text:
Why Tesla needs to do something to get credit cards off its hands
The credit card industry is in trouble.
In a matter of weeks, Tesla will likely be the first auto manufacturer to be sued over claims that it sold defective products to consumers.
It is an issue that has led to the loss of more than $500 million in consumer credit cards over the last year, and a number of lawsuits against automakers have been filed.
But as Tesla looks to repair its image, a key issue it must grapple with is how to make credit cards more appealing to customers.
It has already made changes to its products, but how can it change the behavior of those it's sold credit cards to?
"We've made some changes to make it easier to use credit cards and make them less expensive," said Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla.
Tesla plans to roll out a new credit card, which it is calling the Tesla CareCredit, on Monday.
It's the first of a number that will allow Tesla to better reach consumers, and Musk says the company is going to "reinvent" the credit card business.
Tesla will begin selling the new Tesla Care Credit cards at select stores in North America on Monday, a move that comes as the company continues to fight the lawsuit.
"We think it's an important step to take," said Paul L. Fritsch, senior vice president of product marketing at the credit-card giant, during a conference call with investors.
"It's a step that we feel very strongly about."
Tesla is still the only major automaker to have a card business with a consumer credit card program, but it has been a hit.
The company was able to tap into a consumer's love of Tesla vehicles, the company's brand and the company itself, which was enough to make up for the problems of its first consumer credit-cards program.
Tesla started selling TeslaCareCredit in October of 2015.
At the time, Tesla said it was going to allow consumers to get TeslaCarecredit at their own convenience.
"We are also making TeslaCare credit available at Tesla stores nationwide, and we are in the process of rolling it out at other stores as well," Musk said in a statement at the time.
TeslaCareCredit cards have two basic features.
One, customers pay a $2 processing fee and a $25 annual fee for purchases of $25 or more.
The second is a $5 annual fee that can be waived at Tesla locations.
TeslaCare Credit is available in most states, though Tesla will not sell it in all states.
Musk says Tesla is "actively exploring other payment options" for the card, but he doesn't expect that option to be available anytime soon.
The biggest difference between TeslaCare and TeslaCare credits is that TeslaCare is available to the general public, while TeslaCare accounts are tied to the company and its brand.
Tesla says it is committed to getting its products and services onto as many people's credit cards as possible.
"I think TeslaCare will be a fantastic way for us to reach more people, and it will make it possible for Tesla to grow and be even more profitable," Musk added.
"But we have to make sure that the cards are really helpful and that they are actually helping people."
TeslaCare credits will be available at select Tesla stores in the United States starting on Monday for $25.
Customers can then apply for a TeslaCare account at any Tesla store and pay $50 per year, up to $500 per year.
Tesla says TeslaCare cards will be free for the first year and will be discounted to $50 for the second year.
The first TeslaCare cardholders will get two TeslaCarecards per year for free.
Tesla will continue to offer the TeslaCare brand cards, which have a $1.95 annual fee and can be used for Tesla's Model S, the Tesla Model X SUV and the Model X crossover SUV.
The credit card company says the Tesla card offers more flexibility than TeslaCare, including allowing customers to set up payment plans with the company.
Tesla said that people can also use TeslaCare to pay for items at Walmart, Best Buy, Costco and other retail stores.
Tesla also said that Tesla Care credits will work with all Tesla vehicles.
Tesla has announced that it will allow consumers who own a Tesla Model S or Model X sedan to use its TeslaCareCard credit to buy a Tesla vehicle.
The TeslaCarecard will be added to Tesla's network in the coming weeks, the automaker said.
Tesla is expected to unveil its Tesla Care credit card at a press conference later this month.


text:
Q: URL rewrite guide my url is like below :
http://localhost/project/test/jobs/?page=accounting

<a href="<?php echo BASE_URL; ?>jobs/?page=accounting">Accounting

And i want to make like below :
http://localhost/project/test/jobs/accounting

i have search other question but unable to make it. As i am totally unaware about this .htaccess rewrite process :(
however i have below code already in my htaccess file to remove .php extension :
RewriteEngine On

# Unless directory, remove trailing slash
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule ^([^/]+)/$ http://example.com/folder/$1 [R=301,L]

# Redirect external .php requests to extensionless url
RewriteCond %{THE_REQUEST} ^(.+)\.php([#?][^\ ]*)?\ HTTP/
RewriteRule ^(.+)\.php$ http://example.com/folder/$1 [R=301,L]

# Resolve .php file for extensionless php urls
RewriteRule ^([^/.]+)$ $1.php [L]

please help me to append URL rewrite rule in above htaccess file without loosing .php ext rule.

A: you are making get request with params which remains as it is if u wana make post request then it will be somethong like this
http://localhost/project/test/jobs/accounting

A: What I normally do with link building is sending all my traffic to my index.php whitch splits it into a MVC framework, this is the important part of my .htaccess for you:
Options +FollowSymLinks

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d

RewriteRule (.*) index.php?path=$1 [L,QSA]

What does this .htaccess do rule by rule?
Options +FollowSymLinks

http://www.maxi-pedia.com/FollowSymLinks
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d

Checks or the requested file isn't a direct path to a directory or actual file, correct me if I am wrong, because I am not 100% sure.
RewriteRule (.*) index.php?path=$1 [L,QSA]

Rewrites the path from "/test/testings/lalalala" into "index.php?path=/test/testings/lalalala".
I hope that this was the answer where you were looking for.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Details There's an ongoing network outage at P19. Access to your websites and databases might be slow.
Here is the related task : http://travaux.ovh.net/?do=details&id=33410.
Some clusters (cluster003 and cluster005) are still under heavy load but servers are coming back up quickly.
cluster003 and cluster005 have stabilized for about an hour but a lot of servers are still unreachable. We're still working with the network team to find a fix to this issues.
Every server is up and running since around 18:00 (UTC+2) and was closely monitored since then.


text:
Q: Is it possible to have 'Save' / 'Delete' anchors with hidden inputs Don't know if this is possible or not. But I'm trying to make it so when a user clicks save or delete anchor, it doesn't redirect anywhere. I guess what I'm asking is, is it possible for a hidden input to recognize the anchor as if it were an input and send it to the view?
Example:
Template: * Updated !
delete

Django View: (what I started with)
@login_required
def edit_box(request):
    if 'edit' in request.POST:
         deletes = [int(item) for item in request.POST.getlist('delete')]
         yadda yadda delete code
         ...
    return render_to_response('cart/boxcart.html', context, context_instance=RequestContext(request))

Django View: *Updated !
@login_required
def edit_box(request):
    profile = get_object_or_404(Profile, user=request.user)
    item_in_profile = Item.objects.filter(profile=profile)
    deletes = [int(item_in_profile) for item_in_profile in request.POST.getlist('delete')]
    item_in_profile.filter(id__in=deletes).delete()
    item_in_profile.save()
    return render_to_response('cart/boxcart.html', context, context_instance=RequestContext(request))

ajax attempt:
 $(".delete").click(
      function(){
           $.ajax({
                type: "GET",
            url: "/profile/delete/{{ item???}}/",
            dataType: "json",
            success: function(data){
           $("{{ item }}").fadeOut(300, function() { $("{{ item }}").remove() });
           }
      });
 });

Or am I going about this all wrong?

A: Sure! You don't even need to use a hidden input.
You can make sure that an anchor tag doesn't go anywhere by adding
href="javascript:void(0)"
Which "href" value should I use for JavaScript links, "#" or "javascript:void(0)"?
ADditionally, you would need to do some light javascript work.
This will include:
1) adding an onclick event to the anchor
2) when the anchor is clicked get the associated item.id
3) get the action you want to perform ie. save or delete
4) make an ajax request to your django app with the item.id and the action.
5) do something with the response!
This allows the user to perform actions without relying on page refreshes.  Ajax is a crucial concept and will be well worth the effort of learning. http://www.w3schools.com/ajax/default.asp
Watch out for posting data through ajax with csrf middleware. It CAN get tricky.
https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/dev/ref/contrib/csrf/#ajax


When is the best time to call or leave messages?
Crusader Central Scheduling starts taking calls at 8:00 a.m. and receives thousands of calls per day. For an appointment, call as early in the day as possible. For a message which is not urgent, the best time to call is in the afternoon. If you are having an emergency, dial 911.
What is the best way to contact Crusader Community Health?
To make an appointment for the any Crusader facility call 815-490-1600. This includes West State Street, Broadway, Loves Park, School-based Health Center at Auburn HS, Belvidere and our Alpine Road clinic.
CrusaderNOW!℠ walk-in clinics are available at TWO LOCATIONS: Broadway and Alpine. They serve adults and children. No appointment needed. Open Monday – Friday: 8:30 am – 6:30 pm, Saturday: 8:30 – Noon.
Is Crusader Community Health a walk-in, immediate care or a free clinic?
Crusader care providers prefer patients make appointments. Whenever possible, it is best to schedule an appointment by calling (815) 490-1600 for all Crusader locations.
However, we realize sudden illness occurs.
No appointments are needed. We will accommodate any patient who comes to CrusaderNOW! HOURS: 9 am-7 pm Monday-Friday and Saturday: 8:30 am – Noon.
Crusader is not a free clinic. It is Crusader's mission to provide high-quality health care for all patients, regardless of their ability to pay. We will not decline service to a registered Crusader patient on the basis of their ability to pay. We will work with you.
If you do not have insurance, you may qualify for the following reduced fees based on your income. Discount levels are 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% on eligible services and are re-evaluated annually. Please ask at the time of registration if you qualify.
I am currently working. Am I still able to receive services at Crusader Community Health?
I don't live in Rockford. Am I still able to receive services at Crusader Community Health?
Yes, you can generally receive services from Crusader regardless of where you live.
I am not a Crusader patient. Am I able to use your West State Street Walgreens pharmacy?
Crusader has a Walgreens Pharmacy located just inside the main entrance of our clinic at 1200 West State Street. It is open M-F 8am-5pm for anyone to use. It is a pharmacy only, not a complete Walgreens store.
You don't have to be a Crusader patient to have a non-Crusader medical provider send your prescriptions to this Walgreens Pharmacy. It is a convenience Crusader provides those living in the neighborhood around our West State Street clinic.
I have insurance. Am I still able to receive services at Crusader Community Health?
Yes, Crusader accepts most private insurance plans. Please verify coverage with your insurance plan.
How does Crusader Community Health's sliding discount work?
As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), Crusader Community Health offers discounts based on federally established guidelines. You may be eligible for a discount program if you are not covered by an insurance plan or have limited coverage.
Discounts are based upon family size and income. Proof of income is required to be considered for a discount. Discount levels are 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% on eligible services. There is a minimum $20 fee due per medical visit and a minimum $30 fee due per dental, optical, or podiatry visit at the time of service regardless of discount. Discount eligibility is re-evaluated annually or sooner if your financial situation changes.
Patients may be assessed to determine eligibility for third-party coverages including Medicaid, Illinois Health Connect, Medicare and other coverages. Crusader provides assistance in completing entitlement applicationsons on a case by case basis.
If you are covered by a discount program, most laboratory and x-ray services ordered and processed at Crusader are eligible for discounts. Laboratory and x-ray services for patients with third-party coverage are billed directly by Crusader contracted service providers.
Are the doctors at Crusader Community Health board certified?
Yes. The doctors and providers at Crusader Community Health are fully credentialed and licensed by the State of Illinois. All providers are board certified or board eligible in their specialty.


text:
Individual Retirement Arrangements legal definition of Individual Retirement Arrangements
https://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Individual+Retirement+Arrangements
(redirected from Individual Retirement Arrangements)
A means by which an individual can receive certain federal tax advantages while investing for retirement.
The federal government has several reasons for encouraging individuals to save money for their retirement. For one, the average life span of a U.S. citizen continues to increase. Assuming that the average age of retirement does not change, workers who retire face more years of retirement and more years to live without a wage or salary.
Uncertainty over the future of the federal
Social Security system is another reason. U.S. workers generally contribute deductions from their paychecks to the Social Security fund. In theory, this money will come back to them, usually upon their retirement. But a substantial number of politicians, economists, and scholars contend that the Social Security fund is being drained faster than it is being filled, and that it will go broke in a number of years, leaving retirees to survive without government assistance.
Regardless of its future, many people consider the retirement benefits of Social Security to be inadequate, and they look for other methods of funding their retirement years. Many employers offer retirement plans. These plans vary in form but generally offer retirement funds that grow with continued employment. Yet this benefit is not always available to workers. A changing economy has caused some employers to cut back on retirement plans or to cut them out completely. Often, part-time, new, or temporary workers do not qualify for an employer's retirement plan. And individuals who are self-employed may not choose this job benefit.
To help people prepare for their retirement, Congress in 1974 established individual retirement accounts (IRAs) (Employee Retirement Income Security Act [ERISA] [codified in scattered sections of 5, 18, 26, and 29 U.S.C.A.]). These accounts may take a variety of forms, such as savings accounts at a bank, certificates of deposit, or mutual funds of stocks. Initially, IRAs were available only to people who were not participating in an employer-provided retirement plan. This changed in 1981, when Congress expanded the IRA provisions to include anyone, regardless of participation in an employer's retirement plan (Economic Recovery Tax Act [ERTA] [codified in scattered sections of 26, 42, and 45 U.S.C.A.]). The goal of ERTA was to promote an increased level of personal retire ment savings through uniform discretionary savings arrangements.
A movement to bolster the Federal Budget by eliminating many existing tax shelters prompted portions of the tax reform act of 1986 (codified in scattered sections of 19, 25, 26, 28, 29, 42, 46, and 49 U.S.C.A.) and another change in IRA laws. This time, Congress limited some of the IRA's tax advantages, making them unavailable to workers who participate in an employer's retirement plan or whose earnings meet or exceed a certain threshold. Yet, other tax advantages remain, and the laws still allow any one to contribute to an IRA, making it a popular investment tool.
It is difficult to understand the advantages that an IRA offers without understanding a few basics about federal Income Tax law. Generally, a person calculating the amount of tax that he or she owes to the government first determines the amount of income received in the year. This is normally employment income. Tax laws allow the individual to deduct from this figure amounts paid for certain items, such as charitable contributions or interest on a mortgage. Some taxpayers choose to take a single standard deduction rather than numerous itemized deductions. In either case, the taxpayer subtracts any allowable deductions from yearly income and then calculates the tax owed on the remainder.
Taking deductions is only one of the ways in which a taxpayer may reduce taxes by investing in an IRA. But IRAs have proven to be popular with taxpayers. This popularity has prompted expansion of the federal tax rules to encourage additional savings and investment through IRAs. In 2003 there were 11 types of IRAs:
Individual Retirement Annuity
Employer and Employee Association Trust Account
Simplified Employee Pension (SEP-IRA)
Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees IRA (SIMPLE IRA)
Spousal IRA
Rollover IRA (Conduit IRA)
Education IRA
Despite the many variations, the two most important remain the traditional IRA and the Roth IRA.
In traditional IRAs, a single filer may deduct IRA contributions as long as his or her income is less than $95,000 (to qualify for a full contribution) or $95,000-$110,000 to qualify for a partial contribution. Joint filers may deduct IRA contributions as long as their adjusted gross income is less than $150,000 (to qualify for a full contribution). If their adjusted gross income is between $150,000 and $160,000, they may qualify for a partial contribution.
IRA contribution limits increased in 2002 and will increase over the next few years. For individual taxpayers, contributions are limited to $3,000 for tax years 2003 and 2004. In tax years 2005 through 2007, contributions are capped at $4,000. They are eventually capped at $5,000 for individual taxpayers in 2008 through 2010.
Various plans may constitute employer-maintained retirement plans, such as standard pension plans, profit-sharing or stock-bonus plans, annuities, and government retirement plans. Someone who does not participate in such a plan—whether by choice or not—is entitled to contribute to an IRA up to $3,000 a year or 100 percent of her or his annual income, whichever is less. The amount contributed during the taxable year may then be taken as a deduction.
A married taxpayer who files a joint tax return with a spouse who does not work may deduct contributions toward what is called a spousal IRA, or an IRA established for the spouse's benefit. If neither spouse is a participant in an employer-provided retirement plan, up to $4,000 may be deductible.
Taxpayers who contribute to Traditional IRAs usually realize tax benefits even when the law does not permit them to take deductions. That is because income earned on Traditional IRA contributions is not taxed until the funds are distributed, which usually occurs at retirement. Income that is allowed to grow, untaxed, for several years, grows faster than income that is taxed each year.
To avoid abuses and excessive tax shelters, Congress has placed limits on the extent to which IRAs can be used as a financial tool. Individuals with IRAs may currently make contributions limited to $3,000 a year; contributions exceeding that amount are subject to strict financial penalties by the Internal Revenue Service each year until the excess is corrected. The owner of an IRA generally may not withdraw funds from that account until age 591/2. Premature distributions are subject to a ten percent penalty in addition to regular income tax. Taxpayers may be able to avoid this premature distribution penalty by "rolling over," or transferring, the distribution amount to another IRA within 60 days.
An individual may elect not to withdraw IRA funds at age 591/2. However, the law requires IRA owners to withdraw IRA money at age 701/2, either in a lump sum or in periodic (at least annual) payments based on a life-expectancy calculation. Failure to comply with this rule can result in a 50 percent penalty on the amount of the required minimum distribution. Contributions to an IRA must stop at age 701/2.
In 1997, Congress provided for a new type of IRA—the Roth IRA, named for former Senator William V. Roth, Jr. The Roth IRA was part of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, Pub.L. No. 105-34, 111 Stat. 788 (codified as amended in scattered sections of 26 U.S.C.). Contributions to a Roth IRA are not deductible from gross income, and the Roth IRA allows no deductions for contributions. Instead, Roth IRAs provide a benefit that is unique among retirement savings schemes: If a taxpayer meets certain requirements, all earnings from the IRA are tax-free when the taxpayer or his or her beneficiary withdraws them. There are other benefits as well, such as no early distribution penalty on certain withdrawals, and no need to take minimum distributions after age 701/2.
The chief advantage of the Roth IRA is the ability to have investment earnings escape taxation. However, taxpayers may not claim a deduction when they contribute to Roth IRAs. Whether it is more advantageous to use Roth IRAs or traditional IRAs depends on each taxpayer's personal situation. It also depends on what assumptions the taxpayer makes about the future, such as future tax rates and the taxpayer's earnings in the interim.
One may open a Roth IRA if he or she is eligible for a regular contribution to a Roth IRA or a rollover or conversion to a Roth IRA. A taxpayer is eligible to make a regular contribution to a Roth IRA even if he or she participates in a retirement plan maintained by his or her employer. These contributions may be as much as $3,000 ($3,500 if 50 or older by the end of the year). There are just two requirements: the taxpayer or taxpayer's spouse must have compensation or Alimony income equal to the amount contributed; and the taxpayer's modified adjusted gross income may not exceed certain limits. These limits are the same as in traditional IRAs: $95,000 for single individuals and $150,000 for married individuals filing joint returns. The amount that a taxpayer may contribute is reduced gradually and then completely eliminated when the taxpayer's modified adjusted gross income exceeds $110,000 (single) or $160,000 (married filing jointly).
A traditional IRA may be converted to a Roth IRA if modified adjusted gross income is $100,000 or less, and if the taxpayer is either single or files jointly with his or her spouse. Although taxpayers converting traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs must pay tax in the year of the conversion, the long-term savings often greatly out-weigh the conversion tax.
Further readings
Boes, Richard F., and G. Michael Ransom. 1994."Untangling the IRA Rules." Tax Adviser 25 (August 1).
J.K. Lasser Institute. 1996. J.K. Lasser's Your Income Tax 1996. New York: Macmillan.
Kaster, Nicholas. 1998. Roth IRAs after 1998 Tax Law Changes. Chicago: CCH.
Levy, Donald R., and Avery E. Neumark. 2000. Quick Reference to IRAs, 1999. New York: Panel Publishers.
Individual Retirement Account
Ferraro, Geraldine Anne
Keogh Plan
Taxpayers with Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA) Plans, by Type of Plan, Tax Year 2010 [All figures are estimates based on samples--money amounts are in thousands of dollars] Contributions deducted Total contributions [1] on Form 1040 Number of Number of taxpayers Amount taxpayers Amount Type of plan (1) (2) (3) (4) Total [4] 11,540,393 51,210,690 4,166,699 20,737,719 Traditional IRA plans 3,487,945 12,801,391 3,019,530 11,443,203 SEP plans 1,053,876 11,963,079 614,383 7,101,137 SIMPLE plans 1,709,465 7,881,701 591,901 2,193,379 Roth IRA plans 5,801,369 18,564,519 n.a.
Accumulation and distribution of Individual Retirement Arrangements, 2010
Approximately 50.9 million taxpayers held $3.3 trillion in individual retirement arrangements based on the yearend 2004 fair market value of their plans.
1.408-4(b)(4)(ii), and Publication 590, Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs), provide that the rollover limitation is applied on an IRA-to-IRA basis.
Rollover contribution to second IRA disallowed
Individual retirement arrangements, such as traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, and simplified employee pension plans (SEPs).
For 2000, approximately 46.3 million taxpayers held $2.6 trillion in individual retirement arrangements (IRA's) based on the fair market value of their plans at yearend.
* Form 5498, Individual Retirement Arrangement Information: Beginning in 1997, Form 5498 is used to report contributions to three types of retirement plans: individual retirement arrangements (IRAs), simplified employee pensions (SEPs) and SIMPLEs (plans for employees of small employers).
Businesses face new and revised information return requirements
The purpose of this article is to provide guidance for practitioners retained to assist with crucial decisions to be made by non-spouse beneficiaries of individual retirement arrangements (accounts).
The inheritance trap: how not to leave your heirs' interests dangling
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India partner sends good without authorization
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


With Delaney being a patrol leader, we have to be at Scouts at 6pm most weeks, which means a crunched night. We dropped him off at 6 and did a little grocery shopping before returning to let Kendall do homework during his meeting. I hope to not take Kendall most weeks, but Tia left this morning for Dallas for a couple days.
So my day started with Tia leaving for the airport as I got Delaney up. He made the bus, and then Kendall got ready and made school. I had a 9am meeting, which slightly throws off my days since my production is much higher in the morning. However before my meeting, I had to go throw hay for horses, and fill water, so I was later than expected getting to actual work.
With a compressed day, I tried to be efficient, a little writing, a little admin, and then some podcasting. I've gotten into a bit of a routine with podcasting on Tues for the rest of the week and the next Monday. I'm hoping to actually take a few days off next week, so maybe I'll actually be ahead the following week (fingers crossed).
In the afternoon I slowed down, as expected, and had to deal with a new boarder. The lady came around 3:30 and I met her, but her horse didn't come until almost 4. It wasn't much to get them settled, but it was time and distraction. Then the kids were home and I needed to make sure Delaney got homework done, cook some food and then we were out.
In the middle of all of this, I have cats to deal with. Milky Way is in heat in the house, and Louie keeps coming over from the barn. I put him back outside once today, but he got back in and hid in the basement. He's in there now, and I can't coax him out, which is very annoying. At this point he'll spend the night there with a litter box and water and I'll deal with it in the morning.
Not the day I wanted, and with some travel coming up, I feel a little stressed trying to get work done ahead of time. I thought about taking next week off, but I'm not sure if I can now. Maybe a day or two, but we'll see.
This afternoon I was all set to do some chores, but I'd asked Delaney to play tennis and Tia wanted to go. I thought chores could wait, actually was avoiding them, so we went and hit balls for an hour, but we were all tired. It was hot (90F+) and we gave up, coming home after a bit.
Then it was chore time. Or I was about to go weed whack some tumbleweeds, but Tia wanted to get her batteries cleaned in her truck. They've been draining and we think there's something wrong with the electrical system. There was corrosion on the terminals, so we cleaned those batteries first, and then I went to cut some weeds down. I got the culvert and the gate cleared up, which was something I've let bother me for a month and a half without dragging the weed whacker down there to cut them down.
Mission accomplished and now I won't be annoyed with myself every time I go through the gate.
I took the tractor down, after first pushing some hay bales that Tia needed moved. Surprisingly easy, though I was worried about lifting two at once. Fortunately they were angled and balanced on the other bales, so I wasn't lifting them completely with the bucket. Still, moving slow to make sure I didn't tip over.
Cut some grass for a few minutes, tied down some tarps better, and I'm done. It's been a long day and time to chill out with a little Halo 2 with Delaney.
Flew back this am on a 9:45am flight from OKC. Upgraded to first class, which was nice, but it's such a short flight, I'm not sure it mattered that much. Still it was nice to get a mug of coffee, and a refill on the flight as I read.
That gives me 30k miles for the year with trips to Austin, London, Seattle, LA, and Las Vegas still to go. Gonna be close to 50k and might need to take a mileage run at some point to try and get there for next year. Then I ought to get quite a few upgrades next year if I fly anywhere near as much.
Now to do a few chores and then some tennis with D and Tia since Kendall's away at a birthday party.
I'd never taken the Porsche into the mountains until last week. Kendall and I were going to Winter Park for the day and I asked if she'd like to take the Porsche. She said yes and we zoomed through the mountains, enjoying some of the curves as I goosed the throttle around them.
All was well until the way back.
I felt a couple bumps, and then saw smoke coming from the rear of the car as it rumbled down I-70 near Evergreen. I managed to pull over, but by the the tire was shredded. On the side of a 65mph highway, trucks and cars coming down, I managed to loosen the wheel and jack the car up. I'd never needed the tools in the car, and was glad they were all there.
Then the spare was an inflatable spare, which I've never seen. It folds in on itself a bit and there's an air compressor in the car. 15 minutes later, it's inflated on the car and we test it by rolling down the slight hill for 100 ft to be sure it's holding the car's weight. It does and I drive to the Tires Plus near us, 41.3 miles, going 55mph with a close eye on the odometer to keep it under 50 miles.
Here's the tire next to Kendall, which is shredded. I guess high speed and blown tires don't work out well.
I hit the ball hard, a nice line drive in between the first and second baseman into right field. It's a little pathetic, but I actually worried about getting to first base. So head down, I start to run.
As I'm building up speed, I try to push off on the right knee and it pains me. I feel a sharp pain and jerk a little, pulling my groin on the left side. On top of a knee and elbow that annoyingly sting from a slide earlier, I'm now struggling to run a bit.
I make it and get a pinch runner right away. We go on to win on a walk off single from the guy batting ahead of me so I don't have to test my health again.
It's been fun and the last two weeks with close games have been a lot of fun, even in the losses. However I am ready for the season to be done and let the body heal.
Last night I skipped karate, trying to let the knee heal more, and we all went out to meet Kyle for dinner. He bussed down to Southlands, and we packed up the kids, with no real plans, and drove out for a quick dinner with Kyle to spend some time and see how he's doing.
He looks good, growing up, and seems excited about the next year of college. It seems that we did a good job raising him and he's grown into a confident, relaxed, happy adult.
I could see it happening in my mind. Two steps to the left, reaching out with my glove, picking the ball out of the air between bounces, taking two more steps as I transfer the ball to my right hand and start the double play with a straight throw to second base.
That might have been the play ten years ago, or even five, but that's not what happened today. Today was completely different.
It was slow motion, but my feet didn't move quickly, fighting through the inch or two of sandy dirt that surrounded third base today. The ball was skimming the surface, barely rising two or three inches above the ground. Knowing I wouldn't get ahead of the ball in time, and with no chance to bend over that far at a run, I dove. Slow motion again, but this time it was more a slow motion, controlled crash to the ground in an attempt to knock the ball down and prevent it from reaching the outfield.
I missed, but the shortstop was there to end the play without any damage.
However I was proud of myself. Over the last few year I've learned to respect the limits of my body, and not push myself too far. With shaky legs at times, I've avoided sprints and learned to turn and move before running, trying to avoid the lateral pushes off my knee. Last week I did something to wiggle the knee, and it hurt to even walk on Monday. I suspect I've done something to one of the ligaments in there, but I'm not sure if I want to pursue any work on it. Some rest, some ice, and care has managed to work over the last 7-8 years.
Even though I didn't make the play, I did play within my limits, doing the best I could without injuring myself, and that's all I can do these days. I did make two plays, coming up to get bouncy balls that might have short-hopped me if I hadn't moved and threw the runners out at first. I did realize I'm planting hard on the right knee when I come to a stop and I need to watch that.
I didn't hit today, trying to avoid the stepping sideways. My leg was a little sore yesterday and I didn't want to push it again. The rest of the team played well, getting ahead 2-0, going down 7-2, and then coming back to win 9-7 in 7 or 8 innings. We even had a home run, hit to deep left center, which I think is the first of the year for our team. Good for everyone's spirits after we've played well the last two games, only to lose in the last inning.
I haven't hit one out this year, and it might not be the year for me. One more game next week, and I'm not sure I'll hit, have to see how the knee does this week with some lighter running.
I think the baseball team is cursed. I can't believe we lost yesterday, up by 10 runs at one point and leading by 6 in the top of the 9th. We just lost it, giving up 7 runs without an out on a combination of good hits, a few walks, and a couple hit batters. Add to that a few errors, and it was hard.
I didn't get much of anything at third, no fielding plays, a pop-up the pitcher got, and a couple throws from outfield to me to try and catch runners. The only close one was a throw from center that was low, coming in on a few low bounces and the runner sliding, obscuring dust. The ball bounced off my shin, which is still sore today.
At the place I walked the first two times without swinging, then walked after a few foul balls, and got a K and a grounder to first. The K came when I swung at a high pitch for the third strike, but I'd let a high one go earlier that was called, so I had to swing.
I am actually looking forward to baseball ending. Tomorrow I have a 4:00 game, so I'm leaving the house at 2:30-ish. The downside of that is that Tia is leaving at 7:00-ish to go ride with a friend and returning around 1:30-2:00. So we'll barely see each other.
However we do have a date night planned tomorrow night, so that will help.
Sunday it's the same. She has a training ride with a friend for their race next weekend. I have a game at 3:30, so I'm leaving when she gets back. Again.
Fortunately I'm down to one weekend of baseball on the 21st and she has her ride on the 20th. After that things will slightly ease up.
Delaney and I were talking about video games and books yesterday while driving to the water park and I realized that I didn't understand the Halo universe as well as I thought I did. I hadn't played much Halo 3 with him, and apparently we never finished Halo 2 either. He offered to help me understand better by playing some games.
So when we got home last night, we sat down in his room and ran through a bit of Halo 2, me getting the chance to practice my skills and him having the chance to explain things to me. It was a good time, with Kendall providing some "color commentary" and helping explain some things to me as well. Apparently she's played a bit with Delaney and knew a few things I didn't.
It was a good end to a kid day.
Another kid day, the last hurrah before school starts next week. I'm taking the kids to Pirate's Cove, a water park in Englewood to the west to have some fun today.
The third book in the Helfort series, continuing on the battle between the Federation Worlds and the Hammer empire. In Helfort's War Book 3: The Battle of Devastation Reef Helfort is pulled away from his ship, assigned to the special projects division of the Federation Space Navy. As with many military book, politics come into play.
Helfort is pulled into a new ship, built to be run by a crew of 10, and their AIs, in an almost un-manned fashion. It's the only way that one admiral thinks the Hammer's new anti-matter missiles can be handled in battle. A grueling set of training simulations get Helfort down, but he manages to survive, determined to destroy the Hammer empire.
However much of the Navy dosen't like the idea of un-manned ships, or this dreadnought force and undermines them. Despite Helfort's few successes in training, they do not accept the concept.
Meanwhile the Hammers are trying to press home the attack. Polk is pushing to destroy the Federation and is only held back when a few salvaged anti-matter missiles are detonated in Hammer space. He thinks that the Federation might have the same weapon and is unsure of how to proceed.
When the Federation discovers the Hammer anti-matter lab at Devastation Reef, a huge operation is planned. Helfort manages to lead his squad to a victory, but in the process he disobeys a direct order from an admiral. On top of that, they escape in a small lander with about 200 survivors and can only get to an independent planet, though one that is under Hammer vassal status.
The book wanders between space and land, with Helfort once again the target of Hammer politics. His girlfriend is captured when her ship is destroyed, most of the Federation Navy wants him court martialed, and the Hammer worlds continue to brutally oppress their people. All in a day in the future.
Not as good as the first two books, but still a good continuation of the saga.
An interesting read. Instead of, or in addition to, a smart grid, what about smart charging items? In this blog, they talk about smart electric cars. I like the idea, distribute intelligence, collect some data, and then allow the grid to react.
This is a good way of working with supply and demand. Give out the information, let users decide if they want to pay more or less, based on the supply at different times. If we add in wind and solar power, perhaps we might get more charging and other work done during light periods in the US. I would certainly be willing to program my washer, dryer, dishwasher to work this way.
The knee is still sore, and definitely not supporting much in the way of movement, but I was able to walk much easier today and could go down stairs without the handrail. Ice and rest have helped.
Just did an easy treadmill jog, very slow. I started at 4, but that was uncomfortable. Too fast to walk, too slow to jog, so I upped to 4.6, which was OK. I tried 4.8 at a minute, but immediately I had pain from bending the knee too much and had to slow down to catch myself. I stuck with my 4.6 for the remainder of the run, and then walked a bit at 3.3mph, which was a comfortable pace.
I was ready to not run last night, after starting to strike and almost hitting the ground from the knee in pain and starting to collapse. I started to walk after that, just about giving up on running, but then decided to try the old man, slow shuffle/jog and that worked. It was a "run" as well, with both feet off the ground on most strides, and managed to go along with Delaney pacing me on his bike.
I'm going to go slow for a week and see. If it's still painful, I think a doctor visit is in order, but I've had similar pain before and a week later it's mostly gone.
Fingers are crossed this time.
Once again I made a lucky decision. I ran after I got home from the airport, but before baseball. Since I did something to my knee on the first play, I'm glad I did. I couldn't have run after, and I'm not sure I can run today. Iced the knee last night and today, and I'll try later, but if it hurts, I'll bail. It's been a good run and I can't complain, but the run isn't more important than health.
Our baseball game was something. We were playing a good team, a team that should have killed us, but we played well. It was an excellent game overall.
Once again we were worried about having enough people, but we had 9 show up, and one guy called a friend to give us 10 for the game. I started at 3rd, getting a slow grounder halfway to me on the first play. I ran up, planted to pick up the ball quickly, and threw to get an out at first. With my so-so arm, that was a good play for me. However I stepped on some uneven ground and the knee wiggled, giving me some pain when I bent it and pushed off. Fine while standing, hurting while jogging/running.
Running is a huge overstatement as I got a hit later in the game and hobbled/limped to first. I couldn't really move right, and hugged the line a bit. I got two more hard grounders to me, which fortunately got to me, and didn't require me to move and so I ended up with three good plays at third. I managed to pick up a steal throw from home and an outfield throw as well without moving much, and with no chance to catch the guy.
For the team, we hit well, quite a few fly balls caught, but also some good hits that had us leading the game 4-1 or 4-2 or most of the game. We were aggressive, with two people getting caught at home. One was a tag on a throw from center, which was just a good throw. The other was a guy going 2nd to home on a deep hit, again, a great throw. We had a guy caught stealing as well, but even if we had those three runs, we would have lost. The final score was 10-4, so we definitely were beat.
However we didn't make any errors in the field and had 3 or 4 1-2-3 innings. We played well and until the 8th inning, we were looking good. Then they other team woke up. With 2 outs, we walked a couple guys, then they got some good hits. Two line drives over short to drive in runs and then our pitching struggled. We changed pitchers, walked a couple more, a few more hits before ending the inning. We got people to 1st and 2nd, but then a grounder to third ended the game.
For me, I hit the ball well. 6 swings, 6 contacts. I fouled one the first at-bat before lifting a long fly to right that the fielder caught while running back. Then a walk with no swings, a foul and a hard grounder up the middle for a single, and then another great hard swing that drove a ball to deep right, but the fielder was playing deep. The Rebels know me well and play me deep, but they were good hits. If I'd been able to step with my knee, I'd have hit them better. Not sure about out, but they definitely felt like I was lacking power with the swings.
Another disappointing loss, but we played much better and looked good. Having 2-3 more of our good players there might have made the difference.
And glad. My whirlwind trip is done, and another early flight this morning out of New Orleans to head back to Denver. Now a couple hours at home and then baseball.
A re-read for me, but when I bought book 4 before my last trip and started it, I realized I wasn't sure what was going on. So I stopped and went back to read Helfort's War Book 1: The Battle at the Moons of Hell.
The book follow Michael Helfort, newly graduated Jr Lt in the space Navy of the Federation Worlds. It's split between following Helfort, a talented young man with a bit of a tempter, and the Hammer Worlds, a Soviet style empire that brutally oppresses it's citizens, but based on a religion.
The Hammer worlds disdain the use of AIs, which are key to the Federation Worlds, but are wracked from within by economic issues. When the current leader of the Hammer worlds hatches a plot to hijack a terraforming ship and use it on one of their planets, things break loose. Helfort's mother and sister are on the ship, and his ship is tasked to provide some intelligence to get them back.
In the deep space scout DSL-387, Helfort learns to be part of a team, and work together. He grows as a young soldier, while shouldering the burdens of his family being in danger. When the Federation attacks, it's Helfort's ship that is providing advance intelligence and intercepts a small force of much larger Hammer ships to distract the patrol from the Federation ships.
It's an exciting space military opera, full of action, adventure, and lots of politics, particularly in the brutal Hammer worlds. I enjoyed the re-read and am looking forward to getting to book 4.
And a hot one in Baton Rouge. After a smooth flight from Denver, despite a 4:30am wake up, I grabbed a Dodge Charger for my rental and drove towards Baton Rouge. I had hoped to have lunch with a friend in New Orleans, but the timing got messed up and he had plans earlier than expected, I arrived later than I had thought when we made plans (confusing this trip with OKC in 3 weeks) and so I stopped for some New Orleans BBQ on the way.
Great BBQ, but my stomach wasn't happy. So I worked a bit in the hotel before heading out to University Lake for a run. I've run here for the last two years, and enjoy it. Nice houses and fraternity/sorority houses line the two sides of the lake, and I've run around most of it.
But never around it. I've always started down one side and then turned around. Today it didn't feel too hot, I'm in better shape, and was thinking to go 15 minutes and turn around. However I was feeling good at 12 min and thought I was nearly halfway. So I kept going, thinking I'd go 20 minutes and see. At that point I thought I was over halfway, so I kept going.
I was over halfway, in more ways than one. I was wiped out, and at about 30 min I had to walk for a minute. I kept going, and the lake seemed to keep stretching, and I ended up walking probably 1/4 of it, or nearly a mile. I alternated walking with jogging, and was soaked with sweat and struggling a bit in the 101F heat (according to my Charger). I certainly didn't finish strong, and I needed to sip water for an hour after to feel better.
But I was proud. Almost 4 mi in 43:00 in hot weather.
A good run, but tomorrow's will be closed to a mile, and early (7am) to avoid some heat.
After taking yesterday off to hang with the kids before school starts, today was back to the grind, trying to close down the week. I leave for New Orleans at 7am (leaving the house at 5) and then drive to Baton Rouge for SQL Saturday #64. It will be a whirlwind weekend of a couple hours in N.O., driving to Baton Rouge and spending about 27 hours there before driving back to NO and flying home early Sun morning.
Today was getting Kendall to camp, then working to get a podcast done, a touch of writing, and then going over my presentation again, checking demos and fixing some (more) typos. This is now 4 rehearsals in a week, so I think I'm getting it down.
There was a run in there, and also getting Delaney registered for school. Then more presentation work before racing to karate, and being a minute late to step on the mat. Fortunately the class was singing "Happy Birthday" to the instructor, so I slipped in. Then grocery shopping before heading some to finalize a couple things I wanted to change in the presentation. I thought of them while driving around.
Somewhere in there I packed, going for the no checked bags route, which I hope works out OK for me on this trip. I wanted to get down to a smaller bag, and think I did fine, with plenty of space left. I'm thinking that I'll aim for this mini bag for the rest of my trips this year, and see if I can manage to avoid the delays of checking bags.
After an indulgent day at the amusement park with the kids, hanging out, drinking too much sugar, and laying around, I was tired. Came home, ate, watched some TV and fell asleep early. Up to get Kendall to her last day of day camp this summer and then working a bit before a run.
Which I pushed, harder than normal, but after a lazy day yesterday, I felt like going. Had a good run, which was nice. Tomorrow I'll be running in Baton Rouge, around University Lake where it will be a bit warmer than CO, I suspect. Looking forward to running in the heat and humidity the next two days.
Without meaning to, I've been running almost in a pyramid pattern across the weeks. It's 7-8 days between the pattern, which is completely unconscious. I don't track the miles across days very often. But listening to my body, I've run this way.
are similar, though not as much of a pyramid. However June and July were definitely months were I was trying to run more, get above a 2mi/day average to make it for the year.


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A stunning chorus line of boys and girls wearing fabulous costumes will perform hits from Broadway to the naughty bump and grind of Burlesque. Creating an electric atmosphere to this sensational extravaganza.
We're approximately 5 minutes walk from Newcastle's Central Train Station and Metro station and we have our very own taxi rank just across the street.


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Posts Tagged 'Ghosts'
Pre-release Review: Bump in the Night Anthology
Posted: October 12, 2013 by Nikyta in 3.5 Star Reviews, 4 Star Reviews, 4.5 Star Reviews, Book Reviews, Elizabetta's Reviews
Tags: abuse, ally blue, alternate universe, amazon, anthology, blog, bondage, book review, books, Brien Michaels, Bump in the Night Anthology, cock/ball torture, contemporary, demons, demons/monsters, drama, gay, Ghosts, glbt, gods/demons, gore, gore-fest, heidi belleau, historical, Kari Gregg, Laylah Hunter, lgbt, literature, m/m, medical kink, monsters, non/dubious-consensual/rape, paranormal, paranormal horror, Peter Hansen, Rachel Haimowitz, rape, review, riptide publishing, romance, sailing, Sam Schooler, shock-value, sid, sid love, slave/captive, stuffing & sounding, tentacle-sex, three-way, torture, tropical island, vine sex, violence
Reviewed by Elizabetta
TITLE: Bump in the Night
AUTHORS: Heidi Belleau, Ally Blue, Kari Gregg, Peter Hansen, Laylah Hunter, Brien Michaels & Sam Schooler
EDITOR: Rachel Haimowitz
BLURB: Turn off the lights . . . and turn on your darkest fantasies.
Demon pacts. Ghostly possessions. Monsters lurking in the depths. The things that go bump in the night frighten us, but they also intrigue us. Fascinate us. Even turn us on.
Join us as fan favorites Ally Blue and Kari Gregg bring over-amorous aquatic beasts to life with their mythic twists on the Siren and the monster in the lake. Erotic horror pros Heidi Belleau, Sam Schooler, and Brien Michaels show us just how sexy scary can be with a pair of demon deals destined to curl your toes and set your heart thrashing. And literary masters Laylah Hunter and Peter Hansen weave haunting worlds where ghosts and dead lovers can touch our hearts (and other, naughtier places too . . .) and teach us lessons from beyond the grave.
By turns exciting, evocative, and exquisitely explicit, the stories in Bump in the Night are sure to scratch your sexy paranormal itch. Explore your wildest fantasies with us in this collection of dark erotic tales.
This is one of the strongest and most provocative anthologies I've read in the slash genre. Each story is unique in its own special horror and all are well crafted. Warning: this is more horror than erotica. And while there's little to no romance, there's plenty of sexual intoxication. There are a lot of disturbing elements. If rape or dubious consent is a trigger, proceed with caution.
The endings are more 'happy-for-now' or even 'this is as good as it's gonna get'. But isn't that what life in the 'Twilight Zone' is about? I have to admit that I gobbled these up, thrilled by the story-telling.
There is a common thread through the stories summed up by a line lifted from one of them, "I hadn't stopped to consider the cost." Just in time for Halloween, this is highly recommended for those who want a darker, no-holds-barred read. Please heed the tags.
Overall anthology rating –
Resurrection Man by Laylah Hunter
Tags: historical, paranormal, gore
An interesting turn on the Frankenstein story, this is a perfect example of the adage, "be careful what you wish for"… A young man desperately in love, practices the dark art of necromancy and sells his soul to bring a beloved lover back from the dead.
"The flesh is scarcely the trouble… the installation of a soul in flesh is the domain of God."
This feels like a chapter out of a larger piece (which means I want more) but works fine as is. Chillingly horrific and melancholy.
Mating Season by Kari Gregg
Tags: paranormal, monsters, tentacle-sex, slave/captive, non/dubious-consensual/rape, cock/ball torture, gore, bondage, medical kink
Oh*my*freaking*lord
This is over-the-top wickedness with a cherry on the top, and the bit of devious plotting keeps it from being purely torture porn. The author throws everything but the kitchen sink into this feast of tentacle sex depravity…
A lusty monster with very active suction-cupped appendages…
"… the suckers on the underside of the tentacles nuzzled and guzzled down my cock like dozens of tiny mouths slurping… siphoning… tenderly squeezing…"
Deception, bondage, non-con/dub-con/rape, mpreg, stuffing, fisting… torture…you name it.
Did I like it?
Yes… yes, I did.
It starts off innocently enough. Danny is on a back-to-nature camping trip in a bucolic setting… cue birds, bees, butterflies…
Then begins a descent into nightmare-hell as he is tricked and forced into an evil experiment and… let's just say he finds a special connection with a large, slimy, tentacled lake monster. It's not pretty. I can't say more. Read it.
This comes so close to my (so-far) favorite tent-sex read, Charlotte Mistry's Gay Tentacles from Outer Space! (discerning tent-sex readers will already know this one). But Kari Gregg (I Omega, Spoils of War) offers up her very own special brand of delicious torture in the tent sex genre.
It's just all kinds of… no… and, yesssss… Read it, but heed the tags.
Flesh and Song by Ally Blue
Tags: contemporary, paranormal, gods/demons, sailing, tropical island
Noah Rose is a restless man. He has everything he could want, a thriving surf holiday business in Costa Rica, a beautiful sailboat, and an eight month vacation cruising around the Caribbean. He's been searching for a mythic island, "La Terre de la Belle Mort" (Land of the Beautiful Death), but what exactly is he searching for? He has been desired by many men "who wanted to own him but couldn't" yet he is alone, adrift on the sea, searching, until…
"… here he was, facing the island the old men swore would give you your heart's most secret desire. For a price."
A naked man shows up on the island's pristine beach and Noah is called to him. The lure of the siren song, here with a twist, changes Noah's life as, once more, someone wants to own and bind him. Has he found his "heart's most secret desire"?
"Then the stranger spoke again, the words like bells and nightingales… making his heart race… intoxicating song words Noah didn't understand but already needed the way he needed air and water."
The story is well made, but in the end it felt like an interesting interlude. Noah is in a dangerous situation, we see it even when he doesn't, but we don't know or learn enough about him to really care. Points for the descriptive writing and Noah's fall into a kind of madness— that was fun.
Out From Under by Brien Michaels
Tags: contemporary, paranormal, demons/monsters, slave/captive, bondage, vine sex, non/dubious-consensual/rape, three-way, stuffing & sounding, torture, gore-fest
Brant has been enslaved and imprisoned in an old, decaying mansion cellar by an evil demon that can take different physical forms. It can even manifest itself by turning the cellar into a lush, verdant forest, sprouting foliage and sex-crazed vines. And it is hungry, it needs a certain type of nourishment. One guess what that is…
"… leaves sprouted beneath my feet, moist and lush… the first string of cum jettisoned from the tip of my cock, and the leaves glowed where it landed."
The author outdoes himself, this is such a randy gore-fest of demon badness. And Brant is no innocent. He's a pain-loving nympho, hooked on vine sex, reduced to procuring men for the monster, keeping its secrets; he's sold himself for it and is lost to the pleasure.
"… the demon's curse amplified every feeling, made me need that caress so badly I ached."
And yet, there are lines like, "This nymphomania was really a burden sometimes. It made life so much harder…" and… "(the demon's) head walked toward me (saying): "Things may not have worked out quite the way I'd planned." The cheeky humor is welcome and balances the nightmare nicely.
The author switches back and forth in describing the demon's sexual appendages… are they vines or tentacles? Confusing and irritating. Discriminating tent sex readers will want an important detail like this kept clear and consistent!! *nods* For this reader 'vine' works just as well as 'tentacle'. I have to add that the demon's ghastly, human form with its tattoos that could 'peel away on command' into 3-D vines— so cool. I also liked the ending, how things resolved for Brant, though there is a lot of gore to wade through to get there. Be warned!
Sleeping With Ghosts by Peter Hansen
Tags: paranormal, alternate universe, ghosts, violence
An odd, grim alternative universe, this, and slow-going at first as the reader is dropped coldly into it with little preparation. Brother Yordan Korvechi is a Bookman, he works for the Church of She Who Turns the Page and their job is to protect against the soulless who roam this world (it seems there are a limited number of souls to go around). "Turning the page" being a euphemism for death, and Yordan wielding the power of the Grim Reaper.
What happens when an aged person needs a little nudge, a little help with separation from life and soul? Who you gonna call?
Yordan is dispatched to such a task, equipped for action… "He had a knife up each sleeve and a slim pistol in his coat lining, a garrote in his breast pocket just aching to be unwound." His task is critical, as somewhere, an unborn baby is waiting for the recycled soul, must have it.
But when Yordan discovers that he has been used in a political rivalry, he begins to have second thoughts about his work. Things have become more complicated when he is touched by the soul of the not-so-aged man he has just dispatched, and he is forever changed.
This was well written and atmospheric with a brooding sense of tension, dis-ease and suspicion, but it didn't feel especially horrific or erotic. It left me almost as cold as poor Yordan's interaction with the soulless ghost… I couldn't help but feel that a little more info and character development would have greatly helped. (I recall that I've read another short by this author (Changing the Guard) which left me feeling much the same.)
Blasphemer, Sinner, Saint by Heidi Belleau & Sam Schooler
Tags: paranormal, demons, rape, 'shock-value'
Holy cannoli, this is all kinds of messed up. Disturbing and mesmerizing.
Things start off relatively quietly. There's David who has to sell himself on the streets to get by, and is dying from syphilis, and Tobias, his self-righteous, sanctimonious ex-lover who runs a boy's orphanage, steeping himself in 'good works'.
Told from Tobias' POV, we see that they were childhood lovers, but Tobias was unable to accept his 'unnatural' feelings for David. So he abandons him, and buries himself in religious conviction that it's for the best. David, meanwhile still loves Tobias, and comes asking him for help.
Part-way in I felt that this was looking to be the most romantic of all the offerings in this antho. Yeah, Tobias is a prick, but he eventually enters into a deal with a strange man he meets in a church, whereby he can give David his life back, give him a chance at redemption. It seems that Tobias still cares for his old lover and does want to help him. But are his intentions completely unselfish and in good faith?
This also has an underlying message of the need for compassion— that sometimes there is no choice— that we must accept who we are, and that love is love. Too bad Tobias learns this too late because the bargain he makes for David's soul turns out to have a horrific and shocking payment. He has literally sold his soul to the devil for it.
Most of the important action happens in a church and there is an act that is so shocking that it stopped me cold… it will offend some, I suspect. But this is some special mindfuckery— that the horror here, lies in messing with our perceptions and boundaries. There is a twist in the act that makes it work in the end, though. In the end, everyone gets what they deserve. But at what cost?
Elizabetta's Overall Rating –
BUY LINKS: Riptide Publishing
Elizabetta is one of the official reviewers on The Blog of Sid Love.
To read all her reviews, click the link: ELIZABETTA'S REVIEWS
Two Book Reviews: Duncan Andrews Thriller Series by Stephen Osborne
Posted: October 9, 2013 by Nikyta in 4.5 Star Reviews, Book Reviews, Taylor's Reviews
Tags: amazon, Animal Instinct, blog, book review, books, Complicated Love, drama, dreamspinner press, Duncan Andrews Thriller Series, gay, Ghosts, Ghouls, glbt, lgbt, literature, m/m, Made Me Lawl, mystery, Pale as a Ghost, paranormal, review, romance, sid, sid love, Smex Finally, Stephen Osborne, Strippers, witches, zombies
Reviewed by Taylor
SERIES: Duncan Andrews Thriller
AUTHOR: Stephen Osborne
Pale as a Ghost (Book One, Duncan Andrews Thriller)
BLURB: Private detective Duncan Andrews's best friend Gina is a witch. His dog is a zombie. And his dead boyfriend, Robbie, is a ghost. So it's hardly any wonder that he uses his connection to the supernatural to help him solve cases. Good thing, too, because Duncan has his hands full. Janice Sanderson, the richest woman in Indianapolis, wants him to find her stripper daughter, Brenda, and another client is having some trouble with a specter haunting her family home. On top of that, Duncan has decided to add dating into the mix, though after Robbie's death, he's not sure he's ready.
When Duncan meets Nick while tracking down a lead on Brenda's boyfriend, he shelves his doubts and agrees to a date. Robbie doesn't make it easy on him, showing up to spoil his chances, but that is the least of Duncan's worries—because one of his clients' husbands is missing and there's a serial killer on the loose—one Duncan fears isn't human.
Private Detective Duncan Andrews has a complicated life. He has a ghost for a boyfriend, a witch best friend, a lovable and hungry zombie dog, and he solves unusual crimes on top of that. In this first installment, Duncan has been hired for two separate cases, a blue female ghost haunting a family and finding a missing, rebellious girl. Along the way, he meets Nick, a man that just may convince Duncan to move on from his dead boyfriend and start dating someone human.
OH…OH…OH…how I heart this special, lovely book. It caught me by surprise, as I had never even heard of this author before, and didn't have any expectations. But it's everything I could ask for in a story. It made me LAUGH and laugh and laugh some more until I cried. It even caused me to laugh unexpectedly, which are always my most attractive and "barkish" laughs. Morton's salt and a ghost defending his man. That's all I can say. But it's more than just incredible wit. Duncan is smart, patient, devoted, self-deprecating, sarcastic, and relatable. His boyfriend, Robbie, is someone I just want to hug and protect, and he's so abashedly adorable that I loved him the way Duncan loved him. And the moments where they slowed down their banter and really talked and revealed their sadness at their situation broke my heart. They can't be intimate because the effort it takes for Robbie to become more human-like weakens him too much. There are a few times where he musters the strength to hold hands with his love or to kiss him, and I felt so much compassion for them both.
But there is more to this book than even Robbie and Duncan. There is Gina, Duncan's kickass best friend and witch, who is understanding, funny, and I loved all her powers and observations. The zombie dog, Daisy, is hysterical as she chases squirrels to eat. Even the lesser secondary characters held my interest. From Kevin, the teenager who loved the Jonas Brothers, to Brenda, Derek, Caleb and more. Both of the cases Duncan worked on were vastly different, but they were quick. The pace was perfect, and I never felt any of it dragged. Just the RIGHT mix of action, humor, love, gore, and world-building.
I have only two tiny niggles. Nick, the secondary lust interest, whom I found pretty bland. I'm glad he came across that way, though, because not once did I feel any heat between him and Duncan, and it's like observing a couple that has been slogged in mud versus a shiny diamond with the pairing of Robbie and Duncan. Those two fit and are meant to be together (I hope, I hope…please…please), and Nick was just there. The other thing was the author has a tendency to use the phrase "made a face" too much rather than switch it up, but like I said, tiny niggles.
Highly recommend for a fast-paced, amusing mystery.
Taylor rates it –
BUY LINKS: Dreamspinner Press :: Amazon :: All Romance eBooks
Animal Instinct (Book Two, Duncan Andrews Thriller)
BLURB: Sequel to Pale as a Ghost Duncan Andrews Thriller Private detective Duncan Andrews has the home-team advantage when it comes to solving paranormal crimes: His best friend, Gina, is a centuries-old witch. His dog is a zombie. And his boyfriend, Robbie, is a ghost. Duncan certainly has his work cut out for him with this case. Someone's been using the skull of a powerful wizard to control animals, and whoever it is, they're not out to set up a petting zoo. For Gina, the case hits close to home-she knows just how dangerous it is, since the wizard was her father. Just when he thinks they're close to breaking the case, tragedy strikes, leaving Gina in a coma. Then, after years as a ghost, Robbie finally decides to move on, leaving Duncan to protect young Ashton Marsh, the victim of several strange animal attacks. Suddenly Duncan is working without his supernatural safety net. Without his friends, can Duncan defeat the power of Eleazar's skull and keep Ashton alive? Or will the struggle for his life end in broken bodies as well as broken hearts?
In the sequel to Pale as a Ghost, we are back with Private Detective Duncan Andrews and his cast of unusual companions, from his zombie dog, his ghost boyfriend, and his witch best friend. Duncan isn't just your usual detective, though, because he's always out solving the random Twilight wannabe vampire running amuck or in this instance, a stolen skull from a powerful wizard being used to harm and even kill others. This case strikes personal for Duncan and his best friend Gina, as it is her father Eleazar's stolen skull.
Soon Gina is put into a coma, and he has another case that brings him clues as to who stole the skull. Weird trick of the skull? Its power uses animals to harm.
Amidst that you have Duncan and Robbie questioning their reality of a relationship and whether either can make it on their own. And Nick is still tagging along.
I loved this book just as much as the last one, but it was different in its own way. The reader still has Duncan's priceless one-liners, his awkwardness, his love for his boyfriend, and everything else that makes this wonderful man up. Robbie….SIGH…my fictional hubby, Robbie. Damn, I love that man. That dead man still wearing his high school letterman jacket that wants to have sex with his very alive boyfriend. Trust me it's not as creepy as it sounds. And gahhhhh, he is so freakin cute and hilarious. When Duncan was getting hit on??? Robbie's reactions were classic. Even in the dream sequence where he's wandering around observing and asking questions. He's just so caring, sexy, pouty, and wise in his own way. These two FIT. I can't see them apart ever…ever, ever, ever. Mr. Osborne, do NOT break my heart. That scene in the car where Duncan and Robbie are discussing whether Robbie should move on to the afterlife? How awesome and neat (not really). You knew I wanted to sob like a 5 year old.
Then there is Nick, who I'm coming around to (again not really). Don't get me wrong, he's fine and nice and dependable, but he's not Robbie. He is a good friend, though. And Duncan needs a great friend that has no association with the paranormal world. Gina, when she was there in this book, is just as lovable as always. And Daisy, that sweet murderess dog. Yeah, me likey her.
I thought the case in this book was more interesting than the ones in the last book, and I also thought the instances where the skull worked its magic were creepy. That makes me happy. M/m books need more great suspense or mystery novels. I'll never look at squirrels the same way. Or that damn grinning cat.
Oh and Eleazar?? You, my kind floating head sir, are so, so, SO badass for the gift you gave the reader and, most importantly, Duncan at the end.
Highly recommend for fictional hubby love and a good mystery and suspense.
Taylor is one of the official reviewers on The Blog of Sid Love.
To read all her reviews, click the link: TAYLOR'S REVIEWS


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Items 1 ~ 20 of 3434, Page 1 of 173
1. Merck Foundation Launches Five-Year Initiative to Reduce Disparities in HIV Care for Vulnerable and Underserved Southeastern US Communities
09/04/2019 MERCK
2. WHO revises recommendations on hormonal contraceptive use for women at high HIV risk
08/29/2019 WHO
3. Half of US Teens Getting HPV Vaccinations
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that just over half (51.1%) of teenagers were fully vaccinated for human papillomavirus (HPV) as of 2018, up 2.5 percentage points from 48.6% in 2017.
08/29/2019 American Cancer Society
4. As Ebola cases reach 3000 in DRC, WHO calls on all partners to fulfill promises to communities
5. Rising to the challenge of malaria eradication
6. World Bank and WHO Statement on Partnership & Deployment of Financing to WHO for Ebola Response in DRC
7. Three years without a case of wild polio virus, Government of Nigeria warns against complacency
8. Burundi launches ebola vaccination campaign for health and front-line workers
9. Merck Receives Positive EU CHMP Opinion for ZERBAXA® 3g Dose (ceftolozane and tazobactam) for the Treatment of Adults with Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia (HAP), Including Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP)
10. Merck Announces Presentation of Phase 2b Results for Investigational HIV-1 Therapy Islatravir (MK-8591) at IAS 2019
New Findings from Study Evaluating Islatravir in Combination with Doravirine versus DELSTRIGO™ (doravirine 100 mg/3TC 300 mg/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg) / Company Plans to Initiate Phase 3 Trials
11. WHO applauds Rwanda's Ebola preparedness efforts
12. Merck Presents Early Evidence on Extended Delivery of Investigational Anti-HIV-1 Agent Islatravir (MK-8591) via Subdermal Implant
Phase 1 Data Presented Today at IAS 2019
13. WHO recommends dolutegravir as preferred HIV treatment option in all populations
14. Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern
15. FDA Approves Merck's RECARBRIO™ (imipenem, cilastatin, and relebactam) For the Treatment of Adults with Complicated Urinary Tract and Complicated Intra-Abdominal Bacterial Infections Where Limited or No Alternative Treatment Options Are Available
16. 20 million children miss out on lifesaving measles, diphtheria and tetanus vaccines in 2018
17. High-level meeting on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo affirms support for Government-led response and UN system-wide approach
18. Merck Highlights Commitment to HIV Research with Presentations for Investigational Anti-HIV Agent MK-8591 at IAS 2019
Data Include Week 48 Results from Phase 2B Study Evaluating MK-8591 in Combination with Doravirine
19. WHO updates global guidance on medicines and diagnostic tests to address health challenges, prioritize highly effective therapeutics, and improve affordable access
New essential medicines and diagnostics lists published today
20. More than a million people to be vaccinated in phase 2 of a huge cholera vaccination campaign in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
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