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May 21, 1943 Birthday Facts
Here are some snazzy birthday facts about 21st of May 1943 that no one tells you about. Don't wait a minute longer and jump in using the content links below. Average read time of 10 minutes. Enjoy!
What day was my birthday May 21, 1943?
May 21, 1943 was a Friday and it was the 141st day of the year 1943. It was the 21st Friday of that year. The next time you can reuse your old 1943 calendar will be in 2021. Both calendars will be exactly the same! This is assuming you are not interested in the dates for Easter and other irregular holidays that are based on a lunisolar calendar.
What day is May 21 this year?
The day of the week of your birthday this year is Thursday. Next year it will be Friday and two years from now it will be Saturday. You can check the calendars below if you're planning what to do on your birthday.
Fun stat: Your first one billion seconds (1,000,000,000) happened sometime on January 27, 1975.
If a dog named Wheeler - a Kuvasz breed, was born on the same date as you then it will be 397 dog years old today. A dog's first human year is equal to 15 dog years. Dogs age differently depending on breed and size. When you reach the age of 6 Wheeler will be 45 dog years old. From that point forward a large-sized dog like Wheeler will age 5-6 dog years for every human year.
Lee "Shot" Williams
Allan McKeown
Bill Champlin
Brett Tucker
Konstantinos Argyros
View the complete list of May 21 celebrity birthdays.
Who are the famous May 21 birthdays?
Here's a short list of famous people in history who were born on May 21.
Léon Bourgeois, French police officer and politician, 64th Prime Minister of France, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1925)
Willem Einthoven, Indonesian-Dutch physician, physiologist, and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1927)
Chen Dayu, Chinese painter and calligrapher (d. 2001)
Andrei Sakharov, Russian physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1989)
Haleh Afshar, Baroness Afshar, Iranian-English academic and politician
David Lonsdale, English actor
Brett Tucker, Australian actor and singer
Gotye, Belgian-Australian singer-songwriter (The Basics)
Marco Carta, Italian singer
Guilherme, Brazilian footballer
View the complete list of May 21 famous birthdays.
What no one tells you about your first name's personality. Are there magical powers hidden in your given name? Every moniker has an undeniable character and personality. Check out Fredrick's personality and get smart about names today. (Sponsored links)
What happened on my birthday – May 21st?
Syracuse, Sicily, is captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily.
The first day of the Battle of Aspern-Essling between the Austrian army led by Archduke Charles and the French army led by Napoleon I of France sees the French attack across the Danube held.
Bad weather forces Amelia Earhart to land in a pasture in Derry, Northern Ireland, and she thereby becomes the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
Civil unrest in Rosario, Argentina, known as Rosariazo, following the death of a 15-year-old student.
The Yuba City bus disaster occurs in Martinez, California. Twenty-nine are killed making it the deadliest road accident in U.S. history.
After 30 seasons Johnny Carson hosted his penultimate episode and last featuring guests (Robin Williams and Bette Midler) of The Tonight Show.
The ferry MV Bukoba sinks in Tanzanian waters on Lake Victoria, killing nearly 1,000.
The Republic of Montenegro holds a referendum proposing independence from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro; 55% of Montenegrins vote for independence.
JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, launches the solar-sail spacecraft IKAROS aboard an H-IIA rocket. The vessel would make a Venus flyby late in the year.
A bus accident near Himara, Albania kills 13 people and injures 21 others.
View the complete list of May 21 historical events.
Curious about this Lavender Buttercream? This is a party item you can activate and send to your friends when you play the free game Jump Birthday Party. It's a fun and easy-to-play mobile game for all ages. Get free 1,000 gold coins when you download today!
What does my birthday May 21, 1943 mean?
Your birthday numbers 5, 21, and 1943 reveal that your Life Path number is 7. It represents analysis, awareness and understanding. You are the searcher and the seeker of the truth.
The following celebrities also have the same life path number: Curtis Mayfield, Belinda Bauer, Elliott Yamin, Matthew Fox, Sara Evans, Art Carney, Robert Dahlqvist, Serj Tankian, Cleo Massey, Katia Dandoulaki.
What is the birthday horoscope for May 21, 1943?
The Western zodiac or sun sign of a person born on May 21 is Taurus ♉ (The Bull) – a fixed sign with Earth as Western element. The ruling planet is Venus – the planet of love and beauty. According to the ancient art of Chinese astrology (or Eastern zodiac), Sheep is the mythical animal and Water is the Eastern element of a person born on May 21, 1943.
Did you know? Born on a cusp — or the borderline between two signs — describes a person whose birthday is May 21. Cuspers can be a blend of both signs. Sometimes a Taurus, sometimes a Gemini, and sometimes both! If you know your approximate time and place of birth, then no worries. You can find your "official" zodiac sign by generating a free natal chart .
What is the birthstone for May 21?
Emerald is the modern birthstone for the month of May while Sapphire is the mystical birth stone (based on Tibetan origin). The zodiac gemstone for Taurus is sapphire. Lastly, the birthday stone for the day of the week 'Friday' is emerald.
Fun fact: The birth flower for 21st May 1943 is Lily of the Valley for purity.
What is the Birthday Compatibility for May 21, 1943?
When it comes to love and relationship, you are most compatible with a person born on January 23, 1914. You have a Birthday Compatibility score of +153. Imagine being in love with your soul mate. On the negative side, you are most incompatible with a person born on November 28, 1926. Your score is -159. You'll be like a cat and a dog on a love-hate relationship. Arf-arf, I want to bite you. Meow-meow, stay away from me!
May 21st Birthday Wish
What is a good birthday trivia for May 21?
I do not know how you feel about this, but you were a male ♂ in your last earthly incarnation. You were born somewhere around the territory of Philippines approximately on 1150. Your profession was dancer, singer, actor.
Your brief psychological profile in that past life: Ruthless character, carefully weighing your decisions in critical situations, with excellent self-control and strong will. Generally liked, but not always loved.
Lessons that your last past life brought to present: Your lesson – to combat violence and disharmony in our world, to understand its roots and origins. All global problems have similar origins.
What is the popular baby name on 21 May 1943?
News headline for Florida Man May 21
What's your bizarre Florida Man story? The #FloridaManChallenge is breaking the Internet and social media. Some crazy men, women, or creatures from the Sunshine State are making headlines every day of the year including your birthday. Try this fun exercise. Pick your search engine of choice and type in "florida man May 21" and see what kind of wild news headline you will get. This viral craze started in 2013 and gets resurrected now and then. The latest was from Tumblr and found its way to Twitter. As they say, the rest is history.
Roman Numerals for May 21, 1943
XXI.V.MCMXLIII
May 21, 1943 Birthday Facts Summary
Here's a quick list of all the fun birthday facts about May 21, 1943. Celebrities, famous birthdays, historical events, and past life were excluded.
Day index: 141st day of 1943
Day of week: Friday
Day of week birthstone: Emerald
Week index: 21st Friday of 1943
Day of week this year: Thursday
Day of week next year: Friday
Day of week in 2022: Saturday
First one billion seconds: Sometime on January 27, 1975
Age in dog years: 397 dog years old using a Kuvasz breed
Life path number and meaning: 7 – It represents analysis, awareness and understanding. You are the searcher and the seeker of the truth.
Western zodiac sign: Taurus ♉ (The Bull)
Western zodiac element: Earth
Western zodiac sign quality: Fixed
Western zodiac ruling planet: Venus – the planet of love and beauty
Western zodiac gemstone: Sapphire
Eastern zodiac animal: Sheep
Modern birthstone: Emerald
Mystical birthstone: Sapphire (based on Tibetan origin)
Birth flower: Lily of the Valley for purity
Best compatible birthday: January 23, 1914 (+153)
Worst compatible birthday: November 28, 1926 (-159)
Roman numerals: XXI.V.MCMXLIII
Try another birth date of someone you know or try the birthday of these celebrities: July 19, 1924 – Arthur Rankin, Jr., American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2014); October 1, 1930 – Philippe Noiret, French actor (d. 2006); July 18, 1985 – Hopsin, American rapper, producer, and actor.

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Make Way for Female Homebuyers – They Are Tackling the Housing Market
Women are becoming homeowners at an increasing rate based on a new report from Compass and Better. This news is exciting, considering women have historically been denied mortgages more often than men.
Of the Compass agents surveyed in the aforementioned report, 58% shared that the majority of their clients were women who were the primary or sole buyer. While Better reported that over the past year, 23% of their lenders were women with an average credit score of 770. Not only is the rate of female homebuyers rising, but single women are also embarking on the home buying process earlier than single men.
THE FUTURE IS FEMALE—AND THEY'RE HOMEOWNERS.
If you're a woman and you're thinking I couldn't purchase a home right now, who are these women? The answer is: all women. As Nikki Merkerson, a 29-year-old homebuyer shares, "A lot of people think they can't afford to buy, but if you're renting right now, you're paying a mortgage — it's just not yours."
Based on a survey from Marie Claire and House Beautiful, these homebuying women range in age and income. They surveyed American women ranging from 18 to 60 years old and established that 17% of them had bought a home solo. As more women are in the workplace than ever before, that certainly could play a role in these statistics as women are making more money than in the past. Twenty-eight percent of single female homeowners make between $25,000 and $49,999 annually and twenty percent make between $50,000 and $74,999. According to NAR, the median age of single women homebuyers today is 54, so single female homebuyers are typically middle-aged, either getting out of a marriage or never choosing to get married. Although there is a slew of younger buyers as well — thirty-four percent of those surveyed purchased their home between the ages of 18 and 29, and forty percent bought their house between ages 30 and 39.
"Women understand that buying a home is more than securing a place to live, but is an investment in their future that can ultimately be passed on to their family or play a significant role in their retirement."
These younger buyers are part of a generation where marriage isn't a top priority in your early 20's. Women are waiting much longer to get married than in 1920 for example, when the average woman got married at 21.2 years old. Today, the average age a woman gets married is 27.8 years old. The fact that women aren't waiting to be married to purchase a home anymore opens the doors for many more buyers.
Despite the many hurdles women deal with when it comes to the housing industry, one in five homebuyers in the nation are still women. Considering the consistent growth of women homebuyers — jumping from 15% to 18% between 2017 and 2018 — there are no signs of them slowing down. As Monique Williams, a Compass agent, shared in a release, "Women understand that buying a home is more than securing a place to live, but is an investment in their future that can ultimately be passed on to their family or play a significant role in their retirement. I personally can think of few things more impactful on my life than the equity I have from purchasing my first or current home."
Source: Home Ownership Matters
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Browsing History HOMECase LawCastaic Lake v. Newhall
CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY v. NEWHALL COUNTY WATER DIST.
(2015) 238 Cal.App.4th 1196
Best Best & Krieger, Jeffrey V. Dunn and Seena Samimi, Irvine, for Plaintiff and Appellant. Lagerlof, Senecal, Gosney & Kruse, Thomas S. Bunn III and Christopher B. Chan, Pasadena, for Defendants and Respondents. Jenkins & Hogin, Michael Jenkins and Christi Hogin, Manhattan Beach, for League of California Cities as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Defendants and Respondents.
Plaintiff and appellant Castaic Lake Water Agency (Castaic) appeals a judgment dismissing its petition for writ of mandate; in the court below, Castaic sought to overturn certain action taken by defendants and respondents Newhall County Water District and the Board of Directors of Newhall County Water District (hereafter, Newhall or the Newhall Board) on the ground that Newhall failed to comply with the open meeting requirements of the Ralph M. Brown Act (the Brown Act or the Act) (Gov.Code, § 54950 et seq.).1
We affirm the judgment dismissing Castaic's action. We conclude there was no Brown Act violation by Newhall because the given notice substantially complied with the Act. Although the given notice erroneously cited subdivision (c) of section 54956.9 instead of subdivision (d)(4), it adequately advised the members of the public that on March 14, 2013, the Newhall Board would be meeting with its legal counsel, in closed session, to discuss potential litigation in two cases.2
1. The underlying events
On March 8, 2013, Newhall posted a "Notice and Agenda of Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors of Newhall County Water District," notifying the public that the Newhall Board planned to hold a regular meeting on March 14, 2013. The March 8, 2013 notice and agenda, inter alia, contained Item H, which provided: "CLOSED SESSION [¶] 1. Conference with Legal Counsel pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(c) to discuss potential litigations (2 cases)."
At the March 14, 2013 meeting, the Newhall Board met with its legal counsel in closed session and authorized the initiation of litigation against Castaic, a public water wholesaler, to challenge Castaic's approval of new water rates.
On April 25, 2013, pursuant to the above authorization, Newhall filed a combined petition and complaint against Castaic and other defendants in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. (No. BS142690.)
On June 21, 2013, Castaic's attorney sent Newhall a letter asserting that the Newhall Board violated sections 54954.2 and 54954.5. Castaic contended the Newhall Board violated the Brown Act on March 14, 2013 because none of Newhall's meeting agendas preceding the filing of the April 25, 2013 lawsuit provided public notice that the Newhall Board would be meeting in closed session pursuant to subdivision (d)(4)of section 54956.9. Castaic's letter also contended the Newhall Board violated the Brown Act by failing to properly disclose in an open meeting the item(s) to be discussed in closed session (§ 54957.7) and by failing to properly report the action taken during the closed session (§ 54957.1).3 Castaic's letter demanded that the Newhall Board cease and desist its alleged violations of the Brown Act and cure or correct the violations by dismissing the lawsuit filed April 25, 2013.
On July 3, 2013, the Newhall Board posted another "Notice and Agenda of Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors of Newhall County Water District," notifying the public that the Newhall Board planned to hold a regular meeting on July 11, 2013. The July 3, 2013 notice contained, inter alia, Items I and K.
Item I thereof provided: "I. CLOSED SESSION [¶] 1. Conference with Legal Counsel—Anticipated Litigation [¶] Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of section 54956.9 (one case): Threat of litigation in June 21, 2013 letter from [Castaic's counsel]. [¶] 2. Conference with Legal Counsel pursuant to Government Code section 54956.9(d), paragraph (1) to discuss pending litigation: Newhall County Water District v. Castaic Lake Water Agency, et al., Los Angeles County Superior [Court] Case No. BS142690."
The July 3, 2013 notice further stated at Item K, "Discussion and/or Action Items" as follows: "1. Ratification of Decision to File Castaic Lake Water Agency Rate Litigation [¶] Recommendation: [¶] Board of Directors ratify decision taken March 14, 2013 in closed session to authorize filing litigation to challenge Castaic Lake Water Agency's wholesale water rates."
At the July 11, 2013 meeting, the Newhall Board voted to ratify its decision to initiate the lawsuit against Castaic.
2. Proceedings.
a. Castaic's petition to invalidate the Newhall Board's decision in closed session on March 14, 2013, which authorized the filing of the underlying lawsuit against Castaic.
On July 25, 2013, Castaic commenced the instant action by filing a petition for writ of mandate and complaint for injunctive relief alleging violations of the Brown Act. Castaic sought a determination that Newhall's decision to initiate the underlying lawsuit, and the resulting petition and complaint filed April 25, 2013, were null and void due to noncompliance with the Act. Castaic sought to enjoin Newhall from taking any further action in that litigation except for the filing of a request for dismissal.
b. Newhall's motion to dismiss Castaic's lawsuit.
On September 4, 2013, Newhall filed a motion to dismiss Castaic's petition for writ of mandate and complaint for injunctive relief. Newhall contended its decision to initiate its lawsuit was a valid action under the Brown Act and not subject to being determined null and void because Newhall subsequently cured or corrected any alleged failure to give proper notice of its closed session to authorize the lawsuit by placing the matter on a subsequent agenda for open session, with full notice to the public of the action to be considered and an opportunity for public comment, before taking any action. Therefore, Newhall urged that Castaic's action should be dismissed with prejudice pursuant to section 54960.1, subdivision (e).4
c. Castaic's opposition to the dismissal motion.
In opposition, Castaic argued the cure for actions taken in violation of the Brown Act is to declare the action null and void. "To allow [Newhall] to continue an action taken in violation of the Brown Act without declaring the action null and void defies logic. [Newhall's] creative yet illogical attempt to ratify actions taken in violation of the Brown Act is contrary to public policy and eviscerates the purpose and enforceability of the Brown Act."
d. Trial court's ruling.
On December 17, 2013, the matter came on for hearing. The trial court granted Newhall's dismissal motion, ruling that Newhall adequately cured and corrected its "technical violation" of the Brown Act. The trial court reasoned: "Although section 54960.1 of the Brown Act does not specify how a legislative body is to go about curing and correcting an alleged Brown Act violation, the Court does not agree with [Castaic's] narrow interpretation of subdivision (e)' s 'cured and corrected' requirement. [¶] Here, [Newhall] failed to comply with the technical requirements of sections 54954.2(a) and 54954.5 of the Brown Act when the Newhall Board indicated on its March 14, 2013 Notice that it intended to meet in closed session pursuant to section 59456.9(c) as opposed to 59456.9(d)(4), even though the March 14, 2013 Notice indicated that the closed session meeting was to be held to discuss potential litigation․ In all other respects, Item H of the March 14, 2013 Notice satisfied the requirements of sections 54954.2(a) and 54954.5 of the Brown Act․ After receiving the demand letter from [Castaic's] counsel, the Newhall Board decided it would attempt to cure and correct the March 14, 2013 Notice's deficiency by issuing the July 11, 2013 Notice, which cited the proper subdivision of 59456.9 of the Brown Act, and holding an open session meeting with public comment to determine whether the Newhall Board would ratify and go forward with its decision to initiate litigation against [Castaic].
"[Castaic] contends the only way [Newhall] could have cured the violation was to declare the March 14, 2013 action null and void and reinitiate the process of determining whether to bring a lawsuit against [Castaic]. In making this argument, [Castaic] relies on Moreno v. City of King (2005) 127 Cal.App.4th 17, 25 Cal.Rptr.3d 29, where the court held that a city council did not properly cure and correct its Brown Act violation by attempting to post notice of a closed session meeting for the first time after the Brown Act violation occurred. [This] Court does not find that the decision in Moreno requires a finding that [Newhall] failed to properly cure the technical Brown Act violation at issue here."
The trial court further found that "the agendas and minutes for the March 14, 2013 and July 11, 2013 meetings notified the public that [Newhall] intended to, and did, meet in closed session to discuss potential litigation at the March 14, 2013 regular meeting․ [Newhall's] actions not only provided adequate notice of the Newhall Board's intent to reconsider the March 14, 2013 action taken in closed session, but they also provided [Castaic] with the opportunity to voice its objection to the Newhall Board's decision to file a lawsuit against [Castaic], an opportunity [Castaic] would not have had if [Newhall] conducted the closed session process anew after declaring the initial process null and void. [¶] In any event, even where a plaintiff has satisfied the threshold procedural requirements to set aside an agency's action, Brown Act violations will not necessarily invalidate a decision; the plaintiff must show prejudice. [Citation.] Given [Newhall's] actions in open session on July 11, 2013, [Castaic] and other interested persons were not prejudiced by [Newhall's] actions on March 14, 2013. At most, the underlying lawsuit would have been filed slightly later than April 25, 2013."
The trial court granted Newhall's dismissal motion but denied Newhall's request for attorney fees under section 54960.5 of the Act, finding that although Newhall was the prevailing party, it did not establish that Castaic's petition was frivolous and totally lacking in merit.
Castaic timely appealed the judgment of dismissal.
CONTENTIONS
Castaic contends: the statutory scheme relating to the Brown Act requires that the Act be construed broadly and any exceptions be construed narrowly; the Act's legislative history shows that courts are required to declare "null and void" legislative actions taken in violation of certain provisions of the Act; Newhall took action in violation of sections 54954.2 and 54954.5 of the Act, making the action null and void and not merely voidable; and Newhall did not cure and correct its violation of the Act because all relevant action already had taken place several months earlier, and moreover, a null and void act cannot be ratified.
Newhall and amicus curiae contend that Newhall properly cured and corrected the alleged Brown Act violations.
1. The Brown Act.
"Open government is a constructive value in our democratic society. [Citations.]" (Roberts v. City of Palmdale (1993) 5 Cal.4th 363, 380, 20 Cal.Rptr.2d 330, 853 P.2d 496.) The Brown Act (§ 54950 et seq.), adopted in 1953 and since amended, is intended to ensure the public's right to attend the meetings of public agencies. (Freedom Newspapers, Inc. v. Orange County Employees Retirement System (1993) 6 Cal.4th 821, 825, 25 Cal.Rptr.2d 148, 863 P.2d 218.) To achieve this aim, the Act requires, inter alia, that an agenda be posted at least 72 hours before a regular meeting, and it forbids action on any item not on that agenda. (Gov.Code, § 54954.2, subd. (a); Cohan v. City of Thousand Oaks (1994) 30 Cal.App.4th 547, 555, 35 Cal.Rptr.2d 782 (Cohan ).) The Act thus facilitates public participation in all phases of local government decisionmaking and curbs misuse of the democratic process by secret legislation by public bodies. (Cohan, supra, at p. 555, 35 Cal.Rptr.2d 782.)
The Brown Act dictates that "[a]ll meetings of the legislative body of a local agency shall be open and public, and all persons shall be permitted to attend any meeting of the legislative body of a local agency, except as otherwise provided in this chapter." (§ 54953, subd. (a).)
The Act's statement of intent provides: "In enacting this chapter, the Legislature finds and declares that the public commissions, boards and councils and the other public agencies in this State exist to aid in the conduct of the people's business. It is the intent of the law that their actions be taken openly and that their deliberations be conducted openly. [¶] The people of this State do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies which serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created." (§ 54950; Stats.1953, ch. 1588, § 1.)
2. There was no violation of the Brown Act.
The threshold issue, as Castaic recognizes in its opening brief, is "(1) whether or not the undisputed events were a violation of the Brown Act." Castaic contends Newhall violated the Act when it met in closed session on March 14, 2013, because Newhall failed to "include accurate information regarding the initiation of litigation 'pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) of Section 54956.9,' " and instead cited to subdivision (c) of the same statute.
As explained below, the notice/agenda of the March 14, 2013 meeting substantially complied with the Brown Act, making it unnecessary to address whether Newhall properly cured and corrected the purported violation.
a. On our de novo review, we find Newhall's notice substantially complied with the Brown Act; therefore, we do not reach issue of whether Newhall adequately cured or corrected the purported violation.
Where, as here, the facts are undisputed, the question of whether the action taken complied with the Brown Act is one of law, to be reviewed de novo. (Furtado v. Sierra Community College (1998) 68 Cal.App.4th 876, 880, 80 Cal.Rptr.2d 589.)
The issue of Newhall's substantial compliance with the Brown Act was not litigated below. Rather, at the trial court level, Newhall successfully moved to dismiss Castaic's action pursuant to section 54960.1, subdivision (e), asserting it properly cured or corrected the purported violation.
Although the parties did not address substantial compliance below, and did not fully develop the issue until their supplemental briefs on appeal (see fn. 7, post), "we are nonetheless free to consider the matter since it involves an issue of law on undisputed facts which may be raised for the first time on appeal. [Citations.]" (Tsemetzin v. Coast Federal Savings & Loan Assn. (1997) 57 Cal.App.4th 1334, 1341, fn. 6, 67 Cal.Rptr.2d 726.)
On our de novo review, as discussed below, we conclude there was no Brown Act violation by Newhall because the given notice substantially complied with the Act. Therefore, we affirm the judgment of dismissal, albeit on a different ground than the trial court, which found that Newhall adequately cured and corrected its "technical violation" of the Act. (See, e.g. LT–WR, L.L.C. v. California Coastal Com. (2007) 152 Cal.App.4th 770, 802, fn. 5, 60 Cal.Rptr.3d 417 ["Regardless of the trial court's rationale, because the dismissal ․ is correct in result, it must be upheld. (D'Amico v. Board of Medical Examiners (1974) 11 Cal.3d 1, 19, 112 Cal.Rptr. 786, 520 P.2d 10)"].)
b. Substantial compliance is the governing test.
Section 54954.5 states: "For purposes of describing closed session items pursuant to Section 54954.2, the agenda may describe closed sessions as provided below.[5 ] No legislative body or elected official shall be in violation of Section 54954.2 or 54956 if the closed session items were described in substantial compliance with this section. Substantial compliance is satisfied by including the information provided below, irrespective of its format. [¶] ․ [¶] (c) With respect to every item of business to be discussed in closed session pursuant to Section 54956.9: [¶] ․ [¶] CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL–ANTICIPATED LITIGATION [¶] ․ [¶] Initiation of litigation pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) of Section 54956.9: (Specify number of potential cases)." (Italics added.)
We are also guided by North Pacifica LLC v. California Coastal Com. (2008) 166 Cal.App.4th 1416, 83 Cal.Rptr.3d 636 (Pacifica ) involving a similar statutory scheme, the Bagley–Keene Open Meeting Act (§ 11120 et seq.), which requires advance notice to the public and all interested persons of public meetings held by state bodies. (Pacifica, supra, at p. 1430, 83 Cal.Rptr.3d 636.) 6 "In determining whether a state body has substantially complied with statutory requirements '[t]he paramount consideration is the objective of the statute.' [Citation.] 'Unless the intent of a statute can only be served by demanding strict compliance with its terms, substantial compliance is the governing test.' [Citation.] ' "Substantial compliance ․ means actual compliance in respect to the substance essential to every reasonable objective of the statute." [Citation.]' [Citation.] [¶] The stated objectives of the Bagley–Keene Act are to assure that 'actions of state agencies be taken openly and that their deliberation be conducted openly.' (Gov.Code, § 11120.) Because Government Code section 11130.3, subdivision (b)(3) allows substantial compliance with the Bagley–Keene Act's notice requirements, the objectives of that act can be served without demanding strict compliance with those requirements. Thus, state actions in violation of those requirements should not be nullified, so long as the state agency's reasonably effective efforts to notify interested persons of a public meeting serve the statutory objectives of ensuring that state actions taken and deliberations made at such meetings are open to the public." (Pacifica, supra, 166 Cal.App.4th at pp. 1431–1432, 83 Cal.Rptr.3d 636, italics added.)
c. The notice/agenda of the March 14, 2013 meeting was in substantial compliance with the Brown Act; the given notice was sufficient to apprise the public that the Newhall Board would be meeting in closed session with its legal counsel to discuss potential litigation in two cases.
As indicated, the notice and agenda preceding the March 14, 2013 meeting provided at Item H: "CLOSED SESSION [¶] 1. Conference with Legal Counsel pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(c) to discuss potential litigations (2 cases)." Thus, the notice plainly advised the members of the public that on March 14, 2013, the Newhall Board would be meeting with its legal counsel, in closed session, to discuss two potential lawsuits.
The notice that was given basically conforms to the language prescribed in section 54954.5, subd. (c), which provides in relevant part: "CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL–ANTICIPATED LITIGATION [¶] ․ [¶] Initiation of litigation pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) of Section 54956.9: (Specify number of potential cases)." The only discrepancy between the given notice and the statutory notice is that the notice that was given erroneously specified subdivision (c) of section 54956.9, instead of subdivision (d)(4).
Subdivision (c) of section 54956.9, erroneously cited in the notice/agenda, defines the term "litigation." It states: "(c) For purposes of this section, 'litigation' includes any adjudicatory proceeding, including eminent domain, before a court, administrative body exercising its adjudicatory authority, hearing officer, or arbitrator." (§ 54956.9, subd. (c).)
Section 54956.9, subdivision (d)(4), not cited in the notice/agenda, provides: "(d) For purposes of this section, litigation shall be considered pending when any of the following circumstances exist: [¶] ․ [¶] (4) Based on existing facts and circumstances, the legislative body of the local agency has decided to initiate or is deciding whether to initiate litigation. " (Italics added.) Prior to a 2012 amendment to section 54956.9 (Stats.2012, ch. 759, § 7), this identical language was found in former subdivision (c) of section 54956.9, which stated in relevant part: "(c) Based on existing facts and circumstances, the legislative body of the local agency has decided to initiate or is deciding whether to initiate litigation." (Stats.1994, ch. 32, § 13.)
On our de novo review, we conclude that irrespective of the variance between the given notice/agenda and the statutorily prescribed notice, the given notice was in substantial compliance with the statute. Castaic's argument is hypertechnical and elevates form over substance. The given notice plainly advised the members of the public that on March 14, 2013, the Newhall Board would be meeting with its legal counsel, in closed session, to discuss potential litigation in two cases. The citation in the given notice to subdivision (c) instead of subdivision (d)(4) of section 54956.9 could not possibly have misled or confused anyone. Subdivision (d)(4) of section 54956.9 states: "Based on existing facts and circumstances, the legislative body of the local agency has decided to initiate or is deciding whether to initiate litigation." (Italics added.) Although the given notice did not direct the reader to that particular subdivision of section 54956.9, it was sufficient to apprise the public that the Newhall Board would be meeting with its legal counsel, in closed session, to discuss potential litigation in two cases.
" ' "Substantial compliance ․ means actual compliance in respect to the substance essential to every reasonable objective of the statute." ' " (Pacifica, supra, 166 Cal.App.4th at p. 1432, 83 Cal.Rptr.3d 636, italics added.) On the undisputed facts presented here, we readily conclude the given notice was in substantial compliance with the Brown Act.7
3. Remaining issues not reached.
In view of our conclusion that the notice/agenda of the March 14, 2013 meeting substantially complied with the Act, it is unnecessary to address whether Newhall properly cured and corrected the purported violation, or any other issues.
The judgment dismissing Castaic's action is affirmed. Respondents shall recover their costs on appeal.
1. All further statutory references are to the Government Code, unless otherwise indicated.
2. Because the given notice was in substantial compliance, it is unnecessary to address whether the Newhall Board properly cured and corrected the purported violation of the Act.
3. On appeal, Castaic is not pursuing its arguments that Newhall violated sections 54957.1 and 54957.7.
4. Section 54960.1 states in relevant part at subdivision (e): "During any action seeking a judicial determination pursuant to subdivision (a) if the court determines, pursuant to a showing by the legislative body that an action alleged to have been taken in violation of Section 54953, 54954.2, 54954.5, 54954.6, 54956, or 54956.5 has been cured or corrected by a subsequent action of the legislative body, the action filed pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be dismissed with prejudice."
5. Section 54954.5 does not purport to specify the exclusive means of compliance with agenda description requirements. The statute merely states the "agenda may describe closed sessions as provided below" (ibid ) and that "[s]ubstantial compliance is satisfied by including the information provided below, irrespective of its format." (Ibid. italics added.)
6. The Bagley–Keene Act is the state counterpart to the Brown Act, which applies to local agencies. (Southern California Edison Co. v. Peevey (2003) 31 Cal.4th 781, 809, 3 Cal.Rptr.3d 703, 74 P.3d 795 conc. & diss. opn. of Baxter, J.)
7. In its response to the brief of amicus curiae, Castaic argued the League of California Cities is precluded from arguing that because Newhall " 'substantially complied, no cure was necessary.' " Castaic contends "The League cannot raise this issue now because the issue of substantial compliance is not properly before the court." However, the issue of substantial compliance is squarely before this court, having been tendered to this court by Castaic. Castaic's opening brief on appeal, at page 16, contains the following heading: "3. Respondent Did Not Meet the Requirements for Substantial Compliance under Sections 54954.2 and 54954.5." Therefore, the threshold issue of substantial compliance is properly before this court.Further, this court deferred submission following oral argument to allow for supplemental briefing on the issue of substantial compliance, and we have considered the parties' supplemental filings.
EDMON, P.J.
We concur: KITCHING, J. EGERTON, J.*


The 55th IFLA World Congress returns to Singapore. For the second time, the "City in a Garden" provides a platform for experts, government agencies and academics at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands from July 18 to 21, 2018 to discuss the reciprocity of urban and natural environment.
The congress, which is considered the biggest and most important in its field, is organized by the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) and the Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects (SILA).
This year, visitors of the IFLA World Congress explore and discuss the topics of the Biophilic City, Smart Nation and Future Resilience. The congress is to present greening strategies for fast-growing cities and the implementation of potential technologies to give an insight into designing processes and capacities to adapt to ever-changing environmental conditions.
Participants can look forward to getting to know a wide-ranging community of government agencies, business leaders, industry representatives, academics and opinion leaders to review possible strategic innovations to adapt to the changing environment.
This panel is to examine the practice of landscape architecture in the context of fast-growing cities. A biophilic city puts nature with its design, planning and organization first. Discussions will be held on how modern landscape architecture should look like to take a leading role in our urban and natural surroundings of a biophilic city.
Landscape architecture is affected by an increasingly digitized society. Thanks to remote sensors and probes, we can expand the measuring and evaluation of our environment. Landscape architecture is to take its part in an interdisciplinary approach and provide new, practical concepts to meet the manifold challenges of climate change and urbanization.
Which role should landscape architecture take to improve critical infrastructure systems in the city? How can we make sure those systems remain operational and resilient despite growing threats from climate change? What can landscape architects design with limited resources?
Singapore has gone great lengths to make nature the heart of all urban development. The city state aims to refine its infrastructure and to accommodate its growing population – while retaining its green at the same time. Singapore is an example for an ideal biophilic city.
Held in conjunction with Singapore Garden Festival 2018 which will take place from July 21 to August 3, National Parks Board is the Organising Partner of IFLA World Congress 2018.


Much has been written about the relatively new bevel-up (aka low angle) planes from Veritas and Lie-Nielsen – most of it complimentary. In particular, two woodworkers I admire, Chris Schwarz and Lonnie Bird, have been outspoken about the advantages of bevel-up planes. This month's issue of Popular Woodworking (August 2009 #177) had a great article called The Case For Bevel-Up Planes by Lonnie Bird. Anyone trying to decide between bevel-up or bevel-down should read this article. My experience with bevel-up planes, however, has been quite different. I offer the following account to present a different view.
In December I bought my first low angle plane, a Lie-Nielsen LN-62 jack plane, largely on the strength of an article by Chris Schwarz. In March I bought a Veritas bevel-up smoother plane for a class I was to take at Lonnie Bird's school. This was my first non-Lie-Nielsen plane and I felt like I was cheating on my wife when I purchased it. Somewhere in between I bought the Lie-Nielsen LN-164 smooth plane. In the intervening months I spent a lot of time tuning and using these babies, all along comparing them to my bevel-down Bedrock planes.
As an engineer by education and profession I am no stranger to design analysis. When I analyze the design of bevel-up planes I am convinced they will perform better than Bedrock designs, cost less, set up easier and are more flexible. Yet, my side by side usage and comparison over the last six months have left me wanting to stick with the Bedrock design, what Lonnie calls the "antiquated" design.
So why the disparity between what technically seems true, what the leading woodworkers say, and what my experience tells me? Part of this I believe is due to my (perhaps too long) learning curve. Perhaps I haven't used bevel-up planes enough yet. But I am convinced that the disparity is in large measure real and physical.
I agree with Lonnie Bird that bevel-up is the way of the future for all planes; largely because they have fewer parts, hence cheaper to manufacture and easier to tune. Both the Veritas and the Lie-Nielsen bevel-up planes have only three simple components; the body, blade and cap-iron (the Lie-Nielsen actually has four components if you count a small spacer). Compare this to the Bedrock design which has a body, frog, blade, chipbreaker and cap-iron. Also, you can buy one bevel-up plane plus two or three additional blades ground to several bevel angles and essentially have the equivalent of three or four planes.
For example, Veritas offers a 25, 38 and 50 degree blade. Their planes have a 12 degree bed. Hence a resulting 37 degree low angle configuration for end grain, a 50 degree York configuration for well behaved grain and a 62 degree high angle for highly figured hardwoods. Three planes in one. In the Bedrock design you have to purchase multiple frogs to achieve this. Even then it is difficult to get a 62 degree cutting angle, which appears optimal for highly figured woods.
All of that is true yet, call it feel, call it human engineering, call it whatever you want, but bevel-up designs are at least two generations away from getting it right in my opinion. While the Bedrock design has more parts and is more difficult to tune, like many woodworkers I have a number of planes tuned for specific purposes. This means I tune them once and avoid reconfiguring them so that I don't have to tune them again for quite some time. What's left after tune up is minor blade depth and lateral adjustments – and that is where the Bedrock design excels. The human engineering of the Bedrock design is such that you can make either a blade depth change or a lateral adjustment between strokes while returning the plane to the starting point of a pass. Both adjustments are right there at your finger tips. No hunting required, no need to turn the plane over or change hand position to make an adjustment. Also, both adjustments are silky smooth on the Lie-Nielsen Bedrock designs, and both are like vernier adjustments that give precise results.
Contrast this to the Veritas and Lie-Nielsen bevel-up planes. The Veritas seems to be the most clumsy of the two manufacturers. The adjustment mechanism for both depth and lateral adjustment is a knob that is placed too low for the thumb or index finger to access without moving your hand from the handle. You can see this in the picture at right. Further, I find that if I tighten the lever cap to a degree required to keep the blade from shifting on its own the lateral adjustment is too tight to operate smoothly.
The Lie-Nielsen low angle design doesn't require a lateral adjustment relying instead on a tighter machining of the bed alignment to the edges of the blade. However this requires that the blade be ground and honed precisely at 90 degrees to the edges, a task that is easily performed, ironically, with the aid of a Veritas honing jig. The Lie-Nielson's depth adjustment seems slightly better human engineered than the Veritas. Neither come close to the ease, smoothness and controllability of the Bedrock.
One of the features of the bevel-up design that is far superior to the Bedrock is mouth adjustment. Both the Veritas and the Lie-Nielsen planes make this easy. Simply loosen the front knobs, adjust the mouth and retighten. In the Bedrock design you have to move the frog position requiring the involvement of three screws. It is quite difficult. However, like I said, in practice this adjustment is rarely required if you dedicate your planes for specific configurations.
Tuning a Bedrock is second nature to me since I have been doing it for so long. I can achieve wispy thin and wide shaving with very little effort. For some reason I can't explain other than a learning curve, I can't achieve a tuned state nearly as quickly with the bevel-up planes. This is puzzling to me but I can only hope it is not a permanent condition.
The last part of this comparison is a somewhat nebulous factor, let's call it feel. The Bedrock feels right in my hand. It's beefy (those extra components have a benefit), the grips (tote and knob) are just right and everything is in reach without moving my hand from the grip. I can easily get in a zone and plane away effortlessly even with the 55 degree middle pitch.
The bevel-up planes, on the other hand, seem too light; my hand and arm extension seems wrong; I find myself fighting the lower angle which is tiring. Look at the two pictures above comparing the totes of the Bedrock design versus the totes of the bevel-up planes. Notice that both Lie-Nielsen and Veritas bevel-up planes have a lower angle tote forcing your bodies forearm and shoulder lower. I suspect the designer's rationale was that for steep pitch configurations you need to be pushing more behind the plane to compensate for the increased force required. That makes sense, but it's unnatural; and you have to pay this price even for mid and shallow pitch configurations, which are the pitch configurations most often used in the shop.
Maybe I am just too biased to allow for a new feel, I don't know. But I have been at this comparison for nearly six months and still haven't achieved the advantages my engineering analysis, and the woodworkers I admire and aspire to be, say I should. So for now I'll stick with my Bedrocks thank you.


text:
Author » Harlan Coben
Tell no one, p.1
Tell No One, page 1
There should have been a dark whisper in the wind. Or maybe a deep chill in the bone. Something. An ethereal song only Elizabeth or I could hear. A tightness in the air. Some textbook premonition. There are misfortunes we almost expect in life - what happened to my parents, for example - and then there are other dark moments, moments of sudden violence, that alter everything. There was my life before the tragedy. There is my life now. The two have painfully little in common.
Elizabeth was quiet for our anniversary drive, but that was hardly unusual. Even as a young girl, she'd possessed this unpredictable melancholy streak. She'd go quiet and drift into either deep contemplation or a deep funk, I never knew which. Part of the mystery, I guess, but for the first time, I could feel the chasm between us. Our relationship had survived so much. I wondered if it could survive the truth. Or for that matter, the unspoken lies.
The car's air-conditioning whirred at the blue MAX setting. The day was hot and sticky. Classically August. We crossed the Delaware Water Gap at the Milford Bridge and were welcomed to Pennsylvania by a friendly toll collector. Ten miles later, I spotted the stone sign that read LAKE CHARMAINE - PRIVATE. I turned onto the dirt road.
The tires bore down, kicking up dust like an Arabian stampede. Elizabeth flipped off the car stereo. Out of the corner of my eye, I could tell that she was studying my profile. I wondered what she saw, and my heart started fluttering. Two deer nibbled on some leaves on our right. They stopped, looked at us, saw we meant no harm, went back to nibbling. I kept driving and then the lake rose before us. The sun was now in its death throes, bruising the sky a coiling purple and orange. The tops of the trees seemed to be on fire.
"I can't believe we still do this," I said.
"You're the one who started it. "
"Yeah, when I was twelve years old. "
Elizabeth let the smile through. She didn't smile often, but when she did, pow, right to my heart.
"It's romantic," she insisted.
"It's goofy. "
"I love romance. "
"You love goofy. "
"You get laid whenever we do this. "
"Call me Mr. Romance," I said.
She laughed and took my hand. "Come on, Mr. Romance, it's getting dark. "
Lake Charmaine. My grandfather had come up with that name, which pissed off my grandmother to no end. She wanted it named for her. Her name was Bertha. Lake Bertha. Grandpa wouldn't hear it. Two points for Grandpa.
Some fifty-odd years ago, Lake Charmaine had been the site of a rich-kids summer camp. The owner had gone belly-up and Grandpa bought the entire lake and surrounding acreage on the cheap. He'd fixed up the camp director's house and tore down most of the lakefront buildings. But farther in the woods, where no one went anymore, he left the kids' bunks alone to rot. My sister, Linda, and I used to explore them, sifting through their ruins for old treasures, playing hide-and-seek, daring ourselves to seek the Boogeyman we were sure watched and waited. Elizabeth rarely joined us. She liked to know where everything was. Hiding scared her.
When we stepped out of the car, I heard the ghosts. Lots of them here, too many, swirling and battling for my attention. My father's won out. The lake was hold-your-breath still, but I swore I could still hear Dad's howl of delight as he cannonballed off the dock, his knees pressed tightly against his chest, his smile just south of sane, the upcoming splash a virtual tidal wave in the eyes of his only son. Dad liked to land near my sunbathing mother's raft. She'd scold him, but she couldn't hide the laugh.
I blinked and the images were gone. But I remembered how the laugh and the howl and the splash would ripple and echo in the stillness of our lake, and I wondered if ripples and echoes like those ever fully die away, if somewhere in the woods my father's joyful yelps still bounced quietly off the trees. Silly thought, but there you go.
Memories, you see, hurt. The good ones most of all.
"You okay, Beck?" Elizabeth asked me.
I turned to her. "I'm going to get laid, right?"
"Perv. "
She started walking up the path, her head high, her back straight. I watched her for a second, remembering the first time I'd seen that walk. I was seven years old, taking my bike - the one with the banana seat and Batman decal - for a plunge down Goodhart Road. Goodhart Road was steep and windy, the perfect thoroughfare for the discriminating Stingray driver. I rode downhill with no hands, feeling pretty much as cool and hip as a seven-year-old possibly could. The wind whipped back my hair and made my eyes water. I spotted the moving van in front of the Ruskins' old house, turned and - first pow - there she was, my Elizabeth, walking with that titanium spine, so poised, even then, even as a seven year-old girl with Mary Janes and a friendship bracelet and too many freckles.
We met two weeks later in Miss Sobel's second-grade class, and from that moment on - please don't gag when I say this - we were soul mates. Adults found our relationship both cute and unhealthy - our inseparable tomboy-kick ball friendship morphing into puppy love and adolescent preoccupation and hormonal high school dating. Everyone kept waiting for us to outgrow each other. Even us. We were both bright kids, especially Elizabeth, top students, rational even in the face of irrational love. We understood the odds.
But here we were, twenty-five-year-olds, married seven months now, back at the spot when at the age of twelve we'd shared our first real kiss.
Nauseating, I know.
We pushed past branches and through humidity thick enough to bind. The gummy smell of pine clawed the air. We trudged through high grass. Mosquitoes and the like buzzed upward in our wake. Trees cast long shadows that you could interpret any way you wanted, like trying to figure out what a cloud looked like or one of Rorschach's inkblots.
We ducked off the path and fought our way through thicker brush. Elizabeth led the way. I followed two paces back, an almost symbolic gesture when I think about it now. I always believed that nothing could drive us apart - certainly our history had proven that, hadn't it? - but now more than ever I could feel the guilt pushing her away.
My guilt.
Up ahead, Elizabeth made a right at the big semi-phallic rock and there, on the right, was our tree. Our initials were, yup, carved into the bark:
E. P.
D. B.
And yes, a heart surrounded it. Under the heart were twelve lines, one marking each anniversary of that first kiss. I was about to make a wisecrack about how nauseating we were, but when I saw Elizabeth's face, the freckles now either gone or darkened, the tilt of the chin, the long, graceful neck, the steady green eyes, the dark hair braided like thick rope down her back, I stopped. I almost told her right then and there, but something pulled me back.
"I love you," I said.
"You're already getting laid. "
"Oh. "
"I love you too. "
"Okay, okay," I said, feigning being put out, "you'll get laid too. "
She smiled, but I thought I saw hesitancy in it. I took her in my arms. When she was twelve and we finally worked up the courage to make out, she'd smelled wonderfully of clean hair and strawberry Pixie Stix. I'd been overwhelmed by the newness of it, of course, the excitement, the exploration. Today she smelled of lilacs and cinnamon. The kiss moved like a warm light from the center of my heart. When our tongues met, I still felt a jolt. Elizabeth pulled away, breathless.
"Do you want to do the honors?" she asked. She handed me the knife, and I carved the thirteenth line in the tree.
Thirteen. In hindsight, maybe there had been a premonition.
It was dark when we got back to the lake. The pale moon broke through the black, a solo beacon. There were no sounds tonight, not even crickets. Elizabeth and I quickly stripped down. I lo
oked at her in the moonlight and felt something catch in my throat. She dove in first, barely making a ripple. I clumsily followed. The lake was surprisingly warm. Elizabeth swam with clean, even strokes, slicing through the water as though it were making a path for her. I splashed after her. Our sounds skittered across the lake's surface like skipping stones. She turned into my arms. Her skin was warm and wet. I loved her skin. We held each other close. She pressed her breasts against my chest. I could feel her heart and I could hear her breathing. Life sounds. We kissed. My hand wandered down the delicious curve of her back.
When we finished - when everything felt so right again - I grabbed a raft and collapsed onto it. I panted, my legs splayed, my feet dangling in the water.
Elizabeth frowned. "What, you going to fall asleep now?"
"Snore. "
"Such a man. "
I put my hands behind my head and lay back. A cloud passed in front of the moon, turning the blue night into something pallid and gray. The air was still. I could hear Elizabeth getting out of the water and stepping onto the dock. My eyes tried to adjust. I could barely make out her naked silhouette. She was, quite simply, breathtaking. I watched her bend at the waist and wring the water out of her hair. Then she arched her spine and threw her head back.
My raft drifted farther away from shore. I tried to sift through what had happened to me, but even I didn't understand it all. The raft kept moving. I started losing sight of Elizabeth. As she faded into the dark, I made a decision: I would tell her. I would tell her everything.
I nodded to myself and closed my eyes. There was a lightness in my chest now. I listened to the water gently lap against my raft.
Then I heard a car door open.
I sat up.
" Elizabeth?"
Pure silence, except for my own breathing.
I looked for her silhouette again. It was hard to make out, but for a moment I saw it. Or I thought I saw it. I'm not sure anymore or even if it matters. Either way, Elizabeth was standing perfectly still, and maybe she was facing me.
I might have blinked - I'm really not sure about that either - and when I looked again, Elizabeth was gone.
My heart slammed into my throat. " Elizabeth!"
The panic rose. I fell off the raft and started swimming toward the dock. But my strokes were loud, maddeningly loud, in my ears. I couldn't hear what, if anything, was happening. I stopped.
" Elizabeth!"
For a long while there was no sound. The cloud still blocked the moon. Maybe she had gone inside the cabin. Maybe she'd gotten something out of the car. I opened my mouth to call her name again.
That was when I heard her scream.
I lowered my head and swam, swam hard, my arms pumping, my legs kicking wildly. But I was still far from the dock. I tried to look as I swam, but it was too dark now, the moon offering just faint shafts of light, illuminating nothing.
I heard a scraping noise, like something being dragged.
Up ahead, I could see the dock. Twenty feet, no more. I swam harder. My lungs burned. I swallowed some water, my arms stretching forward, my hand fumbling blindly in the dark. Then I found it. The ladder. I grabbed hold, hoisted myself up, climbed out of the water. The dock was wet from Elizabeth. I looked toward the cabin. Too dark. I saw nothing.
Something like a baseball bat hit me square in the solar plexus. My eyes bulged. I folded at the waist, suffocating from within. No air. Another blow. This time it landed on the top of my skull. I heard a crack in my head, and it felt as though someone had hammered a nail through my temple. My legs buckled and I dropped to my knees. Totally disoriented now, I put my hands against the sides of my head and tried to cover up. The next blow the final blow hit me square in the face.
I toppled backward, back into the lake. My eyes closed. I heard Elizabeth scream again she screamed my name this time but the sound, all sound, gurgled away as I sank under the water.
by Harlan Coben / Mystery / Suspense / Young Adult have rating 4.4 out of 5 / Based on31 votes
HARLAN COBEN SERIES:
Mickey Bolitar
Other author's books:
Deal Breaker
Just One Look
No Second Chance
Long Lost
The Final Detail


I'm moving from a large apartment that I furnished myself to a small flat that's already furnished. So I've got a lot of stuff I won't be taking with me.
I plan on retiring in June and leaving my rented house in Belgium.
Can anyone tell me how much water costs (what an annual bill should be), for a person living alone in a flat in Brussels?
Anyone in KBC care to comment?
I am looking for Belgium based banks accepting investments (mutual funds)from US citizens. Many of them do not as they would have to do reporting to the US.
I am planning to look out for weekend jobs to help support my family's income. I have a resident permit and my partner has a B card work permit.
I'm looking for a recommendation for a company to clean a Persian rug.


My parents were visiting all last week which meant lots of time visiting beaches and, even better, a return visit to Joshua Tree National Park. It's been so nice to see my mom and dad a lot this year. I'm really happy to be closer!
Sunset looking west over San Jacinto Peak (10,834 ft) -- the Doctor Seuss-looking tree is a Joshua Tree.
San Gorgonio mountain (11,503 ft) from Keys View.
Sourabh and Mason waiting for the sunset.
And now, on to the training log!
Monday: Strength workout with Melanie (Equinox trainer).
I had slept terribly Sunday night, after working for several hours at the office post-Hunger Games then staying up late to get things cleaned up before my parents arrived. But I was still able to get through the workout Melanie had planned.
Tuesday: 5 miles (6x800m) on the treadmill.
This workout made such a difference for Thursday's race. I wasn't sure I could hit these paces for a full half-mile, since I'd been running 400m's at this pace over the summer and had just started training for real. When I was able to keep up with the treadmill -- and even finish feeling like I could go a few more rounds -- it made me confident that I could hold a faster pace during the 5K.
I felt really strong powering through this workout, until the third set when I hit my nose while bringing the bar over my head in the squat-to-press. Hard. Eyes watering and feeling just a tad bit embarrassed, I still finished the workout, but felt slightly less badass than I did prior to whacking myself in the face with a weight.
Thursday: Turkey Trot race + .7 mile warm up and .2 mile cool down (4 miles total).
Melanie wanted me to push the pace and use this race as a tempo workout. It went really well and I PR'd! The race left me feeling very pumped about my progress as a runner.
I hadn't been to the gym outside of early morning or late evening in a long time and forgot how much, uh, facial "enhancement" is on display mid-morning. It's good people watching, at least.
After doing 20 minutes of yoga with my parents (taking it super easy, which is why I'm not counting it as real training in any way), I sat in the car to Joshua Tree National Park for five hours then walked around the Park a bit.
Sunday: 8 mile long run.
Urgh. Did not enjoy this run. Decided to do an out and back along the Back Bay, but I was running into a nasty headwind for half and then it started raining pretty hard -- yes, raining. It does occasionally run in SoCal! My legs felt heavy from Thursday's race and Friday's workout (and the five hour round trip car ride). I also started around lunchtime because I wanted to enjoy Sunday breakfast with my parents and Sourabh.
Basically, this run presented a list of all the things not to do (for me) to enjoy a long run. Still, a leisurely breakfast on Thanksgiving weekend was worth it, I got in the mileage, and it was a good reminder to myself of why I need to get out for long runs first thing and not sit in the car for a long time before a long run.
The rain was getting hard by the end of this run and I was really ready to be done, so I just pushed to finish ASAP. Plus, a fast finish is always good race practice!
Happy with this week overall (hard to be unhappy with a PR!) and really glad I got quality time with some of my favorite people -- but I'm looking forward to a long run do-over next weekend!
GAWD, take me to the beach! Also, skull crushes take me back to HS basketball. Even though I got my workouts done while home for Thanksgiving, they definitely didn't go as well as they would've back here. I'm viewing them as mini-"step back" workouts--plus, our bodies need to rest every now and then.
YES I was just reading about the importance of rest for athletes actually. My legs were really tired last night after my long run then standing up while baking all afternoon, so I decided to sleep in this morning and hit the gym this evening. My legs feel way better. Rest is so important and so easy to ignore!


The Crucible Campaign is Peter Gray's Alternate Traveller universe. It diverges from canon around the time of founding of the New Era (1200).
Set in the Domain of Deneb, it follows the events of the Crucible War which shatters the Regency and the collapsing Zhodani Consulate, and the founding of The Commonwealth.
The details and articles for the Crucible campaign were published on the TNE RCES mailing list and the TNE Yahoo groups mailing list between August 2004 and January 2006.
Pages in category "Crucible Campaign"
This page was last modified on 27 August 2016, at 11:27.


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Boating Publications
SAIL magazine is designed for everyone who sails–aboard a one-design boat or an offshore racer, aboard a daysailer on a tiny lake or a cruiser crossing great oceans and great distances. SAIL teaches sailors of all abilities, beginner to expert, how to improve their sailing skills, equip their boats for more effective sailing, and enjoy sailing more. Word length is 1,500-3,000 words per article. Payments vary depending upon the type of article, approx. between $200 and $800/article.
Adventure Kayak magazine
Adventure Kayak magazine celebrates all the adventures of kayak touring, from a tour through the local bay to an arctic expedition to all the diversity in between. Adventure Kayak's content has an international scope. Adventure Kayak publishes three issues annually. Editors want open to ideaswell-written epics, cultural adventure, environmental dilemmas, personality profiles on important paddlers either historic or contemporary, humor, fiction and more. Pays up to $0.20 per word.
Canoeroots magazine
As North America's only canoeing and canoe camping magazine, it celebrates canoes from bow to stern. The editors regularly run how-to features covering specific topics in depth, such as paddling with kids or weekend trips. Canoeroots publishes three issues annually, in February (Spring), May (Early Summer) and August (Summer/Fall).Feature articles are up to 2,000 words in length and typically include professional-quality photos. Pays a rate of up to $0.20 per word.
Cruising Outpost Magazine
The Cruising Outpost is a quarterly Print Magazine for boaters, liveaboards and cruising enthusiasts. Features should be 500-1500 words and be accompanied by at least 10-12 good photos. Payment for articles ranges between $50 and $250 per article.
Cruising World Magazine
Cruising World Magazine welcomes author inquiries and unsolicited manuscripts. Manuscripts submitted for Feature consideration (center of the magazine) should be written in the first person and not exceed approximately 2,500 words. Manuscripts submitted for consideration as Non-features (technical articles and general interest, front and back of the magazine) should not exceed 2,000 words. Payment varies depending on the type of article, ranging from $25 to $200 for short, newsworthy items and $300 to $1,000 for technical and feature articles.
Good Old Boat Magazine
Good Old Boat Magazine publishes articles focused on pride of ownership and articles that discuss upgrades, maintenance, refits, and restoration of good old boats. Payment: $700 original new technical article (runs 3,000-5,000 words); $500 for maintenance and upgrade articles and other sailing features (1,500-3,000 words); and $700 for boat reviews.
Kayak Angler magazine
Kayak Angler celebrates the intersection of fishing and paddlesports, with an emphasis on hook-ups and sleigh rides from all manner of paddle- and pedal-powered sporting rides. Kayak Angler publishes four issues annually. Kayak Angler publishes four issues annually, in February (Spring), May (Summer) August (Fall) and November (Winter). Feature articles average 1,000-1,500 words in length. Pays up to $0.20 per word.
Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors magazine
Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors is the magazine of the coast of Maine with a strong focus on boating. The magazine occasionally ventures northeast into Nova Scotia or south into New Hampshire/Rhode Island. Word length for feature articles is 2,500-3,500 words. Sidebars are encouraged. Departments ("A Letter from Home", "My Boat, My Harbor") are shorter: 800-1,000 words. Payment: $300 per item for shorter pieces up to $400-$500 for feature articles.
Pacific Yachting Magazine
Pacific Yachting helps readers get more from their time on the water with content on a variety of topics including information on cruising destinations, news issues, local attractions, upcoming events, DIY projects, fishing spots, boat reviews, and the latest in new gear and technology. The editors want destination pieces, how-to articles, seamanship pieces and articles of general interest to boaters cruising the West Coast. Word length: up to 2,000 words/feature article. Departments run 800 to 1,000 words. Payment: up to $500/article.
PassageMaker magazine
PassageMaker Magazine covers all aspects of trawlers and ocean motorboats. Articles address the realities of cruising under power and passagemaking. Submissions can be for either the magazine or for the Channels (E-Newsletter) and can cover any aspect of the trawler lifestyle. Payment: $300$950 for feature articles (800-4000 words); $150-$400 for Channels e-newsletter articles (under 1200 words).
Porthole Cruise Magazine
Porthole Cruise Magazine features sophisticated cruise and travel editorial for savvy consumers worldwide. The editors publish the latest trends in cruise travel, ship reviews, destination features, and onboard cuisine, entertainment, amenities, innovations, spas, and more. Word length: Length: 1,000-1,200 words. Payment: up to $600/article. Payment is made upon publication.
Rapid magazine
Rapid magazine covers all aspects of whitewater paddlesports. We regularly run how-to features covering specific topics in depth, such as river running, teaching kids, expedition planning, or day trips. How-to features are broken up into text boxes and sidebars covering a variety of topics such as background, tips, gear, destinations, top 10 lists, etc. Feature articles are up to 2,000 words in length and must be accompanied by professional-quality photos. The editors pay contributors a pre-negotiated rate of up to $0.20 per word depending on length, content and quality. Buys first North American print rights.
SAILING Magazine
SAILING Magazine covers all aspects of sailing, from learning how to sail in a dinghy to crossing the ocean on a large cruiser to racing around the buoys against the best sailors in the world. Short news stories for Splashes range in length from 100 to 500 words. Features range in length from 1,000 to 3,000 words. We pay for first-time North American rights. Payment is $50 to $500 for stories and $50 to $500 for photos.
WoodenBoat is the bi-monthly magazine for wooden boat owners, builders, and designers. The magazine publishes approximately 60 feature articles a year, from many parts of the world. The possibilities for how-to articles on individual projects are limitlessour readers like to learn how to make their own tools, spars, oars, rudders, tillers, grabrails, hatches, hanging lockers, hardware, and more. Payment: $250$300 per 1,000 words. Photographs and line art are paid $15 apiece.


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Federal report says homelessness decreasing in South Dakota, advocates say otherwise
By Brian Allen |
Posted: Mon 4:34 PM, Dec 11, 2017 |
Updated: Mon 6:34 PM, Dec 11, 2017
A new federal report says fewer people in South Dakota are homeless.
While that federal report says one thing, local homeless advocates are saying the exact opposite.
In fact, one of those advocates says they're on pace to set a record for the number of homeless people they'll serve this year.
The report from federal Housing and Urban Development says homelessness has dropped 12% statewide over the last year based on homeless count data compiled last January.
But three homeless agencies we contatced say they don't think that number is right.
"The demand that we see for homeless services certainly hasn't decreased." Brett Johnson with the Sioux Empire Homeless Coalition tells me while the annnual homeless count in January is well intentioned it does not tell a full and complete story. "We're well aware that the individuals that we are looking for aren't necessarily outside or unsheltered." Johnson says many of the area's homeless are living in cars or living with friends and because the count is done in January may not be readily available to be counted because they're seeking shelter from the cold somewhere other than a traditional homeless shelter.
"What I see on a daily basis is there's a continued need and this is a continuing social issue." Traci Jensen is the Homeless Liaison for the Sioux Falls School District and she says there is a continued problem in the district with kids who have no place to call home.
Right now the Sioux Falls School District says it has identified 705 of its students that it terms homeless and if recent trends from recent years hold true that list will add another 300 names by the end of the year.
And it's a problem that is not diminishing. Traci Jensen says, "We do see the number of youth over the last couple years has increased."
Also seeing an increase...the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House. "We're probably going to be on pace to serve 1,600 unique men and women at our facility this year in Sioux Falls." Executive Director Chad Campbell says that would be a record for the three years the house has been in operation.
Up from the more than 1,400 people they helped just last year.
Again the HUD report is based only on homeless count data from last January.
And advocates here admit that count is limited in scope. One reason is that some people who are homeless are willing to seek help from local agencies but do not want to admit as part of a survey that they have no home to call their own.
Fridays on the Plaza continues in downtown Sioux Falls all summer
Sioux Falls man tags 17 different locations with graffiti
Shoe drive for Samaritan's Feet kicks off in Sioux Falls
People rally for the 'Lights for Liberty' vigil
KSFY News 5 & 6 going live from Brookings Friday


Myka has been practising Iyengar yoga since 1990 and teaching since 2002. She studied at the main Iyengar yoga institute in Pune, India four times so far, and regularly attends classes and workshops with UK and international senior Iyengar yoga teachers.
Iyengar yoga emphasizes stability and safety, and facilitates investigation of alignment in poses through diverse methods, including innovative sequencing and/or using props. The pace of Iyengar yoga classes can range from slow and meticulous to dynamic and challenging.


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Home » Stories » Field of dreams
Noon is still a few hours away, but already, labourers working in a field in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), are feeling the heat. Drenched in perspiration, some in the diverse group of about 35 men and women appear lethargic as they bend low to pull weeds or hoe seedbeds with dirty, calloused hands.
What sets this garden apart from others nearby is that 18 of the people toiling under the African sun are battling HIV. Some feel well and others feel weak—but all 18 have families who depend on them. The garden is located in a hilly, seven-hectare plot of land just outside the city of Bunia. A co-operative of more than 20 local churches bought the land in 2010 to provide food, a source of income—and hope—for victims of HIV-AIDS. Although the garden project is still in its infancy, it's a testament to the unity of believers in this area, as well as a symbol of the community's changing attitudes towards AIDS sufferers.
Many of those changes can be attributed to increased education and awareness about HIV-AIDS—and the booklet Kande's Story has been a key resource in that process. The book and associated seminars help people inside and outside the church understand how HIV-AIDS spreads and how they can prevent it.
What's more, says Christian activist Pierre Alimasi wa Penge, Bible-based teachings from Kande have fostered greater compassion for those who suffer from HIV-AIDS, resulting in initiatives such as the garden project.
Pierre serves as co-ordinator of the agency responsible for the project, ACLS (Christian Association for the Fight Against AIDS). He remembers when churches consistently resisted his efforts to come and teach about HIV-AIDS. Furthermore, sexual topics were seldom talked about in public or even in people's homes.
"But nowadays, things have changed because of Kande's Story ," says Pierre. "Now more parents talk to their children and help them to protect themselves from HIV."
There's another benefit that has come from increased openness and dialogue—more and more people are being tested for HIV.
"After they hear the teaching from Kande's Story , people are ready . . . to be tested," says local pastor Pirwoth Ulul. "Before the training, many people with HIV hid themselves."
"And before," adds ACLS secretary Kahindo Jolie, "people with HIV or AIDS did not have hope. They were only waiting for death. Through the teachings of Kande's Story , they know they can still have a life."
It still takes courage for people to disclose that they have HIV. But Pierre believes that Bunia's citizens are steadily becoming more accepting of people with HIV or AIDS—and church mem- bers are leading the way through acts of compassion.
For example, several people at work in the garden outside Bunia are volunteers who don't have the HIV virus. Knowing that many of their friends with HIV lack the strength and stamina they once had, the volunteers labour alongside them to tend crops that include maize, cassava root, peanuts and sweet potatoes. Some of the food is given to those with HIV, while some is sold. A portion of the profits from the sale of produce is put aside to help those who grow too sick to work, or to help cover a family's funeral expenses. Any money left over may be used to buy tools and even hire labourers.
So far, the modest project is helping 18 families to survive in this harsh, often violent corner of DRC. But the co-operating churches have a big vision for this plot of land.
"We want to create a place where we can raise fish," says Pastor Ulul. "And if we have enough people to support the project, we want to build houses for the people with HIV, and multiply other projects like . . . raising chickens, goats and sheep."
To make it all happen, ACLS will need to redouble its fundraising efforts—while relying on God to touch hearts and provide the needed resources God has already touched Kahindo Jolie's heart. The ACLS secretary, who attended a Kande seminar in 2009, has grown to love the workers she oversees and finds great joy in serving them.
"In general, people with HIV are not happy," says Jolie. "But when you come to them . . . you talk together, you smile together, you eat together—they become your friends and you become their friend. I feel very happy when I approach them . . . and I want to be with them a lot."
But Jolie knows that any help the agency can provide is only temporal. That's why she and her ACLS co-workers are careful to plant another kind of seed.
"We also teach them the Word of God," she says, "because they must have faith in God."
Pirwoth Ulul worked as a translator with the journalists of Wycliffe Canada and helped them to tell this story. It appeared in Word Alive Magazine of Wycliffe Canada.
Further stories
New director for Wycliffe Switzerland
How to Pray for Work in Sensitive Areas of the World


Kendall Jenner wore a white T-shirt that made a strong feminist statement out in public just a few weeks after her Pepsi commercial debacle.
The reality TV star, who did not issue a comment about the Pepsi incident, sported a $710 Dior top that read: "We should all be feminists."
The fashionista completed her look with beige ankle boots, cropped, high-waisted jeans with zippers running down each leg, a snakeskin belt, and stylish narrow sunglasses, People reports.
A portion of the profits from sales of the shirt was reportedly given to pop singer Rihanna's Clara Lionel Foundation.
She was snapped wearing the statement top as she was leaving a photography studio in Los Angeles, the Daily Mail reports. Her sisters Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian were reportedly also present for the group photo session.
The famous siblings then had lunch together at the Little Door restaurant in Beverly Hills.
Jenner was in the controversial hot seat some weeks ago for starring in a "tone-deaf" ad campaign by Pepsi.
The television ad had Jenner participating in an urban protest, which concluded with her handing a policeman a Pepsi as onlookers in the ad applauded in celebration.
The commercial was derided and poorly received by disapproving Black Lives Matter activists, including Martin Luther King Jr.'s daughter, Bernice King, who attacked the nature of the ad.
In a response statement issued after Pepsi pulled the commercial, the soda pop company apologized, claiming it "was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding." The cola giant continued: "Clearly we missed the mark, and we apologize."
The soft drink maker also said it regretted that Jenner was "in this position" as a result of the negative reaction to the ad.
Jenner refrained from issuing a statement on the matter and, reportedly, journalists at Coachella were asked not to question the TV star about it.
According to TMZ, any journalist who dared to broach the issue would "forever be persona non grata."
Jenner was an open supporter of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in the run-up to November's presidential election.
She is not the only star to be seen sporting the tee. Natalie Portman wore hers to the Women's March in Los Angeles, and the shirt has been spotted on several bloggers and fashionable street style women at Paris Fashion Week.
Actress Jennifer Lawrence also modeled the T-shirt in a recent Christian Dior campaign, matching it with jeans and layered necklaces.