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Coloring Page of the Month for December
Here's this month's FREE COLORING PAGE FOR READERS, just as a thank-you for visiting my blog. Feel free to print, download, share, and duplicate as desired. Enjoy!
December 2018 Christian Fiction Book Releases
More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.
Amish Romance:
The Amish Sweet Shop by Laura Bradford, Mary Ellis, and Emma Miller -- It's almost Valentine's Day at Beechy's Sweets, where the Amish gifts of love and faith are even sweeter than the home-made candy. In The Sweetest Courtship by Emma Miller, bachelor Jacob Beechy is a master candy maker whose mother longs for grandchildren, so she sets out to find him an assistant confectioner during the Valentine's holiday—and a wife. In The Sweetest Truth by Laura Bradford, Sadie Fischer can't see beyond her scars from a barn fire, but there's a young man who sees only sweetness when he looks at her, and he's sending her Beechy's chocolate and mysterious gifts leading up to Valentine's Day. In Nothing Tastes So Sweet by Mary Ellis, Pregnant widow Hannah wants to buy her English employer's hardware store, but ends up following a clue from Beechy's to clear a man's name—and finds a partnership in work, faith, and love. (Amish Romance from Kensington)
Amish Christmas Memories by Vannetta Chapman -- When a young Amish woman collapses in the snow shortly before Christmas, Caleb Wittmer rushes to her aid. Only, "Rachel" remembers nothing of who she is. Now his family has taken in the pretty stranger, disrupting Caleb's ordered world. He's determined to find out where she belongs…even if Rachel's departure means saying goodbye to his old-fashioned heart forever. (Amish Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])
A Quilt for Jenna (Apple Creek Dreams #1) by Patrick E. Craig -- On her way to win a quilting competition—and a ticket out of Amish life, Jerusha finds her God, her missing husband, and a lost little girl in the heart of the Storm of The Century. (Amish Romance from P & J Publishing)
The Road Home (Apple Creek Dreams #2) by Patrick E. Craig -- Adopted into an Amish family as a child, local historian Jenny Springer is looking for the parents she never knew. When Jenny meets Jonathan Hershberger, a drifter from San Francisco who lands in Apple Creek fleeing a drug deal gone wrong, she is intrigued by this Englischer with an Amish name, and offers to help him discover his Amish roots. While Jonathan discovers his need for home, family, and a relationship with God, Jenny finds more than she hoped for—truth and love and the knowledge that you can go home again. (Amish Romance from P & J Publishing)
Jenny's Choice (Apple Creek Dreams #3) by Patrick E. Craig -- When Jenny's husband disappears in a terrible boating accident, she returns home to Apple Creek, Ohio and her adoptive parents. Working through her grief, she pursues newfound writing dreams and is presented with a possible romance with a handsome young publisher, until the elders of her church confront her consideration of going outside her faith to pursue her dreams. At the same a faint hope that her husband might someday be found alive holds her heart in the past. (Amish Romance from P & J Publishing)
Minding the Amish Baby by Carrie Lighte -- Amish store clerk Tessa Fisher isn't ready for marriage or a family—until a baby girl is abandoned on her doorstep. Now Tessa and her gruffly handsome landlord, Turner King, must mind the baby together. And soon Turner and the sweet-cheeked kind are burrowing into Tessa's heart. But with secrets between them, can the temporary family find a way to stay together forever? (Amish Romance from P & J Publishing)
Contemporary Romance:
Who I Am with You by Robin Lee Hatcher -- Jessica was pregnant and facing divorce when her husband and daughter were killed in a car accident. Withdrawing from friends and family, she feels far away from God. Then months later she receives her great-grandfather's Bible at her grandmother's funeral. Ridley has suffered his own loss. Bitter over disgrace at his job, an ended career, and subsequent breakup with is girlfriend, he retreats to a vacation property owned by his parents to lick his wounds and hide from the press. Thumbing through the Bible later, Jessica journeys through the aged margin notes, back to faith and wholeness. And the broken roads they have followed bring Jessica and Ridley to each other as well. (Contemporary Romance from HarperCollins Christian Publishing)
Three Christmas Novellas by Mary Connealy -- Three Christmas Novellas in one volume: Long Horn Christmas, The Sweetest Gift and The Christmas Candle. (Historical, Independently Published)
The Making of Mrs. Hale by Carolyn Miller -- Can a runaway marriage ever be redeemed? Julia Hale ran off to be married in Gretna Green, following romance instead of common sense. But her tale isn't turning into a happily ever after. Her new husband is gone and she doesn't know where—or if he's ever coming back. Julia has no option but to head home to the family she betrayed by eloping and to hope they'll forgive her.Along the way she will learn how relationship with God can bring restoration and hope, and find the answers she needs both for her husband and her future. (Historical, Kregel Publications)
Child of Light by Annette O'Hare -- While praying for her own Christmas miracle after five years in a childless marriage, Margaret offers aide to a destitute and expectant young woman during the holidays. She is condemned for her decision to help a woman of ill repute and must face the consequences of doing what is right. Will Margaret's prayers for a child of her own be answered this Christmas or does God have something else in store? (Historical from Harbourlight Books [Pelican])
The Plum Blooms in Winter by Linda Thompson -- Inspired by a Gripping True Story from World War II's Daring Doolittle Raid--Japan, 1948: A prostitute seeks her revenge; a war hero finds his true mission. (Historical from Mountain Brook Ink)
Historical Romance:
Stagecoach to Liberty by Janalyn Voigt -- Can a desperate young woman trust the handsome Irish stranger who wants to free her from her captors? (Historical Romance from Mountain Brook Ink)
Kiss Me Once Again by Gail Kittleson -- When Glenora Carson's first love perishes along with the crew of the U.S.S. Arizona on December 7, 1941, she locks away her heart and her dreams of attending college on scholarship, instead choosing to hold down the home front by helping out the family business – Carson's Garage. The grease-stained overalls don't do much to compliment her female figure, but they cover her female heart well enough. That is, until Hank Anderson, a wounded warrior back from battle, walks into the garage and into Glenora's life. Is an old maid's future Glenora's fate, or will Cupid throw a wrench in her plans? (Historical Romance from WordCrafts Press)
The MissAdventure Brides Collection by Mary Davis, Cynthia Hickey, Kathleen E. Kovach, Debby Lee, Donna Schlachter, Marjorie Vawter, and Kimberley Woodhouse -- Seven daring damsels refuse to let the cultural norms of their eras hold them back! Follow along as they trek the wilderness as a fur trapper; teach in the backwoods; campaign for women's rights; breed llamas; drive cross-country; become a hotel tour guide; and pursue art. Will they meet men who admire their bravery and determination? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)
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Quote of the Month: I Can SO Relate
Here's one of my favorite all-time quotes. It's an oldie but a goodie!
Click here to read the article from which I pulled this quote. Enjoy!
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Seems Like Yesterday When We Said "I Do!"
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Hope You Have a Wonderful Day!
Book Lover's Free Coloring Page for November
Hi friends, I've decided to start a new feature here on my blog, a monthly FREE COLORING PAGE FOR READERS, just for fun. Feel free to print, download, share, and duplicate as desired.
Spotting My Doppleganger
Have you ever seen a stranger who looked just like you? I have, but before I tell you about it, I thought I'd quickly mention this great ebook sale. A few weeks ago, I posted 5 Great Book Deals You Don't Want to Miss. Those 5 deals are still available–and here's a 6th one as well...
Get the e-book version of Whispers of the Bayou for just $1.99 (regularly $9.99) or the ebook version of The Amish Quilter for just $3.99 (Regularly $14.99). Sale prices available at amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook.com, and wherever ebooks are sold. Sale runs till November 30th, 2018, so be sure to get your copy today!
Now back to our regularly scheduled program...
Back in 2017, I shared a fun post about my daughter Emily and how she seemingly appeared on a book cover–three years before she was born!
Emily on the left in 2016, photoshopped into the scene, and her doppleganger on the right, from a book published in 1986!
You can see all the pics and read more about that astounding coincidence here.
Now I'm adding a Part II to the story, because this time I have found my own doppleganger! Yes, much to my astonishment, I was watching a show recently, an episode of Being Erica on Amazon Prime Video, and suddenly saw myself step into the frame as an extra in the background.
Stunned, I snapped a screenshot and texted it out to my family, but none of them reacted much at first. Turns out, that's because the woman on the show looked so much like me that they thought I'd simply Photoshopped myself into the picture.
Here's the screenshot I sent them...
And here's a close-up of the TV "me", on the left, next to a posed photo of the real me, on the right, with the same foreground added in digitally, just for comparison.
Crazy, huh? I wonder if everyone has at least one look-alike out there somewhere!
Have you ever spotted your double? If so, I'd love to hear about it on my Facebook page or in the comments below.
November 2018 Christian Fiction Book Releases
Here are some great new books to curl up with now that the weather is turning chilly (at least in my neck of the woods.) More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.
Christmas in Jingle Junction by Tabitha Bouldin -- In the small town of Jingle Junction, Holly Winters owns the local coffee shop, Jolly Java. It's here that she meets Patrick Cooper and promptly throws coffee everywhere. Not only does Patrick not like coffee, he also despises Christmas! It's up to Holly to show Patrick that Christmas is worth giving a second chance, just as Patrick himself deserves a second chance when he is accused of robbing a local convenience store. In a town full of Christmas spirit, lively debates over the best superhero and riding in a sleigh pulled by actual reindeer is just a normal day. Will Holly be able to prove to Patrick that Christmas is more than a holiday that has to be endured? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)
A Picture Perfect Christmas by Candee Fick -- Freelance photographers Liz Foster and Ryan Callahan are finally making plans for their future. And what better time to get married than during the festive holiday season that brought them together? If only Liz's parents weren't standing in the way of a picture-perfect wedding. Spurred on by the ghosts of Christmases past, Dan Foster has already written Liz out of his will, so even attending the wedding—let alone walking his daughter down the aisle—is out of the question. However, this is the season for miracles and Ryan will do anything to make his bride smile. What will it take to bring this family back together in time for the wedding? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)
On Magnolia Lane by Denise Hunter -- When his secret crush joins a dating website, Jack takes a leap of faith and soon becomes Daisy's online suitor. But when they begin growing closer in real life also, Jack finds himself with an unexpected dilemma. Is Daisy falling for the real Jack or for the online version of himself? And how is she going to respond when she finds out they're one and the same? (Contemporary Romance from HarperCollins Christian Publishing)
A Merry Miracle in Romance by Melanie D. Snitker -- Baxter Reid returns to his hometown of Romance, eager to see his childhood crush. Unfortunately, Savannah hasn't forgotten all the ways he used to tease her back then. He's got his work cut out for him if he's going to get a second chance. Savannah Miller avoids Baxter and the embarrassing childhood memories he evokes…until he apologizes and suggests a truce. Now what is she supposed to do? Only time will tell whether the spirit of Christmas in Romance is enough to transform a grudging relationship into true love. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)
I Still Do by Melanie D. Snitker -- What's worse than running into your ex-husband? Becoming snowbound with him and an avalanche of memories you can't escape. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)
Contemporary/Women's Fiction:
A Southern Season by Eva Marie Everson, Claire Fullerton, Ane Mulligan, and Linda Yezak -- Four seasons. Four stories. Each one set in the enchanting world of the South. These are the kinds of stories your grandmother told you from a front porch swing. (Women's Fiction from Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas)
Second Chances by Carol Ashby -- A widowed father, still grieving the loss of his wife and child, and a devoted mother, who leaves behind everything she's ever known to rescue her daughter from the ex-husband who would hurt her, are first drawn together by their love for her little girl, but God has much more for them than either could have imagined. (Historical, Cerrillo Press)
Historical Mystery:
Murder of Convenience by Linda Shenton Matchett -- May 1942: Geneva Alexander flees Philadelphia and joins the USO to escape the engagement her parents have arranged for her, only to wind up as the number one suspect in her betrothed's murder investigation. Diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, she must find the real killer before she loses her sight…or is convicted for a crime she didn't commit. (Historical Mystery, Independently Published)
The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection by Lena Nelson Dooley, Rebecca Jepson, Carrie Fancett Pagels, Candice Sue Patterson, Kathleen Rouser, Pegg Thomas, and Marilyn Turk -- Along the Great Lakes, America's inland seas, lighthouses played a vital role in the growth of our nation. They shepherded settlers traveling by water to places that had no roads. These beacons of light required constant tending even in remote and often dangerous places. Brave men and women battled the elements and loneliness to keep the lights shining. Their sacrifice kept goods and immigrants moving. Seven romances set between 1883 and 1911 at Great Lakes Lighthouses bring hope to the lonely lighthouse keepers and love to weary hearts. (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)
A Musket in My Hands by Sandra Merville Hart -- Two sisters have no choice but to disguise themselves as men to muster into the Confederate army in the fall of 1864--just in time for things to go very badly for the Southerners at the Battle of Franklin. (Historical Romance from Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas)
Uncharted Journey by Keely Brooke Keith -- Young widow Eva Vestal assumes loneliness is God's permanent plan for her life. She keeps busy by raising her son and co-managing the Inn at Falls Creek with her elderly father, but her heart yearns for more. Solomon "Solo" Cotter has spent his life working with horses, but he secretly wants to write a book of the children's stories his grandfather told him as a boy. He barters with Eva's father for a 40-night stay at the inn, a needed respite from work to get his stories on paper. Once Eva discovers the barter, she believes Solo is taking advantage of her father's failing memory. But when tragedy strikes and Solo works hard to save the inn, Eva sees his true nature. As her heart stirs with feelings for Solo, she wrestles with the guilt of loving someone new. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)
Snow Angel by Davalynn Spencer -- Lena Carver works as her physician brother's medical assistant, housekeeper, and cook. Maimed in a childhood accident at Christmas, she believes she is beyond love's reach—until a dark-eyed cowboy arrives broken, bruised, and bent on changing her mind. Wil Bergman wakes in a stranger's home with a busted leg and a bullet-creased scalp. Trail-weary, robbed, and penniless, he is at the mercy of a country doctor whose sister's healing touch has power to stitch up his heart and open his eyes to the impossible. (Historical Romance from Wilson Creek Publishing)
Romantic Suspense:
Tell Her No Lies by Kelly Irvin -- After Nina Fischer is accused of murdering her uncle and adopted father, she must unlock deadly family secrets in order to clear her name and learn to trust love again. (Romantic Suspense from HarperCollins Christian Publishing)
North by Starlight by Diane and David Munson -- Attorney Madison Stone hurries to help her client Jordan Star defeat a mysterious relative who claims a share in his inheritance, and during the Christmas season Maddie learns to leave past regrets behind her, embrace the warmhearted people of Starlight, and dig deep to find her true heart. (Romantic Suspense from Micah House Media)
Her Deadly Reunion by Beth Ann Ziarnik -- What will it cost an estranged daughter when she meets her birth father at his home and discovers it's a dangerous place to mix past and present? (Romantic Suspense from Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas)
Speculative:
Mark of the Raven by Morgan L. Busse -- When the new Lady of Ravenwood inherits her family's secret gift of dreamwalking, she discovers a dark history. Women in her family have been wielding the gift to preserve her family's legacy—through assassinations. She's determined to find the true reason behind the gift, convinced there must be a more noble purpose. But she's torn about upholding her family's legacy--a legacy that supports her people. What will she do when she is tasked with assassinating the one man who can bring peace to the nations--but who is also prophesied to bring about the downfall of her own house? One path holds glory and power and will solidify her position as Lady of Ravenwood. The other path holds shame and likely death. Which will she choose? And is she willing to pay the price for the path chosen? (High Fantasy from Bethany House [Baker])
Thriller/Suspense:
Stratagem by Robin Caroll -- Psychologist Grayson Thibodeaux creates mind-bending adventure games for businesses as team-building explorations. When his ex-wife's company hires Grayson's for their executive retreat, he doesn't see how things can get worse. Until she dies during the course of the game he created…making him the prime suspect for murder. (Suspense from Barbour Publishing)


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One of the earliest known Korean kingdoms was Gojoseon, said to have been founded in 2333 BC, though records of the kingdom date back to the 7th century BC. Gojoseon expanded across the peninsula, with frequent contact with the Chinese, later turning into conflict with the Han Dynasty, and leading to the collapse of the Gojoseon Kingdom. In its place, several smaller kingdoms arose, including Buyeo, Okjeo, Dongye, and Samhan.
The Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla Kingdoms emerged as the dominant forces in the region, known as the Three Kingdoms of Korea. These kingdoms were united in 676 CE, controlled by Silla until 935 CE, when it was overtaken by the Goryeo Dynasty. Goryeo ruled the peninsula, but in the 13th century, it came under the control of the powerful Mongol Empire until its collapse. Joseon Dynasty ruled the kingdom afterwards.
The Joseon Dynasty lasted through many centuries, with some conflict with China and Japan. Beginning in the 17th century, the Joseon Dynasty began to depend on China, and was isolated from the rest of the world. Trade between Joseon and other nations came to a hault, though Joseon signed treaties with the US and Japan in the late 1800s.
In 1897, Joseon dynasty became the Korean Empire. Later on, Japan occupied Korea in the beginning of 1910. Under Japanese control, the people of Korea were pushed to adopt Japanese culture and language, and forced to fight for Japan in World War II. This oppression of Korea led to violent revolts, and by the end of WWII, Japan was forced to give up control of Korea, and the peninsula was then divided in half. The northern portion was controlled by the Soviet Union, while the United States took control of the south, until 1948 and 1949, respectively.
A provisional government was established in North Korea in 1946, and ruled by Kim Il-Sung. The northern territory and the southern territory were at odds, both claiming each others' land. This was a major reason that led both the nations to the Korean War in 1950. North Korea received support from China, while South Korea was supported by the United States. In 1953, an armistice was signed between the warring nations, and the demilitarized zone was declared as the border between the north and south. Despite the armistice, a formal peace treaty was never signed and agreed upon, and relations between the two countries remain hostile to this day. The North Korea rulers have remained in the same family line, with Kim Jong-Il taking control and upon his death, his son, Kim Jong-Un taking over as the leader, while South Korea has embraced modern democracy.
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North Korea borders China to the north and northwest, Russia to the northeast, and South Korea to the south.
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North Korea is situated in East Asia on the Korean Peninsula. Along the western coast of the country lies the Yellow Sea and Korea Bay, while the eastern coast is situated in the Sea of Japan (also called the East Sea of Korea). Along the northern border with Russia, flows the Amnok River, while other important rivers are the Daedong River and Duman River. The coastal region of Korea features over 3,500 islands.
The terrain of North Korea features mountains like the Rangrim Range, the Kangnam Range and the Taebaek Range. There are also volcanoes like Baekdu Mountain, the country's highest peak, which stands 9,003 feet(2,744 meters) above sea level.
Although, most of the country remains unaccessable to the tourists, some regions are demilitarized and are open for tourism purposes. Sightseeing in North Korea includes museums and war memorials, official monuments to the Great Leader, and the Demilitarized Zone. Pyongyang's Juche Tower is a notable monument, that offers a spectacular view of the city.
Another city to visit is Kaesong, along the Demilitarized Zone, which features monuments such as the Nam Gate, a historic town center, and Sonjuk Bridge. Other sites that are open to visitors include Chilbosan and the Seven Treasures Mountain that features land formations that can be seen via train. There are also hiking opportunities in the mountains, like Myogyangsan and Paektusan.
All visitors must have state-sponsored guides with them at all times.
Transport into North Korea is limited and requires special tourist visas, which are best obtained via tour companies. The main airport in North Korea is Sunan International Airport outside of Pyongyang, with service to destinations in China, Indonesia, Thailand, and Russia. Rail service is available between Beijing and Pyongyang and also to Russia, though there are restrictions on who may enter the country. Some boats and buses are also available, though very limited.
Tourists are required to stay with their guides, who control transportation and travel arrangements, at all times. Tourists in Pyongyang can get around using the subway system, which is inexpensive and efficient, but has limited destinations. There are also some taxis that go around the town.
Interesting Facts about North Korea:
Kim Il-Sung's date of birth, April 15th, 1912, is the date on which the calendar of North Korea is based.
North Korea does have elections, but the ballots have only one name, that is of the leader.
Most popular attraction in North Korea is Kim Jong-Il's preserved body.
Strict rules are enforced on hair styling in the country, and only government-sanctioned haircuts are allowed. More North Korea Facts...
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It Could Happen Anywhere, But It Happened There
Posted by William A. Jacobson	Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at 9:01am | 2/16/2011 - 9:01am
There isn't much I can add to the numerous comments regarding the "brutal and sustained sexual assault and beating" of CBS News correspondent Lara Logan by a large group of men in Tahrir square in the moments after it was announced Hosni Mubarek had resigned.
Some of the comments around the net have been insightful, others horrid. We only can hope that Ms. Logan has a speedy physical and psychological recovery.
Yes, it's absolutely true that rape and gang rape could happen anywhere, and have happened with shocking frequency particularly in war zones. Whether it was Soviet troops in the aftermath of the conquest of Germany, or various African troops in the conquest of tribal villages, the use of rape as a means of exerting political power has been all too common and worthy of condemnation and action. Ms. Logan's native South Africa has a particularly notorious problem of rape being used as a means of societal revenge.
There is no single racial, ethnic, religious or political group which uniquely owns such infamy.
But we also cannot ignore that while it could happen anywhere, it did happen in Tahrir Square at a moment of national celebration in the open and in a public place, directed at someone who must have been viewed as a symbol of the West.
This is a fact those who glamorize the "Arab Street" have yet to deal with.
Update: Howard Kurtz:
"But the sexual assault and beating that Logan endured underscores that the Middle East remains a particularly dangerous place for women. And it is hard to imagine that this was some random attack, that members of the mob didn't realize that she was an American television correspondent."
Update No. 2: The NY Post is reporting that the crowd shouted "Jew, Jew" as the men attacked Logan:
"60 Minutes" correspondent Lara Logan was repeatedly sexually assaulted by thugs yelling, "Jew! Jew!" as she covered the chaotic fall of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo's main square Friday, CBS and sources said yesterday…
A network source told The Post that her attackers were screaming, "Jew! Jew!" during the assault. And the day before, Logan had told Esquire.com that Egyptian soldiers hassling her and her crew had accused them of "being Israeli spies." Logan is not Jewish.
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17	17 Comments	 media bias, Middle East
DINORightMarie | February 16, 2011 at 9:50 am
Horrible as the act was, and is, this is another example of the blinders that the MSM has relating to sending female reporters into such a situation. Only men should have been sent; not because of the potential for violence, but rather because Islam teaches, as fundamentalists now preach it, that women are not to appear in public without proper covering, without a male family member, without a specific purpose approved by the imams. Therefore, sending female reporters, especially ones who are dressed in Western attire, and are acting in a manner that Muslims find offensive, would be considered, by men under the current teachings, to be guilty of provoking the assault.
Why on earth would anyone not see this, considering that women are being executed by hanging or stoning for being raped?! Egypt is no different than most Muslim countries; however, the blind Leftists who somehow delude themselves that their female reporters will be respected, don't recognize this.
I pray for her recovery, and that she will be able to survive and thrive after this horrifying assault. I also pray that these delusional Leftists who run the state-controlled media today will get a clue. Females are considered sub-human chattel under Islam. That is not "intolerant hate speech" – it is truth. Fact. There are numerous examples to substantiate my assertion.
(BTW – I wonder if those who assaulted Anderson Cooper did so because he was a reporter, or because they believed he is gay. Yet another example of Muslim intolerance for the West and Western culture – we consider gays as acceptable in our society, which is anathema to Islam.)
Cowboy Curtis | February 16, 2011 at 10:16 am
"There is no single racial, ethnic, religious or political group which uniquely owns such infamy."
True, but only a few of them seem to cheer it on. Or prosecute the victim.
Stick Jockey | February 16, 2011 at 10:38 am
If I remember correctly our downed female pilots in Iraq were sexually abused by the Iraqis. I also have it on good authority that various Arab groups contracted to our bases in the ME had to have single protected sleeping quarters for the men. The protection included pig fencing and bobwire. They were getting so many men with rear end injuries from being raped they had to do it.
Islamics are known for rape from Scandinavia to Africa. It should be no surprise they are raping women whenever they get the chance.
LukeHandCool | February 16, 2011 at 10:47 am
Ms. Logan was brutally attacked. Anderson Cooper was attacked. Brian Williams and Katy Couric feared for their safety and returned to the U.S.
Strange that they sought refuge in the land of the latently violent tea-baggers. The mainstream media's crystal ball was finally right … they finally found their violent mob protesting for liberty.
Pasadena Phil | February 16, 2011 at 11:09 am
I'm having trouble with the notion that gang-raping/beating a famous woman during a public celebration in full view of authorities and the world media "could happen anywhere".
Trochilus | February 16, 2011 at 12:16 pm
Did anyone watch CBS Evening News last night to see if there was any further coverage of the story?
I assume not.
This terse statement is all that is posted on their website, and it says, in pertinent part:
"There will be no further comment from CBS News and correspondent Logan and her family respectfully request privacy at this time."
One certainly has to respect her concerns, and for reasons beyond the most obvious, including the fact that no reporter should want to become a part of the story.
But the fact is that they all were.
I really have to wonder . . . is this an "easy way out" for CBS News?
. . . CBS chief foreign correspondent Lara Logan was covering the jubilation in Tahrir Square for a "60 Minutes" story when she and her team and their security were surrounded by a dangerous element amidst the celebration. It was a mob of more than 200 people whipped into frenzy" on the 11th — the day Mubarak fell?
Who constituted this "dangerous element" this "mob of more than 200" who perpetrated the attack? Was it largely composed of the members of an organization? Were any of them arrested by members of the military? Were any of them known to any CBS employees?
Obviously, several people at CBS know a whole lot more than is contained in that brief statement!
And, because CBS News appears to be refusing to do anything more on it, is anyone at any of the other networks going to attempt to follow up on the story, including by seeking interviews with CBS News employees who were at the scene?
If they don't, are they dropping the ball?
What is the Administration's official position? Has State demanded that the Egyptian Army, which is now in charge, seek the arrest of the perpetrators of this crime?
Foxfier | February 16, 2011 at 12:18 pm
Firstly: I hope the lady gets the help she'll need to recover. There's a reason such assault is used as a weapon– it's incredibly powerful.
"Harassment" is so bad that a group started a "text in reports" thing to map them.
40% of those women surveyed were sexually assaulted.
Al Jazeera adds:
Many Egyptian women have stories, usually branded as "shameful" and "embarrassing", of public harassment and even outright sexual assault in public.
…In October 2006, Wael Abbas, a human rights activist, captured video images of throngs of men pulling scarves off veiled women and ganging up on two or three women at a time in downtown Cairo.
One picture even showed a group of girls taking sanctuary in a downtown store, crowds of men waiting at the door as a number of police officers seemed unable to contain the pandemonium.
This SHOULD HAVE been an obvious risk–I guess the optics were just too good, or something.
Blanking morons that assume folks are like them in their cultural assumptions while denying human nature….
Professor, I just saw your update from the NY Post!
Was CBS actually going to be covering that up with their brief statement as well?
If not, then why was no mention of it not included in their "final" statement?
What other possible reasons might they have had for saying "no further comment" from CBS News?
And, one has to wonder, where's Katie on all of this official network silence?
LukeHandCool | February 16, 2011 at 12:49 pm
Professor Jacobson said, "Logan is not Jewish."
Are you sure about that, Professor?
The "Arab Street" operates by the one-drop rule.
viator | February 16, 2011 at 1:03 pm
Rape: Nothing to do with Islam?
Fjordman – A blog about Islam, Scandinavian affairs and global politics
The Norwegian Government – Covering Up Immigrant Rapes
"A common punishment for girls who rebel, in the worst case, is the so-called "tournante" – gang rape. Samira Bellil was the first to describe this phenomena in her book "Dans l'enfer des tournantes" (in gang-rape hell). She had been the victim of three gang rapes before she found the courage, after psychotherapeutic treatment, to tell her story."
"Dans l'enfer des tournantes" (in gang-rape hell)
Jihad Watch director Robert Spencer discusses an often hidden aspect of jihad: rape.
wasdave | February 16, 2011 at 1:11 pm
I've seen this story for a few days now, and it is indeed horrifying, but I haven't seen any details of what exactly the attack was. I'm not interested for any ghoulish or perverted reason, I'm just trying to figure out the level of violation that occurred. If she was manhandled and groped by a crowd of men, that's horrible. If she was actually raped by someone in the midst of a crowd of people who did nothing to stop it, that's horrifying. If she was repeatedly raped by more than one man taking turns in the middle of a crowd who cheered the animals on, that's an unimaginably horrific testament to a level of degradation in a culture that would allow such a thing to occur.
I'm not a Polyanna, I don't believe that American or Western human beings are any better or worse than those from other parts of the world, but I find it really, really hard to conceive of circumstances in this country where a woman could be dragged into the heart of a mob and raped repeatedly by the mob without someone, hell, many people in the mob itself, intervening to put a stop to it.
Lee | February 16, 2011 at 1:21 pm
CBS now states that she was not raped. I think most of us assumed "brutal and sustained sexual assault" equals forcible penetration. 20 minutes of being pinched, taunted, clothes pulled at or off is horrible enough, but the CBS original statement was more provocative than necessary.
Trochilus | February 16, 2011 at 2:27 pm
Lee, where did you see that "CBS now states that she was not raped."
The only quote to that effect I could find was made anonymously to the Wall Street Journal by a person "familiar with the matter", which is certainly vague enough to cover people who were not present. And he or she was not identified as being with CBS.
The separation and assault lasted for roughly 20 to 30 minutes, said a person familiar with the matter, who added that it was "not a rape." A CBS News spokesman declined to comment beyond the statement.
In the context of the Journal story, however, it seems pretty clear that the CBS spokesman was not commenting beyond their original statement, as that statement had been quoted at length in the two prior paragraphs of the WSJ story — i.e., the spokesman may not have been responsing at all to the quote by the anonymous person.
I certainly hope the anonymous quote is true, and, if so, that would certainly validate what you said about the original CBS statement . . . a huge overstatement.
According to one other story I read, CBS only issued their original statement (four days after the incident) because they found out that AP was on to the story of the assault, and was going to run with it.
I suspect over time that more of the back story regarding bad judgment by the CBS News crew will emerge. Maybe 20/20 hindsight is best, but it is pretty clear there was woefully inadequate security, particularly given the fact that this CBS News team had already experienced a few very tense "run-ins" during the time period.
DINORightMarie | February 16, 2011 at 4:09 pm
@LukeHandCool – the quote was from the linked article. It was not Prof. Jacobson saying it; read the linked article.
@wasdave – you must not be keeping up with the news of teens in our country today, or the mysogyny of the Muslim society. Watch The Stoning of Soraya M and read about the aftermath of those arrested in Iran after the protests. You won't doubt a public raping of a Western female with (possibly) 200 men cheering. (I don't have links now, but can provide if needed.)
I read over at Patterico that it is "sexist" to hold the opinion that sending a woman in to report on a protest in Egypt is wrong. The person writing that is not a woman, but I am.
Yes, she had the guts to take on the assignment, but was it wise to send her? And to send her in without proper head covering and in Western attire? Being a member of the media made her a target, as reports of other media members being attacked, property damaged, Al Jazeera being shut down, etc. show. There are times when wisdom and prudence – dare I say it? moral judgement – need to be exercised. To some degree, the CBS news team is liable for her safety.
Like a war zone, this was a dangerous assignment. Mobs can get ugly. But that was not their perception – it was a celebration of democracy! – so therefore, it was "safe." To send a woman into a mob of reportedly 1 million+ mostly Muslim males – is that prudent or wise? I question the PC mentality that says "yeah, sure!"
Believing such PC garbage leads to what @Foxfier says, "Blanking morons that assume folks are like them in their cultural assumptions while denying human nature…." We assume that Egyptians hold the same values as Westerners. We are the fools, and Lara Logan is a victim of the PC riddled CBS, IMHO.
And, to top it off, if this was an act of anti-Semitism: that needs to be shouted loud and long to expose this hatred. Such hate needs to be exposed by the MSM, if true. Not holding my breath, though.
Toby | February 16, 2011 at 7:59 pm
The NY Post's comment "Logan is not Jewish" is per se grotesque, just like when straight people are gaybashed, and people say, "But he's not gay"…
LukeHandCool | February 16, 2011 at 9:06 pm
@DINORightMarie:
I know she isn't Jewish. Just getting a little dig in at the romanticized "Arab Street." But I'd bet it really is the one-drop rule with them.
wasdave | February 16, 2011 at 11:54 pm
@DINO. Reread what I wrote. I said "in this country", meaning in the US. Youth gangs are not a mob of hundreds of thousands, and what happens in Iran is immaterial to the statement I made.


I want to convert raw image to JPEG image,and get some information like DCT coefficients and so on. Can I do that using libraw library?
Sorry for delayed answer (all forum posts are pre-moderated due to forum spam).
You may use LibRaw to read RAW data and convert it to RGB bitmap.


Why do so many audit reports fail to achieve results? The main problem stems from the fact that, all too often, reports focus on the writer instead of the reader. Audience consideration is vital when it comes writing a robust, useful audit report.
Read on for practical advice for keeping your audience your central focus, and for writing tools and strategies that will help ensure an effective audit report.
When I teach my Effective Business Writing for Auditors class, I start out with a simple activity whereby groups of students write a 12-word ad for the classified section of a newspaper. After each team presents its ad, I ask the non-presenting students if they would respond favorably to the ad in question. Typically, the answer is no. A quick examination of why produces a laundry list of reasons and reveals that the ad failed because it was written from the writer's point of view instead of the reader's.
Many people in the business world write solely from their own point of view. Such a singular perspective results in a narrow focus. Audit reports written strictly from such a viewpoint only achieve results if a reader happens to share that very narrow perspective.
A successful audit report considers a panoramic perspective that encompasses, speaks to, and reaches a wider audience than is possible via a document written based on a singular point of view.
Considers the subject from the audience's perspective.
Offers clarity about the purpose or intended outcome.
Uses an organizational structure that facilitates easy reading.
Explains terminology or jargon that is unfamiliar to the reader.
Takes the reader's knowledge of the subject (limited or otherwise) into account.
How the problem impacts the reader often isn't apparent until the end of the document. Why should they care about an auditor's recommendations? What risk does not following the recommendations expose them to?
Bear in mind, studies show that the average time a reader initially spends with something in the written form is 3-5 seconds. The reader wants to determine as soon as possible if they care or not about what's being said. So how can you produce an audit report that reaches your audience quickly and effectively?
To achieve excellent results when writing audit reports, the writer must focus on the audience and must clearly state the document's purpose up front. Since most people write the way they think, it makes sense for writers to organize their thoughts related to audience and purpose before drafting a document. A handy tool to accomplish this is a simple mind map.
Desired Result/Purpose: The purpose of the document.
Audience: Audience concerns to consider. Examples include recent turnover, new processes, new employees, significant change, etc.
Content: The contents of the F&R.
The resulting mind map provides a visual from which the F&R can be written based on the audience's perspective instead of the writer's point of view.
Many writers use an organizational structure that hinders ease of reading. Nothing, for example, is more boring than wading through a sea of block text that begins on the left hand margin and continues to the right, page after page with no visual break other than space between paragraphs.
Not only do the eyes tire of such "block space" text, but this method of conveying ideas and information leaves the reader clueless as to the organizing principles underlying the text. In effect, the reader is forced to uncover the hidden structure of the document and hunt for the important information. Remember the 3-5 second rule. Most readers won't struggle through an ocean of text searching for answers.
Thinking of the above elements as a series of "What" questions is invaluable when it comes to producing an audience- versus a writer-centered audit report. If the writer has not answered all of these questions, the desired result is often not achieved.
To elaborate, the "Condition" is the control weakness identified by the auditor. The "Criteria" is typically a policy or best practice that can be cited as the expected way of doing things. The "Cause" is the underlying reason for the control weakness. The "Effect" is the risk. The "Recommendation" is the solution to the problem. The recommendation should always address the root cause of the issue. However, the auditor should always sell the recommendation based on the effect (i.e., the risk).
Have you ever gone to a doctor who only addresses the condition, but not the cause of an illness? Such doctors may give patients pills to treat the problem, but they don't tell them why they have the problem. Well-written audit reports provide recommendations that explain the root cause of the problem, thus helping to ensure the condition will not recur in future.
Well-written audit reports are delivered so that the risk statement (effect) sells the recommendation to the reader. Too often, auditors try to sell their recommendations with the criteria statements. A chief auditor once told me that too many auditors are just a bunch of "checkers." They only check for compliance with some policy or other but are unable to articulate why the policy exists. In other words, they are unable to state the underlying risk related to the control.
For example, such "checker" auditors may go to a business partner and say, "You are not reconciling your accounts." The business partner may say they don't have time or they don't care about reconciling. Too often, the auditors may respond, "Don't you know there is a policy that requires you to reconcile?" Instead, they should say, "Here's the risk you run if you don't reconcile" (i.e., they deliver a risk statement).
Interested in learning more about this topic and others? Visit our highly-anticipated SuperStrategies Conference & Expo in Las Vegas this November!
William (Bill) Woodington is president of Woodington Training Solutions, LLC, offering audit, business writing and leadership seminars Bill has more than 22 years of internal audit experience. He spent 18 years managing the Learning and Development function for Wells Fargo Audit and Security.


My mind has gone walkabout, in defense, I suppose, against all the physical walking I've been doing, during which I keep my thoughts on a leash, in the attempt to stay 'in the moment'. Or, it may just be one of those days/weeks; it's always hard to pin down exact causes, when the end result is so amorphously indistinct. In any case, all the wandering around in my own head kept me from getting anything done for the next fresh Pearl. I'll make an effort to do so today, if I can find even a smidgen of direct will power, & hopefully we'll see something new by tomorrow, or, the next day. For now, here is a rather fine Pearl from my time in physical Hell, another time when I spent a lot of time in my head, to distract myself from the physical misery… Whatever the case, it's pretty good, if a bit long-winded, & I hope y'all enjoy the walk through my past thoughts….
See y'all sooner than later, I think…. Be well, & happy as you may….


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Thailand welcomes its first batch of Chinese tourists. The first time since April 2020.
Even if there are protests in Thailand, the Southeast Asian country is still opening its borders to tourists. On October 20, 2020, the country welcomed the first batch of tourists from China.
Deputy director of the Suvarnabhumi Airport Kittipong Kittikachorn said that 39 tourists from Shanghai arrived at the airport at night. It was quite an ordeal, Thai media outlets took pictures as the tourists were getting themselves and their luggage disinfected.
IMAGE: EPA
Some tourists took extra precautions by wearing a face shield and rubber gloves before boarding their busses to the hotel. Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Yuthasak Supasorn said, "Most of them planned to visit the beach and they already reserved hotel rooms."
He also added that all tourists have gone through the 14-day mandatory quarantine.
One might think that with the protest going on in Thailand, it would deter tourists from coming in. But apparently, that's not the case.
Yuthasak said, "There have been no cancellations or any inquiries about it so far, and people are following the news."
Regardless of that, Thailand expects to see the number of tourists drop from previous years. But that's not to say the country's tourism section is not booming. The Thai government expects to see at least 6.7 million tourists this year, compared to 39.8 million in 2019.
IMAGE: Associated Press News
If you're planning to visit Thailand, there are some procedures you'll need to follow: Foreign arrivals are required to quarantine for 14 days at a state-approved hotel. Travelers must also produce a 'fit to fly' certificate, negative COVID-19 PCR test report, health insurance, and quarantine hotel bookings.
The two weeks quarantine is broken down into one week confined to their hotel rooms, and the second week, they'll be able to move around the hotel grounds. After that, they'll need to test negative before they can move around the country.
Thailand's tourism minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakaran said," Winter is coming, so more tourists from European countries, the United States, Korea and Japan would also like to come visit us around this time."
Thailand also expects to receive its second batch of 147 tourists from China on October 26, 2020, with more coming in November 2020.
Cover image sourced from EPA.
TOPICS: China, thailand, Tourist, Culture, coronavirus, Covid19
The best memes from President Joe Biden's Inauguration Day


Following an encouraging preparation at the end of last year, Hardy's Revenge will be resuming on his home track (Matamata) today in the maiden event for three-year-olds over 1200m with gun jockey Rory Hutchings in the saddle.
He would have kicked off his campaign earlier this preparation, although has played victim to a run of horrendous barrier draws, and today was not too far off either.
"He just couldn't draw an alley," co-trainer Chad Ormsby stated.
Hardy's Revenge was able to produce two trial victories before producing gallant debut performance last year at Ruakaka which saw him run third to the eventual Group 1 placed Levin Classic winner Sardaaj.
To Thursday and Unknown Pleasures will be hoping to cap off some consistent performances of late as she heads down to Hastings for the Rating 75 event over 1600m.
"Ideally we wanted to step her up over ground after her last start, but we couldn't find anything suitable so we have kept her at the mile," said Ormsby.
Unknown Pleasures will be partnered by inform jockey Danielle Johnson and will be searching for her third career win to date.


text:
DOJ announces a $31 million redlining settlement with LA-based City National Bank
Stefanie Dazio
Assistant Attorney General of the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division Kristen Clarke (right) speaks next to U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada, of the California central division, while announcing the redlining case against City National Bank during a news conference on Thursday at the Second Baptist Church in Los Angeles.
NEW YORK — The Justice Department accused Los Angeles-based City National Bank on Thursday of discrimination by refusing to underwrite mortgages in predominately Black and Latino communities, requiring the bank to pay more than $31 million in the largest redlining settlement in department history.
City National is the latest bank in the past several years to be found systematically avoiding lending to racial and ethnic minorities, a practice that the Biden administration has set up its own task force to combat.
The Justice Department says that between 2017 and 2020, City National avoided marketing and underwriting mortgages in majority Black and Latino neighborhoods in Los Angeles County. Other banks operating in those neighborhoods received six times the number of mortgage applications that City National did, according to federal officials.
The Justice Department alleges City National, a bank with roughly $95 billion in assets, was so reluctant to operate in neighborhoods where most of the residents are people of color, the bank only opened one branch in those neighborhoods in the past 20 years. In comparison, the bank opened or acquired 11 branches in that time period. In addition, no employee was dedicated to underwriting mortgages at that one branch, unlike branches in majority white neighborhoods.
"This settlement should send a strong message to the financial industry that we expect lenders to serve all members of the community and that they will be held accountable when they fail to do so," Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke, who leads the Justice Department's civil rights division, said in a statement.
Attorney General Merrick Garland has prioritized civil rights prosecutions since taking the helm at the Justice Department in 2021 and the department, in the Biden administration, has put a higher priority on redlining cases than under previous administrations.
The Biden task force includes the Justice Department as well as bank regulators like the Comptroller of the Currency and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and is focused not only on explicit forms of redlining but also cases where computer algorithms may cause banks to discriminate against Black and Latino borrowers.
Despite a half-century of laws designed to combat redlining, the racist practice continues across the country and the long-term effects are still felt to this day. The average net worth of a Black family is a fraction of a typical white household, and homes in historically redlined neighborhoods are still worth less than homes in non-redlined communities.
As part of the settlement, City National will create a $29.5 million loan subsidy fund for loans to Black and Latino borrowers, and spend $1.75 million on advertising, community outreach and financial education programs to reach minority borrowers.
In a statement, City National said it disagreed with the Justice Department's allegations, but "nonetheless support the DOJ in its efforts to ensure equal access to credit for all consumers, regardless of race."
The Justice Department said City National cooperated as part of their redlining investigation and is working to resolve its issues in other markets, as well.
Clarke announced the settlement Thursday morning at a historic Black Baptist church in South Los Angeles that was an important force in the civil rights movement and has been the venue for speeches by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and others.
The settlement with City National is the largest settlement with the Justice Department. A settlement with the Department of Housing and Urban Development with Associated Bank in 2015 involved the bank making a commitment to make $200 million in increased lending in minority-majority neighborhoods, along with a $10 million subsidy fund similar to the one agreed to by City National.
News from NPR NPR NewsRace


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Alabama Men's Basketball Spends the Afternoon in Montgomery at the Equal Justice Initiative
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama men's basketball team traveled to Montgomery, Ala., and spent the afternoon at the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI). While there, both players and staff were able to tour Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, before ending the day hearing from and asking questions of EJI founder and executive director Bryan Stevenson.
The National Memorial for Peace and Justice commemorates African men, women and children who were lynched in the United States, while Legacy Museum displays the history of racism and slavery in American.
As a non-profit organization, EJI has led an initiative that is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States. Under Stevenson's leadership, EJI has won major legal challenges, exonerating innocent death row prisoners, confronting abuse of the incarcerated and the mentally ill, and aiding children prosecuted as adults.
Head Coach Nate Oats Comments
"Our program had the privilege of spending this afternoon visiting the Legacy Museum & National Memorial for Peace and Justice. It was a very educating and moving experience both for the players and the staff. We were also very fortunate to have time with Bryan Stevenson today, who is an impressive and fascinating person. The work he's doing is inspiring and his heart to help others is evident. This will be a day that our program will never forget."
About Legacy Museum
Located on the site of a former warehouse where African-American people were enslaved in Montgomery, Ala.
Uses interactive media, sculpture, videography and exhibits to immerse visitors in the sights and sounds of the domestic slave trade, racial terrorism, the Jim Crow South and the world's largest prison system
Compelling visuals and data-rich exhibits provide a one-of-a-kind opportunity to investigate America's history of racial injustice and its legacy — to draw dynamic connections across generations of Americans impacted by the tragic history of racial inequality
About The National Memorial for Peace and Justice
The first-ever national memorial acknowledging the victims of racial terror lynchings
Located on a six-acre site atop a rise overlooking Montgomery, the national lynching memorial is a sacred space for truth-telling and reflection about racial terror in America and its legacy
Honors the more than 4,400 African-American men, women and children who were lynched and beaten to death by white mobs between 1877 and 1950
For all the latest information on the team, follow AlabamaMBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. General athletic news can be found @UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and Alabama Athletics on Facebook.
Men's Basketball, University of Alabama Tags:Men's Basketball
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The Excelsior Hotel Hong Kong grew up together with me.
This sounds exaggerating. But you will understand soon why I make this statement.
The built-in planting boxes, between the columns...look so extravagant at night when all the lights are on. My dad's car drove by it countless times.
After passing its main entrance, the pavement goes on an upslope leading to the loading dock of the hotel. Walking up, walking down...walking up and walking down again. I loved to do this when I was a child.
How many times have I had a late night gathering with my friends in the Dicken's Bar in the basement?
From the "Lounge on the 1st" you can see all the activities in the lobby. They have long opening hours. My husband (my boyfriend back then) and I had a late dinner there when he came to Hong Kong to visit in 2001.
The high-end buffet served in the "Cafe on the 1st" has a nice harbor view. I have had many good times with my family and friends here.
Although I have never stayed in this hotel before, it brings me many, many great memories of the good old days.
Right on the harbor front, it is one of the best hotels in Hong Kong. It is about a 5-8 minute walk to the Causeway Bay MTR station.
It has access to many shopping malls and places in the district, such as Sogo and Time Square Mall, also Jardine's Crescent Market, not to mention all the jewelry stores in the area.
It also has the direct access to other malls, such as the World Trade Center, Hong Kong.
It is just 10 minutes walk to the Hong Kong Noon Day Gun (coming soon - link to Hong Kong Noon Day Gun page), one of the British colonial legacy.
Across the Noon Day Gun, it is the Victoria Park where there are many activities going on before most of the festivals, such as Mid-Autumn Festival, Christmas, Chinese New Year and more.
Sounds so convenient, doesn't it? It's almost everything within your reach.
BOOK a room at Excelsior Hotel Hong Kong.


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text:
Master slide guitarist and songwriter John Campbelljohn releases 'Chin Up'
Multiple award winning East Coast blues guitarist John Campbelljohn is set to release his 12th album, titled Chin Up on March 10, 2015.
A master slide guitarist and songwriter, Campbelljohn hails from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, and over the course of his four decade-long career has won or been nominated for countless music awards including Maple Blues Awards, East Coast Music Awards, Real Blues Awards, Music Nova Scotia Entertainer Of The Year, Blues Recording Of The Year & Musician Of The Year.
His newest release, Chin Up features 12 original tracks covering a myriad of topics and sub-genres all highlighting Campbelljohn's prowess as a guitarist and vocalist. From the up-beat opening number "The Mumble Boogie" the progressive blues sounds of "Meet My Maker", the rocking blues track "Castaway", and the folk blues based "How Stupid Is That", Cambelljohn proves with each song why Blues Revue Magazine deemed him a "guitar-god-in-the-making".
During his career John Cambelljohn has been featured on recordings and live shows that include names like Sting, Joni Mitchell, Emmy Lou Harris, Leonard Cohen, Joe Ely, Willie Nelson, Robben Ford & Alvin Lee (Ten Years After) as well as TV productions by Sony Music Entertainment. Rich vocals and distinctive slide guitar playing has made him a favourite at music festivals in eastern Canada & Europe.
John Campbelljohn's sophisticated and progressive approach to song writing gives him a distinctive edge, mixing rock, blues, reggae, Celtic & country into his signature style. The result is a sound that can pummel the audience into submission one moment, while captivating them with its subtlety the next.
www.campbelljohn.ca
@j _cambelljohn /john.campbelljohn.7
1. The Mumble Boogie - 3:04
2. I Got It All - 3:18
3. Meet My Maker - 3:51
4. The Poor Man Pays - 4:15
5. Castaway - 2:26
6. Attitude - 2:32
7. How Stupid Is That - 3:34
8. Stop Making Excuses - 4:40
9. Sally In The Alley - 3:50
10. Fantastico Supremo - 3:57
11. Good Morning Mr. Blue Sky - 3:19
12. She's Gone - 3:49
"The standard of John Campbelljohn's slide guitar playing is raised to a new record high." - Rolling Stone, Germany
"It is difficult to find a good slide guitarist, who stands out from the crowd - one who manages to do so is Nova Scotian John Campbelljohn." - Blues Bytes, USA
"John's raw singing and his truly convincing guitar, particularly the slide passages, are a feast for the ears, have real class." - Blues News Magazine, Germany
Posted by Bman at 12:14 PM
Labels: Canada, Chin Up, International, John Campbelljohn, Nova Scotia


text:
from typing import TYPE_CHECKING

from ...utils import (
    OptionalDependencyNotAvailable,
    _LazyModule,
    is_tf_available,
    is_tokenizers_available,
    is_torch_available,
)

_import_structure = {
    "configuration_convbert": ["CONVBERT_PRETRAINED_CONFIG_ARCHIVE_MAP", "ConvBertConfig", "ConvBertOnnxConfig"],
    "tokenization_convbert": ["ConvBertTokenizer"],
}

try:
    if not is_tokenizers_available():
        raise OptionalDependencyNotAvailable()
except OptionalDependencyNotAvailable:
    pass
else:
    _import_structure["tokenization_convbert_fast"] = ["ConvBertTokenizerFast"]

try:
    if not is_torch_available():
        raise OptionalDependencyNotAvailable()
except OptionalDependencyNotAvailable:
    pass
else:
    _import_structure["modeling_convbert"] = [
        "CONVBERT_PRETRAINED_MODEL_ARCHIVE_LIST",
        "ConvBertForMaskedLM",
        "ConvBertForMultipleChoice",
        "ConvBertForQuestionAnswering",
        "ConvBertForSequenceClassification",
        "ConvBertForTokenClassification",
        "ConvBertLayer",
        "ConvBertModel",
        "ConvBertPreTrainedModel",
        "load_tf_weights_in_convbert",
    ]

try:
    if not is_tf_available():
        raise OptionalDependencyNotAvailable()
except OptionalDependencyNotAvailable:
    pass
else:
    _import_structure["modeling_tf_convbert"] = [
        "TF_CONVBERT_PRETRAINED_MODEL_ARCHIVE_LIST",
        "TFConvBertForMaskedLM",
        "TFConvBertForMultipleChoice",
        "TFConvBertForQuestionAnswering",
        "TFConvBertForSequenceClassification",
        "TFConvBertForTokenClassification",
        "TFConvBertLayer",
        "TFConvBertModel",
        "TFConvBertPreTrainedModel",
    ]

if TYPE_CHECKING:
    from .configuration_convbert import CONVBERT_PRETRAINED_CONFIG_ARCHIVE_MAP, ConvBertConfig, ConvBertOnnxConfig
    from .tokenization_convbert import ConvBertTokenizer

    try:
        if not is_tokenizers_available():
            raise OptionalDependencyNotAvailable()
    except OptionalDependencyNotAvailable:
        pass
    else:
        from .tokenization_convbert_fast import ConvBertTokenizerFast

    try:
        if not is_torch_available():
            raise OptionalDependencyNotAvailable()
    except OptionalDependencyNotAvailable:
        pass
    else:
        from .modeling_convbert import (
            CONVBERT_PRETRAINED_MODEL_ARCHIVE_LIST,
            ConvBertForMaskedLM,
            ConvBertForMultipleChoice,
            ConvBertForQuestionAnswering,
            ConvBertForSequenceClassification,
            ConvBertForTokenClassification,
            ConvBertLayer,
            ConvBertModel,
            ConvBertPreTrainedModel,
            load_tf_weights_in_convbert,
        )

    try:
        if not is_tf_available():
            raise OptionalDependencyNotAvailable()
    except OptionalDependencyNotAvailable:
        pass
    else:
        from .modeling_tf_convbert import (
            TF_CONVBERT_PRETRAINED_MODEL_ARCHIVE_LIST,
            TFConvBertForMaskedLM,
            TFConvBertForMultipleChoice,
            TFConvBertForQuestionAnswering,
            TFConvBertForSequenceClassification,
            TFConvBertForTokenClassification,
            TFConvBertLayer,
            TFConvBertModel,
            TFConvBertPreTrainedModel,
        )

else:
    import sys

    sys.modules[__name__] = _LazyModule(__name__, globals()["__file__"], _import_structure, module_spec=__spec__)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Station Herning Messecenter is een spoorweghalte in Herning in  Denemarken. De halte ligt aan de lijn tussen Skjern en Skanderborg. Volgens de dienstregeling 2015 rijdt  op werkdagen ieder uur een trein richting Skanderborg - Aarhus en in de richting Skjern. De halte ligt direct bij het complex van het Herning Messecenter met onder meer de Jyske Bank Boxen en de MCH Arena.

Externe link
 dienstregeling Arriva

Herning
Vervoer in Herning
Bouwwerk in Herning

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Home › "The Liberal Media are Fake News" Women's T-Shirt
"The Liberal Media are Fake News" Women's T-Shirt
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This model is a super comfy and soft basic tee, which features a fit that's a bit longer in the torso. It's made from 100% ring spun combed cotton. Care Instructions: Machine wash cold. Non-chlorine bleach, when needed. Tumble dry medium.
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Ohio law treats fraud as both a kind of theft and as a method for committing theft. Penalties for fraud include jail time, large fines, and restitution. Importantly for anyone charged with fraud, a conviction requires proving to a judge or jury that the accused defendant intended to defraud someone or to steal money or property in a fraudulent manner. Working with an experienced Columbus Ohio criminal defense attorney can help prevent a misunderstanding over ownership or permission to escalate into a criminal record.
Chapter 2913 of the Ohio Revised Code states that fraud, as a criminal act of deception means knowingly deceiving another or causing another to be deceived by any false or misleading representation, by withholding information, by preventing another from acquiring information, or by any other conduct, act, or omission that creates, confirms, or perpetuates a false impression in another, including a false impression as to law, value, state of mind, or other objective or subjective fact.
To put that in plain English, fraud involves making misrepresentations. Fraud enables theft when a misrepresentation results in a person, business, or government agency handing over money, products, services, or benefits.
Pay particular attention to the word "knowingly." The key difference between engaging in criminal fraud and merely taking something without clear permission or authorization is knowing that you do not have a legal claim on the item or service.
It is also illegal to assume a false identity, impersonate a law enforcement official, write bad checks, forge official documents, and send spam emails when doing so in order to falsely claim money, take possession of property, or receive benefits or services.
Businesses can commit fraud by selling counterfeit items, misrepresenting benefits and risks to consumers, or rigging prices and contracts. Such acts of corporate and consumer fraud are generally handled as civil offenses, but such instances are likely to be treated as criminal matters when large sums of money are involved or when individuals suffer physical harm.
Simple fraud and most types of fraud that results in the theft of something with a value of less than $1,000 are treated as first-degree misdemeanors in Ohio. A conviction can lead a judge to order payment of restitution with interest, issue a jail sentence of up to 180 days, and assess a criminal fine of as much as $1,000.
Penalties increase in severity as the dollar value of the alleged theft by fraud rises. The following table illustrates how this works.
Contact The Maher Law Firm if you need help from a Columbus Ohio criminal defense attorney. We offer free consultations on fraud and theft cases, and we take most cases on a flat-fee basis. Call us at (614) 205-2208 or contact us online.


You might know me as the #3 NBA-draft pick in 1996, or as a member of the USA Men's basketball team that won gold at the 2000 Olympics, or as the President of the NBA G-League.
I'm also a husband, a father, a man of faith, an advocate for athletes, a community builder, and a lifelong learner.
By submitting your email address, you consent to receive informational and marketing emails from Shareef Abdur-Rahim. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Copyright © 2019 Shareef Abdur-Rahim. All Rights Reserved.


A series of earthquakes and the collapse of the crater floor at the Puu Oo vent on Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano could trigger a new eruption of lava, officials said Tuesday.
Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said that seismic activity over the past 24 hours could lead to a new breakout on the east side of the Big Island volcano.
USGS geologist Janet Babb said similar activity has been recorded prior to previous eruptions in the area. In mid-April the observatory issued a volcano activity alert when scientists noticed the Puu Oo vent was inflating and becoming pressurized.
When the earthquakes and collapse occurred and the pressure within the Puu Oo vent was released, an "intrusion" of lava was sent into a new area of the volcano and spread throughout the night.
There are homes in that area of the Big Island and Highway 130 leads to a popular access point where people can hike or bike into the lava viewing area.
The Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency sent out an alert Tuesday morning warning residents in the area to monitor the situation and be prepared for the possibility of a new lava flow.
Spokeswoman Kanani Aton said that the agency is "planning ahead for a worst-case scenario" by reviewing emergency plans and monitoring the activity in conjunction with USGS officials.
All public access from the island's Puna District near Kalapana has been shut down and visitors have been warned to stay away in case of an eruption. Private excursions including boat and hiking tours have also been suspended.
Babb says the activity has slowed significantly since a spike on Monday afternoon and overnight, but the threat level has not changed. Scientists don't know if decreased seismic activity is an indication that the event is over or if it's just stalled and could pick back up.
"That's the unknown at this point. Therefore we are still watching, we are watching very closely," Babb said.
Geologists flew over the area and observed a layer of red ash covering the ground near the Puu Oo vent. The ash was spread throughout the area when the crater floor collapsed.
"The good news is that as they flew down the East Rift Zone they didn't see any ground cracks or steaming that would suggest that the magma was coming near the surface," Babb said.
Most of Kilauea's activity has been nonexplosive, but a 1924 eruption spewed ash and 10-ton rocks into the sky, leaving one man dead.
Puu Oo's 1983 eruption resulted in lava fountains soaring over 1,500 feet high. In the decades since, the lava flow has buried dozens of square miles (kilometers) of land and destroyed many homes.
In 2008, after a series of small earthquakes rattled the island, Kilauea's summit crater opened and gushed lava and rock over 75 acres of the mountain, damaging a nearby visitor overlook.


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HTML5 and CSS3 are very powerful, helpful tools. HTML5 gives us more useful elements to define our content while CSS3 helps us make it look great.


text:
Houston likely to chip in $5 million for redevelopment of dilapidated apartment complex
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Local // Houston Politics
City Council may sweeten developer's deal with funding
Rebecca Elliott April 12, 2016 Updated: April 13, 2016 3:28 p.m.
Houston likely to chip in $5 million for redevelopment of...
1of3The city will likely have to pay the absentee landlord of the decrepit Crestmont West apartments on Selinsky Road in southeast Houston.Photo: Melissa Phillip, Staff
2of3The city spent over $600,000 on the decrepit Crestmont Village Apartments after a judge ordered their closure last October. Photo: Melissa Phillip, Staff
3of3Community activist Sandra Hines takes a photo of the Crestmont West Apartments on Monday.Photo: Melissa Phillip, Staff
Abandoned after Hurricane Ike tore through its walls eight years ago, Houston's sprawling Crestmont West apartments still sit agape, weeds waist-high and ceilings caving in. It's the kind of place where you could dump a body, if you needed to, said the Rev. Murphy Simon, pastor of the Baptist church next door.
A Kentucky-based developer now sees promise in the crumbling South Acres property 10 miles south of downtown and is seeking to acquire it to build a 192-unit affordable housing complex.
City Council is set to consider contributing $5 million to the deal on Wednesday, drawing from a combination of local revenues set aside for affordable housing and federal Community Development Block Grants.
Some council members have voiced concern about using tax dollars to enrich the 14-acre property's absentee owners - the same ones who allowed the adjacent Crestmont Village apartments to fall into disrepair, prompting a judge to order its closure last October. Still, they said funding the project appeared to be the best of the bad options for eliminating the blighted property.
"This is taxpayer money that is going to be paid to the slumlord, basically rewarding him for his lack of attention. That part's distasteful," said Councilman Mike Knox. "But in the broader sense, it's either that or let the property remain, so we want it to be turned over to someone who's going to do something positive for the community."
Rebecca Elliott, Houston Chronicle
Council subsidizes redevelopment of crumbling Crestmont...
MATT STILES and CHASE DAVIS
, Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
From 2008: Ike damaged more than half of Houston's apartments
Neal Rackleff, director of the city's Housing and Community Development Department, agreed.
"While it makes you sick sometimes to have to put money into that kind of an individual's hands, even if you use eminent domain, you've got to pay just compensation," Rackleff said. "The fastest way that we can eliminate blight like this is actually to negotiate a price, buy the thing from the slumlord and tear it down."
The developer, LDG MultifamilyLLC, also is seeking council's backing to apply for non-competitive low-income tax credits for the $33.4 million project, set for completion by summer 2018. It would be geared toward families who earn less than 60 percent of the area median income and is one of 20 multifamily affordable housing projects currently in the city's pipeline.
Community activist Sandra Hines, who helped relocate tenants living in Crestmont Village last year, said it would be a great relief to have Crestmont West torn down and rebuilt.
"I know for a fact I still have parents calling me, asking if Crestmont Village is still open," Hines said Monday, emphasizing the need for housing in the neighborhood.
However, she stressed that the owner ought to be invested in the community and ensure the complex is well-protected.
"The first thing they should be thinking about is what kind of security we're going to have around these apartments, who's going to pay for it," Hines said.
Simon agreed.
"If it could be upgraded, I think it would be a positive for the community," he said. "But they have to be maintained."
LDG spokeswoman Christi Lanier-Robinson said the property would be gated and have 24-hour video surveillance. She added that the company has worked with police departments at some of its other properties.
"We obviously have a solid track record," Lanier-Robinson said, pointing to LDG's six prior projects in the Houston area. The city's housing department touts the group's work, too, pointing to LDG's development of the Villas at Colt Run, an affordable housing complex in northeast Houston.
Some public records list Abraham Vaknin, of New Jersey, as the owner of both Crestmont properties, while others tie them to his wife, Denise Vaknin. Neither could be reached for comment.
The Vaknins sold the adjacent Crestmont Village to Houston-based Selinksy Palms Apartments last fall, property records show, after a judge ordered the apartments to close down.
The city temporarily had been paying utility bills for the Vaknins and helped relocate nearly 200 tenants, spending about $605,000 on liens and fines associated with the property, according to mayoral spokeswoman Janice Evans.
Litigation between the city and Crestmont Village was ongoing from 2012 until last fall.
When the project came before the council's housing committee two months ago, Councilman Larry Green and others questioned why the city would enter into an agreement with an owner who owed the city so much money. On Tuesday, Green said he supports the project.
"We have an opportunity to get rid of it. And that only comes maybe once in a decade or so," Green said. "So, you've got to take advantage of it."
Housing advocate John Henneberger of the Texas Low Income Housing Information Service asked why the city allowed Crestmont West to reach its current condition.
"The city has got to get away from the notion that the only tool to deal with these type of problems is additional housing money. The city has an obligation to provide for basic infrastructure in a community," Henneberger said. "The mess should have been cleaned up in the first place."
In response to a city lawsuit, the court ordered Abraham Vaknin to demolish Crestmont West in 2014, records show, but the landlord did not comply. Last May, he again was ordered to demolish the property or reimburse the city $500,000 for eventual tear-down costs.
Evans said the Crestmont West owners have been ordered the pay the city more than $372,000 for code violations, but the owners are disputing that figure.
Henneberger also expressed concern about subsidizing additional affordable housing in a high-poverty, majority-minority neighborhood.
As of 2012, the South Acres area was 86 percent black, 9 percent Hispanic and 2 percent white, with a median household income of $38,000, more than $6,000 below the city's average.
"I do believe there are serious fair housing problems with the project because of the over-concentration of subsidized housing in this neighborhood and other low-income neighborhoods of color," Henneberger said.
Rackleff, of the housing department, stressed the benefit of eliminating the nuisance building.
"We have a quality developer who is bringing resources to the community to dramatically decrease the density of the existing complex and transform a dangerous eyesore into really nice homes for people," Rackleff said in an email. "Virtually any community in Houston would be thrilled to have such blight eliminated. There is no downside to this development."
Follow Rebecca on:
rfelliott
Rebecca Elliott covers City Hall for the Houston Chronicle, having previously written about local politics, namely the 2015 Houston mayor's race. She joined the Chronicle in 2014 as a crime and general assignment reporter in Fort Bend County. A New York City native, she also has reported on politics for Reuters, POLITICO and BuzzFeed.
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text:
January 27, 2023 by Martin Drake
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