text:
Brian Eno Scores New Documentary on Iconic Designer Dieter Rams
Hear his music in three teasers for the film by director Gary Hustwit (Helvetica)
By Braudie Blais-Billie
Brian Eno, photo by Christian Alminana/Getty Images
Brian Eno has provided the score to a new documentary called Rams. Directed by Gary Hustwit (Helvetica), the film is about the life of German industrial design legend Dieter Rams. Watch three short teasers for the documentary, which features excerpts of Eno's original compositions, below. Rams, now 85, is known for his design theory and his consumer products with the company Braun. Though it's expected this year, the premiere date for Rams is not yet determined. Last week, Eno's Bloom: Open Space "mixed reality" installation with Peter Chilvers opened in Amsterdam. Last year, Eno released his new album Reflection and the Tom Rogerson collaboration Finding Shore.
Read Pitchfork's "The 50 Best Ambient Albums of All Time."
TagsFilmBrian EnoElectronic


text:
Q: In php how do I set the size of an array? I just want to set the size of an array in php, without having to fill it up with any values. How do I do that?

A: In PHP arrays are really ordered maps and thus have size equal to the number of elements they contain -- if you want to create an empty array of a particular size you're going to have to fill it with something.
You could always fill it with null values using array_fill:
$empty_arr = array_fill(0, $size, NULL);

A: Use SplFixedArray for a fixed-size array:
$array = new SplFixedArray(3);
$array[0] = 1;
$array[1] = 2;
$array[2] = 3;
$array[3] = 4; // RuntimeException

A: Arrays don't have a set size, they are dynamic (not stored the same as other languages such as C).
If you want to specify an array with a size for performance reasons, look at:
SplFixedArray in the Standard PHP Library.

A: You have to add elements to the array to change the size. Whether it is with the value of null, or otherwise.. you must add some element to change the size.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: How to run a playbook conditionally if any of a property is True I have the following variable
stack:
    blackbox:
      enabled: false
      version: master
      config_path: /srv/blackbox/blackbox.yml

    prometheus:
      enabled: false
      hostname: prometheus.uttnetgroup.fr

    node_exporter:
      enabled: false
      hostname: node_exporter.uttnetgroup.fr

I would like run my playbook if any of the property enabled is True.
For now, I have
- name: Install Docker services
  debug:
    msg: "Awesome"
  when: "True in '{{ stack | json_query('*.*.enabled') }}')"
  loop_control:
    loop_var: stack
    index_var: stack_name

But I it doesn't work and I don't know if I still should dig in this direction.

A: Use assert and test list values. For example
    - assert:
        that: stack|json_query('*.enabled') is any
        fail_msg: None of the properties is True


So far, that action has sealed precisely one document: Hillary Rodhams senior honors thesis in political science, entitled " There Is Only the Fight.: An Analysis of the Alinsky Model.". He..
Fill each half of the mold, packing the mixture in slightly until it's overflowing. Love a good relaxing bath? They also clean easily and dont retain the scent of your oils. After..
play in our organism; For example avoiding carbohydrates is very common, because we think of it as fat, without realizing they also have an important function in our organism, they actually provide. Eating foods that contain fiber will correct this problem. Cut down on alcohol intake. While skipping a meal will reduce your calorie intake worse is better essay for that hour, it will leave you much hungrier later. This is why experts talk about weight loss in terms of diet and exercise. The second and most effective step is exercising. Losing weight is a battle that many people struggle with at some point in their lives because most of them are not satisfied with there currently weight. Do you need to increase your activity levels? You're then more likely to build it into your routine and continue to exercise, despite inevitably missing the odd session through holidays, family commitments, etc. If you're not sure what's meant by 'healthy diet read our series on nutrition.
Another issue while eating healthy is consumption of macronutrients. Be patient and persevere It might take a week or two before you notice any changes, but they will steadily appear. This doesn't mean crash diet (anything less than 1500 calories which usually ends up with you either getting weaker or giving up in desperation. They are easy to buy, and in comparison to prescription drugs they are cheaper. For men, the risk of heart problems reduces considerably. Fasting is an old practice, usually used because of religious views to develop self-discipline, but if it is used to lose weight it may have irreversible consequences. Fruit: the sweet and fleshy product of a tree or other plant that contains seed and can be eaten as food In order to get results, individuals are incorporating new habits to their lifestyle, which sometimes is great but most of the times it is not. One extra biscuit a week can lead you to gain 5lb a year cut that biscuit out of your diet and you'll lose the same amount. Over-the-counter writing a periodization essay or nonprescription medication includes herbal products or dietary supplements.
In this essay, I will compare two different methods of losing weight. 2013 Two ways of weight loss: Healthy and dangerous Through the years, society hav e got a whole new concept of what being happy could mean; it is not about. Stephanie Pulgar John Diederich Writing II September, 23rd 2013 Two ways of weight loss: Healthy and dangerous Through the years, society have got a whole. Instructor: Shelagh Smith Two Methods of losing weight Today s society is weig.


The Remember the Ribbon (RTR) Initiative is committed to raising awareness and improving the health and social environment of minority communities in regards to the HIV/AIDS epidemic through awareness, prevention, and education.
Each year on December 1st, the SNPhA collaborates with Walgreens to observe World AIDS Day and unite in the fight against HIV. On this day, SNPhA members provide HIV/AIDS education and awareness to the community at Walgreens HIV specialized pharmacies all across the country. Last year, SNPhA members impacted 1,258 patients nationwide on this day alone (This is an increase of 204 patients from the number of patients impacted in 2016).
SNPhA chapters that made a significant contribution in their community in regards to HIV/AIDS submitted poster presentations at the 2018 National Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. In addition to presenting their posters, these members had an opportunity to receive the Walgreens Health Outcome Award grant in order to continue their HIV/AIDS efforts as a part of the Remember the Ribbon Initiative. Three finalists were selected to create a poster for the 2018 National Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. The first place winner, Touro University of California, received $1,500, the second place winner, East Tennesse State University, received $1,000 and the 3rd place winner, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, received $750.
This year in 2018, we hope to reach more patients, reach more student pharmacist and get more chapters involved. Our vision is to break HIV/AIDS stigma in the community, observe HIV/AIDS Awareness Days, educate patients on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and educate patients to get tested to learn their status.
Donations to The Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS for children affected by HIV.
Help End HIV today! Take This Survey!


text:
Soaring Eagles unite community
As of Friday, September 23, all four of the Bo Manor junior football squads - the A, B, C, and D teams - were undefeated after the first four games of the season. That's a 16 game winning streak and in as much as anyone knows, a rare occurrence.
Joel Harris is the new president of the league. "We just changed hands. We're under new leadership," said Dannon Wilson, the mother of the player.
Wilson is more than just a football mom. She is also a teacher at Bo Manor Middle School. She said the winning ways have had a positive impact. "The teams encourage each other and the kids are building each other up. There is league unity and support," said Wilson.
That has also happened off the field, with the players encouraging each other in class. She said they support each other on and off the field.
Cecil County Junior Football League has six teams across the county - Rising Sun Tigers, North East Indians, Perryville Panthers, Cherry Hill Cougars, Elkton Elks, and the Eagles.
One of the missions of the league is "fostering teamwork, compassion and charity within our communities for the betterment of our members, future members, and collective program."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Remove PluginSpecs.h. Merge the few needed enums from that file into Common.h for now. I am up for suggestions on a better place for those.
Fix frame dumping on linux.
Make sure that on screen messages get cleared between games.
Fix a hang on emulation shutdown on linux.
Запись опубликована 02.02.2011 автором admin в рубрике Dolphin SVN.


Three days ago, a girl whom I met at the Starbucks surprised me by telling me that she has never heard about ABYOT let alone to know what it meant. On the other hand, she perfectly remembers very well about the Wars of Maichew and Aduwa, Korea and Congo. She further told me that she was going to Ethiopia to get married in a traditional wedding. She prefers the marriage to be consummated in Ethiopia for cultural and religious values.
"What religious and what cultural values are talking about?" I have surprised her in the same way she puzzled me about ABYOT. I told her that I did not return home in Eritrea since 1972 and to Ethiopia since 1986 for lack of traditional, religious and cultural values.
I believe that the Ethiopian Revolution aka known as the Eway Revolution was to be remembered. It was not destructive, as some writers wanted us to believe. The Eway Revolution should be understood in its proper context of change, i.e. Revolution via Democratization.
I was about to explain to this young and vibrant lady what ABYOT or the Eway Revolution was/is meant, when suddenly her ride came to take her home, i.e. Ethiopia. We will discuss about ABYOT, Tradition and Marriage when she returns in about three months. But in the mean time, let me switch to a different and explosive topic for America and Ethiopia.
The Eway Revolution is not about nationality, ethnicity, language or ideology as was subscribed in Ethiopia and Eritrea as indicated below.
For Debteraw and his political Party, EPRP it is none of the above. For Debteraw and EPRP, it is about the Ethiopian Security and the Eritrean politics by means of Revolution via Democratization.
For Ethiopia, the E-Way Engine (EWE) has brought a new way of thinking, thanks to Deteraw and his political party, EPRP.
For America, the Search Engine (SE) has brought a new way of thinking, thanks to Obama and technology.
However, the politics and experience of Debteraw and Obama are markedly different in many ways but similar in some ways. The origins of race, color and religion (RCR) are traced in Ethiopia, but they are nowhere a threat to Ethiopia as they are to America.
This week Obama spoke loudly and vividly something that was simmering on underground. The talk of race, color and religion were everywhere and but nowhere as an issue for – America is believed to be a melting point for everything. RCR was not discussed in public as a political issue. Now Senator Obama talked about it in such a way that it will help America because of his mixture of races. What races? Obama did not say it enough. He should have said that he is from a black and a white skin color. It is all about the color of the skin. This is what we call in Ethiopia K'L'S. He should have confirmed that his skin is a mixture. Instead Senator Obama says time and again that he is a unifier and not a divider. His reasoning is that has adapted various cultures by living in different places with different people. That is the trouble. It is not the mixed culture that will assist him to be a president. It is the single value that will unite the country. After all, Americans are known by their Flag (13 stripes and 50 stars), by their Latin alphabet and by their Freedom (FLF) and not by their culture, as Obama campaign wants us to believe.
Obama's value is embedded in his name rewritten in Latin alphabet. Did he live by his name? Or alternatively, does his name signify something? That I do not know.
In Ethiopia a person's skin did not matter. The same womb can deliver black or white regardless. In Debteraw's country a human being is a human being. He is an Ethiopian, a child of God regardless. But in recent years, especially after the so-called modern education, things have changed. Some individuals began to hide their identify, especially after the Italian colonization. Some intellectuals began to hate their identity. They were captured by false pride of being educated without the "Alphabet" of GE'EZ. Here comes the scholar Debteraw Tsegeye into the picture.
Without the development of GE'EZ Ethiopia/Eritrea would not have been civilized. Civilization by definition is of mental exercise and record keeping. In the absence of GE'EZ, or any other alphabets enormous things would not have been possible. Philosophical thoughts, Biblical religion and Organization of societies would not have been possible without the written word. GE'EZ had and will continue to have great impact on social, economic, political, cultural and educational investment sectors.
What is GE'EZ? Fidel or Abugida?
I want to leave the answer to be discussed by my readers.
U-T (HePe) ever since we know how to read and write, we have never thought of where it came from or how it was evolved. The answers to these questions were only told by foreign researchers mostly enamored themselves to be known as Ethiopinists. Inasmuch as they themselves were foreigners, they had to say that GE'EZ came to Ethiopia from outside the country via South Yemen.
Scholars of Ethiopia like Debteraw insisted that GE'EZ is an indigenous script and language. In order to dispel or reveal the truth of the value of GE'EZ language and in order to communicate with the alphabet of it, Debteraw became a debtera instead of a priest and had deciphered the content of the language of Ge'ez in terms of Qine-qidase-wazema-trgum-sewasw (QQWTS) and this has scarred not only the high priests but also the high government officials. While on the other hand, Debteraw went to college in order to understand the values of the western world written in Latin.
Those who became literate and educated in Latin alphabet are basically against Ethiopia and Ethiopians – essentially against themselves. Their own identity is at stake. What a tragedy?
First year students who attended Geography 101 class used to tell us that PMWM starts by teaching about Ethiopia in the following manner. He starts from the North, Eritrea is stone, Tigrai another stone and before saying more some students withdrew from Geography class thereby becoming ignorant of their own country. What do you call this? Hatred or ignorance?
Another example as narrated to me by a friend was as follows. While Emperor Haile Sellassie I was visiting the library of Alemaya College, the emperor asked the Dean of the college whether the library houses GE'EZ books. The dean bowed without saying any thing. Haile Sellassie again asked him the same question, the dean again bowed. The Emperor said, " Is that the answer", the dean bowed for confirmation. So we can see why the responsible officials like the dean of Alemaya, the lecturer of Geography in Addis Ababa never like to promote the true educational system for Ethiopia. The history of Axum, Meroe and Egypt (AME) do not seem to sink in the minds of our educated professors. Call me by my name. What is my name?
As if that was not enough, Mesfin Wolde Mariam is making sure that Debteraw will never see sunlight while he (PMWM) is alive. What a travesty? The reason is simply because Debteraw is literate in GE'EZ and English and he knows the difference between knowledge and wisdom unlike the professor who only negotiates his way via information.
Mesfin writes about Obama and not about Debteraw! Can anyone ask the professor why he is not writing about Debteraw? This question should be added to the 20 questions posed to the professsor by www.EthioLion.com) to become the 21st question. What a tragedy? Is he an Ethiopian or is he a mixture of cultures as Obama himself. I am wondering!!!
Semitic, Hamitic or Cushitic as a language was not an issue for Debteraw. The choice of FIDEL (GE'EZ) as in ATT (Amharic-Tigrigna-Tigre) and the Latin alphabet together are of fundamental importance for our peoples' communication. The Afaan Oromo, with a modified Latin alphabet called Qub'ee as presented as Oromo Script is another alphabet to compete with GE'EZ. What a wonderful world of choices!!!


Hello guys. Today I will show you how to properly build ruby and win games with her! She's definitely worth the buy! Some players say Ruby is useless. In my own opinion, she is really OP when built right.Our focus on this build is making Ruby as tanky as possible while dealing great DPS and keeping her sustain up. We should also focus on CD reduction items and movement speed items.
So, haven't heard about Ruby? Let me introduce you the most annoying Crowd Control hero in Mobile Legends due to her INFINITE stuns! She's small but terrible! Her skills will surely lead your team to victory! Ruby is my favorite hero right now because she's really annoying!
Description: Within a short period after releasing a skill. Ruby can leap to another position. Jumping backwards will increase Ruby's armor shortly (effets increase with level) Jumping forwards will allow Ruby's skill to have slow-down effect in a short period. Ruby's basic attacks cannot trigger lifesteal effect but all skills will inherit 100% of lifesteal effect.
Tip: This skill is important to understand. When you cast a skill, you have the option to either move forward or backwards. Moving forward is effective when chasing an enemy due to its slow-down effect in a short period but when you move backwards, you gain armor which is useful for escaping or initiating a teamfight.
Note: Ruby's basic attacks won't trigger lifesteal effects. That's why my build will focus on building TANK + DPS items to maximize her potential.
Description: Slashes rapidly, dealing 50 points of physical damage to front target. Meanwhile launches a shockwave forwards, dealing 50 points of physical damage to the enemies it touches.
Tip: This skill is important to ruby because this allows her to initiate a teamfight or enemy quickly. The damage is pretty low but this skill triggers her passive which can add slow-effect whenever she dashes forward.
2nd Skill: Don't run, Wolf King!
Description: Wields the giant scythe to attack twice. Every attack deals 40 pts of physical damage, stunning the enemy for 0.7s and slowly pulling the enemy towards the hero. Deals additioinal 30% of damage to enemies in the outer ring.
Tips: THIS SKILL WILL MAKE YOUR ENEMIES HATE YOU. Seriously! Ruby spins and pulls the enemy towards her which stuns the enemy. Great disable for teamfights and also makes a good combo with her first skill and ultimate.
Tips: Probably the best skill in game. You can pull enemies towards you + stunning them. Very usefull when trying to pull enemies from turrets or trying to run away from you.
Don't run, Wolf King → Be Good → Don't run, Wolf King → I'm offended!
Note: Master 2nd skill first.
Cursed Helmet (1860 Gold) – +920 HP +50 Magic Resistance (UNIQUE PASSIVE) – Sacrifice: Deals 2% of one's max HP as magic damage per second to nearby enemies.
Tip: I choosed this item as my first build for Ruby because of the HP and Magic resistance bonus that will buff ruby's defence which will help her tank and absorb damage since ruby will spend more time in the front lines. Also the unique passive "sacrifice" will help ruby deal DPS to nearby enemies based on 2% of her HP.
(UNIQUE PASSIVE) – Arctic Cold: Lowers movement speed by 5% and attack speed by 30% for nearby enemy hereos.
Tip: This item is very useful for Ruby. It reduces MS and AS of nearby enemy heroes as well as giving her extra mana and cooldown reduction. It gives crit strike rate reduction making her tanky and improves her CC capabilities as well.
(UNIQUE PASSIVE) – Brute Force: Attacking an enemy will increase one's capabilities, increasing movement speed by 2% and physical attack by 3%. This effect can last up to 4s and can stack up to 4 times.
Tip: This item can increase ruby's durability as well as her DPS. Very important item for chasing and tanking heroes while absorbing damage at the same time.
(UNIQUE PASSIVE) Scream: Within 4s after being attacked, the hero will regen 4% HP. This effect has 8s cooldown time. Tip: This will improve Ruby's durability + potential to tank and stay up during clashes.
(UNIQUE PASSIVE) Bloodlust: A kill or assist regens 20% of hero's HP within 5s.
Tip: Ruby's major source of survavility. Make sure to buy this as core item.
(OPTIONAL) If you would like to check out a gameplay video with this build, feel free to check it out!
Buy why not any lifesteal?


NEUReka! is the PhD student and postdoc association of the Centre for Developmental Neurobiology. It was created with the purpose of organising an informal and discussion-heavy seminar series focused on increasing proximity between world-leading neuroscientists and students and postdocs in our Centre. We have modelled our approach on the Oxford University Cortex Club and share with this association a focus on exciting and speculative ideas at the forefront of neuroscience, as well as a desire to promote their discussion in a laid-back and stimulating environment, where there is no such thing as a stupid question. We will cover in our seminar series a whole range of model systems, brain areas and technical approaches; our interest lies in discussing great questions in brain function and development and we hope our seminars will pique your curiosity and set alight your scientific creativity.
NEUReka! seminar series are part of the Centre for Developmental Neurobiology programme of external seminars.


are able to log in with the asociated Yubikey tokens.
to provide Google Authenticator token to log in.
with the associated USB key.
users and set sudoers configuration accordingly.
authentication methods to authenticate users using 2FA.
If set, the OATH Toolkit will be used.
for <command>sudo</command> on password-less remote systems.
Enable PAM mount (pam_mount) system to mount fileystems on user login.
empty passwords are always allowed to log in.
Whether to permit root access only to members of group wheel.
password, KDE will prompt separately after login.
# module provides the right hooks.
# Modules in this block require having the password set in PAM_AUTHTOK.
# earlier point and it will run again with 'sufficient' further down.
if config.boot.isContainer then "optional" else "required"
# Create a limits.conf(5) file.
'' Define resource limits that should apply to users or groups.
must be that described in the limits.conf(5) man page.
defining the name of the service.
directories newly created by <literal>pam_mkhomedir</literal>.
Enable the OTPW (one-time password) PAM module.
Enables U2F PAM (<literal>pam-u2f</literal>) module.
be changed using <option>security.pam.u2f.authFile</option> option.
This file can be generated using <command>pamu2fcfg</command> command.
This option sets pam "control".
If you want to have multi factor authentication, use "required".
If you want to use U2F device instead of regular password, use "sufficient".
for better understanding of this option.
Set to prompt a message and wait before testing the presence of a U2F device.
Recommended if your device doesn't have a tactile trigger.
that he needs to use the u2f device, it just waits without a prompt.
module and reminder message will be displayed.
Enables Yubico PAM (<literal>yubico-pam</literal>) module.
are able to log in with the associated Yubikey tokens.
If you want to use Yubikey instead of regular password, use "sufficient".
Enable eCryptfs PAM module (mounting ecryptfs home directory on login).
# Include the PAM modules in the system path mostly for the manpages.
# Most of these should be moved to specific modules.


text:
Watch Now: KFOR Noon News News 4 TV Schedule
Woman's warning after finding shirt tucked over her windshield goes viral
Posted 7:00 am, February 22, 2017, by Tribune Media Wire, Updated at 07:01AM, February 22, 2017
FLINT, Mich. – A 19-year-old woman's warning to others has been shared widely on Facebook after she found a shirt laid over her windshield Thursday.
Ashley Hardacre had just finished working at the Genesee Valley Mall in Flint, Michigan, and walked across the dark parking lot to her car – when she found a blue flannel shirt thrown over her windshield and tucked underneath a windshield wiper.
"There were two cars near me and one was running so I immediately felt uneasy and knew I couldn't get out to get it off," Hardacre explained on Facebook. "Luckily, I knew better than to remove the shirt with cars around me so I drove over to a place where I was safe and quickly rolled down my window and got the shirt off."
Hardacre told CBS News that her mother had warned her of people trying to trick women into leaving their cars in the dark, and said, "A lot of people think it is fake or it won't happen to them. But you can never be too safe."
Hardacre said she posted the photo to warn others, adding that "it can happen to anyone."
Flint Township Police Detective Sergeant Brad Wangler told CBS that he got in touch with the 19-year-old after seeing her Facebook post. Police are looking at surveillance video of the parking lot to see who left the shirt on Hardacre's windshield.
Wangler said there haven't been similar incidents, but added that anyone who feels something "doesn't seem right" should contact police.
Hardacre wrote that she was grateful to her mother for telling her about the potential danger, and, just to be safe, the 19-year-old will ask security to escort her at night in the future.
Tell us 'What's Right with our Schools?
Great things are happening at our schools and we want to hear from you! Click here to connect with KFOR
Oklahoma woman receives suspended sentence for fatal crash
Driver's quick decision helps her dodge metal beam that crashed through windshield
"I'm still a little shook up," Trucker was on the side of the road when a tornado hit
Video shows passenger viciously attack Lyft driver in New York City
"All I could see was that trailer start to lift," Possible tornado leaves behind damage in Pottawatomie County
Van passenger impaled after tripod thrown from freeway overpass in California
Prosecutors drop criminal charges in Flint water scandal
Oklahoma woman robbed at gunpoint in her own driveway
"He's dying in front of me," Woman speaks about moment man was shot to death during robbery
Thanks to DNA sleuths, a Jane Doe killed 37 years ago might finally get a headstone with her name on it
Sandra Bland recorded her own arrest in 2015. The video was just released
Oklahoma mother accused of scamming residents for cash, gifts pleads guilty
Nine years after their wedding, a woman found this couple's photos in a thrift store lunch bag


The storyboard revolves around Mdm. Sakai's daily life and how she handles local culture, lifestyle and business practices. Also included are the tourism sights and sounds of Kuching and the surrounding areas.
Down memory lane-trip for Mdm Sakai - Ki-kyo-Tei tepanyaki restaurant but it is now a Thai restaurant known as Mango Tree.
Visiting the Santubong Homestay Village with the legendary mountain of the same name in the background. The peninsular on which the village is located is also home to the famous Sarawak Cultural Village - a living museum that showcases the major ethnic groups of Sarawak. Other interesting tourism attractions documented were the Semenggok Orang Utan Center, Gunung Gading National Park, Annah Rais longhouse and the beaches in Lundu.


If you want to play a first-person shooter this holiday, take your pick. There's a handful of them, so take your time making your selection. Go on. We'll wait.
But first-person platform action games? Well, there's really only Mirror's Edge, an interesting creative risk taken by Battlefield developer Digital Illusions CE. The game puts you in the well-worn cherry-red sneakers of Faith, a "runner" who must deliver information via rooftops to avoid the spying eye of a totalitarian government.
With quick platforming gameplay normally reserved for third-person titles, Mirror's Edge is a first-person title unlike any that's come before it. Does Faith soar, or does she stumble awkwardly off the edge of a high-rise? More after the jump.
Let me get this out of the way early: playing Mirror's Edge can feel as cool as the game has looked in all of the trailers you've already seen. The first-person running, the diving, the sliding, the shooting -- it's all in your control, and for the most part, it works brilliantly.
Until now, first-person titles have been best suited for the basics -- shooting things, crouching down to avoid getting shot by things, and a jump button included only to hop over objects that might get in the way of shooting things. With Mirror's Edge, DICE flips the script, placing a heavy emphasis on platforming and discouraging head-on combat situations.
Control in Mirror's Edge is simple, with a few buttons used for basic actions like jumping or sliding. When it works, it works great -- the feeling of exhilaration you'll get from successfully and quickly navigating through a level, or even a single area, is obscenely gratifying. You'll kick open a door and run across a thin catwalk, leaping to an area below as you break your fall with a well-timed roll or slide. Without slowing down, you'll hop up and over a fence, sliding under a vent as you land, right before running horizontally across a wall. All of this while avoiding a rain of semi-automatic machine gun fire.
It's like Jackie Chan's craziest stunts at your fingertips, the kinetic pace of an action flick that will make you feel like a complete and total badass if you know what you're doing. That is, until the action comes to a halt with an ill-timed button press, and you slam face-first into a wall, bringing Faith to a complete stop. Or you leap towards a pipe, missing it with your hands by an inch, and falling to your death. Or when you unsuccessfully attempt to disarm a cop, and are forced to flail for your life as you're shot down at point-blank range.
While it would be great if the frantic, heart-pounding pace of Mirror's Edge's trailers could be kept up throughout the gameplay experience, that's simply not the case. For every one instance that you'll string together an awe-inspiring combination of fancy footwork and acrobatics, there will be ten instances of you missing a jump and falling to your death, only to be sent back a few paces to one of the game's sometimes-punishing checkpoints. Then, after a fairly brief loading screen, you'll make another attempt to advance, only to plunge to your demise yet again. Once you repeat this cycle a few times, it'll hit you -- you probably weren't even headed in the right direction.
Admittedly, Mirror's Edge does give you more than a few clues as to where you should be headed next by way of "Runner Vision," which manifests itself in-game as red objects that guide you through the environment. And by pressing and holding B, Faith will automatically direct her attention towards the direction in which you should be headed.
Unfortunately, in indoor areas, the B button will often fail you, sometimes simply directing you at a solid wall or the ceiling. And when you have a barrage of gunfire whizzing by you from all directions, the necessity to keep moving forward will override your ability to spy red objects hidden in the environment.
As trying as it can be, it's easy to overlook the trial-and-error nature of some of the game's areas; once you do figure out what you're doing, you're rewarded with that feeling of being unstoppable. The thrill of speed and fluidity as you hop over, slip under, and roll across rooftops -- the game's stark environments whizzing by -- is an experience unlike any other in gaming.
Unfortunately, it's not possible to overlook some of the game's inconsistent world rules, which lend themselves to the frustrating areas you'll likely find yourself repeating ad nauseum. On more than one occasion I found myself trying to make jumps that I would miss -- of distances I was able to reach earlier in the game -- simply because that's not the path you're meant to take. And in one particular chase, I was unable to make Faith hop up on the front of a car, which resulted in a failed "mission"; instead I was forced to run around to its side to climb to a higher area. In another instance, I couldn't hop over a short desk, but was able to use a seat directly next to it to vault myself over it.
While the game also features hand-to-hand combat and gunplay, the game design discourages these types of encounters, mostly by making it frustrating and sometimes ineffective. In most instances, head-on encounters with enemies can be avoided, but when you're forced into it, it fails on a number of levels. When face-to-face with an enemy, you're given a small window of opportunity to disarm him by quickly pressing a button when his weapon flashes red. If done right, Faith will execute a stylish takedown, and will then be able to use the weapon to take down other enemies in the immediate vicinity.
A few problems can arise, however. For one, if you miss the takedown, you've automatically put yourself into a s**t situation that will almost always end in your death. Sure, you have a number of attacks at your disposal -- punches, a sliding kick, or a jumping kick -- but each require you to land repeated, ineffectual blows that fail to be of any use. If you do happen to snag a weapon, targeting with the analog stick is surprisingly difficult, considering DICE's first-person shooter pedigree. And despite the fact that enemies appear to have unlimited ammunition, there's no way to make Faith reload a weapon; once it's tapped out, your only option is to toss it aside.
For all of the frustration I experienced, there's something that surprised me about Mirror's Edge -- I wanted to keep playing it. If I was consistently screwing up an area (be it my own dumb fault or some odd bit of game design), after putting down the controller, I couldn't stop thinking about getting my hands back on the sticks to make Faith leap and slide across the game's stark, maze-like environments. Despite frequent areas of aggravation, playing Mirror's Edge is simply fun; keeping speed across a rooftop cluttered full of obstacles is both rewarding and exciting, and it makes it easy to forget the 25 minutes you just spent lost in a nondescript office building or plummeting to your death.
How much time you'll spend on the game's story mode will depend on the player, and navigating through 10 chapters (plus one initial training mission) could take anywhere between six and eight hours. (My gameplay time was closer to six.) Of course, it's possible that half of that time will be spent falling to your death or getting mowed down by automatic weapons at close range. And while the game's story itself threatens to be interesting, it's mostly forgettable, despite slick, Aeon Flux-style cut-scenes between chapters. But you'll want to play through it until its somewhat easy and brief closing sequence, if only to unlock levels for the game's Speed Run and Time Trial modes.
These modes are, at the end of the day, what will keep you playing Mirror's Edge long after you've completed the game's all-too-brief final moments. "Speed Runs" focus on fastest times through chapters; tallying the "qualifying" times for each level totals 74 minutes, which makes my earlier claim of six to eight hours of gameplay seem a bit silly. The "Time Trial" levels are separate from those found in the story mode, only based on existing areas, with mandatory checkpoints spread throughout.
It's the "Time Trial" levels in particular that highlight the brilliance of Mirror's Edge, ditching the punishing trial-and-error and frustrating combat sequences in favor of a "Faith vs. The Environment" mentality. The game features target time goals you'll need to hit to gain stars and unlock other trials, but it's the leaderboards that will have you repeating a single area over and over again, finding new and faster paths to reach the goal. For those with any bone of competitiveness in their bodies, this mode is what will keep you coming back for more. Unfortunately, the leaderboards in our non-retail review build lacked any way to isolate your friends' best times; depending on your skill level, competing with the world's best could become more depressing rather than fun.
The experience is not flawless by any means, with a story mode that stumbles over too many frustrating sequences and not enough narrative payoff to make it worthwhile on its own. But taken as a whole -- with its frequent bits of brilliance and its delightful, heart-pounding moments -- Mirror's Edge is a leap of faith worth taking.


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Media continues to push the lie that "most crime guns are domestically sourced"
February 8, 2018 February 8, 2018 by cdngunblog
Via email from the CSSA
On January 13, 2018, a bullet fired from a drug dealer's gun ended 15-year-old Alfred Wong's life. He died in the back seat of his parents' vehicle as it traveled down Broadway near Ontario Street, another tragic victim of Vancouver's ongoing drug trade turf wars.
Our hearts, prayers and condolences go out to Alfred Wong's family as they cope with the death of their son and the horror now permanently etched on their hearts.
The Province reports known drug dealer Kevin Whiteside, the intended target, has prior firearms convictions and a court-ordered lifetime firearms prohibition order registered against him. On the day he died, Whiteside violated that firearms prohibition order, shooting back at his own killer.
Kash Heed, former B.C. solicitor general, said: "These firearms are from outside of Canada or they are taken during burglaries here in Canada. There is a market for this kind of commodity and most of that market goes to the individuals that are involved in gang activity or drug activity."
Kash Heed is correct – drug dealers and gangs are the primary market for illegal guns. Therefore, police and government focus should be stopping drug dealers and criminal gangs.
Unfortunately, Kim Bolan, writing for The Province, offered misinformation instead of fact when she ended her column with this statement: "As of 2016, most B.C. criminals were getting their guns in Canada. Some were stolen from individuals or businesses. Others were bought by 'straw purchasers' – people not on police radar who are paid to get a gun licence and make legal firearm purchases on behalf of a criminal."
Bolan perpetuates the myth promoted by police that most criminals obtain their guns inside Canada.
According to Calibre Magazine's analysis of the 2015 B.C. Illegal Firearms Task Force Report, fully two-third of B.C.'s illegal guns come from outside Canadian borders.
The combined total of all firearms identified by the study, through any method, as having been domestically sourced totals just 377 of the 1,140 crime guns analyzed. That's 33 per cent … a far cry from qualifying as anywhere near the "bulk" of crime guns.
As the 2015 B.C. Illegal Firearms Task Force Report data shows, one-third is a long way from "most."
Bolan also fails to mention the "straw purchasers" are individuals easily tracked and prosecuted by police.
Two recent examples, Justin Green and Matthew Ward-Jackson, obtained firearms with a valid Possession and Acquisition Licence. Both men sold their legally-purchased guns to violent criminals. Both are now serving lengthy prison terms for their crimes, as they should.
Justin Green bought 23 firearms legally. He then sold them to criminals. Only an idiot believes guns sold to criminals cannot be tracked back to the legal purchaser. That's precisely what happened to Justin Green.
"He [Justin Green] was discovered through the efforts of Toronto's firearms enforcement unit after they found his gun at a crime scene," said Crown attorney Erin Pancer. "Green's the worst type of offender. He's a trusted citizen who betrayed that trust by trafficking firearms and jeopardizing the lives of Torontonians."
And he paid the price for violating that trust and is now serving an 8-year prison sentence.
Matthew Ward-Jackson also legally purchased handguns and sold them to criminals, including the handgun he sold to convicted murderer Dellen Millard. He is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence, but with our 2-for-1 pretrial custody rules, only 5 years remain on his sentence.
Once more, violent criminals shooting each other in the street leaves an innocent young man dead.
Once more, politicians obfuscate the truth and newspaper writers happily dish out misinformation as if it were the indisputable truth.
http://theprovince.com/news/local-news/family-grieves-while-vancouver-police-investigate-stray-bullet-death-of-coquitlam-teen/wcm/2bce808a-38ab-4ffa-88f1-189565943ac2
https://calibremag.ca/bulk-of-crime-guns-domestically-sourced-false/
http://torontosun.com/2015/10/23/u-of-t-student-gets-8-year-sentence-for-gun-trafficking/wcm/fece59f1-09ed-4c65-a855-f4092f880e98
· http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/matthew-ward-jackson-sentenced-1.4484762
Fake News Firearms Gun Control


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iPhone 13 is here: Do you really need to upgrade? 5 reasons to hold on to that iPhone 6S or later
Brett Molina
If you love tech, it's hard not to catch a case of fear of missing out when a new iPhone arrives.
On Tuesday, in what has become an annual September tradition, Apple unveiled its next iPhone. The iPhone 13 – available in standard, Mini, Pro and Pro Max models – is available for preorders on Friday and hits stores on Sept. 24.
The new iPhone will include a new A15 chip to bring boosts in speed and performance, as well as upgrades to the camera and battery life. It also boasts new features such as Cinematic Video, which helps bring people and objects into better focus.
The new iPhones start at $699 for the Mini, up to $1,099 for the Pro Max.
If you own an older iPhone, you might be thinking now is a great time to upgrade, but you may not want to shell out more money. Don't fret because, although it won't have the latest features, there are plenty of reasons to keep that device running.
Here are five reasons to hold on to that older iPhone:
►So long passwords? Users will no longer need one for Microsoft accounts
►iPhone 13:Should you upgrade right away or hold off?
1. Your old iPhone is still really good
Give Apple credit for creating smartphones that have a pretty solid shelf life. If you just need a smartphone for the basics like email, social media, games and taking family pics, older iPhone models still hold up very well. Prior to getting an iPhone 12 Mini last year, I held on to my iPhone 7 for roughly four years, and it remained in pretty good shape.
2. You can replace the battery now
One reason your smartphone doesn't perform as well as it ages is the battery degrades over time. Think about how little you actually turn your phone off. The battery is running all the time. "As your battery health degrades, so can its ability to deliver peak performance," reads an explainer on Apple's website. Unlike the early days of the iPhone, you have the option of replacing your battery. Apple charges $49 to replace batteries on devices ranging from the iPhone 6 to the second-generation iPhone SE. If you own an iPhone X or later, it costs $69. Getting a new battery gives that older iPhone some extra life, and for a lot less than the cost of a new iPhone.
3. It still runs the latest version of iOS
Good news if you own a 6S or later: You are still eligible to download iOS 15, the latest version of Apple's operating system for iPhones launching Monday as a free update. Those older iPhones will still get a good number of the new features coming to iOS 15, including Focus mode for managing notifications, as well as updates to Safari, Maps, Weather and the Photos apps. However, you might miss out on some iOS 15 features depending on your iPhone.
►History of the iPhone:How Apple's signature smartphone has changed over the years
4. You like the features of older iPhones
There are times I miss the Home button on my old iPhone 7, primarily because it supported Touch ID, where users can log in to their phone or access certain apps requiring passwords by using their fingerprints. Plus, if you're not a fan of the larger iPhone screens, it's easy to hang on to that older iPhone 6S, for example, with its 4.7-inch touchscreen.
5. It's good for the environment
According to a U.N. report from 2019, the world produces as much as 50 million tons of electronic and electrical waste, also called e-waste, every year. One way to cut back is by extending the lives of our devices such as our smartphones.
"While recycling smartphones is required when phones truly reach end of life stage, keeping phones in use for longer (and therefore minimizing the number that actually need to be recycled) keeps materials in use for longer, reduces waste streams, and means less energy is required for recycling processes," said Mo Chatterji of the World Economic Forum in a post published in July.
Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.


Actress Teri Wyble has two exciting fanboy related roles, landing a spot on AMC's The Walking Dead and fighting alongside John Connor in next summer's Terminator: Genysis. Wyble spoke on Dispatch Radio about the Dead and the exciting roles.
Teri begins by revealing the audition process and how she was asked to audtion for a role as a "professional safe cracker," but little did show know, she was trying out for TV's biggest show. It's rather amusing hearing her discuss the Walking Dead team, creators and working alongside "Andy" – star Andrew Lincoln.
She chronicles filming for the new Terminator film, getting a "little star struck" while working with Jason Clarke, who plays John Connor in the Alan Taylor directed reboot. "He's a pleasure to watch…silly, making jokes and made everyone feel" comfortable.
Wyble also worked on When the Game Stands Tall as the daughter of Jim Caviezel and Laura Dern's characters. "It was "cool movie parents," she said of the small role, while noting that it was a "little intimidating" referring to Caviezel who played Jesus in Passion of the Christ.
Teri speaks on her many projects and talks about the powerful advice from her acting teacher which still motivates and helps her today.


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We are conveniently located within 15 minutes of Raleigh and Raleigh-Durham International Airport with easy access to I-40. Living here places you close to Cary Towne Center, Crossroads Plaza, Research Triangle Park, Weston Business Park, and SAS Institute. The location is also 20 minutes away from Duke University. Our convenient location, however, is just one reason Northwoods Townhomes is attracting so many professionals and white collar residents and their families to our apartment community.
Northwoods Townhomes offers a business center, club house, and community swimming pool. There's a kids park, tennis courts, sand volley ball courts, and so much more. Residents have access to washer/dryer hookups, attractive grounds, and a resident picnic and grilling area. Learn more about this amazing community in our Property Details area.
Residents receive a combination of personal service and have access to technology to streamline the rental process. Rent payments can be submitted online as can routine property requests. We offer 24-hour emergency maintenance service when necessary. View our available apartments online and apply today. Should you have any questions, please contact us.
Thank you for considering Northwoods Townhomes.


If Daphne McNairy-a career woman, wife and mom of two young girls-had taken this advice (her own, actually) and remembered to make her health as much of a priority as her family, she believes her breast cancer may have been caught earlier. But a harried schedule left little time for annual mammograms and diligent self-exams. Today, a mastectomy and six rounds of chemotherapy nearly two years behind her, McNairy is on the other side of cancer. "So many women are always giving, always caring for someone else. But if we're not taking care of ourselves, we really can't be there for someone else," McNairy says.
Ursula Bobo agrees. Breast cancer hadn't run in Bobo's family until her sister was diagnosed with the disease after having her first mammogram at the recommended age of 40. This diagnosis panicked Bobo, she remembers. In her early 30s at the time, she immediately booked an appointment for her first screening. When the results showed a normal scan, she took a deep exhale in gratitude and vowed to be better about regular self-exams and annual mammograms.
A year later, when it was time for her second yearly screening, the results dealt a blow: breast cancer. "I think there's a perception among a lot of women that if there's no family history of breast cancer or if you are healthy, you can let annual mammograms slide," Bobo says. "In just one year's time, I went from a clean scan to an aggressive cancer that had spread throughout my left breast."
The message that both these women want to impart: stay on top of your health. Get an annual physical, go for your yearly mammogram starting at 40, combine this with regular self-breast exams and know your body. You owe it to yourself and to your loved ones.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) reports that an estimated 230,480 American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, and 39,520 women will die from the disease. Found early, breast cancers are curable. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), in which the cancer is only present in the ducts of the breast and has not spread, is more than 99% curable. But early detection is critical.
While scientific studies first proved more than 30 years ago-and again more recently-that mammography is the most effective screening tool for detecting breast cancer, numerous misconceptions about the procedure and its effectiveness have swirled around in recent years.
Some of the latest controversy surrounding mammography is due to a 2009 report by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) that recommended that most women under 50 did not need annual screenings. Instead, the USPSTF said, screening for women in their 40s should be based on individual risk factors, and women ages 50 to 74 should be screened every two years.
This news defied the guidelines set in place by the ACS and long maintained by health professionals, who staunchly maintain that as a routine standard, all women should have an annual mammogram starting at 40 years old. While the USPSTF's recommendations left women scratching their heads over when and how often to get a mammogram, other common misconceptions surrounding everything from risk factors (no family history = no worries) to the procedure (it's painful and can cause women undue stress) have only complicated matters.
"Women are very confused, and the truth is, they have every right to be," says Patricia Sacks, MD, medical director at the Vasek & Anna Maria Polak Breast Diagnostic Center at Torrance Memorial. "There is a lot of misinformation floating around, but what we know with certainty is that mammography has long been shown to reduce breast cancer mortality by over 30%.
Sacks, a radiologist with more than 40 years experience in the field, and other experts cite a long-term, renowned Swedish study conducted in the 1970s as proof that mammography is a valuable tool in saving lives. The Swedish Two-County Trial, which traced the impact of mammography on breast cancer mortality over the span of three decades, was the first breast screening trial to show a reduction in breast cancer mortality from screening with mammography alone. It found a 30% reduction in breast cancer deaths among some 77,000 women ages 40 to 74 who were invited to screen. The screening phase of the study lasted about seven years, with 29 years of ongoing follow-up.
Since technological advancements in mammography have been made in the years after the study, many say the Swedish findings may actually underestimate the benefits of regular screenings. The Polak Breast Diagnostic Center, one of four located throughout the South Bay, sees 60,000 patients each year. Some 350 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed there annually. Since 1987, patients have received ultrasounds, MRIs and biopsies in addition to routine screenings.
Breast cancer survivors Bobo and McNairy were screened at the center. Along with Sacks, they too have heard similar reasons from too many women who don't make mammography a priority. "I tell people there's nothing to be afraid of in getting a mammogram," Bobo says. "You owe it to yourself and your family. I think it's selfish not to have it done."
Many women are worried about the procedure being painful. But Sacks says that each view taken during screening takes only a few seconds. "It's worth putting up with a bit of discomfort for a year of peace of mind," she tells them. She encourages women to plan their annual mammogram between periods, preferably around the same time every year, and to take an Advil one to two hours prior to the procedure.
Another common myth associated with breast cancer? "People operate under the illusion that if there's no family history, there's no risk of breast cancer," Sacks says. While it's true that having two first-order relatives (a sister, daughter or mother) with breast cancer equals a higher risk for the patient, seven out of eight cases of breast cancer occur in women with no family history of the disease.
Sacks encourages a risk assessment and an MRI for women if there is any reason to think they are at high risk for breast cancer. For patients whose risk is defined as being 25% greater than that of the community at large, insurance will generally cover the cost of an MRI.
"The truth is, we don't know all the factors that cause breast cancer," she says. "Family history is one factor, but lifestyle choices-obesity, heavy drinking, etc.-are also believed to play a role."
When it comes to family history, the screening guidelines change. "If a patient's mother had breast cancer at 47, we would recommend the patient start having mammograms 10 years before that and continue until she is 85 years old," Sacks says.
Some women are simply afraid of getting a call-back from the radiologist. "A great myth is that if we ask a patient to have a biopsy, it means the tumor is cancerous," Sacks says. "But often the biopsy comes back negative."
Nationwide some 800,000 to 1.1 million biopsies are taken each year. For women who are called in for a biopsy, Sacks emphasizes the importance of a needle biopsy over a surgical biopsy. This way, doctors can see the tumor marker and know how to treat the cancer. Crucial information-since in most cases, a small breast cancer removed with a lumpectomy followed by radiation has long been known to have the same cure rate as a mastectomy, Sacks says.
"Even when the breast is removed, the reconstruction work today is just amazing. We've come a long, long way. Plus, some of the advancements on the horizon are very exciting." Sacks has been collaborating for the past six years on a tool that, when introduced, promises to significantly reduce the number of biopsies. In the meantime, women must be proactive about breast health. Sacks reminds women at any age who feel a lump to see their doctor and have a mammogram.
Dawn Fuh, mother of three, had no first-order relatives with breast cancer. Today she's undergoing chemotherapy treatment after being diagnosed at Stage II. Fuh was diligent with routine mammograms and self-exams, and she found the lump between her annual physical and mammogram appointments. The center discovered that cells from the lump had already spread to her lymph nodes. Fuh underwent a lumpectomy and the removal of lymph nodes, and radiation will follow her chemo treatments. "I know people who say they haven't been for a screening in five years," she says. "My best advice is to not be afraid and to just go. It only takes minutes. It's worth the trip, and it could be a lifesaver."
Bobo's battle with breast cancer taught her to live her life to the fullest and to be grateful for every day, every new experience. Years had passed since her mastectomy. Then one day in 2009, Bobo came across a knot in the same breast. It was the size of a pencil eraser and painful. Scar tissue from my surgery, she thought. But a gut instinct kicked in, and Bobo paid another visit to the center.
Her cancer had returned. A lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation followed. Today, two years later, Bobo is again cancer-free. A butterfly and pink ribbon tattoo reminds her to be free and to not carry the weight of the world on her shoulders.
"I take each day as it comes," she says. "I don't always feel 100%, but I'm glad to be alive and well, and every chance I get, I encourage other women to be proactive with mammograms and stay on top of self-exams. Never take for granted a lifetime of living healthy."


I've been on the hunt for the perfect products to help me achieve more defined and moisturized twists on my naturally dry type 4c/4b hair. After searching the internet for what my fellow naturalista's favorite twisting creams were, I came across the Blueberry Bliss Twist-N-Shout leave-in cream. I had heard so many naturals going off about the Blueberry Bliss line, but I'd been skeptical because most of these women had looser textures than I do. However, I decided to give it a try because I need to start investing in better products for my hair, and I've heard the quality of the "Curls" products are A1!
I started on air-dried hair and twisted my hair into medium sized twists using the Twist-N-Shout cream. I then re-wet my edges with Aloe Vera Juice Spritz and applied the Blueberry Control Paste with a toothbrush and tied them down loosely with a satin scarf. I unraveled the next day with a bit of Avocado Oil on my finger tips when my hair was completely dry.
The consistency of the product is extremely thick and moisturizing which is what I look for in a twisting cream. It almost mimics a frosting like texture, which is ironic because of the super sweet smell. Overall I loved how easily it distributed throughout my thick coarse hair, providing slip and giving me that moisture my hair needs. I was able to detangle with ease while twisting which is a "make it or break it" factor for me with twisting creams/butters. Have you ever tried twisting with a product that actually mattes and tangles your hair as you're trying to get through it? I have, and I did not experience one single tangle while using this product. It actually made my hair feel super soft, moisturized and manageable. The Control Paste was another win for me. It glides on soft to the edges and laid them all day long with the help of my trusty silk scarf.
If you like really sweet smelling products for your hair, this is definitely something to try. The day after using this product I got several compliments on how nice I smelled at work. Someone even asked what I was wearing because my hair smelled so good! I personally thought the smell was really nice and not overwhelming at all.
All of the "Curls" products contain NO sulfates, silicones, parabens, artificial oils, colors, or fragrances- So if you're like me, and will stand in the aisle of Target reading ingredients, no need, they've got you covered! The Twist-N-Shout Cream contains Blueberry Extract, Organic Coconut Oil, Aloe Vera Leaf Juice and my personal favorite Avocado Oil, I can see why my hair soaked this stuff up so much. Then the Control Paste is formulated with Castor Oil, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, and Vegetable Glycerin, just to name a few. Not only made to lay edges but contain ingredients that will keep them thick and healthy.
My curls the next day were perfectly defined and contained zero frizz! I will say you must make sure your twists are completely dry before taking them down, but other than that I loved how my hair came out. I will definitely be doing more twisting styles with the Twist-N-Shout Cream, as well as the Control Paste and repurchasing when I start running low.
If you're a coily girl and you see the Blueberry Bliss line at your local Target or CVS don't be scared to try it out! I highly recommend the products I've tested so far and I'm looking forward to testing out more for an "in-shower" Wash and Go I want to try, so look out for more reviews!
Have you tried out the Blueberry Bliss line? What were your thoughts? Leave me a comment!
I've heard great things about this product line. I'm going to have to try it out!


What if we could help young people understand the roots of the Mass through an experience of the Passover Seder meal? In this article: my experience, some Church guidelines, a booklet guide to download and use, and related practical ideas.
I heard about the idea of doing a Passover Meal while preparing my 2012 Lenten retreat ("Choose Your Experience" Retreat) for teens. Parishes and Catholic groups around the country are hosting the Jewish "Seder" meal as a way to connect with the Jewish roots of Christianity. Since the Lord would have celebrated the Passover every year, and the Last Supper itself was a Seder Meal, I thought the idea could help teens understand the roots of the Mass itself, and therefore help them better participate in Mass.
We could begin the retreat with a Seder Meal and end the retreat with Sunday Mass. After investigating the idea a bit and looking for online resources, I found a 30-minute Seder for Children made by a Jewish company (30 Minute Seder) that I thought would help the retreatants make this connection. I thought the 30 minute duration was excellent given the attention span of teens.
Although I was nervous at first with all the details of the Seder, I found that it wasn´t too hard to prepare. One of the moms volunteered to prepare the necessary food items and utensils beforehand. I also made sure that I understood every detail of the process, including its meaning. So that the retreatants could experience the meal in a small group setting, I decided I would teach the young adult volunteers how to lead it as well. Each would lead a small group Seder.
After the retreat introduction, I explained to the teens what the Seder meal is all about and motivated them to make the best of it. They were genuinely interested since this was a new experience for almost all of them.
So each team went to their assigned room with their leader. Thanks to help from a chaperone, each room already had everything ready to go when we got there. The rooms at our retreat center are perfect for small groups. We only used light from candles to create a more realistic setting. Once each group was about to start, volunteers were chosen for readers.
the metaphorical meaning for us today.
The Seder meal helped the leader provide a context with which to present a message. Our roots go back thousands of years to God´s intervention in the life of Moses and the Israelites as they were freed from the slavery of the Pharaoh, foreshadowing what Christ would do to save us from the slavery of sin. Just like the Jews today "relive" that moment every year, every Mass makes present for us the mystery and saving action of Christ, allowing us to be spiritually fed on our journey away from sin and towards Heaven.
Our 30-minute booklet´s narration of the 10 plagues ended up being too long, so the kids got a little antsy and hungry looking at their food, unable to eat it! I recommend the booklet above because it moves much quicker and it should work well. Nevertheless, judging from their desire to get the details right and their participation, I think they generally enjoyed the experience and learned something new.
Once the Seder was over, we prayed a blessing for the meal and ate pizza and soda. We didn´t have enough main course in the Seder Meal to feed middle-schoolers, so we made sure to have a pizza meal afterwards! The teens were happy and this proved to be a good way to begin a Lenten retreat. Also, the seminarians and young adults who volunteered were happy they could lead this for their small group of five or six teens.
The primary reason why Christians may celebrate the festival of Passover should be to acknowledge common roots in the history of salvation.
This can have educational and spiritual value.
We should participate in the Seder Meal respectfully and also maintaining all its parts.
try to "restage" or replace the Last Supper or Holy Week Liturgy.
Seders arranged at or in cooperation with local synagogues are encouraged.
In short, we are not adding a new liturgical celebration, but participating in a Jewish custom that can help us better understand the roots of our Christian faith.
I found a good booklet to download, print, and use for the Passover Seder meal at the following website: @Heidi´s Pages. For your convenience, you can click on the link below and download it to your computer.
The booklet has 22 pages, and it explains the items needed. Also, since this is for minors, make sure to serve grape juice instead of wine.
Guest speaker: The best recommendation is to invite a Jewish guest speaker to lead it for your group. Afterwards, you can organize group discussions to help the teens understand the Christian references. This can be done for either CCD Classes or Youth Ministry.
CCD Class: Teach your catechists how to do it for their own classrooms. Everyone can pitch in to prepare all the food and supplies for the actual day.
Homily at Mass: When you celebrate Mass at a later point in the retreat, ask the priest to make reference to the Passover Seder meal during the Homily.
Family Passover: Teach parents to do the Passover Seder meal at their home within their families at some point during Lent as a way to prepare for the Holy Week liturgies.
Background music: You may be able to include some soft background music to help set the mood. Sometimes, Jewish sites have music you can purchase.
If you liked this post, please like it and share it with any youth ministers, priests, parents or other contacts you know. Help Youth2Change get the word out!
Posted in Activities, LentTagged activity, book review, Christian parenting, faith formation, formative activity, group activity, Haggadah, Lent, parenting, Passover for Teens, Passover Meal, Seder Meal, young adult ministry, youth ministry, Youth2ChangeBookmark the permalink.


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Travel stories from hitchhiking around the world
← Santiago	Navidad at Casa Solis →
The Anatomy of a Chilean Hitch
Cale | Puerto Montt, Chile | Sunday, December 18, 2011
…A Story on How to Hitchhike…
The "central region," as the area of Santiago is called, is calido; it's hot. Hitching out of a big city is already demanding as is, but with a heavy pack made heavier by the fact of departure from where good friends are, and with a sun that seems unseasonably close to the planet, the hitch can be made dampening in more ways than one.
I walked back to the metro station Manuel Montt from Francisco's place. I had just enough credit on the Bip card for one last ride out of town. Having stayed with Mariela at her place along the main highway south, I knew Rondizonni's yellow line was the metro line I wanted.
The stations flew by the windows of the train like the fast-forwarding of a tape on play. When the last station was announced, "La Cisterna," I got off.
The metro of Santiago, Chile. Source.
Above ground I spent a half hour walking to and from, asking various types of people to direct me to various places. I asked a young woman for the panamerican south. Once I knew where it was, I asked an old man with a cane how I might get to Buin or Paine. I had grown accustomed to learning and retaining the names of small towns just beyond the urban sprawl of big cities as I arrived to them; this way, I was prepared to leave.
I could hitch on the shoulder-less on-ramps of the panamerican, I could walk further out of the city, or I could jump a bus toward Buin. I had looked at Google's map, and walking out of the urban sprawl to a hitchable area would take several hours. I looked skyward for as long as the sun's glare would allow, and then decided on the bus to Buin.
I said to the driver, "Sir, could you inform me when we're in Buin?"
"Headed to Buin?"
"I'm hitchhiking south. Is Buin a decent place to hitch?" I asked. My experiences in other countries speak to the unreliability of a bus driver's advice; however, I've begun to judge a piece of advice more resolutely. In any case, the driver's response set my mind at ease:
"There's a gas station I can drop you off. Everyone there is headed south."
After an hour and a half of streets and roads through southern neighborhoods, we arrived to a road paralleling the highway that, in the States, would probably be called Frontage Road. I climbed off the bus at a Copec station and thanked the driver.
Hitchhiking in Chile requires you to hop from one Copec gas station to the next.
"So, Chael, have you fallen in love with a Chilean girl yet?"
Melanny was a good-looking woman, perhaps encouraged by my solitude and uninhibited thanks to her thick sunglasses behind which she hid. Luis was driving, and she was scrunched in between us. I couldn't help but steal glances at her enormous breasts that seemed to want to hail attention anyway. Every time Melanny would begin on a subject of anything directly or indirectly related to relationships or sex, which was often, he'd redirect the theme of the conversation to the countryside.
"Look, look at this beautiful wine country," he'd say. He didn't like his attractive boss taking interest in some foreign traveler, apparently. I didn't mind any of it. I was glad to be gone from that Copec, finally having met this dynamic pair after asking forty cars for rides south.
Chilean wine country as seen in Talca vineyards.
Melanny, despite being older than me, and despite my appearance, was very clearly making passes at me, and Luis was very clearly trying to distract it into nothingness. I humored her by accepting that I'd find her on Facebook, though I would do no such thing.
In fact, this seems a wonderful place for a rant against the social networking site. Facebook is a hijacker of time and human connectivity. Too many people use Facebook in lieu of their own voice. Too many hours are wasted away on something that matters very little. It's nice to see photos of friends, or to read messages, but when someone is concerned that no one "liked" their shit, it has gotten out of hand. What's more, I find that Facebook's "status updates" suck the initiative out of relationships. Instead of writing me, perhaps someone simply waits until I can give a general "hey, everyone, here's what I'm up to, now I'm not obligated to be a friend to you by writing you personally because I wrote this and you didn't 'like' it, so it's on you." In this sense, the whole damn site is like some beastly scapegoat for hoards of users. Also, the idea of posting every little detail about you and about what you are doing dulls the mystery and romanticism of living altogether. That being said, I have Facebook. Though, I wouldn't go as far as to say that I use it.
Melanny and Luis dropped me off at another service center just north of Talca, that large city famed for its surrounding vineyards. As this is the anatomy of a hitch, it should be pointed out that being dropped on the north side of a big city is unfortunate. However, with Chile's super-fast highways, I planned on hitching from gas station to gas station, and I would have better luck asking for rides from this one north of town than thumbing it just south of town.
After 30 minutes of asking drivers, each time careful to respect their space by standing at a good distance as I spoke with them, a man decided to take me to "the Copec on the other side of Talca." In fact, he would take me all the way to a Petrobras gas station in Chillan, the next city further south.
"I'm a retired police officer," he said, "PDI." PDI was the more advanced division of police, the other being the Carabineros.
"How does it feel to be retired?" I asked.
"It's good. Though, I have trouble filling my time with things to do. Have you heard of Prufado?"
I hadn't.
"It's an HBO series about police in here Chile," he informed me. "They hired me as the police consultant to make the actors seem like real cops."
Later, we talked about how Americans ought not to assume that everyone speaks English. That's right; if you're traveling abroad and someone doesn't understand your English, speaking it slower is disrespectful, unless they've given you some kind of hint that they might understand a more paced English.
At the Petrobras I wished the PDI officer well, and with my pack thrown over my shoulder, rubbing the already totally worn shoulder fabric of my age-old shirt even more, I strode into the restaurant part of the service station.
Here's a predicament. Chile hitching, at least in the south part of the country where the four lane highway is difficult to thumb, means that gas station to gas station is the best way to get to where you're going. The problem with this is that you'll find incredibly inflated prices at the stations which are, essentially, oases in the middle of nowhere.
I don't mind meeting my daily budget, which has held steady at 3 dollars for a long time now, but since the prices of everything at these highway gas stops is tripled, I avoid purchasing anything at all. On the northbound journey with Sammy we bought meals at one Copec. Never again!
The restaurant of the Petrobras was empty except for a waitress counting cash. The tables were each nicely set with silverware and a choice rack of vinegars, oils and salts. I walked up to the woman.
"Hello," she said.
"Hello, I have a very strange question…"
"Go right ahead."
"Well, I'm hungry, but everything here is far beyond my budget. I was wondering if I could do some kind of work in exchange for a plate of rice, or bread, or anything."
She looked at me sideways, and slowly shook her head 'no'. But then, she told me to wait as she asked the bosslady in the back.
A few seconds later an older woman came to the counter and addressed me: "Hi. Well, we don't have any work for now, but we understand what you all are trying to do." She looked at the other lady. "What can we prepare for him?" Then she turned to me. "Take a seat anywhere you'd like."
I smiled as she turned back to the kitchen area. She had referred to me as you all, demonstrating a keen awareness of us travelers. However, I took the moment to speak again with the younger woman.
"Don't you have anything I can do? I feel a decent amount of shame if I can't do something in exchange for the plate."
"Well, the only thing you could do, I suppose, would be to sweep the terrace outside."
I gladly took up the broom and went to work sweeping, but only 5 minutes passed before she called me in again. She set me up at one of the tables and put a plate of rice—no, it wasn't just rice! It was seasoned rice, a giant stack of steaming roast beef, and a side salad over which I poured that zesty balsamic vinaigrette. It was a veritable treat, and I dug in, having not eaten since breakfast, and it was already 7pm.
The food sat heavy in my belly, and after dropping the plate off, I took up the broom—but not before the young lady stopped me.
"It's that, the boss is coming, and if he sees you sweeping it might be troublesome. The food was free, don't worry about it," she said.
I thanked her immensely and shouldered my pack. I can't deny that I felt shameful that I could do so little in exchange for the plate of food. I've been given food plenty of times, but never on my own accord. I would later learn that there is a work karma that follows you one way or another—but we'll get to that.
A trucker took me 25 kilometers down the road to the Copec on the opposite side of Chillan, because the Petrobras had again been northerly located. There, quickly met a guy around my age who agreed to drop me at the exit for the Saltos de Laja some 100 kilometers down the road.
He had bizarre tattoos; they were little random marks all over his arms, as though he'd be sprinkled with them. His eyes were blazing blue and somewhat lunatic. Our conversations were mostly about smoking pot, planting pot or smuggling pot.
"You smoke man?" he asked.
"Not anymore."
"Hurts my throat. I don't mind the high sometimes, cookies and brownies I'll eat now and then," I replied.
He laughed it off as though it had to be laughed off. Down the road he stopped just after a sign that read "Saltos de Laja." I thanked him and jumped out.
Now, one thing that is sometimes difficult to do is to force yourself to stop where you know the hitching is going to pick up slowly once you're back on the road. But it's always worth it to stop and see that extra something. In this case, it was a waterfall called Laja.
I crossed the highway and began walking down a lonely dirt road. The "dirt" was more like ash in its dry state. I kicked it into the air and the dust settled on my pants as though a static electricity had willed it.
Eventually I came to a main road where there were dozens of souvenir shops and restaurants. I walked past several busloads of people to a bridge. From the middle of the bridge I saw the waterfall a football field away, its mist blowing up into the air. The water ran down through a river-cut gorge and beneath the bridge where I stood. A few boats were tied to a floating dock alongside the canyon wall.
I walked back to the shops and found the entrance. It was free, so I followed the footpath up and around a few hills until arriving at the base of the falls. A few people stood around, some of them wet from standing in the path of the showering mist. The falls formed a semi-circle that created a draft wind. The water was obviously low, which allowed one to walk along the rock nearly to the falls themselves.
Saltos de Laja. Source.
I stopped at the Lapa Waterfall south of Santiago, Chile, to make this travel sketch.
After admiring the sight for a while, I climbed a set of stairs, stared at the water a while yet, and then walked away into the woods. It was 9:30 in the evening, and the sun was finally deciding to sink. I found a tranquil wood wherein to pitch tent. I set up camp on a bed of dried pine needles, the forest floor relatively bare of intrusive bush or weed.
By this time I was quite hungry, but having been unwilling to spend at the touristy shops, I was foodless. But then, I remembered that Ale had handed me 3 chocolate granola bars. I ate, and then slept pleasantly satisfied. Thanks Ale.
In the morning, after drawing the falls, I began walking back down the dirt road from where I'd come. I stopped at a restaurant where two large earthen ovens stood out front. Inside I asked how much the bread cost. 200 pesos. I asked a guy if I could help with something in exchange for the bread. When after he'd disappeared into the back, his mother emerged and I made the same request. There was no work to be done.
"One piece of bread then, please," I said, handing her 200 pesos.
Instead, without saying so much as a word, she gave me two pieces of bread and wouldn't accept the pesos.
As I continued down the road, kicking dust into the air once more and now eating fresh, warm pieces of round bread, I thought how kind these people were, and I thought how unfortunate that I couldn't do something in exchange.
Back on the highway I found my prediction to be utterly true. I waited two hours with my thumb stuck out, and few if any of the drivers even glanced my way. When hitching, sometimes it's a good idea to walk. In fact, I've been picked up more times walking than standing still. It gives drivers some kind of assurance that you're independently trying to get there, and that you don't necessarily need them to do it. They can also see your pack clearly.
I walked and I walked under the clear sky. I had lathed up in sunscreen so as not to go lobster. There were no houses, nor any sign of service centers anywhere. I remarked two things as I walked:
Buses are always broken down
"Crystal" beer semis never take me
A few kilometers down the road I came to a bridge that spanned the length of the Salto de Laja's downstream river. The deep clear green water was flowing about 60 feet below me. The banks were large rocks or smoothly-carved cliffs, a sight that proved attractive enough for me to descend.
I had worked up quite a sweat, so I stripped down and jumped into the cool water just beneath the highway. The passing cars' echoes were deep percussions that ricocheted off the cliffs and concrete pillars. It was a lovely spot.
On the scramble back up the steep hill to the road, I noticed blackberry bushes crowding the land. They had yet to flower; a shame, since it reminded me of the very beginning of this journey. I had left Eugene on the i5 northbound (Oregon is one of the only states where you can hitch on the interstate highways). During all the days of hitching in Oregon, I mostly subsisted on the blackberries that grew in the millions alongside every road.
Apparently, the fruit would begin to flower in January here in Chile.
I began walking once more, and about an hour later my thumb yielded a ride in a red sedan (which, of all the colors of sedans, red gives me the greatest creeps after the attempted robbery Toinon and I experienced in Nicaragua).
The man drove me a few kilometers south and let me out at a weigh station where "every trucker has to stop." He was right, but to my surprise and disappointment, they closed the weigh station as soon as the red sedan drove off.
And so it was more walking. Are you understanding now that gas stations are much better than a four lane highway for us hitchers? Whatever, the waterfall was worth the trouble, and I'd eventually get to where I was going (rule # something).
I was also stuck under the sun, and it beat down on my newly-unprotected skin with a fury. Sweat formed at my temples and under my arms. The pack felt as if it had been absorbing weight. Eventually I came to the first highway entrance to Los Angeles, the next city south of Chillan.
I stopped at the on-ramp, despite there being no traffic to speak of. My thumb once again stuck out at the highway, I sat on my pack.
Finally, in every sense of the word, I was picked up. A truck with a trailer about half that of a full rig pulled over. I declined throwing my pack into the back and inside set it on my lap in between the two Luises. The smaller of the two was driving. After the usual back-and-forth chatter, Little Luis revealed his demeanor with a few words:
"Chael, lots of nice gringas in your country?"
"Sure, yea."
"Aw man," he said. "Some women, you can't fill 'em up—they just want more and more!"
The conversation hovered around this topic for most of the time, and each of Little Luis' remarks was accompanied by the quintessential hand gestures that outlined the curves of a woman's body.
I was so used to this conversation that I could have it without paying much attention. Instead I looked around the cab. A golden Chinese ornament and red tassels hung from the rearview mirror. Beneath it, there was a small bear sticky holding a Chilean flag.
"—…and Argentinian girls, man they might not have much up there, but behind…" he bit his knuckles and crunched his eyebrows together, "damn!"
I guessed he was about 50 years old. The other, larger Luis was balding but I knew he was 29 from his companion's outbursts about his thin hair. "29 and already a booby! It's the work, he's a bull!"
Eventually we went down the road in silence. They were kind and offered me a cup of cold coke, a refreshing thing after such a long walk.
Alas, the work karma was about to catch up to me. Work karma, you ask? Yes, the karma that exists when things come your way freely—the karma that tests your capacities for labor!
"We're gonna go pick up some leña, ready for a bit of exercise?" Luis glared at me with a smile.
We drove off the highway at a small commune. Passing a few houses on the dirt road, and driving across the train track that lead all the way to Puerto Montt, we arrived at a farmhouse. Here, we hopped out of the car, and big Luis and I jumped into the trailer. It was essentially empty except for a few cartons of fruit we had to rearrange.
Then began the loading of 7 foot long and 10 inch thick logs. Little Luis and 3 other men shouldered the cargo and handed it off to us to stack in the trailer. In very little time, my muscles began to pulsate. I rarely use my arms in such capacity, but I wasn't about to betray my secret and look useless.
2 and a half hours later, the beads of sweat ran down all parts of my body, making me feel damp throughout. We had loaded hundreds of these beasty logs into the truck from two different houses. That is, when I thought we'd finished and let out a sigh of relief, we had actually only depleted one source of wood.
During the loading the townsfolk had watched, and were probably remarking on my presence (though, the southern country accent is lost on me). So, I stubbornly shelved any complaints I might have had of being thirsty, or having not eaten since the bread some 6 hours previous, or of having muscles that were crying mercy. In fact, I took the bulk of the workload, kicking big Luis out of the shrinking space in the trailer and handling the logs myself.
When the two and a half hours were up, I was covered in dirt and dust, sweat and hidden pain, and my hands were filled with new bloody holes. We splashed our faces with water, got in the cab and drove off. The truck must have gained a ton, but it was unnoticeable.
Back down the highway we stopped at a service station where Little Luis bought me a sandwich and a cold soda. I ate and drank. Work karma. Though, the amount of work would easily pay for two meals and a few pieces of bread.
"Thanks for helping out Chael. It was some good pega, wasn't it?" said Luis as they dropped me at a Copec service station just north of Temuco, the next large city south.
"It was fun," I said for lack of adjectives. And the Luises drove off.
I was standing in the middle of the highway, staring across at the large service center, the muscles in my body almost begging to be allowed to detach and fall to the ground, while my eyes felt heavy and my stomach was rumbling for more food in addition to the small ham sandwich the Luises had bought me. At least, though, I was at the largest of Copecs, complete with that TV room, a restaurant, showers and Wi-Fi.
I walked through the door, and looking down I took note once more of the state of my clothes; disgusting. I wouldn't be surprised if I saw offended looks; perhaps my stench could reach across the room. I went straight up to the counter.
The lady looked at me. It's always ladies working inside, and the men attendants working outside filling tanks. I asked for some kind of work in exchange for something to eat. She told me they couldn't offer me work. I hardly expected it, either.
Instead, I walked into the bathroom area. "Showers – 500 pesos." I went into the shower area and took a cold one with my shirt and underwear on. I still had a bar of soap, thankfully, and took to scrubbing like a maniac. 30 minutes later I reemerged with a fresh shirt and clean face.
To my surprise the ladies behind the counter motioned me over, but not to charge me for the shower—no. Instead, they handed me a tray filled with a large chicken soup (cazuela), bread and a cup of coke. Alas, I thought to myself, the work karma continues. I didn't mind accepting food that comes from a corporation like Copec, but the true heart in all this came down to the women who wanted to help. Perhaps they felt the same way about Copec, anyway.
I finished the meal and thanked the women as graciously as I could. I opted not to whip out my computer to use the Wi-Fi, as the irony of a seemingly penniless traveler with a laptop might be too great. Though, I had made sure to explain that I had a budget that Copec's prices didn't fit into, not that I was penniless.
In any case, I decided to try for one last ride to start fresh from a southern gas station the next day. I succeeded in arriving to Loncoche an hour down the road with a quiet couple who were on their way to Valdivia. These names shouldn't matter to you—that they're further south is the important part.
That night I set up my tent in the back of this new Copec station, and used the Wi-Fi from inside my tent for the first time. In fact, I even had the luck to find my sister online, and chatted with her on Skype. Skyping from a tent at a southern Chile gas station…
I woke several times to the sounds of big rig engines igniting, the truckers keen to get going early. I wasn't. Instead I slept until 10 am. When I woke, the parking lot was empty of trucks. The concrete seemed to gleam under the sun. The last time I came south it had been raining constantly. So it goes.
Tent took down, back packed up, shouldered, and walking to the front to begin asking for rides. Unfortunately, it was Sunday. In the anatomy of a Chilean hitch, a key point to take away is that Sunday is no fun for hitching. One should always follow the rule that yes, you'll eventually get to where you're going, but Sunday is slow. Every car is either filled with families, or the cars aren't even there because everyone is with their families. Truckers travel, but many are simply awaiting cargo.
I was hungry again, and again I was stuck in a Copec station. There was no restaurant here, but there were hot dogs. When I asked the attendants for work, they directed me to the office on the other side of the pumps. There, the office folks gave me blank stares, but told me to go back to the shop.
Again, there was no work for me. Something about Santiago watching them on the security cameras. However, they gave me a hot dog anyway. It would have cost 3 dollars where hotdogs in towns cost one dollar. This time I resolved myself to the free dog and didn't bother insisting on work.
The ubiquitous Chilean completo, a hot dog with everything. Source.
After 4 hours of walking back and forth from thumbing on the highway to asking newly arrived cars in the gas station, during which time I came up with a new Pedro idea—stick your head in a bush—I finally landed a ride to an hour down the road. Everyone else had been heading to Valdivia, which would be a large detour out of my way.
The couple dropped me at a Terpel gas station. The day was already in its second half, and somehow the high sun spilt that secret. I spent time with the attendants at the Terpel, who told me of French bicyclists and Peruvians. I thought back to the bicyclists I knew. There was the Frenchman I met in the Peruvian Andes, sure, but my fondest memory of bicycle travelers was of the German couple. From La Paz, Mexico, to Mazatlan, we shared a ride on a sailboat across the Sea of Cortez. They had arrived at the Tierra del Fuego while I was still futzing around Mesoamerica.
Another aid to understand how to hitchhike in Chile: the Terpel gas stations. Source.
I spent a few more hours at the Terpel, but no one I spoke with seemed to be going my way. After being refused by a salmon-hauling rig, I was about to create a new generalization that salmon haulers never pick up travelers; but alas, then I met Juan.
You might be thinking that I'm forgetting the names of my rides since they're all so generic, but I assure you that everyone is named Luis, Juan or Jose.
Juan was hauling big colorful plastic boxes of dead salmon to Puerto Montt, there to get packaged in ice.
"Hey, I'm going to Puerto Montt too!" I exclaimed.
Juan had glasses and frizzled black hair—he was like a fatter, older and darker Franco (Franco of Lima fame). He was full of energy and laughs. He taught me phrases like "mas loca que cabra de cerro", and would say random things like, "I'd love to meet Demi Moore." His goatee formed into a sharp, pointed moustache, which made everything he say somehow ridiculous and clever:
"Sandra Bullock… ella es más desordenada que los cumpleaños de mono!/Sandra Bullock is crazier than a monkey's birthday!"
4 hours disappeared like nothing. I hopped out of the rig and wished Juan well. He had stopped just 10 kilometers short of Gloria's house, passed Puerto Montt. A slow Sunday ended well with one last ride thumbed from the side of the road—indeed, here the road was back to being two-lane.
The pick-up truck drove off, having left me in front of Gloria's property. I walked down the gravel road and was greeted by the two dogs Bruno and Pela, who had followed me all those weeks back. They jumped on me with glee and barked hellos. Gloria and her elder sister Teresa, in whose house I had slept, came out calling my name.
"Chael! You're back!"
They expected me, and made me feel once again welcome. I hugged and kissed them hello, and, having somehow sensed my hunger, instantly invited me in for a meal.
By the end of the day, which came swiftly, I'd recounted my travels in Chiloe and Santiago. They spoke and gossiped and spoke over each other, almost like a vocal harmony. Before retiring to a fluffy bed, I agreed to be the gardener for the week. I turned to call it a night.
"Oh Chael, one more thing," Gloria said.
I looked at her.
"Will you stay for Christmas?" She smiled and folded her hands.
I smiled too.
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