text:
Q: Topologically distinguishing Mobius Strips based on the number of half-twists We can distinguish between a (closed) Mobius strip and 'regular' (untwisted) strip by examining the set of points which have no neighborhood homeomorphic to a disk (intuitively, the 'boundary' of the strip).  For a Mobius strip, this set is connected, while for an untwisted strip the set has two connected components.
However, the above criteria cannot distinguish between, say, a Mobius strip with 1 half-twist and a Mobius strip with 3 half-twists; it can only tell us if the number of twists is even or odd.
Can we tell how many half-twists a strip has in a purely topological way that avoids the embedding of the strip in $\mathbb{R}^3$?  The more I think about it, the less convinced I am that we can.  I can show all strips with an even number of half-twists are homeomorphic to $[0,1] \times S^1$ (by coordinatizing one of the circles as $\{0\} \times S^1$, the other as $\{1\}\times S^1$, and interpolating in between), but I'm not sure how or if I can adapt this approach to the case when there is an odd number of half-twists.

A: You are right in not being convinced: the parity of the number of twists is a topological invariant, but the actual number is not. To see this think of the strip as $I \times I$ (where $I = [0, 1]$) with opposite edges $\{0\} \times I$ and $\{1\} \times I$ identified either by $(0, x) \mapsto (1, x)$ (for an even number of twists) or by $(0, x) \mapsto (1, 1-x)$ (for an odd number of twists).


text:
een begrip in de muziek, zie atonaliteit
 een begrip in de letterkunde, zie atonale poëzie
 een bloemlezing uit 1951 van Simon Vinkenoog, zie Atonaal (bloemlezing)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
How They Met and Other Stories
Levithan, David
Heftet / 2014 / Engelsk
Egmont Books Ltd
02, JC
Om bidragsyterne
A collection of stories about love from the New York Times bestselling author of Every Day and Two Boys Kissing. They met on a plane / at Starbucks / in class. It was a set-up / it was completely random / they were dancing. It was love at first sight / it took time / it was a disaster! Love is a complicated, addictive, volatile, scary, wonderful thing. Many of the stories in this collection started out as gifts for the author's friends. From the happy-ever-after to the unrequited, they explore the many aspects of the emotion that has at some time turned us all inside out and upside down. David Levithan is no stranger to exploring love in all its complexity and variety as showcased in Boy Meets Boy, Every Day, Another Day, and Two Boys Kissing. 'Every Day is a wonder: a wholly original premise racing along with a generous heart towards a perfect ending. The best YA makes a place for its readers, and there are few writers as warmly generous as David Levithan.' Patrick Ness, award-winning author of the Chaos Walking trilogy and A Monster Calls David is the New York Times best-selling author of Boy Meets Boy and Marly's Ghost. While among his many collaborations are Will Grayson, Will Grayson with Fault in Our Stars author John Green, and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist with Rachel Cohn, which became a major film. Tiny Cooper from Will Grayson, Will Grayson, now has his own novel: Hold Me Closer: The Tiny Cooper Story. David is also a highly respected children's book editor, whose list includes many luminaries of children's literature, including Garth Nix, Libba Bray and Suzanne Collins. He lives and works in New York.
A collection of stories about love from the New York Times bestselling author of Every Day and Two Boys Kissing. They met on a plane / at Starbucks / in class. It was a set-up / it was completely random / they were dancing. It was love at first sight / it took time / it was a disaster!
David Levithan was not born in France, Milwaukee or Olympia, Washington. He did not go to Eton, Harvard Law School or Oxford University. He is not the author of War and Peace, Hollywood Wives: The New Generation or The Baby-sitters Club #8: Boy-crazy Stacey. He has not won the Newbery Medal, the Pulitzer Prize, the Bausch & Lomb Science Award or the race for eleventh-grade vice president. He currently does not live in Manhatten.
How They Met Real Stories of True Love and the power of serendipity
Friedman, David
How I Met My Other, True Stories, True Love A Real Romance Short Story Collection
Haughee, Arielle
Innbundet / 2019 / Engelsk
Blood They Brought and Other Stories
Kurtz, Ed

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
'Inside the Actors Studio's' James Lipton used to be a pimp in Paris
By | Fox News
Cast member James Lipton attends the premiere of the film "Igor" in Los Angeles September 13, 2008. (Reuters)
"Inside the Actors Studio" host James Lipton has become a household name for his in-depth and up close interviews with some of the biggest stars in Hollywood.
But in a recent interview with Parade magazine, Lipton said he used to have a much different occupation. In the 1950s, he worked as a pimp in Paris, France.
"It was only a few years after the war. Paris was different then, still poor. Men couldn't get jobs and, in the male chauvinist Paris of that time, the women couldn't get work at all," he explained. "It was perfectly respectable for them to go into [prostitution]."
He said he became good friends with a prostitute and worked with her and other women.
"I represented them all, but her especially. I did a roaring business, and I was able to live for a year. The French [men] didn't exploit women. They represented them, like agents. And they took a cut. That's how I lived. I was going through my rites of passage, no question about it. It was a great year of my life."
But he said he doesn't believe people should buy and sell sex.
"I think if you can't earn [sex] on your own, then you don't deserve it," he said.
On Wednesday night, Lipton will host the 250th episode of "Inside the Actors Studio" on Bravo.
"The 250th is different from any show we've ever done. I have brand-new interviews with Conan O'Brien, Barbara Walters, Christopher Walken, Ellyn Burstyn, Sugar Ray Leonard, Jennifer Lopez, Dave Chappelle, Jay Leno, Spike Lee, Katie Couric, Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro — we're going to their homes, their workplaces."
Click here for more from Parade.
Prince Harry20 hours ago


text:
import gzip
import sys

import delphin.mrs as mrs
import delphin.mrs.simplemrs as simplemrs
import delphin.mrs.simpledmrs as simpledmrs

"""Reads in deepbank's export format and converts it to DMRS."""

if __name__=='__main__':
  assert len(sys.argv) >= 4, 'Invalid number of arguments (3 or 4 required).'
  output_dir = sys.argv[1] + '/'
  filename = sys.argv[2]
  set_name = sys.argv[3]

  # Default export format includes tokenization, mrs and eds.
  # Alternatively, only mrs can be included.
  mrs_only = len(sys.argv) >= 5 and sys.argv[4] == '--mrs_only'

  sentence_str = ''
  simple_mrs_str = ''

  in_file = gzip.open(filename, 'r')
  state = 0
  for line in in_file:
    if state == 0 and line[0] == '[' and '`' in line and '\'' in line:
      # State 0: Input sentence.
      sentence_str = line[line.index('`')+1:line.rindex('\'')]
      state = 1
    elif state == 1 and line[0] == '<':
      state = 2
    elif state == 2:
      # State 2: PTB tokenization
      if line[0] == '>':
        state = 3
    elif ((line.strip().startswith('[ TOP:') and state == 3)
        or (line.strip().startswith('[ TOP:') and state == 1 and mrs_only)):
      # State 4: MRS
      simple_mrs_str = line.strip() + ' '
      state = 4
    elif state == 4:
      if line[0] == '{' or (line.strip() == '' and mrs_only):
        # EDS
        state = 5
      else:
        simple_mrs_str += line.strip() + ' '

  simple_mrs_code = simple_mrs_str.decode('utf-8', 'replace')
  simple_mrs_str = simple_mrs_code.encode('ascii', 'replace')

  dmrs_xml_str = mrs.convert(simple_mrs_str, 'simplemrs', 'dmrx')
  dmrs_object = mrs.dmrx.loads(dmrs_xml_str)
  simple_dmrs_str = simpledmrs.dumps(dmrs_object) # TODO this can give an error
  mrs_object = simplemrs.loads_one(simple_mrs_str)

  dmrs_const_str = ''

  # Adds constants.
  for ep in mrs_object.eps():
    if ep.args.has_key('CARG'):
      dmrs_const_str += (str(ep.lnk)[1:-1] + ' ' + str(ep.pred) + ' '
                         + ep.args['CARG'] + ' ')

  hyphen_sentence_str = sentence_str
  # Removes in-word hyphens in sentence.
  for i in xrange(1, len(sentence_str)-1):
    if (sentence_str[i] == '-' and sentence_str[i-1] <> ' ' and
        sentence_str[i+1] <> ' '):
      sentence_str = sentence_str[:i] + ' ' + sentence_str[i+1:]

  sent_out_file = open(output_dir + set_name + '.hraw', 'a')
  sent_out_file.write(hyphen_sentence_str + '\n')
  sent_out_file.close()

  sent_out_file = open(output_dir + set_name + '.raw', 'a')
  sent_out_file.write(sentence_str + '\n')
  sent_out_file.close()

  lin_out_file = open(output_dir + set_name + '.sdmrs', 'a')
  lin_out_file.write(simple_dmrs_str + '\n')
  lin_out_file.close()

  lin_out_file = open(output_dir + set_name + '.carg', 'a')
  lin_out_file.write(dmrs_const_str + '\n')
  lin_out_file.close()

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


A Rockland County father left his home for work at around 5 a.m. Tuesday morning. NBC NY says that when he returned later in the morning, he found his wife, two, daughters, and two dogs unconscious from an apparent case of carbon monoxide poisoning.
CBS says that the man had tried calling from work, but when no one answered their phones he returned home to check if they were okay.
NBC says the man called 911. When police arrived at the Ramapo home they discovered the unconscious body of a 54 year-old woman, a 16 year-old girl, a 14 year-old girl, and two family dogs.
NBC says that the mother and daughters were taken to Westchester Medical Center in serious condition. The dogs were taken to a nearby animal hospital, according to NBC. Their condition is not known.
An investigation is ongoing. Carbon Monoxide is believed to have been the cause, though there is no reason given yet how this happened.


College application profile detail for Aeiland, admitted to Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) includes college essays, test scores, school admission information.
Present: pres-ent 1. Something that is offered, presented, or given as a gift Let's stick with this definition. Unusual presents, accidental presents, metaphorical presents, re-gifted presents, etc. - pick any present you have ever received and invent a past for it.


text:
Thursday 29 October 2020 4:38 am
I won't let the government cancel Christmas — will you?
By: Simon Dolan
It is hard to believe that just weeks ago, there appeared to be light at the end of the tunnel.
The autumn sun was bringing people out of the house and back into offices, shops, restaurants and bars.
But the period of positive convalescence for the mental, physical and economic trauma this country has been through seemed too good to be true — and it turns out it was.
Measure by measure, a government hellbent on pleasing absolutely no one introduced more and more draconian restrictions until we were back almost to square one. It began with the rule of six and a 10pm curfew on hospitality businesses (neither backed up by science), and has led us to a situation where a postcode lottery decides whether or not we can leave our own homes.
The most recent brainwave from government officials is to suggest that families may be unable to enjoy Christmas Day together. It has been widely reported that in Tier 1, gatherings on the 25 December will not be permitted to exceed six people, while in Tiers 2 and 3, you won't be allowed to enjoy your pigs in blankets with anyone at all outside of your own household. When Wizzard sang "I wish it could be Christmas everyday", I doubt they had 2020 in mind.
It is not just the concept of cancelling Christmas that will enrage and horrify the general public, but the manner in which it is planned to be enforced. It is hugely disproportionate and heavy-handed to suggest that police officers will be about patrolling communities breaking up family gatherings. When we step back and consider that local forces will apparently be expected to enter homes on Christmas Day and separate loved ones, it is clear to see how far down the road to dystopia we have come.
It may only seem like one day in the year, but for millions of people across the country, whatever their religious beliefs, Christmas is one of the few days when families are generally able to meet up as a group and celebrate.
Sadly, this is part of a growing trend over the last six months, where the things that make life worth living are gradually taken away from us. And patience is wearing thin. Whether you have had your wedding cancelled or were unable to see a partner for months, I anticipate that preventing families from gathering this winter will be the final nail in the coffin for many.
It is this continuous curtailment of our liberties and rights with impunity that has led me to take the government to court over its lockdown policies. Today and tomorrow, the Court of Appeal will hear my Judicial Review against the government's decision to introduce lockdown in the first instance. With the prospect of a second lockdown looking more imminent by the day, I would urge you to join me in holding this tinpot dictatorship to account and get our lives back on the road to normality. Don't let them cancel Christmas.
Main image credit: Getty
U-turn: Amazon says it will NOT block UK Visa credit cards from Wednesday in last minute deal
Johnson sacrificed the Tories low tax reputation and will pay the price for it
Credit Suisse's scalped chairman lays bare the new rules of post-purpose business
BARRY JOHNSTON
Explainer-in-brief: All the parties rocking Downing Street and Whitehall
Explainer-in-brief
On The Apprentice: the UK must stop treating its entrepreneurs like clowns
Eliot Wilson
It's time: diversity must drive innovation within our regions and our organisations
Vincent Keaveny
A timely payday is the only way to protect our small businesses and freelancers
Liz Barclay
Explainer-in-brief: A Boris Johnson leadership challenge
Michael Gove has finally entered the cladding fray, but the fight isn't over
Elena Siniscalco


text:
Wis. Archdiocese bankruptcy case sent to mediation
Updated: 2:38 PM CDT Jul 30, 2014
A federal judge said Wednesday that she would send the Archdiocese of Milwaukee's bankruptcy case to mediation.Bankruptcy Judge Susan Kelley said she considers mediation the best bet for resolving the hard-fought, three-year-long case.The archdiocese filed for bankruptcy in 2011, saying it would not have the money to pay if it lost lawsuits filed on behalf of victims of clergy sexual abuse. More than 500 abuse victims have since filed claims in bankruptcy court.The mediation will involve attorneys for the archdiocese, sexual abuse victims and others owed money by the archdiocese. A previous attempt at mediation in 2012 failed. Kelley agreed to mediation before hearing arguments over whether the archdiocese should pay attorneys' legal fees now or later.Bankruptcy rules require the archdiocese to pay legal fees for itself and its creditors. In this case, most creditors are victims of clergy sexual abuse. The creditors' attorneys say the archdiocese has more cash than it anticipated when Kelley halted payments, they're owed more than $2 million and they'd like to get paid.The archdiocese told Kelley in January 2013 that its monthly expenses typically totaled $1.5 million to $2 million. It asked her to halt payments to its attorneys and those representing sexual abuse victims and other creditors so that it could keep roughly $2 million on hand and avoid cash flow problems. Kelley agreed.But in a motion filed last month, victims' attorneys said the archdiocese's bank accounts regularly contain more money than the archdiocese predicted. They accused the archdiocese of withholding payment in order to pressure them into agreeing to its bankruptcy reorganization plan.The plan proposed earlier this year would give 128 victims roughly $4 million from an insurance settlement. Others who have filed claims would receive nothing.The archdiocese would use the other half of the $8 million insurance settlement and $2 million borrowed from a cemetery trust fund to cover attorneys' fees and other bankruptcy costs. Victims who had hoped to tap into the $55 million cemetery trust fund have been outraged by the plan.A separate, but related lawsuit over the cemetery trust fund is pending before the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago, which heard arguments in June. It's not clear when it might rule. Kelley had put the archdiocese's bankruptcy case on hold until that lawsuit was resolved because the outcome could affect the archdiocese's finances.The cemetery trust fund will be a key focus on the mediation, which is expected to begin in September.Archdiocese spokesman Jerry Topczewski said Tuesday that the extra cash in its accounts reflected slightly better-than-expected income and a small cut in costs. He estimated the archdiocese owed about $5.8 million in legal fees at the end of June, a sum greater than its bank balances and one that will increase with more litigation.The victims' attorneys expressed concern in court documents that if they must wait until the bankruptcy case is resolved, they might never get paid. They suggested the archdiocese instead borrow now from the cemetery trust fund."... There can be no legitimate dispute that the Archbishop, as the sole trustee of the Cemetery Trust, can make a loan to the Debtor from the Cemetery Trust anytime he wishes," they said.
MILWAUKEE —
A federal judge said Wednesday that she would send the Archdiocese of Milwaukee's bankruptcy case to mediation.
Bankruptcy Judge Susan Kelley said she considers mediation the best bet for resolving the hard-fought, three-year-long case.
The archdiocese filed for bankruptcy in 2011, saying it would not have the money to pay if it lost lawsuits filed on behalf of victims of clergy sexual abuse. More than 500 abuse victims have since filed claims in bankruptcy court.
The mediation will involve attorneys for the archdiocese, sexual abuse victims and others owed money by the archdiocese. A previous attempt at mediation in 2012 failed. Kelley agreed to mediation before hearing arguments over whether the archdiocese should pay attorneys' legal fees now or later.
Bankruptcy rules require the archdiocese to pay legal fees for itself and its creditors. In this case, most creditors are victims of clergy sexual abuse. The creditors' attorneys say the archdiocese has more cash than it anticipated when Kelley halted payments, they're owed more than $2 million and they'd like to get paid.
The archdiocese told Kelley in January 2013 that its monthly expenses typically totaled $1.5 million to $2 million. It asked her to halt payments to its attorneys and those representing sexual abuse victims and other creditors so that it could keep roughly $2 million on hand and avoid cash flow problems. Kelley agreed.
But in a motion filed last month, victims' attorneys said the archdiocese's bank accounts regularly contain more money than the archdiocese predicted. They accused the archdiocese of withholding payment in order to pressure them into agreeing to its bankruptcy reorganization plan.
The plan proposed earlier this year would give 128 victims roughly $4 million from an insurance settlement. Others who have filed claims would receive nothing.
The archdiocese would use the other half of the $8 million insurance settlement and $2 million borrowed from a cemetery trust fund to cover attorneys' fees and other bankruptcy costs. Victims who had hoped to tap into the $55 million cemetery trust fund have been outraged by the plan.
A separate, but related lawsuit over the cemetery trust fund is pending before the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago, which heard arguments in June. It's not clear when it might rule. Kelley had put the archdiocese's bankruptcy case on hold until that lawsuit was resolved because the outcome could affect the archdiocese's finances.
The cemetery trust fund will be a key focus on the mediation, which is expected to begin in September.
Archdiocese spokesman Jerry Topczewski said Tuesday that the extra cash in its accounts reflected slightly better-than-expected income and a small cut in costs. He estimated the archdiocese owed about $5.8 million in legal fees at the end of June, a sum greater than its bank balances and one that will increase with more litigation.
The victims' attorneys expressed concern in court documents that if they must wait until the bankruptcy case is resolved, they might never get paid. They suggested the archdiocese instead borrow now from the cemetery trust fund.
"... There can be no legitimate dispute that the Archbishop, as the sole trustee of the Cemetery Trust, can make a loan to the Debtor from the Cemetery Trust anytime he wishes," they said.


Large Brass Plated Decorative Eagle for Clocks, Furniture, etc.
CLOSEOUT - Shiny Brass Carriage Clock Handle - 1-7/8"
CLOSEOUT - Carriage Or Bracket Clock Handle - 1-1/8"
Unfinished Decorative Clock Top, Drawer Pull, Handle, etc.
Unfinished Triangle Style Clock Top, Furniture Handle, Drawer Pull, etc.
CLOSEOUT - 3 Pieces - 1-1/2"
Unfinished. Stain any color to match your clock.
2-5/8" high x 2-1/4" wide. 2 per set.
2-1/8" x 5/16" x 1"
Unfinished Metal. 2 Front & 2 Back Feet.


text:
Surfer killed by white shark in West Australia
Thread: Surfer killed by white shark in West Australia
surferman
I don't know how anyone would ever consider surfing in Australia, that place is teeming with sharks.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 2:06pm PDT
By: Janos Palko
Nicholas Edwards, a 31-year-old surfer from Western Australia was killed by a great white shark just off South Point, a popular spot near Margaret River.
The father of two was surfing the popular lefthander in Cowaramup Bay with a small group of other surfers when he was attacked.
Witnesses told local reporters the shark clamped down on his legs, causing fatal damage to his arteries. Several surfers immediately came to Edward's aid. He fell unconscious despite surfers making a tourniquet out of a surfboard leash, and giving him CPR on the beach.
He was rushed to Margaret River hospital for treatment, but succumbed to his injuries on the way. All of Western Australia is favored territory for great whites as they chase the migrating salmon up and down the coast, and this area in particular has a bloody reputation. In 2004 local surfer Brad Smith was killed by a white shark at the same beach.
This latest attack has rocked the close-knit surfing community yet again. The surfing population around this corner of Australia has more than tripled over the past two decades, as new communities have sprung up on this once remote region that's known for its abundance of sea life.
cowherder
The shark must have crunched his legs just like a potato chip, that's got to be the most frightful way to die. very sad.
nitestrikes
^There aren't too many more painful ways to die than that, rip.
bababooey
1000 post club!
Deliverance River, NJ
Here is one where the shark jumped into the boat.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/...ry?id=47701878
Quick Navigation India, Asia, & Southern Hemisphere Fishing Forum Top


Snap-Loc System Accessories are exactly what you need to move everything easier! All our creative Accessories fit our "SNAPLOCS E-Track Singles", our "Dolly System" and other industry standard logistic E-track and E-track accessories.
Made of high-quality durable steel.
For E-Straps: Strap-Hooks, Strap-Links, E-Fittings.
For hook straps, rope and cable: Hook-Ring Adapters, O-Rings, Snap-Hooks, EA-Fittings.
For other uses: Cargo Nets, Storage Bags and more.
Coordinates with industry standard E-track.


text:
These Adventure Runs Are the Best Way to See the World on Foot
By Claire Trageser
Jason Todd/Getty Images
This year's Boston Marathon wasn't meant to be an adventure run, but for the finishers it certainly seemed like one. The runners trudged through continuous downpours of rain, wind gusts of more than 30 miles per hour and temperatures in the mid-30s. Some had to stop at warming tents along the course, and about 2,500 runners received medical treatment, many for hypothermia.
Runners who finished the race may not have been planning to challenge themselves with treacherous conditions on top of a 26.2 mile run with a lot of hills. But other athletes and weekend warriors like seeking out races and runs that come with extra thrills and obstacles (sometimes literally).
Adventure runs are becoming more and more popular. Some have challenging courses with steep climbs and rugged terrains. Others have puzzles to solve and maps to follow. And others have actual obstacles to conquer as part of the course. Here are a few of the best.
Hokuala Trails in Hawaii
Courtesy of Hokuala Trails
You can take a self-guided tour of the 17 miles of hiking, running and biking trails on the southeast coast of Kauai. The paths take you under a canopy of giant monkey pod trees, along the coastline, and through a rainbow eucalyptus tree grove. Try the five-mile Shoreline Trail along the ocean, or weave together several of the smaller loops.
Teton Ogre Adventure Race in Teton Valley, Idaho — June 23–24, 2018
Courtesy of Teton Ogre Adventure Race
Grab a partner or a group to battle it out on the Teton Mountain Range in this race that combines trail running, trekking, mountain biking and ropes courses. There are two options for races: 24 hours, which also includes a paddling portion, and 10 hours. Teams of two to four cover 85 to 90 miles by bike, 10 to 15 miles by foot and 10 to 15 miles in class I to II rivers.
Spartan World Championship in Lake Tahoe — September 29–30, 2018
Courtesy of Spartan World Championship
This year, athletes will compete for more than $100,000 in cash and prizes in the final event of the 2018 obstacle racing season. Runners tackle up to 60 obstacles, including the spear throw, bucket carry, and monkey bars, all at 9,000 feet of elevation.
Box Canyon Running Series in Telluride
Courtesy of Box Canyon Running Series
This series of races, from 5ks to half marathons to 20-milers, cover the Telluride Box Canyon. The Bridal Veil 20 Mile Trail Run covers an elevation gain of 5,500 feet to take you to the top of the top of Bridal Veil Falls. The Deep Creek Trail Half Marathon follows the Waterline and Jud Wiebe trails through the canyon with picturesque views. The Bear Creek 10 Mile Loop takes you up to 12,200 feet with a 3,500-foot elevation gain.
La Luz Trail Run in Albuquerque, New Mexico — August 5, 2018
Courtesy of La Luz Trail Run
This race takes you straight up the Sandia Mountains at the edge of Albuquerque for nine grueling miles. You start in the desert foothills amidst cacti and climb 4,000 feet to the mountaintop, where you are surrounded by an alpine forest. The views at the top make the difficult trek worth it.
Mt. Taylor Winter Quadrathalon, New Mexico
Courtesy of Mt. Taylor Winter Quadrathalon
If just running alone isn't enough for you, try this race. It starts with a 13-mile bike ride, then a 5-mile run, then a two-mile cross-country uphill ski course, and then a one-mile snowshoe climb to the 11,000-foot summit of Mount Taylor.
Zombie Mud Run
Omar Marques/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
There are plenty of mud runs out there that force you to run through and climb over and under obstacles while getting covered with mud. But how many of them also have zombies? The Zombie Mud Run series of races in various locations have zombies stationed along the course who try to steal the flag belts worn by runners. If you finish with a flag still in your belt, you survive. If you don't ... Well, you are now a zombie.
The Dipsea Race in Mill Valley, California
This race claims to be the oldest trail race in the country. Its 7.4-mile course takes you from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach along a scenic but challenging course filled with stairs and steep trails. The race employs an unusual handicapping system that gives the very young and the very old a head start to even the chances at winning. It is so popular that you have to apply to run.
The Indy Ultimate — September 8, 2018
Henry Sadura/Getty Images
This is an urban adventure run with puzzles and activities to complete along the course. Adventurers pass through well-known spots like Lucas Oil Stadium, Victory Field, the Indiana War Memorial, and more. Each stop features a unique activity, from kicking a field goal to running the bases to making it through an obstacle course.
Barkley Marathon
Courtesy of Barkley Marathon
This ultimate trail run is so infamous it inspired a documentary about the people crazy enough to try it. You have to apply to run, complete with an essay on "Why I Should be Allowed to Run in the Barkley." If accepted, you receive a "letter of condolence" and then must tackle a 20-mile loop course with clues along the way to help you find the route. If you do one lap, it's called a "fun run." The most hardcore runners aim for five laps.
Popular in Trip Ideas
A Dominican Republic Cruise With Aquatic Adventures Lets You Swim with Humpback Whales
A Stay at Explora Valle Sagrado Opens Up Less-crowded Corners of the Andes
This New Spiral Path in the Middle of the Forest Lets You Walk Among the Treetops in Denmark
102-year-old Australian Woman Becomes the Oldest Skydiver in the World
Machu Picchu Has a Strict New Ticketing System — Here's What You Need to Know
The Yukon Is Where You Can Still Really Get Away From It All
What to Know Before Your First Surf Lesson
Why a Desert Safari Should Be on Your Dubai To-do List
What It's Like to Take a Walking Safari and Come Face-to-face With an Elephant
Study Finds That Spending Time in Nature Is Good for Your Health
What to See and Do in South Australia's Outback
Half Dome Day Hike in Yosemite National Park is the Park's Most Difficult Hike
People Are Spending About $2,000 to Visit an Uninhabitable Scottish Island for 20 Minutes
Four Adventurous Ways to See Japan's Natural Beauty
Hike This Active Volcano Before Dawn to See Its Electric Blue Flames Light up the Sky
A Visit to the Sheldon Chalet, Denali's Stunning New Wilderness Lodge
Airbnb Adventures Wants to Bring You to 18 Countries in 12 Weeks
These Egg-shaped Pods Are the Most Stylish Way to Camp
The Best Beaches in Hawaii
How This 30-something Went From Taking One Vacation in 10 Years to Traveling the World Full-time
All Topics in Trip Ideas


text:
Transient high-degree AV block in takotsubo syndrome
John E. Madias1,2
I enjoyed very much reading the article by Revilla-Martí et al. [1], describing a 61-year-old man who suffered takotsubo syndrome (TTS) associated with transient high-grade atrioventricular (AV) block (HGAVB). The patient's initial blood pressure of 90/60 is in keeping with early vagotonia seen in some patients in the setting of TTS [2, 3]; I wonder what was the heart rate (HR) of the patient's sinus activity, which if slow would further support this attribution. The authors appropriately did not proceed with a pacemaker implantation, since the HGAVB was transient, with resolution prior to restoration of normal left ventricular function. I have some questions for the authors: (1) The QRS complexes in Fig. 1 appear wide (what was their width?), did they narrow in subsequent electrocardiograms (ECG) in the hospital and at follow-up? (2) Narrower subsequent QRS complexes would be supportive of the notion that the transient block was primarily at the His bundle level in addition to (or alternatively in the absence of) some impairment of the AV conduction, supported by the persisting long P-R interval at follow-up. (3) Were the QRS complexes narrower in a possibly available previous ECG, than the ones in the ECG of Fig. 1? (4) What were the HRs in such ECGs? (5) This will provide an explanation for the issue raised by the authors regarding the underlying pathophysiology (i.e., "supposed magnified sympathetic tone" and " the apex" being "far away from the AV node, is the location of the most common wall segment motion abnormality" [1]), in the sense that the AV block was primarily or even exclusively related to transient intra-Hissian injury, engendered by the TTS-related tissue changes closer to areas of ventricular dyskinesis, rather than the remotely located AV node. (6) Was the P-R interval longer in the hospital than in subsequent ECGs at follow-up? (7) What were the HRs, P-R intervals, and QRS complex width in ECGs during hospital stay, discharge, and follow-up? (8) Are there any ECGs prior to the admission with TTS, showing a normal P-R interval and narrower QRS complexes than the ones seen in Fig. 1? (9) It is conceivable that diffuse spasm in small coronary branches could have caused ischemia in both the AV node and the Hiss bundle, or an increase in vagal tone could have affected the AV node. (10) TTS is associated with myocardial edema (ME), and one wonders about the effect of ME in the conduction velocity of the Hiss bundle, as a result of ME affecting it and/or the surrounding myocardium, wherein the Hiss bundle is embedded.
ECG:
Electrocardiogram(s)
HGAVB:
High-grade AV block
Myocardial edema
TTS:
Takotsubo syndrome
Revilla-Martí P, Cueva-Recalde JF, Linares-Vicente JA, Río-Sánchez S, Ruiz-Arroyo JR (2021) High-degree atrioventricular block. An unusual presentation of takotsubo cardiomyopathy: a case report. Egypt Heart J 73(1):18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43044-021-00144-x.73:18
Samuels MA (2007) The brain–heart connection. Circulation 116(1):77–84. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.106.678995
Madias JE (2015) Plausible speculations on the pathophysiology of takotsubo syndrome. Int J Cardiol. 188:19–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2015.04.015
No funding was received for this work.
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
John E. Madias
Division of Cardiology, Elmhurst Hospital Center, 79-01 Broadway, Elmhurst, NY, 11373, USA
I am the single author of this commentary. The author(s) read and approved the final manuscript.
Correspondence to John E. Madias.
The author declares that he has no competing interests.
Madias, J.E. Transient high-degree AV block in takotsubo syndrome. Egypt Heart J 73, 57 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43044-021-00182-5


I had high hopes for this flexible cellphone holder, but it isn't what I expected. I had hoped to be able to clip this in the car for my toddler to watch videos when needed, but the flexible arm can't hold up my iPhone 6S+ without bending down or bouncing with every bump in the road. It sounds crazy but I think it would be more sturdy if the arm was shorter, maybe only 10 inches or so. Even clipped to my table the whole arm sways every time I touch my phone screen. The only way I could get it to not bounce like crazy is to twist it back on itself at least once.
Here's what I did like: The clamp is very sturdy and you can attach it to things of all thicknesses, from 1/4″ up to almost 3″. It snaps in place and stays there. The clip (to hold your phone) is a good size and fits on iPhone 6S+ (which is in a slim case). The phone clip part also has a convenient ball joint so you can adjust the angle of the screen without bending/unbending the arm of the holder.
I wouldn't recommend this cell phone holder unless you plan on setting your phone and leaving it or twisting the arm back to maximize sturdiness.
I received this cell phone holder for free in exchange for thorough testing and this honest review.


Rescue crews on the scene at the 59th Street Harbor.
CHICAGO — A 52-year-old man died after he fell from a Jet Ski into Lake Michigan during a party near the 59th Street Harbor Saturday night.
The Chicago Fire Department says James Earl Jefferson was not wearing a life jacket when he went into the water around 8:30 p.m. Saturday night.
Jefferson had been under water for over 15 minutes before he was rescued by divers, officials said, and paramedics were unable to revive him with CPR. He was rushed to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.
"Please wear life jackets when using a jet ski," CFD later tweeted.


Meet the biggest, baddest, BRV speaker yet. The BRV-HD Bluetooth Speaker packs high definition audio into a rugged, water-resistant package with 28 hours of wireless play time. Take on the elements with its shockproof exterior and aircraft-grade aluminum grill. The BRV-HD doubles as a smartphone or tablet charger and answers incoming calls using the built-in noise-canceling speakerphone. With enhanced SRS WOW HD sound and wireless daisy chaining to a second BRV-HD speaker, be prepared to throw an outdoor party like no other.
An outdoor party like no other, the BRV-HD provides more than a day of tunes with 28 hours of play time. Enhanced with SRS WOW HD sound, its elevated bass response produces deep, rich sound that fills outdoor spaces.
Experience an immersive left and right stereo listening experience with wireless daisy chaining to a second speaker. Compatible with a second BRV-HD or BRAVEN 8-series speaker.
The BRV-HD is the biggest, baddest BRV Bluetooth Speaker yet. With a shockproof exterior and aircraft-grade aluminum grill, combined with its IPX3 weatherproof rating the BRV-HD is ready for adventure.


Misadventures happen every day. It's why we sell a variety of first aid kits, refills, and accessories to business like yours. To help you meet regulations, we also offer SmartCompliance products. From administering CPR, mitigating burns, caring for wounds, and offering pain medications, these trauma kits have it all. In addition to portable first aid kits, we offer durable cabinets that can be wall mounted, along with refills like aspirin, and bandages. To notify and organize your employees, check out first aid signs, labels and tags.


John Clayton Mayer (born October 16, 1977) is an American musician. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston before moving to Atlanta, Georgia in 1997, where he refined his skills and gained a following.
A year after moving to Atlanta, Georgia and playing in local clubs, Mayer released the independent EP "Inside Wants Out" in 1999. This album, as well as continued performances, gained Mayer attention from the independent promotional record label Aware Records.
Aware released his first full-length album, "Room for Squares," in 2001, and when Columbia Records acquired Aware the following year, the album was repackaged and promoted as a major label release. The major label "debut" went on to sell over 4 million units in the United States alone, and more internationally. By the end of 2002, "Room for Square"s had spawned several radio hits, including "No Such Thing," "Your Body Is a Wonderland," and "Why Georgia." In 2003, Mayer won a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Your Body Is a Wonderland."
Mayer followed up by releasing a live album, "Any Given Thursday," in both audio and DVD format, which featured many songs from "Room for Squares," as well as covers and previously unreleased originals.
Mayer began to collaborate extensively, often working with artists outside of his own genre. He appeared on Common's song "Go!" and on Kanye West's "Bittersweet Poetry." Mayer began his career performing mainly acoustic rock, but gradually began a transition towards the blues genre in 2005 by collaborating with renowned blues artists such as B. B. King, Buddy Guy, and Eric Clapton, and by forming the John Mayer Trio. The trio, consisting of bassist Pino Palladino and drummer Steve Jordan, both of whom he had met through previous studio sessions played a combination of blues and rock music. In November 2005, the Trio released a live album "Try!" It included two cover songs, "Wait Until Tomorrow" by Jimi Hendrix, and "I Got a Woman" by Ray Charles. The album was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards.
This blues influence can be heard on his 2006 solo album, ''Continuum." The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album's single, "Waiting on the World to Change" peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart, where it stayed for forty-one weeks. At the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in 2007 Mayer won Best Pop Vocal Album for ''Continuum'' and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for, "Waiting on the World to Change."
Three months after "Continuum's" release, Mayer released an EP of demos from "Continuum's" early sessions entitled "The Village Sessions," named after the studio it was recorded in, the Village Recorder in Los Angeles.
"Battle Studies," his fourth studio album, was released in November 2009 on Columbia Records. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and has been certified platinum by the RIAA. The album's third single, "Half of My Heart" featured Taylor Swift.


AGOURA HILLS, CA – April 07, 2015 — /BackupReview.info/ — NovaStor®, an international provider of award-winning backup and restore software, welcomes DSolution to its elite group of IT providers who have completed NovaStor's data-protection certifications for both single server and network backup software.
NovaStor's ValueCREATE partner program helps resellers to become familiar with data protection solutions and offers world-class reseller support based in the USA. Extensive training and certifications enable partners to implement NovaStor's award-winning solutions successfully and profitably. Partners also benefit from direct contact with a personal account manager, premium technical support, exclusive discounts, and marketing support. Technology integrators who have taken this step have proven the ability to audit a wide-range of client environments and provide best practice recommendations for the protection of business critical data using the NovaBACKUP® line of backup and restore products.
The NovaBACKUP Small Business product line (NovaBACKUP NAS, NovaBACKUP Business Essentials, and NovaBACKUP Server) is the top rated Windows server backup software for single servers, running applications such as Microsoft SQL, Microsoft Exchange as well as virtual machines under Hyper-V and VMware.
The NovaBACKUP network backup product line, which includes NovaBACKUP DataCenter, is designed for heterogeneous IT environments, running Windows and Linux as well as VMware and Hyper-V. The software architecture ensures top performance and scalability. Features such as multistreaming and redundant meta data management further increase backup and restore reliability.
NovaStor® (http://www.novastor.com) is an international provider of powerful, affordable, all inclusive data-protection solutions for physical and virtual environments. NovaStor provides backup & restore solutions to small and medium business (SMB) as well as heterogeneous environments to protect data on both sides of the cloud. NovaStor's SMB solution NovaBACKUP® is rated #1 for businesses requiring local and remote protection of Windows Servers, VMware, Hyper-V and NAS environments with advanced monitoring capability, detailed reporting, and administration from a Central Management Console. NovaStor's network backup solution NovaBACKUP DataCenter brings F500 references, scalability, reliability and speed to heterogeneous environments; a single pane of glass designed to reduce administrative effort and lower TCO. NovaStor's Setup Assistance is an industry first where experts relieve clients from the complexity of installation and support. NovaStor is management-owned with over 1,000 partners, and millions of seats distributed. With global headquarters located in Zug, Switzerland and offices in Germany (Hamburg) and the USA (Agoura Hills), NovaStor is also represented in numerous other countries through partnerships.
DSolution (http://www.dsolution.com) has offered industry-leading IT security solutions designed to protect IT infrastructure against threats and vulnerabilities since 1999. With a large network of resellers and enterprise customers in North America and abroad, DSolution delivers a strong brand and product awareness to the IT community.


text:
College basketball report
WORDS WITH … MICHIGAN COACH JOHN BEILEIN
It's been a season with plenty of highs and lows for Michigan, but coach John Beilein is riding high heading into Sunday's Big Ten battle with Indiana, knowing the Wolverines have a chance to share the conference championship with a victory. Here are some of his comments on the season and Sunday's game.
Q: After everything, from the buzzer beaters, the upset loss at Michigan State, all that stuff, being where you are now. Can you talk about that?
A: That hasn't sunken in on me yet. I was one of those ones (saying) … there are too many good teams. And that was when Illinois was winning at Gonzaga, and Minnesota was a top-10 team. There are seven really good teams in this conference, and then you go right behind those teams and Iowa and Purdue and the other teams are right there. You can lose, as you can see. So to be in position to be in position, there are always going to be a couple teams like this. Whoever plays the best on this last weekend is going to have a championship.
Q: After you lost to Penn State did you think you'd be in this position?
A: It was kind of like when we lost to Purdue last year. But that taught us so much, that all right, you can be really down, but there is still an opportunity. Because we knew what was in front of us. Now with one more game, we're in that position.
Q: What's your message to your guys now that this game Sunday means as much as it does?
A: I'll have to think about that a little bit. But a lot of people have worked hard all year. I'm just thinking, "Somebody's going to win this thing. Why can't it be us?" No one has worked harder than us. Everybody has worked hard, so why can't it be us? Let's just go for it. We'll have our regular routine and whatever happens, happens. At Crisler Center, we've had some success. Indiana has had a lot of success. So it's going to be a fun weekend.
Q: What do you take away from the first game with Indiana that's going to be in your game plan on Sunday?
A: They were so good. They got off to such a great start. It was like bang, we were down 12-3 before we could turn around. Indiana's pieces fit together so well. They're very difficult to defend. So we'll have to find something that can help us with our defense and then still score points against their very good defense.
No. 2 Indiana (25-5, 13-4 Big Ten) at No. 7 Michigan (25-5, 12-5 Big Ten), 4 p.m., Sunday, CBS. Indiana can clinch the Big Ten title outright with a victory and in all probability lock up a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. The Hoosiers clinched at least a share of the Big Ten title last week then celebrated the accomplishment on their home floor by cutting down the nets, even though it came after a loss to Ohio State. It could be bad karma. Indiana won at home against Michigan 81-73 on Feb. 2. Now the Hoosiers will have step into the Crisler Center, where the Wolverines are 17-0 this season. Look for the usual suspects to figure prominently for both teams. For Michigan, it starts with point guard Trey Burke, who leads the team in scoring, assists and steals. For Indiana, sophomore center Cody Zeller continues to lead the team in scoring and rebounding and is complimented by the play of wing Victor Oladipo who is shooting 63 percent from the field, including 49.1 percent from 3-point range.
ABOUT THE ACC
After rolling to a 13-0 start in the ACC, Miami (23-6, 14-3) goes to the final weekend of regular-season play needing a victory at home over Clemson or a road loss by Duke to North Carolina to clinch the school's first conference title in basketball. Miami already will be the No. 1 seed in next week's ACC tournament. Meanwhile, ESPN's "GameDay" will be in Chapel Hill, N.C., for the second grudge match of the season between the Blue Devils and the Tar Heels. Duke won the first meeting 73-68.
Don't-miss game: Clemson (13-16, 5-12) at No. 6 Miami (23-6, 14-3), 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Beating Clemson should be a mere formality before the Hurricanes can celebrate the first basketball conference title in school history. The Hurricanes had to postpone the net-cutting ceremony after losing to Georgia Tech on Wednesday. Elsewhere, it's Duke at North Carolina (see Gimme Five), Georgia Tech at Boston College, and N.C. State at Florida State. On Sunday, Virginia Tech is at Wake Forest and Maryland is at Virginia.
Notes: Coach Mike Krzyzewski is 880-236 in 33 seasons at Duke and recently moved ahead of former North Carolina coach Dean Smith as the ACC coach with the most victories at one school. … N.C. State forward Richard Howell leads the ACC in double-doubles this season with 17, one more than Duke forward Mason Plumlee. … Boston College freshman guards Oliver Hanlon and Joe Rahon have combined to average 24.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game.
ABOUT THE SEC
A rather grim SEC season is drawing to a close with the league looking at minimal participation in the NCAA tournament. Florida and Missouri look like the only "sure things." ESPN's Joe Lunardi projects Florida as a No. 3 seed and Missouri as a No. 8. Lunardi's tournament bubble is chock full of SEC teams. He has Tennessee as one of the last four to make the tournament, with Alabama, Ole Miss and defending national champion Kentucky among the first four not to make it. Tennessee's loss to Georgia last week may cost the Volunteers dearly.
Don't-miss game: Missouri (22-8, 11-6) at Tennessee (18-11, 10-7), 4 p.m. Saturday, ESPN2. This is a huge game for the Vols, who have won seven of their past eight and are trying to play their way to an NCAA tournament bid. Even with a victory, the Vols may have some work to do in next week's SEC tournament. Elsewhere, it's Florida at Kentucky (See Gimme Five), Ole Miss at LSU, South Carolina at Vanderbilt, Texas A&M at Arkansas, Georgia at Alabama and Auburn at Mississippi State.
Notes: Florida has clinched its fifth SEC title under coach Billy Donovan. … Vanderbilt is 13-16 on the season, but the Commodores are 11-2 when leading at halftime and 9-3 when outrebounding their opponent. … In two seasons under Cuonzo Martin, Tennessee is 13-2 in February. … Missouri has finished the regular season unbeaten at home (17-0), the ninth undefeated home season for the Tigers since 1970.
No. 11 Florida (24-5, 14-3 SEC) at Kentucky (20-10, 11-6 SEC), noon Saturday, CBS. There are few tougher places to play than Kentucky on Senior Day, although that may ring hollow since the only seniors are Twany Beckham and Julius Mays. Nevertheless, the Wildcats need this one to bolster their NCAA tournament hopes.
No. 9 Kansas State (25-5, 14-3 Big 12) at No. 13 Oklahoma State (22-7, 12-5 Big 12), 1:30 p.m. Saturday, ESPNU. Kansas State can win the Big 12 regular-season title with a victory over the Cowboys, coupled with a Kansas loss at Baylor. Kansas State is on a seven-game winning streak and has won 10 of its past 11. Oklahoma State is coming off a loss at Iowa State, but has won 10 of its past 12.
No. 17 Syracuse (23-7, 11-6 Big East) at No. 5 Georgetown (23-5, 13-4 Big East), 2 p.m. Saturday, ESPN. Georgetown enters the day tied with Louisville and Marquette for the Big East regular-season title. Syracuse hopes to avenge an earlier loss to the Hoyas.
No. 24 Notre Dame (23-7, 11-6 Big East) at No. 8 Louisville (25-5, 13-4 Big East), 4 p.m. Saturday, CBS. Louisville can grab at least a piece of the Big East regular-season title with a victory. Notre Dame won 104-101 in a five-overtime classic when these two met earlier this season.
No. 3 Duke (26-4, 13-4 ACC) at North Carolina (22-8, 12-5 ACC), 9 p.m. Saturday, ESPN. Usually, this game comes with ACC-title implications, but that will be rendered moot if Miami takes care of business earlier in the day against Clemson. The Tar Heels are riding a six-game winning streak.
Charles Bennett
NFC South: Brady throws for 2 TDs as Bucs dominate Eagles 31-15


Walter Ellis's little book The Shakespeare Myth cost me just one shilling and sixpence and at first sight it hardly seemed world-shaking. Its 29 pages were calmly formulated, with only the occasional exclamation mark to betray the author's innermost feelings, but for me it was a veritable Bardbuster. William of Stratford, as Mr Ellis persuaded his readers, had in truth been no more than a butcher boy, the hardly-literate son of the tradesman Shagsper. After a youth involving both procreation and a little poaching he had gone off to become a speculator and an actor of uncertain merit in London, leaving his wife Anne Hathwey (or was it Whately?) and her children to live alone – at times in penury – for years on end; finally the fellow had returned home, dying in 1616 (without the townsfolk apparently taking much notice of the fact) and bequeathing to his unfortunate spouse nothing better than his second-best bed. As to Stratford-upon-Avon, Mr Ellis assured us that it was a mere tourist trap; even the Bard's monument in the Church was falsified. No, the credit for all that was said to be Shakespearean must instead go instead to Sir Francis Bacon of St. Albans.
So far, so good. But not much further, you understand.. Before the next month had passed, I was confronted in another bookshop with the writings of one J. Thomas Looney, who appeared to prove conclusively, to anyone with an open mind, that the true Bard was no less a person than Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, a genius whose light had been hidden under a bushel for three centuries.
As the years passed, I found weightier matters to occupy my thoughts, but my little Shakespeare Library grew, and with it the number and variety of candidates for the Bard's role. Among them were three Earls (all somehow related to one another), and many persons of lesser rank, among them the playwright Christopher Marlowe, who had (as some believed) inconveniently perished in a tavern brawl in 1593 before most of the plays had even been conceived.
So what, after seventy years, am I now to make of it? Truthfully, I don't know, but various things strike me.
Firstly, various of the candidates prove to have been a great deal better qualified to write the Shakespearean opus than was the butcher boy of Stratford; some were well-versed in the intricacies of the law; several had spent time at the Court of France, in Venice, or at Hamlet's Elsinore; more than one was well versed in languages, in navigation or in falconry – all of them matters reflected in the plays.
Another conclusion must be that if one or more persons of eminence were involved in the authorship, (and there may indeed have been several) they had good reason to hide the fact from public view; the London stage of the day was not considered a proper arena for the respectable, and it was not unknown for the makers of plays to be arrested as mischief-makers or worse. Shake-speare became their corporate nom-de-plume, and it prevailed.
Alas, sound arguments in favour of any particular candidate are invariably admixed with lamentable rubbish. There is, to take only one example, the matter of the ciphers – the codes and anagrams which the Bard is said to have scattered throughout his works to provide hints as to his identity. One notable decipherer indeed devised a routine that proved capable of tracking down the name of F. Bacon at many a point in the works – highly convincing until a sceptic pointed out that the device in question could just as readily be applied to suggest the involvement of quite another figure.
Above all I am struck by the pathetic weakness of the Stratfordian case; the known facts about Shagsper and his kin can be noted on a postcard; so-called biographies borrow their conclusions from one another, and are pieced together with the aid of supposition, suggestion and pure guesswork. What is just as distressing is that when any one of the competing parties runs out of facts to support its case, it is prone to dismiss inconvenient evidence and then to suggest that folk holding other views on the authorship issue are half-witted, malicious, or have simply not done their homework.
After four centuries, does it matter? Hardly, I think. Though I may inwardly dream that the Stratfordian myth will one day give way to something more credible, I choose to keep my mouth shut. Just now and then I have confessed my belief to those around me, only to observe how the Shakespearians in my circle engage in head-shaking or simply gaze at me rather pityingly.
Shall I, you may ask, be going to Stratford again? I am not sure about that, either. The theatre is splendid, and any tourist trap is fun. But in my weaker moments I sense a faint suspicion that if I turn up at Stratford and my reputation has preceded me, I shall step down onto the station platform only to find myself confronted by persons in doublets and hose, all ready to block my way and – at the very least – to persuade me firmly to get back on the train.
Graham is surely right to suggest that it hardly matters who wrote the plays and poems that bear Shakespeare's name.
However, conspiracy theories that argue that only an aristocrat or a university graduate could have written them arise out of simple snobbery. And that is depressing.
Equally depressing is the media culture that automatically assumes that there must be two opposing sides to any issue, and equal air time must therefore be given to 'both sides of the debate' — even where there is no real debate to be had.
This culture encourages conspiracy theories and gives them a spurious authority. It also gives them a long life, since a supposed 'expert' is now permanently on the BBC or Fox News database. Luckily, there is a brilliant and highly readable book which explores the whole history of anti-Stratfordian theories and puts the case against them all. It's also very entertaining and funny. I recommend everyone reads Contested Will: Who Wrote Shakespeare? by James Shapiro (Faber, 2010).
Neil Taylor's comment is generally very fair, but I have to question his reliance on James Shapiro's book. As he points out this pulls much of the anti-stratfordian argument to pieces, but Shapiro is uncritical about the Stratfordian tradition. I rather prefer the splendid book by John Michell ("Who Wrote Shakespeare" ) published by Thames and Hudson in 1996; he is absolutely neutral and finds just as many deficiencies (or more!) in the Stratfordian belief as in the others.


How do I buy a Background Screeners of America Business Opportunity?
Background Screeners of America offers a business package and model that is constructed from the ground up to minimize your cost and effort and maximize your opportunities and margins. Buying a Background Screeners of America business costs $19,950. Background Screeners of America provides a thorough training package, and has a dedicated training and support division constantly on call to help launch, run and grow the business.
Background Screeners of America is not currently active in our directory, but here are some other recommended selections for you to explore.


Over coffee dreams become reality.
We know it well – Starbucks is a place, where the extraordinary happens every day.
Join us and become a part of the brand loved around the world by true coffee lovers.
This mission is brought to life by our employees, whom we call Partners.
Click through to Career Center.
Would you like to apply straightaway? Check our offers below.
At Starbucks we have the ability to turn even the worst moments into the best ones. With us, every day becomes a great day – a cup of coffee and positive energy have an extraordinary power. Every day, we go to work hoping to do two things: share great coffee with our friends and help make the world a little better. It was true when the first Starbucks opened in 1971, and it's just as true today.
Our Partners are able to brew the best coffee in the world! They are happy to share their knowledge and passion with others. Tens of thousands – here are so many ways you can prepare coffee at Starbucks, you are only limited by your imagination. Every day, you can inspire others with your creativity!
We call our employees Partners, as we support each other and strive to achieve common goals. Together we realize the mission of Starbucks and we are a part of a local community, as well as the brand which name is known all over the world.
Partners spend time in our coffee stores, even in their spare time. They are attracted by our extraordinary atmosphere, which is also created by them. You can feel comfortable here, because you have freedom to decide on the plan of your day, flexibility adjusting your working hours to other activities.


How do I hire a Commercial Endorsement Coordinator? very busy commercial talent agency seeks very sharp coordinator. Duties to include updating materials, submitting agency talent for castings, heavy scheduling and phones. must be highly organized, be a pop culture junkie, be a team player and have the desire to be an agent and available to start immediately. Tell us why we should hire you and send salary requirements with your resume. Applications without salary requirements included will not be considered.


text:
What is VetLink?
VetLink is a partnership between Service to School (S2S) and select colleges and universities committed to increasing veteran enrollment on their campuses. Many of our VetLink partners represent the most academically distinguished and innovative higher education institutions worldwide.
Through VetLink, veterans have the opportunity to showcase their military service and academic preparedness as part of the application process while our university partners are introduced to a growing number of highly-qualified veteran applicants. Sign-up today to explore your future!
VetLink Partners
Undergraduate Partners:
Amherst College, Arizona State University, Bowdoin College, Carleton College, Cornell University, The University of Chicago, Dartmouth College, Emory University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Michigan, University of Notre Dame, Pomona College, Princeton University, Smith College, Swarthmore College, Stanford University, Syracuse University, Williams College, and Yale University.
Graduate School Partners:
George Washington University School of Political Management, Harvard Law School
"Too often, enlisted service members underestimate their skills, competencies, and potential," said Gus Giacoman, an Army veteran and S2S co-founder. "There are many great schools that are looking for qualified service members and VetLink bridges that gap."
VetLink School Rankings
QS World University Rankings® 2019 include MIT, Stanford, Harvard, and the University of Chicago in the Top 10 with Princeton, Cornell, Yale, and the University of Michigan in the Top 20 worldwide.
Princeton, Harvard, MIT, the University of Chicago, Yale, and Stanford are represented in US News and World Report's 2019 Top 10 National Universities with Dartmouth, Cornell, the University of Notre Dame, Emory, and the University of Michigan appearing in the US News Top 27 .
For the 2019 US News and World Report Best National Liberal Arts Colleges, Williams College, Amherst College, Swarthmore College, Bowdoin College (tie), Carleton College (tie), and Pomona College (tie) round out the Top 5 while Smith College ranks at #11!
While other schools on these lists are not part of VetLink, our S2S Ambassadors are alumni and students at nearly every US News Top 25 National University and QS World Top 50 University in the United States as well as a few located internationally!
Are you a veteran considering applying to a VetLink partner school or other university?
Sign-up for application support here


text:
layout: post
title:  "How to Set Up Wallabag on Uberspace"
date:   2017-11-11 13:00:00 +0100
categories: Wallabag Uberspace
---
Today, I want to show you how to set up your own Wallabag instance on an Uberspace server.

## Set Up Composer

First of all, we will need Composer for using Wallabag. You can find the guide I used for this [here][Composer]:

```
mkdir /var/www/virtual/$USER/wallabag
cd /var/www/virtual/$USER/wallabag
php -r "copy('https://getcomposer.org/installer', 'composer-setup.php');"
php -r "if (hash_file('SHA384', 'composer-setup.php') === '544e09ee996cdf60ece3804abc52599c22b1f40f4323403c44d44fdfdd586475ca9813a858088ffbc1f233e9b180f061') { echo 'Installer verified'; } else { echo 'Installer corrupt'; unlink('composer-setup.php'); } echo PHP_EOL;"
php composer-setup.php
php -r "unlink('composer-setup.php');"
```

## Set Up Wallabag

We will use [this][Wallabag] guide for installing Wallabag on our server. For that, let's concentrate on the shared hosting part here:

```
wget https://wllbg.org/latest-v2-package && tar xvf latest-v2-package -C /var/www/virtual/$USER/wallabag --strip-components=1
cd /var/www/virtual/$USER/wallabag
php bin/console wallabag:install --env=prod #Remember the username + password
```

You can shut down this Wallabag instance, because it uses port 8000, which Uberspace doesn't open for the outside world.

## Adapt Wallabag for Uberspace

Now, we're going to set up our domain and after that, we want to start Wallabag, but with a different port:

```
uberspace-add-domain -d "*.$USER.$HOSTNAME" -w
uberspace-add-port -p both -f #Remember the number of the port.
php bin/console server:start 0.0.0.0:PORTNUMBER -e prod
```

Finally, you have access to your Wallabag server from anywhere under `$USER.$HOSTNAME:PORTNUMBER`. You can login with the username and password you used when you set up Wallabag (default is Wallabag/Wallabag).

Thanks for reading and have a nice day, please leave some feedback too!

Niklas

[Wallabag]: https://doc.wallabag.org/en/admin/installation/installation.html
[Composer]: https://getcomposer.org/download/


text:
#52 Jun 18 2009 at 7:22 PM Rating: Decent
ShadorVIII
Oh, dear. Now I'll have to quit ******* about and actually finish writing the rest of it.
Srsly, though - this is really cool. I hope a lot of folks enjoy reading it as much as I had fun writing it.
So, how do I go about getting the other parts wikified if/when I finish them? Just post linkage in this thread, or PM you, or what?
Edited, Jun 18th 2009 11:25pm by ShadorVIII
At the time of this interview, Jesus Christ was wearing heels, a mini skirt and a halter top.
You can email me, post it here or even add it yourself if you like. The wiki is open for anyone who wants to add their story but I really don't mind adding them either :)
Gonna bump this periodically for folks.
auburnimp
A New - Life?
Part of her knew she had once been a priestess and sentinel, one of the chosen of Elune, but now she was something entirely different and served the dark, cold Lich King.
His presence and voice, echoing as if he were two beings not one, chilled her to the bone but she could not refuse him. Her instructor told her, "Kill or be killed," and that's what she did. Scarlet Crusaders, frightened villagers, it was all the same to this thing she had become, this killing machine.
And all the time she heard his voice in her head. "Do it! Kill them!"
She slew hundreds, by sword, by canon and by an instant plague device she used in the enemies' mines.
She was rewarded for each of her efforts, either by the Lich King himself or one of his favoured princes.
Then she was sent into New Avalon, behind enemy lines, to work with two death knights stationed there. One, Thassalian, asked her to rescue his friend, a blood elf death knight called Koltira as, "We are all brothers and sisters in death."
She had to go to the keep anyway, so agreed she would look for Koltira, at least.
When she searched she found Koltira in a basement room, lying on a rack. He had obviously been tortured. Almost forgotten emotions made her help him and although weak and in pain he helped her slay the inquisitor.
She was sent to the chapel as a 'reward' and there came face to face with an Argent Dawn prisoner who recognised her. "Kikuno, don't you recognise me? I used to look after you when you were a babe."
Kikonu? Was that her name then? She killed the night elf anyway and then helped finish New Avalon off with an aerial assault.
The Lich King rewarded her and sent her along with others to destroy the Aregent Dawn at Light's Hope Chapel. She was strangely pleased to see that both Thassarian and Koltira had survived and would be amongst the knights leading the assault on the chapel.
Black banners streaming behind them they charged into the fray. Ten thousand of the Scourge against a pitifully few hundred mortals. The outcome was inevitable.
It came as a shock when their commander's sword could not strike the Argent Dawn's leader. As he tried in vain to bring the weapon under his command, the battle died down as friend and foe alike turned to stare.
There was a bright light and even with her helm firmly in place, she had to shield her eyes against its brilliance. The ghost of their commander's father spoke to him, then the Lich King appeared. Surely now they would finish this.
Instead the sword in their commander's hand wounded the King!
He and the majority of the Scourge vanished in an instant after a last, threatening, "This isn't over."
She was confused. Were they abandoned? Would she die now or become as one of those stinking, mindless ghouls she'd commanded. She was afraid.
The Argent Dawn commander spoke, saying he would write them letters for the King of Stormwind and the Orc Warchief. All Kikuno could think about was what Tyrande would say.
But their commander was speaking once more. "We will take Archerus from the Scourge. It will become our new home, the Ebon Hold and we shall be the Knights of the Ebon Hold."
They returned to Archerus and fought off all the 'surprises' that Arthas had left for them in his spite and Kikonu wondered both at the hold he'd had over her and whether she was truly free of him.
Two weeks later she was in Honor Hold and people seemed to view her as one of them again. She even met up with Thassarian and Koltira from time to time when she returned to the Ebon Hold for supplies or to put runes on a new sword.
Life - or unlife - was good.
Moonotaur
OK - here's my humble offering. A little long...
Tahtonkah rose shortly before the sun rose, as was his normal habit. He splashed a little water on his face to clear the sleep from his eyes. He turned to face the east as the sun rose over the horizon. He still marveled at how beautiful this stark land, these Barrens, could really be; and how different from his own home in distant Mulgore. He gave a silent prayer of thanks to Father Sun and the Earth Mother, and offered some pollen in their honor. He also thanked the Rock People of the mountain he had slept on last night for their protection. His brother had been trained in the ways of the shaman and had taught him how to be notice and be respectful of the World around him.
He gathered his few belongings, slipped the pack on his broad back and picked up his trusty rifle. He spent a few moments making sure that it was loaded, the barrel was clear and no rust had appeared. He also checked the large hammer was in good order and hanging loose enough from the pack that he could pull it off with just a moments notice. He ate a quick breakfast and prepared to start the days business. Where is that cat] he thought to himself. Placing his fingers in his mouth he gave a loud, sharp whistle.
From a little ways down the ridge, a stand of bushes started to shake and out stepped the cat. "Come, Echeyakee, it is time to go." He started down the mountain and would soon be on the plain below. This part of the Barrens was known as Agama'gor and was inhabited by a very unusual race of beings.
These creatures had, somewhere in their ancestry, a relation to the wild boars. They actually named their differing tribes after boars – the one around him called themselves Quillboars. He had first encountered their kin in Mulgore, where some of them had invaded the Brambleblade Ravine near Camp Narache and had also defiled an ancestral burying ground in Mulgore itself. When he had first encountered these creatures, he had tried to converse with one. All it did was issue it's squealing war cry and attacked him. He tried on several different occasions but all with same result. Now, he doesn't even try, they are kill on sight, especially after he say what they had done to the once lush canyon now called Brambleblade.
As Tahtonkah trotted down the mountainside, his partner Ecehyakee running by his side, he reflected on how he and the great white lion had become his constant companion. All Hunters have their own unique bond with the natural world, just like Shamen and Druids. The Hunter though, is more connected to the wildlife. He had been doing some work around the important trade hub known in the Orc tongue as Crossroads when he had been approached by a she-orc named Sergra Darkthorn. He had done some tasks for her in the past. She had told him that there was rampaging lion wreaking havoc in some of the farms in the northern barrens. He still remembers her words "Whitemist, Echeyakee in the Tauren tongue, is the king of the savannah cats. He hunts with such stealth, they say he's like a thin, white mist on the earth. And he kills so fast his prey has no time for fear, or pain. The Tauren say he is both mercy and death."
She had given Tahtonkah a horn that, when blown, would have called the cat to who ever winded it. She asked that he kill the cat and brings its hide back so she could show the farmers that the threat had passed. Well, he had did as she had asked, but when he saw the great cat, Whitemist, Tahtonka felt a calling within his soul. He and the cat stopped and stared into each others eyes and bonded. He still felt proud that the cat would honor him so. This was the only task for Sergra that he did not complete to the letter. When she saw him coming back into Crossroads with Echeyakee by his side, she knew what had happened and she also knew that the lion would not be bothering the farmers anymore so she was satisfied.
While in Crossroads he had met an Orc named Mankrik, who had recently learned that his mate had been killed by the pig-men. He was consumed by rage and asked Tahtonkah to aid him in exacting vengeance on them. Mankrik had said "Perhaps you know the pain of uncertainty, perhaps not, Tahtonkah. But know this: I stand here every day, from the sun's rising till its decline, scouring the horizon for more of those monsters. I've killed every pig man I've come across since, but my thirst for their blood is far from quenched. Perhaps instead of heading north to the Crossroads I should have headed to Taurajo. Please help me. Kill them. Kill as many as you can. Bring me their tusks, and we will celebrate their deaths together."
Tahtonkah could only imagine how much it galled the proud warrior to ask for help. He could not leave the Crossroads as there had been increased attacks by the Alliance on this important Horde outpost. "Yes Mankrik, I will aid you in this. I too have sen the depradations of these pig-men on my himeland.
"Thank you Hunter. Bring their tusks and we will create a trophy mound!"
Tahtonkah then travelled several days south along the Gold Road till he reached the area known as Agama'gor where this tribe of pig-men lived. He had been killing them for several days now and he had decided that he had enough of their tusks to make Mankrik a proud trophy mound. He reached the dry grasslands and started to head toward Camp Taurjo.
He had not travelled more than a few hours when he was brought up short. Before him, grazing on the tough grasses, was a huge kodo. Tahtonkah was trained as a skinner and a leatherworker as he had nimble fingers. What a hide that beast has he thought to himself. It would make many fine items. "Come Echeyakee, we have work to do". He moved downwind to the beast and he and the cat approached as stealthily as possible. When Tahtonka felt they were in the perfect position, he turned to the cat "Echeyakee, we are up to this battle. Move to the beast's side and I will take the front." The big cat crept through the grass until it was close then it pounced, raking the might kodo with class. At the same moment, Tahtonkah opened fire with his rifle, pumping round after round into the beast. The kodo fought valiantly, stomping with its massive feet, smashing with its large head and neck.
It took some time but eventually they wore the beast down. With a loud groan, the magnificent kodo dropped to its knees, then fell over on its side. Tahtonkah approached the beast in awe, he had never seen such an example of kodo. "This one must be the Grandfather Kodo, Echeyakee" he said. He looked down at the cat and saw that it was battered and bruised. "Rest friend", he said "while I tend to your wounds."
Tahtonka, after treating Echeyakee's wounds, went about the task of skinning the great kodo. It took several hours, but at last, the task was done. He was able to obtain several nice pieces of leather as well as some meat for several meals.
He knew no one would believe him about this creature so he decided to take one of its hooves back to Camp Taurajo to show them. Packing up everything he and his companion started their journey back across the Barrens to the Camp.
Upon arriving there late that evening, he found Jorn Skyseer still awake. In his excitement, he rushed up to the older Tauren to show him what he had done.
"That is good, young hunter. You have met the beast named Lakota'mani." He gave Tahtonkah a knowing look and continued "Lakota'mani is called "Earthshaker" in our language, and his steps are like gathered thunder. He is with you now, and his courage mingles with yours. Together there is no conflict you cannot face. Walk tall, Tahtonkah. Walk tall, Earthshaker."
"That is Not Dead which Can Eternal Lie,
But with Strange Aeons, even Death may Die."
- Abdul Alhazared
Winternight
Missingnome
While riding through nagrand, Émber noticed a little green man on the side of the road (little, meaning not 5 times taller than himself like most) The man called him over and said "I'll tell you what, Émber if you gather a few items for me to make my Jump-a-tron 4000 functional, I'll give you a key that will let you operate the machine as well! What can you do with a Jump-a-tron 4000 you say? What can't you do is more like it"
Unable to avoid his curiosity about what this strange machine could do, Émber gathered the materials that Wazat requested and returned to him. Wazat started explaining how to use the machine while sitting Émber down on the platform. Émber, being exhausted from killing the air elementals, hardly listened to what the green man was saying. "But be careful! Bodily injury or serious permanent damage may occur from a bad jump" exclaims Wazak.
The little gnome woke up to find himself suspended in mid-air... suddenly he started falling extremely fast. He looked down and observed his landing spot, a birds nest. Without thinking Émber reached into his back pocket.."DAMN where did i put that feather?!" He landed on the nest injuring his leg severely. He looked down at the wound "How am i going to heal this....OH i know!" Émber conjured some bread and began chowing down, meantime the large gash in his leg stitched itself back together. Émber standed up to find that he was sitting on his goal, the large egg.
A loud screeching sound could be heard from miles away. Suddenly a gigantic bird that could easily swallow five or six gnomes at a time swooped down and snatched the little mage up. Émber was never seen again...
Got yer stories in there now folks :)
http://wow.allakhazam.com/wiki/Category:Player_Written_Lore_(WoW)
Glad to see people are keeping this going.
#60 Jun 25 2009 at 7:00 AM Rating: Decent
Sticky?
Although we typically only allow three stickies, I am inclined to allow 4 specifically for this idea.
#65 Jul 09 2009 at 5:42 PM Rating: Excellent
Darqflame
Spankatorium Administratix
1oooo posts
#66 Jul 16 2009 at 10:12 AM Rating: Excellent
Trylofer
Just a little story to pass the time.
Graduating with Honors
The smell of battle is something not everyone can stomach. The sweet smell of freshly oiled armor coupled with the earthy aroma of the mounts is the first thing you notice. Then your nostrils are assaulted by other subtle odors. Each drawn breath reveals more about the circumstances surrounding you. One can almost feel the perspiration that drips from the heavies as they draw a stone across their blades in final preparation. Next, as you walk past the magic wielders, you can feel your hair attempt to stand to attention as you walk through the wall of ozone that surrounds them. Past them you encounter a foul, almost hateful stench, and you know that the the warlock is bringing forth his own little hell on earth. No amount of spices, old or new, can overcome this. Finally, you come to a peculiar group, one that almost has no place in this circus. The healers stand a bit apart from the others, quietly saying their prayers. What you notice most is that the odors associated with them are different from the others. Here, only two things can be sensed, hope and fear. It is here I situated myself and began my earnest preparation for the oncoming battle.
"To Arathi!", the man had said, although now it escapes me what his reasons were. I merely followed as I always do. Blood was to be spilled, and I was intent on keeping it to a minimum. If the Horde wanted this land, that was reason enough to oppose them. So here we were... waiting for the sun to crest over the mountain to begin our battle for this ground... our preparations complete... just waiting for the horn to announce our assault...
A blare from a horn spurred all into action. In a flurry of hooves, the entire contingent sped toward the oncoming invaders. A small band of Horde was caught in a flash of steel and fire, the three fell before they could free their feet from their stirrups. Onward we rode, and came across another group who were dispatched with small effort. The smell of blood was now in the air, and it was not ours! Several horns sounded in the distance, and someone called out for an attack on the mine. We drove our horses down the path to the mine. This time we came across a larger force, nearly half our size. The heavies charged into their midst, slashing a gaping hole into their line. Magics were unleashed upon the right flank, cutting their number to half almost immediately. The horde healer was frantically attempting to keep her force alive, but the sheer numbers were working against her. Eventually, the Horde was vanquished and the mine was ours.
"Where now?" I wondered as we reveled in our victory, momentum was ours and we should use it to our advantage.
"To the farm!"
"No, the Blacksmith!"
A small discussion ensued before we eventually mounted up and headed toward the island. A small force was dispatched to the farm as well, we had received reports that the Horde had been sighted in nearly every area of the basin save the mine. With the aid of a Death Knight and a frozen lake, we engaged the Horde in a bold amphibious assault to their unsuspecting flank. We focused on their healers first, but at a cost. Our numbers were cut in half and the battle raged for some time before we could successfully raise the Alliance flag upon the island, but the deed was done. The force sent to the farm had encountered some resistance, so we headed there to bolster their efforts. With sheer numbers, we overwhelmed the Horde and reclaimed the farm and celebrated our victories.
We cheered our efforts as the sun began to hide behind the range of mountains to the west, the day was coming to an end. A messenger approached us with a thin smile veiling some other emotion. As I pondered the meaning to his mood, he began to talk, softly at first, then raising his voice to be heard over the incessant chatter.
"Congratulations" he started, "you won every skirmish, yet lost the battle." His smile was clear now, it was not of mirth but of disgust. The entire group went silent with dismay.
"But how could this be!" one bloodied combatant spoke up, "we encountered the enemy, and were victorious in battle!"
The messenger drove his steely gaze into the warrior for a second, and then strafed it across all as he continued. "You were outmaneuvered, the Horde kept you exactly where they wanted you, and in so doing, captured the day." As the messenger mercilessly meted out with his judgmental stare, our suddenly sullen group marched out of the basin. The smell of victory that I thought permeated our group revealed its true nature, that of fatigued dejection.
As we marched past the commanders at the basin entrance, I noticed one vendor motioning to me, it was Sam Hawke. He sold his wares to all as they entered the basin. Most disregard him as they enter, but I had struck up a conversation with him regarding his products prior to the day's events and he now seemed intent on continuing that conversation. He put his arm around my shoulders in an almost fatherly gesture.
"Trylofer..." his eyes met mine with compassion mixed with sorrow.
"Mr. Hawke," I replied.
"Trylofer...", he repeated, the clarity of his eyes revealed hope.
"Mr. Hawke?"
"Come with me", he began as he led me away from the others, "I would like to talk to you."
When we were out of earshot of the others, he continued, "I want to say one word to you, just... one word."
I turned to look directly upon him. "Yes, sir?"
"Are you listening?"
"Yes I am, sir." He held my eyes for only a second, yet it felt like an eternity. What he revealed to me in that one word would forever change my life in the basin. The clouds parted and the heavens sang that one word...
"Resources."
When written in Chinese, the word crisis is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity.
Added to the wiki :)
http://wow.allakhazam.com/wiki/Graduating_with_Honors_-_by_Trylofer_(WoW)
#69 Jul 27 2009 at 7:06 AM Rating: Decent
Curois
Very cool idea! Maybe it'd be nice to add a link of the quest on which the story is based in the respective wiki articles?
That's certainly doable
#71 Jul 31 2009 at 1:12 AM Rating: Excellent
As part of my ongoing story efforts I've been meaning to write this for months. I give you:
Poldaran and the Judgement at the Eye of Eternity.
Is the Gratuitous Harry Potter style name necessary? No. But it's sterile and I like the way it tastes.
The plan was a combination of simple elegance and amazing complexity. Malygos had retreated to a pocket dimension, a place where he controlled the flows of magic. They could not beat him there. He was in control. So the plan was to instead bring him out of it.
The simplicity of the plan was that all they had to do was bring him to the ground, where a hole Poldaran was working on opening would lie, ready to take him out of that dimension and into the normal world, with a bit of a fall waiting when he went through the hole.
The complexity of the plan stemmed from how they were to accomplish this. Each person had to play a role. Envinyata, Sharlot and Xelsia would be harassing him by buzzing around him and unleashing their most painful attacks, thus leaving Malygos susceptible to the chains that the others would try to bind him with. Envinyata and Nuna would ride the flying platforms that they had stolen from a storehouse nearby and use the shadow to sear Malygos while Sharlot and Xelsia would assume their Stormcrow forms and fire bolts of lightning at the Blue Aspect. Fennchurch, Nephelim, Raequann and Waste would all be throwing enchanted chains with grappling hooks at the dragon, attempting to tangle him up and bring him down.
Yoxutre had a more difficult job. He was to use the Spear of Hodir to chain himself to Malygos so that he could steer the dragon to the hole as it came down. He was to do this by hitting the beast as hard as he could with his mace in the direction he wanted it to go. When Poldaran had handed him the spear with a wicked smile on her face, he had groaned. Everyone had heard the story of how he had, under some strange influence of the spear, used it to bring down a Wild Wyrm in the Storm Peaks for no other reason than the challenge of it. Not one of his prouder moments. In fact, thinking back, he thought it was rather silly of him.
At first, things went exactly as Poldaran had said they would. Yoxutre was able to chain himself to the dragon, and due to the spear's magic, Malygos couldn't shake himself free. The ground team was able to easily get the chains hooked to Malygos, thanks to the air team's distractions. Unfortunately, Poldaran had forgotten to tell them that they needed to hook the chains to the ground near the hole she was opening so that the chains would direct Malygos into the opening.
So, as often happened when she forgot the details of a strategy for a fight, Poldaran was forced to improvise and shout somewhat panicked commands during battle. "HIT HIM WITH THE HAMMER TIL HE FALLS!" she shouted at Yoxutre. "START TARGETING THE WINGS!" she commanded the air team. "TRY TO GRAB THE CHAINS AND DRAG HIM DOWN!" she ordered the ground team.
Yoxutre laughed. "Alright," he said to himself. "'Hit him with the hammer' it is, then." He began pounding away at the spot between the dragon's wings with his mace. It was as good a spot as any to hit. He noticed that the others had begun concentrating their fire on the wings as instructed. After a while, Malygos began to fall.
Unfortunately, the ground crew had been unable to reach the chains, and the dragon was falling the wrong way... off the platform. "Crap!" Poldaran shouted out, unsure as to how to react. She began gathering her will to attempt to pull the falling dragon the way she wanted, but knew it wouldn't be enough.
"On it!" Envinyata shouted. The dwarf priestess guided her flying platform past the dragon at breakneck speed and performed a near instantaneous stop. She then flew full bore at the falling dragon and slammed into it with the platform's bottom, effectively kicking it upward and in the other direction. There was a slight miscalculation on the force of her kick, however, and the dragon was now on course to fall off the other side of the platform.
One of the Stormcrows screeched, and the other screeched back. They flew above the hole and waited until the flying dragon was in the perfect position. They then shapeshifted into massive Moonkins and sat on the dragon with a prejudice, thus correcting its course one last time in a general hole-ish direction. As they approached the dimensional hole in the platform, Yox wisely unchained himself and dove off.
A few moments later, they heard a dull thud as the dragon slammed into the icy ground below.
Edit: For those of you who may wonder, that's how a lot of our raids end up on the first try, me forgetting to mention a detail and then having to call out instructions in a bit of a panicked way while we inevitably wiped. Thankfully, in story, it's easy to have alternatives available that aren't regular gameplay mechanics.
Additionally, the whole plan makes sense in context as this is part of a larger story and they're trying to capture Malygos alive.
Edited, Jul 31st 2009 3:22am by Poldaran
I loved the part about the spear, Poldaran.
I've just started leveling my Troll Hunter again, and I wrote this up to entertain my hubby at work today. He liked it, so I guess that means I get to go again, too. Quest is Trail of Fire.
"So...there be our next target. And...one more?" Schen squinted, trying to make out the narrower figure kneeling in front of the armored human. She couldn't tell exactly what it was, but it didn't appear to be a healer so it should be all right. She'd take down the human Lieutenant first, and worry about any others after she was done. One or two more humans wouldn't add too much of a challenge anyway.
Patting her hound's shoulder to get the beast's attention, she pointed toward the human and nodded. With a joyous bark, Hawrt shot off through the camp, and Schen grinned as she watched her pet start tearing at the foe's legs. Of all the companions she'd had over the years, this scarlet hound was the first she's found whose thirst for blood matched her own. She waited until the human was sufficiently distracted, then stood and added her bullets to the fray.
The human didn't last long at all, quickly collapsing with a hoarse shout (for help? Schen had never understood the humans' language) that was cut short as Hawrt grasped its throat in her jaws and bit down, shaking her head back and forth until the body had stopped moving entirely. The hound worried at the body a little longer, but hopped away with a happy yip as her master approached, jumping up to lick the troll's face. "Get down, you!" Schen ordered, stifling a laugh. She's really just a big puppy... "You knock me over, how I gonna give you a treat for fighting so good?"
"Hey, troll! Over here!" The raspy voice identified the speaker as one of the Forsaken, but when Schen turned to look she saw nothing.
"No, down here. On the ground." The Forsaken sighed. He was tightly bound and lying on the ground in what had to be a most uncomfortable position. He was also, Schen noticed, wearing an apothecary's robe...one with large, bloody pawprints all over it. "Look, not that I don't appreciate your heroics--I was decidedly not looking forward to what these Alliance scumbags had in store for me--but this is a pretty poor rescue if you're not even going to untie me."
"Not here to rescue you, mon. Just killin' some humans."
The apothecary sighed. "Fine, I can make it out alone, just--"
"Hey now, I still gonna help you." She grinned and waved her skinning knife under what was left of his nose, her grin growing wider when he didn't so much as blink. "I love you zombies. Not afraid of anythin' and you all fight just as hard as I do. Now, hold still."
It took a little work to cut through the thick cords binding the Forsaken apothecary, but while they were perfect for keeping him from escaping on his own, they couldn't last too long against a good sharp knife, and he was soon up and stretching out his limbs with a series of disconcerting popping and snapping sounds.
"You ready?"
He cracked his knuckles one last time and nodded. "Indeed. Let's get out of here and see if we can get back at them somehow." He glanced around. "Is that a campfire over there?"
Schen laughed and began looking around for something to use as a torch. "I like how you think, zombie."
The apothecary would have been content merely to destroy the camp's food stores, but Schen managed to talk him into torching everything that could possibly be used against them--gunpowder, the tents, even the wooden barricade was soon in flames with the help of a few flasks of oil applied in just the right spot to get it started. It had been a few weeks since the Howling Fjord had seen rain and even heavy wood caught like paper. Even with the ocean so close, there was no way the humans would be able to put out all of the fires in time to save their supplies.
"Well, that," The Forsaken rubbed his hands together gleefully, "was most enjoyable. I think, though--" His words were cut off by a loud rumbling and the wooden wall in front of them exploded into dust and splinters, the force of the explosion knocking them back onto the ground.
Coughing as she rose, Schen finished his sentence. "It be time to get out of here for good."
He frowned. "I wasn't expecting them to start the bombardment so soon, but yes. We'll need to move quickly." Brushing sawdust off of his robe, he added, "I think I see a way through. Stay close to me."
The troll nodded, and hurried after him, keeping her eyes open for trouble.
A few humans did notice them and try to stop the pair, and one foolhardy gnome tried to attack Hawrt, but soon they were through the gap blown in the barricade and heading for the lines of Forsaken troops. A volley of fiery arrows whistled past them, a couple glancing off of Schen's mail and one lodging itself in her helmet. She sighed and pulled it out as she ran, tossing it aside to let it burn itself out in the muddy grass. "Call em off, mon? I'm not helpin' you just to be made a pincushion."
"Don't shoot! Apothecary coming through! Hold your fire!"
To Schen's surprise, it worked, and the Forsaken fighters parted to let the small party through as they approached. Then they were through,and a pair of healers appeared to show them back to the medics' tents set up behind the lines. Shaking them off--she'd rather rely on her natural regeneration than on Forsaken medical technology--the troll sighed and let herself relax. It had been a long day, and she couldn't wait to get back to the inn.
"Before you go--" It was the apothecary again, doing his best to thwart the herding instinct of the healers fussing over him. "I'm going to stick around here for a while, but you should talk to Apothecary Lysander when you get back to Vengeance Landing. He might be able to give you something for your trouble. Tell him you got Apothecary Hanes out of a bind and that I'll be back as soon as I cause a little more mayhem."
"I will indeed." She grinned, and waved as the two healers, fed up at last, picked him up and carried him toward the tents.
The last thing she heard as he was carried away was, "I have a wonderful idea for a new, weaponized..."
She'd have to come back later and ask him exactly what he was planning. It sounded like fun.
I <3 Undead so much.
Yep. While I didn't want to write a section about that quest itself, I had to make a nod to the ridiculousness of it at some point.
My roommate(he plays the character Xelsia that is in that story segment) read this and told me that I should coin the name "Boomkin Bomb" for the epic maneuver the two druids perform and use it again in the stories.
#74 Aug 13 2009 at 7:06 AM Rating: Good
NCspaz
That's ok, I already had the ridiculous spear quest covered in my story.
╔╗║║¤╔╗╔╗╔═╔╗
╠╣║║║╠╣║║║ ╠╝
║║╚╚║║║║║╚═╚═
(stolen from Kelnoen)
#75 Aug 14 2009 at 11:15 AM Rating: Excellent
Got both of those added in folks :)