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The Thing About Dark Fiction
I've been thinking about dark fiction a lot lately. Part of that is because I am going to be on the PFW podcast this month talking about this very topic. Partly, it's because it's 2019 now, and I've been busy planning where my brand and my books are going.
I've become known as a bit of a dark writer. While, yes, there is the common joke that authors like to torture and kill their characters, my brand goes a bit further than that. I've been known to put my characters through the ringer, and then bring them back and start again, and then blow up the wringer just because… well, why not.
I honestly didn't think I was a writer of dark fiction. When I first published Revelation, I was thinking that I was writing about the norm. Especially where it came to dystopian and science fiction.
It seemed natural to me that my characters would actually get injured when they were in danger. Or that they would lose occasionally. Or that they would be faced with the full depravity of humanity because, well, we aren't exactly kind to each other are we?
The more I see reviews and hear people talk about my books, the more I realize how dark they really are. And yet, I hesitate to be okay with that. It's not because I don't like dark fiction. I really do. I have a very broad taste in books and movies, and while I am picky, my list of favorites includes both books like Red Rising and Holes. But in the past few years as I pick up "dark" fiction and watch various shows on Netflix, I find myself growing in my aversion to dark fiction.
Early in my career I agreed to do a book swap with another author I'd met online. I would read and review his book, he would read and review mine. It was one of those learning experiences that since showed me that review swaps are a REALLY bad idea. But that is beyond the point.
I read a few chapters of his book and finally had to write back to him and tell him that I couldn't read the book. In a way it was a relief.
As an author I know that sometimes things come out of me that don't reflect my personality at all. For instance, I don't swear or drink. I've never smoked pot. But one of my readers favorite characters in the Malfunction trilogy is a character that does all three of these things to excess.
But as a woman, when I pick up a book where each chapter is soaked in dark thoughts of multiple characters daydreaming about violent sexual assault, I become very uncomfortable about the writer. I know what crosses the line and when a character goes from being a bit horny, to being downright scary. That was the case with this book.
This book delighted in its depravity, and reading it didn't make me feel dirty, it made me feel scared.
Similarly, I started watching Penny Dreadful at some point last year. It seemed right up my alley. I love Gothic horror. Josh Hartnett played a character that really drew my attention. The premise included allusions to Frankenstein and other classics. I should have been in heaven. Instead, I found myself nauseated. At one point a demon possesses the MC in front of a group of people and goes into detail about the death of another character's son. It was jarring and left me feeling as if I'd just personally witnessed a tragedy. After that, I haven't gone near the show.
But over Halloween I watched The Haunting of Hill House and was enraptured. Terrified, yes, but in love. It is, in a lot of ways, the very story I am aspiring to write with The Raventree Society.
So what makes one dark story disgusting to me, and yet draws me to another. It's not the gore or the death. It's not the fear.
There are two things that I can think of that make a story worth my time and turns a "dark" story into a "good" story, regardless of its tone.
The characters have to be relatable.
I don't think that a likable character is necessarily the most important thing. In fact, most times when I'm writing a character, I get irritated with them a lot. I also put a lot of my worst traits into my characters. But I also like extreme character arcs. Probably why Zuko from Avatar the Last Airbender is my ideal character. Closely followed by Long John Silver from Treasure Planet.
It's important to me that I can connect to a character's motivations and goals, even if I don't share them. It needs to make sense. I need to, at the very least, have something about the character that I admire
I remember when I first started watching Peaky Blinders I had a really hard time with it. Not because it's not my thing. I absolutely love the premise and setting. It was because I couldn't connect with any of the characters. They were pure evil. It wasn't until I could admire the main character's intelligence that I could get behind it. And the humanity of his older brother and aunt gave me someone I could care about.
I've found that what hooks me into a story the fastest is when a character is flawed, and broken, but there is a constant growth towards redemption. Even if they don't quite make it all the way there, the promise of it is enough for me to care.
But if you give me a Walter White, forget it. I'm not sticking around.
2) There has to be redemption
There are some people who think that a happy ending on a dark story is a cop out. I am not one of those people. Don't get me wrong, a story has to earn it's ending. You can't have a heart-breaking story and just slap on a happy-ever-after. But you also can't expect to drag me along with an insidious character for hours on end, and then pull out any reward I could possibly get from it.
The character needs to grow. The bad guy needs to be defeated… and YES, there needs to be a bad guy. If your protagonist is the bad guy, I'll just cheer when he's dead. If I even get that far.
I think this is why I loved Haunting of Hill House so much.
There is this cheesy saying: The shadows prove the sunshine. It tends to pop into my head when I'm thinking about this subject. Because it is true. Nothing makes hope, love, and kindness shine more, than the evil that it has to fight against.
I think some of the strongest messages that we can learn, come from dark fiction. We aren't just getting entertained, we are being exposed to some of life's hardest questions. But there is a difference between darkness and depravity.
What about you? What draws you to dark fiction? What things do you hate about dark fiction? What crosses the line for you?


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Is Gladys Hardy from Kingsport?
Have you seen Gladys Hardy on the Ellen Degeneres Show?
She's the 88-year-old grandmother who's a big fan and calls in from her home in Austin, Texas.
If you haven't, you can watch her by clicking here.
"Jeannie in Kingsport she called me and told me she saw it and put it on a videotape."
That got your attention, didn't it?
Who is this Jeannie in Kingsport and even more important, who is this Gladys?
Here is Sunday's column (March 1, 2009):
Have you seen Gladys Hardy on the Ellen Degeneres Show?
She's the 88-year-old grandmother who's a big fan and calls in from her home in Austin, Texas.
If you haven't, you can watch her on YouTube.
Go ahead, look her up. Search for "Gladys Hardy."
Watch it. I'll wait.
Okay, if you're not near a computer or you don't have a computer, here's how it goes.
The Ellen show has an answering machine and viewers can call in anytime and leave their comments about the show. Gladys called in the first time a little over a year ago and told Ellen to move the potted plant behind her because its spikey leaves made Ellen look like Alfalfa. And when Ellen called Gladys back the next day, Gladys complained that she hadn't seen the show when Ellen played her voicemail because there had been an ice storm in Austin and the local channel was covering icicles.
"Jeannie in Kingsport she called me and told me she saw it and put it on a videotape."
That got your attention, didn't it?
Who is this Jeannie and even more important, who is this Gladys?
Gladys has been making periodic appearances on Ellen via phone for more than a year.
The first time Ellen called Gladys, the Texas granny answered, "Hello, this is Gladys. And if you're selling something, I ain't interested."
She immediately was an Ellen favorite.
When Ellen asked if she had ever been on TV before, Gladys said she had called in to a shopping channel to bid on a ladybug brooch.
And that's when Gladys admitted, "Listen, I'll be honest with you. I love Jesus, but I drink a little." Gladys added, "I don't drink a lot, just a little to thin my blood."
And that's when she explained her previous television appearance. "I called the QVC and they put me on the air and I was talking to people and I just had a good old time so this is probably my second time on television."
Gladys has been calling in to Ellen regularly ever since including a little over a week ago to talk about the Oscars. But you can't actually "see" Gladys on Ellen or on the YouTube clips, just hear her. She's never made the trip from her Austin home to Los Angeles to appear in person.
"I like to stay local," Gladys told Ellen. "I don't travel anymore. These people will stop you just for having a little bit of Listerine."
Okay, what's the Kingsport connection?
On her website, gladyshardy.com, Gladys says she was born in Knoxville. Jeannie – the one who called from Kingsport – is apparently her cousin or granddaughter.
If after watching Gladys on YouTube, you think all this is too good to be true, well…the name Gladys Hardy is trademarked. And on Gladys' website you can order Gladys tee shirts, Gladys CDs, Gladys ringtones, even a Gladys pillbox. (Sorry no ladybug brooches, not yet anyway.)
Sharon Harris at Central Barber Shop, who alerted me to Gladys' YouTube video, says Gladys' Kingsport connection is Scott Hardy, a D-B '80 graduate and a stand up comedian in Austin (he's listed on Gladys' MySpace page as her grandson).
Is Scott really Gladys?
I personally still believe in Santa Claus so let's just leave it there.
You can count on more telephone conversations between Ellen and "Gladys" because when Ellen asked if she could call her back, Gladys answered, "You can call me anytime just don't call me late for dinner."

subset: commoncrawl


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Can you believe that I've lived in Sydney for 10 months now and have not done one single healthy restaurant review?! What.the.hell.is.wrong.with.me. There's a million of places to get your healthy food fix in Sydney, and I find it so incredibly easy to make good food choices around this city. With breakfast being the most important meal to Sydney-siders, I've done the leg-work for you and compiled my Top 7 Healthy Eats below. I actually had soooo many more to put on this list, but if you only had time for 7 meals in Sydney, you wouldn't want to miss out on any of these.
I mean, just look at their Instagram feed. Must I say more? Whether you have fancy dietary requirements or are looking for a major foodie feast, Speedos offers something for everyone. The menu is made up of three sections: Lean (for the clean eaters), Mean (when you're feeling naughty) and In-between for a bit of both. After a workout or a surf, I prefer a healthier option and will go for something like the Speedos' "Protein Power', which is jam-packed with a whopping six egg whites, avocado, smoked salmon, spinach and wholemeal bread. Other delicious brekky options include the green goodness bowl, or the pink pitaya bowl. And when I'm feeling reeeeally fancy, I'll opt for the caramelized banana and chia vegan pancakes with triple berry compote, pistachio crumb and maple syrup. #itsallaboutthebalance
Come lunch time, you can expect a healthy yogi plate (think lots of veggies, avo, beetroot and falafel), seared salmon filet with zucchini noodles or carbier options like burgers and fish and chips.
Oh, and did I mention the view? Picture this: a cafe on Bondi Beach with a beautiful view directly on to the beach and the hustle and bustle of swimmers, surfers and sun-seekers. Expected attire, as the name suggests, is a bikini, towel and flip flops. Win!
My recommendation: protein power breakfast, caramelized banana & chia pancakes
126 Ramsgate Ave, North Bondi NSW 2026
Earth To Table
This beautiful café opened by raw chef Julie Mitsios is completely plant based with organic and raw vegan meals and desserts as well as smoothies and juices that will leave you glowing inside and out. Expect to find zucchini pasta with a creamy cashew nut sauce, pizza made with almond meal as a base, massive veggie salads, veggie rolls, pressed and dehydrated figs and walnut "toast" and coconut "bacon" in your BLT. You can even have your coffee raw.
But what truly sets this hidden Bondi Junction gem apart is it's insane cake display. Probably one of the best that I have come across in all my travels! Gluten, dairy and sugar-free, the word 'guilty pleasure' doesn't exist here and one option sounds more delicious than the other: chai cheesecake, lemon meringue pie and raw tiramisu.
My recommendation: zucchini noodles with a fresh juice, and make sure to save stomach-space for a dessert
85 Bronte Road, Bondi Junction
This is one of my local favorites and you will often find me there sipping on a coffee while working away on my laptop. Ouroboros is an organic cafe that has a great ambiance, friendly staff and an amazing range of healthy of menu options. For brekky there are poached organic eggs, buckwheat porridge with almond milk; and a biodynamic omelet with chia seeds, feta, and kale. Coffee is by Mecca and includes single-origin, cold-brew and filter specialties. My personal fave, both for breakfast or lunch is their dukkah stack. Coffee is by Mecca and includes single-origin, cold-brew and filter specialties. If you know you're looking for a savory meal, there are also plenty of options: rich colourful salads, seasonal soups, toasted sandwiches, risottos and great fish options.
The long communal tables lend themselves for if you are a big group, so grab a couple of besties and brunch away.
My recommendation: the dukkah stack + good ol' cuppa
1/118 Devonshire St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Sadhana Kitchen
Sadhana Kitchen has some of the best raw vegan food that I have ever tasted. Not only are their mega-nutrient-dense salads the absolute bomb, but their entire menu shows that raw vegan does NOT have to be boring. Think crepes, lasagne, cheezeburger (a veggie patty topped with homemade vegan cheddar), snickers 'cheesecake', raw degustations, and delectable high teas. Who thought you could have that on a raw diet?
The menu features plant-based, ethically sourced meals with lots of the latest superfoods and activated grains, nuts and seeds. Obviously, everything is prepared at a temperature below 40 degrees Celsius (a requirement for it to be called raw), but honestly, I didn't even notice that I was eating raw food most of the time.
And not to mention the drink menu: choose from a selection of nutrient-dense smoothies, dandylion chai, superfood coffee or mylo, iced matcha lattes, organic teas, and the list goes on...
My recommendation: the Bondi bowl, cheezeburger, daily greens smoothie and their cocowhip sundaes
132 Warners Avenue Bondi Beach 2026
Bondi Wholefoods
Another Eastern Suburb gem. With it's two locations in Bondi and Surry Hills, Bondi Wholefoods is a crowd-pleaser. They have a huge array of delicious lunches, smoothies, protein shakes and raw treats that are good both for your body and your soul. You can be sure all meals are sugar, gluten and dairy free —all made with the best sustainable, organic ingredients. Which makes your meal choice incredibly hard, because everything sounds divine.
If you only have the chance for one visit here, you absolutely must get the cacao berry pancake. Cooked in organic coconut oil, made from nutritious organic spelt flour & quinoa, topped with blueberries, honey, a scoop of a silky raw cacao cashew cream and homemade chia jam, this heavenly sent concoction is one of my favourite pancakes around Sydney.
My recommendation: the gluten free banana chia loaf, cacao berry pancakes or a superfood salad bowl
Shop 1, 30A Hastings Parade, North Bondi, 2026 NSW and 517 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Cafe turned yoga studio, this zen spot is nourishing for mind and body. I love the holistic approach, encompassing food, yoga, wellness, nature and education (they also do workshops). They have a beautiful courtyard with lots of plants, from which you can enjoy the best of seasonal organic meals. I'm a particular fan of their big breakfast (changes according to season), and love the fact that the menu offers lots of fermented veg, cashew cheese and kombusha, which are all made in-house.
My recommendation: big breakfast or their sweet potato (!!!) & buckwheat pancake
711 Darling Street, Rozelle NSW 2039
The Farm
This unique concept combines cafe with wholefoods store; at the back of the cafe is a wholefood store stocked with products from spices, to nuts, seeds and honey. At the front of the store, The Farm then gives people a taste of how to use these ingredients in simple and healthy meals. For breakfast, you have options like chia-seed pudding with coconut milk, a refreshing acai bowl topped with pecan granola, a mouth-watering Cocowhip or a warm oatmeal. For lunch, there's different salads, wraps and even bone broth.
My recommendation: the porridge oat bowl or chai pudding
Shop 3, 81 Macleay Street, Potts Point NSW
I'll be posting more Sydney café reviews in the future, so stay tuned. In the meantime, if you are looking to burn off the extra calories from all your foodie adventures, check out some of my favorite workout studios around Sydney.


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Stella Sandoval
For as long as I can remember, I have always enjoyed being active. My biggest joys were running, jumping, riding bikes, and doing back flips down the street with friends. Back then that was our gym and how we did our workouts. Movement made me feel alive, energized, and happy. I learned early in life the value of physical movement so it was natural that I would eventually gravitate towards a career in fitness. As a young adult, I struggled with weight issues and low energy related to hypothyroidism so I began to educate myself about the disease, nutrition, and fitness to overcome my own health issues. Eating healthy and exercising daily was my prescription to gaining my health back. And it worked! That is when I found my true calling, helping other people to get healthy and fit. For more than two decades, I have worked as a fitness professional in the Bay Area. Some people still recognize me from my workout videos that were sold worldwide: Dancing Off the Inches, Sizzling Salsa, and others. In 2011, after having a full hip replacement, I discovered Pilates to help with my rehabilitation, and I credit Pilates for my full recovery along with changing my body. With this inspiration, I started my training with Martt Lawrence at The Pilates Center of San Francisco and completed my hours and exams with Master Trainer Dorothee Vandewalle at Metropolitan Pilates in Seattle earning my M.A.T. Pilates certification. My certifications also include; ACE, and NASM. In addition, I continue to study the Pilates Method regularly with teacher trainer, Chris Robinson at S6 Fitness in San Diego, and through yearly workshops with Master teacher trainers Bob Liekens and Kathi Ross-Nash . Although I spend most of my time in the Pilates Studio working with clients, I still love to teach fitness classes and train clients on the fitness floor to help them reach their goals and attain true core strength, flexibility, and control.


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About Peter H. Reynolds
Blue Bunny Bookstore owner Peter H. Reynolds is an accomplished writer, storyteller and illustrator, who brings his enthusiasm and energy to every project he creates. As an author, he has become well known for his best-selling books about protecting and nurturing the creative spirit, including the three books in his "Creatrilogy" -- The Dot, Ish and Sky Color. The Dot has now been published in over twenty languages, including Braille, and has won a number of awards, including the Oppenheim Platinum Toy Award, Borders Books' Original Voices Award, and the Christopher Medal. The film version of The Dot (Weston Woods) went on to win the American Library Association's (ALA's) Carnegie Medal of Excellence for the Best Children's Video of 2005, while the film version of Ish was announced as one of ALA's 2006 Notable Children's Videos. In 2009, teacher Terry Shay introduced his classroom to The Dot and spearheaded a one-day celebration of creativity, courage, and collaboration to coincide with book's publication anniversary date. Since then, each September, a growing number of educators and students have joined International Dot Day for a global celebration of creativity in the classroom, with over 10 million teachers, librarians and students from 143 countries participating to date.
Peter's cornerstone book, The North Star, was originally self-published in 1997 under the FableVision Press imprint. This allegory that challenges each of us to follow our own unique path through life was later optioned and republished by Candlewick Press in 2009. As a book, curriculum and musical, The North Star has inspired children of all ages around the world. More recently, The North Star was released as an animated film, produced by FableVision Studios and Scholastic Weston Woods. His other series of original, animated film shorts, including "The Blue Shoe," "Living Forever" and "He Was Me," have won many awards and honors around the globe.
Peter is also author and illustrator of Rose's Garden, a heartwarming fable dedicated to the late Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, I'm Here, So Few of Me, The Smallest Gift of Christmas, and Playing from the Heart. His award-winning publishing work also includes illustrating the New York Times bestselling books Someday and Little Boy, written by Alison McGhee, and the New York Times best-selling Judy Moody and Stink books, written by Megan McDonald. His first book collaboration with his twin brother, Paul, Going Places, was published in March, 2014. They have since collaborated on the Sydney and Simon early chapter book series which includes 3 titles, Full Steam Ahead, Going Green, and To the Moon. Peter's most recent books include Happy Dreamer (which he wrote and illustrated) and several books illustrated for author Susan Verde, The Water Princess, I am Yoga, and I am Peace. In total, Peter's children's book career includes the publication of over 50 titles.
Throughout all of his endeavors, Peter's mission shines through: to use media to tell stories that matter and challenge us to reach our full potential. Besides his publishing career and his ownership of The Blue Bunny Bookstore, Peter and his identical twin brother, Paul, founded the award-winning children's media company, FableVision, Inc., in 1996. An educational media-developer and publisher, FableVision uses storytelling and technology to create positive programming and products to help all learners navigate their full potential. FableVision, Inc. now encompasses two educational organizations: FableVision Studios, located on the top floor above the Boston Children's Museum, and FableVision Learning, headquartered in his hometown of Dedham, MA.
In 2007, Peter received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from his undergraduate alma mater, Fitchburg State College, in recognition of his "substantial contributions to education and the arts." He was named Verizon Literacy Champion for his "tireless efforts in promoting reading, writing and self-expression", and also awarded an Education Advocacy Award at the Massachusetts' Statehouse for his "amazing work supporting & promoting arts education." In 2013, he was named recipient of a Visionary Award by the Association of American Publishers (AAP) Learning Group, which celebrates the extraordinary accomplishments of the learning resource industry and the ongoing mission of helping every child receive a world class education. In 2017, Peter was awarded the Distinguished Eagle Award by the Boy Scouts of America, an award for distinguished service in his profession and to his community for a period of at least twenty-five years after attaining the level of Eagle Scout.
Much of Peter's spare time is spent giving back to the community ~ revitalizing the businesses in his beloved downtown, Dedham Square, supporting schools, and serving on the board of several non-profit organizations, such as Horizons for Homeless Children, Read to a Child, and the Motherbrook Arts and Community Center. To that end, Peter and his twin brother Paul, launched the Reynolds Center for Teaching, Learning, and Creativity (TLC). The center is a not-for-profit organization that encourages creativity and innovation in teaching and learning. It is dedicated to ensuring that all learners develop the vision, confidence, knowledge and skills needed to move their own lives forward, and to use their talents, strengths and energy to move their communities and the world to a better place.
While he has speaking engagements all over the world, championing "off the path" learning, everyday creativity, and inspiring children and "grown up" children to lead successful and meaningful lives, Peter loves to spend his Saturday mornings at The Blue Bunny, talking with old and new friends, and drawing with children. He is father to a grown daughter, Sarah, and he and his very accomplished artist wife, Diana, are parents to a young son, Henry Rocket.


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Collagen or whey. Which should you choose? For years, collagen/gelatin was maligned by bodybuilding ...
Parchment pockets are an easy way to simultaneously cook moist and tender fish, lightly steam veggies, and cut down on the amount of clean up after dinner. You don't even need plates; just eat right out of the parchment.
With simple cooking methods, however, can come simple flavors. Which is why this parchment-baked halibut is topped with a zinging parsley-spinach pesto. This bold, nutrient-rich pesto is also a delicious way to eat your leafy greens. If you're not in love with leafy greens in their natural state, or greens don't show up often enough on your (or on your kid's) plate, then pesto is the perfect place to hide them.Read More
It?s Friday, everyone! And that means another Primal Blueprint Real Life Story from a Mark's Daily Apple reader. If you have your own success story and would like to share it with me and the Mark?s Daily Apple community please contact me here. I?ll continue to publish these each Friday as long as they keep coming in. Thank you for reading!
"Affliction comes to us, not to make us sad but sober; not to make us sorry but wise."
H. G. Wells
Since it was the Friday Success Stories that truly inspired me to go Primal, I thought I'd share my own. My journey to the Primal lifestyle started about a year after I gave birth to triplets (around January of 2012). At that point I had made multiple trips to the doctors with health complaints. I'm guessing my doctor thought I was a hypochondriac, but my body had started falling apart, and it was affecting my ability to care for my trio. I was reminded by my doctor how pregnancy (and breastfeeding) takes a toll on your body, and even more so with triplets. I just wanted to cry at the prospect that this was the new normal. I felt so blessed to have these three healthy babies, but hated feeling like I couldn't be the mom I had imagined.Read More
Pretty much every post on Mark's Daily Apple takes up the question of how we can be happier, healthier and more productive in the modern world. We eat well, exercise effectively, play frequently, sleep deeply, socialize meaningfully, create freely, de-stress religiously and sun ourselves daily. They're the tickets to a well-rounded and healthy life today, and they all not-so-coincidentally supported the survival of our ancestors. They're the primal stuff of life – of what it means to be physically and cognitively human. I think we'd be remiss to not include in this list the also very human concept of giving.Read More
When thinking about ways to improve your workout recovery, you might start by going back to this post I wrote a couple weeks ago and then doing the opposite of the recovery-impairing items on that list. So, if you're trying to do too much in the gym in too little time, you should probably start doing less. Since nutrient deficiencies can contribute to poor recovery, you should eat plenty of those nutrients. And if stress is a huge recovery killer, it would obviously make sense to figure out ways to reduce and mitigate stress in your life. Easier said than done, right? Well, today I'm going to give you some concrete tips and techniques I personally use to improve my workout recovery.
Let's jump right in…Read More
In the short clip above, Keris Marsden and Matt Whitmore – authors of The Paleo Primer – show us how living a healthy Primal life in London, England inspired their debut book, and share a special thank you to everyone that has already ordered a copy.
Remember, the special offer period for The Paleo Primer ends in just a few days on Aug. 31 at 11:59 pm PST. Pick up a copy by then and you'll get a bunch of free stuff from PrimalBlueprint.com. Learn more about this fantastic new book and your free gifts here. Grok on!
P.S. Stay tuned for today's regularly scheduled blog post wherein I share my personal strategy for workout recovery.Read More
This is a guest post from Ben Greenfield. Ben is a strength and conditioning coach and sports nutritionist who teaches athletes and exercise enthusiasts how to achieve amazing feats of physical performance without destroying their bodies. He is the head triathlon coach at Pacific Elite Fitness, blogs and podcasts at BenGreenfieldFitness.com, hosts the Get-Fit Guy show, and has a new book coming out called "Beyond Training".
Among other things, Ben is known for conducting self-experiments – often on very fringe ideas – to learn what can give him and his clients a competitive advantage. His next challenge that flies in the face of conventional wisdom is to win the amateur division at Ironman Canada in a fully ketogenic state. His experience training and competing at a high level using an ancestral framework is what I am particularly interested in, and I think you may be too. Now, enter Ben…Read More


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HospitalMultidisciplinary Hospital for active treatment "Vita" includes hospital stationery with 60 beds, four surgical halls and a modern resuscitation room, 9 Departments:
- Department of Surgery
- Department of Urology and Andrology
- Orthopedy and traumatology
- Plastic and aesthetic surgery
- Anesthesiology and resuscitation
- Obstetrics and gynecology
- Neonatology
- In Vitro center
- Image Diagnosis
All consulting rooms and laboratories are connected in local information network. For extra convenience of the patients, the diagnostic consulting rooms, clinical and microbiological laboratories, the hospital ward and the pharmacy are located under one and the same roof of "Vita" Hospital. All consulting rooms and laboratories are equipped with medical devices of the latest generation, allowing precise and timely diagnosis of lesions. The hospital disposes with Department of Image Diagnosis, including devices for X-ray examinations, mammographs, Nuclear-Magnetic Resonance, device for painless breaking of kidney stones, etc.
"Vita" is authorized health institution in Bulgaria for issuing medical certificates for people leaving to the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.


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At UFC 162 this past July, Chris Weidman emerged undeniably victorious over the greatest MMA fighter we've seen so far. He knocked Anderson Silva out cold, leaving no question as to the validity of his win.
Ahead of their UFC 168 rematch though, Weidman is considered by many to be the underdog. Most cite the fact that Silva was unfocused, or didn't take Weidman seriously; but, either way, they're picking the former champ to win. To hear Weidman tell it though, it's nothing he's taking personal.
"It's one of those things you've gotta expect," said the champ. "I fought Anderson Silva, he's known as one of the greatest of all time. He's been in the sport for such a long time. He's done such great things. So, people can't fathom the fact that he actually lost and they can't imagine seeing it happen twice. But, it's good - some of my friends can make more money on me."
While confident he can repeat the outcome of the first bout - or at least find some way to win again - Weidman also knows that Silva reigned as champion for so long for a reason. He doesn't expect Silva to go out easy, and predicts nothing less than a battle come Saturday night.
"(I expect) an exciting fight," he predicted. "We're both winners; he doesn't wanna come in and lose again and I'm not trying to lose for my first time. I think both of us are going in here to win this fight. It's gonna be an all out war. I think we're both gonna be ready for a war but going for the finish the whole time. We're both finishers, so it's gonna be an exciting fight."
Find out whether or not Weidman can make lightning strike twice this Saturday night at UFC 168 in Las Vegas. Don't forget to check back for our live, round-by-round coverage of the fights.


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The Goodwill Voter Resource Guide
Voting is Important for a Healthy Democracy Election season is right around the corner, and it's an important time to …
The Goodwill Opportunity Campus has a variety of event and meeting spaces available to rent for meetings, conferences, fundraisers, and corporate and private parties. Our state-of-the-art spaces can accommodate up to 375 guests, and we can also host outdoor tented events. Located only two miles from Charlotte Douglas International Airport and five miles from downtown Charlotte, the Goodwill Opportunity Campus offers convenience that other locations do not. Event spaces are equipped with updated technology and modern amenities and include:
To view floor plans, rental costs and more, please download our rental and catering brochure.
Community Table Bistro, our full-service, in-house catering company, offers delicious cuisine for all of your event needs. Since we operate our own catering department, we can offer competitive pricing and adaptable menus.
For more information or to schedule an event, please contact Woozie Bazemore, Sales & Catering Manager, at 704-332-0349 or complete the form below.


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Friday Night Fights: Lights Out - Round 10: Who You Gonna Call?
How do you fight a ghost? In tonight's special Halloween round of Friday Night Fights: Lights Out, I'm letting Moon Knight demonstrate with his own unique brand of ghost-busting, courtesy of Moon Knight#3, written by Warren Ellis and beautifully illustrated by Declan Shalvey.
Synopsis: A ghostly punk biker gang has begun haunting the streets of Manhattan at night,randomly menacing and beating up innocent bystanders. Moon Knight goes in to fight them, but because he can't touch them and they can touch and hurt him, he proptly proceeds to get his....moon....kicked. So he consults the Egyptian moon god Khonshu, as one is wont to do in these situations.
Long story short: It turns out he DOES have clothing items for fighting the dead after all.
So now it's time for Round Two.
Well, that's definitely not a proton pack. Let's see how that works out for him.
Pretty well, it turns out.
And neither is Spacebooger.
Tonight's fight music is...what else?


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POETRY CONTEST: Poetry Out Loud is a recitation program and competition that urges the teaching of poetry as an oral art form in high schools. Schools that participate in Poetry Out Loud enter students into a preliminary round, from which the state finalists are chosen.
2017 Poetry Out Loud Results
Eight South Dakota high school students from across the state shared their talents and the work of great poets as they competed for the state title at the Poetry Out Loud recitation contest. Maddie Lukomski, a Lincoln High School senior from Sioux Falls, won the Poetry Out Loud state finals March 13 in Sioux Falls and will represent South Dakota at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington, D.C., April 24-26. In addition to the trip to the National Finals, Lukomski also won a $200 cash award, a $300 Barnes and Noble gift card, a Shakespeare anthology, and her school library will receive $500 to be used for the purchase of poetry books.
Eight students from high schools across South Dakota competed for the title. Gabriel Pulliam-Sanchez, a student at Little Wound High School in Kyle was the state runner-up. Pulliam-Sanchez was awarded $100 cash, a $150 Barnes & Noble gift card, a poetry anthology, and his school will receive $200 for the purchase of poetry books. The following students received poetry anthologies for qualifying as state finalists, but the remaining scores were not ranked: Jennifer Sundermeyer, Flandreau High School; Elizabeth Ocegueda, Harrisburg High School; Marie McLaughlin, Greater Sioux Falls Homeschool Association; Shaina Determan, Hanson High School; Jane Walsh, Washington High School and McKayla Kludt, Watertown High School.
Libby Murphy, Lincoln High School; Rosie Little Whiteman, Little Wound High School; and Ethan Tasa, Sisseton High School, were awarded for their original poems in a separate component of the competition. Each received $100.
Two teachers were also awarded for their efforts in and out of the classroom as Poetry Out Loud coaches. Sharon Prendergast, Sisseton High School, was awarded the South Dakota Poetry Out Loud Teacher of the Year award and received $500. Daniel Snethen, Little Wound High School, was the runner-up and received $250.
Poetry Out Loud is a recitation program and competition that urges the teaching of poetry as an oral art form in high schools. Schools that participate in Poetry Out Loud enter students into a preliminary round, from which the state finalists are chosen. Poetry Out Loud was created in partnership by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, with the collaboration of State Arts Agencies. Through Poetry Out Loud, students master public-speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage.
In South Dakota, POL is a program administered by the South Dakota Arts Council, an office of the state Department of Tourism, in partnership with Arts South Dakota and South Dakota Public Broadcasting.
Program Materials
Contact Rebecca Cruse, Assistant Director South Dakota Arts Council, at (605)773-3301 or firstname.lastname@example.com if you would like to participate or learn more about this contest.
Poetry Out Loud curriculum materials include the online poetry anthology, a comprehensive teacher's guide, video of the National Finals performances, lesson plans, and promotional and media guides. Hard copies of materials are free for teachers participating in the official program.
While teachers, students, and poetry lovers everywhere can use this website and its free materials to organize their own contests, the official contest is limited to the programs run by each state's arts agency. If you are interested in participating in the official program, please contact your state arts agency.


text: Sephora VIB Sale Video Beauty Beauty Pickups Style by ahhhsoneo - November 24, 2015November 25, 20150 I went a bit loco at the Sephora VIB Sale. I mean 20% off is 20% off right. Which reminds me... Giorgio Armani Beauty is having a 20% off sale with a minimum spend of $75. I'm done for now, but I did want to share my haul from Sephora. If


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Candied Pecans – super easy, but always elegant, in a salad or topping a dessert. Just try not to snack on them, though, before they make their final destination, unless they're meant for an appetizer!
These pecans are wonderful in desserts, too. Chopped over ice cream, with or without caramel…One centered on a square of cake or a brownie containing the same nut is lovely – especially with cream cheese frosting.
It's helpful to have a small, heavy saucepan. This is more a "method" than a recipe…almost any nut can be used instead of pecans.
Candied Pecans
- A handful of pecans or pecan pieces
- 2 tablespoons sugar or honey
- 2 tablespoons water
- Pinch of salt
Add all ingredients to saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cook 5 to 7 minutes until most of the syrup is gone, and the remaining syrup has turned a light amber color. Watch carefully at the end, they can burn easily. There is no need to stir or swirl if you have a heavy pot.
If you think they've gone too far, and aren't burnt yet, but looking a bit dry and crusty, add a smidge of water and stir them around. If you pull them out too early, they'll still be good, but won't have a crunchy coating, they'll just be sweet. Place on plate to cool.
I sometimes like to add a pinch of cayenne or some other spice that takes my fancy! Sometimes I use other nuts…
from the kitchen of www.frugalhausfrau.com


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The Cedar Island Lighthouse, once a beacon for Sag Harbor's bustling whaling industry, will be restored more than four decades after it was gutted by a fire in 1974.
On Monday afternoon, a consortium of local officials and community members met at Long Wharf in Sag Harbor to announce that an architectural firm had been selected to lead renovations focusing on the roof and exterior of the lighthouse, which sits in Northwest Harbor overlooking Gardiners Bay.
The Suffolk County Legislature voted unanimously in November to appropriate $500,000 for the work, the first step toward converting the historic lighthouse into a self-sustaining bed-and-breakfast inn.
"The county has skin in the game," County Legislator Bridget Fleming said at Long Wharf on Monday. The renovations will help allow the Cedar Island Lighthouse "to become a part of the Sag Harbor economy," she added.
The renovation project will be contracted to Lee H. Skolnick Architecture, a firm founded by two Sag Harbor residents, Lee Skolnick and Paul Alter. The pair are no strangers to lighthouses or East End architecture: The firm worked on the Staten Island Lighthouse, Montauk Point Lighthouse, East Hampton Library and Guild Hall.
But this project is "the crowning jewel," Mr. Skolnick said. "I've never seen such big granite blocks on a lighthouse. It is a magnificent structure. We're thrilled."
Mr. Skolnick will focus on stabilizing the lighthouse, which is propped on a plinth. The roof, which is caving in, will also be replaced and the exterior will be waterproofed. Design plans are scheduled to be finalized by January, and construction will begin immediately after, but without a definite deadline for completion.
For now, the interior will not be touched, although Mr. Skolnick plans to submit a proposal for that work as well. When exterior renovations are completed, the county will begin to field proposals for interior restoration.
"This is really a private-public partnership," State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr., a Sag Harbor resident, said of the county's partnership with Mr. Skolnick's firm. "This is something that, frankly, before [the private sector] showed up, was an idea. It wasn't until recently that action was taken."
Prior to the historic hurricane of 1938, which filled in surrounding water with sand, the Cedar Point Lighthouse rested on an island of merely 2 acres. The original structure was built in 1839 as a one-and-a half-story keeper's residence and a small tower made out of wood. But by 1858, the structure was crippled, its wooden frame unable to support its cast-iron beacon.
In 1868, Congress allocated $25,000 to construct a new lighthouse, one with a 40-foot tower and a granite interior shell, that would serve as a navigational aid to whaling ships that traversed the narrow waterways. Almost 150 years later, it survives, albeit barely.
As was the fate of most Long Island lighthouses during that time, the Cedar Island Lighthouse was decommissioned in 1934. From then, it was privately owned—for a period by Phelan Beale, an uncle of Jacqueline Kennedy—until the Suffolk County Parks Department purchased it in 1967.
The beacon remained in relatively good condition until 1974, when a fire ravaged the oak interior and cracked the granite shell. Firefighters could not get their equipment past the sand spit leading up to the lighthouse, and the blaze burned itself out, eviscerating the structure's innards.
The lighthouse languished in limbo for 50 years. A number of restoration efforts failed to gain traction—until 2010, when the plans to convert the nationally registered historic site into a bed-and-breakfast were set in motion.
The contract with Lee H. Skolnick Architecture is the first tangible step toward that goal.
"Lighthouses are iconic symbols of Long Island," Kara Hahn, chair of the Suffolk County Parks and Recreation Committee, said at Monday's gathering. "Making sure that we preserve and restore them is important to our sense of place here, economic development and to community."
There is precedent for a bed-and-breakfast conversion: A similar model exists in a lighthouse in Saugerties, New York, that was built the same year as the Cedar Island Lighthouse, said Michael Leahy, chair of the Cedar Island Lighthouse Restoration and president of the Long Island Chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse Society.
Cedar Island Lighthouse's L-shaped keeper's residence contains nine rooms that can potentially be rented. If all goes according to plan, the money received by renting out rooms will sustain the lighthouse's upkeep. County officials hope that the unique hotel will also attract tourists who will help vitalize the local economy.
Mr. Thiele said he plans to work with State Senator Kenneth P. LaValle to secure state funds from the 2018 budget to further support the project and bolster an ongoing fundraising campaign.
"This is critical for our economy," Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said of the importance of local culture to tourism. "It's part of what makes us special."


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New Finger Posts Installed for 'The Wey to The Thames'
The project to install signs linking the Thames National Trail at Weybridge with the Wey Navigation was completed (although one sign remains uninstalled waiting for the Weybridge Point scheme to go ahead) in June 2018. This exciting e project was made possible from an Elmbridge Borough Council CiL fund grant and finally provides direction signage between the Wey Navigation and the Thames Path at Weybridge...Read More
Hounslow Ganeshotsav Mandal
Hounslow Ganeshotsav Mandal The TLS has once again teamed up with the Hounslow Ganeshotsav Mandal (HGM) to help arrange the immersion of Lord Ganesh into the River Thames at Kingston Sailing Club. The event has now been running for 11 years and it has been estimated that the immersion has included over 5,000 people from the Hindu community who had previously had very little contact with the Thames Landscape- many previously feeling that the river had little value to them. In 2018, the TLS will establish a volunteer programme with HGM that will be rolled out over the winter 2018 /19 at...Read More
Mothers for Old Father Thames raise funds for TLS at Great River Race
The TLS assisted the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and the GRR prepare the finish site at Ham including grass cutting and scrub management along the river banks. During the race, the TLS hosted a marquee for Friends and partners. For the second year, Mothers for Old Father Thames rowed to raise funds for the FTT. (shown above with Their Worships The Mayors of Richmond and Kingston upon...Read More
Opening of new Richmond Hill Telescope
On Thursday 6th September the Thames Landscape Strategy opened a new telescope on Richmond Hill. The Mayor for Richmond upon Thames Cllr Ben Khosa, Pat Spaight, Zac Goldsmith and Ellen LeCompt unveiled the telescope in the traditional Thames Landscape Strategy manner by the cutting a garland of ivy picked from Richmond Hill. The telescope has been made possible by the London Borough of Richmond Civic Pride Fund and LBRuT Parks who funded the installation. It replaces a telescope that was stolen in 2015 funded by Richmond Hill resident and long standing Secretary of the Richmond Society Pat...Read More
June to September 2018 Quarterly Update
The new TLS June to September Quarterly Update highlighting some of the projects we have completed, recent events and funding bids being worked on. Click on the link below… TLS Quarterly Update June to September 2018Read More


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The Upcoming Film Slate/
Inception was amongst my most anticipated film of 2010 for this summer, and having seen that film in theaters (although I would very much like to see it once or twice more, soon), focus inevitably moves towards the next big thing to watch. With San Diego Comic Con over, and with it, a large rush of new trailers and films announced, or at least expounded upon. Looking at what's coming up, there are a couple of films that have caught my eye, which will be released in the next year or so. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 1
When it comes to Harry Potter, I've enjoyed the books, but I've really disliked the movies. The first and second films were simply abysmal, childish and completely didn't mesh with my vision of what the books were, while The Prisoner of Azkaban was marvelous, film-wise, but lacking in terms of adaptation. I haven't seen the movies that follow, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, The Order of the Phoenix and the Half Blood Prince, and I've heard varying degrees of quality from the lot of them. Still, the films look like they are getting better, and hopefully, I'll catch up with the films in order to see the first of the last Harry Potter film in theaters. Overall, I've really liked what I've seen from the trailers, in terms of film quality and the story, and if anything, it'll hopefully be fun to watch.
Tron: Legacy
I first watched the original Tron earlier this year, and I was absolutely blown away by it. The graphics are certainly outdated, but that hardly matters. Now, the original cast is back, aged in real time, and along with it, a stunning new version of the computerized universe, which, from all appearances by the trailers and VFX reels, looks simply stunning. This film has me left with some extremely high hopes, and I'm interested to see where they can go with the story, twenty or so years later. With the release of the first film, there was a certain understanding as to how computers and cyberspace was used. Now, in the age where computers are a major part of entertainment and work, that understanding has changed, substantially. Hopefully, the film will change with that change in understanding.
Battle: Los Angeles
This film is one that has seen the occasional news, but with Comic Con, there were several major announcements, and a trailer released, which has gotten me very interested in what this one will be about. The basic premise is that the film will mesh Independence Day and Black Hawk Down, as the Marines confront an alien invasion in Los Angeles. My guess is that this film will be approached much like we did District 9, with an original story, marketed with an interesting viral marketing campaign, similar film styles and so forth. The basic premise, marines vs. aliens, is already a fun one. What's gotten me more interested is that this film is being approached as if it were a war film. The aliens will be organized, logical, and aren't going to be destroying things like monuments. Plus, there will be combat. It should be a fun ride. No trailer yet, but that should be coming soon.
Sucker Punch
The trailer for this new Zach Snyder film looked just plain awesome. I have very little to go on: a trailer that combines dragons, Samurai, rockets, Nazis, alien planets, and a bunch of girls, and a description of 'Alice in Wonderland plus machine guns.'. The film doesn't look like it's going to be anything that's going to be thought provoking or anything like that. This looks to be the film that will be balls to the wall action, coupled with Snyder's fantastic visual style that he's worked on in 300 and Watchmen.
The trailer for this film leaked this morning, and honestly? It looks much better than I thought it might. Thor was a film that I wasn't all that interested in watching, but it looks like it could be quite a bit of fun, especially as Marvel dips further and further into the Avengers arc that will be tying all of their films together. There is enough action and familiar characters to make this film appear to feel very much at home with the universe that's being created, and it's just one further step in a bigger plan that Marvel has going.
Titled Mexico's District 9, this film has also been on my radar, with a couple of short teasers and photos. The premise follows a NASA satellite that had been searching for life crashes south of the United States border, bringing with it something, which blankets all of Mexico in a quarantine zone. A journalist has to bring someone across the area to the U.S., and they'll be coming across these aliens. It looks like there'll be a bit of a pointed message with it, and that worked well with District 9. Plus, it's an original/independent film, which has me even more interested, getting some fresh voices to the genre.
Source Code
The last film on the list is Duncan Jone's Source Code, which has wrapped filming in Montreal, and according to Jones, should be out early in 2011. Jones created the fantastic film Moon, which has become one of my all time favorites, and is putting together a story of a soldier who has to go into the minds of the victims of a train bombing in order to discover who the perpetrator was. Jones is going to be someone to watch with the genre, and I have a feeling that this film will be a very interesting one to watch.


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Based on Chandan Economics' database of new multifamily and commercial real estate loans, originated across balance sheet, agency, and conduit lenders.
CMBS Issuance on the Upturn as Loans Approach Maturity | by Sarah Borchersen-Keto
With a significant number of commercial real estate loans coming due in the next three years, industry analysts are predicting dramatic growth in the issuance of commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS).
Read the story at the REIT.com website.
How the DC Mess Could Curb Commercial Real Estate | by Diana Olick
CNBC — In major cities across America, commercial real estate is seeing a rebirth. After crashing hard during the recent recession, sales and development are soaring again, and financing is finally following through.
Read the story at Diana Olick's Realty Check blog on the CNBC website.
Heading Towards Default, an Update on the Commercial Real Estate Outlook | by Diana Olick
Nightly Business Report / Produced by CNBC — Commercial real estate investment markets have largely recovered from the financial crisis and recession. The sector's momentum is threatened anew by the impending default of the US Treasury. Weaker real economic activity and substantially higher borrowing costs could send property markets into a tailspin.
Here's Exactly What Will Happen If We Default On Thursday | by Sabri Ben-Achour
Crowdfunding Backing Manayunk Retail, Office Project | by Alison Burdo
Commercial Real Estate Lending Expected to Remain Buoyant | by Sarah Borchersen-Keto
Chandan in the News — Highlights
Lenders' Insatiable Appetite for Commercial Real Estate
Momentum in the US Jobs Market
Redeveloping New York Factories Into Small Business Hubs
A Pending Recession? Five Years Into Recovery, Timing the Business Cycle
Is the American Labor Market Finally on the Mend?


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I need to have a waterproof sealing cap ( as thin walled as possible ) for a 52 mm OD PVC tube and for a 50 mm PVC pipe - preferably pvc as I will use pvc glue to adhere the cap to the tube - preferably a mild stretch fit - I think a pvc or vinyl cap ( dipped plastisol maybe ) would be good - if there is anything suitable, I need 350 caps for the 52 mm tube and a test sample quantity for the 50 mm tube - maybe 20. as soon as possible, please.
We do not stock vinyl caps in this size, but can manufacture them for you. The closest sizes we have are, 47.6mmID and 50mmID. We can manufacture these up to lengths of 45mm. the minimum order quantity for each size is 500pcs and the lead time to manufacture is 10days.
Please let me know if you would like to proceed with a quote on these sizes and if so, please confirm the length you would like them. Kind regards, Lauren - email@example.com
Please let me know if you would like to proceed with a quote on these sizes and if so, please confirm the length you would like them. Kind regards, Lauren - email@example.com
More Questions and Answers
I am after some 20mm and 25mm plastic plugs (similar to money box plugs) to fit into glass bricks which I have drilled holes into.
We have a tapered plug similar to the money box plug, but it ...
I am part of a knitting group who are undertaking to knit covers for coathangers to raise funds for our 55+club. I am trying to find plastic ends to go on the hanger part to neaten our work. Same idea as on the bought ones. Do you have anything 4mls diameter 15 mls long?
We do have a 4mm black vinyl cap at a length of 13mm or 19mm. ...
I have a drawing of a protective end cap and I'd like to know if your company is able to supply. Please send me an email so I can forward the drawing.
Please email the drawing to email@example.com
I am after some black rubber end caps to go over the end of 10mm and 12mm All Thread for protection against injury during our production. I am not fussed whether they are threaded or not as long as they are easy to remove once production is complete and the caps are no longer required. Do you have a suggested product for this purpose and if so what might the cost be for 250 each of the 10mm and 12mm size?
We have a black vinyl end cap to suit those sizes. We have them ...
Contact STOCKCAP
51 Wellington St
Tel: 1800 00 3211
Fax: 02 9627 5156


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The old New York
New York is a lot like life: always so full of surprises. You might it think have it all figured out and then you walk a little past your comfort zone and find yourself in completely new territory. There is nothing better than knowing that the possibilities are endless and whatever you can think of you can achieve. Strolling in the gardens at Tudor city this past weekend felt like I was travelling back in time. The complex, built in 1927, was the first residential skyscraper complex in the world! Can you imagine how it felt living there back in the 30s?


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The Industrial Revolution encouraged imperialism in three critical respects. It assured Western economic and military ascendancy, it demanded both suppliers of raw materials and retail markets, and it provided transportation and logistical supports for conquest, colonization and resource exploitation.
Because the Industrial Revolution increased the production capacity of Western states astronomically, there was an enormous hunger for raw materials to satisfy demands. Thus, Western powers sought colonies where raw materials were abundant and where they could be appropriated at little to no cost. Additionally, colonies gave the Western powers a ready-made market for their goods, as the colonized people were left with little to no legal recourse to produce their own finished products. Technological advances in Western arms and transportation commonly made indigenous resistance to imperial incursions futile and short-lived, as Westerners had far superior weapons, ammunition, strategy and tactics.
Additionally, technological advances made former threats to European settlement and survival in equatorial zones less daunting. For example, the development of the steamship eradicated the danger posed by the mouths of many African rivers. The steamship could simply be dissembled, brought inland and then reassembled for river travel, while wooden sailing ships previously could not. Similarly, industrial age advances in medicine brought quinine, a supplement that exponentially increased the survival rate of Western imperialists in malarial areas, acting as a preventative, though not a cure. Thus, Westerners could now worry much less about disease, whereas before quinine, severe fever and even death often came within weeks after arrival.


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Book Review: The Tyranny of Email/
The Tyranny of Email: The Four-Thousand Year Journey To Your InboxBy John FreemanScribner, 2009John Freeman's slim, heartfelt screed The Tyranny of Email opens with a quote from Gandhi, a preposterous understatement, and an unsubstantiated statistic. This isn't the best way to begin an attack on a daily mainstay of your readers' lives.The preposterous understatement comes after Freeman – the impossibly young new editor of Granta – lists some of the benefits of email:
Today we can type a note on our computer in New York and it will be received in New Zealand in nanoseconds. We use e-mail to send documents, music, wills, photographs, spreadsheets, and floor plans, communicate with our banks, send invitations. We no longer have to fill out those irritating forms to receive a return receipt by post, proof that our important letter arrived. The computer does it for us.
And then he somewhat grudgingly says, "some of this is a good thing."Some of it? All of the things Freeman lists are undoubtedly good things, and all of the things he doesn't list would fill an entire book the size of this one. We use email to stay in touch with our friends and relatives, ask quick questions (for which we'd like quick answers) of colleagues, employers, employees, service companies, etc., make or confirm important appointments, check whether or not we have the right destination in mind before we go all the way over there, make and receive job offers, and a hundred other things that were far more time-consuming, cumbersome, and inexact before email. Then there's the literary publishing world of which Freeman himself is a part: conferring with fellow editors, dealing with freelance submissions, working up documents for final revisions – is Freeman too young to remember what a logistical nightmare such things were when done via mail and carbon copies, or is Granta stodgy enough not to care?The unsubstantiated statistic follows right after this: "Information overload is a $650 billion drag on the U.S. economy every year."Oh please. If anything at all were a "$650 billion" drag on the economy every year, that thing would be firebombed by Special Ops team by 10 a.m. on Tuesday, and that would be the end of that. Not only is no source given for this scarifying number, but no source could be given – what on Earth does "information overload" even mean? More importantly, where will you find three people who agree on what it means?Freeman throws these things out there in advance of his main argument, which is that the burgeoning of email, "the techno-rave of send and receive" (as he more than once breathlessly refers to it), is deteriorating our interpersonal skills, eroding our free time, destroying our ability to be still, ruining our powers of concentration, and conspiring to murder President Lincoln. His book takes us on a fairly standard tour of the history of interpersonal communication, from stone tablets to postal service to telegrams. It's done with more wit and prose-writing ability than what you'd find if you typed "correspondence" into Wikipedia, but there are no more facts and no better documentation.It's all foundation for his main point, delivered in the book's concluding chapters, "Manifesto For A Slow Communication Movement" and "Don't Send." In these chapters, Freeman outlines his plan to fix all the information overload floating around these days, and it's a plan that would win Nancy Reagan's approval: it all boils down to abstinence.He argues that email is killing us, and he's not above a little speechifying to get his point across:
The ultimate form of progress, however, is learning to decide what is working and what is not; and working at this pace, e-mailing at this frantic rate, is pleasing very few of us. It is encroaching on parts of our lives that should be separate or sacred, altering our minds and our ability to know our world, encouraging a further distancing from our bodies and our natures and communities. We can change this; we have to change it. This book has been an attempt to step back from the frenzy and the flurry of the now – the now we have created and the now we have to slowly remove ourselves from - to make this argument. Of course e-mail is good for many things; that has never been in dispute. But we need to use it far more sparingly, with far less dependency, if we are to gain control of our lives.
The natural response to all this -- "By all means, you remove yourself from the 'frenzy' right away! Take as much time at your calligraphy as you need, and rejoin us when you're rested" -- is easy but not entirely cheap. Much of The Tyranny of Email could be summarized in an email: "Sorry. Having a bad day." The problem here isn't common sense, it's common narcissism: instead of concluding that he's bad at handling email, Freeman decides email is bad. It isn't. It's a miracle. It can be abused just like anything else, but if it's eroding your personal time and destroying your ability to read, it's because you've let it do those things. Freeman's book has its share of flaws (Star Trek: The Next Generation is not, for instance, an "ongoing television drama," nor do wolves "haunt Central Park at night"), but by far the biggest one is that it never acknowledges – nor even seems to conceive – that there are levels of self-control that fall short of throwing your computer out the window and joining an ashram.Like it or not (and only a "crank," as Freeman confesses himself to be, would not), the technology of interpersonal communication has advanced beyond hand-delivered cards and letters, and society has to adjust. Those who'd rather not adjust are free to opt out – but kindly don't drag the rest of us back to the escritoire with you.


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Solar Energy for the Poultry Industry
Solar Energy for the Poultry Industry
Energy savings from solar can provide significant operating cost reductions to improve your bottom line.
Poultry businesses have loads that are well suited to daytime energy generation from solar.
Reduce the impact of future energy price rises by controlling a large portion of your energy costs with solar.
Solar can turn vacant or unused land into a revenue generating asset.
Solar improves the environmental credentials of your business to make your products more attractive to retailers and consumers.
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and since 2003 has helped dozens of leading poultry organisations take advantage of solar.* We understand the requirements and challenges of installing solar on land adjacent to poultry sheds or on top of them, without impacting daily operations. Todae Solar has installed solar for poultry organisations across the country, including
Pace Farm, Pirovic, McLean Farms, Doug Hall Poultry and many more.
Our unrivalled experience in the agribusiness industry enables us to both provide in-depth insights into how your organisation can benefit from solar, as well as minimise any impact on your operations during the installation process. Contact us for a free consultation and feasibility study and see how we can help you join the numerous other poultry farmers around Australia who are benefitting from solar.
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Todae Solar offers a range of solar financing options to provide your organisation with the best solution for your business requirements. Our consultants will work with you to help determine the right finance solution for you.
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Tom Watson, the Labour MP who led the charge in parliament against the News of the World over its phone hacking activities, has shown a measure of sympathy for its former editor, Andy Coulson.
Last month, Coulson was found guilty of conspiracy to intercept mobile phone voicemails and was sentenced to an 18-month prison term.
In an interview in the latest issue of the New Statesman, Watson was asked by the interviewer, George Eaton, how felt on the day Coulson was jailed.
"On a personal level, I felt sorry for him," Watson replied. "It's over for him; you've got to take responsibility for your actions."
Eaton was surprised by his reply, but I think many people who critical of hacking genuinely shared that emotion.
Watson added that the fundamental issue, about Rupert Murdoch's domination of the media, was still in need of a solution. "Murdoch owns too much of Britain's media," he said. "He wants more, and you can only stop that concentration of power with rules to limit media ownership."
Watson, incidentally, was speaking to Eaton below a framed copy of the final edition of the News of the World, the one headlined "Thank You & Goodbye".
It was, wrote Eaton, a present given to him by Len McCluskey, the Unite general secretary, for "an outstanding contribution to trade unionism".


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Judging by his tone, however, it seemed as if he were really asking if the PV industry is ready to take the throne in 2050 as king of energy.
De Santi is all about the numbers. He states concrete facts and gets the audience thinking about where the PV market power lies and the potential imbalances that need to be rectified to reach a sunny 2020 and thereafter, an amazingly bright 2050. The Asia Pacific region produces around 75 percent of the world's PV supply, with China reigning as the champions, according to De Santi's keynote address. Europe holds the medal as the king of installations, with 78 percent of the pie. This, according to De Santi, who also chaired the conference, poses some imbalance and therefore requires development in the direction towards increasing production in Europe and increasing installations in the Asia Pacific regions.
What is important for De Santi is that the exhibitors and visitors of the EU PVSEC think about what research and development (R&D) should be achieving. The R&D findings are all on display at the conference centre, with rows and rows of posters that highlight the most important findings of the companies here today in Valencia.
From new developments in CIGS technologies to ways of increasing efficiencies and physical deposition techniques that are more cost efficient, the findings are enormous. One might not have the time to read all the discoveries and improvements made by those who champion the sun, but the sheer volume of information and the interest being sparked by the opening conference is a promising start.
What should one exactly think about then?
De Santi stresses the topics that rank high for him: cost reduction; performance enhancement; and an improved environmental profile. Firstly, R&D should help efficiency, energy yield as well as stability and lifetime of the modules. Secondly, high productivity manufacturing should be achieved. This includes in process manufacturing and control. Thirdly, the environmental sustainability element cannot be overlooked. R&D needs to ensure life cycle sustainability and enable easier recycling. The industry's R&D direction should allow for energy diminishing methods, he stated.
De Santi also stressed the importance of a constant, reliable framework. Should the PV industry reign as the primary energy provider in the renewable energies sector, then there is a need for harmonization globally. Harmonized testing methodologies and a harmonization of the energy politics.
Vice president of the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA), Winfried Hoffmann, said he is convinced that PV is the way to go for the future. The 2020 goal is already something that he believes has been realized by countries like Italy and Spain. He also states that the 2020 goal commitment is being realized all along the value chain. Even in the face of the economic crisis, the industry grew. Over 35 years, the PV industry has grown exceptionally and in 2010, 30 gigawatts were added globally with the majority being found in Europe. We have over-succeeded.
A strong statement indeed and grins start forming on the faces of the audience who feel truly inspired by the mention of the over-success achieved. The years 2020 and 2050 are still quite a stretch to cover, and the opening conference seems to have set the right tone and direction.


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I love everything about this wedding. And before you madly scroll to the bottom of this post to see where this amazing venue is, I'll break the bad news now – the wedding was held on their beautiful family property.
I noticed early on through our email conversations that Sal was a graphic designer – and hence I was pretty confident her wedding would be somewhat amazing. Creative types have a tendency to go mad on the details. I wasn't wrong.
Scrolling through the pics, I love how unique everything was – the amphitheatre-esque Ceremony setting, epic homemade chandeliers draped with foliage and that enormous, gentle puppy of theirs that took centre stage during the Ceremony. All the glory captured perfectly by Stories by Ash.
This is one wedding/party we truly wish we were guests at! Congrats Sally + Lachlan – wishing this glamorous couple the happiest of futures.
The Credits:
Furniture Hire: Lovestruck Weddings
Lighting: Avideas
Photography: Stories by Ash
Florist: Bouquets with Bling
Cakes: Three Girls Skipping
Catering: Mantle & Cook


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Tony Romo isn't scheduled to become a free agent until 2014, but Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones made it clear the quarterback's future in Dallas will extend far beyond the end of his current contract.
"Tony is going to play a lot more than two more years," Jones told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Tuesday. "We are going to take care of Tony. Tony is going to be a Cowboy."
The Cowboys haven't yet discussed a contract extension with Romo, according to the Star-Telegram, but Jones said the only issue that needs to be fleshed out is numbers. As far as Jones is concerned, Romo will be a Cowboy for the rest of his career.
"There are not many better than him out there," Jones said. "I hear it -- he hasn't gotten it done yet. I hear it, all of that. But you are not going to find much better than Tony Romo. Every year, he improves. As he gets better, our chances get better."
Despite battling rib injuries throughout the season, Romo posted one of his best statistical seasons in 2011. Romo threw for 4,184 yards and 31 touchdowns with 10 interceptions, though the Cowboys once again fell short of the playoffs.
Jones isn't the only staunch Romo supporter on the Cowboys, as Jones' father, owner Jerry Jones, recently told the team's official website he wouldn't trade Romo for either Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III -- widely considered the top two quarterback prospects in April's draft.


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Botswana safari with Zimbabwe and Namibia extension
15 days from £2690* 1 review
Botswana safari with an exhilerating start at Hwangwe national park in Zimbabwe, before crossing back into Botswana to visit the fabulous wildife rich parks of Khwai, Moremi and Okvango Delta. From Maun you then cross the border into Namibia and visit Mahangu game reserve. You will then loop back into Botswana via a stop at Chobe natonal park before returning to Victoria Falls, for a couple of nights relaxation and falls activities. Fantastic price for a Botswana safari with lots of extras and great feedback on the excellent wildlife guides from our clients!
This is a Small Group Tour
Day 1
Botswana safari starts with your arrival into Vic Falls and overnight at a hotel here
Day 2
Cross the Zimbabwe border to Hwange national park and overnight at mid-range lodge
Days 3-4
Two full days to explore Hwange national park plus visit to Painted Dog Conservation project
Day 5
Drive back across tghe border to Nata Bird sanctuary
Day 6
In the morning explore Nata before driving to the Khwai concession
Day 7
Full day on safari exploring the wildlife rich Khwai concession
Day 8
Drive to the famous Moremi game reserve for superb game viewing
Day 9
Drive to Maun with the opportunity for a scenic flight of the Okvango Delta
Day 10
Transfer to the Etsha 13 in the Delta for Mokoro boat safaris
Day 11
Morning Mokoro safari before transfer to Mahangu game reserve in Namibia
Day 12
Morning safari in Mahangu before crossing back into Botswana to Chobe
Day 13
Full day of safari activities in Chobe national park
Day 14
Transfer to Vic falls for the chance to relax and enjoy some falls activities (pay direct)
Day 15
Final transfer to Vic Falls airport to connect with your onward international flight
Botswana safari: Most meals included and all activites apart from at Victoria Falls
$350 US dollars to pay on arrival for kitty
Maximum of 12 people in the group and costs do not include international flights.
Please contact Wildlife Trails for a full itinerary and dates
Pssst… pass it on
If you like what we do, tell someone! Spread the word and you'll also be entered into our monthly prize draw.
* Based on 2 persons and not including flights


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Paul Weiland was recently quoted in the Law360 article, "4 Key Issues In Kids' Climate Suit At 9th Circ." The article discusses how the "federal government wants the Ninth Circuit to save it from having to face a trial over whether its policies contribute to climate change" and notes that "the court must resolve several potentially groundbreaking issues first, including the judiciary's reach over environmental and energy policies." The trial is the result of a suit filed by a group of 21 plaintiffs, who ranged in age from 8 to 19 at the time of the filing.
Commenting on the hurdle the plaintiffs face in proving they have legal standing to pursue the lawsuit and the government's pushback on their claims, Mr. Weiland said that the "government will frequently challenge plaintiffs' standing, and in this case the youths behind the suit [have] a steep…hill to climb. The stakes are a lot higher and the arguments are more novel."
Mr. Weiland also spoke on how the remedy aspects of the suit raise a number of questions regarding how much authority a court has to create a remedy to a diffuse problem such as climate change. "There's a concern about the balance of power among the three branches, and the importance of the kind of institutional checks that are created by the Constitution…" he said.
Lastly, discussing the prospects beyond the Ninth Circuit, Mr. Weiland said that if the case reaches the Supreme Court, he "sees the plaintiffs' chances at any success plummeting… if the Ninth Circuit greenlights a trial, that could be interpreted as a vast expansion of plaintiffs' standing rights that the justices could be keen to weigh in on." He added that "[s]ince the Berger court of the early 1970s when the environmental movement was at its high point and the Supreme Court was fairly sympathetic, it's gotten somewhat more cautious, and frankly with the newly composed court I would expect it will continue to move in that direction."
For the full article, click here (subscription required).
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For more than 20 years, parents Michel and Barbara Faure ran Golden Pheasant Inn before passing on responsibility to their daughters Briar Faure Mewbourne, Brittany Faure Booz, and Blake Faure. The three sisters have worked tirelessly to preserve the historical charm of the inn while enhancing it with contemporary amenities.
The Inn, built in 1857, is home to the longest continuously operating restaurant/hotel along the Delaware Canal, and is recognized on the National Registry of Historic Places. The tavern and former mule barn area of the Golden Pheasant Inn served as early commercial buildings constructed along the Delaware River and the Delaware Canal to serve mercantile traffic. An important gathering place, the tavern was the social hub for farmers, travelers, and later, canal men and vacationers.
Today, the property retains its architectural integrity and continues to be used as a lodging facility—as it has for its entire history.
Golden Pheasant Inn closed in January 2012 for a complete restoration by the Faure family, owners of the property since 1986. The Faure daughters took special care to preserve the historic heritage of the inn and restaurant. "The Golden Pheasant Inn emanates rustic elegance," says Briar. "We've left the country charm that is Bucks County intact, and the rich heritage the Golden Pheasant Inn has to offer while providing updated amenities to make the Inn comfortable to today's visitor." Other highlights of the property include white-deep sill windows and exposed fieldstone walls in guestrooms, as well as marble counters and custom mosaics in all ensuite bathrooms.
The newly expanded front porch provides for stunning views of the Delaware River, which can be enjoyed from a rocking chair, while the Solarium dining room features updates such as dropped windows providing natural light and Canal views, a new oversized wood burning fireplace and an expanded outside dining terrace. Modern updates like in-room temperature control, iHome docking stations, wireless internet access, and a calming décor with a color palette of shades of blue, grey and soft brown make Golden Pheasant Inn the perfect, relaxing getaway.
It is our vision to ensure that guests will enjoy the updated look and feel of the intimate restored guest rooms
–says Brittany.


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Study Abroad
Your safety is our primary concern. Rutgers Global–Study Abroad:
- Constantly monitors the safety and security of our programs and program locations
- Discusses with our staff and colleagues in our program locations any safety concerns or measures as they arise
- Monitors the U.S. State Department guidelines for Americans abroad and subscribe to a variety of independent security agencies for further information
- Watches the media
- Consults with experts here at Rutgers
Should something occur in a particular location abroad, we will address what is necessary in that location. We treat each location individually and specifically; we do not make blanket decisions or recommendations for all of our programs. If you have particular safety concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us with questions.
Keeping Safe While Abroad
Safety is of utmost importance for American students abroad. There will be endless distractions while you are abroad—new sights, new smells, new foods, new friends—and while you may not be aware of it, others are. Travelers can become targets to pick-pocketers or thieves. Make sure to read this section carefully to learn how to take care of yourself and how to proceed in the event of an emergency.
Additional Information
Traffic, Road, and Transportation Safety +
While road and traffic safety may not be one of your highest concerns when planning your study abroad experience, the Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT) reports that road crashes are the leading cause of death and injury for healthy Americans traveling abroad. Young people, ages 15-24, are at greatest risk as they represent the largest number of pedestrians and users of public transportation and are more prone to taking risks. The ASIRT website provides a wealth of tools and resources regarding road safety abroad. In addition, the State Department also provides safety information on road, traffic and public transportation.
ASIRT tips for road and traffic safety abroad advises that you:
- be aware of traffic patterns especially at intersections (traffic patterns are culturally specific and can vary greatly from the US)
- select the safest form of transportation in your area (additional information on traffic safety and road conditions can be found on the State Department's Country Specific Information)
- avoid late night road travel in counties with poor safety records and/or dangerous terrain
- understand how seasonal hazards affect road conditions
- walk where you can be easily seen
- be aware of local holidays (when road accidents tend to increase)
- wear seat belts whenever possible
- do not hitchhike
- always ride in the back seat of a taxi cab
While it may be tempting to rent cars or motorbikes while abroad, Rutgers Global–Study Abroad does not recommend that students drive while abroad.
Natural, Political, or Social Emergencies +
If you have any concerns about your safety, contact Rutgers Global–Study Abroad at 848-932-7787; outside of office hours, we may also be reached through the Rutgers Campus Police 24 hours a day at 732-932-7211. In the event of a natural, political, or social emergency, and we believe that you will not be safe in your host country, we will assist you in exiting the country as safely and efficiently as possible. This is why it is important that you inform us of your travel plans and how to best contact you. Our primary concern is your safety.
Legal Matters +
Being a foreign student in your host country does not exempt you from the laws and legal codes of that country. Obey and respect all local laws. If you are ever tempted into doing anything illegal, consider that some countries have more stringent penalties for misdemeanor violations than the United States. Penalties can range from a small fine to the death penalty. Prisoners may have fewer rights than they do in the United States and therefore may be subject to corporal punishments and poor living conditions during their imprisonment. Bails are rare in other countries and most likely you would be kept in a prison pretrial. Although some locals may appear lax to obeying their own laws, this will not protect you from being prosecuted by local authorities. In fact, law officials may be less lenient with a foreign traveler. In the event that you disobey the laws of the host country, Rutgers Global–Study Abroad cannot protect you.
Power of Attorney
It may be helpful for you to grant your parents or guardians power of attorney, so that they can take care any legal transactions for you while you are abroad. For example, such transactions can include paying loan checks, filing your taxes and discussing any fraudulent charges with your bank. Power of attorney must be completed in the presence of a notary.


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Be the best that you can be so that you can bring out the best in others.
Pour into yourself even just 5% more everyday, so that you can pour into your family, clients, relationships, and into your own joy and creativity.
Need any more convincing to go take care of yourself and do more of what you love, with who you love?
Recorded from my solo trip in Breckenridge, Colorado, this is one of my favorite shorty episodes all about WHITE SPACE.
Listen in and join my free Facebook Group for Courageous Entrepreneurs!


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Ready to work? Come back for Day 2, roll up your sleeves and make an impact. Pick the challenge that you are most passionate about and dig deep. At the end of the day, we will have a dynamic community prepared to make change in 2015.
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Earlier Event: January 15Buzz Generator


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Some roaches do bite. During heavy infestations of German cockroaches, people have not only reported being bitten, but also finding roaches eating food residue around the mouths of those who are sleeping.
The German cockroach, one of the smaller roach species, is also the most common one infesting apartments, houses, hotels and restaurants in the United States. Though they do not frequently bite, these roaches often contaminate the food and utensils they walk across with the pathogenic organisms they carry on their legs and bodies. Additionally, their waste products and defensive secretions can cause severe allergic reactions in humans, such as skin rashes, sneezing and watery eyes, nasal congestion and asthma.


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Nadin Samnang, 29, of Ashburn, has been convicted by a federal jury for his role in fraudulent mortgage loan transactions involving at least 25 homes in northern Virginia and more than $7 million in losses to lenders. Samnang is a District of Columbia real estate developer and was formerly a realtor with Monorom Realty and Fairfax Realty in Virginia.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Daniel Cortez, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service; and James W. McJunkin, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office, made the announcement after the verdict was accepted by United States District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee.
Samnang was convicted on April 27, 2012, of conspiracy, nine counts of wire fraud, and two counts of mail fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years on each count when he is sentenced on July 20, 2012. Samnang was indicted on Dec. 13, 2011.
According to court records and evidence at trial, from 2006 to 2008, Samnang used his position as a realtor and the owner of a title company to engage in a scheme to defraud mortgage lenders and profit from loan proceeds, commissions, and bonus payments.
Samnang and other members of the conspiracy recruited unqualified buyers — usually individuals with good credit but insufficient assets or income to qualify for a particular loan — and used them as nominal purchasers in residential real estate transactions. As part of the conspiracy and fraud scheme, Samnang and others falsified mortgage loan applications, created fake documents to support the fraudulent applications, and added the unqualified buyers as signatories on their bank accounts to make it appear to lenders as though the buyers possessed sufficient assets to qualify for the loans.
As part of the scheme, Samnang would often profit by flipping properties owned by him and his family members to these unqualified buyers using fraudulent loan documents. When Samnang's promise of flipping the properties to other purchasers a few months down the line failed to be fulfilled, and when the kickbacks given to the buyers to fund mortgage payments were exhausted, the unqualified buyers promptly defaulted on their loans and the properties went into foreclosure.
Samnang would also profit by arranging for cash-out refinances to be done for these borrowers, retaining most of the loan proceeds for himself, and paying kickbacks to the loan officer who had processed the fraudulent loans.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the FBI's Washington Field Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Paul J. Nathanson and Kosta S. Stojilkovic are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.


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I can't wait until Spring!
We had a few days of warmer weather... just enough to tease!
It was time to create another "Hang Up"
(the class was two days later)
and I needed some inspiration!
What better inspiration than a warm, sunny day...
I dreamt of all things spring and here's what I came up with for my newest pattern!
Hope you get a nice warm feeling when you see it
(especially since it's cold outside again
and we are expecting more snow :-( )
Kits ($21.95) and patterns ($6.95) are available at
Kindred Spirits Quilt Co. in St Catharines, ON


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Blog Stats
- 34,448 hits
Sailor Daddy
- Junior Achievement, Inc. January 23, 2017After I left my job as Catering Manager of Jack London Inn. I could not find a job. In the late sixties I was one of three women to hold a job as a Hotel Executive in California. I … Continue reading →marysfarmreport
- Women's March 2017 January 22, 2017Mary K. Smalley · WOMEN'S MARCH….. I am 77 years old this year. I have been a Woman Libber way before it was popular. I was one of three women to be a Hotel Executive in the state of … Continue reading →marysfarmreport
- My best friend died today… July 16, 2016My Dear Friend: Sharon Elliott just died. I am so sadden to know she will no longer be available to me for our phone calls and visits. But, I am relieved that she is no longer suffering. I think of… … Continue reading →marysfarmreport
- My best friend died today… July 16, 2016My Dear Friend: Sharon Elliott just died. I am so sadden to know she will no longer be available to me for our phone calls and visits. But, I am relieved that she is no longer suffering. I think of … Continue reading →marysfarmreport
- A Star Shines In Paradise…Sisters and Cancer August 18, 2015Originally posted on marysfarmreport: A Star Shines in Paradise…..Sisters and Cancer My sister; Linda Mae Dunlap born Aug.18, 1941 died of Cancer Aug. 6, 2003. After a fourteen year battle, which she fought gallantly. My sister and I spent most…marysfarmreport
- Mrs. Binghams Sixty Year Old Secret…. July 18, 2015Originally posted on marysfarmreport: I had a tradition of inviting a little old lady to lunch once a month. My girlfriends looked forward to being included as this was an opportunity to learn from some of these elderly stateswomen.? We…marysfarmreport
- Mrs. Binghams Sixty Year Old Secret…. June 5, 2015Originally posted on marysfarmreport: Mrs. Binghams Sixty Year Old Secret…..marysfarmreport
- The Gift of Time… is well spent. June 2, 2015The phone rang and Ron brought me the phone, I was watering the garden. It was Suzette. I have known her since she was a child. She was blessed with stunning good looks and a simple, loving mind. She was … Continue reading →marysfarmreport
- Merritt G. Smalley,III aka Gordo, my youngest child dies. April 30, 2015Originally posted on marysfarmreport: Dear Folks, The dogs woke me at 3:00 a.m. with their insistent barking. I could see the security lights were activated. The dogs were grouped in a pack at the yard gate. I went to see…marysfarmreport
- Last Rare White Mini-Schnauzer Puppy Sold.. March 10, 2015Molly May was bought by Susan Radcliffe and now resides with her cousin; Mr. Gibbs, bought from me four years ago. They now all reside in Anchorage, Alaska. Molly May will go to Susan's office each day with Mr. Gibbs. … Continue reading →marysfarmreport
- Junior Achievement, Inc. January 23, 2017
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Category Archives: Death
How to deal with the grief of a dog dieing.
Dear Folks, I am often approached by people whose beloved pet has died. They are crest fallen and grief stricken. They are not sure they want to get another pet and risk the hurt of the death of another cherished … Continue reading
Posted in Birthing Puppies, Death, Death..grief..sorrow...coping...mending, Dog Breeding, grief, healing, How to deal with the death of your dog., mending, sorrow Tagged Grief from the death of a beloved dog., happiness lives, mini-schnauzers, moments in life, sorrow, Will and testament of the dog. Leave a comment
Death shall not part us….
I don't know who the author of this is, but it gives me comfort. Hopefully it will help you or someone you know that is dwelling in grief. Love, Mary
Posted in coping, Death, grief, healing 2 Comments
Unfulfilled Expectations..One day at a time…
Unfulfilled Expectations..One day at a time….
Two Year Anniversity of My Son David's Death..
Today is the anniversary of David's death. Two years, already. The phone rings after midnight. I answer the phone and no one is there. Was it David? I have heard their spirit will sometimes be responsible for the phone to … Continue reading
Good Bye To Baxter…
Good Bye to Baxter.. Good bye to Baxter, age 14 Salt and Pepper Mini-Schnauzer, aka; Foreman of the Ranch. He was given to me by my almost son: Dean Radcliffe. He flew him down to me from Alaska 14 … Continue reading