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A Spot of Housekeeping
The observant among you may have noticed that I've been shamefully neglecting the blog in recent weeks. This is partially due to time being spent on more pressing needs (I have no idea how the Old English Thorn and I have accumulated so much stuff but, thanks to our loving parents, it is all now sitting in giant plastic boxes taking up space in our study and needs sorting through and [hopefully] disposing of), and partially due to the fact that my poor little laptop is dying. I've had it for about eight years now, which is ancient in computer terms, and it can no longer cope with running anything which requires it to work at speed. Such as the Internet, for example.
I highly doubt that I'll catch up with all of this year's reviews before we're well into the next one, so I've decided I'm not going to worry about it. The reviews will continue to trickle in and I will write them for everything I've read, but some may be more complete than others depending on how much of the book I can remember. Thankfully I'm unlikely to have the same problem next year, as my greatly reduced post-wedding reading rate means I'm reading about half the books that I was before September and so it should be much easier to keep up.
As with all things, the further I fall behind, the less inclined I feel to write reviews and so instead I've been doing a bit of blog housekeeping in the fleeting moments when I can persuade my computer to do something online without timing out:
- I decided that the list of all the authors whose books I have reviewed in the right hand sidebar was getting too long and unwieldy, so I've cut it down so that it just shows my favourite authors. It makes things much tidier and also gives a better overview of my literary tastes than the complete list.
- The giant alphabetical list may have gone from the sidebar, but it has migrated to a different location. Instead it is now hidden under the 'Author Review Index' tab at the top of the blog, so it's still easy to see at a glance which authors I have read and reviewed.
- Although I started Old English Rose Reads in August of 2010, prior to this I reviewed the books I read on GoodReads and LibraryThing. I've now copied those reviews over to this site (somehow managing to fit them all in between the date of my first post and my first review on the blog so that they're all still in chronological order) and they're all tagged with Archive Review.
I have a few other blog-tidying projects in the works, but I'm going to be good and accomplish a few more reviews before I allow myself to be distracted by such things. Or so I tell myself anyway.
Review: 'Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man' by Fannie Flagg
Sometimes an author is known for one book more than any other, and this is certainly true of Fannie Flagg, best known as the author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. Whether it's because this is her best book or whether it's because of the film, I don't know as, though I've had that book on my shelves waiting to be read for more than a year now, but somehow it was the less well-known and more recently acquired Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man which I ended up reading first.
The novel is divided into two sections. In the first, Daisy Fay lives with her Momma and Daddy in the largely deserted coastal town of Shell Beach, running a failing malt shop with with mysterious contents hidden in the freezer. In the second, seven years after the book begins, Daisy leaves Shell Beach to compete in the Miss America Pageant.
The book is written in diary form and the distinctive and engaging voice of the narrator is apparent from the very first words of Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man:
Hello there…my name is Daisy Fay Harper and I was eleven years old yesterday. My Grandmother Pettibone won the jackpot at the VFW bingo game and bought me a typewriter for my birthday. She wants me to practise typing so when I grow up, I can be a secretary, but my cat, Felix, who is pregnant, threw up on it and ruined it, which is ok with me. I don't know what is the matter with Grandma. I have told her a hundred times I want to be a tree surgeon or a blacksmith.
The most wonderful thing about this book is undoubtedly Daisy Fay herself. Unlike a lot of young characters in literature I read, she is neither wise beyond her years nor imbued with an idealised amount of childlike innocence: Daisy is a perfectly believeable eleven year old. She is bright and knows her own mind (although her opinions are sometimes rather impractical, as with her choice of career), but she is also quick to be swayed by others and is anxious to please. She is independent, adventurous and optimistic; she's the type of character who epitomises the word 'spunky'. The big gap between her warm, funny narration and her frequent lack of understanding of the things she describes, obvious to the adult reader, means that Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man is at once one of the most humorous and one of the most heart-wrenching books that I've read this year.
Her character shines through when she writes her own will, believing that she is likely to be killed:
This is my last will and testament and I am sorry it is so small, but as you know, most of my stuff burned up. I leave my sweetheart pillow to my mother. I leave my clothes to Michael, even though he will probably not want to wear that one pair of girls' blue jeans. If not, give them to Patsy Ruth Coggins.
I leave my cat, Felix, to my daddy.
And the last thing I have to say is that I am responsible for burning down the malt shop. I did it by mistake, so don't try and take the insurance money away from Daddy.
It wasn't enough anyway.
It is not just Daisy Fay who leaps off the page; there is a whole host of characters who are bold, brash and entertaining but which manage to stay just the right side of believeable. My favourite was Mrs Dot, self styled society lady who runs the debutante society in Shell Beach and is always dispensing little pearls of nonsensical wisdom. Thanks to her I now know that:
Sincerity is as valuable as radium.
A lot of the events that take place are slightly ridiculous, such as Daisy's daddy making her use an inexpertly stuffed fish to win a fishing competition or pretend that she has come back from the dead so that she can make money by preaching, but the story and the situation still feels remarkably real. I think it's because the novel is less about what happens and more about who it happens to; it is the characters who are most important and they are excellent.
The way in which Fannie Flagg opens the second section of the novel had my heart breaking for Daisy. When Daisy's story picks up again she has aged convincingly although in a way that made me ache for her. Still ultimately vulnerable and still desperate to please, she is less open than when the reader met her before. Almost inevitably, she has grown a brittle shell around her and though she remains as bright and funny as before she has lost her innocence.
Skimming back through this book to review it, I was reminded of how much I loved it at the time. Part of me wants to sit here and reread it right away, it's just that good, but I think I'll wait and instead not leave it too long before reading one of her other books. Thankfully there are a few of them.
Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man by Fannie Flagg. Published by Vintage, 1993, pp. 320. Originally published as Coming Attractions in 1981.
Booking Through Thursday: Hard
What's the hardest/most challenging book you've ever read? Was it worth the effort? Did you read it by choice or was it an assignment/obligation?
The hardest book that I've ever read is without a doubt Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. This wasn't because the book itself was particularly challenging (it's actually incredibly straightforward, if a bit wordy in the way of most 18th century novels) but because of the time that I read it. I read Robinson Crusoe as the first set text on my first year 'Inventing the Novel' course at university. It was hard because there were a hundred and one things that I would rather be doing; because I had just discovered medieval literature and wanted to spend all my time buried in that; because the Shakespeare lecturer was opening my eyes to so many new interpretations of plays that I thought I knew well; because the library was filled with more interesting books. Most of all, it was difficult because it was just boring.
There, I've said it. I thought Robinson Crusoe was dull as ditch water. There's nothing wrong with the story in itself, but the level of detail necessitated by the 18th century desire for realism is just mind-numbing. Robinson Crusoe doesn't merely grow grapes, oh no; he discovers vines, digs some up, transports them to his garden, replants them, waters them, cultivates them, watches the grapes grow, harvests the grapes, weaves baskets to put them in, eats some grapes and dries some for storage as raisins. Being cast away on a desert island is exciting: the minutiae of daily life and survival is not. There's also the bizarre section at the end of the novel which everyone always forgets in which Crusoe and Friday travel to Europe and hunt bears and wolves. Getting through that lot was hard.
I finished it because it was a set text, I knew I was going to have to write several essays and answer an exam about it and I don't believe in doing that without reading the book properly. Had it not been for that stick I would happily have ignored it.
Review: 'My Dirty Little Book of Stolen Time' by Liz Jensen
After two distinctly disappointing reads I needed something that was sure to be good fun and not to take itself too seriously. Thankfully my mammoth TBR pile is able to rise to any challenge, and after a quick flick through my library I settled on the wonderfully titled My Dirty Little Book of Stolen Time by Liz Jensen. This book was first brought to my attention when the lovely Fleur Fisher listed the title as part of her Clearing the Decks project, in which she chooses books to read and then get pass on. While they may lead to a reduction of her own library, these posts seem to be only adding to mine as I keep discovering lots of titles which appeal to me enormously. This particular one she mentioned back in March, it instantly went onto my wishlist and it was the first book I purchased once my self-imposed Lenten book buying restriction was lifted. It was off the TBR pile and into my main library within the month, which is a pretty swift turnaround for me these days, and I'm glad I got to it so quickly as it proved to be a great piece of entertainment and the perfect antidote to the rather serious books which preceded it.
Charlotte, the narrator, is a young woman living in nineteenth century Copenhagen, where she supports herself and Fru Schelswig, the fat, base old woman whom everyone assumes is her mother, by working as a prostitute. When the cold winter drives her to seek further employment, she and Fru Schelswig find themselves working for the disagreeable Fru Krak, cleaning her house from top to bottom with the exception of certain forbidden rooms in the basement. Convinced there must be something hidden there worth stealing, Charlotte cannot help investigating and discovers a mysterious machine left there by Fru Krak's vanished husband which will change the course of her life forever as it catapults her, all unknowing, into twenty-first century London.
This is the sort of book for which the term 'romp' was invented. It is light-hearted, witty, filled with adventure and generally great fun to read. If nothing hugely surprising happens, the plot is sufficiently exciting and the narration more than engaging enough in spite of that to draw the reader in and keep hold of their attention throughout.
Charlotte's voice is one of the key features which makes the book so enjoyable. She is self-assured and inclined towards melodrama and exaggeration, but her easy humour transforms this from a narrative style that could have been alienating and tiresome (and I know this all too well after suffering through the horrendous exaggeration of The House in Dormer Forest) into one that is self aware and not afraid to be self mocking. My Dirty Little Book of Stolen Time is rather silly and the book knows it and takes great pleasure in being so. Charlotte's habit of referring to the reader directly as 'dearest' and complimenting them frequently is just one example of the book's playfulness which makes it so much fun.
Although people travelling backwards in time to visit periods in history is a subject often addressed in fiction, the reverse situation depicted in this book is not, and Liz Jensen does a wonderful job of imagining the twenty-first century as seen through the eyes of someone from the past:
But the dream did not end, & could not be escaped from so easily, & indeed it then most swiftly turned nightmarish, for waiting at the black wrought-iron park entrance…stood a shiny black carriage of iron, horseless, on four wheels, that growled like a foul-tempered hippopotamus. Professor Krak bade us enter it through a door in its side: 'Our means of transport, ladies,' he said, & then, in a foreign tongue which I presumed to be English, commenced a rushed conversation with the driver of the vehicle, who was – Lord! I could scarcely believe my eyes! – as black as a coal-scuttle, just like in the illustrations of man-eating cannibals I had seen in the cellar at the orphanage! But before I could scream in terror & make my escape, the machine roared to life with a smooth lurch & we sped into the pellucid gloaming which in that place seemed to pass for night.
All this is related in a mixture of archaicisms and modern slang which seems peculiarly appropriate to a time traveller. Simple devices such as the use of ampersand instead of 'and' provide continuous reminders that Charlotte is from the past. Fru Shleswig is also given an effective, distinctive manner of speaking, using a sort of Middle English spelling which implies her ignorance and peasant-like bluntness.
The book isn't without its faults. For an adventurous book about time travel, it takes a surprisingly long time in exposition building up to this actually taking place and although it is interesting from the beginning because of the narrator the story could perhaps have benefited from starting a bit sooner. The pacing of the narrative remains slightly uneven throughout the book, but this is never enough of a problem to affect the enjoyment of reading such a thoroughly entertaining book. I'll definitely be reading more by Liz Jensen in the future.
My Dirty Little Book of Stolen Time by Liz Jensen. Published by Bloomsbury, 2006, pp. 311. Originally published in 2006.
Review: 'The Sack of Bath' by Adam Fergusson
I really enjoy being a member of the various online book communities that I'm a part of, much as they are largely responsible for my enormous TBR pile and wishlist. I know I can find opinions on everything from the latest popular bestseller to obscure novels which I'd never have discovered on my own on GoodReads, LibraryThing and the various blogs I read. On this particular occasion it was LibraryThing which came up trumps when a few months ago it was pointed out that Amazon was offering pre-order copies of the newest Persephone The Sack of Bath by Adam Fergusson, for only £1. Having investigated the title it seemed a little outside of what I would expect from a Persephone book, but a £1 Persephone is not something that I'm able to turn down, so I ordered it regardless. I picked it up off the shelf to read recently because it was small and portable.
The Sack of Bath was written in 1973 in response to the decisions made by Bath City Council to demolish large swathes of Georgian cottages in order to provide the city with newer houses, better access and improved facilities. Fergusson acknowledges that the aim itself was admirable but the ways in which they sought to accomplish it were misguided. With words and pictures he illustrates the ongoing destruction of Bath and issues a heartfelt plea for it to be stopped and more reasonable measures, such as renovation and preservation, be considered instead.
Although The Sack of Bath is just as well written today as it was when it was first published, it lacks the immediacy which it would have had in the 1970′s when the demolition and construction was being carried out. It is interesting, yes, but in a vague and distant way rather than in an inciting-architectural-rage-and-writing-to-your-local-MP-to-stop-this-sort-of-thing way that I suspect it was intended. The closest thing that I can liken it to is reading a newspaper article covering some terrible natural disaster and trying to encourage readers to give aid, but doing so nearly forty years after the event when everyone appears to have recovered quite nicely, thank you very much. It just isn't the same as reading it when it was relevant.
The problem is that the book is written in such hyperbolic language and strident tones that it implies nothing less than the wholesale destruction of historic Bath, which couldn't be more different to what any visitor to Bath today will see as they walk around the city. In fact, the most recent new development is incredibly sympathetic to the aesthetics of the city and blends in beautifully (or as beautifully as modern high street shops ever could) with the historical setting. Admittedly this is probably at least in part due to the pressure of action such as the publication of The Sack of Bath but there is such a huge gap between this and the city overrun with hideous concrete boxes that you might expect from reading the book that it lost a lot of impact for me. Clearly this book was influential in its time and I have no doubt that it did a lot of good, but I didn't find that it quite worked reading it now.
The Sack of Bath by Adam Fergusson. Published by Persephone, 2010, pp. 81. Originally published in 1973.
Review: 'The House in Dormer Forest' by Mary Webb
When The House in Dormer Forest by Mary Webb came up as May's TBR Lucky Dip book, I was pleased for two main reasons. Firstly, it's a Virago Modern Classic, which meant I could add another one to the 'Read' shelf on LibraryThing and not feel quite so bad about the large number still sitting glumly on the 'To Read' shelf. Secondly, it's one of the novels parodied by Stella Gibbons in Cold Comfort Farm which I've been wanting to read for ages, and this provides me with the perfect excuse now that I have the requisite background reading. The very fact that Mary Webb's book was the subject of parody should have been sufficient warning for me about what I was letting myself in for, but I wasn't prepared for a book quite as amusingly terrible as The House in Dormer Forest turned out to be.
The House in Dormer Forest follows the fortunes of the Darke family and their servants who live and work in Dormer Old House. It's difficult for me to summarise the plot so long after reading the book, but I've copied the blurb from the back of the book in my initial post concerning the novel. Suffice to say that it is dark and oppressive and Stella Gibbons can't have had much work to do in producing a parody, as the writing is so incredibly overwrought it almost feels like a pastiche to begin with.
Occasionally (very occasionally), her writing is intentionally amusing as Webb reveals her characters to the reader:
"I can't be thwarted!" grandmother suddenly broke out. She had a theory that, if crossed, she would die. She was fond of saying: "I've got a weak 'eart, Rachel!" –dropping her "h" not because she could not aspirate it, but because she did not see why, at her age, any letter of the alphabet should be her master.
I think this perfectly encapsulates grandmother Darke's (the obvious counterpart of Aunt Ada Doom in Cold Comfort Farm) tyrannical desire to control everything and the manipulation ways in which she does so.
Sometimes, the language is wild and beautiful, if rather over dramatic:
Dormer, in its cup at the bases of the hills, was always full of damp air and the sound of water. Besieged by this grievous music — and what is there in nature sadder than the lament of falling water? — she felt as if she had opened the door not to the night and the stream, but on to a future full of doubt and dread, veiled in mist.
Yes, it's a little bit much, but it's suitably atmospheric and I think it's quite effective. I'm partial to the odd Victorian sensation novel so I am more than willing to forgive melodrama under the right circumstances. Unfortunately, the majority of the time, the language tends towards being florid to the point of being ridiculous:
Who would ever seek in Amber Darke, so still, of so sad-coloured an exterior, the creature of fire and tears that could feed a man's heart with faery food and call him into Paradise with songs wild as those of hawks on the untrodden snow-fields?
I appreciate that Webb is trying to emphasise how plain Amber is compared to other more attractive, lively women and therefore unlikely to attract her ideal husband, but really, Mary, is this necessary? Faery food? Hawks? Untrodden fields (which seems an odd place for the hawks to be on; I would have assumed they were in the air as birds of prey hopping along the ground are really quite comedic and not at all wild and romantic as I think Webb is trying to suggest). Jane Eyre has exactly the same thoughts about being plain and therefore unlikely to attract attention, but Bronte manages to express them without recourse to overblown similes about hawks and fairies, in a way which makes the reader sympathise with Jane rather than giggle at her. Sadly for Amber, I found her impossible to relate to because her inner life is so ridiculous and extravagant rather than believeable.
The best example of this overwrought style comes when Jasper has gone to a track known ominously (everything in this novel happens ominously) as 'the Beast Walk' to think about things:
To climb this path harrowed his soul, made is face even at ten years look quite wizened. But now, in his young manhood, the dark spell was infinitely stronger. He drank here of a charm thick as black honey made from purple poison flowers by bees in hell.
Intellectually I know that this is supposed to show Jasper brooding and generally being consumed by dark thoughts; in reality I was too busy pondering why there are bees and flowers in hell, if the bees have committed some terrible sin and are therefore condemned to an eternity of making black honey and what this might be supposed to taste like. Who on earth imagines a hell which features bees and flowers? On the whole, I have to conclude that metaphors generally work best if the thing to which you are comparing something else actually exists or at the very least makes sense to your readers. This is just ridiculous.
I can forgive ridiculous writing if a book has something else to recommend it (as in the case of early gothic novels which I also rather enjoy). However, the plot of The House in Dormer Forest is one of sheer, unrelenting doom in which no one is ever happy and everyone goes on about it at length. The atmosphere is suffocatingly dark and claustrophobic, and while this may have been the desired effect I think it needed to be accompanied by better writing so that the reader could at least have had something to enjoy in the novel. The only grim humour comes in the form of Sarah, a servant who visits retribution on those who displease her by deliberately breaking their china ornaments and gluing the shards together to form a globe.
As always, my views are entirely subjective and it could be that I've missed the point of Webb's novel entirely. Search for this book on Amazon UK and you will find the same effusive 5 star review posted no less than twenty-two times, which makes me somewhat dubious about it, but this review from a website featuing the Midlands in literature provides an interesting counterpoint to my own opinions which is much more praise-filled. The general consensus seems to be that this was by no means Webb's best novel, so I will continue to read the rest of her books and see if I enjoy those more than I did The House in Dormer Forest.
The House in Dormer Forest by Mary Webb. Published by Virago, 1983, pp. 292. Originally published in 1920.
TBR Lucky Dip: October
Those of you with long memories may recall my TBR lucky dip project which I spoke about in my reading plans for the new year. Despite my best intentions, it failed to materialise in August or September as blogging took a back seat and getting married, going on honeymoon and settling into our new home came to the forefront. Now that I have time to read again, I've brought the challenge back and turned my TBR pile over to random selection once more.
Part of moving has involved packing up all my books and finding new homes for them on the new shelves. I've completely cleared out my LibraryThing catalogue and I'm only adding books back to it once they have a proper place (this is partially because the Thorn has suggested that I tag each book with its location so that he can find them all by himself). Consequently, www.random.org only had a small pool of books from which to select this month's read, and the deities have ordained that it shall be book number 41. According to my TBR pile, that means that I am reading…
The Last and the First by Ivy Compton-Burnett
Ivy Compton-Burnett occupies a unique place in English literature. Unquestionably one of the greatest English novelists of the twentieth century, she seems to have been uninfluenced by any earlier writers: she is wholly and inimitably herself. When she died, in 1969, it was believed that she had completed one more novel. After a search, the manuscript — hand-written, and covering several exercise books — was found by a friend. All her admirers will be thankful and delighted that there is now, and finally, a nineteenth title to add to the Compton-Burnett canon. Like all its predecessors it is characterised by dry satirical wit and profound observation of human behaviour, aphoristic brilliance and total integrity. In particular it continues, and further refines, the economy and austerity of her later novels: here we have the distillation of her art.
She strictly observes her own conventions. Once again we have the English country house setting, around the turn of the century. This time there are two families at its centre, and the inevitable "power figure", the tyrant. The members of the families interact and comment; there are a pair of typically delightful children; and the domestic "chorus" includes both housekeeper and butler, splendidly realised. On the face of it, this is a simple tale, but one that is packed with opportunities for Ivy Compton-Burnett to exploit her many gifts, and especially her unrivalled quality of irony, ruthless and comic. The dialogue, carrying the entire weight of characterisation, is more subtle and condensed than ever. Her final novel will be ranked among her finest.
I have never read anything by Ivy Compton-Burnett before so I'm a bit dubious about reading her last novel first, particularly as the foreword suggests that this one was pieced together after her death and so probably isn't the best reflection of her work. I also feel as though I'm going into this book blind, as the internet has failed to yield any reviews or plot summaries which might provide an indication of what it is about. Nevertheless, I've heard some interesting things about Compton-Burnett and I know she is a favourite of Simon at Stuck in a Book, so I'm looking forward to giving her a go.
Review: 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen
Back in January, I reread Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, and mentioned that I planned to reread all of Austen's novels at some point this year. Despite my great love for these books, it took me until May to get to the second book on the schedule which was Pride and Prejudice, perhaps Austen's best known work and a favourite for many. As before, I must warn you that this is less of a critical review and more of an enthusiastic appreciation of the novel which will no doubt give away parts of the plot (as if you didn't already know them).
Although I find that each of Austen's novels has a unique appeal which makes it impossible for me to choose between them, Pride and Prejudice is probably the book with which I am the most familiar. This novel was incredibly clear in my mind when I came to rereading it (and indeed remains so even after waiting a further six months to write the review) even though I haven't read it for more than six years when I studied the text for A level. This familiarity is no doubt partially due to the many adaptations of Pride and Prejudice which exist, which means that many people feel as though they know the book even if they have never actually read it: I've seen the much-loved BBC adaptation starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle, the more divisive Kiera Knightley film version and even a local stage adaptation. I know there are a whole host more that I haven't touched. But it's also because the Bennet family, Mr Bingley and his two awful sisters, Mr Darcy, the inimitable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, the slimy Mr Collins and the roguish Wickham are the sort of characters who stay with you long after the book has finished. I'd venture to say that the plot is pretty standard fare and even entirely predictable, but it is the characters that Jane Austen peoples the book with who make it so remarkable. I bet that most people after reading Pride and Prejudice just once would be able to describe how Lady Catherine, Lydia Bennet or Caroline Bingley would react in any given situation, and they aren't even the main characters (no doubt the reason why this book has spawned so many spin-offs). It is this wonderfully believable character creation combined with fabulous writing, even more than the image of Mr Darcy in his wet shirt, which has made Pride and Prejudice so much a part of general literary consciousness.
What this latest encounter with Pride and Prejudice revealed to me is how much Jane Austen's books are made for rereading. Austen is famed for her irony but I hadn't realised until now quite how much proleptic irony there is, only obvious to the reader who has the advantage of knowing how things develop as the book progresses. For example, following Mr Collins' proposal to Elizabeth, which makes me simultaneously squirm with embarrassment and giggle with laughter, there is this exchange:
It was absolutely necessary to interrupt him now.
"You are too hasty, Sir," she cried. "You forget that I have made no answer. Let me do it without farther loss of time. Accept my thanks for the compliment you are paying me, I am very sensible of the honour of your proposals, but it is impossible for me to do otherwise than decline them."
"I am not now to learn," replied Mr. Collins, with a formal wave of the hand, "that it is usual with young ladies to reject the addresses of the man whom they secretly mean to accept, when he first applies for their favour; and that sometimes the refusal is repeated a second or even a third time. I am therefore by no means discouraged by what you have just said, and shall hope to lead you to the altar ere long."
"Upon my word, Sir," cried Elizabeth, "your hope is rather an extraordinary one after my declaration. I do assure you that I am not one of those young ladies (if such young ladies there are) who are so daring as to risk their happiness on the chance of being asked a second time. I am perfectly serious in my refusal. — You could not make me happy, and I am convinced that I am the last woman in the world who would make you so, — Nay, were your friend Lady Catherine to know me, I am persuaded she would find me in every respect ill qualified for the situation."
Mr Collins' complete refusal to take Elizabeth's refusal seriously is amusing enough on its own, but an extra layer of humour is there in Elizabeth's response for those who know what happens later. Although she insists that "I am not one of those young ladies (if such young ladies there are) who are so daring as to risk their happiness on the chance of being asked a second time" this is of course exactly what happens, unintentionally, between Elizabeth and Mr Darcy: she refuses his first proposal, eventually realises that in doing so she has thrown away her chance of happiness and then is given a second chance when he asks again. Even though Elizabeth is not playing coy games in this latter instance, it provides another chance for the knowing reader to see Elizabeth's prejudices in action and for Jane Austen to prove her heroine fallible; not only is she wrong about Mr Darcy and Mr Wickham, she is also wrong about herself.
This time around, I also found I was able to read more objectively rather than always siding with Elizabeth Bennet (always tempting with such an entertaining and likeable character). On the first reading of this book, I followed Elizabeth's lead exactly as Jane Austen (I think) intended, but on subsequent readings I have more knowledge of exactly how the plot develops than she does, and therefore it is impossible to fall in with her in quite the same way as I am looking out for different things. Whereas before I found myself carried away with indignant reproach and Mr Darcy's rejection of Elizabeth, this time I found his attraction towards her far more obvious throughout the book. Although I loved reading the book and being thoroughly caught up in Elizabeth's thoughts and feelings, I also enjoyed visiting it again with a greater distance between her opinions and my own and I think it makes Pride and Prejudice a much more humorous, interesting and thoughtful book. It is testament Jane Austen's great skill as a writer that I find all her books work in this way, offering more to me as a reader the more times I return to them.
There are so many things that I haven't mentioned here: the wonderful comedic characters of Mrs Bennet and Lady Catherine, the sweet romance between Jane and Bingley, the dynamic that exists between the Bennet sisters. There is so much to appreciate in this wonderful novel that I couldn't possibly cover it all. Needless to say, I think it is deserving of its status as both a classic and a popular novel. I can't wait to rediscover my next Austen now!
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Published by Virago, 1989,pp. 299. Originally published in 1813.
Commonplace Quotations: Forgotten Rooms
Now, no beauty blushed and dimpled along the sides of the Cranford Assembly Room; no handsome artist won hearts by his bow, chapeau bras in hand; the old room was dingy, the salmon-coloured paint had faded into a drab; great pieces of plaster had chipped off from the white wreaths and festoons on its walls; but still a mouldy odour of aristocracy lingered about the place, and a dusty recollection of the days that were gone made Miss Matty and Mrs. Forrester bridle up as they entered, and walk mincingly up the room, as if there were a number of genteel observers, instead of two little boys with a stick of toffy between them with which to beguile the time.
- Cranfordby Elizabeth Gaskell
When I was reading Cranford today, I came across this lovely passage and was instantly put in mind of our wedding day (as if I need an excuse). Our reception was held in the old Winchester Assembly Rooms which have just such salmon walls and plaster moulding and the same slightly sad air of faded grandeur that Gaskell describes. Unless someone told you about this place you would never even know it was there, so it felt wonderful to revive the place with some proper dancing (though probably much less decorous than any Jane Austen would have witnessed if ever she visited) and laughter, if only for a night.
Review: 'Drina's Dancing Year' by Jean Estoril
This year I've been reading more sweet, warm, comforting books than I usually do. This has resulted in revisiting some childhood favourites, amongst which, as you may remember, are the Drina books by Jean Estoril. Drina's Dancing Year is the second installment in this eleven book series and I enjoyed rereading the gentle story as just as much as I did the first book.
While the first book Ballet for Drina stands on its own as a complete story, its primary purpose is to provide the necessary background information to set up the rest of the series. Drina's Dancing Year continues this format: it tells the story of Drina's first year at the Dominick ballet school and of her determination to succeed on her own merit rather than revealing her secret, but it is also an important part in the overall arch of Drina's journey towards becoming (as I assume she inevitably will, these being happy children's books) a world class ballerina. This book covers Drina starting at school, making friends with the poor but sweet Rose and enemies with proud, odious Queenie, and also Drina's inexplicable failure to get a part in the Christmas show, which turns out to be less disappointing than she fears.
I was surprised at how well this book stood up to being reread. Although some of the concerns and attitudes can seem a little old fashioned, Mrs Chester liking Rose in spite of her lower class stands out particularly) the story itself remains charming and engaging. I found myself getting wrapped up in the little dramas of Drina's life in spite of the outcome being obvious even if I hadn't read the book before.
I think that Drina ages convincingly; this book shows her character developing in a way that is in line with a little girl who is one year older and a little more experienced. She doesn't change, but her traits become more subtle and I liked this. The supporting characters continue to be likeable and just different enough to give them some interest, even if this is only in relation to Drina. Estoril's mean characters are all very similar, but they aren't the focus of any of the books so far so this is less annoying than it could be.
The Drina books are a lovely series, and I continue to recommend them to anyone who enjoys old fashioned ballet stories.
Drina's Dancing Year by Jean Estoril. Published by Macdonald, 1988, pp. 176. Originally published in 1958.


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From The Associated Press:
NEW YORK (AP) — Hillary Clinton abruptly left a 9/11 anniversary ceremony Sunday after feeling "overheated," according to her campaign, and hours later her doctor disclosed that the Democratic presidential nominee had pneumonia.
A video showed Clinton slumping and being held up by three people as she was helped into a van after the event, and her doctor said in a statement that Clinton had become overheated and dehydrated. "I have just examined her and she is now rehydrated and recovering nicely," Dr. Lisa R. Bardack said in a statement.
The physician said Clinton has had an allergy-related cough, and that during a follow-up examination Friday, the candidate was diagnosed with pneumonia, put on antibiotics, advised to rest and modify her schedule.
Less than two months from Election Day, it was an unwanted visual for Clinton as she tries to project the strength and vigor needed for one of the world's most demanding jobs. Republican rival Donald Trump has spent months questioning Clinton's health, saying she doesn't have the stamina to be president.
Clinton's departure from the event was not witnessed by the reporters who travel with her campaign and aides provided no information about why she left or her whereabouts for nearly two hours. Spokesman Nick Merrill eventually said Clinton had gone to her daughter's nearby apartment, but refused to say whether the former secretary of state had required medical attention.
Clinton exited the apartment on her own shortly before noon. She waved to reporters and said, "I'm feeling great. It's a beautiful day in New York."
The video of Clinton posted to social media …

subset: commoncrawl


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Thank You
Exmouth Gateway Club is very grateful to all those Companies and individuals who have made donations to us. Without these we wouldn't be able to continue our valuable work. Please support those who support us.
|Clare Milne Trust
|Jamieson Bystock Trust
|The Norman Family Charitable Trust www.nfct.org
|The Paviers Society
|Capels Fish and Chip Shop, Exmouth


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Earlier this month I received an email from a production company making a new series on serial killers for Sky. They had picked up my name as I've written with David Wilson about one of his TV shows but did not want him. Perhaps he's seen to be over-exposed. I exchanged emails and a phone call with the associate producer. I sent them links to my appearance on Sky News and interview with George Galloway to prove my media chops.
I've just heard I've not got the gig. Apparently someone else has been chosen. I know personally of another criminologist who deleted the email without debate seeing it as inherently trashy. In my phone and email conversations I made no specific claim to knowledge of serial killers as a sociologist but was well aware of the sociology of victim selection and of media fascination and would want to focus on that.
As an example of the non-Cracker line I proposed to take I pointed out the work of Drew Gray's London's Shadows: The Dark Side of the Victorian City who looks at the Whitechapel Murders whilst remaining true to the historical data without becoming ripperological. I pointed out Darrell Hamamoto's 'Empire of Death: Militarized Society and the Rise of Serial Killing and Mass Murder' where he argues for a link with the Vietnam war. Also Allan LeRoy Branson's The Anonymity of African American Serial Killers: From Slavery to Prisons, A Continuum of Negative Imagery offers a different take on the usual story.
I agree with Kevin Haggerty & Ariane Ellerbrok when they say:
In fact, serial killing is intimately tied to its broader social and historical setting, something that is particularly apparent when such killing is considered in relation to a series of broad historical changes that have occurred over approximately the past 400–500 years, commonly associated with the rise of modernity.
Perhaps it was such theory heavy language that put them off, or, perhaps because I asked for a fee. But I'd like to think it was because what I proposed to say didn't fit the usual media narrative. I await with interest hearing who has taken on the job and what they do. Expect more posts if I disagree or feel used. So while we wait, this will have to do. Is this my pitch for a properly academic series?
In Whoever Fights Monsters: My Twenty Years Tracking Serial Killers for the FBI Robert K. Ressler and Thomas Schachtman set out how they came up with the term 'serial killer' seeing that we/they are 'lured back to see another episode, because at the end of each one there was a cliff-hanger'. Having come up with the concept the concept the definition has proved more difficult as the FBI make clear:
In the past thirty years, multiple definitions of serial murder have been used by law enforcement, clinicians, academia, and researchers. While these definitions do share several common themes, they differ on specific requirements, such as the number of murders involved, the types of motivation, and the temporal aspects of the murders. To address these discrepancies, attendees at the Serial Murder Symposium examined the variations in order to develop a single definition for serial murder.
Previous definitions of serial murder specified a certain number of murders, varying from two to ten victims. This quantitative requirement distinguished a serial murder from other categories of murder (i.e. single, double, or triple murder).
Most of the definitions also required a period of time between the murders. This break-in-time was necessary to distinguish between a mass murder and a serial murder. Serial murder required a temporal separation between the different murders, which was described as: separate occasions, cooling-off period, and emotional cooling-off period.
In combining the various ideas put forth at the Symposium, the following definition was crafted:
Serial Murder: The unlawful killing of two or more victims by the same offender(s), in separate events.
Many people cite a figure of three as a minimum and emphasise a time gap as the template of the Whitechapel Murders demands (note I don't speak of Jack, a 'purely' media construct).
Harold Shipman therefore meets any of the proffered definitions with over 200 victims over more than twenty years but I wish to demur. It may be that Shipman's victims were wrong too in terms of media narrative. That is not young women. The case of Trevor Joseph Hardy illustrates some of these issues. Wilson et al (2010) argue serial killing is now a 'media event', as Hardy's case shows even murdering three young women lead to little coverage as his short series largely came to light late in the investigation. Even so the media can get it wrong. Thus this website touts Shipman as the 'world's most prolific serial killer'. But this is a retrospective claim. Media serial killers are prospective, they promise more action.
Because we only discover the extent of Shipman's activities all in one go there is no cliff-hanger just an 'info dump'. For me, he is not a serial killer because we are not waiting for the next killing/episode. He is not a serial killer because only the media can create a serial killer, by building that expectation, by forging links between random acts and finally by giving him (usually) a nickname.
The Wire understands this when, in series 5, we have McNulty deliberately 'dressing' random murder victims and tipping off the media about a serial killer to unlock funds. The media gleefully run with this.


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Custom Metal Stickers
Custom Metal stickers allow the comprehensive range of customization options which makes them enticing and engaging for the spectators. Personalized custom metal stickers are printed using the heavy duty metallic stock having a silver or gold metallic background. Metal stickers make use of hi-tech printing techniques making use of solid inks for full-colour printing on them. Metal stickers UK is hot demanded sticker products for the multitude of uses such as marketing, advertising, conducting an awareness campaign or for embellishment of things or places.


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An assortment of small stories that satisfy your craving for reading, even when you don't really have the time.
They are the perfect length to read when you have to wait or to calm your nerves, to entertain you on a bus ride or have that quick trip into an imaginary world right before you take off for work or school.
With books, you can get fully immersed in the characters' lives. Here, you can catch a quick glimpse.
Daydreaming. Don't we all do it? This is a story about your eye falling on a beautiful stranger and without even meaning to, imagining an unrealistic, but idealistic future with them. A beautiful daydream.
So what kind of fantasies does one dream up when you see a beautiful woman? And do things ever become more than just a fantasy? Read more
What happens when two best friends find themselves locked up in a small cell, incapable of avoiding each other? And will they finally address the tension that has been hanging between them from day 1?
Find out how a drunken night and a simple game of truth and dare between Jenn and Abby will forever change their friendship. Read more
A troubled love story told from both sides that shows everyone is fighting their own fight. And only when you know both stories, you can truly understand what draws people together and what makes them stay.
Because love is complicated and those who pursue it, often find themselves in complicated situations.
Jess and Alex find themselves caught in a game of cat and mouse, a game of pulling and pushing. So how do two people with insecurities and ghosts from the past move on together to make it work?
Unfortunately wanting Alex
The story written from Jess' point of view. Will she be able to look through Alex' thick skin and years of self-loathing to see what is underneath? Read more
Fortunately wanting Jess
The story told by how Alex sees things. Will she know how to let go of the past that haunts her and finally get what she has been wanting all along. The girl? Read more
Follows two best friends Ryan and Brandon after a good night out in the town that will change the course of their lives and friendship. How? You decide!
This is a "your choice" short story, which means you get to decide the course of action and how things end. Keep reading and be the one to make the key decisions as you read. Depending on what you choose, the story will have a different end and, of course, a different outcome. Read more


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"You can't ask customers what they want… By the time you get it built, they'll want something new." – Steve Jobs
4 Ways To Keep Your Website From Getting Hacked
Small businesses are especially vulnerable to hacking because they usually lack the technology expertise and site security that larger companies have. They also suffer more if their lack of expertise slows repairs and their ability to get back to work. Business owners can lose significant online traffic and sales if their site lands on blacklists operated by Google and other search engines.
Hackers are constantly breaking into innocent websites and using them to infect visitors with malware, lure them to dodgy sites and infiltrate databases to grab sensitive customer information. But you can avoid trouble — or eliminate it quickly — by taking some relatively simple steps.
Here's how to get started:
1) Keep your software up to date.
Hackers aggressively target security flaws in popular Web software such as content management systems and blogging programs so they can attack websites en masse. Stay out of the line of fire by using the latest versions of software and applying security patches promptly.
2) Use strong passwords and keep them safe.
Using strong passwords is crucial because hackers frequently attempt to crack or steal passwords for web software and FTP servers, which are computers that use the File Transfer Protocol to move web pages and other files to another computer, such as a Web-hosting server. Default, common or predictable passwords can be easily broken.
3) Register with Google's Webmaster Tools.
Getting on Google's blacklist, which is used by the search site and the Chrome, Firefox and Safari browsers, can reduce traffic to your site. By registering with Webmaster Tools, you can receive notifications of malware infections immediately, sometimes before blacklisting occurs, so you can get rid of them faster. The service also provides details about the precise problem Google is seeing. That can speed your clean up and your return to Google's good graces.
4) Get expert help.
Companies that are heavily dependent on their websites may want to hire a firm that provides alerts if they get on a blacklist, monitoring for malicious activity, scanning for security vulnerabilities or help with repairs after a hack. Prices start at about $90 a year. Businesses that have databases with sensitive customer information connected to their sites should get help building security into their sites and scouring software code for bugs.
About 40Billion.com
40Billion is the social network of entrepreneurs and crowdfunders – a social platform for connecting business owners and promoting the things they create. Use 40Billion to find professional contacts and projects, get affordable business advertising and crowdfunding promotion, and show off your creations to the world.
6 Fundraising Tips Most Startup Entrepreneurs Don't KnowIn reading the start-up and tech blogs these days, one would think investors are chomping at the bit to fund startups like yours. But as is true with most situations in life, you shouldn't believe everything you read.
There are certainly examples of big and fast rounds and companies where money landed in a founder's lap. But this isn't the norm, nor should it be expected. Fundraising is hard, no matter what anyone tells you.
Here are some tips to make raising money for your business a little easier:
1) Time is not your friend.
Fundraising is in many respects a full time job, and the inertia of your company won't take a vacation. Your customers, users, employees and everyone else involved will continue to require your attention even though you're in the midst of a draining and consuming fundraising process. So the shorter this process takes the better. Moving fast and efficiently can also help stave off second thoughts among investors. Similar to a house that sits on the market, the longer a deal sits, the more questions and concerns are raised. Why didn't XYZ fund do it? What have others seen that I'm not seeing?
2) Know who you want to work with.
Long before you're ready to raise your round, think about the funds and people who you'd eventually like to work with. Begin to build relationships with these people and funds well before you need to ask them to participate. When it comes time to formally begin fundraising, the conversations will be much smoother and simpler since a previous relationship exists.
3) Stay in the driver's seat.
Don't start fundraising until you are ready. No matter who comes knocking or expresses interest, the process should be on your terms and when you're ready.
4) Coordination is critical.
It's vital to have answers to simple questions like how much you're raising, why you're raising it, how you plan to use capital, other players in the market, etc. Once the process moves forward into deeper diligence, you must make sure your business' other stakeholders are aware of your fundraising effort. From customer calls and potential customer calls to tapping internal resources, you'll need their cooperation to get things done.
5) The flow of information is absolute.
For better or for worse, you need to assume that once your deal is on the market, everyone knows about it. What you tell one partner or fund can quickly circulate across funds — and even coasts for that matter. If one firm passes on your deal, others will quickly find out. This isn't to say that investors are conspiring against entrepreneurs — that's certainly not the case, however, people talk and you need to know that.
6) Deadlines are a must, but flexibility is key.
If given the opportunity, many investors will take more time. Time means results, data points and additional proof points by which to make an investment decision. So you need to build in that urgency to keep the process moving forward. Find a meaningful event that will drive the firms involved towards a decision and, ideally, a term sheet. Still, if you have an investor or firm that you really love and they need a bit more time to get their partnership or work in order, don't hesitate to honor that request. Nothing replaces a great long-term partner.
Contact us.


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For the past few
weeks months I've been editing my third novel. You read it right –
months. The thing is – I needed to go through it quite a few times. But that was not the reason why it took takes me months. Yup, I'm still not finished.
Firstly I blamed the months from the edge of hell – end of September and October. Not many good things happened then – and one really bad thing happened – I lost my dear friend and that put everything on hold.
After I managed to process the matter and accepted that it had actually happened – the months from hell followed – November and December right up to 21st. Everything piled up on me: work, home, school, home works, therapies, etc...
You name them I probably did them. My batteries were close to empty even before the sun went down... I had no wish, no desire, and no energy to even sit down and edit. I tried, but didn't do much.
Then last week, when I finally found some time to sit down and take the manuscript into my hands, everything looked so easy. I managed to go through almost one quarter of it. I looked through the window and there was still sun outside.
And then it hit me. Hard. You could say I had a breakthrough.
You know – here where I live we have a saying – which I'm going to try and translate. It rhymes in my language, but I promise you – it won't in English.
Seamstress Clara – through the night she sews, and rips apart through the day.
The meaning of it is that if you're not careful what you do when you do it – you're probably going to have to mend it.
I felt like Clara. I write / sew better during the night and I can get myself into editing / ripping apart only during the day...
So, recognising and accepting this thing about me – about my writing – I know now, that for my following novels, I'm definitely going to take days off from work until the deed is done.


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Web Design and SEO Tool Bar Add-ons for Popular Web Browsers
• Using this we can keep one parts of the page static while changing the other parts of the page.
You can get the idea of PSD to Drupal conversion to mobilize your attentive web design. It is true that an appropriate web design brings good to a website but it needs an innovative web technology to sail successfully over web. Therefore, it will be a good business decision to adopt Drupal for making an impressive online identity of your business organization.
When it comes time to have your website built, if you opt for WordPress you give yourself the ability to update and make changes when necessary. Clearly, this is no small concern, whether you are looking for a NH web design business or any web design business. Websites can be complicated, expensive and difficult to update. Luckily, WordPress software makes your website very easy to use. Plus, WordPress is cost effective as well.
As important as style is in your website design, style alone can't make a site successful. Content is as important as it ever was, though users may access that content differently than they did a few years ago. The content, style, and functionality of your website should all work together to build your brand, attract new users, and keep repeat users coming back. The best website designers must take into account several factors, like:
A best web design company would never use comic ways to add elegance to the website it is designing. For example take background music. If a website has background music then it will start playing on its own as soon as the website downloads on the browser. It is learnt that a majority of Internet users dislike listening browsing web pages that open with a bang. Ideally the designer should give visitor the option to switch on/off the music. The music on/off button should be visible so that the visitor can play or turn off music according to the situation. Internet surfing is a silent job and playing music is not allowed at cafes and offices.
Another important factor is price and value. Price should not be the only criteria for choosing the best designer company. This is because for selecting the best company you may have to cross your budget. Search for the company that will charge reasonable price for their services. Moreover, you should also assess if the work of the company is worth the price it charges. Moreover, before finalizing any company, you must assess if the company is capable of delivering work on time. You should also check that the company is having enough manpower to deliver the project on time.


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Staff changes took place at the beginning of this month, with Sales Manager Steve Rowson switching from Vauxhall over to Volvo whilst Neil McKenzie has taken the wheel at Old Potts Way.
Having had strong ties to football on a small and large scale for a number of decades, Greenhous has shown its support again by supplying a football team at Newtown Primary School, Wem with sports equipment.
Greenhous Volkswagen took a trip down South recently when they featured in the Stanford Coachworks Vehicle Expo on the 15th October. The Shropshire and West Midlands based Motor Group supported the event at Brands Hatch Racing Circuit in Kent, by loaning a VW Caravelle to shuttle their customers and dignitaries around during the event.
A member of staff from Greenhous DAF became a finalist in the 'DAF Technician of the Year' competition last month. Craig Howells, a night shift technician, fought off 1,200 other entrants to reach the final 24 of the nationwide competition.


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- regarded with favor, approval, or affection by people in general: a popular preacher.
- regarded with favor, approval, or affection by an acquaintance or acquaintances: He's not very popular with me just now.
- of, relating to, or representing the people, especially the common people: popular discontent.
- of the people as a whole, especially of all citizens of a nation or state qualified to participate in an election: popular suffrage; the popular vote; popular representation.
- prevailing among the people generally: a popular superstition.
- suited to or intended for the general masses of people: popular music.
- adapted to the ordinary intelligence or taste: popular lectures on science.
- suited to the means of ordinary people; not expensive: popular prices on all tickets.
Origin of popular
Synonyms for popularSee more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com
Synonym study
Related Words for popularfashionable, favored, famous, attractive, beloved, trendy, suitable, prominent, accessible, ubiquitous, prevalent, familiar, universal, rampant, public, accepted, approved, celebrated, leading, likable
Examples from the Web for popular
Contemporary Examples of popular
Charles "Father" Coughlin, a raving anti-Semite, was one of the most popular radio hosts in the country.Why Was Bess Myerson the First and Last Jewish Miss America?
Emily Shire
January 7, 2015
Whether he gets his full due in popular culture remains to be seen.Ed Brooke: The Senate's Civil Rights Pioneer and Prophet of a Post-Racial America
John Avlon
January 4, 2015
Do you think academic history and popular history have gotten more similar over the last 15 or 20 years?
Traditionally, popular history is almost purely driven by narrative.
A few minor notes, born of reflection: Traditionally, the best columns are dominated by politics—its most popular topic.The Best Columns of 2014
John Avlon, Errol Louis
December 31, 2014
Historical Examples of popular
He acquired a general knowledge of the ebb and flow of popular stocks.The Spenders
Harry Leon Wilson
I wouldn't attempt to be, I am not clever or popular enough.Grace Harlowe's Return to Overton Campus
Jessie Graham Flower
There is one stream which I dread my inability to stem—it is the tide of Popular Opinion.
The former is engaged in commerce and the latter is the popular member for Leeds.
It is said that Mr. Gladstone, now for the first time, became a popular hero.
- appealing to the general public; widely favoured or admired
- favoured by an individual or limited groupI'm not very popular with her
- connected with, representing, or prevailing among the general public; commonpopular discontent
- appealing to or comprehensible to the laymana popular lecture on physics
- (usually plural) cheap newspapers with mass circulation; the popular pressAlso shortened to: pops
Word Origin for popular
early 15c., "public," from Middle French populier (Modern French populaire) and directly from Latin popularis "belonging to the people, general, common; devoted to or accepted by the people; democratic," from populus "people" (see people (n.)).
Meaning "suited to ordinary people" is from 1570s in English; hence, of prices, "low, affordable to average persons" (1859). Meaning "well-liked, admired by the people" is attested from c.1600. Of art, entertainment, etc., "favored by people generally" from 1819 (popular song). Related: Popularly. Popular Front "coalition of Communists, Socialists, and radicals" is from 1936, first in a French context.


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Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Mahogany Hair Revolution
For the Natural Queens and Kings living in Los Angeles one thing that is hard to find is a good natural hair stylist let alone a stellar natural hair salon. We in Lala land are not blessed with the plethora of great salons as on the east coast (you east coasters don't know how good you have it!) But I came upon natural Hair salon Nirvana right here in Los Angeles. As you all know I am a DIYer but every now and then one likes a little bit of pampering. My problem is that I am picky as hell!!!! I've self educated myself to the point where I have found on a few occasions I have more knowledge or current knowledge than a self proclaimed natural hair stylist and let me tell you the prices people will quote you out here!Ridiculous doesn't even cover it! Well No longer!!!! Mahogany Revolution is a FANTASTIC hair salon! Owned and operated by Kari Williams who besides being a stylist is also a trichologist. She is passionate about the health and beauty of our hair and it really shows in her work. I walked out of her salon that day and I immediately had 3 people ask me where I got my hair done. Her salon is located near the Beverly Center, it is warm, inviting, professional and clean. while she worked on me and only me, she educates you on your hair as well. She will answer all your questions and is very honest and kind. It was thanks to her advice about the nappyloc tool and that latching would probably be a good route for me to take as my locs were small and the constant twisting over time would probably weaken them (I am so glad, so glad and yes one more time SO GLAD I listened to her). Her price points are quite reasonable and she has a roster of other knowledgeable stylists as well. So if you want great, honest service by someone who knows what they are doing and cares about what they are doing then I highly recommend paying Mahogany Revolution a visit. I've added her website on my link list. Here is the contact info for the salon:
Mahogany Hair Revolution
490 S. San Vicente Blvd. #10
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Posted by Expanding Beauty at 11:50 AM
Labels: Hair Salons
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text: OCTOBER eNEWS 2017October 6, 2017 OCTOBER 2017 ISSUEWelcome to the October edition of the eyachts newsletter. Summer is on our doorstep and we can't wait! This month, Rowan McMahon, QLD state manager takes us to Cannes Yachting Festival, showcase the new Vanquish 16 "Fun machine", release the exciting news of the alliance between Axopar Boats and high performance & luxury car manufacturer, Brabus and also feature the Sealine C430 which has been nominated the European Boat of the Year for 2018. Peter and the Eyachts TeamCANNES YACHTING FESTIVAL 2017 Cannes Yachting Festival was an amazing event to attend, with every brand Eyachts represents on display it was a no brainer for both Dan Jones ( NSW State Manager) and Rowan McMahon ( QLD State Manager) to make the long journey to experience what the South Of France has to offer. We decided to throw away our Bagette's and Beret's, put on the chinos and linen shirts to visit all our brands and see what else is in the pipe works in the boating world.Read the full story from Rowan McMahon ( QLD State Manager)LAUNCH OF "THE FUN MACHINE"The New Vanqraft 16 – dubbed " the Fun Machine" created quite a buzz at the Cannes Yachting Festival. The latest Vanquish model crossover between a superyacht tender and a water scooter features the same unique styling and high quality build as the larger and ultra exclusive Vanquish Yachts. It would appeal to owners of all large yachts with tender garages looking to upgrade from their standard tender into something unique. Equally at home on a waterfront home or in the canals of the Gold Coast as that uber cool replacement for the jet ski and a great way of getting to your favourite beach bar with friends. View Launch VideoNEW SEALINE C430 NOMINATED FOR BOAT OF THE YEAR 2018Sealine's latest model, the Sealine C430 has been Nominated for "European Powerboat of the Year Award 2018″! The new Sealine; designed by Bill Dixon" is an awesome boat for Australian and NZ waters and such a practical family cruiser. The new wetbar and BBQ on the C430 has been influenced by our very own Peter Hrones on the Australian way of entertaining and cooking aboard. Find out more about the new Sealine C430BRABUS SHADOW 800 BY AXOPARFamous German high-performance car manufacturer, BRABUS have formed a new cutting edge alliance with Axopar Boats, the fastest-growing boat manufacturer in Europe, to produce under license a new range of bespoke, luxury 'hyper' boats, with distinct design and performance features typical for BRABUS. The world premiere of the special limited edition 1 of 20 BRABUS Shadow 800 will take place at boot Düsseldorf in January 2018. View full press release hereFORT LAUDERDALE BOATSHOWThe 58th Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show will be taking place at Bahia Mar, Fort Lauderdale November 1st – 5th, 2017. Peter Hrones will be at the Outer Reef Stand located at AB Dock, slips 501-503 for the duration of the show and after for any test runs. We will showcase a stunning 860 Deluxbridge Motoryacht, 610 Motoryacht and 620 Trident on display and available for personalised tours. More on Outer Reef YachtsNEW GREENLINE 39 ARRIVING BEFORE CHRISTMASA single-engine double-cabin Greenline 39 of the new generation offers more speed, more comfort, more convenience, better value at purchase and reduced cost of ownership. Greenline Yachts are about sophistication in design, technology, production while being environmentally friendly. Get in quick to secure yourself a new Greenline this summer! Find out more about Greenline 39 HANDOVER OF THE MONTH – FJORD 42The handover of the month is the Fjord 42 Open which was handed over on the Gold Coast last month. The owner is loving his new powerboat and has told us that… "Its a definite head turner and I'm getting heaps of thumbs up from other boaters on the water" Check out the Fjord 42 on our websiteLIMITED OFFERSWe have a couple of Limited Offers available on display boats that are available for purchase before summer. Check out the Limited Offers section on the website to avoid the wait and get your new boat before Christmas.


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Kingston: West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo has hit back at Marlon Samuels for claiming that he was not part of the ODI team's plan to abandon the troubled tour of India, saying that his team-mate was an "interested party" and spoke "vigorously" during the meetings he attended.
Samuels had said that since he was not accredited with the West Indies Players Association, he wanted to focus on finishing the India tour before raising any objections concerning the contract and memorandum of understanding signed between the WIPA and the WICB.
"Wavell Hinds cannot negotiate on behalf of me so I know that once I continued (to play) I just needed to finish this tour and then I would have asked questions," Samuels, the first player to speak out about the controversial decision taken by the players, was quoted as saying by the local media.
"The main thing first was West Indies cricket, that is why I remained focussed throughout everything," he had said.
Bravo said he was "shocked" at the claims made by Samuels. He said Samuels contributed vigorously to the discussions held and indicated clearly at that time that he would stand with any decision taken by the team.
"I note the comments attributed to Marlon Samuels from media reports and wish to state that Samuels was invited to and did attend the majority of meetings with the players on tour," Bravo said in a media statement.
"We extended invitation to Samuels with full knowledge that he is not a member of WIPA but was an interested party. Samuels contributed vigorously to the discussions held and indicated clearly, at that time, that he would stand with any decision taken by the team. I am therefore shocked to see the statements, if true, that have been attributed to Samuels."
West Indies players abandoned their tour after playing the fourth ODI at Dharamsala because of a pay dispute with their Board. They were to play another ODI, one T20 match and three Tests.
Samuels was the only bright spot for the West Indies on the tour, smashing two superb centuries to finish the ODI series with 254 runs from three innings.
According to Bravo, the decision to quit the tour was taken "in concert with all members of the squad" and not solely by him.
"I wish to state for the record that all correspondence sent and decisions taken were with the full agreement and consent of the players on tour including the current Test captain Denesh Ramdin and the T20 captain Darren Sammy," said Bravo.
"It was agreed that someone needed to correspond with WIPA after we were presented with the match/tour contract in India when it became evident that the terms and conditions were very different from what we were accustomed to and expected. The team members met and I, as captain, was nominated and accepted the responsibility to correspond on behalf of the players on tour and I will continue to do so as designated," he said.
Bravo said that the players, barring Samuels, have decided to pursue the issue through legal help going forward.
"We do not wish to make any further statements on this matter since the players on tour (except Samuels) with some additional players who did not tour India have appointed counsel to represent them in this matter," he said.
"We look forward to a speedy resolution and that our concerns, and that of all players including the first-class players, are addressed in a satisfactory and timely manner."


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'TOAD' OXFORD RYE VODKA 40%abv
OXFORD, United-Kingdom
Toads Oxford Rye Vodka, is one of only a tiny handful of Vodkas in the UK which are distilled from grain at the distillery, most distillers buy industrial alcohol its called 'neutral grain spirit' which they then flavour and distil.
The grains used in this Vodka are descended from ancient varieties discovered by an archeobotanist years ago in the bottom layers of mediaeval thatched rooves! He revived and cultivated some 300 old varieties to make the unique organic crops which are now exclusive to Toad gin and vodka.
Have you tried 'TOAD' THE OXFORD ARTISAN DRY GIN 46%abv 70cl @ £36.00
ABV 40% by volume 70cl glass bottle & stopper
PER BOTTLE £31.85 (inc VAT)


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Updated: 01/26/06
The Bleat
Tightly Wound
Waiter Rant
Free The Grapes
"Quicksilver"by Neal Stephenson
pet the kitty
business cards
Thursday, 26 January, 2006
[Only 8,380 more needed for our wine cellar wall.]
So Bermuda was good. Busy, but the weather was not too horrible, and only one meeting cancelled on us. We arrived on Tuesday afternoon and following a light lunch at the hotel, we went on a driving tour of Bermuda. We went down to the South Shore Road and around to the Docklands on the far western side of the island. This was the first time that one of our clients and one of my colleagues had visited Bermuda, so they appreciated getting out to see something other than just downtown Hamilton.
We had dinner the first night with my former boss, Jed [F.O.F.], who is now an underwriter. The next day and half were a blur of meetings, and I have to give special thanks to Foxie's taxi service, whose drivers drove us to and from the airport and on our car tour as well as between meetings. While not a big place, Hamilton can be time consuming to negotiate on foot, especially when the next meeting always seems to be on the opposite end of town, so it was very nice to walk out and find our driver ready to pick us up.
The weather was not great - scattered showers and quite windy - but we avoided most of it. And besides, it was in the low 70's, so it was just nice to walk around without a coat on. We had some concerns about getting off the island today, as they were forecasting gale force winds. Depending upon the direction of the wind, the planes cannot land if the winds are above a certain level. Luckily, it seemed to be blowing in the right direction, as made it out with no problems, and with all of us upgraded to First Class.
[And there was much rejoicing.]
So, off the plane, collected the bags, and shared a cab into town with Jessica. Gary was still at the hospital when I got home, but Suki greeted me and supervised my unpacking. She noted, however, that the suitcase did not actually go away, but stayed in the dressing room. Which is bad.
Gary came home around 5:00 and had stopped to get a flank steak and salad for dinner. What a guy. Then a quiet evening watching a Netflix movie - "Serenity". This was a feature film made to follow the "Firefly" television series, which I never watched. A bit confusing at first, but I liked it. Then I fell asleep on the couch.
Quote du jour:
"Leisure time is that five or six hours when you sleep at night."
George Allen (1922 - 1990) US football coach
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How To Keep Sand Out Of Your Home
There are a lot of wonderful things about summer, but sand in the home isn't one of them. The gritty residue of time at the beach has a way of making its way in to every nook and cranny, from the seams of the sofa to the grout of the bathroom tiles. This ability to implant itself into the fabric of your home makes sand one of summer's most unwelcome visitors. If you'd rather make sand something you only find at the beach, keep reading: we have the low-down on how to keep sand out of your home with just a few simple steps.
Step 1: Use sand-resistant beach towels
The average beach towel is excellent at catching sand, especially when wet. While a firm shake at the beach usually gets rid of the more obvious patches, it's almost inevitable that there'll be a good handful of grains worked in to the fabric, ready to come loose as soon as the towel makes its way inside your home. Break out of this sandy cycle by buying some of our cotton velour beach towels. They're soft, absorbent, generously sized and - most importantly - sand repellent. Just make sure you lay them velour side down and their clever construction will do the rest.
Step 2: Opt for mesh beach bags
Days at the beach are best if you're well-prepared, armed with a hat, sunscreen, reading material, cold water and snacks. Unless you're some sort of super-dextrous strongman, you'll need a bag to keep all your bits and pieces in. While we like the look of straw beach bags and striped linen as much as the next person, mesh beach bags are the best choice when it comes to combatting sand, thanks to the holes in the fabric which ensure grains don't get stuck inside and make their way into your home. Just give the bag a solid shake or a rinse before you step inside and voila! Any pesky sand is gone.
Step 3: Clean feet outside
If you haven't already, consider making foot washing a mandatory post-beach activity at your place. Feet are full of all sorts of hidey holes for sand, like cuticles, rough skin and those hard-to-reach places between toes. Depending on your home and budget, you can facilitate foot washing with a range of methods, from an outdoor shower to a well-placed tap, or even a full watering can and wooden bath mat by the front door. Just in case the rinse doesn't get rid of all the sand, also consider investing a little money in the right kind of doormat. Look for a rope fabrication with a strong weave that will trap grains of sand and keep them from reattaching to your feet.
Step 4: Designate an offloading zone
The final offensive play in the battle against sand revolves around creating a home for your beach gear. While - if you've followed the steps above - you should be almost sand-free when you get back from the beach, there's an inevitable grain or two that will have burrowed somewhere deep into your belongings or be stuck somewhere on your person. To prevent these determined grains from making their way into the key areas of your home, set up an offloading zone. It could be a corner of your garage, part of your laundry, or a clever storage rack on an outside wall. Wherever it is, ideally it will have a hard floor and be a low-traffic area, rendering it easy to clean and unlikely to be a source of sand spreading. While your swimmers and beach towels should go in the wash or on the clothesline ( read our guide to beach towel care here ) once you're back from the surf, other items like boards, kids toys, hats, thongs and beach bags need a home, and this is where your offloading zone comes in. Depending on where your zone is, use it as a temporary home for items as they dry off or a more permanent, seasonal home. The latter is a great idea if you go to the beach often, as you'll have easy access to all the things you need to take with you.
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The House approved legislation yesterday to strengthen consumer protections for mortgage borrowers as Congress seeks to curb the lending abuses that contributed to the subprime-mortgage crisis.
The measure, approved 291-127, would require lenders to ensure potential borrowers have the ability to repay their mortgages and strengthen oversight of mortgage brokers. It now goes to the Senate.
The bill "seeks to prevent a repetition of events that caused one of the most serious financial crises in recent times," said Rep. Barney Frank, the Massachusetts Democrat who chairs Financial Services Committee.


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Centrelink staved off threatened strike action by call centre staff yesterday following meetings with the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU).
More than 4000 Centrelink call centre staff - opposed to the introduction of a new computerized roster system - threatened to take action. The new system, called Total View workforce management system from IEX Operations and provided by Matrium Technologies, is being introduced on Monday, December 13.
It allows workers to lodge roster requests and expected workloads within the system, which then provides a four-week roster.
However, discontent with the system among workers was running high yesterday which led to meetings being held throughout Australia. One complaint was that employees had been rostered to work public holidays and weekends, whereas the 26 Centrelink call centres are only open from Monday to Friday between 8am and 5pm.
Despite these complaints, according to a Centrelink spokesperson, Total View will allow the organization to better manage available resources, and will be used by more than 4000 Centrelink call centre staff.
Total View is replacing the enterprise resource management tool Lotus 123 scheduling tool.
Although the system will be operational Monday, the CPSU said many of the rosters given to staff are totally unworkable.
Despite this the CPSU confirmed that no strike action will be taking place.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- SumTotal Systems Inc. sumt shares tumbled 19% to $6.07 in Monday morning trade after the Mountain View, Calif.-based software company said it expects a third-quarter net loss of $2.6 million to $2.8 million, or 10 cents to 11 cents a share, on revenue of $26.8 million to $27 million. Excluding items, the company expects a per-share profit of $900,000 to $1.1 million, or 3 cents to 4 cents a share. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call had forecast a per-share profit of 9 cents on revenue of $26.9 million.
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Looking to re floor your bathroom, basement, kitchen, porch, laundry room, or other moisture-prone area? A clay-based ceramic tile could be the perfect choice for you! Extremely durable, easy to care for, and water, stain, and wear resistant are just some characteristics that make tile a great choice.They are also available in a wide variety of patterns, color, shapes, and sizes. Although you can get tile in any size, the current trend is for tiles larger than 12" square.
While all tile is great, there are some types that that will work better for certain projects and locations. This is based off different elements such as the type of clay, temperature and duration of the firing process, and the thickness of the actual tile. Contact us to talk about what type of tile would be best for you. Contact Us today!
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International Journal of Atmospheric Sciences
Volume 2017, Article ID 9251034, 30 pages
Radiation Transfer Calculations and Assessment of Global Warming by CO2
Experimental Physics and Materials Science, Helmut-Schmidt-University, Holstenhofweg 85, 22043 Hamburg, Germany
Correspondence should be addressed to Hermann Harde; ed.hh-ush@edrah
Received 29 June 2016; Revised 3 October 2016; Accepted 1 November 2016; Published 20 March 2017
Academic Editor: Bin Yu
Copyright © 2017 Hermann Harde. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
We present detailed line-by-line radiation transfer calculations, which were performed under different atmospheric conditions for the most important greenhouse gases water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and ozone. Particularly cloud effects, surface temperature variations, and humidity changes as well as molecular lineshape effects are investigated to examine their specific influence on some basic climatologic parameters like the radiative forcing, the long wave absorptivity, and back-radiation as a function of an increasing CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. These calculations are used to assess the CO2 global warming by means of an advanced two-layer climate model and to disclose some larger discrepancies in calculating the climate sensitivity. Including solar and cloud effects as well as all relevant feedback processes our simulations give an equilibrium climate sensitivity of = 0.7°C (temperature increase at doubled CO2) and a solar sensitivity of = 0.17°C (at 0.1% increase of the total solar irradiance). Then CO2 contributes 40% and the Sun 60% to global warming over the last century.


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(This post is part of our 2014 Resolve to Evolve program.)
Improving how you communicate can feel personal, because how you communicate is how you're you. But it's also one of the best things you can do for your career, because everyone wants to be heard.
One crucial way to improve your communication skills is to listen, really listen, to others. So a great way to work at making your efforts to become a better communicator stick is to ask for feedback.
Ask a trusted friend of colleague to give you a grade on your communication skills. Where do you excel and where do you still need some help? (Be sure to ask them to look at how you communicate comprehensively, both in person and through digital channels.)
This will also help you build trust with those you work with: asking for help and being vulnerable are trust earners.
Ask for feedback.
Get better.
Once you know where you need help, you'll be able to better stick to the action ideas discussed last week and start improving your high-touch or high-tech communications.


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text: Johnson Eric S. MB BS; Fischman, H. R. DVM; Matanoski, Genevieve M. MD; Diamond, E. PhDJournal of Occupational Medicine: January 1986 ORIGINAL ARTICLE: PDF Only Abstract A study was conducted among 13,844 members of a meat-cutter's union, from July 1949 to December 1980, to examine cancer occurrence in the meat industry. Separate analyses were carried out for the whole group, and for subgroups defined by job-categories characteristic of the industry, including a control group. Mortality was compared with that of the United States through the estimation of standardized mortality ratios (SMR) and proportional mortality ratios. A statistically significant proportional mortality ratio of 2.9 was obtained for Hodgkin's disease among abattoir workers; the SMR of 2.2 was not significant. Among meat-packing plant workers, highly statistically significant SMRs were recorded for bone cancer, SMR = 9.6; cancer of the buccal cavity and pharynx, SMR = 3.4; and lung cancer, SMR = 1.9. The role of oncogenic viruses and other careinogenic exposures was investigated. ©1986 The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine


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About Macau
Macau (/məˈkaʊ/ (About this sound listen)), also spelled Macao and officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, is an autonomous territory on the western side of the Pearl River estuary in East Asia. Macau is bordered by the city of Zhuhai in Mainland China to the north and the Pearl River Delta to the east and south. Hong Kong lies about 64 kilometres (40 mi) to its east across the Delta.[5] With a population of 650,900[3] living in an area of 30.5 km2 (11.8 sq mi), it is the most densely populated region in the world. A former Portuguese colony, it was returned to Chinese sovereignty on 20 December 1999.
Getting around in Macau is relatively easy and inexpensive. Taxis and buses are plentiful. Check out what Macau attractions you would like to visit and their locations on this map and decide on a plan.
From the Ferry terminal getting into town is easy with Bus #3, which will bring you to the main square in the center of town. From there, the Ruins of St. Paul are within walking distance and just around in the area there are many alleys and lanes worth checking out for trinkets and some great local food.
And of course there are the free shuttles that run from the different hotels and casinos and the Ferry Terminals. You can't miss them as you exit the station.
Shuttles for the Grand Lisboa bring you close to the center of town. For the Cotai Strip, take the Venetian or the Galaxy Shuttles.
This is a wonderful way to see all that Macau offers, conveniently departing from the Macau Ferry Terminal, so you can hop-on as soon as you arrive and start exploring.
There are 16 stops which will cover Macau's best sights as you hop-off at your leisure. To go the entire loop non-stop takes approximately 70 minutes and buses depart every 45 minutes.
The bus route covers both the historical center as well as the glitzy Cotai strip. All of the above highlights are covered in the loop: Kun Iam Statue, Grand Lisboa, Largo do Senado, Ruins of St Paul, Macau Tower, A-ma Temple, and the Casinos at the Cotai Strip.
When? Daily 9:20
am - 4:05 pm
Where? Departs and ends at the Macau Ferry Terminal
How Much? One Day Sightseeing Pass Adults (12+) HK$125 US$16, Children (2-11) HK$84 US$11
Here we recommend some sightseeings to you:
City center and Ruins of St.
Paul Kun Iam Temple
Macau Tower
A-Ma Temple Casinos
Official Currency: Money changing services can be found not only at the Macau International Airport but also most shopping centres and hotels around the island. The official currency is Macau Pataca(MOP$).
Climate: Macau is a subtropical monsoon climate, but also with tropical climate characteristics, the annual average temperature is about 22.3°C, the annual temperature difference in the 11 ~ 14°C. Spring and summer wet and rainy, autumn and winter relatively low relative humidity and less rainfall. Typhoon season is from May to October, with the most frequent from July to September.


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