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- ITV Report
Kenyan president labels Supreme Court 'crooks' after election win overturned
- Video report by ITV News correspondent Angus Walker
Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has called the Supreme Court "crooks" after it overturned his election win.
Mr Kenyatta spoke to supporters in Nairobi just hours after the court nullified last month's re-election win and called for a new election within 60 days.
The president had won a second term with 54 percent of the vote in August's election.
Mr Kenyatta said his status as "president-elect" had been taken away by (chief justice David) "Maraga and his crooks", and that the judges should know they are dealing with an incumbent president.
The president appeared to have already started campaigning for the new election, promising to transform the capital so that "people will think they are in London".
Six judges ruled four to two in favour of the petition filed by opposition candidate Raila Odinga who had challenged the result, claiming electronic votes were hacked and manipulated in favour of Mr Kenyatta.
Mr Odinga's lawyer said anomalies had affected nearly five million votes.
In a separate press conference, Mr Odinga called for the resignation of the CEO of Kenya's Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission and other commissioners he said were "co-conspirators".
"They must face criminal prosecution," Mr Odinga said.
"We ask these IEBC officials, who have perpetrated a monumental crime against the people, to do the right thing and resign."
IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati said he has invited the director of public prosecutions to prosecute any staffer found to have been involved in electoral malpractice.
Lawyers for Mr Kenyatta called the Supreme Court's decision a "very political decision".
The decision was met with scenes of jubilation on the streets of Nairobi where security was tight.
Armed police stood guard outside the courtroom and the surrounding streets were barricaded. There has been widespread unrest since the 8 August election, with human rights groups claiming at least 24 people had been killed by police.
Unease around the election had risen when the official who oversaw the electronic voting system was found tortured and killed days before the vote.


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EA has announced that its free-to-play football title FIFA World will be getting a new game engine later this year, one that the company says "will give fans an even better, more realistic, football experience".
FIFA World was announced at last year's Gamescom, and EA says that since then it's seen more than 3.5 million registrations from over 180 countries for the current open beta, with over 45 million total matches played.
The idea behind FIFA World was to create a solid football game that could be played by those without access to expensive, powerful PC's or consoles. By the sound of it, that's a pretty popular concept.
Alongside the new engine EA promises a bunch of improvements and updates; First Touch Control and Complete Dribbling will improve the basic player movement and responsiveness, while an improved impact system will make physical clashes more believable. These changes will be made before the end of the year.
So that's what's coming to FIFA World. I've got to confess, I'd somehow never even heard about this game before today. Anyone out there playing the beta?
EA announces a new engine and gameplay improvements are on the way for FIFA World
13 August 2014 | By Nick Horth

subset: commoncrawl


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Asia Today is branching into coffee
Soi Nana wakes up early on weekends.
Soi Nana's local ingredient-touting cocktail bar Asia Today now opens from 10am on weekends, serving coffee.
Not any old coffee, mind—well, what do you expect from the team who scale mountains covered in bees to obtain natural, local honey for their cocktails?
So, trade your usual cappuccino for a taste of that nectar in the sweet Egg Nog (B150), with coffee, cream, honey and blended spices, or a Jack & Rose (B120), a fragrant mix of rose tea, coffee, jackfruit and jackfruit jelly.
In case you're not one to be adventurous that early in the morning, opt for a simple iced white or black coffee (B100).
35 Soi Maitri Chit, 097-134-4704. Open Tue-Thu 7pm-midnight; Fri 7pm-1am; Sat-Sun 10am-4pm; 7pm-1am.


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The EU400 is a professional grade 200khz sonar transducer which works great with hypack and hydromagic, allowing full water column review within your survey software.
This can be added to any of our boats, but is mostly used with a HarborScout equipped with on-board laptop and differential GNSS system.
Please contact us for details.


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Could home staging help sell our house? We are currently in the process of trying to sell our house. But with the current stagnant housing market in southern England, this has proved to be extremely difficult. The house has been on the market for a few months. So last week we decided to give it one last push before the winter sets in to see if we can sell before Christmas.
The photos that we had taken in the spring were looking decidedly old. I therefore asked my friend Julie Stevens, an amazing Interior Designer and Approved House Doctor Consultant, from Younique Designs, to have a look at the photos that were on the online portals Zoopla and Rightmove
What a revelation!!
She saw things that I hadn't seen or even been aware of and looking back I am, quite frankly embarrassed about having had these images available for all to see on the worldwide web!!
With Julie's advice and guidance (and spending over £300 at our local soft furnishings store!) I spent 2 days moving, hiding and donating our stuff; plus "dressing" the rooms so that they looked more luxurious, neutral and clutter free. I have to say it was money well spent as the rooms look so much better. AND we can take everything with us to the new house.
This whole process got me thinking about the analogy between dressing a house and dressing a body…..
How the principles of home staging can be utilised in your wardrobe
1 Accessorise – I love accessories and no outfit is complete without some jewellery, a scarf &/or a fabulous handbag. Accessories are the secret sauce that make your outfits unique and interesting. The same concept applies to dressing a house. Adding cushions, throws, vases, lamps, pictures, candles and rugs can make all the difference to how a room looks – transforming it from functional or bare to interesting and luxurious.
2 Co-ordination and colour – ensuring that the colours in your outfit work with one another is another important aspect to successful dressing. Sticking to a colour palette will help you to create a capsule wardrobe and make it easy to add new clothes and colours. When home staging it is important that the colours co-ordinate and work together. This continuity can be within one room or throughout the house. Julie explained that for visual interest it is good to add an accent colour (we added teal blue cushions and a bowl in the lounge to pick out the blue in an existing picture).
3 Grooming – good grooming will show that you care about yourself. For example, if you take the time and care to wash your hair, apply make-up and clean your shoes the implication is that you will care about your work and the things that you do. Within the context of home staging I learnt that this is all about tidying and clearing clutter. The house can then be seen at its best. Ensure that you remove things from under the bed, clear the mantelpiece of all your old photos and tidy your bookshelves!!
The results…..
I'm sure that there are many more analogies that we could apply, but the whole home staging process has certainly given me food for thought and has inspired me to keep the house tidy and clutter free from now on!
Embarrassed as I am with the before pictures – here are some before and after photos. The house is still for sale but we have a number of viewings arranged this weekend, so fingers crossed….
Before After
If you would like to find out more about Julie and her work please go to her website – http://youniquedesigns.co.uk/


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The Lifetime Achievement Award
Lifetime Achievement Award 2019: Grant Macdonald
The Goldsmiths' Craft & Design Council gives a Lifetime Achievement Award Medal (LAA) in recognition of a recipient'soutstanding contribution and commitment to the craft and industry of Silversmithing, Jewellery and the Allied Crafts. This year the Council's LAA goes to:
Grant Macdonald
Grant embarked on his silversmithing career by chance, being invited by an acquaintance of his father to make a simple silver spoon when he was just fourteen years of age. Courses at the Central School of Art and the Sir John Cass College soon followed and galvanised Grant into starting a silversmithing business in 1969.
From humble beginnings in a north London cellar workshop under his father's surgery, to then progress to a premises that now overlooks the Goldsmiths' Centre in Clerkenwell, and for the last fortytwo years, in Bear Lane on the Southbank, Grant has built up and pioneered his esteemed company.
From the onset Grant started exporting his products, which continues to be an essential aspect and backbone of the company, over 90% of Grant's work is exported around the world. Continually travelling, promoting and selling Grant Macdonald silverware has been a core commitment and significant undertaking to the company's success. Grant's son George, the second generation of the business, is progressively taking on this international role and responsibility.
Grant has always been proactive in advancing his manufacturing techniques and processes combining fine craftsmanship and emerging technologies. In the 1970's he developed electroplating textures on silver, Grant invested in laser technology to cut precious metals in the 1980's and over the last 15 years he has progressively developed direct casting of 3D printed resin work.
Although Grant still creates his ideas with pen and paper everything is then developed using technology in combination with workshop craft skills to produce high quality products.
Grant believes and commits to the training of apprentices, it's a great way of growing talent in his workshop. As a Trustee of the Goldsmiths' Centre Grant has supported and seen a positive increase in the number of apprentices progressing into the trade. He recognises and applauds the huge input and contribution the Centre has made for the industry.
The City of London has always fascinated Grant, the Livery Companies in particular, he has been fortunate to have undertaken commissions for half of the 110 Companies. The Goldsmiths' Company has been a great part of Grant's working life, joining the Freedom in 1973 and becoming its Prime Warden in 2008. In 2018 the Goldsmiths' Company staged an exhibition "Grant Macdonald International Silversmith" that portrayed the many and varied aspects of Grant's designs over the last 5 decades. He has also served as Master to the Barbers' Company and has won the Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade. More recently Grant Macdonald was appointed a Royal Warrant as Goldsmiths and Silversmiths to HRH The Prince of Wales, the highest possible endorsement of their work.
Grant continues to be highly driven in his work "I still love a challenge" and what he is most proud of, "like the signature of an artist, my hallmark is on every piece we make". His contribution and continuing legacy to the industry is significant and unquestionable, a true pioneer, silversmithing entrepreneur and an excellent ambassador of the profession. Therefore, a most worthy recipient of Councils 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award.
Lifetime Achievement Award Recepients
2018 Patrick & Vivian Fuller
2017 Caroline Broadhead
2016 David McCarty
2015 Norman Bassant
2014 Gerald Whiles
2013 Christopher Lawrence
2012 Tony Shepherd
2011 Alex Styles
2010 Dorothy Hogg
2009 Stuart Devlin
2008 Paul Podolsky


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Toms River Community Events
November Events
Here are our top picks for upcoming events happening in and near the Toms River community. Be sure to check back here every month for a new selection.
Early Baseball at the Jersey Shore
Date: November 4
Presented by Russ McIver, a history buff and captain of the Monmouth Furnace, a vintage baseball club that plays by the rules of the 1860s.
Late Fall Flea Market
Date: November 10
Join us for another fun flea market! Hunt for hidden treasures amid books, art work, knick knacks, and so much more!
Downtown Toms River Farmers Market
Date: November 14 & 19
NJ Jersey Fresh farmers featuring fruits & vegetables, baked goods, pickles & olives, italian specialties, herbs & spices, candy & nuts, NJ winery, homemade soaps, coffee, and much more!


text: CMS Proposes Mandatory Hospital Participation in New Bundled Payment Program for Hip and Knee Replacements By Vinay Bhupathy on July 22, 2015 Posted in Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ("CMS"), Medicaid, Medicare On July 14th, 2015, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid's (CMS) latest proposed rule (Rule) introduced a new alternative payment model. The Rule proposes CMS' latest alternative payment model known as the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CCJR) Model. The model is targeted at hospitals that do not currently participate in the CMS Bundled Payments … Continue Reading


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Chris Hemsworth is one name that needs no introduction. He is one of the biggest stars that Hollywood has produced in recent times, featuring in several blockbuster movies such as Star Trek, Snow White and the Huntsman, Red Dawn, Rush, Vacation, In the Heart of The Sea, Men in Black: International, A Perfect Getaway, The Cabin in the Woods, and much more.
Hemsworth is, however, most popular for his role as Thor, the hammer-wielding God of thunder, in the Marvel cinematic universe. He first played the role in the 2011 movie, Thor and has reprised the role in many other movies such as The Avengers (2012), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Doctor Strange (2016), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), and Avengers: Infinity War (2018).
The following are facts regarding some of the things people have always wanted to know about this Chris.
Chris Hemsworth Bio (Age)
Christopher Hemsworth was born on the 11th of August 1983 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. He has Australian nationality and a diverse ethnicity comprising of German, Scottish, Dutch, English, and Irish ancestry. Hemsworth spent his formative years in Melbourne as well as a remote part of Australia known as The Outback. For his college education, he attended Heathmonth College.
Chris Hemsworth commenced his movie career in his native Australia, appearing in a number of TV soaps. They include Guinevere Jones (2002), Neighbours (2002) and Marshall (2002). He got his first big break in 2004 when he landed the role of the sexy but troubled Kim Hyde on the long-running Aussie soap, Home and Away. The soap had previously served as a launch pad for the career of other Aussie actors, and Hemsworth was no different. After a three year stint on the show, he left for Hollywood in 2007.
In Tinseltown, he landed roles in movies such as Star Trek (2009) and A perfect getaway (2010). He finally joined the big leagues in 2010 when he landed the popular role of Thor. He didn't even expect to land the role due to a poor audition. In fact, his name did not make the list of the final four actors in the running. It was someone that urged director Ken Branagh to give him another shot. Branagh did, and the rest, as they say, is history. Hemsworth has gone on to become one of Hollywood's biggest stars. He has also won several awards and recognition.
His Net Worth
Chris Hemsworth has a net worth of between $70 and $90 million. In 2018 alone, he earned $64.5 million according to Forbes. His wealth comes from his successful movie career as well as juicy endorsement deals. Hemsworth has certainly come a long way from his humble childhood where he had to save for months just to be able to afford a surfboard. Among his many possessions is a six-bedroom mansion in Byron Bay, Australia. The mansion features luxuries such as a gym, steam room, spa, games room, media room, and other cool things.
Chris Hemsworth's Family – Brothers, Wife, and Kids
The Thor actor is married to Elsa Pataky. She is a Spanish model, actress, and film producer most famous for her role as Elena Neves on The Fast and the Furious franchise. Hemsworth and Elsa started dating in early 2010 after meeting through their reps; they are both represented by the same management company ROAR.
They tied the knot during Christmas of 2010. The couple has three children together. They are daughter India (born in May 2012) and twin sons, Tristan and Sasha (born in March 2014). Hemsworth has publicly expressed his hope that his children will not grow up spoilt just because they have rich and famous parents.
Chris Hemsworth comes from a family of five. It includes mom, Leonie, who is a teacher and dad, Craig, who is a social service counselor. Hemsworth has an older brother named Luke and a younger brother named Liam. Luke and Liam are also famous actors. Luke commenced his acting career in 2001/2002 on the TV soap Neighbours. He has gone on to appear in other TV series, both in Australia and Hollywood. One of them is the HBO series Westworld. The youngest Hemsworth, Liam, is also not doing shabbily at all. He has appeared in many popular movies such as The Hunger Games, Love and Honour, The Dressmaker, and The Last Song.
See Also: Ryan Reynolds Biography, Wife, Net Worth, Daughter, Twin Brother, and Blake Lively
Height and Other Body Measurements
Chris Hemsworth is a combination of talent and good looks which has undoubtedly furthered his career. He is 6 feet 3 inches tall (1.9 m) and his weight is given as 91 kg. Other known body measurements include his chest that measures 48 inches and his waist of 33 inches.
In 2014, People Magazine named him the sexiest man alive. Past recipients include the likes of David Beckham, Dwayne Johnson, Blake Shelton, and Idris Elba.


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Immunotherapy is a form of cancer treatment involving drugs that enable the immune system to fight cancer cells on its own. Compared to chemotherapy, it leads to milder side effects, but being in the experimental stage, it can mislead doctors in their diagnoses when patients are suffering from those effects. West Virginia cancer patients will want to know what they can do to prevent a misdiagnosis.
Side effects can arise for two reasons. A patient may have an allergy to any of the newer immunotherapy drugs, which can lead to a rash around the injection site, poor vision, and even swelling in the liver. Other side effects include fever, nausea, and dry mouth.
In a worst case scenario, a patient may suffer from severe side effects due to an over-stimulation of the immune system. In other words, the drug may cause the immune system to kill healthy cells that are also quickly dividing like the cancer cells. This happens in random areas of the body, making a correct diagnosis difficult. If left untreated, the condition results in tissue damage and sometimes death. Patients should make sure to see an oncologist and mention every symptom they experience, even when it seems irrelevant. Side effects can usually be treated with corticosteroids and other medications that suppress the immune system.
Since immunotherapy is a developing science, it can be hard to accuse doctors of medical professional negligence if they fail to diagnose its side effects. This is why victims of a misdiagnosis should speak with a malpractice attorney who can evaluate the claim and determine whether the doctor did not exercise the required standard of care.


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Students were instructed to write a letter of persuasion to the our Principal, Mrs. Deschaine. They had to state their position in support of school uniforms or not and back up their opinion based on our our Core Democratic Values.
Dear Mrs. Deschaine,
I really feel that we do not have to wear uniforms. Some people already have new clothes and we can't keep on buying clothes and parents can't afford it. Most of our class doesn't want to have uniforms. It will ruin our pursuit of happiness and that's not fair for us. I think we should let the students vote because we are a good democracy and we have majority rules.
Mariane R.
Macie persuading us


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Oh if there is a God, please do not let this happen. Seems John Kerry wants to run for President again…just when we need a real candidate to end the madness.
The quote from CSPAN via ABC News :
KERRY: ". . . You just gotta make the judgment. You also have to make the judgment, which I'm pretty much feeling, I'm saying that I have something to say, I have some unfinished business from the last round, I don't like what they did, I don't like how they framed it, and I don't like what they're doing for the country today, and I think we can do better. ."
Honestly, I don't have anything against Kerry, I am sure he would be an ok President. But I think he is "unelectable" if that is even a word. He is too much of an upper crust guy with too much money and not enough personality. He blew the last election by trying to cater to everyone while really catering to no one.
Opinions? Anyone? "Feeling it" is not that reassuring of a slogan for me. If he couldn't beat the worst President we've ever had, how can he beat anyone else?
technorati tags:Kerry President election
Copyright © 2002-2013. All rights reserved


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Catholic New York earned seven awards, including honors for reporting, editorial and column writing, and photography in the annual journalism contest sponsored by the Catholic Press Association.
First-place honors for an editorial on a national or international topic went to Mary Ann Poust for her editorial, titled "Missed Opportunity for Student Protesters," about students at the University of Notre Dame who walked out of a commencement speech by Vice President Mike Pence.
A Catholic New York team, including reporter Dan Pietrafesa, editor-in-chief John Woods and Ron Lajoie, plus photographers Chris Sheridan and Maria R. Bastone, took second place for best coverage of pro-life issues for a special section on the 2017 March for Life in Washington, D.C., and other life celebrations at St. Patrick's Cathedral.
Woods received a third-place award for Spanish-language news writing on a national or international event and second-place honors in the best scenic, still life or weather photo category for coverage of a visit to San Juan, Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, with Cardinal Dolan and others from the Archdiocese of New York.
In the category of best column by a bishop or archbishop, Cardinal Dolan received honorable mention honors for his column, Lord, To Whom Shall We Go?
Also cited was freelance photographer Mary DiBiase Blaich for two of her Catholic New York assignments. She won third place for multiple picture package in the sports category for photos from the CYO cheerleading championships and honorable mention for a photo story in the news category about the New York Police Department's Holy Name Society Mass and Communion breakfast.
The Tablet, newspaper of the Diocese of Brooklyn, received first-place honors as weekly diocesan Newspaper of the Year.
The awards were presented at the June 15 closing banquet of the Catholic Media Conference in Green Bay, Wis.


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ALLDATA Showcases i.SHOP™ Compliant Technology
ALLDATA promotes technology allowing auto repair shop systems to seamlessly exchange data
Las Vegas, NV – November 5, 2009 – ALLDATA LLC, the leading provider of vehicle manufacturers' service and repair information for professional repair shops, is showcasing its newest application of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association's i.SHOP™ Version 3 (i.SHOP3) standard during Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week in Las Vegas.
The i.SHOP3 technology standard enables auto repair shop equipment and systems from any participating company to share information about the customer, the vehicle and the work being performed. ALLDATA is one of the original architects and implementers of the i.SHOP standard, introducing its first i.SHOP compliant information server in 2001.
"With i.SHOP3, it is easier and more efficient to use ALLDATA information for writing service, diagnostics and parts purchases," said ALLDATA Vice President of Product and Business Development, Steve Gill. "ALLDATA becomes a more valuable part of all marketing and repair activities in the shop."
"It's often difficult for the end user to comprehend the technical advantages of i.SHOP," says Ben Johnson, Senior Product Marketing Manager at ALLDATA. "The best way to explain i.SHOP's benefits is to show them the finished products. We can do that since two major automotive technology companies recently announced products using i.SHOP3 to leverage ALLDATA's information resources. And we expect others to follow."
ALLDATA will also be featured in the "Shop of Tomorrow," at the Automotive Aftermarket Products Exposition (AAPEXTM), where the future of tool and information integration will be demonstrated. "We'll be showing a prototype ALLDATA application which merges ALLDATA's OE diagnostic processes with vehicle data via i.SHOP3 interfaces," explains Johnson. "Using wireless technology, a technician will be able to more efficiently diagnose a vehicle with ALLDATA Repair information and vehicle data. Information about the vehicle and diagnostic results will be seamlessly shared with a shop management system and an alignment system. The Shop of Tomorrow will also feature our ability to support telematics. In this demonstration, a technician will remotely diagnose a vehicle without ever touching it. The entire integration was done in weeks instead of months or years, thanks to i.SHOP3."


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Nitronic Rush's spiritual sequel Distance will be out on Steam early access December 9th. Here is a trailer to go along with the occasion.
Remember that the original Nitronic Rush remains a free game that you should grab ASAP if you never played it! It's a gear head / TRON / arcade racer dream come true. Here is part of of the mini documentary the team has released to recall the path they have been trending the past two years.
Looking forward to seeing this game on home consoles in the future.


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Colorful Hanging Air Plant Holder DIy
What you'll need- bell cup
- hammer & nail
- cord
- wooden beads
- acrylic paint
Step 1&21-On the bottom on your bell cup, hammer a nail into the center to create a hole. There should already be a divet on the bottom from where the stem was removed, so making the hole will be easy.
2-Paint both the inside and outside of your bell cup and let dry.
Step 3&4
Tie a knot around the end of the air plant and string up. To add another pop of color, add some painted wooden beads before hanging!.
To water, untie and pull air plant out of pod. You wont need to untie the knot, just make sure you pull the plant out enough to water. Avoid getting the pod wet and let plant dry completely before putting back in pod and stringing up.
All Step:
Source | curbly.com


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The Truth About List Social Network Sites And why your business may need them! If you were to do a Google search for a list of social network sites you would find a variety of results to look at.
Google likes pages that have the Top 10 or some other number in the title. This way they can catch your attention and get you to click on the link.
The thing is as I did my own search, Google gave me results anywhere from a Top 10 to one that had 105 leading social networks. To this I say "ouch" or "really you have to be kidding me"! I might scan the top 40 or 105, but I will never be involved with many social network sites. There are not enough hours in the day to be actively involved and in reality, is it even not a good use of your time if there was?
I admit there are many different ways you can market on social media sites for traffic. These include free and paid and free groups and fan pages. Having your own group can boost your authority that you can leverage as well by having members oversee the activities. Go on Quora from time to time and learn what questions people are asking in your niche and leverage it. You can learn about Quora here.
However, how many of us have our own group? Let's do this. I will write this article on the truth about list social network sites and why your business may need them. Then you can decide to what level you want to take it.
History Of Social Network Sites
I remember social network sites as far back as 1998, but they were called discussion groups or forums. One of the best as times was the Warrior Forum. It had members talking about Internet marketing and making money online. It was very niche-oriented in that you did not have people talking about cooking or exercising, or dating and so forth.
You came to discuss and learn about Internet marketing and making money online. I'm not sure exactly when social networking sites started. For most of us, Facebook was our first venture into social media followed by Twitter. This began big time probably around 2008-2010 even though Facebook and Twitter were started before them.
Facebook and Twitter For Money
Here is the problem today using Facebook and Twitter for making money. Most of us get friends and followers from people we know and requests from people who know someone we know. This is kind of like the problem of making a list and calling people to join your MLM. Unless you catch someone at the right time this really only results in people avoiding our phone calls. We become known as the person trying to get us into something we are not interested in.
Social media done this way does not work, and it results in people wasting time hoping someone will see their post and click on it and then join their program, or buy their product.
A Better Way
To make social networking or social media work for your business you have to separate your personal life from your business. You do that with your career or job, so why not do it with your online business! I see a real benefit to this beyond just the business benefits you will get.
Social media is one of the biggest time wasters in terms of business marketing. More people hang out on social sites pretending they are working. In reality, they are not working but killing time having fun and hoping they get a business benefit. If you are willing to separate personal social media from business social media, your business may very well benefit!
Facebook Marketing
I am constantly amazed at how big Facebook has become. With over 1.3 billion members they are easily the largest social networking site. This is where you want to be right? Maybe?
1. Business page. You can set up a Facebook business page and use it as a website if your business does not have one. I have heard that over 50% of businesses do not have a website yet. Papa Mike's restaurant in Bella Vista, Ar. uses his Facebook page as his website. His friends go to it for updates on specials and to see what is going on at Papa Mikes.
2. Group. Start your own Facebook group could be a workable solution to social media marketing as well. This gives you the chance to reach a group of people at one time.
3. PPC ads. Facebook ads are the way to go if you can afford it. You buy the ads and are billed when someone clicks on your ad. This can be very targeted advertising and eliminates the need to spend any time being social. With all of the features and benefits, Facebook provides this form of pay per click advertising has become more popular than Google Adwords.
Twitter and Who Else?
Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, and hundreds if not thousands more of social sites are there if you want them. In my viewpoint, this is overkill and almost impossible to do unless you have a full-time marketer working for you.
Use Quora and Yahoo Answers to see what is trending. If you blog like I do this is a good way to tap in on these sites giving you more to write about. The questions that are being asked on Quora and Yahoo answers are just a few that you can tap into.
The truth is if you have a business you need to use some social sites. Your potential customers are using them. It is up to you to decide how to use them. Paid advertising can work and is less time-consuming. Monitoring your social sites is a must if you want to interact with your friends and followers. Do this as often as time allows and reap the benefits!
My Take On This!
I suggest that you spend most of your time with a community that can help you build a business. A group that is there to give you all the answers and to show you when you are going wrong.
The best community to join after thorough research is the one that I am a part of and will be there to give you one on one coaching to help you take your business to the next level.
Related Video On 5 Social Media Marketing Tips For 2019
PS: Please leave a comment or any questions you may have below, I would love to get your feedback.
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Marvel Studios' first female-led franchise film Captain Marvel – the barrier-blasting, intergalactic origin story that goes higher, further, faster – will be available on DVD, Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD on 15th July.
Set in the 1990s, Captain Marvel is an all-new spectacular superhero adventure from a previously unseen period in the Marvel Cinematic Universe history of that introduces the MCU's first stand-alone, female-franchise title character – Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel (Brie Larson – Room, Kong: Skull Island).
When we first meet Danvers, she already possesses her superhero powers, having left her earthly life behind and become a member of an intergalactic elite Kree military team called Starforce, led by their enigmatic commander, Yon-Rogg (Jude Law – Sherlock Holmes, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald). But after Danvers has trained and worked with the Starforce team, and become a valued member, she finds herself back on Earth with new questions about her past.
While on Earth she quickly lands on the radar of Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson – Avengers: Age of Ultron, The Hateful Eight), and they must work together against a formidable enemy in the form of the Skrulls—the notorious Marvel bad guys made even more dangerous by their shape-shifting abilities—and their leader, Talos (Ben Mendelsohn – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Mississippi Grind), who is spearheading a Skrull invasion of Earth.
Based on the beloved Marvel comic-book series, first published in 1967, also stars Annette Bening ("American Beauty," "20th Century Women") as Supreme Intelligence, with Clark Gregg ("Marvel's The Avengers," "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.") as Agent Coulson.
Additional features on the Blu-ray include: an introduction and commentary by directors/screenwriters Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck; a selection of featurettes, including "Becoming a Super Hero" where fans see what it takes to be a Marvel Super Hero in every sense of the word, "Big Hero Moment" which explores how impactful Captain Marvel's entrance into the MCU is, "The Origin of Nick Fury" which shows how SHIELD's finest helped shape the MCU, and "The Skrulls and the Kree" which takes a deeper look into their ongoing conflict; plus six deleted scenes and a gag reel.
Captain Marvel will be available on DVD, Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD on 15th July, from Amazon.co.uk and other leading retailers.


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The National University of Singapore (NUS) and Government of Andhra Pradesh (GoAP) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on three aspects of governance, i.e. Strengthening Knowledge and Practices of Governance and Public Administration, Independent Audit of Real Time Monitoring System and Key Performance Indicators and Master Plan on Ease of Doing Business in Andhra Pradesh.
The MoU was signed by Mr. Dinesh Kumar, Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Professor Kishore Mahbubani, Dean, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP) and Associate Professor Tan Khee Giap, Co-Director, Asia Competitiveness Institute (ACI) at Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. The MoU signing had the presence of Mr. Sanjay Gupta, Secretary, Planning Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Ms. Tulika Avni Sinha, Consultant, Vision Management Unit, Government of Andhra Pradesh and the ACI team.
The NUS has agreed to work on a potential program designed for supporting the senior public officials on formulation of public policies, and emerging governance models via case studies, seminars, research and field trips. The ACI shall act as a platform for advance executive training programs for civil servants to study formulation of public policies, economic situations and investment opportunities in the state of Andhra Pradesh, Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China. ACI shall be committed to explore the prospect of conducting an Independent Audit of the Real Time Monitoring System (ROMS) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) developed by the State to check the quality and effectiveness of the programs designed to benefit the intended beneficiaries, the flow of information and impact of the strategies adopted. ACI at LKYSPP, NUS and the State government will jointly conduct a research on the strategies to enhance the economic competitiveness to attract investments to the Sunrise State of Andhra Pradesh, which has a vision to be the most preferred investment destination by 2050. This concentrates on improving the Ease of Doing Business Rank of the State.
ACI at LKYSPP, NUS shall work with local government officials, think-tanks, senior national and local government officials in India towards achieving the three objectives mentioned above and publish quarterly and annual progress reports for the purpose of Monitoring and Evaluation.
The Vision Management Unit (VMU) under Andhra Pradesh State Development Planning Society (APSDPS), Planning Department and Department of Industries and Commerce are the acting nodal agencies for NUS to carry out all the activities agreed in the MoU.


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UPDATE! Harlequin had 6 kittens April 22nd! If you missed it, watch it here: https://youtu.be/oIL6AaYr7yQ
Please help Kitten Rescue, the rescue I foster for, win kitty litter!
VOTE for KITTEN RESCUE here: https://www.worldsbestcatlitter.com/donate-cat-litter/
Ginger Male – (Much Ado About Nothing) Benedick
Dilute Ginger Male – (Princess Bride) Westley
Dark body Calico Female – (Roxanne) Roxanne
Calico Female – (Princess Bride) Buttercup
Black Male – (Roxanne) Charlie
Black Female – (Much Ado About Nothing) Beatrice
See the Weight Chart here: https://tinyurl.com/HarlequinWeightChart
FACT Sheet
Harlequin was rescued by a veterinarian who happened to hear her little meows coming from a taped up box, next to recycling bins, in an alley.
He took her back to his office and after taking an x-ray confirmed that Harlequin is pregnant and she is due to give birth in the next week.
The veterinarian reached out to KittenRescue.org for help and Harlequin is now being fostered by Sarah at the Kitten Cuddle Room
Harlequin is around 9 months to 1yr old & weighs 7.14lbs.
She is SUPER sweet and very floofy!
Once Harlequins kittens are at least 8 weeks old & 2lbs, they will be spayed/neutered and available for adoption, as will she!
Watch from birth to adoption! Maybe adopt them into your home & heart!
*Kittens are adopted in Pairs, unless there is already a super friendly cat already in the home. But applications for pairs will be given priority.
You can see pictures of Harlequin & my other three fosters who are available for adoption now at:
Twitter/Instagram: KittenCuddleRm
AMAZON WISHLIST http://a.co/avSNfp5
PAYPAL : email@example.com
1. DON'T be mean. We joke & can be a bit sarcastic at times, but no bullying.
2. NO Spamming
3. NO overuse of emojis. Stick to 4 or less especially during a live birth.
4. NO CAPITALS OR SPECIAL FONTS, except for our chatters who are CCing for our hearing impaired members.
**** Especially during a live birth. If chat is going too fast, it makes it impossible for anyone who needs CCing to read it.
5.We like to be as inclusive as possible, so please avoid conversations about religion & politics.
6. BEFORE asking a question, please scroll back in chat a bit & check if it's already been asked & answered. It helps to keep Sarah from having to repeat herself every five minutes.
7. DURING A LIVE BIRTH, please assume Sarah is NOT READING THE CHAT. If she can, she will, but asking her direct questions or things like, "move the camera" will most likely not be seen by her & just make chat unnecessarily clogged. Many questions can be answered by your fellow viewers, so please feel free to ask, but again, FIRST scroll back in chat & check if it's been answered already.
8. This is REAL LIFE FOSTERING. Uncensored. Along with all the cuteness & cuddles, there is poop, sometimes worms, throw up, illness & sadly kittens can pass away.
If that is too much for you, we understand. Instead of upsetting the other viewers, please just excuse yourself. That doesn't mean you can't share concern or ask questions, but Sarah is an experienced foster, has lots of experienced support watching & helping her behind the scenes & unless you are a local licensed vet in Los Angeles who wants to offer your services for free, it doesn't help to make judgments without all the information.
9. PLEASE don't suggest to Sarah that she should keep her fosters. It is hard enough for her to let them go. She already has 4 of her own cats & caring for cats is not only about cuddling. She has no more space in her small home & regular vet care can be expensive, especially dental! (darn it Rob!!!!)
The goal is to help support Sarah, not only with kitty supplies:
but ALSO emotionally. That means not making adopting out these kitties she loves any harder than it already is. ?


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Even though there's a bit of a lettuce scare out there, especially regarding the ever-popular Romaine, that doesn't mean we need to stop eating salad as we head into the summer months. This Thai peanut chopped salad uses napa cabbage and kale as the base (shaved Brussels sprouts would also work well).
There's no lettuce here. And there's absolutely no cooking involved in this recipe, either. It's a bit foolproof. Even the least-experienced cooks among us can pull this off. All that's required is tossing the dressing ingredients into a food processor and chopping a whole bunch of fresh vegetables and some peanuts. The result is a beautifully colorful and crunchy salad that is bursting with flavor from that intense peanut dressing.
It's Mother's Day this weekend. Most moms I know enjoy not having to cook on Mother's Day. They also really enjoy a nice salad. Just don't give her any Romaine.
(Note: I'll be doing a book signing at the Co-Op Market Grocery & Deli in Fairbanks from 1-4 p.m. Saturday. Come say hi and get a cookbook signed for mom.)
Thai peanut chopped salad
Serves 4-6
For the dressing:
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon jalapeno, chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons sugar, or to taste
1/4 cup peanut butter
For the salad:
1 small head napa cabbage, finely chopped
1 small bunch kale, stems removed and finely chopped
2 carrots, grated
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup edamame
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup green onions, chopped
1/2 cup salted peanuts, roughly chopped
To make the dressing:
Add the garlic, ginger, jalapeño, lime juice, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, vegetable oil, honey, fish sauce, sugar and peanut butter to a food processor. Whirl until completely smooth. Set aside.
To assemble the salad:
Add the kale and cabbage to a large bowl. Pour half of the dressing over the kale and cabbage and massage the dressing into the greens using your hands. This helps tenderize the kale. Top the greens with carrots, bell peppers, edamame, cilantro, green onions and peanuts. Drizzle with remaining dressing. Toss thoroughly before serving.
Note: this can be made a couple of hours ahead and refrigerated, but reserve the peanuts until serving time, or else they will get soggy.


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When you get there, you will already be there.
12.30 Silly Season Game 38: Champagne on Ice @ all the animals that come out at night - one of these days I'm gonna get my self organizized
wow! look! ->
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I pledge to do my best, every single day.
The Silas Willard Pledge
I pledge to do my best, every single day.
I'll listen, learn, and be fair, when I work and play.
I pledge to keep my hands and feet to myself, and treat others with respect.
I'll listen when my teacher speaks and follow every rule.
I pledge I'll be a good citizen in my classroom and my school.
Always Be Responsible, Be Respectful, and Be Ready
because that's the Wildcat way!


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City of Glendale, CAHome Sitemap Contact
Transportation and Parking Commission
Meeting Dates/Time: 4th Monday of every other month, 6:00 p.m.
Meeting Location: Council Chambers, 613 E. Broadway Ave Map to meeting location
|Commission/Board Member
|Appointed By
|Current Term
|Term Ends
|Henrik Nazarian
|March 2021
|Ashul Agrasyn
|March 2020
|Ara Kurkjian
|March 2017
|Aram Sahakian
|March 2019
|Maro Yacoubian
|March 2021
Commission/Board Members may continue to serve beyond their term limit until such time that they or their successors are qualified and appointed (GMC 2.36.010 (C)).
To contact Board/Commission members please click here.
As the Council's advisor in matters relating to roadways, public parking, public transportation, vehicles for hire, transportation demand management, and transportation system management, the Commission has the duty of making recommendations concerning transportation policy and the ways and means of providing and financing transportation and parking improvements and programs.
- Five members
- Four year term
- Three term limit
- No compensation
- Each appointed member of the transportation and parking commission shall be a qualified elector at the time of appointment and during incumbency.
- At least three members of the transportation and parking commission shall be persons who either currently or previously as a result of their training, experience and attainments are qualified to analyze and interpret transportation and parking information including, but not limited to, transportation planning, transportation program management, transportation and advisory agency, civil engineering, transportation, traffic engineering or urban planning. (Ord. 5310 § 4, 2002: Ord. 5181 § 1, 1997: prior code § 3-81)
- Elected officials may not serve on the commission.
- Active commissioners are not allowed to serve on more than one board/commission/committee (as defined in Title 2 of the Glendale Municipal Code) at the same time.
Additional Information
The Public Works Department provides administrative support for the Transportation & Parking Commission. The Director of Public Works or the Traffic and Transportation Administrator can provide additional information regarding Commission issues.
For additional information, please see the Glendale Municipal Code, Title 2, Chapters 2.36 and 2.64.
Contact Board/Commission Members
Transportation and Parking Commission c/o
Public Works Administration
633 E. Broadway, Rm. 209
Glendale, CA 91206


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What if you could do it for only $10US?
(Less than the cost of one lousy date with the wrong gal!)
Possible? You bet! Here's the thing: online dating sites are the perfect place for shy or busy guys to window shop for the perfect-for-you sweetheart. It's super efficient and less intimidating than randomly approaching girls on the street with cheesy, sleazy pick up lines.
But if you've "already tried dating sites" you might be thinking it's a lot of work and a lot of rejection and even if you do get a date, it's usually a big and expensive disappointment. Did I just read your mind? (I thought so!)
What if you can turn those endless rejections and dating disasters into finding the right girl for you? You can. See, the thing about dating sites is that you need to have a "dating site strategy" to succeed! When you have a strategy, it actually makes the dating process fun
You probably know people or at least have heard of people meeting their sweetheart online. It happens all. the. time. At least, according to statistics. So, it can happen for you.
There are many reasons why online dating sites haven't work for you in the past, and it's because you're not doing it right you're messing up from the get-go and becoming no-go's for the girls that could be the perfect match for you!
And here's the kicker...Girls on dating sites want to find a boyfriend like you! But even if you're the perfect guy for her, she's way more likely to reject you online for silly little things that don't really matter offline.
All you need to do is not screw up and then you can get your dream girl.
How does anyone get good at anything? They learn about it from people who've simply studied and mastered the craft first, whether it's online dating or inline skating! This means you can learn how to online date better.
You hop online and check out the new profiles. There are a few girls that interest you, but they're totally out of your league. Frown :(
You check your emails. There's nothing there. Or worse, there's a message from some old, fat, ugly chick with bad skin. You feel like crap and you want to give up. The women you like don't like you and the ones you don't want, well, shit even some of them don't want you! Fack.
After awhile of experiencing the shit side of online dating, it's not fun at all. In fact, it sucks the life out of you and you sign off feeling even more dejected and wondering if you'll ever get a girlfriend.
Then what? You break up with online dating and decide that you don't need anyone. You tell yourself you're fine on your own. You read angry blogs posts on MGTOW. You go back to reading Wired, at least a tech mag makes sense. But inside you aching with loneliness and longing!
Here's the thing... Online dating sites are the perfect place for a shy, busy or introverted guys to find the right girl. It's a matter of doing it the right way. And, like I mentioned earlier, if you do it the right way, it feels good because you get "Yeses" from chicks you actually dig!
You gotta fix your photos. Right now they repel women.
You gotta fix your bio aka the written bits. That sucks, too, dude.
You gotta send the right messages to get the reaction you want. Hint: a "Yes!"
You want a girlfriend. If you didn't, you wouldn't be here reading this. If I didn't want to help you get her, I wouldn't have written this for you! So, we're on the same page. Good start.
I used to lack confidence and I had social anxiety, so if you feel this way with women, I understand. I've designed a program that specifically fits for guys like you! After I got over my own shyness and low self-esteem, I still had trouble meeting people, because I work from home and I'm an introvert!
I realized and accepted that the best place to meet guys was on online dating sites. But I quickly learned that guys' profiles were terrible! The photos were bad, the write-ups were worse and their first communications were roll-my-eyes terrible. (And all the women I knew on dating sites were telling me the same thing!)
What's a girl to do? Help, of course! I talked to some of these guys about what they were thinking when they were creating their profiles. It was interesting, they weren't thinking at all. They had no strategy! So, I reviewed their profiles, gave them advice and they'd come back telling me that they'd literally doubled (or tripled or even multiplied) their online dating success rates. Yay!
I believe "love is the answer" for everyone, so I decided to create an affordable online program that any guy with a love-longing heart can use to find love online.
This is exciting news for you! There's hope. You can get a cuddle buddy, that one special person who simply "gets" you and who you actually like spending time with.
But if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got.
Which is why you need to switch it up! When you fix these three areas (photos, bio, communicating) that are not working, you'll be miles ahead of all the other guys (shy or not!) who have online dating site profiles and approach methods that repel girls. You'll be the one standing out in a good way!
Double Your Online Dating Training is the perfect solution to everything you've been doing wrong that's kept you from meeting the right women online.
The best part about the program is that it's quick and dirty, as in, simple to implement! Anyone can do it, even you!
"Anna's knowledge showed me how to attract the kind of woman I want.
I tweaked my [dating site] profile and started attracting women more in line with what I really want. "
"The solutions to effective online dating seem so obvious when I learned them, but I guarantee almost every guy is screwing up.
Women think different. Anna gave me the women's perspective and it made all the difference."
"Before doing your [double your online dating] program, I wasn't getting replies, never mind dates.
But following your advice, now I'm going on as many dates as I want and feel more confident talking to women in the real world. Thanks!
Instead of feeling frustrated sending out 100s of emails and constantly getting rejected or ignored, Double Your Online Dating gives you the simple solutions to fix your dating site profile and online communication skills so you can find the girl of your dreams!
Double Your Online Dating gives you easy to implement strategies to do that. You'll wonder why you never thought of it yourself! (It's because you think like a guy not a girl!)
Invest in yourself NOW and start getting dates by this weekend! For only 10 bucks!
100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
"I'd bought courses from pickup artists that didn't really do much for me. I'm shy and those tactics never felt right for me. I really want a girlfriend not a fuck buddy."
I like that your program is coming from the girl's perspective. It makes sense. I'm getting dates with cool girls now. Thanks!"
"I applied the suggestions to my profile and now I'm dating a girl for the first time in my life. It's great!"
I suffered from extreme shyness and low self-esteem as a child and well into adulthood. I've been on over 10 different dating sites or apps and understand the dynamics of the online dating world. It's a tough gig!
But it's also a great place to meet women. But there's a limited supply of the women you want, so you need to know how to positively stand out to get their attention. With Double Your Online Dating Training, you'll do just that!
Are you thinking that it seems like a lot of work? Or that you're too shy? busy? not interesting enough? Or ... that the kind of girl you want won't want you?
Let's explore...
Nope! It's actually way less work, because once you've got your profile set up right, you'll waste less time sending out tons of boring emails or cut-and-paste dandies that don't get the girl you really want.
You're probably not giving yourself enough credit, but guess what? It doesn't even matter if you're not that interesting! You read that right, my friend. There is a right gal out there who is looking for someone just like you, as is where is, as long as you present yourself properly.
I ain't gonna fib, there are people in the world who are "outta our league." They're called celebrities! But those folks are not on a dating site, so let's assume that the girls who are on a dating site are as regular as you and I and looking for love, too. There really is a right match for everyone. (Hint: If you look around, you'll see ordinary people in extraordinary relationships!)
100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
Secure Payment
You are fully protected by our 100% Satisfaction-Guarantee. If you don't double your online dating within 60 days of applying the strategies, just let us know and we'll send you a prompt refund.
P.S. Aren't you tired of living the lonely life? Even a lone wolf gets lonely. Is that what you want for your future? Seriously. Because nothing changes if nothing changes. Look, if you don't jump on this opportunity right now you know you'll will be missing out on finally taking effective action for your love life...and what's that going to look like in a year? five? ten??! (Hint: Still lonely. Or worse.)


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Ever wanted to live on a vineyard in France? Wake up in the morning to the smell of espresso and fresh-baked croissant, open the windows and gaze upon vineyards and majestic Mont Blanc in the distance? Eat delicious, locally sourced food and drink organically grown wine made in your backyard? Work, eat, drink, sing and dance with locals, and make friendships for life?
Ok, let's back it up. We'll get back to the idyllic French dream sequence in a bit.
It's June, and I am in Morgon, in the Beaujolais [click here to read Beaujolais Part 1!]. I arrive at Domaine de la Bonne Tonne, which has been in the Grillet family for 7 generations, and am met by Anne‑Laure, who apologizes for her appearance and explains she has come straight from the fields. She is tall and slim with an athletic build, and is wearing gym shorts and a white tank top stained with grape juice. Of course, despite having been working in the hot sun all day, hand-pulling grass that takes precious nutrients from the vines, she looks like a million bucks. If this is what physical labour in French vineyards does to a woman, sign me up.
Making a difference
We walk through the vineyards behind the Grillet house, admiring the healthy-looking vines. Anne‑Laure tells me about growing up on the family vineyard, saying that she and her brother always helped out in the vines and were raised with a deep respect for the environment, something that has become a core value. The family always used traditional grape-growing practices, but modern farming techniques, like the use of fungicides and pesticides, slowly crept their way into their business. Sometime in the late 90s, Anne‑Laure's father, Marcel Grillet, decided to make a change and stop spraying his vines with chemicals after realizing that they were negatively impacting the land and, as a result, his wine. It was the first step in the arduous task of converting their land to organic farming. Many of the vines had become dependent on these chemicals for their survival and didn't make it. But eventually, life returned to the soil and the vines grew back stronger. In 2007, they started using biodynamic practices in the vineyard (more on that later).
The difference is visible—the vines are taller than their non-organic neighbours. Anne‑Laure says it's even more noticeable in the winter, when their vineyard is still green and the neighbours' vineyard looks as lifeless as the moon. In 2006, all their hard work paid off, and Domaine de la Bonne Tonne officially earned its organic certification and label. But what does this mean? Essentially that instead of using pesticides to kill off the weeds, Anne‑Laure spends a lot more time hand-picking those weeds (while also getting a killer tan).
Change of plans
Even though Anne‑Laure grew up in a vineyard, she never planned to take over the family business. She was an education specialist who spoke at schools on environmental topics. Her husband Thomas's career had also taken an environmental path—he was a solar panel project specialist. A few years ago, both Anne‑Laure and Thomas were at points in their careers where they were looking to do something else. They had been living in Switzerland for 6 years and wanted to find something closer to home. So when her parents said they were retiring, they decided to go for it. Thomas had no viticultural experience, so he learned what he could from the family and was weeks away from earning his diploma in viticulture and oenology earlier this summer. In 2020, the young couple will officially take over Domaine de la Bonne Tonne.
Bonne Tonne biodynamics
Besides the daily operations of running a winery, Anne‑Laure and Thomas have given themselves a significant goal: obtaining the official Demeter biodynamic certification, even though Bonne Tonne is already biodynamic in all ways except on paper, and has been since 2007.
We've talked a bit about biodynamics before on Wining with Mel, which is a bit like next-level organic grape growing. This holistic agricultural process is based on the phases of the moon, as well as the stars and the weather, and makes the soil and the vines naturally strong using only natural, plant-based preparations, essentially creating a self-sufficient little ecosystem.
In organic farming, only naturally occurring products like sulphur and copper are allowed, and they are referred to as "contact products" because they stay on the surface of the vines and don't work their way into the whole ecosystem. So it's understandable that on the day of my visit Anne‑Laure was bothered by the smell that lingered in the air that meant other grape growers in the area were spraying their vines with penetrating chemicals. "On vit avec," she said. You live with it. Later in an email, Thomas said something similar: "Nous respectons chaque vigneron car c'est un métier difficile." (We respect every producer because it is a difficult job).
They know you can't change everyone else, but you can change how you do things. "C'est à nous d'agir," she added. It's up to us to act. And that's exactly what Anne‑Laure and Thomas are doing. They are being the change they want to see in the world. They are taking their passion, determination and strong environmental convictions and building an ecologically sustainable legacy for their young daughter. And the movement is growing. There are now a handful of biodynamic wineries in Beaujolais, and lots more organic ones. And the movement isn't limited to wine. By 2021, the commune of Villié‑Morgon is going entirely pesticide free, just one of 17 Beaujolais communes that have signed the charter.
Bonne Tonne wines
I can't express how exciting and inspirational it was to witness Anne‑Laure's passion, but I can say that it made me very thirsty.
We were able to taste the Beaujolais Blanc from their small parcel of chardonnay grapes grown on clay‑based soil. Lovely aromas of citrus and minerality with just a soupçon of toast and vanilla. This balance of freshness and roundness comes from 1/3 of the blend being fermented in a barrel, with the other 2/3 in stainless steel. This is a delicious chardonnay, and really hit the spot after a day of exploring the vineyards of the Beaujolais.
As you may recall from the last post, the Beaujolais cru Morgon is divided into distinct areas determined by soil type and orientation. Bonne Tonne has plots in three of these, including Les Charmes, Les Grands Cras and Côte du Py. We were able to have a taste of the 2017 Les Grands Cras, with grapes from Bonne Tonne's biggest plot. It was distinct from the others we had tried that day, with blackberry flavours, floral notes and lots of acidity. Sadly for us (but great for them), they were all sold out of the other bottles, so I was unable to try Les Charmes and the Côte du Py. The good news is Bonne Tonne is represented in Quebec by the Boires agency, so the 2015 Côtes du Py is available at the SAQ in very limited quantities, and the others can be ordered privately.
Now back to that dream sequence!
This is your chance to fulfil that dream of living on a vineyard! Domaine de la Bonne Tonne is still looking for a few extra sets of hands to help with the harvest for a week in mid-September. If you love wine, are interested in sustainable agriculture, want hands-on grape-picking experience and aren't afraid of hard work, this is an excellent opportunity! In exchange for your services, Bonne Tonne will put you up, feed you, and make sure the wine bottles are never empty! Interested? Email Anne‑Laure and Thomas at grillet.marcel (at) wanadoo.fr ASAP (and check your spam folder regularly as some of their emails seem to end up there)!
Happy wining!


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Newsletter April 1/2011
April 1/2011
Second Policy Forum will be arranged in Turku on May 19th 2011
SNOOP arranges the second Policy Forum in Turku on May 19th. The Policy Forum will focus on shipping-induced NOx, SOx and particle matter emissions. The Forum is arranged in co-operation with the Baltic Sea Forum. The Policy Forum programme will consist of interesting presentations and e.g. two new innovations for cleaner shipping will be presented.
The first results of exposure estimation available
The first results of exposure estimation in Helsinki area have now completed and the data from harbour area is available. Air quality measurements are still continuing in harbour areas of Helsinki and Turku. Air quality measurements were also conducted at the isle of Aegna, near Tallinn.
Marine impact model makes progress
Despite of some challenges the marine impact model has made progress and the first test with model verification has been made. The work with the model continues still.


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Review of Martin Berman-Gorvine's "Judgement Day"
Judgment Day is the fourth and final installment in the Days of Atonement series by Martin Berman-Gorvine. The book separates itself from the three previous books by a substantial distance in years and geography. The main characters: Amos, Suzie, and Vicky, are now in their forties and living far to the south of their old hometown of Chatham's Forge, on an island in Maryland, where they are somewhat removed from the newest god to take over up north, Ba'al, and his High Priestess, Cindy, who seeks revenge against the Israel clan, which Amos's band is now called. While Amos is the Headman, or leader, of this band that lives peacefully except for the occasional assaults by the punks that have followed them south, it is Vicky who has taken on the role of Rabbi and devoted follower of the Jewish God Amos's family secretly believed in back in Chatham's Forge when Moloch was the god in charge. The trio have formed a somewhat awkward family unit, with Amos married to both women and producing a large blended family. While he is admired and respected by the small community of more than a hundred refugees that have joined them over the years, Amos still retains the wishy washy and indecisive nature that has not only frustrated the women in his life, but this reviewer as well. He is a good man, but he struggles to make decisions and be an assertive leader, allowing one of his wives and a son to dominate their community with less violent, but similar rigid ritualistic expectations put upon the followers of the barbaric gods of the north.
While the group has been at peace for years, Cindy and Ba'al are prepared to get their vengeance against the Israel clan. At the same time, Vicky has become convinced that the Jewish God has taken physical form and their much smaller group is destined to go to war with the demonic gods, like Ba'al and Mote, the god of death. Amos struggles to keep his two families and two wives, who have been at odds with one another all these years, at peace and their community whole. It's clear that is a failing effort, and war is coming.
This is a fitting, and somewhat surprising, ending to this series. I had my doubts as to how the author could effectively end this tale, given the direction it has been heading and with the world filled with so many dark and demonic gods, ghosts, and only hints of the benevolent, if somewhat absent deity of the Jewish faith. I felt satisfied in the end-that the author didn't use a (pardon the use of the term) deus ex machina to bring things to a conclusion, as it were. The ending fits and while this alternate universe can seem somewhat baffling at times, it has its own logic to it, and the characters who survive are not left with easy answers or solutions to their lifelong problems.
While the big picture story of this series deals with a hell-wrapped apocalyptic world, the real story is more personal, dealing with the conflicts that face the challenging love triangle Amos, Suzie, and Vicky been a part of since their high school days came to an end. It is hard to say that any one of them is a hero or a villain in this piece. Instead, they are just three humans that have tried, and often failed, to do the right things for themselves and those they care about. This is not a tale of redemption or vindication for any one of them. It is a tale of realization-understanding who you are (for better or worse) and that while this particular story may end, the greater story continues to unfold endlessly into the future. Whether that is frustrating, or satisfying, is perhaps all in how you look at it. For me, this series was both frustrating and satisfying, like the characters, and like life itself. It is the same whether you live in the 'normal' world or (apparently) in a demon and ghost-infested post nuclear apocalyptic world.
Judgment Day can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Judgment-Days-Ascension-Martin-Berman-Gorvine/dp/1609752430/
Review of Stephen Kozeniewski's "The Hemotophages"
I've read several novels by Stephen Kozeniewski and I can always rely on a different flavor of horror being explored in each. I know he has written some non-horror stuff, and I'd be curious if they have the same…edge to them, if that is the proper word. The author is fairly clinical with his precision in presenting a horrific idea and not being timid about seeing it through to its conclusion. All in all, The Hematophages fulfills that commitment, and should leave the reader disturbed and uncomfortable for quite some time after reading the last page.
I was able to read the prequel short story, Skinwrappers, before checking out this novel. While it gives a taste of the universe where The Hematophages takes place, it, for the most part, serves as a background piece, though the main character in the short earns a key role in the novel.
A few centuries down the line, the human race has expanded its reach to far distant planets. Paige Ambroziak is a grad student given the opportunity to go on a corporate funded expedition to explore an ancient seed ship humanity sent out in the early years of space exploration. Until recently, it was believed it was lost forever. It is outside charted space, hovering above what is called a flesh world, which is covered in an ocean of blood filled with strange monsters. This is a chance of a lifetime for Paige-promotions and prestige will follow this expedition, if she can manage to survive.
I don't get exposed to a lot of space horror tales. Horror, yes. Science Fiction, yes. The combination doesn't always come together in print for me, so the comparisons (done by other reviewers already) is mainly to Event Horizon, a movie that shares certain levels of intensity and some commonalities with this novel. Alien, or perhaps even Aliens, might share a tiny bit of DNA with this one as well, though in a more generic way. While I don't get exposed to a lot of sci fi horror, I certainly enjoy the concept and this book does a pretty solid job of universe building to help set up the story. There are questions left unanswered about what has led the human race to its current status, though they aren't necessarily critical to the story at hand. Getting to the meat of the story is what the author does, and we are presented with quite a few rather interesting characters besides the main one and get to understand their motivations fairly quickly. The horror elements are unpacked in pieces, though reading the description of the book provides some pretty strong hints as to what direction things are headed.
The author does a solid job, as he has done with other stories he's written, in ratcheting up the tension and dropping the occasional shock bomb on the audience. It's always good when an author manages to zig when you expect a zag. There were, unfortunately, a couple of zigs where I expected them, that didn't necessarily lead to disappointment as much as a knowing nod. The end result is a fairly satisfying tale with a few minor frustrations as to where the story led.
The author does not scrimp on gore and horrific visual imagery, giving us some disturbing things to think about and digest. With a starting point of a world with oceans of blood, it should be clear to the reader that we are in for some pretty twisted things that I would guess came straight from one of Mr. Kozeniewski's nightmares. The author does not disappoint in escalating the grotesqueries and terror from there.
While others have used the Event Horizon comparison, and it is an apt one, one I will use, but only partially, is Greg Bear's Blood Music. I won't play the spoiler by sharing details of that tale, but would encourage a look at it for anyone who enjoyed this story. The short story Mr. Bear wrote that was expanded into a full novel shares a few elements of fear and horror with this tale (alien creatures and the potential for body manipulation), though only toward the end of The Hematophages. Still, I couldn't help wonder what Kozeniewski might do if he chose to carry things beyond this story and how he would approach it vs. what Mr. Bear did when he expanded his short story into a full novel. I would guess Kozeniewski's would be end up being a bit more on the dark side…
The Hematophages can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Hematophages-Stephen-Kozeniewski/dp/1944044558/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Review of Stephen A North's "Down in the Gutter Like Me"
Down in the Gutter Like Me has, like a lot of Stephen A North's work, a bit of a noir-ish flavor to it, with a down on his luck main character who isn't squeaky clean by any stretch. Unlike a lot of his other works, this isn't a character that gives the reader much of a reason to gain a sense of empathy for him. If you feel empathy for Guy Masters, I might feel a bit sorry for you, but more likely, I'll just make every effort to steer clear of you (and make sure anyone I care for does as well).
Guy isn't just down on his luck, he lives in the gutter, as the title of this short story infers. We are invited to join him down there as he stands in the dark one night, trying to peep through the window of his ex-girlfriend to get a look at her as she undresses while he wishes he had a handful of the painkillers he's addicted to pop like candy…and it only gets seedier from there.
North has a knack for creating characters that are down on their luck. Bubbling with barely controlled rage, just beneath the surface. With most of what I have read, these characters are no choir boys, no boy scouts, but they have a moral streak that give the reader a reason to root for them and hope they find their redemption. Not so here, and that isn't necessarily a bad thing. This reads like the transcript of some news docudrama: a night of insanity perpetrated by a soul who isn't just lost, but comfortable being lost-it doesn't take much for them to do what the rest of us would call questionable or deplorable-little in the way of justification crosses Guy's mind. He's used to life sucking and he'll make his own luck, no matter what kind of ugly he has to perpetrate for that luck to happen.
I guess you could feel something for Guy more than disgust. Perhaps it is that way for me because it's pretty damn hard to imagine falling that far and that hard in life and being grateful those circumstances haven't befallen me. We don't want to be as hard, as cruel, or as vicious as life has been to him, or he has been to the world around him, so sympathy creeps in and we get tantalized by how wrong everything is that he does-never does he step onto the right pathway in this story and you get the sense he never has at any earlier point in his life. It allows us to take a quick glimpse into that type of vile world and step back, wash off the filth, and perhaps not feel so bad that some of the buzz Guy feels when he does yet another terrible thing didn't instantly disgust us. After all, we're not down in the gutter with him, living there. We're just visiting for a little while…
Down in the Gutter Like Me can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Down-Gutter-Like-Stephen-North-ebook/dp/B082Z6STW7/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=down+in+the+gutter+like+me&qid=1577667634&sr=8-1
Review of Stephen Kozeniewski's "Skinwrapper"
I haven't read Stephen Kozeniewski's The Hematophages, but this novella serves as a prequel. Based on what I have read, Kozeniekski has created yet another darkly creative universe where the horror is fresh, fantastical, and yet quite real and very disconcerting.
The main character is a teenage girl living on board a space freighter called the Blue Whale. She lives with her two mothers, and corresponds with a friend who is on another ship far off in another shipping lane in the galaxy. She is at an age where she is not yet ready to move into a career role on the ship, which is the only home she has ever known. While it is clear the corporation that owns the ship controls all aspects of its inhabitant's lives, she seems pretty happy with her existence.
That's when the ship gets attacked. In the space of a few words on the page, our main character's life is irrevocably changed and we understand the grave danger she is in as she races through the ship and the scattered zero g carcasses of her crew mates, victims of the Skinwrappers, pirates whose methods and motives are ghastly. Relying on a voice inside her head to force her to remain calm while doing her best to hide from the interlopers, she struggles to survive this abrupt and grisly nightmare in deep space.
I've read several works from Kozeniewski and despite the fantastical nature of the environments he creates, there is a realness to them, a sense of place and time that puts you in the story. This tale is no different. While this is a novella, I would say it has the jarring feel of a short story that moves at a breakneck speed. You don't know every detail of the world the characters inhabit and you don't need to know them all to get a sense of their reality. The telling of the tale is precise, with little to no fat left on the bone. You're moving forward, racing to a conclusion that is nearly impossible to guess at, and holding on to the ride the entire time.
While this tale takes place in deep space, it is as real and down to earth as a horror tale can get. Nothing but good old fashion humans doing ill to other humans, in so very many creative and unspeakable ways. Definitely worth a read, and an excellent appetizer to what I suspect is a pretty darkly detailed horror novel in The Hematophages.
Skinwrapper can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Skinwrapper-Stephen-Kozeniewski-ebook/dp/B07TNPP4NZ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1S5ZWZ6IU6UWJ&keywords=skinwrapper&qid=1572196944&sprefix=skinwrapper%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-1
Review of Austin Case's "Wild, Dark Times"
Wild, Dark Times by Austin Case is a very trippy journey into a world of magic and monsters that had my head spinning at times. Elizabeth Megalos is a bank teller and a former art student who is bored with her life until one of her coworker friends shows up at her doorstep and attacks her. She doesn't just attack like a normal person, she attacks like a possessed lunatic. Moments later, in steps Eddie, who saves Elizabeth from the assault and then claims he is a sorcerer. Bewildered and somewhat stunned, she reluctantly follows Eddie as they flee and later head to a local native American burial ground. Here is where she witnesses more solid proof that Eddie does have magical powers and his urgent believe that she has something to do with stopping the impending apocalypse might possibly be true. Later, they meet up with Hugh, a college professor who is even more skeptical than Elizabeth about Eddie and his claims of magical powers, though he too is saved from certain death from a magical assailant. Things continue to get even crazier when they jet off to Europe to meet with some of Eddie's magical friends, all in an effort to discover what apocalypse they are supposed to prevent and to figure out what role Elizabeth has to play in stopping it from happening.
The author keeps things moving along at a rapid-fire pace in a story which is described as occult fiction or urban fantasy. While those terms do a good job of describing the book, another descriptive word is the one I use in the first sentence of this review: trippy. The author clearly has an extensive knowledge of the occult and a history of magic from a wide array of ancient cultures, but he also knows his hallucinogens. That a variety of intoxicants would be used in tandem with magic to achieve desired results perhaps isn't very surprising-communing with other planes of existence and the supernatural likely requires a much more fluid and open mind. Acid, mushrooms, and other hallucinogens play as much a role here as the magic itself and Elizabeth's initial and a later experience with these drugs provide us with some very existential stream of conscious poetry that had me tripping just reading it.
The characters in this story are well developed-Eddie's magical friends are musicians and artists who each have their own unique perspective and unique magical talents. Eddie is the only one who seems to have skills not restricted to a specific area of magic. He is also a mystery. He does not remember anything about himself before he met up with his friends a few years earlier. Each one of these friends encourages Elizabeth to regain her lost passion for art and to overcome the fear and self-doubt that challenge her at every step as she is coming to grips with being a potential savior of humanity. Especially since she has no magical abilities of her own.
Overall, this is a fun story with a far dose of humor peppered in with action, drama, and horror. While it was enjoyable, some of the dialog was awkward and stiff and occasionally the motivations of certain characters seemed a bit off. And if you are turned off by the use of hallucinogenic drugs, this probably isn't a story you will fully appreciate. Otherwise, it is a magical adventure filled with some wild occult oddities.
You can find Wild, Dark Times here: https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Dark-Times-Austin-Case-ebook/dp/B07SHC8FRN/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=wild+dark+times&qid=1566439993&s=gateway&sr=8-1
Review of J.E. Reed's "Running With The Wolves"
The concept of transporting an average person into an alternate realm for high adventure has been around about as long as stories have been told. Authors such as Mark Twain, H.G. Wells, and Edgar Rice Burroughs all took swipes at this concept over a century ago. Science fiction and fantasy writers have followed that route time and time again ever since. With the advent of table top role playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons, Gamma World, Call of Cthulhu (among many others) in the seventies, the concept of transporting oneself into a fantasy realm took on a whole new meaning. Since then, more and more writers have embraced this concept, including the likes of Terry Brooks (Magic Kingdom for Sale), Joel Rosenberg (Guardians of the Flame), and Stephen R. Donaldson (Thomas Covenant). Time marches on, and more recently, a new subgenre has been gaining popularity, thanks mainly to the influx of MMOs, or massively multiplayer online games, such as Everquest, World of Warcraft, and numerous other computer (or mobile ap) based games where a player can craft a character in a strange fantasy world and join thousands if not millions of others endlessly questing for new adventures. This subgenre is known as LitRPG, though another variation is called Game Lit. Much like with their predecessors, the characters in these written works are tossed into a fantasy realm, though in this instance, it is a computer game universe. It may be a virtual reality, but it is with real world consequences-the characters are in true mortal peril with no reboots or extra lives to spare.
This is where J.E. Reed's first novel, Running With The Wolves, lands. We are introduced to Kiuno, who wakes up one morning in a strange, primordial forest realm, separated from the real world where she lives in with her husband, working a regular job, and living a regular life. She can remember her life back home, but not her true name (Kiuno is her online ID-the one she created for the games she plays). Searching for anyone else in this wild and strange place, she comes across other survivors who are struggling to come to grips with this strange and dangerous place. It doesn't take long for her to realize that she has somehow been thrust into a game she played with numerous others online called Chronopoint, where she was an expert at building alliances and facing enemies both human and inhuman. With that in mind, she forms bonds with others with the goal of finding her online friends (including her real life husband) and to discover a way out of this lethal place, which is made of ten different realms, each one far more dangerous than the one before.
While the story is filled with fantastic creatures and strange magic (Kiuno has to figure out how to manage the extremely potent and dangerous magic she possesses), this boils down to a story about survival and finding those around you who you can trust and build friendships with. Everyone you didn't know before, when it was just an online game, is a potential threat that might be willing to kill you to survive and find a way to the tenth realm where they might find a way to get back home.
For a first novel, this is a very solidly written work of fantasy, with a main character that is well fleshed out and worth rooting for, along with the friends she connects with, both new and old, in her journeys. The editing is solid, though I did have a gripe with an overabundance of pronouns and some confusion, at times, as to who was speaking a given line-words are spoken but the actions in the same paragraph are that of someone else. Overall though, the writing and editing is crisp and the action moves at a rapid pace. It did seem a bit odd that Kiuno seems to be about the only female character of any relevance in this, the first book of what is likely a trilogy. There are other females, but none seem to take up more than a paragraph here or there, while there are numerous male characters to challenge and engage Kiuno in both battle and friendship.
Another minor criticism is that while each of these realms are quite perilous, with the introduction of several creatively fiendish monsters, it seems as though there isn't a vast amount of difference from one realm to the next, except that each is inferred to be incrementally more dangerous. Much of the terror in this tale lies in the nightmares that Kiuno is going through-hoping her husband still lives while watching those around her die gruesome deaths as she learns how to control the lethal magic the realms has gifted her with. The monsters she faces represent only brief interludes on occasion.
The story does draw you in, despite the universe the author has created being a bit sparse when it comes to the fantastical (again, there are a few run-ins with some quite fantastical monsters, but they are somewhat limited). The hope is that as our protagonist and her band of loyal allies move deeper into the ten realms and closer to the 'front lines' where the war to find a way home is being fought, that there will be more to see, and more to challenge her beyond her own fears and insecurities.
Her closest friends are well thought out characters that I grew to both appreciate and enjoy, though the villains in this book were fairly uninteresting. While there are inhuman monsters that come in many shapes and sizes, none serve as more than a passing danger. The human monsters are a far greater threat and much more vicious, but unfortunately, none hold the reader's attention for very long. As the author continues to shape this world and crafts more and greater challenges for the heroes of the piece, it is my hope that Kiuno becomes more of the natural leader her companions believe her to be.
Again, this is a solid debut novel and I look forward to checking out the second book in the series.
Running With The Wolves can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Running-Wolves-Chronopoint-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B07CH47MVW/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1551067659&sr=8-6&keywords=running+with+the+wolves
Review of Jonathan Crayford's "Legacy of the Sky Pendant"
The Legacy of the Sky Pendant is Jonathan Crayford's first novel. It tells two stories, with the first being the tale of Marcus, who lives in the village of Soulwind. The village is under assault by dark strangers who have slowly engulfed the Kingdom of Termelanor and who intend on wiping out his village before marching on the capital. It will be up to Marcus to do whatever he can to save the village, whether that means fighting to the death or racing against time to convince the King of the dire threat they all face. The second tale takes place nearly a century later, when Cruise, a young man in the same village, is bound and determined to win the annual foot race that takes place there every year. His family is poor, and the prize money will go a long way in helping them fight their way out of poverty. Unfortunately, the odds are stacked against him with an elite band of champions who come from the capital city every year to compete and always win.
What ties these two stories together is the necklace both characters wear. It is the mysterious sky pendant, with metal that fell to earh and seems to have strange powers that influence and give the wearer great strength in times of need.
It was clear from the first word of this book that this was the authors first attempt at writing a novel. There is great enthusiasm here, but there is a significant disconnect between the story he wants to tell and the story that ends up on the page. The primary issue, especially with the first story, is that it suffers heavily from the author telling vs. showing. The best way to describe this effect is to imagine having someone tell you about a book they read instead of reading it yourself. The author volunteers a great deal of information, whether it is truly pertinent to the tale or not, and in many places, it reads like an information dump. We are not experiencing the story through the eyes of the main character, or even as though we are there with him, watching breathlessly as he deals with countless life and death situations. We are reading a news report of what is happening to him. While this issue also hinders the second story, it is clear the author had already made great strides in his writing skills by the time he crafted the tale of the race and there is more of a sense of being present in the moment along with Cruise, rather than feeling like you are reading a book report on what is happening at the race and when he is training.
The book could have benefited greatly from an editor spending some time going over the story with the author. The dialog is often choppy and awkward, especially in the first story. While it does improve in the second part of the book, it still doesn't feel quite natural. The stiffness subsides a bit the further we go, but it hangs with us to the very end. Many of the characters also don't feel very real-in what they do or how they act. Simple caricatures instead of in depth, drawn out people you would take an interest in…perhaps except for Cruise and the man who chooses to coach him for his race, but even there, more character development would have been necessary for me to really invest or truly care what happens to either of them. The villains are obvious, the King is a simple-minded idiot, and so on. The plot is overly basic in the first story, and yet again the second story gains in complexity. The author invested quite a bit more energy in turning Cruise's experiences with the race into something dramatic and worthwhile, though it still left needed more for me to really believe in it. Finally, an editor could have saved the author from his zeal for somewhat odd descriptors and an overabundance of adverbs. You cannot look at someone sarcastically, and yet that description pops up numerous time throughout the story.
I realize how brutal this review may seem, but I was asked by the author for a fair and honest review and to his credit, he knew what to expect since I shared many of my critiques with him before I had even finished the first part of the book. More than likely he will be surprised with my reaction to the second part of the book, which showed a few signs of someone getting closer to crafting a story that would draw you in and make you care for the characters.
The author wants to continue to improve as a writer and wants to continue this saga as a series. Hopefully he will also continue to sharpen his skills as a writer and seek out a professional editor and some brutally honest beta readers to support him on this path, because despite the many issues I may have seen with this work, I can also see potential in the author as a storyteller.
Legacy of The Sky Pendant can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Legacy-Sky-Pendant-Jonathan-Crayford-ebook/dp/B07K4DV13M/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1549575938&sr=8-3


text:
Second Level rugby coach, specialised with Forwards, with limited experience but passionate and committed, seeks a reliable Club for a fresh start."
I finally decided to put an end to my tormented relationship with my (former) club. The club where I began to play rugby, where I got injured and ended my playing career, where I have been working with different offices (team manager, webmaster, press-officer, mini and junior coach, and many others…) throughout these past years.
I've been trying hard to make it work, I've been biting the bullet all season for my team's own good, but it has been just a huge waste of time (and health): I really can't work with selfish, unreliable, narrow minded people. Those who prey upon you and then give you the boot with no explanation, just because you're too straightforward and you don't have the habit to flatter them. But I'm not a puppet, and I don't like to play the fool. So, to save my dignity, I decided to call it a day.
I'm only sorry for my boys who gave me great satisfactions, and the few friends (3!) I leave behind.
What's in my future I don't really know… is this the end of my promising career as a coach?
I have already had some contacts with another club, but after this frustratrating and disappointing experience I'm not sure if I have the guts to start it over again…