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Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize
Now a miniseries from Hulu starring James Franco
In this brilliantly conceived tour de force, Stephen King—who has absorbed the social, political, and popular culture of his generation more imaginatively and thoroughly than any other writer—takes readers on an incredible journey into the past and the possibility of altering it.
It begins with Jake Epping, a thirty-five-year-old English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching GED classes. He asks his students to write about an event that changed their lives, and one essay blows him away—a gruesome, harrowing story about the night more than fifty years ago when Harry Dunning's father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a sledgehammer. Reading the essay is a watershed moment for Jake, his life—like Harry's, like America's in 1963—turning on a dime. Not much later his friend Al, who owns the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to the past, a particular day in 1958. And Al enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsession—to prevent the Kennedy assassination.
So begins Jake's new life as George Amberson, in a different world of Ike and JFK and Elvis, of big American cars and sock hops and cigarette smoke everywhere. From the dank little city of Derry, Maine (where there's Dunning business to conduct), to the warmhearted small town of Jodie, Texas, where Jake falls dangerously in love, every turn is leading eventually, of course, to a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and to Dallas, where the past becomes heart-stoppingly suspenseful, and where history might not be history anymore. Time-travel has never been so believable. Or so terrifying.
Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork of honor and injustice in the deep South—and the heroism of one man in the face of blind and violent hatred
One of the most cherished stories of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than forty million copies worldwide, served as the basis for an enormously popular motion picture, and was voted one of the best novels of the twentieth century by librarians across the country. A gripping, heart-wrenching, and wholly remarkable tale of coming-of-age in a South poisoned by virulent prejudice, it views a world of great beauty and savage inequities through the eyes of a young girl, as her father—a crusading local lawyer—risks everything to defend a black man unjustly accused of a terrible crime.
Dale Barbara, Iraq vet and now a short-order cook, finds himself teamed with a few intrepid citizens -- town newspaper owner Julia Shumway, a physician's assistant at the hospital, a select-woman, and three brave kids. Against them stands Big Jim Rennie, a politician who will stop at nothing -- even murder -- to hold the reins of power, and his son, who is keeping a horrible secret in a dark pantry. But their main adversary is the Dome itself. Because time isn't just short. It's running out.
At last, mega-bestselling author Sister Souljah delivers the stunning sequel to The Coldest Winter Ever. Fierce, raw, and filled with adventure and emotional intensity, A Deeper Love Inside is an unforgettable coming-of-age story in the words of Porsche Santiaga, Winter's younger sister.
Sharp-tongued, quick-witted Porsche worships her sister Winter. Cut from the same cloth as her father, Ricky Santiaga, Porsche is also a natural-born hustler. Passionate and loyal to the extreme, she refuses to accept her new life in group homes, foster care, and juvenile detention after her family is torn apart. Porsche—unique, young, and beautiful—cries as much as she fights and uses whatever she has to reclaim her status. Unselfish, she pushes to get back everything that ever belonged to her wealthy, loving family.
In A Deeper Love Inside, readers will encounter their favorite characters from The Coldest Winter Ever, including Winter and Midnight. Sister Souljah's soulful writing will again move your heart and open your eyes to a shocking reality.
From the highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning Anthony Doerr, the beautiful, stunningly ambitious instant New York Times bestseller about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.
Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure's reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum's most valuable and dangerous jewel.
In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure's converge.
Doerr's "stunning sense of physical detail and gorgeous metaphors" (San Francisco Chronicle) are dazzling. Deftly interweaving the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner, he illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another. Ten years in the writing, a National Book Award finalist, All the Light We Cannot See is a magnificent, deeply moving novel from a writer "whose sentences never fail to thrill" (Los Angeles Times).
See me just as I see you . . .
Colin Hancock is giving his second chance his best shot. With a history of violence and bad decisions behind him and the threat of prison dogging his every step, he's determined to walk a straight line. To Colin, that means applying himself single-mindedly toward his teaching degree and avoiding everything that proved destructive in his earlier life. Reminding himself daily of his hard-earned lessons, the last thing he is looking for is a serious relationship.
Maria Sanchez, the hardworking daughter of Mexican immigrants, is the picture of conventional success. With a degree from Duke Law School and a job at a prestigious firm in Wilmington, she is a dark-haired beauty with a seemingly flawless professional track record. And yet Maria has a traumatic history of her own, one that compelled her to return to her hometown and left her questioning so much of what she once believed.
A chance encounter on a rain-swept road will alter the course of both Colin and Maria's lives, challenging deeply held assumptions about each other and ultimately, themselves. As love unexpectedly takes hold between them, they dare to envision what a future together could possibly look like . . . until menacing reminders of events in Maria's past begin to surface.
As a series of threatening incidents wreaks chaos in Maria's life, Maria and Colin will be tested in increasingly terrifying ways. Will demons from their past destroy the tenuous relationship they've begun to build, or will their love protect them, even in the darkest hour?
Rich in emotion and fueled with suspense, SEE ME reminds us that love is sometimes forged in the crises that threaten to shatter us . . . and that those who see us for who we truly are may not always be the ones easiest to recognize.
It is now being developed as one of the most ambitious television miniseries of all time. Executive Producer Sam Raimi (director of the three Spider-Man movies), in collaboration with Disney/ABC, is creating a 22-episode adaptation of the book to be filmed in New Zealand.
Richard and Kahlan's story unfolds over ten more novels, collectively known as the Sword of Truth series, concluding with Confessor in 2007. Placing Goodkind in the elite club of #1 New York Times bestselling authors, the series has sold more than twenty million copies to date worldwide.
In Wizard's First Rule, Goodkind introduced the world to an ordinary forest guide, Richard Cypher, and the mysterious, powerful woman he comes to love, Kahlan Amnell. Learning his true identity, Richard accepts his destiny as the one man who can stop the bloodthirsty tyrant Darken Rahl. Hunted relentlessly, betrayed and alone, Kahlan calls upon Richard to reach beyond his sword and invoke something more noble within himself as the final confrontation with Darken Rahl looms.
The importance of Wizard's First Rule is sourced in Goodkind taking on the toughest of all literary challenges: to tell an electrifying story of action, violence, and adventure that also makes people think, and that would influence the choices and actions of its readers.
After being caught in the middle of a love triangle that led to a devastating betrayal, Kiera pledged to learn from the mistakes she'd made. She was determined to never again inflict that kind of pain on anyone, especially the soulful, talented man who held her heart. But life offers new challenges for every relationship, and when Kiera's love is put to the ultimate test, will it survive? Love is easy…trust is hard.
Creating "true narrative magic" (The Washington Post) at every revelatory turn, Stephen King surpasses all expectation in the stunning final volume of his seven-part epic masterwork. Entwining stories and worlds from a vast and complex canvas, here is the conclusion readers have long awaited—breathtakingly imaginative, boldly visionary, and wholly entertaining.
Roland Deschain and his ka-tet have journeyed together and apart, scattered far and wide across multilayered worlds of wheres and whens. The destinies of Roland, Susannah, Jake, Father Callahan, Oy, and Eddie are bound in the Dark Tower itself, which now pulls them ever closer to their own endings and beginnings...and into a maelstrom of emotion, violence, and discovery.
Powerful and sensual, Midnight is an intelligent, fierce fighter and Ninjutsu-trained ninja warrior. He attracts attention wherever he goes but remains unmoved by it and focuses on protecting his mother and sister and regaining his family's fortunes. When Midnight, a devout Muslim, takes sixteen-year-old Akemi from Japan as his wife, they look forward to building a life together, but their tumultuous teenage marriage is interrupted when Akemi is kidnapped and taken back to Japan by her own father, even though the marriage was consummated and well underway.
"There's not one drop of inferiority in my blood," Midnight says as he first secures his mother, Umma, and sister, Naja, before setting off on a global journey to reclaim his wife. Midnight must travel across three countries and numerous cultures in his attempt to defeat his opponent. Along this magnificent journey he meets people who change him forever, even as he changes them. He encounters temptations he never would have imagined and takes risks that many a lesser man would say no to, all for the women he loves and is sworn to protect.
Can love survive when life gets Reckless?
When the band hits it big, Kiera and Kellan must ask themselves: Can their love for each other withstand the constant pressures of superstardom? The friendships they've formed, the new family they've found, and the history they've forged will all play a part in helping them navigate the turbulent waters of the band's exploding popularity. A greedy executive hell-bent on success, a declining pop star looking for an edge, and a media circus that twists lies into truths are just some of the obstacles the lovers will have to overcome if they are going to remain together. Fame comes with a price—but will it cost Kiera and Kellan everything?
A Murdered son. Shattered bonds. Forbidden affairs. Forced to choose one lover over another. A brother's love tainted by deception. Blackmail. Hate. Lust. Love. Corruption. Four friends torn apart by treachery. The threat of going up against one of the most sophisticated and deadliest Chinese crime organizations. When there's nothing left except a choice between war or death…there's really no choice.
At twenty-two years old, Sydney is enjoying a great life: She's in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her best friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers that Hunter is cheating on her—and she's forced to decide what her next move should be.
Soon, Sydney finds herself captivated by her mysterious and attractive neighbor, Ridge. She can't take her eyes off him or stop listening to the passionate way he plays his guitar every evening out on his balcony. And there's something about Sydney that Ridge can't ignore, either. They soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one.
For almost two years now, Kiera's boyfriend, Denny, has been everything she's ever wanted: loving, tender, and endlessly devoted to her. When they head off to a new city to start their lives together—Denny at his dream job and Kiera at a top-notch university—everything seems perfect. Then an unforeseen obligation forces the happy couple apart. Feeling lonely, confused, and in need of comfort, Kiera turns to an unexpected source—a local rock star named Kellan Kyle. At first, he's purely a friend she can lean on, but as her loneliness grows, so does their relationship. And then one night everything changes…and none of them will ever be the same.
Inspiration for the MAJOR MOTION PICTURE starring Academy Award winner Brie Larson
To five-year-old-Jack, Room is the world. . . . It's where he was born, it's where he and his Ma eat and sleep and play and learn. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits.
Room is home to Jack, but to Ma it's the prison where she has been held for seven years. Through her fierce love for her son, she has created a life for him in this eleven-by-eleven-foot space. But with Jack's curiosity building alongside her own desperation, she knows that Room cannot contain either much longer.
Room is a tale at once shocking, riveting, exhilarating--a story of unconquerable love in harrowing circumstances, and of the diamond-hard bond between a mother and her child.
Everyone fears the Master...
Rich, irresistible politician/Mafiya boss Maksimilian Sevastyan prefers tall, obedient blondes to fulfill his…complicated desires. That is, until the icy Russian encounters a disobedient brunette whose exquisite little body threatens his legendary restraint.
Except her.
Catarina Marín was a well-off young wife until her world fell apart. Now she's hiding out, forced to start working as an escort in Miami. Her very first client is beyond gorgeous, but when he tells her what he plans to do to her, Cat almost walks out of the door.
If pleasure is a game, play to win.
After their mind-blowing encounter burns out of control, the lovers crave more. If they escape the deadly threats surrounding them, can Maksim overcome his past—to offer Cat his future? Only then will she tempt him with what he really wants: her, all tied up with a bow.
Nominated as one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American Read.
The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald's third book, stands as the supreme achievement of his career. First published in 1925, this quintessential novel of the Jazz Age has been acclaimed by generations of readers. The story of the mysteriously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, of lavish parties on Long Island at a time when The New York Times noted "gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession," it is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s.
Vince Flynn's intensely suspenseful #1 New York Times bestseller puts the young, hungry, and lethal superagent of American Assassin in the crosshairs even as he kills with impunity.
In the year since the CIA trained and then unleashed him, Mitch Rapp has dismantled, kill by untraceable kill, the network of monsters behind the Pan Am Lockerbie terrorist attack. The hunt leads to Paris, where a deadly trap is sprung as the bullet leaves Rapp's silenced pistol—followed by the discovery of nine bodies, including Libya's oil minister, in one of the city's finest hotels. Washington wants no part of the international crisis, and Rapp is deemed a liability by Stan Hurley, one of his handlers. But as he slips outside their control to operate on his own, it will soon become clear that nothing is more dangerous than a wounded and cornered Mitch Rapp.
The penultimate volume in the Dark Tower series, The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah, a #1 New York Times bestseller, is a pivotal installment in the epic saga.
Set in a world of extraordinary circumstances, filled with stunning visual imagery and unforgettable characters, the Dark Tower series is unlike anything you have ever read. Here is the penultimate installment.
The Handmaid's Tale is a novel of such power that the reader will be unable to forget its images and its forecast. Set in the near future, it describes life in what was once the United States and is now called the Republic of Gilead, a monotheocracy that has reacted to social unrest and a sharply declining birthrate by reverting to, and going beyond, the repressive intolerance of the original Puritans. The regime takes the Book of Genesis absolutely at its word, with bizarre consequences for the women and men in its population.
The story is told through the eyes of Offred, one of the unfortunate Handmaids under the new social order. In condensed but eloquent prose, by turns cool-eyed, tender, despairing, passionate, and wry, she reveals to us the dark corners behind the establishment's calm facade, as certain tendencies now in existence are carried to their logical conclusions. The Handmaid's Tale is funny, unexpected, horrifying, and altogether convincing. It is at once scathing satire, dire warning, and a tour de force. It is Margaret Atwood at her best.
Raised in a wealthy, influential, Islamic African family, Midnight enjoys a life of comfort, confidence, and protection. Midnight's father provides him with a veil of privilege and deep, devoted love, but he never hides the truth about the fierce challenges of the world outside of his estate. So when Midnight's father's empire is attacked, he sends Midnight with his mother to the United States.
In the streets of Brooklyn, a young Midnight uses his Islamic mind-set and African intelligence to protect the ones he loves, build a business, reclaim his wealth and status, and remain true to his beliefs.
Midnight, a handsome and passionate young man, attracts many women. How he interacts and deals with them is a unique adventure. This is a highly sensual and tremendous love story about what a man is willing to risk and give to the women he loves most. Midnight will remain in your mind and beat in your heart for a lifetime.
Her "raw and true voice" (Publishers Weekly) will both soothe and arouse you. In a beautifully written and masterfully woven story, Sister Souljah has given us Midnight, and solidified her presence as the mother of all contemporary urban literature.
Wolves of the Calla is the highly anticipated fifth book in Stephen King's Dark Tower series—a unique bestselling epic fantasy quest inspired many years ago by The Lord of the Rings.
Set in a world of extraordinary circumstances, filled with stunning visual imagery and unforgettable characters, the Dark Tower series is unlike anything you have ever read. Here is the fifth installment.
This thrilling page-turner introduces the story of the black Dahlia and her bloodstained ascent to power. After establishing a connection with "The Five Families," Dahlia becomes literally untouchable. Her brazen tactics and mafia-style antics become infamous and she is set to take over the country's black market. But there is only one thing still standing in her way - she is a woman. The competition doesn't respect her so Dahlia sets out on a bloody mission to ensure the protection of her new kingdom. Liberty has relocated to her hometown only to get a knock on the door by a man she hasn't seen in years. She reacquaints herself with the past and gets connected with some of the biggest bosses in the country. When fate brings her face-to-face with Dahlia, who will end up victorious? Will Dahlia's newfound power make her invincible? Or, will Liberty finally get the revenge she deserves? What happens next is the most shocking ending that Ashley & JaQuavis have ever created. This is storytelling at its greatest. Welcome to Murderville 3: the Black Dahlia.
After the film in her camera is mysteriously destroyed at a small-town festival, reporter Bernice Kreuger knows she's found something worth covering up. She brings the investigation to her boss, Marshall Hogan. Along with the local pastor of a struggling church, Hank Busch, they find something much bigger than they expected—a demonic plot to enslave their town and, eventually, the world.
The tiny college town of Ashton becomes the unlikely battleground in a cosmic clash between good and evil. Unseen by the human protagonists, armies of angels and demons wage war against one another in the spiritual realm for the souls of the people of Ashton. Up against supernatural forces, the future of the town seems bleak – but the power of prayer might be able to influence the outcome of the fight.
This fast-paced thriller birthed an entirely new genre, setting the standard for spiritual suspense. It has since sold over 2 million copies worldwide, sparking a renewed interest in the concept of spiritual warfare.
From master storyteller Stephen King, his unforgettable and terrifying sequel to The Shining—an instant #1 New York Times bestseller that is "[a] vivid frightscape" (The New York Times).
On highways across America, a tribe of people called the True Knot travel in search of sustenance. They look harmless—mostly old, lots of polyester, and married to their RVs. But as Dan Torrance knows, and spunky twelve-year-old Abra Stone learns, the True Knot are quasi-immortal, living off the steam that children with the shining produce when they are slowly tortured to death.
Haunted by the inhabitants of the Overlook Hotel, where he spent one horrific childhood year, Dan has been drifting for decades, desperate to shed his father's legacy of despair, alcoholism, and violence. Finally, he settles in a New Hampshire town, an AA community that sustains him, and a job at a nursing home where his remnant shining power provides the crucial final comfort to the dying. Aided by a prescient cat, he becomes "Doctor Sleep."
Then Dan meets the evanescent Abra Stone, and it is her spectacular gift, the brightest shining ever seen, that reignites Dan's own demons and summons him to a battle for Abra's soul and survival. This is an epic war between good and evil, a gory and glorious story that will thrill the millions of devoted readers of The Shining and satisfy anyone new to this icon in the Stephen King canon.
Handsome, young, Muslim, and married to two women living in one house along with his mother, Umma, and sister, Naja: can Midnight manage all that he has on his plate? He is surrounded by Americans who don't share or understand his faith or culture, and adults who are offended by his maturity, intelligence, and his natural ability to make his hard work turn into real money. He is calm, confident, and cool, Ninja-trained and powerful, but one moment of rage throws this Brooklyn youth into a dark world of dirty police, gangs, guns, drugs, prisons, and dangerous inmates. Everything he ever believed, every dollar he ever earned, and all of the women he ever loved—including his mother—are at risk.
Will his manhood be taken, broken, or altered? Can he maintain his faith? Outnumbered, overruled, and deeply envied—how can he possibly survive? Will the streets convert him? What can he keep? What must he lose?
A captivating tale, written with fluid narrative and contemporary dialect, Flyy Girl captures the complete feel and sounds of the streets and is destined to become an urban classic.
Say there was a novel in which Holden Caulfield was an alcoholic and Lolita was a photographer's assistant and, somehow, they met in Bright Lights, Big City. He's blinded by love. She by ambition. Diary of an Oxygen Thief is an honest, hilarious, and heartrending novel, but above all, a very realistic account of what we do to each other and what we allow to have done to us.
A foundling raised in a world of humans
Growing up, Josephine didn't know who or what she was—just that she was an outcast with strange powers. Protecting her baby brother became her entire life. The day he was taken away began Jo's transition from would-be superhero…to enchanting villain.
A lethally sensual enforcer on a mission
Archer Rune the Baneblood never fails to eliminate his target. In his sights: the oldest living Valkyrie. Yet before he strikes, a vampiric creature pierces him with aching pleasure, stealing his forbidden blood—and jeopardizing his brethren's secrets.
A boundless passion that will lead to sweet ruin…
Could this exquisite female be a spy sent by the very Valkyrie he hunts? When Jo betrays the identity of the one man she will die to protect, she and Rune become locked in a treacherous battle of wills that pits ultimate loyalty against unbridled lust.
With Samad's target on her back, Liberty must survive the harsh streets alone. But when a chance encounter pushes her into the arms of a new friend, Po, the two take on the California king pin, and step full force into the game. As bullets and sparks fly the unlikely pair embark on a serendipitous journey back to where it all started, Sierra Leone. With a new overseas connection, Po sees an opportunity that is too good to pass up. When his pursuit of the American dream conflicts with Liberty's past, will they be able to survive? Or will the drug empire that they've built together come crashing down?
Meet Ove. He's a curmudgeon—the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him "the bitter neighbor from hell." But must Ove be bitter just because he doesn't walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?
Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove's mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents' association to their very foundations.
A feel-good story in the spirit of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, Fredrik Backman's novel about the angry old man next door is a thoughtful exploration of the profound impact one life has on countless others. "If there was an award for 'Most Charming Book of the Year,' this first novel by a Swedish blogger-turned-overnight-sensation would win hands down" (Booklist, starred review).
Eternal Obsession
As a boy, Thronos, prince of Skye Hall, loved Lanthe, a mischievous Sorceri girl who made him question everything about his Vrekener clan. But when the two got caught in the middle of their families' war, tragedy struck, leaving Thronos and Lanthe bitter enemies. Though centuries have passed, nothing can cool his seething need for the beautiful enchantress who scarred his body—and left an even deeper impression on his soul.
Endless Yearning
Lanthe, a once-formidable sorceress struggling to reclaim her gifts, searches for love and acceptance with all the wrong immortal suitors. But she's never forgotten Thronos, the magnificent silver-eyed boy who protected her until she was ripped from the shelter of his arms. One harrowing night changed everything between them. Now he's a notorious warlord with a blood vendetta against Lanthe, hunting her relentlessly.
Can the heat of desire burn brighter than vengeance?
With their families locked in conflict and battles raging all around them, will Thronos and Lanthe succumb to the brutal chaos that threatens everything they cherish? Or will the fragile bond they formed so long ago spark a passion strong enough to withstand even the darkest doubts?
Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver.
Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and he sees that life, like racing, isn't simply about going fast. Using the techniques needed on the race track, one can successfully navigate all of life's ordeals.
On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through: the sacrifices Denny has made to succeed professionally; the unexpected loss of Eve, Denny's wife; the three-year battle over their daughter, Zoë, whose maternal grandparents pulled every string to gain custody. In the end, despite what he sees as his own limitations, Enzo comes through heroically to preserve the Swift family, holding in his heart the dream that Denny will become a racing champion with Zoë at his side. Having learned what it takes to be a compassionate and successful person, the wise canine can barely wait until his next lifetime, when he is sure he will return as a man.
Our relationship had been short. Intense and brief. I wondered what it would have felt like to curl up in Rush's arms anytime I wanted. To know I was safe and that he loved me. We'd never had that chance.
Just when Blaire allowed herself to fall for her stepbrother, Rush, he revealed a life-altering secret so devastating that she couldn't forgive him. Unable to face him again, Blaire leaves the promise of true love behind in Rosemary Beach and returns to the comforts of her small town in Alabama, wanting nothing more than to put the summer behind her.
But unexpected news complicates Blaire's plans, and she's forced to trust the one man she shouldn't. Trapped between Rush's fierce desire to win her back and her own sense of self-preservation, Blaire doesn't know if she's doing the right thing...or if she's making the biggest mistake of her life.
At 32, Russell Green has it all: a stunning wife, a lovable six year-old daughter, a successful career as an advertising executive and an expansive home in Charlotte. He is living the dream, and his marriage to the bewitching Vivian is the center of that. But underneath the shiny surface of this perfect existence, fault lines are beginning to appear...and no one is more surprised than Russ when he finds every aspect of the life he took for granted turned upside down. In a matter of months, Russ finds himself without a job or wife, caring for his young daughter while struggling to adapt to a new and baffling reality. Throwing himself into the wilderness of single parenting, Russ embarks on a journey at once terrifying and rewarding--one that will test his abilities and his emotional resources beyond anything he ever imagined.
When a chance encounter with an old flame tempts him to take a chance on love again, he will navigate this new opportunity with trepidation and wonder. But with the loyal support of his parents and his wise older sister Marge, and in the hard-won lessons of fatherhood, Russ will finally come to understand the true nature of unconditional love--that it is a treasure to be bestowed, never earned.
"One bullet changed everything."
Three years after narrowly escaping a one way trip to the gas chamber, the fugitive known only as Animal finds himself drawn back to the scene of the crime, Harlem, NY.
Throughout his entire time in exile the only thing that kept Animal going was the thought that he would one day be reunited with his soul mate, Gucci, but one bullet changed everything.
When his enemies tried to murder Gucci they crossed the line, so he vowed to cross them all.
While Gucci teeters between life and death Animal sets out on a bloody mission fueled by love and orchestrated by bullets...there would be no more innocents.
Alliances are formed and secrets uncovered while Animal wages his personal war on the streets of Harlem with the end result revealing one great truth....he is only a small piece in a much greater puzzle.
The man ordered to take Animal from the world turns out to be the man who brought him into it. Animal finds himself torn between his hatred for the father who had abandoned him and the man who had taken everything from him. An uneasy truce is formed between father and son to take down a common enemy and finally grant Animal his freedom from the blood debt he's carried for so many years. But when the ghosts of Animal's past catch up with him he learns that nothing is what it seems, and everything is subject to corruption, even his love for Gucci.
The most secretive organization in America operates without any accountability to the American people. Hiding in the shadows, pretending to be part of the United States government, its power is beyond measure.
Control of this organization has just been lost and the future of the nation thrust into peril.
When the five candidates being considered to head this mysterious agency suddenly go missing, covert counterterrorism operative Scot Harvath is summoned to Washington and set loose on the most dangerous chase ever to playout on American soil.
But as the candidates begin turning up murdered, the chase becomes an all-too-public spectacle, with every indicator suggesting that the plot has its roots in a shadowy American cabal founded in the 1700s.
With the United States on the verge of collapse, Harvath must untangle a web of conspiracy centuries in the making and head off the greatest threat America has ever seen.
This is thriller writing at its absolute best, where the stakes have never been higher, nor the line between good and evil so hard to discern.
In the dark days after the death of Richard the Lionhearted, lives and lands would fall into upheaval at the hands of a power-hungry British ruler and his violent minions. One victim of the scourge is innocent Gillian, who is a mere child when the cruel and ambitious Baron Alford slaughters her father and tears her family apart. Alford, determined to recover a jeweled box for the despotic King John, is furious when the precious treasure slips through his fingers—only to be lost for more than a decade.
Now a beautiful young woman, Gillian finds the key to resolving her past in handsome Scottish chieftains Ramsey Sinclair and Brodick Buchanan. With the cunning and courage of the daring Scotsmen, and with the friendship of a new ally, Bridgid KirkConnell, Gillian at last fights the unscrupulous Baron Alford, laying claim to her home, her family, and her father's reputation. But in the presence of the mighty warrors, Gillian and Bridgid discover that desire can be a weapon of conquest, betrayal can slay trust in a heartbeat, and the greatest risk of all is to surrender to unexpected love.
When three besties meet three hot guys in Vegas anything can—and does—happen. Book One of the New York Times bestselling Wild Seasons series from the author of the Beautiful Bastard series.
One-night stands are supposed to be with someone convenient, or wickedly persuasive, or regrettable. They aren't supposed to be with someone like him.
But after a crazy Vegas weekend celebrating her college graduation—and terrified of the future path she knows is a cop-out—Mia Holland makes the wildest decision of her life: follow Ansel Guillaume—her sweet, filthy fling—to France for the summer and just...play.
When feelings begin to develop behind the provocative roles they take on, and their temporary masquerade adventures begin to feel real, Mia will have to decide if she belongs in the life she left because it was all wrong, or in the strange new one that seems worlds away.
The wealthy son of a rocker. A tough farm girl from Alabama. Two step-siblings from different worlds. One summer in Rosemary Beach.
The last thing Blaire Wynn wants is to move in with her father's new family in Rosemary Beach, Florida. She has no choice. Blaire's mother has passed away after a long illness, leaving behind a mountain of medical debts and no way for Blaire to keep their small Alabama farmhouse.
Driving into the wealthy resort town in a pickup truck with a pistol under her seat, Blaire knows she'll never fit in. She's even more disappointed to discover that her father has left for Paris, leaving her with her new stepbrother, Rush Finlay. The cynical, condescending, and unapologetic son of an infamous rock star, Rush is as spoiled as he is gorgeous—and he immediately gets under Blaire's skin.
But as the summer goes by, Blaire begins to see a side of Rush she never expected, and the chemistry between them becomes impossible to ignore. Unknown to her, Rush has a secret that could destroy Blaire's entire world. Will she find out what he's hiding before she falls too far?
Darcy Anderson's husband of more than twenty years is away on one of his routine business trips when the unsuspecting Darcy looks for batteries in the garage. Her toe knocks up against a hidden box under a worktable and in it she discovers a trove of horrific evidence that her husband is two men—one, the benign father of her children, the other, a raging rapist and murderer. It's a horrifying discovery, rendered with bristling intensity, and it definitively ends "A Good Marriage."
This story was originally published in Stephen King's acclaimed collection, Full Dark, No Stars.
When you find your reason for living, hold onto it. Never let it go. Even if it means burning other bridges along the way.
Things haven't been easy for Blaire and Rush. The couple has been tested by the revelation of shocking family secrets and a surprising event that forced them to come to terms with their future. Yet there has never been any doubt: their love knows no limits, and they'll do whatever it takes to stay together.
Now they're ready to settle down in Rosemary Beach and build a family. For Blaire, it's a fantasy come true. But while Rush has promised Blaire forever, his loyalty to his spoiled and manipulative sister, Nan, strains their would-be happiness. Rush is ready to be a family man, but which family will he ultimately choose?
She was it. His one. His only. Then he made the mistake of letting her go.
After fighting his way into Harlow Manning's heart—and revealing a side of himself no one had ever seen before—Grant Carter destroyed his own heart by giving in to his greatest fears and doubts. Months later, he's stuck in a miserable routine. Work relentlessly. Beg his best friend Rush for news about Harlow. Avoid all other friends. Leave nightly voicemails for Harlow, pleading with her to come back to Rosemary Beach. Fall asleep alone. Repeat.
Miles away, on her brother's Texas ranch, Harlow can't bring herself to listen to Grant's voicemails. Though she wants to be with him, and knows he regrets letting her go, she doesn't know if she can trust him. When he discovered the truth behind her sheltered upbringing, it shattered their relationship, but the secret she carries now has far greater consequences. Can she risk giving Grant one more chance, or will the gamble ultimately destroy her?
Della Sloane is not your average girl. Yearning to break free of her dark and sheltered past, and the memories of the illness that claimed her mother, Della plans a solo road trip to experience real life on her own terms. But the trip is nearly cut short in the little beach town of Rosemary when she realizes she can't even pump her own gas—until Woods Kerrington shows up, more than willing to help out a pretty girl in need.
Woods's family wants him to settle down with a wealthy woman in pearls, but he can't resist this carefree girl in cutoffs passing through town. A one-night stand should have been enough, but months later, Woods can't get the irresistible Della out of his head.
When a twist of fate brings Della back to Woods, all signs point to trouble if they don't keep their distance. Neither is truly free, and a relationship could destroy both of them. With their hearts on the line, Della thinks the safest bet is to walk away. But Woods isn't about to let that happen…
Justify My Thug continues the scintillating drama of Wahida Clark's bestselling Thug series. Following the action of Thug Lovin', the story rejoins the saga's favorite couple, Tasha and Trae, as they try to overcome their troubles and make their marriage work. Meanwhile, Jaz is facing drama of her own. In the torrid world of sex, drugs, and crime, Wahida Clark continues her definitive Hip-Hop soap opera that fans have come to love.
I had an urge to fix all her problems. Which was stupid. She was doing fine without me. But something about those big eyes…
Mase Colt-Manning has always preferred his humble life as a Texas rancher to his birthright as the son of a legendary rock star. In fact, he rarely visits his father's rarefied world in Rosemary Beach, especially if it means bunking at his vile half-sister Nan's house—until one visit leads to a chance encounter with a young, gorgeous house maid who awakens him with her off-key but spirited imitation of a country music star…
Reese Ellis finally has her freedom. After escaping a lifetime of abuse from her parents and classmates for an undiagnosed learning disorder, she seizes the opportunity to be a house maid to some of the richest families in Rosemary Beach. But her job is in jeopardy when she causes an accident at the home of her most important client, Nan Dillon. When a hot, half-naked stranger with a cowboy's swagger comes to her rescue, she's intrigued—then afraid once he shows his own interest. Reese has never met a trustworthy man in her life. Will Mase be any different?
Some stories live forever . . .
Sage Singer is a baker. She works through the night, preparing the day's breads and pastries, trying to escape a reality of loneliness, bad memories, and the shadow of her mother's death. When Josef Weber, an elderly man in Sage's grief support group, begins stopping by the bakery, they strike up an unlikely friendship. Despite their differences, they see in each other the hidden scars that others can't.
Everything changes on the day that Josef confesses a long-buried and shameful secret and asks Sage for an extraordinary favor. If she says yes, she faces not only moral repercussions, but potentially legal ones as well. With the integrity of the closest friend she's ever had clouded, Sage begins to question the assumptions and expectations she's made about her life and her family. In this searingly honest novel, Jodi Picoult gracefully explores the lengths to which we will go in order to keep the past from dictating the future.
In 1984, London is a grim city where Big Brother is always watching you and the Thought Police can practically read your mind. Winston Smith joins a secret revolutionary organization called The Brotherhood, dedicated to the destruction of the Party. Together with his beloved Julia, he hazards his life in a deadly match against the powers that be.
Animal Farm is Orwell's classic satire of the Russian Revolution -- an account of the bold struggle, initiated by the animals, that transforms Mr. Jones's Manor Farm into Animal Farm--a wholly democratic society built on the credo that All Animals Are Created Equal. But are they?
Alex Cross was a rising star in the Washington, D. C. Police Department when an unknown shooter gunned down his wife in front of him. Alex's need for vengeance was placed on hold as he faced another huge challenge: raising his children without their mother.
Years later, Alex is making a bold move in his life. He has left the FBI and set up practice as a psychologist once again. His life with Nana Mama, Damon, Jannie, and little Alex finally feels like it's in order. He even has a chance at a new love.
Then Cross's former partner, John Sampson, calls in a favor. Now Cross must go on the hunt for the most cunning, psychotic killer he has ever faced. . . and it pushes him dangerously close to the breaking point.
Shadow's Claim features Prince Trehan, a ruthless master assassin who will do anything to possess Bettina, his beautiful sorceress mate, even compete for her hand in a blood-sport tournament— to the death.
Trehan Daciano, known as the Prince of Shadows, has spent his life serving his people—striking in the night, quietly executing any threat to their realm. The coldly disciplined swordsman has never desired anything for himself—until he beholds Bettina, the sheltered ward of two of the Lore's most fearsome villains.
Desperate to earn her guardians' approval after a life-shattering mistake, young Bettina has no choice but to marry whichever suitor prevails—even though she's lost her heart to another. Yet one lethal competitor, a mysterious cloaked swordsman, invades her dreams, tempting her with forbidden pleasure.
Even if Trehan can survive the punishing contests to claim her as his wife, the true battle for Bettina's heart is yet to come. And unleashing a millennium's worth of savage need will either frighten his Bride away—or stoke Bettina's own desires to a fever pitch. . . .
"Feels like the TV show 24 on the page." —The Associated Press
#1 New York Times bestselling author Brad Thor presents his greatest thriller ever—an action-packed literary tour de force!
Hidden deep within one of the world's most powerful organizations is a secret committee with a devastating agenda. Its members are afforded incredible protections—considered elites, untouchables.
But when four seconds of video is captured halfway around the world and anonymously transmitted to DC, covert wheels are set in motion, and counterterrorism operative Scot Harvath is tapped to undertake the deadliest assignment of his career.
What begins as a favor will evolve into a globe-spanning drama of highly personal stakes played out against a backdrop of stunning international intrigue, duplicitous political gamesmanship, and the darkest, most clandestine fears of the espionage world.
With razor-sharp plotting, richly rendered characters, and heart-stopping surprises on every page, Thor isn't just at the top of his game—he owns the entire genre.
Two children from Sierra Leone, Liberty and A'shai, are brought together by chance only to be forced apart by the most inevitable and tragic fate. Ashley and JaQuavis bring us this classic love story set against modern life's most horrifying realities. Liberty is dying of a fatal heart condition, though she desperately wants to survive until her 25th birthday when her sister has promised to visit her. A'shai blames himself for not protecting Liberty, but all Liberty asks is for A'shai to tell her a story, to help her remember what brought them to this point. He knows that this is the last story he will ever tell and the last she will ever hear. As Liberty lies dying, A'shai walks her though their past, reliving their ill-fated journeys through the streets. Their story will take them from an arranged marriage, through Mexico's drug cartel, child brothels, hustling in Detroit, to escaping the high-powered heads of L.A.'s underworld. But ultimately, this is a story of love and redemption that will leave you breathless from the unpredictable and mind-blowing ending.
Anyone who lived through the 1980s may find it impossible—inconceivable, even—to equate The Princess Bride with anything other than the sweet, celluloid romance of Westley and Buttercup, but the film is only a fraction of the ingenious storytelling you'll find in these pages. Rich in character and satire, the novel is set in 1941 and framed cleverly as an "abridged" retelling of a centuries-old tale set in the fabled country of Florin that's home to "Beasts of all natures and descriptions. Pain. Death. Brave men. Coward men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passions."
Detective Alex Cross and Bree's wedding plans are put on hold when Alex is called to the scene of the perfectly executed assassination of two of Washington D.C.'s most corrupt: a dirty congressmen and an underhanded lobbyist. Next, the elusive gunman begins picking off other crooked politicians, sparking a blaze of theories: is the marksman a hero or a vigilante?
The case explodes, and the FBI assigns agent Max Siegel to the investigation. As Alex and Siegel battle over jurisdiction, the murders continue-and they won't stop until Cross and his family are gone for good. With a supercharged blend of action, deception, and suspense, Cross Fire is James Patterson's most visceral and exciting Alex Cross novel ever.
After enduring years of torture from the vampire horde, Lachlain MacRieve, leader of the Lykae Clan, is enraged to find the predestined mate he's waited millennia for is a vampire. Or partly one. Emmaline Troy is a small, ethereal half Valkyrie/half vampire, who somehow begins to soothe the fury burning within him.
Sheltered Emmaline finally sets out to uncover the truth about her deceased parents—until a powerful Lykae claims her as his mate and forces her back to his ancestral Scottish castle. There, her fear of the Lykae—and their notorious dark desires—ebbs as he begins a slow, wicked seduction to sate her own dark cravings.
Yet when an ancient evil from her past resurfaces, will their desire deepen into a love that can bring a proud warrior to his knees and turn a gentle beauty into the fighter she was born to be?
When Danny, a young woman who grew up on the streets of London with no memory of her real family, is banished from her gang because she helped handsome rakehell Jeremy Malory steal back the jewels his friend lost in a card game, Danny demands that Jeremy give her a job. She is determined to become respectable in order to fulfill her dream of marrying and starting a family. Intrigued by her beauty and spunk, Jeremy hires Danny as his upstairs maid, although he wants her as his mistress.
Under the tutelage of Jeremy and his cousin Regina, Danny blossoms into a lady. Although she is drawn to Jeremy by passionate feelings she has never experienced before, she refuses to be anything more than a servant to him because she knows he is not the marrying kind. When Danny undergoes a Cinderella-like transformation and poses as Jeremy's new love in an attempt to help him avert a scandal, a few highly placed members of the ton remark on how familiar Danny looks. Now tongues are wagging, raising the question of her true identity, which threatens not only Danny's chances of capturing Jeremy's heart but her very life.
With the humor, lovable characters, and romantic intensity that have placed Johanna Lindsey's six previous Malory novels in the ranks of the best-loved and most widely read romantic novels of our time, Johanna Lindsey delights readers with an emotionally powerful tale of an irresistible scoundrel who meets his match in a brave, strong-minded young woman and can't help but fall in love.
"Do you know how scary it is to want something so bad you're willing to change your whole life for it?"
Emily Cooper is ready to risk everything to be with the man who has consumed her thoughts and dreams since the fateful day they met. Unraveling fast, she can only cling to the hope that Gavin Blake still wants her.
Nursing his wounded heart, Gavin has cut himself off from society and retreated into a self-destructive, mind-numbing world. Emily isn't used to being the strong one, but she'll have to find the daring and confidence within to fight for their love and bring Gavin back from the edge—even if it means losing herself to their all-consuming, pulse-pounding passion. A New York Times bestseller, Pulse is the unforgettable conclusion to the story of Emily and Gavin that began with Collide.


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It Gets Better Project & Archie Comics Celebrate 'Kevin Keller Day'
Nigel Campbell | July 8, 2013
This is cool! The Archie Comics have joined forces with the It Gets Better Project and June 9 is officially "Kevin Keller Day!"
It Gets Better Project tweeted:
Kevin Keller Day is tmrw! Tune in to our social media as we unveil the amazing work we've been doing w/ @archiecomics pic.twitter.com/eQmiHxn8jV
Kevin Keller is Riverdale's first gay character (and the bain of the One Million Moms' existence)!
Great move on the part of both the It Gets Better Project and Archie Comics!
Image Source

subset: commoncrawl


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The country was in the grip of a polio epidemic in the 1950s when orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jacquelin Perry began performing spinal surgeries in Downey that helped paralyzed survivors of the disease regain mobility.
When some of the same patients returned to her 40 years later seeking help for pain and muscle weakness wrought by the aftereffects of polio, Perry remained true to form.
She blazed a trail, transforming herself into the leading authority on post-polio syndrome. She was also known for her pioneering analysis of the human gait, publishing a definitive textbook on the subject in her 70s.
Perry, who had Parkinson's disease but was still practicing as of last week, died Monday at her home in Downey. She was 94.
Her death was announced by Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, with which she had been affiliated since 1955.
"She was a giant, a revered figure in her field," said Greg Waskul, executive director of the center's foundation. "Dr. Perry was so creative and innovative. Most of the great doctors have one specialty, but she came up with many new theories and exercises to keep people moving."
During World War II, Perry had served as a physical therapist in the Army, treating polio patients in Hot Springs, Ark. But she yearned to "make my own decisions," she later said, and decided to study medicine at UC San Francisco.
After joining Rancho Los Amigos, Perry collaborated with Dr. Vernon Nickel on polio cases. For spinal surgery patients, the pair developed the halo, a metal ring still in use today that is screwed into the skull, immobilizing the spine and neck.
When The Times honored her as the 1959 Woman of the Year in science, Perry pointed out that "most doctors go into medicine to save lives. I'm more interested in getting handicapped persons functioning again."
After a brain artery blockage forced Perry to stop operating, she founded Rancho's Pathokinesiology Laboratory in 1968 to analyze the biomechanics of walking. She served as chief of the department until 1996 and continued to consult in semi-retirement.
"Dr. Perry was a visionary pioneer in the field of rehabilitation sciences and gait analysis," said Judith M. Burnfield, director of the Institute for Rehabilitation Science and Engineering at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln, Neb.
With physical therapist colleagues at Rancho, Perry established an observational system used by clinicians around the world to determine why patients are having trouble walking and how to manage the problem.
Her research on patients with severe deficits arising from neurologic and orthopedic injuries continues to guide present-day therapeutic approaches, said Burnfield, who helped Perry update her textbook, "Gait Analysis," first published in 1992.
The first cases of post-polio syndrome were not seen until 1980, according to Perry, and they surprised doctors. The condition stems from further weakening of overworked nerves and muscles damaged years before by polio's initial infection.
The same drive that had helped polio patients overcome the disability as children got in the way in adulthood, according to Perry, who instructed patients to downshift physically to protect themselves.
"As far as I'm concerned, I've never worked," Perry told The Times in 1999. "I do what I like to do."
The only child of a clothing shop clerk and a traveling salesman, Perry was born May 31, 1918, in Denver and moved to California the year she turned 6. She never married and had no immediate survivors.
At UCLA, she earned a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1940. She taught swimming for one day before quitting to attend physical therapy school at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C.
After earning her medical degree in 1950, Perry was recruited to help launch Rancho's rehabilitation program after completing her residency at UC San Francisco.
From 1972 to the late 1990s, she was a professor of surgery at USC's medical school, where she established a scholarship for study of the human gait.
The no-nonsense Perry was seen as both an intimidating and inspiring teacher. Those who survived presenting a case before her were often given an unofficial award. They called it "the red badge of courage."
A celebration of Perry's life will begin at noon March 22 in the Support Services Annex Building at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, 7601 E. Imperial Highway, Downey.


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Waiting for the LORD at His temple
Dr. R.C. Sproul has often pointed out that Malachi 3:10 is the only place in Scripture where God commands us to put Him to the test. It is otherwise sinful to test the Lord, but we may test ...Read More
How to Be a Good Steward
We want to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Savior, but our growth will be hindered if we study the Bible all day yet do not bring our tithes and offerings to the Lord. How can we improve ...Read More
God Unchanging
One of the most comforting truths that we can ever lay hold of is the truth that God's character cannot change. He is not capricious and He can always be trusted to fulfill His promises. Men and women may ...Read More
Stealing from God
It is tempting to give God only the leftovers after we have spent our income on ourselves. Yet this should not be the attitude of the Lord's people, for what we own is His, and He has said that ...Read More
How to Be a Good Steward
Dr. R.C. Sproul notes that we are free today to give to a variety of Christian causes because in the new covenant there is no longer just one storehouse as under the old covenant. The lion's share of ...Read More
God Unchanging
Take some time today to meditate on the Lord's unchanging character. Even the most faithful Christian doesn't act according to his new disposition at all times, but God is always reliable. We can always trust in His holiness ...Read More


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City of Lincoln
Mayor's Office
Mayor's Office
Mayor Chris Beutler today issued the following statement in response to the Legislature's override of Governor Dave Heineman's veto of LB 357, a bill allowing voters to increase the city sales tax by up to one-half percent:
"I want to thank the Senators who supported the citizens' right to vote on options for funding projects important to the future of their communities. I look forward to having a conversation with the public about the sales tax option to determine the best course of action for our City. The discussion will focus on how we could best use this new tool to help fund the South Beltway, sidewalks, property tax relief and other important City needs."


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Here's what we'll cover in this guide:
A PBX, or Private Branch Exchange, is at the heart of every business phone system. It is the central component that integrates all internal phone extensions with all external phone lines, and allows calls to be set up and transferred between them. Originally, PBXs were big, physical machines. First, they were switchboards with human operators; later, the switchboards became automated. But since the late 1990s, they have been available in a new form: as virtual or hosted machines.
It's important to point out that the terms "virtual," "hosted" and "cloud" have all been used very loosely over the years. In the late 1990s, a company by the name of "Virtual PBX" was the first to offer a service similar to what most now call a hosted PBX. Theirs was a much more limited service: it could only forward incoming calls. (Businesses would pay for a single business number, and when their customers called it, Virtual PBX would route those incoming calls to their employees' on-site or off-site phones.)
In the early 2000s, as VoIP networks expanded and their connectivity to landlines improved, most of the virtual PBX call-forwarding companies added outbound calling to their plans. These new plans took on a new description: hosted PBX services. Then, when cloud became the buzzword for describing hosted services, this term, too, joined the mix.
Today, we see the three terms "virtual," "hosted" and "cloud" used interchangeably. Buyers should not assume that the terms imply any specific set of features. All services need to be compared in detail to understand what they offer.
Choosing a new phone system is one of the most daunting tasks a business can face. There are many technologies on the market that are competing with, overlapping and blurring the distinctions between one another. As we just explained, cloud, virtual and hosted are all used to describe a PBX that's hosted off-site by a third party. So how do on-site PBXs compare to those hosted in the cloud?
|Off-site PBX
|On-site PBX
|A hosted PBX will almost always have a lower initial cost. But since it is billed as a service, it will have a recurring monthly charge. Businesses on the fence should calculate the total cost of ownership, and consider that hosting prices could go up over time.
|There is a wide range of options for on-site PBXs. Some cost thousands of dollars; some are free. Included features and its form of network integration are the main cost factors. Companies that are already hosting their own computer servers might find this choice more feasible.
|Hosted PBX software is kept up to date by the hosting company. Configuration changes can often be made remotely, though some leave this responsibility to the company subscriber. This works well for small companies without dedicated IT staff.
|An on-site PBX could require a knowledgeable engineer or IT manager to add, remove and change phone extensions and perform periodic maintenance and other updates.
|It's difficult to generalize about the flexibility of hosted PBXs because of the wide range of companies and offerings. The important thing here is that buyers ensure their hosted PBX comes with all of the features they expect to need. Though hosted PBX service providers do generally stay current as new technology becomes available, there is no guarantee that providers will add new features that subscribers may want in the future.
|There are few limitations with on-site PBXs. They can be programmed and reconfigured at will, as long as there's an employee available who understands the system. On-site PBXs are more flexible with regards to WANs (Wide Area Networks), so integrating a newly opened branch office into the same phone network might be easier than with a hosted system.
|With a hosted PBX, the hosting company is responsible for keeping the system secure. This takes some—but not all—of the security burden off subscribers. Businesses still need to have their data connections secured. Hosting providers can usually make suggestions about how to do that and how to best configure firewalls so as not to interfere with voice traffic.
|Modern PBXs are almost always connected to the Internet, and they face some of the same threats as computers. An unsecured PBX can become victim to denial of service and theft of services attacks. A properly configured firewall can prevent these attacks, though configuring firewalls so as not to interfere with voice calls can be challenging.
|Analog or VoIP
|Though hosted PBXs can connect to traditional analog office phones, they are far more at home interfacing with VoIP phones. In most cases, businesses using a hosted PBX system are already using, or are in the process of switching to, an entirely VoIP system.
|If a company has a large investment in a traditional PBX system and uses many traditional (analog) phones, then the argument to go with an on-site virtual PBX becomes stronger. It's easier to integrate analog phones with a PBX if it's local instead of hosted remotely.
Apart from the specific factors mentioned above, there is one other consideration that can help companies decide between a hosted and an on-site phone system. While difficult to quantify, this concept is one of the most influential in modern business strategy. It is known as the strategy of "core competencies," and it all boils down to focus.
The strategy of core competencies states that businesses should focus on what they do well and what they do better than their competitors—and keep their focus there. If some element of their operations that is not directly related to these core competencies can be outsourced, it often makes more sense commercially to do so.
Many businesses switch to hosted phone systems for the simple reason that phone systems are not one of their core competencies. Placing management of the phone system in the hands of companies who do specialize in it shifts that burden there—and frees the other companies to focus on what they do best.
If telephone communication is central to what a business does (for example, a call center), it may be preferable to keep the phone system as close to the office as possible. But for the majority of companies—those that consider phone service important, but perhaps not central to their business model—hosting the system off-site is more often preferable.
Our service is simple and 100% free to customers like you because software vendors pay us when we connect them with quality leads. You save time and get great advice. Vendors get great referrals. It's a win for everyone!


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Next Episode of Going For Gold is
not planed. TV Show was canceled.
The series was a general knowledge quiz with contestants from all over Europe. It was hosted by Henry Kelly and aired weekday afternoons on BBC1.
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But don't worry - it can happen to the best of us,
- and it just happened to you.
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Trustees prepare to fight BISD for information
Beaumont Independent School District trustees met with their attorneys behind closed doors six months ago to discuss how the group could be collectively unaware of a stipulation in new superintendent Dr. Timothy Chargois' contract allowing a mandatory base salary percentage increase for the $215,000-a-year administrator. The increase, according to the contract signed May 1 by Chargois and BISD officials, is required to be greater than or equal to the same percentage raise given to teachers in the district.
Once members of the board learned of the clause – after signing on the dotted line – blame was squarely placed on the district's attorney, Tanner Hunt, for allegedly failing to notify any of the district's elected officials of the provision. Some board members went on the offensive against their legal representation, with trustees Tom Nield and Mike Neil going so far as to sue Hunt and BISD for failing to give the elected officials materials necessary to make an informed decision on behalf of the taxpayers they represent. BISD Board of Trustees President Woodrow Reece has gone on record as saying he, too, was unaware of the raise clause in Chargois' contract but was satisfied with the outcome, electing to let bygones be bygones.
A request for information made from Neil and Neild elicited multiple copies of a proposed contract, although none were of the initial draft. The elected leaders also asked for all correspondence related to securing Chargois' new contract but were rebuffed. Correspondence released by the school district showed BISD's attorney haggling over contract specifications with Chargois' attorney, Cory Hartsfield, but the complete conversation was censored by BISD officials. According to Neil and Neild, the district's continued refusal to provide the requested information has led to litigation that will now likely follow BISD into the new year.
At the May 1 board meeting, Reece asked Hunt if he should read the entire contract before accepting the agreement, and he was told it wasn't required. Reece also announced no closed door meeting would be required to discuss the contract as had been previously scheduled and posted. The board unanimously accepted the contract, but it wasn't long before members of the board started expressing buyers' remorse.
In a joint statement from trustees Neil and Neild, the board members stated, "We wish to dispel immediately any notion that the BISD trustees were initially provided with a draft employment contract for the new BISD Superintendent that contained a term providing for any form of automatic raise for the superintendent. This false belief has apparently been encouraged by BISD through its provision of incomplete relevant records to the media.
"The Board's instruction regarding the non-negotiable 'no automatic raise' term, to our knowledge, was never changed or modified at the request of the full Board."
The two trustees then attempted to call a special meeting of the BISD board to address the matter with Chargois and the remainder of the board in closed session but were unable to do so. Attempts to secure information from Hunt were also unsuccessful, Neil said, and the trustees then filed suit against their attorney and BISD in an attempt to secure documentation held by the district and its legal representative to prove whether or not any members of the board were privy to the contractual agreement provided by Chargois' attorney before signing it into effect.
In litigation filed at the Jefferson County Courthouse, the board member plaintiffs contended that, "The only draft employment agreement ever physically provided to the Board by Defendant Hunt that they were allowed to retain and review was provided to each Trustee by Defendant Hunt on March 28, 2012 by hand delivery." Mike Getz, the attorney representing the board members in the lawsuit, stated his clients repeatedly requested materials from Hunt "to understand why the automatic pay raise provision was inserted into the contract without their consent or knowledge."
"It is sad that these two elected officials have to go to such lengths to get their own attorney to provide them with documents that they need in order to perform their official duties," Getz said. "My clients absolutely have a right to these documents, and to be stonewalled and ignored in the manner that they have been is unconscionable."
Precedent for the trustees' lawsuit came from a 1983 ruling from the Texas Attorney General still cited in official decisions emanating from the office to date. In the ruling, defined as Tex. Att'y Gen. Op. No. JM-119 (1983), the opinion concluded, "that board has an inherent right of access to such records, at least when he requests them in his official capacity. ... Without complete access to district records, such trustee could not effectively perform his duties."
Still, the litigation's outcome is uncertain. BISD attorney Hunt has since been removed as a defendant in the suit, and a proposed settlement from the plaintiffs, which included access to contract information, has stalled. Vann de Cardova, an attorney working with the plaintiffs, said BISD was required to respond to the settlement offer by Thanksgiving, but has failed to do so. In the interim, one of the two attorneys representing BISD in their quest to deny the information has billed the school district more than $60,000 for their time and efforts. A second law firm has yet to submit an invoice, but is expected to invoice similar bills.
Chargois' attorney, whose firm also penned former superintendent Carrol Thomas' contract, has responded to the plaintiffs' litigation by revealing documentation withheld by BISD. BISD has countersued the plaintiffs, seeking retribution due to the lawsuit being, according to the school district, "frivolous."
De Cardova said the case is anything but frivolous, and the materials provided by Hartsfield prove as much.
"BISD claimed in court proceedings that they gave the board members everything, but the release of documents from Hartsfield's office proves that was not the case," he said, adding that BISD board policy also supports trustees' "inherent right to access." According to de Cardova, withholding the requested information is a power play. "He who controls the information has the power."


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[This is an excerpt from the Global Mobility Book. You can find more information about the book and purchase it here: http://www.ilw.com/books/globalmobility.shtm.]
The United States of America situated mostly in central North America, lies between the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. It is a federal constitutional republic comprising 50 states and a federal district. At 9,826,675 million square kilometers and with over 308,745,538 million people, the United States (U.S.) is the third largest by both area and population. The US Economy is the world's largest national economy. English is the official language.
The U.S. Constitution is the foundation of the country's judicial system. The Constitution created three separate branches (the executive, the legislative and the judicial branches) of government with each one having its own powers and areas of influence. The country is subject to a federal government that shares sovereignty with the state governments. In addition to the federal government, the people are also subject to a state government and various units of local government like counties, municipalities, and special districts.


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A blog by one of the volunteer reviewers for Geocaching.com. It's about geocaching and the review process -- what it takes to get your new caches listed on the world's most popular geocaching web site. ©Copyright 2012 by K.Braband. All rights reserved
Sunday, November 11, 2007
51 caches approved -- TODAY
This is probably my record for number of cache approvals in a a day -- 51 -- and it's not yet 1 p.m. But I knew there were going to be a ton of them today because of several event caches that were held yesterday. Organizers of those events (WWFM - Ice Cream Style, November Des Moines Geo Breakfast, and WWFM @ Green Square Park) had submitted lots of geocaches over the past couple of weeks for me to pre-review and then disable until after their event. While this does require me to, in effect, review each one of them twice, it seems to be a good way for event organizers to put out a bunch of caches for an event and give me time to review them ahead of time to make sure they are likely to be approvable at their selected locations.
Posted by IowaAdmin at 12:41 PM
2 comments:
- Vicky said...
Wow sounds like work :} Someone has to do it though so the rest of us can get our cache fix. lol
- 3:28 PM, November 11, 2007
- bumanfam said...
And we thank you whole-heartedly! BTW, at our event we offered some CDs burned of the episode of the PodCacher podcast containing your interview. Thanks for doing that, too!
- 8:48 PM, November 11, 2007
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Basketball Team Hosts Rose-Hulman in Season Opener Fridayby Matt Wilson, Journal Review • November 16, 2006 Share:
Wabash College's basketball team might not have any returning starters from last year's team that finished 16-10 and 10-6 in North Coast Athletic Conference action. But who starts games isn't coach Mac Petty's main concern. Instead, the veteran Little Giant coach is more worried about what group is on the floor during different situations in the game.
And while Wabash might not have any starters back from last season, the Little Giants still return plenty of players who gained valuable minutes last season. The new-look Little Giants take the court for their first regular-season game 8 p.m. Friday when they take on Rose-Hulman in the second game of the Little Giant Tipoff Classic.
Out of the Little Giants' starting five Friday, four of those players - senior center Ryan Stephens, junior forwards Gary Zimkus (pictured right) and Andrew Zimmer (pictured below left) and junior point guard Earl Rooks - averaged at least nine minutes of playing time last season.
Simkus and Zimmer both played in every game last season, averaging more than 20 minutes of time on the court. Stephens appeared in 22 games and averaged 11.2 minutes, while Rooks played in 17 games and averaged 9.6 minutes.
"We have some guys with game experience," said Petty, who enters his 30th season at the Little Giant helm. "Even though we don't have any starters coming back from last season, I feel like we do have some players that are ready to step up and become starters."
The newcomer to the Little Giant starting lineup will be freshman Chase Haltom, a graduate of Cloverdale High School. Haltom will start at the two-guard spot, but could easily be inserted into the No. 1 spot when Rooks needs a breather. Freshmen Aaron Brock and Rich Kavalauskas and sophomores Brian Maloney, Andy Root and Collin Smith all will give the Little Giants minutes off the bench. Petty said his team has interchangeable parts coming off the bench. Brock, a 6-foot, 5-inch forward from Bremen, can play either in the post or in the perimeter.
"We are just going to throw things out there and see what happens," Petty said. "We have certain things we want to do as a team and goals we want to accomplish for the game to be successful."
Stephens comes into the game as the lone senior on Wabash's roster. The 6-foot, 8-inch Zionsville native averaged 2.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game last season. Stephens had a big double-double effort of 14 points and 11 rebounds in Wabash's win over Allegheny last season.
"I have seen great leadership and a positive work ethic from him," Petty said. "He really understands his role with this team. Even though he's the only senior, he knows he's not the marquee player on this team and has done a great job preparing the players for the season."
Four new teams will be in this year's season-opening tournament. Aurora University and IU-South Bend opening the tournament 6 p.m. at Chadwick Court. The consolation game is set for 1 p.m. Saturday, with the championship at 3 p.m. Assistant coach Jason Mulligan set up the schedule and found the teams for this year's tournament. In last year's tournament, Wabash opened with a 73-54 victory over Alma before falling to No. 1-ranked Illinois Wesleyan 79-67 in the championship.
"We have some good teams coming into the tournament this season," Petty said. "There is no real formula to finding teams for the tournament, we just go out and try and find the best available teams."
Following the weekend tournament, Wabash returns to action 7:30 p.m. Tuesday when it hosts Hanover.


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Used Truck - 2006 Dodge Caravan VAN in Olive Branch, Ms
About This 2006 Dodge Caravan VAN
Vehicle Location:
Olive Branch, Ms
Exterior Color:
Blue (Blue)
Stock Number:
Fuel Economy Estimates
City MPG
Highway MPG
Combined MPG: 22
Estimated Monthly Fuel Cost: $101.14*
*Based on $1.78 per gallon and 15k miles per year.
Actual costs may vary.
Actual costs may vary.
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Seller's Description and Comments:
Located at iFinance (Olive Branch) in Olive Branch, Ms. Call iFinance (Olive Branch) today at 662-612-3790 for more information about this vehicle.
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2006 Dodge Caravan ReviewThis car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale.
The world's most practical seats.
The Dodge Grand Caravan and the shorter Caravan are family friendly vehicles offering the features and flexibility most buyers want. Smooth riding and responsive, most come with a powerful V6 engine that delivers strong acceleration for merging onto hectic freeways. Anti-lock brakes and side-impact airbags are available. And there's a model for every budget.
Dodge redesigned the seating system last year, and the result is one of the most versatile interiors available for a family vehicle. Called Stow 'n Go, the optional system features second-row and third-row seats that flip down into the floor, leaving a huge, perfectly flat cargo compartment behind the front seats. With the seats folded down, the Grand Caravan offers more cargo space than sport-utilities, including the mammoth Chevrolet Suburban. And its cargo space is more accessible and more convenient than that of SUVs.
With the seats in place, the Grand Caravan can carry seven. Selectively folding away the seats allows versatility in hauling a mix of passengers and cargo. No need to pull the seats out and store them in the garage or to try to put stuff on top of them.
The current model dates back to 1996, but Dodge has continuously improved it since then. The 2005 model year brought substantial upgrades. Changes for 2006 are minimal.
Caravan is the short van, Grand Caravan is the long van, 6 inches longer in wheelbase and 11 inches longer overall.
Caravan SE ($18,380) is the base model powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. It comes with hand-crank windows, manually adjusted mirrors, and a limited list of options, although rear-seat video entertainment is now available on all Caravan models. It does have standard air conditioning, variable intermittent wipers, AM/FM/CD stereo, and 215/70 tires on 15-inch steel wheels. The tire-pressure monitor is standard, but Stow'n Go seats are not available.
Caravan SXT ($22,225) is the short van equipped with a 3.3-liter V6 and a higher level of standard equipment, though it does not get Stow 'n Go. SXT does add second-row bucket seats, dual-zone manual air conditioning, tilt steering, cruise control, power windows, power heated mirrors, power locks with remote keyless entry, an upgraded AM/FM/cassette/CD stereo, a rear window defroster, sunscreen glass, 215/65 tires on 16-inch aluminum wheels, and other niceties, plus an expanded list of options.
Grand Caravan SE ($22,920) is a long-wheelbase base model similarly equipped to the Caravan SE. But it's powered by the 3.3-liter V6 engine, and comes with more sophisticated airbags with Occupant Classification System (OCS) and driver's side inflatable knee blocker. It also comes with a rear defroster, speed control, tilt steering column, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, and a few other appointments not included in the short-wheelbase SE. Standard second-row seating reverts to a bench with covered storage bins, although Stow 'n Go is optional.
Grand Caravan SXT ($26,680) is powered by a 3.8-liter V6 and comes standard with Stow 'n Go, along with second-row adjustable seats, a 60/40 split third-row bench with tailgate feature, dual power sliding doors, fog lamps, three-zone air-conditioning system, roof rack, eight-way power driver's seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel, steering-wheel audio controls, and an overhead console with trip computer and HomeLink universal transceiver.
Option packages are available in a dizzying array of combinations.
Safety features that come standard include the required front airbags, which feature multi-stage inflators designed to automatically compensate for the severity of an accident. Front seatbelts use pre-tensioners to take up slack during a collision. Middle- and third-row seats include child-seat anchors for a more secure installation. Optional side curtain airbags are designed to offer head protection for outboard occupants in all three rows.
Dodge Caravan and Grand Caravan are large vehicles, but not outrageously so. Measuring 200 inches long and less than 5-feet, 9-inches tall, even the Grand Caravan will fit just about anywhere a full-size sedan will fit. The standard Caravan measures 189.3 inches bumper to bumper. Grand Caravan's extra 11 inches makes a big difference in the amount of cargo it can carry with all three rows of seats in place. Caravan rides on a wheelbase of 113.3 inches, while the Grand Caravan stretches across a wheelbase of 119.3 inches.
Grand Caravan and Caravan are sleek and attractive with steeply raked windshields and aggressive grilles. The tracks for the sliding side doors are cleverly camouflaged under the rear side windows for a clean appearance. The D-pillars and rear window are steeply inclined for a sporty look, and a discrete spoiler rises from the trailing edge of the roof. Flared wheel openings add strength to the appearance. Headlamps and tail lamps are big, the latter wrapping around to the sides. The optional roof rack is hunkered close to the roof, stylistically less obtrusive and perhaps less likely to generate wind noise, but also offering less clearance for the thicker hooks of some tie-downs.
For 2005, Dodge freshened the Caravan's appearance with a new U-shaped grille featuring black bars behind Dodge's trademark body-color crosshairs, a design cue shared with the new Dodge Magnum. Also new was a molded-in license plate pocket and revised fog lamps, while new body-colored side moldings protected the door. These details have continued unchanged for 2006.
Models with power sliding doors on both sides add convenience when moving passengers. They're particularly useful when you find yourself herding children while carrying two armloads of gear. Press the button on the remote transmitter twice and the door slides open; press it twice again and it slides closed and seals. From the second-row seat, the power sliding door can be opened and closed by pressing a button; it can also be opened manually. A safety lock switch hidden on the trailing edge of the door can be engaged to prevent a child from opening the sliding door from inside. The power sliding doors can be fussy when passengers are in a hurry to get out, however, and passengers usually are in a hurry. Pulling on the outside lever opens the power door manually, with just slightly more effort than opening a regular manual door.
The standard manually operated sliding doors are easy to operate, smoothly gliding open and closed with the pull of a nicely designed lever. The outside door handles are comfortable and well designed; they impart a feeling of quality in appearance and operation. All door handles should be this good.
A power rear liftgate is available that adds convenience when picking up groceries or supplies. Press a button on the remote control and the liftgate opens or closes automatically. It's a great feature for those times when you approach the van with an armload, especially when it's raining.
Dodge Caravan's interior is comfortable and convenient. Both Caravan and Grand Caravan can accommodate seven passengers in a 2/2/3 arrangement.
The seats in our Grand Caravan SXT were nicely finished in light-colored leather. The material is soft and appears to be durable. The seat bottoms are nicely finished on all sides; we mention this because some manufacturers don't finish the inboard side panels, which leaves an unattractive, unfinished look that you don't notice until after you've bought the vehicle. Faux carbon fiber trim added a touch of high-tech to the cabin.
The seats in the Grand Caravan seemed more bucket-like than those of the similar Chrysler Town & Country, and not as comfortable. The Dodge has a manually adjustable lumbar support, however, and the seatbacks seem to have more side bolstering than in the T&C. The power seat adjusters have exposed screws on them that do not feel aesthetically pleasing. The seating position is higher than that of a sedan, which enables drivers to see over traffic. But you don't have to climb up into the seats, as you do in SUVs.
The Stow 'n Go seating system, standard on Grand Caravan SXT and optional on Grand Caravan SE, is the best seating setup on the market. The second and third rows of seats fold flat into the floor leaving a perfectly flat platform for cargo. Folding and unfolding the seats is a quick three-step process. Pull one strap to drop the seatback, then pull two other straps to tuck it into the floor. This leaves a perfectly flat platform. Very few seats fold perfectly flat and no one else (except Chrysler) has a second row that does this. The system is also flexible. The third row is split 60/40 and either or both of the second-row captain's chairs can be stowed. So, for example, you could stow the right one-third of the third-row bench and the right-hand second-row seat for loading something long, while still leaving seating for yourself and three or four passengers. Alas, the front passenger seat does not fold down, so you may want to secure that kayak to the roof rack.
The second-row seats move fore and aft to optimize legroom for rear passengers. Getting into the third row is a little awkward, but easier than in most SUVs. Once back there, the third-row seating is comfortable, though the seat bottoms are steeply raked.
Grand Caravan SE and both Caravan models come standard with the traditional seating setup instead of the new Stow 'n Go system, so the seats must be removed to turn them into effective cargo haulers. We found the second-row bucket seats and third-row split bench easy to remove, however. All or any one of the four seats can be popped out and rolled away in three quick steps, providing a wide variety of seating and cargo configurations. Reinstalling them takes a little more practice, as you need to learn how to line them up before snapping them into place. Each seat is heavy enough that care should be exercised when lifting it off the garage floor; you may want help. Most of the time what you'll do is leave the seats in the van but fold the seatbacks down to form a continuous load floor for large items.
The low floor makes getting in and out through the side doors easy. Caesar the 160-pound mastiff requires a ramp to get into an SUV, but he stepped easily and without hesitation through the rear and side doors of our Grand Caravan. Likewise, the low load height makes loading cargo easier, and the Grand Caravan can carry more stuff and bigger items than any SUV. There's a fair amount of cargo space behind the third row. When the seats are in place for passengers, there are wells behind the third-row seats that are perfect for groceries. A pair of cargo nets can be suspended from hooks, providing well-designed bags to keep your melons from rolling around. Another net can be secured between either the second-row or front-row captain's chairs. Hooks on the backs of the seats are useful for h.
Driving Impression
The Dodge Grand Caravan and Caravan are smooth, quiet vehicles, particularly when measured by minivan standards. Additional sound-deadening measures added last year reduced wind noise. We found carrying on a conversation to be easy and pleasant.
Ride quality is supple and well-controlled on the highway. The rack-and-pinion steering responds nicely and provides good feedback through the steering wheel. The Grand Caravan tracks true at highway speeds, so there's no need for constant, minor steering corrections. Indeed, the Dodge Grand Caravan offers superb driving dynamics. Grand Caravan rides more softly than an SUV, gliding over potholes rather than trying to beat them into submission. It's an excellent choice when transporting passengers on beat up freeways and bumpy urban streets.
Grand Caravan's relatively tight turning radius makes getting into parking spaces easy. It isn't easy to see exactly where the front corners of the van are located, however. It is easy to tell where the rear corners are, but the height of the windows blocks the view of low objects, like that expensive sports car you don't want to scratch. Optional rear Park Assist helps with this by lighting a series of small lights in the rear roof liner that are visible in the rearview mirror or when you turn around.
The 3.8-liter V6 in the Grand Caravan SXT delivers strong power. This big V6 employs a traditional pushrod overhead-valve design rather than the more contemporary overhead-cam setup found on many imports. Dodge is advertising lower horsepower and torque numbers for this engine this year, but it's only the numbers that have changed. The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) recently revised its test procedures for determining horsepower and torque, and nearly everyone's figures are coming out smaller. Numbers for the Caravan's four-cylinder were affected only slightly and for the 3.3-liter V6 not at all, but the 3.8-liter is now rated 205 horsepower and 240 pound-feet instead of the 215 horsepower and 245 pound-feet advertised last year. What's important to remember is that the engine itself is as strong as ever, even though its strength is now measured more conservatively.
We recommend the 3.8-liter V6 to anyone who regularly carries a heavy load of passengers. It offers good response when merging into fast freeway traffic, accelerating from intersections, or passing on two-lane roads. EPA City/Highway estimated fuel economy is a reasonable 18/25 mpg. An optional towing package is available with the 3.8-liter engine that raises the trailer rating to 3800 pounds.
Models equipped with the 3.3-liter V6 have enough power to climb hills without breathing hard. The 3.3-liter is smooth and quiet when cruising, although it makes itself known under full-throttle acceleration. Merging onto the freeway may not give you visions of your life insurance salesman, but it doesn't offer the acceleration performance of the larger 3.8-liter. The 3.3-liter is rated 180 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque, which is significantly less than the 3.8-liter. Fuel mileage is only slightly better than the 3.8-liter, at 19/26 EPA city/highway. The 3.3-liter V6 is a flexible-fuel engine, so it can use E85 ethanol.
Both engines allow the Grand Caravan to be certified as low-emissions vehicles in all 50 states.
We haven't tested a Caravan with the base 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, but with just 150 horsepower and, more important, only 165 pound-feet of torque, we don't expect it to be a rocket. It's rated 20/26 mpg.
The Grand Caravan's brakes offer good feel, performance and durability. Standard brakes for the short-wheelbase Caravan are discs in front with heavy-duty rotors and drums at the rear. ABS is optional on the short SXT, and standard on all Grand Caravans. ABS allows the driver to brake and steer in a panic stop. Four-wheel disc brakes are standard on Grand Caravan SXT. Disc brakes gene.
The Dodge Grand Caravan one of the most versatile minivans available when equipped with the Stow 'n Go seating system. It's one of the best solutions available for quickly switching between big loads of people, cargo and pets. The driving experience is controlled and enjoyable. And there's lots of V6 power available in the lineup. The shorter Caravan is a good, practical minivan at a low cost of entry. A wide selection of models means there's a Caravan or Grand Caravan to fit most budgets.
NewCarTestDrive.com editor Mitch McCullough filed this report from Los Angeles.
Model Lineup
Dodge Caravan SE ($18,380); Caravan SXT ($22,225); Grand Caravan SE ($22,920); Grand Caravan SXT ($26,995).
Assembled In
Windsor, Ontario; Fenton, Missouri.
Options As Tested
side-curtain airbags for all three rows ($595); Leather Interior Group ($2,930) includes leather low-backed bucket seats, heated power front seats w driver's adjustable lumbar support, four-way power passenger seat, three-zone automatic climate control, cabin air filtering, movable center console, Infinity speaker system, vehicle information center, power liftgate; Premium Group ($860) includes power-adjustable pedals, rear Park Assist system, security system, 3 overhead storage bins, touring suspension; in-dash six-disc CD/DVD changer ($555); UConnect hands-free communication with automatic dimming rearview mirror ($360); rear-seat video system ($950) includes second-row 7-inch video screen, wireless headphones, video remote control.
Model Tested
Dodge Grand Caravan SXT ($26,995).The Dodge Caravan is a family friendly minivan offering the features and flexibility most buyers want. With many options and flexibility for every potential buyer's budget, the Caravan is viewed as one of the most practical cars on the road. The Caravan can seat seven people and allows for much storage space. Although the 'Stow 'n Go' system is only available in the Grand Caravan, the standard model offers practicality that many other minivans do not. The Caravan is powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. As the Caravan is upgraded, engine capacity increases to a 3.3-liter V6 followed by a 3.8-liter V6. The model line up includes two vehicles, the Caravan SE, and the Caravan SXT. Each model increases with standard features and adds myriads of options, including dual power sliding doors, fog lamps, roof rack, eight-way power driver's seat, and backseat entertainment system. Changes for 2006 are minimal.
5310 Hacks Cross Rd,
Olive Branch, Ms. 38654
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