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Summary from Goodreads:
New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Hoyt brings us the first book in her sexy and sensual Greycourt Series!
Freya de Moray is many things: a member of the secret order of Wise Women, the daughter of disgraced nobility, and a chaperone living under an assumed name. What she is not is forgiving. So when the Duke of Harlowe, the man who destroyed her brother and led to the downfall of her family, appears at the country house party she's attending, she does what any Wise Woman would do: she starts planning her revenge.
Christopher Renshaw, the Duke of Harlowe, is being blackmailed. Intent on keeping his secrets safe, he agrees to attend a house party where he will put an end to this coercion once and for all. Until he recognizes Freya, masquerading amongst the party revelers, and realizes his troubles have just begun. Freya knows all about his sins—sins he'd much rather forget. But she's also fiery, bold, and sensuous—a temptation he can't resist. When it becomes clear Freya is in grave danger, he'll risk everything to keep her safe. But first, Harlowe will have to earn Freya's trust-by whatever means necessary.
With the publication of the final book in her Maiden Lane series last year, I was wondering what Elizabeth Hoyt was going to do next. Maiden Lane started dark and got darker, ending with the destruction of a secret cult that prided itself on the degradation of women and children.
Not the Duke's Darling is a solid, fast-moving start to Hoyt's new series. This is an enemies-to-lovers-with-a-second-chance romance (one of my favorite tropes!) that also dabbles a bit in secret societies (although these two doesn't go in for sex cults, thank goodness) that pits women and women's knowledge against some wild-eyed witch-hunters. Hoyt starts off with a bang, almost literally, with an undercover Freya rescuing a small child from his nefarious uncle then off to a house-party to investigate the identity of a politician bent on restarting witchcraft trials. Along the way Freya comes across an old friend-now-nemesis the Duke of Harlow (Christopher), who is bent on stymieing a blackmailer and getting Freya to tell him what she's up to (good luck with that). And then there's a murder….
I quite liked Freya as a character but I also really liked how Hoyt dug into questions of how women were treated in marriage – legally – in the 18th century and how Christopher chooses to allow Freya to make up her own mind without getting overly possessive or seducing her into agreement. This not-quite-a-beta-male hero is a welcome relief to a sea of heroes who growl, stalk, and generally act overly possessive. I hope Hoyt gets a bit more into the Wise Women in future books of the series.
Plus there's a cute dog, which is a bit of a requirement in a Hoyt novel anymore.
Not the Duke's Darling is out today, wherever books are sold.
Dear FTC: I read a digital galley of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.


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What is J4 even good at?
So I played 2 days worth of J4 and I've concluded that he's basically crap. But don't just down vote me... change my mind. 1. He doesn't scale well no matter what build I try. Yes, he can snowball, but that's NOT the same thing as scaling. A scaling champ can AFK farm and win the game, because they scale. J4 can't afk farm successfully no matter what his item build is, because he just doesn't scale well enough. I've played hard scaling junglers. 2. His ganks seem meh. It's very easy for him to miss his Q+E combo, and if he does, they basically just walk away and he wasted his time attempting the gank. There are champs that can gank much more reliably than that, so I feel like if you plan to gank, why would you pick him for that? 3. His counter jungling is kind of meh. That's because he needs tiamat to farm decently. But there's plenty of junglers who can farm fast without any items. So they easily out farm him. So how's he supposed to counter jungle when he can't even keep up in farm with many junglers? Sure he can dash over a wall to escape, but that's a pretty weak counter jungle if the best you can do is run. He's a decent dueler, if he is full HP, but he has no innate life steal so he gets unhealthy on things like dragons and even just camps, where other junglers could be more healthy. And if he's lower on HP than the other jungler, he definitely can lose duels or simply have to run, which wastes his time. All of that just doesn't make him the best counter jungler. 4. His split pushing is kind of meh. I can't see that as a reason to pick him. 5. His teamfighting consists basically of inting himself and hoping his team can clean up afterwards. That's because he has no escape, if he uses his whole kit to initiate, which is his best engage. So he basically just dies, almost guaranteed, every teamfight. Unless of course his team is super far ahead and the enemy team has no damage. I mean, his engage is great but with no escape, he just dies. Plenty of junglers who can contribute just as much to a teamfight, but without the dying part. So if he can't scale, and his ganks suck, and his counter jungling sucks, and his teamfighting sucks, I just can't put my finger down on any particular reason to pick J4. Maybe he count be a niche pick because of his armor shred, perhaps against a high armor target, but even then I think there's other junglers who also have armor shred who would be safer in that case. I feel like J4 is one of those champs who only wins if your team was going to win anyway. Like, the very fact that he has to dive with no escape, kind of means that if your team isn't ahead, then he just feeds. Only reason J4 would win the game is if his allies are decent or the enemy is bad and the game was already predestined to be a win. He doesn't seem like a champ who would score a high grade on a losing game.
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subset: commoncrawl


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"We have just been watching a couple of young guys get their ute stuck in the vacant lot across from our office in Rosedale," writes Chris.
"Not sure why they went in, presumably it was to prove how capable their 4WD is ... after about five minutes of digging in they had to give up and walk away sheepishly."
Dangerous driving explained
The Automobile Association's Kiri Coughlan responds to the reader who spotted the driver of a SADD car discarding a cigarette on a petrol station forecourt.
"Six weeks ago the SADD team was gutted that one of their cars was stolen from outside Okura Bush Walkway on the North Shore. The news that the thief is a thoroughly bad egg and is using the car to drive dangerously is absolutely a kick in the guts for the team who rely on sponsorship to keep this student-led charity going to empower young people to make safer and better choices on the road.
If you could ask your readers to be on the lookout for the car, and to contact police if they see anything concerning, that would be really appreciated (they are understandably keen to get this driver off the road)."
Off the map
"I'm working with this lady at the time. Older woman. Kinda airheaded. It's at a group home. Dora the Explorer is on. Dora summons the map. Map pops out, all rolled up, and sings his signature number, which, as a reminder, goes a little like this:
'I'm the map I'm the map I'm the map I'm the map
I'm the map I'm the map I'm the map I'm the map
I'm the map I'm the map I'm the map I'm the map
I'm the map I'm the map I'm the MAP!!!'
And this peach of a co-worker, staring at the TV, says, 'What's that supposed to be, like a cigarette or something?"' (Via Reddit)
The good old days
A reader writes: "I can recall aged 9, in the early 50s, while biking down the Main St in Gisborne at 3am, being accosted by an irate milkman who accused me of pinching money out of milk bottles. I denied it, of course, and turned the pockets of my shorts out to prove I had nothing. I was actually biking down to the wharf to go out fishing for the day on the boat Lucia, on which my mate's older brother was a deckhand. They sailed about 3.30am to get out to the fishing grounds for a morning shot. I would spend the day helping to string fish and gutting flats. I would go out as often as allowed in those days. Naturally in later years I went fishing myself."
Even lady liberty is a slave to her notifications
"Recently I was in Times Square, New York where (like everywhere else) literally EVERYONE was on their phones," writes Vani Kapoor. "Then I saw this art ... maybe 'Digital Detox' is catching on."
Bra in car
Mummy, why is your bra in daddy's car?
What!? (The Mrs hit me wit a killer side eye.) Ain't no bra in my car!!
Ya huh, cup thingie with straps
*we all go to garage & look in car*
Video pick
David Dunning explains the Dunning-Kruger Effect, a cognitive bias in which people with lesser abilities tend to rate themselves as more proficient than they are.
Got a Sideswipe? Send your pictures, links and anecdotes to Ana at email@example.com


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Species of concern in the Salish Sea
The Encyclopedia of Puget Sound species library now includes a list of species of concern in the Salish Sea watershed. The list was created by Joe Gaydos and Nicholas Brown of the SeaDoc Society, and was released as a paper presented as part of the Proceedings of the 2011 Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference in Vancouver, BC.
The authors write that the number of species of concern can be used as a rough barometer of the health of an ecosystem, indicating a need for special attention and recovery work. The list is based on assessments from four jurisdictions: the State of Washington, the Province of British Columbia, the Canadian Federal Government, and the United States Federal Government. It includes 3 invertebrates, 37 fishes, 2 reptiles, 56 birds and 15 mammals.
Visit the EoPS species library.


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SheSpark may receive a commission if you make a purchase using links on this web site.
Let's take a look at over-40 women headlining online this week! If you've seen headlines for midlife women and want to share them with us, send a link to our Facebook page for consideration. Enjoy!
The Moxie of Katie Couric
Designer Tory Burch interviews journalist Katie Couric at the The Tory Burch Foundation's Embrace Ambition Summit. After finishing her "Gender Revolution" documentary, Katie spent eight months traveling the country to talk about issues that divide people. It became the National Geographic Series called "America Inside Out." Katie said she's never worked so hard in her life.
Eva Longoria – First Baby at Age 43
Eva Longoria gave birth to her first child, Santiago, after months of showing off her baby bump. Our over-40 inspiration had a lot of help prepping for Santiago from one of her famous girlfriends. Can you guess who? Watch for the answer!
Danai Gurira and Angela Bassett's Super Hero Workouts
People Magazine featured this spot on 40-year old Danai Gurira's workouts that keep her looking tough as nails for projects like the Black Panther movie and The Walking Dead television series. We couldn't find a video version, so why not focus on 58-year old Angela Bassett's workout? Angela played The Queen in Black Panther– of course! She says there is ONE key success factor to looking amazing on screen.


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The 3C's And 4P's Of Outside Marketing
Doctors are facing financial challenges identical to other varieties businesses who are struggling in right now's economy to stay worthwhile. four.Place: All the company's activities that make the services or products obtainable to target customers. A standard misconception is that marketing is either synonymous with promoting and promotion or is identical factor as sales. Whether or not you are a conventional business providing a product or service in a neighborhood or world marketplace, you are trying to market something to somebody.
berada di bawah PT DATA CAHAYA HERO, yang juga menaungi Majalah Marketing, Property-In dan Service Excellence. The important thing players in the business aren't just the enormous companies and the small ones that go after them but it is more on the shoppers who purchase the merchandise and pay money for the merchandise.
These modifications have prompted enterprises that want to keep ahead of their opponents to shift their …


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Thank you to our Spirit Sponsors!
Each month we run across churches, charities, non-profits, etc. that are trying to achieve goals to benefit our community and as the River Valley's Local Christian radio we try to do what we can to help them achieve those goals. These goals range from collecting fans for those suffering through the heat, to collecting baby items for our local pregnancy centers, to celebrating National Day of Prayer and Mom's Day of Prayer, to food drives for our local centers, to the Polar Bear Plunge for Special Olympics, ... The list goes on and every year it grows. So we thank our Spirit Sponsors for allowing us to reach out to our community!
If you or someone you know - individual or business - would like to sponsor our community activities please give us a call! (479) 646-6700
Today's Verse: James 5:16


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The national tour features the voices of a diverse group of veterans who have served under the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, including former Marine Staff Sgt. Eric Alva, the first U.S. service member wounded in Iraq. Alva lost his leg on March 21, 2003, when he stepped on a landmine while traveling in Iraq in a convoy. Alva was awarded a Purple Heart and received a medical discharge form the military.
The kick-off for the tour comes days after the Democratic and Republican presidential debates aired live on CNN, where the issue of repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" took center stage. When asked by the moderator, Wolf Blitzer, to raise their hands if they support the repeal of the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military, all of the Democrats raised their hands. Standing in stark contrast, not a single Republican candidate spoke out in support of repealing the policy.
Former Marines Corps officer Antonio Agnone also will join the kick-off event in Des Moines. Agnone responded to the Republican candidates' lack of support: "…Because last night those candidates did more than just not raise their hand. They dishonored my service and the sacrifice of my brothers and sisters. And we'll never forget."
Antonio Agnone's Response
"This national tour will show the faces of those who have served and sacrificed under this discriminatory policy," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "The American people have already overwhelmingly decided that our military should be about service and not about holding on to policies that dishonor our troops.
"During the beginning of the 2008 presidential election, this tour will ensure that the debate around repealing 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is focused on the real issue at hand," Solmonese added. "Those candidates running to be the next commander in chief will have to decide if they believe the sexual orientation of an Arabic linguist is more important than their ability to potentially decode the next piece of intelligence that could finally capture Osama Bin Laden."
Fact Sheets Compiled by the Human Rights Campaign:
'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Poses Exorbitant Costs to the Military and Nation.Related Commentary: Read Stephen Benjamin's op-ed piece, "Don't Ask, Don't Translate," in today's "New York Times." Benjamin, a former petty officer second class in the Navy, was an Arabic translator, who was discharged under the military's DODT policy.
1. 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Poses Exorbitant Costs to the Military and Nation.
Nearly 800 specialists with critical skills have been fired from the U.S. military under DADT, including 323 linguists, 55 of whom specialized in Arabic (Government Accountability Office report).
2. At least 65,000 gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans are already protecting our homeland (Urban Institute report). More than 10,000 have been discharge under DADT since the policy was implemented in 1993.
3. American taxpayers have paid between $250 million and $1.2 billion to investigate, eliminate and replace qualified, patriotic service members who want to serve their country but can't because expressing their sexual orientation violates DADT (Government Accountability Office report). That money could be better spent on at least a dozen Blackhawk helicopters, armored plates for tanks and Humvees or Kevlar body armor for troops.
Americans Support Allowing Gays and Lesbians to Serve Openly.
1. Sixty-seven percent of civilians support allowing gays to serve openly (Annenberg 2004 survey). In 2003, Fox News reported 64 percent support, and the Gallup organization 79 percent, on a similar question.
2. Nearly three in four troops (73 percent) say they are personally comfortable in the presence of gays and lesbians (Zogby International & the Michael D. Palm Center 2006 study).
3. One in four U.S. troops who served in Afghanistan or Iraq knows a member of their unit who is gay. More than 55 percent of the troops who know a gay colleague said the presence of gays or lesbians in their unit is well-known by others (Zogby International). The DADT policy serves no purpose, as troops already know and are comfortable serving alongside gays and lesbians.
4. All published Pentagon studies, including the 1993 Rand Report, conclude that there should be no special restrictions on service by gay personnel.
5. Twenty-four other nations, including Great Britain, Australia, Canada and Israel, already allow open service by gays and lesbians, and none of the 24 report morale or recruitment problems. Nine nations allowing open service have fought alongside American troops in Operation Iraqi Freedom. In addition, 12 nations allowing open service fought alongside U.S. troops in Operation Enduring Freedom.
6. Twenty-three of the 26 NATO nations allow gays and lesbians to serve openly and proudly. The United States, Turkey and Portugal are the only NATO nations that forbid gays and lesbians to serve openly in the armed services.
7. Federal CIA, FBI, Defense Intelligence Agency and Secret Service agents all serve proudly as openly gay and lesbian personnel fighting the war on terrorism.


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I almost didn't post this amazing recipe, my friend.
My gluten-free chocolate cherry cake sounds delicious (and is!) but looks ugly. I mean, truly hideous. It's so bad that I didn't even take a picture of the whole thing. What I have above is as good as it gets.
As usual, my foibles make good learning experiences for you. I did some research after my regrettable mistake and found a way for you to make this cake Pinterest-worthy.
I have included those instructions in the recipe below.
Now, on with the post I wrote as the cake was baking (thus, before I learned how to prevent the cake from sticking):
Have you seen this? It's making its way around Facebook:
I rolled the first time I saw it because it is oh so very true.
Even with the mess and inconvenience, I love baking with my kids.
By that, I mean that I make excuses to bake with my kids. I beg them to come into the kitchen and cook with me.
Allie still goes for my tricks; she likes to bake with me, too. She likes to stick her fingers in the batter and lick them off and stick them back in again, and she likes that I pretend not to notice. (We're just feeding the family here. I guess I wouldn't let her stick them back in the batter if we were feeding other people. But maybe I would, and that's why nobody comes over.)
Grace has aged out of the baking fun and would prefer to read or watch Ruff Ruffman on the iPad.
But Allie still appeases me, and we have great fun baking together.
Like we did this weekend as we made this amazing gluten-free chocolate cherry cake. Allie was naked, freshly out of the bathtub, and she whisked and measured and I just stood alongside her and took pictures, trying to preserve her modesty as much as possible.
Anyway, this recipe is so easy that a 4-year-old can make it. You will have this put together in less than ten minutes, and you can spend the rest of your evening looking at poorly drawn cartoons on Facebook or reading through my cooking archives because your cake will be finished.
Spraying the pans with Crisco® 100% Original Oil makes recipe preparation a breeze!
I learned the hard way that the gluten-free version of this cake is super moist and sticky. It makes for a superlative eating experience, but if you don't prepare for it ahead of time, that rich, dense goodness is going to stick to the pan.
So do this:
- Cut a round of parchment paper to fit each cake pan.
- Spray the pans thoroughly with Crisco® 100% Original Oil.
- Lay the parchment on top of the spray, then spray the parchment again.
It sounds like you're using a lot of oil, but it will prevent your cakes from sticking to the pans!
When the cakes come out of the oven, let them cool, then invert on a platter.
Peel the parchment off the top of the cake layer, and proceed with the instructions.
Simple, right?
- Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 3/4 cup Gluten-Free Baking Mix
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup Crisco® Pure Vegetable Oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup hot water
- 1/2 cup butter melted but allowed to cool slightly
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 large can cherry pie filling
- Preheat the oven to 350. Spray 2 or 3 8-inch cake pans with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. (This recipe makes a lot.)
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a second, smaller bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil, vanilla, almond extract, and water together.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. The batter will be very thin and runny.
- Distribute the batter between the cake pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. (If using 3 pans, check them after 20 or 25 minutes. They will cook more quickly than 2 pans.)
- To prepare the frosting, pour the melted butter into the cocoa powder and whisk until well blended. Add a scoop of sugar and whisk. Then add some milk and whisk. Alternate adding sugar and milk while mixing until the frosting is smooth and spreadable. You might want to use your mixer for this as it can take awhile. If your frosting seems too thick to be spread, add a little extra milk. If it seems too runny, add extra powdered sugar. Stir in the vanilla extract and almond extract.
- To assemble, place one of the cakes on a platter. Top with a generous layer of cherry pie filling. Add a second cake layer and more cherry pie filling. Top with the third cake layer and frost with the chocolate frosting.
Check out The Dessert Debate, a fun recipe website where you can have your friends and family vote for which dessert should prepare.
There are coupons on it, too!
Most of the ingredients for this cake came from our local grocery store, Giant.
Visit www.crisco.com for more information, tips, and recipes.
Like Crisco® on Facebook and follow on Pinterest.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of of The J.M. Smucker Company. The opinions and text are all mine.
© 2015 – 2018, Tara Ziegmont. All rights reserved.


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Fundraising changes coming. . .
Our fund raiser for Deschutes Rim Clinic Foundation was a huge success! Thank you to all the many wonderful volunteers who showed up for four days to set up, prepare, participate and clean up! Many hands made short work of it! And THANK YOU to this wonderful community for all your support! 120 of you came to eat and about 20 more volunteered to serve you. Pretty cool!
Our awardees were:
- Community Volunteers of the Year: Lucille Peterson for her involvement in the Tygh Valley Community Center meal site, and
- Tom McDowell for all his many involvements in South Wasco County for many years.
- Veterans of the Year: Pat Stough (Hippie Pat) a Marine Veteran of Vietnam jungles, and
- Merle Hlavka, an Air Force Veteran in Alaska.
- Door prize winners were Elaine Rathke, Donna Hlavka, Michelle Pelkey and Karen DuPuis.
If you did not get your auction item information, please call me: 541-705-7610.
Rod Maguire of Paradise Rose Chuckwagon Catering did a fantastic job! We are now working on next years event--we think we will change it up a bit.
I apologize for the length of the auction--people kept giving us really nice things to put in and I couldn't say no!
All proceeds go to the Deschutes Rim Clinic Foundation. The Deschutes Rim Clinic Foundation is funding a larger medical building for more specialty services, increased hours and staff.


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We'll Fish There
"Beyond the Zero" is the first two hundred pages of the greatest novel ever written. Alas, Gravity's Rainbow is not that novel. Thomas Pynchon's genius operates only at short wavelengths: half a page can change your heart, but a whole novel is a chaotic heap of glories, like the ruins of Atlantis.
Fluent and brilliant users of language -- Martin Amis, William Gibson, or the incomparable Nabokov -- are praised for their "sparkling" or "crystalline" clarity. This metaphor is deserved, but its implied passivity is also apt. Mr. Pynchon's stroboscopic, obfuscatory, blazing prose is of a different kind.
Here is his description of wartime English carolers, from Gravity's Rainbow:
So this pickup group, these exiles and horny kids, sullen civilians called up in their middle age, men fattening despite their hunger, flatulent because of it, pre-ulcerous, hoarse, runny-nosed, red-eyed, sore-throated, piss-swollen men suffering from acute lower backs and all-day hangovers, wishing death on officers they truly hate, men you have seen on foot and smileless in the cities but forgot, men who don't remember you either, knowing they ought to be grabbing a little sleep, not out here performing for strangers, give you this evensong, climaxing now with its rising fragment of some ancient scale, voices overlapping three- and fourfold, up, echoing, filling the entire hollow of the church -- no counterfeit baby, no announcement of the Kingdom, not even a try at warming or lighting this terrible night, only, damn us, our scruffy obligatory little cry, our maximum reach outward -- praise be to God! -- for you to take back...
Any of Pynchon's novels is filled with smaller-scale creations, overwhelming works that lack even canonical names: the Angel of Lubeck, the Disgusting English Candy Drill, the Lightbulb's Monologue, and innumerably more.
Mr. Pynchon is also an electrical engineer, and scientifically literate. Who else would write an ode to the Poisson distribution:
There do exist levels were chance is hardly recognized at all. But to the likes of employees such as Roger Mexico it is music, not without its majesty, this power seriesMr. Pynchon's failure to scale up has two major sources, beyond the inscrutability of his plots. The first is his mythmaker's reliance on suggestion, indirection, and ellipsis, which is effective in any given instance but cumulatively irritating.
terms numbered according to rocketfalls per square, the Poisson dispensation ruling not only these annihilations no man can run from, but also cavalry accidents, blood counts, radioactive decay, number of wars per year....
The second, and more important, is his and his characters' tendency -- none the weaker for being self-aware -- to paranoia. Paranoia cannot be made plausible, and the novel must remain frustratingly vague or else become risible. The vague "levels" in the passage above show a light touch of this, but it is laid down more and more heavily as Gravity's Rainbow progresses.
In case even that is too subtle, Mr. Pynchon's next novel Vineland is a blunt, ill-tempered, hectoring reprise of the same themes -- though its fleshed-out villian, the overly competent Brock Vond, is the one character worthy of respect in the whole sorry show.
Paranoia is also a distinguishing feature of the earlier novella The Crying of Lot 49. Here it is less of a problem; in fact, it provides the only interest or novelty in a book utterly lacking in competing merits. This is widely assigned to college classes, presumably on account of its brevity. It would be much better to follow Mr. Cowen's suggestion and read the first fifty pages of Gravity's Rainbow; it would even be better to read fifty pages torn out at random.
I have not read Against the Day, and cannot say anything of value about it.
V. is less brilliant, and less incoherent, than Gravity's Rainbow -- but still past the redline in both categories. Mr. Pynchon's vignettes (the Nose Job, MG Love, the Siege Party) are more extended but equally distinctive. These larger building blocks are not arranged into any recognizable overall structure, but the poetic and somewhat melancholy novel is still a wonder to read:
Do they even see the wandering bums,Finally, Mason and Dixon takes an energetically anachronistic writing style, applies it to a series of implausible or impossible incidents loosely strung along a flat and unsurprising plot, and somehow emerges as a worthwhile and (a first for Mr. Pynchon) moving tale.
The boys with no place to go,
Or the drifter who cried for an ugly girl
That he left in Buffalo?
Dead as the leaves on Union Square,
Dead as the graveyard sea,
The eyes of a New York woman
Are never going to cry for me.
[Mr. Cowen's own reply is here.]


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Towards the end of the visit, some gun shots nearby flushed everything. This gave me the opportunity to count the Wigeon flock as they formed a group in the middle of the lake - my highest count of the season to date at 126 birds. 3 Shelduck remained - the pair plus a male. The wintering Chiffchaff was also quite vocal for a while next to where I was standing. I managed a record shot, which unfortunately due to the mass of twigs around it, auto-focussed on the twigs and not the bird, but at least you can tell it is a nominate bird and not abietinus or tristis.
|Spot the bird!
|Can you see it now?


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There are certain refrains that seem to run through my life: I love to stitch and I try hard to understand MacSoph, my little laptop.
And right up there along with stitching and MacSoph is -- alas --- too much stash. Too many threads, too many beads, too many papers. Clutter. Yes, fussing about my clutter is almost as constant as loving to stitch and working through my frustrations on MacSoph. Year after year, it never seems to resolve itself.
If de-cluttering isn't at the top of my list of New Year's Resolutions each year, it is always close. From year to year, hope springs eternal in January, tapers off in February and by this time in March is usually a hopeless return to stashes of threads, beads and papers everywhere I look.
But this March was different. Do I mean that I succeeded in cleaning up my mess? No, not at all. So what was different?
I have a favorite English tabloid. From my London years, when DH read The Guardian and the Independent, I read the Daily Mail. I remember the year when Sarah Ferguson had her toe indiscretions. I collected all the English tabloids and brought them home to EGA's seminar. My students that year had a particularly tedious project to stitch in class and I thought a dose of the English tabloids might prove a worthwhile distraction.
Now I am home in the U.S. permanently but happily MacSoph provides me with continuing dose of Daily Mail amusements. I think the Daily Mail has not improved in the last few years (too many exhibitionist actresses in too little clothing), but this March I was glad I still kept in touch with my old tabloid favorite.
For the Daily Mail recently had an article on Queen Elizabeth's private sitting room at Balmoral, and guess what...
Queen Elizabeth's just like me!
Here's a link to the article and I hope, if you are like me and you have too much clutter from too much stash, this little article will help you feel a tad bit better.
I have no idea whether the report is accurate and as I don't know the Queen of England, I don't suspect I'll ever know.
But for a little while this month, accurate or not, I took time off from worrying about my stash clutter. If Queen Elizabeth can live that way, well, so can I.
Gay Ann
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Queen Elizabeth's Sitting Room
Posted by Gay Ann Rogers at 9:38 PM
2 comments:
- mary ruth in NC said...
Ah but she has people to dust it all for her.
- Jean said...
I agree she has people to dust for her, but I'm Gay Ann's logic. Im also a fellow ex pat from the uk.
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Arkansas living has never been hotter, and for those seniors looking to find a new way to live well, Brookdale Conway is the perfect choice. One visit to our quiet, residential neighborhood and you'll find the charm of a small community, with convenient access to all central Arkansas has to offer.
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Dermal Filler Considered Safe Treatment for Individuals with Acne Scars
The privately-held aesthetics company Suneva Medical Inc., has recently announced the results of a follow-up study which took place 12 months after its original multi-center, randomized, double-blinded Pivotal acne scar study. The original study evaluated the efficacy and safety of the dermal filler ArteFill, which is used to treat acne scars. Study subjects were investigated 12 months after the original study, and the treatment was noted as being safe. Adverse side-effects which were related to the treatment were expected, and noted as being predominantly mild. Any side effects experienced were resolved within a short period of time.
The study is ongoing, and cross-over control subjects are in the process of being monitored after the original study took place 12 months ago. Once all data has been collated for all study groups, and safety has been fully evaluated, Suneva is planning to submit a new premarket approval supplement, or PMA, and hopes to receive approval from the Food Drug Administration, or FDA, for treatment of acne scars, a form of atrophic facial scar. This study was already noted as being efficacious six months after the original study had taken place. At this point, study subjects who had been treated with ArteFill had demonstrated a higher response rate in the amount of scar correction that other subjects who had been treated with saline control. Statistically, this was a significantly higher response rate.
Dr. Pearl Grimes, who was a principal investigator in the study, has noted how effective treatment of acne scars is a medical need which has still not been met. Grimes went on to note that the results from the study were "remarkable" and is looking forward to when this new acne scar treatment is approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Nicholas L. Teti Jr., CEO and Chairman of Suneva Medical also noted that the results from the 12 month follow-up study were extremely positive and hopes that ArteFill can help to treat the millions of people who suffer from acne scars.
About Artefill
ArteFill was approved by the Food and Drug Administration back in 2006. The dermal filler was approved to correct smile lines, otherwise known as nasolabial folds.
To read more about ArteFill, click here.
About the company
Suneva Medical Inc., is a private company which focuses on the commercialization, development and manufacture of differentiated products intended for the aesthetic and general dermatology markets. The company is currently responsible for marketing ArteFill, which has been designed to help treat acne scars in patients, in the United States, Singapore, and Korea. The company is also responsible for marketing ReGenica Skincare in the United States, an advanced skin care program which consists of three different products designed to help restore skin and provide a more youthful experience. Suneva Medical Inc., also markets Bellafill in Canada, a long-lasting dermal filler that can help to provide natural-looking, safe, and immediate results for patients that last. If you have any other information about ArteFill, or the results from this recent study, please visit the official website of Suneva Medical Inc., at www.sunevamedical.com


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A Man on a Mission
When President George W. Bush proclaimed biodiesel the most promising renewable fuel, one that could help meet his 36 billion-gallon goal, he was likely unaware that this mandate would set off a debate now taking place across America: don't build here or anywhere near here.
Craig Shaver has taken on the monumental task of single-handedly making sure the president's renewable fuel goals are met. The Florida businessman's year-long battle to build a biodiesel plant near Dundee, Fla., ended in failure, leaving him with a $2.5 million empty lot. He threatened to sue the city, but decided instead to move on to another town.
Along the 45-mile route, he's preaching the gospel of biodiesel loudly, insistently and unwaveringly. Meeting President George W. Bush's renewable fuels standard is a patriotic, practical and a positive step in making the country energy independent, Shaver maintains to anyone who will listen. "This is an important story," he says. "Not because it's mine, but because people need to be educated. There's a fear of the unknown and I feel people are against biodiesel for no good reason. It's good for the country."
Mandate's Ground Zero: Dundee, Fla.
Shaver's fight with Dundee started in early 2004 when he applied for a zoning change to operate a crane business on a parcel of land he owned adjacent to a propane business on the outskirts of town. By January 2007, he'd caught biofuels fever, changed plans and proposed building a biodiesel plant on the site, calling his company US Biodiesel Inc. Dundee, a town of 3,400 residents, is nestled on the Highway 27 corridor, which runs through the heart of Florida, from Miami north to Maine. Shaver's plant was a closed-loop design, engineered to produce 20,000 gallons of fuel a day. The major commercial highway was a big draw, because Shaver's business plan called for manufacturing and distributing the fuel on-site, "like a truck stop," he says. He wanted to capitalize on the heavy traffic flow, selling to a captive audience.
Shaver purchased tanks capable of storing 150,000 gallons of feedstocks, and had a building on the site. "Basically, we had the complete infrastructure minus the processing and equipment," he says. It wouldn't have taken long to ramp up production. Shaver and his engineer researched feedstocks and although they had imported jatropha seeds, they were concerned as feedstock prices rose precipitously. His engineer was able to adapt, he says, using new process technology to accommodate cheaper grade feedstocks. He looked at beef tallow, waste vegetable oil and waste grease. He arranged a tentative deal with a Brazilian supplier to import crude soy oil for five years. "It was a great plan until the city turned us down," he says. Shaver claims his property had the correct land use and zoning for the proposal. Not so, say city leaders.
"It did not fit into our comprehensive plan," says Bob Kampsen, a Dundee Town Council member, and the only city official willing to go on record about the dispute. "It was not zoned properly. The zoning was for light industrial and we considered a biodiesel plant a heavy industrial use."
Shaver, who says he had "one of the best land-use attorneys in the county," disagreed. He and his attorney concluded the land was properly zoned and that he was illegally denied a permit. Dundee and its attorney said the distinction between light industrial and heavy industrial use might have been a fine point but an important one nonetheless. And city leaders denied they were too rigid in their interpretation of the city zoning ordinance. "Unless our comprehensive plan provides for a heavy industrial area, I don't foresee any biodiesel or any type of manufacturing, which is classified as heavy industrial," says Kampsen, a local citrus farmer. "I don't see any of those floating."
Debate Takes a New Turn
On January 22, when the Dundee Town Council launched a lengthy discussion of the project, talk turned from zoning issues to a more explosive topic-the potential for a biodiesel plant to catch fire. Councilman Randy Dowd said he conducted research on the issue and he didn't like what he found. He declared biodiesel plants a potential fire hazard. He declined to comment further to Biodiesel Magazine. Another council member said while he supports the space shuttle program, he didn't want one taking off from the Winn-Dixie parking lot. Residents and business owners banded together in opposition to the plant on the grounds that it would cause odor problems, disturb a tranquil area and uproot an eagle's nest. That's when Shaver got mad. The propane business across the street had a lesser zoning use: commercial. "We had light industrial yet they were able to keep a flammable gas there but we couldn't put a biodiesel plant on our land," he protested. "At any given fuel station within city limits, even the diesel is more flammable than biodiesel."
Shaver went away mad, threatening to sue the town. It probably didn't help his case when he referred to the townspeople as "uneducated and afraid of the unknown." But since the town seemed dead set against biodiesel, it probably didn't hurt him, either. He then channeled his anger into a more productive venue. He sent his engineer to set up a booth at the National Biodiesel Conference and Expo in nearby Orlando, Fla., in February. "A councilman from the panhandle saw the display," Shaver says. "They're just begging for biodiesel there. They have farmers interested in doing it." But he quickly learned that the cost of moving so far upstate wasn't advantageous, so he embarked on a central Florida tour-part educational mission, part developmental quest.
On March 5, President Bush gave Shaver's quest a much needed boost. Addressing the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference, he discussed his 36 billion gallon by 2022 goal. "These aren't just goals, these are mandatory requirements," the president told conference attendees. "I'm confident the United States can meet those goals, and I know we must, for the sake of economic security, national security, and for the sake of being good stewards of the environment. ... Biodiesel is the most promising of these fuels."
The Green Debate Through the Permitting Process
Kampsen says it's wrongheaded to think that Dundee doesn't want to participate in the president's biofuels mandate. It simply wasn't the best fit, he maintains. "I'm very sensitive to the environment," he says. "I have a small 10-acre grove and as far as chemicals that I use, and the caretaker of the grove uses, we're very sensitive." He says he doesn't know how Shaver got the idea that the council was against alternative fuels in general. "There's a lot of speculation about green industries in Florida," Kampsen says. "Down south they're talking about the sugar waste being used in alternative fuels. There are many industries interested and speculating on alternative fuels and what crops can be used. I can't speak for the rest of the council but this biodiesel plant just didn't fit into our comprehensive plan."
Steve Snyder is a zoning and development attorney in Syracuse, Ind., who has worked both sides of the fence. He's helped small towns shore up their zoning ordinances and comprehensive development plans. He's also assisted biofuels industries to fit into those schemes. He says that although he hasn't been involved in the Florida case, he's familiar with the premise. "This issue is raised in all types of zoning situations when additional governmental permits for nonzoning approvals are required," he says. "Typically new industry requires some type of air or water permit from the state or federal environmental agency, but also requires zoning approval from the local Board of Zoning Appeals. The two operate on totally different standards."
But he also says that, "zoning ordinances normally have much more nebulous standards. � health and welfare of the community, effect on adjacent property values, compatible land uses and preserving the purpose of the zoning ordinance." While zoning ordinances give discretion to local zoning boards to approve or deny a permit, environmental agencies issue a permit if their standards are met. "Because the two groups represent different constituencies, their respective decisions on the same project could be completely opposite," Snyder says. "That doesn't mean either was right or wrong."
Shaver disagrees. He's a patriotic guy and thinks he has a duty as a citizen to implement the president's goal, along with the rest of the citizenry. He wonders where all those plants will be built to carry out that goal if no one wants them. Population centers that have the infrastructure and transportation systems in place should be willing to step up, he maintains. New technologies have made biodiesel plants noiseless, odorless, and have significantly reduced the fire hazards, he says.
Small Towns Versus the Feds
"Philosophically, I'm a firm believer in local controls," Snyder says. "Statewide or federal agencies are seldom capable of understanding truly local considerations." Conversely, Shaver believes township boards are myopic and are missing the big picture. He's moving toward a more rural area currently and is in talks with a neighboring county, where he believes the talks are going well. "People are uneducated about biodiesel," he says. "They're not allowing this industry to flourish the way it should."
Snyder, a big-picture guy, disagrees. "If federal policies promote ethanol, that doesn't mean local boards, familiar with local conditions, rebuke that policy if they reject a particular project," he says. "It just means the project didn't meet the standards of development legally established by the local zoning ordinance. Concurrent jurisdiction of both state/federal and local agencies is a way of assuring that the interests of all elements of a community are considered before a decision regarding any project is made."
Sarah Smith is a Biodiesel Magazine staff writer. Reach her at email@example.com or (701) 663-5002.


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Delaware County Community College President Dr. L. Joy Gates Black and the college's 2017 Wong Moss Outstanding Alumni Award recipient, Cheryl Colleluori, each received a Woman of Achievement Award from the Delaware County Women's Commission in celebration of Women's History Month.
"These honorees are role models for women in Delaware County, and their lives demonstrate the power of voice, of taking action, and of believing that meaningful and lasting change is possible," said Colleen Morrone, vice chair of Delaware County Council, which partners with the DCWC to recognize women who have profoundly influenced the county through their talents and energy.
Dr. Gates Black is the first female and first African-American to lead the college. She became president in July 2017. As president, she oversees a higher education institution that serves more than 23,000 credit and non-credit students with education and training programs taught online and at eight locations in Delaware and Chester counties.
Colleluori is president of the HEADstrong Foundation, which seeks to improve lives affected by cancer, in memory of its founder, the late Nicholas Colleluori, Cheryl's son. Since 2007, the foundation has raised more than $11 million to support cancer patients and their families. It operates "Nick's House," which runs two houses that provide complimentary lodging to out-of-town patients and their families undergoing cancer treatments in the Greater Philadelphia area.
The third honoree was Mares Stellfox, a champion auto-racer. The DCWC also paid tribute to the late Linda Houldin, former executive director of the Delaware County Historical Society and a co-founder of the Delaware County Veterans Memorial. John Houldin, her husband, accepted the Woman of Achievement Award on her behalf.


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This was the first sunrise of 2012 and the first sunrise I have ever seen. We stayed up all night and then headed to the beach to watch it rise. We didn't get home and in bed until 9:30am but it was definitely worth it, it was so much fun!!
What did you do for New Year's Eve?
(The people in the background were just people in the way of the shot)


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Balance Yourself to Build a Better Swing
Balance Yourself to Build a Better Swing
A very common problem for amateur golfers and some professionals alike when play Calgary Golf Courses is the inability of the player to maintain good balance through the duration of their swing. It is a very common problem among amateurs, and one of the biggest causes of poor and inconsistent contact. Maintaining balance is a primary factor to getting the club into a good position as your arms and hands approach the golf ball.
There are many reasons a golfer can have problems with their balance. One cause is the placement of the feet. A large number of players have their feet angled at a 90 degree angle from their target. This type of placement of the feet restricts the lead hip from clearing out of the way as the hands approach the golf ball. Players will particularly poor flexibility with have more difficulty clearing the lead hip and thus the body losses its balance.
A solution to this problem is to build a stance with balance being at the forefront of your swing thought. Try changing the angle of your lead foot, by placing it on a 45 degree angle to your target.
This placement of the foot not only allows for the body to maintain its balance as the swing goes into the golf ball, but also allows for balance to be maintained right through to the finish.
As a way to practice your balance, try to imagine someone is going to take your picture after your swing. What do you want your finish to look like in the photo?
Try our your new swing at http://www.gleneaglesgolf.com


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Trotter Multicultural Center invites you to join them at their upcoming fall events. There's fun, food, festivities and plenty of fellowship.
As you may know, U-M is in the process of moving project sites off of CTools. If you or your student organization has a CTools project site, now is the time to review those sites.
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated's International Leadership Conference brings together the leaders of the fraternity at large to discuss fraternity business, announce new candidates for leadership, provide opportunity for fellowship, and acknowledge brothers making a positive impact in the world.
Read the full article on the Greek Life website.
Students who enroll in the on-campus Intergroup Conflict and Coexistence course in Fall 2017 will be eligible to participate in a field experience in May 2018 for additional credit. Participants will spend one week traveling to cities like Ramallah, Jerusalem, Hebron, Bethlehem and Tel Aviv and meet with local activists and organizers.
Learn more by reading the full article on the Program for Intergroup Relations website.
Are you a student organization leader? As you return to campus and to your organizations, you might be wondering what you can do to help finance your group this year. The Student Philanthropy team at the U-M, is an excellent resource for organizations who need to raise funds.


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The Yankee bullpen is clearly in a state of transition. Many players have uncertain roles, and that prompted the team to promote left-handed pitcher Tyler Webb from AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Webb will wear No. 36, and replaces the now-optioned Rob Refsnyder on the active roster. This is a really interesting move because Webb was not on the 40-man roster, and was a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates during spring training. The Pirates took him in the Rule 5 draft, but returned him before the regular season began.Embed from Getty Images
The 26-year-old had been stalled at Scranton since 2014, but is 3-1 this season with a 3.24 ERA in 21 appearances out of the bullpen. He carries an impressive 47 strikeouts through 33⅓ innings. He definitely earned the call-up having only allowed one earned run in his last 10 appearances (14⅓ innings).
The odd-man-out, Rob Refsnyder, lost his role with the promotion of Mason Williams. He served as corner outfield depth, and Joe Girardi seemed to have Matt Holliday ahead of him on the first base depth chart. He hit .172 at the major league level, but only got 31 plate appearances. He started the season at AAA, and returns to a .303/.391/.454 slash-line.Embed from Getty Images
The move appears to be coming on the heels of a changing of the guard in the bullpen. Chad Green contributed an impressive 1⅓ innings last night, and might have pushed Tyler Clippard out of his seventh inning job. Clippard has had all sorts of problems of late, faltering in a mop-up role Wednesday. Since June 12, the beginning of the Yankee road trip, Clippard has pitched to a 17.18 ERA in six appearances. He has allowed three home runs in that span, which is identical to his number of strikeouts.Embed from Getty Images


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· 4 pcs Hubcentric Rings - designed to correct minor wheel and hub dimensions
· Hub Ring Outside Diameter: 108 mm (Must match wheel center bore)
· Hub Ring Inner Diameter: 101 mm (Must match your vehicle hub bore)
· Made for wheels with a 108 mm center bore and vehicles with a 101 mm hub bore
· Eliminate vibrations caused by your wheels not centering correctly onto your vehicle's hub
· Warranty not applicable for this product.
This device is installed between the vehicle's hub and the wheel.
The hubring fills in the gap between the vehicle hub and the centerbore of the wheel.
Ensures a precise fit between your wheel and the hub.
Designed to eliminate unwanted steering wheel vibrations.
Precision machined to stop vibrations and ensure a snug fit every time.
How to chose the hub ring?
Hub rings are sized by using two different numbers that are measured in millimeters.
The smaller of the 2 measurements such as 101 mm is the inner diameter.This should match your vehicle's hub bore.
The larger of the 2 measurements such as 108 mm is the outer diameter.This should match your wheel's centerbore.


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815-556-2704 or E-Mail Us *free s&h on all domestic orders over $75
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Copyright © 2012 - 2018 Graham Crackers Comics, Ltd. All Rights Reserved.


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We hope you are enjoying the Kid Power Up videos! Although you do not need Kid Power Bands to participate with Kid Power Ups, we're glad to hear you are interested in unlocking even more lifesaving nutrition with the Bands.
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Thank you Oviedo for 14 wonderful years and for for giving us 5 star reviews!
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Miscarriage. What an awful word. Threatened Abortion in large bold print, printed on a sheet of paper along with it? Even worse.
Here I am, as I sat waiting on a doctor to come in and tell me the inevitable. Though my emotions so rarely are projected on my face... what most would never see, is the crazy fucking mess I was/am on the inside.
FYI... If you are overly sensitive to reality, pissed off and/or sad, emotional women? Do not continue reading.
Here I am, as I sat waiting on a doctor to come in and tell me the inevitable. Though my emotions so rarely are projected on my face... what most would never see, is the crazy fucking mess I was/am on the inside.
FYI... If you are overly sensitive to reality, pissed off and/or sad, emotional women? Do not continue reading.
The truth is... No one ever wants to hear (nor should they have to hear) that your baby doesn't have a heartbeat... You don't want to hear "Go home and rest, then come back in 48 hours for another ultrasound." ..... because there is a 99% chance that the little life growing inside of you (or was), that you've already come to love, has no heartbeat.
That it will never finish developing and you'll never get to hold that baby in your arms.
And do not tell me that men are not devastated by the loss of a child, because my husband is... right along with me.
I went back to the emergency room on Sunday and got the confirmation that my baby did not have a heartbeat.
O.M.G.... Something broke inside me. Actually all weekend I was sick with the thought of losing my baby. One whom I wanted so bad, a baby that not just I, but my husband and son wanted as well.
As those words left that doctors mouth, as gently as she could possibly deliver the news, I was heartbroken. What made this heartbreak even worse? Was the fact that they were sending me home to "pass" it on my own. I could not believe it. Honest to fricken goodness, as though the news I just received wasn't bad enough... but I am to go home, with my dead child inside of me, and "pass" it... ??!
With that blow.... I am literally about to lose it. Like go ape shit ... because how in the ever loving fuck is it acceptable to send someone home to just "pass" their child.
Are you kidding me?! Some sort of sick fricken joke?! Definitely not a joke.
The look on my face I can only imagine... because the fury and the sadness I felt at that moment, then began to spill over .... It isn't her fault... I know this. She doesn't make the rules. She was just the unfortunate soul who whether she wants to or not, has to be the bearer of really crappy news. She then says to me that she is going to make some calls to find a doctors office that will be able to get me in quickly... She tried. Bless her fucking kind heart -she tried...and for that I will be forever grateful. Because she tried.
I waited for her to finish and she brought me back everything she'd found out. I take the info and finally go home... To lay in bed, bleeding, cramping and just painfully aware of every single thing going on. Everything possible reason going through my mind... I can't help but wonder... Why I was given this gift, this blessing... only to have it taken away?
Don't get me wrong... I know a lot factored into this... I am high risk... and I also know that there are a ton of reasons why. But the thing is, when it is happening to you... You are just upset and want that baby back and healthy. You want to feel it grow. Pick out a name. Hold it. Love it. ... and the reality... is that... it isn't going to happen. At least not this time.
One issue I'm having at the moment is the fact that people are being sent home to just let things happen "naturally"... which, in my opinion, is complete bullshit! No one and I do mean, NO ONE! should be sent home to deal with that. A procedure should be done immediately. This is extremely traumatizing for anyone to have to go through.
Oh, I'm sure there are a ton of "logical" reasons that people will spout as to why this is the way it is. But those reasons? Can go to hell. They can be shoved up the ass of those who implemented it. Those opinions are shit to me and probably every other woman/family who has been sent home to finish miscarrying.
There isn't a lack of insurance on my part, but even if there were? Still bullshit. Insurers concerned about cost surrounding these procedures? Fuck you. We deserve better.
At this moment... I am bitter, I am pissed off, but I know I am strong. Right this second, I don't want to be, but I will be... though a part of me will never completely heal. I will be strong for my family who are hurting too. I will be a voice for those who aren't able to speak out. Who can't find the words. Who want to scream and shout and to throw things while trying to understand why?!!! For those who have/are walking around their house or laying in bed in a daze. Who are weak to their gd core. Who....simply put... purely fucking hurt.
And to those women (or the men who are experiencing the loss with them) who have other kids at home. Who aren't able to take time for themselves. Who may be hiding in a closet silently crying or holding it back until they get in the shower... just so no one hears. You beautiful, strong, amazing person you. You are all so strong. Anyone who feels the pain of this type of loss. You are so gd strong and don't you dare let anyone tell you otherwise. There are those too who are attempting to keep it back and not let it out at all, because they don't want anyone to see them vulnerable... I want you to know that it's okay to let it out. It is okay to be vulnerable. I don't like to be vulnerable either. I hate to cry... but at the moment the reasons behind that feeling seem so trivial.
It doesn't matter how often you may or may not break down... it's okay. It is okay and somehow, someway... you will be okay. That roller coaster isn't going anywhere and you are entitled to hop on as often as you need to. But remember that you need to live too. You need to pick up the pieces and move forward.. and remember that just because you do/are... it doesn't mean that your little one lost, means any less.
I have my high and low moments. I have been through every emotion. I've read the paperwork... over and over again. And to see the words "Threatened Abortion" there along with miscarry.. seem completely wrong. Abortion is more of a choice. I wanted my baby. I still want my baby. So you can bet that I am sick to my fucking stomach at the gd words, THREATENED ABORTION!
And I say a big "Fuck You!" to whomever decided that was a good choice to be added onto paperwork that an overly emotional mother and/or father will read over and over... while attempting to wrap their heads around their reality that they had zero control over the loss of their baby. Around our reality. Yes, fuck you.
Now, with all of that being said... I am going to close this post. This isn't something I would typically share with anyone outside of my close family and friends... and honesty, rarely even them... but this... is something that so many people are dealing with and I just want you know that you aren't alone.
I'm sending out a ton of love and prayers to anyone reading this, right now, who are riding that roller coaster with me. Be brave, don't give up and never stop trying.
We may never understand the why... but there is always a bigger plan.
Big hugs,


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Emulsion Retention Aids Papermaking Industry,Polyelectrolyte Polymer for Paper-making,Paper Making Process Chemical
|Payment Type:
|Min. Order:
|1000 Kilogram
Model No.: Emulsion Polymer
Transportation: Ocean,Land,Air
Retention Agent
Retention agents (retention aids) are used in the papermaking industry. These are added in the wet end of the paper machine to improve retention fine particles and fillers during the formation of paper. Retention aids can also be used to improve the retention of other papermaking chemicals, including sizing and cationic starches. The improved retention of papermaking furnish components improves the operational efficiency of the paper machine, reduces the solids and organic loading in the process water loop, and can lower overall chemical costs. Typical chemicals used as retention aids are: polyacrylamide (PAM), polyethyleneimine (PEI), colloidal silica, and bentonite.
Here we introduce PAM based chemicals
Chemical composition and properties:
Chemical composition: Cationic Polyacrylamide
Density: about 1.06 g/cm 3
Appearance: Semitransparent viscous liquid
pH value: Approx 3.5
Viscosity: 15000 mpa.s
Solubility: disperse in water
Statements: Above data help to understand common properties, select related equipments. For quality paremeters, please refer to product quality standard.
Application fields
FA400 PR has good effect in paper making system, like news paper, paperboard, and fine paper, for the retention of fibres and fillers. FA400 PR also be used for acceleration and dewatering of solid material on the wire.
Application method
FA400 PR should be added into system close to headbox, according to pulp property, technology and paper machine.
Normally, the Adding amount of FA400 PR in pulp system is about 0.03-0.09%.
Operation Method:Dilute FA400 PR with 15-30℃ pure water for 15 min, to get 0.5-1.5% solution.
Before add into pulp with metering pump, diluted 10 times with pure water. So the chemical concentration would be 0.05-0.15%.
Handling and Storage
Wear Mask and rubber gloves when operation.
Slippery when wet. Flush spill area with water. If slipperiness remains, apply more dry-sweeping compound.
Please check MSDS before using.
Material is hygroscopic and should not be exposed to moisture in order to maintain product integrity.
Storage period is about 9 months.
Net 120 kg per PE drum. Net 1000 kg per IBC drum.
Product Categories : Paper & Pulp Auxiliaries > Retention And Drainage Agent


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Electric vehicles are transitioning from a specialized market representing approximately 1% of US car sales to an anticipated mainstream market of almost 25% of new car sales within seven years.1 The growing demand for electric vehicles is fueled by consumer demand and environmental awareness, state greenhouse gas reduction targets, federal and state subsidies, electric utility policies related to infrastructure development, and targeted electricity charging rates.
With the EV boom looming, there are numerous policy considerations for encouraging EV purchases, but from a cost recovery and rate design perspective, there are two main issues that utilities and regulators need to take into consideration. First, whether targeted utility programs related to EVs should be subsidized by other utility customers, and second, does it make sense to have separate rates for EVs.
The decision to purchase an EV or convert a fleet to electric vehicles includes factoring in fuel cost savings and hence electricity rates. However, electricity fueling costs are less than 15% of the lifetime ownership costs. Other considerations include the initial purchase cost, tax incentives/rebates, availability of the charging infrastructure, and special privileges such as parking and use of HOV lanes. Given the relatively low percentage of ownership costs associated with electric charging, targeted EV rates are as much about managing utility infrastructure costs as they are about encouraging EV purchases.
Arguments for and against cross-subsidizing EV rates and services
Incentive rates to encourage the adoption of EVs are receiving increased attention from policy makers and regulators. Incentive rates can take multiple forms but are typically associated with discounting the price of electricity and/or with subsidizing the cost of the establishing infrastructure to support EV charging at either the customer's premise or in public spaces. If the utility customer is offered a below cost-based rate, then a cross-subsidy is created that may need to be funded by other customers. Practically, there is not a clear distinction between a subsidy and cost-based service. For example, incentive industrial development rates to new facilities or expanding an existing facility are frequently priced at marginal cost so that all customers are better off for attracting load that the utility would not otherwise capture. If the utility is selling incremental load above marginal cost the rate can be argued to be cost-based but if the rate is less than what other customers are paying, it can be argued to be a subsidy. In addition, there can be non-utility benefits including local economic development and tax revenue. Likewise, an EV rate could reflect marginal costs and provide extensive societal benefits (including reduced greenhouse emissions) depending on one's perspective on the externalities associated with internal combustion engines.
Even though there is not a bright line on whether an incentive rate is being created, it is important for; utilities and regulators to think about the long-term implications of creating incentive rates for EVs. Based on forecasts that EVs will become a significant portion of vehicle sales in the next decade, the cross-subsidy could become substantial and translate into a meaningful rate increase for other customers. Recent experiences with net metering highlight some of the issues with incentive rates. They are controversial to eliminate once created, and they can move from being a negligible cost to a boisterous debate about cost shifting. Consequentially, any incentive rates for PEV's should incorporate a sunset provision. Sunset provisions could include a known date for the end of the tariff, a pre-established number of participants, or potentially a phase down over time. These types of provisions are often relaxed or waived; however, it sends a signal to the EV owners that discounts will not be permanent. Therefore, we urge consideration of sunset provisions if incentive rates are implemented.
The issue of subsidization also arises in conjunction with developing EV charging infrastructure. Forty-three states and Washington DC are looking at policies to encourage the expansion of both public and private infrastructure for EV charging.2 These policies include defining the role of electric utilities in developing this infrastructure or offering rebates to customers that install level 2 charging stations. There is regulatory precedent where rates at utility compressed natural gas (CNG) stations at least partially recovered the costs of the infrastructure. A consideration of whether the cost of electric vehicle charging stations should be subsidized is who is paying for the subsidy. As with the debate on subsidies for net metering, there is the concern that EV ownership is more heavily concentrated in upper-income households and whether those customers should be subsidized by lower income residential customers.
EV rate design considerations
Utilities and regulators evaluating targeted rates for EVs should evaluate whether separate rates are appropriate, or whether a more widely applicable rate should be restructured so that the rate is agnostic to the end-use. Absent a policy to create a targeted subsidy, one argument is that a separate rate is not needed if the more generalized rate appropriately reflects policies for balancing cost recovery with sending appropriate price signals. In other words, the regulator should not be determining winners and losers with regards to technologies, but that the consumer and market should decide based upon appropriate prices signals. However, the practical issue is that there is often significant resistance to modifying historical rate structures as it inevitably creates winners and losers. This reality creates the path of least resistance of establishing voluntarily dedicated EV rates.
Within the rubric of a cost-based EV rate, there is a wide range of possible outcomes depending on whether the basis is: embedded or marginal costs, long or short run costs, and if it is based on utility costs or also incorporating externalities/social costs. From the utility perspective, a cost-based rate should discourage charging that creates costs of upgrading the utility's infrastructure. In general, a targeted EV rate is therefore designed to shift charging loads to off-peak hours. Theoretically, a time base demand charge is a more efficient approach than a time-of-use (TOU energy rate) to match the recovery of fixed infrastructure costs with charging demands. As with TOU rates, implementing residential demand charges is challenging. However, as EV users presumably have significant control over when to charge their vehicles, a time-based demand charge for separately metered EVs may be slightly less controversial and the incremental cost of installing a demand meter as opposed to a TOU meter for a residential EV service is minimal.
There are similar considerations for rates for EV charging in public/commercial spaces. These considerations are whether the rate should be subsidized, and should the pricing reflect the time of day and the status of the grid.
One of the issues with dedicated EV rates is the utility's incremental cost of metering and billing and the customer's cost associated with adding a meter base with a dedicated circuit. This cost is in the range of $2,000-$3,000/household versus the cost of a utility installing a TOU meter for the entire household for approximately $200. The high initial cost can be a significant barrier, especially if any subsidies on the rate have a sunset date.
Another issue with static TOU energy only rates for EV charging is that these rates are not dynamic, and they tend to be hard to adjust once implemented. At the same time, the grid is dynamic and peak loading shifts as weather changes, new generation technologies are adopted, and consumer preferences change. Given the large investments in AMI and advanced communications, regulators should consider whether a dedicated EV rate should incorporate dynamic pricing and incent the market to sell charging equipment that responds to pricing and grid constraints as well as valuing the system storage associated with a large penetration of electric vehicles. In other words, customers who are adopting new technology and moving to an optional rate should be leading the way for innovative rate design as opposed to adopting the static TOU pricing approach.
An example of a new rate design is SDG&E's pilot program for its Grid Integration Rate, which has an hourly dynamic rate for customers enrolled in the Power Your Drive program. The rate also has dynamic adders for circuit level critical peak pricing. An adder is added to the top 200 historic circuit peak hours. Customers are provided the information on a day-ahead basis through a smartphone app to encourage grid integrated behavior, including the best times to charge EVs.
Considerations for the looming EV boom
EVs are expected to shift from an inconsequential to significant utility load that should be managed to avoid unnecessary grid upgrade costs. While policy drivers for encouraging EVs differ significantly across states, regulators should exercise caution in creating subsidies as the cost of cross-subsidization may grow rapidly with the projected rapid increase in EV sales. If near-term cross-subsidization of charging rates and/or charging infrastructure is deemed to be appropriate, then clear signals should be sent regarding the duration of the subsidy as a subsidy once implemented is difficult to reverse.
While we encourage regulators to adopt wide-spread efficient rate design that is agonistic to the end-use, we acknowledge that state policy may dictate subsidized programs. However, there are practical considerations and challenges, and in some cases, the more palatable approach is to establish voluntary dedicated EV charging rates. In cases where dedicated and voluntary EV charging rates are established, regulators should consider adopting demand charges and dynamic pricing or some combination of innovative concepts rather than resorting to the "old technology" of static TOU rates.
2 NC Clean Energy Technology Center, "50 States of Electric Vehicles: 2017 Annual Review," p. 9.


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Top-Ranked Nebraska Defeats Third-Ranked Stanford Before 10,576 Fans At AVCA/NACWAA Showcase
Aug. 27, 2005
Omaha, Ne - Before the second-largest crowd (10,576) to witness a Stanford women's volleyball match, two of the nation's premier collegiate programs battled from start to finish in the championship match of the AVCA/NACWAA Showcase on Saturday night at the Qwest Center Omaha. In the end, top-ranked Nebraska ended third-ranked Stanford's 16-match winning streak dating back to last year with a 30-23, 31-29, 33-31 decision.
It was the first time in Nebraska school history that the Cornhuskers had defeated a defending national champion. Stanford captured the 2004 NCAA title.
The crowd was also the eleventh largest in NCAA history. Over the two day tournament, 20,606 fans witnessed four matches featuring four of the best teams (#1 Nebraska, #3 Stanford, #4 Hawaii, #5 Penn State) in the country.
A quartet of Stanford players scored in double figures led by Kristen Richards with 13 kills, ten digs and two blocks. Freshman Cynthia Barboza added 12 kills and eight digs while Foluke Akinradewo collected 12 kills and four blocks. Franci Girard tallied ten kills.
Christina Houghtelling, who led the Cornhuskers with 15 kills (also seven digs and five blocks), was voted the tournament MVP. Jordan Larson also added 15 kills for Nebraska (2-0).
'Nebraska is tough to play,' said Stanford head coach John Dunning. 'They have six big blockers, and they are going to give a lot of teams problems. I think Nebraska has a great chance to be in the Final Four. That's where we hope to be. We showed that we are not too far behind.'
In game one, The Cornhuskers jumped to a 6-3 lead, but the Cardinal battled back on several occasions. In fact, the game was tied ten times as both teams tried to establish their dominance. Stanford's first lead of the game occured when Nebraska committed a hitting error to give the Cardinal a 14-13 lead. With the scored tied at 18-18, Nebraska scored five of the next six points to take a 23-19 lead. Following a Stanford timeout, the fiery Cardinal squad went to work and scored three straight points to cut the Nebraska margin to one point. Nebraska then called a timeout, and soon followed with two straight points to take a 25-22 lead. The Cornhuskers then continued to use its tall, frontline strength to collect three kills and two blocks to take game one, 30-23. Houghtelling, a 6-foot-2 outside hitter, tallied nine of Nebraska's 21 kills in game one.
Game two offered another tight struggle between two excellent teams. The game was tied eight times before Stanford mounted a charge scoring four staight points to take a 15-11 lead and expanded it to five points, 18-13. Nebraska regrouped and mounted its own rally, scoring five straight points to tie the match again at 18-18. The teams then jockeyed the lead back-and-forth with the Cardinal taking the lead six times. Stanford was within two points of victory in game two (28-27), but a kill by Larson and a hitting error by Stanford gave the Cornhuskers a 29-28 lead. Stanford tied the game at 29-29 on a kill by Richards, but kills by Larson and Melissa Elmer gave Nebraska the 31-29 decision. In all, the game was tied 20 times in game two.
Nebraska continued its momentum in game three jumping to a 7-3 lead and was looking to pull away for the match victory leading by as many as six points at 23-17. Once again, the Cardinal would not collapse as Stanford tied the game at 25-25. Stanford went ahead, 29-28, but Nebraska scored the next two points to take a 30-29 lead. Barboza tied the match on a kill at 30-30, but then Nebraska went ahead, 31-30, on a Cornhusker block. A Nebraska hitting error tied the game at 31-31, but a Nebraska kill by Sarah Pavan, and a service ace by Larson ended the match.
Barboza and Richards were named to the all-tournament team along with Nebraska's Christina Houghtelling (MVP), Melissa Elmer (Nebraska), Christa Harmotto (Penn State), Sam Tortorello (Penn State), and Victoria Prince (Hawaii).
Stanford, 1-1, will next compete in the Boston College Tournament (Sept. 1-3).
'Stanford is a fighting team that is showing a lot of potential,' said Richards, who tallied 27 kills and 25 digs in the two matches. 'It was really good to see where we are.'
Stanford (1-1) 23 29 31
Nebraska (2-0) 30 31 33
Cardinal Catalogue
As mentioned earlier, the crowd of 10,576 who watched Stanford play Nebraska in the championship match of the AVCA/NACWAA Showcase on Saturday night was the second largest in school history ... The school record remains 10,792 on Dec. 20, 1997 as Stanford captured the NCAA title against Penn State in Spokane, Wa ... Other top Stanford crowds have included 10,252 in matches against Long Beach State and Penn State at the 1999 NCAA Final Four in Hawaii; and 10,225 on Nov. 2, 1996 at Hawaii ... Friday night in the first round of the AVCA/NACWAA Showcase, a crowd announced at 10.028 watched the Cardinal defeat fifth-ranked Penn State in five games.
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It doesn't get too much better than having a JaVale McGee lockout diary. Amazingly, for all of the funny stuff he's been known to do, in Part 1 that we showed y'all earlier this month, it was mostly about running on the beach and shedding light on McGee's tattoos. Part 2 recently dropped as well, and this one is basically a look into the typical workout – jumping rope, lifting and abs – for one of the NBA's most athletic centers.
What do you think of the workout?
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