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|The Waltons (screenshot from the 1972 episode "The Star").
A lot has been said about the Travis Walton abduction case over the years and the discussion continues to this day over what really happened that November 5th, 1975 in the forest near Snowflake, Arizona. But many interesting details relating to the case are scattered throughout the UFO literature and seem to have been halfway forgotten over the years. In this post, I will bring some of them together and highlight a string of curious "coincidences" surrounding the incident, as well as show some intricate connections with other UFO cases. The background and main story of the Travis Walton abduction has been summarized so many times already on the Internet, that I advise people not familiar with the case to read up on the basics before continuing here.
Controversy has existed practically from day one with the Walton case and much of the immediate aftermath consisted of a long struggle between Travis/APRO and CSICOP - led by the late debunker-berserker Phil Klass – arguing for and against the sincerity of Travis and his fellow witnesses. Recently doubts were fueled again, due to Travis' appearance on the show Moment of Truth.
In my opinion, good points and arguments have been put forward from all sides of the debate, as to the overall solidity of the case. But at the same time, I don't think that the information I will be bringing up here can or should be measured by categories of 'true' and 'false'. It is something that goes beyond simple validation of UFO and abduction experiences.
|Artist rendition of Travis Walton & UFO by witness Mike Rogers.
UFO's And The Influence Of Fiction
According to Travis, in his book Fire in the Sky: The Walton Experience, crew leader and friend Mike Rogers did actually watch part of The UFO Incident the day it aired, but he claims that he turned it off after only a few minutes. Travis insists that he himself did not own a TV at the time, so there is no way he could have seen it (at least not at his own house). Actually, parts of the Hill abduction story itself has been called into question in much the same way, assumed to have been influenced by an episode of The Outer Limits called 'The Bellero Shield'. This episode was shown on TV shortly before the hypnosis session where Barney Hill first describes their abductors (You can read more about that here).
These examples of "fictional contamination" are often used both as an argument against the reality of UFO experiences and as evidence for foul play involved in them. Therefore, although such potential influences are both interesting and important to acknowledge, they also tend to put at stop to any further discussion of a "real" phenomenon. But there are other ways of looking at it.
Travis brings up a fair point in Fire in The Sky, namely that hardcore skeptic/debunker conclusions about the influence of science fiction sometimes appear pretty shallow, considering that even in 1975, the theme of UFO's and aliens had become so widespread and popular, that tying "real" UFO experiences to a fictional counterpart – say a movie that came out a few weeks prior to an incident - would be almost a no-brainer.
He also brings up the question - not so much in relation to his own experience (and i don't bring this up to make a comparison with the aforementioned examples), but against the general skeptics argument, that virtually all UFO experiences have their roots in fiction - of why these influences should be coming from so many obscure sources. Why would so much be traceable back to f.x. low level sci-fi productions (which, after all, fewer people are likely to have seen), compared to large scale blockbusters such as Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T.?
Granted, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, for instance, did certainly play a determining role in spreading the imagery of small proto-grey type creatures to the rest of the world. But very often, as many "synchromystic" bloggers and researchers can attest to, one can track strangely coincidental and (seemingly) non-causal links, back to the most unlikely of sources. So maybe we could in fact be looking at a more indirect form of "cultural" influence, that doesn't always adhere to an obvious set of rules.
Enter The Waltons
In Fortean Times, No. 82 (1995), on the basis of a letter written to her at the time, Jenny Randles mentions some ufologically - as well as synchronistically - interesting details, appearing in certain episodes of the 1970's family series The Waltons (which can be described as an inter-war-period equivalent of The Little House on The Prairie). The first event noted by Randles, takes place in episode 6 of the first season, named "The Star" (which aired the 19th of October, 1972). In the beginning of the episode we see a flaming meteorite fall from the sky, which is immediately interpreted as a bad omen by grandpa Walton, setting the precedent for the theme of the episode.
While there is no appearance of, or even talk about UFO's or aliens in the episode, it is still interesting to note both the imagery and the effect it has on the family. Watching the whole episode, I would say that certain "supernatural" implications are definitely there, although downplayed to a certain degree. But it is when the town of Snowflake, Arizona is mentioned, seemingly at random, in episode 12 of the same season, "The Dust Bowl Cousins" (aired December 7, 1972), that it becomes almost too good to be coincidental.
The Waltons is supposed to take place somewhere in the state of Virginia, which is almost as far away as you can get from Arizona, while still being within US borders. Why, of all the potential places they could have chosen, does Mary-Ellen Walton mention the small and easily overlooked town of Snowflake? Also note the way the cousin in this scene underlines how he hasn't even heard of the place, almost as if the director meant to stress the point of the curiosity of wanting to go there.
It almost seems like the Travis Walton abduction (real or fake) was at least being hinted at, years before it happened. At the same time, I acknowledge that this might just be a case of coincidence paired with over-interpretation of detail which, when taken out of context and presented in the way i have done here, has a tendency to appear more anomalous than it actually is. But the person who contacted Jenny Randles, signing the letter as "A Walton fan" (who therefore, presumably, must have watched most if not all the episodes), sure did assign it enough significance to write in about it. It also makes you wonder what else could be unearthed by checking into sources that don't (at least not in any direct way) pertain to UFO's or related phenomena
More coincidences?
Robert Patrick's birthday is the 5th of November 1958, which means that he turned 17 on the very day of the Walton abduction. 17 years later, he would then go on to have one of the largest roles in the movie about the abduction AND find out that he actually had family ties to Snowflake, going way back. He even found out that he was related to the real life Mike Rogers. (As an aside, there is an interesting connection between Mike Rogers and this case, which happened three years before). Reading Travis' account of this and other similar stories, one almost gets the feeling that unseen forces were pushing certain people with obscure connections to each other, to come together around the project.
One particular thing that comes up a lot in this case, is the number 5. Travis mentions that during the filming (which took place in Oregon, not Arizona), a meteor hit a ravine nearby. The meteor was only the fifth recovered meteorite in the state's history. The abduction of course took place on the 5th of November 1975, with Travis disappearing for 5 days. And we can even tie this to a further case, which took place 5 years later in the UK.
On June 6th (which would almost be the 5th, if one accounts for US time difference, and therefore exactly 5 months before the anniversary of the Walton incident – but let's not stretch the argument too much here :)) 1980, a 56 year-old Polish immigrant disappeared near a mining area in West Yorkshire, England. The man's name was Zygmund Adamski - a name that should more than stick out to most UFO interested people. Adamski disappeared under strange circumstances, the day before he was to act as best man at his goddaughters wedding, an event he had been looking forward to, according to family and friends. At some point during the day, seemingly out of the blue, he told his wife that he had to make a quick shopping trip for some potatoes. 5 days later he was found dead, on top of a 15-foot-high pile of coal, 20 miles away from his home where he was last seen.
Jenny Randles chronicles the case of Zygmund Adamski in her books The Pennine UFO Mystery and Death By Supernatural Causes? (with Peter Hough), both of which are highly recommendable. She writes, that while the autopsy revealed that Adamski had apparently died of a heart attack and had climbed on top of the coal pile on his own, the investigators did not agree with that conclusion. But in short time they were pulled from the case, which was afterwards put on ice.
Other strange details about Adamski's death involve some unusual burn marks found on his body. He had also died with a painful grimace on his face, looking upwards towards the sky. According to one of the investigators, PC Alan Godfrey, many things pointed towards Adamski having been murdered and dumped on top of the large coal-pile, although he never thought along the lines of an alien abduction. But the strange circumstances, combined with some dubious ethics of certain researchers at the time, made sure that this connection eventually became popularized.
It wasn't entirely unfounded to make such an alien connection though, since Alan Godfrey actually had a close UFO encounter only a few months later, on the 28th of November. Driving along a deserted road he came across a large hovering craft in the shape of a "spinning top", blocking his way. Suddenly he found himself a lot further down the same road, without any memories of how he actually got past the UFO. He later found that he had experienced a short time lapse. During hypnotic regression, he recounted having been led aboard the craft during this missing time period, where he encountered an "alien" and even a black dog. The case was investigated by veteran British ufologist Harry Harris, and as another curious detail, Jenny Randles points out that one of the later Waltons episodes from season one, "The Fire", was written by a person called...Harry Harris!
Before moving on, I should point out that there is actually another ufological 5 day disappearance (sort of) on record, namely that of Armando Valdes from April 25th, 1977. Although Valdes was only physically gone for 15 minutes, his watch indicated that 5 days had passed, and he had a growth of beard that apparently matched that period. There are good reasons to be sceptical about this case too, but the coincidence and details are curious to say the least.
Is this all a result of some cosmic copycat effect? And if so, what would the criteria for "participating" be?
Is this all a result of some cosmic copycat effect? And if so, what would the criteria for "participating" be?


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Who we are
We are the developers of Plastic SCM, a full version control stack (not a Git variant). We work on the strongest branching and merging you can find, and a core that doesn't cringe with huge binaries and repos. We also develop the GUIs, mergetools and everything needed to give you the full version control stack.
If you want to give it a try, download it from here.
We also code SemanticMerge, and the gmaster Git client.
Plastic SCM working with JIRA Part IRead the new version: "Parallel development with Plastic SCM and Jira".
On the series of posts about Plastic SCM extension I am going to explain how to use Plastic SCM and JIRA for the benefit of users of this task tracking system. Plastic SCM for Atlassian JIRA provides reliable data mapping features that allow data type transformation between both tools.
Jira extension allows you to log every check-in you do, associating them to a task. This feature improves the traceability in your software life cycle. To exploit this feature we have to perform several easy steps.
First of all, to enable this feature we have to setup a parameter on the Jira server, so you will need an Administrator account to create a new custom field. You can find this option on the "Administration" tab, then click on "Custom Fields".
Then, you will see a new dialog. All you have to do to create a new custom field is to click on the "Add CustomField" button, and choose the ReadOnly text Field option
Now, you have to set a name to the new field. You can leave the options by default, which means that this check in log will be used for every project and every type of issue. Although these options can be modified later.
In the following step you have to associate the Plastic SCM field to a screen, this screen will be the default one.
The custom field will not appear until a check in operation is done by a client on a plastic branch binded to a Jira task
You can see that an internal id has been assigned to this CustomField
This number will be used later to setup a parameter on the Plastic Client.
Finally, go to "General Configuration" in Global Settings and check whether the 'Accept remote API calls' is active.
If not, click on "Edit Configuration" and enable it.
Ok, that was all on the server side.
Now, in order to start working with Plastic,you have to copied the "jiraextension.dll" file on the Plastic SCM client folder, adding the following lines (circled in red, which will indicate that Jira is the extension used), on the client.conf file:
The next step to ensure that the extension is properly set up is creating a "jiraextension.conf" file; on this file we indicate the extension parameters. Here we have to options, the first one is the "Task on branch" option which is used to link one task in Jira with a branch in Plastic, in order to use this option the "jiraextension.conf" file must have the following appearance:
And now we are all set to start working!
The person in charge of creating new tasks and assigning them has created a new Jira issue on the task tracking tool, which has been give number 3 on the project we are working on, as you can see on the following figure:
Once the task has been assigned (in this case to root as shown on the previous image), the developer will start working on it: he goes to Plastic and creates a new branch, giving it the same name as the Jira issue with the prefix stated on the "jiraextension.conf" file, in this case SCM:
Now to see how the extension works, if we go to the branch view and click on the "Show extended information option" on the top and select the newly created branch we can see on a menu on the right the information of the issue linked to that branch displayed as shown on the following image:
The extension information shows the name of the Jira issue as well as its owner, title, comment and status. By clicking on it, an Explorer window with the associated branch issue is opened, whenever the user wants to change the status of the issue, he will only have to refresh it on the Plastic branch extended information and the new information will appear.
On the next post I will explain how to use the "task on changeset" working mode working with Plastic SCM and Jira!

subset: commoncrawl


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howdy gang was doing my bible reading again starting with genesis with the intent of actually remembering and meditating on it. check this out, I just dearly love reading about dinosaurs and the fossils they find it is just so cool. but for some reason or another some feel there is a conflict between the bible and findings of dinosaur research. it is a shame really because this conflict is a myth.
notice, in genesis chapter one, it states God created the heavens (the part where the stars are including our sun) and the earth. now before he created any life he had already created the universe and no doubt that took billions of years, after all if you live forever time flies, if you know what I mean when you are doing what you love, to Jehovah a billion years is nothing. if you lived for trillions of years you would feel the same way.
now notice this, the earth was formless and desolate (nothing there except rock basically) so the earth was already there for millions of years no doubt, then it says there was darkness upon the watery deep, think for a moment, darkness, why the sun is there the stars are all there so why darkness? some kind of gases enveloped the earth blocking out the light. so he says let there be light, the light was already there it just couldnt reach the surface of the earth and this process could take thousands of years and it probably did.
now it says he called the light day (which was about 12 hours at the equator) and the darkness night.this is just the first day. so naturally a day cant be 24 hours long. then it speaks about expanse of water above the sky and below, the seas and water vapor above the earth, (expanse was called heaven the part above our heads) this is hte second day.
Now he says let dry land appear, and surly it did over time by processes even scientists can see volcanos and earthquakes? moving the land above the water which caused the water table to drop below creating seas and lakes. when I remembered genesis I forgot something, the animals did not appear until the plants did, I had it backwards. now the plants appeared (no animals yet to eat them or pollinate them so maybe that is why flowering plants did not appear till later?) this is the third day.
now comes the stars and sun and moon the gases finally are decreasing enough to allow the light from the stars to be seen on earth, you see the sun and moon were created long before he even started to create life. this is the forth day. high co2 levels would also have dropped due to the abundant plant growth (that had no browsers yet) imagine how thick and over grown the planet became.
next he created the sea creatures first (which is in harmony with documentaries I have watched about the different periods of the premarian, down to the triassic etc.) sea life started first. then the flying creatures, birds, insects maybe? every winged creature according to it's kind so birds, bats, dragon flies etc which were huge due to the high oxygen from allthe plants taking up co2. now over time no doubt polliinators appeared on the scene hence why he could create the flowers now.
this ends the fifth day, then the animals on the land were created. all of this is in harmony with science.. Even their ideas of different species is in harmony, the only thing out of harmony is life evovling from one kind to another. even the fossil record I keep seeing and hearing about shows all animals are fully formed and ready for action, no animal has only a part lung, or part of eye that is not ready to be used yet, no animal has a partial anatomical part that is not being used at present. no dna from what science has shown so far can alter itself, it always stays within the kind boundary.
so you see life did not happen overnight like some mistaken believe. the bibles definitions of words we take for granted dont always mean what we think hence why it so important that translators of the bible be precise when translating from the hebrew, greek and arabic languages to convey the exact thought those words mean. that is why is it so important ot compare translations, to do research on meanings of ancient words that the original scrolls were written in and to know precisly the words meanings. after all it was not written in english chinese, spanish and the like but languages we dont use anymore except in a few isolated areas of the world.
palegologists say these saropods had one job, eat, eat and eat the house down. their whole existance was to eat grow big so they can eat more. now imagine how their job would be to eat allthat vegtation that was growing unchecked for thousands possible hundreds of thousands of years. the head is not bigger than a horses but these guys grew to the sizes of mountains. yikes!!! awesome when you see fossils of them I just think they are so cool. ferns and confirs do not need insect pollinators (as do many green plants) as they pollinate by wind and rain. so imagine if you will these gusy munching all day and all night long. And I thought I was a pig. lol
imagine this guy chewing the more tough plants, it did not get at big as it did not need a big fermenting stomach and could walk around more eating tough stuff, what like horsetails? maybe seeds of the conifers cones? maybe they ate grasses like horses too? hadrosaurs are just so neat looking and I like how they are protrayed inmovies as running on their hind legs. they look really well balanced and cool.
now this guys job then would be to keep everything clean by eating the dinos that died. since saropods are so slow I doubt these guys needed to be fast. and when a saropod died the amount of food it gives is astronomical. feeding the areas predators for weeks. sure they probably did hunt but not very effectivly being on two legs gives you height and ability to see over things but it is a handicap for speed, you dont want to fall on your face when running at speed and being so heavy probably would be unable to go faster than say a decent runner. since predators tend to be a big slower on the long haul then short they would probably ambush, but frankly why expend the energy and risk injury when there were so many large dinos that died of old age or injury.
tank with horns, cool. this guy would have to have some form of defense, maybe the horns wer for that or for another purpose? dont know.
now this guy makes me think of a great blue heron on steroids. bet it could run pretty good like ostriches and emu do today. what did it eat? now I seen documentaries where this bird is chasing down horses and killing them. I highly doubt it, I am more inclined to think it ate what it could swallow whole, and possibly fruit, it's bill reminds me of toucans and macaws. they eat primarly fruit. i seen turkeys eat a variety of things including eating a little lizard whole andalive, yuck.!!!
I dont have a picture of an anklasaur as the museum did not have any displayed that I could find. but they are really neat too. so many dinosaurs and ancient creature so little time.
bye bye for now. enjoy.


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#11. Aba Daba Honeymoon, Donovan, sung by Reynolds and Carpenter.
#10. Good night, The Beatles (you'll have to buy the White Album to get this one...it's worth the money, especially for their tribute to the Beach Boys)
#9. Honeysuckle Rose, Waller. Yes, I know this is Satchmo and not Fats, but he just drew a bead on the song in this recording.
#8. You say it best when you say nothing at all, Overstreet, sung by Alison Krauss. Keith Whitley's version is good, too.
#7. Home Sweet Home, Motley Crue. The granddaddy of heavy metal power ballads.
#6. My Girl, The Temptations. Why doesn't Mrs. Bubba let me get one of those sleek purple tuxes?
#5. By the Light of the Silvery Moon, Edwards. Just don't get caught by your dream man without a corset!
#4. No one like you, Scorpions. Thankfully most business trips are not to death row on Alcatraz.
#3. All the fun, Overstreet. Love in ordinary life and repentance from the "fun" of the world.
#2. O Sole Mio, traditional rendered by Capurro, rendered by Pavarotti.
#1. Papageno, Mozart. Malachi 2:15, just with credit given to the wrong One.


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The good folks at Monroe Rising raise an important issue: Democratic District Attorney Mike Green and Assistant DA William Gargan have indicted Andrew Moore, a Republican Party official, on the flimsiest of pretexts, for what we believe to be political purposes and self-interest. But when asked for a bill of particulars -- in other words, precisely what it is that Mr. Moore is alleged to have done -- it's been a month. And they haven't come up with anything yet!
Check out the details at Monroe Rising.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Indict First -- Figure Out Why Later
Posted by Philbrick at 9:09 PM 1 comments
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
A Talent to Annoy
Governor Paterson said on Sunday's Meet the Press that he's "taken on the special interests."
Actually, what he did was to talk about doing things, such as cutting state spending, guaranteed to antagonize the main special interests in New York.
Then he caved in to those same special interests, thereby antagonizing everybody else as well.
That, we think, more than anything else is the principal cause of the Governor's unpopularity.
Posted by Philbrick at 9:23 AM 0 comments
Monday, September 28, 2009
Trading Judgeships for Political Proscutions?
Smugtown Beacon now asks about the possibility of a connection between the indictment of the Executive Director of the County Republican Party and District Attorney Green's rumored interest in appointment to a federal judgeship. An indictment described by a law professor as a joke, except to the person indicted.
We fault the Smugtown piece only in presenting the proposition to the DA in easily deniable form: "Were you promised a judgeship in exchange for this indictment?"
It never works that crudely, people. At most, an offer to help get the judgeship, a promise to use best efforts -- that kind of thing.
Our take at Mustard Street is that it's bad enough if Green initiated this farce even if it were just to curry favor with his party, to help get the judgeship. That's all we here have had to say about it so far, and it alone is scandal enough.
Posted by Philbrick at 7:59 AM 2 comments
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Primary Punditry
We can't let September slip away without a few notes on the party primaries earlier in the month.
1. Best Performance in a Comedy
Jerri Kaiser, endorsed by the Democratic Party as candidate for County Legislator in the 20th Legislative District, lost the Democratic nomination -- to her incumbent Republican opponent, Robert Colby.
Kaiser is press secretary to Congressman Massa and was a member of the Democrat and Chronicle's editorial board. Her candidacy for County Legislature was important enough to the party that Chairman Joe Morelle carried her nominating petitions himself, with chief errand-boy Vinnie Esposito in tow. A State Assembly staffer working for Morelle, Esposito's also a legislator in Irondequoit.
2. Reversal of Fortune
Speaking of Irondequoit, John DiMarco, Republican Town Justice who lost the Independence Party primary in a previous bid to become a County Court judge, nailed it this time. DiMarco scored a 2-to-1 win to take the Independence line on the November ballot. His Democratic opponent in this year's County Court race is Brian McCarthy, who returned from retirement in Texas for the county judgeship, as we reported back in April.
3. Former Legislators Do Well. Except in Chili.
Former county legislator Pete McCann clinched the GOP nomination for Parma Supervisor with a primary win over incumbent Richard Lemcke. Former legislator Karla Boyce emerged as top vote-getter in the Republican primary for Mendon Town Board.
McCann and Boyce continue an apparent trend. Former legislator Stephanie Aldersley easily transitioned to Irondequoit's Town Board when term-limited from running again for legislature. Former legislator Tony LaFountain seems well on his way to becoming the next Supervisor in Penfield, whose current Supervisor, George Wiedemer, also came from the County Legislature. Wiedemer became Supervisor by defeating then-incumbent Channing Philbrick (no relation) in a primary.
The exception to the rule seems to be in Chili, where former Republican Supervisor (and before that, County Legislator) Tracy Logel lost her party's primary for a Town Council seat. In addition, incumbent Chili Supervisor David Dunning beat a challenge from former legislator John Ferlicca, whose campaign closed with a sorry echo of a tactic in an earlier race that earned attorney Ferlicca a reprimand from the state bar.
4. Biggest Win
The biggest margin on primary day was won in an Independence primary for Pittsford Town Justice, where GOP incumbent John Bernanke whacked Democrat Christopher Ciaccio with 85%. Wins like this are rarely seen outside of staged votes in third-world despotisms. On top of the Kaiser-Colby debacle, it was another cringing embarrassment for county Democrats.
5. Most Significant Win
In Henrietta, Democratic candidate for County Legislature Mike Condello took the Independence line, defeating Republican candidate John Howland by 2-to-1 -- as a write-in candidate, no less. Followers of local politics will recall that in 2007, Carmen Gumina did exactly the same thing, in a milestone step toward ultimately defeating incumbent Republican county legislator Dave Malta.
For Democrats the real prize this year is taking the County Legislature. We'd say they wisely were willing to sustain a primary day embarrassment or two in order to focus their efforts and resources on the one that mattered the most. Had she won her own party's primary, Jerri Kaiser would have lost the Ogden-Riga district to Republican Colby anyway. For county Democrats, getting the Independence line for their candidate for the open legislative seat in Henrietta was Priority "A" for Primary Day. For county Republicans, Robert Colby may have given them the last thing to smile about in regard to the legislature for the foreseeable future.
Little Joe's keeping his eye on the ball.
Posted by Philbrick at 7:14 AM 1 comments
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Seen and Heard (Especially Heard) in Webster Town Hall Yesterday
A bunch of senior citizens screaming at the clerk over their property taxes. Demanding their tax receipts be stamped "Paid under Protest."
The weary clerk observed, "It's been like this all day."
Way to go, Granny and Grandpa!
Posted by Lucy at 11:44 PM 0 comments
Now We Understand How the Liberals Feel About Castro
A foreign leader you like better than most leaders of your own country:
Benjamin Nehtatyahu's majestic denunciation of the United Nations, for giving a forum to Holocaust-denier Ahmadinejad, makes him a moral giant among the Lilliputians of the U.N. Bibi's the Man.
And well done, President Obama, for giving the U.S delegates the nod to walk out on Ahmadinejad's speech. Here's the rest of the honor roll of countries that did the same: Britain, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy and New Zealand.
Posted by Philbrick at 10:51 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Local GOP Bigwigs to Meet With Cox
News has reached Mustard Street that Ed Cox, who seems about to be elected State Republican Chairman, will meet tonight in a private dinner with local Republican movers and shakers. Group to include key GOP financial supporters and influential political insiders.
Posted by Lucy at 10:37 PM 0 comments
Monday, September 21, 2009
Mike Green Must Want that Federal Judgeship REALLY Badly
... to curry favor with his party by indicting a man he knows to be innocent.
We've been looking at the story behind the indictment of Monroe County GOP Executive Director Andrew Moore.
It's well known in political circles that Democratic District Attorney Michael Green badly wants the federal judgeship that's open in Rochester. He's campaigned for the position with both U.S. Senators.
Green's a former Republican who flipped parties when he couldn't get the GOP nomination for DA. He's always been somewhat suspect among Democrats in the party heirarchy, on "Not really one of us" grounds. He lives in that most Republican of places, Pittsford, where his wife is a Republican member of Town Council. To his new party, Green still had something to prove.
The Robutrad investigation is a case of federal origins. It was a federal complaint that was filed against former county employee Robert Morone.
The feds, being professionals, had no interest in Andrew Moore. They said so. Here's their complaint against Robert Morone. Look at page 27, where they allege it was Morone who pressured fellow-worker Chris Gorman into signing an endorsement letter. Not Andrew Moore. Moore is mentioned in the federal charge against Morone only as an afterthought, as a campaign volunteer who wrote a draft of an endorsement letter.
That's why the feds indicted Morone -- not Moore. As the feds said on page 27 of their indictment of Morone: it was Morone who pressured another County empoloyee into signing an endorsement letter. Not Moore. The feds recognized Moore was innocent of wrongdoing.
Yet now -- months after the feds left Moore alone because he had done nothing wrong -- our Democratic District Attorney indicts Mr. Moore. An indictment described by a former prosecutor teaching criminal law at John Jay College of Criminal Justice -- in the Democrat and Chronicle no less -- as not fitting the charge brought against Moore, and as " ... funny, except for the fact that the person indicted has to go through this ordeal."
The charge brought against Moore is a local claim, originating in the County DA's office. Not federal. The feds knew better.
According to the Democrat and Chronicle article, Moore took a polygraph test. It showed he was telling the truth. He said he hadn't pressured anyone to sign any letter. (The DA's case against Moore is based on an allegation of such pressure.) The polygraph backed Moore up completely. District Attorney Green, and the Assistant DA involved in the case, William Gargan, who's looking to become a City Court judge and needs the Democratic nomination, didn't want to hear about it.
Trivialities like truthfulness and innocence are irrelevant to a couple of ethically flexible prosecutors on the make. Their job was to provide the pretext for Joe Morelle to be able to say that Robutrad wasn't just the brainchild of one low-level county employee like Robert Morone, but an act of the Republican organization itself. They delivered.
Up to this point, Robutrad had been a bust for the Monroe County Democratic Party. Some rogue County employees who stole from taxpayers were indicted. But there was no link to Republican headquarters.
In this regard there would have been no more potent symbol than an indictment of the man who built the GOP organization here, Steve Minarik. But Minarik managed one last time to poke the County Democratic organization in the eye, by dying before the DA got around to contriving an indictment against him.
Minarik's successor as GOP chairman, Bill Reilich, had only recently become GOP chairman. Nothing to indict there. The feds, it is rumored, might be interested in a former GOP staffer, but any federal charges might not come before this November's elections, in which Democrats are making their big push to take over the County Legislature.
That left only Andrew Moore. If Moore had held any job in the world except Executive Director of the Monroe County GOP, Mike Green never would have sought to indict him. He, better than anyone else, knows Moore to be innocent.
District Attorney Green's Democratic Party credentials are now stamped "Paid in Full." Maybe he'll get his judgeship, as reward for an act of corruption.
Whether he does or not, for the rest of his days may his conscience ask him, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"
Posted by Philbrick at 10:59 PM 4 comments
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Just Like in America, You Mean
In South Africa, "the education system is often failing the very children depending on it most to escape poverty."
-- N.Y. Times
Posted by The Archbishop of Yentaberry at 6:05 AM 0 comments
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Penfield Post Supports Victim of Political Prosecution
The Penfield Post, a reliably liberal voice, devoted the lead editorial in its issue of September 16 to supporting Andrew Moore remaining on the Penfield Town Council:
Moore ... is innocent until proven guilty. That's why we hope residents will give him the opportunity to continue to serve.Moore, you may recall, is the person wrongfully indicted by corrupt prosecutor Michael Green as a political offering to the local Democratic Party, whose favor Green seeks in order to obtain appointment as a federal judge.
. . .
... Moore has repeatedly spoken publicly and has made himself available to the people he is answering to, which includes talking to the media.
For that we commend him. Too often, when public officials find themselves faced with tough questions, they dodge the spotlight and prefer to remain elusive in hopes the furor will subside.
The editorial quotes Moore addressing a meeting of residents and officials:
"I choose to defend my character and my integrity against these false allegations."Good for him.
We'll have more about the whole story in a report to appear shortly.
Posted by Philbrick at 10:34 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
. . . determined to expose what he sees as the hypocrisies and moral lapses of liberals by employing their own tactics against them.
|The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
|Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Posted by Lucy at 9:42 PM 0 comments
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
No One Seemed Worried About Civility
Yours truly went slumming on Tuesday, attending a meeting of the Monroe County Legislature.
High point seemed to be when a speaker during the public comment portion, accompanied by two fake "nuns" of an ilk we've described before -- Sisters of Saint Stalin? -- distributed what they called "smores" to the legislators, announcing during their time at the podium that the "smores" were made not of chocolate, but of Ex-Lax, to "clean the pipes" of the members of the august body.
Can you imagine the press coverage if this had been done by conservative activists at a meeting of the City Council? Whose your-2-minutes-are-done-so-shutup-one-hour-only public comment section compares so anemically to the full-blown open-ended comment period provided to the public by the County Legislature?
The commenters made a point of labeling their laxative confections with a word spelled "smoores" -- an open mockery of an innocent man, a Republican party official, unjustly arrested last week by corrupt prosecutor Michael Green, as part of Green's campaign to show enough Democratic party loyalty to get a federal judgeship.
And this by "nuns" and their collaborator who probably have joined public demonstrations for every murderer from O.J. to Mumia-Babu-Cop-Killer.
No wonder the "consent of the governed" in this country sometimes seems to be hanging by a thread. It can't snap too soon.
Posted by Philbrick at 8:54 PM 1 comments
Friday, September 4, 2009
So It's Come to This
Since 1992 Monroe County Democrats haven't been able to make the sale to voters on the basis of their principles or policies. Actually, they haven't offered much in the way of policy other than proposals that would benefit themselves politically, or that implicitly criticize successive Republican County Executives.
As a last resort, they're now criminalizing ordinary political activity.
We're not talking about "Robutrad," which should be fully prosecuted to the extent of criminal activity involved.
But arresting someone because, as a campaign volunteer, he merely wrote a piece of campaign literature?
An arrest, moreover, timed for Labor Day weekend, the traditional political campaign kick-off date.
Imagine if Andrew Moore held any job other than Executive Director of the County GOP. The Democratic District Attorney would have fired for incompetence an Assistant DA who sought an indictment on a junk charge like this.
Even the Democrat and Chronicle felt obligated to include this in its report:
David Shapiro, a former prosecutor who teaches forensics accounting at New York City-based John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said he was surprised to see a political endorsement letter at the center of a criminal charge of rewarding official misconduct. The crime requires the accused to knowingly "confer" — or help others confer — a "public benefit" upon a public servant who violates his or her duty.
"It must have been a great letter," Shapiro said. "It almost makes (this allegation) seem kind of funny, except for the fact that the person indicted has to go through this ordeal."
Maybe Professor Shapiro can tell us how the law deals with a District Attorney corrupt enough to abuse his office in this way.
At least we now know the Democrats' strategy to take the County Legislature, in order to be able to cripple the County Administration for the next two years.
Will we see a succession of political arrests between now and November? Perhaps.
Moore, like the others who may be arrested in the weeks ahead under the Democratic campaign plan, will be acquitted easily. But none will go to trial until after the November elections. That's why the arrests didn't start happening until now.
Maybe the voters won't fall for it. If they do, they will have voted in their own punishment.
Posted by Philbrick at 11:39 PM 1 comments
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Where Were The Calls for "Civility" ?
This photo is from a "Code Pink" protest in February, 2008.
Funny thing.
Back then neither the Democrat and Chronicle, which today editorialized about the need for "civility" in public discourse, nor the rest of the traditional media, seemed to be worrying about it.
Just thought we'd point that out.
Posted by Philbrick at 7:19 PM 0 comments
We Thought the Left Only Wanted to Eat Us Alive with Taxes ...
Obamacare dissenter loses finger to leftist protester.
Posted by Lucy at 12:54 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Wegmans is Rationing My Food!
Who knew? But it's true! Wegmans let me walk out of its East Avenue store today only with groceries I paid for. Not one thing more!
That's rationing, right?
Only if you believe Obamacare supporters, who claim that government rationing of medical care would be no different than Blue Cross "rationing" your medical care by only giving you the coverage you pay for.
The argument is dishonest.
"Rationing" means government restricting the availability to you of a good or service, regardless of your willingness to pay for more.
Wegmans has never told anybody, "Only one can of tuna fish for you." It sells you all the food you pay for.
Government rationing means your money's no good beyond the rationed limit. In World War II, Americans couldn't buy more than the rationed amount of food or gasoline each month. Ability to pay for more was irrelevant.
That's how nationalized health systems work. You're limited to the medical care the government allows. Beyond it, you're out of luck. You're not allowed to pay for more.
And if you find a way to pay for it on the black market, then instead of dying on the government waiting list, you die in jail.
Congressional Democrats must really be on the ropes to be making this argument.
When the Left wonders why so many Americans distrust government and don't believe explanations of the Democrats, it's because of transparently dishonest arguments like, "it's being rationed already."
Food's just the tip of the iceberg. I drove past a car dealership tonight and -- would you believe it -- they're rationing cars, too!
Posted by Lucy at 8:24 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
The Strange Death of Renaissance Square
An Investigative Report
Former Mayor Johnson's essay in City News reminds us again of how Mayor Duffy torpedoed Renaissance Square at the eleventh hour, squandering a prime opportunity to improve a part of the City the private sector won't touch.
We supported Renaissance Square. That doesn't prevent us from asking the question: Why didn't the County administration and the Regional Transit Authority see this torpedo coming?
We also wondered, what motivated the Mayor and City Council to act as they did?
In looking for the answers, here's what we learned.
Not On Our Turf, You Don't
Remember how the City needed to take action involving a strip of land in the project footprint, in order for the project to proceed?
We've learned from sources on both the City and County sides that nobody at the City, the County or the Transit Authority knew until about March of this year that action by the City was required, and, if denied, would end the whole project. This is why the Mayor had been such a passive participant in Ren Square through all the years of its planning. His understanding was that the City couldn't do anything to stop it, so he smiled for the cameras and went along for the ride.
Then, this Spring, the Mayor learned that the project could proceed only if City Council took action. Duffy, who at one point phoned Assemblyman David Gantt for help in killing the project, only to be rebuffed by Gantt, now needed no help other than City Council's. Neither Duffy nor Council liked the idea of Maggie Brooks getting credit for improving part of the City, even though that credit would be shared with the Mayor. As Gore Vidal said, "Success is insufficient. Others must fail."
All the public posturing about details of the design were just camouflage for the underlying motivation that, despite the project's obvious merits, and the time and money invested, City politicians weren't going to allow a project that could give Maggie Brooks credit for an improvement on their turf.
So strongly did they feel on this point that it had an effect substantially broader than the fate of Renaissance Square. It became a unifying catalyst, bringing back together and reconciling City Council and Mayor Duffy, whose relationship had been troubled ever since Council passed the Rural-Metro ambulance contract over Duffy's veto.
In the last stages of negotiation, the County and the Transit Authority finally offered the City this: we'll clear the property, build the bus station and the MCC campus and give the City -- as in give, for free -- the land reserved for the performing arts center, to do with as you wish. Environmental and related issues make the clearing of that property a major impediment, even a showstopper, for private development on the site. Here the City was offered a parcel much more likely than otherwise to attract private investment, because it already would be cleared. And, significantly for the the City, cleared at someone else's expense. But to the politically motivated, such considerations are trivial compared to a larger purpose such as denying a triumph to Maggie Brooks.
Persona Non Grata
Or to Mark Aesch. He's chief executive of the Regional Transit Authority. Opinion on Aesch is divided. On the one hand, apparently, are people who passionately detest him. This group includes half the City Council and half the County government other than Maggie Brooks. On the other hand are people who regard him with white-hot hatred. This includes the other half of City Council and the other half of the County government, except for Maggie Brooks. Each camp claims Mayor Duffy as its own.
The reasons for this are unclear to us, but even supporters of Ren Square have said that if its demise has a silver lining, it's that a prize was denied to the transit chief.
We've been able to confirm the story that about the middle of July, Duffy offered to approve Ren Square if Brooks would fire Aesch, but Brooks turned him down.
The episode raises some tantalizing questions, to which we have no answers. In any event, they're beyond the scope of this report.
Transit Authority: Asleep at the Switch
After all the years, all the planning, all the public dog-and-pony shows, all the architects, consultants and lawyers, how could both the County government and the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority have missed the fact that the City had to take action on that troublesome strip of land?
It was a failure that hung Maggie Brooks out on a limb and left her dangling. Brooks's popularity is a central pillar of Republican political success in Monroe County. Even in last year's big anti-Republican, pro-Obama tide, Monroe County Republicans took nearly all of the seriously contested races county-wide. A lot of that has to do with Brooks's political strength. That's why the Democrats' Holy Grail is to force Brooks into having to raise property taxes. It's why Joe Morelle understands that his job is to try to undermine her popularity.
Of course it is. He's the Democratic chairman. He's supposed to cause his party's candidates to win. Making Maggie Brooks look bad is an important part of that job, in an environment where her popularity impedes his candidates from winning. That's what an intelligent and conscientious party chairman does, for heaven's sake.
Morelle's Republican counterparts and their staff understand this well. Had they known the entire Ren Square project depended on the City's approval, they'd have assumed it would be DOA. Neither they nor their top office-holder would have invested such political capital as they did.
Instead, uninhibited by the discipline of the (unknown) political reality, County Executive Brooks was free, under every rubric of intelligent governing and politics, to adopt Renaissance Square as her own project. In this regard, Brooks was fully committed. Her investment in Renaissance Square was political, personal, emotional and deep. Even in the face of skepticism and a certain bewilderment on the part of her core constituency -- suburban Republicans -- she persevered in the project. In retrospect, it seems to some to have become, in the words of one observer, "Maggie's 'Bridge On the River Kwai' " -- a massive personal and emotional investment in a project that, despite her best efforts, was frustrated by forces outside her control.
It turns out that the Transit Authority took the leading role in the planning of the project. The County administration depended upon it for all aspects of planning. It was the Authority, for instance, that hired nearly all of the consultants and lawyers engaged on Ren Square, either directly or through Main and Clinton Development Corporation, the entity established as the owner of the project, and which the Transit Authority effectively operated. It will be interesting to see if changes are made at the Authority in light of this monumental error. However, if such changes were to be made, we think they'd have been made by now.
Mayor Duffy walks away from the debacle unscathed, perhaps with a marginal uptick in suburban support. Once cities degrade to permanent one-party rule, decay accelerates without political consequence. Improving Main and Clinton would have given Duffy no better prospect for continued election than failure to improve it would decrease that prospect. Suburban Republicans who paid enough attention to Ren Square to get to the point where it baffled them may think better of Duffy for killing the project. Also, Duffy's congressional ambitions are well-known in political circles. It won't hurt him to have earned Louise Slaughter's gratitude for spiking a project she opposed all along.
RGRTA Chief Aesch might pay the price for his agency failing to identify the need for City approval of Ren Square. We'd bet against it, though. If Brooks wouldn't fire him to get the project through, she won't fire him for this. Aesch is now writing a book, perhaps about this experience. Precisely why City Council and the Mayor have taken such a burn to him we didn't learn, but they have. RGRTA is about to ask the City for permission to build a parking lot on vacant land next to its bus facility on Main Street. Anybody want to bet on the outcome?
County Executive Brooks also walks away unscathed, though no doubt disappointed and saddened to watch a real chance to improve life in the City destroyed so recklessly. The urban electorate wouldn't vote for her or the Republicans whether she built Ren Square or not. In that regard its failure changes nothing. Suburban Republican voters continue to like and trust Brooks. All along they viewed her devotion to Renaissance Square as a tolerable, harmless eccentricity. They never really cared. To most of them, its demise is meaningless.
(Mustard Street's Lucy, the Archbishop and the undersigned all contributed to this report.)
Posted by Philbrick at 10:28 AM 5 comments


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Producer: RZA
Album: Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
Label: LoudWhether it's RZA's menacing choice of violin that pulsates with the rhythm of a rattlesnake's tail, the friendly competitive rivalry amongst the crew, or the cess that's undoubtedly in the air, each MC is truly inspired to show out with sick, battle-tested styles on "Guillotine (Swordz)." The lethal skills of Shaolin are on full display, with Deck famously jump-starting this 4 a.m. murder spree with "Poisonous paragraphs smash your phonograph in half." The assault never slows down after that.
Big Ghost goes 100 percent ape-shit crazy, talking about "gorillas injected with strength for 80 midgets" and raunchily boasting, "Pens and gear like Shakespeare/When I fuck, I grab hair, collect drawers as souvenirs." Rae keeps it gully as usual, shouting out convicts ("peace to jail niggas with charges"). GZA, in full elder statesman role, is honored with rhyming last and effortlessly closes the show by "catchin' bodies with cordless shotties." The on-point martial-arts movie samples ("I've got so many styles...forgive me") kill.
Also Watch


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The Southwest Florida Youth Connection, a program funded by Southwest Florida Workforce Development Board, presented a Certificate of Appreciation to The Salvation Army of Collier County at the Immokalee Service Center office yesterday expressing gratitude and acknowledgment for the continued support and generosity for the important work supporting the youth in the Immokalee community.
"Our vital programming expanding in Immokalee is helping the youth there flourish and grow—and we are so very grateful to be recognized for this essential community work. The Salvation Army's efforts have made a difference in the lives of the youth we serve and are very instrumental in their success. We look forward to expanding our programs even more in the upcoming year ahead," stated Ashley Jones, Director of Social Services for The Salvation Army of Collier County.
Major Dan Proctor, the Naples Regional Coordinator continued, "We are very proud of our Immokalee Service Center and its impact in the community. We especially commend Rosa Hernandez for all her hard work on a daily basis to improve the lives of those in the community."
The Salvation Army has been serving Collier County since 1981, with offices in Naples and Immokalee. Nearly 47,000 residents are assisted annually. Learn about The Salvation Army in Collier County online at www.SalvationArmyNaples.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SalvationArmyNaples and find them on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SalArmyNaples.
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 135 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through a range of social services: providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter for the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. Eighty-four cents of every dollar The Salvation Army spends is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org


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By The Bridge Street, Inverness,, IV1 1HD
The property is located in a desirable central location which is convenient for all aspects of daily life. With the River Ness on the doorstep, which has been described as one of the most beautiful riverside settings in the UK, there are countless things to see and do including the tree lined walk to Ness Islands, Inverness Castle and Cathedral.
Eden Court Theatre is the city's main venue for drama and entertainment, presenting a varied year-round programme of shows to suit all tastes and there is an excellent selection of restaurants, bars and nightclubs all within walking distance.
Important Information:
Check In/Check Out: Check In is available from 13:00pm. Check Out is at 10:00am.
Check In Procedure/key collection: Please advise of your estimated time of arrival prior to check in. Upon doing so, detailed check in instructions will be provided.
Pets Policy: No Pets Allowed
Child Friendly Facilities: On request, charges may apply
Extra Bed Facilities: On request, charges may apply
Please Note: Prices advertised are indicative costs for the apartments. Event rates may apply for major attractions or events in the City and rate adjustments for the best available rate will apply at the time of enquiry.
Apartment 103 is accessed via a video entry phone system and has private underground car parking and lifts to all floors. The property is situated on the 1st floor and comprises of reception hallway, lounge/dining area, kitchen, master bedroom with en suite bathroom, second bedroom, WC/shower room and utility room. Both the kitchen/lounge and master bedroom are flooded with natural light from the large windows to the front and have direct access onto the terraced balcony which enjoys views of the city, river and beyond. The English Rose fitted kitchen comes complete with a range of wall and base storage units and AEG stainless steel appliances. The bathroom and shower room have German designed Duravit sanitary ware and heated towel rails. Other features in the apartment include internal oak veneered doors, high quality American oak wood flooring and chrome finishes.
(£) Additional charges may apply *
See apartment types for specific amenities to each category*
Reservations and Payments
Full payment is required for reservations at the time of booking in the currency of the property, sterling, by credit card or in one of the other accepted currencies by Master or Visa Card. Please note that when a booking request and payment details are taken at the time of the reservation, your payment card details are verified and an authorisation request is sent for the required amount. We will confirm availability and will advise you if your reservation has been confirmed. If the accommodation is not available, however, the previous authorisation request may still be showing against your payment card's line of credit or available to spend amount. This is standard practice and does not mean that any funds have been taken from your account. We would advise that you contact your bankcard issuer to confirm when the authorisation request will automatically be removed from your account. This is typically between seven and ten days from the original authorisation request date, but can vary amongst different card issuers. Should we of necessity have to change your reservation in any way we will guarantee to offer alternative accommodation or a full refund. Should you make any amendments or alterations to a reservation, it may be necessary to make an administration charge.
In the event of a cancellation a full refund will be made on condition that notification in writing (e-mail if possible) is received (and acknowledged by us) 14 days prior to commencement of stay. In the event of a cancellation being received within 14 days prior to commencement of stay no refund will be made. Any exception to this condition will be made at our discretion. Non-arrival for a confirmed reservation will be treated as a cancellation after 24 hours. No refund will be made of an early termination of a reservation except at our discretion. Refunds will normally be made in the currency in which the booking was paid, unless otherwise agreed by CW Lamley & Co. CW Lamley & Co cannot be responsible for any changes in currency exchange rate fluctuation and you are not entitled to any refund as a result of currency fluctuations between the date of original booking and the cancellation date. All cancellations will be subject to a 2% card processing fee when paid by credit or debit card.
The apartments will require a credit card imprint (or cash, if no credit card held) upon arrival against telephone charges, damage etc. All extras must be paid direct. All taxes are included in the rates. The apartments shall be obliged to increase their tariff should government taxes be increased. We regret that we are unable to accept responsibility for loss of luggage or valuables, nor for injury or illness and therefore we strongly recommend that full travel insurance is purchased prior to travel.
Guest Obligations
The Guest undertakes to keep the Accommodation and all the furniture, fixtures and effects in the same state of repair and condition as at the commencement of the Stay (reasonable wear and tear excepted) and shall pay to the Company the value of any part of the Accommodation, furniture, fixtures, fittings and effects so destroyed or damaged as to be incapable of being restored to its previous condition. Breakages and damage must be reported as soon as possible. Guests using our Broadband Internet access do so subject to a fair use policy and within the bounds of UK law. The Guest must allow the Company to enter the Accommodation to inspect the state of it, given reasonable notice, with the exception of an emergency when immediate access must be granted. The Guest must not use the Accommodation or allow its use for any dangerous, offensive, noisy, illegal or immoral activities or carry out any act that may be a nuisance or annoyance to the owner or the Company or to any neighbours. Smoking is not permitted in any part of the Accommodation and the Guest and any member of his or her party undertakes not to smoke inside the Accommodation. A fee of £200-£300 per room (depending in the size of the apartment) will be charged at the discretion of the management to any guest who violates the smoking policy to deep clean the apartment. Property Cleanliness The Guest agrees to ensure that the Accommodation is left reasonably clean and tidy. The Guest agrees to pay an additional reasonable charge to cover the expense of additional, unusual cleaning required because the Guest fails to comply with this clause. Right to Evict CW Lamley and Company and /or its agents reserves the right to ask the Guest and his or her party to leave the property (without compensation being payable to the Guest or any member of his or her party) if this is deemed necessary by the Company and / or its agents where if there is a serious breach by the Guest of the Agreement or their behaviour is such as to endanger the safety of the property or staff. If any complaints are made of anti-social behaviour or unreasonable breakages or damage occurs or smoking restrictions are not observed we shall give the Guest an opportunity to rectify the breach and failure to do so shall entitle the Company or agents to terminate the agreement.
Acceptance of accommodation signifies acceptance of the above terms and conditions.
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Help with applying for a visa: Contact us on (02) 8268 4000 for expert advice, preferably well ahead of the expiry of any current visa.
An Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law (as certified by the Law Society of New South Wales) leads our team of migration lawyers and agents.
Craddock Murray Neumann is a law firm, which can also assist with applications to the Migration Review Tribunal and the Federal Court if a visa application is unsuccessful. (Migration agents who are not lawyers cannot assist with applications to the Federal Court).
The Australian professional development or training provider applies for the Subclass 470 visa on behalf of all proposed participants.
1. the overseas employer is recognised as an "eligible employer" and has allowed its employees or other people to participate in a professional development or training program;
2. the proposed visa holder is an employee or a person invited to participate in a professional development or training program;
3. the Australian professional development or training provider is recognised as a "professional development sponsor"; and
4. the proposed professional development or training program meets specific requirements stipulated by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
Warning: this page states the law as at 15.12.11. The law is complex. The law may have changed when you read this page. Contact us to confirm your rights.
If you want to migrate to Australia based on your employment or business skills, SkillSelect is an on-line system that assists with the process.
Accredited to the Australian Quality Standards of ISO 9001 and Law 9000, we provide an assurance of quality. Click on the logo to find out what this means.


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Pioneer SX-1980 Receivers
Pioneer SX-1980 Receivers
[Aug 17, 2017]
As of today, August 17, 2017, the price of the Pioneer SX 1980 has reach the point that it is no longer a good deal to buy unless you have to have one because you want to relive the good-old-days in which case the value becomes an individual personal rating. I just looked on eBay and there were four of them for sale between $4000 and $4800. That price it is way too high to make it worth buying to all but the nostalgia market willing to pay what ever the cost. I tried to find one for a decent price on a google search with no luck. Ten years ago in 2007 you could still find deals of $600 if you looked hard. $4000+ is too much - why not just make it $12,000. Too bad the average "Joe" music lover is priced out of the market on a great receiver.
[Dec 24, 2011]
I was blessed enough to purchase my first Pioneer SX-1980 in 2008.It is the most awesome receiver my ears have ever heard.And I've heard a lot of them in my 50+ years of listening to audio equipment.I sold my first one in May 2009 and I've regretted it ever since.Fortunately,I bought another one Feb. 2010.I lost power on it shortly after I got it and it stayed stored for over a year.Finally when the funds were saved up,I had it electronically restored by Circle Stereo in Dripping Springs,Tx.Now it's singing like a new one with new caps all over the place and a rebuilt power supply board.And 6 output transistors in the right channel.And it is in very good shape for a 31 year old receiver.Back in the day,there was no way I could afford $1,295.00 for this MONSTER.Now the SX-1980 is valued at over 5 grand.Back in 1978,I didn't even know about the SX-1980.Only after Ebay did I find out about it's pure beauty and muscle.IMHO,it is the KING of all receivers,none can match it's build quality.I'd take the SX-1980 over the Tecnics SA1000 or Sansui G-33000 and day.Not saying the Technics or Sansui is not a fantastic receiver,they surely are.But it's the looks and great sound of this MONSTER SX-1980 that draws me to it.I can't say enough about this gorgeous piece of Japanese quality.To me,it is the Rolls Royce of all receivers.I've hooked the MONSTER up to my JBL-4410A's,Pioneer CS88A's,Kenwood KLA-700's,and Fisher STV-690's.Beautiful sound quality from each brand of speakers.For sound quality,the Pioneer SX-1280 ranks right up there with the SX-1980,just not quite as much power.But 185 WPC is plenty of power for anyone.I also owned a couple SX-1280's, sold them and should have kept them.I hope to keep this SX-1980 'til I go to my grave.I surely wish I had my first SX-1980 back.That one was as awesome as this second one.If any one ever gets a chance to grab one that's been well cared for,you'll never regret it.Of course,I may try and beat you to it.
[Jun 06, 2010]
I bought one of these monsters new in 1980 and hooked it up to a pair of Bose 901 IV's, a pair of Kenwood LS-408B's, a Technics SL1200-Mark II turntable, a Pioneer CT-F950 cassette deck, and a Pioneer 9500 equalizer. That system, anchored by the mind-blowing SX-1980, ended up chasing my Mom and Dad into a new house 4 houses down--yes, they bought another house 4 houses down from their original house that I was raised in and still lived in as a 21 year old in 1980. My Dad came into my room as he moved the last of his and Mom's things out of what became my new house. He glared at my gleaming, glowing Pioneer SX-1980 as it's jewelry-like silver face reflected massive amounts of the mid-day sunshine filtering through my window and sheers, and said in a newscaster type drone, "What is that thing? The Archangel Gabriel's trumpet blaster to signal the end of time on Earth? You keep that thing away from your Mom and I's new house." "Aww Dad!" I shot back with a bit of wounded pride in my voice. "You listen to one of your jazz records on this thing and you will run out and buy yourself one. It's not just for blasting rock records at sound levels the human ear wasn't meant to withstand you know."
[Mar 11, 2009]
This may be the best receiver ever made, in terms of sound quality. This beast was manufactured in the late 70s, early 80s - so no surround sound. What it does have is limitless, high-current, power. Take a look at the innards of this brute. The power section looks just like a Mark Levinson No 33. The capacitors are gigantic. I've never found another receiver that can even approach the dynamic headroom of this monster. Hook this baby up to a great set of speakers (I've listed to this receiver connected to RBH T-2s and a pair Status Acoustics Titus speakers), and you'll have a listening experience that can be matched by only the finest in separates. If you get a chance to buy one of these at a good price, don't hesitate. They are extremely rare, and unbelievably impressive.
[Jul 06, 2007]
Audio Enthusiast
With great power comes great responsibilty. Be careful you only get one set of ear drums. Solid sound and beautiful craftsmanship.
I bought this reciever for 600 bucks after seeing it a friends house, prior to that, I was sworn to seperate components. The vintage stereo shop had two of them, I should have bought them both. This Godzilla is virtually a power amp mascarading as a reciever, with heat sinks, weighing 80+ pounds, and cranking out 270 RMS. I play drums and when I crank em up (on my Speaker factories with dual 12" drivers) I can barely hear myself. This monster is not for the faint of heart, for those who want light and cheap, go to the neighborhood garage sale, and pick up one of those five in one component sets that you can buy for 10 bucks. I listen to jazz, r&b and rock. The Pioneer brings it alive with multiple bass and treble settings, we even used her as a PA system. It has a wonderful Quartz tuner, and along with the brushed aluminum finish, it lights up beautifully. I am totally pleased. Did I mention it weighs 80+ pounds?
Customer Service
Can be serviced by any vintage stereo repair.
Similar Products Used:
Not a chance!
[Jul 06, 2007]
lloyd holloway
Audio Enthusiast
With great power comes great responsibility. Quartz lock tuner, two each bass and treble adjusters, pa system capabilities, I could go on...
You have more than it does......
I bought this reciever after seeing it at a friends house, I used to be a seperate component guy until feasting my eyes on this notable exception. It's Godzilla mascarading as a reciever, (it weighs in excess of 80lbs)! There were two units at the vintage audio place where I bought it, I should have have bought em both. You'll hardly ever see anything like it. With 270 watts RMS, I power my speaker factory towers (two twelve inch drivers each cabinet) with it. Whatever kind of music you like, r&b, jazz, rock, it redifines the listening experience. It not only sounds good but has a beautiful brushed aluminum face, knobs and switches. If you see one, get it for the value alone, (unless you are one of those people who like a nice tidy five in one, two pound "mega sound" boom boxes), that are avaliable at your nearest garage sale. This is a rare bird, and increases in price over the years (still fetches at least the 1978-80 price of 1200.00). Did I mention it weighs over 80lbs?
Customer Service
Hawthorne Stereo, Seattle. Any vintage stereo repair (however ask if they can handle the SX before lugging this heavy weight to the shop.
Similar Products Used:
Nothing, absolutely nothing..
[Jan 27, 2007]
Audio Enthusiast
Build quality. Output of amp, ability to run continously for hours without issues, able to hit peak output without shut downs. Controls light, ease of use and for those still using turntables (I have 4, with different cartridges), able to select resistance and impedance for a stereo cartridge.
FM tuner very good, but not great, having said that its better than most. Weight,
The SX 1980 is a receiver for a fortunate few. I've owned it for a while and say what you will about the Marantz, Kenwood, and Sansui of the same period (1978-1981) and it matches up with them and exceeds it most areas. A very good tuner is part of the reciever (but truefully, my Yamaha cr 2020 is better), but the power output is the story here. I left the receiver on by accident for more 24 hours on more than one occassion and have never seen it fail. Clear, clean, high out put is the hallmark of the reciever. Make no mistake, the heat sinks are large for a reason; they need to be. I suggest giving the receiver ample clearance to allow for the heat issue...The build quality matches the best of the Marantz's, and the frnt styling is as clean as the Yamaha. I know that there are people who say solid state amps are junk; they have not heard or used the one in this receiver.
Similar Products Used:
Yamaha CR 2020; Harmon Kardon 930, Marantz 2285. Yeah I know the HK and Marantz don't have the output of the SX 1980, but they were the best each maker had at the time of build circa 1972-1973 and so in that sense, they are comparable.
[Jun 28, 2006]
270 Watts per channel! Less than .03 THD!
Variable-capacitor tuning; produces a good bit of heat.
It's still pumping it out, and I'll continue to use it until it doesn't. What I'll always remember is friends bringing friends over ot my home in 1978-'79 just to hear it. Years later, in 1995, someone I'd never have recognized remembered me after seeing my name in print and exclaimed "You're the guy with the STEREO"! It made my day. Anyway, I believe the SX-1980 is one of the best receivers Pioneer ever built, and I've never regretted the purchase.
Customer Service
None needed since 1989 (power-supply section repair)
Similar Products Used:
None since 1978
[Apr 12, 2004]
Audio Enthusiast
Power. Reliability.
Size, weight.
I bought this MONSTER reciever [eighs 89 pounds and stands almost 9 inches tall] while I was in the Air Force in Okinawa in 1979. I had it repaired twice under warranty the first year and once about 10 years after I had it. This reciever will put out 270 watts to 2 speakers. How loud is it you ask? I can trace my hearing loss to this receiver. I have the matching CS-922A Pioneer speakers with LED lights. These LED lights won't light up at all unless you turn up th volume on this receiver. I have an Akai 635D Reel to reel, a pioneer equalizer [10 bands] and sound processor [6 - 14 expander], a sony cd & dual cassette player and a Pioneer turntable. Heck, I even have a pioneer 8-track player that still works [yes I still have some 8-track tapes also]. This receiver has a protection circuit too, to prevent overloading. The first time it turned itself off, I thought I broke it. I originally had Bose 901 Series 4 speakers, but sold them a year later because there was too much HISS. If you want power, then this is a reciever to get. FM reception is gfreat with the t antenna. Has quartz lock tuning.
Similar Products Used:
Sony STR-DB940 [home theater receiver].
[Mar 02, 2004]
Audio Enthusiast
Noted above. Build quality that you can see, feel, and hear.
You have to get off your fat ass to adjust the volume and other controls. Eat your lazy heart out.
Raw power. Very very quiet FM section that snaps in the most remote stations and keeps them forever. Heavy enough to make you get in shape, or else. Classic looks that you'll love if you have a nice place to display it. You'll love the quartz-lock tuning system, which lets you tune in 'til two red lights come on, then fixes the station with a QLT 'green' light. Unless you are a seriously deviant personality, you will never be able to abuse the amp section into dysfunction comparable to your own dysfunction. It is such a pleasure to listen to an integrated tuner/amp that is so QUIET and so capable of pumping out mass POWER; you can blast a room with acres of deep sound at 10 watts, and know that the amp can easily handle the transients at 300 watts with room to spare...this is overhead and power-in-reserve that separates the truly high-end equipment from the stuff that strains to travel at that pace.


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AIM 3: Lab Capacity Building
Clinical Lab Support
- In coordination with CDC, we are bringing supplies/equipment to expand lab capabilities and improve biosafety within labs across Liberia
- Providing basic lab reagents and supplies at Redemption Hospital, a public hospital focused on maternal-child health
- Supporting a feasibility trial of Biocartis Idylla, a promising point-of-care rapid qPCR platform that can minimize risk to lab techs and abrogate the need for expensive lab containment
- Acquiring Corgenix ReEBOV rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) just approved by WHO and will support their implementation at Redemption.
- Hiring and training local lab techs at Redemption Hospital and Tappita
Transfusion Support
- We have worked with Grifols to donate a plasmapheresis center to the Liberian Ministry of Health. This center will allow large scale plasma collection for use in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases (including Ebola).
- ACCEL and Grifols will support the long term co-localization of the Monserrado Regional Blood Center with the Grifols Facility
- ACCEL is acquiring equipment and working to transition the regional blood center from whole blood to blood component production (plasma, red cells, platelets).


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Social Network Sites and Its Popularity
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Product Description
Stay in one of our beautiful guest rooms and enjoy a one-day cookery course at Rick Stein's Cookery School.
Our seasonal 'school and stay' gift voucher is based on one person attending the course at the cookery school, and two people sharing a room. If you would like to upgrade the course to allow for two people to attend it, just select from the drop down menu above.
This voucher can be redeemed between 22nd May – 26th September 2020.
Accommodation available between Sunday – Thursday, courses available Monday – Friday.
Gift card presented in a branded Rick Stein gift box.
Please note: Our Classic Seafood and Seafood Restaurant Signature Dishes courses are not available with this voucher.


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FRANCES I think there aren't really mixed signals. We, ladies, just like to think of it that way. The best way to deal with these confusing men is to not get yourself confused with their words and actions. Actions speak louder than words. So even though he says, "I would really like to see you" but there's never any follow through, consider him disinterested. Trust … Continue reading
Category: Inbox
When they say "Leave me alone", do they actually mean the opposite? If so, why can't they just be direct to the point? -Gelo Karryl Yeah, I guess we do often mean the opposite of what we say. We have a thing for reverse psychology. For some reason, we like saying "leave me alone," because it feels good to be wooed. In other words, gusto … Continue reading
Why do 'good girls' prefer 'bad boys?' -Roan Frances I don't think we are attracted to 'bad boys' in as much as we are attracted to confidence. And bad boys have a lot of confidence and charm in them. In an evolutionary perspective, women are drawn to these so-called 'bad boys' because they exude manliness and mystery. The promise of adventure and a break from … Continue reading


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Kangaroo Island (4350 km2) lies 15 km off the South Australian coastline and is Australia's third-largest offshore island after Tasmania and Melville Island. With nearly half of its native vegetation still remaining, Kangaroo Island is nationally important for biodiversity conservation, primary production and tourism. The Island is free of foxes and rabbits but has other pests including pigs, cats and goats.
The Island's most recent pest is fallow deer (Dama dama) which became feral in 1999 when up to 300 animals (mainly females) escaped from a deer farm adjoining Western River Conservation Park. The cattle stud industry on the island was concerned about the potential for deer to carry strains of Johne's Disease, which causes death to livestock by blocking the normal absorption of food. They were therefore keen to remove the deer before they caused an economic loss to the industry.
Additional impacts of deer have remained small due to the recent establishment and low numbers, but the potential impacts if numbers increase are substantial. Damage to native and commercial vegetation including crops, pastures and vineyards could be considerable. Deer also cause hazards on roads, and destruction of domestic and public gardens when numbers build up.
In 2006, the eradication of feral deer from Kangaroo Island began as part of a broader project —'Repel the Invaders'— which aimed to effectively manage key feral animals on the Island. The eradication program was implemented by the Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Management Board (KINRMB) with strong support from the community.
Following the identification of strong community support for deer eradication and subsequent planning, the KINRMB encouraged the reporting of deer sightings through the 'Dob in a Deer' program advertised through local newspapers and letters. Fridge magnets with KINRMB contact details were also distributed to all Island residents. This was an important way for control officers to get quick, up-to-date information so they could maximise their chances of controlling the deer.
Deer control was predominantly by ground shooting conducted by KINRMB staff with help from some local hunters. Deer were targeted during all seasons but with a more intensive focus during autumn when the bucks tend to roam widely and leave 'evidence' of their presence by rubbing their velvets against trees in an attempt to establish and defend small territories. This makes it easier for hunters to detect and shoot deer, particularly the males. Juveniles which have just left their mothers are also easier to target at this time.
Monitoring of deer population trends was important to determine the success of control activities. This involved the use of four different methods:
- Distribution and relative abundance of feral deer across the range, based on the identification of deer tracks at dams, which were searched during the dry season in autumn.
- Distribution and abundance of deer based on photos taken by remote cameras set in a grid across the high activity areas.
- Changes in age structure and sex ratios of the destroyed deer. Age was estimated according to the tooth eruption and tooth wear, a method developed by the Game Management Services Unit, Primary Industries in Tasmania.
- Hunting efficiency of control officers, or Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE).
In 2011 the Natural Resources Management Act 2004 was amended requiring all domestic deer owners on Kangaroo Island to have a permit from the KINRMB. Permit applications may or may not be approved, depending on the risk of deer escape. This system requires deer owners to meet high husbandry standards before a permit will be approved. The right to own deer ceases with a change in property ownership.
Features of the study
Deer are an elusive species and difficult to eradicate. This challenge was met by the employment of control officers on a full time basis. Many sightings were reported by the community. Without such local assistance, it would have been difficult to find and shoot deer already in low numbers. It was also important to have a designated monitoring program in place to gauge the success of control over time. Multiple indicators allowed for greater confidence in results.
Since 2006, 225 deer have been shot on Kangaroo Island, mostly by KINRMB staff. The detection and destruction of deer has remained within 15 km of the release site. The sex ratio of shot deer was biased towards females (1:0.7). Fawns (<12 months) accounted for a high proportion (35%) of all individuals. Monitoring at dams indicates the population has been declining at an average rate of about 40% per year. Remote camera monitoring indicates that there are around ten individuals left.
Time taken to destroy a deer has increased markedly from 40 hours/deer in 2007 to 160 hours per deer in 2013, despite the control officers improving their knowledge and skills and changing their hunting strategies.
What worked
- The small and relatively localised deer population on Kangaroo Island made the eradication program feasible and possible.
- Good planning in association with the community early in the piece provided the framework to plan and implement actions in a well thought out orderly way.
- Sightings of feral deer were very well reported by the community throughout the program.
- Multiple methods of monitoring population change have provided confidence in the detected trends.
What didn't work
- Use of tracking dogs was initially tried but dogs ended up dispersing deer.
- Lures including deer feeders filled with cracked corn were initially attempted to draw out those deer that were hiding out in the scrub. This was not successful here but has worked in other areas.
The deer eradication program is close to complete with less than ten individuals known to be alive, however, as numbers decline, the effort to control the remaining individuals is increasing. If the high effort can be maintained, complete eradication is feasible within the next few years.
|PestSmart Case Study: Feral deer eradication on Kangaroo Island [410 kb PDF]
|PestSmart Toolkit: New and Emerging Pests www.pestsmart.org.au/pest-animal-species/new-and-emerging/
|Invasive Animals CRC
|Invasive Animals CRC
|2 pp
|PestSmart code: GENCS2
|Control method


text: hi I am new to this site, I just recieved a 1980 BMW 320i (who can say no to a free car!) it's in great shape but has been parked for 5 years (who would do such a thing to a perfectly good car?) any way any advice on how to proceed. I don't want to ruin the engine. thanks


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Soft power in action (WP1300)
As soft power becomes increasingly the core of 21st century diplomacy, the 7th Wilton Park roundtable meeting in the public diplomacy series considered how nations are individually and collectively using soft power to influence and persuade others to support their national and international agendas.
Key points that came out of the meeting were:
- Contemporary debates highlight this as a moment at which the deployment of soft power is at the forefront of policy considerations. Over time, nations inevitably shift between phases of heightened readiness to use coercive force and periods when the methods of attraction are discussed more prominently.
- Power is increasingly fragmented. Many more states are able to exert forms of influence and a range of non-state actors now fulfil key roles in developing and enacting policy. As a result, strategies to leverage soft power need to adapt to this changing environment.
- Ideas and influence flow through networks often independent of government coordination or involvement. This occurs in digital domains but equally is embodied in the familial ties which connect migrant or diaspora communities.
- Technological advancement and the increasing networked nature of influence have created many opportunities for governments seeking to harness and deploy soft power. The ability to recognise and engage with networks of influence across a range of technologically driven platforms is an increasingly important part of soft power in the 21st century.
- Within this changing global environment, existing approaches which have been shown to be effective can be complemented by new approaches which respond to the evolving nature of foreign policy challenges.
- Many of the challenges nations now face are not national, they are international. In these circumstances, traditional models of leveraging soft power to attract and direct the actions of others need to be reviewed with a view to developing strategies which facilitate collaborative approaches to address complex international challenges.
- The increased expectation within policymaking circles that results can be achieved through soft power has resulted in a growing need for practical and measurable approaches through which the soft power resources of a nation can be leveraged to achieve specific policy goals.
- The purpose of leveraging soft power is to advance a country's strategic interest not to be more 'liked' – or indeed scoring a million Facebook 'likes'.
- Advancing strategic interest through soft power requires a delicate balance. Explicit government direction can undermine the ability of a nation to leverage soft power. Collaborative strategies and facilitating connections can support soft power objectives on those occasions when direction is ineffective.
- While there are 'new' elements in the use of soft power, many existing elements continue to be important. For example, authenticity is key; if a nation wants to be thought of in a particular way it must act in a manner which is consistent with that objective.
Further information
Parliament: Soft Power and the UK's Influence Committee
Conference: Putting the power in soft power?
Conference: Applying soft power: the Brazilian and British perspectives
Blog: Hacking Diplomacy by Juan Luis Manfredi
Wilton Park is Great Britain's greatest public diplomacy program. Its very mission is grounded in the fundamental principles of public diplomacy… Wilton Park has been doing this quietly since 1946, well before the term 'public diplomacy' was even coined.
When I was first invited to attend Wilton Park's public diplomacy/soft power conferences I used to look at my budget and wonder whether I could afford to go. Having attended four such conferences I now know that I can't afford not to go.
Wilton Park provides an invaluable service by convening sessions on public diplomacy and soft power. Nowhere else in the world is there such a consistent underscoring of the importance of this field, and practitioners and scholars owe you our gratitude for your work.
- Date:
- Mon 3 - Wed 5 February, 2014
- Venue:
Wiston HouseWilton ParkWiston House, SteyningWest SussexBN44 3DZ+44 (0) 1903 815 020For more information see Your stay at Wilton Park
- Event no:
- Themes:
- Human rights, good governance and faith
- Tags:
- public diplomacy, soft power
Julia Purcell: Programme Director


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Anyone with an interest in jewelry, male or female, young or distinguished, can find something on America's Youth Forum that will accent their daily wardrobe choices from head to toe. From tie clips to cufflinks, earrings to anklets, and even accessories for your keychains, you can buy any jewelry you could ever need from America's Youth Forum.
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Country: United States
Website: http://americasyouthforum.org/


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Have you missed me? Even if you haven't, tell me that you have - it'll make me feel good. :-)
It's Fall Market crunch time so I've been busy proofing patterns, sewing small quilts, etc. for my friends, Me & My Sister Designs. So, it's been a hubbub of activity. Sigh!
All work and no play tends to make me very unhappy. :-( So, I worked for a few hours this morning and then gave myself the rest of the day off. I finished assembling the blocks for "Summer" of the "Primitive Four Seasons" block of the month by The Country Loft. Hopefully, the first "Fall" block will be here today. And, I finally got around to making block #4 of the Designer Mystery Block of the Month from The Fat Quarter Shop - block #5 will be here soon. I've done a few embroidered blocks for a new project but they need to be pressed - I'll show them to you soon. BTW, if you sent an e-mail about The Sewing Bird and didn't hear from me it's because you're set up for "no reply". The pattern is on a CD by Kathy Schmitz and available from Colonial Crafts.
A few friends, Carol, Wendy, Judy, Sharon, and I recently completed a block swap for an adorable quilt. In the final package of blocks we all sent treasures to each other. I can't show you what Sharon sent because Judy has not received hers and I don't want to ruin the surprise!
The following mini quilt is from Judy - isn't it adorable? Gotta love those cute cards, too. :-) Thank you, Judy!
I wish I had more to show and share but this is it. That's all folks! Thanks for stopping by - please come again soon and often!


text: Love the cover of this! Certainly has an appeal to it and is eye catching. This book had all the potential to be a suspenseful creepy novel. It certainly had it's moments because it kept you guessing, was this something supernatural? Or something else entirely? So it had that going for the novel, but it falls pretty short. The plot itself just seemed long winded and long. A little too long to get the ball rolling. As a result, it got boring and anticlimactic. By the time you got to the ending you were barely interested in the book and just wanted it to end. Which is unfortunate considering the book had some potential. The character themselves were alright but had nothing special going. Celeste really bothered me as a character. She was pushy, erratic, and a complete drama queen. Overall annoying in the novel. Leena herself wasn't so bad to read although she's a people pleaser, yet at the same time alienates them and in the end, well, she sort of had it coming didn't she? I wasn't too happy with the way Abby and Viv treated Leena but you did have to understand where they were coming from. So in a way, their behavior towards Leena made sense. I wish this book was much better. It had all the characteristics of a good novel but fell really short. I don't regret giving it a try but it's just not what I hoped for. Not really worth the read.