#Asur 2 Ending Explained

[barksbog]

Isopod Table FAQ

how do you take care of the isopods and plants?

i can take the glass off it´s just layed on top and not really heavy. isopods also are very low maintance so are all the plants in there so i only really have to do this once a week

what isopods are that?

the isopods i keep in this table are Armadillium vulgare “magic potion”. A. vulgare are naturally just gray but these are a morph bred to have this specific color. they are very active isopods who don´t mind me knocking on the glass or putting things down.

are the isopods okay in there?

generally isopod care is very easy since they are detrivores and especially armadillium species prefer a dead leaf and rotting wood diet. don´t worry they won´t eat through the table they can only eat wood that has been claimed by fungus and become mushy! here is a great care sheet

i personally have been keeping isopods for the last 3 or 4 years and feel confident with this setup. i asure you i would never put any of my pets in a situation that is stressful for them!

wont the isopods eat the plants?

yes they will but Armadillium species are generally not as hungry for plants and other “fresh” food and prefer their leaves and wood. most of the plants are also just moss that i can easily replace or grow fast enough to not be concerned.

won´t they need air?

don´t worry there is ventilation. generally i prefer smaller ventilation area with isopods so humidity stays in better. they are crustaceans and actually breath through gills so you want to make sure their home is always damp. not soaked like a bog tho just damp like a natural forest floor!

can you explain how you built it?

i´m sorry but i likely won´t share a detailed step by step because i didn´t document it and i´m really not that skilled in carpentry so i think there are much better resources out there. the easy explaination is:

i got the main bodies wood custom cut, stained and painted it, sealed the outside with a few coats of clear paint, screwed it together.

than built the frame with the legs. 

stained that and all other brown parts.

in the mean time i sealed the inside with epoxy and let it cure. 

screwed the bottom to the top and put in the pond liner

added the brown side and top pieces

measured the final size and got the glass custom cut

put in the sidewalls made from black cork

set up the inside (more on that later)

put glass on top

this whole thing took me 2 months or so. time is a blurr in 2020 for everytone. it might be longer it was definetly a lot of work to even just gather all the material and i figured a lot out as i built it. it´s also built in a way that would probably make actual carpenters end me because i don´t have special tools i really just have a drill, jigsaw and some small hand saws.

okay can we talk about mold now. won´t it get moldy?

please look at this post i made just about mold and how the inside is set up:

https://spirellity.tumblr.com/post/623548985267961857/let-s-talk-about-mold

[prismy-sprout]

O&O Classes

Sci-Twilight Sparkle ⚙:

- Artificer: This class choice pretty much explains itself, Sci-Twi main attribute is having quite a handle when it comes to technology and creating gadgets, so playing a class that can create equipment and weapons it´s quite fitting.

- Wizard: Despite not being focused on magic as much as her Equestrian counterpart, she has a good understanding on how magic works on her dimension, making this class not that weird for her.

- Ranger: It´s a bit odd having a class that most of the time spents it´s time on the wilderness for a girl that pretty much lives on a lab, but, rangers can be seen as strategists aswell, by placing traps and gaining advantage over battlefield while staying on the back-line supporting her allies.

Pinkie Pie 🎈:

- Bard: Pinkie was born for being a bard, this class is designed to raise the party´s morale by the use of songs and rhythm, while also excelsing at roleplay moments such as getting their way by words and being overly charismatic.

- Cleric: Every adventurer party is always down to have a member that can keep them safe with healing and boosts, and since a safe party is a happy party, Pinkie is prone to doing things to make other people happy, so it wouldn´t be strange seeing her on this role.

- Barbarian: Barbarians are seen the most of times as unstoppable forces of anger and destruction, that mixed with Pinkie´s wild card-y and crazy attitude, can make for a small ball of anger and sheer hilarity.

Rarity 💎:

- Sorcerer: Sorcerers are pretty much like wizards, but instead of extensively studing the art of magic, they are naturally born with skills for using their disciplines, that fits Rarity in the sense that she got quite a lot of talent for what she does (fashion, as an example).

- Rogue: Not so much as the kind of rogues that she could consider as “ruffians” that go through the night pick-pocketing people and engaging on “dirty work”, but as the kind that with their high charisma are able to get valuable information from someone with a single conversation, or infiltrating on big events.

- Cleric: Some clerics are seen as part of the royalty and most of them uses gold accessories as part of their outfits, two things that Rarity totally has on her “favorite things” list.

Fluttershy 🦋:

- Druid: Fluttershy checks every single box on what a druid should be, since her first priority are the animals and nature itself, being able to communicate with them and even stopping their actions with “the stare”.

- Ranger: Rangers are like druids that take it upon themselves to protect the land on their own as forest keepers instead of only being part of the forces of nature, taking out her assertive side when needed.

- Cleric: Clerics have the main purpose to aid the injured, and Fluttershy being known for caring so much for her friends, it´s natural of her to be there to heal their wounds after an intense battle.

Applejack 🍎:

- Barbarian and Fighter: These 2 classes fall under the same category since they are all about going on the front-line and dealing a lot of damage to hordes of enemies, which fits to a strong girl such as AJ.

- Monk: Follows the same logic as Barbarian and Fighter, but, it has something else that would totally re-asure the idea of playing this class to AJ, and is the option of instead of using weapons, being able to fight with her bare hands, something that the user of the strenght geode might find as a good time.

- Paladin: Along with Fluttershy, AJ is the one from the Mane 7 who´s willing to put herself on the line if that means she´ll protect the party, but instead of protecting them by healing during the combat or at the end of it, she shields them, avoiding them of receiving any damage.

Rainbow Dash 🌈:

- Rogue: Having a natural rainbow colored hair is not the best attribute to go around without being noticed, but, who needs to go around sneaking when you are so fast and agile that no one nor their projectiles will be able to reach you or even strike you down.

- Ranger: It takes the agility from the rogue, and harnesses it to use a bow or a crossbow and strike down enemies that might be a problem to get from a close combat.

- Fighter: It takes the speed from the rogue, and put it on the front line by quickly taking on enemies and defeating them even before they have the chance to throw an attack of their own.

Sunset Shimmer 🔥:

- Warlock: Warlocks are seen most of the time like “bad guys” of the caster classes because their source of powers comes from selling their souls to a patron, which fits with Sunset´s past, BUT, it doesn´t mean that all warlocks has said conection with evil, such as the Feykind and Celestials, which fits to a redeemed Sunset.

- Fighter: Spell casting might be cool and all, but Sunset may not refuse the chance of instead of boringly stay on the backline where not that much happens, going out and fight sword to sword with hordes and hordes of enemies, where all the fun is.

- Paladin: It seems a bit like the other side of the coin considering her first class option is Warlock... because it is, but, Paladins are seen as wardens, and it fits perfectly to someone who bestowed upon herself the duty of stopping the magic leaking into her dimension.

Trixie Lulamoon 🔮:

- Wizard: She´s Trixie, therefore she´s obsessed with all that comes with magic, it being stage magic, or arcane magic.

- Sorcerer: Remember when I said that magic came to sorcerers just naturally? well, it´s quite fitting for someone who calls herself “great and powerful” to harness impresive magic skills.

- Warlock: Sometimes your own powers are not enough, so it doesn´t harm to take some powers from a source of questionable origins, like an amulet, right?

She might even multiclass all 3 and go all Wiz-cer-lock

(Trixie is pretty much the kind of friend who loves DMing)

Twilight Sparkle ✨:

- Wizard: Who´s the unicorn who has spend all of her life studing magic and even was granted to go beyond her limits and become an Alicorn? that would be Twilight, magic is her entire life, and so is wizard´s.

- Artificer: She might rely more on magic than anything else, but she clearly does not fall behind when it comes to technology, she even figured out how to keep the portal to the school yard permanently opened.

- Ranger: Same logic as Sci-Twi here.

[niall-the-churchboy]

The Better One ~ Louis Tomlinson x reader

In which Louis leave Y/n for her sister

Warnings: Kinda angsty

Word Count: 1.8K

Y/n had always been the overlooked sister, I mean, she could understand why, being the smallest of three girls made it hard to stand out. 

Her sisters were beyond unique and with extreme beauties, they were talented and intelligent and more than she could dream of ever being. And then, there was little Y/n, the one who always had to think twice before giving her opinion because she feared it would be wrong; the one who at the dinner table no one would hear what she had to say, sometimes even interrupting her mid-sentence; the one who everyone thought her suggestion on something was not reliable or useful. She wouldn’t dare to complain though, she had grew up with a silver spoon granted at her, and she was well aware of how privileged she was. 

However it didn’t take away the pain, and she felt guilty for that, what right did she have to complain when people all around the world didn’t have to eat? Or a comfy place to live in? So whenever someone --her friends even-- joked about her being the failure of the family she laughed along them and made it look as if it was funny. She knew they didn’t actually mean it --she was sweet and people loved being around her-- but it still hurt. 

She didn’t complain about her beauty, it was just a standard given by society, and she was happy with being ‘average’, but it killed her whenever someone would meet any of her two sisters and instantly comment on how beautiful they were. And their intelligence, Y/n could swear they knew almost everything, always had bright A’s and B’s without even trying. Unfortunately it wasn't her case, she had to study for weeks to ace an exam, try to memorise and understand the logic of every detail in every book. She knew she wasn’t the smartest --not that she was dumb either-- but comparing herself to her sisters made her mad. Was it too hard to give her a brain too?

She believes her mother noticed this repetitive comparison, maybe the countless of times her mother had overheard Y/n encouraging herself to keep on studying because her sisters would have had great marks, or the amount of times she had cached her own daughter glancing on the mirror, examining her nose or lips or face. 

“What are you doing?”, her mother had once asked when she found Y/n comparing her report card to her sisters’ ones. “Nothing! I’m sorry”, she apologised.

Apologise. She would always apologise for the tiniest of errors. “Y/n, it’s okay. It’s no big deal, you don’t need to apologise”, her mom would asure her but it just didn't sit right. 

Her parents were happy and eager when Y/n announced she would bring home her boyfriend for the holidays. In her short twenty-four years of life she had never had a boyfriend or a special someone, something that had also been different from her sisters’ teenage years. They where even more surprised when they found out it was no other than Louis Tomlinson himself. 

Louis and Y/n had met in an interview, she was asking him question about his new album like the professional reporter she was when all of a sudden he asked her out. 

“I’m sorry, I believe I didn’t hear you correctly”, she said brushing her hair behind her ear. Louis laughed, that charming laugh that would cause dimples in his cheeks and Y/n couldn't contain her blushing. My god! Why was she so dumb and awkward?!

“I asked if you would like to go out sometime, maybe go to a coffee place or to a bar...”, he asked again waiting for her to answer with a positive response. Y/n glanced at her coworkers who were filming them and the she looked back at Louis, “me? You want to go on a date with me?” Poor Y/n, she couldn’t believe it herself someone would invite her out, let alone a celebrity, she believed this was a twisted joke her mind was playing on her. 

“Yes. If you don’t want to I totally understand”, Louis was quick to answer. So she said yes, and she pinched herself during the whole date just to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

It was difficult for Y/n to open up, someone was suddenly asking for her opinions in certain things and questioning about her day, but Louis knew what he was getting himself into and truly believed she was worth it. It took Y/n a whole year and a half to bring Louis home, she was scared of him meeting her sisters and suddenly realising how little she had to offer. Obviously she would never tell him this and always excused herself saying they were very far away from her hometown.

The day would eventually come, and now there they were, standing at the door of her childhood house with a grip on their suitcases and tight coats against the cold December winter. “Y/n!”, Avery, the second child, greeted them with a christmas hat and a warm hug towards her little sister before welcoming them in. 

“Avery, this is Louis. Louis, this is Avery”, she said with a sweet smile as they shook hands. “Y/n, is that you, sweetheart?”, the cheerful voice of her mother reached her and Y/n felt herself grow happier, soon enough her mother was coming out of the living room with an eager look on her face. “Is this handsome man Louis?”, she continued to ask after hugging tightly her younger daughter. 

Louis liked being here, they didn’t seem to treat him like a celebrity and that made him feel normal for once, he wrapped his arms around Y/n’s waist as they sat on the dinner table that was already waiting for them with a big turkey. The table held all new faces for him, Y/n’s father who smiled proudly when asked who had cooked; Avery and her Husband, Chris, who was a Lawyer; and Y/n’s mother. 

“Where is Tessa?”, Y/n asked when everyone began serving themselves food. “Oh, Tessa wasn't feeling well. I believe she's asleep”, her mother answered her and Y/n ordered herself to remain happy even though she had a sad feeling forming on her chest. 

Tessa and Y/n didn't have the brightest of relationships, Tessa had always been somewhat mean towards Y/n and the younger sibling had never know why. When she was eight she came to the conclusion that her sister hated her, Y/n tried everything to become part of Tessa’s white list but the task seemed impossible. So she kept her head down low and sinked in the words her sister would tell her because she clearly had done something wrong and she had to pay the price of it. 

“Oh...”, Y/n made a pregnant pause, a year had gone by since she last saw her sister, why would Tessa prolong their reunion even further?, “I’ll be sure to go say hi to her when we finish eating.”

“That won’t be needed”, all eyes fell on the women who walked down the stairs with sturdy long legs, hair curled perfectly and her face completely clean even though she didn't have a single drop of make up on. Y/n felt Louis hand fall from her waist. 

“Tessa, is so nice to see you again”, Y/n stood up from her chair and went to greet her sister. “Good to see you too, Y/n”, the older one answered looking at her right in the eye. “Em, sorry, this is Louis”, Y/n continued to present her boyfriend after a quick hug. 

“Nice to meet you, Louis.”

-----

Their connection was almost instant and Y/n hated herself for it. Tessa had recently divorced and Louis seemed like the perfect distraction. However, Louis grew interested in his girlfriend’s sister. They both had the same age, so it instantly gave them more similarities; they liked football, a sport Y/n never really understood; and a special chemistry between them that Y/n had never experienced ever in her life. 

Y/n became more impatient for the two weeks to end so she and Louis could go back home and escape her sister’s seductive stares. But Y/n knew, she knew her time was running out when Louis barely spent time with her and began replacing her with Tessa. Both Avery and her mother attempted to keep Y/n occupied with other things, but the reality was that no one knew what to do. 

She was taking the garbage out when she spot them, it took her almost five seconds to realise that it was in fact his boyfriend kissing his sister, that’s when she knew it was over. Her stupid, little to offer self had lost again, this time however, the only person who actually listened to her. So she went back inside and told herself that she should leave because who was she to ruin their love? She wanted them to be happy, and if they needed each other to achieve that she would have to move from their way, even if it hurt her in the process. 

The sun had already set and it was snowing when she told Louis. She had asked him to go outside to talk for a little while and he had agreed with an irritated look on his face.

“I bought an airplane ticket to leave at dawn”, was the first thing she said. 

“What? Why would you do that?”, Louis asked as anger began stirring in his insides, they didn't leave until three more days and christmas was still to arrive! Y/n cupped her hands together as she tried not to cry, she wasn't allowed to cry. 

“I only bought one, for me. You should stay here with Tessa and my family, I don’t want to damage things for you”, she explained sighing. It was hard to let go. 

Louis knew instantly what she was talking about, she knew. Maybe they hadn't been as careful as they thought, but he wasn't sorry --probably just a little that he had broke Y/n on the process, but he knew she would get over it--, he wanted Tessa, he loved Tessa. 

“I’m really sorry, Louis”, Y/n said. What was she apologising for? Oh well, she had forgot. “I won’t ruin things anymore. I’ll leave and grab my things back at home, it will be like I was never even there, I promise.” She felt angry at herself for letting tears spill from her eyes, “I’m sorry. I’ll leave now, thanks for everything Louis.”

Indeed she left, with barely an explanation towards her family and a shuttered heart. Don’t they say goodbyes are the hardest? And Y/n knows that what comes always goes.

--------------

I feel sad for Y/n and mad at both Tessa and Louis! I think she deserves a better ending, what do you guys think? 

Part 2 is here

[rhodochrosite-love]

@prepare-yourself asked: Can you explain Aizawas and Ikumis kids quirks?

Certainly!

Haruto - It’s just like his dad’s... only he can hold it for longer, and he doesn’t have to blink for the effects to end.  It’s set to a sort of timer, and it usually lasts for around 1-2 minutes.

Rikku - When she makes eye contact with people, diamond grows over their eyes.  The effect ends when she is no longer looking at her opponent or she blinks.

Shin’Ichi - His quirk allows him to create sentient marble animals.  He’s able to see through their eyes as well, which is great for stealth attacks.

Aiko - Breathes Quartz shards like fire.  Drawbacks include possible throat damage.

Yusha - His body can mimic a crystal sheen, but it is simply appearance, he does not retain the hardness of real crystal.  

With Taisetsuna’s Ore-asure, it is a lot like her moms Crystallize, where she forms crystal, but when she cuts someone, she temporarily erases their quirk!

I hope the doodles helped, and tysm for asking about them!

[twinfanfics]

The tale of the three head beast. The marching fishes (20/21)

WE ARE BACK!! 

Fandom: Digimon GoT au.

Charaters: All the choosen children from Adventure, 02, Tamer and sometimes Frontier. 

Ships: Taiyama, Joumi, Daiken, Takary, TakatoxYuri, RikaxRyo . . . 

Second part of the tale of the three head beast series, you can read the first part The chosen children Here and here, or look for the tag  3t3hb  on this blog.

Resume: Three years had pased since Taichi won the hand of princess Sora and both get crowned King and Queen of the living land, now they must faced the duty of the monarchs, but the King is must worried about cover his affair with the royal guard. The war started on the Honest Island, does the King Joe would manage it?. Mean while at the other side of the sea Takato and Ruki stronger their forces.

And you can read all past chapters of the marching fishes in the links below or in AO3

ACT 1. ESCENE 1: THE RAIN

ACT 1. ESCENE 2: THE WILL  

ACT 1. ESCENE 3: THE TRIP

ACT 1. ESCENE 4:THE SON

ACT 2. SCENE 1: THE ARRIVAL

ACT 2. SCENE 2: BROTHERHOOD

ACT 2. SCENE 3: MOTHER | **warning suicide attempt**

ACT 2. SCENE 4: THE BATTLE OF THE IKKAKU ISLAND

ACT 3. SCENE 1: THE INTERROGATION

ACT 3. ESCENE 2:  DELIVERY

ACT 3. ESCENE 3: RED DRESS

ACT 4. ESCENE 1:TRIAL

ACT 4. ESCENE 2: THE SAINT QUEEN

ACT 4. ESCENE 3:THE SPY

ACT 4. ESCENE 4: INTRUDERS

ACT 4: SCENE 5: THE BROKEN SWORD

ACT 5: SCENE 1: THE WIDOW

ACT 5: SCENE 2: WELCOME HOME

ACT 5 : SCENE 3: FAITH

ACT 5: SCENE 4: LIONHEART  (Chapter after the cut)

“Why?” the old man ask as soon as the knife penetrate his skin, the surprise take all the strench that remains on his body, he didn't fight, he didn't scream, he just repeat “Why?” 

But Henry didn't answered  to his corpse, he left the room of his former allie as quiet as he entered, he has a fair mision, not good or noble, but fair. 

Kill the spies, prove his loyalty, serve the King 

The death of the counselor was  scandalous; a member of the court stabbed on his own bedroom;  all the castle shake with fear, everybody talked about the  silver knife nail over the body and the beautiful symbol engraved on the handle: a  flower with diamonds as petals, the symbol of the light 

The king was there when Henry inspected the room, he, the trusty adviser, the wiser; the one in charge of investigate his own crime, Takato really was that naive, kill him would be so easy. 

To be fair, Henry had not be his first choice, Takato instanly search for Ruki, but she denied it, is the work of a coward  she said pretending to know nothing, what an amazing liar. 

Gallant lick the blood of the carpet before it could be clean it and  the Lion buried the body and burn all of the gathering. 

In all the palace no one cried the dead of counselor as the Queen, such a crime was no common on Piramide, they were used to fights at coliseum, the honor to die with your opponent in front of you; but for Takato, raised on the old temple, a childhood on the cult, killing on the dark was expected; he fails at comforting his wife. 

The lion carried her around the castle, throwing suspicious and curses to anyone who come closer, doing the job he had done all his life: be the champion of the Queen.

 “Is the work of your enemies your majesty” Henry Wong asure kneeling in front of the King and Queen 

“How?” Takato tried to look compose and fails “How did they surpass our defenses?” 

“and why him? “ Yuri  as usually asked the questions that Takato would never ask “Why send an  from a old man when the Queen and KIng live in the same castle?” 

“I don't know” he standed up and spoke calm and slowly   “But i promise i will found out” 

“Tenemos que prepararnos” the queen continues “we must reinforce the castle, bend the guard…” Lion was beside her, nodding with his head after every order 

“Momantai” 

“Excuse me?” 

“Momantai” he repeat “Is mean no te preocupes” he turns to Takato “Not to worry” 

“How i cannot be worried if a man is killed in my own castle” Yuri yells, send wàs so little,he could take her down with no effort; The Lion standed up.

“Because that man was a target” still serene he continues “ just think about it, someone entered the castle and only attack an old council, not you or the King, my guess is that is personal, not only that, my thought is that no one really break into the castle, it was an inside job” 

He felt Ruki eyes over him, the entire court gasped, the queen sobed

“the guards saw nothing, the lock was not forced, there was no sign of a fight, the murderer was someone the council knew, someone he trusted, the murderer is a member of this castle, probably a spy from the light” 

The gasp became a scream, and the sob became tears 

“And you tell me not to worried about it?” 

“Gallant is with you all the time,  the Lion protect the Queen, and now that we are aware of this spy he or she would not be able to act without been caught”  he bow “Momantai” and excuse himself out of the audience. 

“Are you out of your mind?”  Ruki follow him  “what is wrong with you?” 

“the best lies are the ones who begins with the true” 

“Don't mess with me Wong!” she come closer “just tell me who the others spies are and i would handle it! this is way out of you control!” 

“Wong!” another figure run to them 

“Hide”  

“I don't take orders from you!” 

“Just do it!” and very much to her regret she obeyed

“Wong!” a man approached to him, he was sweating despite the cold weather “Wong! we need to talk, the counselor! what you said¡” the man searched for a safe place to speak “ are we in danger?” 

Ruki recognized him as one of the guard

“listen” a little tremble on his voice, subtle and fake “my hope is that whoever is behind this crime would panic after my declaration, I only act by the command of the alchemist” 

“Did you speak with him?” both men whispered but Ruki was able to listen  “What did he said?” 

“What I need to know, I told you, I merely  follow his instructions” one hand over his shoulder “I trust in his guide, if my purpose is to die for the light, then it will be” 

The man become a young boy at his words 

“Yes, yes of course” he mumble “I, i think the same, i just… im use to the life in this city” 

“Are you coming outside of the light my friend?” 

“No! of course not, im sorry for bothering you is just.. i have doubs” 

“Doubs about the true of the light or about our lider? 

 the fear on his face was enough  answer

Ruki come out of her hide at the same time he running away 

“Nervous men make stupid mistakes” 

“Dont lecture me” she was not convince “this is gonna explode in your face, let me help you” 

“You are helping” he sigh “The king would recognize your murder technique in an instant, I´ll do it, one by one until the last one snap” 

“or you…” 

“I´m calm” he breath, exasperate “I´m in control” even when he was thinking in a millions ways of break her neck

Ruki look at him with her big menacing eyes “Koushiro train you well” 

“I never told you he was my teacher” 

“You didn't have to” but she pause, as  if she was afraid “don't forget why are we doing this, our goal” and she look back at the throne room, the King smile as he talk and welcome the audiences, the light shine over Takato crown making him look almost divine “Only a child of the sun must reight over the living land” 

“For the glory of the house of courage” 

 “For the glory of the house of courage!” she repeat, hoping that he knew what he was doing, hoping that trust in him would not be as disastrous as it was trusting his teacher.

That night the archers of the wall shoot the guard who tried to escape at the middle of the night.  

Two days later one of the maids  throw herself from one window 

One of the gardeners was found floating on the south fountain one week later 

His work was almost done, one last victim and it would be over. 

He called him to met on the garden at dawn, at diference of the others this time they will fight, Henry will won, then he will drag his corpse to the King chamber claiming that he was the perpetrator, ending all doubs over his persona and bringing peace at the castle. 

The last spy  appear at dawn, as planning,  sweating and at the edge of tears, the oldest sidesman of the castle. Henry feel the rush on his blood, still he remains calm. 

“My friend” he said with a smile, barely controlling his excitement “i´m so happy that  you come to me in this our darkest moment” 

 “I´m sorry” he barely whisper,  something was wrong

Another figure emerged between the leaves, tall as a three, strong and proud, The lion looked at him as you can only see the traitors 

“se terminó Wong” he roar 

“Dear light” he turn to the old man “What had you done?” 

“The right thing my friend” his grind was peacefully but twisted “ the right thing” 

 “You…” Henry rush   “You old snitch” 

“hard words on the mouth of a spy” the Lion was still there, with his old chain and ball “I didn't want to believe it” 

“but is true” the sideman step back as he talked “ Wong is the one who communicate with the great alchemist, he had been an informant for him since before the King even married our queen” 

“As same as you!” 

“but he come to me with the true, he regret his past  and swear the rest of his life in favor of Piramide” 

“I´m in favor of Piramide!” Henry need to thing faser, “I´m purging all the light of this city” 

“All except you” 

“That was not...!” 

“Liar!” the heavy chain hit the floor, Henry need to act, The lion would not fail a second time. 

He need a strategy, a way out, he need to focus, to think, he would not follow into dispair; the firmest tree is the only one that can stand the storm 

“I´m not following the orders of the alquemist…” he said trying to stay calm 

“You called this man to murder him, just as you had murder so many others, you attack them from the back and  set them up as accidents, rejecting the honorable pat of a true warrior, do you denied those crimes?” 

“No, but listen…” if only he could explain 

“You lied about your loyalties, you share the secrets of the crown with their enemies” 

“I´m loyal to the king!” his plea sound empty “My only concern is the safety of the King!” 

The lion speak since his hearth “And i only live to protect my Queen” 

The queen, the fragile girl who cried with every dead, and those tears where his sentence, the Lion would kill him for bringing pain to  the monarch 

Even then, he keep breathing, he search for an exit, a distraction, an opportunity 

But then he hear the laugh of the sideman, his bitter utterly obnoxious laugh, suddenly it's fill all his thoughts, all his mind, the mocking of a buffon; he didn't care for the King, or the Kingdom or the magic or the Courage, he was a man manipulating the true to his benefit; Henry get mad at seen at him, not for the imminent death but for how much he could see himself in that elder. 

The calm before the storm was over. . . 

“Wong! Henry stop!” The hand of Ruki hold his wrist, he drop the chain and the ball fall to a pool  of blood,  his eyesight was blurry, his coat was dyed red, to his right the inert body of the old man lay on the ground “What are you doing?” 

What was he doing?

Breath… breath…  he remains  himself and stand up, the ground feel warm, under him layed another body, in horror he saw the lion heads crush on the floor, more than fourteen stabs on his back, with total security injuries perpetrated by his hand

“It's dawning, come on Wong, we have to clean up this disaster”

“Its to late” he remain inmobil, perplexe by the unspoken crimes, soon screams shocked the wind around him, the life in the palace begins early. 

A monster roar, the King was near and he was covered in rot and violence, he did not stand the storm, he was the storm. 

“Run!” Ruki commanded at the same time that she throw over him a dark water.  And what else he could do. 

Henry jumped and ran the faster, the monsters of the King would smell the blood and start follow him at any second. But they didn’t, Henry saw the dark shadow of Ruki colecting every drop of blood that fall from his body. The warrior didn´t stop until the water of the sea had cover him to head to toe. When the shadow of Ruki let him he stayed under the ocean, hopping for the salt water to clean his concience and clean his doubs. He noticed that he still had the heavy weapon of León on his hand, it was drowing him at the deptest of the blue. Henry colected his stregnth  and get out of the water.

The King watch horrified. The corpses of Leon and the old coin advisor were on the floor. There was blood and human parts all over the place. 

“It must had been an ugly battle” Ruki said 

“What?” Takato asked incredulous “Why León would fight an old man?”

“He was obviusly hidden his force, but they kill each other, that is clear” Ruki spoke with force and saw how Takato believed her “we found our killer”

“What?” the child repeated

“One of them was the killer and the other his last victim” 

A heartrending scream cut the conversation. 

Takato turned over himself and hold his trembling wife. 

“León!” The Queen cry and scream as she fallen over the corpse of his protector. 

The King hold her. The three sauros get together and howl. Ruki commanded the guard and get shure to clean everything. 

The murders stopped and for three months the castle cover its standar of black. The Queen stopped to cry a week after the body was buried, but she wasn’t talking anymore. The King hold her hand and talk to her, but her eyes failed to look at him. 

The Queen versed over herself and The King versed over her pale Queen. 

The throne of Piramide was weak.

[asylum-miniatures]

Session 25 - Deeper Darkness

This week Vex couldn’t unfortunately make it, so this session we are playing without her and vex is just following as an observer.  I guess the adventures of Vex and Ozzy Ozbear (she named the bear Ozzy Ozbear) will have to be put on hold for now.

Part 1, a possible lead

Since last week we had all been getting exited about our plans.  The GM decides to throw a spanner in the works.  We get approached by Ninja-san and a new guy.  He’s quickly introduced as the royal spymaster Lennard.  At this point, I’m actually missing “Noun Verb-Noun” naming convention.  He explains that he’s had reports of something happening in the ruins outside of town.  He’s already sent some of his own people to investigate, but they haven’t returned so something is really wrong there.  We all start asking questions about the mission, but I feel my questions about “how important are these ruins” – AKA just have draspher blow them up – were the most pertinent.  He explains that he thinks they might have something to do with the coup, so he wants us to go and investigate, hopefully finding more leads for us to go on.

We head back to the barracks to gear up and roll initiative.  We decide the best plan is to get close then recharge using telons swift sleep speel.  We head out of the city towards the location marked and review what we know.  Four different people went in independently: a fighter named Talgen, the Wizard Aharwyn, a paladin called Sir Bradford and a ranger called Karakas.  Over the last four days they were all sent to investigate, and none of them have been heard from since.  We head east out of the city and eventually start finding large pillars by the roadside just as it goes by a large Ravine.  Its pretty big, several miles long, 30’ wide and so deep we can’t see the bottom in the darkness.  Its along here that the map points us, or to be more accurate its down IN the Ravine. We initially send Mee down to investigate and he rolls a natural 20.   We quickly ask draspher if he needs a light spell, he asures us that he has dancing lights, he’ll be fine.  We then argue about how exactly dancing lights works and how far it can go, but it’s all rendered mute when he gets down there and draspher points out he has darkvision:

Jaune – then why did he need dancing lights?

Mee spots a knotted rope going down to a sandy platform 80’.  While the rest of us argue how to get down (draspher volunteers to go down first, Ocelot suggests the people with cat boots jump down and I still say we bomb the canyon and bury them) Yolan notices the pillars have lots of graffiti.  A quick check he realises that there dwarfen runes, all giving general warnings to stay away.

Part 2, down into the dark

We finally decide to go down the rope, first Telon, then me, then draspher, then Ocelot and finally Yolan (he stayed behind to keep casting guidance on everyone to help with climb rolls).  Luckily, we all make it down safely.  Looking around we notice the bones of small animals dotted around the place.  We quickly spot a set of stairs going down in the dark.  Ocelot picks up a rock and, after getting someone to cast a light spell on it, he tosses it down.  It makes a few bounces before going down a crack but its enough to see several staircases going back and fourth down the side of the ravine. Before our arguments about the best course of action gets too far Telon spots footprints going down the stairs in the sand and goes down himself.  We go down in the order of Telon first, then Myself, draspher, Ocelot then Yolan at the back.  

As we go down, we start hearing a squeaking/hissing sound coming from somewhere around us.  Suddenly a shape leaps out at Telon at front, one comes out of the wall by me and draspher and a third from behind attacking Yolan.  Yolan immediately identifies it as a dire rat.  Not that it really matters, one activation of a destruction judgement and a swing of 11 damage leaves it a smear on the floor.  draspher follows up by firing an adhesive spittle and rolling a one.  I somehow manage to dodge out of the way on a narrow staircase.  Fortunately, Ocelot blows the rat away before draspher can try to kill me by “helping” more.  Telon up front shows off why he’s the group muscle by smacking a rat with a vital strike for 17 damage.  So much for that encounter.

With that done, I get to the most vital job.  Slapping draspher for nearly hitting me with his spells AGAIN.  He responds with a joke about being thankful he didn’t throw out a burning hands or fireball.  I tell him that if he pulls that crap again, I’ll throw him over the edge, and for good measure take the scroll of feather fall he’s been boasting about first.  We go down the stairs, and Yolan ends up slipping up on the loose sand and stumbles onto the guard rail.  Unfortunately, an ageing guard rail can’t hold up a figure wearing plate mail and it snaps like matchsticks.  Ocelot makes a risky jump down to grab on him, but he just can’t hold his weight and Yolan drops.  This means he has a first row seat to seeing Yolan tumble down to the bottom, taking 16 points of damage:

Ocelot – are you ok?

Telon – I’ve had worse, but this is not my proudest moment

Looking out, Ocelot catches sight of a steeple off in the darkness, and the vague shape of some kind of fortress dug into the rock.  Seeing this, he scrambles down the rest of the stairs to catch up with Yolan. Telon jumps straight down with his boots of the cat, while I combine my own set with a graceful leap to only take 1 damage from the fall, and draspher decides against taking the tricky climb to instead dimensional door straight to the bottom.

Now we are all down the bottom, which is to say Ocelot is actually on the staircase while the rest of us have landed behind it, we take a look around.  We are in a small courtyard just outside of some kind of Battlement.  Judging by the look of it, it must have been above ground on the surface before sinking to the bottom of the ravine.  Telon decides to try and bypass our usual arguing and goes straight for the door.  He is rewarded for his forward thinking attitude with a trap door at his feet, falling 20’ into a pit for a grand total of 2 damage.  Pulling himself up, he checked out his new surroundings.  At least he’s not alone down there, he’s got a couple of skelitons and a dead goblin with him to keep him company.  I quickly go help him out with a rope, and Yolan comes to actually pull him out, on account of my abysmal strength.  Of all people, its draspher who checks for and realises that theirs’s something moving down there (aside from Telon).  Telon turns just in time to see a dwarf skeleton moving slightly.  Suddenly something springs at him from his eye socketed, ANOTHER RAT!  Too bad for it, Telon is still in metal armour, and his sneak attack does nothing.  Luckily Ocelot runs over and opens fire.  Unluckily his gun immediately jams on the first shot.  It was all for nothing anyway as Telon literally just smushes it with 15 damage against a wall.  I disable the trapdoor, keeping it open while the others keep watch.  Ocelot hears something in the rubble surrounding them.  Looking closer, he can see that there are multiple rats moving throught the rubble, we might want to leave this area at some point soon.  Yolan finally finish pulling Ocelot up, and a quick examination of the trapdoor hole shows a small ledge we can use to get into the door.  While Ocleot fixes his gun, I disable the door and back off, as drasher uses mage hand to open the door.  

Part 3, the investigation begins

We move in to see the scene of a fight long past.  Three goblin bodies lining the walls, one of them pinned to the wall with a spear.  Telon leaps the pit and takes a closer look.  The room has two doors leading further in, and a fourth body that was previously out of sight.  He takes a quick look at the spear impaled one and realises the spear was thrown with incredible strength.  I jump over the pit as well (not one to be shown up) and I quickly realise, with what the GM calls my “ninja-senses” I realise there is a hidden door in the wall, which I immediately investigate.  Yolan goes across the pit on the safe part as “he’s happy with the size of HIS penis”, and goes to the right door, finding a blank corridor.

draspher announces “Mee and I have a plan”.  This immediately upsets Telon – not the fact he has a plan, he’s upset that that sentence is grammatically correct, and it really shouldn’t be.  He then comes out from under the stairs, shocking the GM that he never moved out from under there and laments he hadn’t realised as he would have had him be eaten by rats.  He immediately tries to pull the spear out of the wall with mage hand, but even with Mee helping he fails to move it.  Ocelot goes in and prepares to shoot anything coming into the room from the outside.  He then reluctantly adds a stipulation that he won’t shoot draspher (I think a part of all of us was disappointed he added that).  Telon goes to the other door and checks it out. He sees a corridor with another door down with a stone dragon statue next to it, and the corridor is blocked off by collapsed with rubble.  

I check the secret door, and realise the thing has a needle trap hooked up to the keyhole.  I disable the trap and I realise that the poison on said needle has long evaporated.  I open the door, and see the skeletons of three archers.  Three skeletons that don’t stay still, but instead jump up and attack me.  The first lashes at me but doesn’t stand a chance of hitting me.  The second tries to grab me, but I dive back just in time.  Ocelot immediately see me dive back and puts a bullet in the new head that appears, hitting for 13 damage and dropping it as his head turns mostly to dust.  Yolan moves up to the gap I left, and smashes one with his Morning star for 15 damage, leaving him without a head and dropping him instantly.  draspher, like any good party member should, ignores the fight and starts casting identify to figure out what the spear is.  Ocelot decides to secure the prerminter and closes the door behind draspher, just in time as he hears screeching and scuttling approaching the door.

Telon goes down the corridor he found (he’s deaf, so he can’t hear us.  That’s his reason/excuse for not coming) and examines the door and statue.  He finds a keyhole in its mouth, figuring that must be the mechanism that opens the door.  He’s so intent on examining it, he doesn’t notice the creature attacking him from behind. His first realisation is the feeling of teeth breaking on his iron boots.  He turns to see the rat nursing its jaw.  He just gives it a boot, smearing its guts over his boot and the wall.

Meanwhile I, like any good leader, immediately retreat from the attacking skeletons, and go behind my personal meat shield aka draspher.  This is so that I am not between the spellcaster and the things that need to die (or at least that’s my excuse on the official report, truth is I don’t want to get hit, and by this point I honestly don’t care what happens to him).  Yolan moves further into the room and quickly identifies that it as a skeleton, and tires to kill it with a bane strike.  Unfortunately, with a roll of 1 he misses and gets his Morningstar stuck in the wall.   Unfortunately, said meat shield decides to just go and help Telon with the door, figuring we’ve got the skeletons covered.  Ocelot moves in for an angle on the skeleton that’s attacking Yolan, and he gets to a point where he has a 50/50 chance to hit.  He manages to hit it for 7 damage killing it.  He then follows on his highest priority, and yells to Yolan “any decent loot?”.  Yolan checks, and with a natural 20 he finds 16 silver pieces, 9 gold pieces and each skeleton had a +1 crossbow bolt each.  He gathers it up and then goes to put an alarm on the door, just in case something tries to get in.

Part 4, advancing to future failure

As there finishing off, I decide to check out the other corridor.  Since it’s a big table, I make the mistake of letting Yolan move my mini.  This is the last time I make this mistake.  I go down, lighting a torch to light the way.  I get about half way down the corridor before I walk into something that smothers my torch.  It then eats my torch.  It then eats my arm.  It then eats me.

Luckily, while Yolan retrieves his mace, he notices the light in my corridor disappear, and goes to investigate.  He notices a shape making its way down the entire hallway, and a blurry shape in the middle.  With a chill down his back, he realises what it is, and shouts out “A cube just ate Jaune”.  Yup, I walked into a transparent gelatinous cube.  At the same time, draspher hears a noise from that direction, and comments to Telon:

draspher – I hear something, should we investigate?

Telon – you can, I have a key to find

So draspher runs out of the corridor, through the room and next to Yolan. As we point out, he’s managed to move into range to be eaten next turn.  Ocelot contributes by moving into range and tossing a grenade into the slime. Ocelot moves up, throws grenade in, uses precise blast to exclude me from getting hit.  He deals 9 damage to it, but it’s not enough to free me.  Meanwhile I fail my fortitude save and take 10 damage.  I am also paralysed for the next 7 rounds.

The slime notices more people come into to corridor and decides to eat them too.  It surges down the corridor, pushing Yolan and draspher out of the room by it’s sheer mass.  It then starts forcing it’s way through the doorframe to try and slam draspher.  Telon feels the bomb detonation and the slime impacting the doorway, so comes out the corridor to yell at the three stooge’s  

Telon – what are you idiots doing?

Ocelot – [signs at telon] something is eating jaune

This is enough to motivate him to help, so he goes over to pull draspher out of the way of the slime.  Draspher rolls a natural 20 to realise what he’s doing, disappointed as he was planning on burning me out with burning hands.  Once again, I am so thankful that Telon is here.  I can’t do anything except for check for traps in the slime.  The only thing I can to is argue what’s getting damaged by the acid I’m stuck in.  In the end we decide the only thing that’s really going to be damaged are my clothes.

Yolan yells out “Jaune, close your eyes.  I hear him, but am still completely paralysed, so I can’t even close them.  Yolan blasts the slime with a searing light spell for 18 damage.  Its now damaged to the point its no longer a cube.  Draspher follows up with a burning hands spell, burning it for 16 damage, and Ocelot tries to let loose, but it misfires, then has a near misfire which would have caused it explode.  Fortunately, its enough damage to cause it to fall apart.  The good news is that I’m free, the bad news is now I’m face down in a puddle of slime.

Part 5, water way to go

Now that’s the dangers over, Telon’s going back to figuring out the door.  He tells Yolan to deal with the healing while he looks for the key, with no luck.  I still can’t move, and takes another 10 damage from the acid I’m covered in.  Yolan pulls me out of the puddle, then gets to casting restoration which manages to remove my paralysis, while draspher cleans me up and Ocelot scoops up some of the slime to experiment with.  Once I’m up Telon yells at me to unlock the door for him and I go far more cautious about the dangers of this place, so I drag Yolan with as a bodyguard.  I’m still shaken from the slime, so I end up rolling a natural 1.  I decide it’s safer to just take my time and take 20.  

While I struggle with the lock Ocelot fixes his gun.  I also take a second to realise my “ninja-blade” is showing so I use my sleeves of many garments to get a change of clothes.  After much trying I find it’s no good, I can’t break the arcane lock, we’re going to need the key.   Ocelot gets bored of this nonsense with the door and goes down the slime-freed corridor and finds the first door on the left, choosing to just kick it down.  Yolan leave me (Traitor, your supposed to be my bodyguard) to help Ocelot, checking the door on the right to find just an empty room.  

After failing to kick it down, Ocelot takes note of the door.  Like the previous door, it has a stone relief but this one is shaped like some kind of dragon/fish creature.  He calls me over, and I try my luck with this door, finding it easy to crack.  Howerver, after my experience with the slime I back off and tell Yolan to open the door as I’m not risking it.  He does and finds a large metal keg, with pipes going up into the ceiling from it.  Ocelot takes a look as well and believes it must be the old castle water reserve.   Checking it over he taps it and finds its still full of water, and the top is blocked by some kind of metal bung that’s so rusted over he might be able to break it open.  He asks Yolan for help, but he just passes the buck onto Telon.

With a single swing, Telon smacks the bung apart with the butt of his weapon, and water spills everywhere.  Telon quickly checks the water flowing everywhere, but its not poisioned.  In face its in pretty good quality considering how long it must have been in there.  The pipe starts making an awful rattling as the water pours out, way too loud to just be water pouring out, even as the force increases.  Soon the entire corridor is filled with water and we have difficulty moving through it.  Then a creature makes its way out of the pipe.  

With an angry scream it fires a cone of acid, hitting everyone (except for me hiding well out of the way in the corridor), Ocelot dodging out of the way for half damage taking 4 while everyone else takes 9.  I take a look and decide the corridor is too crowded for me to go down, so I leave it to the others for now.  Yolan realises it’s a water Mephit and shouts out a warning that only magic can affect it.  draspher casts haste on us to speed us up, and Yolan uses another searing light, hitting it for 17 damage.  Telon then gets his turn, and slashes it twice beheading the creature with 25 damage and is quickly disintegrates into water, seeing it leave behind 5 small sapphire he grabs.  This also causes the water to stop flowing like crazy.  Yolan heals up telon while Ocleot checks out the empty room finding nothing.  He does realise it would be a perfect place to set up a camp for the night.  We decide to leave it there before taking the stairs up to the next level.

Embarrassments to the guild – 5, the bear, draspher getting mugged, draspher growing antlers in a magic school, meeting the king (2), falling down a pit,   Jaunes brave advances towards future victory – 11, when jess attacked in the night, the barn, the demons, the fear from Anubis and running from the dust jackal, the fight in the Whitewater compound both at the start and at the end (2), escaping the killer clockwork to talk down lady Ezrisha, at the end of the first training mission, going to get the guards rather than help with the poisoner, from the skeletons Times draspher did good – 3, The enlarge person spell, taking out a dragon, mending train tracks   Times draspher did bad – 7, ghost sounds through the glass window he had previously been told was too thick, nearly giving away the groups connection to southwater to a complete stranger, the antlers, getting mugged, announcing he was mugged by kids, announcing he was going after kids to beat the crap out of them, nearly hitting me with adhesive spittle AGAIN   Team members drilled over – 10, Vex getting shot in the back, Yolan getting a dragon dropped on him, draspher and Yolans spells backfiring, draspher getting mugged, Telon down a hole, I find a secret door filled with skeletons,  getting eaten by a slime, ocelot misfires (2) Terms confused/forgotten – 4.5, the guild name, the fact we had papers (.5), the collages, the tournament name, mr Quinn link

[labfeed]

Boost Your Time Management Thinking Differently

Think Differently About How You Use Your Time

Getting things done continues to be an overwhelming challenge for most small business owners. Sometimes, the list of tasks seems to be beyond attainable and appears to have no end! It’s not that these things don’t have merit or that someone important is asking you for them, it’s just that there’s not enough time in the day- right?

Reading Suggestion: Why Business Revenue Planning Can Boost Your Bottom Line

Tradition Time Management Can be Detrimental to a Small Business Owner

Time management approaches have been sout after by small business owners for decades. The whole industry reached a ground swell about 20 years ago with the advent of the Franklin planner, the Day Timer and a while host of other systems to capture the focus (and investment) of busines people everywhere.

Unfortuneately, none of these systems really changed the small business owner’s ability to make better use of the time they have or get better results from the businesses they own. Why… because time management as a concept is an illusion! You only have so much time and it cannot be managed like others things because you can’t stop it, reserve it or allocate it to someone else. It’s the most valuable resource you have and you can’t replace what you lose or make more if you waste it.

What does work is the concept of knowing what you need to spend time on that produces the greatest return in your business. Get really clear about what you should be doing to drive revenue, attract more of your best clients and let others do the things that are not your best fit. Let me explain-

Joseph M. Juran was on to something

There’s a universal concept called the Pareto Principle. You may know it as the 80/20 rule. It was first introduced into business by business management expert- Joseph M. Juran and named after Vilfredo Pareto. Simply put, 80% of all activity, results, accomplishments, etc come from 20% of the source.

If you belong to a networking group, chances are that 80% of the work is being done by 20% of the members. In the retail grocery business, 80% of a store’s volume comes from 20% of the item selection. And, in most businesses, 80% of your revenues come from 20% of your clients. Likewise, 80% of your profits come from 20% of your product or service offerings.

Juran observed that Vilfredo Perato’s principle had application in the business world as well. In just about all business situations, you can apply this principle. It’s as dependable as gravity! But what does it mean for using your time better?

It’s About Focusing on Results

In most traditional time management systems, much of the focus goes to managing your schedule. Although priority is given to tasks, the main priciple involves getting more done in a given day or week. Unless the business owner has objectively assessed where their revenue, clients and profits come from, there’s no asurance that the things you schedule are the right things for you to be engaged in. As an example, if book keeping is a low prioity task and something you are not good at, why even spend time on it. The best thing you could do is outsource it.

Look at your business and using the Pareto Principle, write down the activities that will produce 80% of the results that grow your bsuiness. If you missed ‘sales and marketing’, you should rethink your business approach. Sales and marketing are the only activities that generate revenue. Everything else (although important to some degree) is an expense. And when it comes to generating the needed sales and revenue, who will be more committed to acheiving this than you- the owner of the business.

Separate the Important from the Minutia

To get a quick handle on this issue, go back and look at your schedule for the last 2 weeks. If you have no schedule, the problem is obvious. If your schedule has only appointments with other people and there’s lots of open space, it also reveals a lack of focus on the important areas. Now, you might say, “I don’t use my calendar for everything I do”. Herein lies the problem. Read on.

Look at all the things you spent time on and the time you spent and create a list with 2 columns; one for important activities like sales, marketing, management, client visits, etc and the other column for evrything else. You’ll quickly see where most of your time goes and why you may not be getting what you want from your business.

If your calendar is not detailed enough for this exercise, spend the next 2 weeks writing down everything you do in 15 minute increments. It sounds tedious, but the learning you’ll get will be a major game changer!

Take Control of The Growth Aspects of Your Buisness

Once you figure out where you spend your time, think about the things you should be focused on to acheive growth in your business. Things like evaluating who your ideal clients are and where they can found; who your best referral partners might be; what networking groups or events you need to attend; developing a compelling referral program for your current clients or creating an ad campaign that drives more traffic to your website. All of these activities lead to reveneue generation and deserve time on your calendar.

If you have employees, think about how to give them direction and let them perform with scheduled check in meetings to monitor performance. Look at things in your bsuiness that others could do (inside or outside your business) and get them off your desk. Ask yourself this question everytime you are faced with doing a task. “Who else could do this?” (and if no one knows how) follow up with “who can I train to do this?”

Whatever type of business you are involved in (solo-preneur, partnership, management, multi-divisonal organization, etc. this approach to using your time to get the most important things done is a ‘life changer’ in terms of how you look at your business the goals you want to reach.

In the end, you’ll be much happier and feel the power of getting vitaul, growth related initiatives accomplished that produce more revenue, good clients and profits for your business.

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from http://ift.tt/2psr1Pg

[actualidadmovil1]

Boost Your Time Management Thinking Differently

Think Differently About How You Use Your Time

Getting things done continues to be an overwhelming challenge for most small business owners. Sometimes, the list of tasks seems to be beyond attainable and appears to have no end! It’s not that these things don’t have merit or that someone important is asking you for them, it’s just that there’s not enough time in the day- right?

Reading Suggestion: Why Business Revenue Planning Can Boost Your Bottom Line

Tradition Time Management Can be Detrimental to a Small Business Owner

Time management approaches have been sout after by small business owners for decades. The whole industry reached a ground swell about 20 years ago with the advent of the Franklin planner, the Day Timer and a while host of other systems to capture the focus (and investment) of busines people everywhere.

Unfortuneately, none of these systems really changed the small business owner’s ability to make better use of the time they have or get better results from the businesses they own. Why… because time management as a concept is an illusion! You only have so much time and it cannot be managed like others things because you can’t stop it, reserve it or allocate it to someone else. It’s the most valuable resource you have and you can’t replace what you lose or make more if you waste it.

What does work is the concept of knowing what you need to spend time on that produces the greatest return in your business. Get really clear about what you should be doing to drive revenue, attract more of your best clients and let others do the things that are not your best fit. Let me explain-

Joseph M. Juran was on to something

There’s a universal concept called the Pareto Principle. You may know it as the 80/20 rule. It was first introduced into business by business management expert- Joseph M. Juran and named after Vilfredo Pareto. Simply put, 80% of all activity, results, accomplishments, etc come from 20% of the source.

If you belong to a networking group, chances are that 80% of the work is being done by 20% of the members. In the retail grocery business, 80% of a store’s volume comes from 20% of the item selection. And, in most businesses, 80% of your revenues come from 20% of your clients. Likewise, 80% of your profits come from 20% of your product or service offerings.

Juran observed that Vilfredo Perato’s principle had application in the business world as well. In just about all business situations, you can apply this principle. It’s as dependable as gravity! But what does it mean for using your time better?

It’s About Focusing on Results

In most traditional time management systems, much of the focus goes to managing your schedule. Although priority is given to tasks, the main priciple involves getting more done in a given day or week. Unless the business owner has objectively assessed where their revenue, clients and profits come from, there’s no asurance that the things you schedule are the right things for you to be engaged in. As an example, if book keeping is a low prioity task and something you are not good at, why even spend time on it. The best thing you could do is outsource it.

Look at your business and using the Pareto Principle, write down the activities that will produce 80% of the results that grow your bsuiness. If you missed ‘sales and marketing’, you should rethink your business approach. Sales and marketing are the only activities that generate revenue. Everything else (although important to some degree) is an expense. And when it comes to generating the needed sales and revenue, who will be more committed to acheiving this than you- the owner of the business.

Separate the Important from the Minutia

To get a quick handle on this issue, go back and look at your schedule for the last 2 weeks. If you have no schedule, the problem is obvious. If your schedule has only appointments with other people and there’s lots of open space, it also reveals a lack of focus on the important areas. Now, you might say, “I don’t use my calendar for everything I do”. Herein lies the problem. Read on.

Look at all the things you spent time on and the time you spent and create a list with 2 columns; one for important activities like sales, marketing, management, client visits, etc and the other column for evrything else. You’ll quickly see where most of your time goes and why you may not be getting what you want from your business.

If your calendar is not detailed enough for this exercise, spend the next 2 weeks writing down everything you do in 15 minute increments. It sounds tedious, but the learning you’ll get will be a major game changer!

Take Control of The Growth Aspects of Your Buisness

Once you figure out where you spend your time, think about the things you should be focused on to acheive growth in your business. Things like evaluating who your ideal clients are and where they can found; who your best referral partners might be; what networking groups or events you need to attend; developing a compelling referral program for your current clients or creating an ad campaign that drives more traffic to your website. All of these activities lead to reveneue generation and deserve time on your calendar.

If you have employees, think about how to give them direction and let them perform with scheduled check in meetings to monitor performance. Look at things in your bsuiness that others could do (inside or outside your business) and get them off your desk. Ask yourself this question everytime you are faced with doing a task. “Who else could do this?” (and if no one knows how) follow up with “who can I train to do this?”

Whatever type of business you are involved in (solo-preneur, partnership, management, multi-divisonal organization, etc. this approach to using your time to get the most important things done is a ‘life changer’ in terms of how you look at your business the goals you want to reach.

In the end, you’ll be much happier and feel the power of getting vitaul, growth related initiatives accomplished that produce more revenue, good clients and profits for your business.

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[thespearnews-blog]

Did gov't use age limit as coverup to pass more deadly GMO bill?

New Post has been published on https://thespearnews.com/2017/10/12/govt-use-age-limit-coverup-pass-deadly-gmo-bill/

Did gov't use age limit as coverup to pass more deadly GMO bill?

By: Bidi Halid

Amidst the age limit and land bill drama week, parliament hurriedly passed a bill more deadly and dangerous to society than even the land and age limit bills–the GMO bill.

Authorizing use of genetically modified organisms in a third world country like Ugandan is a direct murder to food production and throwing poor farmers out of the agriculture sector as everything will be commercialized.

Local farmers will either starve or automatically become workers on farms of the rich as they will not be able to buy farm inputs like seeds, fertilizers, pest controls and even labor. Passing the bill is the final death stroke to poor farmers

You Are Eating Poison! Here’s How To Identify GMO Tomatoes In 2 Easy Steps GMOs contain dangerous compounds or are grown under conditions which involve using pesticides, hormones or other additives which only destroy the taste of your fruits and veggies as well as…

It is surprising the level of destruction Museveni and NRM intends for this country, given the irreversible consequences of the bill seen from its being rushingly past by NRM MPs.

It can be argued that the land and age limit bills were coverups for this more deadly bill given that the later can be reversed but the GMO destruction is an irreversible cancer agent–MPs in a predominantly farming world should before passing such a bill have consulted farmers instead of binding them unaware.

In presenting and defending it to parliament Prof. Ogenga Latigo used hardened scientific language which am sure many MP’s didn’t understand as he technically did not answer the fundamental worries and questions of Ugandans about GMO’s

Latigo and NRM MPs who were paid to pass this self destruction bill and Ugandans take note of the following unrecoverable dungeon:

1 – The costs to poor.

Dont make food for profit, its for people

Can we poor Africans afford these seeds? Which we can not replant. But only to buy and worst of all from a white, profit motivated man, 1000s of kilometers away from home. And this for Season after Season, Year after Year.

What and how will a poor old man/woman from Agago, Kidera, Karamoja or Kiboga do, who does not sleep with 1000 Ugandan shilling for months? What if one buys the seeds and for two or 3 three seasons the weather is not good and everything dies in soil, like it always happens mostly in the north, where you come from?

Are you not setting a pace to turn our people into slaves? If they can fail to buy Paracetamol, to treat a headache, where do you expect them to raise money, at least twice a year, to buy seeds for planting? Unless you want them to leave and die as beggars. Like you treat them during elections with 500 shillings for a vote or a piece washing soap.

2 – The health and environmental concerns

There are continous allegation, that GMO foods may be respossible for health problems. The most talked about being cancer. And Ugandans have of late been awakened and are well aware of this problem, which is also worsened by luck of medication in this country.

Although, Latigo and his colleagues can be taken out of the country for state of the art medication, at the expense of the very poor. The good professor again did not talk about and or address himself to this concern

3 – Why is GMO being kicked out of Europe and the Americans?

Yet again, Latiga failed to address this. He simply tried to explain how he is highly educated and knowledgeable on this subject. But wait a minute, how highly educated and knowledgeable on this subject is Latigo, than the Europeans, Canadians, and Americans? Who are time and again presenting big and unanswered questions on this subject?

I refer Ugandans to lawsuits, in California and other states in America; Lawsuits in Australia and Canada about contamination, In the Paris France and European Courts. And all those by local farmers. Question can Uganda as a country, let a lone a poor Ugandan local farmer, afford such expensive court cases? In case we befall a serious problem as a result of this GMO.

In most of these countries, people and their farms are insured. If they buy bad seeds they can be compensated. The same is true, if one gets sick because of bad GMO foods, they are not only treated and treated well in good hospital, but they are also compensated. Unlike in Museveni and Latigo’s Uganda. But they are not taking chances. Why bring this to Uganda at this time? Given our level of corruption and health situation.

4 – GMO Contamination of Organic Farms

I also expected Latigo, to address himself to the issue of contamination of Organic Farms, but he was nowhere. It have been proven in a landmark case in both Canada and Australia, among other countries, that if one person grows GMO seeds, the farms and plants around are equally affected through cross pollination. Today, there is case in California and Australia, where farmers are suing for loss of between 70 to 100 % of their earning because GMO foods and contamination.

Which means, that even unwilling participants become victims of this GMO. And after a couple of seasons everyone around will be, by force, growing, having and eating GMO foods. This brings me to the question of “Patent Rights”

5 – Patents rights on these sends

Because these are and will always be industrial produced products, we hear and truly so, that they will be owned by individuals and or groups of individual. This means that in future, for one to grow the said seeds, one must have permission from the owner. I equally expected the good professor to clearly put that to rest. But kumbe wapi?

In this world, where we leave today, full of blackmail and hostage taking, how do you asure Ugandan and Africans that patent right owners, will not one day blackmail our people and hold them hostage, in order to get food on table.

6 – Why not talk Mechanisation of Agriculture?

Yes, I am not an authority on agriculture like Latigo, but I don’t agree with Prof. Ogenga Latigo and others, who continue to argue that, we need GMO to address famine and or lack of food in Uganda and Africa at large. This is purely wrong and GMO is not the solution, but rather a problem.

The solution lies in modernization and mechanization of agriculture. Ugandan land, like most of Africa, is still virgin and fertile. But expecting people in Agago still digging land for food and sell using a handheld hoe is just too much. In Uganda, like in most of Africa, there are more Mambas and tear gas vehicle than Tractors.

What the good professor and his likes should be doing, is to convince his fellow lawmakers and General Museveni, to reduce the number of Members of Parliament, RDCs, Presidential advisers Mamas and Teargas. And replace all that and the expenses which go with them to buying ” Tractors” and other farm equipments as a beginning.

7 – Marketing, Storage and Transportation

Latigo and I must have seen food rotting in one place of Uganda, yet in another places people are dying of hunger. We have seen mangoes rotting in Luwero, just a few kilometers from Kampala, Yet supermarkets in Kampala, are selling mangoes and other fruits from as far as South Africa. And funny enough, even selling fruits from desert countries in Middle East with no water. We see Trucks getting stark on bad roads with Matoke in Kiboga, yet there is no food in Kampala.

I, a few years ago, witnessed farmers crying with maize in Busoga and in Kiryandongo in Bunyoro, Some selling it at a throw way price of just 50 to 100 a kilo. Unable even to get 20% of the planting costs back. In this particular season, the beneficiary was a member of the first family, who used free government transport, free storage in Nalukolongo, Kampala and sold the same at more than 15 times. Hence to ripping from the very poor man’s sweat.

This, left many farmers crying and vowing never to plant more than their domestic needs. And this is the same story across Africa, and having had the opportunity to visit most African countries, save for western African, I speak with authority on this.

In this conundrum, farmers end up losing whatever they have mortgaged in Banks including land and houses. Which can never be in Europe and else where. In otherwards, a government can’t tell you to plant something and fail to find a market it, store and or tramport it. Like it has been the in Uganda year in year out. For this, at least credit must go to past leaders Amin Dada and Obote, the two, at least tried to address the problems of storage, marketing and transport.

What I am saying is, that with good and organised marketing, storage and transportation, there can never be famine in Uganda. But because of corruption, greedy and ready made food AID from international organisations and countries, some people have made it a job and are always there to raise false flags.

Yes, Prof. Ogenga Latigo, claims that he can never be bribed by any international organisation behind this bill. Well maybe, but history is not on his side. First the parliament where he sits is on record as one of the most corrupt. Many were given just over 1000 dollars to rape and destroy the Ugandan constitution.

Latigo says that, “more importantly, he saw the potential of Molecular Biology as long ago as the late-1980s when I was winding up his PhD studies at the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), Nairobi”.

True, I had rear privilege to visit and be taken around (ICIPE) by my friends, a Kenyan, an Ethiopian and a Uganda, who is now a lecture in the same subject in a top University in America. If Latigo was fair enough to us, he would have told us the people and institutions behind this research centre and their interests. I know, and the good professor knows it, that the biggest funders are not Africans and their have interests.

I have also had chances to attend a couple of farmers dialogue conferences in Europe and Asia, where the biggest topic has always been how to feed the world, but GMO has never been paraded as the top solution. This also gave the opportunity to interact with people from across the world, including Europeans and Americans, but those people really detest and hate GMO food. Question is where will Uganda sale GMO products then?

I request Latigo and Ugandan MPs to look Ugandans in the eyes and address their utmost questions

The writer is small farmer, a friend and former visitor of Farmers Dialogue International, a human rights campaigner and guest writer at www.thespearnews.com

[mannaxiu]

Me and fashion

Hi, I’m Marina. I’m seventeen years old and I’m Spanish.

If you are still reading this thank you, and I hope you don’t regret it later. 

I tried to film a video explaining what I wanted to say but it ended being more difficult than what I thought i would be. So here I am, writing it and trying not to bore you.

I would like to talk about how much influence my musical tastes have on me. When I was 10 years old I used to like One Direction and yes, It may sound cliche but I really felt like I was deeply in love with one of them (Harry Styles if you wanted to know) and oh what a surprise, It was just a phase. At that time my style was... special. I wore a lot of black eyeliner and i tried to look girly. 

After 1D, I started following 5sos (5 seconds of summer if you didn’t know) and that made my style change completely. The other didn’t fit me and with this one I felt like a badass and super punk rock girl. Gosh it was funny. I used to think that I was free, well actually I tried to look like nothing matters to me but I was just being childish. 

This 2 styles didn’t fit me at all. And I started looking at myself in the mirror and i realized that this clothes would never look like they look in the models I loved because my body was simply bigger. 

Then I fell in kpop, yes, it is a big change but thinking about it, I am a Chinese girl who was adopted by a Spanish couple and I thought it would fit me better than the others but then there was the problem about my size again. But that wasn’t the only problem actually my face doesn’t look like the face of an Asian completely and it doesn’t look like the face of an European either so I was having an identity issue. 

Now, I just realize that I don’t have to have a personal style. I will wear whatever I want to wear whenever I want to wear it. It may doesn’t look like in the models but hey, everyone is different and have their own sizes. I can’t say that I completely love my body but I can asure that the only person I am trying to imitate from now is the me that I want in the future.

It has been a weird text that ended being different than what I expected but if you are still here thank you and for you to know that I can listen very well if you need something.

[thespearnews-blog]

Prof. Ogenga Latigo hardened scientific language does not answer the fundamental worries and questions of Ugandans about GMO

New Post has been published on http://thespearnews.com/2017/07/30/prof-ogenga-latigo-hardened-scientific-language-does-not-answer-the-fundamental-worries-and-questions-of-ugandans-about-gmo/

Prof. Ogenga Latigo hardened scientific language does not answer the fundamental worries and questions of Ugandans about GMO

By Bidi Halid

Last night, I spent time reading that missive rambling and meandering letter by Prof. Ogenga Latigo, about GMO(genetically modified organism). The aim, was to help local farmers to identify their needs and understand the benefits of GMO. The good professor and law maker, was also trying to put his case and convince his fellow law and policy makers pass the controversial bill and embrace GMO.

Unfortunately, Prof. Latigo, I think, because of his scientific and rambling language, he did not only leave most of his fellow half baked lawmakers confused, but left the poor local farmers who may take time to read his completely confused and more lost.

Sadly, for me, I had to read the whole thing up to end. I was expecting him to at least address the two or three major concerns of Ugandans and Africans, but nothing came by.

Which are among others;

1 – The costs to poor.

Can we poor Africans afford these seeds? Which we can not replant. But only to buy and worst of all from a white, profit motivated man, 1000s of kilometers away from home. And this for Season after Season, Year after Year.

What and how will a poor old man/woman from Agago, Kidera, Karamoja or Kiboga do, who does not sleep with 1000 Ugandan shilling for months? What if one buys the seeds and for two or 3 three seasons the weather is not good and everything dies in soil, like it always happens mostly in the north, where you come from?

Are you not setting a pace to turn our people into slaves? If they can fail to buy Paracetamol, to treat a headache, where do you expect them to raise money, at least twice a year, to buy seeds for planting? Unless you want them to leave and die as beggars. Like you treat them during elections with 500 shillings for a vote or a piece washing soap.

2 – The health and environmental concerns

There are continous allegation, that GMO foods may be respossible for health problems. The most talked about being cancer. And Ugandans have of late been awakened and are well aware of this problem, which is also worsened by luck of medication in this country.

Although, Latigo and his colleagues can be taken out of the country for state of the art medication, at the expense of the very poor. The good professor again did not talk about and or address himself to this concern

3 – Why is GMO being kicked out of Europe and the Americans?

Yet again, Latiga failed to address this. He simply tried to explain how he is highly educated and knowledgeable on this subject. But wait a minute, how highly educated and knowledgeable on this subject is Latigo, than the Europeans, Canadians, and Americans? Who are time and again presenting big and unanswered questions on this subject?

I refer Ugandans to lawsuits, in California and other states in America; Lawsuits in Australia and Canada about contamination, In the Paris France and European Courts. And all those by local farmers. Question can Uganda as a country, let a lone a poor Ugandan local farmer, afford such expensive court cases? In case we befall a serious problem as a result of this GMO.

In most of these countries, people and their farms are insured. If they buy bad seeds they can be compensated. The same is true, if one gets sick because of bad GMO foods, they are not only treated and treated well in good hospital, but they are also compensated. Unlike in Museveni and Latigo’s Uganda. But they are not taking chances. Why bring this to Uganda at this time? Given our level of corruption and health situation.

4 – GMO Contamination of Organic Farms

I also expected Latigo, to address himself to the issue of contamination of Organic Farms, but he was nowhere. It have been proven in a landmark case in both Canada and Australia, among other countries, that if one person grows GMO seeds, the farms and plants around are equally affected through cross pollination. Today, there is case in California and Australia, where farmers are suing for loss of between 70 to 100 % of their earning because GMO foods and contamination.

Which means, that even unwilling participants become victims of this GMO. And after a couple of seasons everyone around will be, by force, growing, having and eating GMO foods. This brings me to the question of “Patent Rights”

5 – Patents rights on these sends

Because these are and will always be industrial produced products, we hear and truly so, that they will be owned by individuals and or groups of individual. This means that in future, for one to grow the said seeds, one must have permission from the owner. I equally expected the good professor to clearly put that to rest. But kumbe wapi?

In this world, where we leave today, full of blackmail and hostage taking, how do you asure Ugandan and Africans that patent right owners, will not one day blackmail our people and hold them hostage, in order to get food on table.

6 – Why not talk Mechanisation of Agriculture?

Yes, I am not an authority on agriculture like Latigo, but I don’t agree with Prof. Ogenga Latigo and others, who continue to argue that, we need GMO to address famine and or lack of food in Uganda and Africa at large. This is purely wrong and GMO is not the solution, but rather a problem.

The solution lies in modernization and mechanization of agriculture. Ugandan land, like most of Africa, is still virgin and fertile. But expecting people in Agago still digging land for food and sell using a handheld hoe is just too much. In Uganda, like in most of Africa, there are more Mambas and tear gas vehicle than Tractors.

What the good professor and his likes should be doing, is to convince his fellow lawmakers and General Museveni, to reduce the number of Members of Parliament, RDCs, Presidential advisers Mamas and Teargas. And replace all that and the expenses which go with them to buying ” Tractors” and other farm equipments as the beginning.

7 – Marketing, Storage and Transportation

Latigo and I must have seen food rotting in one place of Uganda, yet in another places people are dying of hunger. We have seen mangoes rotting in Luwero, just a few kilometers from Kampala, Yet supermarkets in Kampala, are selling mangoes and other fruits from as far as South Africa. And funny enough, even selling fruits from desert countries in Middle East with no water. We see Trucks getting stark on bad roads with Matoke in Kiboga, yet there is no food in Kampala.

I, a few years ago, witnessed farmers crying with maize in Busoga and in Kiryandongo in Bunyoro, Some selling it at a throw way price of just 50 to 100 a kilo. Unable even to get 20% of the planting costs back. In this particular season, the beneficiary was a member of the first family, who used free government transport, free storage in Nalukolongo, Kampala and sold the same at more than 15 times. Hence to ripping from the very poor man’s sweat.

This, left many farmers crying and vowing never to plant more than their domestic needs. And this is the same story across Africa, and having had the opportunity to visit most African countries, save for western African, I speak with authority on this.

In this conundrum, farmers end up losing whatever they have mortgaged in Banks including land and houses. Which can never be in Europe and else where. In otherwards, a government can’t tell you to plant something and fail to find a market it, store and or tramport it. Like it has been the in Uganda year in year out. For this, at least credit must go to past leaders Amin Dada and Obote, the two, at least tried to address the problems of storage, marketing and transport.

What I am saying is, that with good and organised marketing, storage and transportation, there can never be famine in Uganda. But because of corruption, greedy and ready made food AID from international organisations and countries, some people have made it a job and are always there to raise false flags.

Yes, Prof. Ogenga Latigo, claims that he can never be bribed by any international organisation behind this bill. Well maybe, but history is not on his side. First the parliament where he sits is no record as one of the most corrupt. Many were given just over 1000 dollars to rape and destroy the Ugandan constitution.

Latigo says that, “more importantly, he saw the potential of Molecular Biology as long ago as the late-1980s when I was winding up his PhD studies at the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), Nairobi”.

True, I had rear privilege to visit and be taken around (ICIPE) by my friends, a Kenyan, an Ethiopian and a Uganda, who is now a lecture in the same subject in a top University in America. If Latigo was fair enough to us, he would have told us the people and institutions behind this research centre and their interests. I know, and the good professor knows it, that the biggest funders are not Africans and their have interests.

I have also had chances to attend a couple of farmers dialogue conferences in Europe and Asia, where the biggest topic has always been how to feed the world, but GMO has never been paraded as the top solution. This also gave the opportunity to interact with people from across the world, including Europeans and Americans, but those people really detest and hate GMO food. Question is where will Uganda sale GMO products then?

I request Latigo and Ugandan Mps to look Ugandans in the eyes and address their utmost questions

Mr. Bidi Halid is small farmer, a friend and former visitor of Farmers Dialogue International and a human rights campaigner.

Opinions

[thespearnews-blog]

Prof. Ogenga Latigo hardened scientific language does not answer the fundamental worries and questions of Ugandans about GMO

New Post has been published on https://thespearnews.com/2017/07/30/prof-ogenga-latigo-hardened-scientific-language-not-answer-fundamental-worries-questions-ugandans-gmo/

Prof. Ogenga Latigo hardened scientific language does not answer the fundamental worries and questions of Ugandans about GMO

By Bidi Halid

Last night, I spent time reading that missive rambling and meandering letter by Prof. Ogenga Latigo, about GMO(genetically modified organism). The aim, was to help local farmers to identify their needs and understand the benefits of GMO. The good professor and law maker, was also trying to put his case and convince his fellow law and policy makers pass the controversial bill and embrace GMO.

Unfortunately, Prof. Latigo, I think, because of his scientific and rambling language, he did not only leave most of his fellow half baked lawmakers confused, but left the poor local farmers who may take time to read his completely confused and more lost.

Sadly, for me, I had to read the whole thing up to end. I was expecting him to at least address the two or three major concerns of Ugandans and Africans, but nothing came by.

Which are among others;

1 – The costs to poor.

Can we poor Africans afford these seeds? Which we can not replant. But only to buy and worst of all from a white, profit motivated man, 1000s of kilometers away from home. And this for Season after Season, Year after Year.

What and how will a poor old man/woman from Agago, Kidera, Karamoja or Kiboga do, who does not sleep with 1000 Ugandan shilling for months? What if one buys the seeds and for two or 3 three seasons the weather is not good and everything dies in soil, like it always happens mostly in the north, where you come from?

Are you not setting a pace to turn our people into slaves? If they can fail to buy Paracetamol, to treat a headache, where do you expect them to raise money, at least twice a year, to buy seeds for planting? Unless you want them to leave and die as beggars. Like you treat them during elections with 500 shillings for a vote or a piece washing soap.

2 – The health and environmental concerns

There are continous allegation, that GMO foods may be respossible for health problems. The most talked about being cancer. And Ugandans have of late been awakened and are well aware of this problem, which is also worsened by luck of medication in this country.

Although, Latigo and his colleagues can be taken out of the country for state of the art medication, at the expense of the very poor. The good professor again did not talk about and or address himself to this concern

3 – Why is GMO being kicked out of Europe and the Americans?

Yet again, Latiga failed to address this. He simply tried to explain how he is highly educated and knowledgeable on this subject. But wait a minute, how highly educated and knowledgeable on this subject is Latigo, than the Europeans, Canadians, and Americans? Who are time and again presenting big and unanswered questions on this subject?

I refer Ugandans to lawsuits, in California and other states in America; Lawsuits in Australia and Canada about contamination, In the Paris France and European Courts. And all those by local farmers. Question can Uganda as a country, let a lone a poor Ugandan local farmer, afford such expensive court cases? In case we befall a serious problem as a result of this GMO.

In most of these countries, people and their farms are insured. If they buy bad seeds they can be compensated. The same is true, if one gets sick because of bad GMO foods, they are not only treated and treated well in good hospital, but they are also compensated. Unlike in Museveni and Latigo’s Uganda. But they are not taking chances. Why bring this to Uganda at this time? Given our level of corruption and health situation.

4 – GMO Contamination of Organic Farms

I also expected Latigo, to address himself to the issue of contamination of Organic Farms, but he was nowhere. It have been proven in a landmark case in both Canada and Australia, among other countries, that if one person grows GMO seeds, the farms and plants around are equally affected through cross pollination. Today, there is case in California and Australia, where farmers are suing for loss of between 70 to 100 % of their earning because GMO foods and contamination.

Which means, that even unwilling participants become victims of this GMO. And after a couple of seasons everyone around will be, by force, growing, having and eating GMO foods. This brings me to the question of “Patent Rights”

5 – Patents rights on these sends

Because these are and will always be industrial produced products, we hear and truly so, that they will be owned by individuals and or groups of individual. This means that in future, for one to grow the said seeds, one must have permission from the owner. I equally expected the good professor to clearly put that to rest. But kumbe wapi?

In this world, where we leave today, full of blackmail and hostage taking, how do you asure Ugandan and Africans that patent right owners, will not one day blackmail our people and hold them hostage, in order to get food on table.

6 – Why not talk Mechanisation of Agriculture?

Yes, I am not an authority on agriculture like Latigo, but I don’t agree with Prof. Ogenga Latigo and others, who continue to argue that, we need GMO to address famine and or lack of food in Uganda and Africa at large. This is purely wrong and GMO is not the solution, but rather a problem.

The solution lies in modernization and mechanization of agriculture. Ugandan land, like most of Africa, is still virgin and fertile. But expecting people in Agago still digging land for food and sell using a handheld hoe is just too much. In Uganda, like in most of Africa, there are more Mambas and tear gas vehicle than Tractors.

What the good professor and his likes should be doing, is to convince his fellow lawmakers and General Museveni, to reduce the number of Members of Parliament, RDCs, Presidential advisers Mamas and Teargas. And replace all that and the expenses which go with them to buying ” Tractors” and other farm equipments as the beginning.

7 – Marketing, Storage and Transportation

Latigo and I must have seen food rotting in one place of Uganda, yet in another places people are dying of hunger. We have seen mangoes rotting in Luwero, just a few kilometers from Kampala, Yet supermarkets in Kampala, are selling mangoes and other fruits from as far as South Africa. And funny enough, even selling fruits from desert countries in Middle East with no water. We see Trucks getting stark on bad roads with Matoke in Kiboga, yet there is no food in Kampala.

I, a few years ago, witnessed farmers crying with maize in Busoga and in Kiryandongo in Bunyoro, Some selling it at a throw way price of just 50 to 100 a kilo. Unable even to get 20% of the planting costs back. In this particular season, the beneficiary was a member of the first family, who used free government transport, free storage in Nalukolongo, Kampala and sold the same at more than 15 times. Hence to ripping from the very poor man’s sweat.

This, left many farmers crying and vowing never to plant more than their domestic needs. And this is the same story across Africa, and having had the opportunity to visit most African countries, save for western African, I speak with authority on this.

In this conundrum, farmers end up losing whatever they have mortgaged in Banks including land and houses. Which can never be in Europe and else where. In otherwards, a government can’t tell you to plant something and fail to find a market it, store and or tramport it. Like it has been the in Uganda year in year out. For this, at least credit must go to past leaders Amin Dada and Obote, the two, at least tried to address the problems of storage, marketing and transport.

What I am saying is, that with good and organised marketing, storage and transportation, there can never be famine in Uganda. But because of corruption, greedy and ready made food AID from international organisations and countries, some people have made it a job and are always there to raise false flags.

Yes, Prof. Ogenga Latigo, claims that he can never be bribed by any international organisation behind this bill. Well maybe, but history is not on his side. First the parliament where he sits is no record as one of the most corrupt. Many were given just over 1000 dollars to rape and destroy the Ugandan constitution.

Latigo says that, “more importantly, he saw the potential of Molecular Biology as long ago as the late-1980s when I was winding up his PhD studies at the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), Nairobi”.

True, I had rear privilege to visit and be taken around (ICIPE) by my friends, a Kenyan, an Ethiopian and a Uganda, who is now a lecture in the same subject in a top University in America. If Latigo was fair enough to us, he would have told us the people and institutions behind this research centre and their interests. I know, and the good professor knows it, that the biggest funders are not Africans and their have interests.

I have also had chances to attend a couple of farmers dialogue conferences in Europe and Asia, where the biggest topic has always been how to feed the world, but GMO has never been paraded as the top solution. This also gave the opportunity to interact with people from across the world, including Europeans and Americans, but those people really detest and hate GMO food. Question is where will Uganda sale GMO products then?

I request Latigo and Ugandan Mps to look Ugandans in the eyes and address their utmost questions

Mr. Bidi Halid is small farmer, a friend and former visitor of Farmers Dialogue International and a human rights campaigner.