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FirstFT: Today's top stories | Financial Times
FT subscribers can click here to receive FirstFT every day by email.
A Hong Kong university remains under siege after a second day of ferocious clashes between riot police and protesters holed up on the campus.
Officers from the special tactical contingent, known as the "raptors", had attempted to storm the university on Monday but were beaten back by volleys of petrol bombs that set the main entrance to Hong Kong Polytechnic University ablaze.
Black-clad young protesters throwing Molotov cocktails fought fierce battles with police in the streets around the university as they attempted to break the siege. By Monday evening, student union representatives estimated that there were still 500 people occupying the campus.
The siege of PolyU comes after the most violent week in the city's months-long political crisis. At least one person was shot by police, another was set on fire, a 70-year-old man died after he was hit on the head by a flying brick and the police warned that the city was on "the brink of total collapse". This video shows how universities have become the newest battlegrounds in Hong Kong.
A win for protesters: Hong Kong's High Court on Monday struck down the government's mask ban, declaring the emergency legislation unconstitutional.
The situation in Hong Kong is a nightmare for China's president Xi Jinping, writes Gideon Rachman. Meanwhile, one of the oldest companies in Hong Kong is now one of the territory's most exposed conglomerates.
In last week's poll we asked if you would leave Hong Kong because of the violence. A majority of respondents said they would. See the full results below. (FT, New York Times, South China Morning Post)
Extension granted for US-Huawei business The Trump administration has approved a 90-day extension for US companies to do business with the blacklisted Chinese telecoms group as regulators continue to hammer out rules on companies that pose a national security risk and negotiators strive for progress in trade talks. It is the third such extension. (FT, NPR)
© Fred Dufour/AFP
Saudi Aramco IPO abandons international roadshow In the latest sign of the initial public offering's shrunken ambitions, bankers learnt on Monday that no formal European investor meetings would take place, a day after roadshows in the US and Asia were called off, said people familiar with the matter. (FT)
Boris Johnson delays cutting UK corporation tax The decision to postpone Conservatives' plan to cut UK corporation tax to 17 per cent demonstrates the lack of a war chest available to the Tories for tax cuts and public spending promises since they committed to balancing the government's books, excluding capital investment. Elsewhere in the election, the FT's Miranda Green weighs in on whether the insurgents trying to tempt voters away from the two main parties can transform traditional politics. More on why Mr Johnson's delayed corporate tax cut makes sense in the Brexit Election Briefing. Sign up here. (FT)
Fed chair meets Donald Trump Jay Powell, Federal Reserve chairman, told the US president the central bank would continue to make monetary policy in a "non-political" manner, in a meeting that followed months of criticism of Mr Powell by the president. The rare sit-down was the pair's second meeting of the year. (FT, Bloomberg)
US reverses course on West Bank settlements Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's announcement that the US is softening its stance on Israeli settlements marks a historic shift in US policy. The move to declare the settlements not illegal puts the US at odds with others working towards Israeli-Palestinian peace. (Associated Press)
SoftBank-backed Yahoo Japan and Line agree to merge The deal follows a long courtship of Line by Masayoshi Son (below), SoftBank's founder, who has long pitched the merger as a way to compete against bigger groups in China and Silicon Valley, said people familiar with the discussions. (FT)
Masayoshi Son believes the deal will help him take on Chinese and Silicon Valley rivals © Reuters
T-Mobile USA chief to step down John Legere has called time on his stint as chief executive of the telecoms company, and his longtime deputy Mike Sievert will take over at the post next year. Mr Legere's future has been unclear since he was linked to the vacant chief executive role at WeWork. Separately, the shared-office space company announced it would begin US job cuts "in earnest" this week. (FT, Bloomberg)
China's central bank cuts short-term lending rate The People's Bank of China's first easing in four years signals Beijing's concern over slower growth. The central bank said on Monday that it would lower the seven-day reverse repurchase rate from 2.55 per cent to 2.5 per cent. The FT's senior investment commentator Mike Mackenzie has more on the easing in his Market Forces newsletter, a daily analysis of what's moving global markets. Sign up here. (FT)
The day ahead
UK general election debate ITV will host the first head-to-head clash between Conservative leader Boris Johnson and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Tuesday. Ahead of the debate, the FT's political commentator Robert Shrimsley writes that Brexit has afforded Mr Johnson a definition he does not really possess. (FT)
US impeachment hearings Lawmakers will hold four public hearings in the impeachment inquiry into Mr Trump on Tuesday. The president himself said he would "strongly consider" testifying. As part of the inquiry, lawmakers are also investigating whether Mr Trump lied to special counsel Robert Mueller during the Russia investigation. (FT, CNN)
Donald Trump faces another tough week of public impeachment hearings in Congress © Reuters
Google to launch cloud gaming service US search group will release Stadia, a service that will stream computer games across 14 countries at launch. Originally it was expected to host 10 games, but late on Sunday night Google upped its offerings to 22. The service promises players a high-speed, console-quality experience, from their living rooms to their smartphones, piped from one of the search giant's many vast data centres. (FT, The Verge)
Which developing country embraced digital and digitally-outsourced industries at an early stage and regarded them as a key part of its growth strategy? India. And which country is now threatening to tax cross-border digital trade, overturning a 21-year WTO moratorium on such tariffs? India again. More in Trade Secrets, the FT's must-read daily briefing on the changing face of international trade and globalisation. Sign up here.
What else we're reading
Facebook — faking it Mark Zuckerberg has always said the social network is a platform for authenticity. But the proliferation of phoney identities has reached a record high. That's a big problem for a company that trumpets user growth — a barometer of health to investors — and is often criticised for failing to police false information. Rana Foroohar writes that our personal data needs protecting from Big Tech. (FT)
© Matt Kenyon
How to survive an election With less than four weeks to go — or a year, if you're a US voter — before polls open, Tim Harford offers his handy guide for surviving an election with your insanity intact. Here's how to keep cool amid the cacophony and cast your vote wisely. Our guide will come in especially handy if you're an American getting worn out from being inundated with political news. (FT, NYT)
Tehran's web of influence in Iraq The Intercept obtained 700 pages of Iranian intelligence reports — an unprecedented leak from one of the world's most secretive governments. The cables, provided by an anonymous source, reveal both Tehran's attempt to infiltrate Iraqi politics, and the impact of US foreign policy following the 2003 invasion. Explore the full project or the key takeaways. (The Intercept, NYT)
The stigma of menopause at work fadesMenopausal women are the fastest-growing demographic in workplaces across the UK, according to government figures. That is why companies are starting to consider how they can support employees who may be struggling with symptoms, from hot flushes and brain fog to depression and a greater propensity for urinary tract infections. (FT)
Do you have personal experience with menopause at work? Please share your thoughts with other readers in the comments. Does your company have any specific policies or support for menopausal women? If yes, what are they? If not, what would you like those policies to be?
Alison Martin-Campbell of EY © Anna Gordon/FT
Who will rule the internet? There are two models of internet for the world to choose from. The US follows a chaotic means of digital freedom. Sure, that allows for freedom of expression online, but it can come at the cost of amplifying false, sometimes dangerous, information. Meanwhile, China exercises ruthless control. Companies are more likely to take down problematic information, but the government's tight grip lends itself to mass repression. Neither are good options. (BuzzFeed News)
Dealing with mistakes at work Good god, I thought. That could have been me, writes Pilita Clark after watching Official Secrets, a film based on the true story of an explosive US intelligence memo that was leaked to Britain's Observer newspaper on the eve of the 2003 Iraq war. The memo was inadvertently changed from American English into British English by an unsuspecting assistant who thought she was being helpful but it led to suspicions the memo was a fake. In her column, Pilita asks how should we deal with mistakes at work? (FT)
Prince Andrew's bad reputation Partying was what second sons were expected to do in the days of the Duke of York's youth, but Prince Andrew did not seem to recall much of his "playboy prince" past during his interview with BBC's Emily Maitlis. History, however, shows his journey from "golden prince to being the embarrassing uncle", as Catherine Mayer, author and leader of the Women's Equality party, put it. (The Guardian)
© AFP via Getty Images
FT Executive MBA Ranking 2019 French school HEC Paris tops this year's list of universities offering executive MBAs, up from sixth a year ago. The EMBA is a part-time programme often taken by people more established in their careers compared with those on full-time courses. Applications for traditional two-year, full-time MBA programmes in the US have declined overall for five straight years, according to the Graduate Management Admission Council, while EMBA applications have grown steadily. This is the list of best performing schools. (FT)
Why healthcare policy is a defining issue for America The FT's Rana Foroohar on why wrangling over insurance system reforms will dominate the 2020 presidential election.
To get Europe moving again we must act now on vaccination certificates – EURACTIV.com
Circulatory Support Devices Market 2019 2019 Primary Research, Secondary Research, Product Research, Trends and Forecast 2025
Trump Administration Continues to Promote Drug Importation as a Way to Lower the Cost of Prescription Drugs | King & Spalding
Online Coal Ash Analyzers Market Research, Size, Growth And Trends 2020 to 2026| Realtime Group, Eastman Crusher Company, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Advance Research Instuments
2020 State Consumer Privacy Law Round-Up | Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
Automated Suturing Devices Market Business Scenario 2020 | SWOT Analysis by Major Players- Medtronic and Boston Scientific
A Quantitative SWOT Analysis On Online Project Management Software Market to Increase Exponentially During 2020-2026 – KSU


Living in a world where rules, necessities and expectations are constantly changing, students must now look to transfer to a four year institution as associates degrees no longer hold the same value.
With community college acting as an alternative route after high school, students attending Pierce College are presented with the option of pursuing an associates degree and heading into the workforce or transferring to a four year school after receiving an AA Degree. The best option is to transfer to a four year and get a bachelor's degree.
Students have the ability to make those early college years worth the most by focusing on a four year university. Transferring to a four year means that students are already half way to getting their bachelor's degree. It is a waste of time if a student is capable of achieving their bachelor's degree and choose not to. The benefits are too great to pass up especially when students who choose to continue can complete their degree in two years.
In many instances, a bachelor's degree is linked to a higher earning potential with employers often opting to hire the person with a better education. According to the LA Times, in 2012 people with a bachelor's degree made about $17,500 more than peers with a high school diploma. Studying for your bachelor's degree not only provides an opportunity at a better financial situation but gives students a better opportunity to decide what to do in the future. College is a place where students are able to take classes they feel will benefit them in their career choices and change majors if they so choose.
The ultimate goal of students attending Pierce College should be to transfer to a four year institution. Earning an associates degree is something to be proud of but if given the opportunity, students should earn their bachelor's degree. Not doing so, or trying to, is a disservice to an educational career.


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Q: why my mysql DB can read without update or insert data in Rails 4? Guy I got something strange in my project
Now I got old ruby on rails project to develop some notes in it after I activate the commands
bundle
bundle exec rake db:create
bundle exec rake db:migrate
rails s

First the application asked me to install mysql2 0.3.14 and after installed it I got the error
log writing faild. invalid byte sequence in US-ASCII

and I solved it by added the #encoding: utf-8  in every first line in the project models
and finally now I can open my project well  but
I found when I read data from my DB it work well when tried to insert or update any data from my MYSQL DB nothing happen with me !!!!! I thought that my DB user only take permissions to read only from the DB  but after checked the user permissions I found it takes all the permissions
So can any one explain to me why I go this issue ????
This is a simple code to insert into my MYSQL DB
the View code
<%= form_for(@category) do |f| %>

    <%= f.label :title %>

    <%= f.text_field :title %>

    <%= f.label :icon %>

    <%= f.file_field :icon %>

    <%= f.submit %>

<% end %>

controller code
def create
  #Just test to insert fixed data to my DB but also not insert any thing
  @category =Category.new(:title => 'eeeee', :icon_file_name => 'xxx', :slug => 'sug')
  #@category =Category.new(:title => params[:title], :icon_file_name => params[:icon], :slug => params[:slug])

 #@category = Category.new(category_params)
 respond_to do |format|
   if @category.save
     format.html { redirect_to @category, notice: 'Category was successfully created.' }
     format.json { render action: 'show', status: :created, location: @category }
   else
     format.html { render action: 'new' }
     format.json { render json: @category.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity }
   end
  end
end

Note: I'm using Windows 7

A: Seems like you didn't sanitize your params. In Rails 4 strong parameters have been introduced in order to increase security of untrusted sources posting data to your database.
So in your controller you have to add a private method (if you generated it with scaffolding it should be already present) to say which parameters to accept.
in your case should be something like
def category_params
 params.require(:category).permit(:title, :icon_file_name, :slug, :whatever_other_param_you_need)

end

Read more here http://edgeapi.rubyonrails.org/classes/ActionController/StrongParameters.html

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


We are over the moon to announce that Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed has been nominated for an International Emmy® in the Kids: Animation category.
Jellyfish Pictures provided creative direction and animation for the latest iteration of the Beano classic, produced by Beano Studios and CBBC. We would like to say a huge congratulations to everybody who worked so hard on this project, making it the endearing hit it is.
Joining Dennis in the Kids: Animation category is the Netherland's Kop op (Viking Film / VPRO Television / Job, Joris & Marieke), Argentina's Mini Boat Power Rockers (Discovery Kids Latin America / Mundo Loco Animation Studios) and Singapore's Oddbods – Season 2 (One Animation Pte ltd).
Winners will be announced in Cannes, France on Tuesday 9th April 2019 during MIPTV…. So watch this space.


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Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Thirty years after defeating the Galactic Empire, Han Solo and his allies face a new threat from the evil Kylo Ren and his army of Stormtroopers.
Director: J.J. Abrams
Actors: Adam Driver, Carrie Fisher, Daisy Ridley, Harrison Ford, John Boyega, Mark Hamill, Oscar Isaac
Torrent English 3D.BluRay Download Magnet-URL English 3D.BluRay Download Torrent English 720p.BluRay Download Magnet-URL English 720p.BluRay Download Torrent English 1080p.BluRay Download Magnet-URL English 1080p.BluRay Download
Miss Bala (2011)
A CEO (Wilma Elles) from the world's largest telecommunications company is about to expose secrets of how the left wing media uses movies to control the masses at the behest…
Game Over, Man! (2018)
Three friends are on the verge of getting their video game financed when their benefactor is taken hostage by terrorists.
No Man's Land (2021)
Late one night, Bill Greer and his son Jackson patrol their ranch when Jackson accidentally kills an immigrant Mexican boy. When Bill tries to take the blame for his son,…
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller, Western
Stormageddon (2015)
What happens when you ask the most powerful computer program, run by the most powerful computers, to follow, listen and predict human behavior? The program learns, becomes sentient and begins…
Genre: Action, Drama, Science Fiction, Thriller
Ecstasy of the Angels (1972)
A militant revolutionary group is torn apart by betrayal as its members descend into paranoia and sexual decadence
Genre: Action, Drama, Mystery, Romance
Ancestral World (2020)
A prince must learn to be a hero. In a time of demons and Gods warring for domination, a prince is sent on a mission to rescue his brother and…
Disturbing the Peace (2020)
A small-town marshal who hasn't carried a gun since he left the Texas Rangers after a tragic shooting, must pick up his gun again to battle with a gang of…
Race to Witch Mountain (2009)
A taxi driver gets more than he bargained for when he picks up two teen runaways. Not only does the pair possess supernatural powers, but they're also trying desperately to…
Genre: Action, Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Thriller
A Company Man (2012)
A contract killing organization is managed like a normal company. Hyung-do who regards killing as nothing more than repetitious routine is working for this company. A man loyal to his…
Pokémon 4Ever: Celebi – Voice of the Forest (2001)
40 years ago, a Celebi was being attacked by a Pokemon Hunter. Luckily, a young boy named Yukinari saved Celebi. Using its Time Traveling power, Celebi transported itself and Yukinari…
Genre: Action, Adventure, Animation
Scenes of the Crime (2002)
A young man about to get married earns extra cash by driving a local mobster, but things go awry when the mobster is shot dead by a rival crime boss.
Country: Germany, United States
Trailer: Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


To get big arms you need big biceps. That is the conclusion many people reach. And granted, when looking to build T-shirt-tearing guns, biceps training will take the lead. But like Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption, the triceps, which make up two-thirds of your upper arm, play an essential supporting role.
As is the case with virtually every other muscle in the body, your triceps respond best to a multitude of exercises and training protocols that make use of a variety of angles. The triceps is comprised of three heads – hence 'tri' – the lateral head, medial head and the long head. All three require adequate stimulation for optimal results.
Heavy, challenging compound lifts such as close-grip bench presses and weighted dips should provide the focus for triceps training, but a selection of isolation exercises are also worth your time. The triceps kick-back is one of these.
Place one knee, shin and foot on a flat bench and bend over to keep your torso parallel to the floor. Grasp the head of the bench with your fingertips. In the outside hand hold a dumbbell. Pick a weight with which you can comfortably manage 12-15 reps. Press and hold that dumbbell-holding arm against your side, with a 90° bend at the elbow. Straighten your arm backwards until it is parallel to the floor. Contract your triceps at that top portion of the lift. Slowly lower until your arm is back at the 90° angle. Repeat for 12-15 reps, then switch arms.
When straightening your arm at the top portion of the lift, be careful not to bend at the wrist. This removes a lot of the tension from the triceps and places it on the forearms. You should also ensure your arm is held up against the body at all times. If your arm drops down, the tension on the triceps will diminish.
Using a cable machine for the triceps kick-back means that you have to work against steady resistance throughout the exercise, which you'll especially notice as you lower your forearm back to the starting position in the second half of the movement.
Attach a single handle low down on the cable machine. Hold the handle in an overhand grip and step away from the machine so there is tension in the cable. Bend at the hips so your upper body is parallel to the ground, with your arm by your side and bent at 90° at the elbow. Straighten your arm behind you to perform the kick-back, then slowly bring the handle back to the starting position.
Don't have time to work out one arm at a time? Then do both at once. It's best to lighten the load a little for the two-arm version of the kick-back, which can be done with dumbbells or the cable machine.
Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand. Lean forwards at your hips until your back is parallel to the ground. You upper arms should be by your sides, with your elbows bent at 90° so you're holding the dumbbell in front of your torso. Straighten both arms behind you simultaneously, then reverse the movement to return to the starting position.


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On May 16, we asked Bill Burrows, a former member of the Society of the Divine Word and an editor of Orbis Books in Ossining, New York, whether and how he thought Catholic culture was eroding.
I don't have any deep insights into the matter of the erosion of Catholic culture, as symbolized by the death of the Catholic Book Club, but it is a matter of real concern. I think people of your and my generation, are increasingly dinosaurs. At 60 I may be ten years younger a dinosaur than you, but it's my contention that people like us grew up immersed in Catholic culture and the church has lost the ability to fascinate the young today to the degree it fascinated us then.
Through a variety of means, by the time we were in our late teens or early 20s, at a fairly deep level we said "Yes" to Catholic identity. At some level, that identity was a mixitum confusitum of church practices, pious beliefs, fairly sophisticated understanding of what we were choosing, and deciding at an intentional level to embrace the Catholic thing. Commitment to Christ and becoming a Socius Christi in the Jesuit sense may have been less brought into relief than it should have been, but high school and college retreats did something like that.
Those of us that went into religious life, especially those of us who went through the Ignatian Exercises, were brought to the equivalent of Protestant Evangelicalism's decision for Christ. Admittedly it was insinuated in the whole web of Catholic culture in general and becoming part of a community like the SJ or the SVD. And in the SVD at least, the decision "for" Christ was never portrayed as a decision "against" anyone else's religion. I know it was in some communities, but not in the Society of the Divine Word, at least not in my time in the late 1950s thru the mid-1960s -- before Vatican 2 took hold.
People like us, whether in religious or lay life, became the bulwark of the church. Lay people like Phil Scharper, for instance, were formed that way. So was a Justus George Lawler and a Pat and Patty Crowley. By taking those examples, I just refer to men and women we can use as reference points. Those names are names of very different people, but in one way or another, I think the old institutions brought people into the church in a way that insured they would live their lives in vital relation to the Gospel and the person of Jesus. They would grow in faith and become more integral, and I don't just mean with greater theological sophistication. I mean the kind of faith that lodges between the belly button and the backbone over a lifetime.
It's my contention that the church is losing the ability to do that. The readership of formally Catholic journals like America and Commonweal declines as people born before 1930 pass on. Catholic book publishers publish generic books of spirituality that will not offend anyone. If you read the three wonderful articles I just finished reading in America (12 May 2003) by Bob Taft, Willard Jabusch, and Bob Daily, you're introduced to a depth of Catholic liturgical thinking and spirituality that you just do not meet much any more. Certainly you do not have thousands upon thousands of people who one way or another are passing on the tradition like those three do. Most theology is purely intellectual. Doesn't lead people to bow down in awe at mystery. The modern Catholic university's approach to theology is so dominated by academic guild practices that it is virtually useless for discipleship. And when people think of discipleship at all, they usually think of it as leading people to embrace a [left-oriented] social cause. Little understanding that the kind of gifts that lead some to contemplation are just as valid. The kind of belly-aching that goes on over issues like the non-ordination of women or married men has come to a large number of people to be more important than turning oneself over to God in Christ in the Spirit and engaging in the kind of death/surrendering that leads to Gospel freedom.
I think, to sum up, that the shallowness of what passes as spirituality and theological book publishing is partially responsible for the demise of the "Catholic" book. But the shallowness of what takes place in the church has perhaps seduced editorial houses into thinking it's useless to try to publish the sort of thing that leads people deeper into God, Christ, and the Spirit --- not as God "up there" but within life. The genius of American Protestant Evangelicalism has been to lead people into that process. Liberals have a great contempt for Protestant Evangelicalism, too easily assuming it is all fundamentalism. Yet I think the core of the spiritual teaching of such giants as Benedict, Francis, Dominic, and Ignatius is precisely this kind of Evangelicalism.
A close friend of mine, Alan Neely, a Southern Baptist, died this week. Alan was a living exemplar of the truth that you can be an Evangelical while also being close to Christians in other denominations, close also to Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Atheists, etc. etc. The last time I saw Alan was in October of 2002, when he was leading a group of ten such followers of other "ways" around the floor at the annual meeting of the U S Catholic Mission Association. After retirement from Princeton and in spite of bad health, he founded the Raleigh Interfaith Council.
He never wavered in believing and practicing the fact that deep personal commitment of Jesus was completely compatible with being an erudite anthropologist, an expert in Latin American religious history, and a constant visitor at synagogues, mosques, temples, and meditation centers. It was his Evangelicalism that led him to that openness, because it led him to mystery and he suspected that those who were not acquainted with mystery were the Christians who believed Muslims, Jews, or Hindus had nothing essential to say. He knew they did, and he was a good listener.
Too many of us Catholics, perhaps especially on the left, where I still put myself in spite of what I've been writing, have lost touch with the mystery of God-within-among-and-between-us. It's become a matter of causes. I once wrote somewhere that there are strands of OT literature that indicate God was withdrawing his blessing from Israel because of its unfaithfulness. The Exile in Jeremiah's theology was such a chastisement. Of course, the withdrawal was not an abandonment of the covenant. Just a bit of tough love. Christians reading that, especially Catholics, think of NT promises of Jesus to be always with the church. It couldn't happen to us. I think it may be happening. Or that it could happen.


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Hello and thank you for taking the time to contact me. I provide a warm, safe and confidential space in comfortable rooms in Bexhill and Seaford. I have Private and Public sector experience as a Counsellor Psychotherapist and offer Walk & Talk Therapy near Bexhill, working with both Adults & Young People.
You may never have considered Counselling as a way of helping you with painful emotions and difficulties in your life until now. I hope after reading on that you will get a sense of who I am and what I may offer you.
I am caring sensitive and perceptive, and use an appropriate balance between support and challenge, depending on your needs.
I have a BACP Accredited Diploma in Humanistic Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy, I am a Registered member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and therefore abide by their strict codes of ethics. I also offer Walk & Talk Therapy near Bexhill.
I have Private and Public Sector experience as a Counsellor and Psychotherapist having worked in a local Hospice, NHS and University settings.
I work with teenagers, young people and adults of all ages who are struggling with issues relating to : depression, anxiety, stress, bereavement, terminal illness, loss, self-esteem, confidence, parenting difficulties, relationships, marital difficulties, infidelity, separation, divorce, work related difficulties, redundancy, loss of identity, miscarriage, anger management, self harm, abuse and more.
I offer short and long term Humanistic Counselling and Walk & Talk Therapy.
I offer 50 minute sessions of 1-1 Counselling and Psychotherapy and Walk & Talk Therapy near Bexhill.
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Animal Assisted Therapy, Gestalt stress management, Telephone Counselling, Trauma and recovery, Trauma and Dissociation, Mindfulness in Counselling, Working Creatively with children, Creatively working with Sand Tray in Counselling, Working with Suicidal Clients, Attachment theory in Counselling, Intro to Walking therapy, introduction to EFT.
I believe counselling is about the relationship between us and the connection we make.
Please text or email me to find a mutually convenient time for an initial 20min free consultation to discuss the current situation or circumstance that has prompted you to contact me. After this we can, if you wish, schedule our first session.


The anthological exhibition Grata con Otros is being showed in the Cronopios Room of the Centro Cultural Recolta CCR in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It presents, for the first time, the whole of the artistic work of the multifaceted Graciela Taquini, referent and pioneer in the universe of the digital art and relational aesthetic in Argentina. Curated by Rodrigo Alonso and with the montage design of Daniel Fischer, we can see works of the same Graciela and works made in collaboration with other artists, which are exhibited along reflections and stories of colleagues that directed their creative sight towards the figure of Graciela, who inspired their productions.
Photographs and video-installations are some of the technological mediums that expose Taquini's trajectory, becoming not only a collection of pieces that take part in a visual art exhibition, but also the portrait of a life in the art, in which the curatorial practice that took place during a great part of her professional development converges with her more recent artistic practice. In concordance with the exhibition, the CCR Micro cinema is showing TV shows, video art, movies and documentaries in which "The Video's Aunt" took part.
Graciela Taquini. Grata Con Otros at Centro Cultural Recolta, Buenos Aires. Vernissage, August 19, 2011. Video and text by Roberto Rey, Milos Deretich, Luciana Zothner, í€ngel Sánchez.
En la Sala Cronópios del CCR se presenta la muestra antológica GRATA CON OTROS, esta gran exposición presenta por primera vez la obra artística de la multifacética Graciela Taquini en su conjunto, ineludible referente y pionera en el universo del arte digital y la estética relacional en Argentina. Curada por Rodrigo Alonso y con diseí±o de montaje de Daniel Fischer, podemos ver obras propias y obras realizadas en colaboración con otros artistas, que se exhiben junto a diversas reflexiones-retratos de colegas que posaron su mirada creativa sobre la figura de Graciela quien inspiró sus producciones.
Fotografías y video-instalaciones son algunos de los soportes tecnológicos que dan cuenta de la trayectoria de Taquini, constituyéndose no solo como un conjunto de piezas que conforman una muestra de arte visual, sino como el retrato de una vida en el arte, en la que confluyen la práctica curatorial, transitada durante un extenso tramo de su desarrollo profesional, incorporando la práctica artística en su madurez. En concordancia con la muestra, se proyectarán, en el Microcine del CCR, programas de TV, de video arte, películas y documentales en las que intervino "La Tía del Video".


Great Science-Fiction & Fantasy Works: Lord Dunsany - all speculative-fiction stories appearing in but a single book.
The Table below shows each of Dunsany's speculative-fiction short stories ever published in a book collection (with the possible exception of those in The Little Tales of Smethers, though I think but one tale in that book would be classed a fantasy) that appear in but a single book--and so are "unique". The list also shows, of course, the unique book in which each occurs. An "upside-down" form of this list--all unique books with all the tales in each--appears on another page here, as shown in the Tables above.


It was the 1960s. All the aunties and uncles gathered together. They drove to the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre to wash and soak about 350 pounds of rice, set up the basement with tables and chairs, and check the equipment. This included one usu (mortar) carved from a tree shipped from B.C., a stained and tattered brown canvas about 8 x 8 feet, a yellow plastic utility bowl, a crooked wooden stand, old rags and rolls of paper towel, four handcrafted kine (mallets), and stackable wooden steamers for the rice. There were several pounds of rice in green Rubbermaid garbage pails; rusty, broken Coleman stoves with empty gas cylinders; boxes of cornstarch; thousands of little balls of 'an' (sweet red bean paste); plywood with bits of old, hard mochi (pounded rice cake) and cornstarch stuck on them from previous years; rags printed with Japanese words, to be used as hachi-maki (headbands); extra happi-coats (Japanese straight sleeved coat) hardened with mochi; cornstarch, and Uncle Doc's kettle.
Everyone helped roll out the usu and kine from storage. We cleaned and soaked everything.
The following day, our aunties and uncles dragged the cousins out early in the morning to help. We turned all the gas elements on the stoves on high to start boiling six stacks of rice steamers. While Uncle Sumi steamed rice, the rest of us set up tables lengthwise in the East Room where the tsuku (pounding) was taking place. We put plywood on top of tables and scraped them clean of the previous year's mochi. We covered surfaces with sifted cornstarch so steaming hot mochi wouldn't stick to the wood.
Uncle Kiso brought out the first container of steaming rice and dumped it into the usu with a loud "yokkoisho (heave ho)!" The uncles "tsuku-ed" (kneaded) the rice with all their strength until the rice formed a big, dough-like mound.
Once the rice reached a certain consistency, the pounding began. The uncles or boy cousins stood around the usu and in a clockwise direction, started pounding in a slow, uniform manner. Within seconds, the pace picked up. Family and friends started cheering, "Faster, faster!" Everyone yelled and the men picked up speed until the mallets were a blur.
Finally, the last stage was the "turning". This was the most memorable part, because my dad, Shig Sora, was the "turner", while one of the uncles was the "pounder". Any one of my uncles—Uncle Bob, Jim Nasu, Mr. Matsubushi or Uncle Doc—started pounding the rice slowly. My dad stuck his hand in and grabbed a piece of mochi, stretching and pulling it out.
Al Sora (L) and Shigeki Sora (R) at the Prince Hotel around 1976. In the background are many of my relatives including me on the far right in the brightly striped sweater.
An uncle kept pounding. My dad placed the piece on top (pound), in went his hand and pulled from the bottom (pound) and placed it on top (pound), pulled from the bottom (pound), placed it on top (pound). This continued with speed increasing until my dad's hand was a blur, going into the usu and out with the mochi. With his left hand, he transferred water to his right, from a basin on a stand. He threw water onto the rice to reduce sticking, and to get relief from the scalding hot mochi! I remember holding my breath and sometimes hiding my face. I couldn't stand the thought of Dad's hand being pounded by that mallet. In my memory, he was never hit. If he was, no one ever told me. From time to time, for entertainment, older sansei (third generation) boys took turns at "turning", only to be quickly thrown out. They were told, "hetakuso (not very good)!" or "urusai (nuisance)!" and replaced quickly with a "professional" nisei (second generation).
The rice, now a huge, five-pound blob of steaming mochi, was pulled out of the usu and thrown onto a piece of plywood to be transferred to the chigiru (tearing) tables, where it would be divided into six large sections. The sections were distributed to the waiting aunts, who crafted the blob into small balls of the exact same size. Understandably, there were several "supervisors" who did quality control on blob-cutting, ball size, distribution and speed.
Aunties and girl cousins circled the table. The aunties got a big piece of the blob and started cutting off little balls by hand, squishing them between their thumbs and forefingers. They pulled them off and threw the balls onto the table where we, the girls, molded them into small mochi cakes and placed them on waiting, cooling boards. We took the boards of mochi (maybe 100 cakes per board) to the tables set up outside the West Room, where they would cool, be flipped once and cooled some more.
We brought in the mochi, brushed off the cornstarch and bagged them. We weighed each bag and sold them at the JCCC Bazaar. Our aunties prepared a big communal lunch for all of us, in addition to all the work they themselves did for the mochitsuki!
Our freezers would be stocked with mochi until the next Boxing Day, when the cycle would start all over again.
* This article was originally published in Just add Shoyu: A Culinary Journey of Japanese Canadian Cooking (2010) by Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.
April Sora is a sansei, born and raised in Toronto. Now living in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan she still loves mochi and plays taiko!


A blast following gunfire rocked a business complex in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, on Tuesday. According to a CGTN local reporter, police responded to the incident by cordoning off the surrounding area. A spokesman for the Somali Islamist militant group al-Shabaab told Reuters that they claim responsibility for the attack.


The CBA: Strike on the Horizon?
The big business news in the world of American soccer is the announcement by the Players' Union that they have authorized a strike. Reports indicate that the Union is planning to strike on the eve of "First Kick" if a new deal isn't reached. This provides the sides with a two week window to finalize a deal or face the the prospect of losing the nationally televised openers in Seattle and New York and full slate of opening week games.As these are pretty big showcase events for MLS, a strike could do real damage to the new season.
While the league has said that ticket sales haven't suffered, there have been few announcement of new league partnerships, jerseys sponsors and other similar news in recent weeks. Fans are wondering aloud about ticket refunds for games missed, journalists are discussing the possibility of players leaving MLS for foreign leagues during a strike and dozens of other questions remain unanswered. There are no answers at this point; it is up to the parties and the mediator to make a deal.
Some say the players are holding the strike option for the most opportune time, and now we know that time. Others thought that the players don't have the votes or the will to strike but that has been disproven. Others think that the threat of a strike can do real harm to the owners because it will slow the ability of teams to sign sponsors. Regardless, we are now twp weeks from the season and there is no labor agreement and no labor peace…yet the games go on. We will keep monitoring the situation, but for now….
The players voted 383-2 for a strike is memory serves. They are unified. Impressive. Let's hope the players union gets what they deserve.
The leaders of the player union aren't trying to get free agency to go to another, bigger league (those players let their agents do the talking). The outspoken few are usually vets of the MLS or this is their last stop. What does Kasey Keller have to gain by going on strike? He is 40 and turned down a offer that would have doubled his current salary. They are not trying to get more money. They are trying to do what is right for there teammates and the future of the league.
The players are unified and seemingly unwavering. If MLS is stupid enough not to give into the players relatively small demands then another league will.
MLS isn't the only league in the United States. They will cave (to reason) eventually.
If MLS waits another week I will buy season tickets to the Aztecs (my local team). I will boycott MLS until they show their workforce (the players) the respect that they deserve.
Why do you mean "deserve".
The players are unified in the press, but we don't know what is going on behind the scenes.


I thought I'd check in and see how you were doing. Ultram I think has a weird feeling in the States too. Some docs say it's not addictive and yet, so many get addicted.
Hey when you said you had am SSRI issue, a serious one, do you mean Seratonin Syndrome ( don't answer if u don't want). But if that's true, you are right to always tell doctors who give you meds.
What is Endone? I haven't heard of it. Did you go onto the Ultram/ Tramadol? Is it helping you?


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Willow Glen Real Estate Search
Willow Glen Real Estate Homes
A little about the area
A neighborhood of San Jose, California, in Santa Clara County, Willow Glen, has a long history. It lies in the heart of San Jose in the San Francisco Bay area of Northern California, right in the midst of Silicon Valley. Willow Glen's downtown area is situated on Lincoln Avenue between Willow Street and Minnesota Avenue. It is a trendy, popular neighborhood, drawing many local residents who like to walk through the area and stop in at some of the local shops, restaurants and bars. Lincoln Avenue was formerly called Willow Glen Road, but the community had it changed in 1865 after President Lincoln was assassinated to honor him. Willow Glen is three miles southwest of downtown San Jose, and is bordered by the Guadalupe River, Los Gatos Creek and Coe and Curtner avenues.
Willow Glen incorporated as a city in 1927, when it was fighting the railroad companies, who wanted to install a line that would run right through the community. After achieving their victory, the town unincorporated in 1936, when its residents voted to be annexed into San Jose. Willow Glen real estate includes both apartments and single-family homes, and many Willow Glen homes are architecturally pleasing in the Victorian and Spanish style, built in the 1920s and '30s. It once had a streetcar, at the turn of the 20th century, that took residents from Willow Glen to downtown San Jose. The area also was a farming community, producing large stocks of wheat, barley, potatoes, onions, beets and corn. The area had a multitude of willow trees, and thus, its name.
Today, Willow Glen is home to two of Silicon Valley's only independent bookstores left. It is also home to a number of independent businesses, including two pilates studios and a yoga studio, more than a dozen hair salons, several massage parlors and spas and the Treasure Chest Aquarium. There is a multitude of things to do, from cooking and arts classes and other activities, and from yoga class and book readings to sewing courses and wine tastings. Annually, the area holds a Founders Day celebration. The community's oldest home is the Roberto-Sunol Adobe, a ranch home originally owned by an American Indian from the Santa Clara Mission.
Though most anything residents could need can be found here, Willow Glen is just a short drive from San Jose and other major Northern California cities. Beaches can be reached in under and hour. San Jose has five hospitals at which residents can seek medical assistance. The large San José Unified School District serves the area, and there are also many private schools, including six Catholic schools and two Baptist high schools. Plenty of colleges serve the greater area, including the University of California, Berkeley; the University of California, Santa Cruz; San José State University; San Francisco State University; California State University, East Bay; Santa Clara University and Stanford University. There are a number of local and county parks, including the Raging Waters water park and the large Almaden Quicksilver County Park.
Newest Willow Glen Homes For sale
2881 Meridian Ave 220, San Jose — Willow Glen Place $1,079,000
Large single level 3 bedroom / 3 full bath unit in the beautiful Willow Glen Place development. 2 primary suites with attached spacious baths, each with dual vanities and...
Willow Glen Place Bldg.
1523 Artisan Way, San Jose $1,399,999
Formal model home & immaculate corner lot single-family home in a very quiet neighborhood & a nice community. 10 feet high ceiling! Over 2100 sq feet living space in desi...
1471 Maxine Ave, San Jose $1,550,000
Tastefully remodeled and completely updated! Beautiful 3 bedroom, 3 bath located on a prime tree-lined street in Willow Glen on a spacious lot. Additional bonus room for ...
440 Atlanta Ave, San Jose $1,598,000
Welcome home to one of the most beautiful, quintessential Craftsman homes in Willow Glen. Move right in and enjoy this updated, 3 bedroom 2 bathroom + office/loft home w...
821 Coastland Ct, San Jose $1,849,000
Elegantly designed two-story & rarely available 2003 year built home in beautiful Wilow Glen. Located within a few minutes drive to the highly desirable Booksin Elementar...
786 Minnesota Ave, San Jose $900,000
Do not be fooled by the Minnesota address close to the corner of Bird. This classic home built in 1900 has been remodeled and upgraded extensively. You must see inside to...
538 Brooks Ave, San Jose $1,999,000
Charming home with the perfect layout, show stopping custom stained glass windows and beautiful hardwood floors. This home was largely remodeled in 2013 with granite coun...
980 Almaden Ln, San Jose — The Glen $899,900
Welcome to your 2017 Willow Glen Pulte townhome. This end unit offers abundant natural light with its numerous windows, barely any neighbors, soaring 9 foot ceilings, and...
The Glen Bldg.
974 Franquette Ave, San Jose $3,888,888
Brand new construction built to the most efficiency standards, Property consist of a main house of 3760 sqft with 2 car garage and a 900 sqft 2/2 ADU with one car garage....
2881 Meridian Ave 353, San Jose $895,000
Presenting this luxury residence in the Willow Glen Place The Terrace community of San Jose. This unit is on the top floor which features high ceilings. Your view faces i...


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Hyundai's honorary chairman inducted into Automotive Hall of Fame
By Jo He-rim
Published : Jul 23, 2021 - 15:21 Updated : Jul 23, 2021 - 15:52
Hyundai Motor Group's Honorary Chairman Chung Mong-Koo speaks with a staff during his visit to Hyundai Motor Manufacturing plant in Alabama, the US in 2014. (Hyundai Motor Group)
Hyundai Motor Group's Honorary Chairman Chung Mong-Koo became the first Korean to be officially inducted into the international Automotive Hall of Fame, the automotive giant said Friday.
His son, Chung Euisun, who is the incumbent chairman of the group, received the trophy and delivered a speech on behalf of his father at the ceremony for 2020 and 2021 inductees, held at the ICON Convention Center in Detroit, the United States on Thursday, the company said.
"Honorary Chairman Chung grew Hyundai Motor group into the world's fifth largest automaker from its humble beginnings," Chung Euisun said.
"If my father were here, he would say he owes this honor to our employees, dealers and fantastic customers."
He also spoke on how his father continued the legacy of his late grandfather and the founder of Hyundai Motor Group, Chung Ju-yung, to expand the conglomerate's presence globally.
According to the Automotive Hall of Fame, Hyundai Motor Group's success owes much to Chung Mong-koo, now 83, and his legacy is on par with other legends of the industry who have launched and guided automotive firms to global growth and renown.
Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun (center) pose with Ramzi Hermiz, the chairman of Automotive Hall of Fame (left) and Vice Chairman K.C. Crain, holding the Automotive Hall of Fame trophy on behalf of his father Chung Mong-koo, the group's honorary chairman, at the induction ceremony at the ICON Convention Center in Detroit, the United States, on Thursday. (Hyundai Motor Group)
The Automotive Hall of Fame also took note of Chung's other accomplishments -- his decision to acquire crosstown rival Kia, and also the establishment of new plants in key regions including the US, China, India and Europe among others.
The Automotive Hall of Fame was established in 1939 to honor notable business leaders who have contributed significantly to the advancement of the automotive industry and mobility.
Previously, the Automotive Hall of Fame honored Chung with its Distinguished Service Citation Award in 2001, Hyundai said.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's ceremony was held to celebrate the inductees for both 2020 and 2021.
Inductees announced in 2020 include Thomas Gallagher, former chief executive officer of Genuine Parts Company; Jay Leno, automotive heritage leadership through his Jay Leno's Garage series on CNBC; and Helene Rother, one of the first women in automotive interior design for General Motors and Nash Motors.
For 2021, C.R. Patterson and Frederick Patterson, leaders of the US' first and only African American owned auto manufacturer and Charlie Wiggins, a barrier-breaking motorsports racer and engineer have been inducted.
Chung Mong-Koo joined Hyundai Motor Company in 1970 as an auto parts manager at its Seoul office, and became the group's chairman in 2000.
He stepped down from all management positions at affiliates in October last year, handing over the leader post to his son.
By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)


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Q: MVVM in WPF - Some uncertainty I've been dealing with WPF in the last time and I'm trying to understand MVVM, but there is a bit of uncertainty: The data is inside the Model and the View binds to the View Model, right? But is there really just data inside the model or is it legit to have for example a save method or a method which picks up the data from a database inside the model?
The next thing is: I'm binding to the View Model and obviously there is an instance of the Model inside the View Model. So I encapsulate the data from the Model instance again in the View Model, so I can bind to it although the data is already encapsulated inside the Model? I saw several implementations which had the main data inside the View Model and encapsulated the fields which were inside the View Model and not inside the Model, so how to do it the right way?
And the third uncertainty is: What's the common way to validate the data? Inside the Model with a IDataErrorInfo or inside the View Model's encapsulating? I found several implementation of the MVVM-Pattern on the internet and some of them were so different to the next, that I'm unsure how to manage these things.

A:
The data is inside the Model and the View binds to the View Model, right?

That's the general idea, but the "Model" is not always a single, clearly defined entity.

But is there really just data inside the model or is it legit to have for example a save method or a method which picks up the data from a database inside the model?

There may be a combination of data and data services encapsulated by the Model and/or View Model.
Logic is typically initiated through commands exposed by the View Model. These commands may hand off the real work to other services, or the work may be done entirely within View Model, or possibly the Model, depending on your design.
The View Model tends to encapsulate logic related to the presentation of the data, e.g., managing things like item selection.  The logic related to loading, saving, and querying the data is usually initiated by the View Model in the form of a call to some service that performs most of the actual work.

So I encapsulate the data from the Model instance again in the View Model, so I can bind to it although the data is already encapsulated inside the Model? I saw several implementations which had the main data inside the View Model and encapsulated the fields which were inside the View Model and not inside the Model, so how to do it the right way?

The "Model" is the most loosely defined component in the MVVM pattern.  Often, developers will not bother with two layers of encapsulation, and the "Model" is simply taken to mean "the data", which is exposed/encapsulated by the View Model.  This is probably consistent with code you have seen.  I tend to think this is fine, provided your data is "MVVM-friendly", e.g., it implements INotifyPropertyChanged, supports validation (if desired), etc.  If you don't "own" the design/structure of the data, and the data is not well suited for direct binding, you may end up creating 'wrapper' models for your data (in effect, mini View Models).  In my experience, this is often unnecessary.

What's the common way to validate the data? Inside the Model with a IDataErrorInfo or inside the View Model's encapsulating?

The most convenient solution is for the object(s) you are binding against to implement IDataErrorInfo, as this simplifies integration with WPF's data binding system.  Usually this means the Model (which may simply be "the data", depending on your design).


Classic cars are valuable witnesses of automotive history, and as such they are often too good to just overcome distances. They rather embody a way of life. We will take care the distance, so that your jewel is always right where you want it to be. Whether it's the holiday resort, the workshop, the racetrack or an exhibition – we bring your vehicle safely, quickly and discretely to its destination.
This is where female sensitivity and technical expertise are required. Our car transporters are throughout Europe on the road and they are tailored to meet your needs.
With over 2,500 transports a year, it requires not only a team of specialists, but also a reliable truck fleet. Our car pool contains 22 vessels including all transportation categories from the 40-tons Actros truck (for up to six vehicles) to a large van with trailer (for one car). So we can respond flexibly to your wishes. Our transporters provide enough space and comfort for all types of classic cars, even for large and heavy vehicles. We subject our transporters consistently to quality controls in order to always guarantee the safety of your vehicle. Furthermore is the average age of our transporters about two years, so we keep our fleet always on the cutting edge of technology.
As specialists in the transport of historic vehicles our customers put great trust in us. This is the crucial motivation for us to keep our offers relating to transport security up to date. The constant internal and external training of our team is mandatory – this is why we always find the right solution for your individual questions and needs.
One of our biggest logistics-success this year is certainly our involvement in the classic car show "Retro Classics". We managed it to bring 170 vehicles from across Europe within three days to Stuttgart Trade Fair and returned them within only 24 hours.
The key to our success lies in the combination of advanced transportation technologies with traditional methods. So for instance we use modern lifts in our trucks along with oldtimer-specific securing techniques. We use lamb skin to protect white wall tires from damage caused by straps and our drivers always wear white gloves while loading vehicles.
The famous magazine AUTO BILD KLASSIK reported on our methodology in an article (Edition 2/2007 S.135).


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package org.apache.druid.java.util.emitter.core;

import java.net.URI;
import java.net.URISyntaxException;

public interface UriExtractor
{
  URI apply(Event event) throws URISyntaxException;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Four set screws accurately register the blade in the body, and it has a large thumb wheel for depth adjustment. Comes with a lapped O1 steel blade hardened to Rc 58-60. The 20° bevel blade coupled with the 15° bed angle yields an effective cutting angle of 35°, severing end-grain fibers cleanly and minimizing tearing. Weighs 1.2 lb. Made in Canada.


text:
Your audiobook is waiting…
Read by Eddie Redmayne
By: J.K. Rowling, Newt Scamander
Narrated by: Eddie Redmayne
Series: Wizarding World, Wizarding World
4.5 out of 5 stars 4.4 (9,356 ratings)
$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Or, Buy for $14.95
Go Behind the Scenes with Eddie Redmayne
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Book 1
By: J.K. Rowling
Narrated by: Jim Dale
5 out of 5 stars 82,746
Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. Addressed in green ink on yellowish parchment with a purple seal, they are swiftly confiscated by his grisly aunt and uncle. Then, on Harry's eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An incredible adventure is about to begin!
My Sad, Sad Confession…
By Mike L Lane on 08-08-17
The Ultimate Harry Potter and Philosophy
Hogwarts for Muggles
By: William Irwin, Gregory Bassham
Narrated by: Susan Duerden
Harry Potter has been heralded as one of the most popular book series of all time and the philosophical nature of Harry, Hermione, and Ron's quest to rid the world of its ultimate evil is one of the many things that make this series special. The Ultimate Harry Potter and Philosophy covers all seven titles in J.K. Rowling's groundbreaking series and takes fans back to Godric's Hollow to discuss life after death, to consider what moral reasoning drove Harry to choose death, and to debate whether Sirius Black is a man or a dog.
Not what I expected.
By Barzins on 11-14-15
Narrated by: Tom Hollander
4 out of 5 stars 5,376
When Barry Fairweather dies unexpectedly in his early 40s, the little town of Pagford is left in shock. Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war. Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils.... Pagford is not what it at first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the town's council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen.
I was surprised by how much I liked it
By cristina on 01-14-14
All 256 Harry Potter Spells
The Unofficial Spell Book of Magic Containing All Curses, Charms, Jinxes & Hexes to Become the Ultimate Wizard or Witch!
By: Michael Fry, Rowling Stephens
Narrated by: Ella Greenwood
This comprehensive Harry Potter spell guide has all the spells you could ever need. From the books to the movies and even the video games, you'll be able to become the most powerful witch or wizard there ever was.
Unexpected But Good!-
By Millie J Duncan on 02-22-19
Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1
By: Rick Riordan
Narrated by: Jesse Bernstein
4.5 out of 5 stars 13,785
Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school...again. No matter how hard he tries, he can't seem to stay out of trouble. But can he really be expected to stand by and watch while a bully picks on his scrawny best friend? Or not defend himself against his pre-algebra teacher when she turns into a monster and tries to kill him? Of course, no one believes Percy about the monster incident; he's not even sure he believes himself.
Loved the story - but.....
By Julia on 02-28-10
The Silmarillion
By: J. R. R. Tolkien
Narrated by: Martin Shaw
The complete unabridged audiobook of J.R.R Tolkien's The Silmarillion. The Silmarillion is an account of the Elder Days, of the First Age of Tolkien's world. It is the ancient drama to which the characters in The Lord of the Rings look back, and in whose events some of them such as Elrond and Galadriel took part.
By Brian on 11-22-18
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
By: C.S. Lewis
Narrated by: Michael York
Lucy is the first to find the secret of the wardrobe in the professor's mysterious old house. At first her brothers and sister don't believe her when she tells of her visit to the land of Narnia. But soon Edmund, then Peter and Susan step through the wardrobe themselves. In Narnia they find a country buried under the evil enchantment of the White Witch.
Good story, but the volume was all over the place
By Charles Johnson on 12-17-16
The Hunger Games: Special Edition
By: Suzanne Collins
Narrated by: Tatiana Maslany
Emmy Award-winning actress Tatiana Maslany narrates a brand-new special edition recording of the first audiobook in the worldwide best-selling trilogy from Suzanne Collins! In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by 12 outlying districts. The Capitol keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
Now THIS is what Katniss is supposed to sound like
By Carly Jurica on 11-02-18
The Twilight Saga, Book 1
By: Stephenie Meyer
Narrated by: Ilyana Kadushin
About three things I was certain. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him, and I didn't know how dominant that part might be, that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.
love that's sweet and deadly...
By Megan on 08-25-07
Harry Potter: The Little Book of Curious Facts!
By: Christopher C Keller
Narrated by: Eric Braegger for the Moonlight Project Co.
Learn all the Harry Potter facts you never knew. This fun fact book is suitable for all ages, so journey through the classic memories with these rare facts you probably missed. Test any true fan with these hand-selected Harry Potter facts from the series, and you'll enjoy fun sharable facts, new perspectives, and rare information you likely missed.
WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY
By Jessi on 09-16-18
Inheritance, Book 1
By: Christopher Paolini
Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
Fifteen-year-old Eragon believes he is merely a poor farm boy - until his destiny as a Dragon Rider is revealed. Gifted with only an ancient sword, a loyal dragon, and sage advice from an old storyteller, Eragon is soon swept into a dangerous tapestry of magic, glory, and power. Now, his choices could save - or destroy - the empire.
Delightful and Enjoyable
By Mfsm2001 on 02-23-04
By: Madeleine L'Engle
Narrated by: Hope Davis, Ava DuVernay, Madeleine L'Engle, and others
Meg Murry, her little brother Charles Wallace, and their mother are having a midnight snack on a dark and stormy night when an unearthly stranger appears at their door. He claims to have been blown off course and goes on to tell them that there is such a thing as a "tesseract", which, if you didn't know, is a wrinkle in time. Meg's father had been experimenting with time travel when he suddenly disappeared. Will Meg, Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin outwit the forces of evil as they search through space for their father?
Thank You for a New Narrator
By Patricia on 02-01-12
Bedtime Stories for Cynics
By: Dave Hill, Jessica Conrad, Sean Keane, and others
Narrated by: Nick Offerman, Phoebe Robinson, David Spade, and others
Are the kids asleep? Yes? Good. This one isn't for them. Now, if your weary, grown-up mind has been searching for a snarkier alternative to your favorite childhood tales, this Audible Original, hosted by Nick Offerman (Parks & Recreation), will scratch that itch - and then some. Enjoy a hilarious collection of short stories, featuring performances from the likes of Tommy Chong (Cheech & Chong), Tony Hale (Veep), Patton Oswalt (The Goldbergs), and David Spade (Saturday Night Live).
Amusing, but not outright hilarious
By Ambariffic on 05-21-19
Magic Tree House Collection: Books 1-8
By: Mary Pope Osborne
Narrated by: Mary Pope Osborne
Length: 6 hrs and 1 min
This audio collection includes the first eight stories from The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne: Dinosaurs Before Dark, The Knight at Dawn, Mummies in the Morning, Pirates Past Noon, Night of the Ninjas, Afternoon on the Amazon, Sunset of the Sabertooth, and Midnight on the Moon. Join Jack and Annie in adventures in time and space!
Chapters have been fixed on audiobooks now
By J Hasan on 06-18-15
By: Dan Brown
Narrated by: Richard Poe
World-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a cryptic symbol seared into the chest of a murdered physicist. What he discovers is unimaginable: a deadly vendetta against the Catholic Church by a centuries-old underground organization, the Illuminati. Desperate to save the Vatican from a powerful time bomb, Langdon joins forces in Rome with the beautiful and mysterious scientist Vittoria Vetra.
A must for fans of The Da Vinci Code
By Geoffrey on 04-14-04
By: Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett
Narrated by: Martin Jarvis
The world will end on Saturday. Next Saturday. Just before dinner, according to The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, the world's only completely accurate book of prophecies, written in 1655. The armies of Good and Evil are amassing and everything appears to be going according to Divine Plan. Except that a somewhat fussy angel and a fast-living demon are not actually looking forward to the coming Rapture. And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist.
Satisfyingly Hilarious
By FernT on 09-27-11
By: Jane Austen
A collection of BBC radio full-cast dramatisations of Jane Austen's six major novels. Jane Austen is one of the finest writers in the English language, and this volume includes all six of her classic novels. Mansfield Park: on a quest to find a position in society, Fanny Price goes to live with her rich aunt and uncle. Northanger Abbey: young, naïve Catherine Morland receives an invitation to stay at the isolated Gothic mansion Northanger Abbey.
By Shelly M. Felton on 07-06-16
A set textbook at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry since publication, Newt Scamander's masterpiece has entertained wizarding families through the generations. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is an indispensable introduction to the magical beasts of the wizarding world.
Scamander's years of travel and research have created a tome of unparalleled importance. Some of the beasts will be familiar to readers of the Harry Potter books – the Hippogriff, the Basilisk, the Hungarian Horntail... others will surprise even the most ardent amateur Magizoologist.
Narrated by Eddie Redmayne, this is the first audio book edition of Scamander's textbook ever to be released. Having starred as Newt Scamander himself in the movie Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, who better to narrate this Hogwarts Library book from one of the wizarding world's most famous Magizoologists? Eddie's film credits include The Danish Girl, My Week with Marilyn, Les Misérables and The Theory of Everything, for which he won a Golden Globe, an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award for Best Actor.
Dip in to discover the curious habits of magical beasts across five continents….
Please note: This A-Z textbook is enhanced for audio with original sound design. This audiobook includes "audio footnotes" which have been treated with a sound effect to differentiate them from the main narration.
15% of the proceeds* received by Pottermore Limited from this audiobook will be made available by the publisher to Comic Relief and Lumos Foundation for their work with children and young people to help them have a better life. 20% of these monies will be used by Comic Relief and 80% will be used by Lumos Foundation.
Comic Relief is a registered charity in the UK with charity nos. 326568 (England/Wales) and SC039730 (Scotland). Lumos Foundation is a registered charity in the UK with no. 1112575.
*Proceeds means the cash-price or cash-equivalent price less sales taxes.
©2017 J.K. Rowling (P)2017 J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Book 2
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Book 3
My Week With Marilyn
Audible.com.au reviews
A. Bunnell
For some reason I thought that this was an actual story. Guess I should have read the description a little bit more completely. It's probably fun to sit with your kids and look through the different creatures, but doesn't make for a very interesting audible experience
Jenerek
Better as a physical book
I knew it would be written like a guide book, but it just wasn't as engaging as I'd hoped it would be.
J. Cheek
jcheek17
Absolutely Pointless
Would you try another book from J.K. Rowling and Newt Scamander and/or Eddie Redmayne?
What was most disappointing about J.K. Rowling and Newt Scamander 's story?
The whole book. I can't believe someone thought it was worth the time to make an audiobook out of an encyclopedia of magical creatures.
What does Eddie Redmayne bring to the story that you wouldn't experience if you just read the book?
He is a good narrator.
Wonderfully read, great information
This book is very pleasing despite my hesitation to order it. Easy short listen and will enhance your beastly knowledge.
newark, NJ, United States
Loved this audiobook
Thank you so much for this audio book. Eddie Redmayne was just outstanding. I have read the book as well and wow this audiobook just took it to another level.
Inkish Kingdoms
Inkish Kingdoms (Wordpress)
There isn't much story here... but that narrator!
I honestly have never wanted to read this book nor purchase any version. I do have the screenplay because I mean the cover is beautiful! But besides that, it does not call my attention fully.
However, I saw that Audible published this title a few months ago and I heard the preview... and oh my god! This is just one of the best narrations and productions I have heard in my life. There is nothing better than read, but when you listen a book that is full of special effects and sounds of dragons, pixies, fairies, merpeople, and other fantastic beasts that you can come up with... it is just another story and another world!
For more about this or other reviews! Check out my profile! Inkish Kingdoms!
A new twist on a childhood favorite!
I enjoyed the original Fantastic Beasts textbook as a child and also am madly in love with Eddie Redmayne and thought he made the perfect Newt Scamander in the film adaptation so this updated audiobook was an immediate must-have. While it isn't really much of a story due to the textbook description format, it was still a delightfully entertaining quick listen. It included some new creatures that weren't in the original book and also had some updated musings from the "author" that I can only hope are foreshadowing for the new movies. #FairytaleTwists #UnlikelyHero #Magical #Nostalgic #Animal #tagsgiving #sweepstakes
Good Narrator, No story. Its only informative.
It was a good book if your someone that wanted to learn more about the creatures in the Harry Potter world, however it isnt the same experience you get when you read the Harry potter books. I was expecting the book to be like the movie, to have a story behind it. It was very well narrated tho.
There is no story just a list of creatures
Probably my fault for not listening to the sample I thought it was the story of the new feature film it is not it's just a simple list of beasts nothing more. Unless you a huge Harry Potter head it's not worth your time.
MamaBear
bad recording
The sound kept cutting in and out. I thought it would interest me but to be honest I fell asleep listening to it.
Shards of Pottery!
This "book" is probably a must for Potter completists. However, it's worth mentioning that at the time of writing this review the linked Amazon reviews are a mixture of reviews about this book and the other books pertaining to "Fantastic Beasts" including the screenplay which could be confusing..
When you get a series as special as the Harry Potter books which captured the world's imagination it really makes sense to further explore the world and its artefacts and I'll admit to being a sucker for this kind of thing at times. This does just that and unless you've been hiding under a philosopher's stone somewhere you'll already know that it isn't another book about Harry Potter himself. Rather, it's one of the text books used at Hogwarts brought to life in some detail. Just for clarity then this is not the screenplay or even the story of the film, either of which would be rather excellent!. This is primarily an A-Z of the magical creatures of the Harry Potter world.
Each creature is explained in turn including its Ministry of Magic classification. There are various sound effects that add depth and at times amusing anecdotes about them. The performance given by Eddie Redmayne is as you would expect given his acting talent and involvement with the film; very good. After all this is not a story per se but a text book upon which stories were built. So it's not an easy one to read and get involved in as a narrator.
For a full credit it is of course a short book but given that so much of the proceeds are going to such worthwhile causes the whole thing makes sense for fans of Harry Potter who just want that little bit more of the magic. I do think that the latest physical versions of the book may be a better option though. I am a huge fan of audiobooks of course and often prefer the format to the written word but the beautiful presentation of the physical books and inclusions of extras such as handwritten notes purportedly by the characters means in this case the audiobook works less well for what is after all a reference book rather than a story.
a lovely book with a great insight into the world of the Harry Potter, beautifully read too.
Textbooks in the Harry Potter world are a lot more interesting than ordinary muggle textbooks, and it's probably even better because it's narrated by Eddie Redmayne.
strictly for fans of Harry Potter
it's a guide to magical beasts, and as such it's not very riveting for muggles. otherwise, as all the Rowling 's books, it's an easy and insightful read. interesting addition to wizarding world. and you gotta love Redmayne, he's simply amazing. I have to admit- it's pretty thrilling to hear his voice reading me a book!
for foreigners: while english is not my first language, there was no struggle in understanding and separating the words, even though made up or uncommonly used names often present themselves with a level of difficulty for me.
Truly Fantastic Beasts
I make no secret and no apologies for the fact , I love JK Rowling's books. I have never loved another world more since I discovered Narnia. Eddie Redmayne makes this book come to life, I don't usually spend my time listening to Audible giggling,but I did listening to this book. It was bliss, please say a huge thank you to Mr R on behalf.
hollietaylor67
Good addition to the Harry Potter world
Would you consider the audio edition of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them to be better than the print version?
I really enjoyed it espically with it being read by Eddie Redmayne, me and my daughter played the audio book whilst readying through the book itself
The only people giving this a negative review are people who don't know what the book is meant to be,
betty wise
A wonderful insight !
A wonderful insight into J K Rowling Fantastic Beast . Lets your imagination run free it gives you a new world in which you can lose your self.
Coco bond
Oh my gosh, this book is amaze I just love it I don't know why it was not published sooner!
Lioris
Utterly amazing!! Highly recommend
Loved every bit of it any Harry Potter fan will love. Money goes to an amazing charity lumos highly recommend!
Amazing and enchanting story as usual by J.K. Rowling and wonderfully read by Eddie Redmayne.
Hardcore Nerds, Ahoy!
Listen up nerds, if you're umming and ahhimg about whether $15 is reasonable to pay for something less than 2 hrs long on here, let me put your minds at rest. It is absolutely worth it.
This new edition includes more information, incorperating the wider world of the new film franchise, and is absolutely beautifully narrated by Eddie Redmayne, who let's the character of Newt postively shine through his reading. The book is fun and enjoyable, though should really be reserved for hard core nerds. This is not a story, it is for all intents and purposes, a textbook - and an encylopedia at that.
If hearing an -albiet engaging and interesting - formal introduction and history lesson followed by the alphabetical listings and descriptors of 50+ magical creatures isn't your cup of tea, this isn't the book for you.
However, if you're a Harry Potter nerd who simply Can't Get Enough, it's perfect. The entries are funny and throughly enjoyable, and the backing soundtrack of the various habitats sets the scene beautifully.
An all round A plus job!
Hardcore fans will enjoy
Newt Scamander reads the A-Z descriptions of 81 magical beasts.
The most entertaining part of this audiobook was the location ambient backing tracks and actual sounds of the beast that accompany each beast description.
I felt as though those sounds alongside Eddie's reading really draw you into the experiencing the magical world just that tiny bit more than just reading the book on its own.
It gets an Outstanding from me.
I like the book a lot it is very interesting to hear it from someone else
Sheridan M Tanzer
Entertaining and overall pleasing
A bit too short, might be missing some creatures I think. But it is thoroughly entertaining. I was disconcerted by the change in style with the notes using a crackling audio but got used to it during the book. Audio effects to set the scene were nice and helped gave varying character to the book. Eddie Redmaynes did a great job with the voice acting.
loppyboop
I expected it to be the same storyline as the movie. It's just a list of beasts. like the reading of a school book. a bit disappointing.
I loved listening to Eddie as he describes the various beasts in the Wizarding world. Definitely worth a listen. 11 out of 10!
A great book ,fantastic beasts and where to find them
Fantastic beasts and where to find them is a great way to find out about these magical creatures J.K Rowling writes about in her Harry Potter books and shows in the movies.
I love how the book is so detailed and beautifully read.
I think this book would be perfect for Harry Potter lovers.
I gave this book a five star rating for all these reasons and some more.
This book is just so informational.
Great story, poor sound quality
For a company that's soul purpose is to record the sound quality in some parts is terrible. fantastic reading and performance, huge HP fan so of cause I loved it.
Absolutely brilliant
I absolutely loved this book and it was done absolutely beautifully. It was just perfect to relax to.
fan fun
a nice short adjunct to HP fans and those a bit interested having watched the movies
the narration was a bit quiet on the side comments"notes" in the text


The NC State Wolfpack have consistently been rising to the top of the heap in the NCAA over the last few seasons, and they continued their march into the upper echelon of teams last year.
They continued their ascent up the NCAA ladder, coming from 13th in 2014 all the way down to 4th last year. Though the psych sheets scored them to finish 2nd to the eventual champs Texas, finishing 4th overall was a breakthrough result for the evolving program.
The two teams that snuck by them for 2nd and 3rd, Cal and Florida, both saved their best performances for NCAAs whereas NC State may have put more stock in their conference championship meet (which in turn gave them better seeds).
The Wolfpack have now reached the level where they can start saving their best performances for NCAAs, and don't necessarily have to go all-in for ACCs to claim the title. They won their second straight ACC Championship definitively by over 300 points last year and look to have a stranglehold on that conference for the time being.
The ACC win and NCAA 4th were the highlights of their season, but they didn't stop once the college season was done. They gained more momentum and confidence with freestyler Ryan Held qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Team and proceeding to swim in the 400 free relay final where the Americans won gold. Though now graduated, their other top swimmer last year Simonas Bilis was successful in Rio as well, qualifying for the final in the 50 free representing Lithuania. Swimmers having success at the highest level of the sport will only fuel and inspire the team to new heights this year.
Sprint free has been NC State's bread and butter over the last few years, with the Wolfpack a consistent contender for the national title in the sprint free relays the past several years. Their 200 free relay wasn't disqualified at NCAAs for the first time in three years this past March, but they fell to the Texas Longhorns who gained momentum from that upset and ran away with the overall title. In 2014 they were DQed in prelims and looked to have a good shot to win in the final, and in 2015 they actually touched 1st in the final only to be disqualified again. They redeemed themselves in the final race of the meet, beating Texas by four-one-hundredths of a second in the 400 free relay for their first ever NCAA relay title.
The team is losing their top man Bilis, but Ryan Held should be brimming with confidence after his big summer and will be a contender for a top-3 finish in all three free events at NCAAs. Along with Held, they return Andreas Schiellerup and Soeren Dahl, the other half of the national champion 400 free relay. Along with them, Joe Bonk will also return as a member of the 200 free relay. All three will enter their senior year and will leave a big hole once they're gone. Among their incoming freshman, Mark McGlaughlin looks to be the front-runner to fill in for Bilis as the #4 man on each respective relay, and Tyler Rice will also be a viable option.
Held, Dahl and Justin Ress also form three quarters of the NCAA runner-up 800 free relay from last year.
Though their distance free crew isn't nearly as deep as their sprinters, both Anton Ipsen and Adam Linker scored in the 500 and 1650 at NCAAs, giving them solid contributions throughout all the freestyle events. Ipsen was a top 8 scorer in both events, amassing 26 points.
Their impact is even greater at the ACC Championships, where Ipsen won both titles last year and Linker finished 2nd and 4th respectively.
Among their first years, Daniel Erlenmeyer already comes in with times good enough to put respectable points on the board at ACCs, and some improvements could see him putting some up at NCAAs, if not this year then in the years to come.
Their medley group took a hit losing both Christian McCurdy and Austin Snyder, both of whom were right on the bubble for NCAA points in IM, with McCurdy making the B-final in the 200. They finished 3rd and 4th in the 400 IM at ACCs, but the team isn't losing all of its IM talent. Soeren Dahl and Justin Ress stay on as potential NCAA scorers in the 200, while backstroker Hennessey Stuart also mustered an A-final appearance at ACCs in the event.
Olympic Games. He boasts impressive best times in all four strokes, but IM is where he'll really make his mark. It remains to be seen how he fares in yards, but the worst case scenario would probably be B-final NCAA points. His ceiling is high, and could be a game changer for NC State this year.
In terms of the medley relays, they're covered on all bases with top swimmers on each stroke, especially Ryan Held on free and Hennessey Stuart on back.
Butterfly would have to be considered the teams overall weakest stroke last year, and the loss of both McCurdy and Snyder didn't make things any better. McCurdy was the ACC Champion last year in the 200 fly and finished 5th at NCAAs, while Snyder also made the A-final at ACCs.
Though McCurdy was a top player in the 200, the 100 was their weakest event. It was the only one where they failed to send someone to the A-final at the ACC Championships, and they didn't even have anyone contest it at NCAAs.
Vazaios will likely be the go-to guy in this area as well, boasting SCM bests of 50.45 and 1:54.58. That 100 in particular roughly converts to somewhere in the 46s. Other freshmen who will lend a helping hand to the butterfly group are Coleman Stewart and Mark McLaughlin who are both 48-second 100 flyers, and Lucca Martins who goes 1:47.0 in the 200.
Hennessey Stuart has developed into one of the best backstrokers in the country, and he backed it up last year with two championship final appearances at NCAAs. That included finishing just six-one-hundredths behind 200 back runner-up Jacob Pebley of Cal, who has since expired his eligibility opening the door for Stuart to have a shot at the #2 spot behind incumbent Olympic champ Ryan Murphy.
Stuart has a strong partner in each of the backstroke races, with Andreas Schiellerup in the 100 and Justin Ress in the 200. Schiellerup actually took out Stuart at ACCs in the 100, taking the runner-up spot over his teammate by five-one-hundredths and scored at NCAAs. Justin Ress' 3rd place finish in the 200 at ACCs gave NC State four backstroke podium finishes, and he posted a time fast enough to score at NCAAs, though he added a bit at the big meet.
These three alone form a formidable backstroke group, accumulating 40 NCAA and 110 ACC points on their own last year.
The Wolfpack failed to register any breaststroke points at NCAAs last year, though Derek Hren was the ACC champ in the 100 breast. A tie for 18th at NCAAs left him just outside of a finals berth, but the team will get a big boost with the addition of Auburn transfer Zack Warner. He comes in with a best of 52.55, fast enough to score at NCAAs and challenge for a berth in the A-final.
As for the 200, Warner's best of 1:55.40 would also be good enough for a second swim at NCAAs. Hren hasn't shown the ability to perform in the 200 yet, but Switzerland's Patrik Schwarzenbach put up a 1:56.4 last season in his freshman year to make the A-final at ACCs.
Overall, the Wolfpack are looking great heading into the 2016-17 season. The big losses of Bilis and McCurdy are countered with the major additions of Vazaios and Warner, though Bilis is arguably an irreplaceable relay piece.
Held will take over as the linchpin on the free relays, while Vazaios will have big shoes to fill in both the fly and IM slots. Along with them, the team is filled with top end talent including Ipsen, Stuart, Warner and Dahl.
They should have no problem winning their third straight ACC title, but it's the NCAA Championships they'll be gunning for.
After moving up five spots in 2015 and four more last year, the question will be whether or not they can break into the top three. The loss of Bilis is a major blow, and both Cal and Florida had great recruiting years including the Bears with the #1 class and the Gators with the #1 ranked recruit in Maxime Rooney.
If they manage to put it all together in March, they definitely have a shot to crack the top three. Cal looks to be the front-runner for 2nd as of now, and you can't count out the #5 Georgia Bulldogs who bring Olympic silver medalist Chase Kalisz back into the fold. Texas remains the undisputed favorite for a third straight title.
Mark McLaughlin has much more depth than this portrays….. sub 50 in both the 100 fly and back. Additionally a 1:46 200 IM best. That's no off event.
Mark could swim 100BK or 200 FR as solid Day2 events at Championship meets.