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Early in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland comes the Lament of the Corset. What, you ask, is the Lament of the Corset? This is the scene in a period piece, from Titanic to Ever After to Pirates of the Caribbean, that reminds us how cruelly constrained women have been by patriarchal expectations, how roped in and squeezed into society's mold.
It's the scene where women say things like, "Of course it's unfair! We're women. Our choices are never easy." Or, "If one cannot breathe, one cannot eat." (Like it was a good thing.) Or, "You like pain? Try wearing a corset."
After a prologue in which we briefly see six-year-old Alice's irrelevant father comforting her after a bad dream about falling, we meet Alice at nineteen in a carriage on her way to a gala at the manor home of some chinless wonder named Hamish whose engagement to Alice is a fait accompli in every way except that Alice doesn't know the proposal is coming.
En route, Alice's mother is aghast to discover that for this clandestinely momentous occasion her daughter made the shocking choice not to wear a corset — or stockings. "I'm against them," Alice (Mia Wasikowska) declares firmly. "Who's to say what's proper? If everyone decided that wearing a codfish on your head were proper, would you wear one? To me a corset is like a codfish." Or something like that.
An ominous sign, you say? Reader, you don't know how right you are. Before long, dancing with Hamish, Alice giggles. "I was just picturing all the women wearing trousers and all the men wearing dresses." His lordship is not amused: Alice would do well to keep such fancies to herself.
Not once, but twice, the film enumerates all of the reasons Alice must marry Hamish: (1) Everyone expects her to; (2) she doesn't want to be a burden to her mother; (3) he is a lord; and (4) she doesn't want to wind up an old maid — like dotty, disheveled old Aunt Imogene, with her pathetic delusions of a forbidden engagement to a prince.
Who, you ask, could possibly think it a good idea to trick out Alice in Wonderland in such aggrieved feminist didacticism? The answer, apparently, is screenwriter Linda Woolverton, who contributed to the similarly schoolmarmish, politically correct Arctic Tale, and was one of a great many writers on Mulan, The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast.
Interviewed for a New York Times piece, Woolverton explained her approach to characterizing Alice: She says she "did a lot of research on Victorian mores, on how young girls were supposed to behave, and then did exactly the opposite." Reader, I believe her.
Woolverton believes it's important to "depict strong-willed, empowered women," she says, "because women and girls need role models … who are empowered have an opportunity to make their own choices, difficult choices, and set out on their own road." As a father of three daughters, I couldn't agree more. What I don't think my daughters need is yet another case of Squelched Girl Syndrome, à la Monsters vs. Aliens.
Alice embodies the gender feminist narrative of vibrant young girls losing their mojo as they come of age in patriarchal society. When she returns to Wonderland — or Underland, as this sequel to Carroll proposes it's actually called — she has no memory of her first visit, and few of the Underlanders recognize her, not because she has grown but because she has diminished.
"You were much … muchier," the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) tells her. "You've lost your muchness."
How to regain a young woman's lost muchness? Woolverton — whose sensibilities regarding Carroll's world seem to be all looking-glass topsy-turvy, so that the worse an idea is, the better it sounds to her — says she saw Alice's story "more in terms of an action-adventure film with a female protagonist." Reader, I kid not. Alice is like Burton's take on one of Disney's Narnia films ("a C. S. Lewis Carroll Alice in Narnia," critic David Edelstein cracks).
The film is actually a joint evisceration not only of Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, but also of "Jabberwocky," with Alice recast as (so help me) a messianic warrior-hero in shining armor destined to claim the fabled "Vorpal Sword" on the fated "Frabjous Day," waging war against the forces of the cruel Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) on behalf of the dulcet (if slightly Goth) White Queen (Anne Hathaway), ultimately confronting the dragon-like Jabberwocky (voiced by Christopher Lee).
Yes, the Jabberwocky, reader. You say the beastie is called the Jabberwock, not the Jabberwocky? Ah, you have read the poem. Have the filmmakers? Who can tell?
Burton's last adaptation of a children's book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, had its good points, though Depp's Willie Wonka was easily the worst thing in the film. That's not the case here, though Depp is no better, running the gamut from irritating to insufferable with a repertoire of disjointed tics and vocal stylings. Charlie at least had the virtue of sticking close to Dahl for much of its running time. At no point does Alice threaten to do anything similar.
Computer graphics have now advanced to the point where Burton can put basically whatever he fancies on the screen, and he fills the screen with his mad visions, not without some consolation for the viewer. Perhaps the real textual basis for this Alice, since it is obviously not Carroll, is the illustrations of John Tenniel. His caricature-like portraits of the Red Queen and of Tweedledee and Tweedledum have been realized with goofy literalness, though why Helena Bonham Carter's head has been digitally swollen to twice its size for the Red Queen, while Depp's head, except for slightly exaggerated eyes, has been left alone, is a mystery. (Tenniel gave them both heads the size of beach balls.)
In any case, Bonham Carter's imperious, delusional Red Queen is the best thing in the film, followed by the enjoyably animated Cheshire Cat, who's voiced by Stephen Fry with the same sort of purring, smugly knowing quality that Keith David gave the Cat in last year's Coraline. Crispin Glover, as the Knave of Hearts's head on a spindly computer-generated body, is oddly reminiscent of Wormtongue in Peter Jackson's The Two Towers. "I like largeness," he whispers leeringly at an oversized Alice, buttonholing her like Éowyn in a corridor in the Red Queen's castle.
(Note: Climactic spoiler warning.) The Éowyn resonances are even more pronounced in the climactic battle, with Alice triumphantly hacking off the dragon-like Jabberwock(y)'s head, like Éowyn decapitating the Fell Beast. In Tolkien, that was a prelude to the confrontation with the Witch King. Here, it's a symbolic image of Alice confronting her anxieties about marrying Hamish. Watching Alice grasp the Vorpal Sword to decapitate the serpent, it doesn't take a Dr. Freud to conclude that the wedding's off.
P.S. Alice's shifts in size seem to come with a body-image subtext. For whatever reason, her clothes don't change size with her, so she repeatedly winds up nearly or even entirely naked, and spends much of the film in ill-fitting, rather revealing makeshift garb. Reader, who is the target audience again?
Lewis Carroll is now right side up in his grave, having turned over twice.
Out of a few topics I was considering blogging about today, none captured my attention quite like this impassioned email from a young reader who strongly disagrees with my review of Alice in Wonderland, and the issues suggested by the email, at least in my mind.
Link to this itemSo I haven't seen Alice in Wonderland yet. I can neither agree nor disagree with your assessment. But reading the review — and keep in mind I always enjoy your reviews, and agree with you at least a healthy 80% of the time — I wonder if you have a particular beef against this film for two reasons: overtones of feminism, and literary revisionism.
Now I admit that both of those things are annoying, but I didn't read anything else in your review that would result in such low ratings. Could you perhaps clarify in more detail? I have a hard time believing that a Corset Lament, a hamish Mr. Depp, and an errant "y" at the end of Jabberwock were the culprits.
Does it seem so un-Alice-ey for the now grown-up girl to maintain some anti-establishment sentiments? After all, would you want one of your daughters to marry this Hamish fellow? I wouldn't want mine to, the way you describe him. Of course I wouldn't want her to reject him with "womyns' empowerment" and typical feminist derision — but that doesn't seem to be what you describe this version of Alice doing.
Anyway, thanks for all the hard work and effort you put into your site. I've blind-bought many a DVD because of you (including your entire "Lenten Viewing" list). I plan to see the movie this weekend and judge for myself, but I would appreciate an expansion of your view on this one.
Link to this itemI've been greatly bothered by the pervasiveness of the message of "parents bad and stupid, kids smart and funny and good" that is surrounding children today. From seemingly harmless "Hannah Montana" to movies like Alice in Wonderland, our children are presented with a constant message that they already know enough and don't need to listen to anyone else.
From your review of Alice in Wonderland, it sounds like a movie that can cause great spiritual damage to our children. It gives a message that your parents or the Church or anyone, really, cannot tell you what is good for you. That you must reject out-of-hand people telling you that you must do something you might not like particularly (or not understand). And that your best interests are not what drives them to make decisions on your behalf.
To constantly bombard children — and especially girls — with the message that your parents are wrong if you don't like what they tell you is a dangerous thing. It breeds mistrust and mindless rebellion. The message is "To thine own self be true," but no one ever gives thought that Polonius is the very ruin of his children with his soundbite advice that he gives them. His sayings are full of pithiness and short on wisdom.
Link to this itemI took the kids to see Alice In Wonderland 3D and loved it. I won't dispute your decision to give it only 1.5 stars, but I really cannot see how you could say Coraline was better and appropriate for a younger audience. I thought Coraline was incredibly creepy if not sick and I'm a bit aggravated with myself that I let the kids see the whole thing. As far as adding a y to Jabberwock, who cares — if one is really such a purist I doubt if one could approve of any movie based on a book.
Of course you are right about the feminist overtones, but again, if you judge Hollywood movies by that yardstick you could enjoy virtually nothing — sometimes you just have to ignore that nonsense. The funny thing is, I'm normally not a Burton fan — he's usually doing something as creepy as Coraline. Anyway, I really enjoy your analysis on your website and hearing you on Al Kresta's show — sorry you had to hear from me when I had a bone to pick with you. God bless you and keep up the good work.
Link to this itemIn a response to a reader, you wrote:
Alice is a quite ordinary little girl; this, indeed is integral to the narrative strategy of this kind of fantastic tale, in which extremely odd things happen to a very ordinary character. The whole point is that Alice could be anybody. The attempt to turn her into an interesting character with her own back story and issues is fundamentally un-Carolinian, I think.Bingo. I was just explaining to someone yesterday that the problem plaguing all adaptations of Alice is the fact that she is not a character, she is the tool the author uses to thrust the reader into Wonderland. She herself is the most uninteresting part of the books, and her dialogue mainly consists of asking questions the reader might want answered from the odd people she meets. She does not make a good protagonist because she is the most paper thin part of the books. Not to mention that the books are not plot-based; the are merely a series of vignettes strung together by the one unifying device that is Alice. Trying to shape these stories into a single cohesive narrative does not simply does not work.
Link to this itemYou need to add an additional "r" and "l" to the word "un-Carolinian" in your response to the Alice in Wonderland where you said, "The attempt to turn her into an interesting character with her own back story and issues is fundamentally un-Carolinian, I think." You misspelled Lewis Carroll's last name: it should be un-Carrollinian.
Speaking of misspelled names, your review takes issue with the addition of the letter "y" to the creature called the Jabberwock. One of my favorite lines in the movie is when the Red Queen says, "Someone's gonna slay my Jabber-baby-wocky?" Is it possible that the added "y" is a way to make the name a diminutive? Does anyone call you Stevie or even Steve?
Unlike you, I think the filmmakers did read the poem. After all, the Mad Hatter recites the poem exactly as it is written. Do you have an explanation for the poem being entitled "Jabberwocky," anyway?
I'm a Catholic homeschooling mom. My husband, 13½ year old daughter, and I all thoroughly enjoyed the movie.
Link to this itemHow did you not pick up on the occult nature of the White Queen? She says, disparagingly, that her sister wants to control nature, as somehow opposite of her, who makes magic spells? She says she won't hurt anything, but she wants Alice to kill. In her belief system about caring for nature, though she doesn't want to believe it, she is an accessory to murder. It seems many in nature worship seem not to see the natural law-breaking nature of abortion. I wonder, though, do they go about their merry, fertile ways and let the abortionists do the dirty work?
Copyright © 2000– Steven D. Greydanus. All rights reserved.


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The 7 Best Cities for Beer
Check out these destinations for superlative suds.
April 18, 2014— -- intro: The number of local craft breweries is at an all-time high in the United States. From coast to coast (and everywhere in between), privately-owned breweries are producing delicious brews for every palate.
Hoppy IPAs, robust ales and refreshing pilsners are just some of the offerings on parade, and lucky for beer aficionados, many of these breweries (micro or otherwise) welcome visitors for tours and tastings. Some even have full-fledged restaurants on-site that pair their pints with delicious plates. So pack the kegerator and find a willing d.d. because it's time for a brew-cation. We've tried beers all over the country and, after plenty of boozy research, have picked out the seven best cities in the U.S. for beer. Plus, we've got great hotel recs in each city where beer lovers will feel right at home.
quicklist: 1title: 1. Portland text: Boasting the highest concentration of breweries of any city in the world -- over fifty in the metropolitan area, if you're curious — Portland tops our list. Large-scale operations have rubbed shoulders with small craft breweries in the Rose City since the 1980s, and micro-breweries and nano-breweries (breweries that generally produce four barrels or fewer) are popular destinations for locals and tourists alike. Deschutes Brewery, Hopworks Urban Brewery, and Upright Brewings are perennial favorites, but there are endless offerings in this quirky beer-loving-hipster-friendly city.
Where to Stay: Ace Hotel – Portland
This funky boutique emphasizes style above all else, and features cool decor touches such as reclaimed school chairs, nightstands made out of books or suitcases, turntables, and stacks of vinyl records. Hotel highlights include a local, organic breakfast in the breakfast room, a great happy hour scene at the Clyde Common lobby bar, and aromatic coffee at the beloved Stumptown Cafe.media: 23381684
quicklist: 2title: 2. Denver text: The Mile High City has a long-standing reputation of knowing, loving, and producing some of the best brews in the country. While the Coors headquarters can be found here, there are many smaller, more specialized craft beer operations in and around Denver that visitors can enjoy as well. Wynkoop, opened in 1988, is Denver's original craft brewery so it's a nice place to start your brewery crawl. Other favorites include the Blue Moon Brewing Co., Bull & Bush, Denver Beer Co., and Great Divide, and they all come together at the Great American Beer Festival which takes place each fall and is arguably the country's best and largest celebration dedicated to good brew.
Where to Stay: Hotel Monaco Denver -- A Kimpton Hotel
This upscale boutique delivers all the fundamentals of the Kimpton chain: bright, quirky decor, a free nightly wine hour, and a pet-friendly policy. The day spa is recognized as one of the best in Denver, and the lobby is fun and funky, with a colorful ceiling and eccentric furniture.media: 23381996
quicklist: 3title: 3. San Diego text: With its own IPA category and more than thirty beachy breweries, this sunny locale is fast becoming a favorite among beer drinkers. Stone Brewing, Mission Brewery, Lost Abbey, Karl Strauss, and Green Flash are just some of the favored breweries in and around town. Stone Brewing just opened up a waterfront location — where visitors can eat, drink, and play bocce into the twilight hours – in San Diego's downtown area, making it even more popular than it was previously.
Where to Stay: Hotel Solamar San Diego
This 235-room Kimpton boutique just outside the Gaslamp Quarter is notable for its stylish rooms with beach-inspired decor and attractive rooftop pool area. Its known for its great freebies which include a nightly wine hour, coffee and tea in the lobby, newspaper delivery, and guided city walks every Wednesday. Plus, the hotel just started up a craft brewery night!media: 23381203
quicklist: 4title: 4. Boston text: Boston knows its brews. In fact, the state (in part — and how much depending on whom you talk to) owes its very existence to the stuff. Back in the day, the Pilgrims had originally set sail for Virginia, but (supposedly) due to a beer shortage on board, the boats docked a few weeks early in present-day Massachusetts. After all, the Pilgrims really loved their brew! And to be fair, beer was actually much safer to drink than water at the time. Since then, America's original beer town has continued to expand its brewing business. Sam Adams, the New England juggernaut brewery, once started as a small mom-and-pop business itself, and today many small breweries are following in its wake. Harpoon Brewery and Trillium are two such favorites.
Where to Stay: Fairmont Battery Wharf Boston
Opened in 2008, the 150-room Fairmont Battery Wharf has great harbor views, attentive service, spacious standard rooms, a celebrated restaurant, and a location on the site of one of Boston's most historic wharves.media: 23382136
quicklist: 5title: 5. Philadelphia text: The City of Brotherly Love is also the City of Brewery Love. Beer-filled taverns have been a mainstay since Philly's founding, and have only continued to grow in popularity and abundance since then. Pilsners have always been the name of the game here, but with proliferation comes variety, and selections of brews on tap here are endless nowadays as well. Center City is, perhaps appropriately, the center of much of the action, with microbreweries, like the Nodding Head, being excellent spots to start the night.
Where to Stay: Hotel Monaco Philadelphia
Hotel Monaco's unique design -- featuring bright decor and stylishly mismatched furniture -- sets this hotel apart from other options in Center City. Attractive rooms with high-end amenities, wonderful freebies, a beautiful rooftop bar, and a great restaurant all help round out the experience.media: 23381845
quicklist: 6title: 6. Austintext: A relaxed locale with a youthful, funky twist, Austin draws a diverse crowd — from inked artists to chic urban entrepreneurs — that enjoys all that Texas's capital offers, particularly in the ways of brews. Most of the action centers on Sixth Street, where many of the city's restaurants and bars can be found. The funky vibe of the city has given birth to a unique brand of brewery; some, like Hops & Grain, have an impressive eco-focus (they use their recycled grains to make dog biscuits!) and others, like Black Star Co-Op, take a playful approach to attracting the city's intellectual crowd, designating their brews Rational, Irrational, or Infinite.
Where to Stay: W Austin
One of the city's newest luxury hotels, the W Austin features a minimalist design that incorporates elements of southwestern decor. The hotel has a good location in the heart of Austin's newly emerged 2nd Street District, putting it close to sights, shopping, and entertainment. Plus, the Living Room bar is a popular gathering spot for Austinites, and the young and hip congregate at the W's WET Pool on weekends.media: 23382054
quicklist: 7title: 7. San Francisco text: Micro- and nano-breweries reign supreme in the Bay Area, where seasonal products and local flavors make their way into more than one barrel of beer. The Moonlight Brewing Company even features redwood twigs and cedar bark in its own concoctions. Anchor Steam Brewery is an obvious favorite in the area, and New Albion Brewing was the first micro-brewery to open in the country. Since then, the number of hot spots has grown exponentially, making this California city a must-stop for a brewski.
Where to Stay: Clift
Known for its Redwood Room bar, the Clift boasts a hip scene that is typical of the Morgans Hotel Group, which reopened the historic hotel after a makeover by Philippe Starck and Ian Schrager (the latter of Studio 54 fame). The lobby and the 350 small, but comfortable, rooms are short on amenities but high on scene and style.media: 23381115

subset: commoncrawl


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Japan's nuclear crisis has now reached a critical stage, as radiation from the melting cores of the Fukushima plant is hindering the containment efforts of workers and engineers. Could a disaster of the same magnitude occur in the US? According to The Nation's Christian Parenti, the nuclear power plants here in America are poorly managed and regulated.
Joining The Ed Show on MSNBC, Parenti explained that there are currently 104 nuclear plants up for re-licensing in the US, most of which are around 40 years old. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is not only looking to extend their use beyond their designed lifetimes, but many have been given "power upgrades," allowing them to run at 120 percent of their designed and intended capacity. Particularly vulnerable to Japan-level crises are US plants built along the San Andreas and associated fault lines, which are still active. It's time all of them were taken out of commission.
—Sara Jerving


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JLL makes LinkedIn's Top Companies list again
JLL ranked among the most sought-after companies for third straight year
CHICAGO, March 21, 2018 – JLL (NYSE: JLL) announced today it has been named one of LinkedIn's Top Companies. The list of 50 companies is based on the billions of actions taken by LinkedIn's 540+ million members and looks at three main pillars: interest in a company's jobs, employee retention and interest in a company's brand and employees.
"While JLL is a global company with 82,000 people in 80 countries, our culture reflects the personal relationships we've created and cultivated throughout our 250-year history," said Mary Bilbrey, Americas Chief Human Resources Officer, JLL. "We work hard to make JLL a place where people can achieve their ambitions, and we are honored to be a LinkedIn Top Company again this year."
Clients and third-party organizations continue to recognize JLL globally for its ethics, corporate citizenship and commitment to being an employer of choice. JLL has collected the following U.S. and global awards in the last year:
- Dow Jones Sustainability Index, North America, second year in a row
- One of World's Most Ethical Companies, Ethisphere Institute, 11th year in a row
- Top Companies for Executive Women 2018, National Association for Female Executives
- Working Mother 100 Best Companies
- Perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index, fourth year in a row
- 2018 Military Friendly® Employer, Victory Media
- BLACK ENTERPRISE's 2018 50 Best Companies for Diversity
About JLL
JLL (NYSE: JLL) is a leading professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management. A Fortune 500 company, JLL helps real estate owners, occupiers and investors achieve their business ambitions. In 2017, JLL had revenue of $7.9 billion and fee revenue of $6.7 billion; managed 4.6 billion square feet, or 423 million square meters; and completed investment sales, acquisitions and finance transactions of approximately $170 billion. At the end of 2017, JLL had nearly 300 corporate offices, operations in over 80 countries and a global workforce of 82,000. As of December 31, 2017, LaSalle had $58.1 billion of real estate assets under management. JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further information, visit www.jll.com.


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This article features the latest in an ongoing series of "Rock Talk" podcast audio interviews for the Rock Subculture Journal. Today's guest is Peter Hook. Peter Hook is a founding member of Joy Division and New Order, and next week embarks on his latest tour as Peter Hook & The Light, covering the third and forth New Order albums, Lowlife (1985) and Brotherhood (1986), in full. Last year, he and his band covered the first two New Order albums and my review of that tour can be found in a separate article (see: "Peter Hook & The Light Performing New Order's "Movement" and "Power, Corruption & Lies"…).
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS


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My First Piano Adventure 420259 Lesson Book A with CD
Written for ages 5 and 6, My First Piano Adventure® captures the child's playful spirit. Fun-filled songs, rhythm games and technique activities develop beginning keyboard skills. Three distinguishing features of the Lesson Book A make it unique and effective for the young 5-6 year old beginner. 1. A strong focus on technique embedded in the book through playful technique games, chants, and carefully-composed pieces that gently lead the child into pianistic motions. 2. An outstanding CD for the young student to listen, sing, tap, and play along with at the piano. The orchestrated songs on the CD feature children singing the lyrics, which has great appeal to the 5-6 year old beginner. The CD becomes a ready-made practice partner that guides the student and parent for all the pieces and activities in the books. 3. The fanciful art features five multi-cultural children who are also learning to play. These friends at the piano introduce basic rhythms, white key names, and a variety of white and black-key songs that span classical, folk, and blues. Young students will listen, sing, create, and play more musically with Nancy and Randall Faber s My First Piano Adventure, Lesson Book A. The Lesson Book introduces directional pre-reading, elementary music theory and technique with engaging songs, games, and creative discovery at the keyboard. Young students will enjoy the multi-cultural "friends at the piano" who introduce white-key names, basic rhythms, and a variety of songs which span classical, folk, and blues. Ear-training and eye-training are also part of the curriculum. The Fabers' instructional theory "ACE" - Analysis, Creativity, and Expression, guides the pedagogy of My First Piano Adventure. Analysis leads to understanding, creativity leads to self-discovery, and expression develops personal artistry. The CD for this book offers a unique listening experience with outstanding orchestrations and vocals. The recordings demonstrate a key principle of the course: when children listen, sing, tap, and move to their piano music, they play more musically.
Additional Information:


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Now, on to the subject at hand: plotting a novel.
Recently I spoke at the University of New Mexico's annual Writer's Conference, "From Start to Sales V."
Though I've been asked many questions about the writing of my novel, Latter-day Cipher, I was approached about two issues new to me. One (and this one greatly dismayed me) was the question that was asked by several people in different forms. It was, "How can I take a WIP (or completed novel) and make it Christian so I can offer it to a Christian publisher?" The implication was that the Christian market was a place for what you might not be able to sell to a secular publisher, but if spiffied up with what one contest judge on Twitter wryly called "clunky Jesus insertions." Ask any of us here at Novel Matters – is the Christian novel marketplace an easy target?
Secondly, the audience wanted to know how I plotted Cipher. I think I surprised them when I told them what I did: I took a class in novel writing about 15 years before beginning Cipher, and started a first novel which I never finished. However, when I began Cipher, I did two things. First, I bought a workbook called The Marshall Plan Workbook : Writing Your Novel from Start to Finish. I tore the pages out, put them in a binder, and did exactly what the author said to do in terms of number of pages assigned to characters, pacing, placing of "surprises," etc. Then I took a paperback copy of what I consider to be one of the most effective and well-plotted suspense novels I've ever read (though I was ambivalent about the content, you understand), The Silence of the Lambs.
I outlined the whole book, noting when the POV changed, when surprises were introduced, what number of pages were used in scenes.
It felt like a wonderful protective armor, a kind of framework within which to be creative but still satisfying the reader.
Later, I learned of Randy Ingermanson's "Snowflake Method" for writing a novel. I love it, and along with Marshall's workbook and my notes from Silence of the Lambs, I'll use it in refining the plot of the novel I'm now working on.
What works for you?


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The HERA ARMS CQR is a joint partnership project by ActionSportGames and ICS Airsoft. The Airsoft rifle is designed and developed using original blueprints and drawings provided by HERA Arms, and also features components custom made for Airsoft by HERA ARMS.
The project is built on the ICS CXP AEG platform for proven reliability and performance with its split gearbox and quick spring design.
The modern design features of the CQR stock is a new take on the fixed stock for AR platforms. Envisioned for the civilian market as well as LE/Military, the compact stock is of lightweight construction and gives the shooter a more stable platform for CQB scenarios.
The CQR front grip with its bold ergonomic design combined with the stock completes the CQR concept for a CQB ready rifle. The front grip provides better control and accuracy. Mounted easily on the picatinny rails on the HERA Arms IRS handguard, the CQR front grip makes the CQR standout from other rifles.
The CQR features original HERA ARMS ambidextrous QD sling mounts and other parts to give you the authentic look and feel of the real steel German built rifle.
The version of the CQR features ICS' SSS Gen 2 system.
The SSS Systems gives the shooter unique options for the rifle with such features as burst mode, lipo monitoring, pre-cocking.
- Split gearbox for easy access and realistic disassembly
- Quick spring change
- Large ambidextrous charging handle
- New detachable CFS folding front and rear sights fully adjustable
- Multiple sling attachments points accommodates different carry methods
- ICS SSS Gen. 2 (Self-Diagnosis Shooting System) Trigger Control


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Over 10,000 Tajik refugees to become citizens in Turkmenistan
Over 10,000 Tajik refugees to become citizens in Turkmenistan
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, August 10 (UNHCR) - Thousands of Tajik refugees have been granted citizenship in Turkmenistan, a move hailed by the UN refugee agency as a welcome solution for the ethnic-Turkmen refugees who had integrated locally over the years.
The President of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Niyazov, signed a decree last Thursday granting Turkmen citizenship to 13,245 people of ethnic Turkmen origin, as well as people who had lived on land formerly rented to Uzbekistan, and others who had migrated to Turkmenistan for family or other reasons.
Among those granted citizenship were more than 10,000 ethnic-Turkmen Tajiks who fled civil war in Tajikistan between 1992 and 1997 and received prima facie refugee status in Turkmenistan. The decree also covered Turkmen Tajiks who arrived in 1998 and 1999.
"We are extremely happy and grateful to the Turkmen government for this generous decision. We have been working closely for the past 10 years to find a permanent durable solution for these refugees," said Annika Linden, UNHCR's chief of mission in the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat.
She explained that UNHCR has advocated for many years for the naturalisation of those refugees who qualified for nationality under the Turkmen Nationality Law. "It is wonderful now to see our cooperation bear fruit and citizenship for all becoming a reality," she added.
Generally seen as an asset to the host community, most of the Tajik refugees started building houses and cultivating land obtained from the government in the 1990s. Their children were given the right to attend and graduate from Turkmen schools.
UNHCR, which opened its office in Ashgabat in 1995, has been providing protection to the refugees and assisting the government to facilitate their local integration. Provincial authorities gave farming land to the refugees, the vast majority of whom became engaged in agricultural projects in rural settlements. UNHCR contributed agricultural equipment such as tractors, bulldozers, electric transformers and water pumps to enhance their self-sufficiency. The agency also provided language classes for refugee children and vocational training for refugee youths and women, while building or upgrading public schools in rural areas. Summer camps and educational training were organised for refugee men and women.
"We always tried to make sure that these projects would benefit not only the targeted refugee communities, but also the surrounding local population," said Linden. "We believed this would facilitate the integration of the refugees into the wider community and allow them to adapt to Turkmenistan."
Today, UNHCR still runs a number of health projects in urban and rural areas of Turkmenistan. The agency has distributed over 40 medical aid kits to refugee communities around the country and helped maintain and repair more than 15 remote medical aid posts. Ten ambulances were donated to enhance the capacity of rural medical units. UNHCR, through its partners, also provides outpatient medical treatment and consultations to refugees, including referrals to state hospitals.
With the granting of citizenship, the Tajik refugees will enjoy the same rights as Turkmen citizens. Having been treated exceptionally well over the years by the Turkmen government, the vast majority of them plan to continue living and cultivating the land given to them from the start. Most refugee settlements are in Akhal (close to Ashgabat), Mary, Lebap and Balkal provinces.
Turkmenistan acceded to the 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol in 1998, a year after it adopted a National Law on Refugees.


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The promise of regenerative medicine is truly remarkable. Over the last two decades, significant breakthroughs in understanding within the regenerative medicine and tissue engineering fields have yielded a more intimate understanding of the functioning of human tissue. In the future, new technologies may deliver islet cells for diabetes, neural regeneration for spinal cord injuries and more substantial heart repair. In addition, as biology, bioengineering and medicine continue to converge, the regenerative medicine field may succeed in building three-dimensional organs like hearts, kidneys or livers.
Traditionally, researchers in the BioE program focus was on replacement of tissues or growing cell-based substitutes outside the body for implantation into the body. However, as the field has evolved over the last decade, researchers have broadened their approach from a focus on tissue engineering to one that includes repair and regeneration.
Projects range from creating better techniques for wound repair to peripheral nerve regeneration. In addition, BioE researchers are using advanced bioengineering methods to develop technologies that will facilitate the transfer of research in musculoskeletal biology and regenerative medicine for treatment of wounded soldiers.


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Lengthening Mascara
- Product Details
- £16.00
- Promotions
- Product Buying Options
- Additional Product Information
£16.00Lash length increased by up to 85%* curl increased by up to 18%*
Dial up the drama with our curl-enhancing and lengthening natural black mascara. 78% organic ingredients enrich the 5% natural minerals for stunning lashes that are beautifully nourished, conditioned and protected.
Featuring a specially designed, gently tapering flexible brush to bring out the best in even the shortest of lashes, our super-enriching formula nourishes all the way from root to tip whilst bringing colour, definition and a naturally eye-opening, volumised look.
Enriched with a lash-thickening tetrapeptide, omega-rich organic argan oil and antioxidant white tea.
- Soil Association certified
- Smooth texture for easy application
- Lash-nourishing organic ingredients
- Thickening tetrapeptide
- Antioxidant protection
- Ophthalmologically tested
- Allergen free
- Preservative free
BeforeAfterUn-retouched photos from Consumer Testing
How to use:
Open the mascara and smoothly remove the brush, using the inside rim of the tube to gently wipe away any excess. Apply first to the upper lashes whilst looking down into a hand mirror, gently brushing through the lashes from base to tip, slightly moving the wand from side to side to separate the lashes and help prevent clumps. Use the flexibility of the brush to reach every lash. Look upwards whilst applying mascara to the lower lashes to help prevent smudges. At the end of the day, gently wipe away with our Organic Eye Make-Up Remover.
Aqua, Copernicia cerifera (Carnauba) wax*, Cocos nucifera (Coconut) oil*, CI 77499, Glycerin, Cetearyl glucoside, Ricinus communis (Castor) seed oil*, Argania spinosa (Argan) kernel oil*, Glyceryl caprylate, Bambusa arundinacea (Bamboo) stem powder, Dextrin palmitate, Xanthan gum, Sucrose laurate, Heptyl undecylenate, Camellia sinensis (White tea) leaf extract, Aloe barbadensis (Aloe vera) leaf juice powder*, Sigesbeckia orientalis extract, Abies picea (Spruce) extract, Caprooyl tetrapeptide-3, Tocopherol, Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) seed oil, Pullulan, Sorbitol, Trehalose, Glyceryl undecylanate, Acacia Senegal gum, Vanillin, Maltodextrin, Alcohol, Sodium levulinate, Dextran, Levulinic acid.
*Organic ingredient. made with 78% organic ingredients and 5% natural minerals. Suitable for vegans.
Warnings: If irritation occurs discontinue use. Avoid direct contact with the eyes. If contact occurs, flush with clean tepid water.
*Our clinical trial was carried out by a world-class Italian laboratory in compliance with the World Medical Association declaration of Helsinki and with the Colipa Guidelines.


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Privacy Policy
Our Commitment To Privacy
Your privacy is important to us. To better protect your privacy we provide this notice explaining our online information practices and the choices you can make about the way your information is collected and used. To make this notice easy to find, we make it available on our homepage and at every point where personally identifiable information may be requested.
The Information We Collect:
This notice applies to all information collected or submitted on the
Holloway Paving website. On some pages, you can order products, make requests, and register to receive materials. The types of personal information collected at these pages are:
- Name
- Address
- Email address
- Phone number
- Credit/Debit Card Information
- (Etc.)
On some pages, you can submit information about other people. For example, if you order a gift online and want it sent directly to the recipient, you will need to submit the recipient's address. In this circumstance, the types of personal information collected are:
- Name
- Address
- Phone Number
- (Etc.)
The Way We Use Information:
We use the information you provide about yourself when placing an order only to complete that order. We do not share this information with outside parties except to the extent necessary to complete that order.
We use the information you provide about someone else when placing an order only to ship the product and to confirm delivery. We do not share this information with outside parties except to the extent necessary to complete that order.
We offer gift-cards by which you can personalize a product you order for another person. Information you provide to us to create a gift-card is only used for that purpose, and it is only disclosed to the person receiving the gift.
We use return email addresses to answer the email we receive. Such addresses are not used for any other purpose and are not shared with outside parties.
You can register with our website if you would like to receive our catalog as well as updates on our new products and services. Information you submit on our website will not be used for this purpose unless you fill out the registration form.
We use non-identifying and aggregate information to better design our website and to share with advertisers. For example, we may tell an advertiser that X number of individuals visited a certain area on our website, or that Y number of men and Z number of women filled out our registration form, but we would not disclose anything that could be used to identify those individuals.
Finally, we never use or share the personally identifiable information provided to us online in ways unrelated to the ones described above without also providing you an opportunity to opt-out or otherwise prohibit such unrelated uses.
Our Commitment To Data Security
To prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the correct use of information, we have put in place appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.
Our Commitment To Children's Privacy:
Protecting the privacy of the very young is especially important. For that reason, we never collect or maintain information at our website from those we actually know are under 13, and no part of our website is structured to attract anyone under 13.
How You Can Access Or Correct Your Information
You can access all your personally identifiable information that we collect online and maintain contacting us. We use this procedure to better safeguard your information.
You can correct factual errors in your personally identifiable information by sending us a request that credibly shows error.
To protect your privacy and security, we will also take reasonable steps to verify your identity before granting access or making corrections.
How To Contact Us
Should you have other questions or concerns about these privacy policies, please call us at (403) 975-3030 or send us an email by using our contact form.
Website Usage Terms and Conditions Policy
Welcome to our website. If you continue to browse and use this website you are agreeing to comply with and be bound by the following terms and conditions of use, which together with our privacy policy govern Holloway Paving relationship with you in relation to this website.
The term ' Holloway Paving ' or 'us' or 'we' refers to the owner of the website. The term 'you' refers to the user or viewer of our website.
The use of this website is subject to the following terms of use:
- The content of the pages of this website is for your general information and use only. It is subject to change without notice.
- Neither we nor any third parties provide any warranty or guarantee as to the accuracy, timeliness, performance, completeness or suitability of the information and materials found or offered on this website for any particular purpose. You acknowledge that such information and materials may contain inaccuracies or errors and we expressly exclude liability for any such inaccuracies or errors to the fullest extent permitted by law.
- Your use of any information or materials on this website is entirely at your own risk, for which we shall not be liable. It shall be your own responsibility to ensure that any products, services or information available through this website meet your specific requirements.
- This website contains material which is owned by or licensed to us. This material includes, but is not limited to, the design, layout, look, appearance and graphics. Reproduction is prohibited other than in accordance with the copyright notice, which forms part of these terms and conditions.
- All trademarks reproduced in this website, which are not the property of, or licensed to the operator, are acknowledged on the website.
- Unauthorized use of this website may give rise to a claim for damages and/or be a criminal offense.
- From time to time this website may also include links to other websites. These links are provided for your convenience to provide further information. They do not signify that we endorse the website(s). We have no responsibility for the content of the linked website(s).
- You may not create a link to this website from another website or document without Holloway Paving prior written consent.
Your use of this website and any dispute arising out of such use of the website is subject to the laws of Calgary, Alberta Canada.
Website Disclaimer
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by Holloway Paving and while we endeavor to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of Holloway Paving . We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, Holloway Paving takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.