The Ember-days are periodical fasts originally instituted, it is said, by Pope Calixtus, in the third century, for the purpose of imploring the blessing of Heaven on the produce of the earth; and also preparing the clergy for ordination, in imitation of the apostolic practice recorded in the 13th chapter of the Acts.

Valery Kulishov, Russia's restitution director, pledged his country's assistance in obtaining restitution for individual victims, and turned over three secret documents bearing on stolen or missing artworks.

At noon, each man got his half-chark (a wine glass) full of rum and a four-quart iron pot of fish soup made from salt salmon, potatoes and graham flour ... in the evening another half chark of rum and 20 cents as pay for the day's work.

We had a bunch of cis-girls and cis-boys in the unit.