text:
God flooded the earth because he regretted creating humans. Who came to rescue the earth from God’s destruction? This old man named Noah, who was so old; he had kids when he was 500 years old. After God chose him, he built this gigantic ship that housed thousands of animals and kept them safe from God’s destruction of the Earth, aka The Flood.
But we still have some questions. Who was Noah’s wife? How long did he stay on the Ark? Was Noah a good and righteous person? And what does the Tower of Babel have to do with the Flood?
Take a look at some of the most interesting facts concerning Noah and the ark he built.
God flooded the Earth because of human wickedness — but it wasn’t entirely the human’s fault. Angels came down from heaven and “saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.” According to ancient sources like Enoch, once the evil angels and humans mated, their offspring were giants.
These giants were called Nephilim, and “they were the heroes of old, men of renown.” Bonus fact: Goliath was a Nephilim.
We don’t know for sure if the Nephilim are the ones to blame for The Flood. Some experts believe their mentioning in Genesis before The Flood is reason enough for God to wipe the human race off the Earth.
God chose Noah because he could build ships. He sinned like the other humans, but he was “a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time.” This could mean that, if Noah lived in a different time period, he would have been judged more harshly for his actions.
Methuselah, the oldest person in the Bible at 969 years old, is Noah’s grandpa.
We don’t know his mother’s name, but Noah’s dad was Lamech.
Noah is the 10th generation descendant of Adam.
We don’t know Noah’s wife’s name. She’s only mentioned as Noah’s wife in the Bible.
Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. He was 500 years old when he had his three sons.
The Ark’s wood is a mystery. The King James Version of the Bible says the Ark was made from “gopher wood,” but trees with that name do not exist today. Scholars say scribes may have copied the wrong word. Instead, in the NIV version, the Ark used “cypress wood,” which was commonly used by Phoenicians when they built ships.
The Ark is measured in cubits, which comes from the Latin word “cubitum,” or elbow. The length of a cubit is measured from a man’s elbow and the tip of his middle finger.
The Ark is 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide and 30 cubits high. Since a cubit is about 1.5 feet, the Ark was about 450 ft by 75 ft by 45 ft, or close to 1.5 million cubic feet. That could fit about 1,300 of the standard 20-foot shipping containers you see on cargo ships.
The cubit is not a standard measurement. It ranges between 15 and 22 inches, so the exact dimensions of the Ark could vary.
The Titanic was about three times bigger than the Ark, with a volume of 4.6 million cubic feet.
The ratio of the Ark, 30:5:3, was still used for shipbuilding until the 1900s.
It took over 100 years to build the Ark. At the time the Ark went off on its journey, Noah was 600 years old.
There were two of each animal on the Ark – or were there? In another passage of the Bible, God told Noah to take “seven pairs of every kind of clean animal” and “one pair of every kind of unclean animal” and “seven pairs of every kind of bird.” This could mean there were 14 of each clean animal on the Ark.
We don’t know exactly how many animals were on the Ark. One expert says the Ark could have held at least 2.15 million sheep. But there had to be room for sleeping and eating, leading one expert to say there were only 16,000 animals were on the Ark.
The Ark had three stories and a roof with a small opening below it – but no steering wheel. It was made to float, and God steered the ship at will.
Rain and “floodgates of the heavens were opened” for forty days and forty nights. According to the Bible, the water was 15 cubits high, or about 23 feet.
The floodwaters stayed for 150 days, then they receded for another 100 days. That’s when Noah sent out his dove and it came back with an olive branch.
Noah and his family (wife, sons and sons’ wives) were stuck on the Ark for one year and ten days.
After coming off the Ark, God showed a rainbow as a sign of his covenant (promise) for all mankind that he would never flood the Earth like that again.
Noah was the first drunk. He created the first vineyard in the history of mankind, then he drank his invention until he was naked in his tent.
His son, Ham, found him drunk and naked in his tent, but didn’t do anything about it. All he did was call out to his brothers Sham and Japheth. When Sham & Japheth arrived, they dragged their drunken dad out of the tent, covering their eyes so as they couldn’t see their dad naked.
Because Ham didn’t help Noah, Noah cursed Ham to become a slave to Sham and Japheth. Noah then blessed Sham & Japheth for their actions. This also explains the fight between Canaanites (descendants of Ham and Canaan, Ham’s son) and the Semites (descendants of Sham).
Noah lived to be 950 years old, 350 years after the Flood.
The Tower of Babel was waterproofed with bitumen in reaction to the Flood, so as to protect themselves from another flood, according to Josephus.
No one knows where the Ark is currently located. After it rested on Mount Ararat, many expeditions have tried to find it, but there has been no hard evidence yet.
Marco Polo was one of the discoverers who found the Ark after a three-day hike in the snow.


text:
For a man with supposed hip problems, Alan Carr doesn’t half clock up the laps.
OK, the Grand Theatre stage is only small but the self-confessed portly comedian pranced around, in his element, effortlessly during his near two-hour show.
It was normally followed by some joke at his own expense, one of Carr’s wonderfully down-to-earth traits that has seen him propelled into the hearts of a nation clearly hungry for harmless comedy.
And Carr delivers it by the bucketload.
On his first ever gig in the resort (“Can you believe that Blackpool?”, he exclaimed, high pitched and camp as Christmas) Carr ramped up the crowd-pleasing antics with an energetic run through of life’s joys...and frustrations.
First in his sights were the “morons” who post on Trip Advisor (“Who the hell would give Northampton five stars?”), the limited dating chances while walking his beloved Irish setter Bev and being blessed with teeth that look like “toe separators”.
While his jokes occasionally fell flat, he was at his best relying on his razor-sharp mind for off-the-cuff beauties, like comparing the softness of his stage towel to that of a Ryvita.
Carr’s success is his ability to talk about the mundanities of life and make them sound heartwarming, like the best observational comedians.
He will always divide opinion but his selfie-loving disciples in the audience wouldn’t want him any other way.

industry_corpus2: Film & Entertainment


text:
Wood fuel granules (pellets) (commodity code 4401 30) are produced from wastes of woodworking industry (wood flour, wood shavings, bark, knots, branches and etc).
Raw material passes through a hammer mill to provide a uniform flour-like mass. This mass is fed to a press. The high pressure of the press causes the temperature of the wood to increase greatly; the lignin plasticizes and parcels stick together to form the tight cylinder. It is necessary 4-5 cubic meters of waste wood to produce one ton of pellets. Finished granules are cooled.
Wood granules are environmentally friendly fuel with ash content not more than 2.5%.
Delivery conditions: DAF (border of the Republic of Belarus) or FCA (warehouse of the consignor).
Packaging: in bulk carriage or packed in "big bags" (800 – 900 kg each) with extra charge.
The products are sold through exchange auctions at JSC “Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange”.
Quality of goods complies with STB 2027-2010.

industry_corpus2: Agriculture & Fisheries


text:
The first one has to be my favorite.
That last one is unbelievably moving. What every woman wants to hear!
So, I really like the third quote. It’s pretty applicable to my life and what I need.
That’s what they all say, Tony. 😛 In all seriousness, it’s really lovely.
Enjoyed all of the quotes!
Thanks, Courmazing! It’s a pleasure to see you stop by, and check them out. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Take care.
Thanks for stopping by and checking out my blog. Your encouraging words are greatly appreciated. I hope you have an amazing day ahead! Take care.

industry_corpus2: Others


text:
Tickets are FREE, Neil Faulkner (of Time Team fame) is a fabulous speaker (as well as acclaimed author) and this not a lecture … everyone can participate.
How do we get away from a deeply dysfunctional economy of debt, stagnation, and obscene social inequality?
‘Debt’, says Neil, ‘is how the rich get richer in today’s economy. That’s why in twenty years it has risen from 200% to 540% of GDP’.
Neil is fully aware that ‘people don’t want to listen to another lecture’ and this is event is perfect for people who like to participate.
He explains: ‘We need to involve people in asking why the economy works as it does, and what can be done about it’.

industry_corpus2: Finance & Economics


text:
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is the largest Catholic lay organization in the world, operating in 142 countries. The Vincentians of Our Lady of Lourdes Conference have provided person-to-person service to the needy in this area regardless of race, creed, color or status for over 30 years.
We are dedicated to the urgent exhortation of our founder, Blessed Frederic Ozanam: “Let us go to the poor.” The homes we visit are among the special places where those who seek assistance and those who offer it meet on the common ground of God's love. The compassion of St. Vincent and Blessed Frederic motivates Vincentians to continue the ministry to the poor begun by Jesus Christ himself.
There are many ways Vincentians respond to this vocation. If you would like to learn more about how you could become an Associate Vincentian or Full Vincentian, please contact Carol Voit at 623-344-7267.
We are indebted to our supportive parishioners for all the many ways they enable us to continue our mission.
In-kind donations of furniture, bedding and bath linens, dishes, glasses, tableware, pots and pans, and clothing may be dropped off at our truck location church for that month between Masses on Charity Weekends from September through May.
Non-perishable food for our pantry is collected between Masses at both churches on Charity Weekends in March/June/September/December.
On the Tuesday of Thanksgiving week, turkeys and food for Thanksgiving meals are brought to our drop-off location at Bashas’ on Meeker Blvd., SCW.
Vincentians outside church with their collection baskets appreciatively accept monetary donations after weekend Masses on Charity Weekends of January/March/May/July/September.
Contributions for special projects like Back-to-School and Christmas Adopt-A-Family.


text:
Sentiment for close friend and former protégé Darren Lockyer will be pushed to one side this Saturday night as St George Illawarra coach Wayne Bennett attempts to fill a nagging void in his coaching career – he has never won a finals match at Suncorp Stadium.
Widely considered the doyen of modern day coaches, Bennett has won seven premierships – six of them with the Broncos – but his finals record at Suncorp stands at seven losses from seven attempts.
He lost all six finals matches at Brisbane’s showpiece arena while in charge of the Broncos and then returned to Suncorp with St George Illawarra in 2009, only to go down again.
The losing run began in 1995 when Suncorp made history by hosting the first finals match outside Sydney in the 87-year history of the premiership. More than 40,000 turned out for a highly anticipated duel between Brisbane and Canberra and although the home team went down 14-8, few left disappointed after a classic encounter between the heavyweight clubs.
The Broncos’ team featured Test stars Michael Hancock, Steve Renouf, Kevin Walters, Allan Langer, Glenn Lazarus, Kerrod Walters and Wendell Sailor (playing second row!), while 18-year-old Darren Lockyer came off the interchange bench. Canberra’s line-up included Brett Mullins, Laurie Daley, Ricky Stuart, Steve Walters, David Furner and Bradley Clyde.
Brisbane led early but were handicapped by the loss of playmaker Langer early in the second half with an aggravated quadriceps injury. Bennett was far from disconsolate at fulltime and told his players they had been magnificent in defeat.
Another narrow defeat followed a year later when the Broncos fell 21-16 to North Sydney. It was eight years before finals football returned to Suncorp, following the use of QEII Stadium at Mt Gravatt (then known as ANZ Stadium). Bennett enjoyed a near perfect run at ANZ of four finals victories from five starts which included the Super League grand final win over Cronulla in 1997.
The return to Suncorp in 2004 coincided with a demoralising 31-14 qualifying final loss to the Melbourne Storm. It was Gorden Tallis’ final appearance on home soil for the Broncos but sentiment counted for little as the Storm recovered from an 8-0 halftime deficit to run roughshod in the second term.
The loss was one of three finals defeats that the Broncos suffered at Suncorp at the hands of the Craig Bellamy-coached Melbourne Storm during Bennett’s time with the club. In 2005 the Storm returned to Suncorp to play the 3 v 6 qualifying final and for the second successive season they emerged with a victory.
“Same game, same night, same result,” Bennett noted wryly after watching the Storm claim a 24-18 win.
If there was disappointment in the 2004 and 2005 losses to the Storm, they paled in comparison to the 2008 defeat which brought Bennett’s association with the Broncos to an end after 21 seasons.
In one of the greatest finals matches of them all, the Broncos overcame intense media scrutiny leading into the game over an off-field misdemeanour to lead 12-0 at the break but the Storm came surging back in the second period to trail by two points with time running short. The tension in the packed stadium was palpable and when Brisbane prop Ben Hannant powered across the line to score an apparent match-winning try, Bennett leapt to his feet in a rare display of emotion and let out a cheer, only for the four-pointer to be denied. Less than 60 seconds from fulltime, Melbourne centre Greg Inglis crossed for the match-winning try and Bennett was finished as a Bronco.
The Broncos finally broke their finals duck at Suncorp in 2009 but victory arrived dripping with irony at Bennett’s expense. Bennett returned to his home city as coach of minor premiers St George Illawarra, following their shock loss to Parramatta in the 1 v 8 qualifying final. But his hope of a change of luck at Suncorp was extinguished by Lockyer and his young Broncos’ team-mates who scored a convincing 24-10 win.
It’s “same game, same night” for the Broncos and the Dragons this Saturday, only Bennett will be praying that this time it’s not “same result”.

industry_corpus2: Sports


text:
The latest victim suffered life-threatening injuries after a stabbing in Enfield, north London.
It has happened just days after four people were knifed in 14 hours across the borough of Edmonton.
Met Police said the latest case and the stabbing rampage have “not yet been formally linked”.
Detectives admitted however they are considering it and urged the public to remain vigilant.
And the latest incident comes amid a wave of knife crime across Britain sparking calls for tougher action from the Government.
Police and London Ambulance Service attended and found a man, believed to be aged in his 30s, suffering a stab injury in Fairfield Road.
He is reported to have been walking with a companion when he was attacked.
The victim then made his way to Aberdeen Road, where he was found by police.
Aberdeen Road is the where the first of the four victims was stabbed over the weekend.
A large police cordon is in place blocking off several streets in the area, with uniformed officers standing guard.
Investigators in forensic suits are taking photographs of the area and looking for clues.
A black jacket, metallic blanket and medical equipment marks the scene in Aberdeen Road, where the victim was found.
Tarek Elmadkhoun, 32, said: “It happened just outside my door. My wife heard some talking at 5am. She’s a bit worried.
“I just moved here one week ago. To be honest it’s a bit worrying.
Met Police said suspect is described as a tall, skinny black man, wearing a hoodie.
The description is chillingly similar to the ones given by victims over the weekend.
Cops added the victim has been taken to an east London hospital.
Police described his condition as life-threatening as the enquiries continue.
Police are trying to piece together the details of the 14-hour rampage which began at 7pm on Saturday.
A 45-year-old woman was left in a critical condition after she was knifed on Aberdeen Road.
Then just after midnight another man was stabbed in Park Avenue – suffering non-life threatening wounds.
Hours later a 23-year-old man was stabbed on Silver Street and he remains in a stable condition around 3.55am.
The fourth attack happened in Brettenham Road at 9.43am – where a man was left screaming “why me” after he was stabbed in the back.
“Our advice continues that that public to remain vigilant, and to contact police regarding anyone acting suspiciously.
Two men previously arrested on suspicion of GBH both remain in custody.
Next Next post: Will a GoFundMe Squash San Francisco’s Plans for a Homeless Center?

industry_corpus2: Law & Justice


text:
At K & K Tire & Auto Center, when it comes to alignment, there’s no better technology or car alignment equipment than Hunter Alignment. Alignment technology is constantly updating, but Hunter Engineering Company consistently remains ahead of the curve.
Hunter Alignment equipment helps us to guarantee the best possible wheel alignment services for customers in Foley, Saint Cloud, and Milaca, MN, as well as surrounding areas.

industry_corpus2: Automobiles


text:
The Mouse Gypsy Caravan at Trafalgar Square was more busy & bustling than ever before, especially after the success of Madame Ratburn & Anya's experiment! In addition to dealing with the usual psychic & otherworldly affairs, the elderly sage was helping Anya make new inventions at the New Technology Factory, & otherwise assisting her in implementing modern notions & novelties (like shopping malls or emergency phone numbers)...not to mention she was also getting technology requests & suggestions from rodents around the world, when she wasn't receiving visits from her usual clients & customers. And Madame Ratburn & Anya were kept even more occupied with all the banquets & dinner parties they were invited to every week! Sometimes, Madame Ratburn would literally be exhausted after all the activity, & in order to give the clairvoyant the time she needed to regain her lost energy, Pias & the other Mouse Gypsies would often offer to work as Anya's helpers. To be honest, Madame Ratburn didn't know how much longer she could keep up with the frenetic pace of her new life—at least, not with her usual routines. If she was going to be able to continue to fulfill her fursonal duties, there would have to be some changes made in her daily schedule, some alterations in her lifestyle...but Madame Ratburn was sure that she could successfully make those sacrifices, &—since she believed the benefits ultimately outweighed the risks—she was quite willing to do so. In the meantime, Madame Ratburn was perfectly content to sit with Anya & Pias at her table, where the 3 rodents were sharing a late lunch. As they all helped themselves to their delicious midday meal, the friends engaged in several conversations with one another, chatting over various topics.
At one point, while she was pouring some tea for Pias, Madame Ratburn asked the gardener, "So, tell me, Pias, have you noticed the changes that have been occurring in Mouse London?"
Pias nodded his head, then took his newly-filled teacup into his clawed paws, as he replied, "Well, the answer to that question should be fairly obvious to you, Madame Ratburn..." He paused to take a sip of his drink, before continuing, "The city—not to mention the entire mouse world—has undergone a complete revolution, & technology & society have improved greatly in the last several weeks...just as you predicted."
"Yes," Madame Ratburn uttered in response, as she telekinetically spread some butter on a slice of bread with a knife. After taking the snack into her mouth, & eating it, the psychic added, "But do you realize that there are even more changes to occur?"
"I have no doubt in my mind that you are correct," Pias answered pleasantly. "If we rodents were able to gain a new technology, adopt the ways of modern life, & overcome our social, racial, & other differences over the past month, then who knows what else we could accomplish in the years to come?"
Looking at the book's illustrations with Madame Ratburn & Anya, Pias remarked, "Ah, I see...But what is the prophecy?"
Flipping each page to reveal a new picture that seemed to perfectly accompany the words she spoke, Madame Ratburn explained, "Well, many of the ancient mouse sorcerers of Medieval England predicted that shortly before the dawn of the last century of the second millennium—er, that would probably be around this time—a super-terrible force of evil would rise to power, & begin spreading its wicked influence over the United Mouse Kingdom."
"So Mouse London is to succumb to a reign of unholy terror?" Anya asked anxiously, not entirely sure what to make of what Madame Ratburn had just told her & Pias.
"I didn't say that, Anya," Madame Ratburn responded. "Please let me finish."
"Yes, of course, sorry," Anya apologized, &, with that, Madame Ratburn continued her explanation (complete with illustrations): "However, as I was saying earlier...according to the prophecy, there will be another force to stop the 'Legion'—er, 'League Of Villains'...a force of goodness & righteousness. But this force is not like anything you've ever seen...or ever will see again."
"What do you mean?" Pias questioned quizzically.
"Well, Pias," Madame Ratburn answered, "I mean that an unlikely group of rodents will band together to form the ultimate crime-fighting family, & save the mouse world from the forces of evil."
"But who are these rodents?" Pias asked, as his curiosity became even stronger. "What are their names?"
"And where do they come from?" Anya wondered aloud.
Madame Ratburn just smiled, her expression taking on that playful quality once again. "That, I'm afraid, you'll just have to find out for yourself," the sage replied teasingly, before closing the book shut, & "mind-moving" it back over to her bookcase.
Then, Madame Ratburn turned back to face Pias & Anya at the table...but before the 3 rodents could continue their conversations while they finished their lunch, Pias & Anya both looked concerned when they saw Madame Ratburn begin to shiver & shudder violently, as if she felt a cold draft blowing through the wagon.
Reaching for a nearby blanket, which she proceeded to drape around Madame Ratburn in the hopes of warding off her chills, Anya asked worriedly, "Are you all right, Elizabella? Is something wrong?"
It took a few minutes to pass, before Madame Ratburn stopped shaking, & finally made her answer in a grave tone-of-voice: "I'm getting a strong sense of negative energy...Something dreadful is happening, somewhere...in Mouse London..." Then, she began to receive little flashes of visions in her mind that gave her a somewhat-clearer picture of the situation: "Yes, it's happening on Walnut Avenue...Lower 3314...Poor Hiram Flaversham & his family are struggling...with their business...No, not just that...They're at the poverty level..."
"Who are the Flavershams?" asked Anya, having never heard of them before.
"A Scottish mouse toymaker & his two young daughters," Madame Ratburn replied in that still-somber tone. "They have three other mouselings, relatives, with them...They happen to be Mr. Flaversham's nephew & nieces, & his daughters' cousins...They've been living with them for the past few weeks...&, unfortunately, they, too, are sharing in their families' sufferings...That's all I can tell you right now." As she wrapped her blanket more tightly around herself, Madame Ratburn's expression grew melancholy, & the psychic said with a sorrowful shake of her head, "Poor Mr. Flaversham...poor little mouselings! I only wish there was something I could do to help them somehow..."
Sometimes, the weather in Mouse London could be very unpredictable. One moment, it would be sunny & clear, & the next, it would be overcast. Such was the case for this particular afternoon, for the sun had suddenly disappeared behind the blanket of nimbostratus clouds that were now appearing in the skies, covering Mouse London in their canopy of gloomy gray & silver hues. Occasionally, stray leaves & bits of garbage flew about in the September wind, which now carried a sharp, biting sting in its chilly caresses. On the pavement outside Walnut Avenue, hardly any rodents were to be seen...except for a tomboyish-looking newspaper mousette who walked down the sidewalk, waving her wares in the air, as she announced the headlines of the afternoon editions of certain gazettes: "Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Flaversham's Toy Shop is losing in the struggle with competing rivals! Small business is suffering in the shadows of super-companies in the New Industrial Revolution! Read all about it!" As the newspaper mousette said this, she did not realize that she was standing right outside Flaversham's Toy Shop...which had really gone to Hades since Hiram reopened it.
If one were to have stepped inside the main room of the building at Lower 3314 Walnut Avenue, one would have been shocked to see how much it had changed in the 2 last months! The toy shop now looked deteriorated & dilapidated from days of neglect. Dust & filth & cobwebs were now starting to gather everywhere, & on everything. The bulb in the lamp over the worktable was now burnt out...& had been for quite some time, along with the lights in the rest of the building, for Hiram could no longer afford to pay his electric bill; as a result, all the rooms were void of any illumination, & were continually left in a state of deep, dismal darkness. The steel box & cash register that Hiram kept on his desk were void of any money, & not a single toy had been taken off the shelves. In short, the place was an absolute, miserable wreck—far from the image the Flavershams had once had of their business blossoming & flourishing in the months since it was reopened! And, already, Olivia, Arden, Hiram, Cousin Timmy, Cousin Tina, & two other cousins were starting to feel the effects of the poverty that was afflicting them. Their clothes were worn, ragged, & dirty, but they had no money to buy new outfits. They had been rendered thin & frail from excessive hunger, & had grown sickly & pale from malnutrition, but they had no money to buy food. Their expressions were sad & melancholy...& even Olivia could not seem to find a reason to smile anymore. Staring at her father with wide, sunken eyes, Olivia said in a throaty, raspy voice, "Daddy...I'm hungry."
"I know, dear," Hiram replied sadly, petting his youngest daughter's fur-hair.
Olivia & Arden's other cousin was agreeing with Olivia. She was 5 years old, but 2 minutes younger than Olivia, & she was very small and slim for her age. Tan fur covered her body, & a wave of matching fur-hair adorned the top of her head. There were light tan markings on her muzzle and underbelly, complete with a small, black nose jutting out from between her adventurous hazel eyes. Her small, thin appendages ended in small paws & feet. She also had her fur-hair pulled back into a ponytail with a light tan tip (by a clear plastic hair-bob), plus her tail was short & slender. She was wearing a loose, ragged tan shirt with short, tattered sleeves, a very-low collar, and splotches of mud decorating the front, along with a pair of loose, muddy brown pants with torn legs that went down to her knees. The only things she was not wearing were shoes.
"Hey...what about me, Uncle Hiram?" Cousin Samantha asked in a hoarse, haggard voice. "I'm hungry, too."
"Well, I'm hungrier than you are, Samantha!" Olivia retorted, putting up a weak argument. After coughing into her tiny hand, the mouseling added, "I don't think I've eaten in over a day..." She placed her paw on her empty belly, & said, "My tummy hurts."
"Yes, mine, too." Arden added.
"Mine, three," Cousin Samantha whined. "And my neck hurts, and so do my feet and head."
"Well, my tummy hurts even more." complained Cousin Tina.
"Yeah, mine, too," Cousin Timmy assented. "And my head hurts...& my tail hurts...&, well...everything hurts."
"I'm sure it does, Timmy," Hiram said empathetically, nodding his head in agreement. "I'm hurting a little, too, now that you mention it."
By this point, Olivia was being driven closer & closer to the point of despair, & all sorts of horrible fears & worries were beginning to consume her soul. "What do we do, Daddy?" Olivia asked Hiram, unable to hide the growing desperation she was feeling in her family's dire situation. "If we don't eat something soon, we'll all get sick, &...&...die." Tears sprang to her brown eyes, & the Glaswegian 5-year-old girl hugged her father tightly, whimpering sadly, "I don't want to die, Daddy..."
Arden's eyes filled up with tears as well. "I don't want to die either, Papa!" Arden sobbed.
Hiram held Olivia & Arden close, & tried to comfort his daughters. "It'll be all right, dear," he told her gently, yet with firm determination. "I promise you, we'll get through this. The Flaversham family always makes it through the best of times..."
"...& the worst of times," Olivia finished her father's favorite saying, her voice cracking tearfully, as she shivered with a sob. After coughing a bit, Olivia & Arden began to cry softly, hiding their tears in Hiram's shirtfront. Still, the toymaker continued to console the girls, trying to ease her fears & sorrows as best as he could.
Then, a few minutes later, the heartrending scene was interrupted when Olivia, Arden, Hiram, Cousin Timmy, Cousin Tina, & Cousin Samantha all reacted to the sound of approaching footsteps. Putting Olivia & Arden down on the floor, Hiram gasped, & cried, "Customers!" Without wasting another second, Hiram quickly ran to the door of the toy shop, & opened it, stepping out onto the pavement. Olivia, Arden, Cousin Timmy, Cousin Tina, Cousin Samantha, & Cousin Ursula all made a dash for the display window, still filled with numerous toys that were all covered in dust, before crawling up onto the ledge, & gazing through the filthy windowpanes to get a better look at the action going on outside. The five mouselings watched Hiram approaching various rodents in the massive crowd that was gathering on the sidewalk of Walnut Avenue. As he made his way through the mob, Hiram vainly tried to get passersby to come into his building, pleading with each furson he spoke to in absolute desperation: "Madame, are you interested in buying toys? How about you, sir? Are you interested in buying any toys today? Excuse me..."
Hiram could almost-literally feel himself becoming lost in the crowd, alienated by his overwhelming sense of despair & helplessness. Didn't anyone care about him? Didn't anyone care about what he & his family were going through? Whatever happened to the basic Mousetorian values of love, generosity, kindness, compassion, & charity? Had they disappeared with the dawning of the Neo-Mousetorian Age? Were the principles of the new society so different from those of the previous decades, that all the old virtues had been completely forgotten? Hiram didn't know...&, quite frankly, he didn't even want to think about what the answers to those questions might be. As he rose to his feet, swept the dust off his clothing, went back to his sidewalk search, & continued to plead with passersby, trying to bring their attention to his toy shop, the only thing that Hiram could think was that this new technology (& everything having to do with it) was not a godsend for small-business owners like him; in fact, it was the very cause of all their latest problems... ________________________________________ Wednesday, September 23, 1897 Much to the Flavershams' dismay, the rest of Tuesday had ended up in no arrival of customers, no sales, & no money, which made the evening a very miserable one for Hiram, Olivia, Arden, Cousin Timmy, Cousin Tina, Cousin Samantha, & Cousin Ursula. Hiram had to go to Sophie's Flower Shop on the corner to ask his neighbor & friend for some cash to buy dinner; Sophie, being the kind & generous furson she was, was all-too-happy to help Hiram, & she gave him 10 pounds, with which the toymaker bought meals for himself, his daughters, his nephew, & his nieces.  The Flavershams ended up going to bed with full stomachs, & they managed to sleep soundly through the night, but Hiram—always an early riser—woke up an hour sooner than he normally liked to do. Having nothing else to do with the extra time on his paws, Hiram decided to get dressed in his work outfit, & ever since 6:30 AM, he had been sitting at his table in the main room, working on new sets of toys for potential customers. The events of the previous day, though disheartening, did not leave the Scotsmouse discouraged; he continued to work at his craft with never-wavering determination & perseverance, certain that today would be a better day for business. With each passing second, his spirits seemed to lift just a little more, especially as the toy shop became filled with the first rays of early-morning sunlight...All the while, Hiram worked on making the new toys in serene silence—a silence only pierced by the melodies of songbirds, the hum of vehicle motors, & the occasional footsteps of pedestrians.
One would hardly think that Hiram would have any reason to feel cheerful, especially after yesterday's unsuccessful attempts to attract customers to the toy shop. But Hiram simply couldn't give up hope—to do so would be going against his very nature as an optimist & an idealist! Yes, there were bad times that came about in one's life; there were sometimes storms to weather, rough roads to travel, obstacles to overcome...but all of those feats could successfully be undertaken! As long as one kept hope in his or her heart, there was no mountain that couldn't be climbed, no star that couldn't be reached, no river that couldn't be crossed, no adversity or adversary that couldn't be defeated! To lose hope was to lose sight of all possibilities for the future, & that was the first step on the road to fursonal defeat. No matter how grim things seemed, no matter how dire or desperate a situation looked, Hiram could not—would not—let himself give up hope in any way, shape, or form; he needed to hold onto that hope, & he needed to keep faith in his heart, to never let it waver for one second...Otherwise, things wouldn't even have a chance of getting better.
And, yet, there were certain facts that Hiram had to face. His business was failing, & his family had now unofficially reached the poverty level. He wasn't getting any customers, &, therefore, he had no money to even buy basic necessities. He needed to find a way to keep his family afloat, but he didn't want to keep asking his neighbors for money all the time...Oh, Hiram knew there just had to be a way to bring him & his loved ones out of their financial straits, but what was it? What could Hiram do to remedy those problems while he tried to get his business going again? After thinking about it for a while, the toymaker finally got an idea: why not listen to the radio for some inspiration? With that in mind, Hiram reached underneath his worktable, & took out a portable radio that he had bought a couple of weeks ago. Once he had placed said radio on the surface of his desk, Hiram turned it on, adjusted the volume so that only he could hear it, & began fiddling with the dials, hoping to find a good station to listen to.
On & on, the announcer went, as he talked about all the newest & hottest toys on the market, from Miss Molly Cuddles' baby sister, to the Mr. Cheese Head toy (complete with accessories)...It was a while before he finally got to the part of the news that Hiram had really wanted to listen to: the latest developments in the toy industry! "Well, the new companies are moving right along in the toymaking race," said the announcer, "& we're seeing more & more signs of it every day. The Big Rainbow Toy Company, Jingo Toys, Funtime Toys, & Childhood Wonders are the Top 4 companies right now, & I have no doubt that we'll find out what other corporations are taking the lead...just as soon as we get more word from our reporters. But, in any case, business appears to be booming for our big super-companies! I swear, every time one of them releases new toys on the market, the customers start lining up, as soon as word reaches their ears! And let me tell you, once the doors to the toy stores open, all those playthings start selling like hotcakes!"
As he listened to these reports, Hiram began to get increasingly angry. It was almost as if that malicious radio announcer was mocking him, taunting him with his reports of children who were "happily" buying toys from companies who probably made them in sweatshops, on the backs of thousands of poor, miserable orphans! It was enough to make him sick. Hoping to distract himself from the dark thoughts brewing inside his head, Hiram went back to working on his toys, as he listened to the rest of the announcer's speech: "Well, anyway, let's wrap up the news with one final announcement. A brand-new toy store has just opened at the London Mouse Mini-Mall! So, if you're into playthings as much as I am, come on down to Toyland for some of the coolest toys ever invented!"
When he read this message, Hiram couldn't help but burst into a wide, broad smile...a smile that never left his face for one second, even as he bent down to pick up the food, & brought it into his house. As he was making his way through the main room, & into the kitchen, Hiram couldn't wait to prepare breakfast for himself, Olivia, Arden, Cousin Timmy, Cousin Tina, & Cousin Samantha! And when Hiram began laying out the food & drinks on the counter, he was delighted with all the wonderful goodies that Mr. Altoid had provided...He quickly got to work making the morning meal, his taste buds tingling in absolute anticipation of the treats he planned to eat during the Flavershams' upcoming breakfast. Then, when Hiram was finally done, he set the table, before leaving the kitchen / dining room to enter Olivia & Arden's room. Quickly, quietly, the toymaker went over to the beds where Olivia, Arden, Cousin Timmy, Cousin Tina, Cousin Samantha, & Cousin Ursula were still sleeping, & proceeded to gently shake the mouselings to rouse them from their slumber. "Children...Children, wake up!" Hiram said excitedly to his daughters, nephew, & nieces, as he watched them stir from their sommelier, & rub the sleepiness out of their eyes. "Guess what we're having for breakfast?"
Olivia, Arden, Cousin Timmy, Cousin Tina, Cousin Samantha, & Cousin Ursula burst into wide smiles when they heard this. "Breakfast?" Olivia echoed delightedly, unable to contain her inner exhilaration.
"What breakfast?" Arden asked in an excited way.
"Where is it?" Cousin Ursula added.
"Really, Uncle Hiram?" Cousin Timmy questioned excitedly. "What'd you get?"
"Yes, Uncle Hiram!" Cousin Tina echoed eagerly. "What'd you get?"
"I hope it's bacon & eggs!" exclaimed Cousin Samantha.
"Follow me! You'll see!" Hiram told Olivia, Arden, Timmy, Tina, & Samantha, making his way out of the bedroom, as the Flaversham cousins (still dressed in their red footy pajamas, fuchsia nightgown, golden-yellow pajamas, lilac pajamas, a pair of fuchsia footy pajamas (complete with a pink collar and wrists, white booties & soles, & a fuchsia zipper), along with a fuchsia hair-bow to match, & a set of light-blue pajamas with a matching hair-bow) all crawled out of their beds, & followed him into the kitchen / dining room. Upon entering, Hiram displayed to Olivia, Arden, Cousin Timmy, Cousin Tina, Cousin Samantha, & Cousin Ursula all the delicious food & drinks that were now laid out on the table: small pieces of cheese, apple juice in glasses, yogurt in bowls, toast with butter & jam, & cheese pancakes dripping with butter & maple syrup...Before they even knew it, Olivia, Arden, Cousin Timmy, Cousin Tina, Cusin Samantha, & Cousin Ursula could feel their mouths watering! They couldn't wait to sink their teeth into the veritable smorgasbord that was their breakfast!
"Yeah, Uncle Hiram, you seriously rock!" Cousin Timmy exclaimed joyfully, rushing over to join Olivia & her sister at the table. "We didn't know you could make a big breakfast!" Cousin Tina agreed, as she merrily rushed to join her brother. "You are the best uncle a girl could ever have, Uncle Hiram!" said Cousin Samantha, as she hugged Hiram before she kissed him on the cheek & sat down next to Olivia. Happy that the morning had turned out a lot more pleasantly than he originally expected, Hiram couldn't help but continue to smile, as he went off to take his seat by the five mouselings...but there was one thing about Cousin Timmy's compliment that puzzled him—his unusual choice of words. Rock?  ________________________________________ For the next half-hour, Olivia, Arden, Cousin Timmy, Cousin Tina, Cousin Samantha, Cousin Ursula, & Hiram sat together at the table, happily eating their breakfast. Despite their hunger, the 7 mice made sure not to rush, & ate their food slowly, so that they could fully savor the delectable flavors of their cheese pancakes, apple juice, yogurt, toast, & pieces of cheese. As they tucked into their morning meal, none of the Flavershams engaged in the family's usual practice of sharing conversations; instead, they were concentrating on getting as much food into their stomachs as they could, for they wanted to make their new provisions hold out for as long as possible—& that meant no snacking in between meals. Hopefully, that will only be a temporary measure, Hiram thought optimistically, until we can get the toy shop back on its feet again.
After a while, the Flavershams were nearly finished with their breakfast...& Cousin Timmy & Cousin Tina both looked down, eyeing the last piece of cheese that was on the table. It was a big chunk of cheddar, colored in a lush golden hue, with a smooth texture. How delectable it looked...but Cousin Timmy didn't know if there would be enough of it for five mouselings to share. Looking up at Hiram in the hopes that he could satisfactorily settle the situation, Cousin Timmy asked, "Ummm...who do you think should get the last piece of cheese, Uncle Hiram?" When his uncle (who was continuing to eat the last of his morning meal) didn't answer, Cousin Timmy looked at Cousin Tina...& saw how wide her eyes were becoming at the sight of that yummy hunk of cheddar. Feeling sorry & sympathetic for his kinsmouse, Timmy said, "I guess...maybe, you could have it, Tina, if you want it."
With that, Cousin Timmy pushed the plate with the piece of cheese in Cousin Tina's direction. Tina paused for a moment or two, wondering whether or not she should take it. On one hand (paw?), she was still a little hungry, & her brother had been so generous to offer her the last of the food...It would be foolish for her not to take it! But on the other hand, she wasn't that hungry, after all she had eaten for breakfast...& he thought that, maybe, Cousin Tina would like the piece of cheese, instead. After thinking it over for a few moments, Cousin Timmy finally decided to push the piece of cheese back to Cousin Tina, & replied, "Thanks a bunch, Tina, but I'm full. You can have it."
Stunned by her brother's reciprocal display of generosity, Cousin Tina said hesitantly, "OK..." Slowly, she reached for the piece of cheese...but just as she was about to grab it, Cousin Timmy suddenly changed his mind, & he snatched the cheddar away from her at the last minute. As he took the dairy-based snack into his paws, Cousin Timmy said with hungry desperation in his voice, "On second thought, Tina, I think I could use a little more food to fill my stomach..."
It wasn't long before Cousin Timmy & Cousin Tina ended up fumbling & grappling for the piece of cheese, arguing & fighting loudly with one another, as they tumbled out of their seats, & landed on the floor. In the midst of the argument, Cousin Tina tugged on that coveted morsel of food, trying to pry it away from Cousin Timmy, as she told him angrily, "No, Timmy, you said I could have that last piece of cheese!" The ensuing scuffle between the Flaversham twins continued, as they took their fight out of the kitchen, down the hallway, & all the way into the main room of the toy shop. When they got there, not noticing the change in their surroundings, Cousin Timmy & Cousin Tina kept on squabbling & playing "tug-of-war" with the piece of cheese...until Hiram finally came in, & snatched the chunk of cheddar away from both mouselings.
(CUE MUSIC: "Valse Triste", by Jean Sibelius) "Now, that's enough, both of you!" Hiram shouted irritatedly, as he took the piece of cheese, & brought it up towards himself. Holding the food up before his nephew & niece, Hiram glared down sternly at Cousin Timmy & Cousin Tina, as he said scoldingly, "I don't want you two rugrats fighting! In these dark & dismal times, we all have to get along, & stick together!"
As they stood before Hiram on the toy shop floor, Cousin Timmy & Cousin Tina became filled with feelings of shame & remorse for their earlier behavior, & the two mouselings both cast downcast gazes to the ground, sporting guilty frowns. Wringing his paws nervously, Cousin Timmy & Cousin Tina apologized in unison, "Sorry, Uncle Hiram." Then Cousin Tina repentently said, "We were just both still hungry, &..."
"That's no excuse for you to be squabbling & arguing with each other," Hiram told Olivia, Arden, Cousin Timmy, Cousin Tina, & Cousin Samantha, continuing to look down at the children (although, by this point, his glare had softened a little). "Right now, the only thing that matters is that we should work together, & try to find a way out of this terrible situation that we face now. Do you understand, wee ones?"
"Yes, sir," Olivia, Arden, Cousin Timmy, Cousin Tina, & Cousin Samantha replied in unison, nodding their heads in affirmation.
At one point, Hiram's ears perked up to the sound of footsteps walking down the pavement.
Turning to face Olivia (who was seated on his right), Hiram pointed yonder, & asked his daughter, "Dear, could you go over to the window, & see who's outside?" With that, Olivia got out of her chair, & scampered over to the big front window, before climbing onto the ledge, & looking outside. At first, the mouseling could only hear the footsteps echoing on the empty street of Walnut Avenue...until, a few seconds later, she began to see a figure approaching the toy shop. Said figure's appearance was made hazy & unclear by the dirty, fogged-up glass of the shop's front window, but Olivia could just make out the outline of a tall mouse with a prominent nose...& a deerstalker cap on his head! As she gazed outside the window with her paws & nose pressed against the pane, Olivia gaped in open-mouthed shock when she recognized the identity of the visitor...She barely managed to overcome her stunned silence with a single squeak of disbelief: "Basil?" Olivia's surprise grew when she saw her friend's ears perking up in response to the sound of her calling his name...& only increased even more when Basil turned around to face her! For a moment, the Great Mouse Detective seemed to return Olivia's shocked look, complete with a gaping mouth...Then, just as soon as the mice's gazes had met, Basil turned away from the window, & hurriedly began walking down the pavement, going further & further away from the toy shop...until he finally turned the corner, & disappeared down the Crown Street offshoot. As she watched Basil make his hasty exit, Olivia's earlier expression of shock gradually turned into a sad frown, as her face fell, & her ears drooped miserably. In the span of a few short seconds, so many thoughts & emotions had gone through the mouseling's mind...Never mind that Olivia was surprised to see Basil in the first place! What was he doing on Walnut Avenue? Why was he walking by the toy shop? Had he got wind of her family's situation? Had he come to check on her? Or did he just want to stop by, & say "hello"? But why did he leave when she called his name? Did he not want to help her & her family? Or, maybe, he was just feeling scared, & didn't know what to do? Had he gone to get help, or to find a way to remedy her situation? Or did he choose to ignore her? Or—oh, horror of horrors!—had he forgotten about her? Had he done the very thing that he swore he'd never do? Such a vast range of different possibilities was too difficult for Olivia to handle, & she began to feel greatly discouraged; she wasn't really sure what to make of Basil's disappearance, but she had a deep, sinking feeling that it wasn't going to lead to any changes in the lives of her & her loved ones...unless the detective came back. But would he come back? Olivia didn't know...& she dreaded to think about the answer. It was all too much for her to bear... "Who was it, dear?" Hiram asked, bringing Olivia out of her gloomy reverie...but not out of her state of sadness. Closing her eyes, Olivia shook her head sorrowfully, as she made her melancholy reply: "Nobody, Daddy." With that, she pulled away from the window, made her way down off the ledge, & went back over to join Hiram & Cousin Timmy at the worktable, now having lost sight of that one glimmer of hope that had appeared to her so briefly... ________________________________________ (CUE MUSIC: Antonio Vivaldi's "Cello Concerto In E Minor", as performed by Leonard Rosenman) Once again, the afternoon had passed without any signs of the Flavershams' business improving, & when evening came, the family closed up the toy shop at 7:00 PM, as they did every day. 2-&-½ hours had passed since then, & the building at Lower 3314 Walnut Avenue was largely quiet on this clear, starlit evening. The overhead lamp & other lights were still "burnt out", but Hiram had filled the house with the warm, cozy glow of candles & kerosene lamps; outdated though these things were, they would be able to provide some light in the toy shop & living quarters, until Hiram could pay his electric bills again. In the meantime, the toymaker, his daughter, & his nephew contented themselves to placing their newly-finished stock of toys on all the shelves & display cases, as well as the front window-ledge. Already, the 6 mice had swept all the rooms, & cleaned the place up to make it look more presentable for potential future customers. Again, the Flaversham family simply would not even consider entertaining the notion of giving into defeat, & one had to be amazed at their stout, stalwart resolution & their staunch refusal to quit the battle they were now fighting. After he helped Olivia & Cousin Timmy put the last of the new toys on the ledge of the display window, Hiram said, "Well, I think that's enough work for today, children. We've done everything we possibly can." He took a moment to wipe the sweat off his brow, before going over to take his seat at the worktable, as he added, "Now, we'll just have to see what the day will bring tomorrow." With that, Olivia & Cousin Timmy both went to sit down by Hiram, flanking the toymaker on either side. For the next few seconds, none of the Flavershams spoke to one another...until Olivia decided to ask Hiram a question that had been on her mind in recent days. "Daddy?" the mouseling said, hoping to get her father's attention. "Yes, dear?" Hiram responded, as he turned to face Olivia, who then proceeded to ask, "Are we ever going to get any customers?" Hiram paused for a moment to consider his daughter's question, thinking of how he should reply. He tried to come up with a good answer, although it wasn't the easiest thing for him to do. Finally, after a long pause in thought, Hiram replied with a shake of his head, "I don't know, Olivia. It's been over 2 months since we met Basil Of Baker Street, & so much has happened since then...Now, fancy, new toys are being invented by all these big, powerful super-companies, & no one seems to want to buy old-fashioned, paw-crafted toys anymore...toys like the ones we sell." When he said that, Hiram gave a deep sigh, & rested his head in his hands, now beginning to feel just a bit glum. The more he really thought about the issues that his family & business were dealing with, the less likely it seemed that things would improve...The prognosis didn't look too good for the Flavershams, & Hiram was having an increasingly-hard time trying to ignore that fact. And, to be honest, he didn't even know if he could anymore... "But, maybe, they'll...want to start buying them again...Right, Daddy?" Olivia asked with some hesitancy, but still trying to remain hopeful. "Maybe, dear," Hiram answered with a short nod of his head, but he thought he should explain to Olivia about the grim reality of the situation. "But in the meantime, we've already used up the money we earned from our earlier sales, so we really can't wait for customers to come to our toy shop—well, not for much longer, anyway—because, as you very well know, we need money from customers to keep the shop open for them in the first place...And if we don't get any customers, that means we won't earn any money." A beat of silence passed, before Cousin Timmy dared to ask the question that everyone dreaded to hear: "And if we don't earn any money...then what?"
Hiram literally struggled to make his reply to his nephew's inquiry. Wincing at the very thought of it, he answered, "Well, if that turns out to be the case, Timmy...I guess we'll have no choice...but to close up shop, &...put the place out of business."
When they heard this, Olivia & Cousin Timmy felt as though they had been hit with the force of a train; the two mouselings, completely frozen in shock, both found it hard to stomach the possibility of the bleak future that might face them. Olivia didn't want to believe that such a horrible fate would befall her & her loved ones! It couldn't! Her heart racing in panic, Olivia went over to Hiram, & crawled onto his lap, looking up into her father's eyes with a desperate gaze, as she pleaded with him, "Please, Daddy, tell me you're joking! You don't possibly mean that, right?" Hiram only looked down at his daughter with a melancholy frown, & the truth of his words quickly sank in, filling Olivia with a sense of dread that absolutely chilled her to the bone. Shaking her head rapidly, & tugging fiercely on her father's apron, Olivia begged, "You can't close the toy shop, Daddy! You just can't!" "I'm sorry about this, sweetheart," Hiram said sadly, as he gave Olivia a big hug. Then, more to himself than to her, he added, "If only there were some way to get my customers to come back..."
Now sporting a gloomy frown on her face, Olivia gently parted from the hug, slid down off her father's lap, landed feet-first on the floor, & slowly walked to her bedroom, trudging miserably with every step she took. She was feeling so many emotions, all of them of a negative nature—disheartened, distressed, depressed, downhearted, dejected...As Olivia walked down the hallway to her fursonal chambers, she could almost hear melancholy music playing in the air, providing a solemn atmosphere for what certainly felt like her funeral march...&, as far as Olivia was concerned, it may very well have been that. Only when Olivia opened the door to her room, & stepped inside, did she begin to find some peace of mind; here, in her humble sanctuary, she could always find a way to escape her troubles, no matter how big or small they were. With her books, she could be whisked away to faraway worlds, explore uncharted territory, meet all sorts of fascinating figures, embark on exciting adventures...& leave the life she knew far behind. With paper & crayons (among other art tools), she could take nothing but the most pleasant thoughts & dreams that filled her head, & make them come to life...in a sense. With her toys & games, she could distract herself from her worries & fears in literally countless ways; the only limit was her imagination!
Later, back in the main room of the toy shop, Hiram, Arden, Cousin Timmy, Cousin Tina, Cousin Samantha, & Cousin Ursula were blowing out all the candles, in order to prevent accidental fire; by the time they were done, only the kerosene lamps were left burning. Said lamps filled the mostly-dark room with a warm, peaceful glow, which seemed to give the toy shop its old atmosphere of hominess...to an extent. After extinguishing the last candle with a puff of breath, Hiram told his nephew & nieces, "Well, children, I think it's time we all went to bed."
"OK, Uncle Hiram," Cousin Samantha replied, making her way towards the bedroom she, Cousin Ursula, Arden, Cousin Timmy, & Cousin Tina shared with Olivia.
Hiram let out a deep sigh, as he became consumed with disconcerting thoughts of the future that probably awaited his family...his business...the dream he had tried so hard to keep alive, despite the overwhelming odds! But Hiram could no longer deny that his dream was turning into a nightmare. The toymaker now realized that he was quickly losing the battle, & unless Mother Fate managed to resolve the Flavershams' crisis in some miraculous chain of events, said battle was sure to end in defeat...for all of them. Before he left the main room to make his way towards Olivia & Arden's room, Hiram couldn't help but frown to himself, as he glanced down at the white, rectangular cardboard sign that rested between the cupboard & the old furnace pipe. He'd hoped he would never have to take it out, but after over a month of inactivity, he'd begun to keep it on paw, in case he would ever be compelled to use it. The sign said in big red letters, "Going Out Of Business". ________________________________________ Moments later, in the Flaversham mouselings' room, Cousin Timmy had changed into his golden-yellow pajamas, &, now, he was crawling into bed beside Cousin Tina, who had changed into her lilac pajamas. Arden had already changed into her fuchsia nightgown & matching hair ribbon, & now, she crawled into a fuchsia sleeping bag with a pillow (covered by a pink pillowcase) & fell asleep, Cousin Samantha had changed into her fuchsia footy pajamas & matching hair-bow, &, now, she was climbing up the ladder on the bunk bed & crawling into the top bunk while Olivia, who was dressed in her red footy pajamas & matching hair-bow, was in the bottom bunk. As she sat up in bed, the little Scotsmouse was holding another one of her many dolls—a smiling moppet mouse with blue button-eyes, yellow yarn-hair, & a pink gingham dress. Cradling the doll like a baby in her arms, Olivia said to it, "Don't worry, Miss Moppet...We're going to be OK."
"Yeah," Arden muttered bitterly, "just as long as we've still got customers."
 Those of you who are familiar with a certain director's films will notice that I have taken a Kubrickian route with selecting pieces of classical music as score for the fanfiction & film versions of GMD 2. My inspiration for that largely came from the soundtracks for "A Clockwork Orange", "The Shining", & "Barry Lyndon", along with a bit of "2001: A Space Odyssey" & "Eyes Wide Shut".
 Sophie will make fursonal appearances in Chapters 7 & 9 of the fanfic.
 The only toymaker that Hiram bears any ill will toward is Martin Loveless. He has yet to appear in any of my GMD fanfics, but when he does, you'll understand why Hiram dislikes him so much.
 And the Mechanical Monarch is living proof of that!
 The name of that toy company is supposed to be a Victorian joke...&, if you are familiar with (our version of) the history of that era, it's a satirical joke, at that.
 After receiving that visit from Hiram on Tuesday evening, Sophie called Mr. Altoid, & told him of the crises that her neighbor & his family were facing, as a result of the failure of their toy shop. Being the town benefactor (& a very generous furson at heart), Mr. Altoid was all-too-willing to help the Flavershams out in their time of need.
 I will admit, I was thinking of "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory" when I wrote that line.
 That was the best explanation I could come up with for how one got to the second floor in Basil's old house, but if anyone can come up with a better explanation, feel free to enlighten me.
 That was the best explanation I could come up with for how one got to the dining room in Basil's old house, but if anyone can come up with a better explanation, feel free to enlighten me.
 For those of you with curious minds, fear not! Ratigan's full name shall be revealed to you in future chapters (along with the rest of the Baker Street Family's given names).
 Hopefully, no one will find any flaws or problems with this explanation of Ratigan's survival.
 Well, technically, the bronze plate is the only part of Basil's house that hasn't been completely fixed yet; since the Baker Street Family will occupy all of Basil's house, the address is now referred to as 'Lower 221B Baker Street', not 'Lower 221 ½ Baker Street' (although the old address should have been 'Lower 221 ⅓ Baker Street', since the building has 3 floors, not counting the attic & basement levels). Incidentally, different authors of GMD fanfics have different ways of writing street addresses for rodents. To clear up any confusion, I will explain the methods used in my stories. The mouse world has two different ways of listing addresses: with a street number & fraction, or with the word "Lower" placed before the street number (or a combination of the two). The fractions are only used to indicate floor levels of multistory mouse buildings that are not single houses or businesses. For example, since the Baker Street Family now occupies all of Basil's house, the address has been changed to Lower 221B Baker Street (as previously stated); Flaversham's Toy Shop is at Lower 3314 Walnut Avenue, & Inspector Tobias Clouseau & his friend Cato Zhong dwell together at Lower 319 Cheese Boulevard... ...but a particular tenant of the Hound Dog Flats might lodge in Room #17 at 455 ⅔ Plum Boulevard, while another tenant might lodge in a room with the same number on the first floor of the apartment building, or Room #17 at 455 ⅓ Plum Boulevard (& his next-door neighbors would occupy Rooms #16 & #18 at 455 ⅓ Plum Boulevard). It's the same idea with multilevel office buildings, businesses, condos, hotels, hospitals, shopping malls, & whatnot. The "1" in a fraction is always used to refer to the ground floor, & the top numbers of the subsequent fractions would refer to each of the upper floors (e.g., 2/6, 3/6, 4/6, 5/6, & 6/6); the number indicating the last floor is always written out as a fraction, never simplified to a whole number.
 The word "Lower" is used in addresses of mouse buildings that are built into humans' structures, like the Baker Street Family's house, Flaversham's Toy Shop, Sophie's Flower Shop, Mitsubishi's Kite Shop, or Larry's Libretto Company (to name a few examples). It is not used in the addresses of "stand-alone" buildings, like the London Mouse Mini-Mall, St. Mary's Youth Hostel, the "Taste Of America" restaurant, the London Flight Mouseum & Arena, Piccadilly Mouse Circus, the Hound Dog Flats, or the Rat Trap Family Restaurant (T.N.A.F.E.).
 I will admit, I was thinking of Ian Malcolm's line in the first "Jurassic Park" film when I wrote that.

industry_corpus2: Manufacturing


text:
9 Actions To Getting A Vehicle Loan With Bad Credit If you fund through a dealer, see to it the terms are final, conditional or not contingent, before you sign and repel. All too often purchasers are informed days or weeks later on that their regular monthly repayments or the needed down payment has actually been raised. Or theyre told the funding is not full and also they must approve a greater rate of interest.
The fundamentals of help to sell my house Greenville revealed.
Making A Deal On A House Theme However, anecdotal proof is considereded as unstable for a reason, um, since it is. Initially, the stories you listen to are constantly infiltrated the bank employee's display of their own predispositions and also frequently limited understanding of market dynamics. Second, what might hold true in your general market might not be true for the particular area, area or the cost sector where you are residence hunting. Plus, most of our markets are in shift right now great deals of coastal markets are altering from seller's market to buyer's market, as well as several formerly undervalued, heartland and also southerly towns are experiencing an unprecedented change right into a vendor's market. When these sorts of changes take place, it can be challenging for the standard Joe on the street (and also the tales they tell!) to catch up with the brand-new fact of the market.
Realty Investors Listing Greenville Region Realty Forum (OCRE) http://www.ocreforum.com Get in touch with: Standard Rockmael [email protected] Telephone: (949) 726-8446 When: 2nd Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm Where: Double Tree Resort, Greenville Spectrum Greenville Ave. & Barranca Pkwy., Greenville.
Making A Deal On A Home Guidance When you appear for your closing, you sign the mortgage and also title (and the house) is your own! Wasnt that very easy? No, we understand it wasnt. Now you have the secrets to your brand-new home and one big need to commemorate.
The loan provider certifies you based upon your earnings and also credit details, as well as the pre-approval is typically helpful for sixty to ninety days. A pre-approval, nonetheless, does not ensure a loan, neither does it secure a price as well as term. A lending institution will likely still call for extra information prior to extending you a funding. If your monetary circumstance adjustments, a lender could additionally cancel or change your pre-approval. It does offer you a good idea of exactly what you could afford as well as lets realty agents and sellers understand that you are major.
Buying A Residence Process As a residence purchaser, theres actually not much for you to do during the assessment process. The loan provider will certainly schedule it, as well as the evaluator will certainly send his/her record back to the loan provider. Its just something to be familiar with.
By focusing on these areas, you can increase your credit score gradually. In fact, if you live within your means andpay all your bills on timeyoull enhance your repayment background, which is the single largest element of your score.
Your existing home loan loan provider/ car loan servicer can tell you how much you owe on your loan. You can obtain an approximation of your house worth by checking out equivalent sales in the location. You could also have your home assessed by an expert home appraiser, if you desire an even more exact analysis of the market value. Or you can just look for refinancing and also let the home loan loan provider send out an evaluator out. In any case, your equity will certainly enter into the picture at some point. And also it might make or break your opportunities of obtaining the financing.
These house evaluation training curriculums and constructing issue lists are based upon smilar curriculum papers first prepared by Joe Scaduto, an ASHI member that prepared program material for Northeastern University's Structure Examination Certification program in 1988, consequently by D Friedman, InspectApedia's editor, for Greenville University SC 1988 and later, with others, recommended to ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
What To Deal On A House That Requirements Work Common Variable Rate (SVR) Rates of interest offered by lending institutions have the tendency to rise and fall with the base rate as set by the Financial institution of England. If the Guv of the Financial institution of England decides that rates of interest have to increase by fifty percent of one percent after that the lenders typically do the same. A variable price home mortgage mirrors these changes. They could fluctuate, generally just in little percentage factors yet these can accumulate to be a considerable amount taking into consideration the amounts most individuals borrow.

industry_corpus2: Real Estate & Construction


text:
Saint Catharines, Canada Accelerators Map has 0 accelerators, and the highest ranked accelerators in Saint Catharines, Canada are N/A.
Saint Catharines, Canada is ranked 0 in Canada and N/A globally, based on its number of accelerators.
View the newest or the top ranked accelerators in Saint Catharines, Canada.
Filter accelerators in Saint Catharines, Canada by amount of investment.
Browse Saint Catharines, Canada Startups, Saint Catharines, Canada Coworking spaces, Saint Catharines, Canada Leaders and Saint Catharines, Canada Investors.

industry_corpus2: Technology & Research


text:
Education starts with a teacher who is enthusiastic about imparting his knowledge and a student who is hungry about gaining knowledge. This is why Spoken English Classes – Speaking India employs a batch of the most proficient teachers who are not only extremely qualified and experienced at their jobs but also have an eagerness to teach those who want to learn. Spoken English skills are taught using various experimental techniques to address the unique and dynamic needs of the students.
Every student is unique and so are their needs. Hurray IELTS PTE Overseas Education Consultant understands this simple truth and tries to formulate its courses in a way that it would help address the diverse needs of its clients. From teaching spoken English skills to how write in English with impeccable grammar, everything is covered at Hurray IELTS PTE Overseas Education Consultant. The clients can look forward to a holistic education in English in a short amount of time added with courses on gaining professional competency.
Good English skills, be it written or spoken is a necessity in every job profile. From individuals working in private corporate sectors to government employees to professionals like doctors and lawyers come to Veta to improve their English skills to have a better rapport with their clients or to impress their employers. The courses offered vary according to the needs as well as the expertise levels of the learners in the language. Various study materials are provided to help in the learning process.
English being one of the most spoken languages in the world, there is an innate need for it on a global scale. Be it considering a career like being a doctor or applying for a job at an MNC company, fluent spoken English with impeccable grammar and pronunciation is a must. This is why Spiceup Academy | English Language School provides courses that help individuals become fluent in English and correct their pronunciation. This instantly makes them more employable and gives a boost to their self-esteem.
An institution that is completely dedicated to enhancing the spoken English and communication skills of its clients, One to 1 English endeavors to climb to newer heights by adopting cutting-edge technologies and teaching strategies to help simplify the courses an make the lessons more students’ friendly. Every classroom is well-equipped providing an amicable learning environment and help capture the attention of the learners. The teachers are also competent at their jobs with decades of experience being in the field.
Gone are the days when English phonetics and grammar classes used to be boring and took the life out of the language. Eskay Education & Training Services tries to make the learning process fun for its students using innovative methodologies like role playing and multimedia classes. Audio-visual tools and learning materials are provided so that the clients can learn the language in their own flexible time but in an entertaining sort of way. The teachers are doting and extremely accommodating of the students’ needs.
The courses at Quickstep English Centre – Koramangala do not follow a single predetermined path but are flexible and bend according to the needs of the clients. The main objective of the courses is to make the learner proficient in speaking fluently in English and communicating their ideas with ease. Courses for character development of the clients are also provided that help them better tackle the hurdles that come in the job like stress management and better customer dealing abilities.
English is rapidly developing as one of the most spoken languages in India and is quickly bridging the communication gap between different states. It has become an integral part of the social culture that has also given it an important position in professional fields. Kings Learning Center helps individuals by providing speech and communication fluency courses that also help in accent neutralization and corrects pronunciations of the speakers. This helps them in their professional arena as well as enhance their social standing.
Impeccable English with correct grammar and fluency while speaking has become a part and parcel of the social fora where everyone is expected to be competent at the subject. Employers are likewise looking for candidates who are proficient in the language and are capable of handling the problems that are thrown in their way. Courses are offered to nurture a positive attitude towards problems and enhancing communication skills to help them talk their way around the problems.
With thousands of students satisfied with the lessons provided at London School Of Speech, the institution has catered to a long list of clientele and helped them become proficient in their professional life or secure jobs of their dreams. Numerous foreign language students as well as stay at home housewives are also opting for the course to have a better standing in the social platform as well as to bridge the gap in communication. Fluent spoken English skills not only makes on more employable but also helps to improve the overall self-esteem.

industry_corpus2: Subject Education


text:
Welcome to Squeaky Carpet Cleaning St Clair. We are known and referred in-and-around St Clair for quality carpet cleaning services. Moreover, we deliver superior standard of cleaning that makes our patron clients satisfied and surprises new clients every time they take-up our carpet cleaning work. Our team of certified carpet cleaners visit your door step and pre-inspect each area of cleaning. They note down every minute detail needed to meet with your requirement. This helps in delivering quality cleaning as expected by you.
Other than carpet cleaning, Squeaky Clean services offers a vast range of other cleaning solutions to our clients in St Clair. Our team expertises in offering duct cleaning, curtains and blind cleaning, mattress cleaning, tile and grout cleaning, rug cleaning and laundry, upholstery cleaning, and many more.
Thus, get your home and commercial establishments cleaned by professionals at a reasonable pricing! Pick Squeaky Clean Services, St Clair as our utmost focus lies on 100% customer satisfaction.


text:
You know I film my videos in advance sometimes. Way in advance, this time. I actually filmed it on February 3rd, which I remember so clearly because it was the day I got sick.
See, despite having kids I don´t often catch their bugs, but that time it hit me hard and I was out for almost a week.
Right now I am feeling fine and pity my past self for looks and voice, so no need for sympathy coming from your side.
I´d rather have you focused on the fact that despite me getting so sick over the course of the day, that was how I looked at the end of the video.
Which is actually kind of a spoiler right here: I really, really like the L´Oréal Perfect Match Foundation! But read on to find out how much exactly!
As always. here is the video to see in person how it held up, but again I will sum up the most important facts underneath for the busy visitor!
This innovative formula melts into your skin, adapting to the color and structure of your skin. It offers natural perfection, medium coverage without looking like a mask.
It comes in 24 different shades and is around 9,95 € in store or online here.
A plastic bottle with a pump. It gets dirty quickly, but that is about the only complaint I have.
Beauty blender, finger, any kind of brush – everything works well with this foundation. I personally prefer a Buffing brush, but it is completely up to you.
Medium to full, while looking very natural indeed. It is easily buildable without caking or piling up.
Ah, my only complaint. As you can see in the swatch above, it is natural to dewy. And I don’t like dewy on me. Granted, I am the only one left with this opinion, a relict of the early 80s, but I never wear this foundation without powder. Mind you, it is not oily, just dewy and looking like well hydrated skin.
Weightless, lightweight, slightly hydrating. Really pleasant.
Without primer and powder I can see it fading around the six hour mark, but only in areas where I frequently touch my face. With primer and powder it lasts at least eight hours on me, but usually still looks very good after ten hours of wear.
With good preparation, this should work on everyone. It looks like skin on my comb oil t-zone, it doesn’t cling to any dry patches, it doesn’t settle into fine lines… Any skin type should get along with it.
And as there are currently 24 different shades available, it should be possible for most to find a color match.
If you couldn’t tell already, I am in love. It is an amazing foundation, it ticks (almost) all of my boxes and for 9,95 € at my local drugstore there is really nothing stopping me from always having a bottle in my stash.


text:
May function as a tRNA-specific ribonuclease that abolishes protein synthesis by specifically hydrolyzing cellular tRNAs. Binds to actin on the surface of endothelial cells; once bound, angiogenin is endocytosed and translocated to the nucleus. Angiogenin induces vascularization of normal and malignant tissues. Angiogenic activity is regulated by interaction with RNH1 in vivo. Has very low ribonuclease activity.
ANG1 Polyclonal Antibody. Unconjugated. Raised in: Rabbit.

industry_corpus2: Biopharmaceuticals


text:
See below petition a group of us have drafted. We thought you may have an interest in signing up. We will be publishing it soon. You can contact me for any questions at : old world gallery at hotmail dot com (In the usual e-mail text format).
The following signatories below, representing fans and posters to the online Huffington Post wish to petition HP on the matter of ongoing abuses of both HP policy and the principles of open democratic civil discourse.
Countless posts from many signatories below have been arbitrarily censored at HP by authors who simply disagree with a poster. We find this type of censorship the most corrosive to what is supposed to be an open dialogue. History tells us that in the course of any public discourse, when censorship is allowed to rule the order of events, honesty and integrity are abandoned and all that remains is propaganda.
Another pattern we would like to mention is the inherent bias generated by the newly implemented "community moderator" process. Posters are "rewarded" with an artificially imposed system of "earned badges". We believe the introduction of this new "badge" system stifles open discussion and rewards disruptive behavior from posters who wish to impose their own bias and thus arbitrarily attempt to censor others. This sort of dated Skinnerian "reward" system defeats open discussions, pitting one poster against another, thus alienating other new posters who would like to join in and contribute to the discussion. We believe that this superficial "merit" system only compounds further the ongoing censorship already endemic on the HP blog.
We would like to address another form of censorship, more subtle than the above noted. While much deference is given to "Religion", compounded by a new column addition of "Religion and Science", we note there is no tribute of equal status given to the sciences. Though we are thrilled to see the "Arts" granted an elevated independent column, it would seem only fair to give the sciences equal recognition. Without science, there would be no online "Huffington Post", no Internet and no computers to support them. The failure to give the Sciences an independent forum, while treating "Religion" with such broad stroke deference, is about the most regressive act of dummying down public education as we can imagine. Everyday millions of viewers use scientific innovations to read the Huffington Post while, by the same token, no independent forum is granted to science. This at a time when great marvels such as Hubble, the Large Hadron Collider, and the Human Genome Project daily reveal new insights into our world.
There is a crisis in what passes for a free press in the American society today. That crisis manifests itself by a 24 hour barrage of op-eds and word pundits by news "guests" and "news" anchors passing themselves off as "journalists". When rewarded by excessive corporate compensation, these "journalists" are only too eager to sell off their academic training to a corporate agenda of ratings for advertising profit. The Internet seemed to present a more responsible alternative to this trend. The Huffington Post seemed to be the vanguard of a new alternative media that would be more interactive and open. Instead, as evidenced by its current actions, the Huffington Post seems determined to follow the same old corporate party line : Hypnotize and titillate the public with entertainment fluff to generate advertising.
We have arrived at the end of the first decade in the first century of a new millennium. Rather than inviting an entire culture to regress, we contend that the Huffington Post could become a healthy and inspirational standard bearer for further advancement into a new age of Progress and Enlightenment.
We contend that the Huffington Post should recognize its responsibility to its readership and future generations. We ask that the Huffington post resume the agenda it set out it 2005 : To assume a more progressive leadership role, free from censorship, guided by temperance and true knowledge that reflects the more enlightened and educated sector of our culture.
We the undersigned would be willing to help achieve that end.
This seems like such an obvious (Roseveltian?) solution--what am I missing?

industry_corpus2: Media & Journalism


text:
Applicable to industrial, agricultural, armed forces and sewage requirements.
Flat hose reinforced by a seamless, woven jacket using advanced materials.
Manufactured by an ISO9000 Certified company.
Ideal in all types of weather conditions.
A robust hose, designed to be durable.
Dewatering of fields and foundations.
Flood irrigation and wash down.
Sludgeflex is an advanced sludge hose ideal for high abrasion terrain.


text: As 2017 comes to a close we are excited to offer a terrific spring/summer/fall vacation rental on Lake Champlain in Vermont. Vermont is a destination point for those who love the outdoors and the cooler, mountain air that northern New England offers. Take a look at our website and imagine you and your family and friends enjoying a week by the water, swimming, boating, barbecuing, and toasting marshmallows amid laughter and camaraderie in a place known for offering a quiet, serene setting.

industry_corpus2: Travel & Geography


text: Salesman Jim Huckleberry (William Michael) isnâ€™t much interested in agriculture until he meets farmer's daughter June (Judy Pennebaker), which greatly increases his willingness to engage in a bit of plowing. He convinces June and other local lovelies to wear his newly invented bathing suits in a Fourth of July beauty contest--unaware that they disintegrate in water. Further complications result in the arrival of the militia and an unexpectedly explosive finale!


text:
Today I am helping you get out of yours and get active for Spring Break.
Pet Ranch in Kingwood TX celebrates 40 years of service.
Cyrese and Co. offer an array of items from clothes, to jewelry, and a few home items.
Local holiday events in Kingwood, Humble, and Atascocita. Shopping, festivals and more.


text:
Each of the three transfer stations and the Roosevelt Landfill are equipped to receive and safely store household hazardous waste. The service is provided at no direct cost to residents of Klickitat County. Funding for this program is a joint effort of Klickitat County, Republic Services and the Washington State Department of Ecology.
Storage building for household hazardous wastes like paint, garden chemicals and cleaning products, to name a few.
Storage facility for used motor oil.


text:
Mandatory Medical Insurance When Visiting Canada?
Canada is a huge country with a plethora of places to visit and explore. Every year millions of people from all over the world visit Canada. But what happens if a visitor comes to Canada without medical insurance and has an accident or unexpected illness that requires medical attention? Is it even possible for a visitor to Canada to enter the country without having some form of medical insurance protection? Read on to find out more.
Sweet Marjoram: A Super Spice!
Sweet marjoram, a member of the oregano family of herbs, is a very tasty, healthy and medicinal herb. Known for its sweet flavour, marjoram has been used for centuries in many different types of recipes, and was even used in ancient Greek and Roman times as a key ingredient in love potions! Read on for marjoram's historical uses, nutritional data, medicinal and health properties and for some cooking suggestions.
Physiotherapy often plays a crucial role when recovering from a debilitating accident or illness. And in many cases, physiotherapy costs are not covered by your provincial healthcare plan. Read on to find out how much coverage for physiotherapy can be obtained via Canadian health insurance plans (employee benefits and individual health and dental).
We've scoured the Internet for the best insurance jokes and humour, and here is what we found. We hope this brings a smile to your face and puts some laughter into your heart!
The Calgary Stampede is an exciting 10-day event that consists of world-class rodeo and entertainment. Often called the "Greatest Outdoor Show in the World", the Stampede is an amazing western Canadian experience that offers a plethora of things to see and do (and taste)!
Massage therapy is one of the most popular extended health insurance benefits. Not surprising, really, seeing how a massage feels great and is so relaxing. But what sort of massage therapy coverage is available via Canadian healthcare and private health insurance plans such as employee benefits and individual health insurance? Read on to find out more!
Thyme is an aromatic spice that has been used by many civilizations for thousands of years. It is a potent anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-septic and anti-bacterial. In addition, thyme has high amounts of vitamins and minerals, making it a very healthy spice to consume. The historical usage of thyme is also very interesting!
Travel Insurance: Are You Really Covered?
Travel insurance offers emergency medical coverage in case of unforeseen sickness or accident while traveling. But does it cover everything that could go wrong on your trip? The answer to that is that it doesn't, and once in awhile travelers find this out the hard way. So why take a chance? Why not know for sure what you are covered for? Read on to find out about potential coverage pitfalls to especially look out for.
In this edition of Popular Visitor to Canada Destinations we go to Churchill, Manitoba, world famous for its polar bear tours. In addition to polar bears Churchill is also famous for its beluga whale and migratory bird watching. It has also been rated as the 3rd best place in the world to see the Aurora Borealis, otherwise known as the Northern Lights!
Welcome to this first edition of our new "Insurance Humor" blog series. We've scoured the Internet for the funniest insurance-related stories and jokes that we could find. We hope we bring a smile to your lips and some laughter to your heart!
Many Canadians have health insurance coverage that offers some form of dental benefits. Unfortunately, too many of us do not use all of our available dental insurance benefits, thereby leaving our "dental dollars" on the table. Use these tips to make sure you squeeze everything that you can out of your dental plan!
Allspice: A Super Healthy Spice!
Allspice is a very nutritious and medicinal spice that is packed with flavour. It tastes and smells like a combination of nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon, and has been used by people for hundreds of years now. Originally used for flavouring chocolate and as an embalming preservative, allspice has now been found to have anti-tumor and anti-cancer properties! For more information please read on.
There are many foreign workers currently residing and working in Canada at any given time. But what happens if a non-Canadian worker gets sick or has an accident that requires medical attention while here in Canada? Well, turns out that all foreign workers (including family members) who have a valid Work Permit will be eligible for provincial healthcare coverage. For more details please read on!
In this next installment of our "Popular Visitor to Canada Destinations" series we look at Old Quebec, the historical part of Quebec City that is over 400 years old. Old Quebec is a blast from the past that is home to the Ramparts of Quebec, the Chateau Frontenac, the Citadel and much more!
Employee benefits are something that job applicants often look at when deciding whether or not to take a job offer. But what questions should be asked of a potential employer? Read on to find out what we, as experienced insurance brokers, think are the top questions that should be asked by employees regarding group insurance benefits.
Welcome to this 2nd edition of our "Bizarre Insurance Policies" series. In this episode we look at lottery winner insurance, alien abduction coverage, free riot insurance, multiple birth insurance and more. And once again we see that any risk can be insured if you can only afford the premiums!
Cloves are a fragrant spice that have been used to flavour our foods for thousands of years. They are valued for their potent taste as well as their anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, anti-septic and anesthetic medicinal qualities! Cloves have a rich history, and were one of the spices worth more than their weight in gold during the spice trade which drove exploration around the world.
We live in an uncertain world these days. Unexpected weather events, natural disasters and terrorist attacks seem to occur on a regular basis. Yet people still travel around the world, going on holidays and looking to recharge the batteries and relax. But what happens if your travel plans are impeded by some unforeseen event? This is where trip cancellation and interruption protection comes to play!
Many of us have some understanding that poor oral health can result in health problems. However, what is not commonly known is the serious gravity of health problems that can result from not taking care of our teeth via dental care. For example, did you know that there is a proven link between rheumatoid arthritis and gum disease?
In this 7th edition of "Popular Visitor to Canada Destinations" blog series we take you to gorgeous Gros Morne National Park. Gros Morne is located in Newfoundland, and it boasts some incredibly unique geology along with a wide variety of habitats. If you love nature and don't mind some hiking then Gros Morne is the place for you!

industry_corpus2: Health & Medicine


text:
The future of invoicing is digital.
Traditional paper invoicing is time-consuming and taxing, and yet, necessary for many businesses. There’s account reconciliations, complicated calculations, tax additions, and the list goes on. Then you mail the invoice out into the world with nothing but a prayer that your client sends the payment back in a timely manner, but more realistically end up with stagnant cash flow and accounts in bad standing instead. In addition, you have to tediously look through piles of paper records when you need a particular invoice, wasting precious time. Does any of this sound familiar? Not to worry, Payfirma is here to help.
After many long hours and gallons of coffee consumed, our Product Development Team is ready to add a new addition to our roster of payment tools. We heard your rallying cries for an easier way to bill customers, and today, we’re delivering. Payfirma Invoicing will allow you to create and send invoices electronically to your customers who can pay you via credit cards right on the invoice. No more hair pulling at tedious tasks or chasing checks.
Access PayHQ through your web browser and send invoices immediately from your phone right after the job’s done. Once your customers receive the invoice in their inbox, they can pay conveniently on their mobile device.
A cloud-based invoicing platform makes sending and storing invoices convenient and secure. Access your data anywhere, anytime, minimizing the risk of lost invoices and compromised data.
We’ve made it simple to track invoices by status (paid, unpaid, or overdue) and manage all accounts accordingly.
You can include customized messages, logo, company information, and social links to personalize your invoices.
1. Create an invoice: Click on “Create Invoice” and fill in the appropriate fields. Alternatively, you can click on an existing invoice to clone and modify it.
2. Click send: All that’s left is to send the invoice. Your customers will receive an email with the invoice and an option to pay embedded right in the invoice.
3. Manage invoices: Conveniently track the status of each invoice and easily resend emails or close accounts as needed.
How do I get Invoicing?
Existing customers: simply give us a call at 1-800-747-6883, tell us you want Invoicing, and we’ll turn it on for you! New customers: sign up today to get paid seven different ways.
Stay tuned for an updated version of PayHQ. Hint: think sweet aesthetics and improved functionality.

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications


text:
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed HB 2422 on an 8-0 vote Wednesday. It now goes to the full House for consideration.
Small robots could deliver groceries, take-out meals and other small items under regulations being considered by the Arizona Legislature.
The robots could travel on sidewalks and crosswalks like pedestrians. They would have to weigh less than 100 pounds without cargo and travel slower than 10 miles per hour, according to the proposal.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed the bill, House Bill 2422, on an 8-0 vote Wednesday. It now goes to the full House for consideration.
The sponsor, Rep. Kelly Townsend, R-Mesa, said she was inspired by delivery services she saw during a legislative conference last year in Boston.
She researched companies that provide such services in the U.S. and the handful of states that have passed legislation to allow it before crafting her own proposal.
"My opinion is that if you allow these machines and there is no regulation whatsoever, there is a potential for hazards with pedestrians on the streets, cars," Townsend said.
The bill allows "personal delivery device operators" to operate on sidewalks and crosswalks, and gives the devices, or robots, the same "rights and duties" as pedestrians.
Those rights mean the devices would be protected from drivers who hit them in crosswalks. The duties would mean they have to abide by traffic laws when crossing streets.
The bill also requires the operators to maintain at least $100,000 in liability insurance, and exempts the robots from motor-vehicle registration and insurance laws. Violators of the rules could face $500 fines.
One such robot owned by an Estonian company called Starship Technologies was at the Capitol for a demonstration. The six-wheeled, 50-pound robot rolled around the courtyard between the House and Senate at the Capitol as bystanders and schoolchildren on field trips gawked.
Starship has about 150 robots operating in the U.S., mostly running deliveries for DoorDash and Postmates delivery services in California and Washington, D.C. It also runs limited operations on a corporate campus in Silicon Valley, spokesman David Catania said.
The company has supported similar legislation in other states, including Virginia, Wisconsin, Florida, and Ohio, he said, adding that Starship would prefer to see legislation before approaching potential customers in Arizona.
"We don't want to be operating and asking for forgiveness," he said.
Townsend said she tried to write her legislation broad enough to not prohibit any of Starship's multiple competitors from coming to Arizona.
The robots can operate autonomously, much like self-driving cars operate on roadways. Workers can also monitor them to ensure they are on track and take control as they cross roadways. They have sensors to prevent running into people, Catania said.
Similar legislationadvanced last week in Utah. In December, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to require permits for delivery bots. Marble, a company similar to Starship with larger delivery robots, is based in that city.
Gov. Doug Ducey has previously said Arizona should remain open to new technologies without prohibitive regulations. He invited ride-share company Uber to bring its self-driving cars to Arizona without requiring any special permit or provide any public reporting of their activities.
But even with a permissive governor, Catania said Starship officials believe regulation is needed.
"Do you want a 500-pound device on your sidewalk with no speed limit?" he said.

industry_corpus2: Transportation


text: Rookie Brandon Lowe, who made his big league debut last August, has agreed to a $24 million, six-year contract with the Tampa Bay Rays. Lowe’s deal includes club options for 2025 and 2026 with escalatorsthat could make the agreement worth $49 million over eight seasons. The 24-year-old infielder and outfielder has just 58 days of major league service. Lowe joined the Rays on Aug. 4 and appeared in 43 games. From Aug. 15 on, he hit .273 with six homers and 25 RBIs in 37 games.


text:
Hahaione is the first valley in Hawaii Kai as one approaches from the Diamond Head direction. Just past Kuliouou, a left turn onto Hawaii Kai Drive and then another turn onto Pepeekeo Street or Hahaione Street brings you to Upper Hahaione.
Views of the ocean and Hahaione Valley are pleasing and the neighborhood is generally quiet. This is an upscale neighborhood and home prices start around $1 million.