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Welcome to University United Methodist Church! We are located at 3405 Taft Blvd., and it is easy to find our church campus. We are right across the street from the MSU bell tower, on the corner of Taft and Hampstead. Parking is available in the small parking area on the corner of Taft and Irving, or in the large parking area between Hampstead and Irving.


The forerunner of our band was formed in 1873 as the Royal Ancient Order of Foresters Band. In 1917, the name again changed to the Rockhampton City Concert Band, and later again to the Rockhampton City Band.
The band served for a time in New Guinea during the war. Some members of the band were lost in this conflict. One member of that band is still playing with the current band .. Mr. Ken Knowles, who plays trombone with us. The band reverted to the title Rockhampton City Band in the late 1940's.
The band has competed at all grades in competitions throughout the eastern states. Currently, the band competes in C grade. Due to the physical location of Rockhampton, competing usually means many hundreds of kilometres in travel, and the outlay of many thousands of dollars in travel and accommodation expenses. (We're lucky, in that bands from more northern parts of Queensland may have to travel thousands of kilometres to a Queensland contest.) The band has a long and proud history of competition, and pictures adorn the band hall walls of competitions dating back to 1906.
The band has also produced many fine soloists. One of the most successful has been Mr Keith Munns on flugel horn, who won many competitions in Queensland and Australian competition during the 1950's and 60's. Mr Munns is still connected with the band, currently holding the position of President of the band's committee.
A highlight of the band's history was the construction of the band hall in Goss Park, Gladstone Road, Rockhampton, officially opened in 1950. This hall, although changed somewhat in appearance, is still used by the band to this day.
Now known officially as the Rockhampton City Brass Band, the band operates as a self funded organisation, and is not sponsored by any business. A hardworking ladies committee raises funds for the band through a bingo session each Thursday morning, with band members holding another bingo session each Saturday evening. The band has also been successful in obtaining grants from various government and non government organisations in past years, notably from the Jupiters Casino Community Benefit Fund. Funds are also raised through raffles, pie and lamington drives, and other methods.
The band celebrated 130 years of the band's existence in Rockhampton in September 2003. Approximately 100 members and ex members attended the function, during which Keith Munns was granted life membership of the Queensland Band Association, only the eighth person to have been given this honour.
In October 2003, the band won it's first competition in some years.
Competing in C Grade, under conductor Alex Ferguson, the band won the hymn tune, concert program and aggregate trophies at the Nambour Festival of Brass.
In 2006, the band was again successful in competition, this time in the Best of Brass competition in Maryborough, winning C Grade under conductor Rob McEwan.


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Home / News / Holly Elle Shows The World "How A Heart Breaks"
Holly Elle Shows The World "How A Heart Breaks"
RJ Frometa January 12, 2016	News Leave a comment 55 Views
Pop artist, Holly Elle, released her latest single, "How A Heart Breaks," a moving ballad that sheds light on the dark side of love. The song finds the artist venturing into vulnerable territory of heartbreak with what is her most stirring vocal performance yet. "How A Heart Breaks" is now available on iTunes and Spotify.
In her latest single "How A Heart Breaks," Holly Elle reflects on the pain and confusion of the heartbreak of a relationship veering south. Both opening and closing the song with the lines, "I never wanted to be your enemy," Elle relates the realization of the possible consequences of love. "This song is just what it sounds like: the way you can't fathom what it really feels like to have your heart broken until it happens," Elle comments. "And there's nothing you can do, but stand there in the depths of it, say 'ow', and wait to heal." The heavy-hearted melody is driven by Elle's rich and soulful voice and supported by the dramatic accompaniment of classic piano and strings. The ebb and flow of the instrumental and vocal harmonies intertwines, mirroring a merry-go-round of emotions that cuts to the core of the true experience. Elle combined forces with hit producer Isaac Hasson (Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez) in the studio to make this stunning, yet reflective single. Citing vocal influences from artists such as Mariah Carey and Monica, the song "How A Heart Breaks" is Elle's take on classic ballads that shaped her own love for music.
Hailing from Canada, Holly Elle has always been passionate about music. Coming from a musical family, she was introduced to melodies and rhythm at a very young age. Encouraged by her father, she explored music through voice, piano and the clarinet. She found considerable inspiration from classic greats like The Beatles and Mariah Carey. The combination of classical studies, theatre experience and pop inclinations compose a diverse background that shape Elle's music. She received a Bachelors degree in Music Business at Nashville's acclaimed Belmont University while also acquiring vocal training in both classical and contemporary genres. Her music has been licensed by several shows on networks such as MTV and Oxygen, and Music Connection Magazine noted her as one of the country's hottest unsigned artists.
"How A Heart Breaks" goes straight to the heart with Elle's passionate delivery and honest lyrics, proving that while she typically produces more upbeat pop, Holly Elle is as capable of breaking down the walls and pouring her soul into a heartrending ballad. Download "How A Heart Breaks" on iTunes today and keep up with the soulful songstress by visiting HollyElle.com.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: convert xScale from ordinal to time I have a functional chart https://jsfiddle.net/lucksp/crwb4v5u/ that creates the xScale with ordinal() since my x-axis of hours is not using a date object, just strings in 15 minute intervals for a 24 hour period: ['0:00', '0:15', '0:30', '0:45', '1:00', ..... '14:00'... '23:45', '24:00'].
I am at the point of wanting to include a tooltip for the bar & area at once that uses the vertical line which follows the mouse because there are 2 sets of data using 2 different chart types.  Similar to https://jsfiddle.net/ringstaff/dL1qp1t6/ or http://bl.ocks.org/asielen/44ffca2877d0132572cb or http://bl.ocks.org/WillTurman/4631136
In order to do this, one must invert the convert pixel coordinates into ordinal data range. HOWEVER, the ordinal scale does not allow for invert.  So the way to do this is to use the time.scale().
I have tried to model the use of this scale from these examples:

*

*http://jsfiddle.net/hpjqt1dL/4
this gives a nice date object to work with but the d3 parse format errors on the string it receives.

date object example:
var today = new Date();
today.setHours(0, 0, 0, 0);
todayMillis = today.getTime();

data.forEach(function(d) {
    var parts = d.time.split(/:/);
    var timePeriodMillis = (parseInt(parts[0], 10) * 60 * 60 * 1000) +
                           (parseInt(parts[1], 10) * 60 * 1000) +
                           (parseInt(parts[2], 10) * 1000);

    d.time = new Date();
    d.time.setTime(todayMillis + timePeriodMillis);
});

*

*http://bl.ocks.org/anupsavvy/9513382 (click on the blue button to select a date which displays hour intervals)

I like this because it's also using a string "time" but I don't love the way the domain is set:
xScale.domain([new Date(0, 0, 0,dataset[0][0].time,0, 0, 0),new Date(0, 0, 0,dataset[0][dataset[0].length-1].time,0, 0, 0)])

*

*Date parsing: http://jsfiddle.net/aWJtJ/8/
however, I either get an error on the area chart or in the  .attr('width', xScale.rangeBand()) or the axis doesn't render.
var parseDate = d3.time.format("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S");
data.forEach(function(d) {
  d.date = parseDate.parse(d.datestr);
});

So at this point, I am not sure what is causing the issues.  Since this is my first deep dive into d3, I am hoping for additional explanations on how to convert from ordinal to time.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Trump's election unleashed the "animal spirits" that have been absent post-financial crisis. On the surface, this is good for the economy. The US is currently the only major country raising interest rates and enjoying an uptick in inflation.
Trump's proposed fiscal stimulus and structural reforms have added to the optimism. Given all of this, the US is now an attractive place for investors (relative to global markets). The huge inflows into US equity markets since the election are evidence of this.


England forward Jadon Sancho made history with two more goals as Borussia Dortmund beat Mainz to go top of the Bundesliga, for a day at least.
The 19-year-old is the youngest player ever to score 11 Bundesliga goals.
Sancho hit a first-time half-volley from Mario Gotze's cross to put them ahead, then added a deflected second from a Thomas Delaney ball.
Robin Quaison gave Mainz hope and only a remarkable triple save from Roman Burki late on saved Dortmund.
He denied Anthony Ujah three times in 10 seconds, stopping a header, a follow-up shot and an acrobatic volley from the Nigerian substitute on the line.
Dortmund go two points clear of champions Bayern Munich, who can go back to the summit if they win at Fortuna Dusseldorf on Sunday (14:30 BST).
Match ends, Borussia Dortmund 2, 1. FSV Mainz 05 1.
Second Half ends, Borussia Dortmund 2, 1. FSV Mainz 05 1.
Roman Bürki (Borussia Dortmund) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Anthony Ujah (1. FSV Mainz 05).
Axel Witsel (Borussia Dortmund) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Robin Quaison (1. FSV Mainz 05).
Attempt blocked. Jean-Paul Boëtius (1. FSV Mainz 05) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Substitution, Borussia Dortmund. Ömer Toprak replaces Mario Götze.
Attempt missed. Robin Quaison (1. FSV Mainz 05) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Jean-Paul Boëtius.
Foul by Mario Götze (Borussia Dortmund).
Aarón Martín (1. FSV Mainz 05) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Anthony Ujah (1. FSV Mainz 05) right footed shot from very close range is saved in the bottom left corner.
Attempt saved. Anthony Ujah (1. FSV Mainz 05) right footed shot from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt saved. Anthony Ujah (1. FSV Mainz 05) header from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal.
Corner, 1. FSV Mainz 05. Conceded by Manuel Akanji.
Offside, Borussia Dortmund. Roman Bürki tries a through ball, but Jadon Sancho is caught offside.
Goal! Borussia Dortmund 2, 1. FSV Mainz 05 1. Robin Quaison (1. FSV Mainz 05) left footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner following a corner.
Attempt blocked. Alexander Hack (1. FSV Mainz 05) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Attempt saved. Karim Onisiwo (1. FSV Mainz 05) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Aarón Martín with a cross.
Corner, 1. FSV Mainz 05. Conceded by Thomas Delaney.
Substitution, 1. FSV Mainz 05. Anthony Ujah replaces Danny Latza.
Attempt missed. Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Jadon Sancho.
Corner, 1. FSV Mainz 05. Conceded by Dan-Axel Zagadou.
Substitution, Borussia Dortmund. Dan-Axel Zagadou replaces Marius Wolf.
Foul by Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund).
Jean-Philippe Gbamin (1. FSV Mainz 05) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Manuel Akanji (Borussia Dortmund).
Karim Onisiwo (1. FSV Mainz 05) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Robin Quaison (1. FSV Mainz 05) header from the centre of the box misses to the right.
Substitution, Borussia Dortmund. Maximilian Philipp replaces Jacob Bruun Larsen.
Attempt missed. Danny Latza (1. FSV Mainz 05) header from the right side of the six yard box is too high. Assisted by Aarón Martín with a cross following a corner.
Corner, 1. FSV Mainz 05. Conceded by Abdou Diallo.
Attempt saved. Jean-Philippe Gbamin (1. FSV Mainz 05) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jean-Paul Boëtius.
Attempt saved. Karim Onisiwo (1. FSV Mainz 05) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Florian Müller.
Hand ball by Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund).
Karim Onisiwo (1. FSV Mainz 05) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the centre of the box. Assisted by Robin Quaison.
Mario Götze (Borussia Dortmund) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jean-Philippe Gbamin (1. FSV Mainz 05).
Attempt saved. Marius Wolf (Borussia Dortmund) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Substitution, 1. FSV Mainz 05. Robin Quaison replaces Jean-Philippe Mateta.


. 6th Royal Tank Regiment .
1950 England: Bhurtpore Bks, Tidworth .
. May 51: converted to operational status as part of new 20th Armoured Brigade .
1956.02 England: Bhurtpore Bks, Tidworth: TA - various locations: Training regiment .
1956.11 Jordan & Libya .
. Jul 57: One sqn to Cyprus .
1959.09 Germany: Hobart Barracks, Detmold .
. 31 Oct 59: Amalgamated at Hobart Barracks, Detmold with 3rd Royal Tank Regiment .


Tausi sat listening to her aunts, who crowded in a circle at the far end of the room. Their dresses were a kaleidoscope of greens, reds, blues, and yellows, each worked with repeating patterns that shifted with the eye. Huddled like that they seemed to her one polychromatic beast with seven heads and fourteen limbs. None of them made an effort to whisper as they planned her life.
Tausi shifted the clay pot in her lap. It was hot, even through the fabric of her wrap skirt. Her aunts brought food every day, nine in all since her father's body had been washed and buried—so withered by the shaking sickness that had claimed him. But the mourning period would soon end. And something had to be done with her.
Were she a boy of fifteen they'd probably send her to apprentice with a Guild House, or to study alchemical herbology at an Nganga School. But to her aunts, only strange city girls apprenticed themselves out. And she wasn't wealthy enough to be sent off to learn. No, she'd likely end up a nursemaid to some older cousin. Or perhaps she might fetch a good bride price—anything to get her out of this house, which was the real prize.
Tausi looked down to the stool that curved to fit her frame. It had been carved by her father's hand. He'd put together every bit of this house, adding rooms and extensions. It seemed unnecessary with only the two of them. But he had promised her mother a grand home, and was intent on bequeathing this gift whether she dwelled in this life or the next.
Five years had passed since her mother's death. None of her aunts had approved of her father marrying a woman with no people or family. And then she'd gone and gotten herself killed. He had a duty to remarry, they insisted. But he hadn't. Instead, he'd set about building a house to her memory. How it infuriated them. A smile tugged Tausi's lips at the thought.
She looked up to find that her aunts had sidled up before her. They were infuriatingly good at that. One caressed her cheek. Another patted her thick plaits of hair. A third pinched the side rolls beneath her top. It felt more an appraisal than affection.
This time Tausi forced a smile, if only to hold back the bile.
When they finally left, she sat back wearily. They'd come again tomorrow. And the day after that. Then one day she'd be told to pack her things. Off she'd go to whatever fate they'd decided. Seven crocodiles they were, all with their mouths wide, ready to eat her up. But like the clever birds that fed between those sharp teeth, she was determined to outwit them.
Moving to sit on a reed mat, she opened the clay pot to find roasted cassava, boiled figs, and chicken in a spicy palm nut sauce. She spooned some into a bowl. Then set empty plates for her father and mother—for even spirits needed nourishment. As she ate, she began to plot her escape. She was still plotting long after the Wounded Moon ascended to bathe the town of Epoulu in her broken light.
By morning, Tausi had fashioned a plan. She didn't have much money—100 ingots of red-gold, and some blue-silvers. But it was enough perhaps to book passage out of Epoulu. She'd leave this backwater town behind and head to a city—perhaps even one of the great cities. Once her aunts had the house, she doubted they'd expend much time hunting her. The Ten Chiefdoms was a big place, after all.
She arrived at the river market by midday. From stalls, hawkers cried out their goods—earthenware, wild-meat, printed cloth, brass fittings, metal boilers, and other items bartered along the trade routes of the Chiefdoms. Her first stop was with the boatmen that idled about the Luaba River, whose murky waters churned between banks of green. She stopped short at sight of a gutted fang fish, hanging by its tail from a rack. The monster was easily taller than she was, with teeth like knives.
"Caught her out on the Luaba," a grizzled boatman boasted. "The Efé strike me down if I'm lying! Took a piece of me with her, too." He held up a bandaged hand missing two fingers.
Tausi looked over his boat: a small steam paddler. If fish that size roamed this river, she preferred something bigger. She moved on to the other boatmen, inquiring prices to the nearest city—perhaps Kasi or M'basa. Most shook their heads, explaining they only ferried between the towns lining the Luaba. A few laughed off her request, shooing away the mischievous "runaway girl." She stalked from them, fuming at this upset in her plans.
"Take care, daughter!" someone called.
Tausi looked down to find a woman seated on an expanse of cloth. Her arms extended out over a set of small gourds, fearing they might be trampled.
"I'm sorry, Mama!" Tausi cried.
Embarrassed at her negligence, Tausi squatted to inspect the woman's gourds. Each had been polished until they shined and then painted with animals. She opened one decorated with a green gecko to find a sweet-smelling cream. When she rubbed a bit on her arm, her skin glistened like polished night-stone.
Tausi looked up at that. She had her father's curving eyes, but was growing into her mother daily—the same round cheeks, plump body, and strong legs. Most around Epoulu considered it rude to mention that in public, save for whispered glances. Not so this woman, it appeared.
"I mourn your father," she offered. "As I mourned your mother. Some of us still carry her ways. We have not forgotten." The woman bent to blow a gentle breath over her gourds. There was a familiar prickling in the air, and all along their surfaces the painted animals began to dance.
Tausi almost dropped the gourd where the gecko now flicked a fat tail. "Mama, no! Stop!" Her voice was a whisper. But the urgency must have carried, for the paintings went still. She released a breath. "Mama. You mustn't do that. Someone could see!" Even now, her eyes scanned about for witnesses. Of all crimes in the Ten Chiefdoms, none was as terrible as magic.
A horn blared across the market, and Tausi seized the chance to break away from the reckless woman. She hastily offered a blue-silver for the gourd and left towards the source of the tumult. A crowd had gathered, and she maneuvered her way through before she could see what drew them.
It was a caravan. Only it didn't look like any caravan she'd ever seen. It was made up of what appeared to be small rounded houses on wheels. But where Epoulu's homes were adorned with repeating geometric patterns, these were painted in vibrant pastels. Feathered bush lizards pulled the carriages, their iridescent scales shimmering beneath the sun. The caravan arrayed into a circle, and on one of the houses a yellow door swung open.
The tall man that stepped out was by far the most striking figure Tausi had ever seen. A mud-colored fabric wrapped his shoulders and torso, while a long kilt hung from his waist, made up of strips of leather dyed every conceivable hue. Affixed to these were tassels and bells—so that he rattled as he walked. One hand clutched a cord tied to a small collared baboon with crimson wings. The creature perched on his shoulder and chittered noisily from a blue muzzle. The man strode forward, opening his arms as wide as his bearded smile. When he spoke, his voice boomed in the drawling accents of the western provinces.
At his words, a stream emerged from the other carriages: men leading muzzled red-striped hyenas; women on the backs of giant sloths; children who somersaulted or walked on their hands. The crowd watched in wonder. And in Tausi's mind, possibilities sprouted.
She set out for the circus that night, following the crowds along paths lit by glowing aether lamps. None could remember the last time a circus came to Epoulu, and it was not to be missed. Women donned fine liputa skirts for the occasion: and men, colorful short-knee pants and airy cotton shirts in imitation of city dandies. Tausi wore a turquoise and red top with a matching wrap and sandals. The circus was a welcome reprieve from her aunts' daily visits. More important, Master Abata claimed his caravan was heading next to Kasi. This could well be the escape she sought.
She found the Great and Wondrous Circus sprawled along a clearing near the market. It was made up of billowing white canopies bearing the Chiefdoms' seal of sanction: two moons, one great and one small.
It had been over three centuries since a night with more than one moon. Not since the Long War, when the Efé unleashed magic hurtling sister into smaller brother, shattering him and leaving a jagged scar across her surface. The world had bore the brunt of this lunar fratricide, as continents cracked and the Sea Gods returned to reclaim ceded land. The Wounded Moon was now forever circled by the broken remnants of her brother, whose bones she held close. The Efé disappeared soon after, but their legacy remained written in the heavens.
And on the world they left us to rebuild, Tausi thought.
She joined one of the many lines snaking into the circus, where money-handlers snapped up currency like hungry fish. When a scrawny boy barked the price of admission—five red-golds—she balked. But there was no other way to find the circus master. She handed the ingots over, sucking her teeth to show her indignation.
The many sights of the circus soon made her forget the expense. Moko Men in colorful straw danced on towering stilts. Masked figures spit fire and walked barefoot on heated stones. Acrobats dangled from ropes and soared through the air to the gasps of spectators. One woman twisted her body into a brass trunk half her size. Another stood on her hands, arched her back, and lit a smoking pipe with her feet!
Between the dazzling spectacles, Tausi asked after Master Abata. But the man moved constantly about and was ever surrounded by enthralled audiences. She would have to find a way to talk to him alone. She was eating a mango doused in fiery pili pili sauce and trying to reason that problem out, when she came upon a canopy in the far back of the circus. It was curiously quiet given the clamor coming from the others. She slipped inside to see what it held—and gaped.
A giant cat lounged in one corner. It was almost as big as a forest elephant, with thick, emerald fur broken by slashes of ivory. It sat upright, displaying two back legs, two in its middle, and yet another pair at its front—six in all! At her approach, it swung a pair of yellow eyes to regard her while twitching a white-tufted ear. She stared back, wondering at how such a magnificent beast could be.
It took a moment to notice the others.
In another corner there sat a Jab Man. She'd always believed such men were the stuff of stories and questioned for a moment if he was simply costumed. But the bone-white horns jutting from his forehead looked decidedly real. And the black skin covering his slender body rippled even as he remained still. He wore only a long white kilt at his waist, and sat silent with legs drawn up beneath him, eyes closed as if sleeping.
The third figure was as strange as her companions. From head to torso, she was a woman with creased sepia-toned skin and flattened breasts that spoke her age. But beneath that, she was an Okapi, with a russet body similar to an antelope and four long legs covered in white bands. She bowed her head, staring at something between unkempt graying locks that framed her face.
Tausi followed the Okapi woman's gaze to a black chain encircling one of her forelegs. She looked to the Jab Man to see similar chains wrapping his chest, near unnoticeable against his skin. One of the giant cat's legs held the same, longer but no larger than the rest.
"The chains are of oremantic design," a voice spoke.
Tausi whirled about to find none other than Master Abata. The bells and tassels of his peculiar kilt rattled as he walked, his winged baboon scampering behind. He pointed to the chain binding the Okapi woman's foreleg.
He returned to the Okapi woman.
Tausi said nothing, looking on the Okapi woman and the Jangu cat with new eyes. These were not performers in Master Abata's show. They were his captives.
"Then there is this one." The circus master turned to the Jab Man. "A devious creature. Bound to their bargains and contracts. He tried to trick me. But I got you in the end, didn't I?" The Jab Man didn't reply. He never moved or once opened his eyes.
Master Abata sniggered, looking over his menagerie the way a moneylender gloated over his hoard. Reaching to his waist, he drew out a smoking pipe and an iron tinderbox carved like a bird. Sparks flew as he struck the flint and touched the heated stick to the bowl. In moments, the stink of burning dagga leaf rode the air.
"I was told that a local town girl has been searching for me this night. Yet I find her and only hear my own talk. Perhaps her tongue needs loosening?" He extended the pipe in offering.
Tausi hesitated, and then reached out to accept. She'd once snuck a pull from her father's pipe to see what the fuss was about, and nearly choked to death coughing. This time was little different.
Master Abata's laughter accompanied her hacking, and she thrust his awful pipe back to him, doubled over in a fit. When she regained herself, she found him grinning.
Tausi had no idea how to account the worth of dagga leaf. But she could feel the building euphoria that left her lightheaded. She found her tongue quite loosed, and words spilled out easily. The circus master sat silent when she'd finished, his dark face wreathed in wisps of white smoke. The small baboon flew up to rest on his shoulder, regarding Tausi from behind a crimson wing pulled across its face like a veil.
"You make quite a curious request," he spoke at last.
Tausi faltered. So much? She'd hoped to hold onto most of her money. It would do no good to arrive in Kasi a beggar.
"I could work for you," she offered.
The circus master's eyebrows rose. "You are a performer? A juggler? What is it you think you can do for my circus?" Tausi once again had no answer. He read her silence and clucked his tongue.
Tausi drew back at the question. As always, her mother cast a long shadow.
"And if I am?" she asked, voice tight.
"That would make you interesting," the circus master replied. "Tell me, does the daughter bear any of her mother's . . . talents?" Tausi took in the look on his face. It was the same he set upon his menagerie: those creatures he bound in chains.
Master Abata pursed his dark lips, his face growing disenchanted. "A shame. For if the Bandit Queen's daughter ever found such a spear, it would do much to convince me to grant her passage." With that, he turned abruptly and walked from the canopy, leaving a trail of dagga smoke that hung in the air with Tausi's hopes.
For three days, she hunted the spear.
If her mother had such a weapon, Tausi had never seen it. But her memories were of a woman who sang songs that lulled her to sleep. A woman who swayed when she walked, and wore dashing colors, who smiled and laughed and told stories of clever birds and crocodiles. The Bandit Queen, the woman who forsook her family to wage war against the Ten Chiefdoms, was a stranger: a legend shrouded in secrets. She'd asked her father once how he could have let her take such risks. He'd laughed. No one ever let her mother do anything, he'd said. She'd told him she had to. Otherwise the crocodiles would eat away at her, bit by bit.
As she hunted, Tausi fended off her aunts, who now spoke boldly of families who might offer a decent bride price. Her only refuge came at night, at the circus. She spent most of her time in the canopy, marveling at the Jangu cat. When she looked upon the chains that kept it bound, she was saddened. And in its feline eyes she sometimes thought she saw reflected her own yearnings to be free.
Master Abata visited each night, both to look over his menagerie and to ask after her success. She had tried in vain to make another trade. But the circus master was skilled at bartering and had made his price plain. It was on the third night, after he had come and gone, leaving her despairing, that the Jab Man first spoke.
Tausi jumped. The canopy was usually empty. People fast grew disinterested with its odd occupants that performed little. Save for Master Abata's visits, she had become used to the solitude. But when she turned to the Jab Man, she found him staring. It was the first time she saw those eyes open. She'd imagined they would be that same liquid black as his skin. But she hadn't expected the pupils: pinpricks of light like fine stars. It took a moment to find her voice.
"Why do you say such things?" she stammered.
Tausi looked to the Okapi woman, only now understanding something was broken in her bowed form. She'd never fully trusted the circus master. He had too much of the crocodile in him. Perhaps, however, she hadn't fully grasped the sharpness of those teeth. "But why would he—?" she began.
Tausi had never heard such things. She'd been taught that it was the Efé who gifted the priests the power to found the Ten Chiefdoms, to assure a lasting peace after the Long War, and to create the edicts on magic.
Tausi thought back to the stories she'd heard of Jab Men: that they could traverse vast distances, appearing wherever they wished. Perhaps he could be her escape. Only there was one problem.
"I don't know where the spear is," she admitted.
She frowned. What was that supposed to mean?
She shook her head. Now he wasn't making sense at all.
Tausi's insides seized. "I don't know any magic," she said flatly.
Tausi's heart pounded, her soul laid bare in that gaze.
"Doh fix up yuh face so," the Jab Man chided, settling back and easing his shoulders. "I doh care about yuh priests, and their schupid laws. Find that spear. Set me free, and I do the same for you." With that he turned, and, closing his eyes, spoke no more.
Tausi left the circus, carrying with her a knotted bundle of thoughts. Master Abata. The Jab Man. The Efé. A magic spear. And of course, there was her mother.
She still remembered the day the Witch Hunters had come to their house: two men in black robes, with inked faces and silver-capped teeth. The guardsman that accompanied them had stepped down from the leather stirrups of his armored pangolin to deliver the body atop the wheeled bier the creature dragged behind. The writ of execution he carried bore the two-moon stamp of the Chiefdoms. Tausi hadn't wanted to look at the corpse wrapped in white. Instead, she kept her eyes on the pangolin, counting its overlapping golden scales and trying to gauge the length of its claws—even after her father had begun to wail.
When she reached home, she gathered what she would need and walked to her mother's room. Her father had built around that space, and it felt as if she stood in the house's heart. She seldom came here. But tonight she let the Wounded Moon's broken light pour in. She put on one of her mother's dresses—a green fabric patterned with leaves—marveling that it now fit her. The soil she held she sprinkled across the floor, and poured water and bush wine in libation. Then she sat down in front of her small offering and called on the magic.
It had been a long time since she dared allow herself this. Magic frightened her. Not for the reasons it frightened others, who condemned what they didn't understand, what they had forgotten, blaming it for what men did to the world. Magic frightened Tausi because of the fear it created in others. The fear that allowed for Witch Hunters. The fear that allowed laws that demanded her mother's life. That fear lived inside her: a crocodile that gnawed and devoured from within. But tonight she would face that fear. She had to, if she was ever to escape this place. After such a long time denying the magic, she wondered if it would even come. Or if, like an unused appendage, it withered and atrophied.
A prickling on her skin was the first hint at an answer. The torrent that followed was staggering. Magic flooded into her, racing through her limbs until it tingled at her fingertips and bled through her pores: a dammed river set free and now eager to spill its banks. The crocodile inside her fought and drowned in its depths. And she trembled with exhilaration. The Jab Man had been right. The magic was sweet, so, so sweet!
Come mothers, come see your daughters.
Her lips chanted the familiar words—a mother's lullaby sung to her in the dark of night—as her hands worked. And she soon found she was not chanting alone. Other voices sang with her. They came first in their ones and twos, and then in scores. Women of her blood. Women tied to her by a thread of magic that extended through the ages—before the Efé priests and Witch Hunters and the breaking of the world. Their hands settled over her own, moving to her rhythm as they sang together. One voice rose above them in her ears, a voice with arms that held her close again, with fingers that wiped her tears and lips that gently kissed her dampened cheeks.
Then, as one, the voices fled.
Tausi opened her eyes, not remembering when she had closed them. There on the ground in front of her sat a lengthy rod of dark wood, banded along its shaft. One end held a triangular blade, longer than her arm. It shone in the Wounded Moon's light, revealing etched markings upon a surface of slate-gray steel.
Her heart leapt, wondering if this was an apparition—some trick of the mind. But when she gripped the wooden shaft with a muddied hand, it was solid and real enough. And it had not come alone. Beside the spear sat a bundle of crimson. Wiping her fingers clean, she lifted it to find it was a cloak, stitched with small mirrors that reflected blackness and drank in moonlight.
She clutched the cloak close. Her mother had sent back more than her spear this night. She'd gifted Tausi a piece of herself, something to help evade the crocodiles that hunted in the river.
Tausi returned to Master Abata's Great and Wondrous Circus, swathed in shadows. Her mother's cloak rendered her unseen in the night, and any eye still awake slipped over her without notice. The crowds had gone, and she made her way through the sleeping grounds. When she slipped inside the canopy, only the Jangu cat stirred. His yellow eyes flickered awake, and he lifted his head to search out the unseen presence.
Tausi didn't lower the mirrored cloak until she knelt before the Jab Man. His eyes flew open. Before he could speak, she revealed the spear, then wavered.
"You promise to take me," she said.
Satisfied with their arrangement, Tausi brought the spear point to tap the black chain. She didn't know what to expect as the etchings on the blade began to writhe. When the chains crumbled to black dust, she gasped.
The Jab Man scrambled to his feet. Howling with glee, he did a little dance: winding his hips lewdly and rolling his sinewy torso. Leaving him to his celebration, Tausi turned to the Okapi woman, who might have been sleeping for all her silence.
"Mama!" she called. "I'm going to free you now. Do you understand?" The Okapi woman never raised her bowed head. Sighing, Tausi touched the blade to the chains and watched them collapse.
The Okapi woman stirred then: a statue returned to life. She lifted a foreleg, as if testing her freedom. Raising her head, she revealed a weathered face with eyes swathed in black—eyes so haunted Tausi thought her heart might break. They darted about, searching her surroundings. Unexpectedly, she began to speak in an unfamiliar tongue—her voice frantic, then angry.
"I don't understand, Mama," Tausi apologized.
But the words only grew in pitch. And those swathed eyes were no longer haunted; they seethed. The Okapi woman lifted her arms and the air in the room prickled—hundreds of needles biting the skin, a feeling Tausi knew all too well. There was a shout from the Okapi woman, followed by fire. It erupted from her hands in fluid white streams, tearing holes through the canopy and lighting up the dark. It raced across the circus, putting all it touched to flames, and the screams of animals and people soon rose up into the night.
Tausi fell onto the ground, crawling backwards to avoid the dripping fire. The Okapi woman radiated magic. Tausi had never seen so much: a bright, turbulent sea that churned in waves and eddies. The woman swept that power up with her arms and hurled it out into the night. She bellowed with rage as someone else laughed. The Jab Man. He danced amidst the flames unharmed, reveling in the destruction. Tausi shouted to him; the air that entered her throat was searing.
A roar shook the canopy, and she looked to see the Jangu cat, rearing back from the flames. The black chain kept him bound. And he would burn if he remained. Pushing to her feet, she ran towards him, through smoke and fire. When she came close, he bared his teeth and six pairs of jade claws, an animal's fear in his eyes. She slowed her approach. He didn't strike, but watched her movement. Reaching out with the tip of the spear, she touched the black chain. When it crumbled, the great cat wasted no time. She threw herself back as he bounded past, fleeing the burning canopy and running out into the night.
"Eh! Look trouble now!" the Jab Man cried.
Tausi turned to see a man newly arrived, silhouetted against the flames. Master Abata. His eyes surveyed the chaotic scene of his menagerie, then stopped in bewilderment upon her. She never got a chance to shout a warning, for the Okapi woman saw him first. Streams of magic lashed out to envelop the circus master. At first nothing appeared amiss. But when his skin blackened and liquid fire gushed from his screaming throat, Tausi realized he was burning from within. His body folded, collapsing into a pyre that blazed with white flames. The small baboon that was the man's constant companion chewed frenziedly through its leash. Breaking free, it shrieked as it winged into the night, its feathers trailing smoke and embers.
"Not our bargain," the Jab Man retorted.
Tausi winced. There was little love in her for Epoulu. True enough, she was eager to leave it behind. But she couldn't just let it burn. Not all those people, even with their whispers. Not even her scheming aunts. She had to put an end to this.
"Stop her!" she said, this time a demand.
"In exchange for our bargain!" she cut in.
Tausi nodded firmly. She would, if it meant no one else would die.
He grinned a crocodile smile. "Accepted." There was a pause. "But I can't stop she." He met Tausi's livid glower. "Cut eye doh kill you know. I can't stop she, but I can tell you how." A black finger pointed to the spear.
"Then don't kill her," the Jab Man taunted.
The Okapi woman turned to stare at this interloper to her retribution—and hurled magic in thick streams.
Tausi had time only to lift her spear against the deluge. She expected to be burned away. But as the magic struck, the gray slate blade cleaved through the currents, sending them dissipating about her. Emboldened, she walked forward. The Okapi woman screamed and hurled magic anew in violent cascades. Pushing against it was like facing a wind that pushed back in turn. But Tausi bowed her head and planted her legs firm—those strong legs passed on by her mother—and pressed through the maelstrom. When she reached the Okapi woman she lifted the spear.
Her answer was a thrust of magic that almost swept her back. But she swung the spear, striking the Okapi woman across a shoulder with the flat of the blade. The etchings on its surface came alive as it met skin, and something powerful rushed into the gray slate steel. The force of it almost sent Tausi to her knees, and her hands shook as she fought to hold the spear's shaft. Then abruptly it was done. And there was silence. The tempest that had roiled about the Okapi woman was gone.
"By the people you saved," he jeered.
The Jab Man glared, and anger rippled across his features, his skin seeming to boil. She met that bright gaze unflinching—as her mother would have done. A clever little bird that survived by outwitting the crocodiles that would eat her up.
"I doubt it," Tausi said tersely.
He flashed a grin. And the two of them vanished.
Tausi sighed deep, thinking on what she had just given up. But it felt right. Her mother had passed on more than she knew, it seemed. She hoisted the spear to her shoulder, wondering at her next course when a rumbling growl came from the night.
She turned to find the Jangu cat emerging from the smoke and darkness. He had returned. He crept forward on six legs with the sleekness of a hunter, his gaze fixed on her. She tensed as those yellow eyes drank her in. He reared up before her, but she didn't run. She'd seen too much this night to run. She held her ground and, instead, reached up a hand to stroke the thick fur of his neck. It felt as beautiful as she had imagined. When he didn't pull away, she smiled.
The people of Epoulu say that on that night a strange fire burned down the circus that had come to market. Water pumped from the river could not quench the flames, and there was fear it would sweep into Epoulu itself. Inexplicably, the fire died away—like the hand of a god had snuffed it out. What had saved the town none knew. But many claimed to see a woman emerging from the smoke. She rode upon a monstrous cat, holding aloft a spear while a red cape flapped in her wake. As the two sped away from Epoulu beneath the Wounded Moon, shouts rose up along the Luaba River.
© 2016 by P. Djèlí Clark.
Phenderson Djèlí Clark's short stories have appeared in Daily Science Fiction, Every Day Fiction, Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, Tor.com and several print anthologies includingGriots I & II, Steamfunk, Best of Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, Myriad Lands and the forthcoming Hidden Youth. You can read his ramblings on SFF, politics, history, diversity and more at his blog pdjeliclark.com where he goes by the moniker the Disgruntled Haradrim. He also spends far too much time as @pdjeliclark on Twitter.


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May 25, 2018 July 1, 2018 Cora Newbold
Twitter Censors a Student Of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
On May 25, a tweet was sent out by @TheALX wondering why Twitter suspended a Marjory Stoneman Douglas Survivor.
Hey @Twitter, why did you suspend Marjory Stoneman Douglas Survivor @TheCaptainAidan ? You said it was for violating your age requirement of 13, however his bio clearly states that he is 14.. His Tweet was featured in various news articles as well. @jack @leslieberland pic.twitter.com/WOvLHeNhSv
— ALX 🇺🇸 ✘ (@TheALX) May 25, 2018
This student was well known for taking video recording of the school shooting and posting it on Social Media. Both CNN and Twitter Support quoted his initial social media posting. However, the student's account was mysteriously suspended on the basis that he was not yet 13. So as firm proof, @TheCaptainAidan allegedly sent a copy of his birth certificate as evidence.
UPDATE: @TwitterSupport has proven itself yet again to be useless! Aidan sent his BIRTH CERTIFICATE and Twitter cannot confirm that he is over 13. Seriously @jack @leslieberland ?!? pic.twitter.com/EEqOJaja2K
Yet, if you do the math, it's nearly impossible for a student to be in high school and NOT be 13 already. If he IS 13 and in high school, does that not also suggest that the young man is psychologically mature enough to be on Twitter anyways?
However, when I attempted to look up his page, twitter had removed it already!
However, they have yet to remove a South African youth (whose age is questionable) who I got into a conflict and reported for tweeting out death threats to whites in general. (this conflict is documented in one of my videos) When I Googled his previous name "Dream League Fanatic" you get this image:
However, when you click on the link given to you at Google it shows that not only is his account still alive and well, but he's changed everything on it so that nobody knows who he used to be. He changed his pictures and account name from "Dream League Fanatic" to "The Manager", he even changed the domain linked to his account. However, the username @asalive433 is the exact same and the tweets to this page date back to before 2017 which means this is the same person that I captured and reported for his horrific tweets. Instead of posting his open hatred for whites, he is now posting his open obsession with porn.
So how is it that this youth… South African, porn obsessed, filled with hatred, and unable to verify his age… allowed to continue his account AFTER being reported for serious tweets over a month ago (I highly suggest you watch my video for this).
2018 is our time pic.twitter.com/SVzDjWKEhc
— THE MANAGER (@asalive433) February 17, 2018
But this youth: American, survivor of a horrific crime, was NOT reported, confirmed his age… has been erased from Twitter within a few weeks!
Even the New York Post and Jezebel clearly states that he is fourteen. It's not rocket science to realize that this youth was old enough. What's also NOT rocket science is realizing that he was more than likely erased from Twitter due to his and his brother's support of the first and second Amendments.
Aidan's brother, Brandon (18), was featured on Fox News claiming that he does not support the gun control push that his school's tragedy is being used for. It is safe to assume that Aidan and his brother agree with one another, apparently they're close. But we'll never know, because as soon as the Left was through using his voice for their own agenda, they cancelled his ability to voice his opinion. Proof of the left using children's crises to further their own agendas and not really caring about their voices.
Aidan Minoff
TheCaptainAidan
Trump Supporter
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Idaho Genealogy and History
Alturas County
Bannock County
Blaine County
Bonner County
Biography of Joseph F. Edwards
Dennis Partridge
Biography is becoming distinctly the literature of the day, and doubtless it is here to remain. It is fitting therefore that in the history of his County that the biographies of the leading men should appear and thus we place before our readers an epitome of this prominent gentleman, who has done a large amount for the advancement and progress of Culdesac, being at the present time one of the heavy real estate holders and also engaged in transferring real estate.
Joseph F. Edwards was born in Manitowoc City, Wisconsin, on November 4, 1858, being the son of John W. and Frances (Hunter) Edwards. The father was a carpenter and ship builder, born in Calais, Maine, in 1812, January 23, died on January 8, 1897. He participated in the Black Hawk and the Civil wars. In the latter he was orderly sergeant of Company K. Twenty-first Wisconsin Volunteers. He served under Generals Rosecrans and Thomas, and was in the battles of the Wilderness, Lookout Mountain and Vicksburg. The mother of our subject was born in Nova Scotia in 1822, and died on May 10, 1898. These people were pioneers to the vicinity of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1833.
At the age of thirteen Joseph started to sail on the lakes, and continued until he was twenty. He then came west to California and on September 28, 1878, he settled in Nez Perces County, in the vicinity of Genesee. For twenty years he farmed there, and in 1898 he came to Culdesac, locating the first store in a tent July 29, 1899. Prior to that time he had also been organizer for the W. of W. Soon he sold his interest to his partner, Mr. E. T. Brandon, and in November of the same year started a general merchandise store for himself. He continued that with the post office until June, 1901, when he sold out and erected several buildings in the town. He recently completed Magnolia hall, the largest two story structure in the town. Now Mr. Edwards is engaged in the real estate business.
On March 4, 1889, Mr. Edwards married Miss Ada V. Nelson in Latah County. Mrs. Edwards is the daughter of T. F. and Mary E. (Greer) Nelson. The father, a Baptist minister in Idaho County, was born in North Carolina and was a Confederate soldier. He has represented Idaho and Latah counties in the legislature and at the time Heitfield was elected Mr. Nelson came within two votes of being United States senator. Mrs. Nelson was born in North Carolina, as was also Mrs. Edwards. November 19, 1871. She has the following brothers and sisters: Thomas, Rosa Howton, Horace, Samuel, John and Gordon. Mr. Edwards has the following named brothers and sisters: Charles A., Margaret Spencer; George, Thomas and John, all deceased.
Mr. Edwards is a member of the W. of YV., the I. O. O. F., having passed all the chairs of the latter order, and past chancellor of the K. of P. He is also a member of the Rebekahs and the Women of Woodcraft, his wife being a member of these last named orders also. Mr. Edwards is an active and intelligent Republican. He is a committeeman of the Culdesac precinct. Mr. Edwards is always an advocate of good schools, and is a liberal contributor towards all institutions for the benefit of the community. He has assisted much in contributions toward the location of the new mill and other industries of the town. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Edwards, as follows: Mary Frances, Charles M., Everett W. and a baby which died in infancy.
Back to: Nez Perce Biographies
Source: An Illustrated History of Northern Idaho, Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903
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Simple. Real. Made with care.
Maum Goods Co. makes essential oil products that were born out of a desire to promote wellness and balance. Our high-quality, hand-made products are made with powerful, therapeutic-grade essential oils and natural and simple ingredients, and are free from artificial chemicals, additives, preservatives, fragrances, and dyes. Our product line is broken into four categories, each with distinct health benefits: Restore, Rest, Clean, and Awake. Each product has a practical, everyday use that makes our lives just a little bit better, and they are things we feel good about having in our home and around our kids. We think you'll agree.


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Q: How to run powershell command with parameter name is variable I need to run the same command Get-QadUser and Set-QadUser to one property and his value but my property is a variable.
my code (Set doesn't work !) :
$property = 'MobilePhone' # OK
$value = ($User | get-QadUser -IncludedProperties $property).$property # OK
$user | Set-QadUser -$PropertyName $NewValue # NOK

A: You can use PowerShell feature called Splatting in this case as explained by Don Jones himself here: Windows PowerShell: Splatting.
In this you can define the parameters as a dictionary object of Property and Value pairs as below:
$parameters = @{$FirstPropertyName = $FirstValue; $SecondPropertyName = $SecondValue; $ThirdPropertyName = $ThirdValue}

Then you can pass this to your cmdlet using @ operator as shown below:
Set-QadUser @parameters

Your complete working script will look as below:
$property = 'MobilePhone' # OK
$value = ($User | get-QadUser -IncludedProperties $property).$property # OK

$parameters = @{$PropertyName = $NewValue}
$user | Set-QadUser @parameters # OK

Edit: I failed to notice earlier that PetSerAl already gave the answer in comments. I hope this answer also adds value overall.


Yesterday I saw a girl with a very cool All Star (the first one of this list) and decided to search for some different and cool styles of the Converse All Star to show here to you. I really think that wearing a colorful and stylish pair of shoes, like the ones we will show here, shows personality and above all, style. Some people just match with this kind of shoes… they wear nice outfits and the combination is natural, the look is natural.


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Home Free MMO Games 3D MMO Pirate101
pirate101-5
pirate101_4
Title: Pirate101
Status: Released Graphics: 3D
Developer: Kingslsle Entertainment
Publisher: Kingslsle Entertainment
Pirate101 is a 3D Pirate MMORPG where players must embark on a journey to become a renowned pirate. Players will be able to choose from 5 unique pirate themed classes each with their own unique starter companion and abilities.
In Pirate101 players can expect to explore various realms on a customizable pirate ship while fighting other ships in the process. If a player chooses they can board the enemies ship in order to plunder its goods.
Pirate101 is aimed at younger audiences. Parents will find options to control and monitor their child's activities within the game. Still, Pirate101 does offer refreshing humor for players of all ages with a high amount of attention put towards eye catching animations and voice acting.
Pirate101 like other KingsIsle Entertainment MMOs, offers the first chapter of the MMO for free. Players can feel free to explore and visit all the content within the first world without limit. However players looking for more content will need to either purchase additional worlds or sign up for a membership.
Explosive Features:
Stylish Animations
Player owned Pirate Ships
Interesting turn-based combat
Pirate101 System Requirements:
OS: Windows XP SPack 3, Vista, 7, or 8
Processor: P4~1GHz+
Memory Ram: 512MB
Hard Disk Space: At least 1GB of free Space
Video Card: GeForce 2 or the Equivalent
Each game profile contains useful information about the game, gameplay videos, user reviews, gameplay screenshots, system requirements and more!
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REAL SPEAKER December 30, 2015 at 1:03 pm
pirate101——10 min free ——great
——–then p2p p2p p2p ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Scarlet January 1, 2015 at 11:24 am
The game is rather good, but the on-line help is severely lacking. I have to search the internet to find information. As a Wizard101 player, this is the most difficult adjustment. Wizard101 has tutorials (which can be skipped) and a really great Icon list in the Help pages (I still haven't figured out what the purple, angular, swirly icon means. Other than that, it would be a great game even though the fights take a while to finish.
FreeToPlayReviewGuy November 14, 2013 at 8:02 am
I am an adult and I played this game up to the point which it said I needed to pay to go any further. Lasted about 2 or 3 hours. Since the game is advertised as free to play, I immediately lost interest and uninstalled.
While I played, the game was fairly fun with a turn-based, strategy type game play where, when you get into a fight, your a put on a board with enemies and squares where you choose to move and attack, taking turns till either all of you and your companions die, or all the mobs are killed. VERY TIME CONSUMING! Each fight takes at least 5 minutes, if not 15 minutes so it was very slow leveling up. If you are willing to pay if you like it, go for it. If you are looking for a truly free to play game, keep looking!
assassincooldood August 14, 2014 at 10:33 am
MOTHER BITACHE STOP WITH THE SHIT FROM UNDER GAI GRAMMAR
gamer ninja July 21, 2013 at 5:52 am
this game is just like w101 but i paid for w 101 then i heared about this game i thought that it wont be like wizard but it is kingisle thinks that iam going to pay for both of thier games it is fun but it would be better if it is totally free
ugurano July 13, 2013 at 8:16 am
this game its pay to win with wizard, im warning your guys not play
randomgamer July 12, 2013 at 1:26 am
From what some of these comments have said, it reminds me of Pirates of the Carribean when it first came out. Not game style but by the whole membership thing.
Aata November 19, 2012 at 11:20 am
I bought the Beta package so i'm good for the rest of the game unless i buy junk in the crowns shop lol but its a great game i love it. I also love it way better than wizard101 because its newer and different combat style and just new so i got to be a beta lol that's why its better than Wizard101 XD
Alexander16348458 November 11, 2012 at 11:09 am
Game is great!!!! Thanks you Kingisle!!!!!! But has a lot of glitches. One time when I was trying to teleport to one of my friends, I got stuck in the wall. Kingisle will make updates to fix the game a lot.
JP November 1, 2012 at 7:17 pm
Again, Pirate101 is basically the same as Wizard101 – great graphics, fun style of play, unique combat, but it gets frustrating once you get to level 9. That's when you have to get a membership or pay to keep playing, and that's the opposite of what I wanted to do. In the end, I lived both games a lot, but I really don't like the fact that it's basically 10% free, 90% pay to play. >_<
tristananvilcaster October 21, 2012 at 11:01 am
Pirate101 is definitely the mmo of the year! So much to do, great combat, detailed customization, and more! 5/5 😀
Tenou May 30, 2014 at 8:09 am
So… how much did they pay you to say all that?
TheSecondJoker June 22, 2014 at 9:11 am
Lol yeah.
i sort of agree not pirate101 IS SHIT THAT COMES FROM UNDER ITS P2P PAY TO PLAY BITACHE THEY PAYED YOU 1 DOLLAR TO SAY THAT AND YOU WERE LIKE OH YEA ONE DOLLAR I CAN WIPE MY ASS BRING IT HERE.
Jason H October 18, 2012 at 3:41 pm
Looks nice, but still, it's going to be the same as Wizard101, 10% of the game is free, 90% of the game is members only. Pay to Win basically.
Eternia October 23, 2012 at 8:40 pm
that makes it pay to play with unlimited free trial, not pay to win
COLLECT REWARD
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MMOBomb - September 8, 2016
Magic: The Gathering Arena is the free-to-play online adaptation of the first collectible card game, Wizards of the Coast's Magic: The Gathering.


The flavor of peanut is delicious. The tongue drying that goes along with the nuts is not that pleasing. We have been working on delivering peanut flavor with an aggressive intensity that quickly leaves the palate wanting more. The rectangular shape is just an additional bit of fun we are hoping to integrate into the finished product.
Sometimes a fog rolls in. You may not see it coming. A fog clouds your vision. It also forces you to use your other senses in ways you may not have foreseen. A fog can be good if you are willing to pay a bit more attention.
When you have an idea or theory it is better to test it than wait to get around to it. All to often, I wait to get around to it. One idea was about the flat iron steak and its availablity from other animals beside the known steer. It turns out veal flat iron steaks are becoming readily available at local grocery stores; question answered. The second connected theory (pun is not intentional) was about the sinew or connective tissue in hangar steaks and flat irons. The ideas grew from work with pressure cooking the fat and silver skin from a sirloin and remembering a conversation with Wylie about his work with venison silver skin. The theory was that we could tenderize these connective tissues, generating a delicious gelatinous treat from the connective tissue and extracting gelatin into the cooking medium. Yesterday, the store had veal flat iron steaks un-butchered which allowed us to work with a new version of a cut of meat we enjoy while testing the idea about connective tissue. It turns out both ideas work. The connective tissue is better than bone marrow once we pressure cooked it for an hour. The flat iron is juicy, meaty and easily bonded to itself to create a thick veal steak.
As Aki likes to say, you are never going to know unless you try.
The oatmeal cookies never saw it coming.
Years ago we attempted to make shrimp rigatoni. The results deflated me and the idea and our pasta extruder were put on the shelf. Now, with a bit more knowledge and a faded memory of past failures we decided to tackle the task again. The newest results showe promise and present new questions. We were able to make true rigatoni with shrimp which were delicious. The questions were about whether or not the results were better than the original and worth the effort in making them? As I type I realize that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Our rigatoni is shrimp. The snap remains as does the intense flavor.
With rigatoni getting there it is time to reveal. My real goal is to make shrimp shells. Unfortunately inexpensive and slightly expensive pasta extruders do not come with a die for shells. For now we will continue refining the rigatoni and perhaps venture into fusilli and macaroni. If anyone is up for sharing a pasta extruder for proteins feel free to drop a note, it would be great to be able to say we ate a bowl of shrimp shells.
We have continued to work on aerated scrambled eggs from cooking medium, to time, to temperature. What is equally exciting is how they are dispensed and the cloud-like feeling they bring to a dish. We can now serve what appears to be a simple bowl of, well they do not quite resemble, scrambled eggs. Bare with our the poetic license. The surprise is what lies beneath the eggs. What have we hidden? What will balance the decadent cloud of eggs: caviar and creme fraiche, smoked salmon or steak tartare, bacon and brioche, corned beef hash, lobster fried rice? The savory ideas are relatively easy, what about if we sweetened the eggs: stewed fruits, maple pudding, french toast croutons? In this presentation we have not even touched upon the final topping: a gratin of crumbs, herbs, something lighter, a fine film, a crisp.
All these ideas from a carton of eggs.
The popover is not just a vehicle for cheese, despite what I may have wanted to believe. This morning Aki insisted on making popovers, oh what a hardship for me, and furthermore she insisted they were to have no cheese. Really, no cheese I thought? I begrudgingly accepted this horrific compromise.
It is a good thing too. First of all, I saved myself from having to apologize for not believing. Secondly, a number of new ideas blossomed by following her lead. Aki's no cheese policy for the popovers left them as blank slates for sweet cream butter and Kitty's strawberry jam. My first bite of this combination had me asking why popovers have been missing from my breakfast table for my whole life. While I slathered, chewed and smiled, ideas began to blossom. The first was to dig out some creme fraiche and Steve's caviar. What a wonderful vehicle the popover would become. The next was to expand on Wylie's idea of filling gougeres with aerated scrambled eggs and make a wonderful breakfast surprise. What other goodies have we overlooked and perhaps not thought enough about?
Beef strip loin bathed in whey and about to go into the cvap for a spell. Our next step is to begin work on an interesting curd to go with the beef.
With the chill in the air, an actual frost last night, the aroma of poached fruit is needed to help warm the house and the soul. The aroma of poached quince is a marriage of apples and pears with tropical undertones hooked up to an aroma amplifier. The one caveat is that in the time it takes to cook quince the finished fruit has given its aroma to kitchen and the fruit is lacking. We have sought to help the aroma permeate the fruit by cooking it with aromatics which remind us of the fruit. The plan is to supplement the aroma of the quince in order to keep it intact for the eating process.
As the cold air creeps through our bones, veal shanks and pork shoulders dance through our heads. There is something special about a family style course in a meal. It is more the perception and feeling of something prepared in a larger form which is then broken down and served for a group of people.
We are lucky enough to cook for specific groups and numbers of people and continue to evolve our own preparations and presentations. In a workshop on Saturday we refined and shared the process for a skirt steak roast crusted with bacon. The roast is cooked sous vide and then finished in a cast iron skillet to crisp the bacon and add some crusty bits to the exterior of the steak.
We were cooking a birthday dinner and sought to bring what was on our mind to the plate. The dish was steamed cod with smoked peanut pumpkin puree and garlicky spinach. The goal was delicious and straightforward. What was missing was the sauce.
We are captivated by table-side sauce, not for fanfare, rather for the application of seasoning at the last possible moment so that the aesthetic both on the palate and with the eyes is not compromised. The dish ate wonderfully as it was, however, we believe a refined sauce with a distinct voice would elevate the dish from straightforward to unforgettable.
We have taken our whole fruit cookery a step further. Now we are cold smoking gala apples in their skins, then vacuum sealing them and cooking them for an hour at 84 degrees C. The result is a smoked apple with a firm texture and the beautiful pinkish hue. The rose color sparked a visual connection to our crab apple crisps and a dish was born. We took our twice cooked scallop approach, really in this case just cooked once at 50 degrees C, then chilled and topped with a salad of smoked apples, red ribbon sorrel and crab apple crisps. The scallops and apples are seasoned with salt and lemon oil. The dish is clean, bright and refreshing. The smoked apples are not a far reach from the more common bacon and scallop combination.
How often have you tried to get the perfect hard boiled egg? Do you start with boiling water, cold water, salted water, cold eggs, hot eggs, room temperature eggs? There are a bunch of variables which often lead to failed results. We are looking for the beautifully cooked hard boiled egg. These variables do not even take into account user error and interference, moving pots, variable heat, distraction from the mission at hand. We have been doing a lot of egg cookery recently and wanted to share some of our results.
haha, just kidding we cooked the eggs at 75 degrees C.
Our next evolution in making mac and cheese blends our love of the smoker and our pre-hydrated pasta technique. Today we smoked some shells and then hydrated them in whole milk. The starch enriched milk became the base for the loose cheese sauce for cooking the smoked shells. By cooking the shells in the cheese sauce, already stabilized by the starch from the soaked pasta, we are able to maximize function and taste.
Everyone has their own recipe and approach. Here we've used rigatoni with a combination of pepper jack, cheddar and gruyere balanced with some creme fraiche and bound with a touch of tapioca flour. The key is to enjoy it with good company and great wine. On those rare occasions when all else fails, good mac and cheese is enough by itself..
While small and tart their role in our kitchen is not limited to our first impressions.
We were introduced to this cheese by Hunter at DiBrunos Brothers on 9th Street in Philadelphia. Hunter's name is somehow appropriate in that he scours, well hunts, the store for delicious and shares it with us. In order to facilitate his efforts we continue to ask what impresses you, what is it, right now? When he introduced us to this cheese our thoughts, really our tastes for blue cheese evolved. Harbourne is a goat blue which is a rarity in itself. Besides the milk, the cheese is just amazing. What is really exciting is how it changes in the mouth, from crumbly to soft and melting. We try to mirror transformations like this to show a change in food. This cheese just does it. If you can get your hands on it enjoy. If not, ask your local cheese monger to impress you.
We are extremely excited to be cooking a guest chef dinner on November 2, at Blackfish Restaurant with Chip Roman and his team. The dinner will be roughly seven courses long. The price is $85 per person. To further challenge our norm, Aki and I have already designed the menu and are excited to bring these dishes to welcoming palates. That is not to say a change or two may not happen. We hope to see you there.
We used to mark the changing of the seasons by falling leaves and dropping temperatures. Now in addition to these signs, we note the arrival of Steve Stallard's handcrafted roes. The first of the season is always wild brook trout. Ours arrived the other day and we took some time to work out the first dish. We usually pair ice cream with Steve's roes. In fact, this is the first roe-centric dish that we have created without ice cream in longer than we can remember. The seasonally available ingredients and the delicate flavor of the roe set the structure for the dish.
We made a white chocolate sheet flavored with nutmeg and cumin. This flexible white chocolate gracefully puddles and bends creating nooks and crannies to cradle both the roe and the garnishes: crab applesauce and parsley puree. The dish is clean and bright, the sweet and savory white chocolate being a fine vehicle for the roe, with the applesauce adding a balanced tartness and the parsley a clean herbal note to round things out.
The idea of rendering fat is not new. The idea of flavoring fats is not new. The idea of flavoring fats as they are being rendered is just a way of saving some time. Smoking beef fat and then rendering it was a life changing experience. Since then, anything goes. A go to for infusing tallow with flavor is the spice mix vadouvan. When the smoker is not easily accessible, the spice cabinet must surely be. Beef, by the way, is not the only animal with fat. These ideas may be spread across a wide range of ingredients from lamb to chicken.
Once the fat is flavored, we have a new building block to create with. Over the weekend we brushed hiramasa with the vadouvan tallow and then warmed it in the cvap. In looking at the dish today, and being out of hiramasa, we made a another discovery. Use flavored fats for searing as opposed to gently warming and seasoning adds depth to the ingredient being cooked. Today we seared scallops in the vadouvan beef fat and paired it with an eggplant puree, aerated olive brine-cider and a couple of nasturtium leaves. The intense flavor of the vadouvan is tempered in the cooking process and adds a beautiful savoriness to the scallop. The fact that the medium was beef fat does not hurt. Perhaps tomorrow we will be a bit more traditional and make horseradish flavored tallow. It would be great to confit a beef heart or sear a few more scallops.
There is a reason why the diner pairing of pie and coffee is a cliche. It is because the combination works so well. We have been working on new ways to get the flavors we want into a variety of mediums. We decided to turn our pie and ice cream inside out and upside down. Think apple pie ice cream, coffee flavored cake and loose streusel topping. Aki complained that the ice cream eclipsed the cake, to which I responded that in any self respecting diner the pie is always better than the coffee, although where we come from pie without coffee just doesn't work.
Shola brought his traveling photo rig with him to dinner. So if you're curious about what last night's menu looked like, you can check out the photos here.
Like boiling water, if you miss the details you might as well not bother.


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Why Did the Wars of the Roses Start?
History Hit
The Wars of the Roses were history's real life answer to Game of Thrones. For three decades two branches of the same family would battle it out for the crown. It would eventually lead to the end of the Plantagenet dynasty which had dominated the Middle Ages and the creation of a new line – the Tudors.
What caused the conflict?
In the simplest terms, the war began because Richard, Duke of York, believed he had a better claim to the throne than the man sitting on it, Henry VI.
Ever since Henry II, the first Plantagenet, took power, kings struggled to keep a firm grip on the crown and not all of them succeeded. Edward II, for example, was ousted by his wife and replaced by his son Edward III.
The Scottish Highlands are filled with wild, dramatic cliffs, soaring mountains and skies that stretch out across the lochs. But they are also steeped in history, and filled with powerfully emotive and atmospheric sites.
Problems occurred in 1399 when Richard II was deposed by his cousin, Henry Bolingbroke who would go on to be the Henry IV. This created two competing lines of the family, both of which thought they had the rightful claim.
On the one hand were the descendants of Henry IV – known as the Lancastrians – and on the other the heirs of Richard II. In the 1450s, the leader of this family was Richard of York; his followers would come to be known as the Yorkists.
A dodgy king
However, all this dynastic arguing was something of a smokescreen. What really mattered were more practical issues and in particular the problematic reign of Henry VI.
A portrait of the ailing Henry VI whose inability to rule effectively due to his illness contributed to the outbreak of the Wars of the Roses.
Thanks to the military successes of his father, Henry V, England held vast swathes of France and Henry VI was the only King of England to be crowned King of France and England. However, it was not a title he could hold onto for long and over the course of his reign he gradually lost almost all England's possessions in France.
Finally, in 1453, defeat at the Battle of Castillon called an end to the Hundred Years War and left England with only Calais from all their French possessions.
The English nobility was incensed by the loss of power and French land, and factional tensions broke out. Mounting pressures on Henry led to a major breakdown in 1453. Historians believe he suffered from a condition known as catatonic schizophrenia which would see him lapse into catatonic states for long periods of time.
Battle for power
Henry's weakness created two factions at court. One, led by the Duke of Gloucester and Richard, Duke of York, favoured a more aggressive policy in the war, while the other led by the Dukes of Suffolk and Somerset favoured peace. They were supported by the Queen Margaret of Anjou who was rumoured to be having an affair with Somerset.
With Henry in no fit state to rule, Richard was named Protector of the Realm, naming many of his close associates in important positions. However, on Christmas Day 1444 the king recovered, and he set about undoing York's appointments. His fatal error was to exclude York and his faction, supported by the Earl of Warwick, from a council to be held in Leicester in May 1455.
Edward III's army is in danger of being trapped, can they escape?
The two sides met in the Battle of St Albans. It was only a small encounter, but it saw the death of the Duke of Somerset and several other Lancastrian noblemen. This created sons who were out for revenge and turned a dynastic struggle into an even more poisonous blood feud.
Even then there were chances to turn back. The Act of Accord in 1460 named Richard heir, but there was no turning back. Margaret – perhaps grieving for Somerset – was determined to get her revenge on Richard.
She would have it when he himself was killed in battle, but that only left his son Edward who was even more determined to get his revenge. The Wars of York and Lancaster had begun.
Tags: Henry IV Edward IV Edward III Henry VI Henry V Margaret of Anjou Richard II
Medieval, Plantagenet England, Wars of the Roses
Edward III, Henry V, Henry VI, Richard II
Behind Every Great Man Stands A Great Woman: Philippa of Hainault, Queen of Edward III
Magna Carta or Not, King John's Reign Was a Bad One
A Prince in the Tower: The Dungeons
The Causes of the Wars of the Roses: The First Battle of Saint Albans
Battle of Mortimer's Cross
Harlech Castle


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Most modules are 20 credits, which means that you'll study six modules annually. You may choose to dentify the objectives and passions that currently inspire you. Visualization is an extremely strong method to improve your grounding.
The best way to begin writing a comparison and contrast essay?


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Home Entertainment Criticism of Guillermo del Toro's cabinet of curiosities, Netflix's horror anthology
Criticism of Guillermo del Toro's cabinet of curiosities, Netflix's horror anthology
Spoiler-free review of Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities. First two episodes available October 25, two new episodes each day through October 28 on Netflix.
Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities is presented as a collection of stories from highly talented directors, each one poised to thrill viewers in a unique way. Nevertheless, this desired result is elusiveas the Cabinet struggles to deliver a cohesive nightmarish experience.
Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities is a horror anthology in the vein of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Del Toro himself provides introductions for all eight episodes, emerging from the shadows to hint at what is to come, with the Cabinet itself also present. A few turns of the crank reveal a secret compartment containing an object related to the episode in question and a small miniature representing its director. Del Toro is clearly enjoying himself as a host. He believes in the merits of each story. That belief is contagious; the setting and the cryptic words help build anticipation.
This setup is more than just a nod to the anthologies of yesteryear. Acting as a means of planting certain expectationsallows each episode to more easily evade the intended results. The Outside, the episode directed by A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night director Ana Lily Amirpour, is a case in point. She embraces various philosophies about the status of her characters in relation to an electronic device. Most will recognize that something is wrong thanks to the disturbing messages that permeate much of the dialogue. But the real horror is subtle, until it isn't, at which point any preconceived notions are shattered.
See also Netflix unearths the discharge dates of a mess of flicks for 2022: Background Noise, Pinocchio by way of Guillermo Del Toro and extra
Almost all the episodes are presented like this. Some are more terrifying than others, especially the ones with more classic depictions of a certain monster. But the general emphasis seems to be on conveying intriguing concepts in new and unsettling waysessentially creating something that will linger in one's mind long after the credits have rolled.
The fact of having an hour long helps in this regard. The characters have room to breathe before they are engulfed in darkness, making it easy for us to get involved in their problems. Kate Micucci's clumsy portrayal of Stacey in The Outside is memorable not only because of her strong performance, but also because it gives her time to get into her character; who she is at the beginning she differs greatly from the person she becomes towards the end. Essie Davis and Andrew Lincoln do a great job playing grieving parents in The Murmuring, while Rupert Grint's heartfelt performance in Dreams in the Witch House is certainly remarkable, if a bit tongue-in-cheek considering his previous roles.
All episodes benefit from adequate length, solid acting and what is supposed to be a decent budget, considering that most ghosts, witches and other creepy crawlies look great. The directors do not skimp on violence either. Evocative yet believable imagery is the norm. However, not all episodes reach the highest bar. Graveyard Rats, the episode directed by Vincenzo Natali, is quite mundane. Most of its duration is spent in a long exposition before culminating in a predictable anticlimactic finale.
Taken together, the anthology does enough to warrant a couple of late-night viewings.
The same goes for Lot 36. Although the dialogues between the characters are much better, they also end in a forgettable way. However, the biggest offender would be The Viewing. Relying solely on a "high" concept and well-written but exhaustive dialogue, she betrays the rest of the series by being downright boring. Its chaotic ending does not even remotely justify the time invested in building it.
See also Criticism of Pinocchio by Guillermo del Toro, without strings attached
There's also the notion of it being a genre-defying collection, a group of stories that will somehow change the way fans view horror. But some of the episodes do the exact opposite, clinging to old tropes. As entertaining as Dreams in the Witch House is, it sadly reduces its black characters to sidekicks and/or sacrificial lambs.
Fortunately, most of the eight episodes are entertaining. Body horror, a foreboding atmosphere, intriguing concepts expressed in frightening ways…there's plenty for horror fans to enjoy. The uneven nature of Guillermo del Toro's The Cabinet of Curiosities prevents the series from being the incredible journey into the macabre that it is supposed to be. That said, as a whole, the anthology does enough to warrant a couple of late-night viewings.
Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities offers horror fans unique thrills. Although the various monsters are well designed, it's the creepy atmosphere and unsettling visuals that often sell the horror. Most of what is presented is conceptually sound and the cast of each episode delivers credible performances. Having said that, uneven quality of stories shows that not even del Toro has been able to escape the pitfalls typical of most horror anthologies. Some episodes are certainly better than others.
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