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Jackson walked the streets where he'd grown up. He'd been gone a long time. When he'd returned, he expected to find everything different. Sadly, very little had changed. Even the penny Jimmy Smitts had pushed into wet concrete back when the city had spent a rare dime on that part of town to give the sidewalks a facelift was still there. Now, the sidewalks were cracked and uneven. Some parts were nothing more than patches of dirt, but the penny remained.
The other kids in the neighborhood had made Jackson's life hell back then. Jimmy was the only exception. Jimmy wasn't exactly a friend, but he wasn't a bully either, not like the rest of them. Jimmy usually just did his own thing, but he'd gone missing when he was fourteen. At the time, Jackson had assumed Jimmy had just wised up and finally run away from the wrong side of town to make a name for himself somewhere. But now, Jackson didn't even dare hazard a guess as to where the closest thing he had to a friend in his youth had ended up, probably nowhere good.
Jackson turned the corner of Pine Avenue and Sycamore Street. He never understood why they used trees for street names instead of numbers, it only served to complicate things and get people lost. Lost is something no one wants to be on the wrong side of the tracks. He looked through the window of McKinley's barber shop and saw a few familiar faces. Old man McKinley was long gone, but it appeared his grandson, an unfriendly acquaintance from Jackson's youth, had taken over the family business. Jackson didn't bother going inside. Instead, he walked on.
For several minutes he walked slowly past the tightly packed houses. It was a wonder they hadn't all gone up in flames when Vincent Daniels blew himself up building a pipe bomb to celebrate Independence Day.
Jackson stopped in front of the house that he'd grown up in. He'd thought it was run down then, but now it was downright decrepit. The entire structure was cocked so far to the left that a strong gust of wind from the right direction could probably blow it over. He took in the sight of his old home and sighed.
He was twelve when Jimmy disappeared. Inspired, he'd packed a bag and split in the middle of the night less than two weeks later. It wasn't until he hit twenty-five that he started considering returning to explain why he'd left to his mother. Now that he was there, he didn't know if he could go through with it.
He swallowed the desire to keep walking and stepped through the opening in the rusted chain link fence where the off kilter gate used to hang. A few steps up the walk he spotted the gate lying on the unkempt lawn–mostly weeds, really–between the fence and the house.
The stairs groaned under his weight as he climbed to the porch. He stood before the door and hesitated with his hand raised. The knot in his stomach clenched so tight the he nearly doubled over. He took a deep breath and slammed his balled fist against the broken storm door–three times in quick succession. No turning back.
A woman, nearly as time and weather worn as the house opened the door. Her eyes narrowed.
"Hi, Ma," Jackson said.
"You should have stayed away," she replied, but opened the door and nodded for him to enter. "You was right to leave. This place is poison. It'll kill anyone stupid enough to stay," she added as she walked back the hall to the kitchen.
"I was hoping it might have changed," he said, following her.
"Yeah, well, get used to disappointment if you plan on staying." She sat at the table and took a sip of her tea.
He sat across from her and tried to smile. She looked like hell, and he felt responsible. "I'm not staying, Ma. Just felt I owed you an explanation is all."
She shook her head. "No need to explain. Running away from this God forsaken place was the best decision you ever made."
"Maybe you should leave too," he suggested.
"This is my home, Jackson. For better or worse, this is where I'm staying. It was nice to see you though. Good to know you're still breathing." She swallowed another sip of tea. "I believe you know the way out."
Jackson stood up and turned for the hallway. Just before he took a step he looked back. "For what it's worth: I'm sorry, Ma, for putting you through that."
"Dead or runned away, either way you was better off than living through the hell those boys you hung around with put you through. Nothing to apologize for, boy." She gripped her teacup with both hands. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to drink my tea before it gets cold."
Jackson nodded. "Goodbye, Ma." He let himself out and headed back around the corner of Sycamore and Pine.
The familiar bell on the door of McKinley's barber shop chimed after he rounded the corner. A voice rose behind him. "Hey, Jackson, is that you, man?"
He didn't respond, lacking the desire to talk to Danny McKinley, though he probably goes by Dan now.
"Yeah, that's right, keep walking, pussy," the voice chided.
Jackson just shook his head and kept walking. He made his way back to the penny–the only thing worth saving in his old neighborhood–and pried it from the cracked concrete with the screwdriver he'd had in his pocket. He left the screwdriver on the ground and slipped the penny in his pocket in the screwdriver's place, after kissing it for luck.
When he'd finished, he headed back to his rusted, white, windowless van. The key slipped into the lock on the back, and he pulled on the handle. The rusted hinges whined in protest, but the door opened. He climbed into the back and sat on the bench he'd built from scavenged scraps of lumber. After pulling the angry door closed, he turned on the overhead light and slid the bench up to the small table on the other side of the van. For a moment he stared at himself in the jagged shard of mirror taped to the wall with duct tape.
After allowing Danny's insult to sink in, he nodded and opened the makeup case on the table. First, he applied white over his entire face. Next, he created a huge, crooked smile and diamonds over his eyes with black paint. For the final touch, he added a single teardrop on his left cheek. A grin crept up his face as he stared at the demented clown looking back at him. He couldn't help but laugh at the hideous creature.
He lit a cigarette and took a long drag before slipping the lighter into his pocket with the penny–just in case he ended up needing it–and shouldering the bag on the hook beside the table. He didn't bother turning the overhead light off. He wouldn't be coming back. With a heavy kick, the door flew open, and he hopped out into the afternoon sun.
His laughter flooded the street as he picked up where Vincent had left off all those years ago. It was time to celebrate. By the time the police showed up he'd gone through the entire bag of pipe bombs and Molotov cocktails–six of each–lighting all but one with the cigarette dangling from his mouth. He had to resort to the lighter in his pocket for the final one.
He was still laughing, and sucking down a fresh cigarette, when the officers shot him.
The old neighborhood was nearly unrecognizable.
This story was written for The Short Story and Flash Fiction Society's Short Story Contest #6.
1 Comment	| tags: contest, demented, evil clown, revenge, short story, twisted, writing	| posted in Stories, Writing
He's Not Listening
He's not listening. He never listens. The voices speak, but he ignores them. At least, he tries to. He goes about his days as if the voices in his head weren't urging him to do things—terrible things. It started when he was six. Back then it was just a single whisper. Now, there are hundreds, maybe thousands of distinct voices. Some still whisper, but most shout their words above the crowd to be heard. They yell at him and pick him apart. They tell him he isn't good enough. That he'll never amount to anything. For the most part he ignores them, but sometimes their words cut deep. They are relentless.
He hasn't slept for more than fifteen minutes at a time for almost six days now. The voices won't allow it. Soon, he will collapse from exhaustion and sleep for nearly thirty solid hours, and then the cycle will begin again. It has been that way for as long as he can remember.
He walks the streets of his city. He knows the streets in that part of town aren't safe at night. They never have been, but he doesn't care. He walks them anyway as the voices continue with their inane chatter. He doesn't know what they're saying. He's not listening.
He momentarily passes beneath the glow of a street lamp and stops to look at his reflection in the glass of a storefront window. There are bars over the window that remind him of a prison cell. All the shops in this part of town have them, even though most of the buildings haven't been occupied his entire life. He looks haggard and the heavy bags under his eyes do little to reassure him that he is still sane. He scratches the stubble on his chin and moves on, back into the shadows of the night.
He stops and sits on a graffiti covered bench, under another light, and waits for the bus that isn't scheduled to arrive until morning–a full six hours off yet. He sighs and drops his head into his hands. The weight of it surprises him. The wave of exhaustion threatens to begin his long sleep right there on the bench, and he almost doesn't care.
He closes his eyes. He doesn't know for how long, but it's still dark when he opens them again, so not long enough. Somebody clears their throat. He looks left, expecting to see a mugger, or maybe a crooked cop, but there is only a woman sitting on the bench beside him. She looks familiar, but he can't place the face. He assumes she is a prostitute.
"I don't have any money," he says. His mouth is dry and the words scratch his throat as they come out.
She laughs. "I ain't a hooker, darling," she says. "But I'm flattered."
"You shouldn't be." He looks away. She's wearing too much makeup. It hurts his eyes.
She says something else but the words are a jumble in his head.
The voices beg him to do things to her. Horrible things. Things that would make her regret leaving her home that night, if she was still around to regret anything. The voices demand he acts on the urges., but he's not listening–to them or her.
He stares across the street. The crumbling building there used to be a Chinese restaurant. He misses it. They had the best lo mein he's ever tasted.
He looks back toward the woman, surprised to find her still sitting there. "If you're looking for a friend, I'm a bad choice," he says.
"Don't I know it," she says. He doesn't know what that means.
He stands up and crosses the deserted street. He stands in front of the former restaurant and looks up at the broken sign above the door. He shakes his head. He could really go for some lo mein. The woman with too much makeup joins him. She looks up at the sign and laughs at the vulgar graffiti.
He turns away from her. "Leave me alone," he says and starts walking again.
She follows him, but he isn't sure why. She doesn't say a word. When he stops, she stops beside him. When he walks, she follows a few steps behind. She laughs sometimes, but he doesn't know why. Nothing about the night in this part of the city is funny. It never has been. They go on this way for ten minutes.
He stops in front of his house. It is broken, worn out, and on its last leg. It is just as accurate a reflection of himself as the one he'd stared at in the glass of the storefront, maybe even more so.
"This is where we part ways," he says and climbs the porch steps. She laughs again, but doesn't follow this time.
He slips his key into the lock, leans his head on the door, and closes his eyes. He wonders if he should offer her a place to stay for the night. The streets aren't safe.
When he opens his eyes again he is back on the bench. For a moment he is confused as the haze of the dream wears off.
The run down Chinese restaurant stares at him from across the street. Its blacked out windows and off kilter door look remarkably like a face, one that he doesn't trust. He looks to his left. The woman isn't there, but the image of her face is burned in his mind. He knows her from somewhere. He's seen that face before. He wonders why she wears so much makeup.
He stands up and crosses the deserted street. He stands in front of the former restaurant and looks up at the broken sign above the door. He shakes his head. He could really go for some lo mein.
For the first time in a long time, the voices go silent. He doesn't know whether to celebrate or be afraid, so he does neither. He closes his eyes and tries to clear his head.
A moment later, when he opens his eyes, he finds himself inside the building, but he doesn't know how he got there. He doesn't remember entering. He wonders if he is still asleep on the bench across the street, but he has a feeling he isn't. The voices are back, but they are more hushed than usual, nothing more than whispers. He doesn't know what they are saying, but not because he's not listening. He wants to know the secret they're keeping from him. He wants them to speak louder. He wants to hear their words.
He moves further into the restaurant and steps around a table that has been toppled over. The whole restaurant is trashed, but somehow this one table feels out of place. Nothing about the table says it shouldn't be there. It blends in perfectly, but something about it rubs him the wrong way.
A naked foot is sticking out from behind the counter. He assumes it belongs to one of the many homeless in the area. He doesn't know why, but he is drawn to that foot. He moves around the counter. A corpse with too much makeup and glazed over eyes stares at him. There are bruises on her neck.
He remembers her. Her name was Claire. He brought her here. He gave in to the constant urging of the voices. He remembers the feeling of his hands around her throat, and he wants to vomit. The voices in his head roar with approval.
Yes, he remembers her, and all of the others who made the mistake of getting close near the end of his broken sleep cycle. All of the names and the faces come flooding back, and he cries for them. He sobs harsh, heavy tears for the awful things he's done to them. He remembers them all, and one by one he asks for forgiveness they can no longer grant.
Soon, he will sleep. He promises himself he won't forget them, but sleep will steal his memories again. It always does. And he'll go on pretending he doesn't listen to the voices, pretending he doesn't give in to the awful things they ask him to do, pretending he isn't a monster.
This story was written for The Short Story and Flash Fiction Society's Short Story Contest #5, using prompt #5.
5 Comments	| tags: contest, horror, short story, Short Story and Flash Fiction Society, SSFFS	| posted in Prompt, Writing
Another round of big thanks to everyone who helped me spread the word about Wicked Little Things.
All names were tossed into a bubbling cauldron, and subsequently became unreadable when the ink bled. So I had to grab a hat off the coat rack and use that instead. Names were shuffled. Spiteful words were said in the heat of the moment. The tears of the unicorn whose feelings I had hurt were sprinkled over the entries in the hat. Apologies were made. Forgiveness was had. Names were drawn. Winners were contacted. It wasn't as much fun as a bubbling cauldron, but it got the job done without destroying the slips of paper this time.
The winner of the print editions of 100 Tiny Tales of Terror and Wicked Little Things was David Spell.
The winners of the Wicked Little Things e-books were Adam M. Booth and Charles Yallowitz.
Congratulations winners! You can now add an "achievement" to your resume and land that job you've always wanted but were never qualified for before now.
Leave a comment	| tags: contest, helpers, thank you, wicked little things, winners	| posted in News


Ever since Lady Gaga released her No. 1 smash "Born This Way" earlier this year, her critics have gone stir crazy about the song's striking similarity to Madonna's 1989 hit, "Express Yourself."
And the comparisons haven't stopped there. Rolling Stone's Rob Sheffield also likened Gaga's second single, "Judas," to the Material Girl's catalog, and her "Alejandro" video was also compared to Madge's clip for "Vogue."
Usmagazine.com had the opportunity to ring up Grammy-nominated producer and DJ, Fernado Garibay, the musical director of Gaga's entire Born This Way album, to ask about the controversy, as well as Gaga's renowned work ethic.
Read on for the full 411, and visit fernandogaribay.com for more on Garibay.
UsMagazine.com: Congratulations on the success of Born This Way. How does it feel?
FG: It's amazing. It's been a year of making this album on the road and four months of actually wrapping everything up so it's quite an accomplishment.
Us: The album was written while she was on the road, was that difficult?
FG: Normally, we are used to making the album in the studio, not moving around, and having all of your equipment in one place so it's an adjustment but it made it a more interesting album.
Us: How did you get connected with Lady Gaga? What was it like when you first met her?
FG: I met her about four years ago, Jimmy Iovine sent her over to me. He called me and said 'I have this artist I want you to meet. She is an incredible songwriter.' So I met her that same night and we hit it off right away and started writing songs, and that's when we established our friendship and relationship and it just evolved.
Us: What is your relationship with Lady Gaga like now?
FG: She is like a sister to me. We are extremely close. We are not only musical partners but we became really good friends. It's amazing to see someone, especially of that caliber, become successful. Seeing someone grow right in front of your eyes is amazing, especially for the public. When I met her I already knew she was incredibly talented, far beyond anyone I've written with. You meet talented people and then you meet incredibly talented people.
Us: What was it like working with Lady Gaga?
FG: We have the same work ethic. We don't stop working to the point of exhaustion, where we are sick and it stops us from completing our songs. But for her, it is actually more intense because she is not only making music but she is also styling her own clothes, developing her own videos, and coming up with concerts. She is doing all that on top of making music, which is insane. This girl never sleeps. She just keeps going.
Us: What do you think of her crazy outfits? Is she always in costume?
FG: When I first met her she was in her traditional Gaga outfits, Lingerie-esque type clothing, and she just wore it so effortlessly like it is who she is. I learned early on so after that, nothing shocked me. It is who she is. It is her character and the way she expresses herself. I've never seen her outside of that, and I have seen her at all hours. It is innate in who she is.
Us: Lady Gaga is credited as a co-writer on the album. How much of it did she write?
FG: I would say she wrote the majority of the stuff because before, with some of the songs I previously worked on, it would be more track driven, which is when you usually come up with the music and then work on the lyric and melody. In this case, she would actually come in with complete songs. When I heard "Born This Way" the first time, she sang it to me with vocals on the piano and same thing with "The Edge of Glory." We contributed on production, and a couple of lyrics but for the most part she has been writing the majority of the album.
Us: How long did it take to create Born This Way? What went into the production of the album?
FG: Intense. There were about 20 ideas and I think about 18 were completed. She wanted to try every possible aspect, every type of version for every song. So for "Born This Way" we tried a full rock version, a full techno version, and every type of version for the song we tried until we ended up with the final product. She just wants to make sure she has made the best possible product for every song. You would think each version has to be done to a completed level. If a song only takes a week or two to do, try 50 revisions of that same song.
Us: Were there any tracks that didn't make the album that you wish had?
FG: There were ideas but for the most part, I would say 90% of all the ideas that were fleshed out made the album.
Us: The album sold more than one million within the first week and there was a lot of talk about it being the album of the decade. Did you feel any pressure when working on the album?
FG: Absolutely. Early on when I first got started on the album, she asked me to be music director of the album so that made me responsible for submitting the album to the record label, to a certain extent, and completing this album, with her vision intact. I was a little bit floored at first thinking I am going to be responsible for working on the biggest artist of our generation right now. It's a big responsibility but I buckled up and just started focusing on the music and getting through it and trying to make it as amazing as people expected it to be.
Us: What do you make of the Madonna comparisons?
FG: Very early on, especially with "Born This Way" there were people making comparisons, but at the end of the day we are honored. I am a huge Madonna fan and just to be compared to someone of her artistry is pretty amazing. We are all fans of her. People naturally need to compartmentalize people so sometimes it is easy for critics to make that association. How many powerful, iconic blondes have been Italian and singers? We are extremely flattered with any comparison we get to Madonna.
Us: Do you have a favorite song on Born This Way?
FG: I have two that are very close to me and particularly for the impact it can make on my culture. One is "Americano," which is about Mexican Independence and gay rights. Being that I was brought up in South Central East L.A. and being of Mexican descent, that is everything for me. This is the first time you have a pop song directly about people coming to this country and being sent back. Regarding border issues, it is just such a statement, and I hope the song does great for anybody who has been through human hardship or who has to overcome a struggle, and that is very important to us.
Us: You performed "Americano" with Lady Gaga in Mexico City. What was that experience like?
FG: It was incredible. She invited my family over to Mexico City, and it is funny because she said hello to them and showed my mom how to make the paw sign and it was adorable. Then she goes, 'hey, you ready to go on stage?' and I was like 'for what?' and she told me she wanted to perform the song with me. So I literally got dressed in a vest and took five tequila shots and I was up on stage performing "Americano."
Us: What song would you choose as the next single on the album?
FG: I don't really know. The latest I have heard, they are letting the fans decide. I want to leave it to them.
Us: Besides Lady Gaga you have worked with a bunch of renowned artists, do you have a favorite artist that you've worked with?
FG: Every artist I have worked with is special. I haven't had time to reflect, since it has been a whirlwind. I am just lucky to have had the opportunity to work with people like U2, Britney Spears, all these artists that we grew up listening to and that are now huge. It is amazing.
Us: Is there an artist that you haven't worked with but would like to work with?
FG: There are artists I have worked with that I would like to work with again. I did some things with Marc Anthony. I think he is one of the best Latin singers on the planet. He is amazing. U2, No Doubt, all great artists that I really love, so we will see what happens.
Us: Did you always know you wanted to produce and write music?
FG: I always knew I had to make music. I hate to be cheesy but it's like I had to breathe, it is something I had to keep doing. I just didn't know there was such a profession as writing and producing records for major artists as a career. Once I figured out that there is a career path such as production, I fell in love with it.
Us: How does your techno/dance background influence your work?
FG: It's my favorite pair of pants to wear. I started making techno records and dance remixes when I was around fifteen, and I just grew up inspired by that music. East and Central L.A. are very closed off. People in that area aren't very familiar with what is going on in West Hollywood, it is its own community, so when I started hearing all my DJ friends playing records and house records, they were so foreign and so interesting but it was right next door to my house. These parties would be blasting amazing music and so I wanted to know what that is and how to do that. So I started putting beats together and figuring it out. I am chasing that red dragon; you always want to capture that feeling like you've just discovered something. I do that by creating new music.
Us: What do you think is the key to writing a hit song?
FG: It is pretty simple and super complex at the same time. You know it when you hear it but you can't have a hit record without a hit song. Every great song starts with a great song. If you can play it on the piano or acoustic guitar and sing that hook, it is something you just know. Then you work backwards with production, and the production compliments the hit song you already have, and then you have a hit production.
Us: What can we expect from you in the near future?
FG: I am going to focus on getting back to DJing and possibly putting out an EP for myself to supplement the DJ stuff. I am going back to making techno records again.


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Q: How to routing directly to the component that I want, without going to the main component I'm using nativescript-urlhandler in my Nativescript Aplication.
When I put a router, my application routing in first in Main Component and in second in component that I want.
I want to routing directly to component that I want.
I have this routing.ts code:
const routes: Routes = [
  {
    path: 'home',
    component: HomeComponent,
    canActivate: [AuthGuard],
    children: [
      {
        path: 'fp', component: FirstPageComponent
      },
      {
        path: 'profile', component: ProfileComponent
      }
    ]
  },
  {
    path: 'outsidelogin',
    component: outsideloginComponent,
    children: [
      { path: 'login', component: LoginFirstComponent },
      { path: 'register', component: RegisterComponent },
      { path: 'resetPasswordRequest/:id', component: ResetPassIdComponent }
    ]
  },

    { path: '', redirectTo: '/home/fp', pathMatch: 'full' }
];

AuthGuard
 canActivate(): boolean {
        if (this.auth.isAuthenticated()) {
            return true;
        }
        this.router.navigate(['/outsidelogin/login']);
        return false;
    }

In this code is a problem.
ngOnInit() {
        if (this.auth.isAuthenticated()) {
            return true;
        }
        handleOpenURL((appURL: AppURL) => {
            console.log('Got the following appURL', appURL);
            this.myappurl = appURL
            let url_1 = this.myappurl.toString();
            let url_id = url_1.split("/").reverse()[0];
            this.resetpasss = url_id
            this.router.navigateByUrl('/outsidelogin/resetPasswordRequest/' + this.resetpasss);
        });
    }

A: Use Router Guards, implement canActivate for your main component route, if you have a URL to navigate from handleOpenURL  then return false and navigate to the new url.
Update: After looking at your code, I think you must keep your ResetPassIdComponent lightweight. Seems it's nested under multiple page router outlets, try to keep that component / copy of the component at root level for better & faster initialisation.
Replace the code below in your auth.guard.ts and remove the url handling code from app component.
import { Injectable } from '@angular/core';
import { Router, CanActivate } from '@angular/router';
import { LoginService } from '~/services/login';
import { handleOpenURL, AppURL } from 'nativescript-urlhandler';

@Injectable()
export class AuthGuard implements CanActivate {

    constructor(private router: Router, private auth: LoginService) { }

    canActivate(): boolean {
        if (this.auth.isAuthenticated()) {
            return true;
        }

        const timeOut = setTimeout(() => {
            handleOpenURL(null);
            this.router.navigate(['/test/login']);
        }, 100);
        handleOpenURL((appURL: AppURL) => {
            if (timeOut) {
                clearTimeout(timeOut);
                console.log('Got the following appURL', appURL);
                let url_1 = appURL.toString();
                let url_id = url_1.split("/").reverse()[0];
                console.log(url_id);
                this.router.navigateByUrl('/test/questions/' + url_id);
            }
        });
        return false;
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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There are only few days that separate us from the new millennium. It now definite that the world and man will survive beyond year two thousand. The old predictions that the world will come to its end by year 2000 have proved to be false. Accordingly Man on earth will continue until Almighty God decides on the Resurrection Day when His Son, Jesus will return for the Judgment Day.
How man is going to enter the new millennium after he has almost destroyed the earth and its atmospheric resources, his main requirements for survival.? In fact he has left very little of the earth's resources not destroyed and turned it into a place not fully suitable for life. He has already demolished the woods, polluted the air, soil and atmosphere. He even cracked the ozone layer with his poisons and invented massive destructive weapons.
The most distressing destruction that man has committed during the last one hundred years has targeted mainly his fellow man, the poor and weak. It affected badly his principles, behavior, beliefs, social structure, and humane concepts. These demoralizing ailments have made man a merciless creature with no justice in his heart towards the poor and weak; he even persecutes them in their faith, freedom and rights.
Mr. Zibengnio Bringenski, in his book "loose restraints" has stated that the number of human victims during the twentieth century wars (world, regional and internal) is estimated at 187 million individuals. My country Lebanon whose population is less then three and a half million has lost 3000 thousand victims during the war of others on its soil since 1975. Earlier at the end of the nineteenth century its mountainous inhabitants were exposed to a Turkish holocaust (Ottomans), a cruel massacre in which one third of their population were killed. In addition, thousands suffered crippling war injuries and many others were forced to emigrate.
Is Lebanon, as an independent State that has a deeply rooted history, a distinguishable identity, a great civilization and a remarkable heritage viable for life in the new millennium?
Will the Lebanese in the new millennium be able to protect Lebanon's immense fortune inherited from their great ancestors and continue to carry the torch of survival, dignity, sovereignty and independence?
Our great ancestors established the unique Lebanese nation with sacrifices, martyrdom, hard-work, faith and perseverance. A country that has survived 6000 years despite all kinds of challenges. They never lost hope, compromised their convictions, surrendered for an invader or once prioritized their personal interests over those of the Lebanese nation.
Lebanon through its 6000 years of history has given to the whole world and humanity with unlimited generosity. The Lebanese taught the world navigation gave them the first alphabet, built the mightiest holy temple of King Solomon in Jerusalem etc. At the same time the world abandoned Lebanon every time it needed help and support. Despite this bitter reality, the contemporary Lebanese fought bravely since 1975 and defended courageously their nation and its independence. They fought both brutal enemies and those who claim their brotherhood.
A few days before we all enter the new millennium, huge frantic exaggerated preparations are taking place all over the world. In this context every individual is definitely holding dear to his heart and memories certain, bitter and pleasant, experiences from past years and a set of hopes and wishes. I have spent most of my life outside my mother country, Lebanon, a reality that made me continuously feel that a part of me is missing. This feeling definitely will remain as is, in the new millennium with an unshakable faith in the righteousness of Lebanon's cause and its ultimate victory. At the same time I wonder what Lebanon we are going to hand over to our children? And will this Lebanon be able to survive and face the ongoing challenges and hardships?
The past experience that has already been carved in my heart, soul and mind during the last 54 years of my age are related to two set of events.
The first revolves around the victorious holy Lebanese years of patriotic authentic struggle lead by Sheik Bachir Gomayel in the seventies and early eighties. An era marked with a strong re-emergence of Lebanon's distinguishable identity, dignity, history, culture, pluralism, tolerance, human rights and Lebanon's right in sovereignty and independence. I can never forget the day Sheik Bachir was viciously assassinated with an elite of his assistants. The disasters, displacement, wars, and betrayal of his dream and the martyrs' blood that followed the crime will stay vivid in my mind as long as I live. Bachir's era was a golden one in Lebanon's contemporary history that will never be forgotten.
The second unforgettable event focuses on the emergence of General Aoun, the historic leader, carrying courageously the liberation, strong will and dignity torch in 1988. We were fascinated by his natural leadership qualities, sensitivity, transparency, integrity, intelligence and spontaneity that made him gain the support of the majority of the Lebanese people. I can still see the historic remarkable scene of hundreds of thousands of Lebanese from all regions and all denominations surrounding the presidential palace at Baabda, chanting national songs, dancing, joyful and expressing freely and authentically their full support to the leader. During Aoun's reign (1988-1990) Baabda Palace became a home for all the Lebanese, and for the first time in Lebanon's contemporary history the people felt that the regime was for them and that they were a part of it.
I will also never forget how the whole world conspired against us, the Lebanese people, and aborted the fulfillment of our national dream twice. Once when Sheik Bachir was assassinated and then when the USA, Israel and European and regional countries gave Syria their blessings to invade our free regions, murder our patriots and oust our legitimate government of General Michel Aoun. Lebanon, because of this conspiracy is now suffering brutal Syrian (90% of the country) and Israeli (10%) occupation under which the Lebanese are treated in their own country as slaves and strangers.
Like any other Lebanese patriots, and activists who believe strongly in the 10452 km square, independent, sovereign, unique, multi-cultural, free Lebanon concept, I will never lose my faith in myself, in my people, or in Lebanon's legitimate rights. We Lebanese in occupied Lebanon and in Diaspora have all potentials and capabilities needed to liberate our beloved country and to make it again after liberation an oasis for freedoms, tolerance, coexistence and democracy. We will never forget our martyrs who offered themselves happily on Lebanon's altar all through the 6000 years, so we can live a decent life with full respect and dignity in a free independent, sovereign country.
I am entering the new millennium with millions of patriotic Lebanese with an unshakable faith in Lebanon's ultimate victory and its just and righteous cause. We will carry with us a set of solid Lebanese convictions and beliefs inherited from our great ancestors, an optimistic look on Lebanon's future, a set of feelings including pain, sorrow, anger, and awareness of past traumatic national experience. We will carry with us into the second millennium a solid faith in Lebanon, its just cause and the hope for its liberation with the courage to always witness for the truth and fight for it.


text:
Q: Hibernate multi row insert postgresql Now I have working batch inserts with hibernate ("hibernate.jdbc.batch_size = 50)
but as far as i know hibernate generates single inserts in batches.
I know that I can tell my db driver to create multi-row insert for every batch of inserts to speed up performance using rewriteBatchedStatements:
jdbc:postgresql://localhost:5432/mydb?rewriteBatchedStatements=true
But in db logs there are still single inserts.
What am I doing wrong? Thanks.

A: This actually has nothing to do with Hibernate. The inserts are handled by the JDBC driver.
rewriteBatchedStatements is a MySQL specific parameter so it won't work with a PostgreSQL database. If you really need to do bulk inserts with PostgreSQL, take a look at this other answer which explains how to do it.


text:
author: Segment Routing Team
published: true
date: '2016-09-27 07:47 -0700'
order: 1
title: Segment Routing Introduction
excerpt: An introduction to Segment Routing and its concepts.
tags:
  - segment-routing
  - cisco
---

**An introduction to Segment Routing and its concepts.**
{: .notice--info}

<iframe src="https://app.box.com/embed/preview/vgy2xb3jvg0rurtxql5dtoox9t4j5ry0?theme=dark" width="800" height="450" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" style="border:1px solid #CCC; border-width:1px; margin-bottom:5px; max-width: 100%;" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


FREDDY AND CHICA HAVE BABIES! | Funny FNAF SFM Animations Compilation Reaction!
SFM FNAF Try Not To Laugh CHALLENGE!
[SFM FNAF] FNAF Try Not to Laugh Animations (.
[SFM] FNAF - Try Not To Laugh CHALLENGE!
[FNAF SFM] FNAF 4 Trailer : Golden Freddy and Withered Bonnie React!
FNAF Halloween | Balloon Boy Is Coming To FNAF 4 | Five Nights At Freddy.
HILARIOUS FNAF ANIMATIONS (How To Make Five N..
Funny FNAF Try Not To Laugh Challenge (F..


Round dining room sets are great choice because it can stimulate the people to have conversation. Unlike square dining room sets that require you to turn your position to see each other, these sets can make comfortable atmosphere to have a chat. Dining room is not only a place for eating, but also a place to gather with family and have conversation. There are many designs of sets available both online or in furniture shop. The sets that are made from wood can be a good choice because the texture of wood is beautiful and can give the impression of traditional look.
The sets have aesthetic values to decorate your dining room. Before buying the sets, you have to consider the space of your dining room. Some of dining rooms are combined with kitchen; you can decide the round dining room sets after knowing the space available. Whether the sets are placed in the kitchen or in the dining room, in case you shared the room. In determining the size of the sets, it should be based on your need. If you have large number of family, then it is better to choose large size of table with lots number of chairs.
However, if you have only small number of family, then it is better to choose the small one. Buying the sets that are too big can cause the problem such as restrict your movement and make the condition uncomfortable. There should be a space between the sets and the wall. The best height of the table as part of the sets is around 710 cm. you will feel comfortable with this height because you can relax your knees. Those are the information that you need to take into account in buying the proper and excellent round dining room sets.


It is also a space, for mapping mother artists in Asia and their art practice. A.M.M.A.A. is a research initiative by Indian artist Ruchika Wason Singh, to document the different aspects of their art making and its possible relations with motherhood . The archive should serve as a space, both to make and claim , for and by mother artists in Asian countries; through their commitment to create despite maternal and domestic responsibilities.
A.M.M.A.A. is the first platform of its kind in Asia, to focus on mother artists and their art.
The archive for mapping mother artists in Asia.


text:
En sociologie, le quatrième âge est une période de la vie, celle des personnes très âgées et plus ou moins dépendantes.
 Dans l'univers de la Terre du Milieu, créé par , le Quatrième Âge est la dernière subdivision des Années du Soleil.
 Le Quatrième Âge est un épisode de Scénario, une émission de télévision québécoise de téléthéâtre, diffusée à partir d' à la télévision de Radio-Canada.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
THE NFL GENERATES approximately $9.5 billion a year in revenue. In return it provides an entertaining diversion, in which millionaire coaches direct millionaire players as billionaire owners cheer in stadiums often financed by taxpayers. Yet Section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code lists "professional football leagues" as worthy of tax-exempt status, a lingering result of legislative maneuverings that facilitated the NFL-AFL merger in 1966.
U.S. senator Cory Booker, Democrat of New Jersey—a tight end at Stanford—would like to change that. He is the latest member of Congress to propose amending 501(c)(6) so that the NFL and nine other professional sports leagues, including the NHL, USTA and PGA Tour, no longer qualify. Booker's bill, the Securing Assistance for Victims' Empowerment Act, introduced on Sept. 16, would take the money earned from taxing these leagues and use it to fund domestic violence prevention programs. Last year senators Tom Coburn (R., Okla.) and Angus King (Ind., Maine) proposed a similar bill ending sports leagues' tax exemptions.
Booker's idea is laudable, but it may not be the best way to make the NFL pay for its poor performance on domestic violence. The NFL—the league office, not the teams—as a tax-exempt entity is not as crazy as it sounds. A 501(c)(6) isn't required to be a charity but can be a trade association that helps its members cooperate and achieve a common purpose, like a chamber of commerce that promotes local businesses or a guild that advocates for plumbers or accountants. The NFL is similar in that it acts on behalf of its members—the 32 NFL teams and owners—by organizing games and setting rules of play. The league represents those engaged in commercial activity but does not itself seek profits.
Also, the NFL actually does pay taxes on almost 100% of its income. The league's revenue is mainly generated by a quartet of for-profit subsidiaries. NFL Enterprises, NFL Properties, NFL Productions and NFL International control licensing, sponsorships, marketing, publicity, promotion, broadcast, merchandise and distribution. They generate the cash and share it with Uncle Sam.
Individual teams also pay up. Each franchise receives equal amounts of shared revenue (from television, radio, league apparel), plus unequal revenues for concessions, parking, pro shop sales and gate receipts. If any team has a profit remaining after expenses, it pays taxes.
Taxing the league office would lead to modest tax income at best. In the last three tax filings that are publicly available, the NFL reported income of $9 million in 2012, and losses of $77.6 million in 2011 and $52.2 million in 2010. How could the NFL lose money? Because the NFL doesn't make money. The NFL's main source of revenue is the membership dues paid by the teams, approximately $6 million each. This revenue is used to pay the hefty salaries of league executives, including commissioner Roger Goodell, who earned $85 million in compensation from 2010 through '12 (on which he paid personal income tax). The dues also pay rent for the NFL's New York City offices.
Booker's bill would have a greater impact on the USTA and the PGA Tour, tax-exempt organizations that generate revenue through tournaments rather than through taxpaying teams. Each has recorded significantly higher income than the NFL over the last few years. If outrage over domestic violence is the justification for removing the NFL's exemption, should these other leagues be forced to pay?
The NFL actually does pay taxes on almost 100% of its income.
Michael McCann

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Just like its namesake, the camelback couch has a difficulty or possibly two that highlights the primary outline of the couch design. This can be a conventional design that was prominent within the 1700s by Chippendale and families who desired aristocratic, formal Baehr Dining Table frequently opted for this design. These days, this couch style lends a far more formal air to the space, particularly when upholstered inside a official fabric. A far more informal textile choice would make it appropriate for a family space that does not require a great deal of formality. In either case, the camelback sofa has some factors that characterize the design and style. The legs are usually exposed, the couch doesn't have back again soft cushions and it normally has sq . or folded hands.
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Copyright © Buser 29'' Swivel Bar Stool (Set of 2) By Fleur De Lis Living in Round Dining Tables All right reserved.


All told, this puzzling episode should be a wake-up call. Next time, the miscreants won't be so flagrant, greedy or orthographically challenged. They'll have plenty of enticing targets to choose from. And they'll only have to get lucky once.


Posted on April 8, 2014 by thelostlighthouse	in Podcast, TLL and tagged Marvel, podcast, TLL, Weekly Rapture.
Hello again folks, and welcome back to The Weekly Rapture, brought to you by The Lost Lighthouse. This week we had a rare chance to record in the same room, so enjoy the slightly better audio quality! We chat about how Marvel have films scheduled for beyond the apocalypse, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, crap comic book shops, and Cosmic Encounters. Gary imagines a motorbike is interfering with the podcast, and Adam reveals to nobody's surprise that he is probably a drunk. We forgot to come up with a main talking point this week, so expect even more rambling and pointlessness than ever before!
If you have any thoughts. questions or opinions anything this week you can as always get in touch through Facebook or on Twitter @lost_lighthouse, email us atthelostlighthouse@live.co.uk or sound off in the 'leave a reply' box at the bottom of the podcast page on the website.
Posted on March 21, 2014 by thelostlighthouse	in Podcast, TLL and tagged board games, fun games, Hugh Jackman, podcast, TLL, Weekly Rapture, Wolverine.
Good day ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to The Weekly Rapture, brought to you by The Lost Lighthouse. This week we discuss anniversary editions of games, pointless video game films, and the many upcoming X-Men films and how many times Hugh Jackman is going to play Wolverine, while Adam boasts about his holiday and decides that a lot of the films released last year weren't that great, and Gary tries to start a Kickstarter to buy people presents, mainly because he can't afford to do it himself having wasted all his money on other Kickstarters.
Our main talking point this week was board games and the best examples of fun games to get into. We (mostly Gary, being out resident board game guy) chat about the gateway games to introduce some friends to, and what our favourite games are.
Posted on March 7, 2014 by thelostlighthouse	in Podcast, TLL and tagged Bioware, films, gaming, TLL, tllpodcast, Weekly Rapture.
Welcome again folks to The Weekly Rapture, brought to you by The Lost Lighthouse. This week we discuss Batman: Arkham Knight, Paddington Bear for some reason, our general indifference to the Transformers 4 trailer and the exiting news that we are finally getting those hoverboards we were promised, while Adam buys a lot of things and Gary deals with the floods.
Our main talking point this week was the Mass Effect series from Bioware. We talk about why we love the games, the most enjoyable sections, our favourite (and least favourite) characters and why choosing the female Commander Shepard is the only logical choice. We also touch on the end of the trilogy (without spoilers) and the outcry that led to Bioware releasing the 'Extended Cut' ending.
Posted on February 28, 2014 by thelostlighthouse	in Podcast and tagged gaming, podcast, PS4, TLL, video games, Weekly Rapture.
Welcome back ladies and gentlemen, for the first "proper" episode of The Weekly Rapture, brought to you by The Lost Lighthouse. This week we chat briefly about our general excitement levels after seeing the Guardians of the Galaxy and Godzilla trailers, Gary tiggles his gooch and Adam decides he hates 2014.
We also have our main talking point, which for this week is the topic of the next-gen consoles. We discuss how well the PS4 and Xbox One seem to be doing so far, along with the games, graphics and price comparison between the two, as well as talking about which we are more likely to buy if we can ever scrape together enough doubloons from the ocean floor to afford it. We also briefly touch on the WiiU and Steam Boxes.
If you have any thoughts. questions or opinions on our terribly misinformed blather you can as always get in touch through Facebook or on Twitter @lost_lighthouse, email us at thelostlighthouse@live.co.uk or sound off in the 'leave a reply' box at the bottom of the podcast page on the website.
or go direct to our iTunes page.


Two brutal murders. No witnesses.
LEIGH RUSSELL is the award-winning author of the Geraldine Steel and Ian Peterson mysteries. She is an English teacher who lives in the UK with her family.
The man grabbed hold of her wrist and half led, half dragged her up a carpeted staircase. She was dimly aware of passing a landing and a closed door, before lurching after him up a second narrow wooden flight of stairs. With a growing sense of alarm, she wondered how his wife had known about her.
"Did you phone her?" she asked, her voice thin and fretful.
The man didn't even turn around.
At the top of the stairs he opened a door, pulled her inside and kicked the door shut behind her. Donna blinked. The room was very dark and it smelled foul. A skylight was covered with a black blind. Very little light came through narrow slits down the sides. She couldn't make out much in the dimness, but she could see there was no one else there.
She could barely speak, she was so frightened. Too late, she felt coldly sober, alert to the danger she was in. With an impulsive strength she jerked her arm free and rushed for the door. It was locked. A naked light bulb clicked on and she looked round and gasped. The wall opposite was covered in shelves displaying nightmarish objects.
Suddenly the man grabbed her by the throat and thrust her so she fell backwards onto a bed in the middle of the room. For a second she lay mute with terror then she began to scream, kicking out, trying to scratch him, horrified, which he twisted her round until she was lying lengthwise on the mattress. Swiftly, the man shackled her wrists and ankles with cold metal manacles attached to the bed, then sat back on his hells, astride her body.
As she stared, his face came into focus. The shadows from the light behind him exaggerated the length of his narrow pointed nose, and his eyes gleamed darkly at her. Slowly his thin lips curved in a smile.
He climbed off the bed and left, closing the door firmly behind him.
Alone in the darkness Donna tried to calm down so she could think about what to do, but she couldn't stop sobbing.
They argued over the check.
He walked her to her car. Before she could open the door, he snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her to him. When his mouth came down hot and hard on hers, she shocked him by rising on tiptoes to meet him. She melted into his kiss. It had been so long and felt so good. So right.
When he lifted his head and stepped back, Maggie blinked. The world tilted, shook, then resettled.
"That's your definition of friendly?" She fought to get her breathing under control.
"Don't guess it was." He tucked his hands in his pockets.
Reaching behind her, she opened the car door and slid in. If her hands shook when she inserted the key into the ignition, it was because she was tired. It had grown late and she'd had a long day.
It had nothing whatsoever to do with the man standing beside her car, watching her like a cat. Nothing to do with that kiss he'd just planted on her.
Nothing to do with the hunger he'd ignited.


text:
People who left Facebook reveal the reasons they haven't returned even as a pandemic moves most social connection online, from better competitors to distrust of Facebook
By Idawa Aduba
Idawa Aduba
Facebook usage has spiked during the coronavirus pandemic as people in heavily affected areas have been forced to remain isolated from friends and loved ones.
But people who fled the platform after a string of controversies in recent years told Business Insider they weren't tempted to go back.
Two-thirds of the dozens of former Facebook users who spoke with Business Insider said they hadn't returned to the platform.
They've mostly filled the void that Facebook left with video-chat services, like Zoom, and text messaging.
Still, in some cases, people said leaving Facebook made it difficult for them to stay informed on upcoming social gatherings.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, Tiffany Bradford would exercise at her local Planet Fitness in Boston.
The gym recently began hosting a series of at-home workouts that are streamed every day via Facebook Live, as Planet Fitness locations, like many other gyms and businesses, remain closed because of the pandemic.
Shifting to at-home exercise routines is a challenge that many gymgoers across the US are likely grappling with, as about 95% of Americans are under orders to stay at home. But Bradford's adjustment is proving more difficult.
She's not on Facebook.
"I've been kind of surprised lately how many free resources require a Facebook," Bradford, a 26-year-old technology consultant, said.
She isn't alone in staying off the social network. Business Insider asked a group of about 60 former users if they had returned to the platform since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Two-thirds of them said no. While Bradford cited several reasons for leaving the site — such as a lack of meaningful connections and disinformation on the platform — many users have seemingly left Facebook after controversies in recent years, and they aren't turning back.
In 2018, the revelation that the political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica had harvested data from millions of Facebook users during the 2016 election season led some people to abandon the platform, data suggested. The Pew Research Center reported in September 2018 that 26% of American adults that responded to its survey said they deleted the Facebook app from their phone. About 42% of respondents said they stopped checking Facebook for several weeks or more.
Leaving Facebook is no easy task. Siva Vaidhyanathan, the director of the Center for Media and Citizenship at the University of Virginia, suggested in a book that Facebook uses casinolike techniques to keep users hooked on its platform, The Washington Post reported. Sean Parker, the founding Facebook president and Napster cofounder, also said at an Axios event that the social network was designed to "consume as much of your time and conscious attention as possible."
And though leaving Facebook has presented a few inconveniences for some former users, they said it has also taught them an important lesson: They don't need Facebook to stay in touch with the people who are truly important to them — even as the coronavirus pandemic is preventing people across the US from socializing in person.
"I'm not getting anything out of this anymore," Bradford said of her decision to leave Facebook. "I could actually do a better job if I quit relying on this to stay connected to my friends and family."
The coronavirus is bringing Facebook's influence into question
Former Facebook users have turned to video-chat apps like Zoom.
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Facebook still has a colossal presence in the social-media landscape despite its controversies. With an average of 1.66 billion daily active users as of December, Facebook's reach is still far greater than that of rivals like Snapchat, which has 218 million daily active users, and Twitter, which has 152 million monetizable daily active users.
Facebook usage has also spiked during the coronavirus pandemic. The company said messaging has increased by 50% and that voice and video calling have more than doubled on Messenger and WhatsApp in countries hit the hardest.
That doesn't mean Facebook is immune to coronavirus-related troubles; the social-media giant said it doesn't monetize many of the services that are being more widely used during the pandemic. Plus, the company's crucial ad business has been weakened as advertisers spend less because of the virus' economic ramifications.
Still, even at a time when Facebook usage is thriving, some former users aren't motivated to return, despite the trade-offs that come with being absent from the largest social network.
"At times, yes, you're at a disadvantage in certain situations," Nick Raia, a 39-year-old emergency medical technician for the New York City Fire Department, said. He said he's missed out on the occasional birthday-party invitation because a lot of his friends use Facebook to coordinate events. "They're doing everything through Facebook, and so sometimes I do get excluded because of it."
It's unclear whether people who have deleted or deactivated their accounts tend to return to Facebook. While the company reports daily and monthly active users for its network, there doesn't seem to be readily available data that provides insight into whether people typically return to Facebook after leaving.
But data from researchers at Stanford University and New York University published in November suggests that people who leave Facebook tend to use the social network less after returning. Researchers paid participants to leave the social network for four weeks. Once the experiment was over, the researchers found that even though most people reactivated their accounts, they spent less time on Facebook.
How people are replacing the largest social network
woodpencil/Shutterstock
Video chats and other specialized apps have helped former Facebook users maintain contact with friends and family members they can't see in person, as well as other social circles.
Marc Kermisch, a 46-year-old technology professional in Minneapolis, previously used Facebook to coordinate group runs and bike rides. Now he typically uses the workout app Strava to organize such gatherings, though he usually has to supplement Strava with text messaging because the app "doesn't really have the messaging capabilities that Facebook does."
For others, text messaging has become an easy and reliable way to keep in touch.
Andreas Kielczynski has adopted a more creative approach to texting. Kielczynski, a 46-year-old digital-marketing professional living in Hoboken, New Jersey, said he typically uses Apple's Messages app on his laptop and sometimes keeps between 30 and 40 messages open at a time. In addition to typing, he sometimes recites short messages and sends them as audio clips. And even though he's not on Facebook, he occasionally uses Facebook's Messenger app to contact certain people he can't reach otherwise.
"I use texting in kind of a strange way," Kielczynski said. "I'm not as much of a phone person as other people are. I'll always default to my laptop whenever possible."
Long before the coronavirus pandemic made it impossible to see loved ones in person, former Facebook users had taken to alternative modes of communication to keep in touch. For some, like Kermisch in Minnesota, not being on Facebook has been a motivator to call people they haven't spoken with in a while.
"I said, 'Hey, you know what? I'm going to give them a call just to see how they're doing,'" Kermisch said. "I think we all try to take care of each other a little bit more right now."
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We do not tolerate child sexual exploitation on Twitter. When we are made aware of links to images of or content promoting child sexual exploitation they will be removed from the site without further notice and reported to The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children ("NCMEC"); we permanently suspend accounts promoting or containing updates with links to child sexual exploitation.
If you think you've found a Twitter account distributing or promoting child sexual exploitation while using Twitter, report it here. Please provide the username and links to the relevant tweets that lead you to believe the account should be investigated. To find the direct status links to individual Tweets, see our help page.
If you have found content elsewhere on the internet that is distributing or promoting child sexual exploitation, you should file a report with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children here, or your local law enforcement. If you believe that the content was hosted on a website outside of the United States, you can report it here on the International Association of Internet Hotlines website.
Note: Please do NOT tweet, retweet or repost child sexual exploitation for any reason. Click here to report it to us immediately and we will take steps to remove it.
If you are a member of a law enforcement agency seeking information regarding Twitter accounts promoting or distributing child sexual exploitation, please see our Guidelines for Law Enforcement for information on our process; we also suggest you contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) here, regardless of jurisdiction, to determine whether or not information on those accounts is already on file.
For general law enforcement inquiries, please see our Guidelines for Law Enforcement for more information.


Home › 02150 › 60 Dudley #104 Chelsea, MA 02150. A Bi-level 2 bed/ 1 bath loft for sale at Spencer Lofts.
This is your opportunity to purchase a unique Brick & Beam loft at the former "Buster Brown" Shoe factory lofts now known as Spencer Lofts. Herein lies this turn of the century factory that was converted into 100 residential lofts in 2004. The building was constructed at the end of the Victorian Era and at the beginning of the Progressive Movement. This loft has period details that cannot be reproduced today. This loft features original milled oak trussed beams, high ceilings and large windows. Rare opportunity to purchase this unique and spacious two bedroom, one bath bi-level loft with one deeded parking space in the most desirable loft community in Chelsea, known as The Spencer Lofts. These lofts were converted from the Buster Brown Shoe Factory into residential lofts in 2004. These lofts feature all the creature comforts that one would expect, such as deeded parking, a gas range, in-unit laundry, forced hot air and a/c. The Spencer Lofts have a high owner occupancy ratio and home to the Spencer Lofts Art Gallery. Close Proximity to Boston with easy access via the commuter rail, MBTA bus routes. In the near future, the new Silver Line will be coming to Chelsea! Chelsea is only three miles from Boston. Starbucks, Mystic Brewery, Ciao, Fusion Foods, Floramos and the Newbridge Café are a few of my favorite local restaurants. The 8th annual Chelsea Art Walk is this summer and there is even Apollinaire Theater Company here! Come see the new Chelsea and don't get priced out! 60 Dudley #104 Chelsea, MA 02150. A Bi-level 2 bed/ 1 bath loft for sale at Spencer Lofts. Offered at $389,000.
‹ 54 Beacon Street, #1 Chelsea, MA 02150. A 2 bed, 1bath condo for sale.


Win, Thu Yein ORCID: 0000-0002-4977-0511, Tianfield, Huaglory and Mair, Quentin (2014) Virtualization Security Combining Mandatory Access Control and Virtual Machine Introspection. In: 2014 IEEE/ACM 7th International Conference on Utility and Cloud Computing, 8-11 December 2014, London, United Kingdom.
Virtualization has become a target for attacks in cloud computing environments. Existing approaches to protecting the virtualization environment against the attacks are limited in protection scope and are with high overheads. This paper proposes a novel virtualization security solution which aims to provide comprehensive protection of the virtualization environment.


text:
Megson Interviewed on BBC Radio Leeds
Megson will be interviewed by David Crickmore of BBC Radio Leeds at 8pm on 12.06.16. They will be playing music from their latest album, and they'll be talking about their upcoming gig at Newmillerdam.
BBC Radio Leeds 92.4FM, DAB and 774 AM in and around West Yorkshire and on www.bbc.co.uk/radioleeds everywhere else.
Stu and Debbie Hanna, the duo Megson (megsonmusic.co.uk), will return to Aulis Hall, Pennine Camphill Community, Wood Lane, Chapelthorpe, Wakefield on Saturday 25th June 2016 following on from their sold out show there in 2014.
You can purchase tickets online through WeGotTickets.com
Megson Contact / Ticket Purchase Details:
Tickets, at £12 are on sale from reception at Pennine Camphill, from John Nixon on 07917 886524 and online through WeGotTickets.com
Share this event on Facebook


text:
.. testing

============================
Testing Websockets for Redis
============================

A simple Chat server
====================
In the ``examples`` directory, there are two demo chat servers. To start them, first initialize
the SQLite database

.. code-block:: bash

	# create python2 virtualenv
	virtualenv - p /path/to/python2 /path/to/virtualenv

	# activate virtualenv
	source /path/to/virtualenv/bin/activate

	# pip
	pip install /django-websocket/redis/examples/chatserver/requirements.txt

	# Django 1.7+
	# Load test data
	./manage.py loaddata chatserver/fixtures/data.json	# if needed
	./manage.py makemigrations
	./manage.py migrate

and then start the server

.. code-block:: bash

	# start Redis Server
	# (or follow quickstart instructions http://redis.io/topics/quickstart)

	# start Django
	./manage.py runserver

Point a browser onto http://localhost:8000/admin/, login and add additional users. Enable their
staff status, so that they can use the admin interface to log into the testing application.

With http://localhost:8000/chat/ you can send messages to specific users, provided they are
logged in. To log in as another user, use Django's admin interface.

Simple Broadcasting
-------------------
On http://localhost:8000/chat/ there is a chat server, which simply broadcasts messages to all
browsers accessing this same URL.

Testing uWSGI
-------------
Before configuring NGiNX to run in front of two instances of uWSGI, it is recommended to run
uWSGI as a stand alone server for testing purpose. The entry point of this server makes the
distinction between normal HTTP and Websocket requests. In directory ``examples``, start uwsgi as

.. code-block:: bash

	uwsgi --virtualenv /path/to/virtualenvs --http :9090 --gevent 100 --http-websockets --module wsgi

Both chat server tests from above should run in this configuration.

Running Unit Tests
==================
To run the unit tests, a few additional packages have to be installed

.. code-block:: bash

	pip install -r examples/chatserver/tests/requirements.txt

Run the tests

.. code-block:: bash

	cd examples && ./manage.py test chatserver --settings=chatserver.tests.settings

Currently it is not possible to simulate more than one client at a time. Django's built in
LiveServerTestCase_ can not handle more than one simultaneous open connection, and thus more
sophisticated tests with more than one active Websockets are not possible.

Running Stress Tests
====================
To run stress tests, change into directory ``stress-tests``. Since stress tests shall check the
performance in a real environment, the server and the testing client must be started independently.

First start the server, as you would in productive environments

.. code-block:: bash

	uwsgi --virtualenv /path/to/virtualenvs --http :8000 --gevent 1000 --http-websockets --master --workers 2 --module wsgi_websocket

then start one of the testing clients, using the nose_ framework

.. code-block:: bash

	nosetests test_uwsgi_gevent.py

(this test, on my MacBook, requires about 1.5 seconds)

or start a similar test using real threads instead of greenlets

.. code-block:: bash

	nosetests test_uwsgi_threads.py

(this test, on my MacBook, requires about 2.5 seconds)

Both clients subscribe to 1000 concurrent Websockets. Then a message is published from another
Websocket. If all the clients receive that message, the test is considered as successful. Both
perform the same test, but ``test_uwsgi_gevent.py`` uses greenlet_'s for each client to simulate,
whereas ``test_uwsgi_threads.py`` uses `Python thread`_'s.

If these tests do not work in your environment, check your file descriptors limitations. Use the
shell command ``ulimit -n`` and adopt it to these requirements. Alternatively reduce the number of
concurrent clients in the tests.

.. _LiveServerTestCase: https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/1.6/topics/testing/overview/#liveservertestcase
.. _nose: http://nose.readthedocs.org/en/latest/
.. _greenlet: http://greenlet.readthedocs.org/en/latest/
.. _Python thread: http://docs.python.org/2/library/threading.html


Lieutenant Kanad Bhattacharya hailed from Baranagar in Kolkata in West Bengal. Son of an income tax officer, Lt Kanad was born and brought up at Tala near Shyambazar in north Calcutta. He studied in St. James School and graduated from SA Jaipuria college in Kolkata. Lt Kanad was a keen sportsman during his student days and played cricket very well. He also had an inclination towards martial arts and was a karate black belt holder.
Lt Kanad always nursed the idea of joining the armed forces and followed his dream after his college education. and a good cricketer. He joined the Army through OTA and was commissioned into8 Sikh of the famed Sikh Regiment, one of the oldest regiments known for its intrepid soldiers and numerous battle honours. As his first assignment after commissioning, Lt Kanad got posted to the unit which was deployed in J &K and got involved in the Kargil war.
There were reports about Pakistani infiltration in May 1999 and Lt Kanad Bhattacharya's unit was deployed along the LOC near Tiger hill during that time. By the third week of May 1999, the legitimacy of these reports was proven and it had been established that the infiltration had been done on a large scale in various sectors, including the Tiger hill area. Consequently, on 21 May, Lt Kanad Bhattacharya was tasked to establish a foothold on a northeastern ridge near Tiger Hill. The route was inaccessible and was covered with snow. While Sepoy Major Singh was climbing up, he detected movement of intruders coming down with heavy weapons towards them. The intruders started firing at the patrol with heavy automatic and sniper fire. Lt Kanad Bhattacharya and Sepoy Major Singh divided the patrol into two groups and started engaging the intruders from different positions thereby displaying outstanding professional competence. The heavy exchange of fire continued between Lt Kanad's patrol and the intruders.
Lt Kanad and his troops kept constantly returning the fire with grit and determination. In the ensuing firefight, a number of patrol members including Lt Kanad received multiple gunshot wounds. Lt Kanad Bhattacharya later succumbed to his injuries and was martyred. The patrol could not come back and was declared missing in action on 21 May 99. The body of Lt Kanad Bhattacharya was recovered from the area of action on 15 Jul 99 buried in snow after the Indian forces had captured the Tiger Hill. Lt Kanad was a gallant soldier and a fine officer who laid down his life in the service of the nation at the young age of 22 years.
Lt Kanad Bhattacharya was awarded "Sena Medal" (Posthumous) for his courage, unyielding fighting spirit and supreme sacrifice. Lt Kanad Bhattacharya is survived by his mother Purnima and sisters Purba Bhattacharya & Jaba Bhattacharya.
"Calcutta bids adieu to martyr' – 'Capt Kanad Bhattacharya, the first Kargil martyr from the city, was cremated with full military honours at Nimtollaghat in North Calcutta today. Braving a steady drizzle, hundreds of people, mostly youth, gathered at the historic crematorium since morning to pay their last respects to the 25-year-old hero".
I have nostalgic memories of kanad as it was a previledge for me to be part of the same platoon and get trained together while at OTA. A very soft spoken and humble soul with a determination to overcome all eventualities .You were a dead sinker but learned swimming in no time and passed with flying colors.You were not cowed down by the enemies and fought with courage and grit.. Your matryodom was amoung the cost this country bore to win the war .We salute you buddy for the freedom we enjoy has been paved with your blood..You are always part of our thought and will remain till we remain.The brave never die there courage nerve millions..
I salute u my comrade……u acheived wat v only cud dream of it. I take pride by saying ur my coursemate n vl remain so ….miss u my buddy. Jai hind !
A well bred thorough gentleman and a pure soul. He was dear to God so the Almighty took him away at a tender age, glorifying him with the Tri Colour. An appeal to today's youth – imbibe such bravado and revel in selfless service to the Nation.
My beloved Kanad you will remain in my memories for ever…..
Salute buddy as Ex Meiktilian.
We are indebted to you…Salute to a brave soldier, a brave man n a brave human being. JAI HIND.
RIP Sir, we won't forget. Jai Hind.
I wasted my life, if there is anything in the next birth, then I can join the Indian Army. Salute.
Every day when I go to work and return to home I watch your statue and feel very sad as well as very proud of you.


1) What can you do with Carly for Mercedes – the Mercedes app from Carly?
2) Which Mercedes models are supported with Carly for Mercedes?
3) Which adapter do you need for your Mercedes and where can you buy it?
4) Where can you download Carly for Mercedes and get the Pro Version?
5) Where do you plug the adapter in your Mercedes?
6) How do you get a stable connection to your Mercedes?
7) You would like to be informed about beta-phases for Carly for Mercedes?
8) You would like to know about the current projects having to do with Carly for Mercedes?


How do I Form a Christian Worldview?
It has been established over the last two blogs (What is a Worldview? and What is a Christian Worldview?) that worldview is a central aspect of life and having a Christian (biblical) worldview should be the Christian's priority. Therefore, here I address several ways for Christians to form a Christian worldview.
Re-Examine all of Your Beliefs Next to the Bible. We all have assumptions about life, opinions about politics, and beliefs about ethics. The challenge with this is that every person on the earth begins life with a sinful heart, a fallen mind, and a disposition towards error and rebellion against the Christian worldview. The first part of our life is spent forming an unbiblical worldview so that when we are regenerated by the spirit of God, much worldview change needs to take place. Therefore, as Christians, we must take everything that we once believed about life, and examine it next to what God says. Many of the things we think are common sense are wrong and need correction. We do not place ourselves above the Scriptures by searching it in order to prove our worldview right, we rather place ourselves under the Scriptures, in humility asking God to give us a correct way of thinking about the world.
Commit to and become part of a healthy local church. A Christian worldview will never be formed in isolation. The majority of the NT consists of letters to churches, intended to transform the community Jesus redeemed with his blood. If a Christian is not part of and living life with a community of believers, there will be a decline in Christian maturity and worldview formation (1 Corinthians 5:6, Hebrews 10:24-31, Proverbs 13:20). This Jesus loving community, especially if it consists of people from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and ages, will include some disagreement, yet will be a healthy ground for the formation of a Christian worldview.
Many things can be assumed to be true, correct, and good in Christian circles that have no biblical basis. It is our job as Christians to reexamine and put off much of our old worldview and replace it with the truth of God's world. Only when a Christian has a truly Biblical worldview, will he begin to be a truly prophetic voice in this world of confusion.
Can you think of more ways we can form a Christian worldview? Share them below in the comments.


Did Mohamed Jbali get deported on 90 Day Fiancé? His ex-wife Danielle Mullins worked diligently to send him back to Tunisia because she claimed he lied to her and used her in order to get his green card. On the season finale, he faced off in court with Danielle, and instead of annulling their marriage, they decided to go through with a divorce — which meant that he would get to keep his green card. Still, rumors have been swirling that Mohamed got the boot, but according to Instagram, he's still living it up in Texas.
Most recently, the TLC alum took to Instagram to snap a photo with the caption, "Such a beautiful evening today in Dallas and Fort Worth with a very bright moon! Life is very beautiful if you just know how to look at it!"
Such a beautiful evening today in Dallas and Fort Worth with a very bright moon! Life is very beautiful if you just know how to look at it!
In another post last year, Mohamed explained that he returned from a social media hiatus but he wouldn't be talking about 90 Day Fiancé because he refused to watch the show and revealed that he quit the series. "I have no respect for some fake couples in it plus it's not the best place to tell a real story," he wrote. "That's why I'm out!"
In a video message posted on his private account, the 26-year-old thanked his fans and followers for being so supportive of him — which was a welcome change since he was used to being bashed online because he was portrayed as a villain on the show. "I don't really know what changed, I did not watch the show, I don't know what's going on there but this time the amount of support that I am getting from people is unbelievable," he said in the clip. "Everybody's thanking me, everybody's telling me I'm a great person, everybody's telling me I did really good the way I handled the situation. This is really making me happy."
Fans left him more messages of support in the comments. "So happy to see that you got a divorce. Be happy, live your life free of drama," one wrote, and another added, "[You] handled the court date like a champ! [You] deserve happiness. Proud to call [you] [an] American!"
The court hearing that was featured on the season finale of 90 Fiancé: Happily Ever After actually took place last March, and Mohamed broadcasted the day via Facebook Live in order to tell his side of the story with his family and friends without editing from TLC. But he did reveal during the live stream that he originally planned to go back to Tunisia — but on his own terms.
"I'm not trying to say that the judge said I have to leave — no, it's my decision, I said to leave. The judge did not ask me to leave the country," he explained. "I am just divorced. I got my divorce without fighting, without anything. We didn't talk about any single thing in the courthouse — we just agreed to pay whatever we have bills together and that's it."
Former '90 Day Fiancé' Stars Aya and Louis Are Expecting Their First Baby Together!