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Three Souls by Janie Chang
We have three souls, or so I'd been told. But only in death could I confirm this ... So begins the haunting and captivating tale, set in 1935 China, of the ghost of a young woman named Leiyin, who watches her own funeral from above and wonders why she is being denied entry to the afterlife. Beside her are three souls—stern and scholarly yang; impulsive, romantic yin; and wise, shining hun—who will guide her toward understanding. She must, they tell her, make amends.
As Leiyin delves back in time with the three souls to review her life,she sees the spoiled and privileged teenager she once was,a girl who is concerned with her own desires while China is fractured by civil war and social upheaval. At a party,she meets Hanchin, a captivating left-wing poet and translator,and instantly falls in love with him.
When Leiyin defies her father to pursue Hanchin, she learns the harsh truth—that she is powerless over her fate. Her punishment for disobedience leads to exile, an unwanted marriage, a pregnancy, and, ultimately, her death. And when she discovers what she must do to be released from limbo into the afterlife, Leiyin realizes that the time for making amends is shorter than she thought.
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Sabrina-Kate - 4 Star
Three Souls will appeal to fans of Amy Tan or historical fiction, particularly historical fiction set in Asia. This book was quite exceptional in many ways especially in the wonderful way the story and setting were detailed. I am not the biggest fan of historical fiction yet I found myself completely engrossed in the story despite my initial hesitation.
The plot moved along over many years at a fairly rapid pace and I rarely, if at all, found myself bored which is what typically happens for me with fiction of this sort. It demonstrated to me the extreme power of Janie Chang's writing debut.
The story was set in an era that I do find captivating, namely the 20s and 30s, so it was interesting to see what China was like during that period versus what North America was like at that time.
Three Souls had so many things that appealed to me. The characters were quite real and seemed genuine in their actions and speech. The story involved a few love stories and heartbreak, which most great stories typically do but this one definitely had a unique take on things. I also liked the fact that a different type of family dynamic was described, in a lot of detail, to give me a new perspective on things that I had never considered before.
The only thing that gave me pause was the three souls part of the story but after a little while, once I became used to it, it truly added to the story as I felt that perhaps it was something that would be part of the Chinese culture or beliefs that I was not previously aware of.
Three Souls truly was a wonderful and eye opening love story that enriched my understanding of a different culture.
Thank you to Harper Collins for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
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Posted by NovelEscapes at 8:58 AM 0 comments
Labels: * Sabrina-Kate, 4 Star, Historical Lit
Mums on Strike by Laura Kemp
It was just a squashed grape on the kitchen floor. Hardly a reason to get upset, right? But six years of motherhood has left Lisa Stratton feeling like a skivvy.
Every morning before she's opened her eyes, she starts her mental inventory of jobs to do. And just like yesterday, the day before and every day since she became a mum, she's woken up knackered.
So when her husband deliberately steps over the grape because it's 'her responsibility' to run the house, it tips her over the edge. He wasn't always like this - they used to share everything.
Then the kids came along and he saw it as an excuse to sit back. But this time things are going to change. Lisa has made a decision. She's going on strike.
I loved Mums on Strike. I actually asked for this one from the author and was thrilled to get a copy and then had to wait to read it because of others on my to-read list. When I finally was able to pick it up I whipped through it in a couple of evenings.
This book will make every mother who feels the load of family, work, life to be falling almost entirely on their shoulders, feel validated. I also know a few dads who feel this way on occasion so perhaps it's not just for the mums out there either! Kemp must have come at this from experience because the details of the minutea were perfect and made me laugh out loud. The squashed grape on the floor was the epitome of the whole problem and she picked at it and made a point of it perfectly.
As much as I loved Lisa I actually loved her husband just as much. I wanted to smack him over the head and I wanted to hug him all at the same time which defines my own marriage to a T. When you decide to start a family, and are lucky enough to have children, the actual running of such an entity creeps up on you until you realise you're actually organising not only yourself, your kids and your house but sometimes your husband as well. I always struggle with the job of being the stay at home parent in terms of how much around this place is supposed to be my job. If I'm supposed to be raising the children to be happy and productive members of society then how do I end up being the only one cleaning anything and getting grumpier and grumpier as each task mounts up? This cannot possibly be the recipe to creating happy offspring and spouses.
This is a touchy subject in many homes I would imagine but well put on the table in this novel with humour, emotion and reality. All of Kemp's supporting roles were warm, clearly defined and had purpose. She didn't leave anything hanging or stick people in for no reason. She ensured that all the people in Lisa's life were interesting and the plot moved swiftly and didn't even have any lagging bits! Mums on Strike is an excellent read and I'll be seeking out other Laura Kemp novels immediately.
Thank you to Random House for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
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Labels: * Kathryn, 5 Star, Marriage Lit, Mom Lit
The Wedding Bees by Sarah-Kate Lynch
When Sugar Wallace arrives in Manhattan with nothing but a beehive, a secret past and a taste for good manners, life starts to change for the dispirited occupants of 33 Flores Street.
But as love wings its way into their hearts and homes, it flies away from Sugar herself. That is, until a doorman without a door and a certain busy queen join forces in a sting to end all stings. It looks like love might be in the air once more ... but for how long?
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The Wedding Bees was completely charming and had me hooked from the beginning. After all, who does not love a southern gal? Somewhat innocent and having also obviously been hurt before, Sugar was endearing, naive or perhaps just inherently genuine and the kind of person you would hope would be on your side.
Becoming involved with her neighbors and changing their lives for the better was charming. The bees only added a wonderful and interesting quality to the story but I can't say that I could picture them being in a major city. I do like it when life brings along little surprises though because it feels almost magical, much like this story did.
The lives and loves described in this book were original yet something I could not particularly picture in New York, and having spent quite a bit of time there, I would consider myself a little bit knowledgeable about the city. The city seemed somewhat impersonal so imagining lives becoming so entwined was a bit of a departure for me but I enjoyed it for the pleasure it could create through the simplicity of human contact and engagement.
Not to say that I did not enjoy this story because I truly did despite not being able to imagine certain aspects. I couldn't help but feel warm inside by the way things worked out perhaps against all odds at times. So if you are looking for a feel good wonderful charming tale, The Wedding Bees is a book for you.
Thank you to William Morrow for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
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Posted by NovelEscapes at 7:35 PM 0 comments
Labels: * Sabrina-Kate, 4 Star, Single Girl Lit
Somebody Else's Shoes by Tiffany Wright
Frumpy, insecure, London real life journalist Mia is unfulfilled with her life. Her job interviewing the weird and wonderful people of the world is thankless, she doesn't have a love life and her family are on the brink of driving her to the edge. If she were a pair of shoes she would be ballet pumps – reliable, comfortable and just a little bit dull.
Gorgeous Natasha Logue is a celebrity fashion stylist with everything she could possibly want at her feet. Her days are spent smooching around with celebs, wearing outrageously expensive clothes and dating London's sexiest men. She is the epitome of a Louboutin – sleek, stylish and the envy of every other woman out there.
But one day Mia and Natasha's worlds collide in a way neither could imagine possible and suddenly the shoes are on the other foot. But will a new chance of life be the opportunity both women need to change? Or is the grass always greener? We discover what it's really like walking in somebody else's shoes.
I've been reading a lot of lighter novels lately and I've really been enjoying getting into the relationships, the mishaps and happy endings involved in some of these "beach" read type books. Unfortunately I found Sombody Else's Shoes to be a bit lacking in something - I'm not entirely sure what it was.
The real Mia isn't in the novel for very long before she's placed in another person's body and life. If we'd had more time to get to know Mia before she became this new person we might have grown more attached to her and with the exception of her best friend there wasn't anyone rooting for her. I really felt sorry for her more than anything else. Her search for her exes, to see if they were the one who got away, was a bit half-hearted and felt like a bit of an after-thought, as something that was added later to tie the novel together. Mia's new life is extraordinary and nothing like her old one- she got so excited about it that she almost instantly became someone more interested in herself than anything or anyone else. Natasha's fashion clients were more real than Mia/Natasha and yet Natasha's job was supposed to be reflection of Hollywood's expectations- I felt that Natasha was putting the expectations on her clients more than any outside force. It just seemed backwards to me.
I would have liked there to be more exploration with the exes and less Mia becoming the ultimately lonely, Natasha. There were many good storylines throughout Wright's novel but they ultimately didn't meld into something I found entertaining.
Thank you to Tiffany Wright for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
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Would You Rather with Barbara Oliverio
Please welcome Barbara Oliverio author Love on the Back Burner
About Barbara:
Barbara Oliverio is the daughter of Italian immigrants and grew up in North Central West Virginia with a love of reading and a passion for learning. Following a career path that included being a teacher, journalist, and marketer, she has lived as far away from home as Italy where she practiced her family's native tongue as well as took advantage of living near to other European countries to travel extensively. A rabid Pittsburgh Steeler fan, she lives with her husband, an equally committed New York Giants fan, in suburban Denver where off-football-season dinner conversation is calmer and is usually accompanied by a meal she cooks from one of her mother's treasured recipes. Other interests include New York Times crossword puzzles, good movies, and travel. She volunteers extensively for her parish and writes for its publications. She also teaches part-time for the St. Catherine of Siena Institute.
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Would You Rather... with Barbara Oliverio
Chips, chocolate or cheese?
Chocolate - The darker the better!
Bridget Jones, Becky Bloomwood or Carrie Bradshaw?
Carrie Bradshaw - I think it's the fabulous shoes that draw me to her.
Wine, beer or vodka?
Vodka, if I must choose from these three, but I'd rather have a nice single malt scotch.
Camping or spa vacation?
Spa vacation, all the way! My idea of roughing it is a hotel without room service.
Water or Mountains?
Water - Ah, the beach!
Zombies or Vampires?
Zombies - preferably those from "Shaun of the Dead"
Dogs or Cats?
Neither dogs nor cats -- sorry, just not a pet person.
Pepsi -- And I've taken the taste test and can tell the difference.
Tea, please -- Green, iced.
Dine out or take away?
Dine out - let someone else clean up the table!
High heels, sneakers or flip flops
High heels - I refer you to Question #2
Physical book or ebook?
Physical Book - I'll read and pubish ebooks as well, but nothing feels as good as a brand new physical book.
Paperback or Hardcover?
Paperback - Trade size
Pen or Pencil?
Pen - black
Mad Men, Downton Abbey or Breaking Bad
Mad Men, Downton Abbey or Breaking Bad - No! No! No! I refuse to make this Sophie's Choice. Love them all!
Drama or Comedy?
Comedy -- but love a good drama on occasion.
Twilight or Hunger Games?
Hunger Games -- No vampires for me.
Lipstick, lipgloss or chapstick?
Lipstick -- M.A.C. brand, "Goes With Everything" color. If they discontinue it, I'll be lost!
Facebook or Twitter
Facebook -- Difficult to be constrained to 140 characters
Plot your entire novel or fly by the seat of your pants?
Plot basics of entire novel -- but then, occasionally let characters take me where they themselves want to go. Sometimes they have a better idea!
Love on the Back Burner
Readers' Favorite Award™-Winning Love on the Back Burner spins the story of sassy Alexandria D'Agostino. She is youngest in a tight-knit Italian-American family with a successful marketing career and a passion for cooking, yet her romantic life is less than 4-star. For years, she has tried cooking her way into men's hearts by flaunting her old world culinary skills, but now, she's changing the menu. She dishes up childhood favorites to a succession of first dates (recipes included). The book features an engaging cast of characters including a rock-star-turned- priest brother, a no-nonsense Italian immigrant grandmother, and a crew of friends who are always up for a good meal. With a dollop of persistence and a dash of laughter, will Alexandria discover the recipe for happiness -- and perhaps love?
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The Opposite of Maybe by Maddie Dawson
Jonathan and Rosie have been together so long they finish each other's sentences—so when he (finally) proposes and asks her to move across the country with him, everyone is happily surprised.
But when things suddenly unravel, Rosie sends Jonathan packing and moves back home with Soapie, the irascible, opinionated grandmother who raised her. Only now she has to figure out how to fire Soapie's very unsuitable caregiver, a gardener named Tony who lets her drink martinis, smoke, and cheat at Scrabble.
It's a temporary break, of course—until Rosie realizes she's accidentally pregnant at 44, completely unequipped for motherhood, and worse, may be falling in love with the sentimental, troubled Tony, whose life is even more muddled than hers.
It's not until Rosie learns the truth about her mother's tragic story that she wonders if sometimes you have to let go of your fears, trusting that the big-hearted, messy life that awaits you may just be the one you were meant to live.
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Kathryn - 4.5 Star
The Opposite of Maybe was a definite creeper for me- at first I found the voice a bit tricky to warm to but that niggle soon faded away as I got hooked on the Rosie's predicaments and Jonathan's contradictions. I had difficulty in seeing these two people together so when they separated I was secretly pleased, though neither of them seemed content with the decision.
The central force of the novel was that Rosie was fighting herself most of the time. With the exception of Jonathan, those around her were always trying to get her to move past her own hurdles and therefore forward in her own life. Her grandmother Soapie was vocal and pushy about it and Tony was gentle and inspiring about it. I'm not sure if Dawson intended us to like Jonathan or not? I didn't care for him much as I just couldn't see past his selfishness. While I grasped that Rosie's circumstances rather changed the goal posts on their relationship I felt he was completely unconcerned about Rosie's new situation. With Jonathan intent on his ancient teacup collection we were perhaps meant to view him as cerebral and not oblivious but I didn't go for it I'm afraid. No one is that engrossed in teacups to allow their partner (that they say they love) to be alone.
Now apart from Rosie & Jonathan, the continuing saga, there were some complex and fascinating relationships that evolved in this book. I was surprised about almost all of them and loved each one. Even the once-removed personalities were greatly defined. Tony's ex-wife and her new partner for example were clear as day to me and made the book circle in on itself so everything was tightly woven and felt warm.
I loved Tony- I think if you don't then you've missed The Opposite of Maybe entirely. I was actually really surprised how much I liked this novel and would probably even re-read it.
Thank you to Broadway Books for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
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Labels: * Kathryn, 4.5 Star
Heroic Measures by Jo-Ann Powers
Honoring those who have served their country in war, most focus on those who have fought on the battlefields. But one group's heroics under fire have slipped through the pages of history, a group whose blood and sweat were left in operating rooms and hospital tents, a group whose heroism has seldom been measured.
For nurse Gwen Spencer, fighting battles is nothing new. An orphan sent to live with a vengeful aunt, Gwen picked coal and scrubbed floors to earn a living. But when she decides to become a nurse, she steps outside the boundaries of her aunt's demands…and into a world of her own making.
Leaving her hometown for France, she helps doctors mend thousands of brutally injured Doughboys under primitive conditions. Amid the chaos, she volunteers to go ever forward to the front lines. Braving bombings and the madness of men crazed by the hell of war, she is stunned to discover one man she can love. A man she can share her life with.
But in the insanity and bloodshed she learns the measures of her own desires. Dare she attempt to become a woman of accomplishment? Or has looking into the face of war and death given her the courage to live her life to the fullest?
Set initially in the US during World War II I was completely drawn into Gwen's existence as a training nurse and her passion and determination to complete her training. I believe I read last year a similar story about nurse trainees in the UK and both novels had parallel notions of servitude that went unnoticed by so many before these wars. During this historical period the nursing profession was prone to be seen as glamorous rather than strenuous and the reality was that those who went to serve on the front lines or remained behind to pick up the pieces worked as long and as hard as the doctors who were given much of the kudos. I am pleased that there are writers making a point of telling their stories.
Power's book doesn't dwell on the pain and suffering, instead she plows through with Gwen's choices of perseverance and unquestionable sense of duty- despite the worry of leaving her sister behind. Gwen's home life was nothing to be comforted by so it made sense that she would want to see what else was out in the world. I did worry though about her leaving her sister in the hands of her aunt and while it does come out as a concern for Gwen I'm not sure I would have been able to leave, had it been me. The duty of the profession took over. Gwen's romantic relationships were honest and realistic too. I would have loved a different outcome though as I think Power hinted at an alternative that would have better suited Gwen but she probably made the right choice for herself.
Heroic Measures was graphic at times and didn't gloss over the details of the danger and horror of nursing in the trenches. I was shocked more than once about the circumstances for those on duty and those fighting. Reading details always hits me more than seeing a movie does, and it's good to be reminded of the sacrifices so many have made for us.
Thank you to The Wild Rose Press/Wilder Roses for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
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Labels: * Kathryn, 4 Star, Historical Lit
Wake by Anna Hope
Wake: 1) Emerge or cause to emerge from sleep 2) Ritual for the dead 3) Consequence or aftermath.
Hettie, a dance instructress at the Palais, lives at home with her mother and her brother, mute and lost after his return from the war. One night, at work, she meets a wealthy, educated man and has reason to think he is as smitten with her as she is with him. Still there is something distracted about him, something she cannot reach...Evelyn works at the Pensions Exchange through which thousands of men have claimed benefits from wounds or debilitating distress. Embittered by her own loss, more and more estranged from her posh parents, she looks for solace in her adored brother who has not been the same since he returned from the front...Ada is beset by visions of her son on every street, convinced he is still alive. Helpless, her loving husband of 25 years has withdrawn from her. Then one day a young man appears at her door with notions to peddle, like hundreds of out of work veterans. But when he shows signs of being seriously disturbed—she recognizes the symptoms of "shell shock"—and utters the name of her son she is jolted to the core...
The lives of these three women are braided together, their stories gathering tremendous power as the ties that bind them become clear, and the body of the unknown soldier moves closer and closer to its final resting place.
As much as I often want to love, or even like, historical fiction, it is something that I struggle with on a regular basis. I often, as with the case of this book, like the premise of the book and think that it is something that I would enjoy. Now Wake was obviously well researched as historical details were quite accurate. There was never a doubt in my mind that these things could have transpired.
There was something about this story that didn't resonate with me. At all. Wake is about three women and ultimately their connection through the three men in their lives post WWI yet I was unable to identify or empathize with any of them. Perhaps it was because I found the writing to be somewhat detached and not as emotional as one would expect some of the events to make them be.
The story also seemed to go back and forth without any clear indication from past and present which, to be very frank, drove me very crazy. I had to re-read a lot of sections a few times or at least skim through them to make sure what was going on. That to me is a waste of time and should be unnecessary when reading a book.
The historical details, as I previously mentioned, are incredible in their own right however and any history buff would probably be enthused by their merit alone.
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Would You Rather with Talli Roland
Please welcome Talli Roland author of ten novels including The Pollyanna Plan and the upcoming No Kids Club
About Talli:
Talli Roland writes fun, romantic fiction. Born and raised in Canada, Talli now lives in London, where she savours the great cultural life (coffee and wine).
Despite training as a journalist, Talli soon found she preferred making up her own stories--complete with happy endings. Talli's debut novel The Hating Game was short-listed for Best Romantic Read at the UK's Festival of Romance, while her second, Watching Willow Watts, was selected as an Amazon Customer Favourite. Her novels have also been chosen as top books of the year by industry review websites and have been bestsellers in Britain and the United States. To learn more about Talli, go to www.talliroland.com or follow Talli on Twitter: @talliroland. Talli blogs at talliroland.blogspot.com.
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Would You Rather... with Talli Roland
Chips, chips, chips! Especially with added salt and vinegar. Yum.
Definitely Carrie Bradshaw. I love her quirky style and optimism.
Wine. I do like vodka, but it's more of a party drink. I love relaxing in the evenings with a glass of red.
Spa vacation all the way. I loathe the discomfort of camping! Sleeping bags make me shudder.
Water. I grew up by the ocean, and I love the sound of waves breaking on the shore.
Vampires. Vampires have class, while zombies are disgustingly messy.
I love both, but cats are more independent than dogs and less needy, and that appeals.
Coke. I find it less sweet than Pepsi and it has a bit more bite.
Ooh, it has to be coffee. When I need a strong hit of caffeine, it's where I turn first.
Definitely dine out! It's hard to get out at night when you have a baby, and I'd relish glamming up and hitting the town.
Hmm. Can I say just 'flats'? High heels make me curse, sneakers are for running, and flip flops on grimy London streets? I don't think so. Flats are the perfect compromise: comfy yet still a little stylish.
I like both, but I have to say ebook. I love being able to purchase a new novel from the bath.
Paperback. Less cumbersome and much lighter!
Pen. The scratchiness of a pencil annoys me.
I'm sure this will mark me out as some kind of weirdo, but I haven't seen any of them!
Comedy. There's enough drama in my life already.
Hunger Games. I love strong heroines.
Lip-gloss all the way! Easy to put on and doesn't clash with anything.
Facebook – I love having more than 140 characters!
I always plot, but I very rarely stick to it.
The Pollyanna Plan
Is finding true love as easy as an attitude change?
Thirty-something Emma Beckett has always looked down on 'the glass is half full' optimists, believing it's better to be realistic than delusional. But when she loses her high-powered job and fiancé in the same week, even Emma has difficulty keeping calm and carrying on.
With her world spinning out of control and bolstered by a challenge from her best friend, Emma makes a radical decision. From here on in, she'll behave like Pollyanna: attempting to always see the upside, no matter how dire the situation.
Can adopting a positive attitude give Emma the courage to build a new life, or is finding the good in everything a very bad idea?
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Two of a Kind by Yona Zeldis McDonough
Ten years after losing her husband, Christina Connelly has worked through the pain, focusing on raising her teenage daughter and managing her small decorating business. But her romantic life has never recovered. Still, it's irksome to be set up with arrogant, if handsome, doctor Andy Stern at her friend's wedding. If he wasn't also a potential client, needing his Upper East Side apartment redesigned, she would write him off.
This is never going to work, Andy thinks. Still grieving his wife and struggling with a troubled son, he's not looking for a woman, and certainly not someone as frosty and reserved as Christina. Their relationship will be strictly business. Yet to everyone's surprise—including their own—these two find themselves falling in love.
But if reconciling with their pasts is difficult, blending their lives and children to create a new family is nearly impossible. They've been given a second chance…but can they overcome all the obstacles in the way of happily ever after?
Rebecca - 3 Star
I've been putting off writing this review, mostly because I have mixed feelings about this book which makes writing a coherent review that doesn't contradict itself tricky. I had reservations from the outset; really this isn't my sort of book but I thought I'd read it with an open mind and see how I got on because, well it's good to try new things right?
The first niggle I encountered was that the love interest Andy is a doctor and the implication is that this fact alone makes him desirable and somehow in a different league to Christina who is merely an interior decorator. Now no disrespect to my lovely husband who is a doctor but I don't think we really still live in an era where women still go weak at the knees simply because somebody went to med school. I've dated enough medics in my time to be absolutely certain they are just blokes and quite a lot of them are more boring than the average guy on the street. But putting that to one side I think McDonough writes really well, in particular her characterization is superb, even minor parts are really convincing and colourful, and I was for a time swept up in the story.
And then came the moment Andy rescues a kitten out of a tree. Yep; a little girl's kitten out of a tree. I could scarcely believe what I was reading! Short of a knight rescuing a princess from a fire breathing dragon, a more clichéd demonstration of manliness and compassion I don't believe you could find and I had an almost physical reaction. Yuk! Actually that wasn't what I said. What I really said isn't polite enough to post but after this point I really struggled to take the book seriously, which is a shame as McDonough tackles some tricky issues such as anorexia and drug-taking head on and handles them expertly, and the love story between Christina and Andy is rather charming.
After the closing chapters I mostly felt perplexed; how can an author who writes so convincingly, be so willing to rely on such clichéd plots and dated attitudes? Maybe her readership doesn't mind, but unfortunately I do.
Thank you to NAL for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
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Labels: * Rebecca, 3 Star, Single Girl Lit
She Effin Hates Me by Scarlett Savage
Molly has arrived home from Vassar to reveal that she has an important announcement to make. Her mother, Suzanne, is convinced that Molly's news is history repeating herself — and that she's about to become a thirty-six-year-old grandmother. Suzanne's mother, Ava, develops a case of impending great-grandmother fever—that is, when she's not spying on the new next-door neighbor, Buddy McKinley, who turns out to be a blast from her past.
Decades earlier, Buddy was the business partner of Ava's late husband, as well as his best friend during the Vietnam War. Ava feels she has good reasons for hating Buddy—she blames him for the fall of their business, an Irish pub that was a staple of the community. The loss not only destroyed her husband but also pushed her headfirst into the vodka bottle.
Suzanne eventually finds out that Buddy and Ava's past goes back much further than either has admitted. She begins to wonder whether Ava truly hates Buddy, or whether her feelings are much more complicated, as are her own when Molly announces that she's not pregnant, but gay.
She Effin Hates Me sounded like the exact type of book I love reading when I read the blurb on it yet it truly didn't end up being that at all. From the beginning I struggled with the pacing and the characters. If I had to pick just one word to describe it, I would probably pick 'plodding' because I just felt like I was plodding along, slogging my way through some slushy weather. You know what I mean; it felt like my feet were dragging (or at least someone's were!)
The characters were interesting, don't get me wrong. It is just that it felt to me like there was a lot of unnecessary detail that made certain parts just drag out and feel interminable. I usually race through books pretty quickly but it took me the better part of three weeks, off and on, to make it through this book which for me was not a great sign at all.
I know that this book was based on a play that the author wrote and I can't help but wonder why they wanted to develop it into a book. If it worked as a play, couldn't the age old adage, 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it' apply?
I couldn't find many other reviews about She Effin Hates Me to see if I was just off about the way I felt about it so I guess it is truly up to the reader to decide whether they want to venture further and see if this book thrills them in a way in certainly didn't me.
Thank you to Skyhorse Publishing for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
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It's Friday again, and you know what that means … another addition of the events roundup, and another weekend to get out and enjoy in our fair city or in the areas surrounding it.
It might seem a little strange to take the kids to someplace called the Stone Store, but that's the place to go on Saturday for an inflatable slide, an appearance by Bubbles the Clown, face painting, and more. It's all part of the Home and Garden Expo and Family Fun Day taking place in Harmans from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. In addition to kids' activities, there will be music by Detour Dave, food for sale from Moveable Mixtures, a plant sale, and giveaways. Find out more at thestonestore.com or call 888-766-4242. Bring a nonperishable food item and you get in for free.
If you haven't seen the "new Bob Dylan" yet, it's time you paid him a visit. Head to Wolf Trap in Vienna, VA, on Saturday to check out a concert with Bright Eyes and special guests M. Ward and Dawes. There are both pavilion and lawn seats available. Get yours by calling 703-255-1900 or visiting www.wolftrap.org.
Attend the Annapolis Arts and Crafts Festival on Friday or Saturday. It's a two-day outdoor celebration of the arts, featuring over 200 fine art and handmade craft displays, select wine tastings, specialty foods, live entertainment and lots of activities. The juried show features paintings, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, jewelry, fabric and wearable art, wood, leather, glass and photography, but the real treat are all of the vendors. Visit www.annapolisartsandcraftsfestival.com or call 410-263-4012.


2010 marks the 10th anniversary year for Freedom Of Creation. During this year we have organized all kinds of happenings to celebrate this milestone. Most memorable so far has been our recent show during the Helsinki Design Week in September. Normally we don't exhibit at manufacturing fairs, such as Euromold, but since all our products are produced with 3D printing technologies, this year we decided to celebrate this occasion also with our manufacturing partners.
A very special thanks belong to all those companies who have helped grow our company from scratch and especially our most loyal suppliers, who are also sponsoring our appearance at Euromold: EOS, Stratasys, FKM-Sintertechnik, HSL, 3T RPD and Additive Manufacturing Research group at Loughborough University. We would also like to thank Demat, who triggered us and invited us to exhibit during Euromold this year.


text:
Premier League weekend preview – Seagulls to fail stern opening test
Rob Eddy
Brighton have been handed a tough first game on their return to the top-flight as Manchester City are the visitors to the Amex Stadium.
The odds on Pep Guardiola's team winning the match by one goal can be backed at 47/20 while a routine 2-0 victory for City is available at 21/4.
Champions Chelsea should be able to record a routine home victory against Burnley and are 13/2 to beat the Clarets 3-0.
Newcastle United's last game in the top-flight was a home clash against Tottenham and Rafa Benitez's side start life back in the Premier League with another match against the Lilywhites.
Newcastle thrashed Spurs 5-1 on the last day of the 2015/16 campaign and are 4/1 to beat Mauricio Pochettino's team on Sunday while a Magpies win from behind can be backed at 14/1.
Promoted Huddersfield Town visit Crystal Palace and David Wagner's side can be backed at 5/2 to draw at Selhurst Park.
Everton could struggle to break down Stoke City's defence but the Goodison Park faithful will no doubt hand Wayne Rooney a great welcome on his return to the club and the former Manchester United star is available at 6/4 to score at any time against the Potters.
Southampton struggled for goals at St Mary's last season while Swansea are without Fernando Llorente so a goalless draw on the south coast looks good value at 29/4.
West Brom and Bournemouth meet at The Hawthorns and a 1-0 victory for Tony Pulis' team at 25/4 seems too good to ignore.
Liverpool should have too much quality for Watford, who they did the double over last season.
Jurgen Klopp's new signing, Mohamed Salah, is 17/4 to score the first goal in the match.
West Ham have invested heavily in their squad over the summer with SlavenBilic signing Pablo Zabaleta, Marko Arnautovic, Joe Hart and Javier Hernandez.
The Hammers face a Manchester United side that lost 2-1 to Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup on Tuesday.
A 1-1 draw can be backed at 37/4 while the Hammers are available at 6/1 to keep a clean sheet in the encounter.
The Premier League season gets underway on Friday when Leicester City visit Arsenal.
Alexandre Lacazette is 33/10 to score the first goal in his first Premier League game in an Arsenal shirt.
Previous articlePremier League title race – New signings can propel City to title glory
Next articleGunners to shine on opening night
Rob can be best described as an all-rounder - a very knowledgeable journalist on a host of different sports including football, tennis, golf and NFL.


text:
Council offers free parking to help local businesses
North Devon Council (NDC) has announced that it will be offering two hours of free parking in selected car parks during lockdown to help enable local independent businesses to offer click and collect services.
From Thursday 5 November the following NDC car parks will be free to use between 4pm and 6pm daily whilst the country remains under lockdown restrictions:
Cattle Market, Barnstaple
Tuly Street, Barnstaple
Queen Street, Barnstaple
Bear Street, Barnstaple
Wilder Road, Ilfracombe
South Molton Central
Leader of North Devon Council, Councillor David Worden, says: "Councillors have agreed to allow a set period of free parking at a designated time to support local businesses during the second period of lockdown. This will help customers to make use of click and collect and other services so people can continue to support their local high street. During this second period of lockdown, many of our local businesses remain open, if they are essential, or are offering online services. Please continue to support them whenever you can during these difficult times, even if you aren't able to visit in person."
The council is currently compiling a lockdown shopping directory of independent businesses in the district who are either remaining open or are offering alternative ways of buying from them during lockdown. Local businesses are asked to email communications@northdevon.gov.uk, should they wish to be included in the directory.
Car parks charges will remain in force in all other NDC car parks, and between 8am - 4pm in the car parks listed above, Monday to Sunday. RingGo payment service is still the preferred option of payment, followed by contactless card. Cash is still accepted if the customer has no other option or there is no card facility, but residents are reminded to please use hand sanitiser before and after touching the ticket machines.


MOUNT AIRY - The dream of a repeat title died on the road Friday night.
The No. 6 Murphy Bulldogs feel 49-35 to the Mount Airy Bears in the 1A-AA West Regional final, ending a chance at a second straight NCHSAA state title.
The visiting Dogs earned the first possession of the game and wasted little time getting into Mount Airy territory. Quarterback Joey Curry connected with Chase Roberts with a 40-yard pass on the Bulldogs' second play.
Slade McTaggart tried to move deeper into Bear territory but was held up by Grayson Corbin. Grayson had another stop on second down, followed by a sack from Tucker Corbin to bring up fourth-and-17.
Murphy elected to go for broke on the Bears' 19-yard line and paid for it. A pass from Curry to Kadrian McRae came up short and resulted in a turnover-on-downs.
A slow start plagued the Bears, having to call a timeout before the first play of the drive. Two runs and a short pass from Ian Holder weren't enough to move the chains for the home team. Mount Airy punted with 5:40 remaining in the first quarter.
Murphy had another explosive play to begin its second drive. McRae plowed through defenders for a 25-yard gain before being finally dragged down by the Bears' Donavon Greene.
McRae and the Bulldogs played it safe with runs up the middle that eventually rewarded the visitors with a touchdown. Devonte Murray capped off the drive with a three-yard touchdown run with 2:07 left in the first. Katelyn Jones nailed the PAT to put the Dogs up 7-0.
After failing to get a first down on their initial drive, the Bears would score on each of their remaining drives in the half. Johnathon Smith returned the kickoff for a touchdown by running up the home sideline, but a holding penalty on the home team brought it back.
Holder found Greene for the first Mount Airy first down of the evening. Smith and Holder followed up the catch with a number of quick runs.
Holder elected to pass to Greene once more and it paid off. Greene scored on a 53-yard pass from Holder only 90 seconds into the drive to tie the game at 7.
The Bears' defense was able to contain the bulldozer that was McRae and force third-and-12. McRae broke free for a 13-yard reception to give Murphy a first down. Despite moving the chains, a sack from Benjamin Reales would force Murphy to punt on fourth-and-13.
Mount Airy carried the momentum from its first drive straight into the second. Smith took the ball 59 yards into the end zone on the Bears' second play of this drive, giving Mount Airy its first lead of the evening at 14-7.
McTaggart and McRae continued to be the workhorses for the Bulldogs. Other than the occasional pass to Micah Nelson, the duo was responsible for moving the chains for Murphy on the ground.
Curry surprised the Mount Airy defense by floating the ball down field to Roberts for yet another explosive play. Roberts was headed for the end zone and would've scored if not for a lightning-quick Greene.
Greene's tackle only delayed the inevitable, with McRae taking the ball 10 yards to tie the game at 14 on the next play.
The score was only tied for about 12 seconds, due to an 88-yard kickoff return from Greene. With no flags on the play, Mount Airy jumped back ahead 21-14.
Things went from bad to worse for the visitors when Greene stripped the ball from a Bulldog less than a minute later. The fumble was picked up by Smith, who ran 40 yards to the end zone to increase the lead to 28-14.
With only 4.5 seconds remaining in the first half, Curry targeted Travis Seabolt in the end zone. Curry's pass came up short, but he was given another opportunity due to a penalty on Mount Airy. Curry once again looked for Seabolt on the un-timed down, and connected this time to bring the game within one score going into halftime.
Curry cut Mount Airy's lead to 35-28 in the third quarter on another touchdown pass to Seabolt. The Bears countered with another big play, a 75-yard run by Holder, to extend the lead to 42-28. Both teams exchanged touchdowns in the fourth.


This tax season will be very hard for many. Not only the government has started with a "shutdown" in most of our federal departments but, we begin season 2018 with a new imposed federal tax laws that could make tax bills worst for some and better for others. The "Tax Cut Job Act" of 2018 is full of many changes. It requires you to carefully plan for the future tax years and make changes in your company policies. It requires a lot of work which you as a business owner should have started early in 2018. Here is a summary of a few changes in the new TCJA. very complicated so, I suggest you set up an appointment with your accountant to learn more about the new tax law.
Social Security tax. Everyone must pay a Social Security tax on all compensation up to $128,400 of income for the year. The rate is 6.20% of your gross wages or business income if you are a sole proprietor or a one member LLC.
Medicare tax. Everyone must pay Medicare tax on all compensation, so another 1.45 percent will be deducted for Medicare tax.
Federal income tax. Federal tax rates have changed. The new rates start at 12% through 38%.
State income tax. If your state imposes an income tax, and most states do, state income tax will be withheld at whatever rate is required by state law. Consult your accountant to see what is your marginal state tax rate after filing your state tax return.
Retirement plan contributions. Many employers offer employees retirement benefits. Even if you are the only one contributing the the plan(your employer doesn't match any of the contributions) it is always a good idea to find out more about this benefit even though you may feel you can't afford another deduction. This one may be a very good one especially if, you are young. Contact your human resource department and learn more about it if your company is offering you a retirement plan.


TAKING INTERIORS TO A NEW LEVEL.
For over 10 years, our dedicated team has provided model home merchandising and full-service professional design services to corporate and individual clients throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. With a sincere and streamlined approach, ability to work within budgets and deliver projects on schedule, we have developed long standing client relationships and have grown our practice through referrals.
Described as "aspirational," "comfortable" and "refined" our interiors have been featured on HGTV and have garnered numerous awards for our corporate clients. Our specialization in residential real estate marketing and design uniquely qualifies us to bring brands to life with model home, sales center and clubhouse merchandising that is both marketable and fiscally sound.
With a family background in couture fashion our principle designer, Marie Louise Ferreras has been surrounded with, and inspired by, art and visual design since she was a young child. She intuitively understands the powerful effect design has in our lives and puts her artistic abilities, along with a serious commitment to creating beautiful spaces, to work on each and every project.


Clou is the pseudonym for Christian Louis, a Belgian cartoonist (b. 1952). He has worked as an illustrator and cartoonist for La Libre Belgique since 1992. In June 2010, he won Press Cartoon Belgium's Prix Public award.


I love bread pudding, my husband loves peaches. I decided to make a marriage as yummy as ours and combine the two.
Lay bread slices in two rows in the bottom of a 13x9x2″ baking dish in a scalloped fashion. Spread peaches around on top of bread.
Mix together eggs, peach syrup, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cream. Pour over bread and peaches.
Chill for 20 minutes to allow bread to soak up liquid. Dot with butter and bake for 1 hour.
Place butter, cream, and brown sugar in a small saucepot and heat over low heat until sugar is dissolved, 10 to 15 min.
Spoon over each portion of finished bread pudding or pour over entire pudding.


I'm a little perturbed by the entry of lo-fi bands into the loudness war over the past couple of years. Times New Viking and Wavves, two fairly high-profile lo-fi bands of late, seem to derive their sonic qualities less from miniscule recording budgets than from redlined overcompression. Open up, say, "So Bored" or "My Head" in Garageband and the song's waveform will resemble a single oblong block, identical to tracks by Flaming Lips and Metallica and other major-label acts whose recent albums have been held up as offenses to listenability. It could be that that's just how those albums were originally recorded instead of how they were mastered, but there's something about the trebly harshness of the sound that makes me suspect that mastering-induced clipping is to blame. That's why, despite having some decent tunes, I can't listen to TNV and Wavves albums for more than a track or two before wanting to listen to something else.
Lo-fi needn't equal unlistenable. Case in point: Exit Dreams, a gnarled slab of brainpan-rattling garage-rock that, despite remaining faithful to a genre that often prides itself on being musically and sonically one-dimensional, not only never wears out its welcome but is actually one of the best-sounding albums of its kind I've heard in a long time. On their previous, more conventionally produced albums, The Hunches seemed little more than backbenchers on In The Red's roster; Exit Dreams ought to elevate them to the level of first-stringers, with a messier, more vibrant sound that pokes holes in garage's wall of sound to expose the larger, airier spaces that surround it.
While dirty fuzzbomb guitars, clanging reverb, and a singer whose hollers and screams can barely heard above the din are required elements for any garage band, The Hunches have thankfully grown out of using that formula to merely bash out two-minute blitzkriegs. Instead they channel their short attention span disorder into song structures and arrangements that are&;mdash; well, words like complex or elaborate may be overstating the case somewhat, unless compared with the average Jay Reatard track. "Actors" kicks off the album with a queasy, lurching riff that caveman-stomps its way through about two-thirds of its running time before breaking into a noisy motorik sprint to the finish; "Deaf Ambitions"' opening tantrum barely lasts a minute before dissolving into a drowsy, dreamy bit of strummy (semi-)acoustic psychedelia.
While there's nothing wrong with their more straightforward songs ("Your Sick Blooms" and "Pinwheel Spins" pack as many hooks as busted amplifier parts), my favorite tracks end up being more laid-back ones: "Not Invited"'s sunny jangle is tempered by its stumbling, bleary, morning-after hangover feel; "Fall Drive" sounds uncannily like the Pixies' "Where Is My Mind" reincarnated as a thunderstorm; and the epic "Unraveling" sports a similarly damp, drizzly vibe that can't help but remind me of the Hunches' hometown of Portland. It's a shame that Exit Dreams is supposedly the Hunches' final album— they're reportedly calling it quits after a handful of West Coast shows in June— but they're going out on the kind of high note that any band ought to be proud of.


text:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;

namespace HTLib2
{
    using NumberStyles = System.Globalization.NumberStyles;
    public static partial class HStatic
    {
        public static int   ? HParseIntHex(this string str) { int    val; if(int   .TryParse(str, NumberStyles.HexNumber, null, out val)) return val; return null; }
        public static int   ? HParseInt   (this string str) { int    val; if(int   .TryParse(str, out val)) return val; return null; }
        public static double? HParseDouble(this string str) { double val; if(double.TryParse(str, out val)) return val; return null; }
        public static bool  ? HParseBool  (this string str) { bool   val; if(bool  .TryParse(str, out val)) return val; return null; }

        static bool HParseIntArr_selftest = HDebug.IsDebuggerAttached;
        public static int[]   HParseIntArr(this string str)
        {
            if(HParseIntArr_selftest)
            {
                HParseIntArr_selftest = false;
                int[] tarr;
                tarr = HParseIntArr("1, 2 ,3");
                HDebug.Assert(tarr.Length == 3);
                HDebug.Assert(tarr[0] == 1);
                HDebug.Assert(tarr[1] == 2);
                HDebug.Assert(tarr[2] == 3);
                tarr = HParseIntArr("1,4--6");
                HDebug.Assert(tarr.Length == 4);
                HDebug.Assert(tarr[0] == 1);
                HDebug.Assert(tarr[1] == 4);
                HDebug.Assert(tarr[2] == 5);
                HDebug.Assert(tarr[3] == 6);
                tarr = HParseIntArr("1,-6-- -4");
                HDebug.Assert(tarr.Length == 4);
                HDebug.Assert(tarr[0] ==  1);
                HDebug.Assert(tarr[1] == -6);
                HDebug.Assert(tarr[2] == -5);
                HDebug.Assert(tarr[3] == -4);
            }

            List<int> arr = new List<int>();
            string[] tokens = str.HSplit(',');
            foreach(var token in tokens)
            {
                string[] ltokens = token.Split(new string[] {"--"}, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries);
                if(ltokens.Length == 1)
                {
                    int idx = int.Parse(ltokens[0]);
                    arr.Add(idx);
                }
                else if(ltokens.Length == 2)
                {
                    int idx0 = int.Parse(ltokens[0]);
                    int idx1 = int.Parse(ltokens[1]);
                    if(idx0 >= idx1) throw new Exception(string.Format("wrong format for HParseIntArr({0}) : {1}", str, token));
                    for(int idx=idx0; idx<=idx1; idx++)
                        arr.Add(idx);
                }
                else
                {
                    throw new Exception(string.Format("wrong format for HParseIntArr({0})", str));
                }
            }
            return arr.ToArray();
        }

        //public static int[]   HParseIntArr_v0(this string str) { return HParseIntArr_v0(str, ',', ' '); }
        //public static int[]   HParseIntArr_v0(this string str, params char[] separator)
        //{
        //    string[] tokens = str.HSplit(separator);
        //    List<int> arr = new List<int>();
        //    foreach(string token in tokens)
        //        arr.Add(HParseInt(token).Value);
        //    return arr.ToArray();
        //}
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


"We are always looking for ways to improve our passengers' experience at every stage of their journey, and that includes the booking process. Our customers' expectations are changing at a rapid rate and moving to Amadeus will allow us to not only meet, but exceed these expectations in the years ahead," stated Natalia Popova, Chief Commercial Officer of Cyprus Airways.
More than two-thirds of Star Alliance airlines, three-quarters of Oneworld airlines and half of Skyteam airlines use Altéa. As a community platform for airlines, Altéa enables better integration between partner airlines, with real-time sharing of availability, fares, customer and booking information to deliver a harmonized customer experience.


text:
Q: Positive and negative complex numbers? Can there be such a thing as positive and negative complex numbers? Why or why not?
What about positive or negative imaginary numbers?
It seems very tempting to say $+5i$ is a positive number while $-2i$ is a negative number. On an Argand diagram (complex plane) $+5i$ would be represented by a point above the horizontal axis while $-2i$ is a point below the horizontal axis.

A: Complex plane does not have a special direction. That's why in my opinion. Real line on the other hand, does. It's similar to the fact that time has a direction, and space doesn't.
I would also argue against "positive" imaginary numbers. Since we defined $i$ as the solution of equation $x^2 =  -1$ note that $-i$ is also a solution. Thus, we can't really distinguish between $i$ and $-i$.

A: You can never make complexes a linear ordered field, since any ordered field is formally real field

A: A complex number can be treated as a kind of multivector existing in a 2-d geometric algebra (GA).
Seen this way, the answer to your question is that you can indeed negate complex numbers, much in the same way that multivectors (or just plain old vectors) can be negated.
Changing the sign of the imaginary component alone is equivalent to 'complex conjugation', or in GA parlance, 'reversion'. If the complex number is of unit length, reversion is identical to inversion.

A: [begin crackpot theory]
Mathematicians have committed a great blunder by thinking that a certain imaginary number is $i$ and another is $-i$, when it's really the other way around!!!!
[end crackpot theory]
If one were to take the position above, and try to rewrite all of mathematics consistently with the theory propounded above, the result would be that nothing at all would change.  Which one is called $i$ and which is called $-i$ doesn't matter.
It does in some contexts make sense to pay attention to whether the real part of a complex number is positive.  A Dirichlet series $\displaystyle\sum_{n=1}^\infty\frac{a_n}{n^s}$ converges if the real part of $s$ is greater than the real part of the abscissa of convergence of the series, and diverges if the real part of $s$ is less than the abscissa of convergence.

A: You may turn $\mathbb{C}$ into a totally ordered set and then define $a \geq b$ if and only if $a-b \geq 0$. An example of such a total order on $\mathbb{C}$ is the lexicographic order defined on $\mathbb{R}^2$.
The problem is that if you do so, then when you restrict this new order to $\mathbb{R}$ as a subset of $\mathbb{C}$ and you expect it to satisfy the field order axioms, this order will not agree with the usual ordering on $\mathbb{R}$. So, you can't think of this order as an extension of the order we have on $\mathbb{R}$.
In fact it is not possible to define an order on $\mathbb{C}$ that interacts with addition and multiplication the same way that elements of $\mathbb{R}$ do. This is because that by accepting the field order axioms on $\mathbb{R}$, you can prove that $\forall x \in \mathbb{R}: x^2 \geq 0$, while this theorem breaks in $\mathbb{C}$ because $i^2 < 0$.

A: Suppose that $\Bbb C=P\cup N \cup \{0\}$, this union being disjoint.
I assume that you want that $P+P=P$, $PP= P$, $NN= P$ and $PN=N$.
So $-1=ii$ must live in $P$. And $(-1)(-1)=1$ must also live in $P$. But $-1+1=0$

A: 'Positive' and 'Negative' are defined only on the real number line, which is part of the system of complex numbers.  So it makes sense to say, for example $1 -100i$ is positive and $-1 + 100i$ is negative, based upon their real number values.
Although arbitrary, there is also some sense of a positive and negative imaginary numbers. While it is impossible to tell the two apart, especially if the values are supposed to be tied somehow to the real world, in the system of complex numbers, they are different: $[(5+i)x +(1+3i)]^2$ has a different solution than $[(5-i)x+(1+3i)]^2$ does. ($24x^2+{\color{red}4}x-8+(10x^2+32x+6)i$ vs. $24x^2+{\color{red}{16}}x-8-(10x^2-28x-6)i$.) That does not make $6i$ a positive number, however; it is a positive imaginary number. It has no real value and as such is only 'positive' in an completely fictional sense.

A: I would like to add some insight given to me by someone called "Somiaj".

The major issue is that real numbers are the largest Archimedian field (complete and linearly ordered which means they obeys certain properties like if $a<b$ then $a+c < b+c$). You can of course put an infinite number of these linear orders on the complex numbers and they would be ordered but they would not preserve this order when you start adding/subtracting things, much less multiplication, which is a big part of what we like about the reals.

A: $\left|-1\right| = 1,$ a rotation of $\pm\pi$
$|1| = 1,$ a rotation of $0$
$\left|-i\right| = 1,$ a rotation of $-\pi/2$
$|i| = 1,$ a rotation of $\pi/2$
ambiguity in rotational sign line 1 and no rotation in line 2 for real
no ambiguity in lines 3,4; and equal magnitude, opposite rotation between 3,4 for imag
very different, non-correlated behavior of |x| on real and imaginary, would seem to throw crowbar into the whole attempt to answer affirmative.

A: We may partially order the complex numbers in accord with their real parts so that
   a+bi < c+di iff a < c.
Thus the line of imaginary numbers divides positive complex numbers from negative complex numbers.  However, if b and d are not equal, a+bi and c+di are incomparable.  Thus it is no longer true that every positive number is greater than every negative number.  Most positive-negative pairs are incomparable.  This partial ordering has some neat features.  For example, in the Riemann sphere representation of the complex plane, a point at infinity is added to the imaginary line, transforming it into a great circle.  This circle thus divides the Riemann sphere into positive and negative hemispheres.  The imaginary numbers, 0, and infinity, which lie between the hemispheres, are all "neutral"—that is, neither positive nor negative—but all other complex numbers are either positive or negative.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Home | Tomoyoshi
Tomoyoshi
Tomoyoshi is a DnB DJ/Producer from Japan. He came to London in 2011 and fell in love with the sounds of Drum & Bass & Jungle music. Mainly interested in Old Skool 90's Jungle & Jump up from labels such as V Records, True Playaz, Joker, Dope Dragon, Dread, Ruffneck Ting, Suburban Bass, Kemet Kru, Trouble on Vinyl and many more. He found where his true soul belongs.
After so much Love for the sound and music, he began to produce and write his own music in 2013 for labels such as Young Guns, Original Key, Nemisis, Low Down Deep and many more. Since then he moved to Germany in 2017 to further his craft within the scene and to connect with people from around the world with his unique sound and take on the form.


WASHINGTON – GOP Rep. Scott Taylor has a narrow lead over Democrat Elaine Luria in the contest for Virginia's Second Congressional District, according to a poll released Tuesday.
The New York Times Upshot/Siena College poll found that 45 percent of the respondents said they support Taylor, compared with 42 percent who said they support Luria. Meanwhile, 13 said they are not sure which candidate they support.
The live poll surveyed 508 respondents and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.6 percentage points.
Taylor, 39, has served in Congress since 2017. He is a retired Navy SEAL.
Taylor is considered a conservative with a libertarian streak. He opposed the Trump administration's ban on transgender military recruits. Taylor co-sponsored legislation that would end the federal prohibition on marijuana use. He is personally pro-life but does not believe the government should prohibit abortion.
Luria, 43, is a retired Navy commander and small business owner. She is endorsed by former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Joe Biden.
The predominantly urban district encompasses Virginia Beach and Williamsburg as well as parts of Norfolk and Hampton.
President Donald Trump carried the district by 3 points in 2016.
Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, carried the district by 4 points in 2017.
Recent polls said Democrats are expected to pick up the 23 seats needed for the party to retake the House.
Democrats are hedging their bets on swing districts like VA-2.


Weekend Update is a Saturday Night Live sketch that comments on and parodies current events. It is the show's longest-running recurring sketch, having been on since the show's first broadcast, and is typically presented in the middle of the show immediately after the first musical performance. One or two of the players are cast in the role of news anchor, presenting gag news items based on current events and acting as hosts for occasional editorials, commentaries, or other performances by other cast members or guests. Chevy Chase has credited Weekend Update, which he started as anchor in 1975, for paving the way for comedic news shows like The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.
Weekend Update was created by original anchor Chevy Chase and SNL writer Herb Sargent, and appeared on the first SNL broadcast on October 11, 1975. Chase popularized several catchphrases during the segment, such as his "I'm Chevy Chase... and you're not" greeting; and his repeated announcement that "Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead". When Weekend Update began, Chase was consistently on the phone presumably talking to his lover, and would talk until realizing he was "on air." Chase would always end Weekend Update with "That's the news. Goodnight, and have a pleasant tomorrow."


text:
Multiple people shot at including police officer in Washington DC
WASHINGTON: Multiple people, including a police officer, were shot at a music event on U Street Northwest in Washington, DC, at a location that is just less than 2 miles from the White House, local media reported.
"MPD (Metropolitan Police Department) is responding to the situation in the area of 14th and U Street, NW, for a shooting incident in which multiple people have been shot, including an MPD officer. Media staging at 15th and U Street, NW. Chief Contee to provide a media briefing," said the DC Police Department in a tweet.
In a tweet, DC police Union also confirmed that a police officer was shot during the DC shooting. " We can confirm that one of our members working in the area of 14th and U St NW has been shot. The member has been transported to the hospital and is in stable condition."
We can confirm that one of our members working in the area of 14th and U St NW has been shot. The member has been t… https://t.co/YIb33W7OcH
— DC Police Union (@DCPoliceUnion) 1655688374000
According to a local media outlet, the shooting took place at or near the site of a Juneteenth music concert called "Moechella" on 14th and U Street. There are unconfirmed reports of more victims being found with one MPD officer being shot in the leg police are asking everyone to avoid the area, said local US media on Monday.
With increasing incidents of gun violence in the United States, President Joe Biden had said that the US needs to ban assault weapons for the sake of protecting children and families or raise the age to purchase them from 18 to 21.
"We need to ban assault weapons. … if we can't, then we should raise the age to purchase them from 18 to 21. Ban high-capacity magazines. Strengthen background checks. Enact safe storage laws and red flag laws. Repeal gun manufacturers' immunity from liability," he said.
He further said that this is not about taking away anyone's rights. "It's about protecting children. It's about protecting families. It's about protecting communities. It's about protecting our freedoms to go to school, to a grocery store, to go to church without being shot and killed," he said.
"This is not about taking away anyone's guns…we believe that we should be treating responsible gun owners as examples of how every gun owner should behave," he said.
On May 24, a mass shooting incident took place at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde in Texas in which several people including 19 children were killed. This was the deadliest attack since the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people were killed, according to CNN.
On May 31, an elderly woman was killed and two other persons were injured when gunfire erupted at a high school graduation ceremony in New Orleans.
The shooting occurred outside the Convocation Center on the campus of Xavier University where graduates of Morris Jeff High School were gathered, NBC News reported citing New Orleans police.
On June 1, at least four people were killed in a shooting incident at a hospital campus in Oklahoma's Tulsa city, CNN reported citing police. The shootout incidents in the US have been increasing.
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One New Aftermarket Replacement Pair of Right Hand & Left Hand Side Hood Moldings (with Raised Lettering) for John Deere Tractor models: 1010, 2010, 2510, 2520, 3010, 3020, 4000, 4010, 4020, 4320, 4520, 4620, 5010, 5020.- Painted & Ready for Installation. JD New Generation Side Moldings. Includes Mounting / Retaining Clips. Pair Contains: 1 RH Side Molding # AR28048, & 1 LH Side Molding # AR28049.
Just like they came right from the Factory. Only the 48 contiguous States in the U. The item "2 John Deere RH / LH Side Hood Molding Raised Letters 2510 3020 4000 4020 4320" is in sale since Thursday, January 09, 2014. This item is in the category "Business & Industrial\Heavy Equipment Parts & Accs\Antique & Vintage Equip Parts".


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Governor: State joins consortium to improve testing in commercial labs
August 12, 2020 2:15 pm	Uncategorized
https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/683/2020/08/12141418/Governor-Update081220.mp3
Arkansas reports 703 new coronavirus cases, 7 more deaths
LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas on Wednesday reported 703 new confirmed coronavirus cases and seven more people have died from the illness caused by the virus.
The Department of Health reported at least 51,114 people in the state have tested positive for the virus. The department said 6,725 of those cases are active, meaning they don't include people who have recovered or died.
The number of people who have died from COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, increased to 573 Wednesday. The number of people hospitalized with the disease decreased by 21 to 486.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson said that on Wednesday he'll sign a letter of intent with the Rockefeller Foundation to form a consortium with other states that he said will strengthen their purchasing power for commercial COVID-19 tests. Hutchinson did not say which other states are joining the consortium.


You'd be forgiven if you thought the FR Skates FR1 80 looked like the Seba FR's, and that's because they (essentially) are! The brand, aptly called FR Skates, has spilt from Seba to go it's own away taking the FR boot and its technology with it. This means the skate already comes with a great reputation and is a firm favourite amongst many skaters. Renowned for having a stiff plastic boot, this helps with both ankle support and responsiveness, giving you more control. Also included is the seven-point metal frame mounting plates, offering seven adjustments to the frame position to match your push off and stride (which may alleviate any pressure points), whilst increasing power transfer. This is achieved by the metal plate reducing the shock absorption of standard two-point mounting, which makes the skates feel super fast and do more of the work.
With improved liners and an Orthomove insole, FK buckle fastening, FR 4D frames and Street Invader II wheels, this industry standard keeps on giving and will be a firm favourite of ours for years to come.
Size Tip: Many people find the FR skates fit a little small, please take this into account when choosing your size. We'd recommend buying an EU size up if you are unsure or between sizes.


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Home » Conaway announces senior House Agriculture Committee staff
Conaway announces senior House Agriculture Committee staff
WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 2014 – Rep. Michael Conaway, R-Texas, the chairman-elect of the House Agriculture Committee, announced the appointment of senior staff to lead the committee in the 114th Congress.
Scott Graves will serve as the Committee Staff Director. Graves is a native of Bronte, Texas, a rural town in Conaway's district and currently serves as Chief of Staff for Congressman Conaway's personal office. He holds a bachelor's degree in Agricultural and Applied Economics from Texas Tech University and a master's degree in Strategic Security Studies from National Defense University. Graves, who comes from a cattle ranching and farming family, began his 10-year stint on Capitol Hill as an intern for the House Agriculture Committee in 2005. Shortly thereafter he was hired by Conaway to handle agriculture issues and prior to his being named Chief of Staff worked his way up to Legislative Director and Chief of Staff in Conaway's personal office. He worked closely with the Agriculture Committee on writing and advancing both the 2008 and 2014 Farm Bills.
"Scott knows agriculture and understands how to get things done," Conaway said. "For nearly 10 years, and in a variety of capacities, he has been my right hand man. He is a leader and I respect his management skills, policy acumen, strategic planning abilities, and above all his dogged pursuit of what is best for agriculture and our country."
Matt Schertz will serve as Policy Director, overseeing the Committee's legislative team and operations. Schertz, a Robstown, Texas, native, most recently served as Senior Professional Staff to Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK), and Staff Director to Chairman Conaway on the General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee. Schertz came to Washington and the House Committee on Agriculture in 2002 to work for then Chairman Larry Combest (R-TX). He holds a bachelor's degree in Agricultural and Applied Economics from Texas Tech University.
Jackie Barber will serve as the Committee's Chief Counsel, overseeing the Committee's legal office and oversight operations. Barber, an Onida, South Dakota, native, most recently served as Counsel to Chairman Conaway at the House Committee on Ethics. Prior to coming to the Ethics Committee, Barber served as Deputy General Counsel to the National Republican Congressional Committee. She holds bachelor's degree in Business Management and Chemistry and a law degree from the University of South Dakota.
Christine Heggem will serve as the Director of Coalitions and Outreach, overseeing the Committee's work with other committees and agricultural organizations. Heggem, a Winifred, Montana, native who has been working in D.C. since 2000, most recently served as a senior federal government relations professional at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Prior to that, she served as a Vice President at mCapitol Management, on the staff of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and on the staff of former Montana Senator Conrad Burns. She holds a bachelor's degree in Agriculture Business Administration and a master's degree in Applied Economics from Montana State University.
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Bart Fischer will serve as Chief Economist, overseeing the economic analysis of policies coming before the Committee. Fischer, a Frederick, Oklahoma, native currently serves as Chief Economist of the House Committee on Agriculture under the leadership of Chairman Frank Lucas. Prior to joining the Committee in June 2011, Fischer worked with the Agricultural and Food Policy Center (AFPC) at Texas A&M University as well as the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) in Washington, DC. He holds bachelor's degrees in Agricultural Economics and Business Administration from Oklahoma State University, a master's degree in Environmental Policy from Cambridge University, and is currently finishing a PhD in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Texas A&M University.
Ted Monoson will serve as Communications Director, overseeing the Committee's communications team. Monoson currently serves as Congressman Conaway's Communications Director. Prior to joining Congressman Conaway in 2013, Monoson worked in federal government relations for the agriculture and energy industry and as a senior agricultural policy staff member for then Minority Leader John Boehner. Prior to his work with now Speaker Boehner, Monoson worked and as a reporter covering agriculture, energy, and natural resource issues. He holds a bachelor's degree in American Studies and Theater from Hamilton College, a master's degree from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, and a master's degree in Agribusiness from Kansas State University.
Did you know Agri-Pulse subscribers get our Daily Harvest email Monday through Friday mornings, a 16-page newsletter on Wednesdays, and access to premium content on our ag and rural policy website? Sign up for your four-week free trial Agri-Pulse subscription NOW.
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Will Cease-Fire Help End 'Unimaginable' Suffering In South Sudan? : Goats and Soda That's how the U.N. aid chief characterizes the situation. A cease-fire that could bring improvements was signed last week — and violated within hours.
Goats and Soda
STORIES OF LIFE IN A CHANGING WORLD
'Unimaginable' Suffering In South Sudan. Is There Any Hope?
Joanne Lu
Elizabeth Nyakoda holds her 10-month-old daughter at a feeding center for children in South Sudan. Sam Mednick/AP hide caption
Sam Mednick/AP
Elizabeth Nyakoda holds her 10-month-old daughter at a feeding center for children in South Sudan.
U.N. aid chief Mark Lowcock told reporters in Geneva last month that the level of suffering in South Sudan is "on an unimaginable scale" and getting worse.
And U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley wrote in an op-ed for The Washington Post that the country's leaders have "failed" the children of South Sudan.
Last week, there were signs of hope for a better future in the world's newest nation. The president of South Sudan and his former vice president signed a cease-fire in the civil war that has ravaged the country for nearly five years.
Warring Parties Sign Cease-Fire In South Sudan
The cease-fire went into effect last Saturday. Within hours, it had already been violated.
But aid organizations are hoping that one part of the cease-fire will remain intact: providing humanitarian access to the suffering people of South Sudan.
Near-famine levels of hunger have already swept across large portions of the country and, with the onset of the rainy season, life-saving aid is becoming extremely costly to deliver.
Health workers are also bracing for an uptick in water-related illnesses, like cholera, malaria and diarrhea, which can be especially deadly when people are malnourished.
About 63 percent of the population (more than 7 million people) is "severely hungry," according to the World Food Program (WFP). Just under 2 million people have been forced to flee their homes and are internally displaced within the country, while another 2.5 million have fled to neighboring countries as refugees.
South Sudan is now the largest producer of refugees on the continent and the third largest in the world, after Syria and Afghanistan, according to the UN refugee agency. About 65 percent of the refugees are under the age of 18.
Waiting in line for rations at a World Food Program distribution in South Sudan. Sam Mednick/AP hide caption
Waiting in line for rations at a World Food Program distribution in South Sudan.
In addition, aid workers are being abducted and killed, while 19,000 children are estimated to serve in armed forces and groups in a conflict that began when President Salva Kiir Mayardit accused his then-deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup in December 2013. What began as a political dispute quickly took on ethnic undertones between Kiir's Dinka — the country's ethnic majority — and Machar's Nuer, the second-largest ethnic group.
Even before gaining independence in 2011, the people of South Sudan had suffered through decades of another devastating civil war.
Unhappy Anniversary, South Sudan
"I think it's worth noting that Oxfam's worked in [the area that is now] South Sudan for more than three decades," said Noah Gottschalk, Oxfam's humanitarian policy lead in D.C. "No one's ever seen it as bad as it is now. And I think that's saying an enormous amount. People who've lived through war and displacement and the deaths of close relatives are now finding themselves in an even worse situation than in the past."
In Pibor, for example — a county in the eastern part of the country — the Famine Early Warning Network (FEWSNET) reported in April that even though the official hunger level is "emergency," more than 20 percent of households could be classed as hitting famine levels. The situation in Pibor is so dire that, according to the the U.K.-based Oxfam, some people are eating grasses and weeds out of desperation, although they are not safe for consumption and are making them sick.
Even in other areas that are facing less severe levels of hunger, people are beginning to exhaust their usual coping mechanisms. They're having to sell household assets, like cattle and goats, according to Oxfam, while children roam the streets in search of food, Reuters has reported.
"People in South Sudan are incredibly resilient and incredibly strong," Gottschalk told NPR. "But they're being stretched further than ever before."
According to Gottschalk, the current crisis is the culmination of many negative trends.
"It's quite a complicated situation," said Chris McElhinney, the country director in South Sudan for Irish charity GOAL Global. "What we're seeing is a continued deterioration of the humanitarian requirements in the country and the needs that people face."
As is often the case, crises beget crises — and in South Sudan, the civil war catalyzed an economic collapse. By 2017, oil production — which makes up more than 99 percent of the country's export revenue and about 60 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) — had dropped to half its pre-war levels. According to the World Bank, GDP per capita fell from $1,111 in 2014 to less than $200 last year. In response to the fiscal deficit, the government printed more banknotes and, unsurprisingly, inflation soared.
At its highest, in September 2016, year-on-year inflation was 550 percent, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. By September 2017, it had lowered to 102 percent. But inflation continues to perpetuate the hunger crisis, as prices rise and the value of the South Sudanese pound drops. Last year, the WFP estimated that a bowl of bean stew that costs a New Yorker $1, would cost a South Sudanese $321.
To fight the hyperinflation, the government last year decided to increase work permit fees for aid workers from $100 to $10,000.
On top of that, South Sudan is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be an aid worker. More than 100 aid workers, mostly South Sudanese, have been killed since the war began.
According to the FEWSNET report, the only thing keeping some areas of the country from hitting a more severe hunger level is humanitarian assistance. But now that the rainy season has begun, not only are people running out of their harvested reserves, but roads to more than half the country, the lifeline for aid, could become inaccessible. This means that air drops are often the only means of delivery. It's a solution, but an expensive one.
In order to prevent South Sudan in 2018 from being worse than 2017 — when famine was officially declared in two Counties — the U.N.'s humanitarian response plan is calling for $1.72 billion.
"It's a staggering amount of money," McElhinney said.
Last year's humanitarian response plan raised $1.17 billion of the $1.6 billion it asked for. So far for 2018, donor countries, organizations and individuals — including the U.S., U.N. agencies and the World Bank — have contributed $706 million (just over 40 percent of what's needed). Objectively, that is a lot of money — just not nearly enough for the immense needs in South Sudan.
Especially for South Sudan's children, whose health, development and safety are being impacted the most, education is critical. A UNICEF report in December estimated that three out of four children are not in schools.
"Often we think about food, water, shelter as the things that people need to survive," Gottschalk said. "But for a country to survive, education is needed as well."
Joanne Lu is a freelance journalist who covers global poverty and inequity. Her work has appeared in Humanosphere, The Guardian, Global Washington and War is Boring. Follow her on Twitter @joannelu.
aid workers


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You are here: Food & Drink > The Porch House
The Porch House
Type:Pub/Inn
Digbeth Street
GL54 1BN
This stylish, multi-award winning boutique Inn with restaurant and 13 rooms is located in the centre of the historic and picturesque Cotswold market town of Stow-on-the-Wold, the highest point in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds. The Porch House occupies a handsome, Grade II listed, Cotswold stone building, The Porch House claims to be 'England's oldest Inn with parts of the building dating back to 947AD.
Packed with historical, architectural and decorative features, The Porch House's light-filled bar comes with wood-burning stoves and a conservatory dining space. The main dining room, within an architecturally splendid setting of exposed oak beams, very fine 16th Century inglenook fireplaces and honey-coloured stone walls, is decorated in a easy, modern style and is also available for private parties and small weddings of up to 50. There's also a private dining room, seating 12, with its own private Bar, garden seating and restrooms.
Expect a regularly changing, seasonal menu showcasing flavourful, rustic British dishes made using the best locally-sourced ingredients, which during the summer, can also be enjoyed in The Porch House's pretty courtyard garden.
AA Pub of the Year England 2015-16 Award
AA Breakfast Award.
The Good Pub Guide's 'New Pub of the Year 2016' Award.
2 AA Rosettes
Serve evening meal
Children & Infants
Establishment Features
Available for wedding receptions
Garden/patio for guests' use
Real log/coal fires
Parking & Transport
2019 - Opening (1 Jan 2019 - 31 Dec 2019)
facebook: https://facebook.com/theporchhouse
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Popular artist Wallace Nutting traveled throughout New England and the United States giving lectures as minister, photographer, author, furniture maker, collector and antiquarian. Born in Rockbottom, Massachusetts, in 1861 and buried in Augusta Maine in 1941, Nutting left an amazing legacy of hand-tinted photography and published books, as well as furniture highly coveted by collectors.For the first time, Wallace's lavishly illustrated series of "Beautiful" books on his beloved New England states, have been combed for the best examples of historic architecture, sketched and photographed by Nutting in his effort to preserve these structures for future generations. Nutting's interior and exterior images of historic buildings, homes, and garden structures throughout the New England states are portrayed within these pages.In addition to beautiful exterior profiles, Nutting's explorations reveal staircases, fireplaces, entryways, furnished sitting rooms, and even bedchambers as shared with him by friends throughout the country. Important landmarks shown include popular inns, churches, and notable residences, as well as the picturesque barns and rural landscapes which have made Nutting's work such treasured keepsakes.


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Russia BANNED from Eurovision Song Contest 2017 as Ukraine denies singer Julia Samoilova access into the country
Wheelchair-bound Julia Samoilova is banned after previously performing in Crimea
Carl Greenwood
0:27, 23 Mar 2017
Updated: 0:46, 24 Mar 2017
UKRAINE has BANNED Russia's entry for the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest from entering the country.
Ukraine's state security service said Julia Samoylova, a wheelchair-bound 27-year-old singer, had violated Ukrainian law by visiting Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, and would not be allowed to enter the country for three years.
Ukraine has BANNED Russia's entry for the 2017 Eurovision Song ContestCredit: AP:Associated Press
But the song contest organisers have offered the Russian entrant an opportunity to perform from Moscow via a satellite that will be beamed into the host city.
Eurovision Song Contest executive supervisor Jon Ola Sand said: "We have offered Channel One Russia the opportunity for Julia to perform live via satellite as it is the EBU's intention that every broadcaster that has chosen to take part in the Eurovision Song Contest does so, as has been the case for all previous events in the contest's history."
If Moscow agrees, it would be the first country to take part remotely.
But the two Russian TV channels that alternate showing the contest have said that they would boycott it if she is not let into the country.
Ukraine won the right to stage the 62nd Eurovision event after Jamala's victoryCredit: AP:Associated Press
Relations between Ukraine and Russia soured following the annexation and the outbreak of a war between Kiev and Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine that has killed more than 10,000 people.
Hostilities spilled over into the glitzy Eurovision show after Ukrainian contestant Jamala unexpectedly won the contest last year with an entry that Russia called politicised.
Ukraine, which won the right to stage the 62nd Eurovision event after Jamala's victory, has previously threatened to deny entry to certain Russian singers it deemed anti-Ukrainian.
Samoylova has visited Crimea since the peninsula was seized by Russia, which is illegal according to Ukrainian law unless it is done with Kiev's permission.
"The Security Service of Ukraine has banned the citizen of the Russian Federation Yulia Samoylova from entering the country for a period of three years," SBU spokeswoman Olena Gitlianska wrote on Facebook.
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Russian foreign ministry official Grigory Karasin, speaking to Interfax news agency, called the decision to bar Samoylova "another outrageous, cynical and inhuman act by the Kiev authorities".
The Kremlin has denied Samoylova was picked to represent Russia in order to provoke Ukraine politicallyCredit: EPA
Credit: AP:Associated Press
Echoing previous Russian calls to boycott the event, Yelena Drapenko, First Deputy chairman of the Duma's Culture Committee, told RIA news agency: "We should not participate at all in this competition. What they've done is a dirty act."
The Kremlin has denied Samoylova was picked to represent Russia in order to provoke Ukraine politically and says that the choice of singer was made independently by state-run broadcaster Channel One, which broadcasts Eurovision in Russia.
"Given a chance to try and look civilised, the Ukrainian authorities lacked the common sense to use it. It's a pity," the press service of Channel One said.
Last year Russia accused Ukraine of politicising the competition by choosing as its entrant a Crimean Tatar, Jamala, whose song decried war-time deportations of Tatars under Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in the 1940s.
Ukraine expects about 12,000-14,000 spectators to attend the competition in May with millions more watching on television. It will be the second time that Kiev hosts the event.
Ukraine expects about 12,000-14,000 spectators to attend the competition in MayCredit: AP:Associated Press
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which operates Eurovision, said it was "deeply disappointed" by the decision, which "goes against both the spirit of the Contest, and the notion of inclusivity that lies at (its) heart."
It said in a statement however that it had to respect the local laws of the host country.
"We will continue a dialogue with the Ukrainian authorities with the aim of ensuring that all artists can perform at the 62nd Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv in May," the statement on the Eurovision website said.
Got a story? email digishowbiz@the-sun.co.uk or call us direct on 02077824220


Community Support | Ormond Beach, FL Trusts Lawyer Randal L. Schecter, P.A.
The Farmworker Association of Central Florida with a yearly Holiday Toy/Food Drive to assist low income families in the Pierson and Seville area of Volusia County. Our office collects the following items: flour, corn flour, vegetable oil, sugar, beans, corn, rice, baby diapers – all sizes, baby wipes, baby food, dry baby formula, toys, books, art supplies and donations.
Journey's End Animal Sanctuary is a non-profit organization providing lifetime care and shelter for animals that have been abused, neglected, and have special needs.
A yearly School Supplies Drive for over 200 children in the Pierson and Seville area. Our office collects: Backpacks, notebooks, pencils, crayons, colored pencils, erasers, white glue, glue sticks, rulers, markers, highlighters, scotch tape, construction paper, pencil cases, index cards, art supplies, etc.
The Parkinson Association of Greater Daytona Beach (PAGDB) yearly "Parkinson's Fun Walk" held every November at the Port Orange Civic Center Amphitheatre area and adjacent walking trail. This Fun Walk is specifically designed to raise funds to assist those in our community who are affected by Parkinson's disease. The PAGDB is totally comprised of volunteer members whose efforts combined with generous giving from our community enables a variety of valuable services and resources to be provided to those that suffer with Parkinson's disease, their caregivers and their families - all free of charge!


Rather than discussing walls and barriers, we at the 14th Street Y see art as a bridge to different cultures and a medium to celebrate their place in our shared stage. We are proud this week to be presenting Ballet Nepantla's production of Valentina, which explores the female perspective of the Mexican Revolution through traditional Folk Dance fused with Contemporary Ballet. Their Artistic Director, Andrea Guajardo, shared with us a taste of what audiences can expect from Valentina, opening this Wednesday in our theater.
"Ballet Nepantla and the 14th St Y present: "Valentina", a ballet that shares stories of struggle and loss, hope and despair, and triumph. "Valentina" speaks to the strength and resilience of women during Revolutionary Mexico through a unique lens, fusing contemporary ballet and Mexican folklorico in a way that's never been done before.