text:
Kate's Review: "#Murdertrending"
Book: "#Murdertrending" by Gretchen McNeil
Publishing Info: Freeform, August 2018
Where Did I Get This Book: I received an eARC from NetGalley.
Book Description: WELCOME TO THE NEAR FUTURE, where good and honest 8/18 citizens can enjoy watching the executions of society's most infamous convicted felons, streaming live on The Postman app from the suburbanized prison island Alcatraz 2.0.
When eighteen-year-old Dee Guerrera wakes up in a haze, lying on the ground of a dimly lit warehouse, she realizes she's about to be the next victim of the app. Knowing hardened criminals are getting a taste of their own medicine in this place is one thing, but Dee refuses to roll over and die for a heinous crime she didn't commit. Can Dee and her newly formed posse, the Death Row Breakfast Club, prove she's innocent before she ends up wrongfully murdered for the world to see? Or will The Postman's cast of executioners kill them off one by one?
Review: Special thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!
One of my cinematic weaknesses is Arnold Schwarzenegger movies from the 1980s. The best way to give me a great day is a glass of champagne and a marathon of movies like "The Terminator", "Predator", and "Commando" (and maybe toss in "Kindergarten Cop" just to lighten things up a bit). But if I had to pick the one that I like the most just based on cheese factor, it's going to be "The Running Man". For the uninitiated, the plot is that Arnold is a fugitive who gets roped into a reality show in which convicts are hunted down and killed by flamboyant 'stalkers', all in the name of entertainment. Richard "Family Feud" Dawson plays the nefarious TV show host Killian, and Minnesota's own former Governor Jesse Ventura plays retired stalker turned Aerobics Coach Captain Freedom.
Minnesota, hail to thee. (source)
"#Murdertrending" wants to be "The Running Man" with sprinkles of "The Breakfast Club" thrown in, and while it had the ambition to combine the two, it falls a little short.
But first I will start with the good. Given that I am a huge sucker for these deadly dystopian stories involving death as entertainment, "#Murdertrending" was going to always have the advantage right out of the gate. Honestly, if you have a story where people are being killed on a reality show and it stands in as a critique of society, I am going to be here for it. And McNeil has created a world that feels familiar enough so the reader can relate to it, but removed enough that it can definitely be considered future dystopia. Dee Guerrera is thrust into Alcatraz 2.0 at the beginning of the book, and it's the perfect way to slowly reveal the world building in an organic way. One of my favorite aspects of this book was the social media bookends to each chapter, with viewers and 'fans' of the show chatting on message boards and Twitter-like sites. It was a good way to show how the world reacts to and perceives the show they are watching, and also shows how their perceptions start to change as Dee and her allies on Alcatraz 2.0 try to survive the island. The tech on the island was fun too, with cameras and drones being used in creepy and interesting ways. The stakes did feel fairly high, as McNeil did a good job of showing consequences and how deadly they could be if you made a wrong move on the island. In terms of plot and world building, "#Murdertrending" was an addictive and fun book.
But when it comes to the characters in this book, aka the Death Row Breakfast Club, I was left a bit underwhelmed overall. Dee was fine for the most part, but a lot of the time (given that it's first person) she slips into the 'I'm snarky and sarcastic, isn't that cool?' attitude that we see far too often in YA thrillers and horror. I wasn't all that invested in her story, be it surviving the island or clearing her name in the murder of her stepsister, and while I liked how she interacted with some of her fellow prisoners (specifically Nyles, a British teen who is geeky as heck) I wasn't worried about her well being. I also felt that some of her backstory involving a kidnapping didn't quite mesh well with other parts of her character, and I wish that it had been integrated a bit better. The group mostly fit a bunch of familiar tropes: the jock, the bad girl, the nerdy boy, the weirdo, etc, and none of them felt like they were much more beyond their tropes. If I was pressed to pick a favorite character, I'd probably go for Griselda, the snarky and mean bad girl who is clearly the Bender of this Breakfast Club. But even that was more because I LOVE that character trope of 'damaged bad boy/girl who is actually hurting' and less because of who she was as a full person. Even when a big reveal came near the end of the book, while I didn't necessarily see it coming I didn't really have an "OH MY GOSH WHAT?!" moment from it either. And oh man, the ending. I hate endings like this one. I won't spoil it, but just know that it was frustrating to get to the last page and have that tossed out there.
"#Murdertrending" had a lot of positives going for it and a couple negatives as well, but I did find it to be an entertaining read that kept me going. If you aren't so worried about characterization and are just here for straight up thrills, it's a good book to end the summer with!
Rating 6: An entertaining thriller that doesn't rock any boats, "#Murdertrending" is a solid story that feels part "Running Man", part "Breakfast Club". I just wish that the characters had been a little more well rounded outside the usual tropes.
Reader's Advisory:
"#Murdertrending" is new and isn't on many specific Goodreads lists, but it is included on "Should Be Made Into a TV Show" , and would fit in on "Let the (Deadly) Games Begin!"
Find "#Murdertrending" at your library using WorldCat!
Author thelibraryladiesmnPosted on August 14, 2018 July 27, 2018 Categories Kate's ReviewsTags 6 Rating, Dystopian, Thriller, Young AdultLeave a comment on Kate's Review: "#Murdertrending"
Serena's Review: "Your One & Only"
Book: "Your One & Only" by Adrianne Finlay
Publishing Info: HMH Books for Young Readers, February 2018
Where Did I Get this Book: Bookish First
Book Description: Jack is a walking fossil. The only human among a sea of clones. It's been hundreds of years since humanity died off in the slow plague, leaving the clones behind to carry on human existence. Over time they've perfected their genes, moving further away from the imperfections of humanity. But if they really are perfect, why did they create Jack?
While Jack longs for acceptance, Althea-310 struggles with the feeling that she's different from her sisters. Her fascination with Jack doesn't help. As Althea and Jack's connection grows stronger, so does the threat to their lives. What will happen if they do the unthinkable and fall in love?
Review: There have been a few YA clone books released over the last five years or so to varying degrees of success. Somehow I've not read any of them, even though the concept of clones has always intrigued me.
I liked "The Island," I don't care what you say!! (source)
So I was excited when I received "Your One & Only" from Bookish First, a story set sometime in the future in a city populated only by clones. Althea310, one of 9 varieties of clones, is shocked and disturbed when her teacher introduces a new class member, a boy named Jack who is strange and frightening. He's not a clone, but instead a member of an extinct species: humans.
Jack's introduction doesn't go well, with several of the other clone groups reacting with fear, suspicion, and even anger. The story jumps forward in time a few years at a time, and at every point, we see the stark divide between Jack, the sole human in this insular world, and the clones that have created him and people it. The clones exist in an orderly system comprised of "generations" for each of the 9 prototypes, with 10 clones in each group. These groups, like the Altheas that Althea310 is a part of, are able to commune with each other, sharing thoughts and feelings through some sort of telephatic connection. To them, Jack's inability to commune and the fact that his doesn't have 9 other brothers makes him seem terribly alone and, in a way, unreal, like a chair or piece of equipment. They feel nothing from him, so how can he himself feel anything?
The creative and detailed world-building was one of the strongest aspects of this book. The world of the clones is incredibly well thought out, with their society structured around their system of orderly reproduction (via growth of new clones), life (during which each of the clone types possess a unique talent, like aptitude towards science or leadership), and death. Their only fear is falling out of alignment with their fellow clones, an unclear process but one which ultimately results in the clone needing to be exterminated as they are seen as no longer functional.
Throughout the story, we are given increasing glimpses into the history of this society. What exactly happened to the rest of the world? Who were the founders who served as the source DNA for these 9 clone types and what was their goal with creating them? We also begin to see that something isn't quite right with the clones and the way their lives, seemingly so peaceful and orderly, are playing out.
With the story alternating between Jack and Althea310, we begin peeling back this world. Jack's story is heartbreaking to the extreme. He is essentially an experiment that is being conducted by the clones, and his life is one of isolation, loneliness, and the feeling that he can never belong in this world. Through his eyes, we see the great degree of difference that exists between him, a "natural" human, and the clones. The best example come in the form of his love for music and playing the guitar. To the clones, this "music" is jarring noise and they can't comprehend of his reasons for doing it.
Althea310, on the other hand, gives us a closer look into what it means to be a clone, how the communing works, and her own views on her society, especially once she begins to question things when more exposed to Jack and his differences.
The story does an excellent job of exploring large subjects, like empathy, family, and what it takes to be "human." A tender love story is laid out next to a building sense of horror and dread as the story picks up speed towards the end heading towards what must be a catastrophic collision of views. When the curtain is finally fully pulled back, what is left is both tragic and horrific. But, for all of this, the story is one of hope and resilience.
I really enjoyed this book. It's a short, quick read but manages to pack in tons of world-building and two solid lead characters, all while creating a suspenseful plot and exploring complicated aspects of humanity. If you enjoy science fiction and dystopian fiction, definitely give "Your One & Only" a go!
Rating 8: Jam packed with heart, you'll be left thinking about this book for many days after!
"Your One & Only" can be found on these Goodreads lists: "Best Sci-Fi/Futuristic Romance" and "Genetics in Science Fiction."
Find "Your One & Only" at your library using WorldCat!
Author thelibraryladiesmnPosted on March 28, 2018 April 10, 2018 Categories Serena's ReviewsTags 8 Rating, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Young AdultLeave a comment on Serena's Review: "Your One & Only"
Serena's Review: "Thunderhead"
Book: "Thunderhead" by Neil Shusterman
Publishing Info: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, January 2018
Where Did I Get this Book: bought it!
Book Description: Rowan has gone rogue, and has taken it upon himself to put the Scythedom through a trial by fire. Literally. In the year since Winter Conclave, he has gone off-grid, and has been striking out against corrupt scythes—not only in MidMerica, but across the entire continent. He is a dark folk hero now—"Scythe Lucifer"—a vigilante taking down corrupt scythes in flames.
Previously Reviewed: "Scythe"
Review: Looking back, I'm kind of surprised that "Scythe" didn't find its way onto my Top 10 reads for the year list. Just goes to show that I read a lot of amazing books last year, so even great ones that I completely enjoyed reading failed to make my Top 10. But reading "Thunderhead" just hit home again how much I enjoy Shusterman's writing and the complex, nuanced, and entertaining world he has created in this series. If anything, I think "Thunderhead" takes this entire series to a new level.
Starting off a year after the events of the first book, Citra has settled in to life as a scythe and Rowan has fully committed to his rogue existence attempting to weed out the corruption that he sees within the organization. But beyond these two, we get two new voices. One is the Thunderhead itself who oversees the action of this story with increasing dismay and almost tragic realizations. And the other is a boy named Greyson Tolliver who has practically been raised by the Thundhead and who wishes for nothing more than do commit his life to helping it. But between them all, will they have the power to halt the terrifyingly fast descent into corruption that is taking over the Scythedom? Especially when new power come onto the scene with their own plans for the future of scythes?
As far as characters go, I was always fully on board with Citra and Rowan, and their arcs in this book just further reinforced my love for them. As a new scythe, Citra has come up with her own gleaning methods: she chooses to let her targets know she has selected them, but then gives them a month to come to terms with it and select the method with which they'd like to go. This seems perfectly in line with Citra's morality and was also a fun surprise as it answers a moral question that we had at bookclub when we reviewed the first book, about the fact that some of the methods of gleaning were more gruesome than others and it would be rough having that completely left up to chance. So it was fun to see Citra recognize that same concern and solve it in her own way.
Further, this choice, as well as the way that she side-stepped having to glean Rowan in the first book, have lead her to become somewhat of a celebrity and leader among the younger and newer scythes. Citra is reluctant to take on this role, but throughout the book, she learns the importance of providing leadership, even if it's not something you crave. Perhaps especially if it's not something you crave.
Rowan's arc is a bit less predictable, and I can't get into many of the details of his story without resorting to spoilers. But I like the fact that his rogue existence is presented as incredibly challenging. The scythedom isn't just sitting back and letting him do this. However, there is a lot of confusion about the fact that the Thunderhead, particularly, IS essentially just sitting back and letting him dot his. This complicated power balance between the Thunderhead and the scythedom is key to this story, and the path that Rowan walks is just one example of it.
When I saw that this book was titled "Thunderhead," I knew that we were going to get a lot more information about the benevolent AI that runs the world in this series. In the first book, I remember particularly enjoying the fact that the Thunderhead was presented as a completely positive force, so I was worried that in this book we were going to fall back on the rather trope-y "but OF COURSE the AI is evil and trying to take over the world!" That doesn't turn out to be the case…at least so far…dun dun DUN.
I was particularly pleased to see the interlude sections between chapters that before were made up of various scythes' journal entries were completely given over to the internal musing of the Thunderhead. It was fascinating reading through the "eyes" of this being and exploring its own thoughts on humanity, its own awareness, and the balance that it has created between them. Further, the Thunderhead has its own role to play, and I loved the creativity and emotion that was given to a being that could have simply been a glorified computer system. By the end, I was completely invested in the Thunderhead as a character itself and upset on its behalf with regards to certain things that were happening. The ending, in particular, leaves some huge question marks about the Thunderhead's future, and I can't wait to find out where this is all going.
I also very much enjoyed the introduction of Greyson Tolliver. Through him, we get to see a lot of the inner workings of the rest of the world, outside of the scythedom and their work. For one thing, there is an entire organization that is centered around doing work for the Thunderhead, and this is where Greyson Tolliver first dreams of working. We also explore the lives and society of the "unsavory" members of the population, those who fight against the norms of the world. This could have so easily become a stereotypical portrayal of rebellion and anger, but instead it went in directions that I never would have expected. We also get to see more of the motivations and society of the Tonists, the sole remaining religious organization of the world.
In so many ways, this book took what now seems like a very insular little story in the first book, and blew up it up by ten times the magnitude. This world is so much more complex and complicated than I first thought! With the unsavories themselves, the "free states" like Texas where the Thunderhead is experimenting with letting humanity have more free reign, the ways that the Thunderhead has attempted to move society past any point where they might romanticize the past, and the history of the scythedom and the creation of the Thunderhead itself. There's just so much!
Through all of these things, Shusterman explores what it means to be human, what makes certain choices and expressions of emotion important to some and not to others, and how corruption can creep its way into even the most perfect of societies. By the end of the story I was both compulsively reading, unable to put the book down, but also absolutely dreading what could happen on the next page. Shusterman has definitely raised the stakes with this one, and while you should absolutely check this book out RIGHT NOW, be warned that you'll be left completely ruined while waiting for the next one!
Rating 9: A fantastic sequel that expands this world exponentially and leaves readers craving more!
"Thunderhead" is still a new book and so isn't on many relevant Goodreads lists, but it should be on "Best artificial intelligence books."
Find "Thunderhead" at your library using WorldCat
Author thelibraryladiesmnPosted on February 7, 2018 January 27, 2018 Categories Serena's ReviewsTags 9 Rating, Dystopian, Young Adult1 Comment on Serena's Review: "Thunderhead"
Book Club Review: "Scythe"
We are part of a group of librarian friends who have had an ongoing bookclub running for the last several years. Each "season" (we're nerds) we pick a theme and each of us chooses a book within that theme for us all to read. Our current theme is a "Dewey Call Number" theme. This book comes from a Dewey Decimal Call Number range, and has to fit the theme of that range.
For this blog, we will post a joint review of each book we read for bookclub. We'll also post the next book coming up in bookclub. So feel free to read along with us or use our book selections and questions in your own bookclub!
Book: "Scythe" by Neil Shusterman
Publishing Info: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, November 2016
Where Did I Get this Book: Giveaway from ALA 2017!
Dewey Decimal Call Number: 600s (Medicine and Technology)
Book Description: Thou shalt kill.
Kate's Thoughts
This book had been on my list but had never quite made it to my pile, so imagine my delight when Serena picked it for book club! I love Shusterman and his writing, and the premise itself is just like catnip to me. A future where people have conquered death, but still have to cull the population somehow, so they recruit 'Scythes' to do it? YES YES YES!
And it really lived up to my hopes and dreams and expectations. I liked that Shusterman thought outside the box for this book, giving us less dystopia and more utopia, but with the consequences a utopia would have. The idea that a person can regenerate to their younger physical self while maintaining everything else in their life is rich with possibilities, and I feel like Shusterman really did a good job of world building. From the Thunderhead to the small cultural things (like 'splatting', which sounds like the planking fad but with jumping off buildings because you can be rebuilt), he really made something that I wanted to explore to its limits.
I also really loved the characters. You have your veteran Scythes, Curie and Farraday, who both have their own approaches to 'gleaming', the process where they remove people from the population by killing them. Both Farraday and Curie end up as two of the mentors to our protagonists, Citra and Rowan, and their philosophies show that great care and reflection can be taken towards their jobs. An overarching theme in this is that people who are Scythes don't want the job, and because they don't want the job means they are the ones who should do the job. Both Farraday and Curie have these deep emotional moments surrounding that philosophy, and they were very likable and incredibly poignant. Between our protagonists I liked Citra more, but I think that's because her arc was more about finding that balance between the job they must do, and how they can do it in the most thoughtful way possible. Rowan fell into a more used trope, as he is ultimately trained by a renegade Scythe named Goddard whose love for Scything is deeply disturbing, and his methods reflect that. I liked Rowan, I especially liked him with Citra, but where he ends up and where it looks like he's going to go is less interesting because I feel like, as of now, we've seen it before.
I will say, though, that their relationship and their innate pull towards each other is going to make for a VERY interesting path in future books.
Frankly, I'm hoping for a Veronica/JD from "Heathers" dynamic. (source)
Speaking of, I cannot wait for "Thunderhead" to come out. I'm so far down the list at the library, but oh MAN will it be worth it!
Serena's Thoughts
I chose this book for bookclub even though I had already read (and reviewed) it. But that's how much I enjoyed it! And it fit perfectly with my designated Dewey section which had a focus on medicine and technology. The whole story is about the effects that a perfected medical system, one that allows everyone to live forever, has on society. And for technology, we have the Thunderhead, the seemingly neutral AI that directs much of this world's systems.
I won't recap my entire previous review, but much of what I said then remained true in my appreciation of the book a second time. The sheer scope of creativity and attention to detail is what makes this world stand out as so fully realized and believable. Every minute aspect of society is touched by this one essential change. Without death, how would family life change? How would one approach day-to-day things like going to work or school? Would our friendships and marriages remain the same when the people we are befriending and marrying will now likely be around for centuries and "to death do us part" means a whole new thing?
Shusterman succeeds in one of the most challenging aspects of writing a dystopia/utopia storyline. Reading books like "The Hunger Games" or "Divergent," it's immediately clear to the reader that these worlds are terrible and it's often confusing to see how they got to be where they ended up. How were people on board with that very first Hunger Games system where their children died? How did that overly complicated and nonsensically limited system of dividing people ever even get traction in "Divergent?" But here, it's so easy to see how the world could end up in this place. Per Shusterman's goal, the question can still be posed about whether this is a utopia OR a dystopia? Life seems pretty good for most of society and the steps that would move the world in that direction are easy enough to spot even today!
The second book has the rather ominous title of "Thunderhead," so I'm excited to see where he is taking the series next. Will more of the curtain be pulled back and reveal a nasty underbelly to this seemingly well-ordered world? Is the Thunderhead truly a benevolent system? I'm excited to find out!
If you'd like to read my full, original review, here it is.
Kate's Rating 9: Such a creative and engrossing novel! I love the characters and the world that Shusterman created, and cannot wait to see what happens next.
Serena's Rating 9: I loved it just as much reading it again six months later! So much so that I went ahead and pre-ordered the sequel that is coming out any day now.
Book Club Questions
Shusterman set out with the goal to write a true utopia. Did he succeed? Would you want to live in this world? Are there aspects that appeal to you and others that seem particularly challenging?
There are a lot of advances to medicine and technology presented in this book. Do any of them seem more plausible or likely to be invented? Any that are unbelievable?
Between Citra and Rowan, were you more drawn to one or the other's character and story? Which one and why?
We are presented with several different approaches to performing the work of a Scythe. Did any particular approach stand out to you? What are you thoughts on the various method of culling that are used? Are any more or less ethical?
The Thunderhead is presented as a benevolent AI and plays an unexpected role in this story. What did you make of it? Any predictions, given the next book is titled after it?
If you were a Scythe, what name would you choose for yourself and why?
"Scythe" is on these Goodreads lists: "Fiction Books About Grief, Death and Loss" and "Grim Reaper Books."
Find "Scythe" at your library using WorldCat
Next Book Club Pick: "Book of a Thousand Days" by Shannon Hale
Author thelibraryladiesmnPosted on January 8, 2018 March 6, 2019 Categories Bookclub ReviewsTags 9 Rating, Dystopian, Young AdultLeave a comment on Book Club Review: "Scythe"
Kate's Review: "Sleeping Beauties"
Book: "Sleeping Beauties" by Stephen King and Owen King
Publishing Info: Scribner, September 2017
Where Did I Get This Book: The library!
Book Description: In this spectacular father-son collaboration, Stephen King and Owen King tell the highest of high-stakes stories: what might happen if women disappeared from the world of men?
In a future so real and near it might be now, something happens when women go to sleep; they become shrouded in a cocoon-like gauze. If they are awakened, if the gauze wrapping their bodies is disturbed or violated, the women become feral and spectacularly violent; and while they sleep they go to another place. The men of our world are abandoned, left to their increasingly primal devices. One woman, however, the mysterious Evie, is immune to the blessing or curse of the sleeping disease. Is Evie a medical anomaly to be studied, or is she a demon who must be slain? Set in a small Appalachian town whose primary employer is a women's prison, Sleeping Beauties is wildly provocative and gloriously absorbing.
Review: Happy Halloween, friends!!!! I hope that you are all doing (or have been doing some great things to celebrate the holiday!! I'm unfortunately working today, but then tonight I'm going to watch some gory horror movies and hand out candy to the neighborhood children. I have been saving an epic book for my Halloween review, and what better book than the newest one by Stephen King and his son Owen, "Sleeping Beauties". Clocking in at about seven hundred pages, this book is a bit of a behemoth, but the timing was such that it ended up being the book with which I close out my HorrorPalooza reviews (though fear not, lots more horror reviews to come in the near future).
Stephen King has always known how to write a tense and dark disaster tale, be it "Under the Dome", or my personal favorite "The Stand", and when he teams up with Owen King they bring us a dark and dreamy tale of a world without women. Well, mostly. The human women of the world have started to fall asleep, and a gauzy film grows over their faces as they refuse to awaken. If you try to remove the film, the woman will violently and graphically attack you before going back to her slumber. This is definitely the stuff of nightmares, but in this book it never really treads fully into pure horror territory. Tense, yes. But there is also a dreaminess about it that makes you feel more like you're living within, well, a dream. The cast of characters is huge, and we see perspectives of many different people. At times it was hard to keep up with them all, but they all mostly had connections to each other within the small town of Dooling and the Women's Prison that is nearby. The characters come from a number of different backgrounds, be it Clint Norcross, the Prison psychologist, or Lila, the Sheriff of the town and Clint's wife, or Jeanette, a prisoner who is trying to do good so she can do right by her son, or many many others. I liked seeing how all of them responded to the sudden crisis, and the places that the Kings took the reactions, from the sad, to the disturbing. My favorite character by far, though, was Evie, the mysterious woman who shows up in town just as the ladies start falling under the mysterious spell. She is both menacing and whimsical, frightening and utterly charming, and I loved that we got to know her, without getting to know much at all.
I also liked the setting of this book. Stephen King has always done a very good job of creating a small town and exposing it's underbelly, but along with Dooling we get to see where these women 'go', when they are 'asleep' (though not all of the women characters fall asleep; some stay awake through either drug induced interventions). A sort of post-apocalyptic world comprised entirely of women is a fascinating concept, and where they are is a little "Y, The Last Man" and a little "The Stand", but without the carnage and tragedy and violence. Sure, it kind of raises some hamfisted musings about how if women ran society it would be a peaceful place because they are just so so good, but I liked seeing a new society built up without the usual bickering and power plays that come with a story like this when dudes are in charge. Especially given some of the stuff coming out about violence and sexual mistreatment of women across our present society. Did I think it was a bit cloying and kind of 'madonna'-esque? Sure. But man, it did kind of sound nice, if only for a short while.
I do think that this book was kind of long and filled with so many characters it was hard to keep up. The Kings provide a handy dandy chart at the beginning of the book giving us all the characters and their roles in town. This was a nice resource to have, but damn, if you need that resource maybe there are just too many characters you're trying to juggle. I think that some of the subplots were kind of unnecessary, and it could have probably been trimmed down by a hundred pages or so. But I also understand that when you have two writers, both of them from the King family, there might be lots of ideas that are ultimately going to want to make the final cut. And when you're part of the King family, who is to say no to that? I just found myself having to go back and remind myself of various things because there was so much to keep straight, and that's not always a good thing when you're trying to be absorbed in an otherwise well thought out story.
Overall, I thought that "Sleeping Beauties" was a well done collaboration between father and son. They blended their voices together well enough that it did feel like one voice and contributor, and that can be hard. This may not be the usual fare that one may expect from Stephen King, but hey, the guy is expanding his horizons, and it's nice to tag along. It also makes me interested in picking up more of Owen's work, to see if I can pinpoint his influence.
Rating 7: An epic and dark fantasy that explores gender, human nature, and societal roles between the sexes. It was a little convoluted, a little hamfisted at times, and a little long, but Stephen and Owen King mostly achieve a book that raises some legitimate questions and examines the human condition.
"Sleeping Beauties" is included on the Goodreads lists "ZZZZZzzzzzzzz", and "Stephen King Books" (in case you didn't already know).
Find "Sleeping Beauties" at your library using WorldCat!
Author thelibraryladiesmnPosted on October 31, 2017 October 18, 2017 Categories Kate's ReviewsTags 7 Rating, Dystopian, horrorLeave a comment on Kate's Review: "Sleeping Beauties"
Book Giveaway: "Lost in Arcadia"
Book: "Lost in Arcadia" by Sean Gandert
Publishing Info: 47North, July 2017
Book Description: The brainchild of reclusive genius Juan Diego Reyes, Arcadia is a wickedly immersive, all-encompassing social-media platform and virtual-reality interface. Although Arcadia has made the Reyes family fabulously wealthy, it's left them—and the rest of the country—impoverished of that rare currency: intimacy. When Juan Diego mysteriously vanishes, the consequences shatter the lives of the entire Reyes clan.
As matriarch Autumn struggles to hold the family together, siblings Gideon, Holly, and Devon wrestle with questions of purpose and meaning—seeking self-worth in a world where everything has been cheapened. Outside the artificial safety of Arcadia, America has crumbled into an unrecognizable nation where a fundamentalist ex-preacher occupies the Oval Office, megacorporations blithely exploit their full citizenship, and a twenty-foot-high Great Wall of Freedom plastered with lucrative advertising bestrides the US-Mexican border.
In a polarized society now cripplingly hooked on manufactured highs, the Reyes family must overcome the seduction of simulation to find the kind of authentic human connection that offers salvation for all.
Kate here! A few years ago I was a bridesmaid in the wedding of my best friend from high school, Blake. One of Blake's groomsmen was a guy named Sean Gandert. After a weekend of socializing and dancing together, we hit it off enough to friend one another on various social media platforms and to get into various twitter threads together (one of which about "Room 237", the movie about various "The Shining" conspiracy theories. Oh, the jokes Sean, Blake, and I made that day!). Sean is a freelance writer who has contributed to Paste and LitHub, and now he has a book out called "Lost in Arcadia."
A mix of futuristic dystopia with political satire, "Lost in Arcadia" is not only a thrilling read, it also sounds like one that becomes more and more relevant with each day of this nightmare of an administration. A futuristic AI dreamscape is used to tantalize and distract the people who live in a world where a madman is president, corporations have taken over, and a giant wall is built along the border between the U.S. and Mexico. Timely indeed. And I have some good news: I want to give a copy of "Lost in Arcadia" to one of you so you too can enjoy Sean's work!! For those interested in more information and an excerpt of this book, click HERE to see an article written by Paste Magazine. And for those who want to read some of Gandert's other writing, THIS is a link to an article he wrote about political satire in the age of the Trump White House. Gandert is a talented writer and I am so excited to share his writing! – Kate
Click Here to Enter the Giveaway!
Author thelibraryladiesmnPosted on August 21, 2017 August 16, 2017 Categories GiveawaysTags Dystopian, Science FictionLeave a comment on Book Giveaway: "Lost in Arcadia"
Serena's Review: "Scythe"
Review: Confession: I had never really heard of Neal Shusterman before attending the YA Coffee Klatch at ALA with Kate and hearing her get excited cuz apparently he's a big deal. So big miss for me! What's worse is the day before I had walked by a line where he was signing this book and passed it up, not knowing who he was! But after hearing from Kate that he was quite good and hearing his own synopsis for "Scythe" when he came around our table, I tool the time to seek out a copy of his book later that day. Alas, no signature, but these are the trials.
Shusterman described his book as growing from the question "What would happen if the world solved all of its problems? What would people do in a true Utopia?" "Scythe" is his answer to that question. There are so many interesting concepts presented in this book that I don't even know where to start!
First off, the basic premise of the story is incredibly original and ripe for exploration. Immortality has been reached, but for reasons only briefly touched upon in this book, space exploration was a failure, so humanity is stuck with the world it has. This being the case, overpopulation is a real concern. To solve this problem, the Scythe organization came into existence. Their task is to randomly (emphasis on random) cull the population by killing a certain number of people per year. The family of this person is then granted immunity from culling for the next year. There are so many interesting ideas packed into this seemingly straightforward concept that I can't begin to cover them all: the methods by which Scythes choose their victims, the methods by which they kill them, the combination of hero worship and fear they inspire in the population, the punishment for defying being chosen to die, and the fact that the odds are incredibly low that you will be chosen, though Scythes are a visible presence in the world. So much great stuff!
As mentioned in the synopsis, the central conflict of the story revolves around our two protagonists, Citra and Rowan who have both been chosen to be apprentices to a Scythe. The story alternates between these two and each character was well-drawn and presented a unique reason for why they were selected and how they approach the challenges of killing people for a living. Essentially, neither wanted the job, and that's why they have it. Through their eyes, the layers of the Scythedom are peeled away and we begin to see that for all of its advancement, when left to their own devices for long enough, even the most well-intentioned organization begins to grow rot. There are deviations and factions of the Scythedom, all fighting for control and to shape the direction of the future. Should Scythes remain on the periphery of society, chosen for their distaste of their work but equipped with a strong sense of moral obligation? Or should a "new guard" take over, one that relishes in its task and in the glory that is allowed to all Scythes?
All of this and I still haven't touched on half of the creative and unique world-building aspects of this book. There is the Thunderhead, a rare example of a benign A.I., that essentially runs society. There's Rowan's friend who loves "splatting," jumping off high places only to inevitably be brought back to life each time. There's Citra's and Rowan's training, and there are the well-drawn Scythe elders who alternatively take them under their wing, or force them forward down paths they wish not to tread. Throughout it all, Citra and Rowan form a tenuous alliance, each experiencing very different paths through their year of apprenticeship. The final act was tension filled, and I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see how the many conflicts laid out throughout the story would be wrapped up. The end was satisfying, but did its job and left me all too eager for the next!
I honestly can't say enough good things about this book. It's been a long time since I've read a story that was so totally engrossing, perfectly balancing an action-packed plot, complicated characters with clear story arcs, and fully realized world-building. Definitely check this one out of you are interested in sci-fi or dystopian fiction!
Rating 9: One of the most unique and creative reads of the year so far!
Author thelibraryladiesmnPosted on August 9, 2017 July 21, 2017 Categories Serena's ReviewsTags 9 Rating, Dystopian, Young Adult2 Comments on Serena's Review: "Scythe"


"Having just closed on our new home, I wanted to acknowledge Willie Man who made this important purchase possible for our family. Willie gave us the tools and information we needed, helped get the right answers, and was truly a pleasure to work with. Thank you to Willie and his team for making this crucial part of our relocation and home purchase so gratifying."
Our loan application process generally begins with an initial interview. One of our mortgage professionals will discuss your potential loan, asking relevant questions and understanding your needs. Ideally, it helps to do this before house hunting, to determine in advance how much you can comfortably afford and the mortgage amount you can qualify for.
Nobody knows your finances and comfort level better than you do. Ask your Atlantic Residential loan officer to help you to review your fixed monthly costs, calculate payment figures, and estimate taxes and insurance (and Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) if necessary). This pre-qualification step can save you time and trouble by making certain you're looking in the appropriate price range from the start. Our regulators require us to specifically analyze your ability to repay the mortgage to make a good faith determination about the loan that is best for you.
This important step sets the stage to make the purchasing process smooth. We require a tri-merged credit report for each borrower. We also request accurate income and asset amounts. We include this information in your application and run it through our automated underwriting system to tell us the loan amount for which you may be eligible.
Once you know what is affordable and have been pre-approved, you can start looking for a home.
Once you find the house of your dreams, you'll want to make an offer on the property. Your realtor will work with you to present a competitive offer. It is important that your Atlantic Mortgage loan officer and realtor communicate during this part of the process. For example, they will need to include any seller credits toward closing costs in the offer contract, etc.
Our application process is extremely thorough – we'll help you every step of the way. Check out our Applications section to learn more.
After your offer is accepted, you'll submit your loan application for underwriting. You'll provide documentation to process your loan, such as pay stubs, bank statements and tax returns. It is very important to get this information to your lender as soon as possible, in order to meet your commitment date as stated in your purchase and sales contract. An appraisal on the property will be completed on the property to ensure the value. Atlantic Residential Mortgage will begin the work of verifying all the information you've provided This process can take anywhere from one to four weeks, depending on the loan itself. We like to set realistic expectations for all of our clients in hopes of making the mortgage process go smoothly.
Some home buyers find the closing process to be one of the most intimidating aspects of buying a home or even refinancing. We get it - and we're here to answer questions during each step, from start to finish. Prior to closing, you'll receive a copy of the settlement statement that lists the final costs of purchasing your home. Bring this final amount in the form of a bank check to your closing. After you sign all necessary paperwork, your loan will be recorded. Your attorney will of course be at the closing to represent you and make sure that your loan closes on time and correctly.


The United States Government operates an In Country Refugee Program in Cuba.
Beginning this year, eligibility criteria for the refugee program has been expanded.
Cubans who may apply for refugee interviews in Havana include; former political prisoners, members of persecuted religious minorities, human rights activists, forced labor conscripts during the period 1965 through 1988, persons deprived of their profession, harsh discriminatory treatment resulting from their perceived or actual political or religious beliefs, and others who appear to have a credible claim, that they will face persecution as defined in the United Nations refugee convention.
Person's previously ineligible for a refugee interview under the old criteria, may now qualify for consideration.
Any Cuban who believes he or she qualifies for the refugee program should contact the United States Interest Section (USINT), in Havana.
The spouses and minor unmarried children of refugees may also enter the United States in refugee status.
In addition the following family members of persons granted refugee status can apply for parole into the Untied States.
Family members who reside in the same household and are part of the same economic unit, as the refugee and unmarried sons and daughters regardless of age, or place of residence.
U.S. government representatives have provided information on the In Country Refugee Program to Cubans in safe havens.


The Sapphire Widow The Enchanting Richard Amp Judy Book Club Pick 2018 is good choice for you that looking for nice reading experience. We hope you glad to visit our website. Please read our description and our privacy and policy page.
Finally I get this ebook, thanks for all these The Sapphire Widow The Enchanting Richard Amp Judy Book Club Pick 2018 can get now!


The past couple of years have been living hell for meat lovers all over the world, at least according to the media. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the World Health Organization (WHO) made public the results of a research it conducted a couple of years ago, which appear to strongly link red meat eating to the insurgence of certain types of tumors of the gastro-intestinal apparatus, namely colorectal cancer. The news have bounced around since creating a wave of worry, but also of disbelief and suspicion.
IARC's research let loose a wave of comments and reactions, some imbued with fear, others tending to play the situation down. Of particular interest to we Italians – and to Italy's lovers everywhere – is the strong stand taken by some of our best D.O.P products' producers, such as the Consortia of Prosciutto di Parma and Prosciutto di San Daniele following the news' diffusion, a stand aiming at singling out certain products for their genuinity and wholesomeness, as well as for the century old tradition behind their making, in an attempt to stop the demonization of all that is "red meat"-labelled.
Let us take things in strand and try to analyze the situation, starting from what really the WHO report said and how it applies to the way we live and eat in Italy.
The IARC Report on red meat consumption and cancer: what did it really say?
If you really want to be properly informed about something, then go down to the primary source of it. Nothing wrong in checking what others say about it, mind: you would not be reading what I am writing right now if you did not, but when you really search for answers, especially when it comes to scientific data, you have to go to the original documents and find them there.
The IARC report explains it simply: when it comes to non-processed red meat, the results are based on limited epidemiological evidence. To make things clearer, epidemiology studies the causes and effects of disease conditions on population. It is important because it is through epidemiology we identify risk factors related to certain diseases and illnesses and we manage, as a consequence, to create successful forms of prevention.
"processed meat was classified as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1), based on sufficient evidence in humans that the consumption of (it) causes colorectal cancer." A higher risk, then, seems to be associated to the consumption of processed meat in relation to the insurgence of certain types of cancer.
Processed meat belongs to Group 1 of the IARC classification, the same as smoking and absestos, but before running to the fridge and throw every single pack of bacon in the bin, read on and see why IARC's finding are considered highly misleading by many.
The results related to non-processed red meat consumption are certainly less frightening than those related to processed meat: in the end, IARC itself says epidemiological evidence is limited and even adds that the influence of possible external factors on the results, such as bias or chance, could not be entirely discounted.
In other words, IARC's work tells us there are studies out there showing a link between red meat and cancer, but does not tell us how big the actual risk to get cancer from red meat is: it tells us about the evidence, but not about the level of risk. Let us try to make it easier to understand: there is evidence you can break a bone falling from your bike, because some people did break their bones falling from a bike, but it does not mean that every time a person falls from a bike a bone is going to break.
This is exactly how the IARC's research on meat worked: it did find out a link (evidence), but does not explore the factors which could increase the possibility of each one of us to get cancer from eating red meat (risk). It tells us falling from a bike can break your bones, but fails to mention (or identify) all those things that could contribute to the fracture: the speed you are pedalling, how old you are, your bone structure, the type of ground you fell upon, and so on.
The second, essential point to consider is the variables upon which the IARC based its research: if it is true that evidence of a possible cause-effect relation between red meat consumption and certain types of cancer exist, it is also true these results are based on specific levels of consumption, and not on consumption as such.
To find evidence of red meat being bad for you, the research say, you should be consuming 100 gr (about 4 oz) of red meat and 50 gr (about 2 oz) of processed red meat per day, every day. This, ladies and gentlemen, is a lot of meat. According to data Italians, for instance, consume much less meat pro capite than mentioned in the research. Your typical Italian consumes 100 gr of red meat only twice a week, not everyday, and only about 25 gr of processed meat products daily: this is about half of what IARC considers dangerous.
No one wants to discount the WHO/IARC findings as "untrue," of course, but more clarity about them could have avoided a lot of fear and anxiety: in the end, we have known too much red meat is not good for our health for quite a while. Wording is key here: too much. We said already Italians fall well below the danger line drawn by IARC, but they also happen to consume less red meat than the European average (75 kg pro capite per year, against the 75.7 of the EU average).
Quantity is key, then, but also (and especially) quality. Here, Italy and many of its food producers felt the need to intervene and take a strong stand against the IARC's research, in particular to point out what they consider gross inaccuracies within their data. If, as said, it is true that red meat should not be consumed in enormous quantities, it is also true that not all red meat nor all of its derivatives are born the same.
When it comes to the type of studies conducted by IARC and the WHO it is essential, the Italian Association for Cancer Research concludes, not only to consider whether a substance or a product is potentially carcinogenic, but also in which quantity and for how long it has to be consumed to become a danger for people's health.
Certainly so, at least in part.
For many years, doctors and health experts have underlined we should avoid consuming red meat every day, especially if processed. At the same time, they also state very clearly good quality red meat can be safely eaten a couple of times a week and it can be truly beneficial for our own physical well being. The problem about its cancer inducing power does not come from red meat in itself, but from the quality and quantity of it each and everyone of us consume. The same can be said about sugar, eggs, dairy: all of these, if eaten in large quantities and over an extended period of time can cause irreversible damages to our body.
Organic, grass fed meat, naturally lean and nutritious, is not bad for you. Nor is a product such as Parma ham, which contains only natural ingredients and has been produced for centuries always the same way. Processed meats made with scraps and full of preservatives and salt, meats of dubious origin, coming from animals fed antibiotics and chemicals throughout their lives: these are the type of products we must stay away from.
And then, there is the "quantity-factor:" everything, when consumed excessively, causes health problems, so moderation remains key. If in doubt, ask your doctor about it and discuss all your fear and doubts with them. They are the best people to advise and reassure you.


Endovascular therapy (EVT) presents a good chance of saving stroke patients' lives, but because the treatment is not available at every hospital, many patients must transfer hospitals before they can receive this chance. New research published in Circulation indicates that stroke patients who undergo interhospital transfer experience longer delays before receiving endovascular therapy and have worse outcomes.
The article, authored by the DCRI's Shreyansh Shah, MD, and Ying Xian, MD, PhD, examined data from the American Heart Association's Get With the Guidelines-Stroke registry, which includes ischemic stroke patients from more than 2,000 hospitals across the U.S.
The team found that between 2012 and 2017, almost 43 percent of the 37,620 patients who received EVT received the treatment after transferring hospitals. Because EVT, also known as mechanical thrombectomy, requires a trained person to administer the treatment as well as special equipment, not every hospital has the capacity to offer the treatment. However, referral rates for EVT continued to rise throughout the study period, which Xian said is because strong evidence supporting the efficacy of EVT was published in 2015.


text:
GILTI Confessions: An Analysis of Maryland's Latest GILTI Stance
Stephen Bertonaschi
On May 10, 2019, the Comptroller of Maryland published an income tax alert on the reporting and taxation of IRC §951A (GILTI). GILTI, known as Global Intangible Low Taxed Income, is a new category of income created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017. GILTI is included in the federal adjusted gross income (AGI), and the corresponding IRC§ 250 deduction for corporations is nestled into the Maryland Form 500. Through tax alert 05-19, the Maryland Comptroller had to address the mechanics of GILTI in both corporate and pass-through entity tax returns.
Please see full Publication below for more information.
FTI Consulting, Inc. • 1 GILTI CONFESSIONS: An Analysis of Maryland's Latest GILTI Stance State and Local Tax Alert: June 2019 | Volume 01, Issue 01 On May 10, 2019, the Comptroller of Maryland published an income tax alert on the reporting and taxation of IRC §951A (GILTI). GILTI, known as Global Intangible Low Taxed Income, is a new category of income created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017. GILTI is included in the federal adjusted gross income (AGI), and the corresponding IRC§ 250 deduction for corporations is nestled into the Maryland Form 500. Through tax alert 05-19, the Maryland Comptroller had to address the mechanics of GILTI in both corporate and pass-through entity tax returns. GILTI, Global Intangible Low Taxed Income, is a tax on the shareholders of controlled foreign corporations (CFCs) when the return on certain tangible assets is greater than 10%. These "certain tangible assets" are formally known as QBAI or qualified business asset investments. The theory behind this is that if a company invests in tangible assets, it should yield no more than a 10% return on that investment. The profit that is greater than 10% is attributed to assets housed in foreign low-tax-rate jurisdictions. Therefore, that excess profit must be sourced to the United States and taxed at a lower rate. This is achieved by permitting a deduction and a credit at the federal level. The IRC §250 deduction specifically provides C-Corps with a 50% deduction and a foreign tax credit on 80% of the foreign taxes paid. Partnerships and other pass-through entities are not entitled to a 50% haircut, as the income is passed through to the partners or shareholders, who report their aggregated share of GILTI on their returns. About FTI Consulting FTI Consulting is an independent global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations manage change, mitigate risk and resolve disputes: financial, legal, operational, political & regulatory, reputational and transactional. FTI Consulting professionals, located in all major business centers throughout the world, work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges and opportunities. The views expressed herein are those of the author(s) and not necessarily the views of FTI Consulting, Inc., its management, its subsidiaries, its affiliates, or its other professionals. FTI Consulting, Inc., including its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a consulting firm and is not a certified public accounting firm or a law firm. www.fticonsulting.com ©2019 FTI Consulting, Inc. All rights reserved. FTI Consulting, Inc. • 2 Michelle Tager Senior Consultant +1 646.632.3868 michelle.tager@fticonsulting.com Stephen Bertonaschi Senior Managing Director +1 973.852.8174 stephen.bertonaschi@fticonsulting.com Ted Bomba Director +1 646.632.3855 ted.bomba@fticonsulting.com GILTI CONFESSIONS: AN ANALYSIS OF MARYLAND'S LATEST GILTI STANCE Big Picture Q&A: 1. Is GILTI a dividend or deemed dividend for Maryland Tax Purposes? Given the nature of the GILTI Income, it is not a traditional dividend or deemed dividend. Per MD law, § 10-307, corporations received a 100% dividend received deduction if the taxpayer owned greater than 50% of the outstanding shares of capital stock and the paying corporation was organized under a foreign jurisdiction. A 100% dividends received deduction was permitted, as MD followed the federal treatment of the DRD. 2. Are GILTI and the corresponding IRC §250 deduction included in the Maryland Tax Base? GILTI is included in federal adjusted gross income on Line 28 of the federal 1120, and the IRC §250 deduction is located on Line 29b. Although MD reports Line 28 income on Line 1A and Special Deductions from Line 29b, its true starting point, net of special deductions, is on Line 1C. Therefore, GILTI net of IRC §250 will be in the Maryland tax base. 3. Is a foreign tax credit available to offset the impact of GILTI per the current Maryland law? Per Bulletin 05-19, there is no foreign tax credit available in the Maryland tax code, so taxpayers will have to include the GILTI and IRC §250 deduction in taxable income. Therefore, GILTI net of IRC §250 will be in the tax base with no offsetting credits. When calculating quarterly estimated payments for 2019, taxpayers should strongly consider these implications in order to avoid underpayment. 4. How should GILTI be captured in the state apportionment factor? Is there a risk of misrepresentation in the apportionment factor with Maryland's single sales factor phase-in? As GILTI is included in the state tax base, apportionment relief is available for taxpayers. Per the Comptroller, GILTI income is attributable to intangibles, so it must be included in the sales factor numerator and computed based on the average of the property and payroll factors. Given Maryland's single sales factor phase-in enacted in 2018, the sales factor will carry more weight each year. The denominator will be the total Gross GILTI not including the IRC §250 deduction. Therefore, the MD apportionment factor will be diluted and potentially hinder the ability of taxpayers to accurately apportion income to Maryland.
Download PDF [369KB]
One Regulatory Size Doesn't Fit All in Emerging Markets
Dwindling Confidence in Corporate Compliance Programs
Tech's Disruption? 2020 Presidential Campaign
Mitigating the Impact of a Data Investigation
Blending Health, Wellness, and Beauty: A Growing Convergence
Adjusted Gross Income
Foreign Tax Credits
GILTI tax
Internal Revenue Code (IRC)
Pass-Through Entities
FTI Consulting on:

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Pharmacist Fined for Spying on Friends' Medical Records
Meghan Ross, Associate Editor
A pharmacist in the United Kingdom who got a little too curious about his friends' and family's medical records has been convicted of data protection offenses and fined.
A pharmacist in the United Kingdom who got a little too curious about his friends' and family's medical records has been convicted of data protection offenses and fined.
Harkanwarjit Dhanju used his authority as a "sessional pharmacist" to unlawfully spy on the records of his family members, coworkers, and local health professionals while working at West Sussex Primary Care Trust, according to The Register. Now, he's facing a fine of about $1500 for violations of the Data Protection Act, plus a victim surcharge of $156, and almost another $1000 in prosecution costs.
A surgery manager detected the breach in privacy during an audit last February, according to The Register. Dhanju had been using his security pass to view records unrelated to what he was supposed to be handling, which were medication reviews for patients with dementia or other mental health issues in residential care homes, The Register reported.
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) issued a press release on November 13, 2014, in which the Head of Enforcement Stephen Eckersley stated, "The public will be rightly concerned that a medical professional in a position of trust decided to act in this way. We hope today's prosecution sends a clear message to anyone who may be tempted to do likewise, that unlawfully accessing people's medical records is a criminal offence and will result with you being rewarded with a day in court."
The Register noted that the ICO hopes to see more serious sentences issued to deter individuals from unlawfully accessing personal data.


text:
Comedy, Drama, Thriller
Keeley Hawes, Richard Madden, Sophie Rundle
Watch Bodyguard full episodes online. Synopsis: Set in and around the corridors of power, Bodyguard tells the fictional story of David Budd, a heroic but volatile war veteran now working as a Specialist Protection Officer for the Royalty and Specialist Protection Branch of London's Metropolitan Police Service. When he is assigned to protect the ambitious and powerful Home Secretary Julia Montague, whose politics stand for everything he despises, Budd finds himself torn between his duty and beliefs. Responsible for her safety, is he actually her biggest threat? More info: IMDB
Bodyguard Episode 06


text:
North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA)
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Committee
NATJA News
Featured Members Q&As
NATJA Travel Media Awards
Online Awards Submission Portal
Keith Bellows Award for Excellence in Travel Journalism
2023 NATJA Conference in Fairbanks
Media Attendees
DMO/CVB Attendees
Media Press Trips
About TravelWorld International Magazine
Read TWI
Hit the road on a scenic fall drive
Press ReleasesBy NATJA September 22, 2020 Leave a comment
Fall is a wonderful time to take a scenic drive as you head out in search of seasonal color. Fall drives are also perfect for social distancing, and Arkansas's lodging, dining and attractions are following safety protocols so you can make the most of your route as you enjoy the beauty of The Natural State. From…
A Beautiful Garden of Art Now Open in Chapel Hill through December 6, 2020
Welcome to the world of The North Carolina Botanical Garden where garden design, horticulture, education, and the arts interplay to inspire and enlighten visitors from across the globe.The North Carolina Botanical Garden is a conservation garden. Their guiding mission is to inspire understanding, appreciation, and conservation of plants and to advance a sustainable relationship between…
Arkansas.com receives outstanding achievement award
Arkansas Tourism was recently selected for an award in outstanding achievement in web development by the Web Marketing Association (WMA). The award specifically recognizes the Arkansas.com page "Virtual Arkansas: Staying inside doesn't mean you can't have fun," which was created to help promote The Natural State at a time during the COVID-19 pandemic when many tourist…
Florida's Historic Coast Has Wide-Open Spaces, New Exhibits, New Hotels and Restaurants
St. Augustine, Fla. (September 2020)– This northeast Florida destination with its 42 miles of pristine Atlantic Beaches, has been a favorite getaway for 455 years. And there are always new adventures to be had. What's New Attractions & Tours Lightner Museum, located in the former Hotel Alcazar, one of the Ancient City's architectural centerpieces, recently completed…
Special Issue of TravelWorld International Magazine Out Now!
NewsBy NATJA September 17, 2020 Leave a comment
Stories of how journalists and destinations have survived during Covid-19 Featuring stories and photography from NATJA members. Read all the stories now at travelworldmagazine.com. Thank you to our NATJA members who contributed and shared their stories during these times. Linda Ballou Nancy Besharah Sandra Bornstein Tonya Fitzpatrick Alice Ford Emese Fromme Greg Goodmacher Helen Hatzis Fyllis…
Arkansas tourism industry continues to strengthen state economy
2019 economic impact report indicates solid growth The positive economic impact of tourism in Arkansas continues to be significant, according to data released from the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. In 2019, just under 69,000 Arkansans worked directly within the travel industry, a 1.4 percent increase over 2018. And these ambassadors greeted more…
Silver Dollar City Presents Crafts, Cowboys & Pumpkins
(Branson, Missouri, 9/17/2020) As part of a 60th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee, Silver Dollar City presents one of the longest running and most-attended craft festivals in America, The Harvest Festival featuring Crafts, Cowboys and Pumpkins, September 23-October 31, 2020. The 1880s theme park has perfected this annual event over the past six decades, creating one of the most…
September 16: Letter from NATJA's CEO
NewsBy NATJA September 16, 2020
It's hard to believe that it is the middle of September. This year has certainly had its challenges. I think that I speak for everyone when I say 2020 can't leave fast enough!
2020 September Featured Journalist: Dave Parfitt
Featured MembersBy NATJA September 15, 2020 Leave a comment
Dave is a freelance travel writer specializing in family travel, and the editorial director of AdventuresByDaddy.com, covering family travel and entertainment from Dad's point of view. Dave produces content for outlets including Lonely Planet, AAA, Fox News Travel, US News and World Report, Huffington Post, TravelAge West, Family Traveller, TripAdvisor's Family Vacation Critic, USA Today,…
Explore Fairbanks 2020-21 Winter Guide Featuring Northern Lights Viewing is Available for Free
Fairbanks, Alaska (AK) – The 2020-21 Fairbanks Winter Guide is now available for free. The 24-page full-color booklet is designed to help plan vacations during the winter season. Fairbanks enjoys world-class northern lights viewing as well as an array of winter fun including ice sculpting and dog mushing. Filled with open winter businesses including accommodations,…
Featured Members of the Month
2022 December Featured Journalist of the Month: Peter Distefano
2022 December Featured Journalist of the Month: Betsi Hill
2022 December Featured Organization of the Month: Jiji Press
Finalists named for 2023 Henry Awards
Ensemble Debuts New Print Publication – Range
Fruehauf, Miles to be inducted into Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame
Latest NATJA News
Press Trips for Fairbanks Conference Announced
December 16: A Letter From NATJA's CEO
December 1: A Letter From NATJA's CEO
Monday - Friday 9 AM - 5:00 PM Pacific Time
3579 E. Foothill Blvd. #744 Pasadena, CA 91107
Copyright North American Travel Journalists Association 2023
We use cookies on our website to optimize your experience when visiting our website. By clicking "Accept", you consent to the use of all the cookies.


Practical, real value-added Marketing support to businesses.
At Blaze Marketing, we provide flexible integrated expert marketing support for SME's that works! Whether you just need your own Marketing Manager on call each month or the whole marketing services team, Blaze Marketing can tailor a marketing solution to fit your requirements, your business and your budget.
Check out some examples of our BLAZING work in our portfolio. From logos to campaign pieces we deliver strategic turn key solutions.


text:
Home » Islamic World » Muslim Women » Position of Women in Islam
Audio Channel
Weather (Mashhad)
Islamic World News Sites
Yellow Pages (Mashhad)
Souvenir Album
Position of Women in Islam
By: Ayatullah Fadhil Milani
5.1 Gender Equality
No gender differentiation is found in the Qur'an. The following ayat provide a few examples of the all-embracing nature of the Qur'an vis-a-vis men and women: I do not permit the efforts of workers male or female to be unappreciated - all of you stem from the same source (Qur'an 3:195)
Believers male or female who commit righteous deeds shall surely enter paradise ... (Qur'an 4:124)
We shall certainly ensure that the male and female believers, who commit good acts and live virtuous pure lives, will be rewarded for their actions. (Qur'an 16:97)
Male or female believers, who commit good acts, will certainly enter the garden of paradise and receive sustenance beyond measure. (Qur'an 40:40)
O humankind, we created you male and female and appointed you races and tribes so that you may know one another. Surely the noblest among you in the sight of God is the most God-fearing among you. (Qur'an 49:13)
From the above ayat it is clear that gender differentiation is not a component of Qur'anic teaching.
Further, in a Qur'anic ayah that refers to laudable qualities, repeated reference to both 'men and women' emphasizes that the same standards apply to both sexes and that Allah's recompense is in no way related to gender:
• Muslim men and Muslim women
• Faithful men and faithful women
• Obedient men and obedient women
• Truthful men and truthful women
• Patient men and patient women
• Humble men and humble women
• Charitable men and charitable women
• Men who fast and women who fast
Men who control their private parts and women who control Men who frequently remember Allah and women who remember Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and great reward. (Qur'an 33:35)
However, vis-a-vis rights and obligations, some duties are considered to be the province of men and others of women. For example, in Islamic law a husband is required to maintain his home and family, while his wife is not required to contribute anything to it, be she a millionaire or not. That is why the Islamic Law of Inheritance provides sons with double that of daughters, not in any way to indicate discrimination, but rather to reflect their actual responsibilities and duties1.
5.2 Preparation for motherhood
As mothers are, de facto, at the helm of family life, motherhood is considered to be the cornerstone of Islamic society. For Muslims, the concept of motherhood is inextricably linked to the Islamic concept of leadership and nationhood - for, in the Arabic language, both are derived from the same root word:
Um = mother
Ummah = nation
Imam = leader
The question is, if a sound and healthy society depends on good mothers, how is this achieved? Muslim interest in the importance of motherhood does not in any way imply that Muslim women should not be educated or fulfill their career objectives (See sections 1.4 Education,5.1Gender equality and 5.5 Women jurists and scholars), or be isolated from society, but it does underline the significance of preparation for this most important role. A quotation comes to mind, Parents wonder why the streams are bitter, when they themselves have poisoned the fountain.2
A whole panoply of scientific research indicates that, before and during conception, fetal development and birth, a new organism's nourishment and well-being depends on, and is affected by, its mother's physical and psychological condition. Whilst the following facts have been uncovered over thelast 30 years or so, Islam has always promoted the well-being of Muslim society by encouraging family life, insisting on no-premarital sex and prohibiting the consumption of substances that can be harmful, such as alcohol.
Contemporary society
Research into contemporary concerns for motherhood has been undertaken by a gamut of scientists such as Larry Bumpass, PhD, N. B. Ryder Professor of Sociology at University of Wisconsin-Madison. In his paper, 'The Changing Contexts of Parenting in the United States', he refers to increasing instability in the lives of children in Europe and the United States, brought about by the changing social context in which parenting interactions and child development take place. He asks, 'do we really value stable relationships and parenting?'
Research studies in prenatal stress and risk for psychopathology early or in later life by Anja C. Huizink, Edu J. H. Mulder and Jan K. Buitelaar, who refer to the work of Hepper and Lake, suggest that maternal stress during pregnancy may lead to offspring with much higher rates of childhood autism, psychosis, schizophrenia, emotional and behavioral disorders, and psychiatric disorders in general. Further, it has been reported by Dr Joy Goodfellow that population studies conducted in the last decade suggest that environmental factors active during embryonic and fetal development have substantial consequences vis-a-vis the occurrence of metabolic and cardiovascular disorders in adulthood.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises pregnant women to eliminate or limit the consumption of products containing caffeine, including coffee, colas, tea, cocoa, chocolate and some over-the-counter remedies. Caffeine has been implicated in miscarriages and low birth weight. Caffeine stimulates increased heart and metabolic rates in babies, just as it does in adults. Furthermore, caffeine may remain in the baby's bloodstream longer and at higher levels, because a baby's immature liver cannot get rid of the caffeine as quickly as its mother's can.
Lower birth weight may result from nicotine poison narrowing uterine blood vessels and reducing blood flow to the baby. Increased levels of carbon monoxide reduce blood oxygen that in turn affects the development of the baby's organs. The level of carbon monoxide in the blood of pregnant women who smoke is 600-700 per cent higher than in those who do not. Brain injury results not only from reduced oxygen but also from chemicals in cigarette smoke that poison developing brain cells.
Children of mothers who smoked during pregnancy have also been found to have smaller head circumferences, decreased mental performance scores at one year, reduced IQs and diminished academic performance at school, compared with the children of mothers who did not smoke. There is also an increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) if mothers smoke - if both the father and mother smoke, the risk of SIDS is nearly double.
Alcohol has the potential to damage male sperm and women' s eggs and decrease the chances of conceiving by 50 per cent or more. As women do not necessarily know they have conceived for the first four to six weeks of pregnancy, abstention from drinking alcohol will prevent babies from being exposed to it during the early weeks of growth and development.
The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that there is no safe level of alcohol for women during pregnancy and recommends abstinence from all alcohol for the entire pregnancy. Heavy alcohol consumption during pregnancy can cause Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), a disorder that encompasses a variety of abnormalities. FAS babies are lighter, shorter and have smaller brains than normal babies. Their brains are sometimes malformed and as a result they sometimes suffer mental retardation.
When a mother takes a substance, so does her baby! If a mother is addicted, so is her baby. If she breast feeds, the baby will drink drug-laced breast milk. If she does not breast feed, her baby will suffer symptoms of drug withdrawal - convulsions, no appetite, bluish pallor, heavy sweating and endless high-pitched crying. Possible effects of illegal drugs on the developing baby include stillbirth, miscarriage, reduced birth weight, mental retardation, prematurity, and an increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Researchers believe that such drugs may constrict blood vessels in the placenta and thus reduce the oxygen supply to the unborn baby - a suffocation effect similar to that caused by nicotine.
In the Holy Qur'an, the significance of the 'Immaculate Conception' is to illustrate that every precautionary measure had been taken to ensure the safe delivery of Isa (a.s.). In the following ayah, Allah employs the word 'peace' to embrace both physical and spiritual purity in reference to the successful completion of the first stage of life - the period of pregnancy. 'Peace be with him the day he was born ...' (Qur'an 19:15), and in another ayah, Isa (a.s.) says, 'Peace be with me the day I was born ...' (Qur'an 19:33).
In Islam, preparation for motherhood begins with the selection of a suitable marriage partner. As both genetic background and educational environment contribute towards personality, it would be wrong to ignore them. This is why the background of a prospective spouse is considered to be so important in Islamic culture: Do you expect, forsooth, that a mother will hand down to her children principles that differ from her own?3
As it is parental behavior, especially that of the mother, that establishes the standard pattern of a child's behavior, it is highly desirable that parental behavior is exemplary. Imam Ali (a.s.) said: The best legacy to leave one's children is good manners.4
The question for the child is not 'Do I want to be good?' but 'Whom do I want to be like?'5
For women to be effective role models they, of course, need to participate in, and be part of, society. It is nonsensical to expect them to be in a position to guide the younger generation if they themselves are isolated from, and unaware of, what occurs within society.
5.3 Hijab is to protect, not to isolate
To understand Hijab we need to look at the following:
1. What the Qur'an and aHadith teach us about Hijab.
2. The different styles of Hijab.
What the Qur'an and ahadith teach us about hijab
Tell Muslim men to dress modestly and to lower their gaze [when in mixed company] for that will contribute to their spiritual purity...
And tell Muslim women to lower their gaze, to be modest, to conceal the embellishment of their beauty [e.g. jewelry and cosmetics] - other than that which is outwardly visible. To draw their veils over Hijab is to protect, not to isolate their bosoms and to only reveal their embellishments to their husbands, brothers, nephews... (Qur'an 24:30-31)
O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and those women who believe, to conceal their bodies under long loose garments so that they do not excite attraction. (Qur'an 33:59)
The precise word for virtuous, modest conduct - an essential Islamic teaching - is the Arabic word Haya', that is considered to lie at the root of self-discipline and moral behavior.
The Prophet (S) said: Modest behavior encapsulates the whole of religion.6
Imam Hasan (a.s.) said: Those who do not behave with modesty have no religion.7
Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said: Absence of modest behavior equates to the absence of faith.8
Imam Baqir (a.s.) said: Modest behaviour and faith are linked - where one goes, the other follows.9
In recognizing the compelling effect of sexual attraction, Islam guides us to regulate and direct our natural urges and avert their uninhibited expression. This is analogous to the trickles of pure sweet water that burble from mountain springs to flow into streams and rivers. If unchecked, these may later rise to become great torrents of water that cascade over riverbanks and flood defences, to overwhelm and destroy everything in their path. To avert such destruction, society regulates and directs such waters into reservoirs and dams to contain and preserve their mighty volumes for future use.
Sigmund Freud based his studies on the sexual urge being the foundation of all human characteristics and activity. He started with the identification of two main and powerful human objectives - the defense and protection of each human being's very existence, and the expression of each human being's sexuality. However, he later ignored the first to concentrate solely on the second. The damaging result of this indicates that love loses its spiritual purity and is transformed into sexual gratification. This distortion led him to link suckling at the mother's breast to the provocation of adult sexuality by the female bosom. He also considered the relationship between teacher and pupil, fatherly love for offspring and purity of friendship to be emanations of sexuality. Today, there is a voluminous and complex literature in this area.
At the opposite end of the scale, some consider sexual activity to be almost sinful. Indeed, ascetic Christian, Buddhist and Hindu orders link spiritual progress to a celibate life - the renunciation of sexuality.
Islam rejects both these views as extreme. It considers sexual inter course to be a natural, beautiful and pleasurable act that is to be enjoyed, even when not indulged in, to ensure the continuation of the human race. As mentioned above, Islamic teaching is to regulate and direct natural sexual urges towards beneficial and fruitful ends, e.g.to strengthen the bonds of love and mercy between men and women within the secure boundaries of marriage: Among His signs is that He created mates for you, with yourself same essence so that you may dwell together in tranquility, and He instilled between you love and compassion. (Qur'an 30:21)
The most suitable means to secure the above objective is to advocate and promote 'modest behaviour - Haya'.
In the story of the Prophet Musa (a.s.) two girls wait for their turn to water their flocks. As stronger shepherds pushed them aside to jump the queue, the Prophet Musa (a.s.) helped them. Afterwards while resting in the shade, he prayed, 'O my Lord, I have need of the good that You have sent me.' Later, one of the girls came up to him in an exceedingly modest manner to tell him that, despite her father being too frail to come himself, he wanted to thank Musa (a.s.) for his kind help. This incident eventually led to her marriage to Hijab is to protect, not to isolate Musa.10
The respectful, decorous way in which the girl conveyed her father's message exemplifies the manner in which all contact between males and females should be conducted. Hijab is entirely to serve the above purpose.
Does Hijab hinder the freedom of women?
Those who claim that Hijab limits freedom and hinders women from taking their rightful place within society do not in reality understand the concept of freedom. A woman in Hijab is free to express her views, own property in her own right, decide if she wishes to accept a proposal of marriage, etc. Her parents cannot force her in one direction or another.
Hijab does not prevent her from pursuing her studies and fulfilling her potential, nor does it prevent her from driving a car, earning her own living or directing a commercial or industrial enterprise. Rather, Hijab enhances her dignity and encourages males with whom she comes into contact to behave in a respectful manner towards her.
While western society ridicules Hijab and claims it to be oppressive, Muslims believe that it is the answer to a multitude of societal problems. The Hijab is protection to shield them from the unwanted and lascivious gaze.
Different styles of Hijab
Having explained the concept of Hijab according to Islamic teaching, we now look at a variety of cultural approaches to meet the requirement. Women in diverse parts of the Muslim world deal with this matter differently. In parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan, some cover themselves completely in a burku leaving only a small grid before their eyes. In other parts of the world, women only cover their heads with a scarf and wear modest contemporary clothes. Here is a small variety of examples of the hijab:
1. Scarf - The headscarf, regarded by many Muslims as a symbol of both religion and womanhood, comes in a myriad of styles and colors and is commonly seen in the West as a covering of the head and neck - leaving the face clear, provided that no cosmetics are used.
2. Niqab - This is a veil that covers the face leaving only the area around the eyes clear. Jurists differ regarding the necessity for a niqab to be worn - especially when no cosmetics are used and there is no intention to attract the notice of others.
3. Khimar - This is a long cape-like veil that hangs down to just above the waist. It covers the hair, neck and shoulders completely, but leaves the face clear.
4. Chador and Abaya - Both of these full-body cloaks may be accompanied by a smaller headscarf beneath them. The chador is worn by Iranian women and the abaya by Iraqi women.
The fuss over covering the hair
There is some debate over whether women covering their hair is an aspect of Hijab or not. What is significant?
Mark of a woman
As is seen in the following, hair is recognized by society to be a secondary sexual characteristic.
'Hair is so significant because of what it is and where it is,' says Dr Martin Skinner, social psychologist at the University of Warwick. 'It is part of us, much more intimate than things like clothes. If you cut it away, you are cutting away a bit of yourself. Whatever we do with it is very much part of our identity.'
So why is hair - particularly long hair - viewed as such a defining part of a woman and inextricably linked to femininity? Zoologist Desmond Morris suggests that women traditionally have long hair because their ancestors, the aquatic apes, developed long hair to give their babies something to hang on to. In recent times, he argues that women have styled their hair to reflect their self-image, with long hair suggesting a certain availability.
Nature also plays a role. People are programmed to take notice of hair because it is a secondary sexual characteristic.
'Thick, healthy, long, glossy hair or fur is seen as a sign of good hormonal health and is one of the things animals use to select a mate - humans are no different,' says evolutionary psychologist Nick Neave of Northumbria University.
Why long hair is so linked to femininity could come down to many things, say experts. It is about youth, health, grace and movement.
Just look at shampoo advertisements, typically featuring models swinging their long, glossy locks. And look at how much the average woman spends on her hair - £600 a year, according to one study. Men spend just £90.
How this association started is not so easy to answer, but it has been entrenched in what is seen as the feminine for centuries' says psychologist Lorraine Sherr. 'As far back as cavemen, there are drawings of women with longer, glossier hair.11
The purpose of the Hijab is then to shield this important aspect of feminine sexuality and beauty from unwanted attention.
5.4 Share of inheritance
Under Islamic law, a male is entitled to inherit twice the share a female is entitled to inherit. This ruling may appear objectionable - some say it is unjust, others that it is a sign of Islam's low regard for women.
However, for a better understanding of women's rights under Shari'ah, we need to explore family law according to the Qur'an and ahadith.
First, as soon as a marriage is conducted, it is incumbent on the husband to care for his wife's every need. A woman is not expected to make any contribution towards the family's living expenses, regardless of the extent of her personal wealth. Indeed, should a woman elect to accept employ-ment, her earnings are not expected to contribute to the family.
Second, any dowry a woman receives remains her personal property - to be invested or disposed of as she wishes.
As an illustration of inheritance distribution, if a man dies leaving a wife, a son and a daughter, his assets would be distributed in the following proportions: The wife's share of the estate is 12.5%.
The balance of 87.5% is divided into three equal parts. One to go to the daughter - 29.166% -and two parts to the son - 58.333%.
In this distribution it is understood that when the son marries he is expected to pay a dowry and to maintain his wife. However, when the daughter marries, it is she who receives a dowry and lifelong maintenance from her husband - this is in addition to keeping everything that she inherited from her father.
Once in possession of these facts, Islamic inheritance laws no longer appear to be inequitable.
In cases in which parents share in an inheritance, the deceased's mother and father receive equal shares, namely 16.66% each. Indeed, in some situations the mother receives twice the share of the father. For further details see references on Islamic law.
5.5 Women jurists and scholars
There has never been a time, throughout Islamic history, when women were faced with discrimination in their pursuit of Islamic knowledge. From the time of the Prophet (S), women played prominent and highly respected roles in the collection and dissemination of Hadith - and this has also been the case in every subsequent period of history. Biographies of a large number of women are recorded in tomes such as Ayatollah Khoei's 24-volume Encyclopaedia of Hadith Narrators – Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith.
The most notable women at the time of the Prophet (S) were the Lady
Fatimah•;Asma, the daughter of Abu Bakr; her sister 'Aisha; Um Salamah; Anas bin Malik's mother Um Salma; and Amamah daughter of Abul 'As. In later generations, many prominent lady scholars are also recorded as having taught the Qur'an, ahadith, Arabic literature, etc.
Towards the end of the first Islamic century, "Amra, daughter of "Abd al-Rahman, Hafsa, daughter of Ibn Sirin, and Umm al-Darda were acknowledged to be the most prominent traditionalists of their time. "Amra's reputation was so distinguished that the Caliph "Umar ibn "Abd al-"Aziz ordered Abu Bakr ibn-Hazm,the celebrated judge of Madinah, to notate all the traditions of which she was the recognized leading authority.
Zaynab, daughter of Sulayman - whose father was cousin to Al-Saffa, the founder of the "Abbasid dynasty - a most celebrated traditionalist, was mentor to many renowned scholars. Another famous woman scholar of the seventh century AH known simply as Karimah the Syrian', is described by biographers as the supreme Syrian teacher of ahadith.
In his work Hidden Pearls - Al-Durar al Kamina, Ibn Hajar names and provides brief biographies of 170 prominent women of the eighth century AH.
In mentioning Juwayriya, the daughter of Ahmad, he records that many of his contemporaries, as well as some of his own teachers, attended her discourses. Umm Hani(d. 778 AH), who learned the Qur'an by heart as a child, later became learned in all the Islamic sciences, including Theology, Law, History and Grammar. She pursued her study of ahadith under the renowned Hadith scholars of Cairo and Makkah. She is also celebrated for her mastery of calligraphy, her command of the Arabic language and her poetry. She carried out a rigorous programme of lectures at the great colleges of Cairo, where she had the authority to grant licenses of competence to many of the scholars of the time.
Throughout Islamic history there have been many women who took their seats as students and teachers in public educational institutions - along side male counterparts at the highest levels. In the last century, a renowned jurist - mujtahid - from Isfahan in Iran, Mrs Amin, taught Islamic Law, Jurisprudence, Exegesis and Arabic Grammar for many decades. Many still refer to her legal opinions for guidance.
In contemporary times, there are colleges and religious centres headed by women in Qum, Mashad and Tehran, in addition to those beacons of illumination and guidance, the women professors at the University of Tehran.
1. See section 5.4 Share of inheritance.
2. John Locke, 17th-century English philosopher.
3. Juvenal's Satires, Sat. vi,1.239.
4. Ghurar al-Hikam.
5. Bruno Bettelheim, 20th-century German/American child psychologist and author.
6. Kanz al-Ummal, Vol.3.p.121.
7. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 78, p.110.
8. Bibar al-Anwar, Vol. 71. p.331.
10. See Qur'an 28:23-28.
11. http://news.bbc.eo.uk/1/hi/magazine/6375683.stm 'Mark of a woman' by Denise Winterman BBC News Magazine, 20th February 2007.
Copyright © 1998 - 2020 Imam Reza (A.S.) Network, All rights reserved.


text:
"It filled my soul full", Marjana Kondi bursts into tears: I can't even go to the cemetery, it seems to me...
Written by SOT.COM.AL 26 Nëntor 2022
Actress Marjana Kondi could not hold back her tears during the confession about her personal life in "S'e Luan Topi", where she talked about the absence of her mother.
Abandoned the baby and her husband and the family was looking for her, the 25-year-old Albanian woman was found, she had started cohabitation with another
The truck full of animals overturns, the cows "invade" the highway, traffic is interrupted
'Her legacy...'/ Through tears, the journalist remembers her deceased sister: She tore off my arms, I lost her 10 years ago
The 'smell' of qualification, the irresistible Mbappe leads France to victory (VIDEO)
She showed that she misses her mother very much, while she would very much like to have her by her side to hug her.
"It filled my soul full, like me and my brothers. Mom, how beautiful this word is. She is the one who only wants the best, I have a lot of regrets. This is a message for others to hear, how alive it is to go out with them and meet them. They have kindness and gentleness, blessed are those who have them. I just had to hug him a little. But here it is not, but it is next to me", said the actress.
Marjana stated that she does not go to the cemetery, as she finds it difficult to cope with the thoughts that come to her when faced with reality.
"I make a mistake that I don't go to the cemetery. That I can't bear it and I think that the crack is down there. I find it very difficult", she added further.
"My slippers...", the singer wishes her daughter for her birthday with the expression of Louise Aille!
He said he would leave the screen, Albano makes the final decision (Photo)
"Tirana is small for anyone!"/ Kiara's friend reacts harshly to Olta's threat and 'stings' Butrinit (PHOTO)
The well-known Albanian poet surprises the network, claims that Luizi is imitating him in the house of "Big Brother"
The well-known singer Eleni Foureira speaks openly: In Greece, they forced me not to say that I am Albanian, but...
It has nothing to do with Kiara and Luiz! Butrint appears with his new love (PHOTO)
"He's copying Luiz", Kristi and Olta 'condemn' Maestro's game: Armaldo does things angrily because he's "tra la la"
"I will take revenge, I will not leave it at that", Olta talks to Kristi, she is not "sparing" Luiz (Video)
Olta doesn't get 'bad' with Luizi. The two clashed fiercely today, where they al...
VIDEO/ There is no end to miracles! The BBV resident washes her hair in the kitchen sink
The resident of "Big Brother VIP Kosova", Mbresa, has done a strange thing this ...
With Butrinti's song in the background, Efi provokes Kiara, the moderator gives her the answer that will surprise Luiz (Video)
Kiara Tito has spoken more than once about her history with Butrint Imer in the ...
"I don't need anyone, I tear you all apart"/ Olta "explodes" badly at Luiz: You tremble, you're afraid of me...
Armaldo once again discussed the issue of the past televoting and the debate he ...
"You tell us who you have as a friend once", residents of "BBVA", explode against the production, say that it is corrupt
When surprises are promised from a show, the last thing we imagine is a spectacl...


Currently showing at Pace Wildenstein Gallery in New York is a new series of ten large-scale paintings on linen and canvas by Alex Katz. The ten landscape paintings captured at twilight and sunset reveal the artist's continual influence from nature.
Katz studied plein air painting at the Skowhegan School for Painting and Sculpture in Maine during the summer following his graduation from The Cooper Union in 1949. It was the landscape of northern New England which captivated his artistic sentiment drawing him back each summer to the coast of Maine. In his new works, Katz captures the Maine light, "which is richer and darker than the light of the Impressionist paintings that helped me separate myself from European painting and find my own eyes," the artist once explained. The delicate and soft Maine light which he depicts is often found at dusk when the sun is below the horizon.
The Maine light is a recurring them in Katz's work. He portrays the light patterns during different cycles of the day and seasons of the year through a series of instaneous moments. The artist paints directly from life and gives such brief moments permanence on the canvas. "For some of the twilight paintings I remember sitting all day waiting for the interval around 8:45pm. I'd put down the coffee and paint for just those fifteen minutes. Later I'd try to figure out what I'd done, and on what basis do another, and a third, and a fourth," Katz recalls.
"Fifteen Minutes" coincides with "Alex Katz: Reflections" at the Museo delle Arti di Catanzaro, Calabria, Italy on view through September 27, 2009 and with "Alex Katz: an American Way of Seeing" at the Sara Hilden Art Museum in Tampere, Finland, on view through May 30, 2009. Later this month, Katz will be honore with The Medal Award from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and will thus be among the first 150 members inducted into The Cooper Union Alumni Hall of Fame. "Alex Katz: Fifteen Minutes" will be on view at 545 West 22nd Street from April 24th through June 13, 2009. The artist will be present at the opening reception on Thursday, April 23rd from 6-8pm.
This entry was posted on Thursday, April 23rd, 2009 at 8:54 pm	and is filed under Go See. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Cheers. We are looking for very much like the info.