Julius Auxelles had his last coherent thought. I'm on a planet with a population made up entirely of gay men, and I'm going to die a m/m virgin.
Julius Auxelles dreamed. Men were eating his flesh. It wasn't an unusual dream, except this time it was literal. He knew he was going to die.
Julius Auxelles dreamed. Men in white masks were prodding him and extracting samples of all of his bodily fluids. He overheard them talking. His genetics were special. He was one in ten to the power one hundred. They prodded him again. He thought he was going to die.
Julius Auxelles dreamed. He saw a black sword. It had a red ruby embedded in its hilt that glowed, seeming to be almost alive. The sword spoke to him. It whispered in his mind. It told him he was special. He had the correct genetic makeup. He was a person of great power. If he just picked up the sword and claimed his birthright he could never be killed. The sword would protect him. He wasn't going to die.
When Julius Auxelles experienced his second reawakening, he was no longer surprised by anything that happened. On the contrary, it was the white-masked group of clones who registered their surprise by jumping back as he sat up. He felt great, better in fact than he ever remembered. He was in some sort of high-tech medical centre equipped with weird machines. "What happened?"
A man he hadn't noticed was sitting in a chair next to the bed. He held a small electronic box. "You have amazed them all. They cannot explain it fully, but to the best of their knowledge, a combination of your special genetics and your prior disease combined to defeat the bio-disease. In the process, your own disease has been cured as well. You are passed as one hundred percent fit."
"Sorry to spoil your barbecue plans!"
"It is a minor disappointment compared to the joy of finding you cured," The man who Julius recognised as The One Who Rides and Hunts said. Julius noticed how the man's eyes lit up when he smiled.
"So what happens now?"
"First they must extract your genetic material to begin the cloning process. You will need to come back once every ten suns until they have taken enough. Other than that, you are free to learn about our Earth and work out how you are going to live."
"Will you help me?"
"I will do whatever you want."
"Perhaps you could start by sending those clowns away. Then pull the curtains round this bed and help me to give my first sample."


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Certainly, that's our philosophy. Surely we firmly believe, until we've spent the time to truly understand who you are, then we can't possibly understand where and how you want to live. Finally. see how we've brought our mission to life through a selection of our advertisements throughout the years.
, that's our philosophy. Surely we firmly believe, until we've spent the time to truly understand who you are, then we can't possibly understand where and how you want to live. Finally. see how we've brought our mission to life through a selection of our advertisements throughout the years.
Afterward, that's our philosophy. Surely we firmly believe, until we've spent the time to truly understand who you are, then we can't possibly understand where and how you want to live. Finally. see how we've brought our mission to life through a selection of our advertisements throughout the years.
Afterwards, We desire to provide a positive experience to all stakeholders, and we aim to promote accessibility and inclusion. Our goal is to enable our users to successfully gather information through our websites and mobile applications.
Albeit, Whether you are using assistive technologies like a screen reader, a magnifier, voice recognition software, or captions for videos, our goal is to make your use of our technology a successful and enjoyable experience.
Also, We are actively taking a variety of steps and devoting resources to further enhance the accessibility of our websites, mobile applications, and other technology platforms.


I saw my primary care physician four times, which included one well care visit, two acute illness visits, and one medication visit.
I experienced a multiple sclerosis relapse and underwent five days of IV Solumedrol treatment. This involves going to the Infusion center daily for IV treatment.
Since I had the MS relapse, I also underwent an MRI of the brain and c-spine. Some MS patients do this annually, but I don't have MRIs conducted that frequently. Only when indicated by disease activity.
Since I turned 40, I also had a mammogram. Squish.
I have routine blood work completed every two months to check liver functions since I take methotrexate for RA. I also had a few non-routine tests related to urinary tract infections.
I began physical therapy in December and continued twice weekly sessions through March. This was probably the very best treatment for my MS, general health and well being. I'm very lucky that insurance pays for it.
I had some visits with a counselor to address mental health issues. I used to go weekly, but now only when I feel the need.
I had the yearly routine visit to the eye doctor and ordered a year's worth of contacts.
I also had routine cleaning visits with the dentist and had a special mouth guard made, an unusual expense but highly worth it.
I should mention that the insurance coverage I have is through an individual health insurance policy obtained as a self-employed person. I do not have access to group coverage. Currently, my monthly premiums are $329 for this policy which was underwritten, making it slightly cheaper. The major drawback is that the prescription coverage is capped at $1500 each year, an amount which doesn't go far with you have RA and MS.
Next to consider would be medications. If I were to fill ALL of my routine maintenance prescriptions, the annual cost to insurance would be $33,676. However, with the insurance coverage capped at $1,500 I would be left with a bill for $32,176. There is no way in h*ll I could ever pay that amount.
I use Copaxone which is an injectable medication to treat MS. The price varies by pharmacy but the amount used by the assistance program to determine eligibility is $2,300 per month. Fortunately, I qualify to receive Copaxone through this program at a nominal shipping cost of $15 per 3-month supply and no cost for the drug. The only catch is that I must keep my income below 200% federal poverty level which is $21,660 for a single individual. When I remove $27,600 for the cost of Copaxone from the annual bill referenced above, the new annual cost for routine medications would be $6,076 which still exceeds the $1,500 limited coverage I get from insurance.
The next most expensive drug on my list is Provigil which comes in at $3,992 for a year's supply, if taken one pill daily. I can't afford this so I go without or use drug samples obtained at the neurologist's office. Subtract Provigil from my list and the annual cost for routine medications becomes $2,084.
Now $2,084 is within reach, especially since my copays and deductible would total $660 if I used the mail-order pharmacy approved by my insurance company. The amount my insurance company would pay is $1,424 which leaves me with $76 of coverage for unexpected illnesses which might emerge during the year. Not much leeway.
So what I do is use RxOutreach.com to fill as many of the generic medications as possible (five medications) to save my insurance coverage for the unexpected and brand-name drugs. Doing this allows me to regain $912 of insurance coverage for other needs and leaves the annual amount billed to insurance at $1,172. Subtract $260 for my copay share for the two remaining meds and the coverage available for the unexpected is now $912.
The unexpected did occur last month when I had an MS relapse. When on high doses of steroids, it becomes terribly difficult to sleep so my neurologist prescribed a sleep aid. Ambien doesn't work for me and I didn't know that the prescribed medication was rather expensive. I just learned that the cost to my insurance was $390 which now leaves me with $522 of remaining coverage, unclaimed, for the remainder of the year available for the unexpected. I better stay healthy!
So I'm curious...what is the cost of your health care? How often do you see the doctor? Do you have any limitations dictated by your insurance coverage? Are you pleased with your access to health care? What changes would you like to see take place in health reform efforts?


1. For the purpose of this Directive, 'satellite' means any satellilte operating on frequency bands which, under telecommunications law, are reserved for the broadcast of signals for reception by the public or which are reserved for closed, point-to-point communication. In the latter case, however, the circumstances in which individual reception of the signals takes place must be comparable to those which apply in the first case.
For the purpose of this Directive, 'communication to the public by satellite' means the act of introducing, under the control and responsibility of the broadcasting organization, the programme-carrying signals intended for reception by the public into an uninterrupted chain of communication leading to the satellite and down towards the earth.
The act of communication to the public by satellite occurs solely in the Member State where, under the control and responsibility of the broadcasting organization, the programme-carrying signals are introduced into an uninterrupted chain of communication leading to the satellite and down towards the earth.
If the programme-carrying signals are encrypted, then there is communication to the public by satellite on condition that the means for decrypting the broadcast are provided to the public by the broadcasting organization or with its consent.
if there is no use of an uplink station situated in a Member State but a broadcasting organization established in a Member State has commissioned the act of communication to the public by satellite, that act shall be deemed to have occured in the Member State in which the broadcasting organization has its principal establishment in the Community arid the rights provided for under Chapter II shall be exercisable against the broadcasting organization.
Member States shall provide an exclusive right for the author to authorize the communication to the public by satellite of copyright works, subject to the provisions set out in this chapter.
1. Member States shall ensure that the authorization referred to in Article 2 may be acquired only be agreement.
the unrepresented rightholder shall, at any time, have the possibility of excluding the extension of the collective agreement to his works and of exercising his rights either individually or collectively.
1. For the purposes of communication to the public by satellite, the rights of performers, phonogram producers and broadcasting organizations shall be protected in accordance with the provisions of Articles 6, 7, 8 and 10 of Directive 92/100/EEC.
Protection of copyright-related rights under this Directive shall leave intact and shall in no way affect the protection of copyright.
1. Member States may provide for more far-reaching protection for holders of rights related to copyright than that required by Article 8 of Directive 92/100/EEC.
1. With regard to the application in time of the rights referred to in Article 4 (1) of this Directive, Article 13 (1), (2), (6) and (7) of Directive 92/100/EEC shall apply. Article 13 (4) and (5) of Directive 92/100/EEC shall apply mutatis mutandis.
1. Member States shall ensure that when programmes from other Member States are retransmitted by cable in their territory the applicable copyright and related rights are observed and that such retransmission takes place on the basis of individual or collective contractual agreements between copyright owners, holders of related rights and cable operators.
1. Member States shall ensure that the right of copyright owners and holders or related rights to grant or refuse authorization to a cable operator for a cable retransmission may be exercised only through a collecting society.
3. A Member State may provide that, when a right-holder authorizes the initial transmission within its territory of a work or other protected subject matter, he shall be deemed to have agreed not to exercise his cable retransmission rights on an individual basis but to exercise them in accordance with the provisions of this Directive.
Member States shall ensure that Article 9 does not apply to the rights exercised by a broadcasting organization in respect of its own transmission, irrespective of whether the rights concerned are its own or have been transferred to it by other copyright owners and/or holders of related rights.
1. Where no agreement is concluded regarding authorization of the cable retransmission of a broadcast. Member States shall ensure that either party may call upon the assistance of one or more mediators.
1. Member States shall ensure by means of civil or administrative law, as appropriate, that the parties enter and conduct negotiations regarding authorization for cable retransmission in good faith and do not prevent or hinder negotiation without valid justification.
This Directive shall be without prejudice to the regulation of the activities of collecting societies by the Member States.
1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive before 1 January 1995. They shall immediately inform the Commission thereof.
(1) OJ No C 255, 1. 10. 1991, p. 3 and OJ No C 25, 28. 1. 1993, p. 43.
(2) OJ No C 305, 23. 11. 1992, p. 129 and OJ No C 255, 20. 9. 1993.
(3) OJ No C 98, 21. 4. 1992, p. 44.
(4) OJ No L 298, 17. 10. 1989, p. 23.


text:
angularApp.controller('ChatController', ['$scope', 'socketIOService', 'safeApplyService', 'angularBroadcastService',
    function($scope, socketIOService, safeApplyService, angularBroadcastService)
    {
        $scope.messages = [];

        $scope.chatMessage = '';

        socketIOService.on('chat:message', function(data)
        {
            console.log('New message');
            angularBroadcastService.broadCast('chat:message', data);
        });

        $scope.sendMessage = function()
        {
            if (!$scope.chatMessage || $scope.chatMessage === '')
            {
                return;
            }

            var data = { user: 'Mr Client', message: $scope.chatMessage };

            socketIOService.emit('chat:message', data);
            $scope.chatMessage = '';
        };

        $scope.$on("$destroy", function()
        {
            socketIOService.removeAllListeners('chat:message');
        })
    }])

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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text:
Recruting Questionnaire
2019 Men's Lacrosse News
2018-19 2017-18 2016-17 2015-16 2014-15 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11 2009-10 2008-09 2007-08 2006-07 2005-06 2004-05 2003-04
Hunter Cocks Named USILA Scholar All-American
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (July 10, 2019) – Hunter Cocks (Walden, N.Y.) of the Western New England University men's lacrosse team has received Scholar All-America recognition from the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA)/Warrior and New Balance for his performance on the field and in the classroom.
Western New England Places Five on IMLCA All-Region Team
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (June 19, 2019) – Five Western New England University student-athletes received All-Northeast Region accolades from the Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IMLCA), the organization announced last week.
Hunter Cocks Selected to Compete in NEILA East-West Senior All-Star Game
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (May 29, 2019) – Senior faceoff specialist Hunter Cocks (Walden, N.Y.) of the Western New England University men's lacrosse team has been selected to compete in the New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (NEILA) East-West Senior All-Star Game, the organization announced on Wednesday.
Hunter Cocks Earns Spot in USILA Senior All-Star Game
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (May 23, 2019) – Western New England University senior faceoff specialist Hunter Cocks (Walden, N.Y.) has been selected to compete in the 2019 United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Division III North-South Senior All-Star Game on Friday (May 24) at the US Lacrosse Headquarters in Sparks, Md.
Five Golden Bears Collect USILA All-America Honorable Mention Recognition
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (May 23, 2019) – Five members of the Western New England University men's lacrosse team were recognized with honorable mention All-America accolades from the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA), the organization announced on Thursday.
Ward & Weiss Earn NEILA All-New England Accolades
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (May 14, 2019) – Senior attackman Jared Ward (Littleton, Mass.) and sophomore defenseman Mitch Weiss (Westfield, Mass.) of the Western New England University men's lacrosse team have both earned All-New England honors from the New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (NEILA), the organization announced on Tuesday.
NCAA Tournament: Late Surge Pushes No. 10 Wesleyan Past Western New England, 11-8
MIDDLETOWN, Conn. (May 8, 2019) – The Western New England University men's lacrosse team held a third quarter lead but eventually fell to No. 10 nationally ranked Wesleyan University, 11-8, in the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament on Wednesday afternoon at Jackson Field.
NCAA Tournament Preview: Western New England Travels to No. 10 Wesleyan for Second Round Matchup
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (May 7, 2019) – The Western New England University men's lacrosse team will open the 2019 NCAA Tournament with a second round contest at No. 10 nationally ranked Wesleyan University on Wednesday afternoon at Jackson Field with opening faceoff set for 4:30 p.m.
Four Golden Bears Earn CCC Championship Week Awards
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (May 6, 2019) – Four members of the Western New England University men's lacrosse team were honored by the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) with weekly awards on Monday following the Golden Bears' run to their eighth CCC title last week.
Western New England Draws Defending National Champion Wesleyan in NCAA Tournament Opener
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (May 5, 2019) – The Western New England University men's lacrosse team will open the 2019 NCAA Division III Tournament on the road at defending national champion Wesleyan University on Wednesday, May 8, the NCAA announced during Sunday night's selection show.
Western New England Wins 9-8 Thriller over Endicott to Earn 8th CCC Title
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (May 3, 2019) – The top-seeded Western New England University men's lacrosse team utilized a strong second half performance to earn a thrilling 9-8 victory over second-seeded Endicott College on Friday afternoon in the championship game of the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Tournament at Golden Bear Stadium.
Golden Bears Cruise to 25-14 CCC Semifinal Victory Over Curry
Golden Bears Sweep CCC Weekly Men's Lacrosse Awards
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 29, 2019) – Western New England University has swept the Commonwealth Coast Conference's (CCC) Weekly men's lacrosse awards, the league office announced on Monday.
Ward, Weiss & Bannon Earn Major Awards as Western New England Lands 12 on All-CCC Teams
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 26, 2019) – The Western New England University men's lacrosse team was heavily represented when the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) announced its major award winners and All-CCC selections on Friday afternoon.
Western New England Celebrates Senior Night with 19-8 Victory over Salve Regina
Cocks & Bannon Pick up CCC Weekly Accolades
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 22, 2019) – Senior faceoff specialist Hunter Cocks (Walden, N.Y.) and freshman attackman Mike Bannon (Edmond, Okla.) of the Western New England University men's lacrosse team have both been recognized with weekly awards from the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), the league office announced on Monday.
Strong Second Half Powers Golden Bears to 13-12 Victory over Colorado College
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 19, 2019) - The Western New England University men's lacrosse team defeated Colorado College 13-12 in a non-conference battle at Golden Bear Stadium on Friday afternoon.
No. 8 Williams Downs Western New England, 19-7
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. (April 17, 2019) – The Western New England University men's lacrosse team had its four-game winning streak snapped with a 19-7 setback to No. 8 nationally ranked Williams College on Wednesday evening at Farley-Lamb Field.
Late Surge Lifts Western New England to 14-10 Win over Curry
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 16, 2019) – The Western New England University men's lacrosse team surged past Curry College in the second half to claim a 14-10 victory over the Colonels on Tuesday afternoon in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action at Walter M. Katz Field.
McCusker & Bannon Recognized by CCC with Weekly Accolades
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 15, 2019) – Junior goalkeeper Sean McCusker (Northport, N.Y.) and freshman attackman Mike Bannon (Edmond, Okla.) of the Western New England University men's lacrosse team have both earned weekly awards from the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), the league office announced on Monday.
Western New England Tops Endicott 10-7 in Battle of CCC Unbeatens
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 13, 2019) – In a battle of the last two remaining unbeaten teams in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) play, Western New England University used a strong fourth quarter effort to top Endicott College, 10-7, on Saturday afternoon at Golden Bear Stadium.
Golden Bears Earn 17-9 Road Victory over Gordon
WENHAM, Mass. (April 10, 2019) – The Western New England University men's lacrosse team opened up a 12-4 halftime advantage en route to a 17-9 victory over Gordon College on Wednesday night in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action at the Brigham Athletic Complex.
Ward & Bannon Honored Again with CCC Weekly Awards
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 8, 2019) – For the second consecutive week, senior attackman Jared Ward (Littleton, Mass.) and freshman attackman Mike Bannon (Edmond, Oka.) of the Western New England University men's lacrosse team have been recognized with weekly awards from the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), the league office announced on Monday.
Golden Bears Down Nichols 20-8 to Remain Unbeaten in CCC Play
DUDLEY, Mass. (April 4, 2019) – A strong first quarter performance sparked the Western New England University men's lacrosse team to a 20-8 win over Nichols College on Thursday afternoon in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action at Vendetti Field.
Western New England Falls to Springfield College, 18-12
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 2, 2019) – The Western New England University men's lacrosse team fell to crosstown rival Springfield College, 18-12, on Tuesday night in non-conference action at Golden Bear Stadium.
Three Golden Bears Receive CCC Weekly Lacrosse Awards
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 1, 2019) – Three members of the Western New England University men's lacrosse team have received weekly awards from the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), the league office announced on Monday afternoon.
Western New England Dominates Early, Holds on Late for 14-10 Victory over UNE
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (March 30, 2019) – The Western New England University men's lacrosse team opened up a 10-1 first-half lead and cruised to a 14-10 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) victory over the University of New England on Saturday afternoon at Golden Bear Stadium.
Golden Bears Overpower Roger Williams with Second Half Performance, 13-6
Big First Quarter Sets the Tone as Golden Bears Win CCC Opener at Wentworth, 15-8
BOSTON, Mass. (March 3, 2019) – The Western New England University men's lacrosse team outscored Wentworth Institute of Technology 7-0 in the first quarter and went on to claim a 15-8 victory over the Leopards on Saturday afternoon in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) opener for both teams at Sweeney Field.
Fast Start Lifts No. 20 St. Lawrence to 16-7 Win over Western New England
TAMPA, Fla. (March 21, 2019) – The No. 20 ranked St. Lawrence University men's lacrosse team scored seven unanswered first quarter goals on its way to a 16-7 non-conference victory over Western New England University on Thursday night at the Naimoli Complex on the campus of the University of Tampa.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: xaml How to bind to a different source? I set Items in C# code like this:
this.DefaultViewModel["Items"] = items;

and I've defined it in the xaml page like this:
DataContext="{Binding DefaultViewModel, RelativeSource={RelativeSource Self}}"

Now I can use Items in a GridView
<GridView ItemsSource="{Binding Items}">
    <GridView.ItemTemplate>
        <DataTemplate>
            <Grid Width="{Binding customWidth}">
                <!-- The rest-->
            </Grid>
        </DataTemplate>
    </GridView.ItemTemplate>
</GridView>

But the problem is that I want the inner grid use a different source:
this.DefaultViewModel["customWidth"] = 300;

How to make inner grid use a different source than its parent GridView? thanks.

A: You can give a name to your page (e.g., x:Name="myPage") and then
<GridView ItemsSource="{Binding Items}">
    <GridView.ItemTemplate>
        <DataTemplate>
            <Grid Width="{Binding DefaultViewModel.customWidth, ElementName=myPage}">
                <!-- The rest-->
            </Grid>
        </DataTemplate>
    </GridView.ItemTemplate>
</GridView>

That is, you can use ElementName to go out of the current binding scope.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Frédéric Guilbert, né le  à Valognes, est un footballeur français qui évolue au poste de défenseur au RC Strasbourg.

Biographie
Frédéric Guilbert commence le football à l'âge de six ans dans le club de sa ville puis rejoint à douze ans le centre de formation du SM Caen où il n'est pas conservé à la fin de la saison 2012-2013. Il rejoint alors l'AS Cherbourg en CFA où il s'impose comme titulaire et dispute trente rencontre pour un but inscrit.

L'année suivante, il intègre les Girondins de Bordeaux où il évolue en début de saison en équipe réserve. Il fait ses débuts en équipe première le 5 avril 2015 lors d'une victoire deux buts à un face au RC Lens. Il entre en jeu à la  de la rencontre en remplacement de Thomas Touré. Il signe son premier contrat professionnel d'une durée de deux ans en mai 2015 et intègre par la même occasion l'Équipe de France Espoirs.

Il est titulaire lors de la saison 2015-2016 des Girondins. D'abord au poste d'arrière droit, il termine le championnat en tant que défenseur central.

Lors de la saison suivante, il n'entre pas dans les plans du nouvel entraîneur Jocelyn Gourvennec. Il est prêté en octobre 2016 au Stade Malherbe Caen, son club formateur. Titulaire indiscutable au poste de latéral droit, il aide le club à obtenir un maintien difficile en Ligue 1.

Il est définitivement transféré au SM Caen le 28 juillet 2017. Il y paraphe un contrat de quatre ans. Il marque son premier but en Ligue 1 contre Strasbourg le 4 mars 2018 (victoire 2-0).

Le , Guilbert s'engage avec Aston Villa. Il termine cependant la saison au SM Caen sous forme de prêt.

Le , il joue sa première rencontre avec Aston Villa en étant titularisé lors de la troisième journée de Premier League contre Everton (victoire 2-0). Le 27 août suivant, il inscrit son premier but sous le maillot du club anglais à l'occasion d'une rencontre de Coupe de la Ligue anglaise face à Crewe Alexandra (victoire 1-6). Au terme des 29 premières journées de championnat, avant qu'il ne soit suspendu à cause de la pandémie de Covid-19, il a pris part à 23 rencontres, en débutant 21. À la reprise des compétitions, il voit Ezri Konsa et Ahmed el-Mohammadi lui être préférés sur le flanc droit de la défense, il ne participe alors qu'à deux rencontres sur la dernière partie de saison.

Échouant à trouver un point de chute lors du mercato estival, il est le troisième choix de Dean Smith au poste d'arrière droit où lui sont préférés el-Mohammadi et la recrue Matty Cash. Il ne prend part qu'à deux rencontres de Coupe de la Ligue anglaise au cours de la première partie de la saison 2020-2021. Le 31 janvier 2021, il est prêté au RC Strasbourg jusqu'au terme de la saison. Il y pallie le départ de Kenny Lala vers l'Olympiakos. Il est titularisé en Ligue 1 pour la première fois le 14 février 2021 à l'occasion du derby contre le FC Metz lors de la 25ème journée. Frédéric Guilbert réalise une bonne performance en réalisant une passe décisive pour Adrien Thomasson sur le deuxième but strasbourgeois. Les Alsaciens remportent la rencontre sur le score de 1-2. Guilbert participe à quatorze matchs au cours de la seconde partie de saison 2020-2021.

Le , Guilbert est de nouveau prêté au RC Strasbourg, cette fois pour une durée d'une saison.

Il s'engage définitivement avec Strasbourg en janvier 2023, Aston Villa l'ayant libéré alors qu'il lui restait 6 mois de contrat.

Statistiques

Palmarès

En club
  Aston Villa
 Finaliste de la Coupe de la Ligue anglaise en 2020.

Notes et références

Liens externes

Footballeur français
Joueur de l'AS Cherbourg
Joueur des Girondins de Bordeaux
Joueur du SM Caen
Joueur de l'Aston Villa FC
Joueur du Racing Club de Strasbourg
Naissance en décembre 1994
Naissance à Valognes

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Let's face it: the prospect of a 500-mile pilgrimage is not a field day for a control freak.
You'd think walking the Camino once already would teach me I could handle whatever the Way threw my way. Instead, I've only discovered new things to worry about as I prepare for my second pilgrimage.
Before my first journey two years ago, growing anxiety compelled me to write down my myriad fears. Surprisingly, only a few of them came to pass on my actual pilgrimage (peeing in the open air, loneliness, and dealing with bedbugs). In hindsight, none were that terrible. I survived.
Last weekend, I got together with a pilgrim friend and enjoyed reminiscing, swapping funny stories, and recalling its transcendent moments. Our conversations reminded me of how amazing it is to walk this sacred path. Although I've already found new deterimation to go, our talks started to get more excited to be back in Spain.
Today, though, it feels terrifying again. Here's what I know for certain: I need to go. I feel called to go. I'm just plain scared of the unknowns. I can't help that. But! Since I found listing my fears helpful the first time around, I'm going for it again in this updated version. Fears, take two!
Although I know without a doubt I can transport myself to Finisterre by plane, train, and/or bus, I get profoundly overwhelmed thinking about starting the Camino eastward. I might have a map to use, for sure. If memory serves, I vaguely recall the path going along Playa Langosteira. But finding the actual route? Beyond me. Where do I go?
I just plain hate feeling confused and disoriented, and worse — looking stupid. Being certain and having the answers is my comfort zone, so I expect I'll receive lots of lessons about getting comfortable with confusion as I bump headlong into it. Ugh.
Once, when I was a teenager playing hooky from science class, I nearly drove off the Connecticut map and across the border into New York state. In some unfamiliar and tranquil neighborhood, I pulled over to find out where I was (remember the days when you cross referenced the nearest street name with coordinates on a map?). At A5, I was on the very edge of the page, frighteningly close to — what? Not existing? Being obliterated? I flipped out, turned around, and high-tailed it back to school. In other words, I would rather fail a chemistry exam than be lost.
One of the things that makes the westward Camino Francès easier are the arrows on every post, tree, and wall. If in doubt about direction, just look for an arrow or — lacking that — pilgrims ahead of you. O just ask those you're walking with. "This sign is confusing. Do we bear right here or just up ahead?" After a little convo, everyone walks together. If the consensus is wrong, at least we're lost together.
Despite being afraid of getting lost, it only happened once on my first Camino. Meg and I took a wrong turn in the hills of Galicia en route to Finisterre. It was spooky not to know where we were, exactly, and walk for miles and miles with no one around. When we arrived in a town, it was siesta-time and not even the wind stirred. Creepy. Imagining that scene completely solo and alone positively gives me hives.
Walking east means there are no arrows for guidance. Some friend have jokingly offered to send me a bike mirror to see the arrows behind me. Others have suggested I ask people who are walking toward me for guidance. The fact is, I'm going to have to find my way without the ease I enjoyed on the westward journey and the risks of getting lost are higher. Bring on the chemistry exam!
Despite my brave declaration in 2013 to walk alone, I spent most of my Camino walking with other pilgrims I met on the way. Walking together passed the time and made hard, tiring, soggy, and long days much easier and enjoyable. Though I sometimes struggled to meet my desire for solitude, I loved the people I met and learned much from them. Some are still friends to this day.
While there are no official statistics on the number of pilgrims walking the eastward return trip, I encountered exactly three on my own springtime Camino. In other words, it's very likely I'll have no companions during the day. At albergues, I'll be surrounded by people I've never met before. I fear feeling like an outsider.
I honestly don't know what it will be like to hit an emotional low out there all alone. It will certainly be illuminating if it happens, but as you can imagine, I'd rather not find out.
Have you ever made a good decision, but later wondered where the road not taken might have led? Long-time readers know that I fell hard for Meg, a fellow pilgrim, while we walked from Santiago to Finisterre together. This happened though I was (and still am) married. As you can imagine, this experience brought up a lot of emotional conflict. Even as I inwardly agonized over what to do about my feelings, I loved every step of the way with Meg and remained faithful to my beloved partner.
Though I survived, I was a mess when my Camino ended — and remained so for a good year after. I wonder if part of returning to Spain is about transforming this partially-resolved, emotional jumble into something whole and even healed. I honestly don't know what I'm looking for over there, but I trust the call I feel.
As I set foot in the very scene of that difficult, jubilant experience, I anticipate deep feelings will arise. Oh, how I dread this! And oh, how I need it! Something powerful awoke in me on my final days on the path. I feel pulled to return to that holy ground to discover what it was.
Finally and truthfully, I am not in a position to afford European travel at the moment. I saved for two years for my last Camino. This time I have about nine months. As someone who likes a good hotel splurge to restore the spirit, I already dread staying in only public albergues, eating bread every meal, and foregoing cafés con leche. I'm exaggerating, of course. I'm sure it won't be that bad.
While I don't subscribe to the God-is-an-ATM philosophy so popular in positive-thinking circles these days, I do believe in faith. I do believe that when someone is called to something significant, support arrives. Not in cash, necessarily, but in connection, encouragement, a gift of an apple, or a fountain for filling one's water bottle.
Abundance is everywhere if we're open.
I'm not naive, though. I do believe in planning. Because of this, I'm writing a budget for my Camino so that I have a savings goal.
I also believe in trusting. What if I'm meant to do a bare-bones Camino? What if I do ask for lodging in exchange for cleaning toilets? What could I learn from desperately *wanting* a hotel room, but choosing the most basic accommodation instead?
The possibilities are, of course, humbling and scary, but the part of me that is eager for inner change. The personal challenge of it is — dare I say it? — a little exciting.
We live in a culture that does not handle emotion well — especially messy, unresolved ones. Reading about my fears may evoke concern or discomfort in you. In turn, you may need to feel the need to reassure me or offer suggestions for managing mine. No need.
Instead, I'd love to hear about what scares you or what you were afraid of before your own Camino. Learning to walk with our fears, rather than overcome them, is a path to wholeness.
Want to know why I'm doing the Camino in reverse — and how you can help? Read on!
Previous A daunting diagnosis: Can I walk the Camino?
Hi Cheryl! Interesting! I've heard about blue arrows that go to Fatima in Portugal (and yellow to Santiago) because these two routes travel the same path. If it's true for the Frances as well, that would be most welcome!
I get your fears! I would be afraid of the same things. I also understand your last paragraph. When I write about the messy stuff I'm not looking to be fixed. I share in the hopes others understand they're not alone in their messiness. Oh the humanity!
I have no doubt you will overcome – your fears, and the backwards Camino!
I'm laughing at calling it a "backwards Camino"! You may be more right than you imagine! 🙂 Thank you for the empathy and understanding. We only *think* we're alone on this journey called life. Hugs!
Whatever happens, the calling that you speak of is bigger than all of your fears combined so when *you* don't know what to do, lean into that greater force for strength.
And as always, Buen Camino!
What a lovely, honest, heartfelt entry. I love how open and truthful you are, about both your fears and your desires. What a great experience you had with Meg, a splitting open of your heart and a connection with her, soul to soul, and a physical longing as well. Who is to say what lies in our futures? Embracing all the goodness in the present moment is a gift that few accept.
God bless you as you go forth on your backward Camino. I had good luck with a GoFundMe request. It felt weird at first but the fact that it is a spiritual journey and not just a vacation prodded me on. I was so humbled and grateful for the love and affection shown to me through monetary contributions. I managed to pay about $600 for round trip tickets to Spain – that alone may save you much money. And of course the Camino is so inexpensive. I think I spent less than $2000 on everything for 6 weeks of travel.
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences, Xina! Your blessing and empathy mean. a lot to me. It's so easy to think I'm going alone, but look at the love pouring in! 🙂 You GoFundMe is an intriguing idea. I will give that consideration! The fact that the euro is weaker against the dollar than it was two years ago is also a tremendous help.
You asked what scared or challenged me? …my self. The conflicting thoughts. The wanderer within. The monkey on my shoulder that constantly tells me that I can't do it, no one likes me, etc…. I ignore him. I admire your courage. I am going back in two years, but I plan on purposely NOT reaching for a destination….this time. 🙂 We've got to follow our hearts…be safe.
Yes! Isn't this the truth!? When we live in our hearts, the world is safe. When I live in my mind, I freak out because I see clearly that I can't control everything. I love knowing how you noticed your behavior and decided to brush it off. How freeing! Keep following that heart of yours, peregrina!
I think walking the camino backwards is very brave and I can understand the fear of getting lost and more so of getting lonely and in the albergues of "being the new kid in class". But at the same time, it sounds so fascinating. Imagine what's gonna happen inside of you….how much you will learn about yourself.
Anika! I'm laughing hysterically! What a funny thing! Thank you for sharing it with me. I may be among the few pilgrims who actually appreciate those "white roses".
I completely agree about the changes and learning that will come from this. It's starting to feel kind of exciting! Thanks so much for the comment!
After walking my first Camino in 2011, which was organised through a agency, I decided to return solo from Astorga to Sarria. I had major doubts if I could walk this stress. I doubted myself and I thought it was going to be a lonely trip as I was travelling solo. It couldn't be more further from the truth however.


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Jennifer Garner >
Jennifer Garner and Zoe Saldana to star in The...
Jennifer Garner and Zoe Saldana to star in The Adam Project
By Bang Showbiz in Movies / TV / Theatre on 18 November 2020
Follow Jennifer Garner
Jennifer Garner Zoe Saldana Ryan Reynolds Shawn Levy
Jennifer Garner and Zoe Saldana have joined Ryan Reynolds in the cast of the Netflix action flick 'The Adam Project'.
Jennifer Garner and Zoe Saldana have joined the cast of 'The Adam Project'.
The pair join lead star Ryan Reynolds in the action-adventure Netflix movie, which is being directed by Shawn Levy.
Plot details on the movie are being kept under wraps, although reports suggest the film follows a pilot played by Ryan who uses time travel to reunite with a younger version of himself in order to solve a mystery.
Jonathan Topper has written the current version of the script from a first draft by Mark Levin, Jennifer Flackett and T.S. Nowlin.
The movie marks the first project produced under Reynolds' The Group Effort Initiative, a self-financed diversity and inclusion programme that aims to give ethnic minorities a chance to work and learn on the star's productions.
Zoe previously played the legendary singer Nina Simone in the biopic 'Nina' – a role that required her to darken her skin and wear a prosthetic nose – and she previously admitted that she should not have taken the part.
The 42-year-old actress said: "I should have never played Nina. I should have done everything in my power with the leverage that I had 10 years ago -- which was a different leverage, but it was leverage nonetheless.
"I should have tried everything in my power to cast a Black woman to play an exceptionally perfect Black woman."
Zoe tearfully admitted she was "so sorry" for taking the role in the 2016 biopic and said she felt Nina "deserved better".
She said: "I thought back then that I had the permission because I was a Black woman, and I am.
"But it was Nina Simone. And Nina had a life, and she had a journey that should have been and should be honoured to the most specific detail.
"Because she was a specifically detailed individual. About her voice, her views, her music, her opinions and her art. And she was so honest. So she deserved better."
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David Wynne  (25 May 1926 – 4 September 2014) was a British sculptor of figures, animals, and portraits.

Biography
Born in Lyndhurst, Hampshire, son of Commander Charles Edward Wynne and Millicent (née Beyts), Wynne was educated at Stowe School and then served in the Royal Navy during World War II and read Zoology at Trinity College, Cambridge, taking up sculpture professionally in 1950. He married Gillian Grant, daughter of the writer Joan Grant, in 1959 and had two sons, Edward and Roland, who formed psychedelic rock band Ozric Tentacles.

He did a bronze sculpture of The Beatles in 1964 and subsequently introduced them to the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (of whom he also did a sculpture).

He was awarded the OBE in 1994.

Works

Wynne's sculptures include:
Bird Fountains (1967) – Ambassador College, Pasadena, California
Blessed Virgin Mary (2000) – Ely Cathedral
The Breath of Life Column (1962) – location unknown (was Hammersmith)
Boy with a Dolphin (1974) – Cheyne Walk
Christ and Mary Magdalene (1963) – Ely Cathedral and Magdalen College, Oxford
 Cresta Rider (1985) – Saint Moritz
Dancer with a Bird (1975) – Cadogan Square Gardens
The Dancers (1971) – Cadogan Square Gardens
Embracing Lovers (1973) – Guildhall, London
Five Swimmers Fountain (1980) – Staines
Fred Perry (1984) – Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Club, Southfields, London
Gaia and Tresco Children (1990) – Tresco Abbey Gardens
Girl on a Horse – Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens, Purchase, New York
Girl with a Dolphin (1973) – by Tower Bridge
Girl with Doves (1970) – University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
Goddess of the Woods (1991) – Highgrove House
Gorilla (sculpture) (1961) – Crystal Palace Park, south London, a sculpture of Guy the Gorilla
Grizzly Bear – Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens, Purchase, New York
Leaping Salmon (1980) – Kingston upon Thames
The Messenger (1981) – Sutton, London
Queen Elizabeth Gate (1992) – Hyde Park Corner
Risen Christ and Seraphim (1985) – Wells Cathedral
River God Tyne (1968) – Newcastle Civic Centre
The Spirit of Fire (1963) – originally Lewis's, later Debenhams, Hanley, Staffordshire
Swans in Flight (1968) – Swans In Flight, Armstrong Auditorium, Edmond, Oklahoma
Teamwork (1958) – for Taylor Woodrow headquarters, London and later Solihull; now at Taywood Road, Northolt, London
UK 50 Pence Coin (1973) – Commemoration of the United Kingdom joining the European Economic Community
 ″Christ on the Ass″ (1954) Maquette III for The Entry into Jerusalem.
Portraits include:
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1962)
Charles, Prince of Wales (1970)

 Joan Baez (1965)
John Gielgud (1962) – Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Oskar Kokoschka (1965) – Tate
Queen Elizabeth II
The Beatles (1964)
Thomas Beecham (1956) – Royal Festival Hall, National Portrait Gallery, London, etc.
Yehudi Menuhin (1963)

References

Further reading

External links

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/3617549/Object-of-the-week.html
http://www.ukwhoswho.com

1926 births
2014 deaths
British sculptors
British male sculptors
Officers of the Order of the British Empire
People from Lyndhurst, Hampshire
Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge
People educated at Stowe School
Royal Navy personnel of World War II


text:
The exhibition dedicated to Elio Martinelli moves from Milan to Lucca
After Milan, the exhibition "Elio Martinelli and Martinelli Luce" presented at La Triennale during the last design week, moves to Lucca. With this project, realized on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Cobra lamp designed by Elio Martinelli, founder of Martinelli Luce, the company pays tribute to its founder by replicating the monographic exhibition at the Showroom in Lucca. A real gratefulness to a designer and an entrepreneur who has contributed to the expansion and enhancement of "Made in Italy" in the world. The exhibition will be inaugurated on June 29 and will remain open to the public until July 29, 2018. On this occasion visitors will also be able to see the special edition of the Cobra lamp made for its 50 years and the revisits that important Italian and foreign designers have realized within the CobraTexture project, already presented at La Triennale last April. During the opening, the company will be announced the names of the three winners of the Cobra Re-loaded project, the contest reserved for designers under 35 and created in collaboration with ADI.
Opening June 29, 05:00 pm Martinelli Luce Showroom Via S. Lucia, 9 Lucca, Italy
685 elmetto
1196 gomito
1249/3/L/1 le rondini
1722 poliedro
2131 serpente
2760/60/I bolla
1884 SISTEMA POLO


text:
Privacy is not about hiding bad things
Written by: Sarah Downey
Privacy isn't about hiding bad things. So what is privacy? It's about protecting our freedom to do good things. Until we recognize this simple distinction, we're in trouble.
Privacy isn't some dark shadow that only "bad people" pull over themselves when they're doing "bad things." Stop thinking about it like that. Instead, picture it like the protection of a high-walled room with an open ceiling. We each have our own room, and they're all part of one enormous house. We're connected to our friends, family, and acquaintances through doors that we control.
Let's say you've chosen to close your doors. You stand in the center of your room. No matter how hard you try, you can't look over the walls. Nor can anyone else look in and see you. Once you choose to close your doors, no one is tracking your movements; no one can hear what you say; no one can read what you've written; no one knows who you've been hanging out with. You can do what you want without judgment or consequence. No one is watching you. You're free. You can open certain doors to specific people, knowing that they're the only ones with whom you're sharing. Privacy provides both the boundaries of and protection for the space in which we can be ourselves.
These are the "good things" that privacy nurtures: self-expression, creativity, speaking your mind, associating with whomever you wish, and exploring your interests. These are the First Amendment's protections: freedom of speech, of association, and of assembly. They're so important for self-actualization and self-determination that our founders immortalized them in the Bill of Rights.
Note that I'm representing privacy by high walls with an open ceiling, rather than an impenetrable fortress. The sky remains open. It's a place from which others may see you, but it's rare, and you expect it. You're aware of its presence. The risk to your privacy is clearly delineated: the only checks on your privacy come through that opening. Anything else is a violation.
Think of the sky like an "out" for greater scrutiny during times of national crisis, or a clearly-worded Privacy Policy. You should know when you're being watched, and there should be a damn good reason. It should be reserved for extenuating circumstances, things like dire national crises. We should examine these things with skepticism; we should question them, not accept them because some vague threat is invoked. They should not be the norm.
But privacy violations are closing in on us, chipping away at our walls one inch at a time. Advertising networks are tracking everything we do online. Companies are selling our home addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and lists of family members. Facebook collects and stores every post, picture, and poke, selling our information to third parties. Google's trying to get rid of aliases on the internet. Apple patented facial recognition software, and they're not the only ones who have it.
The walls are coming down, piece by piece, and now we can see neighboring hills and landscapes; make out the outlines of trees. But just because we can enjoy seeing more doesn't mean that we're freer. To the contrary. Alongside this new openness comes increased visibility and scrutiny of our behavior. We can see more of the world, but the world can see more of us. Facebook and social networking sites may make us feel more connected, as though the possibilities for expression are greater, but so are the possibilities for exploitation.
We act differently when others are watching us. It's human nature. You wouldn't walk around naked while belting Madonna into your hairbrush while you're at work, but plenty of you reading this have become impromptu rockstars at home. You wouldn't think twice about it within the encirclement of your private room's walls.
We also act differently depending on who's watching us. Having a close friend nearby may not dissuade you from morphing into the Material Girl, but perhaps a stranger would. Almost certainly, a full house of US senators would.
Online, the audience is limitless. Anyone could be watching–advertising networks, potential employers, ex-spouses, stalkers, the government–and those of us who understand this risk tailor our behavior accordingly. We censor ourselves. We become intentionally uncontroversial; unintentionally boring. We don't say what we truly think because it might put us at risk for punishment later.
Pseudonyms help, but they're not a perfect fix. They require us to subdivide our identities, manage our self-inflicted multiple personality disorders, just to feel like a whole person. Google and Facebook are trying their hardest to make them obsolete. The way things are going, they may succeed.
Many of us believe that less privacy is good because people will stop doing, or posting about, illegal activities if they know they're being watched. It's only those people with something to hide who have to worry, right?
Wrong. Although it's legal for consenting adults to have sex and drink alcohol, for example, any record of these activities can lead to public outcry. Anthony Weiner lost his senate seat because of a twitpic; high school English teacher Ashley Payne lost her job because of a beer in a facebook photo. Sixty-nine percent of employers say they've decided not to hire someone based on that person's online identity. They often cite "inappropriateness," whatever that means. The world exercises its judgment on which activities are worthy and which are not. It's a moral, not a legal, judgment. It's not the separation of church and state that the First Amendment strives to give us.
We won't stop drinking; we won't stop having sex. Nor should we: both are within our rights. But we'll think twice before we leave admit, digitally, that we're doing it. And we shouldn't have to. We're consenting adults; we're not doing anything illegal. Why shouldn't we express ourselves? Isn't that what the First Amendment is all about?
Our conception of privacy is even more important when we consider that it shapes the law. The Fourth Amendment, which protects us from unreasonable searches and seizures, actually changes depending on society's collective expectation of privacy. Here's an example. You're a student, and you find out that your school has installed a webcam in your laptop and school officials are using it to watch you while you're at home. (Sounds like sci-fi horror? This actually happened in a Pennsylvania school system in 2010.)
Whether watching you on these webcams is a "reasonable" search depends on (1), your individual expectation of privacy, given the situation; and (2), society's collective expectation of privacy. The test is both subjective and objective, respectively. If society grows accustomed to a world without privacy, this second portion of the test is harder to meet. These webcams posed a Fourth Amendment problem, in part, because society deemed them an unreasonable privacy violation. But in the society of Orwell's 1984, in-home surveillance was a legal, and expected, part of life. It all depends on the context, which is why it's our responsibility to stay vigilant.
While current technology has begun to censor what we say, facial recognition software threatens to censor what we do, even offline. Imagine that you're known in your community for being an animal rights activist, but you secretly love a good hamburger. You're sneaking in a double cheeseburger at a local restaurant when, without your knowledge, someone snaps a picture of you. It's perfectly legal for someone to photograph you in a public place, and aside from special rights of publicity for big-time celebrities, you don't have any rights to control this photo. This person may not have any ill intentions; he may not even know who you are. If he uploads it to facebook, and facebook automatically tags you in it, you're in trouble.
Same goes for the staunch industrialist caught at the grassroots protest; the pro-life female politician caught leaving an abortion clinic; the CEO who has too much to drink at the bar; the straight-laced lawyer who likes to dance at goth clubs. If anyone with a cell phone can take a picture, and any picture can be tied back to us even when the photographer doesn't know who we are, we may stop going to these places altogether. We may avoid doing anything that could be perceived as controversial. And that would be a pity, because we shouldn't have to.
People aren't sufficiently worried about privacy issues because they think, "I have nothing to hide; these things don't apply to me." This mindset is based on the faulty assumption that privacy is all about hiding negative things. It's about positive rights, too: the right to live and speak freely without outside scrutiny. When we feel we're being watched, we censor ourselves. Tracking and surveillance have chilling effects on freedom of speech, freedom of association, self-expression, and other celebrated, protected activities. Simply put, we aren't ourselves when we think others are watching. This is the privacy violation with which we should concern ourselves. This is the risk.
It's harder to rebuild something after it's broken than to prevent its destruction in the first place. We need to stop our walls from coming down. We need to make smarter choices about the services we use, the features we demand, and the petitions we sign. We need to be active participants in the privacy debate. Then, maybe, we can build up our protection again.
1st Amendment 4th Amendment facial recognition First Amendment fourth amendment free speech freedom of speech internet privacy online privacy privacy and security privacy rights public search and seizure separation of church and state
What tech execs are saying about your privacy
Why Do Not Track really means Do Not Target (and doesn't protect your privacy on Facebook)
About the Author / Sarah Downey
Sarah A. Downey was a senior privacy analyst at Abine from 2010 to 2013. She's now an early stage investor at Accomplice, a VC firm in Cambridge, MA.
5 Replies to "Privacy is not about hiding bad things"
The roots of privacy lie in the past. The monarchies right of control over everyone else. Their right to strip you and your family naked and subject you to physical abuse.
So privacy is not the right to keep secrets by the right of personal ownership. The right to own your personal space, your body, the control of you person and, the ability to maintain and sustain personal peace and serenity free from psychological and physical abuse.
Those psychotic and narcissistic individuals who want to invade your privacy, to invade and degrade you person to fulfil their own deviant perversions, do so because of the genetic lack of empathy, your pain their pleasure.
It is both smart and sane to extend your right to privacy as far as possible because the alternate is the appalling life of a slave, one who has zero right to personal privacy.
Internet Privacy Act says:
Internet Privacy Act…
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Invading your privacy or celebrating your existence? | planneddeparture says:
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Transxfer | protecting your digital identityThe Evolution Of Consumer Attitudes On Privacy says:
[…] Privacy is not about hiding bad things […]
Marcurios says:
ofcourse it is, don't act like you have nothing to hide, everyone lies, and they don't want to be caught, so they deviced the concept of privacy.
That's what people do, they invent constructs to hide behind.
How to: Create a Virtual Credit Card (Blur Masked Card) [Part 1]