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Philadelphia expects a million people for pope visit
MICHAEL R. SISAK
PHILADELPHIA - In the videotaped message, Pope Francis issues a personal invitation to pilgrims - "See you in Philadelphia!" - but it remains an open question whether the massive crowd organizers have predicted will turn out to see him.
Despite an "I'll be there" marketing campaign, a rollback of some travel restrictions and an increase in hotel bookings, signs remain that estimates that up to 1.5 million people would be in town for the pope's outdoor Mass on Sunday may be too high.
"I look forward to greeting the pilgrims and the people of Philadelphia when I come for the World Meeting of Families," the pope said in English. "I will be there because you will be there!"
The pope's appeal was the culmination of a monthlong effort by planners to turn around the public perception that security and travel restrictions - including initial warnings, since dialed back, that visitors would have to walk miles - had made it too much work to come see Francis.
What's more, the Secret Service said Friday that the mile-long Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the secured site of the pope's two biggest events, would only fit about 250,000 people. Other visitors will have to watch on jumbo TV screens near the parkway or in other locations around the city, which church planners said was always the plan.
Heading into the final week before the pope's U.S. trip, hotels in Philadelphia had more than 1,000 rooms available. Regional transit agency SEPTA had sold only about a third of its papal visit rail passes, and the southern New Jersey commuter rail, PATCO, less than a sixth. PATCO even said it would let pilgrims buy same-day tickets if they want. Charter bus reservations are also a fraction of what was projected.
And a plan to turn Fairmount Park, one of the largest urban green spaces in the nation, into "Francis Fields" campground was scrapped due to a lack of interest.
But getting to the papal events has been made easier in recent weeks.
SEPTA doubled the number of subway stops it will keep open during the visit.
Once reserved for buses, huge parking lots just across the Delaware River in Camden, New Jersey, were opened up to thousands of cars to reduce how far people will have to walk.
Papal visit organizers said they realized they needed to hit the reset button when a satirical security map appeared, showing the city surrounded by lava and guarded by flying pterodactyls.
The result was the "I'll be there" campaign, complete with posters of a smiling Francis.
After weeks of warning visitors that seeing the pope could be hard work, Mayor Michael Nutter declared: "This city will be the place to be that entire weekend and best of all it will be surprisingly easy to get here to enjoy it."
Former Gov. Ed Rendell was an early critic of the plan to fence in the parkway, where the pope's two biggest events will be held, and require those wanting to get inside to go through airport-style detectors. He had made the point repeatedly that papal visits earlier this year to Ecuador, Paraguay and Bolivia didn't require fencing.
The city's mistake, he said, was not pushing back early enough against some security demands.
Rendell believes the marketing campaign "changed the mood a little bit."
"I think they repaired some of the damage," he said. "Attendance will be strong, but not what it might have been."
Matters were not helped by the announcement just a few weeks ago that only ticketholders would be able to get within three blocks of the pope when he attends the closing festival of the World Meeting of Families on Saturday and celebrates Mass the next day, both on the parkway.
Responding to a public outcry, event planners made 10,000 tickets available to the public each day. They also announced papal parades both days on the parkway so some non-ticketholders could see Francis close up.
Even with the removal of some travel hurdles, a nearly 5-square-mile area of the city will be barred to incoming traffic during the pope's visit, about 25 miles of streets and highways will be closed and the Benjamin Franklin Bridge between New Jersey and Philadelphia will be off-limits to all but pedestrians and emergency vehicles.
Philadelphia Archdiocese spokesman Ken Gavin said it was important to tell people early on about some of the travel challenges. "You have to be realistic with folks," he said.
"The final message is, 'Come, be here and you will always be glad you (did),'" he said.


It's not going down without a fight.
If you're a company that makes antivirus software then chances are you're feeling pretty hacked off right now. Microsoft has finally launched OneCare and research goes to show that if you stick an MS logo on something it will heavily outsell the opposition, regardless of whether it is the best solution are not.
That is not to say rival antivirus companies aren't going to go down without a fight and Symantec, perhaps the biggest of them all, has fired a new shot across the Good Ship Gates' bows. Scribbled on this ferocious cannonball is a name "Norton 360" (an inescapable irony, surely?) and its signals a major evolution in the company's products.
Previously codenamed 'Geneis', the all-in-one service will provide antivirus and antispyware protection, automated online data back up and transaction security, where new tools promise to safeguard users from phishing scams and crimewave. It will also be available in both boxed and downloadable formats and feature email and – mostly interestingly – chat support.
Symantec has confirmed a beta programme is scheduled to begin this summer (sign up here for more details) with a final release date dependant on testers feedback but nevertheless likely to arrive before the end of the year.
It was clear from the moment Microsoft announced OneCare that is was going to upset it slew of antivirus partners (including AhnLab, Aladdin, ALWIL, BullGuard, Cat, Computer Associates, Dialogue Scanner, Eset, F-Secure, Frisk, GFI, GriSoft, Hauri, Kaspersky, McAfee, MicroWorld, Norman, Panda, Proland, Sophos, Sybari, Trend Micro, VirusBuster and Zero-Knowledge to name but a few) though, judging by Symantec's announcement, it seems the decision has only inspired them to push on harder with their own products. That has to be good news for everyone, because there's nothing more we like to see than technological fisty cuffs.


Do you look in the mirror and long for brighter and whiter teeth? Are you embarrassed to show your smile in photos, or even around friends, because of imperfections with your teeth's size or shape? Have years of teeth grinding left you with visibly jagged teeth? Did you know that these issues, and many more, can effectively be corrected through cosmetic dentistry? With so many treatment options available, there is really no reason to settle where your smile is concerned. Instead, why not schedule an appointment with a cosmetic dentist who can help you achieve a dazzling smile?
From simple teeth whitening treatment to porcelain veneers, there are a number of cosmetic treatments available to help enhance your smile's natural beauty. In fact, many patients find that combining treatments as part of a total smile makeover is the best way to help create a more dazzling smile, while hiding imperfections.
To determine which cosmetic treatments are right for you, it is best to schedule a consultation with your dentist. He or she can help devise a treatment plan that can leave you with a smile you'll feel proud to show off.


On January 4, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 8:13 pm to 8:34 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 035-090 of the White House Tapes.
-Melvin R. Laird, William P. Rogers, Kissinger, White House staff, John A.


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People often ask what interesting things we find in the centuries-old barns we dismantle for our barn restoration business. Well, there are a lot of interesting "things," like the time we found an old pillowcase hidden in a corner of the first barn that we took down that was full of jewelry from a long-forgotten house burglary, and the time we found the bowling ball that my helper claims is the ball that old Rip Van Winkle used before he drank the potion that put him to sleep for twenty years in the Catskill Mountains. And there are also occasionally some very interesting writings, most often in the form of centuries-old graffiti. About 1870, a black ink feed sack marker came into use that seems to have found its way into the hands of just about every boy and hired hand in that era. For the next twenty years they made it their off-hours pastime to write their names, dates and musings on barn interiors. Unlike the modern railway boxcar graffiti that we are all subject to while waiting for freight trains to pass through town, this barn graffiti was often scrolled in the most eloquent of nineteenth century scripts.
This example tweaked my curiosity, as I thought that if this was a significant enough epidemic to make note of on a barn wall, it might have made its way into the history books. So I did some speedy research and found that the 1872 horse influenza epidemic was indeed historic. But what I found most interesting is that this catastrophic event remains forgotten and entirely unknown to most of us today, probably because horses play such an insignificant role in our modern lives, unless, of course, you—like us—still depend on them for plowing and cultivating the fields which produce your food.
Horse flu is formally known as equine influenza. When a disease that affects animals reaches widespread proportions, it is known not as an "epidemic," but an "epizootic." Equine influenza is a highly contagious virus occurring globally that has been known to infect up to 100% of exposed horses, though there is now an effective vaccination for it. Unlike swine flu or avian flu, it has not spread to humans in the past, though it did have tremendous effects on people who at that time depended completely on horses for transportation, delivery of their food and firefighting.
Beginning in Toronto, Canada, in the late summer of 1872, in only three days the disease hit nearly all the livery stables and the horses used to pull streetcars in that city. By mid-October, horses in all of Canada, Michigan and the New England states were infected. By the beginning of November the disease had spread to Illinois, Ohio and South Carolina. By the end of the month, Florida and Louisiana reported cases.
The epizootic spread across America from New England to California in only ninety days, and as far south as Havana, Cuba. It became known as the "The Great Epizootic of 1872." Nearly 100% of horses in its path were infected, and between one and ten percent died. Most infected horses could not stand up, and when they could stand, they coughed violently. The disease rendered them unable to do any work, carry riders or pull wagons and carriages. All commerce ground to a halt as the most widespread and devastating equine flu epizootic in history took both Canada and the United States by surprise.
The coal needed to fuel locomotives could not be delivered. "The outbreak forced men to pull wagons by hand, while trains and ships full of cargo sat unloaded, tram cars stood idle and deliveries of basic community essentials were no longer being made." The epizootic contributed to the financial panic of 1873, and it even affected the war in the West with the Apache Indians, where neither the Apaches nor the US calvary could use their horses and resorted to fighting on foot.
In November of 1872, a great fire broke out in Boston that destroyed 776 buildings across 65 acres of the city. Because of the epizootic, horses were unfit to pull the fire engines, hose reels and other fire equipment, so crews of men were organized to pull the heavy fire equipment on foot.
There is hardly a public stable in the city which is not affected, while the majority of the valuable horses owned by individuals are for the time being useless to their owners. It is not uncommon along the streets of the city to see horses dragging along with drooping heads and at intervals coughing violently.
Large quantities of freight are accumulating along the Erie Railway in Paterson, New Jersey. The disease is spreading rapidly in Bangor, Maine. All fire department horses in Providence, Rhode Island, are sick.
Everyday conveniences that had been taken for granted disappeared.
That a horse disease could cause such a nationwide catastrophe and contribute to a financial panic and prolonged financial downturn might be difficult for us to imagine. The Equine Flu epizootic of 1872 almost seems like a quaint, forgotten, historical footnote on how much things have changed, including our once-total reliance on draft animals. But this historical footnote begs an obvious question: Though we do not rely on horses today, have we become even more dependent on other forms of transportation that are totally dependent on a vulnerable fuel supply? Some people may be confident that our modern, global system is more resilient and robust than the draft animal–dependent system of the nineteenth century. But our modern system is much more fragile due to its ubiquitous dependence on one source of fuel that is almost completely out of our ultimate control, with 80 percent of our transportation fuel being imported.
From its very beginning, the Transportation Revolution of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries went hand in hand with the Industrial Revolution to completely reshape our economy and lifestyle, especially in the way food was supplied. This revolution began with the age of canals in the 1820's, which radically lowered shipping prices. The age of canals was followed by the age of rail, which gave way to the age of highways after World War II. And now the Transportation Revolution continues with global shipping on container ships and dependence on oil tankers. In a previous issue we reported that the average American meal travels 1500 miles to the consumer, and many states grow as little as 15 percent of their food.
If the modern equivalent of the equine influenza epizootic were to strike, we are actually in a far more vulnerable place today than the America of 1872, which was still a largely agrarian economy with a rural population for which most food sources were local and therefore insulated from such a disaster.
Imagine a transportation disaster that within 90 days affected every aspect of American transportation, everything Americans took [for] granted, everything that ensured their safety, every city, town and village where they lived and left everything in its path under siege.
What will be the effect of even a temporary withdrawal of the horsepower from the nation is a serious question to contemplate. Coal cannot be hauled from the mines to run locomotives, farmers cannot market their produce, boats cannot reach their destination on the canals . . . .
Perhaps today, as the New York Times writer suggested one hundred and forty years ago from a greatly more self-sufficient and sustainable world, we also should seriously contemplate what we take for granted, and take the steps needed to provide sustainable resources for ourselves, our families and our communities.
Published in SustainLife Quarterly Journal of the Ploughshare Institute for Sustainable Culture (Fall 2012).


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Like a tempered beam used by builders to add strength and character to a new structure, so does veteran violinist Carlos Zingaro utilize the techniques he's absorbed over 40 years of freer playing to shore up the eight improvisations that make up Day One. The very opposite of Donald Trump-like overbearing in his contributions, the violinist succeeds in adding ballast and balance to the CD, whose other participants are fellow Portuguese of a more recent vintage.
Due to his extensive collaborations with other Europeans such as bassist Joëlle Léandre and saxophonist Daunik Lazro, for many years Zingaro personified Free Music for many beyond his small country's borders. But especially in the 21st century, Lisbon has in some ways taken on the appearance of a high-tech job fair, as more local players begin searching out expanded auditory challenges. Those attributes could define Zingaro's associates. Bassist Alvaro Rosso works in many local ensembles, as does self-taught clarinetist João Pedro Viegas. Cellist Ulrich Mitzlaff has also worked with iconoclastic flutist Carlos Bechegas.
Extending the root specifications for improvising string ensembles planted by Zingaro and others in previous decades, this quartet reaches its full flowering by emphasizing harmonic and contrapuntal synergy. At the same time like plant food especially constituted to help a blossom thrive, Viegas' interjections from clarinet, bass clarinet and clarinet mouthpiece give the tracks on Day One an unusually dexterous shape. While most emphasize the spiccato, gashing, augmented and distorted qualities of woodwinds and strings, the most descriptive also overlays characteristic themes.
For instance, "Cells and Patterns" despite its title, moves past organology to set up distinctive improvisational strategies. Playing off the so-called classical romantic tradition and vigorous timbre-stabs that exemplify further experimentation, below-the-bridge vibrations from the string players are resolved as a duet between impressionistic violin lines and steadfast walking bass. Elsewhere studied string harmonies are pierced by spiky clarinet trills that leap from aviary to elephant expression during a glissando. A final consolidation salutes both traditions and a little more. With pitches, timbres and spectrum approached with invention and impulse, sequences are tightened and weakened according to plan and chance. Harmonized warmth and discordant chill each get its due. The key is how reed snorts, string pressure and undulating asides are eventually knitted into a stylish musical garment.
Other instances of this appear on "Little Grey Men", and the following "Last Smudge of Orange", which could be the mini-Me of the previous tune. Perhaps designed to scare off the organizational types who are grey in dress and thought, the former track features string lines crossing and re-crossing one another, with a woodwind ostinato serving as the mucilage. What sounds like thumps from loosened bass string plus werewolf cry-like reed screeches slows down the traverse stand off so that it becomes a distinctive descending melody. More of the same, the resolution of "Last Smudge of Orange" is a dancing jig from the fiddler that brings elated feelings as it speeds to the conclusion.
Like eager politicos and old pols in a representative parliament, the four here combine for the best possible outcomes. It would appear that Day One calls for a Day Two.


Citation: Kendra, P.E., Montgomery, W.S., Niogret, J., Tabanca, N., Owens, D., Epsky, N.D. 2018. Utility of essential oils for development of host-based lures for Xyleborus glabratus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), vector of laurel wilt. Open Chemistry. 16:393-400.
Interpretive Summary: The invasive redbay ambrosia beetle (RAB) carries a fungus that causes laurel wilt, a lethal disease of trees in the laurel family, including US forest species (like redbay and swampbay) and avocado, an economically important fruit crop. Effective lures are needed for early detection and control of RAB to slow the spread of laurel wilt disease. Previous ARS research identified a-copaene as a strong host-based attractant for dispersing RAB, but this chemical is difficult to synthesize and too expensive for use in lures for pest detection and monitoring. Consequently, scientists at the USDA-ARS (Miami, FL) evaluated various plant-derived essential oils naturally high in a-copaene and other RAB host attractants. This report summarizes the efficacy of essential oil lures for RAB, including the initial use of manuka and phoebe oil lures, the current cubeb oil lure, and a newly-developed distilled oil lure enriched to contain 50% a-copaene. The enriched a-copaene lure, now available commercially, is the best attractant identified to date for detection of RAB, with longevity of 3 months. In addition, this lure was recently found to be effective for detection of Euwallacea nr. fornicatus, another invasive ambrosia beetle that vectors Fusarium dieback disease in avocado and other trees. This information will benefit avocado growers and action agencies that monitor for RAB and other pest ambrosia beetles in the US and Mexico.
Technical Abstract: Redbay ambrosia beetle, Xyleborus glabratus, is native to Southeast Asia, but subsequent to introduction in Georgia in 2002, it has become a serious invasive pest in the USA, now established in nine southeastern states. Females vector Raffaelea lauricola, the fungus that causes laurel wilt, a lethal vascular disease of trees in the family Lauraceae. Laurel wilt has caused extensive mortality in native Persea species, including redbay (P. borbonia), swampbay (P. palustris), and silkbay (P. humilis). Avocado (P. americana) is now impacted in Florida, and with continued spread, laurel wilt has potential to affect avocado and native Lauraceae in California, Mexico, and throughout the American tropics. Effective lures for detection and control of X. glabratus are critical to slow the spread of laurel wilt. No pheromones are known for this species; primary attractants are volatile terpenoids emitted from host Lauraceae. This report provides a concise summary of the chemical ecology of X. glabratus, highlighting research to identify kairomones used by females for host location. It summarizes development of essential oil lures for pest detection, including discussions of the initial use of phoebe and manuka oil lures, the current cubeb oil lure, and a newly-developed distilled oil lure enriched in (-)-a-copaene.


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Hamilton Financial > Newsletter > Coronavirus – Bulletin 2 – THE PERFECT STORM
Coronavirus – Bulletin 2 – THE PERFECT STORM
by Hamilton Financial | Mar 13, 2020 | Newsletter
BULLETIN 2 – THE PERFECT STORM
Stock markets have seen steep falls over the last few weeks, with last Monday's drop already being called 'Black Monday' and likened, post-ante, to 1987, 2000 and even the Great Financial Crisis of 2008.
At the root of this rout lies the newly discovered Coronavirus, COVID-19. A virulent virus which, like the common cold, is infectious. In the next few weeks, it is predicted that it will have reached most corners of the world. The number of people infected is likely to rise sharply, and the death toll will continue to go up.
However, it is important to look at both sides of this issue; the virus itself and the man-made panic that has ensued.
No better conspiracy theory could be invented than a previously unknown Chinese virus bred in the wet markets of Wuhan; the word 'virus' echoes so neatly suspicions about Huawei and Chinese subterfuge in general. Images of deserted Chinese cities, stranded cruise liners and empty supermarket shelves, merely adds to this sense of panic. COVID-19 is the latest phenomenon to fulfil a weird and growing appetite for doom among the populations of developed countries. When the Federal Reserve cut interest rates last week, usually a move to be welcomed by stock markets; instead they fell as investors conspired to ask, "Does the Fed know something the rest of us do not?"
It is worth listening to the experts, especially our very own excellent Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer of England. He has urged us to take the virus very seriously – and that was before the virus was declared to be a pandemic by the World Health Organisation – and watch as the science builds. But he also reassuringly pragmatic.
Fortunately, we invest for the long term, and as we look to own equities whose cash-flows are forecast to be attractive over the next 30-50 years, what does a six-month hiatus matter? Indeed, if you look at the graph below you will see the long-term impact on the S&P 500 of the Coronavirus and the previous six epidemics that the world has faced in the past twenty years. While there remain good reasons to be suspicious of ever ascending asset markets, COVID-19 is not one of them.
Equity markets have now pulled back to much more attractive levels and we would encourage investors with a long-term investment horizon to look on this as an opportunity to buy. (The FTSE 100 fell last Monday to a level lower than it was 20 years ago.)
Despite the word of the doomsters, we are living in the healthiest, most peaceful time in history, yet such news does not sell newspapers or provide engaging copy. Perhaps it is time to embrace a bit of optimism, trust our scientists, our world-class National Health Service, our pro-business government and a raft of excellent UK based corporations.
Numbers 12th March 2020 – Bulletin 2 28th February 2020 – Bulletin 1
UK COVID-19 cases 373 20
FTSE 100 5,530 6,580.61
Bank of England Base Rate 0.25% 0.75%
Oil Price 37.22 50.52
Victoria Simon Andrew

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Elizabeth Lennox
The Ladies of The Burling School
The Burling School~An Introduction
Her Enemy, Her Lover
Awakened by the Powerful Sheik
Pregnant with the Tycoon's Heir
Unexpectedly Expecting the Sheik's Baby
The Secrets of Seduction
Friends Forever Series
The Tycoon's Marriage Exchange
The Duke's Willful Wife
The Sheik's Mysterious Mistress
The Russian's Furious Fiancée
Friends Forever Series 2
A Difficult Man to Love
Spanish Passions
The Russian's Proposal
One Night with the Sheik
The Diamond Club Series
Forbidden Lover
His Baby Deal
Love & Secrets
The Sheik's Gentle Triumph
The Sheik's Vengeance
The Sheik's Arrangement
Resisting the Sheik's Commands
Her Secret, His Heir
Inconveniently Tempted
That Night with the Sheik
Wanted: Wife for Hire
Endearing Seduction
Forbidden Seduction
The Sinful Nights Series
Second Chance Temptation
Taming Mack
The Tycoon's Secretive Temptress
The Billionaire's Challenge
Craving Him
The Sheiks of Altair Series
The Desert Prince's Bride
Bound by the Sheik's Ring
The Desert Prince's Proposal
Bold Alaskan Men Series
The Billionaire's Beautiful Mistake
The Billionaire's Challenging Beauty
The Billionaire's Courageous Lover
The Billionaire's Adventurous Mistress
The Montana Men Series
Dangerous Seduction
Dangerous Attraction
Dangerous Enticement
Dangerous Temptation
Dangerous Secrets
The Samara Royal Family Series
The Samara Royal Family Series Intro
Pregnant with the Sheik's Baby
The Prince's Intimate Abduction
The Prince's Forbidden Lover
The Sheik's Captured Princess
The Sheik's Jealous Princess
The Lottery Winners Series
Hoping for Forever
The Hart Sisters Trilogy
The Italian Twin's Surprise
The Forbidden Russian Lover
The Billionaires Secret Marriage
The Steele Brothers Series
Resisting His Seduction
In the Boss' Bed
Seducing His Wife
A Taste of Paradise
Defying His Charm
The Thorpe Brothers Series
His Captive Lover
His Unexpected Lover
His Secretive Lover
His Challenging Lover
Su Amante Cautiva
Su Amante Inesperada
Su Amante Misteriosa
Su Amante Rebelde
The Berutelli Escape Series
Resisting the Tycoon's Seduction Intro
Resisting the Tycoon's Seduction
The Billionaire's Secretive Enchantress
The Big Apple Brotherhood Series
The Billionaire's Pregnant Lover
The Sheik's Rediscovered Lover
The Tycoon's Defiant Southern Belle
The Sheik's Dangerous Lover
The Sheik's Defiant Fiancée
The Prince's Resistant Lover
The Tycoon's Make-Believe Fiancée
The Alfieri Saga
The Italian's Passionate Return
Her Gentle Capture
His Reluctant Lover
Her Unexpected Admirer
Her Tender Tyrant
Releasing the Billionaire's Passion
The Sheik's Intimate Proposition
His Expectant Lover
The Boarding School Series
His Unexpected Protégé
The Tycoon's Captured Heart
The Sheik's Baby Surprise
The Russian's Runaway Bride
The Duke's Blackmailed Bride
The Greek's Forgotten Wife
The Boarding School Series Introduction
The War, Love and Harmony Series
The Sheik's Convenient Bride
The Sheik's Blackmailed Bride
The Sheik's Angry Bride
The Sheik's Secret Bride
Dancing with the Dangerous Prince
Fighting with the Infuriating Prince
A Christmas Wedding Novella Series
Making Her Smile
The Seductive Truth
Passionate Mystery
The Love by Accident Series
The Russian's Pregnant Mistress
The Duke's Runaway Princess
The Sheik's Furious Bride
The Sheik's Pregnant Lover
The Sisterhood Trilogy
The Billionaire's Gentle Rescue
The Russian's Tender Lover
The Billionaire's Impulsive Lover
The Sheik's Virgin Lover
The Royal Cordova Trilogy
Mistress to the Prince
The Man's Outrageous Demands
Escaping a Royal Wedding
The Jamison Sisters Series
His Indecent Proposal
His Scandalous Commands
His Erotic Obsession
The Lovers Exchange Series
The Spanish Tycoon's Temptress
The Sheik's Reluctant Lover
The Tycoon's Resistant Lover
The Earl's Outrageous Lover
The Attracelli Family Series
The Intimate Intricate Rescue
The Billionaire's Elusive Lover
The Billionaire's Runaway Bride
Blackmailed by the Billionaire
The Sheik's Missing Bride
The Sheik's Rebellious Mistress
The Tycoon's Seduction Plan
The Billionaire's Gamble
The Italian's Bedroom Deal
The Greek's Baby Bargain
The Sheik's Sensuous Trap
The Greek Tycoon's Lover
The Sheik's Unfinished Business
The Sheik's Love Child
The Billionaire's Terms: Prison or Passion
Romantic Acquisition
Proposal To Love
Love's Not Terrifying
Risky Negotiations
Falling for the Boss
Never Dare A Tycoon
The Love and Danger Series
Intimate Caresses
Intimate Desires
Intimate Secrets
Intimate Whispers
The Friendship Series
The Billionaire's Masquerade
The Russian's Dangerous Game
The Sheik's Beautiful Intruder
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Resisting the Sheik's Commands Excerpt
Leave a Comment / Excerpt / By Annette
"You did it!" Ilara announced excitedly to the couple sitting nervously across the desk. "You really did it!"
Ilara watched as the couple's mouths fell open. "We…did?" The couple clasped hands. "Are you sure?"
Ilara understood and her grin widened. They'd come a long way in order to reach this point, overcoming several setbacks along the way. "Yes! You are completely out of debt!" She pressed a few buttons on her computer and the printer behind her came to life. When the papers landed in the tray, Ilara pushed them across her inexpensive desk, using her pen to point to the zero balance at the bottom of the spreadsheet. "Look at this…"
The door to Ilara's office flew open and she looked up, startled, dropping her pen.
"Hello, Ilara," the man said, his voice deep and scratchy. Unfortunately, that voice was also terrifyingly familiar.
Thankfully, his greeting snapped her out of her shock and she straightened, turning the financial papers over to protect her clients' privacy. "What are you doing here?" she demanded then shook her head. "Never mind. I don't care why you're here. Leave. You are interrupting a private meeting."
The man in question only lifted a mocking eyebrow at her before turning to the couple.
"Would you excuse us for a moment?" he asked, radiating charm.
Ilara's eyes narrowed suspiciously. She knew him all too well, and exactly what he was capable of.
"Jabril, this couple just finished paying off a massive debt. This is an exciting and private moment and I have a few more things–"
"Congratulations," he interrupted, bowed slightly. "That's a major milestone." He pulled a business card from his breast pocket. "Please, speak with Ramon at this restaurant and have dinner to celebrate. My treat."
The couple stared at the card, then up at Jabril in stunned silence. Ilara knew this sweet couple had absolutely no idea who Jabril was, but they beamed, excited at the generous offer.
"Are you serious?" The husband of the couple asked. Ilara knew that the couple had struggled for everything and luck was rarely on their side.
"Absolutely! A milestone such as what you've accomplished should be celebrated in grand style."
Her clients laughed and accepted the card. "You're right! Let's go!" He took his wife's hand, pulling her out of the office. Before they shut the door, he glanced over at Ilara apologetically. "We'll call to schedule a time to come back to discuss the next step, okay?"
Ilara nodded, trying to hide her frustration behind a professional smile. A moment later, they were gone, leaving silence in their wake.
Angry, blistering silence.
Ilara glared at the man who had ruined her meeting. "Who the hell do you think you are?" she demanded, stalking around the desk. Jabril al Mustar, Sheik of Piara, was irritatingly tall and obnoxiously big. His shoulders alone could shrink by half and would probably still be broader than the average male. The outrageously expensive suit he wore only emphasized those shoulders, that tapered waist. She wanted to punch the smug look off his face.. Kick him out of her office.
But he was too big for that, so she settled for glaring.
The smirk that lifted the corners of his mouth didn't bode well and her stomach tightened with dread. Ilara knew that, whatever it was he wanted to say, she didn't want to hear it.
"I think I'm your future husband, Ilara," he replied with a calm that she'd love to emulate.
Her eyes narrowed. Was he out of his mind?! "Since when?"
He leaned forward, his eyes flinty. "You're about to turn twenty-five," he pointed out softly.
The heat radiating from him startled her. The man wasn't even touching her but she could feel the warmth of his body.
Pulling back, she crossed her arms over her stomach, trying to ignore those broad shoulders. "I'm fully aware of my birthday."
Not by word or blink of his ridiculously long eyelashes did he acknowledge her fury. "Then you're also fully aware that you need to marry. Soon. Otherwise, your uncle will take full control of your country. The people of Ditra need you."
She shrugged, unconcerned with who ruled her birth country, as long as her people were well cared for. If a stab of longing hit her at the reminder of her birthright, she ignored it and focused instead on getting Jabril out of her office. "Uncle Kasim has things well under control," she announced, suppressing the selfish longing to see her country again. "I talk to him regularly and he sends me constant updates."
Jabril's eyes narrowed ominously. For some reason, Ilara felt judged…and falling short.
"You are Princess Ilara of Ditra. You were born to rule the country and protect your people."
She shifted uncomfortably, guilt pouring her. She'd said the same thing to herself too often over the past several years. She'd had the same argument with her uncle and they'd both come to the conclusion that Ditra was safe and thriving under his wise guidance. "I know that I was raised to rule Ditra. But only if I marry. That's the law."
"So, you're willing to give up your birth right because of a formality?" he asked. His tone remained calm, but she could feel the outrage building underneath his words.
Impatiently, Ilara huffed and leaned forward. "Look, Jabril," she snapped. He might be sheik of a massive, wealthy country, but here in California, he was just another guy. Far better built than most! But just a guy. "You and I don't think along the same terms. I don't…" she paused because even she could hear the lie. "I don't need to rule. My uncle has done a much better job running Ditra than I ever could. He's increased jobs, set up a nationwide health care, and there's even a university now! That means that our young people don't have to travel abroad to get an education!" Her heart was heavy, her uncle had done so much more than she could hope to accomplish. "He stepped up to rule Ditra in order to give me the time to get an education here in California,. My goal was always to get my degree and return, take on my role as ruler of Ditra, but…" she shrugged, pushing a hand impatiently through her hair as she slumped back against the desk. "I want to make a difference in people's lives, but my uncle is so much better at ruling Ditra than I ever could be."
"It is your country," Jabril argued emphatically.
She shrugged, swamped by the sudden desire to go home. But, if she returned, there would be chaos. So, she fell back on history as her defense. "Technically, it is your country. My family stole it from Piara fifty years ago. Since you are ruler of Piara, then…." She trailed off, unable to say the words.
His eyes narrowed. "I agree. It is part of my country. Are you saying I should take it back by force?"
By force? "No! You wouldn't dare!" she gasped, horrified at the very idea. "You and I both know that wars only hurt the little people. The generals stand back and observe, tell the others where to shoot and watching them die." She sliced a hand through the air. "Don't you dare invade Ditra! I don't care how legitimate your claim might be. There are better ways!"
Did his expression relax somewhat? She couldn't tell.
"So, you are passionate about protecting your people. You worry about their welfare. And yet, you are unwilling to take your place as their leader?"
She couldn't hold his gaze and studied her shoes instead, choosing her words carefully. "Like I said, my uncle has done a much better job than I ever could. My people deserve an experienced ruler." She glanced around her small office. "I'm doing good things here. I earned my degree is in economics and political science. I help people realize their financial dreams! This is better." If there was discontent behind her words, she pressed them deeper down inside of her.
He stared at her for so long, it took all of her willpower not to fidget.
And then he offered an envelope that she hadn't realized he was holding. "By the laws of Ditra, you must marry in order to claim the right to rule the country. But, also by rights, Ditra is a province of Piara. I want my country whole again."
Anger overrode her guilt. "That's not going to happen. My people are happy and thriving under my uncle's rule."
He cocked his head to the side, "Are they?"
Five minutes ago, Ilara knew she was doing the right thing by not interfering in her uncle's rule. If she returned, her people would be confused if she didn't marry and take control. Ilara had spoken to her uncle at great length, debating the pros and cons of returning. In the end, they came to the conclusion that it would be better if she ignored the antiquated law that required her to marry by the age of twenty-five. The plan was for her to simply let her birthday pass quietly and her uncle would remain in power. He'd also be required to marry and produce a child, but men weren't subjected to the same strict age requirements as the women. The age issue stemmed from an ancient ritual that had something to do with the solstice, the sun and moon, and tribal beliefs. Centuries ago, Ditra was considered progressive for even allowing women to rule, despite the marriage requirement.
"You said you are in regular contact with your uncle?"
"Yes. We speak as often as we can." Why did she have a bad feeling about that envelope? "When we can't connect via telephone, we chat online. He sends me articles about what's happening in Ditra, the good and the bad news. So, I'm fully aware of the progress he's made for my people." She rubbed her forehead. "Trust me. He's a much better ruler than I could ever be." Second, third, and fourth thoughts about what basically amounted to abdicating hit her hard. The guilt was nearly overwhelming, but Ilara had convinced herself that she just needed to get through her birthday next month and the guilt would go away, along with her right to rule.
"He's been telling you how well off the people of Ditra are, correct?" he asked.
The horrible feeling in her stomach intensified. "Yes."
"Interesting," he commented conversationally. "That explains a lot." He pulled a picture out of the envelope. "Unfortunately, your uncle has been lying to you." He laid the picture on her desk. Ilara stared at it, trying to make sense of the image. It was of a group of people and they looked…haunted! Hungry. No, not hungry, they looked as if they'd been starved! Their bones pressed against their skin, and their eyes looked too big for their faces. Not to mention sad. As if they'd given up hope.
"What is this?" she whispered through numb lips as the horror of the picture hit her.
"Those are a few of the citizens that you have abandoned to the dubious mercies of your uncle," Jabril explained flatly.
Jabril watched Ilara's features carefully, trying to determine if she was telling the truth or…something else. His instincts told him that she was being completely honest, that the horror in her eyes was sincere. But he wasn't sure he could trust his instincts where she was concerned. From the moment he'd opened her office door, he'd been taken aback by her beauty. When she'd turned those angry, chocolate eyes towards him, his body had tightened with immediate awareness and…lust. He didn't like it, but there it was.
For decades, he'd planned to take back the land she considered her country. The land wasn't strategically important, but it was his land, his people! This woman's father had taken the land through impressive maneuvers and held onto it for too long.
Jabril couldn't wait any longer. People were suffering due to her negligence. Instinct pushed him to protect his people and better their lives. Every day of his life, he'd been taught the need to protect his people, to fight for them and ensure that they had opportunities to thrive.
This woman had done the exact opposite. She'd abandoned them to a maniacal, self-serving despot, refusing to protect the citizens of the country she claimed to love.
At least, that's what he'd believed up until this moment.
Was there more to the story? Was she truly unaware of what her uncle was doing to the people who lived under his rule?
"Are they sick?"
He kept his face still, refusing to give her any leniency. "I suppose one could say that. The people of Ditra survive on stale bread, when they can buy it at the stores. Or when they can find a store that is open and has food to sell."
She frowned, startled by his words. "Bread? They don't have…?"
"The markets were closed years ago," he replied, hardening his resolve against her perplexed expression. She had abandoned her people. He was on a mission to save them, a pair of lovely eyes would not sway him!
Her fingers trembled as she put the picture down, hiding her hands behind her.
"Someone tried to kill your uncle when he went through the market one day."
Her face paled and she shook her head, although he wasn't sure if the gesture was one of denial or confusion. Either was possible, he conceded. "Why would anyone want to kill my uncle? My people love him! They adore him!"
Somehow, Jabril was able to avoid rolling his eyes. "Ilara, your uncle's guards are in prison for treason, because your uncle didn't think they had protected him well enough that day. He brought in a company of mercenaries from South Africa to protect him. And they are brutal with anyone they even suspect of harming your father. Dozens of people have been thrown into prison, without being charged and without a trial, simply because these mercenaries suspected that they might harm your uncle."
She glanced down at the horrible picture again. He pulled another out of the envelope. This was the remains of a farm, the barn and house nothing more than charred, blackened rubble. The crops were in ruins and weeds beginning to invade in the background. "This person dared to speak out against your father's farming proposal."
He took out a third picture, laying it silently on the desk. This one showed a family desperately huddled together, holding each other as men in black uniforms lit their house on fire. Ilara cringed away. But, impressively, she took a deep breath, straightened her spine, and looked at the picture. Jabril's anger towards her lessened slightly.
"No!" she whispered, transfixed by the image. "No, my uncle told me just last week that the farmers were being subsidized because the markets were flooded with food and prices were dropping to historic lows. The low prices meant that the farmers couldn't bring home a sustainable wage. He's right to subsidize! It's good agricultural and economic policy."
Jabril sighed. Apparently, her uncle hadn't only manipulated the people in Ditra, but was pulling Ilara's strings as well.
Horror such as he was witnessing would be hard to fake, he acknowledged. It was possible, if Princess Ilara were a trained actress. But to his knowledge, the princess had studied only business, economics, and public policy.
Regardless, she had to know the truth. He pulled out several more photographs. "This is the market in the capital city," he explained, placing a picture of the once thriving market that had filled several blocks with produce and other goods. It was now barren, the beautiful, colorful tents, that the vendors took pride in weaving and decorating, were in dusty shreds, hanging drunkenly from broken supports. Even the wooden shelves were broken, crumbled heaps of tinder on the ground. There were a few areas that had products, but not many and the price on the small pile of apples was about ten times what she remembered paying.
"No!" she snapped. "No! This is a lie!" She turned to her laptop and started typing, before turning it around to show him pictures. "This is the Central Market," she told him, revealing a market with fabulous tents and laughing vendors showing off their figs, oranges, lemons, pomegranates, persimmons, and other exotic fruits and vegetables that were grown in the fertile soil of Ditra. In the background, there were also purses and dresses, hats, and various other craft items for sale. "This is what is happening." She pushed the pictures Jabril had given her away. "These are lies!"
Jabril looked at the picture on the monitor with a shake of his head. "No Ilara, the pictures your uncle sent are the lies."
She visibly pulled back. "I don't believe you." She sat down, wrapping her arms around herself. "Why would he do that? It is in the best interests of every ruler to ensure that their people are healthy and prosperous. That's how I was raised! My uncle as well."
Jabril noticed that the last four words were almost an afterthought, tacked on to reinforce her argument. But she wasn't sure and that gave him pause. She hadn't known, he was sure of it.
Unfortunately, he didn't have time to ease her into the truth. The people of Ditra were in dire circumstances and he had to act quickly, before more people died. Relaxing his stance slightly, he changed tactics, shifting from fury over her negligence, to insistence that she face reality and fix the situation. "Your uncle has drained the resources of Ditra for his own personal gain. The people are starving, businesses have gone under because of the new tax regulations, which are complicated and apply a massive burden to most businesses, and even the military has been oppressed, curtailed so that he has them entirely under his power."
Ilara shook her head, but Jabril could see the doubt in her face. "No! He's a gentle ruler!" she repeated, unconsciously pushing her chair back and crossing her arms over her chest, trying to get away from his words.
Instead of saying anything more, he pulled other pictures out of the envelope, spreading them across her desk one by one. He showed her pictures of desperate people, abandoned stores, deserted villages, and the capital city with empty streets, which should have been thriving.
He didn't say anything, allowing the images to speak. She'd grown up in Ditra and recognized the street signs and the buildings. Jabril watched carefully, waiting for signs that she might dismiss what was happening.
Unfortunately, he needed Ilara. He needed her cooperation in order to make a swift change. He could regain the land without her through force, but as she'd pointed out, more people would get hurt. The people of Ditra had endured so much already. If he could unite his country without violence, he'd do it. If he couldn't gain her cooperation, then he had a plan B, but marrying Ilara would give her the right to rule and speed up the recovery process for the people and the economy.
"Stop!" she gasped, turning the pictures over so she didn't have to look at them. Jabril considered that a good sign. She couldn't be part of her uncle's horrible machinations if she couldn't stand looking at the destruction.
"He didn't do this," she murmured, standing up and looking through the small window of her office, trying to hide her expression.
"Why do you say that?" he demanded,. She wanted to deny everything, but he suspected from her reaction that she'd had clues before this moment.
"Because my uncle sends me reports about what's going on in Ditra. He and I talk. He's encouraged me to come back and take my place."
"Why haven't you then?" he asked, tamping down his sudden fury.
"Because…" she closed her eyes, pressing her lips together as the pieces came together. "Because he convinced me that getting my degree was more important for the people of my country. It would help me help them more effectively." She pressed shaking fingers to her lips. "He said I had to think long term and getting a degree from a good school would serve them better in the long term."
"So that's why you left Ditra," he commented, more to himself than to her. "He's right. Getting an education should have helped. But you graduated last summer."
She sighed, rubbing her forehead. "He…convinced me that getting a bit of experience out in the world would help."
Jabril didn't say anything. He let the silence fill the room, allowing her to think it through. From what his security team had discovered, Ilara was an intelligent, thoughtful woman with deep loyalty to Ditra. Only now was he starting to understand why she hadn't returned to take her place in the government.
"I don't believe you," she finally said, turning to face him.
Her words were disappointing, he thought, but not unexpected.
"Come with me," he ordered. "We'll fly to Ditra and you can see for yourself."
Without a second thought, she shut down her computer and grabbed her purse. Her willingness further eased his anger towards her. If she'd known what was going on, even suspected, she wouldn't be willing to prove him wrong.
"Your information is wrong," she insisted as she shoved her laptop into her computer bag. "I don't know where those pictures were taken, but they aren't from Ditra." She stood up straight, glaring up into his eyes. He admired her spunk, even if he could see her trembling from head to toe..
Princess Ilara might be a beautiful woman, but the people of Ditra needed his focus now. They needed him to protect them. Focusing her full, rounded breasts or her slender waist was not helping them in any way.
With absolute resolution, she tilted her head towards the door. "I'll show you the real Ditra. And if you decide to invade my country…"
"My country, that your father stole from me," he corrected.
Ilara didn't acknowledge his words. "…Then I will expect an apology and an investigation into who told you those lies," she finished, nodding to the envelope with the pictures.
"And if I'm telling the truth, you will marry me and help me save Ditra.
Copyright © 2020 Elizabeth Lennox | Designed by Meet Cute Creative
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