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This is the third in a continuing series.
I am reviewing the video Expelled, produced by Premise Media and starring Ben Stein (see above). The subtitle is No Intelligence Allowed. The inside joke is this video is about the Intelligent Design brand of modern creationism. Previous reviews have dipped into the stories of two of the six who were supposedly "expelled," Specifically Richard Sternberg and Caroline Crocker. Next up is Guillermo Gonzalez.
Guillermo Gonzalez
Gonzalez' main claim to fame is a book he published and a video on the same subject. The book is The Privileged Planet, with the subtitle How Our Place In The Cosmos Was Designed For Discovery. I have the book and the video, and I promise a review in the future. When the video first came out I did a short review for The North Texas Skeptic, which I will repost here:
The Privileged Planet
by John Blanton
If you think Texas is Heaven on Earth, think larger. Apparently Earth is Heaven on Earth as well.
A new video from the Discovery Institute comes to us by way of Illustra Media, and it seeks to remind us how fortunate we are. Not just for living in Texas, but for being born on the planet Earth. Aliens, eat your hearts out, both of them.
By now, we are quite familiar with the Discovery Institute (DI). Its Center for Science and Culture is a think tank for the new creationism called Intelligent Design. Illustra Media, you will recall, is the production company that a few years back gave us another creationist video, Unlocking the Mystery of Life.
The Privileged Planet, as the title suggests, wants to make the case that not only are we lucky to have been born on this planet, but Earth is lucky to be here at all. It doesn't take long for the narration to get around to reminding us that this was not all just dumb luck. Broad hints at a guiding hand are dropped everywhere.
Wilston Nkangoh is the president of the Intelligent Design and Evolution Awareness (IDEA) Club on the University of Texas at Dallas campus, and he was kind enough to invite me to a showing of the video at their October meeting. Although IDEA clubs are promoted through the DI at campuses across the country, Wilston does not receive financial support, and he purchased his own copy of the DVD.
A companion book of the same title is by Guillermo Gonzalez and Jay Wesley Richards, who also appear in the video. Dennis Danielson also appears in the video and has given the book a resounding endorsement:
"Impressively researched and lucidly written, The Privileged Planet will surely rattle if not finally dislodge a pet assumption held by many interpreters of modern science: the so-called Copernican Principle (which isn't actually very Copernican!). But Gonzalez and Richards' argument, though controversial, is so carefully and moderately presented that any reasonable critique of it must itself address the astonishing evidence which has for so long somehow escaped our notice. I therefore expect this book to renew-and to raise to a new level-the whole scientific and philosophic debate about earth's cosmic significance. It is a high class piece of work that deserves the widest possible audience."
This is impressive, considering Danielson is a professor of English at the University of British Columbia. He is also editor of The Book of the Cosmos: Imagining the Universe from Heraclitus to Hawking.
Gonzalez and Richardson are with DI and are featured prominently in the video. Although a number of other notables weigh in, it's Gonzalez and Richardson who do all the heavy lifting.
It is hard to argue with the major points these creationist make here. Who would deny, for example, that if the sun were hotter, if the Earth were not the right distance from the sun, and if water weren't wet, life in Texas would not be as we know it today. The video gives a list of these critical factors with a probability of 0.10 for each, and it is clearly demonstrated that when you multiply them all together our odds of being here are vanishingly small. You stand a better chance of finding a winning lottery ticket stuck under your windshield wiper.
I only had a chance to watch the video through one time, but I came away with the impression that Gonzalez and Richardson ran out of good ideas half way through and began to cast about for material to fill the rest of the time. Some of the later arguments could best have been left on the cutting room floor.
For example, the authors assert that things seem to have been engineered just right so our great thinkers and scientists would be set up to succeed. If Earth's atmospheric characteristics were different, they say, we would have had a hard time seeing the stars, and I guess the science of astronomy would have been replaced by the science of peering into the murk. What the astrologers would have done for a living is anybody's guess.
If we were not in such an opportune location within our own galaxy, it would have been a lot harder to figure out the Milky Way's exact shape. Again, I am only guessing, but there would likely have been a Nobel Prize for solving that puzzle.
All those points aside, a key issue discussed is fine tuning. Again, few would doubt that if the constants of nature, those eight and nine-digit numbers we all learned to memorize for the strength of gravity and the mass of the electron, were just a little off, the Universe would be a whole new ball game, and you would not be reading this newsletter. Paul Davies is a real scientist and not associated with DI. He has written a number of books on the mysteries of the Universe, including The Forces of Nature. In the video he explains the delicate balance of these forces. There is no denying: Either these supposedly independent factors are all tied together somewhere off where we can't see just yet, or we have indeed won the grand jackpot.
My guess is it is some of both. First of all, underlying tie-ins are the history of scientific discovery. Aside from that, it seems a bit self centered to believe a world unsuited for humans would be a tragedy of the first magnitude. It would appear the creationists are attempting to use their point to make their point. Nice try, though.
1. You can purchase the books and videos mentioned in this article from Amazon.com by linking through the NTS Web site. Just go to www.ntskeptics.org and use the search feature to find the title and the Amazon link. This story will carry the links when it is posted on the Web at http://www.ntskeptics.org/2004/2004november/november2004.htm#planet.
2. We have previously discussed the UT Dallas IDEA Club in the April 2004 issue of this newsletter. A copy of that issue is available on the NTS Web site.
The Wikipedia entry for Guillermo Gonzalez is worth noting:
Gonzalez obtained a BS in 1987 in Physics & Astronomy from University of Arizona and his Ph. D. in Astronomy from the University of Washington in 1993 and has done post-doctoral work at the University of Texas, Austin and the University of Washington. He has received fellowships, grants and awards from NASA, the University of Washington, Sigma Xi, and the National Science Foundation. He introduced the Galactic Habitable Zone concept. He currently teaches at Grove City College, an evangelical Christian school, and was previously an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Iowa State University until May 2008.
Gonzalez was a regular contributor to Facts for Faith magazine produced by Reasons To Believe, an old earth creationist group. In addition to his work for the Discovery Institute and International Society for Complexity, Information, and Design, he is a researcher for the Biologic Institute, which is funded by the institute for research into intelligent design.
In 2004 he published The Privileged Planet and its accompanying video, which takes the arguments of the Rare Earth hypothesis and combines them with arguments that the Earth is in prime location for observing the universe. He then proposes that the Earth was intelligently designed. William H. Jefferys, a Professor of Astronomy at theUniversity of Texas at Austin, reviewed the book writing "the little that is new in this book isn't interesting, and what is old is just old-hat creationism in a new, modern-looking astronomical costume." Co-author Jay Richards responds to such criticism with the following statement: "It has absolutely nothing to do with biological evolution. We are talking about the things that you need to produce a habitable planet, which is a prerequisite for life. It doesn't tell you anything about how life got here." A documentary based on the book was produced by the Discovery Institute.
[Some links deleted]
Something to note: I met professor Jefferys when I worked at the UT Austin Astronomy Department and have since come to know him as an outspoken proponent of rational skepticism, just the kind of person to take issue with the pseudo science promoted by the Discovery Institute.
Regarding the comment by Jay Richards that "It has absolutely nothing to do with biological evolution," I would then have to ask why Gonzalez, Richards and all those other creationists at the Discovery Institute are making such a fuss over the issue. Richards' personal history does not seem to lend itself to purely scientific investigation:
Richards hold a B.A. with majors in political science and religion, and Master of Divinity (M.Div.) and Master of Theology (Th.M.) degrees. His Ph.D. (with honors) is in philosophy and theology from Princeton Theological Seminary. He is the author of numerous scholarly and popular articles, as well as four books, including The Untamed God and The Privileged Planet. Richards has been known for his intelligent design advocacy since 1996. The Privileged Planet was co-authored with astronomer and fellow CSC Senior Fellow Guillermo Gonzalez.
Richards was the first fellow at the Discovery Institute to confirm the genuineness of the Wedge document. Science organizations then paid attention to the Institute after the document was published online, but Richards wrote "that the mission statement and goals had been posted on the CRSC's website since 1996." Richards has expressed skepticism of global warming.
[Some links deleted]
The National Center for Science Education published rebuttals to all of the "expelled" stories in the Expelled video. Here is just part of what they had to say about the Gonzalez case:
The Claim
"According to a Smithsonian/NASA astrophysics database, Gonzalez's scientific articles from 2001 to 2007 rank the highest among astronomers in his department according to a standard measure of how frequently they have been cited by other scientists. He has published 68 peer-reviewed articles, which beat the ISU department's standard for tenure by 350 percent. He has also co-authored a standard astronomy textbook, published by Cambridge University Press, which his faculty colleagues use in their own classes." (Klinghoffer, D. (2007) Tenure Trouble. Weekly Standard: 8 June. Linked from the Expelled website)
The Facts
Gonzalez's publication output dropped steadily during his time at ISU. The work he did publish was based on re-evaluations of data he had previously collected or analyses of other people's data.
An assessment by the Chronicle of Higher Education (subscription required) found that:
…a closer look at Mr. Gonzalez's case raises some questions about his recent scholarship and whether he has lived up to his early promise. …
Under normal circumstances, Mr. Gonzalez's publication record would be stellar and would warrant his earning tenure at most universities, according to Mr. Hirsch [a scholar who analyzed the publication record]. But Mr. Gonzalez completed the best scholarship, as judged by his peers, while doing postdoctoral work at the University of Texas at Austin and at the University of Washington, where he received his Ph.D. His record has trailed off since then.
"It looks like it slowed down considerably," said Mr. Hirsch…. "It's not clear that he started new things, or anything on his own, in the period he was an assistant professor at Iowa State."
That pattern may have hurt his case. "Tenure review only deals with his work since he came to Iowa State," said John McCarroll, a spokesman for the university.
When considering a tenure case, faculty committees try to anticipate what kind of work a professor will accomplish in the future. "The only reason the previous record is relevant is the extent to which it can predict future performance," said Mr. Hirsch. "Generally, it's a good indication, but in some cases it's not."
David L. Lambert, director of the McDonald Observatory at Texas, supervised Mr. Gonzalez during his postdoctoral fellowship there in the early to mid-1990s. … [H]e is not aware of any important new work by Mr. Gonzalez since he arrived at Iowa State, such as branching off into different directions of research. "I don't know what else he has done," Mr. Lambert said. …
Mr. Gonzalez said he does not have any grants through NASA or the National Science Foundation, the two agencies that would normally support his research…. He arrived at Iowa State in 2001, but none of his graduate students there have thus far completed their doctoral work
That even Gonzalez's former academic advisors expressed doubts about his performance at ISU suggests that this is a serious issue. It is worth noting that the decline in his publication rate corresponds to the time when he started putting time into an intelligent design project that has produced no peer-reviewed results. This includes his work on The Privileged Planet and his collaboration with old-earth creationist Hugh Ross from the ministry Reasons to Believe (for instance: http://www.firstthings.com/article.php3?id_article=2612 and http://www.reasons.org/resources/fff/2002issue09/index.shtml#rare_sun).
In wading through the video with Ben Stein I continue to encounter questions and statements regarding the unwillingness of mainstream science to consider the possibility of Intelligent Design. This issue is put forward as though there were some legitimate reason for considering Intelligent Design. My point is it is not a given that scientists should consider Intelligent Design.
- Intelligent Design is a religious concept with no basis from any scientific research.
- Addressing scientific issues with consideration for Intelligent Design has no purpose other than to promote a particular religious concept.
- Proponents of Intelligent Design like to emphasize they are not proposing the God of Abraham as the designer, thus removing religion as their motivation. This position exhibits a large amount of deceit. The promotion of the God of Abraham (and by extension the divinity of Jesus) is the sole purpose behind the promotion of Intelligent Design. These people expend a large amount of effort and expense promoting Intelligent Design but would not walk across the street for Intelligent Design if it did not promote their religious faith.
- Scientists do not consider a supernatural designer, because the phenomenon of a supernatural designer has never been observed.
- Proponents of Intelligent Design do not even attempt to explain by what mechanism an intelligent designer could be tweaking natural law to produce the features they attribute to Intelligent Design. They do not attempt to explain Intelligent Design. They only attempt to get people to accept it. This is religious proselytizing only.
This series will continue a critique of the Ben Stein video. The next post will feature Robert Marks, who was "expelled." That is, Baylor University shut down his research Web site.


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NTP Reaches Email Patent Deal With Apple, Google, More
Patent holder NTP has settled a lawsuit that it filed against most major tech firms - from Apple and Samsung to Google and Microsoft.
The company today said it has reached a deal on the use of an email patent, which covers the "delivery of electronic mail over wireless systems," with 13 companies. That includes carriers AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint, handset makers Apple, HTC, Motorola, Palm, LG, Samsung, and email providers Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo.
Terms of the deal were not released, but NTP said it has "entered into an agreement" with the above-mentioned companies, meaning they are now paying NTP for the right to use its technology in their products.
NTP has been going after major tech firms for years. Back in 2006, NTP settled a patent case with Research in Motion for $612.5 million after a battle that almost shut down BlackBerry service in the U.S.
NTP later sued the wireless carriers in 2007 and expanded that to include HTC, LG, Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Motorola in 2010.
In recent years, stories about patent fights are becoming a regular occurrence in the tech community. Most of the companies that signed on for today's NTP deal are currently suing one another over patents - like Samsung vs. Apple, Motorola vs. Apple, Motorola vs. Microsoft, and more.
Patent trolls, however, have also gotten in on the action, buying up patents for the sole purpose of suing major corporations for millions of dollars.
For more from Chloe, follow her on Twitter @ChloeAlbanesius.

subset: commoncrawl


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Estate House with River -US$995,000
- $ 995 000
- Multi-Family Home For Sale
- Bedrooms 6
- Bathrooms 6
- Facing West
Awesome! awesome! awesome! A home owner's dream, a vacationer's hide away, a nature lover's paradise!
This 4-acre property includes 3 bedrooms estate house and 2 rental units. With a gardener's house, garden shed and 2 additional unfinished rental units, there are 7 structures in total.
Located on the North East of Dominica, situated on a river perfect for bathing in its swimming pool, the place to rejuvenate.
Our property is OFF THE GRID meaning we operate on solar hot water heating, solar power with back-up generator and our own water supply. Being so ECO FRIENDLY, the rental units attract visitors interested in ECO-TOURISM.
One of the attractions for our guests is our location just 1 mile from Douglas-Charles Airport – We are not on the regular airport flight path. We are a very private location, with only local farmers' banana fields surrounding us.
The river provides a tranquil place for reflection – not to mention your own private swimming pool.
The House
Open everything – shutters and doors in the morning for a bright beginning to the day or sit outside in the evenings for the breeze and tranquility.
The house is of Caribbean style, designed and built by its owner who has been a builder in his native New Zealand, Canada and finally Dominica.
At 5,800 sq. ft. the house includes 3 bedrooms with ensuites, half bathroom off the Great Room, and a nanny suite also with ensuite bathroom.
The wrap-around 10ft wide veranda is a great space for entertaining. There is even a bar opening from the kitchen.
The veranda opens via six large shutters, made out of Guyanese green heart wood straight out of the jungle. These shutters are 6 ft.wide and 8 feet high.
The veranda also provides wheelchair access to the Master Bedroom.
Additional features
• non-skid outside tiles
• all window sills are tiled
• all shelves are tiled, including under sink and in the pantry
• lots of open shelving
• 4 in. molding around large shutter doors and 4 in. baseboards
• Dominican flowers painted on all window shutters so when they open the flowers put a splash of colour on the outside of the house
• cement sidewalk all around the house, rentals etc.
With 4 acres of grounds, A private and secluded; and there's plenty of space to accommodate new projects.
Many Caribbean fruits are grown now, but with there's lots of room for much more – or more rental units, or a vegetable garden or a green house. The river provides an ample supply of water.
TOTAL PRICE for all: 4 acres, estate home, rental units, all structures –
NOW REDUCED to US$995,000.
contact - email@example.com
- View: Mountain, River
- Listing status: Active
- Available from: May 27, 2016
- Listing #: 12662
- Floor: 3 / -
- Lot size: 4 acres
- Construction type: Masonry
- Parking type: Garage attached
- Broadband Internet
- Electricity
- Gas
- Hot water
- Sewer
- Telephone
- Trash
- TV Cable
- Water
General facilities
- Attic
- Balcony
- Basement
- On the ground floor
Indoor facilities
- Bathroom with shower
- Bathroom with window
- Ceiling fans
- Dishwasher
- Fitted kitchen
- Furnished
- Washing machine
Outdoor facilities
- Dock
- Garden
Latitude / Longitude: 15.566670 / -61.366670
|Nearest airport
|Melville Airport
|10 Minutes
Member reviews Write a review »
Get more info
- Name: Marian Jno-Finn
- Phone #1: 1 767 225 2121
- Speaks: english
- Company name: Diamond Realty
- Average visitors rating:


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World briefs 10/24/05
Monday, October 24, 2005
Flu that killed parrot in Britain was deadly H5N1
LONDON -- The British government said Sunday that a strain of bird flu that killed a parrot in quarantine is the deadly H5N1 strain that has plagued Asia and recently spread to Europe. Scientists determined that the parrot, imported from South America, died of the H5N1 strain of avian flu, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Debby Reynolds, DEFRA's chief veterinarian, said the parrot was likely infected with the virus while it was housed in the country's quarantine system with birds from Taiwan.
Death toll may be 117 from Nigerian jet crash
LAGOS, Nigeria -- Twisted chunks of metal, ripped luggage and mangled bodies turned a swath of woods into a grisly scene after a Nigerian passenger plane carrying 117 people crashed shortly after takeoff and officials said Sunday that all aboard were feared dead. Red Cross and government officials said search teams found no sign that anyone on the Boeing 737 survived when it plunged to earth Saturday night after leaving Lagos. There was no immediate indication of what caused the crash, but it was not thought to be terrorist-related.
Quake in Afghanistan kills five, damages villages
KABUL, Afghanistan -- An earthquake destroyed mud-brick homes and killed five people near Afghanistan's eastern border with Pakistan on Sunday, a Defense Ministry spokesman said. Six others were injured in the quake and an army rescue team and doctors were on their way to the remote mountainous area, said Gen. Mohammed Zahir Azimi. He said details were sketchy and it was not known exactly what time the quake struck. A spokesman for Zabul's provincial governor said five buildings in remote mountain villages were damaged.
Pope Benedict presides over first canonization rite
VATICAN CITY -- Pope Benedict XVI named five new saints Sunday at a Mass closing a three-week meeting of the world's Roman Catholic bishops that reaffirmed the church's position on celibacy for priests and other central teachings. "Today I have the joy of presiding for the first time over a canonization rite," Benedict said in an opening prayer. Those canonized Sunday were the Rev. Alberto Hurtado Cruchaga, a Chilean Jesuit; Ukrainians Josef Bilczewski, archbishop of Lviv, and the Rev. Zygmunt Gorazdowski; and Italians Felice da Nicosia, a lay Capuchin who lived in the 1700s, and the Rev. Gaetano Cantanoso, who founded the Veronican Sisters of the Holy Face in 1934.
-- From wire reports


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At face value the title seems a little ridiculous and elementary, but no decision should be made without some forethought, even if only a few minutes' contemplation. This topic sounds so basic some may think, "DUH!" But when the time comes, many don't know how to react in a manner that will protect their self interest when it's decision time.
There are basically two kinds of job offers; a verbal offer and a written offer. Sometimes a person will receive only the written job offer, without previous discussion, but a verbal offer always precedes the written. The verbal offer is really sort of a test balloon presented by an interviewer because often a company wants to ensure you will accept before they put it on paper. No hiring manager wants to go back to their boss with egg on their face and admit the person they were enthusiastic about hiring and were sure would accept, in fact, didn't. So when you approach the end of the interview process and the offer stage, this is your last chance to clarify your questions or concerns, as well as any negotiated points, such as compensation. And no one should accept an offer unless all of their questions or concerns have been addressed.
At a final or near-final interview you may hear something like this, "…we'd like to offer you this position. We would like to offer you a salary of XXX with a possible bonus…" If you have no additional questions and you like what you've heard, here is the way to continue in the process to a win-win for both sides and yet still maintain some wiggle room, in case you need or want to get out without hurting your reputation or future status. You'll say: "Thank you for the offer and I accept conditionally, on a final review of the written offer / contract." Deliver it however you wish, if you don't want to sound like a robot, but the message you want to get across, albeit more politely is this, "Yes, I want the job and if it's as you say, the answer is yes, for the moment, but I'd like to see it in writing." The key is that you are clearly saying yes while making it equally clear it depends on the contract containing the same things.
In this manner you have accomplished a few things; they know, because you made it clear, that you are interested and to such a degree they will likely stop interviewing additional candidates. This also can help to prevent a last-minute person or internal referral from coming in and scooping this opportunity out from under you because they were either more serious or interested than you've been perceived to be – especially if you've been elusive, indecisive or vague. Yet, you've maintained for yourself a veiled but real escape clause just in case the printed offer or contract differs from what was stated verbally to gain your acceptance.
But be vigilant, until you have a signed offer or contract in your hand you have nothing, and should continue pursuing other opportunities, until such time. For example, it does happen that a person might get a verbal offer and in between the verbal and written offer they will get a call and someone says, in essence, "Thanks, we like you and it's been fun but we just instituted a hiring freeze." GAME OVER. Then what? Incidentally, an email or text message saying "We want to hire you" is not a written offer. Spare yourself some grief and avoid the emotional roller coaster. You can't control the outcome but you can influence the process by being at least as proactive as you are reactive.
Feel free to comment about this post (no registration required)


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Los Angeles evening rush hour traffic put my daughter and I just seconds past the sun's setting over the iconic rock outcroppings that have made Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park so popular for shooting scenes television shows like Star Trek and movies like The Flintstones and Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.
We ran from the car up the trail to a path overlooking the rocks and could see the sun disappearing over the horizon as we ran, laughing. As we stood lamenting the timing, we noticed the clouds behind us were about to capture the sun's last colors and ran back down the trail to the car in an attempt to get to the other side of the rocks in time for a good shot. We missed the peak of that color as well and were left with just these remnants of the brilliant colors the sun was throwing against the clouds. It's not the photo I was hoping for, but it was a great adventure with my 11-year-old daughter. 🙂
If there are multiple photos in this post, the following EXIF data is for the first photo only:
- Aperture: ƒ/6.3
- Camera: ILCE-6000
- Flash fired: no
- Focal length: 16mm
- Shutter speed: 1/15s


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Gold is tanking.
Near 9:45 am ET on Friday, gold was trading at $1242.60 an ounce, down as much as 1.6%.
The plunge comes after a solid employment report showed the US economy beat expectations to add 253,000 jobs in January, while the unemployment rate rose to 5.7%.
The strong jobs report, as well as a 2.2% year-over-year jump in average hourly earnings (a measure of the wage growth the Fed is waiting for,) signals that the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates as soon as June - earlier than the market expects. Capital Economics' Paul Ashworth wrote in a note Friday that, "the Fed can't wait much longer in that environment, particularly not when interest rates are starting at near-zero."
Today's drop brought gold to its weakest level since mid-January. Here's a chart showing gold's tumble this morning:
Get the latest Gold price here.


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Are You Ready To Purchase A New Home?
So you're ready to buy a new home!! That is great news and one of the biggest financial decisions of your life. It is so important to make sure...Read More
Your Home Buying Guide
10 straightforward steps 1. Are you ready to become a homeowner? Whether you're becoming a homeowner for the first time or you're a repeat buyer, buying a house is...Read More
Why to Buy in 2017
Top 3 Reasons: Buying a house in 2017 will feel kind of like you've jumped onto the subway just as the doors were closing. Your heart's pounding and you're winded from...Read More
Habits to Ditch Now In Order to Buy a Home in 2017
(Piggy backing off of our last blog post 🙂 great read below) It's time for our end-of-year new resolutions series to set its sights on home buyers. This installment:...Read More
Create Success With A Budget
Everyone wants to pay down their debt and invest in their future. Forming a monthly budget is the quickest way to save money. This may be more difficult as some people find...Read More
Quick Tips to Build Your Credit
Building & Maintaining Your Score Responsibility is key in building good credit. Maintaining good credit plays a big role in some of the large purchases you may make in...Read More
Down Payment Saving Tips
Money Saving Action Plan Saving for a down payment on a home can be stressful. Whether you are looking to save for a conventional loan with 20% down or...Read More
Home Buying Process Made Easy
Service Is Key It is so important as a lender to provide the best service to my customers. Not only do I personally want to deliver, I...Read More
[VIDEO] Can you really benefit from refinancing your home?
Rates are still better than they've been in years, but is the time right for you? This brief video will help explain the benefits of refinancing your home. Contact us to schedule a...Read More
The Benefits of Refinancing
When considering if you should refinance your home with Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, it is important to determine the goals you have for your short-term and long-term finances. When you refinance,...Read More
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Young women speak up!
HONIARA, SOLOMON ISLANDS – This week 12 young women learnt media and digital storytelling skills to help them have a voice on issues affecting young women in Solomon Islands.
A digital story is a new medium which combines photography, music, audio narrative and text. It is a powerful and simple tool to express people's lives, identity and the issues that affect them.
During the four day workshop, which closes today, participants produced digital stories on issues such as youth unemployment, teenage pregnancy, water supply and the positive contribution of young women to society.
"Sustainable development demands that people participate in the debates and decisions that affect their lives. Young women are no exception," said Ms. Afu Billy, Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) Pacific Centre Regional Director.
"By focusing on women and girls, we also accelerate social, economic and political progress", said Ms. Billy.
The project is the result of a partnership between the CYP Pacific Centre and Girls4Change, a local young women's leadership group.
Girls4Change are young Solomon Islands women between the ages of 15 and 29 who are making positive changes in their lives and communities.
"Girls4Change works towards a future where young Solomon Islands women participate equally and contribute meaningfully as respected leaders in their communities. Digital storytelling is a one way we can help young women do that," said Ms. Mary Jionisi, President of Girls4Change.
"After a successful pilot project last year, we found that digital storytelling is a creative and innovative way for young women to explore issues in a non-threatening way," said Ms. Jionisi.
In-kind and financial support has been provided by a number of organisations specialising in media production and youth development, including Honiara City Council, Save the Children, YWCA Solomon Islands and the UNESCO Apia Office for the Pacific States.
For more information please contact CYP Pacific Centre Regional Director Ms. Afu Billy on +677 38374 or +677 38375k.


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Best Smoothie Makers
Great Smoothie Makers
Delicious and Healthy Drinks in Just a Flash with Smoothie Makers
Making a delightful ice cold drink can't be made any faster and easier with a smoothie maker. It is enticing and easier to want that opulent milkshake, on the other hand, it is possible loaded with too much calories and unwanted fats. The smoothie can be created in just a flash making sure that it will taste very great and refreshing with only less than half of the calories obtained from a typical milkshake.
This small kitchen appliance that you necessitate so as to create your smoothie looks and sounds the same to a blender. On the other hand, the authority of the
smoothie mixer
is higher for blending the fresh fruits and crushing the ice all at once. The conformation is not the same. In addition, the blender is more symmetrical and this small device tapers at its end. Its functional configuration is to direct the fruit as well as the ice toward its blades.
Look for a plastic or glass container. If the kids will be utilizing the device, it is a lot wiser to obtain the plastic container for safety purposes. The plastic is lighter when it comes to weight and washes so easily. The glass container, on the other hand, is a lot heavier and once broken, could cost a lot of cash to replace.
While looking at the
mixer für smoothies
, you will see that the opening located at the top is a lot wider and the bottom is funnel in shape. The entire design is to blend and crush the fruits and ice quickly. The blades are incredibly sharp, on the other hand, it is really the authoritative motor that will do the crushing. When the children or while you clean up, you must still be cognizant that you are cleaning the blades.
Adhering to a recipe for smoothies is a lot easier since most of the containers have measurement markings seen on the side. Recipes call for ice, milk or yogurt and fresh fruits. You can just add a substitute ingredient as you want and create a smoothie for yourself that is loaded with protein by means of adding a protein power of your choice. Keep in mind that the more protein powder or ingredients you add, you will be adding more calories as well. These smoothie maker will save you from not skipping meals especially breakfast since making a healthy and nutritious drink is a lot easier. Read this for example:


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Google is working on some new smart features for its Android mobile operating system. Google is expected to unveil Android O at its I/O developer conference in May
This builds on Google's previous efforts to automate actions in other apps on Android. In October, Google added the ability to search for and share contact information using Gboard. The Google Now On Tap feature that Google introduced in Android 6.0 Marshmallow lets users hold down the home button and then receive "deep links" to content in apps based on the information on a screen. Back in 2012, Google Now started showing a card about the status of a particular flight after you've searched for it.
Googlers have also thought up a way for Android to do more with certain types of text in messaging apps Google has found a way to let people use finger gestures to trigger actions across Android, the source said. For example, if you draw the letter C onscreen, then Android will show a short list of recent contacts. It's possible to bring up contacts using the "OK Google" voice command on Android, but a gesture could be faster.Google's gesture triggers could get delayed or might not ever ship, the source said.
Google I/O will take place from May 17-19


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Posts Tagged 'IDE'
Update Anjuta Auto-Complete
The tags used by the auto-complete feature (Scintilla only) in Anjuta can be updated by running this script:
The script automatically scans your /usr/include folder. It is also running pkg-config to update dependencies for packages.
Maybe there is a way to do this from within Anjuta, but if if there is, it is so unintuitive that it was more obvious for me to open a terminal and write dpkg -L anjuta-common to locate a script ;)
I'm having some issues with the Devhelp extension for Anjuta on Ubuntu 7.10, I'll post something if I find some time to debug it. I know it crashes on running gtk_moz_embed_realize, but I don't know why yet ;)


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What an Honor!!!
It was in January when my phone rang, whom to my wondering ears should speak but Eric Asimov. He had contacted me in order to invite me to be part of his recent tasting panel for the Chianti Classico. I obviously and gladly accepted with a healthy amount of excitement.
The tasting was held in the New York Times' new building on 9th Avenue, beautiful and humongous structure of glass and stainless steel created in the incomparable mind of Renzo Piano. After passing security I was received by Eric's warm smile that cleared a bit of the tension I had - after all, this was quite an honor. He handed me a note book and a pen, and I had brought my palate - so we were ready to start.
The room where the tasting was held had a great view of the river and New Jersey. The table was set up for four people with 25 glasses already filled and numbered, as well as crackers, bread and bottled water. On the east wall at the end of the room I found a long and narrow table with a few plates of delicious food.
Eric was seated at one of the end of the table Ms. Florant Fabricant across from him, and Mr. Charles Scicolone and I facing each other, forming a sort of cross. After relating to us the tasting rules Eric started the tasting. I was the rookie of the table and I must say that everybody did their best to create a very informal and comfortable environment; the atmosphere was very real and there was no space to show off or to be snobbish, and although I was the least experienced in the room my word had the same weight as the others. There were no competitive behaviors among us, and it was a highly focused and professional tasting. Being the new kid on the block, I was asked a lot of questions about my training and past along with conversation about the wine and food world, between all of the swirls, sips and spits. We did a first round eliminating 4 or 5 of the wines, and then continued with the rating and comments on each of the remaining wines.
While the words were going around like a carousel I was amazed by how precise some of the comments were, included some of mine, and it was great to challenge the palate, hearing a comment about a flavor and going right back to the glass and try to see it. The great exchange of information, among the 4 of us, about every wine lead up to detecting whether the wine was more or less expensive, from a small winery or a big one, at times almost getting to the grape compositions. All that was obviously done blind, and the wines were revealed at the end of the tasting by Bernie Kirsh, the 5th element of the table AKA the tasting coordinator.
The whole thing lasted little more than 2 hours but the impact on my education was worth a much greater amount of time. Therefore, I would like to thank Eric for inviting me and Florant, Charles and Bernard for sharing with me and adding a big brick onto my learning wall, a wall that I'm convinced is not going to stop growing until I'm no longer able to breathe.
Thank you


text: All Natural. Organic. Eco-friendly. Green. Farm Fresh. These are the sexy buzzwords that draw us in to products that unscrupulously exploit our desire to go green. The FDA doesn't regulate these terms, and they are often nothing more than just words. "Green" products contain the color green on the packaging. "Farm fresh" covers essentially any meat or dairy product. "Natural" is more of a sentiment than a descriptor. And just to give you a sense of the word "organic", Dichloromethane is an organic compound and is toxic. I definitely wouldn't want that in my salad. So then, how should caring consumers discern the environmentally-sound eggs from the chemical-ridden cosmetics?


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This is a Fairy Mobile
It is actually a cup that will be filled with little
'Fairy Magic' and Wishes
For the 'Playhouse'
I used two extra large slush cups, the outside one was punched and threaded
with the wire that holds all the elements I attached.
Then the inside cup was used as a liner so it is smooth to hold the
love notes and fairy wishes
I Mod-Podged the hand cut fairy's to the scoops
Read the 'PLAYHOUSE' chronicles
P.P.L.U. Playhouse Progress List Update:
Old shingles off all 2 million tiny nails removed
~ X old shingles not cleaned up
~~X no landscaping from last year growing


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The Pros & Cons of Owning Rental Property
June 11, 2018
The economics of buying rental property for current income and long-term capital appreciation have not been more favorable for a generation or more than they are right now, unless you were smart enough, or contrary enough, to buy at the bottom of the Great Recession of 2008. This is especially true with the passage of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which offers a number of tax benefits for landlords, effective Jan. 1, 2018, in addition to the ones they already enjoyed.
Pros of Owning Rental Property
Below are some of the pros of owning a rental property:
1. Mortgage interest rates are expected to average 4.35% in 2018 for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage, according to Freddie Mac. This is up from an average of 3.99% in 2017 and 3.65% in 2016, but still remains historically low. While the rates represent an opportunity, it is also important to remember that mortgage rates are typically higher on investment properties than for traditional home owners.
2. Even modest inflation means that you will be paying off current debt with future, cheaper dollars. Low fixed-rate debt secured by real property is the best possible hedge against inflation, since the market value of your property and the rent you can charge can increase in concert with other prices at lease renewal time, while your major expenses can remain flat.
3. Mortgage interest, insurance and all of the other expenses of maintaining a rental property are deductible against its income.
4. In addition to other rental-related deductions, under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, there is a new tax deduction for owners of pass-through businesses, which you can take advantage of if you operate under a sole proprietorship, limited liability company (LLC), partnership or S corporation. An amount equal to 20% of net rental income can now be deducted annually, provided total taxable income for the year from all sources after deductions is below $157,500 for singles or $315,000 for married couples filing jointly.
5. If it's a seasonal rental, you can use it yourself for two weeks without jeopardizing the deductibility of the expenses.
6. Depreciation, the allowed tax deduction for wear and tear, may even produce a nominal loss, which you can deduct against other income. In other words, you may achieve a net positive cash flow from the rental income less expenses and still have a net loss for tax purposes. But be aware that depreciation reduces the cost basis for purposes of calculating capital gains when you finally sell it. It is a good idea to consult a tax professional if you are considering owning a rental property, especially given the recent changes to the U.S. tax code.
7. You can even treat a unit in your own home or on your own property – a garage apartment or mother-in-law apartment, for example – as a rental and lay off a share of the mortgage interest and other expenses against its income, thus reducing your overall cost of living.
8. In a so-called 1031 Exchange, you can sell a rental property and invest in another of "like kind" without paying capital gains taxes.
Cons of Owning Rental Property
Here are some of the cons of owning a rental property:
1. The biggest caveat is that real estate is not liquid. Even in a hot seller's market, it can easily take several months to complete a sale. If your timing is driven by unexpected need or other exigencies, you may not get the best price. For instance, in the housing market unpleasantness of 2006–2008, median new house prices sank by about 30%.
2. The interest and principal parts of your mortgage may be fixed, but there is no guarantee that taxes will not rise faster than you can increase rents, or that insurance premiums won't spike, as they have in the wake of natural disasters, or that insurance claims in such cases will be fairly adjusted.
3. Despite your due diligence in vetting prospective renters, if you wind up with a tenant from hell – for example, one who is needy and demanding, pays late, won't turn off the water, can't change a light bulb, and whose friends, followers, children and pets leave a trail of destruction behind them – then the depreciation allowance in the tax code is probably sorely inadequate. (You can add a lease rider to the standard lease form spelling out rules about occupancy, pets, smoking, tenant insurance requirements, etc.)
4. Neighborhoods can change. With good research and some luck, your investment property will flourish amid other well-maintained houses and apartments, and local amenities will actually improve so your cash flow will steadily increase while your costs remain stable. But things happen. For example, municipalities can be capricious or corrupt, and you might find some undesirable development impinging on your neighborhood. You should pay attention to local politics where you invest, just as you would where you live.
5. The tax code may change by reducing or eliminating some or all of the tax benefits for home ownership and pass-through businesses.
6. Landlordhood is not for everyone. You may feel squeamish about increasing rents, even if you are a good and reasonable kind of landlord. It's OK to be friends with your tenants, but friendship can easily be a drag on the rate at which you can raise rents. One Manhattan brownstone owner rented an apartment to old friends from the West Coast and wound up, 20 years later, with a rent that was half the fair market rent – after a period of especially high inflation in the 1970s. Her friends were better negotiators than she was.
7. Minor repairs are most economical if you can do them yourself, but you may not have the time, tools or skills. Whether or not you are handy, find a local handyman (or woman) and be very good to them so they will be inclined to respond on an emergency basis.
The Bottom Line
The economics of rental property ownership may be compelling, but the return you can achieve must be much higher than you could earn in conservative investments such as bonds and dividend-paying blue chip investments, because there are real risks, not the least of which is your own capacity to manage property and tenants.
By David F. Smith


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Johnny Rapid from JohnnyRapidTube.xxx then sits down and as Donny Wright carries on sucking his dick, Tommy stands up on the couch and face fucks Johnny's hairy face. Then they swap around and it's Tommy who is getting face fucked and his cock sucked on. Donny then shows off how acrobatic he really is as he rolls over on his head in-between Johnny's powerful thighs, with his ass up in the air directly in front of Johnny's waiting tongue, and he spreads his legs. Tommy doesn't waste any time and sucks on Luke's cock as he gets his cock sucked in a standing up sixty nine position as Johnny eats out Donny's tight asshole.
The cock sucking continues as Rapid sits down and Donny climbs on top of his cock and rides him like a horse as he gobbles on Tommy's cock. The action gets even hotter as the camera gets in close as Donny stands up and bends over. Tommy drives his nine inch dick straight in and Donny now sucks on Johnny's aching hard on. Tommy drives it in hard and fast almost blowing his load before it's too late.
Both Johnny Jansen and Tommy Defendi take turns in pounding on Donny Adam's now slack crack forcing Donny the first one to shoot his load whilst getting fucked in the missionary position. Tommy and Johnny cum next, and when they do, it's all over Donny's more than happy face and he laps it all up like a good little puppy.
Life is good at the Love Gun, and I can't wait to see who walks through their doors next.
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IKEA™ Door and Drawer Retrofit Solutions for Akurum and Sektion
Allstyle offers retrofit and replacement door and drawer solutions for customizing IKEA™ cabinets. Our wide variety of styles can be easily adapted to work with existing IKEA's Akurum and Sektion kitchen cabinets. Our Recon Walnut Slab Doors coupled with IKEA™ white high gloss doors are a great combination. This kitchen in King City turned out even better than we had imagined.
Maple Painted Shaker Style Kitchen
This is a great example of IKEA™ Sektion cabinets that have been retrofit with our Glencairn shaker doors painted Benjamin Moore Dune White CC-70. The design is further enhanced with custom designed island wrap panels painted in a complimentary Benjamin Moore Gray 2121-10 colour. Solid wood dovetail drawers complete the upgrade of this kitchen to Craftsman quality. The result speaks for itself. Follow this link to see another kitchen with white painted shaker doors.
Kitchen Addition with IKEA Cabinets and Custom Matched Doors
With our wide variety of door style we are often able to closely match door designs for kitchen additions. IKEA™ cabinets fitted with our custom made doors are sometimes a good alternative to replacing a whole kitchen when extra cabinetry is desired. This Mississauga couple used our Arial miter door in maple with a custom matched finish. They expanded their kitchen with a great result and within budget. Matching can be tricky and we can't alway match exactly. We do have a lot of experience in work around solutions too. Ask us.
The Process
You can completely customize and transform the look of your IKEA™ kitchen in four easy steps.
Step 1
You pick a door style and finish from our web site or showroom.
We will provide you with A LOT of choices.
Step 2
You provide us with your design and a cabinet list.
We figure out exactly what pieces you need, in the proper sizes, with hinge and and hardware mounting holes.
Then we give you a quote.
Step 3
You decide to place an order and go relax.
We custom manufacture everything you will need at our plant in Mississauga.
Step 4
You pickup (or we ship) your items and you install them using the assistance we provide. We make it very easy.
We smile and relax because we know you will enjoy our doors and drawers in your kitchen for a long time.
Custom Made Cabinet Doors Sized to Fit
We can customize nearly every style of our solid wood five piece doors or slab style doors to work seamlessly with IKEA™ kitchen cabinets.
Dovetail Drawers That Retrofit Easily
Our dovetail drawer retrofit can lift the quality of your kitchen to be on par with the highest quality custom kitchens. Our drawers can significantly increase your storage capacity as well. Our lead time on drawer retrofit is 2 to 3 weeks.
Experience Matters - We Know What Works.
We have a well equipped working showroom and testing area with a variety of IKEA™ cabinets.
We can demonstrate swapping or installing hinges, doors, drawers and side panels. We are able to teach you how to install so that when your product is ready you will know exactly what to do.
Help and Support From our Friendly and Experienced IKEA RetroFit Experts
Get expert advice from one of our IKEA product specialists with proven retrofit methods and techniques.
Allstyle is able to provide custom cabinet doors that can be adapted to either the Akurum (pre-2015) or Sektion (current) kitchen cabinet system.
IKEA retro fit projects typically take 6 to 8 weeks.
If you cannot come to our showroom then check out our growing library of instructional videos that replicate our on-site instruction.
For help with Frequently Asked Questions visit our IKEA Retrofit FAQ page.
IKEA Retrofit Inquiry
Note: We love IKEA™ and we think they make great cabinet products. But to be clear ... IKEA™ is a registered trademark of Inter-IKEA Systems B.V.. and Allstyle Cabinet Doors is not affiliated with IKEA™ in any way.


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StoneBrook has been making award winning wines since 2005. Using grapes grown from our own vineyards or grapes grown by local, Kentucky farmers, we craft the most award winning wines in Northern Kentucky. We pride ourself on perfection and aim to please. We offer a variety of wines sure to please everyone's palate.
Come to our tasting room to enjoy the wines that are unique to our area and see why StoneBrook has come to be known as the Blackberry Wine Kings.
Visit our Grape and Fruit wine pages to see the varieties we offer.


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Mr and Mrs Twit think Valentines Day is for, um, twits. So let's take a look at some of their most unromantic moments... (contains spoilers)
As anyone who has read The Twits will know, Mr and Mrs Twit are not the type of people to celebrate Valentines Day. They're far more interested in spending their time playing horrible tricks on each other (and anyone else who has the misfortune of crossing their path.)
If you too think Valentines Day is for Twits, here are a few twit-ish ways to make this day of romance decidedly unromantic...
Gift ideas from Mr Twit
Mr Twit plays a horrible trick on Mrs Twit by planting a frog in her bed, which frightens Mrs Twit so much she runs from the room.
By golly it is a Giant Skillywiggler! It'll bite off your nose.
Mr Twit also makes his wife think she's got the Dreaded Shrinks by adding small bits of wood to her walking stick every day, so she feels like she's getting smaller and smaller.
You've got the Dreaded Shrinks!
Mrs Twit takes great delight in serving up a lovely meal for her husband one day - spaghetti filled with worms.
It's called Squiggly Spaghetti. It's delicious. Eat it up while it's nice and hot.
Mrs Twit also has a little surprise for her husband when she serves him up his favourite mug of beer. At the bottom of it he finds her glass eye staring back up at him.
I've got eyes everywhere so you'd better be careful.
We do not suggest playing any of these tricks this Valentines Day - but you could channel your inner Twit by downloading this lovely Mr Twit beard...


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U.S. to Add Forces in Iraq, but Move Doesn't Quell Critics
WASHINGTON—The White House, under pressure to fortify President Barack Obama's war policy in Iraq, formally unveiled plans to send hundreds of new U.S. troops to the country, but its choice of a relatively conservative military option didn't quell criticism over its approach.
The White House said that in the coming weeks, the Pentagon would send up to 450 new troops to advise and support Sunni forces in Iraq's Anbar province, just weeks after Islamic State militants dealt Iraqi security forces an embarrassing defeat in the provincial capital of Ramadi.
U.S. officials said they also would accelerate the delivery of gear to aid the Sunni fighters in the looming battle against Islamic State militants, to include body armor, small arms and light machine guns. Washington will also speed the delivery of antitank missiles to counter Islamic State car bombs.
The advisers will be sent to a new site, Taqaddum Air Base, near an Iraqi operations center in Habbaniyah, to advise and assist Iraqi troops as they prepare to try to retake Ramadi and other parts of Anbar that have fallen to the Sunni extremist forces.
The new U.S. troops will join 3,100 already deployed to Iraq under the Pentagon's train-and-advise mission begun last year.
U.S. officials emphasized the new troops wouldn't participate in offensive combat operations nor will they act as on ground "spotters" for the U.S.-led airstrike campaign. Some Obama critics have urged the administration to have troops act as spotters, even if it means putting them in harm's way.
Mr. Obama made the decision to send the extra troops after consulting with national-security advisers and with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. The decision fits with an administration strategy of providing U.S. expertise, equipment and air power, but leaving the ground combat to local forces.
The move has done little to ease pressure from Capitol Hill, where Republican critics insist Mr. Obama lacks a coherent strategy and doubt the additional troops will change the state of play in Iraq.
Rep. Mac Thornberry (R., Texas), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said the need for added U.S. forces has been clear. "As far as it goes, I support this effort," he said on Wednesday. "However, disconnected from a broader coherent strategy, it is not likely to be any more successful than our previous efforts."
Mr. Thornberry said Defense Secretary Ash Carter would testify before his panel next week to answer questions about the overall U.S. strategy.
Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) said he remained "deeply concerned" that the additional forces weren't close enough to the front lines and couldn't serve as spotters to strengthen the airstrike mission. "That is the kind of assistance the Iraqis need, but the president has refused to provide," Mr. McCain said.
Members of Mr. Obama's party were also unsettled. Rep. Adam Schiff, (D., Calif.) said that while he supports Mr. Obama's move, he wasn't hopeful about the political changes the Iraqis must make themselves in a country starkly divided along sectarian lines.
"In the absence of these reforms, there is little that we can do to convince Sunnis to cast out ISIL," Mr. Schiff said, using an alternate term for Islamic State. Sen. Jon Tester (D., Mont.), agreed, saying the U.S. can't go it alone. "America possesses the greatest fighting force the world has ever known, but we can't put the Middle East back together by ourselves."
Administration officials defended Mr. Obama's decision, saying he would continue to evaluate U.S. strategy and consider a range of options.
"The president hasn't ruled out any additional steps," said Ben Rhodes, a deputy national-security adviser. "He's always open to considering refinements to the strategy. But I think we've been guided by a belief that the best way for Iraqis to take back those portions of their country that have fallen to ISIL is for them to be in the lead."
Mr. Obama's plan raises the number of troops authorized to be deployed by the Pentagon from 3,100 to 3,550. Elissa Slotkin, the acting assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, said that could be amended as needed. "We will always re-look at those numbers and make our best recommendations," she told reporters on Wednesday.
Troops will begin to arrive at the new airfield in the next six to eight weeks, Pentagon officials said. Only about 110 of the 450 troops being deployed will serve as advisers, the Pentagon said. The rest will provide security and other "sustainment" functions for the base.
The new site at the airfield won't include direct training of combat skills. Instead, American advisers will work with leaders of Iraq's 8th Division, to help plan the attack on Ramadi.
The advisers will assist in helping Iraqis decide how to best deploy their troops, improve their logistic systems and increase their intelligence capabilities, Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman said. Basic training in combat tasks will continue in the original four training sites set up by the U.S.
Col. Warren said the focus of U.S. and Iraqi operations is on Beiji, Ramadi and the broader Anbar area. But he said operations to retake Ramadi will help facilitate a later counterattack on Mosul, which might not come until next year.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest said that by recruiting Sunni tribal fighters from Anbar, local Iraqi security forces would be fighting against Islamic State militants in their own province and their own towns.
"By opening this training mission essentially in the neighborhood where we want these Sunni tribal fighters to fight, we can make it easier for them to get training and equipment in Anbar Province and then go carry out the fight in Anbar Province," Mr. Earnest said.
Source: Wall Street Journal
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The postseason begins for Miami cross country teams at home on October 28th for the Mid-American Conference Championship. With a promising regular season, the question lies ahead how the RedHawks stack up against the best of the MAC.
In last year's race at Kent State University, the women finished seventh with 145 points and an average time of 22 minutes and 14 seconds. Now-senior Maria Scavuzzo led the team by placing fifth individually with her time of 21 minutes and ten seconds.
Yet, there is reason to be optimistic due to the strides over one season. This year, ten runners have times faster 23 minutes in the six-kilometer, where last year there was only seven.
Noticeable improvements have come from sophomore Carly Davis and senior Sarah Starrett, which were seen mainly at the NCAA Division I Pre-Nationals. Davis ran a personal best by over 25 seconds in her first race leading the RedHawks, while Starrett — the team's fourth finisher — set a personal best by over 30 seconds.
As for racing at home, Starrett believes it will give them an advantage.
"We're all ready for a great race on a course we know and love," she said. "We've worked out on this course many times so we shouldn't be surprised in any way and as long as we remember to race as a team, I think we'll be in for an exciting day."
The women won their last MAC Championship in 2013, edging out the University of Toledo by three points. Eastern Michigan has won the last two years, and returns six of their seven fastest runners.
Alongside last year's individual winner, Jordan McDermitt of Eastern Michigan, three runners from the University of Toledo and Redshirt sophomore Rachel Walny of Bowling Green State University should be near the front.
Walny was last year's runner-up and ran a time of 20 minutes and 25 seconds at the NCAA Division I Pre-Nationals. Her time was only four seconds by McDermitt, who led the Eagles at the Wisconsin Nuttycombe Invitational.
The men finished second in last year's MAC race, where Eastern Michigan's top five runners went one through five individually. Redshirt senior Matt Bromley led the 'Hawks with a tenth individual placing.
Eastern Michigan returns four of their top five runners, and have last year's OHSAA State Track and Field Championship 3200 meters champion freshman Hunter Moore. Senior Abel Flores has the team's fastest time in 24 minutes and 17 seconds from the Notre Dame Invitational.
The Eagles have dominated this millennium, with 13 conference championships in the last 17 races and seven consecutive. The RedHawks have won 20 overall, seven consecutive between 1950 and 1956, which is one less than the Eagles' championship total.
Yet, what could be the RedHawks' strength could be the Eagles' weakness. Miami's pack presence could make this a very interesting race, as the 'Hawks have 13 runners under 26 minutes in the eight-kilometer distance. The Eagles only have eight runners under 26 minutes.
"We need our top three guys to be aggressive and break up their lead pack," last year's MAC Freshman of the Year David Coffey said. "To utilize our depth and put as many of our guys as we can in front of Eastern's fourth and fifth runners."
Coffey owns the team's second fastest time in 24 minutes and 36 seconds, which he set at the Pre-Nationals meet.
Other runners to watch are sophomore Kyle Bussard from Ohio University, junior Noah Schaub from Bowling Green State University and freshman Logan Kleam from Central Michigan University.
The race begins at 11 a.m. with the women's six-kilometer race and the men's eight-kilometer races begins at noon.


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[closetMAX] SYSTEM™ 3-Piece Closet Organization Kit - Style 5666-ST
Organizing your closet will be a breeze with the help of a complete three-piece closet organization kit. This kit includes a 6-shelf hanging organizer, a 10-shelf hanging shoe organizer and an expandable hanging bar, which connects the other pieces. Create space for folded clothes, hanging clothes, shoes and accessories, and more.
Style# 5666-ST
- Complete closet organization system
- Three-piece kit includes:
- One 6-shelf closet organizer
- One 10-shelf closet organizer
- One expandable, double-hanging MAXbar®
- Provides extra shelves and hanging space
- Made of durable, wipe-clean material
- Fits closets from 4 feet wide and up
- Color: Sand Pebble Taupe
- Coordinates with other [closetMAX] SYSTEM™ organization products
Can be mixed and matched with other [closetMAX] SYSTEM™ organizing accessories
10 Pack Heavy-Duty Plastic Coat Hanger - Style 2299
This heavy-duty coat hanger is constructed with medium-weight tubular plastic for durability and strength...
10 Pack Neatkids™ Slim "W" Children's Hanger - Style 2126
Lightweight and durable, these hangers are designed specifically to fit kid's sized clothing. They...
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Lightweight and durable, these hangers are designed specifically to fit kid's sized clothing. The...
10 Pack Plastic Basic Clothes Hangers - Style 3501
This basic plastic clothing has a simple, no-frills design that is made to get...
10 Pack Plastic Deluxe Coat Hanger - Style 2295
This deluxe plastic coat hanger features a heavy-duty construction and is durable enough to...
10 Pack Plastic Everyday Hanger - Style 2201
This everyday plastic clothes hanger is perfect for hanging shirts, blouses and other garments....
10 Pack Plastic Swan Clothes Hanger - Style 2205
Save space in your closet by hanging your garments on these slim-profile swan hangers....
10 Pack Slim Plastic "W" Clothes Hanger - Style 2222
The patented neatfreak "W" hanger is designed to include all of the best features...


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This job has been added to your shortlist
Managing Surveyor / Commercial ManagerScaffolding
Managing Surveyor / Commercial Manager - Scaffolding - £80k - South East. A market leading scaffolding contractor is currently looking for a Managing Surveyor/ Commercial Manager to oversee their South East operations. They are looking for an experienced Surveyor to also manage 3-4 other Quantity Surveyors within the business which turns over roughly around £12m.
About the Client:My client is a specialist scaffolding contractor who are involved in some complex scaffolding operations and cover various industry sectors. They are expecting turnover to be around the £20m+ next year.
About the Role:
- Managing 3-4 Quantity surveyors within the business
- Dealing with client and payments etc
- Control of full commercial management of the business
- Covering the South East of the UK
About the Candidate:
- You will have experience in a senior Quantity surveyor role
- You will ideally be degree educated however experience will be considered
- The ideal candidates will have experience in dealing with the client
- Ideally you will be South East based or willing to relocate to the South East
- My client will consider any construction or civil engineering background
Points of Appeal:
- Good company to work for.
- Good Salary Package
- Full Benefits Package
If you are interested in the above vacancy or wish to discuss any other opportunities please contact Danny Coleman on 0203 640 8989 or email firstname.lastname@example.com


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098 64060
There's always something in the pipeline at The Tavern. Every Friday during winter it's Curry Night. The Mescan nights pair craft beer with a matching menu. During the summer, The Tavern is getting quite a name for food related festivals.
With a selection of private rooms in a variety of sizes, The Tavern is a perfect choice for small conference or business meetings.
Curry Night
Curry Night is the Friday night staple during the long winter months. All curries are cooked to order and come accompanied with rice, grilled garlic flatbread, poppadoms, mango chutney and (just in case you need it) a cooling yoghurt and cucumber raita.
Curry Night runs every Friday night except during July, August and Bank Holidays.
Mescan Night
Chef Myles enjoys matching food and drink flavours, and he has risen to the craft beer challenge in style. Each course on Mescan Night is paired with a different Mescan beer and the combinations are quite stunning.
Mescan is a local craft brewery, producing a varied range of Belgian style beers. Mescan Blond, Mescan White and Mescan Stout are joined by the powerful Mescan Tripel and sometimes seasonal specials. Chef Myles O'Brien has designed two very special menus to perfectly complement four different Mescan Craft Beers – Blond, White, Stout and Tripel. Click to view the Mescan Autumn/Winter menu or the Mescan Spring/Summer menu.
The Tavern is all about enjoying food and having fun – so it was a fairly short step to launching some fabulous food festivals to perk up the summer.
Lobster Festival
First up on the May Bank Holiday Weekend is the Lobster Festival. The lobster theme takes over for the holiday weekend with lobster festival t-shirts and giveaways, music and of course lots of lobster specials. Euro-toques chef Myles O'Brien has created a series of signature dishes using the king of the crustaceans, including a mouth watering surf 'n' turf featuring lobster and fillet steak. Or, if you like your lobster 'straight', choose your own from the lobster tank.
Murrisk Pattern & Oyster Festival
Our festival for lovers of good food and traditional entertainment is the Murrisk Pattern and Oyster Festival which takes place on the first weekend in September. It's a festival that takes over the whole village from Friday to Sunday. A combination of seafood themed events include the Oyster Opening competition, a tour of an Oyster Farm, Sea food platter lunch's combines with oyster tasting and Murrisk Loops walks, The Murrisk Pattern commences on Sunday 3rd with 12.30 pm mass in Murrisk Abbey and a day of great family entertainment, food stalls, chowder competition, childrens games, music all day and rounded off with The Oyster Ball on Sunday night in The Tavern.


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H.R.6605 - To eliminate an unnecessary reporting requirement for an unfunded DNA Identification grant program.112th Congress (2011-2012)
BillHide Overview
|Rep. Conyers, John, Jr. [D-MI-14] (Introduced 11/27/2012)
|House - Judiciary | Senate - Judiciary
|Latest Action:
|House - 12/07/2012 Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. (All Actions)
This bill has the status Passed House
Here are the steps for Status of Legislation:
- Introduced
- Passed House
Subject — Policy Area:
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- View subjects
Summary: H.R.6605 — 112th Congress (2011-2012)All Information (Except Text)
Bill summaries are authored by CRS.
Shown Here:
Passed House without amendment (12/05/2012)
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to repeal a reporting requirement under the DNA identification grant program that requires each state or local government that receives a grant to submit to the Attorney General, for each year in which funds are expended, a report on the activities carried out and an assessment of whether such activities are meeting the needs identified in the grant application.


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|Your Time:
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Values in Leadership: Interview with Glenn Burrell
Glenn and Kathy Burrell came to America from England on an investor visa in the late 1990s, already knowing the type of company they planned to create. Glenn had spent a number of years looking after the security of the Royal family in the UK. So starting Sunstates Security was a natural for him.
Sunstates Security was founded on three values:
- Honesty
- Integrity
- Trust
Referred to as the acronym HIT, this became almost a slogan that was incorporated into the company's marketing materials, website, and training program. Later when the leadership team formulated a new mission and vision, they kept the three HIT values because it was such an integral part of the company's culture.
A Noteworthy Culture
Various employees have told Glenn that the company culture is "noteworthy" and unlike any other security firm. They tell Glenn that they see the values in action every day.
Of interest, all new managers begin by spending 7 to 10 days working with the management team and support staff at the head office in Raleigh, NC. The goal is to ensure all managers soak up the culture first before going out into the field.
In addition, the company puts on an annual conference for all their managers, where they bring them together to teach leadership skills. This is also an important time where Glenn says they reinforce the values.
Now, for those interested in working for Sunstates Security, you better do your homework. Before you can meet with Glenn, he says you must know the company's mission, vision, and values!
One thing to also know about Glenn is that he feels strongly about personal integrity and the role it plays for each employee, every day. He says the company will "always take the high road… will never lower ourselves… and will always give someone the benefit of doubt until they prove otherwise…."
A Multi-Generational Mindset
One thing I found of special interest was how Glenn talked about values through the lens of a family business (especially in Europe) where values are passed down from generation to generation. For him personally, Glenn observed the values of his (now) father-in-law running a business in the UK, now in it's third generation. In fact, Glenn talks about how his father-in-law became an important mentor for him, referring to his father-in-law as "a true honest man."
Thinking like a family business, Glenn's says his decisions are not based on satisfying some investor sitting on a beach somewhere (which he views is a more common business model in America). Glenn makes decisions thinking about the potential impact on his future grandchildren. Such an approach provides leaders with a much broader and long-term attitude in how they run the business. For Sunstates Security, this has already translated into long-term client relationships where some have lasted more than 16 years (and counting).
This approach to decision-making is what Glenn refers to as running a business "as a marathon and not a sprint." He says values are what provide the longevity.
Importantly, this shouldn't stop a company from significant growth.
While Glenn and Kathy have been deliberate about growing the company organically, to preserve the existing culture, over the past six years they have managed to grow an average of 24% per year! Of course, such rapid growth is not without problems or pain. But Glenn refers to this as "character building!"
Lastly, Glenn is a big fan of Jim Collin's book Good to Great, following the book's principles to also make Sunstates Security a great company. Glenn's approach to doing this is through "servant leadership and core values that will win the day!"
To listen to the whole interview with Glenn, please visit: Values in Leadership.
This is part of a new Business Leader Series called Values in Leadership, where I share relevant insights gleaned from interviews with successful business leaders. I welcome your comments or questions by emailing: firstname.lastname@example.com


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When we were in New York in January, we had a fantastic dinner at Gramercy Tavern with a couple of friends. It was a serious splurge for us; we ordered two bottles of wine and did the six-course tasting menu. It was some of the most incredible food I've ever had. As we dug into the ridiculous assortment of desserts they brought us, the waitress asked if we'd like a digestif. We waffled a bit, not sure what to order, and she offered to bring out a couple of amari.
Amaro has been on my radar as a potential cocktail ingredient, but the reason I hadn't bought any was because there were just so many. I would see them in recipes: Amaro Montenegro, Amaro Averna, Fernet Branca, Amaro Nonino, Cynar, Ramazotti. There was no way I could buy them all, and I had no idea which one would be the best to choose.
That night at Gramercy Tavern, our waitress brought out two: Amaro Averna and Amaro Nonino. We drank them straight up. It was absolutely perfect after our big meal. They were both sweet enough that they worked after dessert but bitter enough to be great digestifs. We agreed that we liked the Averna a little better, which worked out well, because it's the cheaper of the two ($30 vs. $50). As soon as we got back to Boston, we bought a bottle, ready to whip it out after dinner parties to impress our friends.
Averna is made by soaking herbs, roots, dried fruit, and citrus rind in a base of grain alcohol. Caramel is later added for flavor and sweetness. Its flavor is described as "exotic spice, wood, maple syrup, cinnamon, and dried orange peel." Supposedly the recipe comes from the Benedictine monks of St. Spirito's Abbey in Caltanissetta, Sicily. (You may recall that the Benedictine monks have a history of making tasty liqueurs.) They had been making the herbal elixir for years when a rich textile merchant, Salvatore Averna, gave a generous donation to their Abbey in 1859. To thank him, they gave Salvatore the recipe. Realizing he had a seriously delicious secret on his hands, he created the company Fratelli Averna in 1868 and began selling Amaro Averna to the public. His son later took over the business and expanded it, selling Averna all over Europe. Currently, the fourth generation of Avernas is running the business, which was acquired by Gruppo Campari in 2014.
Amaro AvernaPrice: $30
Alcohol Content: 29%
Popular Cocktails: The Black Manhattan is one of the few that's currently widespread. It's traditionally consumed on its own.
Much as I enjoy drinking Averna straight, I've also started experimenting with it in cocktails, and I'm really liking the result. My go-to right now is the Black Manhattan. There are a lot of versions of this cocktail out there. My favorite so far is the one below, which I found in a Reddit thread about what cocktails to make with Averna. It replaces half the sweet vermouth in my favorite Manhattan recipe with Averna, and half the Angostura bitters with orange bitters.
I think I like the Black Manhattan better than a traditional Manhattan. It's less sweet, but the Averna leaves lingering flavors of raisins and dark fruit. When you taste them side by side, the Averna makes for a deeper, smoother cocktail, blending the rye and vermouth together better into a harmonious whole.
Black Manhattan2 oz. rye
1/2 oz. sweet vermouth (I like Punt e Mes)
1/2 oz. Averna amaro
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 dash orange bitters
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass and stir until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass or coupe. Garnish with a cherry or orange peel if desired.
Recipe adapted from Reddit user murrayhenson.


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Like, it seems, everyone...
...I've read this morning, I have a Christopher Hitchens story. I met him at the Democratic National Convention in 1992, in a corridor behind the seating area for the Washington State delegation, where he was hanging out with Dick Cavett and offering a running commentary on the proceedings that far surpassed anything I saw on the networks that week.
I didn't see Cavett again that week, but Hitchens hung out nearly every day, never disappointing the line of delegates who approached in hope of a handshake and a quip, who he greeted with a level of charm and patience that belied his legendarily acid wit and formidable wrath. I later got the chance to chat with him for the best part of an hour at a party hosted by The Nation and he was, if anything, even more charming in that setting.
Sure, he went a bit nuts after 9//11, but weighing the totality of his life and work in the balance, that's just a few feathers on the scale. He was wrong about the Iraq war, but many were. He was also one of the finest writers, most eloquent oraters and sharpest wits of our time and he'll be missed.
Labels: Christopher Hitchens, R.I.P.


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Originally published in Western Recorder – www.westernrecorder.org
Louisville—Cooperative ministry—along with biblical authority and the Baptist Faith and Message—are essential in uniting us as Kentucky Baptists, Kevin Smith, president of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, told members of the Mission Board during a two-day meeting in Louisville Dec. 14-15.
"Cooperative Ministry just assumes I'm cooperating with people who are different from me. It assumes I want to work for the glory of Jesus Christ with brothers and sisters who are different from me," Smith, the first African-American ever elected to the post, said. Continue reading "KBC president, Smith, stresses importance of diversity of Ky. Baptists"


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If you have been worried lately on how to keep your credit score high then it is time you start checking your finances.
Today the net world is full of handy tools and services which help you check your credit score at the tip of your fingers. And I must say, it gets a little too addictive once you start using that. I will speak about myself; keeping up with my finances initially was not as easy. But ever since I started taking it seriously it has helped me go from a zero score to getting to front line!
And it has been great. I must admit that I've had a low score in the past. But now I can see my score improving more and more. I've become a lot more careful with my money. It's a hard work, to be honest, but I'm really getting there so it's worth it.
There are simple techniques that have helped me improve my own credit score. It's opened up new ways for me to save money and feel more confident about myself. The following guidelines should help you on how to keep your credit score high.


text: On Mon, Apr 9, 2012 at 2:32 PM, Roger Burton West <roger at firedrake.org> wrote: > Under Linux amd64 and Perl 5.10.1, I'm trying to read from a pair of > devices which will produce data in 16-byte blocks. (I can cat the device > files - as the same user - and verify that they do this.) > > Under Perl 5.8 (and an earlier i386 Linux), this worked. Now sysread() > is failing with an "Invalid argument". You've probably switched from perl using stdio to using perlio. You could compile 5.10.1 with usestdio to see if that makes a difference. Or you could try a newer perl and see if this is a bug that perhaps has been fixed? Which strikes a vague bell...does it help to say: my $data = '';


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Thursday, December 10, 2009
Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz
Author: JessG | Filed Under: 6 Stars, Blue Bloods, Fantasy, JessG, Melissa de la Cruz, vampires | at 2:19 PM |
I never thought I would read another vampire book after reading, The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer. However, I had heard so much about the Blue Bloods books by Melissa De La Cruz that I had to get the first two books. First there is Blue Bloods and second there is Masquerade. I will have to review the second later as I have just started to read it.
In Blue Bloods, Melissa does a great job bringing a society of vampires to life. These vampires are not your typical vampires. They can go out in the sun, they're not as pale as we think vampires to be, they don't glitter in the sun like diamonds, and their fangs aren't in the front of their mouth like traditional Dracula. However, these are the creme de la creme of the vampire world. These vampires own most of Manhattan, New York.
The story is in third person and follows first and foremost, Schuyler Van Alen as she learns about being a Blue Blood and tries to figure out her life as a teenager with her best friend, Oliver, who is human. But Melissa also shows us the story in other character views such as the new Texas transfer, Bliss Llewellyn who is also the daughter of a New York senator and Mimi Force, the most popular girl on private school, Duschesne's campus.
Along the way, we learn that vampires are fallen angels with Michael and Gabriel (the archangels) as their leaders to help them through their lives on earth. Also, these vampires that Melissa has created always save a bit of their blue blood in order for them to reincarnate and return to life later on. And they learn about Croatan or the thing that wiped out the Roanoke colony back when Plymouth was first established.
I have to say that I did enjoy the story Melissa De La Cruz has come up with. However, I'm not into all the talk of Gossip Girl like stories. Probably the best character this author has come up with in this story is Bliss. Bliss is very down to earth and reminds me very much of how girls really react to their surroundings when they are in their teen years. Mimi Force is way on the popular side with really no worries except how to plan the next big party and then there is Schuyler who is our main character, but on the opposite end of Mimi, being the most unpopular girl at school and dressing like a goth. Nothing wrong with goths, I have nothing against them, but I see that I like Bliss because we see the conflict in her as she tries to choose which side to be on, Schuyler's or Mimi's.
I really do like the innovative take on vampires. They are definitely new and the story really wasn't as predictable as I thought it would be. She even ends it on a climactic point. I think what could have made this story more interesting is smoother scene changes and more on the feelings on how these girls feel about being who they are. I believe it would have added more depth to the story and to the characters themselves. I'm not saying the story is really dry, I'm just saying that it has its high points but a lot of it is low points. I have started the second book, Masquerade, and hope to enjoy it far more than I how I somewhat enjoyed Blue Bloods.
P.S. Sorry for the layout of this review...for some reason I can't get it to go the way I want it to look.
3 comments:
- Juju at Tales of Whimsy.com on December 10, 2009 at 3:49 PM said...
Great review.
PS Everything looks great!
- Emily Cross on December 10, 2009 at 4:05 PM said...
Hey the review looks grand, what was the issue? font? image?
The review is excellent too, i haven't read them and the vamp society sounds really interesting but like you the 'gossip girl' thing puts me off. Would you say i should attempt reading them or leave it?
- The Gobbles on December 10, 2009 at 4:52 PM said...
My issue was the first paragraph to the next...just too big of a gap for my liking between the two.
Emily: I say read them at least once. I forgot to put in that there aren't just two books but actually 4. The third is Revelations and the fourth is The Van Alen Legacy. However, I put them off until I was in the mood for a new vampire book. But yeah, read them at least once. I think you'd like the character, Bliss, like I did.
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Say what? Lil, (I guess you can't call him Lil' anymore) Romeo and Angela Simmons are dating? Well ain't that about a beech nut gum! No quarrel with these two, congratulations!!!
Well I guess its 'Goodbye Bow Wow' and 'Hello Romeo'.
Yesterday, Pastry co owner Angela Simmons and 'Dancing With The Stars' Romeo Miller were spotted out together while grabbing a bite to eat at a restaurant in West Hollywood. And this isn't the first time that the rumored couple have been spotted out together. Last week, the two enjoyed dinner together while out with close friends at the Cheese Cake factory.
Strange enough, Romeo Miller is said to be responsible for hooking up Rita Ora with Rob Kardashian and Rob Kardashian was courting Angela Simmons at some point last year.
In other news, Angela Simmons looks stunning in her latest photo shoot for Haute Magazine. Check out the images from the shoot below:


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Confessions of the Fox
Confessions of the Fox
If there's one thing that scholars of history --- at least scholars of history in the past several decades or so --- have taught us, it's that history is never just one story. Instead, it's mutable and open to interpretation, often drastically different depending on whose story is being told --- and who's doing the telling. That's (part of) the premise behind Jordy Rosenberg's thought-provoking yet broadly entertaining debut novel, CONFESSIONS OF THE FOX, which purports to be a manuscript about the escapades of the infamous 18th-century thief Jack Sheppard, but winds up being something else altogether.
Jack Sheppard was a folk hero who, along with his companion Bess, has been written about many times before (he was the inspiration for "Mack the Knife" in Brecht's "The Threepenny Opera," among other works). His bold exploits --- especially his long-running feud with Constable Wild --- will be familiar to many students of the period. But it's safe to say that Rosenberg's version of events will be entirely new.
"...a ripping good yarn, more than worthy of the centuries-long tradition of stories about Jack and Bess but bringing their epic romance squarely into the 21st century."
The framing story here is that what readers are picking up is a previously undiscovered manuscript, picked up off a pile of discarded library books at an unnamed university (where the library's collections are being jettisoned to make space for faculty lounges) by the narrator, Dr. Voth. On the verge of being suspended from his teaching job for playing Words with Friends during his office hours (which are invariably unattended by students), Dr. Voth sees the manuscript as an opportunity to engage in some original research and perhaps redeem his reputation as a scholar.
The narrator --- whose personal opinions and back stories are increasingly revealed through a series of lengthy footnotes to the "manuscript" --- doesn't expect to feel a personal relationship to the figure at the heart of the manuscript he's reading. But that's exactly what he encounters --- especially when he realizes that in this seemingly authentic memoir, Jack was actually assigned female at birth and transitioned (be forewarned: the detailed scene of top surgery performed without anesthesia is not for the faint of heart) into the figure familiar from legend and lore.
Dr. Voth is also "a guy by design, not birth," and immediately becomes intrigued by what in fact could be one of the first authentic trans memoirs. Making things even more intriguing, the manuscript makes it clear that Jack's companion and partner in crime, Bess, was actually of South Asian descent. Placing race and gender at the center of this story changes everything, as the narrator discovers --- and he begins to feel that far more is at stake here than just his academic reputation.
CONFESSIONS OF THE FOX has so many layers and nuances that it's hard to even know where to start writing about it. It's a bawdy, postmodern historical novel, full of 18th-century sexual slang and playful thieves' cant. In that way, it will appeal to fans of FINGERSMITH or THE CRIMSON PETAL AND THE WHITE. It's a book that recasts 18th-century London, putting narratives of queerness and race front and center in a way that might prompt readers to reevaluate what they thought they knew about London at this time. It's also a brilliant send-up of academic writing and culture, as legitimate textual footnotes (with modern English translations of the aforementioned slang, actual references to bibliographic source material, etc.) gradually become enmeshed with a second narrative outlining what's happening to the narrator and his epic struggle with the Dean of Surveillance.
Apart from what's happening within the text, it's worth noting that CONFESSIONS OF THE FOX is likely the first novel written by a trans man and edited by a non-binary editor, released by a major publishing house. And, finally, at the end of the day, it's also a ripping good yarn, more than worthy of the centuries-long tradition of stories about Jack and Bess but bringing their epic romance squarely into the 21st century.
Reviewed by Norah Piehl on July 6, 2018
Confessions of the Fox
- Publication Date: March 5, 2019
- Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction
- Paperback: 352 pages
- Publisher: One World