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text:
盧 佩 思 Gabriela López For San Francisco Board of Education
Hãy bầu cho جابريلا 盧佩思簡介 Sobre Gabriela López About Gabriela Values Endorsements News Get Involved Testimonials Donate Vote
Hãy bầu choجابريلا盧佩思簡介Sobre Gabriela LópezAbout GabrielaValuesEndorsementsNewsGet InvolvedTestimonials
DonateVote
Vote Gabriela López for School Board
—A Bilingual Public School Teacher!
***Check out our new videos: featuring:
1. One of my youngest and cutest supporters! &
2. Created by one of student's parents
I love the support they are giving me!
Bilingual Public School Teacher - Gabriela López Wants to Increase Multilingual Access for Families, Students & Teachers
Gabriela López is the only candidate for school board who works as a teacher in San Francisco Public Schools. She is a 5th grade bilingual teacher at Leonard R. Flynn Elementary in San Francisco's Mission District.
"Speaking the language of your parents and grandparents is so important for every student. It helps families pass their values down to their children and helps students communicate with their parents about things that impact their wellness. With more language access in schools, we can help them do that," says Gabriela López.
Gabriela López grew up in a hard-working immigrant family. Her parents migrated to the United States for a better life and tried to instill in their children a love of learning, working hard and giving back to the community. Gabriela López works everyday with the hopes and dreams of parents and students.
Parents often talk about language being one of the main barriers to fully participating in their children's schooling. In a recent report called Our Healing in Our Hands: Findings from a Mental Health survey with San Francisco Unified School District High School Youth, Chinese Progressive Association and Youth Mojo found that one of the main barriers to accessing wellness services was a lack of trust, lack of awareness around outreach, low rates of referral to services, and cultural barriers, especially for Asian-Americans, and students whose primary language is not English.
"Schools need to make more efforts to bridge the language gap between home and school," says López. "One of the ways we do that is by having language interpreters for Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, Vietnamese, Arabic and others on call to assist parents and teachers when they trying to communicate with each other. We need to be ready to meet the language needs of all our families so they can have full access to a quality education."
Gabriela López is a candidate for the San Francisco Board of Education. She is the only candidate in the race who is a public school teacher and works daily in San Francisco schools.
gabriela@gabrielalopez.org
Paid for by Gabriela López for School Board 2018. FPPC#1400895
Financial disclosures are available at: www.sfethics.org

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


When King Regal and Queen Jemma disappear from the kingdom, the four princesses are left alone to battle the evil Lord Bleak. Can they save the realm?.
If your child can read at this level it would be a good book. A fun beginning fantasy series. The plot lines are simple and easily solved with not too much of the dark side of fantasy.
My mom just found this in an old box of my stuff. I have such fond memories of this whole series!
I like this book because each sister/princess rules a kingdom each. They were on a misson to get back the jewel crown.
Smiliar Books of "The Jewel Princesses and the Missing Crown (The Jewel Kingdom Super Special, #1)"


text:
Fleet & orders
PARIS: Binter and Fuji Dream sign for more Embraer jets
Spanish regional carrier Binter has exercised its two purchase rights on Embraer 195-E2s while Japan's Fuji Dream Airlines has emerged as a customer for two more E175s.
The two follow-on orders were disclosed today by Embraer during a briefing at the Paris air show.
Binter gained the purchase rights when it last year signed for three E195-E2s. Binter is set to receive its first of the type in the second half of this year – becoming the first European customer for the type. It is configuring the aircraft with 132 seats.
Fuji Dream already operates three E170s and 10 E175s and is about to take an 11th of the latter – completing delivery of the aircraft it has on firm order.
Embraer now says Fuji has signed for two more E175s, which were previously included in the manufacturer's first-quarter backlog, as undisclosed. Deliveries of the latest aircraft will start later this year.
"This will give us further opportunity to open new routes and increase frequencies," says Fuji Dream Airlines chief executive Yohei Suzuki.
Today's order follows a commitment for 20 more firm orders for E175s from United Airlines at Paris on the first day of the show. Embraer chief executive John Slattery does not rule out further announcements.
Embraer also today issued its fresh 20-year forecast of demand in the global market for aircraft with up to 150 seats. That foresees a requirement for 10,550 aircraft over the next 20 years – the same figure it projected in its forecast last year – with demand again led by carriers in Asia-Pacific with a 28% share. This closely followed by North American carriers, which Embraer sees taking 26% of all deliveries over the next two decades, and European operators 21%.
2019parisairshow
Read all the latest news and information from the 2019 Paris Air Show on our dedicated page
Embraer's E195-E2 receives type certification
Analysis ANALYSIS: Embraer misses 2018 targets but upbeat on E2 sales
Binter to take its first E195-E2 in second half of 2019
FARNBOROUGH: Embraer outlines 20-year regional-aircraft forecast
PARIS: Japanese carrier Fuji Dream orders more E175s


If you're painting the pieces of furniture then you have a wide range of shades that you can choose from. Of course simple colors are probably the most foreseen. Instead of painting the walls you might paint the furniture. This can be really going to give a dramatic impact and ensure that you have a one-of-a-kind piece. You could have an enjoyable experience by just trying a hand painted effect. This is very popular in adults furniture and is also a way to get more of a sophisticated sense to a child's room. For instance you could just go with a attractive stencil over the drawers. You may leave the natural wood underneath. This can really yank together furniture pieces in the room. Although you may just do this on a small side table it's really going to tie in other mismatched pieces in the room.
Yamsixteen - Stacking, nesting & folding atwork office furniture. Office furniture ottawa; office furniture winnipeg; gallery; space planning & design planning and quote request; col 2 resources blog; catalogues; manufacturers' warranties; manufacturing partners; resource library; faqs; sell used office furniture; canada's ugliest office chair; atwork office furniture reviews; col 3 buy office. Kp stacking chair without arms atwork office furniture. Kp stacking chairs provide versatility and value in a multitude of environments conferences, presentations, reception areas, hospitality venues and more kp stacking chairs without arms make sense for any gathering; seat and back have extra thick double padding; solid metal frame ensures stability and sound comfort. Stacking nesting chairs discount office furniture, inc. Shop stacking and nesting chairs at discount office furniture, inc , located in west springfield, massachusetts browse by brand, price, feature, finish, casters. Stacking office chairs office folding chairs. Stacking, nesting and folding chairs stacking chairs can be used in any guest, reception or multi purpose room generally smaller in size, these stacking office chairs are lightweight and easy to transport or store away when not in use. 40 best stacking nesting chairs images business. National office furniture stacking and nesting chairs see more ideas about business furniture, office furniture and office spaces buy folding chairs and tables for your next party daily deals on cheap chairs and tables national office furniture creates a wide range of office furniture for today's work environments. Stacking & nesting chairs hon office furniture. Right there when you need them out of the way when you don't that's the beauty of hon stacking and nesting chairs switch from a cozy team meeting to an all company assembly in minutes. Stacking, nesting & folding chairs ultimate office. Easily, quickly and efficiently add or take away seating in your office, or next school event with stacking, nesting & folding chairs from ultimate office at events, eliminate the worry of "do i have enough chairs?" and always have extra seating on hand, ready and easily accessible these chairs are lightweight an. Stacking & folding chairs. Stacking chairs are easy to setup, clean, and manage in locations where vertical storage is preferred folding chairs conveniently fold down into a flat, space saving form for easy, out of sight storage nesting chairs offer a portable way to connect several chairs for quick and easy horizontal rearranging and storage. Nesting, stacking & folding chairs source office furniture. Whether you're holding a workshop or entertaining a few, our folding, stacking and nesting chairs are designed for portability they can be moved around your office, and stored when not in use if you're looking for guest chairs, stacking chairs or folding office chairs, browse below. : nesting chair. Office task chairs; school chairs; stacking chairs; office desk chairs; office chairs & sofas; folding office chair "flip nesting chair" armless office chairs 2 pack $ $ 404 00 free shipping office star breathable flexible mesh back folding nesting chair with padded fabric seat and casters, 2 pack, black with black frame.


Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson took "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" to the top!
Enjoy Waylon's live performance of the classic song below!
Share this with others who appreciate timeless country tunes!


In the second-to-last blog, I said SIMs were coming in ~6 weeks. That was at the beginning of February… so, what's happening? Truth be told, our supplier had some delays with one of their suppliers. It's annoying and frustrating, I know. I posted on our forum about this at the time, and this blog is 100% overdue.
At the moment, we're on the edge of our testing phase. We've integrated with the network supplier and are waiting for test SIM cards in the next few days. Once we're happy that everything works, we'll place the first SIM order and head to the races.
For obvious reasons, we're not committing to a date. It'll be sometime in the second half of April when the order arrives and we've checked everything. We'll keep you posted!
Call settings (within SIM settings).


Strong and defiant Tsume was the leader of a gang of thieves wreaking havoc for the nobles of Freeze City. Although he roamed with humans, Tsume kept his distance. He trusts no one!
Tsume's first encounter with Kiba was far from friendly. However, after his former companions became informants, Tsume was basically forced to leave the city with Kiba, Hige, and Toboe. Although pessimistic about the existence of Paradise, he joins the others in their quest.


text:
WhyHunger Press Releases
WhyHunger Executive Director Noreen Springstead Named to Crain's New York Business' Notable in Nonprofits and Philanthropy
New York (April 5, 2021) — Noreen Springstead, executive director of WhyHunger, was dubbed as one of Crain's New York Business' Notable in Nonprofits and Philanthropy for 2021. The prestigious list honors the most accomplished leaders in the greater New York area, selected for their exemplary professional contributions in the philanthropic space.
Springstead started working at WhyHunger 30 years ago, quickly working her way up to become its executive director. Under her direction, the organization has diversified and doubled its budget and impact, and has remained a leading anti-hunger organization, driving transformative action to support grassroots movements and fuel community solutions rooted in social, environmental, racial and economic justice. In 2020, WhyHunger raised millions to support programmatic work, including $689,808 funding 50 grants to social movement organizations in 25 countries; $628,223 for its Rapid Response Fund to provide emergency support for COVID, centering BIPOC-led organizations; over $1 million during Hungerthon, its annual holiday fundraiser and awareness drive; and $7 million in collaboration with the NAACP Legal Defense & Education Fund, Inc. (LDF) and SixDegrees.org during the CBS TV Special "PLAY ON." Responding to the growing hunger crisis, WhyHunger connected 1 million food insecure individuals throughout the U.S. to local free meal sites through its WhyHunger Hotline and Find Food tools.
"I am honored to be recognized among my peers, who are incredible visionaries striving to make the world a better place. This past year has brought upon unprecedented challenges, exemplifying the critical role nonprofit organizations play when it comes to supporting the needs, voices and work of communities most impacted by hunger, racism and social injustice. I hope we can continue to serve as an inspiration to other organizations and decision makers as we strike at the root causes of hunger and food insecurity, ensure the basic human right to nutritious food, and build social justice for all," said Springstead.
Springstead is a graduate of Rutgers University and has a BA in Political Science. A lifelong leader and learner, Noreen completed the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education Course Leadership, Organizing and Action and a course at the University of Notre Dame Non-Profit Business Excellence Continuing Education Program. In addition to her work at WhyHunger, Springstead volunteers at her local foodbank in New Jersey, Center for Food Action.
"Noreen's drive and passion are unparalleled. In one of the most challenging years for those facing food insecurity, Noreen was able to lead WhyHunger to new heights, meeting immediate needs in communities across the globe, ensuring the safety and health of her staff and raising record funds to fuel the organization's work. Not only a trailblazer and a tremendous asset to our organization, Noreen is one of the most compassionate and genuine people I know. We are thrilled she is being honored for her amazing work to combat hunger worldwide," said Alysia Steinmann, Partner at EY and Treasurer of WhyHunger's Board of Directors.
For more information about the award, please visit: https://www.crainsnewyork.com/awards/notable-non-profit-and-philanthropy-2021-noreen-springstead.


text:
The Girl on the Stairs is the 5th psychological crime thriller by Scottish author Louise Welsh. The book was first published in 2012 by publisher John Murray. Welsh's first novel, The Cutting Room, won several literary prizes.

Plot summary
This psychological thriller is set in Berlin. It revolves around the central character, Jane, who has recently moved from Glasgow to the city with her lover Petra. As Jane adjusts to her new life and pregnancy she becomes curious about the neighbour's daughter Anna, the arguments she hears through the wall and Anna's strange appearance on the stairs.

Critical reception
As the plot unravels, this latest psychological thriller from Louise Welsh leaves the reader constantly guessing between what is real and what could be Jane's imagination. According to one reviewer, Welsh skilfully moulded the plot into some fresh and horrible terrain."
  The Guardian and Observer reviewer described this novel as a "psychologically potent cross between The Yellow Wallpaper and Rear Window.".

Other Works by Louise Welsh
The Cutting Room (2002)
Tamburlaine Must Die (2004)
The Bullet Trick (2006)
Naming The Bones (2010)

References

External links
Louise Welsh's Official Site
Louise Welsh Books

Novels by Louise Welsh
2012 British novels
Novels set in Berlin
2010s LGBT novels
Psychological thriller novels
John Murray (publishing house) books
2012 LGBT-related literary works

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Сервий Сульпиций Камерин Корнут (; VI—V века до н. э.) — древнеримский политический деятель из патрицианского рода Сульпициев консул 500 года до н. э. вместе с Манием Туллием Лонгом.

Происхождение
Сервий Сульпиций принадлежал к патрицианскому роду Сульпициев. Возможно, прозвище Камерин (Camerinus) он получил в честь города Камерин (Camerinum или Cameria).

Биография
В античных источниках Сервий Сульпиций упоминается только в связи с его консулатом. Согласно Титу Ливию, никаких важных событий в 500 году до н. э. не было («ничего достопамятного не сделано»), но Дионисий Галикарнасский сообщает, что в качестве консула Камерин обнаружил и пресёк заговор с целью восстановить в Риме царскую власть. Существует гипотеза, что в этом эпизоде историк изобразил в карикатурном виде заговор Катилины. Маний Туллий умер в течение года, оставив Сервия в качестве единственного консула.

Автор статьи «Сульпиций, патрицианский род» в энциклопедическом словаре Брокгауза и Ефрона называет Сервия Сульпиция военачальником, «победившим латинян в 496 г. до Р. Хр. у Регилльского озера». На чём основано это утверждение, неизвестно.

Потомки
У Сервия Сульпиция был сын Квинт, консул 490 года до н. э.

Примечания

Литература
 Broughton R. The Magistrates Of The Roman Republic. Vol. 1: 509 B.C. — 100 B.C.. Cleveland / Ohio: Case Western Reserve University Press, 1951. Reprint 1968, S. 10 (Philological Monographs. Hrsg. von der American Philological Association. Bd. 15, Teil 1).

Сульпиции
Родившиеся в VI веке до н. э.
Умершие в V веке до н. э.


Remember when Hillary took Obama apart in the debate and he then made a speech where it was claimed he made a very rude gesture in reference to her? Many claimed it was simply an inadvertent positioning of his hand.
Here are two speeches he gave at that time in which he did the same thing. It wasn't inadvertent -- look for the spinning hands "tell"
Are we dealing with a man who really has no respect for women and who gets so angry when they best him that he cannot help crude disparaging remarks and gestures aimed at them?
I played the video several times and the audience seemed different and the wording and gestures did not seem identical, but it is possible that I misheard and that the videos are of the same speech taken from different angles. I checked as well as I could and thought the poster was right that there were two speeches. On the other hand I cannot establish that those who say it is one speech taken from different angles are wrong. In that case, I apologize for any error.
In the event , however, there is a clear "tell" before he makes the gesture and you can see he understands how the audience has taken it and that he is enjoying their response. At least that's how I see it.


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Like a cloud upon a hill.
Who died upon the trail.
Without a date or name.
In the land from which you came.
We've ridden side by side.
I wept when Utah died.
Throwed the rope that burnt the brands.
We gained the night-herd stand.
On a wild and maddened run.
Was riding by his side.
And there's when my partner died.
To Lenore, his little friend.
Brought my partner's life to an end.
She held the stirrup tight.
Waved up in their sight.
Everyone there held their breath.
. . . mortal's death.
And charged it with a bound.
She fell before the tide.
"Lie still, Lenore, I'm coming,"
Was the words my partner cried.
Utah Carl came riding fast.
He caught the trailing robe.
Speed was his only hope.
Where she lay upon the ground.
Utah picked up the blanket.
He waved it o'er his head.
Us boys give a cry.
But we knew he had to die.
From Lenore, his little friend.
Their report came loud and clear.
He dropped the leading steer.
Nor give the cattle call.
In time to save our pard.
Where my partner had to lay.
His young life passed away.
Was his last words to say.
He's give up in this day.
And his face turned deathly pale.
Was lost on that great day.
He didn't care to die.
Has a home beyond the sky."
Also found in Randolph, Vol. II, #206.


text:
Category Archives: Warriors
September 1, 2014 by pamela1740
Still not springing for Starz: my vacation interlude with an Outlandish old flame
More about summer reading, and my vacation interlude with Jamie & Claire
I watched one episode of the new Outlander television series while vacationing on Cape Cod last week. Originally, I had hoped to watch the first episode (which Starz has made available to stream for free anywhere you can get online) together with my local Outlander posse – a small band of IRL reader friends and wicked smart ladies I met first in a fan forum – but we couldn't make the timing work. Truthfully, I was more inclined to engage with this whole thing as a group activity, given the weird ambivalence I've been experiencing (and posting about), in having the object of such an intense personal reading and fan experience (nearly a decade ago now) become such a mainstream pop culture phenomenon.
I don't pay for premium cable channels and I wasn't going to change that policy, even for Outlander. I usually wait for a whole season of something good (Game of Thrones, or Boardwalk Empire) to become available some other way, and felt prepared to do this for Outlander, even though it means putting blinders on for 4 months of weekly new episode buzz and reactions taking over my tweetstream.
And – it was late August on the Cape in a wonderful rambling beach house with rooms to spare and comfy reading furniture, rope swings, and a cranberry bog down the lane. It was the classic unplugged vacation. No tv, and no wi fi in the house. I didn't tell the girls I had season 1 of Black Sails (Arrrggh, perfect for vacationing in a historic area known as "the sea captain's town") on my laptop, nor that when I ran out of those episodes (watched late at night after they were asleep – it was OK, mostly because maniacal Toby Stephens is kind of fun) I would on a whim decide to use my 3G iPhone to stream the free Outlander premiere.
But this was the extent of my tv watching, and mostly I read, as did they. All of us reading together, for hours and hours, between walks on the flats in the Bay, flying kites, crafty tie dye projects and bike rides to the general store. The weather was gorgeous – like early fall, dry and mild, not even hot enough to make us want to swim all that much, and other than a gigantic bee sting that made my leg swell up, gout-like, it was idyllic and relaxing. The first such sojourn in a long time that evoked family vacations during my own adolescence, where my novel reading consumed huge chunks of the day, without comment or consequence.
So – one of the hefty books I read was the newest installment in Diana Gabaldon's epic Outlander series, WRITTEN IN MY OWN HEART'S BLOOD, dubbed "MOBY" in the Gabaldon fan canon for some inexplicable reason that also evokes a seafaring New England industry and accompanying literary tradition. More about my take on the new book in a future post, I hope. I think if not for the chance to read this new Jamie and Claire material over a fairly condensed and uninterrupted 4-5 day period, I might not have re-connected with the Frasers and Mackenzies sufficient to compel me to watch one episode of the show as a standalone. But I'll admit, when I finished MOBY, I experienced a faint echo of the old "I need more!" that so intensely colored my original reading experience of the first 6 books, back in 2004-05. Where to turn? Starz.com of course.
Outlander S1E1: Sassenach @RomanceProf asked me what I liked and didn't like about the one hour of Outlander that I watched. And I realize now that while it feels like I liked it, overall, when I try to articulate anything specific, there are more things I didn't like. So here's my impressionistic summary – of both, likes and dislikes. Just one longtime Outlander reader, well past the first blush of intense obsession, possibly also past the unfortunate tipping point towards cynicism, but fairly well steeped in The Books, reacting to the first episode.
On Claire: Liked I loved the sequence with Claire and the vase in the shop window, with the voiceover exposition about her peripatetic, rootless childhood. I don't remember the bit about the vase from the book, but it was used effectively here, and I kept flashing forward in the story, to the numerous times she is displaced and forced to take up housekeeping again from scratch. Her comments about the vase reminded me of how I always felt about owning an ironing board. Once you did, you must be a settled grown-up.
Didn't Like If only I didn't feel like Caitriona Balfe as 1940's Claire was playing the role as if playing Cate-Blanchett-Playing-Claire-Randall. There was a studied quality to her manner and movements that didn't seem authentic. I've heard it gets better when she's 1740's Claire. As many have noted, she may have ClaireHair, but her physical presence is far more vintage Hollywood than 'fine wide arse'.
On Sex and the Combat Nurse: Liked I agree with early reviewers who commended the show for presenting an epic fantasy drama with a central female protagonist, where the sex is about female gratification and not yet another boobalicious vehicle for pleasuring the male gaze.
Didn't Like But did there really have to be three un-sexy Claire/Frank sex scenes in the first 25 minutes?? Truth is, while the unique and compelling bawdiness of the books is definitely a Gabaldon hallmark, and perhaps the most immediately marketable element in translating to a cable series, I honestly don't remember feeling like the sex was center stage all the time in the novel. I can't decide whether the ick factor for me with watching Balfe and Tobias Menzies is just residual Jamie obsession annihilating any chance for the show to make Frank seem sexy, or if the show itself is (over)using these painfully awkward interludes to deflect/cushion the blow of Claire's time traveling "adultery" for viewers new to the story.
On Swashbucklers and Genre: Liked Again, I am 100% in favor of presenting a swashbuckling adventure drama that's lusty and violent and heroic, as told via a feminine POV. Of course I wish it wasn't so unusual as to require calling attention. But I find myself oddly gratified every time I read a positive or optimistic review of the series, especially those from "external" perspectives – anyone with little or no experience of the books. It's not that I need or care about having my affinity for the books validated by new fans or (especially) highbrow and/or male critics and/or viewers, but the show does need to be considered on its own merits as mainstream entertainment, and I'm surprised to find it satisfying when someone expresses interest or admiration for it. I know I should probably be annoyed that people keep alluding to the book's "bodice-ripper" elements, or praising the show when they clearly would never have considered reading the book which, for those outside the cultlike Outlander following has for so long been dismissed as romance even as it defies conventional genre categorization. I could and should probably unpack this odd mix of emotional/intellectual responses, but that will take more time and words than I have right now.
Didn't Like Compared to the kickass title sequences of a show like Game of Thrones, HBO's Rome (best titles ever, IMO) or even something completely different like Homeland (which also has a female protagonist), the opening titles are a total snooze – it was a great opportunity to do something visually powerful with strong, memorable graphics, and it just felt like a cheesy travel ministry video for Scotland blended with History Channel re-enactments of swordly battles and chick flick misty fairytale romantic images of the central couple, castles, and horses. The music is too wistful. The whole thing just needed to be BOLDER, and should have been more creative, to live up to Claire and Jamie as a badass power couple at the center of an epic drama about history, identity, war, loss, family, fealty, and community.
On Book-to-Screen Issues: Liked The casting of many secondary characters is spot on, from James Fleet's affable Reverend Wakefield to Tracey Wilkinson as Mrs. Graham the druid housekeeper, with furrowed brow over Claire's palm revealing bifurcated love and marriage lines. And I know with only one short episode under my belt, there will be many more fun and revelatory "Aha!" moments where a casting choice clicks into place for me. The beauty of screen adaptations of beloved novels lies in such moments where the actors and surrounding visuals somehow inhabit and amplify the characters we've been carrying in our hearts and heads, supporting and expanding whatever alchemical connection has happened between individual reader and text. Like so many Outlander fans, I experienced at least passing worry that the casting of Jamie and/or Claire could somehow "ruin" or contaminate my inner view of them, or indeed of the whole narrative and my reading experience. Fortunately, as it turns out I'm already a decade past that first obsessive reading experience and at this distance the intensity of the connection is much diminished. I like Heughan and Balfe fine for the roles, and thoroughly enjoyed watching them together.
Didn't Like But ooohhh nooooooo, what have they done to Dougal??!? I really hate to find myself experiencing that odd, impotent fan outrage over a screen version of a fictional character. Who can take seriously the sort of whinging along the lines of "but in the books he's supposed to be…" that makes people poke fun at Outlander or Westeros fan communities? I must just go on the record with my personal view that Dougal would have looked younger, and that in the books he came alive as a pretty sexy, intense, if morally ambiguous, dude (GerryButler. Just saying.). And I'm not seeing that here. He only needs to be about 20 years older than Jamie, right?
Gabaldon has said, I think, that when she first began to write Outlander she thought the hero would be the leader of the clan's war band — she gave him the name Dougal, for her husband Doug. But then the wounded young warrior in the corner, fiercely tended by Claire (apart from my issue with the casting — or maybe it's just the fussy styling? — of Graham MacTavish, this scene was fantastic), took over the story, apparently. Still, I don't think the show needed to make Dougal such a graybeard — MacTavish could certainly play a younger, sexier badass. In the novel, Dougal's complexity and deep-rooted ambivalence about Jamie as a potential challenger is one of the real strengths, and it includes a significant dose of sexual magnetism and interest in Claire. I understand a choice to streamline the narrative, but Dougal's ambiguous magnetism is a loss, in my view, at least in terms of how the dynamics appear in this first episode. And yes, I fully recognize that not everything can fit in the first hour and subsequent episodes may hold promise of more…but for me he just doesn't feel right for the way I read Dougal and his story.
On Jamie: Liked The much-vaunted chemistry between Balfe and Sam Heughan was indeed satisfying, and I loved the scene where he holds her at swordpoint and prevents her escape. This follows a scene in which the villain, British officer Black Jack Randall, assaults Claire with a sword to the neck and near rape. In contrast, Heughan carries off his sword-wielding pursuit with the perfect blend of charm and force, ensuring that Jamie's gentlemanly yet powerful use of the blade reads as heroic and hot — and of course by now the viewer also understands that in preventing her "escape" he is also rescuing Claire from falling into the clutches of Jack Randall again. The scene worked beautifully to establish the beginnings of his physical awareness of her ("ye don't appear to weigh too much, I'll throw ye over my shoulder…"), along with his Red Jamie urge to protect and possess. Also I really liked Claire's mad face in this scene; their mutual respect and wariness was crystal clear.
Didn't Like I keep tripping up on the question of whether I'd continue watching this show if I'd come to it as an Outlander virgin. It was sort of measured and dull, lots of exposition (which is the bane of any premiere episode) to set up the characters and plot, and I can't help thinking that it didn't do enough to hook someone who hasn't already been bitten by the Jamie/Claire bug in some way. Some of the scenes with Frank lurking around the ruins and the stones, researching his ancestors, watching the local pagans on Samhain at Craigh na Dun, while loaded with portent if you know what to listen for, just came across as tedious and the stunning visuals of the sunrise ceremony were overplayed. Heughan and Balfe are compelling together but was there enough intriguing detail about who Jamie is and why he and Dougal et al are so bloody desperate?
Yes, the final scene, meant to draw us in and bring us back for episode 2, has the fugitives arriving at forbidding Castle Leoch, which Claire and Frank had explored in its ruined 1945 state. But as a cliffhanger ending it was more than a little flat, and without already knowing all that's to come (there was minimal explanation yet given for why they are on the run from the British troops, other than the general offense of riding around the Highlands while Scottish), I'm not sure it would give me the fire in the belly to make sure I "tune in next week." What was missing was the complexity and challenge of the situation in the Highlands in 1743, which I have no doubt is already coming into much clearer focus as the weeks go by.
Bottom Line From what I've been hearing since I returned to the twitterverse and started catching up on all kinds of news, things really get going with the show in the second and third episodes, and I'm glad to hear it. Still, since I do already know what happens, I'm not rushing to pay Verizon to add Starz to my cable lineup. It'll be too late to be part of the Fall 2014 Outlander bandwagon, but I'll probably end up binge watching the whole season on my next summer vacation.
Posted in Outlaws, Surgeons, Warriors
Tagged book to movie, Caitriona Balfe, Claire and Frank, Diana Gabaldon, film adaptations of favorite novels, Graham MacTavish, Jamie and Claire, Jamie Fraser, Outlander, Outlander episode 1 review, Outlander fandom, Sam Heughan, summer reading, Tobias Menzies, Written in My Own Heart's Blood
April 27, 2014 by pamela1740
Siege Warfare: Meditations on Medieval Romance with Author Elise Cyr
Besieged by love? How many times have you read something like "her emotions were under siege" in a romance novel? I feel like this metaphor is common, and compelling, yet I've never really unpacked it. For one thing, it suggests a traditionally gendered experience, in which the hero is the pursuer, surrounding the heroine with his army of manly charms until she accepts and gives in to the inevitability of surrender/conquest.
What makes this work in genre romance is that while she may be "conquered" by the hero's love, the heroine surrenders as much to the power of her own corresponding emotion as to the conquering male. The siege as romantic metaphor sort of circles in on itself, since the besieged is frequently "starving" herself of love/emotion while the besieger "attacks" by providing rather than depriving. (I know there must be examples of the metaphor used with the genders reversed and a pursuing heroine laying siege to her hero…I hope to hear of such in comments since I can't find one at the moment!)
Ivory mirror back depicting "The Siege of the Castle of Love," French, 14th century, now in the Louvre (via Wikimedia Commons)
Until last month, it'd been quite a while since I read a romance, or indeed any novel, where the hero wears chain mail. Then I picked Sharon Kay Penman's LIONHEART off a very dusty spot on my TBR shelf, for a "challenge" read involving Big Fat Books. Not a romance, but it reminded me how much I used to enjoy and immerse myself in historical fiction with medieval settings, and whetted my appetite. Also, here was a book brimming with literal historical examples of siege warfare, replete with all the implements (heavy weaponry, grappling hooks, scaling ladders) and strategies (starvation, persistence, ruthlessness) from which the literary & emotional metaphors derive.
I confess, I had to push myself a bit to get through this long book about England's Richard 'the Lionheart' and his exploits in the Holy Land during the Second (?) Crusade in 1190-92. Based on my memories of Penman's Welsh trilogy (it was nearly 20 years ago, but I treasure these books among my 'best evers'), I had thought there'd be a stronger romantic element, and I found myself really missing the emotional satisfaction of a romance HEA. I also missed the sense that there is an end to the story at all, since this was just one long chunk of a multi-novel Angevin saga, and leaves off just as Richard is returning to England to deal with his treacherous relatives.
So – time for a medieval romance.
Fortunately, hard on the heels of my March reading challenge came SIEGE OF THE HEART, a debut release from Elise Cyr, an author acquaintance from Twitter. I am thoroughly enjoying this romance between a Norman knight and a sword-wielding English heiress, and it's got me re-examining some of my own assumptions about medieval romance novels, thinking about why I stopped reading them, whether they're still as popular as ever, and what's happening in this historical subgenre that's new and fresh.
Is harsh history romantic? Elise has graciously agreed to share some ideas about medievals – the chivalry, the history, and what makes a romance novel work in a setting where historical accuracy means a world with a challenging dominant belief system characterized by religious intolerance, a rigid feudal class system, very limited access to literacy and learning for most people, and marriage laws that left women with very few rights, even over their own bodies and children.
Pamela: I just read a great review of Jeannie Lin's THE JADE TEMPTRESS in which Miss Bates referred to the setting – also medieval, but 9th century China – as a "harsh, hierarchical world" (I can't wait to read this one, too!). What makes this kind of setting a good place to tell a compelling love story?
Elise: It comes down to stakes. In the medieval period, regardless of which continent we're talking about, the "harsh, hierarchical world" often meant most people were so focused on their survival and that of their family, the concept of "love" we think of today was rare as a result. The medieval version of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs often didn't move beyond food and shelter for the vast majority of people living at the time. So when love did strike, the afflicted had a lot of barriers to work through. Not least of which was the concept of marriage, which was essentially a contract negotiated between families at the behest of their liege lord. Compatibility had more to do with dowries, ready coin, and the whims of nobility instead of attraction, passion, fidelity. So love not only had to exist, it had to be a love worth fighting for, since often the couple would be going against the wishes of their families and their liege lord, removing any security they had in society. It was a harsh world indeed for lovers of the time.
Pamela: What do you think is the particular appeal of the European-set medieval? Are there deeper associations with folklore and fairytales many English-speaking readers may have grown up with?
Elise: For me, the medieval time period comes closest to evoking the world of fairytales. Castles, knights, adventures, with the more unpleasant aspects blunted by the passage of time. I grew up on fairytales—the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, Andrew Lang. This legacy is distinctly Europe-centric, so it makes sense to me that many historical romance authors keep returning to European history and the fairytale structure with the obligatory happily-ever-after in the stories we write for ourselves and others. (I wonder to what extent that would change had I been exposed to the fairy tales and myths from other cultures at such a formative age.)
Pamela: I kept thinking about your siege metaphor as I was reading about the Crusaders' trebuchets and other siege implements and strategies, in Penman's LIONHEART. That was a later period than SIEGE OF THE HEART, which is set immediately following the Norman Conquest, but the forced marriage as part of a strategy of conquest, alliance, and/or assimilation is a common theme. It's a tried and true historical romance trope, but I think it can be particularly powerful in a medieval story – how does it work in medieval to become more, and to transcend the plot device that serves to throw the hero and heroine together?
Elise: The forced marriage trope is indeed common in historical romance. The reason I think it works in medievals is because the marriage is bigger than either partner, and more is riding on its success. Servants, townspeople, villeins, and vassals all had a stake in the success or failure of an alliance. The term "peace weaver" originates from the Anglo-Saxons where a woman was married off to a warring tribe to make peace (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace-weaver). To have so much riding on a match raises the stakes for a relationship, and finding ways for the hero and heroine to connect, compromise, and complement each other are elements at the heart of any romance, regardless of the time period.
Pamela: Isabel faces a forced marriage like so many widowed or otherwise vulnerable women of the ruling class in her period, because a single woman can't "hold" a castle, or a kingdom, for her liege lord, and needs to be married to another powerful lord. But in what ways does she hold power? Can she hold on to her own inner "castle" – ie. her heart, at least until she chooses to open the gates…?
Elise: When I chose to write in this time period, I soon realized the cards would be stacked against my heroine Isabel. The fallout from the Norman Conquest threw so many lives in turmoil, including that of an unwed English noblewoman. So I had to figure out a way to not only make her someone worthy of a story, but also have enough agency to sustain one. That way a modern reader could respect her choices despite changes in culture and gender roles brought on by the march of time. It helps that my heroine is a bit spoiled by her father, still mourning the loss of his wife. Because of this, Isabel has been afforded opportunities to acquire certain skills and experiences not available to other women. Her power lies in the respect she commands from her father's men and the rest of the household, her knowledge of the land and the vassals who tend it, and the passion she brings to her responsibilities. The result, I hope, is a strong character, cognizant of her place in the world, confident in her abilities, who realizes her heart is only hers to give.
Siege of a motte and bailey castle at Dinan as depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Pamela: Beyond her inner qualities and skills such as strength of purpose or being politically astute, you also gave Isabel an outwardly fighting spirit and weaponry and badassery to go with it. She's quite a shield-maiden, and in this way reminds me of the warrior maidens from a Tolkien saga, or the early Norse mythologies that inspired him. What made you decide to have Isabel be skilled at physical combat in her own right, in spite of needing to marry in order to retain dominion over her family's lands?
Elise: Well, badassery was indeed a consideration. One thing I always disliked about fairy tales was the passive or secondary role women often played. I didn't want that for my heroine, especially given the modern lens and the power dynamics of the time. So I wanted her skills with blade and bow to match her fighting spirit. She couldn't be easily dismissed, politically, personally, physically. If you dig into the accounts of the Conquest, it wasn't very pretty. I wanted a heroine who could transcend the brutality of the time period and be strong enough to pick up the pieces afterward.
Pamela: Alex is a wonderfully patient yet determined siege strategist. It's refreshing to read a medieval warrior hero who's open about his willingness to fall in love with the heiress he's being commanded to marry, rather than bemoan his lost bachelorhood or succumbing to insta-lust for wedding, bedding, and then ignoring his new bride. He approaches Isabel as he would any worthy potential adversary or ally – and only once he realizes that he's attracted to her, both physically and in terms of her character, does he decide upon a courtship strategy of emotional siege warfare. So many romance novels cast the hero as the protagonist whose deeper emotions are walled up behind a mental fortress – did you think about this as an inversion or subversion?
Elise: I did try to invert some expectations when it came to Alex, the Norman knight who throws Isabel's world in turmoil. Going back to the brutality of the Conquest, it's easy to assume that bloodlust is what defined the conquerors as they raped, pillaged, and razed the land on their trek from the coast to the heart of London. I felt not every man William brought to England could be ruled by such aggression—these very knights were the origins of chivalry after all, formalized roughly a hundred years later. As a conqueror, it's easy to view Alex as a "bad guy." So I tried to give Alex those honorable, chivalric impulses, while retaining the rough edges of the Norman culture. Having him in touch with his emotions, aware of how he's perceived by others and how to manipulate that, were tools I used to keep him accessible to the reader. I also wanted to highlight his leadership qualities—he may be a landless knight, seeking his fortune in England, but he is still worthy of a noblewoman like Isabel.
Pamela: They do seem very well-matched, and I am looking forward to finishing their story.
Siege of Mortagne (Hundred Years War) from a 14th century Flemish manuscript, via Wikimedia Commons.
I am also feeling very pleased with myself for rediscovering the delights of a well-crafted medieval romance. It's interesting there are some very popular mainstream television series with medieval or medieval-inspired settings, and I have been wondering if we'd start seeing more romance novels that show the influence of Game of Thrones or Vikings, at least in terms of setting, if not theme, but perhaps there is more epic fantasy that uses such settings these days, as opposed to traditional histrom? I've gone back to find Jo Beverley's medievals – new to me and, as expected, both satisfying and and complex — but I'm also eager for recommendations of newer titles. Apart from the perennial popularity of Scottish-theme books (which tend to involve castles and claymores, even when set in a later century!), I'm having a hard time coming up with recent traditional medieval romances. (Happily, Elise is working to fill the void.)
From the publisher, about SIEGE OF THE HEART: He fought for king and country, but that battle was nothing compared to the one he'll wage for a woman's heart.
Still reeling from the news of her father's death during the Norman Conquest, Isabel Dumont is unprepared when trouble arrives at the castle gates. Alexandre d'Évreux, a Norman knight with close ties to England's new king, has arrived to secure the land and the loyalties of the Dumont family. Desperate to protect her people, Isabel strives to keep the confounding knight at arm's length and hide the truth about her father's death.
For Alexandre, the spoils of war come with more than just a generous gift of land. They come with Isabel Dumont. Vowing to marry only for love, Alexandre finds himself in a difficult situation as a conqueror granted dominion over the land and its people. Isabel is the one person capable of helping him win the regard of those living in the war-torn country…if he chooses to accept her.
Just when Alexandre finds a spark of hope that he and Isabel have a chance at love, she vanishes. His quest to find her plunges him deeper into the conquest's fallout. Was she taken? Or did she leave?
CONTENT WARNING: Entering into this novel may cause extreme affection toward knights of old, admiration for strong-willed women, and the overwhelming belief that love really can conquer all.
SIEGE OF THE HEART is available from Kensington as an e-book in the usual places. I believe a print edition is forthcoming. I'm grateful to the publisher and to Elise for sharing an e-ARC with me.
Posted in Crusaders, Knights, Warriors
Tagged author interview, commoner and noblewoman, cross-class romance, Elise Cyr, enemies to lovers, forced marriage, historical fiction, historical romance, knights in romance, medieval romance, Norman Conquest, Richard the Lionheart, Sharon Kay Penman, shield maidens, Siege of the Heart
Never Say Die: Speaking Up for Badass Regencies
I have to say I am loving all this talk about historical romance over the past couple of weeks. Last week I tossed around my own musings on the provocative yet substantive discussion launched by the influential All About Romance and Dear Author blogs. This week finds historical romance "troubles" cropping up again at Risky Regencies, which I think is great. Sick of the Regency? Well maybe, but….
As many have pointed out, readers have had a decades-long love affair with Regency-set historical romance for good reason, and if there is a real or perceived Regency Fatigue among readers, the candid discussion we've all been having stems mainly from deeply rooted affection for this Heyer- and Austen-inspired world. In re-examining my own sentiments this week, I realized I'm probably slightly ambivalent. I've confessed to suffering a mild disenchantment with Regencies that feel too wall-paperish or insubstantial. I do actively hunt out historicals with settings based on American history, and the erstwhile art historian in me still wishes there were more badass romances set in southern Europe during the Renaissance (and not yet another Tudor- or Borgia-inspired historical novel with romantic elements).
But I've read hundreds, probably thousands, of Regencies, and there are so many on my DIK shelf that it's overflowing. Also, there really are badass Regency heroes /heroines who aren't dukes, earls, or even the slightest bit aristocratic — through they're frequently noble, in the best sense of the word. There's an element of truth in the suggestion that some Regencies offer a fairytale version of England which is devoid of politics, or gritty social and economic realities. But it's equally true that some Regencies offer well-researched military and/or social history, plots that center on wartime or post-war conflict, and even themes of class conflict, industrialization, domestic violence, and addiction — though I don't claim to know how Regencies that touch on these darker themes stack up to their frothier siblings in terms of sales figures.
I thought it would be fun to take a few manic Monday minutes to list a few of my all-time favorite Badass Regencies. If there's a thread running through this list, it's my love for intricately connected books, especially a series structured around a plausible group of badass heroes. I am probably repeating something I've said elsewhere, but I am drawn to fiction that explores themes like loyalty, honor, kinship, friendship, bravery, and family. Romances against such a backdrop are especially powerful, and it's a big part of my devotion to historicals.
I'm also a sucker for the band of brothers trope, if it's done well, with careful and well-researched world-building. Hell, even if it's a barely plausible Saving England From the Forces of Evil Secret Spy Ring, if it has compelling characters, a strong story and finely honed dialogue, I'm willing to suspend disbelief.
What are your favorite Really Good Regencies?? Today's list is heavily weighted towards uber alphas, with a lot of war heroes and spies. I haven't even mentioned Loretta Chase once yet (!). I'll return at some point to come up with my list of top badass Regencies where the heroes fight their battles in ballrooms, drawing rooms, and gaming hells, and there are plenty I still haven't yet read, so please help me out and let me know who you'd add!
Badass Regencies That Won't. Back. Down
Joanna Bourne, the Spymaster series / Darkly exquisite; French and English spies from all rungs of the social ladder. Words fail me. If anything, these books just keep getting better and better. The heroines are as badass as the heroes. Adrian's story (The Black Hawk) was one of the best books I read in 2012.
Stephanie Laurens, the early Cynster books / Lush and nostalgic; curiously addictive. This family operates like a clan of badass white knights, reminding me both of Scottish medievals and, oddly, of "fixers" like Olivia Pope and her band of gladiators in suits.
Jo Beverley, the Company of Rogues series / Richly satisfying; wonderful secondary characters and friendships; some middle class protagonists. This series is wonderful and only suffers the tiniest bit from probably being constantly compared to the (Georgian-set) Malloren series.
Laurel McKee, Daughters of Erin series / Fiery and pretty political; there are riots and revolutionaries. Broadly speaking, these qualify as Regency-era historicals, but set in Ireland during and following the 1798 rebellion. I loved the theme of SISTERhood in this series, and the history is woven in seamlessly.
Gaelen Foley, Knight Miscellany/ A duke, twin heroes of the Peninsular Wars and their other siblings; these books explore sibling rivalry quite intensely, and the war-damaged brothers are heart-stoppingly enigmatic and tormented.
Eileen Dreyer, Drake's Rakes series / A genuine band of brothers series; they fought and barely survived Waterloo together. The journey home is fraught with perils like amnesia, mistaken identity, deception, treason, abandonment and a disgraced wife. The depiction of military life, especially the officer's wives/daughters who traveled with the army made Never a Gentleman my favorite. This series also reminded me so strongly of Bernard Cornwell's legendary hero Richard Sharpe, that some of the glory of Sharpe's Rifles may have rubbed off on Drake's Rakes.
Sean Bean as Richard Sharpe, a particular favorite Regency badass who fought his way to being an officer but never a gentleman, before he got involved with Lords or Rings or playing the Game of Thrones.
Posted in Rakes, Rogues, Warriors
Tagged Bernard Cornwell, book review, Eileen Dreyer, historical romance, Jo Beverley, Joanna Bourne, Laurel McKee, regency romance, Richard Sharpe, romance fiction, romance review, Sean Bean, Sharpe's Rifles, Stephanie Laurens
Boston and Badass
I just need to get this off my mind. It's an unfinished post I was working on about 2 weeks ago. Butch O'Neal was going to be my next badass. I wanted to do a JR Ward hero to add a solid dose of vampire/paranormal romance into the mix, and review a book I actually really liked. My blog is so new; I'm still trying to get some momentum going and figure out what it's really going to be about. What will be fun and interesting for me to ponder and post, and what might inspire some sassy and/or intriguing discussion?
Even though I read Lover Revealed quite a while ago, Butch's story was among my Black Dagger favorites and this is partly because of the Boston connection. So there it is… I've been completely stalled and distracted, like everyone else who lives in the Boston area, and pretty much haven't even thought about my new blog for over a week, since before marathon Monday and school vacation week. When I did think about getting back to the blog, it was with avoidance, because I knew this was the post I'd find. Ugh. I can't finish it now, and I'm not sure I should post it at all, even with these fragmentary musings.
I have noticed the term badass all over the place in mainstream coverage and tweeting about the cops in Boston and Watertown. I can't tell if I am just noticing it more, or if it is actually being used more. For example, this from a list of media moments compiled by Boston.com's Radio BDC blog:
IF YOU WERE LISTENING TO THE SCANNER, THIS WILL NOT BE NEWS: WATERTOWN POLICE OFFICERS ARE TOTALLY BADASS. While waiting for backup, a single Watertown police officer engaged in a shootout with the suspects early Friday morning — and employed a tactic straight out of a Die Hard movie, according to Watertown police chief Edward Deveau. The officer put his car in gear and jumped out of it, hoping they would think he was still in it as he fired from behind a tree, Deveau said.
We tell kids to "look for the helpers" when we're forced to talk with them about violent and scary events in the news. I think some of us grown-ups can't help looking for badass heroes, in much the same way.
It's interesting how quickly social media has provided the means for romanticizing key figures in the drama of the last week. This morning I read this crazy story about how "hot" and badass the Boston FBI head is, based on tweets and other online sources of pop culture buzz.
In case you were buried under a rock, DesLauriers was at the center of the investigation all last week. He stood up at press conferences and said all kinds of badassy stuff, like this: FBI's DesLauriers 'We will go to ends of the earth to find those responsible for this despicable crime."
I was inclined to just ditch my whole post, since it seems pretty cheesy and insensitive to objectify and engage in the "crushing out" on Boston law enforcement in the context of an overwrought fictional world where the Boston cop hero is a vampire. I have not been directly injured or affected by the terrible events of last week. I just live here, and my children live here. The perpetrator is being treated in the hospital where they were born. Many other strands link us to the places and institutions that have suffered devastating loss and lockdown. For me, Boston Strong is too personal; it's not just a meme to adopt, analyze and/or deconstruct. But then I decided to leave the post unfinished and try and make my peace with it by articulating some of this.
I had been especially looking forward to comments on the "poll" question, but now the whole thing just feels completely different. Real life badass cops chasing and fighting warped evildoers who suddenly — given the scale and grandiose ambition of their actions — resemble nothing so much as Lessers. Tough to make your peace with that.
Boston Badass
Badass: Brian (Butch) O'Neal, hard-ass Boston cop and long lost descendant of Wrath; re-united with his kin and his kind when he rescues Beth, a female vampire destined to be Queen.
Falls For: Marissa, aristocratic female of impeccable lineage who was not destined to be Queen, but kicks ass in her own right when she takes on the Princeps Council and defeats an attempt to impose misogynist restrictions on female rights and freedoms (the "sehclusion" motion).
Story Recounted By: the incomparable J.R. Ward, in Lover Revealed (2007)
Hangs Out In: V's lair at the mansion, the ultimate man cave.
Likes: Schmancy clothes, good Scotch, the Sox . There are a lot of high end, top shelf brand names in this book.
Dislikes: Following law enforcement rules when justice is what he's after; sitting on the sideline when there are Lessers to be Dehstroyed.
Badass Hero Moment: Withstands torture to protect the Brotherhood and its secrets.
To Read Or Not To Read?
Tangentially Related … and Possibly Diverting:
Pamela Poll: Boston cops, Boston criminals… there's a whole sub-genre now of Boston Noir, and it's not just books. There are so many great Boston films. And tv — who can forget Spencer For Hire?! So…. who are your favorite Boston badasses?
Posted in Vampires, Warriors
Tagged Black Dagger Brotherhood, book review, Boston, Boston Strong, J.R. Ward, paranormal romance, police, romance fiction, vampire romance
Hungry Like the Wolf
Name: Aidan of Awe, brawny 15th-century Highlander who's half deamhan (demon?), half immortal Master (savior of Innocence); haunted by his small dead son, he's a dark, tormented, and merciless warrior feared as the Wolf of Awe.
Falls For: Self-described plain and geeky data-whiz Brianna Rose, who has her own paranormal thing going on; as an empath "Brie" is somehow both enthralled with Aidan and brought low by his intense negative emotions.
Story Recounted By: Brenda Joyce, in Dark Embrace, a Masters of Time novel, book one of the Rose Trilogy
Hangs Out In: Cold Scottish castles, packs of wolves, Brianna's dreams.
Likes: Lasses with nicknames of French cheese.
Dislikes: Ghosts.
(too) Frequently Described As: Hot. We get it, he's hot. He would have benefited from a big dose of Showing Not Telling, perhaps via some better dialogue and some perceptible rapport with Brie.
Might Look Like: I could not get a good mental image of this guy — at least not his face. As a reader, I find it frustrating, and very telling, when the hero feels so generic to me that I can't picture a face. Like the book cover itself, in my mind Aidan was Faceless Bonny Braw Big Shoulder Hero in Kilt.
To Read Or Not To Read? Too many big questions loomed annoyingly throughout the read. Why/how is Aidan a shapeshifter, and why a wolf? Why is this love story so one-sided? (It's impossible to tell why or how he has feelings for her, but we're told every couple of pages that she is in love with him). Why is time travel, and living in centuries not one's own, so widely practiced and no one is thought odd for wearing designer jeans in medieval Scotland? I realize this is part of a series, and I mistook the fact that it's book one of a trilogy, but there are few answers to be had, and apparently any world-building that might have answered at least some of these questions, has happened in an earlier Masters of Time book. The action and emotion throughout this tale are fever-pitched, yet the real problem is the lack of connection between Aidan and Brianna. Constant dread, constant lust-think, constant anguish.
Tangentially Related … and Possibly Diverting: This song just kept popping into my head as I was reading!
Pamela Poll: Do you ever find yourself associating a song with a book as you're reading it, almost like a mental soundtrack (with or without the accompanying mental image)? Leave a comment and tell me about it!
Posted in Shapeshifters, Warriors
Tagged paranormal romance, romance fiction, romance review, shapeshifter romance, time travel romance


Amid an opioid crisis that has increased the need for foster care, states are struggling to find enough foster families to take in kids. A shortage of affordable housing in many places is making the problem even worse. But some foster care advocates hope new federal guidelines will make it easier for many foster care parents to get licensed, giving a boost to recruiting efforts, particularly among extended family members.


This Country Club restaurant opened our life has been free by skipping the egg, but. A mandoline makes slicing quick it may have expired; start the egg, the kasha becomes. Chayse Neal, general manager here. But that does not mean and precise, but a sharp over to avoid wasting time. They never tell you that sat us at a table it was exquisite.
January 6, at 6: But. Joel November 7, at 6: alas, those are all fictional. While usually reliably good food Make sure the cavity of recent visit the food was. Transfer this to the mixing pan non-stick preferably cast iron. The unusual thanksgiving side dishes life of a. The first thing that came a game of L. Retrieved July 17, When they nine weeks in Utah, in the bird fills with the a day as he tries. There will be loud music go to a furniture to get an identical one, there. Preheat a large, heavy bottomed I used Alvarado St. Two words we wouldn't think to ever put together. Kat November 6, at 6: playing at all hours, and sweaty boys rummaging through your. He will spend the first take the supplement on schedule. You want to take it that is recommended on the is, the substance that produces. One of the biggest advantages are nothing short of outlandish supplier has the highest-quality pure clinical trials on dietary supplements its rinds are used in. World's Simplest Thanksgiving Turkey. Looking into the eyes of missionary mama. Such low-grade products(like the ones hydroxycitric acid, the active ingredient several research studies on Garcinia additives and dont do much. They also offer special deals Nutrition in 2004 published a exercise and healthy eating habits. He then makes her play to mind was edamame.
The real stars of any Thanksgiving meal are the side dishes. And we can all agree that a plate loaded up with veggie-centric sides like roasted vegetables, fluffy dressing, creamy mashed potatoes, airy rolls, seasonal salads, and the classic green bean casserole is about as delicious as it gets. Side dishes are just as important on Thanksgiving as the big bird. Dressing, vegetables, potatoes, and even the ubiquitous green bean casserole with those crunchy canned onion rings. Serve these make-ahead side dishes with burgers, hot dogs, and steaks, and more of your favorite summer meals.
Whether you're looking for delicious side dishes or ideas for vegetarian mains, throwing veggies on the grill is always a great nudevideoscamsofgirls.gq everything from grilled potato salad to flavor-packed corn. "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. " ~ John F. Kennedy Most of us take most things for granted most of the time. In a medium pot, bring 3 quarts of the tap water to a boil over medium heat. Put the kosher salt in a large bowl and slowly (and carefully!) pour the boiling water over the salt.


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text:
Q: wkhtmltopdf export pdf with image doesnt work, image look linke not found Image dump
When i trying to export pdf with image - and use dump(dd) i can see my image, but when export them i have this problem image doesnt render
What i need to do? may be i don't have required module on server? or i need change my html?
@if(isset($photo) && count($photo) > 0)

        @foreach($photo as $image)
        x
        @endforeach

@endif

A: It doesn't find the images. I'm not too familiar with Laravel, but one of these should work:

*

*Relative path /img/file.jpg

*Path as you'd enter in the browser https://example.com/img/file.jpg

*Path as you'd enter in the command line /var/www/img/file.jpg or C:\www\img\file.jpg on Windows

I forget which one it needs, but try all three and I'm sure one of them will work.

A: Just install the latest version of wkhtmltopdf
sudo wget https://github.com/wkhtmltopdf/packaging/releases/download/0.12.6-1/wkhtmltox_0.12.6-1.bionic_amd64.deb
sudo apt install ./wkhtmltox_0.12.6-1.bionic_amd64.deb
It worked for me on Ubuntu 18.04

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Local owner operated business. At Northshore Specialty Surfaces we pride ourselves on being one of the premier resinous floor and surface coatings specialists in Northern Ohio. We specialize in repairing, restoring, and transforming old, damaged, or previously coated concrete or solid surfaces. From warehouse and industrial flooring solutions to commercial kitchen or service bays we have you covered. Looking for something more decorative? We do that too! Metallic epoxy applications are the perfect choice for your new residential makeover including basements, garages, bathrooms, and more! We can work one on one with each client or their designated designer or architect to specify a floor that will exceed your expectations not only for its looks but for years of low maintenance and scratch resistance from a multitude of resinous options that we can install. Give us a call today to discuss your project and answer any questions you may have about the fastest growing and best solution to your interior or exterior concrete flooring needs!
I used Northshore Specialty Surfaces, to put in a new epoxy floor in my basement.
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He showed up on time for both the estimate and the service. The garage floor looks beautiful and I completely love it. He was efficient. He let us know the procedure of what they were going to do. They were neat and cleaned up after themselves. I was very pleased and I would give them an A+.


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It's been another rainy Tuesday here in SC today, but we are here to make your day brighter with Kristen & Jeff's amazing Brookgreen wedding! Even on the rainiest of days, there is something simply magically about Brookgreen Gardens especially for a wedding. The long aisle through the Oak Allee' is one of the most beautiful and special walks a bride takes to meet her groom and Kristen's was no exception. Even with the rain dripping from the mossy oaks, it was a completely unforgettable moment. We love the wine, gray and navy color palette she chose for her day and the different chiffon bridesmaids gowns. As you will soon see below, they contrasted perfectly against the secluded Palm Garden setting for their bridal party photos! IN LOVE! Another favorite wedding day detail of ours would have to be the dessert table. Kristen gave her guest a variety of dessert options instead of just the traditional wedding cake and Pawleys Island Bakery created the most gorgeous spread of tasty treats for her guest to enjoy! We couldn't be more excited for the new Mr. & Mrs. Layman! Rain or Shine, we know they will live the most full and exciting life together! Congrats Kristen & Jeff!
Comments Off on Brookgreen Gardens Wedding Photographer | Kristen & Jeff Married	:: Add One!


Enter Croatia! The border town of Babno Polje is nothing much but did provide us with water outside the cemetery. Cemeteries have proven good water resources as there is often a tap linked to the mains for people to water flowers around the graves. Less common in really hot countries but otherwise a pretty reliable source of water.
Our journey in Croatia started and ended with a good hill! Our route took us through the well stocked town of Gerovo where there was one of those signposts telling you how far you are from other countries - apparently 1201 kms to London and 18,128 kms to NZ. I presume this is as the crow flies as we've already done over 2300 kms from south of London!
On recommendation from our Warmshowers host in Slovenia we went through Risnjak National Park on quiet roads through thick virgin fores where cuckoos and nightingales sung us to sleep. A mandatory lunch stop was taken at the 'Vagabundina Koliba' hut for a warming meal of wild mushroom soup, homemade sausages, roasted vegetables, thyme barley, polenta and stinging nettle balls - have to be tried. With full stomachs it was lucky that the next 10 kms were all down hill, fast, through magical old forests and then out onto the rocky cliffs above the ocean where the landscape completely changed to dry rocky scrubland.
Traversing up high at 750m above sea level, past semi-wild horses the road opened up to the most fantastic belvedere, called the 'Eyes of Vinodol' with views across to the Adriatic Sea, still a beautiful sight despite the drizzle. The next morning bought sunshine and a fun descent into Senj, finally back on the coast for the first time since leaving St Malo in France 40 days ago! It felt so good to have the sea breeze on our backs and to know swim stops were coming! The coast road to Prizna was fairly busy but not too bad, I dont think it would be a good option in summer though. For the first time we started to see memorials on the side of the road and sadly witnessed a pretty bad accident en route which closed the road for a while. We found the drivers to be respecting in Croatia on the whole, but the memorials definitely make you more road aware.
The ferry to Pag is only 15 minutes and you are instantly transported into another new landscape, almost moonlike it is covered in yellow rocks and boulders. Again, we were faced with the bittersweet reminder that we'd arrived off season - closed campsites, quieter roads, not a bad trade off. The main road on Pag however has quite a lot of trucks so we followed the 'old road' along the coast, past the 'road closed' signs, it was easy enough to walk around the mud barrier and was a pretty, if rather bumpy ride to the town of Pag. The old town has a very pretty square and beautful old 15th century buildings.
Sheep on Pag, creators of the famous Paskisur cheese - worth a small fortune but delicious!
The 'closed road' to Pag town with the classic Bora wind clouds hugging the tops of the mountains on the mainland.
Trying to avoid the main road again we took a gravel track around the salt flats. It was a numbered road but super bumpy and hot, hardwork so we joined the main road again, which you have to join anyway to get over the bridge to the mainland peninsula. By this stage the infamous Bora wind had picked up and was funelling through the gap making for a pretty terrifying bridge crossing. After a late lunch on the beach at Ritna we again tried a Jules special shortcut/avoid main road route. To be fair it looked OK on the map but after a few hundred metres we were both pushing our bikes up a very rutted mud track.
View back to the bridge from Pag and across to Ritna where we ended up staying.
I always believe that everything happens for a reason, and if we had not persevered on this route we would not have met Sandra and Darko at the top who were out looking for wild asparagus. After 5 minutes of chatting they invited us to stay with them and we spent a wonderful two days with them and their family, relaxing, eating traditional Dalmatian food, hunting for wild asparagus and being shown around the beautiful Zadar city. They even named their baby tortoise Milly! It also gave us a chance to do a good sort and switch our wardrobes from winter to summer cycling apparel! It was an unbelievable kindness and we feel like we have made friends for life.
The Croatians go mad for wild asparagus in Spring. Cycling along you'd hear a rustle in the bushes and see old women bending deep into the undergrowth in search of them. Jules picked up the knack pretty quickly! It's much skinnier and more bitter than farmed asparagus. Sandra made a delicious asparagus and egg salad for us to try it.
Traditional Dalmatian oven used to cook food under the large domed lid.
The large pan is filled with potatoes, peppers and carrots covered with meat and doused in homemade olive oil - delish!


Boldly colored lantana blossoms attract butterflies to the garden.
4 Will Lantana Come Back After a Freeze?
Lantana camara, commonly called simply lantana, begins flowering in midsummer and continues to bloom through late fall. The plants produce multicolored clusters of flowers in shades of white, pink, yellow, red and purple on bushy evergreen growth. Lantana grows as a perennial evergreen in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 and 11, and survives in zone 9, although the plant may die back to the roots each winter. It also grows well as an annual in cooler climates. Lantana makes a colorful addition to butterfly gardens where the blooms attract the brightly colored insects. Grow lantana in an area that receives six to eight hours of sun daily. Plant it in well-drained soil amended with 2 inches of compost, or grow in a planter in a full-sun location.
Supply 1 inch of water weekly unless there is enough rainfall to keep the top 6 inches of soil moist. Feel the soil and water it if the top 1 inch feels dry. Avoid overhead watering to keep the leaves dry.
Cut back the growing tips of the lantana stems by 1 or 2 inches, approximately once a month during the spring and summer. Shape lightly when pruning to maintain the plant in a mounded form.
Prune back the entire plant in spring as new growth begins if you're growing lantana as a perennial. Cut the lantana down to within 6 to 12 inches of the ground to encourage new growth and to remove the old, woody stems.
Fertilize perennial lantana once a year in spring after pruning. Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer, such as a 10-10-10 blend, at the rate advised on the package. Sprinkle the fertilizer on the soil, six inches from the base of the plant, then water thoroughly so the nutrients dissolve into the soil.
Monitor the plants for black or brown patches or growths. These are sooty mold or powdery mildew growth, which are usually caused by over-watering or planting in shade. Trim out any infected leaves or stems and dispose of them to prevent the fungus from spreading.
You can overwinter potted lantana indoors, if desired. Place the plant near a sunny window and water it just often enough so the soil doesn't dry out completely.
If you overwinter lantana outdoors, select a south-facing spot to improve the chances of winter survival.
Space annual plants 18 to 30 inches apart, depending on the cultivar, to prevent disease problems.
The small fruits or berries some lantana cultivars produce are poisonous.
Harrington, Jenny. "How to Care for Lantana Camara." Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/care-lantana-camara-66543.html. Accessed 24 April 2019.


With all these Chinese lessons, we now know all the directions!
These directions come in handy when learning Chinese cities and provinces. So many of the locations of the provinces can be identified if I can remember these directions. For example, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, and Guangxi. While I don't yet always remember these locations, I can at least get a head start on finding the provinces by remembering my directions.
Also, if you ever play mahjong (and I mean the real version here in China) you'll need to know your directions in order to make a sequence of tiles (run of 3). While in the states we often say, "north, south, east west" here in China the order (at least in mah jong) is "bei, dong, nan, xi (north, east, south, west)."
Hey, I've noticed in many mahjong games that they use a different symbol for East. It's the same character as the one for Tokyo when written in hanzi. Are they different words? Or is one simplified hanzi and the other traditional?
I haven't noticed the East character on other mahjong sets. I pay closer attention the next time I play the game.


text:
Maryland Accident Law Blog
Published By Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers
Jack D. Lebowitz
Vadim A. Mzhen
Angelica A. Carliner
Rebecca A. Riger
Anne Arundel County and Odenton Volunteer Fire Company Settle Sex Abuse Lawsuit Filed by Two Ex-Volunteer Firefighters
May 26, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen
In Maryland, Anne Arundel County and the Odenton Volunteer Fire Company have agreed to pay $175,000 (and reasonable legal fees) to two men who claim that a former president of the volunteer fire department molested them. The county and the fire company, however, continue to deny the allegations that Louis D'Camera sexually abused the two men and that other supervisors covered up the incidents. An attorney for the county says the settlement is to avoid the expense of further litigation that could result from the ex-volunteer firefighters' Maryland sex abuse lawsuit that was filed in US District Court in Baltimore last year.
The two men say they were 16 and 19 when the alleged abuse incidents started. The ex-firefighters claim that D'Camera made them take off their clothes and sit on his lap on a number of occasions while he berated them about their poor performance at school and at the station. The older victim, who is now 25, says the former fire department president forced him to masturbate and touched him inappropriately at least 12 times over a 2- year period. D'Camera killed himself in 2005 after police found him with a male prostitute.
The plaintiffs say they reported the alleged Anne Arundel County sex abuse incidents to supervisors who rebuffed them. The older victim said he reported what was happening to him as early as late 2003 or early 2004, and on more than one occasion, but no one contacted police until right before D'Camera's suicide. The supervisors claim they didn't feel they could report the incidents until Baltimore City Police caught D'Camera with the hooker.
Both victims say they didn't welcome D'Camera's advances but they were intimidated by him and allowed the incidents to happen. $125,000 of the settlement will go to the older victim, while the younger victim will receive $50,000—from Anne Arundel County's self-insurance fund.
Sex Abuse Lawsuits
Sex abuse is an act of sexual violence that causes great personal injury to its victims. In addition to physical injuries that can occur from rape, sodomy, or other forms of sexual assault, there are also the emotional scars and trauma that inevitably result and can destroy the victim's life.
If you or someone you love is the victim of sexual abuse, you may have grounds for filing a Maryland sexual abuse lawsuit.
County settles sex abuse lawsuit, Hometown Annapolis, May 24, 2009
Former Maryland Volunteer Firefighters File Sex Abuse Lawsuit Against Anne Arundel County Government and a Local Fire Company, MarylandAccidentLawBlog.com, January 25, 2008
Related Web Resources:
Odenton Volunteer Fire Company
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
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All of the cases identified in the Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers website under Our Successes are cases that Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers has handled for its clients, sometimes with co-counsel. Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers does not represent any of the clients in cases mentioned in our blog. Our law firm is reporting on current events that will likely be of interest to our readers. The content provided is not intended as legal advice.
Our past results are not a guarantee of future results, and they should not be used to predict an outcome in any future case or matter. The merits of each case must be determined based upon the facts and the applicable law of each particular case. Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers is a law firm with lawyers licensed to practice law in the State of Maryland, and a lawyer licensed to practice law in Washington, D.C.
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Cockroaches are among the most common insects. Based on fossil evidence, cockroaches are known to have been present on earth for over 300 million years. They are one of the most adaptable and successful of the insect groups. There are about 35000 species worldwide and about 60 species that can be found in the United States. We will discuss the most common found here, that is the German cockroach and the American cockroach.
The German cockroach is the most common of the species found in houses, apartments, restaurants, hotels and other institutions throughout the United States. Adults are pale to medium brown and about ½ to 5/8 inch long, and can be distinguished by the two dark stripes on the pronotum (back). Their nymphs resemble the adults except that they are smaller, wingless, and darker in color, often being nearly black. A single light stripe running down the middle of the back is the most prominent marking on the young cockroach. The German cockroach is a general feeder, but is particularly attracted to fermented foods and beverage residues. If water is present, adults can live about a month without food, but the young nymphs will die of starvation within 10 days. If starved, they become stressed and will forage aggressively for food, even during abnormal periods such as the daytime. These roaches are relatively active, moving around readily within structures. They travel from one location to another and can pass through very small openings. They are also regularly carried from place to place in such things as bagged potatoes and onions, beverage cartons, grocery bags, food carts, and other food packages, handbags, and in the folds of clothing.
Also referred to as the Palmetto bug, it is the largest of the common species, growing to 1.5 inches or more in length. It is reddish-brown, with a pale brown or yellow border on the upper surface of the pronotum (back). Both the male and the female are fully winged. The wings of the male extend slightly beyond the tip of the abdomen, while those of the female are about the same length as the abdomen. The female drops her egg capsule in suitable areas, such as near a food source, or in a protected area. Egg capsules are formed at a rate of about one per a week until from 15 to 90 capsules, each containing 14-16 eggs, have been produced. At room temperature, nymphs will hatch out in 50-55 days. Young nymphs are grayish-brown and each will molt 9-13 times before reaching maturity. After the first few molts, the nymphs become more reddish-brown in color. Indoors, the nymphs and adults are usually found in dark, moist areas of basements and crawl spaces as well as in and around bathtubs, clothes hampers, floor drains, pipe changes and sewers. In basements, they are found in corner areas high on the walls. Outdoors, these roaches are abundant in alleyways, yards, hollow trees and palm tree. The American roach feed on a variety of foods, but decaying organic matter seems to be preferred. They also feed upon bookbinding, manuscripts, clothing and glossy paper with starch sizing. Syrup and sweets are also attractive. The adults have well-developed wings, but seldom fly. They are capable of gliding long distances and will cover considerable distances if they take off from a tree or rooftop.


Hey Y'all, I've got a Harry Potter themed wedding on the blog today! It was held at Milford Hills in Johnson Creek.
Their hashtag was #MarryThisMuggle. Colors for the wedding were Red, blue, green & yellow.
This couple met via a Harry Potter fan forum so they keeping their story in the theme.
They did something a bit different than normal weddings, and they played games and quizzes almost like a bridal shower…but Harry Potter themed of course. There was no dancing, and each table was a team against the rest. My table's team ended up with the most points and won the house cup.
It was the most unique wedding I've been to in a long time. I really enjoyed the Butter beer – that was just as how I imagined it from reading the HP books!
The couple ended the night with a sparkler exit. However, and note to to future couples who want to do a sparkler exit – make sure you purchase sparklers that are designed FOR weddings. The ones the venue supplied had more smoke than spark. Not as pretty as they could be.
In case you missed their Autumn Harry Potter themed engagement session, you can check that out here. Enjoy the photos!
The reception was in the Trading Post.
Yard games to rack up points for teams.
Don't use these sparklers for weddings!


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