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Monday, February 25, 2008
To Critter or Not to Critter…Continued
First of all, my apologies for the long gap in postings! I was felled by the flu last week and could just about manage the short post I put up. Any more complex thinking was a lost cause, even when I was back at work on Thursday (!), and I spent this last weekend playing catchup from some other things and trying to get in some more vestiges of rest to send the last bits of this nagging virus packing. Right now, I'm still dealing with the remnants of a cough and a rough throat—which is no fun for a singer. So we're (the royal we, don't you know) about a week away or so from being back 100% in the saddle. However, we are also feeling substantially more awake enough to ponder the second part of our post on critting and how to get a good crit out of this literary life. Once again, with the caveat that YMMV, here are a few thoughts on what makes a good critique—and a good critiquer. First of all, we need to draw a couple of lines between what a critiquer does versus what an editor, or coach, or writing "guidance" guru does. Some places may overlap, but the differences are important enough that it pays to keep some key ones in mind: 1. If you find yourself doing a lot of line-editing in the work, try to back off a bit. It's hard to do, especially for those of us who are compulsive editors anyway…but that (unfortunately) is just the point. Technically, critiquing is feedback, not hands-on editing. If you find yourself crossing out extensive chunks of text, for example, or wanting to cut whole pages, make a note of it for the author, but don't feel you need or have a duty to go through and make a substantive edit out of your critiquing process. Same with marking punctuation, restructuring sentences, etc. Unless the writer has specifically requested this, don't correct everything. Scribble the name of a good grammar book or two in the margin, and let her do her own mechanics. 2. That being said, there's nothing wrong with pointing out several overarching tendencies, even marking several pages' worth of instances if necessary, to get a writer's attention on certain things. Case in point: I have an absolute infatuation with the words "just" and "even." (The latter must from that old Christmas carol about King Wenceslas…but I digress.) Thanks to my crit partner (bless her heart :-)) marking every one of them early on, I've since learned to go through before I send stuff to her and do a massive search-and-destroy on most of those wonderful words. And I do still like them. Trust me on this. One or two, here and there, are okay. Using "just" three or more times in one paragraph (which I have), however, is—er—a bit of overkill. (I almost said "just a little overkill." See, I told you I was hooked.) 3. If you don't like a character, feel free to say so. Give the author specifics on why you don't like or believe in a character, and you might get a surprise: maybe she's trying to make that person a "bad guy," and she's just not made him "bad enough" so you recognize that fact! On the other hand, once again, it's not part of your job as critiquer to "rewrite" or "recast" the character yourself. Give suggestions on motivation, on action/reaction, on emotional integrity or the lack of same…but if you want to keep on the side of critiquing rather than "redoing the book," don't go too much farther than that. Sometimes the kindest thing you can do for a writer is to let her know she needs to go deeper into characterization, and let her find out how. 4. The same thing goes for setting and other details; if you don't like them, you're free to say so, but also, do your best to divorce your dislike—or ignorance—of a certain locale, era, or such from the critiquing of the actual writing. If you truly feel you can't give the work the fair reading it deserves, be it out of personal prejudice or plain ignorance, it's okay to excuse yourself. The writer will thank you more for your frankness at that point than she would if you tried to soldier on and ended up having to have things "explained" or "clarified" to you later! But once again, there's a fine line we walk: the difference between not liking a particular setting, era, occupation for hero/heroine, etc., and telling a writer she can't use such-and-such a place, occupation, era, scenario, or the like. You may be sincerely trying to help by telling a writer she "can't" write something and sell it in a given market—but you may, in fact, be wrong on that. We're all given so many "can'ts," especially about genre fiction, that sound like gospel…and then someone comes along who doesn't know any better, writes a horking good book using two or three of those "can'ts," and no one bats an eye. In this, as in so many other areas—particularly in mainstream fiction—story trumps pretty much everything else. Even in genre fiction, with its tighter formulas, authors are constantly looking for ways to kick the sides out of the box, and editors are constantly looking for a way to encourage them to do so while still selling to their target audience. So try not to dissuade someone from using some element in their story just because you don't particularly like it. Someone else may love the thing to death and buy it for a million dollars—and then, your pontifications won't be considered knowledgeable or even thoughtful editorial advice so much as a stunning example of yet another person who "didn't get it." You don't want to be in that story…so try your best to stay out of the "prohibition" business. One prohibition, however, is a good one to remember…and that's what we'll close with today as a final thought on your role as critiquer: 5. Refuse to be drawn into a discussion of whether a writer "has talent" or not. Think you're not going to be asked this? Think again. I don't think I've gone through more than a handful of critiques in which that question isn't put forth as part of what the writer wants as feedback…and you should never answer it. Period. Not because you can't tell; you usually can. (!) Sometimes you can even make a reasonable guess that the asker does not have "what it takes" to make it as a writer. But, flattering as it may be to be consulted about this mythical thing called "talent," don't fall for the flattery. Neither answer is a good one. If you say yes, there are always a certain number of writers who will take that as carte blanche to do nothing to develop their work or clean up their basic mistakes: "My writing teacher says I have real talent, so I don't want to stifle it with a bunch of stupid rules." If you say no—even if you have really, really, really good reasons for saying no—some people say you risk crushing a writer's hopes. I wouldn't go that far. Writers themselves decide what feedback to take, they decide whether to go any farther than they already are, and they decide when to quit; anyone who tries to pin those decisions on the word of another person is fooling herself. But that won't stop her from accusing you of destroying her ego, stopping her dead, trashing her dreams, etc.—and who needs that nonsense? Certainly not someone who's only trying to help. So keep the help craft-centered, keep it as close as you can to giving the writer a few landmarks and a roadmap, keep it focused as much as possible on making the work salable, and you'll be giving good critiquing…without being abused and/or put into the shoes of an editor, a confessor, or a mother. All of those people have their places; you as critiquer are none of them. Play the role correctly and not only will you have given out some solid help to your fellow writers, but you'll have energy and time left over to spend on your own work! …which leads us to the other side of the coin: what you, as a writer, should be getting from a critique…what your role is in the creative exchange…and how to know if you're getting good advice. We'll tackle that one next time! Stay tuned, Janny
Posted by Janny at 1:38 PM 1 comment:
Labels: critiquing, editing, editorial help, evaluation, talent
Thursday, February 21, 2008
You Don't Have to be in a Lecture Hall to have Class.
There are lots of people who've wondered over the years what a Hokie is...
I think we have our answer.
A Hokie is class. Pure class.
Pray for healing at NIU!
I think we have our answer.
A Hokie is class. Pure class.
Pray for healing at NIU!
Posted by Janny at 12:41 PM No comments:
Friday, February 15, 2008
To Crit or Not To Crit…That Is the Question
It's been suggested of late that I take some time to wax poetic (since it's lousy weather for waxing a car) about how to find a good critique partner. (Like I know?) :-) But, since I can never resist a challenge—with the caveat that YMMV—let's explore this question. First, it's worth mulling for a moment over the value of critique sessions, by anyone, to anyone. I've been in multiple writers' workshops on critiquing where, inevitably, a multi-pubbed (and practically canonized) author stands up and blows everyone out of the water by saying, "Nobody sees my work but my editor. I write it, and she looks at it, and that's it." To which the room oohs and aahs and thinks, "Well, when I get to be as good a writer as she is, that'll be all I'll need, too." If you look at this through the jaded glasses of those of us who've been at this for awhile, you figure that that's what the multi-pubbed author wants you to think—both about her and about yourself. It both keeps you down in those trenches with the unwashed multitude (thereby reinforcing her exalted status) and—sometimes with malice aforethought—practically guarantees that you'll never move beyond said unwashed multitude. It paints a rosy picture of a future in which every word from your keyboard will be so anointed, so ding-dang perfect, that the most your breathless editor will want to change may be a comma placement or three before sending it right on to glory, fame, honor, and great reviews (not to mention vast riches). It'd be great if things actually worked that way. (!) Too bad they don't. Unfortunately, to the extent that you believe in and act on—or maybe more accurately, fail to act on—that rosy picture the author paints, it can stall you out for years…which is good for aforementioned author (because it removes her competition), but not so good for you. On the other hand, most of us know of at least one instance when a critique did almost irreparable harm; it was malicious, or sarcastic, or "witty" at the expense of our stories or even ourselves, and it left us thinking that that author's secretiveness was actually the beginning of wisdom. But even if our experiences have fallen on the middle of the continuum, the question can still touch a nerve. Maybe we haven't been fatally wounded by a critique, but we've been bruised, frustrated, annoyed, or ignored—the classic example is an author asking for one or two specific things from a critique, and getting everything but what she asked for. These kinds of time-wasters aren't fatal, but, like a million tiny mosquitoes, each takes a little writer's blood out of us. At best, they make us wonder if anyone really knows how to help us, and at worst, they make us doubt our own talent. So what's the answer? From my side of the fence, the first author's lucky. If she truly has never had to subject her work to any critiquing other than an editor's or maybe an agent's, she's hit a rare combination of elements that few of us achieve. Some of the authors who operated this way in the past were just horking good writers; most came into their editors' offices when editors still edited work, were able and willing to develop authors, and therefore could take the time to file all the rough edges off work that "wasn't quite there yet." Now, with editors being stripped of most of that ability by the constraints of "lean" industry and marketing mania, most of us—even if we're horking good writers—can and will benefit from a "third eye"(or lots of them!) before we send things to an editor's desk. But what kind of eye, or collection of eyes, will do us the most good? Years ago, I treasured the input of my RWA chapter, which critiqued as a whole, and as part of every meeting—something that few RWA chapters, much less other writers' groups, did. When I described our procedure, however, most people outside our group were horrified by it. The thought of reading your own stuff, out loud, on the spot, to live people—at least a dozen of them at a time, and sometimes as many as thirty—struck them as needless torture, not to mention opening an author up to potentially hopeless confusion. "How do you know who to believe?" they'd wail. "How do you know what suggestions to take? Doesn't everyone have a different opinion? How do you know which is right?" Well, of course everyone has a different opinion…but that's part of the value of it. You get a wide spectrum from lots of different perspectives. And that's why you ask them to write on the manuscript, and that's why you take all that feedback home and look it over when you're calmed down and can weigh each comment for its value. Let me also add that this process wasn't a free-for-all: we had rules of critiquing, which a good manuscript chairperson insisted on enforcing; we had time limits; and we always went in with the idea that a writer was free to take any feedback or leave it. So it was not nearly the bloodbath that these people apparently pictured when I said "group critique." I found it especially ironic that some of the same people who were put off by the notion of what we did had their own (tiny) groups where things were much closer to a free-for-all or bloodbath than our structured system…and where they got personal to boot. I'll never forget the way one person in a small group put it: "We can say to each other, 'This stuff sucks,' and it's okay, because we all know each other." To which I said, "Saying 'This stuff sucks' is never okay. I don't care how well you know each other. And I wouldn't be a part of any group that allowed that kind of thing." The bottom line? For whatever reasons, our system worked extraordinarily well. Our RWA chapter had so many members sell their first books after running them through our process that we gained an excellent reputation in the business. At one point, mentioning that you were a member of RWA Chapter #14—and that parts of your book had been vetted by the group—in your query letter was almost as good as having an agent vouch for your work. Valuable? You bet. So, understandably, over the years, I've come down on the side of "Yes, be a member of a critiquing group if you can, and the larger, the better. It will make you a better writer faster than anything else you can imagine." But then, a weird turn in the road happened—both philosophically and geographically—and I ended up leaving RWA entirely…which meant that for all practical purposes, I no longer had a steady critique group source. Now, I've shifted paradigms and gone to the other extreme: one crit partner who basically is the only person who sees my work. I'm uneasy about this on one level, since I have notoriously bad luck with writer friendships…but it seems to be working so far. Knock on any wood you have available. So what makes a good critiquing situation? Having run the gamut, I can think of a number of factors that contribute to a profitable endeavor—and some "red flags" to note, and deal with, lest they sabotage your work, your self-esteem, or your relationships with other writers. We'll talk specifics in our next post… Stay tuned! Janny
Posted by Janny at 8:30 AM 4 comments:
Labels: crit groups, critiques, feedback, who sees your work?
Monday, February 11, 2008
The Story So Far
When we last left off our idea-generating exercise (see November 29), it'd been remarkably fruitful. Frankly, after having completely run out of ideas, feeling like the well was dry, etc., for a long time, the euphoria of kicking out the sides of the box went straight to my head. Which was a good place for it to go, me being the cerebral-type (as opposed to SOTP) writer that I am! That's the good news; the not so good news is…the execution of said ideas is harder than "getting" them ever is, and especially in this case. So it's only right that at this point in time, a couple of months later, I take some stock and assess the status of this idea blast. I have, in fact, completely revamped an old book and turned it on its head—at least in my head. I've written the new synopsis and have done some bursts of writing of actual text…but it's coming in bursts, not in organized, methodical fashion. It's written in a voice I hardly recognize as my own, one way different from even the language and treatment I give aforementioned Book of My Heart. This is mind-boggling on many level—and scary to boot. More on that in a bit. I am in the process of coming up with three delightfully ditzy possibilities for heroines for future books, each with a special "gift" of her own that I can put into a "woo woo" story. So far I'm to the "name" stage with them, and mulling in my mind what can be each heroine's particular gift and raison d'être. That is going way slower than I anticipated. I have begun to mull a synopsis for "completing" a story that will spring from a short-short I've already written, but thought would be a great "root" in itself for another book…but only begun it, as this item is connected with the three ditzy possibilities listed above. I have hatched a totally different character idea from the first book, which will take a spinoff book that was going nowhere and set it on its head, as least as far as remaking a character into something he wasn't before. He'll have infinitely more possibilities and need of "redemption" in his own story later, but that's on a far back burner at the moment. I did come up with a crazy fantasy/parallel universe idea that I won't be using myself, unless the author I suggested it to declines to do so—which'll mean I could then morph it into something "woo woo" but not fantasy, but still have a horking good story beginning. The author I proposed it to said it sounded like something I could write better than he could—which I don't believe! But, at any rate, this idea is on hold for the moment. It's only the vaguest scenario, and it's an idea whose time has not yet come. I did just about bounce off the walls writing a new synop and 12 pages of the first story listed above, "wrote" the next two to three chapters verbally (i.e., worked them out in the car while driving to and from choir), and thought I had the fourth one ready to start, and just merely had to transfer them to the keyboard. That's when things got interesting. Because, you see, what I "wrote" in the car, I did transcribe to a point. But only to a point. Suddenly, the characters began bantering, and the careful direction I was going to take the dialogue flew out the window. In its place were sparks of a different kind, material that came out of my fingers so fast I was typing like the wind. (And I normally type obscenely fast to begin with, so you can imagine how fast this was.) In word count terms, I wrote 2000 words in one day without feeling it—something that would have normally taken me 10-12 hours before, but took me less than half that time this go 'round. Then, I ran the stuff by my crit partner…and stopped cold. For two weeks. Then three. And I felt an awful insecurity start to creep over me, a pernicious fear that the "same old thing was going to happen again"—I'd have a great start, then run dry. And, in fact, for days and days in there, I was dry. I had no idea what to write next; I knew where I wanted my characters to be, but I had no faith that they were even my characters anymore, much less how to get them there. I was at least partly convinced that what I had written was dreck, that it was going to all have to be redone so I was "telling the story right." I didn't know how to get these people to rein in and behave, how to get the book back into my "real voice" again…and so I didn't write for awhile. I wasn't even in the mood to do it. And then, just as I was beginning to go into a major funk and think about quitting entirely… The muse came back. As capriciously as she left, she returned, cup of tea in hand, and said, "Let's get back to this." That's the only way I can explain it—because for no other reason I could ascertain, and with nothing else having changed, I suddenly got in the mood to do some more on the book. I even housecleaned in two evenings, rather than three, because I knew I was going to be writing at the end of the week and I wanted to leave lots of time "free" to do that in. And that's how I sat down on Saturday afternoon and literally, in the space of less than three hours, wrote nine pages. Or…about 2000 words. In three hours. Now, I'm still not sure if this is any good. I'm still not sure this book is written in "my voice." But it might be written in something else even better…in that the characters are literally taking over this thing, in a way characters haven't taken over anything I've written in years. I still feel like what I'm doing is nothing more than having fun, not writing a book. I still feel that it's self-indulgent, that it's just "playing." Or at least I did, until I went back and reread what I did…and discovered that through this magical banter the characters are doing, the story is getting told a whole 'nuther way. A way I hadn't imagined it was going to be told. And that is scary to the max. Because I truly don't know if it's going to work. I'm going to run this new material past my crit partner sooner rather than later, and let her tell me what she thinks. I know what I think already. I'm not even sure it's me writing this anymore. And I don't know when the next "burst" will happen…but somehow, now, I'm beginning to think I don't need to worry about it. Somehow, as frightening as this is, I'm beginning to think that this book will write itself, in its own time, at its own pace, and in creative bursts that get done precisely what needs to be done at the stage it's ready to be written. Just looking at what I've written trying to explain this creative process looks completely off the wall to me. Maybe flying off the walls is exactly what I need to do. Maybe this is truly breaking me out of the box…and teaching me to write in a whole new way. And the only way I'm going to know if that's true is by sitting by and watching it happen. But you talk about frightening? So that's part II of the idea-generation experiment…so far. Not what I expected in the least. Not at all like anything I've done in recent years. But it may turn out to be the best I've ever done. Thoughts? Janny
Posted by Janny at 2:09 PM 2 comments:
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Welcome to LOT-QuantumDesign GmbH. Thank you for your interest in our products. We will be happy to answer your questions. Come and speak to us!
Company websites
www Website1
Product catalogue preview
There is no catalogue in this language, but you can consult this company's catalogue in the following languages:
- See the catalogue Catalogue in GERMAN

subset: commoncrawl


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Migraines in Seniors – Common Causes
As people grow older, their migraines usually get better (i.e. often becoming less frequent or severe). Light sensitivity, vomiting, nausea, and other symptoms also tend to lessen with age. Unfortunately, this is not always the case as there are many individuals who still experience migraines well into their 60s and beyond. If you've noticed your senior loved one experiencing them, there could be several reasons behind it. These include:
Medication Overuse
It can be easy to slip into the habit of taking pain medicine every day for common aches. But one of the side effects of mismanaging these medications is severe headaches. As much as possible, avoid having the elderly grow reliant on painkillers as their bodies could get out of whack. If they need to take these types of medicine for an injury, bring them to a migraine clinic to have their prescriptions reviewed.
Vascular Disease
This condition stems from a reduced blood flow to the brain and typically occurs after a stroke. Irregularities in blood circulation to the brain can lead to migraines. Excessive drinking, poor diet, stress, and high cholesterol can all have a negative impact on the body. Hence, encourage the senior to lead a healthier lifestyle to prevent the onset of vascular disease.
Major Life Changes
Retirement and other life-changing situations can lead to migraines in the elderly. With no job to focus on, their joy in life could begin to fade, especially if their career was a huge part of their self-esteem. They might even become stressed, puzzled, or depressed—all of which could affect their mood and cause headaches. To keep them busy, have them participate in activities in their aged care residence or community.
Giant Cell Arteritis
This is an inflammatory disease affecting blood vessels in the head and scalp. It can cause throbbing and persistent headaches centred near the eyes or temples, similar to migraines. Often, it is accompanied by weight loss and flu-like symptoms along with enlarged lymph nodes, sweating, extreme fatigue, and jaw pain. When left untreated, it may lead to vision loss or stroke.
Limited Mobility
Seniors who have lost some of their mobility are more prone to tension-type headaches. As your aging loved one's mind becomes consumed with their inability to perform certain activities, they may experience anxiety which leads to migraines. The purchase of a motorised wheelchair or some other device to help them be even a little independent can improve their mood and mind.
Transient Accompaniments
Sensory or visual changes can cause headaches. These changes include but are not limited to blurring vision and transient blindness. A headache specialist can help monitor their condition to rule out transient ischemic attacks or short-lasting strokes. Medical treatment must be sought for these types of pains and the senior may be prescribed with verapamil to help stop them.
The above are only six of the most common reasons behind migraines or similar severe headaches among the elderly. There are others such as head trauma or trigeminal neuralgia so you should make sure to have your loved one checked by a specialist such as The Brisbane Headache and Migraine ™ Clinic to ease their pains and have them live their golden years better.


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Opera Mini for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch Approved
This is it; Apple has just approved Opera Mini, world's most popular mobile web browser. It appears that company is not as evil as some people have thought.
Furthermore, you can download it at no cost.
Congratulations to Opera Software.
Visit App Store.
Thanks to Michael Pürmayr for the news tip.
About (Author Profile)
Vygantas is a former web designer whose projects are used by companies such as AMD, NVIDIA and departed Westood Studios. Being passionate about software, Vygantas began his journalism career back in 2007 when he founded FavBrowser.com. Having said that, he is also an adrenaline junkie who enjoys good books, fitness activities and Forex trading.
Comments (11)
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so it actually get approved, well let's see how Opera Software gonna make Opera Mobile will go to iPhone next :D
congrats for the whining and childish company
Wow, the whiners are out in force today!
I think Opera ported Mini to the Iphone coz they found that it wouldn't violate the Iphone's rules. Opera Mobile on the other hand might violate it, so we won't be seeing a version of Opera Mobile for Iphone anytime soon.
Haha. It was approved today and it is already the number one free app on the Appstore. Says something about how much anticipation Opera has managed to build around the Opera Mini. Good job Opera.
Android kicks iPhone butt.
if you cant afford iphone, than maybe.
but if you can have both, in 9 out of 10 cases you are going to pick iphone
the apps, the form, the collection of 'little things' make 3gs still unmatched experience.
android now is too fragmented, lots of energy will be wasted to unite it again.
Apple sued HTC because Android is kicking iPhone butt. Google is going to crush Apple. Mark my words.
Fragmented? You tell me iTunes with its multiple iPhone models, iPods, and now iPoad, is not fragmented as well. LOL.
Sorry dude, Apple is going down. Just like Firefox.
WebKit rocks, though. Google will soon take over WebKit completely from Apple.
you dont know what you are talking about
iTunes works exactly the same for any and all iXXX devices
coding for android requires choices, what version you are going to support, effectively locking some users out, users that also 'are using android'.
but to know that you must know how android apps are developed, but given you know nothing about this at all, you are just barking
'apple is goig down'? LOL. sell their stock then. oh no, you havent got their stock? poor man.
Well a few features of OS 3.0 dont work in the 1st gen Iphones and Ipod Touch. And when the next OS update 4.0 is released, more features will not be supported in the 1st and 2nd generation Iphone and Ipods. So he has a point there, although the fragmentation is nowhere near the level in Android.
I want opera


text:
Neath waste plant reopens after closure
A waste incinerator which was voluntarily shut down after breaching its limit for emissions has reopened.
Environment Agency Wales has agreed that the council-owned plant at Crymlyn Burrows in Neath Port Talbot can restart its combustion unit.
It closed in December 2010 after air samples showed it had failed five out of 10 dioxin emissions tests.
The latest tests have found the emissions are now within the standards of the site's environmental permit.
The plant, which opened in 2002, processes household waste for recycling and incineration from Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend.
It is operated by Neath Port Talbot (Recycling) Ltd - a wholly-owned subsidiary of the council
Breaches were not ever at levels to cause health problems.
The EA work gave the go-ahead after operators completed an agreed programme of work to resolve dioxin emissions.
This has included extensive refurbishment and cleaning of the plant and equipment used to control pollution.
In the future operators will use an enhanced programme to monitor emissions and ensure standards are maintained.


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Hello and happy Monday. It's safe to say that so far we've covered pretty basic looks, maybe with the exception of the one involving purple pigments. That's because I've been mostly recreating everyday or weekend looks. Today, though, I want us to explore the mother of all night looks, one that for some reason many people are terrified of. I'm going to show you the steps to achieve a matte brown smokey eye. Let's get started, shall we?
I did the eyes first because we'll be playing with several different shadows, and because dark tones can get messy, and we want our eye to be as clean cut as possible. The steps for the eyes are:
- Eye primer
- Beige (base)
- Light brown (eyelid)
- Matte brown (crease)
- Black (outer corner)
- Champagne (inner corner)
- Black eyeliner (tightline)
- Brown (bottom and top lash line)
- Mascara
Now, after you're done with the eyes, you can use concealer to cut the shadow and clean up before moving on to the rest of the face.
- Primer
- Concealer
- Foundation
- Eyebrows
- Powder
- Contour
- Bronzer
- Blush
What is your favorite special occasion or nighttime look? Let me know in the comments!
Happy Monday!
Love, Miss Camila


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If you crave excitement, keep your eye on the No. 4 JBL Toyota Tundra of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Christopher Bell. Bell is headed to Gateway Motorsports Park for the Drivin' For Linemen 200 on June 17 and he's on a roll.
The 22-year-old native of Norman, Oklahoma has a habit of winning in spectacular fashion. On Friday, June 9, Bell took the checkered flag in Texas by mere inches over Chase Briscoe. He claimed GMP's victory lane for his team at last year's Drivin' for Linemen 200 by edging Ben Rhodes by just 0.275 seconds after a two-lap shootout. He scored his first NASCAR Truck Series win in 2015 at Eldora, Ohio in a thrilling green-white-checker finish over polesitter Bobby Pierce. That first win came in only his third Truck Series start. It is safe to assume fans can expect more of the same excitement from Bell's Toyota team on Saturday night.
Bell will kick off the race weekend with a media tour in St. Louis on Thursday. He'll visit Scott Air Force Base in the afternoon, then throw out the first pitch at the Cardinals-Brewers game at Busch Stadium at 7 p.m.
The 2013 national USAC Midget champion drives full-time for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Truck Series and also races part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Super Bowl champion coach Joe Gibbs. He currently is second in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series point standings, just 40 behind leader Johnny Sauter.
Bell celebrates his 2016 win at Gateway Motorsports Park. (Michael Allio)
Tickets for the June 17 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Drivin' for Linemen 200 are on sale and may be purchased at the GMP ticket office, by phone at (618) 215-8888 or online at www.wwtraceway.com. General admission tickets start at just $36 and kids 15 and under are free (general admission).
Saturday, June 17 — NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Drivin' for Linemen 200 schedule
8:30 a.m. — Spectator parking lots open.
9 a.m. — Spectator gates open.
9 a.m. — Climbin' for Linemen competition begins (infield).
9:30-10:25 a.m. — NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Drivin' for Linemen 200 practice.
11:30 a.m.-12:25 p.m. — Final NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Drivin' for Linemen 200 practice.
1:30-2:30 p.m. — Illinois Lottery 40 ARCA Midwest Tour practice and qualifying.
2-2:45 p.m. — NASCAR driver autograph session (infield).
2:30-4:30 p.m. — Free concert by The Band Steele on the midway.
4:45 p.m. — NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Drivin' for Linemen 200 qualifying.
5:45 p.m. — ARCA Midwest Tour Illinois Lottery 40 driver introductions.
6:10 p.m. — ARCA Midwest Tour Illinois Lottery 40 (40 laps, 50 miles, timed event).
7 p.m. — NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Drivin' for Linemen 200 driver introductions.
7:30 p.m. — NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Drivin' for Linemen 200 (160 laps, 200 miles).
Schedule is subject to change.
Twitter hashtag: #D4LM200
For more information on Gateway Motorsports Park, please call (618) 215-8888 or visit www.wwtraceway.com. Follow GMP on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram.
About Gateway Motorsports Park
Gateway Motorsports Park is the home of INDYCAR, NASCAR and NHRA racing in the St. Louis region. Located just five minutes from downtown St. Louis and covering more than 340 acres, Gateway Motorsports Park is the largest outdoor entertainment facility in the area. Gateway Motorsports Park's facilities include a 1/4-mile drag strip, 1.25-mile superspeedway, the 1.6-mile Circuit of St. Louis road course, a state-of-the-art Karting facility and a 14-acre, multi-purpose dirt off-road venue.


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Checkout MarketMuse's career page or our Jobs Board for other opportunities
Account Executive, Mid-Market
MarketMuse uses AI to accelerate content planning, creation and optimization. The MarketMuse platform identifies content quality issues on your site and builds blueprints that show you exactly how to write to cover a topic comprehensively. Publishers, content creators and e-commerce managers use MarketMuse to realize 5X+ improvements in search performance.
Job Description
We are hiring an Account Executive for full-time employment. We are an early-stage startup that is growing very rapidly, so we're looking for someone who can move fast.
Compensation is competitive and includes commission. Long-term hires with the company can receive equity as well.
- Independently drive sales in our Mid-Market segment ($500 - $2,500 MRR deals).
- This AE will independently drive sales in our Mid-Market segment ($500 - $2,500 MRR deals).
- Preference for candidates who have worked at a startup before.
- Experience in search or content marketing a plus but not required.
- Experience in agency sales a plus but not required.
- Candidates must be empathetic and focused on understanding the customer's issues - listening more than talking.
- Must be based in Boston or willing to relocate to Boston.


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We've officially hit July, which means the summer movie season is half over! What movies are the best of the best?
Quick note: I haven't seen every single film to be released and am sorely lacking in the independent films, but oh well.
1. Inside Out: Pixar's return to form. This is an emotional roller coaster that is every bit as good as the studio's best efforts. The voice cast, headlined by Amy Poehler, is spot on. And one character not featured in any of the trailers absolutely steals the show. This film is more for adults than it is kids. But it's absolutely worth seeing and is the best blockbuster film of the summer by far.
2. Mad Max: Fury Road: Maybe the biggest surprise of the summer, Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy help make Mad Max's return to the big screen an amazing trip. It's thrilling and beautiful to look at. There's a shocking amount of narrative heft to it, despite limited dialogue. Director George Miller proves he still knows how to craft a unique and amazingly entertaining action film.
3. Spy: It's easy to write this Melissa McCarthy vehicle as the same as all the films she's done. That would be a mistake. This hilarious spy comedy is spot on, with comedy gold performances from Jason Statham and Rose Byrne to boot.
Biggest disappointment: Avengers: Age of Ultron: Look, this film had its entertaining moments. But it was essentially the same as the first Avengers right down to the teaser scene at the end. For maybe the first time since Marvel Studio's cinematic universe began, this film felt more like a chore to get through than a joy.
Lukas Eggen can be reached at email@example.com.


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Andy Hynes, at SBC Voices, has an interesting approach to passing on the faith to our children. He advocates focusing on repentance and faith (those Baptists often skip baptism for some reason).
What do you think? What about Jesus' teachings here? the apostles'? What do you think of the current state of evangelizing children? Advice?
I see parents today leading young children, who do not have a proper biblical understanding of essential concepts, into a "moment or decision," that has more ownership by the parent than the child. Something like this happens…
Child: I want to ask Jesus in my heart.
Parent: Great, why do you want to do that?
Child: I want to be a Christian and go to heaven.
Parent: Okay, let's pray to ask Jesus to come into your heart.
Parent: Repeat after me…
At that moment absolute RELIEF fills the parent, with the "assurance" that their child is now saved! They come down front, talk for a brief moment with a staff member, and then, to a standing ovation, they are presented as having been saved. We run them through the baptismal waters to symbolize death and new birth…something a young child can comprehend?…There was indescribable relief that came over my heart when I grasped the depths of the above truths. My focus was turned toward pointing my sons to biblical ideas and not traditional concepts. God removed from my hands the burden of convincing my oldest son who is now 6 to "get saved." I cannot make my sons pursue repentance and faith. What I can do is confuse them, and after all it is not about me. Pointing my sons to Christ comes through spending time teaching them what the Bible actually says, and not what has traditionally been thought. I am no less a "witness" for Christ to my sons than I am the tribal chief in the bush of Africa!
Instead of asking our kids, "Do you want to be saved, or do you want to ask Jesus into your heart," let's not ask them anything, but rather teach them all the truths of the scripture, and specifically those relating to repentance and faith.


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Former leader of Trumbull church pleads guilty to investor fraud
A former bishop of the Bridgeport Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located in Trumbull, is accused of defrauding investors' of more than $400,000 and using it to pay his own expenses, including building a waterfront home in Stratford.
David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Julius C. Blackwelder, 59, of North Dakota, formerly of Stratford, plead guilty today before Senior United States District Judge Ellen Bree Burns in New Haven to federal wire fraud and money laundering offenses stemming from an investor fraud scheme.
"This defendant abused his position of trust as a leader in his church to defraud fellow church members and others out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, much of which he used to construct a waterfront home," Fein said. "I commend the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, SIGTARP, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Connecticut Department of Banking and our other law enforcement partners who are working diligently to protect investors by identifying and rooting out fraudulent financial schemes."
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in 2005, Blackwelder persuaded individuals to invest their money with him as part of an investment pool known as the "Friend's Investment Group." At the time, Blackwelder was the Bishop of the Bridgeport Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located in Trumbull, and he solicited investments from, among others, members of his congregation.
Blackwelder misrepresented to investors that he would invest their money in safe, long-term commodities futures contracts, and that he was an experienced and successful commodities investor. In some instances, Blackwelder guaranteed investors' principal and a specific return on their investment. He documented his misrepresentations to investors in promissory notes, offering memoranda, and account updates that he prepared.
He reportedly used investors' money to pay his own expenses, which included repaying earlier investors in the scheme, building a waterfront home in Stratford, and repaying personal bank loans, including a line of credit from a Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) recipient bank.
Through this scheme, Blackwelder defrauded investors of more than $400,000.
Blackwelder pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of money laundering, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Judge Burns has scheduled sentencing for May 15, 2013. This matter is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the State of Connecticut Department of Banking. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan N. Francis and Deputy United States Attorney Deirdre M. Daly.


text: Name: ivo Country: Portugal Age: 28 Interests: computers Occupation: work at gaz station Character Name: Still dunno which will use at release Hender,soulEater,Zeref,deedlit,Pirotiss What time and days are you usually available to play: everyday after work Do you have Discord, a working microphone and the ability to use it: Yes If you cannot use Discord to speak at certain times please indicate those times here: - Do you use IRC: No, but i can start using What type of internet connection do you have? Is it reliable: cable fiber 100/100, yes Why are you interested in joining Mystical Awakening: talked with all Eu leaders with created guilds to match my playstyle, pilgrim was the most friendly one i talked with including details about the guild that matched what i was looking for. Have you read (and agree with) our Guild Charter: Yes Previous MMO Experience: Conquer online, rf,tera,c9,riders of icarus, revelations online,mu, mu legends, and more"placed the ones coming to mind first" What do you consider your best MMO achievements to date: c9 had awesome pvp What skills, knowledge or other contributions can you bring to Mystical Awakening: will farm and fight alot team work List your previous guild(s) (from any MMO): - Reason for leaving your previous guild: - Any existing Mystical Awakening member that can vouch for you: - Describe your tolerance to constructive criticism: i play as a hobby to have fun not to get mad, avoid/ignore/laugh What is your view on alt characters: its good to focus in different needs What, based on your MMO experience to date, is the reason you would most likely state for leaving the game: No active friends to play with/dieing game. Anything else you would like to share/add with us: cant wait to learn test more


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a brand new instalment of "And They Say There's No Such Thing As the Hardcore Continuum!"
instalment #8
Robin Howells's interview with postdubstep crew LHF in FACT, August 2010
Howells: People do seem to think your music strongly evokes certain precursors, for example the Metalheadz crew or DMZ. Who or what inspires you all?
Amen Ra: "Growing up I was all about jungle and hardcore from the age of about 12 or 13. I'm infected by a lot of that style, it won't ever leave me! Also house and garage, 2step, all those old pirate sounds were all me. Broken beat sparked me massively and when dubstep started emerging that was a very deep time too, early FWD vibes. Everything I do comes through that filter...."
Double Helix: "The musical history that London's streets and surrounding counties hold are important to me as an individual and a producer. I see the hardcore continuum as the UK's gift to the world – its effect on the way that a massive cross-section of society interacts is huge and can't be overlooked. Early jungle and breakbeat hardcore pioneers feature heavily in my record collection. Metalheadz 01-50 are quite possibly the most influential tracks that I own, and what Goldie did with Timeless and then Platinum Breakz Vol.1 is actually ridiculous. 90.6 FM under its many names was the home of two crews that without doubt had a massive impact on our sound, SLT and Bass Inject – they always came with new dubs on a weekly, nobody had the tunes they had and it was seriously fertile ground for music. Garage and the significant founders of the early movement that evolved from 2step into dubstep are seriously close to my heart… the beat patterns they came with were an eye opener as to what can be done at those tempos."....
Howells: If music from what's often referred to as the hardcore continuum is important to a lot of you, do any of you feel some sense of descent from musicians in its past? Do you think it's necessary to be familiar with it to understand your music?
Amen Ra: "Definitely, people who do not come from the continuum will have a different understanding of our music – just as valid an understanding as people who have come from there as I think there's enough to cater for both. There's definitely a lineage that we feel a part of, from the early hardcore, through to jungle, through to the Metalheadz era; through garage, grime and dubstep, especially when DMZ came around. But things aren't like what they were in the past, they aren't as rare and underground, so we kind of have to draw a line under them eras, while remembering them at the same time if that makes sense."
Double Helix: "It's almost impossible to avoid the impact of its sonic lineage when you're exposed to those sounds and ethics from a young age – the way that they interact and resonate with London as a multicultural society becomes clearer the more you look, and it's a really powerful thing . I don't think that grass roots familiarity with the continuum is essential to experiencing our music fully, but there will naturally be far more reference points in tracks for people that grew up with the continuum."
Low Density Matter: "I think it's inescapable really: if you lived anywhere near the M25 corridor once it was built, no matter how old you were, the continuum would almost definitely have affected your life in one way or another – be it through friends giving you tapes, record shops opening, people talking about the convoys, picking up rogue pirate stations in the car or even the bad press about raves. We're no exception. The FM dial was rammed full of pirates and a ridiculous cross section of music was on tap, so you naturally develop an affinity with those sounds over the years."
Solar Man: "We take a lot of influence from styles that have a direct connection to the continuum, and some that have influenced aspects of it without being so obvious, so it's open to listeners of all backgrounds really. If you check beats by Amen, Helix or LDM for example, elements of garage, jungle and house are all clearly present in the sound they produce, but they're all fused and punctuated by bursts of Bollywood, jazz, hip-hop, soul and a variety of samples from many genres."
No Fixed Abode: "You don't have to be familiar with the continuum to understand our sound, but it helps: there's definitely a certain understanding of the continuum required to truly get it, I think. I twist the traditional format and bring in other influences that other heads might find too risky, as it goes too far from "UK" shit. I don't care, this is no time to play it safe and this ain't the time for those who just stick to what is comfortable and keeps them "in the team"."
The fact that LHF's music is ruddy excellent is just maple syrup and whipped cream on the Belgian waffle that is their splendid fidelity to the Way, the Light and the Truth.


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- Year: 1988
- Miles: 9,960
- Exterior: Nero
- Interior: Nero
- Style: Coupe
- Engine: 5.2L V12
- Transmission Description: 5-Speed Manual
- Drivetrain: Rear
- Vin: ZA9CA05A0JLA12332
- Type: Used
- Location: Denver
- View Carfax Report
You'll find the most comprehensive selection of exclusive exotics right here. We are THE DESTINATION. Whether you are seeking the most experienced staff to guide you through your first exotic automotive acquisition, or you are seasoned in the trade, we are here to provide you the very best personalized service you'll find anywhere. . . . This car is 1 of just 52 1988.5 built for the US market. The first owner cared for this incredible machine for 27 Years before allowing this highly sought after car to market. A completely original matching numbers example fitted with appealing options making it even more collectible, the Rear Wing ($7,000 option) and the Gold Campagnolo "Bravo" Wheel Package. The 1988.5 models delivered to the US were the first to have the upgraded electronic climate control systems, a Bosch fuel injector system, makes this car a pleasure to drive while providing a symphony of Italian muscle and the pure exhilaration. Unlike many, this one was not been compromised from its original US Spec bumpers. Travelling just under 10,000 miles to date we have just completed a fresh extensive mechanical service and cosmetic refresh. The car was properly kept in a private collection for many years, but now is your opportunity to own piece of history and invest in an automotive icon! Calling the Lamborghini Countach "groundbreaking" would be an understatement. It has been one of the most recognizable cars of its time since leaving the crowd flabbergasted at the 1971 Geneva Auto Show upon its unveiling. The Miura, the predecessor, set the industry standard for supercars when it was introduced, and showed that Lamborghini still had one more trick up its sleeve. Just like the Miura, there was nothing on sale at the time that came close to the Countach in terms of visual appeal or overall automotive panache, it was destined to become a classic. Marcello Gandini's angular design typified the design language of the 1980's nearly 10 years in advance. The car was highlighted by its eye-catching, upward-hinged "scissor doors," and every inch of it was designed with show-stopping visual appeal in mind. It was the perfect automobile for those who could afford it and were looking to stand out from the crowd, as it was eye catching and jaw dropping in every way. Fourteen years after the introduction of the initial Countach in March 1985, Lamborghini returned to the Geneva Auto Show to introduce the third iteration of the Countach, the QV, which was named for its four valve heads. The car's V-12 featured an increase in cubic displacement to 5,167 cubic centimeters, and the compression ratio was increased to 9.5:1. This brought horsepower to 455 at 7,000 rpm and 340lb-ft of torque, increasing power by 45 brake horsepower over the outgoing LP5000S Countach. Cosmetically, the Countach remained largely unchanged, with the only alteration being to the rocker panels, where vents were added to extract air for the rear brakes. The Countach can sprint from 0-60 in 5.2 seconds and has a max speed of 182 mile per hour. Special Features: Very Rare, 1 of only 52 U.S. spec cars ever produced! Optional Factory rear wing ($7000) Optional Factory Gold Campagnolo "Bravo" Wheels A/C climate control * Staked side skirts, first introduced on the 1988.5 model and remained on the latter/lower powered fuel injected anniversary cars.


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Ohio Department of Transportation's traffic report shows that the northbound lanes of Interstate 77 near the Akron-Canton Airport were closed Wednesday evening due to an accident. Passers-by reported that they could see black smoke miles away.
GREEN What appears to be a car fire near the Akron-Canton Airport temporarily halted traffic in the northbound lanes of Interstate 77 Wednesday evening.
The northbound lanes on the interstate eventually were reopened late Wednesday night. The Ohio Department of Transportation's online traffic dashboard reported that shortly after 7 p.m. a car accident closed the northbound lanes of the interstate and advised motorists to avoid the area.
Drivers on Interstate 77 reported seeing black smoke billowing into the sky from roughly a mile away. Photos shared with The Canton Repository show a charred four-door compact car sitting along the side of the interstate.
At one point, as of 7:30 p.m., traffic was at a near standstill between the Portage Street exit and north of the airport.
One passer-by said the northbound entrance to Interstate 77 from the airport was blocked by a sheriff deputy's car.
A Summit County Sheriff's Office dispatcher confirmed that deputies responded, but declined to provide further information without authorization from a supervisor. No additional details were immediately available.


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It was recently brought to my attention that some people delete their Facebook accounts because they hate to see other people's happy lives. This notion took me by surprise as it was something I, personally, have not considered.
Naturally, it got me thinking.
Is it possible my Facebook posts piss people off? Is someone out there jealous of the happy times I share? Could I be the reason someone shuts down their Facebook?
If I knew this to be true, I would respond like this:
My family and I have gone through more tribulations than most people I know. I've shared quite a bit of it on Facebook and my blogs, although there is much more that I keep behind the scenes to protect the privacy of others.
But in spite of our trials, we've triumphed. I'm now watching the manifestation of my focal points taking form in the physical world. I find myself mesmerized as I watch one beautiful moment after another unfold around me. In awestruck wonder, I often ask myself:
Is this really happening? Do you see what I see? Is this really the beneficial reaping of my focus, determination and healing?
Each sweet moment, every tiny victory and each step of spiritual growth has become super important to me. I cherish it. I roll around in it. I allow it to integrate into my spirit.
Posting on Facebook is my personal way of shouting from the mountaintops with outstretched arms, "Thank you, God! I see what I have, I'm receiving it and I'm so incredibly grateful!"
My hope would be for you to understand where I've been and how important celebrating my "good stuff" is for me.
One might be thinking, You just don't understand. My life is a mess. Nothing goes my way. It's hard for me to be happy for anyone because I'm so miserable.
Oh, my dear… I understand more than you know. And you have the power to change that.
In my not-so-distant past, I was in the gutter so low I felt my life was over. I believed a happy life was only reserved for others. Depression, anxiety, self-loathing and negativity were oozing out of my pores.
In December of 2010 all my brothers and their families were gathered at our mother's house for Christmas. Everyone was joyfully chatting and laughing with their spouses by their sides. I had just entered "my tsunami". My husband had abandoned our family and left us homeless and incomeless. I couldn't get past the belief that I was the "loser divorced child". I desperately wanted what they had.
I could barely contain my depression, sadness and unworthiness. I wanted to hide out in my room until the holiday was over then slink back into my dreadful existence without anyone watching. It was a painfully lonely and shameful time.
However, after a couple days of my self-induced hell, I reminded myself of something…
Their lives aren't perfect. No one's is. They have their own trials and tribulations too. Their "stuff" just looks different than mine does. I'm not broken, flawed or beyond redemption! My life simply took a weird ass left turn and I have some grieving and healing to do. Nothing more. Nothing less.
In that moment, I chose a different perception and with no prompting, the density of my emotion began to ease up. I chose to view the happiness and well-being of others as a place I wanted to return to, not a place of jealousy and self-loathing.
I chose thoughts that would put me on the trajectory of victory rather than thoughts that kept me rooted in the ghastly hell of victimhood.
And you can too.
Pity parties are desperately unproductive. Sometimes we have to kick our own butt and get back in the game!
So I ask you, dear friend, do you see other people's lives through the filter of regret, despair, loneliness, discouragement, jealousy and/or unworthiness?
If you answered Yes, you can change your path right now by focusing on these
3 Steps That Will Change Your Life Trajectory:
- Focus on what is going right in your life instead of what is not. No matter what storm we are in, there are always blessings afoot. Take notice and practice gratitude.
- Celebrate others' happiness and victories. Focusing on others' "good stuff" creates an energetic change in you thus an energetic change in your direction. When we focus on better feeling emotions, we align ourselves for better experiences to come our way.
- View others' "good stuff" as a point of reference. Instead of being jealous or resentful of their life, use their experience to inspire you to reach higher for yourself and your family. If they can have it, so can you! When we align ourselves with healing, healing will come.
Our experience of life is how we choose to perceive it. We can choose to see life through bitterness, resentment and jealousy or we can choose to recognize our blessings and others' blessings as a point of attraction we want more of.
Just as wallowing in despair will give you more to despair about, basking in your blessings will bring you more to bask about!
Much Love,


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Dylan Grimes
- Full Name: Dylan Grimes
- Place of birth: Melbourne, Victoria
- Original Team: Northern Knights
- Draft: #2 2010 Rookie Draft, Richmond
- Height/Weight: 193/88
- Position(s): Defence
The Richmond defender has been troubled by injuries right throughout his career, having yet reached the 100 game milestone despite making his debut in 2010. Grimes arrived at Punt Road from the Northern Knights, following his selection in the 2010 Rookie Draft. He is the younger brother of former Melbourne utility Jack. Throughout the duration of his time at the top level, Grimes has shown the ability to play on both tall and small opponents, which has made him one of the key pillars in the Tigers defence. 2017 is the first time he will serve as AFLPA club delegate.Reading Time: 1 minute


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choice for women, feminism, hotline in Pakistan, laws to protect women in Pakistan, Pakistan women, Pakistani women rights, violence against women
Recently in my Jan 17th post: 5 Worst Places In The World To Be A Woman, Pakistan was listed as number three, but thanks to human rights groups working to improve the lives of girls and women, Pakistan is taking small steps to make improvements for women and keep women alive.
Pakistan is an Islamic state and people take pride in following strict Islamic values, but Islam has granted a much respected social position to women and acknowledges the rights and privileges of the women in society. Unfortunately, Pakistan has taken a different direction. Islam sees women as equally important members of society as men, expects women will participate in society as much as men, and that no restrictions will be in place to keep women from assuming that position of importance.
Unfortunately, interpretations of Islam have led to Pakistani women being denied economic, social, civil and political rights. Women have been denied the right to education and the right to decide matters relating to their marriage and divorce. Women are denied these rights and therefore are also less likely to have any legal recourse for justice.
The devaluation of women has led to women having less choice about their lives and bodies, which has ultimately led to the perpetration of extreme violence on them. The government has done little to protect women and does not often punish those who harm women, though they are slowly trying to change this.
In Pakistan women are still in great danger of rape (and then later being killed because they were victims of rape), sex trafficking, domestic violence, and physical abuse such as: acid throwing, dowry murder, burning, and "honor" killings for a woman supposedly dishonoring the family. "Honor" killings continue to be reported daily and because the status of women is often based on the idea that what they do is a reflection of the family's honor, the killers are often seen with sympathy. The government has done little to restrict the sale of acid or to punish those who use it to injure women.
According to Pakistan's Human Rights Commission, approximately 1,000 women and girls die in honor killings annually. According to The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) it may be as many as 5,000.
*On the positive side:
Two laws passed in early December 2011, one that further criminalized certain practices of harming women and girls, like marrying off or essentially bartering/selling young girls to settle tribal disputes. Essentially slavery. Women and girls are viewed as property, not as full human beings. The other laws that passed place stricter punishment for for acid attacks. Only time will tell if the laws are enforced and women are actually protected like Islam would expect them to be.
The Pakistani society has usually adopted a hostile attitude towards the women. Their development in society is hindered due to many factors. In many areas, life is governed and regulated by strict beliefs and behavioral patterns. A woman has no say in any aspect of her life, including her marriage.
Laws must be in place to respect women in all areas of life and to promote women's participation in the society.
*Another positive:
In Karachi, Pakistan, a hotline has been put in place to help women in domestic violence situations. This is a ground breaking thing and there is still a long way to go in Pakistan, but a hotline like this is a HUGE step toward helping women, raising awareness and stopping violence against women. The group that began the hotline, called Madadgar (Helper), is the first of its kind in the nation. Though recently laws passed to protect women further, there is still a discrepancy in the help and assistance women actually receive and Madadgar will work toward trying to offer support around intimate partner violence.
Pakistan is trying to take steps to help women survive and be equal to men in the society. Much of why women are seen as less than is their lack of choice for themselves. And it's a Catch 22, because they are seen as less than and choices are taken from them and as choice is taken further from them, they are seen as even less than.
Women's worth and value as human beings in Pakistan culture and society is so low that they are more easily targeted for horrible violence. This is also happening in the U.S. to a different degree.
If, in the U.S., we continue to restrict women's choices over their bodies and selves, we will be inviting further violence against women.


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With the return of Saturday Night Live, we're bringing back this feature — because no other pop culture entity has been so good to viral video.
Will It Spread? Palin/Clinton Open, SNL
What's It About: Saturday Night Live coaxes Tina Fey home for the cameo people have been demanding since day 1 of Sarah Palin's appearance on the national scene. Amy Poehler, as Hillary Clinton, calls Palin out for her "Tina Fey glasses."
Premiered: Sept. 13, 2008
Viral Qualities: Ladies and politics are a lethal combination, and in a few short weeks Sarah Palin has cornered the market on this particular zeitgeist.
Star Power: I'll say it: Tina Fey just is the coolest. Even if her accent is more Fargo than Juneau.
Drawbacks: The back-and-forth comparing of Clinton and Palin's political backgrounds and the treatment each has received from the media is pretty funny — but a lot of this material has already been covered. (Though, to be fair, not on national television.)
Mash-up Potential: Depends on how you define it. It's unlikely that anyone will choose to riff on this particular short — but that's because they're all already doing their own Palin impersonations.
Current Viral Status: 88,668 views on NBC.com within twelve hours of its premiere.
Spread-factor (scale of 1-10, 10 being Lazy Sunday): 8. It's one voice in the chorus of people mocking the governor of Alaska — but it's the star soprano.


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An online product knowledge resource for all hospitality and tourism industry staff, flexibly designed to be taken anytime.
Home to Europe's largest natural harbour, Poole has long been a draw for water sports fans, while its award-winning beaches on Sandbanks entice families year round. Poole's bustling Quay is lined with inviting historic pubs serving up locally produced beers and freshly-caught seafood and just behind the Quay, the Old Town is packed with outstanding restaurants, a haven for gastronomes.
Poole's also home to the world-famous Poole Pottery and Poole Museum, which offers a glimpse into the town's fishing industry and smuggling past.
But there's much more to Poole. The Poole Ambassador module is a perfect introduction to the town for busy tourism staff. Crammed with facts not only about the beaches and Quay, but the town's parks, tours and walks, events and festivals, its wealth of entertainment plus information on how to get around.
Why not put your knowledge of Poole to the test and try the quizzes here.
Request access
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Andrew J. Sherman
Andrew J. Sherman is a partner in the Washington, DC, office of Seyfarth Shaw and is a top-rated adjunct professor in the MBA programs at the University of Maryland and Georgetown Law School. He is frequently called upon by the media to share his expertise and has been featured or quoted in reputable outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, USA today, The New York Times, Business Week, Fortune, Investor's Business Daily, Forbes Entrepreneur, and U.S News & World Report. Additionally, he has authored the following books: Harvesting Intangible Assets: Uncover Hidden Revenue in Your Company's Intellectual Property; Mergers and Acquisitions from A to Z; Raising Capital; Franchising & Licensing; and Essays on Governance.


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TWO Tory National Assembly candidates are under investigation for making tasteless and sexist jokes on Facebook.
The internal party inquiry was launched last night after the Western Mail passed details of the internet postings to the Welsh Conservatives.
One of the candidates, Joel James – the only Tory member of Rhondda Cynon Taf council – was given a name check by David Cameron during his speech at last year's Welsh Conservative conference.
Referring to the party's increased representation at local government level since he first spoke in Wales as leader four years before, Mr Cameron said: "We've got over 60 more councillors in cities, towns and villages and even in Labour's heartland, and yes, even deep in the Valleys, even in the Rhondda. Let's not forget Joel James – he may be the only Conservative in the village but we're proud of the progress we've made."
Within months, however, Mr James was posting juvenile and sexist comments on Facebook, including a reference to French pornography.
Last Wednesday Welsh Conservative Assembly leader Nick Bourne congratulated Mr James via Twitter after his selection as the Tory candidate for Ponty-pridd in May's election. On the same day Mr Bourne congratulated Mr James' friend Dan Saxton on his selection as the Tory candidate for Cynon Valley.
Last July Mr Saxton posted a tasteless joke involving a little girl on Facebook and last month he posted a sexist joke about how to get a "bird into bed".
The controversy follows the high-profile departures from Sky Sports of presenter Richard Keys and commentator Andy Gray after the pair made sexist remarks over assistant referee Sian Massey.
They thought their microphones had been switched off when they were heard questioning if Ms Massey knew the offside rule.
Jenny Rathbone, Labour's Assembly candidate for Cardiff Central, said: "It is sad that the Welsh Conservatives find it so hard to shed their Nasty Party image. These remarks range from sexist to the frankly depraved and have no place in Welsh politics.
"It is a pitiful reflection on the Welsh Tories that they have candidates coming out with the same type of ignorant trash that Richard Keys and Andy Gray were rightly criticised for."
Mr James was elected to represent Llantwit Fardre on Rhondda Cynon Taf council in 2008.
Last month he posted an entry about himself on Wikipedia, the internet encyclopaedia, which said: "Joel James is a British politician currently the sitting councillor for Llantwit Fardre. He is the Conservative Party nominee for the 2011 Welsh Assembly election for the Pontypridd constituency.
"He is 25 years old at the time of writing this and has a degree in History from Bristol University.
"He was also an election agent for another aspiring British politician Mr Steven Rogers, who ran in the 2010 Cymmer ward by-election in the Porth area of Rhondda Cynon Taf and did quadruple their vote share in the area and hopes to run again in 2012.
"Both being Conservatives in political aspiration, Joel is aided by his close friend and representative of the Cynon Valley National Assembly for Wales constituency. Both are members of the Pontypridd Conservative Association based in Pontypridd."
The entry was deleted by Wikipedia on the grounds that Mr James is not important enough to deserve an entry.
A senior Labour member of Rhondda Cynon Taf council said last night: "Since he was elected his attendance and performance have been very mediocre – and that's paying him a compliment. The truth is he comes across as quite amateur.
"He got a ribbing soon after he was elected after turning up late for a meeting and giving the excuse that his mother had forgotten to wake him up. On another occasion he said his mother had not packed his committee reports in his briefcase.
"Actually he comes from a family of extremely strong Labour supporters."
A Welsh Conservative Party spokesman said last night: "Both Daniel Saxton and Joel James have apologised unreservedly to senior members of the Welsh Conservative Party for their comments, which they now recognise are wholly unacceptable. The comments have now been removed from their Facebook profiles.
"Their conduct has been referred to the Welsh Conservative Party's standing committee on candidates for further investigation."
This latest incident follows the resignation last month of Richard Lowe, the Tory Assembly candidate for Alyn & Deeside. The party said Mr Lowe had stepped down for personal reasons after it emerged that he had made a sick joke about the missing girl Madeleine McCann.
In 2009 Mr Lowe, who is a member of Cheshire West and Chester Council, had the Tory whip withdrawn for four months after making a sick joke on Facebook about Madeleine.
He was forced to apologise for "inappropriate" comments he posted in response to boasts by fellow Conservative Matt Lewis about dressing up as Madeleine McCann for a New Year's Eve party.
Mr Lowe had written on the social networking site: "Is this a cunning (Baldrick style) plan to obtain the reward money? Room for one more?"
His group leader, Mike Jones, said after Mr Lowe's reinstatement: "He's done a lot of growing up in the last three months."


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It's already the week of Thanksgiving, and as I noted at the beginning of the month, I have much to be thankful for. This week I'm making a road trip with my daughter to Chicago to spend the holiday with friends. Yes, I'm foregoing the traditional turkey with extended family–and I'll miss them. But there are many reasons to spend the week in a bit of a nontraditional way, including the fact that Ali will be off to college in just over a year (the photo to the left is of the kids in 2001–where does the time go?), and spending the holiday on the road with her will make some fun memories, giving us something to share and look back on that will be special to both of us. And have no fear, I'll be making a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings with Paul, my JourneymanCook, when I get back this weekend. (We love cooking together. And we both love leftover turkey sandwiches, too.)
Aside from sharing a great meal with friends and doing a little holiday shopping in Chicago, I've got some craft beer drinking on my agenda as well. (Did you doubt it?) I'm sure there will be plenty of places to down a Goose Island (a favorite I've sampled in the Windy City before) and explore the craft beer scene. But what I'm especially looking forward to is a stop for lunch on the way home Friday at the Three Floyds brewpub in Indiana. I've heard great things about this beer and even the food at the pub. And I've promised my beer blogging friend Gerard Walen (RoadTripsforBeer) a guest blog post when I return, so look for that.
It will be a quick trip, and before you know it, we'll be into December and all the holiday parties of the season. I'm looking forward to several events, including a Cleveland beer bloggers tweetup at the Winking Lizard on December 1st (let me know if you want to come!), and the next Ohio Girls' Pint Out event on December 7th. There's also a Prohibition Party going on that same night sponsored by Emerging Chefs of Cleveland–so many parties to get to! You know I'll try to hit them all, in the name of good craft brew drinking and reporting for you, Dear Reader. 🙂
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, no matter how you're spending it, and with whom. As long as you've got a good brew in your hand. Let me know what you're pairing with your turkey in the comments! I'd love to hear all about your holiday as well. Cheers~
UPDATE: Had a great time shopping along the Magnificent Mile with my girl Ali and her friend Saisha on Wednesday. We spent a nostalgic few minutes in the American Girl store, hit some great shoe sales (boots at half off!), tasted some Godiva goodies, and tried on hats and giggled and had lunch together. Then we caught Harry Potter and his friends for some theatrical thrills. Today it's the Macy's parade and turkey with all the trimmings.
I'm sad to report I won't be able to hit Three Floyds brew pub on the way home Friday–Ali has to get home in time for the high school football playoff game–the team advanced and the band is required to be there. We just won't have time to enjoy a stop this time around. But I did get to try a Three Floyds Robert the Bruce at FitzGerald's last night when I went out to hear some live music with my friend Nean. A very nice Scotch Ale–a little sweet, but I'm looking forward to trying some others from the brewery. Really enjoyed the New Belgium 2 Below winter warmer.
Very thankful for so much this year! Happy Thanksgiving!


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Iceland warned airlines that there may be an eruption at one of the island's largest volcanoes located underneath Vatnajokull, Europe's biggest glacier.
The alert level at Bardarbunga was raised to "orange," indicating "heightened or escalating unrest with increased potential of eruption," the Reykjavik-based Met Office said in a statement on its website. Over 250 tremors have been measured in the area since midnight. The agency said there are still no visible indications of an eruption.
The volcano is 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) wide and rises about 1,900 meters above sea level. Bardarbunga, which last erupted in 1996, can spew both ash and molten lava.
Ash from Iceland's Grimsvotn volcano forced flight cancellations in Scotland, northern England and Germany in May 2011. An eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in April 2010 caused the cancellation of more than 100,000 flights on concern glass-like particles formed from lava might melt in aircraft engines and clog turbines.
To contact the reporter on this story: Omar R. Valdimarsson in Reykjavik at [email protected]
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jonas Bergman at [email protected] Tasneem Hanfi Brogger


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This is the original revolutionary non leaking scrub recipe. No more leaking jars! Basic ingredients, detailed instructions, plus easy procedure gives this formula a skill level of Beginner. If you put this together and would like it to be thicker increase the Silica Gel, if you want it thinner decrease the Silica Gel.
This is sooo easy and sooo good!Just combine oils, fragrance, & preservative in a mixing bowl or large plastic butter tub. Add Silica Gel and mix with a hand or stand mixer till the Silica is completely mixed in and the oil has turned to a gel consistency. Just stir in your salt and it is ready to package in any container you prefer. You can add more salt or less per you personal preference. You can substitute any oils or combination of oils to your liking. Use what oils you have on hand and see how they feel. This is one you can tweak to make it your own unique product. Each oil has a different feel and benefit. I might use Borage and change from salt to sugar for a great facial scrub for mature skin. Get the idea?
White or brown sugar may be substituted for the salt, if you wish. Want an even thicker product?
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Just a quick post to show that I received the remainder of my Mantic Undead army for Wayland Games. If you are on the fence about Wayland Games, I can't recommend them enough. Not only was my purchase at a substantial discount but they shipped it free and I got it from the UK in under 2 weeks.
I was able to assemble all of them in about an hour but I still have to go back and clean up the models and green stuff some of the more egregious areas. The resin wraiths are so much better then their metal counterparts that their really is no comparison. I actually found the Soul Reavers a bit easier to assemble than the Revenant knights I assembled earlier, though the horses and the lower torsos are exactly the same. I do wish that Mantic would release the Soul Reavers individually (are you listening Ronnie?) so that I could build a 10 man unit without doubling up on the Vampire Lord.
Now I'm on to identifying other ranges that will work for the other Vampire Count units like the Vargulf and Spirit Hosts.
Showcase: Tomekeepers Primaris Lieutenant
3 hours ago


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The Legal Implications of Nontraditional Workweeks
Competition in the global economy demands efficiency and increased productivity, while time off has become a higher priority for many employees. For these reasons and others, including high gasoline prices and the escalating costs of commuting, more employers are considering or adopting creative work schedules. What some of them are not doing is taking a clear-eyed look at the wage and hour ramifications of these arrangements. There are potential pitfalls - under both federal wage and hour law and the requirements and limitations of other jurisdictions - that demand close attention. Employers sometimes believe that they can bypass legal impediments to innovative scheduling by asking employees to agree to the new arrangements, particularly if the employees asked for them in the first place. The FLSA does not recognize agreements that are contrary to its requirements. This is also usually true under the applicable laws of most other jurisdictions. Employers should not expect to defend themselves successfully by arguing that employees approved something that is inconsistent with the law. Most wage and hour requirements were not designed to be flexible or adaptable, or to facilitate the practical concerns of modern-day employers. Instead, they were adopted years ago for a bygone working world. Nevertheless, they remain in force, and an employer is well-advised to fit alternative-scheduling plans into the legal parameters they establish.
This article appeared in the December 14-20, 2008 issue of Workforce Management.


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July 19, 2017
The North Remembers - AYCG Moviecast #353
There is a lot going on in the week's Moviecast. We talk about Game of Thrones' premiere, Bumblebee's spinoff, and George A. Romero's tragic passing. Meanwhile, D23 unleashes a plethora of information on what we can expect from them in future including Star Wars, Infinity War, and all their live action remakes of their animated classics. We also talk about the surprising box office results involving Spider-Man and War for the Planet of the Apes.
#Spiderman #WarforthePlanetoftheApes #InfinityWar #GeorgeARomero #D23 #Disney


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Friday, January 25, 2013
It's Virginia Woolf's Birthday!
Happy Birthday Virginia!
I have never read anything by her so to celebrate her birthday I got her first novel! And you can too!
First published in 1915, The Voyage Out is Virginia Woolf's first novel. It begins as Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose embark on a sea voyage for South America. Throughout their voyage and once they reach land there are many characters that float in and out of the text. Indeed, one is not sure who the main characters are until halfway through the novel. Clarissa and Richard Dalloway, the main characters of Woolf's later novel Mrs. Dalloway, even make an appearance.... Finish reading HERE
Get a digital copy free at girliebooks
Interested in learning more about her check here and here.
Eat a piece of cake today!
Peggy Ann
4 comments:
I've read most (all?) her works and her diaries and I hope you will énjoy them as much as I did A fascinating woman and so tragic. My favourite book - read at the impressionable age of 19 - was A Room of One's Own.ReplyDeleteReplies
John, thanks for stopping by! I've heard so many mixed reviews on Woolf that I've put off reading her. But this book is at the top of my list, this is the year! I love your word blog!Delete
Very interesting post. I have not read any books by Woolf either, and this year I already have too many books planned to read ... But this is a good suggestion. The Girl eBooks site is very interesting also. Thanks for pointing that out.ReplyDelete
Sounds like some serious reading. Not sure I'm up to it at the moment, but I have a tough time passing up a free book. Thanks for the info.ReplyDelete


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- You are here:
- GT Home
- Home
- About Us
- Who We Are
Chief Robert Connolly leads the Georgia Tech Police Department and is responsible for the safety and security of the Institute, as well as the strategic direction of the Department.
Interim Deputy Chief Frank Trammer leads the Patrol Division, with the assistance of Captain Glenn Kalish. Together they manage the most visible unit of the Department. Patrol officers provide proactive police patrols and first response to emergencies. DC Trammer also leads the Administrative Division, which manages all crime prevention activities as well as specialized areas of support for the Department such as training, property and evidence, recruiting, and records.
Captain Carla Cook leads the Criminal Investigations Division, which follows up on all crimes committed against persons or property and securing convictions whenever possible.
Captain Marcus Walton leads the Special Operations Unit, which includes special event security and the K9 unit, the Honor Guard, pedestrian and vehicle safety initiatives, and coordination of third party security.
Will Smith, Director of Emergency Management, is responsible for preparing the Institute for potential disasters, and the Institute's Emergency Action Plans. Mr. Smith also provides leadership for the GTPD's Operations Center activities.


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All posts tagged TRAINS
The Iron Horse has never made any effort to cover it's tracks, they can be found across the width and breadth of this land.
It's never been hunted to near extinction like the buffalo and indigenous people whose land it crossed.
A boon to some that represented access and expansion and a bane to others as access to what had traditionally been their's diminished.
"Civilization" is a mass of contradictions – people hurry to get somewhere then hurry to get back where they came from.
Everything is predicated upon speed – how fast their internet connection is, how slow or fast traffic is, how long they have to wait for a delivery from Ebay or Amazon and whether or not to pay extra to shorten the delivery date.
In the midst of all this they complain about stress, how there aren't enough hours in the day to meet their personal requirements while failing to understand that this emphasis on speed and "multi tasking" directly contributes to all they perceive as being burdensome.
The number of hours in a day remains the same, only the deadlines and demands we or others impose on us have changed.
Even with the quantum leap forward in speed trains represented they still weren't satisfactory, they had to become bigger and faster.
As the novelty of flight wore off airplanes had to become bigger and faster leading to jets and rockets.
One would think with all this speed life would get easier, there would be more down time for family and friends – after all isn't that always the selling point – ease, efficacy, and comfort?
Speed can be a good thing but it can also be a killer in a more ways than one.
Lighten up America, life isn't a competition, it's about passing through once and stopping to smell the roses along the way – it's about making an effort to live on your own terms as much as possible while doing no harm.


text: / Thesaurus Find synonyms for: Noun1. flower-of-an-hour, flowers-of-an-hour, bladder ketmia, black-eyed Susan, Hibiscus trionum, hibiscususage: annual weedy herb with ephemeral yellow purple-eyed flowers; Old World tropics; naturalized as a weed in North AmericaWordNet 3.0 Copyright © 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. Related Content Daily Word Quiz: ungainly Analogy of the Day: Today's Analogy Spelling Bee: Today's Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language Synonyms Index