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- Voice in the Wilderness: Rob Leveridge: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 New Creation in Christ
- Gospel Reading: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 The Prodigal Son
- Second Reading: Joshua 5:9-12 The Manna Stops
- Psalm Nugget: Psalm 32 Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (psalmimmersion.com, @pomopsalmist)
Featured Musician - "In Your Eyes," by Rob Leveridge, from his album Dancing on the Mountain
- Twitter: @RobLeveridge
- Web: http://robleveridge.com
- See the video for "Taste and See", by Rob Leveridge
Hello and welcome to the Pulpit Fiction Podcast, the lectionary podcast for preachers, seekers and Bible geeks. This is episode 157 for Sunday March 6, 2016. The fourth Sunday of Lent, Year C.
- Voice in the Wilderness: Rob Leveridge: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 New Creation in Christ
- Gospel Reading: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 The Prodigal Son
- Second Reading: Joshua 5:9-12 The Manna Stops
- Psalm Nugget: Psalm 32 Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (psalmimmersion.com, @pomopsalmist)
- Thursday Night Special with Meredith Gould
- Richard Bruxvoort Colligan concert live from Two Rivers Church on youtube.
Voice in the Wilderness Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 with Rob Leveridge
- Twitter: @RobLeveridge
- Web: http://robleveridge.com
- See the video for "Taste and See", by Rob Leveridge
Featured Musician - "In Your Eyes," by Rob Leveridge, from his album Dancing on the Mountain
- Twitter: @RobLeveridge
- Web: http://robleveridge.com
- See the video for "Taste and See", by Rob Leveridge
DONATE: www.pulpitfiction.us/donate
- Carroll Bundy - Good Morning Been a Methodist Pastor for almost 2 years now. I am serving at a small rural three church charge. A friend of mine in the Course Of Study recommended your podcast about a year ago. I didn't know what a podcast was. He set your show up on my phone and I have been listening each week since. You guys are great. Really enjoy the comments and ideas. Although I am a bit more conservative, and don't always agree entirely, your podcast have helped me to think outside of the box a little, and helped me to see some of the texts in a completely different light. I greatly appreciate your insights, and look forward to your podcast each week.
- Sean and Nicole Andreas
Gospel Reading: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 The Prodigal Son
Initial Thoughts
According to Arland Hultgren (workingpreacher.com) this story was not in the first lectionary. Then it was inserted as an alternative text in the season of Pentecost. In 1992, the Revised Common Lectionary put it in Lent. "The difference in locales within the church year has hermeneutical implications. If the parable is set on a Sunday in the Season of Pentecost, it takes on a more didactic and evangelic character concerning the mercy of God. But if it is set on a Sunday in Lent, and if one is insistent upon maintaining the mood of Lent, it can take on a more paraenetic (or hortatory) character concerning the hearers' need for repentance."
- Paraenetic means "an exhortic composition," or "advice, counsel"
Literary Context is key to understanding this story.
Why did Jesus tell the story? Who was his audience?
- Surrounded by tax collectors and sinners, Pharisees and legal experts "grumbled."
- Three stories were a direct response to the grumbling.
What were the other parables next to it?
- Lost sheep
- Lost coin
- Lost Son
- All about the rejoicing over finding what was lost - in direct opposition to grumbling of those who already considered themselves "found."
- Why did Jesus tell the story? Who was his audience?
Which character is Prodigal?
- Prodigal means wasteful, and this clearly alludes to the wasteful nature of the son's spending.
- Son: leaves his connection to family and God and wastes his inheritance on a life that leads him even farther away.
- Father: Leaves behind his dignity, honor, and right to exact punishment.
- Father runs to one son, begs the other.
- He is shameful in how he accepts this son who had disgraced him, even going so far as to run (a most undignified act) to welcome him home.
- "This may not seem like much to us but a man who ran like this in Jesus time would have been bringing shame on himself. It was below his station and more than that in the act of running he would have exposed his legs in a way which would have been considered indecent. I am reminded at this moment in the story of when King danced with such joy and enthusiasm that his robes also flew up inappropriately. The father risks bringing shame on himself in order to greet the son. This is the depth of his love; he is willing to shame himself and expose his legs, even before the son has offered his confession." (A Different Heresy)
Which son is lost?
- Brian McLaren, in his book Why did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road, says "As we tell it, the story climaxes when a runaway boy returns home feeling disgraced, hoping to re-enter the household as a slave, and the father graciously receives him as a son. But the real climax, I propose, comes later, when the father slips out of the welcome-home party to speak with the alienated older brother outside." (p. 161)
- The older brother sees himself not as a son, but as a hand, he misunderstands his own place in the Father's life, so he is offended by the other son's newfound place in it.
- Brother says, "This son of yours," and father reminds him "This brother of yours."
- "The primary message is addressed to hostile older brothers who feel right and superior and offended, who won't join the party by joining God in welcoming and celebrating 'the other brother.' (Mclaren, p. 162)
- "The elder brother is Pecksniff. He is Tartuffe. He is what Mark Twain called a good man in the worst sense of the word. He is a caricature of all that is joyless and petty and self-serving about all of us. The joke of it is that of course his father loves him even so, and has always loved him and will always love him, only the elder brother never noticed it because it was never love he was bucking for but only his due. The fatted calf, the best Scotch, the hoedown could all have been his, too, any time he asked for them except that he never thought to ask for them because he was too busy trying cheerlessly and religiously to earn them." (Frederick Buechner website, the blog post "Parables as Comedy)
Parable as Comedy
- On the Frederick Buechner website, the blog post "Parables as Comedy" quotes Buechner from his book Telling the Truth, Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy, and Fairy Tale. "I think that these parables can be read as jokes about God in the sense that what they are essentially about is the outlandishness of God who does impossible things with impossible people, and I believe that the comedy of them is not just a device for making the truth that they contain go down easy but that the truth that they contain can itself be thought of as comic. It is hard to think of any place where this is more apparent than in the greatest parable of them all, the one that is in its own way both the most comic and the most sad."
Play Guess Who?
- Which one are you?
- Different every time we read it. Different any moment of my life. Sometimes I feel like the younger son, who has to "come to my senses." Sometimes I feel like the older son, wondering why this other one would be loved. Sometimes I'm the Pharisee, grumbling at the truth about the Kingdom which Jesus reveals.
- Unknown if the brothers actually reconcile.
- Unknown if the brother was actually repentant, or if he just wanted better food.
- It is known how the Pharisees responded - "They sneered at him."
- Unknown how we will respond
Psalm Nugget: Psalm 32 with Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (psalmimmersion.com, @pomopsalmist)
The Pulpit Fiction Podcast is brought to you in part by audible. For listeners of Pulpit Fiction, Audible is offering a free 30-day trial and get a free audio book simply by going to audibletrial.com/pulpitfiction. There are a ton of books, 150,000 titles to choose from, including some great works by friends of the show Peter Rollins, Adam Hamilton and Nadia Bolz-Weber. We recommend Rachel Held Evans' new book Searching for Sundays which is available on audible right now! Get it for free at audibleTRIAL.com/PulpitFiction. Again, support the show by going to audibletrial.com/PulpitFiction to start your free 30-Day trial and get a free audio book download.
Second Reading: Joshua 5:9-12 The Manna Stops
Initial Thoughts
Arguable should begin with Joshua 5:1
- Why pass up the chance to say "Hill of Foreskins" in church?
- Chance to tell the "end" of the Exodus
- One of the three times Joshua is in the entire lectionary
- God's promise is kept… it only took a little over 40 years
- Have entered the land, but have not possessed the land - Comes next with the "battle of Jericho"
Promise and Fulfillment
- Possibly a post-exilic editing by the Deuteronomistic writers
- Message to the Israelites entering the land is similar to the exiles - God's power is greater than Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar - God will save despite what the "powers" of the world try
- What do we need to be saved from? What are we being saved for?
"Today I have rolled away the disgrace" = you are no longer defined by your slavery and landlessness, but as those who were saved
- new identity
- new food
- new circumcision
- new ritual
Collective Memory and Divine Encounter
- Israelites recommit to God - "second circumcision"
Concern that the Israelites will be tempted away by the Canaanite fertility Gods
- Easier to be faithful when God is directly providing what we need to survive - harder to see God at work within ourselves and nature
- Isn't Lent a kind of re-circumcision? A rededication of ourselves as the people of God
- It is amazing how a collective memory or experience binds people together - what are we doing to create those memories in the church?
Ritual, Remembrance and faithfulness
- The first generation that did not experience the "Passover"
- They cannot remember the Passover event itself, but they choose to define themselves by this event of God's saving action - similar to Eucharist?
- Rituals have the power to create community and reinforce communal identity
- Manna is a memory of how God provided during a very difficult time- but also a memory of the unfaithfulness of Israel who complained against God - it is important to remember both the good and the bad in our past
Connection with Luke and Psalm 32 (thanks to W. Dennis Tucker from Workingpreacher.com)
- forgiveness - The Israelites will no longer be defined by their slavery or unfaithfulness, but by their renewed covenant with God - who keeps God's promises
- Psalm 32:1 - Happy are those whose transgressions are forgiven
- It can be very difficult to be thankful and faithful when things are going well. How can we ritualize thankful celebration? How can we remember to thank God for all the good things without deceiving ourselves into thinking we have done it all on our own?
- Why are rituals important to our life of faith? What are the important "Passovers" in your community that need repeating and remembering?
- Passover is about salvation (the saving power of God) What is salvation? What are we being saved for? What from?
Tasty Wafer of the Week:
- Stations of the Gospel - A series of ten reflections for Good Friday.
Thank you listeners
Brian McLaren: "Pulpit Fiction is bringing thoughtful (and entertaining) theological conversation to a device near you… And that's a fact!"
Twitter: @NelsonPierceJr "I'm honored to be this week's voice in the wilderness shared last week's episode and thanked us for telling you about the Black Liberation Rosary prayer, @ArtofTheSermon celebrated their 10th podcast, and congratulated us on a full lectionary cycle.
Casey Fitzgerald - shoutout on Story Divine
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Featured Musician - "In Your Eyes," by Rob Leveridge, from his album Dancing on the Mountain
- Twitter: @RobLeveridge
- Web: http://robleveridge.com
- See the video for "Taste and See", by Rob Leveridge
Thanks to our Psalms correspondent, Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (psalmimmersion.com, @pomopsalmist). Thank you to Scott Fletcher for our voice bumpers, Dick Dale and the Del Tones for our Theme music ("Misirlou"), Nicolai Heidlas ("Sunday Morning", "Real Ride" and "Summertime") and The Steel Wheels for our transition music("Nola's First Dance" from their album Lay Down, Lay Low) and Paul and Storm for our closing music ("Oh No").


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Ballots for the 2011 General Municipal Election are due on May 3, 2011. With less than a week left to vote and nine candidates running for Denver mayor, voters will need to keep a "cheat sheet" handy. My Speed Candidating profiles cut through the political song-and-dance to find the mayoral idol. Today, we look a political diva Chris Romer... As seen above, the Speed Candidating profile for Chris condenses the essence of the man and his mayoral mission. This abbreviated version is best understood when read in a side-by-side comparison with Speed Candidating profiles of the other eight mayoral candidates.
It is nearly impossible to compare Chris Romer's style to that of any other politician. However, for his keen sense of following trends and getting his face before the cameras to promote his career, Romer most resembles pop diva Lady Gaga. Yes, Romer loves the spotlight and can transform himself into the authority on any subject -- from I-70 expert to cupcake spokesmodel -- to fulfill his need for media attention. Romer's "cannonball" momentum keeps him so focused on the future that he sometimes forgets his past. According to his Westword mayor's race profile, he often neglects to mention that his father, Roy Romer was Colorado Governor for twelve years!
Although both quick change artists are known as "clothes horses," Lady Gaga and Chris Romer do part ways in the world of fashion. A careful look at Romer's campaign website reveals that the mayoral hopeful owns hundreds of blue button-collar shirts, which he wears to fiscal-sustainability and transportation-safety photo opportunities. He saves his single pink button-collar shirt to wear at education reform photo opportunities.
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More from our Kenny Be/Comics archive: "Theresa Spahn is a breath of fresh air in the mayor's race: Kenny Be's Speed Candidating."

subset: commoncrawl


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The Thomas More Society of America cordially invites you to a Lenten Reflection: "Lenten Letters from Prison: A Meditation on the Way through and beyond Suffering" with Fr. Justin Huber Chaplain and Board Member In conjunction with the Catholic Information Center Monday, February 29 6:00 PM Wine and cheese reception to follow. ForContinue reading
Author: Thomas More
Third Annual Christmas Poetry Party
Christmas Poetry in DC Wednesday, December 9th, 6 PM Catholic Information Center – 1501 K Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20005 Enjoy eggnog and seasonal treats as local young professionals along with members of The Thomas More Society of America bring the spirit of the season to D.C. with their favoriteContinue reading
Hadley Arkes: The Political Branches
The Thomas More Society of America Cordially invites you to attend a luncheon presentation Can the Political Branches Counter the Courts on Marriage and Abortion?: Teaching the Conservatives Again What They Once Used to Know Featuring: Dr. Hadley Arkes Edward N. Ney Professor in American Institutions (Political Science), Emeritus Amherst CollegeContinue reading
Second Annual Christmas Poetry Party
On December 11, 2014, the Society co-hosted the 2nd Annual Christmas Poetry Reading with the Catholic Information Center in Washington DC. We had over 100 attendees, and the poems ranged from serious to satire. Mary Powers, a Society Director, aptly notes: The TMS/CIC poetry reading has become a favorite traditionContinue reading
Fr. Huber: More on the Lenten Journey to Easter
Father Justin Huber led 50 members of the Society and public in a pre-Lenten reflection held at the Catholic Information Center (CIC) on February 12, 2015. At left is a picture of Fr. Huber with Chris Payne and John Vittone in front of the Saint Thomas More stained glass windowContinue reading


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A 43 year old Philadelphia woman has been found not guilty in the 2015 stabbing death of her husband. Shara Stokes sobbed uncontrollably as the Not Guilty verdict was delivered to a packed courtroom. During the trial, Stokes took the stand in her own defense and testified that her husband was beating her at the time of the incident. The prosecution claimed that Stokes had stabbed her husband 16 times and had waited nearly an hour to call the police. Her attorney, Brian McMonagle successfully argued that Stokes was a victim of domestic violence and had acted in self defense. In an emotional closing argument, McMonagle referred to Stokes as an "imperfect witness but a perfect victim who had endured unendurable threats and violence at the hands of her husband." McMonagle introduced letters that were written to Ms. Stokes by her husband in which he threatened that the only way she would leave the marriage was in a body bag. According to McMonagle, "she woke up every day wondering if this would be her last day, and that is no way for a human being to live."
Wife Acquitted of Murder
September 30, 2016


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Perfect Sugar Cookie Recipe
Truly the most PERFECT Sugar Cookie Recipe ever!
This is one recipe you'll want to be sure to save, treasure and use again and again!
This recipe produces sugar cookies that are soft and flavorful, easy to cut out, and the baked cookies keep their shape! Hooray!
This recipe was actually the second recipe I ever posted on my site… way back in 2010.
But since then I've posted hundreds of other delicious recipes and it's gotten a little buried.
As we head into a busy holiday baking season I thought it was the perfect time to show off this tried and true favorite!
This is the recipe I've used for most all of the pretty decorated cookies I've shared over the years and it's truly the best sugar cookie recipe ever!
In fact, I would love to know how many times in my life I've made this recipe… I'm guessing it's well over 1,000!
PIN IT NOW to save for later!
This Sugar Cookie Recipe is delicious as is, but is also a great base to play around with extra flavor!
Here are a few of my favorite variations…
Sprinkle Sugar Cookies (and a Christmas version)
I'll walk you through my process for making perfect cut-out cookies, and then there is a full printable recipe at the end of this post.
1. Prepare the dough as directed (in the recipe below). Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap onto a clean, smooth counter. If you have tile counters, you can do this on a large cutting board or marble slab. Grab about half of the finished dough from the bowl and knead by hand just a bit to create a nice smooth ball. Set the ball of dough on top of the plastic wrap, and press down to flatten a bit.
*An alternative to rolling the dough out on plastic wrap would be to lightly flour your work surface, and roll out the dough directly on the floured counter. I've done this many times successfully, but the updated process I'm showing in this post is simpler, neater and the finished cookies are generally smoother (because little bits of flour and extra pockets of air are not added during the rolling process). My original Sugar Cookie Recipe post shows the more traditional method if you prefer.
2. Lay a second piece of plastic wrap on top of the dough (straighten as much as possible). I use a homemade version of perfection strips to roll the dough into a perfectly even thickness. My sticks are simply two paint stir sticks (free from any hardware store) glued together, so I'm using a total of four stir sticks (one double-thick stick on each side of the dough). Place the sticks on either side of the dough (on top of both layers of plastic wrap) and begin to roll out the dough to the thickness allowed by the sticks. Move the sticks as needed, and vary the direction of your rolling as needed, until the dough is smooth, flat and one consistent thickness.
3. Pick up the slab of dough (enclosed between the two layers of plastic wrap) and move to a large baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 5 minutes (or fridge for 10-15 minutes). Chilling the dough makes it much easier to cut out. The chilled dough will not stick to the cookie cutters, and the cookies will keep their shape as you move them to the baking sheet.
*Do not leave the dough in the freezer too long or it will be too firm to work with. Although if you do leave the dough in the freezer too long, simply place the slab of dough at room temperature a bit (maybe 15 minutes) until it's softened just enough for a cookie cutter to cut the dough.
4. Cut out your desired shapes. Use the dough in an orderly way, working from one side to another, fitting in various shapes so you are creating as few "scraps" as possible. Once you've cutout as many shapes as you can on the slap of dough, roll the scraps into a ball, and roll out again just as you did before (starting back at step number one). You can re-use the same plastic wrap.
5. Place cutout cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat type liner. Place similar size cookies on a single baking sheet (do not bake large and small cookies on the same sheet). Allow cookies about 1″ of space between cookies. My preference at this point is to place then entire baking sheet of cut out cookies back in the freezer for about 5 minutes. This will ensure nice flat edges around your cookies, and they will hold their shape perfectly.
Bake cookies in a pre-heated oven (do not place in oven until it's reached the proper temperature). Bake on good quality baking sheets (heavy, with no non-stick coating) for the best results (the most even baking).
6. Allow cookies to cool for a minute or two on the baking sheet, then move to a wire cooling rack. My favorite spatula ever for moving the cookies without breaking them is this thin metal spatula. Allow cookies to cool fully before decorating.
*If you do not plan to decorate on the day they were baked, move cookies to a large tupperware type container, layer with parchment paper between layers of cookies. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to a week.
*If you do not plan to decorate the cookies within a week, place entire container of cookies (sealed well, and with parchment paper between layers of cookies) in the freezer and freeze for up to a couple months. Allow frozen cookies to come to room temperature before decorating.
PIN IT NOW to save for later!
Perfect Sugar Cookies
Yield: 18-24 medium sized (3") cookies
Soft and flavorful, easy to cut out and keep their shape beautifully! This is the only sugar cookie recipe you'll ever need!
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon good quality salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) Challenge unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract (see flavor options in notes)
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt, and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This should take 2-3 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat another minute or so.
- Add the flour mixture slowly. (Be careful not to add too much at a time or you will have a snowstorm of flour.)
- Blend until all of the flour is incorporated. The mixture will look crumbly at first but just keep blending until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Remove about half of the dough from the bowl and knead by hand just a bit to form a smooth ball. Roll out dough onto a lightly floured work surface, or onto a piece of plastic wrap (as described in detail in the blog post above).
- Cut out cookies into desired shapes and place entire baking sheet of unbaked cookies into the freezer for 5 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and bake cookies in preheated oven for 9-11 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of your cookies.
- The cookies are baked when then are no longer shinny on top, but they will not show much of any change in color.
- Cool on baking sheet just a minute or so, then carefully move to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool fully before decorating.
I HIGHLY recommend using a large stand mixer to mix up the dough, if at all possible. It is possible to mix up the recipe with a hand-held mixer, but it will take a lot more hand kneading to combine all of the flour.
Be sure to omit the additional salt if you are using salted butter in the recipe.
Flavoring options - Feel free to add your choice of fresh citrus zest (1-2 teaspoons), or add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond extract in addition to the vanilla extract listed.
If you prefer a more crisp cookie, simply bake an extra minute or two.
Baked cookies will remain fresh at least one week (stored in a Tupperware type container, or individually wrapped).
Baked cookies can be successfully frozen for a month or more. Layer baked cookies in a Tupperware type container with parchment paper between layers of cookies. Thaw cookies at room temperature before decorating. I do not recommend freezing the cookies after they've been decorated.
Recipe source - Glorious Treats (first posted March 2010). Similar recipes widely available.
Once you have your perfect sugar cookie cut-outs, you can enjoy a couple warm out of the oven while you mix up an icing of your choice!
You can make this SIMPLE BUTTER FROSTING if you'd like something quick, easy and delicious!
Or if you'd like to do some more detailed decorating, mix up a batch of ROYAL ICING.
I think that once you try this recipe, you'll agree that it's simply the PERFECT sugar cookie recipe!
Happy baking!
Disclosure – Shopping links to specific supplies provided for your convenience. I may receive a small commission from purchases made using these links, at no additional cost to you.


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How to use technology and visual aids in classroom
How to use technology and visual aids in classroom
Technology and visual aids in classroom. The use of visual aids, web tools and clickers in classroom can quickly enhance classroom interaction and student's learning ability. Students generally have an enduring understanding of several big-ideas, but must develop strong problem-solving skills.
Students should be confident that they are capable of solving quantitative problems by using general principles and systematic logic. Using problem-solving heuristics like diagram, analysis, and review also helps students to develop knowledge in their subject of expertise.
The task of a teacher is to test students by using several methods of assessment. Practically, there are two options as to what the teacher would like students to do in class:
1) Students working on end-of-the-chapter style problems with the teacher leading the class, and
2) Groups of three students work together on complex, context-rich problems with the teacher facilitating by walking around and probing.
These problem-solving sessions can help students in the basic skills of setting the problem up, especially if the teacher emphasizes moving beyond plug-and-chug in student strategies. While working in groups, the students are meant to come to consensus by discussing the concepts before moving on to the next task.
A common workspace like a whiteboard or butcher-block paper can be provided as the focus of the group's work. The board can be placed on a table with group members sitting around it, and the teacher will quickly identify where the students are in the problem solving. The teacher can wander around, talk with each group, ask for explanations and offer productive suggestions to help.
The students learn very little during a traditional lecture, where the teacher explains the material, works out example problems and performs few demos. Student evaluations can be high, but studies show that little learning occurs.
Adopting active learning is critical, and a good method to include is concept tests where after a topic has been introduced in lecture, a multiple-choice question is posed to the students. The question is designed to probe their conceptual understanding of the topic. This time the students will work individually and then enter their answer on a clicker.
A histogram of student responses can be shown to the whole class. If less than 75% of the class gets the correct answer, the teacher can ask the students to discuss the question in small groups, come up with a consensus, and recommit their answer. The chances that the percentage of correct answers will dramatically increase after the discussion will be high.
The clickers will force students to commit to an answer so that the feedback occurs when they are actively engaged in the conceptual challenge. The teacher will also get an immediate sense of whether the concepts are being understood.
A student learning with online problem sets is about the same as that using written problem sets. Online assignment can save the teacher time, approximately 1.5 hours per section.
Making use of web tools for distributing homework and instant grading after submission will make it easier for grading. There are some commercially available software that are meant for academic purposes only.


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A small business quote a day keeps you thinking, inspired and entertained.
"It is difficult to make people happy but I know we should try harder."
Christopher Bland (b. 1938) British media executive & chairman of BT, referring to the BBC's policy of achieving programme balance, Management Today (July 1999)
To view previous quotes of the day, click here


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+39 081 5096452
International School of Lago Patria has been approved by Cambridge International Examinations to offer its world-class Cambridge programme. The school joins over 10,000 other schools in over 160 countries around the world that have chosen Cambridge.
The Cambridge programme for students aged 11 to 19 is made up of three parts: Cambridge Secondary 1, Cambridge Secondary 2 and Cambridge Advanced. Each part of the programme combines a world-class curriculum, high-quality support for teachers and integrated assessment.
Cambridge Secondary 2 leads to Cambridge IGCSE, the world's most popular international qualification for 14 to 16 year olds. Cambridge Advanced students take Cambridge International AS & A Level. The programmes develop deep understanding of subjects and independent thinking skills. Success in Cambridge programmes often gives students admission to the world's best universities in the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, Germany and beyond.
Michael O'Sullivan, Chief Executive of Cambridge International Examinations, said: "We are delighted to announce that International School of Lago Patria has joined our global community of Cambridge schools and we look forward to a long and productive relationship with them"
Cambridge International Examinations prepares school students for life, helping them develop an informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning. We are part of Cambridge Assessment, a department of the University of Cambridge.
Our international qualifications are recognised by the world's best universities and employers, giving students a wide range of options in their education and career. As a not-for-profit organisation, we devote our resources to delivering high-quality educational programmes that can unlock learners' potential.
Learn more! Visit www.cie.org.uk


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McCarter's annual tradition of A Christmas Carol includes a Community Ensemble made up of local performers who help bring the story to life.
Join us at one of the following auditions for an opportunity to be a part of this exhilarating McCarter tradition.
Upcoming Auditions*
WHEN: Thursday, April 26, 7:00 – 8:30pm
WHERE: Rider University Bart Luedeke Center, Studio 14
WHEN: Tuesday, May 1, 6:00 – 7:30pm (Session 1); 8:00 – 9:30pm (Session 2)
WHERE: McCarter Theatre Berlind Rehearsal Room, 91 University Pl., Princeton
*Adults and children ages 14 and up are eligible to audition. Auditions for children ages 5 to 13 will be held in the fall.


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Brief Encounter by Tony Noble
I always look forward to our full day, first Saturday of the month sessions at Redbrick. We never know who to expect as we don't have a booking system, though we're always confident of drawing a good crowd. But today was a bit special. Around 8:40 the doorbell rang and I released the door expecting Sue, our model for the day, to walk in - she always arrives in good time. The door opened and in walked Joanne, a regular member of our Saturday crowd who we haven't seen for around 6 months. Unfortunately Joanne has not been well and has had to undergo a course of chemotherapy in order to fend off her illness. So it was fantastic to see Joanne again and to see that she's getting her life back on track, doing the things she loves to do. She only stayed for the morning, but produced a cracker of a drawing in her signature neo-classical style. Well done Joanne for winning this month's (virtual) gold medal, and we look forward to seeing you back at Redbrick again soon.
What more can I write after that? We all had a good day. The sun shone, which was a pain in the a*** for some of us in the afternoon, but in the grand scheme of things I think we have little to fret about. I wish I could predict the weather accurately, but then I'd be known as Tony the Weatherman, not Tony the ****** - you can fill in the blanks! Sue was as still and professional as ever, a great model. Have a look at the work and let us know what you think. See you on Th ursday for a session with the "best dressed man in Manchester", Ken. I'm hoping he will prove himself to be the best undressed man (hopefully the only undressed man) in Redbrick!http://pinterest.com/tomwoodartist/life-drawing-at-redbrick-mill-3-nov-2012/
Please click on the link above to view images - sorry there is a glitch at my end so I cannot post the individual pics on this website - thanks.


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By JERAMY STOVER, Staff Reporter
This season has been plenty interesting for the University of Michigan-Dearborn men's soccer team. After dropping their first seven games, the Wolverines found themselves in a heated playoff race in the final week of the season. With two conference games against Lawrence Tech and Concordia, the Wolverines were trying to sneak their way into the playoffs.
In a must-win game Wednesday night against Lawrence Tech, the Wolverines defeated the Blue Devils 2-0. Along with the team, goalkeeper Andrew Pietrzak recorded his first shutout of the season.
The first half was a back and forth skirmish with both teams attacking strong. Lawrence Tech outshot the Wolverines 9-4 in the first half, but the game remained a scoreless tie.
That ended in the 51st minute when UM-Dearborn's Richard Hodnicki fired a shot into the net from 10 yards out. The freshman now has three goals on the season, all coming in the month of October.
Lawrence Tech continued to win the shot battle, but couldn't find a way to beat Pietrzak. The Blue Devils finished with a 7-3 lead in shots on goal.
UM-Dearborn would add salt to the wound when Iris Mesic scored in the 90th minute to extend the lead to 2-0. Mesic received a long pass from Pietrzak, took a couple touches towards the middle and chipped the ball over the goalie from 25 yards out.
The win keeps the Wolverines playoff hopes alive going into their final game Saturday against Concordia. They are now tied for the last playoff spot with Cornerstone, but would lose the head to head tiebreaker.
"It was great," said head coach Matt Quirk. "It was our first thorough win."
Very pleased with his teams play, Quirk said his team played "really well" and was happy to see his team be calm on the ball.
"We were patient, we knew our chances would come. We had the feeling we were gonna score," he said.
Mesic, gave credit to his fellow striker Hodnicki and has been impressed with the freshman's performance.
"He definitely is playing better than I thought from the beginning and I like playing with him," Mesic said.
With the Wolverines earning their first shutout of the year, the defense was given much recognition.
"Andrew had a great game and our back four really brought it," Mesic said.
Saturday night, with their playoff hopes on the line. UM-Dearborn battled Concordia in hopes of getting three points. The Wolverines did just that with a 4-2 come-from-behind victory.
Concordia would score first off a header in the 17th minute. Just five minutes later, the Cardinals would strike again as a rebound was fired into the lower right corner of the net.
UM-Dearborn would not go into halftime quietly. Nate Szymkowicz would put home a rebound in the 25th minute to cut the lead in half.
Two minutes later Szymkowicz would fire a rocket shot past the Cardinals goalkeeper to tie the game at two.
After the game became tied, UM-Dearborn's Brody Hall said the momentum was all theirs.
"It seemed like we were going to lose it all over again," he said. "But then Nate (Szymkowicz) put in a couple goals and the momentum after that was all us."
Starting the second half the Wolverines knew their season could be on the line with 45 minutes to go.
Freshman, Richard Hodnicki scored to give the Wolverines the lead in the 64th minute after a couple of missed chances. It was Hodnicki's fourth goal on the season.
The Wolverines weren't done there. Mario Konja picked a perfect time to score his first goal of the season. Konja battled around defenders and shot the ball in the lower right corner to double the Wolverines lead 4-2 in the 68th minute.
The Wolverines would hold off the Cardinals for the final 20 minutes to earn the victory. They also beat Concordia in shots on goal with an advantage of 8-7. Konja and Hodnicki would both finish with a goal and an assist each.
As the Wolverines sat at halftime tied, they had plenty of motivation to go out and earn the win.
"We felt that we were better and deserved to win the game," Hall said. "And we came out second half and did our job."
Mesic, who finished the season as the team's leading goal scorer with five, said the comeback win felt "really good."
"Just when you think you lose hope after going down 2-0 you get one goal and instantly you're right back into the game and that gave us confidence to score more and win the game," he said.
Even with the victory, the Wolverines celebration would be short lived. With wins by Cornerstone and Aquinas on Saturday night, UM-Dearborn was eliminated from conference playoff contention.
After starting the season 0-7, the Wolverines fought throughout the month of October to give themselves a chance at making the conference playoffs. They finished with a final record of 3-11-1, 3-6-1 Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference.


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August 23, 2017
Casey Green moderates a conversation with student leaders about their college experience and how they think higher education needs to change.
Alejandra Cervantes, University of California, Los Angeles
Kernard Jones, Texas Southern University
Cameron Vigil, University of Colorado, Denver
Andrea Foster, Winston Salem State University
Alyssa Foley, Houston Community College
Raamish Saeed, St Louis University
Moderator Bio
Casey Green, the moderator and co-producer of To A Degree, is the founding director of The Campus Computing Project, the largest continuing study of eLearning and information technology in American higher education. Check out his blog, Digital Tweed, and follow him on Twitter at @DigitalTweed.
To A Degree is produced for the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation by G2 Education. Jinny Goldstein, the co-founder of G2Ed, is the executive producer of To A Degree.


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On-the-Go Storage Ideas for Food: DIY Travel Food Kit On a scale of 1 to 10, how much time do you and your family spend in the car? I don't know about you, but there are plenty of times that I feel like we live in the car. Seriously, some days I'm surprised I can remember where my house is! One thing that makes all of this running around a little easier (on my wallet and my nerves) is bringing … Read More
On-the-Go Storage Ideas for Food: DIY Travel Food Kit
This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content, read our Disclosure Policy.


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A Cozy Christmas Tea by Sandy Lynam Clough is on display in the hallway, alongside the second copy of A Cup of Christmas Tea. This book was published in 1998 and is full of the beautiful artwork for which Sandy Lynam Clough is known. Lovely quotes and some teatime recipes are sprinkled throughout this book and the reader is encouraged to share a warm cup of Christmas cheer with dear friends.
And tucked on display with the Santa collection is a pop-up copy of The Night Before Christmas.


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China considers "democracy" to consist of what their ruling communist elites vote for, which the people just meekly accept. When added to China, the people of Hong Kong are no exception. At best, they were given 50 years to accept that definition.
This is heartening but fraught with danger of massacre and heavy-handed oppression:
Hong Kong democracy protesters defied volleys of tear gas and police baton charges to stand firm in the centre of the global financial hub on Monday, one of the biggest political challenges for China since the Tiananmen Square crackdown 25 years ago.
The Communist government in Beijing made clear it would not tolerate dissent, and warned against any foreign interference as thousands of protesters massed for a fourth night in the free-wheeling, capitalist city of more than 7 million people.
"Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying defiantly told a news briefing in Beijing.
And there are certain realities of being China's Hong Kong:
Just days before China was set to deliver its edict on electoral reform in Hong Kong, Beijing's most senior official in the city held a rare meeting with several local lawmakers whose determined push for full democracy had incensed Beijing's Communist leaders. ...
Zhang, 51, dressed in a black suit and a navy blue striped tie, delivered a blunt response. "The fact that you are allowed to stay alive, already shows the country's inclusiveness," he answered, according to two people in the room who declined to be named. Zhang's office did not respond to several faxed requests for comment. [emphasis added]
Zhang later said his remark was taken out of context. I think we're seeing just some of the context being used on the protesters.
I have to wonder if China will magically see the hand of Japan in the protests and use that as an excuse to do whatever it takes to clear the streets of living protesters.


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Immanuel Parish Church Highters Heath Birmingham, UK
At the end of the First World War the Maypole / Highters Heath area was very much a rural area, lying outside the City of Birmingham boundary. However, the war had brought more industry to Birmingham and with it an inflow of population. Consequently, in the 1920's Birmingham was compelled to push out its boundaries and the city boundary was placed at the Maypole.
At this time, there was a small community centred on the crossroads where Druids Lane, coming from the west, met the Alcester Road. There was at one time a 'maypole' erected at the crossroads, but this had disappeared many years earlier. There was a timber yard on one corner and a smithy on another, which was kept busy shoeing farm horses and repairing agricultural equipment.
Quite soon a large estate was built to the east of the Alcester Road. The great proportion of the land to the west belonged to Cadbury and the Monyhull Colony and was later declared a green belt area. People began to move in and a bus service was established with its terminus at the crossroads, as the corporation trams only ran as far as Alcester Lanes End. The area on which this estate was built was then in the parish of Christ Church, Yardley Wood; the west side of the Alcester Road being in the parish of Kings Norton.
It was soon apparent that Yardley Wood church could not cope with the large number of people who were now living in the area, so that in the early 1930's the Bishop and the Diocesan authorities decided to create a new parish to be called 'Highters Heath' and to build a new church.
A plot of land was acquired in Highters Heath Lane large enough to accommodate the church, the hall and the Vicarage. Plans were drawn up in 1937. The new Parish came into existence separate from Yardley Wood on 26 March 1938, when the Church Hall was dedicated by the Bishop of Birmingham. Reverend Gilbert Cope became the first Vicar (initially Priest in Charge) at Immanuel being appointed in 1938. At that time the church building was not built. Instead church services were held in the church hall. The foundation stone of the church building was laid on 13th May 1939 by G. Dawson Collins J.P. The cost of the building was £5,500.00 with a sum being granted by the Bishop's Appeal Fund to complete the first phase of building.
However, with the start of the Second World War building work was delayed and when the nave was completed in 1940 a temporary wooden wall and a small wooden vestry were erected at the east end. The nave was consecrated by the Bishop of Birmingham, Ernest Barnes on Saturday 25th May 1940 and Immanuel Parish Church was in being. Essential furnishings were generously provided by local churches and a modest sum was borrowed to purchase other requisites such as curtains and cupboards.
Later in 1965, the Sanctuary, Chancel, Lady Chapel, Vestries and Choir Gallery were added at a cost of £19,164.00. The Vicarage was completed in 1963.
In August 1987, an appeal was launched to raise the sum of £350 to complete the gardens at the front of the church as they are today.
Ongoing maintenance of the church continued over the years, with an inspection of the church building carried out every five years and a report presented to the church. The in-depth report identified any work required on the building; prioritising the main areas.
The Story behind the Refurbishment of the Church
Winifred Hemming died in 1998 at the age of 98 years. She had been a life long member of Immanuel Church. In her Will she left a legacy to the church. Using part of the legacy, the stained glass window in between the church and the Lady Chapel was placed there in her memory.
Reverend Eve Pitts (now Canon Eve Pitts) arrived in the middle of 1998. Shortly afterwards she suggested the possibility of refurbishing the Church. It was the sum remaining from Winifred Hemming's legacy which effectively gave the fund raising its starting point.
After many meetings and discussions in October 1999 the Diamond Jubilee Account was opened. This was the account which would fund the refurbishment.
The following year 2000 was the 60th Anniversary of the consecration of the Church and the opportunity was taken to launch a major Parish Appeal when letters were sent to every house and business in the Parish. There was a generous response to the appeal letter from across the Parish.
In addition, we organised a variety of events to raise funds.
Reverend Canon Eve was very keen to take a lead in the events.
We were also fortunate to receive two separate grants totalling £7,000 from the Birmingham Diocese. In order to ensure cash flow, with the assistance of the Diocese, the Church had two loans, repayable over a period of 5 years. This aside, all work on the Church was paid for from monies raised and from our own resources.
The refurbishment work included a new roof, central heating boiler, replacement windows, a new sound system, replacement lighting, major treatment to the oak flooring and finally redecoration of the Church.
The project took almost 10 years to complete at a cost of £213,000.00.
Events of 2016
During 2016 the front path to the church was replaced to include a gradual slope to the front door. This required the removal of the two semi-circular steps to allow improved access at the front door of the church.
The path has greatly enhanced the front of the building. The cost of the work was met mainly by donations for which we are extremely grateful. The path was formally opened by Anthony Collins on Saturday 28th May 2016.
On the same day, our Peace Garden was also opened by Anthony Collins. The Garden has been laid to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the First World War. The idea for the garden was driven by the incumbent Vicar, the Reverend Rebecca Clarke who wanted to build a lasting memorial dedicated to those who lost their lives in the Great War. She involved the children from Hollywood School and Grendon School who were asked to put forward some ideas for the garden. The project also had input from Marie Turner who helped finalise the layout. The children from the community planted bulbs with plants and shrubs donated in the main by members of our congregation.
The plaque alongside the Peace Garden reads
The Garden is maintained by members of the congregation.
We continue to give thanks for the Church and those who worship here day to day, but also remember with gratitude all who have worshipped here over the years. Their dedication to ensure we have a place of worship and meeting for all in Highters Heath is a testament to their faith.
The work continues today. If you would like to support our mission at Immanuel and in the local community, you can donate by texting MAYP83 to 70070 or via our Justgiving page www.justgiving.com/immanuelhightersheath
You can keep up to date with events at the church via Facebook.
Thank you.
A Brief History of Immanuel Church


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It's really sickening how big-government liberals can create a problem, and then demand a big-government solution like the Bush-Pelosi bailout:
Half Sigma: Smoking gun article: liberals, Democrats, poor people and non-Asian minorities caused financial crisis
A conservative warns of the problem, but he is ignored by Democrats because Democrats and liberals know that the conservative is motivated by racism.
The change in policy also comes at the same time that HUD is investigating allegations of racial discrimination in the automated underwriting systems used by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to determine the credit-worthiness of credit applicants.
It's all clear…
Banks should have been smart enough to recognize that pro-"diversity" laws, rules, regulations, Congressional hearings, and the like were going to lead to the liquidity crisis, and tried to lobby against it as hard as they could.


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|Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang's Regular Press Conference on December 12, 2017
As agreed by China and the United Kingdom, the 9th China-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue will be held in Beijing from December 15 to 16. Vice Premier Ma Kai and British Chancellor of Exchequer Philip Hammond will cochair the dialogue.
The China-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue is a high-level dialogue whose establishment was announced by the leaders of the two countries in 2008, with the aim to conduct dialogues on the strategic, overall and long-term major issues in the economic and financial fields between China and the UK and continuously scale the China-UK economic cooperation and global comprehensive strategic partnership for the 21st century to new heights.
As agreed by the two sides, the 9th China-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue will be conducted under the theme of "Deepening Bilateral Economic and Financial Cooperation to Inject New Impetus to the Golden Era of China-UK relationship", with discussions on such topics as macroeconomic situation and policy, trade, investment and industrial strategy, financial reform and financial market development, China-UK investment and financing cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, etc.
Q: Yesterday China Central Television (CCTV) broadcasted an exclusive interview with ROK President Moon Jae-in. He said that since China and the ROK established diplomatic ties 25 years ago, the bilateral relations have enjoyed rapid development in various areas, but the mutual trust between the two was largely impaired in recent years. Mutual trust is of great importance to the development of bilateral relations, and the top aim and focus of his visit to China this time is to resume the mutual trust between the two countries and deepen the friendship between the two peoples. What's your response to this?
A: We have seen that CCTV interview. At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, President Moon Jae-in will start his state visit to China from tomorrow.
China and the ROK are close neighbors and important cooperation partners. During the past 25 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, friendly exchanges and win-win cooperation remain the main theme of China-ROK relations. The two countries have extensive converging interests in promoting respective economic and social development and achieving regional peace, stability and prosperity. The sound China-ROK relations correspond with the trend of history and the times and represent the shared aspirations of the two peoples. However, due to the reason known to us all, for some time the basis of mutual trust and bilateral cooperation between the two countries has been affected.
After he assumed office, President Moon Jae-in has attached importance to ROK-China relations and the ROK government has made the solemn statement on the THAAD issue. China and the ROK have reached some consensus on dealing with the issue in the current stage. We hope that the issue can continue to be handled properly and that the two sides can bring the China-ROK relations totally back to the track of sound and steady development on the basis of respecting each other's core interests and major concerns so as to deliver greater benefits to the two peoples and promote regional peace, stability, development and prosperity.
Q: According to reports, Australian lawmaker Sam Dastyari resigned after taking donations. I was wondering if you could offer any comment on this issue or in general on the allegation about the tension between the two countries on bilateral relations over China's influence in the domestic politics of Australia ?
A: With regard to your first question, the resignation of an Australian lawmaker is part of Australia's internal affairs and we don't comment on the internal affairs of other countries in principle.
As to your second question, I took a related question on this podium yesterday. These days certain Western countries have concerned themselves with "non-interference in other countries' internal affairs" all at once, which is a good phenomenon. If the relevant persons in these countries can firmly keep in mind the idea of "non-interference in other countries' internal affairs", this will be conducive to the sound development of international relations as I believe.
Q: US President Donald Trump yesterday announced plans to send a man back to the Moon, and possible to the Mars. In one of his comments, President Trump said that space has so much to do with many other applications, including military application. Is China concerned that this renewed interest by the US government in space could mean that the US will militarize space for its own purposes?
A: China is pleased to see the scientific and technological progress in the exploration and peaceful use of outer space by various countries. We believe that continuous progress in peaceful use of outer space will benefit the humankind as a whole ultimately, and China stands ready to step up cooperation with the rest of the international community in this regard.
As for your second question, I need to check and verify what was said by President Trump. Yet I think you must be aware that China's position on preventing the weaponization of outer space is distinct and consistent. As early as in the disarmament talks in Geneva, China has clearly expressed its hope that various parties of the international community will reach the consensus of committing to an early conclusion of a treaty that aims for the prevention of weaponization of outer space.
Q: A former basketball player Dennis Rodman was in Beijing yesterday and today. He proposed that he wants to hold a basketball match between players from the DPRK and players from Guam in Beijing. How do you respond to this idea? Would you support his idea?
A: I have not heard of this information.
Q: Russian President Putin yesterday announced a withdrawal of Russian soldiers from Syria. He also said that they are coming back home with victory. What is your comment? How does China comment on Russia's role in fighting terrorism in Syria as well as the current security situation in Syria?
A: We have noted these statements by President Putin. In the past two years, the counter-terrorism actions inside Syria have made important headway, thanks to the enormous efforts made by Russia and other relevant parties. We maintain that the international community should continue with its coordination and cooperation on firmly combating all forms of terrorism. Meanwhile, the political process on resolving the Syrian issue shall be advanced under the auspices of the UN.
Q: ROK Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on December 11 stressed the need for the establishment of an effective communication channel with the DPRK to extend the common call for denuclearization from the international community. She said that the ROK government is planning to contact the DPRK and actively enhance the relationship between the DPRK and the ROK. The international community should step up diplomatic efforts to bring the DPRK back to the negotiating table while keeping pressure on it. What's your comment on this?
A: We have noted the above-mentioned remarks by Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-Wha. China encourages each and every effort to peacefully resolve the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue through dialogue and negotiation. In fact, China and the ROK share common interests and similar position on realizing the denuclearization of the Peninsula through dialogue and negotiation and upholding peace and stability there. We always approve of and firmly support the efforts made by both DPRK and the ROK to improve their relations through dialogue, promote reconciliation and cooperation, and play a positive role in easing the tension and upholding peace and stability of the Peninsula.
We always maintain the opinion that the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue can only be peacefully resolved through dialogue and negotiation, and no war or conflict is allowed on the Peninsula. This is in the fundamental interests of regional countries and represents the widespread aspiration among the international community. We hope that all the relevant parties can work towards the shared goal to turn the current confrontation into escalation and create necessary conditions and atmosphere for resumption of dialogue and negotiation.
Q: Many were injured in an explosion at a bus terminal near the Times Square of Manhattan in New York on the morning of December 11 local time. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said this was an attempted terror attack. What is your comment on this?
A: We condemn this incident and convey our condolences to the injured.
We have noted that Mayor of the New York City described this incident as an attempted terror attack. Terrorism is the common enemy of mankind. The Chinese side is opposed to all forms of terrorism and believes that the international community should step up counter-terrorism cooperation.
Q: On December 10, municipal elections were held in Venezuela, during which the ruling party, United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) won the position of mayor in most cities. What is your comment on this?
A: We have noted that Venezuela's municipal elections were held in a steady and orderly way. A stable Venezuela serves the fundamental interests of the Venezuelan people.


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Officials at one of Mississippi's historically black colleges are hoping a one of a kind academic program will help end human trafficking and exploitation.
According to the U.S. State Department, approximately 18,000 individuals are trafficked into the country every year.
Tougaloo College Professor Steve Rozman says those individuals are victims of modern day slavery.
"In the United States it's greatly prostitution, a lot of it child prostitution," says Rozman. "But it goes beyond that. Farm workers, who are enslaved in remote areas, people who are often foreigners are often brought in, their documents taken away and they're working at sweatshops in some of our cities."
Rozman is the Co-Director at Tougaloo College's new Institute for the Study of Modern Day Slavery. The program was developed using a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to help students, faculty, policymakers and others to analyze human exploitation and its eradication.
College President Beverly Wade Hogan says Tougaloo is uniquely primed to study the issue.
"Tougaloo College has a strong legacy of leading social change and social justice," says Hogan. "We have always looked at ways that we can use our laboratories here to help strengthen democracy and help to bring about the quality of social change that would impact individuals and societies in positive ways."
Institute Co-Director Steve Rozman says he believes the new program will help save lives.
"This is taking classroom knowledge and skills into activity," Rozman says. "Working as the historians against slavery. Their motto is 'using history to make slavery history' and we're tied in with that. Our goal is to promote an awareness and help with activity to ferret that out."
According to State Department estimates, human trafficking and exploitation nets about $150-billion a year worldwide.


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Haine responds to threats of cuts to senior services
SPRINGFIELD – As Illinois begins its 10th month without a budget, local senior service providers continue to feel the burden. Many organizations have called out to legislators to voice their concerns.
Senior Services Plus, an Alton organization that serves over 30,000 people a year, met with state Sen. Bill Haine (D-Alton) last week to outline just how the impasse continues to affect the communities they serve.
"When I met with Senior Services Plus last year, the situation was bad," Haine said. "Fast forward a year later, this situation is dire. What is even more frustrating is this was an avoidable situation. I don't know if Governor Rauner understands what happens when he vetoes funding for services that help seniors. It means people go without food, they are forced out of their homes and into assisted living facilities, and their quality of life diminishes.
"We have sent the governor a budget that would have allowed our seniors to continue to receive the care they need. I hope he will keep this in mind before vetoing another plan to help our senior citizens."
The organization also attended a rally at the Capitol in Springfield on Tuesday in an effort to call on legislators and the governor to pass a budget.
Jonathan Becker, the executive director Senior Services Plus in Alton, spoke at the rally and noted that many senior service providers have been forced to shut their doors due to lack of funding.
"We are owed millions of dollars, and the pressure has become insurmountable," said Becker. "I don't know how much longer we can carry on."
Seniors who attended the rally also voiced their frustrations and noted the importance of the centers in their communities.
John Cannella, a client of Senior Services Plus, said he relies on the organization for his health, welfare and social life. Without them, Cannella noted, he would be lost.
Senate Democrats passed a spending plan in March that would allow for organizations such as Senior Services Plus to stay open and for people like John to continue receiving these vital services. The measure is currently in the House awaiting a vote.


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Join chef Sarabjit Singh of Side Wok in Malcha Marg, New Delhi, as he prepares a nice and tasty spicy starter dish. Learn how to make Thingming mushroom starters.
Cooking these exotic mushroom starters is not only easy, but well worth it come dinner time.
*200g Shredded black mushroom
*15g Shredded carrots
*15g Shredded green capsicum
*10g Bean sprouts
*100g Corn flour
*25g Ginger (chopped)
*10g Garlic (chopped)
*25ml Hoisin sauce
*3g Five spice Powder
*10ml Soya sauce
*15ml Red chilli paste
*50g Tomato ketchup
*A pinch of vegetarian aromat (in place of Aginomoto)
*2g sesame seeds
*Oil for frying
Coat shredded black mushroom with cornflour. Heat oil in a wok to a moderate temp.Crispy fry the corn flour coated black mushrooms. Saute ginger and garlic in a wok. Add five spice powder, chilli paste, hoisin sauce, soya sauce and tomato ketchup. Toss the crispy fried black mushrooms in this sauce till fully coated. And now add the sesame seeds with aromat. Serve hot garnished with sesame seeds.
Make Thingming mushroom starters
While you're stuck at home, make the most of your time by learning a new language, skill, or even train for a remote-work job with our new premium online courses.


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Originally trained as an ophthalmologist with the goal of specializing in oculoplastic surgery, I did two additional fellowships: one in full body cosmetic plastic surgery and one in full face plastic surgery.
My evolution into full-face and body cosmetic surgery was driven by patients. I recall a post-operative blepharoplasty patient who was so thrilled with her outcomes that she asked me to do a full-face lift and then inquired about liposuction. I trained with an oculoplastic surgeon who also had trained in cosmetic plastic surgery; I saw him doing breasts and facelifts and noses. He advised me to pursue plastic surgery fellowships.
I completed those fellowships, and I board certified in cosmetic surgery. I started my own practice and surgery center in Hermosa Beach, CA. While that practice has been successful and rewarding, family commitments required that I relocate to Austin, TX.
Our Model and Why it Works
As I began investigating options in Austin, the chair at my hospital suggested I reach out to Steven Dell, MD, an ophthalmologist whose practices focus on ocular surface disease, premium IOLs, and LASIK. Dr. Dell had noticed that a substantial proportion of his patients are interested in the very cosmetic services that I provide. He suggested that we join forces, and he brought me in.
Partnering with an ophthalmologist makes sense on multiple levels. There is tremendous crossover between constructive and cosmetic surgery. I recognized that learning various cosmetic techniques could help with overall patient care. For instance, when we have patients that have an eyelid droop but does not want to have further surgery, we can place filler in the lower lid margin.
Conversely, when I do eyelid surgery or brow lift, ocular health is primary. Prevention of dry eye and/or preoperative management, is essential. If I send the patient to Dr. Dell to have their eye worked up and managed first, then I am going to have that much of a happier patient after I do their eyelifts or their brow lift.
Essentially, our model is based on a truly multi-specialty group that can address every facet of the patient's needs. Every group that is not doing this now should think that way. We really are building a practice within a practice versus just expanding the traditional medical eye group.
There may be practice efficiencies, too. For example, several laser companies offer devices with cosmetic and medical uses. Dr. Dell may need CompanyX's laser for the anterior segment, and I need their hair removal device. We can negotiate better terms when buying together.
Old models of practice development are giving way to new strategies for patient engagement. Practices no longer hire physicians to "handle the overload" of patients. Instead, most physicians want to retain their patients and bring on new partners to further grow the practice's base. Patients, for their part, are becoming savvy, and loyalty is no longer assumed. They can research providers online, they talk to friends, and they can even pursue non-medical sources for some procedures. This puts more pressure on practitioners to attract and retain patients. Bringing two (or more) specialties together in practice is a great way to grow that practice base and create opportunities for mutual growth.
Special Considerations
It should be noted that aesthetic practices and medical ones are different. For one, practices seem to grow at different rates. The growth rate of a cosmetic practice is a lot quicker; People tend to readily flow into aesthetic centers. Our aesthetic practice is fully integrated with but still separate from the medical practice. This is important. The key to success in aesthetics is to provide a top-notch experience that keeps patients coming back. Aesthetic patients, for example, do not like to wait. And they don't want to sit in a medical waiting room with "sick" patients. The same patient who might wait patiently for a medical eye appointment may become dissatisfied with even one-tenth of the same wait in an elective cosmetic setting.
An Option to Consider
This is an exciting time to be in medicine, especially aesthetics. The population is getting older but staying healthier, and everybody wants to look the way they feel. As more physicians begin to dabble in cosmetic procedures, core specialists may find that the option to partner with non-cores is an attractive opportunity. If they can go to a practice that they know and trust already from doing their eye exams or eye management, patients could be more likely to actually book a cosmetic procedure and become a long-term cosmetic patient. An aesthetic and a medical practice can grow both together and individually.


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Report Design & Marketing
Client: Sparkcentral
This 50 page report is based on a survey that was conducted by Sparkcentral. I built a lead form that captured answers from over 219 people from different companies and industries into a CRM. The results were utilized to create the following campaign.
Report Design
The design was created with multiple purposes in mind. I created the ability to easily download image files, powerpoints or PDFs as needed from a single cloud resource. It was intended to give different people across various departments the ability to edit and personalize for their specific needs. This would allow Sales to personalize the report to potential prospects, Marketing to adjust messaging copy, etc.
Promotional Materials
I created various visuals to promote the report across multiple digital channels including social, native ads and email.
Landing Page
The landing page was intended to let the user access the report directly. A digital version of the first several pages leads to a smart-form to download the full report. The page also tracks and captures target audience activity.View Full Page
1. Research
I picked elements that compliment the Sparkcentral brand, while also creating a bold visual statement.
Companies are always striving to evolve their branding. I had to take into consideration the current design guidelines as well as the direction that Sparkcentral is headed as the visual brand of the company evolves.
2. Plan
I optimized the design process to allow for most impactful output while maintaining visual integrity. The entire design was completed within the 1 week deadline.
I needed to efficiently allocate which visual ad resources would be applied to which platforms to stay within budget and have the biggest impact. This determined what visuals would need to be produced.
3. Execute
I layout the report content into separate pages to ensure that the visual flow makes sense. I select typography and colors throughout the report as well as placeholder imagery. After additional reviews, I add the final visuals and infographic elements.
When the report design is complete, I create the landing page to match it. The promotional materials are also based on the same report guidelines.
4. Measure
Defining the success of a report campaign is not an easy task. I analyze conversion rates across all marketing channels including the website. I evaluate social media reaction and engagement.
I A/B test colors, email and ad copy, target audiences and CTA language within all promotional materials.


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10 Industries that Should be Using E-newsletters now
Our email accounts are flooded with a variety of different emails everyday. From family and friends, to businesses, to spam… email is a part of our everyday communication. However, emails can easily be ignored if they do not provide unique or relative information to the reader. So the question is, how can different industries use e-newsletters to cater to the needs of their customers without being ignored or reported as spam? Each industry can use e-newsletters differently to reach their customers by changing the content per industry.
An e-newsletter distributed to customers interested in fashion needs to provide the latest and greatest in fashion, tips on how to achieve certain looks, highlights of certain designers, or places to obtain the newest styles. By providing readers with links to stores that they can get these styles, readers look forward to a one-stop email that gives them the most recent information of the fashion industry.
E-newsletters for restaurants allow them to show off their newest or favorite dishes. Restaurants can use the e-newsletter to provide readers with special events such as brunch or happy hour, release dates of new or seasonal dishes, or with special recipes straight from the kitchen.
Entertainment Venues:
Venues such as performing arts centers, local venues such as the House of Blues, or convention centers can send out e-newsletters to let locals know about upcoming events. By providing local customers with information regarding their events, venues can catch the interest of customers and get them to come to the events. Everyone likes to break away from the stress of work and everyday life. Entertainment venues can capitalize on this!
Hotels experience fluctuations in room prices throughout the year and by sending out e-newsletters that provide customers with upcoming deals, the hotel may gain more customers and fill their hotel. The hotel can update customers on changes or upgrades made to the hotel.
Personal Maintenance:
Hair salons, nail salons, beauty stores, etc., can all use e-newsletters to inform readers of current trends as well as deals. The trends within our society are constantly changing and by providing readers with the most up-to-date information, readers will most likely continue to utilize the e-newsletter and regularly schedule appointments.
Educational facilities could benefit from e-newsletters by supplying alumni and current students with the most recent news relative to the school and surrounding area. Special events, reunions, updates on specific people, or changes to the school can keep your alumni involved with the school and increase the number of visitors to school related events.
Real Estate:
The home industry is constantly changing whether it's new listings, new sales, or upcoming listings. Realtors can use an e-newsletter to make clients and potential clients aware of changes in the market or upcoming open houses. This can lead to more foot traffic in open houses and, hopefully, more sales!
Charities and non-profits are constantly doing various fundraisers to raise money for their specific causes. By distributing an e-newsletter with upcoming events, they have the potential to gain participation and, therefore, help their causes.
Traveling can be a big headache to find the best deal. However, airlines can use e-newsletters to promote their most recently updated flight schedules, provide flight-tracking information, and provide their customers with the most current prices. Airlines can promote their business by providing readers with customer's experiences with the airline.
The health industry is constantly finding new viruses, cures, supplements, warnings, or diet regimes and customers are curious. E-newsletters can provide readers with information and evidence regarding the health industry and places to find the needed regimes.
Although these are only 10 industries that should be using e-newsletters, other industries can find effective ways to use e-newsletters to reach their desired audience. Think about your industry and if there are ways your company could use an e-newsletter to prosper!


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"Unless it's mad, passionate, extraordinary love, it's a waste of your time. There are too many mediocre things in life; love shouldn't be one of them."
There is absolutely nothing wrong with being single, it doesn't mean you're flawed, that you missed your opportunity for love because you just didn't feel that way for that super nice guy, or because you drunkenly made out with that cute guy at a party and you think that ruined all of your chances. No, being single simply means that it isn't your time to be in a relationship, despite feeling like everyone and their mother is either in a long-standing relationship or starting something new.
Carrie Bradshaw said it best when she said, "being single used to mean nobody wanted you. Now it means you're pretty sexy and you're taking your time deciding how you want your life to be and who you want to spend it with."
Sure, there are plenty of eligible bachelors and bachelorettes on campus, but that doesn't mean it's always worth the effort. Dating is hard in college, there's no other way to say it. We're all busy trying to balance work for classes, extra-curricular activities for resumes, and a social life all while attempting to figure out how we want to spend the rest of our lives. So trying to worry about another person's needs doesn't always fit into our schedules, especially if that someone isn't equally committed.
Since coming to school, I've been in a few "serious" relationships, and a few not-so serious ones. While I sincerely enjoyed spending time with each of them, looking back at them, I have to ask myself if they were worth it. As I was off making memories with someone who viewed me as temporary, I missed out on the opportunity to make memories with the friends who I know will be in my life forever.
While relationships often bring us happiness, comfort and a sense of security; they can also bring stress, drama and heartbreak. While being single often leaves us yearning to be cuddled, whist in that relationship it could end up feeling as though you're being smothered and wishing for the days when you were single.
I've been able to accomplish great things while being single that I doubt I wouldn't have been able to do in a relationship. I've gotten so many Pinterest crafts done, watched the movies that I've wanted to, and most importantly, I've been able to spend time with the amazing friends I've made here. While these things probably don't sound too exciting, they're things that bring me happiness.
I'm not saying all relationships are bad, because they definitely are not. I've been fortunate enough to watch my grandparents celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary and my parents celebrate their 25th. Love is a wonderful thing and it's something I truly believe we all deserve and want, but I also believe timing is extremely important. Loving who you are on your own is a key in being able to love someone else, along with loving who you are with that person.
So Bobcats, whether you're in a relationship or not, make sure you're happy doing whatever it is that you're doing. If you're in a relationship– I wish you all the best; and for those of you who are single, enjoy it while you can because you never know when that special someone is going to come and sweep you off your feet.


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Multiple genes contribute to risk for schizophrenia and appear to function in pathways related to transmission of signals in the brain and immunity, according to an international study led by Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy researchers.
By better understanding the molecular and biological mechanisms involved with schizophrenia, scientists hope to use this new genetic information to one day develop and design drugs that are more efficacious and have fewer side effects.
In a study published online in the April issue of JAMA Psychiatry, the JAMA Network journal, researchers used a comprehensive and unique approach to robustly identify genes and biological processes conferring risk for schizophrenia.
The researchers first used 21,953 subjects to examine over a million genetic markers. They then systematically collected results from other kinds of biological schizophrenia studies and combined all these results using a novel data integration approach.
The most promising genetic markers were tested again in a large collection of families with schizophrenia patients, a design that avoids pitfalls that have plagued genetic studies of schizophrenia in the past. The genes they identified after this comprehensive approach were found to have involvement in brain function, nerve cell development and immune response.
"Now that we have genes that are robustly associated with schizophrenia, we can begin to design much more specific experiments to understand how disruption of these genes may affect brain development and function," said principal investigator Edwin van den Oord, Ph.D., professor and director of the Center for Biomarker Research and Personalized Medicine in the Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science at the VCU School of Pharmacy.
"Also, some of these genes provide excellent targets for the development of new drugs," he said.
One specific laboratory experiment currently underway at VCU to better understand the function of one of these genes, TCF4, is being led by Joseph McClay, Ph.D., a co-author on the study and assistant professor and laboratory director in the VCU Center for Biomarker Research and Personalized Medicine. TCF4 works by switching on other genes in the brain. McClay and colleagues are conducting a National Institutes of Health-funded study to determine all genes that are under the control of TCF4. By mapping the entire network, they aim to better understand how disruptions to TCF4 increase risk for schizophrenia.
"Our results also suggest that the novel data integration approach used in this study is a promising tool that potentially can be of great value in studies of a large variety of complex genetic disorders," said lead author Karolina A. Aberg, Ph.D., research assistant professor and laboratory co-director of the Center for Biomarker Research and Personalized Medicine in the VCU School of Pharmacy.
The study was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health grants R01HG004240; R01MH078069; 1R01MH097283; and R01MH080403.
Collaborating institutions included Copenhagen University Hospital in Roskilde, Denmark; Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden; School of Medicine at Cardiff University in the United Kingdom; St. James Hospital in Ireland; University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom; University of California at Los Angeles; University College of London in the United Kingdom; University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom; University of Munich in Germany; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital in Norway; University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine; VA Boston Healthcare System; and Harvard Medical School.
EDITOR'S NOTE: A copy of the editorial is available to reporters in PDF format by email request from JAMA Network Media Relations Office at [email protected] or by phone at (312) 464-5262.
- About VCU and the VCU Medical Center
Virginia Commonwealth University is a major, urban public research university with national and international rankings in sponsored research. Located in downtown Richmond, VCU enrolls more than 31,000 students in 222 degree and certificate programs in the arts, sciences and humanities. Sixty-six of the programs are unique in Virginia, many of them crossing the disciplines of VCU's 13 schools and one college. MCV Hospitals and the health sciences schools of Virginia Commonwealth University compose the VCU Medical Center, one of the nation's leading academic medical centers. For more, see www.vcu.edu.
- ReadyCam
News Directors: Broadcast access to VCU experts can be arranged through the university's VideoLink ReadyCam studio. ReadyCam transmits video and audio via fiber optics through a system that is routed to your newsroom. To schedule a live or taped interview, contact VCU University Public Affairs, (804) 828-1231.
Frances Dumenci
University Public Affairs


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On Friday, March 16th, Eli's was excited to have the St. Patrick's Day Queen and Her court come visit at the Eli's Cheesecake Bakery Cafe. The queen and her court decorated cheesecakes with green sprinkles, green chocolate and green gel in honor of St. Patrick's Day. They also went and spent time with the students at the New Horizon's Center next door where they sang with the students and took many pictures.
Posts Tagged Eli's Cheescake
Father's Day Bike Ride 2010 a great success! Sponsored by Eli's Cheesecake, Wright College and Rudy's Bike Shop
Jun 20
For the 6th year Eli's Cheesecake, Wright College and Rudy's Bike Shop sponsored a free family recreational bike ride through the Wright and Portage Party Community. The weather turned great and we had over 175 riders. Our thanks to Eli's Sharon Mrowiec for chairing the event and for the support of the Chicago Police and Mayor Daley's Bicycle Ambassadors.


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SEOUL, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev met here Thursday to discuss the development of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination.
The two presidents are also expected to exchange views on major world and regional issues of common concern.
They met on the sidelines of the fifth Group of 20 (G20) summit slated for Thursday and Friday.


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About Me
Book Reviews Index
Author Interviews
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Saturday, December 10, 2016
I have been given the amazing opportunity by Lootcrate to come up with my own personal DreamCrate!! If you don't know what Lootcrate is…
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Thursday, August 18, 2016
Birds of Prey {A Hunger Games Fanfiction} Full
"Is everyone in the Capitol as self-absorbed as you?" Someone asks behind me.
I turn and cock an eyebrow, amused. Apparently they've sent someone to check on me. A girl, about my age. She lingers halfway behind the door, as if she's scared of me.
I think, my smile widening just a bit.
"You might look in the mirror too, if you were pretty," I say back, batting my eyelashes.
The comment hurts her, I can tell. Probably because it's true. The girl is unbelievably plain, and, well...
She would never fit in at the Capitol.
At least, she wouldn't have before,
I think bitterly. Ever since the Districts rebelled and killed President Snow, the Capitol, once a lively and beautiful place, had been over run by common folk and was now being used as a headquarters for our new government.
They are the reason I am here.
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Thursday, August 11, 2016
Yes, you read that right!! I have big-time news for all of you.
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Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Hunger Games Fanfiction!!!
Wow, I have been absolutely overwhelmed with gratitude! As of today, my The One Fanfiction has received
4,902 views!!
That's SO awesome, guys!! I don't even know what to say right now. A few of you have been begging me for more fan fiction, and I love to please my readers! So, I'm pleased to announce MY NEW FANFICTION.
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Friday, July 29, 2016
Books Coming Out In August 2016
The Smaller Evil by Stephanie Kuehn
Publication Date: August 2nd, 2016
Sometimes the greater good requires the smaller evil.
17-year-old Arman Dukoff is struggling with severe anxiety and a history of self-loathing when he arrives at an expensive self-help retreat in the remote hills of Big Sur. He's taken a huge risk—and two-thousand dollars from his meth-head stepfather—for a chance to "evolve," as Beau, the retreat leader, says.
Beau is complicated. A father figure? A cult leader? A con man? Arman's not sure, but more than anyone he's ever met, Beau makes Arman feel something other than what he usually feels—worthless.
The retreat compound is secluded in coastal California mountains among towering redwoods, and when the iron gates close behind him, Arman believes for a moment that he can get better. But the program is a blur of jargon, bizarre rituals, and incomprehensible encounters with a beautiful girl. Arman is certain he's failing everything. But Beau disagrees; he thinks Arman has a bright future—though he never says at what.
And then, in an instant Arman can't believe or totally recall, Beau is gone. Suicide? Or murder? Arman was the only witness and now the compound is getting tense. And maybe dangerous.
As the mysteries and paradoxes multiply and the hints become accusations, Arman must rely on the person he's always trusted the least: himself.
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Thursday, July 28, 2016
BOOK REVIEW: P.S. I Like You by Kasie West
I am a sucker for thought-provoking, life changing books that alter your perspective and make you cry, the books that leave you in a state of utter
after reading. I gulped down the monstrous 584 pages of
The Book Thief
in a measly two and a half hours.
You know what else I am a sucker for?
Contemporary. Romance.
I've seen Austenland more than two dozen times (if you've been following this blog, you know that I love Austenland, so I'll get over it.) I swoon in Win A Date With Tad Hamilton and laugh in She's The Man.
I love those cheesy, predictable, adorable plot lines more than anything in the world. And although I have seen every Marvel movie ever, I also won't hesitate to slap down my money to buy a ticket for the newest rom com.
Another thing you probably know about me? My favorite book of all time is
The Distance Between Us
. You'd know just by looking at it. I treat my books like they're made of glass- none of them have bent covers or smudged pages. They look like they are brand-new. But,
The Distance Between Us
is worn out. Not because I wasn't careful with it, but because I've read it so much. So so much. At least once a week. It pulls me out of a sour mood faster than anything else.
As a result, I have purchased every Kasie West book that has come out since. They are
adorable, but none of them have come even close to
The Distance Between Us.
Until now.
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Tuesday, July 19, 2016
BOOK REVIEW: The Young Elites by Marie Lu
I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.
Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever.
A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina's black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family's good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever's survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.
Teren Santoro works for the king.
As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it's Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.
Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society.
This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they've never seen.
Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn't belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.
It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.
My Thoughts:
I was so excited for this book because I absolutely
Marie Lu's Legend series. However, actually getting around to reading it proved to be difficult. I read halfway through it three times before I finally finished.
That doesn't mean the book was
it just means I was distracted. In fact, this book was very good. It's like eating chocolate; once you start, you can't stop.
I think the fascinating thing about this book is that it's written from the point of view of the villain. I don't think I've ever read a book like that before, and Lu did it
I loved Adelina but at the same time I hated her so much.
This book was so addicting simply because it was so
As I'm sure you could tell by the blurb, the plot is full of strange powers, caused by a deadly plague that killed several people and changed several more, marking them as
Adelina has silver hair and is missing an eye (although that was not technically a Marking.) The characters are dark, mysterious, and very flawed. However, their intentions are good: to overthrow the Inquisition that burns innocent
at the stake.
Once you start reading this, I guarantee you will not be able to put it down. The language is written beautifully, the plot turns and twists more than a roller coaster ride, and the characters are unique and unpredictable. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves fiction.
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Saturday, June 25, 2016
I'm Back!!
I can't really give an excuse for my er... six months of absence.
School and everything just got tangled in a huge mess and I kind of filed this blog in the very back of my priorities.
Sorry guys.
What's happened since I was gone?
Well, first off... I've read a ton of different books. Here are some of my favorites: (that I will be reviewing as soon as possible, promise.) Yes, there are a lot of really pretty dresses.
I'll be back soon, with a whole new design for reviewing books!!
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