text:
Once again Singletrack is producing the Mountain Mayhem magazine, which this year will be bundled up with all copies sold in every WHSmiths in the UK as well as being given to every rider at Mountain Mayhem itself. Apart from the usual crop of articles featuring good advice, route guides and tales of suffering in pouring rain or nearly dieing of heat-stroke, this year we are offering Mayhem racers or friends and family of racers the opportunity to run your own personal ads.
Do you have someone you want to wish good luck to while they are at the event?
Do you want to psychologically put the boot in to a rival team?
Do you want a clandestine meeting in spooky woods at 3am with your lover?
Do you want to thank Pat Adams, your local shop sponsor, your ever forgiving partner for the training and cake making and child care?
In memory of… wish you were here… wish I was there… pre lap time excuses to your team mates or a prayer for dry weather or something completely different?
Here's what you do…
Go to the Singletrack online shop and click on the Mayhem Small Ads category. Or just click here.
Write your 25 words (the first five words will be in bold) the shop will confirm your order and Paypal or Worldpay will painlessly and securely debit your account.
As an added bonus this year's Mayhem will be downloadable after the event free of charge!
We only have limited space in the mag for these small ads so you will need to be quick. Each ad is just £20
Examples of daft personal ads…
- Team skinnyfast. WE ARE GOING TO BREAK YOU! The Pie Eaters.
- 69er-loving freak seeks something big up the front. Inner tube supplied. See Ben H @No generator camp.
- I like lube on my rusty spot. Will you grease me up?Matt L @Singletrack stand.
- Thanks to everyone at Blazing Faces MTB Club for helping me train for my Singlespeed Solo attempt. I love you all – Dirk
- What tyre for? Baked trails, piss wet mud, half dried mud and slewy clay? email me please email@example.com
- Granny ring wanted, over 60's only need apply. Contact Steve M behind the portable loos midnight Saturday.
- For Sale: Santa Cruz Nomad. Ex Cond. Fox 36 Forks. XT Groupo. Call John 0123456789. Will have bike @Mayhem
Comments (7)
Comments are closed.


text:
If you're one who likes the idea of exploring a destination on your own, at your own pace and on your own schedule, then independent travel is for you. But "winging it" without having some sort of plan in place is a gamble, and paying as you go can be a drain on your travel budget. By working with a Ships and Trips Travel Specialist you can create an independent vacation experience that suits your tastes, but packaged together to offer value.
We'll start by putting together the components of your vacation. Maybe you want a trip to a tropical island, with flights, airport transfers, and accommodations in a hotel, resort or vacation home. Perhaps you want to spend a week in Italy, dividing your time between Rome and Florence, with accommodations in each city and train tickets from one place to the next. Or you have a vacation home already arranged, and you're in need of just flights and a rental car. Our specialists can help to "package" all the components you need to make your dream vacation a reality, and at money-saving "package" pricing.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Amber Lancaster Exclusive: From NFL Cheerleader to Hollywood Starlet!September 21, 2010
Living in Los Angeles, it's rather impossible to find people actively involved in "the industry" who are real, true sports fans.
GG: What do you think about the new Seattle head coach, Pete Carroll?
AL: "I love him. He's amazing. He brings a new energy to the team. I think that he's young. He comes from college program, which has so much heart and so much spirit. He's a great addition.
GG: If you could choose one person to raise the coveted 12th man flag at Qwest Field, who would it be?
AL: Me! Hello! I cheered for the team for five years. I poured my heart and soul into the team. I think I should raise the 12th man flag.
GG: Message to Seahawks fans?
AL: "They are the best fans in the NFL. I love them with all my heart, and I miss cheering for the Hawks with all my heart."
You can catch Amber Lancaster, and the second season of The Hard Times of RJ Berger on MTV. The show will replay repeatedly throughout the fall, in anticipation of next season...
Stay Fabulous,


text:
du continues bringing public celebrities from entertainment and sports world to the UAE
For more than 2 years, du has connected customers in the UAE with 49 of their favourite celebrities from around the world in the field of movies, sports, modelling and more. Now, fans of the talented Indian actress, Aditi Rao Haidra, will have the chance to speak to her on 25th August at 2.30PM, when the popular talent becomes the 49th celebrity to join du's Talk to the Stars since July 2012.
Over the years, more than 200,000 customers have had the chance to speak to their favourite celebrities through Talk to the Stars, by simply calling the Talk to the Stars number, 055 5678157, to register for the service.
For the chance to speak to Aditi, customers can register for the service on the above number, and call back at 2.30PM on the 25th of August to hear and participate in a live conversation between the star and other customers. At the end of the call, the recorded conversation will be available to listen to for a period of one month.
Ahmed Mokhles, Executive Vice President – Consumer Business, du, said: "Our customers come from every corner of the globe, and it is our privilege to be able to bring them together with the celebrities they love from around the world. Since launching Talk to the Stars in 2012, we have connected more than 200,000 fans with their celebrity idols through the initiative, in addition to all of our du Live! concerts and events that bring leading names in all entertainment segments to the nation. This is our way of providing quality services that go beyond mere telecommunications, to add value and life to our customers' lives."
To subscribe to the service you can call 055 5678157 or send an SMS with the words SUB STAR to number 9820. You will get unlimited access to all the conversations with the star, a recording of your conversation, as well as information and updates about your favorite star. The subscription price of the service is 2 dirhams per week.
To register to for one event and speak with Aditi, you can call 055 5678157 or send SMS STAR to 9820 from a du mobile for AED 3 only. Calls will be charged at a normal rate of 0.5 fils per second.
For further information, please contact:
Maryam Al Balooshi
PR Lead(Corporate)
Brand & Communications
Mobile: +971 55 953 0523
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Reka Sepsy
LeoComm PR
Tel: +971 4 367 6154
Mobile: +971 55 220 68 20
Fax: +971 4 367 2615
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
- Paul Rogers
by Bain & CompanyFaisal Al Bannai
by DarkMatter
- Scott Rea
by DarkMatterAhsen Ghufran Khan
by Bayut


text:
Else you might soon be living in a ghost town…
Posts Tagged 'ghost town'
Marketing 101: When Naming Your Town, Don't Pick "LOUSETOWN"Wednesday, December 28th, 2016
Playing Football on Sansome on a Monday Afternoon – Don't Try This on a Regular Workday – What's Next, Stickball?Tuesday, July 5th, 2016
Arrested Decay: Our Shut-Down McDonalds Already Looks Like It's Part of a Ghost TownTuesday, June 9th, 2015
Know Better Your Marin County: Nuclear-Capable Hill 88 Plus the West, Middle, and East Peaks of Mount TamalpaisTuesday, September 6th, 2011
How many hills do you know of what come with their own Yelp entry?
You ought to get on up there sometime to check it out:
"Hill 88 is a wild ghost town in the sky, hidden way up high in the Marin Headlands. It's on Wolf Ridge, between Fort Cronkhite/Rodeo Beach and Tennessee Valley. You can barely see it from below, and it's nothing like most of the old little rusty lifeless bunker sites. This is a crazy Cold War mega-complex teeming with tons of crows dancing in the whipping wind above huge expanses of the bay and SF. It's part of the old Nike Missile program, officially SF-88C. Was apparently the radar and control center (aka the IFC, or Integrated Fire Control area) of the Nike Missile launch site that's further down the hill to the east."
So, those are some of the remnants of Project Nike on top of now-flattened Hill 88 in the foreground along with the three peaks of Mount Tam (with the West Peak also flattened by the Air Force) in the background.
As seen from San Francisco:
Click to expand
Now, you Know Better Your Marin County.
"China Underground" Film Series Runs Dec. 3-5 at VIZ Cinema – "Unauthorized, Uncensored, Independent"Tuesday, November 16th, 2010
Here's the contention:
"Independent documentaries are the only free media existing in mainland China today."
Do y0u buy that? Well, see for yourself at China Underground from December 3-5 at VIZ Cinema on Post Street in the New People Building.
All the deets:
7 Films Over 3 Days Offer a View of China as Never Seen Before
San Francisco, CA, November 15, 2010 – VIZ Cinema and NEW PEOPLE, in association with dGenerate Films, are proud to present a fascinating series focusing on a new vanguard of Chinese independent filmmakers, whose innovative uses of digital filmmaking deliver provocative insights into the world's largest nation. The China Underground film series opens Friday, December 3rd and runs through Sunday, December 5th. Tickets and complete details are available at: www.vizcinema.com.
All of the documentary films to be shown at the festival were made outside the official Chinese film system – unauthorized, uncensored, and totally independent. These groundbreaking films introduce a new generation of filmmakers who represent the future of Chinese cinema, using new technology to present a vision of China as never seen before. A wide variety of controversial topics and issues like homosexuality, the role of women in society, the forced relocation of citizens which preceded the 2008 Beijing Olympics, drug use, and the inner workings of Chinese law enforcement, are examined in unflinching detail in these seven films.
China Underground opens Friday December 3rd with the premiere of Queer China, "Comrade" China at 7:00pm. The screening will include a Q&A session with several guest speakers and an after-party that will immediately follow. The remaining films will be screened throughout the weekend.
Ever more deets, after the jump
Marin County's Hill 88: A Wild Ghost Town in the Sky, and Former Home to Nuclear BombsThursday, November 12th, 2009
This is the view from San Francisco over the Golden Gate – can you see the defunct buildings of Hill 88 in front of the East Peak of Mount Tamalpais? Those buildings were the eyes and ears of SF-88, southern Marin's very own Nike Hercules missile complex.
Click to expand
The actual nuclear warheads and missiles were stored at another facility down the hill – you can visit that place Wednesday through Saturday.
What's shown in this photo above is the radar station part of the base, on the summit, where they had German shepherd guard dogs, machine guns, the whole magilla until the 1970's. San Francisco also had a similar setup back in the day using the Presidio and Mount Sutro, but that was the smaller, non-nuclear Nike Ajax system and there's really nothing left to visit anymore.
But in Marin, you can climb up to the hilltop facility of SF-88 whenever you want – you'll get nice views and you'll have a chance to see the graffiti.
Come visit Marin's Wild Ghost Town in the Sky.
Grapes of Wrath Redux – Hard Times in Napa Valley Wine CountryThursday, October 22nd, 2009
Napa's in the Bay Area, right? It's super close to San Francisco. So let's take a look and see how the Great Recession of 2007-???? (aka the "late-2000s recession") is affecting our Neighbor to the North.
Let's start with the view from the St. Helena Highway, aka Route 29, aka Main Street. (It's the main drag for the whole entire valley, you know.) Here's the old Radio Flyer on the train tracks motif:
What happens if you can't afford the rent and a car? What happens if you, as many in Napa and Sonoma counties have done before you, get a DUI or two and you lose your license to drive? How do you get to work or the store without a car? Let's take a look:
Napa can't afford sidewalks? Apparently. Of course, if you're on a bicycle (not recommended) you would pedal along on the shoulder/breakdown lane, but if you're on your feet, well, remember all the drunk drivers? I mean, DWI is a Way of Life up there.
I mean, bacon-rich Cincinnati has its local Hog Report so shouldn't lush-rich Napa have a local DUI Report? Oh wait, it does!
By the way, be sure to "Avoid the 9" policing agencies that will bust you:
"Napa County Sheriff's Office, the Napa Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, St. Helena Police Department, Calistoga Police Department, the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, Napa Valley College, American Canyon Police Department and Napa County Probation."
OMG, can you believe that bucolic Napa has (or had) 2400(!!!!) outstanding DUI arrest warrants? Mercy!
Anywho, walking in Napa is no picnic. Perhaps it makes the most sense to just amble on the old train tracks (which, of course, are the newish home of the despised (and beloved) Napa Valley Wine Train.)
But what about the wineries, how are they doing? Well, the Disneyesque Robert Mondavi Winery had no waiting for their famous 75-minute Signature Tour and Tasting on a recent balmy October Sunday. (Of course, back in the day, the place was packed to the gills, reservations required.)
And how about Francis Ford Coppola's Rubicon Estate, where they have mandatory valet service and a red carpet and where they don't let you in without a $25 cover?
Well here it is, during Sunday primetime, it was totally wide open. A handful of cars in the lot, no valets, no $25 charge, it's just y'all come down.
Now let's head up to St. Helena proper, where the millionaires live and you can buy Rolexeses and high end choco all you want? Let's check out David's Jewelers, Since 1976:
Dave has sweet window displays (man, that Rolex fish, that's art ready to hang, baby)…
…but no goods to sell. Uh oh.
There are Halloween decorations but that's it. It's closed down, apparently. Oh well.
And let's not even think about heading Further North to the St. Helena Premium Outlets place. Cue tumbleweeds.
So, what's worse:
Busy, crowded Napa Valley; or
Ghost town* Napa Valley?
That's a tough choice for some people. Oh well.
But now's your chance to get on up there and see what it was like back in the day, before Napa became a major tourist destination. COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts isn't around anymore, but all the other places will be staffed with folks happy to see you, I'm sure.
I almost wanted to buy something, but then I remembered about the Buy Local Movement. I'm not a local, really, so I probably shouldn't spend my hard-earned up there.
But you, you're welcome to visit, especially before things pick up again in the Spring of 2010.
See you there!
*Be aware that the Great Recession has seemed to pass by the popular eateries, such as Mustards Grill (man, it's tough to get in there), Taylor's Automatic Refresher (busy, busy, but the wait isn't too long) and Yountville's bestarred (c'mon, it's a word) The French Laundry (forget about it).
A Sign of the Times – Empty Parking Spaces on 9th Avenue in the Inner SunsetSunday, March 22nd, 2009
The once-bustling, prideful Inner Sunset area of San Francisco is now just like the Land of Wind and Ghosts due to our recent economic problems. You won't find six empty parking spaces a stone's throw away from num num Park Chow restaurant at 9:00 PM on a weekend night, but during the week, maybe you will.
Thusly. Click to expand:
At least we still have the swirling fog on most nights. Brrrr.
Cue tumble weeds…


text:
Hi I am writing a poker code that mainly implements the use of Arrays.
I am kinda confused on these certain methods I have to make.
Please help me correct something If I am doing something wrong.
Thank you.
Constructor Summary
Card(int value, int suit)
Standard constructor.
Method Summary
int getSuit()
"Getter" for suit of Card.
int getValue()
"Getter" for value of Card.
java.lang.String toString()
Returns the name of the card as a String.
Constructor Detail
public Card(int value, int suit)
Standard constructor.
value - 1 through 13; 1 represents Ace, 2 through 10 for numerical cards, 11 is Jack, 12 is Queen, 13 is King
suit - 0 through 3; represents Spades, Hearts, Clubs, or Diamonds
Method Detail
public int getValue()
"Getter" for value of Card.
value of card (1-13; 1 for Ace, 2-10 for numerical cards, 11 for Jack, 12 for Queen, 13 for King)
public int getSuit()
"Getter" for suit of Card.
suit of card (0-3; 0 for Spades, 1 for Hearts, 2 for Clubs, 3 for Diamonds)
/**[B]public Deck()[/B] -- This constructor initializes the Deck with 52 card objects,
representing the 52 cards that are in a standard deck. The cards must be ordered
as in the diagram below: **/
public class Deck {
private Card[] cards;
public Deck() {
this.cards = new Card[52]; //index [0,51]
int index = 0;
for (int suit = 0; suit <= 3; suit++){
for (int value = 1; value <= 13; value++){
this.cards[index] = new Card(value, suit);
/** Important: The FIRST card in your array should be the Ace of Spades,
and the LAST card should be the King of Diamonds.
Note that in the picture above, the Ace of Spades
is at the TOP of the deck, which is to the left. **/
public Deck(Deck other) /** -- Standard copy constructor.
Note that it is okay to make a shallow copy of the array of cards.
(The Card class is immutable, so aliasing Cards is not a problem.) **/
this.cards = other.cards;
public Card getCardAt(int position) /**-- Returns the card that is at the specified position in the array.
(Uses the usual 0-based indexing.)**/
int position = this.cards.getValue; //Don't understand how this getter works.
public int getNumCards() /** -- Returns the size of the array of Cards. (It starts off equal to 52, but becomes smaller as cards are dealt from the deck.)**/
this.cards = new Cards [this.cards.length-i] //Confused about how to do this


text:
McGovern Makes Bleak Beckett Sing at Radar Fest: Jeremy Gerard
Long-limbed and jowly, with animated eyebrows, the Irish actor Barry McGovern looks like the Samuel Beckett clowns he was born to play.
His latest is the shambling title character in "Watt" his adaptation of an early Beckett novel. First presented at Dublin's Gate Theatre in October, it's now taking up 55 mesmerizing minutes at the Public Theater's invaluable Under the Radar festival. (Oddly, this was a show the festival's eccentric managers insisted reviewers not review.)
Watt is a precursor of the rootless, untethered hobos who populate so many of Beckett's plays and so is a natural for transition to the stage. McGovern, best known here for another Beckett solo show, "I'll Go On," appears on the darkened Newman Theater stage in formal tails and brown saddle shoes, with little more than a couple of chairs as props.
Watt is a wanderer who unexpectedly finds himself in the service of the provincial Mr. Knott (the continuing Watt-Knott references amount to an existentialist riff on Abbott and Costello's "Who's On First?" routine). The now-butler reveals in droll, often intimate detail the minutiae of daily life, work, his poignant relationship with a one-breasted maid and, ultimately, his almost shocking departure for parts unknown.
Aided by James McConnell's subtle shifts of golden lighting and the unobtrusive but clearly firm director's hand of Tom Creed, McGovern brings us into Watt's circumscribed world with an economy of riveting gestures -- an arm flung thus, a leg jetting so. But it is his voice, never pushing, always just shy of archness, that most captivates. It's an astonishing piece, even with its bleak-as-night ending.
Performances continue through Jan. 16 at 425 Lafayette St. Information: +1-212-967-7555; http://www.undertheradarfestival.com Rating: ****
What the Stars Mean: **** Do Not Miss *** Excellent ** Average * Below Par (No stars) Avoid
(Jeremy Gerard is a theater critic and editor for Muse, the arts and leisure section of Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)
To contact the writer of this column: Jeremy Gerard in New York at email@example.com.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Manuela Hoelterhoff at email@example.com.


text:
What you can do before settling down for the night to ensure the best skin possible.
During the day, your skin takes a beating. From the wind, the sun, and the elements outdoors to the dry heat found indoors, your skin faces all sorts of foes. Thankfully, you have a few hours every day during which you can give your skin the love and care it requires to look its best. Wondering when these hours occur? They're at night, as you sleep.
If you want to give your skin a helping hand as you catch some Zs, give these tips a try before hitting the hay tonight, tomorrow night, and every night.
Sleepy Face Tip 1: Moisten Your Mug
Remember all the ways you challenged your skin during the day? Make it up to your face and the rest of your epidermis with a good moisturizing lotion at night. Go with a moisturizer that contains retinol or peptides to give your skin a helping hand in the restoration process. Do it every night and your skin will feel fantastic in the morning and look great throughout the day.
Sleepy Face Tip 2: Wash It Off
Regardless of how hard your day may be, you should never go to bed with a face full of makeup. Give your face the chance to rejuvenate by wiping all the products off your face you applied in the morning and afternoon. Just be sure to avoid harsh soaps that will rob your skin of its natural moisture. Instead, go with a two-in-one face wash that also contains moisturizer. With this, you let your face breathe by removing your makeup and give your moisturizer a bit of help at the same time. You may also consider towelettes made specifically for removing makeup, as they, too, gently remove unwanted makeup residue from your skin.
Sleepy Face Tip 3: Rest Well
The process of sleeping is itself helpful to your skin's health. As you sleep, the dead cells on the surface of your skin are replaced by new, fresh, vibrant cells. In order to have the greatest number of dead cells replaced, you'll need to get as much deep sleep as possible. Help yourself to better sleep by eating your last bite a few hours before bedtime, taking a warm shower, following a bedtime routine that lets your brain know what time it is, and writing down your to-do list for tomorrow in order to prevent yourself from worrying your way out of good sleep.
Sleepy Face Tip 4: Face the Ceiling
You've removed all the makeup from your face and have walked yourself through your bedtime routine. It's now time to go to sleep. But don't just toss your body in the bed any old way. If you really want to go the extra mile to help your skin look its best-particularly the skin on your face-there is one more thing you'll need to sleep on your back with your face looking directly at the ceiling. It may seem silly, but there may be dirt and grime hidden on your pillowcase that will keep your face from looking its best. Have a passion for sleeping on your side? Be sure to keep your pillowcase clean!
Good Morning, Good Skin
As you know, good skin takes around-the-clock care. Following a good night of skin-rejuvenating sleep, you should take steps to help your skin in the morning.
For the best skin from the moment you wake up, start the day with a light cleansing of your face. If you use makeup, go for something that won't clog up your skin's pores. You should also spend some time moisturizing in the morning. Go for moisturizer that includes sun block and you'll double your skin's protection throughout the day!


text:
Over 100 Years of Trusted Experience
SAI proudly serves customers of all sizes to include government facilities, healthcare providers, data centers, Fortune 500 companies and Int'l OEM customers worldwide.
Complete Customization at Every Stage
Our own in-house electrical, mechanical and control unit engineering teams are capable of fully customizing any element of your design so your Electrical Distribution System will perform exactly as you need it to.
Quality & Value with Reduced Lead Time
SAI delivers the value of custom solutions in substantially reduced lead-times to meet your demanding construction schedules, with exacting controls over the entire process from design to build to test.
24 x 7 Support
365 days a year
SAI provides full product life cycle support for all of its products and services. Your SAI installation remains as worry free as the day you purchased it.
Retrofit & Upgrade Capabilities
With the knowledge and experience to upgrade existing switchgear lines with the state of the art solutions, we provide customers with new functionality – at a fraction of the cost.
Integrated Solutions
& Offerings
Due to long standing partnerships in the industry, SAI has the resources to add products, engineered services and installation to our Scope of Work and manage your entire power infrastructure


text: Module Name: pkgsrc Committed By: abs Date: Sat Oct 20 09:07:14 UTC 2001 Modified Files: pkgsrc/mk/bulk: bsd.bulk-pkg.mk Log Message: When working out if an installed package should be left as it matches one of the DEPENDS, the bulk-build system looked up the package in the INDEXFILE, then used the pkgdir returned to check against the DEPENDS. If for some reason the package was not found in the index file the package was left installed as 'requires installed package'. To generate a diff of this commit: cvs rdiff -r1.28 -r1.29 pkgsrc/mk/bulk/bsd.bulk-pkg.mk Please note that diffs are not public domain; they are subject to the copyright notices on the relevant files.


text:
A bereaved husband who torched all his wife's money because he was so upset about her dying is now being sued by her lover who is demanding he replaces the cash.
Navpreet Walia, 40, says he was so deranged with grief at the premature death of his estranged wife Jocelyn that he "literally burned" the £68,000 in cash that represented the whole of her estate, London's Appeal Court heard.
Mr Walia, of Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, as his wife's next of kin, was her sole heir when she died without making a will at the age of just 38, in March 2011, despite the couple having separated some years previously.
Now the "articulate and intelligent" husband is being sued by his wife's partner and her two young children, in what a judge described as "a family tragedy [turned] into a modern day version of Jarndyce and Jarndyce."
Jarndyce v Jarndyce is a fictional court case concerning the fate of a large inheritance in the novel Bleak House by Charles Dickens.
Lord Justice Davis, sitting in the Appeal Court, heard that the couple married in July 2003, and had daughter Emma, now aged eight, before Mrs Walia left the matrimonial home in Lancaster and formed a new relationship.
She had another child, this time a son, Philip, now four, with her new partner, Felipe Lim.
Because Mrs Walia had not made a will before her death from cancer, everything she owned – including her half share of a £130,000 life insurance policy and the equity in the home they once shared – was inherited by her estranged husband.
But Mr Lim and Mrs Walia's children claimed a share of the estate and Judge David Hodge ruled last year at Manchester High Court that they were entitled to "reasonable provision" from the money she left behind.
Mr Walia, however, insists that his late wife's estate is insolvent and that he burnt all her cash to ashes whilst in a state he described as "more than upset" following her passing.
Describing the case as "somewhat unusual", Mr Walia's counsel, Neil Vickery, told Lord Justice Davis that he could lose his home if he has to replace the money he incinerated.
Simon Charles, for Mr Lim and the children, said: "It has admitted frankly that the money has been burnt. This is conduct that one should bear in mind when considering whether to grant Mr Walia the indulgence which he seeks.
"My clients have some difficulty accepting that the money has gone," he added, although he accepted that bank records showed that "tens of thousands of pounds" had been withdrawn from the account holding the late Mrs Walia's money around the time that her husband says he burnt it.
Mr Charles added: "Mr Walia says the money has been burnt. If the money has been burnt, it doesn't stop a judgment being entered against other assets held by Mr Walia."
Lord Justice Davis granted Mr Walia permission to appeal, on condition that, within 10 days, he signs a sworn statement, "giving details of exactly how, where and when the money was literally burnt."
Invoking Charles Dickens' Bleak House, the judge said: "This is a relatively modest estate. All this has turned this family tragedy into a modern day version of Jarndyce and Jarndyce.
"Mr Walia has suffered significant bereavements in the last year or so; not only his wife had died but [other family members] have been lost.
"There is some evidence he has been suffering from a significant depressive illness [although] he is clearly an articulate and intelligent man.
"I have been told by Mr Vickery, on instructions from Mr Walia, that some £68,000 has been burnt at some stage by Mr Walia.
"If that is so, the circumstances in which that happened must be clearly identified – where, when and the circumstances in which the burning took place and whether any other person was present at the time".
The judge added: "I have come to the conclusion that it would be right to grant permission to appeal.
"Mr Walia must, within 10 days, state by affidavit exactly what has happened to the proceeds of the insurance policy".
And, in a warning shot, the judge concluded: "This is an affidavit, which if found to be untruthful, will attract a sanction from the court."
Outside court afterwards, when asked if he had burnt the money because he was upset at his wife's death, Mr Walia said: "Yes, I was more than upset, but I don't want to say any more about it at the moment. I'll put it all down in the affidavit for the judge."
If Mr Walia does not file the affidavit within the 10-day deadline, his appeal will be automatically dismissed.
Widower who 'torched' wife's money now being sued by her lover
Judge describes court case as being like that of Jarndyce v Jarndyce in Charles Dickens's novel Bleak House
News agencies
December 9, 2013
The Telegraph


text:
The last time we spoke here, I was telling you about how my Magnificent Melbourne Holiday started with a foray into raw vegan cheesecake at Yong Green Food. Now I'm going to mess with your sense of time and space by jumping to the fourth day of my Magnificent Melbourne Holiday. This is not because the second and third days were miserable or non-blog worthy. Quite the opposite, in fact. I spent Friday and Saturday discovering that my BFF is really and truly my BFF, and I'm so full of happy when I think about that time that I'm yet to find the words to express myself properly.
Also, she has several incriminating photos of me that I might need to steal. So I'll get back to you on that…
Duck's Gizzards, anyone? Anyone?
Those of you who've been visiting me here for awhile might have picked up on my undying love for the ABC show SeaChange. SeaChange was, and remains, one of the best Australian television programs ever (true story).
I grew up watching it with my family, and in recent months have watched all three seasons again, twice, simultaneously, emotionally-engagedly, with my housemate at Smurf Home and with my mother at Her Home.
So you might be able to guess that I was a leeeeetle bit excited when I recently discovered that the filming of SeaChange was based at Barwon Heads, which is an hour and a half out of Melbourne.
And I was a leeeeetle bit more excited when my brother suggested we go there today to take advantage of the beautiful hot and sunny Melbourne weather.
The part at the back, with the dolphin, is Diver Dan's Boatshed. Ohmigoshsquee.
This is how I felt about being in SeaChange territory on a beautiful warm summer's day with my wonderful brother and the smell of salty air (theme song reference alert):
This is how my brother felt about being in SeaChange territory on a beautiful warm summer's day with his magnificent sister and the smell of salty air:
I ate enormous prawns that were almost as big as my feet (true story) with a rich mayonnaise-y Marie Rose sauce, and remembered how much I don't like de-heading shellfish. Or de-heading anything, for that matter.
Luckily, the pictures of the SeaChange cast on the way to the bathroom at At The Heads, the restaurant attached to Diver Dan's Boatshed at which we were dining, made up for the prawn peeling.
As did driving across what was once the SeaChange bridge, although I think it's been rebuilt since filming. (I can't really get too upset about that, though. Everyone who's ever watched SeaChange knows that the bridge was always getting rebuilt.)
Unfortunately, I didn't spot Diver Dan or Max anywhere in Barwon Heads, but I guess I'm okay with that.
It was a beautiful day anyway.


text:
Date: 25-12-2016
DHAKA - President Md. Abdul Hamid has urged all to play an effective role from their respective position in further strengthening the tradition of communal harmony in the country.
Home | Contact us | Sitemap
© Copyright 2009, Bangabhaban - Bangladesh, all rights reserved.
Financed by Support to ICT Task Force (SICT) , Planing Division. Developed by : Ethics Advanced Technology Ltd. (EATL)


text:
Sometimes there's nothing wrong in wallowing in self-pity, to help you get over an upsetting experience.
According to a new book, appreciating the simple things and making tiny changes to your life can make a world of difference. Gabrielle Fagan explores its sanity-saving list
LAZY lie-ins, neatly avoiding a Monday morning feeling or simply having time for a leisurely walk are treats many of us will have appreciated over a bank holiday weekend.
But generally, we probably underestimate the healing power of the small pleasures in life to boost our wellbeing and enrich our lives.
"Good bread, warm towels, crisp mornings, girls' nights out, eating the froth on the cappuccino are ordinary things which can make life worth living," says Maeve Haran, who found fame with her first novel, Having It All, and whose latest book is Small Pleasures To Save Your Life.
She entertainingly details a host of little things in life which can help lift our mood — small changes which can make us more efficient and therefore less stressed, and life tips which can just generally help us smile more often.
"In a world where change is fast and we often can't control it, we can sometimes feel powerless and stressed and find it hard to take pleasure in anything," says Haran, a mother of two daughters.
"So what can you rely on which isn't immoral, illegal or wildly expensive to make you feel that, despite all this, life is wonderful? The answer is small pleasures." Her suggestions in the book range from blackberry picking to gossiping and flirting, through to taking a candle-lit bath or simply relishing the small, comforting routines of plumping cushions and folding freshly laundered sheets.
Haran has some favourite ways to bring pleasure, order and calm to her life.
"You can get real pleasure from doing something you've been really dreading," she says. "The pleasure comes in that you've done it at all, and it usually wasn't as bad as you thought, and possibly you've achieved some sort of result.
"From time to time, I try to see the city I live in as if I were a visitor. I ask myself what I'd do if I were only here for a weekend," she says.
We live in a culture which is dedicated to 'moving on' and anyone who hasn't recovered from their relationship break-up, job loss or pet's death within three months is considered a wimp, she says.
"Actually, I think it's perfectly justifiable to wallow, make late-night phone calls to your friends, moan endlessly, hide under the bed covers and ignore all housework as long as you need," she says.
"By leaving 10 minutes early, you give yourself the incredibly precious gift of not being stressed," she says.
"You may even have time for a relaxed cappuccino (and its froth), instead of a racing heart, a sense of failure at your own inefficiency, and a nasty attack of high anxiety."
Spending too much can be a dizzying pleasure, but an even greater one lies in keeping some money back, she says.
¦ Small Pleasures To Save Your Life by Maeve Haran is published by Hay House.
© Irish Examiner Ltd. All rights reserved


text:
We are so glad to have been welcomed into the community during our first year in this location. Nature's First Pharmacy welcomes all patrons to shop our extensive line of products, durable medical supplies, or discuss their prescriptions with our pharmacists. All questions are welcome and we would love to see you come back to chat with us again.
Nature's First Pharmacy is directly by Stuyvesant Town
Telephone: (212) 228-7900
Fax: (212) 228-7700
Email: email@example.com
|Store Hours:
|Pharmacy / Prescription Department
|Monday – Friday: 9am to 8pm
|Monday – Friday: 9am to 7pm
|Saturday: 9am to 6pm
|Saturday: 10am to 5pm
|Sunday: Closed
|Sunday: Closed
Come visit us at:
313 First Avenue (1st Ave) and the corner of 18th Street
New York, NY 10003
Located in the Lower East Side of NYC
For more information, you can read our reviews on Yelp
Please connect with us on Facebook and Twitter


text:
Becoming Our Destiny
True success is more than riches or fame or power. It's being who God destined us to be, from the heart. It's honoring God and loved ones. Read more about it and write your thoughts on true success. Let's help and support each other. NOTE: Some of the headers may be hyperlinks.
Friday, December 23, 2005
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Christmas gift: Healed relationships
My wife and I were recently discussing a relationship I have, barely, with somebody I would like to be closer with. Since I felt he hadn't pursued spending time with me (I feel I'm usually the one who initiates communication and plans to get together), I decided to let it remain at the status quo. After all, I thought, why bother? Does he feel that things are fine the way they are? Maybe he's not aware of how I feel. But my wife is challenging me to not leave it at that. She suggested I wish him a Merry Christmas, and then see if he initiates something in the near future. It needs to be a two-way street.
Part of the reason I've balked at moving forward is because it's scary. Will he accuse me of putting him down, saying "So you think I don't care? How could you?" Will he say, "I don't know what you mean. Things are fine between us." Will the initial moments of communication be so awkward that I'll wonder if it's so much easier to give up and say, "Well, I tried, but that's just the way it is"?
I'm sure I could have done better in our relationship. We need to talk about it and find out where we are, why we are there, where we want to go, and how best to get there. If it's not meant to be, then that's how it will have to be. But I shouldn't leave so many questions hanging.
Initially, I was frustrated that my wife brought it up. I wanted her to commiserate with my pouting. But she has always been one who, though she loves me as I am, cares enough to want me to make the best out of life. She wants me to have the best relationships possible. I am a much better person because of her prayers, support, and encouragement. And tough love. Sometimes even us adults need tough love.
Please pray for me during this time, that I will have the words to say, the proper timing, and the love and courage with which to say them. And if you are in a similar situation, let me know and I'll pray for you too.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
The Real Santa Claus
Gene Edward Veith at World Magazine shows us the real Santa Claus, a devout Christian named Nicholas of Myra, who participated as a delegate to the Council of Nicea in AD 325. He personally knew the One who provided him, and fellow believers, a better gift than he could ever deliver: eternal life. And he would likely be appalled at who he has (supposedly) morphed into.
HT to Doulos at Random Responses, where this article is linked from.
A (recycled) Christmas poem
Here's a poem I wrote a couple of years back. Yes, unlike my stepson, I'm too lazy to actually work on something new! ;)
Christmas in Old Clothes
Christmas glitter gilds the town
Far as the eye can see:
Garland strung on every house,
Lights bright'ning every tree.
Shoppers shop until they drop;
The merchants clap with glee.
Wide-eyed children gape at gifts
They long for desperately.
A young boy and his sister
Hear Mom and Dad decree:
"Christmas cannot come to us
This year, unless it's free."
"Christmas free? How can that be?!"
Most shopping ads agree.
"Oh how indeed!" they wonder,
Those siblings, weepingly.
Just then they spot a veteran-
His smile wide as the sea-
Come to house of boy and girl
Where Christmas shall not be.
Their parents stare in wonder:
"He's far worse off than we.
His clothing looks so ragged,
And yet he's so carefree."
"I have a gift," he tells them.
The children shout, "Whoopee!"
While Mom and Dad both whisper,
"What kind of fool is he?"
He speaks to them of comfort
And precious majesty
That he has learned to notice
Since Christmas came for free.
"I've spent my share and then some,
And much has come to me
In packages and parcels
Which lie beneath the tree.
"Behold my few possessions;
Yet foolish would I be
To trade them for those presents
I loved so jealously.
"For in my heart is Jesus;
Look in my eyes and see
A joy, which He has given,
And which He offers thee."
For Jesus says, 'Where's Christmas
Amid this revelry?
Why do you have the season
And yet think not of Me?'"
"Kind sir, would you please tell us
How you expect that we
Could dare to ask for Jesus,
Yet offer poverty?
"Our rent's past due three months now;
Our bills we cannot meet.
The landlord has just warned us
We'll soon be on the street."
"Please listen, my dear people,
And take a look at me;
For what I have to give Him
Is only what you see.
"I too was shamed to face Him-
'What wretchedness you be,'
I've heard the folks of this town
Spew hatefully at me."
And yet I'm God's dear child;
While they, though rich may be,
Do worship worthless riches;
That's all the heav'n they see.
"You need to, therefore, offer
Yourselves on bended knee,
And hearts that are repentant
Toward Christ who died for thee."
"This gift, it is so precious.
What kind of Savior, He,
Who offers richest pardon
By perishing for me?
"Is that all He requires,
No costly gift or fee,
No presents He can open
From underneath a tree?"
"Please turn from holding onto
That which you now believe:
That gifts He holds most precious
Are underneath a tree.
"For we do quite insult Him
When giving as though we
Can gain from Him a present
Which He has granted free."
"Oh, let us now Him follow;
Let no more fettered be
Our hearts to dying riches.
He's joy, eternally."
Our son is so gifted
My wife and I, along with her friend, watched our son's school production of Christmas Comes to Detroit Louie (see yesterday's post). He performed so well. I look forward to seeing him continue to blossom and show the world the gift God has given him. He doesn't merely recite in monotone. He gets into the character. That's quite special for a young teen. There's another play coming up in the Spring. Not sure what it is yet, but my wife and I are looking forward to it.
If you get a chance, read the script. There's a definite Christian message within. Being a public school, they had to tone it down somewhat, but I think they did mention the Bible and the "baby in the manger," so that's better than a lot of public schools. From what I could tell, there were no outcries of protest against it. Also, our son prayed with the other kids prior to the rehearsal and the play. He said it was OK since it was student initiated.
I pray that the true message of Christmas got through to the people who were watching. That the kids prayed in advance leads me to be encouraged about that.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
How to fail: Get excited about planning, not doing
I can get so excited about planning my life and my upcoming days. I have a pretty good picture of what I want to be down the road. Each month I take the time to think through and pray about what I can do for each key role (Faith, Fitness, Family, Friends, Favor, Finances, Firm, Fun) to move toward the vision I believe God has for me.
I put a check mark next to the things I've completed, and an X next to those things I neglected to do. So often at the end of the month, there are too many X's. So, I'll read something about motivation or inspiration or mission building, and I'll get all excited about next month. "OK, I'm really ready to rocket ahead this time," I tell myself. And yet as the month goes on, I'll realize I'm not keeping up.
Am I putting too much on my plate? Am I unfocused (I believe that is a problem of mine)? Do I depend too much on how I feel (probably)?
As for the "how I feel," I know that when I react to what I want to do rather than prioritizing what's best to do--despite the initial feelings, I end up feeling worse in the end than if I did what was best--which ultimately leads to good feelings.
How about you? Are you sometimes too big-eyed about your plans for your life? If you are falling behind your plans, do you think it's because you can't or won't keep up? What's holding you back? I'd love to hear some advice and testimonies. God bless. Let's be doers and not just planners.
A star of a son
My 14-year-old stepson has landed the starring role of Detroit Louie in his school's production of Christmas Comes to Detroit Louie. He has shown his acting proficiency in past productions, and I believe he will excel in this play and in future acting endeavors. He stood out in as Mr. Potter in It's a Wonderful Life. My wife and I helped him rehearse for both plays, and he was so into it. I think it's great that a young teen can develop such a passion for something that can be so productive. God willing he'll have plenty more opportunities to show the talents God has given to him.
What are some things your children have done that have made you proud, and that have made you see something of a future talent or gift in them? For those of you with adult children, when did you first get the impression that they would become who they are now?
Thursday, December 15, 2005
What inspires you to change?
Earlier this week, I ministered to some teens at a nearby youth detention center. It's always an honor to bring God's word and love to these young men and women who have gone astray but who are now trying to get on the right path. When I finished, the pastor over that ministry thanked me, but added that I might want to include more of my personal experiences when I speak with them.
I can see his point. If they can see some of the struggles I've been through, even what I'm going through now, they'll realize that we all have it tought. We all make mistakes. And we stumble and get up, stumble some more, move forward, and so it goes.
Hopefully my blog has been at least somewhat balanced between talking of my failures and successes, giving examples of failures and successes from the news, and inspiration from Scripture. At least until heaven, only God will know what impact my words (and those who minister with their own blogs) will have. And I'm thankful for the feedback I've received from those who grace my blog with their presence.
I don't like reading blogs that only give instruction, with nary a word about their own person experience, including mistakes along the way. Maybe because they lack the human touch? Nor do I seek out those blogs that merely describe a person's day in the life (though these do seem to be quite popular; to each his own, I say). I guess I see the focus of my blog as a ministry. Some people like to just like to chat, and that's fine. Not every blog has to make a point of changing people.
But for those of you who like reading blogs that inspire you to grow into a better person, what do you look for? A slice of life mixed with instruction? Or more of one or the other? I'd love to hear from you on this. God bless.
about me, faith, health and wellness, my life, religion
This color doesn't run
The purple finger of an Iraqi voter who braved the perils of election day. God bless them all.
Tags: Iraq, news and politics, world news, terrorism
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
OK, so it may not be the whole truth, but aren't we tired of news agencies focusing on the bad news so that we grow more and more cynical? Have you viewed the site? What's your opinion?
Cute, but it's been done before
Mayor Roberto Pereira da Silva has proposed banning death as a way to protest a bill banning expansion or construction of cemeteries in their town.
Of course, about 2000 years ago Jesus "banned" spiritual death for those who believe on and trust in Him for new life. I know it won't happen, but imagine if God had to be concerned about heaven overflowing? Well, at the very least may the knowledge of Jesus Christ as the heart of the Christmas season greatly increase the number of future residents of heaven.
Tags: Mayor Roberto Pereira da Silva, Christmas
Depraved Iranian President
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claims the Holocaust is a myth, and that Israel should be moved or wiped off the map.
Because of his power of office and of influence, Hitler and his propaganda machine convinced millions of Europeans that the Jews were deserving of sub-human status and, ultimately, extinction. President Ahmadinejad status will no doubt lead many Iranians to follow suit. Israel and the Jews have not exactly been honored by Europeans and the Middle East, so this will add fuel to an already smoldering fire. Unless there continues to be widespread denunciation of these comments, and unless the Iranian government itself takes President Ahmadinejad to task, a major conflagration could result.
The Bible says that to whom much is given, much will be required (Luke 12:48). The Lord has allowed the Iranian president his power (Romans 13:1), so that president is responsible to consider his thoughts before he puts them into words, especially knowing he may lead millions of Iranians to believe as he does.
I wield a much smaller reign. My influence is limited to my family and, to a lesser extent, the couples group my wife and I lead. I can't be sure how much the people in our group follow my words or example, but the fact I have been granted a leadership position by my church means they expect me, along with my wife, to influence for good and for God. If we are not having an impact, our leadership is little more than figurative. Believe me, I'm far from developing a cult of personality--in fact, I am very humbled by the fact I was even considered for co-leading the group. I realize that as a leader with the potential to influence a small group of people, I am ultimately responsible to God to a greater degree than if I didn't have such authority.
Dear Lord, please help this president see how his outrageous comments can cause grave harm. Open his eyes to the truth, especially the truth of who you are. Thank You for allowing my wife and I to lead our couples group. We are humbled and honored to be chosen, and may we honor and glorify You and bless those under our care. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Tags: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran, president, leadership
The devil's in the details
Click the header for the story.
Are some cases of mental illness spiritually driven? Did this woman's history with Voodoo and Santeria mess up not only her spirit but also her mind? Either way, a 17-month-old girl, Ruby, is now dead because of this woman. May the Lord help her see the tragedy of dabbling in false religions, for they are of the devil. And may the court have wisdom in discerning what her frame of mind was when she killed her daughter.
Tags: Dawn Serrena Young, Ruby Young
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
The real center of Christmas
My good friend and mentor Louise Bergmann DuMont gets to the heart of Christmas and cuts through the peripherals. Let's not forsake those fun and comforting things, but may we leave them secondary to why Jesus ultimately came.
Click the header for her post.
Sweet Christmas story
OldGuy has a touching Christmas story (click the header above). Such are the gifts that really matter.
"Let's go outside," or "Let it slide"?
I forgot my cell phone this morning. How do you respond when you forget things, when you make mistakes? I too often choose (I guess I should realize it is a choice) to beat myself down. "How stupid!" and "I'm such an idiot" come forth too easily. True, there are times when I'll be more decent to myself (and, I suppose, even times where I'll be too easy on myself).
My criticism also extends to others who have directly or indirectly wronged me. Too often (again) it's a reaction rather than a carefully thought out response. Which usually leads to an angry counter-reaction from those people, or they are totally oblivious to my anger. Either way, I must question whether my actions have led them to be more responsible, polite, etc. And I all the more must question whether I have glorified and pleased God (so many times I have been ashamed that I have a Christian fish symbol on my car after I have acted in a quite un-Christian manner).
I hate when I act so angrily toward myself and others. Rarely do I look back after the fact and say, "Boy, I'm glad I belittled myself," or "That idiot had it coming." Yes, I still want to get angry in a godly way, in a way that helps the person and the situation. I want to be led by the Holy Spirit, not my own flesh.
But why do I get so angry sometimes? Like I said above, it's so often a reaction--it explodes from me. I have snapped at my wife more than once; she was totally taken aback, since I'm usually so mild-mannered. I didn't sit there and carefully consider how my words would impact her or the situation, I just blurted them out. And then deeply regretted it.
So why do I snap? Why do I call myself and others hurtful names? Is it influenced by the fact that certain people did so to me during my childhood? Do I feel that by putting others down, I can make myself seem better (oh, and how often I have railed against those who climb on others backs to success!)? I wrote recently about how busyness keeps me from knowing myself better. This morning I was listening to an old sermon by Pastor Jack Hayford. The title was called, "Integrity of Heart." He said that it's not merely the sin that's the problem, it's when we don't listen to our heart speaking the truth as to how it's doing, and what it needs. I may try to make myself think that I'm helping the situation by yelling at a driver, but deep down I might just want to hurt that person's spirit. Of course, when I react rather than carefully respond, I don't allow myself time to consider my motives. Or, to dig even deeper, I might be ashamed of my own inadequacy in a certain area, so therefore I need to falsely elevate myself by "proving" to myself how bad the other person is.
Do you find that how you respond to your own mistakes parallels or differs from how you respond to the mistakes of others? What is at the core of your responses? Do you usually have a well thought out and helpful response? Or are you still struggling with reacting in hurtful anger? Or maybe you're still reacting improperly, but you've learned some things. In any event, I'd love to hear from you, and pray with you so that we all may grow toward Christlikeness.
Tags: anger management
Friday, December 09, 2005
Getting "back" to normal
Here's a very good rendition of what I looked like this past Sunday night. As I hurried to get stuff out of the car, I stepped on a patch of ice and landed flat on my back. My stepson saw it all, and somehow managed to stifle a laugh (well, at least until the next day, when he repeatedly acted out my accident!). While it was quite painful (I still feel twinges at times), I'm so thankful my head didn't meet the pavement first.
It's ironic that I had been commenting about black ice on the roads not long before. Maybe I'll be reminded next time to be extra careful. After all, dangers are hidden all about, unless we are alert to them.
Just like I should have been more alert then, or this morning when I hit a patch of ice while driving to work and nearly skid into the center divider on the highway.
2 lives down, 7 to go?
By the way, if you get a chance, read some of the wisdom in the posts below. As you can see, I'm struggling in the wisdom area lately!
Christmas banners and children's comments
Check out these wonderful banners, and the beautiful words about them by the kids at Zum Kripplein Christi Lutheran Elementary School. Sorry I didn't see them sooner (they're from December 1). By the way, did you know that Zum Kripplein Christi means "at the little manger of Christ"? May we appreciate the Child in the manger who came to us and grew up for the purpose of saving us from our sins, and giving us abundant life as a bonus.
Matt's Fight
Matt's Fight
Matt had suffered a serious accident, and thank God he's now doing quite well. Send him your well wishes and make his Christmas even better
Do you see things through God's eyes, or your own. William eloquently shows us the blessings of doing the former. A post that, quite interestingly, parallels that of Broken Messenger below.
How Does God View Suffering
Broken Messenger gives us John Piper's view of this. Let him (and me, if you wish) know what you think. I, personally, think it works. God is outside of time, so while we can live in hope for a better tomorrow, He already knows that tomorrow is not a will be, but an is. Maybe the more we're focused on God, the better we'll see things through His eyes.
Paul's Ponderings
Paul at Paul's Ponderings reminds us that we should seek more to serve than to gain power over others. I think it's a good message, especially since Jesus came to earth to serve. May we all find people we can bless with our service this Christmas season.
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Tagged: Seven Sevens
Eph2810 at Sting My Heart tagged me with the following:
Seven things I hope to do before I die:
- Know I did the best I could with what I had
- Be even more happily married
- Watch our children lead godly lives
- Have lots of grandkids
- Travel to Israel
- Travel to Ireland
- Get in better shape (or I will die!!!)
Seven things I cannot do:
- Dance
- Play video games
- Most things involving fixing cars or electronic gadgets
- Get up easily in the morning
- Be around whiners
- Balance the checkbook
- Remember where I put things
Seven things that attract me to my spouse (significant other, best friend):
- The attention she pays me
- Heart for the Lord
- Love of children
- Hugs
- Kisses
- How she has helped me grow
- Her desire to adopt a girl from China
Seven things I say often:
- Outstanding!
- I love you
- I don't remember
- Honey, do you know where I put my...?
- Come here (to my honey, when I want a hug)
- Hi, beautiful (again, to my honey)
- I'm going to be late
Seven books or book series I love (apart from the Bible, which should be obvious)
- Achieving Authentic Success, by Ron Jenson
- What Color is Your Parachute, by Richard Nelson Bolles
- Disciplines of a Godly Man, by R. Kent Hughes
- Over the Top, by Zig Ziglar
- Finishing Well, by Bob Buford
- Invitation to the Classics, by Louise Cowan and Os Guinnes
- The Chronicles of Narnia, by C. S. Lewis
Seven movies I would/do watch over and over again (seems this question has evolved):
- Lord of the Rings
- Casablanca
- Citizen Kane
- Braveheart
- The Patriot
- The Wizard of Oz
- Raiders of the Lost Ark
Seven people I want to join in this seven sevens meme:
Upcoming Iraq elections and true bravery
I heard on news radio this morning that true to form, the terrorists, who hate not having complete control over others, are ramping up their murderous attacks on both military and civilian personnel in a pathetic attempt to keep people from going to the polls in the upcoming elections.
However, I'm betting the numbers at the polls will be impressive. Most Iraqis won't be armed with bombs and others weapons. They'll be armed with a commitment to make Iraq a better country. They'll be armed with the knowledge that to not vote is to allow evil to once again overtake that nation. They've been there. They've seen or heard about the brutalities committed by Saddam and his lackeys. And they know that things could be at least as bad under the rule of these terrorists. So forced to choose between risking their lives now for a better tomorrow, or surrendering to the fear and having no hope for a better tomorrow, I believe that by and large they will choose to step up and vote.
May God grant those terrorists the wisdom to see that they are on the path of destruction, and that only people with a distorted sense of morality support their cause. And may God bless those brave men and women in Iraq who simply want a chance to live a life of dignity and peace.
Help brighten their Christmas and holiday season
Here are some names I found at a reliable source. They are soldiers, wounded in battle, who will be spending their Christmas and holiday season in the hospital. Please take the time to write them a card to say "Merry Christmas," "I'm praying for you," "Thank you for all you're doing," etc.
May the Lord be with these men and women, and may they know that we overwhelmingly support them and thank them.
Capt. James Ollinger
Sgt. Zavian Simspon (that's the way it's spelled, so I assume it's correct)
Specialist Brian Radke
Specialist Jason Braase
Sgt. David Nevins
Sgt. Jose Ramos
Cpl. Todd Bishop
Sgt. Ryan Donnelly
Sgt. Eva Diane Cochran
Send cards and care packages c/o:
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20307-5001
Here's a military site with lots of links that give you opportunities to show support to our troops in various ways. I'm sure they would love to hear from us, especially this time of year.
America Supports You
Iraq, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, America Supports You
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
A great response to a horrible attack
On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii suffered a surprise attack early in the morning. We can argue about whether the bigwigs had an inkling, or more, of what was coming, but the average person just waking up that morning (though some never woke up) had no clue. Wave after wave of Japanese planes decimated several ships and other structures. The response that day from our men and women proved what we are made of. Though shocked and afraid, though hurt and tottering, they worked through their fear, which is what courage is all about, and stood up as best they could to the overwhelming force against them.
Yes, we have proven throughout our history that "these colors don't run." This is just one of many examples, and God willing we'll keep electing leaders who will never give up when our liberties and honor are endangered. And may we keep instilling in our posterity the notion that failure to stand for what's morally right is the prelude to falling for what is morally wrong (I heard that from Zig Ziglar). God bless our great nation, and our brave troops.
Tags: Pearl Harbor, World War II, WWII
Pictures of success and failure
What does authentic, godly success look like? How about failure (again, from God's perspective)? I've decided to brainstorm some ideas here. They are mostly generic; I do need to apply the success parts to specific areas of my life, however.
Of course I don't have all the answers, so please let me know what you think authentic, godly success is. Thanks and may the Lord grant you joy and success in reaching the destiny He has for you.
- Knowing Christ as Savior and Lord. It shouldn't just be about not going to hell, or even only about going to heaven. Yes, these are great things. But our life on earth should reflect our love for and obedience to Him
- Growing into who God created us to be and do
- "The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." (Westminster Shorter Catechism)
- Doing the best we can in all key areas of life (for example, faith (spiritual life, character), fitness (mental, emotional, physical), family, friends, finances (including possessions), firm (career, education), favor (giving, ministry), fun
- Focusing on the roots (what we can control)
- Loving unconditionally (this doesn't mean everybody is our friend, but what we hate is the sin, not the person)
- Loving and honoring our spouses and children
- Having at least a couple close friendships
- Taking responsibility
- Being proactive
- Having a "Judeo-Christian" work ethic
- Taking the necessary actions to grow
- Knowing ourselves well (balancing how we see our strengths and weaknesses
- Feeling deeply
- Learning to see problems as opportunities to grow. Yes, we should grieve deep losses, but we should not allow them to dominate our thinking and emotions for years.
- Rejoicing amid (though certainly not for) problems
- Believing the best about people unless and until they prove otherwise (and then believing that God can redeem even the most lost among us)
- Making the best use of the time we have
- Having an attitude of gratitude
- Loving what's right and hating what's wrong
- Doing the right thing no matter how unpopular it may be
- Knowing our purpose in life, and pursuing it passionately
- Balancing our time alone, with family, with friends, and at work
- Surrendering to God moment by moment
- "Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never." Winston Churchill
OK, that's a start for success. To picture failure, look at some of these and think about what would happen if we did the opposite (e.g., not being thankful, being reactive, trying to please others more than God). I'd love to see what God has put on your heart regarding what authentic success looks like. God bless.
Friday, December 02, 2005
Success means going all out
Waking up to the sunrise and the radio
Feels like I'm tied up, what's holding me?
Just praying today will be the day I go free
I want to live like there's no tomorrow
I want to dance like no one's around
I want to sing like nobody's listening
Before I lay my body down
I want to give like I have plenty
I want to love like I'm not afraid
I want to be the man I was meant to be
I want to be the way I was made
Made in Your likeness, made with Your hands
Made to discover who You are and who I am
All I've forgotten help me to find
All that You've promised let it be in my life
Tags: Chris Tomlin, The Way I Was Made, success, destiny
Thursday, December 01, 2005
My December planner
Here's what I hope to get accomplished in December that will move me closer to the vision I believe God has given me for my life. Earlier today, the following came to mind. The wording may be new, but the message is eternal: "Say yes to the best, no to the rest." If I can say yes to doing those things that are best for God's glory and my ultimate purpose, and no to other things, I'll be doing well. Please pray that I'll be wise in discerning what those things are.
So these are the minimums I expect to do this month. This is not necessarily complete, and is subject to some slight adjustment:
Study notes from church services, pray about how to apply key concepts
Pray with wife each morning when possible
Focus on God's presence
Blog 3 times/week
Read faith-related blogs 3 times/week
Exercise twice weekly (1 aerobics, 1 strength)
Read three times weekly on physical fitness
Journal my thoughts and key happenings daily
Process notes from Achieving Authentic Success, the "success overview" part
Organize office space
Have a decent understanding of job search process
Have basic work accomplishments and goals written in preparation for job search
Buy Christmas presents
Romance my wife more (notes, surprise gifts, a nice date, etc.)
Find ways to spend more time with stepson
Read on China to better understand future adopted daughter's culture
Weekly game night
Get a better understanding of work-provided benefits for adoption
Have a good conversation with each close friend
Read on improving conversation skills
Organize files in briefcase (as you can see, I am not the best at organizing!)
Review finances twice
Be ready to speak at youth detention center
If you are also trying to maximize your life for God's glory, how about letting me and others know what you are going to do this month to move in that direction so we can pray for one another and be accountable? God bless!
BTW, if anybody knows how to make a sticky post for Blogger, please let me know. It would be nice to have this as the first thing to look at each during the month so others can see it and I can truly be held accountable.


text:
Two Police Officers Promoted in Florissant
Florissant Police Chief Timothy Lowery announced two recent promotions in the Florissant Police Department.
Sergeant Daniel Biermann is being promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and Detective Dennis DeHart to the rank of Sergeant. The promotions are necessary to fill staff positions as a result of the recent retirement of Chief William Karabas.
Biermann ahs been with the departmetn for 23 years, serving as a Sergeant for the last five. His most recent assignment was as a supervisor for the Bureau of Field Operations.
DeHart has been with the department for 12 years. He was most recently assigned as a detective for the Bureau of Investigations.
Lowery said that both men possess the leadership qualities required in their positions.
You must be logged in to post a comment.


text:
Superior Strength for Athletes through All-Rounds
John McKean
Fierce looking, amazingly muscular, and sullen , the 181 pound powerlifter sat alone in a corner of the Ambridge VFW gym during one of our 1960s powerlifting meets. Nobody was crazy enough to disturb the thick thighed monster as he death-stared the warmup platform. Except me, of course; the resident nut! Surprisingly gracious and talkative, the young (but already bald & fu-manchu mustashed), record setting squatter explained his very basic leg routine -simply work up in singles from a power rack's parallel pin position, starting dead stop at the bottom (eliminating rebound or "stretch-reflex"), going to an absolute limit, once per week. I'm sure this eventual all time great altered his approach over the years, yet not long ago I heard he became the only master lifter over 50 to set an official squat of over 900 pounds!
A similar power rack approach was taken by legendary Paul Anderson. In a story by Terry Todd, who witnessed the training, mighty Paul had 1050 pounds situated on a below parallel pin position (so low, recalled Todd, that he himself couldn't even squeeze himself under it). Anderson easily got himself up from this dead stop bottom position, many singles during training, figuring such easy work (for HIM!!) would allow a "regular" squat with 1150-1400 pounds!!
Olympian Russ Knipp, who the astounded Russians called one of the strongest pure pressers and squatters they had ever seen, described to me his "2/3 squats". Again, these were performed from dead stop in a position just a hair above parallel. Just over the middleweight bodyweight limit, Russ used to do these for 5 sets of 10 with 515 pounds -and not even pushing it, as they were supplementary exercise for his olympic lifting! Russ told me after this "overload" work, any regular squat always felt easy & he never had trouble getting up from low 400+ pound cleans!
Of course, based on progress by these true giants of lifting, I, at my powerlifting best – an awkward, small boned, unmuscular little 165 pound geek- discovered that rack bottom-start squats took my stalled contest lift of around 450 up to a state record 555 in amazingly rapid time. And this was before super suits, big belts, wraps, and all the other "aids" were around.
OK, enter All-Round lifting -we have LOTS of quality lifts that build the same core strength in dead start fashion, as did the rack pin squats, without the need of a bulky, space consuming power rack station. Think about it – our Jefferson, trap bar deadlift, dumbbell deadlifts, Zercher, and others start with no momentum -on the floor- and work the same important core muscles. If modern athletes would simply adopt a few of our sheer strength movements, they would be WAY ahead on FUNCTIONAL power, as opposed to trying to mimic modern powerlifting's super-duper suited/wrapped, enhanced quarter squats and steel spring shirted, assisted bench presses.
As a long time secondary teacher, I always cringed at the ridiculous weight training that high school and college football, wrestling, and track coaches offered to their athletes. Many times coaches that I knew would simply go to the internet and select bodybuilding style programs, as they themselves had no real experience (and their coaching egos would NEVER have them ask an actual weightlifter!!). I heard of one school's "strength- coach" who had senior football players do nothing but curls(!!!!), and another who trained female soccer players, but not allow anything heavier, ever, than 3 pound dumbbells! Equally upsetting were the athletic departments that would tell the youngsters to just do the powerlifts on their own -yep, more quarter squats, bounced bench presses, deadlift injuries, and the ever present assistance gear that easily conned kids bought on their own!
It seems to me that we in the USAWA could maybe initiate all-round contests or, at least, seminars, on high school & college campuses to demonstrate the superiority of our "old time" training methods. Certainly we could really help athletic programs that could use REAL strength training for their students, and, who knows, our base of competition oriented lifters could expand tremendously!


text:
|There are lots of different directions you could take this project. We added a pocket on the back for holding a written story that we added later.
For a convenient pdf of this lesson, visit my Teachers Pay Teachers Store!
Materials (per student):
(*Each "page" of your tunnel book will require two – 4×6 cards. These instructions are for the four "page" book shown.)
1. Begin by reading a few haiku poems to your students, so they get the feel for the structure of the verse. Choose haiku that focus on nature as a theme, as you find in traditional Japanese haiku. Explain that a haiku does not need to rhyme. Titles are optional.
2. Show how each of the 3 lines has a specific number of syllables (5,7,5). Practice by clapping out the syllables in the haiku you just read.
3. Pass out post cards and have students write a nature-themed haiku to go with their postcard. The first line (5 syllables) introduces their subject, the 2nd line (7 syllables) continues describing it, and the 3rd line (5 syllables) completes the idea. (A "What Am I?" haiku is fun for kids…. the student uses the haiku to describe something in the picture without naming it, somewhat like a riddle.) Tunnel Book:
1. First, make the hinged sides of your book by folding each of your 3"x4" index cards accordion style: fold in half lengthwise ("mountain fold"), then fold each loose edge up ("valley fold") to line up with the fold in the middle.
2. Next, put a little glue along the inside edge of two of your hinges, and place them on the left and right sides of the back of your post card. Repeat this step for each 4×6 card.
3. Then, center your 2 ½" x 4 ½" card on each of the 4×6 cards and trace around it. These will be your pages and your "cover".
4. Write one line of your haiku across the top of each of 3 cards, and your title (if you want one) across the other. Trace with Sharpie.
5. Now, illustrate each page of your book by choosing elements from the post card and repeating them on the edges of each page. Keep most of your design along the top, bottom and sides, but allow some elements to overlap into the center section. (Remember that objects closer to you will appear larger than those farther away. Outline your drawing with Sharpie and color with colored pencils.)
6. Cut away the center section of each page, cutting around any elements that extend into the middle. (By pinching the middle of each page, without creasing to the edges, you can snip into the center to create an opening for your scissors.)
7. Assemble your tunnel book, working from the back (line 3 of your haiku) to the front, gluing the back of each hinged page to the hinges behind it.
Optional pocket:
8. Use one of your extra 4×6 cards to make a pair of hinges, like you did in step 1, above.
9. Glue the hinges to the front of a 4×6 card.
10. Fold the last 4×6 card in half width-wise and glue one half to the front of the 4×6 card.
Glue the other half to the back of your postcard.
11. Finally, glue the front of the hinges to the back of the post card to complete your pocket. 12. Now, write a story, fold it up, and put it in the pocket!


text:
Make time to visit your local comics shop today. It's Free Comic Book Day! We got great freebies. And we snagged a reprint of The Walking Dead #1 by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore, soon to be an ongoing horror series on AMC written/directed/produced by Frank Darabont.
What was your comic book find of the day?


text:
ENCINITAS — Paul Ecke III led a neighborhood meeting Aug. 15 with about 25 to 30 residents living near the Paul Ecke Ranch on Saxony Road to discuss a proposition to divide roughly 36 acres into three lots.The proposed project involves drawing two lines on a map, with no development on the site, no new structures to be built and no change in the use of the site.
"What we're trying to do is take one of our larger parcels and divide it into three parcels," Ecke said. "The parcel we're trying to divide is about 36 acres and we're trying to divide it into three lots, instead of one big lot."
The current parcel would be divided into lots consisting of 13 acres, 12.1 acres and 10.6 acres.
"The reason we are trying to split it up is because…it gives it more flexibility in financing the property," Ecke said. "Right now I've got to pledge my entire 68 acres as collateral for bank loans, and as I pay down that debt, I want to have smaller chunks; I want to release a parcel or two.
"The second reason to do it is, as I said last time I went through some sort of process with the city, with Prop. A, I told the community then that I had unused greenhouse space, and I needed to do something different to raise capital. As I've said then, it's true now, we have unused greenhouse space, so…I'd like to have the ability to lease out discreet parcels to people rather than having them part of my operations," he said.
Cindy Tigh, HOA board president of Saxony at Encinitas Ranch, attended the meeting and expressed concerns that Ecke might want to try to sell those divided parcels in the future.
Tigh and the board were extremely active in battling Prop. A, she said, adding that they donated personal funds to hire an attorney at that time.
Ecke used the meeting to ensure everybody that this land cannot be rezoned, he said. "Tried that, it didn't work," he said. "I simply want to draw two more lines on a map…to keep me in business here."


text:
Assign shipping rates for your store based on cart weight & use our dynamic requirements system to easily define intuitive shipping parameters, giving you full control over your OpenCart shipping. Using our innovative requirements system, you are able to specify how variables such as customer name, currency, product manufacturer and 35 other optional requirements will restrict the availability of your shipping rates. Featuring a clean, user-friendly interface, Weight-Based Shipping PRO also allows you to restrict your shipping rates to specific categories, geozones, customer groups, and stores. There are tons of other innovative features, so be sure to check out the demo, screenshots, and features list below.
Cart: quantity, weight, volume, length, width, and height
Product: quantity, total, weight, volume, length, width, height, name, model, SKU, UPC, EAN, JAN, ISBN, MPN, location, stock, categories, and manufacturer
Customer: name, email, telephone, fax, company, address, city, and postal code
Other Requirements: currency, day of the week, date, and time
|Weight-Based Shipping PRO (v1.2.3)
|Mijoshop, 1.5.0, 220.127.116.11, 220.127.116.11, 126.96.36.199, 184.108.40.206, 18.104.22.168, 1.5.1, 22.214.171.124, 18.104.22.168, 184.108.40.206, 1.5.2, 22.214.171.124, 1.5.3, 126.96.36.199, 1.5.4, 184.108.40.206, 184.108.40.206, 1.5.6, 22.214.171.124, 126.96.36.199, 188.8.131.52, 220.127.116.11, 188.8.131.52, 188.8.131.52, 22.214.171.124, 18.104.22.168, 22.214.171.124, 22.214.171.124, 188.8.131.52, 22.214.171.124, 220.127.116.11, 18.104.22.168, 188.8.131.52
|Backwards Compatibility Mod (v2.0.1)
|18.104.22.168, 188.8.131.52, 126.96.36.199
OpenCart Addons is Canada's leading extension developer & OpenCart's official Canadian support partner. With over 5 years of experience in OpenCart development, we have helped thousands of OpenCart shop owners tailor OpenCart to their unique needs. You can purchase our extensions with peace of mind knowing that they are backed by our unparalleled customer service and hundreds of five-star reviews.
We've had a few requests lately for a place where customers can share their shipping setups using our advanced shipping extensions, as well as a general community support portal where you can see solutions to real problems. We have listened to your requests and are happy to announce our new Commu …
Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Return Policy | © Copyright 2017 OpenCart Addons


text:
Cornelius Tickets
Get ready for an amped-up show you'll never forget when you purchase Cornelius tickets at World Ticket Source. Cornelius fans are ecstatic with a completely new schedule of shows lined up for the coming year. Customize your next Cornelius concert experience with World Ticket Source and see your favorite music performed live!
2018 Cornelius Ticket InformationThose buying Cornelius tickets should brace themselves for one of the best rock concerts they have ever attended. If you have never seen Cornelius live, you haven't really experienced a truly great concert. The ground-breaking music of Cornelius always has the audience up on their feet from the first song to the last encore. Experience the genius that is Cornelius on your own terms this year by obtaining your tickets to Cornelius through World Ticket Source. Our website has been designed specifically so that customers view our selection of seats in a way that matches their individual preferences. Whether you're looking for front row or discount Cornelius tickets, World Ticket Source can assist you in your search for the perfect seats. We at World Ticket Source pride ourselves in the quality service we provide our customers with on a daily basis. If you have a question concerning Cornelius concert tickets you can get in touch with our customer service team at World Ticket Source. We keep our call center well-staffed so your call is answered promptly. An order of Cornelius tickets is only a few steps away with World Ticket Source. We are your ticket to having a wonderful time at the next Cornelius show near you!
More Alternative Tickets
- Flogging Molly
- Eddie Vedder
- Blink 182
- Weezer
- Dropkick Murphys
- 311
- Rise Against
- All Time Low
- Attila
- A Perfect Circle
- Sublime with Rome
- Beck
- The Cure
- Sugar Ray
- Bon Iver
- Drive By Truckers
- Moby
- Davy Knowles
- Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine
- Leftover Salmon
- Brian Fallon
- Frightened Rabbit
- Mike Gordon
- OK Go
- Spazmatics
- Typhoon
- Theory of a Deadman
- The Fixx
- St. Vincent
- Theo Katzman
- I Set My Friends On Fire
- Lights
- Koffin Kats
- Our Last Night
- Cornelius
- Jessica Lea Mayfield


text:
Office Leasing Begins In City Place, The High-Profile Mixed-Use Project In Minneapolis Suburb Of Woodbury
Transwestern Tapped by Elion Partners to Lease 416,786-Square-Foot Office Building
May 02, 2014, 08:00 ET from Transwestern
MINNEAPOLIS, May 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Transwestern's Minneapolis office today announces it has been hired by Florida-based Elion Partners to lease the 416,786-square-foot office portion of City Place, a mixed-use development that will span 100 acres at Interstate 94 and Radio Drive in Woodbury, a suburb of Minneapolis.
City Place, named for Elion Partner's vision of bringing a work/play city environment to the suburbs, will be anchored by the existing office building and complemented by restaurants, retail space and a hotel that are slated for construction pending site plan approval from the City of Woodbury. The work and play elements of City Place will be connected through a series of trails that include a lake and park.
"City Place will be a destination, not just another office property," said Mike Salmen, a Transwestern partner and leader of the team hired to lease the project. "We haven't seen anything like this on the east side of the Twin Cities, and people are really going to like what City Place has to offer. City Place will have the amenities, conveniences and services required to attract elite talent and impress clients."
City Place has been designed through a collaborative process with the City of Woodbury and Kraus Anderson, Elion Partners' joint venture partner in the development. "We are looking forward to working with Elion's team as they go through the city's approval process," said Woodbury Mayor Mary Giuliani Stephens. "This property has tremendous potential, and we're excited for this development to evolve into another cornerstone of economic growth for the City of Woodbury."
"We've formally applied for site plan approval and everything continues to move on target per the development plan," said Juan DeAngulo, managing principal at Elion Partners.
Elion is a real estate investment firm with a proven track record of acquiring and developing quality properties in strategic locations. In each market Elion provides smart real estate equity for best-in-class developers and operators with the expertise to turn potential into profit. For private and institutional investors, that partnership approach makes Elion a trusted source of commercial real estate investments with reliable risk adjusted returns. Over the years, Elion and its principals have successfully managed full-cycle investments across a variety of asset types — industrial, office, retail, multifamily and land. Every investment analysis stands on tried-and-true real estate fundamentals.
Transwestern is a privately held real estate firm specializing in agency leasing, property and facilities management, tenant advisory, capital markets, research and sustainability. The fully integrated global enterprise leverages competencies in office, industrial, retail, multifamily and healthcare properties to add value for investors, owners and occupiers of real estate. As a member of the Transwestern family of companies, the firm capitalizes on market insights and operational expertise of independent affiliates specializing in development, real estate investment management and research. Transwestern has 34 U.S. offices and assists clients through more than 181 offices in 40 countries as part of a strategic alliance with Paris-based BNP Paribas Real Estate. For more information, please visit transwestern.com and follow us on Twitter: @Transwestern.
Media Contact:
Amy Wheaton
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140501/83133
SOURCE Transwestern


text:
The Alabama Department of Public Health will be offering free confidential HIV/STD testing for SSCC students and employees. Times and Locations
For more information, contact Gladys Hill at 205.391.2457 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Back to Calendar
© Copyright 2012 Shelton State Community College
9500 Old Greensboro Rd
Tuscaloosa, AL 35405
Web Design by In10sity
Check us out on these social networks:


text:
Oh, geez, I just realized I didn't update my home page yesterday. Duh. To be honest I was staying away from the net a bit–still am–in an attempt to lighten my release-day panic. Did it help? Maybe. Maybe not. I do know that I've spent several more hours now scrubbing the hallway floor with bleach–pretty much straight bleach–and it's working. Slowly. Like, I scrub, and I let it sit, and I scrub and I let it sit, etc. etc. for a few hours, and when I wipe it clean it looks pretty good. Sigh.
Also, we had some fun with the oven yesterday! It's a really cool old-fashioned gas oven. Like, when you use the oven part there are actually open flames in the back. I would take a picture, except–guess what?–it runs on gas/propane tanks, and they are empty! Which I discovered halfway through cooking out Very First Dinner In The New House–a steak pie. So much for that, and so much for the carrots I was going to roast and the potatoes I was going to boil in watered-down beef stock and serve with coarse salt and a bit of ground rosemary (delicious, btw). We had Chinese instead. They should be replacing the gas tanks today, so here's hoping. The half-made pie is in the fridge but the half-cooked veg were a loss. Sigh.
My deep fryer arrived, though, which is exciting, and I can't wait to use it.
But, of course, that's not the big news of yesterday, is it? The big news is that SACRIFICIAL MAGIC is out there in the world, sinking or swimming on its own. Eek!
Like any anxious author, I've been keeping a semi-loose track of my Amazon and B&N rankings. They're much better than I expected; SM on Kindle is around 500 overall, and in paperback it's around 2000 (as I write this). For the Nook it's at 171 overall, which is quite nice. And it's been in the Top 25 for various Fantasy categories in both paperback and Kindle.
Like I said, it's nice. It also means nothing, sadly. Nothing at all. A book can have a ranking that high and sell fifty copies. The rankings are nice but don't exactly signify Runaway Bestseller, either. Amazon rankings are essentially meaningless; they always have been. Which is why you'll never ever see me running around calling myself a "Bestselling Author" due to Amazon rankings. Is it nice to see? Sure. Does it matter, really? No. Hell, BE A SEX-WRITING STRUMPET has been in the Top 10 for its categories for like the last year. Still doesn't mean it's a bestseller or that I am a bestselling author. You get to be a bestselling author when you hit the USA Today list, or the NYT, or Bookscan or one of a few other legit lists. You get to call yourself a New York Times/USAT bestseller when you hit the Top 10 (afaik); if it's not the Top 10 you're a "National Bestseller." Those are the rules, to my knowledge–I mean, they're not "rules," like you'll get punished or something, but they're general ethical guidelines–and I don't violate them and am uncomfortable when others do.
So beyond that, let's look at some stuff around the net!
The lovely Katiebabs is having a giveaway here; go comment!
(NOTE: Uh…okay, I saw Katiebabs's links to this, and brought it up in a new tab so I could post the link here. But I didn't actually get time to READ it until now. Wow. I'm overwhelmed. [And no, I had no idea.] Please go show Katie some support by commenting!)
An interview and giveaway at The Readventurer here!
The full text of my chat with Stacey Jay is up here, at Addicted2Heroines!
And how about some reviews? Because we got a bunch of them yesterday, and it's pretty exciting!
Abigail at All Things Urban Fantasy says:
Everything about the Downside series pulses with paranormal perfection, not the least of which is Downside itself. It's like New York from Escape from New York overrun with murderous ghosts and deadly magic. Gritty doesn't begin to describe it. There is a wonderful contrast between the residents of Downside with their slang/dialect way of talking, and the hyper formality of the Church of Real Truth, the ruling entity that protects humanity by magically banishing ghosts. Seriously, everything about this series is so finely nuanced and realistic, frighteningly so in some cases, but always intensely gripping. I can't wait for my next Chess and Terrible hit when CHASING MAGIC is published on June 26, 2012.
Tori at SmexyBooks gives it an A:
Sacrificial Magic is a force to be reckoned with and only enforces my belief that the Downside series is one of the top urban fantasy series out there to date.
Samantha at Fiction Vixen says:
This book was a rollercoaster. But when is life with Chess not? This series continues to be a must read for me. Terrible continues to rock my world.
5 Stars from Claire's Book Corner:
As with the earlier books Ms Kane writes a very emotional scene that had me fighting back the tears and wanting to give Chess a big hug as well as a little shake. There aren't many authors who can make me feel such strong emotions and have me rooting for such a messed up character but Ms Kane excels at this. If you are fans of this series you will not be disappointed and I cannot wait for the fifth book Chasing Magic to be released. I would like to give Sacrificial Magic 5 stars.
From Books to Brighten Your Mood:
What can I say about Stacia Kane, that hasn't already been said or that will do justice to her work! This author is plainly brilliant and with Sacrificial Magic she just proves that once more! Sacrificial Magic was among my most anticipated titles for this year, and now that I read it, I can positively say that I wasn't disappointed in the least.
Another 5 Star review, from The Romanceaholic:
Overall, I of course adored it. Chess' self-hatred and self-sabotage did start to grate on me towards the end, which I admit almost kept it from being a 5-star read, but the ending was absolutely amazing and the setup for the next story has me frothing at the mouth at the thought of having to wait until June to read it, which more than made up for any irritation I might have had with Chess.
An incredibly solid 5/5 Stars.
I have a long held belief that no matter what book I pick up after reading one of Stacia Kane's books it will not compare in any shape or form to the Downside Ghosts series. … If you're already a fan of the series you will love Sacrificial Magic. If you have "Terrible Fever" you will love Sacrificial Magic. If you have a soft spot for Chessiebomb the most amazingly flawed female character out there right now you will love Sacrificial Magic. If you've never read any of the books and are currently wondering what the hell I'm going on about, go buy the them you will love them. Nothing out there right now compares.
My rating: 5 out of 5 (and then some).