Discussion in 'Fish' started by Ed Seeley, 23 Mar 2008.
I'm assuming the Nanochromis transvestitus in your EI article are yours? How long have you had them and any luck breeding them? (or keeping them from killing each other actually!) What size tank are they in?
Hope it proves useful. Ed, I've had 2 pairs of the Nanochromis in that same 6 foot tank for a month or so and I only ever catch a glimpse when one or more of them get chased from the undergrowth by a peer. It was sheer dumb luck that I was even able to catch those two out in the open to snap the photo when I happened to have the camera in hand looking for shots of the stelleta. Two seconds later they both disappeared. They appear to be extremely aggressive but I reckon there is enough room for the losers to get away. It would be like the holy grail if I could get a pair to breed but as you know I only use tap with a GH of 12 or so and a TDS that ranges from 275ppm at water change to about 350ppm by weeks end due to the dosing. I figure I'm way out of range because from what I've read they really like super-soft and super-acid for breeding. Any advice would be appreciated mate.
You're dead right in your thinking on the Nanochromis aggression. My pair a few years ago proved to be homicidal little maniacs! The female beat up the male so badly I thought he was going to die, but the next morning he was still hanging on and had taken it out on the female who was dead. He didn't last more than a couple of days! I know a number of other people, experienced dwarf breeders, who have had very similar experiences so you're doing well!
And you're dead right about the water they come from too. They're endemic to Lac Mai-ndombe in the Democratic Republic of Congo (If it's still called that!). This is part of the Congo drainage system. The lake is huge but shallow and the sandy base is covered in most areas in a thick layer of decomposing plants. This gives black, tannin stained water, apparently the colour of very strong black tea, with undetectable levels of hardness and a pH of 4 to 4.5! Time to crack out the RO unit if you want them to breed!!!! At least they look very healthy and you're one up on most people who keep them! When I get a six foot plus tank they are very near the top of the list to breed!
Time to crack out the RO unit if you want them to breed!!!! At least they look very healthy and you're one up on most people who keep them! When I get a six foot plus tank they are very near the top of the list to breed!
I'm seriously tempted mate! But zero GH? There must be some upper TDS limit that would give me a fighting chance, no? That would complicate water change day by a factor of 10!
I'll do some digging to work out a possible upper range. It has been bred in captivity. I'll also try and split this bit into a new thread in the fish section too so we don't clutter up your article thread, ok?
Apparently you can get away with a GH of about 2 but unless the pH is below 5.5 they don't breed successfully! Seems like pure RO water and peat in the filter is the only way! Maybe you might be better to set up a smaller breeding tank, get the female in breeding condition and then put a pair in there temporarily? As soon as they spawn you could move the male back to the main tank and keep your fingers crossed! A lot of hassle though!
I really think that CO2 induced pH changes are very different to those caused by other dissolved substances, after all a swing of pH when you turn CO2 off or on doesn't seem to effect the fish at all. I wouldn't want to try adding enough humic acid (or otherwise) to induce a 1 degree pH swing in an hour or so!
I always assumed adding anything would increase the TDS, but apparently the use of certain acids, such as those liberated by peat actually lowers them; I don't understand this completely, yet - but I'm working on it!
My breeding tanks are pure RO water and with peat a pH of 5.5 isn't too hard to maintain. I think the main area for extra complications (especially for you) could be the TDS (if that is critical) as I have found that one thing that really ups the TDS is adding dry fertilisers! The TDS in my cube with killis in went from a TDS of 80 (when just using RO water and a small amount of RO Right) to over 350 when doing EI with over 50% weekly water changes! I'm going to find out the hard way when the new fish for my Rio arrive - I have 4 wild Biotoecus sp.'Tapajos' arriving next week and they need very, very low TDS to breed successfully. If they are happy with the ferts then I think the Nanochromis should be fine.
Yes, the powders really do drive the TDS through the roof. Driving the pH using CO2 was never a problem for me with the more common Apistogrammas. They bred in this tank without the use of peat. It seems inconceivable to me that peat lowers TDS but if it works I'd have to give it a try.
I'll definitely be interested in how you get on with the Tapajos.
So will I! The guy I'm getting them off bred Biotoecus and he sent me a couple of articles as there's not much info on these guys. Part of it got my attention, "The water in these blackwater habitats is extremely soft and acidic with a pH value of between 4.5 and 5.5 and a conductivity nearly always less than 30 μS. Temperature fluctuates seasonally but is always relatively warm and in the region of 84 °F." Other bits from it show that the water values at every collection point had GH and KH at less than 1 degree.
He reckons my tank water will be fine for keeping them, I'll just probably need to alter it for breeding. Or move a pair out to a breeding tank I suppose.
Although live plants are always considered to make fish feel more at home, I've read that in nature many areas have no plants due to the blackwater lowering light levels too much and from water you're saying, the very low nutrients/salts in the water is maybe another factor.
Is it possible that peat adsorbs salts from the water? Does adding tannins/tannic acid produce a different effect to adding peat?


In the spread in Self, Serena wears an array of dazzling swimsuits, showcasing her great abs.
Halep, who had already seen Dion in concert, opted not to attend.
Plus, Venus' packing skills, McHale's well-written opponent roundup and Sharapova at the Forbes Under 30 Summit.
Plus, the pros help save puppies, inside Venus' brand and a hot, new doubles team.
Federer fan Anna Wintour couldn't resist these two stars.
The 17-time Grand Slam champion's new racquet, and his high-priced hair, may surprise you.


Recently, Ukrainian women have started seeking husbands abroad more actively and this is really good fact for the men who seek splendid looking girl in Eastern-Europe. The most popular cities to tours in search for Ukrainian bride are big Ukrainian cities.
According to international dating sites, the inhabitants of Donetsk, Kharkiv, Dnepropetrovsk and Kyiv, marry foreigners pretty often.
Ukraine has become a popular destination to look for foreign mates in recent years. According to statistics, a great number of men, who desire to unite their destiny with the Ukrainian citizens, are from Spain, Israel, USA, Turkey and Germany.
As it turned out at one of the meetings of the Knesset Commission, in support of status of women, more than 300 men only from Israel come to Ukraine annually searching a bride. Today there are dozens of international dating sites which specialize in organizing wedding tours to Ukraine, chiefly in Kherson and Odessa.
Is it really easy to find a bride through international dating sites?
At the same time, according to marriage agencies stats of Lviv, Donetsk and Kiev, in the conditions of crisis the quantity of people wishing to find overseas man has increased by half this year. As the representative of one international marriage Agency says, Ukrainian women have been more demanding of candidates: "Marriages with foreigners are a really frequent matter. And it is not so simple to locate female clientele, as a woman, marrying a foreigner, requires sacrifices – cause these ladies leave her family, friends, career." According to Ministry of the justice stats, over the last four years in Ukraine, there were almost 19 thousand marriages with foreigners.
Why Slavic women are so popular at the international dating sites?
The cost of the tour in three cities of Ukraine differs from agency to agency. The market of brides for foreigners is stretched out on the floor of the globe: far from the Philippines to Eastern Europe. But even in such a wide range, Slavic women stand apart. Why? Professional matchmakers say that they figured out this mystery long ago. Our women know how to love and how to be real princesses. They have such a feature. Western psychologists who work for international dating sites state more pragmatic. Foreigners are looking for a combination of European beauties and such traits as flexibility, obedience which is a part of Slavic brides character.


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Home Article Squaring the Circle in Afghanistan
Squaring the Circle in Afghanistan
Is the next major offensive in Kandahar a misguided application of counterinsurgency?
by Matthew Yglesias
The war in Afghanistan isn't a major front in partisan political struggles, so it's substantially slipped off the radar. But the U.S. military is already in the early phases of what will soon (exactly how soon is secret, of course) be a major new offensive in the Taliban stronghold province of Kandahar, and most indications are that it's going to go badly. The problems with the planned operation are in some respects complicated, but they mostly boil down to the fact that the best evidence available -- like an Army-commissioned poll reported on by Wired's Nathan Hodge on April 16 -- indicates that the local population wants nothing to do with it. The Taliban is more trusted than the local government: 85 percent of Kandaharis describe them as "our Afghan brothers," and 94 percent say it would make more sense to negotiate with the Taliban than to intensify fighting. Naturally, we're going in guns blazing.
Or, to be fair, we probably won't be. Instead, all indications are that in keeping with Gen. Stanley McChrystal's dictates, the operation will be undertaken with the utmost attention to local sentiment and counterinsurgency principles. The problem -- which is a microcosm for our strategy in Afghanistan writ large -- is that there seems to be much more interest in demonstrating the utility of counterinsurgency in action than in recognizing that COIN principles point to simply not launching the operation.
After all, the polling indicates that the battle for the loyalty of the population has already been decisively lost. Turning the situation around would, if possible, be an impressive achievement. But it would be impressive mostly in the same sense that climbing Mount Everest is impressive -- impressively difficult rather than impressive because it achieves anything particularly vital.
And part of what makes it so difficult is that our basic posture is riddled with contradictions. A recent report from the Institute for the Study of War, Kimberly Kagan's counterinsurgency-oriented neoconnish think tank, concluded that "Ahmed Wali Karzai's influence over Kandahar is the central obstacle to any of [International Security Assistance Force]'s governance objectives." Who's Ahmed Wali Karzai? Why, he's governor of the province! He's also the brother of Afghanistan's president, Hamid Karzai. Establishing the authority of the Karzai brothers' national and provincial governments in the face of the fact that Karzai himself is a key impediment to our goals would be a neat trick -- but so would drawing a square circle.
And, indeed, Joe Klein recently reported that "the level of optimism emanating from ... McChrystal's headquarters in Kabul stands in near delusional contrast to the situation in Kandahar as it is being experienced by troops and civilian workers on the ground."
Klein attributes McChrystal's high hopes to his background in special operations and to the fact (if it is a fact; it's hard to know) that secret special-forces missions are being extremely successful at killing midlevel Taliban leaders whom McChrystal thinks may be obscuring the political issues. A more disturbing possibility is that information simply isn't filtering correctly. I've heard stories of midlevel administrators professing ignorance of the bad polling news, and of top policy-makers learning things from magazine articles that somehow weren't in their official classified briefings. These sorts of problems can arise in large, hierarchical organizations -- which the U.S. military certainly is -- in which superiors depend on subordinates for information, but subordinates know that the incentives aren't always there to push bad news up the chain of command.
I worry that Afghanistan is being conducted too much as a proving ground for counterinsurgency concepts without enough attention paid to what can be accomplished at a reasonable price.
Concluding that there's no particularly good reason for the United States to undertake a major military operation in a province where we're not wanted on behalf of a government so corrupt that its own leader is described as a major impediment to our obstacles need not mean abandoning the country to the Taliban. The realistic alternative would be to simply focus our efforts on where we are wanted. Afghanistan is an ethnically and ideologically diverse country, much of it has no desire to be once again ruled by the Taliban, and we have a strong moral obligation to help those people as well as a practical interest in demonstrating our capability to provide help when asked. But nothing about that requires us to launch a likely futile new offensive in hostile territory. If anything, it calls for the opposite. If we insist on pursuing a long-odds approach, then sooner or later the voters will start paying attention again, the anti-war backlash will be fierce, and it will be politically impossible to sustain any kind of commitment to Afghanistan.
Matthew Yglesias is a senior editor at the Center for American Progress Action Fund and a former Prospect staff writer.
Read more by Matthew Yglesias

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Department of CSE and IT organized Workshop on the topic ADVANCED WEB DEVELOPMENT USING OPEN SOURCE TECHNOLOGIES on 07-08-18. The session was handled by Miss.Priyadharshini who is currently working as Isysway, Thanjavur. Third Year students and Faculty from Department of IT and CSE have attended the workshop and get hands on Training in web design.


The NHS serves a million patients every 36 hours, spending over £120bn annually. While the NHS benefits from some of the best local and organisational leadership and innovation, there is also widespread unwarranted variation which affects patient outcomes, service costs and overall productivity.
In February 2016, Lord Carter's report on unwarranted variation in acute NHS trusts was published. It highlighted the opportunity to save up to £5bn if unwarranted variation can be tackled and all providers' cost bases were at the median level.


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Nigeria Tourism /
Nigeria's Cultural Tourism
The culture of Nigeria is shaped by Nigeria's multiple ethnic groups. The country has 527 languages, seven of them are extinct. Nigeria also has over 1150 dialects and ethnic groups. The six largest ethnic groups are the Hausa and Fulani in the north, the Igbo in the southeast, and the Yoruba predominate in the southwest, the Tiv people of North Central Nigeria and the Efik - Ibibio. The Edo people are most frequent in the region between Yorubaland and Igboland. Many of the Edo tend to be Christian. This group is followed by the Ibibio/Annang/Efik people of the coastal south southern Nigeria and the Ijaw of the Niger Delta. Nigeria's other ethnic groups, sometimes called 'minorities', are found throughout the country but especially in the north and the middle belt. The traditionally nomadic Fulani can be found all over West and Central Africa.
The Fulani and the Hausa are predominantly Muslim while the Igbo are predominantly Christian and so are the Efik, Ibibio, and Annang people. The Yoruba are equally likely to be either Christian or Muslim. Indigenous religious practices remain important to all of Nigeria's ethnic groups, and frequently these beliefs are blended with Christian beliefs, a practice known as syncretism.
2. Nairaland


Coffee With Hallelujah: INTERPLAY ALCHEMY PLAYSHOP BEGINS!
Hallelujah for Cynthia Winton-Henry and Phil Porter, the founders of InterPlay! Hallelujah for this amazing improvisational system of InterPlay that informs my LIFE. And Hallelujah for the amazing people in the metro-Atlanta area that have come together to play in my first InterPlay offerings here in Decatur, Georgia!
How thrilling it is to walk through the doors at the Decatur First Christian Church and see my playshop on its modest signpost announcing InterPlay! Finding an available spacious sunny room in this church that embraces my city of Decatur from atop a grassy hill across the street from the post office is a dream come true for me. I can reach this civic-minded church by foot from my home within a 10-minute stroll.
To make it even better, the church secretary, Sherry Davis, and the senior pastor, Rev. Dr. James L. Brewer-Calvert, are such warm, welcoming people and have greeted our InterPlay group with smiles and curiosity. We are so lucky!
And me? I am having a grand time with the 12 participants who so willingly signed on to meet with me for 8 consecutive Tuesdays for two hours to explore what I meant by the course title, "InterPlay Alchemy: The Creative Magic of the Embodied Soul."
What a privilege it is to distill my gleanings from the InterPlay training I've received from such kind, patient, playful wise people. What an honor to experiment with that knowledge by leading others into play and discovery!
I am so excited. And very thankful!
That's Coffee with Hallelujah! SOUL BLOG with me today and share your ideas about InterPlay or play or dance!
Congratulations Ruth! Your passion and commitment are such a gift to our Atlanta InterPlay community and to the larger InterPlay community as well.We are so lucky to have you!


Mr. Jimmy Moore came before the Board to request the Board implement a noise ordinance in Gordon County. He commented that he has neighbors that play loud music at night past bedtime. He has called before and the Sheriff's Department has come, but now they are saying it is not handled by their department and should be handled by the Ordinance Officer. The Ordinance Officer advised him that he does not have an ordinance that covers this. County Attorney Ledbetter advised the Board that Mr. Moore showed him some photos that show what looks like hundreds of vehicles out there on Saturday night and there are outdoor loudspeakers. The neighbor says these are all family members. County Attorney Ledbetter advised that this needs to have more investigating attention based on what Mr. Moore has shown him. Also that he and the Code Enforcement officer will get with Mr. Moore to try to help him get some relief and make sure that the property owners are being good neighbors. Noise ordinance are difficult to define what an obnoxious noise is because it is somewhat subjective.
The Board discussed a tentative millage rate for the County and a date to hold a meeting to approve the millage rate. Following a discussion, there was a consensus of the Board to roll back the millage rate to 9.853, advertise this in the paper, and re-schedule the September 6, 2016 Regular Meeting date to September 13, 2016, at which time the Board would officially adopt the millage rate.
There being no further business, the Work Session adjourned at 5:50 p.m.


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Marlins advance to regional semifinal with win over Yulee
by: Emma Stamps
Posted: Feb 12, 2020 / 10:33 PM CST / Updated: Feb 12, 2020 / 10:33 PM CST
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB)– The Arnold boys soccer team beat Yulee 5-0 on Wednesday night in a Class 4A State Tournament regional quarterfinal game.
The Marlins will play West Florida on Saturday night for a rematch of this season's district championship game.
NCAA golf returns with Camp Creek Seminole Invitational
by Emma Stamps / Jan 17, 2021
WATERSOUND, Fla. (WMBB)-- NCAA men's golf made its official return to play since the pandemic began at Camp Creek Golf Club on Sunday in Watersound.
The Florida State men's golf team is hosting the Camp Creek Seminoles Invitational men's ACC tournament.
Hundreds of adult flag football teams compete in world championships at Panama City Beach Sports Complex
by Courtney Mims / Jan 16, 2021
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) - Around 400 adult flag football teams are competing in the Flag Football World Championships at the Panama City Beach Sports Complex this week.
Men's, women's and Co-ed teams are playing in multiple divisions from Thursday to Monday.
Bay County Disc Golf Club hosts 2021 kickoff tournament at Majette
PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) - The Bay County Disc Golf Club held their first tournament of 2021 on Saturday at Majette.
They had around 90 disc golfers participate in this year's Bay County Kickoff event and nine pro players.


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Brown 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport ES FWD CVT 2.0L I4 SMPI DOHC 16V LEV3-ULEV70 148hp Accessory Carpeted Floor Mats & Portfolio, Accessory LED Foglights, Automatic temperature control, Brake assist, Cargo Net, Cargo Package (G7), Electronic Stability Control, Radio: AM/FM 7.0`` Touch Panel Display Audio, Reversible Cargo Mat.
Pearl White 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport LE 4WD CVT 2.0L I4 SMPI DOHC 16V LEV3-ULEV70 148hp 4WD, Accessory Tonneau Cover, Automatic temperature control, LED Illumination Package, Radio: AM/FM 7.0`` Smartphone Link Display Audio, Steering wheel mounted audio controls.


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Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has a dilemma over the right-back position for the first leg of the Hoops' Champions League last-16 clash with Barcelona at Parkhead tomorrow.
New signing Andreas Hinkel is cup-tied while long-term injured full backs Jean-Joel Perrier Doumbe and Mark Wilson are still out.
Teenager Paul Caddis could therefore make his Champions League debut although midfielder Paul Hartley or centre-back Gary Caldwell could fill in.
Midfielder Scott Brown is suspended so Barry Robson could make his European debut for Celtic after signing from Dundee United in the January transfer window.
O'Dea, Sno, Hartley, Caddis, Riordan.


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Who will be the biggest signing of the 2019 summer transfer window?
It was only a couple of months ago that the January transfer window shut and soon it will be time for the summer window to open.
It is understood there are a number of mammoth deals involving several high profile players being planned.
A number of top superstars are all likely to be subjects of interest, with each of them commanding fees of at least £50million.
But who are the men set to switch clubs for enormous fees? Find out below.
The reappointment of Zinedine Zidane will only strengthen Real Madrid's case in their quest to finally land the Belgium captain.
France legend Zidane is Hazard's idol and he only has 12 months remaining at the end of the campaign on his contract at Stamford Bridge.
The 28-year-old has given no indication he is willing to extend his spell with Chelsea and with the club struggling in the Premier League and almost certain of missing out on another season in the Champions League, Hazard could realise his dream move.
It is no secret that Real Madrid want to rebuild their squad this summer after a disastrous campaign, which sees them currently third, 12 points behind leaders Barcelona, while they were also dumped out of the Champions League by Ajax.
It is believed Spurs' playmaker Eriksen is unlikely to sign a new deal with Spurs and the possibility of him joining Real is a 'very strong possibility'.
The Dane is a classy operator, similar to Luka Modric, who himself was brought to Spain from White Hart Lane.
The Red Devils have long been linked with the France international and he almost made the move to Old Trafford in 2017, but the Spanish club were handed a transfer ban and Griezmann remained.
It is believed Griezmann is unhappy with how Atletico surrendered a two-goal advantage and were dumped out of the Champions League by Juventus.
The 28-year-old is wanted by several European clubs, including Barcelona and PSG, but United are the favourites at the moment.
Uncertainty surrounds the Argentine's future after a difficult season in Turin and it understood Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp wants another forward.
Dybala, still rated among the most talented players in Italy, has often found himself on the bench this season following Juventus' marquee signing of Cristiano Ronaldo in 2018.
According to Italian outlet Tutto Mercato, the Reds are pushing hard to get a deal for the 25-year-old agreed before the summer transfer window.
Just 18 months after his move from Liverpool, Barcelona are set to cut their losses on the Brazilian who signed for £142million.
Coutinho has struggled to make an impact since arriving at the Camp Nou and the 26-year-old is apparently not keen on a move back to the Premier League as his family failed to settle in England, with PSG a more likely destination.
The French giants are another side keen to enhance their already impressive squad after the Champions League they so desperately want, eluded them for yet another season.
German midfielder Kroos, who has struggled for form this season, has been linked with a £68m move to join Neymar and co. in Paris and he could very well decide it is time for a new challenge after five trophy-laden years at the Bernabeu.
The Napoli defender has been heavily linked with a move to a top European club in recent months and Manchester United are reportedly considering smashing their transfer record to sign the Senegal international, who was also a target for Chelsea last summer.
An imposing 6ft 5ins, Kalidou Koulibaly has made quite the impression since moving to Italy from Belgian side Genk in 2014 and his presence would be a massive statement of intent from United.
It is not the first time Bale has been linked with a move away from the Bernabeu, but it actually seems a real possibility he could come back to the Premier League for the first time since 2013.
Despite his success in Spain, the four Champions League titles, scoring in two of the finals, and the 102 goals, he has never been appreciated by the demanding Real Madrid supporters, who are notoriously fickle, while there has also been criticism from his own team-mates.
Regardless of the fact he will be 30 this summer, the Welshman still has much to offer and would be a huge signing should he return to England.


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Moncton man charged after $500K in items stolen from public works building: RCMP
A Moncton, N.B. man is facing multiple charges after nearly $500,000 worth of items was stolen from a Riverview township building earlier this month.
The break, enter, and theft incident is believed to have happened Nov. 12 between 12:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m., at a public works building in the area.
According to police, the items stolen include tools, generators and vehicles. Many of the stolen items have been recovered by officers.
An ongoing investigation led to the arrest of Daniel Patrick Whalen, 40, on Monday, say police.
Whalen appeared in Moncton provincial court by video and has been charged with the following:
two counts of theft of a motor vehicle
break and enter with intent
operating a motor vehicle while suspended
On Tuesday, police say he returned to court for a bail hearing where he was remanded into custody. Whalen is scheduled to appear in court again on Thursday.
The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone who suspects a break, enter, and theft, or was in the area at the time of the incident is asked to contact the Codiac Regional RCMP at 506-857-2400 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
No 'n' in Bridgeland: Calgary sign takes another hit
The sign that promotes the inner-city neighbourhood of Bridgeland is missing another letter.
Police in B.C.'s capital are pairing up with mental health workers to better respond to service calls involving people struggling with mental health and substance-use issues.


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The Highwaymen & Lightfoot
Last night on PBS they ran a concert from 1990 of the Highwaymen. As you may recall, the Highwaymen was an incredible group of stars – Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson, all playing together. This show is an absolute must see.
That program also got me thinking. These guys were all slightly older contemporaries of Gordon Lightfoot. Johnny and Waylon passed away. Willie is on hiatus from a tour due to illness. Makes me feel really grateful that Lightfoot is still touring and I can still attend.
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Re: The Highwaymen & Lightfoot
Well said Brian
I watched the same show recently and had similar thoughts. Lizanne and I were looking up all their ages while the show was on. I think our boy could have walked up to a mic and fit right in. We are blessed that we can still catch him live in a wide variety of venues.
One thing we can be sure of is, whatever happens, they will never search for a new lead singer for The Gordon Lightfoot Band.
I always seem to mix up The Highwaymen with another great "supergroup' The Travelling Wlburys
The Traveling Wilburys in 1988
Top: Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty
Bottom: Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, George Harrison
In fact when I read this thread I immediately went to youtube to refind a live recording of the Highwaymen that I had previously enjoyed but could not find the particular one I was thinking of, which is actually one by the Wilburys who have several excellent videos on youtube including
and their "true history of"
As for Waylon he was famously the replacement bass player on the last fateful tour of the Crickets and the loser in a coin toss for a seat on Buddy Holly's ill fated charter plane flight in February 1959 the "day the music died"
I have a very nice Holly Tribute CD on which Waylon did a superb cover of one Buddy's final batch of new songs "Learning the Game"
Yes, the Highwaymen and the Wilburys were two incredible supergroups.
I had heard the story about Waylon Jennings, Buddy Holly and the day the music died, but had forgotten it. Funny how things worked out.
Del Shannonwas asked to replace Roy for their 2nd album, but unfortunately he committed suicide, so they went as a 4 piece for that one. (which sounds like a bunch of outtakes from the solo careers of that time), but still one of my favourite bands (Wilburys, that is)


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Rumour: Google might finally be bringing its apps to Windows
By Muhammad Jarir Kanji Neowin @mjkanji · Oct 5, 2015 05:18 EDT · Hot! with 79 comments
A cease fire between Google and Microsoft might finally be in the cards. After the two companies buried the hatchet last week and agreed to resolve all pending patent disputes, hope might be on the horizon for much more. A long standing inconvenience for Windows Mobile users, Google has, to this day, adamantly refused to bring any of its services to Microsoft's Mobile OS.
Despite the immense popularity of service such as Gmail, YouTube, Google Maps, Hangouts and more, Windows Phone users have had to make do with either unofficial third party apps or use alternatives due to Google's insistence that Windows Phone's marketshare is not large enough to justify the development of apps for the platform. This decision could, of course, also be motivated by the company trying to stifle the growth of Microsoft's aspiring platform.
All of that, however, might soon change. An Arabic site is now reporting that Google allegedly has plans to attend Microsoft's event this week to announce the impending release of some/all of its services on the Windows 10 platform.
While the site's source did not detail whether this would be Windows 10 or Windows 10 Mobile, due to the fact that most Google services are already, in some form or another, available on the desktop, the site is claiming that the announcement is specific to the mobile OS. Moreover, since this announcement is obviously referring to the store, given Microsoft's push for the Universal Windows Platform, it is very likely that if Google brings its apps to the desktop Store, they will be Universal Apps and, thus, also be functional on the phone.
Given the tumultuous history between the two tech giants, this news might seem a little hard to swallow but, put in the perspective of Microsoft's increasingly amicable relations with not only Google but also Apple, and the company's push toward being more platform agnostic under its new CEO Satya Nadella, this news is certainly much, much more likely today than it was a year ago.
Source: W4Hub via WinBeta
The Lumia 950 XL will allegedly have a removable battery
TechSpot: Best Routers of 2015
Microsoft releases Windows 10 Insider Preview build 21292.1010


text:
import errors from 'feathers-errors';

export default function () {
  return (req, res, next) => next(new errors.NotFound('Page not found'));
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The Dallas/Fort Worth Airport recorded 1.34 inches of rain in the last 24 hours, according to the weather service. One of the highest totals was near Justin, with 3.54 inches.
Other rainfall totals included Southlake at 2.36 inches and Rendon, 2.01 inches.
Neighborhoods in southwest Tarrant County received just under a half-inch, Goodwin said.
Rain chances are back in the forecast for Monday. There's a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms for Tarrant County, likely from about 1 p.m. until midnight.
Unfortunately, the rain will not cool it down. The high temperature is expected to be 98 degrees Monday with a heat index of 105.
And North Texas will be baking for the rest of the week. Forecasters are calling for temperatures in the triple digits for the next several days.


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2019-2020 D'Ambrosio Fellows Announced
The Episcopal Academy honored four outstanding teachers in the fourth class of D'Ambrosio Fellows for the 2019-2020 academic year. The Fellowship was created through The D'Ambrosio Fund for Extraordinary Faculty and recognizes outstanding EA educators who have a transformative impact on their students.
This year's Fellows include: Lower School music teacher Deborah Newnham, Hon., Middle and Upper School classics teacher Lee Burnett, Upper School English teacher Lee Billmyer, Hon., and Theatre and Arts Department Chair Dan Clay, Hon.
Established in 2016 by Lou and Kim D'Ambrosio P '17 '18, The D'Ambrosio Fund for Extraordinary Faculty seeks to inspire teachers to achieve the highest level of work with its Fellowship program and by funding professional development activities. This year's class of Fellows joins thirteen others who embody the transformative impact and extraordinary efforts our teachers make every single day at Episcopal.
Mrs. Newnham has inspired generations of EA students to discover their musical talents, find their voice, and gain an appreciation for music. Dr. Locke said of Mrs. Newnham, "EA's youngest musicians have benefitted greatly from her warmth, patience, and talent for 25 years." Mrs. Newnham is highly creative and constantly seeking ways to better connect students with music, including incorporating digital tools, like Garageband, into her curriculum to help students further explore composition and theory.
After being surprised with the honor during LS Chapel, Mrs. Newnham shared, "I am humbled to receive the D'Ambrosio Fellowship. God blessed me with a gift to teach children music. It is my job to use my gift every day." She thanked her colleagues, adding, "It truly takes a village to raise a child."
Dr. Burnett consistently brings the ancient world into the 21st century by demonstrating the Classics' continued relevance in modern times for both MS and US students. Dr. Locke said, "His enthusiasm for his discipline creates a classroom environment that is as fun and joyful as it is challenging and rigorous."
Dr. Bunnett shard how much it meant to him to be recognized with his students surrounding him, "I was really just blown away when Dr. Locke made the announcement in Chapel. When it became clear that he was talking about me (Star Wars and chess were clear giveaways), the students around me in the pews congratulated me and seemed genuinely excited. It was so nice to have them be a part of the occasion."
Mr. Clay has elevated EA's Theatre and Dance department through masterful teaching and direction. He is a dedicated advisor, advocate for the arts at EA, and mentor and friend to his colleagues. Dr. Locke said of Mr. Clay, "Under his direction, our students have accomplished great feats and won many awards, but for this teacher, it's not about that. For him, it is about inspiring students, building confidence, and finding ways to allow each person to shine in their own spotlight."
Mr. Clay was surprised and honored to be recognized, saying, "For dedicated faculty to be celebrated in this way is a testament to the values of our community. We're lucky to have access to such generous professional development, and I feel privileged to be afforded the opportunity to work alongside this group of esteemed colleagues."
In her 34 years at EA, Mrs. Billmyer has connected students with history's foremost novelists and poets, advised numerous clubs, and mentored students with great enthusiasm. Dr. Locke said, "Mrs. Billmyer's unmatched expertise and knowledge help stimulate lively discussions and often lead to students discovering a new passion." She is a true team player; her colleagues describe her as dedicated, selfless, and welcoming, ever-willing to step up and pitch in for her fellow teachers.
After being recognized for the Fellowship, Mrs. Billmyer said, "I remind myself how fortunate I am to work with colleagues I greatly admire and in a school that appreciates the faculty. I have the advantage of stepping into classrooms energized by eager, authentic scholars. Each day is a thrilling adventure when highly talented students at Episcopal fuel my desire to continually improve my craft."
The D'Ambrosio Fund for Extraordinary Faculty rewards excellence in teaching in recognition of the importance of recruiting, retaining, and supporting the very best faculty members. Teachers are central to our children's lives and development, and "extraordinary teachers change lives," Lou D'Ambrosio said, upon the Fellowship's founding in 2016.
Mr. Burnett thanked the D'Ambrosio family for this honor, saying, "The D'Ambrosio Fellowship is really special because it simultaneously celebrates what teachers have been doing and challenges them to grow. It's a pat on the back and also a gentle push to go further through professional development and to collaborate with peers on resources to help other teachers develop their practice."
Mrs. BIllmyer agreed, sharing, "The D'Ambrosio Fellowship provides the incentive to continue growing and finding new ways to inspire students and collaborate with faculty members. I am eager to create and meet new challenges in the world of education because each year expectations increase. Adapting to trends and technology or enhancing the learning environment is part of the growth mindset that requires teachers to step up their performance. This Fellowship affords us the opportunity to take all the necessary steps!"


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Forwarder how to circumvent the risk of FCR? These points must be mastered
Do the international forwarding industry of the people must know what is FCR, FCR? FCR is refers to the freight agent receiving certificate ( Hereinafter referred to as the FCR) , this is when we do international transport a proof of the receipt of the goods entrusted by the customer. International transportation journey faraway and turbulence is unusual, any abnormal situation is possible, the risk value is much higher than other ordinary transport. So how do we avoid FCR risk? This small make up today is to circumvent the FCR to you about the techniques and main points of the risk, let you easily deal with all kinds of emergency. First of all, the FCR is how to? Is the international cargo transport agents association ( FIATA) Recommended international freight agent use of documents, the organization is the proof of receipt of the goods freight forwarders. What situations you will encounter FCR? FCR only appear in the FOB or under EXW terms. In the export business, when the buyer for the famous international supermarket or large construction projects of the purchaser, because of the large number of the order, the cycle is long, an order several times may transport, the buyer to save time and freight, in conclude when buying and selling contract often require the use of FOB price terms or EXW price terms. FCR to control the main characteristics of transport of goods by the buyer, as designated by the buyer the seller deliver the cargo to forwarder, the freight agent package under several containers to the ship company in advance, and then by the freight forwarder is responsible for loading, for the goods arrived at destination, and shall be the responsibility of the shipping agent in destination agent brought the ark, and distributed to different parts of the consignee. Thus: 1, and the shipping company to sign the contract of transport by sea is the freight agent instead of the shipper; 2, after the shipper deliver the cargo to the forwarder, the documents is FCR instead of Marine bill of lading; 3, FCR just for receipt of the shipper, just promise the goods can be shipped to the destination shown on the FCR; 4, the buyer does not need FCR to pick up the goods, no cargo rights protection; 5, the distinction between FCR and negotiability of the bill of lading, only to the named consignee ( Out of the situation you can't resell) 。 What kind of problem FCR will give exporters? The characteristics of the FCR will lead to exporters when encounter problems will be difficult to Sue the buyer: in the actual operation, the FCR usually prominently on the front clear records & other; The goods will be shipped directly to the consignee & throughout; , as long as the shipper accepted the documents, which shall be agreed by the constraints, so use the FCR instead of the bill of lading under the mode of transportation, the carrier to deliver the goods directly to the consignee is neither illegal nor to default, do not need to assume liability to pay compensation for loss of the shipper was. So, the buyer will, even if no pay also may first attempt to pick up the goods. In the process, once appear problem, a lot of time is not clear who to who wrong, but disagreements, buyers will grasp the initiative, advantage of the characteristics of FCR, first pick up the goods, does not affect your sales, at the same time, find a reason, Fault too easy) Temporarily no payment no give money, export manufacturers to bring cash flow pressure, forced into submission. How to avoid the risks of FCR? Understand the FCR mode 1, first of all, in the FCR records & other; The goods will be shipped directly to the consignee & throughout; , belong to the agency appointment contract legal relationship between freight agent and the consignee, cargo agent according to the instruction from the consignee for the consignee to collect the goods, LCL, charter booking, such as work, FCR at this time only have the function of the receipt of goods, rather than the carriage of goods by sea documents. 2, but when the FCR records & other; The goods to the consignee & throughout; That freight forwarder promise according to the transport requirement specified FCR transporting goods to the destination, the shipping agent in a legal status of nvocc, the FCR shall be regarded as transport documents issued by the department of transportation contract. FCR the risk aversion of 1, to understand the FCR above two kinds of different ways of records, will influence the legal status of FCR, when drawn FCR so, the seller may specify & other requirements; The goods to the consignee & throughout; 。 ( But in the case of buyer's designated forwarder, forwarder need to be responsible to the buyer, the operation is more difficult to perform) 2, when signing the sales contract, the shipper don't agree to substitute FCR for Marine bill of lading. The application of the bill of lading generally has nothing to do with the price terms of contract, as long as the trading contract with foreign exchange settlement, bills of lading after the goods by the carrier or the shipment, as long as shipper's request, the carrier should be issued by the bill of lading. 3, to the sinosure insurance application is put forward. Chinese exporters in the contract and payment for FCR, an application may be proposed to sinosure, sinosure credit investigation by the creditibility of the location of the contract party, assessment can be insured amount, within the scope of the regulation can be insured to ensure the accounts receivable. Considering the FCR just receipt, exporters can according to the O/A ( Sell on credit) Terms of payment. 4, using CNF or CIF terms of trade. Contact shipping company or forwarder by the seller, to arrange transport of goods, control right of cargo. Especially for those who are problematic, such as raw materials under tension, price volatility, the order too late, and so on, would rather bear the risk of fluctuations in freight, also want to insist to do CNF. Although the freight fluctuation risk, but, after all, your own forwarder or ship owners do not need to worry, generally do not appear to put a single risk. Edit summary: according to the above small make up for some common problems and risks of FCR explanation, I believe you already know in my heart. FCR risk is a lot of time in case accident happened, forwarding industry friends need to do is how to avoid these risks, how can to minimise the risks brought about by the loss. VIPU international logistics Supply Chain industry for going abroad or home all the year round to provide professional door to door double clear GuanGuoJi logistics service, if you have this demand, can dial the hotline for free.


On the face of it – and a dashed pretty face it is too – Sophia Myles is a bundle of cliches. Blonde of hair, blue of eye and rosy of cheek, she's a vicar's daughter who was spotted in the school play. Then she was studying Jane Austen's Mansfield Park and plays by Harold Pinter; within two years she was acting in the BBC's Mansfield Park with Harold Pinter.
Her looks have prompted comparisons with Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio – but you couldn't call her a dumb blonde. A self-confessed "terrible swot", she was top of her class at school in London and with straight As in her A-levels was about to take philosophy degree at Cambridge. But then – whoosh! – her career took off like a space probe.
Her first television role was as Lady Jane Grey in a BBC adaptation of The Prince And The Pauper. She was 16 at the time – four years younger than Helena Bonham Carter was when she played the 16th-century nine-days queen. Bonham Carter has been bemoaning typecasting, and Myles will have to tread carefully to avoid it. Apart from Susan in Mansfield Park, her costumed English roses include Kate Nickleby in Nicholas Nickleby and Agnes Fleming, Oliver's mother, in Oliver Twist (both for ITV). A minor character in the novel, Agnes was built up as a tragic heroine in Alan Bleasdale's adaptation, though mostly in flashback, having died at the start. Myles's characters are prone to dying young, a misfortune also visited on her as Johnny Depp's wife in From Hell.
This month marks her cinematic debut in a leading role, though as another corseted coquette. In The Abduction Club she stars as Anne Kennedy, one of two wealthy sisters in 18th-century Ireland, pursued by aristocratic but skint young rakes who belong to a club devoted to kidnapping and seducing moneyed maidens with a view to a dowry. But with Anne and Catharine they've bitten off more than they can woo.
We'll be seeing more of them.


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So No One Told You Life Was Gonna Be This Way
Matthew Perry spent years as one of the most famous, most likable, most highly compensated people on television. It nearly killed him.
By Chris Heath
Photography by Ryan Pfluger
To listen to this profile, click the play button below:
To give a sense of what it might be like to read Matthew Perry's remarkable, startling, and heartfelt memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, I'd like to share one particular reader's experience:
A few months after completing the book, Perry was scheduled to record the audiobook version. That was when it struck him that although he had written the book—and he really had written it himself, double thumbing the first half in the Notes app on his phone before finishing the rest on his iPad—he had never actually allowed himself to read it from start to finish. The following day, he would be expected to perform these words into a microphone. Perhaps he should take steps to prepare himself. So he lay on his bed, iPad in front of him, and dove in.
Writing the book had felt freeing. "I was completely honest," he says. "It just fell out of me. It just fell onto the page." But this was the moment when its author discovered that it was one thing to have written the true story of Matthew Perry. It was quite another thing to read it.
"I read it," he says, "and cried and cried and cried. I went, 'Oh, my God, this person has had the worst life imaginable!' And then I realized, 'This is me I'm talking about.…' "
That night, Perry couldn't even bear to be in the same room as his words.
"Because I had to go to sleep," he says, "I actually took the iPad and put it outside my room. Because it was too close, too painful."
Shirt, $1,290, by Zegna at Neiman Marcus. T-shirt, $78, by Hiro Clark.
Yes, this is that Matthew Perry. The one who, a quarter of a century ago, played the endlessly charming, sarcastic, and needy Chandler on the most successful sitcom of its time, Friends (and thus, in a sense, the one who, in the never-ending loop of streaming TV's eternal present, still plays Chandler on Friends). So what on earth could he be talking about? I mean, I daresay you may well have heard a few things about him over the years. That he'd had a bit of a drink problem? Taken a few pills? Gotten a little bit plump? Gotten a little bit skinny? Had an onward career that, in aggregate, more sputtered than soared? But none of that, let's be frank, would be too far from the usual course of such things. In that case, if he's now written a book, won't it just be one more cuddly celeb memoir lightly seeded with guarded feel-good revelations about navigating fame's tightrope and transcending one's demons?
Sure. Absolutely. Well, sort of. Not really. As in, yes, but only in a parallel universe where cuddly celeb memoirs include passages like this:
I've been in therapy since I was 18 years old, and honestly, by this point, I didn't need any more therapy—what I needed was two front teeth and a colostomy bag that didn't break. When I say that I woke up covered in my own shit, I'm talking 50 to 60 times.
"I have to order something healthy," Perry announces. We have arranged to meet for dinner at the private members' club Soho House in West Hollywood, not far from where Perry is renting a home in the hills, while a multi-year renovation of a house he's bought in the Pacific Palisades—"gorgeous view of the ocean, kind of a dream house kind of thing," he explains—is being completed.
Whatever his other woes, Perry remains untouched by poverty. Toward the end of Friends' run, each of its six stars were paid more than $1 million each per episode, and he still has plenty left. "I'm not the kind of guy that's going to go blow a million dollars on something pointless," he explains. Though he'll also tell me—we've known each other for just under three minutes at this point—about one time he did do something financially reckless on a much bigger scale. This involved a previous property purchase, a 10,400-square-foot Los Angeles penthouse totally unsuited to his needs in almost every way other than that it resembled the apartment occupied by Christian Bale's Batman in The Dark Knight. Perry's reasoning, if that is the correct word, was: "Bruce Wayne had a penthouse—I'm going to have one." It didn't take him long to realize "what a stupid mistake that was."
I ask whether it was even fun for a while.
"Maybe the first few days, when you got lost in it. But after that it was like: Why did I do this?"
Perry's phone, lying on the table between us, has a decal of the traditional Batman wingspan logo on it. Perry has, it turns out, a Batman thing. He is a big fan, particularly of the three Christopher Nolan movies, and mentions that he is building a dedicated Batman room in the new house ("a Matt cave," he deadpans), with pool table, big TV, and black couch surrounded by shelves of his Batman paraphernalia. When I press him further about this preoccupation with Batman, Perry simply responds with a surprising assertion.
"I am Batman," he says.
A little confused, I ask him to explain.
"Well, he's a rich loner," he answers. "We both drive black, cool cars." (Perry drove himself here in a 2021 Aston Martin Vantage V8 Roadster, a model he selected for its Batmobile-esque qualities.) "I don't solve crime," he adds. "But I've saved people's lives."
Perry orders the meatball starter, and a burger with no bun, no fries—just a patty and some ketchup—and begins to explain. There's a lot to explain.
Shirt, $600, by Tom Ford at Neiman Marcus. T-shirt, $78, by Hiro Clark. Jeans, $218, by 7 for All Mankind at Neiman Marcus. His own sneakers, by John Varvatos.
The "big terrible thing" that appears in the title of Perry's book, and which lies at its center, is his addiction. "In the dictionary under the word addict," he writes, "there should be a picture of me looking around, very confused."
"It's a book about the rise and rise of my fame, all while battling this horrible addiction," he says. "It's dedicated to 'all of the sufferers out there. You know who you are.' And the point of it is to teach that addiction can hit everybody, and make people feel less alone.…" That's the saving lives he's talking about, the work he has done both in public and one-on-one for many years now, helping others with addiction even as his own struggles have persisted. "There has to be some reason why I'm still here, having done all of this crazy stuff, and I came to the conclusion it's to write a book that will help people who are going through the same thing that I am, or did," he tells me. "Plus, I wanted the general public to realize how hard it was to quit and not be judgmental for people who are using. Because it is really, really hard."
Or, as he puts it in the book: "My mind is out to kill me, and I know it."
"It's not an ego journey or anything like that," he says. "It's the cold, hard truth about being an addict. Who made it. Who has to make it every day. The work you have to put in every day to save yourself from this monster that lives in your brain is a baffling thing to live with."
The bravery of Perry's book is not just in what he says, or how he says it, and how unflinching he is in his commitment to say it, but that he chose to say it at all.
It was only about 18 months ago that Perry started to write, sitting in the back of a car, traveling to a facility in Florida where he was to undergo trauma therapy—"trauma camp," he calls it. He notes in the book's prologue, "I have lived half my life in one form or another of treatment center or sober-living house," and that is just one of the many alarming empirical measures he supplies of the troubles he's faced. For instance: "I have spent upward of $7 million trying to get sober. I have been to six thousand AA meetings…I've been to rehab 15 times. I've been in a mental institution, gone to therapy twice a week for 30 years.…" Likewise: "I've detoxed over 65 times in my life…." Or: "My weight varied between 128 pounds and 225 pounds during the years of Friends. You can track the trajectory of my addiction if you gauge my weight from season to season—when I'm carrying weight, it's alcohol; when I'm skinny, it's pills. When I have a goatee, it's lots of pills." And also: "People would be surprised to know that I have mostly been sober since 2001. Save for about 60 or 70 little mishaps over the years."
What Perry details is the incremental progress of an unraveling beyond his control. For instance, there was that first drink in his backyard with friends at the age of 14 when his friends ended up vomiting but he discovered something else: "I realized that for the first time in my life, nothing bothered me. The world made sense; it wasn't bent and crazy. I was complete, at peace.… I thought; this is what I've been missing. This must be how normal people feel all the time." Then there was the Jet Ski accident on Lake Mead between Friends' second and third season, after which a doctor gave him a single pill. "As the pill kicked in, something clicked in me," he writes. "And it's been that click I've been chasing the rest of my life." Eighteen months later he was taking 55 Vicodin a day.
Aside from anything else, Perry tells me, what he faced was a logistical challenge—each morning he would wake and wonder how he would get that day's pills: "I had, like, eight doctors going at the time. A fake headache here and there, a fake back pain. But I had to do it every day." And it is when we are at our most desperate that we are sometimes at our most inventive. Popular culture is saturated with tales detailing the desperate strategies that those without means sometimes adopt to find the drugs they need, but those with greater privilege have other options; Perry pioneered a particularly ingenious one.
Let's take just this one story to represent the levels of surreal distortion and subterfuge in this period of his life. Over a period of about five years, during peak Friends, he would often make appointments on the weekends to see high-end properties, ostensibly with a view to buying them. Perhaps he was interested in the house, perhaps he wasn't—either way, he had a parallel covert agenda. Finding an opportune moment, at some time during the visit he would slip away. "I would just go into the bathroom when they were somewhere else," he explains. "Because if I said, 'Could I go to the bathroom?' everybody knew that I was in the bathroom." There, he would take an inventory of the current occupier's medicine cabinet, and assess the possibilities. Sometimes there was nothing, but often enough he found the kind of fruit he was seeking. Now he had to decide which, and how much, was ripe for harvest. In his own way, he was careful. He'd check the labels. Best of all were if the pills were out of date—he felt safe taking a whole bunch of those. A brand-new prescription, he wouldn't chance taking more than a couple. "But you do what you need to do," he says. "I counted on the fact that no one would think that Chandler went through my medicine cabinet and stole from me."
As far as he knows, he always got away with that, and he kept doing what he could to hide his wider dissolution—whether pills or drinking. "It was a secret," he says. "Because there was something wrong with me, and I didn't know what. And I couldn't stop or I thought I would go crazy." Still, if he imagined that the fraying seams weren't showing, he was fooling himself. "Everybody knew," he reflects. "The cast of Friends knew. Jennifer Aniston took me aside once and said, 'We know you're drinking'. And I said, 'How do you know?' And she said, 'We can smell it.' And that didn't stop me."
Soon came another of many rehabs, and onward into the decades of yo-yoing summarized in the statistics above. Along the way, there have been sustained periods of relative well-being, but everything crescendoed with a calamitous series of events that kicked off in July 2018 when, after being raced from his latest rehab to the hospital in excruciating pain, Perry's colon exploded. (He had been constipated for 10 days from his body's reaction to drugs taken as both abuse and treatment.) His family was told that he had a two percent chance of surviving the night, and he was in a coma for two weeks. He would remain hospitalized for five months. It was while he was unconscious that he was fitted with a colostomy bag—"a look even I couldn't pull off"—which facilitated the safe routing of solid waste out of his body while his intestines healed. When it worked, anyway. "I would wake up," he tells me, "the bag would have broken again and I had shit all over my face, all over my body, in the bed next door. When it breaks, it breaks. You have to get nurses."
After nine months with the colostomy bag, an operation was scheduled to remove it. (Perry notes that he has had 14 surgeries to date relating to this hospitalization. Perry also lost his front teeth in this period after biting into a piece of peanut-butter-covered toast, and ultimately had to have all of his teeth replaced.) But this first attempt at removing his colostomy bag didn't work. Instead, Perry had to be given a temporary replacement: an ileostomy bag. "Ten times worse. You have to deal with an ileostomy bag 18, 19 times a day. A lot of suicides with an ileostomy bag. People can't take it." The next surgery, soon afterward, thankfully fixed things. "And I've lived without it now for a long time," he says, "and I'm very grateful."
Inevitably, he has been left with plenty of scars. "I'm just getting used to how my body looks," he says. "I look at them with gratitude, because it helped me stay alive. But I have to live my life 24/7 with all of this scar tissue I'm constantly aware of. It feels like I'm doing a sit-up at full stretch all the time."
Are you presuming by now that you know how the rest of this story goes? That, after such a brutal and harrowing experience, sidestepping death by a slither, Perry left the hospital and returned into the world finally cleansed of the impulses that had long tormented him?
If only stories like this had such clean, pure contours. Here is how, in his book, Perry describes what actually happened:
The first time I took my shirt off in my bathroom after returning from the hospital after my first surgery I burst into tears. I was so disturbed by it. I thought my life was over. After about half an hour I got my shit together enough to call my drug dealer.…
When I ask Perry about this, he repeats what one of his therapists likes to say: "Reality is an acquired taste." He knew what he'd survived. But he still wanted drugs. "It didn't matter," he says. "I needed to take them."
That's why he would soon enough end up in yet another rehab, in Switzerland. There, he says, he nearly died for a second time. He tells me that, during a surgical procedure, he'd been given propofol—notorious, Perry notes, as "the drug that killed Michael Jackson"—and his heart stopped. For, he was told afterward, five minutes.
"This huge, strong guy leaped on top of me," Perry says, "and did CPR, and broke eight of my ribs and saved my life."
More recently, Perry says, things have gotten much better. He now insists, for instance, that he will never take OxyContin again because it is lodged in his brain that, if he does, he will end up with a colostomy bag for life.
I inquire whether it's appropriate to ask him how long it now is since he slipped.
"I'm going to keep that to myself," he replies. "It's been a little while."
I ask whether there's anything more he can add to that.
"Just that it's going well now. I understand more now. I'm less ruled by fear now. One of the things I learned is I can handle when bad things happen now. I'm resilient, I am strong, and those things should come very clearly to the reader in the book as well. I am a strong man and I never gave myself credit for that, ever. But now I'm slowly starting to."
Perry will leave Soho House at the end of tonight's conversation carrying the two portions of sticky toffee pudding—"the best dessert I've ever had in my life"—that he is taking back to people waiting at his house. His plan is to watch this year's The Batman (to his surprise, he has accepted this into his approved Batman canon) for maybe the sixth time, though in the end he'll settle down with the John Grisham book he's reading. On the way out, he passes some other guests heading in the opposite direction. In their wake, their muttered words hang in the air.
"It's Chandler…it's Chandler…"
"That happens every day," he says, evidently bristling.
Exactly how Perry feels about the way he's perceived by the world, it's not simple. When he says to me at one point, "It's a very serious book—maybe people will take me more seriously," I ask him whether he doesn't think people take him seriously. He gives the following answer, one maybe offering a snapshot of the twisting, turning contortions inside:
"I do, but maybe more so when they hear all this. You know, the Chandler show, the Matthew Perry show, the 'Ah! Ah! Ah!,' the song-and-dance man, the guy who's funny all the time—I don't have to be that anymore. And I've known that for about 10 years. I don't have to do that. In fact, it's probably pretty annoying to people, so I don't do it anymore. I'm funny when I want to be, but I don't feel the need to be funny."
A whole other seam of Perry's book, as signaled by the …Lovers… in its title, relates to the relationships he has had. This, too, often makes for uncomfortable reading. Perry clarifies to me that only once has a partner dumped him, a circumstance he didn't take too well: "I lit candles in my house and drank and drank and drank over that, for about two years." Instead, his practiced routine has always been to preempt this possibility by breaking up with people before they can do the same to him, to obviate the rejection he fears will leave him—the word he chooses—"annihilated."
Perry spells out to me how it goes: "I break up with them because I'm deathly afraid that they will find out that I'm not enough, that I don't matter, and that I'm too needy, and they'll break up with me and that will annihilate me and I'll have to take drugs and that will kill me. That's why I break up with these wonderful women that have crossed my path. You know, I'm not being dramatic when I say there's 10 women on the face of the planet that I would kill to be married to. Who I've gone out with and broken up with. And now they've all moved on, all of them, and are married and have kids. And you're not supposed to look in the rearview mirror because then you'll crash your car. But I looked in the rearview mirror and I was like, they're all gone. They're all happy, which is great, but I'm the one who's sitting in a screening room by myself. And there's no lonelier moment than that."
In the book he doesn't name most of the women who have slipped in, and then out, of his life, but there are exceptions. For instance, he refers in passing to a brief encounter he says took place the summer before Friends was first broadcast: "a make-out session in a closet with Gwyneth Paltrow." When I mention this circumstance to Perry over dinner, he says, "hopefully, she'll find it to be a cute story…it'd be bad if Gwyneth Paltrow hated me; I wouldn't like that." Friends-centric readers will presumably be interested in one relationship that did not occur. In the book, he reveals that he and Jennifer Aniston had first met through people they knew three years before Friends, and that he had asked her out but been rebuffed. Finding himself on the same show, his interest rekindled. "I realized that I was still crushing badly on Jennifer Aniston," he writes. "Our hellos and goodbyes became awkward. And then I'd ask myself, How long can I look at her? Is three seconds too long?"
"That was a fun crush that never really was taken seriously," Perry tells me, "because of a ridiculous disinterest from her. And it wasn't like I longed for her. I just thought she was beautiful and great, and so I had this kind of little-kid crush on her. And then it waned, you know. After she got married, I was like, well, that's it, I'm ending this crush right here and now." (Historical fact: Aniston started dating her future husband, Brad Pitt, before Friends' fifth season.)
I ask Perry whether he's ever told Aniston how he felt?
I ask what she'll think to discover it?
"She'll be flattered," he suggests, "and she'll understand."
Lisa Kudrow wrote his book's introduction—"the first time I'm hearing what living with and surviving his addiction really was," she explains—but he says his other costars haven't read it. "Nor do I think that they will," he tells me. I express my incredulity. "Why would they read it?" he asks. "I don't know. Because, you know, who cares? Addicts are going to care about this, and fans of Friends are going to care about this. But the cast is not going to really care about this."
"Alcoholism doesn't decipher between the super wealthy or the guy who lives in the rent-controlled apartment. It doesn't care."
The relationship on which Perry lingers longest is with Julia Roberts. He describes their extended initial flirtation by fax—as he summarizes it to me, "the courtship is unbelievably romantic"—and refers to a day they spent together on New Year's Eve 1995 in Taos as "the day I wish I could live over and over again." But eventually, as ever, Perry called things off. "I can't begin to describe," he writes, "the look of confusion on her face."
I ask him how he actually told Roberts.
"We were driving in a car and being chased by paparazzi," he answers, "and I said, 'I want to break up with you.' Because I think she fancied herself slumming it with TV Boy. And then TV Boy just broke up with her. And you know that the reason I did that was purely out of fear. I needed to get out."
And what was her immediate reaction?
"She was upset. And couldn't believe it."
Have you discussed it with her since?
Do you run into her?
"No, I have not run into her. I assume she would be falsely nice. And, you know, I'm sure she's, of course, moved on."
I ask whether Roberts knows he'll be saying any of this in the book.
"No. But I think she'll be flattered because I say nothing but wonderful things about her. And the reason I broke up with her is out of sheer fear. I was like, She's going to dump me any minute, so I should probably dump her first. And that was fear-based and probably stupid. But that's what I did."
It is essential to Perry's hard-fought understanding of what afflicts him that it is not a character flaw or a weakness, it is a disease.
"That's what alcoholism is," he says. "It doesn't decipher between the super wealthy or the guy who lives in the rent-controlled apartment. It doesn't care. It just goes randomly to whoever has the gene. And that's a message I want out there." In a way, the most painful parts to read of his book are when he repeatedly returns to the theme of what he would renounce to not be as he is: "I would give up all the money, all the fame, all the stuff…to not have this disease, this addiction." I think he keeps saying it in different ways because he knows full well how hard it will be for people to believe him, and he wishes they would.
When I ask him whether it feels unfair to him that this is the brain he ended up with, his answer comes quickly, and firmly. "Yes," he says. "It does."
I further ask Perry what people misunderstand about him.
"That I'm weak," he replies. "That I want to party all the time. That I have no will. You know, all the misconceptions people have about addicts." He likes to imagine a world where he will be remembered less for Friends—"Friends being an absolutely wonderful experience"—than for helping others get sober.
"If somebody says 'How are you?' and I say 'I'm fine,' that's how you know that I'm in trouble. If I have a big goatee, I'm in trouble."
These days, he plays a lot of pickleball, hangs out with friends, gets into shape, goes to the movies. And sometimes he writes. Aside from this book—which, I suspect, may make more of a mark than he yet realizes—he has written for TV and wrote a play that was produced in London and New York. He recently wrote a movie script, One Year Later, that he wants to direct, in which a couple break up and the girl is about to marry "the wrong guy." When he wrote it, he imagined that he'd play the right guy. "And then realized I was 20 years too old to play the part," he says, laughing. "Because these are mistakes that 30-year-olds make, not that 53-year-olds make." Not typical 53-year-olds, he means. "I make them!" he clarifies.
Though in his own life he believes that he's now worked out enough of "these core fears" that the mistakes of his past need not determine his future. "It took decades to do it, but I have," he says. "I believe that I am enough, and I believe that I'm not too needy, and I believe that I do matter." And so he can now say this: "I know that the next person I date, if it's good, will be significant, because I'm no longer mired in those kinds of fears. So I'm looking forward to that. I'm not out on the hunt for it or anything, but if it happens it'd be nice." He'd like to start a family. "I think I'd be a great dad. And now I think I'd be a good husband. But not back then."
Perry tells me that he could say that this is the happiest he's ever been, and then quantifies it as a 7 on a scale of 1 to 10. "Which'll probably be the highest I'll ever get," he says. "Maybe if I had a kid it would move me up."
Conversely, he clues me in on some of the signs that might indicate that things were heading in the wrong direction.
"There's little hints," he says. "If somebody says, 'How are you?' and I say, 'I'm fine,' that's how you know that I'm in trouble. If I have a big goatee, I'm in trouble."
What are the other telltale signs?
"Being too thin. Being too fat. Falling down flights of stairs. Those kinds of things."
He starts to describe what could happen. "Like, if I decided to take OxyContin now—first of all, I wouldn't do it because of the colostomy bag fear—but if I decided to take opiates now, narcos, Vicodin, any of those, I'd have a really, really good month, because it gives you energy and it makes you feel good. I'd have a good month. And then I'd be completely fucked up."
Just hearing Perry spell this out so methodically is sufficiently alarming enough that I reflexively blurt out: Please don't.
"I won't," he replies.
Chris Heath is a GQ correspondent.
Watch Now:
10 Things Matthew Perry Can't Live Without
PRODUCTION CREDITS:
Photographs by Ryan Pfluger
Styling by Andrew Vottero
Hair by Sierra Kener for 901 Artists
Grooming by Sonia Lee for Exclusive Artists using La Mer and Oribe
Tailoring by Yelena Travkina
Produced by Annee Elliot Productions
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text:
A young adult
fantasy series
by Virginia Burton Stringer
Begin the Adventure
MAAGY Heir in the Mirror
MAAGY Heir in the Mirror sets the stage for what is to come for thirteen-year-old main character Princess Melania Abigail Alice Grace – Maagy – as she begins her journey toward womanhood. Foreshadowing of her mysterious heritage and complicated future is strategically placed within the pages of adolescent exploration and budding romance. Pivotal characters are introduced and hints toward impending conflicts are woven into this seemingly innocent tale of an impetuous little princess and her elderly father. Dark secrets surrounding Maagy's mother begin to fester deep anger. This is not a novel for speed reading. Every chapter is a carefully planned clue.
"I have loved this book so much that I have recommended it to my friends that have teenage girls, but this is a book for all ages!"
- Cynthia A.
"The precocious little Maagy delights the reader as she whirls her way through every adventure while learning what it means to become a woman. This book series is a must read!"
- Eric H.
"Loved reading about Maagy's adventures! I can't wait for my daughter to start reading the series too!"
- Nicolette F.
MAAGY Avril in the Mission to Save Krispen
MAAGY ~ Avril in the Mission to Save Krispen begins with a harrowing event that leaves Maagy despondent and mistrustful. Her faith in everything and everyone is challenged by circumstances beyond her control. Moreover, King Henry is absent. Even Wesley's quirky sense of humor cannot cheer her up. A clandestine adventure with an odd stranger in the middle of the night to save a cherished holiday tests Maagy's courage, grit and guile, as she channels a beloved childhood heroine. This seemingly light-hearted holiday adventure is packed with hints toward Maagy's uncertain future.
"Loved the sense of holiday wonder and charm of this book. Maagy is getting in touch with her reality while igniting the believer in us all!"
"It was exciting to see her develop friendships and use her sharp wit to work her way through a mystery. It was also great to see her start to deal with a crush on a boy and dealing with heartbreak. It shows how important friendships can be."
- E. Frishe
"I have been waiting for this continuation of the series and I was not disappointed. Interesting twists make this a must read for all ages."
- William N.
MAAGY in the Change of Heart
MAAGY in the Change of Heart exemplifies pubescent angst. Life turns dark and scary, as Maagy becomes aware of the adult world around her. Lingering nightmares continue to plague her. Her father's refusal to discuss her mother drives Maagy to become belligerent and mischievous. Life becomes a roller coaster of emotions. Just when it seems her future is clear, her heart is broken on the most important night of her life, setting her on a path no one could have predicted. Strategically placed dark undertones lay the groundwork for Maagy's tumultuous journey toward maturity, as her world is once again tossed into chaos.
"[I felt] like I was right there with Maagy, learning about her mysterious past and feeling the sorcery along with it."
- Patricia L.
"I genuinely could not put this book down once I got started ... This book really had it all, showing that a spoiled, impetuous young brat can rise to and exceed everyone's expectations of her, including the expectations she had for herself."
"Beautiful imagery and a powerful message of self discovery and strength as Maagy finds her purpose."
MAAGY in the Secret of the Charm
MAAGY in the Secret of the Charm begins with a sixteen-year-old princess caught up in a confusing scenario. Nothing in her idyllic life has prepared her for what she is about to discover in the forbidden east tower, as she is thrust into a vision of her ancestors' enigmatic history; sending her on yet another fantastic adventure. Once again, her faith is challenged, but this time, by her own father who reveals ugly truths about her mother's death, her own unusual heritage of sorcery, and her mysterious future as Elita, the Chosen One. Deepening anger drives Maagy toward a path in blatant defiance of her father, as their relationship takes on new dimension and her destiny is revealed.
MAAGY in the Quest of Faith
BOOK FIVE
MAAGY in the Quest of Faith thrusts Maagy into complicated political and romantic situations, as her adolescent defiance prevents her heart from relenting to her true feelings. She has disappeared from Academy in the middle of the night. An unexpected encounter makes her skin crawl, as other nefarious individuals become aware of her extraordinary heritage. Her astonishing performance as a cadet is further evidence that Maagy is exceptional. However, her Faith Quest, a journey of the utmost physical and mental challenges, will test every ounce of her strength and will. Just as she begins to explore her future and feel in control of it, she must unwittingly begin her journey toward fulfilling her destiny having not yet reached her seventeenth birthday.
MAAGY in the Knight Takes the Throne
MAAGY in the Knight Takes the Throne begins with a horrendous act of aggression toward the royal family that forces Maagy to take control of the crown and wage war against a powerful nemesis before the ink is dry on her diploma. Still only sixteen, she finds herself locked in a sinister game of cat-and-mouse with the emperor of Terrasicus with whom there have been centuries of bad blood between the two families. Her stubborn resistance to outside help coupled with her gross inexperience is a dangerous combination. Maagy must become the soldier she is trained to be.
MAAGY in the Battle of Blood Moon
BOOK SEVEN
Having recovered from a life-threatening injury, Maagy must return to the battlefield to lead her troops. However she must first overcome her own fears and misgivings about her ability to do the job. War rages for almost a year coming to a dramatic end when her mystic charms come to life. The Sword of Aradin, the sapphire amulet and the ruby bracelet unite in one last epic encounter. A flash of white light from the sky brings a stunning end to the fighting. Maagy is left with immeasurable heartbreak that throw her world into darkness and despair. This intense fast-moving adventure includes romance, intrigue, epic battles, and unexplained miracles.
"Although the book series was originally developed and written for younger readers, I (a 69 year old) have enjoyed all of them. This book, by far, is the best one of the series."
"All the characters came back to life as I got into the adventure again. I am in awe! It just gets better and better."
"I am on pins and needles for your next book! My heart is invested in these characters!"
Future Adventures
MAAGY in the Power to Conjure
In the aftermath of devastating losses suffered in war, Maagy must pick up the pieces of her broken kingdom, the valley, and her life and find peace and purpose for living.
Finished & Ready for Publication
MAAGY in the Sword of Aradin
Just when Maagy's world seems bright again, an evil force from the past threatens to destroy everything she has regained. This novel takes a dark and surly turn, as it explores a subject not spoken of in polite society.
Almost Finished
MAAGY in the Castles of Reland
Three years have passed. Maagy's growing desire to explore her powers of sorcery has caused a slight rift in her relationship with her husband, but she is determined to pursue it regardless of the consequences.
MAAGY and the Warlock of Candlewyke Castle
Spins yet another tale in Maagy's on-going responsibility to keep her magic pure and white.
MAAGY is the Last Heir
Jumps into the future for a look at what has come to pass for Maagy and her family. The ending will leave you weeping, as Maagy's story ends the only way it possibly could.
Virginia Burton Stringer
Virginia Burton Stringer is a critically acclaimed playwright and author of The Maagy Series. Ms. Stringer grew up in Mathews, Virginia spending most of her childhood on her grandparent's farm. Her days were filled with freedom to roam and interaction with horses, cattle, chickens, and pigs Grandpa Kris and Grandma Polly are based on her grandparents.
Virginia wrote and published the one-act play, "Can You Hear Them Crying?", Pioneer Drama, in 1992, published in 1994 and still being requested by theatre groups and educators all over the world. She toured the southeastern US with her children's theatre production company Wings Theatre by Young People throughout the 1990s. Her productions, seen by thousands, earned sterling reviews. CYHTC? has been republished in two other books and is used widely for Holocaust education.
Virginia began her YA novel series in 2004 as a short children's play about a bratty little princess and her exasperated father. Her inspiration came from watching her girls grow up and face the many struggles of adolescence. At the same time, her son was coping with two princesses of his own. She began to reflect on the journey of her daughters, as well as her own journey into womanhood in a way that she had not done before, and thus, Princess Maagy was born. It soon became apparent it was not a play, not short, and not for children.
From high school, she attended Virginia Commonwealth University majoring in dramatic art. After a brief career as a professional actor, her interest in science led her to a bachelor's degree in biology from UNC Charlotte. Eventually, however, her career path turned back toward theatre. She turned to directing, writing, and eventually teaching high school drama. Then the Maagy Series was born.
Virginia has been a sponsor for International Thespian Society at two high school; adjudicated ITS competitions at the district and state level for more than 10 years; was a member of Florida Association of Theatre Educators and American Alliance of Theater Educators where she presented teaching and writing workshops at state and national level. She has presented many workshops on Holocaust education to Pinellas County, Florida teachers and Hillsborough County, Florida teachers. Virginia has presented independent theatre and writing workshops to all ages for many years as well.
She currently resides in Florida with her husband Bill and is a proud mother and grandmother.
© 2022 Virginia Burton Stringer