This gorgeous pocket sized leather golf score book is hand crafted using the finest leather and is a must have item on any golfing trip.
Foil blocked on the left front cover with the wording 'Golf Notes' this solid pocket sized book will inspire you to record your games. It is also a quick, immediate way of seeing how much your golfing has improved! Each double page spread contains an 18 hole score card, sections for recording the date, course, weather of round played, clubs used, best and worst holes, pars, golf club contact details and partners' scores.
By allowing you to track your progess and keep a permanent record of your scores, the Golf Score Book is an invaluable aid to any golfers game.
This pocket book is made from a stylish grained genuine leather in a British Racing Green with four other colours to choose from and completed with gold foil blocking. The golf journal measuring 15cm High and 9cm Wide comes in a tissue lined black gift box making it the perfect gift.


J-J Hooks sections are modified to include a top-mounted security fence.
Protecting utility plants, manufacturing facilities, office buildings, government installations, and city streets.
Control vehicular and pedestrian traffic for major events, conferences, and concerts.
Close off potentially dangerous areas such as foundations, propane tanks, excavated areas, damaged guardrails, and damaged bridges.


Fun Bedroom Decorating Ideas is a wallpaper for pc desktop,laptop or gadget. Fun Bedroom Decorating Ideas is part of the collection of High Quality HD wallpapers. Fun Bedroom Decorating Ideas was with Tags: . You can download Fun Bedroom Decorating Ideas for free. Finally don't forget to share and help us to grow.


text:
The revolutionary spirit lives on in French hearts
Sunday 29 May 2005 has become a turning point in the history of European integration. After an intense and vibrating campaign, seven out of ten French citizens expressed their views on the EU constitutional treaty, thus falsifying the claim that Europeans do not care about Europe. They do if they feel their views count. This heralds the re-politicisation of European integration, even if the shape of things to come is hard to pin down.
By From Erik O. Eriksen, Agust'n J. MenŽndez, Anne Elizabeth Stie, Hans-Jšrg Trenz
The French (and the Dutch) vote cannot simply be shelved, awaiting a favorable occasion to call for another referendum (as Valéry Giscard d'Estaing suggested prior to the vote, and as President Jacques Chirac might intend, given his request for extra time). The supporters of the constitution cannot frame their choice as the "only viable option" for Europe and treat the voters like first graders repeating the same question until he/she gives the right answer. Re-politicisation means that there might be different and better choices. EU leaders should start coming to terms with the causes which underlie the French 'No'.
The 'No' cannot be said to be an expression of a wave of feelings at a given time. It is maybe the first time in the history of European integration that a popular vote satisfies the democratic requirement of opening a truly European space of reflection and debate and thus makes a deliberative choice for Europe. True, many French voters wanted to punish President Chirac and Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, but their discontent did not have its exclusive source in domestic politics.
It also stemmed from governments moving European integration in a direction which the voters found wrong. High unemployment, social dumping and lack of social protection are not only national, but mainly European questions.
Many felt that the constitutional treaty was too generous to market freedoms. They felt there was a serious risk that the constitution would give a final blow to the welfare state as we know it. Such a fear is far from irrational if one considers the enormous pressure to bargain for reduced wages and increased working hours, or else perish in the tough competition against foreign companies who pay sweat-shop wages. The 'No'-side bravely rejected the view that there is no alternative. There is at least one, a European Union which simultaneously shelters national welfare states and lays the ground for redistribution within the Union; a Union which is ready to protect welfare states by regulating international capital flows and acting against social dumping. The 'No'-camp did not want a smaller, but a bigger European budget; they wanted France to pay for enlargement through taxes and not through social dumping and inferior working conditions.
Still, for democracy to prevail it must be possible to convert the will of the people into practical political action. Can national governments just leave aside the constitutional treaty and ignore their commitment to ratify the text? Or should the Convention be reconvened to amend the text in view of the results of the ratification process? And should they choose to re-nationalise or downscale parts of the European project? Or opt for further integration?
The positive news from the two referenda is that the people of Europe are back on stage. Their re-empowerment is directed against those who have decisionmaking power There is a general public concerned with European issues. By saying 'No' after broad debates, French citizens have shown that the EU is ripe for democracy. The heritage from the French revolution lives on.
Erik O. Eriksen Agust'n J. Menéndez Anne Elizabeth Stie Hans-Jörg Trenz Centre for European Studies, University of Oslo Norway
More from ... From Erik O. Eriksen, Agust'n J. MenŽndez, Anne Elizabeth Stie, Hans-Jšrg Trenz
Biden's 'summit of democracies' can rally allies against autocracies
By Jonas Parello-Plesner
It is not up to Poland to 'overcome' its WWII history
November 5, 2020	11:39 am
By Szymon Andrzej Szynkowski vel Sęk
Time for Europe to move past 'pax Americana'
November 4, 2020	6:22 pm
By Franziska Brantner
France's secularism means freedom and protection for all
By Gabriel Attal
France	Norway

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
"""
:Copyright: 2014-2022 Jochen Kupperschmidt
:License: Revised BSD (see `LICENSE` file for details)
"""

import pytest

from byceps.services.ticketing import ticket_code_service

@pytest.mark.parametrize(
    'code, expected',
    [
        ('ZWXL'  , False),  # denied: too short
        ('zwxln' , False),  # denied: not all-uppercase
        ('ZWXLN' , True ),  # okay
        ('ZW2LN' , True ),  # okay: numbers are fine (but can be hard to distinguish)
        ('ZAXLN' , True ),  # okay (even though vowels are not in alphabet; all uppercase ASCII letters are fine)
        ('ZÄXLN' , False),  # denied: umlaut is not in alphabet
        ('ZWXLNG', False),  # denied: too long
    ],
)
def test_is_ticket_code_wellformed(code, expected):
    assert ticket_code_service.is_ticket_code_wellformed(code) == expected

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Since 1907 film criticism has been a part of the mass media. In the 1970s film criticism made a leap from the pages of the local newspaper to television programming in the form of Sneak Previews hosted by Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert. Reaching a peak in ratings by 1992, the show was regularly being viewed by millions. In recent years as programming has moved from the television to the internet as a result of the digital revolution, a new breed of reporters have attempted to fill the shoes that critics like Siskel & Ebert left behind. This study analyzed one specific web based film criticism program, Half in the Bag, and compared the content recently presented by that program to 1992 episodes of Siskel and Ebert. Data was gathered in from both sources for the total length spent reviewing the film, the focus on opinion, the use of film terminology and the overall likelihood of critics to recommend a film. The goal of the study was to ultimately determine if content provided by modern day web based film critics is truly comparable to the works completed by Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert in the early 1990s. Research indicated that while appearing like their traditional counterparts, in many ways they were not comparable. Thus, while the overall trend seems to be leading to a convergence of the internet and television, and a movement of programing from the television to the web, web based film review programs like Half in the Bag are not presenting the same content that previous television reviewers did, but rather a new form of film review that focuses on analysis and a specific niche audience.


Your child has been given their very own log in details for a very useful and fun website that we use to encourage more reading and understanding of books.
Their teacher will continue to allocate many books for them to read and answer questions. They will even be able to see who has been reading lots of books and answering the questions correctly.
They can even improve their learning in Maths and Grammar with lots of games allocated for them to play.
The children can earn gold coins for their learning and hard work! These can then be spent to improve their virtual world.
The website is www.activelearnprimary.co.uk and it works on a PC, laptop, tablet and most mobile phones so it is easily accessible even if you are out and about.
Your child has been given their username, password and the school code to log in with.
Please encourage them to read and help them to answer the questions that pop up throughout the online books. If you have any questions or issues regarding active learn please speak to Miss Gregory or Mr Evans.


text:
The Surfer's Journal - Biographies - Robert Weaver (2001)
NR 21 minutes Surfing Documentaries
Learning to surf on a heavy longboard in the late-'80s, Robert "wingnut" Weaver became one of the finest exemplars of classic noseriding, and was picked for a role in Endless Summer II.
Wingnut, Robert August, Joel Tudor
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included with Premium Membership
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Episodes from The Surfer's Journal - Biographies
Gerry Lopez
Hawaiian surfer Gerry Lopez, the elegant tube rider famous for his slouched, ultra-cool statements at Pipeline, has become a timeless icon for the soul of surfing.
Buy $3.99 Rent $1.99
Terry Fitzgerald
Sydney's Terry Fitzgerald, nicknamed the Sultan of Speed in the '70s, earned a reputation based on pure lines and maximum velocity. His performances at Jeffrey's Bay and on the North Shore of Hawaii...
Barry Kanaiaupuni
Hawaiian surfer Barry Kanaiaupuni, famed for his Sunset Beach speed runs on skinny, javelin-like boards, artfully transitioned from longboard stylist to prototypical North Shore power merchant.
Cheyne Horan
Sydney's Cheyne Horan, exploded from the junior competitive scene in the early-'80s. He went on to establish himself not only as a contest machine, but as a vocal proponent of civil rights,...
Jeff Hakman
Jeff Hakman reigned as the standard of excellence from his astonishing 1965 victory (age 17) at the first Duke Kahanamoku Invitational until he drifted out of the limelight in the mid '70s. He defined...
Larry Bertlemann
Larry Bertlemann, a Duke winner in '74, seeded a "new school" of surfing and brought low-rotation skateboard maneuvers to the waves. He defined the shorthboard revolution in Hawaii.
Robert August
Having learned the lifestyle from surf legend father, Blackie, Robert August went on to become one of the most recognizable figures in the surf world via his starring role in The Endless Summer.
Tom Carroll sprouted from the ultra-competitive Sydney scene of the late '70s, this world champ was one of the most powerful and influencial surfers to ever lay a rail into Pipeline.
Robert Weaver
Wayne Lynch
Wayne Lynch is an Australian goofyfoot and articulate spokesman for the sport. He broke the regularfoot stranglehold on progressive surfing in the late '60s, inventing lines that few could follow.
Female surfers played a vital role in the sport's Polynesian pre-history. At times, women actually outnumbered their male counterparts at Hawaiian breaks. The movement is most palpable in the...
Rabbit Kekai
Rabbit began surfing in the 1920s at Public Baths before moving down the beach to Waikiki proper, absorbing the teachings of the period's finest watermen along the way. Under the hau tree absolute...
Kelly Slater, one of surfing's most important figures, dominated the '90s competively. He defined a new era, as he transcended the surf scene to become a pop culture icon on magazine covers and the...
Nat Young was key in bringing about the shortboard revolution in the '60s and he remains one of longboard surfing's purest exponents. In this edition, this brilliant, outspoken Australian national...
Tom Curren, one of surfing's most important figures, dominated the '80s competively. Although shy and elusive, Curren lifted American professional surfing to peak as a hugely influential figure who...
Shaun Tomson
Of the 1970s Free Ride generation, South Africa's Shaun Tomson ushers in a new level of performance and international flair. As a handsome world champ tube rider, he attracted the first hoards of...
Joel Tudor
Joel Tudor resides at the top of longboarding's late 20th century revival, and he became a talented shortboarder at such indicator breaks as Pipeline and Cloudbreak. In this edition, there's the Tudor...
Of the 1970s Free Ride generation, Australia's Mark Richards ushers in a new level of performance and international flair. Not quite the sex symbol type, he was a mild-mannered, deeply respected and...
Wingnut is always up for a good time and his infectious demeanor and legit-by-any-measure surfing skills are a good matchup with Robert August, who happens to be his traveling partner. Learning to surf on a heavy longboard in the late-'80s, no less Weaver became one of the coast's finest exemplars of classic noseriding. It came as no surprise that he was picked for a role in Endless Summer II, and with Pat O'Connel as a foil, he surfed his way into theatres around the globe.
Surfing Documentaries, Biographical
Wingnut, Robert August, Joel Tudor, Mike Marshall, Robert Weaver, Wally Weaver, Steve Rabineau, Bruce Brown, Mark Martinson, Ira Opper
English | Stereo
Download Resolution
SD | 640x480
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text:
Tulsiani, Sunil /
Notice of Withdrawal: In the Matter of Sunil Tulsiani et al.
SUNIL TULSIANI, TULSIANI INVESTMENTS INC.,
PRIVATE INVESTMENT CLUB INC., and GULFLAND HOLDINGS LLC
NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL
WHEREAS on May 27, 2010, the Ontario Securities Commission (the "Commission") issued a Notice of Hearing to consider whether it was in the public interest to make certain orders against Sunil Tulsiani, Tulsiani Investments Inc., Private Investment Club Inc., and Gulfland Holdings LLC (the "Respondents"), and Staff filed a Statement of Allegations in respect of the Respondents, pursuant to subsection 127 of the Securities Act;
TAKE NOTICE that Staff of the Commission hereby withdraws the Statement of Allegations against the Respondents.
June 27, 2011 Staff of the Ontario Securities Commission
PO Box 55, 19th Floor


text:
Federal Tax Headlines
Individual Working for Foreign Employer Was Employee and Not Entitled to Make SEP Contributions (Rosenfeld, TCM)
An individual who provided consulting services to a foreign employer was a common-law employee of the foreign employer, rather than an independent contractor, despite the appointment categorizing him as self-employed for tax purposes. The individual was a common-law employee because a consideration of the relevant factors for determining the substance of an employment relationship weighed in favor of the individual being an employee. Since his employer had the right to exercise control over his work, he was paid a fixed salary, and a letter of appointment from his employer reflected his employee status, he was a common-law employee of his employer.
The contributions that he made to a simplified employee pension (SEP) plan from earnings he received for providing consulting services to a foreign employer were excess contributions because he did not qualify as an employer, for purposes of being able to make a SEP contribution. He did not qualify as an employer because he did not own the entire interest in the foreign employer.
The individual was liable for the excise tax on his excess contributions, even though the contributions were made after the end of the calendar year, because the contributions still applied to that tax year. The individual was not liable for the accuracy-related penalty under Code Sec. 6662(a) because he acted in good faith when he reasonably relied on the advice of his tax return preparer in determining that he was entitled to make SEP contributions.
M. Rosenfeld, TC Memo. 2011-110, Dec. 58,632(M)
Code Sec. 404
CCH Reference – 2011FED ¶18,350.65
CCH Reference – 2011FED ¶18,922.1065
Code Sec. 3401
CCH Reference – 2011FED ¶34,362.101
Tax Research Consultant
CCH Reference – TRC RETIRE: 27,102.10
CCH Reference – TRC RETIRE: 33,050
CCH Reference – TRC PENALTY: 3,104
CCH Reference – TRC PENALTY: 3,116.10


In 2015-16 the road bridge at Lewes Railway Station was strengthened and repaired, followed by a comprehensive restoration of the listed station buildings by BAM Nuttall Ltd. They gave a talk in January 2017 to the Friends of Lewes, which was preceded by a short history of railways in the town by Robert Cheesman, Chairman of the Friends of Lewes. Afterwards it was suggested that it would be interesting to have a more detailed historical account.
Robert now presents his extended history of the railways at Lewes, beginning with the first railway from Brighton in June 1846, followed by the many developments of the railway lines and services up to today. His informative illustrations include photos of the three Lewes railway stations.


text:
Q: Alternative syntax for switch Hey there is an alternative syntax for switch statement in PHP, but this code doesn't work:

<?php switch($variable): ?>
<?php case 1: ?>

Newspage

<?php break;?>
<?php case 2: ?>

Forum

<?php break;?>
<?php endswitch;?>

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_INLINE_HTML, expecting
  T_ENDSWITCH or T_CASE or T_DEFAULT in /path/to/file on line #

A: Solution for this problem is putting switch($variable): with case 1: into same block of PHP code:

<?php switch($variable):
case 1: ?>

Newspage

<?php break;?>
<?php case 2: ?>

Forum

<?php break;?>
<?php endswitch;?>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Explaining Why White Middle Aged America Is Killing Itself - The New Case And Deaton Paper
Tim Worstall Former Contributor
Back 18 months the team of Anne Case and Angus Deaton (who has since gained the economics Nobel) released a famous paper pointing out that white rural Americans were killing themselves. So much so that expected lifespans were in fact falling such was the rise in middle aged morbidity. That original paper found that the effect was geographically concentrated. And as I remarked at the time that's a bit of a problem for the causality of that rise in morbidity. For we've got rather a lot of migration out of those rural areas. And it's the better educated doing the leaving.
Thus it is possible (no, no one has studied this in enough detail as yet for anyone to know) that the effect found is entirely down to those migration effects. We know very well that poorer and less educated people are more likely to die in middle age than richer and better educated. So, if all the better educated and thus, in our current society, higher income people move away we will observe a rise in the death rate among the remnant population.
Case and Deaton have returned to this subject with a new paper. And they agree that there is some of this compositional effect in their earlier findings:
It is important not to focus
on those with less than a high school degree, a group that has grown markedly
smaller over time, and is likely to be increasingly negatively selected on health.
we note that for age-groups younger than 45, there has been a decline in the fraction of
WNHs with only a high school degree, so that selection may be playing some role for the
younger groups.
Excellent, so that intuition of mine about those compositional effects was indeed correct at least in part. However, this new paper then drives a steamroller through my explanation by showing that this rise in morbidity is country-wide among that class and age group, middle aged and less educated whites. Except, well, I'm not quite sure it does. Fortunately, as I said last time, this is such an important result coming from such a well known name that it will be fully investigated. It's not just going to be either ignored nor accepted at face value either. People will keep picking away at this until the definitive answer is understood.
And I still think there's more than just a hint of compositional effects here. Others don't of course:
The problem of dying whites can't only be blamed on rising rates of drug overdoses, suicides and chronic alcoholism, they say. More and more, middle-aged white Americans are dying for all kinds of reasons — and the underlying issue may have less to do with opioids and more to do with how society has left behind the working class.
"Ultimately, we see our story as about the collapse of the white, high school educated, working class after its heyday in the 1970s, and the pathologies that accompany that decline," they write.
It's not really possible to take this as being purely about the economy:
For example, black families have had more economic struggles (and have had more out-of-wedlock births) than white families, yet for years their death rate fell while the white rate rose.
We're really not about to start insisting that black Americans are economically privileged over white ones which is what we would have to do to explain that rise in the while morbidity as being based upon economics alone.
At which point a prediction from me. I think that at least some of the answer here is going to come from compositional effects. We're talking about death rates here, how many per hundred thousand die young. And when we talk about rates if the make up of the group has changed then that can be the explanation for that change in the rate. Imagine, for example, that college attendance rates expanded massively at some point. That gives us something akin to those migration rates from the first paper. The people who always would have been richer and lived longer are now in our college educated group, rather than the non-college educated one. Thus our measurement of lifespan in the uneducated group has changed because of the different composition of the group, not because there has been any change in lifespan.
As I remember it, and please do correct me if I'm wrong, the big expansion of college attendance in the US was in the 60s and 70s. Meaning that those under discussion in this paper are that very group left behind by that change--those in their 40s and 50s in the late 1990s to today. At one point a comparison is made to UK morbidity in the same age group. But the big expansion of university there was in the 1990s and 2000s, rather later. Which could be why the effects aren't being seen as yet.
It's obviously true that Case and Deaton are both brighter and better informed than I am. But I would still say that this is where I expect to find some of the explanation. There's a change in the group being measured even if that's not the whole story.
I'm a Fellow at the Adam Smith Institute in London, a writer here and there on this and that and strangely, one of the global experts on the metal scandium, one of the r...


Mayfair's most characterful restaurant invited 19 greek street to curate a pop-up experience in the main areas of the venue in 2012. The project, entitled Flung, brought together five installations by four designers. The selected works each depict an awkward restaurant scene in which a catastrophe has disrupted normality. Tilted tables, deformed chairs, mummified seating – a 'flung' restaurant suspended upside-down – demonstrate how disaster can, unintentionally, create something of beauty.


Every once in a while I need to convert objects of an unknown type into a known type; sometimes these types are only known at run time. In most cases I want the code to stay easy to read, so I don't want to if-then-else the readybility of my code away.
Over the time, I have created a helper that performs the conversion in a convenient and fast way. Use it if you like.
/// Gets the specified property value and converts it, if necessary.
/// Parses the specified object into the specified type.


text:
2019 Program Archive
2016 Educators Forum
2016 Live Music Forum
2016 National Contemporary Music Roundtable Organising Group
2020 Delegates
2019 Delegate Archive
2017 Speakers Archive
2017 Plenary Recommendations
Why Independent Music Matters
Ruth Hazelton NFF 2017. Image Credit: Sarah Turier courtesy of Timber & Steel.
Ruth Hazleton | August 15, 2017
"independent music tells the stories of Australia and brings people together creatively. It is culturally vital."
Musician and advocate Ruth Hazleton argues for the importance of the rich diversity of multiple niche music genres, why they matter, and how – if we allow these to be crowded out – our music and our culture is diminished.
How do you make $1 million dollars from folk music? Start with $2 million.
What do you call a songwriter without a significant other? Homeless
Have you heard about the new folk, jazz & blues musicians? No, and nobody else has either.
While humorous, these jokes illustrate fundamental perspectives on our niche music genres. Similar negative preconceptions were evident when ABC Radio National cut 95% of its music content.
In response, the #saveRNmusic campaign issued open letters, attracted over 23,000 signatures to our petition and contributed to a Senate Inquiry in March this year.
The genres represented by our campaign include: folk, traditional, blues, jazz, 'world', indigenous, islander, singer/songwriters, Americana, acoustic, experimental, devotional and music from Australia's multicultural communities.
Why SHOULD we value niche music, and why does it matter?
Firstly, these smaller 'genres' are collectively the music of choice for a significant percentage of the population. Don Walker nailed it when he wrote: "We're not a tiny niche minority, we're spread across all ages, backgrounds and walks of life".
Far from experiencing a decline in attendance, the Australian independent music sector is healthy and flourishing.
Folk, jazz, blues, and roots festivals are reporting capacity crowds. Festivals attract younger audiences and artists, and regional and rural Australians regularly attend gigs by touring independent musicians.
Here's the key: independent music is far more than just an industry.
Sure, there's industry associated with a performance economy, but ultimately independent music thrives as a lifestyle, a community, a participatory culture outside of mainstream record deals and playlists. Audiences are increasingly seeking to discover music as opposed to being 'fed' music from commercial sources.
If there were statistical evidence to support this, I'd share it, but contemporary research simply doesn't exist.
Secondly, non-mainstream genres inject a considerable amount of money into local and regional economies.
Some of our largest festivals report expenditure impacts of over $30 million. One rural community festival with an attendance of 6,000 recently reported a $1.5 million contribution to the local economy, in an economically disadvantaged area of NSW.
Thirdly, non-mainstream genres are a source of artistic innovation, creativity and excellence. Before and after achieving mainstream success, the careers of many of our celebrated musicians continue to be nurtured on the fringe, sustained by support given by entities such as the ABC and Radio National.
Among them: Paul Kelly, the late Dr G Yunupingu, The Waifs, Archie Roach, Deborah Conway, and Joe Camilleri, who wrote:
" …commercial stations and JJJ refuse to play anything new that I've released since the early nineties. I've released 48 albums in my 50-year career. I am still performing 150 shows a year… demographics do not matter, just the music".
Promoter, Gaynor Crawford wrote:
"I would not be able to tour my artists if it weren't for…RN. [Three] examples from my roster: Glen Hansard, Rufus Wainwright & Martha Wainwright, none of whom have ever been played on commercial radio, yet they sell out the Sydney Opera House twice over".
Lastly, independent music tells the stories of Australia and brings people together creatively. It is culturally vital.
Goanna's Shane Howard wrote: "So many people [discovered] music from around Australia and the World from the diversity of musical programs; from classical to folk to contemporary…"
Paul Kelly wrote: "The music programs on Radio National, in all their diversity, [played] a vital role in developing Australian songwriters, composers and musicians".
Some of the most damaging attitudes experienced in the sector are that festivals run by volunteers are a significantly high funding risk compared to arts organisations with paid administrators, and that genres such as folk, blues and jazz are considered "musical heritage" rather than a source of artistic excellence and innovation. These misconceptions illustrate the kinds of hurdles the sector faces in the world of arts bureaucracies.
In countries like Canada, England, Scotland, Finland, China and Japan, governments, philanthropists, and public broadcasters typically offer substantial support for independent genres, as they recognise and appreciate the cultural and artistic value of non-mainstream music.
What is needed now is a comprehensive analysis of the economic, artistic, social and cultural contribution these genre communities make. This would be a great start in recognising the true value of what we have, and what we could become.
This is an extract from a talk by Ruth Hazleton at the 2017 Music Australia Contemporary Music Roundtable conference.
PrevAustralian Contemporary Music a Billion Dollar Industry Next The STEAM vs STEM Debate: Practical Answers for Music Teachers


text:
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Philadelphia Weather Forecast
From the archives of History.com…
Monday, September 9, 2019 by History.com Editors
January 20, 1971, sees the release of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On?" In addition to being a massive hit, the song marked a turning point in Gaye's career and in the trajectory of Motown. Gaye achieved popularity in the 1960s with songs like "How Sweet it Is (To Be Loved by You)" and "I Heard It …Continue reading
Thursday, July 11, 2019 by History.com Editors
On January 20, 1980, in a letter to the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and a television interview, U.S. President Jimmy Carter proposes that the 1980 Summer Olympics be moved from the planned host city, Moscow, if the Soviet Union failed to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan within a …Continue reading
Donald Trump is inaugurated
Thursday, January 4, 2018 by History.com Editors
In the culmination of his extraordinary rise to power over a tumultuous election year, Donald John Trump is inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States in Washington, D.C. From the time he kicked off his presidential campaign in June 2015 at his namesake Trump Tower in New York City, …Continue reading
Barack Obama is inaugurated
Tuesday, January 2, 2018 by History.com Editors
On a freezing day in Washington, D.C., Barack Hussein Obama is sworn in as the 44th U.S. president. The son of a black father from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas, Obama had become the first African American to win election to the nation's highest office the previous November. As the junior …Continue reading
FDR inaugurated to fourth term
Wednesday, July 21, 2010 by History.com Editors
On January 20, 1945, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the only president to be elected to three terms in office, is inaugurated to his fourth—and final—term. At the height of the Great Depression, Roosevelt, then governor of New York, was elected the 32nd president of the United States. In his inaugural …Continue reading
John F. Kennedy inaugurated
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 by History.com Editors
On January 20, 1961, on the newly renovated east front of the United States Capitol, John Fitzgerald Kennedy is inaugurated as the 35th president of the United States. It was a cold and clear day, and the nation's capital was covered with a snowfall from the previous night. The ceremony began with …Continue reading
Hong Kong ceded to the British
During the First Opium War, China cedes the island of Hong Kong to the British with the signing of the Chuenpi Convention, an agreement seeking an end to the first Anglo-Chinese conflict. In 1839, Britain invaded China to crush opposition to its interference in the country's economic and political …Continue reading
Yasser Arafat elected leader of Palestine
Yasser Arafat is elected president of the Palestinian National Council with 88.1 percent of the popular vote, becoming the first democratically elected leader of the Palestinian people in history. Arafat, the founder of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), originally employed guerilla …Continue reading
Iran Hostage Crisis ends
Tuesday, November 24, 2009 by History.com Editors
Minutes after Ronald Reagan's inauguration as the 40th president of the United States, the 52 U.S. captives held at the U.S. embassy in Teheran, Iran, are released, ending the 444-day Iran Hostage Crisis. On November 4, 1979, the crisis began when militant Iranian students, outraged that the U.S. …Continue reading
Monday, November 16, 2009 by History.com Editors
Nazi officials meet to discuss the details of the "Final Solution" of the "Jewish question." In July 1941, Hermann Goering, writing under instructions from Hitler, had ordered Reinhard Heydrich, SS general and Heinrich Himmler's number-two man, to submit "as soon as possible a general plan of the …Continue reading
Continue reading and come back for more, tomorrow!
Topics in the news around this time of year…
Battle of Yorktown
Tuesday, January 14, 2020 by History.com Editors
When British General Lord Charles Cornwallis and his army surrendered to General George Washington's American force and its French allies at the Battle of Yorktown on October 19, 1781, it was more than just military win. The outcome in Yorktown, Virginia marked the conclusion of the …Continue reading
Monday, January 6, 2020 by History.com Editors
On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that as of January 1, 1863, all slaves in the states currently engaged in rebellion against the Union "shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free." Lincoln didn't actually free any …Continue reading
Battle of the Bulge Soldiers
Facing the harsh conditions of the European winter, American soldiers fighting in the Battle of the Bulge faced a challenge like no other.Continue reading
The Snowstorm that Changed Everything
Before salted roads and giant snowplows, one devastating storm brought New York City to a halt. But it may have changed things for the better.Continue reading
New Year's Eve Ball Drop
We all watch the ball drop on New Year's Eve, but the ball has its own history that began well before Times Square.Continue reading
How Nutcrackers Became A Holiday Icon
Wooden nutcracker soldiers are staples of the holiday season, but what do they actually have to do with Christmas celebrations?Continue reading
Wednesday, December 18, 2019 by History.com Editors
At the end of World War I, during a peace conference held in Paris, France, the victorious Allies concluded a series of peace treaties that would be imposed on the defeated Central Powers. The most important of these was the Treaty of Versailles, signed in June 1919 at the Palace of Versailles in …Continue reading
Tuesday, December 10, 2019 by History.com Editors
Robert E. Lee was a Confederate general who led the South's attempt at secession during the Civil War. He challenged Union forces during the war's bloodiest battles, including Antietam and Gettysburg, before surrendering to Union General Ulysses S. Grant in 1865 at Appomattox Court House in …Continue reading
Friday, December 6, 2019 by History.com Editors
Daniel Boone was an early American frontiersman who gained fame for his hunting and trailblazing expeditions through the Cumberland Gap, a natural pass through the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky. Boone achieved folk hero status during his lifetime, but much of his …Continue reading
SEC: Securities and Exchange Commission
The Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, is an independent federal regulatory agency tasked with protecting investors and capital, overseeing the stock market and proposing and enforcing federal securities laws. Prior to the SEC's creation, oversight of the trade in stocks, bonds …Continue reading
Stories in the news…
Does Hangar 18, Legendary Alien Warehouse, Exist?
Friday, January 17, 2020 by Sarah Pruitt
As home to Project Blue Book, ground zero for government investigation of UFOs from 1951 to 1969, Wright Field (now Wright-Patterson Air Force Base) outside Dayton, Ohio, ranks up there alongside Area 51 as a subject of enduring speculation. Many of the rumors surrounding Wright-Patt, as it's …Continue reading
How Skinwalker Ranch Became a Hotbed of Paranormal Activity
Friday, January 17, 2020 by Adam Janos
Some have called it a supernatural place. Others have deemed it "cursed." Terry Sherman got so spooked by the happenings on his new cattle ranch that 18 months after moving his family of four to the property now known by many as "Skinwalker Ranch" in southeastern Utah, he sold the 512-acre parcel …Continue reading
Why John Tyler May Be the Most Reviled U.S. President Ever
Thursday, January 16, 2020 by Christopher Klein
If a Mount Rushmore for America's most unpopular presidents is ever created, John Tyler would be a leading candidate to have his likeness carved into stone. "Popularity, I have always thought, may aptly be compared to a coquette—the more you woo her, the more apt is she to elude your embrace," …Continue reading
Lewis and Clark: A Timeline of the Extraordinary Expedition
Thursday, January 16, 2020 by Dave Roos
With the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the territory of the United States doubled overnight. Months before the $15 million deal was finalized, though, President Thomas Jefferson won approval from Congress to send a team of intrepid explorers to find a passable water route west to the Pacific Ocean. …Continue reading
US Presidents and Congress Have Long Clashed Over War Powers
Wednesday, January 15, 2020 by Dave Roos
The United States Constitution is clear about which branch of government has the power to declare war. In Article I, Section 8, the Constitution states that "Congress shall have the power… To declare war." But that simple statement has left room for interpretation, and centuries of American …Continue reading
The UFO Sightings that Pushed the UK to Take 'Flying Saucers' More Seriously
In late September 1952, only months after a rash of "flying saucer" sightings over Washington, D.C. made headlines around the world, dozens of military officers participating in NATO exercises in the North Atlantic were struck by their own UFO fever. Exercise Mainbrace was the largest peacetime …Continue reading
7 Little-Known Legacies of Teddy Roosevelt
Tuesday, January 14, 2020 by Dave Roos
Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, is an outsized figure in American politics. He became president in 1901 after the assassination of William McKinley, and the brash and independent Roosevelt quickly remade the presidency in his own image. More than a century later, …Continue reading
'Broken Arrow': When the First U.S. Atomic Bomb Went Missing
Monday, January 13, 2020 by Dave Roos
In 1950, an American B-36 bomber on a peace-time training mission crashed over British Columbia, Canada carrying a Mark IV atomic bomb, a weapon comparable in size to the nuke dropped on Nagasaki in 1945. According to testimonies from the surviving crew members, they had safely jettisoned the bomb, …Continue reading
Six Reasons Why the Ottoman Empire Fell
Friday, January 10, 2020 by Patrick J. Kiger
At its peak in the 1500s, the Ottoman Empire was one of the biggest military and economic powers in the world, controlling an expanse that included not just its base in Asia Minor but also much of southeastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The empire controlled territory that stretched …Continue reading
The Most Contentious Royal Sibling Feuds Through History
Friday, January 10, 2020 by Hadley Meares
When family members are also co-workers, things can get messy. This is never truer than in royal families, where the interplay of private passions and public displays of affection or dissatisfaction are broadcast on an international stage. While some royal feuds remain minor, others in history have …Continue reading
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Find hotel near Botanical Garden Jevremov ..
Sometimes gardens are a perfect spot to relax yourself from the oasis of the hectic city life and the Botanical Garden Jevremovac is one such garden that can guarantee your soul a relaxation. Located in an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital city of Serbia, these gardens are nestled in the University of Belgrade. An ideal spot to visit with your friends and family for a rejuvenating experience, these gardens offer a peaceful and picturesque view for you to just stroll down the lanes, to picnic under the shady trees or just to lay down and relax. Founded in the year 1874, the gardens are open for the public between 0900 hours and 1900 hours and are one of the most renowned places to visit in the city.
An excellent oasis from the bustle of the city. The wonderful Japanese garden is essential and the hothouse has a superb collection.
For 250 din per person entry fee it's not worth it at all. Better spend the money at a nice kafana and go to a free park later.
Nice and relaxing place. Bit more care and attention to be perfect city escape.
Peaceful place in the center of the town, where you can breathe and feel all the tranquility of being in the nature. Japanese garden is tastfully simple, yet elegant. Recommending to go during spring.


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Simpson Strong-Tie Hurricane Straps Deterioration Class Action
You don't want to find out the hard way that your home's hurricane straps are no good. The complaint alleges that those made by Simpson Strong-Tie Company or Simpson Manufacturing Company, Inc. degenerate prematurely and fail to protect the homes on which they're installed.
Hurricane straps are meant to protect a structure "by creating a load path resistant to increased uplift and lateral forces common to high-wind regions[,]" the complaint says. It explains uplift as the forces that can lift a home: "The forces are generated when high winds blow over the top of structure, creating suction that can lift the roof. Those uplift forces must be transferred down to the foundation to prevent damage." They're also meant "to protect against lateral forces that make a structure rock, slide, or overturn."
"When used in the foundation, for example," the complaint says, the Product is placed in wet concrete, and, after the concrete cures, bent over a sill plate. The straps are then nailed to the structure."
Hurricane straps are often installed by home builders, but they can be installed later or replaced by home owners.
Simpson's marketing materials claim that their hurricane strap products "meet or exceed our customers' needs and expectations" and that "Simpson Strong-Tie has the right connector to help [consumers] build safe, strong structures."
However, the complaint says, the products are actually "subject to premature corrosion, rusting, failure, deterioration, and disintegration…." This leads to "cracking, spalling, and other damage compromising the structural stability of the home should there be high winds or seismic activity." This in turn creates the risk of personal injury and property damage.
The plaintiffs, Cary W. and Terri G. Cooper and Fernandina Beach, LLC both bought properties with hurricane straps installed. The Coopers' home was hit by a hurricane in 2019 that caused significant damage that the complaint claims would have been prevented if the Simpson straps had worked as they were supposed to. Fernandina Beach saw that the existing hurricane straps were failing and replaced them in 2018 with Simpson straps. However, she has already noticed corrosion in the new Simpson straps.
Two classes have been defined:
The National Class is all individuals in the US who own residential structures built with Simpson hurricane straps embedded in the foundations or in the structural support and all former owners who paid to repaid such straps.
The Florida Class is all individuals in Florida who own residential structures built with Simpson hurricane straps embedded in the foundations or in the structural support, and all former owners who paid to repair such straps.
Article Type: Lawsuit
Topic: Consumer
Most Recent Case Event
Simpson Strong-Tie Hurricane Straps Deterioration Complaint
simpson_strong-tie_defective_hurricane_straps_compl.pdf
Case Event History
Tags: Home Defects, Hurricane Straps, Your Home


County Mayo is one of Ireland's largest and most scenic counties, boasting miles of coastline together with a variety of lake and mountain scenery. The principal tourist town is Westport while the larger town of Ballina also caters to visitors. There are a host of smaller villages and towns.
Two of the best golf courses in Ireland, Carne and Enniscrone are in Mayo. (Enniscrone is actually just across the border in County Sligo). Westport and Ballinrobe are fine parkland courses and there are also courses at Castlebar, Claremorris and Ballina. The fabulous links at Connemara is just to te south in County Galway, while the links courses in Sligo (and even Donegal) are also within reach.
See also our region guide to golf in the west of Ireland. For visitor information on County Mayo please visit the official Mayo Tourism website or the Mayo Tourism Directory.


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Once There Was A Darkness: Year One by thegirllikeme
Chapter Fourteen: In The Dark
by thegirllikeme
Shadows danced, disrupting the red glow of the fireplace and the natural green hue that always surrounded the common room. Shiloh stared at the patterns, the blackness creating fingers on the floor. She let her mind roam with them as they flickered, taking in the familiar shapes, but she didn't really see them. Instead she was mapping out the familiar path to their destination, for what she hoped would be the last time.
"Ready?" Symone asked, as she approached from behind, something clasped in her hand and held so it was hidden by her school cloak.
Their plan was different this time. They hadn't dared going to bed, not when she was certain that three of her roommates would use the solitude of their shared bedroom to their advantage. Shiloh wasn't in the mood for another duel. So when the hours had grown late, she and Symone had remained in the common room until Annadel, Millicent, and Pansy had grudgingly gone to bed and long after it was certain that those three were sleeping, and they were the only ones remaining, pretending to be doing last-minute studying. Only when they were sure it was past midnight did Symone sneak into their room for the cloak. Based on her quick return, Shiloh judged that the mission had gone simply.
Yet, as helpful as she had already been, a thought had been playing through Shiloh's mind since she'd first figured out that they would be forced to go back to Professor Snape's office. She'd ignored it at first, but as soon as Symone had left and she'd been abandoned in the imposing, harsh silence, the thought had only increased in volume. She'd twirled it over and over in her mind, trying to find a reason to stomp it down, and finding none. At the very least, she had to express it; she had to give Symone the chance to back out.
Shiloh turned to look at her, shadows and light taking turns playing on her cheeks. "You don't have to do this, you know."
Symone frowned and shook her head a bit, as though unable to understand.
"I can go by myself," Shiloh continued softly, choosing her words carefully. The last thing she wanted to do was offend Symone. "I'm sure I could make it." She eyed the Cloak in Symone's hand, considering that factor guardedly. As much as it was incredibly useful, the Cloak was Symone's. It wasn't fair for her to attempt to use it, unless Symone offered. As much as she hated it, the Cloak might not be able to come with her today. "And I can do it with or without the Cloak. You've done enough to help me; you don't have to do this."
Suddenly, Symone seemed to understand what Shiloh was getting at because her mouth moved in a circle. She mumbled 'oh' and nodded her head in understanding...but not acceptance. "Sorry, Shiloh." Symone gave her a haughty look, a look that spoke of firm Slytherin determination. "But that is not going to happen. I'm going with you. End of story."
The way she said it grated on Shiloh's nerves, as well as taking her off guard. Symone had never addressed her like that. The point-blank, my-way-goes attitude was something that had always brought out a fighting spirit in Shiloh, and yet, perhaps Symone had reason to treat her like that, to clarify that she was going, wanted to go, no matter what.
Still, Shiloh opened her mouth, but Symone took a step closer, stopping her. This time, when she spoke, her voice was gentle, "We started this together; we're going to finish it together."
Shiloh tried to force sound out of her mouth, but the words were halfway up her throat when she thought better of it. All that came out was a choked off sound. She quickly closed her mouth, her eyes studying Symone thoughtfully. She tried to think it through. She knew that Symone had already paid her so-called 'debt' in full, but the extra pair of eyes was always a consideration. As much as she thought it was wise for Symone to stay, she really didn't want her to stay. Besides, forcing her to would be like entering a battle Shiloh didn't have the time to fight.
"All right," Shiloh agreed, even though she added a condition. "But if anything goes wrong, and you can get away, just do it."
Once again, Symone gave her a questioning frown, wiping away her victorious expression. "You mean, if you get caught when I'm under the Cloak, you want me to leave you?" Though she was just guessing at the idea, it was clear by her furrowed brow that she didn't like the idea very much.
"Yes," Shiloh said flatly, trying to leave no room for argument; but who was she kidding? Symone would argue anyways. "We have to protect the Cloak."
Symone opened her mouth, looking ready to disagree, but her eyes flicked to the mantle where a clock sat. The snake shaped hands of the clock were slithering down to mark twenty past midnight. Time was slipping away, and she seemed to think better of wasting any more of it. She agreed, though not in a way that was convincing, "It doesn't matter anyways. We're not going to get caught. We've done this before, and it all went fine."
Shiloh didn't find that encouraging. Just because they'd done something dangerous before, didn't mean that it made it any less dangerous – not in this case, at least. Expertise didn't count in matters of chance. She needed to make sure that Symone would do this one thing, especially since it was the one thing she'd failed to make sure of before. She couldn't avoid it any longer, because her protectiveness for Symone had somehow doubled. The last think she wanted was for Symone to get in trouble for her.
"Just promise me, Symone," Shiloh said firmly. Symone raised an eyebrow, skeptically, and Shiloh pressed on, "We have to keep the Cloak a secret."
There was a pause in which Symone was clearly debating over this information. Finally, she heaved a begrudging, "Oh, all right. I promise." Perhaps she did see the wisdom in what Shiloh had stated, but that didn't mean she liked it. "If that'll ease your worrying."
Shiloh wasn't exactly satisfied, not entirely convinced that Symone really meant it, but it was all she could do for now. Nothing more was said between them as Symone threw the Cloak over them, making sure that their feet and every inch of them was hidden beneath it.
Shiloh pulled out her wand, hissed "Lumos", and started towards the door. Symone was at her side, their elbows brushing as they were careful not to step on each other's feet.
They left the common room behind them and started down the path towards Professor Snape's office. Their strides grew more comfortable as they built confidence that they weren't going to trod on the other's feet or the Cloak's edge. The path seemed easier to be navigated. It had grown familiar, even in the darkness. It seemed odd to Shiloh that something that was so forbidden—wandering in the corridors after curfew—was so familiar. She'd been up to mischief far too much lately, and she promised herself that she would steer clear of it once this had all come to an end. It wasn't good to be well-acquainted with trouble, and she swore she wasn't going to make a habit of it.
As long as she could get past tonight.
It seemed much too soon when they arrived at the door to Professor Snape's office. Once again, it was Shiloh who stretched out her hand and whispered, "Alohomora." There was a soft click and she rested her hand on the doorknob, twisting it and allowing the door to open just enough so that she and Symone could slip into the oppressive darkness. They rested the door back into its frame without so much as a click, and then turned to where they knew their last destination was. They didn't allow themselves to study the shelves this time around, nor the other, slightly eerie things that seemed to make the night thicker and made fear clog their minds. They weren't going to fall into the trap of his illusory office.
Shiloh unlocked the door to his personal stores, and once both of them were inside, she slipped from Symone's side and hurried quietly to the ladder. She scaled up it, to where she knew the Veritaserum would be, then she stopped. Her hand slipped into her pocket to withdraw the Veritaserum. She gave it one last fond squeeze. It was impossible not to be attached to the object she had thought to be her lifeline for several months. However, she was still thankful to be rid of it. It had been as much trouble as it had been worth.
Reaching to Professor Snape's vial, the one she knew only contained water, she emptied the water into an empty vial. She stuffed that into her pocket and uncapped the Veritaserum. Carefully, she began to pour the Veritaserum back into the bottle, drop for drop, back to its original resting place. She watched each drop drip back into place, being careful with every ounce of the liquid.
"Um...Shiloh..."
Shiloh barely heard Symone's whispered voice, but when she did, her hand gave a small shudder, sending a drop at a perilous angle. Fortunately, it still slipped into the bottle, but Shiloh couldn't allow herself to be distracted again. She couldn't allow herself to think what Symone was trying to get her attention for, for risk of loosing the steadiness in her fingers. So, she continued, ignoring her companion's anxious whispers which were almost too low to be heard.
The last drop seemed to take eternity to fall through air into the vial. As soon as it did, Shiloh corked the vial and slid it into place, not an inch from where it had been centered before. She tossed the empty vial into her pocket. Now, she could find out what Symone needed. She started downward swiftly, into the familiar pattern of scaling down. One foot hit a wood rung; the next hit nothing but air.
There really should have been a rung there, but she must have misjudged the distance because instead of wood, Shiloh only found the sickening feel of gravity. Her hands were ripped away from the ladder as she stumbled backwards, into nothingness. She felt her stomach tug downward, tossed and quake in the sensation of falling. She thought she heard a muffled cry, barely audible. It was nothing more than a distant sound, as Shiloh braced herself. She could already feel the pain as her body made contact with the ground, feel the ache in her head as it snapped against the floor, and could already taste the agony as the wind soured from her lungs. She expected it; she anticipated it; she knew it was inescapable.
But the pain never came.
She felt the thing she'd landed on give slightly under the force of her body pounding into it, but it quickly firmed again. She recognized what had caught her quickly – a pair of strong arms, wrapped around her, protecting her from the floor that otherwise would have met her. She didn't look to see who it was, only kept her eyes closed, forcing herself to continue breathing. She made herself believe that she was no longer falling, and the belief came easy, because, at the moment, she felt quite safe in the pair of arms.
But that moment ended when she looked up into the face of her rescuer.
She recognized those eyes first, the dark, angry eyes that made her blood run cold. The eyes of Professor Snape.
Her dry lips parted, but no sound came out. The horror was paralyzing and even if she could find a way to speak, what response would ever have been sufficient? What words would calm the crackling rage in Professor Snape's eyes? What reply would keep her from the terror she was about to face?
Roughly Professor Snape half-lowered, half-dropped her to the ground. Before she could so much as inhale a breath, let alone attempt to speak again, his hand was wrapping tightly around hers and he was pulling her out of his storeroom and into his office. The grip against her was tight, painfully so, and her breath caught, hating the feel of someone touching her so menacingly, wanting him to let her go. More than that, she wished he'd speak. Yelling would have been better than this prolonged silence.
When they reached his desk, he flung her toward the chair, and she stumbled backwards into it, not questioning his hissed "Sit."
He rounded to the other side of the desk, and Shiloh was glad to have the object between them. She didn't truly think he would actually harm her, but her head and the fear coursing through her were telling her two different things. Her head said he was a professor and she could trust him; her fear told her no one could be trusted not to hurt her, especially not someone so angry.
Professor Snape didn't sit; he seemed too restless to do that. Instead, he pressed his palms into his desk and leaned forward. Shadows were cast on his face, and she could see little more than his eyes. That was enough of a fearsome sight that she kept her gaze lowered. Worse, however, was his voice that seethed forth lowly, bubbling with heat.
"I-I-" Shiloh forced herself to take a deep breath. The worst thing she could do was fall apart; it would be the end of her. Think, Shiloh. Think!
When she didn't answer quickly enough, Professor Snape demanded again, "I asked you what you were doing here."
Shiloh was beginning to breathe again, and commonsense was flushing back into her mind. The first thing she registered was she was in big trouble, and little could save herself from expulsion. The next thing she understood was the fact that she didn't know where Symone was. Had she gotten out? Or was she still in this room?
Please, Symone. As discreetly as possible, Shiloh tried to look over her shoulder at the door, hoping that Symone had managed to slip through unnoticed. However, Shiloh soon knew that she hadn't; she was still in this room, because in the corner shadows moved. Shiloh knew what it meant, the distortion, the ripple of what shouldn't be able to move. It was the old Cloak, faltering just a bit. But Symone had to leave, before she decided to do anything stupid.
Shiloh raised her eyes to what she knew had to be Symone's eye level. If Shiloh knew her classmate, then she knew that Symone would be frozen, still staring in her direction. And if she judged correctly, then Symone could look right into her eyes. Go, Symone. Shiloh hoped she could read the silent message. Just get out. You can't get it trouble for me.
There was a tiny creak that was so quiet, if Shiloh hadn't been listening for it, she wouldn't have been able to hear it. However, it wasn't moving towards the door, it was moving closer. Symone wanted to come to Shiloh's aid, but she couldn't. She just couldn't!
No, Symone! Shiloh thought wildly, fearfully, desperately. You promised, Symone. You promised!
As though Symone was remembering that, too, there was absolute silence as though Symone was once again frozen. Shiloh looked about for any sign of her, but all she saw was the door beginning to open.
Shiloh snapped her head back to look at Professor Snape. She had to distract him. Just long enough that he wouldn't be able to hear the door opening and closing. And if that meant confessing some bogus story, then so be it. "Nothing, Professor Snape." She paused, searching for something to say, her mind working quickly for some sort of lie.
"Then tell me what you're doing here," he growled impatiently. It was the third time he'd asked, and by the way his hands were pressing firmly against his desk, there wouldn't be a next time.
There was a creak as door hinges protested, and Professor Snape's eyes traveled an inch as though perhaps he had heard it. Shiloh commonsense was gone now – she didn't have time to think things through! So, she simply blurted out the first thing that came to her mind. "I can't!"
It got the effect she wanted. His eyes returned to her, staring holes into her. Any sounds were wiped away by rage, but Shiloh had to fight back a groan. She was never going to get out of this place alive.
"What?" he snarled dangerously.
There was no going back now, especially since she needed to talk quickly, so the professor wouldn't hear the door shutting. "I can't tell you. I'm sorry, Professor, I just can't."
Pathetic; absolutely pathetic. What an excuse?! I can't! It was one that Professor Snape would never accept, but at the very least, it got him to use a different tactic.
After a moment of studying her, which also could have been a delay to calm himself, Professor Snape ordered, "Empty your pockets."
There was nothing Shiloh could do but follow his command, no matter that the content of her pockets would surely doom her. Refusal was her only choice, and that wasn't an option with Professor Snape. Doing her best to keep the fear and agony of what was to come at bay, Shiloh forced herself to stand. Her knees wanted to buckle—they felt like they were made of water—her stomach felt like it was turning inside out, and her mouth tasted metallic from the effort it took to keep breathing. However, she managed to keep her hand steady as she pulled out the two potion bottles, a quill she'd forgotten she'd had in there, in a piece of paper with a few jotted notes. She set them on the desk, then reached her hand back for one last item: her wand.
Before she relinquished it, she ran her thumb over it. She knew what fate would befall it if Professor Snape expelled her. This could be the last time she held it, but she couldn't force herself to think of that, because when she did, it felt like a fist had rammed two separate blows, one in her stomach, and one in her throat. She forced herself to breathe steadily and to put the thoughts far from her mind, or else she was going to throw up. Or cry, but she never cried and she refused to now! No matter if she was—admittedly--more scared and more uncertain then she had ever been before.
She breathed in a deep breath and dropped the wand on the pile of other items. If this was going to be her fate, she would accept it. She grasped a hold on her emotions, hiding them behind a facade of numbness and simply watched blankly as Professor Snape picked up the potion bottles. His face grew darker as he studied them, and Shiloh knew that he was beginning to put pieces together. He shook them, hearing only one that had liquid in it, and he pried it open. He brought the contents to his nose, smelled it. Lastly, he cast a spell on it, as though to be certain of his conclusion.
"It's water." Professor Snape looked as Shiloh, as though awaiting a response or an explanation, but he required neither. Instead, she simply confirmed what he had said with a helpless nod.
"And why," he began, a sneer beginning to grow on his face, "were you bringing a vial of water into my potion stores?"
Shiloh didn't attempt to speak, because there was something about the slowness of his words, about the smirk on his face, that told her he already knew. He didn't wait for her respond either. Instead he supplied the answer himself:
"Because you were stealing Veritaserum."
It wasn't so amazing that he had figured that out. After all, Veritaserum was the only potion that resembled water, and she had been climbing the ladder in the same section that Veritaserum was in. He'd just put the tiny details together and come to the first logical guess. She should have known he'd be able to figure it out. However, he was wrong on one detail, a detail she had to set him right on, because it was the only thing that gave her hope of remaining in Hogwarts.
"But I wasn't stealing it," she put in as softly and as respectfully as she could. "I was bringing it back."
The mocking twist in his lip showed how well he believed that, as well as his next words, which were little more than a taunt. "And why should I believe that lie?"
"Because you came in when I was coming down the ladder, after I'd finished whatever it was that I was doing, and I didn't have the Veritaserum in my pocket. I had the water."
Professor Snape blinked, as sign that he was either thinking or he was clearly taken aback. Shiloh hoped it was both. She hadn't had to think very hard to come up with the response. All she had to remember was what Professor Snape would have seen, and see the things that he—much like herself—always looked for: the evidence in the little things.
Shiloh had proved herself with that explanation because he moved to another direction of attack. "But you did steal it?"
She hesitated, wondering if it mattered to him that she'd brought it back, wondering if he cared that he hadn't caught her stealing, but rather correcting that mistake.
He clearly took her reluctance to speak as a yes. No response was as much of a giveaway as anything. He continued, "How long ago did you steal it? A few days?"
"No." Shiloh shook her head as calmly as she could. "A month."
It was not the answer he had been expecting because he blinked, not just once this time, but several times. Then he lifted her vials back into his hand, studying them intently. Perhaps he was asking himself how he had managed not to notice for an entire month, but with the two potions in his hand, he was quickly figuring it out. "You switched the Veritaserum with water, didn't you?"
"Yes, sir." What else could she say?
"And you knew that I put charms on my vials so that they all had their own separate marks, so that no matter how a like in appearance replacements were, I could tell my potions were missing by working a simple spell."
"No, sir." Shiloh had never even supposed there was such a charm, though she swore now that she would research it. It was probably a high level charm, which might explain why she hadn't known about it, but she would like to learn it one day. It would be quite handy to know. But that train of thought was top painful to continue, because it only served to remind her that she might not be a witch for much longer.
Professor Snape seemed skeptical, because he pressed again, his voice strained to tell her this was her last opportunity to come clean if she was lying. "Are you sure? None of the older students told you?"
"No, Professor," she repeated, firmly. "I didn't know at all."
"Then how," he demanded sharply, frustration on his own ignorance showing through, "did you know to change the bottles?"
"Our vials looked different," Shiloh explained. "I knew you'd notice if I took yours and left mine instead."
He paused, as though wondering whether to accept it. He did, because he set her vials down and dwelt on the subject no longer. She knew what was coming next, the thing she dreaded most in all the questions, the thing she had better think up a lie quickly for, because the real answer would get her expelled for sure. She knew what was coming, because Professor Snape had already established the 'what' and the 'how'. Now all that was left was the 'why'.
Sure enough, he went on. "Why did you do it? And no lying to me or you may find three drops of the very same potion in your morning pumpkin juice."
He wasn't teasing her—his voice was nothing but serious--and he wasn't giving an empty threat. Time for such things had long since passed. Here, in the overpowering darkness of his office, she was stripped away of manipulations, lies, and all the games she could have played to get herself out of situations. There was nothing here, but cold, hard truth. She had never despised the truth as much as she did right at this moment.
"I was going to use it on Annadel." Shiloh forced out the words, and it was so painful to say them that she winced, closing her eyes to keep from seeing his furious reaction.
But all she heard was a small release of air that was something close to a scuff. "Why doesn't that surprise me? It's always Annadel, isn't it?" His voice wasn't angry, at least, no angrier than it had been before. It was flat and sarcastic with some bitter sense of humor. Although, his tone was still as firm as steel, pressing her to continue. "Very well. What was the purpose?"
She breathed out again in a quiet sigh. She looked down to the floor, studying what she could see of the grains. "I was going to get her to confess to sabotaging my potions." Each word had its own amount of difficulty, because each word dug her grave deeper and deeper.
"And you failed?"
Shiloh didn't even know why he'd taken his time to ask that, unless it was to stretch her already tight nerves even tauter. "I think the answer to that is obvious," she said as politely as she could manage.
"Indeed." There was some sort of dark humor in his voice, and hearing the sarcasm only made her jaw tighten in frustration. Did he enjoy mocking her? "One whole month and you couldn't even manage to get three drops of a potion into a girl's pumpkin juice."
Well, that was a clear yes to that question. Honestly, if he was going to punish her then at the very least he could be decent about it and get it over with. He didn't have to torture her! Unless, of course, that was the only entertainment he got.
Shiloh told herself to be polite, but as she spoke, her voice was bitter and she couldn't hide her exasperation, "Well, it's not as easy as it sounds."
His lips twisted up into a smirk. "Obviously." Luckily he continued before she lost all of her self-control and thought up some witty, but incredibly unwise thing to say, "And are you aware that you not only broke countless school laws, but that the use of Veritaserum is strictly controlled by the Ministry? I highly doubt that their guidelines allow for use on an eleven-year-old."
Did he think she was stupid? Yes, of course, he did. She never would have done it if there had been other options, couldn't he see that? No, he couldn't. And wouldn't he, at the very least, stop playing with her the way a cat toyed with a mouse before the killing? No, he wouldn't, but that wasn't fair. Besides, she had enough. Her last restraint was gone. Her last bit a will power had faded away. All there was was the frustration, the anger, and the helpless situation. So she did the one thing she had been determined not to do. She allowed herself to snap.
"I wouldn't have done it if you'd believed me when I came to you three months ago!" she retorted, fueled on over ninety days of pure torture. "I didn't want to do it, but I didn't have any other choice. My professor wasn't going to do anything, so I had to!"
As soon as the last words exited her mouth, she knew her mistake and she flung her hands over her lips, as though to keep in any other words that might threaten to come out. How badly she wished she could scoop back the words before they reached Professor Snape's ears, but it was too late. He'd heard. She could tell but the hell fire in his eyes.
"I'm sorry," she quickly apologized.
"Oh, no you're not," he hissed. "You meant what you said."
He had her there. Yes, she had meant it, because it was true. Professor Snape not believing her had been the center of this, but she had concluded hours ago that that didn't matter, and she believed it, didn't she? Maybe she did, but everything seemed different now, like a part of her that hadn't truly forgiven him was now pressing upward. She quickly shoved it down, destroying it with logic. Of course, he hadn't believed her. Who would have? He'd simply acted upon what he had reason to believe. And she shouldn't have snapped at him, because it wasn't his fault she was standing here. It was no one's but her own.
"In a way, yes," she said, struggling with the words. She didn't really know what to say, but she wanted to recover for the horrible mistake she had made. "But you're my professor...and I should respect you as that....which means I shouldn't have said those things." There were great gaps between her words in which she had to fight to come up with the next phrase, something that would explain all she wanted to say. "And I don't blame you for not believing me...not really, at least." She didn't really know why she said that, but she thought perhaps it was important. Besides it was too late to go back now. "I wouldn't have believed myself either." Oh, yes, that made a lot of sense. "I mean..."
It was the first time she had ever recalled being so flustered, but every time she thought, she kept seeing a broken wand, and every time she blinked, she saw her parents' disappointed, angry, yet impossibly sad faces. Every time she tried to recapture the control she'd once held, she kept picturing herself living her life as a Muggle. Her father told her there was nothing bad about it, so maybe she'd enjoy it. But who was she kidding? She loved magic. What would her life be without it?
Unable to stand on her weak legs any longer, she lowered herself into her chair, staring at the back wall with a blank gaze. She tried not to think, because it was too painful to do that.
Professor Snape was staring down at her; she could feel his eyes upon her, weighing her carefully. She knew he was trying to figure out the proper punishment for her, and she knew that one option was clearly standing out in his mind. Then why didn't he just say it? What was his hesitance?
After a long minute, he finally lowered himself in his chair, and Shiloh was a bit thankful. He wasn't quite as intimidating when he was sitting. Also, it might mean that he was ready to give a verdict, but he continued to look at her thoughtfully for minutes that seemed to stretch into an eternity. Shiloh finally turned her empty gaze to him, but his face was as unreadable as her own. They looked at one another for what seemed like decades, but were perhaps only twenty seconds. Neither truly saw the other, each where lost in their own thoughts.
But soon, Shiloh couldn't take the waiting a moment longer. As much as she feared the answer, she had to know.
"Are—" Her voice broke, and she forced herself to take a deep breath. This time, she managed to get the words out, even if they were spoken in nothing more than a whisper, "Are you going to expel me?"
Professor Snape's eyes focused upon her for the first time, and she knew his decision had been made. She closed her eyes, unable to bear looking at him. Once the words were said, nothing could save her. There would be no changing anything, no bargaining, no hope. Just despair. She could already hear his reply now.
Yes, Miss Sanders.
Of course, Miss Sanders.
It's what you deserve, Miss Sanders.
"No, Miss Sanders."
Shiloh's eyes jerked open. She didn't mind if she looked as shocked as she felt. She couldn't believe he'd actually said it all. It seemed like a dream, an imagination, and she expected him to say 'Fooled you, dunderhead' at any second. It never came. He only stared her with that same intensity, that same seriousness that she was beginning to love again.
"But," he continued, his tone dark, "you must understand that if I ever find you in my personal stores again, you will be on the train back home faster than you can say Veritaserum."
A reprimand had never sounded so good. She barely even heard it, but all that kept repeating itself through her mind was I'm not expelled. I'm still a witch! I'm here to stay! The joy from that was so profound that she wanted to laugh, yet at the same time, she felt her arms shudder as every inch of fear left her. All that was left was relief, and then after a moment, there wasn't even that. Just a happy numbness. Her emotions had taken about enough for one night. She'd felt them more than she had for more than a year, and she didn't blame her emotions from shutting down.
"Furthermore," Professor Snape went on, "you will be serving detention every other Saturday until the end of the year."
"Yes, sir," Shiloh breathed, discovering that she couldn't have cared less if she had tried. It didn't mater. Not that she had gotten caught, or that she had more punishment than Annadel, because she was too glad to not be expelled to care.
"You may go now."
"Yes, sir." Her vocabulary seemed limited to those two words, and more exhausted than she could have believed, she climbed onto limp legs, returned her things to her pockets, and started towards the door. Only when her hand was on the handle did a question come to her mind, the only one that still held importance.
"Professor?" she asked, pulling together enough energy to say the word and to look back at the professor.
He looked quite annoyed that she hadn't left yet, and more than that, he looked tired. Perhaps he liked midnight adventures about as much as she did. His voice was strained, but tolerant. "Yes, Miss Sanders?"
"In the first six weeks of my detention, will I be serving it with Annadel?" That would have been the worst punishment, the only thing she would have had anything to protest against.
Professor Snape's head jerked back and he spoke incredulously, as though he was astounded that she even had to ask. "Of course not, Miss Sanders. After all, putting you and Annadel together would be disastrous. And there's no reason to punish me, now is there?"
It was almost funny, but Shiloh was too tired to even notice. She nodded, mumbled 'goodbye' so softly she wasn't sure he heard, and exited the office. The walk back to the dorm seemed to take forever, as it took all of her strength to keep her wary legs moving, but sooner than it seemed, she was back in the common room, safe and sound.
Symone was perched on one of the sofas, her eyes staring into the fire. The light of the flames lit up her expression of terror, and something glistened at the base of her eyes. Perhaps they were tears, unshed, unnoticed, but there all the same. Shiloh couldn't decide if they were there, because they disappeared as soon as Symone turned to look at her. No relief coursed through her expression. Instead, it seemed that Symone was staring straight past Shiloh, as though she believed her an illusion. But no, that wasn't it. It was simply because Symone believed that Shiloh wouldn't be there for much longer. She made that clear in her statement.
"I can help you pack, if you need me to."
She had thought that Shiloh was going to be expelled, believed it so much that she almost knew it. And it frightened her, every bit as much as it had frightened Shiloh. It was clear in the agony written all over her face—in the guilt, in the sadness. Shiloh had no time to identify all the heartbreaking emotions, nor did she want to consider what had put them there—she didn't want to complicate things. All she needed to do was to put Symone's fears to rest.
"Why would I do that? I'm not going anywhere, Symone."
Symone blinked at her as though she hadn't heard, and then suddenly, it registered into her brain. Shock coursed over her feet, and she tried to stand, failed and sank back on the couch. "But...but I thought Professor Snape had caught you..."
"He did," Shiloh replied as she made her way to sit next to her, not wanting to stand on her exhausted legs a moment longer. "And I have detention until end of term."
The sadness was back in Symone's eyes, and before she could proclaim how horrible that was, Shiloh continued, "But it doesn't matter, Symone."
Symone was silent for a long moment, chewing on her bottom lip. She stared down at her feet, calculating a thousand things at once, trying to sort out the one she wanted to say. "I tried to warn you about Snape, but...."
The guilt was evident in her eyes, and Shiloh wanted more than anything to ease it. "I know, Symone."
"And I wanted to stay with you. I wanted to be with you, and..."
And she did know. She hated it, that Symone had grown to care about her so much, when they could never be friends. And yet, she didn't hate it, because that kind of loyalty was precious, the kind she didn't deserve. For tonight, though, that didn't matter. All that mattered was what Symone had done. Shiloh's gratitude was indescribable, and it went deeper than she knew a feeling ever could. And it could only be released in two words.
Symone gave her a look, one that conveyed understanding, but perhaps not acceptance. Because she wasn't satisfied, she was happy. It was clear in her eyes and in her actions as she suddenly stood, paced a few steps, then turned back to look as Shiloh. "But it didn't matter, Shiloh. Going after the Veritaserum didn't change anything."
Shiloh thought she could understand her emotions. She felt worthless that all she had tried to help Shiloh with had been in vain. She felt disappointment in her own failure and agony that the three months of torture given Shiloh had been for nothing. Shiloh had felt those emotions too, but she was supposed to. Symone wasn't. Because nothing Symone had done have been a waste. She had repaid her 'debt' ten times over, and knowing that someone cared so much about her, had done Shiloh a lot of good. Even if it would soon be just a memory. Even if all of it would fade away after a time.
"I know. But you're wrong; it meant something." Symone frowned, skeptically, and Shiloh thought of the only thing that would convince her. "It was quite an adventure, wasn't it?"
Unwillingly, the corners of her lips danced upward, and she gave a tiny half-laugh, half-scoff. "Yeah, it was."
She came to sit beside Shiloh, once again serious. She wasn't quite ready to let to go again, not enough to truly smile or laugh. Not if she was going to risk being disappointed. It hurt too much to have such happiness crushed. So, hesitantly, fearfully, she asked, "Is it really over, Shiloh? Is all of it over?"
Shiloh thought it over, the highs and lows. The times they been disappointed and the times they'd rejoiced. The time they were ready to give up and the determination that had kept them going. Because all of that, depending on her answer, would come to an end, the good and the bad. It was worth it, losing the good if she lost the bad, too. Wasn't it?
But it didn't matter, because no matter what, she knew the answer.
"Yes, Symone, it is. It's all over."