Post, Freight and Carriers

How do I find a picture of a food critic from the Palm Beach Post? I'm looking for a photograph if Charles Passy from the Palm Beach Post in Florida. Does anyone know where I can find his picture?

How do you find old newspapers (the one in particular im trying to find is palm beach post).? I want to find an old article from Jan. 2008.... not exactly sure about the date but anywheres from Jan. 21-31, in the Palm Beach Post. Do they save the whole newspaper (of course not the inserts, but i mean the Accent section and the Classifieds maybe).... ? Also where can i go to find out this info for free?

who owns the Palm Beach Post? what is the name of the company?

When is the Palm Beach Post going to give advice on voting issues? I have an absentee ballot and must respond

florida representatives rating by palm beach post and sun sentinel? District 90 2006

palm beach post paper route ? how old do you have to be for a paper route in florida and how much does it pay im 12 and turning 13 in 70 days im not allowed to do online surveys

BET Spring Bling 2007 I read in "The Palm Beach Post" Only College Student Are Invited? Is that True?

Does anyone know of a high school that would allow post graduate students near West Palm Beach, Fl? I am looking to go do a prep year inbetween high school and college somewhere in southern florida

Where can I find batting cages near/around Palm Beach Florida? Looking to go the batting cages in Palm Beach. if possible, looking for real baseballs. But if not, just post the location and/or phone number thanks

Does anyone know of a good secret shopper website for west palm beach florida? Does anyone know of a good website for secret shoppers for West Palm Beach Florida? I have enrolled in like 3...but they either a. never send anything, or b. send me the same posts over and over again. Thanks!

Trying to sell my FIAT???? How do I find out what the specifics are about the engine.? Listedd it in the PALM BEACH POST classifieds and cannot find any info for callers about motor 1979 117k automatic...fuel injected or not???

train routes palm beach to tampa? i am trying to get to brando florida which is near tampa from palm beach gardens by trian can some one post aa link for a website on the train schedules and routes

Why are liberals easily confused by simple concepts such as the butterfly ballot? WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (CNN) -- Voters confused by Palm Beach County's butterfly ballot cost Al Gore the presidency, The Palm Beach Post concluded Sunday. http://archives.cnn.com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/03/11/palmbeach.recount/ I predict if Obama loses, they will call the ballots "confusing"

Does anyone find it amusing that Democrats' memories are so short? "In 1991, for example, Democrats criticized one of Bush's speeches to schoolchildren as a federally funded political event. "The president should be doing more about education than saying, 'Lights, camera, action,'" said Rep. Richard Gephardt, then the Democratic majority leader in the U.S. House." (Palm Beach Post in FLorida)

i stay in Navi mumbai, Palm Beach road. Are there any coaching centres , where i can get a job as a teacher? I am a post graduate in Chemistry. I can teach other subjects too. my mailing address is sms18nov@yahoo.co.in

Why am I unable to watch "Jericho" on WPEC Channel 12 out of west Palm Beach tonight? I seldom become interested in weekly programs, but I can,t seem to help liking this one. People who love " The Post Man" and movies like it will find this series interesting provided the writers can keep from turning it into a Soap.

If Obama allows oil drilling, does that get your vote? ORLANDO, Fla. -- Sen. Barack Obama suggested he could accept an expansion of offshore oil drilling today if it is in a broader package of energy measures that would free the logjam on energy bills in Congress. "My interest is in making sure we've got the kind of comprehensive energy policy that can bring down gas prices," Obama said in an interview with The Palm Beach Post. "If, in order to get that passed, we have to compromise in terms of a careful, well thought-out drilling strategy that was carefully circumscribed to avoid significant environmental damage -- I don't want to be so rigid that we can't get something done." Will this get him more support, or will he just be accused of flip-flopping?

Jonas Brother Concert West Palm Beach....Hurricanes, Tropical Storms!!? So I'm a *TAD* concerned about this whole weather fiasco... The ticket says rain or shine event, does that constitute hurricane or not? OMG, I hope it doesn't get cancellled. The prediction cone of Hurricane Hanna is going to be parallel to Florida on Friday!! WTF I'm pretty sure it won't be re-scheduled or post-poned if it does get cancelled because they have the VMA's on Sept 7th in California!! Input!? Preditctions!? What section are you sitting in!?? Email me so we can chat before the concert.. andrea_starss_518@yahoo.com I'm Andrea, 16.

Is this Job a good one? Okay so i am doing this project for my civics class. I have to find a job in the palm beach post for something i like to do! I am a ver positive outgoing girl. and i want to be on broadway but she says to pick a backup job. This isnt a real job im going to take im only 13 but here it is. MonkeyJar:an online shopping community event planer/ contest coordinater $39,000-$49,000 with benifits

FIAT SPYDER-AUTOMATIC 1979 gas milage??? people keep asking me what the fuel milage is. how do I find out to sell my car in the palm beach post???? listed today

Should Baggy pants ban "unconstitutional"? Should Baggy Pants bann the Formal wear?? whats next we cant talk or express ourslef?? this is madnes, here is the yahoo Post tell me what you think!! MIAMI (AFP) – A Florida judge has deemed unconstitutional a law banning baggy pants that show off the wearer's underwear, local media reported Tuesday. A 17-year-old spent a night in jail last week after police arrested him for wearing low pants in Riviera Beach, southeast Florida. The law banning so-called "saggy pants" was approved by city voters in March after supporters of the bill collected nearly 5,000 signatures to put the measure on the ballot. The teen would have received a 150 dollars fine or community service, but he spent the night in jail due to a history of marijuana use, the Palm Beach Post newspaper said. "Somebody help me," said Palm Beach Circuit Judge Paul Moyle, before giving his decision. "We're not talking about exposure of buttocks. No! We're talking about someone who has on pants whose underwear are apparently visible to a police officer who then makes an arrest and the basis is he's then held overnight, no bond." "Your honor, we now have the fashion police," added public defender Carol Bickerstaff, who asked the law be declared "unconstitutional." The judge agreed with Bickerstaff immediately, reported the Post. Laws that ban low-slung pants are on the books in several US cities, including Delcambre, Louisiana, where offenders can be fined up to 500 dollars or jailed for up to six months. Dallas, Texas and Atlanta, Georgia are among the larger US cities considering similar measures.

I would like to volunteer for the troops in Florida, how do I do do it? I have a crazy schedule monday through friday and the only income in my house, so aside from time during the weekend there is no money for me to donate but I still want to do something. I read in the Palm Beach Post once a month or so ago that there was a center in Nort Palm Beach Florida puttin care packages together for the troops in Afganistan, Iraq etc. Does anyone have any information about volunteering opportunities in Palm Beach County, Florida for the troops? I went to USO web site but the volunteering link wasnt working. Thanks!

Did you hear Rush today? Weather Has Always Happened, But Now It's Political and It's on the News May 10, 2007 Listen To It! WMP | RealPlayer Audio clips available for Rush 24/7 members only -- Join Now! BEGIN TRANSCRIPT RUSH: Yesterday I actually opened the program by asking if anybody had seen Algore or Laurie David conducting a press conference on the first subtropical storm out there, subtropical storm Andrea Mitchell -- which, by the way, have you seen the latest forecast track? They've got it doing circles. It's going to come close to making landfall a little south of Jacksonville. Now it's not going to make landfall and it's going to turn back out to sea. You watch. The thing is going to head our way before it's all said and done. You just watch. Regardless, I was prescient once again. Laurie David shows up on PMSNBC this morning. Joe Scarborough is taking his shot at the morning show and Scarborough asking her about the Malibu fires, California fires, and she launched. DAVID: I mean, do you believe what's going on in this country weatherwise? I mean, are you guys talking about this? I mean, honestly, let me just ask you this here, okay? When you were growing up, do you remember that "severe weather" was a regular category every night on the evening news? Do you remember that? RUSH: No. The reason was there was no political agenda behind the weather when we were growing up, Laurie. Now there's a political agenda driving the weather. It's called global warming. There are no such things as "weather phenomenon." It's a sorry thing that happened in Greensburg, Kansas, but tornadoes happen. They've been happening long before we were born, Laurie, before we were kids, and so do hurricanes and they've been happening. There's nothing that happens in weather that's unique. Nothing that happens in weather that is unprecedented. It's not possible. This planet has been around too long! How many billions and billions and billions of years have the planet been around? All of a sudden for us, during our lifetimes, all of a sudden things are happening that have never happened before? Oh, my God, and we're the ones responsible! Oh, my God. We're ruining the planet. Oh, no. Really? Oh, my God, we gotta do something! We need higher taxes. One square of toilet paper per bathroom visit. Why, we've got to change our light bulbs. It's absurd. It's patently absurd. I'm going to read something to you from our local paper here, the Palm Beach Post. This is about Tropical Storm Andrea Mitchell out there. I want to read the first couple of lines, and see if anything reaches out and grabs you. "Three weeks before hurricane guides appear in local grocery stores, subtropical storm Andrea [Mitchell] swirled off the north Florida coast Wednesday, a reminder that Mother Nature is in charge here. The first named May storm in more than a quarter century, Andrea [Mitchell], isn't expected to strengthen much beyond its current 45-mile-per-hour winds and may not even strike land." What stands out at you in that sentence? Dawn, what stands out? No. See, this is how they do it. Dawn's reaction: "It's not going to strike land." No, what stands out is this: "The first named May storm in more than a quarter century." That means that 25 years ago there was one in May. There was a named storm prior to the June 1st hurricane season, 25 years ago. Twenty-five years ago they were warning us of global cooling, a new ice age. So, yeah, we got this thing out there, and the Laurie Davids of the world hype all over this and claim it's a result of global warming -- and, of course, man's decadent lifestyle. But there's nothing happening today in weather that has not happened before countless, countless other times. More audio sound bites. Katie Couric, by the way, let me tell you what happened on this. Yesterday I also opened the show and I offered -- because when I saw that the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric's ratings are the lowest they've been since 1987, 20 years, I offered -- myself as exclusive interview subject to Katie and the CBS Evening News. I'd do a live interview, in order to jack the ratings, because I'm Rush Limbaugh: I am ratings. I offered to help. CBS did call. 60 Minutes called. My old buddy from 60 Minutes who produced the first segment, the only one, the first one they did of me way back in the early '90s, Bob Andersen, called and he said, "We'll be happy to have Katie interview you for 60 Minutes and then run excerpts of that interview on the evening news." We smiled. "Nice try, Bob. You're a smart guy, but, no, the deal was I offer myself to Katie for the evening news: one shot, live interview," knowing full-well it will never happen, ladies and gentlemen, for a host of reasons, but among the reasons at the top is: Can you imagine if a live interview with me actually did jack the ratings? What would that say? We know that it would. We would make sure that it did, because I am Rush Limbaugh. I am ratings. Anyway, we have a sound bite from Katie on her CBS Evening News last night about all this "extreme weather." COURIC: Already this month federal disasters have been declared in six states. By the way, don't think nature has spared the rest of the world. Australia is dealing with its worst drought ever. Italy is also suffering through a drought. Meanwhile, usually dry parts of northern Africa have been hit with deadly rainstorms. And it seems almost biblical that 2007 is the Year of the Locust. RUSH: Wait, it's a newscast. How does that get thrown in? And it seems almost biblical? By the way, Katie, your audience doesn't want to hear references to the Bible. Big no, no, don't know who put that on the prompter. But somebody should have gotten it off of there. Now we have a montage from MSNBC's Amy Robach, ABC’s Sam Champion, NBC’s Dawn Fratangelo and Matt Lauer on subtropical storm Andrea Mitchell. ROBACH: We have a named storm three weeks before the season is even supposed to start. CHAMPION: Tropical Storm Andrea is three weeks ahead of the hurricane season. FRATANGELO: She's called Andrea, arriving a full three weeks before the official start of hurricane season. LAUER: The first named store is hovering offshore weeks before it should be there. Andrea only the 17th named storm in history to arrive before June 1st. RUSH: Only the 17th? Only the 17th? Only the 17th? Why, that means there have been 16 named storms before the start of hurricane season before Andrea Mitchell. Well, that indicates some sign of tumult and chaos in the natural order of things out there. Only the 17th time in history. Now, not in history, in recorded history, because until we came along, the earth didn't know that June 1st was the start of hurricane season. You think Mother Nature knew that June 1st was -- do you think that Mother Nature even knows when it's June? We call it June and we say hurricane season starts on June 1st. Look at Palm Beach. We've got turtle season starting on March 1st. They don't show up until May 1st. You think the turtles know they're supposed to be here in March because we've got a town council making an ordinance saying we gotta turn out the lights? I have an Abyssinian cat. Do you think my cat knows it's an Abyssinian cat? In fact, do you think my cat even knows it's a cat? I guarantee you my cat thinks it's a person. Cats have staff. Dogs have masters. We invent all these terms, so the idea that there have been 17 named storms before hurricane season -- did we get hurricane season in the 10 Commandments? Is there some proclamation from some higher power that says June 1st, anything that happens before that, something is wrong. Grow up, folks. BREAK TRANSCRIPT RUSH: This is Rick in Malibu. Nice to have you, sir, and welcome to the EIB Network. CALLER: Thanks, Rush. Thanks for having me on. I had to call because I started giggling a little bit about all this global warming hysteria. When you played that clip earlier of Laurie David connecting the Los Angeles wildfires, the one in Griffith Park to global warming, when the conventional wisdom and the current theory out here is that the fire was started when a man with a lit cigarette fell asleep in the park. That's what the news is out here. So unless global warming caused that man to fall asleep, I don't really see the connection, do you? RUSH: No, no, no, no. That's not what they'll say. It might have been a cigarette. It might have been a bum or anybody else throwing a cigarette, but if it weren't for global warming causing less rainfall than normal, the Griffith Park wouldn't have gone up in flames the way it did! That's what they'll say. They've got this down pat. But all they're doing is playing on the fact that, okay, we've got fires in Georgia. In fact, I have to tell you. We had fires in Florida here. It's bad. Alligator Alley, which connects Fort Lauderdale to Naples, has been shut down, parts of it have been. I told you yesterday that I walked outside and the sky is totally gray, looks overcast, but there's not a cloud nearby. It's the smoke from all the fires. You can smell it a little bit out there. The kids are out playing in the schoolyard, being highly irresponsible. (I'm joking about this.) It's as though all these kind of fires -- you heard Katie Couric -- biblical proportions, 2007, the Year of the Locust! It's preposterous. All of this is preposterous. Global warming is responsible for all the fires! When did we start naming hurricanes? I happen to know. Do any of you know when we started naming hurricanes? It was 1951, which happens to be the year that I was born. 1951. What were hurricanes before that? What did we call them? By the way, how do we know this is only the 17th storm to precede hurricane season because we're only able to see these things around the world with satellites, and how long have we had satellites? Not much before 1951. How do we even know? All of this is just... I don't know how to describe it, but it really frightens me for the overall intelligence of the people of this country. I'm starting to agree with those of you that have called me and said we've got way too many idiots in this country. You can see them easily by how many of them just suck up all the BS from the left. BREAK TRANSCRIPT RUSH: Welcome back. Rush Limbaugh, talent on loan from God. Johnny in El Paso. Thanks for calling and welcome to the EIB Network, sir. CALLER: Thanks, Rush. Thanks for taking my call. That guy in Griffith Park that burned down the park? If the smoking Nazis had allowed that guy to smoke indoors instead of outdoors, he probably would have just burned his cigarette out in an ashtray. You know, in New Mexico when they had the peak of the forest fire season, it was against the law to smoke outside. You would get a ticket for smoking outdoors. RUSH: You can't smoke inside anymore. I don't know who started this fire out in Griffith Park. The caller said it was a bum. If it was a bum that means the bum didn't have an indoors to go to. But it is an interesting thought. If the bum had been indoors somewhere and threw the cigarette down, it would just be one house that went up instead of a whole park. Outdoors... I don't want to call the guy a bum because it would be an unfair characterization. He was an outdoorsman, out there trying to enjoy life, had a little cigarette, flipped it off and bam! We've got a fire. It is an interesting thing: the unintended consequences of all this liberal do-gooderism. END TRANSCRIPT Read the Background Material... Palm Beach Post: Andrea rare May tropical storm Reuters: Storm dissipates off Florida but rain welcomed NewsBusters: Waiting for Katrina

What do you think of these instances where gun ownership saved honest citizens from criminal attacks? http://www.lewrockwell.com/pr/armed-citizens3.html While taking groceries to her car, a man approached an 82-year-old woman and said something horrible to her: “This is your day. You are too old to be alive anyway.” According to police, he then grabbed the woman’s cane and beat her. Despite the savage assault, the elderly woman managed to reach into her purse, draw her gun and fire a shot. The man fled and, upon hearing the shot, store employees quickly came to the woman’s aid. The self-proclaimed “stubborn, old broad” is badly bruised but will fully recover. “If I go naturally or to a sickness or something, fine,” she said. “I’m ready to go, but I’m not ready to let some idiot like that take me out.” (KVOA-TV, Tucson, AZ, 03/15/10) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Daniel Kaplan was parked in front of his business when two men sprinted toward his vehicle. One of them reached inside, punched Kaplan three times in the face and stuck a gun to Kaplan’s head. Then Kaplan’s instincts kicked in. Police say he grabbed the suspect’s gun with his left hand and kicked open the car door into his assailant. Kaplan then reached under the seat and grabbed his .45-cal. Glock pistol. “I got five shots off as quickly as I could,” he recalls. “I was fighting for my life.” At least one of the suspects was shot. Both fled the scene and are being sought by police. “I’m happy to be here,” said a relieved Kaplan. (Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, Columbus, GA, 03/04/10) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A crazed, knife-wielding man attempted to stab people at random in a convenience store parking lot. Police said he’d already chased a delivery driver and others when he ran down a car leaving the lot. He lunged at the car’s driver with the knife, wounding him. That’s when the driver, whose two young stepdaughters were in the vehicle, produced a handgun and fired about six shots, killing the attacker. The driver will recover from his injuries.“You’ve got to protect yourself,” said witness Byron Cook.“He had his two kids in the car and they were terrified.” (WREG-TV, Memphis, TN, 03/05/10) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maureen Cassidy awoke to a loud noise and got up to investigate. To her horror, a man with a knife had forced his way into her home. She hurried back to the bedroom and woke her husband, who got his Smith & Wesson 9 mm handgun. The husband stood in the doorway and yelled to the intruder that he had a gun. Inexplicably undeterred, the intruder advanced toward the husband, who fired a shot. The wounded intruder fled the home. Police found him hiding in the bushes next door. A second person was also arrested in connection with the invasion. (The Palm Beach Post, West Palm Beach, FL, 03/13/10) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Police said that early one morning an armed suspect burst into a home office in an area described by one resident as “a quiet neighborhood.” Hearing the burglar, the resident quickly armed himself with a firearm. When the burglar approached, the resident feared for his life and shot the suspect, killing him. “I’m not for someone being shot,” said Nora Dietz, a concerned neighbor, “but you have to protect yourself.” (The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, MD, 03/29/10) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Raymond Michel and his wife, Dawn, returned home with their grandson when the 9-year-old noticed a suspicious light in a downstairs bedroom. Dawn investigated and found a few items in disarray. Then she found a garbage bag outside with money and jewelry in it, and a window screen was damaged. She ran to tell her husband that someone had been – or still was – in the house. Michel got his handgun and walked upstairs. Items were strewn about the floor and a bathroom door was shut that the Michels always keep open. Michel kicked the door open and it struck the intruder. The suspect began to aim a rifle at the homeowner, who quickly fired his handgun, shattering the door and narrowly missing the intruder. The suspect laid on the ground as everyone waited for police. (The Bakersfield Californian, Bakersfield, CA, 03/04/10) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A man wasn’t home when an alarm indicated a possible break-in. He quickly called his neighbor, Gaylon Crawford, and asked him to check on the house. The neighbor noticed a door was forced open and the lights were on. Once inside he found two men wearing dark clothing. Police said the men claimed they were retrieving their tools, but Crawford didn’t buy it. He drew his handgun and told the men to put their hands up and wait for police. Instead, one of the men charged Crawford, who shot him. The suspects fled. The wounded man was arreste Sorry about that last one - the rest of it is on the link. Anyhow isn't protection ultimately up to the individual and not the police?

What is your opinion Illegal alien arrested for hitting and killing little girl? On Sunday afternoon, Boynton Beach police arrested Leticia Flores, 28, for the hit-and-run killing of 10-year-old Darness Brown. The girl’s 13-year-old sister, Darneisha Ellis, was also injured when Flores allegedly hit their scooter. Boynton Beach police spokeswoman Stephanie Slater said the girls were riding their scooter on Southwest Ninth Avenue at Southwest Third Street when Flores hit them with her Honda SUV. In what had to be a sickening scene, Darneisha told the police that as her sister was dying next to her, Flores jumped out of her vehicle and screamed at the two girls for being on the street, she then fled the scene. The girl’s story was supported by an eyewitness. Jessica Thomas, 24, told police she ran outside when she heard the crash. The affidavit claims: “Once outside, she observed the driver of the vehicle standing outside staring at the injured pedestrian. Thomas then stated that the driver (Flores) got into her vehicle and fled the scene.” Police caught up to Flores as she pulled into a convenience store parking lot. She told the arresting officers that she left the accident scene because there were other people who had come to the girls’ aid. She also said that she ran because she has no drivers license. A good Samaritan performed CPR on the little girl until paramedics arrived. However, having sustained severe internal damage, she died shortly after arriving at Delray Medical Center. Flores was arraigned on Tuesday, with Judge Ted S. Booras setting bail at $1 million. Booras cited not only the serious nature of the crime, but Flores’ immigration status as the reasons behind the large bail amount. The girls’ uncle, Lamont Davis told reporters outside the courtroom: “My niece told me… the lady who hit her got out of the car and came over to them and told them they shouldn’t have been in the road. … And then gets back in the car without trying to see what’s wrong with them at all.” Darness’ aunt, Regina Horne, told the Palm Beach Post about her niece, saying: “She loved her mother to death. She was her mother’s little shadow.” http://www.examiner.com/x-5919-Norfolk-Crime-Examiner~y2009m12d9-Illegal-alien-arrested-for-hitting-and-killing-little-girl

I MOVE TO FL IN THE WINTER AND IT SEEMS LIKE I CAN'T FIND ANYTHING 2 RENT FROM PRIV PARTIES. WHERE CAN I LOOK? I'VE TRIED CRAIGSLIST, SUN-SENTINEL, PALM BEACH POST. THE REALTORS POST ONE THING AND WHEN I CALL I GET THE "BAIT AND SWITCH." "OH YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT ONE, BUT WE DO HAVE THESE OTHER PROPERTIES W/ HIGHER RENT AVAILABLE." YEAH......

Are refugees from Socialism correct to fear an Obama presidency here in the USA ? According to the Palm Beach Post: Sunday, September 14, 2008 "Many of the Hispanics in Florida who vote are successful people who want to live in an 'opportunity society' represented by the Republicans and not a 'welfare society' proposed by the Democrats," Dinerstein said. "If you come from a left-wing country like Cuba or Venezuela, when you get here, you are a Republican forever." Some in the Venezuelan community have a serious issue with Obama, who said earlier in the campaign that he would be willing to meet with leaders who are avowed enemies of the United States, presumably including Venezuela's leftist President Hugo Chavez. "Venezuelans didn't like that," said Ernesto Ackerman of Miami, president of the Independent Venezuelan American Citizens organization. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/09/14/hispanicvote0914.html "But also Obama is always using the word 'change.' That was the same word Chavez used in Venezuela. And the changes he brought is what drove so many people out of Venezuela," he said. "That word scares Venezuelans here."

what do you think of slavery in 2010? WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT THIS ARTICLE? Bitter Harvest Slavery isn't history - and we're reaping its fruit -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Kimberly French You, in all likelihood, own items that were produced by slaves: Chocolate. Hand-woven carpets. Cotton. Coffee. Tea. Tobacco. Sugar. Tomatoes. Cucumbers. Oranges. Grains. Clothing. Sneakers. Soccer balls. Gold. Diamonds. Jewelry. Fireworks. Steel. Glassware. Charcoal. Timber. Stone. Tantalum (a mineral used in laptops, pagers, personal digital assistants, and cell phones). Products in all of these industries have been found made with slave labor, then sold in the global market. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IN THIS ISSUE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Boycotts Don't Always Help Meet the New UU Abolitionists What Your Congregation Can Do -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SEE ALSO From the Editor: Will we be abolitionists this time? uu&me! Related Stories and activities for children FROM THE UU WORLD ARCHIVES Holdeen India Program: Tranforming Lives among India's 'broken people' Looking Back: Slavery among the Unitarians -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RELATED Abolition Today: Bill Sinkford, Charles Jacobs, Fancis Bok, and Vivek Pandit (UUA General Assembly 2003) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ADDITIONAL READING Slavery Is Not Dead, Just Less Recognizable (CS Monitor 9.1.04) 21st Century Slaves (National Geographic 9.03) Modern-Day Slavery (Palm Beach Post 2003) The Social Psychology Of Modern Slavery (Scientific American 4.02) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More items that you consume every day are tainted by slavery in less direct ways. “Your computer terminal may be made in Japan, but that company may reward executives with sex tours of enslaved prostitutes in Southeast Asia,” says Barney Freiberg-Dale, founder of Unitarian Universalists Against Slavery, one of several Unitarian Universalist groups working to fight modern slavery. All of us who are lucky enough to be housed, clothed, and fed every day benefit from prices kept low by slave labor. Global companies we invest in, or whose stocks are part of our mutual or pension funds, provide higher returns because they buy from suppliers that pay workers very little—or not at all. As participants in the world's largest consumer economy, with its drive for lower and lower prices, we contribute to the global economic pressure for slave labor. We are all complicit. But didn't slavery end in the nineteenth century? Many of today's new abolitionists admit to having held that same assumption, until a news story or pamphlet or lecture shocked them out of it. Or you may have thought the reports of human trafficking that periodically make the news—such as sex slavery rings or forced migrant farm work—were isolated cases, somewhere far from you. I did. The truth is that slavery exists in virtually every country of the world and in almost every U.S. state, according to human rights organizations, scholars, government agencies, and journalists. A growing antislavery movement has been hard at work documenting and exposing this troubling fact. Surveying their reports and interviewing antislavery spokespeople is eye-opening, answering not only my question about the nineteenth-century “end” of slavery but raising other questions as well. In fact, legal slavery did end. Slavery is illegal in every country of the world. Nonetheless there are more slaves today than ever before: 27 million, twice as many as the number of Africans enslaved during the four centuries of the transatlantic slave trade, according to a calculation that slavery expert Kevin Bales calls conservative. Bales, a sociologist at Roehampton University in London who spoke at the UUA's 2003 General Assembly, estimates that 50,000 people are forced to work as slaves in the United States today. How can this be? If slavery is illegal everywhere, how can there be slaves, and in such numbers? In the United States our image of slavery is defined by our own horrific history. The antebellum slavery that was practiced here is called chattel slavery, meaning one person is owned completely by another and can be inherited as property. Today's slavery is different. Simply put, slavery is one person forcing another to work without pay, using the threat of violence or psychological manipulation. Ownership no longer defines slavery. When slaves could be legally owned, when buying slaves required a substantial financial investment, there was an incentive for owners to take care of their “property

Can a 14 year old Intern at a Newspaper? (Journalism)? I am going to be a freshman in High School next year, and I want to be a journalist. I am 14, and I am very good. I live in the around ATL, but I was thinking a summer internship. I always go to Florida during the summer to visit family, and could some papers I may be interested in are: Sun-Sentinel, Charlotte Sun Herald, Sun Herald, , or the Palm Beach Post. I have family on both coasts, and these would be the closet newspapers to their houses. I am from Florida, so I know about the Sun Shine State. The only thing is I am just 14, would they hire me as an Intern, or do I have to wait two years? I would like to start as yearly as possible, to start building a resume. Would anyone of them hire me? Which newspaper do you suggest? Can I do this? I want to go to NYU for journalism and acting, and later want to go to Columbia for graduate school. This summer I am going to write an article on Miep Gies. (phone interview), and become a freelancer, too. I know I can do it, but would they hire me? Thanks!

Are survivors of Communism correct to feel frightened by Sen. Obama's 'change' campaign ? According to the Palm Beach Post: Sunday, September 14, 2008 "Many of the Hispanics in Florida who vote are successful people who want to live in an 'opportunity society' represented by the Republicans and not a 'welfare society' proposed by the Democrats," Dinerstein said. "If you come from a left-wing country like Cuba or Venezuela, when you get here, you are a Republican forever." Some in the Venezuelan community have a serious issue with Obama, who said earlier in the campaign that he would be willing to meet with leaders who are avowed enemies of the United States, presumably including Venezuela's leftist President Hugo Chavez. "Venezuelans didn't like that," said Ernesto Ackerman of Miami, president of the Independent Venezuelan American Citizens organization. "But also Obama is always using the word 'change.' That was the same word Chavez used in Venezuela. And the changes he brought is what drove so many people out of Venezuela," he said. "That word scares Venezuelans here." http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/09/14/hispanicvote0914.html

Once again Donald Fehr doesn't care about fixing the steroid problem? I suppose this is the Yankees Fault?->? Read this latest nonsense that Fehr said concerning the Steroid controversy. Donald Fehr says union won't reveal names of 103 players who failed drug test in 2003 By TOM D'ANGELO Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Monday, February 23, 2009 JUPITER — Donald Fehr, the head of the major league baseball players association, said Monday the union will do everything possible to ensure the names of the remaining 103 players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003 are not revealed. "By contract all other information except the group results are supposed to remain confidential and we hope and expect that it will remain so," Fehr said. "We'll do whatever we reasonably can to make sure of that." ehr started his tour of all 30 major league camps Monday by meeting with the Marlins. This year's discussion included the recent leaking of Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez's name to Sports Illustrated as one of the 104 players who tested positive in 2003. Rodriguez later admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs from 2001-03, while he was with the Texas Rangers. Fehr remains bothered that tests of which the individual results were sealed under court orders were leaked. "It is troublesome to me that you see reports which suggest that the anonymous source of the report was doing so in violation of a court order and that that was known to the reporter that wrote it," Fehr said. "That's a real problem to me. I thought we were all supposed to honor court orders." The 2003 drug tests, part of the first drug-testing agreement between MLB and its players, called for a survey test which both sides agreed to keep confidential. If more than 5 percent of the players tested positive, baseball would install a more stringent program. Between 5 and 6 percent - 104 players - tested positive. Part of the agreement was that the results of the tests would be destroyed once they were finalized and tabulated. The process of destroying the tests and urine samples had begun when the government issued a subpoena for the tests as part of its investigation into steroid distribution by BALCO, the Bay Area-based supplement company. "Once that happens you can't do it," Fehr said. The union informed its players that the results could not have been destroyed so quickly without suspicion that the union was hiding something. Now, many believe everybody who played in 2003 is under suspicion. "If that's the judgment, it seems to me that is entirely wrong," Fehr said. "Slightly over 94 percent were negative. People ought to make mention of that." A small number of players, including the Marlins' Wes Helms, Philadelphia's Brad Lidge, former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, have called for the remaining 103 names to be revealed. Fehr said no players have expressed that desire to him. "The contract provided the information would remain confidential and that's an obligation that is owed both by the union and by major league baseball to all individual players," Fehr said. Baseball commissioner Bud Selig has said he is considering possible discipline against Rodriguez. Fehr said he does not believe discipline is warranted and he has "no reason to think" that there will be any. "Everybody understands that there were things which happened in the early part of the decade, which we wish hadn't," Fehr said. "That's not the case anymore. We fixed the problem and we need to look forward, as Bud as said many times." Other issues Fehr addressed with reporters Monday: - On a Sports Illustrated report that Gene Orza, MLB's chief operating officer, said Rodriguez was tipped off to a drug test in September 2004: "It's an old allegation. There is no evidence for it as far as I can tell. Nobody has ever told us who or when or why or what. And yet it just gets repeated and people don't seem to feel they have an obligation even to do basic research. That's troublesome." - On the number of unsigned high-profile free agents and the possibility of collusion among owners: "We hope that there isn't. We hope that the people that have yet to sign will sign. There have been a number of them in recent days. If we conclude that there has been any violation of the contract going on we'll take action to remedy it. I don't want to comment on that unless and until we reach that conclusion." If you where paying attention yankees2009ny which obviously you weren't i was beign sarcastic when i asked is this the Yankees fault since so many people want to blame them for everything that is wrong in Baseball. Next time read the whole thing before u start insulting. & whether you like ti or not the steroid issue is a problem that's not going away & you pretending it's not happening isn't going to make it go away.

Is it true that all these famous people converted to Islam (against names are their stories on the net)? Priests and missionaries Prof. Abdul Ahad Dawud, Former Bishop of Uramiah, Formerly the Reverend David Benjamin Keldani, B.D. Abdullah al-Faruq - Formerly Kenneth L. Jenkins, minister and elder of the Pentecostal Church Abu Ishaq, Coptic Cardinal accepts Islam Anonymous Female Missionary - Former Catholic missionary Anselm Tormeeda - 14th century CE scholar and priest Dr. Gary Miller (Abdul-Ahad Omar) - Former missionary George Anthony - Former Catholic priest Ibrahim Khalil - Former Egyptian Coptic priest Dr. Jerald F. Dirks - Former minister (deacon) of the United Methodist Church. Khadijah 'Sue' Watson - Former pastor, missionary, professor. Master's degree in Divinity Martin John Mwaipopo - Former Lutheran Archbishop Muslima, The Former Catholic Missionary (Burundi) I understood that the church was being deceitful Rabbi Moisha Krivitsky of Makhachkala synagogue. ‘I live in the mosque’. Raphael Narbaez, Jr.- Former Jehovah's Witness minister, Latino in Los Anodes. Ruba Qewar, Jordanian Missionary revert to Islam Selma A. Cook, , Australian Missionary’s Journey to Allah. S.M. SULAYMAN, (Former Baptist Church Minister), U.S.A. Viacheslav Polosin - Former Archpriest of the Russian Orthodox Church Dr. Yahya A.R. Lehmann, Doctor of Theology, (Former Roman Catholic Priest Germany) Famous Converts To Islam Abdur-Raheem Greene (Formerly Anthony Greene) the well known caller to Islam Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, the great Muslim scholar Dileep Kumar, Leaving Celebrity Status Behind Lady Evelyn Zeinab Cobbold, I have always been a Muslim. Hamza Yusuf (Mark Hanson), Destined for Greek Orthodox priesthood, turned to great Islamic preacher. Lord Headley Al-Farooq (England), Peer, Statesman, and Author. Hülya Kandemir, German Pop Singer Finds Destination in Islam. Dr. Jeffrey Lang, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Kansas, and Author of Islamic books. Jermaine Jackson, brother of world-famous star Michael Jackson. Jemima Goldsmith, HEADLINE: Why I chose Islam. Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, the greatest writer of the German tradition. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, The greatest basketball player of all time. Leo Tolstoy, A confession by the Russian giant in the world of literature. Malcolm X - In His Own Words, USA, The famous Afro-American Muslim. Michael Wolfe, Author and writer of Islamic documentaries. Dr. Maurice Bucaille, Author of "The Bible, The Qur'an and Science", Muhammad Ali, The first three-time Heavy Weight Champion of the World. Muhammad Asad (Austria), Statesman, Journalist, Author, and translator of the Quran. Nuh Ha Mim Keller, From an American Catholic to one of the leading contemporary scholars of Islam. PROF. UMAR MITA, Economist, Social Worker and Preacher, (Japan). Wilfried (Murad) Hofmann, German Diplomat And NATO Officer. Yusuf Islam (Formerly Cat Stevens) Famous ex-Rock Star. Yvonne Ridley In the Hands of the Taliban: From Captive to Convert Sisters Aminah Assilmi "I couldn't be a Muslim! I was American and white!" Asiya Abd al-Zahir,Australia, "..the only religion I have ever been completely sure of.." Chahida Zanabi, Norway, "..i found [a belief that Jesus died] illogical and unjust" Elizabeth Clarke, Palm Beach Post Religion Writer. Convert Finds Women's Rights in Islam Fareena Alam, 18 years old female convert, the author of the great Website: http://www.themodernreligion.com/index.html Haji Maryam Mohammed Ahmed, American Muslima, She lives only to talk about Islam Karen's Testimony. "If Jesus is God, then why did he have a conversation with God" Dr. Kari Ann Owen.USA, Jewish, "I began to look .. to Islamic culture for moral guidance" Madonna Johnson "..all of my turmoil and anxiety was gone.." Maryam al-Mahdayah, There is no more conflict within, because I have come home". Maryam Jameelah, Converts' Stories: Interview with Maryam (formerly Margaret Marcus) Maureen McCormick, Life is good for Muslim women Michelle, "I came from a Jewish family in New York." Nakata Khaula, A Japanese Woman's Experience of Hijab. Noor, UK, Insights into Women in Islam vs. Women in Hinduism. Jocelyn Wiener, Times Staff Writer. Young, Female and Muslim Rashida S. (Rachel Singer) daughter of a devout Roman Catholic mother/very devout Jewish father. Rita, God works in mysterious ways Somayyah, From a Bathing Suit to Hijab. Tasha, I had been studying Islam ever since I was in 7th grade. Um Luqman, "Jesus(AS) made sense to me as being a Prophet". Zainab's Testimony. USA, "No a guy did not convert me". An ex-Sunday School teacher Brothers Abdullah - My journey to Islam (Video) A must watch. Abdul Malik Hamidullah, I discovered the logic and simplicity in Islam. Abdul Malik LeBlanc tells how he discovered Islam within the pages of Bible Abdus Salam Sipes, A former member of the KKK (Ku Klux Klan) Adam Wilson, USA, "IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN READ THIS" Ahmed Corpus (Formerly Marco Corpus), Philippines, Former Sunday School teacher & full-time ministry worker Dr. ALI SELMAN BENOIST, Doctor of Medicine, and a descendant of a French Catholic family. Christopher Patrick Nelson, Islam Saved My Mental Health and Returned My Soul . FAUZUDDIN AHMAD OVERING, Preacher and Social Worker. Giles Whittell, 'Allah came knocking at my heart', The Times UK, 7 January 2000, Ihsan Chua Gim Sam, Singapore, "..the concept of Trinity was introduced in 325 A.D.." Jameel William Aalim-Johnson, organizes the weekly Muslim congregational Friday prayer on Capitol Hill Hussein Amin, My Conversion from Christianity to Islam, John Kirch, USA, "I went on a 20-year-long search for the truth" Mahir Abdal-Razzaaq, Native American, Have you ever wondered what the name Tallahassee means? MAVIS B. JOLLY, The Qur'an, I found, works silently on the spirit. Mike LoPrete, USA, 19 year old college student. "I didn't get the idea of the trinity" Phreddie, My Conversion to Islam, I am only 18, and that fact seems to astound most people. Sherif Quinn Christianity: The Point of Departure. Shive Prasad Demolished Babri Masjid, India, That Day - Seeks Forgiveness Today ! Steven Krauss (Abdul-Lateef Abdullah), A Martial Art Led Me to Islam, TIM WEIS, I have European lineage. I am a Muslim. I am a Westerner Walter 'Abdul-Walee' Gomez, Latino immigrant finds peace in Islam. Yahya Donald W. Flood, USA, The Best Way to Live and Die

Did you see this about Ricky Williams? Latest News CBSSports.comRotoworld The Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post both report that Dolphins RB Ricky Williams has a torn pectoral muscle and will be out for the remainder of the season. The former NFL MVP, a man who once ran for 1,853 yards and 16 touchdowns in one season, finishes his comeback with 15 yards on six carries with a fumble. (Updated 11/27/2007). Fantasy Analysis In standard-scoring leagues, he was worth more when he was suspended (zero) than when he came back (minus-1 point). He's a safe drop in all seasonal Fantasy leagues at this point, and expect the Dolphins to rehab him and try and trade him next offseason. Jesse Chatman and Patrick Cobbs are expected to carry the rushing workload for Miami, with Samkon Gado probably getting re-signed soon.

Shaq wanted out of Miami and wanted a trade....what do you think? http://www.clublakers.com/forums/shaqs-agent-requested-buyout-from-heat-t89702.html Shaq bailed on the heat as soon as the going got tough...hmm lets see here he has an all star teammate with him, so isn't that enough? "Shaq Put Himself In Play Shaquille O'Neal | Suns Shaquille O'Neal made the first move that forced the Miami Heat to start exploring ways to trade the franchise center, Heat owner Micky Arison said Sunday. Arison said he received a call from O'Neal's agent, Perry Rogers, about six weeks ago, requesting the team buy out O'Neal's contract, which has 21/2 years and approximately $50 million remaining. This followed a call from Dallas owner Mark Cuban, who inquired about the same possibility, hoping to then sign O'Neal. "Shaq, through his agent, put himself in play," Arison said Sunday. "That's when we decided we couldn't just deal with Cuban. We had to find another party as well." -- The Palm Beach Post That initial contact about O'Neal, which came before the turn of the calendar, was from Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, leading to O'Neal's push to cash out while spending much of his time inactive. Contrary to reports, the Mavericks never offered forward Josh Howard in the discussions between the teams, but did discuss other, lesser players. -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel Arison conceded in the Miami Herald that he was happy to get out from under the five-year, $100-million contract he gave O'Neal, soon to be 36, 3 1/2 years ago. "We knew the back half [of O'Neal's contract] would be tough," Arison said. "We were fortunate enough not to have to live out the rest of it." Pat Riley discounted reports there was tension between himself and O'Neal toward the end. "Shaq will forever be a player that I think did an incredible amount for me and this franchise," Riley said. "Everything else is blog B.S." -- Los Angeles Times nba blazer...i see that you have a new account, got your old one suspended? LMFAO scott he is under contact for 2 more years, he can't opt out he asked for a trade So Shaq gets what he wants at the expense of everyone else....does that attribute sound familiar? something that people have kept claiming for a certain someone?

my post office said they don't hand cancel anymore. is that true? i mailed save the dates w/ custom stamps and took them into the post office and asked them if they could hand cancel them w/ a rubber stamp rather than using the machine. she seemed very annoyed and said they don't do that anymore because they don't have the manpower. is this just how it is? west palm beach, fl.

Will Dem's Post Election Selection Trauma (P.E.S.T) flare up come November? ...considering all the Dems that will be suffering from P.E.S.T. Post Election Selection Trauma MIAMI (AFP) - Shocked supporters of defeated US presidential candidate John Kerry (news - web sites) are seeking help from psychologists, who refer to their condition as "post-election selection trauma." The Boca Raton News reported Tuesday that Palm Beach, Florida trauma specialist Douglas Schooler alone has already treated 15 clients and friends with intense hypnotherapy since the Democratic candidate conceded on November 3. "I had one friend tell me he's never been so depressed and angry in his life," Schooler said. "I observed patients threatening to leave the country or staring listlessly into space. They were emotionally paralyzed, shocked and devastated," he told the daily. "We're calling it 'post-election selection trauma' and we're working to develop a counseling program for it," said Rob Gordon, the Boca Raton-based executive director of the American Health Association. "It's like post-traumatic stress syndrome, but it's a short-term shock rather than a childhood trauma," he told the daily.

New Post 911 GI bill pays BAH - How much? Please help? How much BAH/Basic Allowance for Housing does the new Post 911 GI Bill cover? Someone says it depends on your locality. He said they would pay $3000 for San Francisco. What about Palm Beach County, Florida? Does anyone know? Heck, I'd be satisfied with $1500 monthly. The new Post 911 GI bill is a dream. I just hope the VA doesn't make us jump through hopes just to get it. Thank you I might repost this question until I get a good answer with sources. "OOPs, I meant jump through hoops."

What are the qualifications for an Underwriting Services Associate? Also, how much would it typically pay in the West Palm Beach Area of Florida? I currently work for a Workers Compensation Insurance Company as a Mail Clerk. I am a recent graduate with a B.S. in Marketing. I was wanting to know more about Underwriting. The company currently has a job posted for a Underwriting Services Associate, would a recent grad be a good candidate?

Did I edit this post correctly? Or how would you correct the grammar of the first paragraph? RUSH WHEN YOU SPEAK ALOT WILL LISTEN SINSE YOU ARE FROM WEST PALM BEACH FLA HELP US GET HIM OFF THE STREETS HE WAS DRUNK AND RAN A STOP SIGN AND KILLED A YOUNG KID AND HE HAS NOT EVEN BEEN GIVEN A TICKKET BUT THE GUY WHO HAD A BOAT ACCEDENT WITHOUT A INVESTAGATION WAS TAENNTO JAIL NOW TELL ME DO YOU SEE FAVRTISIM ?????????????????????????????? Rush, when you speak, a lot of people will listen. Since you're from the West Palm Beach Florida area, perhaps you can help get a drunk driver off the streets. A drunk driver who ran a stop sign and killed a young kid. He has not been given a ticket. But, another person, who had a boat accident, was taken to jail with little investigation. Now tell me do you see favoritism?

How many find this discovery as a cheap way to make fuel for vehicles? Do you think this will be taken farther and actually find a way to use this for the replacement of gasoline? Water burns! Man looking for cancer cure hopes to solve energy crisis -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: May 30, 2007 5:00 p.m. Eastern By Joe Kovacs © 2007 WorldNetDaily.com Is the solution to America's energy needs as simple as a trip to the beach? The idea is a fascinating one as a Florida man searching for a cancer cure may have stumbled onto a virtually limitless source of energy: salt water. John Kanzius, 63, is a broadcast engineer who formerly owned several TV and radio stations, before retiring in Sanibel Island, Fla. Five years ago, he was diagnosed with a severe form of leukemia, and began a quest to find a kinder, gentler way to treat the disease compared to harsh chemotherapy. In October 2003, he had an epiphany: kill cancer with radio waves. He then devised a machine that emits radio waves in an attempt to slay cancerous cells, while leaving healthy cells unharmed. His experiments in fighting cancer have become so successful, one physician was quoted as saying, "We could be getting close to grabbing the Holy Grail." But in the midst of his experiments as he was trying to take salt out of water, Kanzius discovered his machine could do what some may have thought was impossible: making water burn. "On our way to try to do desalinization, we came up with something that burns, and it looks in this case that salt water perhaps could be used as a fuel to replace the carbon footsteps that we've been using all these years, i.e., fossil fuels," Kanzius said. The possible ramifications of the discovery are almost mind-boggling, as cars could be fueled by salt water instead of gasoline, hydroelectric plants could be built along the shore, and homes could be heated without worrying about supplies of oil. "It doesn't have to be ocean salt water," Kanzius said. "It burns just as well when we add salt to tap water." Kanzius has partnered with Charles Rutkowski, general manager of Industrial Sales and Manufacturing, a Millcreek, Pa., company that builds the radio-wave generators. "I've done this [burning experiment] countless times and it still amazes me," Rutkowski told the Erie Times-News. "Here we are paying $3 a gallon for gas, and this is a device that seems to turn salt water into an alternative fuel." Kanzius has been told it's actually hydrogen that's burning, as his machine generates enough heat to break down the chemical bond between hydrogen and oxygen that makes up water. "I have never heard of such a thing," Alice Deckert, Ph.D., chairwoman of Allegheny College's chemistry department, told the Times-News. "There doesn't seem to be enough energy in radio waves to break the chemical bonds and cause that kind of reaction." Thus far, Kanzius' discovery has not received extensive national publicity, but has been featured on several local television news programs, including WPBF-TV in West Palm Beach, Fla., WSEE-TV in Erie, Pa., and WKYC-TV in Cleveland. "We discovered that if you use a piece of paper towel as a wick, it lights every single time and you can start it and stop it at will by turning the radio waves on and off," Kanzius told the Times-News as he watched a test tube of salt water burn. "And look, the paper itself doesn't burn," he added. "Well, it burns but the paper is not consumed." Kanzius said he hasn't decided whether to share his fuel discovery with government or private business, though he'd prefer a federal grant to develop it. "I'm afraid that if I join up with some big energy company, they will say it doesn't work and shelve it, even if it does work," Kanzius told the paper. Video of TV news reports of water burning can be seen from these affiliates: WPBF-TV in West Palm Beach, Fla. WSEE-TV in Erie, Pa. WKYC-TV in Cleveland

Can I add a link from my website to a public site posting local tourist info in FL? If so, where do I find it? Area maps and tourist Information for local airports, hotel and other lodging, points of interests, restaurants, area maps that cover Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, Miami and West Palm Beach.

Does anyone know of a place in florida with a resturant food challenge? I would preferably like to find a challenge near west palm beach florida, i would like to find a challenge that has if you can finish the food item then you will get a picture posted on the wall or receive the meal you just ate for free. thanks

does anyone know of a place in florida with a resturant food challenge? I would preferably like to find a challenge near west palm beach florida, i would like to find a challenge that has if you can finish the food item then you will get a picture posted on the wall or receive the meal you just ate for free. thanks

Tell me what you think of Goleta Beach! My new poem!? Goleta Beach Strolling down to Goleta beach, out on the peer Hear the sweet oceans caress Whisper in my ear Just a cool enough breeze, to cool the suns sweat A fresh ocean mist With the crash of each new set Soft silky sand running through my toes It’s like four separate hourglasses Where no time arose Mussels clenched tightly to each peers post Gulls floating along the skyline With a gawkingly loud boast Three pelicans soar by as I lie on my back Like silent assassins Awaiting their next fish attack Sailboats bob on the open sea Mountains just beyond that hazy glee The wind whips branches of a nearby palm tree Just about time to catch our own set of wings Its not going to be that much fun Back to the reality of things

Can you braid my hair? I just moved to Florida and are looking for someone in the Palm Beach area who knows how to bread pretty good, and are pretty reasonable. If that person is you, please reply to this post or send me an email to llacdawg@yahoo.com.

Packing for Vacation list? Im goint to west palm beach florida tomorrow for 9 days and Im not exactly sure what to pack. Can you please post a list for me? Thank you!! oh yeah and im fourteen :)

Absentee ballot in Florida? I lived in Palm Beach County and was registered to vote there, where do I go to get an absentee ballot to vote in Nassau County while I am temporarily living here? Post office? Can I do it online? I'm confused with the information I have received online as none of it is the same! actually I was able to just go to the supervisor of elections office and re-register for this county instead of filling out an absentee ballot. I will be voting this time around!

Will Dems BDS (Bush Derrangement Syndrome) be replaced by P.E.S.T come November? MIAMI (AFP) - Shocked supporters of defeated US presidential candidate John Kerry (news - web sites) are seeking help from psychologists, who refer to their condition as "post-election selection trauma." The Boca Raton News reported Tuesday that Palm Beach, Florida trauma specialist Douglas Schooler alone has already treated 15 clients and friends with intense hypnotherapy since the Democratic candidate conceded on November 3. "I had one friend tell me he's never been so depressed and angry in his life," Schooler said. "I observed patients threatening to leave the country or staring listlessly into space. They were emotionally paralyzed, shocked and devastated," he told the daily. "We're calling it 'post-election selection trauma' and we're working to develop a counseling program for it," said Rob Gordon, the Boca Raton-based executive director of the American Health Association. "It's like post-traumatic stress syndrome, but it's a short-term shock rather than a childhood trauma," he told the daily.

Will liberal's P.E.S.T flare up on Nov 3rd when McCain becomes President? MIAMI (AFP) - Shocked supporters of defeated US presidential candidate John Kerry are seeking help from psychologists, who refer to their condition as "post-election selection trauma." The Boca Raton News reported Tuesday that Palm Beach, Florida trauma specialist Douglas Schooler alone has already treated 15 clients and friends with intense hypnotherapy since the Democratic candidate conceded on November 3. "I had one friend tell me he's never been so depressed and angry in his life," Schooler said. "I observed patients threatening to leave the country or staring listlessly into space. They were emotionally paralyzed, shocked and devastated," he told the daily. "We're calling it 'post-election selection trauma' and we're working to develop a counseling program for it," said Rob Gordon, the Boca Raton-based executive director of the American Health Association. "It's like post-traumatic stress syndrome, but it's a short-term shock rather than a childhood trauma," he told the d

What place would better to live in? My husband is getting posted to either Los Angeles, New York City or Florida. It will either be Miami, Palm Beach Or some where in between those two. What would be the best place for 6 kids ranging from 16-4 years. I would like to send them to a a good private school, so some where with good private schools. Close to shopping centers and maybe have a park close by. I would like some where with low crime rates and somewhere kid friendly, and where there might be kids living near by. The cost of housing doesn't bother us seeing as we are pretty wealthy. I would prefer not to live anywhere "dodgy". It is somwhere in either LA, NYC or Florida. Please Help.

Library Job For 13 Year Old? do you think they hire and pay a 13 year old i DON'T want the money to spend it on video games or stuff i want to buy my school supplies and uniforms for this school year because lately my family has been having financial issues. and i want them to have one less bill to think about. here's a piece of information from the website : The library system also hires student and shelver employees for weeknight and weekend shifts. To inquire about these positions, please visit your local library, as they are rarely posted on this web site.Palm Beach County is a drug free workplace. and here's a link ---> http://www.pbclibrary.com/jobs.htm also i go to middle school and am going to 8th grade i have advanced science and i used to help my library with shelving so i do have experience for the job.

Have you seen the new tour dates to....? Linkin Park!!??? Are the going to your hometown?? heres the dates: Jul 16 Boston, MA Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts Jul 18 Pittsburgh, PA Post-Gazette Pavilion Jul 19 Philadelphia, PA Susquehana Bank Center Jul 20 Hartford, CT New England Dodge Music Center Jul 22 New York, NY Nikon at Jones Beach Theater Jul 23 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center Jul 25 Raleigh, NC Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek Jul 26 Virginia Beach, VA Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater Jul 27 Washington, DC Nissan Pavilion Jul 30 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Aug 1 West Palm Beach, FL Cruzan Amphitheatre Aug 2 Tampa, FL Ford Amphitheatre Aug 3 Atlanta, GA Lakewood Amphitheatre Aug 7 Phoenix, AZ Cricket Wireless Pavilion Aug 9 San Francisco, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre at Mountain View Aug 10 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Aug 12 Denver, CO Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre Aug 15 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center Aug 16 Chicago, IL Alpine Valley Music Aug 16 Chicago, IL Alpine Valley Music Theatre Aug 17 Indianaplis, IN Verizon Wireless Music Center Indianapolis Aug 19 Cleveland, OH Blossom Music Center Aug 21 St. Louis, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheater St. Louis Aug 23 Dallas, TX Superpages. com Center Aug 24 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion Main Stage Artists Linkin Park Chris Cornell The Bravery Ashes Divide Revolution Stage Artists Atreyu 10 Years Hawthorne Heights Armor For Sleep Street Drum Corps IM SOOOOO EXCITED THEYRE COMING TO HOUSTON, LAST FREAKING DATE!!!

Gnats Gone!!? Mom and I went to PETCO, Palm Beach County, FL. The girl told us to #1, change the litter to something else. I'd give you the name but my 4 year old wripped the plastic label off -- I'll post soon. Guess what the next issue was... I am a bumbling idiot. I was putting half the container of litter into the litter box. WAY TOO MUCH. Oh know. So it was a haven for gnats. She told me only an inch or two and then consistently scoop. Next she told me to take the entire box and open the lid outside. Take the cover off and leave it that way. If the gnats do not come back it was also a moisture build up issue. So, I never had to bomb. I see one or two, but that's normal. The gnats are clearly not laying eggs because they are not even going after our food. Let me know if this works for you. Oh and I changed the cats food. She said the tuna fish and the supermarket food attracts a lot of gnats that ultimately end up in defacation. She suggested Royal Canin Feline Indoor Food.

What would you rate my life? I'm bored and no ones around, plus I just saw this post and it looks fun =] Anyway: My name's Catherine. I live in a pretty affluent area. I go to a private school. I have a boyfriend. My mom doesn't work, but my dad owns several successful student loan companies. He is going to jail for fraud and my mom is an alcoholic. I have these 23 amazing best [girl]friends whom I love, then 8 best best guy friends (uh I go to an all-girls school..). I am pretty petite, 5'3", 99lbs. I am athletic and LOVE field hockey and squash. My favorite stores are Ralph Lauren and Abercrombie. I love Gucci or Louis Vuitton for purses (but I get my purses from my mom, none are new). I don't get any presents. I have to write up a proposal if I want something new. I'm not really spoiled at all, but some people think I am. I have a beach house in Nantucket and I go to Mustique in the Carribean every Spring Break. I also go to Palm Beach or Colorado every Winter Break (we rotate). I also want to be a philanthropist when I "grow up". Asia- yeah that does pretty suck. I actually do cry a lot about it... but I mean, it's kind of just part of my life now. I don't really care that much.. Broken Wings: Why do you assume I am bragging? Honestly, I saw this question on here and it looked interesting. Wow. If you are that quick to judge people then I feel sorry for you. I'm not trying to be bitchy. Silence the violence, increase the peace. Love &+ Peace Please =]

FIAT SPYDER-AUTOMATIC 1979 gas milage??? people keep asking me what the fuel milage is. how do I find out to sell my car in the palm beach post???? listed today

WHO WANTS TO KNOW THE TRUTH ? ABOUT RICHARD GERE & THE GERBEL OR HAMSTER YAMSTER GERBIL or whatever its calle I don't mean to sound cranky, but it's a fact that every time I meet someone and tell them I debunk urban legends, the first question that pops out of their mouth is: "What about that thing with Richard Gere and the gerbil? Is that true?" You learn a lot about human nature in this racket — or should I say, a lot of your worst suspicions about human nature are confirmed, time and time again. Like, people everywhere are suckers for gossip about sex. Weird sex. The-weirder-the-better sex. We're obsessed with it, in fact, and that obsession can short-circuit our capacity for rational thought and render us gullible. Gerbilling: a definition How many here already know what "gerbilling" is? Raise your hands. Now, how many of you actually believe that anyone really does this sort of thing on a regular basis? Raise your hands. I see. Shame on you. For those of you still sitting on your hands, here's a definition: gerbilling (sometimes known as gerbil stuffing) is the practice, always attributed to gay men, of inserting a live rodent into one's rectum, or that of a partner, for erotic pleasure. And what are the facts about gerbilling? In reality, it's not a "practice" of any group of people, gay or otherwise. And while the activity, dangerous as it is (gerbils have sharp claws!), has surely been tried by someone, somewhere, sometime — maybe even more than once — it is not, if I may repeat myself, a common erotic pastime in any known culture or subculture, gay or otherwise. The burden of proof is on those who claim otherwise. Richard Gere and the gerbil The rumor that started all this fuss goes something like this: Several years ago, "they" say, Richard Gere was admitted into the emergency room of a Los Angeles hospital with foreign object lodged in his rectum. Some say Gere was alone when he arrived, others say he was accompanied by a friend (e.g., former love interest Cindy Crawford). In any case, an x-ray was taken and it was determined that the foreign object was a gerbil (either alive or dead, depending on who tells the story). Mr. Gere was rushed to surgery, where it took an entire team of doctors to extract the animal from his behind. Some variants say the gerbil was found to have been shaven and declawed; others claim the animal had been placed in a special plastic pouch. Still others insist the poor creature was Gere's own beloved pet (appropriately named "Tibet" in this variant). In any event, when the gerbilectomy was done the medical team was sworn to secrecy — unsuccessfully, we must conclude — and Gere went on his merry way, suffering no permanent harm other than to his reputation. "Is it true?" you ask. No. Not a shred of evidence has ever been unearthed to prove it. And while Gere himself has never confirmed nor denied it — nor, indeed, spoken of it directly at all — neither has any credible witness come forward in the twenty-odd years this story has been in circulation offering firsthand testimony to back it up. Because it didn't happen. It's folklore. After the rumor first surfaced, National Enquirer reporter Mike Walker spent months trying in vain to verify it. "I've never worked harder on a story in my life," he told the Palm Beach Post in 1995. Walker came away convinced he was chasing an urban legend. It should come as no surprise, then, Richard Gere wasn't the only — nor, indeed, even the first — U.S. celebrity defamed with such allegations. During the early 1980s, the same rumors circulated about a Philadelphia TV news anchorman named Jerry Penacoli, as well as a linebacker for the Cleveland Browns and various other local luminaries in big cities across America. It was Gere's misfortune to be the most famous among them. Unknown origin How, why, and where did this urban legend attach itself to Richard Gere? No one knows the specifics. Some commentators point out that shortly after Gere achieved national attention for his appearance in the film Pretty Woman, an anonymous hoaxer forged a fax alert purporting to originate from the ASPCA deriding the actor for what it called "gerbil abuse." The accusation was circulated from one end of Hollywood to the other, and beyond. But whether this was the legend's actual point of origin is uncertain. Why would someone invent such a story? For the same reasons any vicious rumor about a celebrity gets started. Movie stars are wealthy, powerful people, always in the public eye and always, therefore, the subject of envy. They're walking targets for defamation. There exist in this world people who seek to bolster their own self esteem by sullying other people's reputations — by trying, in essence, to steal a bit of that celebrity's fame and glory for themselves. It has been so since time immemorial. Every earmark of an urban legend The Gere story bears every earmark of an urban legend. While the basic narrative has stayed consistent through the years, smaller details have varied and mutated, exactly as one would expect in a retold a thousand times over. It found its way into the mainstream of popular culture through the usual means, a long chain of person-to-person communications by word of mouth, fax, and email. And, like all classic urban, the tale conveys an implicit moral message, articulated half-facetiously by Cecil Adams as: "Stick to mammals your own size." Lastly and most poignantly, the claim that the Gere story is authentic always rests on the alleged personal experience of someone who "was there when it happened," but who is always at least two or three acquaintances removed from the person actually telling the story: "a friend of a friend." Here are some verbatim examples culled from Internet discussions: A friend of mine's aunt is a nurse at the Los Angeles hospital where Gere was brought into, and confirmed that he was brought in after "playing" with a gerbil. Several nurses on staff went to get his autograph, and were shocked when they discovered his condition. Over the Christmas holidays I was talking to my sister about Urban Legends and the Richard Gere gerbeling incident came up. Her friend swears she was there at Cedar Cyni (someone help me with the spelling) in Los Angeles when it happened. Most everyone I've questioned who reported having heard the story offers some variation of the same claim: "I know someone who knows someone who was in that hospital when it happened." Based on how often that claim has been made, there must have been a hundred thousand personnel on duty at Cedars Sinai Hospital that night. But enough of this baloney. If you haven't had your fill of rodents, rectums and Richard Gere, do visit the gerbilling department of the AFU & Urban Legends Archive, where a crack team of urban legend experts labors ceaselessly to dislodge the truth for you. And if you care to bone up on the sorts of things all kinds of folks really do put in their hineys for fun, go (if you dare) to the Rectal Foreign Bodies home page and have a look around. It's an eye-opener. http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/celebrities/a/richard_gere.htm

How many receipt-less voting machines are used nation-wide?

Rental websites? I have a rental in West Palm Beach, Florida and want to know where others have had luck posting on the web. I have a seasonal rental and an annual one. Beside Craiglist, thanks

What to do with my bunnies? I have 3 bunnies and an awesome cage for them but I can no longer keep them. My boyfriend is allergic to them (i had the bunnies before him).Well now we found out that im pregnant and are moving in together and getting married. But I cant take the bunnies with me. He lives in an apartment and so they would stay inside and for him it will be death lol. I dont want to post an ad on craigslist and have someone not take care of them but I also dont want ot take them to a kill shelter and if no one adopts them... you know what Im saying.. Does anyone have any ideas if I could donate them somewhere or something? Im devastated over this but I dont know what esle to do I live in Palm Beach County Florida so if anyone can help me I would greatly appreciate it!

CAN I BE A POLICE OFFICER WITH A? I WANTED TO BE A POLICE OFFICER SINCE I WAS 5 YEARS OLD. WHEN I WAS 13 YEARS OLD I GOT ARRESTED IN SCHOOL AND AGAIN WHEN I WAS 14..I WAS POST TO BE A PROBATION UNTIL I WAS 19,I AM NOW 17 AND I GOT OFF PROBATION EARLY BECAUSE I WAS DOING GOOD. NOW I AM IN THE POLICE EXPLORE PROGRAM AND I ALSO DO RIDE-ALONGS.BUT MY BIG QUESTION IS, CAN I STILL BE A POLICE OFFICER EVEN THO I GOT IN TROUBLE WHEN I WAS YOUNG? OTHER POLICE OFFICERS HAVE TOLD ME I CAN STILL BE A POLICE OFFICER BUT I WANT TO BE SURE. MY DAD AND MOTHER ARE BOTH POLICE OFFICERS. WHAT HAPPENED WAS A BOY PUT THIS SMALLER BOOK BAG INTO MY LARGER BOOK BAG WITHOUT ME KNOWING AND IN HIS BOOK BAG IT WAS A GUN. THEY FOUND OUT THAT I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT BUT CHARGED ME WITH POSSION OF A HANDGUN AND THE OTHER THING I GOT ARREST FOR WAS MY FRIEND WAS BREAKING INTO PEOPLE CARS AND I WAS DRIVING. BUT THEY ARE NOT FELONY'S THEY ARE MISDEMEANORS.MY DAD IS A PALM BEACH COUNTY SHERIFF AND HE IS THE CAPTAIN AND COMMAND DUTY OFFICER COUNTYWIDE. BUT I JUST WANTED TO HEAR FROM OTHER OFFICERS AND SEE WHAT THEY THINK. I AM ON THE YOUTH COUNCIL FOR THE CITY AND PRESIDENT OF THE EVENT COMMITTEE FOR THE CITY. I HAVE DID ABOUT 100 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AND TRUST ME I AM STAYING OUT OF TROUBLE BECAUSE ITS NOT WORTH BEING BEHIND BARS AND ALSO I'M DOING BETTER IN SCHOOL

I need a magic store so i can put on a magic show for my drama class? i need a good magic shop in west palm beach florida or a good website with fast shipping, and i am not talking about the crappy card game called magic the gathering, cuz whenever i post this question thats what i always get, i need MAGIC like pulling a rabbit out of a hat magic, not a stupid card game! btw its a stage show so please no street magic ps i apoligize for acting rude its just that people keep annoying me with answers about some stupid card game

Urgent: WHO IS THE ACTUAL KILLER IN "TRACES OF RED" (1992) (starring Jim Belushi)? Jack, a Palm Beach detective, becomes involved in a case of multiple murders. All the women can be linked to Jack in some way. Jack and his partner have no leads, but numerous suspects. The murders continue, along with anonymous letters from the killer. The film was released in 1992. The film stars Jim Belushi, Lorraine Brocco, and a cast of others. The film was directed by Andy Wolk. I have gotten not a single response to this question. I have made many attempts to ask this question, so PLEASE ANSWER AND TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW AND DON'T FAIL ME AGAIN!!! Please post a response as quickly as possible, the sooner the better!

Trying to find out if wife filed for a divorce. Please help I am disabled? Hello, I need help and the public records in Chicago (cook county) and lake county, illinois have a terrible system for looking up if someone filed for a divorce. We were marries in key largo and ortained our marriage license in Palm beach county florida. We then moved to Illinois and lived here the last 1 year and then she moved back to Florida 3 weeks ago, leaving me disabled and abandond. I really need help to find if this was filed because I am disabled and have no money to find out. Thank you. I can leave any info you need to search on a RE: post or can ad it to this one

Try to find if my wife filed for a divorce. Please Help? Hello, I need help and the public records in Chicago (cook county) and lake county, illinois have a terrible system for looking up if someone filed for a divorce. We were marries in key largo and ortained our marriage license in Palm beach county florida. We then moved to Illinois and lived here the last 1 year and then she moved back to Florida 3 weeks ago, leaving me disabled and abandond. I really need help to find if this was filed because I am disabled and have no money to find out. Thank you. I can leave any info you need to search on a RE: post or can ad it to this one

where to paste? Nita Doshi 243 Lenape Trail Allentown, PA 18104 Phone: (610) 366-3795 Email: nita.doshi@rcn.com Objective: To secure a position utilizing my accounting and medical knowledge with the opportunity for professional growth and advancement. _______________________________________________________________________ Education: CDM InstituteAllentown, PA 2006 Lehigh Carbon Comm.CollegeSchnecksville, PA2001 New York State CollegeNew York, NY1986 Cashier Technical InstituteNew York, NY1985 City Arts CollegeIndia1979 Technical Skill: Anatomy & PhysiologyMedical TerminologyAccounts Payable Health Insurance ClaimsHIPAA ComplianceAccounts Receivable ICD-9 & CPT-4 CodingBilling & CodingBank reconciliation Medisoft and Medical ManagerMicrosoft Word, ExcelGeneral Ledger Data EntryManagement Job Experience: True Value Distribution CenterAllentown, PA2005 – 4/2006 •Worked on temporary assignments as a general clerk. Main responsibilities included; data entry, electronics adjustment for sales and purchasing data, special project and filing work. Kelly ServicesAllentown, PA2001-2004 •Clerical: Various clerical assignments in multiple departments at Air Products and Chemicals. Washington Mutual BankDelray Beach, FL1992-1994 •Accounting Clerk: Reconciled general ledgers and posted adjustments. Prepared weekly and monthly statistics on adjustments using spreadsheet. Researched and resolved teller out-of-balances. Barckman IndustriesWest Palm Beach, FL1991-1992 •Accounting Clerk: Recorded all accounts receivable and accounts payable. Prepared monthly expense checks, financial statements, and bank reconciliations. Assisted with payroll and typing when required. Delta National BankNew York, NY1990-1991 •Bank Reconciliation Clerk: Prepared bank reconciliations, International Capital Reports, Federal Reserve reports, maintenance and requirement and Federal Reserve Report 2900-2915 (average) 2950 IBF.

what are your thoughts on my original sonnet? though "my summer" is already here, i wanted to post this poem i wrote for english class: I have been waiting for a summer’s day. Will it ever come? Is it summer, yet? I’m thinking about it in every way. It will come very soon; my mind is set. Loving the feeling of sun on my face, And the feeling of warm sand on my feet. I’m dreaming about that wonderful place. When will be the day when we once again meet? I love wading or surfing in the sea, The feeling on my face, the beach’s cool breeze. At the beach is the perfect place for me, Watching the swaying leaves of the palm trees. As I sit here, think, and write with my pen, I’m wondering, “When will it be summer? When?”

I paid a lawyer and my warrants are still active? I paid a traffic ticket lawyer about a grand. I have two warrants in palm beach county and another bench in dade (traffic, failure to appear to courts). I thought they would lift the warrants by them posting my bond for me but maybe I'm confused. My lawyer said that he can guaruntee I would not go to jail when i go to court which is April 6. Since I contacted and paid them the local police have been at the two residences they thought I might be at. So my question is why -after I have paid my lawyer are they -now wanting to come and get me. These warrants have been open for over a year and it seems shady of them even though I know I have an obligation to turn myself in. If they are aware I'm making arrangements to appear in court, why do they want to take me in. How do they benefit? And why or how is my lawyer addressing it in a way that these aren't being taken care of. Someone please help me to understand. I'm going to call them in a few. And please save the witty comments of me being wrong for all this because in the end I already know and am trying to get this in order. I have a mouth to feed and a job to keep so if you have anything helpful to say, please do so and thanks in advance.

a thousand ways to annoy it is HILARIOUS!? How To Annoy People In An Elevator Ask, “did you hear that cable snapping sound?” Call the psychic hotline from you cell phone, and ask if they know what floor you’re on. Drop a pen and wait until someone reaches to help pick it up, then scream, “That’s mine!” Hum the theme from Mission Impossible with yours eyes darting around the elevator. Ways to Annoy Public Bathroom Stallmates Cheer and clap loudly every time someoe breaks the silence w/ a bodily function noise. Drop a marble and say, "Oh shit! My glass eye!" Stick your open palm under the stall wall and ask your neighbor, "May I borrow a highlighter?" Say, "Uh oh, I knew I shouldn't have put my lips on that." General Ways to Annoy People Announce when you're going to the bathroom. Ask people to prove everything they say. (e.g. "I'm Bob, nice to meet you..." "PROVE IT!") ONLY TYPE IN UPPERCASE. Before exiting the elevator, push all the buttons. Ways To Annnoy Your Roommate Become a mime. Nothing is more annoying than a mime. Ask your roommate if your family can move in "just for a couple of weeks." Buy some turtles. Paint numbers on their backs. Race them down the hall. Chain yourself to your roommate's bed. Get him/her to bring you food. Ways To Annoy People In The Computer Lab Bring some dry ice & make it look like your computer is smoking. Light candles in a circle around your terminal before starting. Play "Pong" for hours on the most powerful computer in the lab. Try to stick a Nintendo cartridge into the 3 1/2 disc drive, when it doesn't work, get the supervisor. Ways to Annoy People on the Beach Wear t-shirt that says, "I'm the coolest dude on this pathetic beach. No autographs please." Ask everyone you meet, "Hot enough for you?" Sing the "Barney" theme song as loud as you can. If you see kids building a sand castle, say, "That's not a real castle!" Ways to Annoy People At An Amusement Park Leave large gaps in between you and the people in front of you while waiting in line. Offer people money for their spots in line...MONOPOLY money. Find someone to tell your life story to. Whisper right in someone's ear, "I know what you did last summer." Ways To Annoy People On The Subway Stand in front of the doorway and glare at people when they try to get by. Constantly ask people for directions. Don't take a shower for a month. Tell the people your problems. They really want to know. Ways to Annoy People in the Office Every time someone asks you to do something, ask them if they want fries with that. Email your boss the message: I know what you did last vacation. Page yourself over the intercom. (Don't disguise your voice.) Schedule meetings for 4:14 pm. Ways to Torture the Pizza Guy Ask for the guy who took your order last time. Ask if you they can put food color in the cheese. Ask them to not put a band-aid on it this time or you will sue. How To Annoy People On An Airplane Call the stewardess "nurse". Don't use deoderant, then "accidently" stick your armpit in someone's face If someone has a bad toupee, whack it off. No matter what the meal choices are, demand rice-a-roni. Ways To Annoy Your Professors Instead of taking notes, do an abstract painting during every class. Call the paintings things like, "Professor Acting Like Mr. Know-It-All" or "Idiot Who Doesn't Know What The Hell He's Talking About." Give the paintings to your professor as gifts. Ways To Annoy A Cop Hey, you must've been doin' 125 mph to keep up with me! You're not gonna check the trunk, are you? Do you know why you pulled me over? Okay, just so one of us does. I thought you had to be in relatively good physical shape to be a police officer. Annoying Things To Do In A Discount Superstore Challenge other customers to duels with tubes of gift wrap. Leave cryptic messages on the typewriters. Leave Cheerios in Lawn and Garden, pillows in the pet food aisle, etc. Move "Caution: Wet Floor" signs to carpeted areas. Annoying Things To Say To Other People Would you hold this messy kleenex for me? Would you look at the size of the hair I just yanked out of my nose! Can you believe they only gave me three years for killing my own sister?! I've just been treated for tapeworms. Ways to Annoy Santa Claus Leave out a Santa suit, with a dry-cleaning bill. Instead of ornaments, decorate your tree with Easter eggs. While he's in the house, cover the top of the chimney with barbed wire. How To Annoy The IRS If your very unfortunate and have to pay taxes use a two or three party check. If you send 2 checks they'll have to staple your unsightly envelope to your half destroyed form. Sign your name in ink on every page. Any signature has to verified and then date stamped. How To Be Annoying At A Funeral Tell the widow that you're the deceased's gay lover. Ask the widow to give you a kiss. Drive behind the widow's limo and keep honking your horn. Show up at the funeral services in a clown suit. Ways to Annoy Usenet (internet newsgroup) Users Post a message asking how to post messages. Post recipes on rec.pets.cats. Follow up a 200-line post to add only your signature. Flame yourself, and complain to your own postmaster. Annoying Things To Do At A Drive Through Window Specify that this order is "To Go". At midnight, ask if you are too early for Breakfast. Laugh loudly when asked if you would like fries with your order. Ways To Be Annoying In A Mall Sprint up the down escalator. Ask for red-tinted lenses at the optometrist. Change every TV in the electronics department to a station showing “Saved by the Bell”. Put weird backgrounds on store computers when people aren't looking. Annoying Things to Do at the Bowling Alley Rent all the lanes, don't bowl. Wear a baseball uniform, bowl sidearm. Sit in your lane and heckle others with a bullhorn. Run around sprinkling "magic fairy dust" on everyone's balls. How to Annoy (Get Rid Of) A Blind Date Hold a debate. Take both sides. Repeat every third third word you say say. Ask the people at the neighboring table for food from their plates. Ask your date how much money they have with them. Ways To Annoy People In Restaurants Two Words: Food Fight. Play with your food; to add effect, act like it's a special performance for the people at the next table. Whenever anyone leaves their seat at another table, put some particularly messy peice of food on their seat. Ways To Annoy People At The Movies Throw popcorn in the air and yell, "It's snowing!" Go, "Oooooh..." whenever anyone kisses. Clap when the good guy gets killed. Annoying Things To Do At School leave a Snickers bar in the toilet. Draw pictures of your professor in the margins. End the paper with "This paper will self-destruct in 10 seconds". Support your thesis with quotes from your VCR manual. How To Annoy Your Waiter Eight hour lunch; two dollar tip. Ask, "Excuse me, are you a really bad singer, or a really bad actor?" After he describes each special, you shout, "Stinks!" Whenever he walks by, cough and mutter, "Minimum wage." How To Annoy Your Parents Paint your windows. Boil ice cream. Join Hell's Angels by mail. Redecorate your garage. Ways to Annoy a Yankee (Northerner) Take your own sweet time when doing ANYTHING. Pronounce all one-syllable words with two. Refer to every soft drink as a Coke. Tell them you don't have an accent, they do. > How To Annoy Your Driver Always tell the driver to slow down or speed up. Every time you see a car pulling out, yell to the driver "Watch it!" Point to the right and tell the driver to make a left. How To Annoy Other Drivers Keep your brake light blinking by keeping one foot on the brake pedal at all times. If you are on vacation and you see any sort of wildlife, stop in your lane to take a lot of pictures. Women are encouraged to put on their make-up while driving. Annoying Things To Do During A Job Interview While shaking hands get into a heated thumb wrestling match. Stick a piece of broccoli between your front teeth, smile a lot. Demand that if hired you want desk plate that reads, "Big Kahuna." Annoying Things To Do In A Swimming Pool Hit strangers with your flutter board. Laugh at fat people in swimsuits. Ask people if they have seen your pet shark. Annoying Things to do at a Synagogue Use the Jewish hat as a Frisbee Bring popcorn and keep saying "i heard that religion got a good review" Leave cookies and milk in the middle of the synagogue with a piece of paper that reads Santa Ask people if they liked the passion

Can you read the first little bit of my novel....thanks for your time....just a few paragraphs would be great! Chapter One The white, warm sand rubbing against my body soothingly. The colorful palm trees is all the rave. Crisp, clear refreshing ocean tumbling into the beach with great determination. All you see is beautiful people wearing nothing but beautiful bathing suits which they probably spent hours and hours trying to find, to get something spectacular. I look back and see this magnificent hotel complex and all of the amenities I could possibly think of. The cool ocean breeze flows over my body while the sun beams light to give me a wonderful free tan. A perfect bronze with a hint of red which will hopefully turn to tan later. A nice refreshing glass of cola filled to the brim with crushed ice and of course the cool sun umbrella. This is so relaxing and wonderful. This is the life. Nothing can wreck this perfect moment. Wait, this is to good to be true. ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG. I knew it! I knew it! It was just a dream again! I can't believe I had that dream again. This is unbelievable. This is the third time this week that I've had this dream and I want it to come true. Too bad I'll never be able to go on vacation. Well it's six o clock. Sorry for all of that fuss but I am just so sick of having that dream. I quickly hop into the shower and wonder whether I will ever get to experience what I experience in my dream. I mean everything is so calm and peaceful I just can't understand why I keep on having that dream. Everything is so perfect, there has to be more to that dream than that. Maybe tonight it will be extended so I can see what's happening. It's probably a sign. Maybe, no never mind. I put some bread in the toaster, I'm still half asleep but I have to hurry up so I can catch the carpool with Jacob. Every other day or so we switch drivers so that we use up less gas. Jacob is totally my best friend in the whole world and I hope he will always be. We are always there for each other when one of us needs a helping hand. I grab my toast, spread some peanut butter on it and head out the door to make my way down to the parking lot where I wait for Jacob to show up. He's a little tardy, sometimes more than others but that's just who he is and as best friends, we have to live with each others annoyances. A few minutes later I see Jacob running out of the building like there was a huge fire in the building. I quickly look up out of habit but see that Jacob just wanted to hurry to the car because we are a couple of minutes late and usually with traffic, a couple here adds ten somewhere else. We both hop into the car once Jacob beeps the horn to signal that the Burnt Orange 2008 Ford Edge is unlocked. Jacob puts the sport utility vehicle (SUV) into reverse and speedily races through the parking lot of the apartment condos backwards. After almost hitting a pole I yell at him to put it in drive and he listened for his life, literally. If you know what and where Toronto is and have ever been there then you know where Jacob and I (Mark) live. By the way, I'm Mark Hatchet. You won't notice my name often through the story because it is written in first person. If your doing some school project about a character then you should probably know some things about me but your not getting off easy because I am going to scatter information about me all over this novel and by the end you will know me like I'm your best friend. Any who which is not a word but it sounds cool, Toronto is Canada's biggest city. If you are not familiar with Canada then check the globe! All Americans should know where Toronto is and that it's near Buffalo. So now at least some of you know where I am. Jacob and I live right near the 401 which is a convenient highway but usually has traffic. We speed down the on ramp to find that we can zip around cars as we fly a couple of kilometers over the speed limit. I look back to see people giving us the finger and of course hear honking from all directions but we could care less. As long as we don't die we are better off doing this. Jacob sees a police officer a few hundred meters up so he slows down just enough to the speed limit, once he was past the cop he raced onto the off ramp and we were once again racing towards our school. You can see the navy and gold colored sign with big block letters reading: St. Anne Catholic High School. It was a big school but all schools in the city are big so I can't really justify. It was a nice looking basically brand new school with a pretty tan brick color and a nice light tan stucco around doors and windows which made it look more like a upscale shopping plaza then a school. Jacob makes a left into the school parking lot then slows down and drives carefully through the lot to the back, basically opposite of how he drove through our condo parking lot! I opened the large metal door and checked my watch, it read eight twenty five which means I have one minute to get to class. For some reason, classes started at eight twenty six which to me is an odd time but I can't change that so I jog up the stairs to the second floor saying bye to Jacob on the way. I don't remember classroom numbers so I remember third door on the right from back entrance up the stairs. Some people wonder why I find that easier but I just do. It makes more sense to me than trying to find room number 214. I mean where's 214 anyway. I open the door with my binder and pencil in hand and quietly find a seat near the front. I have bad eyesight but don't wish to wear glasses so I just sit near the front board. I understand lessons better that way anyway. First period is my favorite subject, English. I have always loved English from poetry to novels to anything related to English. But there is something I don't like about English this year and that's the teacher. Mrs. Walkworth. Mrs. Walkworth is most probably the meanest teacher at this school and I should know because it’s my last year here and I’ve had my fair share of mean teachers but this one tops it off. Saying Mrs. Walkworth in our school makes people cringe. I can honestly say that people egg her classroom window once a month not to mention her house. Nobody is allowed to say anything unless called upon. We are not allowed to get help from anyone at anytime and we never work in pairs or groups. Mrs. Walkworth thinks that working independently makes us smarter which I do agree with because we have to figure problems out on our own but we also need people skills to communicate in English but she doesn’t seem to think so. Mrs. Walkworth is about the total opposite from a people person. She probably lives in a cave wear nobody ever visits her or talks to her on the telephone or even e-mails her. Another reason people are scared of her is her punishments. For example, if you get caught chewing gum in her class she used the slap students across the face and dangle them out the window but since she’s not allowed to do that anymore, she makes the student stretch the gum over his or her face for the rest of the day, and when we have our next assembly, she makes the student chew five pieces of gum (at home of course) then stretch the five pieces over his or her entire body and make a one hundred word speech about not chewing gum in school and it also has to include how great Mrs. Walkworth is. The student then goes into detention for the next month. Yikes! And some people thought detention for a day was bad for chewing gum. Finally, the last reason why people don’t like her and are scared of her are because of the way she looks. Her face is all crinkled up and when she talks she has a raspy sound and her hands tremble with great strength. She weighs about one hundred pounds and she is very tall therefore extremely skinny and she always wears the same clothes. She owns three tops; a blue sleeveless one, a red t shirt that says teacher of the year 1989 and a very ugly faded purple sweater. I’m pretty sure she only wears one pair of pants and they are black with blue polka dots on them. No joke. Teens at our school seem to think she’s 90 years old but nobody knows for sure. Mrs. Walkworth begins with her lesson and tells us to read pages 80-199 for homework and complete a thirty question quiz for tomorrow. I guess we got off easy tonight. Usually it takes me about four hours each night for her homework and looking over what I have to do tonight it might only take a couple of hours. As soon as the bell rings in Mrs. Walkworth’s class, everybody runs out. Students have respect for all teachers besides her. Everyone waits patiently until the teacher says they are dismissed but in her class everyone literally runs! Down the stairs ahead for four classrooms, hang a left and it’s the second door on the right. That’s my next class. At noon thirty the bell rings for half of the school to have lunch. They built the cafeteria to only hold half of the school so it wouldn’t get out of control. I get in line to buy a salad and some pizza and I see our group sitting down at our usual table. Each member of our group is known for something they are good at, we all have different personalities and strengths so we complete each other. Our group includes; me (the English dude), Jacob (the jockey), Sam (the Intelligent one), Rob (the science geek), Nick (the mapmaker), Kyle (the rich kid), Alicia (the drama queen) and Jordan (the quiet kid). Everyday we sit at the same table with the same people and have done that since day one of this year. Some of us were friends last year but because of the two lunches we didn’t have the same lunch and you never have the same class with anybody you knew before so you make new subject buddies but those are just buds who you partner with during that subject. It’s the lunchtime friends who you hang with after school. Once we are all seated we talk about some teen stuff and decide what movie we should see this weekend. Every weekend or so we try to go to the movies together. It usually ends up being a big fight so we chose to become a democracy and vote each week what movie each of us wanted to see. People walk by our table and wonder what the bleep we’re doing but who cares, not us. We don’t need to act popular, we have our own friend group which we are already apart of. We don’t need to impress anybody, nobody does. We just be ourselves and we are friends for who we are not what we are trying to be. We decide on a movie and continue the discussions. By ten o clock that night I was exhausted by all of Mrs. Walkworth’s homework. Two of the questions were mini projects and took a lot longer than expected, by the time I was done it was midnight and I hadn’t even started on any of the other homework given by the other teachers. This is ridiculous I think to myself. How can she wreck the best subject in the world? I feel a blast of energy actually of hatred and I want to go throw a rock through her window but I’m better than that so I decide not to. I have about another hour of homework and I’m already tired, I better get to work. ******************************************** The white warm sand rubbing against my body soothingly. The colorful palm trees is all the rave. Crisp, clear refreshing ocean tumbling into the beach with great determination. All you see is beautiful people wearing nothing but beautiful bathing suits which they probably spent hours and hours trying to find something spectacular. I look back and see this magnificent hotel complex and all of the amenities I could possibly think of. The cool ocean breeze flows over my body while the sun beams light to give me a wonderful free tan. A perfect bronze with a hint of red which will turn to tan later. A nice refreshing glass of cola filled to the brim with crushed ice and of course the cool sun umbrella. This is so relaxing and wonderful. This is the life. Nothing can wreck this perfect moment. Wait, this is to good to be true. ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG. I wake up with such great hatred toward that stupid dream that I pull my alarm clock out of the wall socket and chuck it at my wall. My mom quickly rushes into my room to see what was up. "Sorry mom but I had that dream again, you know about the sand in some tropical place," I say apologetically. "Mark, you know I want to take you someplace but since your father died we haven't had much income coming in from my job to take you anywhere," mom replies. "I know, it's obviously not your fault and it's not mine either, I'm just tired of having that dream," I cry (not literally). Mom walks out of my room and I begin my daily wake up routine in which I do every school day. I am so fed up with that dream and I'm so fed up with Mrs. Bleeping Walk Bleeping Worth I could just go insane! I begin to shake and also begin to worry about my shaking. Am I going insane? I need to calm down. I put my iPod on and listen to my favorite music, that always seems to calm me down. ****** Once I get into Mrs. Walkworth's classroom I walk straight up to her and tell her, "You need to give out less homework. I was up to one o clock in the morning doing English, I can't stand you! You ruined my favorite subject and you're ruining everyone's lives!" I look around the classroom to see if anybody had heard what I said and they did. People began to clap for me once I finished. It felt really good to have everyone appreciate what I did. Mrs. Walkworth had an ugly look which I wanted but she didn't say anything , I kind of wanted a detention or write a speech then I could slip some information to all the students and teachers watching but she said nothing. I stared at her looking like I wanted an answer and then she sighed, "I have been giving out a lot of homework lately and I'm really sorry class. My husband left a few months ago and I've been really upset. The reason I've been upset since I've been at this school is because my brother got to go to a better university than I did then became what I wanted to become, a doctor. My parents forced me to become a teacher and I hated it so I decided that I would take it out on the students I was forced to teach, I am so sorry to you all," says Mrs. Walkworth with flowing tears. Everybody is silenced. I walk up to and give her a big hug. I don't know why we are all such jerks. This poor lady has gone through heck and back and here I am lecturing her about her teaching. Everyone that threw a rock at her window or egged her window should be ashamed. "I'm so sorry Mrs. Walkworth, I had no idea, I was so selfish," I say crying (literally this time). Usually when a boy cries at school he is made fun of but not today, I look around the room and everyone including the boys had tears. We were so mean to her behind her back and everyone felt so bad. "I think everyone in this classroom including me should be ashamed of themselves, now let's move on with today's work. I promise I will not give out as much homework any more. Heck, tonight, no homework," says Mrs. Walkworth with a smile for once. Applause fills the room again but this time it was for a good reason. You should never judge a book by the cover or the homework it (she) gives out. By the end of the school day everybody knew the Mrs. Walkworth story and teens from all over were coming up to her apologizing for what they did and she also apologized to everyone that came up to her. It was a happy day at St. Anne's today. It should be like a holiday or something, Mrs. Walkworth is like happy and like oh my goodness we should celebrate. Once I got home I saw my mom lying down on the couch crying, I wonder what is wrong. I ask immediately and she says that she was upset about Dad dying and she can't pull herself together. "Mom, we have to get over this. Yes it's sad but life goes on," I say sweetly. "You’re never going to be able to go on your trip though," cried mom. "You don't know that, never have doubt," I say with pride for some weird reason. Mom sits up and I sit next to her on the couch and to my surprise I see a commercial. WOW! A commercial, haven't seen one of those since like the last time I watched television but this commercial was calling out to me. I watched intently; Are you smart? Do you want to go to Mexico? Do you live in Toronto or in the GTA? Then send your information to 178 B....... "Mom, can you believe this, last night in my dream I saw a sign saying Mexico, that's where my dream is taking place, this is a huge sign! " I yell excitedly as I jump up and down. I log onto my computer and find the website, there I print out the information sheet that needs to be filled out. Of course I could do it over the net but I don't trust all of those freaks who want my information. With a black pen I write down everything from my age to my address to my hobbies to my IQ. I fold the pieces of paper two times and neatly stuff it into the envelope and lick it closed. "Do you want me to take you to the post office right now? I have to get some groceries anyway," mom calls from the living room. She is now not crying and actually excited and happy. She wants to see me happy which of course I am. I open the large mail bin flap and slip the letter proudly into the box and close the movable door. I put a big smile on my face and walk back into the car. I think about going to Mexico and all the great fun I'll have. I wonder weather I should take mom or Jacob? I get into the car and ask, "Mom let's say that I get accepted onto the show and I win the trip to Mexico, I can bring a guest. I want to bring you but I think it would be more fun with Jacob, no offence," I say hoping that she'll say okay take Jacob. "I want you to have fun on this vacation but I also want you to be safe in a foreign country. I have an idea, how about you take Jacob as your guest then I fly down with you guys and stay in your room. You can totally ignore me if you'd like," she says. "Mom, wouldn't that be kind of awkward, can just me and Jacob go, I mean I probably won't get on to the show but if I do?" I ask. "Mark, I don't know, I'm going to have to think about it and if and when you do win I'll give you an answer," explains mom and I nod with agreement. I really don't want my mom in the room with Jacob and I, it would be really awkward but then I think that I'm probably not going to win anyway so I blow it off. In the night I don't dream the same vacation dream that I usually dream, this time I dream that I am all alone in the hotel looking for Jacob who seems to be lost, I can't find him then I wake up. I decide not to tell mom about the dream because then she would say it was a sign and that I'm defiantly not going. It can't be a sign, I mean come on, it's just a dream. Weird things happen in dreams all of the time. Nothing actually happens. But what if it is a sign? What if I do win and I go with Jacob and he goes missing? I start to get nervous and then shake my head which seemed to relax my nerves. There's probably more to the story I mean dream than what I saw last night. Maybe tonight I will dream the dream again but I find him at the restaurant or the pool or oh I have to call Jacob. I pick up the phone and dial Jacob's cell number. I don't care how early it is, I need to talk to him about this ordeal. "Hi Jacob, ummm.. were do I begin? I saw this television commercial last night about a new game show coming to Toronto so I sent an application form in and if you win you get to go to Mexico with a friend and ummm... I had this dream last night that we were in the hotel and you were erere missing. I know it's just a dream but for the last oh I can't even remember I've been having this dream that I'm in this warm tropical place and I have it over and over each night basically until last night when I had the dream about you being missing. I feel it's the next part of the story. This is really weird and it's kind of really freaking me out. I can't help but wonder what's going to happen," I say with a shake in my voice, it felt so good to tell Jacob this whole story and I hope he has some advice. "Listen Mark, it's just a dream and it's really early in the morning and boy you have a lot of energy to ahhahhahmmm sorry I yawn a lot at this time in the morning but anyway don't worry about it and I'll see you at eight, bye," says Jacob with a serious sleepy voice. "Bye," I add. I press end on my cell phone and get ready to go to school. I hop into the shower and put the temperature to warm which I usually do because I love warm water and my favorite part of the day is my shower, it's so relaxing and calming and nothing bothers me in the shower. All my worries seem to float away in the shower but as soon I as I get out all of the worries and thoughts fly back into my head and I begin to worry again. I worry a lot actually. It's basically like a disorder and I can't help but worry what is to come and worry if something I did in the past is going to hurt me in any way. I dry off quickly realizing that I had a really long shower but I forgave myself because I knew I really needed it. I go and put on my uniform which actually looks quite good on me and who can argue the fact that you don't have to buy all of the top names to fit in because everyone has to wear the same level of clothing, also there is no grubby kids that wear an old ratty shirt or you know those emo kids with their black and depressive clothes. Nope just everyone the same and that's the way I like it. I open the box of Frosted Flakes which is my all time favorite cereal. Splash some 1% on them and eat away. I love it so much that once I'm done I pour myself another bowl. Mom walks in and gives me a quick smile then heads for her coffee. Don't mess with mom when she hasn't got her coffee in her, I don't really understand why coffee is the liquid God of everybody. If you have ever been to Canada or you know, live here, then you know that there is a place called Tim Hortons on every on other street corner. It's insane! And even with all of the locations, there is still a huge lineup at each one. Canadians like their coffee eh?! I tried it a couple of times but no matter how old I get my taste buds just reject that awful taste. I don't need coffee anyway because I usual wake up and I am ready to go in just a few minutes. I walk over to the television which either showed me my vacation was possible or that Jacob being lost was possible so I wasn't sure whether to hug it or kick it so I decided to do neither. If the television production company asks for me to be on the show, I can just recline but I really want to go to Mexico and now I am finally getting a chance to go somewhere I have been waiting to go for 17 years, but do I want to go to Mexico so badly that I'm willing to lose a friend over it? No, it was just a dream. Jacob even said so. I have to stop this worrying, I really do. The phone rings, actually it vibrates. I bring my cell to school and to make sure that teachers don't know I turn vibrate on before I even get into the school. I open the flap and see that it's Jacob so I press Talk which is in green lettering then say, "hello, Jacob? What's up?" "Oh nothing much I was calling to say that I was sorry for being a jerk this morning on the phone and I really appreciate you taking me as your guest, it means a lot. I thought you'd take your mom or something. I really hope that you win, Mexico sounds like fun!" says Jacob with an excited tone. "Jacob, I'll tell you the whole story in the car, well there's actually not much more to it but I don't want to waste your minutes so we can wait. See you soon," I smile into the phone hoping that he can see that I'm smiling and not frowning on the inside because now Jacob really wants to go but he doesn't want my mom going I know that for sure. But if Jacob and I go alone then what happens when Jacob gets lost if he really does. Oh my, I really need to stop worrying about this whole situation and I really need to spend more time looking over my homework. Every single day in the morning even though I think I have the answers right I still go through every thing and check them. You never know when you make a mistake that can be easily fixed. I really care about my marks so I do this on a regular basis. I look up on the microwave clock and see that it is seven fifty five therefore I should probably head down to the parking lot now. I really want to tell Jacob about everything. I need someone I can trust besides my mom because I know what she'll decide and I really do want to go to Mexico so, yes I'll tell Jacob and if he thinks that we shouldn't go and it is a sign then we won't. Done, and now I don't have to think about it till Jacob wants the whole story. I see Jacob come out of the thirty story building at ground level and he waves his large hand. He yells from a distance and I can barely hear him but what I make out from the words are, "Mark, I want you to tell me everything." I motion for Jacob to come letting him know that we need to be in the car to talk. I don't need a bunch of strangers hearing about my crazy weirdo dreams. Jacob walks up to the car and gets him. I follow suit. "So what's the whole story?" asks Jacob putting the SUV into reverse. "Listen Jacob, I just want to know deep down if you think having that dream where you were lost was a sign or not. Also my mom does want to go; but not with me, on her own. She wants me to take you and still come so we can be safe. I didn't even tell her about the dream and she still says that," I explain. "No I don't think it's a sign and it would be really weird having your mom there. Would she be in a different room though?" asks Jacob wanting a certain answer that sadly I cannot give him. "Sadly, she wants to stay in the same room and can't afford to stay in a different room," I say staring into the deep and confusing eyes of my best friend. "Oh, well, I was just wondering what you felt. How do you feel about this Mark?" quizzes Jacob. "I'll go if I win, if you want to that is, but no, I don't want my mom there either so, yeah. I guess that's the whole story. See, I told you it wasn't very long," I say. We pull up to the St. Anne parking lot and I can't help but wonder whether or not people will still be talking about Mrs. Walkworth. Of course not, I mean this is high school were there is a different story everyday. Everyone will be talking about something different by now, it's been one whole day which means half of the students here would have forgotten it. The other half just wouldn't care anymore. Old news is looked down upon and it wasn't even a big deal anyway. I mean once a famous celebrity came to our school because she went here when she was in high school and by the next day people weren't giving a fuss about what had happened a day before. I wonder if Mrs. Walkworth is going to give a lot of work again today. If she does than I know what to say. "Hello Mrs. Walkworth. It's a loving morning out isn't now?" I ask Mrs. Walkworth as I walk into her classroom with a big smile. "A wonderful day indeed. I feel absolutely amazing," smiles Mrs. Walkworth and right then and there I knew she wasn't going to give out a lot of homework. "Take your seats everyone. Today you are going to have homework. I thought about it last night and I decided to give you the same amount of homework that every other teacher gives you, well besides for the physical education class. I actually called the University of Toronto and got a hold of the English teacher there. She is one of my best friends. I'll tell you a story actually: When I was forced to go to teacher college, I hated it but made one friend in particular there. Her name is Mrs. Jenkins. She was the smartest student in the whole school and once she graduated she got to pick what level of schooling she wanted to teach at and what school. She picked University because it pays the highest and at University of Toronto which is the closest University to her house. So I was talking to her about how much homework she gives out in a night and what she said shocked me when she said one half hour of homework. Be aware this is University homework so it's pretty difficult but only one half hour. After talking to Mrs. Jenkins I got on the phone with other grade twelve teachers and found out that they each gave you one half hour for their subjects so all in all I decided to cut the homework load down for you guys and you better thank me." "Thank-you Mrs. Walkworth," everybody in the whole class yells in unity. It sounded really good to tell you the truth because it was not planned or anything. All the students in my class just decided about three seconds after she finished her last words to say thank-you. I and probably many other students were relieved. I might actually have a life now instead of my life being Mrs. Walkworth's homework. I look to the left of me and see the most beautiful girl in the whole school. All year I've been looking back and forth at her and her long straight blonde hair. Her complexion is light brown and looks as though she goes to a tanning salon once in a while. She has absolutely no acne and the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen. Her name is Julie Appleton and she is also the most richest kid at our school. She always has a boyfriend buying her flowers or taking her to the movies or taking her out to dinner. I mean no wonder she's so rich, everyone is buying things for her. I also wondered what it would be like to go on a date with her. It would probably cost all my life savings to impress her which I am not willing to give up. Julie looks over and sees me staring at her. I quickly dart my head over into the other direction pretending I was starring at the posters on the wall. I slowly turn the other direction to see if she's still looking at me in disgust but to my surprise when I look at her she's starring at me, not with a frown but with a smile. I smile back then look back at Mrs. Walkworth who is trying to teach a lesson. I feel a nudge on my arm. I look over and see it's a note, Julie is giving me a note. She only gives notes to her best friends and crushes. Maybe it just went through her to me. She probably didn't write it. I open the folded piece of paper to read in beautiful hand writing; I saw you starring at me Mark so I starred back. I have a boyfriend but I like you to. Love Julie. Oh my goodness, it was from Julie. I automatically look at Julie and blow her a kiss. She blows one back but before the imaginary kiss gets to me, Mrs. Walkworth stands beside our desks and says, "quit interrupting me you love birds!" Uh-oh. Mrs. Walkworth just blew it and now the whole class is going to know then spread it to the rest of the school and her boyfriend goes to this school and he happens to be on the wrestling team and football team and a heavy weightlifter. He could probably lift me up in one arm, throw me into the air and punch me down. I'm dead! I take a big gulp and hear murmurs from the class and know for sure that I'm dead. I can't believe this. I begin to cry on the inside but I don't dare show any emotion on the outside. Out of the blue, Julie stands up and stares at everyone talking to each other about what just happened and says, " enough already! I obviously don't like this guy and I love my boyfriend, I was just making him feel good." I swear a tear began to come down my cheek so I wiped it off with my hand. This is the lowest I have ever felt in my entire life. I want to go lay down and die somewhere before I want to keep on going with this day. I thought for sure that Julie liked me but I guess she was just trying to make me feel good. I should have known that I'm not the type of person that she would go out with. I'm so stupid. By lunch, every single person was talking about what happened. Well at least I was right about everyone will be over the Mrs. Walkworth thing but for once in my life I wish I was wrong because now all of the hype is about me and it doesn't feel good. "Hey Mark, you better watch out. I think Steve is coming in soon. You're so dead man. I really want to see this," says a person who I have never met before but now everyone knows who I am so it really doesn't matter if I know them. Gulp. I see Steve who by the way is Julie's boyfriend if you haven't figured that one out yet. He looks angry which is perfectly normal when you want to cream a little person like me. Actually I'm not little and I workout and all it's just that Steve is like the next Terminator so I don't really have a chance. His group of friends follow behind him, all are smaller than him but I guess look up to him for some reason and follow him around all of the time. This is just perfect. I want to run but I know that he would catch me or one of his friends would catch me then probably do worst things. I call over Jacob to sit with me so at least I will have someone sort of big to fend for me. He quickly runs over and sits down just in time for Steve to say something. "Hey scrawny! I heard that you were trying to steal my girlfriend!" Steve shouts with anger. My palms are like puddles of water floating on top of my skin so I rub them onto my pants and wish myself luck. " Well she doesn't like me so what's your point?" I ask with uncertainty. "My point is that nobody tries to take my girl," Steve says with great power. He unzips his sweater to reveal his muscle shirt underneath. I guess he was trying to get some attention when he put up his biceps and flexed for the students to see. His muscles were huge and I wondered how many hours he spent at a gym or if he took steroids. Cheers came from around the cafeteria, mostly from girls but some guys also cheered for the sake of him attacking me to a pulp. He walks over right to my face and punches me across my cheek. Blood is spurting everywhere and with great power I stand up and punch him right back right in the same place where he punched me. Nothing happened to him of course but all of my friends take me back to my seat. I see blood all over and feel very dizzy and I want to throw up. I see that Steve is just touching his cheek like it just stung a little but I could see inside that it really did hurt him. That made me feel a bit better but what made me feel worse was that Steve took his hand away from his cheek and screamed, "I win!" He also flexed his unusually large biceps again to show that he was the ruler of the school and that if anyone tried to mess with him they would be bleeding. "I hate him so much," I said between heavy breaths. "We all do," said Jacob with a sigh. I wished I was dead again so when my group of friends went to their classes and I was stuck alone that I wouldn't be tortured. The end of lunch bell rang just at the time when I didn't want it to ring. I began to cry but didn't care because I deserved a cry. I was humiliated in front of the whole school and punched by the strongest guy around. I was in serious pain so I got up and walked out of the cafeteria toward the nurses office. I open the door trying to get away from the crowds of people wanting to ask what happened and how I felt. The nurse walked over to me and grabbed some tissues, put them over my face and told me to sit down. "What happened to you?" the nurse asked wondering what the heck happened. "Long story," I replied without enthusiasm. "Well your not going back to class so I have time and you have time," the nurse replies trying to sneak an answer out of me. "Okay, I might as well tell you because if I don't then any other kid in the school will and he or she might change it so it's probably better if I tell the truth about what happened. It all started this morning when Julie and I were caught passing notes and blah blah blah and Mrs. Walkworth said something in front of the class which I forget what but anyway everyone in the class told everyone in the school and everyone in the school includes Julie's boyfriend who has a very bad temper by the way and at lunch he made a big deal about his muscles and then punched me and then showed off his muscles again then left and the end of lunch bell rang and now I'm here," I told the nurse. "Steve Richardson punched you? You're still talking? You're still breathing? Wow," replies the nurse obviously shocked. "You know who Julie is and who her boyfriend is and his last name and what Julie I was talking about?" I said astonished. "Well I know the popular people because they always come in here to skip class and they always talk about their life. I don't get mad at them because it's sort of my hobby to hear all of the problems in the school and who's dating who," the nurse says with a smile. "Right," I reply slowly pronouncing each letter. "Steve is huge, I mean he's always at my gym and I talk to people who were there before me and they say that he was there before they got there and it's pretty unbelievable. He sure gets his gym membership money out of it that's for sure. To tell you the truth I don't think he's on steroids which is very surprising considering his strength," the nurse wonders. "I really don't want to leave this room. I really don't feel like being bothered right now. I just want to stay in this chair till everybody leaves then ride the city bus home in a very large coat where nobody will notice me," I say in a depressing tone. The nurse’s nameplate flashes its golden letters at me. It says “Paddy”. Paddy begins to laugh, I look at her. "People might think that your a terrorist," nurse Paddy replies. "Fine, then can you tell Jacob to wait for me after school until everyone else leaves then we can go home?" I ask Paddy hoping that she will say yes and that I won't have to face my fears. "Sure." I put a very large smile on my face.

Can you give me your opinion on whether this is good enough to submit for a writing course? Thank you!!? Broken Dreams As the piece of paper fluttered between her fingertips, Louise felt the world around her crumble. She could not comprehend the enormity of the words scribbled hastily onto the page; goodbye my love. I’m sorry. Two weeks later the obituary was published in the local newspaper. Louise’s family and friends rallied around to make funeral arrangements, but the grief had burnt a hole right through her heart, tearing apart the very fibre of her soul. Without Harry, her life was meaningless. No wedding. No children. No forever. Three weeks ago they were planning their wedding, her nieces pristine lavender bridesmaid dress still hung on its hanger. Louise could not bear to look at it. Bethany was as distraught as Louise was, not only for the loss of her uncle, but for being the bridesmaid that never was. 12th June 2006, 15:47 Today Lou took Betty shopping and picked out her dress for the wedding. My wedding. Our wedding. I know this is what I want, more than anything, but I can’t do it. Lou will be such a wonderful wife and mother, she deserves eternal happiness, and this is something I know I can‘t give. The Doctor told me 2 years ago that I had the all clear, but five weeks ago my world collapsed. A biopsy confirmed the worst, the cancer’s untreatable now. No amount of chemotherapy will ever rid me off this awful disease. So I have made up my mind, I will not let it beat me. Instead I will go my own way. I will spare Louise the pain of having to sit by my bedside, night after night, while I wither away in front of her eyes into nothing more than a skeleton waiting to die. I know the best way to do it and I have it all planned. All I have to do now is find the right moment. I love Louise with all my heart, I will let her know that and I will say goodbye. Nothing more can be said. On the 14th June 2006, the body of Harry Bradford was found slumped over the wheel of his silver Vauxhall Astra, a half drunken bottle of vodka sitting in his lap, the fumes still gushing from the exhaust pipe. The coroner confirmed that he would have died in his sleep, peacefully, and without pain. But for Louise this wasn’t any comfort. She wanted Harry back, more than anything she wanted him to be waiting for her on 18th August, when she would take his hand and pronounce “I do.” In her grief stricken state the wedding was never cancelled, so the congregation arrived at the church knowing that the atmosphere would be subdued. The memorial service was a celebration of Harry’s life, and Louise changed her name by deed poll to become Louise Bradford, a sad a poignant moment that took place where the vows should have been. After the ceremony, Betty gave a disheartened twirl in her lavender dress, whilst the guests wrote their condolences in the Memorial book. The cake was left uneaten, the lemon sponge too painful a reminder of the man who chose it. On 21st August, Louise boarded a plane heading for Cyprus, with a tear soaked face and an empty heart. Stepping off the plane and into the heat, she reached to her left for Harry’s hand, and closing her palm around the emptiness, she stumbled across the tarmac before collapsing in a heap in her Mothers arms, the sobs engulfing her whole body. Several hours later Louise awoke to the sound of the waves lapping at the shore, her Mothers hand resting on her shoulder, as reassuring as the warm glow of the sun. She remained there for a further two hours, looking out at the liaison between sea and sky, thinking of her future, and of what will now never be. As Louise sleeps that night, Harry appears to her in a dream, reassuring her that she can go on without him and now that he is happy, she must find happiness too. She wakes the next morning feeling strangely at ease. She opens the bedroom door, careful not to wake her Mother. Marianne senses her daughters presence and opens her eyes, comforted by her daughters faint smile. “Shall we take a walk to the beach today Lou?” “Yes, the beach will be nice. But I want to leave tonight. I can’t do this Mum, I need to be at home.” Marianne understands this and they head off to the beach. At 8 o clock they catch their flight, with sun kissed faces and sand in the toes, Louise happy to be returning to the comfort of home. When she arrives home she scoops up the post, amongst it a familiar envelope addressed to Harry. The private hospital, having not yet frozen Harry’s records, give Louise the news that he never wanted her to know. When she read that the cancer had returned, this was all it took to plunge her back into the depths of despair. She knew then why it had happened; what it all meant. She would have guided him through it, remained strong for him, held him in her arms and let him know that he would not be alone when he took his last breath. All he ever wanted was for her to be happy, and in her heart she knew that him freeing himself of this terrible disease, had set her free too. I know its not a poem and its a bit long, but thank you!!!!!

Is my story any good????? Please read? kay i know it's long, but i want 2 know if its good. please read and review. if good, will post more.... its post breaking dawn from nessies pov. SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOLIERS!! Chapter One My Story and More Kay, this is like a post breaking dawn book from nessie’s pov. SPOILERS SPOILERS DON’T READ UNTIL U HAVE READ BREAKING DAWN!!!!!!!! Read and review, no bashing, critiscm is fine Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the Twilight character, Stephanie Meyer does, but I wish it was me!!!!!  As I stared into the wall high mirror, I could hardly believe what I saw; A sixteen-year-old, eight-year-old; brunette ringlets down to her waist; clear brown eyes that mirrored her grandfather’s; a beautiful 1/2 human, 1/2 vampire child. I blinked in surprise as I realized it was me, Renesmee Carlie Cullen, soon to be Renesmee Carlie Black. Today was the day that I would officially become Jacob Black’s wife. From the time I was born, he knew we would be together-forever. I can’t say my mom was too crazy about the idea at first, with being a werewolf and all. People were worried the first time I bit Jake, but I’m not venomous. Neither are the other two female hybrids I know. But the male hybrid, Nahuel, is. He saved me from the Volturi many years ago. The Volturi, a very powerful group of vampire, thought that my mother, Bella, and my father, Edward, had created an immortal child, which is “illegal.” But Mom gave birth to me before she changed, giving me my brown hair, brown eyes, heart, and blood running through my veins. But my dad gave me my vampire traits, such as my strong, pale skin, and my gift, showing people my thoughts. What’s really cool is that my dad could read my mind before I was born, letting Mom know what I really wanted so I wouldn’t hurt her anymore (I still feel really bad about that). When I was finally born, my aunts, Rosalie and Alice, along with Jacob and Grandma Esme, took very good care of me. Grandpa Carlisle measured me every day, and Grandpa Charlie and his second wife, Sue Clearwater, would come to see me, giving me experience interacting with humans. I wasn’t allowed to bite them, like I bit Jacob. They don’t heal like he does. No one really knows when Jacob “imprinted” on me, but as Mom was holding me for the first time since she changed, it really became noticeable. She got upset, but ended up hurting Seth instead. Then, as Jacob and I were playing out hunting game, a vampire from the Denali family, Irina, came and saw me. She couldn’t hear my heart or smell my blood, so she assumed the worst. She told the Volturi, and they were set on killing me and my family. But my family gathered enough vampires, who would believe my story, to come and witness for me. Some of them helped Mom enhance her gift: shielding, so she could protect all of us from Jane and Alec, two of the most powerful vampires of the Volturi. We ended up winning, thanks to Alice, who brought Nahuel. He vouched for me, and made everyone’s day when he said that I would never die, at least not naturally, anyway. When it was all over and done with, he began to get a “little” sweet on me. But my heart is forever Jacob’s… Ah, Jacob, my Jacob… “Renesmee? You okay, sweetie?” I jumped around, tripping on my long train. It was just my mother. I must have fell asleep standing up. Well, now I’m awake. This eighteen-year-old looking woman standing in front of me could hardly be anything I could stir up in my mind. She was so beautiful with her golden eyes, brown, wavy hair, and perfect body and the elegance to match. “Hi, Mom. I’m fine. Just thinking about that time.” Mom put her hand on my shoulder and sighed. “Honey. Nessie. You can’t trouble yourself with those memories today of all days. You’re getting married, for crying out loud! I love you more than my own life, and I want you to be happy, Ness,” Mom said, stroking my face, her neck tightening. I know my blood caused her pain, but she would never cause me pain, for sure. “I know, Mom. But it’s so hard to forget.” I explained, placing my palm on her neck, showing her how happy we all had been as the Volturi retreated, defeated. “Ness! I thought you were going to stop showing me that memory!! If Aro was able to read my thoughts, I would be dead for thinking of that thought so much!” I mouthed, “sorry” to her while adjusting my dress. It was her’s from her wedding, but a little few things were changed. Like there were Quileute-tribe inspired designs in the lace (Jacob’s request), and it was now a pale blue rather than the standard white. It flowed over me like a waterfall and yet hugged my subtle curves. It flared out around my feet, leading into a long train. I self-consciously slipped my shoes off and laid them outside the room on the pier tower. The wedding would be taking place on the La Push beach, a very special place to Jacob. Speaking of, the sun would be setting soon, so I would be a Black in about 4 THIS IS FAN FICTION!!!!!!!!!! for breaking dawn by stephanie meyer

What hotel should I stay at for my honeymoon to Aruba? My fiancee and I are planning our honeymoon towards the end of October this year to Aruba. I've been looking through many posts on yahoo answers, tripadvisor.com, and even talked to a few people. I really just wanted to find some good advice about what hotel would be the best for what we are looking for... We aren't really big into the gambling aspects and hear the beaches are better and more quiet and romantic at Eagle rather than Palm, so we were kind of leaning towards a hotel on the Eagle beach. We don't really want something that's going to cost us an arm and a leg but we want something semi nice still. Wasn't sure either if all inclusive would be the way to go or not. Some of the places like Bucuti beach doesn't offer that and didn't know if we should look for ones that do or if the cost would still even out even if we eat out. How expensive is it to eat out all the time there? I know we wanted to go out and eat a few times at least when we are there so I wasn't sure what I should expect price-wise. Just wanted to see if anyone had some tips and advice for where we should stay, thank you!

Artificial islands? For example, could someone grow a crop of corn (just using corn as ana example) on an artificial island? I've seen those artificial islands in Dubai (The Palms they're called I think). They have sandy beaches the house have grass lawns and sometimes some trees and shrubs. So would it be possible to grow a large amount of vegetables on an artificial island? Also how big can an artificial island be? Is there like a limit on how big they can be or not? Please post. Thanks.

Where can I find batting cages near/around Palm Beach Florida? Looking to go the batting cages in Palm Beach. if possible, looking for real baseballs. But if not, just post the location and/or phone number thanks

Poll: Did you like The Oddysey or The Iliad better? I liked the Iliad better. This was my favorite part: Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures, for so were the counsels of Jove fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles, first fell out with one another. And which of the gods was it that set them on to quarrel? It was the son of Jove and Leto; for he was angry with the king and sent a pestilence upon the host to plague the people, because the son of Atreus had dishonoured Chryses his priest. Now Chryses had come to the ships of the Achaeans to free his daughter, and had brought with him a great ransom: moreover he bore in his hand the sceptre of Apollo wreathed with a suppliant's wreath and he besought the Achaeans, but most of all the two sons of Atreus, who were their chiefs. "Sons of Atreus," he cried, "and all other Achaeans, may the gods who dwell in Olympus grant you to sack the city of Priam, and to reach your homes in safety; but free my daughter, and accept a ransom for her, in reverence to Apollo, son of Jove." On this the rest of the Achaeans with one voice were for respecting the priest and taking the ransom that he offered; but not so Agamemnon, who spoke fiercely to him and sent him roughly away. "Old man," said he, "let me not find you tarrying about our ships, nor yet coming hereafter. Your sceptre of the god and your wreath shall profit you nothing. I will not free her. She shall grow old in my house at Argos far from her own home, busying herself with her loom and visiting my couch; so go, and do not provoke me or it shall be the worse for you." The old man feared him and obeyed. Not a word he spoke, but went by the shore of the sounding sea and prayed apart to King Apollo whom lovely Leto had borne. "Hear me," he cried, "O god of the silver bow, that protectest Chryse and holy Cilla and rulest Tenedos with thy might, hear me oh thou of Sminthe. If I have ever decked your temple with garlands, or burned your thigh-bones in fat of bulls or goats, grant my prayer, and let your arrows avenge these my tears upon the Danaans." Thus did he pray, and Apollo heard his prayer. He came down furious from the summits of Olympus, with his bow and his quiver upon his shoulder, and the arrows rattled on his back with the rage that trembled within him. He sat himself down away from the ships with a face as dark as night, and his silver bow rang death as he shot his arrow in the midst of them. First he smote their mules and their hounds, but presently he aimed his shafts at the people themselves, and all day long the pyres of the dead were burning. For nine whole days he shot his arrows among the people, but upon the tenth day Achilles called them in assembly- moved thereto by Juno, who saw the Achaeans in their death-throes and had compassion upon them. Then, when they were got together, he rose and spoke among them. "Son of Atreus," said he, "I deem that we should now turn roving home if we would escape destruction, for we are being cut down by war and pestilence at once. Let us ask some priest or prophet, or some reader of dreams (for dreams, too, are of Jove) who can tell us why Phoebus Apollo is so angry, and say whether it is for some vow that we have broken, or hecatomb that we have not offered, and whether he will accept the savour of lambs and goats without blemish, so as to take away the plague from us." With these words he sat down, and Calchas son of Thestor, wisest of augurs, who knew things past present and to come, rose to speak. He it was who had guided the Achaeans with their fleet to Ilius, through the prophesyings with which Phoebus Apollo had inspired him. With all sincerity and goodwill he addressed them thus:- "Achilles, loved of heaven, you bid me tell you about the anger of King Apollo, I will therefore do so; but consider first and swear that you will stand by me heartily in word and deed, for I know that I shall offend one who rules the Argives with might, to whom all the Achaeans are in subjection. A plain man cannot stand against the anger of a king, who if he swallow his displeasure now, will yet nurse revenge till he has wreaked it. Consider, therefore, whether or no you will protect me." And Achilles answered, "Fear not, but speak as it is borne in upon you from heaven, for by Apollo, Calchas, to whom you pray, and whose oracles you reveal to us, not a Danaan at our ships shall lay his hand upon you, while I yet live to look upon the face of the earth- no, not though you name Agamemnon himself, who is by far the foremost of the Achaeans." Thereon the seer spoke boldly. "The god," he said, "is angry neither about vow nor hecatomb, but for his priest's sake, whom Agamemnon has dishonoured, in that he would not free his daughter nor take a ransom for her; therefore has he sent these evils upon us, and will yet send others. He will not deliver the Danaans from this pestilence till Agamemnon has restored the girl without fee or ransom to her father, and has sent a holy hecatomb to Chryse. Thus we may perhaps appease him." With these words he sat down, and Agamemnon rose in anger. His heart was black with rage, and his eyes flashed fire as he scowled on Calchas and said, "Seer of evil, you never yet prophesied smooth things concerning me, but have ever loved to foretell that which was evil. You have brought me neither comfort nor performance; and now you come seeing among Danaans, and saying that Apollo has plagued us because I would not take a ransom for this girl, the daughter of Chryses. I have set my heart on keeping her in my own house, for I love her better even than my own wife Clytemnestra, whose peer she is alike in form and feature, in understanding and accomplishments. Still I will give her up if I must, for I would have the people live, not die; but you must find me a prize instead, or I alone among the Argives shall be without one. This is not well; for you behold, all of you, that my prize is to go elsewhither." And Achilles answered, "Most noble son of Atreus, covetous beyond all mankind, how shall the Achaeans find you another prize? We have no common store from which to take one. Those we took from the cities have been awarded; we cannot disallow the awards that have been made already. Give this girl, therefore, to the god, and if ever Jove grants us to sack the city of Troy we will requite you three and fourfold." Then Agamemnon said, "Achilles, valiant though you be, you shall not thus outwit me. You shall not overreach and you shall not persuade me. Are you to keep your own prize, while I sit tamely under my loss and give up the girl at your bidding? Let the Achaeans find me a prize in fair exchange to my liking, or I will come and take your own, or that of Ajax or of Ulysses; and he to whomsoever I may come shall rue my coming. But of this we will take thought hereafter; for the present, let us draw a ship into the sea, and find a crew for her expressly; let us put a hecatomb on board, and let us send Chryseis also; further, let some chief man among us be in command, either Ajax, or Idomeneus, or yourself, son of Peleus, mighty warrior that you are, that we may offer sacrifice and appease the the anger of the god." Achilles scowled at him and answered, "You are steeped in insolence and lust of gain. With what heart can any of the Achaeans do your bidding, either on foray or in open fighting? I came not warring here for any ill the Trojans had done me. I have no quarrel with them. They have not raided my cattle nor my horses, nor cut down my harvests on the rich plains of Phthia; for between me and them there is a great space, both mountain and sounding sea. We have followed you, Sir Insolence! for your pleasure, not ours- to gain satisfaction from the Trojans for your shameless self and for Menelaus. You forget this, and threaten to rob me of the prize for which I have toiled, and which the sons of the Achaeans have given me. Never when the Achaeans sack any rich city of the Trojans do I receive so good a prize as you do, though it is my hands that do the better part of the fighting. When the sharing comes, your share is far the largest, and I, forsooth, must go back to my ships, take what I can get and be thankful, when my labour of fighting is done. Now, therefore, I shall go back to Phthia; it will be much better for me to return home with my ships, for I will not stay here dishonoured to gather gold and substance for you." And Agamemnon answered, "Fly if you will, I shall make you no prayers to stay you. I have others here who will do me honour, and above all Jove, the lord of counsel. There is no king here so hateful to me as you are, for you are ever quarrelsome and ill affected. What though you be brave? Was it not heaven that made you so? Go home, then, with your ships and comrades to lord it over the Myrmidons. I care neither for you nor for your anger; and thus will I do: since Phoebus Apollo is taking Chryseis from me, I shall send her with my ship and my followers, but I shall come to your tent and take your own prize Briseis, that you may learn how much stronger I am than you are, and that another may fear to set himself up as equal or comparable with me." The son of Peleus was furious, and his heart within his shaggy breast was divided whether to draw his sword, push the others aside, and kill the son of Atreus, or to restrain himself and check his anger. While he was thus in two minds, and was drawing his mighty sword from its scabbard, Minerva came down from heaven (for Juno had sent her in the love she bore to them both), and seized the son of Peleus by his yellow hair, visible to him alone, for of the others no man could see her. Achilles turned in amaze, and by the fire that flashed from her eyes at once knew that she was Minerva. "Why are you here," said he, "daughter of aegis-bearing Jove? To see the pride of Agamemnon, son of Atreus? Let me tell you- and it shall surely be- he shall pay for this insolence with his life." And Minerva said, "I come from heaven, if you will hear me, to bid you stay your anger. Juno has sent me, who cares for both of you alike. Cease, then, this brawling, and do not draw your sword; rail at him if you will, and your railing will not be vain, for I tell you- and it shall surely be- that you shall hereafter receive gifts three times as splendid by reason of this present insult. Hold, therefore, and obey." "Goddess," answered Achilles, "however angry a man may be, he must do as you two command him. This will be best, for the gods ever hear the prayers of him who has obeyed them." He stayed his hand on the silver hilt of his sword, and thrust it back into the scabbard as Minerva bade him. Then she went back to Olympus among the other gods, and to the house of aegis-bearing Jove. But the son of Peleus again began railing at the son of Atreus, for he was still in a rage. "Wine-bibber," he cried, "with the face of a dog and the heart of a hind, you never dare to go out with the host in fight, nor yet with our chosen men in ambuscade. You shun this as you do death itself. You had rather go round and rob his prizes from any man who contradicts you. You devour your people, for you are king over a feeble folk; otherwise, son of Atreus, henceforward you would insult no man. Therefore I say, and swear it with a great oath- nay, by this my sceptre which shalt sprout neither leaf nor shoot, nor bud anew from the day on which it left its parent stem upon the mountains- for the axe stripped it of leaf and bark, and now the sons of the Achaeans bear it as judges and guardians of the decrees of heaven- so surely and solemnly do I swear that hereafter they shall look fondly for Achilles and shall not find him. In the day of your distress, when your men fall dying by the murderous hand of Hector, you shall not know how to help them, and shall rend your heart with rage for the hour when you offered insult to the bravest of the Achaeans." With this the son of Peleus dashed his gold-bestudded sceptre on the ground and took his seat, while the son of Atreus was beginning fiercely from his place upon the other side. Then uprose smooth-tongued Nestor, the facile speaker of the Pylians, and the words fell from his lips sweeter than honey. Two generations of men born and bred in Pylos had passed away under his rule, and he was now reigning over the third. With all sincerity and goodwill, therefore, he addressed them thus:- "Of a truth," he said, "a great sorrow has befallen the Achaean land. Surely Priam with his sons would rejoice, and the Trojans be glad at heart if they could hear this quarrel between you two, who are so excellent in fight and counsel. I am older than either of you; therefore be guided by me. Moreover I have been the familiar friend of men even greater than you are, and they did not disregard my counsels. Never again can I behold such men as Pirithous and Dryas shepherd of his people, or as Caeneus, Exadius, godlike Polyphemus, and Theseus son of Aegeus, peer of the immortals. These were the mightiest men ever born upon this earth: mightiest were they, and when they fought the fiercest tribes of mountain savages they utterly overthrew them. I came from distant Pylos, and went about among them, for they would have me come, and I fought as it was in me to do. Not a man now living could withstand them, but they heard my words, and were persuaded by them. So be it also with yourselves, for this is the more excellent way. Therefore, Agamemnon, though you be strong, take not this girl away, for the sons of the Achaeans have already given her to Achilles; and you, Achilles, strive not further with the king, for no man who by the grace of Jove wields a sceptre has like honour with Agamemnon. You are strong, and have a goddess for your mother; but Agamemnon is stronger than you, for he has more people under him. Son of Atreus, check your anger, I implore you; end this quarrel with Achilles, who in the day of battle is a tower of strength to the Achaeans." And Agamemnon answered, "Sir, all that you have said is true, but this fellow must needs become our lord and master: he must be lord of all, king of all, and captain of all, and this shall hardly be. Granted that the gods have made him a great warrior, have they also given him the right to speak with railing?" Achilles interrupted him. "I should be a mean coward," he cried, "were I to give in to you in all things. Order other people about, not me, for I shall obey no longer. Furthermore I say- and lay my saying to your heart- I shall fight neither you nor any man about this girl, for those that take were those also that gave. But of all else that is at my ship you shall carry away nothing by force. Try, that others may see; if you do, my spear shall be reddened with your blood." When they had quarrelled thus angrily, they rose, and broke up the assembly at the ships of the Achaeans. The son of Peleus went back to his tents and ships with the son of Menoetius and his company, while Agamemnon drew a vessel into the water and chose a crew of twenty oarsmen. He escorted Chryseis on board and sent moreover a hecatomb for the god. And Ulysses went as captain. These, then, went on board and sailed their ways over the sea. But the son of Atreus bade the people purify themselves; so they purified themselves and cast their filth into the sea. Then they offered hecatombs of bulls and goats without blemish on the sea-shore, and the smoke with the savour of their sacrifice rose curling up towards heaven. Thus did they busy themselves throughout the host. But Agamemnon did not forget the threat that he had made Achilles, and called his trusty messengers and squires Talthybius and Eurybates. "Go," said he, "to the tent of Achilles, son of Peleus; take Briseis by the hand and bring her hither; if he will not give her I shall come with others and take her- which will press him harder." He charged them straightly further and dismissed them, whereon they went their way sorrowfully by the seaside, till they came to the tents and ships of the Myrmidons. They found Achilles sitting by his tent and his ships, and ill-pleased he was when he beheld them. They stood fearfully and reverently before him, and never a word did they speak, but he knew them and said, "Welcome, heralds, messengers of gods and men; draw near; my quarrel is not with you but with Agamemnon who has sent you for the girl Briseis. Therefore, Patroclus, bring her and give her to them, but let them be witnesses by the blessed gods, by mortal men, and by the fierceness of Agamemnon's anger, that if ever again there be need of me to save the people from ruin, they shall seek and they shall not find. Agamemnon is mad with rage and knows not how to look before and after that the Achaeans may fight by their ships in safety." Patroclus did as his dear comrade had bidden him. He brought Briseis from the tent and gave her over to the heralds, who took her with them to the ships of the Achaeans- and the woman was loth to go. Then Achilles went all alone by the side of the hoar sea, weeping and looking out upon the boundless waste of waters. He raised his hands in prayer to his immortal mother, "Mother," he cried, "you bore me doomed to live but for a little season; surely Jove, who thunders from Olympus, might have made that little glorious. It is not so. Agamemnon, son of Atreus, has done me dishonour, and has robbed me of my prize by force." As he spoke he wept aloud, and his mother heard him where she was sitting in the depths of the sea hard by the old man her father. Forthwith she rose as it were a grey mist out of the waves, sat down before him as he stood weeping, caressed him with her hand, and said, "My son, why are you weeping? What is it that grieves you? Keep it not from me, but tell me, that we may know it together." Achilles drew a deep sigh and said, "You know it; why tell you what you know well already? We went to Thebe the strong city of Eetion, sacked it, and brought hither the spoil. The sons of the Achaeans shared it duly among themselves, and chose lovely Chryseis as the meed of Agamemnon; but Chryses, priest of Apollo, came to the ships of the Achaeans to free his daughter, and brought with him a great ransom: moreover he bore in his hand the sceptre of Apollo, wreathed with a suppliant's wreath, and he besought the Achaeans, but most of all the two sons of Atreus who were their chiefs. "On this the rest of the Achaeans with one voice were for respecting the priest and taking the ransom that he offered; but not so Agamemnon, who spoke fiercely to him and sent him roughly away. So he went back in anger, and Apollo, who loved him dearly, heard his prayer. Then the god sent a deadly dart upon the Argives, and the people died thick on one another, for the arrows went everywhither among the wide host of the Achaeans. At last a seer in the fulness of his knowledge declared to us the oracles of Apollo, and I was myself first to say that we should appease him. Whereon the son of Atreus rose in anger, and threatened that which he has since done. The Achaeans are now taking the girl in a ship to Chryse, and sending gifts of sacrifice to the god; but the heralds have just taken from my tent the daughter of Briseus, whom the Achaeans had awarded to myself. "Help your brave son, therefore, if you are able. Go to Olympus, and if you have ever done him service in word or deed, implore the aid of Jove. Ofttimes in my father's house have I heard you glory in that you alone of the immortals saved the son of Saturn from ruin, when the others, with Juno, Neptune, and Pallas Minerva would have put him in bonds. It was you, goddess, who delivered him by calling to Olympus the hundred-handed monster whom gods call Briareus, but men Aegaeon, for he is stronger even than his father; when therefore he took his seat all-glorious beside the son of Saturn, the other gods were afraid, and did not bind him. Go, then, to him, remind him of all this, clasp his knees, and bid him give succour to the Trojans. Let the Achaeans be hemmed in at the sterns of their ships, and perish on the sea-shore, that they may reap what joy they may of their king, and that Agamemnon may rue his blindness in offering insult to the foremost of the Achaeans." Thetis wept and answered, "My son, woe is me that I should have borne or suckled you. Would indeed that you had lived your span free from all sorrow at your ships, for it is all too brief; alas, that you should be at once short of life and long of sorrow above your peers: woe, therefore, was the hour in which I bore you; nevertheless I will go to the snowy heights of Olympus, and tell this tale to Jove, if he will hear our prayer: meanwhile stay where you are with your ships, nurse your anger against the Achaeans, and hold aloof from fight. For Jove went yesterday to Oceanus, to a feast among the Ethiopians, and the other gods went with him. He will return to Olympus twelve days hence; I will then go to his mansion paved with bronze and will beseech him; nor do I doubt that I shall be able to persuade him." On this she left him, still furious at the loss of her that had been taken from him. Meanwhile Ulysses reached Chryse with the hecatomb. When they had come inside the harbour they furled the sails and laid them in the ship's hold; they slackened the forestays, lowered the mast into its place, and rowed the ship to the place where they would have her lie; there they cast out their mooring-stones and made fast the hawsers. They then got out upon the sea-shore and landed the hecatomb for Apollo; Chryseis also left the ship, and Ulysses led her to the altar to deliver her into the hands of her father. "Chryses," said he, "King Agamemnon has sent me to bring you back your child, and to offer sacrifice to Apollo on behalf of the Danaans, that we may propitiate the god, who has now brought sorrow upon the Argives." So saying he gave the girl over to her father, who received her gladly, and they ranged the holy hecatomb all orderly round the altar of the god. They washed their hands and took up the barley-meal to sprinkle over the victims, while Chryses lifted up his hands and prayed aloud on their behalf. "Hear me," he cried, "O god of the silver bow, that protectest Chryse and holy Cilla, and rulest Tenedos with thy might. Even as thou didst hear me aforetime when I prayed, and didst press hardly upon the Achaeans, so hear me yet again, and stay this fearful pestilence from the Danaans." Thus did he pray, and Apollo heard his prayer. When they had done praying and sprinkling the barley-meal, they drew back the heads of the victims and killed and flayed them. They cut out the thigh-bones, wrapped them round in two layers of fat, set some pieces of raw meat on the top of them, and then Chryses laid them on the wood fire and poured wine over them, while the young men stood near him with five-pronged spits in their hands. When the thigh-bones were burned and they had tasted the inward meats, they cut the rest up small, put the pieces upon the spits, roasted them till they were done, and drew them off: then, when they had finished their work and the feast was ready, they ate it, and every man had his full share, so that all were satisfied. As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink, pages filled the mixing-bowl with wine and water and handed it round, after giving every man his drink-offering. Thus all day long the young men worshipped the god with song, hymning him and chaunting the joyous paean, and the god took pleasure in their voices; but when the sun went down, and it came on dark, they laid themselves down to sleep by the stern cables of the ship, and when the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, appeared they again set sail for the host of the Achaeans. Apollo sent them a fair wind, so they raised their mast and hoisted their white sails aloft. As the sail bellied with the wind the ship flew through the deep blue water, and the foam hissed against her bows as she sped onward. When they reached the wide-stretching host of the Achaeans, they drew the vessel ashore, high and dry upon the sands, set her strong props beneath her, and went their ways to their own tents and ships. But Achilles abode at his ships and nursed his anger. He went not to the honourable assembly, and sallied not forth to fight, but gnawed at his own heart, pining for battle and the war-cry. Now after twelve days the immortal gods came back in a body to Olympus, and Jove led the way. Thetis was not unmindful of the charge her son had laid upon her, so she rose from under the sea and went through great heaven with early morning to Olympus, where she found the mighty son of Saturn sitting all alone upon its topmost ridges. She sat herself down before him, and with her left hand seized his knees, while with her right she caught him under the chin, and besought him, saying- "Father Jove, if I ever did you service in word or deed among the immortals, hear my prayer, and do honour to my son, whose life is to be cut short so early. King Agamemnon has dishonoured him by taking his prize and keeping her. Honour him then yourself, Olympian lord of counsel, and grant victory to the Trojans, till the Achaeans give my son his due and load him with riches in requital." Jove sat for a while silent, and without a word, but Thetis still kept firm hold of his knees, and besought him a second time. "Incline your head," said she, "and promise me surely, or else deny me- for you have nothing to fear- that I may learn how greatly you disdain me." At this Jove was much troubled and answered, "I shall have trouble if you set me quarrelling with Juno, for she will provoke me with her taunting speeches; even now she is always railing at me before the other gods and accusing me of giving aid to the Trojans. Go back now, lest she should find out. I will consider the matter, and will bring it about as wish. See, I incline my head that you believe me. This is the most solemn that I can give to any god. I never recall my word, or deceive, or fail to do what I say, when I have nodded my head." As he spoke the son of Saturn bowed his dark brows, and the ambrosial locks swayed on his immortal head, till vast Olympus reeled. When the pair had thus laid their plans, they parted- Jove to his house, while the goddess quitted the splendour of Olympus, and plunged into the depths of the sea. The gods rose from their seats, before the coming of their sire. Not one of them dared to remain sitting, but all stood up as he came among them. There, then, he took his seat. But Juno, when she saw him, knew that he and the old merman's daughter, silver-footed Thetis, had been hatching mischief, so she at once began to upbraid him. "Trickster," she cried, "which of the gods have you been taking into your counsels now? You are always settling matters in secret behind my back, and have never yet told me, if you could help it, one word of your intentions." "Juno," replied the sire of gods and men, "you must not expect to be informed of all my counsels. You are my wife, but you would find it hard to understand them. When it is proper for you to hear, there is no one, god or man, who will be told sooner, but when I mean to keep a matter to myself, you must not pry nor ask questions." "Dread son of Saturn," answered Juno, "what are you talking about? I? Pry and ask questions? Never. I let you have your own way in everything. Still, I have a strong misgiving that the old merman's daughter Thetis has been talking you over, for she was with you and had hold of your knees this self-same morning. I believe, therefore, that you have been promising her to give glory to Achilles, and to kill much people at the ships of the Achaeans." "Wife," said Jove, "I can do nothing but you suspect me and find it out. You will take nothing by it, for I shall only dislike you the more, and it will go harder with you. Granted that it is as you say; I mean to have it so; sit down and hold your tongue as I bid you for if I once begin to lay my hands about you, though all heaven were on your side it would profit you nothing." On this Juno was frightened, so she curbed her stubborn will and sat down in silence. But the heavenly beings were disquieted throughout the house of Jove, till the cunning workman Vulcan began to try and pacify his mother Juno. "It will be intolerable," said he, "if you two fall to wrangling and setting heaven in an uproar about a pack of mortals. If such ill counsels are to prevail, we shall have no pleasure at our banquet. Let me then advise my mother- and she must herself know that it will be better- to make friends with my dear father Jove, lest he again scold her and disturb our feast. If the Olympian Thunderer wants to hurl us all from our seats, he can do so, for he is far the strongest, so give him fair words, and he will then soon be in a good humour with us." As he spoke, he took a double cup of nectar, and placed it in his mother's hand. "Cheer up, my dear mother," said he, "and make the best of it. I love you dearly, and should be very sorry to see you get a thrashing; however grieved I might be, I could not help for there is no standing against Jove. Once before when I was trying to help you, he caught me by the foot and flung me from the heavenly threshold. All day long from morn till eve, was I falling, till at sunset I came to ground in the island of Lemnos, and there I lay, with very little life left in me, till the Sintians came and tended me." Juno smiled at this, and as she smiled she took the cup from her son's hands. Then Vulcan drew sweet nectar from the mixing-bowl, and served it round among the gods, going from left to right; and the blessed gods laughed out a loud applause as they saw him ing bustling about the heavenly mansion. Thus through the livelong day to the going down of the sun they feasted, and every one had his full share, so that all were satisfied. Apollo struck his lyre, and the Muses lifted up their sweet voices, calling and answering one another. But when the sun's glorious light had faded, they went home to bed, each in his own abode, which lame Vulcan with his consummate skill had fashioned for them. So Jove, the Olympian Lord of Thunder, hied him to the bed in which he always slept; and when he had got on to it he went to sleep, with Juno of the golden throne by his side. Now the other gods and the armed warriors on the plain slept soundly, but Jove was wakeful, for he was thinking how to do honour to Achilles, and destroyed much people at the ships of the Achaeans. In the end he deemed it would be best to send a lying dream to King Agamemnon; so he called one to him and said to it, "Lying Dream, go to the ships of the Achaeans, into the tent of Agamemnon, and say to him word to word as I now bid you. Tell him to get the Achaeans instantly under arms, for he shall take Troy. There are no longer divided counsels among the gods; Juno has brought them to her own mind, and woe betides the Trojans." The dream went when it had heard its message, and soon reached the ships of the Achaeans. It sought Agamemnon son of Atreus and found him in his tent, wrapped in a profound slumber. It hovered over his head in the likeness of Nestor, son of Neleus, whom Agamemnon honoured above all his councillors, and said:- "You are sleeping, son of Atreus; one who has the welfare of his host and so much other care upon his shoulders should dock his sleep. Hear me at once, for I come as a messenger from Jove, who, though he be not near, yet takes thought for you and pities you. He bids you get the Achaeans instantly under arms, for you shall take Troy. There are no longer divided counsels among the gods; Juno has brought them over to her own mind, and woe betides the Trojans at the hands of Jove. Remember this, and when you wake see that it does not escape you." The dream then left him, and he thought of things that were, surely not to be accomplished. He thought that on that same day he was to take the city of Priam, but he little knew what was in the mind of Jove, who had many another hard-fought fight in store alike for Danaans and Trojans. Then presently he woke, with the divine message still ringing in his ears; so he sat upright, and put on his soft shirt so fair and new, and over this his heavy cloak. He bound his sandals on to his comely feet, and slung his silver-studded sword about his shoulders; then he took the imperishable staff of his father, and sallied forth to the ships of the Achaeans. The goddess Dawn now wended her way to vast Olympus that she might herald day to Jove and to the other immortals, and Agamemnon sent the criers round to call the people in assembly; so they called them and the people gathered thereon. But first he summoned a meeting of the elders at the ship of Nestor king of Pylos, and when they were assembled he laid a cunning counsel before them. "My friends," said he, "I have had a dream from heaven in the dead of night, and its face and figure resembled none but Nestor's. It hovered over my head and said, 'You are sleeping, son of Atreus; one who has the welfare of his host and so much other care upon his shoulders should dock his sleep. Hear me at once, for I am a messenger from Jove, who, though he be not near, yet takes thought for you and pities you. He bids you get the Achaeans instantly under arms, for you shall take Troy. There are no longer divided counsels among the gods; Juno has brought them over to her own mind, and woe betides the Trojans at the hands of Jove. Remember this.' The dream then vanished and I awoke. Let us now, therefore, arm the sons of the Achaeans. But it will be well that I should first sound them, and to this end I will tell them to fly with their ships; but do you others go about among the host and prevent their doing so." He then sat down, and Nestor the prince of Pylos with all sincerity and goodwill addressed them thus: "My friends," said he, "princes and councillors of the Argives, if any other man of the Achaeans had told us of this dream we should have declared it false, and would have had nothing to do with it. But he who has seen it is the foremost man among us; we must therefore set about getting the people under arms." With this he led the way from the assembly, and the other sceptred kings rose with him in obedience to the word of Agamemnon; but the people pressed forward to hear. They swarmed like bees that sally from some hollow cave and flit in countless throng among the spring flowers, bunched in knots and clusters; even so did the mighty multitude pour from ships and tents to the assembly, and range themselves upon the wide-watered shore, while among them ran Wildfire Rumour, messenger of Jove, urging them ever to the fore. Thus they gathered in a pell-mell of mad confusion, and the earth groaned under the tramp of men as the people sought their places. Nine heralds went crying about among them to stay their tumult and bid them listen to the kings, till at last they were got into their several places and ceased their clamour. Then King Agamemnon rose, holding his sceptre. This was the work of Vulcan, who gave it to Jove the son of Saturn. Jove gave it to Mercury, slayer of Argus, guide and guardian. King Mercury gave it to Pelops, the mighty charioteer, and Pelops to Atreus, shepherd of his people. Atreus, when he died, left it to Thyestes, rich in flocks, and Thyestes in his turn left it to be borne by Agamemnon, that he might be lord of all Argos and of the isles. Leaning, then, on his sceptre, he addressed the Argives. "My friends," he said, "heroes, servants of Mars, the hand of heaven has been laid heavily upon me. Cruel Jove gave me his solemn promise that I should sack the city of Priam before returning, but he has played me false, and is now bidding me go ingloriously back to Argos with the loss of much people. Such is the will of Jove, who has laid many a proud city in the dust, as he will yet lay others, for his power is above all. It will be a sorry tale hereafter that an Achaean host, at once so great and valiant, battled in vain against men fewer in number than themselves; but as yet the end is not in sight. Think that the Achaeans and Trojans have sworn to a solemn covenant, and that they have each been numbered- the Trojans by the roll of their householders, and we by companies of ten; think further that each of our companies desired to have a Trojan householder to pour out their wine; we are so greatly more in number that full many a company would have to go without its cup-bearer. But they have in the town allies from other places, and it is these that hinder me from being able to sack the rich city of Ilius. Nine of Jove years are gone; the timbers of our ships have rotted; their tackling is sound no longer. Our wives and little ones at home look anxiously for our coming, but the work that we came hither to do has not been done. Now, therefore, let us all do as I say: let us sail back to our own land, for we shall not take Troy." With these words he moved the hearts of the multitude, so many of them as knew not the cunning counsel of Agamemnon. They surged to and fro like the waves of the Icarian Sea, when the east and south winds break from heaven's clouds to lash them; or as when the west wind sweeps over a field of corn and the ears bow beneath the blast, even so were they swayed as they flew with loud cries towards the ships, and the dust from under their feet rose heavenward. They cheered each other on to draw the ships into the sea; they cleared the channels in front of them; they began taking away the stays from underneath them, and the welkin rang with their glad cries, so eager were they to return. Then surely the Argives would have returned after a fashion that was not fated. But Juno said to Minerva, "Alas, daughter of aegis-bearing Jove, unweariable, shall the Argives fly home to their own land over the broad sea, and leave Priam and the Trojans the glory of still keeping Helen, for whose sake so many of the Achaeans have died at Troy, far from their homes? Go about at once among the host, and speak fairly to them, man by man, that they draw not their ships into the sea." Minerva was not slack to do her bidding. Down she darted from the topmost summits of Olympus, and in a moment she was at the ships of the Achaeans. There she found Ulysses, peer of Jove in counsel, standing alone. He had not as yet laid a hand upon his ship, for he was grieved and sorry; so she went close up to him and said, "Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, are you going to fling yourselves into your ships and be off home to your own land in this way? Will you leave Priam and the Trojans the glory of still keeping Helen, for whose sake so many of the Achaeans have died at Troy, far from their homes? Go about at once among the host, and speak fairly to them, man by man, that they draw not their ships into the sea." Ulysses knew the voice as that of the goddess: he flung his cloak from him and set off to run. His servant Eurybates, a man of Ithaca, who waited on him, took charge of the cloak, whereon Ulysses went straight up to Agamemnon and received from him his ancestral, imperishable staff. With this he went about among the ships of the Achaeans. Whenever he met a king or chieftain, he stood by him and spoke him fairly. "Sir," said he, "this flight is cowardly and unworthy. Stand to your post, and bid your people also keep their places. You do not yet know the full mind of Agamemnon; he was sounding us, and ere long will visit the Achaeans with his displeasure. We were not all of us at the council to hear what he then said; see to it lest he be angry and do us a mischief; for the pride of kings is great, and the hand of Jove is with them." But when he came across any common man who was making a noise, he struck him with his staff and rebuked him, saying, "Sirrah, hold your peace, and listen to better men than yourself. You are a coward and no soldier; you are nobody either in fight or council; we cannot all be kings; it is not well that there should be many masters; one man must be supreme- one king to whom the son of scheming Saturn has given the sceptre of sovereignty over you all." Thus masterfully did he go about among the host, and the people hurried back to the council from their tents and ships with a sound as the thunder of surf when it comes crashing down upon the shore, and all the sea is in an uproar. The rest now took their seats and kept to their own several places, but Thersites still went on wagging his unbridled tongue- a man of many words, and those unseemly; a monger of sedition, a railer against all who were in authority, who cared not what he said, so that he might set the Achaeans in a laugh. He was the ugliest man of all those that came before Troy- bandy-legged, lame of one foot, with his two shoulders rounded and hunched over his chest. His head ran up to a point, but there was little hair on the top of it. Achilles and Ulysses hated him worst of all, for it was with them that he was most wont to wrangle; now, however, with a shrill squeaky voice he began heaping his abuse on Agamemnon. The Achaeans were angry and disgusted, yet none the less he kept on brawling and bawling at the son of Atreus. "Agamemnon," he cried, "what ails you now, and what more do you want? Your tents are filled with bronze and with fair women, for whenever we take a town we give you the pick of them. Would you have yet more gold, which some Trojan is to give you as a ransom for his son, when I or another Achaean has taken him prisoner? or is it some young girl to hide and lie with? It is not well that you, the ruler of the Achaeans, should bring them into such misery. Weakling cowards, women rather than men, let us sail home, and leave this fellow here at Troy to stew in his own meeds of honour, and discover whether we were of any service to him or no. Achilles is a much better man than he is, and see how he has treated him- robbing him of his prize and keeping it himself. Achilles takes it meekly and shows no fight; if he did, son of Atreus, you would never again insult him." Thus railed Thersites, but Ulysses at once went up to him and rebuked him sternly. "Check your glib tongue, Thersites," said be, "and babble not a word further. Chide not with princes when you have none to back you. There is no viler creature come before Troy with the sons of Atreus. Drop this chatter about kings, and neither revile them nor keep harping about going home. We do not yet know how things are going to be, nor whether the Achaeans are to return with good success or evil. How dare you gibe at Agamemnon because the Danaans have awarded him so many prizes? I tell you, therefore- and it shall surely be- that if I again catch you talking such nonsense, I will either forfeit my own head and be no more called father of Telemachus, or I will take you, strip you stark naked, and whip you out of the assembly till you go blubbering back to the ships." On this he beat him with his staff about the back and shoulders till he dropped and fell a-weeping. The golden sceptre raised a bloody weal on his back, so he sat down frightened and in pain, looking foolish as he wiped the tears from his eyes. The people were sorry for him, yet they laughed heartily, and one would turn to his neighbour saying, "Ulysses has done many a good thing ere now in fight and council, but he never did the Argives a better turn than when he stopped this fellow's mouth from prating further. He will give the kings no more of his insolence." Thus said the people. Then Ulysses rose, sceptre in hand, and Minerva in the likeness of a herald bade the people be still, that those who were far off might hear him and consider his council. He therefore with all sincerity and goodwill addressed them thus:- "King Agamemnon, the Achaeans are for making you a by-word among all mankind. They forget the promise they made you when they set out from Argos, that you should not return till you had sacked the town of Troy, and, like children or widowed women, they murmur and would set off homeward. True it is that they have had toil enough to be disheartened. A man chafes at having to stay away from his wife even for a single month, when he is on shipboard, at the mercy of wind and sea, but it is now nine long years that we have been kept here; I cannot, therefore, blame the Achaeans if they turn restive; still we shall be shamed if we go home empty after so long a stay- therefore, my friends, be patient yet a little longer that we may learn whether the prophesyings of Calchas were false or true. "All who have not since perished must remember as though it were yesterday or the day before, how the ships of the Achaeans were detained in Aulis when we were on our way hither to make war on Priam and the Trojans. We were ranged round about a fountain offering hecatombs to the gods upon their holy altars, and there was a fine plane-tree from beneath which there welled a stream of pure water. Then we saw a prodigy; for Jove sent a fearful serpent out of the ground, with blood-red stains upon its back, and it darted from under the altar on to the plane-tree. Now there was a brood of young sparrows, quite small, upon the topmost bough, peeping out from under the leaves, eight in all, and their mother that hatched them made nine. The serpent ate the poor cheeping things, while the old bird flew about lamenting her little ones; but the serpent threw his coils about her and caught her by the wing as she was screaming. Then, when he had eaten both the sparrow and her young, the god who had sent him made him become a sign; for the son of scheming Saturn turned him into stone, and we stood there wondering at that which had come to pass. Seeing, then, that such a fearful portent had broken in upon our hecatombs, Calchas forthwith declared to us the oracles of heaven. 'Why, Achaeans,' said he, 'are you thus speechless? Jove has sent us this sign, long in coming, and long ere it be fulfilled, though its fame shall last for ever. As the serpent ate the eight fledglings and the sparrow that hatched them, which makes nine, so shall we fight nine years at Troy, but in the tenth shall take the town.' This was what he said, and now it is all coming true. Stay here, therefore, all of you, till we take the city of Priam." On this the Argives raised a shout, till the ships rang again with the uproar. Nestor, knight of Gerene, then addressed them. "Shame on you," he cried, "to stay talking here like children, when you should fight like men. Where are our covenants now, and where the oaths that we have taken? Shall our counsels be flung into the fire, with our drink-offerings and the right hands of fellowship wherein we have put our trust? We waste our time in words, and for all our talking here shall be no further forward. Stand, therefore, son of Atreus, by your own steadfast purpose; lead the Argives on to battle, and leave this handful of men to rot, who scheme, and scheme in vain, to get back to Argos ere they have learned whether Jove be true or a liar. For the mighty son of Saturn surely promised that we should succeed, when we Argives set sail to bring death and destruction upon the Trojans. He showed us favourable signs by flashing his lightning on our right hands; therefore let none make haste to go till he has first lain with the wife of some Trojan, and avenged the toil and sorrow that he has suffered for the sake of Helen. Nevertheless, if any man is in such haste to be at home again, let him lay his hand to his ship that he may meet his doom in the sight of all. But, O king, consider and give ear to my counsel, for the word that I say may not be neglected lightly. Divide your men, Agamemnon, into their several tribes and clans, that clans and tribes may stand by and help one another. If you do this, and if the Achaeans obey you, you will find out who, both chiefs and peoples, are brave, and who are cowards; for they will vie against the other. Thus you shall also learn whether it is through the counsel of heaven or the cowardice of man that you shall fail to take the town." And Agamemnon answered, "Nestor, you have again outdone the sons of the Achaeans in counsel. Would, by Father Jove, Minerva, and Apollo, that I had among them ten more such councillors, for the city of King Priam would then soon fall beneath our hands, and we should sack it. But the son of Saturn afflicts me with bootless wranglings and strife. Achilles and I are quarrelling about this girl, in which matter I was the first to offend; if we can be of one mind again, the Trojans will not stave off destruction for a day. Now, therefore, get your morning meal, that our hosts join in fight. Whet well your spears; see well to the ordering of your shields; give good feeds to your horses, and look your chariots carefully over, that we may do battle the livelong day; for we shall have no rest, not for a moment, till night falls to part us. The bands that bear your shields shall be wet with the sweat upon your shoulders, your hands shall weary upon your spears, your horses shall steam in front of your chariots, and if I see any man shirking the fight, or trying to keep out of it at the ships, there shall be no help for him, but he shall be a prey to dogs and vultures." Thus he spoke, and the Achaeans roared applause. As when the waves run high before the blast of the south wind and break on some lofty headland, dashing against it and buffeting it without ceasing, as the storms from every quarter drive them, even so did the Achaeans rise and hurry in all directions to their ships. There they lighted their fires at their tents and got dinner, offering sacrifice every man to one or other of the gods, and praying each one of them that he might live to come out of the fight. Agamemnon, king of men, sacrificed a fat five-year-old bull to the mighty son of Saturn, and invited the princes and elders of his host. First he asked Nestor and King Idomeneus, then the two Ajaxes and the son of Tydeus, and sixthly Ulysses, peer of gods in counsel; but Menelaus came of his own accord, for he knew how busy his brother then was. They stood round the bull with the barley-meal in their hands, and Agamemnon prayed, saying, "Jove, most glorious, supreme, that dwellest in heaven, and ridest upon the storm-cloud, grant that the sun may not go down, nor the night fall, till the palace of Priam is laid low, and its gates are consumed with fire. Grant that my sword may pierce the shirt of Hector about his heart, and that full many of his comrades may bite the dust as they fall dying round him." Thus he prayed, but the son of Saturn would not fulfil his prayer. He accepted the sacrifice, yet none the less increased their toil continually. When they had done praying and sprinkling the barley-meal upon the victim, they drew back its head, killed it, and then flayed it. They cut out the thigh-bones, wrapped them round in two layers of fat, and set pieces of raw meat on the top of them. These they burned upon the split logs of firewood, but they spitted the inward meats, and held them in the flames to cook. When the thigh-bones were burned, and they had tasted the inward meats, they cut the rest up small, put the pieces upon spits, roasted them till they were done, and drew them off; then, when they had finished their work and the feast was ready, they ate it, and every man had his full share, so that all were satisfied. As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink, Nestor, knight of Gerene, began to speak. "King Agamemnon," said he, "let us not stay talking here, nor be slack in the work that heaven has put into our hands. Let the heralds summon the people to gather at their several ships; we will then go about among the host, that we may begin fighting at once." Thus did he speak, and Agamemnon heeded his words. He at once sent the criers round to call the people in assembly. So they called them, and the people gathered thereon. The chiefs about the son of Atreus chose their men and marshalled them, while Minerva went among them holding her priceless aegis that knows neither age nor death. From it there waved a hundred tassels of pure gold, all deftly woven, and each one of them worth a hundred oxen. With this she darted furiously everywhere among the hosts of the Achaeans, urging them forward, and putting courage into the heart of each, so that he might fight and do battle without ceasing. Thus war became sweeter in their eyes even than returning home in their ships. As when some great forest fire is raging upon a mountain top and its light is seen afar, even so as they marched the gleam of their armour flashed up into the firmament of heaven. They were like great flocks of geese, or cranes, or swans on the plain about the waters of Cayster, that wing their way hither and thither, glorying in the pride of flight, and crying as they settle till the fen is alive with their screaming. Even thus did their tribes pour from ships and tents on to the plain of the Scamander, and the ground rang as brass under the feet of men and horses. They stood as thick upon the flower-bespangled field as leaves that bloom in summer. As countless swarms of flies buzz around a herdsman's homestead in the time of spring when the pails are drenched with milk, even so did the Achaeans swarm on to the plain to charge the Trojans and destroy them. The chiefs disposed their men this way and that before the fight began, drafting them out as easily as goatherds draft their flocks when they have got mixed while feeding; and among them went King Agamemnon, with a head and face like Jove the lord of thunder, a waist like Mars, and a chest like that of Neptune. As some great bull that lords it over the herds upon the plain, even so did Jove make the son of Atreus stand peerless among the multitude of heroes. And now, O Muses, dwellers in the mansions of Olympus, tell me- for you are goddesses and are in all places so that you see all things, while we know nothing but by report- who were the chiefs and princes of the Danaans? As for the common soldiers, they were so that I could not name every single one of them though I had ten tongues, and though my voice failed not and my heart were of bronze within me, unless you, O Olympian Muses, daughters of aegis-bearing Jove, were to recount them to me. Nevertheless, I will tell the captains of the ships and all the fleet together. Peneleos, Leitus, Arcesilaus, Prothoenor, and Clonius were captains of the Boeotians. These were they that dwelt in Hyria and rocky Aulis, and who held Schoenus, Scolus, and the highlands of Eteonus, with Thespeia, Graia, and the fair city of Mycalessus. They also held Harma, Eilesium, and Erythrae; and they had Eleon, Hyle, and Peteon; Ocalea and the strong fortress of Medeon; Copae, Eutresis, and Thisbe the haunt of doves; Coronea, and the pastures of Haliartus; Plataea and Glisas; the fortress of Thebes the less; holy Onchestus with its famous grove of Neptune; Arne rich in vineyards; Midea, sacred Nisa, and Anthedon upon the sea. From these there came fifty ships, and in each there were a hundred and twenty young men of the Boeotians. Ascalaphus and Ialmenus, sons of Mars, led the people that dwelt in Aspledon and Orchomenus the realm of Minyas. Astyoche a noble maiden bore them in the house of Actor son of Azeus; for she had gone with Mars secretly into an upper chamber, and he had lain with her. With these there came thirty ships. The Phoceans were led by Schedius and Epistrophus, sons of mighty Iphitus the son of Naubolus. These were they that held Cyparissus, rocky Pytho, holy Crisa, Daulis, and Panopeus; they also that dwelt in Anemorea and Hyampolis, and about the waters of the river Cephissus, and Lilaea by the springs of the Cephissus; with their chieftains came forty ships, and they marshalled the forces of the Phoceans, which were stationed next to the Boeotians, on their left. Ajax, the fleet son of Oileus, commanded the Locrians. He was not so great, nor nearly so great, as Ajax the son of Telamon. He was a little man, and his breastplate was made of linen, but in use of the spear he excelled all the Hellenes and the Achaeans. These dwelt in Cynus, Opous, Calliarus, Bessa, Scarphe, fair Augeae, Tarphe, and Thronium about the river Boagrius. With him there came forty ships of the Locrians who dwell beyond Euboea. The fierce Abantes held Euboea with its cities, Chalcis, Eretria, Histiaea rich in vines, Cerinthus upon the sea, and the rock-perched town of Dium; with them were also the men of Carystus and Styra; Elephenor of the race of Mars was in command of these; he was son of Chalcodon, and chief over all the Abantes. With him they came, fleet of foot and wearing their hair long behind, brave warriors, who would ever strive to tear open the corslets of their foes with their long ashen spears. Of these there came fifty ships. And they that held the strong city of Athens, the people of great Erechtheus, who was born of the soil itself, but Jove's daughter, Minerva, fostered him, and established him at Athens in her own rich sanctuary. There, year by year, the Athenian youths worship him with sacrifices of bulls and rams. These were commanded by Menestheus, son of Peteos. No man living could equal him in the marshalling of chariots and foot soldiers. Nestor could alone rival him, for he was older. With him there came fifty ships. Ajax brought twelve ships from Salamis, and stationed them alongside those of the Athenians. The men of Argos, again, and those who held the walls of Tiryns, with Hermione, and Asine upon the gulf; Troezene, Eionae, and the vineyard lands of Epidaurus; the Achaean youths, moreover, who came from Aegina and Mases; these were led by Diomed of the loud battle-cry, and Sthenelus son of famed Capaneus. With them in command was Euryalus, son of king Mecisteus, son of Talaus; but Diomed was chief over them all. With these there came eighty ships. Those who held the strong city of Mycenae, rich Corinth and Cleonae; Orneae, Araethyrea, and Licyon, where Adrastus reigned of old; Hyperesia, high Gonoessa, and Pellene; Aegium and all the coast-land round about Helice; these sent a hundred ships under the command of King Agamemnon, son of Atreus. His force was far both finest and most numerous, and in their midst was the king himself, all glorious in his armour of gleaming bronze- foremost among the heroes, for he was the greatest king, and had most men under him. And those that dwelt in Lacedaemon, lying low among the hills, Pharis, Sparta, with Messe the haunt of doves; Bryseae, Augeae, Amyclae, and Helos upon the sea; Laas, moreover, and Oetylus; these were led by Menelaus of the loud battle-cry, brother to Agamemnon, and of them there were sixty ships, drawn up apart from the others. Among them went Menelaus himself, strong in zeal, urging his men to fight; for he longed to avenge the toil and sorrow that he had suffered for the sake of Helen. The men of Pylos and Arene, and Thryum where is the ford of the river Alpheus; strong Aipy, Cyparisseis, and Amphigenea; Pteleum, Helos, and Dorium, where the Muses met Thamyris, and stilled his minstrelsy for ever. He was returning from Oechalia, where Eurytus lived and reigned, and boasted that he would surpass even the Muses, daughters of aegis-bearing Jove, if they should sing against him; whereon they were angry, and maimed him. They robbed him of his divine power of song, and thenceforth he could strike the lyre no more. These were commanded by Nestor, knight of Gerene, and with him there came ninety ships. And those that held Arcadia, under the high mountain of Cyllene, near the tomb of Aepytus, where the people fight hand to hand; the men of Pheneus also, and Orchomenus rich in flocks; of Rhipae, Stratie, and bleak Enispe; of Tegea and fair Mantinea; of Stymphelus and Parrhasia; of these King Agapenor son of Ancaeus was commander, and they had sixty ships. Many Arcadians, good soldiers, came in each one of them, but Agamemnon found them the ships in which to cross the sea, for they were not a people that occupied their business upon the waters. The men, moreover, of Buprasium and of Elis, so much of it as is enclosed between Hyrmine, Myrsinus upon the sea-shore, the rock Olene and Alesium. These had four leaders, and each of them had ten ships, with many Epeans on board. Their captains were Amphimachus and Thalpius- the one, son of Cteatus, and the other, of Eurytus- both of the race of Actor. The two others were Diores, son of Amarynces, and Polyxenus, son of King Agasthenes, son of Augeas. And those of Dulichium with the sacred Echinean islands, who dwelt beyond the sea off Elis; these were led by Meges, peer of Mars, and the son of valiant Phyleus, dear to Jove, who quarrelled with his father, and went to settle in Dulichium. With him there came forty ships. Ulysses led the brave Cephallenians, who held Ithaca, Neritum with its forests, Crocylea, rugged Aegilips, Samos and Zacynthus, with the mainland also that was over against the islands. These were led by Ulysses, peer of Jove in counsel, and with him there came twelve ships. Thoas, son of Andraemon, commanded the Aetolians, who dwelt in Pleuron, Olenus, Pylene, Chalcis by the sea, and rocky Calydon, for the great king Oeneus had now no sons living, and was himself dead, as was also golden-haired Meleager, who had been set over the Aetolians to be their king. And with Thoas there came forty ships. The famous spearsman Idomeneus led the Cretans, who held Cnossus, and the well-walled city of Gortys; Lyctus also, Miletus and Lycastus that lies upon the chalk; the populous towns of Phaestus and Rhytium, with the other peoples that dwelt in the hundred cities of Crete. All these were led by Idomeneus, and by Meriones, peer of murderous Mars. And with these there came eighty ships. Tlepolemus, son of Hercules, a man both brave and large of stature, brought nine ships of lordly warriors from Rhodes. These dwelt in Rhodes which is divided among the three cities of Lindus, Ielysus, and Cameirus, that lies upon the chalk. These were commanded by Tlepolemus, son of Hercules by Astyochea, whom he had carried off from Ephyra, on the river Selleis, after sacking many cities of valiant warriors. When Tlepolemus grew up, he killed his father's uncle Licymnius, who had been a famous warrior in his time, but was then grown old. On this he built himself a fleet, gathered a great following, and fled beyond the sea, for he was menaced by the other sons and grandsons of Hercules. After a voyage. during which he suffered great hardship, he came to Rhodes, where the people divided into three communities, according to their tribes, and were dearly loved by Jove, the lord, of gods and men; wherefore the son of Saturn showered down great riches upon them. And Nireus brought three ships from Syme- Nireus, who was the handsomest man that came up under Ilius of all the Danaans after the son of Peleus- but he was a man of no substance, and had but a small following. And those that held Nisyrus, Crapathus, and Casus, with Cos, the city of Eurypylus,

How many receipt-less voting machines are used nation-wide?

How many receipt-less voting machines are used nation-wide?

How many receipt-less voting machines are used nation-wide?