KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (CNN) — A "strange object" floating in the South China Sea is not debris from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, a U.S. official told CNN on Sunday.
A U.S. reconnaissance plane "thought it saw something like debris but it was a false alarm. It was not debris," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, as multiple mysteries swirl around the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 and around some of its passengers, a growing multinational fleet of dozens of ships and planes is pursuing a potentially promising lead.Late Sunday afternoon, Vietnam sent a boat to investigate a "strange object" spotted by a Singaporean search plane in the area, said Hung Nguyen with the Vietnamese National Search and Rescue Committee.
Two reconnaissance aircraft from Australia have joined in the search, Malaysian acting Minister of Transportation Hishammuddin Hussein told reporters Sunday. In addition, the Chinese navy dispatched a frigate and an amphibious landing ship, according to a online post by the Chinese navy. The ships are expected to arrive on site Monday morning (Sunday night ET).
Those reinforcements join 40 ships and 22 planes already scouring the South China Sea, near the Gulf of Thailand, on Sunday for any sign of where the flight, operated by Malaysia's flagship airline, might have gone down, Malaysian authorities said.
The area in focus, about 90 miles south of Vietnam's Tho Chu Island, is where a Vietnamese search plane reportedly spotted oil slicks that stretched between 6 and 9 miles.
Malaysian authorities have not yet confirmed the report of the oil slicks, which came from Vietnam's official news agency.
Big questions far outweigh the few fragments of information that have emerged about the plane's disappearance.
What happened to the plane? Why was no distress signal issued? Who exactly was aboard?
The flight may have changed course and turned back toward Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian military officials said at a news conference Sunday.
But the pilot appears to have given no signal to authorities that he was turning around, the officials said, attributing the change of course to indications from radar data.
As the search continues, the agonizing wait goes on for relatives of the 227 passengers and 12 crew members on board the plane.
Among the passengers, there were 154 people from China or Taiwan; 38 Malaysians, and three U.S. citizens. Five of the passengers were younger than 5 years old.
Two people who traveled on the missing passenger jet, using the stolen passports of an Italian and an Austrian citizen, appear to have bought their tickets together.
The tickets were bought from China Southern Airlines in Thailand's baht currency at identical prices, according to China's official e-ticket verification system Travelsky. The ticket numbers are contiguous, which indicates the tickets were issued together.
Here's where the mystery deepens: Italy and Austria have said that none of their citizens were on board the plane. And officials say the Italian and Austrian whose names were on the passenger manifest both had their passports stolen in Southeast Asia in recent years.
The two tickets booked with China Southern Airlines both start in Kuala Lumpur, flying to Beijing, and then onward to Amsterdam. The Italian passport's ticket continues to Copenhagen, the Austrian's to Frankfurt.
Authorities say they are investigating the identities of some of those on board who appear to have issues with their passports.
"We have not been able to locate anything, see anything," Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, the director general of civil aviation in Malaysia, told reporters Sunday.
Confusion over who exactly was on the plane has drawn particular attention, notably the case of the Italian and Austrian passports.
A U.S. intelligence official said that no link to terrorism had been discovered so far, but that authorities were still investigating.
Another possible explanation for the use of the stolen passports is illegal immigration.
There are previous cases of illegal immigrants using fake passports trying to get into Western countries. And Southeast Asia is known to be a booming market for stolen passports.
Malaysian authorities have been in contact with counterterrorism organizations about possible passport issues, Hussein said earlier.
He didn't specify how many potential passport issues there were, saying authorities are looking at the whole passenger manifest.
Of the two passports in question, the Italian one had been reported stolen and was in Interpol's database, CNN law enforcement analyst Tom Fuentes said, citing sources at Interpol.
Rahman, the Malaysian aviation official, declined to say whether the airline or Malaysian authorities had checked the database.
The National Transportation Safety Board announced late Saturday that a team of its investigators was en route to Asia to help with the investigation, the agency said.
There is a precedent for a modern jetliner to fall from the sky while "in the cruise" and lie hidden for months, according to CNN aviation correspondent Richard Quest.
On June 1, 2009, Air France Flight 447 was en route from Rio De Janeiro to Paris when communications ended suddenly from the Airbus A330, another state-of-the-art aircraft.
It took four searches over the course of nearly two years to locate the bulk of flight 447′s wreckage and the majority of the 228 bodies in a mountain range deep under the ocean. It took even longer to find the cause of the disaster.
In May 2011, the aircraft's voice recorder and flight data recorder were recovered from the ocean floor after an extensive search using miniature submersible vehicles.
It was not until July 2012 that investigators published their report, which blamed the crash on a series of errors by the pilots and a failure to react effectively to technical problems.
If all those on board Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 are found to have died, it will rank as the deadliest airline disaster since November 12, 2001, when American Airlines Flight 587 crashed into a New York neighborhood, killing all 260 people on board and five more on the ground.


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A remote user can send an SSL alert during the SSL handshake process to cause the target Traffic Management Microkernel (TMM) to restart.
Virtual servers with SSL profiles enabled are affected.
The vendor has assigned ID 518275 to this vulnerability.
Impact: A remote user can cause the target Traffic Management Microkernel (TMM) to restart.
Solution: The vendor has issued a fix (11.5.4 HF1).


English is not just a language today; it has evolved and has evolved for the better. The 'global language' tag has helped it come out of the classrooms of the nation's schools and become one of the most sought after strata (part) of the current society. May it be for communication, for recognition, for success, et al., English has escalated to new heights and glory.
Now imagine a sorry sight of 'English' in 'Examinations'…the double 'E' torture becomes a nightmare in no time, with the 'ghosts of grammar' haunting us.
But on the other hand, if it's for a government job ('gormint' for some), an entrance exam or even a departmental test…we start preparing the ground (read preparation).
The Issue: Though, grammar plays an important part, one needs extra skill and a sound mind to be able to play with words, comprehend the meanings and choose the best from the given alternatives. It may happen that a question of vocabulary will have four alternatives which appear more similar than a pair of identical twins. Another situation will be where the sentences given for being arranged correctly, will all look good in the second or the third spot. A third instance may arise where a comma can play spoilsport in the error detection arena. It can also be a gargantuan (read large, just like the word, eh?) passage from where small answers would have to be sneaked out. One may end up either nibbling at the nails or scratching the hair till it falls off…but the answer just wouldn't come.
The Solution: Learn. Practise. Learn. Practice. Repeat. (Did you notice that the dual spellings for practise?) It might take a week, a month or even a year, but continuous efforts will make you a master of the language, and it is always preferred to be learning a language under no one but an expert, which will give the necessary exposure and a chance to be supervised thoroughly, making sure that the mistakes are rectified and a whole new level of the language is explored…be it just for an exam. I repeat, no amount of question papers and practise test papers will save you, if the same is not being scrutinized and corrected, in a good manner.
Let us all better not be ignorant about the language…*whispers*…and our futures.


The risk of flooding in the Delta is a complicated issue, as over 1,000 miles of levees might imply – but there is more to it. In other regions, levees are dry all year and only hold back floodwaters – Delta levees hold back water 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, not just when the rivers run high. Also, the legal Delta encompasses parts of five different counties, all of which have their own emergency response offices, first responders, and procedures. Very often a Delta resident's closest first responders geographically are technically in another county. All of these things make Delta Emergency Preparedness efforts unique within California.
As directed by SB 27 (2008), the Delta Protection Commission continues to work to facilitate an inter-agency unified command system and response strategy for the Delta region, as well as on implementation of an all-hazard emergency response exercise in the Delta.
Read the Fall 2017 (PDF) Issue of Delta Voice for Flood awareness, safety, and preparedness tips!
Get resources to help you be aware of your flooding risk, prepare for a flood emergency, monitor weather conditions, and more!
Join the Delta Protection Commission for a FREE event full of fun and cost-friendly flood preparedness and safety information tailored for Delta residents.
There will be a bookmobile, multiple emergency response vehicles and first responders, a safety van, free life jackets (while supplies last), an animal presentation, raffle prizes, and so much more!
There will also be valuable information about levees, flood insurance, flood preparedness, and other useful information to help keep families safe and supported in the event of a flood emergency.
This event is on the last day of the Delta Flood Preparedness Week, which runs from October 15-20. It will also be a kick-off event for CA Department of Water Resources for California Flood Preparedness Week from October 20-27.
Take a look at photos from the 2017 event!
In concert with California Flood Preparedness Week, the Commission declares a week in October to be the annual Delta Flood Preparedness Week: usually the third week of the month.
In 2019, Delta Flood Preparedness Week is scheduled for Monday, October 14 through Saturday, October 19.
Join us on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages for flood safety tips and information!
The Delta Protection Commission is dedicated to increasing public awareness of flooding threats, and encourages all Delta residents to take action to know their flood threat and prepare appropriately.


As shared trauma reality becomes more common in Israel and other countries, this commentary argues that we need more research to inform how to best assist mental health professionals who are both victims and helpers in the aftermath of traumatic events. Typical remedies for the occupational hazards of working with trauma survivors may not apply for those who are exposed to a prolonged terror threat. Research-informed self-care strategies need to be identified and practiced.
In a timely paper on the effects of shared war reality on the professional quality of life (ProQol) in mental health professionals (MHPs), Peruginin and his colleagues  review the impact of shared trauma on MHPs in Southern Israel. MHPs in Otef Gaza, exposed to constant threat and frequent missile attacks, are both directly and vicariously traumatized. Studies cited by the authors show these MHPs to have higher rates of psychological and family problems and also the positive outcomes of compassion satisfaction and vicarious posttraumatic growth. As disasters and complex emergencies become larger in scope, intensity and duration and shared trauma reality becomes more common, this area of research is critical in promoting the health and wellbeing of first and second responders. In the US, some MHPs lost friends and relatives to the 9/11 attacks, while others, assisting Hurricane Katrina survivors, lost their own homes and valued possessions. In the US and in Europe counselors working with survivors of terrorism and or gun violence have been victims themselves and in some neighborhoods feel under chronic and constant threat. How do we best identify and support MHPs who are helpers as well as victims sharing trauma with the population they serve? Unfortunately this is an all too common experience for MHPs in Southern Israel. Frequently it is necessary for MHPs to take shelter alongside a client, when a siren warns of an incoming missile in the middle of a counseling session. This paper begins to explore the experience of shared war reality in and beyond Otef Gaza.
The occupational hazards of burnout, secondary traumatic stress and compassion fatigue associated with doing trauma work are common and dangerous. MHPs can lose effectiveness, or can be lost to substance abuse or leave the profession entirely. Estimates suggest that between 40 % and 85 % of "helping professionals" develop some aspect of these hazards  and the International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS) acknowledges that 'anyone who encounters trauma survivors empathically and is committed to helping them' may be vulnerable to this array of occupational hazards. Are these occupational hazards more significant for helpers who themselves are under threat? The results of the present study suggest that many helpers from Otef Gaza and Beer Sheva have found ways to successfully cope with shared war reality. A better understanding of how they accomplished this could benefit helpers around the world.
Studies of civilians living with constant terror are rare, but one conducted after the second Palestinian Intifada showed that every citizen in Otef Gaza was either directly or indirectly exposed to terror events and that all struggled to cope with ongoing uncertainty . Civilians under constant attack experience a unique type of trauma where many of the typical risk and resilience factors do not apply. The "dose–response relationship," meaning the bigger the dose of traumatic event a person experiences, the worse his or her psychological reaction, is well established . But, this "more = worse" finding does not hold up with prolonged terrorist threats. Studies done in the South of Israel after the 2008/2009 conflict , and the 2014 Israel-Hamas war , showed no connection between trauma symptoms and proximity to the Gaza Strip. Both studies looked at traumatic exposure according to the number of seconds it took for residents to take shelter from an incoming missile in response to an air-raid siren. Those with 60 or 90 s to find shelter showed no difference in trauma symptom scores from those with only 15 s to escape. Similar to the findings on civilians, Peruginin and colleagues found no difference in ProQol scores between the more highly exposed group of MHPs from Otef Gaza (15 s to reach shelter) and the MHPs from Beer Sheva (60 s to reach shelter). This may be due to the fact that the difference in seconds to find shelter does not mitigate the fact that all are sufficiently exposed and under threat. How far away do civilians and MHPs need to be from attack in order to feel safe? This question has important health policy implications for survivors and helpers. If conflict along the Gaza Strip is anticipated, the results of the paper suggest that residents and MHPs may need to be moved far enough away to be out of missile range to feel safe. The results also suggest that these MHPs close to danger have found ways to cope.
The authors speculate that the no difference could be due to the MHPs from Otef Gaza being better prepared, better trained and having a greater sense of community-belonging, solidarity and trust in their leaders. Resilience Centers may have provided more training and better tools to help their clients. This is an important area of research to explore. If MHPs are better trained to care for others and feel more confident in their ability to offer effective services, however close to the traumatic event, are they more resilient? And if so, what kinds of professional trainings are the most effective and protective?
The paper also points out that MHPs in Otef Gaza, as a result of their exposure, may have learned new and better coping mechanisms, suggesting that uniquely specialized coping skills are essential for those exposed to continuous threats. One of the most research supported effective ways for survivors and helpers to cope is to access social support . However, wartime conditions, unlike other traumas, create stress on the entire population limiting the usefulness of social support. Survivors looking for external support may be disappointed to discover that friends and family are in the same situation and less capable of offering support [5, 8]. Have MHPs in Otef Gaza or Beer Sheva learned to be less reliant on social support? Can we identify what coping skills are most effective for those experiencing shared trauma to minimize compassion fatigue and maximize compassion satisfaction? MHPs in the South of Israel and in other countries need research informed guidance on how to best cope with these challenges. One project funded by USAID brought together MHPs from Israel, West Bank, Gaza and the US to develop psychoeducational materials for victims of violence as a well as to support caregivers and helpers. Psychoeducational materials addressing the self-care needs of helpers in Hebrew, Arabic, Russian and English were developed and widely disseminated throughout the region . More research is needed to determine if these materials or additional trainings or courses can help helpers to cope with the increasing likelihood of shared war/trauma reality. The authors claim that additional trainings, courses or preparedness is helpful to MHPs wellbeing needs to be validated through further research.
What may be most notable about the results of this study is not just the no difference in ProQol scores for MHPs in Beer Sheva and Otef Gaza, but that the scores are lower than one might expect in both communities. Serving others during times of extreme crisis shapes helpers, often in positive and satisfying ways. MHPs who have responded to catastrophic events have reported rewards including: immediate and gratifying personal satisfaction from helping others, feelings of empowerment during times of potentially debilitating crisis, relief from routine mental health work, emotional bonding with responder teams and community, and a sense of privilege resulting from providing mental health services in unique circumstances when they're sorely needed . An often-unanticipated reward that many disaster/emergency responders identify is how the professional 'lessons learned' can also positively impact their personal lives. Although much has been written about the dangers of work life spilling over into personal/family life, this effect has potentially positive benefits as well. Responders have reported feeling greater empathy and compassion for and with family members and friends, a greater awareness of what is important in life, appreciation for the value of human connection, tolerance for difference, and profound gratitude for the opportunities and relationships they have in their lives. The occupational hazards and rewards of the work can occur simultaneously. The distress of the work does not preclude growth and, in fact, is often conducive to growth. Trauma and disaster work changes the way we think – both positively and negatively. Vicarious posttraumatic growth is most likely to occur if MHPs are exposed to the growth of those they are assisting . The ProQol scores in MHPs from Beer Sheva and Otef Gaza may be due to the commitment, strength, resilience and growth in the populations they are serving. Perhaps we need to credit the clients, the civilian population in Southern Israel, for the wellbeing of the MHPs as much as supervisors and trainers.
Organization commitment to the well being of helpers.
The authors suggest that qualitative research is needed and this is an important starting place. We could begin by simply asking MHPs in the region, who are successful and resilient, why they believe they are doing so or what kinds or services or support they need, or what helped them most during previous crises.
(if more than one author): not applicable.
Dr. James Halpern is Professor and Director of the Institute for Disaster Mental Health, The State University of New York at New Paltz and coauthor of Disaster Mental Health: Theory and Practice. He has given numerous presentations on trauma and Disaster Mental Health throughout the US and abroad. He has received many federal, New York State and United Nations grants to develop curriculum and deliver training in Disaster Mental Health.
Pruginin I, Segal-Engelchin D, Isralowitz R, Reznik A: Shared War Reality Effects on the Professional Quality of Life of Mental Health Professionals. Isr J of Health Policy Res 2016, 5:17 doi:10.1186/s13584-016-0075-6.
Peruginin I, Segal-Engelchin D, Isralowitz R, Reznik A. Shared war reality effects on the professional quality of life of mental health professionals. Israel J Health Policy Res. 2016;5:17. doi:10.1186/s13584-016-0075-6.


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Blackpool slams 'bonkers' planned new state pension age that's higher than their life expectancy
"If the life expectancy is younger than the age of retirement, something is going wrong"
Paul Byrne
Jon MacphersonChief Reporter
Government plans to increase the state pension age to 68 have been blasted in Blackpool
Blackpool residents and business owners have blasted "bonkers" government plans to increase the state pension age.
In the seaside town's Bloomfield ward, in the shadow of Blackpool's football ground, the average life expectancy of men is just 67 years and three months. This is lower than the new proposed state pension age of 68.
Thousands of holidaymakers descend on the Flyde coast hotspot every year and for decades it has been a much-loved getaway for millions across the UK and beyond. However away from the bright lights of the illuminations and the thrills and spills of the Pleasure Beach rides, there are large pockets of poverty, The Mirror reports.
READ MORE: Inside Blackpool's derelict Bonny Street market - a sad shell of its former self
In 2019 the resort had eight of the 10 most deprived neighbourhoods in England, according to government figures. John O'Connor, 34, runs a hotel in the Bloomfield ward with his partner Louise Brown, 35.
Hotel owner John O'Connor
He said: "My dad is 62 and he has another five years to go before he gets his pension and he has worked all his life, and now they want to increase it again? It is wrong.
"It is a joke, especially when you look at the life expectancy around here. The retirement age should be getting lower, not higher."
Louise said: "We are going to end up working until we die. People are not going to be able to enjoy their retirement.
"People who work hard and would be looking forward to retirement now face working longer."
Louise Brown
She added: "Saving is the best thing you can do if you want to take early retirement but not everybody is in a position to do that, especially now."
Builder Alex Johnston, 24, said the government's pension plan was "bonkers". Alex from nearby Lytham St Annes, who was refurbishing a shop close to the stadium, said: "If the life expectancy is younger than the age of retirement, something is going wrong.
"Even when people do get their pensions they still have to live modestly most of the time."
A pensioner walks in the shadow of Blackpool's iconic Tower
He added: "It is not really possible for us in the construction industry to work to that age. I have been doing this for five or six years and can already feel the toll it is taking on my body because of the amount of heavy lifting we have to do.
"With a lot of the hazardous materials we have to deal with, the dust, even with the PPE we wear, it is still a higher risk for respiratory problems, which will probably end up lowering our life expectancy."
Leanne Hewitt, 38, who runs a nearby electrical goods store, fears the state pension age is heading towards "the mid 70's".
Leanne Hewitt
"I don't think I'll ever get my state pension, the way things are going" she said. "We will be literally working into our graves.
"People are trying to get as much work as we can, just to be able to eat, just to be able to live. And life expectancy is going to go down, if people can't afford to eat or keep themselves warm."
Her assistant Cat Barry, 39, said: "We are looking at getting our pensions in another 30 years, but by then the state pension age will have gone up again. And people will not be able to physically do it."
Cat Barry
She added: "People have worked all their lives, and for what, to be told you have to work longer? Even when they do retire, the money is not enough to live on because the cost of living has gone up so much.
"I had a private pension but I had to stop it because I could not afford to keep paying into it."
Blackpool Chinese Buffet famous for its huge escalators and robot waiters permanently closes
Blackpool children given chance to see what it's like being a police officer
Blackpool's £100k tram investment after seven deaths in London
Blackpool's world-famous pigeon festival that people travel from all over the UK for - but it didn't have any pigeons
Blackpool sex attack investigation sees police issue picture of man they want to speak to
LancashireBully from Lancashire beat and strangled victim in hotel room over two violence-filled days before she finally managed to escapeHe has been sentenced in court
Major collision stops traffic on Preston A59 road with 'long delays' predicted
Japanese Knotweed hotspots in Cumbria - map shows worst county's areas for invasive plant
The Lake District, including Grasmere and Ambleside ranked top of the list
Molly Mae names her baby after 'saddest ever' Disney movie after admitting she knows people will hate it
The Love Island star have revealed her baby's 'love or hate it' name
Blackburn Rovers FCFirst words as Dilan Markanday completes Aberdeen loan transfer from Blackburn RoversWinger has moved to Scottish Premiership side

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


WTF Are You Reading?: Will You Be Wild About "Hysteria"?
This book starts with a bang and is full of promise. Mallory is a girl haunted by the night that she killed her boyfriend Brian and stalked by his distraught mother.
She hopes that things will be better when she is sent to Monroe, the exclusive boarding school of which her father is an alum. What she finds there is anything but the safety that she craves.
Mallory as a person is someone that you never really get to know. She is always acting or feeling within the context of someone else.
1. Trying to escape the memory of Brian.
3. Trying to figure out who had it in for her or knew her secret at school.
4. Deciding what or what not to do about Reid.
The book starts to get predictable when she gets blamed for a happening at school. (Saw that coming.) Then there are the mysterious happenings that plague Mallory. As the action and mystery start to build toward the end of the book; the flashbacks that describe the night of Brian's death start to confuse the plot.
The second plot flaw was more of a contradiction. Mallory was sent to Monroe for a fresh start, but her love interest Reid was the son of her dad's best friend. So, a great deal of the book is spent in flashbacks involving the two.
2. The "ta-dah" at the end.
3. The parts of the book prior to Mallory's exile to Monroe.
All in all, this is very good story. It will appeal to those who are fans of books like "The Little Woods".
Well, I have read mixed reviews of this book. But it does sound interesting, enough. I am going to check this out because I love mystery and intrigue.
I've seen mixed reviews of this book as well, but it sounds interesting to me, so I want to give it a try and take a risk.
I've heard some mixed stuff on this, but I really like the premise, so I think I'd enjoy it. I've heard it's a bit chaotic, and I do like that, but I think it's interesting when we get to know characters through their interactions with others. I'm excited to give this book a shot.
I have heard some mixed reviews about this one, but I have to say that I still really want to read it. The premise is very intriguing. And I like books that are based in boarding schools. I also really like flashbacks in a story, if they are done well.Sounds like this is a book that I will just have to read and decide for myself if it is a good one. The one fact that can't be denied is that the cover is awesome!


With the addition of a new grain elevator and agronomy center, Divide County anticipated increased traffic on ND Highway 5 between Noonan and Crosby. To accommodate extra traffic, Mayo Construction was tasked with building extra turn lanes and realigning an intersection on ND Highway 5 into Crosby. We subcontracted Gratech Company of Berthold to perform the complex grading the job required. In total, we laid 70,000 tons of high-grade asphalt mixed with modified oil to sustain heavy truck traffic for years to come.


mainly music resumes after the school holidays on 7th May. On 14th at mainly music, there will be Mother's Day celebrations. Mainly music - Mondays from 10am till about 11.30am. Any queries call Leanne on 0417 476 906.


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Senran Kagura Peach Ball Nintendo Switch review – A crazy fun and wonderfully lewd pinball game
by Guest Author> in Reviews - 07/10/19 at 10:56 PM
I love video games, though if you follow me on Twitter you might think differently. Truth be told though, I actually adore almost all games I've played. Sure, some aren't great, some are even borderline scams, but I generally tend to enjoy them.
Senran Kagura Peach Ball's opening movie sure sets the bar from the very start :3
Furthermore, I always go into a game with this mindset: I don't care what the content is about, as long as it's fun. Well, the "Senran Kagura" games have never let me down in this aspect.
If you're into animal girls, lewd content, pinball and the girls of Senran Kagura, then you're going to LOVE "Senran Kagura Peach Ball" with no doubt.
In other words, tongue-in-cheek stories and situations mix with a ton of fan service and traditional gameplay. This is always what the games brought the players, and Peach Ball is no different.
However, before I start, let me make this very clear. I wholeheartedly stand against censorship of any kind when it comes to creative expression.
The fan service is very much on point in SKPB *cough cough*
Personally, I find the Marvel films to be nothing but detrimental to film, but I don't want to take them away because I know people enjoy them, and they deserve to exist.
Why? Because this is what art is all about. Freedom of expression protects the things you don't like more than it does the stuff you do. So let's just get past that right now.
Anyways, I don't wanna spend any more of my time on this topic. Long story short. The female body is a natural and beautiful thing that is basically as human as it gets.
In the "Super Sexy Challenge" players get a chance to strip down the Senran Kagura girls IF they manage to finish the challenge.
Simply put, if you don't like it, then don't buy it. Even so, don't tell me or anyone else they can't. Alright enough of that stuff, let's get down to the actual game itself.
So, as I was saying. "Senran Kagura Peach Ball" is everything you like about pinball and sexy ninja girls combined into one package for the Nintendo Switch.
As for the background story of the game. Well…Apparently the Senran girls drank some kind of magic potion and have become half-animal-like creatures (I think?). Nah, I'm just kidding, the girls just wear furry swimsuits and ears, and that's about it.
The game's dialogs are pretty darn hilarious for most of the time.
And of course, the only way to reserve the spell is to use a magic "Peach Ball" that of course fits perfectly into a pinball machine. I mean why not?Each pinball table includes various missions, mini-games, and challenges much like all pinball machines do.
However, there is one hell of a twist to SKPB. You see, completing these challenges unlocks new rewards, outfits, hairstyles, etc.
It's also worth mentioning that if you do well in the "sexy mini-games", the game rewards the player's eyes by ripping, tearing, and generally stripping the outfits from the "Senran Kagura" girls.
The visuals are very colorful, charming and beautiful in SKPB.
this isn't anything new in the "Senran Kagura" series, but I must say that literally hitting the girls with balls leaves me with a very odd but still pleasant feeling (that is all I wish to share about that topic *cough cough*).
So, what about the voice acting aspects of the game then? Well, the Japanese voice acting is stellar as usual and I always appreciate native audio over bad dubs.
I would also like to point out that they shy away from the traditional pinball sounds for a more animated and wacky sound design.
"Tits are life, ass is hometown" – Yes indeed Mr. Kenichiro Takaki.
Other than that, SKPB isn't trying to be a pinball simulation by any means. So don't step into the game with that premise, because then your just going to end up being very disappointed.
Now, let's move onto something much more positive instead. Yes, that's right! The dressing room and "intimate" mods are back in SKPB, and they are just as lewd as always.
The in-game animations are very well-made (the same could also be said about the artwork for SKPB).
Furthermore, you can change the girl's clothes, lift their skirts, spray them with water, and give them virtual kisses, all with the immersive power of the Switch's motion controls.
So, yes. Technology is truly a wonderful thing with no doubt.
As much as I really, REALLY enjoy SKPB. I truly wish that there had been more than just two tables and five girls in the game (in my opinion, each girl should have her very own pinball table).
So, all in all. "Senran Kagura Peach Ball" is a crazy fun and wonderfully lewd pinball game that should be able to please both fans of pinball games in general and fans of the "Senran Kagura" series.
+ The fan service and sexy content is on point, and so is the Senran Kagura girls.
+ A fun, and less serious pinball game.
+ Of no consequence.
+ Colorful and great looking visuals.
+ Tons of unlockables for you to enjoy (bonus modes, for example).
– The game's story is a bit all over the place for most part.
– Some games can last a bit too long.
– There are only five girls and two Pinball tables.
Gameplay: 4/5
Graphics: 5/5
Sound and music: 4/5
Controls: 4/5
Replay value: 5/5
Verdict: 4.5/5
All in all, Senran Kagura: Peach Ball is a wonderfully lewd and sexy pinball game with loads of fan-service and goofy storytelling that will please any fan of the series (or fans of the female form for that matter) or pinball in general.
Simply put, SKPB is a fun, lighthearted pinball game that keeps things interesting and fresh when compared to other pinball titles. So if you like nude women and pinball, then SKPB is the best thing since Vegas in the 80s.
Title: Senran Kagura: Peach Ball
Developer: Tamsoft
Format: Nintendo Switch
Genre: Pinball
Resolution: 1080p
Spent time: +6 hours
Average grade internationally:
PEGI age rating: +16
Price: 39.99 USD via the Nintendo Eshop
Robin Ek – Editor
Justin Ortiz-Burrow
Twitter: @VivaLaLazlow
More by Guest Author:
This is why "Second Galaxy" is a can't miss game for sci-fi fans
Here are some of the best free poker and bingo games that you can play online
Syndicate Casino is here to give you a lot of casino thrills
Are even more characters to be announced for "Mortal Kombat 11"?
Top seven movies that have a casino theme
Tags: Lewd games, Marvelous Europe, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch review, Peach Ball, Senran Kagura, Senran Kagura Peach Ball, Tamsoft


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You are here: Home / Community Development Commission / Homeless Services / Continuum of Care / News Share this Page:
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Summary of Requests
Sonoma County Continuum of Care (CoC) Board 2022 Elections
The Sonoma County CoC Board is the decision-making body of the Sonoma County Continuum of Care. The Sonoma County Continuum of Care addresses the problems of housing and homelessness by having a countywide, community-informed, and person-centered CoC system that is compassionate, inclusive, financially responsible, equitable, coordinated, and outcomes based. Nominations are hereby invited for five (5) seats to be chosen by eligible CoC voters at the CoC Quarterly Membership meeting on March 2, 2022 at 1:00pm – 4:00pm. Nominations and Statement of Interest forms will be accepted until February 23rd at 5:00pm.
2022 Sonoma County Homeless Point-in-Time Count Volunteer Registration Now Open!
Friday, February 25, 2022 is the Sonoma County Point-in-Time (PIT) Street Count for all populations of person's experiencing homelessness. The Count is a requirement for receiving federal homeless assistance funds and provides critical data used to understand homelessness locally and to support strategic decisions about our program.
Sonoma County Continuum of Care (CoC) Membership Open Applications
The Sonoma County Continuum of Care (CoC) is now accepting applications to become a member of the Continuum of Care. The Sonoma County CoC addresses the problems of housing and homelessness by having a countywide, community-informed, and person-centered CoC system that is compassionate, inclusive, financially responsible, equitable, coordinated, and outcomes-based. Anyone or any entity committed to the prevention and ending of homeless is welcome in the Continuum of Care.
Request for Proposals - November 2021
The Sonoma County Community Development Commission (SCCDC) is pleased to invite you to respond to a Request for Proposals (RFP) for qualified applicants interested in applying to be the operator of the Coordinated Entry System (CES).
Chronic Homelessness Documentation Training
Held by the Sonoma County Community Development Commission, this training will focus on the requirements to be considered chronically homeless as HUD defines it, as well as go over the documentation process for Continuum of Care (CoC) Program funded permanent supportive housing units. This training will be useful for providers who will be participating in the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) referral process and will be recorded and posted to our website for those who were unable to attend.
Request for Proposal: COVID-19 Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG-CV) funds for Rapid Rehousing (RRH) and Emergency Shelter (ES) projects
As you are aware, ESG-CV funds can only be used "to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, among individuals and families who are homeless or receiving homeless assistance and to support additional homeless assistance and homelessness prevention activities to mitigate the impacts created by coronavirus under the Emergency Solutions Grants program
The Sonoma County Community Development Commission (SCCDC) Letter of Intent
The Sonoma County Community Development Commission (SCCDC) released a Letter of Intent (LOI) for applicants interested in receiving COVID-19 Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG-CV) funds for Rapid Re-Housing (RRH) and Emergency Shelter (ES) projects in Sonoma County.
Rating & Ranking Process for the 2021 Continuum of Care Competition
Published on April 1, 2021
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that local CoC's prioritize all renewal and new projects submitted in our consolidated application. As in past years, project priorities will be generated by a scoring system, site visits and interviews by the CoC Competition Evaluation Ad Hoc Committee, made up of impartial members of the Sonoma County Continuum of Care Board.
2019 Continuum of Care Competition Priority List
On August 22, 2019 the Home Sonoma County Leadership Council (CoC Board) approved rating and rankings for new and renewal projects in the FY 2019 Continuum of Care Competition.
Staff Reports for FY2019-20 Consolidated Homeless Services Funding Now Available
Staff Reports for FY2019-20 Consolidated Homeless Services Funding are now available for review. These are only recommendations and will be considered by the Home Sonoma County Leadership Council on March 22, 2019.
Homeless Ad Hoc Committee Meeting
During this meeting, they reviewed the recommendations from a report commissioned by the Sonoma County Community Development Commission (CDC) assessing the current state of the homeless systems of care.
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Michael Gause
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Karissa White
Continuum of Care Coordinator
Email: Michael Gause
Email: Karissa White
Michael Gause: Work (707) 565-1977
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Vanisha'Bella 🦋 Authentic Reality | To Be Honest.
Home / Whatz Happenin! / Authentic Reality' * Blog You're IT! / To Be Honest.
by Vanisha'Bellaupdated on December 12, 2018 December 8, 2018 Leave a Comment on To Be Honest.
76 percent of people said it's OK to lie sometimes (even on Facebook profiles), but the subjects of those fibs tend to depend on your gender, according to a new CreditDonkey poll of over 1,200 Americans.
Assuming most survey respondents were honest about their propensity for falsehoods, more than three-quarters of the participants in the survey believe lying is acceptable in some cases. Behind this astonishing figure is the fact that what respondents lie about varies by gender.
CreditDonkey.com, a credit card comparison and financial education site, conducted the survey to find out who is telling the truth and why people lie. When respondents were asked to identify the topics they most often lied about, men revealed they prefer to bluff about money and their accomplishments while women are more likely to be less than truthful about their health and appearance.
When asked if they have ever lied about their accomplishments, 27.7 percent of men admitted they had, compared with 16.8 percent of women.
24.1 percent of men have lied on their Facebook profile versus 16.6 percent of women.
21.7 percent of men have lied on a resume, compared with 16.3 percent of women.
42.1 percent of men have lied about their financial well-being versus 37.6 percent of women.
Women are more likely to lie to their doctors, with 25.6 percent saying they had done so, compared with just 17.4 percent of men.
34.9 percent of women have lied about their diets versus 24.8 percent of men.
31.1 percent of women have lied about their exercise regimens, compared with 24.5 percent of men.
A whopping 51.7 percent of women have lied about their weight, while just 28 percent of men have fudged that number.
In addition to what people lie about, it's interesting to note who they try to deceive. Women are more likely to often tell "tall tales" to their parents than men (43.6 percent vs. 37.4 percent), but men more often fib to friends (44.1 percent vs. 38.3 percent). One of the few things men and women both do in equal amounts is lying to those who probably know them better than anyone. Less than a quarter of all respondents said they "often" lie to their brothers, sisters and significant others.
Despite this, remember: there's little reason to believe that we live in a society awash in alibis and disinformation. Overall, just 3 percent of those polled said they lie "often," whereas more than 66 percent of respondents said they are "seldom" or "never" dishonest.
On the other hand, 90 percent of survey participants think everyone lies, so at any given moment, it may be impossible to know who's telling the truth.


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Q: How to use empty list when we have an empty list anyways This question is a bit hard to explain so please look at the increasingPath function in the code here. Now assuming the path does not exist, and arraylist pointPath with 0 size is returned.
However I have read that we must use Collections.emptyList, but how do I use it in this scenario, when I already have a probably empty list called pointPath ? If not to use Collections.emptyList then when to use it ?

A: I think what you're supposed to do is use Collections.EmptyList for comparisons and returning.
for example:
if (pointPath.equals(Collections.emptyList()){
    return Collections.emptyList();
}

I don't think it changes how your program will execute, but it makes the code readable and self-documenting.

A: Simply check
if (pointPath.isEmpty()){
    return Collections.emptyList();
}

The only difference from actually returning a your list that is accidentally empty is that Collections.emptyList() is immutable list. If that is not of any value to you, I'd return your real list. That way there is less code to read.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Set of 4 personalized engraved stainless steel coasters. Also available with wood gift box, which makes a great addition for storage... two gifts in one! Makes an unbelievably great wedding or housewarming gift. Coaster Size = 4", Rustic Wood Box Size: 10 x 5.5 x 2.5. PERSONALIZATION: ONE single character.


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Burston is a small hamlet near Rowsham in Buckinghamshire about  north of Aylesbury. It is in the civil parish of Aston Abbotts.

Originally an Iron Age settlement, it was overlooked by a defensive position on high ground (Burston Hill). Modern Burston consists of a few farms, including Burston Hill Farm, Lower Burston, and Burston Ridge Farm, but in the valley below earthworks of the old settlement remain.

Burston Hill, a high point to the north of the Vale of Aylesbury offers views across the vale and the Chiltern Hills.

Hamlets in Buckinghamshire

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Bryan Gitschlag is a biologist with a unique background that has involved approaching controversial subjects from opposite perspectives. Raised in a conservative religious environment, and having once started a petition to introduce creationism into Wisconsin classrooms, he is now an openly-LGBT atheist who advocates for skepticism and science literacy. Bryan is currently working on a PhD in biological sciences at Vanderbilt University, where he studies the molecular basis of genetic conflict in the mitochondrial genome.
This fast-paced workshop will explore the past, present, and future of the human condition, with an emphasis on age-old questions like "what's out there?" and "how do we really know?" Depending on how much time you've spent with the skeptic and free-thought community, you may have learned that the existence of a supreme being is unknown, and that believers have yet to meet their burden of prrof. But is that the best we can do in the search for truth, or is it possible to know that there is no God? Even if there is no supreme being, does the hustory and neuroscience of religions belief tell us anything about the human condition that could help us create a better future? This workshop will provide a brief overview of human biology and the use of mind-altering drugs in the ancient world, in the context of addressing how spiritual beliefts arose and what this might be able to teach us about the search for truth and meaning.


A couple of weeks ago I met up with the lovely Hawkesford Family at Hanbury Hall for a photoshoot. A favourite of mine, I'm fast becoming a regular at the National Trust property! At this time of year in particular, it has lots of offer within the grounds, with lots of Autumnal colours in the trees which make great backdrops. Little Hannah was great fun to photograph – I love some of the natural photos of her playing with the leaves and in the puddles!
I'm fully booked for 2016 now, but please do get in touch if you'd like to book your family photoshoot for the new year!


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Searching extremists 0
We prefer to write about what has happened rather than what might happen. But some probabilities, accusations, and conjectures are likely enough and interesting enough to be noticed before they're certainties.
Which is why we're drawing attention to a story about a trade union official's suspected connection with terrorism both in South America and in the Middle East.
Investor's Business Daily reports and comments:
The FBI raids the Chicago home of a local union leader looking for terrorist connections as the union's former chief is investigated for corruption. Why are we not surprised?
Thuggery and corruption are not quite synonyms for unionism, but it gets very close when you consider the Service Employees International Union, formerly led by Andy Stern.
That's the extreme left revolutionary Andy Stern who was reported last October, 2009, to be more often received by Obama at the White House than any other visitor.
From being involved in fraudulent voter registration in Texas to beating up Tea Party activists outside town hall meetings in Missouri, SEIU's reputation is well-established.
Now we can possibly add a linkage to terrorism.
On Friday, the FBI searched eight addresses in Minneapolis and Chicago. Among those addresses was the North Side home of Chicago anti-war activists Joe Iosbaker and his wife, Stephanie Weiner, whose home was searched for 12 hours.
The agents said they were looking for evidence relating to terrorist activity. Warrants suggested agents were looking for links between anti-war activists and terrorist groups in Colombia and the Mideast. An FBI statement said those investigated were suspected of activities "concerning the material support of terrorism."
The national media largely ignored the story, and the Chicago media reported it as … anti-war activists being intimidated and investigated and manhandled by oppressive law enforcement. …
Iosbaker is … the Chief Steward for SEIU Local 73. One would think that a high-ranking union official linked to support of international terrorism would be national news …
But no. The mainstream media will ignore the story if they can, and if they can't, spin it as a story of mean right-wing anti-union bias.
(We confess to anti-union bias. One of the great achievements of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was, in our opinion, her victory over the economy-wrecking British trade unions, especially the National Union of Mineworkers in 1985.)
As we all know, people of Andy Stern's and Iosbaker's political persuasion are not union leaders for the love of the workers: they are left revolutionaries who hope to use the unions as a means to their ends. Read about Andy Stern here.
Iosbaker and Weiner were active members, with Barack Obama, of the New Party in Chicago. Read about it here at Gulag Bound. It was formed by an alliance of three organizations:
The Democratic Socialists of America – the largest Marxist organization in America
Also heavily involved were the Communist Party USA breakaway group Committees of Correspondence and far left 'think tank' the Institute for Policy Studies.
Obama "not only worked closely with these New Party candidates", he himself was a member of it.
All of which should have been made known to the electorate by the media during the presidential campaigns of 2008, but was not.
It's useful to bring it up now, when Obama and his Democratic hurrah-chorus are calling Constitutionalists, Republicans, and Tea Party people "extremists". (See here and here.)
Posted under Commentary, corruption, Terrorism, trade unions, United States by Jillian Becker on Thursday, September 30, 2010
Tagged with ACORN and New Party, Andy Stern, Joe Iosbaker, Joe Iosbaker and terrorism, Joe Iosbaker Stephanie Weiner Barack Obama and New Party, New Party, New Party and Obama, Obama and extremism, Progressive Chicago and Obama, SEIU, SEIU and New Party, Service Employees International Union, Stephanie Weiner, Stephanie Weiner and terrorism, The Democratic Socialists of America and New Party
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Looming up – a permanent TARP 1
The financial regulation bill is another huge threat to America's painfully diminished prosperity, and so ultimately to Big Business and Big Labor.
But Big Business and Big Labor cannot see that, being chronically short-sighted. Contrary to Obama's contention, they actually welcome the legislation.
The Heritage Foundation examines the bill which it calls, with good reason, a "Wall Street Bailout Bill" – a permanent TARP. And that, it says, is "what Wall Street wanted all along".
Speaking to an audience of big business and big labor executives (including Goldman Sachs' Lloyd Blankfein, Bank of America's Bruce Thompson and SEIU's Andy Stern) at New York's Cooper Union, President Barack Obama noted "the furious efforts of industry lobbyists to shape" the financial regulation bill "to their special interests." Obama then admitted, "I am sure that many of those lobbyists work for some of you. But I am here today because I want to urge you to join us, instead of fighting us in this effort." Obama should have saved his breath. Wall Street and big labor lobbyists have already joined forces to make sure the current Senate legislation has become a Wall Street Bailout Bill.
Big labor's ties to this White House are already well documented. Less known is just how close Obama administration interests align with the big firms that benefit most from the TARP bailout. The Washington Examiner reports that at Goldman Sachs, the nation's largest investment bank, four of the five in-house lobbyists were Democratic Capitol Hill staffers — the remaining one gave $1,000 to Hillary Clinton last election. And USA Today notes that Goldman Sachs alone has given nearly $900,000 since January 2009 to congressional candidates, with 69% of that cash lining Democrat pockets. Finally, then-candidate Obama collected almost $1 million from Goldman executives and employees in 2008, more than the combined Goldman haul of every Republican running for president, Senate and the House.
So what have Wall Street lobbyists bought with their campaign cash and high priced lobbyists? A bill that gives permanent TARP-like authority to Washington regulators, thus enshrining Washington as a permanent bailout machine. Specifically, the bill:
Creates a protected class of too big to fail firms. Section 113 of the bill establishes a "Financial Stability Oversight Council," charged with identifying firms that would "pose a threat to the financial security of the United States" if they encounter "material financial distress." While these firms would be subject to enhanced regulation, such a designation would also signal to the marketplace that these firms are too important to be allowed to fail and, perversely, allow them to take on undue risk.
Creates permanent bailout authority. Section 204 of the bill authorizes the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to "make available … funds for the orderly liquidation of [a] covered financial institution." Although no funds could be provided to compensate a firm's shareholders, the firm's other creditors would be eligible for a cash bailout. The situation is much like the bailout AIG in 2008, in which the largest beneficiaries were not stockholders but rather other creditors, such as Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs.
Provides for seizure of private property without meaningful judicial review. The bill, in Section 203(b), authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to order the seizure of any financial firm that he finds is "in danger of default" and whose failure would have "serious adverse effects on financial stability." This determination would be virtually irreversible in court.
Establishes a $50 billion fund to pay for bailouts. Funding for bailouts is to come from a $50 billion "Orderly Resolution Fund" created within the U.S. Treasury in Section 210(n)(1), funded by taxes on financial firms. However, according to the Congressional Budget Office, the ultimate cost of bank taxes will fall on the customers, employees and investors of each firm.
Opens a "line of credit" to the Treasury for additional government funding. Under Section 210(n)(9), the FDIC is effectively granted a line of credit to the Treasury Department that is secured by the value of failing firms in its control, providing another taxpayer financial support.
Authorizes regulators to guarantee the debt of solvent banks. Bailout authority is not limited to debt of failing institutions. Under Section 1155, the FDIC is authorized to guarantee the debt of "solvent depository institutions" if regulators declare that a liquidity crisis ("event") exists.
Imposes one-size-fits-all reform in derivative markets. … The Senate bill would require virtually all derivative contracts to be settled through a clearinghouse rather than directly between the parties. Applying such ill-designed blanket regulation would make financial derivatives more costly, more difficult to customize, and, consequently, less widely used—which would increase overall risk in the economy.
According to Rasmussen Reports, 64% of Americans are not confident that policymakers in Washington know what they're doing with regards to Wall Street. They have every reason to be concerned. … The bill Obama is pushing would empower Secretary Geithner to repeat the AIG bailout ad infinitum. No need to ever go back to Congress for a new TARP. The Senate bill is a permanent TARP. Which is exactly what Goldman Sachs and the rest of their Wall Street lobbyists wanted all along.
Posted under Economics, Progressivism, Socialism, United States by Jillian Becker on Friday, April 23, 2010
Tagged with Andy Stern, Bank of America, Big Business, Big Labor, Goldman Sachs, government bail-outs, SEIU, TARP, Troubled Asset Relief Program
Fattening the state 0
How does the seemingly benign campaign, figureheaded by Michelle Obama (see our post Great ideas from the pumpkin patch Janury 29, 2010), against childhood obesity, serve the socialist agenda of Barack Obama?
Michelle Malkin explains how. She writes:
Behind every seemingly good deed in the Obama White House, there's a deep-pocketed, left-wing special interest. Take first lady Michelle Obama's crusade against childhood obesity. Who really benefits from the ostensible push for improved nutrition in the schools? Think purple — as in the purple-shirted army of the Service Employees International Union. Big Labor bigwigs don't care about slimming your kids' waistlines. They care about beefing up their membership rolls and fattening their coffers….
The East Wing is now in full campaign mode — leaning on the nation's mayors, traveling with the surgeon general and meeting with Congress and cabinet members to reauthorize the Lyndon Johnson-era Child Nutrition Act, which provides government-subsidized meals to more than 30 million children. It's part of the Obama administration's self-proclaimed "cradle-to-career" agenda for America's youth.
For decades, school administrators have criticized this Great Society relic for outgrowing its initial conception. The program was originally created to use up post-World War II food surpluses… While spending on youth nutrition and wellness have ballooned, so have the kids. Nearly one-third of U.S. children are now overweight or obese. The feds spend $15 billion a year on nutrition in schools; the White House wants at least a $1 billion increase this coming fiscal year.
The well-intended program to feed poor kids has morphed into an untouchable universal entitlement with a powerful school-lunch lobbying coalition of Department of Agriculture bureaucrats, food-service industry executives and union bosses. Enter the SEIU. Headed by the White House's most frequent visitor, Andy Stern, the powerful labor organization representing government and private service employees has an insatiable appetite for power and growth. Working alongside the first lady, the SEIU unveiled a major ad campaign this week demanding reauthorizing and funding increases in the Child Nutrition Act.
What's in it for Big Labor? SEIU Executive Vice President Mitch Ackerman explains: "A more robust expansion of school lunch, breakfast, summer feeding, child care and WIC (the federal Women, Infants and Children nutrition program) is critical to reducing hunger, ending childhood obesity and providing fair wages and healthcare for front line food service workers" (emphasis added).
There are 400,000 workers who prepare and serve lunch to American schoolchildren. SEIU represents tens of thousands of those workers and is trying to unionize many more. "More robust expansion" of the federal school-lunch law means a mandate for higher wages, increased benefits and government-guaranteed health insurance coverage …
They are casting food-services workers as indispensable saviors. The union has rallied behind P.R. efforts casting them as superheroes "serving justice, and serving lunch." Opposing the union means opposing children's health. SEIU propaganda features New Jersey school cafeteria workers like Leslie Williams of Orange, N.J., lamenting: "I love my work, but it's getting harder to prepare nutritious meals on the low budget we're working with. … It breaks my heart to see a child who's hungry. As I see it, part of my job is to make sure the kids are well-fed."
Actually, that's the primary job of parents. Mom? Dad? Remember them? But the more responsibility we demand of parents, the less power and influence SEIU bosses are able to grab. Unionized school dietician and nutrition jobs are booming. And in addition to school breakfast and lunch, the SEIU is now pushing subsidized dinner plans and summer food service to create a "stronger nutrition safety net." Translation: Perpetual employment for big government and its public employee union au pairs.
Cede the children, feed the state.
Posted under Collectivism, Commentary, education, government, liberalism, Progressivism, Socialism, trade unions, United States by Jillian Becker on Thursday, February 4, 2010
Tagged with Big Labour, Child Nutrition Act, Lyndon Johnson, Michelle Obama, Mitch Ackerman, SEIU, Service Employees International Union, the Great Society
How socialist governments entrench themselves 0
… in Western democracies.
From the Heritage Foundation:
Last month when the White House released its visitor log for the first six months of the Obama presidency, one name appeared far more often than any other: Service Employee International Union (SEIU) President Andrew Stern. Stern has every right to expect to be welcome in the Obama White House. He has repeatedly bragged about the fact that under his leadership, the SEIU spent $60.7 million to elect Barack Obama president. And what is Stern buying with his $60.7 million besides White House tours? Ever expanding federal government programs and state government bailouts which are rapidly bankrupting our country.
Unlike his predecessor, John Sweeney, who came up the ranks after starting with the International Ladies Garment Workers Union, Stern entered the labor movement when the SEIU organized his shop when he was working as a welfare case worker for the State of Pennsylvania. Stern's public sector entrance into labor is by no means an anomaly. In fact, for the first time ever in American history, preliminary estimates of union membership for 2009 show that most union members now work for either the local, state, or federal government.
Heritage scholar James Sherk has the numbers: "The overall unionization rate between January and September 2009 stood at 12.4%, unchanged from last year. However, this difference masks a large difference between unions in the private and public sectors. Union membership has fallen to 7.3% of private sector workers – the lowest rate since Roosevelt signed the National Labor Relations Act into law. But it is a completely different story in the public sector: 37.6% of government employees belong to unions, up almost a percentage point since last year. Those 7.9 million unionized government employees are 51% of all union members nationwide."
The days when "union member" meant an American working in a steel plant, or coal mine, or auto factory are gone. Today, unions are dependent on government, not the private sector, for their livelihood. Therefore, unions like the SEIU have little interest in private sector job growth. Private sector jobs don't help fund $60.7 million political campaigns. But government jobs do. The change in incentives has been devastating to American taxpayers. Manhattan Institute senior fellow Steven Malanga explains why:
In the private sector … employers who are too generous with pay and benefits will be punished. In the public sector, however, more union members means more voters. And more voters means more dollars for political campaigns to elect sympathetic politicians who will enact higher taxes to foot the bill for the upward arc of government spending on workers.
Posted under government, Socialism, United States by Jillian Becker on Friday, November 13, 2009
Tagged with Andrew Stern, SEIU, Service Employee International Union, Trade Union membership numbers
The UN must be destroyed! 1
David Horowitz endorses our warning in the post below about the Left's intentions for the UN, writing on his website FrontPage magazine:
Neo-communism is a view whose members consider themselves "citizens of the world," not of America, and who therefore agitate for open borders and want the morally repulsive collection of autocracies, slaveocracies and kleptocracies called "the United Nations" to reign over us and the world.
A neo-communist is someone who believes that America is ruled by corporations who put "profit over people" — and thereby show that they don't understand either profit or people. A neo-communist is someone who is convinced that race, class, and gender hierarchies make it not only legitimate but necessary to describe America as a "white supremacist" society. Neo-communists believe that a revolution is necessary (if not opportune at the moment), that the Consitution is a disposable document, and that America's communist and Islamo-fascist enemies (Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, Hizbollah, the PLO and Hamas), are freedom fighters or at least on the right side of the armageddon that faces us.
These are views shared by The Nation magazine, by Commonsense.org, by the Indymedia crowd, by the social justice movement, by the majority of the Black Caucus and the Progressive Caucus on the Democratic side in Congress, and by tens of thousands of university professors who indoctrinate their students in these pernicious ideologies every day. They are the views held by the leaders of ACORN, the SEIU, AFCSME and other leftwing unions, by radical feminists, by organizations like MALDEF and La Raza, by the ACLU and the Center for Constitutional Rights who are working to support the Islamo-fascist agenda in America, by the major Muslim organizations including the Muslim Students Association, CAIR, and the Islamic Circle of North America…
He lists many more in his book Unholy Alliance.
The UN must be destroyed!
Posted under Commentary, communism, Defense, Economics, Feminism, Islam, jihad, Progressivism, revolution, Socialism, Terrorism, Totalitarianism, United Nations, United States by Jillian Becker on Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Tagged with ACLU, ACORN, AFCSME, Black Caucus, CAIR, Center for Constitutional Rights, Commonsense, communism, David Horowitz, Democratic Party, Feminists, Indymedia, International Socialism, Islamic Circle of North America, La Raza, MALDEF, Muslim Students Association, neo-communism, Progressive Caucus, SEIU, The Nation, UN, Unholy Alliance, United Nations
What is that smell? 0
Michelle Malkin writes:
Two weeks ago, the White House embraced $150 million in drug industry ads supporting Obamacare. This week, Bloomberg News reported that White House senior adviser and chief campaign strategist David Axelrod's former public relations firm, AKPD Message and Media, has raked in some $24 million in ad contracts supporting Obamacare — along with another PR firm, GMMB, run by other Obama strategists.
The ads are funded by Big Pharma, the AARP, AMA and the powerhouse Service Employees International Union (whose Purple Shirts dumped $80 million in independent expenditures to get Obama and the Democratic majority elected). In trademark Axelrod style, the special interest coalition adopted faux grassroots names — first under the banner of "Healthy Economy Now" and more recently as "Americans for Stable Quality Care." …
Axelrod was president and sole shareholder of AKPD from 1985 until last December, when he resigned to take his White House position. His son, Michael, works there. So does former Obama campaign manager David Plouffe.
Axelrod is prominently featured on AKPD's website, from a founder's quote on the front page ("CHANGE IS SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO FIGHT FOR") to the glamorous election night photos of Plouffe and Axelrod with the Obamas. AKPD still consults with Axelrod on "strategy and research" for the Democratic National Committee. The firm owes Axelrod $2 million … That Axelrod and his old firm benefit mutually from their respective roles selling Obamacare should be gobsmackingly obvious. Axelrod pushes the White House plan on TV news shows. AKPD derives mega-income from ad contracts selling the White House-endorsed plan. The windfall allows AKPD to settle its debts with Axelrod, whose name, face and high-powered ties are critical to future wheel-greasing for AKPD — and future salary-earning for Axelrod's son and close associates.
White House flack Gibbs called any suggestion that Axelrod benefits from the relationship "ridiculous." Retorted Gibbs: "David has left his firm to join public service." So when Republicans trade power and access, Team Obama calls that being "in cahoots" with business. But when noble servants like Axelrod do it, it's called "public service."
What else is Axelrod keeping from full public view? AKPD is just one of his influence-peddling operations. Housed in the same office as AKPD is Axelrod's secretive former PR shop, ASK Public Strategies. That firm also owes Axelrod money from a buy-out deal — five annual installments of $200,000 each. Axelrod has remained notoriously tight-lipped about ASK's corporate business. One client that came to light: utility company Commonwealth Edison in Chicago. Axelrod ran a fear-mongering campaign in Illinois for ComEd in support of a huge utility rate hike — and failed to disclose that his bogus grassroots ads (under the guise of public interest group "Consumers Organized for Reliable Electricity") were actually funded by the utility…
Posted under Commentary, government, Miscellaneous, News, United States by Jillian Becker on Friday, August 21, 2009
Tagged with AARP, AKPD Message and Media, AMA, ASK Public Strategies, Big Pharma, Commonwealth Edison, David Axelrod, David Plouffe, Michael Axelrod, Robert Gibbs, SEIU
The sovietization of America proceeds 1
Matthew Vadum writes:
President Obama's new "green jobs" czar Van Jones, an avowed militant communist, had been on the board of the pressure group Apollo Alliance, which aspires to flatten the U.S. economy by having government fund "green jobs" scams, according to the "Glenn Beck Program" earlier this week.
Even worse, the group, which has ties to ACORN, SEIU, and Center for American Progress president John Podesta, has significant pull in Congress and helped to write the stimulus bill.
The Apollo Alliance "is designed to bring together the elements of organized labor with the community organizers with the green groups, the environmental groups, and to access all of the big foundation money that's been supportive of those causes in the past," explained Phil Kerpen, director of policy for Americans for Prosperity.
Jones described the group's "mission as sort of a grand unified field theory for progressive left causes; it ties all these things together," Kerpen said. He added:
"They really admire the Apollo mission, the moon-shot mission, and they think that we need a similar centrally-planned, organized massive mobilization to reorder society and take control of energy and their various other objectives. They admire that and they want it like a moon shot."
Apollo Alliance was co-founded by Campaign for America's Future, the George Soros-funded organization that supports an ever-expanding welfare state.
Beck asked if Wade Rathke, the disgraced founder of ACORN who was expelled by the radical left-wing group last year for covering up his brother's embezzlement of nearly $1 million in ACORN funds, had been a member of the Apollo Alliance's board.
Kerpen responded, "Yes. He's on — he was until this year on the board of the Tides Foundation and the Tides Center, which are the parent organizations that host the Apollo Alliance."
Posted under Commentary, Socialism, Totalitarianism, United States by Jillian Becker on Friday, July 31, 2009
Tagged with ACORN, Americans for Prosperity, Apollo Alliance. Tides Foundation, Campaign for America's Future, Center for American Progress, George Soros, Glen Beck Program, John Podesta, Phil Kerpen, SEIU, Tides Center, Van Jones, Wade Rathke


The Latin Store brings you the finest oil paintings from Peru , Chile and different regions of South America.We invite you to browse through our gallery and hope that you find the special painting you are looking for. We offer a variety of sizes and styles including landscapes, abstract, folk, contemporary etc. When browsing our gallery you will see next to each painting the code, size (in centimeters) and price. You can also enlarge the picture by clicking on the image. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or would like assistance.


text:
The Worst Car Wreck I Never Had
Over the weekend I was reminded of the worst car accident I ever had. Almost. It was back when I lived in Los Angeles, which is consistently rated one of the best cities in which to be brutally killed in an automobile.
Let me set the scene. It was May 2013. I was cruising down the 105 freeway. The road in that particular area was six lanes wide with a smattering of traffic spread across it, all going about seventy miles per hour. It was a glorious, sunny spring day. The kind of day when nothing can possibly go wrong.
I should note, this was before I had my totally sweet 1993 Honda Civic del Sol. I never owned a convertible when I lived in southern California. I waited until I moved to the Pacific Northwest for that, because I'm the best at life planning.
At the time I was driving my fire-apple red 1999 Volkswagen GTI. Because I don't acknowledge new cars were built after the turn of the century. My lady was by my side. We were probably listening to that hot new jam, the Harlem Shake. But before the beat could drop, our memeworthy moment was interrupted by a screeching chorus of tires against asphalt.
The noise was like a dozen jungle cats tearing each other apart. I knew it had to be four or five cars squealing to an uncontrolled stop, but I couldn't tell which direction it was coming from. Before I could even take my foot off the gas, Amanda was already pointing at a cloud of burning rubber smoke wafting up from the road about a hundred feet ahead in the next lane to our right.
Just as I began to process the very idea of a multi-car pile-up in progress, this white car came sailing towards us at highway speed, spinning sideways across the lanes in the condition it is here. It was thirty feet in front of me and coming at my front bumper like a renegade cruise missile before my brain even acknowledged it was there.
I knew there was no way I could stop in time to avoid a head-on collision, and there was still traffic moving in the lanes around me. My conscious mind didn't have time to react. I didn't have time to plan. I didn't even have time to shout a swear and crap my pants.
Fortunately, at that time I was a fledgling member of the local men's flat-track roller derby team, the Drive-By City Rollers. I was spending five or six hours a week on wheels, moving at unsafe speeds while trying to avoid being clobbered by tough guys and even tougher women.
Some deeply ingrained wax-on, wax-off instinct took control, and I stood on the brake and cranked the wheel hard left. My stomach went into an unsettling lurch as the tires screamed against the pavement and the back end of the car passed the front. In an instant we were in a tight spin, still moving at 60+ miles per hour down the freeway.
By the time the rogue car hit me, my car had EXACTLY MATCHED ITS SPIN. I braced for an impact that never happened as the two vehicles barely grazed each other, edging side-to-side and executing an elegant 180 spin together like a pair of choreographed figure skaters.
When I had finally laid a big enough spiral of burnt rubber to come to a complete stop we were turned all the way around, facing directly into the grille of the oncoming semi truck that had seconds before been behind us. I slammed it into reverse and safely maneuvered to the concrete wall at the inside shoulder before that big, slowly-braking bastard could end our lives.
And just like that, it was over. Traffic was already angrily weaving around the debris and continuing on its way. Because Los Angeles.
We got out of the car and checked on the other wrecks. Despite this being a high-speed, five-car accident, there were no fatalities and only minor injuries. The angels of the National Highway Safety Administration were smiling upon the 105 freeway that day.
I felt terrible for those who had lost their cars, but I was vibrating with energy. This energy wasn't terror or relief. It was that feeling you get when the roller-coaster returns to the station and the only word your frenzied mind can remember is "AGAIN!"
This whole harrowing brush with death could have easily ended in my car becoming a chewed-up, gasoline-spewing metal casket for two. But I didn't feel the cold hand of the reaper reminding me of my own mortality. I felt like a motherfucking super hero.
Amanda and I had come out of the pile-up totally unscathed. The car was barely even scathed. It only lost a side-view mirror (while somehow leaving the plastic housing completely intact) and caught some superficial scratches on its rear fender.
Once we were cleared by the CHP and back on the road, a badly shaken Amanda turned to me and said, "Marcus Alexander Hart, you just cheated death! What are you going to do next?"
The craziest part of the story is that I had been working long hours at the time, and had neglected my car maintenance to the point the GTI's brakes had gone soft as a month old tangerine. But just days before the accident, the TV show I was on went on between-season hiatus, giving me a chance to finally get my ailing brakes fixed.
If this incident had happened mere days earlier, the story would have had a very different ending. And someone else would be telling it.
So I guess the lesson to be learned is don't put off those important car repairs for another day, or that day may never come.
… says the guy currently driving a twenty-four year old beater with a cracked front axle, leaky power steering, and a stopping distance like a freight train full of iron ore.
In: Life lessons, Reruns from the Vault
Tagged: 105 freeway, accident, car wreck, GTI, Los Angeles, Volkswagen
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Just a couple weeks back I walked the club through a range of ten single cask Arran releases that were all bottled exclusively for Kensington Wine Market. Ten cask strength beauties ranging from seven years to two full decades of age. Nary a bad drop in the lot. I was already a fan of this wee island distillery, but this event cemented things to an even greater degree.
At it's core it comes down to three basic elements: 1) Arran has a clean and estery base spirit coming off the stills that is cut just right. 2) The brand's wood policy is excellent. 3) The talents at pulling together barrels for vatting are immense. The sum of these pieces is a beautifully cohesive whole. And what it ultimately leaves us is a rich portfolio of Arran malts that are always fun to sit down to and rarely leave me anything but impressed.
This particular expression just hit our shelves in Calgary a couple weeks back. It's a ten year old malt, composed as an homage to Master Distiller James MacTaggart, who's been plying his craft at Arran in this coveted role for…yep…ten years. A nice little tribute to a gent who I understand is an absolute gen of a human. Nice to see these things in our jaded age.
As for the malt…clean and lovely. Broadly appealing, I'd imagine and infinitely drinkable. Almost a 'session malt' in my humble opinion, if maybe a tad too sweet for my own personal tastes. But, hey…that's just me. My own personal leanings shouldn't color what, ultimately, should be as objective a review as we can fathom. The whisky is well-composed and without a trace of off-key notes. Well worth a tip. And the price is right for a cask strength beastie like this: ~$115.
Nose: Clean and custardy. White chocolate and sprinkles of ginger. Poached pear. Orange and cherry. Cinnamon. A slight popcorn note (maybe just the strong influence of ex-bourbon barrels bringing a corn-iness?). Beignets with a dusting of powdered sugar. Toasted oats. White tea. In short…soft fruits and soft white baking aromas.
Palate: Orange. Clean oak notes. A lot of bourbon influence seeping through here. I can only assume some very active barrels in the mix. Plenty of spice. Ginger and chili. Some pepper. Lots of syrupy sweetness. Underripe Bartlett pears on the finish.
Just realized how few of the Lag 12 CS releases we've actually looked at here on ATW and kinda feeling a bit of shame right now. This is definitely a release worth following year upon year. Buying it, however, has gotten harder and harder. Not for lack of availability, but because of sky high pricing locally. Over the past couple of years we've gone from about $120 up to nearly $180. Ouch.
But old man grumblings aside ("back in my day, we could buy Lagavulin 12 for…") this is a really good malt. Some of the 12s have seemed a little thin in recent years, almost one-trick-ponies in a sense. This 2015 limited release, however, has a little more to it than initially meets the eye. It needs a bit of time to develop in the glass, but allowing the clock to tick away long enough for the fruits and soft vanilla notes to come forth is well worth it.
I know there has been mention for a couple years now of declining quality of Lagavulin (especially as it relates to the 16 year old), but as I've said before, I haven't really bought into that camp. The 12 year old annual outturn merits a slightly different narrative, however, in that is batch-released and maybe isn't targeted for the same sort of consistency the 16 is. Ergo, a bit of a game of chance with each successive release. So be it. The quality is fairly consistently high, if not consistent in exact profile.
This is the most recent of the 12s I've tried. Now let's see if I can't get my hands on the more recent ones (and maybe a couple older ones too).
Nose: Warm rubber. Dry earth. Wet smoke. Oily vanilla. Red, black and green ju-jubes. Citrus. Brine. A whiff of red berries. A touch of orange zest. Key lime pie. An over-torched crème brulee.
Palate: Over-toasted notes. Salt licorice. Oversteeped Lapsang Souchong tea. Fisherman's Friend cough drops. Boiled greens. Lemon. Rather herbaceous as it develops. Granny Smith apple skins. Cinnamon-flavoured tooth picks. Earthy peat and waves of smoke go without saying.
Thoughts: Juicier than expected. Multi-dimensional. Nice smashing together of fruit and phenols.
Held to impossible standards, maybe. Such is the esteem John Glaser has written himself into. Even the least of the Compass Box releases stands head and shoulders taller than any comparable whiskies on the market. Glaser has done amazing things for the world of blending, especially as it relates to the world of blended malts.
A visit to the Compass Box website tells us that "phenomenology is a school of thought in psychology that focuses on phenomena or the experiences we get from our senses." Okay. Leave no stone unturned in your search for intelligent and intellectual marketing. This has always been a forte of the company that has brought us the Lost Blend, Enlightenment and Hedonism. Tie that to packaging that shames nearly everyone else in the industry (excepting maybe Ardbeg) and whiskies that consistently hit harmonious heights that others merely gawk at and it's no wonder Compass Box is such an industry darling.
In keeping with their stance on transparency in whisky, the good folks at CB have kindly jotted down the recipe for Phenomenology for us (on their website, of course, because to do so directly on the bottle itself is obviously such an overt threat to the dinosaurs in the SWA that we need to find workarounds to share the info). Quite a concoction, this. One you'd never peg blind, I'd wager. 72% Glenlossie, 24% Tamdhu, 2% Highland Park, 1% Talisker and 0.5% Caol Ila. The latter three contributors – making up just 3.5% of the cumulative volume – bring so little heft to the final product that smoke is nothing but a suggestion. It wouldn't surprise me if most folks thought that was nothing more than barrel char notes. I did.
So what do we think? Well…it's great, of course. I'd expect no less. Unfortunately it's also almost forgettable. Beautifully constructed, but just not enough personality to differentiate itself. It's like the models that grace the pages of the fashion magazines in your local grocery. They're all lovely, but they're also interchangeable, nameless and soon forgotten.
Nose: Clean grains. Soft fruits. Pear and underripe pineapple. Fruit flan. Vanilla. Heavy cream. White chocolate. Just a hint of eucalyptus. Syrup-heavy fruit cocktail. A whiff of smoke somewhere in the far reaches.
Palate: Firm, oaky backbone. Crunchy apple and pear. A touch of pineapple again, caramelized. Lychee fruit. Oily vanilla. Lemon. Alcohol-soaked angel food cake. Decent finish that fades mostly on fruit and a slightly woody note.
Thoughts: Quite lovely, all in. Just maybe lacking a little of that oomph we expect from Mr. Glaser. Especially at the $220 mark. Left me wanting more. Happy to drink it, but doubt I'd buy it at this price. Compass Box aficionados should be well-pleased, though, I'd think.
Loch Dhu. 'Black lake' in Gaelic. Arguably the most infamous malt in history. Note that I said 'infamous', not 'famous'.
If you don't know Loch Dhu, take a moment to Google. You'll likely find a few interesting things. First: the Loch Dhu site, full of blather and useless sales pitches. Second: the endless written word of well-warranted criticism. And third: a bit of history surrounding this franken-malt and its genesis at Speyside's Mannochmore distillery.
We could turn this review into a bit of a history lesson on the Mannochmore distillery, but nah. Let's just revel in the black filth that the good folks at Mannochmore voluntarily elected to inflict on the malt world. I say 'good folks' but if you've had a taste of this stuff, and are anything like me, you're probably going to question the applicability of such an appellation. No one, in a spirit of benevolence, offers this to the masses without insisting upon a signature at the bottom of a waiver the length of War And Peace.
If you're still not following where I'm leading here, let me spell it out. Loch Dhu is A-W-F-U-L. Truly and unquestionably awful. Like, quite possibly the worst single malt I've ever tasted.
So how does this stuff end up to be the color of the tar? Twice charred casks, so the story goes. Uh, okay. Yeah, that and a few gallons of E150a perhaps. And you wanna tell me artificial coloring doesn't impact flavor? Riiiiight. Let's go with that.
Betcha expected me to go against the grain and try to find something nice to say, right? Nope. Fug that.
This score can likely be taken with a grain of salt. I may have been overly generous.
Nose: Burnt…something. Over-stewed jam. Leather on a hotplate. Espresso. Hoisin sauce. Old dead flowers. Maybe a hint of earthiness (is that peat?). Savoury mince. Over-rummed fruitcake. Bitter tea.
Palate: Bitter. And sweet. But not bittersweet. And quite savoury. Some sort of tart jam on burnt toast. Cold espresso. Something sort of weedy. Black licorice. Burnt demerara sugar. and heavy molasses. Some sort of offensive, unpalatable cough syrup (Buckley's maybe?). Sen Sens on the finish.
Thoughts: There are one or two pleasant notes. Shame there are dozens of unpleasant ones. I expect this is the drink they hand you at the gates of hell before checking in for the long haul. Hard to believe its only 40% abv. Feels like a dumptruck of nitroglycerine being poured down my throat. Shudder.


text:
The Zilpha Keatley Snyder Treasury Volume One
Zilpha Keatley Snyder
Open Road Media Teen & Tween
language (Open Road Media Teen & Tween Dec. 19, 2017)
Nine novels from a three-time Newbery Honor author whose "tales of wonder, mystery, and suspense beguiled two generations of children and young adults" (The New York Times).
Blending realism and fantasy, Zilpha Keatley Snyder was a master at drawing young readers into mesmerizing worlds. Collected in one volume, here are some of her most memorable and beloved novels.
TheVelvet Room explores ranch life for a child of a former migrant worker. Cat Running offers a unique glimpse into one girl's experience when her family takes in a malnourished, barefooted "Okie" during the Depression In Song of the Gargoyle, thirteen-year-old Tymmon befriends a strange and enchanted forest creature. In The Trespassers, a boy and his sister discover a secret hideaway in a deserted mansion—and maybe a ghost. And in Fool's Gold, a group of teens discover a map that leads them through dangerous, abandoned gold mines.
This treasury is a perfect introduction to the novels of one of the most revered figures in children's literature.
Enjoy reading The Zilpha Keatley Snyder Treasury Volume One? You may also like these books
The Bronze Pen
Paperback (Atheneum Books for Young Readers Feb. 24, 2009)
The Treasures of Weatherby
Paperback (Atheneum Books for Young Readers March 4, 2008)
The Famous Stanley Kidnapping Case
Paperback (Atheneum Books for Young Readers Aug. 26, 2014)
Blair's Nightmare
William's Midsummer Dreams
Paperback (Atheneum Books for Young Readers June 5, 2012)
William S. and the Great Escape
Paperback (Atheneum Books for Young Readers Dec. 7, 2010)
Hardcover (Delacorte Books for Young Readers April 13, 2004)
The Ghosts of Rathburn Park
Hardcover (Delacorte Books for Young Readers Oct. 8, 2002)
Paperback (Yearling Jan. 1, 1986)
Eyes in the Fishbowl
Paperback (Yearling June 1, 1988)
Song of the Gargoyle
Hardcover (Delacorte Books for Young Readers March 1, 1991)
Janie's Private Eyes
A Fabulous Creature
Paperback (Yearling Nov. 1, 1988)
Libby on Wednesday
Paperback (Yearling Aug. 1, 1991)
And Condors Danced
Paperback (Yearling March 1, 1989)
Season of Ponies
Paperback (Yearling May 1, 1988)
Velvet Room
Hardcover (Atheneum Feb. 1, 1965)
Cat Running
The Great Condominium Rebellion
Blair's Nightmare by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
Paperback (Yearling March 15, 1815)


Chiaroscuro is pleased to announce its season opener, a solo exhibition by R. Patrick Harris, titled: Alchemy. On view May 3 – June 1, 2019, with public opening reception Friday, May 3, from 5-7 pm. Harris is an accomplished painter who strives to create images of concepts that prompt thinking again and again about the meaning of a particular circumstance or experience. He has been called a "serial artist" for his extensive use of repetitive forms and figures to illustrate complex subtleties between paintings and seemingly disparate subject matter.
Harris is a veteran Santa Fe based painter and educator, originally from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He has exhibited widely in New Mexico, Colorado and Texas. In 2000, Harris received the prestigious Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant for his efforts. This is Harris' first exhibition at Chiaroscuro.


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