Your Cultural Canadian adventure awaits!
Arrive in Toronto where you'll have one-night stay. Enjoy lunch on your own at a sidewalk cafe in the financial capital of Canada.
Step back in time to a period of European elegance and splendor. The former home of Canadian financier Sir Henry Pellatt, Canada's foremost castle is complete with decorated suites, secret passages, an 800-foot tunnel, towers, stables and beautiful 5-acre estate gardens.
Explore the brilliant floral displays and rock gardens, walk across wooden arch bridges and witness the fall flowers as they begin to bloom.
Canada's oldest and largest public market. The Byward Market is Ottawa's premier destination for shopping, dining, arts and entertainment. Enjoy lunch on your own while exploring this fabulous market, that is home to the local farmer's market and artisans with over 260 stands, as well as over 500 businesses.
This gorgeous Gothic-style structure overlooks the Ottawa River and sits on top of Parliament Hill. There are hundreds of individual gargoyles, grotesques, reliefs and bosses carved into the stonework of the buildings. Walk to the top of the Peace Tower for an incredible view of the city.
Check into your downtown Ottawa hotel where there will be time to refresh before dinner at locals' favorite restaurant.
2 1/2-hour city tour with a costumed guide, portraying a historical character. You will see the nation's capital; the changing of the guard ceremony; the Eternal Flame; the lookout at the Museum Civilisation in Hull; the Prime Minister's residence, Rideau Hall; the Rockcliffe District and more. Have lunch on your own after the tour.
Arrive in the "walled city" late afternoon and check into your European style, 4-star hotel located in the heart of the historic and culturally vibrant Old Quebec City for a two-night stay. Upon arrival, there will be time to relax and refresh or take a stroll around the Old City before dinner.
Your welcome to Quebec dinner is uniquely served in a "Cabane a Sucre," or Sugar Shack, affording an experience that will give you an authentic taste of life in Quebec. Dinner is followed by traditional music and a chance to play the wooden spoons!
Visit the Island of Orleans, located in the middle of the St. Lawrence River and about the same size as Manhattan.
See a 150-year-old bread oven and a 1652 stone dwelling, that houses the fourth generation of Marie's family. Sample a slice of fresh-baked bread with maple butter.
St. Anne is known for performing many miracles, and people from all around the world come to visit the Basilica. Have lunch on your own at a restaurant near the Basilica.
Explore the imposing 74-meter high Sainte-Anne waterfall, walk across one of the highest pedestrian bridges in Quebec. Your last visit is at the Cooper Studio, where you may watch the artists and make a special craft of your own.
Dinner will be a real treat as the restaurant stands atop a hill overlooking Montmorency Falls and is renown for its fine-dining and breathtaking surroundings. Montmorency Falls is the highest point in Quebec.
Join your local guide and discover Quebec City. During your 2 1/2-hour tour, witness the Plains of Abraham, Cape Diamond, The Joan of Arc Garden, Place d'Armes, Old Quebec, Chateau Frontenac, Place Royal and much more! Enjoy lunch on your own along the way before departing for Montreal.
This National Historic site rises above the Montreal's birthplace. Discover native artifacts and learn how the French and British regimes influenced the history of this territory over the years on a guided tour.
Check into your Montreal hotel. After you have refreshed, gather for dinner in one of Old Montreal's most popular French restaurants. The stoned walls and cozy fireplaces of this historic building surround you in old-world charm while you dine on fabulous cuisine.
Your 3-hour tour includes admission to the Notre-Dame Basilica, and sites such as Ste-Catherine Street, St-Helen Island, Mont-Royal, St-Joseph's Oratory, The Old Port, Jacques Cartier and more!
Enjoy lunch on your own at this European-style market that has over 300 vendors. The open-air market is surrounded by other food businesses: meat, fish and cheese stores, bulk food emporia, dealers in spices and imported goods and bakeries. The displays, aromas and tastes will amaze you.
An oasis in the heart of the city that recreates some of the most beautiful ecosystems of the Americas. Witness a Tropical Rainforest, the Laurentian Maple Forest, the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Subpolar Regions of the Americas.
With its collection of 22,000 plant species and cultivars, 10 exhibition greenhouses and some thirty thematic gardens, the Garden ranks as one of the world's largest and most spectacular botanical gardens.
Get ready to be entertained at an interactive 18th century feast. Meet lively traditional musicians and exciting historical characters. In a warm and authentic environment, taste today's Quebec rural products in dishes inspired from yesteryears' fine French and American culinary arts.
Say "Au Revoir" to Canada and begin your journey home, arriving in Niagara Falls, NY. Check into your hotel, adjacent to the Seneca Casino.
Enjoy dinner on your own at one of the 3 restaurants located in the casino. Then, try your luck at the slot machines, the blackjack table or any of the other games.
Before departing Niagara Falls, board the Maid of the Mist and journey into the heart of one of North America's most powerful waterfalls.


text:
Myths and stereotypes of actors involved in domestic violence: Implications for domestic violence culpability attributions
Lisa A. Harrison, Cynthia Willis Esqueda
Stereotypes exist about actors involved in domestic violence, particularly women of color. It has been suggested that Black women are more aggressive and accustomed to violence than White women. Moreover, victim resistance, marital status, and perceiver's sex have all been found to influence perceptions of domestic violence culpability. Since the 1970s, when domestic violence was acknowledged as a social problem, researchers have examined how the lay person's perceptions of battered women and their batterers are influenced by extralegal factors. Although research on perceptions of domestic violence when White women and men are involved has increased dramatically in recent years, there is a dearth of research on perceptions of such violence when women and men of color are participants. The available findings on the influence of stereotypical notions concerning victims and batterers upon perceptions of domestic violence are examined. This review will provide the available evidence and suggest research areas where information is needed to more fully address the needs of people of color in understanding their own victimization and how actors in the legal system can guard against biased responding.
Aggression and Violent Behavior
Dive into the research topics of 'Myths and stereotypes of actors involved in domestic violence: Implications for domestic violence culpability attributions'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Domestic Violence Medicine & Life Sciences 100%
domestic violence Social Sciences 72%
attribution Social Sciences 68%
myth Social Sciences 67%
stereotype Social Sciences 63%
Violence Medicine & Life Sciences 32%
European Continental Ancestry Group Medicine & Life Sciences 28%
Harrison, L. A., & Esqueda, C. W. (1999). Myths and stereotypes of actors involved in domestic violence: Implications for domestic violence culpability attributions. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 4(2), 129-138. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1359-1789(97)00026-8
Myths and stereotypes of actors involved in domestic violence : Implications for domestic violence culpability attributions. / Harrison, Lisa A.; Esqueda, Cynthia Willis.
In: Aggression and Violent Behavior, Vol. 4, No. 2, 1999, p. 129-138.
Harrison, LA & Esqueda, CW 1999, 'Myths and stereotypes of actors involved in domestic violence: Implications for domestic violence culpability attributions', Aggression and Violent Behavior, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 129-138. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1359-1789(97)00026-8
Harrison LA, Esqueda CW. Myths and stereotypes of actors involved in domestic violence: Implications for domestic violence culpability attributions. Aggression and Violent Behavior. 1999;4(2):129-138. doi: 10.1016/S1359-1789(97)00026-8
Harrison, Lisa A. ; Esqueda, Cynthia Willis. / Myths and stereotypes of actors involved in domestic violence : Implications for domestic violence culpability attributions. In: Aggression and Violent Behavior. 1999 ; Vol. 4, No. 2. pp. 129-138.
@article{a31fed4605624055858c23e9652cd22a,
title = "Myths and stereotypes of actors involved in domestic violence: Implications for domestic violence culpability attributions",
abstract = "Stereotypes exist about actors involved in domestic violence, particularly women of color. It has been suggested that Black women are more aggressive and accustomed to violence than White women. Moreover, victim resistance, marital status, and perceiver's sex have all been found to influence perceptions of domestic violence culpability. Since the 1970s, when domestic violence was acknowledged as a social problem, researchers have examined how the lay person's perceptions of battered women and their batterers are influenced by extralegal factors. Although research on perceptions of domestic violence when White women and men are involved has increased dramatically in recent years, there is a dearth of research on perceptions of such violence when women and men of color are participants. The available findings on the influence of stereotypical notions concerning victims and batterers upon perceptions of domestic violence are examined. This review will provide the available evidence and suggest research areas where information is needed to more fully address the needs of people of color in understanding their own victimization and how actors in the legal system can guard against biased responding.",
author = "Harrison, {Lisa A.} and Esqueda, {Cynthia Willis}",
journal = "Aggression and Violent Behavior",
T1 - Myths and stereotypes of actors involved in domestic violence
T2 - Implications for domestic violence culpability attributions
AU - Harrison, Lisa A.
AU - Esqueda, Cynthia Willis
N2 - Stereotypes exist about actors involved in domestic violence, particularly women of color. It has been suggested that Black women are more aggressive and accustomed to violence than White women. Moreover, victim resistance, marital status, and perceiver's sex have all been found to influence perceptions of domestic violence culpability. Since the 1970s, when domestic violence was acknowledged as a social problem, researchers have examined how the lay person's perceptions of battered women and their batterers are influenced by extralegal factors. Although research on perceptions of domestic violence when White women and men are involved has increased dramatically in recent years, there is a dearth of research on perceptions of such violence when women and men of color are participants. The available findings on the influence of stereotypical notions concerning victims and batterers upon perceptions of domestic violence are examined. This review will provide the available evidence and suggest research areas where information is needed to more fully address the needs of people of color in understanding their own victimization and how actors in the legal system can guard against biased responding.
AB - Stereotypes exist about actors involved in domestic violence, particularly women of color. It has been suggested that Black women are more aggressive and accustomed to violence than White women. Moreover, victim resistance, marital status, and perceiver's sex have all been found to influence perceptions of domestic violence culpability. Since the 1970s, when domestic violence was acknowledged as a social problem, researchers have examined how the lay person's perceptions of battered women and their batterers are influenced by extralegal factors. Although research on perceptions of domestic violence when White women and men are involved has increased dramatically in recent years, there is a dearth of research on perceptions of such violence when women and men of color are participants. The available findings on the influence of stereotypical notions concerning victims and batterers upon perceptions of domestic violence are examined. This review will provide the available evidence and suggest research areas where information is needed to more fully address the needs of people of color in understanding their own victimization and how actors in the legal system can guard against biased responding.
JO - Aggression and Violent Behavior
JF - Aggression and Violent Behavior

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Workwoman's Wages
A prequel to On the Air that reveals how Miranda Powell came to work at KELF AM 1220 in Squire's Isle.
Author's Note: This is a prequel to my novel On the Air. While it doesn't really spoil anything that happens in the novel, it does give a bit of back story to one of the characters.
The once-white blouse was marred by a blossom of yellow and reddish-brown. The smeared halo was the only evidence that remained of the street vendor's hot dog she had bought for lunch. She had draped her suit jacket over the blotch before entering her building, angry at the guy who'd shoved her, angrier at the people who had pushed her out of their way as she tried to blot at the damage with a handful of napkins that she didn't notice until too late were smeared with mustard.
Fuming, she pushed into the main business offices of WMAN, the "sound of Manhattan," the radio station where she'd worked as manager for almost five years. The offices were separate from the broadcasting area, but she could hear the current disc-jockey over the speakers in the ceiling. Matt E., known to the real world as Matthew Easton, had just returned from commercial and was promising a "huge block of uninterrupted music" in his next set.
Miranda pushed into her office and shut the door, turning on the small speaker-box over her desk so she could continue to listen. She made sure the office door was locked before she unbuttoned her ruined blouse and shrugged it off her shoulders. She draped the shirt over the back of her office chair and pulled out the bottom drawer of her desk. She had three spare blouses folded neatly and tucked into the back drawer and she chose a robin's-egg blue shirt with white cuffs.
She was shrugging it on when there was a knock on her door. "Who is it?" she asked.
"Tina."
Miranda rounded the desk and unlocked the door. Her assistant stepped inside and, glancing at Miranda's exposed brassiere, immediately pushed the door shut behind her. "Hot dog?" she asked.
Miranda glared.
Tina cleared her throat and held out a stack of memos. "Albert wants to see you in his office."
"Great," Miranda growled. She took the stack of memos with one hand, buttoning her blouse with the other. "Any idea what it's about?"
"He wouldn't tell me," Tina said. She walked around Miranda's desk and picked up the blouse. "Do you want me to run this to the dry cleaner's?"
"Do you think it would make a difference?"
"Couldn't hurt," Tina said, surveying the damage. "What happened?"
Miranda sighed. "I hadn't even gotten a bite of the damn hot dog." She picked up her blazer and pulled it on. "Some bastard comes barreling down the sidewalk, slams into me at a hundred miles an hour and shoves my hand up to my chest. He didn't even look back."
"And of course the fine people of Manhattan gave you enough room to clean yourself up."
Miranda rolled her eyes and said, "I didn't even have time to get back into line." She sighed and checked her watch. "All right. I'm going upstairs to talk to Albert. Wish me luck."
"Luck," Tina said.
Miranda left her office, aware of the irony that she hadn't even had a chance to sit down, and speed-walked back to the elevator. Albert Granville was the station owner and, at least once a week, called her up to his office to talk about how to make the station "better." In his dictionary, better was defined as "more profitable." Miranda would have to spend at least a half hour convincing him that the station was fine the way it was.
She rode the elevator up to his office and entered without bothering to knock. "Mr. Granville," she said as she walked to one of the chairs facing his desk. He looked up and motioned for her to sit. She took a seat, crossed her legs and waited for him to get off the phone. When he finally pressed the Bluetooth headset and leaned back, Miranda had already been waiting five minutes.
"Ms. Powell." He frowned and said, "Weren't you wearing a different blouse this morning…?"
She ignored his question. "Tina said you wanted to see me?"
"Yes," he said. He straightened the desk blotter and said, "Starting June first, the station is moving to an all-talk format."
It took Miranda a moment to realize the implication of his words. "Uh, sir, I'm not sure that's such a good idea…"
"It's done, Ms. Powell. I've been negotiating with a radio personality from New Jersey… guy named Leo Limpsky. Heard of him?"
"He's brilliant. You oughta hear some of his characters." Albert snickered and wiped a hand across his mouth. "It's just him, his producer and his sidekick in the studio. But he does all these voices so that it sounds like there are half a dozen people there with him."
"That'll be convenient. You just have to hire one guy to replace all the DJs you're going to be firing."
Albert sighed and finally acknowledged the chill in her voice. "Look, Miranda. Research shows that music-formatted stations are becoming passé. Who was the last big music DJ? Wolfman Jack? If this station is going to become what I think it's capable of being, we need to make drastic changes. We need a… a Howard Stern, an Imus…"
"You want an Imus?" Miranda snapped.
"I want this station to stand out. I want it to be something special, not just another pause between the static. I'll do what it takes to make sure that happens."
Miranda sagged back against the chair. "I'm going to have to fire everybody, aren't I? If the station changes formats, we're not going to keep anyone on."
"Well, behind-the-scenes people. Producers and the like. But as far as the on-air personality…"
"Unbelievable," Miranda muttered. She pushed up out of her chair and said, "So this is it. It's done. The station is switching to all-talk and there's nothing I can do to talk you out of it."
He held his hands out in a helpless gesture. "There's nothing to be talked out of. All that remains is cleaning house."
Miranda winced at his choice of words. "You're a prick, Albert."
He sighed and looked back at his blotter. "Careful, Ms. Powell."
She turned on her heel and stormed out of the office. At the elevator, she jabbed the down button with her middle finger and paced the ugly green carpeting outside Granville's office. They had eight full-time DJs working at the station, all of whom would have to be let go to make this change.
For a moment, she allowed herself to believe that maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Radio was a terribly fluid business, she told herself as she fiddled with the top button of her blouse. What worked one year wouldn't work the next and changes had to be made. Surely their DJs understood that. She took a deep breath and turned as the elevator doors slid open. As she stepped into the car, someone stepped out.
Three small, white-and-red boxes crushed against her chest. She took a breath as the hot liquid seeped between the buttons of her blouse and soaked her bra. She tensed her jaw and looked at the delivery guy. "Chinese takeout?"
The kid looked horrified, but managed to nod. "Sesame beef."
"Of course it is," she sighed. She pushed him out of the way and stepped into the elevator. "Of course it is," she said again as she jabbed the button for her floor.
She set a staff meeting for the next morning, hoping to take care of everyone at once and spend the rest of the day in her office, taking one meeting at a time and trying to soothe jangled nerves. She knew the vast majority of their DJs would be pissed off and, since Granville was a weighty opponent, they would aim that rancor at her. The thought of what awaited her at work the next morning weighed down on her as she stepped into her building's elevator. Miraculously, her lime-green emergency blouse had made it through the last six hours of the day without being stained, ripped or ruined.
Just as the door was starting to close, someone called out for her to hold the door. She considered ignoring the request, just letting the doors slide shut and taking the ten seconds it would take to get home by herself. The promise of solitude was inviting, almost intoxicating, but then she remembered all the times she had been racing across the lobby and all the times she'd cursed those closing doors. She stuck her hand out and let the doors bounce gently off her forearm.
As she leaned back against the wall, a young woman with ink-black hair ducked into the car with her. "Thanks," the girl exhaled. She reached for the floor button, hesitated and then withdrew her hand. "Oh," she said quietly.
Miranda was grateful the girl was apparently going to her floor; it meant there wouldn't be any extra stops between her and her couch. She muttered a, "no problem," and then focused her attention on the lit numbers over the door. The girl was attractive, if a little young for Miranda's tastes. She was on the right side of twenty, at least, so that made her feel less gross about checking out her cleavage. She wasn't dressed quite as slutty as some of the girls Miranda had seen her age, but it was close.
The elevator doors opened and, ever polite, Miranda let the girl exit first. She walked a few paces behind and couldn't even be surprised when the girl knocked on door right next to Miranda's apartment. The girl looked over as Miranda stopped and fumbled with her keys and offered a polite smile. "Hi."
"Hello," Miranda said. She found her key and slipped it into the lock as the neighbor's door opened.
"Hey," Miranda's neighbor said. She embraced her guest and, to Miranda's surprise, kissed her on the lips. "What are you doing in town?"
"Touring," the girl said. She ran her hand down her host's arm and said, "Is this a bad time?"
"No. God, no, come on in." She glanced over and spotted Miranda about to duck into her apartment. "Hi, Miranda."
Miranda waved and said, "Lisa."
Lisa took her guest's hand and said, "Can you stay?"
The rest of the conversation was muffled as Miranda finally closed herself in her apartment. She undid her jacket and tossed it over a nearby chair. She turned the locks on the door, attaching the security chain since she didn't plan to leave again until morning. She sighed at the two locks and a chain that now stood between her and the outside world. "Everyone's safe in their little cages," she muttered.
She headed to the kitchen where she knew she would find half a leftover pizza. If the cheese hadn't congealed, and if the crust wasn't too hard to gnaw through, it would be her dinner.
Through the kitchen wall, she heard her neighbor's apartment door close. Muffled voices trailed along the apartment towards the living room.
Miranda separated three slices from the remaining pizza, sniffed it, and tossed them into the microwave. As she nuked it, she heard laughter coming from Lisa's apartment. Apparently the guest had decided to stay for a visit. Wonderful. She sighed and watched the green numbers on the microwave count down. Unfortunately, in a market as unpredictable as ours, there come times when… "Shit," she muttered. Why did Granville have to make her the bad guy in this? Why did he have to put on that Cheshire cat smile and tell her it was for the good of the business and why had she just gone along with it?
"I should quit," she muttered. "Take Tina with me, take everyone with me. Leave him without a single support staff. Tell him to go–" The microwave beeped. "–himself." She pushed her hair out of her face and took the pizza from the microwave. She put a paper towel between the slices and her hand and carried them into the living room.
She dropped into her recliner, not bothering to reach for the remote. She picked at the cheese of her pizza, surprised at her lack of hunger despite not eating all day. Maybe her body was rebelling at the very mention of food, considering the kind of day she'd had. She sighed and put the pizza on the arm of the chair. She rubbed the bridge of her nose and tried to clear her mind.
Lisa and her guest laughed through the wall. Miranda groaned. Please, if they want to spend the night catching up on old times, let them go down the street to that all night diner. Spare me the…
Another laugh, this time accompanied by the sound of music starting.
She kicked off her shoes and pushed the chair back. She tried to let the sounds coming through the wall fade into white noise, tried to ignore the voices going back and forth and the sound of Dash Warren music. She was half asleep when she heard the first cry. She had her hand on her forehead, frozen in the process of brushing hair out of her face, and she sat up quickly. She knocked the pizza to the floor and cursed as she cleaned it up.
She told herself that what she'd heard was probably just a laugh. Some strangled attempt at laughing in the middle of taking a bite of food. She'd done it herself, choked as she was trying to eat. She dumped the pizza into the trash and moved closer to the wall. Of course, did she want to be one of those New Yorkers? The one who heard a sound and went back to sleep, only to wake to find police officers and a coroner in the hallway outside?
Miranda walked up to the wall and pressed her ear against the plaster. The music was still playing, but they had moved on to Chris Isaak. She could no longer hear voices or laughter, but there were noises. Rustling, like cloth on fabric. She closed her eyes and tried to picture the layout of the apartment next door. She'd only seen it once, briefly, when Lisa had gotten some of her mail by accident.
Miranda's eyes snapped open and she pulled back. She kept her palms flat against the wall and blinked as if she could actually see into the other apartment. She hesitated and then leaned forward again.
"Do you like that?"
Whispered words, just barely audible through the wall.
Miranda turned and pressed her back against the wall. She closed her eyes and cursed at herself for being turned on. How long had it been since she'd heard those sounds in her apartment? Two months? Three? No, God, it had to have been five months. Ever since that girl from the messenger service.
"Package for you, Miss… Powell." She raised her ice-blue eyes, pale irises that almost faded into the whites around them, and Miranda was lost. She held out the package and gestured with her pad. "Need you to sign for it."
Tight spandex shorts, a few strands of brown hair sticking out from under her bike helmet, Miranda had acted on impulse. She'd signed for the package and without thinking, slipped a business card into the girl's fanny pack. That night, close to ten, there'd been a knock on the door. This girl, this anonymous bicycle-riding messenger for Hermes Deliveries, pushed into the apartment and kissed her hard.
They had stripped each other in front of the door, unconcerned about people passing in the hallway. Miranda had come first, loudly and unashamed, and immediately turned the tables on the younger girl. An outside observer would have tried to break them apart, so much did it appear they were fighting. Miranda tore at the girl's clothes, the girl made a fist in Miranda's long, blonde hair. When they finally tumbled to the bed, Miranda was naked and thrusting between the messenger's legs.
Those thoughts are not helping, she thought as she undid the button of her trousers. She swallowed, licked her lips and turned her face towards the wall. She could still hear vague sounds – the squeak as a piece of furniture shifted across the floor, the uninhibited cries as something particularly pleasant was done to someplace particularly sensitive – and slid her fingertips over the crotch of her panties.
She spread her legs a little further apart and braced her shoulders against the wall. She closed her eyes, partially remembering the last time she'd had a woman between her legs and trying to picture what was going on in the next apartment. Her neighbor, Lisa, was attractive, but a bit too young for Miranda to actively pursue. Didn't mean she'd never thought about it. Didn't mean this was the first time Miranda had used her in a fantasy.
As the unnamed guest moaned – Miranda knew Lisa's voice well enough to distinguish them – Miranda pushed the cotton of her panties aside and curled her fingertips across the slick lips of her pussy. "Lis-ee," the woman in the next apartment moaned. Lisa replied, her voice low enough that all Miranda could make out was a quiet murmur. She imagined Lisa was saying her name, whispering "Miranda" against a quaking thigh and…
"Ah, shit," she hissed. She pressed the heel of her hand against her pubic hair, stilled her fingers and felt her muscles contract around her fingers. Her knees came together and her jaw dropped as she came, struggling to keep from banging against the wall and announcing her eavesdropping. When she could move without causing aftershocks, she withdrew her hand, straightened her panties and zipped her trousers up again.
She stepped away from the wall and, suddenly wary that every sound she made was a cacophony, tiptoed across the apartment to her bedroom. She shut the door against the sounds in the next apartment and undressed to her underwear, crawling under the blankets and covering her head with a pillow.
"All right, you degenerate listeners. This is Ike and Joe in the morning and we're back, we're live, with Name That Fart." Miranda cringed as an offensive sound effect played. "We play the fart, you guess the celebrity. We got Charlie from Brooklyn on the line. Okay, Charlie, you ready to Name That Fart?"
Miranda clicked off the speaker. There'd been a time when she had kept the desktop speaker on for most of the day. Now she could barely stand to listen to five minutes at a time. She rubbed her temple and buzzed Tina into her office. A few seconds later, the door opened and Tina appeared. She wore a white dress shirt with a bright red tie, a black vest and black trousers. She looked like a newspaper reporter from a 1930's movie and the image actually made Miranda smile. "Do you have the ratings numbers?"
"On my desk," Tina said.
"How are they?"
Tina hesitated and leaned against the doorframe. "You want me to lie?"
"No," Miranda growled. "But don't answer. I don't want to know specifics." She rubbed her temples and said, "People really like Name That Fart? I mean… God, are you serious?"
"Customer is always right my ass," Tina said. "I think we're getting a lot of university listeners. Twenty year old guys who thinking farting is the epitome of high humor."
Miranda leaned back in her chair and laced her hands over her stomach. "You know, we've only been on this format for two months and I'm already ashamed to tell people where I work. I tell them I'm a station manager and then, naturally, they ask which station. And as soon as I say W.M.A.N., they get this look on their face. Like I'm the enemy. I'm sick of it."
Tina glanced over her shoulder at the door to make sure they were still alone. "Well, you've checked all the nearby stations. No one's looking for a new station manager. Even one with your qualifications."
"Yeah, well," she muttered, "New York is not the only option I have."
Tina arched an eyebrow. "Well, that's cryptic." She glanced down at the desktop and said, "Oh! Is that what that call this morning was about?"
"Which call?" Miranda said.
"The one with the Washington State area code."
Miranda sat up. "Did you give it to me?"
Tina leaned forward and shuffled the papers on Miranda's desk. "Of course I did. When you came back from lunch."
Miranda finally found the memo slips. She had stuffed them into the edge of her desk blotter, dreading the thought of waging through another sea of complaints for something their idiot morning team had done. Near the bottom of the stack, she found a phone number with a 360 area code. "Shit. I didn't even pay attention."
"I should've pointed it out…"
"It's not your fault, Tina. Thank you."
Tina nodded and rose from her seat. "I'll give you some privacy."
Miranda thanked her and waited until the office door was closed before she dialed. She double-checked the number and leaned back in her chair as it rang. After a few moments, the phone was answered and she sat up straighter. "This is Miranda Powell returning Thomas Dugan's call. Yes, I'll hold."
She turned her chair to look out the window as she waited for the station owner from across the country to come to the phone.
Albert Granville knocked on Miranda's office door two weeks later. She glanced up, giving him a modicum of respect before she went back to the paperwork she'd been filling out. He ran his eyes over the wall, which was now completely devoid of awards and photographs. "Going spartan?" he asked.
Miranda leaned back. "I'm leaving."
"There's no empty office space in the building."
Miranda sighed and stood up. She filed the paperwork in the filing cabinet and said, "I gave you my notice ten days ago. In four days, I'm leaving." And in six days, she would be starting her first day at K.E.L.F. 1220 AM in December Harbor, Washington. She could hardly wait.
Granville sighed and said, "Look, I'm going to be frank with you, Powell. The guy we got replacing you? He's nowhere near your caliber. He's fresh out of school…"
"Then maybe he'll appreciate the subtle humor of Ho, Bitch or Dyke."
Granville pointed at her desk. "You've seen the numbers since we switched formats, right?"
Miranda nodded and took her seat. "Yes, I have. But I'm not letting it shake my faith in humanity as a whole."
He smirked and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I'm here to offer you a raise. If you'll agree to stay. You're too good for, what is it, Squatter…"
"Squire's Isle," Miranda interrupted. "And it sounds idyllic."
"Well, if it sounds idiotic, why are you going?"
Miranda scanned her former boss's face to see if he was joking. When she decided he was dead serious, she scoffed and said, "I can't get out of this place fast enough."
"Two weeks extra paid vacation a year."
"It's not about money!" Miranda said. "To be honest, KELF is paying me less than I'm making here. I flew out there last weekend to get a feel for the island, and I listened to the station the entire time. And they are good. It's a station I can stand to listen to. It's a station where I won't be embarrassed to admit I work."
Granville shook his head. "You'll be sorry when you find out WMAN is the number-one radio station in New York."
Miranda rolled her eyes. "When I find out that this version of WMAN is the number-one radio station in New York, I'll completely lose my faith in this city."
"All right, Ms. Powell. If there's nothing I can do to convince you…"
She laced her fingers over her stomach and leaned back. "You destroyed the station I loved. You forced me to fire people I really liked working with. There's nothing you could do now to convince me to stay."
He shrugged. "I had to try. I wish you luck at your new station."
"Thank you, Mr. Granville," she said. "I wish I could say the same."
He chuckled and left the office. As soon as he was gone, Tina slipped in. Miranda looked up and said, "I lied to him about one thing."
"Oh, yeah," Tina said, handing over a phone message.
Miranda glanced at it before putting it aside. "I might have been willing to stay if he'd threatened your job."
Tina smiled. "Aw. To be honest, there's nothing to threaten. With you leaving, there's no way in hell I'm sticking around this place. Fortunately, I can be an assistant anywhere… it doesn't have to be a radio station."
"You're leaving?" She thought for a moment. "I wonder if KELF has the budget for an assistant."
"No, don't do that," Tina chuckled. "To be honest, I don't want to leave the city."
"Rude pedestrians, three or four locks on every door. Yeah. What's not to love?" Miranda joked.
"I am glad you're getting out, though. Promise me you'll write?"
Miranda stood and went around her desk. She hugged Tina and said, "Of course I'll write. You're the only thing I'll miss about New York."
"I rate above Broadway? The Statue of Liberty? Wow."
Miranda laughed and stepped back. "Get back to your desk. I'm not leaving for another four days; I won't have you shirking your duties this early."
Tina saluted and left the office. Miranda turned slowly, letting her gaze slip across the empty walls and the wide-open window. She walked over to the glass and looked out over Manhattan. She'd lived there her entire life, but the thought of leaving made her feel like she was getting out of prison.
"So long, New York," she whispered. She turned away from the window and tried to focus on the last few pieces of business she had to take care of.
Her apartment was even emptier than her office. Everything except for the furnishings that had come with the apartment – fridge, microwave, couch – had been packed away downstairs in the U-Haul. The only problem was finding someone to drive it from Manhattan to Squire's Isle. She was sitting cross-legged on the floor in the middle of her vacant living room, talking on the phone to people she'd found in the phone book. "You're movers! It's just…" She sighed and said, "No. No, I understand."
There was a knock on the door and she reluctantly unfolded her legs to stand. "No, I understand. Cross-country is a bit much to ask. Thank you anyway." She hung up and muttered, "Thanks for nothing." At the door, she said, "Who is it?"
She frowned and undid the locks. She peered out before opening the door all the way. They'd never seen each other outside of work, so they were both a little taken aback by each other's casual attire. Miranda was in shorts and a WMAN Marathon t-shirt from two-years ago. Tina wore jeans, a red-and-white flowered blouse and had her black hair tied into a ponytail that stuck out from the back of her baseball cap. She smiled and said, "Evening, Ms. Powell."
"Tina, what the hell are you doing here?"
Tina gestured at the door and Miranda stepped back to let her in. "You asked me to get you the numbers of a bunch of long-distance movers, so I figured out what you were planning. And I decided to take the pressure off. I'll drive your stuff to Washington for you."
Miranda laughed before she realized Tina was serious. "Oh! Oh… no, Tina, I couldn't ask you to do that."
"You're not asking. I'm offering. Consider it my last act as your assistant."
"It's, what, three-thousand miles? More than that, probably. No, it's too much. But thank you."
Tina said, "Look, Miranda… I'm not going to take no for an answer. I want to do this for you. I took a week off work, I know how to drive a moving truck… and most of all, I want to do this for you."
"But why? It's going to be the most tedious, boring drive…"
"God, you're stupid," Tina said, a smile dimming the blow. She stepped forward, cupping Miranda's face in her hands and lightly kissed her lips. "Because I love you, you goof. And since you're leaving, this is the last time I'll be able to really show you that. I want to do this one thing for you. Okay?"
"You love me?" Miranda said.
Tina shrugged. "Well, not that I'm going to uproot my life and follow you across the country. But I've always been attracted to you. I've always kind of planned on you being here. And now that you're leaving… I had to say something."
"And you're okay with leaving it like that?"
"Yeah," Tina said. "I am."
Miranda pushed the apartment door shut and said, "Well, I'm not." She pushed Tina against the wall next to the door and bowed her head for another kiss. Tina's arms wrapped around Miranda, clasping her hands behind Miranda's back as she moaned into the kiss. Miranda pulled Tina away from the wall and guided her towards the living room. "I don't have a bed… it's downstairs in the truck…"
"It's okay," Tina gasped.
Miranda guided her to the couch and pushed her down onto the cushions. Before Miranda could climb on top of her, Tina said, "I want you to know… I didn't… I didn't come up here planning this."
"I know," Miranda said. She lowered herself onto the couch, stretching her body across Tina's. They kissed again and Miranda gasped against her lips, "I've wanted you, too." She ran her hand down Tina's side, trembling when the younger woman arched into her touch. She curled her finger under the top button of Tina's blouse. She popped it open and bent down, running her lips along the curve of Tina's throat.
Tina bent her legs and brought them up, framing Miranda's body with her knees. She gasped and pawed at Miranda's t-shirt. "This isn't… long-term. I don't want… long-distance sort of… thing…"
"I know," Miranda said, kissing along the line of Tina's jaw. "I don't either."
"This is just good-bye."
"Good-bye," Miranda muttered as she reclaimed Tina's mouth.
Tina moaned. "Bye…"
Miranda's hand slipped into Tina's blouse and she popped two more buttons free. She settled against Tina's crotch and felt the other woman's thighs tighten around her. Miranda sat up and quickly undid the remaining buttons. She tried to keep calm, tried to maintain her composure, as Tina's naked chest came into view. She spread the halves of the shirt and gazed down at Tina's bare breasts. A flush rose in Tina's skin and she said, "I seriously didn't plan this…"
Miranda smiled and tucked her hair behind her ears. She brushed the back of her hands across Tina's breast and bent down to kiss her again. Tina rolled her wrists until she'd gathered a good amount of Miranda's t-shirt in her fist. She yanked up, breaking their kiss and exposing Miranda's bra. The motion not only succeeded in removing the shirt, but also in knocking off Tina's baseball cap. She let it fall and shook her head to get the suddenly-loose hair out of her eyes.
Tina managed to get her hands untangled and traced the lacy cup of Miranda's bra with her fingertip. "All the times you changed into an emergency blouse in front of me…"
"Did I drive you a little crazy?" Miranda asked against Tina's cheek.
Tina groaned. "A lot crazy…" She moved her hand down, pushing it past the waistband of Miranda's shorts. Miranda lifted her hips and closed her eyes as Tina's fingers worked their way between her legs. Tina grinned and chuckled. "Looks like I'm not the only one going commando tonight…"
"Panties… packed…"
"Excuses, excuses," Tina said. She pulled Miranda down for another kiss and let her fingertips press Miranda's pussy lips apart. "Oh, God, I'm inside you," Tina suddenly gasped around Miranda's searching tongue.
Miranda purred, "Mm, yes, you are…" She lifted her hips and settled more comfortably on Tina's hand. "Oh, God," she whispered. She braced herself against the back of the couch and rocked her hips forward.
Tina gasped and reached up with her free hand, brushing Miranda's hair out of her face. She cupped Miranda's cheek and pressed her thumb against Miranda's bottom lip. Miranda opened her mouth and swept Tina's thumb onto her tongue. She sucked gently, continuing to rock her hips rhythmically against Tina's other hand. She closed her eyes and arched her back, her toes curling as her body bowed against her orgasm.
She sagged forward and collapsed on top of Tina. She kissed every exposed surface she could; shoulder, neck, ear and eyelids. She nibbled and bit, she ran the tip of her tongue over Tina's cheek and felt her smiling. She took a deep breath, inhaling Tina's perfume. "Your turn?" she whispered.
"Please," Tina said. She withdrew her hand from Miranda's shorts and pulled her close. They kissed and Tina rolled so that they were laying side-by-side. Miranda's ass hung off the edge of the couch and Tina was pinned tight between her and the back of the couch. Miranda scooted closer, slipping her leg between Tina's thighs. She ran her hand through Tina's dark hair, holding her head as she gently began to thrust.
"I need to take my pants off," Tina whispered.
"You're fine," Miranda said. She moved her hands to Tina's hips and held her in place as she began to thrust. Her thigh rubbed against the crotch of Tina's jeans. Tina kept her eyes open, staring at Miranda as she rode her former boss's thigh. After a few seconds of contact, Tina's breath caught. She moved her hands to Miranda's shoulders and her fingers tightened into talons. She bit her bottom lip, arched her back and pressed herself against Miranda like a drowning woman being brought back to shore. Miranda dotted Tina's face with kisses and eventually drew her lips up. They kissed tenderly and Miranda swept her hand across Tina's sweaty shoulder blades. When they pulled apart, Tina kissed Miranda's chin and nestled her head against the older woman's chest.
"Well," she sighed.
Miranda chuckled and stroked Tina's hair. "Mm-hmm."
"I swear I didn't plan this," Tina said again. "But I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about it."
Miranda laughed.
"Of course, I figured we'd both be naked for it."
"Well," Miranda said, stroking Tina's dark hair. "There's still time…"
"Oh? What was this, round one?"
Miranda grinned and kissed Tina again. "Something like that." She rolled on top of Tina and reached between them to undo the catch of her jeans. As the denim slid down Tina's thighs, Miranda said, "We'll go best out of eight… or to a TKO, whichever comes first."
Tina blushed, laughed, and kicked her jeans the rest of the way off.
Miranda woke when she swept her hand across the empty space in front of her. She blinked, pushed her hair out of her face, and searched the lifeless living room. The couch stood like an island in the center of the space, her clothes still scattered in a pile in front of her. She yawned and sat up, realizing Tina had draped her with a jacket before disappearing. She sat on the edge of the couch, naked and wrapped in the coat, until she noticed a slip of paper on the floor. She bent down and read the quickly-scrawled words:
Miranda,
I figured that if I just left, there'd be no way you could talk me out of it. So I stole all your stuff. I found the U-Haul keys on the counter along with the directions you printed off from MapQuest. Don't be angry! I have your cell phone number, so I'll call in a few hours so you can yell at me. And when I get to Squire's Isle, I'll call and you can tell me where to drop your stuff off.
Last night was a dream come true. Thank you so much for it. I wanted to kiss you good-bye, but I thought it would wake you. So I'll just collect when I drop off your things. If you're not too pissed at me, that is.
She couldn't help but smile. She folded the note and bent down to gather her clothes. She had a feeling that their phone conversation with be anything but adversarial…
"…the office area," Thomas Dugan said, indicating the desks with a wide sweep of his arm. "The talent don't use their desks as much as they should, but it's a good place to drop off memos, interoffice stuff, schedule changes, that sort of thing." He patted his stomach and turned to her. "So, any questions?"
"No, not really," Miranda said, surveying her kingdom. Her office was against the back wall of the room, looking out over the sea of desks. A wide picture window to her left looked into the broadcast booth. At any point during the day, she would be able to walk three steps and would be able to watch her talent at work. "This all looks fantastic, Mr. Dugan. I can't wait to get started."
"Well, we're happy to have someone of your stature here. It's not quite… oh! Allow me to interrupt myself here. Nadine! Come on over here."
Miranda turned to see who Dugan was waving over. Nadine was a petite brunette, her bangs lightly feathering the top of her round eyeglasses. She smiled politely, obviously unsure why she had been summoned. Dugan gestured to Miranda. "Nadine Butler, this is Miranda Powell, the new station manager."
"Oh! How do you do?" the woman said, extending her hand.
"Miranda Powell," he said as Miranda took Nadine's hand, "this is Nadine Butler. She's our star of the station, the K-Elf Pixie."
"Oh, come on," Nadine laughed. She still hadn't released Miranda's hand. "I'm just a part of the team." She turned to look at Miranda and let her hand slip reluctantly from the blonde's fingers. "I look forward to working with you, Miss Powell."
"Miranda, please," she corrected.
"Miranda it is, then." She turned to Dugan and said, "I need to get to the booth… my show…"
"Right, right, of course," Dugan said, shooing her away. He cleared his throat and turned back to Miranda. "As I was saying, it may be a little dull after running a New York station, but we run a fun little ship here. I'm sure you'll like it."
Miranda was hardly paying attention to him. She watched Nadine, the Pixie of K-Elf, hurry across the bullpen. She paused before she went through the soundproof door, saw Miranda watching her and offered a quick wave before she disappeared into the broadcasting booth. Miranda knew Dugan was definitely wrong on one count.
Working for KELF – working with Nadine Butler – was going to be anything but dull.
Tags: Miranda Powell (pre-On The Air)
This entry was posted Monday, 3 March, 2008 at 11:19 pm
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New for September 2007 is a dazzling innovation in motorized window coverings — Platinum Technology. This proprietary Hunter Douglas combination of infrared (IR) line-of-sight remote control and radio frequency (RF) remote control provides superior remote control performance and versatility for PowerRise 2.0, PowerGlide 2.0 with Platinum Technology and PowerTilt 2.0 systems.
Both infrared (IR) line-of-sight remote control and radio frequency (RF) remote control have proven to be reliable systems for operating motorized window coverings. Together, the 2 systems are even better.
With IR remote control, there must be a clear line-of-sight from the remote control to the receiver eye. In addition, the receiver eye cannot be located in direct sunlight or bright interior light. Operating range is limited to approximately 30', and the angle of the infrared signal typically cannot be greater than 45°. When operated from a distance, the IR signal widens and can be received by nearby window coverings, resulting in unintentional operation.
Clear line-of-sight is not required between the remote control and window covering.
Operating range can be dramatic — as much as 100' — but can vary based on actual home environments. RF signals will typically operate shades in the same room and adjacent rooms. Better performance is possible, but it depends on home construction and layout.
However, with radio frequency systems, window coverings must be programmed into "groups" and, because of the far-ranging signal, this programming must be performed carefully to avoid accidentally adding window coverings to a group. In addition, if 2 or more window coverings are added to a group, the option of individual operation of those window coverings no longer exists.
The shortcomings of each system have been eliminated by Hunter Douglas' new Platinum Technology. For the first time, IR and RF have been brought together to create a system of remarkable power and versatility.
Here's how IR helps RF: Programming window coverings into radio frequency groups is done using the infrared signal. No longer must power be disconnected from window coverings to avoid their inadvertent RF programming. And even if 2 or more window coverings have been added to a group, they can still be operated individually using the IR signal. IR makes RF practically a perfect system!
And here's how RF helps IR: It eliminates the absolute need for line-of-sight operation. As long as the receiver eye can be accessed for RF programming, it can be blocked the rest of the time by a drapery or top treatment as long as exclusive radio frequency operation is satisfactory for the consumer. The receiver eye can even be in direct sunlight when operating in RF mode.
The advantage of programming your window coverings into groups means you can set up remote control for individual window coverings or a specific room of window coverings, or any combination of window coverings in your home on one of the four group buttons.
If you need more than four groups then Hunter Douglas can set up a second control channel on the remote so that you can operate up to eight groups of window coverings with a single remote control.
Want more than one remote in your home, but want them both to have the same remote control group functions? Not a problem, a second (or third, or fourth, etc) remote controller can be cloned from the primary remote controller and both will function exactly the same. A practical solution for large or multi-level homes, you don't have to chase down a single remote controller that may be downstairs when you are upstairs. Keep one in both locations!
The new Hunter Douglas Platinum Technology Wireless Wall Switch adds another level of control over Hunter Douglas Platinum Technology products. It works with all PowerRise 2.0 and PowerTilt 2.0 systems and the new PowerGlide 2.0 system for both Luminette Privacy Sheers and Skyline Gliding Window Panels.
The wireless wall switch is powered by 2 AAA batteries, the device sends radio frequency signals (RF) to Hunter Douglas Platinum-powered systems to make the window treatment raise, lower, tilt, or traverse.
The wall switch has some additional features, too. With the wireless wall switch, multiple RF groups can be selected and operated at the same time. So if you select RF Group 1 and RF Group 3, the 1 and 3 buttons will light up. Then press the up or down button and both groups will operate at the same time.
The Platinum Wireless Wall switch also has a built-in memory, so it will remember the last group or groups that were selected. So, if your last operation was to raise groups 1 and 3, you won't have to push the group buttons to lower them. Just push the down button and all the shades or blinds programmed for these groups will lower. The switch will remember only the last group selection.
The wireless wall switch can be cloned with a Platinum remote so that you can have the option of controlling your blinds and shades with either the switch or the remote. The switch is a great add-on for every PowerRise/PowerTilt or PowerGlide product and provides a way to operate shades and blinds even if a remote control is misplaced.
Complete programming instructions are included in the Wireless Wall Switch Installation Guide.
With three more ways to automatically operate your Hunter Douglas motorized shades, control has never been easier. The Platinum Technology Accessory family provides the ultimate in convenience and peace of mind guaranteed to fit any lifestyle. Control the natural light in your home like never before.
Operates window coverings to maximize energy efficiency. Detects the amount of solar energy entering the home through the window and sends out a wireless signal that automatically opens or closes window coverings to maximize energy efficiency.
Automatically controls window coverings anytime, day or night. Can be set to automatically raise, lower, traverse or tilt a specific window covering or group of coverings at any time throughout the day.
Adapts any household outlet to control your window coverings. Used in many applications, such as with a simple off-the-shelf lamp timer, the RF Adapter is a cost-effective solution for automatic operation.
With new Platinum Technology motorization from Hunter Douglas you are able to program a remote control to send signals to groups of shades or blinds by radio frequency.
It isn't necessary to have a line of sight or even be in the same room to operate the window coverings. One remote control is all you need to operate different types of products.
It's easy to program the remote control for the different functions of each group of window coverings.
Click here to download the Hunter Douglas Platinum Technology Remote Control User Guide to see how the initial programming is done.
The hard-wired systems for these brands are switch control systems, with the option of remote control. The wall switches actually incorporate both IR and RF receivers. All it takes to add remote control operation to 1 of these switch-controlled systems is 1 hand-held Platinum Technology remote control!
The PowerRise 2.0 with Platinum Technology remote control system is one of the most economical and easy-to-install motorization options. An infrared receiver eye, RF receiver and battery wand with AA or AAA alkaline batteries are all built into the headrail. Mount the shade or shading in the window and it's ready to go.
The following options increase the versatility of the PowerRise 2.0 system to enable its use in a wider variety of applications.
If regular, routine use of the infrared (IR) signal is desired, a satellite eye can be ordered when the built-in receiver eye is blocked by a top treatment, or if its function is compromised by direct sunlight or bright interior light. The satellite eye can be positioned up to 8' from the headrail.
If a built-in battery wand would be difficult to access (if the shade were in a high window, for example), a satellite battery pack can be ordered to make battery replacement easier. The battery pack may be positioned up to 8' from the headrail. The satellite battery pack is standard for outside-mounted Silhouette® shadings and Vignette® shades. The built-in battery wand precludes these window coverings from being outside mounted.
The optional AC transformer eliminates the need for batteries. The transformer may be plugged into a wall outlet up to 25' from the headrail of the window covering.
PowerGlide 2.0 with Platinum Technology is the motorization system for Luminette Privacy Sheers and Skyline Gliding Window Panels. While similar to the PowerRise 2.0 system, there are several significant differences.
The most obvious difference is in the operation of the window covering. Instead of raising and lowering (and tilting with Silhouette shadings), the PowerGlide 2.0 system tilts and traverses Luminette sheers and traverses the Skyline Gliding Window Panels.
Another big difference is the use of the selector switch. Instead of being used to change operating channels, it is used to change functions: in the left position (channel 1), the signal from the remote control tilts the vanes; and in the right position (channel 2), the signal traverses the sheer.
This use of the selector switch is the same for both IR and RF operation. Note that the UP and DOWN buttons are used to tilt or traverse in opposite directions.
In many windows, horizontal blinds are rarely raised. Most of the operation performed by tilting the slats to control light and privacy. For these products, motorized tilting of the slats is an ideal option.
PowerTilt 2.0 with Platinum Technology is a battery powered system for horizontal blinds. The batteries are contained within a satellite battery pack and the signal from the remote control is received by the satellite eye. These components, as well as the remote control, are the same as those available with PowerRise 2.0 systems.
Instead of a satellite battery pack, an optional AC transformer may be ordered with PowerTilt 2.0 systems.
Hard-wired systems with Platinum Technology can operate larger window coverings and offer greater versatility than the more economical, easier-to-install PowerRise 2.0 systems. With hard-wired systems, hidden wires are routed via switches to each window from one or more power supplies. The power supplies are typically concealed in a closet or attic. If you are planning on connecting window coverings to a home automation system, hard-wiring is the correct decision for maximum reliability and control options.
All Hunter Douglas Platinum Technology hard-wired systems are switch-controlled, utilizing Platinum Technology wall switches.
The Platinum Technology wall switches incorporate IR and RF receivers. A Platinum Technology remote control is all that is required to make a hard-wired system both switch-controlled and remote-controlled. This is what gives these hard-wired systems such value-added versatility.
Remote control operating and programming procedures are the same as for PowerRise 2.0 systems, with the switch replacing the built-in or satellite receiver eye.
Hunter Douglas Platinum Technology Motorized Blinds and Shades are available from The Blind Alley in Bellevue, Washington. For more information, contact The Blind Alley and visit our Hunter Douglas Gallery showroom.
Or view Hunter Douglas Platinum Technology Motorized Blinds and Shades in the privacy of your home with one of our Window Fashion Designers.
To view more information regarding Hunter Douglas Platinum Technology Motorized Blinds and Shades visit the Hunter Douglas website.
Hunter Douglas Inc., headquartered in Pearl River, NY, is the leading manufacturer of custom window coverings in North America.


A community health center [name witheld] in a medically underserved suburban community in Chicagoland seeks Director of Development to be responsible for achieving fundraising goals while promoting the clinic's mission and programs. The Development Director will work closely with the CEO, Executive Management Group, Board of Directors, and medical staff to plan, direct, and coordinate all fund development functions, including major fundraising activities, donor cultivation and special projects. Salary range commensurate with experience.


text:
Dalilah Muhammad (født 7. februar 1990) er en amerikansk atlet, der konkurrerer i hækkeløb.

Hun repræsenterede USA under sommer-OL 2016 i Rio de Janeiro, hvor hun tog guld i 400 meter hækkeløb.

Referencer

Eksterne henvisninger

Hækkeløbere fra USA
Atleter ved sommer-OL 2016
Atleter ved sommer-OL 2020
Medaljevindere ved sommer-OL 2016
Medaljevindere ved sommer-OL 2020
Olympiske mestre fra USA
Olympiske sølvmedaljevindere fra USA
Deltagere for USA ved sommer-OL 2020

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
They Can't Afford It: Capitalism's Big Lie
Submitted by The Aspie Corner on Wed, 06/26/2019 - 4:04pm
I am of course referring to the capitalists who rule every aspect of the world, but particularly in the United States.
We hear them scream all the time that they can't afford to raise wages so people can actually live on them rather than work 3 to four jobs to survive. They also scream that they can't afford to pay for the benefits workers desperately need but also decry Single Payer as outright Communism (Not that most of them would bother to understand what Communism, or Socialism, actually is).
The capitalists who rule this shithole also whine that we can't afford to rebuild our infrastructure. But that's never stopped them from bragging about the trillions they've stolen over the last few decades through austerity measures, tax scams, wage theft, pension looting and stock market gambling.
They also decide where and when we go to war. They've been doing this kind of crap since the founding of the United Shitholes of 'Murica, but they really ramped it up just before the 20th century. We were lied into the Spanish-American War by none other than William Randolph Hearst.
In the very beginning of the first chapter of Douglas Tottle's "Fraud, Famine and Fascism: The Ukrainian Genocide Myth from Hitler to Harvard" (I recommend this book, by the way) is an interesting quote:
In 1898 various US business interests, including sugar companies, were anxious for the United States to seize Cuba. A pretext was needed to build up pro-war sentiment among the US public. American press magnate William Randolph Hearst, so the story goes, assigned the noted artist Frederick Remington to Cuba to find evidence of conditions which would justify a US military intervention. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, Remington cabled back to Hearst: "Everything is quiet here....I wish to return." Hearst replied: "Please remain. You furnish the pictures and I'll furnish the war."
It's worth noting that this very practice is how we've gone into every single "war" since World War II. We're seeing it now with propaganda against Russia, Iran, Venezuela and North Korea. And we've paid for every damn war while they've made out like bandits.
No wonder they scream "We can't afford it!!!111!1" when people in this shithole demand anything that might actually better their lives..they're too busy spending everything to rape foreign markets and gambling with our money.
Hell, they even forced those who fought the "revolution" in the 1770s rather than paying for it themselves. After all, George Washington and his merry mob of robber barons didn't get rich by writing checks or paying their workers. They were capitalists, after all, and they had a racket to maintain and couldn't tolerate anyone who opposed it.
So the next time some capitalist or one of their fluffers on TV (Looking at you NBC, Fox and CNN) or "small business owner" buffers says "We can't afford it!!!111!1" to any policy that might enrich society as a whole, just tell them "Fine. We can't afford you."
we can't afford capitalism
Submitted by lizzyh7 on Wed, 06/26/2019 - 5:04pm
Maybe a bit off topic
But not really. Reminds me of those who scream about how much illegals are "getting" and how we simply can't afford THAT while "we" ever so blithely acquiesce to spending upwards of $1t on endless wars. Never any mention of THAT, is there?
Submitted by Big Al on Wed, 06/26/2019 - 6:22pm
Not to mention the incredibly rising national debt and the
budget deficit, two main reasons "they can't afford it", which will come to bite us very soon. While the democrats pretend we can have a better health care system and a multi-trillion dollar green new deal, both parties understand what is to come. Austerity for the masses, because if imperialism isn't ended and the national debt isn't dissolved, the duopoly will have to drain our blood.
I doubt there's anything left to drain at this point.
@Big Al Funnily enough, the "debt" they talk about just so happens to equal the amount they've stolen over the years, all of which will go to their kids or grand kids.
Submitted by travelerxxx on Wed, 06/26/2019 - 9:54pm
Have some faith!
Nah, they'll find something more to steal. They're good at this shit. Anyway, after they've bled every drop possible from us, they'll go after the rich bastard next to them ... even their own kin. It's what they do.
#2 Funnily enough, the "debt" they talk about just so happens to equal the amount they've stolen over the years, all of which will go to their kids or grand kids.
Stop being so bourgeois and join the ☭ MLPN !! — oh, wait …
1 hour 2 min ago
2 hours 19 sec ago
Bet a generous pour of brandy
No, he's naked and afraid.
By: leveymg
I'm not much for gambling, even with pennies.
From: "I Told You So" Just Doesn't Cut It
"Oh poor little innocent me"


text:
Q: Using Task.Wait on a parallel task vs asynchronous task In chapter 4.4 Dynamic Parallelism, in Stephen Cleary's book Concurrency in C# Cookbook, it says the following:

Parallel tasks may use blocking members, such as Task.Wait,
Task.Result, Task.WaitAll, and Task.WaitAny. In contrast, asynchronous
tasks should avoid blocking members, and prefer await, Task.WhenAll,
and Task.WhenAny.

I was always told that Task.Wait etc are bad because they block the current thread, and that it's much better to use await instead, so that the calling thread is not blocked.
Why is it ok to use Task.Wait etc for a parallel (which I think means CPU bound) Task?
Example:
In the example below, isn't Test1() better because the thread that calls Test1() is able to continue doing something else while it waits for the for loop to complete?
Whereas the thread that calls Test() is stuck waiting for the for loop to complete.
    private static void Test()
    {
        Task.Run(() =>
        {
            for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++)
            {
                //do something.
            }
        }).Wait();
    }

    private static async Task Test1()
    {
        await Task.Run(() =>
        {
            for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++)
            {
                //do something.
            }
        });
    }

EDIT:
This is the rest of the paragraph which I'm adding based on Peter Csala's comment:

Parallel tasks also commonly use AttachedToParent to create parent/child relationships between tasks. Parallel tasks should be created with Task.Run or Task.Factory.StartNew.

A: You've already got some great answers here, but just to chime in (sorry if this is repetitive at all):
Task was introduced in the TPL before async/await existed. When async came along, the Task type was reused instead of creating a separate "Promise" type.
In the TPL, pretty much all tasks were Delegate Tasks - i.e., they wrap a delegate (code) which is executed on a TaskScheduler. It was also possible - though rare - to have Promise Tasks in the TPL, which were created by TaskCompletionSource<T>.
The higher-level TPL APIs (Parallel and PLINQ) hide the Delegate Tasks from you; they are higher-level abstractions that create multiple Delegate Tasks and execute them on multiple threads, complete with all the complexity of partitioning and work queue stealing and all that stuff.
However, the one drawback to the higher-level APIs is that you need to know how much work you are going to do before you start. It's not possible for, e.g., the processing of one data item to add another data item(s) back at the beginning of the parallel work. That's where Dynamic Parallelism comes in.
Dynamic Parallelism uses the Task type directly. There are many APIs on the Task type that were designed for Dynamic Parallelism and should be avoided in async code unless you really know what you're doing (i.e., either your name is Stephen Toub or you're writing a high-performance .NET runtime). These APIs include StartNew, ContinueWith, Wait, Result, WaitAll, WaitAny, Id, CurrentId, RunSynchronously, and parent/child tasks. And then there's the Task constructor itself and Start which should never be used in any code at all.
In the particular case of Wait, yes, it does block the thread. And that is not ideal (even in parallel programming), because it blocks a literal thread. However, the alternative may be worse.
Consider the case where task A reaches a point where it has to be sure task B completes before it continues. This is the general Dynamic Parallelism case, so assume no parent/child relationship.
The old-school way to avoid this kind of blocking is to split method A up into a continuation and use ContinueWith. That works fine, but it does complicate the code - rather considerably in the case of loops. You end up writing a state machine, essentially what async does for you. In modern code, you may be able to use await, but then that has its own dangers: parallel code does not work out of the box with async, and combining the two can be tricky.
So it really comes down to a tradeoff between code complexity vs runtime efficiency. And when you consider the following points, you'll see why blocking was common:

*

*Parallelism is normally done on Desktop applications; it's not common (or recommended) for web servers.

*Desktop machines tend to have plenty of threads to spare. I remember Mark Russinovich (long before he joined Microsoft) demoing how showing a File Open dialog on Windows spawned some crazy number of threads (over 20, IIRC). And yet the user wouldn't even notice 20 threads being spawned (and presumably blocked).

*Parallel code is difficult to maintain in the first place; Dynamic Parallelism using continuations is exceptionally difficult to maintain.

Given these points, it's pretty easy to see why a lot of parallel code blocks thread pool threads: the user experience is degraded by an unnoticeable amount, but the developer experience is enhanced significantly.

A: The thing is if you are using tasks to parallelize CPU-bound work - your method is likely not asynchronous, because the main benefit of async is asynchronous IO, and you have no IO in this case. Since your method is synchronous - you can't await anything, including tasks you use to parallelize computation, nor do you need to.
The valid concern you mentioned is you would waste current thread if you just block it waiting for parallel tasks to complete. However you should not waste it like this - it can be used as one participant in parallel computation. Say you want to perform parallel computation on 4 threads. Use current thread + 3 other threads, instead of using just 4 other threads and waste current one blocked waiting for them.
That's what for example Parallel LINQ does - it uses current thread together with thread pool threads. Note also its methods are not async (and should not be), but they do use Tasks internally and do block waiting on them.
Update: about your examples.
This one:
private static void Test()
{
    Task.Run(() =>
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++)
        {
            //do something.
        }
    }).Wait();
}

Is always useless - you offset some computation to separate thread while current thread is blocked waiting, so in result one thread is just wasted for nothing useful. Instead you should just do:
private static void Test()
{
    for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++)
    {
        //do something.
    }
}

This one:
private static async Task Test1()
{
    await Task.Run(() =>
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++)
        {
            //do something.
        }
    });
}

Is useful sometimes - when for some reason you need to perform computation but don't want to block current thread. For example, if current thread is UI thread and you don't want user interface to be freezed while computation is performed. However, if you are not in such environment, for example you are writing general purpose library - then it's useless too and you should stick to synchronous version above. If user of your library happen to be on UI thread - he can wrap the call in Task.Run himself. I would say that even if you are not writing a library but UI application - you should move all such logic (for loop in this case) into separate synchronous method and then wrap call to that method in Task.Run if necessary. So like this:
private static async Task Test2()
{
    // we are on UI thread here, don't want to block it
    await Task.Run(() => {
        OurSynchronousVersionAbove();
    });
    // back on UI thread
    // do something else
}

Now say you have that synchronous method and want to parallelize the computation. You may try something like this:
static void Test1() {
    var task1 = Task.Run(() => {
        for (int i = 0; i < 50;i++) {
            // do something
        }
    });
    var task2 = Task.Run(() => {
        for (int i = 50; i < 100;i++) {
            // do something
        }
    });
    Task.WaitAll(task1, task2);
}

That will work but it wastes current thread blocked for no reason, waiting for two tasks to complete. Instead, you should do it like this:
static void Test1() {
    var task = Task.Run(() => {
        for (int i = 0; i < 50; i++) {
            // do something
        }
    });

    for (int i = 50; i < 100; i++) {
        // do something
    }

    task.Wait();
}

Now you perform computation in parallel using 2 threads - one thread pool thread (from Task.Run) and current thread. And here is your legitimate use of task.Wait(). Of course usually you should stick to existing solutions like parallel LINQ, which does the same for you but better.

A: One of the risks of Task.Wait is deadlocks. If you call .Wait on the UI thread, you will deadlock if the task needs the main thread to complete. If you call an async method on the UI thread such deadlocks are very likely.
If you are 100% sure the task is running on a background thread, is guaranteed to complete no matter what, and that this will never change, it is fine to wait on it.
Since this if fairly difficult to guarantee it is usually a good idea to try to avoid waiting on tasks at all.

A: I believe that point in this passage is to not use blocking operations like Task.Wait in asynchronous code.
The main point isn't that Task.Wait is preferred in parallel code; it just says that you can get away with it, while in asynchronous code it can have a really serious effect.
This is because the success of async code depends on the tasks 'letting go' (with await) so that the thread(s) can do other work. In explicitly parallel code a blocking Wait may be OK because the other streams of work will continue going because they have a dedicated thread(s).

A: As I mentioned in the comments section if you look at the Receipt as a whole it might make more sense. Let me quote here the relevant part as well.

The Task type serves two purposes in concurrent programming: it can be a parallel task or an asynchronous task. Parallel tasks may use blocking members, such as Task.Wait, Task.Result, Task.WaitAll, and Task.WaitAny. In contrast, asynchronous tasks should avoid blocking members, and prefer await, Task.WhenAll, and Task.WhenAny. Parallel tasks also commonly use AttachedToParent to create parent/child relationships between tasks. Parallel tasks should be created with Task.Run or Task.Factory.StartNew.
In contrast, asynchronous tasks should avoid blocking members and prefer await, Task.WhenAll, and Task.WhenAny. Asynchronous tasks do not use AttachedToParent, but they can inform an implicit kind of parent/child relationship by awaiting an other task.

IMHO, it clearly articulates that a Task (or future) can represent a job, which can take advantage of the async I/O. OR it can represent a CPU bound job which could run in parallel with other CPU bound jobs.
Awaiting the former is the suggested way because otherwise you can't really take advantage of the underlying I/O driver's async capability. The latter does not require awaiting since it is not an async I/O job.

UPDATE Provide an example
As Theodor Zoulias asked in a comment section here is a made up example for parallel tasks where Task.WaitAll is being used.
Let's suppose we have this naive Is Prime Number implementation. It is not efficient, but it demonstrates that you perform something which is computationally can be considered as heavy. (Please also bear in mind for the sake of simplicity I did not add any error handling logic.)
static (int, bool) NaiveIsPrime(int number)
{
    int numberOfDividers = 0;
    for (int divider = 1; divider <= number; divider++)
    {
        if (number % divider == 0)
        {
            numberOfDividers++;
        }
    }
    return (number, numberOfDividers == 2);
}

And here is a sample use case which run a couple of is prime calculation in parallel and waits for the results in a blocking way.
List<Task<(int, bool)>> jobs = new();
for (int number = 1_010; number < 1_020; number++)
{
    var x = number;
    jobs.Add(Task.Run(() => NaiveIsPrime(x)));
}

Task.WaitAll(jobs.ToArray());
foreach (var job in jobs)
{
    (int number, bool isPrime) = job.Result;
    var isPrimeInText = isPrime ? "a prime" : "not a prime";
    Console.WriteLine($"{number} is {isPrimeInText}");
}

As you can see I haven't used any await keyword anywhere.
Here is a dotnet fiddle link
and here is a link for the prime numbers under 10 000.

A: I recommended using await instead of Task.Wait() for asynchronous methods/tasks, because this way the thread can be used for something else while the task is running.
However, for parallel tasks that are CPU -bound, most of the available CPU should be used. It makes sense use Task.Wait() to block the current thread until the task is complete. This way, the CPU -bound task can make full use of the CPU resources.
Update with supplementary statement.
Parallel tasks can use blocking members such as Task.Wait(), Task.Result, Task.WaitAll, and Task.WaitAny as they should consume all available CPU resources. When working with parallel tasks, it can be beneficial to block the current thread until the task is complete, since the thread is not being used for anything else. This way, the software can fully utilize all available CPU resources instead of wasting resources by keeping the thread running while it is blocked.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
I Will Defeat All Nigeria's Security Challenges, COAS Boasts As He Unveils Vision
by Kenechukwu Ofomah
in trending
Awka – The new Chief of Army Staff, Major General Faruk Yahaya has vowed to command the Nigerian Army to win all land battles in defence of the territorial integrity of Nigeria.
The new COAS disclosed this on Monday when he met with principal staff officers and field commanders of the Nigerian Army at the Defence headquarters, Abuja.
The COAS used the opportunity to unveil his vision for the Nigerian Army, which he said was to achieve 'a professional Nigerian Army ready to accomplish assigned missions within a joint environment in defense of Nigeria.'
Major General Yahaya's appointment came on the heels of the death of former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, following a plane crash in Kaduna in May, 2021.
According to Yahaya, the late COAS was a big brother, a brilliant officer and a mentor.
Does President Buhari have Dementia? Ask His Doctors Not The Media
Dowen Tragedy: The Roles Of Parents And Destiny Molders
"My appointment came at a time when the Nigerian Army lost its former COAS Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru who died in a plane crash along 10 other officers. The late COAS was a big brother, a brilliant officer and a mentor as well as a guardian who has shown exemplary leadership in his brief stay in office. It is my desire to continue on the good foot prints of the deceased General," he said.
The Army Boss said his vision is channeled towards defeating all security challenges presently confronting the Nigerian Nation in collaboration with sister services and other security agencies.
"My mission is to command the Army to win all land battles in defense of the territorial integrity of Nigeria, protect her national interests and accomplish assigned tasks in aid of civil authority among other responsibilities," Yahaya noted.
The COAS pledged the unalloyed commitment and loyalty of the NA to the President Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces while assuring all officers and men of exemplary and professional leadership that would serve as a rallying point for all.
"The NA under my command will discharge its duties with diligence, commitment and loyalty to the President Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Mohammadu Buhari'' he promised.
Tags: COASNigeriaSecurity
A Walk from Dowen Dormitory Back To Lekki Toll Gate (Part Two)
Married Women Compete With Single Women For Bachelors
Why It Is A Waste Of Time To Divorce A Wife With Male Children In Nnewi & Igbo Land


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text:
L' est une des  après l'ère Bun'ō et avant l'ère Bun'ei. Cette ère couvre la période allant du mois de  au mois de . L'empereur régnant est .

Changement d'ère
 ; 1261 : Le nom de la nouvelle ère est créé pour marquer un événement ou une succession d'événements. La précédente ère se termine quand commence la nouvelle, en Bun'ō 2.

Événements de l'ère Kōchō
  (Kōchō 1,  du ) : Nichiren est exilé à Itō dans la province d'Izu.
  (Kōchō 2,  du ) : Shinran meurt à l'âge de 90 ans.
  (Kōchō 3, 22nd day of the 2nd month) : Nichiren est pardonné.

Bibliographie
 Nichiren. (2004). Writings of Nichiren Shonin: Doctrine 3. onolulu: University of Hawaii Press.
 Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005).  Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ;  OCLC 58053128
 Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Nihon Odai Ichiran; ou,  Annales des empereurs du Japon.  Paris: Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. OCLC 5850691
 H. Paul Varley. (1980). A Chronicle of Gods and Sovereigns: Jinnō Shōtōki of Kitabatake Chikafusa. New York: Columbia University Press. ;  OCLC 6042764

Notes et références

Liens externes
 Bibliothèque nationale de la Diète, « Le calendrier japonais » -- Aperçu historique plus images de la collection de la bibliothèque

Kocho


text:
trans*
An umbrella term to include folks who identify as transgender, transsexual, and other identities where a person does not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. It is a placeholder for suffixes of trans, that is, trans_____. The asterisk (*) is standing in for *gender, *sexual, *feminine, *masculine, *folks, *person, *guy, *girl, *woman, and *man.
It is also inclusive of identities that do not start with the prefix "trans," but can be understood as under the trans* umbrella. These identities include, but are not limited to, genderqueer, bigender, third gender, genderf*ck, gender fluid, genderless, MtF, FtM, Two Spirit, non-binary, androgynous, and masculine of center (MOC). While all of these identities are distinct from one other, each can be understood as under the trans* umbrella because the folks who identify with them do not identify as the gender they were assigned at birth and/or are "queering" (deviating from norms; blurring) gender expectations and assumptions.
A note on usage: the identities above are all self-identifying terms. It is not for you to say then, "Well, I read a blog post that said genderqueer people are trans*, so if you identify as genderqueer you are trans*, whether you think so or not."
Respect the words that people use to describe themselves by using those same words to describe them and not questioning their use of the terms.
"I identify as trans*"
by comet May 20, 2014
Get the trans* mug.
A common Vietnamese surname. It is the 476th most common name in the United States. Other common Vietnamese last-names are Nguyen, Pham, Le, Vu, Do and Huynh
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A truncated version of transexual, transgender, or transvestite. It is attempted to be used as an umbrella term referring to those who are differently gendered, however, there are differently gendered people who would not use the term for themselves.
I'm trying to figure out if I'm trans.
by Toby Hill-Meyer December 30, 2004
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An abbreviation of the word transgender (also transsexual/transexual). "Trans" is shorter and more informal than "transgender."
A trans person is someone whose gender is not that which they were assigned at birth.
When Noam was born, the doctor said they were a girl, but as they grow up, they realize that they aren't a girl. Therefore, Noam is trans.
by xla March 17, 2017
A prefix meaning across, beyond, changing, or crossing.
The train ride we took today was transcontinental.
by talespy12 April 9, 2011
trans is a person who was assigned a gender at birth and doesn't identify that way. FTM (female to male) and MTF (male to female) trans labels are seen most often.
"I'm trans!"
by tymphany June 18, 2020
The ultimate word used to define one's skill in a certain subject (usually online gaming.) It is not a well known word but the few and proud use it to differentiate themselves from all the posers that use words like Owned and Pwned
I tran utter noob soul
OMG the Trannage i am commiting is unbelievable!!
Yo that kid got tranned!
by Crimsonstride June 1, 2006


text:
Q: Load Pandas DataFrame to MS SQL localhost DB I am trying to load data frame 'f3' to MS SQL server running in localhost with the help of python script. Here is my code;
import sqlalchemy
import pyodbc
engine = sqlalchemy.create_engine("mssql+pyodbc://localhost/test_project")
f3.to_sql("test", engine)
However, I am getting an error which I could not figure out what I did wrong. Can somebody please help me to find what's wrong I am doing?
Below is the error I am getting;
DBAPIError: (pyodbc.Error) ('IM002', '[IM002] [Microsoft][ODBC Driver Manager] Data source name not found and no default driver specified (0) (SQLDriverConnect)')
write the DataFrame to a table in the SQL database

A: The problem you made in the connection string with mssql database.
You have to put it as show in below,
engine = sqlalchemy.create_engine('mssql+pyodbc://'+user+':'+password+'@'+host+':'+port+'/'+database+'?'\
          +'driver=SQL+Server+Native+Client+11.0')

Please make sure that, put correct details into variables that used in connection string. You may use different driver as well according to your please change the driver, in my case I put SQL+Server+Native+Client+11.0.


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Forever Turquoise Jewelry: Celebrity Crazy Fashion!
One of the powerful in the fashion industry right now is using the most prominent celebrity there is/are on the market.
Shopping around might be easy if you have something in your head on what to choose or to buy, but sometimes, it is easier if you have seen it from the celebrities wearing it in the red carpet nor just simply them moving and roaming around with their favourite outfit.
We, basically, one of the inspirations that affect our fashion style is the celebrities choice of fashion, from simple to sophisticated, or something, let us say unusual-crazy fashion, that is from head-to-toe.
Therefore, whatever wardrobe, pieces of jewellery and accessories you use for the day, make it a point that you are happy with it. Many could buy fashion but only a few can carry the unique style!