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« Questionable Time #76
Published November 8, 2013 Politics 2 Comments
Tags: #bbcqt, Anna Soubry, BBC Question Time, Benjamin Zephaniah, Boston, David Dimbleby, Emily Thornberry, Nigle Farage, Question Time, Vicky Pryce
Good morning Lemmings and where do we find ourselves on the one week where I actually wanted QT to be in Scotland? Stranded in the flatlands of Lincolnshire, that's bloody where. Still, considering this is possibly the first show in the current run where there's been nary a mention of utility bills I shall suck this puddle of iniquitous happenstance up with good grace and go about my work without rancour. Alright, so there might be a little bit of rancour but that's just par for the course. Off we go…
I don't practice Santeria, I ain't got no crystal ball…
…But if I was ever to need a conduit to the Land of the Dead it would be Anna Soubry who I'd turn to based entirely on the remarkable job she did last night in channelling the spirit of the late Margaret Thatcher. It was an eerie spectacle: Soubry, still smarting from her endearingly ramshackle tumble through the first question suddenly fell into a trance-like state as Farage was getting busy putting the frighteners about. Arguments and ill-tempered exchanges flourished with both panelists and audience taking umbrage with one another yet Soubry remained hunched in silence, eyes fixed on an invisible point in infinity. "Over to you, Anna Soubry" came the call and then a pause as her head slowly raised to reveal gaping black holes where eyes should have been before rotating through a full 360 degrees.
"They come here to WORK. They come here to do JOBS"
A chill descended on the studio as that ominous, just-a-little-too-long pause at the start of each sentence, that crawling slow delivery, that emphatic emphasis on the last word started to fire off flickers of recognition in the minds of all those present. Wait a second… I know who that sounds like… It's… Oh Jesus no… The Iron Lady has cheated death!
Alright, so that might have been a slight exaggeration as it was actually more like a plummy sounding woman trying to do an impression of a woman who went out of her way to sound very plummy but the similarities were unmistakable – uncanny even – and my suspicion is that this is what Anna Soubry does when she knows she's in a tight spot: She shuts her eyes, clenches her fists as tight as she can and keeps repeating "What would Maggie do? What would Maggie do? What would Maggie do?" over and over until her inner-Thatcher comes and rescues her. Given that I'm not exactly a fan of the late-PM, you'd think I'd view this as an undesirable trait but in fact I've grown to quite like it because it's like a self negating-prophesy. Think about it, what would Maggie do? Well, she definitely wouldn't be asking anyone for advice because she'd already know with horrifying certainty exactly what it was she wanted to do in the first place. I also have to admit that weird as it was, Soubry's little voodoo ceremony actually turned out rather well and that's the thing about Soubry – although she quite often buggers things up on QT she has a knack of shambling through things in a pleasingly game sort of way… And that, dear Lemmings, is definitely not what Maggie would do.
I hear music when I see Emily Thornberry…
…Not celestial choirs or anything like that but there are two tracks that pop into my head when I see her. The first is Foghat's Slow Ride and I hear this when she's doing well – you know, like when her voice goes all buttery and everything she says sounds mellow and reasonable. The second song however is Screeching Weasel's Breaking Point and I hear this whenever she starts to get grumpy – you know, like when she does the rolly eye thing and everything she says sounds sarky and sanctimonious. Happily for Emily I'm pleased to report that we had a full evening of Slow Ride – not least on account of the unspoken truce between Teams Red and Blue in the face of the Garish Yellow and Purple Team– but I won't go quite as far in my praise as the author of this text I received during the show did (see Fig. 1).
All those wishing to chip into the Bet Against Uglymonkey Fund, please make yourselves known by way of the comments box.
Nigel's playing for keepsies…
So we've all become quite accustomed to the cock-a-hoop/waggy-tailed/I-can't-believe-I'm-getting-away-with-it Farage of late and that's been a fun exercise in both mischief and farce, not least because no-one (except Michael Crick) has got hurt and it all just feels like mid-term tomfoolery. However all good things come to an end and it appears we are now stuck with a much more hard-headed, composed and actually rather steely Farage who's up to his old tricks of selling crazy to Middle England (see Fig. 2). The most worrying bit is how well he managed to keep it all together last night – no getting carried away with it all, no talking himself into a corner – not to mention the fact that there was clearly a big appetite for the rather bitter dish he was serving. It was also probably his least fun appearance to date and I'm wondering how long that can be sustained – could we tolerate a 'sensible' Farage and everything that entails? I suspect not.
And the remainder?
I should tell Benjamin Zephaniah off for never really answering questions and trading in the vaguest of vagaries but who am I kidding? Like I could find it in my heart to go to town on clearly the nicest man in the whole world. As for Vicky Pryce, well what to make of her? She likes numbers – that was made pretty clear from the outset – and she also likes swallowing very hard mid-sentence. However, the bit that got me was the anecdote about the woman in the burqa eating an egg and how much that totally blew her mind. An egg! Eating it! In a burqa! Vicky Pryce: She's seen things you wouldn't believe…
Soubry: 6/10
(Is very) Game
Thornberry: 7/10
(Deserves modest) Acclaim
Farage: 5/10
(Managed to) Blame (the EU for just about everything again)
Zephaniah: 6/10
(Did the) Same (things as he always does in the same lovely way)
Pryce: 5/10
(Did) Exclaim (much bewilderment at eggs and burqas)
(Are fans of so-hot-right-now Californian trio) Haim
Well, that was right old school, what with the wall-to-wall talk on immigration. I guess it makes a change from gas bills though. Now, just so you know, I'm not going to be here next week but in a Questionable Time first I will have someone standing in for me. Her name's Elizabeth, she's the brains behind the consistently chucklesome Cones Hotline and she'll be at the helm for next week's nautical little jaunt to Pompey. Bud-a-bup-bup-bup-budda-budda-budda-bup (to the confused, that's the theme from Blue Peter… It just felt appropriate…)!
Sort of next week Lemmings… Sort of…
1 Franky November 9, 2013 at 19:12
I look forward to the forensic gaze you comedically cast on the 'great and good' of QT, and am happy to see someone standing in for you next week.
2 loudribs November 9, 2013 at 19:42
Thanks! Gotta say I'm looking forward to it as well…


I'm Banta, the blacksmith. I'm forging a bell for the King to present to his beloved Queen Leene! I lost it when the Queen disappeared. I just couldn't keep working on the bell. But now it's back to business as usual!


Today I have the Prism Polish UK Fantastically Beastly to share with you.
Color4Nails recently sent me these polishes and they are all available on the Colors4Nails website. This brand is new to me, but I am so glad I tried. Let's take a closer look at the Prism Polish UK Fantastically Beastly collection that is available now!
All of these applied well and all needed three coats for me.
"Erumpent Dance" is a rose gold/pink/green/purple shifting multichrome nail polish. Shown is three coats plus top coat.
This one is a bit shifty so I added extra photos.
"Try Not To Be Predictable" is a nail polish topper filled with red/green shifting unicorn pee and blue/purple iridescent flakes. Shown is one coat over black plus top coat.
"Leave His Brains" is a teal green nail polish filled with gold/green unicorn pee type pigment and subtle red shimmer. This one is very sheer and would look best over a coordinating teal creme. Shown is three coats plus top coat.
"I'm The Only One Like Me" is a thermal nail polish that when cold is a purple with pink/green/purple color shifting shimmer and purple/blue/green iridescent flakes. When warm it is a bright pink. Shown is three coats plus top coat.
Below is the cold state.
"I Don't Think I'm Dreaming" is a teal/purple/pink/green multichrome nail polish with a multichrome magnetic effect and a bit of holo. Shown is three coats plus top coat.
Below is without the magnetic effect.
"I Annoy People" is a turquoise holographic nail polish. Shown is three coats plus top coat.


On April 7, 2008 By stevewodaIn Bookmarks, eCommerce, Google, Online Advertising, Web/Tech, Yahoo!
Of the many blogs born last May, Patent Troll Tracker seemed as innocuous as any. Its focus: the obscure but controversial subject of "patent trolls," a derogatory term used to describe businesses that make money by purchasing patents and then suing big companies for infringement. The author was clearly no fan of the practice, but his or her identity was a mystery. The "about me" section of the blog noted that the writer was simply "a patent lawyer trying to gather and organize information about patent litigation." Through regular, copious posts, Troll Tracker quickly drew a devoted following in patent law circles, even among those who disagreed with its point of view. What readers didn't know, however, was that the blogger was Rick Frenkel, in-house patent counsel at Cisco Systems (CSCO), the Internet infrastructure giant.
Ad spending on newspaper Web sites increased to $3.2 billion in 2007, up 18.8% over 2006, according to preliminary estimates released by the Newspaper Association of America (NAA) in late March. The trade group said that online ad spending accounted for 7.5% of all newspaper ad spending in 2007, up from 5.7% in 2006.
Last week, MarketWatch quoted comScore data showing a second straight month of slower growth in paid clicks for Google's main ad-serving business. A note from Bank of America (BofA) analyst Brian Pitz pointed out that the comScore data showed a mere 3% growth in Google's paid clicks in February compared with the same month a year earlier. Pause for a reality check. Growth in US online ad spending is indeed slowing. However, let's remember that this means smaller increases but still increases. Slower growth is a world away from a fall.


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El  fue una reorganización administrativa promulgada en el año 701 en Japón, a finales del período Asuka como uno de los , un sistema de leyes histórica basado en el confucionismo. Fue compilado bajo la dirección del Príncipe Osakabe, Fujiwara no Fuhito y Awata no Mahito a petición del Emperador Mommu y, como muchos otros desarrollos del país en esa época, fue mayormente una adaptación del sistema chino del sistema gubernamental de la dinastía Tang.

El establecimiento del código Taihō fue el primer evento en incluir el confucionismo como un elemento de conducta y ética del gobierno japonés. El código fue revisado durante el período Nara para moldearlo a ciertas tradiciones y necesidades prácticas de administración. La edición revisada recibió el nombre de , el cual fue terminado en su mayoría en el 718.

Véase también
 Ritsuryō
 Código Yōrō
 Código Ōmi
 Código Asuka Kiyomihara

Referencias

 Asakawa, Kan'ichi. (1903). The Early Institutional Life of Japan. Tokyo: Shueisha. [reprinted by Paragon Book Reprint, New York, 1963].
 Ferris, William Wayne. (1998). Sacred Texts and Buried Treasures: Issues in the Historical Archaeology of Ancient Japan. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 0-8248-2030-4 & ISBN 978-0-8248-2030-5
 Sansom, George (1958). A History of Japan to 1334. Stanford: Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-0523-2

Historia del derecho de Japón
Códigos de Japón
Japón Clásico
Período Asuka
Derecho en el siglo VIII
Japón en el siglo VIII

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Kindle Daily Deal -- Her Knight in Black Leather!
Joanne Stewart is here today with a fabulous announcement! And I'm here to tell everyone they need to read this book! I have and Her Knight in Black Leather is one of my all-time faves!! Here's your chance! Don't miss it!
Her Knight in Black Leather is today's Kindle Daily Deal! That means for TODAY ONLY it's only 99 cents on Amazon!
For fun, because it's also the one year anniversary of the book, I'm sharing a never before seen excerpt. During the submission process, I submitted the book to Harlequin Desire, who requested revisions (obviously, they rejected). So, the snippet below is part of the original plotline, before I made the changes the editor requested.
Cat Edwards has spent her life playing the wallflower in an effort to escape the repressive weight of her mother's tarnished name. Dragged to a bar by her best friend in an effort to forget a broken heart, the shy bookworm is determined to be someone else for the night, but quickly gets in over her head. She discovers chivalry isn't dead after all when a mysterious stranger comes to her rescue. He's wearing black leather and a mischievous smile that promises to be exactly what she needs.
When his terminally ill father suffers a setback, Michael Brant returns to the town he swore ten years ago he'd never return to. He's come back this time determined to make peace with the past, but being home brings up memories he doesn't want to remember anymore. His first night in town, he's captured by a damsel in distress. Cat's beauty is made all the more alluring when he realizes she has no idea who he is. He can't resist spending a single night in her arms. With her, he's only a man, disconnected from his family's name and the past that haunts him here.
As the town erupts with the news of his return, Michael's dark past comes back to haunt him, putting Cat in danger. Someone is threatening her life and the life of her family. Desperate to keep history from repeating itself, Michael offers her his family's name in order to keep her safe. When the lie spirals beyond their control, can they stop their hearts from becoming entangled as well?
Twenty minutes later, Michael stared at the gold numbers adorning Cat's apartment door. Taking a deep breath, he knocked then shoved his hands into his jacket pockets. Anxiety twisted in his stomach as he waited. He had no idea what the hell to say to her. He only knew he had to try.
A minute later, the door opened. A small blonde appeared, wearing a pair of cut-off jeans and a halter top a size too small. Cat's roommate, Lisa. He remembered her from the first night he met Cat at the bar. Cat pointed her out on the dance floor, but they'd never met. He'd known Cat a month now and never managed to meet her roommate. Somehow that felt wrong.
He opened his mouth, to voice the question seated on his tongue, the entire reason he'd come over, but Lisa shook her head. "She doesn't want to see you. I've got strict orders not to let you in. I'm sorry. She said she thinks it's better this way."
She wouldn't see him. He blew out a heavy breath.
Lisa wordlessly turned from the door, padded across the room and plucked a small box off the kitchen table then rejoined him and held it out to him. "She also said to give you this."
The engagement ring.
He could only stare at her outstretched hand. He should've expected it but somehow its significance still managed to hit like a punch to the gut. Over the last month, he'd felt closer to Cat than any woman he'd ever known. Now he might as well be in L.A. for as far apart as they felt. He'd hurt her and he hated himself for it. The question was, would she forgive him for being a complete fool? Some small part of him hoped she would.
Lisa stared at him, her gaze hardening. "She loves you, you know."
Hope swelled to life in his chest. "Did she say that?"
Lisa shook her head. "No, but she doesn't have to. She wasn't this miserable when she found out about Nick. You're leaving and it's breaking her heart. It's why she gave the ring back. She doesn't want any reminders of you when you're gone."
She folded her arms across her chest, her brow furrowing.
"Just because she won't leave her dad and fly halfway around the world with you, doesn't mean her heart doesn't feel it. Men. You're so damn blind sometimes. She's doing this because she loves her father, because she has more reason to trust him right now than you."
Michael sighed. He wasn't surprised by Lisa's reaction. "Look, God knows I'm doing this all wrong. When I asked her to go with me and she refused, I was prepared to leave it at that. I thought maybe it was for the best. The last thing I wanted was for her to have to leave her home."
"You could have stayed, you know."
Michael looked at his feet for a moment, the truth swirling like acid in his gut. "Haven't you ever been afraid of anything?"
"You're afraid of her?"
Michael drew a deep breath and looked up. "What I feel for her scares the hell out of me."
Lisa arched a disbelieving brow. "So, why are you here?"
"Because the thought of leaving her makes my gut ache. I have something I need to tell her. It might not get me anywhere, but I have to say it. I'd rather not do it over the phone or through the door."
Lisa's features relaxed a fraction, but the distrust didn't disappear from her eyes. "What is it you have to tell her?"
Michael shook his head. "That's for her and her alone. I'd rather say it to her face."
Lisa dropped her arms to her sides, her stiff posture relaxing. One corner of her mouth twitched with her effort to hold back a smile, but amusement brightened her eyes, giving her away. "You're in love with her."
Michael smiled. He hadn't intended to tell anyone but Cat. She ought to be the first to hear the news. That Lisa figured it out had a knot in his chest unraveling. "Very much. I'm not sure I know how to live without her. At this point, I don't expect her to want to see me. I might as well have told her she wasn't worth staying for. So, whether or not she even wants to see me has to be her decision. If she does, tell her I'll be at the bar until nine. Will you tell her?"
Lisa finally allowed the smile to take over her face. "Tell her yourself, cowboy. She's at the bookshop."
Michael playfully rolled his eyes. "You couldn't have told me that from the beginning?"
JM writes sweet and heartwarming contemporary romance with a touch of passion. She's a wife, a mother, a spiritualist, and lover of puppies, and happily addicted to coffee and chocolate. She lives in the Great Rainy Northwest with her husband of sixteen years and their two sons. She's a hopeless romantic who believe everybody should have their happily-ever-after and has been devouring romance novels for as long as she can remember. Writing them has become her passion.
99 cent buy link on Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00AWWZVBE
Buy links elsewhere (my apologies. I don't mean to exclude anybody, but Kindle Daily Deal is an Amazon exclusive sale and I have no control over pricing):
Crimson Romance
Posted by AJ Nuest at 11:12 AM 2 comments: Links to this post
COVER REVEAL: Battle Cry by Melissa Snark
BATTLE CRY by Melissa Snark
A Victoria Storm novel
#3 Loki's Wolves series
Genre: Paranormal/urban fantasy
Coming June 2014
Add to your Goodreads Shelf
"We meet Valkyrie Victoria Storm in the middle of a blood bath, and we did continue on from there. I must say Melissa Snark has all the makings of an awesome story teller."
Gloria Lakritz
Sr. Reviewer and Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Guild
"A definite must read for anyone who enjoys urban fantasy."
Lisa Lester
Fight For Your Write Blog
Just when you thought it couldn't get any better...
War with human hunters has devastated the werewolf pack of Sierra Pines. Only Valkyrie Victoria Storm and a handful of female wolves still live. With her mate dead, there is no one to protect her or her unborn child. An unwelcome attraction to a hunter complicates her life even further. She reluctantly agrees to attend peace talks with Jake Barrett, the notorious Hunter King, a man who believes she murdered his son.
Hunter Sawyer Barrett has been trying to kill Victoria Storm for so long, he doesn't know whether he loves her or hates her. Desperate to end the war he started, he's willing to take chances with everything but his heart, but he harbors a deadly secret he's determined to keep.
When peace talks fail, Victoria does the only reasonable thing an angry Valkyrie can do: she kidnaps her worst enemy and makes her escape in a fire engine red convertible muscle car. All along an ancient evil plots the destruction of wolves and hunters alike.
Add BATTLE CRY to your Goodreads Shelf
THE CHILD THIEF (LOKI'S WOLVES #1) is free on Amazon and Goodreads
Melissa Snark is a paranormal and romance author with a particular interest in werewolf and Norse mythology. Her Loki's Wolves series combines elements of both in a contemporary fantasy setting. She lives in Northern California with her husband, three children and glaring of cats.
Connect with Melissa
The Snarkology
Email: melissasnark at gmail dot com
Twitter: @MelissaSnark
Summertime Dream and an Interview with Babette James!
Hi, AJ, thanks for letting me visit here today and share a look at my new contemporary romance, Summertime Dream.
You are most welcome! It's a pleasure having you visit with me today! Let's get started with asking what heat level you prefer to write. And conversely, what's the heat level you prefer to read? Is that bedroom door open or closed?
I enjoy reading different heat levels, from sweet to hot, but my writing level runs to sensual and spicy with the bedroom door wide open. (Sorry, Mom. J ) And taking into consideration the camping and picnic scenes in my River series, sometimes the love scenes take place without benefit of doors, beds, or rooms.
LOL! I love that! Fabulous! So I know you've been published through The Wild Rose Press, but have you ever considered self-publication?
I'd like to give it a try. I think being a hybrid author is a good career path in these interesting publishing times. I'm working on a four-book novella series that might be a good candidate for self-publishing.
Awesome. I would like to try it as well some day. Other than those novellas, what are you working on now?
Besides the novellas, I'm nearly finished with my next novel in this series, Love Burns, so fingers crossed for that one to be done and submitted soon. This story takes off right from where Clear As Day ends. I love this couple's chemistry, and while it's been a challenge to complete, I've enjoyed seeing their story come to life as they work through their personal trials and find their own happily ever after together. I'm also working on other stories for couples from the circle of friends in my River series. I also have a fantasy series that's simmering on the back burner while I focus on these contemporary stories. Thank goodness for coffee!
You sound like me! Too many stories and not enough hours in the day! So after finishing a manuscript, do you take some time off or dive right in to the next story?
No rest for the weary. Lol I dive right into the other stories. I tend to have several WIPs going on at once in various stages of completion.
Boy, do you ever sound like me. Now for some fun questions. Which Superhero would you most love to date and why?
Probably Superman. I love the idea of a hidden hero behind the mild mannered Clark Kent persona.
Nothing wrong with Henry Cavill, that's for sure. Does your husband read your work? And if so, what's his reaction?
My husband doesn't read my work, but he's very supportive and doesn't hesitate to tell people about my books. He jokes that he'll just wait until the movie comes out.
LOL! I love that! Favorite cocktail?
I usually drink wine, but if I'm going to order a cocktail, in the winter I like a Rusty Nail (Drambuie and Scotch) and in the summer I like a vodka and tonic or a mojito.
YUM! Do you have any pets?
My husband and I are owned by two very spoiled cats. Pookie, my younger cat, has decided it is his daily duty to wake me promptly at 5:00 a.m. so I won't forget to feed him or give him his cuddles. He helps make sure I have time to write in the morning and keeps me company in my office. I hand-raised him from when he was one day old and he has been to school with me, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and Mystic Seaport, although he did sleep through most of those events. Gracie, our older cat, has the exhausting job of keeping the couch warm.
LOL! Your cats sound like mine! Let's hear a little more about your book, Summertime Dream.
The Fourth of July is over, but for these summer lovers the fireworks have just begun.
An unexpected inheritance brings business consultant Christopher Gordon from Los Angeles to quaint Falk's Bend. He's carved a week from his demanding schedule to list his great-grandparents' house for sale and explore his roots. However, disturbing family secrets and the sweet temptation of writer Margie Olsson derail his plans, challenging him to seize the elusive dream missing from his hectic life—love.
A recent brush with death shook Margie's life, but not her dreams and she's ready to move forward. Only, standing up to her loving, over-protective family isn't easy. Helping Christopher explore the derelict mansion and unravel his grandmother's mysterious past should be a harmless fun taste of independence. But when her experimental summer fling ignites into unexpected love, how can her small town dreams work with his big city life?
Margie touched his shoulder and had him turn away from the mess to focus on the view toward the river.
Here the picturesque natural beauty of the property began: the land sloped gently down past the ancient summer house and purple martin houses to the reedy pond where a duck flew in and landed with a quack, and stretched on through weedy tangles of wild blackberry and rogue saplings to the ancient apple and plum trees sagging with unripe fruit, and beyond to the river invisible in the distance, marking where the Engberg's farm began on the far bank.
Appreciation softened his tense face.
"Beautiful, isn't it? I fell so in love with this place when I was little and dreamed I'd live in a house like this someday." Margie laughed. "Of course, in my dreams it was a bit less rundown."
"I'd imagine so. Interested in buying?"
"Oh, if only I could, I would in an instant. I'm sure the property alone is worth far more than I can afford. It's a huge piece of land. And the repairs and restoration..." Longing swelled. She sighed. Someone else would buy and live in her dream home.
Quiet fell between them for a while. Bees buzzed in the clover. Birds sang, chirped, and flitted. A hummingbird whizzed past. Two more ducks joined the first amid quiet bickering quacks. Dandelion fluff drifted by on an unfelt breeze.
A truck rattled down the lane, breaking the moment.
"Suppose we ought to head back..." Christopher turned, so close their arms brushed, but instead of retreating, he hesitated. Their eyes locked. Where dismay and frustration had filled his green eyes, want simmered. The heavy air electrified.
You need a change.
On a surge of bewildering crazy courage, she stretched up and kissed him. The brief brush of lips to lips left her shaken and her heart pounding, like she had just come up for air.
His eyes widened in his serious, craggy face.
No, oh, no. Blowing out a unsteady breath, she pressed a hand to her stomach. She'd carried her day's adventure one impetuous step too far. Her heroines were the daring part of her. She'd never even kissed on a first date before, and this wasn't even a date.
Before the apology fluttering in her mind could break free, he cupped her cheek and touched his mouth down on hers.
Thinking faded as feeling soared. His gentle touch sweet and fascinating, his lips warm and firm played over hers, unhurried in his caresses and enticing brushes. He laced his fingers into her hair, cradling her head in his hand. He tenderly nipped her lip and licked at her mouth, inviting her rather than taking.
She sighed, delighting in this lovely, reckless rush. Yes. Yes. Yes. Forget that they had just met. She could want again.
Gripping his shoulder, she accepted the heady invitation, and the kiss deepened into perfect.
Come fall in love at the river:
Summertime Dream is available on Amazon: http://viewBook.at/SummertimeDream
"Summertime Dream is a perfect glass of Lemonade on a hot day. Simple, elegant and beautifully written. I enjoyed each scene. Loved the chemistry between the characters and the house. Great story!" ~ Deborah Diez
Clear As Day, (★★★★½ RT Book Reviews, ★★★★★
Top Pick The Romance Reviews) is available at:
Amazon: http://viewbook.at/ClearAsDay
The Wild Rose Press: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=175_133&products_id=4806
And at all other eBook retailers
Babette James writes sweetly scorching contemporary romance and loves reading nail-biting tales with a satisfying happily ever after. When not dreaming up stories, she enjoys playing with new bread recipes and dabbling with paints. As a teacher, she loves encouraging new readers and writers as they discover their growing abilities. Her class cheers when it's time for their spelling test! Born in New Jersey and raised in Southern California, she's had a life-long love of the desert and going down the shore. Babette now lives in New Jersey with her wonderfully patient husband and extremely spoiled cats.
You can find Babette at:
Website: http://babettejames.com/
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/ltvyP
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BabetteJames
Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/babette.james
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/BabetteJamesAuthor
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.com/e/B007KDJWV8
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/babettejames
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/babettejames/
Thank you so much for stopping by today!
Posted by AJ Nuest at 12:01 AM 12 comments: Links to this post
Lights of Aurora Book Tour is HERE!
I'm thrilled to be hosting Theresa McClinton with Book 2 in The Stone Legacy Series, Lights of Aurora! Grab a steaming cuppa, sit back and enjoy her great excerpt! And don't forget to leave a comment! Theresa is offering up a copy of Lights of Aurora to one lucky winner!
After the discovery of her ancient Maya bloodlines, eighteen-year-old Ashley Coreandero is faced with a daunting responsibility. She must protect the stone of Muuk'Ich while Sarian, the underworld general, relentlessly drives her to the brink of insanity.
As the winter solstice approaches, it brings an onslaught of unexpected side effects. Ashley must seize control over her supercharged powers, while dealing with the overwhelming suspicion that her boyfriend, Arwan, is hiding a secret so dark it could destroy them both.
With the arrival of a surprise houseguest, Ashley's deepest fears about Arwan are confirmed. And when middleworld deities intercede, the group of gifted Maya descendants are confronted with hardships they never saw coming—including an enemy more deadly than they have ever faced.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned—but when that woman has no soul and a taste for revenge, they will need the powers of every surviving ancestor simply to stay alive.
Ashley's next step landed her shoe into something wet. She felt it slip under the sole, and glanced down at the river of blood that flowed over the steps.
Her heart raced.
"It has been a long road to get here, has it not?" Sarian carefully escorted her up the steps. "Your rather tenacious friend didn't help the cause—her and that boy, cutting off my power source. But I'm resourceful. I found other means."
They reached the top step of the temple. Ashley's legs throbbed from the climb. The heat intensified, and she could feel the skin on her cheeks and forehead blister.
"This place is a wasteland," Sarian said as he surveyed the dead, cracked ground. "Its true potential has long been wasted by a king who prefers to stay hidden in the deepest layer of the underworld, mourning a son who rejects his throne." He drew in a deep breath, and exhaled. "But no longer. I will resurrect this kingdom as my own." He flipped open the book. "But first, I must cleanse it of the unworthy."
Ashley's hatred for him grew so fierce, she could kill him herself.
Sarian clicked his tongue. "Now that's not very becoming, guardian. You shouldn't have such thoughts about your future king."
Ashley's heart dropped. Could he hear her thoughts, or somehow see into her mind? What else did he know?
He leaned in close to her, and his breath washed over her ear. "Everything, my dear. I know absolutely everything." He placed an unwanted kiss on her cheek. "I was going to force you into obedience when I first broke the spell." His lips brushed against her jaw. "But listening to all of your thoughts and fantasies about that boy was too enjoyable." She heard him lick his lips, his mouth hovering over her ear. "All of the thoughts you have about him." He gripped Ashley's wrist so tight, the delicate bones ground together. She sucked in a breath and gritted her teeth. "The dreams you have about him. I could do those things to you."
She turned her head and spit in his face.
He flinched back, his lips pressed tightly together. He raised his hand as if he were going to strike her, but paused and curled his fingers into a fist. He wiped the streak of saliva from his cheek as his features turned to stone, while he unfolded the pages of an enormous book propped on the altar.
"The Popol Vuh," he said in almost a coo, his flush slowly vanishing. He ran his hand over the pages. The same kinds of markings that were on the stone altar in the caves were etched in faded ink on the pages. They glowed with life when he read the first few words.
Ashley's stomach lurched as he continued to read aloud. With every word that passed through his lips, her limbs grew heavier.
The thousands of people jumped up and down and continued to raise their hands toward the sky, chanting in unison. Their words slurred and morphed into white noise.
Sarian held up the canary diamond pendant strung on a silver chain. It sparked in the sun. "You wouldn't accept it as a gift before, but perhaps you will consider it now that you see all you could reign over once you belong to me." He unlatched the necklace. "It will strip you of your abilities—at least until I see you are willing to obey my commands." She struggled to tear herself out of his grip. He jerked her toward him and held her against his chest. He narrowed his eyes. "You can either accept your fate and live, or I can release you to the will of the underworld, and you can die a slow, agonizing death." He skimmed the zipper of her fleece sweater. "But it must be touching your skin to work."
He grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her against the altar, the blood from the last sacrifice already dried and turned to dust. With the altar digging into her spine, he yanked the zipper down and tore open her shirt to expose her skin. She blinked when bits of soil fell onto her cheeks and eyelashes from the roots slithering above them.
His eyes narrowed as they locked on the pendant around Ashley's neck. A scowl arched his lip. "You believe the heaven deities can help you now?" He grabbed Zanya's emblem, tore it from her neck, and threw it to the ground. "You are mine now. They have no power here." He towered over her, glaring down at her with disgust, as though he hated everything about her. "I own you."
He laid the diamond over her skin. The moment he clasped the chain around her neck, the sickness that crawled through her veins burst with such intense heat, it felt as if she'd been set on fire. The energy clamped around her heart.
Ashley's muscles locked, and without her will, she turned toward Sarian. He extended his hand and trailed his fingers over her cheek and down her neck, resting his hand over the necklace. She wanted to pull away but her body wouldn't obey her command to step back. Sarian trailed his hand down to her bust line, stopping just as his finger caught the lace of her tank top.
"Now," Sarian said in a gratified tone. "Let us watch the cleansing of your new kingdom."
Ashley didn't reply. Her voice was one of the few things she still had control of, and she wouldn't relinquish it. Not until she was ready, and not until she chose.
Sarian grabbed hold of her hand and rested her open palm on his cheek. He dragged his lips over her skin, inhaling her scent while his eyes closed and his throat visibly tightened with a sexual tension that made her want to gag. "Remember." He opened his eyes and stared into her face. "Your abilities are chained, and if I so choose, you will be just another corpse lying at the bottom of the temple. I suggest you exercise some sense and do as you are told, young guardian."
Ashley swallowed, but her throat was so dry she could barely manage. Where was Arwan when she needed him? The only explanation she could think of was too painful to consider.
She glared defiantly at Sarian.
He returned the gesture. "You prove to be more like your mother than I care to remember." He threw her hand back, nearly tossing her to the ground.
More soil tapped over her shoulders, and his. A thin layer of dirt had settled over the stone temple.
Sarian turned his attention back to the book and continued reading from the pages. With the first few words that passed through his lips, the ground below them began to crawl. Roots from the earth above reached down, and more pushed through the dusty earth. The temple trembled. Ashley grabbed onto a stone block and bent her knees so she wouldn't fall down the steps.
Thankfully she still had control over her minor action.
Sarian didn't seem fazed in the least. She stared at the book, then back at him while he dragged his finger under each line he read aloud.
This was the book she saw in her dreams. It had the same curled corners, the same yellow tint, and the same textured pages.
Screams and shrieks replaced the underworlders' chants as roots coiled around their ankles and legs, and dragged them under.
Blood coated the ground.
Ashley didn't have time to think. If she wanted to live through this, she'd have to do something to stop Sarian from reading the rest of the passage.
Too bad her feet felt like twenty-pound weights.
A bloodcurdling scream shrieked through the air, and Ashley turned her head to see underworlders scattered in every direction, desperately seeking refuge from the hungry tree. Scarlet saturated the dry ground, sitting in puddles on the surface. Soon, the ground looked like a sea of blood.
Sarian continued to read from the book, line after line, page after page. And worse, she could do nothing more than watch. The necklace was hexed with magic more powerful than anything she could control. Sheer force wouldn't work in this case. She would have to be smart.
Ashley squared her jaw. "Is this how you really want to win?"
He stopped reading and slowly turned his head toward her.
"I mean, this isn't even a fair fight." She arched a brow. "Or maybe you really are a coward."
His upper lip twitched.
"Oh." She pursed her lips. "So that's it. You're scared of me." She huffed. "Well, I should have guessed as much. My mother showed you up, why wouldn't I? You couldn't take the same chance twice, so you took the coward's—"
He lunged toward her and grabbed her throat. "Your mother, that whore, was no match for me. It's true she put up a reasonable fight, but I broke her." His grip tightened, cutting off her air. "And I will inevitably break you as well." He tilted his head to the side while she struggled to pull in a breath. The edges of her vision clouded with black, and he released her throat just before she lost consciousness. She gasped and coughed. "If you are suggesting you think you can defeat me in my own realm, I welcome you to try. Perhaps getting this over with early will be of more benefit." Sarian ran his fingers over the canary diamond necklace, and her muscles sighed in relief. He took a step back and faced her. "Now…"
The cooling sensation of Ashley's light spread through her chest, and clashed with the sick heat of the cursed charm.
It was now or never.
She threw out her hands to strike him with an energy ball.
There was nothing.
Sarian grinned. "Do you honestly believe I would give you your abilities back? Foolish girl." He shook his head. "Women are good for little more than to be subservient. I will never understand why the gods chose a female to guard the stone."
Find Lights of Aurora at these retailers:
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A long time enthusiast of things that go bump in the night, Theresa began her writing career as a journalism intern—possibly the least creative writing field out there. After her first semester at a local newspaper, she washed her hands of press releases and feature articles to delve into the whimsical world of fiction.
Since then, Theresa has been married, had three terrific kids, moved to central Ohio, and has been repeatedly guilt tripped into adopting a menagerie of animals that are now members of the family. But don't be fooled by her domesticated appearance. Her greatest love is travel. Having traveled to over a dozen countries—not to mention an extended seven-year stay in Kodiak, Alaska—she is anything but settled down. But wherever life brings her, Theresa will continue to weave tales of adventure and love with the hope her stories will bring joy and inspiration to her readers.
Novella 2.5 of The Stone Legacy Series
Summertime Dream and an Interview with Babette Jam...
CAEDMON'S CURSE RELEASE DAY!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Monthly Movie Guide
The following summaries of current, widely shown films are provided to help readers plan what to see. Inclusion of a movie does not imply Monitor endorsement. Further description is often supplied in articles on the arts-entertainment pages.
ARREST, THE -- In a weak echo of Kafka's masterpiece ''The Trial,'' a young man is seized, beaten, and questioned by the police about a conspiracy he's never heard of. A trivial treatment of a potentially important theme, undermined by unconvincing performances and a scenario that's just a string of poorly motivated outrages.
ATOMIC CAFE, THE -- A chilling, harrowing, sometimes hilarious compilation of military, educational, and propaganda footage from the 1940s and '50s, all designed to ''sell'' the newly discovered atomic bomb to the American public as painlessly as possible. A first-rate ''nostalgia'' film, in a grim sort of way; but the real meaning lies on deeper levels, as the material illustrates government, school, and military propaganda techniques and raises implicit questions about the roots of popular blindness to the real threat of nuclear war. Directed by Kevin Rafferty, Jayne Loader, and Pierce Rafferty.
BOB LE FLAMBEUR -- Directed in 1955 by the gifted Jean-Pierre Melville, this French ''film noir'' follows an aging hoodlum as he drifts through the underworld of Montmartre and tries to engineer one more big job. A minor work compared with a Melville masterpiece like ''Le Doulos,'' but interesting for its position between the dark Hollywood thrillers of the 1950s and the French ''new wave'' of the '60s.
CAT PEOPLE -- A young woman discovers that her family tree has supernatural roots in this erotic fantasy, which is punctuated by sexual innuendo and some lurid violence. The first half contains a number of effectively chilling moments; the later scenes are often flat. Directed by Paul Schrader. (Rated R for vulgar language and nudity.)
CHARIOTS OF FIRE -- Vigorous but rather scattered account of two gallant young runners in the 1924 Olympics, based on the real-life experiences of Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell. A British film directed by Hugh Hudson. Winner 1981 Academy Award for Best Picture.
CHOSEN, THE -- In a Jewish section of Brooklyn during the 1940s, a young man gradually grows away from his family's Hasidic way of life, and his father (a powerful rabbi) has trouble accepting the change. Contains the surface, but only bits and pieces of the substance, of the fine Chaim Potok novel on which it is based. Directed by Jeremy Paul Kagan.
CHRISTIANE F. -- Extraordinarily graphic account of a teen-age girl's descent into a nightmare of drugs and prostitution, with no hint of romanticizing or glamorizing its grim subject matter. A cautionary, sometimes disgusting drama from West Germany, directed by Erlich Edel.
DAS BOOT -- Except for a number of scatological details and vulgar words, this is an old-fashioned action movie about a German submarine during World War II. As everyone knows, there isn't much you can do in a submarine picture, but this one contains all the venerable conventions of the genre, from the emergency dive to the obligatory close-ups of the water-pressure gauge. A film from West Germany, directed by Wolfgang Petersen.
DEATHTRAP -- Virtually nothing is as it seems in Sidney Lumet's comedy thriller about a successful playwright, his high-strung wife, and his eager protege. Based on the Broadway hit by Ira Levin, with a reconstructed ending that doesn't trail off into sheer silliness as the stage version does. (Rated PG for vulgar language, occasional violence, and a homosexual element in the story line.)
DINER -- The preoccupation with sex and some of the hijinks recall the brash vulgarity of ''Animal House,'' but as a whole this is the most mature treatment so far of the 1950s ''nostalgia'' theme, and the most accurate in its facts and feelings. The action centers on a group of young men in their early 20s who hang around an eatery and wonder what it'll be like when (and if) they finally grow up. Directed by Barry Levinson. (Rated R; contains vulgar language and situations.)
DIVA -- Fast and furious thriller about a young music fan who secretly records a performance by his favorite prima donna, a gaggle of cops and robbers who think his tape holds criminal evidence, and some crazed capitalists who will stop at nothing to get their hands on the real opera recording. Directed by French newcomer Jean-Claude Beineix with lots of style, it avoids sensationalism except for a little nudity and some violence near the end.
E. T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL -- Lost on the planet Earth, a friendly spaceman becomes the secret pal of a little boy, who can't believe his own good fortune. A grade-school version of ''Close Encounters of the Third Kind,'' directed by Steven Spielberg with lots of wit in the first half, but too much artificial emotion in the long climax, which leads to a resolution right out of ''Peter Pan.'' (Rated PG; contains a little vulgar language and a sci-fi medical sequence.)
GARDE A VUE -- Faced with a grisly crime, the assault and murder of some young girls, a policeman spends a long night questioning the prime suspect, running into some big surprises about whodunit and why. Directed by French filmmaker Claude Miller, who shares Alfred Hitchcock's fascination with the ambiguous appearances of guilt and innocence and with the technical challenges of building a ''one-set'' drama. The title is a French term for preventive detention.
GENOCIDE -- Documentary about the extermination of millions of Jews and others by Nazi Germany. Overproduced, but devastatingly effective. Directed by Arnold Schwartzman for the Simon Wiesenthal Center at Yeshiva University of Los Angeles, a Holocaust study center and museum.
LONG GOOD FRIDAY, THE -- A cheap hood dreams of becoming a glamorous gangster in this occasionally witty, but nastily violent, melodrama with racist overtones.
MARIANNE AND JULIANE -- Fascinating drama about two sisters trying desperately to understand each other despite their very different attitudes toward social commitment. The action focuses on a period when one of them (a revolutionary) is in prison, but also includes flashbacks to their childhood and adolescent years. The flow of the film is a bit choppy at times, but it has been crisply and thoughtfully made by West German filmmaker Margarethe von Trotta, who poignantly explores the interface between politics and personality.
MEADOW, THE -- Compassion and sincerity help compensate for uneven style and lack of unity in this ambitious Italian drama about a Milanese man who rediscovers his roots in rural Tuscany and gets involved in a triangular love affair with a conscientious young woman and her boyfriend. Directed by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, who don't quite manage to recreate the resonances of their earlier ''Padre, Padrone.''
MEPHISTO -- In pre-Nazi Germany an ambitious actor compromises with his culture and his conscience for the sake of success, then finds himself a reluctant but hopelessly entangled ally of the new Hitler regime. While the filmmaking by Istvan Szabo is rather slack at times, the most effective scenes add up to a lavishly filmed, energetically acted drama charged with moral and intellectual suspense. Though it contains moments of perverse sexuality, reflecting the protagonist's perverse personality, the movie is less lurid (and seems somewhat less contrived) than the original novel by Klaus Mann, which was itself based on a true case history.
MISSING -- An American businessman searches for his mysteriously vanished son after a coup in a Latin American country and comes to suspect United States complicity in the grim events that surround him. A splendidly filmed and deeply moving human drama, though it has aroused controversy with its opinionated version of occurrences clearly based on events in Chile after the overthrow of Salvador Allende Gossens. Directed by Costa-Gavras. (Rated PG for a few vulgar words and a couple of scenes depicting the aftermath of violence.)
MY DINNER WITH ANDRE -- Playing themselves, two real-life theater personalities -- Andre Gregory and Wallace Shawn -- have a two-hour dinner and talk about everything from mystical experiences to electric blankets. An amazingly engaging and funny experience, though more like a jazz improvisation than an ordinary movie. Directed by the unpredictable Louis Malle.
ON GOLDEN POND -- Very sentimental but often very funny story about a retired professor facing old age, his wife's loving concern, the delayed maturity of their grown-up daughter, and a foul-mouthed teen-ager who comes to stay with them and precipitates a very contrived resolution. Directed by Mark Rydell, with an excellent performance by Henry Fonda and good ones by Katharine Hepburn and Jane Fonda. (Contains vulgar language.)
PASSIONE D'AMORE -- A mix of melodrama, romanticism, and absurdism, about a young 19th-century officer who finds himself zealously pursued by a woman who is the exact opposite of his ideal. Artfully directed by Ettore Scole. (Contains occasional sex scenes between the hero and a secondary character.)
PERSONAL BEST -- Two young athletes establish a lesbian relationship, then compete with each other for a berth on the United States Olympics team. An opportunistic film, ranging from voyeuristic sex to gushy athletic scenes in schmaltzy slow motion. Written and directed by Robert Towne.
QUEST FOR FIRE -- Prehistoric cave people battle for survival. Sweepingly filmed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, with dialogue in an invented pre-Indo-European language. (Rated R for explicit sexual behavior and violence.)
RICHARD PRYOR LIVE ON THE SUNSET STRIP -- Filmed comedy routine touching on everything from prisons and sex to Pryor's own injury in an explosion and fire. (Rated R for constant, sometimes extremely vulgar language.)
SLAP IN THE FACE, A -- Minor but engaging Soviet comedy-drama (in the Armenian language) about a boy growing up in a backward turn-of-the-century town. Directed by Henrik Malyan.
SMASH PALACE -- A blue-collar ''Shoot the Moon,'' about a man who goes berserk after his wife takes up with a close friend, leaving their little daughter caught in the middle. Promising at first, but increasingly chaotic and distasteful. Directed by Roger Donaldson, who needs a sense of control to match his technical skills.
SOLDIER GIRLS -- Entertaining, instructive, harrowing, and very funny documentary about three young women going through basic training in the United States Army. Directed by Nicholas Broomfield and Joan Churchill. (Contains some vulgar language and the on-screen slaughter of a chicken.)
TOO FAR TO GO -- Movie adaptation (originally made for TV) of John Updike's stories about the Maples, a likable couple whose marriage gradually and gently dissolves, to their own quiet bewilderment. Though the best Updike touches are missing, the basic emotions of the stories come through clearly and effectively. Directed by Fielder Cook.
UNFINISHED PIECE FOR A PLAYER PIANO, AN -- Leisurely, likable, deeply Chekhovian drama about life and love among a group of quirky Russians gathered for a summer's day and evening on estate of a friend. Based on a minor Chekhov play. Directed by Soviet filmmaker Nikita Mikhalkov.
VICTOR/VICTORIA -- Julie Andrews plays an aspiring singer who finds an unusual gimmick for success on the nightclub circuit in Paris during the '30s: pretending to be a man impersonating a woman. Rated PG for some vulgar language and the homosexuality of a character played by Robert Preston, which leads to some irritating humor. But basically an old-fashioned farce, with many variations on well-tested comedy routines. Written and directed by Blake Edwards.
WASN'T THAT A TIME! -- Friendly documentary about the celebrated folk-music quartet known as the Weavers, centering on their preparations for a reunion concert at Carnegie Hall.
WEEK'S VACATION, A -- A young schoolteacher, at the end of her tether, takes a week off and confronts a number of personal problems. Not as heavy as it sounds, but not exactly gripping either. A film from France, smoothely and even fetchingly directed by Bertrand Tavernier. (Contains brief nudity.)
WHO SHALL LIVE AND WHO SHALL DIE -- Straightforward documentary charging that deliberate political calculation brought about Allied failure to rescue the Jewish victims of Nazism during World War II. Directed by Laurence Jarvick.
WRONG IS RIGHT -- Messy attempt at a ''Dr. Strangelove'' for the '80s, blending comedy and adventure with a complicated plot about a TV newsman, an ineffectual president of the United States, and an evil arms dealer who wants to auction off a pair of atomic bombs. Written and directed by Richard Brooks. (Rated R; contains some violence and rough language.)
'Eighth Grade' is a gently humorous and nuanced portrait of middle school
How 'Hatfields and McCoys' became cable's biggest-ever hit
'Gone Girl': The movie doesn't move beyond the formulaic


When you think of Italy, you think of dramatic architecture, slices of delicious pizza, beautiful vineyards, the canals of Venice and the rolling countryside of Tuscany. Italy has long been a favourite of tourists who want to sample the finest pasta and wine, speak to passionate and friendly locals, and enjoy some of the most famous buildings and monuments in the world.
Italy is a holiday destination that can offer something for every tourist, whether they're looking for a relaxing beach holiday, the picturesque scenery from the shore of a lake, plenty of cultural and historical sites or bustling cities.
Italy's tourism industry is as strong as it's ever been, with millions of holidaymakers wanting to sample the food, soak up the sun and enjoy everything this country has to offer.
Unfortunately, every year some tourists experience a sudden accident or an unforeseen illness that turns their holiday into a nightmare. Instead of experiencing the classical architecture of Rome or the sun-kissed beauty of the Amalfi Coast, they instead find themselves confined to their hotel room, or even recovering in a hospital bed.
At Your Legal Friend, we understand that getting injured or becoming ill on holiday can be very traumatic and costly. Our team of expert personal injury solicitors can help you secure appropriate compensation. In the last 10 years alone, we've won over £200,000,000 for our clients achieving a 95% success rate that we're very proud of.
What are the most common accidents and illnesses in Italy?
Italy is renowned for its fantastic food, but that doesn't mean some tourists don't occasionally suffer from food poisoning or similar illnesses. Hotel buffets are notorious for causing these types of illness as the food is often re-heated and left out for long periods of time, making it a breeding ground for harmful bacteria.
Slips, trips and falls can happen anywhere in the world – but they're especially stressful when they happen in the midst of a holiday. A trailing wire within a hotel, a slippery wet floor in a museum or an unsafe balcony can result in serious injuries, and could see victims receive large sums of compensation depending on the severity of the accident.
Traffic in Italy's main cities is notoriously chaotic. In Rome, the roads around many of the city's biggest tourist attractions can be incredibly dangerous, with reports of some holidaymakers even being knocked down at designated crossings.
Most people visiting Italy take advantage of the plentiful coach trips and excursions on offer – but uneven cobbled streets and steep steps on coaches can cause accidents and injuries.
Accidents can also happen even before your holiday starts. You may have been injured boarding or disembarking a plane, had an item fall on you from an overhead locker, or been injured retrieving your luggage from the carousel or during your transfer to your hotel. As these are all covered by your package holiday, you could have a valid compensation claim.


Introducing a new cat or kitten to a household can be quite stressful, to all concerned.
Indeed, it can be easier to introduce a dog to a cat than a cat to a cat. This is because a cat won't view a dog as competition for resources – it might have to get used to its excited behaviour and learn to stand up to it to avoid being chased, but this usually happens very quickly and much more easily than we imagine. The cat-cat thing is much more difficult.
It's usually easier to introduce a new kitten than an adult cat – this tends to be less challenging for the resident cat. Kitten body language and movements are less threatening and they have yet to adopt the concept of territory and competing with others.
A little bit of extra effort at the beginning can make the difference between a good or bad relationship in the future.
Your existing cat (or cats) will have established territory and the introduction of another, albeit a little kitten, is not necessarily going to be well received. It's important to ensure that the resident cat is not given the impression that it is under siege. When choosing your new kitten, have your cat's personality in mind. For example, don't acquire a very confident and outgoing kitten if your existing cat is timid or shy.
Arrange to collect your kitten on a day when you know you will have plenty of time to devote to settling it in, for example a couple of days over a weekend or during a time when you are not at work and the household is relatively peaceful. Some planning is necessary to prepare the home for the new arrival and the introduction process so, before the kitten arrives, purchase or hire a kitten pen (or large dog 'crate' of similar construction) and position it in a room that your existing cat doesn't particularly favour, for example a spare bedroom. A kitten pen is a large metal cage with a solid floor that is normally used for kittening queens or cats after surgery that need to be confined. It is quite large with plenty of room for a bed, toys, food, water and a litter tray. They are easily collapsible to enable the pen to be moved from room to room.
Think cat once your new kitten arrives and think scent first. Your home will have a scent 'profile' which is familiar and reassuring to your resident cat. It will consist of all those things that go on there, the dogs, the children, the hobby equipment, the cleaning materials, the food you like and so on, all mixed in with your cat's own scent. All the corners of your furniture will have been wiped by your cat's chin and face, the doorposts have been brushed by its coat and the carpet will often bear the marks of claw sharpening and the scent from its paws. Your home is well and truly possessed by your cat.
What you have to try to do is work in the scent of the new kitten so that it, too, is incorporated into the accepted household aroma. This comes down, initially, to you. You have to try to spread and mix the scents of the cats. You're working with the invisible, but have faith that there's actually something there! Stroking your cat and the kitten regularly and swapping bedding will enable the kitten's smell to become familiar and incorporated into the communal, household scent.
The door to the kitten's room should remain closed initially, allowing the kitten to exercise within that space when your other cat is not around. The kitten's food, water, toys and bed can be positioned outside the pen but the litter tray should remain within it. When the initial contact between kitten and cat takes place it may be helpful to distract the kitten with food.
The door to the room can be opened while the kitten is eating in the cage (with the cage door shut). It may be helpful, to allow the kitten to feel secure, if there is a covered box within the cage so that the kitten can hide from any unwanted attention as your other cat explores. If you wish, a small bowl of your cat's favourite food can be located a comfortable distance away to encourage eating in safety (bearing in mind that cats are solitary feeders) without being deterred by the sight of the kitten. Your cat should be allowed to explore the cage without intervention.
It is important to provide attention to the existing cat during this transitional period but not to exceed the amount normally accepted and enjoyed. Existing routines should be maintained to demonstrate that the kitten represents no loss of resources or enjoyment.
Once kitten and cat appear calm when in close proximity to each other (with the kitten inside and the resident cat outside the cage), the pen can be moved to other rooms (of increasing importance to the resident cat), leaving out those particularly favoured areas where the adult cat spends the majority of its time. Depending on progress, several weeks of this regime may be needed before opening the cage and letting the cats get to know each other, some introductions can take considerably less time and the kitten accepted fairly quickly. When the cage door is left open and the kitten is allowed to mix freely the contact between adult and kitten should still be closely supervised. It may be advisable to separate the kitten and adult cat when supervision is not possible, at least until their relationship is firmly established.
Both kitten and adult, in the long-term, should be provided with their own resources (bed, litter tray, food bowls, water bowls etc) positioned in separate locations and their own private areas where they can rest undisturbed by the other.


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Danny Dorling – 丹尼·道灵 » News » The health crisis 2010 to 2018: acclimatisation to a disaster
The health crisis 2010 to 2018: acclimatisation to a disaster
In the eight years since the May 2010 general election, the health of people living in the United Kingdom has faltered.
At first the only evidence came from surveys in which people started to say in greater numbers that their health was getting worse.
Trends in UK self-reported health
Then they started dying a little earlier than before, and then a lot earlier. By early 2018 we were seeing slowdowns in health improvements not experienced since at least the 1890s.
Quality and Clinical Risk Committee Paper – NHS England – October 2014
In some areas of the country life expectancy began to fall. It then fell for all the poorest of infants born in the country:
Infant mortality rate (95% confidence interval) by socio-economic classification 2008-2016. Link here:
However, whenever any suggestion was made that central government austerity and health policies might had an adverse impact on the health of the nations of the UK, these suggestions were always (and without exception) dismissed out-of-hand by the department of health media representatives as being preposterous.
Neonatal mortality rankings, European Union countries, 1990 to 2015
In this talk the story is told, some of the evidence presented and the question raised as to who in government did not know. Who might have known and did not care. And who knew, cared, but thought all this was a price worth paying for what they really wanted to happen to health and other public services. To privatise a service first you have to run it down.
Figure 1. Trends in life expectancy at birth, England and Wales, 1980–present (Source: Office for National Statistics).
From a talk given by Danny Dorling on July 30th 2018 at the Launch of the Socialist Health Association Oxfordshire branch. Barton Community Centre, Oxford. The talk begins with a discussion of this news story:
Details of Nicola Blackwood's new role with private health care firm "Push Doctor", Private Eye No. 1475, July 27 2018, p.15.


Food safety lighting experts GlassGuard® have reinforced their support of the BRC's Guide to Lighting Best Practice following the recent introduction of Issue 7 of the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety.
The Guide to Lighting Best Practice for the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety is published by BRC Global Standards in partnership with the Society of Light and Lighting. It aims to provide advice to food manufacturing and packaging sites to develop robust systems and procedures which adequately meet the lighting requirements of the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety.


But it's not just about the simple things. While in-house vet-related pet care is most often recommended when it comes to taking simple preventative measures –– like nail trimming, tooth brushing, pilling, temperature-taking, ear cleaning, therapeutic bathing, simple wound ministrations and sanitary clipping (it's a thing we do to fluffy pets' backsides) –– it's now about sophisticated home care, too.
Consider the diabetic patient, for example. Veterinarians are not only teaching owners of diabetic patients to give insulin injections but to measure blood glucose with a glucometer, too.
We also teach owners of kidney disease patients to administer fluids at home, show owners how to replace basic bandages and offer simple first aid. Some owners are even willing to learn how to perform CPR.
Sure, some of these seem tough, but I promise you can learn! Just don't skip that visit or phone call to the veterinarian before embarking on your DIY experience.
Dr. Patty Khuly has a veterinary practice at Sunset Animal Clinic in South Miami. Her website is drpattykhuly.com. Send questions to khulyp@bellsouth.net.
Really, does it matter that your pet's vet has tattoos and piercings?


text:
Q: Dynamically creating a Texture2D I wanted to create a semi-transparent overlay for my screen and decided to dynamically create a custom Texture2D object using the following code:
const int TEX_WIDTH = 640;
const int TEX_HEIGHT = 480
Texture2D redScreen;

void GenerateTextures(GraphicsDevice device)
{
    redScreen = new Texture2D(device, TEX_WIDTH, TEX_HEIGHT);
    uint[] red = new uint[TEX_WIDTH * TEX_HEIGHT];
    for (int i = 0; i < TEX_WIDTH * TEX_HEIGHT; i++)
        red[i] = 0x1A0000ff;
    redScreen.SetData<uint>(red);
}

And it just doesn't seem to work as expected! Looking at this code, I would expect the alpha value to be about 10%. (0x1A / 0xFF = ~10)
but it ends up being much more than that.
It seems to me that the uint represents an ARGB value, but the transparency value is never what I set it to be. it's either "somewhat transparent" or not transparent at all.
I don't like asking vague questions,
But what am I doing wrong?
what's wrong with this code snippet?
Edit:
In the end, I could only get the wanted results by setting BlendState.NonPremultiplied in the spriteBatch.Begin() call.

A: I don't see you specifying a surface/pixel format. Are you sure each pixel is a uint?
To be sure, create a texture with a specified layout and then calculate the value in it for a given R, G, B and A.

A: XNA by default uses pre-multiplied alpha so you have to multiply all of the color values by the alpha value. Also there is a color struct that you might find convenient. So I suggest the below. Alpha should be between 0 and 1 inclusive.
const int TEX_WIDTH = 640;
const int TEX_HEIGHT = 480
Texture2D redScreen;

void GenerateTextures(GraphicsDevice device)
{
    redScreen = new Texture2D(device, TEX_WIDTH, TEX_HEIGHT);
    uint[] red = new uint[TEX_WIDTH * TEX_HEIGHT];
    for (int i = 0; i < TEX_WIDTH * TEX_HEIGHT; i++)
        red[i] = new Color(255, 0, 0) * Alpha;
    redScreen.SetData<uint>(red);
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
DISCUSSION Tilting at Windmills
by Yolanda Villafuerte _______24th June 2008
by Tony Manwaring
So now a big chunk of the UK public thinks climate change is being exaggerated (40%) and even more don't believe it's 'man'-made (60%). And two thirds want politicians to do more. Thanks to the Observer, for cheering up my Sunday morning, not!
This got me thinking, not least because this week, together with the Centre for Social Markets, we are launching a programme of UK-India business dialogues on climate change in the House of Commons, which I will be co-hosting with the brilliant Malini Mehra.
These findings give new meaning to the phrase 'tilting at windmills'!
And then someone said something which made a lot of sense of the problem, and how we might tackle it.
As you know, we are gearing up for forceforgood's launch in mid-July, and webmeister Ivor arranged for Mark Goyder and I to have a session with 'iconic blogger', Mick Fealty: well worth a visit to Slugger O'Toole
(Mick, I said, how to describe you? Tony, he said, "what was that phrase you used before, 'iconic blogger'. Fine by me")
We've moved from the age of 'Trust me' to 'show me'. People don't believe the experts, you have to show them. And how do you do that when, by then, the Thames barrier has been breached, AND IT'S TOO B- LATE!?
Mick's a wise guy, and offered part of the answer – which is a challenge not just to the climate change 'movement' but to all of us. Let the sceptics challenge, let's work through the answers together, we all need to own and create solutions that work.
Let's be honest about it, none of us can be absolutely, absolutely certain – but you know what, since I wrote that coming back home on the tube tonight, I got an email from the 'human glouon' Dianne Dillon-Ridgley from America sharing James Hansen's latest address on clmate change .
In his presentation at the National Press Club, and briefing to the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, on 23rd June 2008, he says "Now, as then, I can assert that these conclusions have a certainty exceeding 99%". He goes on to conclude: "the oft-stated goal to keep global warming less than two degress Celsius is a recipe for global disaster, not salvation." (Dr Hansen directs the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, but is giving this address as a private citizen)
As Hansen acknowledges, we are living at a time when there is a "wide gap between what is understood about global warming by the relevant scientific community and what is known by policy makers and the public." Indeed!
So, ok, it's not absolutely, totally certain, but one thing is for sure: if we don't change how we engage with each other, we won't bridge this chasm and develop ways of tackling it: being proven right will offer cold (or hot) comfort.
Mick Fealty was talking about engaging in the world of 2.0 – but he's also talking about how we need to tackle climate change. As Hansen most dramatically underlines, we're all in it together, quite literally.


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Make the necessary request to CITS for the computer or service you are requesting. Our Helpdesk extension no is 7777.
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text:
package com.daprlabs.cardstack;

import android.animation.Animator;
import android.util.Log;
import android.view.MotionEvent;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.ViewGroup;
import android.view.ViewPropertyAnimator;
import android.view.animation.OvershootInterpolator;

/**
 * Created by aaron on 4/12/2015.
 */
public class SwipeListener implements View.OnTouchListener {

    private float ROTATION_DEGREES = 15f;
    float OPACITY_END = 0.33f;
    private float initialX;
    private float initialY;

    private int mActivePointerId;
    private float initialXPress;
    private float initialYPress;
    private ViewGroup parent;
    private float parentWidth;
    private int paddingLeft;

    private View card;
    SwipeCallback callback;
    private boolean deactivated;
    private View rightView;
    private View leftView;

    public SwipeListener(View card, final SwipeCallback callback, float initialX, float initialY, float rotation, float opacityEnd) {
        this.card = card;
        this.initialX = initialX;
        this.initialY = initialY;
        this.callback = callback;
        this.parent = (ViewGroup) card.getParent();
        this.parentWidth = parent.getWidth();
        this.ROTATION_DEGREES = rotation;
        this.OPACITY_END = opacityEnd;
        this.paddingLeft = ((ViewGroup) card.getParent()).getPaddingLeft();
    }

    public SwipeListener(View card, final SwipeCallback callback, float initialX, float initialY, float rotation, float opacityEnd, int screenWidth) {
        this.card = card;
        this.initialX = initialX;
        this.initialY = initialY;
        this.callback = callback;
        this.parent = (ViewGroup) card.getParent();
        this.parentWidth = screenWidth;
        this.ROTATION_DEGREES = rotation;
        this.OPACITY_END = opacityEnd;
        this.paddingLeft = ((ViewGroup) card.getParent()).getPaddingLeft();
    }

    private boolean click = true;

    @Override
    public boolean onTouch(View v, MotionEvent event) {
        if (deactivated) return false;
        switch (event.getAction() & MotionEvent.ACTION_MASK) {

            case MotionEvent.ACTION_DOWN:
                click = true;
                //gesture has begun
                float x;
                float y;
                //cancel any current animations
                v.clearAnimation();

                mActivePointerId = event.getPointerId(0);

                x = event.getX();
                y = event.getY();

                if(event.findPointerIndex(mActivePointerId) == 0) {
                    callback.cardActionDown();
                }

                initialXPress = x;
                initialYPress = y;
                break;

            case MotionEvent.ACTION_MOVE:
                //gesture is in progress

                final int pointerIndex = event.findPointerIndex(mActivePointerId);
                //Log.i("pointer index: " , Integer.toString(pointerIndex));
                if(pointerIndex < 0 || pointerIndex > 0 ){
                    break;
                }

                final float xMove = event.getX(pointerIndex);
                final float yMove = event.getY(pointerIndex);

                //calculate distance moved
                final float dx = xMove - initialXPress;
                final float dy = yMove - initialYPress;

                //throw away the move in this case as it seems to be wrong
                //TODO: figure out why this is the case
                if((int)initialXPress == 0 && (int) initialYPress == 0){
                    //makes sure the pointer is valid
                    break;
                }
                //calc rotation here
                float posX = card.getX() + dx;
                float posY = card.getY() + dy;

                //in this circumstance consider the motion a click
                if (Math.abs(dx + dy) > 5) click = false;

                card.setX(posX);
                card.setY(posY);

                //card.setRotation
                float distobjectX = posX - initialX;
                float rotation = ROTATION_DEGREES * 2.f * distobjectX / parentWidth;
                card.setRotation(rotation);

                if (rightView != null && leftView != null){
                    //set alpha of left and right image
                    float alpha = (((posX - paddingLeft) / (parentWidth * OPACITY_END)));
                    //float alpha = (((posX - paddingLeft) / parentWidth) * ALPHA_MAGNITUDE );
                    //Log.i("alpha: ", Float.toString(alpha));
                    rightView.setAlpha(alpha);
                    leftView.setAlpha(-alpha);
                }

                break;

            case MotionEvent.ACTION_UP:
                //gesture has finished
                //check to see if card has moved beyond the left or right bounds or reset
                //card position
                checkCardForEvent();

                if(event.findPointerIndex(mActivePointerId) == 0) {
                    callback.cardActionUp();
                }
                //check if this is a click event and then perform a click
                //this is a workaround, android doesn't play well with multiple listeners

                if (click) v.performClick();
                //if(click) return false;

                break;

            default:
                return false;
        }
        return true;
    }

    public void checkCardForEvent() {

        if (cardBeyondLeftBorder()) {
            animateOffScreenLeft(160)
                    .setListener(new Animator.AnimatorListener() {

                        @Override
                        public void onAnimationStart(Animator animation) {

                        }

                        @Override
                        public void onAnimationEnd(Animator animation) {

                            callback.cardOffScreen();
                        }

                        @Override
                        public void onAnimationCancel(Animator animation) {

                        }

                        @Override
                        public void onAnimationRepeat(Animator animation) {
                        }
                    });
            callback.cardSwipedLeft();
            this.deactivated = true;
        } else if (cardBeyondRightBorder()) {
            animateOffScreenRight(160)
                    .setListener(new Animator.AnimatorListener() {

                        @Override
                        public void onAnimationStart(Animator animation) {

                        }

                        @Override
                        public void onAnimationEnd(Animator animation) {
                            callback.cardOffScreen();
                        }

                        @Override
                        public void onAnimationCancel(Animator animation) {

                        }

                        @Override
                        public void onAnimationRepeat(Animator animation) {

                        }
                    });
            callback.cardSwipedRight();
            this.deactivated = true;
        } else {
            resetCardPosition();
        }
    }

    private boolean cardBeyondLeftBorder() {
        //check if cards middle is beyond the left quarter of the screen
        return (card.getX() + (card.getWidth() / 2) < (parentWidth / 4.f));
    }

    private boolean cardBeyondRightBorder() {
        //check if card middle is beyond the right quarter of the screen
        return (card.getX() + (card.getWidth() / 2) > ((parentWidth / 4.f) * 3));
    }

    private ViewPropertyAnimator resetCardPosition() {
        if(rightView!=null)rightView.setAlpha(0);
        if(leftView!=null)leftView.setAlpha(0);
        return card.animate()
                .setDuration(200)
                .setInterpolator(new OvershootInterpolator(1.5f))
                .x(initialX)
                .y(initialY)
                .rotation(0);
    }

    public ViewPropertyAnimator animateOffScreenLeft(int duration) {
        return card.animate()
                .setDuration(duration)
                .x(-(parentWidth))
                .y(0)
                .rotation(-30);
    }

    public ViewPropertyAnimator animateOffScreenRight(int duration) {
        return card.animate()
                .setDuration(duration)
                .x(parentWidth * 2)
                .y(0)
                .rotation(30);
    }

    public void setRightView(View image) {
        this.rightView = image;
    }

    public void setLeftView(View image) {
        this.leftView = image;
    }

    public interface SwipeCallback {
        void cardSwipedLeft();
        void cardSwipedRight();
        void cardOffScreen();
        void cardActionDown();
        void cardActionUp();
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


NetworkNewsWire Editorial Coverage: The move towards the adoption of electric vehicles (EV's) along with solar and wind power generation has sparked interest in what could become the next super metal: vanadium. The United States doesn't currently produce vanadium; however, United Battery Metals (OTC: UBMCF) (CSE: UBM) (FWB: 0UL) (Profile) is in development of a world-class vanadium resource in Colorado. The vanadium redox battery (VRB) is a potentially revolutionary way to store energy, and major miners such as Largo Resources (TSX: LGO) (OTC: LGORF) may not be able to react quickly enough to offset the potential spike in vanadium demand. The adoption of VRB technology could provide a catalyst for the vanadium industry, a positive for companies such as Prophecy Development Corp. (TSX: PCY) (OTC: PRPCF), Vanadium One Energy Corp. (TSX.V: VONE),and First Vanadium Corp. (TSX.V: FVAN) (OTC: CCCCF), which are eager to serve this growing marketplace.
The Department of the Interior deemed vanadium as one of the commodities considered critical to the economic and national security of the United States. This recognition is a result of President Donald J. Trump's executive order to break America's dependence on foreign minerals.
President Trump has moved relentlessly against China on trade policy, a country that happens to be the global leader in vanadium production by a wide margin. Without Chinese vanadium to depend on, the United Battery Metals' (OTC: UBMCF) (CSE: UBM) Wray Mesa, Colorado, project could help the US develop its own domestic vanadium supply. The price of V2O5 vanadium pentoxide flake 98 percent, a common form of vanadium, has increased significantly over the last three years.
The global shift toward EVs is growing stronger. According to Forbes, China is subsidizing the purchase price of an EV by as much as $10,000 per vehicle. Beijing wants to curb its dependency on dirty fuel sources, which has required the government to slash the number of new vehicle registrations allowed in Beijing this year from 150,000 to just 100,000. Of those 100,000, 60 percent must be an EV.
Vanadium redox batteries offer a potentially game-changing solution for stationary storage units and charging stations. Unlike lithium-ion batteries, VRBs can be charged and discharged simultaneously, allowing up to 50 vehicles to connect to VRB charging stations at the same time. This means the trend towards EVs could require significant amounts of vanadium in the form of charging infrastructure to provide energy to these new vehicles.
Until recently the steel industry used the majority of the vanadium supply as an additive to strengthen steel. Demand in the steel industry continues to grow, thanks in part to the current administration's support of domestic steel production, which has caused companies such as US Steel to open new facilities and cancel plant closures nationwide. Now it looks like vanadium could be vital for cutting-edge battery technology in addition to being a steel additive. There are currently no active vanadium producers in the United States, meaning United Battery Metals could have a head start in development, thanks to its 3,000-acre land package in Wray Mesa.
In addition to the steel industry and car charging stations, VRB's could play a critical role in grid power storage. Solar and wind power nationwide is a burgeoning industry that is growing exponentially with a shift to clean energy solutions. California has recently announced that by 2020 all homes and mid-rises will be required to install solar panels. It is here that VRBs can play a part. The ability to store power from low-usage periods and spill it back into the grid during peak demand periods makes VRB's a far superior choice for large-scale energy storage than lithium-ion batteries. Experts predict that it is just a matter of time before this law will be adopted nationwide. Regulations such as these could become a big driver for vanadium demand in the United States, a country in desperate need of a domestic resource.
EV's offer society an incredible transportation option that could drastically reduce carbon emissions. As the shift towards EV's continues, a new network of charging stations could be necessary to provide the vehicles with electricity. With multiple governments already moving to regulate internal combustion engine vehicles, the move towards electric transportation has already begun, meaning the race is on to create the energy infrastructure necessary to support these new electric vehicles.
The electric vehicle revolution has required massive amounts of lithium to produce the lithium-ion batteries found in EV's such as the Tesla. However, the next battery revolution could be built on a different resource altogether. As energy demands grow and the lithium-ion battery becomes as common as the lightbulb, new sources of energy have the potential to become the backbone of the next battery industry. In the case of vanadium, the unique properties of the metal have enabled new means of electric storage, which could greatly benefit vanadium miners such as UBM.
Vanadium redox batteries offer unique advantages that no other battery can match. Unlike lithium-ion batteries, VRB's don't heat up when in use, and they can be charged and discharged at the same time. Today VRB's are being developed to work in conjunction with renewable power sources and EV's.
Unfortunately, there isn't currently enough vanadium in production to meet growing demand. For United Battery Metals, the vanadium supply crunch in the United States offers a potentially lucrative opportunity. The company has a large land package in a politically stable jurisdiction, and its Wray Mesa project has the potential to become the lone vanadium producer in the country.
VRB's also solve a common problem for sustainable power sources, offering an almost perfect solution for storing power at stationary power stations. They offer a long service life and can be recycled when they need to be replaced. VRB's can also charge and discharge simultaneously, meaning a VRB-based power station could be capable of charging itself through the grid while also providing energy to vehicles or other devices.
According to Forbes, the number of EV's sold globally is expected to increase from 1.2 million in 2017 to 2 million in 2019. This trend could also greatly benefit vanadium miners such as United Battery Metals, which are capable of providing enough of the super metal necessary to jumpstart the next battery revolution.
United Battery Metals could be in a prime position to meet US demand with its wholly controlled Wray Mesa project in the UraVan district of Colorado. This year the USGS added vanadium to its list of strategic elements, meaning the Wray Mesa project could become incredibly important to the United States and its national interests as the country focuses on developing its own domestic resources.
Wray Mesa has a chance to become the next major source of vanadium in the United States. According to a 43-101 prepared in 2013, Wray Mesa is sitting on an estimated resource of 2,640,000 pounds of vanadium. The property is also close to the town of La Salle, which has access to established roads, and municipal water only six miles away.
With a global scramble to lock down large amounts of high-grade vanadium taking place, UBM could be in an optimal position to capitalize on the trend. The UruVan district has a history of producing both uranium and vanadium, with a number of small mom-and-pop mines populating the area. Colorado is also a mining-friendly jurisdiction with a solid track record of protecting resource investments.
United Battery Metals has put together a land package that has an estimated resource of more than 2.6 million pounds of vanadium; However, the resource model the company used is based on exploration results that likely understated the resource. Very little modern drill work has been undertaken in the UruVan district, meaning there could be a lot more vanadium waiting to be found during exploration.
Most of the elements that will drive the shift away from carbon-heavy power are in short supply. Metals such as vanadium and cobalt have been an afterthought to industry for decades; however, lately the price of these vital elements has been exploding.
Prophecy Development Corp. (TSX: PCY) (OTC: PRPCF) owns the Gibellini project in Nevada, which is one of the only large-scale, open-pit vanadium projects of its kind in North America. The project is currently undergoing EPCM and EIS preparation and could be the right project at the right time.
Vanadium One Energy Corp. (TSX.V: VONE) is a mineral exploration company whose mandate is to acquire vanadium and manganese mineral projects within North America. The company plans to define the economic potential of its properties, define end markets, and process and refine raw materials onsite to create a closed-loop supply chain with end users.
Largo Resources (TSX: LGO) (OTC: LGORF) is a strategic mineral company focused on the product of vanadium flake, high-purity vanadium flake, and high-purity vanadium powder. One of the lowest cost producers of V205, the company currently operates the Maracás Menchen Mine in Brazil, an open pit mine that boasts consistent, robust production rates.
First Vanadium Corp. (TSX.V: FVAN) (OTC: CCCCF) is another mining company developing projects in North America. The company is working to catch up with vanadium demand through its Carlin project in Nevada. The Carlin project was originally discovered by Union Carbide Corp. in the 1960s, including 127 rotary drill holes that have systematically defined near surface shallow dipping deposits. First Vanadium is also exploring a copper project just outside of Jerome, Arizona.


text:
› Cigars › Handmade Cigars › La Finca Cigars › La Finca › Romeos Bundle
LFRB
Romeos Bundle
Single $4.95 low stock
Size 6.5 × 42
La Finca Cigars has been crafting top-notch, premium stogies since 1972. The lush Estelí region of Nicaragua is home to the factory where master roll... Read More
Qty 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 Pack Size Bundle of 20 Single Total $61.40
Wrapper Type Ecuador Habano
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Filler Nicaragua
La Finca Cigars has been crafting top-notch, premium stogies since 1972. The lush Estelí region of Nicaragua is home to the factory where master rollers construct La Finca's flawless cigars with the highest quality standards. The volcanic Nicaraguan region where the tobacco was meticulously nurtured and harvested from has some of the most mineral rich soil in the world. Each decadent layer in this tobacco arrangement was hand-selected for the best possible leaves. The toothy wrapper has a worn leather coloring, which is accentuated by the red, gold and black band it is adorned with. Cigar aficionados will detect pronounced nutty aromas that stay strong from start to finish, as undertones of white pepper, creamy nougat and cinnamon develop. This Nicaraguan puro is a humidor essential with its 91+ ratings and superior craftsmanship.


In Australia, an estimated 45% of people will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime. In any given year, around one million Australian adults battle depression, while two million are facing an uphill battle against anxiety. Scientists are constantly searching for ways to preserve sound mental health, and one way to do so, indicate their studies, is through the practice of martial arts. The millions of martial arts practitioners across the globe may vary in terms of their preferred art form and style, but one thing most have in common is first hand experience of how life-changing regular practice can be. Of course, supporting this sport with a sound nutritional regimen is key.
One study published in the British Journal of Medical Psychology by Julian R. Fuller, found that practising martial arts can raise self-esteem, a quality which is crucial for sound mental health in adults as well as children. As noted by teacher Sherie Newman, "Liking ourselves and feeling capable are the foundations on which emotional health rests." There are a plethora of books focusing on the things parents can do to raise their children's self-esteem, but the role that sports - in particular, mindful martial arts - can play, is overlooked. A wide array of studies have been carried out from the late 1970s to current times, with results almost unanimously pointing to the ability of martial arts to boost self-confidence, self-reliance, and optimism.
Far from being the exclusive realm of adults, anxiety and depression affect many children and teens in Australia (for instance, around one in every 35 children aged four to 17 experiences a depressive disorder). Studies have shown that martial arts can significantly reduce levels of anxiety and depression (Cai, 2000) and promote greater emotional stability and assertiveness (Konzak and Boudreau, 1984). The latter researchers have shown that there is a positive relationship between the practice of martial arts and a reduction in aggression.
Many of the benefits mentioned above are linked with the stress busting effects of martial arts, which can help lower levels of stress hormone, cortisol. If your child is undergoing a particularly stressful period such as exams, support their martial arts practice with a sound diet and consider stress reducing supplements such as Ginkgo Biloba, a natural compound which studies have shown to lower stress without producing harmful side-effects. Of course, consult with your paediatrician about the appropriate stress remedies for your child.
Keen practitioners and parents of children who take classes such as karate know that teachers often dedicate part of class time to sharing codes or rules. The Shaolin moral code, for instance, comprises a series of ethics, acts, and obligations students should aim for. In ancient karate forms such as Shotokan, meanwhile, a code has been handed down along the generations with a view to stressing the importance of peace, having the right attitude, and striving to be kind and respectful. These codes also stress the importance of self-control and of using one's strength for a greater good.
In addition to promoting personal growth, self-acceptance, and social adroitness, various martial arts have also been found to be linked to better psychological wellbeing. In one fascinating study, Steyn and Roux (2009) compared the personal growth and acceptance scores of adolescents taking martial arts compared to those who played hockey, and those who did no sports at all. Results were predictably more positive in the martial arts (in this case Taekwondo) group than in the other two.
Sport is always a positive pastime when it comes to mental health, but martial arts seem to have a particularly positive effect on self-confidence, optimism, and behavioural control. If you are a parent with a child who loves martial arts, know that it is not too late for you to learn the arts yourself. A greater sense of mindfulness, inner growth, and humility are just a few important lessons that martial arts have to teach.