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Our target is to win the WAFU Women Cup of nations- Black Queens striker Priscilla Adubea
Published on: 12 February 2018
Richard Baffour
In-form Black Queens striker Priscilla Adubea says their main target is to win the maiden edition of the WAFU Women Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
The Black Queens traveled to Ivory Coast on Sunday ahead of the tournament, which begins on Wednesday. Ghana are in group A with host Ivory Coast, Niger and Burkina Faso.
Striker Priscilla Adubea, who has been in scintillating form finished last season top scorer in the Women League and was top scorer in the FIFA Women's Under-20 world Cup qualifiers.
Ahead of the WAFU Championship, the striker has reiterated the team's desire to win the competition.
"Our target is to go and win the competition," she said ahead of their departure. "So all we asking is for Ghanaians to support us and pray for us too."
"After the WAFU, we have AFCON to host so the performance we put up at the competition will determine the kind of support we will get from the nation,"
"So we plead to Ghanaian to eep on praying for us and we will go and make Ghana proud."
The Black Queens will open their campaign against host Ivory Coast, before facing Niger and Ivory Coast in group A. This is the maiden edition of the Womens Cup of nations, Ghana won the male edition in September with the Black Stars B team.
By Lukman Evergreen Mumin


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the Pro Mix® advantage and the versatility of our dry dairy powders.


Additional to my preceding write-up on the unofficial diagnosis of Nature Deficit Disorder , a lot of individuals are now coming forward and proposing that modern day technologies may possibly truly be causing more widespread narcissism (lack of empathy) in society. Additional supporting the shift towards a prosumer economy would also require us to adjust the tax technique, which is at present set up largely to benefit enterprise, supporting businesses to develop wealth and jobs (which until not too long ago has been really required as they have been the only substantial economic drivers), and instead refocus it to benefit individual human beings and help them to produce wealth themselves.
This signifies then we have to know how to use these gadgets as to their presented operations, and we want to know the Language that is becoming as utilised by/for the technology as to how it effects and impacts us, from previous to present from touch to immediate outcomes and gratification from our dependency and trust of it on what our affects/effects are, and what this implies to the evolution of humanity.
This is the greatest secret of language: Simply because it comes from inside us, we think it to be a direct, unedited, unbiased, apolitical expression of how the planet genuinely is. A machine on the other hand, is outdoors us, clearly produced by us, modifiable by us it is less difficult to see how a machine re-creates the globe in its own image, But in a lot of respects, a sentence function considerably like a machine, and this is nowhere a lot more clear than in the sentences we get in touch with concerns.
Within a single century from 1912 to 2012 we see, flip card books for creating the illusion of movement, the eight, 16 and 32 mm film projector with film, the BETA and VHS tape systems, the DVD, Blue-ray, the MP3, M4A and their variations, flash drives and now comprehensive on line video downloads with nothing at all more than a internet address and space on a flash drive.
This book highlights the parallel of actual globe crime, individual rights and responsibilities related to the computer, internet and electronic devices like child predators, cyberbullying, fraud, harassment, identity theft, infectors, intellectual home violations, intrusion, legislation, malware, advertising and marketing, privacy, spam and reporting cybercrime.


"They're going to be really focusing on wiping down with disinfectants and contact surfaces that are sources of spreading germs," said Richard Baumgartner, Director of Rise Academy, one of several schools that is closed for the weekend.
"We thought maybe to break that cycle of contagion if we took a couple of days off at the end of this week, put that with Saturday and Sunday over the weekend, and then maybe when we come back on Monday we'll have a little bit of break from that 25 percent absent rate," Baumgartner said.
"We've seen a lot of flu-like symptoms and viruses going around," Wells said. "I've heard there's a lot of strep and some other viruses circulating, but we haven't seen as many flu."
"Hand washing, covering your mouth when you sneeze, and then if you're sick with flu or any other virus, stay home from work or school if you can."


GuideControl™ is an intelligent light guide cable tester, specifically designed for the Central Sterilization Department.
GuideControl™ is an intelligent light guide cable tester, specifically designed for the Central Sterilization Department. Existing testers need multiple connectors for the different brands and the test result requires certain interpretation from the user in order to determine whether the light guide cable is allowed for use in the OR or not.
GuideControl measures and records 3 optical aspects; light transmittance, fiber density & discoloration.
The integrated snapshot-mode enables inspection for broken fibers and discoloration.


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Don't Forget to Remember
On May 29, 2022 May 19, 2022 By Michele Huey, Author & SpeakerIn holidays
Photo courtesy of Beverly & Pack, flickr.com
"In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, 'What do these stones, mean?' tell them . . ." – Joshua 4:21–22 NIV
When three of our grandchildren were on different ball teams (plus one of them umpired), hubby and I were at the Punxsutawney Little League Fields just about every evening. After the sixth game in four days, I told Dean we should park our camper at the ball field.
Back then, the Punxsutawney Little League complex was almost a second home to us, as we spent many a summer afternoon and evening there when our youngest played baseball. Five well-maintained and lighted ball fields for Minor League, Little League, Senior Little League, what we call the "Teener League" field (VFW), and girls' softball, are located beside Mahoning Creek.
Each ball field is named for someone local. Some honor those who have devoted much of their time to maintain and improve the fields and the league. Two fields are named as memorials.
The Little League field is called the "Billy Titus Memorial Field," named after a Punxsutawney Little Leaguer who was killed in a farming accident.
The VFW League field, the Rich Kuntz Memorial Field, is named for SP4 Richard Lorraine Kuntz, who was killed in action in Vietnam on February 5, 1968, six weeks before his twenty-first birthday.
My grandson once asked me, "Who was Rich Kuntz? Why is the field named after him?" Since I've spent half a lifetime at the fields and know the stories behind the names, I was able to tell him. But it got me wondering: How many people drive right by those signs or even say the name of the ball field and don't realize the significance?
Memorials are built and named so we won't forget, so those who come after will learn of the sacrifice of the Vietnam soldier, the love a little leaguer who never got to play Senior League had for the game.
This weekend we observe Memorial Day, a day set aside to honor and remember our military men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.
Some died in action, some went missing in action and never were found, some died a slow death after they came home and tried to resume a normal life. Some are still alive, but they will never be the same.
Sadly, these holidays that are set aside to remember and honor those who have stepped to the plate for our country are too often perceived as simply a day off work, to relax, catch up on things, feast and frolic.
While there's nothing wrong with any of those activities, let us not forget to remember why we observe Memorial Day.
On the way to the ball field, there's a grassy field beside the road that's covered with U.S. flags. Each time I passed it, more flags waved in the breeze. Then one day I slowed down to read the sign. Passersby are invited to place a free flag there in honor of a veteran.
I didn't have time to stop then, but I made a special trip to that field and placed flags in honor of my loved ones who have served.
What about you? What are you doing to remember this Memorial Day?
Thank you, Lord, for those who gave themselves to serve, protect, and defend our country. Let us never forget the sacrifices they made. Amen.
Read and meditate on Joshua 4.
From God, Me, & a Cup of Tea for the Seasons © 2018 Michele Huey. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
American flagarmed forcesbaseball fieldheroesMemorial DaymemorialsveteransVFW
Guide Rails, Lines, and Notches
To the Hilt (Graduation Thoughts)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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FIC: Whisper, 2/12 (PG-13; BtVS; Ensemble)
Title: Whisper, Part 2
Author: Lizbeth Marcs
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Rating: PG-13 for violence, mild language, and some implied situations. Any similarities to a certain scandal that has rocked a certain religion in the Greater Boston Area is purely coincidental, even if it did originally provide the spark for this idea.
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and related characters are owned by FOX, written and produced by Mutant Enemy. The song 'No More' is from the Original Broadway production Into the Woods, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and is therefore not owned by me, either. Dolly, however, is mine.
Summary: A demon is stalking the streets of Sunnydale and driving the residents into horrific public displays of suicide. The key to solving the mystery is locked in the mind of one Scoob who is unable to remember a part of his troubled past.
Warning: Spoilers for early S7 Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Author's Note: This takes place immediately after 'Him,' but before 'Conversations with Dead People. There is a slight AU element in that the Magic Box has been rebuilt in this story. This is the first novel-length story in a series that includes Living History (takes place four months after 'Chosen') and Water Hold Me Down (takes place seven months after 'Chosen').
Why was he here?
Where was here?
Xander shook. He was cold. He could barely keep his teeth from chattering. He was lead to a plush couch located against one of the office walls, but remained standing. He was confused. What was he supposed to do? Sit? Stand? His head was full of cotton. His teeth hurt. Oh, his teeth were chattering. Must be why his jaw hurt, too. He shifted uneasily from side to side. He needed to pee. He needed to get warm. He needed to sit. He needed to sleep. He needed to think.
Someone Xander dubbed WhiteCoatGuy appeared in his field of vision and gently guided him to a sitting position on the couch. He felt the sensation of sinking into the upholstery and wanted to curl up and fall asleep.
"Alex?" WhiteCoatGuy asked.
Alex? Who's Alex?
"Alex? Can you hear me?" WhiteCoatGuy sighed. "Alex, your parents are coming to see you. You don't have to see them if you don't want to. Just say the word and I'll remove you from the room."
"Parents?" Xander croaked. He frowned. His voice didn't sound right. It sounded like his voice was breaking.
"Yes, Alex. Your parents are coming to see you." WhiteCoatGuy seemed to be pleased to get a response. "They're very concerned about you."
"Would you like to take a short nap before they get here?"
Didn't have to tell Xander twice. He promptly curled into a fetal position and put his head on the armrest. Not more than a few seconds after he did so, he heard voices. Did he fall asleep? Did he loose time again? He tried to concentrate. What were the voices saying? Where was his whisper?
"What do you mean violent?"
A male voice. Who's? He tried to focus on the people in the room, but his sight was too blurry. He lifted his hand and swiped ineffectually at his eyes and concentrated again. There was WhiteCoatGuy, AnotherGuy, and WomanGuy. WhiteCoatGuy had said something about his parents. What did he say again?
"Since Alex has left your house, he has shown increasing signs of violence," WhiteCoatGuy said. "Child Protective Services had to keep moving him from home to home because of his outbursts. He's here because he's become uncontrollable and our regular homes simply don't have the resources to deal with him."
"Is he bullying the other children?" WomanGuy asked.
"No. He's attacking the foster parents. I would say Alex—"
"Xander, my name's Xander," Xander said. He must not have said it loud enough because no one in the room gave any sign they heard him.
"— is acting out on his authority figure issues. Specifically, I think in his mind he is attacking you again and again."
"No, it's the monsters," Xander explained. "I have to stop the monsters."
This time the trio must've heard him because they turned to look at him.
"Not lying," Xander mumbled. "Monsters ... " Wait? What was he saying again? Why couldn't he focus?
The trio exchanged a look before returning to the argument already in progress. WomanGuy started to cry. "Did you hear that? What have you done to my baby?"
"He is under sedation to keep him under control, Mrs. Harris," WhiteCoatGuy said. "When he was first brought in here, he was in a state of high agitation. He managed to seriously injure one of the orderlies when they took him to his room. He's stronger than he looks."
"My son is not a nutjob," AnotherGuy growled.
WhiteCoatGuy sighed. "Your son is a very sick little boy. To put it in simple terms, he believes that he's battling against 'monsters' that are harming both him and other children in various foster homes. He already needs hospitalization and he'll only get worse as he gets older. With time and the right medication, we might be able to stabilize him enough to place him in a half-way house."
"Funny how he seemed perfectly normal before the state got its mitts on him," AnotherGuy growled. "We'll see about you keeping what's mine."
Xander woke with a start. Nightmares. Damn it. What time? He automatically glanced to his right and momentarily panicked when he couldn't see his alarm clock. Oh, right. I fell asleep at the keyboard.
Xander stood and stretched his back, sighing contentedly as he felt the vertebrae snap into place. He looked back down at the glowing computer screen and blinked quickly a few times at the brightness contrasting with the rest of his darkened home office, which was now serving as Spike's bedroom.
Willow's hacker instructions worked like a charm. He got into Sunnydale General's patient database without a glitch and had been reading all of the suicides' medical reports when he must've dozed off. He rooted around beneath the mess of papers on his desk for the tiny digital clock. When he found it he groaned. It's 1 AM. Oh yeah. I'll be fresh as a daisy tomorrow.
He left the computer and began prowling his apartment, rubbing his face as he did so to shake off the last vestiges of his dream. He winced slightly as his calloused hands made a sandpapery sound against the beginnings of a beard. Yup. It was going to be one of those days when he was so tired that it would be a miracle if he didn't slit his throat while attempting to shave.
Somewhere in the middle of his living room he stopped and frowned. Another nightmare. He's had one every night this month. If he were the paranoid sort, he'd think his brain was trying to tell him something.
{that's because it is.} the whisper said.
Ahhhh, there you are. Wondering when you'd show. Go away.
{no.} the whisper said. {think back to what you were doing when you fell asleep.}
Reading the medical reports. Xander flopped down on the couch with a groan. He found the common link, at least he thought he did. He'd only managed to work his way through only half the list. Almost all of them had made a brief appearance at a psychiatric facility before taking the final exit in a public way.
Xander sat bolt upright. Was that it? Was it something in the psych ward driving all those people to suicide? He slumped back into the couch. Couldn't be. Not all of them checked into SunnyD's shrine to sickness and injury. Some of them went to private facilities and others were sent out of town, so the place wasn't the common link.
Maybe it was the fact they needed psychiatric help in the first place. What were they in for? Xander hauled himself out of the couch, sat back down at the computer, and flicked the browser's back and forward buttons a few times. He finally stopped and tapped his finger against the computer screen under the heading, 'Diagnosis.' When they were checked in every single one the suicides had variations of the same thing: mild catatonia, deep debilitating depression, and some mild hallucinations. None of them were violent. Most of them were downright pliable if he was reading these reports correctly.
With a huff of breath, Xander shut down the computer and leaned back in his chair. All of the medical reports he read indicated that the suicides seemed to recover, or at least partially recover, after a few days and all of them checked themselves out of their respective hospitals.
Less than two weeks after checking out, those people died.
Perfect. Play into the stereotype. Anyone looking into a single suicide's background would see that information and just conclude that they were well on their way to doing the deed before they did the deed.
Obviously Buffy's mysterious demon had a hand in all these deaths, or at least the deaths he'd looked into so far, but how?
{you mean you still don't know?} the whisper incredulously asked.
Xander groaned with frustration as he began restlessly prowling his apartment again. No, I don't know, oh great one. Care to share with the rest of the class? Some of us here were too stupid to go to college, lest you forget.
{if you can't figure it out, i can't help you.} Was it his or imagination, or did the whisper seem sad?
"No, no, no! I am not having this conversation with you!" Xander shouted. He stopped, unable to believe he just said that out loud. Grateful that no one was around to hear his sudden outburst, Xander began pacing his apartment again. His research must've set off his memory, resulting in yet another a fun, new nightmare to add to the rotation. He stopped again. Not a new nightmare; a very old one.
He humorlessly laughed to himself. Oh yeah, last year was nowhere near as bad as—
He put a brake on that thought. No need to go there.
{but—} the whisper began.
"Shut up," Xander gritted through clenched teeth.
The sound of a key in the lock brought his head up sharply, just in time to see a dispirited Buffy and subdued Spike enter the apartment.
"Lemme guess. No joy in Mudville," Xander commented.
Buffy startled, but relaxed when she saw Xander standing near his kitchen area. "Up for an early morning snack Xan?"
"Hunh?" came Xander's intelligent reply. He looked around and realized that he was near the fridge. He obviously hadn't been paying attention to his surroundings.
"Thought you were trying to keep off the weight you lost over the summer," Buffy continued her monologue while she watched Spike go to Xander's bedroom to put the weapons away. "Snacking in the wee hours when you think no one's looking is not the way to do it."
"Actually, I was going to go for a glass of water," Xander covered. He yawned to telegraph a tiredness he really didn't feel. "I've been up all night going through our victims' medical reports."
Spike re-entered the room and fixed Xander with a look that seemed to say that he knew his unwilling roommate was hiding something. The vampire looked like he wanted to make a comment to that effect, but for once he mercifully kept his mouth shut.
Buffy either didn't notice or didn't care that Spike's usual off-center chatter was non-existent. "Hope your search was better than ours," she said.
"Actually, I think it was. You both better sit down and get comfortable before I start…"
The following morning Xander was enthroned at his customary table at the Café del Sol fighting his never-ending battle with newspaper and breeze. The front page of the paper boasted a picture of the unfortunate Mr. Cavacci, complete with story about his suicide. Thankfully, Buffy's name wasn't mentioned in the article.
Xander paused a moment to study Cavacci's picture. He was discomforted to notice that with the addition of a few years and the pounds he lost over the summer, he could pass as a relative. Not a close blood relative, but certainly something from the same family tree.
With a brief shudder, Xander flipped the newspaper pages to read the obituary. Xander thought he should have been more surprised to see that Cavacci's death made far more of an impact on the world than his life.
A quick review of the obit information revealed the victim had no close blood relatives still alive, wasn't originally from the area, and barely made mention that he worked in the IT department at some big company located out of town. The sparse write-up made no mention of any clubs, friends, professional organizations, or houses of worship. For all intents and purposes, Cavacci would have lived and died as a flesh-and-blood ghost were it not for the manner of his death.
{'not forgotten' indeed.} the whisper commented.
Xander winced at the intrusion. He turned his full attention to the rest of the paper, scouring every word for any hint that someone else in town was planning to hurt themselves in new and spectacular ways.
Yep. Nothing to see here. No siree. Looks like Buffy gave that demon a big ol' scare and its moved on to greener pastures. Let's hear it for the almighty Buff. No demon means no suicides on the doorstep and that's all of the good.
{so, you're hoping that the demon has moved on to a town where there's no Slayer to stop it?} the whisper growled. {coward.}
Xander was willing to give the whisper points on that score. He doubled his concentration on the newspaper, so engrossed in his task, that he barely noticed when Dolly put his customary bagel on the table in front of him. His coffee turned frigid as Xander flipped to the classifieds in an effort to find any tucked-in-the-back-of-the-paper articles hinting that more trouble was brewing.
"Xander!"
Xander startled and nearly ripped the newspaper in half. He looked over the top of the pages and glared at the woman sitting across from him. "Hey," he said by way of greeting.
"So, what? You're channeling Oz now?" Buffy asked.
"Sorry, I was engrossed in research."
"So I see," Buffy chirped. "I sashay over to your table using my best sexy walk and you don't even have the decency to drool."
"I do not drool. I appreciate the view," Xander replied.
"I sit down at the table and you don't even comment on how perfect my hair looks today," Buffy grinned. "I never thought I'd see the day when you'd rather read the paper than pay attention to my wonderful self."
"My, aren't we chipper this morning," Xander grumbled.
"It's completely forced," Buffy cheerfully waved her hand. "After talking to you last night and Willow this morning, I'm torn between screaming and uncontrollable sobbing."
Xander looked closely at the Slayer's face and noted the signs of strain showing around her million-dollar smile and eyes. "Did Willow find something?"
"Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Zero," Buffy replied as she signaled Dolly for a cup of coffee.
"So what's the big?" Xander asked. "We haven't found anything yet. It's not like we've come up empty-handed before on the research front."
"Yeah, but the last time that happened we got Glory," Buffy said.
"Point taken," Xander responded quietly. He snapped his mouth shut when he saw Dolly approach his table with cup in hand.
"Well, looks like you and your girlfriend have finally made up," Dolly remarked. "Maybe you'll be in a better mood."
"Girlfriend?" Xander asked while Buffy giggled. "Buffy? No. Absolutely not. Not in this lifetime. No. No way, José."
"Hey!" Buffy exclaimed in mock irritation. "What's the matter with me?"
"N-n-n-n-nothing," Xander stuttered. He had to be very careful with his response, otherwise he'd probably get a few 'accidental bruises' in his next training session with the Slayer. "It's not you. I fear your sister. Dawn'll kill me if I break your heart."
"Awww, that's not it and you know it," Dolly interrupted. "This little girl here looks like she can kick your sorry ass up and down Main Street and not so much as break a nail."
Buffy's giggle turned into a full-out guffaw while Xander bit his tongue so hard he thought he could taste blood. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Dolly's expression turn thoughtful. Xander shook himself out of his impending laughter and noticed that the waitress was now stroking the picture of Cavacci with one finger.
"What is it?" Xander sharply asked.
"I think I know this guy," Dolly thoughtfully replied.
"Think?" Xander prompted while Buffy calmed down and studied the exchange.
"I'm not sure," Dolly shrugged, dismissing the thought and Cavacci's picture. "I think he came in here a couple of times for breakfast. But then again, almost everyone in town stops by for breakfast at least once. Frankly, if it weren't for the article I doubt I'd even remember. Hunh. He committed suicide. At the hospital, no less."
"Nice to know he finally made an impression," Xander bitterly remarked.
"Hey, Xan, be fair," Buffy piped up. "Dolly deals with something like a million people a day. You can't expect her to remember every face that walks through the door. As a graduate of the Doublemeat Experience, I can tell you there are days you're lucky to remember your own name, let alone the name of a customer."
"But she remembers me," Xander protested.
"You're kinda hard to miss, hun," Dolly said.
"Hunh?" Xander felt like the conversation had suddenly taken off at warp speed while he was left eating photon dust.
"You've been coming in for breakfast almost every workday for the past few months. You always sit at the same table, you always fight with the newspaper, and you always order the same thing," Dolly cheerfully shrugged. "Things like that tend stay with busy waitresses."
"I'm memorable because I'm predictable," Xander muttered. "Got it."
"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Buffy said with a teasing smile before she turned away and began casually watching people walk by their table. Xander realized with a start that Buffy had just paid him a compliment.
"Nah, hun, that's not it at all," Dolly said, misreading Buffy's statement. "I noticed ya because you're a creature of habit. I remember ya because you've got a nice smile. And you leave a big tip."
Xander grinned in response. People noticed him! He was notice-worthy! Even normal people! He startled when Dolly placed a gentle hand on his bicep. "This guy's death," she began, jerking her head in the direction of the newspaper. "It's really bothering you, ain't it?"
Before he could respond, Buffy announced, "Does anyone smell gasoline?"
Xander was about to say 'they who smelt it, dealt it' when the same aroma hit his nose. He joined Buffy in scanning the crowd for the source.
"Probably someone's leaky gas tank," Dolly speculated as she straightened her apron. "Smells like that will happen when you're sitting in the unhealthy fresh air."
Buffy and Xander were so engrossed in studying every passer-by that they barely registered the woman who stopped a few feet from their table. She took out a cigarette and a lighter and studied both, as if contemplating the wisdom of putting yet another nail in her coffin. She paused a moment before flicking the Zippo lighter.
"Not forgotten," she announced.
Then she went up in flames.
"Xander was feaked," Buffy concluded. "I mean, he looked like he as taking everything in stride and was actually trying to calm down our waitress, but you could see it in his eyes. He's probably going to have nightmares for weeks."
"Oh, God. How awful," Willow said, doing her best to ignore Anya's frustrated muttering while the ex-demon ploughed through books in an attempt to find Buffy's demon.
"That's not the worst of it," Buffy continued. "The victim was still alive when the ambulance and police arrived."
"Maybe she'll survive," Willow said hopefully.
"Doubt it," Buffy said. "She had third-degree burns over 90 percent of her body." Buffy fought the urge to add, She looked like someone had ripped off her of her skin. The last thing she needed was to give Willow any reminders about what happened with Warren. "The EMTs didn't look particularly hopeful when they got her into the ambulance. I think even the cops were in shock."
"That's saying a lot, given this town." Willow looked as shaken as Buffy felt, a neat trick since Buffy was actually there.
"Of course, everyone in the café had to then wait around for the police to question us," Buffy said. "Didn't exactly ease the tension or the hysteria for anyone."
Willow's eyes widened. "Oh, no. Buffy, what if they find out that you were at the hospital last night?"
"Which is why I told the police right away. Better to come clean than have them find out on their own," Buffy said. "I really don't want the cops knocking on my door with more questions."
"How'd the police react to that piece of news?" Willow asked.
"They gave me a business card with the name of a good therapist and told me to call if I started feeling depressed or anxious," Buffy said. "I'm pretty sure they think I might be next."
"So what did you and Xander do after the police were done?" Willow asked.
"I went home and had a good cry. I think Xander went to work."
"You let him go to work?" Willow yelped. "Buffy, with everything that happened, do you think…"
"Look, he's a grown man and he knows what he can and can't handle," Buffy interrupted. "Besides, the bossman, remember? It's not like he handles hammer-y or pointy objects all day long. If that were the case, I would've talked him into calling in sick. I think he just wanted to hide in the Normal World a bit just to get away from…" Her voice trailed off while she shuddered. "Wonder if Xander will take me on vacation to Normal World. I bet it's nice there."
"Overrated," Willow said, doing her best to cheer Buffy. "If it was so great, why would he hang out with us?"
"Force of habit?" Buffy asked.
Anya's obscenely cheerful voice interrupted the conversation. "Hey, guys! I think I found something!"
Xander parked his car in front of the Magic Box, turned off the engine and sat in silence for a few moments. He felt his mask of the day slip from his face as he tried desperately to think about nothing. He prepared to get out of the car, but froze when yet another vision of that woman's charred body crossed his mind's eye.
{stop poking at it} the whisper ordered. {it's not going to make this any better or easier.}
"So you're saying this is gonna get worse before it gets better," Xander grumbled. "Great." He silently cursed as he clambered out of the car and pressed the button on the remote. He found the mundane sound of the beep and the subtle click of the locks engaging oddly comforting.
Oh, yeah. Today was quite the day, Xander thought. I think I may have removed some drywallers' heads when they tried to talk to me. Way to go, taking your frustrations out on other people. Let's try to keep our inner Daddy Harris under wraps until we collapse into bed.
Bed. Sleep. Now there was a worthwhile goal. If he were really lucky, he'd be able to go through the whole night without any nightmares.
Xander opened the door and stepped silently into the Magic Box. The three women looked up from the scattered books and papers before returning to their conversation.
"What did I miss?" Xander asked.
"Lots of dot-connecting," Willow grimly replied.
"As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted by what I thought was a customer," Anya began, "this demon is probably your perp. It has to be, as hard as it is for me to believe. I can't believe I forgot about it. Well, actually, now that I think about it, I can."
"Because of the cloaking spell?" Buffy asked.
"No, because they're extinct."
"Extinct? It sure looked like a demon of the not-extinct variety to me," Buffy growled, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms. "I thought extinction was forever. Damn. One more t-shirt slogan bites the dust."
Xander continued listening as he drifted over to the customer service counter. The only available chair was between Anya and Willow. Since he wasn't in the mood to deal with uncomfortable vibes from his ex, leaning against the counter was his only option.
"Hey!" Xander jumped at the sound of Anya's voice. "I just cleaned that glass! Lean somewhere else."
"Sorry," Xander muttered. He straightened up so he didn't touch the counter, but otherwise stayed where he was.
"Anya, focus," Buffy ordered, sparing Xander a sympathetic glance. "What can you tell me about this thing?"
"Well, back in the day, by that I mean pre-Renaissance, they would feed off the people we'd banish from the village," Anya explained.
"You mean you fed people to them?" Willow asked. "Why? Did you think they were gods?"
"No, we thought they were vengeance spirits. Like these guys could even make the grade," Anya sniffed. "What I mean is, the village would sometimes kick the undesirables out. You know, thieves, murders, heretics, basically anyone who wasn't wanted or didn't fit in and they'd have to go live in the woods and not bother any of us."
"So, why didn't they just move on to another town?" Buffy asked.
"Buffy, they couldn't just pick up and move to another village," Willow said. "I mean, 1,200 years ago being banished was basically a death sentence."
"More ways than one," Anya grimly replied. "Sometimes we'd find their bodies in the woods. I mean, by the time we stumbled across them it was pretty clear the animals had gotten there first, but the looks on their faces…" Anya let the thought hang.
"So what happened these demons?" Buffy asked. "Why'd everyone think they died off?"
"They just up and disappeared one day," Anya said. "It was no big deal, really. They really weren't big players in the grand scheme of things, so no one in the lower depths got their tail in a kink over it. I remember they were tribal, which means they not only kept to themselves, but they didn't even mix with others of their own kind if they weren't part of the same clan."
"Hello, inbreeding," Xander muttered. "Bet they're related to my parents." Anya's mouth twitched in an aborted smile, signaling that she heard him. Xander felt himself relax, grateful to see a friendly, well, friendly-ish response from his ex.
"When did they disappear?" Buffy asked.
"Somewhere around the time the printing press made its splashy debut," Anya said. She got a dreamy look on her face. "The printing press. Such a boon to the vengeance industry."
"Now that's interesting," Willow interrupted. "Right around Guttenberg's time the threat of banishment became less of a threat. The printing press led to the reformation, the Renaissance, the Age of Enlightenment, all that stuff. I mean, there was a lot going on around that time so people could consider just going to another town if they got kicked out of their homes."
"So where'd these demons go?" Buffy asked. "I mean, if what I'm hearing is right, they just completely dropped off the radar."
"Probably big noisy cities." Willow practically bounced with excitement. "Think about it! All that chaos and all those people, so it wouldn't be hard to just snatch someone off the streets. Ooooh, they probably went after victims who wouldn't be missed, you know, like sailors, cut throats, criminals, prostitutes. Hey! I wonder if Jack the Ripper was one."
"I doubt it," Xander said. "Jack the Ripper butchered his victims. It doesn't fit in with this guy's MO." On the women's stunned looks, Xander replied, "What? I watch CSI."
Anya shot Xander a look as she said, "Willow makes some good points. Well, not about Jack the Ripper, but the other stuff. Going after people who aren't wanted or won't be missed seems to fit the pattern."
"So, what did they eat?" Xander asked. "I mean, these guys are eating something, right? What's the food? Emotions? Thoughts? Souls? Something tells me they don't walk down to the local Taco Bell and take a bite out of the dog."
"I'm thinking their diet isn't important," Buffy said. "Just tell me how to kill it."
"Actually Buffy, Xander may have a point," Willow said. "We need to do more research before we go hunting."
"'We?' There is no 'we' here," Buffy said firmly. "This thing is dangerous. I don't want any of you anywhere near this thing."
"Which is why we need more research," Willow wheedled. "Buffy, it nearly took you out, so I think facing this thing alone may not be such a good idea."
"Willow…" Buffy began.
Xander tuned out the impending argument, having heard it and its cousins too many times before. He drifted over to the table and collapsed heavily in the chair, far too tired to care about uncomfortable vibes. He reached across the table and snatched a book from in front of Anya, ignoring the glare she shot in his direction.
Well, might as well see what the new ugly looks like because sooner or later you just know ol' demon magnet man is gonna run into it, Xander thought.
He looked down to study the picture and froze.
In that moment, the whisper turned into a scream.
The growing argument between Buffy and Willow slammed to a halt when they heard a crash. They spun around to read Xander the riot act. Any words they may have flung at him for playing the clown never made it past their lips.
For his part, Xander was standing, hand planted firmly on the book, eyes staring hard at the picture of their demon. The tension in his body practically screamed at them while his jaw muscles worked furiously.
"Xander?" Willow hesitantly asked.
No response. The three women exchanged glances.
Willow tried again. "Xander, what is it?"
Xander seemed to shake something off. Willow could practically see Xander mentally ordering his muscles to relax as he slowly straightened back up to his full height. When he finally looked at the still-seated trio, she wasn't surprised to see that his face was utterly devoid of any expression.
Oh, god, Willow thought. He's shut down on me. He hasn't done that since…
"I know where you can start your hunt," Xander said. Willow started as if she were slapped. She also remembered that tone.
Buffy warily regarded Xander. "Xander? Are you all right?" she asked.
"Foster homes," Xander said, as if he didn't even hear Buffy's question.
"What?" Buffy asked.
"Foster homes," Xander repeated. "We start our hunt with foster homes."
"Again with the 'we,'" Buffy began. She stopped when Xander pinned her to her chair with an unreadable look.
"Yes, we," Xander said. "And by 'we,' I mean 'you and me.' I'm taking some vacation time and we are going to make some home visits. Willow?"
"Y-y-y-esss?" Willow cringed at the sound of her own voice. She felt like she was regressing back to junior high.
"Think you can get a list of every foster home in town?" Xander asked. His eyes were flat as they regarded her.
"I don't know where to—" Willow began.
"Hack into the state's Children and Family Services database. I'm sure you'll find a list," Xander said in an even voice.
"Even if you get your hands on that list, what makes you think that Buffy will be able to just drop by all of these houses for a visit?" Anya asked.
When Xander swung his gaze around to Anya, the ex-vengeance demon refused to back down. She haughtily met his gaze and didn't break eye contact. If Willow squinted, she was pretty sure she'd be able to see to see Anya's hot temper clash against the cold shield Xander seemed to have erected around himself.
Then Xander smiled. It wasn't a particularly nice smile and it certainly didn't reach his eyes. "Buffy is the new peer counselor at the high school," Xander remarked. "I'm pretty sure we can come up with something using that little fact to make sure we meet all of the foster parents."
"Just a sec," Buffy interrupted. "I'm not exactly keen on using my fuzzy job to investigate this hunch of yours."
"It's not a hunch," Xander said.
Buffy glanced at Willow, who shook her head. Buffy raised her eyebrows in surprise. Apparently Willow's nonverbal message of 'don't argue' was heard loud and clear.
"Okay, fine," Buffy said. "Why isn't it a hunch?"
Okay, maybe she didn't get the message or she got it and doesn't care, Willow thought.
Xander smiled that unpleasant smile again. "Fits with the MO, doesn't it? A messy situation, lots of unwanted people or people who wouldn't be missed, a system that can't keep track of anything, and it's the perfect place to hide in plain sight. Can you say, 'All-you-can-eat buffet?'"
"You can say the same thing about a lot of other places, like homeless shelters," Buffy argued. "How do you know?"
Xander paused a moment, looking intently at Buffy. "I just know," he said quietly. "Trust me." On that, he spun on his heel and headed for the Magic Box door. "I'm going to get some sleep so I can be ready first thing tomorrow morning. Willow, think you can have the list ready for me by 8?"
"I-I-I-I'll try," Willow hesitated.
"Don't try. Do," Xander ordered. With that, he walked out the door.
"What the hell?" Buffy exploded.
"Buffy, calm down," Willow soothed, casting glances at the door. "I think Xander knows what he's talking about."
"How?" Buffy demanded.
"I really don't think I…"
"Anya?" Buffy interrupted.
The ex-vengeance demon shrugged. "I don't know any more than you do. I mean, I thought I saw cold after you guys saw me and Spike…" She hesitated before meeting the Slayer's glittering eyes. "What I mean to say is that I saw cold fury. This was just, well, cold. I've never seen it from Xander before."
I have, Willow grimly thought.
"So, back to you, Willow," Buffy said. "What's going on?"
"I can't…" Willow began. "Look, I have an idea, but I can't tell you anything. I mean, even if I hadn't made a promise, I don't know anything to tell."
"A promise?" Anya asked. "What kind of promise?"
"See, again, that's something I really can't tell you," Willow replied.
Buffy's expression softened. "Willow, we're all Xander's friends, right Anya?" Silence. "I said, 'Right, Anya?'"
"Oh, all right. I suppose," Anya grumped.
Buffy sighed. "Willow, something about this demon has obviously upset Xander. We all want to help him and kill this thing, right?"
"Buffy, I really don't know anything that will help you and what I do know, it's not for me to tell," Willow insisted. "I mean, you pointed out that Xander is a grown man. If he thinks you should know, he'll tell you."
"I see," Buffy deadpanned.
"Don't bother trying to force it out of him, either," Willow warned. "You won't get anywhere. If anything, he'll just retreat even more than he already has."
Buffy sighed again. "Fine. No twisting of arms. Got it. Just answer me one question. Do you think Xander may be on to something?"
"I think that Xander most definitely knows something," Willow said.
To this day, he couldn't tell you why he left his room that night. Maybe he was thirsty, or hungry, or had to go to the bathroom. He really doesn't know or remember. He couldn't answer that key question of 'why' if you held a gun to his head and threatened to make him dead. He couldn't even answer it if you pointed a vampire at his neck and threatened to make him undead.
In the end, the reasons why he crept out of the room he shared with two other boys in the dead of night are unimportant. The fact is he did and maybe, just maybe, that fact changed everything that came after.
He walked down the hallway, each step getting a little more hesitant. He really didn't know what would happen if he were caught roaming the halls.
He passed the girls' bedrooms and paused, noticing that the door was cracked open. He heard the sounds of whispering and shrugged. The ways of girls were mysterious to him and he, for one, had no interest in cracking their code. He really had to get…
What was he looking for again?
Not that it matters.
He tried to will his feet to move away from the door, but each step only took him one step closer to the girls' bedroom. He was surprised, but not really, to notice that his hand was smaller than he expected as it paused above the doorknob.
Oh, he really shouldn't do this. He could get into so much trouble. He remembers one of the other boys telling him that some other boy once walked into the girls' room in the middle of the night and did something bad. The next day that boy was taken away and never seen again.
The story went something like that.
The whispering was getting more urgent.
He really should walk away now. It wasn't too late. He could just go back to his room and pretend he didn't hear anything. No one would ever have to know how close he came to being bad.
Except he is bad. He's bad, stupid Xander and he's pushing the door open because he has to see. He has to know.
The door swung open and he's standing there and watching. It is straddling one of the girls on the bed, crouched low and whispering into her ear. She's crying. He can see the tears. She's not making a sound.
And for the first time in his life, Xander Harris threw his tiny child body into a fight he knew he couldn't win.
Xander woke with a start, heart pounding, every muscle screaming that he needed to engage in fight or flight right now. His eyes looked wildly around the room, checking to make sure he was safely in his own bed.
Clock to his right, check. Strange art print Anya hung on the wall because it reminded her of the 'good old days' of the French Revolution. Check. Bed pushed up against the wall so that any unfortunate girl who shared it with him would have to crawl over him to escape. Check.
He slowly forced his body to relax, each nerve ending screaming as he did so. When he finally felt he could move, he rolled over to face the clock.
{3 a.m.} the whisper remarked. {midnight of the soul.}
Xander whimpered and tucked himself into a tight fetal ball. He was inordinately grateful that there was no one else in the room. He didn't think he could stand someone trying to comfort him right now.
Buffy focused her attention on the passing landscape, noting the lush green lawns and the white picket fences. Several yards were littered with abandoned bikes, sports equipment, and assorted toys. It never ceased to amaze her that in a town as dangerous as Sunnydale, front yard thievery and late night burglary weren't even considered a threat by most of the residents.
She stole a glance at her traveling companion. Xander watched the road, occasionally checking a street map to make sure he was driving in the right direction. She looked back out the car window, her fingers nervously playing along the edge of the sheaf of papers in her lap. The rustling paper provided the only sound in the car.
She briefly thought of turning on the radio just to break the silence. She did that the first day when it became clear that the most she could expect out of Xander were single-syllable answers to anything she said. When Buffy reached over and snapped the radio on, Xander said nothing, even when she tuned the radio to a college station playing house and hip-hop music, genres she knew he hated. His utter lack of reaction to music that would normally send him off a two-hour rant was unnerving enough that Buffy eventually shut the radio off. It stayed off.
Three days. Three veeeeerrrryyyyyy long days, Buffy thought. We are so chasing a false trail.
The first day went easily enough. Willow was able to cross-reference her list of foster homes with the names of students in the Sunnydale school system. By mutual unspoken agreement, Xander and Buffy hit the foster homes housing high school-age students the first day. Her cover story that she, as the new peer counselor, was making home visits to meet the families of students that might require extra support in a school environment went over very well. In fact, her stated intention won the pair of them an invite into almost all of the homes.
A few moments after entering each house Xander snapped out of whatever funk had gripped him. He'd joke around with whatever child was in the immediate vicinity while Buffy chatted with the foster parents over cups of coffee, tea, and snacks. Everyone she talked to was invariably polite, caring, committed, unbelievably nice, and, far as she could tell, completely human.
The part of her mind that wasn't occupied with looking for something wrong with the house or the people was amazed at the ease Xander seemed to gain the kids' trust. He had a knack for zooming in on their interests, whether it was television, video games, music, comics, or science fiction. Although it could be because Xander was usually such a big kid himself.
Yet, the second they left the warm embrace of each house, Xander seemed to shut down again. He'd bow his head as if he found the ground far more interesting than his surroundings and would walk to the car. Just as he clicked his remote to release the locks he would comment, "They seem like very nice people." He did this each and every time they ended a visit.
After going through this ritual and hearing the statement no less than nine times, Buffy grumped, "Yes, Xander. They all seem like nice people. Not a demonic one in the bunch. Can you please tell me what we're be looking for? Because, I gotta tell you, we're coming up short if we're supposed to be checking these people for horns and pitchforks."
Xander paused, his hand halfway to the driver's side door. "Just for something wrong."
"'Something wrong?'" Buffy asked, walking around the car to get to the passenger side. "Care to vague that up a little more?"
He shrugged, not meeting her eyes. "I can't explain it. I'll know it when I feel it."
Buffy huffed an irritated breath as she opened the door. "Great. But how will I know it, Xander?"
She never got an answer to that question.
The second day went much the same as the first. Before noon, they were still hitting foster homes sheltering high school students. After a quick and silent meal in the car, they started on the pages listing the middle school students. They tackled this group by age, since Buffy's cover story held up better under scrutiny if the kids in the home were actually slated to enter high school next year.
It was now day three and Buffy was sick and tired of it. She was sick of feeling like she was running around in circles, enduring Xander's moody silence, and drinking yet another coffee with yet another overeager and overly helpful adult.
"After this house, we stop," Buffy said.
"Stop?" Xander asked. She noticed he didn't look at her.
"Xander, we've tried it your way and we've come up with nothing," Buffy said. "I'm tired. I'm cranky. And I'm pretty sure my bladder's going to float away if I have one more damn cup of coffee. Whatever you think we'd find, we're not finding it."
Xander glanced at his watch before signaling to make a left turn. "It's almost three o'clock. What say we call quitting time at six? If we don't find anything by then, we'll go back to the drawing board."
Buffy glared at his side profile then shook her head and sighed. "Fine. Fine. Until six, then." She turned to look out the window. "It's not like the entire day hasn't been wasted already," she muttered.
"It hasn't been wasted," Xander commented.
Buffy looked at him. She was relieved to see that the expression on his face had softened. The harsh determined look of the past three days was gone, replaced by something that could almost be described as Xander-like. It wasn't completely there, but it was a start.
"Care to explain?" Buffy felt the tension from her own face drain away.
He shrugged. "If we haven't found anything, it probably means that whatever your demon is, it or its relatives haven't added Sunnydale kids to the dinner menu."
For the millionth time in three days Buffy fought the urge to ask Xander why he would even think her demon had any interest children since all the victims they knew about were adults. "Well, I'm glad you feel that way, because my cover story is starting to get a bit thin," Buffy said. "We're starting to hit kids that won't be in the high school for another two years."
"You're right," Xander acknowledged, his face twitching into a partial, tight smile. "Of course you're right. We've probably been chasing after phantoms. Oh, here's our next stop."
The car slid smoothly to a halt outside in front of a two-story ranch that looked like every other house on the street, complete with the scattered mess of playthings on the front lawn that announced the presence of children. The pair got out of the car and trundled up the sidewalk. Buffy rang the doorbell and stepped back, glancing casually around the porch.
The front door swung open and Buffy sensed, rather than saw, Xander's body posture stiffen. She cast a quick glance at him before addressing the person who answered the door.
"Hi! I'm Buffy Summers and I'm the new peer counselor at the high school," she said, putting on her best chipper cheerleader voice. "I'm just stopping by to introduce myself and get to know you and your foster children."
The short, slightly overweight woman pushed a stray strand of dark hair out of her face. "Miss, I think you've made a mistake. None of the children here go to the high school," she said.
"Oh! I know that," Buffy chirped. "See, I'm working on this project. My boss wants me to develop some programs for students that might need some extra support in their first year of high school. Since a lot of students who see me live in foster homes…" Buffy let her voice trail off as she shrugged. "Well, I just figured if I talked to some foster parents, I might get some ideas on how to do that without, you know, attaching any stigma to the kids."
"What a great idea!" The woman broke into a friendly smile that lit up her moon-shaped face. "Please, come in." She glanced at Xander. "Are you also counselor?"
"No. I'm the chauffer," Xander said shortly as he followed Buffy into the house.
"Oh, somebody's grumpy," the woman said cheerfully. "Where are my manners? I'm Mrs. Owsley. And you are?"
"Buffy."
"Alexander."
Buffy looked sharply at her male shadow, surprised that Xander had used his formal name to introduce himself. For his part, Xander was intently studying the house and standing in what could best be described as 'parade rest.' His posture, his expression, his tone of voice announced that he didn't find this house or their hostess at all to his liking.
Buffy turned her focus back to Mrs. Owsley. She seemed no different than the 30 or so other foster parents they had met: nice, cheerful, eager to help, the whole enchilada. "Please excuse my friend," Buffy apologized. "He's been forced to drive me around for three days. I promised I would give him a big reward tonight." She flirtatiously batted her eyes at Xander to emphasize her point.
Mrs. Owsley chuckled. "Something tells me that this reward better involve a home cooked dinner and Victoria's Secret if you want to make it up to him. Come on, I'll make you some fresh coffee."
The trio headed for the kitchen, passing by a staircase along the way. Buffy's mind scrambled to come up with a list of 'suggestions' that she could claim came from other foster parents while Mrs. Owsley nattered on about her relief that Buffy and Alexander weren't trying to get her to read The Watchtower.
"I don't have a problem with anyone or their religion. Live and let live, I say," Mrs. Owsley said, scooping coffee into a filter. "But it is really necessary to knock on my door to tell me that I need to change my evil ways? And in the middle of Passions, too."
"What is it about that show?" Buffy asked, quickly warming to the woman. "Almost everyone I know is totally into it."
"Well, it's all about the supernatural and the fantastic, isn't it?" Mrs. Owsley said, setting out cups and spoons. "Witches, zombies, enchanted dolls, and the like all acting on the worst of human impulses and doing maximum damage to each other just because they can."
"Sounds like real life," Buffy dryly commented.
"I can tell you're not exactly a fan," the woman responded with a chuckle. She looked around. "Where'd you're friend go?"
Friend? Oh, no. "Xan— Alexander?" Buffy called. "Alexander, where are you?" She looked back through the kitchen door and saw him standing at the base of the stairs staring up at the second floor. Buffy moved quickly to his side, half afraid he'd start to go upstairs and blow their cover story out of the water. "Xander, what is it?" she asked quietly, turning to follow his gaze.
She saw a small boy, maybe about 10 or 11, sitting on the stairs and listlessly staring back down at them. His expression was blank and his face seemed shadowed, as if the weight of the world was pressing on his mind. Looking between the boy above her and the man next to her, Buffy quietly ventured, "Xander?"
Xander shook himself slightly and looked at her, his expression unreadable. He looked back up at the boy, gave him a slight nod, and turned to follow Buffy into the kitchen.
"Did you get lost?" Mrs. Owsley greeting him.
"There was a boy…" Xander began.
"Eduardo. Eddie. He's home sick from school today," Mrs. Owsley explained, setting out a pound cake and a knife. "I'm surprised you saw him. He hasn't gotten out of bed all day."
"I'll bet," Xander growled as he launched himself across the kitchen at the cheerfully oblivious woman.
"What the—" Mrs. Owsley began before she found herself shoved against the counter, one very large male hand clamped around her throat.
"Xander!" Buffy yelled.
"Show yourself! Damn it!" Xander shouted in Mrs. Owsley's face. "I know what you are! Show yourself!"
"Xander! Let go!" Buffy pulled him off the terrified woman, trying her best not to exert too much pressure out of fear of breaking a bone.
"What…what…what…" the shaken woman began, clutching her throat.
Xander struggled in Buffy's grip, managing to get her off-balance enough to slip from her grasp. He went after the woman again. This time he picked her up and threw her against the opposite wall of the kitchen with so much force that Mrs. Owsley bounced down to the floor. Buffy lunged after Xander, but missed as he moved just out of her reach. He strode over to the woman and kicked her viciously in the ribs.
"Take off that goddamn mask!" Xander ordered, delivering one more swift kick before Buffy was able to wrestle him away. "I can sense you. Take it off!"
"Damn it, Xander! Calm the down!" Buffy ordered. She turned to help Mrs. Owsley, but stopped short when she saw the human form begin to shimmer around the edges. "What the hell?" She asked.
In answer to her question, Xander charged past her and went after the woman again, snatching the knife off the table as he did so. He hauled Mrs. Owsely to her feet and, holding the knife to her throat, shoved her against the wall. He leaned all of his weight against her to prevent her escape. "Don't you dare," he warned. "Don't you fucking dare. Show her. Show her what you are."
Mrs. Owsley's form began to loose its cohesion, showing flashes of grey skin and yellow eyes interspersing with the pleasantly human form. The woman, or creature, struggled weakly against Xander hissing, "Let me go, little boy."
The violence of Xander's attack, the struggling creature pinned to the wall, the whole situation floored Buffy. "Xander? What—" she began.
Mrs. Owsley's human guise dropped completely and the demon underneath fixed Buffy with a look. Buffy felt her knees give way as she fought the overwhelming despair grip her heart. Oh my god, it's the same demon. Oh my god, oh my god… Buffy hugged herself close and felt tears sting her eyes in helpless sadness. Somewhere at the edge of her hearing, she heard Xander growl, "I don't think so. Try looking at me."
The crushing weight of despair lifted from her shoulders, allowing Buffy to look up from her crouched position. She saw the demon turn its attention to Xander and stare him full in the face.
Xander laughed.
"Nice try," he said, stepping back from the confused demon. With a movement almost too quick for Buffy to see, he stabbed the demon in the throat and twisted the knife before pulling it back out. The demon gurgled and dropped to the floor.
Buffy shot off the floor and moved to Xander's side, staring down at the creature now ineffectually clutching at its throat. "I think you've killed it," she said with wonder staining her voice.
"Does this look like your demon?" Xander asked tightly.
"Dead-ringer," Buffy answered. "It can't be that easy to kill."
"It's not dead, yet," Xander grimly replied. He dropped to the ground and stabbed the creature in the eye, releasing a flood of green goo. The creature convulsed, but was still alive. "Damn, what does it take?" he asked, pulling the knife out and stabbing the demon in the other eye. The last blow finally did it and the demon stopped moving.
"What? How? Who? How?" Buffy sputtered as Xander climbed to his feet, staring down at his handiwork.
All the rage seemed to drain out of him. Xander's shoulders slumped and the knife dropped out of his nerveless, goo-covered hands. He muttered, "I haven't forgotten."
Buffy startled at the statement. That sounded awfully close to… "Xander? Have you seen one of these things before?"
He ignored her question and walked out of the kitchen, Buffy ineffectually following from behind. "Xander? Damn it. Talk to me!"
Xander stopped short just beyond the kitchen doorway, forcing Buffy to halt her own forward progress. "Xander…" she warned before peering around him. The boy was now standing at the base of the stairs, eyes wide. Oh, no! How much did he see? Buffy thought desperately as she tried to come up with a list of excuses that would make sense.
What happened next took her by surprise.
Eduardo…Eddie…picked his way over to the frozen pair, stopping just short of Xander. The boy peered up at him, as if trying to make out what he was. After a moment's pause, Xander dropped to one knee. "Hey, you okay in there?" he softly asked.
In response the boy flung himself at Xander, arms wrapping around his neck and completely oblivious to the fact that Xander was covered in gore, as he started sobbing. Xander helplessly looked at Buffy before returning the hug, rocking the child back and forth, murmuring, "It's okay now, shhhh. It's over. I promise."
Buffy felt like she was intruding on something that she had no right to see. She retreated back to the kitchen. Keeping one eye on the huddled pair, she turned to inspect the demon. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Xander? Come here. Look at this," she called.
Xander disengaged as best he could from Eddie, but his hushed request that the boy stay put was clearly going to be ignored since the child had attached himself to the man's leg and refused to let go. With a sigh, Xander returned to the kitchen, frightened kid in tow. "What is it?" he asked.
"Our demon is melting," Buffy commented.
"Melting?" Xander's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"It's turning into a puddle of green slime."
Xander looked down at his kill, his face hardening into the same cold expression Buffy remembered from the Magic Box. "Maybe we should grab a sample. Give it to Wills for study," he said.
"Good idea," Buffy nodded as she began searching the cupboards for a glass bowl to collect the slime. She shot a significant glance at the boy. "What are we going to do about him?"
The boy in question whimpered while Xander scowled.
"Okay, maybe not the best way to phrase it, but we have to do something," Buffy said, opening and closing doors. "Chances are someone is going to notice one foster mother missing. Plus, he looks like he's been playing in the goo."
Xander nodded. He dropped back to one knee so he was eyelevel with the boy. "Eddie?" Xander asked. "Eddie? Look at me."
The boy peeked at Xander from underneath an unruly mess of bangs, but remained silent.
"Eddie, we're not going to hurt you. Why would we hurt you if we just helped you?"
The boy seemed to think about this. He slowly nodded.
"Eddie, how many of them are in the house?" Xander gently pushed.
The boy's eyes widened and he slowly began to back away. Xander reached out a hand and grabbed the child's wrist.
"Eddie, we need you to be brave," Xander quietly urged. "You have to tell me if you want us to help you. How many are in the house?"
"Two," the boy responded in a small voice.
"Is the other one your foster father?"
"Yes." This response was even softer than the first.
Xander let out a puff of breath. "Thank you, Eddie."
The boy rewarded Xander with a wan smile.
"Now Eddie? Listen to me, Eddie. I need you to be brave a little longer. Think you can do that?"
The boy's posture changed. He looked like he was trying to stand at attention, but Buffy could see the kid was still scared out of his mind. Xander nodded his approval and took a deep breath. "I need you to lie for us."
The kid started as if he were slapped.
Xander held his hands up in a calming gesture. Buffy thought he looked like he was surrendering. "I know. I know. You don't want to lie anymore, right?" A nod from the kid. "I don't blame you. And I don't want you to lie anymore, either. But you have to tell this one lie for us and I'll never ask you to do it again. I promise."
Eddie seemed to think about this. "Okay," he whispered.
Bowl in hand, Buffy returned to Xander's side and watched intently. She was tempted to interrupt, but Xander seemed to be handling the kid equation better than she could. Xander looked up at her before returning his attention back to Eddie. "Okay, Eddie? Here's what I want you to tell your foster father and the cops when they ask you…"
Continued in Part 3


Pseudomonas infections are illnesses that occur due to the bacteria Pseudomonas. For many people, a Pseudomonas infection will only cause mild symptoms.
However, if a person is in a hospital or has a weakened immune system, the threat becomes very severe. In these situations, a Pseudomonas infection can be life-threatening.
The good news is that these infections are treatable, especially with an early diagnosis.
In this article, we look at the causes, risk factors, and symptoms of Pseudomonas infections, as well as how people can prevent and treat them.
Pseudomonas is a type of bacteria that can cause infections.
Pseudomonas is a common genus of bacteria, which can create infections in the body under certain circumstances.
There are many different types of Pseudomonas bacteria. Only a few types can cause an infection.
Pseudomonas bacteria tend to live and breed in water, soil, and damp areas. The warmer and wetter it is, the better the conditions are for the bacteria to multiply.
People who are in the hospital for surgery or treatment for a major illness are most vulnerable to this kind of infection.
An incision from a surgical procedure or an open wound can increase the risk of infection. The bacteria can also invade pressure wounds, or bed sores.
People with weakened immune systems are also prone to more severe Pseudomonas infections.
Milder Pseudomonas infections can occur in otherwise healthy people. These include ear infections and skin rashes, especially after exposure to water.
Pseudomonas bacteria cause well-known conditions such as hot tub rash, a red and itchy skin rash resulting from contaminated water, and swimmer's ear.
In addition to people who are staying in a hospital, have a weakened immune system, or both, there are specific groups who are more vulnerable to Pseudomonas infections.
Itchiness and pain are potential symptoms.
Symptoms of Pseudomonas infections vary according to the infection's severity and location.
The areas of the body that the infections are most likely to affect are the ears, skin, lungs, soft tissue, and blood.
A Pseudomonas infection that reaches the bloodstream tends to be more severe.
Ears: Pain, itching, and liquid discharge.
Skin: Rashes, which may consist of pus-filled pimples.
In the lungs: Pneumonia, coughing, and congestion.
Soft tissue: Discharge of green pus and a sweet, fruity smell.
In the blood: Joint pain and stiffness, fever, chills, and fatigue.
Other possible symptoms: A headache, diarrhea, or urinary tract infection.
To help diagnose a Pseudomonas infection, a doctor may ask about any recent activities that might be relevant, such as swimming or using a hot tub. They will also carry out a physical examination.
The doctor might take a sample of blood or fluid from the affected area to confirm a diagnosis.
As there are different types of Pseudomonas bacteria, laboratory tests may also be necessary to determine the best course of treatment.
Antibiotics are the best option to treat Pseudomonas or other bacterial infections.
Some Pseudomonas infections require an aggressive approach with powerful drugs. The earlier the treatment begins, the more effective it is in stopping the infection.
This is particularly true in the hospital environment. The bacteria in hospitals get regular exposure to antibiotics, and, over time, develop resistance to these drugs. This makes them more difficult to treat.
Once doctors know which type of Pseudomonas bacteria is responsible for the infection and whether or not this strain is resistant to any drugs, they can combine medications to make treatment more effective.
Most minor Pseudomonas infections resolve either without treatment or after minimal treatment.
If symptoms are mild or nonexistent, it is not necessary to treat the infection.
In the case of swimmer's ear, rinsing the ear with vinegar can help. A doctor may also prescribe an antibiotic called polymyxin.
Doctors usually treat urinary tract infections with an oral antibiotic, such as levofloxacin or ciprofloxacin.
Eye infections from Pseudomonas bacteria are relatively rare. When they do arise, doctors can treat them with antibiotic drops.
In severe cases, doctors may use a particular procedure to inject antibiotics directly into the eye.
Keeping hot tubs and swimming pools clean may prevent infections from developing.
In many cases, Pseudomonas infections are preventable. Bacteria live and breed in moist places. The more dirty and moist those places become, the more bacteria live and breed there.
Therefore, whether it is in the intensive care unit or at the local swimming pool, cleanliness is vital.
It is essential for all doctors and nurses to practice good hand hygiene. Other hospital staff will keep equipment clean and ensure that patient rooms are as germ-free as possible.
People staying in the hospital and their families should follow instructions about frequent hand-washing.
Anyone with an infection, including the common cold, should avoid visiting patients in the hospital.
It is essential to change dressings regularly and monitor wounds for any early signs of infection.
Outside hospitals, people should be careful about using swimming pools or hot tubs that appear dirty or poorly maintained.
People should always shower after swimming and wash their swimsuits and towels in hot water.
Pseudomonas bacteria are generally harmless. When they do cause an infection, it is usually mild in people who are otherwise healthy.
However, Pseudomonas infections can be severe in people with a weakened immune system. It is essential for anyone at risk of complications to see a doctor as soon as possible.
次の投稿次 Medical News Today: What are the early symptoms of leukemia in children?


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What is Netflix's 'Queer Eye' About?
Julia Dzurillay
This television show will leave you thinking there's still good in the world — can you believe? Netflix's original series, Queer Eye, premiered in 2018. Since then, it won two Emmy Awards and earned the admiration of countless fans. What's Netflix's Queer Eye about? Learn more about the reality show, here.
Karamo Brown, Bobby Berk, Antoni Porowski, Tan France and Jonathan Van Ness | Christopher Polk/Getty Images
If you want a show that's uplifting, fun and a little gay, you've come to the right place. Netflix's Queer Eye has five hosts, each an expert in a different category. Together, they transform "heroes" on the show, making their lives easier, cleaner, healthier, and happier. The series won two Emmy Awards, for "Outstanding Structured Reality Program" and "Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program."
As a spin-off of the television series Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Netflix's version of Queer Eye makes over heroes of all genders and backgrounds, from the liberal mayor of a small town to a teacher who has a deep relationship with her son and her church. You'll laugh, you'll cry. It's a show that's definitely worth the watch.
Karamo Brown, Bobby Berk, Tan France, Antoni Porowski & Jonathan Van Ness | Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Netflix
'Queer Eye' stars five queer specialists, including Jonathan Van Ness and Antoni Porowski
Together, they are the Fab Five. Apart, the cast of Netflix's Queer Eye is just as successful. Jonathan Van Ness, the grooming expert, became Essie's first male ambassador, later coming out as nonbinary. In his free time, Van Ness practices ice skating and hosts his podcast, Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness.
Antoni Porowski, the food and wine expert, owns a restaurant in New York City, The Village Den. He has a cookbook, Antoni In The Kitchen, to be released within the upcoming months. Karamo Brown, the culture expert, premiered his book, Karamo: My Story of Embracing Purpose, Healing, and Hope. Tan France, the fashion expert, is the host of the YouTube series "Dressing Funny." Additionally, he premiered his book, Naturally Tan. Bobby Berk, the interior design expert, often spends time with his family. He also partners with big brands on social media, including Target and Corian Design.
Recently, all five members of the Netflix series appeared in Taylor Swift's music video for "You Need To Calm Down," along with LGBTQ celebrities like RuPaul, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Adam Rippon.
Some might even suggest that there's a sixth member of the Fab Five. During the third season, a furry friend joined the gang at their loft — a lovable bulldog named Bruley. The dog also appeared on the fourth season of Queer Eye, officially becoming the show's mascot.
Your biggest cheerleaders are BACK in 12 hours Who is ready for Season 4?
A post shared by Queer Eye (@queereye) on Jul 18, 2019 at 11:50am PDT
Netflix's 'Queer Eye' recently premiered its fourth season
The first season of Netflix's original series, Queer Eye, premiered during February 2018. Since then, the show changed countless lives, inspiring viewers to live healthier, cleaner, and happier lives.
"I like to say that I've been in kind of a constant state of shock," said Jonathan Van Ness in an interview with Elle. "All of the validation and positive feedback on the show and myself. And the places that praise comes from, the people, and the institutions, has just been mind-blowing."
The latest season of Queer Eye premiered on July 19, 2019 and includes eight uplifting episodes, filled with hugs, tears, and amazing beard styles. (Thank you, Jonathan.)
Queer Eye is available for streaming on Netflix.


text:
Bulgarian culture
CBBSS News
For Zelensky, compromise with Russia has worked but will it for long?
Follow BulgariaAnalytica:
Josh Friedman
Josh Friedman is an American journalist currently based in Sofia, Bulgaria. He is the English editor...
Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyl, Russia, Ukraine
Josh Friedman Tuesday September 17th, 2019
So far so good for Volodymyr Zelensky as actual, rather than fictional, president of Ukraine. Or so it seems.
Earlier this month, weeks after securing an unprecedented parliamentary majority to back his presidential mandate, Zelensky stood on the tarmac of Kyiv's Boryspil Airport greeting freed prisoners returning home from Russia.
It was a dramatic scene with Zelensky playing a key supporting, if not starring, role. In addition to getting back film director Oleh Sentsov, who had become a renowned political prisoner, the Ukrainian sailors who were captured by Russian forces in the Kerch Strait also returned home. This made for a joyous occasion in Kyiv.
Zelensky's approval rating is sky high, with a recent poll putting it above 70 percent. The prisoner swap certainly doesn't hurt the president's popularity.
But there is plenty of reason for skepticism as Zelensky proceeds in direct and indirect negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, particularly over occupied territory in Eastern Ukraine, where war rages on, and potentially over Crimea, which Moscow annexed. Compromise appears to have worked for now, but as Zelensky moves forward in negotiations, there may be a lot more to lose than gain from cooperation with Putin.
Potential Donbas deals
Zelensky sold the prisoner swap as the first step toward bringing the war in Donbas to an end and bringing back the occupied Ukrainian territories, as well as the dozens of other Ukrainian prisoners who remain in Russian or separatist jails.
On the surface, the prisoner swap seems like a deal everyone likes. Top European leaders approved of it. U.S. President Donald Trump also welcomed the news.
Criticism did arise from the Dutch government and others upset over the inclusion in the prisoner exchange of a suspect in the downing of MH-17, the passenger jet that was shot down over Eastern Ukraine in 2014. Volodymyr Tsemakh, whom Ukrainian forces captured in a dangerous and ultimately deadly operation behind separatist lines, was reportedly an air defense commander for the separatists and was a key witness in the MH-17 investigation. Tsemakh, a Ukrainian national, has since returned to the occupied Donbas region after being released by Kyiv and flown into Russia.
With regard to Tsemakh, Putin scored a victory in the deal. Putin insisted that Tsemakh be included in the swap, and despite being faced with objections, Zelensky agreed to the demand.
But there could be an underlying strategy to Putin's deal with Zelensky that has much broader implications than the status of a suspect in the downing of MH-17.
Could Putin be courting Zelensky or rewarding him for, thus far, taking a tough stance on Russia in words only and not in actions? Putin refused to agree to the prisoner swap when Petro Poroshenko was serving as Ukraine's president. Poroshenko took a hardline stance on confronting Russia. With that in consideration, Putin has bestowed a gift upon Zelensky.
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Zelensky has given himself a difficult balancing act. He has continued to toe the line of the Poroshenko administration on the status of Donbas and Crimea, yet at the same time he is not taking such a confrontational stance against Moscow. Zelensky is in the unenviable position — by his own doing — of needing to both bring the war to an end and bring back the occupied territories, two promises he has made.
Putin may be getting ready to cut a deal in the coming months or years. If Zelensky is willing to compromise, the Russian president could seek a deal that would freeze the conflict in Eastern Ukraine. This could result in a scenario similar to Transnistria or other frozen conflict zones in the region, like Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno Karabakh.
Negotiations are upcoming, and there is a framework in place under the Minsk agreement for Kyiv to regain control over Donbas. But there is no assurance Moscow will go along with this. And if the conflict were to freeze, rather than Ukraine regaining full control over the separatist territory, the possibility would remain that Moscow could reignite the war at any time it sees fit.
Meanwhile, European leaders are eager to do business with Russia and improve their ties with Moscow. For them, the interests of Ukraine may be expendable. This has been evident as Germany, in particular, has come to the aid of Russia in its attempts to bypass Ukraine in its gas deliveries to Europe via the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.
The European position is significant because Eastern Ukraine peace talks are taking place in the Normandy format. The Normandy format involves four countries: France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine.
Now, former Ukrainian president and current envoy for peace talks Leonid Kuchma is warning about potential compromise that would not be in the interests of Kyiv. In particular, Kuchma warned last week that French President Emmanuel Macron wants to bring resolution to the conflict quickly, and Kyiv's envoy said he does not think doing so would be in the interests of Ukraine.
Ahead in negotiations may be discussion of a deal on holding elections in occupied Donbas. There is concern among some Ukrainians that elections will take place before Moscow fully withdraws its troops and military equipment from the region, thus cementing de facto Russian control over the occupied territory.
Putin could also seek a deal in which Moscow would effectively relinquish control over Donbas in exchange for Kyiv effectively acknowledging Russia's claim to Crimea.
Zelensky says he will get back the territories, or at least, Ukraine will at some point. But there is plenty of skepticism in Ukraine as to whether the president will deliver on this matter. There is also plenty of skepticism that the Ukrainian government even has a plan to get the territories back, beyond waiting and hoping the Russian economy caves in under the pressure of sanctions or Putin leaves office or Russia otherwise falls into a new state of turmoil.
Zelensky may have some leverage in that Putin needs sanctions relief and his political position is not as strong now as it once was. But that could also be cause for the Kremlin to instigate or reignite a conflict, as at times, Putin has been reliant upon militarism to maintain domestic support.
Reason for domestic optimism?
The domestic situation in Ukraine could work in Zelensky's favor, or so a politician and member of his party says. Ukraine's Zelensky-controlled government is embarking upon an agenda of political and economic reforms, aimed at reducing corruption and establishing more of a free market economy.
One such policy touted by Zelensky and Ukrainian lawmaker Maryan Zablotskyy, who spoke with Bulgaria Analytica, is eliminating Ukraine's prohibition on the sale of agricultural land. Zablotskyy said free market reforms, and particularly the land reform measure, would give a boost to the Ukrainian economy.
Maryan Zablotskyy
Zablotskyy, who has also headed the Ukrainian Economic Freedoms Foundation, added that free market reforms could alter the way Russians see Ukraine.
"More freedom brings more prosperity. It brings a more sensible way of life, a more enjoyable way of life," Zablotskyy said. "When Russians will see that in Ukraine it is actually much more fun than it is in Russia, this I think will change their attitudes toward Ukraine."
However, allowing the sale of farmland could open the door for Russians to purchase Ukrainian land en masse and potentially exert more influence in Ukraine.
Still, if such reforms indeed occur and indeed boost the economy, they could also strengthen Kyiv's long-term position. In its quest to defend its sovereignty, Ukraine needs a stronger economy, so it can fund a stronger military.
In the meanwhile, though, diplomacy may be at the forefront of Kyiv's approach to relations with Moscow.
While he does not focus on foreign policy, Zablotskyy said he knows Zelensky personally and says the president is "very patriotic" and will not sell out any of Ukraine's interests.
Nonetheless, Zelensky is faced with difficult upcoming choices. While domestically he has the backing of a parliamentary majority and no need to compromise, with Russian relations future victories likely will not come easily. Compromise worked with the initial prisoner swap, but dealmaking with Putin may not suit Zelensky so well in the future.
By Josh Friedman
This entry was posted in Europe, The Region and tagged Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyl, Russia, Ukraine by Josh Friedman.
About Josh Friedman
Josh Friedman is an American journalist currently based in Sofia, Bulgaria. He is the English editor and Balkan correspondent for BulgariaAnalytica.org. View his reports from the region at youtube.com/user/joshfriedman11.
View all posts by Josh Friedman →
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Saving the honor of S-400, code named Triumph – Putin's bluffs in Syria called
A New Language that Isn't in Search of a Fake New Nation
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text:
package com.vladmihalcea.hibernate.model.baglist;

import com.vladmihalcea.hibernate.model.util.EntityVisitor;
import com.vladmihalcea.hibernate.model.util.Identifiable;

import javax.persistence.*;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

/**
 * BagTree - BagTree
 *
 * @author Vlad Mihalcea
 */
@Entity
public class BagTree implements Identifiable {

    public static EntityVisitor<BagTree, BagForest> ENTITY_VISITOR = new EntityVisitor<BagTree, BagForest>(BagTree.class) {

        @Override
        public BagForest getParent(BagTree visitingObject) {
            return visitingObject.getForest();
        }

        @Override
        public List<BagTree> getChildren(BagForest parent) {
            return parent.getTrees();
        }

        @Override
        public void setChildren(BagForest parent) {
            parent.setTrees(new ArrayList<BagTree>());
        }
    };

    @Id
    @GeneratedValue(strategy = GenerationType.AUTO)
    private Long id;

    @ManyToOne
    public BagForest forest;

    private int index;

    @OneToMany(cascade = CascadeType.ALL, mappedBy = "tree", orphanRemoval = true)
    private List<BagBranch> branches = new ArrayList<BagBranch>();

    public Long getId() {
        return id;
    }

    public BagForest getForest() {
        return forest;
    }

    public void setForest(BagForest forest) {
        this.forest = forest;
    }

    public int getIndex() {
        return index;
    }

    public void setIndex(int index) {
        this.index = index;
    }

    public List<BagBranch> getBranches() {
        return branches;
    }

    public void setBranches(List<BagBranch> branches) {
        this.branches = branches;
    }

    public void addBranch(BagBranch branch) {
        branch.setTree(this);
        getBranches().add(branch);
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Specialists in research, management and in Innovation and Communication Technology essential for businesses and public administrations to implement winning strategies in communications, marketing and global performance.
A multi-level partnership, consisting of experts in the ICT sector, University Lecturers and researchers, marketing professionals, highly competent consultants and researchers enables us to support and guide you in the growth and smooth management of your business, identifying the objectives to be reached and transforming them into concrete and measurable results.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: It has been suggested to me that this article may be premature, given the developing nature of the Mt. Gox situation. However, I wanted to go ahead and put it out for US taxpayers for two reasons. First, how you proceed with your recovery efforts will have an impact on what kind of loss you can claim in 2014 and later. Second, certain regulatory filings that you may be required to submit will be due long before Gox is settled. I will provide updates to the suggestions here as appropriate and I am always willing to answer questions via email.
Now may be too early to guess with any degree of accuracy just what will become of Mt. Gox, Mark Karpeles, or what's left of the missing $500,000,000 in bitcoins. If history is any indication, Bitcoin's best known exchange isn't coming back in any form, ever. The goodwill enjoyed by the company, which it painstakingly built up over half a decade as Bitcoin has grown, is now worthless. The very name of the exchange is utterly toxic, as evidenced by the currency of the word "gox" as a verb in the English language. Many Bitcoiners who have just been goxed are likely experiencing the bitterness of a failed investment for the first time in their lives. To those unfortunate people, I would say that nothing can prepare you for the visceral reality of watching the disappearance before your eyes of a real chunk of wealth that you used to own. I would say that, but I know from experience that it wouldn't make you feel better and would probably just piss you off. Nevertheless, the number of bitcoins in Mt. Gox's possession isn't likely to actually be zero, so there may be some hope yet for at least a partial recovery of your money.
The post What To Do If You've Been Goxed appeared first on Bitcoin Magazine.


text:
SoulMuppet Publishing
About Bios Products Updates
Ramdom Character Generator Discord Server
Melsonian Arts Council Exalted Funeral DriveThru RPG
AboutBiosProductsUpdates Stores Melsonian Arts Council Exalted Funeral DriveThru RPG Follow Twitter Facebook Ramdom Character GeneratorDiscord Server
RPG products. Home of Best Left Buried.
Updates - May 27th 2019
It's time for a longer discussion to talk about our products and the future of our brand:
UK Games Expo
Next weekend is UK Games Expo at the NEC in Birmingham from 31st May to 2nd June! We're attending for all 3 days, and we're there will be whole bunch of high quality print products. We're launching two new books: The Doomsayer's Guide to Horror and the Best Left Buried: Deluxe Edition, as well as bringing the newly reprinted and renamed Cryptdigger's Guide to Survival. We've also got posters of some of your favourite art pieces and we're bringing tons of zinis.
Our stand is 1-896, come find us and say hello.
The Books and What They Mean
We've launched a few products in the Best Left Buried range now, here's what they all mean:
The	Cryptdigger's Guide to Survival: This is the game you know and love, containing the rules, character creation and monster creation rules traditionally found in Best Left Buried. We've cleaned up the layout and the formatting, then added a character sheet and a few new pages on Monster Moods and monster balancing. Think of this as the PHB for your BLB games.
The Doomsayer's Guide to Survival: This is a book for the Doomsayer, containing lots of advice of creating dungeons, running games and telling stories. We've also added a sample adventure, Lord Edmund's Barrow, some background about the canonical setting for BLB, The Thirteen Duchies of Lendal, and rules on treasure, experience and magic items. Think of this as the DMG for your BLB games.
Best Left Buried: Deluxe Edition: The contains everything from both of the other books, beautifully bound into a 150 page, hardback gloss covered monstrosity. We also threw in high level character advancements, random character generation and Demi-Human Archetypes	for playing Dwarves, Elves and the Small Folk. If you can stomach how beautiful it is, this is the DMG + PHB package with everything you'll need for the rest of your days.
New Books and Shipping
On June 1st, Exalted Funeral and Melsonian Arts Council pages will go live with pre-orders for:
The Cryptdigger's Guide to Survival
The Doomsayer's Guide to Survival
Best Left Buried: Deluxe Edition
Melsonian Arts Council products will be received this weekend, as I'm delivering the UK books by hand to Dan. The books for Exalted Funeral are being printed by a different company in the US, and they will be ordered soon.
If you aren't at Expo, this is where to find our books.
PDF sales will also go live on DriveThru at the same time. If you want to buy these, you, but please remember you get free PDFs with physical books.
I repeat, If you buy a physical book, ever, I will send you a free PDF. If you tweet me, facebook me, ping me on discord, email me, use the website contact form, send me a raven or a feasting dream, write me a letter, etc., I will send you one.
We're coming up on two weeks into the A Doom To Speak Kickstarter, and we're 250% funded. This is amazing! I'm so happy to have unlocked the stretch goals we already have, and with more pledges we can push to unlock more zinis with even more awesome creators. I'm so excited to unlock the guest writers, like Zedeck Siew, Diogo Nogueira, Michael Lombardi and Mabel Harper. Even better, if we hit £4k, Saker Tarsos will provide 5e stats for every monster across all 14 zinis.
Finally, we're so close to getting the Social Media Stretch Goal, where I'll convert the basic rules for Best Left Buried into 5 double sided A4 zinis: Character Creation, Advancements, Playing The Game, Consequences, and Monsters. We'll bundle this in with every pledge level of the Kickstarter, and we need less than 15 more retweets to push us over the line!!
Language and Some Changes
During the last around of edits, I've spoken to some members of the community regarding issues about some of the language used within the Best Left Buried books. In particular, some of the language used to describe mental illness and mentally ill people in the book has been highlighted to me as ableist.
As a result, the latest editing pass has removed this language from the book. There are lots of changes, most of them are very small and wouldn't pass notice to most readers. The main different that you might notice is that Insanities have been renamed Afflictions. None of the game's mechanics have changed at all, just instances of certain words which I have replaced with more appropriate alternatives.
Thank you all so much for your support over the last year. I can't wait to announce for exciting products and partnerships, and continue to produce roleplaying games and supplements over the next few years.


the new Eastern Palace Suite that you can purchase during the month of May.
delightful Peta Stephen and I can't wait to see what she has made.
Started cutting up the Designer Series paper (8.4cm by 12.4cm) and attaching to the front of the cards.
once you have everything stamped and cut out.
You can also use the Eastern Medallions Thinlits Dies.
aand I can't wait to see what she has made.
and you will be able to go straight to them.
Labels: ESAD Eastern Palace Blog Hop, Maree McIntosh, Stampin' Up!
Lovely cards Maree. Thanks so much for the inspiration and for participating in the ESAD Blog Hop.
Love you CAS designs Maree, beautiful.
Lovely cards Maree. Thanks for sharing.
What a lovely set of cards. Thanks for sharing.
Great set of cards. Lovely simple design with the dsp being showcased. Well done.
So elegant Maree. Love them!
Lovely cards Maree. They make such quick cards. Thanks for sharing.
The content in this blog is the sole responsibility of Maree McIntosh as an Independant Stampin' Up! demonstrator and the use of and content of or products offered is not endorsed by Stampin' Up! All images Copyright Stampin' Up!


text:
El Partido Demócrata (en inglés: Democratic Party) es un partido político conservador de Kenia, fundado por Mwai Kibaki y John Keen en 1991 tras el retorno del multipartidismo al país. En 2002, formó parte de la Coalición Nacional del Arcoíris, que llevó a su líder, Kibaki, a la Presidencia de la República tras obtener el 62% de los votos. Los demócratas obtuvieron 39 de los 125 escaños que la Coalición obtuvo en la Asamblea Nacional. Fue posteriormente miembro del Partido de la Unidad Nacional, que obtuvo la victoria en las controvertidas elecciones generales de 2007, en las cuales hubo denuncias por fraude electoral.

Referencias

Enlaces externos
DP 2007 Manifesto
Candidatos parlamentarios del DP en 2007

Partidos políticos de Kenia
Partidos políticos fundados en 1991

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia