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A Is for Alibi by Sue Grafton:
Kinsey Millhone , a twice- divorced, independent 32- year old private detective, lives and works in southern California. Recently released from an eight- year jail sentence for the murder of her husband, Nikki Fife asks the detective to prove her innocence and find the real murderer.
This novel was on my reading list for a course on American crime writing I followed a few years ago, but for some reason I never got round to finishing it back then. So instead of reading all the recently bought books, I thought I'd pick up this one again. And now I understand why I lost interest in it back then when I had to read so many similar books. Apart from the fact that it was one of the first detective series that featured a female lead character, nothing else about the book really stands out. It's all nice to read, but it never gets to the point where you can't wait to see what happens on the next page, never has the just-one-more-chapter quality I like about the best mysteries. I mean, the novel is only about 200 pages and virtually nothing happened during the first hundred pages.
Has anyone read any more of the Millhone novels? Wondering whether I should read any more. I did like the main character, but there was not enough mystery in this one to keep up my interest.
~Reviewed by Wimli
Abyss (Star Wars Fate of the Jedi 3) by Troy Denning
Was really disappointed in this one. Some of the stories were fine, the events with the Jedi academy, the Solo's and the Sith were pretty good, but the further adventures of Luke and Ben completely jumped the shark with some strange dream like sequences that really put me off the book. It improved at the end when the Sith crossed their path, but by then I was lost.Following a trail of clues across the galaxy, Luke Skywalker continues his quest to find the reasons behind Jacen Solo's dark downfall and to win redemption for the Jedi Order. Sojourning among the mysterious Aing-Tii monks has left Luke and his son Ben with no real answers, only the suspicion that the revelations they seek lie in the forbidden reaches of the distant Maw Cluster. There, hidden from the galaxy in a labyrinth of black holes, dwell the Mind Walkers: those whose power to transcend their bodies and be one with the Force is as seductive and intoxicating as it is potentially fatal. But it may be Luke's only path to the truth.
Meanwhile, on Coruscant, the war of wills between Galactic Alliance Chief of State Natasi Daala and the Jedi Order is escalating. Outraged over the carbonite freezing of young Jedi Knights Valin and Jysella Horn after their inexplicable mental breakdowns, the Jedi are determined to defy Daala's martial tactics, override Council Master Kenth Hamner's wavering leadership, and deal on their own terms with the epidemic of madness preying on their ranks. As Han and Leia Solo, along with their daughter Jaina, join the fight to protect more stricken Knights from arrest, Jedi healers race to find a cure for the rapidly spreading affliction. But none of them realize the blaster barrel is already swinging in their direction–and Chief Daala is about to pull the trigger.
Nor do Luke and Ben, deep in the Maw Cluster and pushing their Force abilities beyond known limits, realize how close they are–to the Sith strike squad bent on exterminating the Skywalkers, to a nexus of dark-side energy unprecedented in its power and its hunger, and to an explosive confrontation between opposing wielders of the Force from which only one Master–good or evil–can emerge alive.
~Reviewed by Lucien21
Afraid by Jack Kilborn
I read this book in one sitting.ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK? YOU WILL BE ...
Welcome to Safe Haven, Wisconsin. Miles from everything, with one road in and out, this peaceful town has never needed a full-time police force. Until now...
A helicopter has crashed near Safe Haven and unleashed something horrifying. Now this merciless force is about to do what it does best. Isolate. Terrorize. Annihilate. As residents begin dying in a storm of gory violence, Safe Haven's only chance for survival will rest with an aging county sheriff, a firefighter, and a single mom. And each will have this harrowing thought: Maybe death hasn't come to their town by accident...
It is a rollercoaster ride from start to finish, the pace is relentless, the violence seriously graphic at times. The story is ok (Genetically Engineered Super Soldiers take on a remote US town.) and the characters are sketchy, but the action never lets up and it's a thrill ride.
The equivalent of a summer blockbuster movie in paper form. Light undemanding entertainment that takes you on ride for a couple of hours and leaves you smiling. (although you'll probably forget it pretty quickly.)
~Reviewed by Lucien21
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
I also finished Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. I had read many excerpts from it, but never in it's entirety. It must be one of the most charming and slightly bizarre children's book ever written, loved it! And I'm looking forward to Tim Burton's film adaptation that comes out somewhere next year!
~Reviewed by Wimli
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
A few days before being released from prison after serving 3 years for aggravated assault and battery, Shadow learns that his wife has been killed in a terrible accident. Flying home early for her funeral, he meets a man called Mr. Wednesday who knows more about him than he has any right to know and who wants to hire him. He warns of a big storm coming that will change everything, and Shadow, reluctantly at first, is drawn into the coming battle between the old gods of the Americas and the new.
This is Gaiman's best book so far. The histories of the people who came here to settle, bringing their beliefs in various gods with them, are fascinating and well told, and the characters with which the author peoples the story are rich and believable. Through myths and legends and with a generous dollop of magic, Shadow takes an amazing journey all over this vast land. It's a journey this reader enjoyed tremendously and will never forget.
~Reviewed by Lady Kestrel
Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
Charles Nancy, known to everyone as Fat Charlie, was always very uncomfortable around his flamboyant, unpredictable, and full-of-life father, so when he grew up, he decided to put the Atlantic Ocean between them as a buffer and went to live in England. His father's death, however, forces him back to the old neighborhood in Florida and into a series of dangerous events that revolve around the brother he never knew he had and soon wished he hadn't.
This is a loose sequel to Gaiman's American Gods. It's a magical, funny, and often spooky tale with memorable characters and a very satisfying ending. I enjoyed it tremendously!
~Reviewed by Lady Kestrel
Anathem by Neal Stephenson
Stephenson weakest book in years.Fraa Erasmas is a young avout living in the Concent of Saunt Edhar, a sanctuary for mathematicians, scientists, and philosophers, protected from the corrupting influences of the outside "saecular" world by ancient stone, honored traditions, and complex rituals. Over the centuries, cities and governments have risen and fallen beyond the concent's walls. Three times during history's darkest epochs violence born of superstition and ignorance has invaded and devastated the cloistered mathic community. Yet the avout have always managed to adapt in the wake of catastrophe, becoming out of necessity even more austere and less dependent on technology and material things. And Erasmas has no fear of the outside—the Extramuros—for the last of the terrible times was long, long ago.
Now, in celebration of the week-long, once-in-a-decade rite of Apert, the fraas and suurs prepare to venture beyond the concent's gates—at the same time opening them wide to welcome the curious "extras" in. During his first Apert as a fraa, Erasmas eagerly anticipates reconnecting with the landmarks and family he hasn't seen since he was "collected." But before the week is out, both the existence he abandoned and the one he embraced will stand poised on the brink of cataclysmic change.
Powerful unforeseen forces jeopardize the peaceful stability of mathic life and the established ennui of the Extramuros—a threat that only an unsteady alliance of saecular and avout can oppose—as, one by one, Erasmas and his colleagues, teachers, and friends are summoned forth from the safety of the concent in hopes of warding off global disaster. Suddenly burdened with a staggering responsibility, Erasmas finds himself a major player in a drama that will determine the future of his world—as he sets out on an extraordinary odyssey that will carry him to the most dangerous, inhospitable corners of the planet . . . and beyond.
It's 800 pages are filled with heavy concepts to go with the size of the novel. Unfortunatly it is bogged down by lengthy debates on philosophy, physics and Parallel worlds.
Maybe I wasn't in the right mood, but it was ok not spectacular and that is a dissappointment from Stephenson.
~Reviewed by Lucien21
The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Like Zafón's previous book, The Shadow of the Wind, this mysterious Gothic tale also takes place in Barcelona. David Martin, the survivor of a troubled childhood and a writer of sensational fiction, decides to lease an abandoned old house in the heart of the city in order to write something worthy of his talent. The house has a disturbing history which is partly revealed by papers and letters he finds in a locked room. The darkness of the house seems to seep into his very soul when the love he cannot have, the lack of success regarding his book, and illness force him into a deep depression.
Rescue comes from a reclusive editor who makes him an offer he can't refuse. He will be given a fortune if he writes a book that has never existed - a book that will change the hearts and minds of those who read it. As David begins work on this book, he realizes that there is a tangled web of connections between his work and the previous occupants of the house - connections that could lead to madness or worse.
By blending dark secrets with the magic of books and adding a large dollop of friendship, and love, the author creates an intriguing mystery. The twists and turns of the story and the ending made me doubt my own perceptions. I will be reading this one again.
~Reviewed by Lady Kestrel
Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral by Kris Radish
For Katherine, the adventure begins with the arrival of a UPS package containing a pair of red hightop sneakers filled with the ashes of her best friend, Annie, along with arrangements for a traveling funeral. Annie's last request is that the important women in her life act as pallbearers and carry her ashes to be scattered in specific locations all around the country, locations which were special in Annie's life.
As these very different women travel together, they grieve and celebrate Annie's life and begin to form lasting friendships with each other and with the people they meet along the way. The book is a celebration of sisterhood and the human condition. It's a positive and life affirming story, and it made me think of the legacies left behind by the important people in my life and also how I might want to be remembered someday.
~Reviewed by Lady Kestrel
Arabische Melancholie (translated from French: Une Melancolie Arabe) by Abdellah Taïa
This is an autobiographical novella about a gay Moroccan writer looking for his identity. All he wants is to find a place where he feels at home, but so far he has had no success. In his homeland he is an outcast because he is gay, while in his adopted country France he stands out because of his race. While the story is too episodic (built up from short diary fragments), the story really hit me because of its frank honesty and the writer's poetic style.
~Reviewed by Wimli
Ark Angel by Anthony Horowitz
This book was lent to me by my favorite 12-year-old, who hasn't steered me wrong so far. It's the 6th book in the Alex Rider series, a mystery/thriller for the younger set, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Fourteen-year-old Alex, who would prefer to be a regular kid, becomes involved in a sinister plot concerning a yet-unfinished hotel in space. It has rip-roaring action and several white-knuckle scene in the best James Bond tradition. It was an enjoyable romp, and I'll be hounding my young friend for her copies of the previous five in the series.
~Reviewed by Lady Kestrel
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
This novel is a celebration of racing as told from the point of view of a dog who hopes to come back as a human when he dies. It's a sweet and sad story with a very satisfying ending. You don't have to love racing to enjoy the story, but you'll come out of it with an appreciation of the skill that goes into running a good race.
~Reviewed by Lady Kestrel
The Assault by Harry Mulisch
I'm currently reading a Dutch book, De Aanslag by Harry Mulisch (translated into English as The Assault). It's about a young boy whose family is brutally murdered by German troops at the very end of WWII for a crime they didn't commit. The book chronicles the entire life of that boy and how these events had a far going impact on it, both on an emotional/psychological level as on his perceptions on the world and life in general. Very moving story, brilliantly written.
~Reviewed by Wimli
Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli
This is one of those Graphic Novels that proves that the picture tells a thousand words. On the surface it is a simple story about how this man, Asterios, meets his wife and then loses her, but it uses a multitude of art techniques to show us the emotions and perspectives of this initially unlikable character who rarely sees anyones opinions but his own.Meet Asterios Polyp: middle-aged, meagerly successful architect and teacher, aesthete and womanizer, whose life is wholly upended when his New York City apartment goes up in flames. In a tenacious daze, he leaves the city and relocates to a small town in the American heartland. But what is this "escape" really about?
As the story unfolds, moving between the present and the past, we begin to understand this confounding yet fascinating character, and how he's gotten to where he is. And isn't. And we meet Hana: a sweet, smart, first-generation Japanese American artist with whom he had made a blissful life. But now she's gone. Did Asterios do something to drive her away? What has happened to her? Is she even alive? All the questions will be answered, eventually.
In the meantime, we are enthralled by Mazzucchelli's extraordinarily imagined world of brilliantly conceived eccentrics, sharply observed social mores, and deftly depicted asides on everything from design theory to the nature of human perception.
Some of the techniques in the book blew me away with the use of different colours shapes and art styles ehich tell so much more about the characters than the words alone. For example in this scene where he first meets his wife you can see the blending of their distinct stlyes as they grow closer.
or later on when they are drifting apart. You can see the stark differences.
One of my favourite pages is this one
There are so many parts of this book where the art portrays so much of the story without resorting to lots of dialogue, like the 3 pages with lots of small panels of memories which show small glimpses of his wife at her best or worst and it just protrays how he feels about her and how the smallest look or expression can mean so much.
A truely superb graphic novel.
~Reviewed by Lucien21
At Home in Covington by Joan Medlicott
Three very different female friends of a certain age have established a home together in North Carolina. Each one carries baggage from the past, and the relationships among the women have been strained recently. When one of them proposes they go on a cruise, all agree that it may be just what they need to set things right. Unfortunately, the trip does not solve their problems, and, in fact, nearly tears them apart once and for all. Their long-standing ties do prevail, however, and the end result is a testimony to those who have found family within the bonds of friendship.
This is not an exceptional book, but I liked it because of the relationships established by these 60-something women. The characters remind me of friends I have known and loved (and with whom I have also disagreed). The down side is that the book is the 5th in a series, and much of the character development via critical events happened at an earlier time. I'm going to pick up the first of the series from the library to see if I want to follow the adventures of these ladies further.
~Reviewed by Lady Kestrel
Batman: Hush by Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee, Illustrator
Batman has a new villian in search of vengenge, who is Hush?
A rogues gallery of villians appear in this series as Bruce Wayne recovers from a head operation, old friend Thomas Elliot does the surgery, while battling Killer Croc, Poison Ivy, Riddler, etc.
Fun Batman story and a great new villian.
~Reviewed by Lucien21
Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie
Middle book in the series see the anti heroes from book one in various scrapes, Inquisitor Glokta is in a sieged city trying to stop the invaders from the south while hunting a traitor, The Northmen are invading and Collum West and a band of northmen have to stop it, First Magi Bayaz leads a small group to the edge of the world to find a legendary weapon.
Lots of fun
~Reviewed by Lucien21
Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie
New stand alone novel from the writer of the First Law trilogy.Springtime in Styria. And that means war. There have been nineteen years of blood. The ruthless Grand Duke Orso is locked in a vicious struggle with the squabbling League of Eight, and between them they have bled the land white. While armies march, heads roll and cities burn, behind the scenes bankers, priests and older, darker powers play a deadly game to choose who will be king. War may be hell but for Monza Murcatto, the Snake of Talins, the most feared and famous mercenary in Duke Orso's employ, it's a damn good way of making money too. Her victories have made her popular - a shade too popular for her employer's taste. Betrayed, thrown down a mountain and left for dead, Murcatto's reward is a broken body and a burning hunger for vengeance. Whatever the cost, seven men must die. Her allies include Styria's least reliable drunkard, Styria's most treacherous poisoner, a mass-murderer obsessed with numbers and a Northman who just wants to do the right thing. Her enemies number the better half of the nation. And that's all before the most dangerous man in the world is dispatched to hunt her down and finish the job Duke Orso started... Springtime in Styria. And that means revenge.
Basically it's a brutal revenge tale set in the same world as the trilogy and does have a couple of cameos from the main series.
Great characters, lots of intrigue, action, double crosses and murder most foul. It's a gritty dark novel, but it manages to have a lot of humour in it.
I couldn't recommend it more.
~Reviewed by Lucien21
Betrayal (Star Wars Legacy of the Force 1) by Aaron Allston
Set 40 years after Star Wars, this is the fist book in a new 9 book series.Honor and duty collide with friendship and blood ties as the Skywalker and Solo clans find themselves on opposing sides of an explosive conflict.
When a mission to uncover an illegal missile factory on the planet Adumar ends in a violent ambush–from which Jedi Knight Jacen Solo and his protégé and cousin, Ben Skywalker, narrowly escape with their lives–it's the most alarming evidence yet that political unrest is threatening to ignite into total rebellion. The specter of full-scale war looms between a growing cadre of defiant planets and the Galactic Alliance that some fear is becoming a new Empire.
Determined to root out those behind the mayhem, Jacen follows a trail of cryptic clues to a rendezvous with the most shocking of revelations. Meanwhile Luke grapples with something even more troubling: dream visions of a shadowy figure whose Force power and ruthlessness remind him of Darth Vader. If Luke's visions come to pass, they will bring untold pain to the Jedi Master . . . and to the galaxy.
Legacy of the Force sees the 2 great Star Wars families seperated by an impending civil war and the rise of a new dark power.
You get exactly what you expect in these books, all your favourite characters (and their kids) make an appearance, Jedi, lightsabre duels, space battles and non stop action.
Exciting stuff.
~Reviewed by Lucien21
Beyond the Shadows by Brent Weeks
And so ends a trilogy from a new author in the fantasy field. It certainly won't win prizes for complexity, but it's full of great characters, rip roaring action, heartbreaking tragedy and huge battles.Logan Gyre is king of Cenaria, a country under siege, with a threadbare army and little hope. He has one chance - a desperate gamble, but one that could destroy his kingdom.
In the north, the new Godking has a plan. If it comes to fruition, no one will have the power to stop him.
Kylar Stern has no choice. To save his friends-and perhaps his enemies-he must accomplish the impossible: assassinate a goddess.
Beyond the Shadows is the action-packed conclusion to the Night Angel Trilogy.
The final book seems to tie up all the loose ends from the previous novels and leaves you wanting more. Although I did think that about 3/4 of the way through the final book Weeks took his foot off the gas as the pace slowed quite a bit rather than keep building the tension for the final showdown. I also felt that the main character could be a tad overpowered and that reduced the tension in one area, but overall it was a very enjoyable read.
I look forward to future books in this universe.
~Reviewed by Lucien21
Black Magic Woman by Justin Gustainis
Paranormal Investigation novels are ten a penny these days. It's the in-thing to do and probably a result of the Buffy phenomenon that shows no sign of slowing down at the moment.Occult investigator Quincey Morris and his "consultant", white witch Libby Chastain, are hired to free a family from a deadly curse that appears to date back to the Salem witch trials. Fraught with danger, the trail finds them stalking the mysterious occult underworlds of Boston, San Francisco, New Orleans and New York, searching out the root of the curse. After surviving a series of terrifying attempts on their lives, the two find themselves drawn inexorably towards Salem itself - the very heart of darkness.
Unfortunatly this is an unremarkable example. It's not exactly bad, but neither has it the character or excitement of the Dresden Novels.
It's particular niche of the genre is to add a white witch and a vampire hunter tag team together investigating supernatural events (in this case a black witch with an old vendetta). Hopefully the characters will develop further in the sequel, but I couldn't really get into them in this book.
So far i've been mildly entertained.
~Reviewed by Lucien21
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
First book in a new Fantasy series (The First Law).
Logen Ninefingers, infamous barbarian, has finally run out of luck. Caught in one feud too many, he's on the verge of becoming a dead barbarian – leaving nothing behind him but bad songs, dead friends, and a lot of happy enemies.
Nobleman, dashing officer, and paragon of selfishness, Captain Jezal dan Luthar has nothing more dangerous in mind than fleecing his friends at cards and dreaming of glory in the fencing circle. But war is brewing, and on the battlefields of the frozen North they fight by altogether bloodier rules.
Inquisitor Glokta, cripple turned torturer, would like nothing better than to see Jezal come home in a box. But then Glokta hates everyone: cutting treason out of the Union one confession at a time leaves little room for friendship. His latest trail of corpses may lead him right to the rotten heart of government, if he can stay alive long enough to follow it.
Enter the wizard, Bayaz. A bald old man with a terrible temper and a pathetic assistant, he could be the First of the Magi, he could be a spectacular fraud, but whatever he is, he's about to make the lives of Logen, Jezal, and Glotka a whole lot more difficult.
Murderous conspiracies rise to the surface, old scores are ready to be settled, and the line between hero and villain is sharp enough to draw blood. Unpredictable, compelling, wickedly funny, and packed with unforgettable characters, The Blade Itself is noir fantasy with a real cutting edge.
~Reviewed by Lucien21
Blind Lake by Robert Charles Wilson
Blind Lake is a large federal research facility in Minnesota where scientists are using a type of barely understood quantum technology, called the Eye, to view the life of an alien race in a city on a distant planet. They have no contact with these strange looking aliens, nicknamed the Lobsters because of their red skin and multiple arms, but their behavior is watched continuously and meticulously recorded.
Suddenly, all contact with the outside world is cut off and the military surrounds the installation. Needed supplies are delivered by remote control, and no one knows why the quarantine has been imposed. After protests by the day workers and visitors and an initial period of adjustment, the scientists continue their work.
Among them is Margueritte, who heads the department that studies the Lobsters. Unfortunately, she has to deal with her difficult ex-husband, Ray, who, by default, is head of the facility because the shutdown locked out more senior members who were away at the time. Angry about the divorce and the shared custody of their daughter, Ray tries again and again to undermine Margueritte's decisions. As the lockdown continues, he begins to talk about shutting down the Eye completely, despite the fact that no one knows what the consequences would be. What follows is a suspenseful climax that leads to a surprising revelation. This one gave me much food for thought.
~Reviewed by Lady Kestrel
Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski
The world of the Witcher sees the first novel of the hugely successful Polish series (Last Wish was a series of short stories) finally translated into English.For more than a hundred years humans, dwarves, gnomes and elves lived together in relative peace. But times have changed, the uneasy peace is over and now the races once again fight each other - and themselves: dwarves are killing their kinsmen, and elves are murdering humans and elves, at least those elves who are friendly to humans . . . Into this tumultuous time is born a child for whom the witchers of the world have been waiting. Ciri, the granddaughter of Queen Calanthe, the Lioness of Cintra, has strange powers and a stranger destiny, for prophecy names her the Flame, one with the power to change the world - for good, or for evil . . . Geralt, the witcher of Rivia, has taken Ciri to the relative safety of the Witchers' Settlement, but it soon becomes clear that Ciri isn't like the other witchers. As the political situation grows ever dimmer and the threat of war hangs almost palpably over the land, Geralt searches for someone to train Ciri's unique powers. But someone else has an eye on the young girl, someone who understand exactly what the prophecy means - and exactly what Ciri's power can do. This time Geralt may have met his match.
Great start to the series.
Like the computer game and the previous short story collection the world of the Witchers is an interesting one and this book introduces some decent new characters.
Looking forward to the sequel.
~Reviewed by Lucien21
Blood Rites by Jim Butcher
Book six of the Dresden Files has Harry going undercover on the set where an adult film is being made and where the women are dying in mysterious and often spectacular ways. Harry must figure out how and why these deaths are happening before any more occur.
Wrapped up in all this in some way are the vampires from the White Court, especially one of Harry's aquaintences named Thomas. The secrets he uncovers about Thomas's family tree will change Harry's life in profound ways.
I like these Dresden novels because I never know exactly where they are headed but love going along for the entertaining and often white-knuckled ride. Harry is my kind of hero, and I can't wait to see what's in store for him next.
~Reviewed by Lady Kestrel
Bloodlines (Star Wars Legacy of the Force 2) by Karen Traviss
See review for book 1Civil war looms as the fledgling Galactic Alliance confronts a growing number of rebellious worlds–and the approaching war is tearing the Skywalker and Solo families apart. Han and Leia return to Han's homeworld, Corellia, the heart of the resistance. Their children, Jacen and Jaina, are soldiers in the Galactic Alliance's campaign to crush the insurgents.
Jacen, now a complete master of the Force, has his own plans to bring order to the galaxy. Guided by his Sith mentor, Lumiya, and with Luke's young son Ben at his side, Jacen embarks on the same path that his grandfather Darth Vader once did. And while Han and Leia watch their only son become a stranger, a secret assassin entangles the couple with a dreaded name from Han's past: Boba Fett. In the new galactic order, friends and enemies are no longer what they seem. . . .
~Reviewed by Lucien21
Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith
In this next book in the series, Precious Ramotswe of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency must deal with a cobra in the office, a nurse with suspicions about a doctor's practices, old superstitions, and a case of blackmail. On the personal front, Mma Makutsi, her assistant, is worried when her fiance misses their customary dinner date and decides to distract herself with a pair of fashionable blue shoes. All these bits and pieces are woven cleverly into the background of life in Botswana. The author's obvious love of Africa shines through in his richly crafted and delightful characters. These books are a pleasure to read.
I recently watched season one of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, the series made for television by HBO, and was pleasantly surprised at how well the episodes reflect the books. The casting is spot on and except for a few simplifications, they have told the stories well and maintained their gentleness and humor. I'm looking forward to season two.
~Reviewed by Lady Kestrel
Bone by Bone by Carol O'Connell
The author steps out of her Mallory series to present an intriguing mystery of a teenager's disappearance and his older brother's attempt to resolve the case 20 years later.
On his first day home in years, Oren, an ex-investigator for the Army CID, finds that his brother's remains have been appearing on the front porch of his father's house, one bone at a time. Figuring out where his brother has been buried all these years and who committed the murder leads Oren into the multiple secrets of the long-time residents of his small northern California town. In the author's usual style, the deceptively simple plot takes many unpredictable turns, revealing bits and pieces of those secrets and creating more questions that need to be answered. This is a very well-crafted mystery with complex characters and a satisfying ending. I give it a 5 out of 5.
~Reviewed by Lady Kestrel
Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs
This is my first novel by Kathy Reichs. As a big fan of the TV show I expected there to be differences, but there really isn't any correlation between the books and TV. This Tempe is older, more socially adept, has an ex-husband and a kid sister. Not that this is necessarily a problem.Temperance Brennan, like her creator Kathy Reichs, is a brilliant, sexy forensic anthropologist, called on to solve the toughest cases. But for Tempe, the discovery of a young girl's skeleton in Acadia, Canada, is more than just another assignment. Evangeline, Tempe's childhood best friend, was also from Acadia. Named for the character in the Longfellow poem, Evangeline was the most exotic person in Tempe's eight-year old world. When Evangeline disappeared, Tempe was warned not to search for her, that the girl was "dangerous." Thirty years later, flooded with memories, Tempe cannot help wondering if this skeleton could be the friend she lost so many years ago. Meanwhile, Tempe's beau, Ryan, investigates a series of cold cases. Two girls dead. Three missing. Could the New Brunswick skeleton be part of the pattern? As Tempe draws on the latest advances in forensic anthropology to penetrate the past, Ryan hunts down a serial predator.
The book on the surface is a quick read (took me a day), the science is interesting and it's fun to read. I enjoyed the history of the region, the story (for the most part) was interesting, if gruesome.
However, I had a major issue with one aspect of the storyline that ruined it for me. The whole story with the missing friend was far too contrived and unbelievable.
Shame really.
~Reviewed by Lucien21
The Book of Air and Shadows by Michael Gruber
This book is about the discovery of a letter that hints at a hidden copy of a Shakespeare play, supposedly written in his own hand. The story is told from the point of view of an intellectual property lawyer who has found himself in the middle of deadly conspiracy. The characters are complex and well written, and the story grabbed me from the beginning. I like the way the author allows the reader to see different points of view through his modern characters and the letters written by a contemporary of Shakespeare. It has some excellent twists and turns, and his characters are likable despite (or perhaps because of) their flaws. I recommend it highly.
~Reviewed by Lady Kestrel
The Book of Ruth by Jane Hamilton
This book is probably the most memorable because of the ending. I will never ever forget this book. It is a story about a very poor family and the trials that they go through with a devastating ending.
I also included this review:
I finished "The Book of Ruth" last night and today I miss her terribly. I read some of the book's reviews on Amazon.com today, and I am amazed at how differently we see things, we humans. Because I cherished the experience of reading this book so deeply (and no, I wasn't abused), I can't imagine that those who didn't care for it could possibly have read the same book. I make an assumption about Ruth from the very first chapter: that she is very mildly retarded or in some way subtly disabled. For me, her behaviors and perceptions are off just enough to imply some missing cerebral link. And this is what is so extraordinary to me: that someone without all resources at her disposal can yet perceive herself and her world with such precious, ingenuous, brilliant vision ... well, I would feel honored to have her as a friend. To write from the point of view of a retarded person makes for such creative use of language and imagery. Ruth is like an idiot savant. She is all the best a human being can be, tireless in her effort to find good and truth in her experiences, resilient beyond belief. I think she puts us all to shame, "healthy" though we be. Depressing? No, no, no. That's too easy. I am reminded of Yeats: "...a terrible beauty is born." I am in awe of Ruthy. I laugh through my tears and am comforted. (An Amazon Review that holds my sentiments)
~Reviewed by Ghostlady
Book of the Dead by Patricia Cornwell
The Scarpetta novels used to be be great.Fresh from her bruising battle with a psychopath in Florida, Scarpetta decides it's time for a change of pace, not only personally and professionally but geographically. Moving to the historic city of Charleston, South Carolina, she opens a unique private forensic pathology practice, one in which she and her colleagues-including Pete Marino and her niece, Lucy-offer expert crime-scene investigation and autopsy services to communities lacking local access to modern, competent death investigation technology.
It seems like an ideal situation, until the new battles start-with local politicians, with entrenched interests, with someone whose covert attempts at sabotage are clearly meant to run Scarpetta out of town. And that's before the murders and other violent deaths even begin.
A young man from a well-known family jumps off a water tower. A woman is found ritualistically murdered in her multimillion-dollar beach home. The body of an abused young boy is discovered dumped in a desolate marsh. Meanwhile, in distant New England, problems with a prominent patient at a Harvard-affiliated psychiatric hospital begin to hint at interconnections that are as hard to imagine as they are horrible.
Nowadays they are so burdened with the baggage of the main characters that it ruins the whole experience. Lucy become more annoying as the series goes on, Benton and Scarpetta are so bloody miserable and Cornwell has turned Marino into a psycopath.I get the distinct impression that the increased grumpiness of the main character and general down swing in quality of these novels could be due to a writer being bored of her famous creation. Unable to kill her off or achieve success with another character we get a half arsed attempt to keep the fans and publisher happy.
The main plot is OK, but you would have thought the death of a major Tennis Star would have attracted more attention than it did. In the end the case was more or less solved by a huge info dump from one of the characters confessing the whole sordid ordeal, just in case you hadn't already worked it out.
~Reviewed by Lucien21
The Born Queen by Greg Keyes
The 4th book in the Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone fantasy series by Greg Keyes.
The world is at war. Anne Dare sits on the throne of Crotheny, her power growing, surrounded by the armies of the church and neighbouring Hansa. Can she master her new powers before she dies or goes mad? Everyone seeks to sit on the Sedos Throne and either save the world or plung it into an apocylpse.
Aspar White is deep in the old forest after the events of the previous book, trying to stop the demons and his old pald Fend from destroying the forest.
All the characters have there own little part to play as it alternates between them with every new chapter. It is certainly fast paced and exciting end to the series. Although I did think that there was too much build up and the ending seemed rushed to cram in all the loose ends.
A slight disappointing ending, but I enjoyed spending time with these characters and the world they inhabit.
~Reviewed by Lucien21
Boys and Girls Together by William Goldman
Even if you think you've never heard of William Goldman, you are quite familiar with his work. He wrote the books and screenplays of The Princess Bride, Magic, and Marathon Man and the screenplays for Misery, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Harper, The Ghost and the Darkness, Chaplin and the original The Stepford Wives among many others.
Boys and Girls Together is one of his earlier books and his epic magnum opus. It follows the stories of a disparate ensemble of characters from childhood to their late twenties, where they all collide in the world of Broadway theater. Each of the many characters is fascinating, though few are actually likable, and Goldman has a flair for razor wit dialogue that is unmatched on the printed page. By the time this group all gets together, you are really rooting for some of them and seething with hatred for others.
Sadly, Goldman wrote his last novel in 1984, packed his bags, left New York for Hollywood and has written only screenplays since. The literary world sorely misses him.
~Reviewed by Bacardi Jim
Brasyl by Ian McDonald
Think Bladerunner in the tropics... Be seduced, amazed, and shocked by one of the world's greatest and strangest nations. Past, present, and future Brazil, with all its color, passion, and shifting realities, come together in a novel that is part SF, part history, part mystery, and entirely enthralling. Three separate stories follow three main characters: Edson is a self-made talent impressario one step up from the slums in a near future Sao Paulo of astonishing riches and poverty. A chance encounter draws Edson into the dangerous world of illegal quantum computing, but where can you run in a total surveillance society where every move, face, and centavo is constantly tracked? Marcelina is an ambitious Rio TV producer looking for that big reality TV hit to make her name. When her hot idea leads her on the track of a disgraced World Cup soccer goalkeeper, she becomes enmeshed in an ancient conspiracy that threatens not just her life, but her very soul. Father Luis is a Jesuit missionary sent into the maelstrom of 18th-century Brazil to locate and punish a rogue priest who has strayed beyond the articles of his faith and set up a vast empire in the hinterland. In the company of a French geographer and spy, what he finds in the backwaters of the Amazon tries both his faith and the nature of reality itself to the breaking point. Three characters, three stories, three Brazils, all linked together across time, space, and reality in a hugely ambitious story that will challenge the way you think about everything.
A complicated storyline that spans 3 seperate time periods in Brazil and multiple realities. 2 out of 3 wasn't bad... I never really got into the section set in the past with the Apocalpyse Now trip up the jungle river. His novels are an acquired taste, but worth the effort.
~Reviewed by Lucien21
Breathless by Dean Koontz
While walking in the woods, a man and his dog discover some unusual animals romping there. The creatures follow him home, and he and his veterinarian friend establish a relationship with them that could change the world as we know it forever. Finding out the true nature of these animals and where they came from is the essence of the story. Koontz flips back and forth between these characters and the experiences of several others who eventually have a role to play in the main story. Despite the fact that the author stretched scientific theory a tad to make it fit the story, it was still an exciting book that kept me reading well past my bedtime.
Bright of the Sky by Kay Kenyon
A strange mix of Sci-Fi and Fantasy which for a large portion of the book I found hard to get into.Kay Kenyon, noted for her science fiction world-building, has in this new series created her most vivid and compelling society, the Universe Entire. In a land-locked galaxy that tunnels through our own, the Entire is a bizarre and seductive mix of long-lived quasi-human and alien beings gathered under a sky of fire, called the bright. A land of wonders, the Entire is sustained by monumental storm walls and an exotic, never-ending river. Over all, the elegant and cruel Tarig rule supreme.
Into this rich milieu is thrust Titus Quinn, former star pilot, bereft of his beloved wife and daughter who are assumed dead by everyone on earth except Quinn. Believing them trapped in a parallel universe--one where he himself may have been imprisoned--he returns to the Entire without resources, language, or his memories of that former life. He is assisted by Anzi, a woman of the Chalin people, a Chinese culture copied from our own universe and transformed by the kingdom of the bright. Learning of his daughter's dreadful slavery, Quinn swears to free her. To do so, he must cross the unimaginable distances of the Entire in disguise, for the Tarig are lying in wait for him. As Quinn's memories return, he discovers why. Quinn's goal is to penetrate the exotic culture of the Entire--to the heart of Tarig power, the fabulous city of the Ascendancy, to steal the key to his family's redemption. But will his daughter and wife welcome rescue? Ten years of brutality have forced compromises on everyone. What Quinn will learn to his dismay is what his own choices were, long ago, in the Universe Entire. He will also discover why a fearful multiverse destiny is converging on him and what he must sacrifice to oppose the coming storm.
Titus's journey to regain his memories, secure the means of passage through the "Entire" and find his daughter in a world ruled by a Chinese type political structure and the feared Tarig Lords is slow going for most of the book as she introduces the characters and the Kingdom of the "Entire".
Don't get me wrong it's an interesting world in the vein of Riverworld (and it's a lot more interesting than the Earth she depicts), but nothing really happens for most of the novel. You get glimpses of his past in the Entire which due to time dilation was a lot longer than he was missing from the Earth dimension. You get glimpses of his, now Blind, daughter and the strange horse like creatures (probably the most interesting sections), but you want to know a lot more. Who or what are the Tarig, how did the Entire come to be (is it natural or manufactured) and why did Titus leave the Entire without his wife and daughter in the first place. All questions for the forthcoming sequels I suppose.
It was an interesting and strange world, one that picked up pace towards the end of the novel. The aside with the adventures of his daughter were interesting, the ones in his home dimension less so.
I'll probably pick up the next book out of curiosity rather than excitement as this didn't set my world alight.
~Reviewed by Lucien21
Brunelleschi's Dome by Ross King
When I visited Florence in 1971, I remember how impressed I was by the huge dome of the cathedral there and of the beautiful baptistery doors. Unfortunately, my friend and I weren't allowed admission into the cathedral because we were wearing mini-skirts, so I never got to see the interior of the largest dome ever built. That trip, however, did spark a lifetime interest in architecture, so I was very pleased to discover this book. I was afraid it might be a bit dry, but, fortunately, King makes the story of the dome's construction and the life of its builder flow like a novel. The construction itself is fascinating, and the machines Brunelleschi designed to lift and place those heavy stones are fabulous. Also spectacular were the things that didn't work, but when we consider that the physics of architecture was still in its infancy, this is an amazing feat of talent, persistence, and ingenuity.
~Reviewed by Lady Kestrel


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Each year, The IM Program hosts a variety of events where students and company representatives can connect inside and outside the classroom. Students showcase their individual charisma and talent, and corporate sponsors provide valuable council to some of the brightest student minds as they begin to explore the corporate world. Whether you are a student, corporate partner or alumni, there are many ways to get involved with this nationally ranked program.
This event occurs each fall and spring semester. A 1-hour event targeting freshmen and undeclared students, the MIS Info Session has recent graduates and alumni from a diverse field of industry and consulting come to speak to students concerning the ways in which MIS has affected their career and what opportunities it holds for them after school.
If you are a company interested in attending, please contact IROM.
This once-a-semester event is one of our most popular career networking happenings. Experienced MIS professionals "speed date" with MIS majors, minors, and undeclared freshmen and sophomores. For ten minutes each round, recruiters share information about their company, things like including internships, full-time employment and corporate culture, with students. This is a great opportunity for companies to connect their recruiters to students interested in or already studying MIS.
This semester, the IM program will be partnering with the MIS student organization, MISA, to co-host the event.
If you are a company interested in attending, please contact IROM.
This is the newest addition to our semester events. Students spend a day visiting companies and learning more about their inner workings. With our first trip wrapped up in Fall of 2014, we're looking forward to making this an ongoing event of one trip per semester. Companies get a unique opportunity to showcase their culture and brand to students that are looking for opportunities post graduation.
If you are a company interested in participating, please contact IROM.
The Management of Information Systems Association (MISA) at McCombs School of Business is a collection of students interested in careers relating to Information Technology. MISA helps to develop the future IT leaders of tomorrow by offering students opportunities to hold leadership positions within the organization. Company Night allows sponsors the opportunity to educate students on employment opportunities and general information about their company.

subset: commoncrawl


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God to take action on illegal Bible distribution
Bestselling author God has reacted with fury on learning that his book, The Holy Bible, is being made available for free in hotel rooms around the world. He made the discovery on a European book tour to promote The Bible: The New International Version – the latest volume in the long-running franchise that has captivated generations of readers and spawned a string of Charlton Heston movies. [read...]


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I've been having some weird things happening with Aleph One lately, and I thought I'd put them up here for all to see. Then I thought: Why not let others show their... previous oddities?
The attached images are all my best efforts to get the ball rolling...
The first one is a subtle oddity that anyone can reproduce: killing a Bob through the glass (on Evil's level Cryo Me To Sleep). I've found this is possible anywhere, as long as the person is within fist range.
The second one is a hypervision glitch. Everything works apart from the walls turning blue. Cool glitch.
The third is a double glitch. I played a 3rd Party Map (not one of my own) on the Eternal X scenario base, and I could pick up two of every single-held weapon (2x Havoc Rifle) and three of every double-held weapon (3x Gravitronic Blades). A general glitch I see here is how the Gravitronic Blades appear in Invincibility mode.


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Offering Nationwide Services
Leaflet Printing, Brochure Printing, Business Card Printing, Business Cards, Business Stationery, Flyer Printing, Folded Leaflets, Folder Printing, Graphic Design, Invitation Printing, Leaflet, Leaflet Design, Leaflets Printing, Poster Printing, Print, Print Design, Printing Services, PrintUK.com
We are PrintUK.com. A leading online printing company that specialises in high quality printing and design services. We predominantly serve design agencies, SME's, print buyers, local authorities and large corporate
Perfect Imaging Ltd, Enterprise House, Cranes Close, Basildon, Essex, SS14 3JB
Brochure Design And Print, Business Cards, Design, Envelope Printing, Folder And Inserts, Leaflets And Flyers, Mailing And Fulfilment, NCR Sets/pads/books, Print, Printing Services
In the ever changing world of print we at Perfect Imaging strive to work closely with our clients. We pride ourselves in close contact with the client resulting in cost
Conway Units, Stephenson Road, Clacton On Sea, Essex, CO15 4XA
Unit 4 Dudley Court, Jessop Close, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, CO15 4LY
2-4 Conway Units, Stephenson Road, Clacton On Sea, Essex, CO15 4XA


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Reclosable Clear 2mil Bag
This 5x7 2mil Clear Polyethylene Reclosable Bag has a clear line single track seal top construction and is FDA approved for food use.
* Disclaimer: Sold out items will be removed from the website, however delays can occur. We will contact you if an item is sold out and cannot be filled on your order. Closeout items cannot be returned. Due to color variations in monitors and printers, including settings and lighting, actual color may vary. For a true color representation, please call 888.429.5673 or email firstname.lastname@example.com for actual sample(s).


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I am retriving a large queryset back to a vector that needs to stream to html but when the vector has over a few hundred records the page is timing out, can anyone advise of the best solution would be, is there a way of paging a vector.
I am looping through each element in the vector and doing an out.println() with the results in to a table.
It works if I only loop 50 times but not 500.
See a bit of the errorlog below
ClientAbortException: java.io.IOException
at org.apache.catalina.connector.OutputBuffer.realWri teBytes(OutputBuffer.java:358)
at org.apache.tomcat.util.buf.ByteChunk.flushBuffer(B yteChunk.java:434)
at org.apache.tomcat.util.buf.ByteChunk.append(ByteCh unk.java:293)


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We have all heard heated arguments between developers who use scripting languages and developers who use Java. One of the reasons for the war between these two factions is that the process of integrating the two was so difficult that developers on both sides were almost forced to choose one or the other. Java Specification Request (JSR) 223 addresses this issue. In this article, I present examples of how the standard framework and API defined by JSR 223 makes it easy for Java programmers to take advantage of the benefits of using a scripting language while retaining the benefits of using Java.
The Scripting API
The entire scripting API is contained in the package javax.script, which was first delivered with Java 6. This lightweight package contains six interfaces:
- Bindings
- Compilable
- Invocable
- ScriptContext
- ScriptEngine
- ScriptEngineFactory
five classes:
- AbstractScriptEngine
- CompiledScript
- ScriptEnginemanager
- SimpleBindings
- SimpleScriptContext
and a single exception:
- ScriptException
Rather than describing each of these interfaces, classes and exceptions, I present a series of five Java programs and five scripts in three languages to show just how little effort is required to make them work together.
Scripting Engines
The ScriptEngine interface, which lies at the heart of any implementation of JSR 223, defines methods that provide basic scripting functionality. These methods provide mechanisms for executing scripts and for getting and setting values that are shared between Java and a scripting language. The methods defined by the ScriptEngine interface form the framework that brings uniformity to interoperating with different scripting languages.
Although it does not mandate any specific scripting engine, Java 6 includes the Mozilla Rhino engine for the JavaScript language. If you visit https://scripting.dev.java.net, the home of the scripting project, you will see an impressive list of more than two dozen scripting engines that have been implemented to date.
ListScriptingtEngines.java (Listing One) displays a list of scripting engines available to the JVM in which it runs. I start by creating an instance of
ScriptEngineManager. The documentation for this class states that it implements a discovery and instantiation mechanism for
ScriptEngine classes and also maintains a collection of key/value pairs storing state shared by all engines created by the
Manager. It does this by using the service provider mechanism to enumerate all implementations of
ScriptEngineFactory. The service provider mechanism is described in the JAR file Specification.
package ca.tremblett; import java.util.List; import javax.script.ScriptEngineFactory; import javax.script.ScriptEngineManager; /** * * @author ptremblett */ public class ListScriptingEngines { public static void main(String[] args) { ScriptEngineManager manager = new ScriptEngineManager(); List


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Agoria Brussels
Agoria Brussels promotes and protects the interests of the Agoria member companies with all relevant decision makers from the political, economic, social and academic world. Through targeted actions this policy unit advocates a favorable business environment for the benefit of the technology industry in Brussels.
Your contact Rene Konings
Upcoming events
01/10 Will 2020 be the year to boost the digitization of your business? Today, digitization is the first requirement to grow into an agile company and to develop new business opportunities. Ever more industrial companies too are discovering the benefits of digital transformation. But how does one translate that largely untapped potential to his/her own company? And who can help you with that challenge? Agoria's Digital Connect Week brings together all companies that either want to use digital technology more effectively or that else have a digital offering. Register now and make sure to claim your spot!
More events on the french or dutch version of our website
New Agoria manual compiles good practices against COVID-19 As an employer, you naturally consider it important to offer your employees a safe and hygienic working environment. The manual 'How do I Tackle COVID-19?' is a handy guide to 'good practices' from member companies that are confronted with the same issues as you, supplemented by the insights on safety from our own Agoria experts.
Technology sector running at 75%, one in five people temporarily unemployed More and more people are working in the technology sector. While the average employment rate was 52.8 percent in early April, it has since risen sharply to 75 percent. One in five people are temporarily unemployed, reported sectoral federation Agoria on Tuesday. According to Marc Lambotte, CEO of Agoria, this is a major step forward: "Work is the basis of our prosperity. Going back to work in safe conditions is good for all of us."
Coronavirus – Slight increase in activity in technology sector There is cautiously more work in technology companies compared to two weeks ago. The average activity rate has gone up from 49.7% to 52.8% (+3.1%). According to Agoria, this is because a number of companies have found technical solutions to complying with the social distancing measures. One challenge, however, is the classic phenomenon that attention paid to complying with measures is also slackening among people working in companies. To prevent the virus from spreading further, Agoria calls for unremittingly great attention to be paid to this aspect of the crisis.
Coronavirus – Turnover halved, social distancing now a priority (Agoria) Almost three weeks after the first measures against the coronavirus were taken in our country, the turnover of the technology companies has been halved compared to March of last year. This is shown by a new survey of 190 technology companies conducted by the technology federation Agoria. Marc Lambotte, CEO of Agoria: 'If you notice that the drop in turnover is caused by a decline in demand and reduced availability of employees, it is clear that the measures of social distancing are strictly necessary to keep our economy running. This is the only way to contain the virus and to keep our healthcare and economy afloat. So I call on companies and people at home to keep a distance and save our jobs. We are all in the same boat, and must all assume our responsibility."
More news on the french or dutch version of our website


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Run Microsoft Exchange on VMware vSphere to not only match but exceed the performance of physical servers by 100 percent or more. Consolidate multiple Exchange server roles and mailboxes to reduce infrastructure footprint by 5X to 10X. Maximize Exchange availability without the complexity of Microsoft clustering. Right-size Exchange infrastructure and scale your mailboxes dynamically to support increasing loads.
Microsoft Exchange 2007 and 2010 perform very well on VMware vSphere. Run all Exchange server roles, including the mailbox server, on vSphere with confidence, to not only match but exceed the performance of physical servers. Each VMware vSphere virtual machine scales to 64 vCPU and 1 TB of memory, and can easily support the IO intensive requirements of Exchange mailbox servers. With VMware vSphere, multiple mailboxes can be scaled out on larger multicore servers to increase overall throughput. For example, on a 16-core server, we have demonstrated that VMware vSphere can double the maximum throughput achieved with Exchange 2007 from 8,000 to 16,000 end-user mailboxes.
Exchange infrastructure can typically be consolidated by 5X to 10X with vSphere. Consolidate multiple Exchange server roles onto shared physical servers and eliminate the need to deploy dedicated standby hosts for high availability and disaster recovery. Reduce costs by reducing the amount of hardware, thereby also reducing
power, cooling and management costs.
Maximize Exchange availability without the complexity of Microsoft Clustering. Leverage the Application Services built into vSphere to provide simple and cost-effective high availability and disaster recovery for all Exchange server roles without needing dedicated standby servers. Simplify disaster recovery by reducing hardware compatibility constraints and the number of physical servers required at the recovery site.
Microsoft officially supports VMware vSphere, vMotion, HA and DRS in virtualized Exchange environments. Run Windows Server and Microsoft applications get cooperative
support from Microsoft and VMware. Get the same level of support you received on physical servers.
Leverage the latest advances in VMware vSphere and Exchange performance to run the largest mailbox server instances with confidence that performance will match or exceed physical performance.
The performance and scalability of VMware vSphere have improved dramatically over the latest product releases. vSphere is able to handle the most demanding workloads thanks to improvements such as:
Today, a single virtual machine with 32 vCPUs is larger than the largest Microsoft recommended Exchange 2010 configurations for single role on a server (12 cores or vCPUs) and multiple roles on a server (24 cores or vCPUs). At the same time, Microsoft Exchange 2010 and 2007 include architectural and performance improvements that significantly reduce the IO requirements as compared to Exchange 2003:
Together, these performance improvements ensure that even large, demanding mailbox servers perform well on vSphere with no IO bottlenecks or other performance problems. As demonstrated in our labs, Exchange can be scaled out very efficiently on vSphere (read Scale-Out Performance of Exchange 2010 Mailbox Server VMs on vSphere blog) and can be scaled up to support large mailboxes (read Exchange 2010 Scale-Up Performance on vSphere blog).
"Enterprise production e-mail servers should be deployed virtualized by default."
Bill Pray, Research Director, Gartner.
Read more on Bill Pray's blog
Increase the performance of your physical infrastructure by 100 percent or more. For example, without VMware, a single Exchange 2-7 mailbox running on a physical server can scale up to about 8,000 heavy user mailboxes. Using larger servers doesn't help because the mailbox can't leverage the additional capacity.
With VMware, Exchange mailboxes can be scaled out on multiple smaller virtual machines to maximize the throughput of the physical server. Using this approach, we have demonstrated that Exchange can be scaled out on 8 virtual machines, each supporting 2,000 very heavy mailbox users, to support 16,000 users on one 16-core server.
Provide simple and cost-effective high availability and disaster recovery for all Exchange server roles with VMware Fault Tolerance, VMware High Availability, vMotion and Site Recovery Manager. Eliminate the need to deploy complex Microsoft Clustering solutions and dedicated standby servers. Alternatively, run Microsoft Clustering on vSphere and combine with vSphere availability solutions to achieve best-in-class availability. Eliminate planned downtime for hardware maintenance with VMware vMotion. Simply vMotion your Exchange virtual machines to another physical host for the duration of the maintenance, with no impact on service availability.
Protect all Exchange server roles against hardware failures and operating system problems with VMware Fault Tolerance or VMware High Availability. In the event of hardware failure, VMware FT ensures continuous availability with no data loss, while VMware HA automatically restarts the virtual machines on another host in minutes.
Implement a simple, automated disaster recovery plan with VMware disaster recovery solutions and Site Recovery Manager. Replicate and recover virtual machines on a secondary site, including entire Exchange deployments, without dedicated standby hardware.
For continuous application-aware availability, combine Microsoft Clustering with VMware availability solutions to provide an additional layer of protection and maximize uptime.
Sizing Exchange infrastructure leads to a difficult compromise between providing enough capacity to support future requirements while keeping infrastructure costs under control. Use vSphere to "right-size" virtual machines for today's needs with the ability to scale dynamically to support future loads.
Provisioning new email services into production can take months of lead time to procure and install dedicated hardware, provision and configure the operating system, and finally configure the application. This long manual process is also error-prone and can lead to configuration mistakes and service downtime.
With vSphere, create a library of vApps that can be provisioned on demand onto your existing virtual infrastructure in minutes. For example, with virtual appliances, reduce the lead time to deploy BlackBerry Enterprise Server from weeks or months down to minutes.
Test and troubleshoot your complex email applications quickly while minimizing risk of change. Use vCenter Snapshots and Clones to reproduce your vApps, encapsulating entire multitier applications, in the lab in minutes. Test your application changes in the context of related application tiers, and on an exact copy of your production configuration, to minimize the risk of errors. Eliminate the need to provision applications manually for each test cycle.
Microsoft officially supports Windows Server and Server products running on VMware ESX. This includes Windows Server 2000 SP4, Windows Server 2003 SP2 or later, and Windows Server 2008 and specialty roles provided by the operating system such as Active Directory or File Services. Major applications that are supported include Microsoft Exchange, SQL Server and SharePoint Server. Microsoft has published a complete list of supported applications, and continues to update it. Supported ESX configurations are also listed.
VMware ESX was the first hypervisor to be validated under the Microsoft Virtualization Validation Program (SVVP), providing customers who run Windows Server and Microsoft applications with cooperative support from Microsoft and VMware. Customers can now run Exchange on VMware with the peace of mind that they will receive the support they need.
Microsoft licensing has recently been modified to allow customers to reassign licenses between physical servers as frequently as desired. In the past, licenses could only be reassigned once every 90 days, limiting the benefits of vMotion. The new licensing flexibility enables efficient use of vMotion for Windows Server and major applications including Exchange, SQL Server and SharePoint Server.
What happens if you are running a non SVVP-validated configuration of ESX and Microsoft products? Customers routinely tell us they still receive the Microsoft support benefits. Support options vary, however, depending on how customers purchase VMware and Microsoft products.
The following scenarios are common:
Scenario 1: VMware software was originally purchased through a server OEM
Server resellers including Dell, Fujitsu, Fujitsu-Siemens, HP, IBM and Unisys offer end-to-end support for Microsoft software running on their servers and VMware if VMware products are purchased with the server hardware and are covered by a valid support agreement with the server reseller. This provides customers one-stop support via the server reseller if an issue arises. See Support for Microsoft Software in VMware Virtual Machines for more details.
Scenario 2: VMware software was originally purchased direct from VMware or a VMware authorized reseller and the customer has a valid Microsoft Premier-level support agreement
Microsoft states that it will use "commercially reasonable efforts" to support its products running on VMware virtual machines. Customers regularly tell us that Microsoft's commercially reasonable efforts are effective and appropriate to maintain operations as planned. There may be confusion within Microsoft's field and channel organizations regarding the scope of support that can be provided, and in some cases, customers may perceive that "commercially reasonable efforts" will not meet their expectations. In general, Microsoft offers its large customers excellent support for their products running on VMware. Microsoft's policy states that after such efforts are exhausted, Microsoft support specialists may request that customers replicate the issue on a physical machine in order to proceed with the investigation. See Microsoft KB 897615 for more details.
Scenario 3: VMware software was originally purchased direct from VMware or a VMware authorized reseller and the customer does not have a Microsoft Premier-level support agreement
Microsoft's level of support for these customers can be more restrictive. Before providing support, Microsoft specialists may request that customers first replicate the issue on a physical machine per Microsoft KB 897615.
Virtualizing Exchange can be very simple. Many VMware customers simply deploy Exchange on vSphere exactly like they would deploy Exchange on physical infrastructure. But vSphere also offers many new options and capabilities that enable Exchange to run better. For example, customers can leverage VMware High Availability as an alternative or complement to Microsoft clustering, and mailbox servers can be scaled out on smaller and more efficient virtual machines.
Many customers turn to VMware for expert assistance in optimizing their Exchange environment on vSphere. To answer this demand, VMware has created a community of partners that are trained on VMware solutions for virtualizing Exchange. VMware works closely with this community to develop best practices, and implement these best practices in customer projects. The partner community has unique expertise to help you optimize your Exchange environment on vSphere – all the way from initial design to full production implementation.


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Innovative Electromagnetic Design Tool Provides Short Route To Motor Perfection
Optimal design solutions to rotating electrical machine requirements can now be created in hours, by non specialists, using a new version of design automation software from Cobham Technical Services
Cobham's Machines Environment introduced a new level of user friendliness when it was launched by providing a design entry system that allows precision finite-element analysis (FEA) models of motors and generators to be created and solved in minutes. The two-dimensional (2D) version of the software has now been integrated with Cobham's unique optimization tool which automatically finds the optimal solution within a design space - even for multiple or competing design objectives.
Cobham's Machines Environment is an application-specific extension to the well known Opera electromagnetic simulation package. It provides a front-end to the simulator that speeds design entry by means of Wizard-style dialog boxes. Users select the style of motor or generator they want to design from a library of all common types, including induction, brushless permanent magnet and switched reluctance motors, and synchronous motors or generators. Then, dialog boxes allow the user to enter parameters to define mechanical geometry, material properties and electrical data, and the FEA model is automatically created.
The use of parameterized models and the ability to quickly load and modify previous designs has always made it possible for users to perform 'what-if?' design investigations. Now, to extend these possibilities to the maximum, Cobham has integrated a unique optimization tool that makes it simple for users to find the best solution across the design space. While auto-optimization tools are not new, they usually require manual intervention if the globally optimal solution is to be found, and the simulation times involved often make this impractical. Cobham's uniquely powerful tool - Optimizer - 'intelligently' selects and manages multiple goal-seeking algorithms including stochastic, descent, particle swarm and Kriging to eliminate the need for manual intervention.
Setting up an Optimizer run from the Machines Environment has now been made as easy as the design entry process. Because most FEA simulations can take as little as a few seconds, the integrated software makes it feasible to thoroughly explore the design space. Thousands of simulations can typically be executed within hours, making the 'perfect solution' achievable for all users - without expert assistance.
"This software makes the high accuracy of finite element analysis available to all engineers, not just the expert with years of experience," says Cobham's Jeremy Howard-Knight. "Even a novice engineer can now create a precision finite element model and find the best solution in a design space, without needing to know much more than what he or she wants to achieve."
The 2D Machines Environment is now in its fourth generation, and Cobham has developed an extensive library of rotating machine design styles, and design components. However, if there are still any unusual features that need to be incorporated in designs, users also have open access to the scripts that generate the models, and can modify them at will to automate proprietary motor and generator design concepts. A library of common material properties is also included in the design software. Again, if users employ any special materials, such as an unusual grade of steel for laminations, then a new menu item can be created within minutes. Cobham will also generate custom scripts for users on request.
Cobham's Machines Environment is expected to appeal to the many users of analytic motor design programs, giving a means of performing much more accurate analysis rapidly and without the engineering overhead usually required for accurate FEA. The tool can deliver significant advantages in today's market environment. Currently, there's enormous pressure to improve energy-efficiency for instance. The combination of highly accurate simulation and sophisticated optimization provides the means to identify the design characteristics of the perfect machine in very short timescales.
A three-dimensional version of the Machines Environment is optionally available.
Julie Shepherd
Cobham Technical Services
+44 (0) 1865 370151
Thursday 27 September 2012 / file under Machinery | Engineering | Computers | Technology


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Outstanding driver comfort
New levels of driver comfort are another big part of the New CF and XF. We've added features that make the cab an even more attractive and comfortable place to work, live and sleep. There are many new options that allow to personalise the interior for unmatched comfort and luxury. And we've introduced numerous innovations that make driving easier, safer and more enjoyable than ever.
Drivers Dream
The New CF and XF build on the excellent standards of driver comfort for which DAF trucks are renowned world-wide. They offer the biggest interior space available on the market, the best and largest bunks and a completely new, attractive look and feel. The New CF and XF: the best a driver can get!
High-comfort climate control
The completely new climate control unit stands out in comfort and user-friendliness. It features one-touch defrosting, park ventilation, park heating with timer, rest heat and automatic air recirculation and can also be operated through the rear wall control unit. That means maximum comfort for the driver. In addition, the new temperature and climate control system is extremely efficient, supporting lowest total cost of ownership.
Even better driver information
We've further expanded driver information, making it easier to take effective action. The beautiful and clear instrument panel has new fonts and a new styling for even better readability. The Driver Information Panel also provides more information to increase driver comfort and efficiency. To enhance driver performance even further, settings are grouped on the instrument panel more logically and the Driver Performance Assistant (DPA) includes even more tips for economical driving.
Driver-friendly interior lighting
We've completely redesigned the interior lighting with innovative rotary switch control. The control button is centrally located in the middle of the dashboard console so it's within easy reach. The driver can select different lighting modes for various driving and resting conditions, and there's also a dimming function. For highest convenience, there is a toggle switch on the rear wall.
Driver configurable switches
Thanks to smart vehicle electronics position of the individual switches can be adapted to personal preference of the driver. This adds to great driver comfort as well as maximum vehicle efficiency. These switches also make it easy for dealers and bodybuilders to add new functions without the need to install extra control panels.
Class-leading interior
New warm and tasteful sand colors of dashboard, seats, curtains, mattresses and side and back walls give the interior a great appearance in which every driver feels comfortable and at home. Summit of luxury and comfort is the new Exclusive Line. It is distinguished by the cognac colored dashboard and door panels, as well as the stylish vents in alu. A 5-star working and living environment


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SJIA, an inflammatory disease, accounts for approximately 15 per cent of all children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis there are currently approximately 60 children followed with SJIA at SickKids. High fever, skin rashes, and swelling of the joints and inflammation of internal organs such as heart, liver, spleen and lymph nodes are some of the symptoms that children with SJIA face daily.
Two recent studies in the New England Journal of Medicine have assessed other treatment options for these patients and found two biologic drugs to be safe and effective therapies for children with SJIA. In both studies, many children who were treated with these drugs not only achieved a status of inactive disease (no fever, no joint inflammation) but also showed a reduction or discontinuation steroid use.
Both international studies were conducted by the Paediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organisation (PRINTO) and the Pediatric Rheumatology Collaborative Study Group (PRCSG), which the Rheumatology Faculty at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and University of Toronto are members of. Dr. Rayfel Schneider was one of the co-investigators of both of these studies and the lead SickKids investigator.
"This group of patients is typically very challenging to treat. This research is a major step towards improved therapy options that are safe and effective." says Dr. Rayfel Schneider, Staff Physician and Project Investigator in the Department of Rheumatology at SickKids. "No unanticipated side effects were observed and those that did occur are also seen with other medications in this class."
Each therapy works by blocking specific molecules that are involved in the development and persistence of inflammation. The molecules called Interleukin-6 and Interleukin-1 have been found to be central to the pathogenesis of SJIA.
In one of the randomized controlled trials, a biologic called tocilizumab was administered to target the Interleukin-6 receptor. This study provides the first evidence in a controlled setting involving a large number of patients from around the world that blocking the action of Interleukin-6 with tocilizumab is highly effective, and safe, in patients with severe and persistent SJIA. After one year of treatment, one third of the patients reached clinically inactive disease and approximately half had stopped taking oral corticosteroids. This study was conducted at 43 centres worldwide.
In the other study the efficacy and safety of a biologic called canakinumab was assessed. Canakinumab selectively binds to Interleukin-1 beta and inactivates the signaling that leads to inflammation. The study was divided into two clinical trials; the first to provide evidence that the drug is effective in controlling fever and arthritis, and the second to further investigate the efficacy and safety of canakinumab in SJIA with active systemic features and the ability to reduce the dose of prednisone. The study demonstrated that even a single injection of the drug can result in inactive disease in as few as 15 days among 32 per cent of the treated patients. And after just seven months of treatment the drug allowed for discontinuation of steroid treatment for 45 per cent of the patients.
Overall, both therapeutic approaches proved to be safe and effective. "This appears to be a major step forward in the treatment of children with SJIA and may lead to a change in the outcome of a difficult-to-manage, and potentially fatal disease," says Dr. Schneider.
The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).


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There are two ends to a battleground, oh what's that Gnomeaggedon…
There are four… Maybe more, but I only have 4 fingers to count on.
Ok, let me rephrase that, there are two ends to a battleground scoreboard.
Hands up if you have NEVER reviewed the scoreboard that the end of a Battleground (or even during the battle).
No, not many. I thought as much…
You probably changed the sort order from overall stats to Damage dealt, maybe even refined it to just your faction. Maybe you looked at deaths too.
Did you ever look at the back end of the scoreboard, the one that may be a closer indicator of whether you deserved to win or not?
Click on the Healing done column sometime, that's where the real battle raged, especially in AV where a common objective is last faction standing.
Backend Opponents
Damage dealers are facing off against other damage dealers, assessing their strengths and weaknesses.
Healers have to be conscious of this too…
Is that damage dealer going to one-shot you? Will you get the heal off before facing the spirit healer?
Really our main opponents are the other factions healers. If they have done more healing, it's quite possible (not necessarily true, but possible) that they have saved more lives than your side.
Hopefully you are taking out physical battleground objectives (while saving yours) to tip the balance in reinforcement numbers
I was in a AV the other day where 3 healers did more than 300,000 heal worth of heals. The Alliance won that AV, we had two healers with more than 300k worth of heals. It was a close healer battle, but in the end we saved more lives.
Who won this BG?
The damage dealers, or the healers?
Obviously without the damage dealers the healers wouldn't have stood a chance, but without the backend healer battle being won by the Alliance, most likely the victory would have gone to the Horde.
Gnomer and Out, Squidly and Stout!
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.


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1459 Search Results
129aBarkers LaneBedfordMK41 9RX
A4SOutdoors is run by ProgressAbility.org which is a charitable company limited by guarantee based in Bedford. In term time we mainly work with young people referred from schools and complementary education centres. The sessions are usually from 9am – 3pm and run by qualified and…
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We're a women's organisation that assists women affected by physical as well as mental, financial, sexual and emotional domestic abuse. Our guiding principle is that we will never turn our back on a woman in need of our help. And we won't give in to…
Abbeycare Foundation
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Abbeycare Group operate residential addiction treatment clinics situated throughout the UK. With rehab clinics in Scotland, between Glasgow and Edinburgh, in Newmarket less than an hour from London and our flagship clinic in Gloucestershire, we treat people suffering from alcohol and drug addiction and the…
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Abigail Court is a Luton Borough Council extra care sheltered housing scheme designed for people who need more assistance and still want to live independently. This is a good alternative to residential care as reducing your independence can often lead to deterioration in health and wellbeing.…
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We first opened its doors in October 2008. We are a voluntary, non-profit making organisation and our aim is to give boxing skills, confidence and improved fitness to all who attend seesions at our gym. All coaches (male/female) and volunteers are unpaid.We have a friendly atmosphere and…
Access Disability Project - CYCD
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Access Disability Project (ADP) aims to change negative attitudes towards disability within the South Asian Communities by focusing on each young person's abilities, by giving them opportunities to develop to their full potential and by demonstrating that each child or young person is valued.
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We are a firm of Accountants and Tax advisors in Luton, Bedfordshire who focus our accountancy skills specifically on small businesses and taxpayers needing a tax return in the UK. We pride ourselves on being…
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Age range: 3 months to five years oldNumber of current vacant places: Under 1 year: five morning and six afternoon sessions1 to 2 years old: four morning and four afternoon sessions3 to 5 years old: six morning and nine…
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ACS MAGFA, martial arts, games and fitness academy provides jujitsu classes, real world self defence tuition, Boxercise, Bollywood fitness, ninja parties and children's games clubs. ACS Martial Arts run adult and junior jitsu classes at our own Hight Town based centre and at satellite community…


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Topic: Theta Squad--Killing House
My first fan-fiction, "Theta Squad--Killing House" centers around Theta Squad, Darman's old squad, before Geonosis. This takes place in 23 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin), or one year before Geonosis. It takes place from Darmans point of view, in first person, because I loved the way the Prologue of Hard Contact, also first-person Darman, turned out. (Not that it'll be that good, obviously,)
The story is one of Theta's training scenarios, in the "Killing House" in Kamino.
Side notes:
--Why did I make Taler squad leader?
Because he gives the orders in the Prologue, and I assumed he was.
--What's the Killing House?
A part of commando training, where they had to clear a building, sometimes with intel, sometimes blind. Room to room killing.
--Why fight droids? What droids?
Because there weren't likely enough trainers, and I wanted to be able to use live rounds. Not B-1s (prequel battle droids) though. Just training droids.
Well, hope you enjoy, give feedback, etc. It was written sporadically, and therefore might feel a little disjointed.
"Shab, Sarge, we've done this before. Don't worry about it.â€Â
"Just watch each other's backs in there, alright? Tion'ad hukaat'kama. Good luck, Theta.â€Â
"Will do, Sarge. Taler out.†Taler closed the com channel. "What's he so worked up about? I mean, it's not like the first time the instructors will be using live ammo.â€Â
"Sure, but you know him. Kal'buir always worries.†Jay finished calibrating the scope on his Deece. "And maybe he'll have some uj cake for us after this run's over.â€Â
My stomach grumbled. "Cut that out. Now you're just making me hungry.†I took a mock swing at him, and he ducked, laughing. A cold Kaminoan voice came through our comms.
"Theta Squad, report CQC Training Facility One.â€Â
Taler slapped a mag into his Deece. "Alright, vode, lets roll.
We formed up on the door. "Dar, blow it down, Vin, toss in the grenades, and we'll follow.â€Â
I pulled out some thermal tape, rapidly calculating the amount it would take to blow the door without killing us too. Thin door, not much tape. I made a quick box in the center, stuck the det in, and flattened myself on the wall. "Clear!!†The door exploded, and Vin tossed the grenades in. "Take take take!†I raise my Deece and lead the squad in. The smoke clears, revealing several destroyed droids, and three not-so destroyed ones at the end of the hall. We exchange a brief volley of fire, trashing the tinnies and nearly giving Taler a hair-cut.
"Osik! I really didn't need that. Alright, take the corner, and breach the first door on the right. Jay, you got point.â€Â
We moved up the hall, and Jay rounded the corner. "Clear.â€Â
"Alright, Dar, blow it down.â€Â
I looked at the door, a simple wooden one with unconventional hinges. "I don't need explosives for this. Give me a little room. Taler, put an anti-armor past me.†I backed up, then surged forward, smashing the door with an armored boot. It swung crazily on its hinges, battered by incoming fire, and I ducked back. Taler's grenade exploded, and Vin lead, followed by Taler, Jay, then me. Their Deece's strobed several times, and the remaining droids crashed to the ground. Taler flattened against the next door, his hand on the knob.
"Dar, throw a thermal in when I open it. On three. One, two, three!â€Â
He shoved the door open, which shuddered under the impact of multiple laser blasts. I tossed the grenade in, and Taler slammed it shut. The explosion ripped it off its hinges, sending it cart wheeling past Jay. Taler led this time, and I followed. The grenade had cleared the room of the two droids occupying it, and the only thing worth notice was a stairwell. "Vin, your turn on point.†I followed him up, Deece ready. Ahead of me, Vin kicked the stairway door open, revealing another hallway. He started to open the next door, but stopped and stumbled back as a tremendous amount of fire flashed from the room.
"Shab! We are not going in that way.â€Â
"No, we're not. Dar, place a charge on the wall. We'll blow it, and you, Vin, and Jay will go through. I'll open the door again, drawing their attention before you blow it.â€Â
I nodded, and took a charge from my back, and evaluated the wall. I moved down about five meters from the door, then placed and armed the charge. I backed up, moving away. "Clear back. Ready, Taler?â€Â
"Now!†Taler opened the door, drawing their fire. I covered my head, squeezing the det. The wall exploded in, pelting us with debris. The smoke cleared slightly, revealing a jagged hole in the wall. Vin lobbed a EMP in, and I ran in, ejecting my gauntlet blade. I plunged it into the chest of a twitching droid, and fired my Deece into another with my free hand. Taler crashed through the nearly shattered door and fired, dropping another. Jay kicked the legs out from the last droid, sending it crashing to the ground, and fired two bolts from his Deece. Movement in the corner of my eye caught my attention, and a humanoid figure slipped through a door.
I charged after it, crushing the door down and snapping my Deece up. The figure was nowhere to be seen, but a heavy weight crashed into me from the side, throwing me to the floor. My attacker drew a knife, and tried to plunge it into the gap between my chestplate and helmet. I managed to grab his wrist, wrestling for control over the knife. He struck my arm, and my hold loosened. The knife fell towards my neck.
Then Taler's boot slammed into the side of his head, and the blade missed my neck by centimeters. I rolled over, breathing heavily, and watched as Taler punched the man in the face, training his Deece on him, but didn't fire.
"Check! Endex, endex, endex!†Kal's voice came through my comm. â€ÂEndex, Theta. Good work boys.â€Â
Several med droids carried the man, one of the junior instructors, away for treatment, and we left the training facility, back to barracks. Taler smacked my shoulder. "Don't do that again, Dar. That was too close. I don't want to lose a brother.â€Â
I shook my head. "Sorry. I can't believe I just charged in like that. I owe you one, ner vodâ€Â
"Not at all, brother. That's why we're here. To cover each other's backs.†He slung an arm around me and Vin. "Because without our brothers, we're nothing.â€Â
--Captain Dynamic--


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Furniture from this manufacturer is proudly made in America in Virginia and North Carolina. They are committed to manufacturing furniture in a responsible and environmentally friendly manner as a founder of the Sustainable Furnishings Council.
This bedroom storage piece features Elite series drawer suspension. The under the drawer self-closing dual steel linear ball bearing glide system means that drawers will open and close smoothly, quietly, and reliably. The suspension type for the drawers is strong and durable.
Create room for your bedroom TV and clothing storage with this media unit. Turned feet above substantial base molding as well as both slender bail drawer handles and ring pulls add classic transitional style to this media chest. Rounded corners and chamfered corners on drawer fronts add softness to the look of this functional storage piece. The Rustic White finish has a Cherry finish top for a more cottage appeal.
The Arrendelle Transitional Media Unit - 4 Drawers by Vaughan Bassett at Find Your Furniture in the area. Product availability may vary. Contact us for the most current availability on this product.
Makeover your bedroom with the transitional style of the Arrendelle collection. Turned feet and rounded corners give a sense of a long-held piece of furniture. With each piece made in America, you can be proud that your purchase supports the longstanding traditions of American craftsmanship. Choose from two finish options, each with its own appeal: the Antique Cherry finish provides timeless elegance and the Rustic White finish conveys a cottage design style with plank look on key pieces and contrasting cherry finish tops. With Elite series drawer suspension, drawers on storage pieces feature the luxury of smoothly operating self-closing drawers.
The Arrendelle collection is a great option if you are looking for Transitional furniture in the area.
These images are representative of this group as a whole and may differ from this item.
Browse other items in the Arrendelle collection from Find Your Furniture in the area.
This item has been tagged as: Chests, Storage Chest, Toy Chest, Chest of Drawers, Hope Chest, Drawer Chest, Dresser, Bureau, Furniture, Bedroom Furniture, Bedroom Accent Furniture, Clothing Storage, Gentlemen's Chest, Cabinet, Commode, Trunk, Small Cabinet, Furniture with Drawers, Storage Furniture
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Praise the fucking baby Joesph, I'm feeling a bit better.
Yes, I still have a sore throat; yes my right nostril is rigid with a viscous colloid containing antiseptic enzymes (such as lysozyme) and immunoglobulins, yes my body is still over manufacturing mucus produced by submucosal cells as well as goblet cells in the respiratory system consisting of mucin, a highly glycosylated peptide, but over all I can safely claim that I'm on the mend.
It's Friday the 13th today, not that that means anything at all to me, apart from the fact it's Friday and the weekend beckons. For the first time in months, my weekend doesn't involve some culmination of an organised/planned event, I've made a few casual appointments with friends and the rest of it is mine. Essentially I intend to continue with the plans for the book, but something else has happened that requires my energies.I've decided to move.
I've had enough of Cunt and have concluded that if I stay much longer it will lead to violence on my part. I'm not a violent chap by any means, largely because I avoid getting into situations in the first place, and even then one is very aware that violence hurts if it doesn't go ones way. I feel as if I'm approaching a situation where by I'd cheerfully smash his fucking idiot face into a bag of mechanically recovered meat, for a culmination of reasons but none in particular, irrespective of the consequences, which would of course be rather significant.
Last night Myfwt came over, we had a lovely night, ate chicken and roast potatoes, drunk G &T's, watched BB and a rather peculiar programme on Bernard Manning in which he conducted his own obituary. At 11.30 we hit the sack, at about the same time, Cunt, who doesn't fucking well work because he's a fucking, well, cunt, came back with one or two 'mates'. This is quite honestly the 3rd time since I've been living at my flat in the past 4 years that he's ever had any 'mates' over, simply because he's so *insert every possible derogatory adjective here* and a cunt he hasn't any.
After the incident last week where I had to bang on his fucking door at 2am on a schoolnight because of the racket generated by a man who should be in hospital (mental or general, I don't care which) I wasn't expecting to hear a peep out of him for at least a fortnight. I'll admit he did have the volume lower than last week but he still conducted 'conversations' -grunts and barks- over music with the bass turned up higher than any normal person would with an ounce of basic human respect for ones neighbour or indeed, personal dignity. When his hairy baby daughter was downstairs I did my level best not to disturb it, and its mother, and this is how I get repaid. As I type this, you can keep The Office, Fawlty Towers, Monty Python et al, what would really tickle would be watching him eating through a fucking tube.
So, I'm making enquiries already, subsequently I'm getting called and e-mailed by a variety of scum bag estate agents, those that refer to me as 'mate' get hung up automatically, as do people that can't be bothered to speak correctly and I will deal with upward convergence with sarcasm prior to slamming down the phone.
This is a small price top pay for my liberty and ultimately my peace of mind. I feel jolly proud at myself for trying to do the right thing in the face of adversity.
Anyway, I want a garden.
(now go to Watch With Mothers and read about The Queen)