text:
As a 2001 Boston Globe-Horn Book judge, I had the pleasure of honoring Cynthia DeFelice and Robert Andrew Parker for their picture book Cold Feet, a deliciously creepy retelling of a Scottish ghost story. I liked everything about the book, but here I want to give a tip of my hat to Parker, who I […]
BGHB at 50: Cold Feet by Cynthia DeFelice, illus. by Robert Andrew Parker
June 13, 2017 by Leonard S. Marcus 1 Comment
Filed Under: Authors & Illustrators, Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards, Featured Tagged With: bghb, bghb@50, Boston Globe Horn Book awards, cold feet, cynthia defelice, robert andrew parker Discussion: View 1 Comment


text:
This morning I've designed this brown craft paper
Birthday tag for you.......they are
simple tags with a lot going on.....I stitch-punched the crumpled craft
paper added some simple daisies, to & from & Happy Birthday.
Take a look at the Victorian tags I designed for my
Etsy Shop. CLICK on the images to view them....

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Escape - A short story
"Benjamin! Come here," Gertrude shouted. "Take these oak chairs out front under the awning. They'll help bring in customers."
"Yes, dear," Benny said.
"And take your broom and sweep the sidewalk while you're out there. It would be nice if you'd think of doing these things on your own without me having to tell you," Gertrude said, a permanent scowl on her face.
Benny only smiled and followed her instructions while she began her morning ritual of filling the cash drawer in anticipation of another profitable day. If there was one thing Gertrude enjoyed, it was making money.
Benjamin and Gertrude Foster owned and operated a used furniture store in Centerville, a small mid-western town. They lived in a modest apartment located on the second floor of the building. Their marriage had not been blessed with children, so their entire existence centered around the furniture business.
Residents in the area often stopped by the store to sell items to the Fosters, which was one way they added to their inventory. Gertrude greeted all customers and handled all negotiations with firmness, whether it was buying or selling. The stern look on her face was accentuated by the tight bun she wore at the nape of her neck.
Gertrude never trusted Benny to make decisions about the business. He was only allowed to clean the store, load merchandise for customers, and make deliveries of larger items. Everything he did was subject to Gertrude's close scrutiny.
At the end of a slow sales week, Gertrude reasoned it was because Benny wasn't doing enough work around the shop. "Benjamin, come here," she shouted across the room.
"Yes, dear. What is it you want?"
"Business hasn't been good this week, so you're going to have to rearrange the entire store. It isn't good to leave things in the same place too long. People need to see that we've made changes. Here's a list of things I want you to do."
"Yes, dear," Benny said as he turned away.
"Just a minute! After you're finished rearranging things, get your mop and scrub the floors," she said, smiling coldly.
"Yes, dear."
Benny dutifully set out to do the work assigned him. Momentarily the barber down the street stopped in the doorway and peeked in.
"Hi, Benny. You're working awfully hard this morning."
"Hello, Charlie. Just making a few changes. How's the barbering business?"
"Benjamin, stop dawdling," Gertrude called from her cash register at the front counter.
"Yes, dear," Benny said.
"Business is good as always. I'll see you later, Benny," Charlie said, glancing briefly at Gertrude.
As Charlie left he saw Benny pick up the pace of his work. He and all the townspeople found Benny to be a gentle, likeable man. He wore a sweater vest no matter what the season, and his eyes twinkled behind wire-rimmed glasses whenever he greeted visitors. They all wondered how he could tolerate Gertrude's abuse.
Late one weekday when business had been slow and no one was in the store, Gertrude called to Benny. "Come here, Benjamin!" she demanded.
"Yes, what is it now?"
"I have to go to the bank. Can I trust you to watch the store while I'm gone?"
"Yes, dear," he said as he obediently walked over and stood behind the counter. He breathed a sigh of relief as she left the store.
While Gertrude was gone, a man came into the store to sell an antique radio, the tall floor model style with a wood cabinet and burgundy colored cloth down the front where the speakers were located. Benny remembered his dad having one like it when he was a boy. He and his dad had spent many happy hours listening to baseball games on their radio.
As Benny looked over the old radio, he could almost hear the soothing music of Bing Crosby or Frankie Lane. He remembered how much he enjoyed watching his dad and mom waltz around their living room to the sounds of the big bands.
Benny knew that Gertrude wouldn't approve of him making a purchase while she was gone, but he really wanted the radio. He offered $50 for it, which the man quickly accepted. With the radio loaded on a furniture dolly, he looked around the store and chose a spot on the back wall where he could plug it in.
There were layers of dirt and grime from years of neglect, but Benny could see the beauty of the wood underneath. That was the way he looked at life in general. He looked for the best in people, too, and tried to see the good in Gertrude, though it was hard to see past her scolding, abrasive nature. She wasn't like that when they first married. Benny reasoned that not being able to have children had hardened her heart and made her the critical person she had become.
Gertrude left the bank at her usual brisk pace, giving the appearance that she had urgent business to tend to. "Were there any customers while I was gone?" Gertrude asked when she returned to the store at closing time.
"No, dear, but I bought a new item," he said with cautious pride.
"Benjamin! You know I'm the one who does the buying!" she snapped, her eyes flashing.
"Come see, Gertrude. I think you'll be pleased." They walked to the back of the store where Benny showed her the antique radio, anticipating her approval.
"Is this what you bought?" she shouted. "I hope you didn't pay more than $10 for it. We'll be stuck with this filthy monstrosity until we find someone else dumb enough to buy it! Benjamin, you're such a foolish man! This is a used furniture store, not an antique shop." She shook her head and scowled at him. "Do something useful and go lock up for the night."
"Yes, dear."
Benny locked the front door, turned out the lights and slowly plodded up the stairs that led to their apartment. He prepared himself for more of Gertrude's criticism about his inept business sense. Just as Benny saw the good in everything and everybody, Gertrude saw only the bad.
After Gertrude went to bed, Benny went downstairs to clean the old radio. When all the dirt and grime were removed, the beautiful wood cabinet gleamed. It was evidence of the fine quality workmanship of a prior generation. Benny plugged it in and smiled as the area around the large dial in the center began to light up. There was a lot of static; but as he turned the dial, he heard several stations that came in clearly. He kept the volume low enough so Gertrude wouldn't hear it.
On a station that featured "golden oldies," Benny heard an old familiar tune from when he was growing up. He was immediately transported to a time in his life when there was joy—a time without Gertrude. As one song after another resonated from the burgundy-clad speakers, Benny's mind took him back to when he sat with his parents listening to all the great programs of the 1940's.
When the hour grew late, Benny realized that he should turn in for the night because there would be more work for him the next day. He decided that every night after Gertrude went to bed, he would go downstairs and listen to the antique radio. Since every day of his life was filled with her complaints, this would be the one thing he could enjoy. He knew that she would never allow him to keep the radio for himself, so he secretly hoped that no one would buy it.
Every evening Benny quietly slipped downstairs after Gertrude went to sleep and enjoyed listening to more of the music he loved. It was a welcome change from the daily drudgery of being at Gertrude's beck and call. Sometimes when he heard one of his favorite tunes, he would sing along in a soft, low voice. When a good dance tune played, he couldn't resist the urge to get up and dance around the store. The happiness of the evenings carried over into the daytime hours. One day Benny took a break from sweeping the floor and began humming one of the old songs.
"Benjamin, stop that singing and get back to work!" Gertrude shouted.
"Yes, dear."
Two months later Gertrude awoke during the night to find that Benny wasn't in bed. She called to him from their bedroom, but there was no answer. She walked to the stairs leading to the storefront.
"Benjamin, are you down there?"
Benny jumped to his feet, knocking over a metal shelf which gave away his location.
"Benjamin, what are you doing down here?" Gertrude asked as she rushed down the stairs.
"I was just listening to the old radio."
"Turn that thing off and come to bed! And tomorrow you need to find someone who will buy that radio, even if you just get back what you paid for it."
"Yes, dear."
Benny reluctantly turned off the radio and followed her up the stairs. The next day he asked every customer who came in the store if they wanted to buy a nice antique radio. They all declined.
"You see, I told you that darned radio would be hard to sell. You're never going to buy anything again . . . Did you hear me, Benjamin?" Gertrude shouted at him from behind the cash register..
"Yes," was his only reply.
That evening Benny again waited until Gertrude was sound asleep then bravely crept down the stairs and turned on the radio. It had become his refuge; his escape from his wife's endless nagging—the kind that wears away the soul and destroys the spirit.
As the familiar sounds on the radio again transported his mind to a more peaceful world, he began to feel renewed as never before. When Benny spent listening to the old radio, it brought back such pleasant memories that he never wanted it to end. Suddenly, a revelation came to him. I just won't go back. The thought became a verbal affirmation. "I won't go back to that hateful woman!"
Gertrude found him the next morning sitting in his big overstuffed chair next to the antique radio with a blank look on his face.
"Get up and turn off that blasted radio!" she shouted. "You won't be fit to work today after staying up all night. I'm getting rid of that monstrosity so you won't waste your time listening to it!"
Benny was jolted out of the chair, but he spoke not a word. He shuffled up the stairs and went to bed, leaving Gertrude to tend the store alone. True to her word, that very day she called a junk dealer to haul away the radio.
Every day thereafter Benny ambled silently about their apartment or wandered downstairs to sit in his chair next to where the antique radio once stood. She had taken from him the only pleasure he knew in his life. Benny peered out at the world from that special place where he did not have to listen to Gertrude, but he still heard the music that only he could hear.
Jane Clark is Co-Director of Writers Bloc and has been a member of the group since 2005. She is a retired advertising sales representative who enjoys writing memoirs, essays, poetry and fiction. Her work has appeared in several regional and national publications, and a copy of her first novel True Allegiance was donated to the Salem Public Library.
- Log in to post comments
Please Login for Premium Content
Site Login Help
For current subscribers to The Salem Leader and The Salem Democrat, you can login to the site using the following information:
Username: Please use your full email address associated with your account
Password: Please use your last name. Passwords are case sensitive, so please capitalize your last name (eg: Smith)


text:
6:00 am He's up, a little earlier than normal but not unusually early. Still, I'm walking dead, so I make him a bottle and lay down in bed with him, hoping to lull him back to sleep. This has never worked and continues to not work on this day. I hand him the iPhone.
6:30 am He's super cranky. He keeps asking me to find a different video then rejects it instantly and asks for another one. As his mood further darkens, I take it and tell him no more iPhone.
6:35 am The flu virus that is lurking inside him will not accept this indignity and erupts in protest.
6:36 am – 7:20 am Open mouthed, red faced wailing begins and continues unabated.
6:36 am – 7:20 am ( Our bedroom) Alex remains soundly sleeping. Twenty feet away.
7:21 am – 7:30 am Alex is suddenly awakened…..ahem. His ability to sleep through a miserably crying child is pondered. Angrily.
7:30 am All the almond milk that had been, just seconds earlier, inside Luka's little belly, is now all over the couch. And then the carpet. Then portions of the floor.
7:31 am – 7:45 am Flurry of panic as we wipe and sop. Luka cries.
7:46 am – 8:30 am Snuggling and cuddling my sick boy. Papa leaves for work.
8:31 am – 11:30 am We stay in bed. Luka can't sleep despite his heavy eyes, he's so sick. He doesn't want to eat, or watch videos. He doesn't want the iPad. He doesn't want the iPad! This is really serious. I skype my sister, an objective observer with two grown children of her own who will surely put me at ease. She views him on her computer and cooly advises me that he is suffering from a brain bleed due to all the head bonks he's recently suffered. Holy what?! ( with friends like this…..) I call the pediatrician, describe the situation and make an appointment for 3:15.
11:31 am – 12:30 pm I sneak out of the room and get some chores done downstairs. Luka makes a weak peep and I dash back up. Puke again. A giant pool in the middle of my bed and, no…. NO….not the duvet cover! Shiiiiiiiiiiit. Now I have to remove it and that means I'll have to put it back on. I take a couple of minutes to feel really sorry for myself.
12:31 pm- 12:50 pm I remove the duvet and all the sheets and mattress cover while somehow balancing a weak little monkey on my hip.
12:51 pm – 1:00 pm The Dr's office calls. Based on my – entirely accurate!- description of the situation, the Dr. is wondering if this is an ER situation. I answer no to all the questions the nurse asks and it's determined that there is no emergency. I am now convinced that this is an emergency.
1:01 pm- 1:10 pm I make my seventh call of the day to Alex and tell him that the Dr. thought it might be an emergency. I tell him what questions were asked. He says he knows what the Dr. thought it might be, but that Luka clearly doesn't have it. He refuses to tell me what is. Something about going online and becoming hysterical. He goes on his rant about how our pediatrician hit the lottery when he got me as a patient.
1:11 pm – 2:45 pm Luka sleeps in my lap. I talk on and off with my sister. We discuss the illness. She further convinces me that he is near death.
2:46 pm-3:15 pm Luka sits up and asks for apples. Encouraged I walk to the kitchen to get him a couple slices. Behind me I hear the padding of little feet. Luka is walking behind me, smiling. He begins to talk and sing and eat apples. Are you kidding me, kid? Seriously? Fifteen minutes before we head to the Doctor?
3:15 pm- 4:15 pm Luka makes a big show of being completely fine and not at all sick while we're in the waiting room. He's banging the cupboard doors when the Dr. comes into the examining room. " Well, this doesn't look like a sick kid. "
" Oh, hahaha. He really was. I swear he was really sick all day. Hahaha ." I glower at Luka.
4:16 pm- 7:00 pm Mr. Miraculous recovery is sick again. I put him to bed and he falls right to sleep.
8:42 pm- 9:00 pm He calls for me and I discover him, feverish and laying in his vomit. I quickly call my husband. He tells me that it's fine, this is standard for a stomach virus. I disregard him and frantically call the on-call doctor. I'm determined to prove my husband medically wrong. This is standard procedure.
9:01 pm – 9:15 pm While speaking with the doctor, who confirms that a fever is common with a stomach flu ( damn you, Alex!), I realize that the vomit in Luka's crib is actually just water spilled from his bottle. Ooomps. I need to go to bed.
9:16 pm – 10:00 pm We snuggle and watch The Polar Express. I've never seen it before. How I hated it. What the hell was that? Luka says " tutu, tutu, tutu" at least forty times before I realize he's telling me that he sees a ' choo-choo train'. I'm overcome with guilt for not understanding him. He's so devastatingly little and sweet. Baby Tylenol kicks in and he begins to run around and play and sing.
10:01 pm- 10:30 pm I let him make up for lost play time and then usher us off to bed. It goes smoothly.
10:31 pm- 11:00 pm Alex arrives home, and I recall the day for him. There is a lot of head shaking ( at me) and sad faces ( for Luka).
11:01 pm – 5:59 am Sleep
6:00 am He's awake early again, but happy as a clam.


text:
Are you an enthusiastic and reliable grounds maintenance operative? We are looking for dynamic people to maintain the gardens, parks and open spaces in and around the local area. Working with one of the UK's leading provider of integrated management and maintenance services for parks and green spaces.
The job involves the following aspects of maintenance:
- Weeding
- Pruning
- Planting
- Lawn Mowing
- Strimming
- Hedge Cutting
Both Seasonal and Permanent roles are available.
We have other opportunities for skilled persons in the industry including:
- General Gardeners
- Ride on Mower Operatives
- Sprayers PA1 and PA6
- Horticulturalists (Horticulture level 1, level 2 and level 3)
Location: Kensington and Chelsea
- Hours: 40 hours per week
- Days: Monday to Friday
- Time: 7.30 am to 4 pm
- Overtime: Optionally Available
- £10.70 per hour
- You will be paid in your bank account weekly
Candidate Requirements
- Proven experience in grounds maintenance
- Full UK driving licence
- Competent in using the appropriate power tools where required
- Certificates in spraying (PA1 PA6), Horticulture and Ride on Mowers would be an advantage but not essential.
- Be physically fit
If the above is of interest we would really like to hear from you.
We are an approved member of Bali - British Association of Landscape Industries.


text:
Good morning everyone! And, TGIF.
I learned late yesterday, after some back and forth with Amazon (who, btw, was actually very helpful and responded within an hour of my first contact with them) that my former Ellora's Cave books have been removed from their site! Likewise, they've been removed from Ingram, iBooks, B&N/Nook, Kobo, and Google Books, etc.
That said, it is possible that some of the print versions are still being offered at some of these vendors. To my knowledge, those books are treated like used books and are predominately being sold through private persons. Before I go any further, I did want to send out a warning to all of my readers and any authors, some of those private persons have placed several of my print books on a 'bot' system, meaning that it generates an outrageous price for a book based on the idea that it is 'rare' or only a few left. New print titles should not be made available POD. The thing is, as much as I loved having those books in print, I do NOT advise anyone to purchase them. I cannot say where the money is going, and, in many cases, the 'bot' is charging more than $600.00 for a book. That is absolutely crazy. Even those books that are reasonably priced falls into this advisory, for the same reason. I am not certain who is selling them or profiting off of them, it isn't me.
As I'm predominately an indie author at the moment, though I loved being part of Naughty Literati's Naughty Heatwave multi-author anthology and may look into doing similar stories in the future, most of my revamped/reworked titles will be made available predominately in digital/ebook format because it's the best way I can offer them to readers at prices that are fair and reasonable. I write big books, I love to read big books, and it's my hope that readers, those new to me and those who have read my stories before, will enjoy my vision of happily ever after!
Trust me, I loved writing Quarterback Blitz featuring Kyran Black and Anna James. Field of Play, with Dallas McKay and Grace Daniels. Ink Master, which launched the Maddox brothers beyond secondary characters with Cuff Master and Switch Master. Playing Doctor, my first male/male romance. Hazard's Dare, a return to both the Alexandria Griffins professional football team, and the first of the Dare, Nevada trilogy that I vow to finish. Likewise, a standalone, Pleasure Trove which, sadly, never really gained any traction as it released shortly after EC announced massive layoffs, will get a makeover, too.
What happened over the last two years is a story many know about already and I'm not going to go into it further. But, I would like to credit Ellora's Cave, especially my editor, for taking a chance on me with my first book for the Cerridwen Press imprint, later to become Blush, and continuing to accept what I'd submitted for the hotter, EC markets. I'd always planned more stories/books in the worlds/series I'd had published. And, now that my books are back where they belong, with me, I promise to update them, not only with fresh, new covers, but with new titles and new scenes, as well as renaming the series formerly known as Ink and Kink, Sexcapades, and Panthera.
It'll take a while, as I want them to be the best they can be, as I'd originally envisioned them. I'm looking forward diving back into the worlds of football, tattoos, hot, sexy romances, and writing new books. In the meantime, I have three books available at Amazon, Kobo, iBooks, and Nook, UnMAsKed, Lipstick and Camouflage, and Persuasion. (Persuasion is the first in my revamped Panthera series now titled The Abcynians! Coming soon, Pride and book 2 of Brandt's Dozen. Along with my indie titles, there's a quick, hot story in Naughty Heatwave. Better yet, the anthology is available for only $.99 cents at pretty much every single vendor, Amazon, Nook, Kobo, etc.
Needless to say, I'm so excited! I cannot wait to dive back into these worlds. I was proud of every single book I'd published with EC. I remain proud of them, but, yes, I want to make them better than every before.
Stay tuned for relaunch announcements and news!
Until next time,
Frances Stockton


text:
Greetings... It's November... how did that happen? I'm playing along with the PTI Make It Monday and I'm amazed that it took me 2 days to play along (check out my Outside Inn instagram feed for a hint on how many trick-or-treaters we had). I made the wrapping paper with the PTI tree set and the tag with another set, so simple and doable...
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
peace tag and wrapping paper
4 comments:
- lexi said...
super cute wrapping paper - i love those trees and the tag is the perfect finishing touch!! thanks for playing make it monday!
- November 2, 2016 at 6:41 PM
- Lynn said...
Adorable wrapping paper Erin!
- November 3, 2016 at 2:45 AM
- artful-notions said...
Completely adorable trees on your paper. And I love the tag. Must remember to whip that set out!
- November 4, 2016 at 2:09 PM
- jen said...
Love your paper & tag- I've got that never been used but had to have tag set sitting on my desk now! Need to put it to use!
- November 6, 2016 at 10:44 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
The comparison between secondhand smoke and vapor seems to be a hot topic today. Considering several cities, places and national parks have banned the use of e-cigarettes without even examining the secondhand effects the devices have.
Since, e-cigarettes release a vapor, the act of smoking an e-cigarette is commonly known as 'vaping' and not smoking.
This is the reason why scientists continue to evaluate the effects of secondhand vapor and how it is different from secondhand smoke. A clearly defined difference between the two will help us to regulate the use of e-cigarettes in public places.
It is interesting to note that the second-hand effects of vapor are assessed to be minor to non-existent. Although the negative influences of secondhand smoking are well documented and are declared to be a threat to other people's health as well, it does not justify the use e-cigarettes indoors or in closed environments.
Some scientific evidence does support the notion that secondhand vapor is safer than secondhand smoke. Findings from different studies do reveal that the aerosol emitted in vaping is not as harmful as secondhand smoke.
Scientists have studied rooms filled with conventional tobacco smoke by comparing them to rooms filled e-cig vapor. They have pointed out that secondhand vapor is undeniably safer than secondhand smoke as it does not contain harmful and toxic chemicals that are present in conventional tobacco smoke.
Well, it is important to understand that the permanent effects of e-cig vapor are yet to be completely researched and documented, there is little evidence to put e-cig vapor in the same basket as tobacco smoke.
Here are some benefits that e-cigarettes provide smokers and to the people who are around them.
- The hand-to-mouth action is very easy and simple
- Nicotine levels can be adjusted so that its use can be controlled
- There are hundreds of flavors that are less harmful than traditional tobacco
- People who are around e-cigarette smokers are less offended as they would be in case of conventional cigarettes
- It is an affordable alternative to smoking with fewer harmful toxins
E-cigarette manufacturers do not claim that the devices will make you quit smoking completely. However, they are a great substitute to control your nicotine consumption. They are not medical devices to cure a disease, rather, a safer and affordable alternative to cigarettes that produce less dangerous secondhand vapor.
Thanks to the many benefits of e-cigarettes, thousands of people have successfully quit smoking by gradually reducing their tobacco intake.
Many people are happy to switch to e-cigarettes as the devices have helped them to get back their sense of smell and taste again. E-cig smokers not just smell better, they can also do plenty of good to the environment.
Of course, there are important questions behind why secondhand vapor is less dangerous than secondhand smoke. The answer lies in how both kinds of cigarettes are engineered. While the conventional cigarette works by burning tobacco, an e-cigarette uses e-liquid that contains fewer toxins than tobacco. It is also important that you always buy premium e-cigarettes from a trusted source or a vendor that sells only the best vaping products.
Indeed, a few toxic chemicals are discharged in the e-cigarette vapor as well. However, their levels of harm are much lower than conventional tobacco smoke.
Final Thoughts
People are less intimidated to be around e-cigarette users than conventional smokers. Although the complete effects of both secondhand vapor and secondhand smoke are yet to studied more for declaring any final results; research findings make it safer to conclude that secondhand vapor is less harmful than secondhand smoke. People, particularly children, who are exposed to secondhand smoke, are likely to be sick with asthma and various infections.


text:
Options To Obamacare
The Journal of Frailty & Getting old is a peer-reviewed worldwide journal aimed toward presenting articles that are associated to analysis in the space of growing old and age-associated (sub)scientific situations. Specifically, the journal publishes excessive-quality papers describing and discussing social, biological, and scientific features underlying the onset and development of frailty in older persons. For a very long time, America was the only advanced economic system on the planet the place health care was not a proper, however a privilege. We spent extra, we got much less. We left tens of millions of People with out the safety of health insurance coverage. By the time the financial disaster hit, most folks' premiums had more than doubled in a few decade. About one in 10 People who obtained their health care via their employer lost that protection. So the health care system was not working. And the rising prices of health care burdened businesses and have become the most important driver of our lengthy-term deficits.
Even in the event you're hunched over in agony, taking to your bed will solely make a foul back worse. The newest analysis exhibits that mattress rest weakens again muscular tissues and prolongs the struggling. Married males may endure greater than single males because of all of the pampering. I used to like milking the care from Lisa, but one of the best resolution is to get up, take a pain reliever, and be a soldier.
You're a member of a recognized non secular sect with spiritual objections to insurance coverage, including Social Security and Medicare. In 2 days I will probably be flying to North Carolina to see my son earlier than he gets deployed to Iraq and I will likely be driving his vehicle again for secure preserving whereas he is overseas. Based … Read More ...


text:
Lux Market Reports
At least quarterly I do a number of searches on the Triangle Multiple Listing Service (TMLS) that any REALTOR can do to develop some statistics on activity in the Durham luxury home market. These posts were originally created for my luxury blog DurhamLuxRE.com and the links below to each report will take you to that site. I am not actively posting on DurhamLuxRE these days but I intend to keep posting the reports there with links from this page.
Those who followed DurhamLuxRE know that the luxury market was originally defined somewhat arbitrarily at anything listed or sold for $700,000 or more in Durham County and includes homes in zip code 27517 which are in Durham County but have Chapel Hill addresses. What I have found is that this is actually a pretty good demarcation point in the Durham market. It is at that point that Durham becomes significantly different from surrounding markets. This is both a challenge for sellers and listing agents in the county and an opportunity for buyers and buyer agents all over the region.
From this page you will be able to link to other pages or blog posts with the results of these periodic analyses. I'll insert the link in reverse order so that the most recent appear first.
Third Quarter Report 2009 Holding market share and the lead in absorption rate but substantial price reductions restrain our enthusiasm. Here are the details.
Second Quarter Report 2009 Again 9 sales but market share holds between 9 and 10 percent and Durham actually has the highest absorption rate of the four counties looked at. Here are the details.
First Quarter Report 2009 With only 9 sales in the $700+ bracket during the first quarter, Durham still improved its market share to 10.8% or double the average for the last four years. Here are the details.
Year End Report 2008 – Only four closed sales of homes listed for $700+ in the year's final quarter and only two closed for more than that amount. The year proved pretty typical however, with 34 sales…right at the four year average…while Orange, Wake and Chatham luxury sales dropped dramatically. What this says is that Durham has no place to go but up. Here are the details.
Third Quarter Report 2008 – The Durham luxury home market surprises by actually doing better year-to-date than last year while our adjacent counties showed sharp declines. Maybe not great news, but not that bad either. Here are the details.
Third Quarter Interim Report 2008 – Not quite the end of the quarter but some interesting developments and a lot of new listings. Click for details.
Second Quarter 2008 – The Dog Days of Summer. Inventory is still high and sales are weak in spite of the availability of some outstanding properties and continued price pressure. Click here for the full report.
First Quarter 2008 – A little hope but still low absorption rate for Durham's finest homes. Some comparisions with the luxury markets of our neighbors to the east and west. Click here for the report.
Year End Wrap up – A follow up to the comprehensive report on market conditions in the Durham Luxury Market that launched this blog. Click here for the report.
The Durham Luxury Market Report – The report that started it all analyzing market conditions in the Durham Luxury Home Market. Click here for a downloadable pdf version of the report that can be read in Adobe Reader and printed easily.


text:
State violence against protesters doesn't tend to cause much of an outcry in Egypt, outside of the groups affected and some activists. But, in early October 2011, an event popularly described as the "Maspero massacre" was bad enough to send at least some shockwaves.
Demonstrators, mostly Coptic Christians, had gathered outside the Maspero state media office in Cairo to protest the recent destruction of a church. The military, which at that moment was ruling Egypt directly, attempted to disperse the crowd, which responded by throwing rocks. Troops drove military vehicles directly into the protesters and later fired on them, killing 25. Three days later, as backlash mounted at home and abroad, the finance minister resigned in protest. The generals, who had never seemed totally comfortable in power, appeared even more eager to step back into the shadows.
Things are going differently this time around. On Saturday, civilian security forces opened fire on largely Islamist protesters who had gathered on Cairo's Nasr Road in support of president Mohamed Morsi, deposed three weeks earlier by the military. The state violence against pro-Muslim Brotherhood demonstrators, hardly the first this month but by far the deadliest, killed at least 83 civilians. A Human Rights Watch investigation found that many had been shot in the chest or head by live ammunition.
The response both within Egypt and abroad, unlike after the October 2011 killings at Maspero, has been fairly muted. There are a few reasons for that, most of them having to do more with what made Maspero unusual than with this weekend's events. But it's another sign of a worrying trend for the Muslim Brotherhood, and for Egypt's ability to move on: the group is deeply, deeply isolated. Its members are increasingly targeted by state violence that they have little power to resist, leaving them at the mercy of a military and state security service that has long loathed them.
The Brotherhood's plight is that, while the group might have many members, it has no allies left, either within Egypt or outside it. Morsi's year in office, rife with mismanagement and miscalculations, seemed to infuriate most everyone outside the Brotherhood.
"If this was animals being killed, people would care," a pro-Morsi activist told a Guardian reporter outside a morgue where fellow protesters' bodies had been taken. "But because it's us, they don't."
Many in Egypt see the victims in Saturday's shootings as anything but. And while they're right in pointing out that the Brotherhood showed little concern for protester deaths while in power themselves, the killings of pro-Morsi protesters are often justified as part of a fight against terrorism that appears largely fictitious. The military's official rhetoric, repeated on state media, has described the Brotherhood as somehow foreign or seditionist, armed terrorists who are willing or even eager to bring the country into civil war. A number of Egyptian liberals seemed to agree, characterizing the Brotherhood deaths as just or perhaps even a deliberate ploy by the group to manipulate public opinion.
Hossam al-Hamalawy, a left-wing activist who is no fan of the Brotherhood, told the Christian Science Monitor that widespread public hate for the group had reached a sort of hysteria. "The media is lying, exaggerating, and picturing this like Islamist demons with horns creating havoc everywhere," he said. "You're getting responses on the social networks when you tweet or post pictures [of those wounded or killed] like, 'Oh yeah, they deserve that. I wish [military leader] Sissi would kill more.'"
Outside Egypt, Morsi and the Brotherhood have gotten few signals of public support or even sympathy. Three regional players -- Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates -- pledged a combined $12 billion in aid to Egypt shortly after the coup, widely perceived as a show of tacit support.
The United States, which often seeks to play the role of arbiter in post-Mubarak Egypt, has been conspicuously muted in its official and unofficial response. The White House and State Department appear to be working toward a resolution behind the scenes but have held back from much criticism of the military rulers and from suggesting that the $1.5 billion in annual foreign aid could be cut. While American officials have expressed concern for the protester deaths, that concern is typically preceded and followed by an affirmation of the need to keep a close, positive relationship with the powers that be in Cairo.
The continued violence against the Brotherhood is actually bad news for all Egyptians, as it pushes the group into the margins of society, undermines the 2011 revolution's ideals of democracy and rule of law, makes national reconciliation less likely and reinforces the idea that power belongs to the people with the guns.
But the causes of this go beyond the Brotherhood's isolation. The backlash against the 2011 Maspero killings was, in many ways, more an aberration than the norm. "Outside of the reformists, state violence is never something that has been so controversial," Michael Wahid Hanna, an Egypt expert at the Century Foundation, told me, noting that even the January 2011 protests against police violence had been instigated "by a mobilized minority."
The backlash against the Maspero deaths, Hanna said, had less to do with the killings and more with the killers: the military. Typically, it's civilian security services beating or killing protesters -- as they did this weekend. But Maspero was conducted by uniformed members of the military, which holds itself up as a national symbol apart from the messiness of Egyptian politics. Maspero tarnished the reputation that the generals so prize; that was the scandal.
Maybe the question, then, is not whether the Brotherhood can find allies -- if it couldn't or wouldn't after winning the country's first democratic elections, it's not clear it will now, after a year of growing public outrage against it. Maybe the question is whether the military can continue to rule, and to preside over such severe state violence, without again risking its public reputation. But the signs, so far, don't seem to indicate that the generals have yet crossed this line -- even after video surfaced showing uniformed soldiers firing into a crowd of pro-Morsi demonstrators at the Republican Guard headquarters just three weeks ago.
Update: Hanna, on Twitter, emphasizes that the reaction to the Maspero deaths was "muted" in Egypt, though he says it "changed perceptions among reformists."


text:
Tibetan Greetings
The following are some common phrases used daily among Tibetans and are here just for fun. Karmapa Chenno!
"Hello": Tah-shi de-leh
"How are you?": Keh-rahng ku-su de-bo yin-peh?
"I'm fine.": La yin. Ngah snug-po de-bo yin.
"Please sit down.": Shoo-ro-nahng.
"Where are you going?": Keh-rahng kah-bah phe-geh?
"Goodbye.": Kah-leh phe
"See you later.": Jeh yong
"See you tonight.": To-gong jeh yong
"See you tomorrow.": Sahng-nyi jeh yong
"Goodnight.": Sim-jah nahng-go
"I'm sorry.": Gong-dah
"Thank you.": Thu-chi che


text:
active in the following countries
works with Both ENDS on
Both ENDS has been working with the NTFP-EP since the beginning of the nineties. The NFTP-EP is a network of civil society organisations from South- and South East Asia. Together, Both ENDS and the NTFP-EP have created an extensive programme for forest-dependent and indigenous communities in particular, in order to increase the capacity for sustainable materials management.
added value of partnership
From its inception, Both ENDS has been a member of the board and steering committee of the NTFP-EP, and has supported it with advice and guidance. In addition, Both ENDS has played an integral role in the NTFP-EPs fundraising, especially in the areas of lobby and advocacy.
Non-Timber Forest Products - Exchange Programme
External links
Rich Forests
Rich Forests promotes a sustainable and future-proof production system and supports, among other things, the transformation of degraded land into food forests. With this, people provide for their livelihood, increase their income and at the same time restore soil and biodiversity.
Inclusive Land Governance
Both ENDS works with partners around the world to ensure that land is governed fairly and inclusively and managed sustainably with priority for the rights and interests of local communities.
Fighting for more sustainable palm oil
The production of palm oil is causing social and environmental problems worldwide. Both ENDS is working to make the sector fairer and more sustainable and is promoting alternatives for palm oil.
News / 21 March 2017
FPIC needs to move beyond an 'end of the line-solution'
How can we more effectively implement FPIC-legislation and ensure the fundamental community rights of indigenous peoples are protected? Both ENDS' Wiert Wiertsema explores this question in an article in the newsletter of our partner NTFP-EP.
Publication / 22 December 2015


text:
Loyalty and Rewards
Appreciate your best customers
Establish loyalty and incentivize customers
Get customers back in through the door and get them to spend more when they do
Watch how these businesses create loyalty by saying "Thank You" to their best customers.
There are many types of loyalty programs, with points being a consumer favorite. Ease of redemption is the key to success. Yiftee can work with your existing loyalty programs, or be a simple way to reward your loyal customers ad hoc. You can offer your own store's eGift Cards as rewards and serve a dual purpose to bring customers back in store. Or, let your customers choose from any eGift Card on the Yiftee marketplace of over 56,000 different locations including restaurants, spas, boutiques, entertainment, health clubs and online shopping.
"We gave Yiftee eGift Cards out to our loyal customers, which enabled us to drive more traffic to the store, so we can connect new customers and engage with our current customer base"
Mr Cheung is in good company offering loyalty rewards to his customers. Loyalty programs work. The statistics are compelling:
– 81% of consumers say loyalty programs make them more likely to continue doing business with brands, and 70% say they modify where/when they purchase to maximize points (source: Bond, 2016)
– In the U.S. alone, companies spend a staggering $2 billion on loyalty programs every year (source: CapGemini 2015)
– In some industries, 91% of companies have a customer engagement or loyalty program (source: Experian, 2014)
– 44% of SMBs have a loyalty program, 21% say they plan to start one in the next year (source: BIA/Kelsey, 2014)
Integrates into your loyalty program
See how we can complement your existing loyalty program
Reward Fulfillment
- Yiftee eGift Cards can be used solo or with your loyalty tracking system to say thanks and reward loyal customers. There are many advantages:
- Digital – eGift Cards are sent through email or text messages manually or triggered by certain activities. They live on your customers' mobile devices, always with them and never sitting at home in a drawer.
- Efficient – Want to send a gift right away? Or schedule it for later? You can sit down once and take care of a batch of rewards to be delivered, or set them up to go out automatically.
- Reminders – Yiftee will automatically send out friendly reminders so that your customers make the most of their rewards.
- Full Tracking – See how effective your loyalty rewards are. Track status updates from open, redemption, etc.
- Cost Effective – Set expiration dates to your promotional eGift Cards and only pay for those that get redeemed.
Perkville is a marketing leading all in one referral and rewards program with thousands of businesses on board. Perkville provides a number of loyalty options, e.g. money spent, class attendance, purchase frequency, referrals, and social media posts. By partnering with Yiftee, Perkville clients can reward their customers with eGifts at their own stores or any of Yiftee's 56,000 active businesses including restaurants, spas, boutiques, entertainment, health and fitness establishments, and more.
Reward Fulfillment For Your Business
Surprise and delight – birthdays and any days
A simple way to get started with loyalty
- Maybe you're not ready for a full blown loyalty program. Counting visits, money spent, class attendance or referrals is more than you want right now. But you would like to do something for your regular customers because after all, they are responsible for your success.
- One approach would be to simply "surprise and delight" your regulars with an eGift Card. No schedule. No expectation. Just a thank you, out of the blue with an eGift for your business. All you need is their email or cell phone number and you're ready.
- Alternatively, you could set up a Birthday Club. Invite your customers to join and Yiftee will take care of the "surprise and delight" automatically and send them an eGift at your store on their birthday.
Check out our Birthday Club here!
Find out how Yiftee can work with your loyalty program
Questions? Call 1(650) 564-4438 to speak to a member of our team.


text:
do you have a pattern that you come back to time and time again, because it's just so great? i have a few, and the 'library bag' pattern by leanne of leanne's house is one of them. i've made it for friends, i've made it for aunties – and most recently, i made it for one of my teachers:
it's a winner.


text:
Student view
by Jillian Terry
Colouring your classes green
Like much of the world's population, many students have been swept up in the recent wave of activism and discussion about the environment and how to make the world a greener place for all its citizens.
Whether you've heard it from Stéphane Dion, Al Gore, David Suzuki, or even from a viral YouTube video forwarded to you from a particularly eco-conscious friend, the message remains largely the same: drive less, recycle more, eat local, turn off the lights.
The list goes on, but a lot of the content doesn't particularly appeal to students, many of whom are already using public transportation, walking or bicycling to school, and have grown up in an era where it's a natural habit to turn off a light when you leave the room. Much of what is being preached by well-known environmentalists feels a little like common knowledge to us members of this newfound green generation.
But while we seem to have these basics down pat and can probably do without the reminder, there are other ways for students to adopt greener attitudes through their actions in the classroom. Most importantly, and perhaps most overlooked, is the careful usage of paper.
As one of this country's most abundant renewable resources, it's easy to forget that paper can be abused just as easily as water or fossil fuels. And as part of the institution of post-secondary education, where paperwork abounds from the start to finish of your academic career, it's almost impossible to escape a daily paper consumption rivalling the length of a short novel.
But, by keeping a few simple things in mind throughout the semester as the articles, labs, and term papers build up, it's possible to at least make a serious dent in the amount of paper products you useon campus.
Have you ever tried to hurriedly print something off at one of the public printers in the Commons right before class, only to discover that the student ahead of you in the print queue has decided to print the entire term's worth of PowerPoint presentations made available online by their professor?
Ten minutes and a half tank of black ink later, you will probably feel frustrated that someone would ever do such a thing. And it's not just the time spent that makes it frustrating – printing slides off is one of the most wasteful things you can do as a student. Not only is there a high percentage of wasted space on each page – especially if you choose to print one slide per sheet – but the large fonts, backgrounds, and images professors often include in presentations take up both paper and ink that could be much better used elsewhere. Instead of printing off the slides themselves, try copying the text either into a notebook, or into a word processing document so it can be formatted to a reasonable size font and spacing pattern in order to maximize the space on the page.
What about printing documents in general? Most professors want papers and assignments handed in double-spaced, which is clearly not the most environmentally friendly printing option.
To combat against this, there are two things you can do either at home or at school to make the work you hand in greener.
First, choose a lower print quality. Virtually all printers give you the option of three print qualities, the lowest usually referred to as a draft or low quality of print. But if it's just text you're printing, the difference in quality is almost invisible to the naked eye, and will save you and the environment from purchasing more ink than is necessary.
Second – and this is a big one – print double-sided. It may be a little bit of a hassle at home, having to flip over the pages to print on the reverse side, but it's worth it in the long run when you use half the amount of paper you would have originally.
Also, did you know that one of the public printers in the Commons now prints on both sides? Just ask one of the friendly staff at the library and they'll gladly show you where it is and how to use it.
There are dozens of more things you can do as a student to cut down on your paper usage at school, but I'll mention just one more. The library has thousands of e-journals available at your fingertips online – so instead of photocopying articles that your professor puts on reserve, download them. And if you're not okay with reading from a computer screen, use the reserve for its two-hour period by reading the original copy.
While photocopying may seem like the easiest solution, it's also the one that has the most harmful effect on the environment.
This and the other suggestions to cut down on paper usage are just guidelines – brainstorm and think of other specific parts of your daily life where you can find alternatives to paper products.
Paper won't always be plentiful in this country, and it's time we start thinking of the next generation of university students and what kind of world we're leaving to them.


text:
Australia's largest concentrated solar power plant officially launched
Posted by Big Gav in australia, cpv, csp, silex, solar power, solar thermal power
RenewEconomy has an article on Silex's CPV (Concentrated Solar Photovoltaic) power plant at Mildura - Australia's largest concentrated solar power plant officially launched.
Australia's largest concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) solar power plant was officially opened today, with the Victorian energy minister joining executives from the plant's developer, Solar Systems, to cut the ribbon on the 1.5MW demonstration facility in Mildura.
The demonstration of the "dense array" solar technology of parent company Silex Systems is a fore-runner for what is expected to be a 100MW power plant, with construction slated to begin in 2014. Another 1MW demonstration plant is being built in Saudi Arabia, with hopes of further development as that country pushes into the start of a $100 billion solar spending program
The array – whose 40 CPV dishes have been feeding power into the national grid for almost a month, after their successful commissioning began in April – collects sunlight in more than 100 curved mirrors and focuses it onto ultra-high efficiency "mulit-junction" PV cells; technology originally developed by Boeing to power satellites.
Silex CEO Michael Goldsworthy says the cells currently boast efficiency rates of around 43 per cent – about double that of today's best silicon-based cells and up to four times the efficiency of thin film solar cells – but he hopes this can be lifted to more than 50 per cent, or even 60 per cent, with further research.
The technology also uses 'active cooling' technology to maximise power output while minimising water consumption and prolonging the technology's lifespan.
Last June Silex predicted that the levelised cost of energy (LCOE) for its technology could fall below 10c/kWh ($100/MWh) within a few years – making it cost competitive with a range of technologies such as wind and large-scale solar PV, and below the cost of new gas- and coal-fired generation.
While PV solar in it's various forms has dominated the solar power market in recent years, it seems solar thermal power is still attracting some interest, with a Vast Solar pursuing a plant in western NSW - Plans for Forbes solar thermal project
A solar thermal project near Forbes will demonstrate how cost effective renewable energy can be once its development application is approved. Three-and-a-half thousand moving mirrors, each bigger than a plasma television, will follow the sun like a field of sunflowers. The mirrors will reflect light onto five thermal receivers sitting on towers that will heat a central steam turbine, capable of producing 1.1 megawatts of electricity.
The company behind the project, Vast Solar, already has 700 mirrors and one tower at Jemalong Station. ... The company's plan is to use a method called air condenser cooling.


text:
I'm in a class I really don't want to be in right now, and I wrote this on my way to school this morning. Enjoy!!!!
For My Sister…
I miss you
Especially today, when all you had to rely on
Were my words
And you couldn't see the love on my face
I wish I was with you right now
To hold you as you cry
For dreams that you have to lay to rest for now
Not forever.
I know how you feel,
For I have walked this road before
And I know that no one should have to do it alone
And I want to walk with you.
Please spare a thought for this Unni
Who meant to advise and not bring down,
To heal and not to kill.
I love you, sister!!
Unni- honorific way to call an older girl that is close to you (used by girls) in Korean society.
I wrote this to Ailee's Goodbye my love. Find it on Youtube here.
I technically should not be updating my blog in class, but…. I have no excuse.
Peace, Love, and Lollipops.


text:
This isn't rocket science
Ready to unlock the power of the Unity API? Let's get you started. Don't worry if this is the first API you're working with, you'll soon notice this isn't rocket science. We'll cover everything from what tools to use to your very first "Hello World" API interaction. Put your propeller-hat on, this is where the fun starts.
API interaction
Any tool for making HTTP requests is suitable to work with the Unity API. Unity API is a RESTful API and follows most of the common agreements on HTTP Methods usage. Communication is done in JSON format so any request to the API should be a valid JSON document.
All request to the API should be sent via HTTP protocol using the right HTTP method for the call (see the table below for when to use which method). Requests that contain a request body should have a
Content-Type HTTP header with a description of content being sent (typically
application/json). Also, every request should be signed with a personal access token placed in the header. Sign-up to get your access token (it's free).
Request example
Authorization: Bearer MWQzMjQ2NjU1NjgxMGQwMzI3MzY0OTE5NmU0ZTQ2NzE3YzYxNmVkZGYxNGE1MWVjOGVkMjZlNjVjMzQ1NDY1NQ
HTTP methods
|Used for information retrieval. Any request using the GET method is read-only and will not affect any of the objects you are querying.
|Used for object creation. The request should contain all the required fields for an object that is being created. It can also be used for performing an action, such as a "force irrigation" action.
|Used for updating an object.
|Used for bulk operations on multiple objects.
|Used to remove any object or collection of objects.
HTTP statuses
Each API response contains a corresponding HTTP Status Code. Codes in the 200 to 299 range indicate a successful action and means that no error was encountered. Codes in the 400 to 499 range indicate that there was an issue with the request that was sent. You should check your code before trying again. Codes in the 500 to 599 range indicate a server side problem. It means that the Unity platform is having an issue and cannot fulfill your request at this time. Try again later.
HTTP responses
Typically every response contains a response body as a JSON document. An exception to this are DELETE requests. They always return an HTTP status of
204 No Content along with an empty response body. Most of the responses contain a requested object or a list of objects. In some cases results are wrapped in a structure that includes pagination info.
Response example with pagination
{ "controllerList": [ { "id": "example string value", "serialNumber": "example string value", "activated": true, "projectId": "example string value" } ], "page": 843, "size": 213, "total": 525 }
HTTP clients
As said before, you can use any HTTP client to interface with the Unity API. To get your started, below is an overview of the most commonly used ones.
cURL is installed by default in most popular *nix distributions. It is a widely spread tool and a library for making HTTP requests. cURL is a command line utility and does not have any GUI.
Simple request example
curl 'https://developer-api.etwater.com/api/v1/hello-unity'
{ "greetings": "Hello from Unity platform", "requestMethod": "GET" }
The request method should be set using the
-X console parameter:
PUT request example
curl -X PUT 'https://developer-api.etwater.com/api/v1/hello-unity'
{ "greetings": "Hello from Unity platform", "requestMethod": "PUT" }
Request headers should be set using the
-H console parameter:
Content-Type and Authorization headers example
curl -X PUT -H'Content-Type: application/json' -H'Authorization: Bearer $ACCESS_TOKEN' 'https://developer-api.etwater.com/api/v1/hello-unity/auth'
Note that in the above request
$ACCESS_TOKEN is a placeholder and should be replaced with your real access token you received when signing-up for API access.
{ "greetings": "Hello from Unity platform", "requestMethod": "PUT", "isAuthenticated": true }
On of the most popular GUI applications to interact with HTTP web services is POSTMAN. It has an intuitive UI and is available on all major platforms as a native application or as a Google Chrome extension.
POSTMAN request and response examples
In POSTMAN that last cURL request will look like this:
And as an added benefit you can generate cURL requests from within the POSTMAN UI:
PHPStorm IDE REST Client
PHP, as the most commonly used language in web development, is often used with a PHPStorm IDE. This IDE has a built-in REST Client UI tool that could be used to interact with the Unity API.
You can find the REST client under the Tools menu section:
And that last cURL example in this client will look like:
In general, everything remains the same, except you have an easier way to set HTTP request options with the IDE UI.
Next steps
Now that you know how to interact with the Unity API and have several tools at your disposal to get started, it's time to get to know the main API endpoints, and after that make sure you check out the full API specification.


text: First off... I'm DIY inept/ cautious for anything involving my string instruments. I love my everything about my bass, except for the annoying fake flame on the neck. The gloss finish is super catchy when I'm playing in venues that get a bit warmer with the added bodies. My question is roughly what will a luthier charge to sand off this finish and retreat it, leaving a more satin-like finish? I know this stuff is going to vary greatly between luthiers, so a rough estimate alone would be hugely helpful... at least until I can ask a luthier myself Cheers all!


text:
The sky is getting darker and darker. Birds are flying back to their nests. Everything is going to be ended for a day, but that is not right for the boy, James. He is pacing along the canal near his house as if he is losing his mind. His face is flooded by tears, but he is not crying. Then he walks to a farm behind his house and shouts, "Why dont you understand me? Why do you go away from me?" The gloomy voice is conduced by cold wind through big farms. He does not want anyone to hear or know his grief except her; however, it is impossible. She is not his girlfriend any more, particularly, she does not care about him. He kneels down on a dike and hits his head on the ground. He is crying like a baby. He forgets that he is a man who never cries for only a girl, but he really misses her because, certainly, he loves her. The fading sunshine is decorating the canopy and the rice farm. Crows are flying and screaming though the sky. The atmosphere is fearful and lonely, especially for James. He has no idea how to go out of the darkness that is going to cover his world.
It took place in a high school in Thailand. James was close to Jane because they talked and played together. When Jane wanted to go out, James would offer to take her to that places. He felt happy to be with her on his motorbike. In the school James usually followed Jane to many places, and they were in the same class too. Their relationship got closer as time passed, and Jane felt that James was a best friend for her. He could advise her and take care of her. Jane respected and admired James as a good brother, so she tried to know him more. James, as a young boy who did not know much about love, realized that his heart was attacked by her. He had never been near any girl before, so he thought about her more than friend. New Year day came, there was a small party in Janes house. Certainly, James was waiting to be with her in the party, and, fortunately, she invited him to go to the party.
Most of the time on the day, James was watching her and helped her to go shopping. During night he offered to take her to the market in the town by his own motorbike. He was happy to be near her and certainly she was too. But she was happy to have him as a good friend and a good brother. James was successful on the day and had more hope to know her better. He thought that she was thinking about him as a special friend in spite of she treated everyone in the same way. This thought made him sick later. Two weeks before Jane had many chances to be with James, because she wanted him to be her adviser because she had some problem with her cousin. So after that after she solved the problems, she was far away from James and tried to be with other friends. Certainly, she showed her attractiveness to others the same as she did to James.
Subsequently, James was farther from her not only she wanted to have time with her friends, but he also had to concentrate on studying. He realized more about his heart that it was concerned to hers. He always thought about her even though he tried to stop it. Unsurprisingly, it hurt him. Jane continued her usual characteristic to other male friends. Her big eyes and sweet smiles even injured Jamess heart more when she gave them to others. He felt losing something he used to have to his friends. James could not stand that situation, so he knew that he could not get along with her. He had to go away from her.
Three days later after James had decided to avoid seeing her, Jane was in Jamess house to talk to Jamess friend about the reason that James did not talk to her again. She was concerned that she was losing her best friend because she noticed that James tried to avoid seeing her. James could not tell her himself, he still hurt to talk and to see her. So he sent his friend, Kas, to talk to her. Kas told her that James loved her, but James did not want to tell her because he did not want to bring sadness to her. He realized that he could not get long with her, and they would eventually break up, which was not a good solution for both of them. Kas compromised that there were only two ways for her to choose: being his boyfriend or pretending as if she did not know him at all.
The decision was hard to Jane. She admired him as a brother and a close friend, she never thought about him as a boyfriend. She was too young to have love, and she had to study. She only wanted to have many friends and be happy with them. But James would make her choose between him and other friends. She knew that if she were his girlfriend, she would have less chance to play with her friends. She had to choose between her friends and him; however, James was a good friend for her, which was hard for her to decide. The gloomy atmosphere was covering the sky and even in her bed room, she could not sleep and cried all night.
The next morning came, James knew his situation well. He tried to make up his mind and get ready for accepting the consequence. He called Jane about noon to asked her and say sorry. She told him that she would go to talk to him about one in his house again. Jane came to Jamess house with her friend by a motorbike. She sat in front of his house and talked to him. One line that she wanted to tell him was, "I really love friendship more than any other kinds of relationships, and I am very disappointed about you because you betray our friendship."
After this speech, Jane went out to her friend waiting outside the house. James understood everything and turned back going into his house. The engine was started, she was going to leave him. Suddenly, she called him to get something from her hand. It was a candy which was wet because she had held it for a long time. She was afraid to give it to him. Actually, she just decided to give him the candy. The candy was a special symbol because it was a red heart-shaped candy, called Heartbeat. It was the meaning of love.


text:
Rheumatoid Arthritis often starts during the prime of a person's working life, typically between the age of 35 and 45. Women are 3 times more likely to develop the disease than men. It is an incurable, painful and debilitating auto-immune disease where the body attacks itself, most noticeably in the joints.
Methotrexate (MTX) is the current drug prescribed for patients with RA in the UK but if this treatment is not working, patients may also be given a biological drug to help control their disease. However, of the estimated 46,000 RA patients on a biological treatment, 1 in 3 are not taking methotrexate, often because they are intolerant to this treatment. The other most widely prescribed drug is Humira.
However a pioneering study has shown fantastic results, among 326 patients, at five trial centres in the UK, which has shown that almost four times as many RA patients achieve complete disease remission taking RoActemra in comparison to Humira for patients who cannot take Methotrexate.
Professor Cem Gabey talks about the results of RoActemra.
The good news is that at £9,500 per patient per year, RoActemra costs about the same as Humira and The NHS cost-effectiveness watchdog Nice has already approved of RoActemra when combined with methotrexate.
It is believed that these new results may lead to the drug being given to larger numbers of patients on its own.
Written and Presented by Ann Salter


text:
Could anyone please help me with this? I have a web page using .manifest for offline storage caching. In that page, I use jQuery ajax call to get the data from the server. If I first load the page, it is OK. I can switch between Online and Offline. But the problem is when I go back online and refresh the page. jQuery ajax cannot be able to talk to server anymore. Is there a way to for ajax to talk to the server or clear offline cache?
My ajax call is as such:
type: "GET",
url: requestUrl,
success: localSuccess,
error: error,
dataType: "text",


text:
The Froob's One Page Guide
- Talk to Brandon Thorn, do as he asks for a light bar, a belt, and a level.
- Kill beach mobs in the immediate area to level up to around level 6, be sure to loot everything.
- Give Thorn monster parts, he will give you first aid stims, health and nano kits. You will be outgrowing these soon, so only get a few.
- Take the belt to Stacklund who will upgrade it. He can also tell you how to upgrade any of the starter weapons, but we suggest you let Adri Afeli do it for you, see item six.
- Sign up with Clan or Omni, then trade your loot with your sides equipment vendor.
- Talk to Adri Afeli by the docks and get your weapon(s) upgraded.
- With the cash you earned from all the mobs you killed leveling up. Buy you beginners nano package.
- Do Travis Molen's sided shoulder pad quest twice to get a pair.
- Do Travis Molen's 5 quests for the Newcomer's Armor pieces, gloves, pants, body, sleeves and boots. (There is no helmet). Use the best helmet you find looting mobs.)
- Buy sided badges and upgrade each of you Newcomer's armor pieces.
- Don't waste your time doing the backpack or other quests. You can buy a backpacks cheaply on the main land. If you need experience in order to level up so you can equip something new, then do these quests, and repeat them if more experience is needed.
- Optional, kill all the Dyna-camps you can find on the Island. You may get a decent buffing item or two, like a Ring of Power (extra damage), Ring of Offense (extra offense points) and a few others. These are nice to have, and only cost a few minutes it takes to kill the mobs. Not worth camping for however.
- Go to the Mainland. Ignore the drunk. Enter the subway, find the Vagabond that hangs out in the passage way between the 2nd and 3rd set of doors beyond the entrance. Kill him and loot the Vagabond cloak. If it drops, place it on your back slot. The +25 all defense is golden at low levels. If the cloak does not drop, take note of the time, proceed to the left wing off the large main hall. Kill robots, muggers, looters and Vagabonds (the other Vagabonds may also drop the Vagabond cloak) for 20 minutes, then return to the first Vagabond and kill him again. Repeat this process until you get a cloak. This cloak and the newcomer's armor is all you need for the next 15-20 levels armor wise.
- Get a Bio Communicator to turn monster parts into more valuable blood plasma. For sale in shops for a few thousand credits, or get a free one by talking to the woman standing near where you first arrived. Agree to return her Bio Communicator to a guy over by the shops. He will end up giving you one for your very own.
At this point you are on your own. You should know how to play your character, how to kill mobs to level and how to earn credits.


text:
This may be obtained by placing your selection of any (one or two) of these crystals under your pillow at night: Agate, Amethyst, Celestite, Charoite, Hematite, Howlite, Lapis Lazuli, Lepidolite, Moonstone, Muscovite, Sodalite, or Topaz.
If this is insufficient, additional crystals can be added underneath the corners of your mattress or placed in the corners of your room, especially if outside influences are causing the problem.
If your insonia is being caused by geopathic stress you may need to grid the corners of your house with any of the following crystals: Amazonite, Amethyst, Brown Jasper, Kunzite, Smokey Quartz, Black Tourmaline or Selenite.
Electromagnetic pollution can play havoc on a good night's sleep and can be neutralized by gridding the house as above, and/or by placing stones on or around your electrical appliances. Lepidolite is also very effective in this case, but the Amethyst is less effective.
Best results are achieved if you grid with just one type of crystal; or a different one may be placed under your pillow. However a variety may be used on appliances.
If your sleeplessness is due to a particular problem such as an upset stomach, or a migraine headache consider selecting a crystal that will ease the problem and take it to bed with you.
If you are just not sleeping as well as you would like, then an effective way to get a solid, soothing night's sleep, is to place a large piece of Rose Quartz or Selenite close to each corner of your bed. Now, this is particularly effective for a child's bed or cot. If the child is old enough, you can also place a crystal under their pillow. If your insomnia or a child's, is due to feelings of insecurity, fears – known and unknown, or night terrors, then you may calm these by placing a Mangano Calcite, Moss Agate or a Smokey Quartz under the pillow or mattress. When nightmares are the cause of a disturbed nights sleep, relief may be at hand by keeping any of these under your pillow; Amethyst, Celestite, Chrysoprase, Hematite, Jet, Mangano Calcite, Prehnite, Ruby, Turquoise, or Smokey Quartz.
All these Crystals are available from www.MyCrystalaura.com.au
Disclaimer: The metaphysical and healing properties outlined in this website are for inspiration and reference. These alleged properties are gathered from writings, books, folklore and various other sources. They are dependent upon the attitude and beliefs of the individual. In no way are they meant to replace diagnosis or treatment by a qualified therapist or physician.


text:
An Interview with Laurie Stras, Director of Musica Secreta
In anticipation of the newest release on Obsidian Records, Lucrezia Borgia's Daughter: Princess, Nun and Musician, we met up with Musica Secreta's Laurie Stras to ask her a few questions about the project.
Tell us a bit about Musica Secreta and the research behind Lucrezia Borgia's Daughter: Princess, Nun and Musician?
Deborah Roberts started Musica Secreta in 1990 to investigate the repertoire of the Ferrarese ladies from the end of the 16th century (women musicians who sang at the court of Duke Alfonso II d'Este at Ferrara). In fact, my association with Deborah goes back to the mid-1980s, but I joined up with her officially in 1999, when we investigated the repertoire of the Ferrarese ladies for our CD Dangerous Graces.
Musica Secreta has always been about the repertoire composed for and by women in the 16th and 17th centuries. When we did the Dangerous Graces project we used the performance practice techniques that we knew were available to 17th century nuns and extrapolated that back into the 16th century.
Then in 2009, during a research trip to Italy, I went into the archives at Ferrara and within two days I'd found evidence that all of our ideas about the ladies using nuns' techniques were true. I found evidence of the Duchess taking the ladies into convents, and that the ladies left large sums of money to the convent, so the association between those singing ladies and the singing nuns in Ferrara was really very strong.
It was about that time I also found this mysterious book of anonymous motets published in 1543, entitled "Musica quinque vocum motteta materna lingua vocata". I felt certain the motets had been written for nuns, because of the texts and the way the voices worked together. Gradually over the next five or six years I pieced everything together to come up with the music that you hear on the recording.
So what's so special about music written for nuns?
I think the first thing that you notice about this music is that, because it's for nuns, it's not scored in the way that we normally hear polyphony, with soprano, alto, tenor and bass voices. Instead, all the voices are operating in the same range, so you end up hearing melodies that don't actually exist on the page.
You also get many more dissonances than usual in this music. One of the things that makes this book even more remarkable is the way that the composer has a very radical approach to dissonance. Dissonance seems to be an active part of this composer's expressive palette, not something that is just alluded to or avoided, and certainly not something that is there to be resolved.
The quality of the voices is also incredibly important in this music. When you have polyphony that's written for five voices all singing in the same range, the individual quality of the voices is central to the quality of the final sound of the piece, as is the phrasing. Blend is consequently very important, and you have a much greater reliance on phrasing, because if you want to distinguish each part of the polyphony it's important for the individual singers to think carefully about where each phrase is going. This is something we worked very hard on in rehearsals for this recording.
Finally, every convent in the 16th century had an organ, and the use of instruments to accompany polyphony was much more widespread than our current practice would suggest. It would be unthinkable to sing nuns' polyphony without an organ at the very least. We've used an organ and a viol, and having that sustained sound under all the parts frees the singers up to phrase in a way that you don't get with unaccompanied polyphony.
In the 16th century, nuns' polyphony was banned in areas around Italy, and when I heard the first edits of this recording, it was the first time I really understood what the bishops were so afraid of. I realised that bishops were getting their crosiers in a twist about nuns singing polyphony because the music is so absorbing; the equal voices really pull you in.
Why do you think the Borgia dynasty has captured our imaginations so much, both historically and in contemporary popular culture?
I think we get an almost contradictory feeling from what we know about the Borgia family. We can see a total lack of empathy because they were - they had to be - completely ruthless to maintain power, but they were also fiercely loyal. You get a sense of these really strong passions - one really negative and one really positive - at the same time.
I think Lucrezia did what she could to keep her head above water. I think she's unjustly maligned, and she took the flack for a lot of the cruelty and ruthlessness of her male relatives, but she was very much their pawn. Her role as a duchess was to hold her community together, and she was a very skilled administrator who managed her husband's lands when he was away, and who gave generously to the convent.
She also became deeply religious; she was a Franciscan tertiary, and it was clear that the convent of Corpus Domini, where her daughter was eventually raised and became abbess, was a very important place for her. She also created an entirely new sister convent to Corpus Domini for the orphaned daughter of her brother Cesare.
It is in itself quite remarkable that Cesare's daughter was allowed to become a nun, because she could have been used as a bargaining chip by the family, as Lucrezia herself had been, married off to the highest bidder. But Lucrezia allowed her to be raised in a convent, where she was safe from men.
How different was life in the convent for women such as Lucrezia's daughter compared to the lives they might have led outside it?
It's important to remember that nuns in the 16th century had more autonomy than women outside the cloister. Although they were contained in the convent, inside it they were doctors, they were writers, they were painters, they were musicians, they could do the sorts of things that women outside the convent couldn't do.
When Lucrezia Borgia's daughter was orphaned at the age of four, she was raised in a convent because there was nobody at the court who could raise her. She couldn't have been raised in her father's house because it would have been dangerous for her. She probably realised very quickly that she was better off in a place where she couldn't be used as a bargaining chip, and where she was allowed to be a musician. For Lucrezia Borgia's daughter, the convent was a place where she could do the things she wanted to and really excel at them.
Lucrezia Borgia's Daughter: Princess, Nun and Musician will be released on 3 March 2017.
Pre-order your copy on Amazon


text:
We also offer: Sealing – To protect and preserve natural stone. (Using penetrating sealers/impregnators.) Color Enhancing – The use of penetrating sealers/impregnators formulated to enhance or enrich the color of your stone. Stripping – To remove coatings that block stone's ability to breathe which causes spalling (when the stones crack, pop and shale). Some examples of common coatings are: crystallization, janitorial waxes, polyurethane, etc. Grout Cleaning and Sealing – Dirt loves to hide in grout. Brushes cannot penetrate into the micro pores to get all of the contaminants out. We use a patented system to clean your grout to like new and then we seal it to facilitate easier maintenance for the long haul. Ceramic Tile & Grout Restoration - We are also specialists in ceramic tile and grout restoration, and we offer ceramic tile and grout cleaning, sealing, recoloring and minor repairs. Our state-of the-art equipment and trained technicians will do the job right the first time.
Marble Polishing and Cleaning Since 1945 We'll make it look new again! Marble Cleaning Lawndale
We do marble cleaning and sealing in Lawndale. In addition we also clean limestone floor and countertops, lippage removal, grout cleaning.
You receive high quality workmanship. We exceed your expectations, by restoring the marble to its natural beauty. Call us today for more information about our marble cleaning and restoration services in Lawndale.
Providing the Best Stone, Marble, Tile & Grout Cleaning and Restoration in Lawndale located in Los Angeles, Ca.
Call (310) 675-8600 or (877) 502-7483 Free, No Obligation Estimate.


text:
(photo credit: disney.wikia.com)
Disney Pin Trading is a great "extra" to add to your next Disney vacation. It's a fun option for younger children who aren't big enough or brave enough to ride the bigger attractions. It's also great for the older children who are too cool to get into all the characters. Pin Trading is done at Disneyland and at all four theme parks of Disney World but is most popular in Epcot...which is great especially when you need something to entertain the kids while Mom and Dad eat and drink their way around the world (one of our absolute favorite things to do at Disney!).
It's pretty simple. You buy a Disney pin. You see a cast member (or even another guest...it's a fun conversation starter in line) with a pin you want more and you ask to trade. Cast members CANNOT refuse you...unless their pins are on a green lanyard (teal at Disneyland and some lanyards are hip lanyards rather than the traditional neck lanyard one seen below). Those cast members will ONLY trade with children which for pin trading purposes means 3-12 years old...although if you have a two year old, they won't deny the child-so long as he or she is the one looking to trade and you're not just using the kid to get a pin you want.
(photo credit: themeparkinsider.com)
There are THOUSANDS of different pins with countless themes. My favorites are the Mickey head-shaped country flags and the pins for the attractions while Joshua's all about anything Donald Duck. Some are limited quantities...only 100 made. Some are limited release and were only sold on a certain day. There are hundreds of sets. Sets can be just three pins or much more like the alphabet set seen below.
(photo credit: yggmall.com)
The most popular pins to collect are probably the hidden Mickey pin sets which are pins not immediately available for sale in the parks but instead only offered via trade with cast members (or on ebay) and have, not surprisingly, a Hidden Mickey on them as seen here:
(photo credit: eventservices.disney.go.com)
As you can see, it has a not-so-hidden Hidden Mickey. This pin also happens to be one that my husband has and wears on the brim of his baseball hat while we're in the parks because pin trading isn't just for kids. There are lots of adults who enjoy it...some who are a little obsessed but it's another fun thing to do while you visit the mouse.
Now, for the important stuff...how to pin trade without spending insane amounts of money...
Most people who go to Disney for the first time don't know about pin trading until they're at their resort or even the parks and then you're options are limited. You can buy individual pins but even the cheapest of those will cost you at least $7 each with tax or you can buy a "starter kit" which can have themes like the four theme parks, the princesses or even Phineas and Ferb like this one:
(photo credit: adventuresatdisney.com)
Starter sets are a more economical option if you find yourself at Disney World wanting to pin trade but not wanting to buy individual pins. Each starter set comes with about 4-6 pins and a lanyard and will generally cost around $30-45. Some sets also come with a card case which attaches at the bottom of the lanyard that can hold credit cards, park tickets or fast passes...or in the case of a child, you could make an "If I'm Lost Please Contact..." card.
The most frugal option is to plan ahead. Before you go to the parks, hop on ebay and order a "lot" of pins. They're sold in sets of 20 or more and can be purchased for as little as $1 per pin sometimes with free shipping. Be aware that there are "fake" pins. Pins generally made and sold from ebay sellers in China and if you should get one of these "fake" pins, you may not be able to trade it in the parks so be aware of who you're buying from.
Pin trading is like any other hobby. It can become a crazy obsession or it can be a passing fad all dependent on the individual. Personally, we all pin trade. My aunt is a little insane with it-she's determined to get as many as humanly possible. My husband has crazy sharp eyes and can spot the pin he wants from great distances away-it's a hunt for him. Our son likes a specific (very ordinary looking, not at all limited or special edition) turtle and in his short almost 4 years of life, he has managed to find and trade for at least two dozen of the same exact pin. Whatever kid. Me? I like pin trading because at the end of the day when we're sitting in the resort and everyone's come back to their rooms we can all share what we found. It's just another thing to share with my family and I'm all for that.
Happy trading and as always, if you have any questions, feel free to email me. I'm happy to help.


text: Pacifica Kale Water Micellar Cleansing Tonic - 236ml Customer Rating 4 1 review £12.99 129 reward points UK Delivery £1.95 - Free when you spend £15 In stock -This product will ship tomorrow if ordered today. Multi-buy discounts Buy 2+ Buy 3+ Buy 5+ 5% off7% off10% off 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 Add to basket 100% Secure Shopping Vegan Vegetarian Product code: 10095 Description Contents Ingredients Usage Reviews Questions Description Powerful tonic infused with glycolic acid for brightening, this innovative tonic helps capture and lift away dirt, oil, impurities and makeup without harsh rubbing or even rinsing. Leave skin feeling clean, hydrated and refreshed without over-drying. Kale water, full of skin-loving beneficials, has a history of toning and detoxing. Oily and blemish prone skin types. 100% vegan. Cruelty-free. Formulated without animal ingredients, petroleum, parabens and phthalates. Contents Pacifica Kale Water Micellar Cleansing Tonic - 236ml Ingredients Aqua (Purified), Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Water, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf (Kale) Extract, Calendula Officinalis (Flower) Extract, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Fruit Water, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum (All Natural). Usage Soak a cotton pad with micellar water and wipe over face, eyes and neck in an upward circular motion. Reviews Below are reviews of Pacifica Kale Water Micellar Cleansing Tonic - 236ml by bodykind customers. If you have tried this product we'd love to hear what you think so please leave a review. Leave a review Score Comments Name Email Submit review Score 4 Date 18/09/2018 Posted by Anne Marr Comment Have used Micellar cleansing tonic for a number of months. IT does the job nicely with no drag or dryness of skin as a result. Questions & Answers Below are questions that bodykind customers have asked us about this product. If you want to know more about this product please don't hesitate to ask us a question. Ask us a question Question Email Confirm Email Submit question


text:
Security staff at the airport discovered Soraya Wilson on the Gama Aviation plane on Thursday morning.
The airline - on contract to the Scottish Ambulance Service - expressed disappointment that lap dancer Ms Wilson was only cautioned by a sheriff.
Ms Wilson said she was drunk when she scaled the airport's security fence.
'Severe embarrassment'
Security expert David Capitanchik told BBC Scotland: "I expect this incident causes great embarrassment to the airport authorities.
"It's not the sort of thing that should happen. That's what barbed wire fences are there for and CCTV and guys who should be patrolling the perimeter.
"I think it's a severe embarrassment to say the least."
Ms Wilson, 22, appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on Friday where she was admonished.
The airport said it was carrying out a full investigation and that Ms Wilson had been banned from the airport, unless she had a valid reason to travel.
When asked why she had breached security, Ms Wilson told BBC Scotland: "I was angry with my boyfriend and I'd had a few drinks so I just kept walking and I ended up at the fence.
"I climbed over the fence and fell asleep on a plane."
A spokesman for Gama Aviation said the company was "concerned" at the security breach, especially given the current levels of heightened security.
He said there was disappointment that the sheriff deemed a caution to be an acceptable response to the woman's "reckless actions".


text:
Our company is seeking an individual who will supervise a team of 60-80 production entry level employees on a 2nd shift in Grand Prairie, Texas. This position will work in a fasty paced production environment in a non climate controlled facility.
The hours for this position will be 3:00 PM-1:00 AM with all hours worked over paid at overtime rate of $22.50. You should have previous experience with employee supervision, discipline, motivation of employees and basic computer skills.
This position is available immediately, If you meet the qualifications for this position and would like to apply please contact Mr. Seagraves at (817) 721-7426 or reply to firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
You know the one about the Texan who goes into the airport, right?
"Give me a ticket!" he demands.
"Where to?" answers the agent.
"Anywhere, I've got business all over!"
Well, that's how we feel during #IBW2015 - so much love around for indies, so many opportunities, authors, events and offers - and all in celebration of the wonderful, the quirky, the unique and diverse world that is independent bookshops.
We've got a whole heap of things going on this week that should give just a glimmer of the amazing range of activities that keeps us viable, relevant and part of our community. But ultimately we couldn't do any of it without your support - so this is also our chance to say THANK YOU for coming to us and entrusting us with choosing those books that will amaze, enthuse and delight.
It's a big responsibility - and we don't take it lightly...
On Saturday, June 20 we have a special Father's Day Storytime taking place - and we'll be unveiling a few surprises as well. Join Nicki and Maddy at 2pm - no need to book, just drop in (and bring little ones!).
We have a rather impressive display of Father's Day book recommendations as part of our 'Buy Dad A Real Book' campaign now in its fifth year. Find out about our dozen choices here.
Who hasn't wondered 'What if?' about their own life? What if you'd taken a particular job, taken that path instead of this one, or that one chance – said 'yes' one time instead of 'no'? The random nature of chance is the subject of Laura Barnett's 'The Versions of Us' – a thought-provoking story about the complexities of human nature and the essentially random nature of life. Laura will be at Mostly Books on Thursday, June 25 at 7.30pm - learn more about this appealing, surprising and fabulously written exploration of fate and destiny here.
(And listen to Laura interviewed on this week's Open Book here)
On Tuesday morning, we have a local school bringing students in to choose prizes - and we'll be on hand to advise and choose the perfect book. This is the first in a series of schools visiting - and is something that creates a fantastic buzz in the shop (in past year, other customers have got themselves involved in some ad hoc recommending!)
Bookgroups are a hugely important part of the bookshop scene, and on Wednesday, the morning bookgroup will be meeting to discuss 'I Let You Go' by Clare Mackintosh. Recent books discussed have included 'All My Puny Sorrows' by Miriam Toews at the Wednesday evening bookgroup (which Nicki describes as 'A small miracle of a book') and 'The Children Act' by Ian McEwan at the Thursday evening bookgroup. Sign up to our newsletter (right hand side of this blog) to find out when spaces become available on any of our groups...
This year, Mostly Books bookseller (and young bookseller of the year shortlistee!) Imogen Hargreaves founded a brand new bookgroup, the YA bookgroup - and on June 27 we are holding a taster session for anyone wanting to come along and discover more about it.
Imogen is keen to make it much more than just a read-and-discuss group - we're choosing the newest and best YA fiction to discuss - but on June 27, we are very excited to be welcoming award-winning author Sally Nicholls, who is coming along to the group to talk about her books, why and how she writes - and what exactly books for teens are.
Sally is the winner of the #IBW2015 Children's Book Award for her latest book 'An Island of Our Own' - so it's doubly fitting that she will be coming along - and as she has offered to even serve behind the till, we are encouraging as many people as possible to come along and meet her!


text:
Plastic Heavy Duty Floats
1/4 to 3/8 in. (8 to 10mm)
Series PX Plastic Heavy Duty Plastic Floats are non-electrolytic and highly corrosion resistant. These floats are ideal for use with salts and caustic fluids.
To preview and download BIM Drawings for this product, please select a model/size from the list.
Disclaimer: Watts product dimensions in U.S. customary units and metric are approximate and are provided for reference only. For precise measurements, please contact Watts Technical Service. Watts reserves the right to change or modify product design, construction, specifications, or materials without prior notice and without incurring any obligation to make such changes and modifications on Watts products previously or subsequently sold.
Please Note: Watts literature requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to view.