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You are here: Home / Personal / off-topics / current events / elections / Live blogging & recapping the Vice Presidential debate
Live blogging & recapping the Vice Presidential debate
October 2, 2008 by krisis
We have arrived at perhaps the most anticipated televised political event in at least a decade, if not of all time: the Vice Presidential debate between Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin.
I'll be liveblogging this debate to capture some of the highlights and to discuss my immediate reaction, just as I did last week for the first Presidential debate.
Mics on for the intro, Sarah in black, first punch: "Nice to meet you! Can I call you Joe?"
Q1: House does not pass the bill, Senate does. Best of Washington, or worst?
Biden gravelly but polite in intro. The worst is what's happened the past eight years. Appears to be reading. Goes right into Obama talking points. Being extremely clear, but it's canned. Good content.
Fundamental disagreement with Governor Palin? Focus on Middle Class.
Here we go. "A good barometer as we try to figure out is this a good time or a bad time?" Invokes a kid's soccer game. "I betcha you're going to hear some fear in the parents voice." So far solid. Right from folksy into John McCain talking points, "sounded that warning bell." Will be oversight, "thanks to John McCain's bipartisan oversight."
Q1a: Shrink the gap of polarization across partisan lines?
Biden kisses up on this question and steers back to the original question to slam McCain on the fundamentals statement. Sarah looks pleased as she is studying a talking point.
WOW, interesting – Palin: "96% of his votes are along the party line." Masterful stroke to match the "90% with Bush" argument that Obama uses. And she winked at some point in there.
Verdict: Both staked out their ground, but neither fully answered the question. 2 points each.
Q2: Subprime: who at fault? Greedy lenders? Or… greedy buyers? (Let's see who will choose that second option.)
Palin: "Darn right it was the predator lenders." This is a realistic response – that lenders are responsible, but that the people must relearn their skills to manage money and live within their means. Effective, honest answer.
Biden questioning if "deregulation" is the real fix. McCain 20 times pushed deregulation, and plugged it for health care too. Another very effective answer.
This is so much better than the presidential debate.
I think outside of this venue the two of them would be drinking together! Except for when Palin accuses Biden of voting for raising taxes – he went from a wide, charming smile to a complete sourpuss. Can't wait for the response on that one. Palin getting better at eye contact and staying away from her cue cards.
Biden … holy crap … he is the encyclopedia of Senate procedure. If by this "bogus definition" we are counting Obama to have voted for tax hikes, McCain did it almost 500 times. Very compelling narrative and rhetorical device – agrees with Palin, and then makes McCain look worse and implies she agrees with that too.
Palin scolds Biden for saying she didn't answer the question – gets scary, and then points out all that she did as a mayor and governor.
Verdict: Palin's original answer is probably the most honest thing we're going to hear in any of the debates. But, Biden stayed on message and left his ticket in a stronger position. Biden 5, Palin 4.
Q3: Biden, why is raising taxes on the rich not class warfare? Palin, why is taxing employer benefits not taking things out on the poor?
Biden: "Where I come from it is called fairness – simple fairness." Essentially, saying that the middle class is the worst off right now, and we need to help them the most. That's why we have to redistribute.
Palin points out that those $250k+ cuts would also hit small business. Folksy charm about whether or not paying taxes is patriotic, because she and Todd are in that class. Biden looks like the ultimate charming gentlemen every time she goes to the folk place.
Now answering the question. Bad policy, but "budget neutral," and points out that we wouldn't want the government managing our health care after seeing what they did to everything else.
Biden saying his ticket's policy isn't "redistribution." I think this is going nowhere. Except, 95% of small business owners are under $250k, so Palin's point is invalid.
Oh yes. Biden explains how McCain will be taxing the health care benefit just to create the $5000 tax credit, just to pay health insurance. 20 million Americans dropped. "Ultimate bridge to nowhere."
HOLY SHIT. That was the best math I've ever heard on television.
Verdict: Palin was clear, but didn't do too much other than parse. Biden was clearer than even Obama was. Biden 9, Palin 5.
Q4: What promises can your ticket not keep due to the bailout?
Biden – cut foreign assistance. America: aw, shucks. Biden – oh, and we can't cut taxes for the rich. America: darn. But, we're not going to cut education and health care. Mentions the blinking time light. At this point I'm liking him more than Obama.
Palin skips the question to hit Obama on voting for the bill that gave oil companies a tax cut. Ties to what she's had to do in Alaska to protect her people. This is a "get out of jail" card that she prepped for when she didn't know what to say. Biden is going to win this question on default.
Ifill steers her back to question. "How much have I promised … I've been at this for five weeks?"
Biden protecting the energy bill vote – because it was for responsible energy. Explains ever-so-briefly why votes sometimes work like that. Then agrees with one of Palin's policies – she got it right, and we want to do it, but McCain won't.
This is riveting. They're both very good at this so far.
Verdict: Out of all four candidates Biden is the only one who truly answered this question. Palin folked out of it the same way McCain drove around it, which makes their ticket sound fundamentally unprepared to manage the country in the wake of the bailout. Biden 13, Palin 6.
Q5: Palin, would you have supported the bill McCain did, to make it harder for mortgage holders to declare bankruptcy.
Parses, "unfortunately, I would have." Que? Rearing the head of abuse? Clearly her tack when cornered is to promote McCain.
Ifill: Biden and Obama split their votes on the bill.
Biden: "it gets complicated; Obama saw the glass was half-empty, but I saw it was half full." Discusses why you would vote that way, and how things have changed. Biden should teach congressional policy to kindergartners.
Palin cornered again, changes the subject entirely, back to energy – that's not even the question?! But, she points out that states like hers should be able to take advantage of their resources to promote our energy independence, and that we're funneling too much money into countries that don't like us.
Verdict: They both actually answered, and though she initially fumbled Palin managed to switch gears to a valid message when slightly cornered. Biden 16, Palin 8.
Q6: Climate Change. What causes it? What fixes it?
Palin: "As our nation's only arctic state … we feel and see climate change." Seems to have physical problems with admitting that the change is partially man made. CAST THE DEVIL OUT, SARAH. Instead, says there is something to be said about cyclical energy changes on our planet. "But I don't wanna argue about the causes." Basically, doesn't feel like answering the question?
Biden: "If you don't understand what the cause is, it's virtually impossible to understand the solution." We don't have enough oil to make ourselves independent by mining ourselves. We need fundamentally cleaner energy to build independence and jobs, and maybe even export. China is dirtying the air – let's export the technology to fix that. "Drill we must, but it will take ten years for any drop of oil to come out of those wells."
Ifill interjects to keep us on pace, because she is great.
Palin: Corrects Biden: "The chant is, 'drill baby drill." Palin, building a natural gas pipeline – clean green gas. Obama called "safe" offshore drilling "raping" the intercontinental shelf.
Palin supports capping carbon emissions. Biden supports clean coal, don't take his ropeline comment out of context (misses chance to say: Sarah knows how frustrating that is!)
Verdict: Palin came off as an ass on the fundamentals of this question, but was saved by her foundation of energy credentials. However, Biden was crystal clear and on message. Biden 20, Palin 9.
Q7: Biden, do support as Alaska does, providing same sex partners with benefits?
Biden, unblinkly. "Absolutely." Here's where I begin to cry. Talks about how the constitution absolutely supports this.
Sorry, I'm crying here.
Palin, "Not if it grows closer and closer to redefining marriage," as it sometimes does. But, don't mistake this for me not being tolerant about the choices that adults make. Would not prohibit hospital visitations or contracts. But does not support redefinition of marriage.
Biden and Obama don't support redefining marriage other – let's leave that to faith. Biden, not afraid to say "gay" in a debate. Palin, goes there too.
Verdict: Both effective, Biden parsed less and promised more. Biden 23, Palin 11.
Q8: Both with sons in Iraq. What do you want out of our plan for withdraw?
Palin is glad for the surge against counter-insurgency. Glad for it, glad Biden called out Obama for opposing the surge. Palin has a plan for withdraw, but not early withdraw. I think her ticket always sounds more convincing on this point, even though I don't agree with them. It's an more easily defensible point. Palin stays impressively and passionately on message.
Biden "With all due respect I did not hear a plan." Obama's plan is the same plan as the Iraqi president and President Bush. The man left out is McCain. Again goes to the senatorial history place to explain how McCain and Obama effectively voted the same way. Parses that he agrees with Obama on what the want to do, which is start to place the responsibility on Iraq.
The stammering "yes/no" sort of mistake he makes are getting a little confusing.
Palin, "your plan is a white flag of surrender in Iraq." Palin is firm in her counter-hit, still sounds pretty sure of herself. Again, pointing out that Biden is awesome for previously agreeing with McCain – a pity now he agrees with Obama.
This is so interesting – they're both trying to create a coalition of agreement between the two of them and their respective candidate against the opposing candidate.
Biden goes to the family place very effectively, and then slams McCain on issues. "I love him; as my mother says, 'god love him,' but he's been dead wrong." Doesn't know 700 years of history, of which Biden has memorized every vote and disagreement. Would also win in a spelling bee. Go ahead, challenge him.
Verdict: Powerful answers from both – being on the underbill allows them to agree across the stage and up to their candidate while leaving out the opponent, which makes some of their attacks more intriguing than in the presidential debates. I'd actually give Palin the edge, since she let Biden go to the specifics and then rebutted well. Biden 25, Palin 14.
Q9: Pakistan or Iran – which is more dangerous?
Biden: Pakistan already has weapons, already can hit Isreal. Scarier, probably, than Iran getting a weapon that can destabilize the reason. But, the seat of terror is in Afghanistan.
Palin: Both are scary, so let's not answer the question! Because, everybody knows the seat of terror is in Iraq. Oh, hey, but let's talk about the question again, because I know how to say the name of Iran's leader. Repeatedly, if necessary. Clearly heading towards the preconditions place.
Ifill: Are the secretary of states wrong about engaging with our enemies?
The utter irony and hilarity of Palin saying anything about our respect for women's rights cannot be overstated.
As this debate goes on, Palin is seeming increasingly more confident, and Biden is getting commensurately more confident in going after her responses. That's what a good debate is! They're so much more skilled at this than their partners.
Biden, again, is effective as an attack dog as a guard dog. Very believable, incredibly frank.
Ifill: What has this administration done right or wrong for Isreal?
Palin: "A two-state solution is the best solution." I think she's very assuring to the Jewish demographic here, but only if they swallow the two-state premise.
Biden: The best friend of Isreal. Hits Bush for making Hamas more legitimate by backing the election. He's going to the policy-wonk place because he knows the people paying attention to this question are policy-wonks by the nature of their support. It's a safe play?
Biden has to stop breathing on the mike. Palin admits there have been huge blunders, but thinks Obama's ticket is pointing too much into the past. Is that helpful to capture the undecideds? Yes, they probably don't like Bush, but is that what they want to here."
Biden: "Past is prologue" to the story that will be told by a McCain administration. Trying to create a soundbite here, maybe succeeding.
Verdict: I'm torn on this one. I think Biden answered the questions better, but Palin fired off more ammo towards the casual viewer, and ultimately that's the battle here. Biden 27, Palin 17.
Q10: What should be the trigger of our response to nuclear power?
Palin seems to go a little askew as she shuffles away from the answer, which she isn't prepared for. Can't speak to anti-proliferation, but can speak to saying Kim Jong Il's name and Afghanistan, so heck, she will.
Biden I think makes a mistake for following her to the surge in Afghanistan. Better to disprove her, or better to answer the question? Hard to know.
McCain opposed the Nuclear Test Ban treaty. "John McCain has not been the kind of supporter…" and then switches topics. I wanted to hear the end of that question.
Clearly Biden's play failed, because Palin brought him there because she was firm on that talking point. Hopefully he learned his lesson for the next thirty minutes.
Biden confused, on defensive. Retreats to the not enough money in Afghanistan place, points out that McCain thought Afghanistan succeeded as of a few years ago.
Verdict: Despite Biden's brief flirtation with an effective answer, Palin managed to keep him on the run – on a topic where he should have dominated. Biden 28, Palin 21.
Q11: Senator, you have a history of being an interventionist. Is this something the American public has a stomach for?
"The American public has the stomach for success." Talking about Bosnia – maybe losing some audience here, getting too specific? But, his point is that his intervention in the past has been used effectively. Biden is making the mistake of making this an Iraq question – IT ISN'T. Wisely, steers back to Darfur, Chad. This is the place to leave the question, because Palin isn't ready.
And, predictably, Palin is hitting against Biden's Iraq flip-flopping. It's effective. But, she's going to Darfur – "we can agree on that also." I think she's doing well. Talks about pulling Alaska's money out of Sudan to make sure she's not supporting genocide. A very effective, understandable answer.
Ifill: Should there be a line drawn?
Biden says there is a line, if they are killing their own people or endangering our own. Comes back to defend that he did not agree with McCain, who agreed with Cheney. "Lockstep."
I just think this discussion is a mistake. Talk about looking back – why are we always debating this minutia of Iraq voting records? It's never about the future.
Verdict: Pretty even here – Biden on experience, and Palin on her ability to work on the international stage even from Alaska. Biden 30, Palin 23.
Q12: A heartbeat away from the president – and you disagree with your candidate on some points. But, if your candidate died and you were the president, what would that be, and would it be different?
Biden, rightfully, hits Ifill for invoking the question in that nature, saying it was be a national tragedy.
Basically uses this to double down on Obama's greatest hits, which he would – of course – continue to support. Mentions the Bush Doctrine (interesting to see if Palin chases it). The most important election you are voting in since 1932. "I agree with every major issue he has ever suggested."
Palin, charmingly, says that as a team of mavericks they do disagree on some things, like ANWAR. A great way to answer, whether she prepped it or just thunk it up on the spot. "Reality from Wasilla main street." Um, like, more crystal meth? Fire all of the people that disagree with you? I think I need to hear more about that…
Biden knows about main street too, and he doesn't need a talking point to answer this question. I think that Palin has been somewhat ineffective on this – she sounds like she's a little on speaking points, even when she goes for an anecdote. Biden, on the other hand, doesn't really need speaking points for either.
FINALLY, education. Palin rhetorically makes out with Biden's wife. Hilarious answer. It kinda sounds like she's agreeing with Obama, seeing as McCain has no education platform to speak of.
Verdict: Again, both even, neither giving much up. Biden 32, Palin 25.
Q13: Question about discounting the Vice Presidency prior to their pick – Palin didn't know what they did, Biden said he never wanted to be one.
Palin hilarious opens with a joke about how they were both joking at the time, with Biden joining in. I really think they like each other. Even when they disagree they seem like they're having a great time. Palin knows what the VP does, especially in the Senate, and knows how she can be most effective elsewhere too, based on her prior experience.
Biden smartly slams education, ever so briefly, in response to Palin's close on the prior topic. Barack has asked Biden to use his Senate expertise. Biden about giving advise, and Obama said he wanted to choose someone who would disagree. And Biden clearly knows how to do that.
Ifill: Do you believe, as VP Cheney does, that the VP is as much part of the legislative branch as the executive?
Palin shout-outs to the founding fathers, decries flexibility, stays away from specifics. I think she's doing a good job of making herself likable, and you might argue she was already likable, but this is in a different way. Likable and well-spoken.
Biden: Cheney our most dangerous VP in the history of the nation. I think this is going over the head of the common viewer a bit. But, brings it back around to the Constitution, and how there isn't really flexibility.
Verdict: Still pretty neck and neck, but Biden rebutted well on both the education point from the prior topic and the executive vs. legislative point. Biden 35, Palin 27.
Q14: Here's the conventional wisdom of your Achilles heel (Palin: Experience, Biden: Discipline). Is it? And, if not, what is?
Palin is going to have to juggle on this one. Says she has experience, speaks to her strengths, her family, but doesn't sound like she's prepared to talk about a weakness. Instead, talks about "shining city on a hill," et cetera.
Biden: "I'm not going to change – I've had 35 years in public office." McCain voted against violence against women act. Biden brings out the story of his first wife, briefly, but effectively (some people might not know). Biden getting choked up.
I could watch these people talk to each other for an entire week. Ifill gives Palin a free play to keep talking. Palin talks about taking bipartisan fire and working across the aisle.
"He is the man we need to leave… lead." There's your soundbite.
Biden discusses the distinction between being a maverick over time, and the maverick on the major issues of this particular time. This is a great point. Obama should learn this one. "Not a maverick on anything that truly effects people around the kitchen table."
Verdict: Palin spoke well, but didn't say much. Biden answered and also did some extremely credible damage to McCain's maverick image. Biden 39, Palin 28.
Q15: Can you think of a single policy issue where you were forced to change a long-held view due to changed circumstances?
Biden talks about judicial nominees, and how he shifted his approach to their approval. A honest answer, but maybe over people's heads. Smart, though, because Palin can't really respond to it.
Palin talks about budgets she "quasi-caved" in, but had to do to work with the legislation. But, she hasn't had to compromise on her principles.
Ifill: Full-circle. Based on the debate this week, how do you change the tone to bi-partisanship?
Biden – learned not to question motives, just question judgment. Such a powerful answer.
Palin – you appoint people regardless of party alignment. Skirting this answer – does that mean she doesn't feel the tone needs changing? She retreats to basic talking points. No one is really going to hit her on this one, but it's one where she should be hit.
Verdict: Biden won the more scholarly angle on this one, and also nudged Palin on the simpler side of it. Biden 42, Palin 30.
Palin: "I like being able to answer these tough questions." Makes her nonsensical comment about being edited by the mainstream media, but in this context it makes a certain amount of sense. She's saying, "This is the real Sarah Palin. If you're seeing a different Sarah Palin speaking with Katie Couric, that's because they selectively edited me to sound like a moron."
She says she had a good time, and I think she's telling the truth. She was clearly instructed to make up for McCain never saying "middle" in his debate. Closes with a strong sell for freedom and for John McCain, as if they are synonymous.
Biden: Introduction is too circuitous – this is not going to play as well as Palin's. But, ends strong, speaks for Palin, for god to bless our troops.
Ends with an adorable family scrum on stage. Can I just vote for a ticket of these two people? Biden and Palin are having a heart to heart in the middle of the stage, seem so very engaged with each other. It goes on forever while various spouses and kids mingle behind them. Biden loving Palin's dad; Mrs. Biden not loving Palin quite as much.
Final Verdict: I wasn't going to give points for closing statements, but I have to give Palin a +1 for having such a great prepared statement full of soundbites.
That leaves us at Biden 42, Palin 31 – which seems like a touch of a blowout, but really it was just Palin's failure to really address the fundamentals of a handful of questions – Obama and McCain did the same thing. Realistically, she hung in well for the entire debate. Against anyone other than Biden she may have won handily.
Significantly, Biden is the real straight talk express. The man does not parse or lie – he is an encyclopedia of issues and facts, and he will outright say that he was wrong or that he disagreed with Obama rather than spending two minutes trying to build a narrative to explain away the inconsistency.
Equally significant for the general election, we were reminded that Palin can be very effective – in some ways the most out of all four candidates – at talking to the general population. It's not because of her folksy charm, either. It's that Palin truly is an outsider, and so she won't go into talking points that would lose the average America. By that virtue, it's absolutely guaranteed that everything she says is going to be understood, even if it's ultimately not agreeable or credible.
I will not be surprised if the GOP converts Palin to Congress at the next possible chance and starts grooming her for 2016 or 2020. Maybe even a Clinton-esque move for her into a more prominent state?
In my 4-5 points per question format this debate had double the points of the first debate, so I'm going to half them in updating the overall total. I awarded McCain 18 and Obama 16 at that one, to which I'll add Palin 16 and Biden 21. We currently stand at Obama 37 and McCain 34.
Personally, this debate just furthers my relatively tepid response to the two main candidates, who I have more strongly endorsed in the past. It really makes you think about the early primary period, where people like Biden were offered to us as a pick against Clinton and Obama. I think next time around I'm going to be paying a lot more attention in the earliest stages of the election to make sure I wind up with the candidate I actually support, instead of just the one who I hope will win.
Live-Blogging The 1st Presidential Debate
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Lovely real-time journal of this… I really enjoyed watching it, too (much more than last week's). Let's hope that Tuesday is just as riveting.
I've actually supported Biden for president since 2004. Mostly for your "Straight Talk Express" point. Every time I see the guy he's giving honest answers. I was sad that he was out of the race by the time PA voted, but such is life with the strange primary schedule.
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Mrs. Fisher gets some recognition.
Fri., 22 Rain at night. Sew. Clean milk room. We all attend service in the church, led by Mr Hafer in the evening. Salvation Army man on the street corner as we go home. Make bread.
Thurs., 31 Ironing, churning, & sewing on dress. Children go down street evening. Henry takes Grace to her school. Mr Winslow buried. Milk goes to the creamery.
Sat., 21 Sewing, mending, meals &tc. Ruth & Grace wash & iron. Christine goes home. Churn. No telephone communication. Scott commences to get milk.
Tues., 21 Get up early. Henry & Benjamin turn away young cattle. Wash, mop & iron. Commence to tie off a comforter. Very tired & somewhat cross. Grace is no use today. Mrs Porter & Sadie call.
Mon., 30 An immense wash. Mop, &tc. Go into the 3d floor for a little time to clean. Ben bids off the George Fisher farm for $2200. Mary Pierce up for a farewell visit. Children make molasses candy.


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Q: Login Screen: Stack overflow exception I am studying VB.NET so I want to make a simple login screen. For now, I only want that if I click on the button it writes something to the console ( I still dont know where that output is going ) but I get a stack overflow exception as soon as I click in Run.
Can someone advice me in why this code does not work?
Public Class Form1

Private Class Users

    Public Property Name() As String
        Get
            ' Gets the property value.
            Return Name
        End Get
        Set(ByVal Value As String)
            ' Sets the property value.
            Name = Value
        End Set
    End Property

    Public Property Password() As String
        Get
            ' Gets the property value.
            Return Password
        End Get
        Set(ByVal Value As String)
            ' Sets the property value.
            Password = Value
        End Set
    End Property

    Public Sub New(ByVal name As String, ByVal password As String)
        Me.Name = name
        Me.Password = password
    End Sub

End Class

Private user As New Users("Matias", "Barrios")

Private Sub Label1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Label1.Click

End Sub

Private Sub Label2_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Label2.Click

End Sub

Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load

End Sub

Public Sub Validar(nombre As String, password As String)
    Me.TextBox1.Text = user.Name
    If nombre = user.Name And password = user.Password Then
        System.Console.Write(user.Name)
        Me.TextBox1.Text = "No"

    End If

End Sub

Private Sub TextBox1_TextChanged(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles TextBox1.TextChanged

End Sub

Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
    Validar("Matias", "Barrios")
    System.Console.Write("Click!")
End Sub
End Class

A: You have this:
Public Property Name() As String
    Get
        ' Gets the property value.
        Return Name
    End Get
    Set(ByVal Value As String)
        ' Sets the property value.
        Name = Value
    End Set
End Property

The Get for that property refers to itself. So Get calls Get, which calls Get again, and so on, forever, until you run out of stack space for the function calls. Set does the same thing.
To fix the problem, the property is simple enough to use the auto-implement shorthand:
Public Property Name As String

But if you want to do it the long way, you need a backing field with a different name:
Private _Name As String
Public Property Name() As String
    Get
        ' Gets the property value.
        Return _Name
    End Get
    Set(ByVal Value As String)
        ' Sets the property value.
        _Name = Value
    End Set
End Property

Whichever you choose, you'll need to make the same change for the Password property.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Stars Sign Brad McClure to AHL Contract for 2018-19
CEDAR PARK, Texas – The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL's Dallas Stars, announced Wednesday the team has signed rookie forward Brad McClure to an AHL contract for the upcoming 2018-19 season.
McClure, 24, begins his professional career after completing a four-year career at the Minnesota State University-Mankato from 2014-2018. In 159 career games for the Mavericks, the 5-foot-11, 191-pound forward tallied 91 points (45-46=91) and served as the team's captain during his senior season.
Prior to college, McClure also spent two seasons with the BCHL's Penticton Vees with 126 points (69-57=126) in 111 career games, including an 80-point campaign in 58 games in 2013-14 (41-39=80).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Jim Coslett P.E.—Principal Engineer
A graduate of the University of Southern California, Jim has over 25 years of civil engineering experience in the consulting industry. He worked in the public sector for both state and county agencies in Northern California. In the private sector, he has managed a variety of projects in California and Idaho, including:
Large, master-planned subdivisions
Complicated floodplain developments
Foothills developments
Municipal engineering projects
By working in both the public and the private sector, Jim learned how to engineer large complex projects, manage staff, and run a business. These experiences also gave Jim the foundation for Rock Solid Civil's philosophy and vision.
Ken Nguyen—Staff Engineer
Ken earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and has over 18 years of civil and environmental engineering experience. Since 1994, he has worked on a variety of engineering projects in different geographical locations, including the San Francisco Bay Area; Portland, Oregon; and Boise, Idaho.
Ken provides infrastructure planning and design services for all phases of project development and delivery. He actively works with clients, developing detailed plans and specifications for all aspects of civil/environmental engineering projects. He conducts cross-disciplinary coordination, engineering design, cost estimations, agency permitting/approvals, and construction administration.
Derritt Kerner, P.E.
A graduate of Boise State University and a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Derritt joined Rock Solid Civil in 2014. At Rock Solid, we appreciate Derritt not only for his service to our country but also for his experience working for the Ada County Highway District.
Derritt has worked on a wide variety of projects including both residential and commercial. He works directly with project owners, architects, building officials, and other engineers on a daily basis.
Randy Carpenter—Senior Civil Engineering Designer
Randy is a graduate of ITT Technical Institute with an Associates of Applied Science degree. He has experience in civil construction management and specializes in providing comprehensive site layout and design plans for commercial and single-family construction projects. He brings to the firm over 20 years of civil engineering design and CAD experience.
Amy King—Office Manager
Amy is a graduate of ITT Technical Institute with an Associates of Applied Science degree. Amy oversees nearly everything that happens in our office—record keeping, HR services, you name it.
Amy's background includes solid experience with architectural, construction and engineering firms. She has spent many years helping small businesses develop into fully functional and successful organizations. She is a big reason why Rock Solid Civil delivers quality service to its clients.
Seijoon Song, E.I.T.
Seijoon Song is a graduate from Boise State University and earned his Bachelors of Science degree in Civil Engineering. Seijoon has experience working for the ADA County Highway District (ACHD), where he worked closely with superintendents and lead-workers in the maintenance department serving partially as a Project Manager/Inspector/Estimator.
With his experience at ACHD, he is able to apply his construction knowledge and background to the design aspects of civil engineering. Seijoon is fairly new to Rock Solid but already has gained experience working on projects in both residential and commercial settings and will be a big asset to the company.
John Fitzgerald-CAD Designer
John graduated from ITT Technical Institute in 1991 with an Associates of Applied Science degree in Computer-Aided Drafting. He has been working in the civil engineering field since 1990 with occasional sabbaticals to work on a computer science degree at Boise State University. John has worked on a myriad of engineering projects including subdivisions, highways, bridges, municipal utilities, single-family, multi-family and site topography among others as well as developing custom tools for Autocad. He specializes in foothills grading and drainage design, drafting topographies, subdivision development plans and tool development.


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Companies/ Energy Transition
Air Products, AES Commit $4 Billion to Build Largest Green Hydrogen Facility in U.S.
Emily Shain December 8, 2022
Leading industrial gases company Air Products and energy provider AES announced today plans to invest $4 billion to build the first "mega-scale" green-hydrogen production facility in Texas.
With anticipated capacity of over 200 metric tons per day of hydrogen, and including approximately 1.4 gigawatts (GW) of wind and solar power generation, the project is expected to be the largest green hydrogen facility in the U.S.
The project, targeted to begin commercial operations in 2027, will serve the growing demand for green hydrogen from states and corporations aiming to incorporate zero-carbon intensity fuels into their net-zero targets. Green hydrogen is specifically relevant for the mobility market, as well as other industrial markets.
Seifi Ghasemi, Air Products' Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, said:
"We have been working on the development of this project with AES for many years and it will be competitive on a world-scale while bringing significant tax, job and energy security benefits to Texas. We are excited to move forward and make clean green hydrogen available to U.S. customers in the near future."
Hydrogen is viewed as one of the key building blocks of the transition to a cleaner energy future, particularly for sectors with difficult to abate emissions, in which renewable energy solutions such as wind or solar are less practical.
Around 90 million metric tons of hydrogen are produced annually, although the vast majority is extracted using fossil fuels, which create pollutants and GHG emissions. Significant investments are required to develop clean extraction processes, such as green hydrogen, which uses a renewable energy-powered electrolysis process to extract hydrogen from water.
Slated to begin commercial operations in 2027, the new facility will supply green hydrogen to the transportation and industrial markets in the U.S., addressing growing demand for zero-carbon intensity fuels.
According to Air Products and AES, the facility will help to avoid more than 50 million metric tons of CO2 over its lifetime, equivalent to the emissions from nearly five billion gallons of diesel fuel.
Air Products and AESwill equally own the renewable energy and electrolyzer assets, with Air Products serving as the exclusive off-taker and marketer of the green hydrogen under a 30-year contract.
AES President and Chief Executive Officer Andrés Gluski stated:
"We are very pleased to partner with the world leader in hydrogen, Air Products, for this first of its kind mega-scale green hydrogen facility in the United States. We will build more than 1 GW of new solar and wind facilities to provide zero carbon energy for electrolysis and related production facilities. AES believes that green hydrogen has a key role to play in decarbonizing transportation and accelerating the future of energy."
Emily Shain
Emily Shain is a writer and entrepreneur whose work focuses on purpose-driven business, innovation, health, and wellness. Since graduating with Honors from Tel Aviv University with a Major in Communications, Emily's work continues to be featured in several publications and business-media platforms.
Energy Transition /
United Airlines to Purchase up to 2.7 Billion Gallons of Sustainable Aviation Fuel from New Joint Venture
‹ Salesforce Launches ESG Data Management & Reporting Solution › Thermo Fisher Ramps Emissions Reduction Targets


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A St. Paul man charged with indiscriminately spraying a crowd with gunfire after a Thanksgiving Day pickup football game in the Seattle area, killing one of the players, has been captured in Dakota County more than three months later, authorities said.
William O. Holly, 25, was arrested by Eagan police without incident Wednesday afternoon on a first-degree murder charge stemming from the Nov. 22 shooting.
Holly was alone in a home in the 1400 block of Shoreline Drive and was not armed when officers moved in and apprehended him, said Eagan police officer Aaron Machtemes, the department's spokesman.
"We were given one of five locations around the metro that King County [Wash.] identified as possible locations for Mr. Holly," Machtemes said. "Our officers did surveillance on the Shoreline home and identified the suspect at the residence."
The Thanksgiving Day pickup game came to an abrupt halt about noon, when one of the players spit in another's face on the field of Mount Rainier High School in the suburb of Des Moines, according to the charges filed in King County.
The crowd moved to a parking lot and the player who spit summoned Holly to the scene, where Holly fired 11 shots from a semiautomatic handgun, the charges allege.
William O. Holly
One bullet hit Leuea Loto, 21, a Mount Rainier alumnus who was home from the College of San Mateo near San Francisco, where he played football in 2017 and had accepted a scholarship to play for Missouri Valley College. He died later that day.
"That's what happens," the complaint quoted Holly as telling one of the witnesses soon afterward. "I just started shooting toward people. I didn't know who I was shooting at."
He eluded capture in Washington for nearly three weeks before flying back to the Twin Cities, the criminal complaint read.
Holly also has felony domestic assault charges pending in Ramsey County, where he's accused of punching his girlfriend more than 40 times on Feb. 2, 2018, in her St. Paul home in the 1100 block of Barclay Street.
Holly fled moments before police arrived and a warrant was issued for his arrest, according to the charges.
Holly's criminal history includes a pending domestic violence charge in Redmond, Wash., and four convictions for other violent behavior, all occurring in 2015 in St. Paul: two for domestic assault and one each for terroristic threats and violation of a no-contact court order.
He also has several convictions in Georgia, namely for battery, cruelty to children and obstructing police.
Paul Walsh is a general assignment reporter at the Star Tribune. He wants your news tips, especially in and near Minnesota.
paul.walsh@startribune.com 612-673-4482 walshpj
Jury selection begins Thursday. Prosecutors face greater challenges in proving guilt.
Timeline of events since George Floyd's arrest and death
A timeline of key events that began with George Floyd's arrest on May 25, 2020, by four police officers in Minneapolis:
Jury selection is scheduled to begin Thursday in the federal trial for three former Minneapolis police officers who are charged with violating George Floyd's constitutional rights while fellow Officer Derek Chauvin used his knee to pin the Black man to the street.
Two convicted in separate South St. Paul stabbing deaths • South Metro
Burnsville city manager resigns, deputy will step in • South Metro
Bigger, stronger: A prison for the future • South Metro
Burnsville megachurch pastor resigns over past sex allegations • South Metro
Twin Cities metro police blotter, Aug. 9 • South Metro


22,442 people from over 30 countries gave their lives whilst serving with British units on D-Day and during the Battle of Normandy.
The Normandy Memorial Trust is building the British Normandy Memorial to commemorate their heroism and sacrifice.
We're telling some of these stories every day until 6 June.
Today's story: Private Eric Norman Harris.


Description: The brave Captain America's vision was blurry so he went to the eye doctor. Check and heal his eyes so Captain America could see again. Pick up a pair of glasses that matches his superhero costume and everything is fine!


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This giveaway is for fantasy and fantasy romance lovers.
This Group Giveaway has expired
The Stickman's Legacy
Benjamin Appleby-Dean
The Stickman's Legacy Benjamin Appleby-Dean
Mary never knew her father until he died and brought his enemies to her doorstep. Searching his house for answers, she unearths an ancient nightmare and is drawn into a world of corporate magicians, subterranean kingdoms and living architecture, all of whom have history with the Stickman - and their own sinister agendas for his daughter.
As a secret war breaks out across London with her at the centre, Mary finds fragments of her own past resurfacing, and has to understand the true nature of her legacy before it's too late...
THE STICKMAN'S LEGACY is a dark fairy-tale about the stories we tell ourselves.
Leon Cameron
Excellent cover! Fascinating premise.
G M Sherwin
I love this cover!!
Jen Finelli
I love how scary the title sounds. That's an amazing cover, and I'm curious about "corporate magicians" and "living architecture." Neat!
Lola Andrews
Dark fairytales are my crack. This is going on my to-read.
Witches Gone Wicked: Womby's School for Waywa...
Sarina Dorie
Witches Gone Wicked: Womby's School for Wayward Witches Sarina Dorie
You think you know the world of magical boarding schools? Not from a teacher's perspective at a school for at risk youth.
Like any twenty-two-year-old who grew up obsessed with fantasy novels, Clarissa Lawrence expects all her Harry Potter fantasies to come true when she is invited to teach at a school for witches.
As if being the new "arts and crafts" teacher isn't hard enough at a school for juvenile delinquent witches, budget cuts are just as severe in the magic community, administrators are as unrealistic in their expectations of teachers, and the job is a hazard if the students find out you can't actually do magic.
As if this isn't enough pressure, she has to figure out why teachers are mysteriously disappearing. If she doesn't, she might be next.
Sue Hollister Barr
Sarina Dorie's The Memory Thief is perhaps not all that probable, but a fun romp through an off-world steampunk romance with fascinatingly elaborate plotting.
Rebecca Janet
love your cover!
John Hennessy
You can't beat a good witch story, and as a fan of them, this one rocks, and should be an essential part of your reading collection. Grab it today!
Wesley Britton
Just think if that was possible? This story has so much exciting potential when it comes to 'what-if' scenarios. Add the sci-fi element to a thrilling romance, I believe this book has every ingredient needed for a great book. All the best.
Cassandra Morgan
I downloaded this book as something to read over my lunch break and completely fell in love! I found the characers so wonderful and believable. The world-building is just amazing! I definitely will be looking up the rest of the Womby's School for Wayward Witches books!
J.M. Kearl
RISE J.M. Kearl
A farm girl. A prince. An assassin. A spy. All intertwined in a dangerous game where the players may die.
Daelyn leads a simple life farming—that is, until she catches the eye of the Prince of Hesstia and is invited to a night at the royal festival where it is said his brother will push for him to choose a bride. Little does she know, her chance encounter with the handsome prince is a scheme under the orders of the Queen of Delhoon, the Prince's enemy.
War is brewing again and threatens to consume both nations. Daelyn finds herself trapped between the opposing sides, and opposing men vying for her affection. In this dangerous arrangement, any wrong move could have Daelyn killed. Every decision she makes could swing the pendulum of who will rise and who will fall...
The Witchling Apprentice
B. Kristin McMichael
The Witchling Apprentice B. Kristin McMichael
Witches, potions, and magical spells—that all made sense, but men turning into animal-like monsters in the middle of the night? That had to be fiction, right? Wrong. Cassandra Booth thought her world of witches would be complete when she joined her coven. Fate didn't plan to let that be the case for her. Joining the coven brings new knowledge, like mates and men as animals, all things Cassie would rather not know. As her plans unravel she must find a way to join the coven without committing her life to a guy she once was friends with and now hates.
Andre Pisco
Ignite Andre Pisco
When Alec was 15, he was forced to accept an implant made by the gods - a chip that granted random powers and the possibility to see everyone's status.
Now, at age 20, his fledgling fire sorcerer ability enables him to get in the prestigious Drexus academy despite his poor upbringing.
He was hoping to survive first term without lighting too many things on fire but overly flammable ancient books become a small concern when the academy falls under attack by the mysterious Reapers. Men only whispered of in fearful rumors who are looking for two special students and a letter that could change the world.
Alec and five classmates are chosen to undertake a dangerous journey to seek help. Along the way through, they learn the truth about the chips.
Molten Heart
Katie Salidas
Molten Heart Katie Salidas
Dax thought he knew everything about fire, but when he meets Jane, she ignites an entirely new kind of blaze within him. Smart, sexy, and obsessed with the molten heart of the earth that is home to his people. It's almost as if she is a Drake trapped in human form. The passion they share burns hotter than any flame he's ever felt. Jane doesn't know Dax is a dragon. Seeing his true form is forbidden. But when he discovers another Drake tampering with the volcano, forcing an eruption that will destroy Jane's island home, Dax will have to risk life and newfound love to save her.
D L Richardson
This books sounds great. I love Agents of SHIELD. Great cover.
The Unleashed Creation
Betsy Flak
ARCHANGEL'S KISS
Anna Santos
ARCHANGEL'S KISS Anna Santos
Who would you rather have—a vampire or an angel—for a soul-mate?
Innocent Aria never imagined that her dream trip to Paris would change her life forever. She is soon thrown into a world where vampires, angels, gargoyles and werewolves exist.
After being rejected and almost dying, Aria finds herself stuck in a dangerous love triangle where her freedom and happiness are at stake.
Who will Aria choose to love forever? The gorgeous but ruthless vampire who sentenced her to Hell or the breathtaking and possessive angel Prince who offers her redemption and a brand new pair of wings.
Find out in Captive.
Before the Fates
Bethany Strobel
Before the Fates Bethany Strobel
In a world of Magic where giants and Gods seek to destroy entire kingdoms, four sisters must fight for survival...
Enlisting the aid of the God Dagda, the triplets will do whatever it takes to insure he gives them powers to defeat the conquering army of Fomorians and their evil God, King Balor...
But Gods are petty, and power is a deceiving force that can bring down nations and create monsters. Find out how the Triple Goddess manifests in
Before the Fates...
The Summer of Shambles - Ondine Book #1 (full...
Ebony McKenna
Lauren Harris
Unleash Lauren Harris
Yvonne Carder
This is a totally fun read. I highly recommend it to anyone that likes magic and urban fantasy stories. I can't wait for book 2 in the series!
William C. Tracy
Check out this book--it's a great urban fantasy read!
The Marquess And His Bride
Fable Charm
The Marquess And His Bride Fable Charm
Aileen Connell has always been the belle of every ball. Beautiful and wealthy, she is the charming daughter of a duke, an accomplished flirt with a rather shocking reputation. A reputation that infuriates her father so much he puts a stop to it by arranging her betrothal to his friend's eldest son, Manuel Foster, the future Marquess of West Yorkshire.
Confident in her ability to bring her new fiancé to heel with her dazzling beauty and storied wiles, Aileen obeys her father and travels to the Foster's manor house. She is shocked to discover that her betrothed is blind. Bound to marry him, Aileen wonders what charms could she have, what power could she hold over a man who could not see her. She speaks her vows, hopeless at the prospect of a dull, loveless marriage, a husband to whom she can
Riftkeepers: The New King
Carrie Whitethorne
Riftkeepers: The New King Carrie Whitethorne
Prince Markus is first in line to the Unseelie throne.
Spending much of his time in the Seelie court at Avalon,
visits to his father's court are brief.
On one such visit, however, he discovers that there are consequences for his absence, and this time he was away too long.
This is an introduction to the Riftkeepers world, where the Fae and the Druids keep a watchful eye on humanity, protecting them from unseen threats, and mankind lives in blissful ignorance of their wardens.
To find out more about my work please visit my website www.carriewhitethorne.com where you can sign up to my newsletter for up to the minute news on exciting new releases and fantastic giveaways.
Myleah (Preview)
Imani L Hawkins
Myleah (Preview) Imani L Hawkins
One death can destroy many...
Myleah, a Fallen angel, had been through hell and back, only to be discarded by the very people she'd given her all to. But when a Fallen angel is brutally slaughtered, Myleah is called upon by those same people to use her gift of sight to bring the killer to justice.
Myleah is forced to face her demons as she navigates the new world of the Fallen, taking down anyone who stands in her way to redemption. Desperate for vengeance, she rains down destruction on anyone who opposes her. But the lines have been drawn, and she soon discovers she is nothing but a pawn a game with incredible odds.
Will Myleah choose to stand with her own kind against the humans? Or will she decide to fight for the very humans she hates?
Strand of Faith : Sample
Strand of Faith : Sample Rachel Bonner
A girl. A monk. An impossible choice.
…an incredibly entertaining and compelling story... Jessica Rachow Book Reviews
…full of intrigue and mystery… Black Book Blogs
…the chemistry between characters leaps off the page… Writing with Wolves
Brother Prospero is fulfilled as a monk. Now to follow his heart he'll have to face his demons outside the monastery. Can he beat them or will they finally destroy him?
Leonie wants to learn how to manage her unusual abilities. When she meets Prospero everything spirals out of her control. How can she possibly avoid destroying those she cares about?
Abbot Gabriel can do nothing and watch the world go to war. Or manipulate events to ensure peace – at the cost of two lives. Is he strong enough to sacrifice those he loves?
Sample: First 17 chapters only
Ardalia: The Breath of Aoles (Book One)
Alan Spade
Ardalia: The Breath of Aoles (Book One) Alan Spade
Pelmen hates being a tanner, but that's all he would ever be, thanks to the rigid caste system amongst his people, the hevelens. Then he meets Master Galn Boisencroix and his family. The master carpenter opens up a world of archery to young Pelmen, who excels at his newfound skill. But Pelmen's intractable father will have none of it.
One day, however, Pelmen's best friend and Master Galn's son, Teleg, disappears. Lured away by the prospect of untold riches through mining amberrock, the most precious substance in the world, Teleg finds himself a prisoner of the Nylevs, fierce fire-wielding worshippers of the god of destruction.
Now Pelmen must leave all he knows behind, overcome his fears and travel across the land, in search of his childhood friend.
S.K. Randolph
Discovery S.K. Randolph
Adventurousness of youth pitted against the control by society. The rebellion.
Torgin Wilith Whalend's life is regimented and scheduled by The Plan. When he meets twins Ari and Brie AsTar, it takes a sudden turn that leaves his head spinning and his mind searching for understanding.
He soon discovers that his new relationships put his family at risk. How can he obey the dictates of the Peoples Plan Protectors and still maintain his new friendship, one that has already made his life far more interesting?
The UnFolding
A fantasy fiction tale of adventure and intrigue, follows a group of diverse characters on a quest to save the last remnant of Old Earth and to help bring balance to their home planets. Told in fifteen books (four novels and eleven companion shorts.)
PREVIEW of The Sign of the Symean (A Fantasy...
R.A. Lindo
PREVIEW of The Sign of the Symean (A Fantasy Adventure Book One) R.A. Lindo
Strap in. The magical adventure awaits...
When twelve-year-old Kaira Renn discovers she is part of a magical family, she leaves the comfort of childhood and enters a place like no other: The Society for the Preservation of Magical Artefacts. Here, Kaira meets Guppy Grayling and learns how to use magic, conjuring spells, charms and remedies. As their wizadry improves, Kaira and Guppy begin to investigate the mysterious events surrounding the magical society, soon realising that all is not well...
Laurie Lucking
Threshold Laurie Lucking
Heidi's portal will close on her sixteenth birthday, forcing an impossible decision. Give up her fantasy adventures in Lockwood, or never see her family again. A young adult fantasy short story.
Loving the Duke
Loving the Duke Fable Charm
William does not want anything in his life to change. He is more than content to continue with his rakish ways, but, when his father dies unexpectedly, he is forced to return to the country and take on his ducal responsibilities.
Eleanor Davisham hates how her parents quash her free spirit. They are determined that she should marry, but only a man of their choosing. Determined to live her own life, and terrified of her suitor's cruelty, Eleanor flees from her home, managing to find employment.
Sparks fly when the new Duke and Eleanor meet. She will not be taken in by his flirtations, and he is astounded to discover that, once he drops his façade, his heart is softening in a way he has never experienced before.
Frostbitten
DH Bookstore
Frostbitten DH Bookstore
When Faith finds herself ready to commit suicide, her entire life takes a completely different turn for what could be the best...or the worst.
Pisces - Silver Blood Collection
D. N. Leo
Pisces - Silver Blood Collection D. N. Leo
Computer hacker, Lorcan, is finishing the last spy job so that he could come home and propose to his childhood sweet heart. Unfortunately, the job goes wrong and he is trapped in a magical world underneath the deep sea where mer-creatures hunt for a secret key they think he has stolen.
Pisces - Silver Blood Collection - is the prequel of Merworld Trilogy. For more information, please visit http://dnleo.com
C.S. Vass
Fractures C.S. Vass
She's been betrayed. Become bitter and broken.
Will Fiona learn to trust again?
She has no choice if she wants to save her home.
Fiona's out for revenge, but revenge is complicated in a world flooded with magic.
Haygarden is a wasteland. Imperial agents and an underground mafia have transformed the city into a war zone—not to mention the secret new power Fiona's oldest enemies have harnessed.
Despite this, Fiona's greatest threat is from herself. In an effort to gain the strength needed to vanquish her foes, she's meddled in dark magic.
The power is immense.
So are the stakes.
She'll have to use all of her cunning to survive.
Her friends will help her, but only if she can find it in her heart to forgive them.
A Brush with Vampires (The Clan-Vampire Clash...
Moonlight (A Celtic retelling of The Swan Pri...
Ann Hunter
Moonlight (A Celtic retelling of The Swan Princess) Ann Hunter
One vow. One curse. One thousand moons.
While Princess Aowyn's six brothers are favored by their father, Aowyn is the jewel in her mother's crown. When the Queen dies, Aowyn takes a vow to protect her brothers and father from the hungry eyes of the queen's handmaiden, Ciatlllait - who is more than she seems.
In order to save her family, Aowyn risks a dangerous deal with the dark creature Sylas Mortas. But magic comes with a price: and Aowyn soon realizes the one she has paid is too steep.
Only true love can reverse the spell...but it will take one thousand moons. Can she keep to her word with war and romance on the horizon?
Set in a Celtic world, "Moonlight" is the story of faith and true love woven through a retelling of the classic fairy tale "The Swan Princess"
Tardy Bells and Witches' Spells PREVIEW: Wom...
Tardy Bells and Witches' Spells PREVIEW: Womby's School for Wayward Witches Sarina Dorie
Nerdy high school outcast, CLARISSA LAWRENCE, has always felt like she didn't belong in this world. More than anything, she wants magic to be real—and not just because she's obsessed with Harry Potter and tries to go to Narnia by reading fantasy novels in her wardrobe. Yet, when she stumbles upon real magic, and fairy tales come true, she doesn't expect to be the evil villain in her own story.
Clarissa learns she's descended from an evil witch and is destined to kill her older sister. When she meets a cute boy who offers to train her in magic, she must make a choice. She can have a safe, normal life and no harm will come to anyone. Or she can choose magic and risk everything and everyone she loves in order to be what she's always known she was meant to be . . . a wicked witch.
Resonance C.S. Vass
She's an orphan, abused…and deadly.
Years of training have tempered her abilities like goddess-blessed steel.
But what good will it do when she can't tell friend from foe?
Fiona's city is in turmoil. Nobles vanish without a trace, and Haygarden's people can't agree which shadowy force is to blame.
Each night the assaults grow bolder. That's why the Duke sends in Fiona's brother—if the leader of an elite group of assassins can't solve this problem, then nobody can.
That is, until Rodrick is kidnapped as well.
Can Fiona muster up the strength to save him? The city seems determined to stop her, but she's never been one to listen to rules. Or fear banging swords with the underworld's most fearsome villains.
Hermione Stark
The Girl Without Magic
Megan O'Russell
The Girl Without Magic Megan O'Russell
Death would have been easier, but the Siren wasn't through with her.
Seventeen-year-old Maggie Trent fell out of a battle and into the Siren's Realm, a land where secrets hide in the shadows and pleasure comes at a price Maggie is unwilling to pay.
The time for the Siren's reckoning has come, sweeping away all she deems unworthy to live in her realm. Those without magic are hunted by the Siren. Those with magic are hunted by the Stricken. Fighting or hiding seem necessary to survive. But there is a different way.
Bertrand Wayland, unaging and unrelenting in his determination for Maggie to accept her fate, slips in and out through the stitches that bind the Siren's Realm to other worlds, gaining magic and having glorious adventures. When Maggie follows Bertrand out of the Siren's Realm
Shelley Young
The next Huge Howey! The world this author has created leaves you spellbound and wondering the fate of Nola, a teenage classmate in a world lived inside a glass. I love the description of details given, and the obvious set up for mind-blowing suspense. I can't wait to read more by this author.
Spinning Time
D.F. Jones
Spinning Time D.F. Jones
Preview: Perfect for fans of Age of Adaline, and The Time Traveler's Wife!
Spinning Time rips Julia decades away from Phillip, but their love inextricably binds them together as they fight for a way to reunite.
Julia Boatwright has everything she desires, a wealthy family, close friends, and Phillip, her handsome fiancé until she plunges into the deep pools of Burkett Falls trapped in a natural time portal that spins her seventy years into the future.
ATTRA Commander Adams runs a secret agency controlling time events, and she wants Julia.
Julia holds the key that may break the time-space barrier into the distant past shaping the future outcome for the inhabitants of Earth.
Will Julia find her way home before time runs out?
Thank you for downloading my preview!
The Witches of Hant Hollow - Dynastic magic, powerful women, intrigue and thrills! D.F. Jones casts a spell over readers from the first to the final page.
Christopher McGarry
Another well-written piece of fiction. The author did an amazing job of mixing fantasy, paranormal and romance elements to create a wondrous tale. It's definitely worth taking the time to read.
Lilliana Lord
I do love it when the author adds in a ghost or two to help out in a mystery. Loved this whole premise and the writing was exceptional too. A must read for mystery fans.
A. J. Henry
Bratten Drake's murder leaves many questions authorities are at odds to answer. Grief stricken Lauren is beside herself until the victim returns as a spectral sleuth. Lauren once lived a contented life. Will solving Drake's murder ever see happiness return?
Sarah Kay Moll
This sounds really unique and interesting!
Demon Hunt
Demon Hunt Thomas Green
Murder shocks Van Horn. Six dead are found in their house, torn apart by something unnatural. And so I, Lucas, grab my hat, colts, and go hunt it down. The bounty is enough to pay for my sister's treatment, and I will be damned if I don't bring the money home.
Children of The Gods: A Soren Darnega Novelet...
Children of The Gods: A Soren Darnega Novelette DH Bookstore
We were children of the gods, known to be the most dangerous and powerful species to ever live.
That was why we were hunted.
With both Depleters and Collectors seeking to eradicate our kind, we hid within moving villages throughout the Wild Lands with only one rule: Never go near another Gods Child.
But that rule was broken the moment I met Jackie.
And in that moment, our fates were set in stone.
Lessons S.K. Randolph
The loss of her people. The responsibility of leadership. Will this broken heart be mended?
As tragedy and the often brutal life in the Desert of Fera Finnero rob WoNa of the people she loves most, she learns to find solace in her personal journals.
Masking her deep sense of loss, she stoically performs her duties as Headwoman and Oracle until fate brings a stranger to the oasis…a stranger with the potential to mend her broken heart.
A fantasy fiction tale of adventure and intrigue, follows a group of diverse characters on a quest to save the last remnant of Old Earth and to help bring balance to their home planets.
Tangle of Thornes
Lorel Clayton
Tangle of Thornes Lorel Clayton
When Eva's brother is murdered, she is forced to investigate the crime herself. What she discovers brings her up against a powerful slave-trading cartel, dark gods, and worst of all her twin sister. In a city of elvish masters and matriarchal dwarves where humans have no rights, the only people on her side are an illegally-freed slave, a senile nanny, and an ex-almost-boyfriend. But even when she nearly loses her job and almost loses her head in a sword fight on the same night, she isn't deterred. It's when the nanny goes missing that she really starts to worry.
"A fantastical twist on mystery, brimming with action-packed adventure and a sense of clever fun." -Elizabeth Spann Craig, Bestselling Mystery Author
C.L. Roman
With its intriguing plot line and engaging characters, this paranormal YA delivers along with a spunky, intelligent heroine. A great introduction to the series, you will love Eva and the world she comes from.
Kiss of Blood
A. Vers
Kiss of Blood A. Vers
Vampire princess, Ana Tridale, has always wanted to be a warrior for her colony. Now, her first mission is here: a trek into the heart of the North Georgia Mountains. But with darkness around every corner, she soon realizes there is more in the wilderness than just her team.
This is her one shot to prove to everyone she's more than just a princess. Only one thing can ruin it. But it's also the one thing that may save her life.
Kiss of Blood is the prequel to the Dark Urban Fantasy series: Lost Nights.
Life: Online
Shiloh Hunt
Life: Online Shiloh Hunt
What if you couldn't save and exit?
When a newbie player is trapped in a virtual reality realm, she has to rely on a stranger's knowledge of The Game to make it to the seventh rift to escape. Easy, right? Well, it would have been, had it not turned out that her new friend was the reason The Game had glitched out in the first place.
Set in an immersive gaming environment that spans seven major genres of gameplay, Life: Online is an epic LITRPG Cyberpunk standalone novel that will have you asking all the right questions... and getting some pretty weird answers in return.
The Calling DH Bookstore
To be different…
My entire life I've always been different from everyone else, and in Lytonia, being different is treated as a crime. In my case, I was granted a pass. I was given a second chance to prove that I could fall in line, but with my lack of power, that would be impossible.
In only a few months, I must present my abilities to the council and prove to them that I am worthy of walking the halls of Monroe Academy, but Artemis, my tormentor and superior officer, will stop at nothing to keep me from excelling. Being powerless and not proving myself means that I could be made a slave, and Artemis would become my master.
When the Wolf Loves
Sadie Conall
When the Wolf Loves Sadie Conall
PREVIEW ONLY: After his father's death in London in 1796, Ryder Benedict travels to the New World to find answers to his past. He planned to be gone no longer than a year but two years later, in the company of six men from three different tribes who have all come together to help him, he finds himself in the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest, far beyond the borders of the American, French and Spanish settlements. When he is attacked and injured by a wolf, a young girl with extraordinary instincts saves his life. Named Esa-mogo'ne' by the local Bannock, she takes Ryder to their village to heal and over a bitter winter Ryder learns of her tragic past and discovers a love that will endure his whole life.
Gail Z. Martin
Catspaw Gail Z. Martin
A ghostly cat may be the only clue to help Cassidy, Sorren and Teag stop a necromancer's deadly spree. Set in the world of the Deadly Curiosities urban fantasy series.
Shereen Vedam
She writes stories that you can't put down. A wonderful imagination coupled with a love of history.
Nadine Thirkell
You can't go wrong with a story set in the Chronicles of the Necromancer world! I love her characters and you get sucked in from the first chapter!
JD Blackrose
Gail Z Martin never disappoints. Her books are fast-paced, roiling adventures that leave you wanting more.
Kyle Alexander Romines
I recently had the pleasure of reading Gail Z. Martin's The Summoner, the first installment of the Chronicles of the Necromancer. I enjoyed it so much that I immediately grabbed Scourge, the first book in her Darkhurst series, off the shelf at my local bookstore. Now I have TWO new series to finish reading! If you enjoy fantasy, give this a chance. Prepare to be entertained for hours by a gripping plot, compelling characters, and a unique world.
Amanda J. McGee
A great story for fans of epic fantasy.
SCCunningham Books
The Deal SCCunningham Books
5* Feisty Amy Fox hates rules. She's a new Angel but for how long? Abusing her powers, lusting after her partner, avenging scores, protecting the underdog, dishing out unauthorized karma on criminals, bullies, bitches & competing Warlords will have her thrown below ground!
At the age of 4 yrs Amy was taken.. she survived.
A week later, another little girl was taken.. she didn't.
Angry that a bad man has gotten away with murder, she prays for a Deal. Decades later, her Deal long forgotten, career girl Amy mysteriously dies.
She awakens in the afterlife to discover a hi-tech MI5'esq office of like-minded souls. Saving lives is 24/7. As white feathers sashay to the ground, with her lover's ex & Witness Warlords trying to close her unit down, she has to wonder if her Deal was a mistake?
Karen J Mossman
I love thrillers that have a bit of romance in them. Add a little paranormal to the mix, and it's got the makings of a good book. Now reading the description, it sounds awesome!
Molly Sloan
Great cover! Can't wait to read it!
Emma Monaghan
Jillian Riley
S Cunningham Books is a great Author, I will never miss another book from her. :)
M.A. Jewell
Just downloaded "The Deal" by S Cunningham. Thanks! looks awesome and I can't wait to curl up with your angel world.
Before and After (Sampler)
Before and After (Sampler) Matt Thomas
Armageddon has begun. Sheep are exploding on the Welsh hillsidess, the Pyramids are up for repossession since their 5,000-year lease has expired, ghastly US evangelists overrun Britain, and rains of fish are of course inevitable. The prophet Nostradamus, still with us under his academic alias Professor Mike D. Nostrus, knows just how to take precautions against the fast approaching End of the World(TM) . . . How does he do it?
Unmagical Boy Story
Tansy Rayner Roberts
Unmagical Boy Story Tansy Rayner Roberts
What would you do if a geeky rock band stole your best friend?
Viola Vale, Ferdinand Chauvelin & Jules Nightshade had everything: wealth, family legacy, powerful magic and high status at Belladonna University's College of the Real. When Chauv lost his magic, he ditched Viola and Jules for new friends on the wrong side of campus, including the band known as Fake Geek Girl.
Now it's time for Viola and Jules to take him back.
A Belladonna University novella.
The Gilded King
Josie Jaffrey
The Gilded King Josie Jaffrey
In the Blue, the world's last city, all is not well.
Julia is stuck within its walls. She serves the nobility from a distance until she meets Lucas, who believes in fairytales that her world can't accommodate. The Blue is her prison, not her castle, and she'd escape into the trees if she didn't know that contamination and death awaited humanity outside.
But not everyone in the Blue is human, and not everyone can be contained.
Beyond the city's boundaries, in the wild forests of the Red, Cameron has precious little humanity left to lose. As he searches for a lost queen, he finds an enemy rising that he thought long dead. An enemy that the humans have forgotten how to fight.
One way or another, the walls of the Blue are going to come down.
Frostbitten 2
Frostbitten 2 DH Bookstore
Faith learned how to become a vampire, but there was still so much that she needed to learn about her master and the darkness within...
Lastborn of Forsaken Roses [preview]
Lastborn of Forsaken Roses [preview] Thomas Green
Freedom has a price.
Luna wants to find her place in the world. And so despite the ever-hungry beast living within her, she strikes a deal with a prince to fight for him in a cross-arena tournament. The blood of others is the price she is willing to pay for her dream of independence, of freedom.
Yet the world isn't there to fulfill the hopes of a young girl. The competition turns into a war between its organizers, the Slaver Union, and the Order of Palai, which has had enough of slavery. The religious fanatics would burn her alive while the slavers would feed her to demons.
Caught between devils dressed in the skins of men, overwhelmingly powerful wizards, and the monstrous spirit devouring her from within, will Luna slip out of the jaws of destiny or die trying?
This is a preview.
S.G. Prince
Elvish S.G. Prince
It's against the law for humans and elves to fall in love. But laws can be broken.
When Venick is caught wandering the elflands, he knows the penalty is death. Desperate, he lies about his identity in hopes the elves will spare his life.
Ellina doesn't trust the human, and not merely because he speaks the language of men. Men lie. In elvish, however, lying is impossible. In a moment of intuition, Ellina decides to give Venick a chance: learn elvish, reveal his truths, and she will set him free.
That is not, of course, what happens.
As Ellina and Venick come to know each other, their feelings start to shift. Then Venick uncovers a dark secret, and suddenly the fate of the elflands seems to rest in his hands. But will Venick risk his life to save an elf he's not allowed to love?
How To Create A Villain or Let Sleeping Cande...
How To Create A Villain or Let Sleeping Candemons Lie Jeremy Rodden
Toonopolis is a cartoon city that is home to the thoughts and ideas of all sentient beings in the universe. As the center of the Tooniverse, it acts as an other-worldly rest stop for these creations. In this short story, Roy G. Biv tries to be nice and invite the maligned Candemon to Princess Polipo's Sweet Sixteen party; things don't go exactly as he planned.
nice cover :)
R.F. Kristi
Sounds just the type of book that kids would love!
This sound fabulous! Such an interesing premise :)
Sam Sea
This is something completely different. Go Jeremy!
Jalanne Barnes
The Descendants DH Bookstore
Monroe Academy was built to separate the weak from the strong. Pass the biyearly leveling and be released into society upon graduation. Fail to be promoted and be stripped of rank and forced into servitude.
That was a rule that applied to all but Rayah Bardeau. A student of Monroe Academy, branded as a Null because of her absence of Lighter energy. With her mother standing as a slave in her place, Rayah was given until the age of twenty to make level six, but at nineteen-years-old and with only eight months until her twentieth birthday, she was only a mere level one. The same level she's been since she was ten.
With the stress of her upcoming test, the loss of a friend, and the constant wrongdoings towards her, Rayah could only dream of escaping from Lytonia, and escape she did...
Rise in the Flames
Meg Hendry
Rise in the Flames Meg Hendry
Neda works and lives at the town inn. Despite her unanswered questions about what happened to her family, she hasn't dared venture outside the town. When a man comes after her to retrieve something she doesn't have, she can no longer ignore her questions. With the help of three others, she must find out what the man is after. Before he finds it.
The Crimson Cobra
The Crimson Cobra Thomas Green
Slavers attack the village. Evelyn's peaceful night at the local inn thus turns into a battle for survival, a battle that does not go well. Struck into chains, Evelyn is captured and dragged away with the remaining survivors of the village. Will she manage to escape, or will she end up being sold into slavery?
Against the Beast
RJ Batla
Against the Beast RJ Batla
One man may hold the key to stopping a monster. When he comes face to face with the beast, will he rise up and succeed, or will he be the next victim?
In Terraunum, Rangers are the most powerful Senturians in the military. Blessed with Quantum Powers, they are the special forces assigned the missions no one else wants, or can even do.
Royn Crowell's first assignment is a tough one - stranded on the West Side of the Breaks with a commanding officer that hates him and unwilling to let him to use his gifts.
Talk of demons finally forces the captain's hand, and sends Royn on his first mission. Unfortunately he comes face to face with the most feared creature in Terraunum. With the situation getting worse by the minute, can Royn find a way to defeat the monsters?
I'm a HUGE fan of the world created by RJ Batla! It's like Avatar: The Last Airbender was blended with all of my favorite Kung Fu movies, with well-developed and interesting characters that I love to root for. Can't wait to read the next book in the series.
The Mirror Wars: The Marauder
Sean Hogan
The Mirror Wars: The Marauder Sean Hogan
She's an ill-tempered, hot-blooded, stubborn, fearless blonde who wields a magic sword with near limitless destructive potential. Run monsters run.
Join Michelle Lionmane on her quest to save the universe and rescue her little brother from the clutches of evil.
High adrenaline adventure meets hard-hitting action with a pinch of lighthearted romance and a dash of horror--this epic fantasy series has got it all!
The Myth Seeker
Cory Barclay
The Myth Seeker Cory Barclay
A banshee who just wants to sing.
A leprechaun with a gambling problem.
A sex-addicted succubus in recovery.
Vampires who want a sunny day at the beach.
And then there's Steve, the regular joe who inadvertently brought these flawed mythical beings to our world. But he has no idea how he did it, which is a problem, because it's his job to bring them home.
All this responsibility is putting a serious damper on Steve's directionless lifestyle. Then he finds out a dark force is trying to kill him and his friends. And he might be falling in love with one of his charges…
Steve realizes he must get his act together, before it's too late…
(This is the first 3 chapters of the novel)
Isis Sousa
I love horror and mysteries with historical settings and find it specially interesting for a werewolf story. I loved the cover, which conveys a great mood and invites the reader to embark on this dark tale.
Amy Braun
Great concept!
Kevin Potter
Betrayal Kevin Potter
See through the eyes of dragons in this thrilling epic fantasy adventure.
Enter the mind of a villain bent on the destruction of the human race.
In the days before the Long Sleep, Sura counsels war against Humankind as a matter of draconic survival.
But Graayyya, a garnet wyrm raised by metallics, thwarts him at every turn.
When the human kings demand too much of the dragons, Sura finds an unexpected ally that brings him one step closer to victory.
But with the Council of Elders against him, time is running out. Where will he find the support he needs to take control of the council and bring war to Humankind?
J. Elizabeth Vincent
Great cover!
Redginald Abercrombie
This is the first dragon story that really appealed to me. The interaction between Dauria and Graayyya is believable and heart-warming. The story has just the right amount of plot-driven suspense and character-driven emotion. Now I'm going back for Book 1 and look forward to whatever comes next.
Jade Alters
Love dragons. Looking forward to reading this.
I love everything about this. First off, let's talk about that cover. It's gorgeous. I want it on my virtual shelf. But the premise of "Betrayal" is even more interesting. "See through the eyes of dragons in this thrilling epic fantasy adventure." SOLD, right there. Everything about this sounds great, so what are you waiting for?
If There Be Giants [preview]
Ellison Blackburn
If There Be Giants [preview] Ellison Blackburn
Amidst the ruins of an ancient stone circle, a team of archaeologists uncovers a strange creature that should not exist.
Reviving afresh an age-old battle, the discovery pits science against religion—enough perhaps to shake the beliefs of the millions who would count themselves as supporters of either faction.
To make matters worse, the lead on the project, Dr. Mallory Jacks, falls in love with the one man who has all the answers. Only Grey McKnight doesn't know it. With each passing day, the upheaval surrounding the findings threatens to shatter their lives into countless surreal pieces.
Claim your preview of IF THERE BE GIANTS now!
J C Steel
Ellison Blackburn's protagonist is eminently relatable, and the mess of issues Charley faces in trying to make peace between her desires and her responsibilities will be shockingly familiar to many readers. Set in the near future, the story explores cutting-edge theories in both prosthetics and biology, while the level of psychological detail brings a realistic edge to the narrative and the characters spring vividly to life. Flash Back is well-written, with an analytical, laser-focus on the workings of inter-personal connections. If you've ever looked in the mirror and thought that there must be something better in life, then this book is definitely for you.
E.P. Clark
Smart fantasy featuring smart women! An intellectual Indiana Jones with a female protagonist.
Living Sensical
These stories take you deep into new worlds and hold you there until you finish. A perfect escape from our too-serious world. Leaves you looking for more by this author...


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Home / Celebrity / Despite porn stars and Playboy models, white evangelicals aren't rejecting Trump. This is why.
Despite porn stars and Playboy models, white evangelicals aren't rejecting Trump. This is why.
The Levant Mar 26, 2018	Celebrity, Culture, News, United States Leave a comment
A porn actress made headlines when she came forward and said she had sex with Donald Trump, only a few months after his wife gave birth to a son. The actress, Stormy Daniels, who featured in and directed many videos on sites like Sex M spoke extensively on the alleged less than Christian relationship with the now president of the United States.
That is just one of several controversies the president is currently facing. A former Playboy model says she had an affair with him, too, further dirtying Trump's character.
And yet according to a Pew Research Center poll conducted March 7-14, both white mainline and evangelical Protestants continue to approve of Trump as president at higher levels than other religious groups.
Why are white Christians sticking so closely to Trump, despite these claims of sexual indiscretions? Is it because they suspect these are unsubstantiated claims? And why are religious individuals and groups that previously decried sexual impropriety among political leaders suddenly willing to give Trump a "mulligan" on his infidelity?
Our new study points to a different answer than others have offered. Voters' religious tenets aren't actually what's behind Trump support; rather, it's Christian nationalism – their view of the United States as a fundamentally Christian nation.
Here's how we did our research
To explore the link between Christian nationalism and Trump support, we examined data from the fifth wave of the Baylor Religion Survey. Fielded soon after the election, from Feb. 2 through March 24, 2017, this survey is a national, random sample of 1,501 American adults with telephones and is weighted to estimate population parameters. This data set is unique in its size, time of collection, and the measures it contains.
To measure Christian nationalism we combined responses to six separate questions that ask whether respondents agree or disagree with these statements:
"The federal government should declare the United States a Christian nation"
"The federal government should advocate Christian values"
"The federal government should enforce strict separation of church and state" (reverse coded)
"The federal government should allow the display of religious symbols in public spaces"
"The success of the United States is part of God's plan"
"The federal government should allow prayer in public schools"
We also examined many other common explanations of support for Trump, including economic dissatisfaction, an index of attitudes on gender, an index of anti-black prejudice, a measure of respondents' attitudes toward illegal immigrants and an index of views toward Muslims.
Finally, our statistical models also accounted for religious affiliation, religious beliefs, and a variety of religious behaviors, as well as political measures including party affiliation and political ideology, and sociodemographic predictors including age, gender, race, education, income, marital status, and residential context.
The more someone believed the United States is – and should be – a Christian nation, the more likely they were to vote for Trump
First, Americans who agreed with the various measures of Christian nationalism were much more likely to vote for Trump, even after controlling for a host of other influences, such as political ideology, political party, and other cultural factors proposed as possible explanations of Trump voting.
[ It's time to bust the myth: Most Trump voters were not working class. ]
As you can see in the figure below, even when holding constant a host of other explanations, a Democrat at the higher end of the index was three times more likely to vote for Trump than a Democrat at the lower end of Christian nationalist ideology. For independents, the probability of voting for Trump increased moving across the range of the Christian nationalism scale. Likewise, Republicans scoring low in Christian nationalism were significantly less likely to vote for Trump than those scoring high on the index.
No other religious factor influenced support for or against Trump
Second, we find that Americans' religious beliefs, behaviors and affiliation did not directly influence voting for Trump. In fact, once Christian nationalism was taken into account, other religious measures had no direct effect on how likely someone was to vote for Trump. These measures of religion mattered only if they made someone more likely to see the United States as a Christian nation.
[ Why don't Trump voters feel betrayed? Because they're getting what they wanted. ]
Antagonism toward Muslims was just as important as Christian nationalism
Finally, the various cultural explanations that other researchers have examined didn't predict Trump support in our study, with one notable exception: anti-Muslim sentiment. How much a U.S. voter feared Muslims was as significant in predicting who voted for Trump as Christian nationalism. Overall the strongest predictors of Trump voting were the usual suspects of political identity and race, followed closely by Islamophobia and Christian nationalism.
Many voters believed, and presumably still believe, that regardless of his personal piety (or lack thereof), President Trump would defend what they saw as the country's Christian heritage – and would help move the nation toward a distinctly Christian future. Ironically, Christian nationalism is focused on preserving a perceived Christian identity for America irrespective of the means by which such a project would be achieved.
[ To many Americans, being patriotic means being white ]
Hence many white Christians believe Trump may be an effective instrument in God's plan for America, even if he is not particularly religious himself.
In the upcoming midterm elections, Trump and other politicians will keep emphasizing Christian nationalism. After all, it works.
White Christian America is unquestionably in demographic decline. But one of its primary cultural creations – Christian nationalism – will continue influencing U.S. politics and society for decades to come, particularly in response to waning demographic and social dominance. It's a worldview that can't be undermined, even by porn stars and Playboy models.
Source: Washington Post
Tags evangelicals foreign policy hush money Jerusalem porn star sex scandal Stormy Daniels Trump voters working class
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The introduction of the BlackBerry KEY2, BlackBerry Mobile added the first new key to the BlackBerry keyboard in over a decade by way of the Speed Key. The Speed Key, which builds on the already existing 52 keyboard shortcuts built-into the BlackBerry keyboard, allows you to flip through any app on your KEY2 at any time from anywhere on your device. It's a fantastic addition, but with all those keyboard options and shortcuts to remember, are you using it?
Are you using the Speed Key on your BlackBerry KEY2?
Personally, I love having the 52 keyboard shortcuts but I do have trouble remembering what I set each one for, so I tend to only set up the major apps. With the Speed Key there, I find it easier to remember what I set up and of course, switch through those apps quickly so I use it more than just the regular shortcut system. Let me know if you're using the Speed Key in the poll above or drop a comment below!


Soulwax and Young Fathers are amongst the artists to be named for M.I.A.'s Meltdown.
M.I.A. will oversee the multi-discipline festival this year, with events as always focussed on London's Southbank Centre.
Belgian electronic outfit Soulwax will appear at Meltdown, with the line up also finding room for Mercury winners Young Fathers.
South London rapper Giggs will play the festival, while elsewhere fans can soak up performances from Princess Nokia, Fakear, Crystal Castles, Mykki Blanco, and Yung Lean.
Awful Records are set to host a late-night rave in the Clore Ballroom, while free outdoor parties during the day include an all-day Rinse FM Block Party; a Carnival Party and a Meltdown Mela.
Tickets will be on sale to members on Thursday (April 20th) at 10am and to general public on Friday (April 21st) at 10am.
Meltdown runs between June 9th - 18th.


The Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Act 2018 must be limited to avoid crippling Australia's technology sector, according to a submission by StartupAUS, Australia's peak national advocacy group for startups. The submission has received surging industry support from the likes of tech giants Atlassian, Canva and SafetyCulture, and VCs Blackbird Ventures and Airtree.
StartupAUS made the four-page submission to the Federal Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) today.
StartupAUS CEO Alex McCauley warned about the impact of the AA bill on Australian startups when it passed in the Senate on 6 December, 2018, saying it put them "under a regulatory burden that is unique to them, and limits the level of security that Australian startups can develop".
"Startups are critical to Australia's economy. At a time when we should be developing and broadening our vision and support for them, the bill will jeopardise their standing with investors both here and abroad," it states.
Remove the possibility for TCNs to be issued to individual employees, to ensure that individuals are not targeted where a company is providing the service. While TCNs may only be issued to Designated Communications Providers, the bill's Explanatory Memorandum states this can extend to individuals.
Reduce the breadth of organisations that may be regarded as a Designated Communications Provider. By broadly defining a Designated Communications Provider as any provider of electronic services with one or more end-users in Australia, this includes any technology provider that offers technology designed to connect to the internet, whether or not the service is designed to support communications as a market segment. The bill should only be applied to communications-based companies.
Mr McCauley, along with the submission's signatories, reinforced that the bill is disappointing and should ideally be repealed. "We agree with Scott Farquhar, Co-founder & CEO of Atlassian, that the legislation is a 'gut punch' to Australia's tech sector" said Mr McCauley.
"We need to ensure every effort is made so that international confidence in the Australian technology sector is not undermined by new legislation. We welcome a formal consultation to amend the Act so it is practical for our burgeoning tech industry, without cannibalising on our efforts to innovate" commented Cliff Obrecht, COO and Co-Founder, Canva.


Bhattarai D., Lee S.H., Seo S.H., Nam G., Kang S.B., Pae A.N., Kim E.E., Oh T., Cho S.N., Keum G.
We synthesized a series of oxazolidinone-type antibacterials in which morpholine C-ring of linezolid has been modified by substituted 3-azabicyclo[3.3.0]octanyl rings. Acetamide or 1,2,3-triazole heterocycle was used as C-5 side chain of oxazolidinone. The resulting series of compounds was then screened in vitro against panel of susceptible and resistant Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Several analogs in this series exhibited potent in vitro antibacterial activity comparable or superior to linezolid against the tested bacteria. Compounds 10a, 10b, 11a, and 15a displayed highly potent activity against M. tuberculosis. Selected compound 10b showed good human microsomal stability and CYP-profile, and showed low activity against hERG channel.