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Dodgers activate pitchers Norris, Liberatore
CINCINNATI (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers have activated right-hander Bud Norris from the 15-day disabled list in time to start Friday night against Cincinnati.
Left-hander Adam Liberatore also came off the 15-day DL. Pitchers Casey Fien and Ross Stripling were optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Norris had been on the disabled list since Aug. 6 with a mid-back strain. He was acquired by the Dodgers from Atlanta in a June 30 trade.
Liberatore had been sidelined since Aug. 3 with left elbow inflammation.
Fien was reinstated from the disabled list on Tuesday and made two scoreless appearances during the Dodgers' series in Philadelphia. Stripling started Thursday's game against the Phillies and left with a no-decision in a 5-4 loss. He is 3-4 with a 4.04 ERA in 15 games, including 11 starts, with the Dodgers this season.


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2009 BAFTA Awards
February 8th was the 2009 BAFTA Awards in London, I was offline most of this weekend and unable to bring you an update but now here we go!
Miss Adams was nominated for supporting actress in Doubt, but lost out to Penélope Cruz. She presented best adapted screenplay to Slumdog Millionaire a little later on that evening. While at the award show, Amy was a vision despite being drenched by the cold rainy weather and the red carpet that wasn't tented. In an interview (which can be streamed here) Amy said her favorite films of last year was Slumdog, The Wrestler and Wendy and Lucy.
At the ceremony, which also marked Amy's first time at the BAFTA's, she wore an electric blue mermaid gown by Roland Mouret. In the gallery you can view pictures and screencaps of Amy from the show (clip to follow shortly.)
The night before Amy also attended the nominees party. There she dawned a silver dress with an an asymmetrical hem, and an overshot shoulder, which she opted to fold down, again by Roland Mouret. Her look was completed by black peep-toes, and a satin clutch. Pictures from that event and candids from afterward are uploaded too. Enjoy!
• Candids: February 7, 2009
• Public Events: 2009 BAFTA Awards Nominees Party
• Public Events: 2009 Orange British Academy Film Awards
• Public Events: 2009 Orange British Academy Film Awards – After Party

subset: commoncrawl


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By Anominous #1
Beautiful glider! Bigger then I expected and just gorgeous! Bright and beautiful! This was just a great present! Good find. Bought it as a New Year treat for myself. The glider arrived as picture and is perfect! It matches everything. I bought an extra for a friend's birthday gift, and I will be buying two more as gifts. Love love love!


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Topic : Persuasive paper guidelines.
Author : Bryson Douglas.
Published : Mon, Oct 21st 2019 08:40 AM.
Format : jpg/jpeg.
Targeting the audience: Hitting bull eye. Before commencing the journey of writing a successful essay, one should always keep in mind the audience of the essay. Which type of audience will read the essay? What is the purpose of this essay? Any author should be well prepared to answer these questions. In case the essay is being written for the admission panel for some business school, the pointers and logic within the essay should be portrayed in a manner, which can best describe the candidate profile within the scope of the essay.
A vital part of learning how to write essays is to understand the importance of structure. Structure helps the reader to understand where your essay is going and what you are trying to tell them. Think of the structure as a framework around which you can build your writing. Firstly, while researching your topic, write down the main points in dot point form, using only a few words - these will form the main structure for your essay. It does not matter much at this stage what order they are in - you can sort that out later.
An essay is thus, a literary initiative to describe and comprehend a situation, to the best ability of the author. Writing a meaningful and strong essay has been one of the most intriguing mysteries of the academic world. As the scope of an essay is immense, close to infinity, there can be in no proven or scientific parameter to gauge the intensity of an essay.


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Sunday, July 25, 2010
on the road again
Here's a picture of my 2 guys before we left home on Friday. They look handsome in their uniforms! (I'm not biased or anything!) I'm glad that they will be able to share the experience, but the house is a lot quieter without them!
And how about a picture of them with their "brothers from other mothers"? My other sons...their tent-mates for the next two weeks. Just for the record, my younger one is not *that* much younger than the others, he's just under-tall. Happens when you have 2 parents who are 5'4". He and the "tall one" --> are 20 months apart, and *my* other 2 boys fall between them in age.
In the evening, "Father Pete" came to the campground where they were staying to say Mass. He is also an Eagle Scout.
Bar-b-q hamburgers were on the menu for supper, and by all reports, the boys were behaving and life was good!
6 comments:
I guess they went rafting on the Ocoee? My son is a raft guide on the Nolichucky (in upper E. Tn.)ReplyDelete
They're only about an hour away from me!
I really hope they have a great time. Grant left at 6am on Saturday and then they were going to tour DC the day before the Jamboree. He was so excited to be going. I'll be praying for all the boys. I think it's great your boys get to share this together, what a wonderful experience.ReplyDelete
Yes, Mary, they were on the Ocoee. Our report said the water was high and fast, but no one flipped. What a great job your son has!ReplyDelete
Rachel, I think they are going to have a wonderful time. Our guys are spending 2 days in DC after the Jamboree. Prayers, here, too!
How fun! Love the term "under tall." Made me chuckle.ReplyDelete
Our guys are only spending one day in DC before heading to the Jamboree and then spending the day the Jamboree ends at Water Country, spending the night at U of M and then they will be home around 5pm on Aug 5th. I'm hoping Grant is doing alright w/ the heat and hoping he's having fun.ReplyDelete
Ours are spending the night at a church in DC, then spending a night on the bus, and finally spending a night in a cave in Tennessee. We are expecting them around 7 on the 7th. Unfortunately, school starts on the 11th... :-pReplyDelete
Have you heard from Grant? No news from mine, although we've gotten a few brief email updates from the leaders.


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How and Why Did the Guerrilla Girls Alter the Art World
Establishment in New York City, 1985-1995?
This project explores the history of the Guerrilla Girls in the 1980s and 1990s, a group of women artists and art professionals who fought discrimination against women in the art world of galleries, museums, and art criticism. Adopting a strategy of anonymity, they affiliated with the traditions of anonymous do-gooders like Robin Hood, Batman, and the Lone Ranger.
| Documents Projects and Archives | Teacher's Corner | Scholar's Edition | Full-Text Sources | About Us | Contact Us |


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"Metering of distribution transformers was a part of our 'energy audit system' that will start soon," said discom's superintendent engineer Subroto Roy while speaking to TOI. He further said that they were also in process to install high tech energy meters that would help them calculate losses.
"These high tech modem energy meters will provide us real time usage of power by a consumer and will help us keep a tab on those who engage in stealing power," said Roy.
Initially, the company is focusing on consumers having a 10kv connection, and after this, these meters will be installed for 5kv connection. There is around 5.7 lakh consumer in the division, and of them around 22,000 consumers has 10kv connection, while the rest has 5kv or 3 kv connection.
Officials said that they were in the process to evaluate feeder-wise losses and for this they need a high tech metering system for domestic consumers as well. Now, the discom will implement energy audit system in feeder and transformers. Besides this, the company has also decided to install high tech energy meters with a modem facility.


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I haven't submitted an official entry into the "Is libertarianism enough?" debate up to this point for a few reasons, but for the most part, I have simply been too busy to do it justice.
Mostly I've been busy making this:
Since January, I've produced multiple films, notably this new half-hour documentary for my www.honestenterprise.tv project called "Locked Out"; I attended a film festival with "No Vans Land"; caught up on what's happening in entertainment at SXSW in Austin; I gave a talk about occupational licensing after a screening for law students in Illinois; and a whole lot more.
There are more important things going on than get into the latest bit of bickering about who is and who is not a qualified libertarian. To be honest, I wish everybody involved in this particular fight could, or would, say the same... But to my chagrin, these issues persist and at least in my social sphere, a lot of terrible ideas keep getting promoted and I suppose I should actually say something about it.
So.... As a quick overview for those who aren't totally familiar with what we're talking about:
There are many in the libertarian community who would suggest that "libertarianism", as a philosophy, does not offer enough guidance on how to be a good person, and they would like to enhance libertarian ethics with an additionally prescribed set of social preferences, behaviors, and in many cases - outcomes. Some might call this "thick libertarianism".
To explain what this means, I go to anarchist writer, Anthony Gregory, from a conversation I had with him about the topic:
"Thick libertarianism comes from Charles Johnson and Roderick Long. They are philosophers. Thickness is a concept in philosophy generally. It's been totally misunderstood by its critics. I don't understand why honestly.To paraphrase a little bit, the idea of "thick" libertarianism in its raw form, is simply that "other values" beyond simply initiating force against others are important to libertarianism.
All thick libertarianism means itself is that the philosophy is not totally reducible to the NAP (Non-Aggression Principle)."
Unlike many people who are currently on board the "we should all be thick libertarians" train, Anthony views "thick" libertarianism in a pretty broad way. It's not just about enhancing libertarianism with a specific set of social preferences (ie. liberal egalitarianism, feminism, leftover ideas from the dregs of critical theory, etc.). In our conversation, he explained that a person who claimed that Austrian economic theory is more a part of libertarianism than Chicago School economics would be every bit as "thick" a libertarian as someone who claimed that libertarians must also embrace feminism or care about "social justice", because in each case, the person is claiming that there is more to libertarianism than simply not initiating force against others.
Or... To quote Charles Johnson, one of the original users of the term in this context,
"...not only left libertarians defend the claim that libertarianism should be integrated into a comprehensive critique of prevailing social relations; so do paleolibertarians such as Gary North or Hans-Hermann Hoppe, when they make the equal but opposite claim that efforts to build a flourishing free society should be integrated with a rock-ribbed inegalitarian cultural and religious traditionalism."In this conception of the word "thick", any set of concerns beyond freedom from government coercion that is greater than zero would be enough to label someone a "thick", or at least "thicker" libertarian.
Fair enough... I'm mostly fine with this definition, though it is pretty broad and rests on at least one dubious claim. The premise that libertarians are concerned with "aggression", or the initiation of force, only when it is carried out by the state is horribly flawed.
In fact, I would argue that that view explicitly confuses the philosophy in an extremely important way.
Libertarians believe that all human beings should be bound by the same ethical rules regarding the use of force, and it is because these ethical rules are considered to be universal that we reject initiations of force against innocent people by government actors as well. Whatever is unethical for the private individual - ie. theft, murder, kidnapping, etc. - remains unethical when that individual has put on a government uniform. This separates us from most other political philosophies, since most inconsistently grant special authorities to the political class because they treat ethics as conditional on a person's role in society.
As a primer, a few years ago Red Shift Media made this great animation to explain this idea:
Note both that the "NAP", such as it is, is a conclusion based on the premise of self-ownership, and that it starts with the private violations of liberty and proceeds to the more obfuscated state violations.
Nearly everyone of any libertarian persuasion - as a foundational tenet of the philosophy - abhors coercive or rights-violating behavior wherever it is found, and in over 15 years of participating in this community, I have not met a single person who believes that it is the exclusive domain of the state.
Have you ever met a libertarian who criticizes police brutality, but thinks that private domestic abuse is totally fine? Have you ever met a libertarian who thinks that taxation is unethical, but stealing someone's car is totally cool?
I sure haven't.
So I think it is a critical error to define libertarianism's core as being only - or even chiefly - concerned with "state" violence. It may be true that libertarians tend to spend more time talking about the state than private actors, but this certainly doesn't mean libertarians don't care about private coercion, it merely reflects a reality that the state is vastly more of a threat than random acts of private violence against people & property.
The vast majority of libertarians I've ever met - even the thinnest of the thin - still don't support private acts of aggression as a matter of principle. And everybody has concerns beyond the issue of aggression, because we're all actually multi-faceted individuals.
Without biasing the results, I would bet quite a lot that if you got together a bunch of self-identifying libertarians and surveyed them with questions like...
- Do you believe that certain kinds of social behaviors are more or less conducive to political freedom?
- Do you believe that government is the only institution that can be coercive?
- Do you oppose the initiation of force or coercion in social interactions as well as interactions with the state?
- Even if non-aggression is the only thing that matters to make a society "libertarian", is that the only concern that you have when considering what makes a society that you want to live in?
- Is child abuse wrong?
- Of course.
- No.
- Absolutely.
- Duh.
- Yes!
Everybody has preferences. And everybody I have ever met as a libertarian who has spent more than five minutes thinking about society realizes that there are numerous types of additional, non-coercive, behaviors which are broadly helpful to encouraging more freedom, yet which have nothing to do with libertarianism directly.
Here is a relevant example.
Assume that Society A and Society B share the same legal protections on freedom of speech. You will not be arrested, prosecuted, or thrown in jail for anything that you say in either society.Given the above scenario, I would argue that the overwhelming majority of libertarians would say that they would both prefer to live in Society A, and that Society A seems more conducive to keeping speech free over the long term than does Society B.
Society A is inviting of debate and civil discussion, and does not shout down opposing or unpopular viewpoints. People in Society A seem to genuinely enjoy boisterous and sometimes vigorous conversation, even when people's opinions are oppositional.
Society B is hostile towards contentious discussion & debate, but the people do not support their disapproval with legal or social coercion. If you say something the people of Society B dislike, they will not threaten or act aggressively toward you, your family, or property. They will avoid you, tell you to shut up, and wherever possible make you feel unwelcome.
I would also argue, however, that while Society A is preferable for many reasons, it is not "more libertarian" than Society B in any meaningful sense.
Neither society condones coercion at the state or societal level. So the preference of A over B isn't a preference built around a "libertarian" concern, but around extra-libertarian concerns which are - in some ways - tangential, but non-essential to defining the philosophy. Tons of behaviors and traits can be positive or negative for an individual or (arguably) a society without having anything at all to do with libertarianism.
Practically speaking, this distinction matters a great deal, and not only do I think this separation of concepts is okay, I think it's good.
More on that later, but first, a brief interlude:
Since it's caused a massive amount of confusion to many people lately... Coercion is a specific term referring to a specific type of behavior. In short, I'm happy with the following definition:
nounHowever, since this definition was recently perplexing to someone I was talking to, let me follow this up by further defining that force in this context clearly means:
:: the practice of persuading someone to do something by using force or threats.
nounAnd... The word, threat refers specifically to:
:: strength or power exerted upon an object; physical coercion; violence: to use force to open the window; to use force on a person.
nounI am defining these terms not to invite even more debate over what they "actually" mean, but because quite frequently I have found that it is entirely impossible to have a discussion with a certain group of people wherein I use the word "coercion" and they don't conflate that concept with a million other - sometimes totally contradictory - ideas.
:: a statement of an intention to inflict pain, injury, damage, or other hostile action on someone in retribution for something done or not done.
If you don't like my definition... Fine. But for the purposes of the discussion I'm trying to have right now, I will be using the word frequently, and I want to be absolutely clear about what I mean.
Coercion is physical violence, and threats of pain, injury, or other damage through the means of physical violence.
We could theoretically have a more nuanced conversation about the specific point at which non-force or indirectly forceful behaviors become harassment and coercion, but these are special situations which describe a small subset of human interaction and which often need to be addressed case by case. They are the gray area, but it's not as much area or as complicated to define as many people think.
The important thing is that coercion does not encompass other concepts like "shaming", "ostracism", "seduction", "encouragement", "enticement" or any of the other ways in which people try to influence behavior without resorting to violence or threats of violence.
Now that that's out of the way, here's why my side-note matters:
Libertarianism as an ethical philosophy is highly concerned with the concept of coercion, so we need to be clear about what that means. There are many varieties of libertarian thought that extend from numerous philosophical traditions, so there are a lot of premises one could rely on to reach the same conclusions, but fundamentally, the essence of it was summed up by John Locke four-hundred years ago:
"All mankind... being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions."Or as I like to say it.... Libertarians hold a pretty basic ethic: "Don't hurt people, and don't take their stuff."
Alternatively, the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy describes libertarianism broadly as a philosophy predicated on the idea that people are self-owners, and:
"...that each agent has a right to maximum equal empirical negative liberty, where empirical negative liberty is the absence of forcible interference from other agents when one attempts to do things."This is the core.
Libertarianism is a political philosophy that deals rather specifically with the appropriate role of violence against individuals and their legitimate property in society. It outlines how people should interact with each other in very broad terms, and says - in essence - that the only ethical interactions between people are voluntary.
American Libertarianism is a negative rights tradition... It's not merely the support of "liberty", whatever that means to whomever is using the term.
The dividing line is coercion: Harming someone or threatening them in order to get them to do what you want is, therefore, anti-libertarian.
The Non-Aggression Principle is really just a shorthand for this concept.
This is often misunderstood, I think... Both by people who like and dislike the idea of the NAP. The Non-Aggression Principle is not a premise or an axiom (although it can be axiomatic). It is a conclusion about what's ethically best for humans. And really, it's a paraphrasing of many conclusions.
And honestly, it's not even my favorite description of the libertarian ethic, but as shorthand goes, I think it's fine.
You can be a libertarian and believe an enormous variety of other things about life and the pursuit of happiness. The only thing you cannot do is advocate for the use of coercion in order to support your other goals.
And this brings us back to "thick" vs. "thin" libertarianism.
The position I support, as outlined above, is what most people would refer to as a fairly "thin" philosophical position... I have no other concerns beyond a person's use of force when I am considering libertarianism qua libertarianism. As I will explain in a second, I think that this broadness and openness to a multitude of personal preferences is what makes it a good and robust political philosophy.
But for many people, a thin libertarianism just isn't enough. Which brings me to...
In one of the most prominent recent essays on this topic, Will Moyer's "The Limits of Libertarianism", Moyer sums up his point as follows:
"While eliminating the state is a massive multi-generational project, it is in many ways only the first step. Human flourishing is the ultimate goal. And if libertarians think they can dust off their hands and head home just because the state is in ashes, they're wrong. The state is the most obvious and brutal source of power and hierarchy, but it's far from the only one. The state is a giant engine for deforming human culture, and what's left over once it's smashed isn't a foregone conclusion. It will be up to humans to reshape and remake culture and society in the way that suits us best. This will have to include examinations of race, class, gender, sexuality, relationships, religion, social institutions, and traditions in the absence of the state apparatus. It will have to include disassembling other forms of hierarchy – both violent and non-violent."In cartoon form, Moyer is basically saying this:
|It's a whole other blog post to explain why this is wrong, but lets start with the obvious: The state is the great amplifier of bigotry and poverty. Don't believe me? Go back up to the top of this and watch "Locked Out".
And regardless of whether or not you consider Moyer's to be the only type of "thick" libertarianism (it's obviously not), it's certainly the only one anybody is really talking about right now. Perhaps you live a very different experience than I do, but loads of people talk to me on a daily basis about importing leftist egalitarian social values (and embarrassingly poor economics) into libertarianism... But literally no one talks to me about Hans-Hermann Hoppe.
So this is where we have to shift focus.
The issue is no longer simply about whether or not "thick" libertarianism in general makes sense - and I really think it doesn't - now we have to talk about a specific iteration of thick libertarianism... The type advocated by the Will Moyers of the world.
I would describe it as follows:
In this iteration, it's not enough to oppose the initiation of force or the coercion (which again, yes, "coercion" does mean something specific!) of people into doing things we wish them to do against their will and allow the world to be whatever it ends up being through voluntary means. To be better people, we must all also push for a world to conform to Moyer's specific view of what is best - which means "disassembling" all forms of "hierarchy"... Or in the parlance of "left-libertarian" high priest, Kevin Carson, "No Masters, No Bosses".
But here's the thing... What is "best" for society is unknown, highly debatable, and hotly debated.
For me, it's a good thing that libertarianism is not a prescriptive philosophy beyond rejecting the use of coercion and initiating violence!
It doesn't tell you what religion you have to be, what you have to think about global warming, or whether or not you should spend your time gardening and hiking in the woods or playing video games in your air conditioned man-cave. It doesn't dictate to people what types of ends they should be using their freedom to pursue, merely that everyone should always be free to pursue the ends of their choosing - provided that they don't inhibit anyone else's freedom to do the same.
What's so great about this is that it's the one political philosophy where Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindi's, Atheists... Hell, even Raelians, can come together and choose their own versions of what makes a fully-realized human, and pursue those independent philosophical ends.
I think this is libertarianism's biggest strength, not a weakness.
All this talk of what libertarians "should" believe beyond the idea that their interactions with others should be voluntary, only serves to divide what is otherwise the biggest tent imaginable - the ideal of human freedom.
So, circling back to the "No Masters, No Bosses" idea and the elimination of hierarchies, not to mention the infusion of tragically collectivist feminism, intersectionality, critical theory, and all the other leftist claptrap that is currently en vogue in some parts of the libertarian community is a little troubling to me.
Can you be a libertarian and hate hierarchies? Of course.
Can you be a libertarian and a feminist? Yep.
Can you be a libertarian and spend all day talking about privilege? Sure.
Can you be a libertarian and think that racism is the defining issue of our time? Absolutely.
"Should you" be a libertarian and all of those things? Wellllllllllllllllllllll........ I'm not so sure.
One of the things that makes libertarian ideas more robust when actually applied in societies is that freedom and individualism leads to - in Nassem Taleb's words - a kind of "anti-fragility".
This is an extremely Hayekian sort of a point, but in short, the fact that a free society is one in which everyone is pursuing their own values and goals and where different people are experimenting with different models of entrepreneurship, financial arrangements, marital & personal relationships, different types of social communities, and applying their own unique twists on every other aspect of life is good, precisely because none of us knows perfectly what is "best" for ourselves and certainly not for others.
We're all pursuing different aims, and the aggregate of different people's actions is what we call "culture", "the economy", and rather importantly: "society". And what is beautiful about the libertarian political philosophy is that it opens the door to millions - billions, even - of individual experiments on how best to live life.
Since the only unifying trait libertarians - to be libertarians - must share in common, is a commitment to allowing voluntary interactions between people to take place unabated, everyone who does not impose their will on others by force or threats of force can be rightly considered "libertarians" and exist under the tent together.
But this doesn't, and indeed, probably cannot mean that we all actually agree with each other on what "best" looks like.
Libertarianism is - contrary to its detractors' claims - NOT a utopian philosophy.
Unity, equality of outcomes and status, and other egalitarian concerns really only come from the barrel of a gun.
A free society is a diverse society. Sorry.
So some people may very well hate hierarchies and want to earn their living working in a communal cooperative, horizontally-structured, worker-owned business. But then, many others do like hierarchies... The bosses bear the risk, reap most of the rewards, and are responsible for tough decisions, while the employees are rewarded less financially, but often earn a comfortable living without the stress of management or the huge risk of failure.
Some businesses may function best horizontally - the folks at Zappos seem to think so. But many others don't, because they need fewer cooks in their management kitchen.
To demand that everyone must abandon all hierarchies - even voluntarily - is to miss the Hayekian lesson at play here.
The same problem exists when "left-libertarians" start telling everyone that they must take up metaphorical arms against the so-called "Patriarchy", or adopt feminism and critical race theory into their world-view. Apart from the fact that most of the arguments presented from those schools of thought feature more holes than the best block of Jarlsberg, telling other people what they "should" believe in order to be better - or "thicker" - libertarians is still kind of ridiculous.
Social preferences also vary widely.
Some people want to be monogamous, some polygamous, some gay, some straight, some bisexual or pansexual, some people are asexual. Some people like guns, others like sports, some like the ballet and art museums, some people like to surf, others like to sit at home and play video-games...
In the immortal words of Hoban Washburne:
"Some people juggle geese!"And that's ok!
That is, this is how people behave in a peaceful society... And I'm a libertarian because I don't want any other kind.
Decentralization is good. Humility is good. We don't all know what's best.
|Thick-libertarians to everyone else... Who needs friends?
This doesn't mean that self-identified left-libertarians can't comment on other people's lives, or that they can't have an opinion on what's good or bad for other people to do. Of course they can, and I think should, advocate for the world they want to see.
Without employing violence, or threats of violence, everyone is still left with a myriad number of ways to get people to come around to their preferences. Enticing people into liking what you like is great. Persuasion & seduction are totally fine. But so too are the non-coercive forms of negative reinforcement - like shaming and mockery, even ostracism in some cases.
So Will Moyer can rail against heirarchies. My former partner can spend her days misinforming people with the latest fact-free Tumblr slacktivism crusade. But this should be separate from the issue of libertarianism. Creating a new "Libertarianism+" as I'd like to call it just doesn't make any sense. In case you miss the reference, I'm comparing this newfound left-libertarian "thickness" to Atheism+ the PZ Myers-led infusion of lefty progressivism into Atheism, as if a lack of belief in a god requires someone to agree with specifically progressive ideas on tax-policy.
As a atheist and a libertarian, I think such ideas are completely idiotic.
Thus I also think it's idiotic to believe libertarians should also retain a set of leftist egalitarian social values. It ruins everything robust and anti-fragile about the philosophy while polarizing people into factions, creating enmity, and sowing discord.
And on top of that, many of the ideas most of those folks are supporting are absurd to boot.
Personally, I think you're a much better person if you are nice to people, and don't treat anyone any differently on the basis of anything other than traits like honesty, generosity, intelligence, and kindness.
But if you choose another set of values to live by, and by which to judge your relationships with others, as long as you don't impose those values on everyone else by force, you can still be a libertarian... Yes, even if you have beliefs I think are incredibly stupid, or even mean.
Just don't threaten violence, injury, pain, harm, torture, imprisonment, etc., or actually carry out those threats in order to get people do what you want them to do, and you get to be a part of the libertarian tent.
It's that simple.
Ok. One more thing.
Now that I've established that I think "thick" libertarianism of any kind is kind of a mistake, depending on how broadly you view that idea; and now that I've explained why I think that the type of thickness most people are advocating for right now tends to be especially absurd, I want to make a couple points about marketing.
This is not a point about libertarian philosophy. It's a point about how people perceive libertarians and what we can do to affect that perception.
I've been talking about this issue publicly for over 5 years. In 2009, on this blog, I wrote about why "It's Time for Free Marketer's to Learn About Advertising!" and I have been putting my money where my mouth is ever since.
|This is NOT a philosophical point about
libertarianism. It's a practical point about
marketing libertarian ideas.
If people's primary association with libertarians leads them to believe that we are a bunch of obnoxious, rude, mean, bigoted jerks who lack empathy or concern for others, they will assume that this is a product of our philosophy. If the majority of libertarians they meet believe in conspiracy theories, they'll assume our philosophy is the province of conspiracy loons.
So purely as a point of marketing, there are some people I wish were more prevalent and vocal about libertarian ideas, and many people I wish would not talk about it with anybody.
For better or worse, if you're a libertarian, you're a part of our community and you're contributing to community culture. We are not separate from culture. We are culture. What we do defines it. And as a part of our community, you're representing everyone - not just yourself - every time you talk to people about it. So just take some time and think about what you say and how you say it.
Here are a few do's & don'ts from my perspective.
- Try to be polite, kind, and patient
- Present your ideas positively, offering solutions and benefits instead just talking about problems
- Be welcoming of all people and conversations
- Have a high threshold for stress and frustration
- Pay attention to pop-culture and current events
- Have fun and maintain a sense of humor
- Make friends, not enemies
- Be angry, unnecessarily spiteful, or rude
- Say unnecessarily offensive things
- Generalize based on race, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation
- Promote conspiracy theories and tenuous connections between events and people
- Be overly negative or condescending
- Lie or build your case on fallacies or false evidence
|The "customer" is the one you want to buy your ideas.
Red-meat rallying cries and polemic bromides may get some people excited, but they turn other people off just as quickly. This is as true for radical feminists as it is for conservative Christians.
In short... Just try to be cool, guys.
Finally, the last piece of advice I have ties everything back to the beginning of this post. There is one more thing that I desperately wish everyone would start doing and really take to heart.
To be blunt, nearly everyone who currently spends most of their time telling other libertarians what they "should be doing" to promote freedom in society has absolutely no credibility.
There's an epidemic of people seriously lacking in money-mouth.
People who don't have any experience working with, talking to, or presenting ideas publicly to people who aren't already in the club without alienating 50% of their audiences and creating enemies have absolutely no business telling other libertarians how it's done. Until these folks stop exclusively criticizing their allies from inside the bubble, and actually start trying to present ideas to the unconverted in a meaningful way, there's just no reason to take most of these people seriously.
Internal challenge and debate is important, but remember that the point of the whole thing is about engendering a free society and to do that people across the political and philosophical spectrum need to be convinced to become more libertarian. That doesn't happen if all we do is bitch at each other.
If you spend all your time writing essays (like this one, ironically enough) analyzing "the movement" and telling other people in our own community what they're doing wrong, you're not spending that time actually making a case for freedom to the people who matter - the people who don't already understand and agree with the core ideas.
Don't just keep bickering with your friends. Make a movie, write a book, do a podcast or a radio show, learn an academic discipline and teach a class, do some original reporting...
Do something, and do it for non-libertarian audiences.


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The recently approved federal tax reform legislation is one reason why the regions two largest hospitals are delaying a much talked about merger. Mountain States Health Alliance and Wellmont Health Systems plan to merge and become Ballad Health but that will have to wait until the end of next month. Hospital officials now say the impact of the just approved measure dealing with tax exempt financing will require them to restructure their bank held tax exempt bonds. Their request for a delay was deemed appropriate and was granted approval by the Tennessee Deputy Attorney General.
Coeburn Men Arrested for Making Pipe Bombs
Police have arrested two Coeburn men for manufacturing pipe bombs. Jerry Hensley and William Wineberger are charged with manufacturing a fire bomb or explosive device and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The explosive ordinance disposal team was called in and disarmed two devices according to police. Both men are being held in the Southwest Regional Jail in Duffield.
Chuck Slemp, Commonwealth's Attorney for Wise County & the City of Norton, appeared last night at the December meeting of the Wise County Board of Supervisors to discuss the successes of an alternative sentencing program called Wise Works.
Wise Works was created earlier this year by the Wise County Board of Supervisors at the request of Commonwealth's Attorney Chuck Slemp. In July, the Board granted Slemp's request for a one-year grant to fund the new program. Beginning on August 1, 2017, non-violent and low-risk felony offenders could request to serve all or part of their sentences by completing community services hours as an alternative to jail. Participants are sentenced to work a set number of days at a designated job site. A program director supervises those who enter the program and works closely with the court, local job sites, prosecutors, and probation officers to ensure compliance with the program's expectations. Drug tests are administered at random and failure to comply with any rules of the program results in incarceration by a probation violation.
Brett Hall serves as the program's first coordinator. Hall said, "This program has seen great success since its inception in August. So far, we have had twenty Wise Works participants. Our workers are at numerous job sites from across the county and in just a few months they have worked over 3,000 hours in service to our community."
Commonwealth's Attorney Chuck Slemp said, "As Commonwealth's Attorney, my office carefully reviews cases with our law enforcement partners in an effort to seek justice, protect our community, and ensure a voice for victims of crime. We remain committed to seeking lengthy sentences and harsh punishment in cases when appropriate. However, in cases with non-violent offenders who are unlikely to reoffend, it is also our duty and opportunity to seek ways to set offenders on the right path instead of simply incarcerating them." Slemp continued, "This program is a matter of common sense. Not only does this program offer job training, workforce development and an opportunity to turn people's lives around, taxpayers save on the cost of housing inmates, local towns and non-profit organizations save on labor costs, and participants learn the value of hard work."
Since August, Wise Works has saved taxpayers of Wise County over $38,000 in jail costs. The contributions to the community of these workers have created a taxpayer savings of over $20,000 in labor costs for localities and non-profit organizations.
The grant-funded program is expected to continue in 2018 providing an additional sentencing option for Courts within the county.
(Wise, Va.) -- The LENOWISCO Health District is supporting a new health and wellness coalition to serve the residents of Lee County. The Lee County Health and Wellness Launch Meeting will be held Wednesday, January 10, 2018 from 10:00 a.m. to noon at the White Rocks Community Center in Rose Hill. The meeting is open to all interested parties.
"We hope people who live, work, play, worship and learn in Lee County will attend. They know their community and their county best, including the great things already in place and working and the areas where there are still needs. We appreciate very much those who have met in the past, developing the community health assessment, and hope that they and others will commit to work to address the greatest priorities identified by and in the community," said Sue Cantrell, M.D., director, LENOWISCO Health District.
"To consider the factors affecting the well-being of an area, it may be helpful to think of the steps that an individual addressing health and related issues might consider -- such as what is my first priority in my personal health improvement plan, what have I tried before and how did that work, what else could I try and what do I need to try that something new, and so on," Dr. Cantrell continued. "Naturally, to do so as a coalition involves partnering not only with other coalitions but also with agencies, faith based communities, schools, businesses, civic organizations and other groups and residents of Lee County. We look forward to working with others, addressing important issues to Lee County."
According to the data from the 2017 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps substance abuse, chronic disease, obesity and diabetes are all issues for Lee County and for the LENOWISCO Health District.
"Unfortunately, Lee County and the LENOWISCO Health District are not alone in struggling with these health challenges but we can make a difference if we all work together," concluded Dr. Cantrell. "It is our hope that, in developing this new coalition, we will find strength in the collaboration, moving our area forward toward improved well-being."
If you are interested in attending or want more information, contact District Health Educators Dan Hunsucker at 276-386-1312 or firstname.lastname@example.com, or Nora Murphy at 276-328-1915 or email@example.com.
Here's a look the schedule,
Sessions Schedule
Tuesday, December 26
Session 1
Game 1 1:00 pm Eastside HS, VA vs Tabernacle, Bahamas
Game 2 2:30 pm Greeneville HS, TN vs Bearden HS, TN
Game 3 4:00 pm Science Hill HS, TN vs Columbia HS, GA
Game 4 5:30 pm Fern Creek HS, KY vs Webb School, TN
Game 5 7:00 pm North Mecklenburg HS, NC vs Gate City HS, VA
Game 6 8:30 pm Landstown HS, VA vs Tennessee HS, TN
Wednesday, December 27
Session 2
Game 7 2:30 pm Loser Game 1 vs Loser Game 2
Game 8 4:00 pm Winner Game 1 vs Columbus HS, MS
Game 9 5:30 pm Mater Academy, FL vs Dobyns-Bennett HS, TN
Game 10 7:00 pm Sullivan East HS, TN vs Lee HS, AL
Game 11 8:30 pm Lakota East HS, OH vs Winner Game 2
Thursday, December 28
Session 3
Game 12 9:00 am Loser Game 3 vs Loser Game 4
Game 13 10:30 am Loser Game 5 vs Loser Game 6
Game 14 12:00 pm Loser Game 8 vs Loser Game 9
Game 15 1:30 pm Loser Game 10 vs Loser Game 11
Session 4
Game 16 5:00 pm Winner Game 3 vs Winner Game 4
Game 17 6:30 pm Winner Game 5 vs Winner Game 6
Game 18 8:00 pm Winner Game 8 vs Winner Game 9
Game 19 9:30 pm Winner Game 10 vs Winner Game 11
Friday, December 29
Session 5
Game 20 9:00 am Winner Game 12 vs Winner Game 13
Game 21 10:30 am Winner Game 14 vs Winner Game 15
Game 22 12:00 pm Loser Game 16 vs Loser Game 17
Game 23 1:30 pm Loser Game 18 vs Loser Game 19
Session 6
DICK'S SPORTING GOODS SLAM DUNK CONTEST – 5:30 pm
Game 24 7:00 pm Winner Game 16 vs Winner Game 17
Game 25 8:30 pm Winner Game 18 vs Winner Game 19
Saturday, December 30
Session 7
Game 26 12:30 am Winner Game 7 vs Loser Game 13
Game 27 2:00 pm Winner Game 20 vs Winner Game 21
Game 28 3:30 pm Winner Game 22 vs Winner Game 23
Game 29 6:00 pm Loser Game 24 vs Loser Game 25
Game 30 7:30 pm Winner Game 24 vs Winner Game 25
Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and Senator Mark Warner have launched a new initiative for attracting potential entrepreneurs to the Commonwealth. Virginia is for Entrepreneurs is an effort to better match entrepreneurs with potential investors across backgrounds, industries and regions throughout the state. Partners in the program include universities, investment groups venture funds and statewide organizations. Warner says the plan will help to build on progress thats already been made in southwest Virginia so that innovators in the region regardless of background or industry have access to capital for their business.
Coeburn Man Arrested After Shooting at Son
A Coeburn man is facing 11 charges including three counts of attempted homicide following a domestic incident with his son and his pregnant fiance. Robert Ellis got into a physical fight with his son and his fiance. During the altercation Ellis pulled a .38 caliber handgun from the back of his waistline and fired shots toward both of them. They managed to escape through the front door and report the incident to authorities. Police arrested Ellis who was found with the gun in his right hand.
WHITESBURG, Ky. – Start a new family Christmas tradition this year by participating in Letcher County Tourism's Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt, sponsored by double kwik, on Thursday, December 21 from 5 to 9 p.m.
Gather the family, load up in the car and join us as we celebrate the holiday season with a night in lights.
Begin the night at any of the four participating double kwik locations (listed below) to pick up a scavenger hunt list and complimentary hot cocoa for the family. Then travel through Letcher County enjoying the various light displays while checking off your list.
Families are encouraged to take lots of pictures while looking for lights. Post photos to Letcher County Tourism's Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/983054491833420/ with #Christmaslightscavengerhunt. The picture with the most likes by 9 p.m. on December 21 will win a special Christmas surprise.
Participating double kwik locations:
Jenkins double kwik
987 Old Hwy 12
Jenkins, KY, 41537
Neon #1 double kwik
103 Hwy 317
Neon, KY, 41840
Pine Mountain Market double kwik
122 Jenkins Rd.
Whitesburg, KY, 41858
Isom double kwik
9722 Hwy 15 North
Isom, KY, 41824
For more information, visit www.discoverletcher.com/events
A Wise County woman convicted of making false statements to federal agents has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Tina Sartin, 38, was sentenced Tuesday. She previously pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements in a matter within the jurisdiction of the federal government, namely an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Evidence showed Sartin gave false information in connection to an investigation involving Michael Todd Lintz, the former Norton Parks and Recreation Maintenance Supervisor, who was previously convicted of civil rights and perjury violations. Sartin gave the agents fabricated text messages and falsely stated she had been threatened in connection with her cooperation with the ATF.
Closing Date Last Step In Hospital Merger
WFHG BRISTOL- A thirty day review by the Federal Trade Commission is now complete and a closing date is the remaining step in the process to merge the regions two largest health care providers. Mountain States Health Alliance and Wellmont Health Systems' merger will become final sometime in before January 31 when a closing date is chosen. When complete the two will become known as Ballad Health.
September 2019


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Bathroom Modifications
The bathroom can be one of the most dangerous rooms in the house for a person with mobility issues. Getting in and out of the bathtub or shower poses numerous challenges and potential pitfalls. At Hampton Roads Mobility, we have solutions for all your bathroom needs. For simple security with balance and movement, we sell and install grab bars in multiple shapes and sizes. For assistance getting in and out of a bathtub, we carry tub lifts that will slowly lower and raise a person into and out of a bathtub – at an economical price.
Grab Bars
Grab bars are a simple and inexpensive way of adding security to a bathroom. They come in all shapes and sizes and can be mounted in many different parts of the bathroom to provide stability when getting in and out of the shower or tub or using the toilet. Unlike a big-box retailer, Hampton Roads Mobility will come to your home and install a grab bar for you – making sure it is done right.
Walk-In Tubs and Roll-In Showers
For more in-depth bathroom solutions, Hampton Roads Mobility has partnered with Best Bath Systems to carry their top-rated line of walk-in bathtubs and roll-in, barrier-free showers. Walk-in bathtubs have water-sealed doors that open and allow you to literally walk into them and sit down without having to awkwardly step over and into a tub, risking falls. Barrier-free, roll-in showers have no floor barriers and allow for wheelchair-bound customers to roll or be pushed right into the shower stall. Let our trained professionals turn your current bathroom into a beautiful, functional and accessible room to serve you or your loved one for years to come.
Portable Showers
Not ready to re-do your bathroom quite yet? Hampton Roads Mobility also carries one of the most unique portable products on the market – the Shower Bay. The Shower Bay takes only a few minutes to set up and can be placed in virtually any room in your home – creating a safe, convenient roll-in shower solution. And the Shower Bay is available for purchase or rent. Check out these videos to see how easy and simple it is to set up, use and take down:
Serving All Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads Mobility is has been serving the residents of Newport News, Hampton, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, and other areas of Hampton roads since 2007. Call us today for a free in-home consultation at (757) 663-5457. There is absolutely no risk or obligation.


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Oblivion Dice (Orange) are just the thing for your latest role playing adventures! Each RPG dice set includes all the polyhedral game dice you need for your favorite RPG. The Oblivion collection features bold eldritch color swirled against an opaque black surface.
- 7 RPG dice
- Includes d4, d6, d8, d10, d percentile, d12, and d20
- Oblivion orange and black color
- Numbers inked in gold
- Choking Hazard - Not for Children Under 3 Years Old
Only 2 left in stock.
- Questions?
- Delivery
Dark Elf Dice ships fast!
- US customers usually receive delivery in 2-3 business days from the time a package is mailed (Priority Mail) or 4-5 business days (First Class Mail).
- Customers outside the US will usually receive delivery within 14-21 days.
- Delivery times are based on US Postal Service estimates. Although we ship fast, we unfortunately cannot guarantee an actual delivery date.


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Posterzine™ Issue 37 | Hattie Stewartby People of Print
Characterised by playful, sassy doodles is the wonderful work of London-based artist Hattie Stewart who features in our 37th issue of Posterzine. Having worked for a number of established clients including Apple, Stewart's illustrations are exciting, sexy and have found their way into a number of creative mediums such as Fashion, Contemporary Art and Print.
Posterzine™ is People of Print's monthly publishing project taking the form of a mini-magazine which folds out into a gorgeous A1 format poster (594x841mm). Printed by Pressision Ltd using (usually) two special spot colours onto high quality GFSmith Naturalis paper.
Direction: Marcroy Smith
Design: Grace Mostyn
Interview: Kate Hollowood
BI—ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION (6 ISSUES) includes shipping cost:
- United Kingdom £37
- Europe, USA & Canada £49
- Rest of World £58
MIX & MATCH ANY 5 ISSUES FOR £30: Here


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Any seasoned horror fan is more than familiar with the key identifiable components, the moving parts, that make up the modern slasher film. Starting with the venerable trailblazing first entry into the Scream series, we recognize some of the key ingredients needed to formulate such a film are, plots in which the past comes back to haunt someone, twists and turns complete with red herrings, titillation, stabbing brutality, and character archetypes which allow for genre lines to be blurred. Speaking specifically on that last one, a favorite of this particular horror geek is, "The Pretty One". Typically played as the playful, self-absorbed best friend to the central protagonist, they are also typically the most liked, usually because expectations for the character are subverted and just before their demise, we get to see a different, more relatable side to them. So here's to "The Pretty One"; Rose McGowan, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Brandy Norwood, and now WTF! star, Andrea Hunt.
WTF! is a slasher horror film (with a playful side) that plays very closely in beat to films like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, and as such, there are very clearly delineated archetypes present - "The Stoner", "The Jock", "The Geek", and your character, "The Pretty One". Tell us what you feel are some of the more crucial character traits which define that particular archetype, and how you brought that across on film through your performance.
I think for "the pretty one" archetype, they feel like they are loved because of their looks and maybe the "stuff" that they have so they can come off as very self-involved and materialistic. That archetype can also be vulnerable when it comes to what people think of them, so they can either act like they don't care at all or maybe they care a little too much. I think the beginning of the film really showed the materialistic stereotypical side of the archetype and then further through it started showing a more vulnerable and human side. I think the moments with Jacob leading up to the fire incident really started to show that vulnerable side. I love how when crazy events like getting stuck in a cabin with a serial killer happen, you can see the side of a character that you can really relate to no matter how stereotypical.
Where or who do you draw inspiration from? Do you watch performances of other actors in preparation for your own role?
Well, I take acting classes and have learned a lot about myself and what helps me prepare. I don't ever watch other performances to prep for a role, but I do watch movies to get a tone if the director has something in mind for a project! For this one, I watched Scream to get into the vibes.
Were you given any leeway in how you portrayed "Bonnie"? How much of your character was script, and how much was Andrea?
Yes, I think our director knew what he wanted, but he still let us do our thing. Once we got into the more intense stuff, things became a bit looser and less scripted - minus the stunts! - those were definitely all carefully choreographed.
She was definitely put through the wringer; relentlessly attacked, impaled, tossed around, viciously beaten, and even torched. Did you find the role to be physically demanding, or were those moments mostly reserved for a stunt person?
I got to do all of the stunts and man, were they fun! It was demanding and we definitely took a lot of time to prep for that scene (mentally and physically - they did an awesome job on my makeup too). I remember that night of shooting was one of my favorite nights. Intense, but gratifying!
The cast looked like a fun bunch to work with, how was the atmosphere on set? Lots of joking around?
YES!! The very first day on set in the desert, Johnny Fiore threw a fake snake on me and I freaked and jumped on someone…Nick Reilly got the whole thing on camera! Really though, I can't say enough amazing things about this cast and crew. I think this is the most fun I have ever had on a project and that's all because of the amazing people!
Moving away from WTF! for a moment, what inspired you to begin acting in the first place?
I started dancing and singing when I was three. I was a part of a dance group that started acting classes at their studiosm and putting on musicals at the local theater in Indianapolis; I began class immediately and fell in love. I remember doing monologues at home - from class - to different family members but didn't tell them it was a scene, to see if I could trick them! I have really always wanted to do this since I was a little kid, doing musicals in my room and on stage, like "Annie."
Any other roles in production you'd like to tackle in the future? Directing, maybe?
Yes, I am interested in producing and creating content. I have a writing partner I love to create concepts with, and I am always going to "Producing - 101" meetings through SAG, and joining groups like Women In Film, to learn as much as I possibly can about this industry. I am really interested in all of it, and supporting other people - women especially - with their projects. While acting is my main focus, I just love it all!
Ok, back to WTF. This is the second full length feature horror film you've performed in (in addition to some shorts). Is this a genre you find yourself gravitating towards?
Well, at first, no. It just sort of happened that way, but now, yes. I love that, in horror films, you get to do it all. A horror film can also be a coming of age, romantic, comedic, psychological, action and of course horror. It's an awesome challenge!
If there was a sequel to WTF! being made, what would you personally title it? OMG?
HA HA! OMG! is a great name for a sequel! Maybe, WTF!! with 2 exclamations instead of one if I couldn't think of anything clever… and who knows, there just may be a sequel with a few returning ;)
Name 5 of your favorite horror films
- Sixth Sense
- Get Out
- The Silence of the Lambs
- Scream
- The Shining
What can fans of your work look forward to from you in the near future?
Well, another movie I did, "Awaken the Shadowman" was just released on July 25! It was in select theaters and is now out on Redbox, on-Demand (Time Warner, Cox, Comcast), iTunes, and most major streaming sites. It's a psychological thriller about two estranged brothers reuniting in order to find their mother who disappeared. Along the way they discover a supernatural force. You will get to see a much different side of me in this movie!
Thank you kindly Andrea for taking the time to talk with us! Good luck with your endeavors.
Thanks guys! It was a pleasure.


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'Makers of Precision Tools and Luxury Instrumentation'
REFINED HARDWARE WAS FOUNDED IN LOS ANGELES BY A GROUP OF CRAFTSMEN GATHERED AROUND A SINGLE IDEAL: CREATE THE PERFECT AND REQUIRED EXTENSION OF THE MODERN GENTLEMAN. AS SUCH, OUR ENGINEERS STRIVE TO UTILIZE ONLY THE FINEST MATERIALS, workmanship, and CUTTING EDGE DESIGn TO CREATE A conception WITH AS MUCH PURPOSE AND GREATNESS AS THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO use it. EACH AND EVERY HAND-FINISHED PIECE ORDERED FROM REFINED HARDWARE SHIPS DIRECTLY FROM OUR hands IN LOS ANGELES AND COMES INDIVIDUALLY NUMBERED WITH ITS OWN PERSONALLY UNIQUE touches.
We build pieces for the individual who maintains a respect for quality over quantity and is proud to wear a piece that is made with UNPARALLELED passion and individuality. these are pieces that highlight the BEAUTIFUL, but INCREASINGLY rare, human aspect of MANUFACTURING and are as much tool as they are artistically eye catching. in essence, our blend of materials, design, methodology, and INDIVIDUALITY is out to revive the once great American watch industry a single piece of steel at a time.
thank you.
refined hardware specializes in custom and BESPOKE Pieces. custom requests, and previous conceptions, have ranged from a small modification on a current RUN to a completely self-inspired and totally unique work.
Examples of previous projects include:
private company editions (i.e. runs of 12-20 pieces for a set board members or deal team with firm logos engraved)
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recreating a piece with personal touches and MODIFICATIONS (i.e. an antique case sized up and skeletonized)
piece modification to match a personal item (i.e. coating internal components with ferrari caliper enamel)
developing a piece from solely basic customer sketches
As such, Our designers will work diligently and intimately with you through a range of designs and materials as to provide a custom conception you never thought possible. depending on quantities and DETAILs, This process can be expedited in as fast as 21 days and may include full image renderings, pre-production prototypes, and global white glove delivery.
Please inquire below, we look forward to hearing from you.


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Bound by Prophecy
by Melissa Wright
Series: Descendants Book #1
Paperback, 252 pages
Published April 2013 by Author
Genre: Paranormal Fantasy
Reading Level: New Adult
Twenty-two-year-old Aern is done watching his brother destroy the only thing that matters. He never wanted to take Morgan's place among council, never wanted to rule their hidden world. But when the key to the prophecy is found, a young girl named Brianna whom Morgan will destroy, Aern knows he has to take action.
What he really wants, is for things to go back to normal. But now he's kidnapped a girl, and his brother's men are after him. His only hope is to join with the Division, but they have plans of their own, and it's the last thing Aern is willing to do.
Emily just wants her sister back. She doesn't care about the prophecy, or realize what's at stake. But when she goes after Aern, the truth of the matter uncoils, and Brianna isn't the only one who's in danger. Suddenly, they're at the center of a secret war, and unless they can work together, they'll both have a sacrifice too big to make.
Purchase @ Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Indiebound | The Book Depository
1. Tell me a little about yourself? Describe yourself in 3 words.
I have a crazy-busy life in the Midwest, a large family, and a plethora of animals. I started writing in 2010 (The Frey Saga) and have loved it ever since. If I had to pick three words: happy, cautious, and adventurous. The last two might seem contradictory, but trust me, I'm a careful thrill-seeker. I'll check the knot before I jump off the bridge ;)
2. Have you always wanted to be a author? What were a few other dream jobs you would love to have?
I didn't. I started writing Frey on a whim, just to entertain some friends, and I couldn't stop. I can't imagine not doing it now, but it wasn't even on the radar when I was younger. I'd always enjoyed creating though, and had a vague plan to someday get into advertising or design.
3. What have you found to be most challenging in becoming an author?
It's tough to put yourself out there sometimes. You work so hard on crafting the best story you can, and then you present it to the world, and you really want them to love it as much as you do. But that's part of the fun, too, because sometimes they do.
4. Where did you come up with the idea for your book, Bound by Prophecy?
The idea for Bound by Prophecy came to me while writing book three in the Frey Saga. I was toying with the idea of mind control, that power Frey had over the humans, and I thought how much fun a talent like that would be in our current world. I jotted down Aern's first line and the story took off from there.
5. What is one of the first books you loved as a child?
One of my first memories is of Little Miss Suzy by Miriam Young. My grandmother had read it so many times she had it memorized. When it went missing, she would pull an "invisible" copy from behind her pillow and read us the story word for word. She would stop at each page and describe the beautiful artwork, and we'd stare into the empty air between her hands. That's always made it special to me, and every time a new baby comes into the family, their first gift is a copy of the (real) book.
6. What makes Bound by Prophecy special? Tell me using only 50 words.
It's a new adult paranormal fantasy with a male lead. The story is fast paced as main character Aern tries to protect two girls at the center of a prophecy, one of which he's supposed to be bound to. Of course, he ends up falling for the wrong one.
7. Do you enjoy reading? What type of books do you like? Favorite authors?
Absolutely. I read nearly ever genre except horror – I'm a huge chicken in that respect – but my favorites are young adult and paranormal fantasy. And I love to laugh, so right now the top of my list includes anything by Molly Harper or Kevin Hearne. I also love some of the classics, namely Jane Austen.
8. What advice would you give to someone who wants to be an author but is afraid to even begin writing?
Just do it. If it's something you want, the only way to get there is to try. Don't be afraid, you don't have to share it until you're happy with what you've got and you might just find you're brilliant. Either way, the more you write, the better you'll get, so start now. It can be hard, but you'll love it.
9. What do you like to do in your free time? Hobbies?
I have very little free time anymore, but when I do, I spend it outdoors all summer – at the lake when possible. In the winter, it's wrapped up in a blanket with a good book and sometimes I get the chance to paint and draw.
10. Thanks for being here on my blog, Melissa. Do you have any closing thoughts or final remarks you'd like to share with my readers?
Thanks for having me, Beckie! And I'd like to thank the readers as well, because they're truly what makes this all possible and I appreciate every single one of them.
Your very welcome, Melissa! Thank YOU for stopping by!
About The Author: Melissa Wright
Find Melissa @
Melissa Wright is the author of the Frey Saga and the upcoming Descendants series. Melissa spends her time working on novels, but when not writing she can be found on goodreads and pinterest.
Enter using the rafflecopter form below to win a finished PAPERBACK copy, along with 2 ecopies for international readers.


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I wish I had a dime for every time I heard how people got taken advantage of or treated unfairly or even worse lied to or by mattress sales people and the stores they work for. This blog will offer 10 helpful tips to keep you from making the same mistakes.
- A salesperson can be very helpful in choosing the correct mattress, use their experience and advise to guide you. You don't have to agree with them or take their advice but listening to them a mattress shopper can learn a lot.
- Visit mattress forums, chat rooms, and review sites where people just like you discuss their experiences, likes, and dislikes.
- Read comfort guarantees from stores that offer them. Many times fees, charges, and restrictions apply so understand the details of comfort exchanges and reselections or refunds. People often draw their own conclusion of how these work and are upset when the actual policy differs from how they believe it should work.
- Know exactly what a mattress warranty covers and what it doesn't cover. Warranties don't cover much and never cover mattress comfort which is one of the biggest complaints consumers file their warranty claim under. Know that long mattress warranties are not an indicator of how long a mattress will actually last which is commonly much shorter than the warranty that covers only manufacturer's defects.
- Check out a dealer's reputation through multiple sources. Several excellent sources can be asking friends, family members, and co-workers who may have already bought where you're shopping. Ask them where they bought, what kind of buying and or service experience they had. The BBB is another good source for this kind of information.
- Do your homework take good notes and pay close attention to the dreaded sales pitch. Believe it or not salespeople are generally educated about what they are selling and it is a very good way to get a solid understanding of what you're buying. An educated buyer makes the best choices.
- One of the most common mistakes mattress buyers make is educating themselves and shopping after they have already bought. The only thing you will find yourself doing is catching a bad case of buyers' remorse and that you made a horrible decision.
- Most importantly test rest different mattresses. There are many different brands try them all. Each of those brand names are going to have many models to choose from. Some offer different types of mattresses that will be built using things like coils springs, memory foam, latex foam rubber, or even air or water. By doing this you will be much more secure with your mattress purchase.
- While test resting mattresses quickly eliminate mattresses that you don't like or are ho hum about. Once narrowed down to a few models you really like spend at least 10 -15 minutes test resting each mattress for best results.
- Don't be swayed by sales that end today or on Saturday. Sales will come and go and deals are plentiful you just may have to go get the deal at a different store that carries the same of similar mattress.
Here are some more great tips.
Top Ways To Protect Yourself Before and After a Mattress Purchase


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Dear Clients,
The Derai Family, who have worked in the hotel sector for forty years, would like to welcome you to the wonderful city of Venice, and introduce you to the Hotel Hesperia.
This little hotel is situated in the historic centre, looking onto the Canale di Cannaregio. It has been recently restored, using carefully chosen traditional materials and, while offering every modern comfort, still retains a typical Venetian style.
The Hotel Hesperia provides an excellent, personalized service, thanks to the fact that the owners are always present, and available to give their constant care and attention to the needs of their guests.
Our strong points are our warm welcome, our style, and the superb quality of our services; not forgetting our enviable position.
We hope you will come and try it out in person,
The Derai Family


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On the eve of his retirement, Jeff Gordon looks back at a career that redefined NASCAR
Author Robert Edelstein Illustration Sean McCabe
Earlier this year, on a blazing June afternoon at Pennsylvania's Pocono International Raceway, four-time NASCAR champ Jeff Gordon walked down a roped-off pathway with several hundred fans lined up on either side. Typically, drivers sign only a few autographs on the slow walk to meet the press at the Media Center, but not Gordon—not on this day. He lingered, signing dozens, and when he got to the door, he turned and walked slowly back, signing dozens more, like a man savoring every last moment. And perhaps he was, given that the 44-year-old was in the midst of his 23rd and final season in NASCAR's premier Sprint Cup series. (His final race is November 22, at Homestead-Miami Speedway.)
One of the fans, 18-year-old New Jersey native Joe Wendt, was somewhat less contemplative. "Oh my god, I just got Jeff Gordon's autograph!" he shouted. "I can't believe it!"
The kid had good reason for his lottery-winner smile: As with millions of NASCAR fans over the past two decades, it was Gordon who turned him into a believer. "He won the first race I ever went to, the 2005 Daytona 500," Wendt said. Thanks to Gordon, he became a fan for life at the age of 8.
Half an hour later, standing in his transporter near the Pocono garage area, Gordon could only shake his head at this story. "It took me a little while to fully appreciate the fulfillment for all the fans, and how amazing that is," he said. "And now, closing in on the end of my final season, I think I have a much greater perspective and appreciation."
Don't let his modesty fool you. Gordon is one of the most important figures in NASCAR history. The onset of his career helped usher the sport into its current era, one that has seen NASCAR evolve beyond its Southern roots into a Madison Avenue–friendly commodity in which drivers have to be both car- and camera-ready. The telegenic Gordon's success helped propel this change; he won championships in 1995, '97, '98 and 2001, and his friendly rivalry with "The Intimidator," Dale Earnhardt Sr., brought in new fans at a time when the sport was signing ever more lucrative TV contracts.
"He was the perfect driver [for his era] because of the time he came along," recalls Richard "The King" Petty, NASCAR's biggest legend, whose last race, at the end of the 1992 season, was also Gordon's first. "He was a little bit different. He was real young, and us old heads kinda moved out, and the young heads took over."
Unlike most previous NASCAR stars, Gordon wasn't from the South—he was born in California and raised in Indiana—and he cut his teeth in open-wheel racing rather than on the dirt ovals that are popular below the Mason-Dixon Line. By age 6, he'd set five track records driving quarter-midget cars, and he won several track championships driving sprint cars as a teenager. This path would typically have led him toward the somewhat more cosmopolitan world of IndyCar competition, à la the Andretti and Unser families, but open-wheel opportunities were scarce in the early '90s, so Gordon opted for the stock-car path. For decades, there had been very little crossover between the two styles of racing, but Gordon's success steered Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, Juan Pablo Montoya, Danica Patrick and a host of other open-wheel racers toward his circuit.
"I can vividly remember having conversations with people saying, 'Well, Jeff Gordon came from a different background. Now we're looking at drivers from other backgrounds,'" says six-time champ Jimmie Johnson, who grew up in California and became Gordon's protégé and teammate at Hendrick Motorsports. "I firmly believe that, had I not met Jeff in 2000, at the August Michigan race, I wouldn't be here today."
Given Gordon's success, NASCAR teams would have been foolish not to look for drivers similar to him. He has 92 career victories, good enough for third on the all-time list, behind Petty and David Pearson. His earnings, at close to $150 million (without counting a mountain of endorsements), put him tops all-time. He's second to Petty in top 10s, third in poles and was set this season to become the leader in consecutive all-time starts. His career is inarguably one for the ages.
He also became NASCAR's pop culture pioneer, having made the cover of Fortune and hosted "Saturday Night Live," once unheard-of achievements for the sport. He has even subbed on "Live! With Regis and Kelly" and made numerous appearances on "Kelly and Michael."
Chronic back pain has plagued Gordon over the last couple of years, forcing him toward retirement, but those previous onscreen gigs have helped prepare him for work as a commentator on Fox's NASCAR coverage, starting next season. He's also looking forward to spending more time with his wife, model Ingrid Vandebosch, and their children, Ella, 8, and Leo, 5. Not surprisingly, the kids have the racing gene, and the Gordons have bought each quarter-midget race cars.
"It's nerve-racking but also fun and challenging watching them," Gordon says. "We'll see if either of them likes it as they get older. That would be so cool."
Bigger than the shift Gordon will be going through is the one the sport will likely experience as it searches for a new standard bearer following his exit.
"It'll be different," says teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. "We haven't had someone [of Gordon's importance] retire in a while."
But ask Gordon about his racing legacy, and all he does is shrug.
"It's not the way I think," he says. "I just try to give everything I can back to the sport. I want to be the best damn driver I can be. Hopefully, that's a way that defines me."


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Paul Muldoon's quirky, mad-scientist appearance with large gray hair and glasses exemplifies his ability to formulate his own award-winning writing style.
Last Thursday evening, the Northern Irish poet and Pulitzer Prize winner, Muldoon, spoke in Dolan Auditorium.
"[He] has been called, by the [London] Times Literary Supplement, 'the most important writer in English born after the Second World War.' So he seemed like a good choice," said George Bilgere, a professor in John Carroll's English Department, in his opening remarks.
Bilgere said that the Department of English concluded, "He has a wonderful ear for the richness and beauty of the English language. And, of course, there's a great tradition of remarkable Irish writers before him: Seamus Heaney, Derek Mahon, Joyce, Yeats and on and on. It's amazing that such a small country has produced so many major writers."
Alumni, faculty, students and the community filled Dolan Auditorium to near capacity to listen to Muldoon's inspiration and poetry.
"I was going in not knowing what to expect," said freshman Nick Wojtasik. "He had a good balance of some seriousness and some humorous nonsense in his poerty which, combined with a relaxed atmosphere, made for a quite enjoyable time."
Muldoon began the event on a personal note with a poem about the birth of his daughter, Dorothy. Even as an internationally-known writer, he revealed there are more important things than his literary career. "However corny it sounds for myself, and actually for my children, much more important than anything else is for my children to like me. Seriously, that is something I would like."
Muldoon incorporated the audience by having them recite refrains from his poems such as, "with a click, and a click, and a clicky click" and other variations of this.
Dave Lucas, a 2002 John Carroll graduate, said, "I was even glad for the audience participation, too – poetry is special among the arts because it requires nothing but the human voice and ear. We hear a poet reciting his poem and can even recite it back to him. That's something you don't get when you sit down with his book."
Muldoon finds that he writes many of his pieces from personal experience. "Well, I find it everywhere. I find that out of my usual routine I get more ideas rather than [fabricating things] just in the every day rut of things. So it can happen anywhere at all," he said about inspiration.
Through his writing, he even reveals some of the most complex aspects of human emotion, as in his poem "Sideman." In this piece, Muldoon speaks of companionship.
Muldoon affirms, "You know in many cases, poems begin with a phrase or an image that is striking." This was apparent when he read the piece, "Sideman" and repeated the memorable refrain, "I'll be your sideman, I'll be by your side."
Muldoon has a unique literary language all his own. He uses metaphors and thumping rhymes to not only convey deeper meanings, but as a play on words to connect two or more unlike topics. For example, his poem "Hopewell Haiku" about his home in New Jersey, uses a metaphorical sumo wrestler-like bullfrog which transitions into the deeper emotion of loneliness.
Correlating with Muldoon's wishes of his own legacy, "I hope people would think I was someone who tried their best, who had adventures with language that others could enjoy."
Muldoon utilizes his personal creativity with words in his poem entitled, "Quoof." The word "quoof" is a reference that was used with his family growing up representing a hot water bottle.
Lucas said, "The poem 'Quoof' always stands out to me because it's a personal favorite of mine. I love the way he wrenches words into rhymes in the poem, but I also have a sentimental attraction to it because I read it as a sophomore in George Bilgere's poetry workshop, now ten years ago."
Muldoon ended with a familial tone with his poem, "Saab with Sandi." This piece is told from the perspective of a father of a teenage daughter who is newly entering the dating world. This poem was relatable to this Dolan Auditorium audience in a variety of ways; fathers in attendance from the community and faculty, to students who have recently entered the dating world themselves.
Muldoon participated in a Q & A session at 4 p.m., as well as a reception for faculty and a select group of students.
"At the risk of sounding a bit smarty pants, I think the favorite piece will be the next one. The reason I do it is in the hope of one of these days that I will write something really interesting," said Muldoon about his writing and future literary endeavors.


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Pizza is in his DNA. Five generations of golden, thin, crispiness. One recipe.
The pizza oven is raging, rapidly devouring its feed of dry wood and spitting out sweet nutty smoke.
He comes every summer in his Ape brimming with plump mushrooms of dough.
A light sprinkle of flour on a wooden board, and he gets to work.
With wrist flicks and little rotations the round becomes a disc, airborne momentarily to ensure evenness.
A careful spiral of passata with the back of a spoon,
a shower of mozzarella,
and a scattering of whatever's in the garden: fiori di zucchini, melanzane, pepperoncini…
The flurry of flour continues into the night.
The dinner table is a moderation-free zone.
He only stops when even the strictest of eaters has lost count of the number of pizzas (not slices) he/she has consumed, and physical incapacity is the only limitation.
He doesn't even really stop there: a couple more are sent to the table per domani.
A pizza "hangover" ensues along with the inevitable promises of "never again" "not for another year".
But as soon as I hit London soil again I want to relieve that pizza-lover's fantasy and so I make these.
They're crisp, thin, verdant, and fresh.
I don't believe in barren crusts or meanness so the ingredients are abundant and go right up to and beyond the edge of the base.
I use spelt instead of plain flour (as usual) to reduce the GI level and add a nuttier more complex flavour to the dough.
The added bonus of this recipe is that it is ridiculously quick. Kneading is kept to a minimum (5 minutes) and the rising time is the shortest you'll ever find for pizza dough – ½ hour.
The balsamic-maple reduction is optional but I include it to add extra caramelised sweetness, extra tang and a touch of drama.
Ingredients – makes 4 pizzas
250ml warm water
3 tsp dried yeast (fast active yeast)
500g white spelt flour
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
750g asparagus
30g garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 tsp salt
Grated zest of ½ lemon
A few grinds of Pepper
400g mozzarella (4 balls), chopped finely into cubes
100g parmesan, grated
3 spring onions, thinly sliced
Small bunch of chives, finely chopped
2 red chillies (optional), finely sliced
2 large baking trays or 4 medium baking trays, greased and dusted with flour
Maple Balsamic Reduction (optional)
120ml balsamic vinegar
2 tsp maple syrup
- Heat oven to 120˚C for 5 minutes then switch it off.
- In the bowl of a mixer (or large bowl if making by hand) pour in warm water and sprinkle yeast over it. Allow to stand for 5 minutes for the yeast to activate.
- Stir in flour, salt and oil. Knead by hand for 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or in a machine fitted with a dough hook for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and when you press your thumb into it, it bounces back up.
- Divide dough into two and place each half in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with cling film and place in warmed oven. Allow to rise for 30 minutes or until doubled, then remove from oven and preheat it to its highest temperature, usually 250˚C.
- While the dough is rising, use a vegetable peeler to shave the asparagus: place the asparagus flat on a surface, and holding it at the woody end, shave it from above the woody end to the top of the spear. I sometimes use the ends to make a stock for asparagus risotto.
- Place the ribbons in a bowl and mix with garlic, oil, salt, lemon zest and pepper.
- Once risen, divide each half into two and roll out each quarter into a 0.5cm thick disc. Place on tray and scatter each disc with mozzarella, parmesan, and shaved asparagus. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- Once baked, scatter with spring onions, chives, and chillies, if using. Drizzle with balsamic reduction, if desired, and serve immediately.
Maple Balsamic reduction
- Boil balsamic and maple syrup together over a high heat for about 5 minutes until it thickens slightly to consistency more like that of pure maple syrup. Allow to cool for 1 minute, and drizzle over pizzas.
Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook