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Tag Archive: Warhammer
Vindicated – Chapter 3
Filed under: Writing — 1 Comment
E arlier this year, I put together a novel proposal for the Black Library's open submission period. Per their requirements, I siphoned off a piece of my soul planning the entire story and writing the first three chapters. It was a fantastic first date. I wrapped my submission up and sent it off knowing this relationship was going to be 'The One'. Unfortunately, just like any one-sided relationship, I possessed a completely different idea of what was going on between us since they never called me back. Therefore, I shall unleash my shame upon the entire Internet!
Behold! Chapter 3 of a rejected Tau Empire novel:
Chapter 1 in case you missed it
Art by Luftwaffles
Vindicated – A Tau Empire Novel
by VigRoco
Lord Commander Galvin Icross had commandeered the headquarters, or what passed for it, from Pangeus' Planetary Defense Force. It was a single building inside the heart of the city. A utilitarian design, it housed a single war room with a few ancillary rooms to stage basic war operations should the need arise.
Outside, rays of light shot over the horizon, bringing warmth to the city. Galvin leaned against the building with Dagon at his side waiting on the arrival of the Tau military commander. Two guards from the Planetary Defense Force stood at either side of the entrance. They all turned their attention toward the approaching crunch of footsteps.
Shas O'Thul, the Tau commander, turned the corner escorted by two fully armored fire warriors. He wore a green tunic fastened at his waist by a black belt. Large boots were strapped up along his calves and contoured to his hooved feet. A short braid of black hair jutted out from the back of his head and stretched down to his right shoulder. His face bore many scars of battle and was highlighted by a large scar running from the inside corner of his right eye across the top of his bald skull.
Two unarmored Tau walked on either side of him and stayed a few paces behind. One was dressed similarly to him. The other was dressed in solid black with a black band wrapped around his head. They all carried a curious assortment of equipment hanging off their belts.
From the impressive martial display they had shown last night, Galvin expected them to be taller. As it were, O'Thul was the tallest among them at a few centimeters shorter than him. Dagon, however, towered over everyone. Galvin scrupulously analyzed the escort detail. O'Thul did the same. Once satisfied, Galvin offered a salute which was returned by O'Thul bowing his head while bringing his fist into his chest.
"Welcome to my base of operations, Commander O'Thul," said Galvin.
"I welcome your addition to our hunt," replied O'Thul, devoid of enthusiasm. "I have brought vital intelligence regarding the Gor'vie hiding within your jungle."
Galvin turned around quickly and led the way inside. The two fire warriors remained outside by the door while their commander entered the building. They stood at attention next to the guards who passed a quick look at each other before resuming their posture.
Inside the war room several tables were pushed together and held a mixture of maps with military counters placed across them. The walls were covered in battle reports from their current campaign. The entire far wall was a battlefield simulator that had been hastily retrofitted when Galvin had commandeered the building. A hologram showing a birds-eye view of the city and surrounding plains floated a few centimeters out from it. Various blinking markers and colored lines were drawn across it.
The entire room seemed to shake with the flurry of activity that ran through it. A handful of strategic advisers and field commanders pored over their original battle plan trying to fit in the arrival of the xenos. They scrambled from the tables to the simulator hurriedly inputting data and checking its results against their hand calculations. They all snapped to attention when Galvin stepped into the room. He saluted.
"As you were," he said while everyone regarded the xenos behind him. "I present Commander Shas'O'Thul from the Tau fleet."
"I will be brief as we are short of time," O'Thul said abruptly. "This is Shas'vre Liku Jul," he motioned to the warrior beside him dressed as he was. "He is my closest adviser and carries our assessment of your planet."
Galvin stepped aside to allow Liku Jul the floor. Everyone nervously shuffled around while giving him their attention. The Tau in black shot a curious glance at Dagon before turning back to Liku Jul.
Liku Jul grabbed a round instrument off his belt roughly the size of his palm and set it in the middle of the central table. He tapped a few key on its surface until it began to emit a slight whirring sound. A beam of green light pulsed up from it and created a hologram of Pangeus. The hologram slowly faded from solid green to a full color representation of the planet. The complete Tau fleet was visible as well as the remaining vessels in Galvin's fleet.
"This is a real-time depiction of Pangeus," Liku Jul said while pulling an ellipsoid off of his belt.
He swept his thumb across it and a control panel filled with alien symbols appeared in front of him. He moved his hands across a few of the virtual keys and the hologram began zooming in on the planet and stopped at an aerial view of the city and its surrounding plains that resembled the one on the far wall. The image stopped at the front edge of the jungle and floated about ten centimeters below eye level.
"This is what will be the last battlefield for the Gor'vie. Without proper cover, they have not been able to penetrate your city until they gathered enough strength. We believe they have been forced into a frontal assault due to the hardened bedrock that this plain sits on. They are not able to tunnel underneath you, and your guns have kept them out of the air."
The image expanded its depth to show the bedrock he referenced. Massive, crystallized rock formations grew down from the bottom of the image.
"Last night they had finished growing the force they thought would break your last haven. However, they had not factored in our arrival. Take this as temporary security. We have known this particular strain to evolve quickly when it is backed into a corner."
His fingers continued to fly across his control panel and the image zoomed out to show the supercontinent in its entirety. A yellow triangle indicated the placement of the city while the jungle was highlighted in bright-green and outlined in black. Other forests around the super-continent were also outlined in black and were highlighted in varying degrees of dark green to black.
"The highlighted portions show the infestation levels of the Gor'vie. Green represents vegetation strength and black represents devoured sections. In the time they have been on your planet, they should have consumed everything and left it devoid of life. Something is slowing their growth rates. Pangeus is indeed unique."
The image zoomed in and showed the jungle as a whole. A few points were marked with red triangles while the area around them was traced out in yellow.
Liku Jul continued,"From our orbital scans, we have tracked them down to a small area of operation within this barrier. If we can get a positive mark on a specific target, we can destroy it from orbit. We had hoped to be able to pinpoint their exact location from orbit, but it seems your jungle is causing interference with our equipment."
"Why haven't you already bombarded this entire area?" asked Dagon, motioning to the encircled portion of the map.
"The recharge rate of our orbital guns will not allow us to cut down this entire area before they changed position. This must be a precise shot at the heart of the beast dealt with all the fury of the Mon'ka, the killing blow," Liku Jul answered.
"We have tried assaulting the jungle. The borders are deceptively well-defended," brought up one of the strategists.
"These beasts respond too quickly to brute force, as that is what they have used against you. Conversely, they cannot defend against what they cannot see," Dagon instantly recognized the voice as belonging to the xeno that had surprised him in the alleyway.
"Shas'vre Sai'Kul speaks of our proposed strategy," said Liku Jul motioning at the Tau dressed in black. "The targets marked in red are the highest probability of where Gor'vie have taken root. As we have alluded to, something is slowing them, so we must cut out their heart before they find a way through whatever barrier is holding them back and crush us all.
"We propose sending a combined stealth team to gather recon on these points and mark the correct target for orbital bombardment. Shas'vre Sai'Kul is the leader of our stealth detachment and has been chosen to join with your chosen warrior in seeking out this target. We do not know the land and must rely on your guidance on the ground."
Silence fell on the room as everyone processed the information presented to them. Galvin looked intently into the detailed hologram before him and compared it to the simplistic battlefield generator across the room. Liku Jul's overnight assessment had converged on the same conclusion that had taken them weeks to work out. He wondered whether or not they had been observing Pangeus before last night.
"I agree with your proposal. The Hammer of the Emperor may not have the force itself to smash the Tyranids, but sending in the scalpel will certainly pierce their skin," Galvin said while looking at Dagon.
"Sir, with the combined weight of the Tau, we could break through in a frontal assault," the same strategist said, challenging popular opinion. "I am forced to ask you, Liku Jul, why not attack with overwhelming force?"
Shas O'Thul looked at him with an impassive stare,"we are all here far from our homelands without the promise of reinforcements. A great loss of life will simultaneously result in a loss of the war. We bring a fresh perspective and caution against continuing along your failed path."
"I will lead our part of the combined team," said Dagon. He looked back at Sai'Kul and nodded.
The Por'Erai cut through the thickening clouds of Pangeus on its way to the surface. Its wings stretched out wide, covered in golden runes that shimmered off its green hull. Unlike the Imperial surface transports, it gracefully drifted downward, careful to not upset its civilian passengers. The noise from its engines was surprisingly quiet for a transport its size as it settled down gently on the city's landing pad.
Ari'Tai unstrapped herself from her seat and headed toward the front exit. Following her was a full entourage of Tau that served a diverse array of functions she would need to win the minds of the people. She could see Acario waiting for her at the edge of the landing pad through the view panel above the exit port.
A section of the hull folded out away from her and let the dry air of Pangeus sweep across her face. A ramp extended from the deck running onto the black landing pad. She lead her entourage down and onto the world they intended to win for the Greater Good.
"The air is much drier than it should be," remarked Fio' Horgol, the senior Earth Caste member following closely behind her. His squat frame filled out his simple, rust-colored robes. A wide-brimmed, metallic hood adorned his head, shading him from the morning sunlight. "The Gor'vie are not far from taking this world."
"That is why we are here," replied Ari'Tai, looking down at him. They continued across the landing pad to where Acario stood with a small welcome party. As promised, he also included an escort of soldiers.
"Welcome to Pangeus," said Acario while looking at the group following her. When hunched over onto his staff, they were almost the same height. "I trust we will discover common ground in the next few weeks."
"That is my desire, Acario," she replied.
"May I introduce Gabe Poliz and Cali Jardus. Gabe represents the civilian population. If you have any questions as to our culture, governmental structure, or societal organization, there is no one more qualified on Pangeus," he said while turning to regard the tall man on his right.
"I will be glad to facilitate any diplomatic requests you may have," added Gabe.
"And Cali represents our agricultural sector. Once these Tyranids have been purged, she will have her hands full with bringing growth back to our world," said Acario, motioning to his other side.
Cali forced a smile and nodded at them. She grabbed at the sides of her wind-torn pants until the leather from her gloves stretched out taught over her fists. Her frizzled, brown hair danced around her shoulders in the wind.
"Thank you for allowing us this opportunity to share your world," replied Ari'Tai, looking in to her eyes. "I assure you, we have solely come to provide assistance in your time of need."
Lord Commander Icross sat across from Dagon in the commander's office of the PDF headquarters. He reclined back in his chair, anchoring his feet upon the wooden desk in front of him. Papers and leaflets filled the walls with old news from the beginning of their struggle with the Tyranids. He twirled his laspistol around in his hand. Its magazine sat on top of his desk.
He began talking while staring into the ceiling," I may not be as experienced as you, Dagon, but I know enough to share a portion of your concern about these xenos. I will not enter into any alliance with them blindly, regardless of what the council has to say. Besides, ultimately, I don't even answer to them. It was only when I discovered I was going to die with them that I even began to care for their plight.
"After all my time at war, some shred of humanity still lives inside of me, and while that shred empathizes with them, it foremost remains devoted to the Emperor. We cannot win here without the Tau, but we must remain vigilant. Fortunately for Pangeus, there is no greater servant of the Emperor than yourself."
"A life of servitude to him has shown me there is no other way for men to live than within his light. I have seen the darkness this galaxy has to offer and the destruction it causes. That is why I am wary of every xeno, especially one who purports to be my friend," Dagon replied.
"We are agreed then," Galvin said while a smile crept onto his face, "Your paranoia keeps us safe. This mission will require you to have more direct interaction with one of their key military units than anyone else in the Imperial force stationed here. You will be our primary intelligence line."
"A role I am practiced in."
"The Tau unit you will be joining operates much like what you are used to in war situations. They are given an incredible amount of flexibility from their commander to accomplish their mission objective. In truth, we don't know exactly what they are after, so it will be up to you and your team to find this out without endangering the mission.
"Finding the main Tyranid root is your primary objective as it is central to our continued survival. Gaining intel into the Tau military is secondary, but still valuable. Shas'vre Sai'kul should be assembling his team as we speak. Get close to him and find out what he knows."
"Done. And when this is over, I expect you to never tell anyone I was here."
Galvin looked into his eyes. "You are paranoid, but not of these xenos."
Sai'kul waited alone in the Tau base on the outskirts of the city facing the jungle. Rising up practically over night, temporary buildings extended from the city's edge and housed the entire Tau military deployed to the ground. The center of the base was an open, grassy area perfect for dropships to continue deploying additional resources to the surface.
He watched the bloom of a dropship's engines brighten as it descended toward him. Dust brushed across his face from the downward force it exerted. The rest of the base crawled with activity as the Tau army warmed up to full capacity. He remained fixed on the ship delivering his chosen team. The dropship floated down with its landing gear kicked out until it came to rest on the ground. Its wide, loading door folded open.
A Kroot Shaper bearing the name Farrack jumped out immediately and landed on the ground with his rucksack dangling from his shoulders. He stood up to his full height of nearly two and a half meters and stretched out his arms, flexing his sinewy muscles. His narrow head was anchored by a massive jaw of hardened bone that formed the bottom of his beak. A set of long, slightly curving spines decorated with a myriad of talismans protruded out from the back of his head.
He wore a tattered loincloth for basic presentation and proudly displayed the remainder of his body. Leather straps were wound tightly around his head with two slits cut out for his eyes to take in his initial sight of Pangeus. Two Kroot hounds followed down after him, spastically surveying Pangeus. They shoved their long, beaked snouts into the dirt as they acclimated to their new environment. Their dark brown hide matched Farack's. Spines jutted out from their shoulders and were adorned with talismans similar to the ones Farrack wore.
The Tau warrior, Shas'ui Valai, worked his way down the loading ramp next wearing a black tunic. He had a control manacle clasped around his wrist leading a pair of lifter drones carrying a large equipment rack filled mostly with inactive sniper drones behind him. Two more warriors dressed in the same tunic, Shas'ui Mok'hikon and Shas'ui Silai, followed him down to present themselves to Sai'kul. Farrack and his hounds joined them.
Sai'kul unsheathed the sword from his back and held it out before him. Dried blood was caked along its blade. Mok'hikon and Silai each peeled back their tunics to reveal a scar running across their torso from their left shoulder to the opposite thigh. He slowly pulled back his tunic, revealing a similar scar. After a moment of silence, he sheathed his sword as they all refitted their tunics.
"My brothers, my blood warms to join you again on the battlefield. They have summoned the lone warriors for a specialized task to further the Greater Good," he said solmenly before turning to include Farrack and Valai. "I have extended my team as this task requires your added talents."
"I gladly accept your command, Shas'vre," replied Valai while bringing his fist into his chest.
Farrack looked down upon the grouped warriors and cocked his head. "I bring my strength to add to your pool. My hounds are quite anxious to sink their claws into living flesh."
"Shas'O'Thul has commanded us to join with one Dagon from the Imperium to seek out the root of the Gor'vie and mark it for eradication," spoke Sai'kul. "We have minimal preparation time remaining as the Gor'vie are likely to attack again at nightfall. With our primary force distracting them, we will easily be able to slip into the jungle using the cover of darkness. Our most recent reports tell us that their numbers are severely diminished after their losses last night. We know this strain to evolve quickly when challenged, but we hope they have not exceeded our predictions."
Four men sat with Dagon on top of a building overlooking the city. The streets flowed with citizens trying to reclaim their lives and begin rebuilding. Kara was among them and it was for her that he met with these men. He wanted to scale down the side of the building to find her, but the Imperium required another task of him.
"Ten years ago, you all heard the rumors about me and latched on to them as truth. Somewhere along the way one of you even convinced me to train all of you in my trade. Apparently the Planetary Defense Force of Pangeus was not excitement enough for you," began Dagon garnering a few chuckles. "Reluctantly, I took you in as a set of inductees figuring I could weed you out, but none of you ever quit. And here we are…
"You have a chance to prove yourselves to the Imperium and see your planet through its darkest hour. Keep your faith resolute in the Emperor and you will succeed. After this is over, Lord Commander Icross can open the doors for those of you who wish to venture out into the darker portions of the galaxy."
The men nodded in silent agreement. Directly across from him sat two brothers, Alexander and Xavier Kevscott. Alexander was the elder and lorded his massive frame over his younger brother. He had cropped black hair that sat atop his dark, chiseled face. Xavier was rail thin, but extremely agile. His grey eyes were set deep into his skull and his slightly longer hair spiked out from his head.
Koranth Erubel sat to Dagon's right with sunlight shining off his golden hair. He played with a knife in his left hand and was the only one who still wore the standard green PDF battle uniform. Not much for change, he preferred to stay with the familiar. A simple, pale-blue stone attached to a silver chain hung around his neck.
On Dagon's left was Normas Holith who sat leaning over with his forearms resting on his knees. He wore a black tank-top with dark-green pants. The harsh features of his face were mitigated by his weathered, bald head. The oldest member of the group, save for Dagon, he graciously assumed the role of second-in-command. He was the first to hear of Dagon and was the one who sought him out and presented the idea of the group to him.
Normas looked around the group before speaking, "Last night I was ready to sacrifice myself for the Imperium. Unfortunately I was not able to fulfill that pledge. I took that to be a gift and don't want to misuse it. Be honest, Dagon. How will allying with the xenos benefit us if we fall to their cunning words? I would rather die than see Pangeus be taken from the Imperium."
"We have been requested to perform a task from the Lord Commander and I intend to complete that task as a servant to the Emperor. We are the silent death; once released, we kill without mercy. That is our only creed. It is not for us to question our assignments, only obey," Dagon replied.
"If the xenos remain after our alliance has been dissolved, I will see to it personally that they do not take our world," added Alexander. "My family does not deserve to live under xeno rule."
"True. I also find it strange that we ally with one group of xenos to save us from another," said Xavier. "I have also heard that the council has re-formed and is opening diplomacy with them. Politics should have no place in war. We need to have a clear path laid before us to accomplish our task. After that they can argue amongst themselves over the spoils."
"I have no love for politics myself," said Dagon. "It has been my experience that politicians indulge themselves in their own illusion of self-importance instead of following the example of the Emperor. But again, that is not our place, for at the end of the war we do not answer to them. We will go on this mission at the request of the Lord Commander alone and nothing else. Remember that."
Normas looked into Dagon's eyes before asking,"In the light of our potentially fatal mission, may I ask the question that has been on all of our minds?"
Dagon narrowed his gaze in a twinge of sadness,"If you must."
"Do you fear you have not fully escaped the Officio Assassinorum?" he asked in a whisper.
Dagon paused before answering,"More than any foe I have ever felled."
Kara milled through the populated streets alone in the afternoon sun. She had already consumed her allotted food rations and had no particular place to be. This city was not her home and the thought of her true home destroyed by the beasts tempered the hope that ran through the city. Everywhere, she could tell people were grateful to be alive. None of them seemed to question whether or not Pangues will ever regain its prior splendor.
She was alone. Dagon was the only reason she had survived the initial attacks. Her parents and two younger sisters had all been killed weeks ago. Without him she would be completely lost, unable to rebuild her life. She could not think about losing him. He had already made incredible sacrifices in the campaign against the beasts.
She stepped off the street into an alleyway and sat down with tears slowly traveling down her cheeks. She pulled herself into a ball grabbing handfuls of her hair. Deep sobbing echoed through the alleyway. Her unbalanced emotions tore through her mind. A slight burst of wind moved her hair, followed by a pair of strong arms wrapping around her.
A wave of calm soothed her virulent heart. She lifted her head up and buried it against Dagon's chest. "I can't believe they are gone."
"It's okay. We are still alive and carry their legacy forward. This nightmare will soon be over."
"Please tell me Galvin does not need you anymore. If you never come back I will live in a perpetual nightmare."
"You are stronger than you know and I need you to tap into that strength now," he said softly while gently shuffling around to look into her eyes. "You have let fear ravage you. Fear is anathema to the Emperor. Trust in his guidance and you will be free of it."
She cycled through a few deep breaths before replying,"What more do you have to do?"
"I have to save us. Galvin has assigned me to a combined unit alongside the xenos. Together we intend to destroy the heart of the beasts and rid us of them forever. Soon, we will revisit the jungle without fear and enjoy Pangeus once again."
"None of that will matter if you do not return." Her hair had transformed into a tangled mess. She tried to smooth it out.
"The greatest gift you will ever receive is having your homeworld back. And right now, I am the only one who can secure that for you. I am doing this for the Emperor and for you. You need me here in this moment to carry this mission out."
She forced herself to smile,"Then go. Save our future."
Tags: 40K, Black Library, Fan Fiction, Fanfic, Imperial Guard, Science Fiction, SciFi, Tau, Tyranids, Vindicare, Warhammer
Filed under: Writing — 3 Comments
Pangeus stood in the galaxy's eastern fringe as a testament to the Imperium's great reach. Named for its single, massive supercontinent, it was a veritable paradise hidden away from the scourging touch of Imperial industry. A lush jungle spanned nearly the entire length of the supercontinent along the equator. Diversified wildlife thrived underneath the canopy of its gigantic bio-trees.
The bio-trees could be seen by the naked eye when orbiting the planet. Barely ten meters in diameter, they stretched up impossibly high, pairing off and curving around each other in double helix formations. An invisible force enabled their breath-taking ascent, bootstrapping and preventing them from bending back down to the surface. Their bark was smooth like glass and undisturbed by any branches. During the day, they were a monotone yellow, but at night they bled into the night sky, transforming the faint drops of starlight into dancing beams.
The rest of the continent was a series of plains, mountains, and forests that desperately held on to their connection to the jungle by the winding rivers flowing to it. The fertile plains supported the majority of the planet's population while the mountains sustained a few pockets of more adventurous communities. Without the advantage of proper reshaping equipment, settlements cropped up around major terrain features.
Colonized and brought into service of the Emperor millennia ago, the resident population barely remembered they were a part of a greater whole. Living in stale cities, they were content to exist within the safety of their own meaningless obscurity. Their sight had drifted away from the Imperium and onto the paradise it had won them. They had completely forgotten just how far they were from the watchful eye of Terra, until the beasts came.
Descending upon the planet in grotesque hues of reds and oranges, the beasts took root in the jungle. A race of enormous insectoids, they needed to consume biomass in order to grow a siege army. Launching out from this foothold, they began overtaking everything. Cities went dark as reports of their swarms spread throughout the rest of the planet. All nearby Imperial Guard forces had been brought in to join with the local planetary defense force, but they could not hold back the growing hordes.
The surviving population cried out to their Emperor to save them as they repented for their prior lack of fervor. Terra gave no answer to their pleas, leaving them to cower in fear with prayers on their lips. The beasts drove them back into a single remaining city that sat on a plain not far from the jungle. As if for some nefarious purpose, they had saved this morsel until the end.
The city's original name had been forgotten in the scrambling influx of survivors. They latched onto it as a final bastion of hope and began calling it Zion after memories of ancient lore began spreading. The beasts attacked them relentlessly from the jungle only to be crushed beneath the remaining fortified weapons of the Imperial Guard. They continued, however, until the city began to slowly wear down under the constant assault. Eventually, it would fall.
A lone tower projected upward from the crumbling city rising high above the remaining buildings. Dagon looked out from its apex trying to survey the horizon in the dusk. He knew the moment the sun retreated, they would meet the beasts in what was to become their last stand. He would not die without releasing the lifetime of fury he carried.
Overlayed with a utility harness, his black outfit hugged his toned frame. Various grenades, knives, and magazines were clasped down each side of the harness from his shoulders to his waist. His belt held other assortments of utensils needed to bring down his enemies. Grey hair crept down to his shoulders. His aging face was locked in stone as his black, enhanced eyes sought targets along the edge of twilight. He felt the air slowly begin to shift and knew the city did not have long to live.
When he saw the red clouds taint the sky weeks ago, he knew their doom had come. Already at a low point for the normal shuttle cycle, no outbound shuttles were to be found. The entire population was trapped on the surface. Of course, the beasts spread so rapidly that their social fabric had broken down too far to even attempt a proper evacuation.
The arrival of the Imperial Guard changed nothing. They were too focused on waging a campaign with their limited resources to pay attention to the needs of civilians. The Lord Commander leading the force completely ignored the planet's administration. Even if they could have released their ships for shuttle use, they could not have converted them in time. The beasts were too quick. At that point, only Terra could save them.
Thoughts of his wife Kara hiding below the city ran through his mind. It seemed like ages ago that he first arrived on Pangeus and met her. Like most of the residents she was a native, a descendant of the first colonizing population. Her wavy, black hair flowed down along her back like untamed rivers. Green eyes reflected a source of unending youth from her smooth face. Years of living under Pangeus' golden sun had cultivated her skin into a dark olive.
The spark of romance between them shocked him. He came here to live out his final days in peace, but their past decade together had brought new meaning to his life. Much younger than him, she rekindled his adventurous spirit and had engaged him in an ambitious quest to unveil all Pangeus' beauty. Its various landscapes were all the more captivating when seen through her eyes. Living an entire lifetime's worth of experiences in the past decade was equal parts adventure and exhaustion.
He tried to push the thoughts of her far from his mind. The sun fell further in the sky leaving only a few rays of their last day and he needed all of his faculties available to him. He snatched up his sniper rifle and loaded a new round into its chamber. He had specially designed the round to chew through the thick hide of the insectoid beasts and release an acid that would liquidate the internal organs in seconds.
Darkness fell over the city. He could now see the horizon springing to life with hordes of beasts running out from the jungle at full speed. The smallest ones ran in front, acting as a shield for the monstrous creatures following behind. The ground shook under the weight of their advance. He wondered if the city would even hold together until they reached its outskirts. He looked down into the streets below watching the IG forces prepare to begin launching artillery shells.
Lord Commander Galvin Icross stood with the remnants of his personal guard on the second level of a demolished building. The entire front wall of the building had been blown out in a previous fight. Conveniently, it afforded him the best vantage point to issue orders to the forces that still protected the city. They had all consigned themselves to death and fought with added tenacity.
A young commander, Galvin, had been performing routine drills around this galactic sector when he was alerted to the threat facing Pangeus. Rushing in as the official Imperial response, this would be his first and last conflict as a Lord Commander. Throughout his career he had been able to rise quickly through the ranks while retaining his jet-black hair. Fire burned in his eyes and he intended to expend all the remaining youth he possessed in repelling their enemies.
His remaining soldiers dug into the front edge of the city, preparing for the attack. They positioned themselves in ruined buildings, makeshift battlements, or behind any other object they could use for cover. They were supported by various tanks and heavy weapons teams similarly fortified. The massive cannons of Basilisks pointed upward, ready to deliver their deadly rounds of artillery.
The rumblings of the ground below him would determine when to release a volley of artillery fire. The beasts may have thought attacking at night would afford them an advantage, but their brute force gave away their position far more accurately than a visual cue. They were nearly in range. He glanced back at the sniper tower.
Vox silence had been enacted, but Dagon knew Galvin was waiting on him to fire the first shot. He leaned into the scope on his rifle. It filtered the darkness, showing him the massive swarm approaching the city. He pushed out with what little psyker ability he possessed and targeted a huge creature hulking in the background.
Its chitinous, segmented body sprouted an assortment of appendages that formed into claws and bio-cannons. It stumbled forward and hunched over onto its front claws for support. Its head was a massive maw of razor teeth that salivated as it stepped closer to its prey. Dagon could feel the psychic control it wielded over its smaller cousins that ran before it. He breathed deeply as he lined up the killing shot.
The beast seemed to smirk at him through his scope. He returned a cold stare as he squeezed the trigger. A loud crack reverberated throughout the city as the bullet entered the beast's maw and delivered its poison. Suddenly blinding, white light engulfed it, unmaking it as it struggled onward.
Dagon shielded his eyes as the light intensified. He looked down into the city to see Galvin halting the firing of the first wave of artillery fire. The light bathed the city in a glow resembling the early hours of dawn. As it gradually died down, they all looked up to see a large group of the smaller beasts beginning to scatter as their masters were disintegrated into ash and released their psychic grip.
The scream of dropship engines pierced the night air. The entire city looked up into the heavens to see their saviors. Terra had finally answered their desperate cries. Hope rekindled in Dagon's heart. He welcomed the sight of a Thunderhawk racing to the surface. Several dropships lowered below the clouds, following a vertical, downward line.
Their lines of descent did not follow conventional Imperial tactics. He squinted up into the sky now full of dropships creating a perimeter around the front of city. They were equally as large as a Thunderhawk, but condensed into a flat, wide design. Four engines attached to their corners pushed against the gravity of Pangeus. Each ship came to rest about 20 meters off the ground as their engines quieted to a pale yellow.
The symbol of a circle inlaid with a rectangle holding up a smaller circle adorned their hulls. Dagon reloaded his rifle as they opened up to release their payloads. Several tanks and transports dropped down to hover above the ground, each bearing the same uniform symbol as the dropships. They all followed a symmetrical, wedge-shaped design that narrowed into a definitive nose. A pair of engines were mounted on either side of the rear while winged platforms stretched out from either side of the nose.
A group of the tanks began strafing the beasts. Each was equipped with a pair of gatling guns in their forward platforms and a flat, top-mounted cannon running nearly its entire length. Their front guns spun to life, tearing into the small beasts as they ran around chaotically. Their large cannons began targeting some of the remaining monstrous beasts that turned toward them.
The larger beasts sought to bring control back to their horde. Dagon guessed about ten of them remained. Another group of tanks outfitted with sensory equipment in their forward platforms and a top-mounted missile rack moved to support the first tank group. Pale beams of light shone out from their sensors onto the larger beasts. Dagon was certain he was the only one with vision acute enough to see the red beams.
What he assumed were transports moved away in the opposite direction of the two tank groups to fortify against the edge of the city. They formed a long line, angling their light weaponry towards the beasts. A lone gatling gun was mounted underneath each transport's nose. Disc-shaped gun mounts with an antenna sprouting from the top sat cradled in their forward platforms. Twin guns hung from each mount.
Their rear doors fell downward as orderly lines of soldiers poured out and jumped down. The soldiers wore bulky armor that gave weight to their small stature. Each carried a long rifle. They quickly lined up behind the transports and prepared to fire at the beasts under the hovering transports. The transports' front guns began firing to split their enemies' attention.
With all their payloads released, the dropships flew back up into the sky and rested over the city. The Imperial Guard soldiers within the city now saw the altered battlefield.
"By the Throne! We are saved!" A soldier's jubilant cry broke the vox silence.
Lord Commander Galvin took this as an invitation to begin their artillery strikes.
"For the Imperium!" His stoic voice followed over the vox as he gave the signal to begin firing.
The plain lit up as artillery rounds launched out from the city into the night. Death rained down upon the beasts as the xeno tank companies let loose their weapons. Hyper-charged particles coupled with missile barrages hammered into the hulking monsters. The first wave reduced three of them to ash. The xeno tanks were surprisingly agile and kept increasing the distance between them.
Imperial Guard and xeno soldiers began firing their weapons at mutual enemies. Dagon looked on as the xenos tended to hit their targets more frequently than the Imperial soldiers. The beasts, still determined to chase down the tanks, pushed through the soldiers' fire.
Dagon shook his head as he lined up another shot on the closest beast. It faced away from him, so he would have to slip the bullet between the chitinous plates on its back. He could barely hear his rifle's discharge over the erupting battlefield below him. He slammed his fist onto the tower's ledge as he saw his shot miss its mark and lodge itself in the creature's massive back plates. Acid leaked out of the round, melting away a few layers of its armor, but doing nothing truly damaging.
Another combined volley from Galvin's artillery and the xeno tanks cut down more of the enormous beasts. Dagon noticed his target was among the survivors. He slammed another round into the chamber and fired off a shot through the weak point his previous one had created. The beast shuddered before collapsing onto the ground as its internal organs liquefied and poured out from its massive carapace.
Only two of the monstrous beasts remained. They let loose a return volley of charged, green venom from their bio-cannons at the xeno tanks. Globs of the vicious venom began eating through the tanks' thick frontal armor. The tanks did not give them another chance to fire before perforating them with the particles launched from their cannons in a stream of brilliant light. The beasts crashed into the ground fully spent.
Without their taskmasters, the smaller beasts became ravenous. Their front line lunged wildly at the tanks even though they were unable to pierce their hulls. The back line broke off and ran back toward the jungle. Others ran toward the city, directly into the gunfire from the soldiers fortified within.
Dagon watched as the xeno soldiers and tanks meticulously eradicated the frenzied swarms. It was not long until the entire horde laid strewn out before the city. The smell of stagnant water and seared flesh wafted into his nose. However repugnant, it was the smell of victory this night. They had survived their last stand. Hope had visited them at last.
He wondered about the futility of that hope as they had really only exchanged one xeno threat for another. Dagon was relieved that his wife was safe, but apprehension clutched at his heart. The beasts may have grown into a force powerful enough to crush Pangeus, but he refused to allow that to happen again. These new xenos would not take away what they had returned to him.
He sent a direct vox to Galvin, "What just happened here?"
"Can't you just appreciate we are still alive?" Galvin replied with renewed vigor.
"I appreciate the xenos for returning my life. I am in their debt, but I will not become their slave."
"I think they want something else in return for our lives."
Dagon cut off the transmission and watched the xeno soldiers holster their rifles on their backpacks and walk into the city resplendent with pride. They already walk as if they have conquered us, he thought. Above him, one of the dropships opened up and a handful of xeno forms floated down into the city.
They were bipedal machines nearly as tall as a Space Marine Dreadnought, but not as bulky. Each carried a differing array of weapons and equipment mounted to their arms and shoulders. Jetpacks gracefully carried them down to the ground as they glided in a V pattern with the xeno Dagon took to be their military commander at its peak. The ones following the commander were painted in uniform colors of dark and light shades of green trimmed with tan. The commander stood out in black with angular green shapes crawling over him.
They came to rest in the middle of the street near the base of the building Galvin was climbing down from with his guard. Both command units hesitated before mutually approaching. The xenos' faces were hidden, but Galvin wore a firm, cautious expression to mask his excitement. The xeno machines towered over the humans with even more superiority than Space Marines.
Galvin spoke first, "I am Lord Commander Galvin Icross of the Imperial Guard regiment stationed on Pangeus. Deploying military forces to an Imperial world without prior authorization is cause for immediate retaliation. Considering the circumstances, however," Galvin gestured around at the city, "I offer negotiation instead."
"We are skeptical of negotiation, " the commander said through his impassive speakers. "The Imperium believes only in its own selfish manifest destiny, which renders your negotiations moot. I am not here to wrestle your world away from your emperor. We are here to offer assistance on behalf of the Greater Good. I am Commander Shas'O'Thul, embodying the Fire Caste of the Tau Empire."
Tags: 40K, Black Library, Fan Fiction, Imperial Guard, Science Fiction, SciFi, Tau, Tau Empire, Tyranids, Warhammer


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About FES
FES Digital Library
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Friedrich-Ebert-StiftungMap
FES in Tanzania
Employment & Internship
Democratic Institutions and Citizen Participation
Political Agency of the Youth
Inclusive Socio-Economic Transformation
Just and People-Centered Urbanisation
Trade Unions as Collective Actors
Photo: View from the Blue Pearl Hotel by Andrew Moore - License:CC BY-SA 2.0
In June 1983, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) established its mutual cooperation with the United Republic of Tanzania by signing an official bilateral agreement and opening an office located in Dar es Salaam. From the start of its work in the country, the FES Tanzania Office has focused on providing political education cooperation as well as dialogue, exchange and research activities with political parties and the trade union movement. Since then, FES has continuously operated in Tanzania and cooperates with its partners in government, civil society, academia, parties and trade unions as well as local community organizations to further the advancement of democracy, political dialogue and social justice in the country.
Our work is based on the values of Social Democracy: justice, freedom and solidarity. We strive to enable and strengthen civic and political rights and citizen participation. We are supporting our partners in developing and advancing ideas on how to further the democratization process, to promote economic inclusion in the process of industrialization and economic transformation, and to advance the well-being of the people of Tanzania through social justice.
Our thematic areas
Democracy is more than regular free and fair elections. A democratic system is built on transparent and accessible political institutions as well as an empowered civil society. Open and critical debates among political... More
Every second Tanzanian is younger than 18 years old; almost two-thirds of the population is aged below 24. Its demographic share derives the potential for youth to influence the political direction and to support... More
Tanzania has sustained a steadily high economic growth of more than 6 percent annually for the past decade; it has been counted among the group of so-called 'lion economies' on the African continent, a term coined for... More
Tanzania is emblematic of a rapidly urbanizing Africa. Twenty years ago, 22% (2000) of its population was living in urban areas, while the proportion has risen to more than one-third (2020: 35%) to date. By 2040, more... More
The changing world of work, accelerated economic liberalization, multi-national companies (MNCs) and decreasing membership put pressure on trade unions worldwide and in Tanzania. Positioning labour interests and... More
Tanzania Office
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We are always eager to get your feedback on our activities, publications or website. Please feel free to contact us.
The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) is a non-profit German foundation funded by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, and headquartered in Bonn and Berlin. It was founded in 1925 and is named after Germany's first democratically elected President, Friedrich Ebert. FES is committed to the advancement of both socio-political and economic development in the spirit of social democracy, through civic education, research, and international cooperation. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung is the oldest political foundation in Germany.
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Situated in a peaceful pocket of Clayfield and surrounded by quality homes, this sprawling architecturally designed home offers substantial size, quality fixtures and fluid open plan living spaces. The main house provides three spacious bedrooms, multiple living spaces spread over two spacious levels including modern kitchen, two large bathrooms including main with separate shower and bath, separate laundry and an additional room currently being utilised as a dressing room but could be converted back to a fourth bedroom. Linking the main home to the guest house, the sprawling covered entertaining deck and stunning onground pool offer size and space rarely found - ideal for entertaining on a large scale or intimate family events. Stepping into the guest house you will be captivated by the high raked ceilings, light filled interiors and understated elegant design. This self-contained house offers further flexibility for large families, dual living or guests - featuring fluid open plan living for a seamless connection to the outdoor entertaining spaces, stunning kitchen with large stone island bench and window servery, stylish bathroom and working fire place.
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Sébastian Hell 'A Reflection On Police Brutality (Vol. 1)'
Sébastian Hell's LP mediates on the weight of silence.
by janette
The weight of silence can be powerful and in certain circumstances, dangerous. In the case of Sébastian Hell's LP, A Reflection On Police Brutality (Vol. 1) the multi-instrumentalist dedicates a minute of silence for each victim listed that were lost at the hands of police brutality.
It becomes a 25-minute list of names; a 25-minute stream of silence. A powerful message that everyone can hear. Listed under each name holds more information regarding their murders. Some familiar, some may not be for many. The artist then goes on to reflect his own perspective, coming from a family of cops, and mediates in the silence of the LP.
"I come from a family of cops – good ones, and others I'm sure weren't perfect. As such, however, I have a very strong opinion of how they SHOULD be doing their jobs to reflect their standing and position in the community.
"I strongly believe that any one of them – and politicians – found guilty of a crime should serve double the penalty that a civilian would, because in addition to committing said crime, they're also breaking the public's trust, and there's got to be a price for that.
"In Québec, where I'm from, corruption is a huge problem in most spheres of public duty, but we're seeing more and more that excessive force and police brutality are becoming the norm, seemingly imported from the U.S., but not quite, as the mentions of Anthony Griffin and Fredy Villanueva will show.
"I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the lives that were lost uselessly at the hands of a few dangerous people who should not have been put on the frontlines in uniform, so that their names aren't forgotten and that we can all, as a society, as co-inhabiters of the same space, learn and evolve from these situations.
"There's enough shit out there that'll kill us, we don't need to be doing it to ourselves as well.
"Half the proceeds will be given to organizations who fight police brutality in courts and by lobbying lawmakers."
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TagsA Reflection On Police Brutality (Vol. 1) • conceptual artwork • Sébastian Hell
Janette Ayub is a former disc jockey and wing enthusiast that collects cats in her spare time. She is also a recovering carnivore.
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Luminescence Children's Choir
"This group of young people were nothing short of brilliant".
Clinton White, Canberra CityNews
lcc@luminescence.org.au
The Luminescence Children's Choir is an auditioned treble choir for young singers. Conducted by AJ America, Luminescence Children's Choir is dedicated to excellence in performance and offers young singers holistic and high quality musical experiences and education.
The Luminescence Children's Choir came together for performances in September and December 2015, and became a permanent ensemble in July 2016. Since then, the Luminescence Children's Choir have performed at national institutions and world-class concert venues, including Parliament House, the National Portrait Gallery, the High Court, the Sydney Opera House, Hobart Town Hall, and Federation Concert Hall. In addition to regular performances in Canberra, the choir has toured to Hobart, Melbourne, and Sydney, and appeared in the Canberra International Music Festival, the Festival of Voices, and the Gondwana World Choral Festival. Luminescence performs a wide range of music, from the Renaissance to new works commissioned by Luminescence. Choristers learn to sing in many languages across a range of genres, and regularly collaborate with professional artists and composers. In 2020, the choir embarked on a virtual composition and recording project in collaboration with acclaimed composer Dan Walker, to compose and record Satellites, a new work inspired by their experiences during lockdown, and performed Benjamin Britten's Ceremony of Carols, alongside harpist Alice Giles. In 2021, Luminescence Children's Children's Choir will perform in a number of major Canberra events, including the launch of Skywhale: Every Heart Singers and the Vietnam Requiem.
"Luminescence has been, and continues to be, the most remarkable experience for our girls. It has tested their self-discipline, taught them to listen and to hear things they didn't before, broadened their cultural bearings, and cemented new friendships, both at home and on tour - all while showering them with the singular gifts that music brings. We have also been beneficiaries as devoted groupies at countless concerts, constantly in awe of the range and diversity of their repertoire!"
LCC Parent (2019)
APPLY ONLINE TO JOIN US IN 2021
Applications open now for singers aged 10-17.
SIGHT-SINGING SCHOOL
Luminescence Children's Choir choristers also have the opportunity to participate in Sight-Singing School, a four-tiered program designed to develop choristers' music literacy, theory and aural skills. Sight-Singing classes are offered to choristers at no additional cost.
Musicians aged 9+ can apply to participate in Sight-Singing 1 without joining the Concert Choir. This can prepare young singers to audition for the Choir in coming years, or aid the musicianship, theory and aural skills of young instrumentalists.
Sight-Singing 1
Saturdays, 1pm - 2pm
Tutor: Leanne McKean
In Sight-Singing 1, students build confidence sight-singing more complex melodies in major and minor keys as well as whole tone and chromatic tonalities, and a wider range of time signatures.
Tutor: Elsa Huber
In Sight-Singing 2, students are introduced to functional harmony, complex chords and intervals, and learn to sight-sing increasingly complex melodies including modal tonalities. They begin to explore more complicated syncopation and mixed metre.
Saturdays, 3 -4pm
Tutor: Patrick Baker
Sight-Singing 3 offers a real challenge for advanced young musicians. In this class, students learn to sight-sing in all modal tonalities, and grapple with complex chords as well as atonal melodies and pitch patterns, polyrhythms and complex syncopations.
Enquire about Sight-Singing School 2021: lcc@luminescence.org.au
Financial hardship should never be a barrier to music education. In order to ensure that all choristers with a passion for singing are able to participate in our programs, Luminescence offers a comprehensive bursary scheme. Donate to the Luminescence Children's Choir Bursary fund, and help foster self-confidence in young people, a love for music and life-long friendships by enabling young musicians experiencing financial hardship to sing with Luminescence.
What do I have to do in my audition?
Choristers will be asked to sing one song or an excerpt of a song lasting up to two minutes from memory. You may sing with or without live accompaniment (if required, applicants must provide their own accompanist).
Recorded accompaniment is not permitted.
You will also be asked to take a short aural test including melodic memory and sight-singing.
Concert Choir applicants should have a basic level of music literacy and some proficiency in Sight-Singing. Applicants who cannot read music are encouraged to apply for our Sight-Singing School and complete Introduction to Sight-Singing before they audition for the Concert Choir. We are looking for enthusiastic choristers, who are committed to the choir and willing to work hard. Applicants to Sight-Singing School aged 9 are not expected to have any proficiency in sight-singing and music-reading.
Where and when does the Luminescence Children's Choir rehearse?
The Luminescence Children's Choir rehearses from 4.30 - 6.45pm on Tuesday afternoons, at Ainslie Arts Centre. Choristers are expected to arrive at rehearsals between 4pm and 4.20pm. Luminescence Children's Choir members are also strongly encouraged to participate in Sight-Singing School (no additional cost).
How often does the Luminescence Children's Choir perform?
The choir is involved in at least one major performance each term, but sometimes much more! Often, we give repeat performances of the same repertoire during a term, and on tour, we perform nearly every day. During 2019, the choir performed a total of 14 concerts.
Are there costs associated with enrolment in the choir?
Luminescence is a not-for-profit arts organisation that relies on chorister and student participation fees to operate, and to provide high quality music education to choristers.
We understand that providing opportunities can be a strain on a family's budget, and are constantly striving to make the Luminescence Children's Choir accessible for all singers who have the necessary talent and passion. For that reason, we have a number of schemes in place to offer financial assistance to families, including payment plans, significant fee discounts for second (or more) siblings from the same family, and a limited number of bursaries. Bursaries are significantly reduced fees, awarded to exceptionally talented choristers who would otherwise be unable to participate in the program.
International Children's Day at the National Portrait Gallery.
Luminescence Children's Choir at Carols In the Court 2016, Photo: Peter Hislop


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International Students in the United States
By Jie Zong and Jeanne Batalova
Chinese students studying in New York City. (Photo: VIA Agency)
The United States has historically been the top destination for international students owing to its quality higher education system, welcoming culture, and relatively open labor market. Today, the United States remains the country of choice for the largest number of international students, hosting about 1.1 million of the 4.6 million enrolled worldwide in 2017. The next two destinations, the United Kingdom and China, hosted 11 percent and 10 percent, respectively. However, the U.S. share of globally mobile students dropped from 28 percent in 2001 to 24 percent in 2017, while the overall number of international students more than doubled in the same period.
In school year (SY) 2016–17, international enrollment in U.S. colleges and universities increased 3 percent from the prior year, the slowest growth rate since 2009–10. A total of 291,000 new international students enrolled at U.S. institutions in SY 2016–17, about 10,000 fewer than in SY 2015–16. Multiple factors contribute to slowed enrollment, including the rising cost of U.S. higher education, student visa delays and denials, and an environment increasingly marked by rhetoric and policies that make life more difficult for immigrants, as well as changing conditions and opportunities in home countries and increasing competition from other countries for students.
Using data from the Institute of International Education (IIE) and NAFSA: Association of International Educators, this Spotlight examines the population of international students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities in SY 2016–17, focusing on its size, geographic distribution, top institutions, countries of origin, levels and fields of study, economic impact, and transition into the U.S. labor market. Data on international students in the United States include currently enrolled students as well as graduates who remain on a student visa for Optional Practical Training (OPT), a period lasting from 12 to 36 months depending on the student's field of study.
Enrollment Numbers and Trends
Geographic Distribution and Leading Institutions
Transition into U.S. Labor Market and Local Economies
U.S. immigration law stipulates four categories of visas for foreign students and exchange visitors:
F-1 visa for full-time students at an academic institution (e.g. college, university, or high school) or in a language training program
M-1 visa for full-time students at a vocational or other nonacademic institution
F-3 or M-3 visa for nationals of Canada and Mexico who commute to the United States for full- or part-time study at academic (F-3) or vocational (M-3) institutions
J-1 visa for participants in an educational or cultural exchange program. This visa category includes college and university students as well as physicians, summer work-travel visitors, visiting professors, research and short-term scholars, teachers, and au pairs.
F-1 students are authorized for up to 12 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT) upon graduation and become eligible for another year of OPT when seeking a further postsecondary degree at a higher level. Once the OPT period ends, graduates must find an employer willing to sponsor them for a work visa (for example, an H-1B visa). However, students with a qualifying science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) degree are eligible for an OPT extension of up to 24 additional months. At the end of the extension, STEM graduates must receive a work visa to continue working legally. Spouses and children of foreign students and exchange visitors can enter the country by obtaining an F-2, M-2, or J-2 visa (depending on the visa category of the student), though they are not eligible to study or work in the United States unless they obtain their own student or work visa.
While most international students and exchange visitors return home, F-1 students may adjust their status to another visa category. These include family- and employer-sponsored categories, as well as the K-1 visa for fiancé(e)s of U.S. citizens. M-1s and J-1s may also adjust their status but must meet stricter requirements in most cases.
In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, with one of the hijackers having come on a student visa, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 2003 implemented a program to collect, maintain, and manage information about all foreign students and exchange visitors during their stay in the United States. The program, called the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), tracks and monitors schools and programs, students, exchange visitors, and their dependents throughout the duration of approved participation in the U.S. education system. SEVIS requires all schools and related academic institutions to submit and regularly update student information electronically in a central database that can be accessed by the government.
As of March 5, 2018, roughly 1.21 million F-1 and M-1 students were enrolled and registered at more than 8,700 SEVIS-certified schools across the United States. While the number of certified schools has remained roughly the same in recent years, total enrollment has nearly doubled from 612,000 in 2006. Nearly 210,000 J-1 visitors were participating in certified exchange programs on March 5, 2018, up 36 percent from 154,000 in 2006.
According to the U.S. State Department, in the past decade, overall visa issuance to foreign students and exchange visitors increased significantly, reaching more than 1 million in fiscal year (FY) 2015 (the period from October 1, 2014 to September 30, 2015). However, visa issuance declined in the past two years, to roughly 814,000 in FY 2017.
The following sections focus specifically on those international students who are either enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities or participating in OPT.
The number of international students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities—including continuing students and new ones—has experienced strong growth since the 1950s (see Figure 1). While there were just 26,000 foreign students enrolled in school year 1949–50, the number roughly doubled every decade, reaching 286,000 in 1979–80. It continued growing in the mid-2000s and 2010s, hitting a record high of 1.1 million in 2016–17. Foreign students also increased as a share of the total population enrolled in U.S. higher education: from 1 percent in 1949–50 to 5 percent in 2016–17.
Figure 1. International Students in U.S. Colleges and Universities and Share of Total Enrollment, (%), School Year (SY) 1949–50 to 2016–17
Source: Institute of International Education (IIE), "International Student Enrollment Trends, 1948/49-2016/17," Open Doors: Report on International Educational Exchange (Washington, DC: IIE, 2017), available online.
Despite the strong historical growth in total enrollment, the number of international students newly enrolling at a U.S. institution dropped for the first time in recent years in fall 2016 (see Figure 2). Furthermore, a national survey of staff at more than 500 U.S. higher education institutions showed a 7 percent decline in new international student enrollment in fall 2017, with public institutions, schools awarding master's and associate's degrees, less-selective schools, and institutions in the Midwest reporting a steeper drop. Survey participants attributed the fall 2017 decline to a combination of factors including visa delays and denials, the costs of U.S. higher education, the shifting social and political climate, competition from institutions in other countries, and prospective students' concerns about securing a job in the United States after graduation.
Figure 2. Annual Percent Change in New International Student Enrollment, Fall 2007–2017*
* Annual percentage change data for 2007 to 2016 are from total enrollment numbers in IIE's Open Doors report; percentage change for 2017 is based on an IIE survey of 522 U.S. higher education institutions, and is therefore preliminary.
Sources: IIE, Open Doors; Julie Baer, Fall 2017 International Student Enrollment Hot Topic Survey (Washington, DC: IIE, 2017), available online.
In SY 2016–17, one in three international students studied in California, New York, or Texas (see Table 1). Other major host states include Massachusetts, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. International students are more evenly spread out across the country than the overall U.S. foreign-born population. For instance, California is home to about 15 percent of international students, but accounts for 24 percent of the total immigrant population.
Table 1. Top Ten States by International Student Population, SY 2016–17
Source: Student data are from IIE's Open Doors: Report on International Educational Exchange; state-level estimates of the total immigrant population are from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2016 American Community Survey.
Some locations have significantly larger shares of international student enrollment, as compared to the 5 percent foreign-born share of higher education enrollment at the national level. International students comprised a larger share of total higher education enrollment in the District of Columbia (13 percent), Massachusetts (12 percent), Delaware and New York (9 percent each), and Washington State (8 percent).
New York University has been the leading host university for international students since SY 2013–14. Nationally, eight institutions enrolled more than 10,000 international students each in SY 2016–17 (see Table 2).
Table 2. Top Ten Institutions by Number of Enrolled International Students, SY 2016–17
Source: IIE, Open Doors.
In SY 2016–17, China was the top origin country for international students, representing 33 percent of the total, followed by India (17 percent), South Korea and Saudi Arabia (5 percent each), and Canada (3 percent). In SY 2016–17, 35,000 more students (new and returning) attended U.S. colleges and universities compared to the previous year, an increase mainly driven by higher numbers of students from China and India. India's growth outpaced that of China, increasing 12 percent (from 165,900 in SY 2015–16 to 186,300 in SY 2016–17), compared to China's 7 percent (from 328,500 to 350,800). In the meantime, the number of students from Brazil and Saudi Arabia decreased 32 percent and 14 percent respectively, in part due to the suspension of government scholarship programs in Brazil and the restructuring of similar programs in Saudi Arabia.
The origin-country composition of international students in the United States has changed significantly over time (see Table 3). In SY 1949–50, Canada, Taiwan, India, and several European and Latin American countries were the major sending countries. Following the passage of the Immigration Act of 1965, which removed national-origin quotas, students from Asian countries began to predominate in international student enrollment.
Table 3. Top Ten Origin Countries of International Students, SY 1949–50, 1979–80, and 2016–17
Engineering, business management, and math and computer science were the top three fields of study for international students in SY 2016–17, accounting for more than half of all international enrollment at U.S. higher education institutions. Notably, 48 percent of international students were in STEM fields and were eligible for the extended 36-month OPT upon graduation. Between SY 2015–16 and 2016–17, three fields of study experienced higher growth rates than the 3 percent for overall international enrollment: math and computer science (18 percent), engineering (6 percent), and communications and journalism (4 percent). Meanwhile, the number of students in intensive English, education, and humanities decreased. The significant drop in intensive English is mainly related to the decrease in enrollment of students from Saudi Arabia, China, and Brazil.
Figure 3. Fields of Study of International Students, SY 2016–17
* Denotes a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) field.
Students from different origin countries tend to pursue different majors. For instance, a majority of students from India (80 percent), Iran (79 percent), Nepal (65 percent), and Kuwait (64 percent) in SY 2016–17 were in STEM fields, versus just 16 percent of those from Japan and 20 percent each of those from the United Kingdom and Germany.
From SY 1979–80 to 2016–17, international enrollment has steadily risen for all academic levels except for non-degree students. As of SY 2016–17, undergraduate international students outnumbered graduate students, following nearly a decade of lower enrollment (see Figure 4).
Figure 4. Academic Level of International Students, SY 1979–80 to SY 2016–17
The 1.1 million foreign students in the U.S. higher education system in SY 2016–17 include nearly 175,000 students who participated in OPT following completion of their studies. The share of students in OPT grew rapidly in the last decade from 6 percent of total international students in SY 2004–05 to 12 percent in SY 2014–15 and 16 percent the following year.
In SY 2016–17, about two-thirds of all international students received most of their educational funding from sources outside the United States: 60 percent relied on personal and family funding, and another 6 percent primarily used foreign government or university aid. The remaining 34 percent financed their education primarily through current employment, U.S. university or government aid, or other sources.
International students contributed nearly $37 billion to the U.S. economy and created or supported more than 450,000 jobs, according to NAFSA estimates.
A more detailed analysis by state and congressional district level is available on the NAFSA website.
While the benefits international students provide their colleges and universities are well understood, research tracking the transition of international students into the U.S. labor market and measuring their economic benefits to the United States by participating in the labor force is relatively scarce due to the limitation of longitudinal data.
Existing literature suggests international students have transitioned into U.S. jobs at low rates in recent years, pointing to limited availability of work visas as the main barrier. A 2014 Brookings Institution report found that 45 percent of foreign student graduates were able to extend their visas to work in the same metropolitan area as their college or university. However, a 2016 analysis by economist Giovanni Peri estimated that for every 100 F-1 students educated in a state, none were working in the state five years after graduating.
Baer, Julie. 2017. Fall 2017 International Student Enrollment Hot Topics Survey. Washington, DC: Institute of International Education (IIE). Available online.
Institute of International Education (IIE). 2017. A Quick Look at Global Mobility Trends. Washington, DC: IIE. Available online.
---. 2017. Open Doors: Report on International Educational Exchange. Washington, DC: IIE. Available online.
Peri, Giovanni, Gaetano Basso, and Sara McElmurry. 2016. Opportunity Lost: The Economic Benefit of Retaining Foreign-Born Students in Local Economies. Chicago: The Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Available online.
Ruiz, Neil G. 2014. The Geography of Foreign Students in U.S. Higher Education: Origins and Destinations. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution. Available online.
U.S. Department of State. 2018. Report of the Visa Office 2017. Accessed May 7, 2018. Available online.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 2018. SEVIS by the Numbers: Biannual Report on International Student Trends. Washington, DC: ICE. Available online.
Jie Zong was an Associate Policy Analyst providing quantitative research support across MPI programs.
Jeanne Batalova is a Senior Policy Analyst at MPI and Manager of the Migration Data Hub.
To Stay or Not To Stay: The Calculus for International STEM Students in the United States
College-Educated Immigrants in the United States
Chinese Immigrants in the United States
Indian Immigrants in the United States
Immigrants and the New Brain Gain: Ways to Leverage Rising Educational Attainment
The Growing Global Demand for Students as Skilled Migrants
U.S. Immigrant Population Spotlights
Want to learn more about immigrants to the United States from Mexico, India, Canada, or many other countries? Spotlights from MPI's online journal, the Migration Information Source, use the latest data to provide information on size, geographic distribution, and socioeconomic characteristics of particular immigrant groups, including English proficiency, educational and professional attainment, income and poverty, health coverage, and remittances.
Immigration Data Matters
This easy-to-use online guide compiles some of the most credible governmental and authoritative nongovernmental data sources pertaining to immigrants and immigration in the United States and internationally. The guide directly links users to more than 220 data sources, organized by topic and region, and offers tips on how to access more complicated datasets.


I've decided to join the three per cent. Only problem is, I suspect it's not the exclusive club I think it is. Three per cent is probably too modest a measure of membership. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the numbers are all backwards and it's actually the 97 per cent I'm joining, or have already joined, or have simply been a part of my whole life and just didn't know it.
While I wouldn't mind joining the much more exclusive "one per cent" club, all those cigar-sucking, golden parachute-poppin', champagne-swillin' bazillionaires the 99 per cent were so pissed off at a while ago when they decided to occupy everything, I don't think they'd be willing to lower the admissions bar to someone so lacking in wealth, income and attitude. Too bad, they look like they're having fun.
The three per cent club I've decided to join is the Climate Change Deniers Club. The CCDC largely consists — at least at this moment — of those handful of "scientists" who, while perhaps believing in climate change, believe it's just a natural phenomenon, kind of like night and day or the change of seasons. They don't believe it's caused by anything you and I and the captains of industry are doing. If they believe in climate change at all they just believe climate change happens. Don't worry, be happy... and warm.
While only three per cent of "scientists" who purport to study the issue believe it's as natural as, say, gravity, something closer to 97 per cent of Republicans in the U.S. and Conservatives in Canada believe it. Perhaps 100 per cent of everyone in the oil and gas industry believes it, assuming they believe in anything other than short-term profit and reducing industry-killing regulation.
Naturally, I'm not completely comfortable finding myself in such low company. But I fear there's simply no option.
The reason I've come to this conclusion and joined the club is because nothing else makes sense to me. If man-made climate change were real, an enlightened species with opposable thumbs would have done something more substantial about it by now than making the Toyota Prius. Wouldn't it?
If I still believed in climate change, I don't know how I'd square the idea of scientists, politicians, academics and activists from 200 countries boarding fuel-sucking, emissions-spewing aircraft to all fly to Doha, Qatar — a city that would still have a higher population of camels than people were it not for energy intensive air conditioning — to once more engage in global climate change masturbation, the outcome of which is a foregone conclusion.
Doha is the sequel to Durban (2011), Cancún (2010) and Copenhagen (2009), et.al. All the episodes have been increasingly numbing gatherings of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The UNFCCC is — you can be forgiven for not knowing this — an international treaty signed by nearly 200 countries to "cooperatively discuss global climate change and its impact," discuss being the operative word.


The 2014 Melbourne Writers Festival approaches! The panel I'm appearing on - Thinking & Drinking: Australian Fine Dining - is happening in just two weeks. I'm catching up on the books of my co-panelists Andrea Frost and Ronnie Scott, and they're definitely food for thought... moderator Estelle Tang's food blog makes for a few chuckles in between.
I believe there are still some tickets available through the festival website. Hope to see some of you there at the Duke of Wellington (an accessible venue!) on Monday August 25.


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BCSC panel finds North Vancouver man failed to file insider reports
British Columbia Securities Commission
VANCOUVER, Dec. 14, 2015 /CNW/ - A British Columbia Securities Commission panel has found that a North Vancouver man who was the CEO and a director of two B.C. companies failed to file insider reports as required by securities laws.
Between 2011 and 2013, Mark Aaron McLeary, a resident of North Vancouver, failed to file insider reports for trades he made in two companies for which he served as CEO and director. The two companies – Silver Sun Resource Corp. and Newton Gold Corp. – were B.C. reporting issuers with their shares traded on the TSX Venture Exchange during the period of McLeary's trades. Silver Sun's shares were halted from trading as of June 2013.
The decision revealed that McLeary conducted his trades of the companies through a Panamanian brokerage account – opened with a corporation he had created with nominees named to the account – and Canadian brokerage accounts. McLeary admitted that the trading of Silver Sun and Newton Gold shares in the Panamanian account were not reported in insider reports in a timely manner. He also admitted that some of the trading in the two companies conducted in his Canadian accounts were also not timely reported in insider reports.
In 2014, McLeary filed updated insider reports which included previously unreported trades in the companies after the unreported trades were uncovered by BCSC staff in another investigation.
The decision also revealed that McLeary was causing Silver Sun to issue press releases on its business activities during the mid-and-latter part of 2011, while he was selling Silver Sun shares in the offshore account and failing to report that trading activity.
The panel directed the parties to make submissions on sanctions according to the schedule set out in the findings.
You may view the findings decision on our website www.bcsc.bc.ca by typing Mark Aaron McLeary or 2015 BCSECCOM 444 in the search box. Information regarding disciplinary proceedings can be found in the Enforcement section of the BCSC website.
Please visit the Canadian Securities Administrators' Disciplined Persons List for information relating to persons disciplined by provincial securities regulators, the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) and the Mutual Fund Dealers Association (MFDA).
About the British Columbia Securities Commission (www.bcsc.bc.ca)
The British Columbia Securities Commission is the independent provincial government agency responsible for regulating capital markets in British Columbia through the administration of the Securities Act. Our mission is to protect and promote the public interest by fostering:
A securities market that is fair and warrants public confidence
A dynamic and competitive securities industry that provides investment opportunities and access to capital
SOURCE British Columbia Securities Commission
For further information: Media Contact: Richard Gilhooley, Media Relations, 604-899-6713, [email protected]; Public inquiries: 604-899-6854 or 1-800-373-6393 (toll free), [email protected]; Learn how to protect yourself and become a more informed investor at www.investright.org
BCSC panel finds Sooke man lied about ownership of historic hotel and defrauded investor of $1 million
BCSC settles with registered investment dealer for violating freeze order
B.C. company and its director pay $200,000 in BCSC settlement for insider trading


Several Red Hat engineers recently attended the JTC1/SC22/WG21 C++ Standards Committee meetings in Oulu, Finland. This post focuses on the sessions of SG1 (the standards committee sub-group 1 – for concurrency and parallelism) as well as on coroutines-related sessions. Jason already gave an overview of the meeting in his post.
SG1 prioritized proposals and issues affecting the (expected) C++17 standard, followed by proposals targeting the Concurrency TS or a future revision of the Parallelism TS. We also made some progress in the space of coroutines.
The committee decided in the previous meeting to include parallel algorithms in C++17, and two changes to the parallel algorithms facilities were voted into the Committee Draft (CD) of the C++17 standard (these papers will be publicly available soon): P0394R4, which changes exception handling, and P0336R1, which changes the names of the execution policies. We also added a small note (P0371R1) that discourages the use of memory_order_consume, thus notifying users about the state of this feature even though we have no ready replacement currently. Other proposals (e.g., P0053 about a synchronized ostream) were not ready yet and thus will likely be considered for a future version of the standard.
P0214R1 on Data-Parallel Vector Types & Operations. The std::synchronic proposal (P0162R2) was not discussed at this meeting because conversations that I had with the primary author showed that we might need to tweak the interface to enable high-performance notifications. Executors were discussed as well again this meeting, although this time the discussion was more about how to approach generally with the different proposals rather than about details of specific proposals; SG1 would like to have an executor proposal in the near future, but it is not quite obvious how to get there quickly.
My personal highlight of this meeting was that my papers on forward progress guarantees (P0296R2 and P0299R1; the most recent revisions will be published soon) were voted into the CD. In a nutshell, they clarify when a C++ implementation has to execute code (which differs between typical operating-system threads, parallel tasks, and vector-parallel code) and what it means for a thread to block. I think that these are important changes, and they also allow the standard to clearly specify upcoming features in the parallelism and concurrency space (e.g., executors). From a birds-eye view, forward progress is one aspect of defining threads of execution that are more light-weight than operating-system threads. There is a lot of interest in light-weight threads of execution because they allow programmers to use logically separate, sequential flows of control (i.e., threads of execution) to describe concurrent or parallel execution, without incurring the runtime and space overheads of typical operating system threads.
integrated with schedulers (e.g., how to make schedulers aware of which condition an executing suspendable function blocks on, so that schedulers can execute threads of execution that may satisfy this condition), and showed three examples of how to use suspendable functions: a generator (slighlty revised but similar to the example included in P0073R2) , a replacement for asynchronous parallel algorithms (P0361R0), and wrapping a callback-based external API as a suspendable function. I believe this increased understanding in the committee of how the features I am proposing are supposed to work.


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Posted on February 6, 2017, in Homeschooling, Raising Gifted Children and tagged Gifted Homeschoolers Forum, homeschooling, illness. Bookmark the permalink.	5 Comments.
I totally agree with your sentiment about homeschooling being the best choice your family ever made, and I'm glad you still think so even when times are tough. I think you're quite right to find and focus on the upside of your boys' circumstances. I had quite a tough childhood compared with many of my friends, and I know it made me the person I am today, which I wouldn't change at all (whatever my faults!). 😉 Thank you for sharing and making me think.
Oh man, your post hit home. As a fellow autoimmune sufferer, I get it. It's so hard to focus on what my kids need when my well is completely dry. Impossible! This is one of the key reasons we school year-round, so that when my issues hit, we can take a break. Thanks for posting your struggle – there are far more of us autoimmunies out there than I realized!
Not only are you trying to do what's best for your kids, but you're trying to do it in a way that isn't the best for you. Kudos to you and your special kids who get to learn resilience through their mom.
I don't struggle with autoimmune disease, and I have days were I just want my kids to get away from me, too. I applaud you for loving and serving your children the way they need you despite the physical difficulty. Beautiful post!
Thank you for sharing your wisdom! We have homeschooling friends with 1 or more chronic health conditions in their families… I know they will appreciate knowing they aren't alone. I also know there is so much truth in what you said about independence and household responsibilities… and that will help kids for life! Thank you for a wonderful post.


The following applications are only available to client agencies of the GSA Payroll Accounting and Reporting System (PAR). These sites require sign in with username and password.
Business Objects is a web based application that contains biweekly payroll reports produced by the PAR system for GSA and client agencies use.
WEBPACCis a web based application that enables customers to make accounting code changes for their employees in the PAR system.
Employee Express allows GSA and client agency employees to view their biweekly pay and leave information online and to make changes to their payroll information. Employees may also access their IRS Form W2s and Affordable Care Act (ACA) 1095C forms.


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Console Obsession > Home / Xbox 360, Reviews & Features, Xbox / Article: Call of Duty: Ghosts Xbox 360 Review
Call of Duty: Ghosts Xbox 360 Review
November 23, 2013 by Andrew Fisher
Filed under Xbox 360, Reviews & Features, Xbox
Publisher: Activision Developer: Infinity Ward Genre: FPS Players: 1-18 Age Rating: 16+
Other console/handheld formats: PS3, Wii U, PS4, Xbox One
The box calls it the best-selling first-person action franchise, but this is an important new entry for the series as the next generation arrives. Does it make good use of current hardware, and how does it compare to the previous best sellers?
The first thing to note is that there are two disks in the box, requiring the player to install disk 2 (taking up 3GB of hard drive space) before the campaign can be started. Multiplayer does not require this install process. Adjusting the brightness and controls before starting is also recommended.
The prologue begins with the story of the Ghosts, before something shocking happens. We are taken back in time 15 minutes to Earth orbit to see what is going on, before time jumps forward ten years. Here Hesh and the player's character (his brother Logan) are joined by a new ally – Riley, the trained dog who was the centre of much hype in the build-up to release. Abilities and controls are introduced as the battle progresses, with cutscenes and flashbacks advancing the story.
As in previous instalments, the action moves between countries and protagonists to give more variety. The action takes place on and below the water, in mountains and jungle and back into space. When the final twist has happened and the credits roll – accompanied by music from Eminem – there is the additional Extinction mode to play, bringing a different kind of threat and the option to play co-operatively online.
Of course as much of the attention is on the multiplayer modes as the campaign, and here there are several important changes and new ideas. Twelve maps for up to twelve players are complemented by some new modes. Safeguard is the wave-based option, pitting the players against huge odds and giving a brief respite between each wave of the onslaught. Infected returns from Modern Warfare 3 and sees one player become infected, turned into a fast-moving killer out to infect the others. Players must survive as long as possible before being infected for points, or infect the survivors for more points. Hunted adds a new twist to the team deathmatch, giving a limited set of weapons to start with and forcing players to find better guns from the supply crates as they drop. Blitz is most like a sport, with points scored by reaching the opponent's goal. For a more interesting take, Domination has three zones to capture and defend that creates a nice ebb & flow to the action. A personal favourite is Kill Confirmed, with players picking up dog tags to score points (or deny the opponent). Clan matches offer 4-on-4 combat. The Squads option allows offline play (with and against bots) to help acclimatise new players or hone skills.
For fans of previous games, there is a noticeable change to the way kill streaks are earned. Multiple kills earn basic perks based on the loadout. Field orders (which appear as a blue briefcase dropped by a dead soldier) must be followed to earn a care package, which is deployed by throwing a smoke canister to mark the landing spot. Picking up items from the dropped crate gives extra items – the attack dog, Vulture drones and others, chosen and activated with the D-pad. As the games and the body count rack up, so too do the squad points. These are used to unlock more characters, weapons and perks. The flexibility of the system is in allowing players to customise their loadout to suit how they play or the mode. More points can be earned by completing operations. These are challenges ranging from sprinting a set distance to collecting kills with a certain weapon.
For a game late in this console generation, Ghosts is polished and well put together. Environments are detailed and there are very few glitches. Sound design works well as it adds dynamic music to well-tuned effects. The campaign is bombastic and filled with explosive set-pieces, as well as the cliché and gung-ho attitude that is a staple of the series. The sporadic Quick Time Events feel stilted, even when they lead to a life or death moment. Vehicle sections can feel difficult to control at pace but do add some much-needed variety.
If the campaign could be better handled, there is no doubt that multiplayer is a robust and deep experience. The lobby system is well designed and easy to jump into a match, with joining friends just a button press away. It can be overwhelming for a newcomer, but practice does improve performance. A good crop of Achievements is awarded for playing through the campaign. The rest, including several secret tasks, reward skilful play in the multiplayer games, with the promise of more DLC content made cheaper with the purchase of the Season Pass.
It would be too easy to end the review by saying that if you liked previous games in the series, you will like this one too. The truth is, while there may not be much in the way of innovation Ghosts does present a good overall package of single player campaign and multiplayer experiences. By the autumn of 2014, the next generation of Call of Duty will have to do more to impress.
Tags: Xbox 360, PS3, Activision, FPS, Call of Duty Series, Infinity Ward, Wii U, PS4, Call of Duty: Ghosts


Home News Comebacks BIGBANG To Comeback With 'Tenth Anniversary' Album?
Hallyu star BIGBANG will celebrate their tenth anniversary since debut this year. And to make it even more meaningful, the group might comeback with a new album on the special occasion!
With speculations floating about possible military enlistment of BIGBANG member(s) this year, this comeback is bound to be precious for V.I.P.s for so many reasons!
Are you waiting for the boys comeback too?
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Celluloid is a plastic which is derived from cotton. The celluloid material is cut into circular disks, which are treated with alcohol to soften the celluloid before molding. The treated celluloid is pressed into half spherical molds, and heated with boiling water before being removed from the mold and dried for two days to allow hardening. Paddle Palace asserts that, at this point in the... Our Plastic Spheres are constructed either by bonding 2 equal-sized hemispheres � which allows us to make entire spheres, or balls � or by blow-molding a complete sphere, which makes a more perfect sphere but that has an opening on one side.
How to make a Concrete Garden Sphere out of a Plastic Ball. DIY Garden Decor Ideas - Tutorial photoshop how to make smooth lines 11/12/2007�� I had no trouble finding a plastic crystal-cut stopper, but I can NOT find a shatterproof transparent sphere anywhere! I have looked at Christmas ornaments, lighting fixtures, fishbowls, candleholders, vases, tableware, craft supply stores, and more. Everything I've found in the right size range is either made of glass, or is opaque.
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21/03/2018�� This will hold the plastic wrap in place and prevent your crystal ball from leaking on display. You should check that the string or rubber band is taut, or else the plastic wrap might come loose and spring a leak.
Cast Acrylic Spheres. Beautiful, crystal-clear acrylic spheres. Use as decorative accents, knobs, or feet on acrylic boxes. Polished surface is flawlessly smooth.


Introducing our second commercial featuring the Springfield Restaurant Group!
Make sure to tune in to Bar Rescue on Spike TV Sunday at 9 to see our wonderful customer, Springfield Restaurant Group, featured in our 2nd commercial on Comcast! Take a look here!
Future POS Commercial – Take a look!
Attention Comcast subscribers: Tune in on Sunday night at 9 and catch Future POS and our new commercial airing during Bar Rescue with Jon Taffer on Spike TV! Or you can check it out here!


I know! And he does it so effortlessly!
Jason listening in the background.
Yes, he's just effortlessly cute!
"Just your favorite neighborhood investigator."
"Your bedroom eyes." He sooooo does!
He's telling the truth Lucca!
Jason Crouse (The Good Wife) Rewatch Thread #2: Join Us!