text:
Category Archives: Charlotte Mosley
Reading Me Like A Book (Or Ten)
I got tagged by the lovely Simon T of Stuck in a Book last week in a meme he had created. It's a great idea and one that, should you wish to, you can all have a go at. You simply go to your shelves close your eyes and pull ten random books of them and then tell your readers what those ten books tell the world about you. Simon says (ha, I normally am on the receiving end of that saying) that you can cheat a bit which is what I had to do a bit as I only took books of my shelves with books I had read on and some of the titles didn't work. Anyway on with the books which as you can see I carefully arranged on the sofa… sort of.
Blackmoor by Edward Hogan
This is the best casing point of proving that I wasn't cheating and as soon as I had picked it I thought 'oh no' as I couldn't think of anything it said about me. I then remembered that it is set in Derbyshire and that is where I am from so that tells you more about me doesn't it.
The Mitford's: Letters Between Six Sisters edited by Charlotte Mosley
Now you probably already know I am a bit of a Mitford maniac so that's not really something new. But I am a huge fan of letter writing. I used to write sides and sides of A4 letters to my friends but sadly it's gone out of fashion, I am thinking I should make some new pen-pals but not sure how you go about it.
The Haunted Hotel by Wilkie Collins
Now after my sensation season I don't need to fill you all in on how much I love the genre or how fascinated I am by all things Victorian but its worth a mention. Did you also know that I am into all thinks ghostly and though I haven't stayed in a haunted hotel I worked in on in Devizes and have stayed in a few haunted sites like Peterborough Museum which was once a hospital and a mansion (I even spent a while in the old morgue) I have also slept in the London Tombs a lovely bunch of plague pits for charity.
Animals People by Indra Sinha
India is one of the countries that I most want to go to, fact one. The second fact is that I have always been a big fan of pets. In fact from about 3 years old I had a duck called Rapunzel who lived indoors with us and would fly to me if I shouted her, she was one of the best pets ever. Since then though I have reverted to cats and goldfish, I only have the latter at the moment but we could be getting two little sets of whiskers in the house soon. Very excited! Ooh and thirdly I did my work experience at a vet surgery and was in the Swindon press after we helped save a dog's life.
Spies by Michael Frayn
My fantasy job, as I soon decided I didn't want to be a vet, is now to be a spy. It won't happen in a million years but I would love it, apart from being terrified all the time. It is also why I am addicted to Spooks when it's on.
The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld
If I had done a degree my aim was to become a psychologist and to go onto do criminal profiling and working out why people kill and how their killings say so much about a killer. I think its fascinating and why I like crime fiction so much and need the occasionally binge.
Daphne by Justine Picardie
Good old Daphers is my favourite author and Rebecca is my favourite book, can't say more than that can I? Ha!
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
Well I am an avid reader and hopefully the books I read aren't common. Hmmm, how do I put that better? I hope I read a diverse collection of books. Also apart from age and national treasure status I like to think I have a lot in common with Alan Bennett he's northern, a writer etc, etc.
The Accidental by Ali Smith
I am one of the clumsiest people you could ever meet, seriously it's ridiculous. Falling seems to be one of my specialities or bumping into things or tripping, basically anything is a health hazard.
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
This was my only cheat and it's a bit of a tenuous fact. I am a big fan of cats; in fact as a kid I wasn't interested in dinosaurs but I wanted a sabre tooth tiger as a pet. So I think if I could be any animal it would be snow leopard or white tiger. I know that's pushing it a bit but it's the best I could do.
So there you have it! Who else is up for doing this? I wont tag particular people just leave it up to all of you to have a go at and if you do it do pop a link in the comments, or of course if you have already done it. Do you think these books say a lot about me; do you feel you know me a little bit better?
Filed under Alan Bennett, Ali Smith, Aravind Adiga, Book Thoughts, Charlotte Mosley, Edward Hogan, Indra Sinha, Justine Picardie, Michael Frayn, Wilkie Collins
Tagged as Book Meme
Books of the Noughties
I feel a little like all I have been doing of late is compiling lists. If it wasn't the two lists for best books of 2009 for next week, or books for 2010 for both work (I now have the books page in the magazine hoorah) and for the blog then it was shopping lists for the family Christmas presents, even though not seeing most of them till the end of January, and the never ending Christmas food fest shopping list. This is the list that has proved the most difficult.
I will admit that it's really only since 2006 that my reading got out of hand. It's interesting that that was also a year where escapism was the thing that I needed the most, it wasn't the happiest year – well until I met The Converted One – a long bad relationship ended and I had a rather huge health scare all in all not the best. Yet the positive that came out of that year, roughly from February on, was that I utterly embraced my love for books again. I had been reading but maybe one book every month or so.
Now you would think in the nearly four years its been I wouldn't have read that many of 'the books of the noughties' but this list has taken ages, books have been fighting with each other its been carnage. I have always preferred contemporary fiction to classics (though this has changed rather a lot this year) looking back over my blog and pre-blog 'books I have read' lists which I compile each year I have actually consumed quite a few though not all the big contenders I have seen in the papers. So bearing in mind I haven't read every great book since 2000 (not that we will all agree on the great books since then, Cloud Atlas for example which I loathed) here are the books that made my top ten of the noughties with their blurbs, I could write a paragraph on each of them but am a) listed out and b) I loved them end of…
The Time Travellers Wife – Audrey Niffenegger
This extraordinary, magical novel is the story of Clare and Henry who have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-two and Henry thirty. Impossible but true, because Henry is one of the first people diagnosed with Chrono-Displacement Disorder: periodically his genetic clock resets and he finds himself pulled suddenly into his past or future. His disappearances are spontaneous and his experiences are alternately harrowing and amusing. The Time Traveler's Wife depicts the effects of time travel on Henry and Clare's passionate love for each other with grace and humour. Their struggle to lead normal lives in the face of a force they can neither prevent nor control is intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.
The Road – Cormac McCarthy
A father and his son walk alone through burned America, heading through the ravaged landscape to the coast. This is the profoundly moving story of their journey. "The Road" boldly imagines a future in which no hope remains, but in which two people, 'each the other's world entire', are sustained by love. Awesome in the totality of its vision, it is an unflinching meditation on the worst and the best that we are capable of: ultimate destructiveness, desperate tenacity, and the tenderness that keeps two people alive in the face of total devastation.
Small Island – Andrea Levy
It is 1948, and England is recovering from a war. But at 21 Nevern Street, London, the conflict has only just begun. Queenie Bligh's neighbours do not approve when she agrees to take in Jamaican lodgers, but Queenie doesn't know when her husband will return, or if he will come back at all. What else can she do? Gilbert Joseph was one of the several thousand Jamaican men who joined the RAF to fight against Hitler. Returning to England as a civilian he finds himself treated very differently. It's desperation that makes him remember a wartime friendship with Queenie and knock at her door. Gilbert's wife Hortense, too, had longed to leave Jamaica and start a better life in England. But when she joins him she is shocked to find London shabby, decrepit, and far from the golden city of her dreams. Even Gilbert is not the man she thought he was.
Kafka on the Shore – Haruki Murakami
"Kafka on the Shore" follows the fortunes of two remarkable characters. Kafka Tamura runs away from home at fifteen, under the shadow of his father's dark prophesy. The aging Nakata, tracker of lost cats, who never recovered from a bizarre childhood affliction, finds his pleasantly simplified life suddenly turned upside down. Their parallel odysseys are enriched throughout by vivid accomplices and mesmerising dramas. Cats converse with people; fish tumble from the sky; a ghostlike pimp deploys a Hegel-spouting girl of the night; a forest harbours soldiers apparently un-aged since WWII. There is a savage killing, but the identity of both victim and killer is a riddle. Murakami's new novel is at once a classic tale of quest, but it is also a bold exploration of mythic and contemporary taboos, of patricide, of mother-love, of sister-love. Above all it is an entertainment of a very high order.
Half of a Yellow Sun – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
This highly anticipated novel from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is set in Nigeria during the 1960s, at the time of a vicious civil war in which a million people died and thousands were massacred in cold blood. The three main characters in the novel are swept up in the violence during these turbulent years. One is a young boy from a poor village who is employed at a university lecturer's house. The other is a young middle-class woman, Olanna, who has to confront the reality of the massacre of her relatives. And the third is a white man, a writer who lives in Nigeria for no clear reason, and who falls in love with Olanna's twin sister, a remote and enigmatic character. As these people's lives intersect, they have to question their own responses to the unfolding political events. This extraordinary novel is about Africa in a wider sense: about moral responsibility, about the end of colonialism, about ethnic allegiances, about class and race; and about the ways in which love can complicate all of these things.
The Blind Assassin – Margaret Atwood
Laura Chase's older sister Iris, married at eighteen to a politically prominent industrialist but now poor and eighty-two, is living in Port Ticonderoga, a town dominated by their once-prosperous family before the First War. While coping with her unreliable body, Iris reflects on her far from exemplary life, in particular the events surrounding her sister's tragic death. Chief among these was the publication of The Blind Assassin, a novel which earned the dead Laura Chase not only notoriety but also a devoted cult following. Sexually explicit for its time, The Blind Assassin describes a risky affair in the turbulent thirties between a wealthy young woman and a man on the run. During their secret meetings in rented rooms, the lovers concoct a pulp fantasy set on Planet Zycron. As the invented story twists through love and sacrifice and betrayal, so does the real one; while events in both move closer to war and catastrophe. By turns lyrical, outrageous, formidable, compelling and funny, this is a novel filled with deep humour and dark drama.
Atonement – Ian McEwan
On the hottest day of the summer of 1934, thirteen-year-old Briony Tallis sees her sister Cecilia strip off her clothes and plunge into the fountain in the garden of their country house. Watching her is Robbie Turner, her childhood friend who, like Cecilia, has recently come down from Cambridge. By the end of that day, the lives of all three will have been changed for ever. Robbie and Cecilia will have crossed a boundary they had not even imagined at its start, and will have become victims of the younger girl's imagination. Briony will have witnessed mysteries, and committed a crime for which she will spend the rest of her life trying to atone.
Running With Scissors – Augusten Burroughs
This is the story of a boy whose mother (a poet with delusions of grandeur) gave him away to be raised by her psychiatrist, a dead ringer for Santa Claus and a certifiable lunatic into the bargain. Suddenly at the age of 12, Augusten found himself living in a dilapidated Victorian house in perfect squalor. The doctor's bizarre family, a few patients and a paedophile living in the garden shed completed the tableau. Here, there were no rules or school. The Christmas tree stayed up until Summer and valium was chomped down like sweets. When things got a bit slow, there was always the ancient electroshock therapy machine under the stairs.
The Book Thief – Markus Zusack
Here is a small fact – you are going to die. 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier. Liesel, a nine-year-old girl, is living with a foster family on Himmel Street. Her parents have been taken away to a concentration camp. Liesel steals books. This is her story and the story of the inhabitants of her street when the bombs begin to fall. Some important information – this novel is narrated by death. It's a small story, about: a girl, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. Another thing you should know – Death will visit the book thief three times.
The Mitfords: Letters Between Six Sisters – Charlotte Mosley
The never-before published letters of the legendary Mitford sisters, alive with wit, affection, tragedy and gossip: a charismatic history of the century's signal events played out in the lives of a controversial and uniquely gifted family. Nancy, the scalding wit who parlayed her family life into bestselling novels. Diana, the fascist jailed with her husband, Oswald Mosley, during WWII. Unity, a suicide, torn by her worship of Hitler and her loyalty to home. Debo, who adored pleasure and fun, and found herself Duchess of Devonshire. Pamela, who craved nothing more than a quiet country life. Jessica, the runaway, a communist and fighter for social change. The Mitfords became myth in their own time: the great wits and beauties of their age, they were immoderate in their passions for ideas and people. Virtually spanning the century, these letters between the sisters — alternately touching and explosive — constitute a superb social chronicle, and explore with disarming intimacy their shifting relationships. As editor Charlotte Mosley notes, not since the Brontes has a single family written so much about themselves, or been so written about. Their letters are widely recognized to contain the best of their writing. Mosley, Diana's niece, will select from an archive of 18,000, to which she has exclusive access.
So that is your lot, not necessarily in order as it changes every hour or so. As I said lots of books fought for the top ten spot and I could easily have added The Life of Pi, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Child 44, What Was Lost, On Chesil Beach, The Kite Runner, Notes on a Scandal, The Secret Scripture and many many more. A top 40 would have been good but might have been somewhat excessive. It has made me think how difficult doing this in 2020 will be considering I read so much more now. Anyway, this is my list in all its (some of you may think questionable) glory. What are your top books of the noughties? Oh and what do we call the next decade, the tensies, the teens?
Filed under Audrey Niffenegger, Augusten Burroughs, Charlotte Mosley, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Cormac McCarthy, Haruki Murakami, Ian McEwan, Marcus Zusack, Margaret Atwood
Tagged as Books of the Noughties
Mitford & Maupin Missions
My complete and utter favourite book of last year was undoubtedly The Mitford's: Letters Between Six Sisters, I don't think I have ever enjoyed any non-fiction as much in all my reading years. At the time it wasn't the Mitford's that appealed to me it was partly the fact it was letters between sisters but more the amount of time that the letters spanned, all that history. It wasn't until reading the letters that I started to twig just who the sisters were, I had heard of Deborah and Nancy before only I knew Deborah as the owner of Chatsworth House which is just down the road from my Gran's and Nancy as an author most authors raved about. At the time I got the book there was also a TV show on Unity and the rumours of her affair (and pregnancy) with Adolf Hitler. As everything about them became more and more unusual and the more letters I read I gained a bit of a fascination which has resulted in this…
Now four of these are new additions to the collection as I received In Tearing Haste from the delightful John Murray before Christmas, The Pursuit of Laughter and A Life of Contrasts from the lovely Gibson Square just after Christmas and Decca: The Letters of Jessica Mitford from the very kind people at Orion only yesterday, naturally I haven't read any of those yet. I have in fact of that whole collection only read 'The Letters' and The Pursuit of Love, the rest have all come from some very good routing through charity shops. There are still so many I am missing though; Nancy's biographies as well as The Blessing and Jessica's books on Death in America etc, to name just a few. (I also should thank Mitch as she bought me The Letters for Christmas after my Gran, yes you naughty thing, 'borrowed' mine and then said I had given it to her lol – well you can have it now.)
I now have one more mission for 2009 is to read all the ones that I haven't read yet but own. Plus there are many more coming, I actually have a PDF proof version of Deborah's next book, but I am not allowed to say anymore than that.
Dovergreyreader looked at Mitfordmania when she reviewed A Pursuit of Laughter by Diana Mosley and it brought up some rather heated debate on Diana as a person. I don't condone her like for Hitler I don't even attempt to understand it, but what I was always taught in history was to look at both sides and someone who saw both sides of Hitler and one of the biggest events in our worlds history was Diana and though I don't agree with her ideals I will be interested to hear her side of things if that makes sense. The other question that was raised was 'are there too many Mitford based books on the market?' I would say no, I actually think that some of their own books need to be reprinted rather than so many books about them in all honesty. I can understand the fascination though, they knew a wide range of famous people and indeed some of histories most renowned faces and through their love of letters and essays have captured years and year's worth of history. I just wonder what Debo makes of it all as the furore around her and her sister is going and she is living to see it?
On a slightly different note another series of books I am going to make it my aim to read (well re-read in some cases) arrived yesterday also The Tales of the City Series by Armistead Maupin….
I first read the first three or four (or possibly five) of these about 8 years ago and wanted a land lady like Miss Madrigal, and strongly believed when I moved to London I would make some of the best friends in the world and they would be diverse and wonderful and everything would be fabulous. I would say half of that wish came true. I very rarely re-read novels I have read so it will be interesting to see what I make of these almost ten years down the line! I will keep you posted. I am currently debating if I should read all of them with no stop-gap, but am worried I will get Maupin Overkill, any advice?
Filed under Armistead Maupin, Charlotte Mosley, Deborah Devonshire, Diana Mosley, Jessica Mitford, Nancy Mitford
Tagged as Armistead Maupin, Book Thoughts, Charlotte Mosely, Deborah Davonshire, Diana Mosley, Jessica Mitford, Nancy Mitford
The Savidge Dozen
Blimey so a reading year is over… a year of some good reading, some difficult reading, some readers block plus some dire reading and some frankly amazing reading. In fact there was so much amazing reading I changed my mind and didn't do what I did last year and have a top ten, instead am doing as the delightful Dove Grey Reader had done and am doing my version of the Man Booker Dozen. So thirteen then… unlucky for some but not for these authors who should feel very lucky (I am being facetious) it was a really hard choice actually, really, really hard. I did stick to last years rule though of only one book per author. So here goes, in reverse order…
13. The Spare Room – Helen Garner
There was uproar in the blogosphere when this didn't even make it onto the Man Booker Prize long list and after reading it I could see why. A thought provoking, sparse and raw novel about dealing with cancer this book was also filled with heart and emotion. Helen invites her friend Nicola to stay after she is diagnosed with terminal cancer, what follows is nights of cleaning beds, friendships pushed to breaking point and possibly one of the most honest fictional voices I heard this year.
12. The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society – Mary Ann Shaffer
I think if Nancy Mitford was still around (what is it with the Mitford's being everywhere this year, more on them later) she would probably have been a massive fan of this novel. All at once this novel is sharply witty, comical, touching, observant and sad. Juliet Ashton became possibly my favourite character of the year as a writer struggling to find the next book in her and befriending the said society (it's too long to write the title each time) and corresponding through letters with the many wonderful characters on a post occupied Guernsey. Superb!
11. The Reader – Bernhard Schlink
This book was simply unputdownable, and yes that is a word I have made up but should exist. When 15 year old Michael meets older woman Hannah when he falls ill he doesn't know this is a relationship that will be in their lives forever. After becoming lovers one day Hannah vanishes only to reappear in Michael's later life and to make him think about his life and the country he lives in totally differently. A new interesting, horrifying and thought provoking look at the Holocaust. Will make you think, a lot.
10. The Room of Lost Things – Stella Duffy
I honestly genuinely believe this is one of the most over looked gem books of the year, and not because I know the author and think she is fabulous. I would hope you'd know by now that I am not that sort of person. This book celebrates London and has some of the most fabulous characters in it. Be it from the story of Robert Sutton who is selling his laundrette (where everyone leaves their secrets in their pockets) after a lifetime of hard work to the homeless men who sleep under an archway on a old battered sofa the characters in this book are full of life and I secretly hoped for this to be the start of a series. A love letter in novel form by the author to South London!
9. When Will There Be Good News? – Kate Atkinson
My love for the writing of Kate Atkinson went stratospheric this year with the third so far in the Jackson Brodie 'literary crime fiction' series. Having also read its predecessor 'One Good Turn' this year I didn't think her coincidence based complex plots could get any cleverer, I was wrong. This book is much darker than the previous two and grittier yet still in parts incredibly funny. It also of course had one of the characters of the year in it through Reggie the sixteen year old girl who saves Brodie life and yet brings an old flame and a mystery that needs solving into his life on top. It's so difficult to explain this book, so simply put… buy it!
8. Mister Pip – Lloyd Jones
Ok so this book has been out a while but sometimes I get behind, I mean The Reader is eleven years old, so be kind. I ironically had no expectations of this book at all which sees the children of a small village on a tropical island receive a new teacher and a new book to study 'Great Expectations'. The new teacher Pop Eye or Mr Watts takes on the class when no one else will due to war in the South Pacific. This reminded me slightly of Half Of A Yellow Sun for the graphicness of war which when you start reading the book you wouldn't imagine you are going to have in the story ahead of you. Definitely my most shocking read of the year, amazingly written and celebratory of fiction and all it can inspire.
7. Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh
When Novel Insights and I decided to do this as one of our Rogue Book Group choices I wasn't sure it would be my cup of tea. I was completely won over by Waugh's stunning writing and possibly my favourite villain of the year in the form of Lady Marchmain. Charles Ryder reflects on returning to Brideshead during the war on his own history with the building and the Marchmain's who owned it and their privileged life style in the post Second World War glory days. However Charles experience has a nasty sting in the tale that though he has tried to forget he simply cannot. A genuine classic.
6. The Boy in the Striped Pyjama's –John Boyne
If there is anyone left who hasn't seen the movie (which was almost as good as the book, a rarity) or who hasn't read this book themselves I do not want to give a single bit of plot of this book away as if I had known what was coming I don't think it would have worked in the same way. I will say that it tells of a young boy Bruno who is forced to move from his childhood home with his mother and sister to join their father for his work. The land they move to is in the middle of nowhere though eventually Bruno befriends another young boy through a fence. Through their innocent friendship Bruno is brought into a much darker world one that will change his life and his family's lives forever.
5. Mudbound – Hillary Jordan
I admit that the title I found both intriguing and incredibly off putting, however a random purchase in Sainsbury's (I know, I know) led to me reading possibly one of the most surprising and remarkable books of the year. Set in the Mississippi Delta in 1946 you are first lead to believe this is a novel about a resentful wife being made to live in the cotton farm of her nightmares she swiftly calls Mudbound. What Jordan manages to bring in to this incredible novel is stories of family breakdowns, affairs, war and racism. Not always comfortable reading, especially one sickening scene, this book absolutely blew me away. I cannot wait for Jordan's second novel whenever it comes.
4. The Suspicions of Mr Whicher – Kate Summerscale
Now shock horror, Mr Savidge who never really liked to read non-fiction has two in his top ten. The first of which is Kate Summerscale's simply wonderful, if crime can be wonderful, retelling of the events of 'The Suspicions of Mr Whicher' or 'The Murder at Road Hill House'. Back in 1860 in the small town of Road in Wiltshire a horrific murder took place one which the local police simply couldn't figure out so at a time when detectives were a new thing Scotland Yard sent Mr Whicher to investigate. The murder both provoked national hysteria and also inspired many authors such as Dickens, Wilkie Collins and Conan Doyle. Being a fan of crime fiction and of books this was a perfect read and made all the facts down to train timetables easy to digest until you find yourself detecting alongside.
3. To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee
I most people will know this book and I know it had been a book that I had wanted to read for a long time and so after sneakily buying myself and Novel Insights a 50p charity shop copy each it became a Rogue Book Group choice. Scout tells the tale of her town in the 1930's Deep South of America. Her father Atticus (a wonderful character) is defending Tom Robinson of rape, Tom is black and in a time and town where racism is rife he finds himself and subsequently his family struggling with the town and struggling for justice. I loved it, even though until about 50 pages in it hadn't gripped me suddenly I was hooked.
2. On Chesil Beach – Ian McEwan
In a year that has seen a lot of McEwan pass in front of my eyes, and has seen him become one f my favourite authors, it was this book in particular that wowed me of all of his I read. Set in the early sixties it is Edward and Florence's wedding night. For uptight and inexperienced couple, through not speaking and misunderstood actions, this is the night that will change their lives forever and have devastating results. A superb look at how society has changed and how people have become more informed on life since, but also a sad and startling look at innocence, communication and what was expected of differing genders in those times, plus what was morally or socially correct. A small book with a lot of punch and bite. Oh, and its the second year that Mr McEwan has been in my top three books of the year!
1. The Mitford's: Letters Between Six Sisters – Charlotte Mosley
What had initially led me to read this book was the idea of letters that spanned a huge amount of history. Having, until this book, only known of Deborah Cavendish (though not as a Mitford because of her name, but because I know Chatsworth well), Nancy Mitford (as an author) and Unity Mitford (as the supposed mother of Hitler's child) to a small degree; I fell in love with all the sisters (possibly bar Diana, she didn't have being crazy as an excuse to liking Hitler like Unity) and thought the amount of British history contained in one book was phenomenal. I also loved their play on language, thoughts on society, books and people. I defy anyone to read this and not be 100% in love with it and ready to start again once you have put it down. This book has unquestionably inspired me to read a lot more non fiction in 2009. Best book of 2008 by a clear mile, no offense to any others.
Filed under Bernhard Schink, Books of 2008, Charlotte Mosley, Evelyn Waugh, Harper Lee, Helen Garner, Hillary Jordan, Ian McEwan, Kate Atkinson, Kate Summerscale, Lloyd Jones, Mary Ann Shaffer, Stella Duffy
Tagged as Bernhard Schlink, Books of 2008, Charlotte Mosely, Evelyn Waugh, Harper Lee, Helen Garner, Hillary Jordan, Ian McEwan, Kate Atkinson, Kate Summerscale, Lloyd Jones, Mary Ann Shaffer, Stella Duffy
The Mitfords: Letters Between Six Sisters – Charlotte Mosely
Now if you are sat there thinking 'he can't have read that mammoth book in only a few days'… I haven't. This has actually been a book I have been devouring in fits and starts for almost a month, well three weeks or so. It's so big I couldn't carry it everywhere with me on the tube, so have been reading other books along side. 'The Mitford's – Letters Between Six Sisters' is an amazing book, a collection of the famous sisters letters to each other over 80 years, edited by Diana Mitford's daughter in law Charlotte Mosley. Edited I think is an unfair word in this case; she hasn't merely compiled them and then cut out bits and bobs. She has thoroughly researched the sisters so that as you read each different era you get a good introduction by Mosley as to what was going on in each of the sister's lives and the life of the family of Mitford's as a whole.
Not that I have read anything about the Mitford sisters before, though bizarrely I have heard of them often, but I can understand J. K. Rowling's quote on the front that 'the story of the extraordinary Mitford's has never been told as well as they tell it themselves' and she is write, there is no hole barred here. The sisters are constantly frank with each other through times of loving each other and times where they hated each other as some of them did. But its not just the times when they think each other is 'wondair' or each other are 'hateful' and all the turmoil they go through as a family, its an amazing look through history as the Mitford girls seemed to know everyone separately.
Nancy writes in fascinating detail of the family and how she found the constraints of her parents and the family too much. She also writes of how she writes, why and a fascinating insight into some of the other great writers of the last hundred years such as her close friend Evelyn Waugh. Pamela wants a simple quite life and can discuss any meal she has eaten in the last thirty years, has a love of farming and also became a lesbian although only once or twice do the sisters discuss this. Diana, the family beauty, becomes a fascist, after marrying the heir to Guinness she has an affair with a politician and is jailed during the Second World War. Then there is Unity who became a close friend (and has a slight obsession with) Hitler causing a conflict between her love for him and the love for her country which led to her shooting herself. There is Jessica who became a fighter for social change and ended up living in America writing about funerals and prisons. Finally we have Deborah who became Duchess of Devonshire, owner and restorer of Chatsworth, and who mingles with royalty (describing Diana as 'clever with the public but truly she was mad') and the Kennedy's. This is truly simply outstanding, both for the historical and for the tales of six women who became celebrities without trying to and couldn't see quite what all the fuss was about. What is also interesting is as they get older they too look back on their older letters and indeed themselves.
This is possibly my favourite book of the year so far. I am now officially a Mitford-holic and will be reading much more by them and about them. Where else would you get such insight in 900 pages of Britain from both the poor and the rich (the sisters weren't all loaded as some people believe) told by some of the most fascinating, mischievous, voices that you could ever wish to hear.
Another thing that's been special about this book bar all the above is it has been the first non-fiction book that I have enjoyed, recommended to everyone and has just made me read and read. It's also a book that has given me lots and lots to read in the future. I now want to read books that they recommend each other; some of these included Daphne Du Maurier's 'Mary Anne', everything by E.M. Forster, Truman Capote's 'In Cold Blood'. As well as everything that they wrote themselves, particularly Nancy, as well as everything by Evelyn Waugh, so that's made the book even more of a treasure. I will leave you saying this book is truly 'wondair' and a final quote from Jessica on reading. Buy this book everyone should read it!
"1) Get a supply of books you have always meant to read, but never had time, such as Plutarch's Lives, War & Peace, Bacon's Essays etc. You'll find your attention unaccountably wandering – you seem to have read the same paragraph several times and still can't quite get its import. Put the books on a chair to be read some time later. 2) Next, fetch up some novels that you know one ought to have read in childhood but never did – Hardy, Conrad, the lesser-known works of Dickens. Same, alas, as in 1) above. 3) Find some books that you know you like, as you have read them before – Catch 22? Catcher In The Rye? Pride & Prejudice? (You'll have to fill in the titles of your own favourites). This is far more easy going, far more pleasurable. 4) Try some collections of short stories, the shorter the better. Also, Grimm's Fairy Tales – that sort of thing. That way the constant interruptions – meals, pills, baths etc – don't specifically matter. 5) Above all – lay in a huge supply of mags, the more trivial the better, and leaf through them languidly while waiting for your cup of tea. That, anyway, is what I usually do."
I was really sad to put this book down, in fact slightly bereft, but on with more!
Filed under Books of 2008, Charlotte Mosley, Evelyn Waugh, Harper Collins, Nancy Mitford, Review
Tagged as Books of 2008, Charlotte Mosely, Evelyn Waugh, Harper Collins, Nancy Mitford, Review


text:
<!DOCTYPE html>

          <meta charset="utf-8" />
          <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />
          <title>Java </title>

          <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/font-awesome/4.7.0/css/font-awesome.min.css">
          <link rel="stylesheet" href="lib/bootstrap/dist/css/bootstrap.css" />
          <link rel="stylesheet" href="css/site.css" />

             Home

              Career Plan

             Portfolio

                <button class="mynav_dropbtn">

                    Free Apps

                </button>

                     Education Software
                     Enterprise Software
                     Ethical Software

                <button class="mynav_dropbtn">

                    Coding Projects

                </button>

                     OpenCV
                     Java Scripts
                     Java
                     C#
                     Python

            About Me

                <svg>
                    <circle cx="70" cy="70" r="70"></circle>
                    <circle cx="70" cy="70" r="70"></circle>
                </svg>

60%

Java Skill Level

                After completing my degree , I continue in facilitating my skills by learning Java. This help me promote my capabilities to maintain the core mental logics

Professional Level

                 your links here ....

Learning Zone

 Everyone's subject 'working with files' Working with Files .

 Console application working out Unique Sum Java SQL .

 Great example of working out temperature Too Hot or Cold  .

 Application illustrating the use of Inheritance Personal Details .

 Paint Wizard application  Paint Wizard .

 Library Project example Library Project .

 Small three project example with Junit JUnit Testing .

 Good example of how to connect to SQL database in Java Java SQL .

 First stage of playing around with JavaFx Swing GUI Java GUI .

 Garage project in Java  Garage project .

 Black Jack game in Java Console Black Jack .

 Basic example of Java OperatorsJava Operators .

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
This episode opens one week after the blackout, with Charlie and her parents preparing to leave the city. Grace is very little that she doesn't really understand what's going on. Charlie is told that her job is to never let go of Danny's hand by Rachel her mother. As they walk, the streets are deserted. It then shifts to fifteen years after the blackout, where Maggie, Aaron and Charlie are standing at a crossroads, when they hear the sounds of fighting and realise that Miles is not there. Miles is fighting with someone from Monroe's militia and before Miles can kill him, Charlie shows up and begs him not to because she sees it as murder. Miles tells Charlie that she being a pain in the ass, and then he and Aaron lock up the bounty hunter on a train, before continuing their journey.
When they arrive at Pontiac Illinois, they witness a man being beaten up by the militia. When Charlies asks what the man did, Maggie replies, "it's the militia, it could be anything: spoke up, looked at them sideways, who knows." This causes Charlie to hurry to catch up to Miles to find out what that they are doing in Illinois, when Danny is with a group of dangerous people. Miles says that he has to talk to someone. Charlie points out that Danny, who hasn't been more than five miles away from home his whole life, is out there alone, but Miles responds that if they want to see him again, that they are going to have to go up against Monroe and a thousand of his man. He says that he cannot do it alone and turns to leave, but Charlie stops him again to ask where he is going. Finally in frustration Miles says, "this little place called shut up and stay here." Miles walks into a bar and says he is looking for Nora Clayton, and he is interrupted by the bounty hunter that Charlie had him tie up earlier, as the bar clears out. Miles suggests that they both go their separate ways but the bounty hunter is not inclined to let go and so Miles says, "give it your best shot, let's see what happens." The bounty hunter gestures and Charlie and Maggie are brought in by knife point.
Miles claims not to know them and says that he's trying to have sex with the British chick. When they make a move to kill Charlie and Maggie, Miles gives up and allows himself to be handcuffed. Charlie engages in a staring competition with the bounty hunter. Miles is being escorted out, when he begins a fight. The bounty hunter makes a run for it after Miles has disarmed and wounded a few militia men but Miles catches him and uses his chains to strangle him. We learn that Nora, the woman they went there to find, was arrested for stealing militia gold, before Miles breaks his neck, as Charlie watches with doe eyes
Danny is riding on a hay covered wagon being led by Captain Tom Neville. Neville stops when he believes he hears a gunshot. Neville knocks on a cabin door and when it's answered, he does his pleasing nice guy routine and talks about the deer which is hanging in the front yard. Neville asks about the buckshot and points out the Baltimore Act. It apparently is illegal for citizens who are not militia to own a gun. The man throws the gun on the ground and Neville orders his troops to search the house. When the man pulls out another gun, Neville shoots him. Inside the house, a soldier finds an American flag and so Neville orders the house burned down.
Monroe walks in as a captive is being tortured for information at the rebel base and stops the torture and apologises. Monroe wants to know where the rebels are and promises that if the captive gives up the information that he can return to his family. He suggests that there is a lot of violence and that people have the right to be safe. The captive responds that people are scared of Monroe but that he isn't. Monroe smiles and picks up the knife and stabs the man in the stomach. So much for the nice guy routine.
Over a camp fire, Maggie is tending to Mile's wounds, when Aaron finds an iphone, but Maggie quickly dismisses it and says it's nothing. Miles tells Charlie, "the next time I tell you I want to kill somebody, let me kill them." Miles puts on his jacket and tells them that he will meet them in two weeks, because he has to go and get Nora. When Charlie asks who Nora is, Miles responds, "she's really good at blowing stuff up and we cannot get Danny back without her." Charlie is not impressed and moves to follow him, but Maggie grabs her arm and detains her.
In the morning, Maggie wakes up and realizes that her pack is missing. It seems that Charlie stuffed the pack into her bedroll, to make it appear as though she was sleeping there. Aaron finds a note which says that Charlie has gone after Miles and Maggie screams her name repeatedly. I don't know about you, but Charlie is getting a little spunky for my liking.
Charlie is walking through the woods when she hears a sound she cannot identify. This causes her to quicken her pace. When she stumbles down a hill, it seems that she hurt herself. Nate has been following her this whole time and makes an appearance. When Nate tries to help her, Charlie pulls out handcuffs, and handcuffs him to a metal pole, before standing up quickly. Charlie asks why he is following her and Nate admits to being militia and to following Miles to bring him back alive. Charlie is not impressed and points out that Nate used her to flush Miles out, before walking away. When Nate asks if she is going to leave him there, Charlie replies if you're such a crack soldier, you at he can find you way out.
Back at camp, Aaron is suggesting that going after Charlie is crazy. Maggie pulls out the iphone and says that she keeps it because inside it are the only pictures of her kids. Maggies says that there's no way of knowing who they will and will not see again anymore. I like that they are including little details like this. Today many people really don't print pictures anymore, and tend to store them on devices.
The militia has stopped to deal with the wounded soldier. Neville tells him that he has two choices: die quick or die painful. Neville holds up a vile of poison and tells him that if he drinks it, he won't feel a thing. Neville tells the soldier that where he is going, he will be warm, rested and fed. He tells him that he will be with his family and bask in the most beautiful light. It seems that Neville does have a heart after all.
Charlie continues to walk through the forest and when she comes across an old football, we get a flashback to her bouncing a basketball. A man steps on her ball when it rolls away, and her mother calls her. The man threatens to smash in Charlie's face and demands food. Her memory is interrupted by Miles, who wants to know why she is there. She demands the right to come because Charlie believes that Danny was kidnapped because of her. Charlie says that she and Danny never spent anytime apart until the day he was kidnapped because she was pouting like a child. Charlie wonders if she had been there, if she would have been able to keep Danny safe and her father alive. Charlie says that she has to help.
Back at the camp, Maggie is holding onto the iphone staring at it. Aaron shows Maggie what Ben gave him before he died and tells her that Ben wanted him to give it to a woman named Grace. We get a flash of Grace, who is working on the computer. Aaaron asks, "what if we could get the power back up? What if we could go home again? What if you could see your kids again?" They start to walk and Maggie asks if they take this to Grace how does this work and Aaron replies, "I don't know, he just said something about the power. The black out doesn't make any sense and we should be able to fix this." He goes onto say that if this man made then maybe they can fix it.
The militia men have a service for the dead soldier and Neville leads them in prayer. When he notices Danny looking at him with contempt, Neville tells him that if he has something to say, to spit it out and show some conviction. "You don't like that I killed that trigger back there, even though he owned guns and a rebel flag, even though he shot one of my boys. Well I will tell you what I think. The Monroe militia is the one thing between us and total anarchy. It's just a finger in the damn, but it's the only order we got left, Nevile says." Danny replies, "You want to know what I think? I think that you tell yourself that. I think the truth is that you like to kill. You're a murderer and a psychopath." Monroe cuts Danny off by grabbing his neck and says, "I appreciate the honesty." Truth be told, it's no wonder that this is the best scene up to this point. Neville has great intensity which makes every scene with Charlie so very flat by comparison.
Charlie and Miles are walking when they hear a sound and stop. People are being forced to push a military helicopter through the forest. Miles believes that this is a sign that Monroe thinks he can get the power going. Charlies asks what the prisoners did and Miles says, "most of them probably didn't pay their taxes." One of the people on the gang is Nora. When a prisoner falls to the ground, Nora begs him to get up, but when he doesn't, he is shot by the militia. Miles points out, "I may be good with a sword, but I can do jack shit against a weapon like that."
The chain gang has stopped for the night and Charlie looks on. When the militia member goes off to investigate the sound he heard, Miles slips in and frees Nora, who at first doesn't want to go. When the militia man returns, he sees that Nora is gone and demands that everyone wake up. Away from the gang, Nora says that she didn't need to be saved by Miles and that she got arrested on purpose because she is working a job. Apparently, she is there to steal the rifle. It seems that her plan was to sneak up, slit the wardens throat and take the gun. Nora reminds Miles that he promised to stay away from her. Charlie tells Nora that the militia took her brother and that Miles promised to get him back. Nora believes that there is more going on and Miles says that they need her help and she owes him. Nora agrees to go but says that she is not leaving without the gun. With the introduction of Nora, we now have two women of colour on Revolution.
Nora constructs some sort of home made gun and Miles points out that it is only good from about a foot away. Charlie agrees to do use it because she can pass as an innocent girl lost in the woods. Nora says that she likes it and Charlie. Miles immediately nixes the plan, saying that Charlie cannot do it because she will choke. He believe that because Charlie was not comfortable with him killing the bounty hunter that there is no way she can just walk up and shoot someone in the face. Charlie says that it is not about the rifle or Miles or Nora; it's about the 30 innocent people who are working as slaves. Charlie asks what is wrong with them that neither of them have talked or thought about the people.
The slaves start to drag the helicopter, when Charlie walks out of the woods declaring that she got lost hunting. We get another flashback to Charlie as a child being held captive by a man, as the present day Charlie walks toward the warden. We see her father come out and pull a weapon as the man hides behind Charlie using her as a shield. The man starts to walk away with the food and Ben threatens to shoot him and orders him to put down the food, but he keeps walking, sure in the knowledge that Ben will not shoot. The man does not get far, bcause Rachel shoots him in the back. When the warden asks Charlie where she is from, Charlie shoots him in the chest and Nora and Miles attack the other wardens with swords.
With the captives freed, Miles approaches Charlie to tell her that she did good. Charlie replies, "I killed two men today. Maybe that's not a big deal for you, maybe it's another Monday but we shouldn't have to do this. Things should be..." Miles tells her that she is very unusual.
Nora has taken off her shirt and is pouring alcohol into her wound, when Miles notices that she has an American flag tattooed on her back. Miles surmises that Nora has no intention of selling the rifle, but plans to give it away to the resistance. Miles is not pleased that she joined the rebels, but Nora says the rebels are patriots who are trying to bring back the United States.
Grace is typing on her computer when she hears a knock on her door. She opens it to find a man and then slams it shut. She rushes back to her computer and sends the message, "Randall is here" as he storms up the stairs.
Rachel is hard at work, when Monroe pops in to see her. It seems that Charlie's mom is alive after all. He tells her that Ben is dead and Rachel calls him a liar, and then accuses him of killing Ben. Monroe then tells Rachel that he has Danny and she lifts her arm to stab him with a pen, but Monroe blocks her and tells her that if she wants to see Danny again that she is going to talk about Ben, about what's happening and the power.
I think that Revolution is starting to get very interested. I was surprised to see Rachel and desperately want to know how she ended up with Monroe and why her family thinks she died. What is the secret with power and what do these flashdrives have to do with getting it turned back on? Who is Randall and does he work for Monroe? I love the way that the meta is continuing to grow, but I don't like Charlie though she is supposedly the moral center of the show.
Labels: 3.5 Fangs, dystopian, Revolution, television

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Coronavirus Ireland
Mandatory Covid-19 vaccination could be 'necessary for the overall good' says NIAC expert
Professor Karina Butler said the controversial measure would have to be given 'careful consideration'
Professor Karina Butler, Chair of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) (Image: Paddy Cummins/Collins)
Get the latest coronavirus headlines - and the latest on the easing of lockdown - by signing up to our FREE newsletter
Mandatory vaccination could be "necessary for the overall good", one of Ireland's leading immunisation experts has said.
Professor Karina Butler, chair of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC), said the controversial measure would have to be given "careful consideration."
Her comments come after minutes from a meeting of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) revealed the issue is to be discussed by public health experts.
"I think this is something that really has to be thought about. There are pros and cons to mandatory vaccination," Prof Butler told RTE's Today with Claire Byrne on Monday.
"I know this has been looked at by the department and a paper is being done on that and careful consideration will be given to it.
"It's always preferable if people can look at vaccinations, have the information, and be able to make informed decisions for themselves and get it.
"But there can be situations where making a vaccine a requirement is necessary for the overall good.
"But that's being looked at at the moment."
Recently published minutes of NPHET on December 16 said the issue would be discussed "at a later date".
A paper will set out the "relevant ethical and legal considerations pertaining to this topic", the minutes state.
More than 1,000 people in hospital in Ireland with Covid-19 as health system under 'continual strain'
Sinn Fein's health spokesman, David Cullinane, said he would not support the move.
"The voluntary vaccination programme has served us well. Mandatory vaccination would be a mistake" he wrote on Twitter.
"People were given the opportunity to listen to the medical & scientific experts & made their own judgments.
"Vaccines work but the voluntary system in my view works best."
Earlier, Health Service Executive chief executive Paul Reid indicated he would prefer vaccines to remain voluntary.
"I would prefer to be winning people's heart and minds," he said, referring to Ireland's already high take-up of vaccines.
Mr Reid said any decision would ultimately be up to the Government.
How bad is Covid in my area? One major hotspot as Ireland hit by Omicron cases surge
Covid Ireland: The key restrictions likely to remain in place until the end of January
Taoiseach Micheal Martin has previously backed the voluntary system over compelling the public to get jabbed.
Speaking to Newstalk in December, less than a week after the NPHET meeting where the issue was raised, Mr Martin noted Ireland's high vaccination levels and said there were "no guarantees" mandatory vaccination would work.
"I'm personally of the view that we stick with the voluntary system," he said.
"It's worked in Ireland, more than anywhere else in the world, at 94% fully vaccinated.
"You go across Europe and you're looking at 60% vaccination in some places.
"Some of those countries are now talking about mandatory vaccination.
"There's no guarantee that will work, by the way, in itself.
"I was listening to one prime minister talking about fines of 600 euros every three months - that's what a mandatory regime looks like.
"In my view, we have to keep pushing the voluntary approach, which has achieved an enormous amount."
Mr Martin has previously hit out at those who have not been vaccinated, saying they were having a "disproportionate" impact on the health service and that it was "clear as daylight" they are endangering their own health and the health of others.
Get the latest news from the Irish Mirror in your inbox
Want the latest breaking news and daily headlines delivered straight to you? Never miss a thing by signing up to our email updates here.
Every day we'll send you a round-up of the latest news, sport and entertainment all in one handy place.
For a more personalised browsing experience, download our free app for Android here or Apple here.
St Patrick's Day parade set to return as Luke O'Neill pinpoints when life will be 'normal'
Study estimates the places you are most likely to catch Covid with shopping a big surprise
Madeleine McCannMadeleine McCann investigators uncover new evidence that 'heavily incriminates' suspectTV channel Sat.1 will reveal more information about their investigation in a prime-time documentary
Transfer news LIVE as Paul Pogba linked with PSG plus Celtic and Liverpool updates
SoccerFollow here for LIVE transfer updates including the latest rumours for clubs such as Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City, Rangers, Celtic and more - plus links here in the LOI
Tyron Woodley finally addresses 'fix' accusation after being KO'd by Jake Paul
Tyron WoodleyWoodley has rubbished claims that the fight was "rigged" after he was sent crashing to the canvas with a brutal KO and claimed his "dive" that was suggested by fans was not "on purpose"


Run to the RoundHouse Rosie ... He Can't Corner You There !
Tradewinds & Atlantic Railroad's flagship locomotive, #1. Built in 1990 by Bob and Melvin Reese of E&S Lines in Ellington, it is a model of a Electro-Motive Division of General Motors (EMD) "F7″ Diesel-electric locomotive. The model is powered with a 5-1/2 hp Honda engine coupled to a hydraulic pump, which powers motors mounted between the wheels. #1. The purple and silver paint scheme is reminiscent of that used by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. Owned by the members of the Tradewinds & Atlantic Railroad.
Baltimore & Ohio #815 EMD "F7"
Also a model of an EMD "F7″ locomotive Baltimore & Ohio #815 was also built by E&S Lines and has the same power system as #1. The real locomotives had 1,500 horsepower and were built from 1949 to 1953. Owned by the members of the Tradewinds & Atlantic Railroad in memory of Bud Goodwin and Phil Bruno.
Union Pacific Railroad #2006 EMD "GP-60"
Union Pacific Railroad #2006 is a model of an EMD GP60. It is powered by batteries and has electric motors between each pair of wheels. Built by the late Jon Hollahan and Norman Brand in 2006. Restored & rewired by Frank Vanak, active Board Member. Originally owned by Britt Harrington & dontated to the members of the Tradewinds & Atlantic Railroad.
Santa Fe #347C (EMD) "F7"
Santa Fe #347C is a model of an EMD F7 built in Ellington, Florida by E&S Lines, Bob and Melvin Reese and has a 5-1/2 HP Honda engine like the others. Originally owned by Joel Shore. Build date is unknown but it was found hibernating in South Florida since 2003. Restored and owned by Michael Smith, active member and current President of the Tradewinds & Atlantic Railroad .
Baltimore & Ohio 65 Ton 2-1/2" scale Switcher by Roll Model Inc, is powered by 6 batteries under the body. Easily transported in the back of a SUV to other tracks. Owned by John Sparks active member and current Vice President of the Tradewinds & Atlantic Railroad.
Seaboard Coast Line #4900 "Doodlebug"
# 4900 is a "Doodlebug". It was used on the Tampa-Naples route to replace a steam locomotive. It had a cab for the engineer in front, a gas engine with mechanical transmission, space for mail and baggage, plus it could pull a coach or two. The model is powered by batteries. Built from scratch by the late Bob Anderson. Owned by past President of the Tradewinds & Atlantic Railroad. & Associate Member Kim Anderson.
Tradewinds Trolley Co. #9 is a freelance design that evokes the spirit of the San Francisco cable cars. Built of plywood with a metal frame, it is powered by batteries. Built and owned by past President of the Tradewinds & Atlantic Railroad & Associate Member Kim Anderson.
Illinois Terminal RR Co. #73 is a model of an electric locomotive or "motor". Powered by electricity from an overhead wire it had no engine inside it. The model is powered by batteries and has motors between the wheels. Built from scratch by the late Bob Anderson. Owned by past President of the Tradewinds & Atlantic Railroad. & Associate Member Kim Anderson.
Illinois Terminal RR Co. #1575 is another model of an electric locomotive or "motor". The unique thing about 1575 is that it is just a different body on the chassis of #73. A novel idea that allows the owner to have "two" locomotives for the price of one. Scratch built by the late Bob Anderson.Owned by past President of the Tradewinds & Atlantic Railroad. & Associate Member Kim Anderson.


text:
Our staff is comprised of dedicated and licensed professionals with the experience to answer all your questions regarding our services. Please feel free to contact any of our staff members at any time.
William E. Rupp
May 4, 1935 – June 16, 2009
Donna J. Rupp
Owner / Administrative Director
Donna J. Rupp is a graduate of St. Mary Academy. Donna is a lifetime resident of Monroe County. She is proud to continue the tradition of service and commitment to the families and the Monroe Community which has been the hallmark at Rupp Funeral Home, Inc. for over 150 years.
Timothy W. Roberts
Timothy W. Roberts grew up in Dearborn Heights and graduated from Robichaud High School in 2003. Before entering funeral service, he worked in the beverage industry for Coca-Cola and Red Bull. After suffering a great loss himself, and being moved by the compassion of the funeral director that cared for his family, Tim decided to go back to school and become a funeral director in hopes of being able to pay it forward by serving the families of his community with the care and compassion that was shown to him. Tim graduated from the Wayne State University Mortuary Science Program in 2014, Magna Cum Laude. He received the Mary Louise Williams Science Award for demonstrating outstanding performance in chemistry, microbiology, pathology, and anatomy, as well as receiving numerous scholarships. Tim searched for a community to call home, and worked at a few different funeral homes before deciding to join the Rupp Funeral Home team and make Monroe County his home. Tim, his wife (Ally), their 2 daughters (Rylee and Piper), just recently moved to the County. Tim is involved with the Michigan Funeral Directors Association, National Funeral Directors Association, Michigan Embalmers Society, Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice, and the Mi-Mort Mass Fatality Response Team, as well as having received the CFSP, CCO, and CMFP designations. Tim has recently obtained his Ohio Funeral Directer/Embalmer license and Pre-Need Funeral license to have the ability to better serve families. Tim enjoys hunting, fishing, hockey, and spending time with family and friends.
Polly A. Rupp-Wehner
Polly A. Rupp-Wehner is a graduate of Monroe High School and Michigan College of Beauty as a licensed cosmetologist. She also attended Central Michigan University and Monroe County Community College. Polly is a Directors Assistant and directs daily office operations.
Chelsea A. Rupp-Seegert
MultiMedia Specialist
Chelsea A. Rupp-Seegert is the daughter of Polly Rupp-Wehner and a graduate of Monroe County Middle College. Chelsea serves as a Board Member for Stepping Stones Therapeutic Riding and has volunteered there for more than 15 years. When she has free time she can usually be found riding her horses.
Thomas W. Miller
Licensed Funeral Director
Thomas W. Miller is a licensed Funeral Director in Michigan and Ohio. He is a graduate of Whitmer High School and Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. Tom also attended University of Toledo. He has given over 30 years to the funeral service profession.
Mary E. Lehr
Mary grew up in Royal Oak and graduated from Royal Oak High School in 2009. In 2013, she graduated with an associates in liberal arts and sciences at Oakland Community College. In 2015 she went to Wayne State University to get her bachelors of Mortuary Science to become a funeral director. Mary came down for an apprenticeship position in the Downriver area and now has joined our team here in Monroe. Mary likes to spend her free time going to arts and crafts fairs, thrifting for treasures, and binge watching certain Netflix shows.
Terry L. Crawford
Funeral Planning and Pre-need Specialist
Terry L. Crawford is a 1982 graduate of Riverside High School in Dearborn Heights, MI. Terry has been certified as a Michigan Advance Planning Professional since 2010, and has worked in funeral service since 2008. Prior to her entry into the funeral industry, she had worked for Ford Motor Company for 13 years, retiring in 2008. Terry is happily married to her husband Brad, together they have 4 children and 5 grandchildren. She is an active member of North Monroe Street Church of God, and currently serves as a Funeral Planning and Pre-need Specialist here at Rupp Funeral Home, Inc.
Rev. Lawrence E. Detruf
Rev. Lawrence E. Detruf is a graduate of Edwards County High School and Walbash Valley Community College in Illinois, and a graduate of Warner Southern College in Florida with a degree in Pastoral Ministries. Larry is a Directors Assistant here at Rupp Funeral Home, Inc.
Rupp Funeral Home, Inc. Support Team
Nancy Barron
Licensed Cosmetologist
Betty Robertson
Business Secretary
Michelle Feaganes
Funeral Director Assistant


N-tyze Entertainment and FP Entertainment is set to take rave of the moment – HUMBLESMITH a.k.a Osinachi crooner on his "Osinachi EUROPE Tour".
The Tour is scheduled to kick off from the 1st of July – 31st of July 2016.
Humblesmith will be touring major countries in Europe such as Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, Holland and many more.
BOB KELLY +2347032457950,+2348022241248 | SKIMMY YAH +31617795700.


text:
The head of Juul's comments come in a documentary about an "epidemic" of vaping among young people.
Facebook's Libra could be misused, says treasury chief Mnuchin
Steven Mnuchin joins other powerful voices in warning that the cryptocurrency could be misused.
Boeing ditches 737 Max name on new Ryanair plane
Photos show "737 Max" has been replaced with "737-8200" on plane, fuelling speculation about a rebrand.
Sports Direct delays results as House of Fraser trading 'uncertain'
Mike Ashley's company says "uncertain" trading at House of Fraser is part of the reason for the delay.


text:
Die Baureihe 705 umfasst Bahndienstfahrzeuge der DB Netz, die insbesondere zur Instandhaltung der langen Tunnel auf den Schnellfahrstrecken dienen. Sie werden daher auch als Tunnelinstandhaltungsfahrzeug (TIF) bezeichnet.

705 001

1992 wurde das Fahrzeug 705 001 von der deutschen Plasser mit der Fabriknummer 2454 an die damalige Deutsche Bundesbahn ausgeliefert.

Konstruktion
Der Aufbau wird durch einen geschweißten Rahmen getragen. Die Arbeiter können das Dach begehen und die Geländer auf dem Dach sind umklappbar. Auf dem Dach wurde auch eine Hubdrehbühne angebracht. Der Triebwagen führt auch einen Hubsteiger mit sich, der bis zu 11 m über die Schienenoberkante gehoben werden kann.

Im Innenraum des Wagenkastens sind Führerstände, ein Mehrzweckraum, ein Aufenthaltsraum und eine Nasszelle installiert worden.

Bei Streckenfahrten treibt ein Zwölfzylinder-Dieselmotor BF 12L513C von KHD das Fahrzeug an. Während einer Untersuchungsfahrt sorgt ein Vierzylindermotor BF 4L1011T von KHD mit einer Leistung von 44 kW für die Fortbewegung des Fahrzeuges.

Baureihe 705.1

Die Fahrzeuge der Baureihe 705.1 stellen eine neue Generation von Instandhaltungsfahrzeugen dar, die neben der Tunnelinstandhaltung auch zur Schneeräumung sowie als Gleisarbeitsfahrzeug zum Einsatz kommen. Daher werden sie auch als Multifunktionales Instandhaltungsfahrzeug (MISS) bezeichnet. Drei Kräne mit einer Reichweite von bis zu 14,5 m sind installiert. Ein erstes Exemplar wurde auf der InnoTrans 2016 in Berlin präsentiert.

Im Jahr 2016 lieferte Plasser & Theurer die Fahrzeuge 705 101 und 705 102 (Fabriknummern 6358 und 6359) an die DB Netz aus.

Für den Digitalen Knoten Stuttgart kann eine ETCS-Ausrüstung eines Fahrzeugs durch den Bund gefördert werden.

Baureihe 705.2

Anfang 2017 erhielt DB Netz die ersten beiden Fahrzeuge der Baureihe 705.2. Diese sind als Multifunktionales Instandhaltungsfahrzeug Streckeninfrastruktur (MISS) für den Einsatz auf den Neubaustrecken VDE 8.1 (Neubaustrecke Ebensfeld–Erfurt) und VDE 8.2 (Neubaustrecke Erfurt–Leipzig/Halle) vorgesehen und bei den Produktionsdurchführungen Erfurt und Halle stationiert. Sie können Schienen bis 20 m Länge transportieren, Schnee mittels anbaubarer Fräse, Pflug oder Besen räumen, Tunnelwände inspizieren sowie mit einem Schwellenfachgreifer arbeiten. Eine Arbeitsplattform erlaubt den Transport von Material und Arbeitsgeräten. Weiterhin sind zwei Krane mit Arbeitskorb installiert. Das Fahrzeug bietet Platz für elf Personen.

Nach Zulassung durch das Eisenbahn-Bundesamt ist ein Probebetrieb ab August 2017 geplant.

Die ebenfalls von Plasser & Theurer produzierten Fahrzeuge mit den Fabriknummern 6463 und 6464 verkehren als 705 201 (Standort Erfurt) und 705 202 (Standort Halle). Für die Schnellfahrstrecke Erfurt–Nürnberg hat DB Netz insgesamt drei Fahrzeuge angeschafft.

Zusammen mit den Fahrzeugen der Baureihe 705.1 sollen bis November 2017 insgesamt 12 MISS-Fahrzeuge ausgeliefert werden.

Literatur

Weblinks

 BR 705.0, BR 705.1 und BR 705.2 auf eisenbahndienstfahrzeuge.de
 Fotos von Fahrzeugen der Baureihe 705

Einzelnachweise

705
705
705
Schienenfahrzeug (Plasser & Theurer)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Your client's bathroom is one of the most used rooms in their house. You want guests to be pleasantly surprised when they enter their restroom. At ProSource Wholesale, our showroom features dozens of unique bathroom displays. Here, you will be able to observe different styles and get inspired for your own remodeling project. Every day, new trends are surfacing in the world of remodeling and ProSource is your way of viewing all of them.
If your client's current bathroom sink is inspiring a yawn, perhaps a new sink bowl would be beneficial. At ProSource of San Diego, we have dozens of unique designs that will alter the overall look of your client's bathroom.
If your client is getting a new sink, odds are they will need a new bathroom sink faucet as well. Lucky for you, ProSource has plenty of options to choose from ranging in material, style, and design.
Your client's shower is one of the most common items to upgrade in their bathroom. With a newer, more luxurious style of shower, you will elevate your client's bathroom aesthetics to new heights. At our showrooms, you will be able to see new shower designs, shower head features, and even alternative shower door options. Coming to our showroom is the best way to see and learn how to make your client's bathroom one of the best rooms in their house.
Vanities are a great way to increase your client's bathroom visual value. If you want to make your client's bathroom look like one of a kind, our bathroom displays can give you the inspiration you need to get started on your remodeling project.
The quality of your client's bathtub is important to their bathing experience. If they have a faulty, old bathtub, perhaps getting a new one would suit your needs. Come to ProSource of San Diego to see the different styles of tubs we have on display.
If your client is looking to replace their toilet with a newer, better-working model, ProSource of San Diego is your number-one resource. Stop by our showroom.


Spectroscope - Auctions, Sources, Manuals, Parts & Acc. for Spectroscopes.
Auctions, Sources, Manuals, Parts & Acc. For Spectroscopes.
The Spectroscope site is designed to help you quickly and easily find the latest Spectroscope reviews, information, videos and Spectroscopes for sale on eBay.
The information on this site is updated hourly, so if you are interested in Spectroscope, bookmark this site so you can check for the latest information and bargains on Spectroscopes. Also, new auctions constantly appear on this site. Make this one of the sites you visit every day, so you don't miss out on any Spectroscope deals.


text:
Research Field Transformation
Academic Initiative on Culture
Cultures of Critique
Democracy and Values Research
Management and Entrepreneurship
Behavior and Governance
Sustainability Research
Current Research Information System (CRIS)
support-skills
GradSkills
Research Communications
Transparency in Research
Ethical Review Board
Humboldt Fellow Dr. Ezekiel Olajimbiti: The secret language of street children.
2021-11-21 The Nigerian linguist is conducting research as a visiting scholar at the Insitute of English Studies. He wants to decode constructed gang identities and thus re-engage with the neglected children of his homeland.
©Leuphana/Marie Meyer
"I can build up an international network. You remain a Humboldt Fellow for life."
More than ten million children in Nigeria are out of school. Many of them live on the street. Reasons are manifold: their parents have no money, can hardly solve their own problems, or have died. The state does not show serious concern and care for the children - neither financially nor ideally. Many find a new family and identity in street gangs. The young people beg, steal, take and sell drugs or prostitute themselves. Nigeria's cities are becoming increasingly unsafe, the crime rate is rising. Police and aid organisations are trying to improve the situation, but it is almost impossible for them to reach the children and young people and break up structures. The gangs use their own linguistic code, which on the one hand enables covert communication among themselves and on the other hand creates identity and solidarity within the group. Linguist Dr. Ezekiel Olajimbiti sees the deciphering of the gang code as an important means to get in touch with the street children. "Previous studies have largely focused on intervention programmes and coping mechanisms from sociological, clinical, anthropological and psychological perspectives. Few studies on discourse analysis of street children have examined gender, metaphors, labelling and the language of representations, leaving aside the specificity of their code, which can shed light on how they construct deviance and street identity through their discourses," explains Ezekiel Olajimbiti. The scholar most recently conducted research on discourse analysis of gang language at Federal University Lokoja in Nigeria and will continue his research as a visiting scholar at the Insitute of English Studies for the next two years. During this time, Ezekiel Olajimbiti will be supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation as a George Forster Research Fellow. The fellowship provides him with financial and non-material support: "I can build up an international network. You remain a Humboldt Fellow for life," says the scientist. He deliberately chose Leuphana and the Institute of English Studies: "I am convinced by Professor Anne Barron's methodological approach to discourse analysis, pragmatics and sociolinguistics," says Ezekiel Olajimbiti. Another decisive factor in his decision to come to the University of Lüneburg was the Laguage-in-Action Lab. The language lab offers researchers and students technical support and methodological advice in the collection and analysis of linguistic data. It is run by the Chair of English Linguistics and cooperates with Leuphana's Method Centre.
Ezekiel Olajimbiti's research focuses on children's representations and language, media, and internet pragmatics at the intersection of pragmatics and discourse analysis and semantics. "I want to decode the linguistic code of Nigerian street children to help reduce crime and promote a peaceful, inclusive society. By understanding the children's argot and constructed street identities, we can also contextualise their socio-cultural experiences and their associated ideological implications. The findings are not only important for the situation in Nigeria but other developing countries where the menace of street children is prevalent."
Ezekiel Olajimbiti studied sociolingustics at the University of Ado-Ekiti/Nigeria. In his master's and doctoral studies at the University of Ibadan/Nigeria, he focused on discourse analysis and pragmatics. Teaching and research visits have taken him to Elizade University and the University of Ibadan, among others. Since 2019, he has been teaching at the Federal University of Lokoja/Nigeria in the Department of English and Literary Studies. Ezekiel Olajimbiti has received various awards including Ekiti State Government Scholarship Award 2008 for best undergraduate performance, Ekiti State Government Scholarship Award 2013 for outstanding postgraduate and British Writing Training Award on Childhood Studies from the British Council, at the University of Ghana, Legon. From 2021 to 2023, he will be funded by the - Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. The fellowship is aimed at experienced researchers, especially from the global south.
Laguage-in-Action Lab
Personal Website of Dr. Olajimbiti
Prof. Dr. Anne Barron
Dr. Ezekiel Opeyemi Olajimbiti
Contact Dr. Marietta Hülsmann / 21.11.2021


I had made plans to go to Grayland Friday 9 Sep and Saturday 10 Sep, local time. On Thursday, I saw the announcements of major solar flares and thought that my timing might be very good to do something I have always wanted to do –DX from Grayland during a supermajor geomagnetic storm.
It happened. The K indices ranged from 4 to 9 (the highest value on the K scale!) during that period, and the A index hit an astonishing 90. I'd call that supermajor. The auroral oval crept all the way into the US; it covered Washington state and visible aurora was sighted in New York state.
No surprise then that I heard not a single station from Japan, China, or for that matter anywhere at all in Asia. There were NO DX signals from anywhere except Australia, New Zealand, and the southern Pacific islands. Even California was weaker than I've ever heard: KGO and KFBK were poor-fair and DU DX came through, along with other 10 KHz channels.
At 1100 I awoke to find an amazing dial: no Asia at all, only a few NZ stations (the stronger guys like Radio National on 567 and 675) and a dial full of Aussies. There was a signal on almost all DU channels up to maybe 1200 KHz but fewer (not by much) above 1200. However, after about 1200 signals declined and after half an hour I started to think it was going to become a boring morning. As soon as I thought it, signals came roaring back and it became a night to remember.
Off to sleep some, and then disaster stuck: late in the afternoon the power went off for the entire Washington coast from Aberdeen down to at least North Cove. Should I bother to put out an antenna for Sunday morning? And more importantly, where do I eat dinner? Fortunately the electricity came back in time for me to put the antenna out.
Sunday morning (9-11) I woke again at 1100 to find no Asia, lots of Aussies (including many that weren't heard 9-10: go figure), but many NZ stations had magically appeared. I soon forgot all about 9-10 as 9-11 was even better.
And here's the auroral oval: note that the oval itself extended to Washington state.
Here's a curious picture of the southern auroral oval. See the oval extending to the southern island of New Zealand and Tasmania?
All DX was on a 1000' Beverage (on the ground) at 213 degrees, unterminated.
540 New Zealand Radio Rhema all alone and good.
630 Australia briefly on top of the channel.
720 Hawaii blocking all the real DX.
810 unid DU mixing with KGO.
900 Hawaii in the way again.
990 unid – see the logs.
1530 Australia – in the course of logging most of the 2SM net, this was noted on top of a weakened KFBK.
Plus bunches and bunches of stations in the 2 kW to 5 kW range that hadn't been heard in Grayland before.
1557 AUSTRALIA mix of mx and talk, both poor+. The talk sounded like a horse race but could have been some other sports event. The mx is likely 2RE Taree with the 2SM country music show. I really have no clue on the sports – it shouldn't be NZ's ZB Talk Radio which leaves only the somewhat unlikely 500 watter 5?? in Renamrk, S. Australia.


text:
Caledon es un pueblo canadiense de la provincia de Ontario enclavada dentro del Municipio Regional de Peel. Aunque es un núcleo urbano, su principal fuente de recursos es la agricultura y la vegetación.

El término está formado por un gran número de áreas urbanas, aldeas y caseríos siendo Bolton el principal centro urbano del municipio. Está situado al noroeste de Brampton. En cuanto a la población, según el censo de 2011, residían 59.460 habitantes.

Está considerada la ciudad más segura de Canadá por la revista MacLean's, sin embargo en 2010 aumentaron los índices de criminalidad tras el artículo de dicha publicación.

Distritos escolares
del idioma inglés:
 Consejo Distrital de Escuelas de Peel
 Junta de Escuelas Católicas de Dufferin-Peel
del idioma francés:
 Conseil scolaire Viamonde
 Junta Escolar del Distrito Católico Centro-Sur

Referencias

Enlaces externos

Town of Caledon
Mayors Youth Council

Localidades de Ontario


When I was in college we were required to dress for dinner. "Dress," that is, as in "wear a skirt or a dress," not as in "put clothes on." All meals had to be taken in our dorm, and anyone wearing pants to the dining room was turned away. It goes without saying that the dorm residents were all women; men were allowed only in the common rooms downstairs, (two feet on the floor at all times when sitting on the couches in those doorless rooms), and only till eleven PM, when they were rounded up, the entrance doors were locked, and we were signed in for the night.
It is difficult even for those of us who lived through it to remember that this was the way it was; it seems so very quaint that it might just as well have happened hundreds of years ago. But this was not the dark ages, it was the late 1960s.
But when things changed for us, they changed virtually overnight. One day all those rules were in place (including one that required that, for Sunday dinners, we wear heels and nylons); the next day they were gone. Oh, I know, it didn't happen quite like that; there was a slight transition period in which the rules were stretched before they were entirely eliminated. But that period was very short. My first two years of college were as described; by my senior year, one could wear any clothes at all to the dining room, and boys were living upstairs with their girlfriends, doors closed (de facto; not yet de jure).
For those who weren't there, it's hard to convey the dizzying pace of the change. And, once such change happens, there's no turning back--at least it seems that way.
But a recent article in the style section of NY Times (what used to, long ago, be called the women's pages)--about, of all people, Camilla Parker-Bowles--made me think of those days again.
Just last weekend she created a mini-maelstrom by appearing in public while on vacation in the Scottish Highlands in - gasp - a pair of blue jeans... But the debate loudly conducted in the press wasn't about straight leg versus easy fit. Instead, Mrs. Parker Bowles' choice in trousers inspired conniptions over what may strike most Americans as a very antiquated question: Should women her age be wearing jeans? Definite answers came fast. "I THINK NOT, MA'AM" screamed the headline over a two-page spread on the subject in The Daily Mail on March 29. At 57, the paper snorted, Mrs. Parker Bowles should keep in mind that "jeans are a young person's garment." Even in her comfort zone, sometimes Mrs. Parker Bowles can't win. Among upper-class women, Ms. Andrews sniffed, "Wearing jeans past a certain age just isn't done."
So, perhaps one can go back, at least in the UK. Yes, it does strike Americans--at least, this American--as an antiquated question. But then it occurred to me that this question may indeed have tapped into the very essence of having a Royal Family.
Queen Elizabeth, an attractive woman, has always seemed to me to be so magnificently and classically dowdy in her dress and hair that it must be a conscious act. The pace of change in the lives of most of us has been so fast that it threatens us with vertigo, and the Royals must be meant to provide a steadying vision, the still point in the turning world. Camilla may represent change of a sort--after all, in years past, she would have been relegated to the status of Mistress for Life. The times they have a-changed, though, and the wedding will happen--Camilla will marry her Prince. But she is expected to cling to certain standards of the past in the matter of dress, to slow us all down in this dizzying, spinning world.
I apologize in advance because this comment has nothing to do with this post about Camille's fashion (I'm a 21 yr old college guy, whose 'fashion' consists of a hoody, baggy jeans, and a ball cap everyday!). I found you're blog from NRO's the Corner and read through 'The Mind is a Difficult Thing to Change' series about your political conservion. I think it's pretty cool had this experience. I've been a conservative all my life, and after three years in college I've managed to remain a right-winger (although I'm not fully on board with the social conservative agenda, namely their antagonism toward gays). I love reading about how other people, like Roger Simon, have gone through similiar conversions. In the same vain, I think it's important to read about people that have gone the other way as well. Anyway, sorry for the long comment. Love your blog and will be a regular reader. You might want to check out my blog as well: http://demrealists.blogspot.com.
Poor Camilla (my almost age mate)...truth is, she's giving up a lot to marry Prince Charles. I positively glory in the fact that I wear blue jeans (most often with dirty knees, no less) pretty much everyday as I grub about my bushes, flower beds and property. I love the fact that I grocery shop at Walmart where the fashion standards are nonexistent. I feel very fortunate to live an invisible life and have few people pass judgement on me. My husband and I view each other kindly and practice the golden rule so we can both get pretty grubby during the course of a day without the other making a snide comment.
Well, Blogger seems to be working for you again. Congratulations on your new-found notoriety!
The poor Brits - denied the joys of bluejeans once they hit the wall of, what, 40? 50? I'm 56 and LIVE in bluejeans - so I'm ready for anything - digging in the garden, walking the dog, lunch with friends (add heels and a suede jacket and you can look sooo chic). It's sad to be so constrained by societal "shoulds." At 56, I've earned the right to wear whatever I please!
it doesn't take much, a few outspoken persons can be the catalyst the brings a rotten edifice down.
Hi, I was out blogging and found your site. It certainly got my attention and interest. I was looking for Shorts information and even though this isn't a perfect match I enjoyed your site. Thanks for the read.
Hi, I was out blogging and found your site. It certainly got my attention and interest. I was looking for Dresses information and even though this isn't a perfect match I enjoyed your site. Thanks for the read.


text:
Hungry Snowbound Couple Rescued From Remote Mountain in Ventura County After 2 Week Camping Trip
Being stranded on a remote snow-covered road in the West doesn't always end as well as it did for a couple on a mountain north of Los Angeles.
The pair and their two dogs were plucked by helicopter and taken to safety after they ran out of food and water and phoned for help from a camping trip that turned into snowbound two-week test, authorities said Thursday.
The man and woman in their mid-30s were in good condition and didn't need to be hospitalized after being airlifted from Alamo Mountain on Wednesday.
Campers just rescued after snowed in their vehicle for 14 days, Alamo Mountain,n/w of Castaic. #LASD Air Rescue 5 inserted SEB Tactical Medics to rescue campers, who had run out of food & water. A man, a woman & their two dogs were hoisted out & flown to safety. @SCVSHERIFF pic.twitter.com/XoMMpGALQz
— SEB (@SEBLASD) January 23, 2019
"They were tired, (sun) burned, dirty, but definitely glad to see me," said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Charles Miranda, a paramedic who was lowered down to assess their condition. "Neither had any complaints other than 'We're tired, we're hungry.'"
By the measure of winter ordeals, their experience was mild.
In 2006, a San Francisco family of four got stranded on snowy road in Southern Oregon while trying to cut from Interstate 5 to the coast. The mother and two daughters were rescued nine days later, but the father, James Kim, who had walked more than 16 miles (26 kilometers) in the cold and snow for help was found dead in a creek.
In 1992, a young California couple with an infant son bound for a family funeral in Idaho took a shortcut through the Nevada desert and got marooned in a blizzard. Jim Stolpa walked 50 miles (81 kilometers) for help and he and his wife, Jennifer, lost all their toes to frostbite in a tale that was turned into a TV movie.
In the case of the Southern California campers, whose names have not been released, their trip was intended for fun near the 7,400-foot (2,255-meter) peak that is about 60 miles (100 kilometers) northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
The area is not far from Interstate 5, but the mountains are rugged and remote and mainly only accessible on dirt roads that aren't plowed in winter.
Miranda said he thinks the couple misjudged the weather forecast. A series of storms brought four days of rain and snow to the area last week.
"Typically the news kind of over exaggerates the coming storm and you get a little sprinkle," Miranda said. "I think they underestimated what was going to happen and they got dumped on."
The couple camped in their Dodge Dakota pickup and ran the engine intermittently for warmth, Miranda said.
They had warm clothing and only ran into problems when their food ran out and they no longer had fuel for their stove to melt drinking water.
The couple hiked about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) to get cellphone reception and then returned to their pickup to retrieve their Chihuahua and mid-size dog after speaking with officers.
The helicopter crew had the coordinates of where the couple made the 911 call, but it took a while to follow faint tracks in the crusty snow to find the truck, Miranda said.
The truck was parked in the road, blocked by snow and a large pine tree that had fallen down. The man had managed to shovel a short distance, but "had miles to go," Miranda said.
Another camper stranded on nearby Mount Pinos was rescued after calling for help Jan. 14, the first day of the storm.
Deputies couldn't initially get through deep snow in 4-wheel drive vehicles to reach the 24-year-old woman, but another team in snowcats, which have tank-like treads and are used for grooming ski slopes, rescued her, the Ventura County Sheriff's Department said.
The road to Alamo Mountain and campgrounds in the area are currently listed as closed.
When the helicopter finally spotted the pair, they were jumping up and down.
Miranda, who usually responds to cases involving major injuries, said it was nice to have a more "benign" rescue.
"They were very glad to see us," he said.
Trademark and Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.


text:
Affordable housing development on track for autumn completion in Middleton
On 24 March 2014 By leeds11
A new housing development in Middleton is taking shape in time for its completion later this year.
Middleton Park Councillors Kim Groves, Judith Blake and Paul Truswell visited the new development off Thorpe Road near Middleton town centre.
The project will see 122 new houses and bungalows built by Sanctuary Group in conjunction with Leeds City Council and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). Part of the development is already completed and new tenants have moved in.
The development is part of a £12.9million programme to provide affordable housing to rent or purchase in Leeds. The project on Thorpe Road has led to the creation of new jobs with contractor Keepmoat, including four new apprenticeship posts.
Councillors Groves, Blake and Truswell had a tour around some of the completed properties and saw first-hand construction work on the rest of the site.
Other affordable housing projects are in the pipeline for South Leeds, including new housing on Old Acre Square in Middleton being built by Leeds Federated. Initial discussions are planned for a possible new housing development off of Newhall Gate in Belle Isle. These are in addition to the Unity Housing scheme in Holbeck and the PFI-funded housing in Beeston Hill and Holbeck.
The Council, Keepmoat, HCA and local Councillors have worked together to ensure that more affordable housing is available in the area and have committed to look at future opportunities for new projects.
Councillor Kim Groves (Labour, Middleton Park) said:
"Providing affordable homes in our community remains one of our key priorities, and we are delighted therefore that this project is nearing completion. It was great to visit some of the completed homes which boast modern energy efficiency measures which will make them cheaper to live in. I look forward to seeing the site completed in autumn and eagerly await talks on future developments in the area."
Rob Harbourne (Sanctuary's development manager) said:
"We are proud to be part of the regeneration taking place in Middleton. We have already completed 54 new homes and our tenants are delighted with them. A further 68 will be completed in phases between now and the end of the year and 18 of these fantastic new homes will be available for sale on a shared ownership basis. Each new home has been finished to a high standard and will undoubtedly enhance the lives of those moving into them and add to the real sense of community in Middleton.
"The wider community is also set to benefit from this and other developments, both through the creation of green spaces and the new jobs and training opportunities offered on site. This has included the employment of two bricklaying apprentices and two construction operatives taken on through our contractors, Keepmoat."
Middleton South LeedsapprenticeshipsCllr Judith BlakeCllr Kim GrovesCllr Paul TruswellHomes and Communities AgencyHousingKeepmoatLeeds Federated Housing AssociationNewhall GateSanctuary GroupThorpe RoadUnity Housing
PREVIOUS POST Previous post: Holbeck Neighbourhood Forum to elect its first Board
NEXT POST Next post: How to win friends and influence planning panels: The Beeston Campaign for Affordable Homes
3 Replies to "Affordable housing development on track for autumn completion in Middleton"
Craig Sweaton says:
Although I welcome new homes being built in the area I must object to the term "affordable". The houses are around £27 per week more expensive than the equivalent council houses, which equates to over £100 per month extra that a tenant needs to earn just to make up the difference.
At almost £100pw for a two bedroom house, this is in the same price bracket as private rental! With people struggling to pay for child care and wages not rising by nearly as much as the cost of living, I feel more should be done to keep these rentals in line with local authority prices.
Melanie Rachel Prideaux says:
How do I go about getting one of these houses
Jeremy Morton says:
I've looked on the Sanctuary website and it says:
"Please call 0800 131 3348 or 0300 123 3511 for details on applying for housing in your area."


On February 22, we visited Red Bay Baptist Church (Florida). Pastor Rodney Infinger and the congregation welcomed us enthusiastically. Pastor Infinger graciously yielded the pulpit for the entire service. The folks were engaged and attentive. Following the worship service, we were treated to a genuine, old-fashioned, everything-was-homemade dinner. Years ago, it would have been dinner on the grounds. It was, instead, dinner in the fellowship hall. The food reminded me of my childhood. The accommodations did not. Sitting comfortably in a chair inside a warm building made the culinary visit to the good old days even better. Did I mention how good the food was? Peas, rutabagas, deviled eggs, greens, corn bread. Fried chicken? Of course! Are you hungry yet?
We were gratified by the many who came by to view the display, give encouragement, and ask questions. Our thanks for the kind smiles, generous donations, and especially for those who committed to pray for and with us.
What a contrast we encountered. We enjoyed the meal described above just after we shared the famine of the Word of God suffered by the Ayacucho Quechua. Although nominally Christian, their belief system is in reality a syncretic blend of Catholicism and traditional animism. As far as religions go, theirs is as good as any, since no religion will save from sin. Only a relationship with Jesus Christ can free a sinner from the shame, fear and guilt of sin.