text:
L'AVN Award for Best Transgender One-on-One Sex Scene è un premio pornografico assegnato alle attrici impegnate in una scena transessuale votata come migliore dalla AVN, l'ente che assegna gli AVN Awards, riconosciuti come i migliori premi del settore (paragonabile al Premio Oscar).

Come per gli altri premi, viene assegnato nel corso di una cerimonia che si svolge a Las Vegas, solitamente nel mese di gennaio, dal 2020.

Vincitrici

Anni 2020

Note

Collegamenti esterni

AVN Awards

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Mantra Pura Resort Pattaya 7 out of 10 From 1,225 Baht (41 USD) 9 ratings. 5 user reviews.
This resort is built on a prime land within the city of Pattaya, just minutes away from top attractions and beaches. The Mantra Pura Resort has three low-rise buildings which house 123 tasteful guest rooms with their balconies facing the tropical lagoon-style swimming pool. Boasting superb facilities and warm hospitality, The resort offers a home away from home for its guests. For leisure, relax in the sauna, take a dip in the Jacuzzi, or enjoy yourself in the steam room. For those who prefer to keep fit, head to the gym that is fully equipped with many cardio and exercise machines to keep you occupied for hours. For added comfort and convenience, the concierge service provides a one-stop service for all your needs. Just dial AYS from your room and all your needs will be catered to.
Mantra Pura Resort is located in the heart of Pattaya on North Pattaya Road. 1:30 hours from Bangkok International Airport.
Warm welcome from staff ,perfect for relaxing ,especially popular with Thai people.Good breakfast, just a few minutes away from the beach, very quite in the area during the night.
We stayed there for 4 persons in 2 bedroom type. The room is quite big, and there are 2 toilets as well.The rooms is set menu but on request with waite if you need some more. swimming pool very good.The hotel itself is not close to any beach in Pattaya. In summary, we think this hotel will get only 3 stars at most.
Hotel is on third road,Just hop on to a bus for 20 baht, and reach beach road/walking street in no time.Rooms are well maintained but a little small in size,If you want a good view, pay extra for room with pool view, as they have a good balcony.The bed itself was big and comfortable with nice pillows. I had very good night sleeps.The staff was friendly and helpful.Buffet breakfast was in a separate building and was served from 7 to 11am it not bad.


Red & Green Hulk Hikari XS!
Shown in a glittery red and green the Hulk is the latest Hikari XS 2-pack!
Act fast as this 2-pack is limited to 750 pieces!"
Re: Red & Green Hulk Hikari XS!
I was just saying 20 mins ago id love a hulk. I assumed today would have been spidey or 2nd capn. And then bham! Woot!!!!
Awww, he's so angry and adorable He is looking a little trim for Hulk to me. Wish he'd been just a tad wider.
Interesting, I love the colors they went with.
We always know they look better in person too. Cant wait!
synergy56 wrote: Awww, he's so angry and adorable He is looking a little trim for Hulk to me. Wish he'd been just a tad wider.
I was trying to figure out why the face didn't look as Hulk-y to me as the other figures, I think this is why!
I'm a big fan of the mini hikari, but these are a pass for me. cant quite put my finger on what it is about them that throws me off.
There must be a licensing thing happening with the body portions. Dorbz dodged the bobble-head loop hole as did these with a very similar body shape to Dorbz. Funko must be restricted to that dimension/stance for non-bobble head items.
These look awesome. Not sure if I'll get them but probably.
I'm still in the fence of whether or not I want to buy these or not.
These are sweet! Not that into the Hulk, but I would definitely consider purchasing them if I saw them.
Haha, these are so cute. Love the red color, the classic 'angry' color.
These are cool looking but a pass..
Compound Hulk! This is an amazing 2 pack!
I like them, but pass.
They look cool, but don't think I will buy them. I think regular Hulk will look cooler.
Hi, my name is Calvin!
They do look cool but need to save money for SDCC, been buying a lot of pops lately.
Have to say that they are cute but do I want to go down the Hikari road.
These are cool but I think he should be beefier looking.
I love the colors on the mini Hulk Hikaris too. I saw that someone received a 1:1 Red fire Hikari full size Hulk Hikari from Brian M. during a Fugitive event I believe. That might be a hard one to obtain considering there was only one made.


Germany captain Michael Ballack has hit back at criticism from Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge over his move from Bayern to Chelsea.
Ballack dismissed Rummenigge's comment that Bayern did the right thing by "letting Ballack go" on a free transfer at the end of last season.
"Herr Rummenigge should simply tell the truth and accept the fact a player decides to go to another club," Ballack said.
After the midfielder decided to leave, Rummenigge publicly questioned Ballack's character and commercial manager Uli Hoeness said Ballack was only interested in money.
Ballack was jeered at his final home match in Munich and blamed Rummenigge at the time for shifting public opinion against him.
The German admitted he was still adjusting to England and finding it difficult to take advantage of his strength in the air.


The former home of Mahatma Gandhi, the Mani Bhavan Gandhi Museum is a Gujarati-style house featuring three floors for visitors to explore. The house did not belong to Gandhi but served as his home and headquarters in Bombay for 17 eventful years between 1917 and 1934; it belonged to a friend of his, who was his host whenever he visited the city. Several important events and activities in Gandhi's political life took place or were initiated at this place - he was arrested on the terrace in 1932. The museum houses an incredible library, full of Gandhi-related books, periodicals, photographs, posters and even the great man's old charkha (spinning wheel). His old room has been preserved as it was when he lived in it, as far as possible, and there is a Picture Gallery and an Auditorium that plays Gandhi's speeches and films about him. The terrace where he once prayed, spoke and was arrested is open to the public. There is also a Sales Counter which sells memorabilia like stamps, photographs and books. For anybody interested in the life of this global icon the museum is a must.


text:
Are the Assembly and state Senate working together?
Hans Pennik/AP/Shutterstock
Senate Majority Leader, Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie walk past the Senate Chamber in Albany, N.Y
The early days of the 2020 legislative session has featured limited coordination between the chambers.
Like the fictional Wonder Twins whose powers only worked after they touched, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins have shown that they are most powerful when they work together. When this one-two legislative punch first formed after Democrats won control of the state Senate in 2018, both chambers passed landmark bills on abortion rights and voting access in the first days of the 2019 legislative session.
One year later, the two chambers aren't always on the same page. Each chamber has considered different bills in the first days of the session. The two leaders have emphasized different possible ways of closing a $6 billion budget deficit and a public backlash to new limits on cash bail.
The discrepancy may stem from different political priorities for each leader at the beginning of an election year. Stewart-Cousins has to protect vulnerable suburban moderates whose fate in the general election will determine the future of Democratic control of that chamber. Heastie has to protect liberal incumbents in New York City who may face primary challenges from younger, farther-left insurgents.
While there is no reason to believe that the interpersonal relationship between Heastie and Stewart-Cousins has suffered because of these political dynamics, they have yet to show that their unity extends to the most controversial issues – though they are expected to jointly announce a package of bills addressing limousine safety on Tuesday following Cuomo's call to address the issue in his Jan. 8 State of the State address.
Stewart-Cousins and Heastie face very different tasks this year compared to the need last year to show that Democrats could get big things done with their largest legislative majorities in a century, according to Democratic political consultant Bruce Gyory. "Each house pursues, by definition, an approach that tries to strengthen their political position," he said. "I don't think they're they're crossing swords by any means. I just think it's a little difference in orientation."
In their first week back in Albany, Senate Democrats have focused on promoting a message that they are willing to consider changes to legislation they passed last year when they think it is warranted. On the first day, the upper chamber passed bills to address issues with early voting, following complaints at a public hearing last November, and to finish a stalled effort to establish automatic voter registration. At a press conference announcing the bill package, Stewart-Cousins said that it highlighted the idea that Senate Democrats were "not a 'set it and forget it' majority."
The majority leader has also said she is willing to consider changes to bail reform, a top legislative priority of Democrats last year. Though she has not fully committed to making changes, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Attorney General Attorney General Letitia James have done, any move by the Senate to make changes to the bail law would be welcomed by suburban Democratic moderates who are already publicly calling for revisions.
Hate crimes have appeared as one area where Stewart Cousins might support expanding the types of offenses subject to cash bail. "Personally, I think that hate crimes sometimes strike at the core of entire communities, and so on, so I want to look at it to see if we are appropriately classifying this," she told reporters on Jan. 9. Heastie meanwhile has downplayed the possibility of making changes to criminal justice reforms by expanding the realm of bail-eligible offenses, or allowing judges to consider a criminal suspect's dangerousness when deciding whether to release them pretrial. "We want safe communities, but it is important to have a criminal justice system that treats everybody fairly," he told reporters on Jan. 9 in remarks that have reflected opposition from progressive groups to backsliding on the new reforms.
A similar dynamic has emerged on dealing with the $6 billion deficit. While both legislative leaders have said they want to avoid making cuts to government programs, they must either cut spending or raise revenue. Stewart-Cousins has emphasized the need to avoid raising taxes, an idea that is unpopular with suburban moderates, while Heastie has signalled a willingness to consider tax hikes.
While Democrats are expected to announce a deal on limo reforms on Jan. 14, it remains to be seen whether Heastie and Stewart-Cousins will try to synchronize the timing. The state Senate Health Committee is considering a package of bills on Jan. 14 that would address increasing vaping rates among teens and related issues. At this point, there are no plans for its counterpart in the Assembly to do the same. One Assembly source suggested this was done to maximize attention for the Senate's effort to limit vaping, an issue that presumably plays well with moderate suburban voters. In any case, a review of the bills that were slated to pass the state Senate on Jan. 13 showed none that were ready to be considered on the floor of the state Assembly.
Spokesmen for both Heastie and Stewart-Cousins said it was too early in the session to make judgements on the coordination between the two chambers. "This is silly," the two spokesmen both said in separate statements. Activists pushing for lawmakers to take up issues as diverse as anti-vaping legislation and rolling back tightened rent regulations told City & State that at this point it is hard to judge just how different political dynamics in both houses might affect how the two chambers work together. Kevin O'Flaherty, director of advocacy of the Northeast Region for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids said that one way or another he expects that new laws cracking down on vaping will pass both chambers, even if there are no guarantees it will happen at the same time. "In any of our meetings with members of the Assembly, we haven't gotten any kind of increased pushback or any kind of concern about moving these bills, any more so than we get in the Senate," he said.
It is indeed early in the session and the issue of limos could mark a reassertion of legislative coordination between the two chambers. However, the political dynamics of the 2020 session suggest that even if that happens, the role of a third player in the legislative process must be taken into consideration. Perhaps the Wonder Twins cannot successfully act alone, despite the special powers they have when they work together. They will likely need some additional force to get deals done on the budget, bail and other issues. To do that, they will need help from Cuomo, the most powerful figure among the three people in a room who decide the most important issues in state government. So if Democrats are able to address the deficit, resolve the tricky politics of bail and pass legislation on issues like legalizing recreational marijuana in the upcoming months, it might be said that it is Wonder Triplets who are really showing what Democrats can do with their control of state government.
Is New York leader of the pack?
Will Democrats reform their new bail reform law?
By REBECCA C. LEWIS
is a staff reporter at City & State.
@ZachReports
Andrea Stewart-Cousins
Carl Heastie

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Trimming white space in MS Word + Access mail merge I am trying to do a mail merge with an Access database, but the output looks like this:
Dear JOHN      SMITH,

Is there a way to trim the white space? I have several thousand of these and I dread having to manually delete the white space on every one of them.
Also, if I could remove the all CAPS and change it to John Smith, that would be awesome.

A: I would suggest basing your mail merge on a query, and doing the required concatenation and formatting in the query prior to mail merge. Using the following expression in a query will give you a full name in title (or proper) case with one space between first and last names.
FullName: StrConv([FirstName] & " " & [LastName],3)

If you are still having trouble with white space in the name fields you can go further if necessary using the Trim function, and trim both names before concatenating them:
FullName: StrConv(Trim([FirstName]) & " " & Trim([LastName]),3)

Note that if you do something like the above you will only need to use the resulting FullName field on your mail merge form, and it will appear with only the single space between the names as desired.

A: You can do this in a query and base your mailmerge on that.
StrConv will treat case: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/815282
Trim will work for spaces: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access-help/ltrim-rtrim-and-trim-functions-HA001228878.aspx

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Anne on Film
by janesandell.In Children's Books.Leave a Comment on Anne on Film
Being in Canada has rekindled my desire to visit Prince Edward Island and re-awakened my passion for LM Montgomery's books. My long-suffering sister had to listen to me burbling on about both. She also had to listen to my memories of the BBC productions of Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea from the 1970s. If I remember correctly, I read Anne of Green Gables after having seen the show. I know, however, that I read Anne of Avonlea and Anne of the Island before I saw them dramatised (together as Anne of Avonlea). I still have my copies of these books with the dates I acquired them written on. My memory was that I'd read them when I was very young but I can hardly believe just how young I was! Maybe that's partly why I've always been able to re-read them and find something new in them.
I loved these series and wrote to the BBC to tell them so and to ask them to repeat them. They never did as far as I remember but they did send me some stills which I still have. I think UK Gold has shown these programmes but I've never had access to it so you can imagine my excitement when I discovered that Anne of Avonlea is available on DVD. Needless to say, I placed my order immediately and last weekend I settled down (slightly warily) to watch.
Of course it's showing its age and naturally there's much missed out but for me age has not withered its appeal. Kim Braden was always Anne to me and she didn't disappoint as I revisited old memories. And crucially, the scriptwriters didn't mess around much with Montgomery's stories. And why would you? They're excellent novels at whatever age one reads them.
At the same time as I bought this DVD, I also splurged on the Kevin Sullivan trilogy. I had seen them when they were shown on tv in the late eighties (I think) and enjoyed them so I was looking forward to watching them again. Let's just ignore the third part of the trilogy which is wrong on so many levels and makes me cross even though I think Megan Follows and Jonathan Crombie give good performances. But it's not based on any of the books even though there was plenty of material to use. The first film is, in my opinion, the best of the three. Whilst not sticking completely to the book, it is recognisable as the novel Lucy Maud published one hundred years ago. The Sequel is good too but it mixes up Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island and Anne of Windy Willows. I understand that film and books are different media but, even so, I don't think it was necessary to do that. As I've said elsewhere, Anne of the Island is my favourite book and I was sorry that all of the Redmond years were ignored in this adaptation.
However, what these films do have is the emotion and spirit of the books. LM Montgomery has the power to make me laugh and cry (even on the umpteenth re-reading) and so do the Kevin Sullivan films. The cast is excellent and technically they seem to me superb. In my view, Megan Follows is wonderful as the young Anne but not quite so perfect in the Sequel. But she probably suffers from my comparison with Kim Braden who will always be Anne for me. Jonathan Crombie, on the other hand, is ideal as Gilbert and I can only wish that he had a bigger part in the second film. He seems to have completely got under the skin of Gilbert as I perceive him in the books and manages to convey both his conflicting emotions towards Anne and Gilbert's personality beautifully. To my knowledge, I haven't seen Jonathan Crombie in anything else but, on this performance, I'd be glad to!
Jonathan CrombieKim BradenLM MontgomeryMegan Follows
Previous Previous post: The Dragonfly Pool by Eva Ibbotson
Next Next post: Morris Gleitzman


text:
Home » World News » 9/11: How NYC, nation will observe 18th anniversary
9/11: How NYC, nation will observe 18th anniversary
New York and the nation on Wednesday will stop to remember the 18th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
The 9/11 Memorial & Museum will be the site for the annual name-reading ceremony, starting at approximately 8:39 a.m. and continuing until approximately 12:30 p.m.
During the memorial, all 2,983 men, women and children who died in the 2001 attacks will have their names read, as has been tradition for the past several years.
Attendance is only open to victims' families, although video of the ceremony can be streamed online.
Six moments of silence are planned during the ceremony: two for the moment the planes struck each tower, two for the times each tower fell, one for the moment the Pentagon was hit and another for the moment United Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
This year's ceremony will be the first at which a new memorial will line the outside of the World Trade Center.
This spring, six granite slabs were installed in the memorial plaza, designed to honor firefighters, police officers and others who died from exposure to toxins after the attacks. As there is no finite list of those who died in the aftermath, the slabs will remain nameless.
Meanwhile, the annual Flight 93 National Memorial Commemorative Service will be held in Shanksville. Vice President Mike Pence is expected to attend, after an event in Johnstown, Pa.
President Donald Trump is scheduled to participate in the Pentagon Observance Ceremony in Arlington, Virginia, and will hold a moment of silence at the White House.
Back in New York, the Tribute in Light will return for another year. The lights at West and Morris streets will turn on at sunset on September 11, and will remain illuminated until dawn on September 12.
Who is Princess Latifa, how did she escape Dubai and who's her father?
How Kate, William, Meghan and Harry are 'all on a family text chain'
Patients pay tribute to volunteers who help change lives
How tenant turned taxpayer home into a £60-per-night business
CategoryWorld News
Tags9/11 How Nation NYC Obs Will
Megan Barton-Hanson looks amazing in lace body suit after ex Demi Sims says she 'stabbed her in the back'
Madden 20 TOTW Week 1 revealed: Rookies TJ Hockenson, Marquise Brown get upgraded items
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is speaking out after the sad...
The untold truth of TLC's My Feet Are Killing Me
In January 2020, TLC's My Feet Are Killing Me, a reality show that gave whole new meaning to the phrase "putting your...
Chuck Liddell Hopes Cowboy Cerrone Beats Conor McGregor At UFC 246
The legend Chuck Liddell says he's pulling for a HUGE upset at UFC 246 this weekend ... telling TMZ Sports...


We refer Members to circular 222012 of December [12th] on the PLR, that will apply in all European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) Member States from 31 December 2012. The Regulation essentially gives effect to the key provisions of the Athens Convention Relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea, 1974 as amended by the 2002 Protocol (the "Convention"), together with the 2006 IMO Reservation and Guidelines for Implementation of the Convention covering war risks (the "Guidelines").
Circular [22/2012] informed Members that article 7 of the PLR introduces an obligation on carriers and performing carriers to provide information to passengers, which explains their rights under the Regulation, and that the European Commission was due to publish a publicly accessible summary of the PLR, including a summary of the information to be promulgated by carriers and performing carriers. This has now been published by the European Commission.
A copy is attached to this Circular and can also be found on the following webpage: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/passengers/maritime/index_en.htm Members have previously been informed that ships covered by the Regulation are required to maintain insurance which meets the requirements of the PLR and will need to obtain a certificate issued by an EU/EEA Member State attesting that such insurance is in force.
Operators of vessels registered in an EU/EEA Member State should obtain their certificate from that State, which will then be accepted as evidence of insurance when calling at any port or terminal in an EU/EEA Member State.
In the case of vessels registered in a non EU/EEA State, the International Group has liaised closely with States and understands thatGermany has agreed to issue certificates to vessels registered in non EU/EEA States if they are calling at any EU port, and not just German ports, and that a number of EU/EEA States will issue certificates to such vessels if calling at a port in their State after 31 December 2012, including the United Kingdom , France, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, Cyprus, Belgium and Sweden . The necessary contact information for the above mentioned EU/EEA Member States can be obtained from the Club.


text:
The client is separated into several resource groups, all of which are accessible through the Client's public properties. Each resource group is responsible for the corresponding API section. It is much easier to understand how the Client works by learning its design principles.

### Design principles

The general principles of the Client design are:
1. The Client itself doesn't contain any API methods implementations.
1. ResourceGroups implements all API methods.
1. Every method can accept from zero to several arguments.
1. URI path arguments (not the query string ones) are always passed as separate method arguments.
1. Query parameters are always passed in the form of the Request model. The same principle applies to the POST form data.
1. If the Request contains only one parameter - it'll probably accept it through the constructor. This doesn't apply to the filter requests, which don't have constructors at all.
1. All DTO's you'll ever need can be found in the `RetailCrm\Api\Model` namespace.
1. Every method has an example of the usage in its DocBlock. Yes, all of them. You can learn how to use any of the methods just by looking at the DocBlock help tooltip provided by your IDE. If it's not provided by your IDE - you'll need to look up how to configure it. It'll ease your work with this (and any other) library a lot.

### Resource groups

The resource groups list into which client is separated:

* `api`
* `costs`
* `customFields`
* `customers`
* `customersCorporate`
* `delivery`
* `files`
* `integration`
* `loyalty`
* `orders`
* `packs`
* `payments`
* `references`
* `segments`
* `settings`
* `store`
* `tasks`
* `telephony`
* `users`
* `verification`
* `statistics`

Every group implements corresponding API documentation block:
* [English](https://docs.retailcrm.pro/Developers/API/APIVersions/APIv5)
* [Русский](https://docs.retailcrm.ru/Developers/API/APIVersions/APIv5)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


For most manual therapists, the role of neurology in the diagnosis and treatment of headache disorders is largely confined to ruling out serious pathology. Although there generally exists an awareness that the trigeminal pain pathway plays a major role in headache disorders, very few practitioners know how to apply this concept clinically beyond simply treating aberrant cervical spine and TMJ biomechanics. This seminar will acquaint you with the mechanisms underlying headache disorders. It will also teach you how to treat in a way that will provide quicker and longer lasting results for your headache patients.
Why treating functional deficits of the cerebellum, vestibular system and brainstem is vitally important when dealing with any patient in pain. We will discuss in detail how to maximize the nervous system's ability to modulate pain, and how to avoid further pain sensitization.
How anything from a painful neck muscle to dry eyes, sinus or TMJ problems, Asthma or heartburn can contribute to headaches through sensitisation of the trigeminal pain pathway.
Why adjusting an upper cervical spinal fixation can sometimes alleviate a headache, but at other times can make it much worse. We will discuss how to detect and manage mechanical allodynia and how to treat a patient appropriate to their brain imbalance and neuronal metabolic capacity.
What cortical spreading depression is; how it relates to migraine, and how to prevent it from happening.
Nutritional strategies for headache, migraine and chronic pain patients.
How to address functional neurological problems using your existing techniques.
Novel treatment interventions to address brain imbalances, including coupled-motion adjusting, fast-stretching, proprioceptive- and vestibular stimulation. Various physical and mental exercises designed to activate different regions of the brain will be explained and demonstrated.
We will also show you sinus release techniques, which are invaluable for many headache patients.


text:
EMERGING SINGER-SONGWRITER GRACE MONROE RELEASES DEBUT SINGLE PAPER HEART
25/07/17 13:49 Filed in: Music
24-year-old emerging singer-songwriter Grace Monroe is delighted to announce the release of her debut single Paper Heart ahead of her first studio album The Truth About Love, due for release this autumn
Written by Sussex born Grace, alongside producers OJ (OFER SHABI) and Yaniv Fridel at Soho Sonic Studios, Paper Heart is Grace's first foray into the industry. The track reflects her 'all consuming' experience of love and is melodically influenced by her passion for original material with old school jazz and soul undertones.
With lyrical maturity beyond her years, the young but talented artist takes her inspiration from great musicians past and present, including Etta James, Stevie Wonder, Donnie Hathaway, Bruno Mars, Paloma Faith and Corinne Bailey Rae to name but a few, all of whom have all shaped her sound today.
Grace said: "Paper Heart reflects drowning in someone else's needs of you and just losing your whole being. But not being able to let that person go. My first true experience of love." The album The Truth About Love focuses on the personal trials and tribulations Grace has been through, expressing her loves, the losses in life, the people she surrounds herself with and her upbringing. "I write songs about my best friend, my partner and anyone else who has had an effect on me - almost a love letter to them with advice and admiration," added Grace.
Paper Heart is available for download from all major platforms including iTunes, Spotify and Deezer. Plans for a UK tour are currently underway.
Website: www.gracemonroemusic.com
Tags: Music, Grace Monroe


text:
Eswatini has a incredibly diverse terrain with breathtaking views
With the exception of desert and sea, every geographical feature of Africa's terrain is found within Eswatini (Swaziland). This is a country of magnificent mountain scenery with rivers, waterfalls and gorges; unique rock formations which are among the world's most ancient; lush and fertile valleys, plus typical African bush. From west to east, Eswatini moves from mountainous Highveld, through Middleveld to Lowveld, and then rises again to the Lubombo mountains. Altitudes vary from 21m to 1800m (70ft to 6000 ft) – yet the country's east and west borders are less than 200 km (125 miles) apart.
The highveld is a land of hills, waterfalls and great buttresses of ancient rock – providing the country's most dramatic and impressive landscapes. A temperate climate means some rainfall all year round and regular mists in summer, so the scenery is generally reasonably lush. The middleveld is generally less striking – an area of undulating bush and moist savannah lying at an average 700m above sea level. It is home to the bulk of Eswatini's population and the tourist hub of the Ezulwini Valley. The lowveld is hot, bush country sitting as low as 21m above sea level. Although much drier than the other areas, it is home to vast, heavily irrigated sugar estates which are impressive in their own right. The remaining tracts of wild bush here harbour Eswatini's major game reserves and offer easy access to areas of genuine wilderness.
With such a remarkable and varied 'natural playground', there is a wide choice of activities available in Eswatini for visitors to explore and enjoy the scenic landscapes. Hiking trials can be found all around the country but particularly in the highlands and mountains, and there are two championship-standard 18-hole golf courses in scenic settings and a smattering of 9-hole course around the country. For those who prefer to remain seated, both cycling and horse riding offer alternative ways to explore a variety of locations, at levels from beginners upwards, and there is even a chance to go quad biking through areas of wilderness. For keen cyclists, Eswatini has a series of Mountain Bike Races through the year open to a range of ages and abilities.
The country's mountains and gorges also provide opportunities for climbing and abseiling as well as a thrilling tree-top canopy tour of zip-wires, bridges and platforms in the Malolotja Nature Reserve. And from the highest peaks, to underground, Eswatini is home to the only major granite cave system in southern Africa, which can be explored even by visitors with no prior experience of caving.
When it comes to water, boat trips are available on a few of Eswatini's dams, and the Great Usuthu River offers thrilling white water rafting, whilst fishing is possible on a number of the dams and rivers.
Scenic Activities
With diverse landscapes, many self-guided and planned hiking tours are on offer in Eswatini.
A great way to explore Eswatini's stunning landscapes is to cycle around the country.
Discover Eswatini on horseback from riding trails across Mlilwane, to the hills of Mhlambanyatsi.
Tee off on one of Eswatini's championship golf courses, with beautiful panoramic views.
Fly through the trees and discover the sights on Eswatini's very own zip-lining canopy tour.
Go beneath the earth and discover hidden trails on a unique caving adventure in Eswatini.
Climbing & Abseiling
Eswatini's mountains and gorges make for the perfect climbing challenge for avid climbers.
Have fun driving through woodlands, nature reserves and muddy tracks on a quad bike.
Ride the rapids along the Great Usuthu River with White Water Rafting available in Eswatini.
With multiple dams fully stocked, there are many locations you can fish in Eswatini.
You can sail your own yacht, or even hire a houseboat on one of the many dams.
This project is made up of 4 of Eswatini's nature reserves teeming with flora and fauna.
Other Eswatini Experiences
Eswatini has some of the best Cultural Experiences in Africa.
You can still experience the 'Big 5' in the little country of Eswatini.
The perfect destination for the thrill seeker and adventurous traveller.
Leave your mark on Eswatini by Volunteering.
From championship golf courses, to fishing in the country's many dams.
Eswatini has a annual calendar full of traditional & modern events.


This 50-watt MR16 halogen EXN flood lamp operates at 120 volts and is rated for a 2,000-hour life. It has a glass face and a 2-pin G8 base; straight pins spaced 8 mm apart. With a beam angle of 38 degrees, this flood lamp is perfect for display cases, hospitality lighting, residential lighting, and more!


text:
34 ex-Hong Kong officials and legislators make second appeal for investigation into extradition bill saga
by Elson Tong 07:52, 24 July 2019 02:37, 5 April 2020
Thirty-four former senior officials and legislators have launched a second petition urging for an independent commission of inquiry to investigate political decision-making and police-protester clashes during the ongoing extradition bill saga.
The group – including ex-chief secretary Anson Chan – previously called for the withdrawal of the extradition bill on 14 June. After the bill was suspended the following day, former officials and legislators wrote again on June 23 to demand its full withdrawal and the establishment of a commission of inquiry.
Anson Chan. File photo: Holmes Chan/HKFP.
"Since our last appeal on 23 June we have watched with grave concern the deteriorating situation, both in terms of governance and public order, caused by the government's proposed amendments," wrote the petitioners on Tuesday.
"We have seen the Hong Kong community torn apart, and watched with particular concern the estrangements between our police force and the public whom they serve, with claims of unjustified use of force or violence being resorted to by either side. This cannot continue."
The open letter proposed possible parameters for the commission of inquiry. The commission would aim to ascertain the causes of opposition to the extradition bill.
It would also investigate whether demonstrators or others provoked clashes with the police, and whether the tactics and use of force by the police were appropriate and proportionate.
Protest on July 21. Photo: May James/HKFP.
An independent judge-led commission of inquiry into allegations of police brutality has been a core demand of anti-extradition bill protests over the past month. But police unions and some pro-Beijing politicians have claimed it would unfairly target the force.
"Since the government is unresponsive after two million marched… we thought we would throw out the idea of the scope and duties of an independent commission of inquiry," former chief secretary Chan told HKFP.
"I hope the police force can realise that the aim is not to target them," she added. "In fact, it might even exonerate them."
The Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC) – a watchdog reviewing complaints against officers – set up a task force in early July to investigate complaints against police. But critics including former chief justice Andrew Li have cited its lack of powers to summon witnesses and gather evidence.
"The way events have unfolded – especially with Sunday's incident in Yuen Long – I believe the public definitely does not accept handing the investigation to the IPCC, and does not have confidence in it," said Chan.
"Of course, [establishing a commission of inquiry] now would be very late, but it may be able to alleviate the current tensions to some extent," she added. "At least the public knows that the SAR government has agreed to setting up an independent commission."
"In Full: Joint letter to Chief Executive Carrie Lam – The terms of reference of the Commission of Inquiry"
Since our last appeal on 23 June we have watched with grave concern the deteriorating situation, both in terms of governance and public order, caused by the Government's proposed amendments to the Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislative (Amendment) Bill 2019. We have seen the Hong Kong community torn apart, and watched with particular concern the estrangements between our Police Force and the public whom they serve, with claims of unjustified use of force or violence being resorted to by either side. This cannot continue.
The only mechanism in our view which would take a recognized and substantial step towards healing wounds and beginning the process of reconciliation in the community is the establishment of an independent Commission of Inquiry under Cap. 86 of the Laws of Hong Kong.
Truth and reconciliation go together; without truth established by a body with credibility in the community, reconciliation and restoration to normal life would be difficult. We therefore strongly urge the Government to take steps to establish such a Commission, and to this end we propose the terms of reference of the Commission should be drawn on the following terms. We would welcome the public to endorse these proposed terms, as well as using them as a basis for their own deliberations.
The terms of reference of the Commission of Inquiry are:
1. To ascertain the causes and circumstances leading to the wide-spread public opposition to the introduction of the Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019, including but not limited to inquiring into the appropriateness (or otherwise) of the Government's handling of the Bill from its publication to the announcement of its decision on 15th June, 2019 to suspend the Bill but not withdraw the same.
2. To ascertain the facts, and circumstances leading to and surrounding the clashes between the Police and the demonstrators (or other members of the public) during and/or shortly after the public processions and demonstrations on the following occasions: that is, on 9th June 2019, 12th June 2019, 16th June 2019, 21st June, 2019, 26th June 2019, 1st July 2019, 14th July 2019 and 21st July 2019 or such other occasion(s) as the Commission sees fit, including but not limited to the following:
(a) To inquire if there were instances of the demonstrators (or other members of the public) using excessive force or deploying deliberate tactics to provoke a clash with the Police;
(b) To consider and evaluate the appropriateness of the tactics employed and actions undertaken by the Police in handling the clashes, including whether the force applied was proportionate and in keeping with the object of preventing violence and injuries, and/or restoring order in the community.
3. In the light of its findings on (1) and (2) above, to make recommendations on measures conducive to reconciliation in society.
Former officials who newly joined the group of petitioners for Tuesday's open letter include former secretaries for civil service Joseph Wong and Denise Yue.
Tagged: Anson Chan, China Extradition, Commission of Inquiry
Elson Tong
Elson Tong is a graduate of international relations and former investigations consultant. He has also written for Stand News.
More by Elson Tong


"Why Wait" is a well designed and developed Life Skills programme. Each primary school class 5 to 8 has its own curriculum. Teachers too have a Handbook on What to teach, Why teach that, and How to teach. This ensures that all the participating schools go through the same material in the same way. Our plans are to start quiz competitions for the participating schools. This will motivate both the teachers and learners to take the programme seriously.


text:
After seven-month wait for election appeal ruling, arbitrator lobs residency issue back to nation's housing director
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2022 2:45pm
"It puts us in this position of having to go back to the housing director who already…(showed) his decision was so flawed, we have limited confidence he's going to give us a fair process, but we're going to try." — Evan Duffy, legal counsel for Eddy Tallman
By Shari Narine
As far as Eddy Tallman is concerned, his appeal to run as chief for the Whitefish Lake First Nation, Alta. has been upheld and there will be a new election and he will be a candidate.
"Everything else to me is irrelevant," Tallman said of the 23-page decision delivered by arbitrator Jeremy Taylor on Nov.14.
"I only look basically at what he said. He upheld my appeal and then it says in the very next sentence there…he's calling an election for chief only. And if you stop there, he's basically made a decision. I've won my appeal and he's calling for an election for chief," said Tallman.
However, Taylor's ruling is neither that simple nor straightforward as he lays out conditions that must be met and which may or may not lead to a new election.
Tallman's appeal was made following the April 12 election when his candidacy for chief was rejected.
Tallman's residency was brought into question as he was residing in a house on the Nation that was listed in his daughter's name on the residency list. The house had previously been listed in his name.
In March 2021, the membership administrator re-added Tallman's name to the residency list. However, when the housing director updated the list in March 2022 he removed Tallman's name, although he did not visit the residence to check on Tallman's claims that he had his possessions in the home and did in fact reside there.
The housing director also did not communicate his decision to remove Tallman's name from the residency list. Without his name on the residency list, Tallman could not be issued a residency letter. Candidates for chief and council must reside on the Nation.
Evan Duffy, legal counsel for Tallman, says Taylor ruled that the process used by the Nation's housing director to assess Tallman's residency, and therefore his eligibility as candidate for chief, were flawed for multiple reasons.
Despite Taylor's conclusion, he did not rule that Tallman's candidacy be upheld.
Instead, Taylor wrote, "…the authorities…show me that it would be undesirable, and may be improper, for me to make de novo (anew) decisions on Mr. Tallman's residency."
So Taylor returned that decision to the same housing director that took Tallman off the residency list, because he is the decision maker noted in the Whitefish Lake election custom code.
"It puts us in this position of having to go back to the housing director who already…(showed) his decision was so flawed, we have limited confidence he's going to give us a fair process, but we're going to try," said Duffy, who adds he's confident in Tallman's residence status.
"(We're) going back … and saying, 'Following proper procedure and applying the law, would you issue this residency letter confirming his residence?' If that's the case, then the new election proceeds."
Tallman says his name is now on the residency list. However, that does not impact the April election. He also contends that Whitefish Lake First Nation has been his "primary" home since February 2021.
However, a new election may be suspended if the housing director does not provide a residency letter stating Tallman was on the list as pertains to the April election; if he decides to remain with his original decision; or if he takes no action within the 20 days allotted by Taylor.
If any of those situations occur, said Duffy, then court action may be the only recourse.
"What I would probably do…I would write to the parties and say… 'We think it's wrong again. Are you going to give us a remedy, Mr. Taylor, or do we have to go to federal court?' That's probably how I would proceed. My reading of this judge, he's not making the residency determination," he said.
While Duffy asserts that Taylor's decision did move the appeal further along in that he ruled the housing director's process was flawed, Duffy does admit some community members are frustrated with the seven-month wait for what they see as Taylor's non-decision.
"That certainly is the perception among some of the community members, that's for sure," said Duffy.
Whitefish Lake First Nation's custom code sets out a timeframe for the entire appeal process.
The April 12 election resulted in three appeals. Taylor delivered his decision on two of the appeals, which he combined as one, on Oct 12. He denied those appeals.
According to the election code timelines, all decisions on appeals should have been rendered by mid-May. The close timeframe, says Duffy, is an indication that membership wants quick decisions.
When that timeline was breached, Duffy says, Tallman had the option to go to federal court for an order directing the arbitrator to make a decision.
"I think we would have had a good basis to do that and we would have succeeded but…how long the federal court process could take, would we have been any further ahead? I think there's a lot of good reasons for a really quick decision. I also think that there…was a lot of submissions and evidence here (for Taylor to consider) and a lot of factors like that that went into it," said Duffy.
Tallman is not as understanding.
"To me this was simple. It should have taken us less than a month for him to decide. He dragged it out for some reason. I don't know why he dragged it out. He had the authority to call it six months ago," said Tallman.
Duffy admitted, "If you told me in April, we'd be getting a decision in November, I wouldn't have believed you."
Local Journalism Initiative Reporters are supported by a financial contribution made by the Government of Canada


Image Title: French Glass Pocket Doors Home Decor And Details Pinterest Throughout Interior Sliding French Doors Ideas. Filename: french-glass-pocket-doors-home-decor-and-details-pinterest-throughout-interior-sliding-french-doors-ideas.jpg. Image Dimension: 480 x 732 pixels. Images Format: jpg/jpeg. Publisher/Author: Henry Cummings. Uploaded Date: Thursday - February 14th. 2019 02:47:43 AM. Category: Architecture. Image Source: homedepot.com.
Tap The Thumbnail Bellow to See Related Gallery of "French Glass Pocket Doors Home Decor And Details Pinterest Throughout Interior Sliding French Doors Ideas"


Apparently, we have not heard the last of Banky W and Adesua's fairytale wedding which held in Cape Town, South Africa, in November, 2017.
So yesterday, Banky W and his wife, actress Adesua Etomi celebrated their wedding with a thanksgiving ceremony and big reception party in London on Sunday.
Etomi's mother is reportedly based there and is said to be a pastor in her church.
Not only was #Baad2017 a major topic on the Nigerian Internet in 2017, Adesua became the third most searched individual on Google Nigeria in 2017.
According to Google, this was due to the announcement of her engagement to Banky Wellington.


Need a tow truck, wrecker service or assistance with being locked out of your vehicle? Need a jump start from a dead battery, or help with changing a flat tire? Good News offers 24 hour towing, wrecker and emergency roadside service for Ahoskie, Hertford County NC & other north eastern NC areas. We also offer longer distance towing service. Our tow truck, wrecker and rollback drivers are friendly, prompt and also experts in the automotive industry. They have the knowledge and experience to safely and quickly get you and your vehicle back on the road. So whether you need a jump start from a dead battery, lockout service, help with a tire change, a local tow truck or long distance wrecker service, Good News has you covered 24 hours a day!
Good News Auto Parts and Salvage provides full service used auto parts sales, local towing and roadside service as well as local wrecked, salvage and junk vehicle buyering. Good News Auto Salvage is located in Hertford County Ahoskie, NC convenient to Northeastern NC and Southeastern VA. Good News locally serves most of NC, southern VA as well as the entire US via nationwide shipping including: Hertford County, Ahoskie, Elizabeth City, Edenton, Williamston, Rocky Mount, Greenville, Plymouth, Hertford, Tarboro, Scotland Neck, Murfreesboro, Emporia, Suffolk, Norfolk, Newport News, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Richmond, Petersburg and more. Good News Salvage stocks thousands of late model used and new parts for cars, trucks, vans and SUVs including: Engines, Transmissions, Axles, Rear Ends, Starters, Alternators, A/C Compressors, Radiators, Wheels, Tires, Auto Body Parts including: Front Ends, Hoods, Fenders, Grilles, Front Bumpers, Headlights, Doors, Taillights, Rear Bumpers, Deck Lids, Interior Parts and almost any used part on a salvage vehicle. owing, Wrecker & Emergency Roadside Service for Ahoskie, Hertford County & North Eastern NC Areas.


text:
Sailing into the future
Serving the maritime industry worldwide since 1968
Port Enterprise Co., Ltd.
Fuel Management and Handling
Makers List
dbp-_edited_edited
Marintec China 2015:
The Largest Event Ever
This event has become a true behemoth over the years. We were very excited to be a part of this show together with VICUSdt and a local partner Wuxi Delin, which is an well diversified industrial group manufacturing anything from doors and windows to deck equipment and rudders.
December 1 to 4, 2015
Creating sustainable shipping industry with our customers
Because the world trade is ever so depending on the international shipping industry, it is often said, without ships, half the world would starve and the other half would freeze. However, the paradigm is shifting. Despite of its great efficiency imcomparable to other means of transportation, the sheer scale makes the industry a major contributor to the global GHG and other harmful emissions. Ballast water and hull fauling are also known to play siginificant role in transporting aquatic invasive species disruptive to native ecosystem.
As a tidal wave of new regulations addressing the environmental impact of shipping is approaching, we are here to assist socially responsible ship owners and operators to stay ahead of the game and remain competitive with a full complement of services to improve energy efficiency and reduce environmental footprint of their valuable assets in turbulant times. Please check "Our Solutions" for more information.
Serving the maritime industry globally for half a century
Since we opened our doors in 1968, our business has matured from a general ship supplier to a full service engineeing company. To meet growing demand for our service in Southeast Asia, we opened our Singapore branch in 1984. And, today, aside from a substantial amount of business it generates locally, it also performs a critical function in our organization as a regional hub providing logistical support to our supply chain and engineering service.
We represent many industry-leading equipment and machinery manufactures as well as service providers. And, together with our partners and
affiliates across the world, we have a far-reaching network well established to cover all major international markets. Please check "Makers List" for more information.
Europort Rotterdam 2015:
One of Europe's Premier Events
The show was a real crowd getherer as always. This year, we attended together with our newest partner VICUSdt, which specializes in CFD and other numerical analysis, and its local
agent Berger Maritiem.
November 3 to 6, 2015
Exciting New Product:
FENIC's Fuel Reformer
We just signed an agreement with FENIC, an innovative Japanese technology provider, to represent its one of a kind fuel saving device, FENIC Alpha, and other exciting products.
Bari-Ship Japan 2015:
A Record Number of Visitors
This year, we attended the largest maritime event in western Japan, again, with our long-term partner, Sankei Design Ltd. It is by far the most respected 3D ship design firm in Japan. Together, we have more than 60 successful BWMS retrofit projects under the belt.
May 21 to 23, 2015
Europort Istanbul 2015:
Another Great Success
For the fifth time, we attended the biannual event with our long-term partner, Industrial & Marine Supplies Ltd. Together
with Cathelco from UK, our new partner VICUS dt from Spain also joined this year to display our diversity.
March 11 to 14, 2015
REGULATORY UPDATES (Last updated on March 11th, 2016)
Ballast Water Management Convention: Close but not quite
Belgium and Fiji just ratified the convention. However, based on the data at the end of February, the tonnage represented by the ratified states is still short of the required 35% by 0.18%.
Introduction of Global Sulphur Cap: Decision in October 2016
CE Delft and Stratas Consulting
will conduct the fuel availability study with industry experts under the Steering Committee's oversight. The finding will be submitted to MEPC 70 in October 2016.
IGF Code: Scheduled to Enter into Force in January 2017
The Commitee adapted amendments to SOLAS Chapter II-1 Part G and the Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or Other Low-Flashpoint Fuels, IGF Code, during MSC 95 in June 2015.
The USCG Rejected the Most Probable Number Method
The USCG rejected the appeal from a number of UV-based ballast water treatment system makers to accept the Most Probable Number method as an alternative test method to the CMFDA/FDA.
© PORT ENTERPRISE CO., LTD. T +81 6 6573 5391 / F +81 6 6575 3036 / penterj@penterj.co.jp


How is President Obama connecting with the American people?
This week, President Obama has taken to the road to promote his jobs legislation and many are saying that the American people are seeing a side of the president that we haven't seen since he ran for office. The president will be in Virginia later this morning trying to fire up crowds with his new catchphrase "Pass this bill."
So is Obama finally connecting with the average American again?
Today on American Morning, Michael Maslansky, CEO of Maslansky Luntz + Partners, a corporate and public affairs market research firm that specializes in language and messaging, discusses the president's jobs strategy and compares it with that of GOP candidates like Rick Perry.
He is not connecting to the American public and also neither is the Republicans we care about jobs and our security... We as in the rest of the American populace nd I fell I speak for them. We need work not ideas. Everyone had an idea but no one seems to have a answer !!!!!!


text:
Fen (njem. Föhn, od lat. favonius: topli zapadni vjetar) je topli, suhi i većinom mahovit (naglo mijenja smjer i brzinu) vjetar koji se spušta najčešće niz sjeverne obronke Alpa. U Hrvatskoj je čest u Ogulinu. Nastaje nakon što se na prisojnoj strani planina zrak uzdignuo i izgubio vlažnost oborinama, pa se na suprotnoj strani spušta suh i topliji nego što je bio na početku dizanja. Uzrokuje nagli porast temperature i topljenje snijega. Pojava fena kod mnogih ljudi izaziva nelagodu, razdražljivost, glavobolju i druge zdravstvene probleme.

Nastanak vjetra

Vjetar je posljedica više čimbenika:
 razlike tlaka između dvaju područja (vjetar struji od područja višega tlaka prema području nižega tlaka i to je jači što je ta razlika veća),
 Zemljine vrtnje ili rotacije,
 Coriolisove sile (vjetar zbog njezina djelovanja na sjevernoj polutki skreće u desno, na južnoj u lijevo),
 centrifugalne sile kada su putanje čestica zraka zakrivljene,
 sile trenja s podlogom.

Pri tlu je u umjerenim širinama često bezvjetreno stanje, to jest tišina, no u uvjetima velikih razlika tlaka, kao u uraganima, tornadima i tropskim ciklonima, brzina vjetra može dosegnuti vrijednosti i od više stotina kilometara na sat te prouzročiti velika razaranja. Na strujanje zraka mogu znatno utjecati i reljef (na primjer doljnjak, noćnik) i temperaturne razlike između kopna i mora, pa su poznati sustavi vjetrova obalne cirkulacije (zmorac i burin). Određeni dijelovi Zemlje poznati su po postojanim i jakim zapadnim vjetrovima, kao što su to olujna područja oceana, uglavnom oko 40° sjeverne zemljopisne širine. Brzina vjetra se redovito povećava s visinom i najveće se brzine obično pojavljuju u blizini troposfere.

Izvori

Vjetrovi


Brian's primary practice involves preparing the defense of pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers in complex product liability matters. He defends product liability claims arising out of the use of prescription drugs, implantable medical devices and consumer products in state and federal courts throughout the country.
Counseling 503(b) outsourcing facilities on compliance with the Drug Quality and Security Act.
Providing advertising and promotion review to ensure compliance with FDA and FTC guidance.
Counseling on compliance with the Anti-Kickback Statute and the False Claims Act.
Advising on requirements of the Drug Supply Chain Security Act.
Brian is also an instructor at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy, where he has taught graduate courses on health care regulation and federal food and drug law. Brian received his Pharm.D. degree and practiced for several years as a registered pharmacist in community, hospital and long-term care settings before attending law school. This training and experience has benefited both his litigation and regulatory practices by enabling him to understand and appreciate the complexity of the medications and medical devices he encounters as well as how these products fit into the FDA's regulatory framework.
Debra Dunne & Brian Guthrie, Crafting Changes for the Future: The Use of Technology to Expand Access to Medications, Update (Food and Drug Law Institute), May/Jun. 2014, at 31.
Debra Dunne & Brian Guthrie, Crafting Changes for the Future: Increasing the Availability of Nonprescription Drugs, Update (Food and Drug Law Institute), Mar./Apr. 2014, at 27.


This year I've been focusing a lot on clearing out the old. I'm decorating and rearranging my room, changing up my blog a little, getting new projects planned in my head. But I'm also taking some time to reflect.
I do have a bit of routine that I stick to, things I like to do. And this time I'm sharing some of them.
Nothing can beat a ritual bath, and this is mine. It's one I do whenever I'm a bit stressed or need some inspiration, and I love it for new starts too. I spend a good hour or so, sometimes more, just chilling with some rain sounds and some candles.
Our boiler broke down on Monday so I'm actually doing this at my fiance's house this year.
Mix the salt, dried lavender, and crystal in a jar and leave them to infuse for a few hours. Put it all in an empty bath under the taps, crush the fresh lavender in your hands to release the oils them place on top. Light the candles, set a rain sounds playlist going if it's not raining outside, and run the bath. The salts will dissolve in the running water, and the bits of lavender float on the surface.
Just make sure not to sit on the crystal when you get in the bath. I made that mistake once and ouch.
I set up a to do list for the next few weeks. Nothing immediate or pressing, just stuff I'd like to do for me and my own well being. I think it's especially important when the days get shorter to remember to take care of yourself.
I do a three card spread for the coming months and spend an hour or so with the cards I've drawn, thinking about what they mean to me and how I can interpret them in positive ways, even if I get a scary card like the eight of swords which came up in every draw in July and August.
I love stories filled with magic. I love the possibilities that open up, the power imbalances, the easy (or are they) fixes to problems.
Faith, hope, learning, magic, friendship.
Magic, survival, family, love, responsibility.
Magic, power, trust, secrets, betrayal.
Magic, friendship, power, justice, secrets.
Magic, mystery, poison, realism, AMAZING.
Magic, conflict, superstition, secrets, new-world.
Magic, history, power, control, danger.
Ghosts, magic, power, secrets, wit.
What's your favourite magical book?
A fantastic story about geeky passions and love, the pressure of fame, and the expectations against which you are judged. I read Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde in the run up to YALC earlier this year, and it made me so excited and buzzing with happiness.
Taylor likes to blend in. Her brain is wired differently, making her fear change. And there's one thing in her life she knows will never change: her friendship with her best guy friend Jamie — no matter how much she may secretly want it to. But when she hears about a fan contest for her favorite fandom, she starts to rethink her rules on playing it safe.
5 Words: Fandom, anxiety, friendship, belonging, fame.
That was so cute. Queens of Geek is a bit of a slice of life where nothing really happens, but it was so damn lovely to read. It gave me the warm fuzzies and make me giddy with happiness.
I love Charlie and her self belief. I love Taylor and her insecurities. And I love their friendship.
As much as Queens of Geek has a good (warm fuzzy) dose of Romance, the story itself mostly focuses on friendship. It's a gorgeous exploration of what makes friends friends, and the joy of sharing your passions and love with them. The story looked at the insecurities of the relationships too, the wonder if there's something more and if the friendship is worth risking.
This is a rather short book, less than 300 pages, but it packs a punch. It's a quick read, driven by the passion of the characters - whether for each other or for their shared geekiness and con experiences.
This is a pretty empowering book, and a delight to read. Also, F/F!
Friends. Stop. Hanging. Out. That's what really scares me.
I read A Christmas Gift wrapped up warm in a blanket, with a glass of red wine and a slice of chocolate cake. It's a pretty sumptuous festive read, bursting with the joy of community and family and love. It's a gorgeous read for the run up to the festive season.
5 Words: Community, family, Christmas, secrets, love.
This was such a gorgeous story, and perfect for the run up to Christmas. I found it a pretty quick read as I did not want to put it down.
I quickly got invested in Georgine's story, and that of her family. I think I was more invested in the sister-drama between Georgine and Blair. That's not to say that the romance in this story isn't excellent, it's so heartwarming and sweet. I just love me some family drama.
One of my favourite things about this was the assumptions that the characters made based on perceived wealth. It's such a human thing to do, to judge people on how much money you think they have and see that as a measure of their success, and I loved how this book pretty much ripped in to it. Your success is not measured by your wealth. Money does not equate to happiness (even if it does make life easier).
A Christmas Gift has a wonderful sense of community, and I loved how everyone rallied together and supported each other. The circumstances of the characters really hit me hard, and I think that anyone who hasn't had quite enough to make ends meet will probably shed a tear reading it.
This was an excellent festive read, perfect for keeping you warm on cold evenings. It is not overly festive, but it did get me very excited for winter.
I love reading seasonal books. Romance in February for Valentines Day, coming of age summer holiday stories during August, Horror nearing Halloween, and everything festive in the sun up to Christmas.
Today I'm sharing my top five creepy Halloween reads. And all of these were five star for me.
When I read this book it went straight on my all time favourite shelf. It's a fantastic blend of contemporary teen drama, supernatural horror, and historical betrayal. Think Skins in a haunted manor.
This book is so creepy! Everything from the setting to the characters, even the weather is full of the creep factor. It's not one to read when it's snowing unless you really want to be terrified, and I love the subtle environmental message behind it.
Gosh this book. It's probably the most well known on this list thanks to it being featured in the Zoella Book Club, and it's an excellent read. It's creepy and really gets in your head, and makes you think. Also Frozen Charlotte dolls are the creepiest things ever.
What is a monster? This book explores what makes a monster, and I love it. It's set in a boarding school over Christmas and really used the isolation of the circumstanced to build the tension and fear factor. It's one to read wrapped up warm.
Nope. No more mirrors for me after reading this book. It takes a popular (and scary) urban legend and puts a boarding school twist on it. I love everything about this book and it creeps me out so much. And also makes me afraid to look in mirrors for around a month after reading.
The Wildest Dreams book box starts at just £18 a month, and it's a little box of self care containing a newly released YA book, a bath/body/home product, and a bookish tea. There's always a little extra surprise in there too, which is a fantastic personal touch.
There are only around five November boxes left so if you want to experience the joy of the Love Triangles theme then run now and get one.
I think this is one of my favourite Wildest Dreams boxes ever!
I think my favourite thing was the "It's A Monster's World" This Savage Song inspired tea. And yes, I am predictable, I love my tea. I've actually already repurchased this tea from Rosie Lea Tea, the Caramelised Pumpkin blend, because I loved it that much. It's the perfect blend for autumn. I manged to get two brews from the leaves each time, the first was rich and smoky and vibrant, and the second brew was much more mellow but with a slightly sweeter note. This tea also prompted me to pick up This Savage Song, which is full of monsters and a perfect Halloween read.
The Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke is amazing and spooky and gripping, and the foiled cover is stunning. I actually picked the book up straight away and started reading it before I'd even made myself a cuppa. It's dark and atmospheric, but my goodness did it make me hungry! And did I mention a soft Hufflepuff assassin?
The "Diary of a Vampire" Bathbomb is one I'm already familiar with. Pretty Suds are one of my go-to bathbomb companies and Diary of a Vampire is my second favourite bathbomb from them. It's so dramatic when you put it in water, and it leaves the water black and your skin silky soft.
I was actually really excited about the bonus The Extinction Trials bookmark, because I absolutely love that series. It was a fantastic extra.
I absolutely loved the Halloween-y box, with its creepy feminist book and amazing treats. Self care for witchy times.
To Kill A Kingdom is fabulously dark and perfect for this time of year. This Little Mermaid retelling really twists the tale and makes it even darker. It's a bit gory, very dark, and a gripping read.
5 Words: Sirens, pirates, princes, power, family.
I think my favourite thing about this book was the brutality. The siren's are violent, and Lira perhaps the most violent of all. It is a dark book, filled with death.
I loved the pace. I struggled to put this book down and I loved the story.
I wasn't such a fan of Elian. I'm not sure what it was about him, but nah. I didn't like him.
Honestly though, Lira. I loved her. I loved her conviction, her scheming, her strength, her sense of purpose. She is a hard character, and I loved that about her. At times I wanted to skip Elian's chapters to read more from her.
I did struggle with the descriptions. They weren't clear enough for me to picture the sirens or the mermaids or even the places. I think this is probably down to the length of the book - there just isn't space for more description. Which is a shame, because I am a huge fun of description and would rather too much than too little. I know that people who are all about the action will love it though.
I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a dark re-imagining of The Little Mermaid, who isn't a fan of a huge amount of description. It's fast paced and packed with action.
The Villains Award Tag was created by Cait at Paper Fury, and when I saw her post I couldn't help but join in. It's that time of year after all, and I love me a villain. They can make or break a story, and are often the most complex characters.
Villain You Absolutely DESPISE And HATE.
This is easily Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter. I actually talk a lot about how she's low-key one of my favourite characters in the series because of how villainous she is, especially as she seems so normal. She's the hero of her story, she truly believes she is doing right but my gosh, she is so wrong.
Xifeng from Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is hypnotising and I am well under her spell. I don't actually see her as a villain. Xifeng is my queen and I'm her follower, thanks. I know you're not supposed to like her, but I love her.
Basically any story ever! I love seeing things from the "dark side". I guess I'd love to most see everything in the Grishaverse from the Darkling's perspective, to see how power changed and corrupted him.
Guma from Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is kind of more a terrible parent figure than a parent as such, but what she does is honestly pretty awful. It's her ambitions that actually set everything in motion.
I'm definitely going to go with Orelia from Light Years for this. She's not necessarily bad, she's just doing what she thinks is right, and I love the fact that she learns from it and her beliefs and preconceptions are changed.
Mila from Undead Girl Gang, she's basically an accidental villain to a lot of people around her, but only because she's trying to find some good from such horrific events.
Cardan from The Cruel Prince - although by the time I finished The Cruel Prince I wasn't so sure he was even a villain any more. So yeah, not necessarily pure evil, especially compared to the rest of his family. Which one was the Cruel Prince anyway?
The trees in Fir. Yep, the trees. And probably also the snow. I mean, all of the nature in Fir has a distinctly sinister twist to it and it's excellent. Stop cutting down trees, pick up your litter, take care of the earth.
Raiden from Smoke in the Sun. In the first book he was awful, but the second book? Well I warmed enough that I was shipping Markio and Raiden, so lets pretend that the epilogue doesn't exist.
Silyen from Gilded Cage. Ish. He's still a prick but OH MY GOODNESS his arc throughout the series? Incredible. What you first see of him, at the beginning of Gilded Cage, is completely different to what you see of him in Bright Ruin.
Now, I love a good villain. I can't get enough of them. For me they can make or break a book, completely change a story. For this list I'm looking at my favourite villains, anti-heros, and morally grey characters. I love the ones who start off as evil and slowly become good, the ones who start off good and slowly become evil. I love complicated and full of conviction.
My dark, corrupted queen. I just have all of the love for Xifeng. She's an incredible character on an incredible journey.
Is there a better villain out there? Honestly, I think she's even a better villain than Voldemort because she is so sure that she is the hero of her own story. She's so despicable but she thinks she's right. She's so chilling because kittens and pink.
He's so dramatic. Dark and manipulative and power hungry, and straight up bad to be honest.
I quite specifically prefer Raiden in the second book. He may be evil, but even he has limits and morals because really he's soft at heart. I shipped him and Mariko so bad and thought it would have been an amazing enemies to lovers arc (if only).
GUYS HAVE YOU READ THIS SERIES YET? Oh man, I absolutely love Silyen. I love how he's evil but also self aware and strangely soft? How can a villain be all that at once?
I love how she just rips out hearts, OK? It's a mood.
Basically, without Serena there wouldn't be a story. She's self-aware, she knows she's bad, and she pretty much revels in it.
*fans self* gosh I swear Akkarin was my first proper fictional crush. I love how all is not as it seems with the High Lord of the Magicians' Guild.
Is she mad or is she a murderer? Does she wield wild, dark powers? Or is it all a coincidence? I absolutely loved Ruth in The Corset, her narrative was my favourite.
A little over a month ago I shared my Autumn TBR, and today I'm looking back to see how many I've managed to tick off. Now I'm not going to lie, I am terrible at sticking to TBRs. Awful at it. But I managed to smash my ARC August TBR so I was hopeful.
Only Autumn hasn't been what I expected so far, I have been so busy it's unreal and had little time for reading. I've been re-listening to audiobooks for the more part, so my shiny new Autumn TBR has been neglected.
Out of the ten books I laid out, convinced I'd manage to read... I have managed one. I still have nine to go. So wish me extra luck, as I have some cramming to do.
This was honestly excellent and perfect to read at this time of year. Full of creepy Victorian Gothic thrill and darkness, I would absolutely recommend it, just be wary of the content warnings for child abuse, difficult pregnancy, and graphic violence. Also it's pretty graphic.
How's your Autumn Reading going?
Which book from my TBR should I pick up next?
Today I am joining in with Steph from A Little But A Lot's Six for Sunday! Today's prompt is books I want to reread, and as I love Rereading Books I decided to narrow it down to the six books I want to reread before the end of the year.
I usually reread this every summer, but this year I wanted to save it for closer to Halloween, to really up the spookiness. It's one of my all time favourites.
I am itching to reread this series! It's been a few years since I first read the series and I figure now is the perfect time to jump back in and experience it all again and get ready for King of Scars.
This is one of my favourite festive reads and I reread it every December. This year will be no exception and I can't wait to go back to Snow Crystal.
I reread this every Christmas and I absolutely love it. It's a classic children's story with a touch of the magic of Christmas and a huge amount of feminist thinking.
With Fated coming out next year, I want to just experience it all again. Slated is one of my favourite series and one I recommend a lot.
This series is just everything, and it's been a while since my last reread. I can't wait to get sucked back in to Alexia's wild world of vampires and werewolves, oh my.
Which books do you want to reread?
This was an excellent YA dystopia that ticked all of the boxes and kept me gripped in. It's easy to read and difficult to put down. A fantastic story of control and rebellion that I would absolutely recommend.
5 Words: Control, family, society, rebellion, escape.
I thought that this was excellent and I absolutely loved it! It reminded me a little of Slated by Teri Terry. It is a standalone, and although I would actually love to read more I'm happy with that.
I listened to this on audiobook and I thought that Georgia Maguire did an outstanding job. She is engaging and perfect for the voice of Drew.
One of my favourite dystopia tropes is control the teens, it has such huge scope and is so scarily conceivable in even today's society. And the conditioning in The Treatment was scary in its believability.
The story is fast paced, and very much driven by the conviction and desperation of the main character, Drew. The writing style makes it very easy to get caught up in what's going on, to have your heart racing along with the characters.
This was a great dive into YA for the author, who typically writes (excellent) adult thrillers. I was not disappointed and would definitely recommend.
Last night we got our glad rags on and headed to Newcastle's Theatre Royal on our annual trip to the ballet. We have always been immensely entertained by Northern Ballet's performances, last year The Little Mermaid had us entranced, and The Three Musketeers was no exception.
I had managed to get us some pretty good seats (Row A in the Grand Circle anyone? Expensive but worth it) and I'd had a look at some of the rehearsal videos (absolutely follow Northern Ballet's Twitter they're always posting amazing videos) so excitement and expectations were high.
Being us, we were running a little late, but we made it in time after inhaling our pre-theatre meal (Lola Jeans, would not recommend) and even managed to order our interval drinks. The bar staff even very kindly reserved us a table for the interval.
The atmosphere was amazing. The performance was so funny and engaging that it was easy to get lost in the story. And the story? It was hilarious. It was a fantastic adventure, packed with action.
I loved the sword fighting - it was seamlessly part of the choreography, it was intense and exciting to watch, and at times it made us laugh. The costumes were gorgeous, and the set was so lavish and clever.
The Three Musketeers was an outstanding performance, gripping and sumptuous all at once, with a wicked humour throughout. It's an easy story to follow and get lost in, and filled with breathtaking action.
There are plenty of tickets left for the remaining performances at The Theatre Royal before the production moves to the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre and then Canterbury Marlowe Theatre and I would 100% recommend going along.
Read more about My Theatrical Experiences.
This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year after Ascension blew me away earlier this year, and I was not disappointed. Distortion again explores relationships under intense pressure and scrutiny, and examines the ugly side of reality TV.
The second thrilling installment in the Phobos series, following on from Ascension by Victor Dixen.
5 Words: Friendship, survival, secrets, love, hope.
I had been eagerly awaiting Distortion since I finished Ascension, so I couldn't help but jump straight in as soon as I got it. And I was absolutely not disappointed.
Again we follow Léonor as the main protagonist, and Serena as the antagonist. I liked seeing both perspectives, how each side fought to keep secrets. Then we have Anthony and Harmony, who didn't get much page-time in the last book, adding a third viewpoint with mixed motivations.
The writing is different in style from what I'm used to, and it takes me a while to settle in, perhaps three chapters. I'm not sure if this is a result of the translation, but it doesn't impact my enjoyment of the books and I think it actually helps me to read them faster, but the style won't be to everyone's tastes.
Distortion by Victor Dixen is very much a story of hope. The ending of Distortion was quite a hopeless affair, and the cliff hanger had me turning to the author's note in outrage. Although no less of a cliffhanger, this book actually gives some an aspect of hope in the ending, which I really appreciated. I loved the further scrutiny of reality TV and human greed, control and manipulation.
This series is commonly referred to as Love Island in Space and although that is a fair and excellent comparison, I feel like it sells it short. Because the Phobos books are so much more. Yes, there are the intense relationships brought on by living in such close quarters, the coupling up, the cameras everywhere... But there is so much more to the story. There is drama and a fight to stay alive, secrets and subterfuge, a possible betrayal hovering ready to strike at any moment.
Distortion is an addictive page-turner. The events of Ascension are covered well enough that you don't necessarily have to have read the first book to enjoy it, but I would absolutely recommend it to get the wider story.
Have you read any of the Phobos books?
I've been thinking of doing a Q&A for a while now, but I had no idea what questions to answer. Then I remembered Jenny in Neverland's Random Questions Generator post, which I thought was a fantastic way to do a Q&A. So I typed "Random Question Generator" into Google and found this site which generates five random questions whenever you refresh the page.
I am such a cliché in that Beauty and the Beast is my favourite. I can't help it, I just bloody love it. The soundtrack, the beauty of the art work, the story. All of it. It's just such a lush film. Second is Mulan, third is Sleeping Beauty, fourth is Moana. After that I'd really struggle as I generally love Disney and aside from my absolute favourites it's a case of I love them all equally. Ish.
Have you ever been done karaoke?
Twice. Both times while horrifically drunk haha. I'm usually a quiet wallflower, but one time on a night out me and a friend stumbled into a karaoke bar and thought "why not?" so belted out some Pink and Rihanna. I'm tone deaf so was probably awful, but I can't really remember much of it so silver linings?
I've been so incredibly lucky to have never seriously hurt myself! But the worst is probably this one time I was walking through the park and all of a sudden I tripped over and was face down on the ground. I skinned all around my eye, there was grit in it, it was bleeding. Totally gross. Luckily it didn't scar! Just looked super gnarly for a week.
Which do you like better, shop online or shop offline?
I actually kind of hate shopping, especially for clothes. I like that offline I can try things on, and I like that online there's no forced human interaction! I think I'll go for offline, because I can see and feel and have a go. And also it's an excuse to stop off in a cafe and read for an hour. So yeah, offline shopping if it's somewhere like Primark, where the staff leave you a alone and there's a Costa Coffee on the third floor. Online shopping if it's some hellscape like Lush where the staff don't leave you alone.
This is a difficult one - if I'm watching a film and I'm not enjoying it, I'm going to turn it off! One I did recently try to struggle through was Secret Life of Pets, which just wasn't doing it for me. I know it's an animated film, but the humour seemed so immature. I switched to Zootopia instead and had a blast. In terms of "so bad it's good" I'd recommend Strippers vs Werewolves to everyone who wants to have a laugh and watch a horror that isn't actually scary and doesn't take itself too seriously.
So there we go, a little random Q&A. It was actually really fun and I think I might make it a regular thing on the blog, a way to share random things about myself.
Would you do a random Q&A?
I couldn't think of more than three for the original theme, so I'm changing it up and instead talking about some of the reasons that I love my local bookshop.
Emerson Chambers in Newcastle is a gorgeous building. Art Noveau architecture, with the most whimsical roof I've ever seen on a building.
The staff are all so friendly and enthusiastic, and more than happy to chat and recommend books.
My favourite part of the whole shop is the basement, where the kids, YA, sci-fi and fantasy books lurk. A lot of the authors events take place down there too.
This cafe does the best hot chocolate I've ever tasted, but also (more importantly) it had an excellent range of tea and a selection of delicious cakes!
I love how sometimes I'll be browsing the shelves and come across a US edition, signed copies, and older title that I love.
So much thought goes into the displays for the books. I think my most recent favourite was the Pride display, which lasted almost two months and was full of colour, and a little note on each with the rep.
Notebooks and planners, oh my! Waterstones has the most gorgeous selection of stationery and it's so difficult to resist. Who am I kidding, I don't resist.
My local bookshop takes pride in the fact it's in Newcastle. There are local gifts, small press books, and a whole display dedicated to local crime fiction.
One of my favourite things about Waterstones bookshelves is the reviews from the staff clipped on in front of the books.
The staff know what they're selling and are only two happy to recommend a book that they personally loved. The personal touch is excellent.
What's your favourite thing about your local bookshop?
I've spent a lot of my life without money, and I know how hard it can be. Especially if you're a reader. Because books are expensive. I have vivid memories of finishing the YA section in the library at high school and thinking "what next?". Luckily the librarian had a stash of books she kept hidden away to slowly rotate stock in, and let me read a lot of those. She also gave me my first review copy and sparked my love of sharing the books I read.
I know as a reader myself, when I'm looking at reviews on a blog I'm more likely to read one for a book I've already read rather than one that's not even out yet. I always find that when I'm talking about a book that's been out for longer there are more people who have read it, so more people that I can talk to it about.
Honestly, don't stress about always reading the latest books. I'm lucky enough to be able to get some books occasionally from lovely publishers, but I find that well loved, well read books are often the best talking points. And here are some tips for finding books to review when you have no money.
Start off with the books you already own. Read them. Review them. Take pretty pictures. Shout to the world about those books that you already have, that you obviously thought good enough to buy in the first place. Think of how much joy and author would have when a new review of a back list book pops up. Reread an old favourite and gush about it, share your existing passion.
Hit up the library (if you have one). I'm a member of my local library (physical books) and an online library (ebooks and audiobooks). Libraries are not only excellent resources of books, but using them supports authors through things like PLR, which compensates authors for their books being available in libraries.
You can often also join multiple libraries. I am a member of over five different library services and I use them all as they have different books in their catalogues.
Check Amazon for freebies. There are so many free books on Amazon - some of them are always free, usually the first book in a series or a novella, and some of them are free as part of a promotion. I tend to check around once a week just in case. I have found some absolute gems, books that have gone on to become my favourites.
And don't forget that a lot of classics are free as their copyright has expired, and are available through things like Project Gutenberg (which is how I read the Sherlock Holmes books).
I used to get the majority of my review copies on Goodreads Giveaways, but now they're US only (boo) and I have to use other sources. Sign up for publisher newsletters, make sure you're following publishers across social media. And keep an eye on other blogs! Fellow bloggers are extremely generous and run lots of awesome giveaways.
Every week I read the samples on Readers First and leave my First Impressions - even if I don't enter the draw for that book I can still earn points, and then use the points I earn to claim a book I really want at a later date. This is how I got my hands on The Island by MA Bennett.
What are your top tips for getting your hands on books?
Today I am joining in with Steph from A Little But A Lot's Six for Sunday! Today's prompt is favourite series or trilogies, and I loved thinking back on series I've loved, because there are a lot. It was hard to narrow it down to just six!
Oh man, this series. It's a favourite and I reread it often, my ultimate comfort books. I love how each of the characters are so different and how their stories come together.
This whole series is INCREDIBLE, honestly amazing. I'd recommend it to everyone. I love the alternate world, the exploration of control and power and family. And magic! And EEEK.
These. Books. Like... Wow. I have already read both books twice and I'm eagerly awaiting the third. The world is incredible, and I love how on the surface it's people vs dinosaurs, but as you delve deeper you realise it's far more than that.
This series is gorgeously written, it's such a rich story. I love Mary's journey and I was so sad to see it end, as I want to read about her life forever.
I recommend these books to so many people it's starting to get a bit ridiculous. The series is amazing, a wonderful look at the dark side of control and power (oh yeah, there's a theme to this list).
I may only have just finished the second book, but I love this series. It's unique and fun and pure escapism, and perfect for fans of Love Island.
I'm not good at this friendship thing.
I find it hard to make friends and harder to keep them.
It's like when I popped into being, something was missing. Something that made making friends - and keeping them - easier for other people and near impossible for me.
I feel like a large part of it is down to me. I'm awkward around people, I'm quiet, I can sometimes put on a facade and appear confident and outgoing, but I definitely am not. Unless I push myself I am cripplingly quiet and easily overwhelmed. I'm rather like a wilting wallflower.
When I do make friends, it's like I change. Once I'm comfortable around someone I love to talk to them. There's so much chatter and back and forth, sharing your life with friends is an incredible thing.
Then I fall back into my old ways and hang back, and listen rather than talk. And then the drifting starts and the silence and it's quiet again and I realise that I got so comfortable that I forgot to work at it.
But yeah, friendship is hard. But I love my friends so much, and I just have to remind myself to keep working it it.
This was such a sweet Christmassy read for all that it's set during the devastation of the Blitz. A Ration Book Chrismas gives you the warm fuzzies with its message of togetherness inspire of circumstances.
For Jo, the youngest of the Brogan sisters and newly qualified as an ambulance driver, the freedom of her job also offers the chance to see the love of her life, Tommy Sweete, more often. But Tommy's dangerous reputation means he's disapproved of by her family, and any chance of happiness seems very far away. As the Blitz devastates their homes and neighbourhood, can their love survive the horrors of war-time London?
5 Words: Family, war, love, misunderstanding, heart-warming.
I loved Jo and her determination. She knew what she wanted (for the most part) and she was ready to fight for it and do what she needed to do to get it. She strives to exceed everyone's expectations of her, and it's so inspiring.
This book really explores family dynamics. You had the Brogans, close and caring and always looking out for each other, even if they didn't necessarily believe in each other's actions, and held their own little resentments. Then you had the Sweetes, and the control and toxicity and manipulation. I loved seeing both families side by side, delving in to the complications of families.
A Ration Book Christmas really grabs hold of the Keep Calm And Carry On mentality of the war, and the characters really display such steadfastness against the despair of the reality of war.
I also loved how there were a few ration book recipes in the back of the book, although the thought of offal makes me gag so I won't be trying the heart one!
This is the perfect read for the run up to Christmas.
Do you read festive books?


text:
Q: Oracle and TOAD (and I) disagree on number of variables to bind At runtime, I'm getting "ORA-01008 - not all variables bound" with a SQL statement that runs fine in TOAD and in which TOAD (and I) only find one parameter.
As can be seen below, there IS only one parameter in the query. Why would Oracle think there are more than one parameters/variables and cause an exception to be thrown?
I cannot show the real sql, but here is a facsimile of it (column/table names changed):
SELECT DECODE(POSTWHEELTYPE,'0','NONE','D','NUMERIC','D','RESTRICTED NEEDLE','X','TRANSFER TO WINTER','A','ACCESS CODE') HALTYPE,
    DECODE(VALIDATIONTYPE,'0','NONE','A','FOXPRO CODE','P','PERSONAL CODE','S','RESTRICTED') JBJTYPE,
    LAZYNUMBER,
    DISPLAYTEXT,
    MINLENGTH || '-' || MAXLENGTH LENGTH,
    NVL(INSTRUCTIONS, '<NONE>') INSTRUCTIONS
FROM
    ABC.CODELAZYS
WHERE
    BQSERVERABCID = :ABCID
    AND VALIDATIONTYPE <> '0'
ORDER BY
    LAZYNUMBER DESC

A: If Oracle is returning this error code, I would bet the better part of my last dollar that the variable was not bound.  Just because TOAD has provided a value for the variable does not mean that it's bound in other clients.
Are you 100% positive your one variable is indeed bound? Where are you running the query that fails? Can you show us how it's called?

A: The problem was that I was binding the variable too late; once I moved it above the call to ExecuteReader(), it worked.


When it comes to the GDPR, consent is still a major concern for law firms. Most firms have made progress, yet many still have questions regarding how they collect, store and manage consent - or whether consent is required at all.
The answer is not always straightforward and is most often specific to individual circumstances. As a result, many firms have received ambiguous advice, leading them to conclude that consent is the only option.
This Q&A webinar with Short Richardson & Forth Solicitors, we explore the other forms of lawful basis and discuss where they may be a valid alternative to consent. We also address many of the concerns raised in our recent GDPR Roadshow, ran in conjunction with 4 law societies across the UK. In particular we cover gathering consent from 3rd parties, re-gaining consent from existing databases and the rules surrounding corporate communications.


text:
Home » Shooting Industry News
Outdoor Channel's Randy Brown Honored With Fourth Consecutive Cablefax 100 Award
Ammoland Inc. Posted on December 6, 2012 January 22, 2018 by F Riehl, Editor in Chief
Industry Benchmark For Excellence.
Outdoorchannel TV
Temecula, Calif. –-(Ammoland.com)- Outdoor Channel, America's Leader In Outdoor TV, today announced that Randy Brown, Executive Vice President, Affiliate Sales and Marketing, has been awarded his fourth consecutive CableFAX 100 Award.
The award showcases the "who's who" of the cable industry, setting the industry benchmark for excellence across all areas of cable. The honor was presented at the Grand Hyatt hotel in New York City on December 5th, 2012.
"To be recognized for excellence by CableFAX, a top industry publication, is truly an honor. This award reflects not only the strength of the Outdoor Channel brand, but also the importance of outdoor entertainment within the television space," said Brown. "Once more, my team and I have achieved notable distribution milestones across the country and around the world."
"At Outdoor Channel, we are proud to have such a key industry player committed to driving our subscriber growth, which has truly been reflected by Randy and his team's hard work," said Tom Hornish, President and CEO, Outdoor Channel. "On behalf of Outdoor Channel, we congratulate Randy on his continued excellence and fourth uninterrupted prestigious industry honor from CableFAX."
Outdoor Channel continues to grow its distribution under Brown's leadership domestically and internationally. In 2012, Outdoor Channel continued to build its subscriber base and in September alone, the network reached a significant achievement adding 1.1 million subscribers on cable systems such as Comcast and RCN in the northeast. Outdoor Channel now reaches 38.6 million U.S. households.
The network also made notable gains in international distribution this year, including launching deals in Sweden and Russia through Chello Zone and Indonesia and Taiwan through Multi-Channels Asia. Outdoor channel now reaches more than seven million international subscribers, in addition to more than 60 million part-time digital pay TV households in China.
CableFAX is a cable industry trade publication written for operators providing the latest news and insight on mergers and acquisitions, technology breakthroughs, regulatory issues, marketing initiatives, programming and personnel changes.
About Outdoor Channel
Taking viewers across America and around the world on unparalleled adventures since 1993, Outdoor Channel is America's Leader In Outdoor TV. Dedicated to the outdoor lifestyle and conservation, the independent cable network is a division of Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: OUTD) and provides a complete spectrum of riveting hunting, fishing, shooting and adventure entertainment. Outdoor Channel is received by 38.6 million U.S. households – the largest outdoor TV footprint in the country – and is available in more than 50 countries internationally. Outdoor Channel can be viewed in HD and is accessible by broadband and mobile platforms. For program times and other information, visit www.outdoorchannel.com. Follow us on Twitter and on Facebook, and download our iPhone and iPad app.


text:
package com.msopentech.odatajclient.engine.utils;

/**
 * Generic wrapper class.
 *
 * @param <T>
 */
public class Wrapper<T> {

    private T wrapped;

    public void setWrapped(final T wrapped) {
        this.wrapped = wrapped;
    }

    public T getWrapped() {
        if (wrapped == null) {
            throw new IllegalStateException("Wrapped object not set");
        }

        return wrapped;
    }
}