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Veteran Republican U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert will not face a March primary challenge in the newly drawn west and south suburban 11th Congressional District, the Illinois State Board of Elections ruled today.
The board's decision to toss John "Jack" Cunningham off the Republican primary congressional ballot represented an embarrassment --- as Kane County clerk, he's the county's chief election official.
A state hearing officer ruled that of 1,265 signatures filed on Cunningham's candidacy petitions, only 526 were valid. A total of 600 were needed to get on the March 20 GOP primary ballot. The hearing officer rejected hundreds of signatures gathered by a petition passer paid to gather names but who listed his home at an address that didn't exist.
The elections board also previously had rejected Cunningham's attempt to remove Biggert from the ballot. And the board today removed a third, little-known GOP candidate, Diane Harris of Joliet.
Biggert opted to run in the new 11th District after Democrats scattered portions of her current 13th District into parts of six different congressional districts.
Her Hinsdale residence was drawn into a new Democratic-leaning 5th Congressional District, which also is home to Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley of Chicago. The new 5th District stretches from the Chicago lakefront to O'Hare International Airport, and moves south through Elmhurst, Oak Brook and Hinsdale.
The new 11th District includes all or parts of Aurora, Naperville, Woodridge, Bolingbrook and Joliet.
Recently filed fundraising reports with the Federal Election Commission show Biggert had more than $1.05 million in her campaign bank account to start the year after raising $263,029 in the last three months of 2011.
Latest Politics
Three Democrats are seeking the primary nomination in the 11th District, including former U.S. Rep. Bill Foster of Naperville, who lost a re-election bid to Republican U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren of Winfield in 2010.
Foster reported to the FEC that he began the year with $750,697 in cash available and had raised $281,138 in the final three months of 2011.
Also in the Democratic race are Juan Thomas and Jim Hickey. Thomas, who previously served as Aurora Township clerk, raised $42,143 for the final quarter of last year and began 2012 with $37,372 in his campaign bank account, reports showed.
An FEC report for Hickey, the president of the Orland Fire Protection District, was not available.


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In Press
Adaptive Coding for Dynamic Sensory Inference. eLife (In Press).
CBMM Memos were established in 2014 as a mechanism for our center to share research results with the wider scientific community. Click here to read more about the memos and to see a full list of the memos.

subset: commoncrawl


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Hi everybody!
I am relatively new to programming; I am wrapping up my first semester of computer science (in high school), but I am at the top of my class and I learn the language and logic very quickly. I also have a lot of fun with programming and I do more advanced stuff on my own time. I'd like to thank in advance everybody who helps me!


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Behind The Scenes With DWTS Anna Trebunskaya And Jonathan Roberts On Design Star All Stars
Pictured above is Dancing With The Stars Anna Trebunskaya and Jonathan Roberts pictured with Loren Ruch who is the producer of "Design Star All Stars". The three worked together on a new episode where contestants redesigned some rooms in Anna and Jonathan's house. You can read a blog about what took part behind the scenes with them here. When you are finished reading and if you weren't able to catch it, be sure to see the episode on-line at HGTV. Thanks to to PureDWTS reader TDI19 for the heads up!


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It blasts fireballs of over 3,600 degrees Fahrenheit out of its arms. Its breath also sears and sizzles.
It blasts fireballs of over 3,600 degrees Fahrenheit from the ends of its arms. It lives in volcanic craters.
Contact with the Pokémon may burn the attacker.
The Pokémon Company International is not responsible for the content of any linked website that is not operated by The Pokémon Company International. Please note that these websites' privacy policies and security practices may differ from The Pokémon Company International's standards.
Pokemon.com administrators have been notified and will review the screen name for compliance with the Terms of Use.
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Flights to Taisha
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Pura Naturals Pet Perfect Pad, Large (23" x 36") Latte
Pura Naturals Pet Perfect Pad, Large (23" x 36") Latte Constructed with bio-based memory foam Great for cars, travel beds, in crates, or on their own Machine washable Our Pet Pad combines style, function and sustainability. Sourced and made completely in the USA our eco-friendly pet pads are filled with our exclusive Bio-Based foam and our advanced cooling gel system which provides therapeutic comfort. Our gel system is protected by a top and bottom liner which also provides antimicrobial and water barrier protection. Far more comfortable than an everyday dog crate mat, this tufted pad with breathable liner, provides an extremely cushioned napping spot in or out of the crate. Machine washable, these dog mats are great for cars, travel beds, in crates, or on their own.
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Forgot Your Password? is an eight-volume set of light reading by artist Aram Bartholl. Inside those eight volumes you'll find every single Linkedin password that was stolen then leaked online last year. All 4.7 million of them.
Not that Aram stole them. They were just easy enough to find that he found them and had the idea for this.
Printed in alphabetical order, there's no other identifiable information. Just the passwords themselves, which were stored in what's known as cleartext.
The books are going on display in various galleries next year.
Forgot Your Password? [Site, via Boing Boing]


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Yapta has named GameHouse president Matt Hulett to the board, part of an ongoing transformation of the Seattle startup from a consumer travel company to one focused on business-to-business services. Hulett has very specific experience in that arena, formerly serving as president of Expedia Corporate Travel.
"The opportunity for Yapta to penetrate the corporate travel space is ripe as travel managers and procurement executives are finding it increasingly difficult to reduce travel spend in environments that are already heavily optimized," Hulett said. "Yapta can help these companies find additional savings at absolutely no cost, enabling them to squeeze even more out of their travel budgets."
The appointment comes a little more than a month after Yapta co-founder and CEO Tom Romary stepped down, taking a new job as senior vice president of consumer services at Rearden Commerce in Silicon Valley. The company named Seattle tech veteran Ken Myer as interim CEO after Romary's departure.
Last year, Yapta raised $5 million from Redmond travel and entertainment and expense management software company Concur Technologies, bringing total funding to $13.8 million. Yapta's service historically has allowed users to track airfare fluctuations, and request a refund from the airlines if prices go up on previously purchased tickets.
Hulett previously served as chairman and CEO of AdXpose and was part of the founding team at AtomFilms.


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With Nov. 19, 2013, marking the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address, The Papers of Abraham Lincoln is featuring this series of 10 letters to or by Lincoln, written between the end of Battle of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863, and his famous speech. Each letter represents one of the many issues he had to face as chief executive of the nation during its greatest crisis.
These letters and others are included in a new booklet, "On Lincon's Mind: Leading the Nation to the Gettysburg Address." A downloadable PDF version of the booklet is available at this link. Visitors to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield between Nov. 18 and 24 will receive a copy of the booklet.
Riots in New York
The Battle of Gettysburg was notable for being one of the few major Civil War battles fought on northern soil, but a different sort of violence broke out even deeper in the North only 10 days later. From July 13-16, 1863, fighting erupted on the streets of New York City in the largest riot in American history.
A plea for help from the frontier
Another potential powder-keg for Lincoln was growing tension between the federal government and Native Americans on the frontier. The federal government paid relatively close attention to its relations with Native Americans before the war, but the rebellion in the South drew Lincoln's attention away from the West.
The Rock Island Arsenal and the Illinois governor
This letter from Illinois Gov. Richard Yates amply demonstrated one of Lincoln's other concerns: keeping all loyal state governors happy – especially Republican ones. Congress approved construction of the Rock Island Arsenal in July 1862, and the long delay clearly grated on Yates.
Discussing strategy after Vicksburg
The influence of Mexico's civil war is evident in President Lincoln's correspondence with his leading general, Ulysses S. Grant. As the two considered the military situation following the capture of Vicksburg on July 4, Grant favored a campaign against Mobile, Ala.
A black solider demands equal pay
One of the more famous letters written to Lincoln during this period, James Henry Gooding's request that United States Colored Troops (USCTs) receive the same pay as white soldiers was an example of the African American struggle for social and legal equality.
Thanksgiving is bornAnother of Lincoln's most famous correspondents was Sarah J. Hale, who sent him the following letter after writing a series of editorials in Godey's Lady's Book (a popular women's periodical at the time, which she edited) on the need for a national day of Thanksgiving.
Recruiting black troops
The official enlistment of African Americans into the Union Army was a new practice during the Civil War. Its novelty and need for expediency sometimes clashed as overzealous or unscrupulous recruiters pushed the boundaries of acceptable practice. Lincoln appreciated the efficiency of his recruiters as was evident in this endorsement of John A. Nelson.
Clearing Charleston Harbor by any means
With stalemate the order of the day, many citizens and friends offered Lincoln unsolicited advice on solving some of the military's most vexing problems. Case in point: Charleston Harbor.
Kidnapping free blacks
The following letter from David L. Phillips of Lincoln's hometown in Springfield, Illinois, demonstrated how fragile freedom could be for African Americans.
Invitation to Gettysburg
The following two letters from David Wills to Lincoln constituted the immediate impetus for the Gettysburg Address. Wills was the primary force behind the establishment of a National Cemetery – the nation's first – at Gettysburg, where he was a prominent lawyer and businessman.


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Carpet Cleaning Brisbane
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How Much Does Carpet Cleaning Cost in Brisbane?
|Carpet Steam Cleaning Brisbane
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*Terms & Conditions may apply. Minimum $120* charges apply
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Commercial Carpet Cleaning
Carpets placed in the commercial areas get the massive movement of people on it which puts in lots of dirt in the carpet. To keep them safe you need to get them cleaned. You may not have been aware but, clean carpets can boost your business. You can not clean carpets in such a large quantity so it is advised to get it cleaned through the help of professionals. To get reliable and efficient cleaners, come to us. Our professionals are trained for operating modern washing tools and knows about the washing solution which will give splendid results.
Residential Carpet Cleaning
Everyone wants clean carpets but no one wants to clean it on a routine basis so that it looks clean all the time. If you belong to this group of people, get the help of professionals in the cleaning service. To get the best cleaners you can undoubtedly come to us. Our cleaners are best for residential carpet cleaning services as they have undergone training for cleaning in residential places. You will find our cleaning service more helpful than others.
Why is Professional Carpet Cleaning Important?
Every day we welcome unwanted guests into our house: car exhaust, germs, chemicals, cigarette smoke, tarmac, tar, stain, bacteria, dust etc. All of this gets accumulated in your home carpets
- Add significant value to your home
- Major health benefits by steam cleaning the carpets
- Enhanced the Ambiance of your home
- Dust Mite Removal from your carpets
- Carpet Odour Removal helps to improve the home ambience
- Human skin removal from carpet save your family from respiration problems
- Pet Hair Removal
As the main feature of your home or office decor, your carpet says about you a lot. Carpet protects your indoor quality. It traps dust and allergy particles.
Getting your carpets cleaned by professionals on a regular basis eliminates all contaminants out of your carpet and enhances the quality of your indoor air. Our team is experienced in getting rid your carpets of dirt, allergens, and other contaminants and thereby improving your family's health.
Carpet Sanitisation Services in Brisbane
Dirty and unclean carpets can accumulate many dangerous germs, pathogens, viruses and bacteria. Any exposure to these germs and pathogens can expose you and your family to many diseases and ailments. It is advisable that you hire professional assistance to treat the carpet and get rid of these germs.
We can provide you with the best carpet sanitisation service anywhere in Brisbane. Our professional carpet cleaners use safe and effective products to sterilize and disinfect the carpets. We will offer the best carpet sanitisation service for you at affordable costs throughout Brisbane.
Affordable Carpet Cleaning Services
Besides quality, our team of professionals never forgets about the prices. Unlike many other carpet cleaning and home improvement firms in Australia, we charge reasonable prices for our carpet cleaning services. We believe in offering you complete value for money.
Whether you want commercial or residential carpet cleaning services, we avail them witing your budget. So, when in the need of affordable carpet cleaning Brisbane, look no further than us.
What are the Best Carpet Cleaning Methods?
With a lot of contamination, dirt, and presence of various bacteria, fungi, and allergens, your carpets demand the deep cleaning. Regular vacuuming cleans the upper surface of your carpet which only extracts the loose dirt particles, but it does not affect the stains and allergens settled in the inner layers of carpet. And for deep cleaning, the effective methods for cleaning carpets are steam and dry Cleaning.
Carpet Steam Cleaning Brisbane
This is the method of cleaning the carpets thoroughly using "Hot Water Extraction". This method includes insertion of steam and cleaning solutions into the carpet fibres and then extraction of the steam along with all the impurities present in the carpet. Carpet cleaning is way more than vacuuming, they also need a deep cleaning for the removal of old stains and dirt buildup and making them clean and sanitised.
Carpet Dry Cleaning Brisbane
This procedure includes cleaning the carpets deeply by using dry cleaning solvent onto the carpets. The cleaning solvents are combined with a little amount of water, which further works to break down dirt and contaminants in the carpet. Then the carpet is vacuumed to remove the residue. This method is a great alternative to carpet steam cleaning. This method is mostly used to treat water-based stains.
Carpet Stain Removal Brisbane
Carpet stain removal is one of the most arduous tasks, that may eat up your entire day and efforts. Also, trying DIY for carpet stain removal may not deliver you the desired results as the professional cleaning. Due to lack of knowledge and expertise, you may end in ruining your carpet fibre. Thus, it is important you take professionals to help when you are not sure what treatment to use on your carpets. So, do not put your carpets in trouble, instead hire our cleaners for top-notch carpet stain removal, Brisbane.
Carpet Mould Removal Brisbane
Mould on the carpets is a dangerous situation, which should not be taken lightly by the homeowners. Mould is a fungus that grows on your carpet during the humid environment and causes risky conditions for your health. And if you want your family members and loved ones to be safe from the harmful effects of mould, it is better you treat it as soon as it appears. Also, it is never advised to treat the mould growth on your own as the direct and close exposure to it can make you ill.
Hot Water Extraction Carpet Cleaning Brisbane
Hot water extraction is one of the widely used and proven methods to bring your carpets to the original condition as new. Our cleaning team at offers the top-notch services for hot water extraction, where we insert the cleaning solution and hot water deep into the carpet fibre. Then we extract the cleaning solution and water with the help of hot water extractor, which also pulls the dirt, stains and contaminants along. Hire us today and amazing services for carpet cleaning at the most exciting prices.
Pet Stain and Odour Removal From Carpet
The team of carpet cleaners know the best ways to clean your carpets to perfection by making them rid of any kind of dirt and debris. And if you have pets in the home, you might need professional carpet cleaning Brisbane services on a regular basis. You may try certain DIY for the pet stain and odour removal from the carpet but in most cases, the treatment remains ineffective. Hence, the only solutions homeowners left with is hiring the professional carpet cleaners, which is always the right solution. And our cleaners do the job of removing pet stain and odour to excellence.
Coffee Stain Removal from Carpet
Coffee Stains fall under the stubborn stain category, that demand extra efforts and hard work. If you decide to remove the stain on your own at home, you may or may not succeed completely. By any chance, if you managed to remove the stain, getting rid of the sour smell is impossible. So, why do any hassle when you anyway have to take the help. Calling the professionals for such a tough stain removal from your carpets is always a good idea. Call our team today and get rid of such stubborn stains from your carpets completely.
Carpet Blood Stain Removal
One of the stubborn stains on the carpets includes blood stains. Accidents can happen anytime. You might meet with an injury and happened to cross the carpets while leaving the blood stains on it. Having belonged to a stubborn stain category, carpet blood stain removal mat eat up most of your efforts. However, in case you are able to treat the fresh blood stains, you may prevent the situations from getting worse. But in case, the stains are dried and you are not able to get rid of them you may need professionals for the same. And the professionals of our team, use high-quality cleaning solutions and their best techniques to save your floor covering from deterioration. (*terms and conditions apply)
Carpet Vomit Stain Removal
With the kids and pets in the home, accidents on the carpets are more of a common thing and throwing up is the last thing you would have imagined with your carpets. Cleaning vomit stains off the carpets is one of the most difficult and unwilling tasks you would ever want to do, as the smell is unbearable. But when you hire the professionals to do the job for you, it is more likely you will get the desired results. And for our professionals, it's a part of the everyday job. So, don't stress over the vomit clean up from the carpet and get the task done in an efficient and safe manner.
Carpet Red Wine Stain Removal
When you were all set to enjoy your evening with loved ones and friends, wine spillage on your expensive could ruin the entire mood. But why worry, when you can get rid of the stain from the carpet completely, that too without ruining its fibres. Our carpet cleaning Brisbane team covers the entire range of carpet cleaning including stubborn stain removal and carpet red wine stain removal is one such service. With the help of eco-friendly carpet stain removal solutions and equipment, we carry out the best results.
Carpet Slime Removal
Kids love playing with smlie. It's a substance which is neither fluid or nor solid, that attracts and engage kid. However, it has black side too, which is, it stains badly and of course your carpet can be a victim. It is quite difficlut to clean slime stain from your carpet using home DIY methods, you certainly need professionals for the job and Sparkling team can do it perfectly.
Gum Stain Removal
If you are dealing with gum stains on your carpet and not being able to remove them, then you can call us to get rid of those stubborn stains. We have the best tools and cleaning solutions to extract all type of stains from your carpets.gum is one of the most adhesive substances that can deteriorate the whole carpet once get cling on it. Hence, we should always protect our carpet from these substances and keep it clean and tidy. Call us for more offers about different services.
Carpet Flea Treatment Brisbane
One of our specialised services include carpet flea treatment. The professionals of our team are highly experienced and talented and sanitise your carpet in every manner. In our treatment, we spray high-quality and eco-friendly chemicals onto your carpets to kill fleas. Afterwards, we remove them from your carpets with our detailed cleaning techniques. With our latest and updated cleaning practices, we make sure you get fully sanitised carpets.
End of Lease Carpet Cleaning in Brisbane
We offer the best services for end of lease carpet cleaning services. When your lease comes to an end, then as per the contract, you have to get done with the bond carpet cleaning. The professionals of our team, first of all, investigate your carpets and then go ahead with cleaning the carpets. By having us at your place for carpet cleaning, you increase the chances of getting your bonds back.
Our Carpet Cleaning Brisbane Services
Our team works with a motive to keep your carpets as good as new – always. With our exclusive range of complete carpet care solutions, you can practically say bye to unwanted germs, contaminants, those ugly stains, bad odours, and a dull look of your carpets. Available 24 X 7 for emergency flood damage restoration.
Studies reveal that keeping your carpets in good shape can have a positive impact on your health and fitness. We provide you with a single platform where you can get all kinds of carpet cleaning services under one roof.
- Carpet dry cleaning
- Water damage restoration
- Carpet stain removal
- Commercial carpet cleaning
- Domestic carpet cleaning
- Carpet sanitising
- Pet Hair Removal from Carpet
- Carpet mould restoration
- Pet Odour Removal from carpet
- Carpet flea treatment
- Carpet fire and smoke restoration
- Coffee or Tea Carpet Stains Removal
- Same Day Carpet Cleaning Service
- Emergency Carpet Steam Cleaning Services
Call our experts and save yourself from replacing your old carpets! We offer you with a great discount on carpet cleaning. Hurry Up!!! Offer live for Limited Time Period.
Rug Cleaning Brisbane
Rugs are small in size so you might think to clean them on your own. If the number of rugs will be more then you might get exhausted or feel bored. Get the help of professionals in such situations. We provide highly trained and experienced professionals to provide you with excellent carpet and rug cleaning services in Brisbane. Depending upon the manufacturing material of the rugs, the cleaning techniques and solution changes. Before we start the service we inspect the condition of the rugs to find if it can get damaged during the cleaning process. We will inform you if such is the case.
Scotchgard Carpet Protection Services in Brisbane
Scotchgard is used on the surface of the carpet to protect it from getting stained. The Scotchgard makes a layer of itself and prevents the sources of stain from getting in touch with the surface. It helps in keeping what we want to keep out of the surface. The different sources of the stains like blood, wine, juice and urine etc. It does not allow any kind of humidity to the carpet. It is more protective against the liquid sources. You can get the best Scotchgard carpet protection services in Brisbane with us.
Get The Best Carpet Odour Removal Services in Brisbane
The odour mainly get generated with the stain. To remove any odour finding its sources will be helpful in easy removal. The treatment depends upon the sources as they have different chemical combination and values. Everyone is not aware of the source finding techniques. Here professionals are really helpful if they are from a good company. Get professionals from a reputed company where you will find the team of experts. Our team is highly experienced in Odour Removal Service. We inspect the smell area and find out the source and reason of such odour. Then, we use suitable neutralizer which vanishes the effect of smell and freshens up the environment.
Our Carpet Steam Cleaning Process
We take our job seriously our carpet cleaning process is as follows:
- Inspects the carpet to be cleaned—locating and identifying any soil, stains, and odours.
- Remove dust and dry particles.
- Our team carefully moves required furniture to make space for carpet cleaning.
- Our team cleans the required areas using our gentle hot water extraction method.
- Deodorizing & sanitization Services
- Eco-Friendly Chemicals
- Final inspection to ensure we have met your carpet cleaning expectations.
Same Day Carpet Cleaning Brisbane
Most of the companies give their services on the following day of service booking. There are several customers who are in need of service on the same day of booking. We provide according to the choices made by customers, we have the availability of both kinds of facilities. The service charge may change for the same day service. Our same day service has been helpful to many customers who were in urgent need of cleaning. We have kept the separate team for same day service ready with required items for a better cleaning result giving service.
Exclusive and Comprehensive Services
To get all the carpet cleaning related services together form a team, call on 24×7 helpline number and make a booking for the services which is exclusive and comprehensive. We have a team which is trained and experienced for all the carpet cleaning related services. We know that there are customers who require multiple services, this has made for such customers. Our team works in an organised manner and they will serve you in the best way.
Emergency Carpet Cleaning Services
We are a local name in town and we cover all the areas of Brisbane. We are available for you 24×7 round the clock to offer you assistance in case of emergency. We have a fast and quick response to an emergency and will reach our doorstep in no time. Contact or executives today and book an appointment, Our professional carpet cleaners will attend and deliver carpet cleaning service for you on the same day of booking. If you are looking for emergency carpet cleaning services in Brisbane, we can be your true destination.
Get The Best Carpet Repair Services
We provide our customers with the complete carpet care and carpet repair is the part of one such services. With the help of latest tools and equipment we restore and repair any amount of damage suffered by the carpet. All of our carpet repair services are available at the most affordable costs in the city. We use all the modern and advanced techniques to repair the carpets and deliver the best repair and restoration results. We will provide complete restoration of the carpet within the period of 24 hours. Hire specialised team today and get your carpets restored and repaired back to new.
Carpet Water Damage Restoration in Brisbane
Carpets suffering from water damage can get deteriorated and suffer permanent damage if left untreated. We are a professional name that provides its customers with Carpet water damage restoration services. We have a fast and quick response to an emergency and we cover all the areas of town. We start by extracting all the water from the carpet through hot water extraction. Carpets are then treated and sanitised to get rid of germs and pathogens. We then start the carpet drying process through machinery and gadgets. We can completely restore any amount of water damage suffered by the carpet in no time.
Allergy Proof Carpet Cleaning Services
Our customers health is our one of the major priorities that we never compromise upon. That's why, the cleaning solutions and other products we use during the process are approved by National Asthma Counsil Australia. Hence, we gladly boast our services and products as safe and allegery-proof, that do not mess with the well-being of your family and employees.
Our Experience in Carpet Cleaning Brisbane
We are a team of local accredited, experienced and trained Carpet Cleaners!!! We are a local carpet cleaning company based in Brisbane offering services for about 15 years. Offering excellence in whatever we do, we always deliver great results. We do not compromise on the quality of the job to save time. And our services ensure that you get full value for your money.
Keep your carpets soft, smelling fresh and looking brand new, Call @ 0410 453 896.
Our Carpet Cleaning Van
Truck Mounted Unit is what provides you with a high-quality result and a proper steam clean. Portable Units are not as powerful, they provide poor quality results and leave the carpet wet!
Reach Out for Unparalleled Results
Being an experienced name in the field of professional carpet cleaning services. With years of experience and training, we can provide you with the best of the best Brisbane carpet cleaning services. We always strive to maintain top-notch quality and effectiveness in our professional carpet cleaning services. Equipped with the latest tools and equipment we can deliver desired carpet cleaning results for you. Our professional carpet cleaners are expert and excel in carpet cleaning. Avail the benefit of our excellent carpet cleaning services today.
Why Choose Us for Carpet Cleaning Brisbane?
- First on-site carpet cleaners in the Brisbane for all suburbs.
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Prevent Blindness is the people's advocate for healthy vision. We work to elevate the national dialogue around vision and significant public health issues such as surveillance, access, prevention messaging, service integration, and program development and replication. We support the development of effective state vision health systems across the U.S.
The Focus Initiative is a virtual forum for those working in vision and public health. This professional network encourages the sharing of resources (research, webinars, events, etc.) among the vision and public health community.Learn More
Prevalence of Adult Vision Impairment and Age-Related Eye Disease in the U.S. Visit Our New Online Vision Problems in the U.S. Report (2012 Edition) For a searchable database of the Latest Prevalence Estimates for Age-Related Eye Disease.
The Economic Impact of Vision Problems: The Toll of Major Adult Eye Disorders, Visual Impairment and Blindness on the U.S. Economy This report describes the economic burden of the leading age-related eye diseases: age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataract, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and refractive error. It also looks at the economic impact of vision impairment and blindness.
Through 2050, the prevalence and costs of vision problems are set to grow at an alarming rate, fueled by demographic shifts including the aging of the baby-boomer population, extraordinary increases in the population in the oldest age groups, and the growth of minority populations.
Public Health Reports and Publications
These reports provide information about the state of eye and vision health in the United States and identify national, state and local challenges and opportunities for public health approaches to vision care.
Children's Vision and Eye Health Report: A Snapshot of Current National Issues
This report brings together information about the scope of the problem, national and state-level policy changes, and efforts to build comprehensive systems to promote vision and eye health. Recent research provides new estimates of the prevalence of vision disorders among U.S. children and new knowledge about factors affecting risk and access to needed services. Nationally, the Affordable Care Act has expanded access to vision insurance coverage, while state-level initiatives have strengthened vision screening and eye health programs.
Focus on Eye Health National Summit
This event has become a key venue to elevate the national dialogue around vision and significant public health issues such as surveillance, access, prevention messaging, service integration, and program development and replication. It's also been a strong springboard to release important new public health information, including prevalence data with Vision Problems in The U.S., economic information with Cost of Vision Problems, and forecasting data on the potential future prevalence and costs with The Future of Vision.
Expected attendees include patient advocates, community-based organizations, national vision and eye health organizations, government agencies, and potentially some legislative staff. We will also once again host a virtual live-feed teleconference to coincide with the event, allowing for anyone interested to join in from across the country.
Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence
The Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health is presented annually to an individual, team, or organization that has made significant contributions to the advancement of public health related to vision and eye health at the community, state, and/or national level. Among the highest honors Prevent Blindness bestows, this prestigious award consists of formal acknowledgement and a commemorative plaque to be presented at the Focus on Eye Health National Summit in Washington, DC.
The Joanne Angle Investigator Award provides funding for research investigating public health related to eye health and safety. Applications will be accepted in the following priority areas in adult vision, children's vision, or eye injury. All research grants promote the core mission of Prevent Blindness – preventing blindness and preserving sight.
The National Center for Children's Vision and Eye Health
The National Center for Children's Vision and Eye Health (NCCVEH) was established at Prevent Blindness in 2009 with support from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (Grant #H7MMC24738.) The goal of the NCCVEH is to create a public health infrastructure that promotes a comprehensive system of vision care and eye health for all young children. NCCVEH works to improve children's vision through strong partnerships, sound science, and targeted public policy.
Use the Healthy Eyes Educational Series to build awareness among your clients, co-workers, employees or cohorts of eye and vision basics, common adult vision disorders, eye safety precautions and proactive behaviors that give the best chance for a lifetime of healthy vision.
Optimized for easy download and printing, Prevent Blindness eye health and safety fact sheets are a popular choice for providing up-to-date information at health fairs, schools, hospitals, community centers, pediatric offices or even in your own home. Contact us at 1-800-331-2020 or by email if you are interested in customizing fact sheets for your organization or practice.
Online Training and Certification
Contact us at 1-800-331-2020 or by email if you are interested in Prevent Blindness vision screening training and certification or other online training opportunities.
The Star Pupils School Eye Health and Safety Curriculum
Request free downloads of our K-2, Grades 3-5, and Grades 3-6 eye health and safety curriculum.
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Praise for Jessica Z.
"Jessica Z. is gripping, unsettling...a dazzling debut."
-New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger
"The real meat of the novel is Jessica's quotidian life...Jessica Z. is a brisk read."
-San Francisco Chronicle
"Klomparens is...a genuinely original new voice in fiction. Definitely check this one out."
"...(a) story that's not only slyly funny at times but has aspects of a thriller."
-New York Times bestselling author Jeff Vandermeer.
Praise for Two Years, No Rain
"Compelling characters...Klomparens is frequently a funny and stylish writer."
-Publishers Weekly
"Author Shawn Klomparens is a master at dialog."
-Sacramento Book Review


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Welcome to PWInsider.com's coverage of the 2010 TNA Bound for Glory PPV.PWInsider.com Elite subscribers are able to enjoy the coverage on an ad-free version of the site, and will also have access to our exclusive post-PPV audio show. You can subscribe by clicking this link and if you've never checked us out before, you can sign up for our three days free offer.
The pre show starts with comments from Kurt Angle, Kevin Nash, Rob Van Dam, D'Angelo Dinero talking about how big Bound for Glory is. Ken Anderson talks about being in the main event of the biggest show of the year for a company that he loves. A company that has reignited his passion for the business. Jeff Jarrett says that the work and effort behind the scene and in the ring is built for Bound for Glory. Ric Flair talks about how the show gains viewers every day. Mick Foley says that 10/10/10 sounds like the day for the perfect storm and tonight will deliver. Mick says that he knows how to work in a big money atmosphere. Samoa Joe says that there are times when you up your game and tonight will be no exception. Dixie Carter predicts that this will be the biggest pay per view in TNA history.
The Before the Bell Special starts with Kurt Angle talking about how he feels the same way that he did when he won the Gold Medal in 1996. He says that he wanted to earn the title and if he cannot prove that he can be the champion, then maybe he shouldn't wrestle any more. Angle says that if he gave his best and fell short, then maybe it is time for him to step out. Will Kurt Angle win his 14th World Title tonight? Kurt says that he has been champion before but he has never been more prepared physically, psychologically, and spiritually. Kurt says that he is the most intense wrestler and he only knows to go at full speed.
Ken Anderson earned his spot in the match by defeating D'Angelo Dinero. Ken says that he got into the business to win titles, make money, and travel the world. He has made money and traveled the world. Tonight, he will win the title. Ken quotes another Green Bay icon, Vince Lombardi about his goals tonight. Ken was told that if you screw up the first time, don't bother doing it at all. Ken says that he has something to prove because he has never captured a major title. He says that he feels that he has to prove something and he will do that. It is a matter of when and where. Ken says that will be in Daytona Beach.
Jeff Hardy is one of the most popular wrestlers in the world. He returned to TNA in January and coming up short is not an option. Jeff says that TNA is the freshest and dopest wrestling company. He says that if you are the TNA champion, you are the best. Hardy says that he has built to this before. He has been a World Champion, but not in TNA. He says that he doesn't know how much time he has left because of the last few weeks. Jeff says that if he wins, it is for his fans. He says that he would be one of the best champions of all time because he puts his body on the line every time.
It is time to look at the Monster's Ball match.
Mike Tenay says that you aren't shocked by too many things when you have been involved in wrestling as long as he has, but the beating by Abyss was brutal.
Rob says that he knew he would be back. He says that you can't kill him unless you kill his spirit.
Taz says that when you are taken out in the manner that Abyss took out Van Dam, you want to take Abyss apart.
Tenay says that the fact that Van Dam is back for Bound for Glory is a shock to him. He says that the doctors did not sign off on his return.
Dixie says that she is concerned about Rob's health.
Rob says that many people have not been in the business for twenty years and be in the physical condition he is in.
Abyss says that 'they' told him to finish off Van Dam, but he did not get to finish the job.
Rob says that there is a score to settle and it is about balancing things out. Van Dam says that he is going to destroy Abyss.
Abyss says that Monster's Ball is the most horrific match in TNA.
Van Dam says that he is not going to wait for a more convenient time to get in the ring with Abyss. He is taking advantage now.
Who is 'They'?
Van Dam says that he is interested in finding out who 'they' is.
Sting says that he will let us take a look at things behind the scenes, but it is in the wide open for everyone to see. He says that something is going on. He is not going to talk about it because he has been there before and it doesn't work out.
Kevin Nash says that Sting talked to him and Nash said that he found out that what Sting said was true.
Jeff says that Sting was turning to the dark side and Nash joined in. With Hogan and Bischoff coming in, along with the talent, things were changing.
Sting talks about Hogan and Bischoff and he says that he obviously has issues with them. He has deep issues.
Nash says that it is all about power with Hogan and Bischoff. He says that they are going to run the company into the ground. Dixie thought that Hogan would be the savior but Hogan is a snake. People don't know who is wearing the black hat and the white hat.
Jarrett says that they are still on top now because of their political positioning and there are times when that is not good for business.
Sting says that he can see right through Jeff. He has people swerved and he is part of the problem.
Samoa Joe says that Sting can whine. Joe mentions that Jeff and him have had issues so it wasn't a guarantee that he would help him. However, Hulk Hogan called him and asked him to help. Joe agreed to help. Joe wonders how are you going to quarantine a force like him.
D'Angelo Dinero talks about the deceptions going on. He says that when you are trying to play games like Hogan and Bischoff have, you cannot play a player.
Nash says that Dinero has a problem with Bischoff so at least one young guy is not being hoodwinked by Bischoff.
Dinero says that Jarrett is the founder and he gives him credit. What you can do is judge a man based on his character. The character of Jeff Jarrett is one that does not hold favor with him. He says that Samoa Joe is being led blindly by the forces of the darker side.
Sting says that it won't be his words, but his actions. He will make sure people know by 10/10/10.
Jarrett says that Sting, Nash, and Pope talk about a big picture but all they have in common is that they aren't getting what they want.
Nash says that he knows that him and Sting will be in the ring and they will be there to give the answers.
EV 2.0 was on top until Fortune attacked them on Impact. Their goal was to eliminate EV 2.0.
Dixie says that things got out of control. She says that she wanted to do something good for one night for them and the fans. Ric Flair took offense to it.
Flair says that EV 2.0 is a gimmick that didn't work. If it worked, they would have their own company and they would be successful.
Foley says that Flair's group is the future while some of the guys in EV 2.0 might be on the end of their run.
James Storm says that Dixie called EV 2.0 to the 90s what Hogan was in the 80s, maybe they should have stayed in the 90s.
Tommy Dreamer says that they are going to get revenge for what happened to their friends.
Dixie says that Lethal Lockdown is the perfect match to end this feud.
Storm says that most of them are past their prime.
Dreamer says that this is their bragging rights to show that they are better.
Robert Roode says that if they can beat EV 2.0, it will show that they are better.
Foley says that there is no place to run or hide. They will be like children on Christmas morning getting ready to play with their toys.
Dreamer says that Foley will be the perfect counter for Ric Flair and he talks about how he was there to see the fights between Flair and Foley.
AJ says that Flair is a wrestling god while Foley looks like a pack of mustard.
Roode says that Foley is a joke.
Foley says that he cannot guarantee that Flair won't get involved, but if he does, he will be there.
Flair says that if Foley messes with him, he will be hurt.
Dreamer says that he feels bad for all of them because they will all leave the cage hurt.
Flair wonders why EV 2.0 would want to get into this match. Flair says that if he was dead and in a casket, he is still better than Foley.
Coverage continues on next page.
PWInsider.com Elite subscribers are able to enjoy the coverage on an ad-free version of the site, and will also have access to our exclusive post-PPV audio show. You can subscribe by clicking this link and if you've never checked us out before, you can sign up for our three days free offer.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section,
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Saturday, 31 December 2011
Guest Author - Mary Nichols
Friday, 30 December 2011
Guest Author - Marianne Wheelaghan
Literally translated the New Guinea pidgin expression throwim way leg means 'to throw away your leg'. Slightly less literally, it means to thrust out your leg and take the first step of what could be a long march (ie: to go on a journey!). I lived in the Pacific area for nearly ten years and three were spent in Papua New Guinea. At first glance the language seems naïve and downright silly – I can't help but chuckle when I hear it – but for all its apparent simplicity, New Guinea pidgin can be very subtle.
The Blue Suitcase is available on Kindle in both the UK and US and in paperback in branches of Blackwell's and Waterstone's throughout the UK and in many Independent bookshops in Edinburgh.
BTW: The Blue Suitcase is a recommended staff Christmas Read at Waterstone's West End branch in Edinburgh.
(My debut crime/thriller, set in the Republic of Kiribati, is due out in the late summer of 2012 – the working title of which is Murder on Tarawa, but that will most likely change!)
Thursday, 29 December 2011
A New Year - and some resolutions - by Hywela Lyn
So - I need to make some New Year Resolutions:
Wednesday, 28 December 2011
RE-PUBLISHING, SELF-PUBLISHING, AND THE DOWNSIDE OF BEING AN AUTHOR, by Enid Richemont
Tuesday, 27 December 2011
A Gift in Bangkok, by Andrew Crofts
I was sent to
That got me thinking about the place for printed books now that we are all concentrating so hard on understanding the dynamic of the electronic versions. This imaginative idea of the book as a prestigious gift would not have worked so well if presented in e-book form. It would have lacked the cultural resonance of the print version. The recipient of the gift would not have been able to pick it up, turn it over in his hands and pass it round the guests who had assembled for the presentation beneath the hotel's palm trees.
E-books are undoubtedly the way forward when it comes to getting writers' work out there, showcasing it, distributing it more economically and ecologically, but when it comes to creating a product with special meaning, and for limited editions that are to be displayed as well as read, print will no doubt live on for a long time. Books that might be read by millions on screens, can still be produced in special editions for hundreds or thousands of collectors and enthusiasts.
The hotel in
Monday, 26 December 2011
Bad Backs and New Year Dreams - by Rosalie Warren
As I write this, just before Christmas, I'm feeling rather sorry for myself. I have a sore throat and a cough, which get much worse if I lie flat. I also have a painful back, which complains unless I spend every alternate hour or so lying flat on it! Sitting at a desk, even on my new super-dooper-bad-back-chair, is impossible for more than five minutes at a stretch. I have shopping, baking and cleaning to do, guests arriving for Christmas, a father up in Yorkshire who needs lots of help from me, his only daughter, and - urrgghhh, I won't go on...
(Btw, I know, really, that I have many things to be thankful for and am much, much better off than some. But if you remind me of that, some nasty primitive reflex might be triggered and I might try to kick you, so please beware...)
A kind Twitter friend just recommended that I try lying on my tummy in order to type on my laptop, placed on a stool at the end of my bed. It works, at least for a short time, and I'm very grateful for her suggestion. At least, if I can get on with some work, I don't feel such a useless lump.
And now, having got those moans out of the way, I'm going to tell you about one of my plans for 2012. A couple of years ago I wrote a short novel, of about 42000 words, about an elderly woman called Marguerite, who has Alzheimer's. In spite of her condition, she retains her sense of humour (note to self: take note!) and develops a deep friendship with her great-granddaughter, who is going through tough times at home and school.
I thoroughly enjoyed becoming Marguerite for a while. I did some research, of course, but have no idea, really, whether her character will convince my readership. I've done my best and now I can only hope. What I can do is put the book out there and make sure some readers notice it and give it a go.
From what I gather, no publisher will look at a novel of this length; not unless you are Ian McEwan or someone like him. So, having had some useful criticism from fellow writers and readers, I'm hoping to publish Mondays with Marguerite as an eBook, sometime in 2012. I've got a fair bit to learn first, both about the mechanics of the process and how to publicise it, but I'm very happy to be hitching a lift alongside the many experienced authors on this blog who have already ventured into the world of ePublishing, some with considerable success.
I hope, too, to continue to be 'traditionally' published in 2012. I'm in talks with an editor about a new series for 7-9s, which I can't wait to begin. Charity's Child, first published by the indie publisher Circaidy Gregory Press in 2008, is to be reissued as an eBook with the same publisher in March 2012, this time marketed at age 14+. And my science fiction novel for adults, which I'm currently redrafting on my tummy, will be under submission, I hope, by the middle of next year.
So I may be hobbling around and coughing like crazy (as so many of us currently are), but my eyes are firmly set on 2012, hoping it will be a better year for readers, writers, independent booksellers, libraries - indeed for everyone who truly cares about books.
Sunday, 25 December 2011
A CHRISTMAS STORY - Susan Price
It's Christmas Day, so I don't suppose many people are going to read this - apart from the odd one taking a breather from the festivities. But for those who do, here's a short and rather sweet Christmas story, inspired by my own family's Christmas memories....
Painted round it was a dark-blue silhouette of a chimney sweep carrying a long ladder on his shoulder, and another silhouette of an old-fashioned lamp-post. White blobs of snow fell around the sweep, and there was a suggestion of snow-covered ground at his feet.
'This was one of the globes I had when I was a little girl,' Jennifer said, holding the delicate bauble above the heads of her own two daughters, Anna and Catherine. Anna reached up for it.
'No, let Catherine hold it, and you can look at it. Be careful, Cath, it's very fragile. I'm amazed it's still in one piece.'
This story comes from my collection NIGHTCOMERS, which is available for download from Amazon here.
Saturday, 24 December 2011
A Poem For Christmas Eve - Avril Joy
When I was seventeen I was given this poem by my English teacher to read aloud at the Christmas Carol Service. I learned it by heart and every Christmas Eve without fail it comes back to me. I didn't know, until recently, when and where it was first published, or that 'in these years' referred to the years of the Great War. I hadn't fully grasped its context. But I instinctively felt its poignancy, its air of regret and I understood the folk traditions from which it came and which meant so much to Hardy. I loved its language too: the comfort of words like 'combe' which were a part of my West Country heritage. I understood the desire for something magical, something to believe in.
Now it seems as poignant to me as it did then at seventeen, perhaps even more so. After all we are still at war and the spiritual messages of Christmas are easily forgotten.
So I offer you this beautiful poem as a Christmas gift and I hope you come to remember and enjoy it as much as I do and I hope you have a wonderful - happy and peaceful - Christmas wherever you are and whatever you do.
The Oxen
Christmas Eve, and twelve of the clock.
"Now they are all on their knees,"
An elder said as we sat in a flock
By the embers in hearthside ease.
We pictured the meek mild creatures where
They dwelt in their strawy pen,
Nor did it occur to one of us there
To doubt they were kneeling then.
So fair a fancy few would weave
In these years! Yet, I feel,
If someone said on Christmas Eve,
"Come; see the oxen kneel,
"In the lonely barton by yonder coomb
Our childhood used to know,"
I should go with him in the gloom,
Hoping it might be so.
Thomas Hardy
|Thomas Hardy's Study
Friday, 23 December 2011
The glitzy showbiz life of a writer... - Simon Cheshire
Here's a true story. A couple of years ago, it had been arranged for me to do a talk and a signing session at a bookshop situated in the middle of a very large and very busy shopping mall (I can tell this story now 'cos the shop - and indeed the mall - are no longer there). A pretty big deal for me - I'd never done a bookshop signing before. Some classes from nearby schools were going to be bussed in, and the local press would be there.
The day of the event dawned after a night in which I was sleepless with excitement. To cut a very long story short, I arrived at the bookshop with seconds to spare (the train was late, and my station-to-shop map was rubbish), and dripping wet (the rain had started belting down seconds after I left home). Holy moley, I thought, what a journey, at least I got here in one piece, and I am at least on time. Phew.
I went into the bookshop. Hello, I'm Simon Cheshire. The staff gave me a funny look. Who? Umm... I'm Simon Cheshire? The author?... Err, the signing, today?... Nope, no author expected. No schoolkids, no local press. What was your name again, mate?
I was a little miffed. It turned out that the shopping mall's managers, who'd arranged everything, had forgotten to tell the shop I was coming. And also to tell the schools. And also the press. Hmm, I thought to myself, standing there dripping quietly, I believe it may possibly be time for me to go and have a word with the managers. It took me about half an hour to find the mall's office, tucked away behind a pizza stand and up six floors in a tiny lift. By the time I got to the Reception Desk, I wasn't in the best of moods.
"Hello, I'm Simon Cheshire," I said, to the very, very pretty Receptionist. She was so extraordinarily pretty, in fact, that my bad temper instantly went away, and all I could do was be vastly polite to her. "Is Mrs X in?" I said. [Mrs X - not her real name, you understand - was the woman who'd 'organised' my visit]
"I'll just find out for you," said the very, very pretty Receptionist, flashing an absolutely devastating smile at me. My heart skipped a beat.
She picked up the phone. Tap tap tap. Ring ring. While it was ringing, she whispered to me "Sorry, what was the name again?"
"Simon Cheshire."
Her call was answered. I don't know if the Receptionist had the phone's sound turned right up, or if my hearing was oddly acute that day, but I could hear every word that was said at the other end. And the Receptionist obviously didn't realise this. She asked for Mrs X. She was told Mrs X was on holiday for two weeks.
"I'm terribly sorry," said the very, very pretty Receptionist to me. "She not in her office at the moment."
"Ah," I said. "Umm, is there someone else I could talk to? There's been a bit of a mix-up somewhere along the line, and I was hoping I could maybe sort something out for another day?"
"Of course. One moment." She smiled again. My heart melted.
Phone. Tap tap tap. "Hello? Stacey? I've got a Simon Chester in Reception. He wanted to speak to Mrs X."
On the other end: "Oh God. Why? Is this a moan?"
The Receptionist, still unaware I could hear Stacey, said "Yes, I think so."
Stacey huffed and puffed and tutted a bit. "Ummm...." Long pause. "Is he fit?"
Without a moment's hesitation, without so much as a glance up at me: "No way, man," snorted the Receptionist. My heart shattered. To be brutally honest, nobody has ever mistaken me for Brad Pitt, but I couldn't help feeling a little wounded. I want to go home now, I thought.
"I'm sorry, Mr Chessman, her assistant isn't available either. Would you like to make an appointment for tomorrow?"
"Err, no, that's fine, thank you. I'll leave it. No problem. Thanks for your help."
"Not at all. Have a good day." Beautiful, beautiful smile.
I walked away, rain still dripping off my trousers. I think I may have whimpered slightly on the train home. So you see, dear readers, the moral of this story is: the life of a writer isn't all glamour and excitement.
Happy Christmas!
(By the way, I've got a new Selection Box ebook featuring sample chapters from some of my books for 8-12 year-olds, which is available free from my website. A-hem, you don't expect me to go a whole month without a blantant plug, do you?)
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Help! My NCX file is missing.- Diana Kimpton
Missing NCX file
Judging by many of the ebooks I read, not all publishers and indie authors realise what this is or that their book would be better if it had one.
NCX stands for Navigational Control for XML application and the NCX file creates the little marks called 'nav points' that you sometimes see on the progress bar at the bottom of the screen. If they are there, you can skip backwards and forwards along the bar between nav points using the 5 way controller. Without them, readers can only navigate through the book using the page forward and back keys, the search facility or, if the publisher has provided one, with the interactive table of contents.
In most books each nav point is the start of a new chapter, but you can make the marks appear anywhere you like. For example, at subdivisions within a chapter or at diagrams that you know the user might often want to skip back to. The nav points will often exactly duplicate your table of contents but they're much easier to use and anything you do to make reading your book easier must be a good thing.
Luckily, real Kindles don't have the NCX button so ordinary users will never see the error message. So can you ignore the problem? Well, lots of Kindle e books don't have an NCX file so, if you do, you'd be in good company. With a novel, readers may not even realise what they're missing. But a non-fiction book or an anthology definitely gains from having nav points.
The bad news is that, to include an NCX file, you need to abandon Amazon's Mobi Pocket Creator and start using their command line utility,' kindlegen.exe' instead. Kindlegen just takes all the components (including the NCX file) that constitute an ebook and binds them together. Unfortunately, this means that you have to know what these components are and how to create them individually.
You can probably guess that you'll need at least the text of the book in HTML format, any pictures that are included, the stuff about the author/publisher, a table of contents and of course the NCX file.
You list all these files and other information in a master file called an OPF (Open Packaging Format) and then tell Kindlegen to get to work. That's not as scary as it sounds – the command can be as simple as 'kindlegen mybook.opf'.
Before you get that far, you'll need to find out exactly what to do by looking on the internet. computerhope.com tells you how to start up a command line session, and easy-as-pie.com is an excellent resource to lead you through the construction of the necessary files. The Kindle publishing download includes a Sample folder (actually the files that make up the Kindle User Guide) that you can use as a model for your own files.
My latest ebook, Perfectly Pony, is in the Amazon Kindle store,
complete with an NCX file.
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
ON BEING A VIRTUAL AUTHOR - Pauline Fisk
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
The accidental blogger: more than just a platform - by Roz Morris
Like many writers with a traditional publishing background, I networked one to one - meetings, parties and email discussions. My writer friends had websites, but I didn't because I had no books out under my name. Even though my agent was out crusading with my first novel as me (My Memories of a Future Life) we never discussed 'platform'.
One day a web-savvy friend in the games industry was telling me about blogging, and set me up with a Wordpress ID. I wrote a few posts. It was fun; my own writers' observatory - looking at real life with a storyteller's eye.
Writerly friends enjoyed my posts. Non-writerlies were spared a lot of abstruse conversations. When I didn't post for two weeks, the teenage son of some friends - who I thought would have cooler pastimes - told me I was overdue for a post. Since that day, I have taken my schedule seriously.
I went googling and found a writers' blogoverse. Then a Twitterverse and a Facebookverse. Each portal I fell through, I discovered new constellations of likeminded souls. I wrote a writing book, Nail Your Novel - Why Writers Abandon Books and How You Can Draft, Fix and Finish With Confidence, which I intended for my agent to sell, but it thrived as an electric indie because of the friends I was making through my blog.
But blogging didn't feel like a publicity duty; it felt like play - and something I had always done. When I was a teenager, I had shoals of penfriends. Homework finished, my greatest pleasure was pouring ideas onto paper. If you made friends with me you were in for a lot of reading. You still are.
On the advice of those who know, I put up a second blog of static pages in case people searched for Roz Morris rather than Nail Your Novel. People do subscribe there, but nothing ever happens so they probably think I haven't anything to say.
I started a third blog to release My Memories of a Future Life. That was also intended to be static pages. Then, to help out a friend, I posted a piece about using music as a creative spark for writing and called it The Undercover Soundtrack. It fitted well on that blog as my novel's narrator is a musician. I realised I'd love to read a series like this - a literary Desert Island Discs where writers talk about the music that helped them create their characters, stories and settings.
Now the Future Life blog is no longer about promoting that novel, it's a creative magazine of its own. Every week I host a new Undercover Soundtrack guest, among them other Authors Electric - Dan Holloway and Catherine Czerkawska (coming in 2012) and distinguished AE alumnus Nicola Morgan.
I love having my blogs. I love the feedback of discovering another comment out of the far-spread ether, or a question from a reader that provokes me to examine a wrinkle of the writer's craft. Blogging turned out to be a useful move in the grand scheme of serendipity, but really it's what I always liked doing - where at heart I'm still a teenager awhirl with curiosity, writing to friends.
Find Roz Morris on Twitter at @DirtyWhiteCandy and @ByRozMorris
Monday, 19 December 2011
Electric Memories - Karen King
I read this article in the Daily Mail not long ago about the skills that are being lost forever because of modern technology, everyday things such as writing a letter, printing photos and sending postcard as well as skills like reading a map.
We know about the early Saxons and life in the middle ages from written records such as the writings of Bebe or the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles.
Letters, records and photographs tell us about the World Wars and other historical events. Even in our own families, letters, diaries and photographs help us learn about our ancestors and are invaluable when we're tracing our family tree. But I have to admit that it's a long time since I wrote a letter, filled in a diary or printed out family photographs to put in an album. My photographs are on line, many on Facebook to share with other family members, I email instead of write letters.
However, computers are constantly upgraded and old software doesn't always work on them. I have many manuscript files that have corrupted on discs or are in a format I can no longer read. So when my descendants want to trace their family history what will they find out about me and my family? If only electrical evidence is left will they be able to access it? On an even wider scale, many records are now on line whilst paper records are increasingly destroyed or lost. Will historians of the future be able to access them? If all our memories are electrical will they at some point be lost? What memories are we leaving for future generations?
Sunday, 18 December 2011
A Traditional Polish Christmas - Catherine Czerkawska
|My dad.
My late father came to Yorkshire from Poland, at the end of the war, with one of the Polish regiments attached to the British army. He came via Italy and Monte Cassino, so he was lucky to survive. In Yorkshire, still a young man, he worked in a textile mill for a while - it was compulsory for 'refugee aliens' - met and married my English-Irish mother, Kathleen, and went to night school, cycling home through smoky Leeds on wintry nights while I was a baby.
By the time he retired, he was a distinguished scientist, working as a visiting expert for UNIDO, with a double doctorate: a DSc as well as a PhD in biochemistry. He died in 1995 and I still miss him, but I think I miss him and my mother most at Christmas, especially on Christmas Eve, because we always managed to have a Polish celebration meal, reserving the turkey and plum pudding for Christmas Day.
|My dad, my grandfather and grandmother, in Galicia, Eastern Poland
|Little Lord Fauntleroy!
Before he died - because I knew that I would want to write about my impossibly romantic Polish family history one day - I spent many hours with him, questioning him about the past. He made wonderful notebooks and drawings for me, full of detail. Later, I used some of this material in two radio plays and drafted out a novel. I was planning a trilogy, but I was distracted by theatre and did very little with it. Then, a handful of years ago, I did a lot more research and rewrote it completely as a longer novel called The Amber Heart.
My last agent tried to sell it but although he declared that it was a 'wonderful' story there was very little interest from publishers who - all too predictably - thought it was beautifully written, but couldn't see how to market it. Which is why I'll be publishing it to Kindle, around Easter 2012, all being well - although in slightly modified form. At some point, a less than sympathetic editor got his paws on it and at his suggestion, I took several chapters and incidents out of it. He - young, intellectual, over-confident - wanted me to skip over much of the story and 'get to the end.' Later, I realised that if I were to think about my target readers, he would be the very last person on earth I would consider.
|My handsome grandfather- Max de Winter lives.
|Inspiration from a picture by a great great great uncle.
Almost without realising it, he was heading very slowly north west, going gradually in the direction of Maryanna's old home at Lisko. He was lucky enough to spend Christmas Eve with a family of Polish smallholders, who had been dismayed to discover that sickness in the family had left them with an odd number of guests at their table for their festive supper. Since this meant that one of their number would die, for sure, during the ensuing year, the head of the household had rushed into the lane outside his house, looking for somebody, anybody, to make up the numbers.
Piotro had been lurking outside, sniffing hungrily at the savoury smells coming from the house. He could hardly believe his good fortune. He washed as best he could in the butt of icy water at the back of the house and the farmer's wife found him a well-worn but clean linen shirt in honour of the occasion. His eyes were dazzled by the unaccustomed light and the heat of the room bemused him, making his head swim. He swayed and clutched at the back of a wooden settle to steady himself and tried to mind his manners.
In each corner of the room stood sheaves of rye, wheat, barley and oats, to ensure a plentiful harvest for the coming year. There was straw on the floor and a thin layer of hay on the table-top, covered with white linen. The company sat down to eat and the farmer broke the blessed wafer, spread with honey, and handed it to each guest in turn, including Piotro in this ritual with a smile.
'Welcome, stranger! Welcome in God's name, and eat!'
The supper was traditionally meatless but very plentiful – the family had been saving for this all year - and Piotro ate his fill of beetroot soup, pike in jelly, fried carp, smoked eels and pierogi, dumplings shaped like little ears filled with potato, onions and cabbage. There was dense, creamy cheese cake, spicy honey cake, luscious poppy seed roll and the traditional dish of kutia. At the less decorous end of the meal, the young boys of the family vied with each other in tossing spoonfuls of the grain and poppy seed mixture up to the ceiling which, when it stuck there, signified luck and a good harvest for the following year. The family were scrupulously polite to Piotro, attending to his needs but worrying him with few questions. Afterwards he was allowed to sleep beside the kitchen fire and in the morning he went on his way, laden with a good supply of food.
You can read a little more about all this and a few other things on my new website at www.wordarts.co.uk , beautifully designed (I think!) by a company called Paligap, in Ayr.
|Julian Wladyslaw Czerkawski
Friday, 16 December 2011
News Flash! (and less salubrious puns) by Dan Holloway
It was that book through which I met many of the people I still work with most closely and started to get invited to blog across the web on all topics digital. Most of all, it made me realise how exciting it could be exploring for different ways to write.
The most exciting form I've discovered has been flash fiction which may not necessarily a digital form of writing (there's even a flash fiction category in the Bridport now) but both lends itself to appearing on blogs and has taken off in popularity thanks to online initiatives like #fridayflash (every Friday hundreds of writers post flash fiction on their blogs, then put a link on twitter as well as the #flashfriday hashtag. By searching that hashtag people find, read, and comment on, hundreds of stories a week. It's a fabulous community and has already spawned several superb anthologies).
Flash fiction could be describe in all kinds of ways, from word count (under 1000, under 500, under 400, various others) to structure, but it's an incredibly versatile form (and new) that eludes such labels in the main. Suffice to say it's not a short story (I personally treat flash's relation to shorts as I do novellas to novels - the capturing and layering of a single strand rather than the weaving of several, but I know that's an idiosyncratic way to look at both flash and novellas), and is most definitely not a practice ground.
The closest I've come to a description was in a piece I wrote for James Everington's excellent series "In Defence of Short Stories" which, typically for someone obtuse like me, took the form of a piece of flash rather than an argument. I've put it at the end of this post, along with a new piece.
Anyway, next year sees the very first National Flash Fiction Day, held on May 16th. All kinds of things will be happening all over the country and online, and the event has already attracted some fabulous supporters like Tania Hershman. To support the day, I'm running a Flash Slam in Oxford. Do click the link to sign up! Basically this will take the same format as a poetry slam - lots of people get to read for no more than 4 minutes each, before audience members randomly/affectionately assign marks, and everyone has chaotic fun and learns to appreciate just how fabulous flash fiction is. And if you're not sure if you'd like to read (Oxford audiences really are warm and lovely) or would just like to be part of a warm and lovely audience, do come along to listen! And if you change your mind about reading once things get going you can always sign up to read on the spot. We even have a headline act and superstar panelist, the utterly brilliant Tania Hershman who'll be offering friendly comments on allr eaders as well as reading her own award-winning flashes
So, here are my pieces. They're sort of similar in subject - most of what I write is, in some way or other, connected with the art world. The first, Flash, is in a conversational/anecdotal style I often use. The second, After She Stopped, is more like my longer fiction and will almost certainly remind you of Murakami (albeit many times paler).
I've been reading James' defences of short stories for some time now, and I've sat at my desk thinking about putting something together, wondering what I could say. It should be easy. I write short stories. Lots of them. And not just short stories but flash fiction too.
That's it, I thought, before I asked James if I could put something together. Flash fiction. After all, I haven't seen too many people defend it. It's still looked upon as a bit of a novelty, a parvenu, not at all the place where an author would have the space to attribute three whole adjectival clauses to a single noun.
The problem is I've never really been an apologist. Do. That's my motto. Don't think it, live it. And live it again, and keep on living. Just like Katelan said that night when we sat around in button back chairs telling the audience about Lilith, and embracing life so close you choke on it, and her friend Holly, who died in her early twenties but lived more than you or I ever will.
Of course.
It was mid morning. Goodness knows what time o'clock in New York but I called her anyway.
Hey you, she said with all the energy I remembered, and I didn't feel so bad.
So I'm doing this piece about flash fiction.
Yeah, about how cool it is. No, not just that. A defence of it.
A defence of it? she said and I could hear the frown lines. What's to defend?
Exactly, I said, it seems so obvious.
So obvious you can't think how to put it, she said, and I just laughed, and there we were laughing down the phone together at how ridiculous it was.
So how come you're up? I asked.
She told me she'd been on a shoot and I asked her what they'd been shooting and she said she'd spent all day riding the IRT sharing homemade cupcakes with strangers while a friend filmed the thing on his phone and I said that sounded pretty cool and she said yeah it was cool, and then she spent an hour telling me about this guy who was going to propose to his partner only he wasn't sure and he and Katelan talked it over for so many stops as they ate and her friend filmed and they ate some more and talked some more that he missed his stop and his partner called him and he picked up his phone in the middle of a mouthful and Katelan heard her say screw you, loser and the guy laughed and ate more cupcakes and felt so free he rode another ten stops with her while her friend filmed.
I asked her what she was going to do with the shoot and she said her friend was just finishing the film as we spoke and was going to upload it the moment he was done. I asked her if she could send me a link and she said not to worry I was first on the guy's list when it was ready so I said thanks and she said you still don't know what to write, do you?
No, I said, and she laughed and I asked her why and she said I'd always been slow on the uptake but not to worry, when I got the point I was always the right one to follow it through. I shrugged and asked her what the piece was called so I could tell people about it. I heard another voice, not hers, a man's voice and it said, I'm not the one who lived. I'm not the one who lived, I repeated and Katelan's voice and the man's voice were laughing at the end of the line and then they weren't. They weren't anything. I held the phone to my ear waiting for her to say yeah, or awesome, or goodbye or something but she didn't, and the next noise was the ping of an incoming e-mail and I held the phone close and mouthed thank you down the line.
Thank you, that's exactly what I needed to say.
After She Stopped
"You could look at it forever, couldn't you?"
It was my first visit to the Hilbert Gallery. I'm not sure why I was there. Maybe it was raining outside. Maybe there a meeting I needed to miss.
Looking at the screen, I thought the words were part of the exhibition.
I stood there staring at images that seemed to change every ten seconds or so, wondering how much of my life would be too much to spend with a piece of art.
It was minutes before I noticed the girl standing next to me. She had a Mary Quant bob and she was wearing a long woollen coat although it was summer. I wondered how long she'd been there.
"What is it?" I asked.
"It's a kiss." She didn't look at me. It was like a cord ran between her eye and the screen.
"I can't see any lips." Between the clothes and the stillness, she had this kind of Beatnik authority about her, and I felt like a klutz as soon as I said it.
"Yeah, weird, isn't it?" she said.
We stood in silence after that. I kept watching the screen, trying to figure whether the film was on a loop, whether anyone was going to kiss at any point. I'd forgotten whatever it was I'd come in to avoid doing.
I wondered if there was some kind of etiquette for who leaves first in situations like this.
"Come back tomorrow," she said, like she was reading my thoughts off an autocue on the screen.
"I don't know what I'm doing tomorrow."
"You're coming here."
It was like that for months. I have no recollection of the hours I wasn't at the gallery. I'd turn up at the Hilbert. "You could look at it forever, couldn't you?" she'd say, and we'd stand in front of the screen like we were playing a game of dare.
The day she stopped coming, I had this cramping, seasick feeling. I felt her absence next to me like it was thumping my kidneys.
For weeks I went back every day. I stared harder and harder at the screen, as though she might be in there. She never was.
One day I was standing in front of the screen and the emptiness next to me was missing. A woman stood next to me. She had a sharp suit and her blonde hair was tangled like she was on her way somewhere.
I said, "You could look at it forever, couldn't you?"
Thursday, 15 December 2011
A message from Scrooge By Jan Needle
What's the idea, then? Usually the answer is something on the lines of 'encouraging the children to write.' I did go to a school in Sheffield once where an extremely chippy (on the shouldery) young teacher told me that it was an easy way of making a living, so the kids should be set on the path as soon as possible. When I said mildly that I didn't think it was that easy, especially in the 'making a living' sense, he got really indignant. I was getting thirty odd quid for an afternoon's burbling (it was a long time ago), while he had to actually work for a living - and teaching was bloody hard work, too.
Fairly obviously, he wanted to be a writer himself, and had so far found it impossible for anyone to recognise his genius. He wasn't even mollified when I agreed with him about the hardness of a teacher's lot, and really got quite offensive. He told me finally that if I was as 'socialist' as my books appeared to suggest, I ought to give my fee to the school funds. I tried to humour him. My first book got an advance of £200, I said, and I bought myself a bar billiards table with the money - except that it cost me £350. Wrong answer. He dreamed of having a bar billiards table, he said, but on his wage, etc, etc. I just hope to God he didn't become a careers adviser. He might actually have told the children it was a route they ought to follow.
More recently, I've been asked quite frequently to help older people with their writing, rather than going into schools and talking about my own. I did an Arvon week once, which is a deep-end experience in more ways than one, I found. One of the things that most fascinates me about this blogspot is the robusticity (there can't be such a word, but it sounds better than robustness) of spirit and of niceness that everybody shows. People talk about helping others to become writers as if this is not only a duty and a service, which I probably agree with, but also a good thing. For whom, a good thing? For why? Let's break it down a bit.
In classes I have been running recently, the participants were all extremely high on natural talent. It was honestly a pleasure and a privilege to listen to their work, to talk it through with them, to offer ways I thought they might like to think about to move it on. I had been dubious about taking the gig, and did so only on a trial basis, but it worked. Except, except. One day there was a new arrival, young, dyslexic, troubled, directed to the group by a well meaning person who thought, like my Sheffield teacher maybe, that...that what? I and all my regulars were completely thrown. Had he turned up for his second session, disruption would have been complete. Fortunately, he was extremely bright. He joined a music group instead. That was his good thing. Why writing, though? Why had that been suggested? To make a living? To enhance his self-esteem? Because it helps to pass the time?
Back to Arvon. There were perhaps a dozen of us. This time they had paid, and I guess quite a lot of money. For the majority, excellent. A week in a lovely place, like-minded people, feedback, fun. For a couple, it was torture. For the tutors, that was torture also. One woman asked me, halfway into it, if I would tell her, honestly, if she was wasting her time. Her eyes were deep and frighteningly vulnerable. Was she challenging me to tell the truth? Did she know the truth? Did I know the truth? I talked it over with other Arvon tutors later. It worried me for years. I took comfort from one of my favourite Brecht tropes: 'Truth is a black cat in a windowless room at midnight.' It was not that great a comfort.
Let's break it down a bit more. Here we all are, taking people's money to teach them how to write. Or to tell them what we know about the subject, or what we think we know. And what's the end result? A billiard table they can't afford to buy, a life as a writer who has to scratch a few quid helping other people to not be able to afford to buy a billiard table. Or - for the favoured few - an even worse fate. To be Jeffrey Archer, maybe, or to write The Da Vinci Code, to end up ridiculously rich. The Brecht quote ends: 'And justice a blind bat.'
But now I'm being silly. There have been times in my writing life when the money's come rolling in, and others when I've fought the mice for the cheese off the trap (not literally, you understand) - and to me it was all exactly equal. Because the fact is I write because I have to, not because I want to, I write because it's embedded in my genes (or something), I can't just give it up. I told the Arvon lady that she was doing fine, to keep on going, that Scott Fitzgerald papered his bedroom wall with rejection slips before he sold a word, and he would have gone on writing even if the knock-backs hadn't stopped. My mum always used to ask me if I was ever going to give up writing and get a proper job, but I don't think she meant it, much. She certainly knew the answer, anyway. If you're going to write you write, period.
Which means money is irrelevant, as is fame and acceptance - and probably 'being taught.' So when people ask me now if I can help them, I think of Bertolt Brecht, and tell them that I probably can't, but I'm prepared to have a look and chat about it. At the very least it seems to make them feel better about their affliction.
So I do it out of altruism.
And for money, naturally. Merry Christmas!
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/86960 (Albeson) (Both under a quid)
Wednesday, 14 December 2011
The past is another country: by Dennis Hamley
1944. Yes, a very fraught year indeed. People kept telling me we were going to win the war. I hardly listened to them; I was nine, I'd never doubted it and thought that anyone who didn't agree with me must be a bit stupid. I'd learnt to read - admittedly after a bit of a struggle - two years before but apart from stories of two characters (whether human or animal I really can't remember) called Ponder and Plod and 'that silly little rabbit/Who had a naughty habit/of eating and eating all day/ Little bits of greenery /he found upon the scenery' until he had a very unpleasant experience indeed, I can't really remember any hugely emblematic figure in my literary development. Well, Rose Fyleman and Alison Uttley and copies of Enid Blyton's 'Sunny Stories' which belonged to my cousins and which I would tear up with contempt if I ever got the chance, do all hang somewhere in my memory and I just about remember an absolutely terrifying Blyton-invented monster called the Snoogle which had once scared the wits out of me and nearly stopped me reading altogether. Potter, Pooh, Wind in the Willows: they passed me by completely. I only discovered them when I had children of my own.
But Christmas 1944 came and I woke up at 3 in the morning to see what was in my pillow-case at the end of the bed (not much usually) and I found a book. It was a strange-looking thing. It had green binding and a dust jacket with lots of little black and white drawings with blotches of yellow between them and on it was written:
And reading.