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The Simply Ali Authors After Dark Birthday Bash begins Now!!
Book II of the Arcane Shot Series
Berkley Sensation
Paranormal Sensual Romance
May 1, 2012
All witch and part succubus, savvy businesswoman Raina has converted a Southern plantation house into an extremely profitable old-fashioned bordello. Because of her abilities as a witch, the demons under Raina's protection can feed off the sexual energy of their clients without killing them—definitely a good thing for repeat business.
But when a rogue incubus shows up on Raina's doorstep begging for asylum, the witch's well-run business is put in jeopardy. The incubus has stolen an object of great power from Lucifer, and Underworld Dark Guardian Mikhael will do anything to get it back—even if it means incinerating the incubus on Raina's porch to get the answers he seeks.
Not to be trifled with, Raina enters a dangerous match of wits with Mikhael to achieve their mutual goals—only to discover that the reluctant attraction between them is the most hazardous game of all…
Want to learn more about Joey W. Hill's In The Company of Witches? You can catch and excerpt here
Today for the daily Prize Ms. Joey W. Hill's has offered one of her fabulous books Signed, Winner's Choice! Ms. Hill was kind enough to answer some Simply Ali questions. Check out the interview below.
Joey: I have a lot of authors I respect tremendously, and whose work has greatly inspired me, but I never considered myself the fangirl type until I approached Diana Gabaldon at a DragonCon panel. I consider her first three Outlander books sheer masterpieces, with one of the most memorable heroes ever (Jamie Fraser). So, at the completion of the panel, I headed to her table, intending to tell her - in the calm manner of a professional writer – how impressed I am with her work, and how it influenced my own writing. Instead, the minute she met my gaze, I had the little heart-flutter-in-the-throat reaction, the tremor in the limbs, and I have no idea what I stammered. So I hope it was something coherent (lol). And God/dess help me if I ever have to pronounce her last name in front of her.
Ali: If you could co-write with another author who would it be and why?
Joey: Honestly, I could never imagine writing a story with another author, because I get so deep in my head when I write, and the development process is so convoluted, I don't know how I could bend, twist or beat that into a workable partnership scenario. But if I could, I'm thinking my most effective partnership would be with my long-term critique partner, Ann Jacobs. She does great pacing, smoothly flowing prose and crisp plotline development, whereas I'm all about the emotions and description. For years I've redlined her work to increase her characters' emotional depth and flesh out her scenes with more detail, and she's redlined mine to streamline rambling paragraphs, increase my pacing and keep me from beating a dead horse well…to death. So we'd probably make a very complementary team (laughter).
Ali: What are you looking forward to most about AADNola?
Joey: So many things. I went there last year for a research trip, so I'm going to enjoy visiting some of the places I missed, as well as seeing it through the eyes of the authors/readers being introduced to it for the first time. I didn't get to the French Market, so I'd like to walk through that, as well as see the big New Orleans museum.
The conference itself is the big draw, however. This is the second or third one I've attended (brain meltdown, can't remember) and each one has been a wonderful informal get-together between readers and authors. The readers really get treated as the treasures they are, so it's great to see them have a good time – like watching kids at Disney (lol). A chance to spend a few days together, sharing our love of romance and books, cutting loose and having fun, is a terrific energy infuser for everyone. That's probably what I look forward to most – the spontaneous conversations, as well as the memories we'll be laughing about throughout the whole year, until the next AAD!
Ali: The world is under attack and you are forced to run for your life. You only have room for one book in your survival kit, what book do you take?
Joey: If magic can't be involved, and the book needs to be functional, it would be Back to Eden by Jethro Kloss. It's a comprehensive manual of what wild vegetation is edible, what nutrients it provides, etc. I'm a vegetarian, and when I became one, I got tired of the whole "but if you were on a deserted island and the only thing to eat was rabbit, wouldn't you eat it?" My response was always – "first off, what's the rabbit eating?" (grin)
Of course, if I could use magic, I'd want that book that Wesley had in the Joss Whedon series Angel, the tome that could be any book you wanted it to be. That way I could have Back to Eden AND the Outlander novels AND my favorite book of all time, Once in a Blue Moon by Penelope Williamson, etc etc etc. (Even as I'm saying this, I'm envisioning a commercial where Apple posits this question and answers it with an Ipad you can charge by plugging it into a palm tree, using the fronds for signal reception – snort!)
Ali: Who are your favorite literary characters? (Yours or someone else's)
Joey: That's a really tough one to narrow down. As noted above, I adore Jamie Fraser of the Outlander novels, as well as Eve and Roarke of the JD Robb books. Zsadist of the Black Dagger Brotherhood is incredibly memorable. Going back to early readings, Hester of The Scarlet Letter for the incredible strength/freedom she found in solitude, Jean Valjean and Eponine of Les Miserables (don't get me started on those frivolous twits Marius and Cosette) for being a hero/heroine that had an oblivious and awe-inspiring fortitude in the face of huge challenge and devastating personal tragedy. These are not people who would be whining about their problems on Oprah (grin). Though I wouldn't mind seeing Eponine do a beat-down on Marius on an episode of Jerry Springer.
Ali: Are there any of your secondary characters you would like to give more life to?
Joey: Oh heavens, yes. My secondary characters are usually my arrow pointing to what the next book will be about. For instance, in the Knights of the Boardroom series, we had four secondary characters introduced who will make up two future books – Janet, Matt Kensington's formidable admin, has her sight set on Max, the ex-Navy Seal and close-mouthed Kensington & Associates limo driver/security detail. Leland, a detective who helped out one of the K&A women in Afterlife, is going to cross paths with Celeste, a reporter who dubbed the K&A guys "Knights of the Board Room." In fact, I have a Future Projects page on my website that details out potential storylines for the secondary characters from my series.
On that same note, I just finished a free "prequel" vignette that featured Celeste. It's on the Fan Forum (register to verify you're not a spammer, navigate away from the site, come back and login, then go to the vignette section – you'll find it there under the title "Retribution") There are five serial parts, but also one thread that's the complete download. There are a bunch of other free download vignettes there, if you have other favorite characters you'd like to revisit!
Ali: If your friends were asked to describe you in one word what would it be?
Joey: Is pain-in-the-ass one word? LOL – it's not easy to be friends to a full-time midlist writer. I pretty much write, sleep and eat, and stuff everything else in the available spaces. But the people who put up with me would probably say "driven". I think that's a nice word for "obsessive". My husband says "anal". You get the gist. ;>
*Favorite color - purple
*Favorite food – Chocolate – Hershey's, Dove and Russell Stover
*Boots or heels – Boots with low block heels
*eReader or Print – Both – hard to feel like I'm away from work with any kind of screen, so it's nice to have the option of print, but I'll read a good story on either medium.
*Beer, Liquor or Wine – Wine – White zinfandel, light and fruity tastes
*Favorite place to get it on besides the bedroom – I'm creaky and as inflexible as a pretzel stick; hard to get it on comfortably anywhere else (lol). I'll say a hot tub, and we'll pretend that will work without my husband and I passing out from steam inhalation.
*Favorite TV Show – Right now it's Cold Case.
*Favorite Book series (besides your own) – JD Robb In Death Series or JR Ward BDB
*Pj's or Lingerie – Nightshirt/knee length cotton gowns.
*Vampires vs. Shifters – Vampires (though I still think Bella should have tried to talk Jacob and Edward into a threesome!)
Leave a comment or question, as well as your email address, and you'll have the chance to win the book-of-your-choice from my available and upcoming titles. The winner will be notified next Sunday.
Where to find me:
Website (free excerpts from all my work – including chapter one of Hostile Takeover, mentioned above! PS – all the books in the series can standalone) Fan Forum (lot of free reads, graphics, character interviews, etc. here!) Twitter Facebook
Thanks for having me – loved visiting!
Don't forget your comment today enters you not only in the daily prize but the Grand Prize as well! And come back tomorrow to learn more about my next AAD Spotlight Author Jessica Jarman!


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The 9 Most Devastating Insults From Around the World
A responsible traveler won't set foot in another country without knowing how to viciously insult the people in their native language. Odds are, you won't even make it out of the airport before a situation arises that requires obscenities.
But "obscenity" is an ever-moving target. It's an amalgamation of cultural taboos, the impact of current events and your mom. Accordingly, every country has developed a uniquely beautiful set of curses and insults that set it apart. While some insults are broadly accessible, like your mom, others will require a little background for the new student. Thus, we offer this helpful guide to the best and most vulgar (and very real) insults from around the world:
#9. "Suck butter from my ass" (Chupe mantequilla de mi culo)
Who Said That? The Spanish.
Dear God Why?
How does a culture wind up with "suck the butter from my ass" as an insult? It's starts with "Me cago en la leche," meaning "I shit in the milk." It's a common statement that's essentially a variant of "Damnit!" We're unsure how milk + poop = a jaunty, multipurpose expletive, but here we are.
Other helpful Spanish phrases:
When dookie is used for even the most pedestrian exclamations, more heated applications escalate the filth factor pretty rapidly:
"I shit on your dead" (Me cago en tus muertos)
"I shit on God" (Me cago en Dios)
"I shit in/on your whore mother" (Me cago en tu puta madre)
Note that's "in" or "on," we guess depending on how she likes it.
And the list goes on. These folks just love shit. Basically you can hold your own in any argument in Spain if you're creative enough with where you deposit your waste matter. If you're a man who is sharp enough to destroy someone with this virtualized shit-flinging, pride may reward you with a "Brazo de santo," which literally translates to "arm of a saint" which means a full erection.
#8. "A thousand dicks in your religion" (Elif air ab dinikh)
Who Said That? The Arabs.
Dear God Why?
If you thought Spanish had an unusual fixation with fecal matter allow the Arabs to put it in perspective with their penis-based potshots. Describing someone as a "fatah" (foreskin) alone is considered a grave insult and that's only the tip of the proverbial/metaphorical ... iceberg.
Other helpful Arabic phrases:
"May you be struck by a dick" (Air il'e yoshmotak)
"My dick in your conscience" (Airy fe dameerak)
"My dick in your mother's rib cage" (Eyreh be afass seder emmak)
That's not to say they're just smut peddlers insult-wise. Some of the most disrespectful things you can say are 100 percent penis-free like "Surmayye a'raasac" (A shoe is on your head). The foot is considered the most filthy part of the body, courtesy of their deserts not having any shortages on dirt. To direct your foot at someone verbally or physically means you aren't hiding your contempt, as vividly demonstrated by the thousands of Nike treads upside Saddam's bronze dome (right).
That explanation was a lot easier to track back than "Yela'an sabe'a jad lak" (Damn your seventh grandfather), which is the deepest scope of damnation demonstrated by any culture thus far. We're not sure about the relevance of the "seventh," but we do respect that kind of surgical precision when trying to denigrate someone's family.
#7. "He's as thick as a bull's walt" (that is, as dense as an erect bull penis)
Who Said That? The Irish.
Dear God Why?
Many classic curses from Ireland come out of Gaelic, which gives them a more folksy, old-timey appeal. Such as, "Go n-ithe an cat thu, is go n-ithe an diabhal an cat" (May the cat eat you, and may the devil eat the cat).
Other helpful Irish phrases:
Gaelic really does its best work when it is conjuring up ways to describe foul acts. Sure, it's faster to say two people were fucking, but wouldn't you rather describe it as skin-hitting ("bualadh craicinn") or leather stretching ("streachailt leathair")?
The majority of Ireland does not speak Gaelic, but that hasn't hindered a bustling industry of filthy slang and occasionally rustic vernacular:
"Gobshite" (shithead)
"Piss artist" (alcoholic)
"As Thick As Manure And Only Half As Useful."
#6. "Let a hungry Carpathian long-haired she-wolf blow your dick, fuck" (Gladna Karpatska valchitza s dalag kosam minet da ti prai deeba)
Who Said That? Bulgarians.
Dear God Why?
Bulgarian cursing is based on a hybrid of nature references and non sequiturs. Most of the good ones read like Tourette's syndrome Mad Libs. They still embrace common baselines, but the modifiers around it are what really shine. For instance:
Other helpful Bulgarian phrases:
"Your mother sucks bears in the forest" (Mayka ti duha na mechki v gorata)
"Fuck this tilted field" (Da eba taz kreeva neeva)
"You're as ugly as a salad" (Grozna si kato salata)
Some of them are so elaborate, it's not entirely clear which part to be offended by.
For instance, when someone tells you "Nosa ti e kato ruska putka" (Your nose is like a Russian pussy), should you be enraged at the comparison to a Russian or a vagina? And it's no different when being called "Pederas grozen gyrbaw prokazhen" (an unsightly hunchbacked leper queer). It sounds like swearing constructed from a profanity combo menu (please select one aspersion from Columns A, B and C).
The real strength of this approach is having the ability to offend those unfazed by unattractive gay leper jokes, but with a deep personal hatred of hunchbacks.
#5. "Fuck the 18 generations of your ancestors" (Cao ni zu zong shi ba dai)
Who Said That? The Chinese (Mandarin).
Dear God Why?
Stop the presses! Though this is not technically damning. The Chinese have managed to smash the previous seven-generation threshold for familial insults through this little gem. Take that, Arabic.
Other helpful Mandarin phrases:
While Mandarin has a wealth of generalized insults for the intellectually stunted ("Sha gua" means retard--literally "stupid melon"), it really brings the heat with insults that don't sound at all insulting.
"Wear a green hat." This doesn't sound particularly offensive until you understand that green hats were a component of the male brothel workers uniform during the Tang dynasty. These brothels were so prominent that some historians speculate the Tang dynasty was actually named after the amount of poozle they serviced rather than the emperor's family. References to green hats can challenge the fidelity of someone's wife or suggest someone's father is an anonymous man whore.
"Your mother is a big turtle" (Nide muchin shr ega da wukwei). Again, means nothing without context. But because a turtle doesn't know its father, it's a creative way of calling someone a bastard.
We'd probably still opt for "cho yade" (smelly slave wench), but we're steeped in a different tradition.

subset: commoncrawl


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5 B.S. Political Arguments You Hear Every Election Season
When presidential election season rolls around, it seems like everyone you know is suddenly a political-science major with a minor in being an asshole. As Facebook becomes a war zone, there are a number of arguments that will come up again and again. We're not going to try to sway you on any one issue, but you should know that there are some factual points that almost everyone gets wrong.
For instance, you'll keep running into people who think ...
#5. "Taxes on higher incomes means it's actually better to have a lower-paying job!"
If you've ever filled out a tax form, you know that America (and most other countries) has what's called a progressive tax system. This means that rich people pay higher rates than poor people. Currently, if you make between $70,700 and $142,700, your income tax rate is 25 percent. Whereas if you make between $17,400 and $70,699, your income tax rate is just 15 percent.
One of your "smart" friends has probably pointed out the problem with this -- when you get close to the line between one tax bracket and another, an increase in salary may actually decrease how much you take home. Therefore there's no incentive to work hard and get that promotion, because you'll earn less money.
"... So I said, 'Fuck trading stocks, the carefree life of a janitor is for me!'"
We mean, it's simple math, right? If you're making $70,000, you're better off staying in your comfy 15 percent bracket than moving up in the world to a $71,000 salary and having a quarter of your income cruelly ripped from your hard-working hands. Hell, your friend even heard about a guy who asked for a pay cut so he'd stay in the lower bracket and take home more money! This is an outrage! Is it time to start throwing our tea bags into the Boston harbor again?
But Actually ...
In case you don't feel like poring through 72,536 pages of tax code, we'll make it simple: Your tax bracket isn't the number used for your whole income. If you're making $100,000, for example, the Grinches at the IRS are still only charging you 15 percent for the first $70,000, even though you're in that second tax bracket. It's only the money you make on top of that which gets taxed at the higher rate. This is done specifically to avoid the situation your dumbass friend insists is happening.
"Wow ... I'm going to kill my accountant."
So despite what a lot of tax protesters would like to argue, there really is no situation in which it's ever possible to increase your salary but lose net income. Even if your higher salary pushes you into a new tax bracket, you're only taxed more on the additional income. You're still taking home more cash.
So when a politician wants to raise taxes on the rich and your friend at the office is screaming about how this actually discourages surgeons and engineers from working, calmly pull out your special edition IRS Tax Code, signed by Rosa Guamataotao Rios herself, and explain the hip new trend of understanding taxes. Maybe do it with a cheesy educational rap song, like "You think that you know taxes, well I'll give you the facts-es."
Alternatively, you can just crush your friend to death with it.
#4. "Rich people can just buy an election these days!"
You'll hear this again and again from jaded voters as the election moves closer -- it's all about buying votes. It doesn't matter whom you vote for; at the end of the day, the candidate who spends more on their campaign will win the election in the end. Sometimes they'll have colorful graphs backing it up. Hell, you already watched Mitt Romney clean the floor at the Republican primaries, and he just happens to be an obscenely rich businessman. It just seems obvious.
As a result, elections are always accompanied by people demanding new laws that limit the amount of money that can be donated to campaigns, lest the country always be run by whomever ExxonMobil and Google decide should run it.
"If we pull this off people will have to use Google+!"
But Actually ...
It's true that the winner of an election is usually the one who attracted and spent more donor money, but that's correlation, not causation. Freakonomics authors Stephen J. Dubner and Steve Levitt looked into this and found a couple of surprising facts, one of which is that having more money doesn't automatically win you the election -- being popular with voters just gets you more money. Not just because regular folks like them more, but because donors throw money at candidates who are more likely to win (and thus, be in a position to do more favors for all of those contributors). Supporters of the less attractive opponent sit on their money until someone electable comes along -- there's no reason to throw money at a losing campaign.
In other words, if the voters hate you, all the money in the world won't help. But if the voters love you, you'll soon have all the money in the world.
"Where the hell am I going to break this?"
Now obviously, campaign contributions matter -- those bumper stickers won't print themselves, and there's a reason that every president comes from one of the major parties, even though your eccentric neighbor runs as an independent every year. There is a minimum amount of money a person needs just to get in the game, and at the national level that number is in the millions.
But Levitt did a study of congressional elections and found that once you're in the race, if a candidate doubled their spending, it would still only swing the vote by one percent. So yes, a candidate in a dead-even race could maybe shake down their donors enough to double spending and move the needle that one percent required to put themselves over the top (which could just as quickly be erased with one gaffe or drunken, pants-less speech). But for the vast, vast majority of races, a candidate can't simply "buy" an election if their views make voters want to punch them in the face.
"Just like you wanted, sir!"
#3. "You don't like the death penalty? So you want to PAY to keep these people in prison FOREVER?"
No matter what your opinion is of the moral side of the death-penalty debate, many people who argue on the topic will defer to the economic consideration -- namely, it's so costly for us to keep murderers in prison for the rest of their lives that it'd be a lot cheaper just to strap them to the electric chair and get it over with. If they're never going to see the light of day again anyway, what difference does it make?
But Actually ...
It turns out keeping someone on death row and eventually killing them isn't as cheap as you thought. To pull out some real numbers, the annual cost of the death row system is $137 million. So a system where life in prison is the maximum sentence logically has to be more expensive, right? Nope ... screw logic! That only comes in at an estimated $11.5 million annually. That's the difference between the budget of a Michael Bay blockbuster and a documentary about Katy Perry.
Funding either of these should be a life sentence in and of itself.
What the hell is going on? Does a lethal injection cost $100 million or something? No, but it does all make sense. Given the American concept of "innocent until proven guilty" (or at least "guilty because Nancy Grace said so"), death-row inmates are afforded a much more expensive trial, and multiple appeals.
See, no one on a jury wants to be responsible for putting an innocent man to death, so the attorneys in those cases get more expensive expert witnesses, and more lawyers are needed in general to prove absolutely the defendant's guilt. And when death-row inmates whine about "possible new evidence" and "DNA testing" and "It has been 100 percent proven that I am innocent 20 years after my conviction," the appeals process inflates the bill by millions of dollars. As a society, it's the type of thing you can't let yourself get wrong.
"We find the defendant possibly guilty, within a reasonable doubt ... Can we just, like, put him in a coma?"
The result is that keeping one inmate on death row costs an additional $90,000 or so a year compared to just letting him live his life in a maximum-security prison and supplying him with free food, clothes and tattoo ink. It's enough that, back in 2009, several states introduced measures that would eliminate the death penalty because they literally couldn't afford it anymore. So for all the reasons you might argue that the death penalty is a good idea, cost-cutting isn't really one of them.
And while a whole lot of you were already against the death penalty, you won't be so quick to agree with this next one ...


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First of all, I am not quite sure but I think the problem asks for a permutation/combination of 13 elements over the {x, y, z} set.
Here is the problem: How many ways are there for a spaceship to travel in a 3-D space from the origin (0,0,0) to the point (2,4,7) by taking 13 steps, one at a time, where a step moves one unit in the positive x, y or z direction? Moving in the negative x, y or z direction is prohibited.
Thank you very much in advance!


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Harley Quinn's Greatest Moments from "Batman: The Animated Series"
TV, Comic Books
Legal | Artist Al Plastino has asked a New York judge to order Heritage Auctions to reveal the name of the consignor who put up for sale his original art for the 10-page story "Superman's Mission for President Kennedy." Heritage says the sale has been canceled and the art returned to the consignor, who bought it at a Sotheby's auction a decade ago. The JFK story was originally scheduled to run in a DC comic dated November 1963, but it was quickly pulled when Kennedy was assassinated. The story was published the following year at the request of the Johnson administration. The last panel of the comic stated the artwork was to be donated to the Kennedy Library, and Plastino believed that to be the case until this fall, when he discovered it was being put up for auction. [Reuters]
Crime | Tokyo police say they have security camera footage of a suspicious man in a mask and gloves near a convenience store where a small amount of nicotine was found in a Kuroko's Basketball-themed snack. The snacks were recalled after 7-Eleven and other convenience store chains received threatening letters, part of a barrage of threat letters that have been sent out to venues associated with the Kuroko's Basketball manga and anime. The amount of nicotine found in the Kuroko's Basketball wafers was well under a lethal dose. [Anime News Network]


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Within this one-hour webinar, Geral Blanchard combines traditional indigenous wisdom with contemporary neuroscience and psychotherapeutic innovations to create a comprehensive model for psychological healing. Blanchard encourages the exploration of robust therapeutic growth that requires a strong spiritual component, immersion in nature, and recovery strategies that are steeped in community relationships, rituals, and ceremonies.
Links:[1] https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3405866258612634112
[2] http://www.nsvrc.org/event-type/webinar


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Confirmed: Geoff Johns Is the New President of DC Entertainment
Comic Books, Film, TV
Showing results 1-40 of 112
Creators from Steve Orlando and Hope Larson to Rafael Albuquerque and Dan Jurgens dig into the younger heroes of DC's iconic worlds.
With the "Huck" TPB on sale now from Image Comics, CBR presents the complete first issue by superstar creators Mark Millar & Rafael Albuquerque.
Joining Mark Millar and John Romita Jr's all-new Kick-Ass is a "Hit-Girl" series by Millar and Rafael Albuquerque.
Hope Larson & Rafael Albuquerque bring Barbara Gordon to Japan so she can train with the East's most elite modern combat masters in "Batgirl" #1.
The "American Vampire" artists shares a cover that may reveal Joker's new look under the Rebirth revamp.
Rafael Albuquerque, Steve Orlando, Marguerite Bennett, Joelle Jones and more will contribute to Vertigo's new "American Vampire Anthology" #2.
Following up on March's "Women of Power" variants, the "Mighty Men of Marvel" are covering the publisher's July titles.
Get an early look at art from upcoming Marvel releases, exclusive to CBR.
Mark Millar and Rafael Albuquerque's "Huck" #3 "is another charming issue... [with] art that quietly steals the show."
Soldiers chase Pearl Jones through the desert in the final issue of Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque's "American Vampire: Second Cycle."
With Mark Millar & Rafael Albuquerque's "Huck" #1 in stores today, here's a look inside issue #2, plus character sketches from the new series.
Mark Millar explains to CBR why Rafael Albuquerque is the perfect artist for this tale, and why Tatum is the only Hollywood star he can see in the role.
Mark Millar and Rafael Albuquerque's "Huck" #1 "is an earnest tale with heart... the character leaves fans wanting more when the issue concludes."
Mark Millar and Rafael Albuquerque's Image Comics series follows a small town superhero whose secret identity is outed to the media.
Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque's "American Vampire: Second Cycle" #10 "ramps up the intensity and teases readers for what's to come."
Scott Snyder & Rafael Albuquerque take their vampires into outer space to continue the war against the beast in Vertigo's "American Vampire."
Check out Lee Bermejo, Rafael Albuquerque, Tyler Kirkham, Klaus Janson and Eduardo Risso's covers for "Dark Knight III: The Master Race."
When the secret of Huck's special gifts gets out his whole world changes in the new Image Comics series from Mark Millar & Rafael Albuquerque.
DC's mature readers imprint introduced a slew of new titles -- a dozen in all -- that will launch weekly starting in October, plus much more!
Rafael Albuquerque, Cullen Bunn, Joëlle Jones, Paul Tobin and Gene Ha tease what's to come for the Portland-based publisher.
Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque's "American Vampire: Second Cycle" #8 is "full of critical moments and developments."
Image Comics creators including Brian K. Vaughan, Steve Skroce and Tula Lotay discuss their latest at the final panel of July's Image Expo.
The "American Vampire" artist announced that he will illustrate the '80s-style story about a "guy with learning difficulties."
Image Expo's keynote address included comments from Eric Stephenson, plus news of new series from Greg Rucka, Gail Simone, Jason Aaron and more.
Cameron Stewart, Terry Moore, Kate Leth, Jae Lee, Rafael Albuquerque and many more contribute covers to "Archie's" massive relaunch.
"Ei8ht" #3 is "a sharp looking book that proves Rafael Albuquerque is as reliable a storyteller as he is an artist."
"Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque continue to find new ways to elevate the characters in their respective roles" in "American Vampire: Second Cycle" #7.
Scott Snyder unwraps this week's issue of the award-winning series and details how he and Rafael Albuquerque put their spin on Satan, the first monster.
Rafael Albuquerque continues his acclaimed vision of a stunning new world in Dark Horse Comics' "EI8HT" #3, co-written by Mike Johnson.
Rafael Albuquerque and Mike Johnson's "EI8HT" #2 has a "rougher, grungy style... well-suited to this story."
The discussion of the "Batgirl" #41 Joker-themed variant didn't end with DC Comics' decision to not publish the cover.
DC Comics may have pulled the controversial "Batgirl" cover, but Augie believes the way in which it happened leaves something to be desired.
The highly criticized Joker-themed variant cover for "Batgirl" #41 will not be published, at the request of the image's artist, Rafael Albuquerque.
Sergio Aragones, James Stokoe, Rafael Abuquerque and more comprise the new wave of artists handling covers for Marvel's Howard the Duck-centric month.
"Ei8ht" #1 has sold out at the distributor level, which means a new printing -- and CBR has the first look at Albuquerque's variant cover.
"American Vampire" artist Rafael Albuquerque, explores new dimensions in the second installment of "Ei8ht" from Dark Horse, on sale March 18.
Scott Snyder discusses his life-long fascination with space exploration, the Gray Trader's origins and why Skinner has the right stuff to become a NASA astronaut.
CBR has a thrilling first look at the latest issue of "American Vampire: Second Cycle" by Scott Snyder & Rafael Albuquerque, on sale Feb. 4.
This February from Dark Horse Comics, "American Vampire's" Rafael Albuquerque debuts "Ei8ht" #1, a solo project that "masterfully builds in suspense and anxiety."
The "American Vampire" artist talks rebooting his time-traveling webcomic into an all-new print series, and shares an exclusive look at the first issue.
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Home > Ford > 2010 FORD FUSION
Below you will find the high resolution car wallpaper for 2010 FORD FUSION. You may use the car wallpaper for any of the following widescreen screen resolutions:
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Published On : Dec 13, 2008
Published On : Dec 13, 2008
Image Copyright : Ford2010 FORD FUSION - Car Wallpaper at Dieselstation
Since the Fusion debuted in 2006, it has earned a reputation of being among the most fun to drive offerings in the segment, as well as having quality on par with the Japanese brands. For 2010, Ford has focused on enhancing what was already good and getting best in class in efficiency with more style.


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1859 boutique hotel b&b in heart of gold rush area, nine rooms restored to the casual elegance of a simpler/romantic era. Near Yosemite National Park. Highly-acclaimed restaurant & original full service saloon & espresso bar. Open daily & all year.
Black Diamond is a fantasic summer Resort located in the heart of Alaska near Denali National Park. We offer a great restaurant, Alaskan Unique Golfing, an ATV Adventure, and a Back Country Covered Wagon Ride with a gourmet Camp Meal! Fun for all!
Mary's at Baldwin Creek is a food-lover's dream. Awarded Slow Food Snail of Approval designation, it combines Chef-owner Doug Mack's farm to table cuisine with cozy lodging. On-site farm, nearby walking trails. Hands-on ooking classes held monthly.
We are a locally owned, Alaska roasted, Globally inspired coffee company serving organic coffee, tea and foods
Dalvay-By-The-Sea, a National Historic Site of Canada, is an elegant Queen Anne Revival home built in 1895 by a Scottish-American oil tycoon. A summer resort hotel since the 1930's, Dalvay By-The-Sea is located at the east end of PEI's National Park.
Dine out at one of New York City's finest restaurants The 21 Club. Online dinner table reservations available! Reserve a table at the 21 Club online today and dine out tonight with real time online table confirmation!
PACIFIC RIM CUISINE Great food. Excellent service. Warm ambiance. These elements are how many of our guests would describe Ginger. We created a restaurant that expresses our faith and values in extending genuine hospitality to all and food to please.
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New York Restaurant: American
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Spring ball on
IACC calendar
The Italian American Cultural Club met Feb. 11 at St. Florian Hall in Wintersville with Monsignor Kurt Kemo opening with prayer.
President Carm Gentile presided at the meeting attended by 135, including many new members.
Elida Petrella reported the Ballo di Primavera spring ball will be held March 23 at St. Florian Hall. Music will be provided by Ray Massa & the Euro Rhythms of Columbus.
Tickets are $35 per person and are available by calling Bill DiMarzio at (740) 264-4773.
Members are asked to donate Italian items to fill baskets to be given away as door prizes and to bring those items to the March 11 meeting.
Businesses interested in being sponsors can contact Lou Almonte at (740) 264-5099 for details.
Renee Walsh reported that registration forms this year for Campo Italiano will only be accepted if mailed to the post office box address on the forms. The deadline for registration is May 25. If a registration is received after May 25th and is not postmarked on or before that date, it will not be accepted.
Walsh also reported that Lucia Scaffidi and Mariella Pittera are practicing singing and dancing with the children in order to join in the International Festival in Weirton on April 13. They meet on Thursday evenings at the School of Bright Promise. More children are needed for this group.
In other club business, Lil Cellini reported on cards sent, and Jean Parrish has agreed to be chairman of the telephone committee
In a scholarship committee report, Vince Talarico announced that applications are available with the deadline being April 1.
It was announced that a concert is planned for April 21 at 3 p.m. at the Catholic Central High School auditorium with the Tri-State Community Band. Tickets are $10 per person. The CCHS Steel Drum Band also will perform.
The drawing for 50/50 tickets is new with the first ticket drawn providing the winner with cash and two other tickets providing free dinners at the club's next regular meeting.
The 50/50 winner was Jean Parrish, and the March 11 dinner winners were Frank DeStefano and Toni Jean Dondzila.
Toronto group crowns royalty
Doris Matyas presided at the Toronto Senior Citizens meeting held Feb. 14 and attended by members; guest Robert Owen; and new members Carolyn Owen and Carol Thompson.
A pizza party was held in celebration of Valentine's Day with Frankie Russell, a student from Edison, singing songs to honor Robert Chieslak, king, and Paula Krensavage, queen, shown above.
Paula Krensavage gave the blessing for and led the members in devotions.
February birthdays were announced.
Emma Haught won the 50/50. Door prize winners were Pat Ferrell, Pat Pfabe, Irma Straka, Arlene Zahniser, Rosemarie Chieslak, Mary Petras, Norma Montgomery, Libby Conrad, Judy Bickler, Marilyn Peckens, Nancy Ludewig, Bobbi Koltz, Jo Ann Fogle and Carole Eddy.
Lola Swanagan gave a report on trips, noting if individuals interested in the Scandanavia trip can call (740) 537-3064.
Bingo winners were Judy Bickler, Duke Pfabe, Agnes Rohal, Ruth White and Arlene Zahniser.
The next meeting will be held Feb. 28 at the Roosevelt Building.
Scat winners were Doris Matyas, Nancy Ludewig, Arlene Zahniser, Marilyn Peckens, Carole Eddy and Terry Mamula.
Jewett VFD to
host fish frys
The Jewett Volunteer Fire Department will host a weekly fish fry on Friday, March 8 and March 22 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Options include all you can eat for $12; dinner for $8; and sandwiches for $5.
AARP Chapter 3846 meets
President Joann Bugin presided at the Feb. 12 AARP Chapter 3846 meeting where Virginia Kucan gave the invocation and benediction.
Guests Roy Marker, John Grimm, Delia Egan and Linda Moss were introduced.
Bettye Williamson introduced Dave Walker, who provided entertainment. Roz and Lynn, a mother-daughter vocal duo, will be the March 11 meeting entertainment.
Bugin asked for a volunteer to take over decorating chair.
Secretary Barbara Purks and Treasurer Frank Fazio gave reports.
Sunshine Chair Mary Rose Spano reported on cards sent.
Members acknowledged the February birthdays and anniversaries.
Membership is at 132 members, with 77 in attendance and four guests.
Upcoming tours include:
March 9, murder-mystery dinner show;
April 11, Branson's Ozark Jubilee Show, Greensburg, Pa.; and
May 10-11, Noah, Lancaster, Pa.
For information, contact Regina Truax at (304) 723-0419.
Barb McCoy reported the penny jar collected $11.55 in November and $8.60 in December to be given to the senior center.
Kathryn Hardsauk and her committee presented gifts to Nancy Fridley, Norma Boni, Eva Fabianich, Liz Messerly, Marie Straight, Bettye Williamson, Joann Clark, Linda Moss, Loretta Nicholas, Peggy Sweeney, Barbara Visnic, Virginia Riley, Richard Dobbs, Viola Blanc, Katy Allen, Howard Kerr, Ruth Daugherty, Martha Varitek, Ruth Sperry and Grace Lenhart.
Fish frys at
Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart of Mary Catholic Church will hold fish frys from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. each Wednesday during Lent at the church hall located at 200 Preston Ave., Weirton.
Baked or fried fish platters, including cole slaw and a choice of macaroni and cheese, haluski or French fries, are $10. Fried shrimp platters are $10.50. Fried fish platters with a choice of macaroni and cheese or french fries are $7.50 for children under 12.
A la carte selections include baked and fried fish, haluski, french fries, cole slaw, desserts and beverages.
Cooked and frozen potato and cheese or sauerkraut pierogies are available for $2.75 for three or $11 for a dozen cooked or $10 for a dozen frozen. Fresh bread is available for $4 a loaf.
Patrons can dine in or get takeout. For information or to place an order, call (304) 723-1648.


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Prices and availability are subject to change from the time and date that you print this page.
7/30/2016 5:00:34 PM. For Customer Service, please call 800.933.9904
This is your captain speaking. We're preparing these airplane and cloud stick ons for landing on a wall, window, tabletop or floor. Please make sure your kid's imagination is in the full, upright and unlocked position.
Jet Plane and Clouds Decal Set
Details, details
- Made by BLIK® Surface Graphics
- A Christy Flora design
- Includes three 11" clouds and one 12" plane (2 sets are shown here)
- Stick ons are reusable even after they've reached their cruising altitude
- Just peel and stick on any smooth, non-textured surface
- Freshly painted or cleaned walls should be completely dry before applying
- Not for use near crib
Application method
- Peel and stick: Just like it sounds. Peel it off the backing and stick it up on your wall. Some peel and stick decals are movable, some are permanent
Show 'em what you're made of
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I Love You to the Moon and Back Poster Decal... $33.15reg. $39.00More Colors Available


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The end of '30 Rock'
Tonight the funniest comedy on television ends its seven-season run, and I feel compelled to say a word of farewell to 30 Rock. I came late to the show, in part because everyone I knew who enjoyed it kept talking about how great Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan were. I had trouble believing either claim. And for what it's worth, I was right about Tracy Morgan -- he was and is just as limited and barely adequate in his performance on 30 Rock (playing a version of himself named Tracy Jordan) as I'd always thought he was on Saturday Night Live. Fortunately, it doesn't matter much; if the show is often funny in spite of rather than because of his presence, it's still very, very funny. On the other hand, as Jack Donaghy, an NBC exec, Alec Baldwin was a revelation. I still find him fairly odious as a celebrity/public figure, and I'm still scornful of his under-rehearsed, cue-card-dependent appearances on SNL and elsewhere. He even seemed bizarrely unfamiliar with his own show when the cast appeared together on
Jimmy Kimmel Live Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (whoops) last week. But on 30 Rock, Baldwin is a one-man master class, turning in an utterly disciplined performance with consistently perfect comic timing. Even in the two live episodes they did, Baldwin brought his A game. He is indeed a major reason for the show's success.The major reason, of course, is Tina Fey, 30 Rock's creator, star, and guiding sensibility. The show is ostensibly based on her experiences as head writer at SNL, but it's really about the character of Liz Lemon, who happens to be the creator of a lame sketch-comedy show on NBC. The writers'-room stuff has always been hit or miss; the personnel connected with the show are often funny but, on the whole, disappointingly one-note (in part because there are so many of them; certain minor characters disappear for such long stretches that the show cracks nervous jokes about it when they return). The writing is always sharp and original, and every character has quotable one-liners. But it's Liz quirks, and her fraught relationships -- with New York City, with work, with success, and most vividly with Jack, her boss -- that make 30 Rock satisfying and, for a lot of viewers (say, young women balancing careers and life and various insecurities in NYC), amazingly familiar. Liz is specific and finely detailed, and while I'm reluctant to start picking her apart as a feminist role model/betrayal to the cause of womanhood (as many have done and still do), I will say that I see in Liz a kind of womanhood-on-television that I haven't seen anywhere else: fully individual, smart and driven but also flawed and human and hilarious, and frankly anxious about the very questions of What Should a Woman Be? that critics and commentators project onto her. (A recent episode found Liz fretting about the trappings of being a bride. Her supportive boyfriend told her, "Liz, it's OK to be a human woman!" prompting her to moan, "No, it's the worst! Because of society!")
A word, too, for Jane Krakowski, who plays Jenna Maroney, the vain, self-centered star of Liz's show, TGS. The character of Jenna has shifted over the course of the show, from (as Fey put it in a recent interview) "TV best friend" to "bananas and an awful person." She was never an especially credible best friend for the uptight Liz Lemon, and the "bananas" role she took on in later seasons has stretched whatever consistent character Jenna had precariously thin. (I had very little patience for Jenna's kinky romance with a Jenna Maroney impersonator, played by Will Forte, a joke that lasted well past the point of diminished returns. And for a stretch, "Jenna opens mouth, makes reference to freakish past involving Mickey Rourke" was such a predictable part of any scene that I found myself bracing for my own Liz Lemon eye rolls.) [UPDATE: I am pleased to note that the final episode included a joke about how overdone the Mickey Rourke gag was.] But Jane Krakowski is a master at her craft, and as Fey says in that same interview, she "has grown Jenna into this ridiculous comedy powerhouse." Her performance, like Baldwin's, is incredibly disciplined (though in this case I wasn't surprised, having admired her in other shows/films, and especially on stage). As an actor she is Jenna's opposite: always listening, always giving her best to every moment of every scene. There have been times I've rewound the show just to rewatch her react to a line I didn't even find funny.My favorite example, which of course I cannot find a clip of online: Jenna and her TGS costar Tracy teamed up at one point to form an inept team they called "The Problem Solvers." That episode ended with a brief promo for their services, with both wearing shirts that said "THE PROBLEM" ("SOLVERS" was supposed to be, but was not, printed on the back). At one point Tracy had a punch line about finding a stripper passed out on your boat. I found the joke too effortful and Morgan's delivery typically halting, but Krakowski's reaction -- a fleeting expression of confusion and horror, suppressed and turned back into a sunny smile for the sake of the camera -- makes me howl every time. And she has found ways to make the character seem fleshed-out despite Jenna's ever-shifting countours. She's been nominated for an Emmy 3 times, so she hasn't exactly been overlooked or unsung (see also this appreciation from Grantland's Molly Lambert, which features some of Jenna's great moments). But it can't be said enough. [UPDATE: The finale ended with an amazing callback to one of my favorite early 30 Rock jokes, Jenna's role in a film with an impossible-to-understand title, The Rural Juror. Krakowski wrapped things up with a song that somehow hit all the right emotional notes while also being one of the funniest things I've ever seen on this or any show. Watch her perform the title song from the musical version ofThe Rural Juror at New York's Vulture blog, where they also went to the trouble of deciphering the lyrics.]In her farewell to the show at The New Yorker, Emily Nussbaum focuses, appropriately, on 30 Rock's dedication to and evocation of New York. Unlike a lot of shows set in NYC, 30 Rock was really shot here, and NYC life is one of its richest sources of material. And I'm not talking just "Hey, we're in New York, let's eat bagels and read theTimes on Sunday," but real, specific references to the city's annoyances and oddities -- like the cops with enormous guns checking purses at subway entrances, or (as Nussbaum recalls) a "bakery in the Bronx, located on the corner of Malcolm X Boulevard and Guy Who Shot Malcolm X Boulevard."Thanks to Boston-bred Jack Donaghy -- and Liz's regrettable ex, blue-collar meathead Dennis Duffy -- there were also plenty of Irish and Irish-Catholic gags (and some forays into Catholic practice, with the usual mixed results; Jack in the confessional was funny, but his devout Hispanic girlfriend, played by the humorless Salma Hayek, would have been much funnier if more of the Catholic stuff was "right"). And, praises be, many appearances from the riveting Elaine Stritch in a recurring role as Jack's harridan of a mother. (She once made reference to a parish in their old neighborhood, "Our Lady of Reluctant Integration in Waltham.")It's hard to say goodbye, but it's probably time for the show to go. Nothing gold can stay. The good news is, if you haven't watched 30 Rock, it's never too late. And I do mean that; the show is in syndication now, so reruns air several times a week, and unlike with certain very demanding dramas, you don't need to start from the beginning. Fellow fans, report back here after tonight's finale. We'll have a good old Irish wake, sharing stories of favorite memories. Let's work through our grief together.
About the Author
Mollie Wilson O'Reilly is an editor at large and columnist at Commonweal.
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I stopped watching the show during the 5th season, when it really seemed to lose its way (mainly in that the paternalistic relationship between Jack and Liz had gotten way out of hand), but I have heard that it regrouped. One thing that always cracked me up about the show was the references to Kenneth's origins in Stone Mountain, GA. I've actually spent a few months there, and the population is something like 3/4 African American. I always wondered if the writers were aware of that when they portrayed it as hillbilly central.
There have definitely been patches where I thought, Uh-oh, this show is losing it... but then I'm not sure it ever really had a "way" to lose. Anyway, yes, the last couple seasons were up and down, but I'm glad I stuck with it -- it kept my Thursdays upbeat even as The Office started to struggle and Community disappeared. Speaking of Community, I saw an interview with Donald Glover, who plays Troy, on Conan O'Brien I believe. He was a writer on 30 Rock when it started, and he said he grew up in Stone Mountain, so that's where they got Kenneth's hometown from. I think he said the name struck them all as funny in its redundancy (what other kind of mountain is there?).
My son and I own and watch the first 6 seasons of 30 Rock somewhat obsessively. Haven't seen season 7 yet except for the finale in Xfinity. Mollie, your summation is great, especially your take on Tracy Morgan. However, I think Kenneth deserves positive mention as an anchor of the show. I love the way his "guardian angel" persona develops over the years, and the sly way his great age is worked in. One of my favorite scenes is in the graveyard where Kenneth's birth date is 1700 something...and out of the ground pops his hand!
Thanks, Amy. You're right, I overlooked Kenneth. I was always surprised by how much mileage they managed to get out of a pretty thin character, and a lot of the credit for making him so indispensable has to go to Jack McBrayer's performance. I thought he was particularly good in the final episode, combining Kenneth's perpetual cheerfulness with his new shrewd TV instincts.
I realize this oughtn't to devolve into YouTube clips, but this is one of the most brilliant pieces of schtick I have ever seen.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTj47rcuM-4Donaghy trying to beat Kenneth at poker runs a close second, but I can't find that clip.
I think a festival of YouTube clips would be as fitting a sendoff as any. I wish I could have found more to link to in my post, but NBC is stingy with that stuff. That scene you linked to was amazing -- an Alec Baldwin tour de force. If I could find the clip of Liz Lemon trying to put a new bottle on the water cooler by herself, I'd watch it three times a day.
I know I'm late here, but thanks for this, Mollie. One of the other things I enjoyed about _30 Rock_ was how well it poked fun at academic life. It's the only show other than _The Simpsons_ that could pull off making fun of graduate students or petty Ivy League rivalries. And it did so in a way that was never condescending and never inside baseball. It's one more reason I'll miss it.


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Where We Work
iDE Around the World
70 percent of the world's 2 billion poor people live in rural areas and survive by growing crops on small plots of land. This is why we work primarily in rural areas and target our efforts first toward agricultural water access for small farmers.
With a head office in Denver, CO, as well as national organizations in Canada and the UK, IDE presently operates in eleven countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Two affiliate organizations in India and Myanmar, which began as IDE country programs, have become financially independent, but maintain close relations within the global IDE group.
iDE's interests started in Africa in 1982 with our first income generating project in Somalia. Since then iDE has established programs in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique, and Zambia. We have also recently established pilot project activities in Mali from our West African regional office in Burkina Faso.
iDE's experience in Asia started in 1984 with our program in Bangladesh. We have launched a number of income-generating technologies in Asia, including treadle pumps and drip irrigation, and have implemented a number of successful social marketing campaigns on poverty and health-related issues. In addition to Bangladesh, we currently have programs in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Nepal, as well as affiliates in India and Myanmar.
Latin America
iDE's work in Latin America began in 2007 in Nicaragua with a pilot project to determine the benefits of affordable micro irrigation for small scale coffee growers. Operations have since expanded into four additional countries with the launch of iDEal Tecnologias, a for-profit social enterprise owned by iDE. iDEal will offer significant cost reduction and streamlined distribution channels for affordable micro irrigation products throughout the region.
Do you want to be at the forefront of the affordable technology revolution? Your contribution to this initiative will help us develop and market the next wave of affordable, low impact, income enhancing technologies, like low pressure crop sprinklers that can work with drip irrigation systems, and a low-cost water storage bag that can hold 10,000 liters (2,642 gallons) of monsoon rainwater for use during the dry season.


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that is adorable! looks like a great cartridge! really enjoy your blog!
Congratulations, Rachelle!! Please email us your address details to firstname.lastname@example.com. I will ship it out to you later in the week.
I am posting all this week since Joy posted all week for me last week. Isn't she the greatest!! Anyway, I will be posting a week of sympathy cards. I had to make a ton of them last week and needed inspiration and could not find much. So, I thought it would be great to give some to you guys for when you have to make sympathy cards yourself. I hope you don't think I am a Debbie Downer by posting this type of card all week, but if you are a card maker you will eventually make one of these kinds of cards and any bit of help and inspiration Joy and I can give you with your Cricut projects we will!
Don't forget to check out our personal blogs to see projects we made using the cartridges! Click the links below!
Have a wonderful rest of your weekend!!
Subscribe to Everyday Cricut to learn more about ways to use the Cricut in your cardmaking and scrapbooking!


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Dakota Wesleyan University will present a free Wesleyan Band and LyricWood Concert this weekend.
The Wesleyan University/Community Band and LyricWood strings ensemble will perform at 4 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 3, in the Sherman Center. This concert is free and open to the public.
The band will perform five pieces: "Prelude and Fugue in B Minor," "Appalachian Morning," "Encanto," "Thematic Variations of Dona Nobis Pacem" and "To Challenge the Sky and Heavens Above."
LyricWood will perform four pieces: "LyricWood Overture," by Stephen Yarbrough, written specifically for the ensemble; also, "Voyage," with a flute solo by Katherine Vogele; "Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5, Aria (Cantilena)," with a soprano solo by Jenna Callies; and "Tangos."
DWU's next concert will be "Christmas at Dakota Wesleyan" at 7 p.m. Dec. 6 and Dec. 7 at the Sherman Center, with tickets to go on sale soon. This concert will include all DWU ensembles.


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Locklyn 3 Band Slide
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Hoping to achieve casual charm while standing tall this spring? The Locklyn Collection takes your look to new heights with platform wedge sandals that compliment everything from bootcut jeans to summer skirts.
- Full grain leather that is durable and easy to clean
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- Breathable Polyurethane cushioning for moisture absorbency and odor resistance
Heel Height: 95 mm [3.74 in.]
Platform Height: 25 mm [.98 in.]
Highly shock-absorbent cushioning protects the heel at impact
Locklyn 3 Band Slide is rated out of 5 by 3.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Yesenia from Comfortable and stylish I wanted a pair of shoes that have some heals/wedges so I can wear long dresses and long pants and make my legs look longer, and I want to wear them regularly. These shoes are great for this purpose. Make you feel and look taller and you can walk in them for a long time. The color is also great -- goes with almost everything! I highly recommend them!
Date published: 2012-07-05
Rated 5 out of 5 by LR223 from Great shoes I bought these right before a trip overseas because I wanted a pair of sandals in which I could do a LOT of walking, but still look good. These did it -- I got the Sudan brown (which is a lighter, tan-colored brown that pretty much goes with everything). I'm still getting a lot of compliments on these; they wear incredibly well.
Date published: 2013-11-01
Rated 3 out of 5 by Avggirl from Just ok The heel thins to the bottom. I have other wedges this height, but didn't feel as stable in these. I wanted them for work this summer. They were cute, but had to go back.
Date published: 2013-03-17


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From Jackie Chan to Carrie Fisher: The 10 Most Unlikely Celeb Porn Stars
We've all done things in our past we'd rather not admit to (many of them at CRACKED office parties, involving olives, 100-foot obstacle courses, martini glasses and the applause of our peers). When you're a young and struggling actor, and the going gets tough, who among us wouldn't drop our drawers for 50 bucks, subway tokens or a half-eaten Arby's sandwich?
Luckily, most of us never get famous, so no one cares when we show up, head down and ass up, on YouTube. The following celebrities were either unlucky enough to have some very naked skeletons in their closet upon achieving fame, or were stupid/pathetic enough to have sex on camera after they hit it big. In both cases, we were there to cover our arousal with ironic snarkiness.
You've almost got to feel bad for these folks. They were just normal people, dressing up in bondage, inserting ball gags into their mouths and posing for Bent-Over Honcho Magazine like the rest of us. (We all do that, right?) It's not their fault they got famous.
#10. Jackie Chan
"I had to do anything I could to make a living 31 years ago, but I don't think it's a big deal, even Marlon Brando used to be exposed in his movies," said Chan after it was revealed he starred in a Hong Kong skin flick called All in the Family. Featuring Chan getting it on with a famous porn actress of the time, the cast also included Sammo Hung (from Walker, Texas Ranger and co-star of the short lived spin-off Martial Law with Arsenio Hall). Hung working his groin-groove can only be considered a cinematic hate crime against humanity-having said that, the scenes with Arsenio cheering him on from the sidelines are pretty entertaining.
#9. Spalding Gray
To people who read The New Yorker, Gray was best known for his post-modern, hyper intellectual monologues (and films of same), like Swimming to Cambodia. (We knew him as a smarty-pants Garrison Keillor type that made our college professors rub themselves against their desks with their eyes closed, quietly singing "When Doves Cry.")
But before all that, Gray starred in the ultra-violent, hardcore rape/incest-themed film The Farmer's Daughter. He portrayed the leader of a group of escaped convicts who encounter a rural family and... well, they don't sit around chatting about current events. To be completely honest, the movie is seriously sick. What with the farmer and his daughters and the convicts and... look, some nasty shit goes down. If you know someone who owns a copy, take it from us: Don't invite them out camping.
#8. Cameron Diaz
At the tender age of 19 (two years before her breakout role alongside rubber-faced man-fart Jim Carrey in The Mask), Cammie shot some softcore S&M footage with another lucky girl, ostensibly to get some tasteful nude glossies "for her portfolio." (Apparently it was filmed just in case the photos didn't develop properly.)
A few years later, the super-classy photographer attempted to sell the film to a Russian pornography operation after offering Diaz "rights of first refusal" (i.e., tried to blackmail her to prevent their release). Diaz, who has not appeared nude in an American film to date, took him to criminal court, won, and blocked the footage from ever being shown.
Naturally they showed up online soon after anyway. Because the Internet is as shameless as it is awesome.
#7. Sylvester Stallone
Before he turned into a half-melted novelty candle, Stallone received the kingly sum of $200 to star in the 1970s classic The Party at Kitty and Stud's, wherein he managed to snag the plum titular role of "Stud." Originally released as hardcore pornography, after Stallone became famous the more graphic scenes and money shots were cut from subsequent releases, and the movie was re-packaged under the names of Italian Stallion and Cocky and sold in those shitty $1.99 DVD bins at Walgreens.
Should you manage to be lucky enough to find a copy, you'll learn there's no false advertising in the title, as "Stud" belt-whips "Kitty" and services three of her friends at, sure enough, "a party." Adrian is gonna be SO pissed.
#6. Arnold Schwarzenegger
There are plenty of unsubstantiated rumors floating around that Arnie went gay for pay in some early films, but he can't deny posing nude for controversial photographer and alleged "boy-loving pervert" Robert Mapplethorpe in the mid-'70s. (He also posed butt-ass-nekkid for gay magazine After Dark.)
Lest you think this wildly out of character for a loudly conservative, Catholic politician, in an interview with Oui Magazine around the same time, he showed the type of sensitivity that would eventually stand him so well with the Republican party. "Men shouldn't feel like fags just because they want to have nice-looking bodies. Gay people are fighting the same kind of stereotyping that bodybuilders are: People have certain misconceptions about them just as they do about us. Well, I have absolutely no hang-ups about the fag." Isn't it heartwarming to know the man who controls the fruitiest state in the country is totally okay with "the fag?"


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Cat fight Bird lovers are screeching about the toll on songbirds taken by feral cats and felines whose owners allow them to roam outdoors. A Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute study found these cats kill 3.7 billion birds and 20.7 billion mammals — mostly mice and voles — every year. Perhaps the next study should focus on how many cats, feral and domestic, are killed off by coyotes and wild dogs. And the study after that could concentrate on the spread of disease that would result if small rodents were allowed to propagate freely, with no threat of feline predation. The reality is that predators, from insects and small reptiles to the likes of the grizzly bear and the mountain lion, are a mixed blessing — or curse — depending on one's point of view. Much of the hunting that cats do is beneficial to human health and safety, and any far-reaching campaigns to reduce their numbers undoubtedly would yield a whole litter box full of unpleasant unintended consequences.
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February 24, 2011
City centre photo walk – A Cape Town Tourism photo essay
Last week I went with a few friends on a walk through the centre of Cape Town on a quiet Sunday. We weren't walking for a cause, nor were we walking to get anywhere. We were walking to take photos. I live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, yet I have very little experience of the city itself – the people, the buildings, the streets themselves. These are part of what makes Cape Town so amazing.
The beginning and the end. We started on the corner of Adderley and Hout streets, just outside of the Company's Garden.
As you make your way down Adderley, you are assaulted by contrasts, a mix of old and new, colourful and drab. Take the Adderley Hotel and compare it to the Standard Bank building.
An amazing contrast for only a 200m stretch of road.
On Buitenkant, something was up. Police vehicles were blocking off a stretch of road.
We noticed something amiss when we stumbled across some street names that we had never heard of ...
And then a car that was most definitely not Cape Town Metro Police ... With luck we had stumbled on a movie shoot. No one was willing to tell us what it was, or who was in it. But it is still great to see the Cape Town film industry at work.
We spotted some awesome graffiti along the way.
This piece is my personal favourite.
I also tried my hand at some street photography, shooting from the hip so that I could catch the expressions and body language of the people I was shooting without affecting them.
And, of course, what would any photography outing be without one "arty", mostly out of focus, image? Thanks to @blindcripple, @cazpi and @paulscott56 for the great company along the way!
Do you have images of Cape Town you'd like to share with us? We'd love you to join the Cape Town. Live it. Love it. Flickr group!
Images © RichardAtUCT 2011


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Jeremy David Overton, age 35, of White Pigeon, passed away Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012, from injuries sustained in an accident.
He was born April 22, 1977, in Three Rivers, a son of Marty Overton and Valerie Mansmith. Jeremy was a self-employed handyman.
Surviving Jeremy are his mother, Valerie (Larry "Oley" Olejniczak) Mansmith of White Pigeon; daughters
Chabelle Overton-Lawler of Decatur, Ind., Morgan Overton of Bristol, Ind., Jessica Overton of Bristol and Taylor Overton of Jones; a sister, Ambre Overton of Mottville; brothers Jeff Overton of White Pigeon, Josh Overton of White Pigeon and Aaron Overton of Mottville; and special friend Lisa Vansumeran of Constantine.
He was preceded in death by his father, Marty Overton, in 2008.
Relatives and friends will be received from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday at Eley Funeral Home in Constantine, where religious services will immediately follow at
6 p.m. Pastor Rita Austin of Faith Finders Church will officiate.
Memorial contributions may be made to the family.
Online messages may be left for the family at www.eleyfuneralhomes.com.
Location, ST | website.com


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Introducing MySQL's telco endeavours
By Vinay Joosery on May 19, 2008
We (in the Telecom team at MySQL) have been debating whether we should call this blog 'MySQL in Telco' or 'MySQL in Communications'. Naming discussions tend to take long time, and this one was no exception.
From a US perspective, it appears that Telecom is an outdated term. Wireless carriers and cable television companies do not consider themselves as Telecom companies. Maybe for this reason, large US-headquartered vendors including Sun, HP, IBM and Oracle all have a 'Communications & Media' practice.
From a European perspective, Telecom is used for equipment vendors and service providers. Companies like Logica, Cap Gemini, Atos Origin and TietoEnator refer to the vertical as 'Telecom & Media'.
Of the global SI's in India, Wipro and TCS refer to Telecom while Infosys talk about Communications.
As a working title we at one time used 'MySQL blablabla' blog, and funnily enough, there was a compromise suggestion to really use that for the name, since 'blablabla' is a term that incorporates something fundamental about 'Communication'.
So, after an interesting debate, we finally concluded that maybe it does not matter, and settled on 'MySQL in Communications'. However, telco and communications can be used interchangeably.
Coming back to the real business, MySQL has been making some solid progress in the telco space over the past few years. It started with the acquisition of the NDB Cluster database from Ericsson in September 2003. What a culture clash! Open source vs. proprietary software development. Having 2 masters to please, customers AND community. Rather than taking several hours, installation should take 15 minutes in order to satisfy impatient community users. Early releases would be made available to everybody, rather than a few selected friendly customers.
The integration took longer than what everybody had expected. It took over a year to have a first release of MySQL Cluster. Not the best release, but the technology was complex. Shared nothing database clustering! How do you make 10 machines act as one database cluster, accessed as one single database? How do you handle failures? How do you reintroduce a database node into a cluster running non-stop 20,000 tps and maintain data integrity? How do you provide mainframe reliability on commodity hardware? Quite a few challenges to address, but it did make a lot of sense to address these. The world is now building infrastructure using scale-out architectures to address massive online communities of millions of users, while the majority of database products on the market were designed in the 70's or 80's for more modest use cases.
Today, MySQL has a pretty healthy business in the area of subscriber data management for telecom networks, and global telecom vendors as well as small telecom startups build carrier grade, database driven infrastructure on top of the carrier product line.
In this blog we (the MySQL Telecom team) intend to write about some of the database trends that we see in the converging telecom and internet markets, and what we are doing in that area.


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Kyle Gookins is in his seventh season as a member of the 49ers coaching staff. He came to Charlotte after two seasons as a member of the coaching staff at his alma mater, California State University-Bakersfield.
In 2014, Gookins after helping lead the Niners to a 14-4-1 record was named the NSCAA Southeast Regional Assistant of the Year.
During Gookins' six years as a member of the 49ers coaching staff, Charlotte has won 81 games, reached a College Cup Championship game, captured two Atlantic 10 regular-season titles, a Conference USA regular season championship, a Conference USA Tournament title, and made five NCAA Tournament appearances.
Gookins currently coaches the U-13 Green Boys team for FC Carolina Alliance as well as scouts for the US Youth National Teams. The Lancaster, California native played for CSUB from 2000-03.
He was a two-time All-CCAA and Far West Region selection. He scored 29 goals and recorded nine assists during his four-year career. His 29 career goals rank among CSUB's all-time leaders in career goals. Prior to becoming a member of the CSUB coaching staff in 2007, he played three seasons for the Bakersfield Brigade, a United Soccer League Premier Development League team.
He also coached youth soccer for the Bakersfield Strikers, which later became the Bakersfield Brigade, for nine years. Gookins earned his Bachelor's degree in History in 2004, a Master's degree in Education in 2008 at CSUB and holds a USSF A and a National Goalkeeping Coach's license.
Gookins and his wife Megan reside in Charlotte.
|Assistant Coach
|Alma Mater:
|Graduating Year:
|7 Years


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Dr. Ben Carson's heresy
Liberals are apoplectic over remarks by Dr. Ben Carson at the National Prayer Breakfast. Carson, a prominent pediatric surgeon from Johns Hopkins University, dared to weigh in on health care — something he knows something about. In the liberal mind, Carson committed a grave transgression; he disagreed with President Obama on health care at a faith venue, and in Obama's presence.
In discussing Carson's moral effrontery, Candy Crowley, host of CNN's "State of the Union," asked panelists if they were offended by Carson's comments. "He (Carson) was talking about the idea of, you know, weaving the Bible into some objections he appears to have with the president's approach," said Crowley. Count Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., among the offended. She told Crowley: "I think it's ... not really an appropriate place to make this kind of political speech and to invoke God as his (Carson's) support for that kind of point of view."
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I want to potty train much earlier than is common, when my son is 12 to 14 months old. What's the best way to go about it?
Many parents find that the "elimination communication" method, also known as 'natural infant hygene' is a simple approach. It is important to clarify that this approach is not 'potty training'. Rather, it is a two-way communication. Children know how to potty when they come out of the womb, and most will let you know.
The basic principle of this approach is that children communicate when they need to go, and that the most difficult part of toilet training is un-training the diaper training. Typically, a parent waits for a child to finish pooping and then changes the diaper. This trains the child to poop in their diapers. But the fact that children pee when their diaper comes off may be evidence that they would prefer not to pee and poop on themselves.
The 'elimination communication' approach starts when the child makes a pooping face - often when feeding early on. The parent removes the diapers and holds the child over a toilet. There are toilets that a 3 month old can use (figure 1). When the child poops/pees, the parent makes a 'cue' sound ('sss' = pee; 'mooo' = poo). The child learns to associate the sound with eliminating and will eventually learn to poop/pee when the sound is made.
This approach focuses on communicating with the child and allowing them to put their waste in a receptacle. It is not important to catch all of the poops and pees, but it does reduce the number of wet or poopy diapers that that need to be purchased, changed, and discarded or washed. And when the child is old enough to go to the toilet on their own, it will seem natural to them it will not as necessary to train.
If you have a good space & climate for it, let your child run around outdoors naked as much as possible. This is a no-effort, no-teaching way for a child to learn about that whole poop and pee thing.
Unless you have a parent who is with the child 24/7 and can constantly and consistently monitor the child's facial expressions and movements, I would highly recommend not wasting your time. In most modern societies today, this is quite an ambitious and futile goal. If you can't be utterly consistent with it, then you end up confusing your child which makes it delay future potty training. Wait until they're around 3 years old and start trying then.
Not to say it can't be done, but I make my argument after ambitiously trying with 2 of our 5 kids to start potty training too early, which backfired on us.
Update: I don't quite understand the down vote since there was no comment left, but after scanning the "Super Nanny" book, Jo Frost gives pretty much the same advice about not starting too early.
Three parts to toilet training: recognizing "the feeling" (aka readiness), knowing where to go, and getting undressed. The hard part is getting them to recognize "the feeling" when they have to go. For young children, they say it's more about training the parents. Be the scientist and keep notes about when they drink and when they go. Then put them on the toilet at regular intervals with a book and give LOTS of praise when you hear a noise.
Knowing where to go can be done by modeling with a teddy. Have your child teach the teddy where to go at the same time as they are learning. Play-acting with a toy helps instill the routine.
Finally, getting undressed is a big hassle for really young children (an sometimes their parents too)! If you want them to be completely independent dress them in long t-shirts. Elastic-waist pants are good.
Once you start, don't go back. Try these resources: Pre-toilet Training and Potty Training in One Week
At 12 to 14 months, elimination communication (EC) is still definitely an alternative to 100% diaper dependence and poopy diapers. EC is not potty training - it's just opening up to the idea that same with feeding and sleeping, your baby is actually trying to communicate with you that he or she needs to go. It's not about performance. Do it when you can. We EC'ed our boy since birth and we've only had to change a handful of poopy diapers since. At this age, babies are more mobile and have probably lost the sensitivity to wetness, so a modified EC approach would work best. Don't skip the basics! Spend some diaper-free observation time learning his or her body's rhythms and any signals (grunt, fussiness, suddenly stopping play and staring, etc). A good idea would be to switch to cloth diapers so that both you and your baby can tell when your little one is wet. Get your baby used to sitting on the potty by sitting him on it while he's still wearing his diaper as a start, then remove the diaper later on in the process. My website, EC Simplified is a practical resource for EC, you can start with


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Hampden-Sydney College is a lively community seeking "to form good men and good citizens in an atmosphere of sound learning."
The mission of the College is to instill in its students a commitment to sound scholarship through studies in the natural sciences, the humanities, and the social sciences; to cultivate qualities of character and moral discernment rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition; to develop clear thinking and expression; to promote an understanding of the world and our place in it; to impart a comprehension of social institutions as a basis for intelligent citizenship and responsible leadership in a democracy; to prepare those with special interests and capacities for graduate and professional study; and to equip graduates for a rewarding and productive life.
Hampden-Sydney is a liberal arts college for men now enrolling approximately 1,128 students. In continuous operation since November 10, 1775, the College is one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the United States, holds the oldest (1783) private charter in the South, and is the oldest of the country's few remaining colleges for men.
Hampden-Sydney is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097; [404] 679-4500) and is a member of the Association of Virginia Colleges, the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges, the Association of American Colleges, the Southern University Conference, the College Entrance Examination Board, the American Chemical Society, and the College Scholarship Service.
There are 98 members of the full-time teaching faculty, and a varying number of adjunct professors, highly motivated and dedicated to teaching, for a student-faculty ratio of about 10.3:1. Nearly half of the graduating seniors enter graduate or professional school.
Part of the 1,330-acre campus, picturesquely set in Virginia's historic Southside, 70 miles southwest of Richmond, has been designated a National Historic Preservation Zone. Farmville, a town of 6500, is seven miles north. None of the eighteenth-century buildings survives, but the Federal architecture first used for the western portion of the Alamo (1817, destroyed 1994) has been maintained as the dominant style for the campus.
As of 31 March 2010 the endowment portfolios had a market value of approximately $124.1 million. The operating budget for 2010-2011 is $56.9 million.
HAMPDEN-SYDNEY BEGAN as the southernmost representative of the "Log College" form of higher education established by the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians in America, whose academic ideal was the University of Edinburgh, seat of the Scottish Enlightenment.
The first president, at the suggestion of Dr. John Witherspoon, the Scottish president of The College of New Jersey (now Princeton University), chose the name Hampden-Sydney to symbolize devotion to the principles of representative government and full civil and religious freedom which John Hampden (1594-1643) and Algernon Sydney (1622-1683) had outspokenly supported, and for which they had given their lives, in England's two great constitutional crises of the previous century. They were widely invoked as hero-martyrs by American colonial patriots, and their names immediately associated the College with the cause of independence championed by James Madison, Patrick Henry, and other less well-known but equally vigorous patriots who composed the College's first Board of Trustees. Indeed, the original students eagerly committed themselves to the revolutionary effort, organized a militia-company, drilled regularly, and went off to the defenses of Williamsburg and of Petersburg, in 1777 and 1778 respectively. Their uniform of hunting-shirtsódyed purple with the juice of pokeberriesóand grey trousers justifies the College's traditional colors, garnet and grey.
The College, first proposed in 1771, was formally organized in February 1775, when the Presbytery of Hanover, meeting at Nathaniel Venable's Slate Hill plantation (about two miles south of the present campus), accepted a gift of one hundred acres for the College, elected Trustees (most of whom were Episcopalian), and named as Rector (later President) the Rev. Samuel Stanhope Smith, valedictorian of the Princeton class of 1769, who had been actively promoting the idea of establishing a college in the heavily Scotch-Irish area of south-central Virginia since he began his ministry there in 1774. Within only ten months, Smith secured an adequate subscription of funds and an enrollment of 110 students. Intending to model the new college after his own alma mater, he journeyed to Princeton to secure the founding faculty, which included his younger brother, John Blair Smith. On that 1775 trip he also visited Philadelphia to enlist support and to purchase a library and scientific apparatus. Students and faculty gathered for the opening of the first winter term on 10 November 1775. The College has never suspended operations.
Early fund-raising efforts were varied (they included a state-sanctioned lottery) and vigorous; despite war-time inflation and other economic dislocations, financial support of and general interest in the College were such guarantees of its viability that in June 1783 the General Assembly granted by statute a charter of incorporation, partly written by Patrick Henry.
In its first fifty years the College prospered and gained the respect of the public and of the educational world. As early as the 1790s its influence was being felt elsewhere, as alumni and former presidents and faculty members began founding or organizing other institutions, including Union College, New York (1795), by ex-President J. B. Smith; Transylvania University (1798), by James Blythe, class of 1788; Princeton Seminary (1812), by ex-President Archibald Alexander; and the University of Virginia (1819), by Joseph Carrington Cabell, class of 1800. The Medical College of Virginia was opened (1838) in Richmond as the medical department of Hampden-Sydney; Union Theological Seminary in Virginia (1822) was founded at Hampden-Sydney and occupied the south end of the present campus for some seventy-five years before its relocation in Richmond.
|Samuel Stanhope Smith
|Jonathan P. Cushing
|Richard McIlwaine 1853
|J.D. Eggleston 1886
The College matured physically and academically through the first half of the nineteenth century, enjoying the services of some remarkably gifted leaders. Jonathan P. Cushing, a Dartmouth man and the first layman and first non-Presbyterian to be president, oversaw during his fourteen-year tenure (1821-1835) the abandonment of the College's original buildings in favor of the handsome Federal architecture which still distinguishes the campus. The world-renowned chemist, Dr. John W. Draper, who built the first camera to photograph a living person, was professor at Hampden-Sydney from 1836 to 1839.
Religious controversy, the nation's and Virginia's economic troubles, and the Civil War and its aftermath were for two generations the testing-fires of Hampden-Sydney as a stronghold of academic quality. Fortunately for the College, the longest-tenured of its presidents, the able and dedicated J. M. P. Atkinson, served from before the War through Reconstruction (1857-1883); he performed the remarkable feat of keeping the College solvent, while insistently upholding both disciplinary and academic standards. Once again, at the outset of war the student body organized a company, with the president as captain. These men, officially mustered as Company G, 20th Virginia Regiment, "The Hampden-Sidney Boys," saw action in the disaster of Rich Mountain (9-11 July 1861), were captured, and were paroled by General George B. McClellan on the condition that they return to their studies.
During the presidencies of Dr. Atkinson and his eminent successor, Dr. Richard McIlwaine, many features of current student life were introduced-social fraternities, sports, and student government, for example; other student activities flourished at their highest level, such as the literary, or debating, societies and musical clubs. In addition, in 1898 the Seminary moved to Richmond and a most generous alumnus, Major R. M. Venable, class of 1857, bought its buildings and gave them to the College, doubling the physical plant. The curriculum was expanded, but without weakening the coherent tradition of liberal education which had become the hallmark of the College.
Through the twentieth century, faced with increasing competition for students and with declining general respect for the liberal arts, the College cautiously and deliberately pursued the aim of honoring the demands of its well-defined heritage. Ably led through the Depression and World War II and their aftermath by Presidents Joseph D. Eggleston (1919-1939) and Edgar G. Gammon (1939-1955), the College expanded massively in size, strength, and stature. In the last half of the century new dimensions of commitment to old principles were opened, and all areas of the College's operation saw improvements: for example, under President W. Taylor Reveley II (1963-1977), Hundley Stadium (1963) and a new science building (Gilmer Hall, 1968) were built, the first computer center was established (1970), and Eggleston Hall was more than doubled in size; under President Josiah Bunting III (1977-1987), a comprehensive program of refurbishment of campus structures was started, and the Kirby Fieldhouse (1980), the Crawley Forum, and six residence halls were built. Also under President Bunting, the academic program was significantly enriched: in a reassertion of the first President Smith's 1775 promise to pay "a more particular Attention ... to the Cultivation of the English Language than is usually done in Places of public Education," the Rhetoric Program was instituted in 1978, with the clear purpose of ensuring that graduates "write clearly, cogently, and grammatically." The Honors Program, which has doubled the number of its participants in the last twenty-five years, has attracted students from across the country. President Samuel V. Wilson (1992-2000), a direct descendant of founding Trustee Nathaniel Venable, oversaw the continued expansion of the faculty, the completion of the renovation and reconstruction program (including all fraternity houses), and the addition of Settle Hall, the first building intended originally and exclusively as a dining hall in the College's history. Under President Wilson Fine Arts became a full department with programs for majors; the Center for Leadership in the Public Interest was estalished and was named for him upon his retirement; a wide-ranging series of symposia involving prominent authorities on subjects from the Trojan War to the Vietnam War and from Sophocles' Oedipus the King to the Human Genome Project began to attract considerable attention to and interest in the College's paracurricular intellectual life.
The administration of President Walter M. Bortz III oversaw a number of significant changes to the campus. The College Bookstore was expanded in 2004 and a Fitness Center was added to Kirby Fieldhouse. Johns Auditorium was renovated and expanded in 2005 and a new home for the Fuqua Computing Center in the basement of Johns was completed. The Hellmuth-Pritzlaff turf field was constructed in 2006. There followed in 2007 two of the largest construction projects in recent College history: the Lewis C. Everett Stadium replaced Hundley Stadium and a new 83,000 square foot College Library was opened (in 2009 the Trustees named the new library in honor of Dr. Bortz). Finally, the Kirk Athletic Center was dedicated in 2008, this the result of a significant renovation and expansion of Gammon Gymnasium. Also under President Bortz the academic program was revised to include minors and a concentration in environmental studies was added.
President Christopher B. Howard's tenure was thus inaugurated in 2009 with a modern campus that combines the beauty of its rural setting and the Federal architectural style with up-to-date technology; the result is an ideal living and learning environment for young men in the 21st century.
The academic, social, and cultural life of the College continues to be enriched, and Hampden-Sydney looks ahead with a wholesome optimism, bred of a sober integrity of mission coupled with a history of prudent development, and made possible by an extraordinary succession of leaders and benefactors of rare ability, commitment, and vision.