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Category Archives: Reviews
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Urban Fantasy Interview and Giveaway
Posted by kimfalconer in Books, Interviews, Reviews, The Written Word
astrological chart, astrology, Ava Sykes Novel - The Blood in the Beginning, bassass, Blood Rose Books, book giveaway, books, character, creation myths, Facebook, genre fiction, giveaway, Homer, horoscope, Jane Austen, kickass, Kim Falconer, Loui Jover, Mar, mythology, novel research, publishing, rafelchopter, Save the Day Writer's Community, The Blood in the Beginning, Twiter, urban fantasy, Will Smith, work ethic, writing, writing genre fiction
Heyo 11th House Readers! This is a re-blog from the Sept 16th Sup post: CLICK HERE to win The Blood in the Beginning. ❤
Over at Blood Rose Books, they are giving away copies of The Blood in the Beginning with my recent interview. I thought I would give you all the highlights, and the chance to grab an ebook (for Aussies) or physical book (for Aussies AND/or international peeps).
To enter, go to Blood Rose Books Interview with Kim Falconer.
Below are highlights of the interview (with my comments on the questions).
BRB: If there was one author you could co-write a novel with (they can be alive or dead) who would you choose and why?
KIM: They opened with this. Very challenging. I thought of 20, then 20 more … then thought of how to explain … I spent all day pondering it! You can see where I settled, after thinking of Homer to Jane Austen, all my Supernatural buddies, to several best friends …
BRB: …why did you decide to create the Mar?
KIM: More hours of contemplation. Did I create them? They already exist, right? They are mythological creatures appearing for thousands of years in all cultures, in all places, in all times. They well up from memory, for all of us … a loaded question, I thought!
BRB: …What about Astrology appeals to you?
KIM: For me, this question is like asking, 'What is it about the English language that appeals to you? Here is my answer in full: My first six novels, the Quantum Enchantment and Quantum
Encryption series, have themes of astrology and astronomy relevant to the plot. Some of the characters are expert stargazers and rely on the symbol system to solve mysteries and make critical choices. Being an astrologer for over 40+ years, my father an astrologer before me, means it's part of the way I perceive the world. It naturally seeps into the writing, unless I make an effort to keep it out. I'm sure we'll have more astro-relevance in the future. It would be
weird without it. (But then, Weird Fiction could be fun!)
BRB: What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to
write a novel in and why?
KIM: I liked this question, and had an answer immediately – narrative non-fiction – a
novel-like story about real-life people and events. Truman Capote's In Cold Blood is the classic example; Into the Wild is a more contemporary one. The research and ethical issues alone would be daunting for me, maybe even stifling, especially with a still-living subject. I have a lot of respect for authors who tackle this genre.
BRB: … how much research did you do in order to make the information in these parts of the book sound extremely real?
KIM: Another immediate answer. To quote Will Smith: "Sicking amounts of work." But I loved every minute of it. One of my fav aspects of writing is discovering new things.
BRB: … what appeals to you of the darker side of our culture?
KIM: 'I'm attracted to the dark side?'
BRB: Holy Crap is Ava an amazing character, she basically has the perfect balance of badassness, smarts but also self-aware (plus she lacks the whiny or smugness that many female characters have in this genre), what went in to her creation?
Was important to you to make sure she was balanced character? Do you train in
MMA to help Ava learn all her skills?
KIM: My answer in full, because what author doesn't like chatting about their main characters? I'm syked you think Ava is amazing. A lot went into her creation.She evolved organically, but I think, for one, the environment has shaped her. She develops what it takes to survive the Big One, CHI-Tech, being raised in the system … survive and thrive. If she was whiny, I don't think she would have made it through her teens, living under the radar, in the streets. Ava's character grows from the unseen past that molded her to the current challenges she faces. It's sink or swim. (LOL the pun).
I also wanted to balance Ava's badassness with heart. She's defensive, at times. Cautious. Brutal. But she will do anything for those she loves, as we find out.To help write 'real' characters, I give them astrological charts, a horoscope just like anyone born in the future might have, only I get to pick the day, month and year to fit. It ends up being a character reference guide. If I am not sure how she might respond to a certain situation, I refer to her chart and ask, "What would a Virgo with Pluto rising and Moon in Gemini do?" Gets me unstuck every time.
I've trained in martial arts and Iaido, (Japanese Sword) and I do pull on those experiences to choreograph fight scenes, but in this series, I collaborated with a Jujitsu and MMA fighter as well, to give that extra level of authenticity.
To see the full interview and put your name in the rafflecopter for a free paperback or ebook of The Blood in the Beginning, hop over to Blood Rose Books. Great reviews there too!
Kim Falconer's latest release is out now – The Blood in the Beginning – and Ava Sykes Novel. Find this novel in a store near you.
You can also learn more about Kim at AvaSykes.com, the 11th House Blog, and on FaceBook and Twitter. She posts here at the Supernatural Underground on the 16th of every month and runs Save the Day Writer's Community on Facebook. All Welcome.
2011 release, 5 stars, Anna Dressed in Blood, anti-hero, book review, books, dark hero, editing, Escape Club YA Bookclub, ghost hunter, Girl of Nightmares, Kendare Blake, lunar eclipse, POV, Romeo and Juliet, sympathetic hero, tempo, Tor Teen, voice, YA Horror, YA paranormal, Young Adult Fiction
Carrying on with my lunar eclipse reading, this is another recent favorite, though it was published in 2011. I was turned onto this book by my awesome Escape Club YA Bookclub. Book two is on their 2015 list and I'm playing catch up!
Anna Dressed In Blood is written by Kendare Blake, an American author living in Washington state. She says she "writes dark" and this YA paranormal/horror is no exception. It can be read as a stand alone, but, gratefully, there is a sequel, Girl of Nightmares.
Published by Tor Teen (12 – 18), the premise is simple. Lone ghost hunter boy meets psychotic dead girl and sparks fly. It's a classic Romeo and Juliet, dagger and all, but the tone, voice and tempo of the story is so engaging, you don't think cliché all. Not once. The characters are true to life and they propel the story along with their humor, wit and fear. No jolting out of this narrative. It's tight, authentic and compelling.
Blake has the ability to take a classic star crossed lovers story and turn it into something completely fresh. It's done with sensitivity and the skill to write characters who grow and develop (forwards and back), allowing for a range of conflicting emotions, morals and drives. In other words, they ring true. The supernatural being, Anna, feels remarkably believable, at once repulsive and sympathetic, a true anti-hero/dark hero. Told in the third person from the POV of Cas, a 17 year old high school junior/ghost hunter, the language is at times raw, the imagery gory and the emotions elating to heartbreaking.
I was particularly impressed with Tor Teen's editing and liberal ruling on the tone of the story. There was no watering down, censoring of profanity (well, I didn't see the submitted draft so maybe . . .). The point is, Anna Dressed in Blood treats their readers as the savvy people they are. Well done.
Needless to say, I'm reading book 2 as we speak.
Happy Eclipse!
A Town Called Dust
4.5 stars, A Town Called Dust, antagonist, big bad, book review, books, debut novel, Dust, dystopia, education, emotive core, Escape Club YA Bookclub, fantasy, Fantasy Series, gender, ghouls, Goodreads, heart, Justin Woolley, lunar eclipse, Momentum, Pan Macmillan Australia, privilege, protagonist, race, religion, speculative fiction, TBR, to be read, undead, world building, YA, zombies
A Town Called Dust by Justin Woolley
With Saturday's lunar eclipse ready to strike a match on the sheer side of the Uranus – Pluto square, I'm thinking the best thing to do is relax and catch up on the *TBR list. It's actually doing wonders for my serotonin levels; I highly recommend it. While in the process, with my two-birds-one-stone Mars in Capricorn, I'll review some of the more enjoyable reads as I go along, starting with A Town Called Dust.
I actually won a Kindle version of Dust over at the wonderful Escape Club YA Bookclub – their first giveaway since moving to Goodreads.
This book is written by Justin Woolley, a graphic novelist venturing forth with A Town Called Dust as his debut novel. Nicely done. The story is rich with complex politics and religious structures, but the heart of it centers around two youths. One is a boy named Squid, a timid, maltreated orphan who's taken in by his aunt and uncle. They have a remote dirt farm (they literally farm dirt!) near the post apocalyptic outback town called Dust. The other half of this heart belongs to Lynn, a girl raised in the comparative comforts and privilege of Alice, the capital of the known world (that we've seen so far).
The genre is Speculative Fiction, the sub-category YA Dystopia, the big bad, zombie-like ghouls. These 'night of the living dead' creatures lumber around in hordes and the only thing keeping them from devouring the remainder of the human population is the 'ghoul proof fence' that runs forever through the territory, and the Diggers, men (only men) trained to keep the threat back should a breach occur. Which it does. At the start of the story, ghouls break through in plague proportions. The narrative hits the ground running from there, and barely pauses to catch its breath.
It's a page turning, but that's not all I love about this book. The world building is strong, the mythology intriguing. Woolley very subtly brings up issues of gender, race, privilege, education and religion without distracting the eye from the story itself. It's not just Rabbit Proof Fence meets World War Z, though there are actually elements of both, and they work. A Town Called Dust has an emotive core, fueled by our heroes Squid and Lynn, whose responses remain consistently believable, as do their growth arcs.
On critique, two things. One is *POV changes, a hallmark in Fantasy that can be a bit jolting. I know I'm forever looking for ways to make these feel seamless so I acutely watch how others do it. There were times I didn't want to leave the POV I was in; other times the shift felt absolutely natural. Two, a story world where the ultimate threat is a horde of mindless-flesh-eating-machines posses its own problems. Unless you go the way of Isaac Marion, there's not a lot of room for a growth arc, change or surprise. Because I like my baddies with a touch of good, and my goodies with a touch of bad, it will be interesting to see if the human antagonists become more complex and unpredictable as the series unfolds. Woolley gives us a taste of this in a minor character we meet along the way, and it's brilliant.
Published by Momentum of Pan Macmillan Australia, this is a fabulous debut novel. I will definitely be reading Woolley's next installment in the series!
* to be read
* point of view
Tips for Writing Reviews
Posted by kimfalconer in Astro-LOA, Books, Reviews, The Written Word
against the grain, anecdotes, audience, author, book review, books, characters, critical review, ideas, immersion, Jennifer Fallon, Kim Falconer, Maris into Virgo, Michael Parkes, plot, POV, publication, reading, review tips, setting, spoilers, tips, voice, writing
'Still Life' by Michael Parkes
Welcome today Mars (action) into the sign of Virgo (critical analysis and discernment). What a perfect time to hone our review skills!
Some journalist say the best way to write an eye catching review is ring up the author's ex and ask them the questions. Ouch! In lieu of this second hand (or under hand) approach, here are ten tips to consider when writing a review. Additions most welcome!
Know your audience. If you want to capture the readers' interest by using tone, vocabulary and references that make sense to them, you need to know who they are.
Know your publication. Whether you review for a blog, newspaper, magazine or online forum, familiarize yourself with their previously published reviews. What do the editors/moderators want? Word count? Tone? Emphasis?
Review the book, not yourself. It's easy to talk about how you might have handled a certain character, dialog or event differently than the author. These kinds of anecdotes are fun in forums but they aren't the best way to present the book review unless it fits the tone of the publication. It may help to avoid using the first person. Keep in mind that the review, read against the grain, may tell more about the reviewer than the actual book.
Take notes as you read. Gather examples of characterizations, world building, action, style, sensuality, (sound, taste, texture) passages that grab you, or not. These are the aspects of the review that will give it distinction.
Adjectives. Most writing does better without them. Instead of a poignant, stunning, breathtaking, awesome surprise ending, consider 'the end will leave readers smiling for days to come.' Also avoid redundant modifiers like final ending. See Jennifer Fallon for further insights.
Things to exclude. Spoilers, slander, personal judgments, biases, typos, unfair comparisons, anecdotes, rewrites, recipes, ten books/films you liked better, what the dog had for breakfast.
Things to include. Impact, immersion, ideas, gender roles, innovations, POV, voice, writing style, theme, plot, sub-plots, character development, setting or lack there of.
Remember the Author. It may be appropriate to note something about the author. Is this their first novel? What else have they written? Qualifications? Are there more works coming?
Remember the Reader. Give readers enough information so they can assess the book's appeal. Objectivity is the challenge here. Think matchmaking.
Develop your own Voice. The review is a composition with its own style, tone and impact. It is your voice, your freedom of speech. Polish and revise until it's the best it can be. Remember, publishers will be reading it too!
Well written reviews give attention to new works and authors. They also bring attention to the genre. Mostly, they can engage you with a readership, bringing an invitation for further discussion, a gift offered to those who might want it. (see Part I) Have you written any reviews lately? Read any memorable ones? Authors, readers, reviewers, would you like to share your best/worst review experience? Discussions welcome!
Much Ado About Review
author, book review, Bruce Mazlish, critical review, Ex Libris, Jonathan Marshall. Marylaine Block, Kim Falconer, librarian, Margaret Atwood, Mercury, Mercury retrograde, Michael Parkes, reading, review, Scorpio, thinking, writing
"Ex Libris" by Michael Parkes
In honor of Mercury (thoughts, learning, thinking, reading, teaching, communicating) in Scorpio (research, analyse, occult mystery tour) I am running a series of posts on writing.
Some of them appeared on the original Voyager Blog, which is no longer active. I thought I would pull them out of hibernation for all of you who love to read and write! And, with Mercury soon to go retrograde (rethink, revise, rewind) what better place to start than with 'review'?
The word review comes from the Latin revidere, meaning to see again. In the literary world, a review examines with the purpose of critique. It's a judgment, usually including two parts—summation and evaluation. It's also a relationship.
Margaret Atwood uses biblical imagery to describe this relationship between the writer and reviewer. She places the author in the role of divine creator, drawing a blank page from the maw of Chaos and turning it, one day at a time, into a detailed narrative. On the 7th day (or perhaps 700th) it is handed over to the critic who spends considerably less time analysing it.
The critic looks 'after the fact' to discern if the novel has value, meaning, authenticity and plausibility, situating it in the context they believe it was written and finally giving it a result. The crucial point that Atwood makes is the novelist is distanced from the process of critical analysis. They are concerned with the act of creation, asking what will happen next and what is the right word. The critic has a different question. They ask, what does this mean. When the reader gets a hold of it, it's something else again. They are asking what does this mean to me. In this way, the critic, reader and novelist can be at odds, each seeing the work from a different angle.
Marylaine Block, a librarian for over 22 years, pictures a more romantic relationship between author and critic. She likens reviewers to matchmakers, saying their primary function is to bring readers together with their perfect mates, books that they can appreciate and enjoy. Jonathan Marshall, a Research Fellow at Western Australian's Edith Cowan University, takes it a step further. He sees the review as an invitation to discussion, a gift offered to those who might want it, rather than a bludgeon to instruct the insensitive masses.
Whether searching for meaning, matchmaking or creating an open forum, literary critics seldom miss the opportunity to exercise their authority. Not many reviews are free of criticisms and some can be brutal. Bruce Mazlish, a professor of history at MIT, highlights the reviewers' power over the author. Reviews can affect careers, reputations, positions, salaries and self-esteem. He points out that a publisher's 'reader review' can impact the decision to offer a contract. That's significant power. Yet with all this weight given to the reviewer, very little training is required to become one. Mazlish sums it up neat. 'Reviewing is regarded as a democratic practice: anybody can do it.'
What do you think? How important are reviews to you? Do you write them? Read them? Do they sway your opinion of an author or alter your reading choices? What stock do you put in Amazon.com reviews, of which can be bought now, I hear? Share your experiences here! Part II will follow tomorrow: 10 Tips for writing reviews.
Brave Enough to Kiss and Tell?
Amanda Arista, anthology, Avon, Blood and Water, book trailer, books, giveaway, HarperCollins, Kerrelyn Sparks, Kim Falconer, kiss, Kissing, MonkeyMe Films, Pamela Palmer, paperback, paranormal romance, romance, Supernatural Underground, Vampires Gone Wild, writing
Kiss Me So
Hi Everyone! With the anthology Vampires Gone Wild about to come out in paperback (March 26th – HarperCollins Avon) I'm giving away copies! This post was up on the Supernatural Underground, but for those who missed it, I wanted to give you a chance to win as well! You can jump in on the comments here, and have your name go in the hat!
If . . . you are brave enough to tell your best, wildest, scariest, loveliest or sexiest kiss, that is!
Meanwhile, here some interesting facts about 'the kiss.'
(Note: because my contribution to Vampires Gone Wild. Blood and Water, begins and ends beneath the sea, all images are underwater, in keeping with the mood.)
1. The word origins of 'kiss' stem from the proto-Germanic kuss, possibly an onomatopoeia for the act of kissing.
Underwater Kiss From The Well
2. The lips are the most sensitive part of the body, feeling 100 times better than the fingertips.
3. The longest kiss ever recorded is 31 hours, 30 minutes, 30 second. (Really!)
4. The study of kissing is called philematology.
5. To French kiss, you use 34 facial muscles. A pucker kiss involves two.
6. Passionate kissing burns 6.4 calories a minute.
7. It is possible for a woman to reach an orgasm through kissing. (Really?)
8. The Kama Sutra lists over 30 types of kisses.
9. Scholars are unsure if kissing is a learned or instinctual behavior. In some cultures in Africa and Asia, kissing does not seem to be practiced. (My opinion is that with men, it's definitely learned, and women have to teach them!)
10. Kissing at the conclusion of a wedding ceremony can be traced to ancient Roman
25 Atemberaubende Unterwasserbilder
tradition where a kiss was used to sign contract.
11. Under the Hays Code (between 1930-1968), Hollywood had its limits. People kissing on the silver screen could not be horizontal; at least one had to be sitting or standing, not lying down. In addition, all on-screen married couples slept in twin beds…and if kissing on one of the beds occurred, at least one of the spouses had to have a foot on the floor. (my how times have changed!)
12. The kiss between Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant in the 1946 film Notorious is one of the sexiest kisses in cinematic history. Because the Hays Code allowed on-screen kisses to last only a few seconds, Alfred Hitchcock directed Bergman and Grant to repeatedly kiss briefly while Grant was answering a telephone call. The kiss seems to go on and on but was never longer than a few seconds.
13. More than 95% of men and women occasionally like to rub noses while kissing. (The correct phrase for this would be 'Inuit kiss.')
Underwater Bridal Photography
14. The film with the most kisses is Don Juan (1926) in which John Barrymore and Mary Astor share 127 kisses. The film with the longest kiss is Andy Warhol's 1963 film Kiss. The 1961 film Splendor in the Grass, with Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty, made history for containing Hollywood's first French kiss.
15. The Four Vedic Sanskrit texts (1500 B.C.) contain the first mention of a kiss in writing.
16. The term "French kiss" is a 1920's reflection of the French culture which was thought to be quite sexy. In France, it's called soul kiss because if done right, it feels as if two souls are merging. In fact, several ancient cultures thought that mouth-to-mouth kissing mingled two lovers' souls. (That's my favorite!)
Blood and Water Trailer by MonkeyMe Films in Vampires Gone Wild
Hope you enjoy my latest release: Blood and Water in Supernatural Underground: Vampires Gone Wild.
Posted by kimfalconer in Archetypes and Symbols, Books, Film, Reviews, The Written Word
astrology, book review, books, characters, collective unconscious, evolution, evolution of the vampire, film review, heroes, Isaac Marion, John Malkovich, Kim Falconer, Nicholas Hoult, paranormal romance, romance, shadow, Teresa Palmer, Vampires, Vampires Gone Wild, Walt Disney, Warm Bodies, zombie romance, zombiew
Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, John Malkovich in Warm Bodies Feb 2013
And I thought zombies made rotten lovers . . .
Lao Tzu said character is destiny and it holds true in fiction as well as 'real' life. How characters think, what informs their past, what hopes excite them, as well as their physicality and environment, combine to create the next twist or turn in the story. So how can a mindless, flesh eating zombie EVER be a hot love interest? Paranomal heroes can, but zombies? NO!
That's what I used to think. I even stated in an interview something along the lines of You'll never see a zombie romance! It could never work.
No matter how brilliant the plot or true the love, characters have to have a potency of their own, and it's got to be driving, charismatic. They must grow, change, exhibit emotions (or repress them), have likes and dislikes, flaws and attributes. Basically, they have to be 'real' people that the reader, or the viewer, can relate to. If they don't feel alive they might as well be, you guessed it, zombies, and that's not going to make anyone's' heart throb, or so I thought.
Then I picked up Warm Bodies.
How in the world does one bring a zombie to life? Isaac Marion has the answer. You give them heart, or at least, a vestige of one. Once that awakens, a whole new world unfolds, where even a zombie can fall in love. Warm Bodies, a paranormal romance/horror/thriller, is the living proof. zombies don't always make rotten lovers.
It might also be proof of a shift in our collective unconscious. I've talked before about vampires and other paranormal 'monsters' as 'expression of the collective shadow', and how our shifting relationship to these 'demons' in film and literature reflects a shift in our consciousness as we form a new relationship to that 'shadow.' (see Evolution of the Vampire Revisited) Falling for a zombie is definitely taking up a lot of new file space in my research. This thesis just keeps expanding! Bottom line, as a species, we are opening up, connecting with our dark side and transforming it through love, compassion, connection. Allowing.
Whether this book and film are new trend in paranormal romance, (is that possible?) or a statement about evolving human consciousness, Warm Bodies is a fun read! It's a story about R, a young man in a state of existential crisis because he's not alive, and not really dead. It's set in a post-apocalyptic USA where R has no memories, until he eats someone's. His growth arc is up the Matterhorn! (and I don't mean Walt Disney's)
Blurb: When the memories in one of his victim's brains affect him, he finds himself attracted to, rescuing, befriending and eventually falling in love with the dead boy's still living-girlfriend. Julie (Australia's own Teresa Palmer) is a blast of colour in the dreary and grey landscape that is the "life" of the un-living. Their tense, awkward and strangely sweet relationship develops into something that will not only transform R, but his fellow zombies . . . Warm Bodies the film 2013
It appears love is infectious after all!
Has anyone seen the film? Read the book? Let's compare notes!
Kim Falconer is an author writing paranormal romance, urban fantasy, YA and epic science fantasy novels. She's also an internationally respected astrologer, co-running GoodVibeAstrology.com. You can find out more about Kim at kimfalconer.com or right here on The 11th House Blog. Her latest release is Vampires Gone Wild.
Growing a Soul a la Tanith Lee
Posted by kimfalconer in Astro-LOA, Books, Reviews, Save the Planet
animestic. harperVoyager online, Celine Loup, Don't Bite the Sun, Drinking Saphire Wine, Jarrod, Kim Falconer, machines, Path of the Stray, Pea Green Boat, retorograde Mercury, retrograde Mars, sentience, soul growth, Tanith Lee, The Pea Green Boat, The Silver Metal Lover, Uncanny Vernal Equyinox
Biting the Sun by Celine Loup
In a recent interview in Uncanny Vernal Equinox, the brilliant author Tanith Lee said, . . . who, apart from the calmest among us, has never wanted to hurl their typewriter or laptop or cell phone through a window, since it has just deleted a vital something, gone to sleep . . .
How Mercury Retrograde is that? But there's much more to Tanith Lee's views than a passing frustration at mechanistic 'inanimate objects' . In her books, particularly Don't Bit the Sun, Drinking Sapphire Wine and The Silver Metal Lover, she explores the nature of sentience, intelligence and the growth of soul.
Machines, even if vastly physically like or unlike humans, are also 'living' in their own fashion, and probably more resemble us, as we them, than we normally care to notice. -Tanith Lee in PGB
The animistic view, where metal and rock, rivers and streams, storms and trees all have a 'nature of being' and are all part of the whole (M Theory anyone?), comes shining through Tanith Lee's work and I know I have been strongly influenced there, by her beautiful prose and the elegant philosophies. In the interview, I am deeply honoured to be quoted:
One of the things I love about (The Silver Metal Lover) is how Tanith explores the hard problems of consciousness without intruding on the story. It was only during times 'away from the book,' that I pondered her insights—how the erotic nature of love can grow souls. When I say erotic, I don't mean pornographic. I'm refer-ring to Eros, the god of love—the original meaning is some-thing that brings two people together in such a way that it creates a lasting transformation. –Kim Falconer in PGB
What is this erotic, soul transforming writing of Tanith Lee like? Here is a glimpse, from a post I did on the Voyager Blog a few years ago. It's one of my favourite passages. I said:
'To begin with, Jane is far from individuated. She says, 'My mother has a lot of opinions, which is restful, as that way I don't have to have many of my own.' Jane is sentient but has little self awareness. Then she falls in love.
Mother, I am in love with a robot.
No. She isn't going to like that.
Mother, I am in love.
Are you, darling?
Oh, yes, Mother, yes I am. His hair is auburn, and his eyes are very large. Like amber. And his skin is silver.
Mother. I'm in love.
With whom, dear?
His name is Silver.
How metallic.
Yes. It stands for Silver Ionized Locomotive Verisimulated Electronic Robot.
Silence. Silence. Silence.
Mother….' TSML
Beautiful . . .
As we relax with Mars Rx and Mercury Rx we might notice all the 'inanimate' things in the world come alive to deliver their messages. As they do, you might very much enjoy reading Tanith Lee, or even get acquainted with a certain quantum sentient named Jarrod, the Juxta-quantum arranged rad ram operating determinant who comes to 'life' in Path of the Stray.
Any experiences to share? You KNOW I'm curious!
Tanith Lee Interview PGB
Tanith Lee on Voyager Online
Thoughts on TSML by Kim Falconer
Place as Person
Posted by kimfalconer in Archetypes and Symbols, Books, Reviews, Save the Planet, The Written Word
archetypal, Bh'mi, California, Chehooit, Earth, feminine, Gaia, Great Mother, Ki, Kim Falconer, Ohlone, Sanu, Wolf Being, writing place
Mother Earth by Paul Morleysm
This post was a contribution to a series done by the wonderful writer Mary Victory. Follow the link and enjoy some fabulous authors (including those in the new anthology River) as they talk about their experience of 'place' and how they write it.
Place has character, there is no doubt, but in ancient myths, folk lore and fairy tales, place was not inanimate; it was divine. The land, rivers, mountains and valleys all were embodiments of the Great Mother – Gaia to the ancient Greeks, Ki to the Sumerian and Tutskwa I'qatsi to the Hopi. In Hinduism and Buddhism she is Bh'mi, to the Celts, Danu, to the Tongva, Chehooit. In Hawaii she is Haumea. Archetypal in being, always feminine, always our great Mother Earth.
In truth at first Chaos came to be, but next wide-bosomed Earth, the ever-sure foundation of all the deathless ones who hold the peaks of snowy Olympus . . . Hesiod 700 BCE
If we go back far enough, we all come from a people, a culture, who worshipped Mother Earth as divine, a creative being who calls forth our reverence and respect. It's not surprising that we resonate to stories that empower these ancient beliefs. They ring true, deep in our bones.
I was raised on a land where not so long ago the Ohlone people hunted. Growing up my brother and I would find evidence of their passing, relics and artefacts that would make an anthropologist's eyes bug out. We weren't taught the same beliefs as the Ohlone, but their love of the land, our Mother Earth, rubbed off, as did some of the customs—like sitting on the ground, letting bare feet touch the earth, thanking a tree for its shade, smiling at the moon.
The land and her treasures influence my writing. How could they not? First was fuelled a short story, Wolf Being, a three hundred million year history of California, the Ohlone, and the beautiful Grey Wolf who once hunted there. The story turned out to be a prelude to my six book 'Earth/Gaela' series, the novels exploring a post apocalyptic 24th C Earth and a parallel Gaela, a preindustrial magical hegemony where everything is a 'thou' not and 'it.' What a different that perspective can make!
When we remember our land is sacred and there is a divine spark in all things (and isn't it curious how quantum physics theory now supports these notions?) our hearts grow bigger, more generous, more loving. I invite you all right now to stop what you're doing, go outside, plant your feet in the ground and listen. What stories is Mother Earth telling? I hope some of you will write them down.
Because we could use more books like River, indeed one of the best explorations of 'place' as character – alive, potent, divine.
Angel of Ruin
Angel of Ruin, book review, Fallen Angel, HarperCollins Australia, Kim Wilkins
Angel of Ruin by Kim Wilkins
Published by Stephanie Smith, HarperCollins Aus
Kim Wilkins is a brilliant author and this book in particular touched my soul. Its moody and sensual and harsh and also vulnerable, as are the three young women who step into a world of angels and demons with the naivety of children. The story weaves around a contemporary journalist with not enough luck and a bit too much curiosity. As stories are told withing stories, the origins of one of the most famous poems ever written, John Milton's Paradise Lost, is re-visioned. What a fabulous book!
Kim Wilkins has contrasted a 17th Century paranormal coming of age journey with modern day notions of right and wrong, good and bad, love and loss and finally, compassion. She paints vividly across a landscape that reaches from heaven to hell and back. It's wonderful, and horrible, a gripping tale beautifully told. Bravo!


Description: Clear two piece acrylic display cube. Cut round hole in top. Foam Innercore. Die cut folded card insert.
Description: Clear two piece acrylic display cube with bank option. Cut slot In top and removable plug in bottom. Surface screen imprint.
Description: Clear two piece acrylic display cube. Foam innercore with die Cut folded card insert.


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Trina Downing
Trina K. Downing, 62, of Findlay, died Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019, at 6:09 a.m. at Birchaven Village, Findlay.
Born in Bucyrus on Nov. 25, 1956, she was the daughter of the late John and Pauline (Baxter) Laipply.
She married Allan D. Downing on March 24, 1982. He preceded her in death on April 6, 2012.
Surviving are her two sons, Levi A. (Beth) Downing, Carey; and Robert P. (Peggy Griffin) Downing, Van Buren; five step-children, Tammy Massengill, Palm Bay, Fla.; Lynetta Bigness, Richland, Wash.; Larry Peringer, Oakesdale, Wash.; Audra Blank, Oakesdale, Wash.; and Allan Downing, Jr., Sycamore; three grandchildren, Brayden Kennedy, Owen Downing and Gabriel Downing; many step-grandchildren; and a sister, Tammy Easter, Chatfield.
She was preceded in death by a grandson, Gavin Downing.
Trina was a 1974 graduate of Wynford High School. She was a homemaker and had worked at Todco in Upper Sandusky.
She enjoyed woodworking, cooking, crocheting and reading.
Visitation will be held Friday, Nov. 15, from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at Stombaugh-Batton Funeral Home, Carey. A funeral service will be held Saturday, Nov. 16, at 11 a.m. at the funeral home with chaplain Linda Davison officiating. Burial will be held at Wharton Richland-Union Cemetery, Wharton, at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of the donor's choice and sent to Stombaugh-Batton Funeral Home, 225 W. Findlay Street, Carey, OH 43316.
Online condolences may be sent to: StombaughBatton.com.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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WOMEN IN LAW FACE "PERVASIVE SEXISM": REPORT
From The Crime Report, authored by Emily Riley "Even when women rise to some level of power as criminal attorneys, retaining their authority and influence is difficult, wrote Ahranjani, noting … Read More
MADELEINE L'ENGLE'S PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE WITH AHMAD RAHMAN.
From Vanity Fair authored by Abigail Santamaria: "There was nothing wrong with being abrasive, she reassured him. 'If a violin is to make music, there must be the abrasion of the … Read More
BIG LAW'S WORKING PARENTS ARE HURTING. MONEY IS NOT THE ANSWER.
From LAW.COM By Dylan Jackson "But, like Coughlin, Riemenschneider noted that much of what working parents are asking for now is not new. It's just that the illusion of bifurcation … Read More
WHITE HOUSE PRESS BRIEFING IS NEARLY ALL WOMEN
From The Hill By Sarah Polus "Rob Crilly, a White House correspondent for the Washington Examiner, noted that he was the only male journalist who was seated in the area … Read More
Research: Women Are Better Leaders During a Crisis
From Harvard Business Review authored by Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman: "Between March and June of this year, 454 men and 366 women were assessed on their leadership effectiveness using our … Read More
Why You Never See Your Friends Anymore
From The Atlantic authored by Judith Shulevitz: "Nevertheless, Americans are imposing a kind of nepreryvka on ourselves—not because a Communist tyrant thinks it's a good idea but because the contemporary … Read More
You know someone who's had a miscarriage.
From The New York Times authored by Lauren Kelley and Alexandra March: "YOU PROBABLY HAVEN'T HEARD MANY OF THOSE STORIES, however, and you might not have shared your own. Many … Read More
Former PepsiCo CEO Aims to Create a 'Sisterhood' of Women Leaders
From Fortune authored by Danielle Abril: "Former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi says she doesn't miss being in charge. Instead, she's been too busy focusing on paying it forward to the next … Read More
Step out of line': Emmy winning 'Mrs. Maisel' actress tells powerful tale of her grandmother fighting Nazis
From RawStory authored by Sarah K. Burris: "Actress Alex Borstein won the award for a best supporting actress in a comedy series during the 71st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Sunday. … Read More
Building the next generation of skilled trades workers starts with women
From USA Today authored by Lindsay Harrison: "Sometimes it takes just one woman to inspire a generation of girls to pursue success in a career they'd never imagined. When Emma … Read More


We all enjoy a good story, whether it's a novel, a movie or simply something one of our friends is explaining to us that they've experienced.
Stories have existed from the beginning of mankind and will continue to evolve whilst ever there is someone on the other side of that magical mirror to distort, and sometimes enhance, reality.
We are storytelling machines, the stories are an integral part of how we live and relate to those around us.
Professionally and personally, I love developing projects that create connections with other people through stories that reach out and touch the heart and mind, the body and spirit: the rational and the instinctive. And I have always firmly believed in the power of storytelling as a positive force for social change.
"Everyone is a storyteller and we all have our own story.
What is your story? Just write me an email and explain it to me."
I am sure your story is fun, entertaining, unexpected, and lively. I am interested in the narrative arc of your life, your goals, your motivations, why you do what you do and what wakes you up in the morning.
tell me about what interests you the most."
We can also share our views on political, social, economic, cultural, sporting matters – any issue that excites or inspires you. And, if you feel curious about my work, you can ask me anything you like.
Let's talk, don't think about it anymore. Let's make some stories together. Take a risk and get out of your comfort zone.
I will respond by email as fast as I can in the order messages are received. Languages: English, French, Catalan, Spanish.
P.S.: Thank you very much for all your messages and your collaboration. Thank you for sharing your stories, for your honesty. Words can't express the gratitude I feel when I think about what you have done.
Please continue to inspire many people with your kindness and generosity.
I love humble and brave persons like you!


Fuel price rise will cause difficulties for smaller hauliers and couriers.
Inflation was in the headlines even before the recent spike in oil prices due to unrest in the Middle East. Oil now (fri morning) stands at $111 dollars a barrel.
The effects on our economy of this rise in prices is complex.
In some ways we benefit in that we produce oil from the North Sea and large British oil companies make bigger profits, and finally the tax on fuel helps the country's coffers.
However, if it rises too much and for too long then the cost to the consumer and businesses starts to impact on discretionary spending, will feed inflation and will damage the recovery. Haulage companies and couriers will start to feel the effects immediately as every job costs more to carry out.
Only larger companies such as airlines can hedge against sudden price rises by buying fuel in advance.If the rise in costs of fuel is the last straw then please get in touch.
There are ways that we can help, especially if you have a debt that you could pay off over a period of 1 to 5 years. A time to pay scheme to pay off your tax over 12-18 months could be put together.
If the debt is larger and needs to be paid off over 3-5 years then perhaps a company voluntary arrangement or CVA could be the answer.


Ever since I first visited a Leon restaurant, I have been in love. What's not to like about reasonably priced, delicious food? I obviously talked about Leon a LOT as I received their second recipe book for Christmas from my parents. I can honestly say it was one of my favourite presents and I sat down and read it from cover to cover, mentally bookmarking recipes. Strangely enough, I have never had quite the right ingredients to try any of the recipes... until yesterday! I decided to bake some cereal bars as the cost of Tracker bars is prohibitive and I had a rather forlorn pack of museli sitting on the side in the kitchen.
* 270g fruit - I used sultanas, dried dates, tinned blueberries, crystallised ginger and chopped plums instead of the dried fruit recommended.
Now I have to say, I used less honey (I'm not a fan of the sweet stuff) and I omitted the flour altogether, meaning my cereal bars are slightly sharper but nothing a sprinkling of sugar won't sort out!
Warm the fruit juice and honey in a large pan together in a pan large enough to eventually contain all of the ingredients, until the honey is dissolved. Add the flour and oats, and stir in the fruit and nuts.
Smooth the mixture into a 25x30cm baking tray about 2.5cm deep. If the tray is not non-stick, it is wise to line it with baking parchment.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes- longer if you would like your bars more crunchy. Allow to cool, then cut into rectangular bars. They will keep for 2 weeks in an airtight container.
I as really impressed with how easy the instructions were to follow and the bars are yummy and work out much cheaper than even the basic range of tracker bars at Sainsbury's. I will be doing a full review on the recipe book soon as it is too pretty not to share!
What's your favourite restaurant? Do you have a recipe book that you keep returning to?
Gem- you definitely should, you can add as much or as little fruit as you like, I am definitely going to be experimenting with a few flavours!
Yay i can comment on your posts without looking weird! These look yummmm. Also v pleased to hear that blueberry's come in tins...may have to partake in this bloobness.
Danni- YAY! It's a shame you're not here, I'm the only one who will eat them :P And the blueberries were all the way from Maine, USA..I don't know if the UK does them??
I really, realllly want/NEED this book!
I think I love too many restaurants to have a favourite, but I have become a little obsessed with Jamie's Italian of late.
I love Leon. One of my favourite restaurants in London. This looks so delicious.
S.Ellen- Leon is a cookbook worth purchasing, it's amazing!
Sherin- I always go out of my way to find a Leon, they are amazing! The muesli bars are yummy too!
Esqualibur- The one on the Strand was my 'local' when I was working in London, Leon is AMAZING!


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Q: DMN Decision Table Output I am new to decision table so please forgive me if I asked a very basic question. I am working on an angular web app that uses decision table.
Could we change the table header 'Output' to something else?

Unfortunately, I cannot find any such label neither in the HTML nor in the controller.

A: For future reference:
It cannot be done through CSS. therefore following is my solution.
Inspect the code that either the dmn table is using modeling module or some other bpmn table features. In my case, it is using modeling. I override the following module by inheriting from it, to make the Input header cell dynamic and output fixed or change the label as well.
https://github.com/bpmn-io/dmn-js/blob/31803afe1bdccdc350da73293a75e2cbf3f14932/lib/table/features/modeling/Modeling.js

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


In March I wrote an article for the Financial Review suggesting Europe was the last bastion of investment value. The three months since have been eventful, with a strong win for a progressive candidate in the French election and a shock setback for Theresa May's conservatives in the UK. Most unfortunately for us, however, investor attitudes towards the continent have improved dramatically.
Evidence for a widespread economic recovery in Europe is becoming irrefutable.
The first place to look is in the skies.
Forager monitors more than 20 major European airports. The 13 airports that report in a timely fashion suggest the continent is booming. Passenger numbers over the first four months of the year are up almost 7 per cent versus the same period last year, 8 per cent if you adjust for the extra day in the comparable period due to the 2016 leap year.
Growth is obvious everywhere, from Copenhagen to Madrid and Dublin to Athens. Our international fund holds Flughafen Wien (Vienna Airport) and has benefited from strong passenger growth and financial results.
Another place to look is on the roads — an 8.2 per cent increase in new car registrations across Europe in the first quarter of 2017 versus the same quarter last year. Apart from a few exceptions (Finland and Ireland), strength was everywhere. It was particularly marked in the east and south (the "peripherals"), with Italian new car registrations up 12 per cent, Poland 20 per cent and Greece a whopping 38 per cent.
Recovery is also evident in building.
Austria's Wienerberger AG, the world's largest brick maker, generated 9 per cent more revenue in Europe in the first quarter of 2017 versus Q1 2016. With prices stable, significantly higher volume was the explanation. Growth came from both western and eastern Europe.
LafargeHolcim Ltd, the world's largest producer of cement and aggregates, reported a 6 per cent like-for-like increase in the volume of both products sold at its European operations, despite a harsher winter this year compared with last. Again, the theme is strong everywhere but stronger in parts of the periphery — in the first quarter of 2017 Italian customers bought 16 per cent more cement from HeidelbergCement AG, and at 5 per cent higher prices to boot.
Both house prices and new housing development, particularly in the Germanic markets, has gone from cold six years ago to red hot. House price appreciation in cities like Berlin, Munich and Vienna might have outperformed Sydney and Melbourne over the past decade (although from much, much lower bases).
Europe's economic recovery is becoming obvious to all and sundry. And that's the problem when it comes to the stockmarket. By the time something becomes obvious, it is already reflected in share prices.
Exchange traded funds focused on the region have been seeing substantial net inflows as investors look to diversify away from expensive US markets (emerging markets funds have also been popular).
All of those inflows push up prices and when prices go up, expected returns go down.
In 2015 and into early 2016 we were picking up high-quality European companies at bargain prices. Some of those stocks have seen their share prices double and triple over the past 18 months. Flughafen Wien has seen its share price rise more than 50 per cent in the past six months.
More recently, the main remaining source of bargains has been in cyclical and generally lower quality companies.
That's not necessarily a bad thing. Those cyclical companies should benefit the most from an improving economy. But it is not the same investment proposition as a well-managed growth company trading at just 10 times earnings.
We still think there are opportunities to make money and the Forager International Shares Fund still has significant allocation to the region. The extreme relative value has gone, however, and in that there is an important lesson for investors.
The only reason someone wants to sell you their shares at an attractive price is because they are worried about the outlook for that business or the wider economic environment in which it operates. If the fog lifts, and that worry is no longer there, your seller is no longer there either.
You can buy stocks cheaply when there is a lot of uncertainty. Or you can invest when there is clarity about the future. You cannot, unfortunately, buy cheap stocks and do so at a time when everyone is feeling confident.
It is good for the world economy that Europe is finally recovering. It is good for investors that Marine Le Pen didn't win the French elections. If that has given you the confidence to invest, however, you have to pay the price.


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Bedford Square
Bedford Square Serviced Offices & Office Space to Rent
Distinguished Bedford Square is in the district of Bloomsbury in London and is home to some of the best preserved Georgian architecture in the city. Many of these properties have now been converted into serviced offices offering flexible working space, individual offices and meeting rooms. Goodge Street and Russell Square underground stations provide links to other areas of the City. [read more] [read less]
Bedford Square, Bloomsbury, WC1B
(In Central Bedford Square)
Goodge Street (3 min walk)
Tottenham Crt Rd (3 min walk)
Grade I listed Georgian property boasting a prestigious Bloomsbury location offers furnished, air conditioned workspaces with a private courtyard. 24/7 access, high-spec technology and CCTV provided.
Prestigious Grade I listed Victorian property boasts fully-furnished, air conditioned workplaces with high ceilings, exclusive Bedford Square Gardens access, breakout areas, and fibre-optic broadband.
Bayley Street, Bloomsbury, WC1B
(2 min walk from Bedford Square)
Dog-friendly business centre situated in a central London boutique building offering varied workspaces. Showers, private phone booths, unique breakout areas, free coffee and printing facilities are provided.
Alfred Place, Fitzrovia, WC1E
100 to 130 people/7000 sq ft to 8,000 sq ft
Prominent corner building in central location, containing high-tech meeting rooms, break out space, receptionist, communal courtyard and high-speed internet. Warehouse-style features, boasting plenty of natural light.
Little Russell Street, Bloomsbury, WC1A
Holborn (4 min walk)
Dog-friendly flexible coworking space in a central London location boasts bright, modern workspaces with free meeting room use. Ultrafast WiFi, 24-hour access and free drinks, snacks and stationary are provided.
Gower Street, Soho, WC1E
Attractive period building in central London provides bright, unbranded workspaces with flexible agreements. Amenities include air-conditioning, reception services, a meeting room, shower facilities and a landscaped garden.
Russell Square, London, WC1
Russell Square (3 min walk)
Prestigious period building in a prime central London location provides spacious boutique office solutions. The property boasts state-of-the-art technology, a luxury meeting room and a 24-hour videophone entry system.
Bloomsbury Way, Holborn, WC1A
Environmentally-friendly, historic property in a core location presents design-led workspaces. Unbranded offices benefit from amenities including conference facilities, CAT6, showers, a library, indoor garden and onsite café.
Bloomsbury Square, Bloomsbury, WC1A
Period townhouse property in one of London's prestigious squares provides fully-equipped offices boasting superfast internet, video conferencing technology, lifts, showers, and use of its private courtyard.
1 to 1750 people/40 sq ft to 7,620 sq ft
Covent Garden (5 min walk)
Dog-friendly building boasting creative interiors and an onsite gym offers characterful central London office suites on flexible agreements. Amenities include reception services, showers, 24-hour access and an event space.
Russell Square, Bloomsbury, WC1B
Historic, red-brick building in London's Zone 1 offers bright, air-conditioned office suites on flexible terms. Conference facilities, 24/7 keyless entry and security, high-speed internet and a staffed reception feature.
Café / restaurant
High Holborn, Holborn, WC1V
Trendy, pet-friendly business accommodation in a prime location boasts natural light and facilities including bike storage and air conditioning. 24/7 access, a breakout area, meeting rooms, and reception services feature.
Historic unbranded property offers hyper-modern workplaces with high ceilings in a prime London postcode. Air conditioning, IT support, conference facilities, telephone answering and 24/7 access feature.
Southampton Place, Holborn, WC1A
Grade II listed Georgian townhouse with cycle storage and nearby train, tube and bus stops offers flexible workspaces with fibre-optic broadband. The property enjoys access to a meeting room, breakout area, and courtyard.
Grade II listed, dog-friendly properties in London's Zone 1 boast elegant workspaces with sleek modern interiors and a staffed reception. Superfast WiFi, air conditioning, meeting rooms and an event space feature.
Grade II listed Georgian townhouse boasting original period features, 24/7 access and a rare courtyard offers stylish workspaces. Trendy interiors, fibre-optic broadband, meeting rooms, breakout areas and cycle storage feature.
Southampton Row, Holborn, WC1B
Modern business accommodation with a distinctive stone exterior in central London offers office space on flexible terms. High-speed WiFi, meeting rooms, IT support, telecoms and professional reception services are offered.
Bernard Street, Holborn, WC1N
3 to 230 people/75 sq ft to 15,000 sq ft
Stunning, design-led workspaces are available on flexible terms at this office building in a prestigious central London location with ample transport links. Reception services, meeting rooms, superfast WiFi and showers feature.
Procter Street, Holborn, WC1V
Chancery Lane (5 min walk)
Professional, unbranded workspaces are provided in a recently-refurbished property with air conditioning and concierge services. 24-hour access, meeting rooms, IT support, showers and breakout spaces area offered.
Red Lion Square, Holborn, WC1R
Grade II listed Art Deco building with designer interiors and stylish lounges offers premier workspaces in London's Zone 1. The building offers private booths, meeting rooms, an onsite café, bike storage and a roof terrace.
Bedford Square Office Guide
About Bedford Square
Bedford Square sits within the Bloomsbury area of London in the Borough of Camden and is renowned for its Georgian architecture and grade-listed buildings. Many of the buildings here are now offices, with a few remaining as residential properties. It is a region of the city that has a prestigious reputation within the cultural and educational sectors, with a number of academies and educational institutions based here.
This area has had many notable residents over the years and is a cultural hub, with nearby attractions including the British Museum, University College London and Bloomsbury Publishing. The industries drawn to this area primarily include non-profit organisations, publishing firms, arts organisations and design agencies. Creative businesses are sure to benefit from this area's innovative and artistic atmosphere, with its rich heritage in the arts and literary sectors.
Office Space to Rent in Bedford Square
Many of the properties in the Bedford Square area have been converted into office premises in recent years, providing stylish and contemporary workspaces in elegant period buildings. The commercial premises here are best-suited to small and medium-sized businesses, with a choice of private offices and coworking spaces available to rent. Business owners can rent the properties here on serviced or unserviced terms, depending on the needs of the company.
Bedford Square is framed by Covent Garden in the south, Regent's Park to the north, Clerkenwell in the east and Fitzrovia in the west.
Offices in Bedford Square are within easy reach of numerous transport links. The nearest underground stations to Bedford Square are Holborn, Goodge Street and Tottenham Court Road stations. For mainline stations, there is also Euston and King's Cross St Pancras close by. The Bloomsbury area has several bus stops including those on Tottenham Court Road, Russell Square and Gower Street. This area also boasts several cycle routes and taxi services running throughout the area. London City Airport is the closest airport to this area, just 37 minutes away via the central line and the DLR network.
There are various restaurants and cafés surrounding Bedford Square, including the likes of BAO Fitzrovia, Elysee and Tas. For grabbing a coffee on the way to the office, there is Tea and Tattle just a short distance away as well as Tap Coffee. Bedford Square is also close to supermarkets for picking up groceries and quick lunches on the go. In terms of entertainment, the square is close to theatres, cinemas and bars such as the London Cocktail Club for drinks with colleagues after work.
Tottenham Crt Rd
Goodge Street
Shaftesbury Avenue
Warren Street


Building a Deck - What is the Best Decking Material? - Lot-Lines If you're in the market to replace your existing deck or want to build a new one, you will want to know what products are available and what your contractor can do . Decking Materials: Redwood soft wood prone to damage from hail, includes the removal of old growth forests that take centuries to recover. Redwood takes..
Choose the Right Material: Decking - Better Homes and Gardens Not sure how to choose among the many types of decking material available? Learn about the . A new deck both boosts home value and ramps up your yard's fun factor. Not sure how to . The durable material doesn't try to look anything like wood and can be interlocked to prevent rain from dripping through. Cost: $8.98..
Best Decking Material Reviews- 2017 - Snoring Aids Aug 15, 2016 . Do you prefer the warm, natural beauty of wood decking or would you prefer the more modern look of composite decking? Or perhaps the durability and strength of vinyl .. It is easy to care for composite decking material to keep it looking new year after year. You do need to periodic cleaning when you use..
Decking Materials: Know Your Options | HGTV When planning for a new deck, you should first explore the various decking materials available for your project. . To preserve the look and feel of wood but upgrade in terms of longevity, you might want to consider a redwood or cedar for your decking materials hey make for gorgeous decks and are naturally resistant to..
Decking - Deck Building Materials at The Home Depot Building or repairing a deck is a great way to improve the value of your home while providing a terrific outdoor location for family entertaining and fun. At The Home Depot, you will find everything you need to get started including a deck calculator to assist you in calculating your project with Home Depot pricing, along with a..


Michael's arrest was publicized widely as the case of a street "thug" who had brutally murdered a "good black father." Something was so obviously wrong with this depiction. There was the locale of the murder, a convenience store in the heart of the Bluff, and the notion that a good black father would take his family to that store on that corner at night to buy a soda. And, there was the testimony of Darrell's wife, Kenya, that she had chosen to stop at that store in those unfamiliar blocks despite that the route they had just traveled was lined with liquor stores, gas stations, convenience stores and fast-food restaurants where she could have bought a soda.
There was the irrationality of the motive. Michael was said to have ordered the victim, sitting in a car parked in front of the store, to turn off his headlights so as not to expose all the drug trafficking going on there. When Woods was said to have refused, Michael purportedly warned him not to "disrespect" him—though no evidence or testimony of such a dramatic exchange was introduced at trial. After that, Little B was said to have run off, come back with a big rifle and shot Woods to death, firing through the closed car window, right in front of Woods's two children—which the press sensationalized over and over.
Even more curious was that there was a lot of light where Woods was parked, including street lights and the store lights. Indeed, Kenya Woods testified she had been attracted to this remote corner by the store lights. Then, there was the fact that, in any case, the Woodses' car had only one working headlight. But, there was nothing to hide. Everybody in the area knew dope was sold in those blocks. All the white college kids from nearby Georgia Tech who rolled through for heroin and Ecstasy knew; and the black college students attending neighboring Morehouse and Clark-Atlanta and Spelman knew, frequenting the area to buy marijuana and cocaine. All the crack-heads that wandered the streets in the area day and night knew. And, the police certainly knew.
There was also the questionable characterization of the case. Darrell Woods was not quite the loving father and husband of press reports. Only a week or so before he was killed, Kenya had filed her latest charge of assault and battery against him, telling police she never wanted to see "that fucker" again—though all of this went unreported in the press and at trial.


Sound Transit celebrates Earth Day 2011 with major mass transportation expansion projects underway that will make it easier for millions to travel more efficiently across the Puget Sound region. Along the way, Sound Transit contractors salvage and recycle as much construction material as possible.
Sound Transit incorporates extensive salvage and recycling goals in all major capital projects. Contractors have recycled or salvaged more than 1 million tons of materials while clearing and excavating the University of Washington and Capitol Hill station sites for the University Link light rail expansion.
"We take our environmental stewardship responsibilities seriously," said Ahmad Fazel, Sound Transit Director of Design, Engineering and Construction Management. "We look for ways to reuse, recycle and cut waste from day one of any project."
Sound Transit has set similar goals for the North Link light rail expansion, which is in final design and will begin construction in spring 2012. Contractors will be required to recycle a minimum of 75 percent of construction debris. Prior to demolition, local salvage contractors will go through all the buildings at Brooklyn and Roosevelt and salvage materials such as doors, windows, fixtures and flooring.
At Roosevelt Station, Sound Transit has hired a consultant, Nickel Brothers, to advertise four townhouse buildings as available for sale and relocation. If a buyer is found, Nickel Brothers will then move the buildings.
These salvage and recycling efforts reflect the agency's ongoing sustainability initiatives that have gained international recognition.


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Churches, synagogues, and religious organizations like to help students pay for their education. Below are scholarships for students of specific faiths.
National Catholic Society of Foresters Scholarship
Sponsor: National Catholic Society of Foresters
Amount: Varies
Closing Date: January 30, 2021
Description: Scholarship is open to Catholic graduating high school seniors and current college students. Applicant must be a NCSF member.
Christian Missionary Scholarship
Sponsor: Christian Missionary Scholarship Foundation
Closing Date: February 1, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to children of missionaries currently on or recently returned from the mission field. Applicant must attend one of six Christian colleges in Illinois, Iowa, and Michigan.
JVS Scholarships
Sponsor: JVS Chicago
Amount: Up to $8,000
Description: Scholarship is open to Jewish students who are in their junior or senior years of undergraduate studies or graduate students who were born and raised in the Chicago metropolitan area.
Roothbert Fund Scholarships
Sponsor: The Roothbert Fund
Description: Scholarships are open to incoming and current college students from Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina. Scholarships are open to students in the United States regardless of sex, age, color, nationality or religious background, but it does seek to provide support to persons motivated by spiritual values. Finalists will be invited for a brief in-person interview usually in New York, New Haven, Philadelphia and Washington, DC (travel costs not paid for by organization).
WMU Scholarships
Sponsor: Woman's Missionary Union (WMU) Foundation
Description: Scholarships are open to Baptist students, including children of Baptist missionaries, and those preparing for Baptist mission service. In addition to general scholarships, there are scholarships open only to females, medical school students, students from South Carolina, and students preparing for Baptist Christian ministry.
First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association Annual Scholarship Program
Sponsor: First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association (FCSLA)
Description: Scholarship is open to members in good standing with the Association for at least three years prior to date of application. Applicant must also have a policy with the organization in his or her own name. Scholarships are open to students in grades 1-12, as well as college and graduate students. Award must be used towards tuition for the upcoming academic year.
Bullard Family Scholarship
Sponsor: The North Carolina Baptist Foundation, Inc.
Closing Date: February 15, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to North Carolina residents who have been accepted or currently enrolled full-time in a degree program at any institution of higher learning. Applicant must be committed to preparing for full-time Christian ministry and be a member (or parents are a member) of a church affiliated with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.
Stanfield and D'Orlando Legal and Art Scholarships
Sponsor: Unitarian Universalist Association
Description: Scholarship is open to current college students with an active relationship with Unitarian Universalism. Applicant must be studying in the fields of art or law.
Clare Boothe Luce Program
Sponsor: Henry Luce Foundation
Closing Date: March 1, 2022
Description: Program is open to female undergraduate students who are studying in the physical science or engineering fields. Students at Catholic institutions with strong science programs are especially encouraged to apply.
Emmett J. Doerr Memorial Scout Scholarship
Sponsor: National Catholic Committee on Scouting
Description: Scholarship is open to outstanding Catholic high school seniors who are Scouts in a BSA program and planning to continue their education in college.
Fraternal Scholarship
Sponsor: Catholic Order of Foresters
Closing Date: March 31, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to current college students who have been COF members for at least 15 moths prior to apply and are between the ages of 17 and 22. Applicant must host a Feeding God's Children event, participate in Catholic Order of Foresters' Alternative Break, and serve as a religious education instructor at any level at their home parish or in their college town during the application period.
42 Comments on "Religious Scholarships"
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Abt Associates and MassHealth will work together to review all TA applications. The MassHealth Statewide Investments Team and ACO and CP Program Teams will review the proposed TA projects. This review is to ensure that projects chosen by ACOs and CPs align with the overall priorities of the MassHealth program and the specific priorities that have been discussed between ACOs, CPs, and their MassHealth Contract Managers. In the event that a proposed TA project is far outside the scope of these priorities, MassHealth will reach out to the ACO or CP to discuss the project in more detail.
I have started a TA project. Is there anything I need to do?


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Saturday Classes for High School Students
Do Saturdays differently.
Saturday School is back with in-person classes as well as online courses! Get your hands dirty, and join our creative community. Register for our innovative programs designed to prepare young actors, artists, designers and entrepreneurs to navigate their art form this spring. Each course focuses on new artistic ideas, practices and skills to build and strengthen portfolios.
Together, we can grow, learn, create and build on campus or in a virtual space. You'll collaborate with other artists and get mentorship from industry experts, which will help you take your wildest ideas to the next level. Break the mold, get inspired and gain a head start on college preparations in an eight-week in-person or online course.
Oct. 16–Dec. 11*
Eight Saturdays, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. ET
*No classes on Nov. 27, for fall break
Feb. 12–April 2
In Person & Online
Registration is now open.
Classes & Registration
Saturday courses for high school students in writing, performing, visual arts & design.
Explore & register for classes
Review tuition and fees for courses. Learn about Saturday School Online Policies.
View Tuition & Policies
A limited number of scholarships are available to students who apply.
Directions & Contact Info
Contact Pre-College
precollege@uarts.edu
211 S. Broad St., Terra Hall 910
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WOW air says Indigo Partners is planning to acquire a 49% stake in the carrier as an initial investment.
In a letter to bond holders dated January 9, WOW air founder and chief executive Skuli Mogensen said that once a deal has been done, the US low-cost carrier specialist's investment will primarily be in the form of a convertible loan with a 10-year maturity. Annual interest on the loan will be payable in kind or in cash on an annual basis. The principal and all accrued interest will be payable on the loan's maturity.
Hope they didn't sink too much cash into it...Wow went belly up yesterday and shut down.


Why We Need Orthodontic Headgear for Dental Care ?
When we are little, we do not care much about our dental habits and things related to personal hygiene. But as we grow and we learn from our elders and caretakers, we realize how important it is to take care of our health overall. In the concerns related to the early life health care, a lot of times our dental care and health is neglected or not given as much thought as we should give to it.Not many parents take their kids to the dentists or the orthodontists.As well all know that dentistry is a vast field and within this field there are different fields that doctors specialize in. When we talk about oral health , we mean that parents need to be careful of their child's oral health and care from an early age, when they are developing and growing. A lot of times, when the kids are teething, they might face problems like overlapped teeth, misplaced teeth, or there might not be enough space for all the teeth. Even after the teething stage, when they have their new teeth, they can be not as straight as normally teeth are, they can come out crooked.This is why dentists, most particularly orthodontists, offer a variety of treatments for such problems, from an early age.
If you ask the help of an orthodontist, they will refer you to either get your child braces or they might suggest a headgear.The headgear is a headpiece that adults as well as kids can wear. It is suggested by the doctors because of its highly effective and early results. It is the best treatment method for kids that are still growing, so that their teeth and growing jaws issue can be handled earlier. Basically, if you are having problems such as the growth of the upper jaw, shifting teeth, Etc. A number of teeth related problems are solvable by the help of this device.At the start, you will have to wear the headgear for at least 12 hours every day. You will have to do this regularly for atleast a year and a half, or until your orthodontist says so. You can look for the best orthondontic headgear and find out more about the headgear braces, and the reason why it is still used.
What you should know if you are someone who is thinking of trying out this gear for your child, is that the use of this headgear will cause a lot of discomfort and some initial pain as well. Obviously, the use of the headgear will put pressure on your jaw and that can cause some soreness. Understandably, you will also experience stretching and pain when you are chewing. The best way to overcome this pain is to get adjusted and used to it. The longer you will wear the headgear, the more use to its discomfort you will become. Your movement needs to be careful when you are wearing the headgear, because it attaches to your chin, your head and in some cases, your neck as well.


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← Turning 62
Digital Retards →
Plain Silly
Museum pieces.
A conversation with Lohcifer
Interviewer: Lohcifer, why are you interested in this topic? Are you in the tobacco business?
Lohcifer: I am an occasional pipe and cigar smoker. I do not smoke cigarettes. I am not a scientist, scholar, advocate, activist or researcher. I am just a consumer. I do not work for, consult with, own shares in or receive kickbacks, financial or otherwise, from any company or organization that would benefit from tobacco products. Every gram of tobacco I smoke in my pipe and every stick of cigar I buy, I do so at full price, without discount, using my own hard-earned cash. I have no vested interest in being emotional like Yvette van der Eijk and Chia Kee Seng from the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, who blight their professional image by calling cigarettes "deadly sticks" in an opinion piece they published in The Straits Times on February 18th 2019.
Interviewer: The Singapore Government recently announced its plan to proceed with plain tobacco packaging, following in the footsteps of Australia, France, the United Kingdom, Norway, Ireland, New Zealand, Hungary and Slovenia. This means that, as of next year, all tobacco packs sold in Singapore will be of a dull brown color with all logos, colors and branding elements removed to be replaced by nauseating picture warning labels covering 75% of the pack surface. With tobacco advertising of any form being a criminal offense here in Singapore, plain packaging is equivalent to eliminating the tobacco companies' only marketing means. What are your views on this?
Lohcifer: I feel the government is as usual, extremely heavy handed. It seems to think we are all stupid idiots to be trampled on like doormats. It assumes that we have no power of discernment, that we judge a book by its cover. If so, the Bible won't be the best-selling book in the world, year after year! The Property Rights Alliance has argued that removal of brands from packaging is a gross violation of Intellectual Property rights. This is a coalition of 62 think tanks, advocacy groups and civil-society organizations. These people are not morons. Here in Singapore, stakeholders in the tobacco trade are not united enough to take on the government, so when we don't oppose the government's use of grotesque and horrifying images of gangrenous feet, dead babies and cancer-riddled lungs – what I call "medical pornography" – on plain packaging to replace the brands, aren't we allowing the government to blatantly act against the principles of Article 20 of TRIPS (Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) of the WTO (World Trade Organization)?
A nation with strong Intellectual Property rights is a nation with a truly decent and righteous government. The existence of a government that respects Intellectual Property rights limits the power of officials to wield their influence and curbs them from potentially manipulating the marketplace to determine and choose who benefits and who loses. This attracts business investment because of the political certainty that Intellectual Property rights are protected. Intellectual Property rights are also important for driving innovation and progress. Plain packaging is a serious loss of value to Intellectual Property rights and a great financial loss for companies across many industries.
Interviewer: But plain packaging has worked in countries like Australia, the first country to implement it, right? Surely, the government's alleged violation of Article 20 far outweighs the benefits!
Lohcifer: You think so? Oh, so you believe that the end justifies the means? The road to hell is paved with good intentions, isn't it? Big Daddy always know what's right for us? Such an argument literally takes my breath away! Come on, you expect me to put that in my pipe and smoke it? Seriously, even if we can stomach that, let me ask you: Have you been living in a cave since 2012 when Australia introduced plain packaging? Has plain packaging worked in Australia? Let the facts speak for themselves:
Nearly 15% of tobacco consumed now in Australia is smuggled in. With plain packaging, organized crime has more than ample opportunities to undermine democratic countries and the rule of law.
Legal tobacco retailers cut prices – when all you have is plain packaging, the only so-called weapon you have left to compete with other retailers is price. Cheaper price means more smokers. Simple logic.
Legal tobacco retailers are also selling counterfeit tobacco – when all you have is plain packaging, nobody can tell a stick of Marlboro from a stick of Dunhill. This is where unscrupulous retailers take full advantage of plain packaging. In other words, plain packaging helps counterfeiters and crooked retailers become wealthier. Knowingly or unknowingly, intentionally or unintentionally, you are indirectly in cahoots with some very dangerous elements of society. ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) Scotland wrote in 2011: "The Taliban, al-Qaeda, Hezbollah and the Kurdistan Workers Party are involved in smuggling cigarettes as is the Columbian FARC. Both the Provisional IRA and the splinter group the Real IRA have been linked with tobacco smuggling as a way of raising money to fund their activities. Chinese Triads are central to the traffic to the UK of counterfeit cigarettes produced in highly sophisticated factories in the Far East." International accounting firm KPMG has found that illicit tobacco consumption has grown from 11.5% to 14% in Australia since plain packaging took effect, depriving the Australian government of almost A$2 billion in tax revenue.
A 2016 study by the RMIT University of Melbourne slammed the plain packaging policy as a complete failure.
In 2017, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare confirmed that "the daily smoking rate did not significantly decline over the most recent 3-year period (2013 to 2016)." Taking into account the rise in the population of Australia in actual fact, there are more people smoking in Australia today than when the plain packaging policy was introduced in 2012. The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission has also revealed that plain packaging laws have failed to achieve their aim of reducing smoking in the country. It found that compound levels in population-wide samples of wastewater across all major capital cities and tested regions in 2016-17 showed a rise in nicotine consumption. Latest statistics from Australia show that expenditure on tobacco rose by 2.5% in the final quarter of 2017 compared to the same period the previous year – this after some 7 years of plain packaging! In Tasmania, youth smoking has risen with the number of people smoking between the ages of 15 to 24 increasing by 6.7% in 3 years.
Interviewer: Wow, that's a lot of facts and figures!
Lohcifer: Well, arguments are won only if they are backed and supported by solid, verifiable scientific facts and cold hard evidence! Of course, "experts" can always be persuaded to refute whatever I've just quoted. Hired guns are all over the place! But consider this: No one smokes a cigarette and immediately kills another person. But polish off a bottle of vodka, get into a car and drive and see what happens! I think alcohol is even more deadly because you drink it and it goes straight into your system! I believe government officials offer alcoholic toasts at state and constituency functions but no one dares to be caught dead with a cigarette! Yes, it is tobacco that is terribly demonized. The government cannot be seen to favor one industry over another. Especially when no study has managed to establish a credible link between plain packaging and actual quitting behaviors sustained over time. In fact, long-reaching psychological damage is not even discussed.
Interviewer: Psychological damage?
Lohcifer: Indeed. Those gruesome pictures on packages, pictures emotionally referred to by van der Eijk and Chia using an emotive and loaded word "yucky" have the potential to cause severe guilt, self-loathing and disgust among smokers, resulting in much emotional harm. These revolting pictures can also bring about a psychological state of disempowerment which reinforces the belief that it is impossible to stop smoking so heavy smokers are resigned to becoming addicted. Therefore, with this devil-may-care attitude, they smoke more. Those "yucky" pictures can also cause a counter-effect among the impressionable because of the mistaken belief that forbidden fruits always taste the sweetest. It's only human nature. So those sickening pictures have the added potential of enticing non-smokers to try smoking based on the misguided notion that "if it's that bad, it must be really good." Talk about something backfiring!
Interviewer: Hmm, I've never thought of that.
Lohcifer: Haha, common sense is not so common, right? The tobacco industry is not a well-liked industry and I don't condone it. I support all ways and means to keep cigarettes as far away as possible from people – children, youth and as well as adults. I know majority of the public will support a total ban of tobacco if it has its way. I also know this won't happen because the tax collected from tobacco is phenomenal, it's probably in the billions! Chewing gum may be banned but tobacco will never be banned! Therefore, deterrents are needed and plain packaging as a deterrent is an appealing populist story to feed to the public, especially during an election year. It is an appropriate topic for the government to press home the narrative that it cares for our health. Who doesn't welcome a government that is concerned about our health? However, there are bigger issues here. Sounding a clarion call for plain packaging tantamount to allowing the government to chip away at our personal liberty and the rights – our basic human rights – to make our own informed choices about how we choose to live our lives. Plain packaging, many fail to see, is the start of an escalation in the diabolical "lifestyle regulation" that will happen in the future. I bet the government is already looking at extreme plain packaging-style regulations on other product categories without thinking there's a need to consider proper evidence or robust research into the consequences. Plain packaging has already emboldened and empowered California to bulldoze its way into sticking the following warning on soft drinks:
"STATE OF CALIFORNIA SAFETY WARNING: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay."
What next? Our butter, ghee and palm oil products may be at risk, and our favorite lard-infused char kway teow may be banned.
Interviewer: Oh yes, before you go, Lohcifer, can we talk a bit about cigars?
Lohcifer: What about cigars?
Interviewer: Plain packaging for cigars too?
Lohcifer: Oh yes, of course, that's the government's plan. Already cigar lovers are exploiting the loophole offered by online overseas cigar retailers if they want their cigars to continue coming with their original bands intact and in boxes that carry the beautiful traditional labels. But I envisage the overpaid bureaucrats in their ivory towers are already thinking of how to legally prohibit people from purchasing cigars from overseas online cigar merchants.
One other point: We all know that cigar labels and cigar bands is an art form. Aficionados and connoisseurs as well as museums collect and curate these art pieces. I am a simpleton, and in my mind, I can't help but think that eradicating these works of art by pasting disgusting pictures of rotting body parts or cadavers over them seems no different from behaving like the evil iconoclasts of old, in fact, no different from Emperor Qin Shi Huang or Hitler burning books or the Taliban bombing away the statues of Buddha of Bamiyan or ISIS destroying the priceless cultural artifacts of Palmyra, an ancient historical city at the crossroads of rich Roman, Persian and Greek civilizations. I know I sound harsh, but surely no government has the right to trample history and destroy culture! Moreover, if cigar bands are removed and replaced with plain bands, the process will destroy the cigars. Removing the cigar band will almost inevitably tear and damage a cigar, making it unfit for consumption. It's more than just a simple issue of sticks of cigars being spoiled and rendered useless.
Applying plain packaging on cigars, in my mind, is therefore nothing but a highly questionable draconian measure imposed on a legal luxury product enjoyed only by a very select group of well-informed consumers, a product – unlike cigarettes – that is not even inhaled. Right now, one box of Cohiba Behike 56 sells for S$9,500/- at Oak Cellers here in Singapore. And that's just for 10 sticks – not something your typical Tom, Dick, Harry and Ah Beng would walk in casually to buy on a daily basis. Treating cigars as if they are cigarettes only goes to show the utter lack of thinking and understanding on the government's part.
Interviewer: So, what can be done?
Lohcifer: Is that a rhetorical question? Eat more char kway teow because every plate you eat could be your last! But seriously, too many cowering and groveling tobacco retailers behave as if they have several skeletons in their closets, no one dares to really speak up. At least one retailer I know of is afraid of losing his permanent residency status, others fear losing their licences, etc. Is there ever a time when cigar retailers here meet to strategize or for a brainstorming amongst themselves? Has there ever been an attempt to make a joint, fact-based presentation to the government? The intent is not to blow smoke at the government but to be heard and understood. But it appears that cigar retailers don't help anybody get to know them and their products because, to be honest, most of the time, they just daydream in their own stores and criticize other retailers. It is said that the High Street fellow exudes the impression that he genuinely believes he is a more superior human being than everyone else. The Tanglin Road guy thinks the High Street fellow is "the world's greatest prick." The UE Square "mafia" thinks the Suntec girls are "lesbian cunts." But I was told these Suntec "lesbian cunts" seem to be more interested in ripping off and gouging their customers than to engage in slandering their competitors. In the meantime, the Chinatown "gangsters" pride themselves as "the untouchables" and think the High Street fellow is "nothing but a poser and a circus clown." Hey, I'm only repeating what I hear, okay! So don't shoot the messenger. Anyway, that's how the backbiting goes and that's how the backstabbing goes too. It continues on like that. Some fight like cats and dogs. Some retailers are not even on speaking terms! They despise and mock each other. This works to the advantage of the government, you know what I mean? Divide and conquer. There is no cooperation or collaboration among retailers and when the axe falls, all they do is gripe and throw tantrums! They have zero strategy to counterattack. So, they sit around and continue their bitching and moaning over this smoking hot topic, when what is desperately and critically needed is aggressive and continuous educational and constructive dialogs with the powers that be. No amount of whingeing, pleading and complaining can curtail the government's heavy handedness and tone-deafness. But with active and positive engagement, hopefully leading to some illumination for those who need it, there is still a very slight glimmer of hope.
Interviewer: Thanks very much for your time, Lohcifer.
Lohcifer: Sorry I sound rather fatalistic. But being born here in 1957 and bred here since, I know the Singapore government well enough. I know what it is capable of. Despite so-called public consultation, and its claim that it has held discussions with industry players, the government has long made up its mind, that's why I'm stocking up like crazy. And from legal retailers here, mind you, legit sources, not from dubious overseas online vendors, many of whom sell cigars of questionable provenance at cutthroat prices to clueless consumers hunting for bargains.
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The Office Is Leaving Netflix—And People Are Freaking Out
7 TV Shows and Movies to Watch When You're Bored This Week
9 TV Shows and Movies to Watch in Between Your July 4th Festivities
30 TV Shows, Movies (and More!) Gilmore Girls Fans Will Love
If you love Gilmore Girls, we're pretty sure you'll also love these pop culture recommendations.
Elizabeth Logan
I have a complicated relationship with Gilmore Girls, but I can't deny that the show inspired me to learn more about pop culture. There are just so many references! And even though the show is coming back to Netflix soon, it's only for four (long) episodes. That means fans old and new are going to need some more entertainment to talk about, joke about, and obsess over, which is why we present: a Gilmore Girls-inspired guide to pop culture. Enjoy!
Parenthood is a must-see for anyone who missed Lorelai, and Jane the Virgin has the most Gilmore-esque mother/daughter/grandmother relationship on TV...then again, maybe the women of Mom are more your speed; they've got all the heart and sass of the Gilmore clan. Bunheads was created by GG's Amy Sherman-Palladino, and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is just the kind of zany small-town love story our girls would be obsessed with. But the closest thing we've found to Stars Hollow is definitely Pawnee, Indiana, as seen on Parks and Recreation. Leslie Knope is SUCH a Rory.
Gilmore Guys is the Gilmore Girls recap podcast you didn't know you needed. Call Your Girlfriend and Reality Bytes both boast the quippy dialogue and best friend vibes of your favorite ABC Family show. And Work Wives is OUR podcast, and it's great. You will love it.
His Girl Friday basically INVENTED the flirty banter that comprised so much of Luke and Lorelai's relationship, and for rapid-fire dialogue, there's no one better than Aaron Sorkin (The American President is for sure his rom-com-iest work). For Keeps is the film Lorelai credits with teaching her how to parent, so it's a must-see for any fan, as is Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Alexis Bledel's biggest non-Rory project. Diner would probably be Luke's favorite movie, for obvious and not-so-obvious reasons, and Bridesmaids has Melissa McCarthy Sookie, duh.
I Love Pop Culture will test your knowledge on all the things you have to understand to even make it through a GG episode. Seamless and Beanhunter will get you food and coffee, respectively, just like your favorite snack-and-java-obsessed gals. And Dubsmash just seems like something Rory and Lorelai would be into, doesn't it? Smash the theme song, smash the dialogue, smash the whole show!
Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe is one of the juiciest celeb memoirs of our age. Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple is the laugh-out-loud story of a slightly intense mom who goes TRULY above and beyond for her daughter. And Postcards From the Edge by Carrie Fisher combines the two by telling kooky, true-ish stories of Fisher's life growing up with her mother, Debbie Reynolds.
The Clash, The Bangles and The Go-Gos are all name-checked on the series as Gilmore faves, and Carole King is the woman behind that impeccable theme song. As for Haim and the Waitress cast album, we just think fun, smart girl music will be right up your alleys.
Glamour, frickin' derr.
Topicsgilmore girlstvmoviesbookspodcasts
The Best Documentaries to Watch on Netflix Right Now
The 21 Best '80s Movies You Can Stream Right Now
The Best '90s Movies You Can Stream Right Now


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Bay View är en del av en befolkad plats i Australien. Den ligger i kommunen Pittwater och delstaten New South Wales, i den sydöstra delen av landet, omkring 24 kilometer norr om delstatshuvudstaden Sydney.

Trakten är tätbefolkad. Närmaste större samhälle är Dee Why, omkring 10 kilometer söder om Bay View. Genomsnittlig årsnederbörd är  millimeter. Den regnigaste månaden är februari, med i genomsnitt  mm nederbörd, och den torraste är juli, med  mm nederbörd.

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