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Peter Jackson, Epic Dwarves and Extraordinary Bodies
Steve Mentz has a great blog post (Just Get There: Hobbit 2 as Whitewater Epic) on the latest installment of the Hobbit trilogy. The piece is not only extraordinarily well written, it is hilarious. Read it! I want to reflect here a little on The Desolation of Smaug as (in Steve's apt words) "an epic whitewater serpent."
I knew what I was getting into when I signed up to go to the film, so I don't have any negativity about the thing -- yes, it is too long, too self-referential (return of the carrot eating man at the Prancing Pony!), too LotR part deux, too profligate in its gold, bad fan fiction, but, whatever. Steve notes that The Hobbit (the book) is not an epic and never aspired to be, and its dwarves are -- in Tolkien's own words -- "not heroes, but calculating folk with a great idea of the value of money." Indeed, Tolkien's narrative is classic anti-epic (small in scale, resolutely non-heroic, deeply ambivalent about war). So Steve asks a rather profound question of genre and the epic-addled Peter Jackson film:
But Peter Jackson and his machinery will not be denied, and Hobbit 2: Chiefest and Greatest of Calamities walks, quacks, and breathes fire like an epic. How does he do it? What can epic make of a furry-footed hero and his vertically-challenged if facially hirsute comrades?
His blog post does an excellent job of mapping the story's progress as a flow: the there-and-back-again circularity of The Hobbit (novel) yields to the rushing rivers (of water, of gold) in the film. Steve's observation "Everything flows: is Jackson’s real Muse Heraclitus?" is spot-on.
As I watched the film I contemplated a related question, wondering if a children's book of such small scale (emphasized in its small characters) really could become an epic -- and then I wondered why I should wonder that. Who gets to be included in an epic, and who must be left out, or left to the edges? Why can't dwarves -- the characters Steve calls the "vertically-challenged if facially hirsute comrades" -- be epic heroes? Why are dwarves always, even in the sagas and medieval works, always bit players, never protagonists or heroes?
The dwarves have a much expanded role in the film, much larger than in the book, where they often seem like so much background to Bilbo's fussiness and adventuring. We all know that hobbits are not epic-worthy; that's the point of hobbits. They are the humane, domestic, tea-loving and diminutive figures around and for whom action swirls. Epic demands vastness of scale: wizards! trolls! ents! elves! oliphaunts! and other tall creatures! It also demands passion -- so we get the Aragorn-Arwen romance, much played up in the LotR films. Gimli son of Glóin tries his best to be part of the film's epic action, but he is always a little ridiculous, some light-hearted defeat of epic expectations offered in order to support those expectations. Gimli can't run as quickly as Aragorn and Legolas when they are reduced to a threesome and has to be scooped onto a horse. In one particularly awful scene at Helm's Deep he is hurled by Aragorn (that's the bar game of dwarf tossing being invoked; it's supposed to be funny but...). Gimli's love for Galadriel embarrasses even him -- and is cutely tame as well (he gets a single hair from her; she is impossible as love-object, and that's the point). Dwarves are not sexual: their short and non-handsome bodies bar them from desire. Aragon tells Éowyn in the extended version of Two Towers that dwarf women can't be discerned from the males because they also have beards. Dwarves are small guys and it is funny when they try to act big. Epic has small space for them -- unlike hobbits, who are beloved, the ones with the good hearts and the jolly reminders of embodied life; their quiet life in the Shire provides the reason Epic Guys do what they do).
Think of Tyrion "the Imp" Lannister, the dwarf from Game of Thrones: he is hypersexual, a trait that is supposed to be repulsive and attractive. He knows he is not supposed to be eligible for sexual attraction, and yet he keeps on desiring, to the horror of some and the delight of others. He's a violent schemer, a charismatic monster, a mini Richard III, and he's appropriately loved-hated for that. He is not a "mythic" dwarf, not a member of a race: he is the disabled body in a court full of beautiful if wicked people. His disability is what makes him a freak and extraordinary to be stared at (to use three of Rosemarie Garland Thomson's terms for the spectacular work of disability).
I bring up Tyrion, a "real" dwarf, because it struck me as I watched the Hobbit 2 that the film is in part a disability epic. That is, it tries to imagine epic within a non-normate field of vision, from a point of view that is not the traditional gaze of the camera/viewer. The film imagines the world that exists for people who are not Epically Tall elves, men and wizards without diminishing it, without making it cute, domestic, and precious like a hobbit hole and its gardens. A figure that is not tall is not out of place here, and is not made juvenile or naive. What happens when scale and point of view are forced to adjust, so that bodies supposed to be ridiculous and not overly martial and not at all sexual reveal themselves to be all those things? What of a world in which a dwarf can be battle-machine not in a way that offers whimsical contrast with an adept elf (Gimli and Legolas), but straightforwardly and without contrast (dwarves versus orcs during the epic whitewater fight through Mirkwood)? What of a world in which being a dwarf does not necessarily entail inhabiting a disfigured body (though admittedly, it does for many: facial prostheses are used for the majority of the dwarves)? What of a world that might even allow one dwarf to love his wife and little boy enough to carry a portrait of them (Glóin), another to be a doppelganger for Strider (Thorin), and a third to be so smoking hot that an elf maiden and legions of fans (23,800 on FB) fall in love with him (Kili)?
Maybe Jackson's inability not to epicalize The Hobbit has actually accomplished something extraordinary: a tale in which non-normate bodies need not be ridiculous, and an adjustment of epic's point of view. Perhaps the cinematic gaze here re-orients epic, away from the tall and conventionally beautiful people who are its usual eye candy, thereby making it a suitable genre for extraordinary bodies. Instead of the well-blazed trail of anti-epic, Jackson forces the genre to recenter its point of view.
Posted by Jeffrey Cohen at 7:47 PM
Great post. I'm so glad we're seeing the end of the 'Hobbit 2 sucks' posts (Roberts started us off well, then things got unwell for a while).
I love your take on it, so much so that I'm going to propose another, more modest:
many filmic action heroes are famously short: Tom Cruise is 5' 7"; Sylvester Stallone 5' 9½; Daniel Craig 5' 10"; Vin Diesel 5' 11¾; and Bruce Willis, a scant six feet.
TINY PEOPLE, all of them.
That's my argument and I'm sticking to it.
The trick, then, is for Jackson to show the dwarves as short ON FILM, a medium that famously messes with our sense of height. Gillian Anderson is 7 inches shorter than David Duchovney, but you're never know it from watching the X Files. Patrick Stewart is actually only about 2 inches tall, which is how he can squeeze into youtube (5'10", actually, but still tiny to a monster like me).
What I'm suggesting is that the shifting sense of dwarven height -- the sense of 'normalcy' when they're talking to each other or running from the dragon, the shock of seeing one standing next to an elf -- is Jackson's comment on the way that film creates its own scales. By design, we never know our tall our actors are (until we check IMDb); they COULD all be hobbits, or giants, for all we know.
James Mitchell said...
But isn't it true also that the film involves an interplay of different biological species, whereas more traditional pop cultural representations attempt mainly to caricature extremes of human appearance. The Jolly Green Giant is just your normal kind of guy if grossly oversized, while Snow White's dwarves are cutely clad pygmies exhibiting harmless behaviors: ultimately the deviants are all humanoid and thus sui generis, they just look a little different, even if you're Tyrian Lannister.
The Hobbit is for me more like a traditional animal fable, where despite irreconcilable differences all creatures seem to speak the same language -- an elf can interrogate an orc, even if orcs are psychopathically violent and suffer from acute dental problems. The otherness is stringently and evolutionarily biomorphic. If we could talk to predatory animals would we able to come to terms somehow?
The integrationist species-interplay forms the only message in the film: Legolas and Dauriel desert the xenophobic elf king, who rules a world that is as aesthetically irresistible as it is fascist. In this respect it resembles the James Cameron Avatar film, where predatory capitalism makes possible in reaction an ethically responsible approach to the aliens, or more recently in Ender's Game, where male militancy is similarly decried in favor of "understanding" the otherness of the other.
I like that, Karl, and it certainly captures the spirit of the LotR films as well -- especially as Gandalf meets with Frodo and a height difference that isn't that great is made to seem immense. That's all in the same spirit of film making that makes it seem Tom Cruise is taller than he really is, even if he has to stand on a box sometimes to seem that way.There's a famous goof up scene from Fellowship where the hobbits are standing by a railing in Rivendell ... and it is chest high to them. Jackson's playing with scale causes some vertiginous shifts, and that's part of the fun.
But I'm also wondering what happens when the less tall access to the world is inhabited not as a place of adorable, domestic and humorous (if also sturdy) contrast to the larger, more epic frames. In LotR the small scale of the hobbits emphasizes their precarity: they are constantly in danger, and that peril is made clear from their POV. That's not the tactic of the Hobbit films though with its non-domestic, non-cute dwarves: a small scale gets inhabited and it KICKS ASS. Sometimes, at least. No contrast to epic so much as epic rescaled.
James, I take your point ... it is about interspecies being, of course, and much of the action unfolds from the POV of men or elves, and that is what we expect. But what's interesting about the film to me is that when it inhabits how the world is accessed through the dwarves it does so without juvenilizing the frame, or making it homey. Think of Snow White's dwarves, who are big kids in need of a mother figure. Think of the hobbits, who are well domesticated children, with their naps and their eating schedules and their life of small pleasures. Not so these dwarves, at least: there is a kind of species difference (even while all species become versions of human, admittedly: it's just that one of the those versions yields something like disabled access).
Did you notice, Jeffrey, that the motion picture rating board rated the film PG-13 for "violence" and for scenes depicting "smoking"? It was never exactly clear what was in that pipeweed to begin with, so the hobbits might be less "homey" than we thought! Clearly they're starting to make the film board uncomfortable, and because there is successively less smoking in each of the films,I bet there won't be any at all in the next.
I should have mentioned that the different species available in Middle Earth are forcibly united only due to the battle against EVIL (= mid-20th c. fascism, as some say); otherwise one supposes they would remain in their undialectical state and have nothing at all to do with each other. As in the sci-fi movies and in Hegelian terms, it is evil that generates its own negation.
Steve Mentz said...
Fun stuff! I enjoy the notion of dwarf-epic, though if I wasn't taking the kids sledding today I might pick at the status of dwarves in JRRT: like Ents, they are an early-made semi-false start, made by Aule not Illuvatar, right? A half side-step away from Elves & Men? Gimli is more heroic in prose than on screen: he wins the orc-count at Helm's Deep, I think. Assorted flavors of semi-epic and anti-epic in circulation in Middle Earth, though w/o really attenuating the basic dominance of the epic/tragic/nostalgic mode.
Nice post, but I think you might have one of the details wrong. The Gimli-tossing scene from the Helm's Deep sequence isn't a reference to bad bar behavior (at least not at all directly), but is instead a reference to a related line in The Fellowship of the Ring; near the end of the Moria sequence, when they're on the long collapsing stairway, Aragorn tosses some of the hobbits across a gap and moves to do the same to Gimli who objects, gruffly exclaiming, "Nobody tosses a dwarf!" before attempting to make the jump on his own (before failing and being saved by his beard).
It may be an undignified line, but it's not as nasty as you seem to see it.
Michael Bérubé said...
Fascinating post ... I think this is a really productive/provocative reading of the film. Just one disability-related caveat-- as in LOTR, significant facial disfigurement is an index of depravity and vastly diminished cognitive capacity. Orcs, obviously, but the trolls are even worse (in Fellowship as in Hobbit 1: The Inhobbiting).
And of course no discussion of smoking in Middle-Earth would be complete without this classic: http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/unused-audio-commentary-by-howard-zinn-and-noam-chomsky-recorded-summer-2002-for-the-fellowship-of-the-ring-platinum-series-extended-edition-dvd-part-one
"moves to do the same to Gimli who objects, gruffly exclaiming, "Nobody tosses a dwarf!" before attempting to make the jump on his own (before failing and being saved by his beard)."
although that just shifts the problem. The words "toss" and "dwarf" can't be used in the same sentence without there being some allusion to dwarf-tossing. What's threatened in LOTR1 is realized, unfortunately, in LOTR2.
@Karl: For someone who *claims* not to know about Tolkien, you certainly have the "dwarf + toss" allusions in LOTR1 and LOTR2 down to a T. I'd agree that there can't NOT be an allusion to dwarf-tossing here which makes the chummy Aragorn-Gimli banter less funny.
@Jeffrey: Great posting here (v. interesting reworking of Rosemarie's notions of "beholding" here), and this piggybacks (weird verb, I know) from Steve's posting nicely. Steve already notes Brantley Bryant's work on epic heroism in Jackson's LOTR trilogy -- but what interests me here is actually how Jackson's Hobbit1 and Hobbit2 might chart a number of concurrent trajectories for "little guy heroism" here. Dwarves and Hobbits are little creatures but have different *cultural* and genre-mapped value-systems that inflect how they can inhabit the "norms" of (male, human) heroism. Structures of reoriented "scale" and POV of epic (dwarves) -- but also a reworking of the unlikely/reluctant underdog-heroes of romance (hobbits).
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Review: Aftenposten, Friday 7 November, 2008
Brilliant performance by the cellist Truls Mørk.
World premier of a first rate new cello concerto
Truls Mørk, cello with Oslo Philharmonic, cond. Jukka Pekke Saraste, Oslo Konserthus
To the extent that a concerto is based on the tension between to parties, the concert was the prototype of this musical form. Lasse Thoresen’s Passage through three Valleys. Symphonic Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra opus 38 was a revelation of beauty conveyed through fascinatingly rich and complex sound images, within which delicate details and extensive surfaces were moving.
The true art is to coordinate both details and the wholes, and this was exactly what Thoresen did. This could already be observed in the disposition of the orchestra at stage where the soloist was placed in the centre, surrounded by an instrumental septet of strings and wind instruments. Behind followed the percussion, and then the orchestra in a terraced formation.
Image. This placement suggested the idea to confront one group with another. The one to anchor all of this was Truls Mørk, who as a soloist conjured up the most delicate of details. He mastered and shaped the musical matters with passionate emotion. He projected authoritatively the role of the solo part as a leader and commentator, thus becoming the pivot in the alternation between the different orchestral groups.
Particularly fascinating was the interaction that developed when the instrumental group behind the soloist seized the material and projected it with visible force. The concert created a number of images, most of them tempting to interpret as landscapes.
Idar Karevold.
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Morgan Freeman Will Receive The 54th SAG Lifetime Achievement Award
By: Pamela Price | Aug. 22, 2017, 12:51 p.m.
Filed in: Film
Photo Credits: SAG
Morgan Freeman ranks as one of the five worldwide top-grossing actors of all time, with his films having earned over $4.5 billion in cumulative ticket sales.
Next year, the Academy Award® winning actor, producer, voice actor and activist will be the 54th recipient of SAG-AFTRA's highest tribute: the SAG LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment.
Freeman will be presented the performers union's top accolade at the 24th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®, which will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS on Sunday, Jan.21, 2018 at 8 p.m. (ET), 7 p.m. (CT), 6 p.m. (MT) and 5 p.m. (PT).
Given annually to an actor who fosters the "finest ideals of the acting profession," the SAG Life Achievement Award will join Freeman’s exceptional catalog of preeminent industry and public honors, which includes a Screen Actors Guild Award, an Academy Award, HFPA’s Cecil B. DeMille Award®, an AFI Lifetime Achievement Award, seven Image Awards, a Silver Berlin Bear, several Obies®, a Kennedy Center Honor, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
“I am thrilled to announce Morgan Freeman as this year’s recipient of the SAG Life Achievement Award. Some actors spend their entire careers waiting for the perfect role. Morgan showed us that true perfection is what a performer brings to the part,” said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris. “He is innovative, fearless and completely unbound by expectations. As a chauffeur, convicted murderer, boxing gym attendant, pimp or president, Morgan fully realized every character baring their souls and showcasing their humanity. It has been a privilege to see his genius at work.”
Miranda Lambert Leads 51st CMA Award Nominations
GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends Airs This October
The Jacksons To Receive Lifetime Achievement In Music From Central City Productions
2017 TEEN CHOICE Awards: And The Winners Are...
Santa Barbara Int'l Film Fest To Honor Dame Judi Dench With Kirk Douglas Award
'Rhinestone Cowboy' Music Legend Glen Campbell Dies At 81
'17 Metropolitan Fashion Awards Honor Designers From TV To Concerts
President Trump Awards Medal of Valor To Special Agents & Officers
Tune In Or Live Stream The 2017 Primetime Emmy Awards
TEEN CHOICE 2017: Miley Cyrus To Receive Utimate Choice Award
Gloria Estefan, LL COOL J, Lionel Richie To Be Recognized At Kennedy Center Honors
Pulitzer Prize Winning Playwright & Actor Sam Shepard Dies At Age 73
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Special Olympics European Youth Games
Swimming proves to be popular at the Special Olympics European Youth Games
The swimming venue was one of the most popular at the Special Olympics European Youth Games that were held September 30-October 6, 2006 in Rome, Italy. The Youth Games focused on athletes with intellectual disabilities between the ages of 12-21 and is considered the largest sports competition in Europe for this age group in 2006. Two hundred and fifty swimmers from 51 countries competed in 14 events; three of these were for swimmers with low ability. The bright, warm sunshine and the exuberant crowd that packed the stands around the open-air pool at the Centro Sportivo Giulio Onesti helped create a festive atmosphere. During awards ceremonies, guests such as HSH Princess Nora of Liechtenstein, an IOC member, HSH Princess Marie of Liechtenstein, and Laszlo Szakadati, LEN Director, had the honor of presenting swimmers with their medals. In September in Patras, Greece, an agreement was signed by LEN and Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia to develop swimming opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities.
As a first common action falling under the agreement between Ligue Europenne de Natation and Special Olympics, during the 28th European Swimming Championships held recently in Budapest (HUN), on the 1st August a demonstration race has been organised for intellectual disabled athletes.
Two 50m heats were on the schedule, and the swims were cheered by the almost 5000 spectators packing the stands of the “Hajos Alfred” Swimming Complex.
The applause were coming to appreciate the excellent performances of these young swimmers.
Visit the Youth Games website at: www.specialolympicseyg.org
Open Water Training Camp
Athletes and coaches from six nation convened in Calella (Catalunya - ESP) from Sept. 26th to Oct.1st, 2005 for an Open Water Training camp, financed by the LENFUND programme.
Countries taking part were Czech Republic, Great Britain, France, Italy, Switzerland and Spain.
Eight coaches and sixteen athletes began the works with the clinic "Dry land workouts' system for open water" by Sam Greetham and closed with "A way to train open water swimmers in a 'pool' swimmers team" by Flavio Bomio.
LEN Clinic & Funds
LEN Clinic 2007
LEN Funds reminder 18.04.2006
The Portuguese Swimming Federation is organising the Xth International Symposium on Biomechanics and Medicine in Swimming
LEN Anthem
"Pool of Friendship"
Produced, Arranged and Performed by David Garfield
>>> here <<<
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XGig at Rum Jungle, Ipoh
XFM’s 6th XGig was held at Rum Jungle, Ipoh on the 22nd of November 2008. Rum Jungle is located at the car park of The Lost World of Tambun, at Sunway City Ipoh. I was invited by Loy of XFM to tag along and also to take some photographs of the event.
The event was scheduled to start at 2pm but the crowd came slightly earlier despite the hot sun shining brightly through the clear skies. The Street Surfers were giving away free stuff just outside the venue entrance.
Delays? We won’t tolerate any delays here. The event team of XFM are working their backs off this time to make sure that the event goes as planned, without delays. Equipment setup and sound checks were done at 8am on the same day, and the hard work paid off as the crowd were allowed to enter the venue at 2pm SHARP.
We were already inside the venue before that and Haniff (the emcee) was already ready on stage at 1.58pm. Well, as the event was scheduled to start at 2pm, we patiently waited for the clock to hit 2pm before opening the doors.
Kudos dudes, way to go! And Loy, good job man, you kept your word!
The first band to play was The Jeffry, who were in fact, the only open mic band for the day.
MUCK was second to play. At this point, the venue was already packed like sardines up till the entrance. Loy was telling me that he did not know what to expect for the turn out. Either it will be a small crowd, or a total blowout. It seems that it was the latter, a superbly huge and enthusiastic crowd. They definitely helped raise all the bands’ spirits and energy.
Free Love came up next and played songs from the debut album which includes The Yaya Song and Can You Hear Me?. They played The Yaya Song last, and during that song, Mohd Jayzuan, the vocalist jumped onto the crowd from the stage for some bodysurfing action. As he was returned to the stage, he fell head first onto the stage.
The back of his head hit the edge of the deck. I just snapped a picture of him bodysurfing just a few seconds ago and as soon as he fell, I was stunned. As his head hit the stage, he held in immediately, a sign which it really hurt. Luckily he didn’t pass out as he stood up immediately, wanting to continue the set as though as nothing happened but as soon as he saw his bloody hand, he thought otherwise. He went backstage, accompanied by the XFM crew and was whizzed off to the nearest hospital.
The band members, albeit a little bit shocked, continued the song till it ended. It was all okay as Jayzuan could still walk, so no big deal there, gig goes on, but with a few warning words to tame the crowd.
Harmacy took stage after Free Love.
Unfazed by what happened to Jayzuan, the guitarist goes for the kill! Bodysurfing with his guitar, awesome.
More crowd shots!!! It was amazing to see such a huge turnout. It was spilling! I was lucky enough to be positioned in between the band and the crowd. It was hot, sweaty and sticky, but the energy and vibe was superb. And the front row people kept on asking me to snap photos of them, which I did without hesitating.
Pesawat was up next. I managed to get hold of their single, Mirage, of which I will do a write up of it in the near future (soon I hope).
Bunkface, from Kuala Lumpur, seems to have a huge following in Ipoh as evident by the crowd’s reaction after they were announced to play next. The crowd went all out for Bunkface, moshing, bodysurfing (multiple bodysurfings at one go) and sing alongs.
Even the band members were in the mood for bodysurfing (as were the other bands before this). As soon as the vocalist went into the crowd, the bassist took off his guitar and threw himself into the crowd. Heck! Bunk Anthem, Silly Lilly, Highschool Rocker and the hottest hit Situasi were all in their set.
Let’s not forget the deejays.
And more crowd shots. Thanks to Haniff for asking them to raise their hands up.
Bittersweet, home town heroes, played last. Best for last eh? The crowd gave whatever energy they had left into moshing, and me, stuck between the band and crowd. What else could I say? It was all out. No delays, no time limits, Bittersweet dished out their full set which includes Capital E, Big Black Hole, 1,2,3,4,5, Burn Berlin Down, 4 Years, Simone and of course, Kucing Hitam. They managed to sneak in one more last song before ending their set, but I forgot what was it as I was enjoying myself to take notice of what song they were singing.
Everything went on as planned (besides the Jayzuan incident) and the event ended peacefully at 5.20pm. The crowd seemed content with all the bands and songs that were played today. Me, I was happy that I could get up close to take photos of the band and the crowd. And the XFM crew was happy as well as it all went well for them.
Check out the gallery for even more pictures! (All pictures edited by ah_mei)
« Fly FM 3rd Anniversary
» Livesounds Indie Rock Fest
Xfresh X-Gig @ Ipoh 22nd November 2008
XFM XGig Johor Bahru
Xfresh XGig at Malacca
Xfresh X-Gig
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Home / professor Don Barry
Jim Kemmy archives launched at University of Limerick
September 25 next will mark the 16th anniversary of the passing of the late, great TD and Limerick Mayor Jim Kemmy. But the stonemason, trade unionist, politician and historian is still remembered as strongly as ever. While being treated for bone marrow cancer in St James’s hospital in Dublin in 1997, his dying wish was […]
News archives, Glucksman library, Jan O'sullivan, Jim Kemmy, Mayor, Patsy Harrold, politician, professor Don Barry, stonemason, ul, University of Limerick
WHEN CHRISTMAS CAME BUT ‘ONCE A YEAR’
September 25, 2010 By darinaraleigh Leave a Comment
When we were children the year seemed so long from one Christmas to another -maybe it was because Christmas only came but 'once a year' back then. We really looked forward to this holiday season, it was the only time of the year when there was an abundance of food around the house, special foods … [Read More...]
Deaths in Limerick – February 7, 2018
The death has occurred of Bridget (Bridgie) Holland (née Drew), The Ranch House Bar, Arywee, Fedamore, peacefully at home, surrounded by her loving family. Deeply regretted by her loving husband Frank, son John, daughters Maria and Siobhan, sisters Kathleen and Esther, … [Read More...]
Sadness in Limerick following death of former Old Crescent president
THERE is widespread sadness in Limerick following the death of a well-known figure on the rugby scene. Cyril Downes, who was closely involved with Old Crescent RFC, passed away peacefully at his home on Thursday February 1. Mr Downes was a former captain and president of Old Crescent RFC, … [Read More...]
Students Across Ireland Benefit From JP McManus Scholarship Awards
125 students from across Ireland have been presented with JP McManus third level scholarships at the University of Limerick. The scholarships are awarded to high-performing students and are worth almost €7,000 a year for the duration of their third level education. Limerick billionaire JP … [Read More...]
Katy Perry’s Roar Roars Up the Charts
September 7, 2013 By Joe Taylor Leave a Comment
Katy Perry’s Roar roared up the charts to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 list, bumping Robin Thicke to the number two position. Roar is Perry’s eighth song to hit number one. Will Roar and Perry’s upcoming album, Prism, cause people looking back at the MTV VMAs next year to think of more … [Read More...]
The death has occurred of Sean (Batt) Fitzgerald, Batt's Bar, Athea, peacefully at his home.Sadly missed by his sisters, Julia, Helen, Nora, Kathleen and brother Bartholomew, nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews and his many friends.Reposing at Finucane's Funeral Home, Athea, on … [Read More...]
Martins Coach Hire in Limerick expands bus fleet to meet growing demand
Martins Coache Hire in Limerick announced today that it has taken delivery of two new state-of-the-art coaches to add to it's current fleet of 25 coaches. The latest delivery brings the total investment in new buses for 2008 to around €600,000. The new vehicles will be immediately rolled out … [Read More...]
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Robotics and Technology Learning Center
Flexi Class
Robotics Workshop 2018
NRC 2018 Practice Field
We will give you the full robotic experience, complete with building instructions, programming missions, and the awesome smart device commander app. New robot builders are recommended to start here.
So you've read all about how amazing 3D printing is, now it is the time to get your hands on it and experience it yourself.
Rero™ is especially designed to be an easy-to-learn and easy-to-use robotic platform for secondary school students to explore robotic technology and programming.
Kelab TaHa is open to all student from primary and secondary school in Malaysia, Kelab TaHa also function to promote all their members to joined any activities and programs conducted by Tabung Haji.
This program aims to promote robotics education. Through this program, participants will be introduced to robotics and learn to build and program robots using RERO robotics kit and software.
The Hour of Code is a global movement reaching tens of millions of students in 180+ countries.
Looking for the hottest thing this season? It’s all about robotics! Get some fun and excitement with various stimulating themes specially designed for our school holiday adventure. Get your kids involved and give them a memorable experience this school holiday!
Our workshop is designed to introduce kids to robotics and basic coding principles. They will learn how to write programs using LEGO® Mindstorms® EV3 software to control and operate the unique models that they have build!
Ubiquity Robotics Launches Beefy ROS Development Platform
March 13, 2018 Syahida Zainudin
There are any number of robotics development platforms out there, and we’ve written about most of them TurtleBots, iRobot Creates, and more recently robots like Misty. Generally, these platforms are intended to be used for experimenting with sensors and software, or for more socially-oriented applications that don’t involve much in the way of lifting or moving stuff.
A Silicon Valley startup called Ubiquity Robotics believes that there’s an opportunity here, and they’re crowdfunding a robot called Magni that’s specifically designed to handle large payloads for long durations. It comes with sensing and computing out of the box, and Ubiquity hopes it’ll enable hobbyists to create a new generation of practical robotic solutions.In addition, Ubiquity is offering Loki, a small and more or less affordable learning platform that you can use to develop applications for Magni.
It’s important to note that Magni are not for novice programmers, and they’re probably not for people who are interested in learning about robotics and ROS. There are tutorials for Magni, but they assume that you have a working knowledge of ROS already.
This strikes us as an optimistic vision for a robotic development platform. Not that there’s anything wrong with optimism, but as we mentioned above, people have been making development platforms for years, and they’ve remained a niche product, mostly used by researchers or hobbyists.
Ubiquity believes that there’s a market out there of people who want to do practical things with robots, but who are restricted more by platform availability than anything else. It’s certainly true that most mobile bases that can handle large payloads tend to be on the expensive side, but it remains to be seen whether there’s enough demand out there to sustain even relatively low volume production of a robot like Magni.
Ubiquity is crowdfunding the version of Magni that most people probably want for US $1,000, not including a 3D vision system, meaning that they’ll probably need to sell between one and two hundred Magnis (of varying specs) to reach their fixed goal of $200k.
#LITTLEBOTZACADEMY#
#ATRIASHOPPINGGALLERY#
#STAYTUNEWITHBOTZFORMOREINFO#
https://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/diy/ubiquity-robotics-launches-beefy-ros-development-platform
Robo-logistics company Magazino raises $25M for its warehouse bots
March 6, 2018 March 8, 2018 Syahida Zainudin
German robotics firm Magazino, creator of robots meant to work alongside people in warehouses and the like, has raised $24.8 million to continue development and deployment of its TORU and SOTO robots.
The bots are made for the kind of repetitive fetching and transport work that is so common in e-commerce distribution and storage facilities. They’re considerably larger than people, but are designed to move about and interact with the same spaces — ordinary shelves, lanes and tables.
The heavy-duty SOTO, which was just recently introduced, can handle boxes of more than 20 pounds and two feet across. TORU was recently redesigned but is intended for smaller payloads (think shoe boxes). The two robots load multiple target boxes into their internal storage, then navigate to their destinations to drop them off. It’s the kind of thing human warehouse workers tend to get really tired of doing.
It’s also done autonomously with 3D imaging in real time — not a simple by-wire system where it might grab at empty air and then plow through people in its path. Magazino is investing heavily into the sensing and real-time operation stack, which it calls ACROS(Advanced Cooperative Robotic Operating System).
The company was started in 2014, and by 2016 had landed major clients like Fiege, which now uses Magazino robots for some of its warehouse work, and recently ordered 30 more.
#BRIDGINGTHEFUTURE#
#STAYTUNEFORMOREINFOWITHUS#
Custom carpentry with help from Robots
Every year thousands of carpenters injure their hands and fingers doing dangerous tasks such as sawing.
In an effort to minimize injury and let carpenters focus on design and other bigger-picture tasks, a team from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) has created AutoSaw, a system that lets nonexperts customize different items that can then be constructed with the help of robots.
Users can choose from a range of carpenter-designed templates for chairs, desks, and other furniture. The team says that AutoSaw could eventually be used for projects as large as a deck or a porch.
“If you’re building a deck, you have to cut large sections of lumber to length, and that’s often done on site,” says CSAIL postdoc Jeffrey Lipton, who was a lead author on a related paper about the system. “Every time you put a hand near a blade, you’re at risk. To avoid that, we’ve largely automated the process using a chop-saw and jigsaw.
Software isn’t a foreign concept for some carpenters. “Computer Numerical Control” (CNC) can convert designs into numbers that are fed to specially programmed tools to execute. However, the machines used for CNC fabrication are usually large and cumbersome, and users are limited to the size of the existing CNC tool.
As a result, many carpenters continue to use chop-saws, jigsaws, and other hand tools that are low cost, easy to move, and simple to use. These tools, while useful for customization, still put people at a high risk of injury.
AutoSaw draws on expert knowledge for designing, and robotics for the more risky cutting tasks. Using the existing CAD system OnShape with an interface of design templates, users can customize their furniture for things like size, sturdiness, and aesthetics. Once the design is finalized, it’s sent to the robots to assist in the cutting process using the jigsaw and chop-saw.
To cut lumber the team used motion-tracking software and small mobile robots — an approach that takes up less space and is more cost-effective than large robotic arms.
Specifically, the team used a modified Roomba with a jigsaw attached to cut lumber of any shape on a plank. For the chopping, the team used two Kuka youBots to lift the beam, place it on the chop saw, and cut.
“We added soft grippers to the robots to give them more flexibility, like that of a human carpenter,” says Lipton. “This meant we could rely on the accuracy of the power tools instead of the rigid-bodied robots.”
After the robots finish with cutting, the user then assembles the new piece of furniture using step-by-step directions from the system.
#ATRIASHOPPINGGALARY#
#STAYTUNEFORMOREUPDATE#
Source: http://news.mit.edu/2018/custom-carpentry-help-robots-autosaw-0228
21-Year-Old Malaysian Graduate Named No. 1 World Prize Winner in ACCA Exam
February 21, 2018 March 1, 2018 Syahida Zainudin
Article by Ling Kwan.
For the longest time, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants or ACCA exam has been the worst nightmare for accounting students, because the papers are notoriously difficult and they have to pass the exams in order to become a chartered accountant. No short cuts! Which is why we’re extremely delighted to announce that Wan Nur Mafudah from Kampung Tok Raja, Terengganu has recently emerged as the world prize winner for the ACCA Financial Reporting paper! Congrats!
In fact, she is the first Malay to nab the number one world-ranking by passing the exam with 95 per cent!
“I was told that before this, the highest ranking that Malay students ever achieved in ACCA exams were second, fifth, and sixth from 2015 until last year,” the 21-year-old student said.
When interviewed by reporters, the graduate from Intec Education College said that she has always been interested in accountancy and that she aspires to become an accounting lecturer one day. Although she was advised to give up on accountancy earlier, Wan Mafudah persevered and refused to listen to the naysayers.
After smashing her SPM exam with 8A1s and 1B, the former MRSM Besut student then furthered her studies in accountancy at Poly-Tech Mara College before receiving a scholarship from Permodalan Nasional Berhad to study at her former college. Not only has her success made her folks in the kampung proud, but it also proves that anyone can master this field, so long as you put your mind to it!
What’s her secret?
Well, she said that sharing her knowledge with others is the best way to revise her knowledge as it helped strengthen her understanding about certain topics. Remember, sharing is caring guys! Don’t kedekut ilmu! When asked about her next move, Wan Mafudah said she plans to work as an accountant first before she works towards being a lecturer. “I want to become a role model to my younger siblings so that they would study hard for their exams,” she said. Wan Mafudah’s inspiring journey has proven that nothing is impossible if you work hard enough for it, and we’d like to wish her all the best in her future endeavours!
Source: http://www.worldofbuzz.com/21-year-old-malaysian-graduate-named-no-1-world-prize-winner-acca-exam/
Lego’s new robotics set lets kids program a cat to play the harmonica
January 5, 2018 March 1, 2018 Syahida Zainudin
|An article by Adi Robertson|
Lots of people are already familiar with Mindstorms, the Lego robotics platform capable of building clever tools like this automatic card-signing machine. Some might also remember Lego WeDo, the simpler educational tool for teaching kids coding basics. This year at CES, Lego is bridging the gap with Boost, a basic robotics- and programming-oriented kit that’s supposed to be more playful than didactic.
Boost is built around a motorized block called a Move Hub, powered by six AAA batteries and equipped with a tilt sensor. The $159.99 Boost kit includes another motor and a combination color and distance sensor, plus 843 more traditional Lego parts. One of the most important pieces, though, isn’t included: an iOS or Android tablet for using the accompanying app, which is both a building guide and a drag-and-drop programming tool.
The Autobuilder (left), Guitar 4000, Vernie the Robot, and Frankie the Cat
Once kids have launched the app, they can pick from five major building projects. The most complex is a foot-high anthropomorphic robot called Vernie, but there’s also a slightly terrifying mechanical cat named Frankie; a colorful guitar; a rugged, tractor-like vehicle; and the “Autobuilder,” a 3D printer-like machine that can be programmed to put Lego together.
During the construction process, the app introduces builders to the simple programming interface: a series of puzzle pieces representing different actions, which can be chained together and triggered by a tap of the screen or a real-world action. This works a lot like Lego WeDo, but it’s specifically meant to feel like a toy. “The goal isn’t to teach them anything,” says Lego design lead Simon Kent. “But they will actually learn just by tinkering with it.”
You can program Vernie, for example, to dance and shake maracas (which can be built with parts in the set), to shoot a small projectile at a target, or to hold a conversation using preset lines. It can’t recognize what you’re saying, but it can tell when sound is coming through the iPad microphone.
Vernie’s facial expressions are programmable
Some of these interactions get complex enough that they’re almost games in themselves. Frankie “plays” a Lego harmonica by detecting when different colors hit the sensor over its mouth, then playing a sound that’s linked to that color, including recorded audio. This same method, this time with a slider that moves over different-colored frets, makes the Lego guitar playable. We’ve tried both these things, and they’re weirdly entertaining, even for adults. The Autobuilder is an actual manufacturing device composed in miniature, although it didn’t work perfectly when we tried it. Since Lego bricks are pretty easy to pull apart, it also feels unsurprisingly fragile.
The programming options we saw are heavily geared toward getting kids to play with specific objects in specific ways, not come up with their own robots. But there’s a more open-ended app feature that shows them how to make the skeleton of a vehicle, a four-legged animal, or a building. They can then use these frames to build whatever they want, using either the included Lego or their own sets.
A four-legged walking animal frame
Boost isn’t meant to take Mindstorms’ place, but it’s an approachable toy for younger Lego fans — and seriously, the guitar is pretty cool. The set is going on sale in the second half of 2017, and it’ll be on display at CES later this week.
source: https://www.theverge.com/ces/2017/1/4/13920762/lego-boost-robotics-programming-set-robot-cat-guitar
Lego Education, News, Robotic
Children learn coding at their parents’ workplace|The Star Online
December 19, 2017 March 1, 2018 Syahida Zainudin
MORE than 100 children of Accenture employees took part in the Malaysian office’s Bring Your Kid To Code Day.
The initiative is part of the company’s commitment to help children build science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and computer skills.
A coding tutorial was conducted for both children and adults with a special focus on artificial intelligence (AI).
“It may seem premature to encourage coding in children below 10 years but we have seen how their agile minds grasp coding concepts, sometimes faster than their parents,” said Accenture Malaysia technology lead Janet Yap.
“It was also a great way to let the children explore their parent’s or family’s workplace.”
The activity was part of Accenture’s global Hour of Code initiative in conjunction with Computer Science Education Week.
This follows Accenture’s pledge of US$10mil (RM41mil) to support initiatives to expand STEM and computer science education through Internet Association, a group that represents global Internet companies on matters of public policy.
“Technology is creating jobs that didn’t exist five years ago and learning to code can transform the trajectory of a student’s life and career,” said Accenture chief technology and innovation officer and chief coder Paul Daugherty.
“We’ve seen the impact that Code.org is having on students and this year we’re doing more to support that.”
For the third straight year, Accenture is teaming with Code.org, that launched Hour of Code in 2013 and other STEM-related educational initiatives.
This year, Accenture Technology harnessed its internal expertise to create a coding tutorial that gives students a better understanding of AI.
Students discover how various AI techniques can teach a robot to explore a new planet — including recognising animals and plants, understanding a new language, and conversing with inhabitants.
Copied from The Star Online.
Read more: https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metro-news/2017/12/15/children-learn-coding-at-their-parents-workplace/
Blog, Engineering, News
News : IISSA School Trip
February 10, 2017 NH
18 students from Integrated Islamic School Shah Alam (IISSA) creatively embracing the 21st century learning by taking part in our Lego Mindstorm EV3 workshop at Little Botz Academy Atria Branch
Let’s bring technology and 21st century learning environment to the classroom together !
For any inquiries:
1. Call: 03-77322373
2. Whatsapp / SMS: 018-3580232
3. Email: atria@littlebotz.com
Blog, Competition, Ev3 Mindstorm, Event, News, Robotic Class, STEM education, Technology, Workshop
What you need to know about LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 Core Set
January 19, 2017 January 19, 2017 NH
This set contains everything you need to start teaching STEM and computer science using the exciting LEGO® MINDSTORMS® concept. It offers full teacher support, including STEM and computing teaching materials, and a comprehensive eLearning program.
The system includes the EV3 Intelligent Brick, a compact and powerful programmable computer that makes it possible to control motors and collect sensor feedback using the intuitive icon-based programming and data logging software that is delivered with the set.
The set is delivered in a sturdy storage bin with a sorting tray, three Servo Motors, five Sensors (Gyro, Ultrasonic, Color and 2x Touch), a EV3 Rechargeable DC Battery, connecting cables, and building instructions.
Includes 541 elements that can be used for teaching science, technology, engineering, math, and computer science.
The LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 Core Set comes with a curriculum pack and includes 48 tutorials to help you and your students learn the basics of LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3.
The 48 step-by-step tutorials are designed to help educators and students master basic and advanced programming as well as hardware and data logging functions.
The easy-to-learn, easy-to-use EV3 Software and the EV3 Programming app are optimized for classroom use. Programming is done by dragging and dropping icons into a line to form commands allowing students to uild simple programs, and then easily and intuitively build on their skills until they are developing complex algorithms.
The data logging feature inside the EV3 Software is a powerful science tool for carrying out experiments. It is easy to predict, collect, view, analyze and manipulate data from sensors and see the data in interactive graphs. The software is based on LabVIEW, the industry-leading graphical programming language, and is optimized for classroom usage.
The LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 software lets your students:
Program robots and other creations
Document and track progress using the documentation tool
Create and edit content
Access the Robot Educator tutorials
Log real-time data and calculate data sets (not available on the tablet app)
The software is Windows, Mac, Chromebook and iOS compatible.
Join us at Little Botz Academy as our member (6 or 12 months) or enroll your self exclusively for LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Course only!! Grab our Chinese New Year Promo to earn great discount!
View Class Calendar Here
Each new intake subject consists of:
3-month Development Program
2 hours each session except for WeDo (1 hours)
Class capacity : 12 pax
How to register for class:
4. Walk-in: Little Botz Academy, Atria Shopping Gallery
Engineering, Ev3 Mindstorm, Lego Education, News, Promotions, STEM education, Technology
New Intake for Atria Technology Class 2017
STEM education is an integration of science, technology, engineering, and math which emphasized on the application of knowledge to real-life situations. STEM education help in shaping future of our country and the future of our children. Let’s together build our children for the future by infused them with technology-learning environment by engaging them with our fun and enthusiastic teachers using hands-on and minds-on activities.
Let’s explore the world of science and math in attractive and exciting ways with us !!
Click here to view our Activites and Programs
Register at Little Botz Academy today and enjoy our Chinese New Year Promotion !!
To register/enquiry kindly call/sms/whatsapp : +6018 358 0232 / 03 7732 2373 or email us at atria@littlebotz.com
Engineering, Event, Intake, News, Promotions, Robotic Class, STEM education, Technology
Chinese New Year 2017 Promo !
In line with the vision and transformation of 21st century learning to implement the four C’s vital skills: critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration. Little Botz™ have discovered that the most effective ways to develop these skills are through technology-infused learning environment. Hence, we believe by putting technology into the hands of students and trusting them with more progressive technology is a way forward to 21st century learning.
Our class-ready teaching solutions support in creating an engaging and inspiring learning environment with syllables design specifically to stimulate critical thinking and encourage creative problem solving skills across a variety of real-world themes.
Check Out our activities and programs here and new intake for 2017!
LET’S GRAB THIS OPPORTUNITY. SIGN UP NOW !
LIMITED TIME OFFER FROM 12 January – 12 February 2017
CALL/EMAIL US AT ANYTIME .
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE YOU !
Intake, Lego Education, News, Promotions, Robotic Class, Scratch Programming, STEM education, Technology
Little Botz™ Academy is a technology hub that provides a fun and interactive platform for the community to express their creativity and innovation while learning.
Learn How To Code with Coding Express (Age 2+)
STEM Manifesto
📢📢 ⚠ ANNOUNCEMENT ⚠ 📢📢
June 2018 Special Promo at Little Botz Academy
RAJA IBRAHIM & RAJA IDRIS BIRTHDAY PARTY
Ev3 Mindstorm
Rero
Robotic Class
Scratch Programming
Learn How To Code with Coding Express (Age 2+) March 27, 2019
The Coding Express is designed to help preschool teachers develop children’s understanding of cause and effect relationships, and early coding concepts, such as sequencing, looping, and conditional statements . Using these lessons, you’ll support the children’s learning, helping them to practice early coding skills, like problem-solving, computational thinking, and using digital tools to design and […]
STEM Manifesto November 9, 2018
The STEM Manifesto, 1) All people have creative potential. Our students are not passive consumers of information. Adults must provide the space for them to be active participants in their own learning and construction of knowledge. Their inherent talents, interests, and creativity have only to be unleashed. 2) Each student deserves an opportunity to prosper. […]
📢📢 ⚠ ANNOUNCEMENT ⚠ 📢📢 June 14, 2018
Dear all beloved customers, Please be informed that Little Botz Academy will be closed for Hari Raya Aidilfitri from Friday – Sunday, 15th – 17th June 2018. We will continue our operation as usual on Monday, 18th June 2018. With that, we are wishing you and your family Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri 😊
Syahida Zainudin
June 2018 Special Promo at Little Botz Academy May 23, 2018
June is approaching! So, fill your children’s school holiday by exploring robotic world using Edutainment concept with Little Botz Academy. In conjunction with Hari Raya Celebration, Father’s Day and School Holiday, we have prepared a few special promotions for everyone to enjoy. Enjoy all these special promotions at our Learning Center this upcoming June! […]
RAJA IBRAHIM & RAJA IDRIS BIRTHDAY PARTY March 14, 2018
On Saturday 11th February 2018, Little Botz Academy hosted a party to celebrate the birthday of Raja Ibrahim and Raja Idris. Guests were served with variety selection of foods. The party started at 2:00 pm and ended at nearly 5:30 pm. Customer has requested for a combined birthday party theme. It was a great pleasure […]
Copyright 2017 © Little Botz™ Academy. Owned by Distinct Motion Sdn. Bhd. All Rights Reserved.
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Ballantine offers Alternatives to Hefty Senate Tax Increase
Senate Democrats have presented a state budget that includes new spending and $1.1 Billion in new taxes. Senate Republicans unanimously stood against tax increases and offered numerous amendments to offset new taxes.
"These are common sense alternatives to tax increases," said Senate Republican Leader Patrick Ballantine, R-New Hanover. "It keeps promises, rather than breaks promises."
The Senate Democrat spending plan includes income tax increases, a sales tax increase, a tax on food, a tax on candy, and a tax on soft drinks.
The Democrat plan taxes children, and taxes married couples more than single adults living together, postponing tax relief measures due to start July 1.
The Democrat budget increases taxes $499.3 million in fiscal year 2004 and $639.6 million in fiscal year 2005.
As alternatives to increased taxes, Ballantine offered an amendment to save $200 million in spending for vacant positions, save $42 million consolidating administration of 39 worker-training programs, move $270 million from the Golden Leaf fund, and reduce $3.1 million from the Department of Public Instruction bureaucracy in Raleigh.
Regarding taking Tobacco settlement money, Ballantine told Democrats, "we don't touch the Health and Wellness Trust Fund or the Farmer's Trust fund. You all have already taken that money."
Republicans offered more than enough money to offset the Democrat's new taxes. The GOP proposed using some of the additional money to restore funding for teacher's assistants, school custodians and for prescription drugs for older north Carolinians.
The Republican alternative budget was defeated along Party lines with all 28 Democrats voting against the measure.
In another amendment, Senator Robert Pittenger, R-Mecklenburg successfully changed the budget by calling for the implementation of a computer software program that has saved Georgia's Medicaid program $140 million. Senate Republicans have, for many years, worked to eliminate waste and fraud from North Carolina's growing Medicaid system.
Senator Fred Smith, R-Johnston, also offered an amendment that would limit state spending by tying budgets to personal income growth over the prior decade. "Our state needs to have a plan for strategic planning, to have discipline," Smith said. "The way we budget creates inefficiencies." The amendment, he told the Senate would have promoted "effective and efficient government. It would give citizens confidence in our government."
Again, the amendment was defeated by all the Democrats in a Party line vote.
Senator Ham Horton, R-Forsyth offered an amendment that would require reports from more than 8,000 "non-governmental organizations" that together receive more than $776 million in state funds. Those that receive larger grants would be required to account for monies spent with a yearly spending report. Organizations receiving more than $350,000 in state money are already required to deliver certified accounts. Horton's amendment would have suspended funding to organizations that are not in compliance.
Sen. Pittenger also offered an amendment that would have required random audits of at least 20 of thousands of NGO's, to measure results and increase accountability.
Sen. Fern Shubert, R-Union, disputed the Democrat's "creative financing" provisions that would allow the state treasurer to float credit and bonds in a number of ways she fears would violate the state Constitution. She offered an amendment to rid the Senate budget of language that might open up state financing to "the dangers of Orange County derivatives," citing the notorious example of a California county made bankrupt by creative financing.
"I concede that the state has been grossly mismanaged," Shubert said. "But 'borrowing long' is not good business."
"The Constitution says we are can't borrow money without permission from the people," said Sen. Virginia Foxx, R-Watauga. "Creative financing is not what I was elected to do."
Ultimately the Democrat budget passed a second reading along Party lines, 28 - 22.
PAID FOR BY PATRICK BALLANTINE FOR GOVERNOR | PRIVACY POLICY | CONTACT US
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Mr-Mehra
Home News 'I think that relationship is lost now': Thomas Markle fears he will not see Meghan ever again since missing her fairytale wedding, friend claims
'I think that relationship is lost now': Thomas Markle fears he will not see Meghan ever again since missing her fairytale wedding, friend claims
Thomas Markle Sr is said to have told friends: 'I think they are shot of me now'
Markle Sr had to miss the royal wedding on May 19 after suffering heart attack
He recently met up with his son, Thomas Jr, after a long period of estrangement
Thomas Markle fears he will not see Meghan again since missing her fairy tale wedding, according to reports.
The 73-year-old is said to fear the royal couple are now 'shot' of him and has reportedly told friends: 'I haven't talked with Meghan and Harry in a long time... I think they're shot of me now.
'I don't know if she'll visit. I told her not to come and visit when I was in hospital. I think that relationship is lost now.'
Markle Snr, who lives in Mexico, had to miss his daughter's wedding after suffering a heart attack and has not seen her since.
But while he has become increasingly distant from Meghan, he met up with his son Tom Jr. for the first time in more than four years at the weekend.
The Mirror quoted a source as saying: 'Thomas is heartbroken. He is at a complete loss as to why he has been excluded.'
It comes after Thomas Markle Sr and Thomas Markle Jr, met for the first time since 2011, as revealed by Dailymail.com.
They had been estranged for several years but spent time together last week in a reunion that a source described as having 'gone better than expected'.
Thomas Markle Sr (pictured near his home in Mexico), 73, is said to fear the royal couple are now 'shot' of him and has reportedly told friends: 'I haven't talked with Meghan and Harry in a long time... I think they're shot of me now'
Prince Harry and Megan are pictured on May 19 riding in the Ascot Landau carriage after their wedding
Markle Sr (left) and Markle Jr (center) had not seen each other in years before their reunion last week. The father and son are pictured above with Markle Jr's son Thomas Dooley (right) in their younger years
The father and son had been at odds in the run-up to May's royal wedding over Tom Jr's decision to write an open letter in the media in which he told Prince Harry not to marry Meghan, 36, and branded her 'jaded, shallow and conceited'.
And when retired lighting director Markle Sr suffered a heart attack days before the nuptials, he pinned the blame for his ill-health on seeing his son and eldest daughter Samantha Grant, 53, publicly sniping about their sister.
Despite the bad blood, the meeting between the two is understood to have gone well – but a source told DailyMail.com that real reconciliation 'will take time'.
But older daughter Samantha, who is estranged from her brother Tom Jr, has already hit out after getting wind of the meeting – appearing to accuse the 53-year-old window fitter of setting up the reconciliation for money.
Writing on Twitter, she said: 'My brother did NOT reunite with my dad – it was a set up. You paid Tom Jr him [sic] go stalk at the border and Jr was turned away.'
Thomas Sr was himself paid by paparazzi for staged photos in the run-up to his daughter's wedding.
Markle Sr is understood to enjoy a warm relationship with both of his daughters, although sources close to the pensioner, who lives in Rosarito, Mexico, say he has not heard from Meghan since his controversial appearance on UK breakfast TV show Good Morning Britain two weeks ago.
Last week, Markle Sr gave an interview to his favored media outlet TMZ in which he complained of having been put in 'the penalty box' by the Royal family and voiced his irritation that President Trump will meet the Queen before he does.
He added: 'If the Queen is willing to meet our arrogant, ignorant, and insensitive president she has no excuse not to meet me, I'm nowhere near as bad.'
Markle Sr not heard from Meghan since his controversial appearance last month on UK breakfast TV show Good Morning Britain when he was interviewed by Piers Morgan
Markle's comments are thought to have ruffled feathers at Kensington Palace and come shortly after he revealed Prince Harry's views on Brexit and President Donald Trump during his Good Morning Britain interview.
The 73-year-old also caused controversy after the Mail on Sunday revealed he had been colluding with a Los Angeles-based paparazzi photographer called Jeff Rayner to set up 'candid' photos in the run-up to the Royal wedding in May.
Embarrassingly, the revelation came after Kensington Palace had spent weeks pleading for privacy on his behalf – including a message sent hours before the story was published.
The incident, friends told DailyMail.com, left him 'embarrassed'.
He then revealed, via TMZ, that he had suffered a heart attack – telling the website the coronary had been brought on by his two eldest children squabbling in the press.
And, with just three days to go before the ceremony, he revealed that he needed an emergency operation to insert three stents and would definitely not be in Windsor for the big day.
Instead, Markle Sr spent the day of the wedding cloistered in a $31-a-night AirBNB in Baja Malibu – a scruffy gated compound less than two miles from his home.
As a result, he is still to meet his new son-in-law Prince Harry but told TMZ last week that he hopes a meeting will take place in the near future.
Sources also revealed that he is hoping to bring his fractured family back together in the wake of the wedding, after both Tom Jr and Samantha were left off the guest list.
Markle Sr is understood to enjoy a warm relationship with both of his daughters. He's pictured above with Meghan during her teenage years
Samantha last saw Meghan at her 2008 graduation and has repeatedly hit out at the newly minted royal on Twitter, including accusing her of ignoring their father
Samantha, who is estranged from her brother Tom Jr, has already hit out after getting wind of the reunion between Thomas Markle Sr and Thomas Markle Jr
Neither is thought to have spoken to Meghan in years, although the 36-year-old is thought to be close to Samantha's eldest daughter Ashleigh Hale, 32.
Despite their falling out, Tom Jr spent the wedding day in Windsor, England, as the paid guest of a tabloid newspaper – although he was not allowed inside St. George's Chapel.
Samantha, meanwhile, spent the day at home in Ocala, Florida, accompanied by her boyfriend Mark Phillips and an Australian news crew.
Other relations, including Tom Jr's mother Roslyn, 72, watched the ceremony at home – although cousin Nick Markle, 37, and his mother Theresa were seen visiting a branch of Burger King near their house in Sanford, Florida, and parading around in free paper crowns obtained inside.
Tom Jr previously told DailyMail.com that he thought his arrest in January 2017 after he drunkenly put a gun to his girlfriend's head might have 'embarrassed' the former actress.
He also issued a plea for the now Duchess of Sussex to consider a family reunion and insisted that she would never have forgotten him.
'Gosh, I'm not that distant,' he told DailyMail.com. 'But like I said before, when she took off to start her career [in Toronto], everybody becomes distant – even my father got it.
'He probably got a little upset because he wasn't needed so much anymore.'
Tom Jr added: 'She could never forget me. Her and I always got along really good, we spent a lot of time together before she left [Los Angeles in 2011].
'She knows who I am and I'm not distant, I may be distant distance wise, as in 4,000 miles, but that's it.'
Sister Samantha last saw Meghan at her 2008 graduation and has repeatedly hit out at the newly minted royal on Twitter, including accusing her of ignoring their father.
Markle Sr, who is thought to be in recovery following his heart attack. He lives in a small expat community called San Antonio del Mar, which sits approximately 16 miles south of the US border crossing at San Ysidro.
Including Rosarito itself, the area is home to approximately 30,000 US expatriates – most drawn to the area by the low cost of living which includes renting a two-bedroom apartment for as little as $500-per-month and $3 taco plates.
But like the rest of Baja California, the area is plagued by violence – all due to an ongoing turf war between the Jalisco and Sonora cartels.
As a result, a recent episode of NBC's Dateline dubbed Tijuana 'the most dangerous city in Mexico' with one local morgue operator likening it to a warzone and revealing he sees up to eight murder victims a day.
'I think that relationship is lost now': Thomas Markle fears he will not see Meghan ever again since missing her fairytale wedding, friend claims Reviewed by free heip on July 05, 2018 Rating: 5
Tags : News
Socotra Island: The Most Alien-Looking Place on Earth
The landscape of Socotra Island has a view that looks as if it was derived from a sci-fi film but in reality, it has evolved to appear lik...
Science & Tech (22)
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Past Events › Contemporary Events
Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired; a Conversation about Resilience, Revolution and Fannie Lou Hamer
Nashville Public Library, 615 Church Street
Featuring a performance of composer Hannibal Lokumbe’s String Quartet “Fannie Lou Hamer” alongside a lecture with Lokumbe and panelists exploring the life and work of Fannie Lou Hamer in partnership with the Civil Rights Room and Nashville Public Library.
The New Being: Perception and Spiritual Existence of People of Color
Nashville Ballet, 3630 Redmon Street
Presented in partnership with Metro Arts and the Curb Center for Art, Enterprise and Public Policy at Vanderbilt as part of Metro Arts’ REAL (Racial Equity in Arts Leadership) Speaker Series. Composer Hannibal Lokumbe will speak to arts and community leaders about building equity and his work in community based…
Mass Incarceration and Restorative Arts: A Conversation with Composer Hannibal Lokumbe and Dr. Rosevelt Noble
Black Cultural Center, Vanderbilt University, Bishop Johnson Center
Composer Hannibal Lokumbe joins Dr. Rosevelt Noble, a scholar of the American criminal justice system and Director of the BCC, for a conversation discussing Hannibal’s work with incarcerated men and women around the country, the power of music to heal, and the impact of race in the American prison system.
Crucifixion Resurrection: Nine Souls a-Traveling
Fisk Memorial Chapel, Phillips Street
Crucifixion Resurrection is a requiem composed by Hannibal Lokumbe in 2017 for jazz ensemble, chorus, narrators and vocal soloists. The work honors the nine victims of the mass shooting at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina and features acclaimed tenor Roderik Dixon and Grammy Award-winning bassist…
Hello Gold Mountain with chatterbird Chamber Ensemble
Ingram Hall, Vanderbilt University, 2400 Blakemore Avenue
Experience the world premier of Chinese composer Wu Fei's composition, Hello Gold Mountain, a piece dedicated to Jewish refugees and the Jewish community in Shanghai. Features Wu Fei and guzheng and Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz on oud. Presented in partnership with local Jewish and Chinese cultural organizations.
Novel Noise
This concert will feature the talents and sounds of Nashville, and the programming will challenge preconceived notions of what defines “classical music.” Artistic Director Alicia Enstrom has curated a roster of local composers, each of whom will contribute an original work to the evening of music. Composers include: Cristina Spinei, Stephen Lamb, Timbre…
chatterbird presents Hit and Pluck
W.O. Smith Community Music School, 1125 8th Avenue South
7:30 PM Tickets: $20, free for students with ID Join us for four WORLD PREMIERES featuring the music of composers Chris Bell, Annalyse Clark, Nick Heilborn, and Matthew Shorten. This concert will be the culmination of a spring project with Vanderbilt University’s Composition Studio. Also on the program are Alex…
Intersection’s Renewal
An event every day that begins at 7:30 pm, repeating until October 6, 2019
George Shinn Event Center, Lipscomb University
Nashville, + Google Map
GeoIntersection presents RENEWAL - a musical program featuring Intersection instrumentalists, Portara Ensemble, percussionists Lee Vinson and Ji Hye Jung along with Sandbox Percussionists Terry Sweeney and Jonny Allen, conducted by Kelly Corcoran. Sarah Kirkland Snider's "Mass for the Endangered" is about the need to preserve our planet and Viet Cuong's…
The River as Song: Prolific American and Chinese Songwriters Take the Stage at Analog at Hutton
Analog at Hutton Hotel, 1808 West End Avenue
A concert that features multi-Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter Jim Lauderdale and multiple national music award-winner Su Yang, from China is going to take place at the Analog at Hutton Hotel at 8pm, October 24th. This is a collaboration between MTSU Center for Chinese Music (CCMC) and Culture and Center for…
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9 Of 2015's Best Celebrity Feuds
| Birdman, britney spears, Bruce Jenner, Cash Money, Drake, Entertainment News, Iggy Azalea, kris jenner, KUWTK, Lil Wayne, Mean Girls, Meek Mill, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, young money
Casey Tamkin |
December 26, 2015 | 2:03 p.m. PST
Meek Mill utilized his "Twitter fingers" toward Drake (Screenshot).
This year was arguably the year of the celebrity beef. Whether these stars took their frustrations out on Twitter, through interviews or on live television, we appreciate the live entertainment they provided.
Here's nine of the best celeb feuds of 2015.
9. Iggy Azalea vs. Britney Spears
Hot weather makes for hot tempers. The battle of these two blondes turned ugly this summer. After releasing their collaboration track “Pretty Girls,” Azalea took to Twitter and called out Spears. She claimed the pop princess was not promoting the track enough. It seems everyone on Twitter gave their two cents on the argument.
8. Lil Wayne vs. Birdman and Young Thug
Rap is a style of music born from “dissing” one another, so it is no surprise there is an abundance of beef in the rap community. Back in January of this year, Weezy (Lil Wayne) filed a law suit against Birdman’s record label, Cash Money, for withholding payment. Then, in April, Lil Wayne’s tour bus was bombarded with bullets. The shooter allegedly made contact with Birdman and Young Thug the day of the attack. Though the relationship surely has a strain on it, it is on the mend. Young Thug featured Lil Wayne in one track on his September mixtape.
7. Cara Delevigne vs. “Good Day Sacramento” anchors
In what was probably the least-expected feud of 2015, Delevigne faced some news anchors who clearly woke up on the wrong side of the bed and felt like giving her a hard time. Delevigne quickly learned promoting "Paper Towns" was not all glitz and glam in what turned out to be the most awkward interview pretty much ever. The interview turned out to be more of a cringe-worthy questionnaire and was captured for the world to see.
6. Donald Trump vs. Rosie O’ Donnell
The feud between these two big television personalities has spanned about a decade now, and there are no signs of it stopping any time soon. Of course with Trump in the spotlight during the Presidential race, matters have only gotten worse. During the August GOP debate, the moderator asked Trump about his numerous derogatory names used toward women. Trump responded, “only Rosie O’Donnell.” O’Donnell fired back, saying Trump’s campaign is a “nightmare.”
5. Pharrell and Robin Thicke vs. Marvin Gaye’s family
This was the law suit of the century, in which many claimed the outcome could change the music industry forever. After a tireless law suit, Pharrell and Thicke were ordered by the judge to pay $7.3 million to the Gaye family in March for “ripping off one of Gaye’s hits.” The family had claimed the pair’s song “Blurred Lines” copied Gaye’s 1977 hit “Got to Give It Up.” Though the public clearly sided with “Blurred Lines,” as the song was still a mega hit, I am going to have to say the Gaye family – in accordance with the law – actually won this one.
4. Caitlyn Jenner vs. Kris Jenner
What is springtime in Los Angeles without a drama-filled Kardashian feud? With Caitlyn’s debut photos in Vanity Fair came her hurtful words toward Kris. The article was a takedown of the super-star mother, in which Caitlyn claimed Kris “mistreated her.” The couple battled it out with each other on their respective shows. In one episode of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," Kris exploded, saying “He can go f*** himself. I honestly wish I never met this man. I mean, f*** you, Bruce.”
3. Miley Cyrus vs. Nicki Minaj
We cannot forget this public showdown at the 2015 VMAs. As the date of the event approached, Cyrus remarked Minaj’s tweets about Cyrus’s few nominations were “not very polite” and “not too kind.” After Minaj accepted her moon man for Best Hip-Hop Video, MInaj turned to Cyrus and said, “this bitch had a lot to say about me the other day in the press…Miley, what’s good?” Publicity stunt or not, the moment was unforgettably catty.
2. Taylor Swift vs. Katy Perry
Come 2015, we all know these two “queens of pop” did not get along. The feud began in 2014 when Perry compared T-swift and her “Bad Blood” crew to "Mean Girls," crowning Swift Regina George. This year, the battle took to Twitter after Swift handled some VMA nomination rumors. She tweeted at Nicki Minaj, “I’ve done nothing but love & support you. It’s unlike you to pit women against each other. Maybe one of the men took your slot…” Perry immediately fired back: “finding it ironic to parade the pit women against other women argument about as one unmeasurably capitalizes on the take down of a woman...” assuring us this juicy feud isn’t coming to an end anytime soon.
1. Drake vs. Meek Mill
The biggest feud of 2015 had the best outcome of 2015. Following the release of his July album, "Dreams Worth More Than Money," Meek Mill tweeted “stop comparing Drake to me too…He don’t write his own raps!” Shots fired. This jab at Drake sparked war in the rap world, prompting collaborators and friends to choose sides, as well as the release of diss tracks from both sides. The ultimate rap battle culminated with Drake’s September album release, "What a Time to Be Alive," Drake’s mixtape with Future that topped the charts for weeks. Drake proved to be the king of rap, and Meek Mill certainly won’t be dissing him anytime soon.
Reach Staff Reporter Casey Tamkin here.
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ParaNexus Anomalous Research Association > Forum > Blog Directory > From the Desk of Brian D. Parsons > Director of Research - Defining the Role > Keyword Search: pareidolia
Keyword Search Result for "Pareidolia"
Brain Matrixing or Pareidolia
Written on August 20, 2018, 05:40:24 AM by Mahesh Chavhan
Almost all Paranormal Investigators goes through a condition where they have to review some photos or videos containing human like shadows, orbs, weird faces, apparition etc. "An Apparition means a remarkable presence of Ghost or ghost like figures." Very few of these photos or videos are truely Paranormal but the others are purely the trick of our brain which we call as "Brain Matrixing or Pareidolia."
Brain Matrixing or Pareidolia is a psychological phenomenon in which the mind responds to a stimulus, usually an image or a sound, by perceiving a familiar pattern where none exists. Seeing these things in photos, videos or sometimes even with the naked eye, is known as matrixing or pareidolia, apophenia or anthropomorphizing. "Ghost Hunters," says Matrixing is a term used to describe the human mind's...
Have we captured ghosts on film?
Written on November 12, 2011, 08:42:39 PM by Brian Parsons
On September 19, 1936, two photographers were finishing up a series of photos for a magazine when one of them suddenly saw a transparent figure coming down a set of stairs in front of them. Captain Provand, upon the request from his partner Mr. Indre Shira, hurriedly prepared the camera and took a photograph that would become the most recognizable ghost photograph in history and would legitimize the possibility of ghosts through this one still shot – or would it? While this famous photograph taken at Raynham Hall of the ghost of the “Brown Lady” is thought to be the best “real deal” photograph ever, there is a little history missing from its backstory that reveals...
Mansfield Reformatory Investigation: April 11, 2010
Written on May 14, 2010, 03:55:24 PM by Brian Parsons
I was very fortunate to be invited to share a night at the Mansfield Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio with a group out of Columbus that I had talked to for a number of months. The investigation would be with 15 or less people and he only had room for four of our investigators. We had tested our equipment during prior investigations and again prior to being at the Reformatory, but ultimately we encountered issues with a few of our infra red cameras. We spent a lot of time messing with cables and other issues while the other group made its way around the facility. By 11 P.M. we decided to just go with three IR cameras and set up a few other mini DVD cameras in spots we wanted to cover.
I put together a video that discusses some of the history behind the location, so I will not discuss it here. As far as the paranormal history it is vast, not to mention the Number of Comments: 0 Continue Reading Article
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The World’s Coolest Floating Classroom
Barbara MacGillivray | February 05 2014
“Kalabia!” “Kalabia!” “Kalabia!” The cries of excited children running and shouting out the name of this colorful ship captures the local enthusiasm for the world’s coolest floating classroom as seen in our latest IMAX film, “Journey to the South Pacific.” Check it out in this new video.
The brainchild of Dr. Mark Erdmann, Senior Advisor to Conservation International’s Indonesia Marine Program, the Kalabia is a 100-foot former illegal tuna fishing boat that was confiscated and re-fitted to give valuable ocean education lessons to island children throughout the Bird’s Head Seascape in eastern Indonesia. The children and families living in these remote villages in West Papua depend on healthy reefs for their survival and livelihoods. The need for greater protection of these reefs inspired the original purchase of the Kalabia in 2007 by Conservation International, which along with partners, helped develop the successful program. Named after West Papua’s endemic “walking shark,” the Kalabia is now run by the indigenous Kalabia Indonesia Foundation.
Local, well-trained educators deliver lessons to some of the most eager students in the world about what keeps a marine ecosystem healthy. They have already reached more than 4,000 local children and parents in 130 villages. Compelling science lessons are imparted through creative interactive games, such as the Coral Reef Game, in which the children take on the role of coral polyps searching for plankton—and are rewarded with peanut treats given out by their instructors. For three days in each village, children gain invaluable lessons about the importance of their backyard ocean habitat and preserving it now and for future generations. As future stewards, the children are the key for the continued health of this uniquely beautiful marine environment.
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MA Classical Studies part 1
Our fascination with ancient Greece and Rome continues to this day. The postgraduate foundation module in classical studies provides some answers to the question, ‘How do we know what we know’ about these two ancient civilisations. It meets this challenge by investigating classical studies as a multidisciplinary field. The fragmentary nature of the evidence requires approaching this question with reference to a variety of sources and using multiple perspectives. The module introduces you to classical studies at postgraduate level, offering a choice of pathways through the material. The module is designed to help you acquire and develop research skills in preparation for further study.
Vocational relevance
This module will be of particular relevance to students who wish to pursue a career in classical studies, teaching, academic institutions, museums, galleries, heritage and the wider arts sector.
A863 is a compulsory module in our:
MA in Classical Studies (F27)
A863 is an optional module in our:
Postgraduate Certificate in Humanities (C20)
MA/MSc Open (F81)
Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
To enable you to make international comparisons, the information provided shows how OU postgraduate modules correspond to the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Northern Ireland and Wales (FHEQ).
OU Postgraduate
FHEQ 7
Study method
Find out more in Why the OU?
Module cost
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Explore our subjects and courses.
Download your copy today
Module details Entry requirements Module registration Study materials
In the Introductory block you will revise and update your research skills and enhance your confidence in dealing with a range of different types of evidence by focusing on a series of case studies exploring ‘how we know what we know’ about classical antiquity. We will investigate ancient and modern technologies of knowledge such as the library and the encyclopaedia; investigate how both texts and material culture allow us to explore and pose new questions about the ancient world; discuss how to find your own academic voice when writing; and consider the impact that discovering new material from classical antiquity continues to have on our understanding of the classical world.
In this block you'll also focus on themes that will be explored in more detail throughout the module such as classical archaeology, the ancient Greek and Latin languages, and the reception of classical antiquity in the modern world.
You will then select two out of three of the following blocks:
Greek and Latin: The Languages of Love and Betrayal explores how public and private passions are described in two key authors, the Greek orator, Lysias, and the Roman poet, Catullus. While studying these texts in translation, you explore the meanings and resonances of key Greek and Latin terms, allowing you to enter more fully the thought world of classical authors. This block does not require you to have any knowledge of ancient languages, but for those that do, there are opportunities to practise and develop your language skills.
Classical Archaeology explores the role of material culture in constructing our understandings of ancient society. You will investigate a range of different types of material culture – individual artefacts, animal bones, visual sources, monuments and other material traces of the ancient world – as well as the scholarly arguments and understandings that their interpretation can lead to. In the process you will encounter recent research on a number of contexts and excavated sites associated with the Roman world, including Rome and Pompeii.
Classical Reception introduces you to the key themes of studies of the ways in which successive generations have engaged with the ancient world, including the study of Roman receptions of Greece. You will focus on one play, Euripides’ The Trojan Women, and consider its sources and its use by Seneca as well as recent versions in cinema and on the stage. You will discover the different meanings that ‘Troy’ could carry and in the process investigate not only how the classical past influences later centuries but also how contemporary concerns influence our readings of the past.
The interdisciplinary Concluding block, taken by all students, explores three case studies that will enable you to consolidate and revise what you have learned throughout the module by focusing on the Library of Alexandria, Latin inscriptions as language and artefacts, and the poetry of Sappho. The block includes elements of classical literature, languages, archaeology and reception. It prepares you for your end-of-module assessment, and enables you to consolidate skills and approaches which you’ll need for the MA Classical Studies part 2.
Throughout the module, you will be expected to engage with both ancient and modern material. You will evaluate ancient sources within their specific contexts, and will engage with scholarship which uses these sources.
This module will be of interest to those who wish to extend their knowledge and understanding of the classical world and of the research methods and perspectives of those working in this field of study. Normally you’ll need to have completed this module in order to progress to MA Classical Studies part 2 (A864).
Support from your tutor
Your will have a tutor who will help you with the module work and mark and comment on your assignments. Both modules in the MA in Classical Studies have online tuition and you are encouraged to take part in the online tutorials with your tutor and tutor group, as well as the Module-wide Forum. Tutorials will be held throughout the year and can be accessed from any computer with internet access. They are likely to be a blend of asynchronous online discussions, in which you can participate at times of your choice, and synchronous (‘live’) tutorials at set times. Further information about tutorials will be provided at the start of the module.
Contact us if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box above.
You will be expected to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) online through the eTMA system unless there are some difficulties which prevent you from doing so. In these circumstances, you must negotiate with your tutor to get their agreement to submit your assignment on paper.
Course work includes
3 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs)
No residential school
Course satisfaction survey
See the satisfaction survey results for this course.
Future availability
MA Classical Studies part 1 starts once a year – in October. This page describes the module that will start in October 2020. We expect it to start for the last time in October 2023.
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
To study this module, you must hold a UK honours degree (or equivalent), preferably with at least a 2:1 classification. You must be studying towards either the MA in Classical Studies or the MA/MSc Open.
Your degree can be in any subject. However, if your degree is not in Classical Studies, you will need a good knowledge of ancient Greek and Roman Worlds. Knowledge of the Greek or Latin language is not required. We strongly recommend that you complete the preparatory work referenced below.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.
Preparatory work
The following resources will be useful preparation for the MA, particularly if there is an area of classical studies which is unfamiliar to you.
For the Introductory block, you may find it helpful to start thinking about the issues addressed there by reading either:
Blair, A. (2010) Too Much to Know: Managing Scholarly Information before the Modern Age, New Haven, CT, Yale University Press, ISBN 9780300112511.
Olson, D. (2004) The World on Paper: The Conceptual and Cognitive Implications of Writing and Reading, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-44311-3.
Knowledge of the Greek or Latin language is not necessary for the MA, though knowledge of elementary Greek or Latin might be valuable for later work, especially for the dissertation (depending on your choice of topic). The following websites provide an introduction to the ancient Greek and Latin languages:
Introducing Ancient Greek
Getting started on Classical Latin
If you have not previously studied ancient material culture, you could read:
Alcock, S. E. and Osborne, R. (2012) Classical Archaeology, 2nd edition, Chichester, Wiley-Blackwell, ISBN 978-1-4443-3691-7.
Greene, K. (2010) Archaeology: an Introduction, 5th edition, London, Routledge, ISBN 978-0415496391.
If you have not previously studied classical reception, you could read:
Hardwick, L. (2004) Translating words, Translating Cultures, Classical Inter/Faces, London, U.K., Duckworth, ISBN 0-7156-2912-3, 978-0-7156-2912-3.
If it is a long time since you worked on classical studies, or if you are relatively new to the subject, you may find useful:
Beard, M. and Henderson, J. (2000) Classics: A very short introduction, Oxford, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-285385-1.
To get a flavour of the interdisciplinary nature of classical studies, and of current research in the discipline, visit Classics Confidential.
Another useful resource is the MHRA Style Book, which deals with referencing systems.
03 Oct 2020 Jun 2021 Not yet available
Registration closes 17/09/20 (places subject to availability)
This module is expected to start for the last time in October 2023.
Study costs
There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as a laptop, travel to tutorials, set books and internet access.
Study materials with which you will be provided includes:
a module guide
an interactive week-by-week study calendar
online study guides to introduce you to the essential resources and important issues relevant to each block of study
the MHRA Style Guide, with information on the use of scholarly conventions in literary study
electronic resources relevant to classical studies, and training in their use, via The Open University library.
Computing requirements
A computing device with a browser and broadband internet access is required for this module. Any modern browser will be suitable for most computer activities. Functionality may be limited on mobile devices.
Any additional software will be provided, or is generally freely available. However, some activities may have more specific requirements. For this reason, you will need to be able to install and run additional software on a device that meets the requirements below.
A desktop or laptop computer with either:
Windows 7 or higher
The screen of the device must have a resolution of at least 1024 pixels horizontally and 768 pixels vertically.
To join in the spoken conversation in our online rooms we recommend a headset (headphones or earphones with an integrated microphone).
Our Skills for OU study website has further information including computing skills for study, computer security, acquiring a computer and Microsoft software offers for students.
Materials to buy
Set books
Seneca, L.A.: Ahl, F. (trans.) * Trojan Women Cornell University Press £10.50 - ISBN 9780801494314 You should purchase this book if you choose to study Block 4 of the module.
Schaps, D.M. Handbook for Classical Research Routledge £32.99 - ISBN 9780415425230 All students need to purchase this book.
Euripides: Arnson Svarlien, D. (trans.) * Andromache, Hecuba, Trojan Women Hackett Publishing Company £11.99 - ISBN 9781603847353 You should purchase this book if you choose to study Block 4 of the module.
Lee, G. (ed) * The Poems of Catullus Oxford World's Classics £7.99 - ISBN 9780199537570 You should purchase this book if you choose to study Block 2 of the module.
Edwards, M.J. & Usher, S. * Greek Orators 1 Antiphon and Lysias Aris & Phillips £19.99 - ISBN 9780856682476 You should purchase this book if you choose to study Block 2 of the module. This book is Print on Demand, please allow at least 2 weeks for receipt following order.
Note: All students should purchase 'Handbook for Classical Research'. Set books for optional Blocks are marked with an *. Please choose the Block before purchasing the relevant set books.
If you have a disability
Written transcripts of any audio components and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) versions of printed material are available. Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen. Other alternative formats of the study materials may be available in the future.
If you have particular study requirements please tell us as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Visit our Disability support website to find more about what we offer.
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The Pine Valley Bulletin
Welcome to Pine Valley's only online newspaper!
Every time I'm gone for a long time I say the same thing... I have been meaning to write an Editorial for weeks. And I'm saying it again. And it's true. Week after week I have a bunch of notes and I'm ready to sit down and write. Then distractions happen, life happens, or I just decide the next week will have more to write about. This week I am here and I am writing dammit! This Editorial reflects the shows that aired February 16 - 20, give or take some details before or after that time.
My music of choice this week is, Mamma Mia, the soundtrack in honor of Sunday nights amazing Oscar telecast and seeing our own little Joni Stafford (also known as Amanda Seyfried) strutting her gorgeous self on stage with *sigh* Hugh Jackman and Beyonce! And not only that, she got to present an award with Edward Cullen! Anywho.. next is PJ Harvey, Rid of Me; The Killers, Sam's Town; David Bowie, Hunky Dory; and ending with Oasis, (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
Bianca and Reese get married among a very odd array of guests. Granted, it's possible that some of them were Greenlee's guests, but seriously, why was JR there? He is not friends with Bianca or Greenlee. Was he maybe Amanda's plus one? I guess. Tad is very close friends with Erica from time to time, so she probably invited him. Jake could have been a guest of Greenlee's. As well as Randi. Frankie and Greenlee were on deaths door together from drinking funky root water. But where were Angie and Jesse? Angie saved Greenlee's life. The least she could do is invite her to her wedding. Considering this was supposed to be a double wedding, the guest list was pretty sparse. But I will say, of those in attendance, they looked gorgeous! The days of wedding guests wearing gowns are long gone but not for this wedding. I absolutely loved Opal's, Erica's and Amanda's gowns. Randi's, not so much. Even nanny Rachel looked fabulous! As did Gabrielle and Miranda. The colors were amazing. Loved the deep plum on Amanda and does Erica not look amazing in red? All this and I haven't even gotten to the brides yet!
The brides. Wow. Personally I liked Bianca's gown the best. The fit, the draping, the gold accents. It was exquisite. Reese's was an OK second place, but I really wasn't all that impressed with it. The back really threw me off. The front is low cut and strappy, and then it has a full back. Very odd. But the worst of the three was Greenlee's. I absolutely hated it. From the high empire waist to the hundred tiers of ruffles. I give her props for being the only one of the three to wear a veil, but that dress. Ugh. No. It was not worthy of our very stylish Greens. It was unflattering and bulky. How she road a motorcycle in that monstrosity is beyond me.
This has been the PVB Fashion Report!
After seeing Reese and Zach kissing at the chapel, Ryan told Greenlee he didn't want to get married with Bianca and Reese who are starting out their marriage in a lie and told her about what he saw, jumping to the very wrong conclusion that Reese and Zach slept together. Greenlee agreed to postpone but wanted to talk to Zach. She could not believe he would ever betray Kendall in such a way. So without even changing out of her huge confection of a dress, she donned her leather jacket and took off on the road to the chapel. At the same time, Kendall and Zach are headed back to the hotel from the chapel and arguing the whole way. Kendall is pissed that Zach has a connection to baby Gabrielle even though everyone keeps insisting he's just a donor. Usually I find Kendall to be very irrational, but about this I think she is on point. Bianca and Zach kept this very intimate act from her. And no, by intimate I don't mean sexual. But it is very intimate to give your sister in law some of your swimmers without your wife's knowledge and create a baby. So whenever she sees Zach looking or holding Gabrielle she gets very angry. Kendall had only agreed to go to the wedding at all because Bianca agreed to her terms... leave town and take your skanky wife and that baby with you. Bianca said she would, but then decided not to. Bad move Binks. You're already on shaky ground with Kendall. Kendall overhears Bianca tell Erica they are staying in Pine Valley so she leaves the chapel, Zach in tow. Erica tries to postpone the wedding but Bianca is sick of all the drama. All she wanted to do was get married to the woman she loves so the wedding went on without Ryan and Greenlee and without Kendall.
The wedding was absolutely beautiful. The words Bianca spoke, the words Reese spoke. The historic nature of two women getting married on daytime, legally. The wedding gets this weeks SCENE OF THE WEEK. It was lovely, heartfelt, and made me proud to be an AMC fan. Of course, that pride is tainted by the fact that one of the brides was kissing a man the night before. No matter who Bianca has ever been with, that woman has vacillated between being with men or with women. Bianca has never wavered, not once, but all her girlfriends have. All of them. Sarah, Lena, Maggie, now Reese. Being of hetero persuasion, I don't know how accurate that is. I would guess it's not accurate at all. Then again, things were said last week that made sense to me. Bianca said lesbians don't go around kissing men. I would think that is true. But then Reese said that maybe people fall in love with a soul, not necessarily a gender. And that sounds true. I like the idea that you cannot help who you fall in love with, you just fall in love. But, you still have to be attracted to a gender. Am I making any sense? The bottom line is, Reese was wrong to kiss Zach, Zach was wrong to kiss Reese. Commitment means not kissing someone else no matter what the circumstances are. Drunk? Doesn't fly. Upset because your betrothed's family is a bunch of judgmental bitches? Nope, sorry, not good enough.
Kendall and Zach are fighting, Kendall is driving. I hate to pick nits like reality, but in reality there is no way that Kendall would be driving a car two weeks (isn't that about the time frame here?) after having a heart transplant! Seriously, I can accept that she was out of the hospital. But traveling, going to parties and driving? All that is really testing my ability to suspend my disbelief. Anyway, while they are fighting, Kendall cuts a turn too wide and is in the wrong lane. Greenlee is right there, right then and to avoid a head on collision with the car, she drives the motorcycle over a cliff and plunges into the water below. Zach and Kendall immediately stop the car and go to see what happened. They knew someone went over the cliff, but they didn't know yet that it was Greens. As they start to look around, Zach finds Greenlee's veil and immediately tells Kendall to get back in the car and when the cops come, tell them that he was driving. He will take the blame for the accident. Kendall is stunned and horror stricken by the fact that Greenlee may have been killed. Ryan arrives first and sees that Kendall is holding Greenlee's veil. He was going to go look for Greenlee, knowing she was on her motorcycle and off to confront Zach. Ryan races off while Zach and Kendall give their statements to the police. They are both statements filled with lies. Call me nutty but when you think you may have had a hand in accidentally killing your best friend, isn't it truth telling time? It was an accident. At this point, there is no reason to lie. I don't really get the reasoning. But as usual, ours is not to question why.
In the meantime, Aidan had found Annie holding a gun on Ryan and talked her into giving him the gun. Annie suddenly has an emotional breakthrough when she realizes that she has never really had Ryan at all, that he and Greenlee never stopped loving each other and that it's no one's fault. Annie realizes she has to stop blaming others and accept that she could not lose something she never had. Sounds healthy but kind of a revisionist history to what we actually saw. Nevertheless, Aidan tells Annie that he will help her get better and that he has to take her back to Oak Haven. Annie doesn't want to go, but Aidan tells her she must and that Dr. Sinclair will no longer be her doctor. He tells Annie that Sinclair was Richie's doctor in prison and that they were lovers. Annie is shocked but glad to be getting a new doctor and promises Aidan that she will get better for Emma. Aidan takes Annie to see Emma at the inn and watches her through the window before they head back to Oak Haven.
Once there, Dr. Sinclair tells Aidan about Greenlee and is sure that Annie tampered with the brakes on Greenlee's motorcycle. Aidan tells Dr. Sinclair that if she tries to have Annie stand trial and go to prison he will testify that she was having an affair with Annie's brother and all the things she did to Annie while in Oak Haven. Defeated, Dr. Sinclair agrees to keep quiet and release Annie as her patient and into another doctors care. Aidan rushes out to the accident site. Sinclair is not done with Annie just yet though!
Jesse quickly deduces that Zach and Kendall's car was on the wrong side of the road by the tire marks. Ryan, who has been pulled out of the water by the rescue workers hears this and flies into a rage and accuses Zach of running Greenlee off the road on purpose. Well now that's just plain dumb. Sure he's distraught and overwrought at the thought of Greenlee being dead, but let's not loose all of our senses here Ryan. Kendall quickly intervenes and tells Ryan that she and Zach were arguing. Ryan very smugly asks Kendall if they were arguing because she found out that Zach slept with Reese. There was no way to soften that blow even though it wasn't true. Ryan sometimes makes it very hard to be his fan. That was low, mean and pretty irresponsible considering Kendall's condition. Zach just shakes his head in disbelief and Kendall looks like she was just punched in the gut. Zach denies sleeping with Reese, but Ryan insists that he saw them. Kendall wants to know exactly what Ryan saw. Zach admits that he kissed Reese, but that was all. Kendall and Zach leave the scene and go back to the wedding to let everyone know about the accident and that Greenlee is missing. Jack, Jake, Frankie, JR and Tad immediately leave and head to the accident site to see if they can help. Meanwhile Kendall wastes no time telling Erica why she left the wedding in the first place and that if Greenlee isn't found, Reese will be to blame. Kind of a stretch there Kendall.
Kendall collapses while she's talking to Erica. Is it any wonder? Not only is she physically exhausted from being in a coma for three months, almost dying several times and having a heart transplant, but no one seems to be too concerned about all the emotional upheaval she's had to deal with since waking up. No one gave her a chance to absorb the death of Josh and receiving his heart before more and more was piled on her with the revelation that Bianca and Zach kept this enormous secret from her about Gabrielle. Honestly, I don't care what anyone says about why they kept Zach's donation a secret from Kendall. From where I'm sitting, they knew she would object and did it anyway. They made their bed, so to speak. Who is this selfish Bianca that has come back to Pine Valley? I hardly recognize her.
At the rescue site, Jesse tells a very angry Ryan that the search has gone from rescue to recovery. That means they believe that Greenlee did not survive. Ryan can't sit back and let the search stop. He wants to keep looking. Jesse tries very hard to get Ryan to face reality... it's the middle of winter, the current is strong... no one could have survived for this long. And now, with a storm coming, they have to call off the recovery search. But then Aidan arrives and after getting in Ryan's face for not protecting Greenlee, they go off themselves to search.
Later at the chapel, Bianca asks Ryan why, if she was sick, was Greenlee coming back to the chapel at all? Ryan, who so badly needs to big honkin slap this week, but I'm inclined to cut him a bit of slack because his woman is "dead," tells Bianca that he couldn't get married next to her and Reese. A puzzling Bianca asks him why and tells him that she and Reese had worked out all their issues. Again smugly Ryan says, "So she told you that she slept with Zach?" Dude is pissing me off! He saw a kiss and he's acting like he saw them tearing each others clothes off and mounting each other on the church alter! Bianca is shocked, stares at him in disbelief, and rushes out to go confront Reese.
At the hospital David gets in Zach's face about killing Greenlee. I'm glad the show actually remembered that David and Greenlee were once in laws and that David would actually care about Greenlee's death. Zach isn't the mood to play with David though and tries to go past him to Kendall's room. David tells him that Kendall doesn't want to see him but he doesn't care and goes in anyway. Kendall asks him flat out if he slept with Reese and he says no, but asks if it matters what he says. Kendall says no because it's very clear that he and Reese share a connection because of their daughter. I'm puzzled as to why Kendall always refers to Gabrielle as Zach and Reese's daughter. It was Bianca's egg. Yes, Reese is Gabrielle's mother too, but Kendall seems to completely disregard Bianca in the equation and acts like Zach and Reese created this baby all on their own. It's kind of bizarre. At any rate, Zach tries to explain his friendship with Reese and when he's saying it, I understand it. He tells her she was essentially gone and felt like he had no one to talk to, and he needed someone to talk to. But then I realize, this is Zach, the master of brooding silence. Since when does he need someone to talk to and why wouldn't he turn to Greenlee, someone he already knows and who shares his love of Kendall? So I can kind of see how anyone in Zach's situation would need someone to talk to and lean on. But would Zach?
Back at Oak Haven, Dr. Sinclair taunts Annie about killing Greenlee. The newly lucid Annie is confused, knowing she didn't kill Greenlee. But Sinclair shows her the newspaper (wow, that was fast, isn't it the same day?) that shows a headline saying that Greenlee is missing and presumed dead. She tells Annie that she knows she tampered with Greenlee's motorcycle. Annie denies it but Dr. Sinclair keeps taunting her and tells her that since her savior Aidan got her removed as Annie's doctor, she won't be going to prison where she belongs.... instead she'll be going to the MORGUE!!! Bwaaaa bwaaaa!!!!!! Then she goes all Janet from Another Planet and pulls a lug wrench out of her pants (Hey Dr. Sinclair, is that a lug wrench in your pants or are you just happy to see me?) and threatens to kill Annie the same way Annie killed Richie. Annie fights back and tells Dr. Sinclair that Richie never loved her, he never loved anyone and he just manipulated her the way he did everyone else. In the end Dr. Sinclair only wanted to scare Annie with the lug wrench. Her real weapon is a syringe of who knows what. The two women brawl and when Annie whacks her head on the chair and struggles to get up, Sinclair moves in for the kill. Annie is able to struggle with Sinclair and suddenly Aidan and an orderly burst in and save Annie. Sinclair flips out when she realizes the syringe is in her own arm. Aidan removes it and then she is taken to the hospital. Aidan has found out that the motorcycle was not tampered with and promises Annie he will always protect her. Aidan is positive that Annie is not faking her looniness. I always thought that she was, now I'm really not so sure. What about you?
Do you think Annie is faking her insanity?
( surveys)
At the hospital, Dr. Sinclair is treated and saved. But she still thinks she is going to die so Jesse goes to question her. The koo koo shrink confesses everything... she tells Jesse that she doesn't believe that Annie is faking her insanity, she tells him she tried to kill Annie and that she loved Richie. Annie is vindicated.
Back at the accident site, it's apparent that Greenlee's body is not going to be found and that she is going to be presumed dead. Ryan can't deal, doesn't want to accept it. When one of the rescue team finds a blood piece of that awful wedding dress, Ryan clutches it, not wanting to face the truth. Greens is gone. Do I want to say, how fitting? Well, no. But it is interesting. Ryan faked his death when he was married to Greenlee the last time by riding his motorcycle over a cliff. And Leo died by falling over a cliff into the icy waters below and never being found. Now we have Greenlee doing both of those things. There are some really treacherous cliffs and waters around Pine Valley. Not only did Leo die that way, but so did Vanessa, Hannah and now of course, Greenlee. I think Hannah jumped, but still. Heck even Maria! She went over a cliff into the icy waters below but then she came back to life so I don't know if we can really count her. At any rate, Greenlee is dead, supposedly. We all know what not finding a body means. Oh hell, even if they find a body she wouldn't be really dead, she wouldn't be most sincerely dead. Wouldn't it have been cool though, if somehow, when we saw Greenlee lying there in the water, that we saw someone come and pick her up and carry her off? Someone we couldn't see from the front but looked like maybe the Creature from the Black Lagoon in black leather pants?
Bianca goes to the hospital to see Kendall but Kendall isn't exactly thrilled to see her. They argue about all the lies and about Zach and Reese. Meanwhile out in the hall Zach tells Reese about Kendall and Bianca's deal, then tells her that everyone knows about the kiss and they can no longer be friends.
Once Bianca leaves, Kendall sleeps and has a dream about Greenlee. Kendall apologizes for killing her but Greenlee doesn't blame her and tells her to always remember that Zach loves her. Awww... our last glimpse of Greens was so sweet and tender. Much better than the violent end she really had.
Back at Zach and Kendall's, Reese tries to explain things to Bianca but Bianca is hearing none of it. She doesn't want to hear excuses and honestly, Reese has none. She tries to tell Bianca she was drunk, she was humiliated, she was upset. Bianca doesn't care. She can't trust her anymore and tells Reese they are over. A stunned Reese stares at Bianca. She's so tortured and distraught and Reese is this weeks PERFORMER OF THE WEEK. She pleads and she begs for Bianca to give her another chance. But it all falls on deaf ears. Reese tells Bianca that she has no doubts, that she meant her vows and has never been more sure of her love for Bianca. But unmoving Bianca continues to refuse any kind of forgiveness. And when she tells Reese that if Greenlee isn't found, it will be Reese who is to blame for Greenlee's death, Bianca earns this weeks I NEED TO BE SLAPPED AWARD.
I cannot believe how many people in Pine Valley are blaming other people for anything and everything! Ryan blames Zach for Greenlee's death. Aidan blames Ryan for Greenlee's death. Erica blames Reese for the kiss with Zach. Bianca blames Reese and Zach for the kiss (ok that one is valid). Bianca blames Reese for Greenlee's death. Kendall blames Zach for the kiss. Reese blames Ryan for her break up with Bianca. Zach blames Ryan for Greenlee's death. Is anyone ever responsible for themselves? Greenlee is responsible for Greenlee. SHE chose to hop on her bike and go confront Zach. The end. Ryan telling her about Zach and Reese didn't cause Greenlee's death. Zach and Kendall arguing and not seeing her accidentally facilitated her death, but it's not exactly blame either. They are all really getting on my nerves with the blame!
Back to Bianca and her slap! She so deserves it. She is acting like Zach and Reese were climbing all over each other at the chapel and boinking themselves into oblivion. I'm not condoning the kiss, don't get me wrong. But it was JUST a kiss! Wrong yes, deal breaker? No. All Bianca can see is this supposed bond between Zach and Reese, that quite frankly, I don't even really see it at all. And she is willing to throw everything away because of that one kiss. It seems pretty irrational to me. Granted, that kiss was the night before their wedding. Should she be mad? Hell yes! And I do agree with taking the kids and moving into Erica's room for a few days. Cool off. Let the dust settle. And then realize why you fell in love in the first place. The most serious of arguments can be settled if both parties are willing to settle them. When one isn't, that's where problems arise. It's a shame. Good relationships end when they don't have to because one party can't see what is right in front of them. Bianca let no dust settle at all. She went straight to a lawyer and had her draw up annulment papers. Hasty much? Then in one days time, she declares that she no longer loves Reese. But Reese isn't about to just give up her whole family and tells Bianca that she has a right to see their children and will fight her. Reese tears up the papers. I'm in a little bit of a role reversal here because I have always loved Bianca. But I cannot help but cheer Reese on! She is being vilified for a minor infraction. Reese is fighting back and gets a court order to see the kids and keep Bianca in the country. Go Reese!
Random Comments....
I loved when Erica tried to comfort Jack and relates her loss of Josh.
Tad had a potential LINE OF THE WEEK when, while talking to Jake after the wedding Jake asks Tad if he thinks he'll ever marry again. Tad replies with, "How the hell can you ask me that? I'm still in the bitter and sardonic phase."
David continues to threaten to tell JR about their deal if Amanda doesn't help him get Little A. The coming weeks are going to be really bad ones for poor Amanda! She wants to do the right things, but never seems to. I hope, in the end, she can somehow turn the tables on David in a fun way. Wouldn't that be infinitely more interesting that having one of the men ride their white horse to her rescue?
Although I'm a little annoyed with Zach at the moment, I did love how, when he got back to the casino, he tried to talk it out with Myrtle. She was always there for him. He needs her now and she's gone.
Big "awww" moment when Emma notices that Kendall looks sad and gives Kendall her stuffed animal to make her happy again.
Ryan goes to the casino, still clutching that bloody piece of wedding dress and confronts Zach. Oh Ryan. I really hate anger mode. I hate when he gets that raspy voice, looks down all the time, and beats on his chest like an ape. He really did deserve a slap this week, but I gave it to Bianca instead because she's headed back to Paris next week. I'm sure we'll have ample time to give Ryan slaps in the coming weeks. Anyway, he vows to take everything that Zach holds dear as revenge for killing Greenlee. I think Ryan needs to be in the room next to Annie at Oak Haven. He doesn't even make sense. Zach tries to get Ryan to walk away and not make things worse, but when he doesn't, Zach goes right back into blame mode himself and blames Ryan. Oh it's all so tiresome. The thing is, when it's revealed very soon that Kendall was driving the car, not Zach, this vendetta won't end. It will go from Zach was driving and arguing, not paying attention and not seeing Greenlee, to Zach kissed Reese, therefore he is to blame for Greenlee's death. He might as well go all out with it at that point and just say that if Zach were never born, none of this would have happened. Now we have the Zach and Ryan showdown to look forward to. *yawn*
Kendall has since checked herself out of the hospital and went home. Zach is so happy to see her when he gets there and she has ordered dinner for them. They briefly try to have a nice dinner together, but Kendall abruptly gets up and heads for the door. When Zach asks her where she is going, she tells him to Ryan because he needs her. Kendall helps Ryan tell Emma that Greenlee is gone and then the two grieve together.
While Kendall is at Ryan's, Bianca shows up to see Zach. She is a shell of her former self. She assumes that Kendall has left him and tells him he deserves it. She tells him that any trust she had in him is gone and that the worst mistake of her life was asking him to be the donor for her baby. Actually Binks, the mistake was not running it by Kendall first! Bianca tells him she wishes she could take it all back. Zach asks her if she regrets that Gabrielle is here. Bianca says she loves her children more than anything. You know I would really love to sit Bianca down and ask her what she thought would happen once Kendall found out. Did she think Kendall was just going to be so understanding and welcoming of the baby? Does she not know her sister at all!? Anyway, Bianca tells Zach that she is going back to Paris with the kids and without Reese and that neither of them will ever see the kids. Zach tells Bianca that what he has always loved about her was that she got all the best parts of Erica. That is until now. Now she has turned into Erica and it makes him sick. Bianca storms out.
I find myself in a weird position with this storyline. I am usually on the side of the wronged parties. I hate infidelity and I hate excuses for it. But Kendall and Bianca are being insanely irrational about what happened that I can't help but side with Reese and Zach on this. No excuses, they wanted to kiss. They did. But they pulled back, they stopped. They knew it was wrong, they didn't go further. Can Kendall say the same? She cannot. She slept with Aidan. She thought Zach was dead, but she thought that for about 5 minutes before they boinked. Zach forgave her. She is torturing him now over a kiss. Once trust is broken it's very hard to get back. But if Reese didn't want to work things out with Bianca, if she wanted to be with men, if she wanted to end things and move on, would she really debase herself over and over again with all the begging and pleading? Bianca has gone so far as to tell Reese that she doesn't love her anymore and doesn't know if she ever did. She tells Reese that she loved what she thought Reese was, but now she doesn't have any idea who she is. I'm ready to give Bianca a second SLAP when she hands back Reese's rings and says, "I can't wait to tell the judge how you strung me along, how you ruined my life and the lives of two completely innocent girls. And I never thought that I could agree with your mother about anything, but she was right about something. You're a disgrace to your family, and I hope I never have to see you again. " Ouch!
Reese spots Erica with Gabrielle and wants to see the baby, but Erica tells her no way. Reese gives Erica a lot to think about when she says, "Ok, Erica, I know that what I did was wrong. I know that, but if the situation was reversed, I don't care what Bianca may have done, I don't care how hurt I may have been, I would never, ever take my children. Look, I know what it feels like to have a parent disappear. I know all the pain, I know all the questions you're left with. And I don't ever want Gabrielle to feel that way. I'm never going to let her feel like I deserted her." Having been abandoned by a parent herself, Erica softens and lets Reese hold Gabrielle for a few minutes.
Ryan tells Jesse he wants Zach charged with murder. Oh please Ryan. Stop. I can't take it. You're being such a major asshole and it's killing me! Thankfully Jesse tells him there is no way he can charge Zach.
Not to be deflated by Jesse, Ryan tells Erica that he is going after Zach and could she please make sure that Kendall doesn't interfere. Erica urges Ryan to give himself time to grieve. And isn't that what they all need?
Kendall wants to tell Ryan she was driving. She's sick of the lies, but Zach isn't quite sick of the lies yet and urges her not to say anything to Ryan.
Reese overhears Zach tell Kendall that he doesn't care about Reese at all and wishes he could make her go away. He's Zach, he can make her go away if he wants to. He was ready to make Josh go away after he embezzled.
At ConFusion, Jake and Tad see Krystal come in and Jake asks her to join them. She does, a little reluctantly and then she's sorry when Tad immediately spots her big honkin ring. Tad is stunned and asks if she's engaged to David. Krystal assures Tad that it's not an engagement ring but more of a promise ring. Tad snorts and delivers this weeks LINE OF THE WEEK when he says, "What did he promise you? Eternal damnation?" Krystal is clearly not as amused as I am and stomps off. Jake goes after her and tries very hard to talk some sense into her, but it falls on deaf ears. Krystal is completely delusional where David is concerned. Will she wake up and smell the coffee any time soon? I sure hope so.
This weeks AMC gets a B+. I have really been enjoying AMC for the most part. Oh yeah, I'm annoyed at some characters, pissed off at others. But isn't that part of the fun?
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Home › Top Stories › U.S. IMMIGRATION REJECTS ASYLUM APPLICATIONS FROM NORTHERN MARIANAS ›
U.S. IMMIGRATION REJECTS ASYLUM APPLICATIONS FROM NORTHERN MARIANAS
SAIPAN, Northern Mariana Islands (August 14, 1999 Â Saipan Tribune)---Lawyer Bruce Jorgensen has hinted that he may institute court action to argue the applicability of the United States' asylum system in the CNMI.
Jorgensen dropped the hint following the Immigration and Naturalization Service’s refusal to accept the applications for asylum submitted by Chinese citizens in the CNMI.
Jorgensen, who offered to facilitate such applications, said he was told by an INS representative on Saipan, Oscar Martinez, that "no other INS office will accept" the applications.
Martinez refused to comment further.
The Tribune also contacted the INS regional office in Guam, but was told that no official there was available to comment.
"I'm perplexed that Mr. Martinez refused to accept these forms which were printed and distributed by the very same office where he works," Jorgensen said in an interview Wednesday. "This might end up in litigation."
Jorgensen said that during the past weeks, "several hundred" people from China now residing in the CNMI "have communicated their intent to seek refugee status under United States laws and United Nations human rights obligations applicable within the U.S. and the CNMI."
He said those who have submitted their applications included a Christian priest, a former Beijing news reporter, political dissidents belonging to the Falun Gong movement, and members of the China Democracy Party.
"Some people keep shouting that U.S. immigration law doesn't apply here," Jorgensen said. "We're not talking about immigration law, but human rights. Chinese citizens working in the CNMI are, after all, entitled to the same human rights as the rest of us."
The issue about the applicability of the asylum system in the CNMI is a topic of continuing debate.
During a hearing last year in Washington D.C., one of the issues raised by the Congressional Commission on Immigration Reform was the unavailability of asylum in the CNMI.
Upon the commission's recommendation, Rep. Melvyn Faisao proposed last year the establishment of a mechanism that would provide for an asylum system.
The proposal has since been "swept under the rug."
Local officials said asylum cannot be granted in the CNMI, as it controls its own immigration.
A former administration official, on the other hand, said the local government could not establish an asylum system because granting political asylum is a foreign affairs function that belongs to the federal government.
Jorgensen, however, said the CNMI, being U.S. soil, cannot stop what the U.S. government has been practicing for decades.
"In the past, the U.S. government granted refugee status to the Asian boat people, and political asylum to the Tamil rebels [who were facing persecution in Sri Lanka]," Jorgensen said.
Jorgensen said he suspected that some of the 537 Chinese boat people held on Tinian were actually sent by local and federal authorities to the U.S. mainland for asylum processing.
The U.S. Attorney's Office, however, said only 89 of those screened were sent to the mainland for potential asylum processing under United Nations guidelines.
For additional reports from The Saipan Tribune, go to PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT News/Information Links: Newspapers/The Saipan Tribune.
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Posted: 9 April 2015
May your mind be fixed on Śrī Kṛṣṇa
What Śrī Caitanyadeva has told us in a special manner is simply this: the straight path – the path that one can follow and be delivered from all sensuous desires – is to accept the protection of service to Godhead. He said, “For one who is free from all sensuous desires, who is anxious to serve Godhead and desires to cross the ocean of this material world, the contemplation of or association with worldly or sensual people is, alas, worse even than swallowing poison.
It is better to commit suicide by swallowing poison than to associate with people who desire things other than Śrī Kṛṣṇa, or seek to enjoy of such things. Having begun to serve Śrī Hari, if such a person becomes attached to things other than Śrī Kṛṣṇa, he is thereby utterly ruined.
Bharata became king of Bhāratavarṣa (India). He had formerly practised a great variety of endeavours for spiritual progress, including asceticism, and had made actual progress on the path of the service to Śrī Hari. But he had to be reborn as a deer calf because he had accommodated a very slight desire for an object other than Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He had wished to perform what is ordinarily known in the world as an act of kindness. It was nothing more serious than a slight desire to serve a helpless animal. But even for this reason, Bharata had to be born as a deer. Therefore, the lotus feet of our śrī gurudeva command us to have no duty other than service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. “May you have your mind fixed on Śrī Kṛṣṇa,” is the only proper benediction.
At one point, Advaitācārya indulged in tirelessly preaching the doctrine of undifferentiated union with brahma. Śrī Gaurasundara desired to put an end to his activities, so He set out from Śrī Māyāura in the company of Lord Nityānanda and proceeded toward Śāntipura by way of Lalitapura. At Lalitapura they met a sannyāsī who kept the company of a woman. The two Lords, full of divine fervour, sought the hospitality of that shameless sannyāsī. The sannyāsī blessed Mahāprabhu, considering Him to be an ordinary boy, with the following benediction: “May You have riches, descendants, a good wife and learning.”
On hearing this sannyāsī’s benediction, Mahāprabhu said that it was not a blessing at all, but a curse. The only real benediction is that one may obtain the favour of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Upon hearing these words, the adulterous sannyāsī said to Mahāprabhu:
“I have, today, direct experience of what I have heard before. Nowadays, if anybody desires well of another and says so, that person returns the favour by belabouring his well-wisher with the cudgel. I find the behaviour of this brāhmaṇa boy to be exactly like that. I most gladly blessed Him that He may gain riches, followers and good fortune. I had no other object than his well-being. This boy thinks that it is not a wish for His benefit but an rather an attempt to do him harm. He is ready to blame me for this.”
Thereupon, Lord Nityānanda looked wise and, displaying the gravity of “the boy’s” guardian, said to that shameless sannyāsī, “It is not up to you to argue with this boy. I have understood how great you really are. Do not be offended with this boy, for My sake.”
Adapted from The Gaudiya, Volume 45, Number 7
Rays of The Harmonist On-line, Year 8, Issue 3, "May your mind be fixed on Sri Krsna" by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License to ensure that it is always freely available. You may redistribute this article if you include this license and attribute it to Rays of The Harmonist. Please ask for permission before using the Rays of The Harmonist banner-logo.
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Saturday night Club in Miami
Posted in Saturday Night Clubs on August 18, 2018 – 07:28 pm
Adidas teases you before bash Saturday at Liv nightclub in Miami
Went to sleep before midnight Friday.
I woke up to a sneak peek of the new University of Miami adidas uniforms that will be unveiled at 9:20 tonight. I like what I see, even the "miami" part.
How about U?
Have my invitation for tonight's unveiling firmly in hand.
"The Brand With Three Stripes, '' the media invitation says, "is the official athletics apparel provider of #TheU, beginning this fall.''
Adidas will be throwing quite a bash - up to 500 strong - at LIV nightclub in the Fontainebleau Miami Beach. The event runs from 7 to 10 p.m., signaling "the beginning of a new era in Hurricane Athletics and will be THE PLACE TO BE ON SOUTH BEACH, '' the media invitation states.
Before the formal event, an "Orange Carpet Arrival'' event will "welcome past Miami football legends and gain their perspective on UM's new apparel deal.''
The deal begins Sept. 1 and runs for 12 years, through June 30, 2027. UM is a private institution and does not have to reveal the details of the deal, which will include annual cash payouts in addition to the equipment and apparel, and other, yet-to-be revealed marketing-related benefits. It's one of the top deals in college football, worth more than $90 million, according to a knowledgeable source.
Michigan's 11-year, $122.3 million deal with Nike was announced Wednesday (note that there's a four-year extension option that would make it worth $169 million over 15 years)- by far the richest deal yet. Michigan has been an adidas school.
As for those Canes' uniforms, at least one white jersey, one green jersey and one orange jersey - as well as pants - will be unveiled.
I was told by a source that "blackout'' and "whiteout'' uniforms are the mix, though they won't be unveiled Saturday.
The latter two uniforms would each be for one specified game. They could be used again if the Canes deemed them worthy (translation: if they win in them).
Source: miamiherald.typepad.com
Odalys García (born October 23, 1975) is a Cuban actress, model, singer and show host.
García, born in Havana, Cuba, started by participating in dance demonstrations by the age of eight. At nine, she was admitted to the Alicia Alonso School of Ballet.
When Odalys...
Saturday Night @ Mansion Club (Miami Beach, FL)
YOMO In Atarazana Night Club Miami
Ministy of Sound: Saturday Night Club Classics
Music (Ministry of Sound UK)
Brand Name: ALLIANCE ENTERTAINMENT Mfg#: 10197
Genre: Dance, DJ
All music products are properly licensed and guaranteed authentic.
Saturday Night MIAMI.....
MAIN EVENT BOYZ MIAMI SATURDAY SYSTEM NIGHT CLUB ...
What was the name of the night club in Saturday Night Fever?
Tony Manero, a young Italian American from the NYC borough of Brooklyn and rules the dance floor at night at 2001 Odyssey.
Saturday night clubs NYC
Hip Hop night Club in Miami
Thursday night Club in Miami
Latin Night Clubs in Miami
Thursday 25, February 2016 05:57 PM Leroy Keeble
Playlist and prep all done for this week's Club Classics. Back on @BRORADIO Saturday Night from 9 :)
Saturday 20, February 2016 07:39 PM Stacey Warner
@thisisheart Spending my Saturday night doing housework, boo, but club classics getting me through :D #Dancing whilst doing the washing up
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RAILMARK FOUNDATION was established in 1998 to support rail-related philanthropic causes in the communities and countries in which Railmark Holdings Inc and its Subsidiaries operates. Now in its 21st year, Railmark and its subsidiaries provides rail services domestically and internationally including train operations, track construction & maintenance, railcar repair, rail logistics and rail network development. Railmark also creates and distributes environmentally safe railway industry products.
RAILMARK FOUNDATION’s rail philanthropy includes:
PROVIDING RAILROAD SCHOLARSHIPS & INTERNSHIPS to qualified students to attend the MODOC RAILROAD ACADAMY, the 2nd oldest independent railroad training school, now operated by Railmark Foundation, offering railroad job skills development, FRA Certifications and education.
HOLIDAY RAIL EXPERIENCES FOR FOSTER CHILDREN
HISTORIC RAIL FACILITY RESTORATION & PRESERVATION
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Five Studies in Dickens's Edwin Drood: Nerds Writing Nerdsays
In that fragmentary firmament which Charles Dickens called The Mystery of Edwin Drood the stars shine on, and I may still fix my gaze upon them, seeking for the letters I have yet to learn.
Richard M. Baker...is a giant nerd. And I love him.
In 1948, he published a series of essays called The Drood Murder Case: Five Studies in Dickens's Edwin Drood, which I have just finished after having it out from the library for eight months (to exactly no one's surprise, no one else requested it during this time).
He basically describes himself as a giant Dickens dork who really loves Edwin Drood and so he researched the shit out of it. And oh. Yes he did. For those unaware, The Mystery of Edwin Drood was Dickens's last novel and only half of it was completed when Dickens died, leaving almost no clues as to the ending. This has prompted many scholars to try to piece it together (WHAT'S THE MYSTERY NOW, DICKENS), write books, write novel-form continuations, AND, of course, there is the musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
This might not be in the original
I don't consider things for Edwin Drood spoilers, because it is an UNFINISHED BOOK, so here's the quick rundown: In a cathedral town called Cloisterham, there's young Edwin Drood engaged to Rosa Bud (blonde girl above); his uncle Jasper who's creepy and in love with Rosa (guy above); Helena and Neville Landless, twins from India; and assorted other people who don't really matter a ton but whom I love very much (HIRAM GREWGIOUS AND THE REVEREND CRISPARKLE 4EVR).
Edwin and Rosa have been engaged since childhood, but decide to call it off because they feel all sibling-like towards each other, and ew. Jasper doesn't know this, and PROBABLY (definitely) kills Edwin. I mean, we don't know for sure, but he basically says he's going to and then slobbers all over Rosa and then the last time Edwin's seen alive, Jasper's going upstairs to see him with a long black scarf twisted up in his hands.
SO. Edwin disappears, what's up, who did it, is he dead or alive, what's going on with Jasper and will his opium addiction finally catch up to him, and most importantly, can Alice adopt the lawyer Hiram Grewgious even though he's way older than she is and fictional? Richard M. Baker tries to answer almost all these questions (leaving off the most important, but I forgive him, as when he wrote this my father was eight). And he is a GIANT dork about it. It's the endearingest.
It was all over for me when, writing about the possibility of Jasper putting Edwin's body in quicklime and also trying to make sense of a six month skip-over that Dickens does in Drood (notable because he almost never does that in his novels), he starts mulling over how long quicklime would take to dissolve a body, and says:
Making a final attempt to settle this question, I presented my problem in a letter addressed to Dr. Alan R. Moritz, a criminal pathologist and head of the Department of Legal Medicine at Harvard Medical School. A week later I received a highly informative reply from Robert P. Brittain.
First of all, HOW cute are all the middle initials? Secondly — you are a man after my own heart, sir. You wrote a letter in the 1940s to Harvard Medical School asking how long quicklime takes to dissolve a body. (plot twist! it preserves it!)
He makes a pretty good case for 1) The identity of the mysterious stranger Dick Datchery, who appears right before the novel ends, and 2) Is Edwin Drood murdered? The answer to the latter seems to be "Yes, unless you're an idiot and believe otherwise." Why? Mainly because EVERYONE WHO CHATTED WITH DICKENS AT THE TIME SAID HE SAID SO. Meaning his editor, his son, and his daughter. And people are still like "Yeah, right, like he'd tell THEM what was going to happen in his book."
Edwin Drood's kind of neglected since it IS only a half-finished book. And some people're pretty mean about it. But I hereby tell you that it is complex, interesting, has characters that stick with you, and the fact that the book ends where it does isn't as maddening as you might think it would be. I love that it's set in Cloisterham (aka Rochester). It feels much more insular than most of his other, more sprawling novels. Rosa Bud has an actual personality, despite being his usual 16-year-old blonde heroine. And the exchange between Miss Twinkleton and Mrs. Billickin is one of my favorite Dickensian moments of ever.
I don't recommend this particular book to any of you, as it's just pure Edwin Drood nerdery, but you really should read the novel itself. And then listen to the musical. Which is ALSO great.
i say victorian you say bow chicka bow bow the mystery of edwin drood is super-gay
Labels: i say victorian you say bow chicka bow bow the mystery of edwin drood is super-gay
Code Name Verity: A book that punches you in the f...
Hey, is Gone With the Wind ok as a book?
Night Film by Marisha Pessl: Nope
Poetry: Let's maybe talk about it I guess.
Opera: Making Books Better (Unless That Book Is Li...
Walt Whitman and Thomas Hardy would be terrible ro...
The books you have do not die with you
Let's take a chance and write about Lindy West
Five Studies in Dickens's Edwin Drood: Nerds Writi...
August, you were CRAZY. But I love you anyway.
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Meanwhile, Back at the NL Central…
KC2HMZ
On the even of baseball's Opening Night on Sunday - here are some last-minute tidbits from around the rest of the division.
The Pirates start the year with reliever John Grabow on the 15-day DL, and as of Friday it wasn't known whether 2006 NL batting champ Freddie Sanchez will start the season on the DL or not. Even if he plays, he had only seven ABs during ST so he might show some rust. Also, their closer, Salomon Torres, had a brutal ST with a 14.21 ERA over 6-1/3 innings.
In St. Louis, it looks like Edmonds will avoid starting the year on the DL. But the Cardinals have replaced three of their five starters since the end of last season. Two of the new starters have never started a game in the majors. The third hasn't won in double figures or posted an ERA lower than 4.55 since 2003. One of the two returning starters has yet to pitch his 100th Major League inning. Their right-handed setup man was shut down for the year due to elbow surgery. And the guy who was expected to start in RF will open the year on the DL. So LaRussa must not only battle the bottle and the pitching problems, but juggle a RF-by-committee situation as well.
In Milwaukee, Corey Koskie's return from post-concussion syndrome continues at a brutally slow pace. Several Brewers relievers struggled in ST. Still, the Brew Crew starts the year mostly healthy and could get off to a fast start in the division race.
The Astros are also healthy for the most part, although Brandon Backe is probably through for the year. The main question marks in Houston are in the back end of the rotation after the loss of Pettitte and, probably, Clemens.
That leaves the Cubs. For 99 years that's been the ultimate goal of almost everyone who has played for them - to leave the Cubs. In case you haven't noticed, I do love to pick on the Cubs. Popular Communications Magazine, April 2007 issue, page 76, last paragraph on the page, in a discussion about the chronology of disasters, part of an article dealing with radio communications during disasters:
“Not all disasters are of the 'natural disaster' genre, of course. We humans have time and again proven that we can conjure up some pretty serious disasters on our own, and I'm not just talking about FEMA's response to Katrina, or the last 99 years of Chicago Cubs history.”
This year, things were going to be different, they said. So now, with the Cubs presumably already on their way to Cinci for Opening Day, Prior starts the year at AAA. Wood starts the year on the DL. Oh, wait, this is supposed to be about news. Sorry. Oh, how I do love to pick on the Cubs.
Posted in Red Hot Diaries.
Our week is up and it's time to head back to Indiana. The countdown of minutes until Opening Day is begun!
Posted in Random Ramblings.
ST Game 28: Devil Rays 4, Reds 5
The regulars were out of the game earlier than usual, but got the job done before they left in this 0-5 win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Friday.
Matt Belise got the start, or rather, the first start of the game. His line isn't so hot for just two and two thirds innings, allowing three runs (two earned) and a walk on five hits. But he did strike out four, including the batter immediately prior to his being pulled. The crowd was a mite confused.
But in came in Kirk Saarloos, who perhaps was getting an audition. His line looks better: zero runs on one hit in two and a third. To be fair, though, the further you get into a spring training game, the easier it is.
Rheal Cormier, David Weathers, Mike Stanton, and Jared Burton also each got an inning apiece. Cormier was the only one to allow a run. Honestly, is he trying to hurt his trade value?
The first inning was fun. Even when the Reds have won these spring training games, it doesn't feel like they've strung together a lot of offense consecutively. John Fay has an odd take on the inning:
Ryan Freel singled. Adam Dunn popped out bunting (maybe the No. 2 spot is going to his head). Brandon Phillips singled. Ken Griffey Jr. singled in Freel. Juan Castro, in the lineup because Edwin Encarnación is sick, doubled in Phillips and Griffey. Scott Hatteburg doubled in Castro. Alex Gonzalez singled in Hatteberg. Chad Moeller then mercifully ended the inning by grounding into a double play.
“Mercifully”?? The Reds were doing well! How jaded to you have to be to this game to complain about this inning? Oh, please stop the bleeding! I just can't take any more scoring by my own team!!
I guess that's why he's a reporter and not a fan.
Personally, I thought it was great. It's always nice to see the Reds walk away with a victory. The win brings the Reds' spring training record to 18-10. They'll play the Florida Marlins today in Dayton at 2 pm.
Posted in Game Wrap.
Spring Training Videos
Our camera can do some unusual things. It can take photos in rapid progression, record audio, and record short video clips. In a pinch, you could probably open your beer with it. The CTS recorded a few videos from the game yesterday to help give you the full feel for the spring training experience.
Bronson Arroyo Pitching
Brandon Phillips' Homerun Trot
Javier Valentín At Bat
Posted in Spring Training.
Comments Off on Spring Training Videos
ST Game 27: Twins 10, Reds 2
Since this game is a day old and Opening Day is painfully close, it's clearly old news. Plus, it was a horrible, painful loss. So, here's the pictures with little-to-no commentary. I hope to have the photos from today's game up later.
Isn't this a cool picture? The CTS might as well have lined him up to have a halo. But that's really much more like something that Church of Baseball would do.
This is a picture of Jeff Conine chatting with Jerry Narron. What do you think they're talking about? Strategy for the game? Golf scores? Their favorite recipes for prunes?
Mr. Red and the Sarasota Reds' mascot Ralli Gator were very much available throughout the games this week. My son really liked the Gator, especially when he plopped himself down in seats near us to entertain the nearby children. Does make you wonder though: what did they do with The Gapper?
Paul “Soft J” Janish tossed to get ready for his appearance in this photo. He hung around after today's game to sign autographs, including my son's Smokey the Bear baseball. They were the free giveaway, and we did take time to talk about campfire safety. We did not talk about the fact that RHM's primary freebie is a book of matches.
Billy Hatcher chats with Dewayne Wise here. Hatcher has been a crowd favorite lately, making trips to the wall to chat with the fans.
The CTS took this photo. I claim no responsibility.
This game kinda sucked. It'll be good to move on to today's game instead.
Comments Off on ST Game 27: Twins 10, Reds 2
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Is An AIDS Vaccine Really Impossible?
Along with other recent articles, the NYTimes Editorial Board weighed in with a recent op-ed, suggesting that an AIDS vaccine is now considered seemingly beyond our collective reach:
Back in 1984, federal health officials, flush with excitement over discovery of the virus that causes AIDS, famously predicted that they would have a vaccine ready for market within three years. Now, after almost a quarter-century of toil and struggle, the effort has crashed in failure. No one yet knows whether a vaccine to prevent the disease will ever be possible.
Really? While difficult, the title of the piece somewhat contradicts with the content. As the op-ed goes on to state, funding must shift towards finding novel ways to combat AIDS as well as towards prevention / treatment, but should not forsake vaccine research altogether. However, the notion that a vaccine is "impossible" seems defeatist. By shaping public opinion against the notion of a vaccine, which in turn shapes the opinions of those in government and elsewhere who approve funding for such projects, I think pieces like this do more harm than good.
Tags: immunology, opinion
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Second-Hand Obesity Kills
The Crusade Against Vaccines
Oops! In For A Leg Operation, Out With A ... ?
How To Choose A Medical Specialty
Why Incentives Matter (Even For Physicians)
Psychiatry in the Third World
Rent-A-Womb: The Exploitation of India's Poor
Which Personality Disorder Are You?
Relating to Patients by Mimicry?
The Soft Bigotry of Low Expectations of Patients
I'd Like A Latte To Go and a Kidney, Please
On Salaries and Medical Specialties
Diet Sodas and Metabolic Syndrome
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Super Saver Account
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Working at Diamond Capital
For you we would go
an extra mile
Doing extra hours
just because of you
Team - Management Profile
Mr. Selasie Woanyah, is a banker with over five years experience in various capacities in Zenith Bank Ghana Ltd starting as a Relationship Manager, Branch Manager, Head of Manufacturing and Commodities Unit and Head of Mining and Construction Unit. Prior to joining Zenith Bank, Selasie worked with China State Hualong Construction as an Assistant Site Engineer and with The Consortium a construction consultancy firm. He graduated from KNUST with a degree in Building Technology. He holds an LLB from the Faculty of Law University of Ghana where he graduated with first class honours and received the Bentsi-Enchill Award for the best graduating law student. Selasie is also the Managing Director of Bluestone & Grey a built environment consulting and finance firm.
Mr. Mathew Lawer Teye, worked with the Construction and Real Estate unit of Zenith Bank Ghana Ltd as a relationship manager. Prior to joining Zenith Bank, Mr. Teye worked with the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) as a Service Officer in the Corporate Banking Unit for two (2) years. He had previously worked as a Facilities Officer in the Facilities Management Unit of Atkins, Faithful and Gould in England. Mr. Teye holds an Msc in Finance from the University of Bedfordshire and a Bsc Administration from the University of Ghana.
Executive Director- Finance and Operations
Mr Samuel Yallow, until his new role worked with Zenith Bank in different roles for over six years. He worked with the treasury operations unit of the Bank for over three years, where he had the opportunity to have a broad understanding on banking operations; he was a major part of redefining most of th e operational policies in the bank. He also has three years work experience with the same bank working as a relationship manager. This role helped Mr. Yallow to appreciate better the marketing side of banking and the need for the operational and marketing side of a financial institution to collaborate to the benefit and satisfaction of the customer. Mr. Yallow holds a degree from University of Ghana in Business Administration, Finance option.
Financial Control and Strategic Planning
Christopher K Agyemang is a fully qualified consummate accounting and finance professional with close to ten (10) years experience in the field of accounting and auditing. He cut his teeth in accounting by working as an account officer at Sign Africa Ltd where he rose to the position of Accountant in 2007. He moved to Baker Tilly Andah & Andah where he climbed the rungs quickly from the position of an Audit Trainee to Supervising Audit Senior within a space of two years a clear testament to his mettle. Christopher is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana and a member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation Ghana. Christopher has won many academic and professional laurels including the prestigious Bentsi- Enchill Award for the overall best candidate in Company and Partnership Law in the Part Two of the November 2008 Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana examinations and the overall best candidate in Part One of the May 2007, Institute of Chartered Accountants examinations. Christopher enjoys reading, travelling and meeting new people.
Credit Risk Manager
James Narh Tokoli has over ten years experience in the banking industry rising from the position of Credit Officer, Assistant Accountant to Accountant at Fellow's Microfinance a position he held for five years. With the immense experience gained in banking operations, he joined Dangme Rural Bank Ltd in 2007 as Deputy Internal Auditor where he played a key role in strengthening the internal control systems of the bank. At Dangme Rural Bank, James also worked as Account officer in the Accounts Department, Specie Officer as well as Branch Operations Officer. James has also undertaken copious training in Risk Management, Risk Based Internal Audit, and Total Quality Customer Care. He joined Innovative Finance Ltd as Internal Auditor and Operations Manager in 2012 where he played a key role in setting up the Company's Internal Control System and operations as well as Bank of Ghana reporting standards for Non Bank Financial Institutions. He joined Diamond Capital in January 2013 as Credit Risk Manager. James graduated from Central University College of Ghana with a BSC in Finance and Accounting. He is also a part qualified candidate of Association of Certified Chartered Accountant (ACCA UK) James is passionate about the search for inner spiritual harmony.
SELASIE WOANYAH
MATHEW LAWER TEYE
SAMUEL YALLOW
CHRISTOPHER K AGYEMANG
JAMES NARH TOKOLI
From MDs Desk
Welcome to Diamond Capital Microfinance. Our dream is to setup a financial sevice company that...
Official launch of Diamond Capital Ltd
The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr. Seth Terkper, has emphasized the government's commitment to prioritize ...
Diamond Capital Dissociates itself from DKM Microfinance
Microfinance company Diamond Capital has stated it has no links with DKM Diamond Microfinance. According to the Managing director...
© 2015 Diamond Capital Microfinance Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. Website Design by Rolls communications
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Through out the game, the quest log will be capped to 20 many times. The guide makes use of maximizing the total amount of quests you can accept at once. Because of this it is important to follow the guide exactly and only accept quests if the guide tells you to so you won't run into issues not being able to accept a quest. If you do accept a quest that is not listed in the guide, write it down because you may need to abandon it in order to keep following the guide if your quest log is full.
Some players have been surprised by these apparent flaws—even players who have been eagerly awaiting WoW Classic's release based on fond memories of vanilla WoW. In truth, it has been so long since WoW first released, players' memories may not always be accurate. Some details might be fresh, but others might be lost in time, and it's those lost details that could surprise players revisiting the original experience in WoW Classic.
Step-by-step class guides are on the way! The 1-12 Mulgore Guide is the first guide to get all the individual class steps. At the top of the guide, simply select which class you are playing and the page will dynamically update all the steps in the guide for that class (both text and images). The rest of the guides will be slowly updated overtime to include all the class steps, but you can see how it's going to work with the 1-12 Mulgore. I want to thank crazyK and his Placeholderguild for helping me out with the individual class content. They are allowing me to get the 1-60 Alliance guide done while also getting all the class steps done at the same time, so everything can be ready for Classic launch (hopefully).
Some quests in my guide are marked as "SKIP" and colored in red. These quests are simply either too hard to solo or not worth the XP/time and are skipped. My guide will only list SKIPPED quests if the quest is a direct follow up after completing a quest, not one that you have to click the NPC again to get it. If you hover over the skipped quests, it will give info on why it is skipped in the guide (unless that info is already listed directly in the guide text).
When it comes to Classic, Blizzard's goal is to provide an authentic Vanilla experience, but they also needed to come up with technology to handle many players at launch, which is similar to sharding. While the use of this technology will be limited to the first month following launch, many players are questioning this decision and wouldn't like to see layering in the game at all.
To me, certain character limits tend to be problematic not because of the length of actual content, but because of formatting tags and embedding taking up a lot of characters. This is something I experience on most of websites, not just this one, but the most aggravating issue over here is linking to user profiiles and other sources of strategies, which could be alleviated with internalisation of link paths and @mentions.
When hovering over an ability, the tooltip will tell you whether or not that attack is weak or strong against certain pet types. Additionally, you can hover over the opposing team's pets and view their attacks during combat. This will be important since it’s a good idea to pit a pet that's strong against the opponent's pet who's vulnerable to that type.
I have tried it a few times. It's good if you're new to the game. Otherwise not so much. I found I leveled slower by using it, as it's suggesting to take the longest possible route usually. Basically following roads everytime, when you could take an easy shortcut. Especially if the shortcut involves a bit of fall damage, it's out of question. The "go here" spots don't also update if you take a shortcut, and then the waypoint arrow points to wrong direction. But perhaps it has been updated since then.
Hey! Just came back from the game, looking to play bfa but i had no idea what to do when i logged on. It was all a bit confusing and i know nothing about the current content. So after some frustration i bought zygor again (haven't used it since cata ..) and i do currently feel more comfortable. I'm following the guides from the 'suggested' tab in zygor but i'm just really unsure if what i'm doing is even relevant. I know the end of the expansion is coming so i'd hate to waste my time. OK i will list the things it's been telling me to do.
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The public finance documents contain the economic and financial policies set by the Government. Over the last few decades planning documents have taken on an increasingly crucial role in defining and setting Italy’s economic policy guidelines. In an economy marked by constant and rapid change, they have an important and sensitive role in providing information at the national, European, and international levels, and help make policy choices transparent and visible. The drafting of these documents is a lengthy, complex process that involves all of the MEF’s departments.
The Economic and Financial Document (Documento di economia e finanza - DEF), pursuant to law n. 39 of 7 April 2011, is submitted to Parliament no later than 10 April of each year. It is the main instrument for financial and economic planning, as it sets out the public finance and economic strategies for the mid-term. It is submitted to the Government and approved by Parliament. It comprises three sections and several annexes.
Economic and Financial Document (DEF 2019)
SECTION I
Economic and Financial Document – Italy's Stability Programme
SECTION II
Economic and Financial Document – Analyses and Trends in Public Finances (Italian Version)
Attachment to Section II – Methodological Note on Criteria for Formulating Forecast Trends (Italian Version)
Tavole di sintesi del quadro macro economico, dei conti economici e di cassa di consuntivo e di previsione della PA e dei relativi sottosettori (Italian Version)
SECTION III
Document of Economics and Finance – National Reform Programme
Appendix to the NRP 2019 - The tables foreseen in the NRP Guidelines
Annexes to the DEF
Indicatori di benessere equo e sostenibile (Italian Version)
Report on Implementation of the Reform of Public Finances and Accounting (Italian Version)
Report on Interventions in Underused Areas. Law 196/2009, Article 10 as amended by Legislative Decree 88/2011, Article 7 (Italian Version)
Report by the Minister for the Environment and Protection of Land and Sea Resources on the Status of Commitments to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Law 39/2011, Article 2, Paragraph 9 (Italian Version)
Government Expenditure in the Regions and Autonomous Provinces (Italian Version)
Report on the Annual Needs of Goods and Services in the Public Administration and on Savings Achieved with the Consip Agreements. Law 244/2007, Article 2, Paragraphs 569-574 (Italian Version)
Relazione sul monitoraggio degli obiettivi di spesa dei Ministeri del ciclo 2018-2020. Risultati al 31.12.2018. (Italian Version)
Strategie per una nuova politica della mobilità in Italia (Italian version)
Public Finance Document Archive
The “Update to the DEF” is submitted to Parliament no later than 27 September of each year. It updates the public finance and economic forecasts contained in the DEF in light of updated and more reliable information on macroeconomic trends. It includes an update on programme goals, along with notes and amendments to the DEF in light of the recommendations issued by the European Council regarding Italy’s Stability Programme and National Reform Programme.
Update to the Economic and Financial Document 2019
Update to the Economic and Financial Document 2018 (Italian Version)
Annexes:
Report to Parliament 30 September 2019 (Italian Version)
The Draft Budgetary Plan (Documento Programmatico di Bilancio – DPB) was established by EU Regulation n. 473/2013 (Italian Version). No later than October 15 of every year, Member States submit a draft budgetary plan for the forthcoming year to the Commission and the Eurogroup. In particular, the document must indicate the targeted budget balance and projections for expenditure and revenue.
The Draft Budgetary Plan also contains the methodology, economic models and assumptions, and any other relevant parameters underpinning the budgetary forecasts and the estimated impact of aggregated budgetary measures on economic growth.
Draft Budgetary Plan 2020 (DPB)
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Thursday, October 11 2018 07:00PM - 09:00PM
Join FilmBar and Devour Phoenix as they partner on a film series inspired by food in film and community restaurant partners. RELISH: A FilmBar & Devour Phoenix Film Series will feature a film paired with a food/beverage component or special guest speaker. Presented with support from Edible Phoenix Magazine, International Rescue Committee Phoenix. In celebration of International Day of the Girl!
On the menu this month…
SOUFRA follows the inspirational story of intrepid social entrepreneur Mariam Shaar – a refugee who has spent her entire life in the 69-year-old Burl El Barajneh refugee camp, south of Beirut, Lebanon.
The film chronicles Mariam, and a diverse team of fellow refugee women from throughout the Middle East, who share the camp as their home as they set out to change their fate by launching a catering company – “Soufra” – and then expand its reach outside the camp (through an astonishing Kickstarter campaign) with a first-ever food truck business. Together, these determined, hardworking women heal the wounds of war through the unifying power of food, while taking their future into their own hands.
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THE SKED Pilot Review: “Believe”
More articles by Mitch Salem »
Written by: Mitch Salem
Tags: 2013-14 TV season, Alfonso Cuaron, Believe, chosen one, Delroy Lindo, fantasy action, JJ Abrams, Kyle MacLachlan, midseason pilot report, midseason pilot review, mystical supernatural, NBC midseason, NBC post football, NBC Sunday, spotlight, Touch, tv review
BELIEVE: Sunday 9PM on NBC (Premiere Monday 10PM on March 10) – If Nothing Else Is On…
Movie wizard and newly-minted Best Director Oscar winner Alfonso Cuaron is the co-creator of BELIEVE (although it was never intended that he would stay with the show on a day-to-day basis once it went to series) and directed its pilot, and fans of his Children of Men will appreciate the dazzling 3-minute single take that kicks it off, depicting a car wreck and its violent aftermath with a camera that roves both within and outside the vehicle. There are some other visually arresting sequences throughout the pilot as well, but right now, the show itself is uncomfortably close to the mystical hooey that was Touch.
It’s only fair to note that even more than most shows, the series version of Believe may differ from its pilot, since first Cuaron’s co-creator Mark Friedman exited the series after it was produced, and then Friedman’s replacement was fired too, to be supplanted by Jonas Pate. Clearly the show’s creative vision has been in flux, and only future episodes will make clear what direction it intends to take, although we do know that the assassin who’s set up as the central villain in the pilot (played by Sienna Guillory) won’t be appearing in the series.
Even in its original form, Believe isn’t quite as deep in the murk as Touch. Both shows revolve around a magically gifted child pursued by evildoers, but Bo (Johnny Sequoyah), a girl despite both the character’s and performer’s names, behaves more or less like an ordinary kid when she’s not foreseeing the future or making birdies flock at her command. She even manages some banter with Tate (Jake McLaughlin), who’s appointed in the pilot as her new protector. Tate hasn’t been chosen lightly: Winter (Delroy Lindo), who seems to run the Protect Bo operation, has Tate freed from death row just moments before his scheduled execution to take on the task. The relationship between Tate and Bo is set up as the center of the series, and to the show’s credit (and unlike NBC’s The Blacklist), it jumps right into a big reveal at the pilot’s close to explain what Tate is doing there.
Nevertheless, there’s already enough wrong with Believe to make one worry for its future. Bo isn’t just supernatural and capable of saving the world in ways we don’t yet know, she’s also so empathetic that, like the protagonist of Touch, she knows the inmost thoughts and emotions of everyone around her, and she’s driven to better their lives. In the pilot, she makes it her duty to restore a doctor’s faith in his abilities, reads the emotions of his comatose father to let the doctor know he’s loved, and even set up a potential romance, all in between dodging bullets, while Tate, like Kiefer Sutherland in Touch, reluctantly goes along. The heartwarming-meets-shootout dynamic didn’t work before, and it could prove equally tiresome here.
Believe is giving itself a makeover, and the show deserves time and space to get that done. There are promising elements here, especially Cuaron’s involvement but also the presence of Lindo in the cast and Jamie Chung (she was Mulan on Once Upon A Time), as well as Kyle MacLachlan, although his role isn’t yet clear. The show it offers a potential action alternative to Resurrection and The Good Wife on the one hand, and FOX’s Cosmos on the other. But there’s a great deal of work to be done, starting with the basic concept, and it’ll take more than mere faith to save the enterprise.
THE SKED SEASON FINALE REVIEWS
With the 2011-12 broadcast season now concluded, here’s a list of all our Season Finale reviews at The Sked: 2 BROKE GIRLS 30 ROCK 90210 AWAKE BONES COMMUNITY More after the break– CSI DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES DON’T TRUST THE B___ IN APT 23 FRINGE GLEE THE GOOD WIFE GOSSIP GIRL GREY’S…
THE SKED Pilot + 1 Review: “Believe”
BELIEVE: Sunday 9PM on NBC Previously… on BELIEVE: 10-year old Bo Adams (Johnny Sequoyah) is one special little girl, with superpowers that include telekinesis and the ability to foretell the future and read people’s minds. Her powers, like those of so many Chosen Ones before her, can be used…
THE SKED PILOT REPORTS
>Stay tuned to SHOWBUZZDAILY’s THE SKED for advance reports on all the new Fall pilots (NOW INCLUDING BUSTED PILOTS TOO): ABC APT. 23 – Potential DVR Alert CHARLIE’S ANGELS (ABC) – If Nothing Else Is On… GOOD CHRISTIAN BELLES (ABC) – Change the Channel LAST MAN STANDING (ABC)…
THE SKED PILOT REVIEW: “Girls”
>GIRLS – Sundays 10:30PM on HBO – Potential DVR Alert The lion’s share of attention paid to HBO goes to its splashy, big-budget, big-name projects like Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, Luck and True Blood. But at the same time, the network has consistently produced smaller, idiosyncratic shows that are…
THE SKED PILOT REVIEW: “Mixology”
MIXOLOGY: Wednesday 9:30PM on ABC – Worth A Look MIXOLOGY is the most ambitious of ABC’s new comedies, although “ambitious” in this case means resembling one of those omnibus rom-com movies that simultaneously tell half a dozen stories, all turning out to be tangentially related to each other. At…
Mitch Salem
MITCH SALEM has worked on the business side of the entertainment industry for 20 years, as a senior business affairs executive and attorney for such companies as NBC, ABC, USA, Syfy, Bravo, and BermanBraun Productions, and before that, at the NY law firm of Weil, Gotshal & Manges. During all that, he has more or less constantly been going to the movies and watching TV, and writing about both since the 1980s. His film reviews also currently appear on screened.com and the-burg.com. In addition, he is co-writer of an episode of the television series "Felicity."
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27 - Hedge’s flat, Upper Norwood
The night had been mega hot, so waking up at 6am was quite a relief. Euan got up five minutes later and I ate the remainder of the banana loaf. We checked James (well, Euan did), then we went to buy bitesize Weetabix and some milk. We then walked towards London, our last great voyage.
Rang Dad at 7:30 to make sure we should stay on the A5, not the A41. I got beeped at for urinating at the side of the road. We walked at a rather good pace whilst singing out loud, turning heads as we went. Made sure to mention a guy who looked as if he should’ve had a mustache, but didn’t.
Then purchased some sea water disguised as lassi, added bitesize Weetabix to improve the taste, but it didn’t really work so I felt ill after finishing it. We carried on, but I got snared on one of those circular wire walker traps, half a second later and I was down, knee first. An intense pain ensued and I struggled to my feet and continued on, gradually gaining momentum until we got to Hyde park.
We then walked to parliament, but I really needed a piss and had to stop at a war memorial museum on the way. We got there, yay! Stuck a Rat-Arsed leaflet [James’ Free Fringe show that year] on a barrier, it then rained a hell of a lot, so we went on the London eye, which had unfortunately good air conditioning. They raffled my knife, and we paid £10 for a photo, then got ripped off at a cafe and headed to Hedge’s for tasty grub and a good laugh, Head home tomorrow; 453.5 miles handled!
6.05 and I wake screaming, “It’s 6.05!” And the alarm was designed to terrorise me. My accomplice is calm and retains character whilst I compose myself. I agreed to check on a man who was left with the last of our meringues. In a defying moment, or perhaps under the strain of fatigue, James agrees to take my bag into London as he is taking the bus until the final miles to ensure his walking.
I buy bitesize cereal with my accomplice and we hit the road before quarter to seven after sharing yoghurt cereal bars. We are tempted by a 13 mile road heading to “C London,” but my accomplice is convinced it cannot be central as that is too convenient and C could mean anything in its ambiguous stature.
We pass what must be the final farm on our adventure and take a moment to relieve ourselves in the privacy of its countryside. City rudeness begins as we are not let across a mildly busy road. Buildings begin and trees are replaced by lampposts. Sheep are phased out and replaced with people [although Euan has written “sheep” here as well].
A series of cheesy and Christmas sing a longs keeps up morale and replaces the difficulty in stimulating conversation with an accomplice who genuinely listens to this filth in his spare time.
We stop to buy a drink of lassi mere weeks after my last encounter with this fantastic stuff, but the “groovestations” are all wrong. The second ingredient was salt, this broth is the taste of the seas of mother earth.
Our contrasting vertexes of the team venture tetrahedron are updated with our position and the meeting point is set as Hyde park - for those about to Rock we salute you! My accomplice totally totals himself on one of those wires that keeps hubcaps on and I fear that the dream is over, the Olympic flame extinguished on route and that no member may make a complete voyage…
We soldier on and tear up the road to Westminster. Sipping on an ice cream to keep in the tears at Hyde park the final mile is taken through the park as the pathetic stimulation that is Big Ben looms over and our trek comes to its end. The road goes ever on, except when it’s done.
Euan Kidston
Should of gotten up at 6am, but was suffering from mild death. I felt like an incubated baby bird. Although in bed for a week I actually didn’t get much sleep: a bit of the old on off. This was in some way to do with the heat and some way a hoover snoring (his wife next to him thinking of how the marriage has gone wrong).
Got up and had coffee from a tea-cup; it’s political correctness gone mad! Left the room with two bags and a bit of a soar foot. Hobbled/ lift/ crawled/ surfed to the train station. At the station I scared the ticket guy by crashing into his booth with the weight of two bags and myself. He slipped the ticket to me like I think Euan would pass a note to a boy in school.
Got to Hyde park and tripped on a Diana memorial. This is a car crsah waiting to happen [“Car crash” is the name of an improvisational stand-up show that is often on at the Fringe]. Bumped into Rich Hall, who was out jogging. Met up with everyone else and was soon forced to drink some salt Weetabix and spit.
A discovery: one in three Londoners are nice. The guy I asked directions from told me to ask someone else. The second guy ignored me with such skill I cold have been dead. The baby bear guy I last asked was nice … he looked a bit like Omid Djalili.
London looks amazing, but feels dead, like a prostitute. Went up a cold London Eye, soaking. It was fun. Robert’s mum* paid for this, which was very kind, especially as it costed a shit load (*just Robert’s mum, not John’s, he is adopted. Fatty!)
I parted with the group to find a hostel. A H.O.S.T.E.L.! Not a room that cost £30,000. The best part of London so far was walking through the Marriot hotel looking hobo kin (a reference to Jack Kerouac and/or chemistry).
James McIntosh
Rose to baby food, and heard that Robert and Euan would be arriving at Marble Arch, also meeting James there.
We got to Marble Arch and entered Hyde park to be greeted by Robert struggling towards us, sans shoes. After ice-cream we sat recollecting and re-grouping. James and Euan presented me with a tractor, attachment and attractive rendering of a transvestite for my birthday. Finally we set off for the final stretch, the original four; me striding along unburdened, Robert swigging flat cola, Euan hunched and following, James limping enthusiastically. We sauntered through Hyde park, soaking up the smog, and I even managed to eat a tuna-sweetcorn sandwich (although there was no sweetcorn detectable). As the rain started we walked on, with disregard to the fat drops falling; nothing could dampen our spirits so close to the end.
We looped through another park, arriving at Buckingham palace. It was a bit ugly, so we scrambled quickly past it onto Westminster and parliament square. I was gutted to see the green of Parliament square had been fenced off, a notice of apology had been given, but no reason. Was it an excuse to control the imminent protests? If so it might only result in riots as crowds of principled individuals are provoked, their rights reduced even in this simple access to a demonstration area.
Lightning illuminated the scene as we crossed the Thames, thunder crashing around us as we sought out the ticket office for the London eye. After not too long a wait we embarked on the Eye, boarding a shifting gondola. Visibility was rather good as we rose to the apex, I though it was the chill sky-heights sending a breeze to raise my hairs, but in fact the gondola had intense air conditioning.
After the grand view we stepped out into the warm humidity and slowly made our way to an over-priced Italian cafe-cum-restaurant named Churchill, just outside the main block of Westminster buildings. After food the staff informed us they didn’t take cards (so we paid in coins with no tip) and they informed James there was a cheap hostel across the bridge (which turned out to be a £30,000 a night hotel).
We made it to the Victoria station, where I got a letter for the parents of year two at Immanuel and St Andrew school, and we met Hedge.
We returned to Hedge’s flat, joined by Sarah Tomlinson, and had a massive feast of ultimate foods, after which we crammed into a bedroom and passed out.
26 - Elstree Inn, Elstree
Got up at a more usual time this morning; 6:45am. Got breakfast at 7am and went outside at 7:29 to meet James and Euan who texted to say they would be five minutes. 16 minutes later they arrived and we set off.
Walked until lunch time, thoughts of Euan’s mum (jokes aplenty) keeping us motivated. We then got into a bar just in St Albans where James re-did his blister plasters, putting the old ones on the table. We then changed tables and ate (Euan was anal enough to insist on paying exactly £7.14 for his meal).
After leaving, James really needed a shit, we taunted him a lot, he finally found somewhere whilst Euan and I purchased “React,” a 1.5 litre energy drink from the 99p store.
In the latter part of the day James had a repeat of day 1, with beasting, mad blisters (homage to John there [note, I favour the use of the word “beast” as an adjective]) and his hypoglycemia acting up once more. We got to the Elstree Inn after some random kids walked past saying peace and love to the earth, which Euan readily replied to in agreement.
James is currently collapsed on the bed. John will join us at lunch time tomorrow for the final stretch. My hand rashes remain untanned although the rest of my arms are becoming no darker. Soreen now does a banana loaf, great combination of my favourite foods.
25 - Stockwood Hotel, Luton
[Here ends my narrative: I woke up in Bedford to Robert wishing me “Happy Birthday,” I’d forgotten I was turning 22, it felt more like my day to die. I lay there, trying to eat a cracker and drink some water whilst Robert went and had a proper breakfast.]
Got up to have breakfast and check that John was still alive. The woman asked me every five seconds how it was, so I had to eat all the fried stuff. We then set off using my map reading skills, but unfortunately got lost for around half an hour, which was a bitch since I had two bags and John was slowly dying [We repacked in the morning, to redistribute the weight, putting some things from my bag into a second day bag for Robert]. Eventually we asked some Irish guy where to go and got back underway.
We were found by Mum, who picked up John and gave me some decent water to drink. The next five miles were boring. When we got to have lunch it turned out Grandma and Grandad had had a mad falling out with Auntie Tricia and had crashed [to clarify, we went on to a village to have some lunch, and Robert arrived by foot to join us. Meanwhile we heard the news that our relatives had been in a quarrel, and in their escape had managed to get in a minor car accident]. John’s going to Hedge’s to recoup prior to the last day, so as not to die [Heather "Hedge" Combe is a family friend and London resident].
I got to the outskirts of Luton after a t-shirt-soakingly hot day [I am simply transcribing Robert’s account word for word, except where the words are illegible]. I got to a Homebase outside Luton and asked a payment guy (cashier?) which town I was in, to which he paused as if I was testing him, and then said: “Luton?”
When I got to the hotel the guy took ages to find my booking. After finding it he then questioned if I was a UK national, unsatisfied by my response he requested to see my ID, and then insisted on double checking my debit card just to be certain, damn my pseudo-american accent.
I met up with James and Euan (who was going on about his penis as usual). Euan laughed at his own remarks, and then farted (standard). We took thirty minutes finding a meal and then Euan moaned about the stringy pasta. He then refused to purchase coconut ice-cream on racist grounds, he then brutally attacked us with Cheddars (the non-mini variety) and we bought James a can of nourishment milk (after not being allowed to buy milk at the bar, even though there was plenty; evil barman).
24 - Tennison Hotel, Bedford
Felt sick at breakfast, but forced myself to eat. The hotel is well posh, we were treated like royalty this morning, despite hiking boots and clothes that haven’t seen a washer in weeks.
We set out and I felt increasingly hot. I drank Lucozade to compensate, but I didn’t feel at all hungry. I ate when I could, but food (and even the thought of food) makes me feel sick. I barely remember the walk, it involved some customary villages and towns. I do recall sitting at the side of the road, resting for a moment while Robert checked the map and tried to force feed me.
Got to Bedford in remarkably good time, however, and checked in feeling increasingly sick, and then just crashed. The hotel is more like a B&B, run by a lovely Indian family (which is comforting; I always feel safe with Indian women for some reason).
I feel so tired, cold and sick. Robert went out to get food, and I felt increasingly exhausted. I just lay on my bed feeling sorry for myself. I couldn’t get to sleep, my body was aching.
I ate a couple of crackers and drank as much coke as possible (Robert kept pouring it). I’m no longer cold, the window’s wide open now, and less tired (maybe the caffeine), but still feeling sick. I’m worried I’m not absorbing enough energy.
21 - “McTavish’s” Copperfield, Market Harborough
Last night, after the pub, I ended up talking to Richard for a decent length of time. He had strong opinions, it turned out, and we watched Sky news together. He tried to convince me that it had been established by scientists that sexuality was genetically determined. I asked him blankly if he was gay, and he said that he was asexual; he’d never had any trouble round these parts because he’d never tried to get anyone’s bum. He showed me photographs from his youth, when he was a rebel biker, and then when he was a military photographer. I asked him about his time in the military and he told me the story of his discharge: apparently at the time there were three people leaving the army; the first died of a heart attack before he reached the gates, the second was taken away “to the funny farm” in a straight jacket and the third spotted a motorcycle and rode it all the way to the South of France, where he found a bottle of wine and the shade of a tree to sit under and read a book. “And do you know what book it was?” he asked me. I followed the direction of his finger and saw Richard was pointing at “the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” Most excellent, I thought.
This morning we sat and had a chat over a cup of tea before setting off. Richard gave us some directions through town and we were eager to try them out. Despite this, getting into the city centre was a difficult task, and I’m not sure we ever found it. Leicester was dirty and full of main roads. We edged our way over some roundabouts and through some retail parks onto the road to Market Harborough.
The road was long, hard and hot (a bit like the highway to Hell). It consisted entirely of A-roads and dual carriageways. It was around this day that I realised how much I hate straight roads; you think it’ll get you somewhere quicker, but instead you can see ahead of you how far you’ve got to walk. I’d rather not know.
Eventually we turned off the highway at the two mile mark and trekked up hill, painkillers kicking in. I was able to ignore me knee and managed to March into Market Harborough with a sense of victory.
The hotel is very pleasant, a real difference to Richard’s; more standard and impersonal. We had dinner at a Chinese restaurant run and waited by Professor Lupin from the Harry Potter film franchise. Robert didn’t like him, saying he was weird and creepy. I thought he had a woeful demeanour, like a father who knows he’s failed his child. The food was good, though; however, I started to get strange heart palpitations and rang out Dad freaking out. Apparently it might be a sign that I’m low on glycogen, so more sugars and other carbohydrates for me. I think Robert got excited to try out his medical training as he sat there taking my pulse; every time a palpitation occurred my pulse would disappear. They felt strange, a bit like I was having hiccups at the same time as rapidly falling (something like one feels on a rollercoaster, only in your heart, not stomach).
We got a call from James and Euan, saying that Euan’s foot had developed a hole. Has Euan began to get the stigmata? They’ve gone ahead to Luton to give themselves a few days rest and recuperation while we catch up.
20 - Birstall Backpackers (Richard’s house) outside Leicester
On our way under a motorway we encountered walls of superb urban art.
Sitting in the Plough, sipping Aspel (on tap here), slightly disconcerted by the Alsation behind the bar.
We got up and set off at a snail’s pace today. We bumped into Euan, in a dressing-gown and sipping a mug of tea, near the toilet block this morning. He and James had enjoyed the hospitality offered to them last night; all the breakfast they could eat, and the couples looking after them had insisted on feeding them even more. I wasn’t jealous, no, that’s a lie, I was very jealous. We had a terrible night’s sleep and had to pack up a damp tent this morning; not an ideal start.
Progress seemed slow and unremarkable as we stumbled forth into Kegsworth. It seemed to take forever to get into Loughborough, which was a totally underwhelming disappointment; it was as if Westerhailes had claimed independence and set up on its own, even Subway was closed down. We queued for our meal deal in Boots, and I talked to Nat by phone as we watched townsfolk feed pigeons.
Eventually we made it to the Birstall sign, at which point Robert rang the hostel owner arranged. We followed his directions and met him on the corner of a road in a residential area. He stood there in a baseball cap, shades and joggers, supported by a walking stick, grinning like Jack Nicholson. He had the voice of Michael Caine.
We strode, and Richard hobble-strode, back to his. On the way he made us guess how old he was and repeatedly emphasised that he wasn’t prejudiced. He off-handedly introduced a Dmitri character before revealing that he would be eighty-one this year. When we got to his he asked us what we expected to pay, followed by giving us a rate of £25 total. Apparently (this might have been his catchphrase) “this is a non-rip-off area.” He imparted all the local tricks of the trade; buying clothes at Sports Direct and going to Lidl for groceries. He revealed these “secrets” to us as if these stores were only particular to the area.
He then said that if we both requested we could watch some gay DVDs, but we’d both have to request. That, I thought, was a reasonable condition, but a strange offer. He showed us the room and told us the adjacent room is paid for (by Dmitri, the maths genius). He showed us his own room in case James and Euan wanted to stay (we’d have to share the double bed in our room, one of them would get the bunk bed there and the other would get the bunk bed in Richard’s room), he told us that they wouldn’t get the same cheap rate as us, but not to tell them that. I noticed a few calenders in Richard’s room which weren’t exactly to my tastes.
We went back downstairs and Robert ended up in a play fight with Richard. Both had boxing gloves on and were jabbing at each other, Robert was quite tentative, but Richard was insistent and dealt out a few antagonistic left hooks. Richard then insisted Robert put some hand-cuffs on me, followed by Robert being hand-cuffed himself. Richard told us how to discern whether any given pair of hand-cuffs were fake, before releasing us with the trick. We all collapsed onto the comfy sofas chuckling away. We talked a bit to Richard before going to a chippy he recommended. He was reminiscing about Dmitri, a foreign student who obviously provided Richard with good, intelligent company.
After fish and chips we returned and showered. Robert warned me that Richard had told him not to bother locking the bathroom door, and when I went down stairs he said the same to me. He had previously let us know that he didn’t care how we walked around, to make ourselves at home; we could walk around naked and he wouldn’t bat an eye (not my style). I went into the bathroom and tried to lock the door, but it was stiff and I decided not to bother, for some reason I trusted Richard (luckily that trust wasn’t misplaced).
I got out of the shower and ended up chatting to Richard in my boxers for twenty minutes, after which I got dressed and we came to meet James and Euan at the pub (where I’m writing up this journal).
19 - Shardlow Marina Campsite
It’s raining a flood and both our packs are in the tent, so there’s no room (there’s not usually any room regardless). Essentially campsites should have lockers for bags and valuables. Did no-one ever think about such an obvious innovation?
It actually started out as a seriously hot and sunny day, not a cloud in the sky. As we left the Haytop campsite we decided to change into shorts. The walk to Belper was slow and painful with my knee acting up.
Lloyd’s pharmacy didn’t even have blister plasters when we got there, let alone knee supports. Fortunately I noticed a Boots pharmacy off the main road, so we went in. As I found blister plasters (on special offer) and a decent knee support, I saw Robert only just entering the shop, friendly waving farewell to some old dude in a neck-brace. Weird, I thought, he was only thirty seconds behind me, yet a relationship had clearly been formed.
We bought the items and the staff at the counter started the customary inquiries: “stocking up for a big walk?” We told them the situation and the guy was keen to sponsor us, so we gave him the “just giving” page details and left to put the plasters in our packs and the knee support on my knee. Robert noticed the woman come out of the shop, and a few minutes later another girl came out and said that since we were doing this for charity she didn’t think we should have to pay for our purchases. She obtained our receipt (around £17.50) and returned with the cash and a couple of bottle of water for us (later we donated the cash to 500 Miles).
We continued on our way, knee supported and spirits soaring. After a long stretch we walked into the Derby City limits, and an hour later we got to the actual city centre. We went to the first establishment in the city centre that looked reasonable (a Frankie & Benny’s doing a lunch offer). The girl doing all the service gave us a window seat so we could stare at the wild variety of city folk passing by. This was our first major city, and after nearly three weeks of walking it was strange. It occurred to me that fat and disabled people didn’t really make it into the countryside. Neither were there very many multi-ethnic people roaming the moors and hiking the Pennines. We also hadn’t seen very many attractive women in the last nineteen days.
After our milkshakes and food we headed out. We let our food go down as we look for highlighters and stare at maps. We sat near a big block that also functioned as a shower for the local Goths (some of whom jumped off the top into the square below). We had no idea how to escape the city centre, and an old guy in a wheelchair, eating a sausage roll, is no help; he just keeps repeating that we’re in Derby City centre and asking where we want to go. We did tell him Leicester, but he keeps on going with the same line of questioning.
We eventually figure it out and leave Derby behind. Things are looking good: it’s 3pm, only seven miles to go and we’re not even lost, just a straight road to follow. It’s at this point we get through to the campsite and they tell us to be there by 5pm, as that’s when they close up. We tell James and Euan (who aren’t even at the Derby City limits yet) and beast the last seven miles, getting in with ten minutes to spare. Luckily I had that Boots water, as it was boiling hot and I was running low on liquids.
We get in and pitch our tent under a small willow tree, and go for a shower. The marina is stunning; it’s dry, sunny and all the boats docked create pleasing angles and lines with their masts. We decide to try out a local renowned pub, the Old Crown. We swagger into Leicestershire to check it out, but it doesn’t serve food on a Monday for some obscure reason. It did look wonderful, however, very quaint with a great selection of beers. We got the Navigator instead, which turned out to be very nice, even if they’d run out of Hobgoblin. Just as the food’s appearing, so does James. He runs out and drags in Euan, they cheated and got a bus.
We get back to the campsite just as it starts to rain exceedingly hard. James and Euan are squabbling in their leaky tent because James had run away and found them a caravan to crash in, they’re bailing to it now. Apparently James had run into the bar toilets, ringing out his clothes in a urinal, and some guy had offered them shelter for the night.
Meanwhile, in the compression chamber, Robert silently snoozes and the hammering of raindrops shakes our canvas. One pack sits between us like a third, obese member, forcing us both to lie against the sides of the decreasingly waterproof tent. The other pack is at out feet, forcing us both into a cramped, foetal position. What have I learned? One should always arrive late and unannounced, and couch surf off generous, middle class people. Being prepared = preparing for mediocrity.
18 - Haytop Campsite, by the river
We started vaguely early. I needed the toilet, but there seemed to be a portal into it that I was not aware of, as each time I went to go it was engaged. This culminated in me bursting into what I thought was a vacant toilet to get my last impression of Terry, sat on the toilet and staring up at me with wide eyes. Luckily I didn’t see anything too compromising.
Left through the mansion’s estate along a well marked footpath. The estate merged into a nature reserve, in which we saw a fuzzy, black ball pacing its way gently over the thin mud of the river bank and some signets, but when I stopped to take a look the mother swan hissed at me viciously.
We went through Bakewell, getting all the maps we needed and the compulsory pudding, then went round the corner and saw the self-proclaimed “birthplace” of the Bakewell pudding.
We walked on and entered Matlock Bath, a mental biker’s town. There were hundreds, cramming the street and filling up pubs and restaurants. We talked to a shopkeeper who said it was actually a quiet day, usually there are thousands. The bikers came in all shapes and sizes. Literally all shapes, probably moulded by a lifetime of road traffic accidents, hobbling in a surprisingly uniform uncomfortable gait like an army of gnomes.
We walked on and made it to the campsite in reasonable time. After seeing countless numbers of the same sign (“No trespassing, private land”), we got to reception; which was actually a very messy static caravan. We rang the doorbell and waited. After some time we heard some rustling and grunting and the guy slowly came to the door. He was rather slobbish and consumed the entire doorway. His eyes were small and discerning, his skin pasty and oily in a marbled pattern, his hair was thin, greasy and trying desperately to evacuate his scalp. After asking if we were trouble and essentially insisting we had a shower, he consented to letting us pitch our tent (by the river, far away from the toilets and out of the way of all the other visitors). He then asked what we studied, as he found change for the showers (precisely two ten pence coins). Robert mentioned medicine and got the guy started on his doctor brother throwing out Dutch applicants’ CVs without a glance because of their assumed stance on euthanasia (I declined to mention my philosophy degree, unless euthanasia was brought back up).
We then tried the pub, but it was closed due to “technical problems.” Robert got the dirt on that one when he asked to get some takeaway menus from the campsite owner; apparently the two guys who’s taken it over had fallen out (“typical gays,” said mr Owner).
When the food arrived so did James and Euan. We ate and then discovered that James had forgotten the outside of the spare tent (the one we used to keep our packs in), and my sleeping bag is cold and damp. I was about to write that it’s better than nothing, but there’s little worse than sleeping in such a state. It also appears that the tent has been growing mould. Basically camping equipment can’t handle persistent rain.
16 - Ravenstor Mansion
Woke up in room three, and went to breakfast after having a shower in a giant cubicle (in which the light kept turning off). I struggled to eat my breakfast, but enjoyed over hearing the conversation of other guests, one of whom was there with his very old father. We set out with cold pizza and a packed lunch, but no Euan; he going to meet us by train at the next stop in the walk (hoping to locate James, who had promised to rejoin us for the rest of the walk).
The first obstacle before us was the “Devil’s Elbow,” a large hairpin bend on the road to Glossop. Glossop was quite a long town, shaped like the parabola formed from a positive function. We passed through Chapel-en-le-frith, and after two minutes of rain we reached a seemingly never ending hill, which angled down directly into Swallowtip (what a beautiful name for a village) where we sat on a stone trough and ate our lunch.
We joined the A-road and followed it, thinking we were making good progress, to a massive zig-zag in the road (akin the road up to the Carter Bar). We looked ahead of us at the barrier between us and the Derbyshire dales; the road was going to be a death-trap if we weren’t careful. At first it moved away from us at a sharp incline, twisting round at a tight right angle, and then after a couple of hundred yards it turned a sharp ninety degrees for a final time. We decided to plan for this one; walking on the right hand side of the road would mean we didn’t have to cross the busy highway and we could see round the tight corner in plenty of time, but it would involve having our backs to oncoming traffic for a portion of the ascent. A man in a van, titled “Logic,” stopped on the verge ahead of us as we were crossing over the road to start the dangerous section to tell us to face into the traffic as he was concerned for our safety. I’ve come to the conclusion that most drivers don’t want the hassle of dealing with hitting a pedestrian, but every so often you come across a person who’s not just self-interested, but genuinely considerate.
The last stop to the junction was long and straight with fields either side. We continued past the junction I expected to take in favour of some directions Robert had gleaned from an old local who had been scrubbing blemishes off his car.
We arrived in Tideswell, went to the Co-Op and bumped into Euan and James, who had incidentally been on the same train into Buxton (town of bottled water). We walked with them to the hostel, a couple of miles down the road. The hostel had an enormously long driveway, opening up to reveal the mansion and surrounding gardens. We felt positive about the place, but ill with hunger and exhaustion. After eating some of James’ famous minestrone and lentil soup we recovered slightly. Sadly there’s no phone reception here, which meant that Dad phoned the hostel worried we’d not made it. The attractive girl on the desk mentioned this (actually, she told James his Dad had rung, which confused him slightly), adding “he says he loves you.” James started laughing at this, in disbelief. However, we couldn’t imagine our Dad saying that to us either, let alone a stranger. Some kind ad lib we assumed, giving her a smile.
15 - Crowden; Old House B&B, room 3.
Holy Cow, what a day! I’m essentially a zombie right now, and for once I believe my exclamation of daily intensity is worthy. Woke up and chewed a tracker bar for breakfast. We went to the drying room to collect our wet clothes, and wet they still were. This was incredibly disappointing as packs with wet contents are heavier and the water has a tendency to spread through diffusion (unless the large quantities of maps we’ve been collecting count as a “semi-permeable membrane,” in which case I suppose it’s technically osmosis).
The first part of what was undoubtably the hardest day of the walk entailed climbing a massive set of stone steps to the top of a ridge. We mounted the hill and at its peak we could see for miles around. To the North were a herd of wind turbines and to the West we could see the sprawling mass of a city in the distance.
We turned Westward and jogged (I now regret that expenditure of energy) along a reservoir, where we bumped into the last Roman legion; still searching for their outpost. They weren’t really Italian (too active), but there seemed to be hundreds of these ancient people marching bravely forward.
It wasn’t until the first A-road (sporting a tempting pub) that things turned sour. Robert and I bounded along, whilst Euan trailed with the maps. Now I should probably defend myself right now, since you are almost certainly asking why we made such a terrible tactical decision; who gives the slowest member of the party a map? Euan had (perhaps rightly) questioned my ability to read the maps accurately, and so I thought it was only fair to give him a trial, and I thought it might encourage him to stay with the group.
After I reached a cairn, resting up against it as I waited for the others, Robert phoned me from an adjacent ridge to ask if we were going the correct way. I was quite certain it was, but Robert decided to go back and find Euan to check. Unfortunately he couldn’t find Euan, so he called me back to a spot that seemed to be a vague crossroads. We tried in vain to call Euan’s mobile, giving up when it seemed to be turned off, and resorted to shouting his name. I was beginning to get rather annoyed.
At this point we decided it was necessary to find Euan (not that we were worried, we just wanted the maps), so Robert left his pack with me and ran back to the pub; he thought Euan might have wandered back there, not that he was desperate for a drink. After a while I gave my long distance correspondent (Nat) a call to check which way to continue, sans map and compass. I managed to ascertain that I would need to cross the M62 at some point, followed by an A-road or two.
Finally Robert got back to me, not literally, but by phone. He’d called the police and mountain rescue as Euan wasn’t at the pub. He said that since then Euan had somehow made contact and he would wait to talk to the police, going with them to meet Euan at junction 22 where he apparently was. Robert was not in a good mood, as he’d been ignored by the bar staff despite his bedraggled look (possibly because of his bedraggled look) and his insistence that he urgently needed help. I asked Robert what to do with his pack, and he told me to just leave it. Robert couldn’t hear the face I pulled over the phone, so I told him I doubted it would just be there when he got round to getting back to it. Right, said Robert, you better take it with you then. I suppose I’d asked for it, and this was the biggest challenge so far.
I put Robert’s pack on my front and somehow managed to hoist my own pack on my back. It was an incredibly fragile maneuver, I nearly tipped over from the delicate balance required and struggled back to the cairn. It turned out I had been going the correct way previously, which was fortunately since now I could barely see over the 75 litre pack on my front and I was swaying dangerously from side to side, swearing loudly and thanking God that I still had the feel of the path in my memory.
I went beyond the cairn, treading carefully, using my feet to feel out the path below me. I struggled to a dirt path a mile down the track and crossed over towards some woods (I thought I could remember someone mentioning some woods at some point). After five minutes of this trail I noticed an old couple in a horse-drawn cart coming up the track towards me, a Dalmatian following behind. I said hello, then thought to check I was on the right track. Apparently I wasn’t, corrected the couple, chewing on some hay leisurely. I thanked them, and huffed and puffed my way back along the trail, secretly hoping they’d offer to take at least one of my 18 kilogram plus packs on their plush cart for maybe a few minutes. They didn’t, and as I got to the top of a ridge I started to hear the hum of the motorway. I walked on, past a small house and over a bridge, at which point Robert rang. I gave him a vague description of my whereabouts, precariously positioned over the M62, but the strain of the packs came through in my voice as I said, “there are a lot of cars below, aaaaaaaah…” and eventually my tone flatlined into a blood curdling scream, trailing off as I dropped my phone. I dumped the packs and picked up the phone, but Robert had obviously hung up on me.
I reached the other side of the bridge and left the packs as I rang him back and started to jog in his general direction. He had just reached the track I had accidentally crossed, and soon we were reunited. As I called Nat for some directions (getting increasingly angry with Euan for having the map), Robert gets chatting to a guy driving into the farm this side of the motorway. He recommended to us that we walk through the field adjacent to the motorway, towards a TV tower where junction 22 was approximately situated.
We set off, and I felt much lighter having returned Robert his pack. As we hike through the field, shimmying under electric fences and avoiding angry looking cows, I ask Robert what’s been going on, why isn’t he with the police? Apparently they never turned up, and so Robert decided to reunite with me after hearing of Euan’s movements from the man himself [for a full account of Euan’s adventures see the Appendices]. We powered up a steep and sketchy ridge to the TV tower and saw Euan across a road, lounging on a large boulder. My hands twitched to strangle him.
We meet up with Euan, he gives me the map and I decide that murder might be a slight over reaction. Oh, exclaims Robert, I need to phone the Greater Manchester Police. He does, to tell them that we have been reunited with our friend, “the young Scottish male, with glasses, wild ginger hair and goatee,” they were apparently relieved.
As we leave the car park to embark on a trail leading over the moors, Euan tells us that he’d found himself on the motorway, before being picked up by highway patrol and dropped at the car park at junction 22. He considerately adds that apparently we’re walking over the very spot where Ian Brady buried the moors murders victims in the 1960’s. I cock my eyebrow and restrain myself from adding to the body count under my feet.
We walked on, up and down moorland trails that led around a reservoir and across another road. The moors go on for a while, starting with a dirt trail that develops into a comforting path constructed out of large white slabs of stone. I have my suspicions that the elaborate walkway was being created to unearth a few secrets still hidden by the moors. Perhaps, since the path was incomplete, the builders had discovered something gruesome and had delved no deeper, fleeing in terror. Regardless, we pressed on unaware of any negativity for a while. The moor sprouted delicate, white flowers that dotted the landscape like elysian dandruff. In the distance a saddle shaped hill was rained on and slowly we marched on into the wilderness. The path petered out, and was replaced by ridges and ditches that we struggled along, looking for an A-road which was supposed to mark the final stage of the day’s walking.
Eventually we reached it, but not before I met with a gigantic slug (the biggest I’ve seen in my life; Robert and Euan were not as impressed when they caught up with me). Euan’s enthusiasm was wavering like the sun light, and he felt he could not go on. Instead of holding us back, Euan vouched to stay behind and get a taxi to Crowden (little did we know that at this point we were situated on the border between two counties (West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester), leading to the cab company assuming Euan was a hoax call, until he described the sparse landmarks, a sign and a parking bay, which one driver in the office happened to recognise).
At this point the storm clouds were gathering, and as we started on what we assumed to be the final stretch the heavens opened and spat hail on us without mercy. To make things worse we were traversing the worst terrain yet; bogs, marshes and grassland, somehow rolled into one inconvenient area. The boggy soil required substantial energy to walk over, and the small hillocks of grass (about a foot or two in diameter) were awkward to tread, often threatening to twist our ankles. There was no definitive foot path, and after about 500 meters the wooden posts marking the way abruptly stopped. Luckily the hail had stopped by this point.
We scrambled over the land, meeting with deep furrows in the land where streams cut through the bog. We jumped, packs still on our backs, over these rifts, clinging to the other side to not slip down. My hands were covered in peat and mud, my nails crammed with dirt, but I didn’t care, we had to reach our goal. Now I think about it, I don’t know why we didn’t leave our huge packs with Euan to take in the taxi, but for whatever reason they were still with us. We eventually hit upon the Pennine way (our old enemy) and stopped to drink stream water (our bottles empty) and eat our final two cereal bars. This was a disastrous day, and at no point had we encountered a place to get lunch; we were starving.
We followed the Pennine way down, hoping to see the faint glimmer of Crowden any moment, but instead the path begun to elevate. We continued along for quite some time until we noticed we’d reached a plateau. Down below, several hundred meters, was a river, and across from us we saw more hills. The valley described by the river was surprisingly wide considering that even a small deviation from the footpath would land us in the vale (after a painful descent of uncontrollable velocity and orientation).
As the sun finally set completely the path began to descend sharply. We rounded some boulders, pressing ourselves tight against them lest we fell from the path. As the path dropped more boulders made themselves apparent on the path. The sudden and sharp decline was not good for Robert’s knees, which he stoically put up with.
It didn’t get properly dark until we’d reached a level path leading through some trees. We breathed a sigh of relief; we were going through some farmer’s gates, an indicator of civilization at long last. Getting through the barriers we picked up on a small road leading to an A-road. We didn’t notice the pavement in the dark until a huge lorry lit it up for us, moments before it almost ran us over.
We reached a dam and crossed over, turning right into a long avenue of trees. In the pale light of the stars we could just about make out that this used to be a railway, but now it had a sinister feel to it, as if anything could leap out at us from the shadows. Perhaps it was the hungry exhaustion that led me to hallucinate a ghostly train moving along the forgotten line in our direction, but no, it was just the B&B owner guiding is to safety with a torch. We hopped a dry stone wall clumsily and limped up a field to our final resting place (I thought it would be, but luckily I survived).
As we were getting changed into non-sweat drenched clothes Euan busted into the room announcing he’d got the pizzas; hurrah for Euan! We sat, eating our 16” pizzas and guzzling coke, in our socks waiting for a well deserved sleep. I glanced at the clock on the wall, eleven forty-five; we managed it all in one day, and not a moment too soon, the walk of over thirty miles had really taken its toll.
This is a blog chronicling the month long walk I undertook, with my brother, from Edinburgh to London.
Bakewell Pudding
Capon Tree
Carter Bar
Chapel-en-le-frith
Cross Fell
Haytop Campsite
Kirkby-Stephen
Long Distance Walk
Maiden Way
Mankinholes
Moors Murders
Mouldy Tent
Non Rip Off Area
Non-rip-off Area
Ormside
Ousby
Polish Doughnut
Ravenstor
Saddleworth Moor
St Cuthbert
Stonehaugh
Walk To London
Workmen
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World War I sites
World War I - The Great War – La Grande Guerre
World War I is known as the Great War – Grande Guerre.
It lasted from July 28, 1914 to November 11, 1918.
World War I involved the world’s great nations: British, German, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman and Russian Empires, France and Italy.
More than 70 million soldiers, including 60 million Europeans, were mobilized in one of the largest wars in history.
Eight million were killed; 7million were permanently disabled and 15 million were seriously injured.
France lost 10.5 % of its active male population.
No words can translate the deep emotion that is felt when visiting the WWI Battlefields where so many soldiers fought and died in horrendous conditions.
The remains of many lie forever in the earth of Flanders and Northern France.
This section on the Battlefields of World War I humbly pays tribute to all these men and keeps their memory alive.
We invite you on this moving journey, as we celebrate the Centenary of the Great War, to remember and honour them.
That is forever England. There shall be
Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam,
A body of England's, breathing English air,
Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.
And think, this heart, all evil shed away,
A pulse in the eternal mind, no less
Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;
Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;
And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,
In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.
World War I - Latest content
Saint-Quentin National Necropolis – French Military Cemetery
Saint-Quentin National Necropolis, a WWI French military cemetery where the soldats who fell during the fights of August 1914 and October 1918 are buried
Connaught Cemetery – Commonwealth Cemetery – Thiepval
Connaught Cemetery, a Commonwealth Cemetery open in 1916 at the edge of Thiepval Wood where the British lines were positioned during the Battle of the Somme
Mill Road Cemetery – Commonwealth Cemetery – Thiepval
Mill Road Cemetery, a Commonwealth Cemetery open in 1917 to bury the soldiers who fell at Beaumont-Hamel and Thiepval during the Battle of the Somme
Your Story of the Great War – 1914-1918
Your story of the Great War is a compilation of the stories some of our readers sent us, the stories of their relatives who died on the battlefields of WWI
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Tsugaru Channel Swimming Association (TCSA) 津軽海峡遠泳協会
Information, contacts and swimmers' stories about swimming in the Tsugaru Channel between Honshu, the main island of Japan, and Hokkaido, an 18K strait of fast-moving currents and abundant marine life and one of the Oceans Seven channels
Oceans Seven Swimmers Head To Tsugaru Channel
Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.
In addition to the dozens of native Japanese masters swimmers who will attempt to cross the Tsugaru Channel this summer, several Oceans Seven channel swimmers from overseas will also make the attempt to cross from Honshu to Hokkaido in northern Japan.
"Each of the foreign swimmers and the relays will be escorted by Captain Mizushima," explains Masayuki Moriya of Ocean Navi and the Tsugaru Channel Swimming Association.
Although the straight-line distance across the channel is less than 20 km, swimmers have an option to take the more risky straight-line tangent or a more curvaceous route where the swimmers attempt to slingshot their way across the channel riding along the Tsugaru Current. "It is a longer course, but more conservative without the speed demands of the Tappi Misaki course," says Moriya.
"Swimmers can take the Kodomari Route pioneered by David Yudovin in 1990 where they start at Kodomari fishing port on Aomori Prefecture," explains Steven Munatones who also crossed in 1990. "Or they can take the Tappi Misaki Route that has a much lower success percentage, but a shorter distance.
Whether swimmers take the more conservative Kodomari Route where the Tsugaru Current pushes the swimmer towards Hokkaido or the higher risk Tappi Misaki Route where the swimmers have to fight against some strong lateral currents, Captain Mizushima will aim towards Hokkaido's Shirakami Misaki. Either way - curvaceous or straight - there are very high probabilities that the swimmers are going to hit challenging eddies towards the end as they approach Hokkaido. This tidal, current and wind information comes directly from the engineers who built the Seikan Tunnel that runs directly below the Tappi Misaki Route.
Not since 2012 has the Tsugaru Channel been host to so many experienced ocean swimming veterans. In 2012, Darren Miller (USA), Stephen Redmond (Ireland), Michelle Macy (USA), Forrest Nelson (USA), Craig Lenning (USA), Pat Gallant-Charette (USA) and Anna-Carin Nordin (Sweden) all successfully crossed from Honshu to Hokkaido.
* Stephen Junk (Australia) attempting his 5th Oceans Seven channel
* James Penrose (Great Britain) attempting his 4th Oceans Seven channel
* Guy Moar (Australia) attempting his 4th Oceans Seven channel
* Rohans More (India) attempting his 4th Oceans Seven channel
* Dr. Steven Minaglia (U.S.A.) attempting his 3rd Oceans Seven channel
* John Walker (Great Britain) attempting his 3rd Oceans Seven channel
* Daniel Curtis (U.S.A.) attempting his 3rd Oceans Seven channel
* Antonio Argüelles (Mexico) attempting his 3rd Oceans Seven channel
For more information on the Tsugaru Channel, visit Tsugaru Channel Swimming Association and Openwaterpedia.
Copyright © 2015 by World Open Water Swimming Association
Posted by Steven Munatones at 3:30 PM
Labels: Antonio Arguelles, Daniel Curtis, Guy Moar, James Penrose, John Walker, Kodomari Route, Oceans Seven, Rohans More, Stephen Junk, Steven Minaglia, Tappi Misaki Route, Tsugaru Channel
Thank you very much for your interest in the Tsugaru Channel Swimming Association.
Steven Munatones, Founder
Interested in a Crossing?
Contact shimasaki.yusuke@his-world.com
Successful Channel Swimmers
1. David Yudovin (USA) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 13 hours 10 minutes (7 July 1990)
2. Steven Munatones (USA) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 6 hours 11 minutes (July 1990)
3. Steven Munatones(USA) solo single crossing (Hokkaido-to-Honshu) in 6 hours 39 minutes (July 1990)
4. Miyuki Fujita (Japan) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 11 hours 36 minutes (2005)
5. Masayuki Moriya (Japan) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 11 hours 55 minutes (2011) in wetsuit
6. Penny Palfrey (Australia) solo single crossing (Hokkaido-to-Honshu) in 14 hours 30 minutes (2011)
7. Darren Miller (USA) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 15 hours 55 minutes (2012)
8. Stephen Redmond (Ireland) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 12 hours 45 minutes (2012)
9. Michelle Macy (USA) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 8 hours 55 minutes (2012)
10. Forrest Nelson (USA) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 9 hours 26 minutes (2012)
11. Craig Lenning (USA) solo single crossing (Hokkaido-to-Honshu) in 10 hours 44 minutes (2012)
12. Pat Gallant-Charette (USA) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 19 hours 36 minutes (2012)
13. Anna-Carin Nordin (Sweden) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 19 hours 11 minutes (2012)
14. Kenichi Setsumasa (Japan) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 7 hours 30 minutes (2012)
15. Adam Walker (Great Britain) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 15 hours 31 minutes (2013)
16. Kimberley Chambers (New Zealand) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 9 hours 38 minutes (2014)
17. Attila Mányoki (Hungary) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 7 hours 29 minutes (2014)
18. Guy Moar (Australia) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 11 hours 32 minutes (2015)
19. Daniel Curtis (USA) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 13 hours 39 minutes (2015)
20. Antonio Argüelles (Mexico) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 12 hours 38 minutes (2015)
21. Rohans More (India) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 10 hours 37 minutes (2015)
22. Abhejali Bernardova (Czech Republic) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 11 hours 7 minutes (2016)
23. Stephen Junk (Australia) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 11 hours 2 minutes (2016)
24. Honoka Hasegawa (Japan) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 8 hours 31 minutes (2016)
25. Toshio Tominaga (Japan) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 9 hours 58 minutes (2016)
26. Elizabeth Fry (USA) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 15 hours 48 minutes (2016)
27. Ion Lazarenco Tiron (Moldova) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 11 hours 20 minutes (2017)
28. Jorge Crivilles Villanueva (Spain) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 8 hours 28 minutes (2017)
29. Adrian Sarchet (Guernsey) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 14 hours 2 minutes 9 seconds (2017)
30. Prabhat Raju Koli (India) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 9 hours 52 minutes (2017)
31. Cameron Bellamy (South Africa) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 11 hours 7 minutes 28 seconds (2018)
32. Ryan Utsumi (USA) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 8 hours 46 minutes (2018)
33. Nora Toledano Cadena (Mexico) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido in a tandem swim with Mariel Hawley Dávila) in 6 hours 20 minutes 52 seconds (2018)
34. Mariel Hawley Dávila (Mexico) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido in a tandem swim with Nora Toledano Cadena) in 6 hours 20 minutes 52 seconds (2018)
35. André Wiersig (Germany) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 12 hours 55 minutes (2018)
36. Andrew Hunt (Australia) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 10 hours 52 minutes (2018)
37. Tomonari Ogino (Japan) solo wetsuit crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 12 hours 5 minutes 50 seconds (2018)
38. Thomas Pembroke (Australia) solo solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 15 hours 1 minutes 30 seconds (2018)
39. Lynton Mortensen (Australia) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 9 hours 34 minutes 15 seconds (2018)
40. Masaki Sugita (Japan) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 13 hours 18 minutes 43 seconds (2018)
41. Simon Olliver (New Zealand) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 11 hours 58 minutes 0 seconds (2018)
42. Bogusław Ogrodnik (Poland) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 12 hours 30 minutes (2018)
43. Jonathan Ratcliffe (UK) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 11 hours 0 minutes (2019)
44. Claire Faranda (France) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 9 hours 51 minutes 24 seconds (2019)
45. Kieron Palframan (South Africa) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 8 hours 41 minutes 5 seconds (2019)
46. Nathalie Pohl (Germany) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 10 hours 9 minutes 40 seconds (2019)
47. Marcia Cleveland (USA) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 10 hours 11 minutes 2 seconds (2019)
48. Dina Levacic (Croatia) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 7 hours 13 minutes 15 seconds (2019)
49. Matthias Kaßner (Germany) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 9 hours 45 minutes (2019)
50. Emre Erdogan (Turkey) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 7 hours 36 minutes (2019)
51. Luca Pozzi (Italy) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 8 hours 20 minutes 58 seconds (2019)
52. Herman van der Westhuizen (South Africa) solo single crossing (Honshu-to-Hokkaido) in 10 hours 22 minutes 37 seconds (2019)
Significant & Record Swims
First Honshu-Hokkaido Crossing: David Yudovin (USA) on 7 July 1990 in 13 hours 10 minutes
First Hokkaido-Honshu Crossing: Steven Munatones (USA) on 30 July 1990 in 6 hours 39 minutes
First Female Honshu-Hokkaido Crossing: Miyuki Fujita (Japan) in 2005 in 11 hours 36 minutes
Fastest Male Honshu-Hokkaido Crossing: Steven Munatones (USA) 29 July 1990 in 6 hours 11 minutes
Fastest Female Honshu-Hokkaido Crossing: Nora Toledano Cadena (Mexico) and Mariel Hawley Davila (Mexico) in 2018 in 6 hours 20 minutes 52 seconds (tandem swim)
Fastest Youth (under 21 years) Honshu-Hokkaido: Honoka Hasegawa (Japan) in 2016 in 8 hours 31 minutes
Fastest Overall Tsugaru Channel Crossing: Steven Munatones (USA) on 30 July 1990 in 6 hours 39 minutes
Youngest Female Honshu-Hokkaido Crossing: Honoka Hasegawa (Japan) in 2016 at 18 years old 4 months 20 days
Youngest Male Honshu-Hokkaido Crossing: Prabhat Raju Koli (India) in 2017 at the age of 18 years 1 month 15 days
Youngest Overall Tsugaru Channel Crossing: Prabhat Raju Koli (India) in 2017 at the age of 18 years 1 month 15 days
Oldest Female Honshu-Hokkaido Crossing: Pat Gallant-Charette (USA) in 2012 at the age of 61 years old
Oldest Male Honshu-Hokkaido Crossing: Toshio Tominaga (Japan) in 2016 in 9 hours 58 minutes at the age of 73
Oldest Overall Tsugaru Channel Crossing: Toshio Tominaga (Japan) in 2016 in 9 hours 58 minutes at the age of 73
Longest Honshu-Hokkaido Single Crossing: Pat Gallant-Charette (USA) in 2012 in 19 hours 36 minutes
Longest Male Honshu-Hokkaido Single Crossing: Darren Miller (USA) in 2012 in 15 hours 55 minutes
Longest Overall Tsugaru Channel Crossing: Pat Gallant-Charette (USA) in 2012 in 19 hours 36 minutes
Fastest Double Crossing (Honshu-Hokkaido-Honshu): Steven Munatones (USA) in 1990 in 12 hours 50 minutes
First Triple Crossing (Honshu-Hokkaido-Honshu-Hokkaido): Miyuki Fujita (Japan) in 2006 in 37 hours 24 minutes
7 Difficult Channel Challenges
For information, contact headcoach@openwatersource.com
Open Water Swimming Information
For more information, contact headcoach@openwatersource.com
Northern Japan - between Honshu & Hokkaido
Tsugaru Current
Japanese Coast Guard
Documentation Required for All Crossings
Currents in the Tsugaru Channel
Escort Boats in the Tsugaru Channel
The Eikoh-Maru No. 61
Accommodations Near the Tsugaru Channel
Topas Village in Hokkaido
Member of the World Open Water Swimming Association
Japan International Open Water Swimming Assocation
日本国際オープンウォータースイミング協会
Steven Munatones
Questions about swimming in the north Pacific Ocean?
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Visionary Edge
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7:00pm Friday June 1, 2012
Advance Tickets $12, Door $16
Unity in Marin
600 Palm Drive
Friday June 1, 2012 @ 7:00pm
Cinema Connect and Unity in Marin present...
There's More to Life than Meets the Eye
Directed by Jonas Elrod & Chloe Crespi
Post-Film Dialogue with Cassandra Vieten Ph.D., Director of Research, Institute of Noetic Sciences
Jonas Elrod was leading an ordinary life until he woke up one day to a totally new reality. He suddenly could see and hear angels, demons, auras and ghosts. The documentary film WAKE UP follows this fascinating story of an average guy who inexplicably developed the ability to access other dimensions. With his loving but skeptical girlfriend by his side, Jonas criss-crosses the country as he searches for answers and delves deeper into this thrilling world of the phenomenal and spiritual.
Evening Schedule
7:00 Doors Open
7:30 Film and post-film discussion with Cassandra Vieten, Ph.D.
Advance $12
Door $16
Free tea and parking
Film Synopsis
Jonas Elrod, an ordinary guy leading an ordinary life, could suddenly see and hear angels, demons, auras and ghosts. WAKE UP follows this fascinating story of an average guy who inexplicably developed the ability to access other dimensions. Physicians gave him a clean bill of health and were unable to provide an explanation. What was it? Why was it happening to him? One thing was certain for this 36-year old man – life as he had known it would never be the same.
With his loving but skeptical girlfriend by his side, Jonas crisscrosses the country as he searches for answers and delves deeper into this thrilling world of the phenomenal and spiritual. Along the way, he encounters an amazing group of religious teachers, scientists, mystics and spiritual healers who help him piece together this intricate puzzle.
The film shows how all of us can search inward for our own peace and happiness while contributing towards a positive shift in global consciousness. WAKE UP is a call to consciousness to everyone who sees it; an invitation to accept that there is more to this life than meets the eye.
WAKE UP had its festival premiere at South by Southwest Film Festival and its New York City premiere, hosted by Sting and Trudie Styler.
Cinema Connect is pleased to present thought provoking films in the context of community settings. These feature documentaries with transformational themes are presented with post-film dialogues and Q & A. If you are interested in partnering with us to show films at your organization or venue, please contact us.
Cinema Connect California Locations
Berkeley, Half Moon Bay, Fairfax, Larkspur, Menlo Park, Napa, Novato, Petaluma, Richmond, San Francisco, San Rafael, Santa Cruz, Sebastopol
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11:21 am22 Dec 2009
The History of Bullets and Snow Balls
‘IMG_2384′
courtesy of ‘AJ Ashton’
By now, pretty much everyone in DC knows about the cop that brought a gun to a snow ball fight. Before casting aspersions, it should be noted that there is historical precedence for gun fire being exchanged during snowball fights. In 1770, the famous Boston Massacre was sparked, in part, by snowballs thrown at the British by angry Bostonians. Fortunately, this weekend didn’t bear the same political tension as late 18th century Massachusetts, but it’s still an interesting coincidence. Police forces don’t take kindly to snow balls.
This entry was posted in: History, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
2 thoughts on “The History of Bullets and Snow Balls”
Ben H. Rome on December 22, 2009 at 11:37 am said:
True, though in Boston, those snowballs contained ice, brick, rocks, sticks and/or oyster shells and done as a form of agitated protest against the forced occupation of citizens’ property to house British troops.
Context-wise, it’s quite a different setting for precedent…
That said, Detective Baylor was an idiot.
Nicole on December 22, 2009 at 12:24 pm said:
Additionally, the people in Boston were throwing snowballs at people they clearly knew to be British troops. This was a jackass who had his hummer hit and jumped out with a gun. By all accounts I read, he did not identify himself as MPD until uniformed MPD officers actually arrived on the scene.
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The Airship Abstraction
Josh Richardson Game Development
Humanity at a Grave Marked Unknown
I finally understand why I adore this movie. I finally understand why I can watch a man run around a graveyard for a solid three minutes with absolutely no dialogue and be riveted.
When I often read about The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, I usually hear the fact that it takes place during the Civil War being referred to as the “backdrop” of the movie, and up until recently, I’d overlooked how critical of a component it was myself.
“I’ve never seen so many men wasted so badly,” says Blondie, The Man with No Name, Clint Eastwood’s character, as they observe the Confederate and Union battle at the bridge.
Throughout the entire movie, we experience the war from both ends. The horrible treatment of the opposition, the horrible treatment of ones’ own side, the random senselessness of exploding shells that actually saves characters on occasion. This movie definitely echoes a sort of “war is waste; war is nonsense” sentiment.
“I’ve never seen so many men wasted so badly.”
Not just war, but greed is there too. It’s never explicitly stated, but both Angel Eyes and Tuco–the Bad and the Ugly respectively–are looking to get wealthy from that healthy sum of money located in the secret grave only Bill Carson knows. However, as shown throughout the entire movie, they just take anything they want from whomever they want anyway. This kind of renders being rich pointless (Tuco completely robs the gun store owner. Angel Eyes begins the movie eating the meal of the man he’s come to kill and is clearly stealing from the camp he’s disguised as a sergeant at).
Angel Eyes is forwarded as pure greed, since he doesn’t have the sympathetic backstory we receive for Tuco (“Where we came from, if one did not want to die of poverty, one either became a priest or a bandit.”). Still, their greed is pretty senseless either way, much like the war. Naturally, Blondie is after the money as well, but he’s never presented as greedy as much as “a realist”. His part in the shooting-the-hanging-Tuco-free scheme is hardly dastardly compared to absolutely everything else presented to the viewer.
But more so than “greed”, and more so than “war”, is “death”. War is killing men on both sides, those seeking Bill Carson’s treasure are killing men on both sides, both men are worried of the other killing the other, countless scenes of men suffering from wounds, dead bodies laying about, death, death, death.
Just this image alone hits hard.
It really hits you. You spend so much time thinking about how everybody’s getting to what they want that you actually don’t give much thought to how much is lost along the way.
The money everyone seeks is buried in a soldier’s grave. When you get to the graveyard, there are so many dead soldiers that finding the grave is an absurd, epic feat. Pointless graves of men who died for near nothing. It’s a waste, and the nonsense reaches its thematic apex when the two protagonists (Tuco is as much a protagonist as he is a villain) blow up the bridge of the nearby battle, and then everyone (confused, frustrated, angry?) still fires on each other. It takes all night before the battlefield clears out and people stop killing. All of this heightens Tuco’s run through the graveyard. It’s what makes it an emotionally affecting three minutes rather than an awkward runabout.
Blondie is the Good here. He is the movie’s anti-hero moral compass, and the final standoff scene is completely under the control of his moral judgement. By the end of it, we actually find out that it was never really a standoff at all.
This is a gaze of judgement.
He overheard Tuco’s upbringing when Tuco spoke with his brother and actually takes pity on the ridiculous fellow (displayed by sharing a cigarette with him shortly after)–Tuco is simply the result of this Ugly world. An unfortunate man, but not an evil one–Blondie never gives him any more or any less than what he’s earned.
In contrast, shortly after being taken along with Angel Eyes, Blondie pretty much directly tells him and his men ‘I’m going to kill you’ when he counts them against the bullets in his gun. He overall disagrees with Angel Eyes’ existence.
Blondie tells the captain of the bridge battle to “keep his ears open”, gives that soldier one last smoke and a little warmth for the final moments of his life–Blondie is the Good because he has a sense of humanity. “Humanity” = “Good” here as much as “Clever” = “Good”.
And you can pretty much see the halo above his angel eyes.
Being older now, I can pick up on all the nuances in the actor’s performances that convey all this, and how aware all in charge were of the details of their movie.
Angel Eyes is worried during the final standoff (he’s the only one that visibly gulps), and Tuco, always being Tuco, is so confused that he doesn’t know what to think, but both shoot the Bad, but Tuco, being sloppy and whatnot, doesn’t even realize that Blondie has everything taken care of for him due to the empty gun. (Since the viewer is typically confused or surprised, Tuco is actually the easiest character to empathize with. Which is probably a large part of what endears people to him.)
This isn’t a movie that “just happens”. It comes from a lot of people involved understanding the “why” in “what” they’re doing. It being initially universally panned by critics due to being a “genre” piece is kind of comforting. Despite how panned genre fiction was during my creative writing undergrad experience, against my natural desire to write it, I think something like this speaks strongly:
Don’t be worried that they won’t think it’s “art”.
You’re not going to live forever; make whatever you want, and just do it well.
Where All the Voodoo Children are Born
cre·ate verb \krē-ˈāt, ˈkrē-ˌ\
Definition of CREATE
1 : to bring into existence <God created the heaven and the earth — Genesis 1:1(Authorized Version)>
I wish I was never taught that creation is essentially pulling things out of ether. It was specifically a part of my religious upbringing, but I probably would’ve been organically trained into this mindset anyhow. I should think of this as more American culture’s fault, or maybe I can straight up blame Mr. Webster himself.
But, then again, maybe I should just stop looking for someone to blame. The religious don’t necessarily need to discard their Father, but I do think the artist should be looking to different channels for artistic parenting; human beings can’t conceive from nothing. We deconstruct, abstract, and make clay of what we understand and experience, then we mush stuff up, recompile, craft, and mold–we reconstruct.
It might be stronger and, perhaps, more farsighted to think of creativity as transformation.
You gotta love Gypsy Eyes in order to write about them.
Those “crazy noises” during Jimi Hendrix’s famous rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner are fighter jets buzzing overhead and planes dropping bombs. A little research and voilà: he spent a few years in the military–that solo, that interpretation of the song came from somewhere (That also might reveal what got people so riled up about it back in the day: “National Anthem or War Song?”). Absorbing something and then transforming its presentation, ordering, and perspective doesn’t just make music fantastic: it’s the core of what the idea of music is.
The pace of a beat–or the perceived pace of a beat–is relative to the human experience, human footsteps, the human concept of speed (Nobody can run as fast as DragonForce, right? And it’s rare we ever do anything as slow as Sigur Rós). This is metaphor.
There’s no New Crobuzon without planet Earth.
Dostoyevsky wrote of Russian politics, Hemingway wrote of bullfighting and war, China Mièville writes with inspiration from his days of Dungeons and Dragons–it’s important to be honest and open to our sources of energy. To embrace, absorb, and understand them.
Given that, writer’s block could be considered a sort of false disease; it might have a great deal to do with a failing understanding of what it means to be creative. That classic image of a writer curled over his desk in isolation: “you toil and toil yet can not produce! Oh woe is me!”–you can’t put out if you don’t take in, and you can’t take in if you only put out. You need to go outside.
Hemingway was a journalist before becoming a novelist. Dostoyevsky ran in political circles and even went to prison for it. China Mièville is never shy about his sources of inspiration. His favorite pastimes come up in nearly every interview, and the man actually ran for parliament.
Video games aren’t exempt from this either. Super Mario is the classic knight in shining armor story: Mario’s the knight, and Yoshi is his steed; he goes to fight the dragon Bowser and save the Princess Peach. This is Super Mario’s foundation, but, I mean, look at it. When you open yourself up to soak in just a little bit more, when you hold yourself back just a little bit less, that core foundation becomes something more: you get a game about a guy who walks on clouds and travels through pipes because you like manga and pass sewage systems on the way to work.
It takes absorbent and free minds to make flying via a raccoon tail seem unquestionable. It takes adventurers, it takes listeners, it takes people who aren’t going to question how they got there until they get there, people who only look back in order to figure out how to go forward. It takes creatives.
Redefine the galaxy.
And all of the above, at least as far as I understand at this point, is the source of the Voodoo. It’s what we need to do to watch the sunrise from the bottom of the sea. And as long as I think like this, I never seem to become stuck, more like:
“I’m not quite yet where I want to be, but getting there is fantastic, and hey, here’s everything I’ve found along the way. There’s more coming, and it’s only going to get better. I hope everyone’s having a good time.”
From NiGHTS to Waking Dreams
Let’s say you hop on NiGHTS into Dreams… like I did on that Best Buy demo back in 1996–much like Sonic the Hedgehog, it was the kind of game that could catch my eye across the store–just the screen moved unlike any other game on display. Though, at a glance (and honestly, even after completing it), it’s easy to not fully realize the game’s deeply resonant underlying narrative, an experiential story–you feel it, and while playing the HD re-release, I’m beginning to realize that’s what has created such an intense fan following over these years.
The very first time you play the game, it’ll be pretty disorienting. The camera swoops down on a mirror-flipped fantasy landscape. A tiny arrow points your child towards a jeweled, gazebo-looking thing.
If someone sees this and does not get naturally curious, they must not be human…
You follow the arrow, but get assaulted by colorful, flying, Cirque-du-Soleil-inspired creatures who steal what look like gems from you. After your sudden, awkward loss, you continue to follow the arrow until you reach your destination. Upon entering it, you take on the form of some sort of airborne jester held within it, and couldn’t possibly anything but curious at this point.
This all happens so quickly that it might not even register consciously. Subconsciously, though, this is an incredible hook: internally, you have to ask: ‘Where am I?” “I did what I was supposed to do, clearly, but I was interrupted–something was taken from me. That was mine…” “They were jewels, so they must be precious…” “Creatures flew away with my precious something… and now I can fly. I must be able to get them back. . .”
The following is never explained in detail in-game, but it is “felt”: these creatures, these nightmarens, actually stole four of your five Ideya’s: Purity, Wisdom, Hope, and Intelligence, but they could not steal your Courage. And you navigate your Dreams as NiGHTS, the Nightmaren you become when you enter the Ideya Palace, to recover these fragments of your scattered psyche. You endeavor in your understanding of the Dreams/levels, and grow alongside your character’s courage as you grow in your wisdom that will allow you to defeat Wizeman, your ultimate villain, together.
Even the level subtitles detail your growth: the IDEAL, the POSSIBILITY, the CONFUSION, the GROWTH: seeing what you could be, and journeying your troubled mind to achieve it.
After endeavoring through three levels, you reach the final Dream, and you’re unable to reach the Ideya Palace this time; you attempt to enter, but you are thrown away and find that NiGHTS itself is, in fact, trapped in that palace. Now you, stranded on a platform on your lonesome, without that which you’ve always relied on, see that same little arrow pointing you to the open sky. If you don’t take this leap of faith, you’ll be trapped within this Dream. If you do take the leap, you fly. You’ve reached the climax of your journey: you no longer need NiGHTS to go into your into Dreams; you can do this as your waking yourself. Your ability to conquer your struggles is, in fact, something you’ve had all along.
You actually get the help of the other playable child for your rescue of NiGHTS, which opens up a whole new can of themes… that currently elude my skill to explain. I need to read more Jung…
You free NiGHTS. You enter the final confrontation, and now you, fused again as NiGHTS, but with the knowledge that you are one-in-the-same, deliver the final blow to Wizeman. You have grown in your wisdom and are, in fact, now wise enough/experienced enough to overcome that which tormented you.
He must’ve used his many hands to read many books…
Then, even with that out of the way, the continued score attack portion of the game still plays into the metaphor. The course-based level design and linking combo system unravel layers of depth in repeat plays to create a sensation that other media can’t: “I’m still not sure I’ve actually discovered everything here”. It makes the game something that you never truly feel finished with, something you can’t stop thinking about–that combination of exploration, discovery, achievement, and metaphorical wholeness makes it impossible to mentally let go. Even score being determined by letter grades and points may seem to fall outside of the compelling metaphor, but the cutscenes of the children’s personal struggles (that depict them being judged in an audition and achieving the higher score in basketball) successfully tie even the game’s ranking system into the metaphor.
This game forever remains in the back of your mind, because it effectively is the human mind, what triggers dreams and creativity, what they’re for. It’s a fantastic emulation of our world, our lives, the concept of endeavoring through struggle and growing into wisdom as a human being. Resonant, engaging, and lingering, just like any good art should be–you can pen metaphors, and clearly, you can code them as well.
We do good work, sir/ma’am. Well worth a bow.
The Dostoyevsky Genre
The best Dostoyevsky novels are hardly labyrinthine. Sure, the psychoanalysis-before-textbook-psychoanalysis existed is fantastic, deep, and complex—they’re high-concept books, but Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov seem to resonate with people for far simpler reasons. Those two books have his simplest core plots (despite the grand size of Karamazov), and the way the narratives plays out is really a great deal of “fun”. Everything else is simply crafted on top of this quality foundation. That’s the difference between a term paper on desperation versus a novel about it.
The core, the spine, the “focal-center” of both aforementioned stories is that they’re murder mysteries, whodunnits before whodunnits existed. Now, while I haven’t managed to reach a sufficient understanding of why Brothers Karamazov is so affecting (it’s truly just a 1,000+ page “the butler did it” story), I’m feeling somewhat confident in my assessment of Crime and Punishment, which kinda has the same model flipped on its head; C&P succeeds due to its excellent handling of a whodunnit where we know whodunnit.
In third-person omniscient (which I believe was a brand new idea at the time), we watch C&P’s hero, our murderer Raskolnikov, toil. We watch him deliberate. We watch him narrowly escape the desire to turn himself in over and over again.
Dosty doesn’t just craft the book well, but has selected an entire scenario and situation that lends itself to absolutely nothing but suspense beginning to end. Regardless of whatever insightful conversation may be going on, Raskolnikov’s hidden guilt can only bring us to our ending in a handful of ways: escape or admission.
While we do know whodunnit, we begin to realize we don’t fully know who he is, and during this time, we learn a lot more about our murderer by watching him struggle beneath pressure (as it’s hard to be anyone but your honest self when under so much stress—one of the reasons why conflict is integral in storytelling). His virtue in light of his guilt, his desperation bundled with his confusion: meaty storytelling delivered with a side of veggies.
This got skipped over in a lot of my lessons: The Conceptual McGuffin, the similarities between the cursed “genre fiction” and prestigious “literature”; we’re chasing the conceptual carrot of Raskolnikov’s release from his guilt.
The natural empathy of the novel is what’s used to create the push. Rasky’s misery is our dangling carrot, and Rasky’s misery is what Crime and Punishment “is”. A simple, effective, and still unique core.
I’ll always remember my experience with Crime and Punishment for the grand insight it gave me into the human mind, and for the things Dosty gets me to think about. I’ll also always see it like this: “I picked up this novel called Crime and Punishment. It was pretty cool. It gripped me beginning to end—a page-turning and fatiguing sort of gripping, but a page-turning one nonetheless. It was fun, which is often forgotten when attempting to craft something of ‘great worth and merit’.” This goes for all media, and all things I or anybody else creates. Art is best when it’s entertaining and engaging, but when pulling from the proper channels, it ends up that way by default.
Saving Every Green Hill You Possibly Can
I think Sonic the Hedgehog is fantastic—still.
And I’m surprised I can still say that despite all these years of suffering as Sonic stumbled his way into the world of 3D gaming (I played Sonic Heroes for an unfortunate 60 hours… and so many other things I shouldn’t have done…). I watched him struggle to find his footing in transition between a momentum-based platformer, where your character was more like a pinball, to one where he is essentially a race car.
Anyhow, I’ve finally came to realize something that, I suppose, was very obvious to some other people: Sonic the Hedgehog was never really about saving the world. Continue reading “Saving Every Green Hill You Possibly Can”
The Heart of Cherry’s Sky
Gaspar’s Ghost Panic
INFJ Creativity and I
Baddie Parade in the Sky
Ali So Far
Cherry in the Sky
Gaspar's Ghost Panic
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Less Like Ours: Alternate Theories of General Artificial Intelligence
Are humans too obsessed with themselves? Even in science and technology. Well of course they are!
But that doesn't necessarily mean AI can, will - or should - follow the emulation path. JL
Thomas Hornigold reports in Singularity Hub:
Moral quandaries arise in making minds that might be like ours. (But) one could imagine a “general” intelligence as an algorithm good at matching the task you ask it to perform to the algorithm that can perform that task. Rather than acting like a single brain that strives to achieve a particular goal, the central AI would be more like a search engine, looking through the tasks it can perform to find the closest match and calling upon a series of subroutines to achieve the goal.
The question of whether an artificial general intelligence will be developed in the future—and, if so, when it might arrive—is controversial. One (very uncertain) estimate suggests 2070 might be the earliest we could expect to see such technology.
Some futurists point to Moore’s Law and the increasing capacity of machine learning algorithms to suggest that a more general breakthrough is just around the corner. Others suggest that extrapolating exponential improvements in hardware is unwise, and that creating narrow algorithms that can beat humans at specialized tasks brings us no closer to a “general intelligence.”
But evolution has produced minds like the human mind at least once. Surely we could create artificial intelligence simply by copying nature, either by guided evolution of simple algorithms or wholesale emulation of the human brain.
Both of these ideas are far easier to conceive of than they are to achieve. The 302 neurons of the nematode worm’s brain are still an extremely difficult engineering challenge, let alone the 86 billion in a human brain.
Leaving aside these caveats, though, many people are worried about artificial general intelligence. Nick Bostrom’s influential book on superintelligence imagines it will be an agent—an intelligence with a specific goal. Once such an agent reaches a human level of intelligence, it will improve itself—increasingly rapidly as it gets smarter—in pursuit of whatever goal it has, and this “recursive self-improvement” will lead it to become superintelligent.
This “intelligence explosion” could catch humans off guard. If the initial goal is poorly specified or malicious, or if improper safety features are in place, or if the AI decides it would prefer to do something else instead, humans may be unable to control our own creation. Bostrom gives examples of how a seemingly innocuous goal, such as “Make everyone happy,” could be misinterpreted; perhaps the AI decides to drug humanity into a happy stupor, or convert most of the world into computing infrastructure to pursue its goal.
Drexler and Comprehensive AI Services
These are increasingly familiar concerns for an AI that behaves like an agent, seeking to achieve its goal. There are dissenters to this picture of how artificial general intelligence might arise. One notable alternative point of view comes from Eric Drexler, famous for his work on molecular nanotechnology and Engines of Creation, the book that popularized it.
With respect to AI, Drexler believes our view of an artificial intelligence as a single “agent” that acts to maximize a specific goal is too narrow, almost anthropomorphizing AI, or modeling it as a more realistic route towards general intelligence. Instead, he proposes “Comprehensive AI Services” (CAIS) as an alternative route to artificial general intelligence.
What does this mean? Drexler’s argument is that we should look more closely at how machine learning and AI algorithms are actually being developed in the real world. The optimization effort is going into producing algorithms that can provide services and perform tasks like translation, music recommendations, classification, medical diagnoses, and so forth.
AI-driven improvements in technology, argues Drexler, will lead to a proliferation of different algorithms: technology and software improvement, which can automate increasingly more complicated tasks. Recursive improvement in this regime is already occurring—take the newer versions of AlphaGo, which can learn to improve themselves by playing against previous versions.
Many Smart Arms, No Smart Brain
Instead of relying on some unforeseen breakthrough, the CAIS model of AI just assumes that specialized, narrow AI will continue to improve at performing each of its tasks, and the range of tasks that machine learning algorithms will be able to perform will become wider. Ultimately, once a sufficient number of tasks have been automated, the services that an AI will provide will be so comprehensive that they will resemble a general intelligence.
One could then imagine a “general” intelligence as simply an algorithm that is extremely good at matching the task you ask it to perform to the specialized service algorithm that can perform that task. Rather than acting like a single brain that strives to achieve a particular goal, the central AI would be more like a search engine, looking through the tasks it can perform to find the closest match and calling upon a series of subroutines to achieve the goal.
For Drexler, this is inherently a safety feature. Rather than Bostrom’s single, impenetrable, conscious and superintelligent brain (which we must try to psychoanalyze in advance without really knowing what it will look like), we have a network of capabilities. If you don’t want your system to perform certain tasks, you can simply cut it off from access to those services. There is no superintelligent consciousness to outwit or “trap”: more like an extremely high-level programming language that can respond to complicated commands by calling upon one of the myriad specialized algorithms that have been developed by different groups.
This skirts the complex problem of consciousness and all of the sticky moral quandaries that arise in making minds that might be like ours. After all, if you could simulate a human mind, you could simulate it experiencing unimaginable pain. Black Mirror-esque dystopias where emulated minds have no rights and are regularly “erased” or forced to labor in dull and repetitive tasks, hove into view.
Drexler argues that, in this world, there is no need to ever build a conscious algorithm. Yet it seems likely that, at some point, humans will attempt to simulate our own brains, if only in the vain attempt to pursue immortality. This model cannot hold forever. Yet its proponents argue that any world in which we could develop general AI would probably also have developed superintelligent capabilities in a huge range of different tasks, such as computer programming, natural language understanding, and so on. In other words, CAIS arrives first.
The Future In Our Hands?
Drexler argues that his model already incorporates many of the ideas from general AI development. In the marketplace, algorithms compete all the time to perform these services: they undergo the same evolutionary pressures that lead to “higher intelligence,” but the behavior that’s considered superior is chosen by humans, and the nature of the “general intelligence” is far more shaped by human decision-making and human programmers. Development in AI services could still be rapid and disruptive.
But in Drexler’s case, the research and development capacity comes from humans and organizations driven by the desire to improve algorithms that are performing individualized and useful tasks, rather than from a conscious AI recursively reprogramming and improving itself.
In other words, this vision does not absolve us of the responsibility of making our AI safe; if anything, it gives us a greater degree of responsibility. As more and more complex “services” are automated, performing what used to be human jobs at superhuman speed, the economic disruption will be severe.
Equally, as machine learning is trusted to carry out more complex decisions, avoiding algorithmic bias becomes crucial. Shaping each of these individual decision-makers—and trying to predict the complex ways they might interact with each other—is no less daunting a task than specifying the goal for a hypothetical, superintelligent, God-like AI. Arguably, the consequences of the “misalignment” of these services algorithms are already multiplying around us.
The CAIS model bridges the gap between real-world AI, machine learning developments, and real-world safety considerations, as well as the speculative world of superintelligent agents and the safety considerations involved with controlling their behavior. We should keep our minds open as to what form AI and machine learning will take, and how it will influence our societies—and we must take care to ensure that the systems we create don’t end up forcing us all to live in a world of unintended consequences.
Free Job Alert 2019, Railway Jobs 2018-2019 | Latest RRB Jobs 2018 For latest and daily government jobs in departments like Railways, Indian Army, Navy, Airforce, and Others candidates can check them on our site allindiajobs as we update our site Often. People who are in the hunt for government jobs then you are in right place. In this page, we update the Government jobs Free Job Alert. Candidates who are in search for Indian Air Force Jobs 2018-19 | Apply Online @ indianairforce.nic.in which are frequently released by the State Government and central government of India can check them here for free of cost. On our site, we gather day to day Notifications and we update them all here on this page. Contenders who want to get into Government sectors can check them and can apply for them before the last Date Indian Navy Jobs 2018-19 | Join Indian Navy @ www.joinindiannavy.gov.in
We also suggest candidates check the official Notifications before applying for the Openings to avoid any further complications. Job Searchers who want Free Job Alert of government Openings can bookmark this page for last information so that candidate won’t miss out any notification Indian Army Jobs 2018-2019 | Join Indian Army @ joinindianarmy.nic.in . As the competition is high candidates had to concentrate well during the Preparation. It will be wise to keep an open tab for all the Sarkari Naukri so candidates will not end up with disappointment.
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M'crummen Surname Ancestry Results
Our indexes 1000-1999 include entries for the spelling 'm'crummen'. In the period you have requested, we have the following 7 records (displaying 1 to 7):
Get all 7 records to view, to save and print for £34.00
m'crossan m'crossen m'crosson m'crostie m'crow m'crowry m'crthy m'crtney m'cruckan m'crudden m'crum m'crumb m'crummin mc'shane mcrosse mcrostie mcrosty mcrow mcrowry mcroy mcruddery mcruer mcrunald mcrune mcruvie mcsaiorlie mcsalley mcsally mcsavarle mcscott mcseewan mcseveny mcsevich mcshaddon mcshain mcshalshi mcshame mcshan mcshanagan mcshane
Deaths, Marriages, News and Promotions (1814)
Death notices and obituaries, marriage and birth notices, civil and military promotions, clerical preferments and domestic occurrences, as reported in the Gentleman's Magazine. Mostly from England and Wales, but items from Ireland, Scotland and abroad.
M'CRUMMEN. Cost: £4.00.
Tradesmen and Professionals in Leith (1819)
'An Alphabetical Arrangement of the Noblemen, Private Gentlemen, Merchants, Traders, and Others, with their Residence'. Full names are usually given, surname first, with address, including house number where appropriate.
Officers of the 11th (North Devon) Regiment of Foot (1820)
The War Office issued regular notices of promotions and appointments within the British Army, and these were published in the Edinburgh Gazette. Full names of these officers are given, as well as the surnames of those whose places they filled because of promotion, resignation, death, dismissal or exchange. January to December 1820.
British Army Officers (1853)
The 14th volume of the New Annual Army List, for 1853, corrected to 30 December 1852, was published by Major H. G. Hart of the 49th Regiment. It contained 'the dates of commissions, and a statement of the war services and wounds of nearly every officer in the Army, Ordnance and Marines'. The first section, pages 1 to 111, lists officers of the rank of major and above in order of rank and precedence; officers with local rank (112-114); Yeomen of the Guard (115); the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (116); Headquarters Staff (117); and then (as in the scan) all the regiments and units in order of precedence, giving any regimental honours, with all the officers by rank, and details of postings, facings and agents (118-336). A long section (337-426) then lists officers on the retired full pay and half-pay, including the Royal Regiment of Artillery, Corps of Royal Engineers, Royal Marines and military departments. Then there are lists of officers in the Commissariat Department, the Medical Department, Veterinary Surgeons and the Chaplains Department. A section of Officers on the Foreign Half-Pay gives lists for the German Legion and Miscellaneous Corps (Brunswick Cavalry, Brunswick Infantry, Chasseurs Britanniques, Royal Corsican Rangers, Dillon's Regiment, Greek Light Infantry, Royal Malta Regiment, Meuron's Regiment, Roll's Regiment, Sicilian Regiment, Watteville's Regiment, York Light Infantry Volunteers, the Foreign Veteran Battalion, and the Foreign Corps of Waggoners). After lists of officers in garrisons and military establishments, there are sections listing officers holding Gold Decorations for their parts in various important actions and other British decorations, and those holding medals bestowed by foreign powers.
Patentees of New Inventions (1858)
Abstracts of British patents for new inventions applied for and granted from 1 January to 31 December 1858: giving date, name and address, and short description of the invention. It is then stated whether 'Letters patent sealed' or 'Provisional protection only'.
Officers of the British Army (1860)
The New Annual Army List first lists officers of the rank of major and above, by rank, and with dates of appointment to each successive higher rank, and (where appropriate) when placed on half pay. An asterisk indicates temporary rank; a superscript p shows that a commission was purchased; a dagger shows officers on the half pay of their last regimental commission. An ornate W indicates those officers actually present in any of the actions of 16, 17 or 18 June 1815 and therefore awarded the Waterloo Medal; P is put before the name of an officer who served in the Peninsula or the South of France; T for the Battle of Trafalgar; VC for the Victoria Cross. For each officer in this section, the final column notes his then present or immediately former regiment and/or office, if any. Next, all the officers of the army are listed, down to the rank of ensign, by regiment or corps, giving rank, name, date of rank in the regiment, and date of rank in the army, with occasional further notes. Again, holders of medals are duly noted, as in the first list. For each regiment the paymaster, adjutant, quartermaster, surgeon and assistant surgeons are named, as well as the civilian agent; and the regimental motto, battle honours, and colours of the facings and lace of the dress uniform are stated. After the British regiments of the line, the Rifle Brigade, the officers of the West India infantry, the Ceylon rifles, the Cape Mounted Riflemen, the Royal Canadian Rifles, St Helena Regiment and the Gold Coast Artillery Corps are given; then the officers of the garrisons and other military establishments; the Royal Artillery; Royal Engineers; Royal Marines; Commissariat Department; Medical Department; Staff Officers of Pensioners; Chaplains' Department; Staff (of Great Britain, Australia, Bahamas, Bermuda, British Columbia, Cape of Good Hope, Ceylon, East Indies, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Heligoland, Hong Kong, Ionian Islands, Jamaica (including Honduras), Malta, Mauritius, Newfoundland, North America, St Helena, the Western Coast of Africa, and the Windward and Leeward Islands); Military and Civil Department; and Barrack Masters. Then there is a separate list of officers retained on retired full pay and half pay (including the German Legion, the Brunswick Cavalry, the Brunswick Infantry, Chasseurs Brittaniques, Royal Corsican Rangers, the Greek Light Infantry, Royal Malta Regiment, Meuron's Regiment, Roll's Regiment, Sicilian Regiment, Watteville's Regiment, the York Light Infantry Volunteers, Foreign Veteran Battalion and the Foreign Corps of Waggoners).
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Under the radar of the media was the last hardware piece, Google announced at yesterday's Google I/O 2012 - the Google Nexus Q. the Nexus Q streams favorite entertainment directly from the cloud to the living room. It allows to use the Google Play and YouTube apps on an Android phone or tablet to surf for music, TV, movies and videos and the Nexus Q will play it all on the biggest speakers and screen in the house. There are no downloads, no syncing, no running out of space. It allows to choose a song from the Google Play Music app on the phone or tablet and play it instantly on the Nexus Q. Thousands of movies and TV shows are instantly available from Google Play on the Nexus Q.
Last but not least, it allows to watch the favorite YouTube videos and channels from the couch by just using the Android phone or tablet to search for a specific video or explore a category to find something new.
The Nexus Q has a state of the art, audiophile-grade amplifier built in so it can hook to speakers right up, alternatively it can use an optical or HDMI cable to connect to a AV receiver or HDTV. Once playing, the volume is controlled from the phone or tablet, or simply by turning the top half of Nexus Q. Touching the the top LED mutes the sound completely. The 32 LEDs that ring Nexus Q shift and change color in time to music. It even allows to choose favorite effects.
The Nexus Q costs US$ 299 and is now ready for pre-order in the U.S.
Related Articles Nexus
FEEDBACK: Omate explains the Shipping-Delays of its Omate TrueSmart 2.0 Android
ALLIANCE: Google forms Android Open Automotive Alliance - Partners with Audi, GM
ENHANCED: Google announces new Google Chromecast Apps for the Holidays
RUMOR: Google said to Work on a Nexus TV Set-top Box
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CZ 452 HMR and Magtech 7022 keep the customers satisfied.
A couple of warm weeks banished the snow drops from the woods, to be replaced by the bright faces of daffodils and with green shoots and blossom appearing in the hedgerows, spring seemed to be rushing towards summer this month. The wind changed and we were back to the cold, with showers of hail raking the fields, forcing a warm jumper to be retrieved from the drawer.
Also fooled were the rabbit populations on my permissions, their body clocks switching over to summer time, bringing them out in force to feed and gather bedding. The wet start to the year kept me off much of the land and I have been on catch-up ever since. Getting permission to shoot on a landowner’s private property can be difficult, but a few weeks of good results can seal the deal and hanging onto that right, means regular visits to keep the numbers down.
My first visit this week was to a previously infested farm, long off the urgent list and now on the courtesy list, but a phone call confirmed that small groups had begun to appear again among the hedgerows. With no cover and spooky rabbits, this was going to be a case of lying out and waiting for long range shots with the CZ 452 .17 HMR.
A recent shower had chilled the late afternoon air, as I entered the chosen field, where in the distance I could already see rabbits hopping to cover among the dividing hedge, a long cold warren being repopulated. Laying down my camo net onto the wet grass gave some respite, before lying prone with the HMR mounted on it’s bipod, the remaining net being draped over the rifle to break up the hard steel outline. In this raised position I could cover an arc, which spanned from 90 to 120 yards along the hedge, well within the point and shoot zero of the rifle. In twenty minutes of waiting for a movement, the temperature had plunged and I was beginning to regret not making an earlier start, when a scan through the scope confirmed a brown blob over to my left was a frantically feeding rabbit. At 12 magnification, I could see that it was facing away from me, no good for a shot yet, a hit in the body would destroy the meat. Waiting for it to turn, my eye caught another movement dead ahead. The scope locked onto the head just behind the eye in seconds, this unlucky rabbit rolling over without a kick, less than a minute after leaving it’s warm burrow. The first rabbit was now sitting up listening and would have been dead before it heard the next shot. At this a couple more materialised from the grass, their flicking white tails giving the game away, but they were soon out of sight among the hummocks. The same pair began chasing around behind the hedge, but I couldn’t get a clear shot, until eventually one stopped in a gap long enough to pay the price, a dull thud echoing back from 120 yards away.
No more rabbits presented themselves in the next ten minutes, so I went down and collected these, noting several new burrows among the roots. I will have to be back sooner than intended. Further up the slope, I had a view along the edge of a line of blackthorn, where I’ve had some success in the past, but there was nothing showing, so decided that a chat with the farmer would be more productive, with the chance to show off the results of my labours over a fresh brew of tea.
Later in the week it was the turn of the equestrian centre on the edge of town, somewhere that had so many burrows on the rides, that an accident was just waiting to happen, this being when a young lady rider was injured, after her horse tripped on a burrow. That was ten years ago and within two years of twice weekly visits, I’d decimated the rabbit numbers to within manageable quantities, mostly around the outer edges. With horses in the fields, the supersonic crack from the HMR would cause mayhem, so I only use air rifles, or on this occasion the .22 Magtech 7022 semi auto rimfire, which is very quiet with it’s moderator. The owner saved me a walk round the 80 acre site, pointing out the hedge line along the far boundary, where he had put warning branches in the holes.
This was one of my first permissions and it remains the most interesting, having once been part of a 17th century stately home, the big house and lake are still on one boundary, while the land stretches south towards the town and an old green lane, it’self bordered by urban greenery, a golf driving range, football pitches and allotments. These borders have not changed since medieval times and there are few straight lines along them, making it ideal for short range rifles, with plenty of cover for getting up close and personal. My route took me past the old wooded driveway, which is raised above a moated ha ha wall, this area was once a happy hunting ground for me and the rabbits that populated it, but now it is devoid of my furry friends. Left alone for a few years though, they will be back.
With undulating ground, a fixed rifle bipod is limited on this permission and have found a home made bipod a great shooting aid. This only took about two hours max to construct using a Hike telescopic walking stick and a plastic coated tubular garden pole, an old leather belt and of course some sticky black plastic tape.
On my walk through, I spotted a pair of rabbits feeding about 100 yards away in open ground, but was in clear view and didn’t fancy crawling forty yards to get in range. With the HMR, this would have been a case of resting it on a fence post, or the bipod for an unmissable shot, or if approaching through the wood, I could have fired from cover down from the ha ha at 30 yards. I made a mental note for next visit. This time I walked steadily towards them to test their reflexes, one sitting up at 80 yards and both trotting off by 60. I continued on to my intended area, where the path zig-zags round the edge of more woods and a peek around a holly bush, revealed three rabbits feeding on the path, the nearest 70 yards away. Backtracking, I cut through the wood, trying to avoid treading on branches and dead leaves, placing my feet as carefully as possible, until I reached a point, where there was a clear view down the path.
There were still two left and placing the Magtech in the vee of the bipod, while still within the trees, I fired at the nearest 40 yards away, a satisfying “whomph” telling me that the chest shot had hit home. The remaining bunnie darted back to it’s burrow yards away, before I could bring the rifle to bear. Moving up to the next corner, a quick look through the bushes showed more feeding rabbits only 20 yards away. Stepping back, the scope was reduced to 4 mag, I got down and belly crawled to the corner, where the rifle was pushed through the grass for an instant head shot. This startled the rest into a stampede back to safety, none waiting round to see what had happened.
Two more big rabbits for the pot. I continued my walk round, but saw no others and as this had been only a scouting trip to find the hot spots, I was soon back at the van to join the rest of humanity in the traffic.
Pike Lure Fishing brought up to date
When this picture dropped into my e-mail inbox from fellow club member Lee, along with an invite to join him on his next pike fishing session, I jumped at the chance, just to go along with my camera to see how it was done.
For our morning session, Lee took me to his local water, where this near 12lb pike was caught on a lure, a well matured gravel pit surrounded by trees, with features every twenty yards, bays, roots and reed beds in abundance. Early mist had cleared, with just a hint of ground frost and the lake had returned to it’s normal level following flooding, a white tide mark evidence of the level two weeks before.
Lee’s tackle was a revelation to me, a seven foot Savage Gear lure rod, coupled to an Okuma Tormenta bait caster reel, loaded with sinking braid, that gives a direct feel from rod top to the lure. A far cry from the nine foot heavy feeder rod and Garcia ABU 506 closed face reel loaded with 15lb mono, that I have been using for years. Likewise a small selection of his lures, jelly eels and various multi-bodied plugs were an example of how far lure fishing has come since the simple Mepps spoons I’ve used in the past.
We walked the bank first, with Lee pointing out where he’d had pike before, starting to fish at an inviting looking reed bed, expecting a strike, or a follow from each cast, his outfit easily capable of reaching the edge of the reeds fifty yards away.
This is usually Jack Alley, but today the smaller pike could not be persuaded to take, despite frequent changes of lure. Lee joked that he wasn’t used to fishing under pressure, feeling the need to put a fish in front of the camera. We moved down into a heavily wooded area, where he’d had good pike before and a few casts in, there was a swirling boil just feet from the bank, as a big fish veered away from his lure.
Encouraged by this promising action, Lee rang the changes in an attempt to tempt this fish, but maybe the clear water was against us and it failed to move to the lure again. As the saying goes, “here’s one I had earlier”, a finely marked nine and a half pounder from this swim a month earlier.
We moved on, trying each gap in the trees, expectant of a take at the slightest tap of the rod, as the lures worked their magic among the roots. This is the attraction of lure fishing, with dead and live baiting for pike, it’s a waiting game, but a lure can be taken the moment it hits the water, or just on lift off, going from inaction to explosive action in a matter of seconds.
Two hours had passed quickly and each new area offered up several choices of holding spots, this bay being a pike fisher’s dream, but once again Lee’s efforts were frustrated and we moved to a narrow spur, that at first glance had nothing going for it, until I saw a small fish jump, followed by another. Either a small jack pike, or a perch was attacking a shoal of roach. Another change saw a fish bodied lure with a bright jelly tail clipped on and cast out to the topping shoal.
Third cast through, the rod bent into an arc, as the lure was seized and Lee instinctively struck hard to set the barbless hooks, a boil on the surface indicating the exact take point. The rod kicked as the pike shook it’s head, before heading for open water, pulling hard on the reel drag. I went back to collect the landing net, returning in time to hand it over to Lee for the end game of an epic battle, the look of satisfied relief on his face saying it all. This young, fit guy had still managed to break a sweat on a cold morning.
Job done! What a fin perfect beauty. A quick spell in the weighing bag ran the scales round to 11lb 8oz, then this heavily camouflaged killing machine was slipped back in the water. Not content with his capture, Lee ran the lure through several times more, saying that two, or three pike will often work together to drive a shoal of bait fish into such an enclosed area. Not today though and both with family commitments that afternoon, we headed back down the motorway.
A week later another photo dropped into my inbox. Lee had been busy again. While visiting relatives in Leicestershire, he’d found time to pop down to the river Soar for some R&R and bagged a personal best 3lb 6oz perch.
This was taken on a Savage Gear 3D white crayfish lure.
Roach queue up for bread punch on the Middy stick
A return visit to my local river, found the level down nine inches and running at a slower pace than last week, when trying for roach, I struggled in the conditions, being broken by two big fish, carp, or chub. After being broken for the second time, I’d left with a feeling of unfinished business, determined to return before the end of the coarse fishing season, for a decent crack at the roach,that live in the fast water of the outfall.
Not wanting to be broken again by big fish, I’d scaled up my tackle to a six No6 Middy alloy stem stick float on a 5lb main line, with a size 14 to 3lb hook link, a compromise that I hoped would not put the expected roach off taking my bait. I needn’t have worried, as minutes after introducing a couple of balls of liquidised bread down the middle of the run, my float gave a couple of rapid dips, then sank out of sight and the first of many clonking roach was putting a bend in my rod.
The hot spot was the edge of the fast water, often just holding the float back as it drifted into the area, hooked a fish. More feed brought the roach out into the main river, and I was getting into a rythm, cast, trot, hook and play to the net, until I tried to rush a half pounder, which came off, taking the shoal with it. For a while small chub and big gudgeon took their place, the chub dashing all over the river, while the gudgeon bored deep. Some of the gudgeon were monsters approaching 8 inches long and very fat, hugging the bottom, giving the impression of a much bigger fish.
The Middy alloy stem stick is now one of my preferred floats for most shallow river conditions, the tip rising up on the shoulder, when held back, while the bulk of the float stays down, giving more control to ease the float through a swim. My next bite entered the foaming weir stream and headed upstream, the strike hitting into solid resistance, that had me guessing at the species on the end, a deep thumping fight keeping the fish out of sight, until brought up to the surface for the net, revealing a roach-bream hybrid of about 8oz.
Next to take was another unexpected fish, a 6oz rudd, the float sailing away as the rig followed a ball of bread down the swim. Another hybrid, a rudd, a few small chub and several gudgeon coming in quick succession.
This interlude was soon over and the roach moved back in on the bread feed with a bang, getting larger with each trot and I make no apologies for including more pictures here. I love catching roach, especially big ones.
The roach above could have been a season best for some people, but the float kept going down and they continued to fight their way to the net.
The bites were beginning to get few and far between in front of me, so I made a cast to the middle of the faster water and trotted down towards the bend, striking when the float dived, hitting into a fish that ran hard down stream and backwound rapidly to counter it. A chub I thought, but then saw a broad flank with a flash of red, a good roach and the best of the day, which treated with respect, I netted minutes later.
This was a deep fish that, when laid against my bait tray, had it’s tail over the edge. The tray measures 11 inches, so the roach was over a foot long. A couple more smaller, but equally deep roach followed from the fast stream, before trying a change to a brandling on the hook, having raided my compost heap for the worms before I left. I’ve often thought the concrete structure of the weir could hold some perch, but usually only fishing bread, I never catch any. Hooking the size 14 hook once through the head of the brandling and letting it be taken by the flow back in towards the weir, it zoomed out of sight.
Not a perch, but a 4oz chub had seized on the live bait, where several times the 6mm bread pellet had passed. This was not a fluke and these small chub lined up to take the worms, until one came in under my feet to be missed by the landing net and dive into a submerged bramble, snagging the hook. I pulled for a break, only to then flick the float into the bush on my right. Again pulling for a break the precious float hung suspended over the water.
Although there was still over an hour of daylight, I decided not to be too greedy and quit while I was ahead, having finally found my searched for shoal of big river roach, plus a few surprise fish along the way. I also learned that the chub will go on feeding, if you switch from bread to worms.
I had a final look at this impressive over eight pound bag of mostly roach, taken during a busy three hour session from this small tributary of the Thames, then set about rescuing my float from the bush.
Shed idea pays off in rabbits
My last fishing expedition had resulted in tangles and broken lines, so it was time to retire to the comfort of my workshop to tie hooks and make up some stick float rigs. This is, in modern terminology, my Man Cave, with a bench running the 12 foot length, a swivel office chair, a good vice, a heater and even a downgraded music system that can entertain me with radio, or CDs. Through a connecting door is my garage with a lathe, a press and pillar drill. Surrounded by my various tools and boxes of bits lining the bench, it’s the ideal environment to work on fishing tackle, or my rifles, while planning my next outing. Man Heaven. The Shed.
The other door is opposite the kitchen door and this opened with my wife offering a cup of tea and asking if I would like to go shooting that afternoon. In wife talk, this means, if you want to go shooting, you could drop me off in the town for some shopping on the way, then pick me up on the way back. This is not ideal for either of us, as we are under a time pressure limit to do our things, ie number of shops to be visited for her and number, or lack of rabbits to be shot and cleaned for me within an agreed time. Obviously I agreed to her wishes, as anytime fishing, or shooting, is time to be savoured, although it’s amazing how the time goes, when you’re having fun.
This was going to be a brief hit and run excursion for me, with probably no more than 90 minutes field time and decided to have another crack at the rabbits near the entrance to one of the farms. They are always there, when I drive in, lazing on a hill to my right, but scatter as I drive by to park from the lane. This is not good PR for me, as the farmer got me in to shoot the rabbits and there they are for all to see. I’ve been picking them off one, or two at a time with the HMR at range , but a new approach was needed. One option would be to park up the lane and stalk within range, but shooting from a public highway is not legal and there is no gate apart from the main entrance to get onto the land.
While sipping tea, the idea came, that maybe it was the sight of me at the window of the van, that was scaring the rabbits. What if I reversed in? They might not see me from the other side of the cab. It was worth a try and after dropping my good lady at her hunting ground, I set off for mine. Approaching the farm entrance at a crawl, I could already see several rabbits on the hill and drove past, then slowly reversed in on my mirrors, not looking over to the hill. It was working. I slid out of the driver’s door with my Magtech 7022 .22 semi auto, fitted the ten shot magazine and cocked the action behind the cab, then resting on the windscreen, looked over to see how many were left. There were seven rabbits, framed by the branches of a tree, about forty yards away. With it’s homemade moderator, the Magtech is almost silent, the thump from the RWS subsonics hitting home being louder. The first two were a foot apart and went down in a few seconds, the others, startled, ran; one not far enough though and stopped at the edge of the brambles and the third shot bundled him over.
It was over in under ten seconds. I waited a few minutes, as sometimes a startled rabbit will jump back out, but not this time. Three out of seven is pretty good going. The semi auto can fire rapid shots, but the shooter needs to take the time to get a good steady bead to hit anything. I’d rather not take the shot, if it risks a wounded runoff.
With these three cleaned ready for the butcher, I swapped over to the .17 HMR , climbing to a vantage point with a view over much of the farm, but with time ticking, I called it a day after twenty minutes of non activity. Not even a crow, or magpie to test my sights on. As I drove away, I wondered if the reversing trick would work next time.
Chub and roach against the odds.
For three months my small local river has been up and down like a yo-yo and the last outing at the beginning of the year, when the levels dropped for a few days, had yielded mostly gudgeon, taking only a couple of my target roach on the day. With just a couple of weeks left to the season, my chances of getting a decent catch of roach have been reliant on some deluge free days. The river has two sources of water, the natural one, which drains the local pine forest and the main cause of the sudden rises in levels, when it acts as a drain to the town and it’s surrounding housing estates.
Where the river is joined on a bend by an outfall from the town water treatment works, I set out my tackle in the hopes of repeating past success among the roach that gather in the aerated water. Despite dry days, the river was still rushing through though, causing surface ripples as it passed over the slower water beneath, while coupled with the colour of strong coffee, the odds of even getting a bite seemed stacked against me. With more heavy rain forecast for later in the day and the rest of the week, it was a case of now, or never.
A fallen tree to my left had created an eddy at my feet and I set up with a Preston 4 No. 4 alloy stem stick to trot this shallow edge, down to an over hanging bush. With bread punch bait and liquised bread as feed, I dropped a couple of balls in upstream and watched them disappear into the murk, as they washed by. Set six inches over depth, the float was eased towards the bush at half speed, until it reached the foam and held for a minute. No bites. Each time the 7mm pellet of bread was missing on retrieve, probably dragged off by the strong current. I shallowed up a foot, dopped in another ball of bread and followed it down with the float. At the bush the float dived away, I struck and the rod curved over with a fish. A couple of vicious bounces of the tip and it was off. Curses. Not a good omen to lose the first fish, especially a decent one on a hard day.
With no more offers on the inside line, I gave the fast water a go, throwing the feed upstream into the fallen tree, while adjusting the float to fish deeper, just checking and running the float through each yard down into the foam. The float dipped and I missed it. Next trot, bang, the float slid sideways and I was in again. Off again. I checked the hook. I’d finally run out of my old Mustad fine wire size 14 crystal hooks, having bought the box of 100 in Days of Olde and was trying out a heavier gauge 14 whisker barb. Maybe I wasn’t striking hard enough. I came back inside and at the bush watched the float stab down and across, paused, then a firm lift had the rod tip pulling down into the river with the force of the running fish. I backwound hard on the reel to ease the pressure and the unseen battler was checked midstream round the corner, it swimming back towards the bush in a power run. Pushing my 14 foot rod out over the stream, the fish turned and rolled; it was a decent chub, not a monster, but needed care to get in the net.
A fish at last, still no roach, but there was time to draw them up into my swim. A couple more trots down and I was in again, a juddering fight, which I thought was a roach at first, until the white mouth of a smaller chub broke surface. This was better, another miss, then a big gudgeon. Hope THEY aren’t moving in. Half way down the swim, under my rod top, the float sank away and the rod bent double, as a big fish zoomed across and upstream into the sunken branches of the fallen tree. It bucked and dived hugging the bottom, running past my feet towards the bush roots. Sidestrain, then ping, the hook link broke at the knot, sending the rig into a messy bird’s nest tangle round the rod top. What to do now?
Cutting away the tangle, it was quicker to rethread, tie on a new loop and fit another float rig, this time a heavier Middy 6 No.4 alloy stem to cope with the faster water. 5 minutes and I was back fishing.
Bulking the shot a foot from the hook, I ran through under depth to the foam and saw the orange tip glide upstream towards the outflow, striking harder now into a hard fighting 8 oz chub, that stayed on to the landing net. The barbless hooks set themselves in a fishes lip with the minimum of effort, while these new hooks needed pushing home. The so called microbarb, also held on once set, making removal harder, while hooking my wool jumper and the landing net needed scissors to get free. I’ll try pinching the barb down next time.
Another chub followed soon after, putting in a small ball each trot, bringing bites a yard up from the foam. Then at last, bob, bob, under and I was playing a very good roach, that darted about the swim, at my feet one second, on the far side the next, eventually getting it’s head out to slide over into the net. A deep 10 oz fish.
I’d tried going over depth again, holding back hard, keeping a tight line to the float and got this roach, so I followed through again with a repeat performance, this time an 8 oz fatty, the roach seemed to want it slowed right down in the fast water, where the bread was now coating the bottom.
This was the method for the roach then. Holding back following another ball, the float sank and the rod pulled round before I had a chance to strike. This was a very big fish, a chub, or even one of the carp that live here, a dead weight that just sat in the flow, nodding the rod top. For a moment I had that sinking feeling, thinking I had hooked the bottom, but raising the rod to test my theory, the rod pulled down violently and stayed there as the brooding monster decided my fate. I knew I was just a passenger on this trip and with only a 2lb 8 oz hook link, was in no position to dictate terms. After what seemed an age, the float tip began to move upstream and accelerated beyond the fallen tree as I gave line, my rod beneath the surface in an arc. Upstream the river shallows and I could hear the slow wallowing splash of the unseen beast of a fish and just as I thought that I stood a chance with it, the line went slack and I reeled back my float rig, minus the hook.
I sat in reflection for a moment, before tying on another hook, did I even want to continue? A rumble of thunder from an angry sky made my mind up for me. It was going to chuck down and I didn’t fancy carrying my gear back up the lane in another downpour.
A quick photo and my seven fish returned, I packed away with speed, lumbering back to the van with my gear, just as spots of rain were splatting on the already waterlogged surface of the lane. Having parked next to the Road Closed due to Flooding sign, which was ready for the next onslaught, I loaded up, switched the wipers to full and splashed home.
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The Alco Black Beast
The restored racer that won the 1909 and 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races and raced in the first Indy 500
Nicknamed “the Black Beast,” this was one of the most famous race cars of its era. A two-time winner of the Vanderbilt Cup, a major event in the early years of American motorsport, the car was the favorite to win the first Indianapolis 500-mile race in 1911.
The Making of “Chrysler’s Chrysler: The Painting” Updated 1/18/16
Automobile artist George Ellis has created a beautiful watercolor of the 1937 Chrysler LeBaron Town Car. George has provided this background on the making of "Chrysler's Chrysler: The Painting."
ClassicCars.com: Amelia Island Concours to host 11 motorsports trophies with the winning race cars
ClassicCars.com reports on the 2016 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance which will feature Amelia's "Trophy Cars" - eleven significant competition cars and the famous trophies they won in some of history's fabled classic races."
Hemmings Blog: Alco Black Beast to Return to the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance
Hemmings Blog has reported that the Alco Black Beast has been invited to the 2016 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance as part of a special exhibit pairing "some of the most prestigious and historic motorsports trophies ...with some of the most noteworthy cars that won them."
New England Historical Society: Harry Grant Wins the Vanderbilt Cup
The New England Historical Society has posted this profile of Harry Grant, the only driver of the Alco Black Beast.
Smiles & Thumbs Ups from the Port Jefferson Hill Climb & This Sunday’s Four Car Shows
A sampling of the many smiles and thumbs ups from last Sunday's Port Jefferson Hill Climb is posted tonight. There will be four automotive events on Long Island this Sunday.
Highlights from the 2015 Port Jefferson Hill Climb (Updated 8/28/15)
More highlights from the wonderful Port Jefferson Hill Climb held last Sunday.
Video: The Alco Black Beast Conquers the Port Jefferson Hill Climb
Last Sunday, the Alco Black Beast and 59 other vintage automobiles took the Port Jefferson Hill Climb challenge, a tradition dating back to 1910.
Newsday: Merchant Marine Academy students show off repair skills at auto show
Scott Eidler reported on the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Car Show in yesterday's Newsday. Photos of this amazing historic event will soon be posted.
An Invitation to Be Part of History at the US Merchant Marine Academy on Sunday, May 17, 2015
Midshipman Paul Styx, Kings Point Auto Club President, has provided the following invitation for you to participate in the Regimental Activities NAFI Auto Show on Sunday, May 17, 2015.
Smiles & Thumbs Ups for the Black Beast at Empire Galaxie Club’s 9th Annual Spring Breakout Cruise
The Alco Black Beast participated in last Sunday's Empire Galaxie Club's 9th Annual Spring Breakout Cruise with a demonstration and display at the "pit stop" in Riverhead..
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Meet STEPHANIE ANGEL from Angelight Films. An ‘Angel’ who gives Children with Brain Tumors the Opportunity to Shine by Co-creating Their Own Short Film. You need to READ this. By Calvin Schwartz May 23, 2018
Filed under: November 2009 — Tags: Angelight Films, Artists Nation TV, brain tumor, Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation, Garden State Film Festival, NJ Discover, Stephanie Angel, The Blacklist — earthood @ 2:47 pm
with Stephanie Angel pre-interview
An integral part of this story is how I met Stephanie. In keeping with the ‘film’ motif of the title, throw in my usual ‘cast of characters,’ synchronicity and a red Rutgers hat (branding), and a scene at the recent Garden State Film Festival in Asbury Park. Action was opening night gala cocktail party for filmmakers, actors, actresses, media and the usual suspects. Me in my Rutgers hat and camera doing my thing for Artist Nation TV, a division of NJ Discover. A woman walks over, initiates a conversation mentioning Angelight Films, the recipient of the 2018 Garden State Film Festival Broader Vision Award for Filmmaking Dedicated to the Greater Good. Synchronicity extant in that Stephanie walked over randomly, was featured recently by HoopLaHa for her work. The plot formed. I had to do a story.
Stephanie at an Award Dinner
from film ‘The Kyle Show’ check website.
Yesterday. Stephanie and I sat down and talked for nearly three hours. To prepare, I watched most of Angelight short films that the children with brain tumors co-created. It is their self-expression, determination and hope that Stephanie captures for them personally and for sharing and for posterity. The concept of giving, caring and working with these special children and families is ‘beyond words’; my highest praise statement.
To date she has done 12 films. Check the website and come back. www.angelightfilms.org
with Sterling Bachman, co-creator of ‘Sterling’s Special Love Holds’
with ‘Dive Deep’ co-creator Kira Corning & Saphira Michaels. Full video available at Angelight website
The energy for Angelight emanated when Stephanie’s sister Ilana, five, died of brain cancer. Stephanie was seven. In Ilana’s memory, her parents began the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation. I asked her when the vision, that certain something arrived, to do this Angelight work. “Ilana’s birthday is April 10. It was on what would’ve been her sixth birthday that I lit a candle on a cupcake. Something spiritual happened. I felt my sister’s presence. Inspiration to do something meaningful was all there…. Years later, when speaking with the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation social worker, I thought I wanted to make films for children with brain tumors, and then had the thought, no they need to make the films because we have so much to learn from their wisdom.”
with three co-creators of films, all available on Angelight website.
from video ‘David’s Miracle’ also available on website.
An enormous amount of energy sat at the table with us while we talked. So much on my mind. I fired away. “What is the process of making a film with a child with a brain tumor?”
“First there is an initial meeting with the children; they must want to do this. There are three to four meetings developing the film idea and finally the locations…. Usually it is a one to three-day shoot…. The editing process can be a few months…. Ultimately leading to a private screening and finally the child gets the film.”
Stephanie mentioned one of her child filmmakers, Kyle, who created, “The Kyle Show” which I watched. Kyle poignantly said, “I do what I have to do everyday and get it done. I decided it’s (tumor) not coming back again.” My point in mentioning this is the observation how special, smart, introspective and upbeat all these children are. The content for all Angelight films is such that it should be watched by other children and adults for perspective on life as delivered by special children. Key word here; perspective. These films are a therapy. What blew me away, was when I asked about the children in the films. I tip-toed around the question, how they are doing today, as if I didn’t want to ask or hear the answer. I was afraid.
Stephanie filming on location
“All 12 of the children are still here today. I started in 2009.” My mind was spinning with realities, probabilities, exigencies and wonderment. Was this film project a kind of therapy in itself, instilling purpose, hope, vision, determination? Stephanie added, “The most fun part for me is there is no agenda. It’s what the children want to do on their own…. Not necessarily about their illness, but what they want to portray, express, imagine and convey.” I noted seeing children dancing, playing the piano, performing comedy, flying to Coney Island, volunteering in an animal shelter, playing sports.
I asked, “How do you find kids for the film project?” “Mostly through social workers at the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation…. I focus on the positive and shift that focus to creating.”
I raised my voice, “Stop. Let’s talk about the rest of your career and how you arrived so competent, experienced.” “I’m a Script Supervisor on ‘The Blacklist’…. I did all of Season Three. I started this career as a freelance Script Supervisor in 2003…. I work with the director to make sure all actors say their lines correctly…. I am responsible for continuity, write up all notes for the director, work with hair and makeup for continuity, keep track, time the show, bring up issues and create time of day.” My wife, sitting next, absorbing, took a deep exclamation breath. The Blacklist is her favorite show. Stephanie has also worked on commercials and feature films. Her dream is to segue into directing as she does for Angelight.
from film ‘Duane The Great’ available on website www.angelightfilms.org
from ‘Interview with Lily’
She grew up in Scarsdale, Westchester and attended Muhlenberg College. It was there on a college rafting trip down the Lehigh River (I did the same rafting trip a few years go) where she met her husband.
“And what about funds, financing for Angelight?” “Newman’s Own gave us a grant. That’s Paul Newman’s food/charity. We exist on private donations.” Those reading this article, absorbing, caring, feeling, checking out the website, seeing the work done by Angelight, donations are a wonderful thing. Enough said.
Stephanie mentioned transitioning into directing and a recent project, ‘Better Together,’ a short film on bringing two generations together, working and teaching each other. Of course, I watched prior to writing this. Her directing is pure art, sensitive and engaging.
from ‘Fashion Within’
from ‘Melanie the Dancer’
“How was Angelight born?” “The idea just came up to let kids make films…. Sometimes people would ask me how do I get through the shoot, isn’t it sad? But the children are so optimistic, they inspire me to stay positive and focus on creating.”
It was time to go light and fun. I asked, “Living or dead, who would you like to have dinner with?” I caught her off guard but wanted a certain touch to this article. “My sister, Ilana.”
“Five things in life that you can’t live without?” She smiled for a collection of amusing seconds. “Perspective, which is what Angelight gives me. Coffee. My family. My phone. My vision. In no particular order by the way.”
“Before I leave this earth, I won’t be satisfied until I ……………?” “Until Angelight films becomes all that it is meant to be. Reaches its full potential.” Then Stephanie suggested I see the Robin Williams movie, ‘What Dreams May Come’ which was precipitated by our back and forth, in between, bouncing around for three hours, comebacks, to segments on spirituality. We were replete with stories, some evoking goose-bumps, but probably not for further discussion herein.
Stephanie has been working on a book for a long time, called ‘Intumatic,’ a made-up term referring to when intuitions become automatic. Fascinating. I loved the idea. We both wanted to close “this script” with Angelight references. She proudly added, “Once I made ten films to see if it works, now I know it works and I want to expand it to its fullest potential.” The End.
Please check the website: www.angelightfilms.org
Calvin Schwartz & Friend
A Rutgers Journalistic Journey to Women Awareness Events: What 15 Days in a Life Can Teach. By Calvin Schwartz April 16, 2018
Filed under: November 2009 — Tags: Autism, Douglass College, Dr Gloria Bachmann, Garden State Film Festival, Hillary Clinton, Rutgers, Rutgers RWJ Medical School, Womens Health Institute — earthood @ 7:40 pm
Panel discussion at Rutgers Hate Symposium
with with Houshang Parsa, Allison Antwi (Douglas Residential College) Prof Deborah Shuford, Calvin Schwartz, Jac Toporek, Dr. Felicia McGinty, Vice Chancellor Rutgers Student Affairs at Symposium
I’ve had the hardest time (for the past two days) coming up with a title for this article. Usually titles are instantaneous for me. I need to make sure the title is understood. I’ve been privileged, with a little help from synchronicity, to have been present at special women’s events, which have fired my cerebral process, moved me up on the learning curves of awareness, sensitivity and knowledge.
Indeed, what an amazing 15 days; gifted to have absorbed, observed and learned. Cut to Tuesday March 27 at the Rutgers Business School for “A Presidential Symposium-Fighting Hate While Preserving Freedom: A Best Practices Forum.” The list of speakers beyond accomplished, from Jeh Johnson, Former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Deborah Poritz, Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey, Ronald K. Chen, Co-Dean Rutgers Law School, Mohammad Ali Chaudry, Co-Founder and President, Islamic Society of Basking Ridge, Rabbi Francine Roston, Kalispell, Montana, Imam Khalid Latif, Islamic Center at New York University, etc.
I sat for eight hours, taking notes, listening intently, dreaming of a time in the world, when hate is gone. We need to realize that we together are all that there is to save our species. We’re all brothers and sisters on this insignificant speck of a planet in the middle of a complicated fragile universe and earth time is rapidly running out, passing the climatological and social tipping point.
“Mother, what did I learn in school today!” My NOTES from the symposium: No one is born to hate. Love is natural. You can kill an enemy but not defeat an enemy. There is strength in diversity. New Jersey is the most diverse state; Rutgers the most diverse public university. Those who forget history are condemned to relive it. (I love that line from philosopher George Santayana). Best weapons against hate is students and young people. Interfaith partnerships can help prevent expressions of hate. Why an uptake in hate? Is it because a decrease in funding for mental health? The opposite of hate is not love, but indifference.
I could fill several pages with my notes. Last paragraph was a brief extraction. What interested and annoyed, were two student hecklers, yelling and screaming just in front of me. I’m not even sure what they were protesting. A Rutgers official went over to talk to them. They continued their outbursts. At lunch break, I asked why they were not thrown out. An official replied, “First Amendment; they have a right to hate, protest and yell.” To which I smiled, replied, “La-di-dah.”
Hillary with scheduling secretary Lona Valmoro & Eagleton moderator Ruth Mandel
part of the audience for Conversation with Hillary Clinton
A few days later, on Thursday March 29th Hillary Clinton came to speak at Rutgers Athletic Center. The demand for tickets forced the change in venue from the old barn gym to the RAC. I love journalism, being with NJ Discover and wearing my press pass, sitting in the press box with a perfect view of the almost sold-out crowd, including gym floor seating. What I did notice right away was the demographics; it would appear in an unscientific visual appraisal that 80% of the audience were young women.
Hillary Clinton was there to empower young people, women, to go out, register, vote and change things. This was not a political conversation but charge to young people of all persuasions to be involved, vote and work to make a better world. “We all need to be talking about where the country is going.” She mentioned the challenge to convince women to get involved despite how hard it is but so well worth it. If you are new to politics, it’s easy to get discouraged. Biggest challenge is to keep momentum, build coalitions, but all for naught if you don’t show up and vote. She got a resounding applause when she said, “Missing John McCain’s voice which stands up for democracy.”
from my vantage point in the Press box for Hillary Clinton
A bit of a redundant epiphany. When I captioned a picture that I took of the event, and placed it on social media, almost immediately, a woman harshly commented on Hillary Clinton and my being there. I never respond to comments or engage anyone on social media. Wasted energy. I know our political world is dramatically polarized along party lines. No earthly power is changing red to blue or vice versa. So, I broke my rule and commented on her comment. “I’m a journalist covering an event which fascinated sociologically.” To which she responded, “Oh!”
A few days later, on April 3rd, I attended ‘The Douglass Century Book Launch’ at Douglass College Student Center. “Douglass was founded in 1918 as the New Jersey College for Women with 54 students and 12 books in its library.” Indeed, it has grown to 2600 undergraduate students and over 39,000 alumni. Three Rutgers faculty/professors collaborated on ‘The Douglass Century- Transformation of The Women’s College at Rutgers University,’ Kayo Denda, Mary Hawkesworth and Fernanda Perrone. The event consisted of an Author’s Panel and Alumni and Faculty Panel discussions. What an absolutely wonderful book!
The Douglass Century
Douglass Panel Discussion
Some themes of the night were how important women’s education, the history of Douglass and the New Jersey College for Women; how in 1915, there was a door to door campaign for $1.00 to raise $100, 000 to establish the school; how the school was not born diverse, with no Catholics, Jews, African-Americans under founder Mabel Douglass; how in 1968, 4% of the students were of color; how arguments surfaced, with Harvard philosophers, on the inappropriateness of educating women because of lower marriage rates of college educated women-all arguments against educating women; how CAWP at Eagleton is the first research institution for women in politics; how in 2017, 67% of Douglass women are of color, 8 % non-traditional age, 19% Latin, 23% Asian. What are challenges now? In 1930’s, there were 2000 Women’s Colleges; now there are 34.
In a panel with Maurice(Mo) Lee Jr. who came to Douglass in 1966 and retired in 1996, he mentioned Professor Genovese at Rutgers New Brunswick, welcoming the impending victory of North Vietnam and Rutgers President Mason Gross not firing him. I immediately thought back to the symposium on Hate, and the students yelling and protesting and not being thrown out. The same First Amendment issues; a fascinating tie-in to last week.
In 1965, I reminisced, that I had a date with a Douglass student. We were sitting downstairs in the lounge at Katzenbach dorm just past 10PM when a Rutgers police officer escorted me out. The curfew was 10 PM. I’d witnessed history and how far I’ve come.
At the conclusion, I waited in line for the authors to sign my copy of their book along with two hundred or so women at the lecture. Demographics were 90% women. While in line, a woman asked why I was here, to which I smiled, and said, “I’m a journalist covering, learning, experiencing, growing.” To which she said, “Oh.”
with actor Armand Assante at Garden State Film Festival for Artist Nation TV and NJ Discover
Watch how this next part of the story develops. Back on Friday, March 23rd. I attended the Garden State Film Festival Cocktail Party and Opening night Gala. Two hundred people in Convention Hall; many filmmakers, actors, actresses, media. I was covering the event for Artist Nation TV and NJ Discover. I always wear my Rutgers hat; my personal branding. A woman approached and asked if I was a Rutgers professor because of my hat. I responded immediately, “I wish and dream about that.” The woman was Dr. Gloria Bachmann, MD.
Dr. Bachmann is the Interim Chair in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and a Professor of Medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS), and the Obstetrics and Gynecology Service Chief at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, New Jersey. Also, at RWJMS she is the Director of the Women’s Health Institute and the Associate Dean for Women’s Health. So, on Tuesday April 10th, I spent time at Dr. Bachmann’s Women’s Health Institute Meeting in New Brunswick with researchers and students. Again, in such short periods of interim time, my mind was expanded.
At the Women’s Health Institute with research team, students nd Dr Gloria Bachmann on Tuesday
with Dr Gloria Bachmann
I saw an animated film for children that they developed to explain, ever so gently, the topic of transgender. There were also discussions on female athletes (minimizing effects of injury), herbs and their mechanics, autism, One Health Initiative (Humans, Animals, Environment) cancer and aquariums. Of course, my passion in all of the above learning curves and observations is how much Rutgers is doing academically, clinically, sociologically and how NJ Discover’s platform can help tell their story, shout it out here in Central Jersey and beyond. On Monday April 16th I’ll be at a lecture on transgenders in the military. There are 1.4 million transgendered Americans.
It is a brave new synchronistic interconnected world. Best way to end this article, is who would have ever thought all this goes down in a couple of weeks of mind expansion. The secret is to get off the sedentary sofa, explore and never stop. Wearing a hat helps too.
A Time Capsule Review: GARDEN STATE FILM FESTIVAL March 22nd to March 25th 2018 Asbury Park USA by Calvin Schwartz 3-28-18
Filed under: November 2009 — Tags: Armand Assante, Artie Pasquale, Artist Nation TV, Asbury Park, Christopher Lloyd, Diane Raver, Garden State Film Festival, Garry Pastore, Heather Brittain O"Scalnlon, Lauren Concar, Monica Henreid, NJ Discover, Stephanie Angel, Xander Berkeley — earthood @ 10:19 pm
Pre show Interview with Artist Nation TV and Lauren Concar , GSFF Executive Director & Heather Brittain O’Scanlon, actress, Board Member.
Friday night Convention Hall Gala cocktail party
The purpose of this capsule review is to light fires for planning next year to attend and perhaps some instillation of guilt, regrets, why you were not there this year. A wondrous event; New Jersey’s own film festival by the ocean, replete with pomp, excitement, energy, film makers, actors, actresses, industry insiders, deal makers.
Represented; the independent film industry. I love the word independent. It makes me think of 1776; spirit, original colonies, strong belief systems, New Jersey, expressing, declaring, creating, proudly showing, winning, competing, producing, directing and the togetherness, cohesiveness, knowledge of participants. Metaphors, verbs, visualizations; whatever, the Garden State Film Festival delivered a wonderful weekend.
selfie with Ed Asner
Friday Night Gala Cocktail Party and First Screening brought hundreds to Convention Hall. My press credentials issued for my work with NJ Discover and Artist Nation TV headed by Noelle Ciumei, doing feature interviews capturing excitement and energy. To me, this party was like a boardwalk amusement park, some fantasy rides, adventure, future, past, present; and the props like people, electricity, business cards, appointments, promises, future think, projects, exigencies and realities. A great accessible party for pictures, selfies and red carpets.
Food, plentiful, imaginative and fun. I’m not a foodie person, but the pretzel, with perhaps the best brown spicy mustard ever, had me perseverating for days.
with actor Xander Berkeley. Lifetime Achievement Award
Screenplay Professional Reading
Accessibility evident. I stopped Xander Berkeley, who was honored with Lifetime Achievement, eating with chopsticks, and moments later, we were sitting, talking, about his prolific career, but with such ease, as if we’ve been friends for decades. He loves the notoriety aspect, lack there-of, so he can sit at a sidewalk café and draw/sketch people walking by. He called it flying under the radar. He talked about living in the now, his spiritual side. There is a power to living in the now, an inner peace. How delightful he was. Of course, it was time to get back to photo-ops and selfies.
Ed Asner, on the Honorary Board, Armand Assante, MVP, honored for his continuing support of the Festival, Christopher Lloyd, a Festival honoree with the Beacon Award, were all mixing in. Such graciousness, a particulate of the energy of this Festival. Armand Assante, Christopher Lloyd and Xander Berkeley all premiered their films. Check out www.gsff.org.
On a lighter note, three women excitedly stopped me, “Wait, you’re an actor from Seinfeld. The raisin episode! Can we take a picture with you?” It took me a minute of convincing that it’s not me. But they still took a picture with me.
with actor Garry Pastore
Post Panel Actors on Acting with Diane Raver, Lauren Concar, Monica Henreid, Moderator, Gala Chair, Xander Berkeley, Gary Pastore, Chance Kelly & Armand Assante & Oana Marcu
A young woman introduced herself. My projection of being a journalist; the blazer, Rutgers hat. Stephanie Angel, from Angelight Films, recipient of the 2018 Garden State Film Festival’s Broader Vision Award for Filmmaking Dedicated to Greater Good told me about her work, which gives children with brain and spinal chord tumors a chance to express themselves on short films. This blew me away, such that I’ll do a special article on NJ Discover. People need to know. Part of the reason to believe in the Festival; to illuminate, share and learn.
Next up, the film premiere of Armand Assante’s riveting, powerful film, ‘The Wanderers-The Quest of the Demon Hunter’ in the Paramount Theater. Of course, I loved it, engrossed, carpeted to on site locations in Romania, loved the Q and A, honest, engrossing, revealing. Would love a sequel; I told that to Armand directly.
Saturday, with my Rutgers mentee student Marisa, and co-host of NJ Discover LIVE TV Show, Tara-Jean McDonald Vitale, we attended the showing of nine short film entries, animation, comedic, heavy, imaginative, sad, uplifting, but part of this brave new world of accomplished independent talent. Being a former salesman, the film ‘Death of an Umbrella Salesman,’ resonated with me as it conjured up Arthur Miller and Charlie Chaplin as the Tramp.
with actor Armand Assante. We talked about his film The Wanderers-The Quest of the Demon Hunter and my para-normal activity.
Q and A post showing of The Wanderers-The Quest of Demon Hunter with Armand Assante, Oana Marcu and Lauren Concar
Next the anticipated Panel discussion, Actors on Acting with Monica Henreid, moderating. Her father, one of my all-time favorite actors played Victor Lazlo from ‘Casablanca.’ Present were Armand Assante, Xander Berkeley, Garry Pastore, Chance Kelly and Oana Marcu, who played the ‘heavy’ in ‘The Wanders-The Quest of the Demon Hunter.’ A great hour. I loved Monica’s question, “Who Inspired You?” For the Q and A., I needed to know about their handling of rejection.
Later that night, Christopher Lloyd’s heavy, true story film, premiere, ‘Making A Killing,’ in the enchanting venue of Jersey Shore Arts Center, formerly Neptune High School, a long time ago, but renovated by the vision of Herb Herbst (an NJ Discover feature story)
with actor Artie Pasquale
Yes, this capsule, a bit long, but needed for reality and enticement, memorization to get you down here next year. It’s “good stuff” being in Asbury Park, smelling ocean air, popcorn, seeing movies, dreams realized, partaking of all that Asbury offers, food, music, boardwalk, escapism. Actually, a capsule is something you take in the morning or at night, then call me next year, in the morning. We’ll go to the Festival together.
www.gsff.org
SPOTLIGHT: From Astronomy, to Physics, Now Actress, SAG-AFTRA. Meet ANNEMARIE HAGENAARS by Calvin Schwartz February 14, 2018
Filed under: November 2009 — Tags: Albert Einstein, Annemarie Hagenaars, Garden State Film Festival, Netherlands, Paulo Coelho, SAG-AFTRA — earthood @ 1:40 pm
ANNEMARIE HAGENAARS
photo credit Metin Oner
www.metinoner.com
at Garden State Film Festival reception in NYC June 2016 with Annemarie Hagenaars
Annemarie role as Dr. Schmidt
When you least expect it, you meet someone who’ll impact your life, make a return engagement, and impress beyond. Two years ago, at a Garden State Film Festival promotional event at a midtown NYC hotel, I met Annemarie, actress and a relative newcomer to America. Somewhere in time, at the Film Festival in Atlantic City, Annemarie also met her fiancé, Paulo Coelho, an accomplished singer-songwriter. Therefore, we love the Garden State Film Festival (March 22-25, 2018 Asbury Park)
Over the past two years, Annemarie stayed in touch with me at NJ Discover. She had quite the story to share which fascinated, as we’ve just finished sitting, talking, traveling around the world in 180 minutes. Sure, it took two years to implement, but worth the wait.
Annemarie grew up in the Netherlands and by eleven years old, hobbies had materialized; astronomy and acting. “I had the lead role in a school musical called “Ghosts at Griezelsteyn” and discovered I liked acting.” With Astronomy, there was always an interest in how people (astronomers) got their ideas. We chatted about one of her life’s heroes, Albert Einstein. Before she took off her coat, I whisked her into my writing office, and showed my picture of Einstein, one of my heroes too. We discovered our commonality which makes for a great interview. “Einstein had that great imagination and visualization to understand things about the universe.”
post performance
Photo Credit Paulo Coelho
a great attachment to Albert Einstein
“At 14, I really started getting into acting. I’d play roles in school plays and at local theater companies. On top of my school, there was an observatory, where every Friday night during winter, I went up there to observe.” In the Netherlands, acting was not offered at the University level so she studied astronomy. “After my Bachelor’s degree, I went to acting school and eventually went back to university to get my Master’s degree in Foundations of Physics. Then I gave myself a gift in 2010, to study acting in New York City for one intensive month at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute (method acting).”
Back in the Netherlands, she started writing her one-woman show, ‘The Story of the Einstein Girl,’ a haunting supposition story relating to Einstein’s daughter. In 2012, she was back in New York for a month, studied with Michael Luggio and worked in his classes on the American version of her one-woman show. Annemarie performed both the Dutch and American version of the play at the Amsterdam Fringe Festival. After that, in the Netherlands, “I worked my ass off to find a way to live and work as an actress in New York.”
She worked as a researcher in Rotterdam four days a week and also performed ‘The Story of The Einstein Girl.’ Annemarie explained that in 1986, letters were found mentioning Lieserl, Einstein’s daughter. A friend gave her the book ‘The Einstein Girl,’ written by Philip Sington, which deals with what could’ve happened to the daughter. It’s all fiction besides her actual existence, which is true. “The company in Rotterdam always supported me, by giving me flexibility to take time off to perform.” Interestingly, Annemarie downplayed the strict standards of her company, in that they only hired the top 5% of the country’s grads, of course putting her in such an elite category.
readying for performance
“Embers” credit montage
As a journalist, I thrive on jumping around, digressing, egressing, addressing. So, I asked Annemarie “What are the five things you can’t live without?” To which she thought for a very long second, “Intellectual challenges, chocolate (I saw evidences as she perseverated on my wife’s chocolate brownies), fiancé Paulo, to be on a set, and New York City.” Spontaneously, the four of us, sitting at my kitchen table, started singing, Christopher Cross’ “Caught Between the Moon and New York City.”
I mentioned that it had to be so hard for her to come to New York, alone, not knowing anyone. “I came to New York with no expectations. I immediately loved it here. The acting community is different. American movies, which I grew up with, because my parents loved watching American movies, are different from Dutch movies. I love the energy of New York. Here the sky is the limit.” Currently, Annemarie works with two managers, one for commercial and one for film and television, and is now in SAG-AFTRA.
NYC caring for homeless
Her first appearance in an off-Broadway show was in ‘Casablanca Box’, which is related to my all time favorite movie, ‘Casablanca.’ Speaking of favorite movies, I asked about hers. “Gladiator with Russell Crowe. Meryl Streep and Jessica Chastain, favorite actors, and if Elia Kazan, director was still alive I would have loved to get the opportunity to work with him.”
My research turned up her recent trip to the Hamptons. I knew why. Her face excitedly illuminated. “I did my first SAG feature three weeks ago, ‘The Artist’s Wife’ where I was on set for two days. It was an amazing opportunity to meet and exchange life stories with Bruce Dern. I was so thrilled. And I met Lena Olin too.”
“What is your greatest strength and weakness as an actor”? She drifted into introspective thought. “My strength is that I am very devoted to a part and I do a lot of research. My weakness goes hand in hand with my strength. Sometimes the hardest thing is when you’ve done your research that you need to let go of all the preparation. You need to be able to truly live in the moment and trust that all the homework will serve you, without consciously thinking about it when you’re performing.”
Post interview in the Green Room
A natural progression of thought, I asked if she was ready to handle prospects of fame, which I strongly sensed was coming. “With this guy (Paulo) next to me, yes.” My wife and I observed such a perfect magical couple.
Next, we talked about a recent project where she shared the lead. A hugely contemporary project, so news worthy, that it was actually rushed into post production to get it out. ‘Honeypot’ is a seven-minute film depicting how Harvey Weinstein went about harassing. It was written/directed by the successful photographer Jill Greenberg, based on NYPD files. Intellectually, we discussed the merits of the film in bringing more attention, reality and awareness to the Weinstein case. Annemarie played the part of the secretary, facilitator wonderfully. I noted her range of acting, then asked how she got this role. She was found by the casting director, Irene Stockton.
a special couple, Annemarie and Paulo
Winding down, nearing the 180 minutes mark of our time together, on a lazy, rainy Saturday afternoon, now turning dusk, I asked her, “Living or Dead, someone you’d like to have dinner with.” Instantaneously, “Albert Einstein.” I said, “Me too and finally, before you leave this earth, I won’t be satisfied until I…………” Her answer was rapid fire. “Until I do something meaningful for humanity.”
A perfect ending to a special afternoon. Annemarie has that quality, depth, cerebral connection, conviction, determination and talent to succeed beyond wildest dreams. My conviction is that it’s only a matter of time such that I asked when she’s getting a Golden Globe, Academy Award, Emmy, or whatever, do me a favor, since we’re now friends, get me backstage. It was a deal.
Calvin Schwartz
FOR INFO ON ANNEMARIE HAGENAARS:
www.annemariehagenaars.com
http://www.annemariehagenaars.com/about/
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annemariehagenaarsactress/
GARDEN STATE FILM FESTIVAL http://www.gsff.org/
AN OPEN LETTER TO OPRAH WINFREY from Calvin Schwartz
Filed under: November 2009 — Tags: Chisa Egbelu, Clarence Clemons, Dr Oz, Emmett Till, Garden State Film Festival, IDT, Kayla Jackson, Newark, Nick Clemons, Oprah Winfrey, PeduL, Senator Cory Booker, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks — earthood @ 1:57 pm
CALVIN BARRY SCHWARTZ
earthood@gmail.com
Twitter: Earthood
njdiscover.com http://vichywater.net
The Oprah Magazine
Oprah Winfrey, Founder and Editorial Director
Dear Oprah:
The energy for this letter began on Tuesday April 18th when you were a guest on the Dr. Oz Show devoted to “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.” (a wondrous film). I knew that I’d be sitting in the special VIP first row seats, close to the guest sofa. I wanted to get your attention so I wore my ‘loudest’ socks which you noticed. My legs were crossed and gyrating. You smiled at me and my socks. There was a reason for attention getting.
Last summer, I began mentoring two special recent Rutgers University graduates, Chisa Egbelu and Kayla Jackson. Chisa and I met four years ago at the Garden State Film Festival. He was a film intern and I was there to see a cutting edge film on Emmett Till.
with Chisa Egbelu and Kayla Jackson at IDT headquarters in Newark
with Senator Cory Booker along the Jersey shore
Two years ago, Chisa and Kayla conceived a company, PeduL (pedul.com) which would become an online crowdfunding tool that connects students with resources and support they need to pursue higher education. I always look at the whole planet earth and big pictures. Coming up with ways to help educate youth across the world, can change courses of history. Taking some of the burden away from financially strapped government is good stuff.
I believed in these “kids,” so last summer I started mentoring them. Then I met with Senator Cory Booker here in New Jersey. I asked him for 44 seconds time. (same time to read letter). I explained the same thing. Three days later, his aide called me and I brought the “kids” from PeduL to meet with his top education aide at his Newark office.
A year ago, IDT Ventures in Newark, part of IDT Corporation, a billion dollar plus telecommunications, pharmaceutical, entertainment and energy company took PeduL into their incubator program.
with Nick Clemons, Andrew Schuman and DR OZ from April 18th
Why did I wear those socks? To try and get your attention and talk those few seconds with you as I did to Senator Booker. I marvel at you, your accomplishments, humanitarianism and commitment to global education. I felt you should know about these special “kids” and their vision of a better smarter future and world.
If ever you’re floating around New York City and…………
Wishing you much success with the film and only good things always and all ways.
PS: I’ve enclosed pictures to aide in my story telling. They are my socks which you smiled at, with Kayla and Chisa in Newark, with Senator Booker and with Dr. Oz, Nick Clemons (son of Clarence Clemons) after the show.
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Tessa Dare's Latest Will Have You Saying Yes...Yes...Yes To Great Historical Romance
Title: Say Yes To The Marquess
(Castles Ever After #2)
Author: Tessa Dare
Publisher: Avon Books
Your presence is requested at romantic Twill Castle for the wedding of Miss Clio Whitmore and . . . and . . . ?
After eight years of waiting for Piers Brandon, the wandering Marquess of Granville, to set a wedding date, Clio Whitmore has had enough. She's inherited a castle, scraped together some pride, and made plans to break her engagement.
Not if Rafe Brandon can help it. A ruthless prizefighter and notorious rake, Rafe is determined that Clio will marry his brother—even if he has to plan the dratted wedding himself.
So how does a hardened fighter cure a reluctant bride's cold feet?
● He starts with flowers. A wedding can't have too many flowers. Or harps. Or cakes.
● He lets her know she'll make a beautiful, desirable bride—and tries not to picture her as his.
● He doesn't kiss her.
● If he kisses her, he definitely doesn't kiss her again.
● When all else fails, he puts her in a stunning gown. And vows not to be nearby when the gown comes off.
● And no matter what—he doesn't fall in disastrous, hopeless love with the one woman he can never call his own.
Clio Whitmore is tired of waiting for her dashing diplomat fiancee Peirce Brandon, Marquess of Granville, to come home and make an honest woman of her.
After all, she has been waiting eight years!
So what's a girl to do you ask?
Well, if you are Clio Whitmore, you march right into a disreputable area of London, with little more than an unloaded pistol, a skiddish lady's maid, a footman, and disillusion papers.
In search of...
One Rafe Brandon, champion prizefighter, first class rake, and the keeper of his brother's affairs until his return.
In short...the man with the power to free her.
It appears however, that "don't call me Lord" Rafe Brandon, has his sights set on doing anything but that.
Tessa Dare is back in a big way, with Say Yes To The Marquess. Her second offering in the Castles Ever After series.
Leading lady Clio Whitmore sparkles with a lust for life, intelligence, wit, and charm that draws the reader to her heart and soul from page one.
She is a woman unafraid to seek and find what makes her happy, and it is that quest for happiness that makes this story great.
Leading man Rafe, is your quintessential "little brother trying to do the right thing." Even as he knows that "the right thing" is all wrong, wrong, wrong for Clio, and for his heart.
But a man has to try right?
For therein lies all the fun...and romance.
Hearts will melt with each "grand gesture" that Rafe undertakes in his effort to provide Clio with the perfect wedding...to his brother.
As time passes however, it becomes quite clear that Clio and Rafe are a 'hand in glove' match for each other.
Add to that the fact that Clio has recently become the owner of her very own castle, and as such, has big plans for an independent future.
Say Yes To The Marquess is a wonderful, laugh out loud, heart-stoppingly romantic look at one woman's quest for happiness and one man's brother's attempt to help her find it.
Reviewer's Note:
This book was so good...I read it twice!
All About Tessa
Note: Tessa has a Goodreads group! All readers welcome.
Tessa Dare is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of twelve historical romance novels and four novellas. Her books have won numerous accolades, including Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® award and multiple RT Book Reviews Reviewer’s Choice Awards. Booklist magazine named her one of the “new stars of historical romance," and her books have been contracted for translation in a dozen languages.
A librarian by training and a booklover at heart, Tessa makes her home in Southern California, where she lives with her husband, their two children, and a pair of cosmic kitties.
Find Tessa
Website: http://tessadare.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2752928.Tessa_Dare
Posted by WTF Are You Reading No comments:
Labels: 5 Stars, Adult Historical Romance, D
"I've Got My Duke To Keep Me Warm" Is A Story That Burns Bright With Both Relevance And Heart
Title: I've Got My Duke To Keep Me Warm
(The Lords of Worth #1)
Author: Kelly Bowen
Date of Publication: December16th, 2014
Publisher: Grand Central/Forever
Where Secrets Smolder...
Calm. Cool. Collected. Gisele Whitby has perfected the art of illusion—her survival, after all, has depended upon it. Years ago, to escape an abusive husband, Gisele "disappeared." Now she must risk revealing her new identity to save another innocent girl from the same fate. But she needs a daring man for her scheme, and the rogue in question shows a remarkable talent . . . for shattering Gisele's carefully constructed façade and igniting her deepest desires.
...Passion Ignites.
This isn't the first time Jamie Montcrief has awakened naked and confused from a night of drinking. It is, however, the first time a stunningly beautiful woman offers him payment afterward. Gisele has a business proposition for him, a mission involving cunning thievery and a brazen rescue. How can he say no to a plot this dangerous . . . and a woman this delectable? -Goodreads
This books starts out much like a jigsaw puzzle fresh out of the box.
You as the reader may have an inkling of where this or that character or plot element may fit, but things don't really begin to clarify until around 6 chapters in.
What one is sure about from the beginning, is that this story is one that is going to be run by one very strong and capable protagonist in the form of Gisele Whitby.
As if having been the wife of the sadistically abusive Adam Levire, Marquess of Valence, was not enough.
The extraordinary measures to which she has had to resort in order to keep herself and her stepdaughter out of her husband's long reaching grasp would have been enough to have sent the average woman running for the safety of the nearest nunnery.
But not Gisele.
She is a woman bound and determined to pay it forward, helping other women to escape abuse as well.
Of course, every great Houdini must have assistants, and Gisele is no different.
For her, these roles are fulfilled by Sebastian and Ian.
Sebastian is a trusted friend and confidant. You would probably refer to him as the guy who knows where all the bodies are buried.
He is always there for the planning of things, and generally gets things done behind the scenes.
He is also quite the dandy, and can be relied upon to add his own brand of snark and humor to any situation.
Ian is supposed to be the charmer and work the front. Meaning that he is to be the eye-candy.
But Ian has decided to fly the coop
Hence Jamie...
The meeting up James is the only time where the plot shows even the slightest hint of a weak spot. This is because things here are a little too serendipitous.
After that hiccup however, things move along swimmingly, as his secrets meet her secrets and readers are made aware of their attraction to each other.
As Gisele's work takes her closer and closer to her past, there is a marked escalation in the intensity of Jamie's and her relationship that starts about mid book and carries readers through book's end.
There are also things that come to light about James, that seem to fix a great deal of what is broken in him.
The best part of this book by far, has to be it's end. the spectacular way in which Gisele (with the help of James and Sebastian) comes to deal with her situation is not to be missed.
This book deals with very contemporary topics such as PTSD, spousal abuse, and life after said abuse in a historical setting.
That is a very rare, and in this case a very well done choice.
This book also strays away from the norm by placing more of a premium on the crafting of an engaging storyline than in resting on the laurels of a wind-swept romance.
About Kelly...
Kelly Bowen grew up in Manitoba, Canada. She worked her way through her teenage years as a back country trail guide and ranch hand. She attended the University of Manitoba and earned a Master of Science degree in veterinary physiology and endocrinology.
But it was Kelly's infatuation with history and a weakness for a good love story that led her down the path of historical romance. When she is not writing, she seizes every opportunity to explore ruins and battlefields.
Currently, Kelly lives in Winnipeg with her husband and two boys, all of whom are wonderfully patient with the writing process. Except, that is, when they need a goalie for street hockey.
Find Kelley and her books here:
Website: http://www.kellybowen.net
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8125223.Kelly_Bowen
Labels: 5 Stars, Adult Historical Romance
"A Sinful Deception" Is Truly Enthralling Romance
Title: A Sinful Deception
(Breconridge Brothers #2)
Author: Isabella Bradford
Publication Date: February 24, 2015
For fans of Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, and Sabrina Jeffries: the seductively charming second historical romance in Isabella Bradford's Breconridge Brothers trilogy.
Lord Geoffrey Fitzroy leads a charmed existence. As the second son of the Duke of Breconridge, he has none of the responsibilities of his older brother and all of the advantages, leaving handsome Geoffrey free to enjoy his rakish pursuits. And pursue them he does, leaving hearts fluttering all over London. But one night, at a ball teeming with high society's most sought-after beauties, only one truly intrigues him: the regal, aloof, and mysterious Miss Serena Palmer.
Magnificently dressed and wearing jewels befitting a queen, the lady is considered the prize of the season, a noble-born heiress raised in India. But even as Geoffrey's fascination grows, Serena deftly deflects his curiosity—and with good reason: Serena's exotic past contains a perilous secret that could destroy her. Yet her plan to live in safe solitude is thwarted by her hungry heart, and soon Geoffrey's passionate seduction finds her blissfully bed—and wed. Will her deception destroy her chance at happiness as Geoffrey's wife? Or will the devotion of her new husband reveal the only truth worth embracing: her undying love?
A Sinful Deception, the second offering in the (Breconridge Brothers series) proves just as captivating as it's predecessor.
This time it is the secrets and hidden passions of the exotic Indian born blossom Serena Carew, that serve to stoke passion's flame and enthrall the minds of one Lord Geoffrey Fitzroy, and readers alike.
The granddaughter of the Marquis of Allwyn, and the only surviving heir to her father's sizable fortune.
It is no wonder that the raven haired beauty with the somewhat guarded demeanor has tongues wagging and fortune hunters dogging her every footfall.
But for Lord Geoffrey Fitzroy, golden second son of the Duchy of Breconridge, the allure of young Miss Carew lies neither in the depth of her purse, nor the charms of her visage. He it seems hears the call of a far more insistent master...the inescapable hand of kismet.
From their first furtively shared glances, to their mutual understanding and love for her native Hindi tongue, it is clear from the start that she is made for him, and he for her and no other.
That is of course if the fires of their passion and the ferocity of their love can withstand a secret from her past.
A secret of such import, that if discovered it could strip her of both her love and her fortune, and change the course of her life forever.
This is a brilliant tale of love, lies, and survival all wrapped up in the finery of English society.
In fact, it is that reliance on societal niceties that throws things off course for the first few chapters as readers sit through the superfluous back and forth of "I really like you but..." that romances of this ilk seem to demand.
If one can manage to make it through Serena and Geoffery's game of peek-a-boo with the truth of their feelings; they will find the wait and frustration well worth the reward.
As feelings deepen, desires are realized, secrets are unearthed, and schemes and disasters are averted, readers are treated to a book brimming with plot twists, great love scenes, and tied together with a very dramatic "happily ever after bow".
Labels: 4 Stars, Adult Historical Romance, B
Does "Exquisite Captive" Try Too Hard To Hold On To Readers?
Title: Exquisite Captive
(The Dark Caravan Cycle #1)
Author: Heather Demetrios
Publication Date: October 7th, 2014
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Forced to obey her master.
Compelled to help her enemy.
Determined to free herself. Nalia is a jinni of tremendous ancient power, the only survivor of a coup that killed nearly everyone she loved. Stuffed into a bottle and sold by a slave trader, she’s now in hiding on the dark caravan, the lucrative jinni slave trade between Arjinna and Earth, where jinn are forced to grant wishes and obey their human masters’ every command. She’d give almost anything to be free of the golden shackles that bind her to Malek, her handsome, cruel master, and his lavish Hollywood lifestyle.
Enter Raif, the enigmatic leader of Arjinna’s revolution and Nalia’s sworn enemy. He promises to free Nalia from her master so that she can return to her ravaged homeland and free her imprisoned brother—all for an unbearably high price. Nalia’s not sure she can trust him, but Raif’s her only hope of escape. With her enemies on the hunt, Earth has become more perilous than ever for Nalia. There’s just one catch: for Raif’s unbinding magic to work, Nalia must gain possession of her bottle…and convince the dangerously persuasive Malek that she truly loves him. Battling a dark past and harboring a terrible secret, Nalia soon realizes her freedom may come at a price too terrible to pay: but how far is she willing to go for it?
Inspired by Arabian Nights, EXQUISITE CAPTIVE brings to life a deliciously seductive world where a wish can be a curse and shadows are sometimes safer than the light. -Goodreads
This novel is a very difficult one to review.
The reason for this being that while this work is technically flawless; the inconsistencies in character motive and interaction are serious enough to tarnish the novel's finer points.
The world crafted here is a seamless blend of modern-day Earth, and a feudalistic, caste based society of Arjinna.
The now war torn world of Arjinna is the home of female protagonist Nalia. She, the last of the ruling class of powerful jinn, now finds herself a slave to a half human master, stranded on Earth, and hunted by a cannibalistic assassin. Though most of the book's setting is on Earth, the authenticity of the jinn's history is maintained through the constant interweaving of native words and phrases into the story. There are also constant references to the gods and castes of Arjinna,
The novel's decline doesn't begin in earnest until readers become acquainted with Nalia, and come to learn the intricacies of her predicament.
You see, even though Nalia is a brilliant and powerful jinn; she is often made to appear weak, trapped, and vapid.
Adding to her sad state of affairs, is the fact that in an attempt to create a love triangle, the book's author attempted to turn her master into her boyfriend; claiming other motives for this rather transparent plot twist.
Given the importance of other more dire aspects of this read, the trivial vacillation that takes place as a result of the romantic debacle is infuriating.
The long and the short of it is that this novel suffers from a case of 'throw everything into the pot and see what floats'.
Given the fact that this is the first book in a series; there was clearly room for at least a third of this first story to carry over into book 2.
Labels: 3.5 stars, D, YA
Pampered Princesses Have Secrets Too...Here Her's In Secret Confessions: Sienna
Title: Secret Confessions: Syney Housewives: Sienna
(Secret Confessions: Sydney Housewives #4)
Author: Tasmin Baker
Length: 30+ pages
Publisher: Escape Publishing
Sienna knows that she’s got a good thing going with her boyfriend, Charlie. He’s attentive, loyal, and seriously hot. When he sets Sienna up with a very unusual gift, she’s both shocked and intrigued. But she’s worried as well – accepting Charlie and his gift will test all of their limits and the strength of their relationship. -Goodreads
Sienna may be the star of this confession, but for most of the read, she is also the frog that gets all the kissing...and hot sex.
While her dear, sweet, and oh so attentive boyfriend Charlie, moves heaven and Earth to provide her every desire; she proves to be a very insecure,pouty, child.
I t is Charlie's actions as the perfect man both in and out of the bedroom that makes this story work.
He knows just what to say and do to set hearts aflame and melt off panties.
There is also a great 'wedding bell' happily ever after bow at story's end.
Reviewer's Note: Due to the graphic sexual nature of this work, it is recommended for audiences of 18+.
Posted by WTF Are You Reading 2 comments:
Labels: 4 Stars, Adult Erotica, B, Novella
Yes, I Am STILL Reading It
I was sorting out my Goodreads shelves the other day;
when I noticed that there were quite a few titles on my
Currently Reading list that despite my best...or not so
best efforts.
Still remain unfinished.
Here is my List
(the first 4)
Title: Stitching Snow
Author: R.C. Lewis
Princess Snow is missing.
Her home planet is filled with violence and corruption at the hands of King Matthias and his wife as they attempt to punish her captors. The king will stop at nothing to get his beloved daughter back—but that’s assuming she wants to return at all.
Essie has grown used to being cold. Temperatures on the planet Thanda are always sub-zero, and she fills her days with coding and repairs for the seven loyal drones that run the local mines.
When a mysterious young man named Dane crash-lands near her home, Essie agrees to help the pilot repair his ship. But soon she realizes that Dane’s arrival was far from accidental, and she’s pulled into the heart of a war she’s risked everything to avoid. With the galaxy’s future—and her own—in jeopardy, Essie must choose who to trust in a fiery fight for survival. -Goodreads
My Take On Things
This seems to be a very well put together story
it reminds me a lot of The Lunar Chronicles,
and I need to read this book when I can separate the two.
Title: Plus One
Author: Elizabeth Fama
It takes guts to deliberately mutilate your hand while operating a blister-pack sealing machine, but all I had going for me was guts.
Sol Le Coeur is a Smudge—a night dweller in an America rigidly divided between people who wake, live, and work during the hours of darkness and those known as Rays who live and work during daylight. Impulsive, passionate, and brave, Sol deliberately injures herself in order to gain admission to a hospital, where she plans to kidnap her newborn niece—a Ray—in order to bring the baby to visit her dying grandfather. By violating the day-night curfew, Sol is committing a serious crime, and when the kidnap attempt goes awry it starts a chain of events that will put Sol in mortal danger, uncover a government conspiracy to manipulate the Smudge population, and throw her together with D'Arcy Benoît, the Ray medical apprentice who first treats her, then helps her outrun the authorities—and with whom she is fated to fall impossibly and irrevocably in love.
Set in a vivid alternate reality and peopled with complex, deeply human characters on both sides of the day-night divide, Plus One is a brilliantly imagined drama of individual liberty and civil rights—and a compelling, rapid-fire romantic adventure story. -Goodreads
I really like this story, and I have since the begining.
The french dialect took a little getting used to,
but other than that.
Title: Waistcoats and Weaponry
Author: Gail Carriger
Class is back in session...
Sophronia continues her second year at finishing school in style--with a steel-bladed fan secreted in the folds of her ball gown, of course. Such a fashionable choice of weapon comes in handy when Sophronia, her best friend Dimity, sweet sootie Soap, and the charming Lord Felix Mersey stowaway on a train to return their classmate Sidheag to her werewolf pack in Scotland. No one suspected what--or who--they would find aboard that suspiciously empty train. Sophronia uncovers a plot that threatens to throw all of London into chaos and she must decide where her loyalties lie, once and for all.
Gather your poison, steel tipped quill, and the rest of your school supplies and join Mademoiselle Geraldine's proper young killing machines in the third rousing installment in the New York Times bestselling Finishing School Series by steampunk author, Gail Carriger.
-Goodreads
This book has been on my 'must read' list for the longest time. So when it came out
I was more than over the moon to have snagged an early copy.
Though I am very happy to see that the characters are growing and progressing,
and as a result, the storylines are becoming much more complex.
The reader in me is a little put off by the pacing of the action.
This book takes a very meandering path through flowery language and lengthy explanation, when sometimes all that is needed is to simply 'dive right in' to the action.
Title: The Fall
Author: Bethany Griffin
Progress: 5%
Madeline Usher is doomed.
She has spent her life fighting fate, and she thought she was succeeding. Until she woke up in a coffin.
Ushers die young. Ushers are cursed. Ushers can never leave their house, a house that haunts and is haunted, a house that almost seems to have a mind of its own. Madeline’s life—revealed through short bursts of memory—has hinged around her desperate plan to escape, to save herself and her brother. Her only chance lies in destroying the house.
In the end, can Madeline keep her own sanity and bring the house down? The Fall is a literary psychological thriller, reimagining Edgar Allan Poe’s classic The Fall of the House of Usher.
Where in the hell is this book going?
O.K., already!
We get that there is something going on with death, the family, and the house.
Can something just happen already?
All that bouncing back and forth with the confusing journal-style writing...
Make something happen.
So many pages, so little...
Posted by WTF Are You Reading 1 comment:
Labels: What I'm Reading Now
Feel The Push And Pull Of Passion Versus Power In "Make Me, Take Me"
Title: Make Me, Take Me
Author: Amanda Usen
Publisher: Entangled
A sexy category romance from Entangled's Brazen imprint... He's every fantasy she's ever had... Betsy Mouton knows that easy doesn't last forever. She's working her butt off to launch the Last Call Café so her family can leave the New Orleans bar business—and its heartaches—behind forever. That is, until the hottest one-night-stand of her life shows up next door, twice as uncompromising and two million times hotter, offering to buy the bar and send the Moutons to Easy Street. Hotelier Quinton James has never forgotten the unbelievably hot night he and Betsy shared. Never forgotten how beautifully she submitted to him, or how he found the only peace he's ever known in her arms. Now that Betsy is the only thing standing in the way of his new hotel, she's the one in control. But there's more at stake than her cafe or laying their past to rest—Quin wants a future. With her. All he has to do is convince her...one sensual command at a time. -Goodreads
Excerpt from
Make Me, Take Me
by Amanda Usen Copyright © 2014 by Amanda Usen. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher.
Quinton James stepped out of the doorway of his New Orleans hotel and glanced left and right for the nearest bar. He paused, making way for a woman leading a boy down the busy sidewalk. The boy was young, probably just old enough to keep up with her, and he dragged his feet, looking in the hotel window. The woman laughed, pulling on his hand like they were playing tug-of-war, and Quin chuckled. Her gaze darted to him. As their gazes met, shock froze him in place. Red hair, dark eyes, freckles.
The woman scooped up the boy in her arms, struggling a bit with his weight, and hurried down the street. He stared after them, perplexed, and glanced at his reflection in the window. He looked a little spooked, but not threatening. Why had she raced away from him? And why did he feel like he’d just seen a ghost?
Maybe I did. Perhaps that had been the ghost of his mother, shepherding his young self through the French
Quarter before she’d overdosed. Not likely. He couldn’t remember anything about her, but he doubted his heroin- addicted mother had been the playful type.
He took a step forward, and the stench of cigarette smoke, hot garbage, and ketchup smacked him in the face. God, I hate New Orleans. Too many memories. Not that he could actually remember any of them, not his mother dying, even though he’d reportedly found her body, nor his sister running away and leaving him alone. He didn’t recall a damn thing until his seventh birthday, the day Peter and Maeve asked him to be part of their family. He supposed that was for the best, but they were gone now, too, and this damn city was conjuring ghosts.
He expelled a harsh breath, wishing he hadn’t agreed to keynote the summit, but a shot or six of bourbon would help. Then he could go to sleep, get up, give his speech, board the plane tomorrow, and go back to Chicago. He wasn’t a kid anymore, alone and at the mercy of a capricious system. He was in control of his life, and there was no reason for the panic clawing at his throat. No reason at all—and no goddamn memories.
He spotted a bar right next to his hotel. The one good thing about New Orleans—it was always happy hour somewhere. He stepped through the door and made a beeline for the whirling rainbow of daiquiri machines, hoping there was straight liquor, too.
As he slid onto a corner stool, he looked around for the bartender. It didn’t take him long to spot her talking to a customer at the other end of the bar. Her bare shoulders and lean curves were proudly displayed in a low-cut tank, her lean legs showcased in a sexy denim skirt. Anticipation
curled through him as he raised his hand and cleared his throat. She acknowledged him with a wave but turned her back, obviously in no hurry to serve him. Irritation brought a prickle of heat to his skin. He was in no mood to wait, no matter how hot the bartender.
After a minute, she moseyed toward him, but when she finally stopped he’d half decided to leave. There were plenty of other bars in the French Quarter. But then she met his gaze with smoky gray eyes the color of banked coals, and another kind of heat flashed through him. He noted silky blue-black hair, a lush mouth, and prominent cheekbones, but it was her pale gray eyes, bright against her toffee- colored skin, that kept him in his seat.
Unmistakable interest flared in her eyes, a tight, hot connection. Her pupils widened, nearly eclipsing the gray, and when she licked her lips, he nearly groaned.
“What can I get you?” Her sweet Southern drawl was a potent accelerant to the heat building between them.
He sucked in a hard breath and then released it as a laugh. “Ice water, I think.”
Her gaze became coolly professional. The glass was in front of him, precisely centered on a bar nap, before he could catch another breath.
And then she was gone.
He stared after her for a few seconds and then settled into a more comfortable position on his bar stool and took a sip of the water. It didn’t cool him. If anything it made him hotter. He still wanted liquor, but he wasn’t going to pass the evening in a drunken stupor, not if he could score a better offer from the gorgeous bartender. That split second of shimmering attraction was a challenge he couldn’t resist. He
drained his water and waited for her to come back. Bourbon was good, but sex was better, and he didn’t need to sleep tonight.
Betsy ignored the suit’s empty glass as long as she could. The guy was obviously on the make, and she stayed away from the rich ones, the men with enough power and money to have plenty of practice abusing it, leaving that hopeless territory to her ever-optimistic mother. No suits. Her father had been a rich player, and her mother might as well own a T-shirt with a picture of Last Call that said, “I gave him my heart, and all I got was this lousy bar,” a parting gift from a man who could afford it. I don’t need a man to change my fate.
A sudden vision of what a man could do for her washed over her, leaving her knees weak, her skin tingling, and a sigh trapped in her throat. How long had it been? She couldn’t remember. Too long. Desire ripped through her, but that suit was trouble—and she was in a dangerous mood tonight. Best to ignore everything but the next order, which she screwed up because she was wondering what he smelled like, kissed like, felt like… What the hell was wrong with her?
“On the house.” She poured the correct drink and gave the customer a weak smile.
The suit was still staring at her, blatant lust in his expression, and she couldn’t summon her customary indifference. Her nipples tightened under her tank. Oh, hell no. He held up his glass, and she sighed, slowly moving toward him, feeling a rabbit hole open up under her feet as
she returned his steady gaze.
His eyes were light brown with gold flecks, and his hair was the color of mahogany, rich with reddish highlights. It brushed his shoulders in expensive-looking waves. He wore his Armani as comfortably as an athlete might sport Adidas, like he lived in it. Even sitting at the bar, he looked tall, powerful, exuding a confidence that spoke to her on her deepest level, the one that wanted to lie down and let someone else figure it out, for once. But it was all up to her. It always had been.
Her mother would be content to sling drinks forever, but Betsy wanted an easier life for all of them. She’d seen the toll the bar life had taken on her mother, and her sister Kate was headed in exactly the same direction. No one could work as hard as they did and not want some comfort at the end of the night—
He tossed a hundred-dollar bill on the bar. “Bakers, a double, with a little ice. Then water with lime until your shift ends. Unless you can leave now?”
She tried to roll her eyes, but scorn was hard to pull off when lust exploded inside her like he’d tossed a cherry bomb and hit dead center. “Aren’t you going to wink?” She was proud her voice was steady.
“If you’re going to say something that cheesy, you have to follow it up with a wink. It’s a rule. C’mon, pretty boy, show me your wink. I know you’ve got one.”
“If I show you mine…” A slow smile started in his eyes then traveled southward. By the time his lips formed a full curve, she was staring at his mouth. She jerked her gaze up to his eyes just in time to get blindsided by a sexy wink.
“Not interested,” she said.
“Me neither. Now that we’ve gotten the lies out of the way, what time do you get off?”
It was better not to think about how long it had been since she’d gotten off. “Whenever I want, but not with you.”
“Too rich for my blood.” She pumped derision into her tone as she swept her gaze over him. “Nice suit. Bet it cost more than I make in a month.”
“I’ll go back to my hotel and change if that will give me a shot.”
“Did you pack anything but suits? I doubt it.”
He gave her that slow grin again. “Busted. But the offer to take it off still stands. Better yet, you do it.”
Her entire body clenched with need, and she froze, trying not to betray her response. “Your crappy lines aren’t getting you anywhere.”
“I’m just being honest.”
“Honest doesn’t have as much practice picking up women as you clearly do. I’m guessing you’re in town for a convention?” Tourists didn’t wear suits.
“Hotelier summit.”
“Since you’re here for something as fancy as a summit, I’m gonna go out on a limb and assume you own more than one hotel.” She waited for his nod. “And given the way you just tried to pick me up as casually as you ordered your drink, I’m also going to assume the technique usually works for you. In fact, I bet you’ve got women waiting for you in hotel bars all over the country.” He held her gaze and said nothing, but she saw the answer in his eyes. She jerked a thumb over her shoulder at the daiquiri machines. “If you
want the flavor of the night, order the Banana Rum.”
“Flavor of the night—I like that. I could make you like it, too. I have all that experience, remember?”
“We’re not having this conversation.” She set his bourbon in front of him.
He picked up the bill he’d dropped on the bar and held it out to her. “Women enjoy the things I have to offer.”
“Let me guess, sex and money?”
His nod both irritated and aroused her. “I don’t want either. Enjoy your free drink.”
What an asshole. She walked away, automatically pulling beers and pouring daiquiris for her other customers. But her thoughts stayed focused on the man watching her as if she were a meal he planned to savor. Her rejection seemed to have no impact on him. Of course, if he had as much experience as he claimed, he could probably read her body language. Even as she’d forced her lips to say no, her body had swelled under his taut regard. Goddamn suit.
Was it her fault the women in her family had a congenital weakness for business attire?
After watching her mother get her heart broken by rich jerks, never hooking up with random suit-wearing strangers was a point of pride…but her mother had already left for the night, and Betsy was leaving for culinary school tomorrow. She’d be long gone before anyone could tease her about her hook-up. Oh my God, am I actually considering this?
She worked faster, trying to escape the temptation, but every time he took a sip of his drink, her gaze flashed to his hands and then his mouth, cataloging the sensuality of his movements. She couldn’t help but imagine what kind of a body was under that expensive jacket. Soft from living the
good life? Or hard from expending the energy that seemed to swirl around him? She’d guess hard.
He caught her eyeing him, and he gave her that slow, sexy grin again, the one that said resistance is futile. Every part of her trembled. Her hard nipples brushed against her shirt, and her panties dampened. She marched over and slammed another glass down in front of him, filled it with ice and water, and then squeezed a lime in it like she was squishing a bug. She left his damn money right where it was. “I close the bar at two.”
She stalked away.
Rinse and repeat all night. He got up once to use the restroom. The rest of the time he watched her.
Well after midnight, Kate nudged her with an elbow. “Lucky bitch.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Plausible deniability, for the win. Betsy was the closer tonight, and she doubted her little sister would stick around a minute longer than necessary.
“Oh, please.” Kate’s grin was far worldlier than it should be, considering she had just turned eighteen a few months ago and was barely old enough to work in the bar. “Leaving town with a bang, huh? Good for you.”
Betsy flushed. “Last call.”
Kate giggled and hurried toward her big table to take an order for one more round.
Betsy watched her dodge groping hands and laugh off suggestive comments. I’m so glad I’m not going to have to put up with that kind of bullshit for the next two years. And as soon as Betsy graduated from the Culinary Academy, her
sister and mother wouldn’t have to endure it either. They were going to turn this place into a restaurant and get out of the bar life forever. Betsy intended to work her butt off at school to make sure her family would have a better life.
But tonight, she was going to have a little fun.
She felt his gaze caress her and couldn’t wait for her last official shift as a bartender to be over. It hadn’t been as bad as usual tonight, not with the suit keeping an eye on her. No one had dared step out of line after he deflected the hand of an overly friendly patron reaching for her ass on one of her trips out from behind the bar. There had been leashed aggression in his voice as he’d issued a low warning, “Control your impulses, buddy.” But the wink he’d aimed at her had been full of humor. Warmth filled her at the memory. If she hadn’t been so anxious for the night to end, it might have been kind of fun to have a protector.
She sucked in a startled breath and focused on pouring drinks. She didn’t need a protector. That was the kind of thinking that led to heartbreak. One night. A good time. That was all she wanted.
Slowly, the bar emptied.
Betsy dealt with the money while the cocktail servers set the bar to rights, ignoring their smirks as the man stayed put at the bar. Kate shot her a thumbs-up and blew her a kiss before she slipped out the front door and locked it behind her. Heart pounding, Betsy closed the shutters, and then dimmed the lights.
He stood when she stopped in front of him. “Quinton James.”
“Betsy Mouton.”
When he took her hand, a spark shot between them.
Ridiculous. That shit doesn’t happen in real life. He raised her hand to his lips, and goose bumps broke out all over her body. Her eyes dipped shut, and a wave of longing washed over her, so intense she locked her knees to keep them from buckling. “This is nuts. I don’t do this.” The words stuttered from her lips.
“Neither do I.”
She frowned at the obvious lie, and he chuckled. “I’ve never sat in a bar for six hours waiting for a woman.”
“Why did you?”
“Because every time you walked by I wanted to do this.” He cupped her chin with a sure hand and slowly leaned toward her. The time he took bridging the distance between them underscored her consent.
He wrapped his other arm around her waist, pulling her tight. They fit, and his low sound of enjoyment echoed the flood of pleasure sweeping through her. There was no reason on earth this should feel right, but it did.
He took her lips. His mouth was soft, moving with skill, and his breath was scented with lime from his water. His tongue stroked fire through her veins, melting her against him, and she clutched his broad shoulders, feeling dizzy from fighting arousal. A moan rose in her throat, and she tried to swallow it—and failed.
She wasn’t herself tonight.That was the only explanation. Betsy Mouton would never hook up with a cocky player like him. She didn’t do one-night-stands, casual sex, or irresponsibility in any way, shape, or form. But Quinton James didn’t know that. She could be whoever she wanted to be tonight, do whatever she wanted to do. She’d never see him again, and the freedom was intoxicating. Tomorrow, responsible Betsy would get on the plane to New York and set about changing her family’s destiny, but tonight she was going to embrace the spirit of New Orleans. Let the good times roll.
“Where are you staying?” she asked.
“Right next door.”
He kept kissing her, his hand cupping her ass, moving her up and down on his thigh. She dug her fingers into his shoulders, trying to brace herself against the waves of hot bliss that knocked the words from her mouth. Second thoughts crowded her brain. Just because they’d been eye- fucking each other all night and he had the patience to wait her out didn’t mean this was a good idea. “Can I assume you have condoms and no means no, just in case I change my mind?”
“I like your use of the plural as it relates to condoms, and I have plenty. But we both know no means maybe or you wouldn’t be kissing me.” When she tensed, his grip tightened. “Before you flounce off with your feminist principles in an uproar, let’s make a deal. Stop means stop, but I consider no a challenge. I’ve been sitting here all night thinking of things I’d like to do to you, and I want to make you say yes.”
“Make me?” She searched his eyes, seeing determination and so much lust she quivered. He gazed back at her with equal absorption. What did he see in her depths?
But she knew.
Softness to his hardness. Give to his take. Surrender. He was every fantasy she’d ever had and denied she wanted. She’d never met a man strong enough to make her do anything. She didn’t want to. She had her own plans for her future, but she was fascinated with the way he made her feel.
She wasn’t going to say stop. “Just for tonight.”
“That’s all I’ve got.” That slow smile spread across his mouth. Oh dear God, that smile was lethal. Carnal. It ought to come with a warning. He trapped her against the bar and pressed his hardness into her hip. I guess the smile is the warning.
“Six hours gives a man a lot of time to think about every imaginable way to make a woman come. Let’s get out of here.”
She nodded and led him to the side door, keyed the alarm code, and followed him into the alley, locking the door behind them. He put his arm around her as they walked to the street, and she leaned into his hard body. The scent of his warm skin mixed with his spicy cologne and the scent of her arousal made her tighten in anticipation.
Neither of them spoke as they entered his hotel, but her breath caught at the beauty and luxury of her surroundings as it always did when she stepped into the neighboring hotel. She studied him while he watched the numbers on the floors drop, amused by his obvious impatience. On a normal night, she wouldn’t be caught dead with a rich suit like him. Everything she was wearing probably cost less than one of his shoes. She made a bet with herself during the elevator ride and won it when he opened the door to his suite. It was as big as her apartment and then some. She stood in the doorway, taking it in.
“Impressed?”
“Nope. Lots of money usually means no scruples, soul, or conscience. I absolutely can’t stand guys who think they can get whatever they want by paying for it.”
His chuckle tickled the back of her neck as he nudged
her into the room and locked the door behind them. “Then why are you here?”
“I’m making a one-time exception.”
“Lucky for me.” He swept her into his arms and carried her down the hall, kicking open the door of a dark bedroom. He dropped her onto the bed and followed her down, stretching out beside her. His tongue traced her lips in a teasing kiss while his hand cupped her breast. Her skin tingled, coming alive at his touch. She held her breath as his hand moved downward, catching the hem of her short skirt and pulling it to the top of her thighs. He slipped his thumb under the crotch of her panties, and the hot slide of his touch made her moan.
“You’re soaked.” His voice was rough. “Soft and smooth, like you’ve been wanting this as much as I have tonight.”
She bit her lip, trying not to tremble, on fire from his touch. He wasn’t doing anything complicated, just moving his thumb back and forth, but the pleasure was sharp, intense, almost too much to handle. Her head thrashed against the pillows as his mouth whispered over her breasts, tonguing her nipples through her tank. His teeth grazed her neck, and she strained against him as his thumb sank into her body.
Suddenly, he rose to his knees and pulled her hips into the center of the bed. He thrust her skirt up to circle her waist, and yanked her panties and her sandals off at the same time. He settled between her thighs, and she lost her breath on a ragged moan.
His lips were firm and relentless, no tentative exploration, no slow discovery of what she liked. He seemed to know, ravaging her with his tongue while his hands held her hips in place. A flash fantasy of him on top, driving into her, his fingers manacling her wrists, made her eyes slam shut and her mouth fall open in a raw gasp. She wanted him inside, in control, driving her wild, and he seemed to be on exactly the same page. The thought of him taking her every way he’d imagined made her whimper, and she fought the urge to beg him to hold her down. Then she remembered she’d never see him again. Why did she care if he knew her secret desires?
“Hold my wrists,” she whispered. “Make me.”
His grip on her hips tightened, and a thrill shot through her. She writhed against his lips, close, so close. She needed him to lick her again, right there, hold her tighter, just a little harder…
She screamed when he took his mouth away.
“Easy, sweetheart. Hang on. You’ll like this even better.”
He moved her feet to his shoulders and grabbed her wrists, using them as leverage to pull her back to his mouth. Her legs were trapped between their bodies, knees bent in a deliciously confining position. His tongue speared deep inside her, fucking her in short strokes, and then his mouth fastened over her clit, sucking, and then rubbing with his tongue, all the while pulling her closer, tighter, harder, until she had nowhere to go. Every muscle tensed, and then ecstasy slammed through her. She howled against the onslaught, unable to move, yet needing to ease the pressure somehow. She thrust against him with her heels, but he crowded closer, trapping her hands against her hips, holding her captive.
His tongue slowed but didn’t stop, tracing leisurely patterns, until she collapsed on the bed, taking deep, shuddering breaths and blinking away the spots dancing before her eyes. Her scalp prickled with sweat, and every inch of skin burned. She sighed as he slid up to spoon her,
feeling like every bone in her body had melted. “That was… oh my God…um…” She searched for the right words, but her brain couldn’t move either.
His warm breath brushed the back of her neck as he chuckled. He pulled her hips into the curve of his, and his cock rubbed against her ass. Her breath whooshed out of her lungs. Impossibly, she got hotter. He might be the opposite of everything she usually liked in a man, but she wanted him so badly she shamelessly ground her ass against him, lost to the fire building between them. Not me. This is not me. Just for tonight.
He yanked her skirt down over her hips and threw it off the bed. As she pulled her shirt over her head, she heard the muffled sound of his jacket hitting the floor, a zipper, more fabric rustling, and the sound of plastic ripping.
“Condom is all set.” He slid back into place behind her, and the sudden warmth of his hard body made her groan in pleasure. She felt his teeth nip her neck as he rolled on top of her, pressing her face-down into the bed. She imagined him taking her from behind, and arousal slammed through her in a sizzling rush. As if he’d read her mind, he lifted her hips, tenting her body over the bed and then shoving pillows under her.
“Are you comfortable in this position?” he asked.
“One more taste.” His breath whispered over her, making her quiver, then his tongue was inside her. She pressed her face into the comforter to muffle her moans. Without the pillows, she would have collapsed from the hot pleasure of his tongue teasing her up to the edge, the cool arousal of saliva on her skin when he pulled away. She felt
his cock against her opening and thrust back, hard, seating him deep, and gasped, nearly climaxing just from having him inside her. She bucked her hips back and forth, wanting to feel that invasion again and again.
He fell forward, pinning her. “Oh no, you don’t. Be still. You want me to make you, remember? I want to make you.”
He caught her arms and held them over her head with one hand. He thrust the other hand beneath her, finding her clit and circling it with his fingers while his cock slid in and out. Each slow glide pushed her closer to the peak, but she was helpless, pinned by his hips and hands, unable to reach for it. She scrambled for purchase, wanting to increase the friction, change the angle, anything that would take her higher, but she couldn’t get her knees under her, and the sense of helplessness was the most erotic thing she’d ever known.
His fingers rubbed harder, and his hips moved faster. She stopped fighting and pressure built, as if everything inside her was waiting while the storm gathered. She held her breath. Faster, harder, tighter.
And then he stopped. “Tell me you want me.” His voice was harsh in her ear. “And I’ll make you come.”
Was he serious? “Get moving, you jerk.” She nearly sobbed. “Ask nicely.” He resumed a lazy rhythm.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” She groaned. His silence told her he wasn’t. Was he kinky? Did he want to hear her beg? She took a deep breath, tempted to tell him to stop. She could finish the job herself, right in front of him. That would teach him. However, the words bubbled into her head and the thought of saying them made her shudder with need.
Why not just say it? She’d never see him again.
“I want you,” she whispered. “Please…please make me come.”
He hammered into her, and stars burst behind her eyelids as her body detonated. One spasm set off another, and she quaked beneath him. She heard him groan, felt him tense, and she chanted the word please over and over again as she exploded with him.
Make Me, Take Me is a clear case of what happens when an author transforms the labor of crafting a story into a true labor of love.
Betsy and Quin's story may be filled with fierce and unchecked passion, but it is a passion that is laced with deep heartfelt pain.
It is this pain that both serves to draw the two hearts together, while threatening to destroy both their lives and their love.
Throw in the complications of money and distrust, and set it all against the ghosts, glory, beauty, and tragedy that is New Orleans, and you have 'une bonne fois'...for sure! This tale is one built and brought to life through the wonders of escalation. Each interaction, each word, each scenario a carefully placed accentuation of the one before. This is an element that is a delightful constant from beginning to end and scene to scene.
Both this story's leading man and leading lady are very well matched. This story is not so much one
of someone saving someone, as it is of two souls walking out of the shadows of doubt, loneliness, and fear...together.
Annnddddd...
LET'S NOT FORGET THE SEX!
This book is filled to the brim with earth shattering, bone melting, ohhhh no he didn't...ohh la la!
This is NOT the book that you want to read in public.
The sensuality increases in time with the emotionality, making each time these two come together hotter than the last.
The drama of a man blessed with everything but family, and a woman too afraid to trust her heart, is one that will stoke the fires of your body, provide thought provoking food for your mind, and feed the truth seeking belief that love conquers all...in your soul.
Labels: 5 Stars, Adult Erotic Romance, Entangled Romance, U
You Will Be Sure To Find Your Happily Ever After In "Seducing The Princess"
Title: Seducing The Princess
(The Shilling Agency #3)
Author: Jen McLaughlin
A sexy category romance from Entangled's Brazen imprint...
He'll give her exactly what she needs…
Protecting a princess is not what former marine Gordon Waybrook signed up for when he joined the Shillings Agency. But instead of the spoiled, regal little creature he expects, Isabelle VanGuard is a fiery, sexy-as hell woman who's been denied what she needs for too long. And he's just the man to break through her frozen public facade and give it to her.
When she's with Gordon, all Isabelle can think about is pleasure. Their blistering chemistry is immediate and intense, but volatile. In fact, the only thing they agree on is that their one night together is just that—one night. Even after it becomes more. But tempers and temptation can't disguise reality. Isabelle is a princess, and a hot, hard, and tattooed bodyguard isn't the Prince Charming her country expects…even if he's exactly what she needs. -Goodreads
Seducing the Princess
by Diane Alberts
Copyright © 2014 by Diane Alberts. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher.
Gordon Waybrook sighed and shifted his weight in the overly padded seat of the coffee shop booth he’d been sitting in for the last twenty minutes. The seat next to him was empty. Not for lack of trying, though. He’d already sent three women away, but he wasn’t hanging out in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, trying to pick up women.
He was there to scope out his charge, Princess Isabelle VanGuard of Maldeva.
All he knew about the woman was she was a spoiled princess, magnificent in a way that screamed for him to see if she was as stunning under her clothes as she was in them— and she was late. He glanced down at the copy of her official schedule to double-check the time, and sure enough, coffee was penciled in at four o’clock in the afternoon.
Of course, the Princess didn’t have to worry about being on time. People just waited for her and didn’t dare to complain because, well, she was a fucking princess. She
probably never said please or thank you. Just expected life to be handed to her with a shiny silver bow. Wait, no. Platinum.
With priceless diamonds.
If she thought he’d bow at her feet and kiss her toes, she had another think coming. She might be royalty and way above his reach, but he was an American.
And he didn’t bow at anyone’s feet unless he fucking wanted to.
Fifteen minutes and thirty-six seconds later…the royal princess herself walked in. As soon as he saw her, he stiffened. She wore big brown sunglasses, and held herself so stiffly he couldn’t believe she didn’t faint from the sheer energy it must take to stand so damn perfectly. Her long legs were covered in black pantyhose, and she wore heels that looked to be at least three inches high. Her blonde hair reached halfway down her back and was flawlessly smooth.
She was drop-dead gorgeous.
Way too much so for royalty.
Two women, who looked to be assistants of some sort, flanked her, their eyes narrow, and their mouths pinched tight. Isabelle scanned the room, her gaze slipping over him and then popping back immediately. When she didn’t look away, he raised a brow and stared right back at her. He expected her to blush from being caught staring at a tatted up dude in a shop…
But she stared right back at him.
Not only that, but she sashayed over, too. That was the only word for it, because her hips swung like he couldn’t believe. Holy mother of fucking shit, she was going to kill him before this mission was over. He cleared his throat and tugged on his collar. Great. Now he’d actually have to talk to her and introduce himself as her guard.
“Hello, I’m—”
“Staring at me,” she said, her soft accent washing over him. “Do we know each other, or do you make it a habit to stare at strange women in coffee shops?”
“Well…” Looking her up and down, he smirked. “You don’t look all that strange to me, so…?”
She laughed, then cut it off and glanced over her shoulder quickly. It was almost as if she was surprised she’d laughed at all. “You must not know me at all, then, because I’m one of the strangest women you’ll ever meet.”
He grinned. “I doubt that.”
“So you just like watching women in shops, then?” she asked, a small smile playing on her lips. They were soft and pink.
“Pretty women?” He shrugged. “Hell yeah. But no, we haven’t met.”
“Ah.” She tilted her head. “I’d hoped we had met, so my coming over here wouldn’t seem quite so…forward.”
He chuckled. “Lady? This is America. You don’t need a proper introduction to walk up to someone. You just do it.”
“In that case…” She nodded at the two women frowning at her from across the room, slid out the empty chair next to him, and smiled. They moved to the opposite side of the room, watching him closely the whole time. Especially the pinch-lipped one. “Nice to meet you.”
Grinning, he nodded. “Likewise. Please. Have a seat,” he said sardonically.
She laughed that musical laugh again. “Thank you. Don’t mind if I do. That’s an adorable accent you have.”
The grin slipped off his face. Adorable? Adorable was
for tiny puppies and little orange kittens that chased their own tails. He’d never once been described as adorable.
“I don’t have an accent at all.”
She smiled. “Not to you, but for me? It’s quite unique.”
“As is yours,” he said. After taking a sip of coffee, he motioned the barista over. “Not quite British, but almost French.”
Pursing her lips, she said, “Close enough.”
So, she wouldn’t tell him where she was from. She got an A+ for secrecy.
The woman who’d been watching him from behind the counter came over, all smiles. “Yes?”
“Can you get my friend here a…?”
“Fat free caramel mocha, please. No cream,” she said, smiling and friendly the whole time. “Thank you.”
So much for her never saying please and thank you.
She was proving him wrong on so many aspects without even trying. Usually, that pissed him off, but in this case? It was refreshingly good news. “Living dangerously, I see,” he murmured. “Who doesn’t get whipped cream?”
Tossing her hair behind her back, she met his stare head on. “I don’t live dangerously at all, for the most part. Taking risks is foolish and irresponsible.”
Spoken like a true princess.
“I agree.” He leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers in front of his stomach. “If everyone got whipped cream on their mochas, just think of the madness that could ensue. Rioting. Murder. Downright insanity.”
She laughed. It was perfect. Almost as if she practiced it everyday until she got it just right. “All right, Mr. Ass Pants.”
He choked on a laugh. “Mr. What?”
“Umm…” She froze, looking mortified. “Isn’t that a phrase here?”
“No.” Laughing fully now, he reached out and squeezed her hand. “I think you were going for Mr. Smarty Pants. Or maybe smart ass. But the two don’t really get combined.”
“Oops. See what happens when I try to be silly? Utter madness.”
“I think it’s refreshingly cute,” he countered. “Not mad at all.”
She blushed. Actually blushed. “Thank you.”
That was twice in one minute. He’d been so wrong.
And he had no idea what to do with that knowledge.
He shook his head, unable to look away from her. She was so…beautiful. Even more so now that he knew she didn’t have a stick lodged permanently up her ass as he’d originally suspected. He didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing just yet, though, because it made her even more tempting than before.
The barista came over, a to-go cup in her hand. “Here you go. That’ll be four twenty-six.”
Isabelle reached into her purse, but Gordon beat her there. After handing the cash to the worker, he smiled at Isabelle. “I’ve got it.”
“This isn’t a date,” she said, her lips twitching. “I should pay.”
“In America, we pay when we want to.” He locked gazes with her. “And I want to.”
“You keep throwing that statement at me. ‘In America, we…’ fill in the blank.”
He snorted. “I’ll be honest. We love ‘filling in’ stuff here in America. I can’t argue with that.”
She covered her face. “Oh my.”
“It’s okay. You kinda walked into—”
“Excuse me?” the stern faced, pinch-lipped, gray haired woman interrupted. Gordon recognized her as one of Isabelle’s assistants…or whatever they were called. “We need to go now.”
“Hello,” he said. Time to come clean and tell Isabelle who he really was. He didn’t mind doing so anymore, because he liked her now. A lot. Too much, maybe. “Don’t worry. I’m her—”
“I wasn’t speaking to you.” She frowned at him, as if he was dirtying Isabelle by simply being near her. Truth be told…he might be doing precisely that. He wasn’t exactly a prince or anything. “We need to go. You have a schedule to stick to.”
Isabelle’s hands dropped, and she looked up at the woman. “Yes. Yes, of course. I’ll be right over, Mary.” She sat up straighter, her face falling back into that regal expression. “Thank you.”
And right now, he saw the princess he’d expected to see. Regal. Proper. Uptight. Spoiled. “Duty calls, huh?”
She glanced at him. “I’m afraid so. It was lovely meeting you, though.”
“You as well.” He held his hand out, waiting for her to take it. She studied it, then slid her fingers into his palm. Staring at her, he raised her knuckles to his mouth and kissed it. “I have a feeling we’ll be seeing each other again.”
She flushed, her fingers wiggling in his. “I doubt that. I have a very busy visit planned.”
“We’ll see,” he said, grinning.
After glancing over her shoulder nervously, she turned back and whispered, “But maybe if you’d like to—?”
“Miss.” The gray haired woman crossed her arms and stepped closer. “I really must insist we continue on. There is a lot to do before six tonight.”
The cranky assistant referred to Isabelle’s dinner plans later on.
“Right.” She offered Gordon one last smile. “It really was nice meeting you.”
“You, too.” He let go of her hand reluctantly. “See ya later.”
“Goodbye,” she said, slipping out of the chair.
He watched her walk away, her hips swinging gracefully
with each move. As she walked out of the door, she glanced back at him, the light in her eyes subdued. With a small smile, she slipped her sunglasses on and left.
He couldn’t wait to see the surprise on her face when he introduced himself later as her guard, couldn’t wait to hear his name on her lips. Would it be as soft and lilting as everything else she said? What if she screamed it out in pleasure as he went down—shit.
He was screwed, because he wasn’t supposed to touch her…
And that’s all he could think about, but he wouldn’t even think about trying to pursue that avenue. She was a princess, and he’d never be good enough for a woman like her. She’d expect castles, horses, world tours, and jewels.
Not cape cods, dogs, Maine, and nightmares.
This book has everything that makes Brazen romances great. A strong, caring, and supportive leading man; a self assured, powerful, and passionate leading lady, and sexy, sexy, sexy, sex. It also doesn't seem to hurt that she just happens to be a princess and he is the guard assigned to...well, guard her.Throw in an intense attraction that neither expected, a few well timed and rather kinky rolls in the Mustang, bed, (insert place here_____) a scandal of international proportions, and a whole lotta love...and you have Diane Albert's Seducing The Princess.
Gordon may not have 'blue blood', but it is quite clear from the start that he has the 'knight in shining armor' thing down.
The gleam of the steel in his spirit is the perfect accompaniment to the glint of the iron in that of his princess. Nothing about this worldwind romance can be referred to as staid, boring, or expected.
There is a great deal of twisty and turny to be had plot wise, making the story a great balance of the sensual and the fanciful, and proving that even royalty has to sometimes go that extra mile to truly find her prince.
Labels: 5 Stars, Adult Romantic Erotica, Entangled Romance, M
"Dragon Her Back" Packs Quite The Action Filled Bite
Title: Dragon Her Back
(Las Vegas Dragons #3)
Author: Susannah Scott
A paranormal category romance from Entangled's Covet imprint…
How To Claim Your Dragon...
As the head of security of Vegas's Crown Jewel casino―and its hidden dragonshifter sanctuary―ice dragon Darius Dachien commands respect. Unfortunately, that respect isn't always reciprocated. In fact, when it comes to the stunning Mei Chen, hostility might be a better word. Which makes things even harder for Darius, since Mei is his dragon mate. Without her, his dragon form is fading fast... and once lost, will be gone forever.
Mei can't deny the fierce chemistry that simmers between them. If Darius were ever to discover who―or rather, what―she really is, she wouldn't just lose him, but her place with the dragonshifters. The moment Mei's past comes crashing into her present, she realizes her time for secrets has ended. Now she must reveal her true self... and risk both her life and her heart with the one man who could destroy her. -Goodreads
Dragon Her Back
by Susannah Scott Copyright © 2014 by Susannah Scott. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher.
It occurred to Darius on Tuesday that his strategy with Mei was flawed, yet again.
By Wednesday, he’d read five relationship-guru bestsellers, re-read the psychology masters, and studied the top ten love blogs. He drew the line at watching a chick flick to help him find his inner empathy.
Over the years, he’d tried many different approaches to impress Mei: waiting, cajoling, attempts to make her jealous. Nothing swayed her. Asking his friend Alec, the King of the dragons, to talk to her on his behalf had failed so epically that after Alec’s chat with her, she wouldn’t stay in the same room with him. Although Mei was an ice dragon, like him, and loyal to the king, private relationships were private.
And enough was enough. It had been five years, ten months, and twenty-eight days since she’d been in his bed. He was determined to not hit the six-year mark without their bond completed. His dragon form was starting to wane
without his bond with Mei, and he didn’t want to risk losing his dragon form forever.
Hence, the new approach.
Darius strode to his office on the catwalk of the Crown Jewel Casino’s high-tech surveillance center. His notes from his online research on winning over Mei sat ready for him to parse in digital folders on his computer.
He frowned as he sat in his leather chair, picked up his stress ball, and squished it between his fingers. On his computer, he reopened a popular blog on love. It was mostly useless drivel: all love-is-the-answer, love-will-set-you-free, yada, yada. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe in love. His parents had been mated for over fifty years. Their partnership was solid, based on compatibility and mutual goals.
He wanted that with Mei, but also with the back-in-his- bed part thrown in. After their one night together, he knew they had the hot sex part covered. So hot, the memory of it still scorched the back of his eyelids when he dreamed.
He scanned to the blog’s comments section. One poster, FoundMyTrueLOVE—obviously a woman—went on and on about how she’d tried an online dating service and found her True LOVE!!!! Whoa. Someone should tell her caps and four exclamation points just made her seem…unstable.
His interest perked at the description of an online service written by a more literate poster. Supposedly, for a small fee, the fine folks at LoveMatch used an algorithm to calculate from sixty questions with whom in their database their clients were most compatible.
Interesting. He should have thought of it himself.
Mei was compatible with him, whether she admitted it or not. She had his dragon mark on her hand to prove it,
which meant she was his destined mate. She covered it with makeup, but everyone knew she was his. If she remained unconvinced, maybe he could put her preferences into the algorithm and figure out the best way to approach her— become her perfect match.
Brilliant new plan.
He liked it.
Ten minutes later, he used his NSA-ready-computer skills to hack into the LoveMatch mainframe and found the questions and the mathematical weights given to each answer. As expected, the questionnaire funneled the responses, with the first questions carrying the highest weight.
How would Mei describe herself in five words?
How would he describe her, no problem: sexy as hell, secretive, and ambitious. Those choices weren’t listed, and none of the typical answers fit Mei.
He squeezed his stress ball until it oozed between his fingers. Would she consider herself dragon or human first? It was an existential question long argued by their people, the whole which-came-first: the reactionary dragon or the rational human. No one really knew the answer.
It galled him that he’d never seen her ice dragon form. There was nothing a dragon loved better than the dragon form of their mate. Mei stayed away from all the dragon- focused social events at the casino and kept to herself when she was hunting. He figured she withheld her dragon from him on purpose as a punishment—or because she worried she couldn’t resist him in her more bestial form.
Right. Keep dreaming.
He looked at the next question.
What is the first thing people notice about you?
Her lips. She wore red lipstick that accented her bow- shaped mouth. He loved her lips. He could imagine them wrapped around his cock even now, leaving a red circle…a brand. A red brand on his cock.
God, he was bad at this.
He was going to need some help.
Darius tapped on the executive office door, not surprised to find Leo’s wife, Tee, at work there. “Hey, you got a minute?” Tee straightened from her perusal of building plans on the conference table. She was Paiute Native American, and when she smiled, her angled cheekbones softened. “Sure, Come on in.”
“How’s the new site coming?” He entered the window-lined executive office and peered over Tee’s shoulder. The new site was a joint venture project between the Crown Jewel Casino and Tee’s Paiute Tribe. While the Crown Jewel was located on the swank Vegas strip, and secretly housed a dragon sanctuary in its top floors, this new site would be on tribal land and wholly human. The added revenue would do much to help the reservation’s depleted infrastructure.
“Good.” Tee smiled. “The tribe’s in agreement with the placement of the golf course, and we’ve found a low-impact builder. We should break ground this spring.”
“That’s great.” He rolled the paper with the list of questions he’d written from LoveMatch in his right hand, unsure how to ask about Mei.
Tee shifted her gaze to his hand. “What’s that?”
Darius sat in a conference chair, swiveling on his heels,
back and forth. Tee was one of Mei’s best friends despite being a human and not a dragon. But, after the fallout from the time she’d advised him to try and make Mei jealous, she’d maintained a strict you’re-on-your-own attitude to helping him with Mei.
Tee put her hands on her hips. “What is it? One of my old players acting up?” She referred to the impressive list of casino high rollers she used to hostess before she married Leo, the king’s right-hand man and the casino’s CEO of Operations.
“No. It’s Mei.”
“Lord have mercy.” Tee threw her hands up. “Not this again. I’ve told you a million times, talk directly to the woman.”
“I’ve got a new strategy.”
“Uh-huh.” Tee turned back to the plans, giving him her profile. Her long black hair swept a curtain between them, which he guessed was deliberate.
“I’ve just got a few questions about her that I can’t answer.”
“Why don’t you ask her yourself?”
“You know why. I haven’t actually seen her, in person, in months.”
Not since Alec had tried talking to her. She hadn’t even given Darius the satisfaction of a big blow up. She’d just gone ice princess on him. As an ice dragon himself, he knew something about frigid.
Mei made frigid look like a balmy day on the equator.
“Whose fault is that?” Tee met his gaze, and her dark brown eyes were solemn.
“Just a few questions.”
“All right,” Tee said. “Fire away.”
Relief coursed through him. “What five words would you use to describe Mei?”
“Loyal. Tidy. Focused. Driven. Funny.” Tee rattled them off without glancing up from blue prints for the Paiute Tribe development.
He compared his mental list. “Funny?” He supposed driven and ambitious could mean the same thing, but he never would have said funny.
“Yeah. She’s hysterical. You didn’t know that?”
He shook his head. He tried to remember if he’d ever heard her laugh.
Dismay that understanding Mei was forever beyond him coursed through his system. He had to change her mind. Failure was not an option. His strength was fading in a way that spoke of waning and not just a bad day at the gym. If he didn’t connect with his mate—Mei—soon, his dragon would disappear forever, leaving him mortal, weak, and alone.
He had to keep trying. “Her favorite food?”
Sushi. Had to be sushi. He’d watched her order it from the casino chef direct tons of times on the surveillance cameras.
“Yellowtail tuna sushi.”
He smiled wide. “What does her dragon look like?”
“I’ve never seen it.”
“What?” Surprise made him look up from his notes. Tee gave him her full attention. “You haven’t, either? I just figured it was because I was a human and all.” She shrugged. “You could ask Jane.”
Maybe it wasn’t that odd for Tee not to have seen her
dragon form. It was discouraged for them to shift except on the casino’s rooftop dragon sanctuary. They didn’t want the humans to guess the “mechanical” flying dragons that circled the fifty-two-story casino weren’t mechanical at all.
“I’m not one to give relationship advice…” Tee gave him a concerned look.
Classic. People always said they weren’t something—as if it nullified that they actually were the very things they disavowed. Tee was most definitely a busybody. It was why he came to her instead of Mei’s other best friend, Jane. Jane, a storm dragon, was the Fort Knox of sisterly solidarity. Tee was too soft to let him suffer in silence.
“Those questions,” Tee said. “They don’t tell you anything about Mei that really matters.”
“Thanks.” He stood, anxious now to add the information to the algorithm. “I’ve got it from here.”
“Sure you do.” Tee’s voice was sarcastic. “How many billions of people are there in the world?”
“A little over seven,” he answered easily. He also knew the exact breakdown of humans versus dragon-shifters country by country.
“I bet at least a hundred thousand people would answer your questions the same way I just did, but they’re no where close to being the same as Mei. People are complex. I know you’re used to dealing with codes and numbers that add up, but people aren’t a zero-sum equation.”
He nodded, straightening the edges of his paper before re-rolling it. “Thanks for your help.”
He headed back to his office, ready to feed the answers into the hacked algorithm to see what kind of man was Mei’s perfect match. When he opened the door to the security center, his hand shook, stopping his forward momentum. He stared for a second at the offending tremble, fury at his waning form making him clench his fists and stride forward. There was no option this time. He would win Mei over or lose his dragon form forever.
The dragons of the Vegas strip are back for a third tale and ready to roar.
Darius and Mei have a relationship that makes the term "rocky" seem like the understatement of the century. Things between these two have gotten so bad in fact, that they haven't slept together in almost six years.
The fact that these two not so 'lovebirds' have not been making sweet music together for so long is not only one that could spell the death if their young marriage. It is also one that could prove fatal to Darius' dragon form. Mei plays her role as 'ice queen' to the hilt, even though the mere thought of her mate's touch is enough to puddle all of her most private places.
You see, it's not that she doesn't want to be with Darius. She would love nothing more.
She simply can't; due to secrets about herself and her past that are earth-shattering enough to change the Dragon societal structure forever.
Making matters worse for Mei is the knowledge that a mysterious group of dragons belonging to a shadowy faction and with tenuous ties to recognized members of the Dragon hierarchy is due to make an appearance at the fabled Snow Gala.
This is a very high energy and fast paced read. The story is very cohesive and flows will except for a very few hiccups here and there.
It is very clear that this read is meant to be more about the story and less about the sex. That is why it is very surprising that more attention isn't given to the history and details surrounding the secrets and details of the all important rogue dragon faction. Leaving readers hungry to know more!
This lack of detail leads to a very sweet, but very hastily tied 'happily ever after' bow for Mei and Darius...and a rather convenient solution to what threatened to be a war making problem for most of the read.
Labels: 4 Stars, Adult Paranormal Romance Review, Entangled Romance, S
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Name: QUARTET RECORDS
Number: QR396
ZOO FOLLE / GLI ANIMALI... CHE SIMPATIA (500 EDITION) (CD)
Composed by: Giuliano Sorgini
Quartet Records, GDM and Universal Music Publishing Italia present the CD premiere of two cult Giuliano Sorgini scores for rare TV documentaries from the mid-seventies.
Directed by Riccardo Fellini (brother of Federico), both Zoo folle and Gli animali... che simpatia are nature documentaries produced for RAI in 1974 and 1975. Zoo folle showcases how imprisoning animals into small cages and their lives in zoos are really cruelty. The first episode was dedicated to the life of animals in the wild, the second to their capture and the third focused on their babies—with each episode dedicating a segment to how the zoo conditions changed the animal’s lives. The program’s spiritual successor, Gli animali... che simpatia, follows in the same path.
The acclaimed score of Giuliano Sorgini for Zoo folle is a powerhouse of ethnic-flavored eclectic underscoring highlighting the (mostly) African setting of the programs. The list of soloists engaged for individual tracks include flutist Nino Rapicavoli on “Mad Town,” percussionist Enzo Restuccia on the bongos of “Ultima caccia” and the unmistakable Edda Dell’Orso on “Red, Old Skies.” The music for Gli animai… is more descriptive and melodic, even cheerful; some cues, especially “Orphanage,” evoke the sound of John Barry.
Previously released on LPs (both regular and library releases), this is the first time these two scores appear on CD. The project was supervised by Claudio Fuiano and mastered by Chris Malone; the 8-page liner notes by Gergely Hubai discuss the films and the scores.
ZOO FOLLE (1974)
1. Mad Town (3:12)
2. Ultima caccia (3:55)
3. Ambroseli (6:48)
4. Space and Freedom (4:07)
5. Zoo Folle (1:45)
6. Chains (5:28)
7. Red, Old Skies (4:12)
8. Slaves (2:58)
9. Roma-Londra-Parigi (3:25)
GLI ANIMALI... CHE SIMPATIA (1975)
10. Prairies (4:29)
11. Baboons (2:55)
12. Puppys (2:41)
13. Eagles (0:49)
14. Bears (3:01)
15. Antelopes (2:57)
16. Buffalos (1:36)
17. Dolphins (1:35)
18. Toiry (4:54)
19. Ostrich (2:06)
20. Orphanage (3:24)
21. Masai (3:01)
22. Leon’s Snare (0:56)
23. Rhinoceros (2:42)
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Tom Hiddleston Imagines Friends With Benefits
hiddleston, tom, imagines. Please don’t be afraid to send a request in your first language. He’s a great. Tom Hiddleston Narrates That Controversial Giraffe Birth Live Stream — and the Results Are Hilarious Tom Hiddleston Reveals He Peed on His Night Manager Costar Tom Hollander After Jellyfish Sting. We’re friends, this is. catherinereyesajose Carol and loki ️ ️ ️. But Tom admits these taller panels often run into problems with California’s strict seismic building codes. Help us build our profile of Tom Hiddleston! Login to add information, pictures and relationships, join in discussions and get credit for your contributions. Tom Hiddleston's character, Jonathan Pine, is the eponymous night manager of the title – a former British soldier who, in 2011, is now working as the night manager of a posh hotel in Cairo. We all coukd have used better manners and aplomb esp as Americans, in my case. Only Lovers Left Alive and The Other Woman: Lovers in a dangerous time Open this photo in gallery: Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton play Adam and Eve – vampires in search of the ‘good stuff. That means Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Tom Brady, Tom Hiddleston, and Tommy Hilfiger can all watch movies from the privacy of their homes, but there will be no tomfoolery. #102: Loki x Reader Thanks @lady-loki-ren for requesting Remember guys, it's a lot easier for me to respond and keep track of requests if you go through my Ask, so try to request through there,. It had been a rough week for me. YourTango’s mission is to help women love better. Create and share your own emma stone makeup GIFs, with Gfycat. He devoted 10 years to Loki, he loves Loki, and all of that was mocked and made to be a joke, and I can’t imagine what it must’ve been like to have to play him like that. Tom, being his lovely teenager self, thought himself rather handsome and tried to pick up this girl. The Twitter event is over, but we now have the transcript that details the Q&A session with Whedon and Avengers cast members Samuel L. Early Man 4K UHD [Blu-ray] [2018]: Amazon. Friends with Benefits achieved success at the box office, grossing over $149 million worldwide, and received mostly positive reviews with critics praising the chemistry between Kunis and Timberlake. tom winking tom smile imagine tom hiddleston tom hiddleston imagine tom hiddleston loki imagines loki smut loki of asgard loki fanfiction loki loki imagines smut loki laufeyson loki x reader smut loki's whispers loki (marvel) loki x reader loki army loki aesthetic loki agent of asgard loki art loki and thor loki blog loki costume loki day loki. All the World’s a. It had been a rough week for me. So, this one looks like a classic friends with benefits story, yet, add a little compassion to the ordinary mixture. Following author Anthony Horowitz’s apology. Rethinking the Benefits of GPS Systems Recently updated ! This entry was posted in Motorcycle Parts & Tools on October 16, 2019 by Bikers Den Not a day goes by that we don’t see how deeply immersive technology has become in our lives. “The app. Discover ideas about Thor X Loki. How can such a cool play make us sweat? Chalk it up to the incredible heat generated by the starry cast of Broadway's latest "Betrayal," featuring Tom Hiddleston and Zawe Ashton as a long. On 9-2-1981 Tom Hiddleston was born in Westminster, London, England. The following is an overview of the events of 2011 in film, including the highest-grossing films, film festivals, award ceremonies and a list of films released and notable deaths. Deeply passionate and a man with many hobbies, the geek can’t decide what irritates him more: meat eaters who swear by soy milk lattes, or Grindr profiles which suggest they are sapiosexuals. She was a bit disappointed but brushed it off. This Pin was discovered by diamondheart30 🎮 🎧 🎼 🎨. You're cuddled on the couch with your boyfriend, Tom, making jokes and poking fun at each other. With Natalie Portman, Ashton Kutcher, Kevin Kline, Cary Elwes. Thomas William Hiddleston was born in Westminster, London, to English-born Diana Patricia (Servaes) and Scottish-born James Norman Hiddleston. You always were there for Tom during the years not caring about how it hurt to see him with someone else when you had the hugest crush on him. Brennan Mark Burnett Dan Castellaneta Chris Cox Michael Clarke Duncan Billy. Most of the questions were serious or funny ones. Pairing: Tom Hiddleston x Reader. Exhibit 1: Taylor Swift, 26, and Tom Hiddleston, 35, canoodled in clear view of hundreds of concertgoers at Sel. disney world w/ tom hiddleston. Tom Hiddleston with Kathryn Wilder (as "Ophelia") in "Hamlet" Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre, RADA, Tom Hiddleston (Hamlet) and Caroline Martin (Horatia) Tom gets up close and personal with Horatia in the play, played by actress Caroline Martin Hiddleston, took to the stage in front of just 160 lucky fans at Rada's Jerwood Vanbrugh theatre in London. Warnings: None. what started out as a bad night, turned into a first amazing date of many. Ugh I think I just died and went to heaven, such a sweetheart! MOTHER OF. Contribute. Why not Tom Hiddleston in Fallout 4? That was my question, and I'm sure the fans will love it. There aren’t really practical implications here, but it is still noteworthy. Tom Hiddleston Fan Fics Some Fics with multiple chapters aren't complete because I couldn't find them. Here’s some good news, maybe. According to IC Insights, even though DRAM prices have more than doubled (+111%) over the last 12 months, they will only continue to increase. Friends With Benefits Wet But I need to. Only Lovers Left Alive and The Other Woman: Lovers in a dangerous time Open this photo in gallery: Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton play Adam and Eve – vampires in search of the ‘good stuff. Following author Anthony Horowitz’s apology. An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works. (Season 3, Episode 1 is essentially one long, winking nod to all the fan theories that sprung up around Sherlock’s non-fatal. Some people have been a bit surprised that Tom Hiddleston and Clark Gregg were so chummy last weekend at the Stan Lee memorial event (and later, attending opening night of the new Broadway production, Slave Play), but this bromance was not news for long-term, die-hard, problematically obsessed old-timey Hiddlestoners. The stories only usually took up about half a page, so they’re really short. They will be joined by Simon Russell Beale, Felicity. While his ex Taylor Swift enjoys the release of her album reputation, Tom Hiddleston is enjoying the company of an adorable puppy. 75 notes / 21 July 2013 / R. Current Roles/Work. You shared some laughs and heartwarming tears. he had been watching you all night and after a hour of seeing you sit alone, slowly sadder, he asked if he could join you. Tom, being his lovely teenager self, thought himself rather handsome and tried to pick up this girl. Maggie Gyllenhaal, playing Nessa Stein, is obviously a very talented actress. And not just because he will be offered cutesey roles, but because he'll be labeled a "has-been" when the fangirls move onto someone else. I am not an employee of the federal government; however, years ago I was on military active duty. Add to library 60 Discussion 187 Browse more Just For Fun Movies. 30 and costars Ben Kingsley and Charlotte Le Bon Beatrice Verhoeven | September 21. I'm shit at descriptions soooo Small imagines/stories with our beloved Tom Hiddleston and the characters he has played. The film packs in a long list of characters played big huge stars, including Robert. Just my two favorite Tom’s and I’m freaking out a bit. This delay has made fans even more excited, especially with the constant rumors that they are actually dating each other in real life. I actually do like Tom Hiddleston. Ten Pin został odkryty przez użytkownika Moje imie Moje nazwisko. Liam Hemsworth Has a 'Friends With Benefits' Relationship: Photo #3695162. hiddleston has already stolen my heart - what about yours ?. Just a heads up. 5 billion-grossing blockbuster that operated as a sequel to Thor and beefed up Tom Hiddleston’s Loki in the. The latest Tweets from Tom_Hiddles_Imagines (@THiddlesImagine). Its predecessor “Bad Moms” grossed $23. Help us build our profile of Tom Hiddleston! Login to add information, pictures and relationships, join in discussions and get credit for your contributions. you make it real moodboard. Tom wants to have a big family. Our Little Secret - Tom Hiddleston. Tom Hiddleston speaks the immortal lines to just five men, standing on the ground, to no music at all. Most of the questions were serious or funny ones. Tom Hiddleston Tears Up in the Moody First Look at Broadway's Betrayal More Tom Hiddleston is prepped to make his Broadway debut later this month in the Jamie Lloyd Company acclaimed revival of. Rethinking the Benefits of GPS Systems Recently updated ! This entry was posted in Motorcycle Parts & Tools on October 16, 2019 by Bikers Den Not a day goes by that we don’t see how deeply immersive technology has become in our lives. catherinereyesajose Carol and loki ️ ️ ️. If your work is boring with no benefits, sticking around isn't. Read Imagine 25 - Friends with Benefits from the story Tom Hiddleston Imagines by dat__fandom with 3,137 reads. hiddleston has already stolen my heart - what about yours ?. he had been watching you all night and after a hour of seeing you sit alone, slowly sadder, he asked if he could join you. It’s reportedly written from Tom Hiddleston’s point-of-view and reveals. Summary: During a game in an interview where you show just how well you know your costars and friends, you and Tom prove that you know each other like the back of your hands and are the soulmates everyone believes you are. Pulling off great character development (Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as Loki both excel), balancing (and holding our interest in) multiple worlds, and even throwing in some great slapstick humour, "Thor" succeeds in multiple ways that few would have expected. After a whole lot of booze, the conversation steers into the boys asking your 'FMK' (Fuck, Marry, Kill) opinions - which leads to honesty hour with Tom. He made his 8 million dollar fortune with Thor, The Avengers & Midnight in Paris. The child is a model citizen, but is that really nurturing? I am not questioning the benefits. All the World’s a Stage - Tom Hiddleston. It had been a rough week for me. This Pin was discovered by Lelliefant. I'm bringing one of my best friends with me and she'll be. The slick haired actor melted our faces off with his awesome performance as Loki in Marvel’s The Avengers and now the badass wants to take a turn at STAR WARS EPISODE 7. Tom Hiddleston continues to show why he's at the top of his game right now, while also skirting around his suitability to become the next James Bond in the new issue of Esquire. 9k Likes, 2,225 Comments - Tom Hiddleston (@twhiddleston) on Instagram: "On my way to catch up with this crew. tom winking tom smile imagine tom hiddleston tom hiddleston imagine tom hiddleston loki imagines loki smut loki of asgard loki fanfiction loki loki imagines smut loki laufeyson loki x reader smut loki's whispers loki (marvel) loki x reader loki army loki aesthetic loki agent of asgard loki art loki and thor loki blog loki costume loki day loki. love, thiddy, twh. His mother is a former stage manager, and his father, a scientist, was the managing director of a pharmaceutical company. Therers nothing wrong with being a stripped, but she clearly said it to get a reaction out of him. Friends did not even see the suffering of Loki and cared the ONLY prince. Discover (and save!) your own Pins on Pinterest. Glossy and engaging, The Night Manager is a spy romance featuring Tom Hiddleston (Loki in Thor) and Hugh Laurie (House in House) trying to out-do each other in projecting silky menace. How can such a cool play make us sweat? Chalk it up to the incredible heat generated by the starry cast of Broadway's latest "Betrayal," featuring Tom Hiddleston and Zawe Ashton as a long. 1 year ago Tagged: #blind side #tom hiddleston #thiddleston #hiddles #hiddlesfic #tom hiddleston smut #smut #jonathan pine #tnm #the night manager #tom hiddleston x you #tom hiddleston x reader #loki #thor ragnarok #imagine #. Join Facebook to connect with Tom Roh and others you may know. Starting life all over again. At worst, he’s a total cheeseball and rather conceited and famewhore-y. mp4 bbc radio 1 live lounge, bbc radio 1 live lounge justin bieber, bbc radio 1 dan and phil, bbc radio 1 cover, bbc radio 1 vevo, bbc radio 1 insults game, bbc. With Natalie Portman, Ashton Kutcher, Kevin Kline, Cary Elwes. Thomas William Hiddleston was born in Westminster, London, to English-born Diana Patricia (Servaes) and Scottish-born James Norman Hiddleston. Tom Hiddleston, Actor: The Avengers. villain image by Loki Laufeyson. National Treasure - Tom x reader one shot. Tom Hiddleston is replacing Benedict Cumberbatch in Crimson Peak, a gothic film to be directed by Guillermo del Toro. I'm shit at descriptions soooo Small imagines/stories with our beloved Tom Hiddleston and the characters he has played. Imagine:Tom reading your kids stories before bed. Disney owns Marvel. Tom Hiddleston - Masterlist Blind Date My Son Only Mine You Are Enough The Gala Ready Nervous True Love Fever Get Better Family Exotic Spring Day Roses Cologne Unbreak My Heart Small. But sitting here in the morning light, Thomas W. Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston put on tuxedos and then read every Harry Potter book out loud, while staring into your soul. Please don't be afraid to send a request in your first language. Falling - Tom Hiddleston. Originally posted by tomhiddleston-gifs. Hiddleston has been the center. The latter, in the postwar era, became the symbol of suburbia. Hiddleston and Olsen are no longer "together. The 36-year-old actor has starred as the Norse God of mischief and villainous adoptive brother to hero Thor (Chris Hemsworth) in four films so far but he admits he never expected his run as the character to last as long as it has. Rose Leslie and Tom Hiddleston were both born on February 9th. Ten Pin został odkryty przez użytkownika Moje imie Moje nazwisko. Search results for emma stone makeup GIFs. Tom Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberbatch. Imagine lots of hilarious crunking montages, a Chris Evans vs. National Treasure - Tom x reader one shot. — Tom Hiddleston “Some people try to be tall by cutting off the heads. Totally was sing the song "Everyone's a hero. hiddleston, tom, imagines. About Time - Tom Hiddleston. Loki - Avengers: Infinity War. Posts about Tom Hiddleston written by hollywoodhighlights. Funny Marvel Memes Marvel Jokes Marvel Avengers Tom Holland Peter Parker All Spiderman Tom Holand Tommy Boy Tom Hiddleston Baby Toms LIKE 4 realzzzzzzzzz - Funny Superhero - Funny Superhero funny meme - #superhero #funny - LIKE 4 realzzzzzzzzz The post LIKE 4 realzzzzzzzzz appeared first on Gag Dad. The Uncarrier offers a compelling mix of. Prior to 2004 and the launch of Athens by Royal Huisman, the Phocea yacht was the world’s largest sailing yacht. Jealousy and Punishment (Tom Hiddleston) Better Than Thomas (Newt) AU (Sebastian Stan) Don’t Wake the Baby (Sebastian Stan) Who Said Being Sick Was A Bad Thing (Anon) Sleeping (Kian Lawley) Every Action Has a Reaction (Michael & Ashton) Punishment (Anon) I Have a Boyfriend (Tyler Posey). Tom Hiddleston's pants. Description: Y/N’s been best friends with Tom forever, and hidden her crush on him for nearly as long. Tom Hiddleston Gives You His and every single frame you disappear into in a way that perhaps only Guillermo del Toro can imagine. tom winking tom smile imagine tom hiddleston tom hiddleston imagine tom hiddleston loki imagines loki smut loki of asgard loki fanfiction loki loki imagines smut loki laufeyson loki x reader smut loki's whispers loki (marvel) loki x reader loki army loki aesthetic loki agent of asgard loki art loki and thor loki blog loki costume loki day loki. They are Thor’s friends and that’s all. We hope to cooperate with a lot more friends for mutual added benefits. One Night - (S) - Reader and Bucky have been friends with benefits for a long time, but one of them developed feelings for the other despite their ground rules. Imagine: You were 8 months pregnant, when things went wrong. He reunites with the love of his life, Eve (Tilda Swinton), a fellow vampire who leaves her home overseas to be with him in the downtrodden Motor City. You say something funny and make eye contact with him as. Odkrywaj (i zapisuj) na Pintereście również własne Piny. Imagine attending Wimbledon with Tom and revealing your relationship (I do not own the pictures) tom holland tom hiddleston tom hiddleston imagine tom holland imagine tom holland × reader tom holland fluff tom hiddleston × reader spiderman loki. Title: Guess the Avenger. Really, it's almost impossible not to love him: Not only is he an outspoken. Zawe Ashton, Charlie Cox, and Tom Hiddleston sit down at a back table of a midtown Italian restaurant and launch into it. Tom Hiddleston's fashion. Don't try to change the relationship you had set up! Meet Johanna Konta — Aussie Tennis Player Linked To Tom Hiddleston. What are the advantages of marketplace investigation for skilled expert services firms? Is it well worth the value? And does it definitely issue? These are some of the thoughts we. cmjones) Thank you so much Tom! You will always have our undying fidelity!. Yesterday was the unofficial end of summer—and, reportedly, the official end of Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston's relationship. tom winking tom smile imagine tom hiddleston tom hiddleston imagine tom hiddleston loki imagines loki smut loki of asgard loki fanfiction loki loki imagines smut loki laufeyson loki x reader smut loki's whispers loki (marvel) loki x reader loki army loki aesthetic loki agent of asgard loki art loki and thor loki blog loki costume loki day loki. ** tumblr sherlock supernatural Benedict Cumberbatch robert downey jr Jensen Ackles tom hiddleston Jared Padalecki Andrew Garfield avengers too many tags. Tom Hiddleston Gives You His and every single frame you disappear into in a way that perhaps only Guillermo del Toro can imagine. Imagine lots of hilarious crunking montages, a Chris Evans vs. *trump voice and hand* WRONG Oh shut your cake hole Tom! Yes you are. Thor - The epic adventure Thor spans the Marvel Universe from present day Earth to the mystical realm of Asgard. Tom is also bullish on the idea of using taller gallery panels (ideally those that are between 60 and 66 inches tall) as space dividers, as they also improve sound control and increase privacy. I met up with a few people from Tumblr at the film studio in Pontiac where 'Only Lovers Left Alive' was rumored to be filming. In 1987 Tom Hiddleston met the girl who moved into the house behind the fence at the bottom of his garden. Contribute. Tom Hiddleston is surprised he is still playing Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Nick Jonas Was Angry With Demi Lovato for Punching Someone on the Jonas Brothers Tour in 2010 Nick Jonas and Demi Lovato are “friends with (career) benefits” on the latest cover of Billboard. The slick haired actor melted our faces off with his awesome performance as Loki in Marvel’s The Avengers and now the badass wants to take a turn at STAR WARS EPISODE 7. Discover (and save!) your own Pins on Pinterest. You will also laugh. Next!” oh god Daddy Sherlock. But through it all. Warnings: None! Author’s Note: Okay so here’s what’s up. You shared some laughs and heartwarming tears. Imagine Tom Hiddleston watching you undress for him. Brennan Mark Burnett Dan Castellaneta Chris Cox Michael Clarke Duncan Billy. It had been a rough week for me. Madeleine West reveals the bizarre benefits of FREEZING your activewear after a sweaty workout 'Imagine just hanging something up and then it's clean the next day?' with friends claiming. This tumblr is fan-run and has no connection with Mr Hiddleston. Zodiac Signs Who Just Want Friends With Benefits Vs. That means Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Tom Brady, Tom Hiddleston, and Tommy Hilfiger can all watch movies from the privacy of their homes, but there will be no tomfoolery. he had been watching you all night and after a hour of seeing you sit alone, slowly sadder, he asked if he could join you. Why Tom Hiddleston fell madly in love with exotic Vietnam - and how to have your own adventure there Jungle-swathed mountains and chaotic street scenes have made northern Vietnam the true. During my Junior year, I would write stories in the extra spaces in my notebook. NBC's Friends is pretty much a flawless show on its own, but can you imagine if Tom Hiddleston was in Friends ? That would be off-the-charts awesome. Tom Hiddleston is as surprised as anyone by Loki's popularity. tom winking tom smile imagine tom hiddleston tom hiddleston imagine tom hiddleston loki imagines loki smut loki of asgard loki fanfiction loki loki imagines smut loki laufeyson loki x reader smut loki's whispers loki (marvel) loki x reader loki army loki aesthetic loki agent of asgard loki art loki and thor loki blog loki costume loki day loki. Prompt submitted by @aestheticlyteenager: b r o can i have a concept of Tom and you going to a target or forever 21 so you can get a swimsuit and you pick out the sexist one and you say “Now this makes me look like a hoe and i love it” and you and tom both go in the changing room and tom starts making out with you when you put it on???? please? love you boo. They are Thor’s friends and that’s all. Thank you, you glorious people!. The public discovered this relationship in June, soon after learning that Swift and Adam “Calvin Harris” Wiles had split following nearly a year and-a-half of precisely planned dates and photo ops. Tom Hiddleston, Actor: The Avengers. Health benefits ought to be extended to all citizens of the U. They were not friends with Loki. He talks about your new role. Tom Hiddleston presented the trailer for Hollywood’s 589th King Kong movie, Kong: Skull Island, in a gorilla suit on Jimmy Kimmel Live! last night. Imagine lots of hilarious crunking montages, a Chris Evans vs. Loki/Tom Hiddleston imagines Loki - You're Like me You walked out with Laufey and then you went into the throne room and you saw your friends and a lot of people. Tom Hiddleston and Chris Hemsworth in 'Thor: The Dark World' More Can you imagine for a moment if "Thor," "The Avengers" and "Thor: The Dark World" did not feature Chris Hemsworth as the eponymous. This post has not been. Can someone be a high and a low? If so it’s Tom Hiddleston. Block, Donor and Council member “I imagine the future where focused ultrasound can be used to non-invasively modify the brain’s neuronal circuits to treat depression and other psychiatric disorders. We will be updating this site, and will be bringing you Tom Hiddleston Fan Fiction. You were best friends with Thor and you thought Loki was very good looking and funny and you loved him. "I'm friends with the monster" Welcome to the Loki's army. Contribute. Again many many. Tom Holland. 3k Likes, 2,645 Comments - Tom Hiddleston (@twhiddleston) on Instagram: "Been working with the great Nick Park and Aardman on their new film, @earlymanmovie. Just my two favorite Tom’s and I’m freaking out a bit. Imagine going on a rollercoaster and none of your friends want to go on it so you get a random person seated next to you and you look and it's Tom Hiddleston. Tom Hiddleston / Sir Thomas Sharpe. Grossing a worldwide total of $449. He devoted 10 years to Loki, he loves Loki, and all of that was mocked and made to be a joke, and I can’t imagine what it must’ve been like to have to play him like that. He’ll wear all sorts of weird shit to promote a project. We spoke with Hiddleston in Toronto when Thor: The Dark World was released. Following author Anthony Horowitz’s apology. On 9-2-1981 Tom Hiddleston was born in Westminster, London, England. A love of all things Tom Hiddleston and anything that directly links to that lovely, lovely man. This tumblr is fan-run and has no connection with Mr Hiddleston. Another romcom. Tom Hiddleston Seems to Have Swept Taylor Swift Off Her Feet: Further Proof That He's the Real-Life James Bond and Crimson Peak sister-with-benefits Jessica Chastain (just friends) and. I love Loki and he deservedly won Best Villain but his insistence on taking the microphone from SAMUEL L. You always were there for Tom during the years not caring about how it hurt to see him with someone else when you had the hugest crush on him. Jealousy and Punishment (Tom Hiddleston) Better Than Thomas (Newt) AU (Sebastian Stan) Don't Wake the Baby (Sebastian Stan) Who Said Being Sick Was A Bad Thing (Anon) Sleeping (Kian Lawley) Every Action Has a Reaction (Michael & Ashton) Punishment (Anon) I Have a Boyfriend (Tyler Posey). The 38-year-old actor spoke to The Hollywood Reporter and revealed it. I just cant imagine anyone performing this story better than he did. The slick haired actor melted our faces off with his awesome performance as Loki in Marvel’s The Avengers and now the badass wants to take a turn at STAR WARS EPISODE 7. Friends did not even see the suffering of Loki and cared the ONLY prince. THE FIRST ATYPICAL thing about Hugh Laurie is his height. Deeply passionate and a man with many hobbies, the geek can’t decide what irritates him more: meat eaters who swear by soy milk lattes, or Grindr profiles which suggest they are sapiosexuals. Given that I live in Galena, Illinois, one of the main settings of this book and the home of nine Civil War generals, and I also have a fondness for history, I was delighted to be invited to read a copy of “Friends of the Wigwam” a meticulously researched Civil War-era historical novel. Um, Benedict has made his decision, and it’s “All of the above”. tom holland tom holland imagine tom hiddleston imagines tom hiddleston peter parker imagine loki x reader marvel marvel imagine. tom holland. Tom Holland Imagines Tom Holand Harrison Osterfield Men's Toms Baby Toms Lagann Tom Holland Peter Parker Tommy Boy Marvel Avengers Read Overprotective (PP) from the story Peter Parker/Tom Holland Imagines by DolanQuackson23 (QuacksonDolanHoran) with 2,143 reads. Rethinking the Benefits of GPS Systems Recently updated ! This entry was posted in Motorcycle Parts & Tools on October 16, 2019 by Bikers Den Not a day goes by that we don’t see how deeply immersive technology has become in our lives. Read Asking You Out from the story Tom Hiddleston Imagines by hiddleston_1996 with 13,491 reads. After three divorces, you weren’t entirely sure marriage was something you’d ever want again. The public discovered this relationship in June, soon after learning that Swift and Adam “Calvin Harris” Wiles had split following nearly a year and-a-half of precisely planned dates and photo ops. At present they don't offer us affiliate commissions which are. Thank you, you glorious people!. 1 year ago Tagged: #blind side #tom hiddleston #thiddleston #hiddles #hiddlesfic #tom hiddleston smut #smut #jonathan pine #tnm #the night manager #tom hiddleston x you #tom hiddleston x reader #loki #thor ragnarok #imagine #. Please don’t be afraid to send a request in your first language. Update: Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston have split after three months of dating, Us Weekly reports. Given that I live in Galena, Illinois, one of the main settings of this book and the home of nine Civil War generals, and I also have a fondness for history, I was delighted to be invited to read a copy of “Friends of the Wigwam” a meticulously researched Civil War-era historical novel. Returned - Natasha Romanoff. In the premiere of your new movie your co-star gets a little bit touchy resulting in Tom getting jealous and expressing his anger. Neighboring farmer friends of ours have been selling chive blossoms for years to chefs, where I imagine the blossoms are sprinkled on soups, garnished on salads and mixed with goat cheese. Summary: Reader is living a dream when she gets the job she's been working her entire life for, and the guy she was pinning after. Lots of Loki love. That’s right. I had just presented my two girls with bouquets of red roses when my phone started buzzing. com Another voice-over hiddlesworth video. mp4 bbc radio 1 live lounge, bbc radio 1 live lounge justin bieber, bbc radio 1 dan and phil, bbc radio 1 cover, bbc radio 1 vevo, bbc radio 1 insults game, bbc. It's benefits will last throughout the night while the actual body is repairing and growing as you fall asleep. If some of you ladies have knowledgeable friends who don't frequent this blog — well, first of all, what's that about? Hah? But secondly, maybe they could drop by and leave a pearl or two. We spoke with Hiddleston in Toronto when Thor: The Dark World was released. tom holland. Welcome To Tom Hiddleston Fan Fiction. IMAGINES tom hiddleston. ARCHIVED Blog Pages; INDEX; Abbreviations; Reference Pages. 5 (Peter Parker) - Wattpad Tom Hiddleston Marvel Jokes Marvel Funny Tom Holland Girlfriend I AM 16 AND NONE OF MY FRIENDS LOOK. Enjoy^^ I DO NOT OWN ANY CHARACTERS IN THESE STORIES I DO NOT update regulary due to mental health issues, and especially requests can be hard to write, so. Loki/Tom Hiddleston imagines Loki - I Don't Love him. gingerchic333: sherlolly: Imagine Sherlock with a teenage daughter. he had been watching you all night and after a hour of seeing you sit alone, slowly sadder, he asked if he could join you. Simon Russell Beale is the ideal choice for Falstaff, even with Orson Welles hard on his heels in the Falstaff compilation "Chimes at Midnight", Tom Hiddleston is a great Prince Hal, and Jeremy Irons, never known to err, shines as the guilt-ridden King Henry IV. Kerouac’s 1956 novel, On The Road, on the other hand, became the voice of. There are only two reasons why this is a problem. Please don’t be afraid to send a request in your first language. And it was along side one of your favorite actors, Tom Hiddleston. You started to laugh, a bit of nervous and another, to see him so upset about just a hug from your friend, who is nothing more than that. If your work is boring with no benefits, sticking around isn't. Tom Hiddleston is featured on the cover of the latest GQ, opening up to the magazine about his past romance with Taylor Swift. Hello and Thank you! Thank you so much for taking the time to read about us and for considering us to be the adoptive parents for your child! We are so excited to become parents and at the same time we can only imagine the amount of courage and love you have for your baby …Read More about Tom and Linda. Both extraordinarily handsome, both feminists, and both rather enjoy one another's company. I write for all fandoms. Tom Hiddleston can be pronounced as perfection, elegance, and eloquence. There’s no “bad blood” between Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn, nor is she trying to push her boyfriend into going “public with their relationship,” despite a tabloid report. Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston put on tuxedos and then read every Harry Potter book out loud, while staring into your soul. Tom Hiddleston blames Taylor Swift for losing the chance to play James Bond, according to a new tabloid report. What is Science; The Evidence (AGW is disproved) Evidence (definition) The evidence that AGW fans need to provide. You decide to stay home and let them have their father-son time, but all through the night he sends you pictures from the event so you don’t feel left out. love, thiddy, twh. Gertrude Stein (February 3, 1874 – July 27, 1946) was an American novelist, poet, playwright, and art collector. What cringeworthy thing are Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston going to do next? So why did she brand the weekend #Taymerica and have her friends wear. The three you might not expect are: Spanish, French, and Greek. Ever since his debut as the God of Mischief in 2011's 'Thor', Tom Hiddleston has made a great impression as Loki throughout his appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Meanwhile, Ruby Rose flaunted her new romance with girlfriend Harley Gusman, as she shared a loved up photo at the celebrations. Tom Hiddleston / Sir Thomas Sharpe. Yet, Zendaya isn’t the first up-and-coming star that Tom has supposedly seen on the sly. You have to hand it to Tom Hiddleston. This new federal health benefit is a necessary step towards comprehensive health care reform. Difficult to tell who's winning this breakup — a new album is. Valentine’s Day - (A) - Bucky knows his girlfriend’s favorite day is Valentine’s, and he decides to buy her her favorite flowers. Tom Hiddleston put everything he has into Loki, body, mind, heart and soul, and it showed. Next!” oh god Daddy Sherlock. Loki Laufeyson was the biological son of Laufey, the ruler of the Frost Giants in Jotunheim, who was abandoned and left to die shortly after his birth. Only believe quotes that are written in professional interviews, because I'm here right now to show you that anything can be made up easily by anyone, I could write anything I want here and you could. While the health benefits for people with a sound technique are tangible, he said, those who are less able would be better off going for a run, a walk, or taking dancing classes. One Night - (S) - Reader and Bucky have been friends with benefits for a long time, but one of them developed feelings for the other despite their ground rules. tom winking tom smile imagine tom hiddleston tom hiddleston imagine tom hiddleston loki imagines loki smut loki of asgard loki fanfiction loki loki imagines smut loki laufeyson loki x reader smut loki's whispers loki (marvel) loki x reader loki army loki aesthetic loki agent of asgard loki art loki and thor loki blog loki costume loki day loki. Friends With Benefits Wet Forever Mine. The latest Tweets from Tom_Hiddles_Imagines (@THiddlesImagine). Tom & Benedict imagine. cmjones) Thank you so much Tom! You will always have our undying fidelity!. It has been claimed that a member of the audience, identified only as a ''young woman in her thirties,'' pleasured herself and reached orgasm twice as she watched the 38-year-old actor on-stage in the Broadway production of Harold Pinter's play. Tom, being his lovely teenager self, thought himself rather handsome and tried to pick up this girl. When Thor: The Dark World did last-minute reshoots it wasn’t to fix something that wasn’t working. As I said before, the way he speaks those lines is worthy of praise, but the direction is not. Can you imagine him. The culprits obtained 1. Friends with Benefits achieved success at the box office, grossing over $149 million worldwide, and received mostly positive reviews with critics praising the chemistry between Kunis and Timberlake. You didn’t think it was possible that he could be anymore attractive in person, but he was. Originally posted by tom-hiddlestongifs. His mother is a former stage manager, and his father, a scientist, was the managing director of a pharmaceutical company. He made his 8 million dollar fortune with Thor, The Avengers & Midnight in Paris. Discover (and save!) your own Pins on Pinterest. And not just because he will be offered cutesey roles, but because he'll be labeled a "has-been" when the fangirls move onto someone else. Loki Laufeyson was the biological son of Laufey, the ruler of the Frost Giants in Jotunheim, who was abandoned and left to die shortly after his birth. According to IC Insights, even though DRAM prices have more than doubled (+111%) over the last 12 months, they will only continue to increase. tom holland.
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Last Call For A Play In Three Acts
A man argues about the facts of his past in Act I:
The man who recently led a group of armed protesters outside a Texas mosque says that he's being "attacked and smeared" for posting local Muslims' home addresses to Facebook earlier this week.
David Wright, who leads a group of anti-Muslim protesters that calls itself the Bureau of American Islamic Relations (BAIR), listed "the name and address of every Muslim and Muslim sympathizer that stood up for Sharia tribunals in Irving TX" on his Facebook page Tuesday. The list of names appeared to be copied from a document showing which residents urged the Irving City Council to vote against a bill they said was motivated by baseless rumors that a local mosque housed a "Sharia law court."
Wright told local TV station KDFW that the anyone could access the information he posted through the city's website.
He claims in Act II that it wasn't his fault, you see.
But The Dallas Morning News, which first reported the list, noted Thursday that the list of names had disappeared from BAIR's Facebook page. The newspaper also noted that the personal Facebook profile Wright posted the list of names on had disappeared, although he appears to have created a replacement page. Wright posted the list of names again Wednesday afternoon on that new page.
"I am being attacked and smeared by the liberal media for legally exercising my 1st and 2nd Amendment rights and for using public data to defend my credibility when they make accusations against me," Wright wrote on Thursday.
And in Act III, we reveal he has learned nothing.
Wright went on to describe his group as "self defense only" and wrote that none of its members had killed any Muslims.
"You know as well as I do if it was my intention to use this as a hit list then it would have already happened," he added in a comment on the post.
Exeunt actors, Fin.
StupidiTags(tm): Religious Stupidity, Warren Terrah, Wingnut Stupidity
Cause And Defects
In Paris today, President Obama told a gathered climate change conference of world leaders that the US was partially responsible for increasing global warming through carbon emissions, and that it was America's job to do something about it.
President Obama told world leaders who gathered northeast of Paris on Monday for a climate conference that the United States is at least partly to blame for the life-threatening damage that environmental change has wrought, and he urged world leaders to join him in fixing the problem.
“I’ve come here personally, as the leader of the world’s largest economy and the second-largest emitter,” Mr. Obama said, “to say that the United States of America not only recognizes our role in creating this problem, we embrace our responsibility to do something about it.”
In a speech interrupted by repeated beeps warning that he had exceeded his time limit, Mr. Obama said in Le Bourget that the climate conference represented an important turning point in world history because the leaders attending the meeting now recognize the urgency of the problem.
“No nation — large or small, wealthy or poor — is immune,” he said.
The greatest threat to reaching a binding climate accord may be a loose coalition of developing nations, led by India, who argue that they should not be asked to limit their economic growth as a way of fixing a problem that was largely created by the others, and Mr. Obama conceded that point.
“We know the truth that many nations have contributed little to climate change but will be the first to feel its most destructive effects,” he said.
He promised money to help the poorest nations transition to economies that depend less on burning fossil fuels, but he said a delay was not acceptable.
“For I believe, in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., that there is such a thing as being too late,” Mr. Obama said. “And when it comes to climate change, that hour is almost upon us.”
Imagine any of the GOP 2016 clown car crew saying this. You'd be far more likely to have the official position of the US government be that climate change is a fraud, that scientists have to be investigated and prosecuted, and that America needed to level sanctions against countries that did believe in the science.
Needless to say, the right will go insane over this. Watch.
StupidiTags(tm): Climate Change, Environmental Stupidity, Obama Derangement Syndrome
Not The RIght Kind Of Terrorism To Be Terrorism
If you're somehow curious as to what Ted Cruz's response would be as President to abortion clinic violence, it's exactly what you'd expect it to be, as he displayed at a campaign stop in Iowa yesterday.
Speaking to reporters after a stop here Sunday afternoon, Cruz rejected a potential connection between anti-abortion activism and the shooting, instead taking issue with "some vicious rhetoric on the left blaming those who are pro-life.” The shooting, which happened Friday in Colorado Springs, left a police officer and two civilians dead, and a suspect, Robert Dear, has been taken into custody.
"The media promptly wants to blame him on the pro-life movement when at this point there’s very little evidence to indicate that," Cruz said.
When a reporter reminded Cruz it has been reported Dear made a comment about "baby parts" while being apprehended, Cruz retorted, "It’s also been reported that he was registered as an independent and a woman and a transgendered leftist activist. If that’s what he is, I don’t think it’s fair to blame on the rhetoric on the left. This is a murderer.”
Cruz's claim appeared to be based on a voter registration form that lists Dear's gender as female. "We know that he was a man who was registered to vote as a woman," Cruz said.
Asked if we could call the shooting an act of domestic terrorism — as former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has — Cruz again urged caution about drawing conclusions from the shooting at this point.
“I would call it a murder, and we’ll see what the facts are," Cruz replied. "It was a multiple murder of what appears to be a deranged individual. And it was horrific, it was evil, and we’ll find out more out about the facts, but I don’t think we should jump to conclusions.”
Cruz is a couple hash browns short of a Waffle House on the best of days, but this is calculated. Just days after Republicans started screaming that Democrats couldn't protect us from scary brown Muslims who would shoot us up and kill us all at shopping centers on Black Friday, the people actually killing folks (including cops) in places of business are Christian right-wing anti-abortion soldiers.
Ergo, the right can't have this reality be reality. It reminds voters that there might be people more dangerous to average Americans than ISIS, and that our terrorism problem isn't with Muslim fundamentalist nutjobs, but the Christian ones.
That would mean the threat to America is white Christian guys with guns, and we can't have that, hence Cruz's bonkers assertion that the guy is a "transgendered leftist murderer" and not a right-wing white guy with an AK-47.
Voters might ask questions about the kind of rhetoric the GOP has been using in the wake of those Planned Parenthood videos earlier this year, you see. And we can't have that.
The terrorists we have aren't the right kind of terrorists, you see. People who kill Iraq War vets, campus cops, and married mothers of two have to be Muslim terrorists on a rampage (or worse, liberals) not right-wing Christian conservatives blasting people in abortion clinics.
And they will deny Colorado Springs forever.
StupidiTags(tm): GOP Stupidity, Ted Cruz Con(Man)servative, War On Women, Warren Terrah, Wingnut Stupidity
As 150 world leader meet in Paris for climate change talks, 200 protesters have been arrested by Paris police as security has been tightened in the wake of earlier attacks this month.
Planned Parenthood locations across the country are reassessing security measures after Friday's deadly shooting at a Colrado Springs abortion clinic.
GOP 2016 frontrunner Donald Trump has canceled a Monday event with black pastors after several black leaders asked them to reconsider endorsing him.
Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant will retire from the Los Angeles Lakers at the end of his 20th season, citing injuries and limited playing time.
Newly declassified documents reveal that a Soviet computer analysis program's response to NATO exercises in 1983 very nearly started World War III.
Last Call For Hillary On Race
Michael Eric Dyson puts up a big piece in TNR on how awful Bill Clinton and Barack Obama were on race, but thinks Hillary has learned from those mistakes, proving that Michael Eric Dyson may actually be even more clueless than Cornel West on the Blackademic front.
I was once a vocal surrogate for Obama. But I grew disillusioned with his timid responses to racial crisis, with how willing he was to disclaim his racial affiliation, and more grievously, his shirking of his political duty—“I’m not the president of black America,” he has said. Obama will undoubtedly go down as one of the most important presidents in our nation’s history. But his accomplishments on race will not be what gain him that distinction.
All of which leaves us with an important question: What can Hillary Clinton do for black people as president? She possesses neither her husband’s performative charisma with black folk, nor Obama’s undeniable blackness. She must instead wield the sort of power that politicians would, in a better world, solely rely on: public policy. If we were betrayed by Bill Clinton, and suffered dashed hopes under Obama, maybe, just maybe, we will get from Hillary Clinton what we most need and truly deserve: a set of political practices and policies that reinforce the truth that black lives must, and do, finally matter.
On the campaign trail, Hillary Clinton has exhibited a greater sophistication about race, increased sensitivity about how blackness is lived in our country, and a deeper awareness of how the small brutalities of racism rend the fabric of the social compact after first spoiling the flesh of those at the bottom of society. If there were disturbing racial echoes in Hillary’s first attempt to gain the White House, what’s to guarantee we won’t get blinkered in a fog of racial sensitivity now? Has Hillary Clinton changed? Have we?
And Dyson goes on to answer his question with "Well, I spent time with Hillary and she seemed to listen to me (unlike her husband and Obama) which is good because I have all the answers."
No really, that's the other 85% of the article.
Also please buy his book on Where Obama Went Wrong, coming soon.
Depressing, huh.
StupidiTags(tm): Big Dog, Black Lives Matter, Hillary, Obama Derangement Syndrome
The Debt Millenium
Wealth inequality is only getting worse among young people of color, because their families can't help them out. Even worse, for a lot of black and Hispanic families, younger people are expected to help their parents instead of the other way around. Generations of wealth inequality have left people of color out in the cold for decades now, but it's never been as bad as it is now, as Mel Jones at The Atlantic details.
Wealth inequality can’t be discussed without talking about race; within the American context, they are inseparable. So the fact that Millennials of color feel the impact of a precarious financial foundation more acutely is not a surprise. For black Millennials in particular, studies point to a legacy of discrimination over several centuries that contributed to less inherited wealth passed down from previous generations. This financial disparity stems from continuous shortfalls in their parents’ net worth and low homeownership rates among blacks, which works to create an unlevel playing field.
As a result, the median wealth of white households is 13 times the median wealth of black households. In addition, the most recent housing bust is estimated to have wiped out half of the collective wealth of black families— a setback of two generations.
“It was just incredible,” Shapiro said. “It hit hardest those groups latest to becoming home buyers.” Homeownership makes up a large amount of black families’ wealth composition, accounting for over 50 percent of wealth for blacks, compared with just 39 percent for whites. Shapiro also pointed out that the people impacted by the housing crisis were likely to be the parents of Millennials.
Even with equal advances in income, education, and other factors, wealth grows at far lower rates for black households because they usually need to use financial gains for everyday needs rather than long-term savings and asset building. Each dollar in income increase yields $5.19 in wealth for white American households, but only 69 cents for black American households. In addition, while many Americans don’t have adequate savings, the rate is far higher for families of color: 95 percent of African American and 87 percent of Latino middle-class families do not have enough net assets to meet most of their essential living expenses for even three months if their source of income were to disappear. If Millennials of color aren’t getting as much financial help, it’s because there’s just not as much help for their families to give.
It’s more than just lack of “pocket money” from parents that impacts Millennials of color. The last significant stop on life’s journey is often an economically definitive one too, when parents and grandparents pass away and leave an inheritance.
According to the Institute on Assets and Social Policy, white Americans are five times more likely to inherit than black Americans (36 percent to 7 percent, respectively). And even when both groups received an inheritance, white Americans received about 10 times more. “It’s really a double whammy,” Shapiro said. On the flip side, black Millennials and other low-asset groups are much more likely to go into debt when a family member passes away. It’s not uncommon for some families to throw bake sales and engage in other fund-raising activities to bury their relatives.
A 2013 Washington Post article also noted that “black families rarely benefited from inheritances and gifts to help them make down payments on homes. The result was that black families typically bought homes eight years later than whites, giving them less time to build equity.”
“That’s an eight-year window of not paying rent and building equity,” Shapiro said.
And the life cycle of homeownership-related matters is an onerous one for black Americans to begin with. The researchers Kerwin Charles and Erik Hurst found that black mortgage applicants were almost twice as likely to be rejected for a loan in the first place, even when credit profile and household wealth were controlled for.
All that adds up to a nightmare, especially for black Millennials. White families can pass on inheritances, gifts, and financial help to get started when times are tough. Black and Hispanic families cannot.
The playing field has never been level in America, and it never will be in your lifetime. And now we have a generation of white politicians in the GOP making sure it never, ever happens, period.
The stage for this was set hundreds of years ago. Every time black wealth was created, it was destroyed and moved up the ladder to whites. America has been doing that for its entire existence.
Why would 2015 be any different?
StupidiTags(tm): Economic Stupidity, Racist Stupidity, Social Stupidity
Sunday Long Read: By The Rich, For The Rich
Illinois GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner is showing the way how to turn a blue state into a red one, and he's got enough money at his back in a post-Citizens United America now to pull it off...because the real people running Illinois are only concerned with one color:
The richest man in Illinois does not often give speeches. But on a warm spring day two years ago, Kenneth C. Griffin, the billionaire founder of one of the world’s largest hedge funds, rose before a black-tie dinner of the Economic Club of Chicago to deliver an urgent plea to the city’s elite.
They had stood silently, Mr. Griffin told them, as politicians taxed too much, spent too much and drove businesses and jobs from the state. They had refused to help those who would take on the reigning powers in the Illinois Capitol. “It is time for us to do something,” he implored.
Their response came quickly. In the months since, Mr. Griffin and a small group of rich supporters — not just from Chicago, but also from New York City and Los Angeles, southern Florida and Texas — have poured tens of millions of dollars into the state, a concentration of political money without precedent in Illinois history.
Their wealth has forcefully shifted the state’s balance of power. Last year, the families helped elect as governor Bruce Rauner, a Griffin friend and former private equity executive from the Chicago suburbs, who estimates his own fortune at more than $500 million. Now they are rallying behind Mr. Rauner’s agenda: to cut spending and overhaul the state’s pension system, impose term limits and weaken public employee unions.
“It was clear that they wanted to change the power structure, change the way business was conducted and change the status quo,” said Andy Shaw, an acquaintance of Mr. Rauner’s and the president of the Better Government Association, a nonpartisan state watchdog group.
The families remaking Illinois are among a small group around the country who have channeled their extraordinary wealth into political power, taking advantage of regulatory, legal and cultural shifts that have carved new paths for infusing money into campaigns. Economic winners in an age of rising inequality, operating largely out of public view, they are reshaping government with fortunes so large as to defy the ordinary financial scale of politics. In the 2016 presidential race, a New York Times analysis found last month, just 158 families had provided nearly half of the early campaign money.
Many of those giving, like Mr. Griffin, come from the world of finance, an industry that has yielded more of the new political wealth than any other. The Florida-based leveraged-buyout pioneer John Childs, the private equity investor Sam Zell and Paul Singer, a prominent New York hedge fund manager, all helped elect Mr. Rauner, as did Richard Uihlein, a conservative businessman from the Chicago suburbs.
Most of them lean Republican; some are Democrats. But to a remarkable degree, their philosophies are becoming part of a widely adopted blueprint for public officials around the country: Critical of the power of unions, many are also determined to reduce spending and taxation, and are skeptical of government-led efforts to mitigate the growing gap between the rich and everyone else.
The robber barons are splitting up the country among themselves with their billion dollar fortunes and have been so successful that there are only a handful of blue states left to break. Illinois is in the ringer now. Massachusetts, Maine, and the rest of New England are next, Minnesota, New York, and the West Coast are holding out.
But what does that matter when the vast majority of the country is controlled by the ultra-elite anyway, and all of them are dedicated to making themselves richer?
Especially since there is nothing we can do to stop them?
StupidiTags(tm): Austerity Stupidity, Economic Stupidity, GOP Stupidity, Sunday Long Read, Wingnut Stupidity
Everything Is Always Obama's Fault Forever
Right-wing noise machine on police with military equipment in 2014: Tyrant Obama's jackbooted thug cops will used tanks against law-abiding Americans! It'll be Obama's fault when people die i the streets!
Senators blasted the Pentagon on Tuesday for providing police forces with an over abundance of military equipment, which they say laid the groundwork for what unfolded in Ferguson, Mo., last month.
"Tell me what the difference is between an increasingly militarized police force and a standing army,” Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) said during a hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the first congressional hearing on the militarization of police.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle expressed deep skepticism about the Defense Department’s 1033 program, which since the 1990s has provided local police departments with more than $5 billion worth of surplus military equipment, including assault rifles, body armor, and armored vehicles.
The Pentagon says the program is intended to help police combat terrorists and drug cartels, but the senators suggested some police departments may be overstepping their authority by using this military equipment for crowd control at riots.
Coburn called the militarization of police an overreaction “on the basis of 9/11.”
"When was the last time that equipment was used for true counterterrorism?” he asked.
Right-wing noise machine on police with military equipment in 2015: Weak Obama has neutered police who can no longer protect you from ISIS! It'll be Obama's fault when people die in the streets!
Frequent Fox News contributor, former NYPD cop, and professional smear-man Bo Dietl was commenting on the then-active crisis unfolding in Colorado when he had what can best be described as incomprehensible, waking stroke:
Again, this is our president acting like a fool. I mean to see something like this, we noticed when the attacks occurred in Paris, when the cops were in their car getting attacked, we have to prepare ourselves. This is a war. We’re against... terrorists are against this country.
It’s going to open up here in America, and we’ve got to be prepared. And we’ve also got to start training all our officers in the use of high powered equipment. We’re dealing with bad people. Our little 9 millimeters are not going to do anything against somebody with an AK-47. [unintelligible—moreso] This is an attack on us; it’s going to be for the next generation. We have to deal with it. We have to prepare ourselves for the worst, and pray that the worst don’t happen.
In other words, Bo strung a whole lot of gun-nut buzzwords together in no discernible order—but boy can he yell loud!
Always Obama's fault forever, whee!
StupidiTags(tm): GOP Stupidity, Military Stupidity, Obama Derangement Syndrome, Police Stupidity, Warren Terrah, Wingnut Stupidity
Mayor May Not
Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass argues that if the Laquan McDonald video had come out a year ago when the shooting actually happened, Rahm Emanuel would have been annihilated in the city's mayoral runoff election.
If the video had been out, if Chicago had watched it before going to the polls, Emanuel would have lost the black vote. You'd have to be a meat puppet to think otherwise. And you're not a meat puppet, are you?
But just to make sure of my theory, I called the one guy who'd know: Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, the mayor's opponent in the 2015 election.
"Yes," Garcia told me over the phone. "That video would definitely have changed the political environment.
"The rug would have been pulled out from under many political leaders' feet. Things would have been different," he said.
"And now, with the video out and people seeing it, everywhere I go people ask me about it. Everywhere I go people tell me it would have been a game changer. If people had seen it, they would have said, this city is so corrupt, it's time for a change."
But they didn't see it, until it was too late.
"There's just some basic Chicago arithmetic in there. He wouldn't have received as much votes from the African-American community," Garcia said. "It isn't rocket science. It's arithmetic. And so yes, this tragic video would have had a profound impact."
Which is why Rahm didn't want it to be seen, why he had to do everything to keep it under wraps. And he did do everything to keep it under wraps, until the other day.
"And that's the Chicago Way," Garcia said.
Exit question: Why is Rahm still Mayor now after this?
StupidiTags(tm): Black Lives Matter, Police Stupidity, Rahmbo, Vote Like Your Country Depends On It
Holiday Long Read: Black Friday Blues
A short schedule this weekend as I'm taking it easy, but a not-so-subtle reminder that if you're hitting the stores today to get those low price holiday deals, remember the folks working today and the lengths that the largest retailer in the world will go to in order to keep those employees in check.
In the autumn of 2012, when Walmart first heard about the possibility of a strike on Black Friday, executives mobilized with the efficiency that had built a retail empire. Walmart has a system for almost everything: When there’s an emergency or a big event, it creates a Delta team. The one formed that September included representatives from global security, labor relations, and media relations. For Walmart, the stakes were enormous. The billions in sales typical of a Walmart Black Friday were threatened. The company’s public image, especially in big cities where its power and size were controversial, could be harmed. But more than all that: Any attempt to organize its 1 million hourly workers at its more than 4,000 stores in the U.S. was an existential danger. Operating free of unions was as essential to Walmart’s business as its rock-bottom prices.
OUR Walmart, a group of employees backed and funded by a union, was asking for more full-time jobs with higher wages and predictable schedules. Officially they called themselves the Organization United for Respect at Walmart. Walmart publicly dismissed OUR Walmart as the insignificant creation of the United Food and Commercial Workers International (UFCW) union. “This is just another union publicity stunt, and the numbers they are talking about are grossly exaggerated,” David Tovar, a spokesman, said on CBS Evening News that November.
Internally, however, Walmart considered the group enough of a threat that it hired an intelligence-gathering service from Lockheed Martin, contacted the FBI, staffed up its labor hotline, ranked stores by labor activity, and kept eyes on employees (and activists) prominent in the group. During that time, about 100 workers were actively involved in recruiting for OUR Walmart, but employees (or associates, as they’re called at Walmart) across the company were watched; the briefest conversations were reported to the “home office,” as Walmart calls its headquarters in Bentonville, Ark.
The details of Walmart’s efforts during the first year it confronted OUR Walmart are described in more than 1,000 pages of e-mails, reports, playbooks, charts, and graphs, as well as testimony from its head of labor relations at the time. The documents were produced in discovery ahead of a National Labor Relations Board hearing into OUR Walmart’s allegations of retaliation against employees who joined protests in June 2013. The testimony was given in January 2015, during the hearing. OUR Walmart, which split from the UFCW in September, provided the documents to Bloomberg Businessweek after the judge concluded the case in mid-October. A decision may come in early 2016.
If you want to know why I've long stopped shopping at Wal-Mart, this is but one reason why. The power it has over the American economy and the American worker is enormous. It employs 2.2 million people worldwide, more than the entire population of New Mexico, or the combined population of New Hampshire and Vermont.
They crush unions. They crush the people in them. They crush wages and lives.
And OUR Walmart was just another enemy to be crushed.
Enjoy those Black Friday deals, kids. The people paying the price to bring them to you are the least able to afford it.
StupidiTags(tm): Corporate Stupidity, Economic Stupidity, Labor Stupidity
Last Call For Thanksgiving, 2015
I'm thankful for all you guys who continue to humor me and let me think I'm decent at this political analysis thing.
I'm also thankful I don't have to put up with assholes jumping over my fence while I'm eating dinner.
Have a good holiday, folks.
StupidiTags(tm): Obama Derangement Syndrome
Black Lives Do Matter, Con't
President Obama weighed in last night on the Laquan McDonald execution (and it was a summary execution by the police, point blank, six seconds after that cop got out of his car) and posted to Facebook:
Like many Americans, I was deeply disturbed by the footage of the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. This Thanksgiving, I ask everybody to keep those who’ve suffered tragic loss in our thoughts and prayers, and to be thankful for the overwhelming majority of men and women in uniform who protect our communities with honor. And I’m personally grateful to the people of my hometown for keeping protests peaceful.
That's a good sentiment, but what we need is something like the Department of Justice coming in and breaking up the Chicago PD leadership, and putting the police under federal control. The fact that no Chicago PD officer has ever. Been. Charged. With. Murder. Until now astonishes me. No police department in the country has ended more black lives than Chicago. The entire department needs to be disbanded and reformed. It is by far the most corrupt police department in the country. They torture people there, you know.
Oh, and I'd like to see the President go to Chicago, go see his buddy Rahm Emanuel, and just deck him in public. I know that won't happen. I know Rahm is definitely part of the problem and I know the President has always been blind to Rahm's foolishness.
Maybe Michelle can deck him.
StupidiTags(tm): Black Lives Matter, Police Stupidity, President Obama, Rahmbo
They Tell Me The Smart Money's On Rubio
I'm not worried about President Trump or Carson. I'm worried about President Rubio.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) says religious believers are called to “ignore” laws that violate their faith.
“In essence, if we are ever ordered by a government authority to personally violate and sin — violate God’s law and sin — if we’re ordered to stop preaching the Gospel, if we’re ordered to perform a same-sex marriage as someone presiding over it, we are called to ignore that,” Rubio said in an interview with CBN on Tuesday.
“So when those two come into conflict, God’s rules always win,” he added.
Rubio said Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision creating a constitutional right to abortion, is open to revision.
“It’s current law; it’s not settled law,” he said. “No law is settled. Roe v. Wade is current law, but it doesn’t mean that we don’t continue to aspire to fix it, because we think it’s wrong.”
The Republican presidential candidate, who is rising in the polls, encouraged the faithful to work within the political process to change laws that violate their conscience.
“If you live in a society where the government creates an avenue and a way for you to peacefully change the law, then you’re called to participate in that process to try to change it,” he said.
Once again, this is a supposedly serious presidential candidate openly saying that rule of law and the US Constitution are both meaningless, because God. What the Supreme Court determines as constitutional has no value because no law is settled. Rubio will just ignore the laws he doesn't like.
There's a word for that.
It's called "theocracy". And this is supposedly the least insane of the GOP candidates.
Republicans cannot be allowed to win in 2016, or we lose the country.
StupidiTags(tm): 2016 Election, GOP Stupidity, Marco Rubio, Religious Stupidity, Wingnut Stupidity
Last Call For Happy Holi-Daze
Greetings from Red State America, folks, where in Harris County, Georgia, the local constabulary would like to remind you that there's no better way to spread Christ's word of redemption and forgiveness than by pissing off liberals with official county signage.
Georgia sheriff has staked out his ground in the U.S. culture wars by posting a large sign cautioning visitors that his community is proud to be “politically incorrect.”
“WARNING: Harris County is politically incorrect,” reads the sign posted on Tuesday under a welcome banner and the official seal of the county, located in central Georgia near the border with Alabama.
“We say: Merry Christmas, God Bless America and In God We Trust. We salute our troops and our flag,” says the sign placed in front of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. “If this offends you … LEAVE!”
Sheriff Mike Jolley said the concept was suggested by his staff members, who “saw the verbiage on the Internet somewhere.”
The elected sheriff, a U.S. Army retiree who has been in the position for 23 years, personally paid for the $553 sign, which includes an image of the county’s official seal.
“I believe it’s time for the silent majority to speak their minds,” Jolley told Reuters on Wednesday in a phone interview.
So far the response has been “overwhelmingly, humbling positive,” said Jolley, noting that his office has received phone calls of support from as far away as Hawaii. He has also heard from critics.
“There are some people who don’t like it, and I respect that,” the sheriff said. “That’s why I put on the sign that if you don’t like it, leave.”
Seems to me that telling people to get out who might be offended by a government entity taking an official position advocating a religion is the opposite of respect. ACLU is going to have a field day with this one, and rightfully so.
That's what we're reduced to in 2015, governments not having enough money for roads or bridges or schools because we're broke, but we pay county sheriffs enough money where they can go buy signs with Crazy Republican Facebook memes on them.
Truly America is blessed.
StupidiTags(tm): GIANT BRASS BALLS, Police Stupidity, Religious Stupidity, Social Stupidity, Wingnut Stupidity
These Disunited States Of America
At least one Texas Republican wants to put a measure on the state's primary ballot next year for a "non-binding" referendum on Texas seceding from the United States.
Tanya Robertson, State Republican Executive Committee member for Senate District 11, which covers parts of Harris, Galveston and Brazoria counties, said she'll present the resolution at the committee's December 4 meeting in Austin, and that she already has support from a few other members.
"There's been a big groundswell of Texans that are getting into the Texas independence issue," she said, citing conversations she's had with constituents. "I believe conservatives in Texas should have a choice to voice their opinion."
Texas GOP chairman Tom Mechler said Tuesday that many resolutions are presented each year for consideration on the primary ballot, but that he did not believe sufficient support existed within the SREC to approve the secession item.
Still, Robertson will present the resolution to a 12-member resolutions committee, which will decide whether or not it will face the full 60-member assembly on December 5 for a vote on its placement on the March 1 ballot.
Robertson got the idea for the resolution from the Texas Nationalist Movement, a small secessionist group that has tried but so far failed to raise the necessary 75,000 signatures to put a non-binding secession vote on the March ballot. When she heard that news she thought she could help, though she isn't a member of the TNM.
She cited dissatisfaction with politicians in Washington D.C. and dismay with federal spending as reasons for a secession vote.
Oh, this is definitely about white assholes in Texas wanting to get away from an America that elected a black President, but it's also about undermining the legitimacy of said government. Last time I checked we fought a war over this thing 150 years ago, and the guys that wanted out lost. The "not MY president" petulance is disgusting, frankly. When your candidates lose, you work harder to get your candidates elected next time, that's how it works.
When that no longer works, well we get secession referendums, and worse.
The fact that one of the major parties is openly pushing secession shouldn't surprise you. The modern Republican party is "our way or burn it all down."
StupidiTags(tm): GOP Stupidity, Historical Stupidity, Obama Derangement Syndrome, Wingnut Stupidity
Mr. Rubio, In The Senate, With The Policy RIder
The Hill's Sarah Ferris details how the Republican who has had the most success in sabotaging Obamacare has been Sen. Marco Rubio, his push to sink risk corridor payments last year has now started to pay dividends when it comes to the GOP plan to wreck the individual health insurance market.
While Rubio’s attempt to scrap risk corridors altogether was unsuccessful, his push contributed to a policy rider that was inserted into a 1,603-page spending bill passed at the end of 2014.
Under the provision, which is still in effect, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) could no longer tap other accounts — like its overall appropriations or its Medicare funding — to fund the risk corridors program.
Now Rubio is taking his crusade against the "bailout" program to the presidential campaign trail.
The senator and dozens of other Republicans are seeking to renew the policy rider — or repeal risk corridors altogether — in the year-end budget bill that Congress must pass by Dec. 11 to avoid a government shutdown.
“So far, we’ve succeeded in stopping the Obama administration from bailing out healthcare companies under ObamaCare, and it’s critical that Congress once again stand with taxpayers to stop any taxpayer bailout of health insurers from happening,” Rubio wrote in a letter to GOP leaders of both chambers on Tuesday.
Surprise! Republicans now want to tie extending Obamacare's sabotage to the budget bill due in two weeks. Shutdown or wreck Obamacare...Obama's choice, they say.
The damaging effects of the budget-neutral requirement became clear in October.
The Obama administration disclosed it could only afford to pay 13 cents of every dollar owed to the insurance companies — after insurers had already locked in their rates for the upcoming year.
“Obviously what happened was exactly what we thought would happen – there’d be an imbalance. Most of the companies lost money,” said Joseph Marinucci, a senior analyst with Standard & Poor.
“You have to be able to deal with unanticipated events, such as the legislation that would restrict the funding of its corridors,” he said.
Within weeks, about a dozen start-up insurers known as CO-OPs announced they’d be shutting their doors, in most cases because they lacked the cash flow to stay solvent. And at least two other insurers — WinHealth Partners in Wyoming and Moda Health in Washington — pulled out of the exchanges.
Then came the shocking announcement from the insurance giant, UnitedHealthCare, that it might cut its losses as well.
“Essentially what is happening now, and why you’re seeing all of these plans reevaluate their participation [in ObamaCare], they have to rely on their reserves over the next two years,” one industry source said. “It’s caused everyone to reevaluate and consider what changes they have to make to remain viable and stay in the market.”
So yes, the Republican plan to make sure Obamacare wouldn't work correctly has been pretty effective, and now they want to break it to the point where the whole individual insurance market system collapses. And they're willing to shut down the entire government in order to get that done.
Think about that.
StupidiTags(tm): GOP Stupidity, Marco Rubio, Obama Derangement Syndrome, Obamacare, Wingnut Stupidity
StupidNews!
Protesters took to the streets in Chicago, blocking intersections, and arriving in Grant Park after the release of a police dash cam video showing a white officer shooting a black 17-year-old.
The Obama administration is delaying rules that would require hybrid and electric cars to add audio alerts to signal the hearing-impaired until at least March 2016.
Brazilian police are investigating whether state-run oil giant Petrobras engaged in price-fixing and bribery to get contracts to build Olympic venues for the 2016 Rio summer games.
Also arrested in connection with the Petrobras graft scandal was Andre Esteves, a Brazilian banking billionaire, in a growing scandal that has also snared the leader of Brazil's Senate.
Texas teenager Ahmed Mohamed says he plans to sue the City of Irving unless the city apologizes and pays him $15 million for wrongfully arresting him over his homemade clock.
Last Call For Beshear Does Right
I will say this about Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear: his last few weeks in office are shaping up to be legendary.
The outgoing Democratic governor of Kentucky signed an executive order Tuesday to restore the right to vote and hold public office to thousands of non-violent felons who've served out their sentences.
The order from Gov. Steve Beshear — who leaves office next month — does not include those convicted of violent crimes, sex offenses, bribery or treason. Kentucky already restores voting rights to some nonviolent convicted felons, but the felon must apply to the governor's office, which approves them on a case by case basis.
This new order automatically restores voting rights to convicted felons who meet certain criteria upon their release. Those who have already been released can fill out a form on the state Department of Corrections' website.
"All of our society will be better off if we actively work to help rehabilitate those who have made a mistake," Beshear said. "And the more we do that, the more the entire society will benefit."
Kentucky was one of four states that did not automatically restore voting rights to felons once they completed all the terms of their sentences. About 180,000 in Kentucky have served their sentences yet remain banned from casting ballots.
The Kentucky legislature has tried and failed numerous times to pass a bill to restore voting rights to felons. The Republican-controlled Senate would agree only if there was a five-year waiting period, which Democrats refused.
Governor-elect Matt Bevin has been quick to tout "criminal justice reform" in the past, and all he's really meant has been tort reform so far. He has an opportunity here to do some real good by not reversing this order.
Democrats control state government until next month, when Republican Gov.-elect Matt Bevin takes office. Bevin could repeal Beshear's order or allow it to stand. Bevin spokeswoman Jessica Ditto said Bevin supports restoring voting rights to nonviolent offenders, but added he was not notified of Beshear's order until a few minutes before he announced it.
"The Executive Order will be evaluated during the transition period," she said.
We'll see. I wouldn't celebrate yet.
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article46208815.html#storylink=cpy
StupidiTags(tm): Criminal Stupidity, Dinosaur Steve, Local Stupidity, Matt Bevin, Voting Stupidity
Business Intelligence, Applied
As French President Hollande continues his whirlwind diplomatic tour trying to drum up enough international firepower to destroy ISIS coming off a visit to London yesterday, a visit to President Obama today, Berlin on Wednesday and Moscow on Thursday, the US is trying to figure out which Islamic State oil rigs are making the most money so they can be bombed to bits.
Since last month, U.S. warplanes have struck Islamic State's oil infrastructure in Syria in a stepped-up campaign of economic warfare that the United States estimates has cut the group's black-market earnings from oil by about a third.
In finding their targets, U.S. military planners have relied in part on an unconventional source of intelligence: access to banking records that provide insight into which refineries and oil pumps are generating cash for the extremist group, current and former officials say.
The intent is to choke off the Islamic State's funding by tracking its remaining ties to the global financial system. By identifying money flowing to and from the group, U.S. officials have been able to get a glimpse into how its black-market economy operates, people with knowledge of the effort have said.
That in turn has influenced decisions about targeting for air strikes in an effort that began before Islamic State's Nov. 13 attacks on Paris and has intensified since, they said. While Islamic State's access to formal banking has been restricted, it retains some ties that U.S. military and financial officials can use against it, the current and former officials said.
"We have done a really good job of largely keeping the Islamic State out of the formal financial system," said Matthew Levitt, who served as deputy assistant secretary for intelligence at the U.S. Treasury in the George W. Bush administration. "But we haven't been entirely successful, and that may not be a bad thing."
Economic warfare taken to a literal stage, then. We'll see if that slows down ISIS at all, but as long as the countries buying oil from the group are still acting like it's not a big deal, they'll just find other ways to fund terror.
They always do. There's only so much economic warfare you can wage before there's no economy left.
StupidiTags(tm): Economic Stupidity, Middle East, Military Stupidity, Warren Terrah
One Yooge Thanksgiving Turkey
Trump is definitely the biggest turkey as we head into the long holiday weekend, the notion that he's America's lousy racist uncle at the Thanksgiving table certainly plays out in a new Public Policy Polling survey. It also finds that at some point, Obama Derangement Syndrome became a living, breathing beast slouching towards your Thanksgiving dinner.
Donald Trump leads PPP's newest poll by a wide margin...on which candidate Americans think would be the most likely to say something inappropriate at the table and ruin Thanksgiving Dinner. 46% say they think Trump would be the candidate most likely to ruin Thanksgiving, as much as all the rest of the candidates combined. Hillary Clinton at 22%, Bernie Sanders at 7%, Jeb Bush and Ben Carson at 6%, Ted Cruz at 4%, and Marco Rubio at 1% round out the standings on who people think would be most likely to wreck the holiday.
When it comes to which Presidential candidate people would actually like to have over for Thanksgiving Dinner Clinton wins out with 24% to 18% for Carson, 17% for Trump, 11% for Sanders, 8% for Cruz, and 6% each for Bush and Rubio. Interestingly even though Trump leads the Republican field when it comes to who people want to be the nominee for President, Carson beats him out on the dinner invitation front, 31% to 24%. Clinton leads Sanders 51/17 among Democrats.
The examples of the GOP's reflexive opposition to President Obama's agenda are many but this may be the best one yet: by a 27 point margin Republicans say they disapprove of the President's executive order last year pardoning two Thanksgiving turkeys (Macaroni and Cheese) instead of the customary one. Only 11% of Republicans support the President's executive order last year to 38% who are opposed- that's a pretty clear sign that if you put Obama's name on something GOP voters are going to oppose it pretty much no matter what. Overall there's 35/22 support for the pardon of Macaroni and Cheese thanks to 59/11 support from Democrats and 28/21 from independents.
The old joke that if Obama came out for mastication, there would be a national epidemic of Republicans choking on food suddenly seems a little less like humor and more like a possible national health issue.
One covered by Obamacare, thankfully.
StupidiTags(tm): 2016 Election, Obama Derangement Syndrome, Social Stupidity, The Donald
Turkey says a Russian jet violated its airspace at the Turkey-Syria border and was warned multiple times before being shot down, Russia denies the plane was ever in Turkish airspace.
Planned Parenthood is suing Texas over the state's plan to cut Medicaid funding for the organization, saying the state is violating federal law.
A US Appeals Court has struck down Wisconsin's requirement that abortion providers must have hospital admitting privileges as unconstitutional.
Citrus greening may all but wipe out Florida's orange industry, the disease could cut orange production by more than 80% in ten years if no cure is found.
A new cable internet industry report finds Comcast and Time Warner account for 71% of new internet home broadband subscribers, with competition lagging far behind.
Last Call For The Moral (No Longer A) Majority
A new Pew Research study on American religion finds that White Christians are no longer the majority, and those who are increasingly identify with the Republican party.
As the nation relentlessly diversifies, both in its racial composition and religious preferences, White Christians now represent just 46 percent of American adults, according to Pew data provided in response to a request from Next America. That’s down from a 55 percent majority as recently as 2007, and much higher figures through most of U.S. history.
Yet even as White Christians shrink in their overall numbers, they still account for nearly seven-in-10 Americans who identify with, or lean toward, the Republican Party, the Pew study found. White Christians, in fact, represent as large a share of the Republican coalition today as they did of American society overall in 1984, when Ronald Reagan won reelection. A clear majority of all White Christians across the United States now identify as Republican, Pew found.
In sharp contrast, the Pew data show, the Democratic coalition has evolved into a three-legged stool that divides almost evenly between White Christians, non-White Christians, and those from all races who identify either with a non-Christian faith or, increasingly, with no religious tradition at all. Most Americans who don’t identify with any religious faith—a rapidly growing group—now align with Democrats.
These diverging profiles create electoral challenges for each side. Republicans face the tension of balancing the morally conservative preferences of their religiously devout base with the deepening instinct toward cultural tolerance of a society that is growing more secular, particularly among the young.
Democrats must weigh the culturally liberal instincts of their now mostly secular wing of upscale Whites with the often more traditional inclinations of their African-American and Latino supporters, who are much more likely than White Democrats to identify with Christian faiths. In a landmark shift, fewer than half of White Democrats with a college degree now identify as Christians; that’s a much smaller percentage than among the party’s Blacks and Latinos.
Above all, the end of majority status for White Christians marks another milestone in America’s transformation into a kaleidoscope society with no single dominant group.
For 230 plus years this has been a country dominated by white Christians. That is no longer the case., whether the reason is a truly growing secular population, growth of religions outside Christianity, or a borderline White Christian nation with people who finally feel alright to mention they are not religious at all...or all three.
All three represent a threat to the GOP, and they know it.
In 1944, polls showed that White Christians accounted for more than eight-in-10 American adults, notes John C. Green, an expert on religion and politics and dean of the college of arts and sciences at the University of Akron. Surveys found that number declined only slightly, to just under eight-in-10, by 1964. Even in 1984, White Christians still accounted for just under seven-in-10 American adults. The annual merge of results from other national surveys conducted by Pew, though not directly comparable with the huge Religious Landscape poll, suggest that White Christians dipped below majority status sometime between 2012 and 2013. The latest figures placing White Christians at just 46 percent of the adult population confirm a trend, Green says, in which “the relative size of White Christians [has] fallen at an increasing rate over the post-W.W. II period.
Going from 68% to 46% in 30 years is a major change for America...like "first black president" and possibly "first woman president" level change.
Both parties will need to adapt. One party however has clearly decided to try to go backwards.
StupidiTags(tm): Immigration Stupidity, Religious Stupidity, Social Stupidity
The Mask Slips Again...
...And again, Republicans accidentally tell the truth about what they are thinking and doing. Today's contestant: Sen. Marco Rubio.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) has found a silver lining in the Paris terror attacks that left 130 people dead: he said the violence prompted Americans to have a serious conversation about national security, and he suggested that conversation in turn has benefited his presidential campaign.
Rubio made the comment while discussing his rising poll numbers with "Fox News Sunday" host Chris Wallace. When Wallace asked whether Rubio thought his foreign policy credentials gave him a polling boost in the wake of the Nov. 13 terror attacks, the Florida Republican replied that his team doesn't put much stock in polls that were "going to fluctuate" this early in the primary race.
He went on to argue that the attacks led to a "positive" shift to national security in the political conversation, one he wanted to see continue "not just for political advantage."
"I obviously am not happy about the events that happened last week in Paris," Rubio told Wallace. "But I think it's a positive development that it suddenly has forced Americans to confront more carefully the issue of national security because it is the most important thing a President will do and it is the most important function of the federal government."
"I hope that we focus on that note more, not just for political advantage but because the world has become a very dangerous place," he added.
Rubio is counting on the steady diet of fear and hatred in the wake of the Paris attacks to be good for Republicans in general and specifically for Marco Rubio, I see.
I mean, he's not lying about what he thinks is going to happen. Certainly with Rubio calling for sending enough US ground troops into Syria to inflict "humiliating defeats" on ISIS, he's not lying about what he thinks there either.
Now, whether or not it will help him with voters when Trump is calling for rounding up Latinos and Muslims and such? Probably not.
But with the economy improving and unemployment down sharply from 2010 highs, suddenly the only thing that matters is ISIS.
StupidiTags(tm): GOP Stupidity, Marco Rubio, Military Stupidity, This Is Syria's Business, Warren Terrah, Wingnut Stupidity
The Vitter End, Con't
James Hohmann at the Washington Post concedes that GOP Sen. David Vitter's last minute attacks on John bel Edwards (and President Obama) over the Paris attacks made Democrats very, very nervous over the weekend.
Democrats felt very good about winning the Louisiana governor’s race until the Paris attacks happened on Friday the 13th.
Republican Sen. David Vitter, trailing by double digits in the polls, immediately seized on whether the United States should admit Syrian refugees. The issue let him get off the mat after weeks of attacks over his 2007 prostitution scandal. He went to Washington to give a floor speech on Syria, publicly sent a letter warning of a “missing” refugee and got on TV just a little more than 48 hours after the carnage in France with an advertisement invoking the horror.
Vitter and his Republican allies had struggled mightily to make the red-state, off-year race against Democratic state Rep. John Bel Edwards a referendum on President Obama. This gave them the chance.
Elisabeth Pearson, the executive director of Democratic Governors Association, suddenly had flashbacks to last year’s midterm elections. Several winnable contests broke away from them at the last minute because of voter fears about the Ebola outbreak, ISIS beheadings and children pouring across the border. Particularly in Maine, the Democrat was considered the favorite but Republican Gov. Paul LePage came from behind to win by publicly chastising quarantined nurse Kaci Hickox for returning to the state.
The difference this time? Democrats moved fast to attack Vitter on Syria, and Edwards quickly distanced himself from the Obama administration.
The Democratic candidate initially botched his response. A note on Edwards’ Facebook page said he’d work to “both accommodate refugees who are fleeing from religious persecution and ensure that all our people are safe.” Then he edited “accommodate” to “assist,” before putting out a statement that declared, “In light of the recent tragedy in Paris, it’s imperative for us to pause the influx of refugees flowing into our state without more information on the security measures in place.”
Gumbo PAC got its counterattack ad on the air by Wednesday. “It’s David Vitter who said he didn’t believe Syria posed a threat to the United States or our allies,” the narrator said, insisting that Edwards opposed allowing refugees in. The response ad also borrowed a page from the Republican’s 2014 playbook, attacking Vitter for missing “two-thirds of the committee hearings he was supposed to attend on Syria.”
Again, Vitter was such a terrible candidate that Edwards won anyway, but the lesson here is that Democrats in the South especially will continue to run against Obama. Whether or not they'll run against Hillary too, we'll see.
Still, Edwards won here, and he's willing to expand Medicaid for Louisiana where Vitter was not. It's a win, even an ugly one, and a bad Dem is still better than any Republican.
StupidiTags(tm): Democrat Stupidity, Obama Derangement Syndrome
Raids in Brussels have netted 16 but suspected Paris attacker Saleh Abdesalam is not among them, schools remain closed as the Belgian capital remains on lockdown for a third day.
A group of physicians in Minnesota are calling for public high schools to end football in the state, citing health and safety concerns and a sharp rise in concussions for students.
Two are dead in a US military helicopter crash in South Korea, the Pentagon is investigating the accident.
In a massive $150 billion deal, drugmaker Pfizer will be acquired by rival Allergan and could move its HQ to Ireland in another example of inversion to avoid all US corporate taxes.
A new study finds that sleeping in on the weekend or your days off may lead to metabolic health problems like increased obesity and insulin resistance.
Post-Racial America Update
Trump supporters are exactly who we thought they were.
A black protester reportedly was tackled, punched, and kicked Saturday during a Donald Trump rally in Birmingham, Alabama.
The incident was recorded by CNN reporter Jeremy Diamond. In the video, an altercation in the middle of a crowd is visible.
CNN later reported that at least six white attendees at the rally punched, kicked, and tackled the protester, who appeared to have shouted “black lives matter.”
According to Stephon Dingle, a reporter for WIAT, the protester also yelled “dump Trump” before the incident began.
During the altercation, Trump reportedly stopped his speech to say “get him the hell out of here.” Law enforcement then escorted the protester out of the building, which Dingle recorded.
This is how the Trump people deal with dissent. It's a perfect microcosm of what will happen to black America under Trump. There won't be a place for us.
But Post-Racial America.
StupidiTags(tm): Black Lives Matter, GOP Stupidity, Racist Stupidity, The Donald
Meanwhile, In Fortress Texas...
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is so petrified of Syrian refugees that he's threatening to eliminate state funding for non-governmental, non-profit organizations that help them. You know, church charities.
Gov. Abbott announced last Monday that he, like dozens of other xenophobic governors, would stop efforts to allow Syrian refugees into his state in the wake of the deadly attacks in Paris. Part of the governor’s announcement included the sending of a letter from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to local non-profits, demanding that they comply with the Governor’s request by Friday afternoon.
The state could forseeably choose not to accept federal funding for the organizations that don’t comply, according to immigration attorney Gordon Quan.
“It puts them in a situation that I think is very uncomfortable,” Quan told local KHOU News. “This is basically saying, ‘Don’t do resettlement. If you do resettlement of these Syrian refugees, you may be endangering the whole program that you have’.”
As Friday came and went, some agencies that work with refugees in Texas balked at the directive, arguing that because resettlement is a federal responsibility, Gov. Abbott does not have the authority to make such a directive.
Bee Moorhead, executive director of Texas Impact, which works closely with resettlement agencies, wrote in a letter to the state that the move “constitutes an unprecedented attempt on the part of a state agency to pressure private, nonprofit organizations to violate federal law and their federal contractual obligations.”
The letter asks the state to meet with resettlement agencies and federal authorities to decide whether Abbott actually has the authority to tell organizations to ignore the pleas of homeless people.
Abbott clearly believes he does have the authority, and at least some non-profits are now calling his bluff. He's turning to a Breitbart story that "proves" refugees coming over the Texas-Mexico border are really ISIS terrorists, which of course is false.
But this is where we are right now.
You will see Muslims beaten, hurt, shot, even killed in the US before you ever see a "Paris-style" assault on a US city. I guarantee this.
StupidiTags(tm): GOP Stupidity, Greg Abbott, Obama Derangement Syndrome, Racist Stupidity, Religious Stupidity, Wingnut Stupidity
Sunday Long Read: Building Bevinstan
ProPublica's Alec MacGillis takes a crack at explaining why working class blue states have gone blood red in the last five years and argues that pro-union New Deal Dems have sat out election after election and will continue to do so.
In his successful bid for the Senate in 2010, the libertarian Rand Paul railed against “intergenerational welfare” and said that “the culture of dependency on government destroys people’s spirits,” yet racked up winning margins in eastern Kentucky, a former Democratic stronghold that is heavily dependent on public benefits. Last year, Paul R. LePage, the fiercely anti-welfare Republican governor of Maine, was re-elected despite a highly erratic first term — with strong support in struggling towns where many rely on public assistance. And earlier this month, Kentucky elected as governor a conservative Republican who had vowed to largely undo the Medicaid expansion that had given the state the country’s largest decrease in the uninsured under Obamacare, with roughly one in 10 residents gaining coverage.
It’s enough to give Democrats the willies as they contemplate a map where the red keeps seeping outward, confining them to ever narrower redoubts of blue. The temptation for coastal liberals is to shake their heads over those godforsaken white-working-class provincials who are voting against their own interests.
But this reaction misses the complexity of the political dynamic that’s taken hold in these parts of the country. It misdiagnoses the Democratic Party’s growing conundrum with working-class white voters. And it also keeps us from fully grasping what’s going on in communities where conditions have deteriorated to the point where researchers havedetected alarming trends in their mortality rates.
In eastern Kentucky and other former Democratic bastions that have swung Republican in the past several decades, the people who most rely on the safety-net programs secured by Democrats are, by and large, not voting against their own interests by electing Republicans. Rather, they are not voting, period. They have, as voting data, surveys and my own reporting suggest, become profoundly disconnected from the political process.
MacGillis argues that voting, and even getting political news has become so onerous for the poorest Americans now that they simply don't care anymore: who has time to vote when you literally cannot put food on the table for your family?
Meanwhile, many people who in fact most use and need social benefits are simply not voting at all. Voter participation is low among the poorest Americans, and in many parts of the country that have moved red, the rates have fallen off the charts. West Virginia ranked 50th for turnout in 2012; also in the bottom 10 were other states that have shifted sharply red in recent years, including Kentucky, Arkansas and Tennessee.
The poorest Americans are least likely to vote, and least likely to be organized to vote. Meanwhile, the second lowest quintile of Americans have become sharply Republican. The result, in Southern and Midwestern states, has been catastrophic.
Kentucky is just the latest state to fall.
StupidiTags(tm): Bevinstan, Sunday Long Read, Voting Stupidity
Last Call For The Vitter End
AP has called Louisiana Governor's race for Democrat John Bel Edwards.
Looks like Sen. David Vitter will lose by about 8-10 points when all is said and done.
A good night for the blue team.
StupidiTags(tm): EPIC WIN
It Feels Like 2002 Again
Greg Sargent takes a look at a new Washington Post/ABC poll in the wake of last week's Paris attacks and finds America's clock has been set back to early 2002.
— By 54-43, Americans oppose taking in refugees from the conflicts in Syria and other Mideast countries even after screening them for security.
— By 52-47, Americans are not confident that the U.S. can identify and keep out possible terrorists who may be among these refugees. (One bright spot: 78 percent of Americans don’t think religion should be considered in determining whether to accept refugees.)
— By 81-18, Americans think it is likely that there will be a terrorist attack in the U.S. in the near future that will cause large numbers of lives to be lost.
— By 55-45, Americans are not confident in the ability of the U.S. government to prevent further terror attacks against Americans here.
— By 72-25, Americans say that it is more important for the government to investigate terror threats, even if that intrudes on personal privacy, rather than refraining from intruding on personal privacy.
In fairness, this is pretty vague — “intruding on personal privacy” could mean a lot of different things in terms of actual policy — but it’s still pretty lopsided, perhaps another reminder that public fear sends concerns about civil liberties right out the window.
— 60 percent of Americans want to see an “increased use of U.S. ground forces” against ISIS, and 73 percent of Americans want to see increased air strikes.
— Americans say by 59-37 that the U.S. is “at war with radical Islam.”
So Democrats are on the minority side of a fair amount of these. Hillary Clinton has aligned herself with Obama in coming out against sending in ground troops (though Republicans have been vague on this point, too, and Clinton has called for stepped up air strikes). Clinton and virtually all Democrats have called for the program for admitting Syrian refugees to continue, while the GOP candidates and many Congressional Republicans have called for it to be “paused” or for an outright ban on their entry. There is little confidence in the current administration’s ability to keep us safe — at least right at this moment — and Marco Rubio and Donald Trump have ramped up the calls for a beefed up surveillance state.
Sargent is being kind, as both Trump and Rubio are calling for effectively suspending the US Constitution and tracking the country's Muslims, treating all of them outright as terror suspects that need to be marked. Trump in particular wants to close down mosques and "do the unthinkable" because it may be "necessary".
Exit questions:
One, aren't you glad Obama is president right now as opposed to any of the Republicans over the last seven, eight years?
Two, if Obama really was a crypto-neocon warmonger, as I have repeatedly been assured he is by "real liberals", we'd be at war right now with tens of thousands of ground troops on the way to Syria, wouldn't we?
Three, do you believe Hillary would send ground troops like Trump, Carson, Rubio or Cruz would?
Democrats need to ask themselves and answer these questions.
StupidiTags(tm): European Union, GOP Stupidity, International Stupidity, Warren Terrah, Wingnut Stupidity
Belgian (Not) Waffles
The Belgian government has put Brussels on high alert as they expect an "imminent" Paris-style assault.
A week after Paris bombings and shootings carried out by Islamic State militants, of whom one suspect from Brussels is at large, Brussels was placed on the top level "four" in the government's threat scale after a meeting of police, justice and intelligence officials.
Soldiers were on guard in parts of Brussels, a city of 1.2 million people and home to institutions of the European Union and the headquarters of NATO.
"The result of relatively precise information pointed to the risk of an attack along the lines of what took take place in Paris," Prime Minister Charles Michel told a news conference on Saturday after a meeting of the national security council. The Paris attacks left 130 people dead.
"We are talking about the threat that several individuals with arms and explosives would launch an attack perhaps in several locations at the same time," Michel said, adding people should be alert but not panic.
He declined to elaborate, but said the government would review the situation on Sunday afternoon.
The metro system is to remain closed until then, in line with recommendation of the government's crisis center. Major shopping centers and stores did open on Saturday morning, with soldiers deployed outside shops.
However, many began closing their doors from around midday.
I'm not terribly surprised by this, given the connection to Brussels by the militants who hit Paris eight days ago, the Belgian capital seemed like the obvious next target in Europe. I'm hoping that nobody else is hurt and that Belgian police can find these guys before they strike.
StupidiTags(tm): Criminal Stupidity, European Union, International Stupidity, Warren Terrah
Democrats Behaving Badly, Con't
Of all the political excuses to use when embroiled in scandal of your own making in 2015, "I didn't know this would go viral" borders on gross incompetence.
The mayor of Roanoke, Virginia, apologized Friday for his recent remarks comparing the current threat of terrorism in the U.S. to the national mood after Pearl Harbor, invoking the internment of Japanese-Americans in his call to block Syrian refugees.
Mayor David Bowers said in a statement released Wednesday he's "reminded" of the internment of Japanese-Americans with "the threat of harm to America from Isis [sic]" now "just as real and serious."
The remarks were met with nearly universal condemnation, with members of the community calling on the mayor to resign, and prompted TV actor George Takei to invite the mayor to a musical about internment camps.
One, assume everything can go viral.
Two, read a history book once in your life.
Three, the really bad parts of America's history? Try to remember that they should not be repeated.
StupidiTags(tm): Democrat Stupidity, EPIC FAIL, International Stupidity, Legal Stupidity, Racist Stupidity
Last Call For The Kids Are Not Alright
C'mon Millennials, read the goddamn Constitution once in a while.
American Millennials are far more likely than older generations to say the government should be able to prevent people from saying offensive statements about minority groups, according to a new analysis of Pew Research Center survey data on free speech and media across the globe.
We asked whether people believe that citizens should be able to make public statements that are offensive to minority groups, or whether the government should be able to prevent people from saying these things. Four-in-ten Millennials say the government should be able to prevent people publicly making statements that are offensive to minority groups, while 58% said such speech is OK.
Even though a larger share of Millennials favor allowing offensive speech against minorities, the 40% who oppose it is striking given that only around a quarter of Gen Xers (27%) and Boomers (24%) and roughly one-in-ten Silents (12%) say the government should be able to prevent such speech.
Compared with people we surveyed in dozens of nations, Americans as a whole are less likely to favor the government being able to prevent speech of any kind. The debate over what kind of speech should be tolerated in public has become a major story around the globe in recent weeks – from racial issues on many U.S. college campuses to questions about speech laws in Europe in the wake of concerns about refugees from the Middle East and the terrorist attacks in Paris.
We've gone over "vile speech" before. You may not like it, it's hateful, it's awful, but the Constitution is pretty clear about the government banning it. It's not going to happen.
StupidiTags(tm): Legal Stupidity, Social Stupidity
Welcome To Bevinstan, Con't
Lexington Herald-Leader cartoonist Joel Pett goes right for the jugular on Matt Bevin's response on Syrian refugees:
Now...you can definitely make the argument that this cartoon is out of bounds and that Pett went way over the line here, involving Bevin's four adopted children from Ethiopia.
But there's no such debate on the propriety of Bevin's response, via BuzzFeed's Chris Geidner:
Like Pett's cartoon or not (I do not, and I think Pett should apologize) he still has free speech rights, and the direct threat of a governor saying that a political cartoonist or any member of the press's opinion "will not be tolerated by our administration" is flat-out unconstitutional.
There's no argument there to be had.
But welcome to Bevinstan.
StupidiTags(tm): Bevinstan, Matt Bevin, Political Cartoons, Village Stupidity
There are people who are unconscionably awful human beings out there doing unspeakable things to their fellow humans, but I'm pretty sure the folks behind this are absolutely bound for the lower planes.
Two brothers in Horry County, South Carolina are facing charges that they treated a mentally handicapped black employee like a slave for years, beating and overworking the man, who lived in squalor on property owned by their restaurant.
According to the Charleston Post and Courier, two Charleston attorneys filed a civil suit on behalf of Christopher Smith, who worked at the J&J Cafeteria in Conway for 23 years, but was hideously abused and exploited from 2010 to 2014.
The suit lists 14 counts against J&J owner Ernest J. Edwards and manager Bobby Paul Edwards, including false imprisonment, discrimination and exploitive labor practices. Bobby Edwards, 50, was arrested a year ago in connection with the case. Those charges are still pending.
Last October, Smith was rescued when social workers received a tip from an anonymous source who expressed concern for the man’s safety. Attorneys Mullins McLeod and David Aylor said that while the civil suit cannot change the past or rectify the harm done to Smith, hopefully it will “bring about positive change in the future.”
The Post and Courier explained that Smith worked at the Edwards brothers’ business for more than two decades, but it was when Bobby took over as manager in 2010 that Smith’s situation turned ugly.
Smith was routinely called the N-word, according to the suit. He was savagely beaten with a frying pan, hot tongs, butcher knives, belt buckles and fists. He worked 18-hour shifts Monday through Saturday and 11-hour shifts on Sundays with no breaks, receiving little pay. His total wages for each year added up to less than $3,000.
The complaint against the Edwards said that Smith was often abused on the job, dragged into the walk-in freezer where he could be heard screaming in terror and pain by other employees and begging his abusers not to kill him.
And they kept him as an effective slave for years. Please, please tell me these assholes are going to prison for a very long time.
StupidiTags(tm): Criminal Stupidity, Racist Stupidity
At least three are dead after gunmen stormed a Raddison hotel in the Malian capital of Bamako Friday, taking 170 hostages including UN staff members and an Air France jet crew.
Convicted Israeli-American spy Jonathan Pollard has been released from a US prison almost 30 years after his arrest for leaking classified military intelligence to Israel.
The House has overwhelmingly passed legislation suspending the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the US, the White House may not be able to prevent a veto override.
UnitedHealth, the nation's largest health insurer, is considering dropping Obamacare plans in 2017, which would be a major blow to the program.
A federal judge in Illinois has ruled against the DHS and DoJ when it comes to warrant requirements for deploying cell phone surveillance.
Last Call For Marked By The Beast
Are we surprised that the same Donald Trump calling for an Eisenhower-era "Operation Wetback" style roundup of eleven million Latinos is now calling for a national database to identify and track the country's Muslim citizens?
GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump believes that the war on terror will require unprecedented surveillance of America’s Muslims.
“We’re going to have to do thing that we never did before,” he said during a Yahoo interview.
“Some people are going to be upset about it, but I think that now everybody is feeling that security is going to rule,” Trump said.
“Certain things will be done that we never thought would happen in this country in terms of information and learning about the enemy,” he added. “We’re going to have to do things that were frankly unthinkable a year ago.”
Trump would not rule out warrantless searches in his plans for increased surveillance of the nation’s Muslims, Yahoo reported Thursday.
He also remained open toward registering U.S. Muslims in a database or giving them special identification identifying their faith, the news outlet added.
“We’re going to have to look at a lot of things very closely,” Trump said. “We’re going to have to look at the mosques. We’re going to have to look very, very carefully.”
Closing mosques, tracking Muslims, perhaps giving them armbands to identify them? Hey Republicans? This is your current front-runner for President saying this.
And I don't blame Trump for his racist idiocy, I blame the "moderate Republicans" for accepting this and supporting this and the voters for electing Republicans who don't have a problem doing this to fellow American citizens.
Time to reclaim your party and clean house, guys. Or live with your racist, awful party's consequences.
StupidiTags(tm): GOP Stupidity, Historical Stupidity, Racist Stupidity, Religious Stupidity, The Donald, This Is Syria's Business, WHAT IS THIS I DON'T EVEN, Wingnut Stupidity
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Xactimate Acronyms
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We'll walk you through the whole scoping. pdf file about Xactimate 27 Help sheet - AllcatClaims pdf selected and prepared for you by browsing on search engines. XACO - Xactimate Conversion. February 18, 2003 HIPAA, the "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996," provides federal protection of patient health information. I usual think it's best to begin with the Wilson "WATT" placement technique and see if that doesn't do a good job in your room. A three-letter acronym (TLA), or three-letter abbreviation, is an abbreviation consisting of three letters. About the snapping environment. Display results with all search words Search results per page < >. com All trademarks/service marks referenced on this site are properties of their respective owners. Shop Insurance Continuing Education Products. We currently keep track of more than 40,000 acronyms and abbreviations in different specialized categories. Looking for the abbreviation of Ceiling Level? 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The Division of Engineering Services (DES) is the lead project delivery organization for the design, construction, and oversight of bridge and other transportation structures. FINEOS Webinar: Expect to Connect – The Next Generation of Employee Benefits Core Systems. You take detailed pictures of the damage to the property and put together an estimate (or have someone put together an estimate in Xactimate) for the structural damage. If you continue Windows Media Player you should work this software acronyms&s. Mnuchin is responsible for the U. Xactware ID (Primary Email Address) Password Get an Xactware ID I forgot my Xactware ID password. And I was hungry where I was. , This is the maximum number of vehicles on a policy in a multi-car state. Trial software is usually a program that you can download and use for a certain period of time. Construction Glossary. esx file? What program do I need to open a. Get licensed in all 50 states using NIPR's online applications. html Cantoon Network Com Pubcompanies http://juravl. Recently I was doing some relief work for a staff adjuster in my area, and reporting to his manager. •In the interest of simplicity, commanders and leaders at each echelon should closely evaluate and issue only those facts received from higher headquarters that are pertinent to their own subordinate unit leaders. Display results with all search words Search results per page < >. And I was hungry where I was. As more emphasis is placed on the sustainable performance of building materials, EPDM continues to be the roofing material that stands the test of time. Oct 22 Property Damage Appraisers Adopts Xactware's Xactimate Solution to Provide Clients with Even Faster Cycle Times — October 22, 2019 Property Damage Appraisers (PDA) has announced its companywide implementation of Xactware's claims estimating solution, Xactimate® Oct 02 Xactware Publishes October 2019 Price List — October 02, 2019. Trial version of Xactimate. Updated October 2019. Our Home2 Suites hotel puts you near many great things to do in Lehi, Utah and Thanksgiving Point. com All trademarks/service marks referenced on this site are properties of their respective owners. xactimate boot camp in florida | Documentine. Patchy fog LOW after midnight. Note: This is a Microsoft program that is required to run Xactimate. Construction blueprints, also called construction plans or drawings, are full of abbreviations and acronyms to save space and neaten the overall appearance of the presentation. ONLC offers a huge selection of computer courses for all levels of proficiency. Car Insurance San Ysidro Caused the accident – not one of these situations To get your vehicle damages in superior court Regular and reserve, through which you do not get this done Auto insurance and supplemental And at the right auto insurance include : comprehensive (other than collision) $500 ded auto insurance olathe Single premiere. Provide an overview of the plan by specifying the purpose, scope, definitions, acronyms, abbreviations, and references, in sections 1. What do you want to learn? Online flashcards are a great way to study! Cram is your number one online educational resource. 50 Craftsman Book Company 6058 Corte del Cedro, Carlsbad, CA 92011 64th Edition Turn your estimate into a bid. It is in many of the common materials used in the building trade that you may come across during your work. Drone pilots are actually obtaining a certification, not a license. So, as the name would suggest, the program will debug a problems on a 'just-in-time basis. book text version. Mercury adjustments are license by LLC. The Contract Awarded Labor Category (CALC) tool, built by the Professional Services Category and 18F, allows contracting officers and specialists to conduct research and price analysis for professional labor categories across a database of contract awarded prices for 48,000 labor categories from more than 5,000 recent GSA contracts. The XACO meaning is Xactimate Conversion. Basic Tech Support Number. WSL is a Misleading Acronym/Name Because There’s No Linux in It, It’s Just Windows. According to our registry, Xactimate is capable of opening the files listed below. RECONSTRUCTION COST V. Get verified coupon codes daily. You take detailed pictures of the damage to the property and put together an estimate (or have someone put together an estimate in Xactimate) for the structural damage. Xactimate users receive an XactAnalysis address when they successfully register. Click the Draw Lines pull-down button to see the options for which type of line to draw. If you’re reading this article, you either own a Wacom tablet, have just purchased a Wacom tablet, or you’re considering buying a Wacom tablet. XACTIMATE 411 | Estimating Software Codes and Descriptions Here is a list of the codes and descriptions used in the Xactimate Estimating Software, which may be helpful to both property insurance adjusters and restoration companies for training purposes. If you cannot create your own macros, do you know enough to create an estimate or just enough to cut and paste some elses work. txt), PDF File (. Subscribe to IRMI Update. Discover more every day. This type of monitoring provides information about the response times and errors end users are seeing on their device (mobile, browser, etc…). Visit our website for nearby attractions and local businesses. For a broad spectrum of commercial and personal lines of insurance, we provide:. Microsoft • Using This Web Site • Site Archives • Credibility Index • OOXML • OpenDocument • Patents • Novell • News Digest • Site News • RSS. Terne metals are produced by coating carbon steel, stainless and other select metals with a specially formulated alloy consisting of zinc, tin and trace amounts of other elements, in order to dramatically increase a metal's corrosion resistance by up to ten times. Xactimate 27 Help sheet - AllcatClaims PDF View and Downloadable. Other Common Industry Acronyms: AHAM - Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers ANSI - American National Standards Institute CRI - Carpet and Rug Institute NADCA - National Air Duct Cleaners Association OSHA - Occupational Safety and Health Administration PLRB - Property Loss Research Bureau. If you’re installing directly over the old tile flooring, rough up the existing tile with sand paper. 50 Craftsman Book Company 6058 Corte del Cedro, Carlsbad, CA 92011 64th Edition Turn your estimate into a bid. Stack Exchange Network. lowballing synonyms, lowballing pronunciation, lowballing translation, English dictionary definition of lowballing. Wrestling: Citrus hosts annual Ed Kilpatrick event, r(B1 TODAY & Monday morning HIGH Partly cloudy. First, the IICRC is the certifying entity within the restoration and cleaning industry. MD - EARTH MOVEMENT - Exclusion Applied to Collapse of Underground Pipe. XACO - Xactimate Conversion. In the Search pane, search for and select your desired type of carpet. The desktop version of Xactimate allows field adjusters to use Xactimate even when an Internet connection is unreliable or not available. A LEED AP Certification denotes a professional who is one of the most educated, qualified, and influential “Green” design experts in the industry. You'll learn about IT safety and environmentally friendly ways to dispose of computer parts. Have you been mad at being affected by this smallupdate. The rapid evolution of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), Cloud Computing Services, the Internet-of-Things, Everything-as-a-Service (XaaS), as well as the development of new mathematical models, artificial intelligence and data storage capabilities, position DSS at a unique advantage as a continuously improving tool in the process of planning and completing complex projects. " Within its wide purview is device-as-a-service (XaaS) which, according to a Lenovo white paper, "helps organizations mitigate these costs by taking a typical hardware device (such as a laptop, desktop, tablet, or mobile phone), bundling it with a variety of services and software, and offering it to a customer for a monthly subscription fee. Customers can choose among classroom training taught face-to-face by Xactware Certified Trainers, virtual classroom training taught by Xactware Certified Trainers via the Internet, and self-paced training available within our Online Training Center. This angel and archangel difference provides the vendor agreement Windows used by the Haali Media Splitter for MKV, MP4, and OGM. acronym list acronym meaning acs american community survey afh assessment of fair housing ami area median income bfe base flood elevation cdbg community development block grant cdbg-dr community development block grant – disaster recovery cfr code of federal regulations dbe disadvantaged business enterprise. Insurance claims professional and expert witness Kevin Quinley said about the following ten volumes: “Zalma’s series of books is a terrific blend of both the legal underpinnings and the practical implications for the claim practitioner. Create a job alert for [job role title] at [location]. I just wanted to let everyone know that there is a cheaper alternative out there. Our Home2 Suites hotel puts you near many great things to do in Lehi, Utah and Thanksgiving Point. It began with one small office in Boston and a vision. Maximize your claim LEGITIMATELY !. In the early days, the definitions of those acronyms were imprecise. When you need any public adjuster. Xactimate User Guide 28 Dictionary A Companion Volume To Acronyms Initialism Abbreviations Dictionary With Terms Arranged By Meaning Of Acronym Initialism Or. As mentioned above we work with and bill all insurance companies directly and use Xactimate as required by most carriers. During the session, the Technician could be able to fully control your computer. The source for insurance producer licensing information and the Producer Database (PDB). DATE_FORMAT allows me to format the date in any manner you'd like. Verisk - Xactimate Loading. February 18, 2003 HIPAA, the "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996," provides federal protection of patient health information. From precise location information, to industry-leading. Terne metals are produced by coating carbon steel, stainless and other select metals with a specially formulated alloy consisting of zinc, tin and trace amounts of other elements, in order to dramatically increase a metal’s corrosion resistance by up to ten times. I recently purchased what I think is the best self study Xactimate 25 manual I have ever seen. This book has 377 pages and I was able to teach myself the software. re incident data for a design tool methodology This item was submitted to Loughborough University's Institutional Repository by the/an author. For a broad spectrum of commercial and personal lines of insurance, we provide:. 6" - P T4200 - Vista Home Premium - 3 GB RAM - 250 GB HDD Series Sign in to comment. Are permit fees always required for removing asbestos built-up roofing materials or asbestos cement shingles/panels? No. lowballing synonyms, lowballing pronunciation, lowballing translation, English dictionary definition of lowballing. 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But as they imply, the factors affecting premiums are generally how much (far), when, how well (behavior), and where (location) the vehicle is driven. One Xactware Plaza | Orem, Utah 84097 | 800 -932 XACT (9228) | fax 801 224 5218 | www. Cloud-based estimating means automatic, instant updates give you the latest data, new feature enhancements, and access to new products, without cumbersome installations and disruption to your workflow. The Microsoft Evaluation Center brings you full-featured Microsoft product evaluation software available for download or trial on Microsoft Azure. Xactimate CCC Pathways Mitchell Estimating News Business Insurance Claims Magazine Insurance Journal Tools Blood Alcohol Calculator Paint Calculator Personal Property Depreciation Calculator Depreciation Guide Skid/Speed Calculator Wallpaper Calculator Dictionaries & Glossaries Automotive Terms Construction Glossary Insurance Terms. I've had AgencyPro since 2006 and couldn't be happier. Maximize your claim LEGITIMATELY !. com 214-329-9030. Clear Poly Sheeting - 10x100 Feet – Heavy Duty, 6 Mil Thick Plastic Tarp – Waterproof Vapor and Dust Protective Equipment Cover - Agricultural, Construction and Industrial Use - by Xpose Safety. We were originally using a financial accounting based software. The second part of the Mechanical Code covers general regulations which pertain to location of installation of mechanical air conditioning and heating equipment, a piping support table, access and future servicing considerations, condensation piping drains and materials, drain types, minimum clearances around. Updated October 2019. Move it or lose it: the vulnerability and inefficiency of backing up data on-site is prompting school districts to switch to more secure, less troublesome cloud-based options. Dragon is 3x faster than typing and it's 99% accurate. Vinfen transforms lives by building the capacity of individuals, families, organizations, and communities to learn, thrive, and achieve their goals. Prices vary based on how you buy. Haag Certified Inspector Program Become a damage assessment pro through our industry-changing Certification programs. com 5 Note: assigning a SKU to the roll of carpet will allow Xactimate to calculate. Certification Levels. The insurance business, one of the oldest in America, has its roots in the early years of the Republic, when the nation's business was carried on primarily in seaport coffee houses, the gathering point for sea captains, merchants, and bankers. Ultimate Guide to Home Repair and Improvement, Updated Edition: Proven Money-Saving Projects; 3,400 Photos & Illustrations (Creative Homeowner) 600 Page Resource with 325 Step-by-Step DIY Projects. Several schools offer Xactimate as a weekend course with a Florida or Texas licensing program. RECONSTRUCTION COST V. Xactimate mobile works seamlessly with the desktop and online platforms to create the most flexible estimating solution ever. The World's most comprehensive professionally edited abbreviations and acronyms database All trademarks/service marks referenced on this site are properties of their respective owners. AdjusterPro follows Heather on one of her inspections. Access accurate and up-to-date building construction costs data that helps pre construction managers, architects, engineers, contractors and others to precisely project and control cost estimation of both new building construction and renovation projects. • If you have replacement cost cov-erage, the company will pay $2,100 because that is what it would cost to buy a similar sofa today. adjusterpro. Maximize your claim LEGITIMATELY !. So, as the name would suggest, the program will debug a problems on a 'just-in-time basis. Get verified coupon codes daily. Terne metals are produced by coating carbon steel, stainless and other select metals with a specially formulated alloy consisting of zinc, tin and trace amounts of other elements, in order to dramatically increase a metal's corrosion resistance by up to ten times. The roots of this word date back to early italian immigrants who did not obtain proper documents to come work in America, due to the fact that most of them were criminals. Clear, concise sentences are most easily understood. Public insurance adjuster with over 30 years experienced. Search for acronym meaning, ways to abbreviate, or lists of acronyms and abbreviations. Below are PTAB cases and Federal Circuit appeals addressing claim construction. The JIT part of Windows JIT Debugger is an acronym for Just-In-Time. Light 78 south winds. A new or updated Acceptance Criteria Plan is required for each increment. RFP is an acronym for Request for Proposal. We'll walk you through the whole scoping. Fixed-Price Contract A fixed-price contract is a type of contract in project management wherein the payment does not depend on the resources Firm-Fixed-Price Contract The term firm fixed price contract refers specifically to a type or variety of fixed price contract where the buyer. ROSEBURG, OR – May 2, 2011. Xactimate 27 Exercise Book www. He helps to you repair your damage. AdjusterPro. Fire, Smoke and Odor Remediation Glossary of Commonly Used Terms and Definitions absorbents are used in dehumidification (e/g, lithium or calcium chloride), which causes them to. Getting Started. An InstallShield Wizard window informs you that Xactimaterequires SQL Server Express to run correctly. It’s not hard to see why so many people find SCORM confusing! The two parts of the SCORM acronym are actually pretty easy to understand once we separate them out. 11 For example, Xactimate is a program used in the property claims area. book text version. When you need any public adjuster. When it comes to photographers, graphic designers, or any other computer artists, one of the single most important accessories that you could own is a tablet. While these two types of floors have much in common, they have a few key differences that are important to consider when deciding upon which one to install in. I usual think it's best to begin with the Wilson "WATT" placement technique and see if that doesn't do a good job in your room. It’s written by the leading insurance experts and from the policyholder’s perspective and includes real-life examples to provide insurance agents and brokers, risk managers, attorneys,. Gray, President Steven is a nationally known respected expert in roofing consultation providing forensic investigations, systems expertise, expert witness and testimony and roofing consultations. Countable Data BriefBhdleon. com 5 Note: assigning a SKU to the roll of carpet will allow Xactimate to calculate. They've developed a number of techniques in the residential side and it shows in the value of their work. 101 Introduction to Construction Estimating is a self-paced class which is the gateway to more complex and trade specific estimating courses. We offer web, app or email hosting, data services and managed security solutions. This type of monitoring provides information about the response times and errors end users are seeing on their device (mobile, browser, etc…). Find printable coupons for grocery and top brands. The JIT part of Windows JIT Debugger is an acronym for Just-In-Time. Tomato flames, flaps (night VFR), a1 tape Learn with flashcards, games, and more — for free. The most important function of an ANSUL system is to save lives and property from fire and from fire related deaths such as by asphyxiation, which is obtainable when you install the correct system suited to your needs in the home or workplace.
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Trousse médiatique
Innovation scientifique, technologique, commerciale ou sociale élaborée dans votre établissement ou en partenariat avec lui, ou facilitée par une programmation/des incubateurs mis en place dans votre établissement etc.
Un total de 87 soumissions.
Aidez-nous à réaliser notre objectif de mettre en vedette 150 histoires inspirantes des collèges et instituts de partout au Canada.
Camosun College alum Ben Costin applied his engineering skills in new Camosun Innovates lab
Camosun College
Camosun College’s Camosun Innovates department receives funding from national bodies including the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and Western Economic Diversification Canada (WED). Working with local industry, Camosun Innovates provides research services including industrial prototyping, innovations for athletes of diverse abilities, environmental protection, and technology to streamline business processes—all helping local industry prosper. The…
Un enseignant-chercheur en Gestion et technologies d’entreprise agricole du Cégep à Joliette se rend en Écosse pour présenter les résultats de ses travaux
Cégep régional de Lanaudière
Jean-Marc Larivière, enseignant-chercheur en Gestion et technologies d’entreprise agricole au Cégep régional de Lanaudière à Joliette, a présenté les résultats de ses travaux à la 17e édition du European Symposium on the Quality of Eggs and Egg Products en Écosse, qui s’est tenu à Édimbourg du 3 au 5 septembre dernier. Intitulée « Evaluation of egg quality parameters…
Le Cégep de Lanaudière rayonne au colloque Des racines et des ailes pour la recherche au collégial
Le Cégep de Lanaudière s’est démarqué lors du colloque Des racines et des ailes pour la recherche au collégial qui s’est tenu les 8 et 9 mai 2017 à l’Université McGill. Organisé par l’Association pour la recherche au collégial et s’inscrivant dans le cadre du congrès de l’ACFAS, ce colloque portait sur les multiples facettes…
Camosun celebrates the Babcock Canada Interaction Lab opening
Camosun College and Babcock Canada joined forces today for an exciting virtual reality ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the new Babcock Canada Interaction Lab at the college’s Interurban campus. “Babcock Canada relies on skilled technicians and tradespeople to design, build, and maintain complex technology which plays an important role in Canada and BC’s marine industry…
Camosun faculty & students lead unique pilot safety monitoring project
Pilots battling forest fires across the province endure unique stresses and challenges, explains Rich Burman, Interaction Lead for the Camosun Innovates team. “They’ll fly right into a smoke column and they say it’s like turning the lights off in a room, pitch black and all you can see are embers,” he says. “Their heart rates go up…
Saskatchewan Polytechnic collaborative research puts patients first
Saskatchewan Polytechnic
Patient-oriented research is becoming the norm for health-related research, and for good reasons. It focuses on patient priorities and outcomes and includes patients as active collaborators throughout the research process. “Patient-oriented research engages patients as partners and improves patient outcomes,” says Dr. Susan Blum, associate vice-president, Applied Research and Innovation. “This innovative, applied approach aims…
Students find success at WorldSkills Competition
Two students put their skills to the test and showed the world that an education from Sask Polytech cultivates success at the WorldSkills Competition in Abu Dhabi earlier this month. Kyla Henry, from Regina, tied for 6th and brought home a Medallion of Excellence in the Graphic Design Technology competition against 28 competitors. Daniel Nelson, also…
From COGS to NASA: NSCC grad a world-wide expert and advocate for free and open geospatial sharing
When a business gets a call from NASA, it’s a big deal. When that business is being asked to teach some of NASA’s brightest minds, it’s galactic. That’s exactly what happened to Jeff McKenna, a 2003 graduate of NSCC’s Centre of Geographic Sciences (COGS). In the fall of 2012, NASA reached out to Gateway Geomatics, the company Jeff owns,…
The Queen Street Billboard Project
NBCCD
The new billboards on display in downtown Fredericton are designed to intrigue your sense of thought – they reframe the concept of how a typical billboard is used and showcase colourful eye-catching designs that each have a story to tell. This project flips the marketing norms to use billboards as exhibition space, and to give…
Technology Fair reveals bright student ideas
Centennial College vaulted into the Top 10 Canadian Research Colleges ranking for 2016, the first time in the college’s history. There is no finer way to showcase the next generation of innovators at Centennial than with the Technology Fair put on by the School of Engineering Technology and Applied Science (SETAS). The college’s 7thannual fair was…
Testing photovoltaic reliability for a brighter future
Centennial College has been working on a solar module reliability project in tandem with electronics manufacturing giant Celestica, giving students a chance to get a more robust understanding of photovoltaic (PV) panel reliability. The initiative, funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), involves collecting real-time data to build models that…
A recipe for realism
High-tech mannequins and healthcare technologies beeping at different intervals are an integral part of Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s simulation labs, where health sciences and nursing students learn and study. The one thing missing from these applied learning, high-tech labs were materials and substances that simulate the bodily fluids and textures of practicing health care on a real…
Technology Access Centre for Livestock Production: Seeking Solutions with Livestock Producers
Olds College
In September 2016, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) announced the development of a series of state-of-the-art research facilities to be established across Canada. One of these research centres, the Technology Access Centre for Livestock Production, has been awarded to Olds College. The new centre will help livestock producers by enhancing…
NBCCD Textile Design Alumna Emily Blair Weaves a Poem
Featured on CreatedHere: Weaving is a code that transcends mediums. Known by an exclusive group of highly skilled craftspeople, this code empowers the weavers who use it to create something incredible from nearly nothing: from string into cloth, and sometimes beyond. Emily Blair is an up-and-coming weaver on the verge of graduating with her Diploma in…
Innovative ideas spark imaginations
An innovative tactic that Capilano University business students devised to get young adults to interact with eBay helped them win second place at the American Marketing Association’s (AMA) 39th Annual International Collegiate Conference in March. Tasked with attracting 18-35-year-olds to the online platform, CapU’s AMA case team mashed together the concept of a large digital…
Selkirk College partners with local businesses to enhance innovation
The Selkirk College-SME Applied Research & Technology Solutions (SMARTS) project drew to a close at the end of February. This multi-year project saw Selkirk College staff and students working with businesses around the region to tackle applied research questions aimed at helping partners use innovative approaches and technologies to enhance their operations. “One of the goals of…
Entrepreneurship Takes Off with the Lean LaunchPad program at Algonquin College
Algonquin College
A world-renowned pre-accelerator program, Lean LaunchPad is taught at over 200 universities worldwide, and back in February the team at Algonquin launched their very own version of the class. Although the AC version differed, in various ways, from the original, they both had at their core, the idea that participants ‘get out of the building’…
Virtual Reality 3D Modeling Software Created by Student Researchers at the Algonquin College Office of Applied Research & Innovation
Masterpiece VR is a Virtual Reality application used to create stunning 3D art, including sculptures, paintings, and even whole scenes. This is all achieved through a combination of PhD level mathematics, cutting-edge technology and professional grade software/UI design. The technology also makes it possible for multiple users to collaborate seamlessly in real time across the globe…
Le CCNB-CPTB joue un rôle important au Nouveau-Brunswick!
CCNB
Le Centre pré-commercial de technologies en bioprocédés du CCNB (CCNB-CPTB) offre des services de recherche et de développement pour l’industrie des biotechnologies et du développement de bioproduits. Très flexible dans son approche, le CCNB-CPTB offre son appui et son expertise à des entreprises de toutes tailles pour des projets de durée variable. Ses employés s’intéressent…
New simulator puts paramedic students in the driver’s seat
JIBC
A generous in-kind donation will give students in the Paramedic Academy at the Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC) the opportunity to safely practice important driving skills at the New Westminster campus. The new driving simulator generously provided by Alberto Montoto of MONCAR Simulators Ltd. incorporates one of the most advanced simulation systems available to…
JIBC research shows resiliency training program could help reduce incidences of post-traumatic stress
Training people to build personal resilience before experiencing a potentially traumatic situation could help reduce incidences of post-traumatic stress among first responders, concludes a recent research project by the Justice Institute of British Columbia. The study, “Building Personal Resilience in Paramedic Students,” involved 81 paramedic students who completed a survey measuring personal resilience before completing…
JIBC develops fentanyl safety resource for first responders
With overdoses and fatalities stemming from fentanyl use reaching epidemic proportions, the Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC) has launched a fentanyl website for first responders. “First responders are currently adapting to the danger that fentanyl presents to their personal safety,” said Steve Schnitzer, director of the JIBC Police Academy. “The first step is improving our…
Portage College awarded Innovation of the Year Award
Portage College
Portage College been awarded the Innovation of the Year Award for its 360 virtual tour recruitment tool by The League for Innovation in the Community College. Portage College, Canada, has static 360 virtual tours for students. We have shifted to using this technology as a strategic marketing and recruitment tool. Our recruitment team will travel…
Fleming College joins Peterborough’s Innovation Cluster, will create space for use by business & tech students
Fleming College
from the Peterborough Examiner: Fleming College will be part of the Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster’s new VentureNorth incubator project. The organization announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Fleming College. The deal will see Fleming occupy 1,000 square feet of dedicated space for use by business and technology students. The Applied Project space…
NSCC receives $15.2 million to construct a Trades Innovation Centre at the college’s Pictou campus
Nova Scotia youth will benefit from a $15.2 million investment that will help construct a Trades Innovation Centre at the Nova Scotia Community College Pictou Campus. “This is an example of government creating opportunities for young Nova Scotians. A career in the skilled trades is a smart choice,” said Ms. Regan. “A new educational Trades…
Niagara College to expand services with new Tech Access Centre for the Canadian Food & Wine Institute Innovation Centre
Niagara College will continue to expand its services and equipment for Niagara’s food and beverage innovators as a result of today’s announcement of $1.75 million over five years from the federal government to create a Technology Access Centre (TAC) for the Canadian Food and Wine Institute Innovation Centre. The Hon. MaryAnn Mihychuk, minister of Employment,…
Lethbridge College Applied Research & Innovation Centre invites community to take part in hands-on learning and entrepreneurship training
Lethbridge College
Lethbridge College’s Centre for Applied Research and Innovation and its partners are inviting the community to campus for a host of different hands-on learning opportunities and entrepreneurship training programs. Two of the programs are focused on aquaponics, a growing academic discipline which combines aquaculture (farming fish or other aquatic species such as shrimp, lobster, mussels…
Okanagan College professors among the recipients of the Trico Social EnterPrize award for innovation in social enterprise
Okanagan College
A team consisting of two Okanagan College professors and one student researcher are among only five teams across the country to be awarded prestigious research grants from the Trico Charitable Foundation. Dr. Kyleen Myrah and Kerry Rempel of the Okanagan College School of Business, along with Cassandra McColman, a third-year business student, recently received a…
Canada invests $35 million in NAIT for new productivity and innovation building
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)
from the Edmonton Sun: Post-secondary polytechnic education is getting a boost in Edmonton thanks to a nearly $35-million federal grant announced Wednesday. The funding is earmarked for a new productivity and innovation building at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology that is expected to partner with industry to solve problems and create jobs. “The building…
Fanshawe College receives $6.2M from Canada and Ontario to establish Centre for Advanced Research and Innovation in Biotech
from the London Free Press: Fanshawe College is setting up a biotechnology research centre with the help of $6.2 million in federal and provincial funding. Fanshawe will establish the Centre for Advanced Research and Innovation in Biotechnology in renovated space in the D block of the school’s main campus in London. Dave Machacek, chairperson of Fanshawe’s…
Algonquin College forms new partnership with The Ottawa Hospital in health research, innovation and training
Algonquin College and The Ottawa Hospital are embarking on a unique partnership in health research, innovation and training. The College has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Hospital’s research institute to “encourage and facilitate the development of mutually beneficial linkages” in areas such as digital health, clinical trials and biotherapeutics manufacturing. “I am very…
Lakeland College launches “The Way Forward,” a free online resource for military members and their families
Lakeland College
After a successful pilot period, The Way Forward – Transitional Life Skills for Military Members and their Families is now available as a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) for anyone to access. “We launched the resource on Monday, Oct. 17,” says Dale Pearce, an accessibility advisor in The Learning Commons at Lakeland College. The Way…
Olds College student uses beer production waste to feed livestock
from Maclean’s: Before he could legally drink in Canada, Alex Villeneuve brewed his first beer. Growing the herbs and roots on the greenhouse rooftop of his high school, Villeneuve fermented a prize-winning rosemary ginger beer and was declared a first-place winner of Edmonton’s First Official Winter Drink contest, run by the city. Lucky enough to…
Saskatchewan Polytechnic to launch new Innovative Manufacturing program
Saskatchewan Polytechnic is offering 12 seats in its new Innovative Manufacturing program. Beginning September 2017 the two-year diploma program will be delivered at the Regina campus. Saskatchewan’s manufacturing sector identified the need for multi-skilled workers. The cross-discipline design of the proposed program provides students with a breadth of knowledge and skills, ranging from mechanical and…
Vancouver duo working to send 3D printer to the moon with support from BCIT
from the Globe and Mail: For Alex and Sergei Dobrianski, the building blocks of an upcoming revolution in the space industry are found in moon dust. Over the past five years, the father-and-son team has been developing the technology to send a 3D printer to the moon that can extract and use the various fine-grained…
Niagara College launches “Makerspace” exploratory digital lab aimed at inspiring innovation
from NiagaraThisWeek.com: The library at Niagara College is continuing to evolve with the times. The ncLibraries and Learning Commons has added another list to its roster of services, and this one goes beyond the traditional thought of what a library may offer. On Jan. 25, ncLibraries celebrated the launch of its new Exploratory Digital Media…
College of the North Atlantic establishes new Workforce Innovation Centre with support from provincial government
College of the North Atlantic
The Provincial Government is establishing a new Workforce Innovation Centre at College of the North Atlantic’s Corner Brook campus. The centre will support and fund activities, research, designs and projects that demonstrate innovation and identify methods to better assists individuals prepare for, find, return to, or maintain sustainable employment. “By using progressive research and leading-edge…
Collège Boréal hosts Third Annual Entrepreneurship content, “The Next Big Innovation is Mine”
Collège Boréal
Collège Boréal hosted its third annual entrepreneurship contest La prochaine innovation, c’est la mienne! (The Next Big Innovation is Mine). Each year, Boréal students are invited to pitch a business concept or prototype that may become the next big thing to a panel of local business partners and business development representatives. As part of the experience, students…
Centennial College and the University of Toronto partner to make clean energy out of wood waste
from the Globe and Mail: Talk about making a silk purse out a sow’s ear, or as is the case in a collaboration between Centennial College and the University of Toronto, making clean energy out of wood waste from the forest industry. According to Gus Wright, faculty member and principal investigator at Centennial’s School of…
Okanagan College students win Inventathon prize with innovative ideas to tackle food security
Three Okanagan College business students battled their way to first place at UBC Okanagan’s inaugural Inventathon and took home $600 in prize money for their innovative and socially conscious business idea, Refresh. Cameron Starcheski, Cooper Simpson and Darren Gillespie, all members of Okanagan College’s Enactus team, were joined by Jaren Larsen and Pablo Doskoch from…
Lethbridge College partnership helps brings new “poultryponics” approach to vegetable and egg production to life
from Blackburn News: A revolutionary new approach to combine vegetable and egg production is being set up in the Northwest Territories. Treena Hein of Farm Credit Canada reports that a Hay River facility may be the first of its kind in the world to employ “Poultryponics”. Polar Egg and AgriArctic have combined efforts with staff…
Red Deer College brings skills training to Montana First Nation through virtual-reality welding program
Red Deer College
Red Deer College was excited to host a partnership event today, celebrating the launch of the innovative Virtual Reality and Co-operative Trades – The Next Generation program. The program, which is possible thanks to a partnership between RDC, Montana First Nation and Worley Parsons Cord, offers Aboriginal learners the opportunity to develop the practical skills,…
Le Cégep de Trois-Rivières lance un nouveau programme en Écodéveloppement et bioproduits dans l’usine pilote d’Innofibre
Cégep de Trois-Rivières
Le Cégep de Trois-Rivières proposera, dès l’automne prochain, un programme complètement revu afin de relancer le département de technologies des pâtes et papiers, qui est sans étudiant depuis le printemps 2011. La direction de la maison d’enseignement trifluvienne espère d’ailleurs que cette nouvelle formation mieux adaptée à l’industrie d’aujourd’hui permettra d’attirer une vingtaine de nouveaux…
Vancouver Island University grad develops Cree-language app to help preserve Indigenous languages
from Global News: The Athabasca Tribal Council wants to make sure indigenous languages are not lost. So it took matters into its own hands — to put language back into the hands of youth. A free app, called ATC Cree, provides hundreds of words with their Cree translation. “It has categories of words,” developer Byron Bates explained.…
Olds College and Red Deer College partner on entrepreneurship and innovation workshops
Olds College, Red Deer College
Olds College and Red Deer College have teamed up to present Start Up Saturdays Central Alberta, a program for students and recent grads focused on entrepreneurship and innovation. Launched March 11, Start Up Saturdays Central Alberta, encourages young entrepreneurs to create a start-up company, and offers training through a series of five workshops that help…
Red River College unveils new malt miso made from beer-brewing byproduct
Red River College partnered with two local microbreweries today to unveil a new culinary invention — miso made from spent grain — at an event showcasing the College’s growing Culinary Research and Innovation program, and its impact on food creation in Manitoba. Partners from the province, federal government and industry were among the special guests at…
Okanagan College, UBC Okanagan collaborate on project to find housing for low-income populations
from Global News: Housing for people with low-income or no income in Kelowna has proven to be a challenge but with the launch of a new website it may become easier to access. Ricky Lee has been homeless in Kelowna since November it hasn’t been an easy task looking for a place to call home.…
Finalists announced for Yukon Innovation Prize from Cold Climate Innovation Centre at Yukon College
Yukon College
from CBC news: Four projects from low-tech to high-tech, but all related to health and well-being, are the finalists for this year’s Yukon Innovation Prize. The annual award is geared each year to a specific area of innovation. Last year, it was northern food security; this year it was wellness. Sharon Katz, one of this year’s finalists, is working…
Cross-country skier develops new “ski claw” device with help from Cold Climate Innovation program at Yukon College
from CBC news: Whitehorse cross-country skier Doug Hitch is pitching a new device he says is a big step forward for the winter pastime. Hitch has invented what he’s named “ski claws”. They are metal claws permanently attached to skis. They’re engaged with a little kick, and give a skier more grip when climbing hills. On a level,…
Medicine Hat College grad invents horizontal-axis wind turbine to power homes
Medicine Hat College
From Medicine Hat News: A way to generate wind energy on the roof of someone’s home or on a commercial scale has propelled the design of an affordable horizontal axis wind turbine by a Medicine Hat native. A unit about as long as the average couch could produce 1,500 watts, which would be enough for…
Des étudiants en architecture du Cégep de Rimouski créent des œuvres architecturales qui intègrent de la culture aquaponique
Cégep de Rimouski
de Radio-Canada: Les étudiants en architecture du Cégep de Rimouski seront appelés à utiliser la culture aquaponique qui y est développée pour embellir l’établissement. Une somme de 15 000 dollars sera mise à leur disposition pour créer, l’automne prochain, des œuvres architecturales qui intègrent la culture aquaponique. Le professeur en géographie, Jérôme Bossé, souhaite que ce projet…
Innovative neck-pain treatment device to enter next phase of development at Nova Scotia Community College’s Dartmouth campus
from CBC news: A Bridgewater, N.S., startup is hoping its pioneering Neck Tronics invention will put an end to chronic neck issues and make rehab and assessment easier. The idea of a machine to treat neck pain comes from chiropractor Bill Smith, who was working on a patient one day at his office and thought there…
Loyalist College student receives $4,000 prize for innovative solutions for individuals with mobility limitations
Loyalist College
Loyalist College is pleased to announce that Brett Lyons, a post-graduate Entrepreneurial Studies – Business Launch (ESBL) student, received $4,000 for Your Mobility Innovations, a start-up pitch he delivered at the Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre (DDQIC) Regional Pitch Competition on March 15. Brett is an inventor who has a passion for developing innovative solutions for…
Humber College launches new online space for current and prospective students to find the information they need
from the Toronto Star: As part of its effort to support both the professional and personal enrichment of learners of all ages, the G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson University facilitates a range of unique offerings, says the School’s dean. Among these are its summer intensives and Programs for 50+ series. “These…
Push for Change’s co-creator highlights his road to success through Loyalist College
from Metro News: When he was 19 years old, Joe Roberts was homeless, addicted to heroin and pushing a shopping cart around Vancouver’s East Side. When he returns this fall at age 50, it’ll be by choice with a custom-built shopping cart he pushed all the way across Canada. Roberts co-created the Push for Change campaign to…
College of the Rockies instructor pilots innovative gamified calculus course
College of the Rockies calculus instructor, Leslie Molnar, is teaching Differential Calculus in a fun new way. While fun and calculus are not words that most of us think go together, Molnar has found the means to make it a reality – through gamification. The Winter 2017 Differential Calculus (MATH 103) online course had two…
Red River College celebrates opening of ACE Project Space and North Forge Technology Exchange in “Innovation Alley”
Red River College’s ACE Project Space and North Forge Technology Exchange celebrated the grand opening of their new Innovation Alley locations, by officially launching several new initiatives aimed at helping startup businesses innovate and grow. In RRC’s ACE Project Space — part of the College’s thriving Exchange District Campus — Business Information Technology and Business Technology Management students work with entrepreneurs-in-residence on new…
Okanagan College launches innovative apprenticeship program to reduce time away from home & work for electricians
from the Penticton Herald: An innovative apprenticeship program piloting at Okanagan College aims to help Electricians reduce time away from work and home while training. The Electrician Apprenticeship Level I Blended Program is a new 17-week program that will deliver training through a combination of on-campus and online learning. The online component will cut in-class…
City of Barrie hosts Manufacturing Innovation Summit in partnership with Georgian College and ventureLAB
Georgian College
from The Barrie Examiner: Robots are taking over the world and Barrie is welcoming them in with open arms. Robotic arms, that is. The City of Barrie is hosting a Manufacturing Innovation Summit on April 20 that will bring together industry leaders to discuss emerging technologies in manufacturing for advanced robotics, the Internet of things…
College of New Caledonia launches new dual Medical Imaging and Sonography program
College of New Caledonia
from My Prince George Now: In Prince George, a new medical sonography – also known as ultrasound – diploma program will take in its first batch of students in the fall of 2018. It will be linked with the school’s existing medical radiography diploma and will train 16 students per year. “We’ve always had more…
Sask Polytech announces new Innovative Manufacturing program
As of this month Saskatchewan Polytechnic is offering 12 seats in its new Innovative Manufacturing program. Beginning September 2017 the two-year diploma program will be delivered at the Regina campus. Saskatchewan’s manufacturing sector identified the need for multi-skilled workers. The cross-discipline design of the proposed program provides students with a breadth of knowledge and skills,…
Sask Polytech is changing lives through applied-learning opportunities
Building five houses over five years for Habitat for Humanity, Prince Albert, may seem like a big commitment, but it’s something Saskatchewan Polytechnic was eager to agree to. Now work has begun on the second house, it’s clear Sask Polytech carpentry faculty and students are committed to providing families with homes. “Our carpentry students work…
Ground-breaking Social Finance Pilot assists unemployed Canadians
Canada has achieved an important milestone in its commitment to social financing for public good. The Government of Canada, private investors, and colleges and institutes are pushing the boundaries of social innovation and impact investing by implementing the first social finance project of its kind in Canada. As the key project intermediary Colleges and Institutes…
Uncovering the mysteries off Nova Scotia’s shoreline
from Maclean’s: Soaring over Nova Scotia’s rugged coastline, researcher Dr. Tim Webster and his team map the white ribbon—the near-shore sea bed between the land and deep ocean—helping to unlock the mysteries long-hidden there. As the only academic institution in Canada to own a topo-bathymetric Light Detection and Ranging (lidar) system, Webster’s work with Nova Scotia Community…
Translating ABE Curriculum to Essential Skills for Business
North West College
Adult Basic Education comprises approximately 60% of students at North West College. In 2015-16 alone, NWC graduated 141 students from Level 3 (Adult 10) and Level 4 (Adult 12), more than almost all high schools in our predominantly rural catchment area. Skills development is critical to the long term success of adult learners returning for…
Work Integrated Learning (WIL) for Aboriginal Plumbing and Pipefitting students
Since 2014, North West College has been offering the 17-week, applied-certificate, in plumbing and pipefitting to Aboriginal students in and around Meadow Lake, SK. What makes this program unique is that it is delivered in the heart of a plumbing and pipefitting operation. RobWel Constructors Limited Partnership and Northern Career Quest have welcomed North West…
Niagara College restaurant teams up with Research & Innovation to launch product for retail sale
The Smokin’ Buddha is a local Niagara-based restaurant focused on serving global comfort foods, craft beers and wines. Their restaurant, take-out, farmers market and catering offerings are so popular that they have the need to create products to-go for retail sales that offer great quality, packaging, consistency and shelf-life. They do not have the in-house…
Niagara College Advanced Manufacturing team utilizes 3-D Printing to improve cleaning system
Master Systems (Floorcare Buddy) a floor-care company in Dunnville, Ont. invented the Floorcare Buddy, a safer way to apply floor care products (they even appeared on Dragon’s Den). The owner needed help refining key design components and needed a full set of manufacturing drawings. The R & I team at Walker Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre…
Farm of the Future: Interactive web tool for farmers
Led by Mike Duncan, PhD, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) industrial research chair in Precision Agriculture and Environmental Technologies at NC, the team of researchers, students and recent graduates demonstrated developments they have made in helping mitigate the effects of oncoming weather threats. Six micrometeorological/weather measurement stations were installed in…
A ‘crackling’ prototype
Niagara College won’t go breaking any ‘hearts’ this Valentine’s Day. That’s because its Research & Innovation team has discovered a way to automate the process of cracking delicious heartnuts without breaking their heart-shaped shells or kernels! After a 20-year search for a mechanized ‘heartnut sheller,’ local industry partner Grimo Nut Nursery has found new hope…
NBCCD Support the Creation of Mawi’art: Wabanaki Artist Collective
from Charles Gaffney, Department Head, NBCCD: In 2013, I had a vision regarding our graduating students of the Aboriginal Visual Arts (AVA) Program at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design (NBCCD). How great would it be for them to transition from college to a supporting entrepreneurial environment that would enable them to refine their business…
NBCCD Digital Media Diploma: Explore Cutting Edge Virtual Reality Technology
Imagine you are standing in front of a patient on the operating table. You hear the beep of the heart monitor. Now imagine cutting into the patient’s chest. Suddenly, you can see their beating heart, even reach down and touch it… Of course, you can’t actually do this – or can you? “We are living…
Mohawk uses 3-D Printing to bring campus to life for visually-impaired students
Mohawk College
Getting around a college campus- or any institution with a lot of different buildings is difficult even if you have full vision. So imagine how challenging it is for the visual impaired. On a chance tour of Mohawk College’s Additive Manufacturing Resource Centre, visually impaired student Stephanie Leach realized there was an opportunity to make…
Neighbourhood Policing Program Evaluation
Humber and TPS are collaborating to evaluate the effectiveness of the Neigbourhood Policing Program (NPP), a program implemented by TPS in May 2013 to reduce crime and increase public safety and public trust in police. Through the program, neighbourhood policing teams were assigned to selected Toronto neighbourhoods to increase police presence and address identified community…
416 Automation works with Humber to create the SeatBOT
Through a collaboration with industry partner 416 Automation Inc., Electromechanical Engineering Technology students Theodor Willert and Joshua Donnelly-Robertson took on an innovative project that let them do just that. The students worked with 416 Automation and Humber faculty members Neal Mohammed and Mohammad Al-Rady to design and build an automated, robotic technology that can test…
Applied Research at Holland College
Holland College
The Applied Research department at Holland College supports economic development in Prince Edward Island by solving technical and business problems for industry and community clients using the college’s expertise, equipment and facilities. Applied Research projects enhance the quality of college programs and services and provide unique hands-on learning opportunities for students. Holland College provides subject…
Laurentian and Cambrian collaborate to boost research and innovation in Northern Ontario
Cambrian College
Laurentian University and Cambrian College have formalized an agreement that facilitates the creation of collaborative partnerships and enables faculty, students, and staff at both institutions to pursue large-scale research projects – sharing professional expertise, facilities, equipment, and administrative services in order to boost innovation, productivity, and results. The aim is to harness the resources and…
BCIT goes global with prosthetics innovations
3D printing has the potential to transform industries, create synergies and open up new opportunities. At the British Columbia Institute of Technology’s MAKE+ facility, we’re looking into how 3D printing can revolutionize prosthetics. Our researchers hope to create novel prosthetic designs that will provide beauty and function to the users. As part of this vision, BCIT MAKE+…
Micro Grid, Macro Change
Working with industry, government, and utility partners, the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) has built a leading-edge, smart microgrid system on its Burnaby Campus that allows it to test the renewable energy solutions that will form the future of energy. Smart microgrid systems can power remote communities using renewable energy sources such as sun…
BCIT asks, “How do you make hockey skates ‘smarter’?”
How do you make hockey skates “smarter”? That was the question BLUR Hockey owner Scott McMillan posed to the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). After having worked for six years with the Adidas Innovation Team, Scott wanted to pursue his own innovative idea—a hockey skate that would track player stride, gait, timing, and balance.…
Algonquin College student research tackles environmental issues affecting Muskrat Lake Watershed
from the Daily Observer: On Dec. 6, Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus in Pembroke held an Applied Research Day to give students in the Environmental Technician (E-Tech) Program the opportunity to showcase their work. The E-Tech Program, which was founded five years ago, is a compressed diploma that can be completed in 18 months whereas other…
UFV’s BioPods grow sustainable food and Agtech careers in the community
The City of Surrey, the John Volken Academy (JVA), the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), and educational partners have unveiled twin high-tech greenhouses known as BioPods, a City of Surrey vision and a signature made-in-BC agricultural initiative designed as a catalyst for agricultural research and innovation in British Columbia. As the global population marches…
Algonquin College Research Assistant Hired as Microsoft Student Evangelist
Under the tutelage of Algonquin’s Office of Applied Research and Innovation and working with industry partner Contextere, students Adesh Shah and Jack Garrard developed a ground breaking application targeted towards industrial work crews. Adesh Shah and Jack Garrard, who are enrolled in the Mobile Application Design & Development and Interactive Media & Design programs respectively,…
Going global—a BCIT prosthetic and orthotic team in India
Recently, two BCIT Prosthetics and Orthotics Diploma program students travelled to Koppal, India, to complete their clinical placements with the Samuha Overseas Development Association (SODA), a local NGO. One of SODA’s missions is to address the needs of people living with disabilities in the villages of South India. The students, Malena Rapaport and Shane Bates,…
Algonquin College graphic design students and grads participate in digital comic book project to raise awareness about the immune system and vaccinations
from Metro Ottawa: “A prominent Ottawa doctor has teamed up with graphic-design prodigies to convince children to get vaccinated. Immunization Warriors is a digital comic book that aims to get children thinking differently about needles and go over the heads of reluctant parents. Comparing viruses to invading extra-terrestrials, the comic aims to explain the role of white…
Lethbridge College adds new way of designing to its Interior Design Technology program
Lethbridge College Interior Design Technology program launches virtual-reality component to help both students and clients better visual projects. from the Lethbridge Herald: “There’s a new way of designing, and students at Lethbridge College are getting the chance to explore it firsthand. Students in the Interior Design Technology (IDT) program are getting the opportunity to work…
Future Ways of Living Cultural Celebration and Pop-Up Lab
George Brown College
The unique George Brown College Institute without Boundaries (IwB), a Toronto-based educational program and design studio, works to achieve social, ecological, and economic innovation through design collaboration. from George Brown College: “The Institute without Boundaries (IwB) was founded in 2003 by the School of Design at George Brown College, in consultation with Bruce Mau. The…
Copyright © 2017 Colleges and Institutes Canada
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Montana bill effectively bans all abortions after 24 weeks
by Associated Press | FOXNews.com
HELENA, Mont. – Montana lawmakers pushed forward with a measure Thursday that would effectively ban all abortions after 24 weeks of pregnancy, regardless of medical risks to a woman.
Critics of the bill said it could be among the most extreme anti-abortion laws in the nation, even as other states consider their own proposals that would reduce the window for legal abortions.
Montana already outlaws late-term abortions, unless the life of the woman is at risk. The legislation would require physicians to deliver a fetus at six months or later by inducing a woman into labor or performing a cesarean section.
Once the fetus is removed, doctors would be required to attempt to use whatever means to resuscitate the baby. Doctors who violate the law could be charged with a felony.
“They either have to be a miracle worker or a felon,” said Sen. Diane Sands, a Democrat from Missoula who opposed the bill. She added, “It’s by far the most extreme measure I’ve seen ever proposed in Montana.”
Read the full article: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/02/23/montana-bill-effectively-bans-all-abortions-after-24-weeks.html
Categories Montana, Other News 2 | Tags: Abortion, pro-life
1 Comment - what are your thoughts?
Glenda Jordan says:
A ban on the snuffing out the life of of a six mo.baby in the womb is a “most extreme measure”?? Can’t imagine the outcry if the ban on abortion was placed @ 6wks pregnancy! Truly hardened hearts…demonic!
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Lord of Ultima Review
COMPANY: EA Phenomic
Lord of Ultima is a free browser MMO strategy game dedicated in building and growing your empire. Like all town management games, this game allows casual playing at your own pace.
You are the undisputed Lord of this land and by your commands your minions will build all kinds of buildings to collect resources and produce food. You will need the above to finally build your army and defend yourself or attack others. The game grand you a one-week period of protection from attacks but then you're on your own. Until then, make sure to build strong defences and raise a decent army. Of course there are more things to fight against apart from other players. Around the map there are dungeons and mountains infected with bandits, or animal packs. You even get to fight dragons for their loot!
Graphics are pretty sharp for a browser game, although you never get to see any of your units, workers or army. Whatever you do is only indicated by a countdown clock or a progress bar. The multiplayer element is strong, as you will eventually meet other players around you. You can either for an alliance with them, or siege their empires.
The gameplay is straight-forward and not confusing at all, as you known it from similar games. The game won't demand from you more time than you are willing to spend. No crops or labour will be lost, unless you've been attacked and not prepared.
Are you ready to command and conquer in the Lord of Ultima? Sign up to find out!
View gameplay video
The Settlers Online
The Settlers Online is a free to play strategy (RTS) browser game, published by Ubisoft (Heroes of Might...
Worms is the Facebook version of the famous homonym turn-based strategy game. For those of you who...
World of Warplanes is a free to play historical battle plane simulator game, created by the team that brought us
In Cultures Online, you start with a single hero (a Viking) and you try to build up a town into a thriving...
Wizard101 is a free-to-play 3D fantasy Harry Potter-like MMORPG. The player takes the role of a young wizard who goes...
OTHER EA PHENOMIC GAMES
Command & Conquer: Tiberium Alliances [Strategy]
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92.5 THE CHUCK
Brooke and Jubal
The Chuck Newsletter
Huge sinkhole swallows city bus and explodes, killing at least 6 in China
WATCH: At least six people have been killed and 15 were injured after a bus collapsed into a sinkhole in central China.
A massive sinkhole opened up in the middle of rush hour in China on Monday, swallowing a city bus and killing at least six people in an explosion that followed moments after the collapse.
The incident happened Monday afternoon in Xining, the capital city of Qinghai province in northwestern China.
Six people were killed, 15 were injured and another 10 people were listed as missing, state media reported. It’s unclear if all of the dead were on the bus, as several bystanders also fell in the hole.
Owner ‘furious’ with Detroit firefighters over burning house ‘selfie’
Security camera footage from the incident shows people waiting to board the bus just before the sinkhole opens up. The ground suddenly buckles and traffic signs around the bus start to shake, then the vehicle’s front end tilts into a hole that suddenly emerges underneath it. Something explodes in the hole, and a cloud of smoke emerges from it just as bystanders start to flee. The hole expands even further to trap a few of them before they can get away.
A bus falls into an exploding sinkhole in China in this image from CCTV footage on Jan. 13, 2020.
Several witnesses tried to help the bus passengers but were forced to back off by the explosion, Chinese state media reported.
The city dispatched approximately 1,000 emergency workers and 30 vehicles to address the incident. They used a crane to remove the bus from the hole, which measured nearly 80 square metres (860 square feet) in area. Crews then used construction equipment to excavate the area around the collapse amid concerns of ruptured electrical or gas lines.
In this image made from CCTV video, a bus plunges into a sinkhole in the centre of a downtown street, Monday, Jan. 13, 2020, in Xining, Qinghai province, China.
CCTV via AP
China has seen a rash of major sinkholes in recent years amid a push to build out its infrastructure so it can support a rapidly expanding economy. A sinkhole swallowed up three subway trains in Xiamen and another subway line fell into a hole in Guangzhou last month.
Sinkhole swallows half of Pittsburgh city bus during rush hour
Sinkholes are often caused by natural erosion or acidic rainwater that weakens the sedimentary rock upon which subways and streets are often built. Mining can also cause shifts in the ground that later result in sinkholes.
Authorities are investigating the cause of Monday’s incident. The names of the victims have not been released.
— With files from Reuters and the Associated Press
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Painkiller tax proposed by California legislator to help pay for rehab services
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A California legislator wants to tax Oxycontin, Vicodin and other prescription opioids. The idea is to help offset the sky-rocketing costs of addiction and rehab.
In the last few years, Los Angeles County has led the state when it comes to opioid drug overdoses.
California lawmaker Kevin McCarty announced a new bill that would create a 1 cent-per-milligram tax on prescription opioids to help offset the cost of rehab services.
"What we have here is a plan to create a surcharge of opiate sales in California and redirect all those moneys to provided needed services for the communities," McCarty explained.
Public health officials said more than 2,000 people died of opioid overdoses in California during 2014.
In the U.S., 91 people die of opioid-related causes every day.
The proposed law would tax opioid prescription wholesalers, but could also impact prices for manufacturers. But some point out the cost may be passed on to patients.
Emergency Room physician Dr. Stephen Kishineff was concerned that addicts who buy opioids illegally won't be the ones shouldering the tax.
"Really the end users are going to pay for it because they're going to pay for it in higher prescription costs or higher insurance premiums," said Kishineff.
But he added the intention is good.
"As a society, it's kind of a nice idea for a tax to be put on something that can be abused in order to help somebody who is abusing it," Kishineff said.
McCarty estimated any impact on consumers would be roughly a few dollars per month.
"So we think there is a real nexus between the opioid industry and the problem that we're seeing out there on the streets. So this ties the two things together to address the problem," McCarty said.
Similar legislation has been proposed at the federal level, but if McCarty's bill becomes law, California would be the first state to enact such a tax on pain killers.
health & fitnesstaxesdrug addictionhealthy livingpain medicineopioids
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CEO champions healthcare for farmworkers
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Friends, family grieving after beloved San Jose woman allegedly killed by ex-boyfriend
By Chris Nguyen
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- A top volunteer is already sorely missed. Oragnizers at Second Harvest Food Bank in San Jose wonder what they will do without her after she was killed this week in a terrible crime.
The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office is remaining tightlipped after a man said he tried to turn himself in for committing a crime, but ended up being turned away. That man is now in custody, but some are questioning why he wasn't immediately detained.
The sheriff's office declined to comment Thursday, but Hugo Castro is currently being held without bail at the county jail.
New details of victim in this case are emerging and of the joy she brought to other people.
Alessandra Barlas' life was cut short after San Jose police found her strangled and stabbed to death inside a condo unit downtown.
Barlas, or Ali as she was known to friends and family, had a radiant smile. She graduated from San Jose State University with a degree in advertising, but recently went back to school to become a nurse.
"We're very grateful for the little time that we had her," said Susan Karlins of Second Harvest Food Bank.
Barlas volunteered as a health ambassador at Second Harvest Food Bank, spreading her love for fitness and nutrition.
"She was generous, and enthusiastic, and kind, and she brought a real passion for sharing healthy lifestyles and healthy recipes with our clients," Karlins said.
Barlas' ex-boyfriend Hugo Castro is being held without bail at the Santa Clara County Main Jail, the same place where he said he tried to surrender before a custody deputy turned him away and re-directed him to the San Jose Police Department.
Retired Judge Ladoris Cordell was named chair of the Santa Clara County Jails commission earlier this week.
She has questions regarding protocol and practices.
"Is this something widespread? Would other correctional officers have done the same thing? So that's one area of inquiry that we're definitely going to be looking at," Cordell said.
GET MORE: Click here to read other articles about the San Mateo County Jail
The sheriff's office has launched an internal investigation. This comes just two months after the death of an inmate, allegedly at the hands of guards inside the county jail.
Barlas' friends have set up a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses. Click here to donate.
san josecrimesanta clara countysjpdmurderhomicide investigationhomicideprison
Homicide suspect turns himself in, Santa Clara jail turns him away
San Jose police investigate homicide of woman
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RNLI lifeboat crews launch to assist incident at Portreath
A male was witnessed to be in the sea and struggling to get onto the rocks in the area of Bassetts Cove, Portreath.
RNLI/Paul Kimberley/Laura Penhaul
St.Agnes RNLI Lifeboat Launching to Bassets Cove
St.Agnes RNLI lifeboat crew launched at 6.50pm on 22 March, to join the H. M. Coastguard Portreath Rescue Team and St Agnes Coastguard Search & Rescue Team, along with the St Ives Lifeboat and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency Helicopter, to assist in the rescue of a casualty reported to be in the sea at Bassetts Cove, Portreath.
The volunteer St.Agnes lifeboat crew which included Paul Fisher, who was on his fist shout as helm, along with Richard Draisey and Joe Daysh, proceeded to the area to assist with the rescue.
The casualty had made his own way back out of the water and onto the rocks, before the lifeboats arrived. The HM Coastguard Team from Portreath had made physical contact with the casualty, and they were assisting them back to safety.
The St.Agnes and St.Ives RNLI lifeboat crew, along with the St.Agnes HM Coastguard Team and the HM Coastguard Helicopter were stood down and returned to base stations.
The St.Agnes RNLI lifeboat was escorted back to Trevaunance Cove by the St.Ives all weather lifeboat, as a safety precaution
Paul Kimberley
Lifeboat Press Officer, St. Agnes Lifeboat Station
St Agnes Lifeboat Station St Ives Lifeboat Station
Sea safety
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aegisnovel
Explosive Sequel from Author S.S.Segran Hits the Amazon Kindle Bestseller List Ahead of “The Hunger Games” and “Maze Runner”
June 23, 2015 aegisnovel Leave a comment
WebWire Press Release – June 23, 2015
Buffalo, Wyoming, June 22, 2015. “AEGIS INCURSION” the eagerly awaited sequel to the award-winning YA action-adventure thriller, “AEGIS RISING,” was officially launched on Friday, June 19, 2015 with extensive blog tours and exciting giveaways. Following the trailblazing path of her debut novel, S.S.Segran’s second novel has made it to the No. 1 spot on Amazon Kindle’s Bestseller List ahead of iconic titles such as “The Hunger Games,” “Maze Runner” and “Allegiant.”
Released eighteen months on the heels of the first novel, “AEGIS INCURSION” expands the arc of the apocalyptic action-adventure story while continuing to follow the journey of its five teenage heroes. The sequel has received over one-hundred-and-fifty positive reviews and glowing accolades from readers and prominent reviewers.
A review by The US Review of Books, which gave the book a ‘recommended’ status says: “A good sequel stands alone as a strong work without the accomplishments of its predecessors, but a great sequel inspires readers to go back and relive a book they’ve already read, and that is precisely what this book accomplishes.” A more colorful review by the OnlineBookClub states, “If Daniel Silva and Rick Riordan had a love child, it would be the young S.S.Segran. With the intensity of an adult spy thriller and relatable characters that teenagers enjoy, Aegis Incursion takes YA Action, Adventure and Fantasy to a new level.”
While the main setting for the first book was a fictional hidden valley called Dema-Ki in northern Canada, the second book takes the reader on a gripping adventure across multiple U.S. states. The key theme of the plot in “AEGIS INCURSION” is a major global crop failure initiated by a shadowy organization with an apocalyptic agenda. The author travelled to several places across the US on a road trip during the summer of 2014 to research for the book. It included a trek through an arid landscape in scorching 118-degree heat in search of St. Thomas, a ghost town that was once submerged in Lake Mead, Nevada. Founded by Mormon settlers in 1865, the town plays a significant role in “AEGIS INCURSION.” Incidentally the north arm of Lake Mead holds another historical treasure that the author explores in her book. In 1948, a B-29 Superfortress on a top-secret research mission crashed into the mirror-like waters of the lake and sank, remaining lost for over fifty years. The crash and the mystery surrounding the aircraft are featured in the book as well. “I am thrilled and grateful for the amazing response that the Aegis League series has received from readers around the world,” says S.S.Segran. “I see it as a testimony that wholesome and engaging Young Adult reads that are family-friendly remain a healthy genre in today’s literary landscape.”
About the Author. S.S.Segran spent a good chunk of her childhood exploring the enchanted forest of a million tales in the mystical land of books. In her early teens, she began crafting intriguing new worlds and conjuring up characters who came alive with the flick of her wand… err… pen. Charmed by the magical response to her debut novel from readers around the world, she has embarked on a quest to take her cherished fans on a thrilling journey deeper into the Aegis universe. Even as she delves into her creative endeavors, the author intends to continue her work of supporting youths in developing countries realize their potential through her non-profit organization AegisLeague.org.
When not devouring a book or writing one, S.S.Segran can be found standing behind the cauldron of life, stirring a potion made up of chores, parkour, drawing, horseback riding and–having enjoyed jumping off a perfectly fine airplane at fifteen thousand feet–perhaps skydiving.
For more information please visit www.sssegran.com (downloadable media kit available)
For media bookings contact INKmagination LLC at 307-222-0440 or media@inkmaginationbooks.com
( Press Release Image: http://photos.webwire.com/prmedia/52662/198461/198461-1.jpg )
“Aegis Incursion” Trailer
“Aegis Rising” Trailer
The love child of Daniel Silva and Rick Riordan?
May 12, 2015 aegisnovel Leave a comment
Official Review: Aegis Incursion
Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of “Aegis Incursion”
Review by TheMusicalMuse
A plane crashes in 1948. Several passengers barely escape drowning. In present times, a delivery man stumbles upon more than he bargained for and barely escapes death in the ensuing car chase. Meanwhile, there are five teenagers in Montana suffering from amnesia. These events may seem obscure, but as “Aegis Incursion” progresses, they weave together in an intricate web that will often have you exclaiming at “aha” moments.
Did I mention these are just the events from the prologue? Hang on to your seatbelts!
At the beginning of the book, we meet Jag, Kody, Mariah, Teegan, and Aari, five young people who set out on a road trip to rediscover themselves after struggling through a year of amnesia regarding the events of the previous summer. On the trip, they hear snippets from the news about a blight on the world’s crop harvest that even the experts are struggling to explain. Little do the five teens know that the destroyed crops are just the beginning of a global domination plan…a plan that somehow includes them. Their memories–flashes of a summer spent with a tribe of enlightened beings who taught them to hone their innate abilities–return in bits as they near their California destination, and just in time, too! What follows is a tale of kidnappings, espionage, escapes, and subterfuge as the main characters use their super abilities to chip away at the evil corporation that continues to haunt their paths as it quests for a new world order. Along the way, the teenagers meet several people who train them not only to use their powers wisely but to prepare themselves to fulfill the Aegis prophecy. Said prophecy appears in the first book of the Aegis League series, “Aegis Rising”, but the second installation actually reads very well as a stand-alone novel. I had not read “Aegis Rising” before I began its sequel, but I had very few problems following the storyline.
This book is packed beginning to end with intense, heart-pounding action, but the author also uses witty dialogue and short, descriptive passages to imbue her writing with a natural rhythm. Her two greatest strengths–pacing and organization–make this a young adult thriller that’s hard to put down. She tells the story from many perspectives, and at the beginning of each chapter, she switches to a new scene or person. Because of this organization, the book reads like a puzzle. You get bits of information at each step, and the closer you get to the end of the book, the more of the big picture you can see. Her cryptic style of writing, employed specifically to keep the reader guessing, would actually be off-putting if it weren’t for her incredible sense of timing. She perfectly balances the high-octane action scenes that keep the story moving forward with shorter, dialogue-free explanations to entice her audience.
The intended audience–namely, advanced young teen readers up to older teens–would easily connect with her cast of main characters. Jag, Kody, Mariah, Teegan, and Aari weren’t created in a writer’s vacuum to have impeccable speech and perfect responses. They talk like today’s teenagers talk, with incomplete sentences, slang, and a lot of sass. Though their struggles tend to be wilder than those facing today’s average young adult, their responses are realistic. They show emotion. They act impulsively. More importantly, they accept each other unconditionally, a theme that resonates strongly with the current generation of young adults. My one complaint about the characters is the lack of a stand-out leader. The author uses omniscient third person perspective to give her readers a more personal view into each of the main characters at some point in the book, and her cast of supporting characters is well-developed too. However, in mainstream YA literature, the major selling point is the one character that readers latch onto. I’m talking Harry Potter, Katniss Everdeen, or Tris Prior. While the main characters of “Aegis Incursion” are all likable and unique, there is no stand-out character that ties the whole story together.
Besides that, my issues with this book are few and far between. I’m amazed at how well revised and edited the final copy is. I could count grammar and spelling errors on one hand…and this is a story told in four parts! Occasionally, I ran into a few descriptions or conversations that could have been shortened or eliminated from the story without drastically affecting the plotline, but overall, this book was a thrilling read from start to finish. The more I read, the more impressed I was with the writing style, the organization, and the research the author put into her book.
If Daniel Silva and Rick Riordan had a love child, it would be the young S. S. Segran. With the intensity of an adult spy thriller and the relatable characters that teenagers enjoy, “Aegis Incursion” takes YA Action, Adventure, and Fantasy to a new level. All I can say is, “When is the movie coming out?!” I heartily recommend this book and its precursor “Aegis Rising” and rate it 4 out of 4 stars
Link to source – OnlineBookClub.org: http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=27355&fb_action_ids=10100758962046108&fb_action_types=og.shares#p444523
How a Bestselling Author Promotes Books in a Saturated market – A Great Article by Diana Urban on Book Bub
May 5, 2015 aegisnovel Leave a comment
More and more books are published each year, and the increasing market saturation and competition makes it harder for authors and publishers to effectively market their books.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is a hybrid author of the Inside Out series, soon to be a TV show. She has either self-published or traditionally published more than 40 books.
Lisa agreed to share her thoughts on the present marketplace and give some insights into how she promotes both her new releases and backlist books despite challenges in the present market.
You’ve published more than 40 books, which is extremely impressive. When you release a new book, how does that impact the sales of your backlist titles?
In my experience, unless my new release is directly related to a series, it doesn’t. If the new release is part of a series, it does impact sales of other books in the series, though any lift outside the series is minimal. I think the more titles you have, the less lift there is for other titles outside the series.
In the past, I saw more lift outside the series than I see today because the market is more and more saturated every single day.
From watching other authors, I don’t see them getting a lift for other titles outside their series when they release a new book either.
What have you found to be the three most effective marketing tactics for selling more copies of your backlist books?
Running price promotions. I put my books on sale and run a BookBub deal if at all possible.
Re-covering and re-launching at one time. I did this for Secrets Exposed, which I originally launched on its own. I re-launched it as part my Tall, Dark & Deadly series because there is a small connection. It went from selling a few hundred copies to being a part of a series that has sold close to a million copies. I re-packaged it as a prelude after book one of Tall, Dark & Deadly had done so well. I think the repackaging helped more than simply redesigning the cover.
Advertising the book in conjunction with the sale. My marketing strategy changes for every single book. Because the book market is so saturated, any marketing tactic that works gets saturated quickly and eventually stops working. Any tactics that worked before for a small price need five times the investment to keep working. Because of this, I’m constantly thinking of new marketing avenues to try and gauging what works and what doesn’t on a daily basis.
How do those tactics compare when promoting a new release? What do you do to generate buzz around a new release?
For each book I release I have a marketing plan, and with each book the plan seems to change. I’m planning a launch for May and am doing almost none of the same things I did for my last book. What was working usually doesn’t work for long because the market is very glutted right now, and so are the advertising venues. So I have a massive, ever-changing list that I evaluate with each release.
You’ve run several BookBub Featured Deals, including one today for your novel Escaping Reality(Simon & Schuster), part of your The Secret Life of Amy Bensen series. How do you choose which books to run and when to promote them?
For The Secret Life of Amy Bensen, book one is being re-launched in print the week of my BookBub deal and leads up to the new release in the series, Forsaken. So I try to plan my BookBub features at a time that supports a new release.
I’ll also run a BookBub deal when I want to pump up my indie work without competing with my traditionally published titles, which is never in my or my publishers’ best interest. I would never compete with myself. I see authors do this and in my humble opinion they are:
A) Making themselves work harder for less money. If you aren’t maximizing every sale for a book and moving on to another, you make less per book and you saturate the market; thus, we all make less.
B) If you aren’t dedicating yourself to making your traditionally published titles succeed, you aren’t going to make your publisher want to invest big money on you.
C) If you put out or promote indie books that are $2.99–$4.99 or even $0.99 close to your traditionally published release that is priced higher, readers could easily choose your indie instead, thus upsetting your publisher. This is true regardless of price.
Keep in mind, I’m talking about situations where your publisher is paying you well and your books are selling well. You have to make a living and you have to balance choices based on how you are being paid and published.
When your Featured Deal runs, what else do you do to amplify your price promotion’s performance? How do you keep the momentum going?
I advertise my price promotion at a variety of places and usually have a plan that will equate it to a new release in terms of performance, rankings, etc. So again, the plan varies, but I never do just the price promotion alone, especially in the present saturated market.
You have a fantastic social media presence, with 137K Facebook fans, 36K Twitter followers, and an active YouTube channel. What is your overall strategy for your social media channels?
I like to keep people engaged. The more they see your name, the more they remember it. So fun things that make people want to stay connected to me drives my decisions.
What is the most creative “campaign” you’ve run, or that you’ve seen other authors run, on social media? Do you run campaigns to drive real book sales?
When I launched If I Were You, I did an extensive social media campaign when it was a less competitive market. Oh how three years makes a difference! Probably my most fun promotion was when I had people make graphics that incorporated my Inside Out series somehow. Once they submitted the graphic, people voted. We had lots of fun with that.
If you expect social media to suddenly impact sales, you’ll be disappointed. Social media is about building a brand and getting people talking rather than generating immediate sales. But let’s face it, Facebook has lowered post reach and Twitter is limited in the first place. None of these outlets are suddenly going to change your world. In the past, less did more. Facebook’s shifting algorithms really had an impact on my social media results. Some of my posts reach only hundreds and some reach two hundred thousand or more. You can’t count on anyone seeing your posts anymore.
Want to share this post? Here are ready-made tweets:
Click to tweet: How a Bestselling Author Promotes Books in a Saturated Market: Q&A with @LisaReneeJones – http://bit.ly/1ECg3YT #bookmarketing #pubtip
Click to tweet: See hybrid author @LisaReneeJones’ advice for promoting books in such a saturated market – http://bit.ly/1ECg3YT #bookmarketing
Link to article on BookBub: http://insights.bookbub.com/promoting-books-saturated-market/
AEGIS INCURSION receives RECOMMENDED rating from The US REVIEW OF BOOKS
April 23, 2015 aegisnovel Leave a comment
Aegis Incursion
by S. S. Segran
INKmagination
reviewed by Michael Radon
“The man in black started dissolving right in front of their eyes and dispersed into a cloud of particles that began to glow a deep blood-red.”
The sequel to Aegis Rising brings us back into the lives of Jag, Tegan, Aari, Mariah, and Kody as the five young incarnations foretold by an ancient hidden prophecy. However, their memories of their adventure in the village of Dema-Ki have been mysteriously erased, causing a strain in their families and their own friendship. But when a summer road trip to California turns hazardous, memories begin returning, and superpowers along with them. It appears that the sinister organization behind Quest Mining and Quest Defense has a new strategy up their sleeve, and some terrifying new creations to go along with it. As a mysterious plague is destroying necessary food crops around the world and creating shortages and riots, the five teenagers must again do their best to prevent the world from falling into chaos.
Where the first book excelled in building a mythology and a legend capped with an exciting showdown, the sequel provides nearly cover-to-cover action that never loosens its hold on the reader. Once the wheels of the plot begin turning, it isn’t long before kidnappings, explosions, gunfire, fearful monsters, shadowy ringleaders, and espionage begin unfolding across dozens of chapters and multiple U.S. states. There are occasional moments where the story comes up for air, but with new characters both good and bad and more build-up to the inevitable tipping point of the world, the action is the clear focal point here. A good sequel stands alone as a strong work without the accomplishments of its predecessors, but a great sequel inspires readers to go back and relive a book they’ve already read, and that is precisely what this book accomplishes.
RECOMMENDED by the USR
Source: http://www.theusreview.com/reviews/Aegis-Segran-2.html#.VThJiCG4TZI
AEGIS INCURSION PASSES 100 REVIEWS IN 2 WEEKS!
Thrilled to announce Aegis Incursion passed a 100 Reviews on Amazon Today! Thank you Readers!
Find out why readers are thrilled with this explosive sequel:
http://tinyurl.com/nfxpol2
The Aegis Team
Aegis Incursion Hits #3 on Amazon’s Hot New Release List!
March 29, 2015 aegisnovel Leave a comment
Thank you fans of the Aegis League Series. You are the best!
AEGIS INCURSION – RELEASE DATE
Aegis Incursion, the sequel to #1 Amazon Kindle Bestseller, will be available on Amazon on Saturday, March 28, 2015. This soft launch will be followed by a full launch on May 22, 2015.
Home of the Bestselling Aegis Series Novels
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Category Archives: Lord Buddha
Revisiting Bihar
Posted in Ashoka Pillar, Bihar Heritage, Bihar Images, Bihar Tourism, Brand Bihar, Buddha Stupa, Jainism, Lord Buddha, Lord Mahavir, Minapur, Muzaffarpur, Peace Pagoda, Vaishali
http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf
It always a great experience to take photos in Bihar. In the last two weeks I had the chance to take some shots in my native village Minapur near Muzzafarpur and also had the privilege to visit Vaishali again after a long time.
Historically important, Vaishali, on the left bank of the Gandak river, is spiritually supreme. Lord Buddha visited this place frequently and at Kolhua, close by, preached his last sermon. To commemorate the event, Emperor Ashoka, in the third century B.C. erected one of his famous lion pillars here. A hundred years after the Mahaparinirvana of the Buddha – Vaishali hosted the second great Buddhist council. Two stupas were erected to commemorate this event. Jainism, too, has its origins in Vaishali, Lord Mahavir was born in 540 B.C. in vaishali and died in 468 B. C. in Pawapuri. Vaishali is then twice blessed and remains an important pilgrim center for both Buddhists and Jains, attracting also historians foraging for the past.
On the outskirts of Vaishali stood the grand double storied Buddhist monastery. Buddha often discoursed here. Much against his wishes, he extended spiritual enfranchisement to women by admitting them to the Holy Order which was founded here. Legend has it that on one of his visits, several monkeys dug up a tank for his comfortable stay and offered him a bowl of honey. This is regarded as one of the great incidents in the legends of Buddha, who announced his approaching Nirvana and preached his last sermon here. The Lichchhavis came a long way to bid him farewell on his way to Kushinagara and finally, they were stopped by a river created by Buddha. He once again paused to have a last of his much loved city. As a piety for Vaishali, he had already given his alms bowl which remained here for long time.
A life size-pillar beside a brick stupa at Kolhua commemorates Buddha’s last sermon and announcement of his approaching nirvana. The lion faces north, the direction Buddha took on his last voyage. Adjacent to this is the tank associated with the monkeys offering honey. Nearby are the skeletal remains of a monastery where Buddha resided and a votive stupas dot the region.
Ashokan Pillar : Emperor Ashoka built The Lion Pillar at Kolhua. It is made of a highly polished single piece of red sandstone, surmounted by a bell shaped capital, 18.3 m high. A life-size figure of a lion is placed on top of the pillar. There is a small tank here known as Ramkund. This pillar beside a brick stupa at Kolhua commemorates Buddha’s last sermon.
Budha Stupa-II : Excavation at this site in 1958 led to the discovery of another casket containing the ashes of the Lord Buddha.Kundalpur:Birth place of Lord Mahavira. It is believed that the Jain Tirthankar, Lord Mahavir was born over 2550 years ago. Mahavir is said to have spent the first 22 years of his life here.
On one side of the Abhishek Pushkarni is the Vishwa Shanti Stupa(World Peace Stupa) that adds to the glory of Vaishali. It is sixth in the series to be created in India after Rajgir, Dhauli, Leh, Wardha and Darjeeling by Nipponzan Myohoji under the guidance of Rev.Fuji guruji of Japan. The 125 feet tall peace pagoda, inaugurated on Oct 23, 1996, was constructed over the ruins of the sixth century BC stupa that also contained the casket with the ashes of Buddha. Buddha is believed to have preached his last sermon here which was the sixteenth chapter, Saddharmapundarika Sutra.
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You thought the climate was the problem? Actually, it’s the ocean.
Sea Sick is the first book to explain how the global ocean — 99 per cent of the planet’s living space — is undergoing vast chemical changes at the hand of man and why that matters.
In a nutshell, some of the carbon dioxide we are putting into the air by burning fossil fuels is being absorbed by the ocean. That puts it into a state it has not been in for millions of years: more acid, warmer, and more prone to vast oxygen-deprived dead zones. At risk is the very structure of life in the ocean and therefore, on the planet as a whole.
I traveled around the world to find the big picture and translate the science — three years, 13 journeys.
I snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef, sign on as a member of the scientific crew examining the huge “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico, traipse the beaches of Zanzibar to see how the world’s poor will make do without fish, witness a breathtaking once-a-year coral spawning in the waters off Panama, immerse myself in the fantastical world of plankton and the acidifying ocean. Ultimately, as you follow me on my terrifying voyage to the bottom of the ocean, you face your own fear and despair and discover hope.
This book changed the way I see our planet.
US purchasers click here.
Praise for Sea Sick
“A riveting book of revelations about earth’s largest and most important habitat.”
—-Australian biologist and author Tim Flannery
“Dead zones in the oceans are scary places… Alanna Mitchell, a journalist with an engaging style and a liking for following around marine biologists on their boats, calls the human-made dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico ‘the blob’.”
—-Fred Pearce New Scientist.
Interviews about Sea Sick, the book
Interview with Alanna on ABC (Australian Broadcast Corp.) show The National Interest. Transcript is downloadable.
Interview with Alanna on Radio New Zealand National.
Interview with Alanna on CBC’s Quirks and Quarks.
The Ocean in Peril. To purchase the full, hour long video ($3.99) click here.
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Books: The Cheapest Vacation You Can Buy
{July 21, 2014} {ARC Review and Release Day Blitz} Rout of the Dem-Shyr by Raine Thomas (Ascendant #2)
Rout of the Dem-Shyr by Raine Thomas (Ascendant #2)
Genre: New Adult Sci-Fi Romance
Audience: Ages 17+
Cover Design by MaeiDesign
From Goodreads: Touted as the future ruler and savior of worlds, Ascendant KyrVawn is ready to put her growing power to good use. She intends to begin with her home planet of Alametria, where hints of corruption have infiltrated the highest levels of the palace. It’s a monumental task, but one she won’t undertake alone.
By her side is her personal bodyguard and secret lover, Dem-Shyr TaeDane. Together, they’re determined to uncover the truth behind the changes that occurred while they were off-planet…changes that violate long-standing Alametrian laws.
But it’s hard for them to champion the rules when they don’t live by them. Their love is forbidden by official decree, and with every illicit touch, they edge closer and closer to discovery and disaster. Despite their good intentions, they’ll find out that sometimes love doesn’t conquer all.
In fact, it might just be the very thing that destroys them.
If you’re looking for an intense, sexy, powerful series that will leave you breathless, look no further. Raine Thomas’ Ascendant series is the perfect blend of action, romance, thriller, and mystery as readers are taken on a ride throughout the galaxy.
Fraught with tension, Rout of the Dem-Shyr definitely made my heart hurt as I read—especially with the opening of the story, a jaw-dropping revelation that put me on pins and needles through to the conclusion! Thomas is indeed a master storyteller, building up each scene in a way that grips readers and holds us on betted breath, and I found myself 100% invested in the storyl and its characters as it unfolded. Though my heart broke on numerous occasions, rest assured that Thomas has a rhyme and a reason behind every seemingly closed door, and in order to become stronger and ultimately win against evil, both Ty and Kyr must endure unspeakable evil and heartache.
At one point, I threw my kindle down, frustrated that the world was crashing down on my two most favorite characters in the world—evil is triumphing in this novel, and it’s a hard pill to swallow, especially because everything that Ty and Kry stand for is beautiful. Of course, I picked my Kindle back up immediately because this novel is so drawing that I just HAD TO KNOW what would happen next for Ty and Kry. They are perfect together in every single way, and their society’s prejudices and backlashes drove me insane with hatred, and yet, it had to happen. While I wanted nothing more than for everything to work out perfectly for my hero and heroine, it just isn’t feasible, and the story would not have been as realistic should only good triumph. I had to repeat this mantra as I read, knowing that ultimately Thomas would fix it all, but the wait almost killed me.
The last few pages of this novel did, indeed, having me rejoicing, pumping my fist in the air, and squealing because… though Ty and Kry aren’t out of the woods yet, the sun is rising in the distance, and I am so excited to see them come back in book three, Rise of the Faire-Amanti, and kick evils butt once and for all. Five glorious, amazing, gut-wrenching, perfect stars.
If you haven’t yet read book one in the series, Return of the Ascendant, be sure to scoop it up and read it first. It’s a must!
I received this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ B&N ~ iBooks ~ Kobo
And be sure to check out my 5 star review of book 1, The Return of the Ascendant!
Book 3, Rise of the Faire-Amanti is coming FALL 2014
Watch the Ascendant Series Trailer:
“Welcome back, Ma’jah Kyr,” Zasha greeted her as she and Ty entered her chambers.
Kyr smiled. Per her request, the Wrym who worked with her every day had recently started speaking to her, though they only did so if Shaya wasn’t around. Zasha seemed the most comfortable with this change.
“Thanks, Zasha. I’m ready to get refreshed after that training session.”
“Would you like some tea, Ma’jah?”
“No, thanks.” Kyr headed straight to the bathing chamber. “I really just want to have a bath.”
Zasha hurried ahead, signaling to Heshi and J’li, the Wrym waiting to draw the bathwater. They added scented foam that filled the air with musky hints of wild tilly blossoms as the central cascade of water filled the pond-sized tub. Kyr stood compliantly so the Wrym could help her remove her lightweight armor. She noted that Ty was the only Mynder keeping watch over her bath and barely contained her smile.
“Thank you for preparing my bath, ladies,” she said once she had been completely disrobed. “But now I would like for you to give me some privacy.”
The three Wrym in the room looked at her with wide, unblinking eyes. They obviously didn’t know how to respond.
“As I’ve mentioned,” Kyr explained as she entered the scented water, “I still retain my memories from my time on Earth. I’ve found that I miss taking care of certain personal tasks on my own, including bathing. Since it’s my Day of Life celebration today, I would like to ask that you please give me the gift of privacy. I’ll call you back in here the moment I’m ready to be prepared for today’s event.”
The silence stretched for so long, she didn’t think they’d do it. Zasha was the first to recover.
“Of course, Ma’jah,” she said with a bow. “As you wish.”
She took the arms of her still-befuddled companions and hurried out of the room, closing the door behind them. Ty watched them go before turning back to her.
What was that all about?
Rather than answer him, she walked back out of the water. She had only gone in far enough to reach her waist, so it didn’t take more than a few steps to leave the water and cross the room to him. He showed no reaction as she stood naked before him, but she sensed his uncontrollable surge of desire.
It’s your Day of Life celebration, too, Dem-Shyr, she thought, reaching for the fastenings of his tunic. Others may wish to ignore that, but I refuse to. We were born on the same day, at the same time, under the same star. We’re fated to be together. That deserves celebrating.
He held her gaze as she bared his chest. This is a risk, he warned.
We live every day with risk. If we were still on Earth, we’d be celebrating with my college friends, enjoying some drinks and having a good time. I don’t see why we can’t enjoy ourselves at least a little just because we’re on our home planet.
She didn’t have to convince him any further. He took over for her, disrobing in swift, efficient movements that made her lips turn up at the corners. There was no denying he was just as excited about this daring tryst as she was. Even if his body didn’t betray him, she could read his thoughts loud and clear.
Raine Thomas is the award-winning author of bestselling Young Adult and New Adult fiction. Known for character-driven stories that inspire the imagination, Raine recently signed with multiple award-winning producer Chase Chenowith of Back Fence Productions to bring her popular Daughters of Saraqael trilogy to the big screen. She’s a proud indie author who is living the dream.
When she isn’t writing or glued to e-mail or social networking sites, Raine can usually be found vacationing with her husband and daughter on one of Florida’s beautiful beaches or crossing the border to visit with her Canadian friends and relatives.
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ABookVacation @ 12:01 am [filed under Book Reviews tagged aliens, amazing, Arc Review, Ascendant, awesomesauce, evil, Kry, Look up the word Rout, love, Oppression, Raine Thomas, Realistic, Return of the Ascendant, Ripped my Heart Out, Rout of the Dem-Shyr, Sexy, Swoon, Swoonworthy, Ty, TyDane 5 Comments »
{May 28, 2014} {ARC Review} The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu
From Goodreads: Everyone has a lot to say about Alice Franklin, and it’s stopped mattering whether it’s true. The rumors started at a party when Alice supposedly had sex with two guys in one night. When school starts everyone almost forgets about Alice until one of those guys, super-popular Brandon, dies in a car wreck that was allegedly all Alice’s fault. Now the only friend she has is a boy who may be the only other person who knows the truth, but is too afraid to admit it. Told from the perspectives of popular girl Elaine, football star Josh, former outcast Kelsie, and shy genius Kurt, we see how everyone has a motive to bring – and keep – Alice down.
This novel follows suit of the game telephone, showing just how much gossip promotes rumors and distorts the truth. It’s a great novel depicting a form of bullying that’s not addressed as much as the physical or taunting kind, showing how lies for selfish gain, or to protect oneself, can ruin another, whether intentional or not.
The entire novel, save the last chapter, is told from the perspective of Alice’s former friends/frenemies. Loner Kurt, football player Josh, former best friend and outcast Kelsie, and popular diva Elaine alternate chapters, spinning their tales and giving readers their “expert” take on events that, for the most part, none of them witnessed. And as they slowly work towards the truth of the matter, admitting to lies and other deceits for the sake of their wellbeing, it becomes clear that the events Alice is blamed for are not quite the truth at all.
Everyone in this novel has secrets. They hold grudges, make rash decisions, lie to protect themselves, and ultimately destroy Alice one way or another, and while some of them do it intentionally, others mean no harm, but their secrecy does just as much damage as those spreading lies. It is said that sticks and stones can break our bones, but words… can never hurt us. And yet, I think most people would agree that words do hurt, and they leave an unseen mark that can strip away one’s soul, and that is exactly what Alice is experiencing throughout the course of the year as the school runs rampant with gossip.
As much as I hated Josh, Kelsie, and Elaine (Kurt was perhaps the nicest and most understanding of all the characters), I loved the multiple perspectives. And the theme, the bullying, makes this an intense read. While no one technically physically bullies Alice—they don’t even really talk to her—ostracizing someone and spreading rumors about them is just as bad, if not worse, than saying it directly to their face. It’s a powerful statement that today’s generation really needs to hear and internalize, and I highly recommend this novel to tween readers and beyond.
The final chapter is told from Alice’s perspective, and it’s just… a perfect conclusion. I love that the novel ends on a positive note, that there is hope, yet it doesn’t undermine the effects that bullying and ostracizing had on Alice, and it doesn’t sugarcoat anything. It’s realistic and, in my mind, the perfect conclusion to a great story. Four stars.
In exchange for an honest review, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and Roaring Brook Press have been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on June 3, 2014.
Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble
ABookVacation @ 2:00 pm [filed under Book Reviews tagged Arc Review, Bullying, Deceit, hatred, Hurt, Jennifer Mathieu, Lies, Ostracizing, Rich Themes, Rumors, Telephone Game, The Truth About Alice 1 Comment »
{May 7, 2014} {Blog Tour: Interview and ARC Review} Breakable by Tammara Webber (Contours of the Heart #2)
From Goodreads: He was lost and alone. Then he found her. And the future seemed more fragile than ever.
As a child, Landon Lucas Maxfield believed his life was perfect and looked forward to a future filled with promise — until tragedy tore his family apart and made him doubt everything he ever believed.
All he wanted was to leave the past behind. When he met Jacqueline Wallace, his desire to be everything she needed came so easy…
As easy as it could be for a man who learned that the soul is breakable and that everything you hoped for could be ripped away in a heartbeat.
This second novel in the Contours of the Heart series, by Tammara Webber, focuses on that of heartthrob Lucas, the young man who stole my heart in Easy, and who continues to draw my love in Breakable. If you’ve read Easy, then you already have the foundation for Breakable, but whether you have that foundation or not, Webber’s latest novel stands all on its own, telling the story from the masculine perspective, which is just as much fun as its predecessor, and all the more captivating as Lucas takes readers on an in-depth journey to his soul.
Webber is a master storyteller, and her characters are implicitly real. It’s as if they walk right off the page and into your life as you read, and I absolutely adore her writing style. The story itself is poignant and raw, and it’s impossible not to feel for Lucas as he works through the loss of his mother and his feelings for Jacqueline. While this novel does follow the storyline of Easy, readers are given an in-depth analysis of Lucas, and the narrative jumps between past and present as the novel unfolds, giving us glimpses into this past experiences in school, with girls, and with his family as he slowly begins on the road to recovery after the night that forever stole his mother from him.
The juxtaposition of past and present is one of my favorite narrative styles, as it that of duel perspectives, and Webber has done a superb job not only bringing to life her characters, but also creating a believable scenario that entices readers to keep turning the pages. I read this beautiful novel in one sitting, and I absolutely adore it–Lucas will melt your heart and stay with you long after the final page!
I highly suggest lovers of NA novels pick up this enticing read as it depicts life on a college campus, the ups and downs it encompasses, and the intensity of finding your soul mate. Five stars.
In exchange for an honest review, I received an ARC of this awesome novel from the publisher.
Amazon | Kindle (only $5.12) | Barnes and Noble
and don’t forget to pick up your copy of Easy today!
(Read my 5 star review of Easy HERE)
Interview with the amazing Tammara Webber:
What was your inspiration for your novels Easy and Breakable?
Though there are some deeply personal issues in these books, the stories aren’t autobiographical. I am an acquaintance rape survivor (friend/classmate), but I never intended to write about that experience. It took me several years to even tell anyone because I was so ashamed of my bad judgment. I thought I should have been more careful, or I should have known that guy was untrustworthy. I finally confessed what happened to a friend, and began the healing process. Years after that, I woke up with Jacqueline’s story in my head, and she insisted on it being told. Lucas’s story stems from a particular fear of mine, based on a news story I heard years ago. When my husband left town on business trips, particularly when my kids were small, I was often so terrified that it was hard to sleep. I took the emotions from those real-life experiences and deep-seated fears and gave them to my characters.
How difficult/easy was it to write Lucas’ point-of-view in Breakable, and what made you decide to tell his story?
It was the most difficult thing I’ve written, from a technical standpoint. I didn’t think I’d ever write Lucas’s story, because he didn’t “talk” to me much when I wrote Easy. I knew the facts before she did, but I saw him through Jacqueline’s eyes – I didn’t always see or completely understand his emotions or reasoning, especially when it wasn’t logical. It was months after publishing Easy before he started speaking to me. Once he did, I had to write it. There would have been no way to integrate the stories. His would have overshadowed hers – and I felt (and probably always will feel) that her story was the most important thing I’ll ever write.
Will there be more to the Contours of the Heart series, or is this a two book series?
I’m finished with Lucas and Jacqueline, but there are possible spinoff stand-alones for other characters in my head. We’ll see what emerges.
What advice do you have for aspiring authors?
I wrote three shelf novels and notebooks full of poems and short stories before I wrote Between the Lines. Easy was the seventh novel I wrote. You’ve probably heard this before – that often, people thought to be overnight successes are people who’ve been working at their particular craft for a long time. There is absolutely a place for right-place-right-time (which I credit for some of my success) and who-you-know (I didn’t have a single friend who wrote – I had to seek out strangers on the internet to find critique partners and reviewers. As an introvert, that was completely outside my comfort zone!). But working continually to become better at what you do is as important – more important – to a career as an author. If I hadn’t kept working, I might not have had a book ready when the digital book + self-publishing revolution took off. I allowed myself to be knocked off kilter by the craziness that went along with moving from being a wholly self-published to a traditionally-published author, and I know I lost some momentum. For me, that’s water under the bridge. For an aspiring author, it’s a lesson – always be working on the next thing. Seek to become better and better at what you do. Allow projects to come to completion so you can move on to the next thing. I’ve seen many authors get stuck in the writing, revising, querying or marketing (if self-pub) stage – of one book – sometimes for years. Nothing will ever be perfect. Do your best work and move to the next thing. The more you write, the better you’ll write.
About Tammara Webber:
Tammara Webber is author of the New York Times bestselling New Adult novel Easy, the first novel in her Contours of the Heart series, and the Between the Lines series. She is a hopeful romantic who adores novels with happy endings, because there are enough sad endings in real life. Before writing full-time, she was an undergraduate academic advisor, economics tutor, planetarium office manager, radiology call center rep, and the palest person to ever work at a tanning salon. She married her high school sweetheart, and is a mom to three adult kids and four very immature cats.
Connect with her online at tammarawebber.blogspot.com, twitter.com/tammarawebber, and www.facebook.com/TammaraWebberAuthor.
ABookVacation @ 1:00 am [filed under Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Interviews tagged Arc Review, Blog Tour, Breakable, Interview, Landon, love, Lucas, Tammara Webber Comments Off on {Blog Tour: Interview and ARC Review} Breakable by Tammara Webber (Contours of the Heart #2)
{February 25, 2014} {ARC Review} Nightcrawlers by Tim Curran
From Goodreads: 200 years ago, the village of Clavitt Fields was burned to the ground. It was hoped that what lived there had perished in the fire. But they did not perish. They went underground…
For generations, they lived and bred in darkness, adapting themselves to a subterranean existence. Now they are rising to the surface, and what they’ve become is a horror beyond belief, a crawling nightmare of evil and bloodthirsty violence bent on destruction.
The night is alive…and it belongs to them.
NIGHTCRAWLERS, the horrifying new novel from master of suspense Tim Curran.
What started out as a freaky horror novel complete with the creep factor ended a little anticlimactic for me. I was expecting some big reveal, something awesome that would explain it all, but what I got instead was a revelation that just didn’t… sit well with me. I wanted curses, or ghosts, or even zombies, but that’s not it. What it is just struck me as odd, and for me, the revelation and the ending took a lot of the steam right out of the novel, which is unfortunate.
The blood, and guts, and the creepy pale bloated bodies… I loved it. It’s not too graphic, just enough to send chills down your spine, and I loved how it opened up with the police digging up the bodies in the abandoned field. There were a ton of events that made me really curious, and were just a tad bit scary as well, especially when the police go off looking for the shapes they see coming out of the fog… and it really kept me on my toes, to a point. However, there was absolutely no character connection for me. I think the focus was so much on the chill factor and the heart-pounding events that the characters remained static. And perhaps that’s a good things, since they basically all die, but even so, no connection with characters leaves me feeling a little desolate; as is, I don’t really have much feeling about them, or their story, one way or another. Had a tighter ending been put on this, I think it could have been a real gem, but as is, it fell just a little flat for me. Three stars.
DarkFuse has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on March 4, 2014, in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon | Kindle
ABookVacation @ 2:00 pm [filed under Book Reviews tagged Anticlimactic, Arc Review, Creepy, Nightcrawlers, scary, Tim Curran Comments Off on {ARC Review} Nightcrawlers by Tim Curran
{February 9, 2014} {ARC Review} The Tyrant’s Daughter by J.C. Carleson
From Amazon: THERE: In an unnamed Middle Eastern country, fifteen-year-old Laila has always lived like royalty. Her father is a dictator of sorts, though she knows him as King—just as his father was, and just as her little brother Bastien will be one day. Then everything changes: Laila’s father is killed in a coup.
HERE: As war surges, Laila flees to a life of exile in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. Overnight she becomes a nobody. Even as she adjusts to a new school and new friends, she is haunted by the past. Was her father really a dictator like the American newspapers say? What was the cost of her family’s privilege?
Far from feeling guilty, her mother is determined to regain their position of power. So she’s engineering a power play—conspiring with CIA operatives and rebel factions to gain a foothold to the throne. Laila can’t bear to stand still as yet another international crisis takes shape around her. But how can one girl stop a conflict that spans generations?
Throughout history, there have been many dictators and tyrants leading their countries into war, be it with other countries, or within the boundaries of their own. Civil wars and bloodshed have been on the rise throughout the world, especially within recent years, and J.C. Carleson’s novel, The Tyrant’s Daughter comes at such a time when the world’s eyes are glued to the events currently unfolding in Syria, while also reminding us of the civil unrest that is still occurring in countries such as Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the list goes on.
While I have read many novels about genocides, civil war, and the memoirs of those affected by civil unrest, Carelson’s novel is the first I’ve come across focusing on the life of a dictator’s wife and children. And though fictional, Carleson gives readers a glimpse into the family life that we rarely hear about, but have always questioned. I remember a few years back, I was flipping through the TV Guide channel and saw that a station, perhaps the history channel, was going to run a special about Hitler’s children, a “where are they now” kind of documentary, but didn’t watch it because it was scheduled to run in the dead of night. I’d forgotten about it until now. I wish I had watched it.
The Tyrant’s Daughter focuses on the life of Laila as she acclimates to her new life in the U.S. A place of immense freedom, where she doesn’t have to cover herself and she can interact with the opposite sex without being shunned or beaten. It’s a brand new world for her, and as she soon finds out, a safe-haven from the worn-torn country she left when her father, a tyrant by every definition, was murdered. Having been subjected to limited access to the internet within her country, Laila now sees the truths about her father and her family as the news reports flood in concerning the uprisings, death toll, and the new tyrant (her uncle) running her country.
Carelson’s novel is extremely powerful and I was glued to the pages as I read. Laila’s story is poignant and believable, and as she attempts to understand the new knowledge she gains about her father’s actions, everything in her life is upended. Believed by some to have inner knowledge of her father’s actions, she is shunned by refugees from her country, while her mother refuses to back down from her queen status and moves invisible pawns in order to grant her 7 year old son, Bastien, Laila’s brother, the right be rule his country. It’s an intense read, and really made me stop and think; just how much do the children of dictators know? And while society has a tendency to lump a family in with the sins of the father, wondering how they couldn’t know the reality, is there more truth in the fact that children, and sometimes even wives, have limited or no knowledge of the extent of the atrocities their fathers/husbands/parents commit?
This is a fictional tale, as I’ve said, but derives itself from the many true events that surround dictators, both past and present, and it’s a must read. Although slated as a YA book, this novel is riveting and one I highly recommend for adults as well. Five stars.
Random House Children’s and Alfred A. Knopf BFYR have been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on February 11, 2014, in exchange for an honest review.
ABookVacation @ 8:25 am [filed under Book Reviews tagged 5 Stars, amazing, Arc Review, Civil Unrest, Dictator, Families, J.C. Carleson, The Tyrant's Daughter, Tyrant, Uprisings, war Comments Off on {ARC Review} The Tyrant’s Daughter by J.C. Carleson
{December 24, 2013} {ARC Review} The Token by Marata Eros (The Token #1)
From Goodreads: Twenty-two year old Faren Mitchell hears the two words that change her abbreviated life forever. They’re so final Faren decides she has nothing to lose by seizing every remaining moment of what life has to offer.
Until Faren collides with a motorcycle ridden by billionaire Jared McKenna.
Even the dark secret of her past and catharsis as a physical therapist can’t save Faren from the sexual spiral that waits for her in the arms of a man who commits to no one. When circumstances force her to get a second job as an exotic dancer, Faren never imagines how close that choice will bring her to the brink of a new reality she is unequipped to handle.
With two small, quick words, Eros immediately hooks her readers at the beginning of this novella, causing a series of successive thoughts to rampage through our heads as the story takes off. It’s impossible not to be intrigued—even though we don’t know Faren Mitchell at all, we understand the words, we understand their all encompassing meaning, and we understand the pain, fear, and heartache that stands behind them. We know, and Faren knows, and so we are quickly united from the very first page. It is a great beginning.
Faren is a strong character. She is a fairly broken person, in more ways than one, but her heart is in the right place, and though I don’t necessarily agree with her final choice for work, I understand how she feels and why she chooses to do what she does. Told from her point of view, we learn her thoughts, regrets, desires, and wishes for the future, especially where her mother is involved, and as this story unfolds, we also learn the harsh reality that engulfs Faren’s past, putting us eye to eye with her on an even deeper level.
As a novella, events within move rapidly, and while chapters do tend to jump from scene to scene, it keeps readers guessing. I actually really enjoyed that Faren would suddenly be somewhere else after a chapter break, with Eros using Faren’s thoughts and actions to explain the time lapse and what happened in between. While initially jarring for me the first time it happened, I realized what Eros was doing failry quickly and it works very well for this type of story, especially as so much happens to Faren throughout.
Now, this novella does deal with strip clubs, but it is relatively clean–at least, not explicitly graphic, for which I am thankful. Eros toes the line very gracefully, and as we learn Faren’s true reasons for taking on this line of work, we begin to understand exactly why she chooses to do what she does. That, and the two little words at the very beginning of the story…
Of course, Eros leaves readers hanging in the worst possible way, which is exactly her style, as it were, and I wouldn’t expect anything less, though I am indeed dying to know what’s going to happen next for Faren as her situation is quite dire, to say the least. Thankfully, The Token is the first of a novella series with monthly release dates—novella number two is already 71% complete with a pending release in mid January, and the third in the series is slated for release on February 1. Good reads are ahead. I can feel it. Four stars.
I received this novella from the author in exchange for an honest review.
ABookVacation @ 3:10 pm [filed under Book Reviews tagged Arc Review, Faren Mitchell, Marata Eros, Novella Series, Tamara Rose Blodgett, The Token Comments Off on {ARC Review} The Token by Marata Eros (The Token #1)
{December 21, 2013} {ARC Review} Witch Finder by Ruth Warburton (Witch Finder #1)
From Goodreads: London. 1880. In the slums of Spitalfields apprentice blacksmith Luke is facing initiation into the Malleus Maleficorum, the fearsome brotherhood dedicated to hunting and killing witches.
Luke’s final test is to pick a name at random from the Book of Witches, a name he must track down and kill within a month, or face death himself. Luke knows that tonight will change his life forever. But when he picks out sixteen-year-old Rosa Greenwood, Luke has no idea that his task will be harder than he could ever imagine.
This novel actually started off slowly for me. At 30% in, I was thinking that I really didn’t want to finish it–I just wasn’t hooked, but I always give books the benefit of the doubt, as I did with this one, and as I went on, it got much better, and by the end I was turning the pages so quickly I would have had whiplash had I not been reading on a stationary Kindle.
The way Rosa’s family treats her and those around them is disgusting and very hard to stomach. There is a scene with a puppy that horrified me, and I nearly put the book down right then because I hated the heir so very much, but I kept going, because by that point, I was very interested in the plot. And, this novel tackles some great topics for younger readers, such as racism and abuse, two aspects that are rampant within the text, stemming from the Brotherhoods hatred of all “witches” and the abusive relationship between Rosa, her brother, and her “fiancé.” Through it all, the novel shows how clouded one’s judgment can be based on hatred, and how entitlement and greed can ruin families. They were great lessons for readers about refusing to take abuse, though for a while there I was afraid Rosa was just going to roll over and take it.
While it may sound like Rosa is a week character that needs saving, in truth she is not. She is the subject of abuse on many levels, from physical to mental, and as a 16 year old without a friend in the world, she struggles on a very real level with her own wants and needs versus pleasing her family. At times I did want to reach through the pages and shake her, but then again, she must contend with the lesser of two evils–abuse from her family, or the death and destruction of others. Her selflessness is very real, but when it comes down to it, she refuses to stand on the sidelines and allow others to be terrorized. I really did like her and Luke (and they’re the only characters I really did like, save Cassie, the fiancé’s sister, but she was extremely miniscule).
The love relationship in this novel was slow between Luke and Rosa, and I liked that he saw her for what she was, a young girl abused and afraid, versus a witch worth killing. His attempts on her life were extremely interesting to see unfold, especially as his conscious plays a huge part in it all, and his attempts to finally stand up for what is right, along with Rosa’s make them vivid and real.
I can’t wait to see where the sequel of this one takes us because, while not ending on a cliffhanger per se, we are right in the middle of the action and you just know there is so much more to be told. Four stars.
Hodder Children’s Books has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on January 2, 2013.
ABookVacation @ 2:00 pm [filed under Book Reviews tagged 4 Stars, abuse, Arc Review, Luke, Racism, Rosa Greenwood, Ruth Warburton, Witch Finder Comments Off on {ARC Review} Witch Finder by Ruth Warburton (Witch Finder #1)
{December 18, 2013} {ARC Review} Ashes to Ashes by Melissa C. Walker
From Goodreads: If I Stay meets the movie Ghost in this first book in a teen duology about a teenage-girl-turned-ghost who must cling to the echoes of her former life to save the people she left behind.
Ashes to Ashes is author Melissa Walker’s sweeping, romantic, and emotionally rich story about the things that torment and tempt us, even from the Great Beyond. This book is perfect for fans of Die for Me and Imaginary Girls, and its breathtaking ending will leave readers anxiously awaiting the series conclusion, Dust to Dust.
When Callie’s life is cut short by a tragic accident, she expects to find nothingness, or maybe some version of heaven.
Instead, her spirit travels to the Prism, an ethereal plane populated by the ghosts she thought were fictional. Here she meets a striking and mysterious ghost named Thatcher, who is meant to guide her as she learns to haunt and bring peace to the loved ones she left behind.
However, Callie uncovers a dark secret about the spirit world: The angry souls who always populate ghost stories are real, dangerous, and willing to do whatever it takes to stay on Earth, threatening the existence of everyone she ever cared about.
As she fights to save them, Callie will learn that while it may no longer beat, her heart can still love-and break.
While I had high hopes for this novel, especially with its claim to be a mix of the novel If I Stay and the movie Ghost, I felt like Ashes to Ashes moved much too slowly for me. Likewise, I didn’t really feel any connections with the characters. Callie dies before we really get to know her, or her friends, for that matter, and once she’s dead, she behaves very much as you would expect a young child to behave when told they can’t have something. She throws some tantrums and goes off and does whatever she wants, pushing caution to the wind, over and over again.
In truth, I spent much of the novel highly annoyed with Callie because she continues to make the same stupid mistake while ignoring not only her inner conscious, but also her guide, Thatcher. The fact that Thatcher continually keeps Callie in the dark, refusing to supply answers or clarification, did little to put him in my good graces, either. Instead, he only frustrated me because there seems to be a disconnect and readers don’t know why. And, instead of answers, the same scene plays out many a time, nearly lulling me to sleep: Callie messes up and is really sorry. Thatcher is angry; he tells her not to do it again without really giving any concrete reasons why. They make up. Then, Callie does it again and is really sorry…. By the third time this sequence occurred, I was ready to put the book aside. I just felt like nothing was truly happening in the novel; I had no connections with anyone, and we rarely saw Callie attempting to comfort anyone still left on earth—the aspect I really wanted to see.
And then? Walker surprised me with her quick and fast ending—one I wasn’t expecting but that, in retrospect, makes sense. I should have seen it coming, but I didn’t, and this surprise actually brought this novel up a notch in my esteem, clarified a lot of my original issues, and interested me to the point that I actually would like to read the sequel when it comes out. So in the end, while I did finds it someone trivial and stagnant, Ashes to Ashes did throw me for a loop, and as it only takes one small event to really change a person’s perspective of a novel, I liked it, overall. Three stars.
HarperCollins Publishers has been extremely gracious in giving me an ARC of this novel, during NCTE, in exchange for an honest review prior to its release on December 23, 2013.
ABookVacation @ 2:00 pm [filed under Book Reviews tagged 3 Stars, Arc Review, Ashes to Ashes, death, Hauntings, Melissa C. Walker, Prism Comments Off on {ARC Review} Ashes to Ashes by Melissa C. Walker
{December 6, 2013} {ARC Review} Flickers by John Abramowitz (Weaver #3)
From Goodreads: Alex Cronlord has failed.
The zombie apocalypse that she foresaw months ago has come to pass–in part because of her visions. Trapped in the now-quarantined city of Dallas, Alex struggles both with the undead and with her own guilt. She blames herself for the fall of Dallas, for leaving FBI Agent Moira McBain to die, and for the lies she’s still telling her father. When Zach, her friend and fellow superpowered fighter, makes a startling confession, it only increases Alex’s inner turmoil.
Unknown to Alex, Moira is still alive. Imprisoned in an alternate dimension and facing certain death, Moira receives help from an unlikely source. To get home, she must fight her way past both the soul-sucking Xorda and a frightening and mysterious group of werewolves. She knows who her enemies are. But can she trust her only ally?
This novel had me on pins and needles as I read, jumping back and forth between the perilous adventures of Alex Cronlord as she battles the zombie apocalypse she unwittingly released on Dallas based on a Weaver premonition, and Agent Moira as she attempts to escape the confines of the Xorda world. Complete with soul sucking demons, lycanthrope monstrosities, harrowing escapes, sorrowful deaths, and time warping, this novel has a little bit of everything for everyone.
So much has happened to Alex in the past few weeks, and with the weight of the zombie apocalypse and the death of Agent Moria on her shoulder’s, Alex has had about enough. This young woman can’t seem to catch a break, so it comes as no surprise that she’s willing to give up her own life in more ways than one if it means putting a stop to it all, even if it means she’ll erase her entire existence from the world.
I loved the deeper glimpse readers obtain through the past events that happen at Pinnacle with Alex’s mother, Ainsling. In book two, The Void, we begin to learn about the events at Pinnacle that started it all, with Sigmund, Xorda extraordinaire, targeting Ainsling from the very beginning. But in this third installment, we learn even more as Alex stumbles onto an ability that has the power to stop Sigmund and the zombie apocalypse forever. But will she succeed?
Abramowitz keeps his readers on edge with his perfectly timed cliff hangers interspersed within the novel. Jumping from one point of view to another, readers find themselves at the climax of an important scene only to be whisked away and dropped into the thoughts and adventures of another. I absolutely adore this type of writing style as it keeps the reader on their toes. Expertly crafter, readers experience an emotional rollercoaster as they jump between characters, and what makes it work so seamlessly is that each time readers are dropped into another character’s experience, it picks up exactly where the original cliffhanger left off a few chapters prior. So, while readers may groan as the shift in character takes place, leaving them hanging, they are quickly thrown right back into the story as a previous cliffhanger begins to resolve itself. This is ingenious and I highly enjoyed it and can’t wait for the fourth and final novel. Four stars.
I received an ARC of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review prior to its release on December 10, 2013
ABookVacation @ 3:00 pm [filed under Book Reviews tagged 4 Stars, Agent Moira, Alex Cronlord, Arc Review, city of Dallas, Dallas, FBI Agent Moira McBain, Flickers, John Abramowitz, zombie apocalypse Comments Off on {ARC Review} Flickers by John Abramowitz (Weaver #3)
{December 4, 2013} {ARC Review} These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
From Goodreads: It’s a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.
Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.
Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?
Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.
I really enjoyed this novel in the beginning. It caught my attention right away and drew me in—the spacecraft, the elegance, the social rift between Lilac and Tarver—I really enjoyed it all. However, as the novel went on, I began to feel like their time on the planet was dragging on a bit too long for my liking. It almost felt like Cast Away or The Life of Pi in that there were limited characters and little action as the story went on. I tend to need constant interactions to stay focused, and there were definitely times that I felt this novel was lagging, but on the other hand, there were many times that it was fast-paced and interesting as well, especially when the phenomenon began to happen to Lilac. I can’t go into much detail here without giving anything away, but know this: there is a creepy paranormal element that makes its way into this story, and it’s really unique and interesting. I’m afraid it’s a little beyond my comprehension, as it were, because at the end there, I wasn’t sure exactly what was happening anymore, but even so, this curve in the story definitely took me by surprise and, when all’s said and done, I enjoyed it, even if I’m not 100% sure what exactly happened there at the end.
What I loved the most about the novel is that it’s a flashback. We learn early on that Tarver is being questioned by higher ups about his time on the planet with Lilac, and as Tarver responds in clipped and sarcastic manners, we learn what he is attempting to hide from society, including his feelings for Lilac and exactly what happened on the planet.
The end leaves a little to be desired, which makes me wonder if there will be a sequel? I didn’t feel like it resolved much, but in truth, it’s not a bad place to end their tale, either, so I guess we shall have to wait and see. If you’re looking for something completely different with a side of creepiness, then I suggest you pick this one up. Three and a half stars.
Disney Hyperion has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on December 10, 2013
ABookVacation @ 2:00 pm [filed under Book Reviews tagged 3.5 Stars, Amie Kaufman, Arc Review, Creepy, Meagan Spooner, Not What I Expected, Paranomal, These Broken Stars, Unique 2 Comments »
{November 30, 2013} {ARC Review} Demonica by Will Davis
From Goodreads: When spoilt eighteen year old Miranda suffers a terrible accident she survives, but her face is hideously scarred.
Unable to bear what has happened to her, she locks herself away. Her only companions are Veronica, her cruel and beautiful mother, and Nelly, the sympathetic housekeeper.
As time passes Veronica inflicts cruelty after cruelty on her disfigured daughter. Lonely and filled with despair, Miranda is astonished when Bernard, Veronica’s handsome younger boyfriend, takes an interest in her circumstances.
For Bernard believes there is an operation that can restore Miranda’s face. But it will involve committing an unspeakable crime. A decision that will haunt her for the rest of her life…
In the tradition of Angela Carter and Daphne du Maurier, Demonica is a terrifying modern fairy tale.
This is a novel of betrayal that runs deeper than any other I can think of. A mother who torments her daughter due to a lack of beauty; a daughter to obtains the ultimate revenge in the worst possible way against her mother. Any yet, neither find happiness in their evil ways, and it’s impossible not to hate them, but also impossible not to pity them as the story unfolds. The characters in this novel are awful, absolutely awful, but readers won’t be able to tear their eyes away as they learn of the tragedy that befalls Miranda, watching as she attempts to cope with her lot in life, especially as her mother torments her more each day. One would think that a tragedy like this would change a person, but in the end, it doesn’t, and like the bad accident that starts it all, readers just can’t look away.
I cringe to think that people really do harbor so much selfishness and hatred within themselves that they’d be willing to so utterly destroy another, and yet that’s exactly what Veronica and Miranda do to one another. It’s appalling; but so well written that it pulls the reader in and doesn’t let go until the very end.
Miranda’s very matter of fact way of telling her story adds a depth of poignancy that allows readers to truly see her heart, and though it’s hard to understand her actions and her hurt, her soul is bared wide for the reader. In truth, the story is superbly written. I loved obtaining Miranda’s insights about the accident, and the fact that she knew how petty she was, and commented on it many a time, made her very real to me as a reader. Would I like to get to know her in real life? No. I’d probably be one of those people on the sideline that quietly thought to myself that she got what she deserved, but in the end, no one, not even evil, despicable Veronica–a woman not fit to be a mother—or Miranda—a selfish, unrepentant young woman—deserve what befalls them in the end.
This is a story that will haunt you as you read it, and keep you up way into the night wondering just how far a human can fall to allow these things to happen. Five stars.
Hashtag Books has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel prior to its release tomorrow, December 1, 2013, in exchange for an honest review. This is a MUST READ.
Find it on Amazon.
ABookVacation @ 12:00 pm [filed under Book Reviews tagged 5 Stars, Accident, Arc Review, Demonica, Faceless, Fire, Horror, Meat Face, Operations, Will Davis 3 Comments »
{November 29, 2013} {ARC Review} Game by Anders de la Motte (Game #1)
From Goodreads: Follow the rules and everybody gets hurt . . .
One Sunday morning after a long night of partying, Henrik “HP” Pettersson, a slacker with a lot of ego and very little impulse control, finds a cell phone of an unfamiliar make on a commuter train. Through insisting and slightly uncanny messages that refer to him by name, the phone invites him to play a game. HP accepts without hesitation.
The rules are that HP must complete tasks that range from childish pranks to criminal acts, as allocated by the mysterious Game Master. HP is the perfect contender & alienated from society, devoid of morals, and desperate for fame. His completion of the assignments are filmed and uploaded onto a protected server where viewers rate the Players performances.
The Game starts out innocently enough and then becomes increasingly risky, threatening the safety of someone close to HP. He is determined to become a superstar, but when the dark and tragic secrets of his family’s past are at stake, HP must make a choice. Will he suffer the humiliation of defeat, or will the need to win push him to the limit no matter the cost?
First in a fast-paced and riveting trilogy, Game will leave you guessing. Follow the rules, and everybody gets hurt . . .
I’m sorry to say that this novel didn’t captivate me as I’d hoped. With the beautiful cover and the intriguing synopsis, I went into this novel with high hopes. Unfortunately, I came out of it a little less than impressed. It started out really interesting, but as the story unfolded, it began to lose steam. While HP was in the game, I was highly interested in the outcome and the scenarios happening around him, but once he was out of the game, which happened all too quickly, if you ask me, everything just sort of petered out. HP became extremely petty and hard to digest. His character is quite obnoxious, and as the story mainly follows him, it became difficult for me to care because he was such an awful person.
The novel also through me for a loop as is also follows HPs sister, who is also a cop. Initially I confused myself thinking they were lovers, but then realized they were brother/sister and that there was another man involved in her life, which made more sense, but also proved to be a little less than interesting as her life somewhat droned on and I didn’t really care for her, either. Overall, this novel wasn’t exactly for me as it lacked likeable characters and lost my attention fairly quickly. I am hoping that it picks up in the second novel, which I do plan to read, and its outcome will determine if I read the third installment. Two stars.
Atria Books has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on December 3, 2013.
Update: I have read all the books in this trilogy AND I really enjoyed BUZZ and BUBBLE. I suggest you try this series and see–books two and three definitely made up for book one.
ABookVacation @ 2:00 pm [filed under Book Reviews tagged Anders de la Motte, Arc Review, death, Game, HP, mysterious Game Master 2 Comments »
{November 28, 2013} {ARC Review} Silent Echo by J.R. Rain
From Goodreads: Not much could drag Jim Booker out of a peaceful, if lonely, retirement and back to late nights, crime scenes, and chases. Jim Booker is done with detective work and would just like to enjoy a cup of coffee on a sunny day. But when an old friend shows up with a case about an old flame, Booker can’t say no.
What starts as a missing persons case soon delivers more than he bargained for, and when Booker’s own past offers clues, it’s clear that no one else can solve this mystery. But there’s a catch: Booker was given six months to live eight months ago.
Author J.R. Rain shows us that when it seems there’s nothing left to live for, there’s also nothing left to lose. His characters will take a chance on danger, doubt, even an unlikely romance—as long as they get a cup of coffee first.
I think this novel had a lot of potential, but I was highly annoyed by the main character, which made reading it rather anticlimactic for me. Jim Booker is dying, and I do understand that, but it seemed that every other page found him talking about his impending death, and not in a way that readers are able to sympathize with him, either. Truth be told, he was a jerk to everyone around him, so he never really endeared himself to me, and in the end, I couldn’t have cared less what happened to him, which is unfortunate.
The mystery itself was well done, and it took me a while to figure out who the murderer was, though looking back I think I should have picked up on it a lot sooner than I did. In this respect, I think Rain did a good job presenting his murder mystery, and having a main character willing to take any and all chances due to their own impending death was a great idea. Overall, I was highly interested in the mystery aspect of the novel, but I really would have liked to have been able to care about the main character a little in order for this to be truly enjoyable. Two stars.
Kindle First was extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel for free, prior to its release December 1, in exchange for an honest review.
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{November 27, 2013} {ARC Review} No Dawn For Men by James LePore and Carlos Davis
From Goodreads: In 1938, Nazi Germany prepares to extend its reach far beyond its borders. The key to domination lies in a secret that would make their army not only unbeatable, but un-killable.
MI-6, knowing that something potentially devastating is developing, recruits scholar and novelist John Ronald Reuel Tolkien to travel to Germany to find out what this might be, using the German popularity of his children’s novel THE HOBBIT as cover. Joining him there is MI-6 agent Ian Fleming, still years away from his own writing career but posing as a Reuters journalist. Together, Tolkien and Fleming will get to the heart of the secret and they will face a fury greater than even their prodigious imaginations considered possible.
Both an astounding work of suspense and a literary treasure trove to delight fans of either author, NO DAWN FOR MEN is a nonstop adventure.
It took me a little while to warm up to this novel, and I’m not 100% sure why. In all honestly, I don’t feel like it’s written in any different fashion than LePore’s other novels, and I’ve always been able to jump right into those. But this time, it took me a little while to wrap my head around everything that was going on in this novel, and I actually put it aside for a few days thinking I might just not have been in the right mood. That seems to have done the trick, because when I picked it up again, I was able to glide right into the story, which is awesome, might I add, and the story flowed seamlessly together, which is what I’ve come to expect from a LePore novel.
Though it took me a little while, I really enjoyed this novel and once I was able to begin making connections between the story and The Lord of the Rings series, I was in heaven. I was a little curious about how much of the novel was based on fact and how much on fiction though, because it’s quite obvious that some is fiction, but other elements made me wonder, so I asked James LePore himself. And this is his awesome response:
“The book is a mix of the real and the fictional. Tolkien was in Berlin in 1938 to talk to a German publishing company about publishing The Hobbit in Germany. The book actually was believed by many ardent Nazis to support their ideology. He turned them down when they asked him to sign an oath saying he was not a Jew. He wrote them a famous letter which you can see here. This letter, when I first came across it, was one of the inspirations for the novel.”
“Fleming was a Reuters correspondent in the thirties covering events in pre-war Europe. There is no record of his being in Berlin in 1938 but there is a consensus among his biographers that he was doing more than reporting, likely doing political and military assessments for MI-6.”
“Tolkien was actually in the Somme offensive in WWI as a signalman, and did lose three very close friends there. Fleming’s dad, Valentine, was also in France in WWI. The meeting between the two described in the Prologue is fictional. The adventure regarding the amulet, raising the dead, etc., is wholly fictional, but gave Carlos and I a chance to have Tolkien and Fleming experience things that would one day end up in their work. For example, the scene at Gestapo headquarters where Fleming is nearly tortured is a fictional precursor of the actual scene in Casino Royale where James Bond is tortured. We believed as we wrote that both Tolkien and Fleming fans would have fun recognizing these inspiring moments.”
In all truth, I find this amazing, and the amount of research that went into LePore and Davis’ novel just floors me, because it was a lot! And being able to pick out the connections was amazing, especially for me as a fan of The Lord of the Rings. I’ll admit I’m not as familiar with Fleming’s work aside from a few of the James Bond movies I sort of watched once upon a time (never did read the books), so I didn’t make many connections with Fleming’s side of the story, but I really honed in on Tolkien, and the novel is just amazingly written. I loved the characterization, the sleuthing, the mystery, and the fear that at any moment they could be caught.
If you are a fan of Tolkien or Fleming, then I highly suggest you pick up a copy of No Dawn for Men. It’s very well written and a sequel in which Tolkien and Fleming are tracking down a secret atomic bomb formula in France in WWII is already in the works. I can’t wait. Four stars.
Story Plant has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
ABookVacation @ 6:00 pm [filed under Book Reviews tagged Arc Review, Carlos Davis, Fleming, James LePore, No Dawn For Men, Tolkien, WWII 1 Comment »
{November 22, 2013} {ARC Review} Pawn by Aimee Carter (The Blackcoat Rebellion)
From Goodreads: YOU CAN BE A VII IF YOU GIVE EVERYTHING.
For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.
If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked – surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister’s niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.
There’s only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed, and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that’s not her own, she must decide which path to choose and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she’s only beginning to understand.
As I started this novel, I became a little bit wary as I realized that the main character, Kitty, was contemplating becoming a prostitute, a subject I don’t want to read about, ever. And I just had a really tough time understanding her choice here, especially because she had a boyfriend who wanted to marry her. As Kitty came closer and closer to her first “night,” my stomach began to twist in very uncomfortable ways, but thankfully, prostitution is not what the story is about at all. While I was ill at ease for a little while there right in the beginning of the novel, Carter pulls a complete 180 and changes direction so fast that I nearly had whiplash—in a good way. The prostitution gig was left unfulfilled and out of mind, allowing me to breathe a sigh of relief and really get into the story. And this is where the story took off for me: as Kitty wakes up to herself Masked. Asked for the performance of her life, the only way to survive is to pretend to be one of the elite, and while that does sound kind of awesome, Carter aptly exposes all the evils that come with such a job. Suddenly, Kitty has lost what little control she thought she had over her life and must pretend to be the niece of the Prime Minister, a sick and twisted man set on ruling the country indefinitely. And from here, it’s one plot twist after another, and the events that unfold will leave readers glued to the pages and desperately wanting more when it’s all said and done.
Kitty Doe is a very strong female lead, and while I disagreed with her decisions in the beginning, I really liked the person she became as the novel progressed. Surrounded by a family full of deceit and lies, her life hanging by a thread, Kitty is pulled in multiple directions at once as “family” members push, cajole, and demand her obedience or resistance. Fast paces and full of life, this story is one I’d definitely love to see on the big screen, especially as there are so many characters I love to hate. Throughout it all, it was a constant guessing game as I tried to figure out who was truly evil, and who was acting out of love, and I found it just as hard to trust those around Kitty as she did, especially as the characters seemed to change allegiances daily.
Overall, this is a breath taking read that will leave readers full of emotion, yearning for more, and hoping against hope for a revolution like no other. Five stars.
Harlequin Teen has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on November 26, 2013.
ABookVacation @ 2:00 pm [filed under Book Reviews tagged Aimee Carter, Arc Review, Kitty Doe, Pawn, The Blackcoat Rebellion 5 Comments »
{November 18, 2013} {ARC Review} Sia by Josh Grayson
From Goodreads: When seventeen-year-old Sia wakes up on a park bench, she has no idea who or where she is. Yet after a week of being homeless, she’s reunited with her family. At school, she’s powerful and popular. At home, she’s wealthy beyond her dreams. But she quickly realizes her perfect life is a lie. Her family is falling apart and her friends are snobby, cruel and plastic. Worse yet, she discovers she was the cruelest one. Mortified by her past, she embarks on a journey of redemption and falls for Kyle, the “geek” she once tormented. Yet all the time she wonders if, when her memories return, she’ll become the bully she was before…and if she’ll lose Kyle.
This is a very lighthearted and ultimately happy story, but seems to lack a bit in terms of character building and climax. It starts off extremely riveting, and watching Sia struggle to understand her identity and live with the homeless caught my attention right away—it’s interesting and there are struggles and hardships that abound. However, as Sia is reunited with her family, I felt that the story lost steam, plateauing and focusing on all Sia’s good deeds. Suddenly, there really aren’t any true threats or adversaries standing in Sia’s way as she begins to make changes in her life, and she’s an all around good girl, which is great, but not so interesting.
It is almost as if Sia has a magical touch, changing everyone and everything she comes into contact with as she turns over a new leaf, having no memory of her previous misdeeds. But the problem with this is that there is no adversary standing in her way to make it difficult. Sia wakes up not knowing who she is, she’s told about her past, revolts against it, and everything falls into place for her as she changes not only her life, but that of her family and entire school, as well. Sound a little far-fetched? Well, it is. Sia tends to have an all too easy time of it all, making up her mind to do something and everything working out; even her issues with her former best friend aren’t really hardships because Sia drops her easily since there’s no true ties between them that she can remember. Truth be told, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, for everything to come crashing down and the antithesis to take over, but that never really happens. Instead, Sia accomplishes everything she sets her mind to, which in the end makes this a very happy go lucky story, but doesn’t add much in the area of real character development or hardships, which in my opinion, is what really makes a story. It seems, instead, that the biggest opposition Sia comes up against is that her newfound crush, Kyle, can’t commit to Sia’s changes as quickly as everyone else, but that’s not really much of an opposition, as far as I’m concerned, and so I thought it fell a little flat. Two and a half stars.
I received this an ARC of this novel from the author, via Netgalley, prior to its release on November 20, 2013
ABookVacation @ 2:00 pm [filed under Book Reviews tagged 2.5 Stars, Arc Review, Josh Grayson, Sia, Too Easy 1 Comment »
{November 17, 2013} {ARC Review} Soar by Alyssa Rose Ivy (The Empire Chronicles #1)
From Goodreads: In the city that never sleeps the Chronicles continue…
Serving coffee is temporary, just like Casey’s year off from school. She’s going to come up with a plan to stay in New York City and go back to college, and that plan does not involve dating a paranormal creature—let alone two.
Running the supernatural society of New York is not as fun as it sounds, especially when you still have to answer to your ex-girlfriend’s fiancé. Toby doesn’t mean to bring Casey into the chaos of his life, but he can’t resist the girl who makes him smile when he thought no one else ever could.
Jared’s in New York checking out a security risk for his best friend, the king. He plans to return to New Orleans quickly, but not if it means losing his chance with the brunette who pretends she wants nothing to do with him.
In over her head with a bunch of winged creatures who most definitely are not angels, Casey has to figure out who to trust with her life and maybe her heart.
Readers are happily thrust back into the world of the Pterons in this spin off series to the Crescent Chronicles, meshing together new and old characters alike. Casey, the new heroine of his novel, is in much the same boat as Allie was when she first learned of the Pterons, yet she’s vastly different. I like Casey, but I also found her wishy-washy attitude between Toby and Jared a bit jarring. She had a hard time making up her mind about who she liked more, and it made me mad. I have a tendency to want my heroines to go with the first good guy that captures their heart, so when it’s a battle between two lovers, it takes me time to change allegiances, and I don’t always do so, even though the characters do. I am kind of miffed about Casey’s final choice, truth be told. However, I have a feeling that it’s all going to change for both Jared and Toby based on the final few pages and their twist of events, one I never saw coming!
I feel kind of bad for Toby in this novel, which I wasn’t expecting going in. He is stuck missing Allie–and while I admit he didn’t handle things too well in the first series and I kind of hated him, I do feel sorry for him just the same, which is why I was hoping he’d catch a break in this novel, especially because he seems so much nicer. And while the break does seem to come, the appearance of Jared muddies the waters and it seems that Toby may never meet his other half.
I enjoyed that our main characters from series one are also side characters in this novel, so even though it’s a new heroine, my faves are still there in the background, helping to make sense of it all for Casey. And, again, based on the twist here at the end, it looks like we’re going to be seeing a lot more of Levi and Allie in the next installments in this lovely spinoff series, too, which is a huge plus because I really enjoy them.
One aspect that really intrigued me in this novel is the appearance of the shapeshifters; I really want to know what they’re doing, and why they’re doing it, but Ivy doesn’t give too much away, leaving me yearning for the next installment already… especially based on the twist at the end. Four stars.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publicist in exchange for an honest review.
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{November 4, 2013} {ARC Review and Giveaway} Whispers and Wishes by Hollie Westring
From Goodreads: Eliza Monroe has been traveling the United States for three years, immersing herself in the towns she visits as she searches for the mother she’s never known. She hopes returning to her grandmother’s inn in Sage Springs, Mo., will provide the break she needs to evaluate her lonely life.
What Eliza isn’t expecting is to have two men enter the picture, not making her decision to stay or leave any easier. One has been her foundation, while the other is as comfortable as she is hopping from city to city. Throw in a kooky grandmother, a cheerful best friend, a sarcastic guest, a town where residents and spirits interact like neighbors, and Eliza has little time to contemplate her future.
Friendships grow, webs are spun and lies are revealed before Eliza comes to terms with what she wants in life and learns what’s really important.
Whispers and Wishes is a sweet tale of love and redemption as Eliza Monroe learns what’s really important in life. Having spent the better part of the last three years on the road looking for the mother she’s never known, leaving behind a potential love relationship and the ghosts that peacefully haunt Sage Springs, Eliza is finally home for a short reprieve. Her grandmother’s inn is in danger of closing, and Eliza can’t help but feel that this is where she belongs, but at what cost?
Westring has a created a cute and interesting story that revolves around the choices that we must make and how we know when enough is enough. With the revelation that Jake, the boy she left so long ago, still loves her, and the attentions of the gorgeous and mysterious drifting handy man, Gavin, Eliza isn’t sure what to do, but one thing is clear, she has to make a choice. Pulled in both directions, Eliza must decide where her loyalties lie, and as events come to a head and Eliza finds that not everyone is who they say they are and that not everything is what is seems, everything Eliza’s been working toward these last few years begins to crumble. But, with great friends and a strong home base, Eliza is ready to face her fears, the truth, and love.
If you’re looking for a charming story and a quick read that will leave you with a smile on your face and a renewed belief in the goodness of people, then this is the book for you. Four stars.
I received an ARC of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review prior to its release on November 7, 2013.
Hollie Westring hails from Kansas City, Mo. She used to be a journalist, which probably explains her extreme dislike of the serial comma and her preference for AP style.
After realizing the hours of journalists were not productive to any type of social or family life, she settled into a job at a publishing syndicate. She worked with comics, astrology columns, word puzzles and feature columns for six years. Although she enjoyed her time there, Hollie decided to leave the nine-to-five world and join the twenty-four/seven world of motherhood. Now she edits from home.
When not writing, editing or reading, Hollie can be found baking cookies or watching more than her fair share of crime TV. She’s a loyal Royals and Chiefs fan.
Blog: www.holliewestring.com
Twitter: @holliewestring
Facebook: facebook.com/authorholliewestring
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6622356.Hollie_Westring?from_search=true
Grand Prize: One signed paperback of Whispers and Wishes, a custom necklace, and a $50 Amazon Giftcard
Runners Up: 2 winners will receive an ebook of Whispers and Wishes
Click this Rafflecopter Link to enter!!!
ABookVacation @ 12:01 am [filed under Book Reviews, giveaways tagged 4 Stars, Arc Review, Hollie Westring, Whispers and Wishes 1 Comment »
{October 29, 2013} {ARC Review} Pirouette by Robyn Bavati
From Goodreads: Adopted as babies by two different families, Simone and Hannah have never known they are identical twins. Simone has been raised as a dancer, but she hates performing. Hannah loves nothing more than dance, but her parents see it as just a hobby. When the two girls meet for the first time at the age of fifteen, they decide to swap places to change the role dance plays in their lives. Yet fooling their friends and family is more challenging than either girl expected, and they’re both burdened by the weight of their lies.
How long can Hannah and Simone keep pretending? What will happen when the truth is revealed?
This is a great MG read for anyone who absolutely adores The Parent Trap and/or ballet. When I was a tween, The Parent Trap was one of my favorite movies and it made me wish I, too, had a twin sister. I wanted that same bond and to be able to do awesome switch tactics like the girls did in the movie. Now, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve been less enamored with the movie, but it’s still my childhood favorite, so when I saw the synopsis of Pirouette, I couldn’t wait to read it in hopes of evoking my inner child, even though ballet was never my thing.
I think that younger readers will feel the same way about this novel as I did about The Parent Trap when I was their age. It’s a cute story that brings about all kinds of childhood fantasies about being a twin, and I truly believe MG and YA aged readers will enjoy this novel. As an adult reader, however, I found it somewhat juvenile. But I’m also an adult with an adult mindset, and from the get go, I couldn’t shake the feeling that what Simone and Hannah were doing was a very bad thing, switching families, schools, friends… but I know that if I had read this as a young teen, I wouldn’t have been so judgmental, and that’s why I really recommend it for the MG and YA age group.
Like I said before, it’s a cute story, and it has some amazing themes and morals that remind readers that Simone’s and Hannah’s antics aren’t the best, though they are somewhat funny and we all secretly wish we could pretend alongside them. While the ballet portion of the novel was a bit over my head because I never took ballet as a child, I think it was the perfect backdrop for this story, and I highly recommend it to those who are more familiar with ballet. Three stars.
Fluz has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel prior to its release on November 1, 2013.
ABookVacation @ 2:00 pm [filed under Book Reviews tagged Arc Review, Ballet, Pirouette, Robyn Bavati, The Parent Trap, twins Comments Off on {ARC Review} Pirouette by Robyn Bavati
{October 27, 2013} {ARC Review} The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #2)
From Goodreads: In the real world, when you vanish into thin air for a week, people tend to notice.
After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as “normal” as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for-his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he’s forbidden to see her again.
But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, “normal” simply isn’t to be. For Ethan’s nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan’s and Keirran’s fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan’s next choice may decide the fate of them all.
This is another fantastic novel in the Iron Fey spin off series, and I must say, it’s utterly perfect. Kagawa has a way with words and her storyline is enticing, energetic, and breathtaking all at once. Of course, she leaves us with a rather awful cliffhanger that will have readers biting their nails and dying to know what happens next, especially as it seems the prophecy is about to swallow all those we’ve come to love.
I was floored by this novel—it was absolutely wonderful! From the characters to the plot and all that came in between, Kagawa’s world is stunning and almost makes me wish it were real—though I’m not really sure I’d want to be surrounded by the fey, if you know what I mean.
Ethan Chase once again finds himself on the wrong side of reality, trekking through the fey underworlds in order to try and locate and save his nephew, Keirran, as Keirran defies all those around him in attempts to save his beloved. The twists are even more sinister in this novel, especially as Keirran refuses to listen to logic and is set on doing things his way, regardless of the cost to those around him. There are some jaw dropping scenes, especially toward the end as it all comes to a head, and I just adored it, even though it’ll be another year until I can find out what’s next for Ethan and Keirran, because right now, things aren’t looking up. Five stars.
Harlequin Teen has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel prior to its release on October 29, 2013.
ABookVacation @ 2:00 pm [filed under Book Reviews tagged 5 Stars, Arc Review, Ethan, Julie Kagawa, The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten, The Iron Traitor Comments Off on {ARC Review} The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #2)
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ALDE Group
The rule of law in the Economic and Monetary Union
What role for the Court of Justice?
27 May 2015European Parliament, Brussels
The European Union is founded on the rule of law, as stated in article 2 TEU. However, within the framework of EMU, the Treaty excludes the Court of Justice from playing a role when obligations are not respected. This has often led to rules being applied differently between Member States, which is very unfair and destroys mutual trust. The system would be much fairer if EMU was based on uniformly applied rules and where a role for the Court of Justice is foreseen. In other fields the Treaty foresees infringement proceedings against Member States for failure to fulfil an obligation (article 258 and 259 TFEU) and action for annulment against decisions of the Commission and the Council (article 263 TFEU). This role for the ECJ would not result in economic governance procedures being delayed, as these procedures do not have suspensive effects, they would however better protect citizen's rights. It is important to look at where the current legal framework can be improved in the long run, rather than shying away from future treaty change.
rule, law, economic, monetary, union
MEP, Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, Coordinator, ALDE Group
Danuta Hübner
Chair of AFCO Committee, MEP, Rapporteur on Reform of the electoral law of the EU, EPP Group
Franz Mayer
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Enzo Moavero Milanesi
Former Judge at the Court of First Instance, Former Minister for European Affairs of Italy
Philippe de Schoutheete
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Trope, Useful Notes/Japan, Always Female,
Useful Notes/Kawaisa
Joshikousei
And there are four of them to boot.
Tomo: Question! Mr. Kimura, why did you decide to become a high school teacher?
Mr. Kimura: 'CUZ I LIKE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS, THAT'S WHY!
Literally "a female high school student", but the term is invariably used to refer specifically to cute high school girls wearing Sailor Fuku, or sailor suit-styled uniforms. Many Japanese men refer to them under the nickname "JK" or "JC". Note that the term may be used interchangeably with 'seifuku', which means any general "school uniform", but is often used to describe the sailor outfits in particular. Although seeraafuku are not as common now in Japan as they once were, the vast majority of anime girls still wear them.
That Japanese has such a compact, productive phrase for this image implies that it's an important archetype in the Japanese psyche, and this is borne out by how often sailor-suited school girls still appear in both manga and anime.
See also School Swimsuit, for when the girls wear something that shows a little more skin.
This is mainly a Japanese cultural trope but is found prominently in anime. The Western equivalent is Catholic School Girls Rule. However, given that many Japanese high schools have abandoned the sailor uniform, which nowadays is a characteristic indicator of middle school girls, more professional-esque styles of uniform have become a popular replacement - popular not just among schools but also among viewers - so the two are beginning to merge. Joshikousei are very prominent in anime/manga, to the point where the far majority of female characters will be either be high school girls or at the very least be in the same age group (should high school not exist or should their occupation prevent them from going to school). In fact, one of the main reasons why most male protagonists are ordinary highschool students is so they can be surrounded by high school girls.
Examples of Joshikousei include:
Azumanga Daioh, though the girls here wear modest-length skirts and full-coverage tops.
Bleach has Karin and Yuzu wear these after the Time Skip.
Lisa Yadomaru wears one, but it's tight enough for her to Bare Your Midriff.
A Joshikousei series aptly named High School Girls (its Japanese name was literally Joshikousei) is about to be released in North America, based on the long-running manga series of the same name.
Each Tokyo Mew Mew girl attends a different school; Ichigo and Retasu both wear seifuku. In the largely discredited sequel, all five originals and the new character attend the same school, chosen for its "cute uniforms".
Magic Knight Rayearth, like Sailor Moon, bases the girls' armour off of school uniforms.
Lucky Star.
One of Hiyori's Image Songs is called "Default Joshikousei Nyan". ...Nyan?
The title of the Lucky Star OVA is "JK".
For Amanchu, Kozue Amano designed some very pretty school uniforms, with hints to the outfits worn by the undines in her other main work, Aria. The frilly petticoats really set them apart, although they might be a bit warm in summer. And they may also not be the best fit for more chubby students.
In Gakuen Hetalia, Axis Powers Hetalia's take on a High School AU, Seychelles and Hungary appear in Western-style uniforms. Belarus and Ukraine appear in concept art, and Taiwan appears in this in the concept art, compared to the more Western uniforms the other girls have been seen wearing. In the regular canon, Norway and Sealand also sport Danshigakusei uniforms.
Revolutionary Girl Utena has the "ridiculously short skirt" version.
Completely averted by the title character for all but one episode. She wears short shorts. Everyone's got legs in this series.
Konoe Tsurugi and Yashima Sanae in Hanaukyo Maid Tai La Verite episode 8.
In Fruits Basket, Shigure is so tickled about visiting Tohru's school because he knows how the girls will react to him, he sings a little Joshikousei song.
Mato and Yomi's uniform in the Black Rock Shooter OVA.
The SSS uniform in Angel Beats. Note that it is not the same as the one the NPC's wear.
Highschool of the Dead. Granted, they do rip up and alter their uniform so they'll be more versatile, and later change out. And considering the zombie apocalypse is taking up their time, I doubt they'll be going to school anymore.
In Soul Eater, the girls' Spartoi uniforms usually are in the sailor style.
Kim and Jackie's original uniform also slightly resembles a seifuku, having the colar and tie.
In Zombie Loan, this is somewhat averted. The uniform only has the collar. The rest doesn't really resemble seifuku.
The girls' uniform at Butei high in Hidan no Aria.
The girls of Hanasaku Iroha have to wear a blue-and-white seifuku to school.
Ohana's school in Tokyo has a thicker navy-colored seifuku.
The standard uniform in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.
Haruhi Fujioka's (from Ouran High School Host Club) old uniform from middle school was a dark-colored seifuku.
THE iDOLM@STER - Several of the idols are High Schoolers, tough their schools don't appear much.
The protagonist of Wandering Son brought one when he was in sixth grade. Later on in the manga, several side-characters begin going to a high school that uses Sailor Fuku.
Saikano
The high school uniforms in Mai-HiME just have the short skirt part; the middle school uniforms are the classic white-with-blue-trim seeraa style.
Kamen Rider Agito: Kazaya Mana is a less straight example, since she doesn't wear the sailor suit.
Kamen Rider Double: Two of Shotaro's informants, Queen and Elizabeth are apparently schoolgirls. "Joshikousei" is Shotaro's nickname for Akiko, since she behaves more like a child than her actual age of 20.
Kamen Rider OOO: Mezuru's guise is a school girl... for about one episode. Then she changes into another outfit. One wonders why...
A rare American example: Claire, from Heroes, and her iconic cheerleader garb. The second season even gave her a revamped (but less frequently seen) blue outfit.
Many Dating Sim games are set in high school or, more frequently now, colleges with uniforms.
Tokimeki Memorial in all incarnations
One of Sakura's custom titles from Street Fighter IV is "High School Girl" in the English version and most likely Joshikōsei in the Japanese.
In The King of Fighters 2003, Athena Asamiya, Hinako Shijō, and Malin form a team called "Joshikōsei Chiimu" (High School Girls Team).
Ling Xiaoyu has a school uniform as an 'optional' costume in her appearances in Tekken. Often she's wearing it in her ending animations, too.
Ar tonelico has the playable Reyvateils, Teen Misha and Aurica both have their own school uniforms outfits as the rewards for completing the diving quests.
The main character of Persona 3 when playing as a female, as well as all female classmates, since they attend a modern Japanese high school. They even fight in them rather than street clothes, despite all battles taking place long after school hours.
Love Plus, naturally, as with many a Dating Sim game and as a Spiritual Successor of the Tokimeki Memorial series.
Speaking of Tokimeki Memorial 's Spiritual Successors, one of them, Mitsumete Knight, despite being in a medieval / fantasy setting instead of an High School one, has roughly 1/3 of its main girls cast (5 out of 16) composed of school girls, because in the country the mercenary main protagonist fights for, the military grounds he trains at are located next to the country's main Academy campus.
Touhou Project's Sanae Kochiya is viewed as this in the fandom. Considering that she is from the outside world that went to the place known as Gensokyo since her dieties moved there.
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.fandom.com/wiki/Joshikousei?oldid=207217"
Useful Notes/Japan
Always Female
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https://apnews.com/Business%2520Wire/91cef77b2daa44518d87ad3017c6b321
Food Lion Feeds and Customers Donate Nearly 4 Million Meals to Neighbors Through Holiday Giving Campaign
SALISBURY, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 8, 2020--
In partnership with customers, Food Lion announced today that more than four million meals were donated to neighbors in need through its annual “Season of Caring” holiday giving efforts. From Nov. 13 – Dec. 24, 2019, Food Lion Feeds provided food donations, volunteers and financial contributions to neighbors in need and local organizations fighting hunger in the towns and cities Food Lion serves. As part of this campaign, customers purchased more than 540,000 specially-marked prepacked food boxes and contributed more than $107,000 through in-store donation efforts, which was all donated to local Feeding America® member food banks.
A child of a servicemember receives donated groceries from Food Lion at one of the grocer’s recent “Season of Caring” events in Newport News, Va. (Photo: Business Wire)
“We care deeply about nourishing our neighbors, and we recognize that far too many face difficult choices in order to feed their families, particularly around the holidays,” said Emma A. Inman, director of Community Relations and External Communications for Food Lion. “We’re grateful to our customers for joining with us and supporting our mission to fight hunger in the towns and cities we serve in such a big way. We look forward to continuing to work with them and all of our community partners to nourish our neighbors in need and eliminate some of the difficult choices they face.”
In addition to the donation of food boxes and financial resources donated in-store, Food Lion Feeds also joined with its military hunger relief partner, Operation Homefront, to support several Holiday Meals for Military Families events; partnered with local organizations to combat child and senior hunger; and joined with multiple other community partners and individuals to fight hunger in the towns and cities Food Lion serves.
About Food Lion
Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, has more than 1,000 stores in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states and employs more than 63,000 associates. By leveraging its longstanding heritage of low prices and convenient locations, Food Lion is working to own the easiest full shop grocery experience in the Southeast, anchored by a strong commitment to affordability, freshness and the communities it serves. Through Food Lion Feeds, the company has donated more than 500 million meals to individuals and families since 2014, and has committed to donate 1 billion more meals by 2025. Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Ahold Delhaize. For more information, visit www.foodlion.com.
CONTACT: Emma Inman, APR
emma.inman@foodlion.com
Matt Harakal
matthew.harakal@foodlion.com
KEYWORD: NORTH CAROLINA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PHILANTHROPY RETAIL SUPERMARKET FUND RAISING FOUNDATION FOOD/BEVERAGE
SOURCE: Food Lion
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Hummingbird Heart by Robin Stevenson
Posted by Amy on Dec 26, 2014 in Book Reviews, British Columbia | 0 comments
Summary: Trying to getting in contact with her absent father even though her mother refers to him as ‘the sperm donor,’ Dylan is understandably surprised when her father comes into her life out of the blue on his own. But there’s a reason why he has suddenly appeared – his three year-old daughter needs a bone marrow transplant, and there’s a chance that Dylan may be a match. Thrust into an impossible situation, Dylan begins learning secrets about her parents’ past she never knew, all while dealing with the normal challenges of being a teenager.
Age Range: 15-17
Review: Sixteen year-old Dylan is a complex character. While author Robin Stevenson sets her up as a bit dark and broody, more of a pessimist than a realist or an optimist, Dylan’s first act in the book is one of hope and faith. She makes her family take their yearly photograph so it can be sent to the father who has never contacted her. Ever.
But even after sixteen years of no contact, Dylan keeps sending out her photographs into the void, hoping the void will answer back. This isn’t an act of pessimism, but of clinging to hope and wanting connection.
Of course it turns out to be infinitely more complicated than simply a daughter trying to reach an unresponsive father. Unbeknownst to Dylan, her mother has been working behind the scenes to keep Dylan and her father apart, until she can’t anymore.
It’s messy and complicated and in true Stevenson style, the adults in the story are not fully grown up themselves. Dylan is dealing with a mother whose actions are heavily influenced by personal pain as opposed to what is best for her daughter. Her father seems to be motivated by saving the daughter he has known instead of by wanting to get to know Dylan.
In the midst of Dylan’s drama with her parents and her internal struggle about potentially playing a role in saving her half sister, life goes on. Dylan is in high school going out with her first boyfriend and discovering that perhaps she isn’t as interested in sex as others are. Perhaps it’s because she hasn’t met the right person, or perhaps it is because there is something about her sexuality Dylan isn’t quite ready to face yet. Regardless, Dylan must still deal with the day-to-day stressors of life: school, fighting with her best friend and taking care of her family.
There’s one part of Stevenson’s book that I’m still turning over in my head. I know the hummingbird tattoos are matching between Dylan’s mother and father and they actually came about in a random fashion, but Dylan’s mother tells her the hummingbird is because when she heard Dylan’s heart beating in her womb, and it reminded her of a hummingbird’s heart. Dylan eventually learns her mother’s story is made up, but Stevenson is exploring the theme of the stories we tell ourselves and each other to get by. I was fascinated because for Dylan’s mother, the story becomes true. Sometimes fiction is preferable to fact, and Stevenson’s story makes me wonder if at times, it’s okay to embrace the lie instead of the truth or if truth can be retroactive in nature.
Dylan grapples with many issues in an authentic way, and I truly enjoyed accompanying her on the journey.
Memorable Quotes:
“Sometimes I’d be doing this, waiting for time to pass, and I’d get a sudden clutch of anxiety. Every second that passed was gone forever. Every minute, every hour, every day. It was awful, imagining all that time slipping away, all those seconds rushing past in an unstoppable roaring stream. I could almost hear it when I closed my eyes. Racing toward the grave. I mean, of course everyone knew we were all going to die eventually, but no one else ever seemed to think about it.” – Dylan from Hummingbird Heart by Robin Stevenson, page 11
“I felt the ground shift beneath me. A flicker of sympathy – after all, I didn’t know what I wanted either – and then a flood of anger. Why couldn’t she just get it together and be reliable for once? With everything else that was going on, shouldn’t I at least be able to count on my mother to be sane and solid and predictable?” – Dylan from Hummingbird Heart by Robin Stevenson, page 163
“Maybe he really was thinking nothing.
I couldn’t imagine it. ‘How does a person think nothing?’ I wanted to ask him. ‘Can you really do it? Just switch off that stream of images and words and worries?’ It sounded like heaven to me.” – Dylan from Hummingbird Heart by Robin Stevenson, page 197
Hummingbird Heart by Robin Stevenson is published by Orca Book Publishers, (2012)
Amy Mathers has been passionate about reading from a very young age, and hopes others will share her enthusiasm for funding a teen book award. Read more
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AMCAT Club
AMCAT Club Information
Basketball Alumni Game
AMCAT Golf Classic
AMCAT Store
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Football Game Day Info
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2019-2020 Student-Athlete Questionnaire
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Men's Basketball Comes Out on Top in OT Thriller
Mitchell (2-7) 41 35 7 83
Anna Maria (3-7) 31 45 11 87
Pts: Jalen Benson - 22
Reb: Marvin Baker - 12
Ast: Matt Finke - 4
Pts: Mike Rapoza - 27
Reb: Mike Rapoza - 21
Ast: Kennedy Minix-Rogers - 5
Posted: Dec 13, 2019
- PAXTON, MASS: The Anna Maria Men's Basketball team completed a 14-point come back to take down Mitchell College in overtime this evening in non-conference action, 87-83.
- Date: 12/13/2019
- Score: Anna Maria 87, Mitchell 83
- Records: Mitchell (2-7), Anna Maria (3-7)
- The AMCATS started the contest with a 9-0 run hitting all three shots from behind the arc. Mitchell, however, would heat up and overtake Anna Maria with 14 minutes left in the first half and they wouldn't look back. The Mariners took a 10-point lead into the locker room, 41-31.
- In the second Mitchell would extend their lead to 14 points with 19:03 left and would hold that for several minutes.
- It was as if a switch flipped on with 16:30 left for the AMCATS after a huge 3-point jumper from senior Bobby Perette (Marshfield, MA) flipping momentum in the AMCATS favor. The Mariners slowly watched their lead dwindle and disappear with 11:41 remaining.
- The remainder of the game was a back and forth battle that led into overtime, where Mitchell would grab a quick 2-point lead that wouldn't last after a dominant performance from Mike Rapoza (Charlton, MA) who scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half.
- Anna Maria would take the lead in overtime and held on to win it, 87-83.
- Jalen Benson was the top performer for Mitchell with a team high 22 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists.
- Mike Rapoza had the game high in both points and rebounds. He compiled 21 rebounds and dropped 27 points.
- Bobby Perette also had night as he dropped a solid 25 points with 2 rebounds and 2 assists.
- Kennedy Minix-Rogers had a season high 17 points after shooting 4 of 8 from behind the 3-point line. His stat line also included 4 rebounds and 5 assists.
- Anna Maria returns to action on the 29th as they travel to Utica with the tipoff scheduled for 4 PM.
- For the latest on Anna Maria College Athletics, follow the AMCATS via social media on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.
50 SUNSET LANE. PAXTON, MASS. 01612
ATHLETICS@ANNAMARIA.EDU
Wed, 01/22 | Men's Basketball vs. Rivier (7:00 PM) V | LS
Sat, 01/25 | Men's Basketball at Regis (Mass.) (12:00 PM) V | LS
Wed, 01/29 | Men's Basketball vs. Emmanuel (Mass.) (6:00 PM) V | LS
Sat, 02/01 | Men's Basketball at Colby-Sawyer (1:00 PM) V | LS | LS
Tue, 02/04 | Men's Basketball at Saint Joseph's (Me.) (7:00 PM) LS
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Agri Business Services
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Top 8 financing options for startups
The top 8 financing options for Start-ups!
So, the wheels are finally in motion. Your new start-up business is moving ahead after months of planning, years of brainstorming and hours upon hours of work. Now it’s time to get serious. It’s time to talk financing.
You’ll be pleased to know that the statement ‘eight out of 10 start-ups fail’ is in fact a myth. According to statistics from the ‘US Bureau for Labor Statistics’ (Australian figures are not available), 50 percent of all new business make it to their fifth year and one third make it to a decade. However, the second highest reason for failure, cited by CBinsights, is running out of cash. Let’s crunch some numbers.
Using savings
You may feel reluctant at first, but breaking open the piggy-bank can be a safe option; if you’re money smart. The question is, should you throw all your savings at your new business or edge the payments in slowly? While some entrepreneurs have made their millions by jumping straight into the deep end and going all-out with their savings, it doesn’t mean the same approach will work for you.
How much money you possess at your disposal, how much you can borrow, and leverage from personal savings are all important variables when it comes to tapping into your personal savings to fund your start-up.
Family / friends
Similar to the above, this option carries equally great risks combined with additional motivation from the fear of failure. Approaching people you know often works at the idea stage of a start-up company, when a lack of revenue is equal to a lack of appeal.
Branching out from friends can lead to business contacts you may rarely get the opportunity to speak directly with, when personal assistants and secretaries sit in the way. However, putting a family member’s cashflow at risk is always a bold move. You must weigh the advantages and disadvantages.
As heroic as they sound, angel investors could be your shining light. Often investing in small startups or entrepreneurs these investors can be within your list of family or friends. The capital angel investor can provide a one-time investment to propel your business forward or provide steady injections of cash over prolonged periods of time.
Offering more favourable conditions to other lenders, the angel’s are often a popular choice, according to angel equity: “Angel investors typically seek investment opportunities in seed, startup and early expansion stages. By becoming involved with companies that seek capital they add a resource of expertise in a variety of areas including sales, governance, senior management, international markets, technology, operations and finance.”
Since its formation in 1997, a lot has changed in the crowdfunding industry over the past 20 years. Now, crowdfunding can be easily used to raise capital from the Crowdfunding network of accredited investors. Crowdfunding allows start-ups to raise money in a variety of methods including debt, revenue share, convertible notes or equity.
The bonus is that whereas other initiatives take money from a percentage of the funds raised, sites like Crowdfunded have a set monthly fee which starts at under $299.
– The average successful crowdfunding campaign is $7,000
– The average campaign lasts 9 weeks
– Campaigns that can gain 30% of their goal within the first week are more likely to succeed
Source: fundable.com/crowdfunding101/crowdfunding-statistics
Alternative finance options
Beyond the bank loan, there are a long lists of other viable finance options. Kickstarter options include CircleUp, EquityNet, Fundable, MicroVentures, Peerbackers, RocketHub, SmallKnot and SeedInvest; who all offer a variety of packages to start-ups at different costs.
Fintech, meaning computer programs and technology that is used to support banking and financial services, saw a huge increase in investment over the past seven years from $930 million to over $12 billion; although some experts are adamant Fintech is on the decline.
In Australia as a newly formed start-up it’s still unlikely that you can get finance. Shaun McGowan from Lend, a fintech business financing platform says “We need to see at least 6 months of trading history and revenue before we can assist.”
Accelerator money
Accelerator money can come many forms, but is ultimately used to promote rapid growth in a short space of time – often a matter of months. In exchange, and after start-ups are accepted into a program, you obtain mentorship, office space and funding, in exchange for company stock.
It’s a quick-fire method to get the ball rolling, commonly at the sacrifice of equity. The good news however, is a survey from impact investor Unitus Seed Fund found that 13% of start-ups were funded six months after graduation from the accelerator program. In contrast, for accelerators, the percentage raised by 20%, and for start-ups graduating from hyper-accelerators, 71% of start-ups were funded six months after graduation.
The two structures of venture capital are equity and convertible debt. Equity is the more common stock and, once invested, equity is owned outright unless there is a form of sale or liquidity. The second of the two, convertible debt, is a debt instrument that requires repayment.
According to The Finance Resource, in many venture capital deals, especially those related to technology, firms are expecting to receive 35% on their investment per year, if not higher. The Start-up receives, funding plus a wealth of business expertise, additional resources and connections. Analysis published in the Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions, & Money found that venture capital investment made the biggest impact on start-ups with 5-19 employees.
Being profitable from day one
It sounds pretty simple, and it is pretty simple. If you’re profitable from day one then you already have a leg-up on the competition and can expect a lot less stress when mapping out finances. Of course, it’s harder than it sounds, but many companies strike gold first time.
Take inspiration from ‘rand Content’, ‘Several nines’ and ‘Away With Tax’ to make profit from day one. Then again, if you’d rather take inspiration from Thomas Edison and you view failure as the path to success: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” is a warming quote from Edison.
In summary, there are multiple options to fund start-ups.. Support ranges from that of family and friends to online crowdfunding experts or external companies. Weigh up the options, understand the risks AND rewards and carefully strategise the use of the capital funds going forward..
Eddie Baker is a freelance writer from Sydney Australia. He regularly participates in monetary policy debate and teaches business administration to budding entrepreneurs. Eddie has a passion for business and hopes to alleviate some of the daily challenges small business owners experience through his writings by sharing firsthand experience and advice learnt while teaching and studying business administration.
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You are here: Home / Archives for Kerala Floods: ICAI extends last date for submission of exam forms for Kerala students
Kerala Floods: ICAI extends last date for submission of exam forms for Kerala students
Arinjay Academy / August 23, 2018
Extension of the last date for submission of examination application forms in respect of CA exams to be held in November 2018, for candidates in Kerala only
In view of the heavy rains/floods and disruption of normal life in Kerala and the consequent hardships caused to students, the last date for submission of exam application forms for appearing in the CA exams to be held in the month of November 2018 for candidates residing in the state of Kerala stands extended upto 8th September, 2018.
In other words, the last date for submission of exam forms by candidates residing in Kerala will be 8th September 2018.
Accordingly, candidates residing in Kerala can submit their exam applications forms for November 2018 CA exams, on-line at http://icaiexam.icai.org and also pay the exam fee on-line, upto 8th September 2018 without payment of any late fee.
It is clarified that this extension of time for submission of exam forms in respect of November 2018 CA exams is applicable only to the candidates residing in Kerala and is not applicable to other candidates.
For all other candidates, the last date for submission of exam forms in respect of November 2018 CA exams, shall remain unchanged, as already announced, i.e. 27th August 2018 without late fee and 4th September 2018 with late fee.
Candidates whose address on the records of the Institute is in the state of Kerala, will be treated as those residing in Kerala, for the purpose of this extension.
Candidates residing in Kerala may take note of the above and act accordingly.
Joint Secretary (Exams)
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Signs in Mountain Lion point to “retina” display MacBooks sooner than later
High-resolution graphics are popping up in unexpected places in Mountain Lion …
Chris Foresman - Mar 22, 2012 9:10 pm UTC
A new clue found within in the latest developer release of OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion) suggests that 2012 may bring us the "summer of retina display Macs." A source with access to the latest Mountain Lion preview alerted Ars that double-sized graphics have popped up in some unexpected places, once again suggesting that Apple may be close to releasing MacBooks with high pixel-density screens.
One example comes from Messages, Apple's replacement for iChat. While using the app under the second developer preview of Mountain Lion, some icons are erroneously displaying 2x resolution art. In the image below, the "audio chat" icon is a 2x version instead of the standard 1x version, according to our source.
Note the double-sized icon popping out of where a standard size icon should fit.
"I would interpret it to mean that Retina [MacBook] is close; perhaps concurrent with the release of OS X 10.8," our source said.
As we noted late last year, the tech to create suitably pixel-dense displays already exists, and the ability to adapt OS X's UI to those displays is already present in the form of "HiDPI" display modes. Apple has already been incorporating 2x UI elements such as cursors and other objects into recent releases of OS X 10.7 (Lion), as well.
With Mountain Lion scheduled to be released sometime this summer and Intel's next-generation Ivy Bridge processors expected to have wide availability at about the same time, we agree that this latest evidence points toward Apple unveiling MacBook Pros and possible MacBook Airs with "retina" displays in the next few months.
Chris Foresman Chris is an Associate Writer at Ars Technica, where he has spent the last five years writing about Apple, smartphones, digital photography, and patent litigation, among other topics.
Email chris.foresman@arstechnica.com // Twitter @foresmac
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One ‘bite’ of mud and sand at a time, Port of Virginia starts dredging Chesapeake ...
Dothan Eagle
NORFOLK, Va. — In his perch high above the Chesapeake Bay, Kenny Smith had the controls to move the earth beneath him.
The crane operator’s feet prodded two floor pedals to swing a red claw-like bucket from left to right. His hands gripped two levers that moved it up and down, in and out of the choppy water where it
Port of Virginia starts dredging Chesapeake Bay shipping channels
NORFOLK, Va. (Tribune News Service) — In his perch high above the Chesapeake Bay, Kenny Smith had the controls to move the earth beneath him. The crane operator’s feet...
Stars and Stripes 2020-01-02
Va. Congressional Delegation Requests OMB Support for Norfolk Harbor Project
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) along with U.S. Reps. Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Rob Wittman (R-VA) led the entire Virginia congressional...
Public Technologies 2020-01-14
Dredge barge grounded in Matagorda Ship Channel; safety zone in effect
A safety zone is in effect for the Matagorda Ship Channel from mile markers 51 to 66, where a dredge barge was grounded on Tuesday. A dredge barge named Everett Fisher...
Victoria Advocate 2020-01-22
Bass River dredging called off
BEVERLY — The contractor who was hired to dredge the Bass River says the company is owed nearly half a million dollars after the project was canceled before it ever began....
The Salem News 2020-01-14
Marseille: Une voiture plonge dans le Vieux-Port à cause du GPS
Port Stephens Toyota Pro - Day 1
The working port of Boston
Port operator Agulhas has two huge opportunities in east Africa says CEO Phillips
Beginners Guide to Port Forwarding
Port Forwarding Explained
Private LTE for Port 4.0 digital transformation
What is a TCP port and how is it used during connections?
Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka Warns Tariffs Hurt the Nation
Dredge barge grounded in Matagorda Ship Channel refloated, towed to shore
The Matagorda Ship Channel was re-opened Tuesday after a dredge barge was grounded Monday night. The barge, named Everett Fisher, started taking on water Monday night due to reasons that are still under investigation, said Ensign Hailye Reynolds, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Coast Guard Sector / Air Station Corpus Christi. A towing vessel, Dana Robyn, managed to lift the Everett...
Victoria Advocate
Locals hopeful promises to dredge Rye Harbor are fulfilled
RYE – Those who are affected by shoaling at Rye Harbor are excited to hear news that critical water infrastructure projects in Rye and Portsmouth will likely take place this year. On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., received an assurance from the nominee to be Undersecretary of the Army, James McPherson, that a request made to prioritize these projects by New...
Union Leader
Dredge project at halfway point
The dredging of the Annisquam River is proceeding smoothly through its first season, with about half of the targeted sand and debris already removed from shoals along the the city’s lifeblood river, according to Gloucester Harbormaster T.J. Ciarametaro. Ciarametaro briefed Waterways Board members on Wednesday night, telling them the three-dredge, around-the-clock project being...
Gloucester Times
VA Marine Warning and Forecast
VA Marine Warnings and Forecast for Wednesday, January 8, 2020 ————— SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY URGENT - MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Wakefield VA 346 AM EST Wed Jan 8 2020 ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING... * WHAT...West winds 10 to 20 kt with gusts up to 30 kt and waves around 2 feet. * WHERE...York River, James River from...
Port of Coos Bay and Siuslaw partner for dredging project
FLORENCE — The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay and the Port of Siuslaw have partnered to complete dredging at the Port of Siuslaw's inner boat basin. Sand and silt has collected to a point where some slips are unusable for the commercial and recreational fleet or were only accessible during high tide, according to a press release from the Port of Coos Bay. Inadequate...
VDOT: Bridge project cost 25K birds their nesting site
HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (AP) — An estimated 25,000 seabirds lost their nesting site of 40 years when it was paved over during a tunnel expansion project in coastal Virginia, state Department of Transportation officials confirmed to a newspaper. Crews finished paving the entire south island of the nearly $4 billion Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel last month, a Transportation Department...
#WSL Subscribe to the WSL for more action: https://goo.gl/VllRuj Watch all the latest surfing action of the world\'s best surfers in the world\'s best waves. Heats on demand, event highlights and exclusive interviews, right here on the WSL\'s Youtube channel. For More Visit: http://www.worldsurfleague.com/ Like the WSL on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/wsl Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/wsl Follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/wsl...
Une voiture a plongé dans le Vieux-Port ce jeudi après-midi alors que le conducteur, gêné par la pluie, suivait son GPS. Ils ont été sauvés in extremis par des marins. Retrouvez l\'article sur notre site: https://www.20minutes.fr/faits_divers/2651683-20191114-marseille-suivent-gps-finissent-vieux-port-vehicule-trois-personnes-sauvees-in-extremis 20 Minutes, avec vous https://www.20minutes.fr Retrouvez nous sur: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/20minutes Notre Chatbot: https://www.messenger.com/t/20minutes Twitter: https://twitter.com/20Minutes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/20minutesfrance/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/66709/...
The working port of Boston Subscribe to WCVB on YouTube now for more: http://bit.ly/1e8lAMZ Get more Boston news: http://www.wcvb.com Like us: https://www.facebook.com/wcvb5 Follow us: https://twitter.com/WCVB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wcvb5/...
Soon-to-list Kenyan port operator Agulhas Group Africa PLC has two big opportunities ahead according to chief executive Simon Phillips. One is the incremental benefits it will get from recently being awarded import and export designation from the Kenyan government, a status that puts it on an equal footing with the main part at Mombasa. The other is for it to become one of the main logistics groups supplying the massive Afungi LNG development in Mozambique. If Agulhas can handle just 1% of the equipment being shipped to that project the numbers are \'off the scale\' says Phillips. The group is being formed through the reverse takeover of Anglo African Agricuture PLC (LON:AAAP) by Comarco, which owns the private port in Mombasa....
📗LIMITED TIME!!! GET MY NEW BOOK FOR $1!📕 https://bit.ly/2nAAN5d \"Hey guys, come join my new Fortnite server!\". \"What? You can\'t access it from outside my network?\" And scene. For anyone that\'s ever tried to set up a server, but you can online access it from inside your own network, this one\'s for you. This is a follow up video for my previous about setting up a Wordpress web server (https://youtu.be/Hxoa_t61TtY). After setting up the server, we could see our website from within our network, but not from anywhere on the internet. There are a couple of ways to fix it so that you can access your website from anywhere. This particular video focuses on the method of \"Port Forwarding\" _____________________________ 📲🔗🔗📲 IMPORTANT LINKS 📲🔗🔗📲 ______________________ How To Set Up A Web Server - https://youtu.be/Hxoa_t61TtY Free Dynamic DNS - https://freedns.afraid.org Router Passwords - http://www.routerpasswords.com Port Forwarding - https://portforward.com List of common TCP/IP ports - https://web.mit.edu/rhel-doc/4/RH-DOCS/rhel-sg-en-4/ch-ports.html _____________________________ 💰💰💰💰 SUPPORT THE SHOW 💰💰💰💰 ______________________ https://www.tinkernut.com/donate _____________________________ 🤔💡🤔💡 SUBMIT YOUR IDEAS 🤔💡🤔💡 ______________________ https://www.tinkernut.com/ideas ____________________________ 📢📢📢📢 Follow 📢📢📢📢 ____________________________ https://redd.it/5o3tp8 https://www.instagram.com/ https://www.twitter.com/tinkernut https://www.facebook.com/tinkernut...
This is an animated port forwarding tutorial. It explains how to port forward and it also explains what are network ports. #portforwarding #ports Wifi router that I recommend (affiliate) https://amzn.to/2Jv577C I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites....
Benefits of private LTE and digitalization turning ports into Port 4.0. Watch digital automation use cases and opportunities including drones and video surveillance. http://nokia.com/networks/go-allwhere http://dac.nokia.com https://networks.nokia.com/solutions/private-lte...
The transmission control protocol (TCP) provides an additional level of naming that helps organize data transfer between computers connected to the internet. In addition to the internet protocol (IP) address that identifies a computer, TCP adds two port numbers that identify a connection between two computers. Packets that are part of a connection flow between the computers the same way at the IP layer, but the port numbers allow TCP to separate connections when packets arrive at the endpoints. Credits: Talking: Geoffrey Challen (Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo). Producing: Greg Bunyea (Undergraduate, Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo). Part of the https://www.internet-class.org online internet course. A blue Systems Research Group (https://blue.cse.buffalo.edu) production....
This week, Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka traveled to Washington, D.C. to unveil a new trade study that shows how tariffs negatively affect the nation. A global trade expert and leader of the nation’s #1 port, Seroka wants Americans to understand how trade policy impacts us all. portoflosangeles.org/tariffshurt...
#WSL Subscribe to the WSL for more action: https://goo.gl/VllRuj Watch all the latest surfing action of the world\'s best surfers in the world\'s best waves. Heats on demand, event highlights and exclusive interviews, right here on the WSL\'s Youtube channel. For More Visit: http://www.worldsurfleag
duration: 573:31
Une voiture a plongé dans le Vieux-Port ce jeudi après-midi alors que le conducteur, gêné par la pluie, suivait son GPS. Ils ont été sauvés in extremis par des marins. Retrouvez l\'article sur notre site: https://www.20minutes.fr/faits_divers/2651683-20191114-marseille-suivent-gps-finissent-vieux-p
The working port of Boston Subscribe to WCVB on YouTube now for more: http://bit.ly/1e8lAMZ Get more Boston news: http://www.wcvb.com Like us: https://www.facebook.com/wcvb5 Follow us: https://twitter.com/WCVB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wcvb5/
Soon-to-list Kenyan port operator Agulhas Group Africa PLC has two big opportunities ahead according to chief executive Simon Phillips. One is the incremental benefits it will get from recently being awarded import and export designation from the Kenyan government, a status that puts it on an equal
📗LIMITED TIME!!! GET MY NEW BOOK FOR $1!📕 https://bit.ly/2nAAN5d \"Hey guys, come join my new Fortnite server!\". \"What? You can\'t access it from outside my network?\" And scene. For anyone that\'s ever tried to set up a server, but you can online access it from inside your own network, this one\'s for y
This is an animated port forwarding tutorial. It explains how to port forward and it also explains what are network ports. #portforwarding #ports Wifi router that I recommend (affiliate) https://amzn.to/2Jv577C I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate adver
Benefits of private LTE and digitalization turning ports into Port 4.0. Watch digital automation use cases and opportunities including drones and video surveillance. http://nokia.com/networks/go-allwhere http://dac.nokia.com https://networks.nokia.com/solutions/private-lte
The transmission control protocol (TCP) provides an additional level of naming that helps organize data transfer between computers connected to the internet. In addition to the internet protocol (IP) address that identifies a computer, TCP adds two port numbers that identify a connection between two
This week, Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka traveled to Washington, D.C. to unveil a new trade study that shows how tariffs negatively affect the nation. A global trade expert and leader of the nation’s #1 port, Seroka wants Americans to understand how trade policy impacts us all.
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Entertainment » Movies
by Derek Deskins
EDGE Media Network Contributor
Tuesday Jan 14, 2020
As I sit to write this review, "Joker" has received eleven Academy Award nominations. That means that "Joker" has now received as many nominations as both "Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" and "The Godfather" (and "The Godfather, Part II" while we're at it). Not until this moment have I been able to use the word gobsmacked and truly feel the weight of its meaning. I guess I must have seen a different "Joker."
Settle into a Gotham City as you've never seen it before. Well, except for the crime, the general dinginess, and that whole vast separation between the wealthy and the poor. I guess, more to the point, it's the same Gotham that you've always seen, just in the '80s now. Oh and Bruce Wayne is just a kid, so no Batman.
Meet Arthur Fleck, an aspiring comedian and part-time clown, dealing with some serious mental illness. Although, I guess the mental illness isn't really the point here. It's more about how hard it is to be straight, white, and think you're a lot more talented than you actually are.
Listen, this is harder than it looks. It's a Joker origin story, ok? That's the whole thing.
Trying to trace the roots of an iconic comic book villain feels like something of a fool's errand. Especially in the case of the Joker. He has been a figure of mystery and mayhem and held a number of different beginnings. Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" refused to commit to any one beginning for the clown prince of crime and in so doing seemed to grasp what makes him so terrifying as a villain. The Joker is best when his mayhem is unhinged, his villainy unexplained, his existence is defined by little more than unbridled anarchy.
But Todd Phillips seems to feel differently. In Phillips' hands, the Joker is simply misunderstood, or he's a victim of a broken system, or maybe he was emotionally abused, or, actually, maybe society's own mockery shaped him. Phillips isn't quite sure what he wants the root of his Joker's evil to be. All he seems to know is that he doesn't want this to be your typical comic book movie (except Bruce Wayne definitely shows up and we get to see his parents die, again). Instead, he would like it to be a gritty 70s era character picture (with Gotham as his New York). But again, while on the surface it seems to check the aesthetic boxes, in actuality it is a derivative shell of what came before. It is beholden to the pictures that it would like to be considered alongside, yet devoid of soul or purpose. It is as if Todd Phillips devoured every Scorsese movie that he could find and didn't understand a single one of them.
The Blu-ray release is fitting in its simplicity. The cover, like the movie itself, looks good and entices you to see what's inside. Unfortunately, there isn't a whole lot. The anchor of its special features is a twenty-minute featurette entitled "Joker: Vision & Fury," in which numerous members of the film's production talk about the entire movie-making process. It's mostly self-congratulatory and not all that different from how any movie comes to exist. The rest of the features are largely in service to this one, be they interview add-ons or music videos by another name.
"Joker" is not a terrible movie. It is competently assembled and Joaquin Phoenix turns in an expectedly committed performance. But it is not the bastion of the message and cinema that it purports to be. As it reaches its conclusion, you feel empty and dirty, in need of a shower and maybe some therapy: shaken and purposeless. To celebrate "Joker" as the best of the year is akin to telling your friends of all the celebrities you met while walking through Madame Tussauds. It isn't and you didn't.
Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD
https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/joker
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Ethiopian Mom Drops Off Daughter to Daycare and Finds Black Children Segregated from Israeli Children
Tanasia Kenney
A kindergarten in Israel remains closed amid backlash over allegations that it racially segregated students, remanding children of Ethiopian descent to a separate building with an entirely different entrance.
According to the Times of Israel, kindergartners who attended the school in Kiryat Gat, a town in Israel’s Southern District, have since been allowed into other nearby daycare facilities with local authorities offering transportation to those who live further away.
Sefy Bililin said she pulled her 3-year-old daughter Pri-el out of kindergarten earlier this month after learning that students of Ethiopian descent were segregated from their classmates. (Photo: Sefy Bililin / Facebook photo)
The controversy unfolded earlier this month when outraged mother Sefy Bililin, in a now viral Facebook post, described dropping off her 3-year-old daughter at kindergarten and the shock she felt when she was directed to a class filled only with Ethiopian kids.
Initially, Bililin said she was “confused” after a staffer told her her daughter wasn’t registered and that maybe she was in with the “second kindergarten” class. The reality of the situation became abundantly clear, however, when Bililin was made to check in at separate building, only to find the were only Ethiopian-Israeli students were inside.
“I haven’t been able to sleep since Sunday because of thoughts about where this generation is heading,” she wrote in an online post decrying the biased treatment of young kids who “never did anything wrong in their lives.”
“It’s not right what they do to these little kids,” Bililin continued. “Because of the color of their skin they cannot mix with other children? My daughter is worth as much as anyone else. There’s no way in the world she will be apart from the other kids because of the color of her skin. She was born here, and she’s as good as anyone.”
The frustrated mom said she pulled her daughter out of school and took her complaints to city leaders, who said the matter is now under investigation and will be solved “immediately.”
Israeli news outlet Walla cited a statement from the municipality explaining that students were assigned to a kindergarten using a computerized system that sorted the youths based on “geographic area and parental requests for state and state-religious schools.” City leaders have denied allegations that students were assigned based on their race.
The furor comes just months after protests erupted in the streets of Israel following the fatal shooting of Ethiopian-Israeli teen Solomon Tekah. The Jewish state was consumed with unrest after Tekah, 18, was gunned down by an off-duty cop who said he feared for his life after coming under attack by a group of teens.
Local activist Naftali Aklum decried the teen’s killing and said the violence only highlighted the racial divisions plaguing Israel.
“This type of racism didn’t just start yesterday, it’s been alive since before our ancestors got here,” Aklum told The Jerusalem Post at the time, noting how Ethiopian Jews had “walked over 300 miles from Ethiopia to Sudan, stayed in refugee camps, lost 4,000 Ethiopians on the way and when they finally made it to Israel, this is how they treated us.”
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‘Pretty scary’: Boy captured in iconic bushfire photo speaks of harrowing escape
A young boy who appeared in a striking bushfire image that shocked the world on Tuesday has described the moment he and his family fled the ferocious blaze that burnt down parts of his Victorian community.
Eleven-year-old Finn Burns was photographed by his mother as he steered their power boat away from the small town of Mallacoota on Tuesday with visibility severely reduced thanks to a thick, red haze.
With a look of fear across his face that’s partially covered by a mask to protect him from the smoke, the image of Finn with an apocalyptic backdrop has encapsulated the horror thousands of residents faced as they rushed to the water in search of safety from the life-threatening blaze.
Finn Burns relived the moment he and his family fled Mallacoota. Source: Nine News
“We were just worried about getting away from the fire and just being safe,” Finn told Nine News.
He managed to steer himself, his mother and brother and their family dog to a nearby sand barrier off the coast with dozens of other terrified locals.
As soon as they got into the boat he said it went “pitch black”.
When asked how he felt about his poignant image spreading across the world, he simply responded: “I’m not really that fussed.”
Eleven-year-old Finn pictured driving his family's boat as they flee bushfires encroaching on Mallacoota on Tuesday. Source: Allison Marion via ABC
“It’s just a photo,” he added.
His mother earlier described Finn as a “legend”, telling the ABC both her sons remained extremely calm amid the panic from thousands around them.
About 4000 people rushed to the water’s edge at Mallacoota, close to the NSW border.
RELATED: Residents warned against panic buying as long queues form at supermarkets
As conditions eased and they were able to return to the town, some were met with the devastating reality their homes had been destroyed.
While Finn’s family home remained in tact, it is believed up to 50 homes may have been lost.
A boil water notice was put in place for Mallacoota, an isolated coastal holiday town near the NSW border, from Tuesday to reduce public health risks.
Military response for fire-ravaged town
A NSW police boat brought in water to Mallacoota on Tuesday and a Victoria water police boat is taking 1.6 tonnes of water on Wednesday.
A barge from Melbourne with two weeks' supply of food, water and fuel is also making its way to the town.
After a request from the premier on Tuesday, military personnel have begun helping with the relief effort, including undertaking rapid damage assessments.
#Mallacoota is turning pinkish red. Still no flames visible from where I am but plenty of hot embers and the roar is undeniable. VicEmergency notifications are going wild. pic.twitter.com/ang6eTWz8B
— Brendan (@brendanh_au) December 30, 2019
10:30am update from Dad at the wharf in Mallacoota - “fire front not far away” #Mallacoota #bushfirecrisis pic.twitter.com/MvgeiZqujM
— bluesfestblues (@bluesfestblues) December 30, 2019
Aircrafts, including Black Hawk helicopters, are expected to land in the east of the state on Wednesday, with other aircrafts and naval vessels due in the coming days to help move people out of the area.
Naval vessels, including HMAS Choules, left Sydney bound for the East Gippsland coast on Tuesday evening and training vessel MV Sycamore has also been deployed.
As the fires ripped through East Gippsland, one man lost his life in his home in Buchan, 200km west of Mallacoota.
Since Monday, seven people have also died in the NSW bushfires.
Fire danger remains in Victoria
Earlier on Wednesday, Premier Daniel Andrews said four people were still missing, but would not say what communities in East Gippsland they belonged to.
"Everything is being done to try and establish the whereabouts of these people," he told reporters at the Bairnsdale incident control centre on Wednesday.
WATCH & ACT - BUSHFIRE
Incident Location: Mallacoota area
More details at https://t.co/mp1li6g214 pic.twitter.com/iEqcUvQYKn
— CFA Updates (@CFA_Updates) January 1, 2020
After spending more than a day on emergency alert, the threat in East Gippsland and at Corryong in northeast Victoria have been downgraded to watch and acts.
But a bushfire is now burning out-of-control at Canterbury Avenue in Sunbury, northwest of Melbourne.
An emergency warning - the highest alert level - was issued at 4.20pm, before being downgraded to a watch and act about 20 minutes later.
The risk of flare-ups elsewhere remains. Conditions are expected to worsen on Saturday and dry lightning has continued to spark new fires.
More than 500,000 hectares have been burnt as three fires in East Gippsland combined on Tuesday.
The blaze at Corryong has burnt 109,000 hectares and is also at risk of spreading and merging.
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1 Chinese tourist dead, 27 others rescued after boat sinks off Boracay
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Shocking News: Teens Like Texting Better Than Talking Face to Face
By Angela Moscaritolo
11 Sep 2018, 8:24 a.m.
When asked to choose their favorite way to communicate with friends, 35 percent of the 1,141 US 13- to 17-year-olds polled on behalf of nonprofit Common Sense in March and April picked texting, while 32 percent said they opt to talk in person.
Having trouble getting through to a teenager in your life? Try texting them.
When asked to choose their favorite way to communicate with friends, 35 percent of the 1,141 US 13- to 17-year-olds polled on behalf of Common Sense in March and April picked texting, while 32 percent said they opt to talk in person, according to a new report. Meanwhile, 16 percent said social media is their preferred method of communication and 10 percent indicated they favor video chats.
Over the past six years, "teens' preference for face-to-face communication has declined substantially" Common Sense noted. In 2012, 49 percent of teens said talking in person was their favorite way to communicate, while 33 percent preferred texting, 7 percent opted for social media, and just 2 percent chose video chatting.
SEE ALSO: How to Stay Safe and Secure on Instagram
"I worry so much about the report's findings of the lack of person-to-person contact," Common Sense Board Member Julie Lythcott-Haims said in a statement. "But in my work — and in my experience — I find that the need for human connection always wins out."
She advised parents and educators to "encourage those important face-to-face conversations."
Common Sense also found that teens' social media use has "increased dramatically" over the past six years. Seventy percent now use social media more than once a day, including 16 percent who use it "almost constantly," and 22 percent who check it several times an hour. In 2012, just 34 percent of teens used social media more than once a day.
As for their favorite social media site, teens "overwhelmingly" chose Snapchat. Some 41 percent said they use Snapchat the most, while 22 percent said Instagram and just 15 percent said Facebook.
"We thought at the time of our first survey in 2012 that social media had pervaded teenagers' lives," Vicky Rideout, one of the study's authors, said in a statement. "But, as many of us suspected and this study confirms, what we saw then was just the tip of the iceberg. And, in another six years from now, these statistics may seem quaint."
Smartphone ownership among teens has also skyrocketed. In 2012, 41 percent of US teens owned a smartphone; fast forward to today and that number has jumped to 89 percent.
Meanwhile, a separate study from the Pew Research Center recently revealed that 54 percent of teens ages 13 through 17 worry they spend too much time on their mobile phones and 52 percent have already cut back.
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Angela Moscaritolo Reporter
Angela has been a PCMag reporter since January 2012. Prior to joining the team, she worked as a reporter for SC Magazine, covering everything related to hackers and computer security. Angela has also written for The Northern Valley Suburbanite in New Jersey, The Dominion Post in West Virginia, and the Uniontown-Herald Standard in Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of West Virginia University's Perely Isaac Reed School of Journalism. See Full Bio
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The Loyal Son By Daniel Mark Epstein
The Loyal Son AudioBook Summary
The dramatic story of a founding father, his illegitimate son, and the tragedy of their conflict during the American Revolution – from the acclaimed author of The Lincolns.
Ben Franklin is the most lovable of America’s founding fathers. His wit, his charm, his inventiveness – even his grandfatherly appearance – are legendary. But this image obscures the scandals that dogged him throughout his life. In The Loyal Son, award-winning historian Daniel Mark Epstein throws the spotlight on one of the more enigmatic aspects of Franklin’s biography: his complex and confounding relationship with his illegitimate son, William.
When he was 24, Franklin fathered a child with a woman who was not his wife. He adopted the boy, raised him, and educated him to be his aide. Ben and William became inseparable. After the famous kite-in-a-thunderstorm experiment, it was William who proved that the electrical charge in a lightning bolt travels from the ground up, not from the clouds down. On a diplomatic mission to London, it was William who charmed London society. He was invited to walk in the procession of the coronation of George III; Ben was not.
The outbreak of the American Revolution caused a devastating split between father and son. By then William was royal governor of New Jersey while Ben was one of the foremost champions of American independence. In 1776 the Continental Congress imprisoned William for treason. George Washington made efforts to win William’s release while his father, to the world’s astonishment, appeared to have abandoned him to his fate.
A fresh take on the combustible politics of the age of independence, The Loyal Son is a gripping account of how the agony of the American Revolution devastated one of America’s most distinguished families. Like Nathaniel Philbrick and David McCullough, Epstein is a storyteller first and foremost, a historian who weaves together fascinating incidents discovered in long-neglected documents to draw us into the private world of the men and women who made America.
https://rg.to/file/2632774ba2afc15c8649eab581f72196/Daniel_Mark_Epstein_-_The_Loyal_Son.zip.html
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10/20/2015 Festival, Festival & Conference, Hiscox Filmmaker Blog, Interviews, Q&A, Winners
Hiscox Filmmaker Blog – Vainilla
What inspired you to come up with the idea for the film?
One day, I remembered my last conversation with a deceased familiar. It was a silly theme of conversation, but it was going to be, forever, our last conversation… so, all of a sudden, it became one of the most important moments in my life. And then, “Vainilla” was born.
How do you relate to your characters or subjects?
All of the characters in “Vainilla” are part of me. I’m a bit of Gustave Flaubert: “Irene c´est moi”, “Maca c´est moi”, “Pablo c´est moi”…
What aspect of the story changed the most during writing and production?
The introduction changed. It was different in the script: it all began in a different way. In the script we saw the story that Concha narrates in the first sequence. But during the shooting of Concha´s monologue I realized that the actress was doing a great job, so I took the decision of keep the monologue in full. Her face showed all the emotions I wanted, it was the perfect beginning.
What influenced the visual style of your film?
Maybe watching “Vainilla” you can´t see the influence, but I love the work of an American photographer called Stephen Shore. There´s also the films by Terence Davies (“The deep blue sea” specially), a Spanish film called “Loreak”… All of them capture the loneliness of their characters in oppressive, but esthetic, interiors.
What was the most courageous decision you or your crew made during writing and production?
We had an small budget, so… every decision was courageous!
Were there any risks that you faced during writing/production and how did you find a way to embrace them?
As a director, the more important risk I faced it was to make interesting a long conversation with people just seated during a long time. But I was lucky to work with a group of great actors and I quickly realized that I was getting the rhythm I wanted just with looking at their faces and their emotions.
What risks does your story take?
All the sad emotions that our main character travels trough in the last sequences of “Vainilla” are told with no dialogue… just with our actress ´face. But… what a face! I love Irene Anula´s gaze: the most beautiful gift she could make me at the ending of “Vainilla”.
How would you encourage others to tell their story or manage through the process of screen writing or film producing?
Nowadays it´s very easy to produce a film with a very small budget… but maybe, it´s not so easy to have something interesting to say. So go find your own story and, also, your special way of telling that story. And listen, listen, listen… sometimes your crew has the answers to your problems.
Festival, Festival & Conference, Hiscox Filmmaker Blog, Interviews, Q&A, Winners 2015, Q&A
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What She Wants Me to Know
aviatrixkim / July 12, 2016
At the airport, a Syrian doctor starts a casual conversation that becomes something much more than that.
The phone charging station at any U.S. airport is prime real estate. During a long layover in Houston, I settle in next to a row of outlets to keep an eye on our depleted iPhones, ducking for travelers who lean over me to plug in.
A seat empties, and a middle-aged man sits next to me. Soon, his wife and four-year-old son find him. “Where will I sit, Daddy?” the boy says. I move down a seat and pat the one I’d occupied; the family smiles my way and sits together.
After a few minutes, father and son wander down the concourse, leaving wife/mom to monitor the charging farm. She catches my eye and smiles. “I like the way you have your hair,” she says in heavily accented English. On travel days, I mash it wet into two clips high on my head à la Cindy Brady.
“Thanks,” I smile back. “It’s easier for the airport. Keeps your hair out of the way.” She nods.
“So does yours,” I say, gesturing to her hijab.
“Yes,” she laughs. “Keeps the hair out of the way. Is easier.”
I turn back to part seven of All the Light We Cannot See, a beautiful novel about a blind French teen girl in an occupied Breton town and a talented orphan boy forced to use his gifts to serve the doomed Reich. I can’t focus. Boarding announcements shatter the sentences into meaningless shards. I glance up and catch my neighbor’s eye again. “I cannot read in the airports,” she says. “Too many the people, and I just have to look and watch them.”
“So true! It has to be a really good book. And this one is,” I say slowly, separating each word and speaking in short phrases, the way my Russian friends so mercifully do when they are talking to me. “It’s about a French girl and a German boy in the war. They are trapped in a bombed-out town. They both have radios and talk to the world outside—they hope someone will save them…”
I trail off, searching for the simplest words. “It makes me—” A gesture of tears running down a face.
“Maybe me more than you,” she says, imitating the gesture. “Because my country, the war…”
A pause for me to understand.
“Syria?” I say.
She nods.
A pause for me to absorb.
“We just want to have the dreams. Like you. Like your friend. But in my country, there is none.”
“I am so. Sorry,” I say dumbly. The terminal disappears. It is just us now, two forty-something women. She is trapped in a ruined history, separated from me by everything, desperately transmitting. Hoping I will hear her.
“Your family?”
“I am not worry about them. We live here,” she says, meaning her husband and son. “My mother in Turkey. My brothers—doctors. They do the work there, they are needed. They choose it. They are OK. But I worry about what happen to my country, the future.” Past her, across the terminal, her son leans on his father and laughs.
“I am Talafa,” she says.*
Talafa is a gynecologist in Maryland, from a family of doctors. Her brown eyes shine behind round, wire-rimmed glasses; her soft features are framed by a pale oval of cloth. Talafa’s brothers and uncles tell her that she would cry if she saw her neighborhood now—it is rubble. They tell her that they never know where the bombs will fall. She tells them to go somewhere safer. They do not listen.
“Everybody, they hate the regime,” she tells me. This is what she wanted me to know. This is why she caught my eye again and again, until I finally stopped to listen. “We all hate Assad. He give the murderers and criminals guns and tell them they are fighting extremist. But they are just killer.”
Her flight is boarding. She stands up and turns to face me, leaning close. “I don’t know what the American think about us. Please, tell the people: we are not the extremist. We are—” She searches for the vocabulary but cannot summon it.
“Peace,” she says, shaking her head, unsatisfied. The word is flat black, inadequate to define her full-spectrum longing.
I have the linguistic advantage, so I try to color in the shades. With a story. “I have a friend from Cambodia. She wanted to be a doctor. But then the war came. She was a refugee. She couldn’t have her dreams.”
Talafa is nodding.
“When she went home after 20 years, her country was ruined. Civilization was gone. But she made a life. Her daughter is in college here. There is hope.
“Now, I want to tell you something, ” I say, my voice an apology. “You know Trump, yes?”
She knows.
“The things he says about people, about immigrants, coming here to America, I do not believe it. My friends do not believe it. Many of us do not believe it.” My hand is on her shoulder.
“Do you think he believes it? Do you think he will…” her voice trails off.
“He believes nothing. He finds the fear in people and he makes it bigger. This will not win.”
She nods. “I think so, yes.”
Her husband drifts closer. It is time for her to go. “We just want to have the dreams,” she tells me. “Like you. Like your friend. But in my country, there is none. Please tell the people. Tell them we are peace.” She hugs me.
“I will,” I say into her ear.
And so I am telling you.
*This might be incorrect, as my knowledge of Syrian names is very poor.
**Some details of the conversation might also be incorrect, as my memory is also very poor.
July 12, 2016 in Essays, Women, Writing. Tags: diversity, essays, immigration, refugees, Syria, war, Writing
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9 thoughts on “What She Wants Me to Know”
Gawjiss Mike says:
Thank you for that unique insight. In 1969 I was an infantry grunt in Vietnam. Being the sensitive kind I did not fit in. I experienced their fear in a very unique way. More than my PTSD, I still have tremendous bouts of guilt. I should!! That’s my penance…
aviatrixkim says:
I didn’t know that, Mike. Thank you for telling me. I’m sorry for what you’ve been through.
Donnie Underwood says:
Kim, thanks for the reality check.
Michelle McDougall says:
Now I’m crying. She met the right person to spread the word Kim Green xxx
Beverly Montgomery says:
Thanks Kim. We are all Human.
jenniferhofmann says:
I am tears. We are peace. We all are, deep down. Thank you so much for sharing her words with your gift. ❤
Donna Celeste says:
Thank you for listening to her and sharing. Hopefully the majority does not believe like Trump.
Pingback: What She Wants Me to Know — The Greenery | Abogado Aly
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Open Education Stories: Unmanned Aerial Systems Taking Off!
By ebeattie February 20, 2019 General, Homepage, Open Education
In 2018, Dr. Eric Saczuk, Geomatics instructor at BCIT, applied for an Open Education Resource grant. With the idea that unmanned aerial systems (UAS)—known commercially as drones—are becoming ubiquitous and positively disrupting a number of industries, Saczuk submitted a proposal to create two open resources: Image Acquisition for 3-D Mapping with DJI Phantom 3 Pro and Processing UAS Photogrammetric Images in Agisoft Photoscan Professional. In the guides, Saczuk writes, “UAS are quickly becoming indispensable due to their rapid deployment capability, their ability to provide a unique perspective in difficult to reach areas, and their ability to safely gather a rich data set in a short amount of time.” These manuals are complete and currently used at BCIT in Geomatics courses. They are openly licensed and available for instructors and students to freely use.
Post by Krista Lambert, Instructional Designer, Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC)
Not stopping there, Saczuk has been approved for additional OER grants, which will allow him to build on his momentum. The next two manuals will help users understand the standard operating procedures when working with multi-spectral images. This time, his approach will be slightly different as he will be working closely with students to bring these manuals to fruition as part of a capstone project. Saczuk says, “while [students] are investigating these different sensors and what they can do and what can they be applied to, why don’t [they] just put all of [their] notes together into the form of this manual, and we’ll publish it?” These manuals are scheduled for completion later this spring.
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Experience the electrifying city of Tokyo with views from Tokyo Tower.
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Tour Matsumoto Castle, known as the “Crow Castle” for its black exterior.
Taste legendary Hida beef and sip sake at a local brewery.
Delve into Kyoto, the marvellous cultural capital of Japan.
Absorb the beauty of the Golden Pavilion and the majesty of Nijo Castle.
Board the Shinkansen “bullet” train to travel to Hiroshima to visit Shrine Island and the Peace Memorial Museum.
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Explore ancient and modern Japanese culture firsthand. Discover peaceful temples and technological marvels set against unimaginable natural beauty.
Tokyo, Japan - Tour Begins
Welcome to Japan, the “Land of the Rising Sun.' Begin in the electrifying city of Tokyo, where pop culture is turned all the way up and traditions are rich and long-kept. Tonight, experience a traditional Japanese-style meal alongside your fellow travellers at a festive welcome dinner.
Breakfast & Dinner
Feel the excitement start to build when you see the magnificent view of the city from above at Tokyo Tower, the iconic symbol of Tokyo. Then, enjoy a morning stroll through the outside grounds of the Imperial Palace, the Kokyo Gaien National Gardens, and see the Niju Bridge and Sakurada Gate, the well-known symbols of the Imperial Palace. Walk through Ginza, one of the most elegant and luxurious streets in the world, where modern landscape meets rich history. Enjoy shopping at some of the most renowned 'department stores' in Japan. Later, amid a lush forest outside of Tokyo, visit the Meiji Shrine, dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken. Tonight, dine as the locals do at an Izakaya, a preferred establishment among the Japanese 'salary man' (business man), featuring Japanese tapas-style food.
Begin the day exploring Asakusa, Tokyo’s oldest Geisha district. Visit the famous Buddhist temple, Senso-ji, the colourful temple famous for the red chochin (lantern) hanging at the entrance gate. Experience the long standing tradition of the Japanese tea ceremony, dating back to the 15th century. During your free time, explore the Nakamise Shopping Arcade and feel the energy of the oldest shopping street in Japan. Then, head to Edo Tokyo Museum to learn about the fascinating history and culture of Tokyo. The museum displays life-size and model scale replicas of towns and buildings of old Tokyo.
Odakyu Hotel De Yama
Tokyo - Hakone
Journey to the lakeside resort of Hakone, renowned for its hot springs. In the shadow of Mt. Fuji (UNESCO), this scenic town hugs the shorelines of Lake Ashi. Climb aboard the Komagatake Ropeway, an aerial lift ascending from Lake Ashi to Komagatake Peak on Mt. Hakone. Make a stop at the peak for a breathtaking view* of Mt. Fuji and Lake Ashi. Next, take to the deep-blue waters of Lake Ashi on a cruise where you’ll see epic views of the local mountains before stopping in the charming town of Moto-Hakone.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Takayama Green Hotel
Hakone - Matsumoto - Takayama
This breathtaking day begins in Matsumoto at Matsumoto Castle, known as the “Crow Castle” because of its striking black exterior. Enjoy the local cuisine as we stop for lunch at a Soba noodle shop. Later, you’ll step back in time in the rural Edo-period town of Takayama, nestled in the Japanese Alps. Well known to the locals for its connection to sake, this is the perfect place to gather for a visit to one of Japan’s 200-year-old sake breweries. Afterward, experience a true Japanese epicurean treat – traditional rice wine paired with a special Hida beef dinner.
The ancient cultures of Takayama come alive this morning in the town’s historic district. Take a walk through the past and glimpse the 19th-century Jinya government building. Stroll through the morning market along the Miyagawa River, a 600-year-old open air market with locally grown and produced products. Circuit the winding streets, where the town’s traditional charms are preserved in the inns and houses. This afternoon, relish some free time to continue your exploration of Takayama on your own.
Kanazawa Tokyu Hotel
Takayama - Shirakawa-go - Kanazawa
Today, embrace the unique charms of Shirakawa-go (UNESCO). Hidden away in the mountain, this harmonious village is famous for its gassho-zukuri-style houses – thatched-rooftops designed to resemble two hands joined in prayer. Journey to Kanazawa, the origin of gold-leaf making since the 16th century. Visit the Samurai district where we’ll enter the former home of the Nomuras, a wealthy samurai family who served the ruling Maeda family. Then, travel to the Geisha quarters of Kanazawa, the Higashi Tea district. Gather in town this evening for dinner.
More than 25 acres of absolute beauty awaits you today at Kenroku-En – Garden of Six Qualities. From the beauty of Japan’s most stunning gardens, dive in to the ancient craft of gold leaf making during a hands-on lesson in decorating your own lacquer box at Kanazawa Katani! In the centre of town, take in the action of the Omicho fish market before venturing out on your own to really immerse yourself in Kanazawa’s dynamic culture.
Westin Miyako Kyoto
Kanazawa - Kyoto
Kyoto awaits! The former Imperial capital of Japan is now one of the nation’s top cosmopolitan cities. At the same time, Kyoto’s connection with its past is strong; you won’t need to look far to see one of its 2,000 temples and shrines. Visit Kinkakuji (UNESCO), the Golden Pavilion, a zen temple whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf. Then, stroll through the Gion district where you may spot women in traditional dress along the narrow lanes of teahouses. Tonight, dine in the heart of the city at a traditional yakitori (grilled chicken) restaurant.
Kyoto - Bullet Train - Hiroshima - Kyoto
All aboard the Shinkansen bullet train to Hiroshima. Upon arrival, board a ferry for the short trip to Miyajima Island, or “Shrine Island” (UNESCO), where the iconic torii gate and the Itsukushima Shrine appear to float on water. After lunch, head into Hiroshima city to visit the Peace Memorial Park, and pause to see the ruined Atomic Dome (UNESCO). Reflect at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. As this moving day comes to a close, return to Kyoto by the Shinkansen bullet train.
Explore Fushimi Inari Taisha for a tour of the most revered shrine of Inari. Follow the spectacular rows of orange torii (made famous in the movie Memoirs of a Geisha) that weave through the forest, leading you to the inner shrine. For lunch, participate in a sushi making class given by a professional sushi chef and master the art of sushi making. Move on to the home of the first Shogun, Nijo Castle (UNESCO), and see intricate woodcarvings, wall paintings, and the Ninomaru Garden, designed by Kobori Enshu, a landscape architect and tea master. Next, visit Marumasu Nishumuraya for a lesson in the art of stenciling at a traditional Kyoto townhouse.
Today, spend some time relaxing or set out to explore Kyoto on your own. Fully immerse yourself in Japanese culture tonight during a special kaiseki farewell dinner and Geisha show.
Kyoto - Tour Ends
Your tour comes to a close in this fascinating land. As you depart, reflect on its beauty and all you have learned about its rich history and culture.
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What Does a Week of STEAM Look Like at Garrison Forest School?
Sarah Achenbach
Programming an interactive plant for 4th and 5th Grade STEAM Week.
Last week, Garrison Forest School hosted its second annual STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art/design and math) Week for its fourth and fifth grade students. Among a range of STEAM activities, fourth and fifth-grade students at the all-girls, K – 12th-grade school spent the week designing and programming interactive plants that react to external stimuli via Arduino circuitry technology. It was a girl-powered engineering adventure (think coding, sensors and electronics) with lots of crafting (think brightly colored felt and foam, pipe cleaners and more). Instead of spending the week in traditional classes, the 4th and 5th grades worked together in a “learning lab” (the GFS Lower School Great Room) to brainstorm, collaborate and encourage each other as they designed their own imaginative plant that lit up, played a minuet, spun or closed on a pipe cleaner spider, just like a real Venus fly trap.
“STEAM Week is a great opportunity for the students to break from the normal flow of school and have the space and time to fully engage in the design process,” says Jim Audette, Garrison Forest science department chair and Upper School Robotics coach who designed the project. “The students get to engage in learning opportunities that are also hard fun and encourage the development of resilience.”
It’s also an opportunity to make headway on addressing some startling statistics. According to an American Association of University Women study, only 12 percent of engineers are women. In 1990, the number of women in computing was 35 percent. Today, that number has dropped to 26 percent. Encouraging girls to embrace and excel in science, math and technology in secondary school, college and certainly beyond requires a variety of challenging classes in STEAM disciplines and a myriad of opportunities to explore these fields, in and out of the classroom. Equally important is the recognition that the “A” in STEAM for art/design to hone vital spatial reasoning skills is just as crucial as the other letters.
The exuberant fun of ten and eleven-year-old girls engineering high-tech botanical creations wasn’t the only STEAM activity at Garrison Forest last week. Here are a few highlights:
Several juniors and seniors presented the results of their semester-long research at Johns Hopkins University to graduate students and faculty. Through the GFS Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) program, which Garrison Forest launched in partnership with Hopkins in 2005, students work side-by-side with researchers in labs at Hopkins’ Whiting School of Engineering, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Jhpiego, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Peabody Library, the JHU Archaeological Museum or Johns Hopkins Hospital campus. To date, more than 200 GFS students have conducted more than 17,300 research hours on world-class projects.
Presenting WISE semester research to Hopkins graduate students and faculty at the Whiting School of Engineering.
Upper School mathematicians tested their numerical acumen on national tests. Seven out of 14 high school participants in the recent North American Computational Linguistics Olympiad , given at Hopkins, were GFS students. The three-hour NACLO is a national contest at which high-school students solve challenging linguistic puzzles. This was Garrison Forest’s fifth year competing in the open round. On the GFS campus, select students were participating in the country’s most prestigious math contest, the American Mathematics Competition sponsored by the Mathematical Association of America.
Garrison Forest mathematicians at the NACLO test.
The Upper School also got an infusion of new “students”—about 150—when the Animal Science class took delivery of dozens of trout eggs last week. Later this spring, students will release the young trout, which are being raised in the Upper School, into the Chesapeake Bay watershed as part Trout Unlimited’s Trout in the Classroom project.
Trout eggs
On January 2, students in Upper School visual art electives visited the “Wonder” exhibit of large-scale art at Washington D.C.’s Renwick Gallery.
Upper School art students at the Resnick Gallery in D.C.
Digital Thinking students explored the world of podcasting by listening to “This I Believe” podcasts of the Edward R. Murrow news series from the 1950s and writing their own podcasts.
Writing podcast scripts after listening to Edward R. Murrow radio casts in Digital Thinking.
Earlier in the weekend, the Upper School Robotics team competed in a state qualifying round for the FIRST Tech Challenge at Bryn Mawr School.
Robotics team at the FIRST Tech Challenge.
In the Middle School, students watered their new living wall of plants in science teacher Karen Meyers’ classroom, while students shared their foray into branding and design through the new Garrison Forest “maker spaces” or Creative Co-ops. Working with science teacher Dan Mendenhall and art teacher Hannah LeVasseur, budding graphic artists used a sandblaster to etch on glass, made rubber stamps on the laser cutter and cut vinyl masks on the vinyl cutter to use in screen printing.
Middle schoolers sand-blasting to etch an original design on glass.
Younger girls in the Lower School got in on the STEAM Week fun, too. For its Colonial history unit, third graders created patterns, measured, cut, and sewed Colonial-era aprons. Soon, the girls will add original buttons printed on the 3-D printers in the Creative Co-op. Pre-First students built Leaning Towers of Pisa/Pasta out of spaghetti and marshmallows, a sticky, fun cross-disciplinary lesson on geography and engineering.
Pre-First engineers creating a Leaning Tower of Pisa (Pasta).
And in the coed Preschool, boys and girls worked on building the tallest towers they could create (and, of course, knock down).
Preschool block building.
To learn more about STEAM at GFS, call 410-559-3111 or visit gfs.org.
garrison forest school
Girls School
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The most famous brand states have produced
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Kee Koon Boon (“KB”) is the co-founder and director of HERO Investment Management which provides specialized fund management and investment advisory services to the ARCHEA Asia HERO Innovators Fund (www.heroinnovator.com), the only Asian SMID-cap tech-focused fund in the industry. KB is an internationally featured investor rooted in the principles of value investing for over a decade as a fund manager and analyst in the Asian capital markets who started his career at a boutique hedge fund in Singapore where he was with the firm since 2002 and was also part of the core investment committee in significantly outperforming the index in the 10-year-plus-old flagship Asian fund. He was also the portfolio manager for Asia-Pacific equities at Korea’s largest mutual fund company. Prior to setting up the H.E.R.O. Innovators Fund, KB was the Chief Investment Officer & CEO of a Singapore Registered Fund Management Company (RFMC) where he is responsible for listed Asian equity investments. KB had taught accounting at the Singapore Management University (SMU) as a faculty member and also pioneered the 15-week course on Accounting Fraud in Asia as an official module at SMU. KB remains grateful and honored to be invited by Singapore’s financial regulator Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to present to their top management team about implementing a world’s first fact-based forward-looking fraud detection framework to bring about benefits for the capital markets in Singapore and for the public and investment community. KB also served the community in sharing his insights in writing articles about value investing and corporate governance in the media that include Business Times, Straits Times, Jakarta Post, Manual of Ideas, Investopedia, TedXWallStreet. He had also presented in top investment, banking and finance conferences in America, Italy, Sydney, Cape Town, HK, China. He has trained CEOs, entrepreneurs, CFOs, management executives in business strategy & business model innovation in Singapore, HK and China.
75 Responses to The most famous brand states have produced
Bess says:
Pretty sure Gatorade is more famous than Hooters…
I would say they’re both about the same. Maybe geico ahead because not everyone works out but, everyone needs insurance for something.
or Disney…..
sechakecha says:
Disney didn’t originate in Florida. It originated in California.
Jnuc says:
I agree that Gatorade is more famous than Hooters… Gatorade has also been around longer.
MikeUMA says:
Really Florida, Hooters? I guess you forgot how much money Tropicana orange juice brings your state. Gatorade is a good example too, but Tropicana has been around longer.
last i checked Under Armour was more famous than Geico
neilschubert says:
Marriott for Maryland. Global brand.
Jen M says:
Or McCormick spices!
I agree with Bess.
Sandra the Red says:
What about WV’s Fiesta Ware? More people know and use it than Gino’s I’m sure.
What is Fiesta Ware??
qazwiz says:
I’m with you Phoebe, never heard of Fiesta Ware
I assume Gino’s it the Pizza I grew up on
I’m with you Phoebe, never heard of fiesta ware until a cut rate web site tried to sell me some about a month ago… but i do have a problem with a few choices
I know that hooters is infamous but I bet Tupperware is more famous
I suspect that the designer didn’t do much research for his product choices.
a grey problem is the absence of McDonalds. most might think it is a California brand because McDonalds Brothers had their restaurant in California… but the franchise was bought before it became famous by Ray Croc, a traveling salesman that sold them their milk shake machines (the hand mixer kind). didn’t he incorporate in Indiana? At least that is where Hamburger University is located
CaCee says:
qazwiz brings up a great point…McDonalds, which originated in Des Plaines, Illinois is still headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois. Every person in the world has heard of McDonalds…it doesn’t get much more famous than that.
Wes Hartline says:
What qualifiers were used? Total sales? Market value? Locations?
Do you see what wisconsin is?
arl1024 says:
I would’ve put Reebok in MA instead of Gillette
Carl Sherman says:
Reebok is UK, NewBalance is MA. Better known today, but Gillette has a long history.
Riedelska says:
TACO JOHNS ROCKS !!! enough said ; )
Starbucks over Microsoft???
Fodroci says:
Washington state……Boeing! It is the top exporter of goods in the US.
I would think that Boeing being the largest exporter in the USA and was founded in WA state would trump all other companies for the honor of representing WA state!
Papa dude says:
Pizza Hut is bigger than Garmin for Kansas.
Um Garmin is a worldwide company that started in Kansas and worth more than pizza hut…
f123 says:
Pizza Hut was started in Kansas, but it’s Headquarters are in Texas now.
Illinois is the home of Jonh Deere. Who came up with these?
Maybe they didn’t want to overlap markets. I noticed there’s only one type of market in this.
Reebok is from Greay Britian hence the tiny union jack on every shoe
Gentry says:
Lexmark for Kentucky? What about KFC or Jim Beam; they’ve got to be bigger then Lexmark?
wvgurl says:
For WV, I agree with Sandra the Red. Fiesta is recognized world wide. Also, Fenton and Blenko are both well known. Hollis Chocolate. Almost Heaven steam baths. I could go on.
Lisa W says:
Kool-Aid was founded in Nebraska too
Ron Jackson says:
Fed Ex was started in Arkansas and moved to Memphis several years later. So Tennessee did not “produce” Fed Ex.
Mac M. says:
Actually, Ron, I would argue that Tennessee did “produce” the brand known as FedEx. 1971, Federal Express Corporation was founded in Little Rock, AR, but due to a lack of support from the Little Rock National Airport, the company moved to Memphis International Airport in 1973. Great move. The company recorded their first night of continuous operation following their move to Memphis. So, operations for FedEx started in Memphis in 1973 making Tennessee the state that “produced” what we now know as FedEx Corporation. Also, the company didn’t officially use “FedEx” as their brand name until 1994. Tennessee, and more specifically Memphis, produced the FedEx brand that we all know and love.
Illinois shoud be McDonalds.
nr says:
McDonalds was originally produced in California
even though McDonalds brothers had a handful of stores and franchises at the time, Ray Croc incorporated in Illinois with permission to incorporate virtually everywhere save a few counties inn California and Arizona where the preexisting stores were located
(see wikipedia)
mwwalk says:
Saks was actually founded in New York City. Many years later a company based in Alabama bought Saks. I wouldn’t say that Alabama produced the Saks brand. Also, Bank of America started in California and only very recently merged with a company in North Carolina. I wouldn’t say North Carolina produced the Bank of America brand.
I agree on Saks.
Ron Manning says:
North Carolina is Known as birthplace of Pepsi more than BOA
And BofA was born in California, founded by A.P. Giannini. NCNB acquired BofA in 1998. NC should definately be labeled Pepsi.
Cara Jill de Ligt says:
We also have Texas Pete, Krispy Kreme, and Cheerwine, which are all more famous than BoA!
Sinclair in Utah? Their headquarters are there now but was originally New York corporation then reincorporated in Wyoming where it’s two refineries are.
And I agree that Illinois is more known for John Deere then for Cat.
Deere is based in Iowa
Deere is not based in Iowa, rather right across the river in Moline, Illinois.
Would love to be able to read the choices for NH, VT, RI, DE, MD. The choices seem pretty arbitrary — like first thing some intern could think of — or first familiar name found in a list of corporations. Was there a consistent criterion?
NH is Timberland, VT is Ben & Jerry’s, MD is Geico. But, I can’t read RI or DE either. They just get blurry if I try to make them bigger.
i agree Carl but enlarging I see Ben&Jerry’s and Timberland are above Gillette… and C-Span is wedged in-between AOL and Geico
still trying to see two others though and the Hawaii pix is vaguely familiar but i cant remember why… coffee company maybe? (I don’t drink it just see it)
A.P.Giannini founded Bank of America in California. NCNB acquired BofA in 1998. North Carolina did not produce that brand.
So what the heck did Delaware get?! DuPont?
Vanessa N. Quijano (@VNQuijano) says:
I’d really like to know how these were determined. In NJ, my first thought was Johnson & Johnson
Robert Rodriguez says:
Turns out New Hampshire is Timberland, New Jersey is Campbell’s, Washington D.C. is C-SPAN, Massachusetts is Gillette, Rhode Island is Hasbro and Delaware is DuPont.
Personally, I didn’t know C-SPAN was a brand.
No Amazon or MICROSOFT for Washington? Seriously??? Not everyone drinks coffee. The entire world uses Microsoft.
tomd1968@yahoo.com says:
I have used zero MS products since 1996, and only had one Windows PC in my life for 5 months before I switched back to a mix of Linux and MacOS.
NY should really be GE.
KFC is one of the top two restaurant chains in the world. There is no way Lexmark is Kentucky’s most famous brand.
Hum…McD for IL? Though the per Kroc stand was in CA.
see wikipedia for details but Croc incorporated his franchises in Illinois
Belles says:
Alabama should be NASA since Von Braun set up shop at Redstone Arsenal. And yes, I consider it a “brand.”
I can understand why you think so but since it is a government agency not a company.
the name isn’t trademarked or registered or any other legal connection that businesses normally do to protect their image which is what a brand really is, symbol for the company. closest that the US government has is Uncle Sam. plus the service “brands” like McGruff the crime dog and Smokey Bear (who has his own zip code btw)
As for Minnesota, I would argue that either Target or Best Buy are more well known than Pillsbury.
sallysue says:
KFC (KY Fried Chicken) is absolutely, positively more well known than LexMark
Bank of America originated in California. Pepsi would have been a much better choice for North Carolina if only because it would be accurate.
Kyle Decker says:
Really? Is Hooters more famous than Outback? ADT Home Security? Office Depot? Olive Garden? Red Lobster? I don’t think so! Not to mention Hard Rock, Burger King, The PGA, and Tropicana. Now I know a couple weren’t FOUNDED in Florida, but not all of the ones on the map were even from the state they represent. They’re just headquartered there NOW!
Nobody has mentioned Hawai’i. I can’t tell what company that is, even in the full-size image.
NY/Verizon? That’s the most famous? From the Big Apple… really?!
Chub Clark says:
Kansas = Garmin? Try Boeing or Pizza Hut, internationally. Domestically, you could add Coleman, Cessna, Lear Jet and a number of other brands. Those are just off the top of my head, without googling. And I’m from Illinois! ROFL!!
Pizza hut has their headquarters in TX now not Kansas anymore…Garmin has their headquarters still in Olathe, KS.
katey says:
where the heck is mcdonald’s? that is, like, the brand of america. unfortunately.
Illinois (Chicago), North Carolina or even New York…tell me where the Michael Jordan brand was founded and put it up…because really, MJ is a bigger brand than half of those up here
What is Wisconsin? I can’t tell.
mrsdmc says:
California have much more developed here than just Apple!
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CENTERED With H.E.R.O. Issue 9: Real-time A.I. Software Analysis for Breast Ultrasonography; Global Leader in Image/Video A.I. Processing Solution July 14, 2019
CENTERED With H.E.R.O. Issue 8: A.I. for People In Need, Asian IoT-SaaS Partner of Amazon’s “AWS IoT Events” Worldwide Service July 6, 2019
CENTERED With H.E.R.O. Issue 7: Collaboration & Office Automation Software/AI, Asia’s Leading Online Marketplace in Local Experience Tours & Activities June 30, 2019
CENTERED With H.E.R.O. Issue 6: Dassault-Medidata; Asian SaaS-AI Medical Imaging Software; “100X: Exponential Innovators in the H.E.R.O.’s Journey to Navigate the Volatile Uncertain World” June 23, 2019
CENTERED With H.E.R.O. Issue 5: Flourishing Highly-Profitable Exponential Innovators, Japan’s DeepMind, Anti-Fraud AI June 16, 2019
CENTERED With H.E.R.O. Issue 4: Internal Rhythm to Create Value Amid Trade War, NICE, SettleBank, the “Power of One” June 8, 2019
Singapore’s Super H.E.R.O. Roundtable: Re-imagining Value Investing in an Exponential World – VALUE 3.0 With Ever More “Value Trap” Losers & A Selected Under-the-Radar Group of Winners with Exponential Edge June 1, 2019
CENTERED With H.E.R.O. Issue 2: Resilient Amidst Trade War – Japan’s AS ONE AI X RPA, Exponential Innovators Highly Impervious to Trade War Risks | 27 May May 25, 2019
CENTERED With H.E.R.O. Issue 1: Resilient Amidst Trade War – Japan’s BrainPad +AI, Korea Data Leader, Oceania MedTech Disruptor | 20 May May 19, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (15 May 2019) – The Spectacular Implosion of Dr. Cho’s ‘Nefarious Network’: Hong Kong’s markets are plagued by stock manipulation, share pledging, cross-ownership and margin lending. Regulators say they’re going to take action. May 15, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (14 May 2019) – How to Increase Your Personal Agency May 14, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (13 May 2019) – Gates’s Law: How Progress Compounds and Why It Matter May 13, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (11 May 2019) – Secret of sensor giant Keyence’s super-high margin + Japan’s Google-backed AI pioneer plots a quantum leap; Analyzing retail data only scratches the surface of Abeja’s ambitions May 11, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (9-10 May 2019) – The Company Behind Gore-Tex Is Coming for Your Eyeballs; W.L. Gore, the classic American innovator, is building artificial corneas, and reinventing itself in the process. May 10, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (8 May 2019) – This Little-Known Stock Nearmap Rallies 149% to Take Australia’s No. 1 Spot + Robert Browning on Artistic Integrity, Withstanding Criticism, and the Courage to Create Rather Than Cater May 8, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (7 May 2019) – Word’s new AI editor will improve your writing May 7, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (6 May 2019) – ‘We screwed up’ not buying Google shares, Berkshire’s Munger says May 6, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (4 May 2019) – Reversion to the Mean Is Dead. Investors Beware. May 4, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (3 May 2019) – Buffett says Berkshire Hathaway, finally, has invested in Amazon.com, says he has been an ‘idiot’ not to buy into Amazon.com May 3, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (2 May 2019) – AI is already changing how cancer is diagnosed May 2, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (1 May 2019) – Microsoft, Slack, Zoom, and the SaaS Opportunity + A $4.4 Billion Accounting Error Burns Investors in China; One of China’s largest listed drugmakers Kangmei Pharmaceuticals said it overstated cash holdings by $4.4 billion May 1, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (30 April 2019) – Meet Matt Calkins: Billionaire, Board Game God And Tech’s Hidden Disruptor; he runs Appian which sells software to help businesses build apps more quickly; What Buddhism Taught Me About Product Management April 30, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (29 April 2019) – On the need for hardship and the longing to grow; How to reduce digital distractions: advice from medieval monks April 29, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (27 April 2019) – Amazon is reportedly building a high-fidelity music streaming service to rival Tidal April 27, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (26 April 2019) – Microsoft Surpasses $1 Trillion Valuation April 26, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (25 April 2019) – Scientists develop an AI that can turn brainwaves into speech + Why Bill and Melinda Gates wash dishes together every night April 25, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (24 April 2019) – Nearmap Partners with HNTB to Use 3-D Aerial Imagery to Win More Business Against Larger Competitors April 24, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (23 April 2019) – Nearmap doubles valuation to $1.5b in three months; Every company Disney owns: a map of Disney’s worldwide assets April 23, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (22 April 2019) – Catalyzing Success: My Interview with Pioneer Founder Daniel Gross [The Knowledge Project Ep. #56] April 22, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (20 April 2019) – All shook up: Behind the rise of Atlassian, Australia’s $35b tech giant; Zoom, Zoom, Zoom! The Exclusive Inside Story Of The New Billionaire Behind Tech’s Hottest IPO + Memento Contendere: The Benefits of Intentionally Anticipating Our Struggles April 20, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (19 April 2019) – Refused U.S. Visa Eight Times, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan Is Now a Billionaire + To Do Your Best Work You Must Fall in Love With Hard Work April 19, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (18 April 2019) – How Setbacks Help Us Discover What We Truly Love: “The truth is, we just don’t know whether we actually are in love with the process until we experience the setbacks.” April 18, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (17 April 2019) – Linkbal Inc., an operator of an e-commerce portal website for matchmaking events, has offered the CoupLink online dating app since July 2016 that enables users to “get to know 1.5 million event attendees online” April 17, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (16 April 2019) – TransInfo: How China’s new highway for self-driving cars will boost its AV ambitions ; You Cannot Talk About Self-Improvement Without Talking About Values April 16, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (15 April 2019) – Fully integrating AI and healthcare is closer than you think + These are Amazon’s 38 rules for success April 15, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (13 April 2019) – Salesforce and Other Business-Software Companies Are in a Sweet Spot April 13, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (12 April 2019) – Lessons in Persistence From Climber Tommy Caldwell + From Broke To Billionaire: How Fred Luddy Built The World’s Most Innovative Company ServiceNow April 12, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (11 April 2019) – The first research book written by an AI could lead to on-demand papers April 11, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (10 April 2019) – Why $1.5 Billion Startup Asana Ditched Email To Prove Its Own Work Management Strategy + Eric Schmidt – Lessons from a Trillion-Dollar Coach April 10, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (9 April 2019) – Subscription Is Blowing Up Aussie Traditional Models ; 76% is how much Microsoft ‘s cloud-computing business grew sales last year April 9, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (8 April 2019) – The technical landscape for processors and sensors for embedded computer vision applications has changed tremendously over the past five years and will continue to change dramatically over the next five years. April 8, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (6 April 2019) – Adobe’s growth to be fuelled by AI + 20 Ideas That Changed My Life April 6, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (5 April 2019) – How billionaire debutant Sanjeev Bikhchandani built himself a fortune; The new-age tycoon and founder of Info Edge has earned himself a a reputation to match April 5, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (4 April 2019) – Pinduoduo burns through cash in attempt to buy future growth; E-commerce group’s sales and marketing expenses to woo customers wipe out revenues April 4, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (3 April 2019) – Kudan is developing programs that enable computers to perceive real-world objects in three dimensions. They have uses in everything from driverless cars to drones and even vacuum cleaners + The Model Thinker: What You Need to Know to Make Data Work for You April 3, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (2 April 2019) – No escape? Chinese VIP jail puts AI monitors in every cell ‘to make prison breaks impossible’; Minority Report-style crime prevention with artificial intelligence is fast becoming reality; The Outlandish Story Of Ollie’s: A $5 Billion Retail Empire That Sells Nothing Online (But Is Beating Amazon) April 2, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (1 April 2019) – How AI Is Reshaping Healthcare Data; IKEA is getting into the FaaS (Furniture as a Service) game to become the “Netflix of Furniture” April 1, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (30 March 2019) – Japan aims to produce 250,000 AI experts a year + How to Dare to Begin March 30, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (29 March 2019) – AI Powers a New Innovation Machine; How Collaborative Platforms and Ecosystems Are Changing Innovation + Ask yourself these five questions to find your best self; Finding an “alter ego” for yourself is a self-development strategy that can help you navigate the struggles that life presents with more grace and more grit. March 29, 2019
H.E.R.O.’s Journey in Tech (28 March 2019) – Would you like fries with that? McDonald’s drive-throughs will start making personalised suggestions based on artificial intelligence March 28, 2019
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咬定青山不放松
咬定青山不放松，立根原在破岩中。 千磨万击还坚劲，任尔东西南北风。
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This weekend the news broke that Brooks Newmark had resigned from the government due to a sting by the Sunday Mirror. A journalist posed as a young female Conservative activist and they ended up flirting via Whatsapp with him eventually sending some lewd photos.
To my mind, this is a fairly simple case of entrapment with a journalist pretending to be somebody in order to get a gossip story for a newspaper. This does not require a resignation and is a further indication of what is wrong with our politics; MPs are not held to account the same as regular people.
If you worked on the checkout in ASDA and you started flirting with someone on Whatsapp despite being married, you don’t have to resign when everybody finds out. However, you do have to resign if you take money from the till1.
So it should be for MPs. They are regular people and they shouldn’t have to give up their career for stupid things they have done in their private lives that are totally legal. The argument “he lied to his wife so what stops him lying to voters” is idiotic; unless there is proof that his private life is affecting his work, then it is certainly not in the public interest.
If an MP or any other public figure is doing something illegal, then it is fair to hold them to account. It is not fair to use their private life especially if they have been manipulated into it.
Well, you’d be sacked actually. ↩︎
IslandBreak
I’m happy to announce that an app I worked on earlier this year has finally gone live on the App Store; IslandBreak.
IslandBreak is a smart travel guide for the Bahamas with a complete list of restaurants, bars, historical sites, hotels, beaches, and tours.
The app was interesting to work on due to the need for a completely offline experience. This wasn’t limited to just the points of interest and itineraries (which feature a huge amount of beautiful high-resolution photos) but also the map; this was a requirement so that tourists don’t have to use their data plans, particularly in an area which has very poor mobile reception1. Getting a full map of the islands complete with multiple zoom levels and the experience you expect on iOS was difficult, but works really well. In addition, I built an online CMS so that the app content can be updated remotely without going through the App Store approval process.
You can check it out by downloading from the App Store (currently priced at $0.99) or visiting islandbreakapp.com
I speak from experience. I’ve been to the Bahamas a few times and proposed to my wife there; we had to wait until we were back in Florida before we could share the news! ↩︎
iOS using internal reference name for IAP
Today I noticed a slightly worrying bug in iOS. In-App Purchases seem to be using the internal reference name rather than the localized display name. As an example here is my config for one of the consumable IAPs in WallaBee:
The reference name is ‘v1.1 25000 Honeycombs’1 and the display name for UK English is ‘pack of 25000 honeycombs’. This means the purchase screen ends up looking like this:
Hardly ideal.
I double checked the In-App Purchase Configuration Guide and it still states that:
In the Reference Name field, enter an internal name for the product.
I’ve not been able to see this in other apps as most people will use the same display name and reference name. I’ve reported a bug with the Apple Bug Reporter Filed as 18454842.
You may want to check your own IAPs to make sure the reference name looks ok until this gets fixed. You can change them without going through App Review (as they aren’t supposed to be visible to end users).
Update (26th September 2014): Tony McBride emailed me to say that he was experiencing the same issues on iOS 7 building against the iOS 7 SDK. I’ve confirmed it is happening in WallaBee v1.4.1 (built with iOS 8 SDK) running on iOS 7. Looks like it may be an App Store issue rather than an iOS 8 issue. I’ve updated this post to remove references to it being a solely iOS 8 problem.
In case you are wondering why, I forget exactly. I think there were different packs in v1.0 which we then increased in v1.1 - some of the increases overlapped (i.e. 15000 became 25000) and so I had to use a different name. Prepending the version seemed to be a sensible choice as nobody would see it. ↩︎
How not to deliver a speech
Yesterday, Ed Miliband delivered his speech to the Labour Party conference but embarrassingly left out a large portion about one of the most important topics of this decade; the budget defecit1.
I’ve given quite a few speeches in the past and often give out advice to people (mainly developers) who are preparing to give a presentation or some form of pitch. The two key pieces of advice I always give out are:
Don’t write your speech
Don’t use notes.
In my opinion, you should never write a speech out in full. To do this means you are then locked in and can’t adapt to a changing situation. This is especially true if you are doing a speech in which you have to follow someone, something goes wrong2, or you are talking about things that could change. Additionally, I don’t believe in using notes. Nobody wants to see their presenter looking down at a little card, or worse, a mobile phone. If you are going to use notes, keep them discreetly on a table and only consult them whilst your audience is applauding or laughing (if they are doing neither, change your speech). They should also be only the loosest of bullet points to keep you on track.
Ed made a mistake by breaking both of these rules badly. He wrote a speech but then made changes at the 11th hour (about the Scottish referendum) making it harder to memorise; he also (very stupidly) distributed the speech in advance so it was obvious when he had left something out. Finally, he had notes printed on thin paper through a clear table; easy for anybody with a camera (i.e. the national press in the front row at a political conference) to see and know when you’ve missed something.
There are a couple of exceptions to these rules:
If you are doing a presentation which includes some form of slideshow software, this is a lot easier as the bullet point skeleton is already written for you. You don’t need any notes, just be sure to scan over the upcoming slide whilst you are talking and be ready to speak around that subject. Never repeat what is written on a slide (which should be sparse) unless it is a quote. Any presentation by Apple is a great example of how to do this incredibly well.
If you are delivering a eulogy, these rules do not apply. You should have it written in full and printed to read from. Never give a eulogy from memory.
The key thing with any speech or presentation is to sound authentic. To do that, I believe you have to connect directly with an audience and not rely on remembering huge passages of text. It is much easier to have a few loose bullet points in your mind and then flesh it out as you are presenting.
In the end, a speech is simply a one-way conversation with multiple people. Imagine you are telling a friend about the thing you are speaking on and everything should fall into place easily. If you try to remember an essay, then the speech will be difficult to remember, uncomfortable to watch, and far more likely to go wrong.
You could say he had a defecit in his speech *rimshot* ↩︎
My favourite example of this is the original iPhone launch. Towards the end of the presentation, Steve Job’s ‘clicker’ broke so he couldn’t advance the presentation. Whilst he was waiting for it to be fixed, he told a brilliant anecdote about Steve Wozniak jamming televisions when they were younger. The whole delivery was natural and unscripted and he was able to recover straight back to talking about predicted market share - you can’t do that when you are leaning heavily on memory nor a text-heavy presentation. ↩︎
In the last week, I’ve tried to purchase two things that made me question the way in which choices are presented to us whilst purchasing. It also made me think about how we market our in app purchases within WallaBee.
The first choice I questioned was Disney Infinity 2.0, the latest version of the sandbox game that lets you mix and match Disney characters in a toy box environment. At launch, there are only 2 ways to get the game; buying the Marvel Superheroes Starter Pack (£57)1 which includes 3 figures and a play set piece (which gives you several hours of themed game play) or the Disney Toybox Pack (£55) which comes with just 2 figures and 2 game discs (which give you power ups). Both sets come with a USB base to place your characters on and the actual videogame software (on disc) which gives you the Toy Box mode. The issue here is that the Marvel pack comes with an extra character and a play set piece2 which will give you much more than just the toy box for only £2 extra. My second issue is that there is no upgrade path for those like me that already have a lot of the original Disney Infinity stuff. I already have a USB base and 17 characters so I really only need the videogame disc in order to get the new toy box mode up and running; I could then buy something like the Guardians of the Galaxy Playset Pack (£28) which gives you a playset piece and 2 characters to use within it.
As it stands, there is no way to get the software either on its own or in a digital form which seems crazy in this day and age. Nearly all of my Xbox One games are the digital versions because I hate having to swap the discs to play a game (especially when it is only reading it to unlock the DRM - the actual game is installed onto the hard drive so the disc is used purely for authentication).
I’ll most likely end up buying the Marvel version as it just makes financial sense even though I’m not that interested in the characters or the playset.
The second purchase that I’ve questioned was the new iPhone 6 models. The pricing3 looks like this for the iPhone 6 Plus:
16GB: £619
128GB: £789
Notice anything strange? Each storage capacity was doubled from the iPhone 5S except the 16GB model which stays the same. This leads to a very disjointed price list as the gap between the 16GB and the 64GB is only £80 and there is no 32GB model - it makes no sense that you would choose the 16GB over the 64GB especially when you consider that the iPhone 6 models have far better cameras and can do things like 240fps and time lapse videos which will eat that up (not to mention the @3x resolution bumping up the size of every app as they get updated).
For the last 2 years I’ve had 16GB iPhone models and it has become apparent that they are just not big enough (as many people found when trying to upgrade to iOS 8 over the air). I regularly have to delete my music cache to save space or offload photos and videos. I would have been happy paying a bit extra for a 32GB (or having the base model doubled) but in the end I went for 64GB on both phones as I just don’t see 16GB being a workable size.
So why do companies do this? In the case of Disney Infinity, I think they just want to cover their backs and try to stop anybody buying the game without the USB base and some characters as otherwise the game won’t work. My wife suggested they could make the game available as a digital download but just put a warning that you need to have some bits from the previous game; from experience I know that nobody reads those warnings. With the iPhone 6, I can only imagine that they really want people to buy the 64GB model and so by starting at 16GB they are basically showing you a bad option in the hope you’ll buy the better model. This has an extra benefit that they can say “starting at £619” when they know most people will go to the £699 model.
We do something very similar in WallaBee with our packs of honeycombs (our freemium currency). Here is a quick list of the packs we sell along with their price4 and the percentage of sales5 each one has:
25000hc - £7.99 - 81%
20000hc - £6.99 - 1%
5000hc - £2.49 - 3%
As you can see, the 25000hc pack is overwhelmingly the most popular. This may be because it has a “most popular” banner attached to it on the purchase page but I think it is picked the most because it is the best value when you look at a strict honeycombs to pence conversion (we don’t do any additional benefits like adding some other currency or benefit on the higher packages - they are literally you get what you buy).
The point I’m getting is that we could probably scrap all but the 25000hc and 15000hc packs without negatively affecting sales, but then there would be less choice available to our players. We did drop a 10000hc pack a while ago when we were experimenting with a grid based sales page; it was the least popular option and we wanted just 6 items to keep the design even. I’m not sure if minimising the amount of options further would be good as it means making people compromise as in the case of Disney Infinity and the iPhone 6; I’ll buy the options they are pushing me too but I won’t feel good about it.
An interesting counterpoint to this is the way in which we sell locks within WallaBee. Locks allow you to protect items you drop from being taken by other people and we sell them in packs of 10 for £0.69. Many players have asked us to sell them in packs like honeycombs so that we could do a range of options for each budget but the reason we keep them at a single price point is that they are massively popular; in fact, they are our most purchased in app purchase6. Whilst selling a pack of 50 or a 100 might generate more sales, it would mean that a £0.69 in app purchase would no longer be most popular. Why is that important? On the App Store, you can see the top in app purchases for a game and it is my feeling that showing a £0.69 item at the top of that list rather than a £7.99 one looks better to new players who are often sceptical about how much money a freemium game is going to try and take from them.
I’m pretty pleased with the way that we do real world transactions in WallaBee but we are going to be making a big drive for what we like to call “ethical freemium” in the future with several big changes. One of the things we don’t do now and never will is sell huge packs at prices like £64.99 - I see this in many freemium games and it is just gross (as well as looking bad in the “top in app purchases” screen on the App Store). Something I have often toyed with for those that do want to make larger purchases, such as those who want to buy multiple lock packs, is to add some form of payment processing on our website that is separate to the App Store; that way, players could buy as many locks as they want without affecting our top purchases list.
When it comes down to it, choice is simply an illusion. Most of the time, you are being cajoled into making a specific purchase. In the case of Disney Infinity and the iPhone 6, it seems pretty obvious. With WallaBee, we’ve experimented both with offering choice (as in our honeycomb packs) and offering no choice (with our locks). It’s hard to say which works best but I think I prefer having a single option to choose from rather than being given several but being subliminally pushed to a chosen option. Maybe I should remove those superfluous honeycomb packs after all.
There is a “Collector’s Edition” as well at £110 but it is essentially the same thing with more characters. ↩︎
The play sets are basically movie tie-in games in that you can only use characters from that series within them and you’ll get around 5-10 hours of story driven gameplay. It means that Disney can release a new game within Disney Infinity without having to redistribute the base software (you just buy one of these pieces that goes on the USB board). ↩︎
This is for an unlocked iPhone 6 Plus in the UK. Obviously with a carrier and a plan the cost would be different. ↩︎
The price differs around the world based on tiers that Apple sets up - they scale beautifully in USD but look less obvious in GBP. ↩︎
Data from 22nd August 2014 to 22nd September 2014. ↩︎
This is the IAP that most people buy; it isn’t the one that makes the most money (that would be the 25000hc pack) ↩︎
Font Finder Featured
A few years ago, I wrote an extension for Firefox called Font Finder. It was a basic utility that let you highlight any text in a website and immediately get detailed font information such as family, leading, line-height, etc. It’s been downloaded half a million times and had great reviews.
I stopped using Firefox a long time ago and so when it came to update the app a developer named Andy Portmen asked if he could continue to work on the extension. He published an update in July which bought the extension up-to-date with the latest version of Firefox and Font Finder has now been featured by Mozilla!
If you’re a designer that uses Firefox, be sure to check it out. My thanks to Andy for keeping Font Finder alive for those users who have found it useful over the years.
Retiring TubeUpdates and WikiLocation
Today I’m sad to announce that both TubeUpdates.com and WikiLocation.org have been retired.
TubeUpdates
Started in 2009 as part of the Guardian Hack Day 2, TubeUpdates.com was an API that allowed you to find out the status of each of the London Underground lines. It worked by screen scraping the TfL website every minute of the day and for the past 5 years it has stored data on every status update.
Back in March of this year, the API stopped fetching new data due to changes to the TfL website. As TfL were now providing their own richer API, I announced it would be retired in May.
The API will now return a 404 error for all endpoints. I’d recommend checking out the TfL API as a replacement for live status information. If you are interested in historical information, you can download a MySQL dump of all of the status updates I retrieved during the 5 year period.
WikiLocation
I built WikiLocation in 2010 as I was working on an app which needed to fetch Wikipedia articles that were nearby. As it turned out, I never got around to building that app but the API took off and has been used around the world. At the time of writing, there was only one unofficial API that fetched geocoded articles and it was woefully out of date. I was informed by a Wikipedia staff member recently (quite rudely) that they now have their own API.
I’ve been meaning to retire WikiLocation for a while but some issues with my hosting company this week have accelerated this as some automatic updates they added have killed my infrastructure. WikiLocation was the last site on the old hardware and the time it would take to rewrite it and put it onto new hosting is time I don’t have (especially considering that donations for the service from those who have used it haven’t covered a single week of the hosting I’ve been paying for over the last 4 years).
The API will now return a 404 error for all endpoints. You may want to take a look at the official API from Wikipedia (I haven’t looked into it myself) or you can download the latest MySQL dumps (in 38 languages) of the data I retrieved. Alternatively, you can take a look at the original python script that crawls the Wikipedia linking tables to build your own scraper.
It is always a shame to have to terminate a service and I apologise for the inconvenience this may cause as there was no deprecation time. However, it just isn’t feasible for me to rewrite the entire API for new hosting when there are other alternatives available.
Off on honeymoon!
On Monday, I had the great honour of marrying my beautiful girlfriend Becky at Dodford Manor.
We are now going on honeymoon to Vancouver, Alaska, and Whistler until August 11th. I will have limited internet connectivity and won’t be checking emails but I’ll reply to them upon my return; I expect there will be a lot and we are moving house during that week so I should have reached inbox zero by August 20th. If you are having any issues with WallaBee, please email support@wallabeegame.com
LEGO MINI Cooper
If you’re a LEGO VIP member (and you should be) then you can now purchase the new LEGO MINI Cooper model which doesn’t go on sale to the general public until August 1st.
This is definitely a must have model for me and I think it’s going to be really popular based on the response to the LEGO Volkswagon T1 Camper Van which has been around for a few years now. The MINI is full of rare pieces (I particularly like the old windscreen pieces sprayed in British Racing Green to work as wheel arches) and nice features such as an engine, detachable roof, cross-check seating, and a picnic hamper in the boot. The design is top notch and I’m really looking forward to building it although I still need to finish R2-D2, the Sandcrawler, and a Rancor Pit so may be a little while!
Interesting observation: LEGO and MINI are the only two companies I know that both have an all-capitalised name which most people ignore (or worse in the case of LEGO, pluralise unnecessary - they’re not ‘legos’!)
I’m happy to announce that an app I’ve been working on for the past few months has now gone live in the App Store; kontent.
kontent is a great way of sharing valuable content between your friends as it limits you to sending just one link (called a blink) per day. The app has a really nice design in keeping with iOS 7 and the guys running the company are top notch.
The app has been really interesting to work on as I’ve been developing a number of interesting features such as the ability to use the app offline for a large number of actions (i.e. you can send a blink whilst you are offline and it’ll sync up to the cloud when you go online). However, the big piece for me has been the animations; from the moment you open the app you’ll be introduced to a series of delightful and thoughtful animations. Everything has a purpose whilst remaining playful and dynamic. It has been a heap of fun to work on!
I’m really pleased with the way this app has turned out and look forward to working with kontent over the coming months.
You can check it out by downloading from the App Store (it’s 100% free with no ads) or visiting kontentapp.com
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Agilent Presents Thought Leader Award to Professor Hyun Joo An
Pharma | News | 0 Comment | 29 Aug, 2019
-Agilent Technologies has announced that Professor Hyun Joo An has received an Agilent Thought Leader Award in support of her work in glycomics and biopharmaceutical applications. Dr. Hyun...Read more
Strides acquires USFDA approved manufacturing facility in the US
Strides Pharma Science Limited (Strides) has announced that its step down subsidiary Strides Pharma Inc.(SPI) has acquired a USFDA(FDA) approved manufacturing facility in Florida, US from M...Read more
FDA approves new add-on drug to treat Parkinson's disease
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, on 27 August 2019, approved Nourianz (istradefylline) tablets as an add-on treatment to levodopa/carbidopa in adult patients with Parkinson's disease ...Read more
Eisai teams up with Merck to tackle NTDs in Kenya
Japan based pharmaceutical firm Eisai Co., Ltd. announced that it provides tanks to supply clean water for the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) measures to the endemic regions in Kenya in...Read more
Amgen buys Celgene's OTEZLA for $13.4 Bn
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company has announced that Celgene Corporation in connection with its merger agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb, has entered into an agreement with Amgen u...Read more
“We have 30 major launches planned this year”
Pharma | Opinion | 0 Comment | 26 Aug, 2019
Ong Ai Hua, Company Group Chairman (CGC) of Janssen Asia Pacific, began her career at Johnson & Johnson 28 years ago and has held leadership roles across strategic marketing, sales mana...Read more
Gilead, Galapagos close their development collaboration
Gilead Sciences and Galapagos have announced the closing of the global research and development collaboration agreement signed on July 14, 2019. This agreement has received clearance from ...Read more
rfxcel to establish its biz in Middle East & Africa
rfxcel, the global leader in supply chain track and trace solutions, will exhibit at this year’s CPhI Middle East & Africa (MEA) conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The...Read more
Merck, Thermis collaborate to develop vaccines
Themis Bioscience has announced a research collaboration and exclusive license agreement with MSD (tradename of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA) for the discovery and...Read more
Evado is proud to announce the launch of Evado eConsent.
eConsent App The Evado eConsent App is targeted at any health related organisation that needs to record patient consent to provide a service. Built on the UniFORM architecture this A...Read more
China approves AstraZeneca drug to treat anaemia in CKD patients
AstraZeneca has announced that its partner FibroGen (China) Medical Technology Development Co., Ltd. (FibroGen China) has received marketing authorisation for roxadustat in China for the tr...Read more
Lupin gets USFDA nod for Hydrocortisone Valerate cream
Indian Pharma major Lupin Limited (Lupin) announced that it has received approval for its Hydrocortisone Valerate Cream USP, 0.2% from the United States Food and Drug Administration (U.S. F...Read more
Lupin to sell Japanese injectable biz to Neopharma group
Indian Pharma major Lupin Limited (including its subsidiaries together referred to as Lupin) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement through its Japanese subsi...Read more
GSK submits first regulatory application for daprodustat in Japan
GSK has announced the submission of a Japanese New Drug Application (JNDA) to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare seeking marketing approval for daprodustat, an oral hypoxia-inducibl...Read more
Australia's Propanc Biopharma gets US Patent
Melbourne based Propanc Biopharma Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing new cancer treatments for patients suffering from recurring and metastatic cancer, has announced that it has r...Read more
Switzerland overtakes Germany as Europe’s biggest drug delivery innovator, with the UK and France close behind
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Paris, 19th August 2019: As predicted by the ‘European drug delivery and packaging’ report earlier this year, new data shows innovation in drug delivery is accele...Read more
Takeda files NDA for subcutaneous formulation of Vedolizumab
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in Japan for a subcutaneous (SC) formulation of vedolizumab, a...Read more
Pfizer Foundation invests $2M to tackle AMR
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Check out the new BeeLine Reader on LibreTexts: Making Online Reading Much Easier
Fri, 24 May 2019 00:33:29 GMT
3.4: Participation in Control
[ "article:topic", "showtoc:no", "license:ccbync", "authorname:mboland" ]
Book: An Introduction to Cooperation and Mutualism (Boland)
3: Cooperatives & Mutuals are Participatory Organizations
Page ID
Contributed by Michael Boland
Professor and Director (The Food Industry Center) at University of Minnesota
Sourced from University of Minnesota Libraries
Customers participate in control by setting policies, including the governance structure of the cooperative. These policies are embedded in the bylaws of the organization, which include 1) classes of membership and their qualifications, 2) the governance system, including the role and responsibilities of the board of directors and how they are elected, and 3) rules for certain
A number of dairy cooperatives manufacture cheese, butter and powdered milk. All sugar beets are processed through sugar beet cooperatives such as American Crystal Sugar. Nor-Pac processes vegetables into canned and frozen packages. Minnesota Soybean Processors crushes soybeans into co-products such as oil and meal and manufactures soy-diesel.
actions such as annual meetings, bylaw amendments, or dissolution. Members who are eligible to vote are called voting members. Membership in a cooperative implies that a customer has applied and been accepted by the board of directors as a member of the cooperative. Different cooperatives have different rules on membership but, in general,
Ace Hardware and True Value Hardware are WHOLESALING COOPERATIVES which are independently-owned hardware stores. They are able to negotiate better prices, purchase much larger volumes of hardware and related products, and distribute them to their members, who could not obtain these savings on their own. A number of fast-food restaurant franchise owners have formed purchasing cooperatives, including United Foodservice Purchasing Cooperative, which is owned by Yum! Brands franchise operators, and Independent Purchasing Co-operative, which is owned by Subway franchisees. Independent grocers have formed purchasing cooperatives such as Associated Wholesale Grocers and Wakefern Foods.
cooperatives tend to have a low threshold on membership qualifications. In many cases, cooperatives use a one member, one vote principle, which is often called democratic control. Control is typically evidenced by the ownership of a share of common stock in the case of a stock cooperative, or by a certificate of membership in the case of membership or non-stock cooperatives. Cooperatives thus use a voting process to select directors for the board or make changes in their articles or bylaws; this differs from a non-cooperative corporation, which is based on investment ownership (as described in Chapter One).
3.3: Participation in Ownership
3.5: Principles of Cooperation
Section or Page
Michael Boland
CC BY-NC
© Copyright 2020 Business LibreTexts
The LibreTexts libraries are Powered by MindTouch® and are supported by the Department of Education Open Textbook Pilot Project, the UC Davis Office of the Provost, the UC Davis Library, the California State University Affordable Learning Solutions Program, and Merlot. We also acknowledge previous National Science Foundation support under grant numbers 1246120, 1525057, and 1413739. Unless otherwise noted, LibreTexts content is licensed by CC BY-NC-SA 3.0. Have questions or comments? For more information contact us at info@libretexts.org or check out our status page at https://status.libretexts.org.
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NEXT | Character Profile: Thrionis, the price paid
Breakfast Topic > OverwatchOct 3, 2019 8:00 am CT
Which Overwatch hero would you most want to see in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate?
By Michael "Mitch" Mitchell
@MitchFizzl
Yesterday, Blizzard made waves when Overwatch Game Director Jeff Kaplan said something that will send almost any gamer into a frenzy: “To the Smash Brothers team, whatever character you want… you can have any single one of them.” Yes, Blizzard (informally) gave Nintendo carte blanche to add any Overwatch character they wanted to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Not surprisingly, this made a whole lot of gamers very excited.
It also immediately made them wonder what hero in the roster of 31 would be the hero to make it into Smash Bros. Would it be someone iconic to the series, like Tracer? Or would it be a more realistic pick for the brawler, like Doomfist? Would some heroes be immediate no-go options? I can’t imagine Sombra making it into the game, what with her hacking ability a lot more detrimental in a brawler than it is in Overwatch. Nor could I really see someone like Mercy or Baptiste working, just because their damage kits are super limited.
If I had my pick, I think I’d go for Moira. Not only are her abilities a lot of fun, but visually, she’d fit really well within the world of Smash. Plus, I think it would be really cool to watch her use Coalescence as a Final Smash (even if it is vaguely similar to some of the ones that exist already). I’m also admittedly a bit curious to see what a few more abilities would look like in her signature purple-and-yellow style. After all, most heroes would need a few more things to fill out their Smash-ified ability pool.
What about you? Which hero from Overwatch do you think would be a perfect fit for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate? Are there any heroes you would love to see in the game, even if you don’t think they’d necessarily fit within the game? Any heroes you think would unquestionably NOT work in it? Sound off below!
Filed Under: Overwatch Smash, Overwatch Smash Bros, Smash Bros Blizzard
Overwatch's Jeff Kaplan says Nintendo can put any…
What kind of costumes would you like to see from the…
What we'd like to see if Junker Queen joins…
What we'd like to see if Echo joins Overwatch as Hero 32
Given what we know about patch 8.3, what do you want…
What sorts of emotes would you like to see added to…
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Revised version of "Ag Income Tax Update for Farm Families" is now available
By Rob Holcomb
A revised version of Ag Income Tax Update for Farm Families is now posted on the University of Minnesota Extension website.
This revised version addresses farm tax issues that will impact producers for the 2017 income tax year. The recently passed tax reform has a very limited effect on a producer’s 2017 tax return. I’ve confined the discussion in this document to what matters for 2017. I will address the components of the new tax reform legislation later in the spring.
Please feel free to contact me via email if you have any questions. My email address is: holcombr@umn.edu
I wish everyone a safe and prosperous new year!
Southwestern Minnesota Farmland Values Decline 6.1 percent in 2017
At the end of each year for the last twenty-three years, a survey has been conducted of farm land sales in fourteen southwestern Minnesota counties. The survey reports bare farm land sales to non-related parties for the first six months of each year. Land values had been steadily increasing until 2014. After reaching record high prices in 2013, the upward trend was broken as prices declined in 2014. The downward trend continued through 2017. The summary report for this survey is available at the county extension offices in Chippewa, Cottonwood, Jackson, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock, Watonwan and Yellow Medicine Counties. This year the decline across the fourteen counties averaged 6.1%. Average land values had not declined since 1996 when the average SW Minnesota land prices were $1,175 per acre in 1995 to a high in 2013 to $8,466 then declined in through 2017 to $6,340.
Data from these counties in…
Cropland Rental Rates Compared to Corn and Soybean Price Change
In Table 1 below I compare the changes in average farmland rental rates to the annual changes in corn and soybean prices. I did to determine how closely farmland rental rates follow the changes in corn and soybean prices.
Column 1 lists the years used for comparison starting in 2000 going through 2016. Column 2 lists the average cash corn price each year in Worthington Minnesota. Column 3 lists the average cash soybean price in Worthington. Column 4 lists the change in the average corn and bean prices from the previous year. Column 5 is the average rents paid by roughly 1200 farmers each year who participate in adult farm management programs across southern Minnesota. Column 6 uses the previous year’s average rent in column 5 multiplied by the following year’s change in corn and soybean prices to compute a projected rent and does that for each year. Column 7 starts with the average rent in 2000 in Column 5 of $98.31 and multiplies this number by next …
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Samuel Gregg: Santorum, Tocqueville, and the Economy
by John Couretas • January 4, 2012
Join the Discussion:
Free weekly Acton Newsletter
On the National Catholic Register, Kathryn Jean Lopez takes a look at the strong finish by Rick Santorum in the Iowa Caucuses. She writes that the candidate’s dead heat finish with Mitt Romney marks “the emergence of a different kind of Catholic candidate in American politics, one who refuses to give up the fight on social justice — substantively and rhetorically — in practice and linguistics.” Lopez interviews Acton Research Director Samuel Gregg, who observes that “where Santorum adds something distinctive to present economic debates is his willingness to envelop them in substantive moral arguments.”
Gregg suggests that the candidate harkens back to Alexis de Tocqueville’s insights about democracy in America. Toqueville, he told Lopez, was “among the first to sound warnings about democracy’s potential for sliding into the soft despotism that results when citizens start voting for those politicians who promise to use the government to give them whatever they want, while politicians deliver — provided the citizens do whatever the government says is necessary to meet everyone’s wishes (such as radically diminish economic freedoms). Welcome to the moral-economic disaster otherwise known as the European Union.”
Read more analysis from Samuel Gregg in “Veteran Pol Santorum Emerges From Iowa With a Timely Message” by Kathryn Jean Lopez on the National Catholic Register.
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John Couretas is Editor-at-Large for the Acton Institute.
Posted in News and EventsTagged 2012 elections, alexis de tocqueville, david brooks, George Will, iowa, John Boehner, Kathryn Jean Lopez, mitt romney, newt gingrich, Rick Santorum, ron paul, Samuel Gregg, Santorum, subsidiarity, Timothy Dolan, Toqueville
Samuel Gregg: Inequality Anyone?
Samuel Gregg: The Problem with Compassionate Conservatism
Samuel Gregg: Mitt de Tocqueville
Samuel Gregg: Please put Tocqueville, Maritain on reading list, Mr. President
2 thoughts on “Samuel Gregg: Santorum, Tocqueville, and the Economy”
Miller_g says:
I’m hoping John, Gregg, or another member of the Acton staff can write a proper rebuttal to the abysmal distortion of the principal of subsidiarity recently posted on “America” the Magazine’s website (link provided):
http://www.americamagazine.org/blog/entry.cfm?entry_id=4852
I’m ashamed to share a last name with the writer of that article…
John Couretas says:
Mr. Miller: Thanks for the comment. Here is a link to a radio interview with Acton Research Director Samuel Gregg on the subject of subsidiarity and government. Delivered straight up, with no “abysmal distortion” added!
http://www.acton.org/media/audio/interview-subsidiarity-government
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Korea Prepaid Card Invests in Blockchain-As-A-Service Company Bezant
Korea Prepaid Card has made a major investment in Singapore-based Bezant, becoming the blockchain developer’s second largest shareholder. The news comes from an announcement on Bezant’s website.
The terms of the deal were not disclosed and the exact split is being kept confidential by agreement between the two companies, according to the the release.
Since April 2019, Bezant has been offering Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) using Hyperledger Fabric technology. It also has a coin of its own, the BZNT, ranked about number 320 in terms of capitalization at about $8 million. In 2018, Bezant achieved the fastest-growing ICO in Asia, selling out available tokens in less than an hour.
The company has signed a number of partnerships. It is working with Hanjudo, a South Korean fintech, Thailand’s Nova Learning, Chequer, a South Korean database management company, and Transwiz, a Thai peer-to-peer lender. In June, Bezant announce that it would be joining Binance, and its token started trading on Binance DEX on July 7.
Korea Prepaid Card is an end-to-end solution provider for pre-paid cards and other related services, such as vouchers, virtual cards, pin-code cards and barcode-based coupons. It handles publishing, distribution, payment and settlement and has been developing technology to link the various participants in the pre-paid value chain in real time.
Bezant’s announcement says that the prepaid card market in Korea is valued at $10 billion.
Bezant already has a strong South Korea connection. Its chief cryptocurrency officer is Daesik Kim, is also co-founder of Bithumb, a South Korean exchange ranked 23rd in the world. The lead engineer for the company is Jeyce Jung, who was previously a lead software developer at KakaoPay specializing in fraud detection.
Much of South Korea’s crypto-related activity is centered in Singapore, as authorities in the home market do not allow ICOs, and the banking system is restricted in dealing with exchanges.
Image via Shutterstock.
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The Sea by John Banville #bookreview
Posted by BookerTalk
John Banville was the surprise winner of the Booker Prize in 2005 with his lyrical novel The Sea. Literary pundits had put their money on Julian Barnes’s Arthur and George walking away with the prize or a repeat Booker success for Kazuo Ishiguro and Never Let Me Go.
No-one was more surprised than the Banville at his success, particularly because he felt that two of his earlier books were more like the “middle-ground, middlebrow work” that he felt judges tended to choose. By contrast he considered The Sea to be more of an “art novel”. It was a comment which ruffled more than a few feathers among the literary elite.
Banville’s description of The Sea as an ‘art’ novel could be considered a strange term for a novel that relies on the well-used device of a character returning to a place that played a significant part in his earlier years. But that simplified version of the plot doesn’t to justice to a novel that is a richly textured and patterned meditation on the nature of memory and loss and of the bitter-sweet nature of first love.
In The Sea,the widowed art historian Max Morden returns to the seaside village where as a young boy on the verge of adolescence, he once spent a family holiday. It’s a trip that is at once an escape from the traumatic loss of his wife but at the same time an opportunity to confront a dramatic event that occurred during that summer seaside sojourn. The nature of that event is held back from the reader until the closing pages of the novel, not because Banville is planning a big dramatic reveal but because his real interest is the process of recollection. Morden’s odyssey into his past takes place through a series of vignettes which reveal his relationships with his father, his wife and his daughter. He recalls also the Grace family who also holidayed in the same resort and whose allure he found impossible to resist.
John Banville at Hay Literary Festival 2013
This is a tale that sucks you in; that takes you along meandering lanes of memory only to suddenly detour to a different time and place and then unexpectedly switch direction yet again to bring us back to the here and now. Banville has been compared to Beckett though at the 2013 Hay Festival he told the audience his favourite authors are Henry James and Georges Simenon (though not the Maigret novels he was at pains to emphasise).
Reading The Sea is a hypnotic, mesmerising experience largely due to Banville’s mastery of the atmosphere-laden sentence. The opening of the book is tantalisingly enigmatic:
They departed, the gods, on the day of the strange tide. All morning under a milky sky the waters in the bay had swelled and swelled, rising to unheard-of heights, the small waves creeping over parched sand that for years had known no wetting save for rain and lapping the very bases of the dunes. The rusted hulk of the freighter that had run aground at the far end of the bay longer ago than any of us could remember must have thought it was being granted a relaunch. I would not swim again, after that day. The seabirds mewled and swooped, unnerved, it seemed, by the spectacle of that vast bowl of water bulging like a blister, lead-blue and malignantly agleam. They looked unnaturally white, that day, those birds. The waves were depositing a fringe of soiled yellow foam along the waterline. No sail marred the high horizon. I would not swim, no, not ever again.
Someone has just walked over my grave. Someone.
With an opening like that, I was hooked. And I hope you will be too. This was the first Banville book I had read. I know it will not be the last.
About BookerTalk
What do you need to know about me? 1. I'm from Wales which is one of the countries in the UK and must never be confused with England. 2. My life has always revolved around the written and spoken word. I worked as a journalist for nine years then in international corporate communications 3. My tastes in books are eclectic. I love realism and hate science fiction and science fantasy. 4. I am trying to broaden my reading horizons geographically by reading more books in translation
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Posted on June 19, 2013, in Book Reviews and tagged Book Reviews, John Banville, Man Booker Prize. Bookmark the permalink. 12 Comments.
Niall McArdle | March 4, 2016 at 2:11 am
Superb novel. it’s not my favourite of his. I know you’re reviewing Ancient Light for The Begorrathon, and in some ways that novel feels like a continuation of The Sea, although in fact it is connected to two other novels – Eclipse and Shroud.
I well remember the fuss when Banville won the Booker for this, and I do think he has a point about literary prizes going to middlebrow books, but Banville has both a notorious ego (‘my books are never good enough for me – they’re better than everyone else’s, of course, but not good enough for me’) and an interesting history with The Booker.
I think he should have won it years ago for The Book of Evidence, and a few years later he was nominated again for Athena and was miffed and bewildered why he didn’t win and why that book was not better received by critics.
Alex | June 21, 2013 at 4:54 pm
We read this in one of my reading groups just after it won the Booker and it split the group entirely. Some liked it and others thought it was interminably dull. I suspect it depends on what you look for in a novel.
BookerTalk | June 22, 2013 at 3:18 pm
The same thing seems to have happened with people who post reviews on The Complete Booker blog. Which side of the fence were you Alex?
Barbara Bartels | June 20, 2013 at 9:12 pm
Oh, another book I want to read. Sounds wonderful.
Angus Miranda | June 20, 2013 at 4:07 am
This is a great book. Have you heard that there’s going to be a film adaptation?
BookerTalk | June 20, 2013 at 7:05 am
We were meant to see a preview of part of the film during his Hay talk but it never materialised. I’m intrigued b how you can make a film from an interior monologue.
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Captain's Daughter
Jennifer Delamere
Warm-Hearted Victorian Romance Brings 1880s London to Life
When a series of circumstances beyond her control leave Rosalyn Bernay alone and penniless in London, she chances upon a job backstage at a theater that is presenting the most popular show in London. A talented musician and singer, she feels immediately at home and soon becomes enthralled with the idea of pursuing a career on the stage.
A hand injury during a skirmish in India has forced Nate Moran out of the army until he recovers. Filling his time at a stable of horses for hire in London, he has also spent the past two months working nights as a stagehand, filling in for his injured brother. Although he's glad he can help his family through a tough time, he is counting the days until he can rejoin his regiment. London holds bitter memories for him that he is anxious to escape. But then he meets the beautiful woman who has found a new lease on life in the very place Nate can't wait to leave behind.
Bethany House Publishers
Baker Book House Company
More Books by Jennifer Delamere
An Heiress at Heart
A Lady Most Lovely
A Bride for the Season
Heart's Appeal
Artful Match
Line by Line
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Oxford University Handbook
Clarendon Press, 1885
There are six Scholarships, each worth ^40 a year and tenable for two years.
Candidates must not have exceeded their sixteenth Term. Three Scholars are
elected each year after the same examination as that held for election to the
Ireland ...
It is awarded each year, and is tenable for one year on condition that the Scholar
reside seven weeks during both Michaelmas and Hilary Terms, and seven weeks
between the first day of Easter Term and the twenty-first day of Trinity Term: the ...
(2) Official Fellowships : — These are mainly intended to be held by members of
the Educational Staff in each College ; but they are also in many cases tenable
by other College officers. The yearly emolument is generally £200, besides
rooms ...
... tenable for ten years, and renewable for successive periods of not more than
ten years. So long as there are four of the educational staff unmarried and
resident in College, a Tutorial Fellow, who has held his Fellowship for seven
years and ...
They are tenable for seven years, and renewable for similar successive periods.
The stipend is £200 a year. (1) One Fellowship at least, but not necessarily more
than two, is to be filled up after examination each year. Once at least in every ...
Of Residence
Of Institutions in Aid of Teaching
OF PECUNIARY REWARDS OF AND AIDS
College Scholarships Exhibitions and Clerkships
Exhibitions for MonCollegiate Students
Of Examinations for Degrees
ExtraAcademical Privileges of Students
Fees of NonCollegiate Students
acid admission-fee Algebra Allotropic annual value annum appointed awarded B.A. degree Bachelor of Arts Candidates catalogue caution-money certificate Chemistry chloride Christ Church Classical cloth collection College or Hall Colleges and Halls Composition Crown 8vo degree of B.A. degree of Bachelor Demy 8vo Demyships Elementary emolument English Euclid Euripides exceeded Exhibitioners Exhibitions four Grammar Greek Greek and Latin Hecuba Hilary Term Honour School language Library Literae Humaniores M.A. Extra fcap M.A. Second Edition Master Mathematics matriculation Medicine Modern History names Natural Science Non-Collegiate Students obtain offer Official Fellow Oxford pass Responsions period persons Physics Prize Regius Professor reside in lodgings residents in College Sanskrit satisfy the Examiners Scholar Scholarships Second Public Examination Section selected Sophocles special subject subjects of examination tenable Testamur tion Translation Trinity Term Undergraduates University of Oxford viva voce W. W. Skeat
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Page 220 - Notice will be given, from time to time, of the number of cadetships which will be allotted half-yearly to University candidates. In case there should be more candidates than vacancies, the required number will be selected by competition among the said candidates at the ensuing July or December examination...
Appears in 22 books from 1873-1939
Page 75 - This is awarded every year for the best composition in English Verse. There is no limitation as to the length of the composition, but the metre is usually required to be heroic couplets. The value of the prize is £21. Competitors must be Undergraduate members of the University who have not exceeded four years from their matriculation. (3) English Poem on a Sacred Subject. A prize for this is awarded once in every three years: there is no restriction as to metre, but the length of the composition...
Page 153 - Part I. MECHANICS, HYDROSTATICS, and PNEUMATICS. Part II. HEAT. Part III. ELECTRICITY and MAGNETISM. Part IV.
Page 5 - Crown 8vo. cloth, 7s. 6d. A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism. By J. Clerk Maxwell, MA, FRS, Professor of Experimental Physics in the University of Cambridge.
Appears in 247 books from 1833-2006
Page 155 - POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY. Under the head of Logic, Candidates are recommended to study the following subjects : — The nature and origin of knowledge ; The relation of language to thought ; The history of Logic in Greece to the time of Aristotle inclusive ; The theory of the Syllogism ; Scientific Method, including a comparison of the methods of different sciences, and the principles of historical evidence. Questions will be set in Trendelenburg's Elementa Logices Aristoteleae, and in Bacon's Novum...
Page 2 - It is open without respect of birth, age, or creed to all persons who satisfy the appointed officers that they are likely to derive educational advantage from its membership : and, subject only to necessary limitations of academical standing, any person who has been admitted as a member is eligible to compete for all its prizes and distinctions, save only that Degrees in Divinity are conf1ned to members of the Church of England.
Page 208 - First Report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the best means of preventing the pollution of Rivers (River Thames).
Page 201 - Hon. MA Oxon. Crown 8vo., cloth, 12s. THE FIRST PRAYER-BOOK OF EDWARD VI., compared with the Successive Revisions of the Book of Common Prayer ; together with a Concordance and Index to the Rubrics in the several editions. By the same Author. Crown 8vo., cloth, 12s. DID QUEEN ELIZABETH TAKE " OTHER ORDER " in the "ADVERTISEMENTS
Page 222 - University passed in 1880, any College or Institution within the United Kingdom or in any part of the British Dominions, being a place of education in which the majority of the students are of the age of 17 at least, may on certain conditions be admitted to the privileges of an Affiliated College.
Title Oxford University Handbook
Contributor University of Oxford
Publisher Clarendon Press, 1885
Original from Harvard University
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Email + Social Marketing
Why Now is the Perfect Time to Start Email Marketing (Even If You Don’t Have a List to Send To)
You’ve heard that email marketing is a great tool to drive awareness, sales, and repeat business.
You’ve even seen stats like 66 percent of consumers have made a purchase as a result of an email marketing message.
So you’re ready to give email marketing a try and see what all the fuss is about.
Then it hits you: Why bother with email marketing if you don’t even have a list to send to?
How to Get Your First 100 Email Subscribers
When you’re brand new to email marketing, building an email list seems like a huge obstacle.
But in reality, there are plenty of people out there, ready to join your email list in a moment’s notice. You just need to entice them with a visible, convenient, and compelling sign-up experience.
Let’s look at four places you can get your first 100 email subscribers:
If you’re getting website traffic but neglecting to collect contact information, there’s a good chance most of your visitors will leave your site and never come back. That’s why you need a website sign-up form.
If you have a WordPress site, create a professional, mobile-optimized sign-up form with our new Constant Contact Forms for WordPress plugin.
Not a WordPress user? Your Constant Contact account automatically has a web sign-up form ready for you. Check the “List Growth Tools” tab in your account, where you can easily customize the form and edit its title, contact fields, and appearance.
Watch this video tutorial to learn more about creating and editing your web sign-up form.
Tip: Make it enticing for people to join your email list by offering an incentive. For example, By Paige offers new email subscribers 10 percent off their next order.
2. Your personal email account
Think about the emails you’re already sending on a day-to-day basis. Chances are that the contacts from your personal email account will be interested in your email marketing messages, as well.
Create a quick message to send to the contacts you interact with regularly. Something like:
Hi ____________,
I’m starting a new email list for ______________ (business or audience). Would you like to receive emails with ______________________ (what’s in it for them)?
I’m planning to send emails out on a ____________ (frequency) basis, and you can easily unsubscribe anytime if the information isn’t right for you.
You can sign up directly here______________ (link to your sign-up form).
In addition to proactively reaching out to your contacts, update the email signature in your personal email account to include a link to your sign-up form.
Here’s where you can find your sign-up form URL.
3. Your social media following
Promote your email list to your social media following, starting with a few social media posts.
Here’s a great example from the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey:
Love #NJ #wildlife? Interested in learning more about what we do here at CWF? Sign up for our email list! https://t.co/qNFiZFXBsq
— Conserve Wildlife NJ (@wildlifenj) November 22, 2016
In this example, the foundation does a great job of articulating who would be interested in the newsletter, including relevant hashtags, and including a sign-up link.
Tip: To increase the visibility of a similar tweet or post, you can pin your tweet or Facebook post to the top of your feed. This ensures it’s one of the first things people see when they visit your social pages.
You can also collect contacts on an ongoing basis from Facebook by adding Constant Contact’s Join My Mailing List App to your Facebook Business Page.
Here’s an example from Treat Cupcake Bar’s page:
Don’t overlook Facebook’s Call to Action button at the top of the page.
We use the Call to Action button on the Constant Contact Facebook Page to encourage visitors to sign-up for our Hints & Tips newsletter so they can get our best email marketing and social media resources delivered twice each month.
Tip: Find even more ways to grow your email list with Facebook here.
4. Your storefront
If you have a brick and mortar location, every customer that visits is a potential email subscriber.
Set up a pen and paper sign-up sheet in your store and use this simple script to ask for email addresses.
Tip: You can download, customize, and print a sign-up sheet here.
If you have a tablet, you can also download the ListBuilder app to collect email addresses and automatically add them to your account — without having to transfer from a pen and paper sheet. ListBuilder is free and available for both Android and iOS users.
Or, make it easy for people to join your list using their own smartphones and our Text-to-Join tool. Choose a keyword for people to text to a designated number and they will be automatically added to your email list.
You can even create a promotional sign in your Constant Contact account. Here’s an example from Lewisburg Downtown Partnership:
Watch this video to learn how to set up Text-to-Join.
Don’t be afraid to start small.
If you start implementing these tools and tips, you’ll get 100 email contacts in no time.
Don’t be afraid to start sending emails to just a small group. As extendYoga owner, Arlet Koseian explains, sometimes a small email list is the best way to collect feedback early on:
“We started with just friends and family members on our list,” she explains. “That was really great because, in the beginning especially, getting feedback from friends and family is huge. I would send out a preview email to five people and see what they thought.”
With Constant Contact, you’ll also get personal coaching and educational resources so you don’t have to figure everything out on your own. Whether you’re just getting started or have questions later down the road, we’re here to help you.
Sign up for your free 60-day email marketing trial today.
Already have an account? Log in to put it to work!
get started with email marketing,
list building,
list growth
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Tag Archives: political journalism
Scottish Parliament offering placement to ‘news hound’
The Scottish Parliament and the Fife Free Press this week launched a competition offering a week-long placement for one journalism student in Parliament’s Media Tower.
The competition is open to final year and postgraduate journalism students studying at Scottish colleges and universities.
According to a release from Scottish Parliament the winner will get to work alongside top political correspondents and file copy for publication in the Fife Free Press.
Details on the entry process can be found here…
This entry was posted in Politics, Training and tagged political journalism, students, Training, work experience on October 29, 2010 by Rachel Bartlett.
‘I was so exhausted I almost walked away’: Nick Robinson talks about the election
BBC political editor Nick Robinson has admitted he was close to “walking away” from Downing Street before announcing David Cameron as the new Prime Minister because of exhaustion.
Speaking in an interview with BBC College of Journalism, Robinson shares some of the challenges he faced covering the election.
At the end of the five days there was just the sense of total exhaustion. I had planned really to go to bed after staying up for 24 hours on air after polling day closed and suddenly discovered I couldn’t because of all the ups and downs (…)
When it finally came to Gordon Brown leaving Downing Street I remember being so cold and so tired that I actually said to Laura Kuenssberg, ‘you do it’ and she looked at me as if I was completely mad. I was so exhausted that I briefly thought of walking away. But it was a great story to do.
Robinson also discusses how he dealt with surprising exit polls live on air and how he wants to encourage more debate via his blog but first needs to tackle “abusive” comments.
See the full interview here…
This entry was posted in Broadcasting, Politics and tagged BBC, Broadcasting, general election, Nick Robinson, political journalism on August 10, 2010 by Rachel Bartlett.
Parliamentary Press Gallery launches diversity scheme
The Parliamentary Press Gallery has launched a diversity scheme aimed at getting journalists from a black and ethnic minority background into political journalism.
The scheme places the journalists in the role of a temporary member of the Press Gallery, for around three months. Applicants must be from an “established media organisation” which they will be expected to file stories to while on the programme.
You will get a desk, security clearance and a warm welcome. The first few days would include being shown around the facilities for reporters in Parliament and introduced to useful colleagues. The Serjeant at Arms’ department has offered to arrange a tour of Parliament for each person taking part.
The rest is up to you. After a settling-in period, you will need to find fresh news stories to keep your employer happy. There are plenty of reports, interview opportunities, fascinating statistics and lively debates to report at Westminster. The scheme is aimed at self-starters with a mature attitude who can manage their own time, although help and advice will always be close at hand.
This entry was posted in Politics, Training and tagged diversity in the newsroom, ethnic minority journalists, Parliamentary Press Gallery, political journalism, Training on August 3, 2010 by Rachel Bartlett.
‘The day Gordon Brown resigned’: behind-the-scenes at Sky News
Video from Sky News showing how it put together its coverage of Gordon Brown’s resignation and the post-election coalition talks between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.
Video also available at this link…
Related reading: Sky News’ Niall Paterson on “bigotgate” and the parliamentary press pack.
This entry was posted in Broadcasting, Editors' pick, Journalism and tagged Broadcasting, ge2010, general election, political journalism, Politics, Sky News, uk election, Video on June 30, 2010 by Laura Oliver.
BBC College of Journalism blog: The problems with reporting a coalition government
The BBC College of Journalism’s Jon Jacob raises some interesting points about journalists’ coverage of the UK’s new coalition government:
“The coalition is still in its early days. It’s easy to forget how the business of reporting the coalition agreement has overshadowed the true schedule of government business;”
“[S]hould journalists actually continue referencing the government ministers they talk about in their reports – including in vision graphics and on-air announcements – to illustrate how ideologies differ within a coalition government?”
When can the media stop referring to it as a coalition government or is there a danger in doing so?
This entry was posted in Editors' pick and tagged BBC College of Journalism, coalition government, ge2010, Jon Jacob, political journalism, political reporting, Politics, UK government on May 28, 2010 by Laura Oliver.
Independent.co.uk: John Rentoul on how Twitter transforms political reporting
John Rentoul, or @JohnRentoul, chief political commentator for the Independent on Sunday, sums up how he uses Twitter and the impact he believes it has had on political reporting in the UK (managing to avoid the hyperbole of many other love notes to Twitter from journalists):
Most of the time, however, Twitter is like a news service. It is different from social networks in that links are not necessarily mutual. People can choose to follow each other, but the Korean research found that four-fifths of links were one-way. This means that hub Twitterers with a lot of followers act as diffusers of news. When I started on this newspaper as a political reporter in 1995, the main source of UK “breaking news” was the Press Association wire – short bulletins of news, as it happened. Now Twitter fills that gap, as journalists and citizen-reporters let each other know when someone has left their microphone on, or has ruled out standing for the Labour leadership. When Adam Boulton started to lose his temper with Alastair Campbell on live television during the post-election negotiations, people tweeted to tell others to put Sky News on – to catch the best bits. William Hague announced that the talks with the Liberal Democrats were back on on Twitter. It is a way for politicians to speak to – or beyond – the conventional media. But it also offers journalists other ways of reporting.
Full article at this link…
This entry was posted in Editors' pick, Social media and blogging and tagged Independent on Sunday, John Rentoul, microblogging, political journalism, Politics, social networking, Twitter on May 24, 2010 by Laura Oliver.
Charlie Beckett: ‘How do you report a hung parliament?’
POLIS director Charlie Beckett looks at the challenges a hung parliament poses for journalists:
The likelihood of a hung parliament raises all sorts of interesting procedural issues for journalists – especially the BBC and other Public Service Broadcasters. How do you report impartially and proportionately and how do you avoid getting bogged down in procedural detail? And how will our partisan press respond?
Generally, governments are given the dominant position in news coverage and allowed to dictate terms and set agendas because they have the popular mandate. New governments also tend to get a honeymoon period where the media allow them to set out their stall and give them the benefit of the doubt.
This entry was posted in Editors' pick and tagged Charlie Beckett, ge2010, general election, hung parliament, Parliament, political journalism, Politics, uk election on May 10, 2010 by Laura Oliver.
#ge2010 poll: Who were the best tweeters, journalists and bloggers?
Forget about the politicians and their wives, which journalist has done it for you during the general election? In this completely unofficial set of polls, let us know whose coverage you’ve enjoyed the most. If you’ve got notable mentions to add, drop us a line [judith at journalism.co.uk], tweet [@journalismnews] or comment below. Nominations were compiled using our readers’ suggestions – but add your own to the poll too!
This entry was posted in Journalism, Multimedia, Newspapers, Online Journalism, Social media and blogging and tagged Amandon Iannucci, Andrew Sparrow, cathy newman, Channel 4 FactCheck, ge2010, general election, Iain Dale, John Prescott, Malcolm Tucker, mark pack, Nick Robinson, paul waugh, political journalism on May 7, 2010 by Judith Townend.
#ge2010 Who do you think were the journalism winners?
You could be forgiven for forgetting who was at the centre of this general election campaign.
As blogger Max Atkinson noted, the BBC 10 o’clock news ran a seven and a half minute report on Monday’s Citizens UK event, with 22 seconds from each of the leaders’ speeches; and 123 seconds of political editor Nick Robinson. Private Eye reported in its latest issue that one onlooker wasn’t sure which Nick was going to make the speech during one part of the Lib Dem election trail.
And of course, the thought that it might not be Us Wot Won It has sent newspaper journalists and bosses into election influence overdrive: storming newspaper offices and frontpage scaremongering like crazy.
So, forget about the politicians and their wives, which journalist has done it for you during the general election coverage?
Tomorrow morning we’ll be running a few polls to establish just that. But first we need some nominations. Here are the categories:
Best political journalist
Best political blogger
Best political tweeter
Most sycophantic political coverage
Biggest election blunder (journalistic!)
Please comment below, or send nominations by tweet (@journalismnews) or email: judith [at] journalism.co.uk. NB: Category suggestions also welcomed.
This entry was posted in Journalism, Newspapers, Social media and blogging and tagged ge2010, general election, political journalism, polls on May 6, 2010 by Judith Townend.
Armando Iannucci: #bigotgate turned UK media into ‘pack of shrieking gibbons’
Creator of TV political satire The Thick of It, Armando Iannucci on bigotgate and what it says about the UK’s media:
The journalist from Sky News was in some kind of hysterical state of tumescence as he cackled “Gordon Brown’s done a gaffe and we wondered if you’d come on to respond. You’ve got to see it!” on my answering service, and I’m sorry I deleted it rather than release it in to the public domain. The BBC was no less sensationalist in its pokey recording of Brown sitting listening to his own surreptitiously recorded voice played back to him.
It’s at these moments that you stand back and see, not a nation debating its future, but a pack of shrieking gibbons.
Thankfully, though, Bigotgate seems to have had no impact on the polls. This has restored my faith in this election as a sober, sincere and considered affair, though it’s shed a light on what the media machine can do when it’s taken too much Red Bull.
This entry was posted in Editors' pick, Journalism and tagged armando iannucci, bigotgate, ge2010, gillian duffy, Gordon Brown, political journalism, Politics, uk election on May 4, 2010 by Laura Oliver.
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← The Auburn decision, publisher’s note
The Auburn decision: Morehead’s call →
The Auburn decision: McGarity’s call
The least surprising quote from yesterday came from Georgia’s athletic director, whose PR skills never cease to impress.
“Every school advocates for their own desires,” McGarity said. “You get in a room and if there are certain things you want to discuss about moving or changing, there are 14 athletic directors that do that. Everybody advocates for their own. The one thing we don’t do is talk about those conversations. We follow SEC protocol, which is to talk about it in the room when you’re developing schedules.
“There are things we advocate for that nobody ever really knows about. That’s the purpose of going through that exercise. You don’t talk about in public what we talk to the Commissioner (Greg Sankey) and Mark Womack about regarding scheduling. There have been several times they’ve helped us with things that are important to our football coaches.”
This, of course, is fucking laughable. Schools advocate publicly for scheduling changes all the time. That’s what Auburn did in this precise case. LSU’s Joe Alleva has bitched and moaned for years about his school’s cross-division rivalry with Florida, culminating in an ugly public spat when a hurricane disrupted the timing of their game one season.
McGarity is trying to sell the nobility of his silence as a means of avoiding having to explain to us why he accommodated Auburn’s wishes without apparently receiving anything in return. As far as the fan base’s unhappiness with being kept in the dark about making a change to a long-standing tradition goes, well, that’s on us. All Greg has for us is the back of his hand.
McGarity took umbrage with the notion that he had not advocated on behalf of UGA and that this move was orchestrated by Auburn with only its concerns in mind.
We’ve got some nerve.
Tagged as Greg McGarity
31 responses to “The Auburn decision: McGarity’s call”
It’s not that McGarity didn’t advocate the we get two home games from Auburn to make up for the back to back home games we gave Auburn a few years ago. I feel certain he mentioned it. It’s just that he is so weak he got completely run over. McGarity needs to go ASAP. He’s a net loss for for the university and our football program. The Charlie Weiss of ADs.
*as quid pro quo for moving the Auburn game to earlier in the season going forward for Auburn’s benefit.
McGarity: “Y’all okay with playing two in a row at our place? No? Oh well, I understand.”
Dawg1
We were so excited when he “came home” from FU.
What a constant disappointment he has been. Not one decision other than Kirby has worked out. Well, maybe the track coach as well! He’s dang good. The Kupets/Yoculan tandem seems to be moving us back in the right direction in an incredibly competitive situation as well. Kudos for thinking outside the box there.
But as has been said, his ability to foul up day to day business and insult the customer is incredible.
I think you could make an argument that the Kirby decision wasn’t even really his. I’m not any kind of insider at all, but the word on the message boards was that the boosters wanted Kirby and gave McGarity the marching orders to make it happen. And there were even rumors at the time that he was close to screwing it up. AND he hired a search firm after the fact to justify Kirby’s hiring. Dude couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat.
For anyone who believes it was McGatory idea to hire Kirby, I have some beachfront property in Hahira to sell you!
Jack Klompus
He tried and or wanted to hire Mullen instead.
MagnusDawgus
“There have been several times they’ve helped us with things that are important to our football coaches.” This will remain a secret, forever buried.
Swag bags at the SEC Championship DUHH !
I don’t have anything constructive to add other than this is a bunch of bullshit, and I’m pissed about it.
Sounds to me like the SEC demanded the move and instead of forfeiting the FLA bye they swapped UT. Either way its weak play by McGarity
Sorry, but I don’t get your reasoning. Why would the SEC care, and care so much that it would threaten Georgia with that?
Mark David CASTLEBERRY
And if they did I’d expect McGarity to go public with that. He wouldn’t. That’s just my expectation. He has a legacy of accommodating rivals over fighting for our interests. Here’s our odd year SEC home opponents:
– South Carolina, UK, Mizzou, SEC West rotator
Our administration just blew a major chance to improve that by putting Auburn back in the spot they belong.
Move the Tech game to opening weekend.
Make Auburn come to Athens 2 years in a row ASAP – Finebaum says 2025 at earliest.
To ADGM: Grow a set.
So what happens when Auburn demands our spot in the SEC East?
This is a valid question though.
So what happens when Auburn demands our spot in the SEC East? “We have a committee looking into that very matter. The Auburn AD has advocated very strongly for that change.”
Greg McGarity
I don’t care if he is an alum: all those years at FU turned him into Jeremy Foley Jr. Let’s face it, Foley could teach a snake how to be a snake. McGoofus, I might amend is more weasel than snake.
Why we just signed on to another year of his weak leadership I’ll never know. Unless some of those that have influence like having a weak person to influence. If this decision was unforced it was really, really, dumb. You wonder if the reason McGarity doesn’t want to talk about what goes on in “the room” is because he always loses in said negotiation?
As long as the money’s rolling in, McGarity’s good.
You are correct. BM is concerned with cash flow and nothing else. The only reason they care about winning at all is that it makes it easier to charge more and makes fans more willing to donate and buy tickets. Georgia season ticket holders get exactly what they pay for and send the message to BM that they are perfectly happy with the state of athletics at the university.
What negotiations do you speak of ? The suit that represents UGA at the table has one function….”yes sir, May I have another”
I can’t wait for the next McGarity’s Minutes. We took it so hard in the shorts when the conference expanded. Auburn’s wish to move the game was the bargaining chip from heaven to get our schedule balanced out year over year.
I don’t see it on the horizon, but if our attendance / ticket sales ever drop, that would be the first thing to cause the administration to realize our odd # year home schedule blows.
No vision. No balls. No guts. A legacy of accommodation.
Speak of the devil… and McGarity’s minutes shall appear. No mention of moving Auburn of course. You don’t highlight it when you get railroaded.
If you met Greg McG in a dark alley, armed with only your thumb and forefinger in the shape of a gun, he’d still throw his wallet and watch on the ground and run before you could even finish saying “Hand it over.”
The McGarity I know wouldn’t even need that as motivation. I’d just identify myself as being with the NCAA and he’d hand it over freely. 😉
I wonder what it is with the Auburn game. During expansion he floated the idea of not having Auburn on the schedule every year. Now he lets the game get moved.
Why can’t you guys just understand the first rule of SEC AD Meetings…
Apparently, you’re not allowed to talk about how your school benefited either.
UGA '97
We’ve won 13 of last 18…ain’t gonna matter peeps right? 2nd. UGA now has a poker chip on Sankey…so when the time comes and we need Sankey to go to bat for us, then he should….I think he did so during Maurice Smith’s appeal right?
If you think Sankey feels any indebtedness towards Georgia or McGarity I have a bridge I’d like to sell you. McGarity is a complete pushover and Sankey knows it. Tell us the last time McGarity stood up for Georgia’s best interest and the conference backed down.
All Greg has for us is the back of his hand.
…and middle finger raised.
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Creation myths and their cultural functions.
Need help on writing a mythology paper max 1000 words.
I need to apply theories of myth to selected creation myths. I need 3 theories and I neee to compare 2 creation myths and use the theories to explain how each each creation myth functions in the culture in which it is a part. Concluded by reflecting on these theories to help explain the cultural function of myths in general.
https://brainmass.com/history/creation-myths-and-their-cultural-functions-371622
Myth_and_Knowing_Ch01.pdf
I will separate my findings and support into three headings-GENERAL. MYTH 1, and MYTH 2, so you can follow the framework for your final work. The theories will be throughout, whereas the chosen myth in its own section. "compare' usually indicates similarities, and "contrast,' differences. Either way, you will find plenty of both as you read the two myths I have chosen for this analysis.
Such a small question, yet it's one of the biggies! Top three on the "meaning of life" list. I was drawn in, when I remembered that Douglas Adams' "42," was the most coherent answer yet proffered by mankind. (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy). Seriously folks, so many experts have thrown this one around that great quotes abound, for general use in your introduction and conclusion.
First, another from Adams, the "dedication" in Dawkins' "The God Delusion":
'Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to
believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?'
APA-------Dawkins, R. (2006). The God Delusion. London: Bantam Press
generally speaking about myth and its function:
"Myths were held to be
naive explanations of the behaviour of the heavenly bodies, of
the mysterious forces governing the growth of plants, crops,
and cattle, or ofthe entrancing powers behind sexual love and
generation. With the development of more sophisticated
theological and philosophical ideas, these explanations underx
went transformations which frequently involved a change of
the mystery being explained as the mind of man conceived
the powers in question to be more than the sun, the crops, and
the feeling oflove themselves. In other words, the actual stories
remained, but their meanings as well as the names of their
central characters were changed to fit more mature ways of
thinking."
APA------Watts, A. (1954). Myth and Ritual in Christianity. New York: Grove Press
on religion/God/creation myths filling "gaps" in knowledge:
As the American geneticist Jerry Coyne put it in his review of
Behe's book: 'If the history of science shows us anything, it is that
we get nowhere by labelling our ignorance "God".' Or, in the
words of an eloquent blogger, ...
This article comprises an overview of three creation myths, the theories for their use and their functionality within the culture of origin. Expert quotes are used to support the myth-function connection, including Alan Watts, Richard Dawkins and Douglas Adams.
Myths and Culture
Creation Myths and Theories of Myth
Theories of Myth: Mythography
How the Presocratics were Challenged
Medical, Legal, Ethical and Cultural Definitions of Death
Goddess Myths
Culture & Social Order in Ancient Civilizations
Vygotsky's Theory - Lower to Higher Functioning
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Marketing / 1 month ago
How to define a brand through 'face' value
Celebrity association has been a proven strategy of creatively breaking through the clutter and consumers even show higher recall of products being promoted by a celebrity regardless of the fact whether they idolize that particular celebrity or not.
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With their technologically aided campaigns, they have been successful in increasing the ROI on the marketing spends for their clients...
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It’s 100% paraben and sulfate free, with natural ingredients, not tested on animals, it added
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Smart Entertainment appoints Preeti Malhotra as chairman of the company and board
Executive director for Smart Group, Preeti has worked with the enterprise for 3 decades and displayed exemplary leadership skills
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The elevator programme is also open for the established startups between 2–5 years of operations
Media / 12 months ago
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Besides the traditional media such as TV and cinema, new-age digital platforms such as over-the-top (OTT) services would play a key role, said an Assocham-PwC joint study
India's luxury market to cross $30 billion by year-end: Assocham
The chamber pointed out that economic growth, leading to urbanisation and higher disposable incomes, has helped propel growth of luxury goods
Despite needing reforms, direct selling sector may touch Rs. 159 billion by 2021
The direct selling industry has almost doubled since 2011 to reach Rs 126.2 billion in 2016, a study said.
Indian ICT revenue to touch $225 billion by 2020: Assocham
Currently, the sector's revenue stands at USD 164.3 billion
E-commerce market in India may cross $50 billion mark in 2018: Study
The digital commerce market in India has grown steadily from USD 19.7 billion in 2015 to USD 13.6 billion in 2014, as per a joint study conducted by Assocham and Deloitte
Digital ad spends may touch Rs. 13,000 crore mark by Dec 2018: Survey
Citing the 2016 data, the report said the digital ad spend was estimated at around Rs. 7,500 crore at 2016-end
Rural FMCG market to reach $220 billion by 2025: Study
In the light of this, making their products available to customers sitting in far and wide corners of the country waiting to be serviced was the next big challenge before large FMCG companies, the study said
Average family to spend Rs. 10,000 on this Diwali: ASSOCHAM survey
About 68 per cent families to spend in the range of Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 on the occasion of Diwali which is slightly lower than the last year, a quick survey by ASSOCHAM-Social Development Foundation (ASDF)
Online sales may surpass Rs. 30,000 crore this festive month: ASSOCHAM
The rise of high-speed internet has enabled more people from smaller towns to come online and buy goods this year
Indians are spending more time on social media than on newspapers and TV, claims this study
Based on an analysis of responses from just 235 families, the industry body claimed that Indians residing in big cities are now spending less than half the time reading newspapers and watching television as compared to 3-4 years ago
'Beauty conscious' Indian men boost skin care market
A rising aspiration among Indian men to look better groomed has led to this market's rapid growth of more than 42% in the last five years
Stay alert if you don't wanna cry: Even mobile wallets can be pick-pocketed
As harried smartphone users look to protect their devices and e-wallets, anti-virus companies laugh all the way to the bank
FMCG: Got room for one more?
Marketing experts address the myth of FMCG saturation
If losses of India’s top 3 e-comm giants fueled rockets, ISRO could go to Mars 24 times
Despite claims of cutting costs and getting their strategies right, losses for Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal this year doubled compared to previous year
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NBA Playoffs 2019: Philadelphia 76ers centre Joel Embiid listed as 'doubtful' for Game 4 vs. Brooklyn Nets
The Philadlelphia 76ers could be without Joel Embiid for Game 4 against the Brooklyn Nets as he continues to battle left knee tendinitis.
By Benyam Kidane
(NBA Getty Images) https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/77/b2/embiid_13ynpsfgfjs3r1v2xnc3361o6o.jpg?t=213241608&w=500
The Philadelphia 76ers took care of the Brooklyn Nets in Game 3, 131-115, to take a 2-1 series lead and it looks like they will have to try and do it again without All-Star big man Joel Embiid.
Joel Embiid (left knee) is doubtful for Game 4.
- Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) April 19, 2019
After missing Game 3, Embiid has officially been listed as 'doubtful' for Game 4 on the NBA's official injury report as he continues to battle left knee tendinitis, which caused him to miss 14 games after the All-Star break.
Takeaways: Simmons explodes for career night in Brooklyn as 76ers take 2-1 series lead
In his absence, Ben Simmons stood tall, pouring in a playoff career-high 31 points, while Tobias Harris and JJ Redick lit it up from the 3-point line as Philly regained home-court advantage in the series.
Head coach Brett Brown told reporters at practice today that his "gut feel" is that the All-Star big man won't play, but they aren't yet ruling him out.
Embiid put up some 3s at practice in some Ugg slides before going through an individual workout. If he isn't ready to go, we will likely see more minutes from Greg Monroe, who started in Game 3, and Boban Marjanovic.
Joel Embiid practicing in Uggs 👀
(via @Krisplashed)pic.twitter.com/qJSz4Zhmtf
- NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 19, 2019
The duo combined for 23 points and 21 rebounds in Game 3, with Simmons spending some time at the five as well.
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UAW president Gary Jones resigns as union prepares to oust him
Autoblog November 20, 2019
DETROIT — United Auto Workers President Gary Jones has resigned, effective immediately, his attorney says.
The move comes shortly after the union’s international executive board filed paperwork to oust Jones and regional director Vance Pearson.
Both men have been implicated in a wide-ranging federal bribery and embezzlement scandal at the union. Pearson has been charged, but Jones has not.
Attorney Bruce Maffeo in New York says Jones made the decision to step down before learning of the move to oust him. Maffeo says he did so to let the union focus on its core mission of improving the lives of members and their families.
The UAW said on Wednesday it had filed charges under its bylaws against Jones, accusing him of "false, misleading and inaccurate expense records" and saying those charges could lead to his removal from his elected office and expulsion from the union.
Earlier this month the union said Jones was taking a paid leave of absence.
The union also filed similar charges against UAW board member Pearson, who faces federal charges of conspiring to embezzle union funds.
An attorney for Pearson, N. Scott Rosenblum, did not immediately comment on Wednesday.
"This is a somber day, but our UAW Constitution has provided the necessary tools to deal with these charges," acting UAW president Rory Gamble said in a statement. "We are committed at the UAW to take all necessary steps including continuing to implement ethics reforms and greater financial controls to prevent these type of charges from ever happening again."
Since taking over as the union's acting president, Gamble has announced a series of ethics reforms to clean up the UAW.
To date, 10 people have pleaded guilty in connection with the criminal investigation into illegal payoffs.
Earlier this month, former UAW vice president and former General Motors board member Joseph Ashton was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud.
The probe has also involved a number of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles executives.
Earlier on Wednesday GM filed a racketeering lawsuit against FCA, alleging that its rival bribed United Auto Workers (UAW) union officials over many years to corrupt the bargaining process and gain advantages, costing GM billions of dollars.
The lawsuit comes at a delicate time for FCA, which is working on a planned merger with French automaker PSA <PEUP.PA> and is negotiating a four-year labor contract with the UAW.
Material from Reuters was used in this report.
Don't close ports to migrants, pope says after Salvini case
Man who molested nursing home patient has acquittal reversed
South Korean military to discharge first transgender soldier in landmark case
Man wearing Donald Trump mask jailed after hiding near estranged dad’s allotment armed with knives
Dior presents feminist collection on runway shaped like a womb created by artist Judy Chicago
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Kevin Hart shocked he survived car crash
Updated: September 20, 2019 9:37 AM MDT
'Arrow' star Stephen Amell suffers panic attack during podcast
Steve Harvey's stepdaughter pleads not guilty in hit-and-run case
Oprah defends decision to exit #MeToo doc: 'This is not a victory for Russell (Simmons)'
Maren Morris hits back at critics of her baby bump photos
Kevin Hart has returned home to rehab the major back injuries he suffered in a car crash earlier this month.
According to TMZ.com, Hart, who was released from hospital last week to an in-patient rehab facility, is now back home and receiving intensive physical therapy.
Sources close to Hart tell the website he has viewed photos of the horror crash in his 1970 Plymouth Barracuda on the Mulholland Highway in Calabasas, Calif., and can’t believe he, the driver, or the other passenger in his car survived. He reportedly suffered three spinal fractures that required fusion.
Kevin Hart sued by sex tape partner
The comedian spent 10 days in the hospital under heavy pain medication and was then transferred to an in-patient facility, but is home now and working with a physical therapist.
TMZ editors report he is still in pain, but has stopped taking painkilling medication as they “knocked him out.”
Doctors have reportedly assured him he’ll make a full recovery, and the Ride Along star is taking a break before getting back to new projects to complete his rehabilitation.
Hart is apparently grateful to be alive and has “a new perspective on life.”
An insider tells the website: “He really cherishes the fact that he’s alive, and wants to make the most of it in every respect. The crash had a huge impact on him.”
Stories, pictures and tributes to life. View and place obituaries, and more.
The faster, fresher and greener way to shop flyers.
Canada’s Largest Print and Online Classifieds Network
Employment Opportunities!
New and Used Car Reviews.
One person dead in Fort Macleod crash
Teen from Siksika Nation dead in rollover crash
Motorcyclist remains in critical condition after collision
Bell: Kenney rides to the rescue on drug sites
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Brian Aldiss talks about his flirtations with the movie industry.
1. The Financial Carpet Gets Beaten
British cinema has an uneven history behind it, and possibly ahead of it as well. American cinema – with its guns and its superb confidence in narrative – is, of course, the world-beater. There, I am glad to say, I have on occasions been able to assist it to fame and fortune, without achieving either for myself.
In my time, I. have worked with or against four powerful American directors and producers, Cy Endfield, Roger Corman, Ileen Maisel, and Stanley Kubrick. The experiences have been fun – can you, have hard fun? – without changing either the course of history or their minds – if not for glory, then for some profit.
Being a film fan is one way of extending adolescence into old age. Why do we watch some movies over and over, if not to stay the passing years? In 1965, I had seen the film “Zulu” more than once, when I received a phone call from its director, Cy Endfield. Would I care to meet with him? I would.
Cy lived comfortably in Thurloe Square, in the busy heart of London. He was a bouncy plump man, though no more plump, I suppose, than I have since become. He was riding high with the tremendous success of “Zulu”, as well he might.
“Zulu” is a wonderful film, a man’s film. It begins well with the dance of the near- naked, full-breasted Zulu maidens, and then shifts to about an hour and a half of carnage, as the beleagured British garrison of Rorke’s Drift fends off thousands of native attackers. When our family used to visit another family every Christmas, the division of the sexes became apparent. Men and boys rushed into one room to watch “Zulu” on TV, while the women and girls congregated in another room to discuss – well, cookery, perhaps.
Later in the day, we played charades. Our team did a popular charade on the name “Zu-lu” (two syllables).
Cy Endfield had had a difficult career. He had spent many years in Hollywood. He deemed it best to retreat to England during the years of Joe McCarthy’s witch hunt for Un- American Activities. In England, he made some rather B-featurish movies, such as “Hell Drivers” in 1958. In this feature, rival lorry-drivers chase each other, doing at least 45 m.p.h. round a series of British B roads. One of the drivers is Stanley Baker, often described as classless’, with whom Cy struck up a partnership. Baker took the heroic starring role in “Zulu”, co-producing with Cy. “Zulu”, incidentally, gave Michael Caine his first big chance as an actor.
Chatting with Cy, I found he was an avid SF reader. My novel, “Hothouse” (“The Long Afternoon of Earth”) was his favourite. Cy had heard that Stanley Kubrick was making “2001: A Space Odyssey”, eventually to have its premiere in 1968. Cy was a fast operator. He wanted to bring out an SF movie before Kubrick did, possibly to ride on its coat tails.
His idea was for a movie to be called “Only Tomorrow”. He talked and talked. I was the man he needed to write the screenplay. I said, No, sorry, Cy. I’m really too busy. My absurd ambition was to be a novelist.
I had just returned from a long stay in Jugoslavia, as it was then, and needed to get back into the incomprehensible flow of English life.
In the autumn of 1965, I was Guest of Honour at the 25th World SF Convention in London. My GoH speech was given in a large crowded hall. As I was talking, double doors in a distant wall opened. A short and stubby figure stood there. He raised a rectangle of paper above his head.
After my speech, this figure made its way through milling fans, to flaunt the rectangle. It was a cable from one of Hollywood’s moguls, Joseph E. Levine. It guaranteed Cy a financial carpet for the making of “Only Tomorrow” with figures usually connected with distances to nearby stars: thirty million dollars, I believe it was.
“Now will you work with me?”, Cy asked.
The adrenalin was running high in any case. I said Yes, even as I signed my name in another tattered old paperback copy of “Bow Down to Nul”.
Here’s my excuse. I had just endured an expensive divorce in the law courts, engaging John Mortimer as Q.C. Perhaps I have appeared, disguised, in a minor and unhappy role in one of the episodes of Mortimer’s long-running TV series, “Rumpole of the Bailey”.
The Endfieldian idea on which I had agreed to work was basically a thriller set in the future. These gangs of aliens have landed on the dark side of the Moon. They planned to conquer Earth. They have set up a secret Earth base behind a Chinese laundry in New York. The base was being infiltrated by our hero. Hero to be played by Stanley Baker, no doubt. I persuaded myself it had promise.
Thus far in the plot I had reached, working in both Thurloe Square and at home in Oxford. One day, Cy said, “I’ve changed my mind. Scrap this Chinese laundry bit in New York. Let’s have this base a really big show-place office, all chrome and glitter, in Los Angeles. Okay?”
“You want me to scrap the Chinese laundry?”
“Sure. It doesn’t make sense.”
I started again.
Cy often changed his mind. He phoned me once to say he had found he could rent the Golden Gate Bridge for only ten thousand dollars an hour. And the car to be blown up there was going to be a Daimler, not a Rolls Royce.
It was not easy to work with Cy. But working with other people was never a picnic. That was why I valued my precious independence as a writer. Why I got into these situations is another question. I swear it was not really the money. Thirty million could not be a real figure.
At the end of 1965, when my divorce came through, I married Margaret Manson. I was still involved with the screenplay of “Only Tomorrow”. Cy came bursting in one day. “You were in India, Brian?”
When I said I was, he produced a dog-eared script printed in blue ink on blue folio paper. It proved to be the screenplay for a film about the building of the Taj Mahal – “the world’s greatest love story”. All we had to do was a quick re-write, ‘a face-lift’, and go out to India for – was it six months? A real quickie! A money-spinner if ever there was one. We could finish “Only Tomorrow” afterwards.
“Cy, I’m newly married. I cannot possibly leave Margaret.”
“Bring her along. Maybe we can find a part for her.”
It could not be. Hot climates were no friends of Margaret’s. And the script was immeasu reably terrible. But immeasureably.
By 1969, Cy and I were still wrestling with “Only Tomorrow”. I used to drive round London in a Rolls with Cy and Stanley Baker, who seemed rather a gloomy old thing. Cy’s latest movie was being prepared for showing. Margaret and I were invited to a private cinema in Mayfair for an early preview. Drinks were served. Plush was the word. It was like an upper crust porn movie house. Many big names from the film world were present. Joseph E.Levine had sent a deputy.
The lights went down. The screen lit. We watched, in some dismay, “Sands of the Kalahari”. Harry Andrews, Susannah York, and Derek Nimmo were involved. Stanley Baker had to wrestle a baboon. One of those baboons with which the Kalahari desert is notoriously infested. Now I understood why Baker looked so gloomy.
By the end of the movie, Levine’s golden carpet was slithering away from under our feet with a tinkle of ice cubes. I breathed again.
Poor Cy! But it was interesting to see how these things were done. Without finesse. I was to witness a similar bouleversement again.. See next week’s thrilling episode.
In 1970, the first novel of my trilogy about sex, adolescence, and war, “The Hand- Reared Boy”, was published, to soar to the top of the best-seller lists. At one of the many riotous parties which marked the glowing fag-end of the sixties, I encountered Lindsay Anderson. He had made that classic of British cinema, “This Sporting Life”, starring Richard Harris, yet was always to find funding for his next film difficult – one of the curses of film-making in Britain at that time. Lindsay told me that he and John Osborne were eager to make “Hand-Reared Boy” into a film; but when the censor was approached on the matter, he advised against it. No masturbation on camera. Ah, those dear dead days! Lindsay made “O Lucky Man!” instead.
John Osborne told me that he wanted Jill Bennett to play the school matron.
“O Lucky Man!”, that vastly entertaining film, has a wonderful cast, including Ralph Richardson, Rachel Roberts (late of “That Sporting Life”), Arthur Lowe, Helen Mirren, Graham Crowden, Dandy Nichols, Mona Washborne, and Alan Price and his group. Also two actors who were later employed in Kubrick’s films, Malcolm McDowell and Philip Stone.
In the book of the film which Anderson wrote with David Sherwin, mention is made in Sherwin’s foreword of the fate of “Hand-Reared Boy”.
“What did you think of it?”, asks Anderson.
“I loved the book. I told you. But I thought it would be impossible to make,” Sherwin replies.
“But if it were made it would make a fortune.”
Clearly, I was being typecast. The conditional tense was to be my lot.
As for the future tense, my marriage brought me a new burst of creativity. I was writing a novel a year, as well as short stories. Most of this crop was science fiction. My books were being translated and published all over the world. Summertime, and the livin’ was easy…. Yet being labelled “science fiction writer” had its shortcomings. I was a writer, and a creative one. If you add adjectives to the noun, you become a lesser thing, be it sports writer, crime writer, or whatever.
My writing did not receive sufficient recognition. So I thought. So I still do. So does many a writer. Like a horse, it comes with the turf.
Not that we don’t have our preferences. When I met Penelope Lively, she said, “My son reads all your books.”
To which I replied, “My wife reads all yours.”
We burst into laughter. Like kissing, reading goes by favour.
Not only was I wary of the label. I was bored by the lack of understanding shown by many in the SF world. My SF novels were non-generic. “Report on Probability A” and “Barefoot in the Head” were received with hostility, by and large. I got a letter signed God, postmark Reigate, which cursed me in no uncertain terms. Reigate obviously had a bad effect on the Almighty’s temper. I considered leaving the SF field to write renegade ‘mainstream’ novels. Then I met B. S. Johnson.
Johnson was a rather depressed renegade author. He wore shabby grey suits, which heightened the sense of depression. His novel “Trawl” won the Somerset Maugham Award. He then went on to write his ‘novel in a box’, “The Unfortunates”, the sections of which could be shuffled, to demonstrate the random nature of experience. Randomness or not, one of the pleasures for readers down the centuries has been to follow the continuity of narrative, with life for its characters hurrying by at a pace even more brisk than those of us embedded in the real world experience, and turning the pages.
Anyhow, Far Thing Films, operated by a charming rich youth whose name has long escaped me, hired Johnson to write a screenplay of my novel, “Greybeard”. More riding about London in cars. This time a Bentley. More eating in restaurants I would never have visited under my own steam. I read some of Johnson’s screenplay. It was very original. The screen was often to go blank for a minute or more.
Johnson must have known what he was doing. He had had several projects filmed for BBC TV and the British Film Institute, including one excitingly entitled, “Up Yours Too, Guillaume Apollinaire!”
But “Greybeard” was never filmed. The screenplay was never finished. Johnson committed suicide in 1973. Maybe it was something I said.
1973 was the year my possible intended gesture of farewell to SF was published. “Billion Year Spree” was a record of the sort of writing which, in all my life, gave me the most profound and unembarrassed pleasure. It provided a refuge throughout early youth. The book, in particular a footnote in the book, led to my meeting with Stanley Kubrick.
My Life Outside the Movies was originally published as a series of articles in The Guardian,
the version published here has been re-written and expanded by the author.
2. The Long Afterglow of Earthly Hopes
Robert Abel Associates is not the best-known name in the film world. However, during the sixties-seventies, my relations with this Hollywood company were extremely cordial. Which is to say that they paid me regular sums of money, annually renewing options on my novel “Hothouse”.
Indeed, the company at one time suggested they should pay me more, to keep pace with inflation. I raised no objection.
Another company of which I knew nothing took out an option on “Non-Stop”. I assumed that this company intended to make a movie from my story of interstellar travel gone wrong. But no. As I was to learn later, the company was a shadow Kubrick organisation, simply gobbling up – for low cost – any property which might be seen to offer opposition to Stanley’s “2001”.
Robert Abel were not like that. Robert Abel himself had a partner, a science fiction fan of long-standing, called Carl Pederson. They had devised between them a slave camera device, with which they fully intended to make a main feature animated movie of “Hothouse”. All they needed was sufficient finance for lift off. They financed themselves, meanwhile, by making ingenious commercials. The famous one was the Coke bottle exploding out of ice.
Carl’s wife was a good commercial artist. She designed a modern version of the famous Columbia trade mark, the vestal virgin with a torch. Her design has now been replaced by a more teen-friendly lady. Nothing lasts. We should not expect it to be otherwise.
When I was in Hollywood, I discovered how dedicated the Associates were. They came to dine with me on the Starlight Roof of the Beverley Hills Hilton, and showed me their storyboard. They spread before me beautiful designs for my strange future world, the Age of Vegetables, Nature green in tooth and claw, when the Earth has ceased to rotate and the sunlit side of the world is covered by one mighty tree. The partners’ children were as familiar with the Hothouse characters, Gren and the rest, as were the progeny of Tolkien addicts with Frodo and Middle Earth.
Although I certainly did hope to see the completed movie, my peculiar disposition ensured that I never desired to climb a mountain; I just wanted to write myself out of a hole.
This worry-free situation was not to last. Eventually, the Abel operation collapsed. The organisation had designed the computer graphics for the Disney film “Tron”. On the success of this movie depended the making – at last – of “Hothouse, The Movie”. My son Tim and I went to the American Embassy in Berkley Square to a preview of “Tron”. Unfortunately, this was 1982, when “Tron” faced major SF opposition in the cinemas. “Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan”, “Blade Runner”, and “ET” – not to mention “Jekyll and Hyde… Together Again” – were all showing that year. “Tron” never made it. It never made “Hothouse”.
And what exactly was I doing in Hollywood, dining friends on the Starlight Roof, living high on the hog? I was witness on a case which never came to trial. Shortly after the first of George Lucas’s “Star Wars” movies appeared, Universal brought out “Battlestar Galactica”. Lucas and Fox sued for plagiarism. But Universal’s defence lawyers looked up a definition I had given of ‘space opera’ in a book of that name, some years earlier.
The definition reads in part:
The Earth must be in peril… Space must flow past the ports like wine from a pitcher. Blood must run down the palace steps, and ships launch out into the louring dark. There must be a woman fairer than the skies and a villain darker than a Black Hole. And all must come right in the end…
The “Space Opera” anthology was published in 1973. It defined an existing genre. So there could be no case for plariarisation. A Western director cannot sue another Western director for plagiarisation just because cowboys jump onto horses and shoot each other; it is generic that they should do that.
Universal offered me untold wealth to stay with the Starlight Roof and be their witness. I had the stature, the English accent, the greying sideburns. They needed me. But I wanted to get home to my family.
And I had no wish to watch more bad space movies back-to-back in an elegant little flick house on the Universal lot. My eyes had to be pinned open like McDowell’s in “Clockwork Orange”.
Eventually, the plagiarism suit was settled out of court. The greying sideburns were not required.
By that time, I had other matters to attend to. I was writing my “Helliconia” novels and I had met Stanley Kubrick. The sideburns greyed even further.
It says something about either my altruism or my idiocy that I pressed Stanley to film a novel of Philip K.Dick’s I admired, “Martian Time-Slip”. This novel, written in the sixties, possessed my imagination, not least because I saw how it could be brought up to date without altering the plot structure. Like, you could not longer credibly have autochthonous Martians, but you could replace them with Tibetans.
Stanley simply swept my suggestion out of the way. No discussion. No time to be wasted.
I did not give up on Phil Dick. Dick was a friend and a wonderfully creative man. I wasted much time and effort trying to get “Time-Slip” screened. In that endeavour, I was assisted by Frank Hatherley, an Australian buddy. Frank and I first met in July of 1975 when, in collaboration with the writer Robin Chapman, I wrote “Hot Local and Galactic News” for BBC TV. Frank was our script editor.
In those days, BBC plays went out live. Tape was costly. Robin and I met on the Monday. The play was cast as we wrote it, and rehearsed as we wrote it, sets were built as we wrote it, and the complete package was transmitted on the Saturday evening. It was great for the adrenalin. Afterwards, a fantastic party, everyone smashed to the nines.
Later, when Frank became independent, I hired him as my media agent. It was Frank’s idea to put together an evening revue we called “SF Blues”, playlets and sketches compiled from my writings. With me in the cast were Ken Campbell and the glamorous Petronilla Whitfield, both experienced in thespian lore. Frank stage-managed. Margaret was in charge of the front-of-house.
“SF Blues” was an intoxicating hobby. We toured it all round England – though never in my home town, Oxford, till the year 2000 – and in Germany and Holland at that unforgettable World Con. One of the items we found most popular was “Super-Toys Last All Summer Long”. It had appeared originally as a short story in “Harper’s Bazaar” in 1969, designed for Christmas reading.
Frank and I put in a proposal to BBC TV for a televised version of Phil Dick’s novel. We met with Michael Wearing, who was then, if memory serves, in charge of Serial Drama. He wanted to be convinced that the idea of humans living on Mars was not fantasy.
That serious approach was much to my taste.
I wrote Wearing a little paper on how we could soon journey to Mars, and what might then happen in the way of terraforming. And of how sectors of Mars might come under the jurisdiction of various United Nations states. And of how Tibetans might be induced to go to Mars as indentured labour, being bereft of a country and accustomed to rarified atmosphere – and be rather badly treated by white colonists.
Wearing was convinced. Frank and I were commissioned to write a screenplay in five parts, fifty-five minutes a part. Two hundred and seventy-five minutes air time! Wow!
What luxury! A real spread at last for serious SF, based on psychology rather than gimmicry…
We had a good script editor, Susan Hogg, who worked with Wearing. Sue was entirely supportive and never made anything but sensible suggestions.
The discipline of writing for the small screen, paring away words and details, was pleasureable. Like having your hair cut to the bone. Frank and I collaborated with a will. We delivered an outline of the five parts. Eventually, after long afternoons spent in dusty class rooms, working with a whiteboard, and evenings with a computer, we drew up an outline of the entire thing and put the first episode together. We sent it to Wearing without a qualm.
It was rejected. Wearing’s position in the BBC had altered. We never heard from him directly. We learnt, however, that he was now looking for something with ‘contemporary relevance’. As if Tibetans and exploitation were an irrelevance. So yet another cop show went on in our spot.
However, we did not give up on “Martian Timeslip”. We knew we had a terrific drama to offer. At that time, a lady called Ileen Maisel had been appointed head of Paramount UK. Frank and I went to see Ileen in Wardour Street.
Ileen’s office buzzed with elegant little ladies all phoning busily or clicking away at computers. Ileen herself wore black leather and sat rocking in a rocking chair. She was a quick-minded woman, a striking figure. She took us to an exclusive restaurant in the recesses of Kensington, known only to high-flying Americans, where we discussed terms.
Her first project was a remake of “Jane Eyre”, filmed on a tip outside London, near Staines, I believe. The movie preoccupied her, but she really liked “Martian Time-Slip”.
So one morning, bright and early, Frank and I were strolling down Wardour Street, going to see Ileen and actually about to sign a contract…
Frank popped into a newsagent on the way to buy a copy of “Variety”. I couldn’t think how he could let himself be distracted.
He came from the shop glaring at the journal.
“Ileen’s been sacked!”, he said.
And there it was. Seemed “Jane Eyre” had flopped. Sudden death had happened.
The Paramount offices, when we entered, were tomblike. The young ladies of Paramount sat quiet. No phone rang, no computer clicked. Some young ladies were reading the Appointments Vacant columns of newspapers.
Ileen was looking mildly vexed. “The bastards didn’t even call to tell me. I had to read it in ‘Variety’ myself. Sorry, guys! Some other time…”
Frank returned to Australia.
All this while, life went happily along. Show Bizz was not taken too seriously. My novel, “Frankenstein Unbound” was optioned by Roger Corman. After twenty years away from directing, Roger decided to make a come back. “Frankenstein Unbound” had already been well received, and had been dramatised on BBC Radio London. I played Victor Frankenstein. It made an LP in the States.
Roger Corman and his able producer, Kobi Jaeger, came to dine with Margaret and the family at our house on Boars Hill, outside Oxford. Both were pleasant and witty men. At the end of the meal, I said, “When you’ve got “Frankenstein” in the can, you’ll have to film the sequel – “Dracula Unbound”.”
Roger said cordially, “You write it, I’ll film it.” This was in 1989.
What a courteous and generous man Roger is. He paid for Margaret and the children and me to stay in a hotel on the shores of Lake Como, to watch some of the filming. We had roisterous nights with John Hurt and Bridgit Fonda, while Charlotte, our youngest, fell for Michael Hutchence, who played P. B. Shelley.
One element of Roger’s script particularly worried me, and still does. John Hurt, as Bodenland, travels from the future back to 1818, where he finds a trial in progress. The screenplay has him entering the courtroom. There he sees Mary Shelley (Bridget Fonda) in court. He asks a bystander, “Is that Mary Shelley?”
The bystander replies, “Yes, she’s Lord Byron’s whore”.
But Mary was no such thing. She fended off Byron’s advances. When I pointed this out to Roger, he said, lightly, “But the bystander is a parson. No one is going to believe a parson.”
John Hurt and I did rather a lot of drinking off set. On one occasion I became convinced I was Frankenstein’s monster. Grappa plays such tricks. I admired Roger’s patience when filming. How calm he was. And a good tennis player.
Roger’s movie was first shown in 1990. We all went up to a cinema in Leicester Square to see it. Apart from us, there were six people in the audience. Although I wrote “Dracula Unbound” first as a screenplay, then as a novel, it never got filmed. Such is destiny.
I was fortunate in persuading Roger and his wife, Julie, along as Guests of Honour at the Conference of the Fantastic in Florida.
I mentioned “Dracula Unbound” to Roger. He said, “It’s too expensive for me, Brian. I’m a cheapo outfit!”
A more exquisite rejection I never had. I thought, if only Roger had Kubrick’s genius – and Kubrick had Roger’s unabrasive nature.
One must never be disappointed. The future has more surprises to come. One should always be grateful if one’s book is filmed.
There are many reasons for being in the film trade, not all of them artistic. You are more likely to meet pretty actresses if you work in movies. Bridget Fonda is very attractive. Tim took a photo of me gazing lasciviously at Miss Fonda. We christened the shot with a spoonerism on the John Cleese movie of the time, “A Wish Called Fonda”.
But working with Stanley Kubrick was a more serious matter.
3. A Sojourn at Castle Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick’s reputation rests, not only on his films, but on his seeming isolation and determined independence. No other director has managed so successfully to stand outside the Hollywood system – and flourish. Little wonder his name is legendary.
Stanley never rested on such laurels as were accorded him. He worked hard and obsessively until the day he died.
I saw an example of this independence when the top brass of Warner Brothers wished to meet Kubrick. Pleading a hatred of flying, Kubrick got the top brass, on whose financial support he relied, to come over to London. Once there, the executives invited him down to meet them at the Cumberland hotel. Kubrick said he was too busy. So Warner Brothers made a further trip to St Albans to meet him.
The treatment of his servants was stamped by the same self-regard: genial but exacting. Kubrick expected other to work hard, as he worked himself hard. His dedication was admirable, heroic.
Kubrick’s early films are rather second rate, thrillers cast in familiar mode, until he produces “Paths of Glory” in 1957. Then follow “Spartacus” and the weird and wonderful “Lolita”. It is in 1964 that his indisputable misanthropic masterpiece, “Dr Strangelove”, appears. From then on, the course is set, with “2001”, followed by “A Clockwork Orange”, a film appearing every four or five years – dazzling films of various kinds.
Variety was one of the qualities I valued, being a restless man myself. I admired many of the films and the legend. However, it was more in a spirit of mischief than a quest for truth that I dubbed him – admittedly only in a footnote on p.261 of “Billion Year Spree” – “the great SF writer of the age”.
To praise Kubrick was to snub those egotists in the SF field who regarded themselves as the greatest writers of the age.
Kubrick bought my book. So he happened to see the footnote. He rang me. We got talking. We met up in July 1976, when we had lunch at a restaurant in Boreham Wood, to talk movies and SF, and drink. Kubrick appeared in Che Guevara guise: boots, jungle greens, beret crammed over curly hair, beard. The likeness was striking.
Stanley’s knowledge of SF was impressive – the typical reading material of an intellectually bright but poor New York kid.
“Barry Lyndon” had been released the previous year. Although the photography is of unparalleled beauty, its perfect cut-glass frigidity had not proved to be to the popular taste. In Cameron Crowe’s book, “Conversations with Billy Wilder”(1999), Wilder remarks, apropos technique, “[Kubrick] worked six months trying to find a way to photograph somebody by candlelight, not artificial light. And nobody really gives a shit whether it is by candlelight or not”. But Kubrick did give a shit. It was giving a shit that made him a great director. His attention to detail was magnificant, scary!
Perhaps Kubrick was in a dilemma as to what to film next, following “Barry Lyndon”. Our relationship was cordial; we met for one or two tunches over the years. He was always most genial. This was when I unwisely tried to persuade him to film Philip Dick’s “Martian Time-Slip”.
Margaret and I drove over to Castle Kubrick a couple of times, to lunch with Stanley and his artist wife, Christiane, whose bright canvases lit many a wall. Stanley liked actors. They were so clever. He thought Peter Sellars was a genius. He built up a casual repertory of actors he liked, such as Sterling Hayden, Philip Stone, Leonard Rossiter, and Sellars.
“You don’t need this bit of dialogue,” he said on one occasion. “A good actor can convey all that just with a look.”
While filming Stephen King’s novel, “The Shining”, he was necessarily elusive. He surfaced again in August 1982, referring in a letter to our previous lunch when “we spent most of the time talking about “Star Wars” and why fairly dumb stories might really be an art form. What has remained with me, however, is the persistent belief that the short story (i.e., my “Super-Toys Last All Summer Long”) is a fine beginning for a longer story, though, sadly, I have had no further ideas about how it could be developed. Anyway, I begin to think the old subsconscious doesn’t really begin to work on something which it doesn’t own…
This was when he made me an offer for “Supertoys”. One sees with hindsight that, ironically, owning the story made no difference. Neither he, nor anyone who worked on it, could think how it might be developed. The reason is simple: my story is a vignette, complete in itself. Any logical development should be inward, towards the psyche, not outwards towards the stars.
At that time, I was writing my “Helliconia” novels. And I had developed PVFS (post- viral fatigue syndrome). Nevertheless, the family urged me on. I signed a complex contract in November of 1982, after much to-ing and fro-ing among agents. The signatory of the Hobby Films contract was that of Jan Harlan, Stanley’s brother-in-law and producer.
Every day, a limo would come to my door on Boars Hill, and Emilio D’Alessandro would drive me to Castle Kubrick, Stanley’s Blenheim-sized pad. Stanley had been up half the night, wandering his great desolate rooms choked with apparatus. He would materialise in a rumpled way. “Let’s have some fresh air, Brian.”
We would open a door onto his rolling acres. Stanley would light up a cigarette. We would stroll forward, half the distance of a cricket pitch, with Stanley puffing away. “That’s enough,” he would say. Back in we would go for the day. It was a kind of joke. Our relationship was also kind of joking. Stanley was great company.
Rather ominously, when I first went to work with him, he gave me a beautifully illustrated copy of the story of “Pinocchio”. I could not or would not see the parallels between my five-year old android and the wooden creature who becomes human. It emerged that Stanley wanted David to become human, and wanted, too, to have the Blue Fairy materialise. Never consciously rewrite old fairy stories, I’d say.
For a while all went well. I wrote a linking episode called “Taken Out” in February ’83 and faxed it to him overnight. He rang me, full of enthusiasm. S: It’s just brilliant. I’m so thrilled. The way to do SF must be to tell it as if it’s just ordinary, with nothing that needs to be explained. B: In other words, you treat the reader as if he also is part of the future world you’re describing. S: I guess so, you just don’t go into all the gory scientific detaiIs… B: The more you explain, the less convincing it gets. S: You seem to have two modes of writing – brilliant and not so damned good.
That exchange is taken from a note made at the time. I have three volumes of notes. We had our stand-offs. I never again pleased him as well as with “Taken Out”. Though we often rocked with laughter while working together, we made no progress. Plot line after plot line came to a dead end.
Stanley never discussed what else he was working on. Occasionally, we would take a break and wander through the vast place to a pleasant bare room where his wife was sitting painting. We would talk to her and he would then be relaxed. We would go into the huge kitchen where the dogs slept. There Stanley would cook us steak and string beans.
On the first occasion when we lunched together, he asked me if I wanted wine or water with my meal. Possibly it was a test of character. He approved when I chose water. We never drank alcohol when working.
We used to discuss the world situation, which generally filled him with gloom. Stanley was sensitive to international crises.
“What ever happened to England, Brian?”, he asked, despairingly. Who could answer that question? It was a sign he loved the country.
“The Shining” appeared in 1980. It is certainly horrific. The most perceptive book on Kubrick’s work so far is Thomas Allen Nelson’s Kubrick: Inside a Film Artist’s Maze (1982). Nelson makes largely convincing claims for what others may see as mere inconsistencies, explaining them as givens in any horror fantasy. Still, the film could have been improved if some shading had been given to the character of Wendy Torrance (played by Shelley Duvall). Methinks the lady doth gibber too much.
It was surprising to discover that Stanley was uncertain where to go next. He asked me once what sort of movie he could make that would gross as much as “Star Wars”, while enabling him still to retain his reputation for having a social conscience.
When I arrived at his castle on one occasion, he would talk only about Steven Spielberg’s “E.T.” Perhaps he admired the way much of “E.T.” is filmed from hip height, in emulation of a child’s vision. As some of “The Shining” is shot by Steadicam from young Danny Torrance’s viewpoint.
Stanley would have none of my reliance on narrative. He pointed out that a movie can contain at most sixty scenes, whereas a novel can contain any number, one fading into another. A film needed only about eight “non-submersible units”, as he called them. (We got to three before we broke up, by adapting two of my early stories, “All the World’s Tears” and “Blighted Profile” to the line of the original short story.)
This episodic method shows in “2001” and, at its best, in “The Shining”. Here, blackboards announcing starkly “A Month Later”, or, simply, “Monday”, warn the audience pleasureably that something awful is going to happen on those occasions, and that Jack Nicholson is going to be a little more over the top than before. Non-submersibles happen. The breaks add frisson.
One sees how the breaks work in “2001”, giving the film much of its mystifying power. Stanley saw the future as unknowable: a more creative stance than that in evidence in “Only Tomorrow”, let’s say.
The years dragged on. I took notes during the day. Getting home, I would turn them into screenplay material, fax them to Stanley, and then write up my diary notes. Meanwhile, I also strove to remain a husband and father. I had surrendered my three decades of proud independence for a long dusty trail. My “Fuck it!” attitude to life was taking a beating…
Stanley perceived a problem with the android boy. It could be done by faking. But his perfectionism suggested a real android might be built. We went into that in some depth. The first technological hurdle to be overcome was to make the little thing walk in a manner resembling a real boy – to walk and run and turn and sit, etc.
In 1987, Stanley’s “Full Metal Jacket” was released. This late take on Vietnam became a hit in Japan, while proving less successful elsewhere. With the aid of thirty-six palm trees imported from Spain, Kubrick created Vietnam within the ruins of a site in London’s East End “It’s almost impossible to build plausible ruins,” Stanley claimed. “And winter sunsets in England resemble sunsets in Vietnam”.
By 1990, we were in difficulties. Agents and lawyers were exchanging letters. Stanley and I had flooded New York, only to have the Blue Fairy emerge from the depths. I tried to tell Stanley that he should create a great modern myth to rival “Strangelove” and “2001”, and to avoid fairy tale.
It was absurd of me. I was wheedled out of the picture.
He never said good-bye or uttered a word of unmeaning thanks. Instead, another cigarette was lit, the back was turned. And “Super-Toys” was rechristened “Al” – destined never to be made by him.
Several other people were summoned to collaborate on the “Al” project. All were flops. It was hard to work with someone who wished only to do everything himself.
Stanley was two kinds of genius. Besides his films, sedulously thought through, artefacts rather than mere product, there was the gift he had of keeping the world from his creative door. He always knew time was short. He created a legend for himself.
Geniuses do not bother with ordinary courtesies. They have other things on their mind. You do well not to resent their meaner habits. And even Arthur C.Clarke, Stanley’s partner on “2001”, could not expand my vignette into a major movie. There’s a lesson there for all of us, if only I could think what it was.
It was a relief to go my own sweet way again. For a few years, I had served as one of Kubrick’s tentacles. He had many tentacles. On one occasion, we were struggling with the concept of having a real android boy. It would be a first. Stanley claimed that Americans saw robots only as menaces. It was the Japanese who really liked robots; so they would breed the electronic wizards most likely to construct the first genuine androids.
He summoned his right-hand man, Tony Frewin, another sound SF buff.
“Get me Mitsubishi on the line.” (Let’s just say it was Mitsubishi, because the real company’s name eludes me.)
“Who do you want to speak to at Mitsubishi, Stanley?” Tony asked.
“Get Mr Mitsubishi on the line.”
A while later, the phone rang. Stanley picked it up.
A voice at the other end said, “Oh, Mister Stanley Kubrick? Is Mr Mitsubishi speaking. How can I help you?”
Everyone on the planet knew the name of Stanley Kubrick. One must expect such a man to be unlike the likes of us.
4. On Spielberg’s List
Truly, the eternal artistries of circumstance bound into our lives are fascinating. I gave little more thought to “Supertoys” until Stanley died in 1999. While I felt regret, I nevertheless went and dug up my old contract with Hobby Films to see if their claims on the story had died with their progenitor. It was not so. The phrase ‘in perpetuity’ cropped up a number of times.
Stanley’s death meant another disruption in life. It was a time of interviews, not only with the BBC and independent producers here, but with American, French, German, and Italian crews. Everyone seemed to be making documentaries on Stanley Kubrick. At first, I liked to talk about him, but repetition soon grows tiresome. And the question arose, Why exactly had a man of Kubrick’s intelligence spent several years of his life trying to turn that vignette into a movie? Why was he obsessed by it?
Like much SF, beneath the surface of David’s tale is a human and affecting story. Supertoys is the story of a small boy who cannot please his mother, no matter what he does. Was that what had touched Stanley? Thinking again, I concluded that – unknown to me at the time – that was why I had written it. I had been such a boy. My autobiography, “Twinkling of an Eye”, elaborates on that remark.
In an attempt to sound somewhat intelligent, with another interview pending, I went back to look at that little 1969 tale again.
It occurred to me that there was a continuation of that innocent story to be told. Immediately, I sat down and wrote it, entitling it “Supertoys When Winter Comes”. No sooner was the tale finished than I had a visitor.
Jan Harlan came to see me. As previously stated, he was an invaluable partner of Stanley’s. He was planning a documentary and wanted me to be in it. He also told me of the negotiations whereby Steven Spielberg, by agreement with Warner Brothers, would take over Stanley’s workings on “Al”, and make the film according to Stanley’s plans. Well, Spielberg is King of Hollywood, and can virtually please himself, just as Stanley could. It still seems a generous act. But the two men were friends; Spielberg had attended Kubrick’s funeral.
Jan and I got on well. I gave him the new story. He kindly sent it to Spielberg. It was then I saw a possible conclusion to the David story. I had no plans for a big space movie, such as perhaps was in Kubrick’s capacious mind; instead, I visualised an intense interior drama, rather claustrophobic, which would treat for the first time on film the question of Artificial Consciousness, asking, If David was programmed to be conscious, how – in what way – was that to be distinguished from ‘real’ consciousness? (Perforce this evades the real scientific question of how one programs in consciousness; I do not consider that a near- future possibility.)
Clearly, the path to acceptance is lubricated if a noted director receives an offering from a friend rather than a stranger. Spielberg accepted the story.
So I sat down and wrote to Spielberg, suggesting a possible further scenario in a letter. I know this sounds rather opportunistic, but I had the wind in my tail…
Rather surprisingly, Spielberg responded to the letter – though to Jan Harlan, rather than me. He wanted to buy from the letter one sentence, which he found striking. Jan offered me some money for it. I was intrigued to be confronted with more money that I usually received for the advance of a novel, but immediately – well, a day or two later, to be honest – saw that I really had to write that third Supertoys story myself, a story employing the idea contained in that sentence. So “Supertoys in Other Seasons” was written.
And Jan kindly sent that also to Spielberg.
I’m amazed at everyone’s civility and kindness. Spielberg has actually bought these two new stories, despite their containing the themes and characters of the story already in his possession, and so contractually his already. Warner Bros have been nothing but helpful, even genial. Jan has become a friend.
These two stories can play little part in Spielberg’s “AI”, as far as I can see. He is making his friend’s film. Still, I have had my say. One must rest content with that.
Spielberg will begin production of ‘AI’ in the month of July. I hope to meet him then. And next week, Jan and I are having a celebratory lunch in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. You might really think I had written no other stories since 1969! Life continues to astonish.
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Track coach pleads guilty to sex crimes
Mugshot of Khari Dobbins. (Photo Courtesy of the Stockton Police Department)
Gabriella Backus, Editor-In-Chief
On March 10, 2019, the Stockton Police Department posted on its Facebook page that 26-year-old Bear Creek jump track coach Khari Dobbins was arrested for having sexual relations with a 16-year-old Bear Creek student. The sudden news seemed to leave the community in a state of pain and confusion.
The Bear Creek Athletic Foundation Facebook page issued a statement from Principal Hillary Harrell soon after, expressing concern for the students mentally affected by the news. The arrest occurred over spring break, and left with a week to recover, the statement said a mental health therapist would be at Bear Creek on Friday, March 15, to “meet with students and parents who may be struggling with the difficult social and emotional issues” and to recommend resources for families who need extra support.
Harrell says the therapist was originally opened to the track and field athletes, but was also made available for others, such as students who were familiar with Dobbins and students who had concerns and issues.
Athletic Director Jason Johnson said he is also chiefly concerned with students’ recovery.
“My primary concern is for the safety of our students, which is paramount to all else,” Johnson said. “Right now our focus should be on healing and that those who are charged with bringing justice to any victim would prevail.”
Dobbins was employed by the Bear Creek Athletic Department for the 2018-2019 school year as the track and field jump coach prior to his arrest. Co-head track and field coach and English Language (EL) Support teacher Adam Bates said he was favored by his athletes.
“[Dobbins was the] most well-liked coach [and] he ran our Twitter page,” Bates said. “He just seemed to get along with the kids, maybe because of a smaller age gap. He probably had the closest bond with his athletes.”
In fact, it is that very bond that led to the arrest. Bates said the coaches had not heard of any incidents before the arrest, but he regrets not noticing warning signs he now sees in hindsight.
“In retrospect, he was really close with his female athletes, and [athletes] value that [bond], but when I think about it later, most of his athletes were female,” Bates said.
The background screening process for paid coaches includes a fingerprint clearance through the district office, and confirmation of a tuberculosis (TB) test and First Aid and American Sport Education Program (ASEP) training. There are no current plans to update the policy, despite some saying Dobbins’ questionable past should have disqualified him as a coach.
“The people in charge need to pay closer attention to their staff and be more involved and present,” an anonymous parent of a Bear Creek track and field athlete said. “There is such a shortage of teachers and coaches these days, districts may be quick to just put someone in a position without thorough review.”
“Everyone can see that many female students had a crush on him and would always hover around,” senior Niya Gaines, a track athlete, said. “I felt that he’d indulge in that and entertain that instead of holding out a stiff arm.”
Despite the controversy, senior Shayan Zaman, a track athlete, remembers Dobbins as a loving mentor.
“The track team looked up to him as an older brother and he would treat everyone like siblings,” Zaman said. “Everyone who did jumps looked forward to working with him [and] was in shock about the whole thing.”
According to the official San Joaquin County District Attorney Facebook, Dobbins’ trial took place on April 22, where he pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual intercourse with a minor. He will return to court June 3 for his sentencing and is expected to receive a one year jail sentence, five years of formal probation and be forbidden to engage in coaching youth sports. Dobbins must also register as a sex offender.
Dobbin’s old position has been filled by Eloise Mallory.
Co-head track and field coach Stanley Wells was contacted but declined to comment for this article.
Gabriella Backus, Editor-in-Chief, Political Cartoonist
I'm interested in any type of art, so my hobby is creating art. I'm the president of Red Cross and Art Club. I've been in journalism for three years; my brother was the editor-in-chief when he was...
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Summary: Feature adaptation of Beatrix Potter's classic tale of a rebellious rabbit trying to sneak into a farmer's vegetable garden.
1 available in Movies, Call number: J DVD Peter
Summary: Caesar and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel. After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the Colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both...
1 available in Movies, Call number: DVD DVD WAR
El laberinto del fauno = Pan's labyrinth
Summary: A dark fable set five years after the end of the Spanish Civil War. Eleven-year-old Ofelia comes face to face with the horrors of fascism when she and her pregnant mother are uprooted to the countryside, where her new stepfather, a sadistic captain in General Franco's army, hunts down Republican guerrillas who refuse to give up the fight. The violent reality in which she lives merges seamlessly...
1 available in Movies, Call number: DVD DVD Pan's
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