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British boy band BBMak, reunited after 15 years, coming to Musikfest Cafe
British boy band BBMak has reunited after 15 years and will play Musikfest Cafe at ArtsQuest Center in Bethlehem
A British boy band that from 1999 to 2003 had four Top 30 hits on Billboard's Pop chart will perform at Musikfest Café at ArtsQuest Center in Bethlehem as part of a reunion tour after a 15-year hiatus, it was announced Friday.
BBMak, the vocal trio best known for its breezy, high harmonies and the 1999 Top 10 hit "Back Here," will perform at 7:30 p.m. March 27.
Tickets, at $18 for standing pit and $25-$35 seated, are on sale at the ArtsQuest Center box office at 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem, www.steelstacks.org and 610-332-3378.
The show will be part of a U.S. tour that now has only nine dates, starting March 22 in Boston.
Members of the British trio "BBMak" (L-R) Mark Barry, Stephen McNally and Christian Burns perform in Los Angeles in 2000. (FRED PROUSER/REUTERS)
The group of Mark Barry, Christian Burns and Stephen McNally arose during the boy band era of NSync — with whom they toured — and Backstreet Boys.
It sold 3 million albums, with its 2000 debut disc "Sooner or Later" going gold and breaking Billboard's Top 40. In addition to "Back Here," the disc had the Top 30 hits "Still on Your Side" and "Ghost of You and Me."
Its sophomore album, 2002's "Into Your Head," was its highest-charting in the United States, peaking at No. 25. It had the Top 20 pop hit "Out of My Heart (Into Your Head)."
The group also had the song "Miss You More" on the soundtrack of the movie "The Princess Diaries" and "Don't Look Down" on the soundtrack to the film "On the Line," and its cover of Lovin' Spoonful's "Do You Believe in Magic" appeared in Disney's "Peter Pan" sequel, "Return to Never Land."
But the group released no more discs and had no more charting singles.
BBMak reunited in 2018 and a new album, "Powerstation," was released in August.
BBMak opened for Destiny's Child at Allentown Fair in 2000, playing to a crowd of 4,300, and it headlined Allentown's Mayfair festival in 2001.
Zoellner Arts Center director to leave for Omaha position


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Whisky in Context
by Evrim Ersoy December 20, 2021 December 18, 2021
It's been almost six months since I was able to write anything for Malt.
The main reasons are twofold. The first reason is creative: I decided, when I started writing for the website, that I would try to avoid "straight" reviews. I'd find new angles to talk about whisky in context, because context affects consumption: where we are, who we are with and even our mood can have a direct bearing on our opinion, our tastes, and how we feel about the drink in our hands overall.
Such an approach produces interesting articles. Some of the pieces I've enjoyed over the years, in any field, are longform looks at a subject within some context. That context enriches the thoughts about the specific subject, placing it within the spectrum of the wider world.
However, the problem with the approach is that it's also incredibly time consuming… which brings us to the second reason for my absence: time. Autumn is my busiest period and, combined with my desire to write epic whisky reviews, found me failing time and time again.
It's at this point that, thinking to myself, I realised the best way was not to admonish myself — which would only result in further negative feedback – but to start simply, slowly, and small. So, here I am writing a trio of reviews for three bottles I obtained recently, each one very new to me, each one very different, and each with a small story behind it.
First up is George Dickel Bourbon Whiskey Aged 8 Years. I picked up this bottle in a BevMo! near Santa Monica where I was hunting for a four pack of the Stone Cold Steve Austin's Broken Skull IPA for a friend. Often in American off-licences (or "liquor stores," as Americans refer to them) I find myself overwhelmed with choice, especially when it comes to Bourbon and Rye. Often, my approach is to find a reasonably priced bottle that I can't get in the UK.
George Dickel represented one such bottle; it was priced at $29.99 but with a BevMo! discount became a very reasonable $23.99.
It's an interesting offering from Dickel because, until the summer of 2021, all their whiskies were labelled Tennessee Whisky. This is the first to be labelled "bourbon." According to the brand, this was the first blend that they felt deserved the title of bourbon, and that their intention is to continue deciding the labelling on their particular bottles based on the liquid inside. It's an admirable choice… on paper, at least.
I've had Dickel before and it felt pleasant but unremarkable to me, especially considering that, in the UK, if you're able to find any bottles they are in £44 to £49 range, which is almost double in dollars!
Anyway, enough of the background. What of the liquid in the bottle?
George Dickel Bourbon Aged 8 Years – Review
Colour: Beautiful sunset, lavish and rich.
On the nose: Sweet Vanilla and sugar but also cinnamon and a touch of apple; think morning in a bakery, with a richness that never feels sickening.
In the mouth: Pepper and heat lead on the tip of the tongue first, but are quickly replaced by lots of vanilla and caramelized sugar. The finish is beautifully long; it lingers long after, with a whisper of an oak note appearing at the end.
I have to say I'm surprised – especially at this price range – to find such an enjoyable and excellent bottle! Let's hope it lasts and is widely available, because this represents exactly the kind of everyday bourbon I'd love to see more of.
Returning from the US after a long 6 weeks found me trawling the auction sites for anything interesting to try.
I know that whisky auctions have produced ridiculous prices for whiskies, especially unicorn bottles, which is truly unacceptable. However, there's still gems to be found and bargains to be had, especially if you're looking for something outside the norm. I often find myself buying old blends (I'm always curious about discovering the changing nuances in blends over the years) and one-off odd bottles of which I've usually heard nothing.
This one fits neatly into the second category: a bottle which no one else seemed interested in bidding for, and definitely caught my interest as soon as I spotted it.
There's very little information – online or otherwise – to discover about the bottle. The whisky was distilled, aged, and bottled by Benson Winery, which is located in Erlin, Central Taiwan. It was bottled exclusively for the members of International Connoisseur Society of Taiwan. It was aged five years, spending a good portion of that time in cognac barrels before being finished in the aforementioned Pomace Brandy Guava Cask for an unspecified time. It's bottled at a whopping 53% ABV. Unfortunately no information about the original price is available.
The label (and box) drawing represents The Babuza (one of the Taiwanese Indigenous cultures) and is apparently a part of a set the Society did starting with this one. This bottle was one of 555, where "one" denotes just a random number, as opposed to being the first one.
Benson Winery Taiwan Indigenous Series Pomace Brandy Cask – Review
Colour: Light gold, maybe ruby… but not deep enough to classify it as ruby.
On the nose: Nail varnish and alcohol overwhelm at first, but are quickly replaced by fruits: orchard apples, lemon, and grapefruit. There's also a very distant touch of farmyard funk, especially recognisable to those who like wild yeast ales.
In the mouth: Light and young, it hits with a sweet tone coating your mouth overall, but is very more-ish, those fruits continue to develop in the mouth. The finish is very sharp and sudden, perhaps owing to its age.
Overall, a very light and pleasant whisky that'd make an excellent pre-dinner sipper. Wish it was available more widely!
After my brief stint in London, I found myself travelling to Dublin to reconnect with some friends and to drink in the city that does pubs better than anywhere else I've had the fortune of visiting.
On my way back, as per tradition, I browsed the Duty Free to find any unusual bottles. Alongside a bottle of Guinness Imperial Stout finished in Bourbon Barrels (brewed at 9.5% ABV), I found myself torn between two bottles: Jameson Black Barrel Proof (at 50% ABV) and this one. In the end, Crested won because with a discount the price was €26, almost half what it was available for online at whiskey retailers (around £39).
Jameson Crested was launched as a tribute to the first whiskies distilled at Bow Street Distillery and replaced the Crested Ten for the brand. It's a mixture of older whiskeys with pot-still distilled whiskey, some of which has been finished in sherry casks to ramp up the sweet and spicy notes.
This edition is a collaboration with Eight Degrees Brewing, who released the titular stout which was finished in Jameson Barrels. In turn, Jameson filled the same barrels with Crested whisky for an unspecified finish time.
I'll be honest, I've never been a big fan of Crested; I tried it on upon its release and found it lacking in anything interesting. It was fine but I saw no reason for its existence. Maybe this bottle could change my opinion?
Jameson Crested Black Ball Metric Stout Barrels – Review
Colour: Light sunshine
On the nose: Touch of chocolate and sweet sherry mingle. The stout almost comes in the back notes. There's also fruits lingering; a very inviting nose, much better than I remember.
In the mouth: Smooth, sweet with a dark roast note of malt. Lovely finish that lingers around; less fruit but still very pleasant.
I much prefer this to the original Crested though I still don't think it's a brilliant whisky. It lacks that pizzazz, that sense of something exciting. Having said that: at the price I paid for it, there's no reason not to enjoy it, especially paired with some heavy stouts for the winter.
So, there's my trio, my return to writing, and a brief glimpse at my last four months. Whilst I can never guarantee I can stop myself from going into a tailspin, I know I'll always try to come back to talking about whisky, a topic that I love as a way of engaging with the world in the general.
CategoriesAmerican Elsewhere Irish
Benson WineryGeorge DickelJameson
Evrim Ersoy
Born in Turkey and raised in the UK, after a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Psychology, Evrim found himself working within film which is first passion. His second is the culture of drinking and everything that entails - he has a passion for storied drinking establishment, dive bars and hidden gems. He has a particular fondness for discovering whisky from under-represented regions as well as discovering lost distilleries across Europe. He lives mainly on the road and loves it.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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/ David Pescovitz / 12:06 pm Tue Nov 17, 2015
Listen to the soldiers' musical soundtrack of the Vietnam War
We Gotta Get Out of This Place: The Soundtrack of the Vietnam War is a new book by veteran Doug Bradley and Craig Werner, professor of Afro-American studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, about soldiers' musical memories and the impact of James Brown, Eric Burdon, Country Joe McDonald, and other popular artists on the Vietnam experience and our understanding of it.
At KQED's Next Avenue, Bradley shared the "Top 10 Songs of Vietnam" mentioned by the hundreds soldiers they interviewed for the book. Here are the top three with Bradley's comments on them:
1. We Gotta Get Out of This Place by The Animals
No one saw this coming. Not the writers of the song — the dynamic Brill Building duo of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil; not the group who recorded it — The Animals and their iconic lead singer, Eric Burdon; not the 3 million soldiers who fought in Vietnam who placed extra importance on the lyrics. But the fact is that We Gotta Get Out of This Place is regarded by most Vietnam vets as our We Shall Overcome, says Bobbie Keith, an Armed Forces Radio DJ in Vietnam from 1967-69. Or as Leroy Tecube, an Apache infantryman stationed south of Chu Lai in 1968, recalls: "When the chorus began, singing ability didn't matter; drunk or sober, everyone joined in as loud as he could." No wonder it became the title of our book!
2. I Feel Like I'm Fixin to Die Rag by Country Joe & The Fish
Misunderstood and misinterpreted by most Americans, Country Joe's iconic song became a flashpoint for disagreements about the war and its politics. But Country Joe, himself a Navy veteran — who when we first met him told us "I'm a veteran first and hippie second" — intended this "not as a pacifist song, but as a soldier's song." "It's military humor that only a soldier could get away with," he added. "It comes out of a tradition of GI humor in which people can bitch in a way that will not get them in trouble but keeps them from insanity." And the soldiers got it! As Michael Rodriguez, an infantryman with the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, affirmed: "Bitter, sarcastic, angry at a government some of us felt we didn't understand, Rag became the battle standard for grunts in the bush."
3. Leaving on a Jet Plane by Peter, Paul and Mary
When we played this song at LZ Lambeau, a welcome home event for Vietnam vets and their families held at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., in 2010, we were overwhelmed by the response it received, especially by spouses of Vietnam vets. They sang along with tears in their eyes, because they were the ones saying goodbye to the men who were boarding the planes for Vietnam. And it got to soldiers/vets, too. As Jason Sherman, an AFVN DJ during part of his tour in Vietnam, recalled: "Leaving on a Jet Plane brought tears to my eyes."
We Gotta Get Out of This Place: The Soundtrack of the Vietnam War (Amazon, thanks Bob Pescovitz!)
"Top 10 Songs of Vietnam" (KQED)
Book / music / vietnam / war


Stevenson Overall Co. Knit Cap Burgundy – Redcast Heritage Co.
Made with a worsted yarn 100% wool and designed based on the watch cap used by the US military during the World War II, this knit cap features a unique knitted fabric design on the flap and a stylish color gradation that was developed by adjusting the color nuance during the spinning stage of the manufacturing process. This enables only the surface to fade while preserving the colors in all other areas.
The US military watch cap in this style has been favored for decades by US Navy sailors and personnel. Known from many pictures from the war time period this hat became iconic.


Online curated marketplace Notonthehighstreet.com has appointed Tesco's Simon Belsham as its chief executive.
Due to take up his new role in May, Belsham is managing director of grocery home shopping for Tesco.com, having worked at the supermarket for just over two years. His previous roles also include a stint at Ocado.
Holly Tucker MBE, co-founder and president of Notonthehighstreet.com, said: "We are thrilled that Simon has agreed to join us. He is an online retail and e-commerce expert and will bring great experience and energy to the role.
Founded in 2006 by Tucker and Sophie Cornish, Notonthehighstreet had a turnover of £127 million in 2014. Over the Christmas trading period sales grew by 36% year-on-year and the number of customers topped 3 million last year. The marketplace said it is signing up new small business partners at a rate of 100 per month.


They say 'fake it til you make it'. Comic cover work is one of my favourite kind of projects, and the dream gig would be one of my favourite books growing up. So thought it'd be fun to see the dream come true, in a small way.


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El Museo de las Ocupaciones y las Luchas por la Libertad (en lituano: Okupacijų ir laisvės kovų muziejus), anteriormente conocido como el Museo de las víctimas del genocidio (en lituano: Genocido aukų muziejus), es un museo localizado en Vilna, Lituania, y establecido en 1992 por orden del Ministerio de Cultura de Lituania y el Presidente de la Unión Lituana de los Presos Políticos y Deportados. En 1997 fue transferido al Centro de Investigación del Genocidio y Resistencia de Lituania. El museo está ubicado en la antigua sede de la KGB en los alrededores de la Plaza de Lukiškės, por lo tanto es conocido informalmente como el "Museo de la KGB".
El museo está dedicado a coleccionar y exhibir los documentos relativos a la ocupación de Lituania por la Unión Soviética durante 50 años, la resistencia lituana, las víctimas de las detenciones, deportaciones y las ejecuciones que tuvieron lugar durante este período.

Véase también
 Museología
 Museografía
 Museos

Referencias

Museos de Lituania del siglo XX
Museos de Vilna
Victimas
Museos inaugurados en 1992
Lituania en 1992
Descomunización

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Billion Dollar Brand Club: How Dollar Shave Club, Warby Parker, and Other Disruptors are Remaking What We Buy
by Ingrassia, Lawrence
List price: $17.99 | Save 59%
Available: 25+
A leading business journalist takes us inside a business revolution: the upstart brands taking on the empires that long dominated the trillion-dollar consumer economy.
Dollar Shave Club and its hilarious marketing. Casper mattresses popping out of a box. Third Love's lingerie designed specifically for each woman's body. Warby Parker mailing you five pairs of glasses to choose from. You've seen their ads. You (or someone you know) use their products. Each may appear, in isolation, as a rare David with the bravado to confront a Goliath, but taken together they represent a seismic shift in a business model that has lasted more than a century.
As Lawrence Ingrassia--former business and economics editor and deputy managing editor at the New York Times--shows in this timely and eye-opening book, a growing number of digital entrepreneurs have found new and creative ways to crack the code on the bonanza of physical goods that move through our lives every day. They have discovered that manufacturing, marketing, logistics, and customer service have all been flattened--where there were once walls that protected big brands like Gillette, Sealy, Victoria's Secret, or Lenscrafters, savvy and hungry innovators now can compete on price, value, quality, speed, convenience, and service.
Billion Dollar Brand Club reveals the world of the entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and corporate behemoths battling over this terrain. And what fun it is. It's a massive, high-stakes business saga animated by the personalities, flashes of insight, and stories behind the stuff we use every day.


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Previous / Brawn: F1 must balance risk, economic impact to decide season start Next / The secret Tyrrell that started an F1 dynasty
Sir Stirling Moss: Racing legend dies aged 90
Sir Stirling Moss, who died in the early hours of 12 April aged 90, was more than just the greatest racing driver never to win the Formula 1 world championship
'Mr Motor Racing', as he became known, was the benchmark driver in F1, sportcars and just about anything else he turned his hand to following the retirement of his great friend Juan Manuel Fangio in 1958.
Even before that, it was clear that Moss was the driver that would soon take the legendary Argentinian's place at the pinnacle of motorsport.
Stirling Moss passes away
Why Moss was 'Mr. Motor Racing'
Motorsport world pays tribute to late legend Moss
Sir Stirling Moss' 10 greatest drives
Stirling Moss on his retirement from racing
Stirling Moss: Race of my life
Stirling Moss: A life in pictures
After competing in trials and sprints, Moss cut his teeth in 500cc competition, having bought a Cooper-JAP in 1948.
He quickly made his mark in the motorcycle-engined machines, but that was not enough to persuade Jaguar to offer him a place in its team for the fearsome Dundrod Tourist Trophy in 1950.
Tommy Wisdom entered Moss in his Jaguar XK120 instead, whereupon Moss trounced the field - including the works Jaguars - in appalling conditions. He became Jaguar's team leader in sportscar racing shortly afterwards.
Despite never winning the Le Mans 24 Hours, Moss became the established top sportscar driver of the 1950s. His wins in the 1955 Mille Miglia (for Mercedes), 1958 and 1959 Nurburgring 1000km and the 1959 Tourist Trophy (all for Aston Martin) remain among the greatest performances in endurance competition.
But Moss had to wait longer for success in single-seaters.
Spurned by Ferrari, he spent several seasons in uncompetitive British machinery. But impressive 1954 showings in a Maserati 250F - purchased by father Alfred and manager Ken Gregory - were enough to persuade Mercedes boss Alfred Neubauer to sign him for 1955.
Moss played understudy to team-mate Fangio in F1, but was generally the faster in sportscars. He took his first world championship F1 win at the 1955 British Grand Prix at Aintree, leading a Mercedes 1-2-3-4.
Moss was the runner-up in the world championship that year, a position he would take again in 1956 (with Maserati), 1957 and 1958 (both with Vanwall).
It was his 1958 defeat to Ferrari's Mike Hawthorn, despite Moss winning four races to Hawthorn's one, that changed his views on the championship. It simply became less important to him.
Thereafter, he was happy to play the role of underdog, racing Coopers and then Lotuses run by privateer Rob Walker.
It was in Walker's Lotus 18 that Moss scored the most famous of his victories - defeating the more powerful Ferrari 'Sharknose' 156s in the 1961 Monaco GP in a relentless drive.
Moss was also a trailblazer - scoring the first world championship F1 success for a rear-engined car (Cooper, at the 1958 Argentinian GP) and the only F1 win for a four-wheel-drive car (the Ferguson, at Oulton Park in 1961). He proved adept at rallying too, where his sister Pat was also a master.
Having been the undisputed world's best for four seasons, Moss had identified the growing threat of Jim Clark towards the end of 1961 and decided he needed equipment parity. There was a deal on the table for Walker's squad to run a Ferrari in F1, but then Moss suffered a still-unexplained crash at Goodwood on Easter Monday in 1962.
The accident left Moss in a coma and, after many months in recovery, he returned to find his great powers had been affected and decided to retire.
He nevertheless remained an integral part of motorsport, appearing in all sorts of roles, including commentary.
There was even a brief return for Audi in the 1980 British Touring Car Championship, but most of all by then he was in the business of being Stirling Moss - happy to talk about his career, share his enthusiasm for motorsport and learn about the current scene.
He once phoned the Autosport office to find out how he could watch the Daytona 500.
He also competed in historic events and, even after hanging up his helmet for good at Le Mans in 2011, was a regular attendee at meetings such as the Goodwood Revival.
A tough character, he survived falling down a lift shaft at home in 2010, he retired from public life following an illness in 2016-17.
That Moss was never an F1 world champion remains an indictment of the championship and the points systems in place at the time rather than any failure of Stirling's.
To many people, he was motor racing, perhaps its first big star, and almost certainly the greatest ever all-rounder.
Autosport sends its condolences to Lady Moss, a strong supporter for so many years, and to Stirling's friends, family and many, many fans.
Brawn: F1 must balance risk, economic impact to decide season start
The secret Tyrrell that started an F1 dynasty
Top 10 McLaren F1 drivers ranked: Senna, Prost, Hamilton and more
Magazine: Celebrating motorsport's biggest monsters
Rating the best drivers of the century so far


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Diamond Explorer
North Ras Mohamed
North Wreck Tiran Dahab
North Wreck Brothers Island
SELECT AN ITINERARY FROM THE LIST
Choose your route from following Red Sea cruises.
s.john,s
gotta soraya
Dangerous reef
Habili Ali
Claudia cave
Gotta Kebir
The first name of this reef was: "The Nursery". This names was given because of the large number of Juvenile reef fish and shoals that lives there. There are also many baby White Tip Reef Sharks in the spring. Keep a look out for the caves, stop before you reach the tip to see the entrances. You can enter the caves as there is plenty of light inside them.
This reef is completely covered with life on all sides and even on the top. It is one of two Habillis, in the southern Red Sea, that are surrounded by Drop off from all sides. Offers dramatic walls and drop offs. Divers can see underwater from marine life a lot of kinds of big fishes as are: many types of Sharks (Grey reef, White Tip, Hammerheads), lots of schooling fish (Barracudas, Tunas, Jacks, etc..) and profusion of reef fish (Banner fish, Butter fly , Emperor Angel fish..) and above all the Bump Head Parrot fish.
This is a dive that can be easily described as exiting and adventures. It starts from the mooring point by entering the water straight from the hard boat and heading to the reef. Once nect to the reef get in the swim through from any of the many entrances at the south.
Named after a dive guide that used to work in this area in 1980s. Points of attraction here are caves and possibility swim – through and coral gardens, shoals of reef fish ( Banner fish, Goat fish, Butterfly fish, Yellow snappers…). The reef is spectacular and stands apart from all the others because of its caves. Most of the caves are open at the top, allowing sunlight to come through. There are also caves which are completely covered overhead.
Gota Soraya means in translation "Little reef". Is rated as possibly one of the best wall dives in the Red Sea, with overhangs and cracks in the reef wall full of glass fish and sweepers and an abundance of corals, Grey Reef, Silvertips and Hammerhead sharks. There are huge numbers of black corals, soft corals and sea fans growing on the walls.
Due to small size of the reef there is a lot of to see.
Means in translation "Big reef". Name was given to this reef because of its size in relation to the other reefs in this area.
Points of attraction are here dramatic wall and caves with black corals.
In depth of 14 metres you can see the entrance of the small cave. The cave system is very simple and almost a perfect U turn inside the reef.
At the right times of the year, Mantas are also seen.
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Africa's Mysterious "Fairy Circles" Explained
Fairy circles—circular patches of bare soil surrounded by a ring of grass—have long mystified scientists.
Found mainly in the grasslands of southern Africa, the oddly shaped formations can grow to more than 65 feet (20 meters) wide, but no one knew what caused them. Now, perhaps dashing the hopes of those who thought actual fairies were involved, a new study has found a possible explanation: termites. (See videos of ants and termites.)
It seems the culprit—or landscape artist if you prefer—is a particular species of sand termite, Psammotermes allocerus, that was found at all of the hundreds of sites studied along a 1,240-mile-long (2,000-kilometer-long) belt of desert from central Angola to northern South Africa.
Zebras run across plains dotted with fairly circles in Namibia's Namib Rand Nature Reserve. Photograph by George Steinmetz, National Geographic
It works like this: Termites munch away at grass roots, making the soil less dense and more porous and creating a sandy donut hole cleared of plant life. Since plants transpire—or evaporate water into the atmosphere—these vegetation-free sandy centers are able to absorb and retain water more efficiently than if plants were present. (Related pictures: "Nature's Perfect Circles.")
The resulting reservoir of water that builds up under the fairy circle allows the surrounding ring of vegetation to flourish in the form of perennial grasses, which in turn provide the termites with food, according to the study, to be published tomorrow in the journal Science.
Termites Farm "Plantations"
By circling the wagons in such a manner, the ecosystem is often able to persist for decades. The question is: how do the termites know to stop eating once they've cleared the center? According to study leader Norbert Juergens, of the University of Hamburg, what's going on is a form of "ecosystem engineering."
"I believe that the termites stop their grass-destroying activity at the margin of the bare patch based on evolved behavior," Juergens said by email.
"Thereby, they allow the formation of the perennial grass belt that could be interpreted as a grass 'plantation.' Functionally that grass is not touched, but left as an insurance for a series of extreme drought years." (See a map of Earth's grassland hot spots.)
These termite farmers also create opportunities for other species, which then establish themselves in the newly created ecosystem.
For instance, the study found that fairy circles attract a variety of organisms, including several species of ants, bees, wasps, plants, and small mammals.
Indeed, by creating these circular oases, the termites turn "wide desert regions of predominantly ephemeral life into landscapes dominated by species-rich perennial grassland, supporting uninterrupted perennial life even during dry seasons and drought years," according to the study.
Which, you might say, makes the humble termite a fairy godmother of sorts indeed.
Tags Stefan Sirucek
Stefan Sirucek is a writer and journalist who reports from both sides of the Atlantic. He's written for the Huffington Post and Wall Street Journal. Follow him on Twitter at @sirstefan.
New Seafood Label Law Posted in U.S. Congress
California Condor Chick on Webcam


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Q: Input type (torch.cuda.FloatTensor) and weight type (torch.FloatTensor) should be the same at summary() method call I am trying to implement this program which is available on github to display the summary of models in Pytorch: :
import torch as th
from torch.autograd import Variable
from torch import nn

from collections import OrderedDict

def summary(input_size, model):
    def register_hook(module):
        def hook(module, input, output):
            class_name = str(module.__class__).split('.')[-1].split("'")[0]
            module_idx = len(summary)

            m_key = '%s-%i' % (class_name, module_idx+1)
            summary[m_key] = OrderedDict()
            summary[m_key]['input_shape'] = list(input[0].size())
            summary[m_key]['input_shape'][0] = -1
            summary[m_key]['output_shape'] = list(output.size())
            summary[m_key]['output_shape'][0] = -1

            params = 0
            if hasattr(module, 'weight'):
                params += th.prod(th.LongTensor(list(module.weight.size())))
                if module.weight.requires_grad:
                    summary[m_key]['trainable'] = True
                else:
                    summary[m_key]['trainable'] = False
            if hasattr(module, 'bias'):
                params +=  th.prod(th.LongTensor(list(module.bias.size())))
            summary[m_key]['nb_params'] = params

        if not isinstance(module, nn.Sequential) and \
             not isinstance(module, nn.ModuleList) and \
             not (module == model):
            hooks.append(module.register_forward_hook(hook))

    dtype = th.cuda.FloatTensor

    # check if there are multiple inputs to the network
    if isinstance(input_size[0], (list, tuple)):
        x = [Variable(th.rand(1,*in_size)).type(dtype) for in_size in input_size]
    else:
        x = Variable(th.rand(1,*input_size)).type(dtype)

    print(x.shape)
    print(type(x[0]))

    # create properties
    summary = OrderedDict()
    hooks = []
    # register hook
    model.apply(register_hook)
    # make a forward pass
    model(x)
    # remove these hooks
    for h in hooks:
        h.remove()

    print('----------------------------------------------------------------')
    line_new = '{:>20}  {:>25} {:>15}'.format('Layer (type)', 'Output Shape', 'Param #')
    print(line_new)
    print('================================================================')
    total_params = 0
    trainable_params = 0
    for layer in summary:
        ## input_shape, output_shape, trainable, nb_params
        line_new = '{:>20}  {:>25} {:>15}'.format(layer, str(summary[layer]['output_shape']), summary[layer]['nb_params'])
        total_params += summary[layer]['nb_params']
        if 'trainable' in summary[layer]:
            if summary[layer]['trainable'] == True:
                trainable_params += summary[layer]['nb_params']
        print(line_new)
    print('================================================================')
    print('Total params: ' + str(total_params))
    print('Trainable params: ' + str(trainable_params))
    print('Non-trainable params: ' + str(total_params - trainable_params))
    print('----------------------------------------------------------------')
    return summary

  To test it you can use a ready model from the library torchvision, like this (such as resnext50_32x4d)
import torchvision.models as models

resnext50_32x4d = models.resnext50_32x4d(pretrained=True)

   But when calling the function
summary((3, 300, 300, resnext50_32x4d)

   I get the following.
RuntimeError: Input type (torch.cuda.FloatTensor) and weight type (torch.FloatTensor) should be the same

A: The error message you provided is quite clear about the issue.

Input type (torch.cuda.FloatTensor) and weight type (torch.FloatTensor) ..

Your input is on GPU but your weight (i.e. model) is not. So, just put your model on GPU
resnext50_32x4d = resnext50_32x4d.cuda()

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Awards & Landmark Achievements
Our Social Impacts
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PCHS Standard Operating Procedures
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SIFAX Group donates community clinic, hall
In furtherance of its commitment to the philosophy of impacting the society, SIFAX Group, a group of companies with investment in Maritime, Aviation, Oil & Gas, Haulage & Logistics, Financial Services and Hospitality, has donated a modern and well-equipped clinic and civic hall to the Isade-Ijebu community in the Ijebu North East Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Both facilities will be managed by St. Mark's Anglican Church, Isade-Ijebu, on behalf of the community.
The clinic, a multi-million naira building with several wards, dispensary and consulting rooms, will serve the medical needs of the church, Isade-Ijebu community as well as the various adjoining villages.
The clinic and the hall were commissioned by Right Reverend Ayodele Awosoga, the Bishop of Ijebu Diocese (Anglican Communion).
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony attended by clergy and laity across the diocese, community leaders, other religious bodies, among others, Awosoga eulogised Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, Group Executive Vice Chairman, SIFAX Group and the company for the donation, adding that the new clinic and hall have made the church and the Isade-Ijebu community an envy among their contemporaries.
"I want to thank Dr. Taiwo Afolabi and SIFAX Group for being a great blessing to the church and this community. As we all know that health is wealth, this new clinic will provide easy access to good and affordable health care for all the villages around here. The hall also will provide a befitting venue for church and social activities. Overall, the lives of our people will become better by the reason of this philanthropic gestures.
"I enjoin other wealthy individuals and corporate organisations to emulate this worthy initiative by coming to the aid of rural communities through the provision of critical facilities."
Barrister Talabi Adekitan, Senior Manager, Legal Services and Claims, SIFAX Group, who led the team to the event, said the company believed in positively impacting the society, noting that three key areas of social intervention – health, education and youth empowerment – have been the focus of the company's CSR programmes.
It would be recalled that, in 2017, SIFAX Group also donated a multi-million naira four-bedroom flat and a two-room chalet that currently serve as the church's vicarage and guest house.
Copyright © 2015 - SIFAX GROUP. All Rights Reserved.


Foreign accents are a result of your speech patterns from your native language. The sounds of the new language you are learning are difficult if they do not exist in your native language. For example, if it is hard to pronounce a specific sound of the new language you are learning, you might substitute it with a similar sound from your native language. It can be difficult to overcome the tendency to keep using the sounds that are more familiar to you. Your ingrained speech patterns from your native language are resistant to change and can interfere with your efforts to master a new language.
How Did I get an Accent?
As a child, you acquired your native language without difficulty or even thinking about it. We are born with the ability to produce and perceive the sounds of all languages, but we quickly learn what sounds are important to our native language and disregard all other sounds.
Our ability to learn new languages is at a peak during childhood. Once we enter young adulthood, learning a new language becomes more difficult and requires conscious and frequent practice. Learning the vocabulary and grammar of a language is separate than learning the sounds, rhythms and intonations. This is evidenced by the fact that someone who has spoken a second language for an extended period of time may improve their use of vocabulary and grammar, but their pronunciation of that second language remains fairly unchanged.
How Does Accent Reduction Work?
Accent reduction is aimed at teaching you which areas of your speech are important to change and how you can make these changes. Generally, the first step is to teach you to discriminate the specific sounds of English that are difficult for you to pronounce. Your ear is not automatically trained to do this. Secondly, you will learn how to make these difficult sounds and be taught what to do differently with your articulators (i.e. your tongue, lips, or jaw). This stage involves a lot of practice. You may also learn to use the appropriate rhythm or intonation of English as you practice these new sounds. The last step, and probably the most challenging, is transferring your newly acquired sounds into everyday conversation. You will practice using these new sounds in as close to natural speaking situations as possible.
It is best to receive accent reduction help from a Speech-Language Pathologist who has not only received specific training and clinical experience in the areas of articulation and speech therapy (i.e. how we make and modify speech sounds), but that also have certification in accent reduction. S-LPs in Ontario are regulated health professionals (by the College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario), and are therefore governed by a college with rules and codes of conduct to which have to be adhered. It is best to look for a S-LP who has completed additional certification in an accent reduction program such as the Compton P-ESL (Pronouncing English as a Second Language) Program.
When planning your speech, you must be absolutely clear about what you want the audience to do or know at the end of your talk. As such, it is important to identify your presentation's purpose as the first step of the planning process. Once the purpose is determined, the other steps, including: generating ideas around information to include, it's organization and delivery will come more easily.
Public Speaking can present itself in many areas. You might be called upon to make a speech at a wedding or funeral. Perhaps you are in a corporate environment and have to give technical and informative presentations with visuals. Perhaps you are in sales and have to persuade, inspire and/or entertain a group of people in order to open doors for other professional opportunities.
Each audience and each outcome requires a different public speaking approach. When calling our office, please let us know what you are trying to achieve. Our treatment will be designed and tailored to address your specific needs.


Since 1935, the Marin History Museum has built and preserved a unique historical collection that documents life in Marin County from the time of the Miwok Indians to the present. The Museum strives to create exhibitions and programs that provide relevant links to contemporary issues both locally and globally. With a collection of over 200,000 photographs, the Museum provides an excellent resource for researching Marin's rich history.
"The History of Marin in 101 Objects."
The Marin History Museum has thousands of artifacts stored at their Craemer Family Collections and Research Facility in Novato. To see their 101 exhibit click on the instagram icon.
marinhistory Artifact 65/101: Louise Arner Boyd's wooden backpack frame, 1930s. This wooden backpack frame is one of several to accompany San Rafael-based Arctic explorer Louise Arner Boyd. The San Rafael-based heiress indulged in travel in Europe during the 1920s, but it was a polar bear hunting junket in Siberia's far north in 1926, that led to a long fascination with the Arctic. In 1928, she chartered a boat to join the massive (and ill-fated) search underway in the Barents Sea for Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsun, who had been searching for missing Italian pilot Umberto Nobile.
The Marin History Museum is now on Facebook and Instagram.
Click on the icon to link to the site.


This 100% merino wool mens fisherman sweater is made in Donegal by Fisherman out of Ireland. It has a stylish crew neck and black, grey and white patterns along the front. It is so soft and cosy to wear yet stylish and fashionable. This is a luxurious sweater that will last you a lifetime, the quality is absolutely superb, you will never want to take it off.


text:
Fill in the Blank Certificates
A Collection of pre-formatted certificates that allow for filling in the blanks for the award recipients name, date and other information.
Go to Page: [1] [2] [3] [Next]
Academic Excellence Certificate Awards
These full color preprinted award certificates can be matched up with a certificate frame or presented without a frame. They measure 8 1/2" X 11" and are a perfect way to recognize those that have achieved Academic Excellence. Simply fill in the blank with a name or load into your printer and print a name.
Production lead time for this award is 14 days. This award has a minimum order quantity of 100. This award must be ordered in quantity increments of 100.
CATCE-121
8 1/2" x 11 - Academic Excellence
Achievement Certificate Award
These full color preprinted award certificates can be matched up with a certificate frame or presented without a frame. They measure 8 1/2" X 11" and are a perfect way to recognize those that have achieved their goal. Simply fill in the blank with a name or load into your printer and print a name.
8 1/2" x 11" - Achievement
Appreciation Certificate Award
These full color preprinted award certificates can be matched up with a certificate frame or presented without a frame. They measure 8 1/2" X 11" and are a perfect way to show your appreciation to those that deserve the recognition. Simply fill in the blank with a name or load into your printer and print a name.
8 1/2" x 11" - Appreciation
Athletic Certificate Awards
These full color preprinted award certificates can be matched up with a certificate frame or presented without a frame. They measure 8 1/2" X 11" and these athletic certificate awards come in two different styles Simply fill in the blank with a name or load into your printer and print a name.
8 1/2" X 11" - Athletics (Landscape)
8 1/2" x 11" - Athletics (Portrait)
Award Certificate
These full color preprinted award certificates can be matched up with a certificate frame or presented without a frame. They measure 8 1/2" X 11" and are a perfect way to recognize those that have earned an award. Simply fill in the blank with a name or load into your printer and print a name.
Citizenship Certificate Award
These full color preprinted award certificates can be matched up with a certificate frame or presented without a frame. They measure 8 1/2" X 11" and are a perfect way to recognize that special person for the Citizenship. Simply fill in the blank with a name or load into your printer and print a name.
8 1/2" x 11" - Citizenship
Football Certificate Award
These full color preprinted award certificates can be matched up with a certificate frame or presented without a frame. They measure 8 1/2" X 11" and are a perfect way to honor that special football athlete. Simply fill in the blank with a name or load into your printer and print a name.
Science Certificate Award
These full color preprinted award certificates can be matched up with a certificate frame or presented without a frame. They measure 8 1/2" X 11" and are a perfect way to recognize a persons' science achievement. Simply fill in the blank with a name or load into your printer and print a name.
8 1/2" x 11" - Science
Science Fair Participation Certificate Award
These full color preprinted award certificates can be matched up with a certificate frame or presented without a frame. They measure 8 1/2" X 11" and are a perfect way to recognize science fair participation. Simply fill in the blank with a name or load into your printer and print a name.
8 1/2" x 11" - Science Fair Participation
Soccer Certificate Award
These full color preprinted award certificates can be matched up with a certificate frame or presented without a frame. They measure 8 1/2" X 11" and are a perfect way to honor that special soccer athlete. Simply fill in the blank with a name or load into your printer and print a name.
8 1/2" x 11" - Soccer


text:
November 14, 2017 Weather Forecast
November 14, 2017, 3:58 PM HST
Photo Credit: Kalani Prince
There are no active watches, warnings or advisories
Check our breaking news section for any urgent weather alerts or updates to the weather alerts listed above.
**Click directly on the images below to make them larger. Charts include: Maui County high/low forecasted temperatures, projected winds, projected localized weather conditions and expected wave heights.**
Today: Scattered showers after midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. Breezy, with an east northeast wind around 16 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tonight: Sunny, with a high near 80. Windy, with an east northeast wind 17 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph.
Tomorrow: Mostly clear, with a low around 67. Breezy, with an east northeast wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
Today: Isolated showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Light west wind. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 68. Light and variable wind.
Tomorrow: Isolated showers after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Light and variable wind becoming west around 5 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Today: Sunny, with a high near 81. Breezy, with an east northeast wind around 16 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.
Tonight: Scattered showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. East wind 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tomorrow: Scattered showers before noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Windy, with an east northeast wind 15 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Central Maui
Today: Scattered showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Northeast wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tonight: Scattered showers before noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Breezy, with a northeast wind 11 to 16 mph increasing to 17 to 22 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tomorrow: Mostly clear, with a low around 64. Breezy, with a northeast wind around 17 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.
Today: Isolated showers after midnight. Mostly clear, with a low around 59. Light south wind. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tonight: Isolated showers after noon. Sunny, with a high near 66. West southwest wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tomorrow: Mostly clear, with a low around 59. East wind around 10 mph.
East Maui
Today: Scattered showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 75. North wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tonight: Occasional showers. Low around 67. Northwest wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tomorrow: Showers likely, mainly before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 73. North northeast wind 7 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Janitor/ Custodian- Kahului, HI
November 01, 2019 Weather Forecast November 1, 2019


text:
Q: Git ignore typechanges TLDR
I want to be able to have two files change simultaneously in different projects.
Long version
I would like to use git to ONLY track content changes to my files, I do not care about so called typechange changes. Can I change my git configuration or edit my .gitignore file?
I have a file ~/proj/real_foo that has identical contents to the tracked ./foo but I want to be able to have both files change simultaneously in different projects.
Currently:
> ls
foo
> git status
On branch master
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/master'.

nothing to commit, working tree clean
> rm foo; ln -s ~/proj/real_foo ./foo
> git status
On branch master
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/master'.

Changes not staged for commit:
  (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)
  (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)

    typechange: foo

no changes added to commit (use "git add" and/or "git commit -a")

Desired:
> ls
foo
> git status
On branch master
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/master'.

nothing to commit, working tree clean
> rm foo; ln -s ~/proj/real_foo ./foo
> git status
On branch master
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/master'.

nothing to commit, working tree clean

A: Git doesn't provide a way to ignore type changes.  This is a specific case of the more general case of ignoring changes to tracked files, to which the answer is, Git doesn't offer that as an option.  Trying to use one of the git update-index suggestions typically offered doesn't work, as the documentation states.
What you can do here is to ignore foo and provide some template for it that's copied over by your build system or a script if it doesn't exist.  Since a symlink exists, it will be preserved, while still making the code work on a fresh clone with a plain file.  You could also have your build system or script just symlink to the template file instead.


text:
5 films perfect for Valentine's Day
Mary Shewan
Valentine's Day is today, and it is one of the most polarizing holidays. On one side are the romantics who gush at the cute Instagram posts and cry at wedding proposals. On the other side are the indifferents. These are the people who guffaw at the heart shaped candy and roll their eyes at PDA. They are the people who feel that love doesn't have to be an overdramatic thing, it can just exist.
Whether you fall under the romantics or the indifferents or somewhere in the middle, one of the best things to do on Valentine's Day is watch a movie. Here are some of the best movies to watch, no matter how your love life is going.
The best Rom-Com of all time, "The Proposal" is a heart-warming story of a boss and her employee who inevitably fall in love in unusual circumstances to say the least. Sandra
Bullock plays Margaret Tate, a CEO who is about to lose her visa. Enter Andrew Paxton, played by the talented and dreamy Ryan Reynolds. He is an oblivious employee whose main focus is moving up in his company, not falling in love. Tate threatens Paxton with unemployment if he doesn't pretend to be her fiance. They then travel to Alaska, and typical gushy rom-com scenarios insue. The plot is predictable and the ending is extremely sappy, but that doesn't take away from the superb moments of humour and the surprisingly sentimental commentary on the human heart. Take a stop by your nearest Target, head to the 5 dollar movie section (it's bound to be there), and sit back and fall in love with the likable characters and charming plot.
Being a teen is extremely hard. At one point, every single person who has gone through puberty has wanted to fast forward to adulthood, skipping the years of uncomfortableness. This struggle is taken quite literally in "13 Going on 30," where a 13 year old girl, played by Jennifer Garner, is transported into her life as a 30 year old. . She wakes up to a man in her apartment, and spends the rest of her day in a haze of confusion and distress. She eventually gets the hang of her new life, but the more she understands her life, the less she likes it. Late in the movie, she does a complete 180 and tries to rewrite her life before it's too late. Like the previous movie on this list, it's sentimental in all the right ways and is sure to make you laugh. It also has an interesting commentary on the social hierarchy that is interwoven in every part of life, not just high school. This quirky film is the perfect movie to watch during Galentine's Day, or just when you need a good laugh.
Knight and Day
Admittedly, not everyone is a fan of sappy love stories. Some people want action and adventure instead of confessions of love and romance. One of the most underappreciated action movies is "Knight and Day". It follows the story of a wronged spy, played by Tom Cruise, and a surprisingly tough car technician, played by Cameron Diaz. June, Diaz's character, was merely trying to travel to her sister's wedding and instead is thrust into many dangerous situations and has to learn many survival techniques.The movie is hilarious and does have the element of love, so it can still count as a romance. The story starts in an airport and transitions into a wild 109 minutes of fighting, guns and snarky one-liners. The acting could be better, but the crazy plot and intense moments tend to distract from that. Even if you want to avoid all love stories on Valentine's Day, still watch this, since the love is less "real" and more comical. And also, explosions.
If you want a movie that doesn't end people in love running off, and features an extremely independent character, "Atomic Blonde" is the movie for you. This movie is recent, especially compared to other movies, and a lot less light hearted. Instead of relying on cool explosions,like a typical action movie, this film spends a lot of it's runtime calling out political corruptness and making you question your trust of the narrator. There is a romantic storyline in the movie, however it ends in tragedy and never takes away from the main storyline. The lead kicks butt, and is a complex character that is neither good or bad. She plays by her own rules, and if you want to sulk in anger in Valentine's Day, this movie is for you.
No animation studio will ever emotionally scar their audience like Pixar did with this 2009 classic. They had the audacity to introduce one of the best examples of soulmates in cinematic history, make the audience extremely attached to their love story, and then wrench it away all in the span of 12 minutes (not to mention the heartbreaking song that accompanies it).It never fails to bring about tears, and the tears don't stop for the rest of the movie. Despite the heartbreak it makes the audience feel,"Up" is still a movie worth watching on Valentine's Day. This movie proved that people can be perfect for each other, it taught audiences how to handle loss and showed that if two people are truly meant to be, they will end up together in one way or another. The romance is only shown in the first 12 minutes, but Carl's love for Ellie is woven throughout the story. It also has an incredible adventure story, and has more than just romantic love. It's truly a story for the ages and should 100% be on your watchlist this Valentine's Day.
10 Things I hate about you, The Notebook, and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.


For some people 'jewellery' refers to a relatively confined selection of similar mental images and ideas relating to jewellery, whereas for other 'jewellery' is merely a wide overarching term relating to anything and everything even remotely related to the body.
Yes and no. For some people 'jewellery' refers to a relatively confined selection of similar mental images and ideas relating to jewellery, whereas for other 'jewellery' is merely a wide overarching term relating to anything and everything even remotely related to the body.
I guess the universal lies in struggling and working with the Self and the creative process, because who one is as a person inevitably seeps through into the creative output – whether it is desirable or not. The local is more defined by my upbringing in Namibia, and me working and living in South Africa. There is a myriad of textures, colours and patterns around me; there is still nature and space, sulek-burcu-emptiness-2015 and solitude, which all contribute to my work a lot.
Expect is not quite the right word here, I would rather speak of 'hope'. I hope that people who view my work see something more in it than just something made from metal, something to be worn. I always hope that they ask questions as to why and how this or that piece came into existence and what might lie beyond the obvious.
Drawing or sketching usually contributes to my work, and so does photography. Other elements that always find their way into my creative practice are writing, words and the aspect of time and value – all of which fascinate me.
The Bang Bang Club – it documents a very specific part of South African history, involves raw human emotions and evokes lots of fundamental questions.
Jewellery coming from the Far East often surprises me with its inherent humour and cleverness, whilst work from the Nordic countries and Germany often intrigues me with its simple, clean lines and structures.
There are many artists whose work I appreciate a lot. Of the jewellers I admire most; however, I can single out Fritz Maierhofer and July Blyfield. In terms of artists it will have to be Tom Friedman.
Any work that I feel is truly mine gives me immense satisfaction. Immersing myself in the entire creative process is priceless for me and I can be at my bench for hours on end. My artistic work is a very important part of realizing, manifesting and affirming who I am as a person.


Let yourself be inspired by a large variety of possibilities for a customized supporting program. We are happy to realize your personal ideas wherever possible, for instance through cooperations with external event partners.
On this BBQ course, you decide yourself what the evening will be like! You have approx. 4 hours to expertly lay and decorate the table and prepare your own BBQ buffet under the guidance of the chefs.
Start with a glass of Prosecco. Prepare a beef carpaccio that tastes exactly like the 1950 original. This classic was invented at Harry's Bar in Venice. Enjoyed with the special Venetian attitude to life in your head and crusty bread with olive oil in your hand, it's the perfect way to start the evening.
During our kitchen triathlon event, participants can, under expert guidance, prepare their own meal using various food and spices. With good sportsmanship and an enjoyment of working with foods, the teams will have record-breaking results.
Let your participants escape into the world of wines and discover their own personal preferences. They will learn the basics of wine tasting and wine evaluation and learn even more about grape varieties and wine-producing regions.
Clearing your head after a long conference or integrating the content of a seminar into the search – anything is possible on this exciting treasure hunt with modern, easy-to-use handheld GPS devices.
Let our Chief Confectioner, Manfred Oehler, tempt your participants with the world of sweet cuisine. He will be available all evening, offering professional know-how, entertaining presentation, and a wide variety of recipes.
Unforgettable bonding experiences in one of the most beautiful climbing facilities in Germany: this adventure program can be adjusted according to your wishes and can be enjoyed in any weather on the high-quality equipment of the modern climbing center in Bensheim.
"The Art of Cocktails" has a single theme: fun. Participants will enjoy a casual evening without any particular rules. They can just roll up their sleeves and start mixing.
Create enthusiasm with African drums through passion and the joy of playing. You can choose an interactive drum show for your gala or Christmas party, for the kick-off of an annual conference or as an active break at conferences and seminars.
For the personality. For the health. For the team.
Delivering peak performance when it counts. Bringing the company to the summit. Keeping the team on course. Do you have any of these or similar concerns? In our workshops we take care of the mental strength and the physical fitness – and connect everything to one unit, with which efficiency and success are and will stay possible.
Bring your criminological side to light. Researching, deducing, and securing evidence as a group while your culinary senses are pampered: in this murder case game, guests do more than just observe. Here, they are detectives.
Eating, drinking and hospitality are among the most important representational duties. In order to avoid culinary highlights turning into low points, participants can brush up on their knowledge of etiquette during a complex four-course menu with our expert, Lis Droste.
Six gins, four tonics = 24 x gin & tonic. The amazing selection of gins and tonic waters available today is just as exciting as their history. Together, they are the dream team of classic and modern bar culture.
Holistic dining: where can you get the most sophisticated ingedients? What should you consider when shopping and how are meals prepared professionally? Which wine is best for which foods? How do you set a festive table? Our head chef and service manager will answer all these questions for your guests exclusively during a Seeheim-style all-inclusive meal.
Let your participants experience the making of a culinary treat up close. The line between the kitchen and restaurant will disappear, barriers will be broken down through interaction with the chefs. What's more, our kitchen crew will demonstrate numerous tips and tricks. An unforgettable experience for every participant.
Our experienced bar manager will give an entertaining introduction into the art of mixology. Participants will receive the most important information on the history of cocktails, common spirits and barware.
Is it similarities in aroma and taste that make a combination of cheese and wine so interesting, or is it perhaps the contrast? In this seminar, participants, under expert guidance, will experience how the flavor of a cheese changes in combination with certain wines and will be able to find their personal dream team.
Which glass holds which wine? Participants can look forward to eight sophisticated wines and the experience of an entertaining blind wine tasting that is focused entirely on their senses of smell and taste as they try to guess which wine is in which glass.
Wine and chocolate are an absolute dream team, with a surprising similarities. In the proper combination, these two culinary delights harmonize perfectly and complement each other. Both offer a taste experience with a long tradition and culture.
Be it Riesling, Chardonnay or a Grand Cru from Bordeaux, wine lovers will be taken on a delightful tour of the world of high-quality wines where they will discover the special aromas as well as the characteristics of typical grape varieties.
This seminar deals with the basic rules for combining wine and food. Four food samples meet four wines. Sweet and sour apple combined with an acidic Riesling or salty ham with a tannin-laden Bordeaux? Which pairs complement each other? The participants are certain to have fun finding out.
This pre-dinner event is all about sparkling wines and will set the mood for the evening. Let yourself be surprised by the exciting drink pairings. In a comfortable atmosphere, you can learn more about production processes, ideal storage conditions, and the correct way to serve these drinks.
Learning and dining: a guided tour of Schloss Heiligenberg followed by refreshments. In a guided tour, participants will hear a large number of stories that are incredible but true. Ever since a foundation took over the care of the castle and its park, this ensemble has become a genuine insiders' tip for outings in southern Hessen.
The Soap Box Grand Prix is a team building event like no other. Participants will form teams and compete against each other. In a first step, the soap boxes are decorated and the most creative team can already garner extra points.
Not only drinking deeply but also diving deeply into the brewing methods. The master brewer won't reveal any of his well-kept secrets, but he will let people look over his shoulder.
Pegasus gives participants wings and orchestrates a world of experience wherever you may wish. Be it national or international, a solo highlight or a customized program including a show and technical support, the Pegasus entertainment team offers an abundance of unusual possibilities.
An event that is truly exceptional and exclusive: located centrally at Frankfurt Airport, the Lufthansa Flight Training Center is flexible and exceptional at the same time. It can be used as a modern conference center or for elegant evening events.
The perfect way to get some fresh air and exercise after a long day of work or seminars: a short hike through the rich natural surroundings of the Lufthansa Seeheim Conference Hotel together with the Bergstraße-Odenwald Nature Park ranger will help you revitalize and experience the diversity of the local flora in a very special way.
Produce themes and visions together – participants shoot their own movie here, in a completely different kind of teamwork. Whether this is implemented as a full-day program or as a creative amendment in the context of a larger event, the participants can showcase the content of the overall event in an interesting and entertaining way.
Win over employees and managers for change processes: for a product relaunch, the integration of a new employee, the merging of departments, a reorganization or a merger – if your company is facing changes, it is important to convey the need for these changes to your employees with targeted messages.


text:
The Amber Voyeur by Ravyn Rayne
No longer safe in Brayleigh, Aria and James travel by ship to find refuge and discover what's left of the world.
Dangerous seas and pirates lurking are only the start of their troubles. Forced off the boat with nothing but the clothes on their back, the crew and passengers make it to a nearby island, only to be abducted by the Knight Tribe, a clan of romantic warriors with a voyeuristic culture and a taste for nightly entertainment.
Get swept away in this dystopian erotic adventure, brimming with romance, spankings, and betrayal.
The Amber Voyeur
Gem Apocalypse Book Two
By Ravyn Rayne
Dystopian Erotica
Available for FREE on Kindle Unlimited at Amazon
The hum of the engine died, and Aria heard the scream of unfamiliar words in a language she didn't recognize. Shots were fired in every direction forcing her to duck, throwing herself onto the floor of the ship.
James lay right beside her, covering Aria with his body, shielding her from danger. She didn't have the courage to ask what happened.
The warmth and security Aria felt from James vanished. A man covered in tattoos, his arms a canvas of ink, grabbed James by the arm and dragged him across the room. The second man accompanying him lifted Aria from the floor and escorted her up the stairwell. James walked just a few feet in front. The man dropped his hold on her as the passageway narrowed. A gun pressed into her back, a constant reminder of danger. Aria couldn't fight without risking her life. She hoped these men would steal what goods they came for and then leave.
Forced outside, the lifeboats were just a few feet away.
The sun began to set, and the sky twinkled like a sapphire without a cloud in the heavens.
Even at dusk, beads of sweat trickled against Aria's forehead. Her black shirt stuck to her back, the cargo pants she wore were too hot for this climate. She didn't dare ask where they were; she didn't believe anyone would answer.
They were forced against the wall. Would the lifeboats even float anymore? The old luxury cruise liner's paint faded from years of sun exposure. What would it have been like fifty years ago, before the devastation and destruction that their parents created, taking a luxury cruise? She would never know. The Gem Apocalypse had resulted in a war with only survivors, no heroes.
"Move!" the man behind Aria said. His gun dug further into her back, and she pushed forward on James's heels. "Down!"
They got down onto the ground with the other crew and passengers. Six men towered over them with guns. Aria was unfamiliar with the weapons, as they were larger than the ones the guards carried at the palace.
"We'll be okay," James said as he sat beside Aria, reaching for her hand.
Aria wanted to ask him how he could know that without a doubt. Hope shrank like a beacon of light fading in the distance. These men were thieves. She could smell the treachery and greed from where she sat. How did they end up here?
Grab the First Book in the Series
The Emerald Virgin
Amazon | Blushing Books | Barnes & Noble
Ravyn is a sassy, fun-loving, and adventure-seeking young woman. She loves to travel and can't wait for her next vacation, wherever it might be.
Ravyn writes romantic erotica. She began writing romance novels in college, spending her down time either reading a book or writing fiction. Please don't make her choose between the two, she loves them equally.
You can find her other books here.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Tsu | Goodreads
It seems like so many of my friends are dealing with difficult times in their lives. Illness, loss, financial stress, uncertainty, fear, I could go on and on. We are all on different journeys, yet we are all the same, doing the best we can to move beyond our troubles. I just want you to know I am with you. Even though I'm not around on social media much, I feel your pain, your grief, your sorrow and pray for you. I'm in your boat, rowing as fast as I can. Hang tough with me. With God's help, the best is yet to be.
Rachel's Journey by Kelly Dawson
Rachel was such a loser. Growing up with Tourette's Syndrome has taught her that. Who could possibly want someone who contorted their faces in bizarre twitches or snorted at random? Not even Mike, the man who had promised he loved her, had been able to put up with it. She broke up with him when she caught him cheating on her during their great overseas experience, promptly flying back home to hide and lick her wounds.
James was the manager for the 850 acre farm she and her brother Simon had inherited. She liked James. He'd always treated her nicely, like an honorary little sister, and she'd had a crush on him forever. Not that she could ever tell him. She wasn't going to set herself up for rejection ever again.
But when it seems that someone is out to harm her, can she count on James to come to her rescue?
Set in rural New Zealand, this epic romance will thrill you and keep you captivated, enchant you with charming detail and inspire you, as learning to overcome adversity ultimately is Rachel's Journey.
James caught up with her in a few strides and picked her up around the waist, throwing her over his shoulder like a sack of spuds where he landed a solid swat to the seat of her jeans.
"Owie!" she yelled, pummelling his back with both her fists. "Put me down!"
"Be quiet," James hissed, "unless you want everyone to see you getting spanked like this. Is that what you want?" He slapped her backside again, even harder than before, putting his whole body into the swing, as he continued walking to the ute.
"Ow! You put me down!" Rachel snarled, but her voice was lower than before – she was mindful of the position she was in and she didn't want to attract attention. Being surrounded by people wasn't deterring James any, that much was obvious. He smacked her butt twice more before they got to the where the ute was parked, and when they were out of sight behind a neighbouring horse float he started spanking her in earnest, holding her firmly in position over his shoulder and landing half a dozen blazing hard blows to the seat of her jeans. She pummelled his back with her fists again, but all that she succeeded in doing was making it worse for herself – James increased the strength behind the swats, landing another six viciously-hard blows. Then, with a super-hard wallop that made her shriek in pain, he set her on her feet, holding her firmly by the shoulders so she couldn't get away.
"What's gotten into you?" he growled at her. "There was no call to act that way!"
"So you don't really love me then?" it was a rhetorical question; more of a statement really – at any rate, she didn't expect an answer.
"You like being spanked, don't you?" James asked her incredulously.
"No I most certainly do not!"
James chuckled. "Yes I think you do. You're wanting to prove whether or not I care about you, and you know that a spanking means I care. Admit it – you know I'm right."
"So what if you are? What's wrong with wanting to know that you care?"
James held her face in both his hands, brushed the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs, and kissed her full on the lips. "I care."
Author Bio: Kelly Dawson loves anything to do with horses, rodeos and cowboys, and loves to get lost in a good book - preferably a rural romance where a strong woman falls in love with a ruggedly-handsome, tough but gentle cowboy, and these are the types of characters who feature in the stories she writes. Only in Kelly's books, the cowboys are even better because they spank!
She lives literally at the bottom of the world in the South Island of New Zealand, with her husband, four kids, a dog and a cat.
Social Media Links: I can be found all over the web. Check me out here:
My blog: http://www.kellydawsonauthor.blogspot.co.nz/
Google+: https://www.google.com/+KellyDawsonauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KELLYDAWSONauth
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kellydawsonau/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13257528.Kelly_Dawson
The Sapphire Sacrifice by Ravyn Rayne
The Sapphire Sacrifice (Gem Apocalypse Book 3)
A virus designed to murder Sapphire's.
No one from Brayleigh saw it coming.
Neither James nor Aria expected four men in a deserted city to attack. Thrown into the back of a van, James is captured by claimers – men that hunt Sapphire's and bring them into quarantine, where they must settle their debt for treatment. Those that can't pay off their debt are held in the broker's quarters until they're bought by angels, often resulting in slavery, hunting humans, and a host of other horrendous atrocities.
Aria is different. She's naturally immune, or so she's told. On a mission to rescue James, she finds herself in danger and quickly learns the power of friendship, commitment, and undying love.
With a taste of age play, spanking, and a master/slave relationship with voyeurism, this dystopian erotic adventure is sure to leave you satisfied.
Amazon | Blushing Books
The alarm that had been deafening silenced, and the lights flickered back on.
"Leave, Aria." His voice stern and filled with warning. He didn't sound like himself.
She wouldn't listen to him. She couldn't. Did he not realize how much he meant to her?
"I have a gun," Aria whispered, staring at James. It was her last shred of hope.
ames stopped pacing and walked straight up to the glass, staring at her with dark blue eyes. "Shoot me."
Aria's eyes widened. "No! I won't do it."
Five Questions with James(a character interview for The Gem Apocalypse series)
Of all the places you've lived, what is your favorite?
That's a tough question to answer. I loved Brayleigh, before the uprising. I know it wasn't a perfect society, but I was happy. It will always be my home as I have fond memories of my childhood growing up at the royal palace.
If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Give me bacon! It's hard to come by but I absolutely love it.
You've had you're share of women at the royal harem. Any aside from Aria that you've loved?
I've loved all the women I've invited into my home. Who's to say you can't love everyone?
Do you prefer dominating or being dominated?
I love to spank Aria. So yes, I prefer to dominate my partner.
Would you ever let Aria spank you?
I wouldn't bend over and let her spank me, but she can certainly try. I like to remain in charge.
An Interview with the Author
What can we expect next from you?
About twice a month, you can anticipate a new release! In September, I've got Hot-Blooded Lust (Federal Agent Chronicles 3) and Grave Misfortune (Palace Secrets 3) coming out. In October, The Murderess, the first in the Courtesan Slave Trade series will be available.
What book are you writing right now?
Well, it's currently untitled. (I have a few working titles but I'm not sure any of them fit it perfectly). It's a romantic dystopian erotica with a very edgy twist.
When do you typically decide the title for a book?
After the book is written or perhaps when it's about 2/3rd's completed. By then I'm usually writing up the book blurb at the same time and working on the title or series name.
Grab the first book in the series and begin the adventure.
The Emerald Virgin (Gem Apocalypse Book 1)
Emerald – a girl with green eyes and a rarity after the horrific genocide that slaughtered millions.
After the war, King Gideon rose in power. A lust-filled and greedy king that believed in the power of slavery.
At eighteen, women were required to come before King Gideon and his four sons, to offer themselves as a courtesan. The princes took only those they found most attractive and alluring. The rest were returned to their homes with a brand on their wrist proving they had been through the process and rejected. Ignoring the ritual was punishable by death.
Aria Stone had been kept hidden from the princes and the ceremony, because she was an Emerald. At twenty-three, the royal guards storm her home, murder her mother, and drag her to court. She must face the four princes.
A dystopian erotic adventure.
Now available on Kindle Unlimited! Borrow for FREE or purchase on Amazon
The Amber Voyeur (Gem Apocalypse Book 2)
Ravyn is a sassy, fun-loving, and adventure-seeking young woman. She loves to travel and can't wait for her next vacation,
Ravyn writes romantic erotica. She began writing romance novels in college, spending her down time either reading a book or writing fiction. Please don't make her choose between the two, she loves them equally.wherever it might be.
Currently on schedule to publish two books a month through Blushing Books, Ravyn is incredibly prolific. Her series include: Federal Agent Chronicles, Palace Secrets, and Gem Apocalypse. She is also writing a spin-off series to Gem Apocalypse, titled Courtesan Slave Trade. Her goal is to write two romance novels per month. She has been published professionally since 2013. You can find her young adult books here.
Effie, The Marriage Market, Book 3
Euphemia Lane had a feeling from the get go that Samuel Jordon was going to give her trouble. In his rude letter, he threatened to spank and disarm her should she show up in Seattle with her pistols. However, his warning doesn't deter Effie from her mission. Come hell or high water, she and Grace are determined to travel to Seattle to rescue their friend, Amelia. How was she to know that Amelia's letter was a huge mistake or that Horace Remington would follow them and nearly kill her? And there was no way she could have anticipated what would happen once she and Grace arrive at the Jordon home.
Never would she have imagined that she would receive her very first spanking at the hands of her nemesis. It was galling to say the least, and to top it all off, he relieved her of her pistols after she destroyed a treasured family heirloom and shot Horace. Now she is in Sam's protective custody until the Marshal determines she had acted in self-defense. The problem seems to be: who is going to protect her from Sam?
Samuel Jordon is so angry when Marshal Cole Hadley sticks him with Miss Lane that he sees stars. In his opinion, she is a sassy-mouthed witch hiding in a sweet little body. His determination to be firm yet detached lasts all of two days. Who knew one little drop of frosting on one luscious lip would change his life forever? What kind of young woman can turn a well-balanced, confirmed bachelor into a perverted fiend who can't keep his hands off her?
"I am not going to be sent to bed like a child," she screeched as she tried to slip by him.
Sighing, Sam swept her into his arms and marched across the room. Depositing her on the bed, he leaned over her, an arm on each side of her shoulders.
"Allow me to rephrase my request," he ground out. "Either Ophelia may come and assist you out of your dress so you may sleep or I shall do it myself. If I do it, you may be sure you will cry yourself to sleep on your tummy. Do you understand my meaning?"
Sam watched the color drain from her face and quickly return with a vibrant and angry blush. Her breasts rose and fell with each rapid breath, but he held his ground, staring into her brown eyes until she replied.
"You have me at a disadvantage, temporarily, Mr. Jordon. Trust me; it will not always be so. You would not be nearly so self-assured if I had my weapons at my disposal," she hissed in defiance.
"No, trust me, Miss Lane. You will not have access to those weapons as long as you are in this house and under my authority. Should you manage to get your hands on a gun, you'd better shoot me dead because you will rue the day you ever laid eyes on a deadly weapon."
"It will be my pleasure," she said with a brilliant smile as she watched his face darken. "Send Ophelia to me and get out of my room. I've decided I would like to take a short rest."
"A wise decision, Effie," he drawled as he stood.
"I hope you shall make a similarly wise one when the time comes, Mr. Jordon. I find I quite like your mother and would be saddened to shoot her son, for her sake you understand."
"So you like my mother. Somehow that doesn't surprise me," Sam said pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment.
"Have you a headache, Mr. Jordon?" Effie asked, delightedly.
"Only one, Miss Lane, only one," he replied as he left the room.
The Ways of the West by Kelly Dawson
Orphaned by an attack on her family's wagon train, Jessica finds herself stranded a thousand miles from Boston, the only home she has ever known. Only one man—a rough, dusty cowboy named Johnny—stands between her and the perils of the west, and he quickly makes it clear that he is ready to do whatever needs to be done to keep Jessica safe, whether she likes it or not.
When the unlikely pair stumble upon a cattle drive and they are both offered employment, Johnny doesn't hesitate to accept. But after Jessica loudly expresses her disdain for his plan and for cowboys in general, Johnny decides it is time for drastic action. After a hard, embarrassing spanking followed by a tearful apology to the trail boss, Jessica is left with a sore backside and a strange yet undeniably powerful need to be held close and comforted by her handsome protector.
With Johnny by her side—and claiming an ever bigger place in her heart with each passing day—Jessica begins to adjust to life on the trail. But a cattle drive is a dangerous place for anyone, let alone a city girl with a penchant for disobedience. If he ever wants the chance to make Jessica his wife, Johnny knows he's going to have to take her firmly in hand before she gets herself hurt or killed. Even if it means a painful, humiliating bare-bottom strapping she'll never forget, one way or another he'll teach her the ways of the west.
Publisher's Note: The Ways of the West is an erotic romance novel that contains sexual scenes and spankings, including domestic discipline in a historical setting. If such material offends you, please don't buy this book.
Jessica was enjoying watching the shocked, but delighted, expression on Johnny's face as she stepped out of the borrowed dress to reveal short, sexy drawers that had been the height of fashion back home in Boston, but which were still considered scandalous among decent company. She left the gown and petticoats in a puddle on the floor at her feet and shimmied out of her undergarments, standing completely naked before him in the dim glow cast by the lantern on the table by the bed. She'd never been naked in front of a man before but the excitement of the wedding was making her brave.
Johnny whistled softly through his teeth, stepping forward to place his hands gently on her waist, drawing her into him. "You are beautiful," he whispered into her hair.
Jessica's hands went to the front of Johnny's pants where she urgently fumbled with the buttons with clumsy fingers. She wanted him naked, too. Groaning in frustration at the tight buttons that wouldn't come undone, she moved her fingers to his chest, undoing his shirt instead. These buttons opened easily and she trailed her fingers inside his shirt, along the hard muscles of his chest. Pushing the shirt back off his shoulders she brushed her lips against the light smattering of hair she found there, pulling his shirt off completely and discarding it carelessly on top of her own pile of clothing.
"Here, let me," Johnny murmured, brushing her hands away from his jeans, undoing them for her. She gasped when his erection sprang free, then reached out to touch it gingerly.
"It's so big," she breathed. "Are you sure it will fit?"
All Romance Ebooks
THE WAYS OF THE WEST – By Kelly Dawson
Kelly's Social Media Links:
Release Day for, Dream Girl, by Alexis Alvarez
Hi everyone. Today I'm doing a special post for fellow author, Alexis Alvarez. She's got one hot new release and just the cover is making me fan myself. Dream Girl, Love on Reality TV, is definitely not one to miss.
Thanks for having me! I'm Alexis Alvarez, and I'd like to share a snippet from my newly released romance novel, Dream Girl. It's a funny, sexy take-off on the popular American reality television show The Bachelor. In my version, the hero is the epitome of tall, dark, sexy and intelligent. And the woman is the sassy girl inside of us all, the woman who has the courage and humor to be herself. I hope you enjoy it!
Blurb for Dream Girl:
He's sexy and intelligent, handsome and witty… and Chloe's body lights up with sparks at his touch. And when he looks into her eyes and whispers naughty sexy things into her ear, she wants to melt into him and enjoy the mind-blowing passion he promises.
Too bad he's the star of the popular reality show Dream Girls, and he's also dating nineteen other girls in addition to Chloe — girls who are sexy and so talented that their Nobel Prizes should arrive any day now. Chloe's sure he's just amusing himself with her, and there is no way he'd pick her as his final Dream Girl — especially since she gets into so many crazy scrapes on the show.
She promised herself she was only doing this for adventure, travel, and new experiences…not to make a fool of herself on national TV. But he's so sexy and persuasive! Would it be so bad to say yes to all of his dark, dirty requests? And most important of all — what will happen if she risks her heart?
Excerpt from Dream Girl:
Chloe pushed up to meet his body, wanting to feel him skin on skin, and when his hand moved under her top to cup her breast and stroke her nipple, she made breathy sounds of pleasure. "That feels so good," she murmured, running her hand over his thigh to rest atop the hard bulge at his crotch. She stroked softly, feeling his outline. "This does, too," she added, and smiled and giggled when he growled and bit her lip.
He propped himself up on his elbows and smiled, one hard thigh between her legs, as he looked down at her. "I told you that you'd kiss me in Rome," he said, his eyes twinkling. "Looks like I'm pretty good at reading the future."
Chloe pushed at his chest. "You're bossy."
He laughed. "Yeah. I am. If you like it, I'll do it some more."
Chloe made a fake frown at him. "I'll give you five minutes. See how good you are."
Before the words were out of her mouth, he was kissing her again, firmly, and his hands positioned hers above her head. "Keep them here," he warned her, although his eyes were twinkling and his mouth curved up into a small smile.
"Mmm" agreed Chloe, wiggling her shoulders and hips. "Make it worth my while to obey."
Without speaking, he stroked down her bare stomach, then reached up to her breasts, letting his fingernails graze softly over her nipples, until they were hard and sensitive. "Oh," gasped Chloe, arching up at him, involuntarily moving her hands before settling them back down.
"You like that?" he murmured, and ran his fingertips over the other nipple, teasing and touching, until Chloe made little moaning noises in her throat.
"Yes, God, it's—oh," she called out, as he pinched the nipple between his fingers and rolled it. The spike of pain wasn't intense, but it shot a signal directly to her clit, making her writhe under his touch.
"Dominic, I, mmm," was all she could manage, when he repeated it on the other side, and then smoothed his palm all the way down her belly to let his fingers stray under her yoga pants.
"Spread your legs a little more," he urged her, and Chloe obeyed, and cried out softly as his fingers rubbed down her body and dipped inside. He reached two fingers up and stroked inside below her pubic bone, then let his thumb brush over her clit.
Chloe whimpered and bucked her hips, and he bit her neck, continuing to tease her. "You're so wet," he said, his voice rough with pleasure. "Fuck. Spread wider, Chloe. Feet flat on the bed, knees up. Yeah, like that."
Chloe shivered at the hard language and his increasingly masterful tone. She moved her hands to grab at him, but he shook his head. "No. Hands stay there. I'll tell you when to move them."
Dream Girl is a light-hearted, fun romance with steamy sex, laugh-out-loud humor, and an HEA. It releases September 1st on Amazon and will be in the Kindle Unlimited program.
Thanks for having me, and I hope you enjoyed the excerpt!
Buy Link: Amazon
You can find Alexis Alvarez at her blog, which she shares with her two real life sisters. She's also available on Goodreads and Facebook.
http://graffitifiction.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14127116.Alexis_Alvarez