text:
Hi. I'm Mere. I disappear and reappear every now and then, but it mostly all comes down to the fact that I do love to write and I do love Harry Potter.
My OTP is James/Lily, but I have a tendency to ship them with other characters. Lily Evans is my favourite character and I absolutely adore writing her.
If you'd like to know more about me, please visit my livejournal. :)
Darling Jen,
This is a celebratory review – you're a mod now! Congrats! :)
I've always been intrigued by Teddy/Victoire, but I've never really read much of them. They way you wrote them, though, is almost exactly like I imagine it would be. They would be best friends, of course, when they were younger.
She never tired of pulling herself up through the leaves, branch by branch, and getting scratched endlessly by stray twigs.
He never did, either.
I love how you captured their friendship in these three lines. You get a sense of Victoire. She's strong, independent, and does what she wants, not what everyone else is doing. And you get a sense of Teddy. You can tell, from these two lines alone, that Teddy is only climbing the tree because of Victoire. And that's just uber sweet and adorable. :)
And then, at Hogwarts, they slowly grow apart. Not out of a conscious decision, but because things simply work out that way. The progression of this change is beautiful. In my mind, I can see a montage of scenes in the hallway, with them growing older each time they pass each other, and the enthusiasm slowly being lost from their greetings.
Teddy graduates, goes "home" for the summer, and viola – Victoire's there. And she's funny, interesting, clever. And beautiful. And Teddy realizes how much he's lost by letting go of her friendship.
The way you introduced the idea of him regretting losing Victoire, the slow and subtle way you indicate that Teddy might feel more than just friendship, is wonderful. In fact, I think that's my favorite part of this story. I love how it's slow and steady and everything makes sense and seems real. He's not just going to admit to himself that he likes her and he isn't going to suddenly be like "OMG VICTOIRE I LOVE HER." It's going to take him awhile - Over the next few days - and it's going to be subtle - For the first time, it hurt a little.
The progression of this story just seems so real and so natural; it has to be happening to someone out there. I really enjoyed it. Fantastic story, love.
Hello, Hannah! :)
So right away there are a lot of things I like about this story. I like that you've updated the curriculum and have replaced Professor Binns. Not only does this set your story apart from hundreds of others, but it actually makes sense too! Also, I like how you went and gave Teddy a sort of 'out there' quality, but were able to justify it so it makes complete sense and wasn't like one of those tacky personality traits that bad authors randomly add to their characters to make them less Mary-Sue or Gary-Stu –ish (I feel like I can say this to you because you obviously aren't a bad author who doesn't know what it's like to create an actual well-developed character).
So, I totally know what Teddy was feeling, but . . . something feels a little off to me. I think it might be the order of events, actually. It'd make more sense to me if, like, the shiver had been mentioned first and then the fact that he sat up. I also would have liked a little more details there. It seemed a little too random, IMO, because it was come and gone so quickly that even we as readers didn't really have time to digest it.
Okay, to be honest, I wasn't sure if I was going to like this. I love second person, but it's very rarely done well. In the beginning, it almost seemed to me that you were writing in second person just to be writing in second person—it didn't really seem like the story needed to be in second person. That is, until this line
It echoed throughout the silent house, and you startled yourself so much that your teacup fell to the ground and shattered.
It just wouldn't work if it was in first or third person. The second person makes it seem oddly detached, which supports the you startled yourself so much part. After that, the voice really started to support Remus's character and emotions, emphasizing his loneliness, his dissatisfaction with life, and his masochistic personality.
The thing I really love about Remus here is that he only blames himself, for what he is, but he never demands of the universe why, he of all people had to be a werewolf. It's like he's accepted his fate and has resigned himself to the life of a solitary man, which makes everything about him all that more heartbreaking.
But as the cold air clears and the snow on the ground starts to melt, so do the ice chambers you've built around your heart.
This is another line that only works in second person. It's beautiful and in this line I really get the sense of hope. I feel like throughout most of the story, he has no hope at all and it's so depressing. I've been sitting here trying to imagine a life without hope, without anything to look forward to, and I just can't imagine. But then in that line there is finally that one sliver of hope and it's refreshing, just like spring.
You've used the seasons as a literary device very smoothly. It doesn't hit the reader in their head, repeatedly, but rather supports Remus's moods and emotions. Winter symbolizes death and here Remus has hit rock bottom. Then, in spring, the time of birth and new life, his hope slowly begins to form.
You savour the words, say her name aloud in your empty house. It just makes you feel more alone.
Now this line is just downright depressing and heartbreaking, but wonderfully so. It's something so simple, yet it is so sad. Remus's loneliness, sadness, and emptiness practically drip off of this line, it's so powerful. I think it's my favourite one in the story.
I quite liked this story, even if it was a bit sadder than what you usually write. The transition from the loss of hope to having hope to his hope coming true made the theme of hope really work and balanced the story.
So I'm a bit divided as far as your beginning goes. On one hand, I like it. I like how you clearly defined the differences between the boys and how you shaped them to be what we know of them. But at the same time, I feel like you spent too much time telling us what the boys were like. Surely, through a series of scenes, you could have showed us this same information?
I really, really liked how you developed Peter. It makes a lot of sense—the desire for grandeur and the false sense of bravery as undertones for the qualities that form his friendship with James, Sirius, and Remus, as well as being the ones that define him later in life.
A lot of your dialogue feels forced. I know it's hard, but try to imagine yourself in that moment, as that character: what would you say? Also, your scenes feel rushed. I don't think that Sirius would just attack Remus out of nowhere like that. Maybe he would start making fun of him if Remus had ignored him repeatedly or something. And James and Sirius's friendship seems too well-developed to only be a day old. I think that in this point, they'd still be treading lightly around each other, not wanting to make the other one mad, because they want friends.
I do really like the internal battle of Sirius versus his blood. I like how he's not just the opposite of them with no questions. But, again, I feel like this was forced and rushed on us, the readers. The scene, his thoughts in particular, don't feel real. You captured his emotions really well, though.
Overall, I like this chapter. You have some wonderful ideas, a great imagination, and you write well. I just wished you had slowed down a little and let things happen naturally. I understand that you have somewhere you want to go with each chapter, but if you force it on the chapter than it's going to come out like that.
Good luck!
Author's Response: Wow. Thanks for such an in-depth review. Obviously I'm a little farther in the story now, so I don't know if other chapters are better, but I will look into my diologue, which I know is my weak point. I've always tried to stay away from "what would I say", because I always felt like that was me projecting myself on the character and not letting them be them, but maybe that would work better than what I'm currently doing.
I actually originally intended for the story to just be from James' POV, and that first section was what I had written, but I didn't expand on for the longest time. Then I decided I wanted to do it with all four of the boys, and I loved that beginning too much to change it, so I wrote up one for the other three. I like still like it, but I do understand what you're saying.
I don't want to pressure you or anything, but if you get the time and want to, I would love it if you read and reviewed the rest of the story, because I love it when reviewers read the whole story and comment along the way. It usually helps more than a one time review, because sometimes a chapter is good, and sometimes another chapter isn't so good, and it's nice to have a few consistent people commenting on where the story is going, as opposed to random, new people each chapter.
This is a thank you for that push. Also, you hinted. :)
Okay, so I really like this. You have a beautiful balance of funny, sappy, and angsty in this, which really makes your story come to life and seem very real. I'm impressed.
One of my favorite things about this story is how rounded and full each character is. None of them are there simply for the sake of moving the story along—they each have their own story, their own light and their own darkness, and you made sure to show each part. Thus, making the characters seem like actual people, instead of fictional characters who always get the impossible.
. . . which I guess was your entire point with this story. No couple is the perfect couple.
Another thing I really liked about this fic was the point of view. It's very different and kind of surprising. I like the way it allowed you to introduce the idea of no person having a perfect life before you actually got to the dirt on Harry and Ginny. Also, I love the way it sort of allowed you to gloss over what actually happened and just scratch the surface to prove your point. In fact, that's another thing that I also really liked: that you didn't tell us what happened between Dean and Ginny. Keeping it private seems like the most natural and real thing to do; also, it keeps your readers thinking about your story, which is always good.
As far as plausibility goes, I find it very real. Especially that it's Ginny who slips up. Harry's far too loyal and his desire for a family far too strong for him to have messed up. And, to me, their relationship has never been as solid as, say, Ron and Hermione's. I could see Ginny with someone else, seriously, at least for a little while. Obviously, she has to get back to Harry eventually (if you allow the epilogue to exist).
Finally, I love your Lavender/Blaise pairing. I may have to check out Lavender, blue – A Gryffindor True. :)
Fabulous story, Carole!
Author's Response: YAY the nudge worked and I get a great Mere review. Thank you for reviewinga nd I am pleased you first of all liked the story and also found it believable. I want people to make their own mind up about what happened between Ginny and Dean; the point being, as you sadi, that no one is perfect. Ahh, I love Lavender/Blaise as well, so I hope you enjoy the fic. Thanks again ~Carole~
You know, I've been meaning to review this story ever since you first started writing it.
I think the real strength of this fic is Lily. She isn't a standard heroine by any means and that makes her all the more relatable. She isn't perfect, she's loud and bold and a bit of a troublemaker. She can be a bitch, but she's completely loyal to her friends and her family and Lysander. It's obvious that she'd do anything for any of them.
Her voice is strong and brilliant. I can really feel her coming alive on the page…er, screen. This really shows how much your writing has improved from When Worlds Collide. In the beginning of WWC, Rose seemed a little bit like she could have been anyone else. In A Moment, A Love, Lily owns it. Her character is so viable, I almost feel like I could have a conversation with her.
Lysander fighting back was awesome. One, because relationships should be more equal and two, because that shows some underlying turmoil within him. I'm sure he didn't intend to yell at Lily, but it was easier that addressing his guilt at getting her pregnant and then leaving her.
Also, the strength of their relationship shines through the yelling. The scene in McGongall's office—Lysander going along with Lily's story, and then him walking her back to Gryffindor tower. It's obvious that he cares about her and wants to make sure she's safe, but he's kind of running away from his problems at this point. They do seem like a couple that can last. I'm rooting for them!
Another thing I really love about this story is how determined your writing is. You seem to know exactly where you're going and everything moves at this smooth, fast pace. I don't know if you've planned at all, but it definitely seems like it! Sometimes, when an author doesn't know where his/her story is going, you can tell from the voice and the pace of the story and it really detracts from it. So, I highly commend you for the way this story flows. :D
Albus Potter had what some would call a fascinating job -- working for the Magical Law Enforcement's intelligence department. But when suspicious activity caused the Ministry to think the infamous Knights of Walpurgis were up to something, their leading expert was called into action.
In disguise and out of his mind, Albus embarked on an impossible task, but when things started turning for the worse, why were his only thoughts about the one person he would hurt along the way?
This story was nominated for a 2011 Quicksilver Quill Award: Best Next-Generation Story AND Best Same-Sex Pairing Story
Yay, this review made me squee just a bit. This story has so few review in relation to my other chaptered stories, even though I think it's one of my best. You just got SO MUCH of what I wanted to convey. First off, there is this ridiculous situation, which is compounded by Albus feeling bad about what he was doing, which is then further exacerbated by dealing with essentially re-learning how to be a person. I've always wanted to sneakily show guys just how aggravating it could be to be a girl, because some of them think it's soooo easy to stand there and look pretty. I like smashing disillusion.
I'm glad Scorpius didn't come out looking Gary Stu-ish, because that would've ruined the story. I wanted him to not be like his parents because he's not an idiot, not because he's particularly rebellious. And you just understood Albus so well, not wanting to like Scorpius but understanding that he wasn't one of the bad guys, even if he wasn't quite as smooth as he would have liked to believe and that Albus saw his better qualities.
Anyway, I can't coherently squee to everything, but you are just so in tune with the story and its little quirks. It's been lovely. :D
I meant to comment on this in my first review and I canât believe I forgot. *headdesk* But I just LOVE the title of this fic. Collateral Damage has this thrilling quality to it. Plus, I adore the way it sounds. (If I were alone right now, Iâd probably be saying it out loud over and over again, enjoying the way those to words sound together and the way they roll off my tongue)
Hehe, I love that you love this story so much. It's just so deliciously messed up, but it gave me a playground of unique things to work with in terms of themes and character struggles. Unless the story was Albus the Hermaphroditic Auror, that is.
I can't remember exactly when I settled on the title, but I think it was from an episode of Doctor Who, the one where Jenny, the Doctor's 'daughter', called Martha 'collateral damage' when she was separated from them and assumed to be dead. I said the phrase a couple of times (much like you did, hehe), and thought, "Well, I quite like that." Plus, it's very apt in terms of relevance.
I really like that you found my 'easter eggs'. That Scorpius was indeed attracted to the hints of Albus buried inside the Melinda caricature (since Albus's portrayal of her is in essence every female cliche he could concoct) instead of HER. And yes, I so understood your multitude of Albuses example. I'm glad you picked it up.
One of my main concerns was making it seem like Scorpius was likeable only because Albus liked him. I ran into that snag before, where readers don't understand the appeal, but this Scorpius really isn't a bad guy. At first, he's ridiculous with the way he tries to pursue Melinda, but considering his male role models in life, he's freaking Prince Charming, lol.
I tried not to slip into omniscient at any point, even though I had a clear idea how each character feels at any given time, but I suppose I did boo boo a bit with Harry. I guess I'm so used to thinking in his head (I seem to write him quite a bit), so it was a natural jump. Later, when I'm not up to my eyeballs in stuff, I will go back and clean that up. Thanks for pointing that out.
And Albus... silly boy. He put up so much front, blaming his altered physicality for his emotional instability. He never once considered that HE was changing, not just his body. And really, he's a decent bloke with a conscience, but I wanted more than that from him. I wanted him to be Harry Potter's son (still himself, but his genetics are important not to forget), but with a snarky little twist.
Anyway, this response is long, rambly, and highly disorganised, so I'm going to stop now. This was a lovely review, and I'm glad you enjoy the story in all of its weirdness. :D
Hello, there! :]
I quite like this, you know. I'm not normally a big fan of Ginny, but you've definitely hooked me. I like how real this seems at first—I definitely thought it was actually happening, but then when I read the last line, it made complete sense. It has this quality that makes it not too real, so the dream part is believable. Like, you give no reason for why either of them are there, in the Great Hall, and it doesn't seem possible that they'd be alone and that makes it very dreamlike. Also, the vague questions like "You will come home soon, right?"
Lily gives the gift of Luck to Petunia while putting off opening her gift from James, which is the exact size of a ring box from a jewellery shop. One glance at it had been enough to send a chill down Lily's spine, and almost enough to make her say, "You shouldn't have." She loves James, she just isn't ready to get married.
I think my favourite thing about this story is that it's warm, not fluffy. I feel like there's this general feeling of happiness and love that just radiates from it. It makes it the perfect Christmas story because it embodies everything that I, at least, think Christmas should be. Family, friends, food, gifts, everyone getting along even though they don't like each other—you've got it all in this story. :)
Thank you for such a wonderful review! You'd be lovely poster girl for SPEW because you have a gift for productive praise that goes to the heart of the story and emphasizes both art and craft. You notice details, descriptions, and characterization that's shown instead of told, helping writers by highlighting skills they can continue to build on. All praise is supportive, but yours goes beyond that. It's motivational--and very much appreciated.
Thanks, buddy!
Oh, Carole, I love this! I honestly didn't know what to expect going in, mostly because I wasn't sure how you could conceivably get Hermione and Lavender together, but wow. It went beyond my expectations. :)
I like how bold your writing is. It doesn't feel like you're trying to be light or sensitive since it's a "controversial" topic, it's just like you have a story to tell, so damnit you're going to tell it. It also gives your story this kind of confidence that makes it seem real and natural.
The beginning is really cute and has a very slumber-party-slash-getting-ready-for-a-school-dance feel. It's nice to see Hermione acting a bit more—like a girl, I guess. I particularly liked it because it wasn't what I was expecting at all (not that I knew what I was expecting) and it provided a good foundation to build their relationship off of.
"Do you like him?" Hermione asked, and from her tone, Lavender knew she didn't just mean 'like' as in a friend, but 'like' as in fancy, or 'want to snog'.
I like this line because it again shows the Hermione that we don't see from Harry's point of view but had to be there. You characterization of Hermione is really good—I'm impressed with how well you balanced her logical, rational, intelligent side with the teenage girl side. But. I guess, I just always saw her being a bit more opened-minded and not "This is wrong." I feel like that since she'd had to face prejudice for being Muggleborn, she'd be more accepting towards everyone and everything else—like Remus being a werewolf, Hagrid being half-giant, house-elves, etc. That's just my opinion, though.
One of the things that makes this story really believable is how close you stuck to canon—especially Hermione and Ron ("Ron Weasley is an utter arse!" heehee). I guess, though, Hermione's conflicting emotions between Ron and Lavender could explain why she hesitated and the "this is wrong."
Parvati had been excited when she'd left, a girl in thrall to the endless possibilities of love; Lavender had felt hollow inside.
This is possibly my favourite line from the entire fic. I love the juxtaposition of Parvati's whirlwind feelings and Lavender's emptiness. It emphasizes her lack of feeling. It's just really beautifully put together.
(Had something happened? She wasn't sure of anything except that her arms were covered in goosebumps and her heart was still pounding inside her.)
Then again, this might be my favourite line. I particularly like the way this one was positioned in the paragraph, as just a tiny little aside. It felt like Lavender was trying to ignore it and just carry on.
"Why don't you just put less on?" Hermione asked.
This is so Hermione; it's brilliant. Also, I love the way Lavender is helping Hermione get in touch with her feminine side, for lack of a better phrase, in more ways than one. I enjoy the irony of Lavender introducing Hermione to all these stereotypical girl things while also introducing her to something that is not a very stereotypical girl thing at all.
Her expression lost its irritation and she smiled again. "Ron's totally clueless."
So I know I'm supposed to be rooting for Hermione/Lavender and I am! But. Just. AWWWW. Seriously. That's so cute.
Lavender waited for Hermione's fingers to remove the dust, but instead she stiffened when she felt Hermione's breath on her cheek. She opened her eyes in alarm as a shivery sensation coursed down her spine. Hermione was close now, so close, and with her lips pouting as she blew away the shadow.... Lavender shifted – just a touch – and then it happened. Their mouths were a hair's breadth apart. Hermione's lips, painted a dusky pink, shimmering, enticing and far too close. Without fully realising what was happening, Lavender uttered a small moan and then planted her mouth on Hermione's.
I couldn't just pick one line. This entire paragraph is just really amazing and there's so much going on in there. Lavender's desire and what she feels is so palpable and beautiful. I love how you used punctuation to convey her emotions—the ellipses and the dashes have so much longing and wanting and curiosity in them. It's amazing how much you're saying without saying anything at all.
This wasn't how it was supposed to be, and yet it felt as if this was how it should always be.
There are a couple of things about this line. For one, it really shows the way Lavender was raised—boy and girl, not girl and girl or boy and boy, and they way she doesn't care because of the way she feels. I like the slight sense of internal conflict that we get here. I kind of feel like there should have been more, that Lavender wouldn't have just been "well, that's interesting, okay!" right from the beginning.
Another thing about this line is that it's really beautiful and I love the parallel structure of it. The structure kind of becomes a metaphor for her emotions—two parallel lives she could live, one the way she was brought up, the other the way she feels.
"Night," Lavender replied, tears trickling down her cheeks.
While this line is really sad and tugged on my heart, it seemed kind of weird to me. I guess because I never really get the sense that Lavender was more than physically attracted to Hermione. It seems more like she wants to kiss Hermione because she likes the way kissing Hermione makes her feel, rather than she wants to kiss Hermione to kiss Hermione.
And that's when she knew that there was nothing happier. And it was no use, the memory was so fleeting that she'd never be able to conjure a Patronus.
She stopped trying after that.
This says so much about Lavender's life with general, not just her interactions with Hermione, and that's what makes it really heartbreaking.
This was -- not wrong, these feelings could never be called wrong -- yet it was unreal.
I really, really like this line. I could say more than that, but I don't really want to. I mostly like this line for the words themselves and the emotions they carry, so I'm just going to leave it at that—I really like it.
Then very casually she said, "You'd better make sure you get in there then, Hermione. You wouldn't want another witch snapping him up."
Um. Hello, awkward dorm. How do you sleep at night? This makes Lavender less pathetic in the sixth book, which I kind of like, but it also makes her a bit more vicious and makes me feel extremely bad for Ron (since she was just using him to get back at Hermione) and Hermione (because, well, that would just suck).
The only thing about that end that I don't really like is I still don't feel like Lavender was really that emotionally attached to Hermione. I mean, you've hinted that she was, but that's all it was, just hints. I never felt it. It seemed more physical than anything else. I just wish that there had been a little more.
Er, I didn't realize how long this review was until just now. >.> Basically, I loved it. It was really beautiful and gave a lot more depth to both Hermione and Lavender.
Author's Response: Wow! A one shot of a review. First of all, thank you for all the crit and the praise. I do agree with you on the 'It's wrong' comment from Hermione because I don't thnk she is judgemental, or certainly not when she 'thinks' about it. I did think about deleting that line, but instead added her next sentence of 'No ... not wrong.' because I think that summed up the Hermione of my story. She doesn;t think being gay is wrong - but she doesn;t think it's her - plus she was seeing Viktor and confused about Ron at that moment too.
I take your point about Lavender's emotions as well. What I was trying to show is that she's actually not sure how deep her feelings are for Hermione. They're not friends particularly, and I'm not sure she likes Hermione much (I would venture to say she's more attached emotionally to Seamus) because she doesn;t get that much of a chance to like/love Hermione. It's exploration, confusion and attraction between the pair.
Darn it, I think I need to write a blooming follow up now. Your review has really made me think carefully. *adds sequel to long, long list) Mere, Thank you very, very much for this review. It was certainly thought-provoking and gorgeous to read. ~Carole~
It's a bit embarrassing, really, how long I've meaning to leave you a review. A couple of weeks (or more like well over a month) ago, I couldn't sleep and ended up on the computer in the mood for some good James/Lily. I read one of your stories and one thing led to another and I ended up spending the night reading most (I won't be so presumptuous as to say all) of your James/Lily stories. Ever since then, I've been meaning to go back and review at least one of them. So, here I am!
I want to say something about the first chapter, actually, before I really get into this one. I really love the tone and feel of the first chapter. It's very storyteller-like and you really create this feeling of anticipation and build up all these emotions. It's quite exciting. :)
And something about chapter three (I just read them all straight through): I really like how in Arthimancy pretty much everyone except for Anastasia had accepted that he would end up with Lily—the debatable part was how long he would live. It made me giggle.
And now on to chapter four!
I love your characterization of James and Lily. I guess that doesn't particularly pertain to chapter four or even to this story, but it's really good. I like how James is always playful and confident (but not arrogant), yet serious in a normal, mature, seventeen-year-old way. I've read a lot of James/Lily fics and in some of them the ~change that James 'undergoes' seems a bit dramatic and unrealistic. Your James seems very real and natural and is always a pleasure to read.
And Lily! Lily isn't that annoying Perfect Student and Perfect Prefect and Perfect Person, she's actually someone that James could fall in love with. She's mischievous and witty and fun. I don't want to sound like a broken record, but she's very real. I guess I could say that your James and Lily read like actual people, not like characters that someone is trying to force certain qualities on. Maybe an even better way to say it is that your James and Lily read like they are entirely your own characters that you know inside out, backwards and forwards. In fanfiction, it often reads like someone else's characters that you know a little bit about and trying to make sure are recognizable and in doing so, forget to create a nice, well-rounded character. Does that make sense?
I think the relationship you've built between James and his friends is really interesting. The way James knows that they would try to sabotage anything he planned but he's really not mad at them, just slightly irritated—it's almost like brothers. I like the dimension it adds to both James's character and the story, especially the way you never come straight out and say anything about it more it's just something the reader feels. And, of course, it's one more thing in the way. You do like to make it as difficult as possible for them to get together, don't you? :)
We turned a corner and walked straight into Remus and Elizabeth.
"Hi!" said Elizabeth brightly. "Did you like your daisies?"
Lily burst out laughing; I groaned and turned down another corridor.
That exchange actually made me laugh out loud. This story, in general, is really lighthearted and fun. It's wonderfully refreshing to read. It's one of those stories that actually brightens my mood and has me sitting here just grinning with a general kind of amusement.
The ending of this chapter is sweet and hopeful. It's that odd sort of thing that satisfies the reader yet still leaves them in high anticipation of the next chapter.
This was really fun to read and I am definitely looking forward to the next chapter. :)
Author's Response: Mere, thank you SO MUCH. What a lovely, amazing review. What's more embarrassing is how long I've taken to respond just because there was so much here. I've read this so many times because it always makes me smile. It' s just so nice to know someone things you've done something right. I really appreciate it. :)
You touched on so many things. I'm so glad the first chapter set things up for you. I was sure it was too much backstory, since I based this on another fic I wrote! And I'm really glad you enjoyed the Arithmancy bit as well, because that surprised me. I hadn't anticipated something a bit more bittersweet like that popping up in this story. But the comment you made about James and Lily being like my own character that I know inside and out really made me squee the most. Because they are my OTP and I have been writing them for months now. If you've read some of my others, you know it's almost obsessive,lol. I love exploring different possibilities in the pairing, and in many, many ways, I do feel like I know them really well. So knowing that's come across to at least one person is thrilling.
I've posted some more and just finished the last chapter yesterday so it will be interesting to see what people think once it's done. It's mostly lighthearted, but I do like to add a bit of depth and here and there. I do hope you enjoy it! Thank you so much for the amazing review! ~Gina :)
-Friedrich Nietzsche
Scorpius Malfoy has avoided Althea Burbage – and everyone else at Hogwarts – for five long years. Who, he thinks, would want to be friends with the son of a Death Eater? Certainly not a girl whose aunt was murdered before the eyes of his father and grandfather.
Unfortunately, Thea doesn't seem to agree.
So, WOW. That's my first thought upon finishing this. Just. WOW.
I adore the way you write. I'm a bit surprised, actually, at how you managed to keep my interest through this chapter when all it is is an introduction to the characters and the very start of their relationship. But I greedily read this as fast as I could and was disappointed that the chapter was over so quickly.
The tone of this story is really incredible. The point of view is omniscient, yet the tone is very personal. It seems like you know Scorpius and Althea inside and out and they really come to life. It's been a little while since I've felt so connected to characters. It almost seems like they are real people that I've met or something.
Scorpius. Just. Scorpius. His characterization is so incredible. I love how unique it is. I've read bookish!Scorpius before, but none of them have the complexity of your Scorpius. He has friends, it seems, but he prefers isolation because he's hiding from his past. He's respected, but not understood. Despite his past and his anti-socialness, it doesn't seem like anyone dislikes him. And his eyes! The fact that he has the Greengrass eyes, not the Malfoy eyes says so much about his character and his personality. It tells us readers that he isn't like his father and grandfather. Brown eyes have a capacity to be warm that just doesn't seem to exisit in grey eyes, which suggests that he's not haughty or arrogant and has perhaps a big heart.
Hi. I feel like I need some sort of introduction to this review, but I'm at an utter loss of how to begin it.
I really like this story. I really like your writing style. It's smooth, natural, and precise. Or perhaps that's just your characterization of Lucy (it is Lucy, isn't it? God, you have no idea how long it took me to find that name). The beginning says so much about her, with that exact detailing of how she will get home, how long it will take, and her other options. To me, that says she's a bit lonely and a bit unhappy. (Enter Lorcan! ;D)
There's some awkward wording in the third paragraph—So, you'll understand… This sudden and singular address of the reader threw me a bit. I think you could very easily edit it out and it would make that part flow much nicer. Also, He was just a blur of flesh and clothes, while I do like this whole sentence, there's something very corpse-like of the word flesh. I think something like "body parts" or even "skin" would create the same effect in the sentence without the eeriness of flesh. Of course, that's just my opinion.
My initial reaction?
Perhaps that's a bit…extreme, but, honestly, it's how I felt from reading the summary to the last line.
I really love the way you wrote this pairing. It has this balance of emotion and fun that reflects James and Sirius's characters. There's desire for each other specifically, but it's also something that just sort of happened. You summed it up perfectly with this line:


text:
Agriculture Minister Dr. Fahd Balghunaim has urged Saudi businessmen to invest more in the agriculture sector in order to achieve food security. "There are good prospects for agricultural investments," he added.
He said Saudi Arabia has agricultural investments in Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Argentina and Ukraine. "We expect more investments in the near future," he added.
Referring to a World Bank report, the minister said: "Agriculture is one of the lucrative areas for investments because there is growing demand for food."
There are a lot of investment opportunities in the agriculture sector, the minister said. He urged Saudi businessmen to contact with the Agricultural Development Fund and Saudi Agricultural & Livestock Investment Co.
He said the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority and Finance Ministry would sign agreements with foreign countries to ensure investment security of Saudis.
"We'll provide necessary information to Saudi investors about investment prospects in various countries. On the basis of these information, they can take a decision," he said.
Balghunaim disclosed plans to introduce an insurance scheme for farmers within two years. He said the Kingdom exports shrimp to 30 countries. "We have more than 2,500 km of clean coastal area on the Red Sea which could be used for fish farming," he added.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Second Hand Rose Resale Shoppe will be closed March 9-12 to clean and stock. Second Hand Rose will reopen Wednesday, March 13 at 10 a.m. with all new spring-summer clothing, shoes and accessories. Debit cards and credit cards are accepted. Regular store hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Donation hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.


text: The summer of 2012 marked the start of a new era at Anfield with Brendan Rodgers appointed as the new manager of Liverpool FC. With the emphasis on positive attacking football the squad is developing into one of the most exciting in the Premier League and the building blocks for a bright future are now firmly in place. The Managers first season featured 30 goals from Luis Suarez an emotional farewell to Jamie Carragher and a series of stylish victories including a 6-0 win at Newcastle. Featuring every goal and every game from the Premier League FA Cup Capital One Cup and Europa League this is the complete review of 2012-13.


text:
Artist description:
practice just playing around with prospective and light
Java Draw Created Oct 30, 2012 640 x 460px Unless noted Copyright 2012 cocofrog.
We encourage you to submit a comment and let the artist know what you think of this drawing. Please log in or join to post a comment.
Post a comment
WooHoo! remember those days,,, he was great,, (still is) love this piece, great concept and design..coll4me
yeah I love him, my favorite song is Foxy, I actually did a painting of him in acrylics its in this style Pop art..


text:
. | . |
by Staff Writers Leicester UK (SPX) Oct 05, 2012
A fossil which has lain in a museum drawer for over a century has been recognized by a University of Leicester geologist as a unique clue to the long-lost skills of some of the most sophisticated animal architects that have ever lived on this planet. It has provided evidence that early organisms developed specialised roles and that these specialists displayed co-operation in order to construct their homes - much like today's builders employ a team of bricklayers, plasters and decorators. The fossil is a graptolite, a planktonic colony from nearly half a billion years ago, found by nineteenth century geologists in the Southern Uplands of Scotland. Graptolites are common in rocks of this age, but only as the beautifully intricate multistorey floating 'homes' that these animals constructed - the animals that made them were delicate creatures with long tentacle-bearing arms, but these have long rotted away. Dr. Jan Zalasiewicz of the Department of Geology of the University of Leicester was routinely examining the rock slab when noticed something previously overlooked. This particular, unique fossil does not show the animals themselves - but it shows what look like the connections between them, rather like finding the ropes that once held a team of mountaineers together. These connections indicate that the animals of the colony could not have been all basically the same, as had been assumed. Rather, they must have been very different in shape and organization in different parts of the colony. Dr Zalasiewicz said, "The light caught one of the fossils in just the right way, and it showed complex structures I had never seen in a graptolite before. It was a sheer stroke of luck...one of those Eureka moments. "In some parts of the colony, these fossilized connections look like slender criss-crossing branches; others look like little hourglasses. "Hence, a key element in the ancient success of these animals must have been an elaborate division of labour, in which different members of the colony took on different tasks, for feeding, building and so on. This amazing fossil shows sophisticated prehistoric co-operation, preserved in stone." It has been a mystery how such tiny 'lowly' prehistoric creatures could have co-operated to build such impressively sophisticated living quarters - it is a skill long been lost among the animals of the world's oceans. Now, this single fossil, which has been carefully preserved in the collections of the British Geological Survey since 1882, sheds light on these ancient master builders. Remarkably, over that past century, the fossil slab had been examined by some of the world's best experts on these fossils because it includes key specimens of a rare and unusual species. Dr. Mike Howe, manager of the British Geological Survey's fossil collections and a co-author of the study, commented "This shows that museum collections are a treasure trove, where fossils collected long ago can drive new science." Zalasiewicz, J.A., Page, A.A., Rickards, R.B., Williams, M., Wilby, P.R., Howe, M.P.A. and Snelling, A. 2012. Polymorphic organization in a planktonic graptoloid (Hemichordata: Pterobranchia) colony of late Ordovician age. Geological Magazine.
Related Links University of Leicester Space Technology News - Applications and Research
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement |


text: History mostly remembers winners. Teams winning the European Cup or Champions' League have been immortalized by fans and critics. Some top quality sides which have come very close to winning the title but have fallen short are often forgotten. TheHardTackle takes a look at five such great sides who were never crowned European champions.


text:
Love & Marriage
Featured Posts
Anyone else sort of rush into marriage? Me and DH dated for about 6 months, I found out I was pregnant (we were both in the military) and we decided we shold get married right after I found out. We have now been married for almost 6 years and are doing great. We have had one major disagreement that we didnt have the chance to talk about before we got married and that was how many kids we wanted. I have wanted one more for awhile, and he is happy with just the three of us. Anyone else had a rushed marriage, and if so, did it cause any sort of disagreements later on down the road? Are you still happily married?
i had a rushed marriage....6 months into our relationship i found out i was pregnant and 9 months into our relationship we were married....yes it was a shot gun wedding....but it almost been 7 yrs since we have been married... we recently had a mini arugement about when i was going to have another baby...i want to wait til im 30 and he doesnt want to have any when he's 30.... we are both 27....
Not me. We got engaged two years after we met and after a year of living together. Got married 9 months after we got engaged. That was a bit rushed/last minute because of legal issues (had a quick courthouse wedding and then an actual ceremony 11 months later). I didn't take out my birth control until after we were legally married, and after we had talked about kids, life goals, etc.
However, my brother and his wife are similar to you. They were both military and had been dating a while. She got pregnant and they secretly got married. 12 years later they have had some Major Issues. He got her pregnant twice after their first when she had explicitly said she wasn't ready for more (they were doing pull out method and he didn't pull out), and she has cheated on him with both sexes. They are still together, but she travels a lot for work and their relationship is still very strained.


text:
Friday, 27 April 2012
Feature and Follow {10}
Q: Have you had a character that disappointed you? One that you fell in love with and then "broke up" with later on in either the series or a stand-alone book? Tell us about him or her.
Let me tell you about one of my best friends from a couple of years ago. Picture me, a geeky 17 year old who checked out 10 or more books from the library at a time (all PR or UF). One day, by pure chance I met a strong, opinionated, kick-ass young woman who took shit from no-one. It didn't take us long to become the best of friends. Ok, so she may not have had the greatest wardrobe, we couldn't swap clothes and shoes that often...all she seemed to own were different coloured Nikes, and I'm more a 6 inch heels kinda girl...but I accepted that and we went on amazing journeys together. Her sense of humour had me in fits of giggles and her wit/ sarcasm only added to her amazing personality. To top it off she had a wicked cool job raising zombies and executing rogue vampires and I was always welcome along for the ride. Together we kicked vampire ass, rebelled against our stubborn (but drool worthy) Master of the City and collected cute, cuddly, stuffed penguins.
Then everything changed...
She started spending more time with the vampires, began a relationship with the Master of the City. At first I was happy for her she deserved some love in her life...but being with Jean-Claude had consequences and now she's stuck. When I last spoke to her she was in a committed relationship with more people than just Jean-Claude, shape changers and other master vampires share her bed. Before she would rather killed a Vampire (or die trying) than have sex with one, but now I don't know any more. Our adventures together began to be pushed to one side... and our friendship began to crumble. The last I heard she'd gone hunting a rogue with our mutual friend Edward...which sounds more like the woman I once knew...maybe there's still hope.
I still don't see much of Anita Blake any more, and I wish we could go back to when we first met...but so much has changed...she's changed. I don't know if we'll ever have that friendship back but I am always hopeful. I hope we can finish our journey one day Anita and I'll wait as long as it takes for you to come back to me.
It hurts to talk about the loss of any friendship but I will forever remain hopeful that one day Anita and I will resolve our issues and become best friends once more.
Got a story like mine...let me know :)
See you soon!
11 comments:
- sinn said...
I don't know why she did it. Honestly, I wonder if it was because sex was selling in her faery books, so she wanted to add it. Or she could have been working out her sexual angst through Anita. Whatever the reason, she screwed over the whole damn series!! Arg!!
Thanks for stopping by my blog! I'm returning the follow ^_^
sinn @sinnful books - 27 April 2012 at 18:16
- Jessica (Peace Love Books) said...
Haha I love the story!! I haven't read the books and I don't have a story as sad as yours, but I do know the feeling! Great answer :)
Here's my FF! - 27 April 2012 at 19:16
- Shanan, The Book Addict said...
You are not the first to mention that you were disappointed by the shift in this character. The beginning part intrigues me about the series but now that I know it gets kind of sucky in the end I am less inclined to want to jump into it. That is one thing that drives me crazy about series!
http://thebookaddictnet.blogspot.com/2012/04/follow-friday-18.html - 27 April 2012 at 20:42
- Ella said...
This was... a beautiful way to answer the question, you're making me really want to read this series.. and it sounds like i'm gonna LOVE her wardrobe, i'm all about being comfortable, simple..
New follower :)
Read Into Hiding - 27 April 2012 at 20:44
- Eileen said...
Awesome story! This is such a creative way to answer the question! I haven't read this series, heck, I don't even know what you're talking about, but then again, I'm always really clueless. :)
New follower!
Eileen @ ***Singing and Reading in the Rain***
My Follow Friday - 27 April 2012 at 21:29
- Kathryne (Paperback Fantasies) said...
Genius way to answer the question! I'm a new follower. :)
- 27 April 2012 at 21:35
- Kah Cherub said...
I understand how you feel about Anita, but I still like the books. LOl
I'm a new networked follower. :)
http://notjustnonsense.blogspot.com.br/2012/04/ff-feature-and-follow-20.html - 27 April 2012 at 21:37
- Abbey Ann said...
Loved the story! I haven't read the series, but I will soon.
New Follower!
Abbey Ann
http://abbeyannsbookland.blogspot.com/2012/04/feature-follow-friday-1.html - 27 April 2012 at 22:03
- Emily said...
Haha love your answer, thanks for dropping by
New follower - 27 April 2012 at 22:20
- Vikki said...
Hey Everyone!
Thanks for all the comments. I truly loved Anita like a sister...but she's not the girl I once knew.
I'm glad you all liked my story and I hope to see you soon!
Vikki xxx - 28 April 2012 at 01:36
- Natasha said...
I chose Anita as well. She's just not the same anymore. It's sad, but true.
I'm a new follower!
Here's mine:
http://www.bookmarkyourthoughts.com/2012/04/follow-friday-april-27th-2012.html - 28 April 2012 at 03:25


text:
The Holiday Tea for 2015 has been cancelled.
Each December ACCA holds an annual Holiday Tea as a fundraiser for the programs of ACCA. Every person that attends is treated to hot tea, hot chocolate, sweet treats and savory sandwiches. They also get a chance to get some time in with Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus who come in from the North Pole just for the occasion!


text:
Discussions about eggcorns and related topics
You are not logged in.
Registrations were closed for a long time because of forum spam, but I have re-opened them on a trial basis.
The forum administrator (chris dot waigl at gmail dot com) reserves the right to request users to plausibly demonstrate that they are real people with an interest in the topic of eggcorns. Otherwise they may be removed with no further justification. Likewise, accounts that have not been used for posting may be removed.
Thanks for your understanding.
Chris -- 2015-05-30
Pinchbeck is a kind of fake gold, a brass alloyed from a lot of copper and a little zinc. It was named after a London watchmaker, Christopher Pinchbeck (d. 1732). Whatever Mr. Pinchbeck earned in profits he lost in reputation – his surname became synonymous in the mid nineteenth century with something counterfeit, bogus. This figurative meaning of "pinchbeck" retained its currency in English for about a century. Since the early 1900s both the literal and figurative uses of the term have experienced a precipitous decline in popularity.
In the years of its currency "pinchbeck" would occasionally transform itself into "pinchbeak." Certain idiomatic uses of "pinch" – pinch and scrape, pinch of salt, feeling pinched – may have suggested to speakers an association with the outcome of acquiring counterfeit goods. Reading the semantics of "pinch" into the first syllable of Pinchbeck's name – an Aunty Lehman – encouraged speakers to go whole hog (bird) and change the obscure "beck" into the more pinch-friendly "beak."
When the word "pinchbeck" was loaned to Continental languages in the nineteenth century, the "pinchbeak" error was sometimes brought over. We can see this move in the 1905 French text Le Bulletin de l'art ancien et moderne. Mr. Pinchbeck's metal is described as
pinchebec (pinchbeak)"
German texts from the nineteenth century employed both "pinchbeck" and "pinchbeak." Here's a translated entry from German conversational dictionary of the 1880s:
Pinchbeak, (pronounced "pintschbik"), named after its discoverer, an English inventor, an alloy [made] from 128 parts copper, 7 parts brass, 7 parts zinc or from 2 parts copper and 1 part brass, is highly malleable, a darkish gold, slow to oxidize.
I found three native examples of "pinchbeck" on the web, two from the nineteenth century, one from a twentieth century Commonwealth source:
A nineteenth century British novel: "But a woman like yourself can wear any pinchbeak pearls with impunity because people assume that her pearls are genuine."
Ferguson's Anecdotal Guide to Mexico (1876): "The choir is surrounded by a balustrade of metal called tumbago ( pinchbeak )."
An Indian author refers to an Indian politician as a " pinch-beak Napoleon" (i.e, a fake Napoleon) in a 1976 book
Hatching new language, one eggcorn at a time.
Exhilaratingly arcane and multitongued exploitation of the capabilities of the web. Great stuff.Any connection to "pinchback reproductions" which are taxidermy mounts with a plastic skull attached to antlers?
The obscurity of Pinchbeck reminds me of an ad I saw in the classified section of the old News of the World, that went something like this:
Special offer! Get our Pinchbeck aphrodisiac by mail. Unique ersatz love formula has an irresistible nostrum effect on women. Get ready for spurious action, this baby works as advertised!
I hadn't thought about "pinchback." It's an old word for a miser. Would be easy to confuse with "pinchbeck."
John Neal in The Down-Easters, Vol. I, presents some sound-literal dialogue that shows a confusion between "pinchback" and "pinchbeck."
watch putty fair—best imitation I've seen since I dont know when. Imitation? said I. Yes—pinchback. Pinchbeck? Yes—that what dye ye call' em stuff, washed over with gool leaf. Pho, pho man—that is neither pinchback nor imitation. Posserble! What is it then? Gold—fine gold.
Hatching new language, one eggcorn at a time.
kem wrote (here he quotes):
watch putty fair—best imitation I've seen since I dont know when. Imitation? said I. Yes—pinchback. Pinchbeck? Yes—that what dye ye call' em stuff, washed over with gool leaf. Pho, pho man …
Ha! And I just found this one in an online request for donations for a charity Great Gatsby party (I'm sure that by "pho" she doesn't mean Vietnamese beef soup):
Things like peacock feathers, chandeliers, Pho crystals/beads…


text:
Astronomers have a mind-blowing new theory: that there are 17 billion Earth-sized planets in our galaxy. They don't yet know how many of these worlds are in habitable zones, but the implications of this discovery are amazing. So much that some claim the "quest for a twin Earth is heating up."
Simply put: If there are 17 billion Earth-sized worlds in our galaxy, it's clear that the Universe is bubbling with life.
The team, lead by Francois Fressin of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, used the latest data from NASA's Kepler mission to find that one in six stars have "a planet 0.8 - 1.25 times the size of Earth in an orbit of 85 days or less."
Of course, before we start with this alien life math wankfest, let's answer a fundamental question: why are Earth-sized planets important? The answer is simple: Earth is the only habitable planet that we know of. Scientists assume that, given the same set of conditions—orbit time, distance from sun, gravity and composition—life will develop in other star systems just like it developed in Earth. Simplifying (and without knowing yet why this is exactly), planets like Mars weren't big enough and planets like Venus were too close.
Now, let's be really conservative and assume that only one percent of those planets is in its star system's habitable zone. That's 170 million Earth-sized worlds that may harbor some kind of life.
Let's keep being skeptical. Let's say that only one percent of those planets have actually developed actual life. That leaves us with 1,700,000 worlds bubbling with lifeforms.
It's most probable that these worlds would have a variety of organisms but, continuing to be pessimistic, let's suppose that only one percent of those Earth-sized worlds have developed complex animals. That's 17,000 alternative Earths full of three-headed monkeys or whatever.
Finally, let's presume that one percent of those planets' animals have evolved so much that they have developed a civilization similar to ours. That's 170 worlds, people. 170 worlds is one amazing number, at least for me.
Life in the Universe
Now, if that's not amazing to you, look at the number of galaxies in the Universe. The most recent computer simulation puts that number at 500 billion. Of course, not all galaxies have the same numbers of stars, but since some are bigger than ours and some are smaller that ours, let's just assume that it all evens out. Wait. Let's be galactic jerks here and take 100 billion galaxies out of the total number. 400 billion galaxies, each of them with about 170 civilized worlds.
That's 68,000 billion planets with civilizations on them.
Read that number a couple of times.
Of course, the Universe is an awfully big place. So big that we may never encounter another civilization. But that's a minor point. The fact is that, even being conservative, even if we further cut that number drastically, even if we assume much lower percentages, even if we think that some civilizations may have been destroyed by asteroids or wars or some other kind of disaster—even if we just assume that, out of those 68,000 civilizations, only one percent have actually survived and thrived, that leaves us with 680 billion civilizations in the Universe.
Still too optimist for you? Destroy 99% of those with Death Star lasers. That's still 6.8 billion civilizations.
Going one step further, and think about the chances of meeting one of these civilizations. Let's presume that only one percent of the 6.8 billion have mastered warp drives—Not a crazy possibility! That's 6.8 million civilizations with Entreprises.


text:
34279: Kittinger Colonial Williamsburg Mahogany Stool Bench
This item has been shown 0 times.
34279: Kittinger Colonial Williamsburg Mahogany Stool Bench:
Click Here. Double your traffic. Get Vendio Gallery - Now FREE!
Payment | Additional Information | Terms & Conditions- Shipping Policy
34279: KITTINGER Colonial Williamsburg Mahogany Stool Bench
Excellent Condition
Minor Signs of Light Household Use
Sometimes upholstered items may show some wear or minor use. Or you may want to have recovered in different upholstery to match your decor. Please feel free to contact us for information on having this or any of our items professionally re-upholstered in the fabric of your choice. We are able to make recommendations.
**** For information on shipping or additional details, be sure to message us through . A Stenella Antiques representative is here to assist with your questions and purchase. ****
Please note: Many of the items we sell on are Antique or semi-Antique. Normal signs of use or wear should be expected such as minor nicks, dings or light rubs. We do our best to give accurate, detailed photos and descriptions. Descriptions and details are to the best of our knowledge. Some terms can be judgmental and subjective. We cannot be responsible for misinterpretations. You are purchasing the item that is pictured. Dimensions are approximate and can vary. We try to give the largest overall dimension for shipping needs. If you need dimensions or other details verified, please message us before purchasing. Most of our customers have received items with better than expected results. We pride ourselves in offering clean quality pieces that we would be proud to display in our own homes. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us with any questions. Feel free to call or message us and someone will get back to you promptly during normal business hours. If you like the items we have offered for sale, please be sure to Bookmark our listings here at Tricks-of-the-Trade, and be sure to check back on a regular basis. Hopefully we can locate that particular item for you!
***We respond to all messages daily! Feel Free to contact us at anytime. If you are not receiving messages or responses, please be certain your account is registered properly with otherwise we will be unable to contact you. Also feel free to call us directly at 215-453-8490 to speak with someone directly for more detailed information. ***
**** Message us through or call 215-453-8490 to contact us for more detailed information!!!! ****
All shipping is paid by the buyer, see below for more details and terms. Message any questions Prior to offerding!
Click to View Image Album
Click to View Image Album
Click to View Image Album
Click to View Image Album
Click to View Image Album
Click to View Image Album
Click to View Image Album
Click to View Image Album
Click to View Image Album
Back to Top
Thanks for purchase, payment must be received within 10 days, please call us directly for credit card payment at 215-453-8490. Please be sure to contact us your best contact phone numbers as well as which shipping company you will be
I accept the following forms of payment:
- PayPal
Additional Information Back to Top
Terms & Conditions- Shipping Policy PAYMENT Back to Top
Payment of items shall be received within (10) days of close of sale or time of purchase, unless prior arrangements are made. Please give ample time for clearing of funds before picking up. PA residents and those picking up are subject to State sales tax of 6%. If you have tax ID number, please bring a copy when picking up. We welcome you to pickup your items from our 26,000 sq. foot warehouse which is open by appointment only, call or message us for availability. Payments can be made via paypal, check, or credit card by calling us at 215-453-8490. HASSLE-FREE, SHIPPING QUOTES Back to Top
We are now able to obtain discounted, Hassle free, shipping quotes to many areas on the East coast and out to the Chicago area. (all areas are not covered in this area, please see shipping arrangements below) We are able to obtain discounted quotes and details from the shipping company and message them directly to you. All you have to do is offer , Confirm that you want us to arrange with the quoted shipping company and it will be delivered to your home. Feel free to message us directly for a shipping quote and we will gladly arrange all details for you with the shipping company in these areas. Be sure to confirm with us your exact shipping address and two Contact PHONE NUMBERS at close of sale. You must confirm that you would like us to arrange the shipping after you purchase. Shipping charges are to be paid directly to shipper upon delivery.
All Shipping is third party and we are only obtaining quotes and passing your contact information along to the shipping company who will pick up from our location and deliver directly to you. They will contact you prior to delivery. Estimated delivery time is typically 4-6 weeks, sometimes sooner, sometimes longer depending scheduling. (items shipped via Packaging Store or UPS will be much sooner, please check with shippers to confirm time frames) (Because the shipping companies DO NOT work for us, these times are not guaranteed and only estimated based on past experiences.) You are more than welcome to pickup or to use any shipper of your choice. (For California, Texas, Florida and areas West of Chicago please see below shippers.) SHIPPING ARRANGEMENTS Back to Top
All areas of country that are not on above shipping route, should contact and arrange shipping directly with the company of your choice, as we will be unable to quote outside the above areas. Below is a list of reputable, insured shipping companies. Stenella Antiques is NOT affiliated with any shipping company, and makes NO recommendations, these companies are listed only as a convenience to our customers for shipping options. Please message us through for additional shipping details and information.
34279: Kittinger Colonial Williamsburg Mahogany Stool Bench:
Vintage Designer Black & Gold Bench W Metal Frame & French Style Legs
Old Vintage Wood Wooden Needlpoint Floral Tapestry Footstool Bench Foot Stool
Lot Of 2 Vintage Retro Swival Bar Stools
Vintage Farmhouse Rustic Iron Bench Stool W Wooden Slats Plank Wood Industrial
Three Vintage Mid Century Twisted Bentwood & Black Vinyl Barstools Swivel
Pair Of Vintage Wicker Bamboo Rattan Cane Barstools Mid Century


text:
I would like to respond to the June 7-13 "On Point' column by Bob Friedrich headlined "Politics not working right? Columnist knows five reasons why."
I would like to go over his points one by one:
1. "Government-issued photo IDs are required to purchase allergy medicine, but not to vote?" First, in every place that this has been applied there has been a diminution of the voting of the poor. That is why it is being proposed in all the blue, or Democratic-leaning, states. This is to take the vote away from Democrats. Second, like flag burning, I have not heard of gigantic voter fraud that would precipitate changes to the law.
2. "Political theater or award ceremony?" Friedrich is so guilty of this that to even to list his commissions would take a lot of space. Just look back to when he was running for whatever office he was running for at that time. In his credits below his column he is referred to as a "civic leader and president of the Glen Oaks Village co-op." His are a perfect example of hypercritical statements.
3. "Two sets of rules: one for politicians and one for the general public?" This one can only be answered as follows: duh! What else is new? Is it because he cannot become an elected politician that he is denigrating other politicians?
4. "No bonuses for outstanding teachers but yes to bonuses for chronically underperforming ones." Buyouts have been a standard practice of getting rid of underperforming personnel in businesses for a long time. They are not being given bonuses, they are being fired. Just look at the outrageous amounts garnered by the officers of the defunct banks and businesses that lost fortunes. Some of them walked away with millions.
Teachers, as should everyone, have the right to protect their jobs. Friedrich does not seem to remember what it used to be like in the school system when principals ran their schools like fiefdoms and any teacher who showed any gumption was fired. That was before unions.
Who, and by what methods, are teachers to be rated as outstanding? By the scores on standardized tests? We see what is happening around the country when even principals, administrators and school boards are fudging the numbers. By the principals? By the mayor himself? How about Friedrich himself? How does one rate a teacher who has slow but steady progress with the worst performing students but has minimal yearly increase in scores?
Let me say that at no time in my life have I ever had more that a tangential connection with the school system, except as a somewhat less than perfect student.
5. "NYPD's stop-and-frisk program is a legitimate topic for debate, but that debate must be based on facts and not rhetoric." Possibly the reason Friedrich has never been stopped is the reason that this is being challenged in federal court. He is white and probably not wandering around minority neighborhoods. Even judges and other politicians have been stopped there, probably without probable cause.
This turned out to be a lot longer than I thought it would.
Jerrold Schreibersdorf
©2012 Community News Group
By submitting this comment, you agree to the following terms: You agree that you, and not TimesLedger.com or its affiliates, are fully responsible for the content that you post. You agree not to post any abusive, obscene, vulgar, slanderous, hateful, threatening or sexually-oriented material or any material that may violate applicable law; doing so may lead to the removal of your post and to your being permanently banned from posting to the site. You grant to TimesLedger.com the royalty-free, irrevocable, perpetual and fully sublicensable license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform and display such content in whole or in part world-wide and to incorporate it in other works in any form, media or technology now known or later developed. |


text:
Jesse James talks about the hardest part of Sandra Bullock split
Jesse James is opening up about the hardest part of his split from Sandra Bullock – and it all boils down to her son Louis. Five years after the fact, Jesse is talking about losing his son that he adopted in his interview with In Depth With Graham Bensinger.
They began the adoption process together, but when his cheating scandal made headlines, she finalized the adoption on her own. Now, he's talking about how he lost his son.
He revealed, "The painful part was about Louis, who we adopted. As bad as stuff was between us, we adopted a kid and things got kind of good for a little while and we had that kid to focus on, and, boom, it was over in 24 hours – gone, done."
After the news hit, he went to rehab. He explained, "I'm the guy that ruined my marriage because I banged some stripper. There's got to be some flaw in my personality that made me think that was okay."
Still, he says that he doesn't feel he would've gotten cut out of Louis' life if Sandra wasn't an elite member of Hollywood. He added, "I got divorced and lost a kid I adopted because of it. Whether that's fair, whether I should have lost a kid due to infidelity, which I don't think anybody ever does. But I think with 'Hollywood Law' that's totally fair."
Source, Photo Credit: Fame/Flynet
Tags: Jesse James, Sandra Bullock
Monday, September 28th, 2015 at 1:13pm
Filed under Jesse James, Sandra Bullock | No Comments


text:
by: William P. Tomisser If we're lucky, we might get two starters out of the draft and be able to acquire a couple of top tier free agents outside of resigning our own. That's four starters I see us picking up at the most. Although getting a 3rd quarterback is a critical need, that's not a starting position and therefore can be handled with a later draft choice or a second tier free agent. On the other hand, if we're in a position where the three teams ahead of us in the draft take the players we've targeted, the Seahawks might look at a quarterback with that first pick as Matt's replacement and their future franchise quarterback. Our defensive tackles will be working in rotation and therefore function like starters. When a defensive tackle comes into the game and replaces a starter, we don't want there to be a drop-off in talent or productivity. That might be a priority in free agency since there are not any top rated defensive tackles in the draft. We would like to get a guard, tackle, and center this season to upgrade our offensive line, but we'll probably have to be happy with just one or two at the most. An offensive tackle with the first pick or a center or guard with our second round pick seem most likely. A second defensive tackle and/or a safety will most likely be either a second tier free agent or a later draft choice if we even address the the position at all. Cornerback and running back will be long shots to be upgraded this year because of all the other needs and the fact that we have an incumbent in those positions who has shown they can do the job. In the first two rounds of the draft and free agency, look for the Seahawks to be looking hard at receivers, defensive tackles, offensive linemen, quarterbacks, and safeties. With Mora hiring coaches that are obviously going to keep running the same schemes that the Seahawks have been running, albeit with different wrinkles, I expect the Seahawks to be able to get the team turned around with a minimum of learning curves. The Seahawks should be able to find players to take care of the most critical needs outlined here and should be on track to make a dramatic comeback next season. What do you Addicts think? Hasta, Bill T ~END~
I thought it would be nice start this off by summarizing the seven part positional analysis that I just finished and see what it tells us about the team. In those articles, I analyzed the defensive line, offensive line, linebackers, running backs, defensive backfield, receivers, and the quarterbacks.
As we proceed though the positions and list the needs, we'll label each position as a critical need, needed upgrade, luxury, or not needed.
Defensive Line
With Bernard and Green being free agents, it's looking like we have Terrill, Mebane, and Bryant under contract. It's going to be difficult enough to find one defensive tackle, let alone two, so I can see us resigning Green and then looking for a defensive tackle to fill out our rotation.
To Continue . . .
Since we don't have a body outside of practice squad incumbent Kevin Brown, coming up with a defensive tackle becomes a necessity. If we don't resign either Green or Bernard, we'll be needing two defensive tackles. Let's call one a critical need and the other one a needed upgrade since have two options as Seahawks free agents.
If Kerney comes back from his injury, that gives us a good four man defensive end rotation so at this point I'll call the defensive ends not needed.
Offensive Line
We actually have bodies to fill all of the positions on the offensive line. We have Spencer at center with Vallos as backup. Wrotto, Sims, Wahle, and Vallos can all play guard. Willis, Locklear, Williams, and Jones are all tackles. Pork Chop could be resigned as a free agent due to his good play last season, his ability to play either tackle or guard, and staying healthy for once. That's a full compliment of nine offensive linemen, so you can't really say that offensive line is a critical need.
Most of you Addicts have expressed an interest in acquiring a guard and of course there's a lot of interest in a left tackle to be Walter's replacement. Lots of people have also expressed the thought that we should upgrade our center position too and maybe move Spencer to guard.
I would put down guard, tackle, and center as needed upgrades, since we already have a full compliment of offensive linemen on the roster and what we're really talking about here is upgrading the players we have.
The sense I get from Ruskell and Mora is that they will franchise Hill if necessary. I believe they will do whatever they can to try and keep our linebackers together. I think D. D. Lewis will be resigned as well.
If Ruskell does his magic and resigns out own free agents, the linebacker position is not a needed position.
Running Backs
Maurice Morris is a free agent, but we have Jones and Duckett still under contract with Forsett ready to start working into the running back rotation. Weaver will be resigned if at all possible and Schmitt is solid behind him.
Some people aren't convince that Jones is the man for our running attack and would like to see us acquire a young back to groom into the starting job. I'd call that one a luxury since we have the backs to go into the season with. An upgrade would only be warranted if we get other more critical positions filled first.
Defensive backs
The prevailing cry has been for Russell and Jennings to be replaced. Jennings was replaced by Wilson in the fifth game this season, and Wilson did a good job for us. Once again, with everything else we have to look at fixing, I doubt we can focus on acquiring a bigger cornerback to play opposite Trufant this season.
Russell is another matter. Ruskell and Mora seem to want to keep him on the team for his leadership and locker room presence, if for nothing else. I think you could still talk about acquiring a safety as a needed upgrade on par with the offensive line needing a guard, center, and future left tackle. Finding a bigger cornerback will have to be listed as a luxury.
Wide Receivers
We have two good receivers who, if healthy, should be able to give the Seahawks a good base for 2009. We have a bevy of younger receivers ready to compete for the last two spots on the roster.
It would seem that we do need a third proven receiver to work in the three receiver sets and be there in case of injury to one of our top receivers again. We don't have that receiver on our team yet, so I'll have to label that position a critical need.
Frye is a free agent and not likely to be resigned. We only have two quarterbacks on the team besides him and at the very least we'll need a third emergency quarterback.
Whether we decide to acquire a third string quarterback just for that purpose or go out and try go find someone who we seriously want to try to develop is the real question. There's an outside chance the Seahawks may take a franchise quarterback with the fourth pick if the chips fall just right.
Either way, we need a quarterback this year no matter what we intend to use him for. That makes quarterback a critical need too, although not necessarily needed in the high rounds of the draft or in top tier free agency.
So, it looks to me like the Seahawks have critical needs to address and those needs will patch the most glaring holes in the team right now. They also have some upgrades they would like to make to bring the whole team up a notch talent-wise.
Critical Needs:
Needed Upgrades:
Monday, January 12, 2009
End Of Season Position Analysis, Part Eight: Team Summary
Subscribe to:
Comment Feed (RSS)


text:
The Horse Forum
- Horse Health
- - Saddle Pain?
Saddle Pain? Hm I'm stumped. I had my horses back checked, he's A-Okay. He's fine when I ride him bareback and with a bareback saddle pad and all that jazz but when I put a real saddle on, he snaps his tail as if he's in pain or agitated whenever I am doing ground work with him or on his back. I've checked the saddle and it fits just fine. Its not pinching. Could it be too wide and pressing awkwardly on his back/withers? The girth isn't too tight, nor is it too loose to where the saddle flops around. Its just enough to hold the saddle in place. I ride and work him under an All Purpose English Saddle and a English Jumping Saddle. Both of which he reacts equally to in this way. I tie up or remove the stirrups to make sure they aren't hitting him in the sides either. What I do is I lunge him, and when I ask him to do anything more than walk, like trot for example, he'll trot a few steps and then his ears will pin and his tail will start flicking. Cantering is worse. He'll be reluctant at first and then he'll buck and reverse away from me as if I'm about to beat him, and sometimes rear before falling into a canter. As far as I know, he's NEVER been whipped, abused or hit associating with a saddle or lunge line, and does beautifully without a saddle on and with a bareback saddle pad on, and I know its not the lunge line because I've done it in a round pen too with the same results. After that first time he doesn't throw any more fits about it but he does whirl his tail and pin his ears periodically. It's not like he's never had a saddle on before, he's broke to ride and all that, he's 7 years old. I've had him about a month or two and he's been like this for as long as I've had him. Is there something I'm missing here? I'm totally stumped. If my little guy's in pain, I don't want to make him endure anymore of it. All opinions and suggestions are welcome. |
My horses friends is the same exact way! she has to tighten the girth ltttle by little if she doesnt she goes CRAZY!! and when u ride her she shakes her tell like she is in pain..They had the vet check her out and he said nothin was wrong with her..but then they found out what the problem was! She would not use the bathroom (#1) :lol: while she was under saddle she would hold it in until she was not under saddle..so it was causeing her alot of pain..she is still like this that havent been able to stop it..but to me this seems like a similasr suitation :?: maybe :?: :? |
Here's two other possibilities: The horse might not me showing any respect or The horse might have a sore back - a lot of your weight is put onto the withers. Blu has high withers which make his back sensitive. The withers may not be adequately protected. Blu is the same when he has to go to the bathroom. He won't urinate while under the saddle unless it is URGENT. I've had times where we are walking to cool out and he just urinates in motion. lol. |
Happened to me once with western saddle, but... I didn't tie the saddle and it was like you said "just about to stay in place". When I started to canter her, the saddle started "jump up" on her back pretty visible. She run into bucking. As long as girth was tight she was OK. Does he act at all when you try to tight the girth? If he does it's first sign something wrong with his back. |
We need pictures of him with and without his saddle. You could be putting it too far forward on him. Check the tree too. If it's not sound, it could be causing him pain. I would try a ThinLine pad with it though, one of their Contour pads. They do a great job of eliminating pressure points and potecting the horse's back, and they don't trap heat. They are also thin, so they don't change your saddle fit. Use it over a thin quilted pad. They have a 30-day guarantee, so if you don't love it, you can send it back for a refund. I have two of these pads, one for English and one for Western, and I can really feel the difference! My picky gelding doesn't act up so much and my mare's canter and transitions are much smoother with no head tossing at the trot/canter transitin anymore. I would also have a chiro out, one that is also a vet. He could have a rib out of place that only the saddle agrivates. |
I'll take some pictures tonight when I go out. He's horrible about tightening the girth. When the girth starts to brush his hair at all he begins to dance and nearly crushes me against the wall because as soon as I start to tighten, he starts hopping over in my direction until I'm squished. I usually have to go very incrementally, one notch up here and then get out of the way and push him back where he belongs, then wait a minute for him to stand still before I can do it again. Sometimes he gets so dancey I have to trick him with food to keep him occupied in order to get him to stay still to tighten it without crushing me. I am using a thin quilted pad. I'll take some pictures of him and see if I am putting the saddle up too high at first because after he throws a fit for a while the saddle slides way back and then he's usually ok. Do you think getting one of those "gel" wither-relief pad inserts would help? I'm not sure if you know what they are, but they are an extra pad you put between the saddle pad and saddle and its a kind of like gel (like those gel foot pads) for extra padding for the withers and saddle pressure points but I'm wondering if that will only ADD to the pressure I may be causing him. I just got a brand new unused saddle and I'm going to try it on him tonight. I'm wondering if it will add to the pressure or not since its not broken in, the old saddle might have a damaged tree as you've mentioned as it is on its last leg, its safely ridable for the ride but I'm questioning the comfort of the horse, but very worn and old. I'm wondering if that is a possible factor. The bathroom might be a factor but I'm not so sure. He doesn't poo a lot when I'm on him, I think he has only once or twice, its a rare thing. He usually does that when he's turned out or after I untack him. He doesn't do it urgently like he'd been waiting to do it or anything like that, its usually a good ten or fifteen minutes even and sometimes not at all after I untack him, so I'm not leaning toward this as a factor yet. |
Hi Abby - I was wondering how your horse is doing? I had posted under "training/behaviour" as my horse recently began doing the same thing but only under saddle. Longeing with saddle he is fine. But under saddle, lately, when asked to go from walk to trot, he swishes tail hard, pins ears and refuses to go forward, and lately, does little cow kicks or he's starting to buck (I can't tell from on his back, but it feels like a hop or kick). My horse has high withers, but worse yet, deep dips behind each wither. I really feel that when I start posting, he starts hurting. I have a wintec pro dressage with adj. gullet and a mattes corrective pad (the thick one). I too am stumped. I ride again tomorrow but as of yesterday, I cannot get this horse to move forward from a walk :( Just wondering how your guy is doing and if you discovered anything? I am about ready to try a Thinline pad - I've heard great things. I may try to post pics later. Thx. |
I'm just adding my 2 cents not sure if it will help. My horse did the same thing when I tried switching pads on her. I ride western with a Skito pad which I love and Vida does too. I got the bright idea to get a thin wool underpad to try to keep my Skito clean. We made it about 2 miles when Vida stopped dead on the trail refusing to go forward. When I could persuade her she would pin her ears and just have general fits, even turning and biting at my leg. I finally figured out she was biting at the pad on her back. I got home after much fighting took off the pad and promptly threw it in the trash (my husband nabbed it and he uses it on Sass) I have never had her act that way again. Moral of the story is if the saddle fits, check your pad. it may be too thick, pulling hairs on their back or pinching. |
This sounds like the saddle or the pad, I personally would try a skito pad with a treeless saddle. The advantage to treeless is that it will fit all of your horses. Also, this could possibly be a weight issue. My horse was crabby whenever I rode him because I didn't have a shock absorbing pad and it was hurting him. You probably won't get your answer until a trainer comes and looks at him though. |
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:35 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2017, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
vBulletin Security provided by
vBSecurity v2.2.2 (Pro) -
vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2017 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
User Alert System provided by
Advanced User Tagging (Pro) -
vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2017 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.


text: Netflix Reportedly Talking to Cable Companies About a Package DealMario Aguilar3/06/12 6:56pmFiled to: NetFlixRumorsStreaming VideoCable37EditPromoteShare to KinjaToggle Conversation toolsGo to permalink Last week, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings spoke vaguely of wanting Netflix to be part of your cable package. Now Reuters cites unnamed sources saying Hastings might actually be negotiating that deal under our noses. Netflix joining forces with the very cable companies is a weird notion, but ultimately makes sense. Studios, networks, and even the cable companies have proven very hostile towards supplying consumers, and even the streaming video services, with a wide selection of on-demand content. And if they're going to lose directly as a result of a lack of good movies, they might as well make it back through the cable companies as an added-value type of service. [Reuters via Techmeme]Reply37 repliesLeave a reply


text:
Future Plans for Train Travel Along Northeast CorridorThe Federal Railroad Administration is getting feedback from rail passengers as it plans for the future of train travel along the Northeast Corridor (NEC).
Bye Bye, Bile? Websites Try to Nix Nasty Comments Mix blatant bigotry with poor spelling. Add a dash of ALL CAPS. Top it off with a violent threat. And there you have it: A recipe for the worst of online comments, scourge of the Internet.


text:
Welcome to Fabric Mart
We are glad you stopped by!
Fabric Mart has been in business for 35 years. Our website was developed in 1999 to meet the needs of our customers. In addition to our online fabric store we have a retail store that is located at 3911 Penn Avenue, Sinking Spring, PA. We pride ourselves on our customer service and the ability to offer such great fabrics at tremendous savings.
We are still a relatively small family business but have grown to include 22 employees. Call us during normal business hours and you will always be greeted by a live person ready to help with whatever you need.
Thank you for stopping in. If you have time check out our Fabric Mart Family & Friends Photo Album to get an even better idea of who we are.


text: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently announced that it is reopening the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Initiative (OVDI) for non-filers of U.S. income tax returns and Foreign Bank Account Reports (FBARs). The previous OVDI program ended on December 9, 2011. See previous Global Watch. The new OVDI has the same structure as the 2011 initiative with certain key differences. There is no set deadline to this program, but the IRS has stated that they may change the terms of the program going forward at any time.


text: Professional Hoon of the Day: Petter SolbergMike Spinelli1/22/07 2:18pmFiled to: ClipsImprezamonte carlo rallypetter solbergSubaruWrc11EditPromoteShare to KinjaToggle Conversation toolsGo to permalink WRC rallyest, Petter Solberg may have placed no higher than sixth in this past weekend's Monte Carlo Rally, but we hear his trademark hoonage made him quite the crowd favorite during the final superspecial on the streets of Monaco. In lieu of proper Monte Carlo clips from that round, we present footage from a shakedown session of Solberg's 2007 Subaru WRX Rally Car. Some Monte Carlo goodness — to the strains of Europe's "The Final Countdown" (what else?) after the jump. [Thanks to Jarrod for the tip.] Related: Monte Carlo Rally: It's Over [internal]


text:
Basing House, Hampshire calendar of events
June 2017
Henley Royal Regatta
28th June - 2nd July 2017 | Henley on Thames
The Henley Royal Regatta returns to Hanley on Thames in June 2017. Book luxury self catering accommodation nearby now!
More information...
July 2017
Henley Festival
July 5th - 9th 2017 | Henley on Thames
The Henley Festival is back in Henley on Thames. Book accommodation now with Eventful Stays!
More information...


text:
Daniel Weir used to be a famous - not to say infamous - rock star. Maybe still is. At thirty-one he has been both a brilliant failure and a dull success. He's made a lot of mistakes that have paid off and a lot of smart moves he'll regret forever (however long that turns out to be). Daniel Weir has gone from rags to riches and back, and managed to hold onto them both, though not much else. His friends all seem to be dead, fed up with him or just disgusted - and who can blame them? And now Daniel Weir is all alone. As he contemplates his life, Daniel realises he only has two problems: the past and the future. He knows how bad the past has been. But the future - well, the future is something else.
- Format: Paperback
- Pages: 368 pages
- Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
- Publication Date: 06/06/2013
- Category: Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945)


text:
Corn Futures Post Biggest Drop in Year as Soybeans Plunge
Jeff Wilson and Megan DurisinCorn futures capped the biggest decline in a year after the U.S. government said domestic stockpiles will be larger than forecast. Soybeans fell the most since 2009.
Corn inventories on June 1 in the U.S., the world's biggest producer, reached 3.854 billion bushels, after production rose to a record last year, the Department of Agriculture said today. The average estimate of 26 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg was 3.723 billion. Stockpiles jumped 39 percent from 2.766 billion a year earlier with on-farm inventories seen rising 48 percent.
Prices fell 15 percent this quarter on forecasts for increasing supplies. The outlook for bigger crops has helped to keep global food costs in check, with the United Nations saying world food prices fell in May for the second straight month.
"Inventories were larger than expected and signal no shortfall in supplies ahead of the harvest this year," Dale Durchholz, the senior market analyst for AgriVisor LLC in Bloomington, Illinois, said in a telephone interview. "Corn supplies are comfortable."
Corn futures for December delivery fell 4.9 percent to settle at $4.2525 a bushel at 1:15 p.m. on the Chicago Board of Trade, the biggest decline since June 28, 2013.
Demand for grain in livestock rations is slowing as the U.S. hog herd fell 4.7 percent from a year earlier to 62.128 million head on June 1, USDA data showed June 27. Animals intended for slaughter dropped 5.1 percent.
'Bearish' Supplies
"The USDA hog report gave the market a preview of the sluggish feed demand confirmed" by the inventories figures today, Don Roose, the president of U.S. Commodities Inc. in West Des Moines, Iowa, said in a telephone interview. "We are looking at a bearish supply story without any weather problems this summer."
Soybeans fell the most in five years as the USDA said farmers will plant more than analysts expected and June 1 inventories were larger than forecast.
Seedings will reach an all-time high of 84.839 million acres, up 11 percent from a year earlier. Analysts expected 82.213 million acres, according to a Bloomberg survey. The USDA said in March that growers intended to plant 81.493 million. Inventories on June 1 in the U.S., the world's top grower, were 405 million bushels, larger than the 382 million estimated by analysts surveyed.
Corn Acres
"Certainly, we were all fearing for a record number, but this was way out of the range of expectations," Bill Nelson, senior economist at Doane Advisory Services in St. Louis, said in a telephone interview. "We had the wet start to the corn planting season. In the end, that might have encouraged some farmers to switch from earlier intentions into soybeans."
About 91.641 million acres were planted with corn, down from 91.691 million forecast in March, the USDA said, after surveying farmers this month. Analysts estimated 91.709 million acres, on average.
On the CBOT, soybean futures for November delivery tumbled 5.8 percent to $11.5725 a bushel, the biggest drop for a most-active contract since July 2009. Prices touched $11.515, the lowest since Jan. 12, 2012.
Farmers also were asked by the USDA about use of genetically modified seeds produced by Monsanto Co. and Dupont Co. About 94 percent of the total soybean acreage was planted with gene-engineered seeds this year, up from 93 percent year earlier, the government said. Planting of biotech corn seeds was estimated at 93 percent, up from 90 percent in 2013.
Wheat futures for September delivery fell 2.7 percent to $5.775 a bushel in Chicago.
All wheat planted acreage was forecast at 56.474 million, up from 56.156 million a year earlier, the USDA said. Traders surveyed by Bloomberg expected 55.777 million, on average.