text:
Harris W. Gilbert's Criminal Victories
Man charged with Burglary of a Dwelling in Repeat Offender Court.
Case #05-009592-CF10A
Man charged with Burglary of a Dwelling in Repeat Offender Court. Facing 30 years in prison as a Habitual Offender. Not Guilty Verdict in 8 1/2 minutes.*
Man charged with Felony Possession of Cannabis for 16 pounds of marijuana ...
Case #04-008991-CF10A:
Gilbert & Smallman team up to defend a Man charged with Felony Possession of Cannabis for 16 pounds of marijuana when a package was delivered to his address by the DEA in a setup controlled delivery. Not Guilty Verdict.*
18 Year Old boy charged with Aggravated Assault with a Firearm ...
Gilbert & Smallman team up to defend an 18 Year Old boy charged with Aggravated Assault with a Firearm. Facing a 3 year minimum mandatory prison sentence because of the firearm. He allegedly pulled the gun on 3 kids from his neighborhood with whom he didn't get along with. Not Guilty verdict.*
Homeless man charged with possession of cocaine ...
Homeless man charged with possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia in reference to a crack pipe that was found in his pocket. Defense announces ready for trial and the state agrees to time serve the Defendant before trial. He walked out of jail that day.*
Man charged with DUI (3rd offense) ...
Case #03-028648MM10A:
Man charged with DUI (3rd offense). Defendant was excessively speeding and admitted to use of alcohol. Not Guilty verdict on the count of DUI.*
Young man charged with petit theft ...
Case #04-021691-MM10A:
Young man charged with petit theft when a Loss Prevention Officer in Winn Dixie Supermarket saw the Defendant take a bottle of medicine off the shelf and eat two pills. The Loss Prevention Officer was effectively discredited on the stand by Defense Counsel through cross examination. Not Guilty verdict.
Man charged with battery when he punched his boss in the face ...
Man charged with battery when he punched his boss in the face after not getting paid during the holiday season. After the man struck his boss, his wife clubbed the boss in the back of the head with a 2 x 4. The man testified to constant dizzy spells and headaches as a result. The Defendant testified to his actions being in self defense. Not Guilty verdict.
Man charged with DUI when he was sitting in parked car cleaning it ...
Man charged with DUI when he was sitting in parked car cleaning it. The Defendant tested positive in his urineanalysis to opiates and other agents commonly used to cut heroin. The State's expert Toxicologist testified the Defendant may have been under the influence of Heroin. Cross Examination revealed the cutting agent is also commonly used in Tonic Water. Not Guilty verdict.*
Man charged with DUI who was pulled over for an obscured license plate ...
Man charged with DUI who was pulled over for an obscured license plate. Motion to suppress granted for an illegal traffic stop and the DUI was dropped as a result.*
Man charged with Driving While License Suspended...
Man charged with Driving While License Suspended and the State Attorney was asking for jail time. He was pulled over for driving too slow in violation of Florida Statutes. After proving his driving actions had no effect on traffic the judge granted a motion to suppress the stop because of the illegality. State Attorney drops the case as a result.
Woman charged with DUI ...
Woman charged with DUI. She was caught in the driver seat along with another male allegedly having intercourse while the car was moving. Both people arrested for DUI for being in "actual physical control" of the vehicle. Defense argues the woman had no ability to control the vehicle from the lap of another. Not Guilty verdict.*
Woman charged with battery for allegedly striking another woman ...
Woman charged with battery for allegedly striking another woman in a gentleman's club in a fight over a customer and a bottle of champagne. After victim was discredited in cross examination the Defense rests their case. Not Guilty verdict.
Woman arrested for trespassing at a medical office building ...
Woman arrested for trespassing at a medical office building when she was seen hanging out in the area after business hours. State fails to prove the elements and the case is dismissed by the judge before it goes to the jury. Judgement of Acquittal granted.
Man charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon ...
Man charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly trying to run over his ex-girlfriend with his truck. Defense motion for mistrial granted in the middle of the State's case. Defendant offered probation instead of prison time as a result.*
Man charged with DUI. Pulled over for weaving on the highway...
Man charged with DUI. Pulled over for weaving on the highway. Cooler found in his car with liquor and beer. Defendant asked to perform roadside tests on the side of a major highway. Events all on videotape. Not Guilty verdict.
Man charged with DUI and Fleeing and Eluding a Police Officer....
Man charged with DUI and Fleeing and Eluding a Police Officer. Defendant's vehicle was found at the scene of a cop chase where the person got away by ditching the vehicle and jumping a fence. Defendant was arrested and testified that someone else was borrowing his car. Not Guilty verdict.
*** The above results are factual content from past legal representation. All results can be verified with the respective county clerk's office. In no way does the Law Offices of Gilbert & Smallman PLLC guarantee these results for your case. Please contact us with any questions *** *Denotes case had co-counsel For a free initial consultation, please contact Gilbert & Smallman at 954-661-7371. We can provide you with great legal advice
Andrew J. Smallman's Criminal Victories
Client was charged with domestic violence Battery...
Case #12-6730MM:
Client was charged with domestic violence Battery, State Nolle Prosse (Dismissed) case at the trial date.
Client was charged with DUI involving a car accident...
Case #8839XBP:
Client was charged with DUI involving a car accident. Negotiated a dismissal of the DUI. The state agreed to change the charge to a reckless driving, keeping a DUI conviction off of the client's permanent record.
Client was charged with Domestic Battery...
Case #12-22041MM:
Client was charged with Domestic Battery, State Nolle Prossed (dismissed) the case at trial date.
Client picked up county charges while being arrested in accordance with a federal felony...
Client picked up county charges while being arrested in accordance with a federal felony. All charges "no info'd," (not charged).
Client was charged with disorderly conduct...
Case #12-15925MM10:
Client was visiting a loved one at the county jail when an officer, who didn't like what she was wearing, kicked her out and ordered her charged with disorderly conduct. After our firm got involved, the state declined to file charges.
Case #12-22282MM: Client was charged with Domestic Battery. State Nolle Prosse'd (dismissed) case at the trial date.
Client was charged with Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon...
Case #12-13286CF:
Client was charged with Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon. Our prefile investigation revealed that our client committed no illegal actions. State declined to file charges.
Client was charged with possession of cocaine at the Hard Rock...
Case #12-1119CF:
Client was charged with possession of cocaine at the Hard Rock. Case was dismissed by the State after a Judge granted our motion to suppress evidence, finding that law enforcement took illegal action.
Client charged with urinating in Public...
Client charged with urinating in Public (which was really behind a building). Charges dismissed.
3 Counts of attempted murder dropped...
Case #11-2978:
3 Counts of attempted murder dropped!! Client received time served for one lesser Felony offense.
Client was charged with possession of cocaine...
Case #F-11-005125:
Client was charged with possession of cocaine. The State dismissed the charges after our firm filed a motion to suppress the illegal arrest.
Client was charged with Possession of Marijuana and Drug Paraphernalia...
Client was charged with Possession of Marijuana and Drug Paraphernalia. The state dismissed the charges after our firm filed a motion to suppress the illegal arrest.
Client was charged with DUI...
Case #11-017463MM:
Client was charged with DUI. Our firm filed a motion to suppress what we thought was an improper address. Motion to suppress Granted! Case dismissed.
Client was charged with possession of marijuana...
Client was charged with possession of marijuana. Motion to suppress an illegal arrest filed and granted! Case dismissed!
2 Counts of Burglary (Felony) negotiated down to Petit Theft...
2 Counts of Burglary (Felony) negotiated down to Petit Theft. Resolved to no conviction.
Our firm filed a motion to suppress an illegal arrest...
Our firm filed a motion to suppress an illegal arrest. State declined to argue the motion to suppress that was filed. Case dismissed.
Our client had a restraining order filed against him...
Case #DVCE 12-2176:
Our client had a restraining order filed against him. The restraining order was denied based on our firm's argument that there was a lack of evidence…..Order denied!
Client with an extensive criminal history, scoring mandatory prison came to our firm for help...
Client with an extensive criminal history, scoring mandatory prison came to our firm for help. After arguing to a Judge why he should not have to mandatorily go to prison, the Judge granted our motion and allowed the client to remain out of custody to do probation.
Client was charged with trafficking narcotic pills...
Client was charged with trafficking narcotic pills, a crime with a mandatory prison sentence. After our firm investigated the arrest and filed a motion to suppress, the case was argued and a Judge agreed with us…case dismissed! Prison avoided!
Client was charged with Aggravated Assault with a deadly weapon...
Client was charged with Aggravated Assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly trying to hit someone with his car. After a 2 day trial, the jury found our client NOT GUILTY.
Our client was charged with the improper exhibition of a Firearm...
Our client was charged with the improper exhibition of a Firearm. After the charge was dropped from a Felony to a misdemeanor, we went to trial…NOT GUILTY.
Client was charged with Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer...
Client was charged with Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer. After investigation this case prior to trial, the State agreed to change the charge to misdemeanor resisting with out violence. The case was resolved to no conviction.
Our client was arrested for possession of marijuana after police entered his home...
Our client was arrested for possession of marijuana after polce entered his home. Our firm filed a motion to suppress and argued to a Judge that the arrest, specifically the entry into our client's home, was not legal. The Judge granted our motion and the case was dismissed.
Our client was arrested for possession of cocaine...
Our client was arrested for possession of cocaine after being stopped because the officer said he was suspiciously sitting in his car near some closed businesses. After doing our investigation, we deemed the arrest illegal. After filing and arguing a motion to suppress the illegal arrest, the Judge agreed with us. Case dismissed!
Our client was charged with unlicensed contracting...
Our client was charged with unlicensed contracting with him owing $30,000 in restitution. After our firm investigated the charges, a motion to dismiss was filed and GRANTED, saving our client a conviction, and $30,000.
Man harassed outside his house...
Case #04-6173MM10A:
Man harassed outside his house while police are investigating a burglar alarm that went off next door. Man is arrested for resisting without violence. NOT GUILTY.
Man stopped in his car for traffic infraction...
Case #04-10238MM10A:
Man stopped in his car for traffic infraction. Police find marijuana in the car. State drops charges after jury selection.
Man is arrested while walking past a motel...
Case #04-18499cf10A:
Man is arrested while walking past a motel. Police stop him based on a tip of narcotic sales and search him without his consent. Police find nothing pertaining to drugs but find a handcuff key. Police charge him with possession of a handcuff key (which, believe it or not can be a felony) and a jury finds him NOT GUILTY in 5 minutes.*
Man is accused of throwing away a crack pipe when a Detective claims to see it on him...
Case #05-4806cf10A:
Man is accused of throwing away a crack pipe when a Detective claims to see it on him. Detective arrests him and charges him with felony tampering with evidence. The Detective then searches him and finds marijuana in his sock. The client ran away half way through the trial and trial went on without him. Both Counts. NOT GUILTY.
Man is accused of felony tampering with evidence...
Man is accused of felony tampering with evidence when police accuse him of swallowing a rock of cocaine. Found NOT GUILTY.*
Man charged with aggravated Battery...
Case #05-8315CF10C:
Man charged with aggravated Battery stemming from a fight where it is alleged that a bottle was used as a weapon. Motion to dismiss granted at trial after opening statements.
Woman stopped by police when the accuse her of making motions consistent with prostitution...
Woman stopped by police when the accuse her of making motions consistent with prostitution. Defense alleges an illegal stop and brings forth motion to suppress all evidence. Motion granted. State drops charges.
Anonymous tip to police alleges black man in certain colored clothing was attempting to break into cars...
Anonymous tip to police alleges black man in certain colored clothing was attempting to break into cars by trying door handles. Police arrive and detain a man they feel meets the description. Defense feels that police stop was illegal and brings forth a motion to suppress all evidence. Motion granted. State drops all charges.
You should know that:
Please check to confirm each statement
The facts and circumstances of your case may differ from the matters in which results and testimonials have been provided.
All results of cases handled by Gilbert and Smallman are not provided and not all clients have given testimonials.
The results and testimonials provided are not necessarily representative of results obtained by Gilbert and Smallman or of the experience of all clients or others with our firm. Every case is different, and each client's case must be evaluated and handled on its own merits.
I acknowledge that I have read and understand the above information and would like to view the information.


text:
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/**
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    @Override
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Very Would Could
If I could only have cash, I know that I would spend very little.
- Amanda Eliasch
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Part Very Shy
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I'm learning to deal with my loneliness because then nobody can muck me around any more.
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Every woman has, for her own self-esteem, to work or have a major interest.
Like Free
I like to be free.
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Silent Grammys Oscars
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Mine Could Mr
Oh Mr. Webster could never define what's being said between your heart and mine.
- Alison Krauss
Could Created Voice
The press gave me a voice too quickly, and that could have unsettled a man who had every right to feel he should be in control of the thing he had created.
- Alison Moyet
Sure Again Could
It is not about writing those hits again. I am sure I could write them, but it is about the sensibilities.
Think Cut Could
I'm the complete opposite of every clean cut, decent-looking guy you could ever think of. Yet, I have the biggest heart in the world.
- A. J. McLean
More Very Am
I, personally, am trying to get more and more involved with the gay and lesbian movement, very much so.
Very Strength Proportion
Brain power improves by brain use, just as our bodily strength grows with exercise. And there is no doubt that a large proportion of the female population, from school days to late middle age, now have very complicated lives indeed.
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Another Very Nevertheless
It would no doubt be very sentimental to argue - but I would argue it nevertheless - that the peculiar combination of joy and sadness in bell music - both of clock chimes, and of change-ringing - is very typical of England. It is of a piece with the irony in which English people habitually address one another.
Nothing Very Original
I've got nothing very original to say myself.
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If you know somebody is going to be awfully annoyed by something you write, that's obviously very satisfying, and if they howl with rage or cry, that's honey.
Never Very Entirely
Iris Murdoch did influence my early novels very much, and influence is never entirely good.
Some Other Very
If you read about Mussolini or Stalin or some of these other great monsters of history, they were at it all the time, that they were getting up in the morning very early. They were physically very active. They didn't eat lunch.
Could One Of The Things
One of the things I wanted to do with 'The Turn' was write a production of songs that could be stripped down to one or two instruments if you chose to do it.
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Listen, I would love to win an Emmy at some stage or another. I can't pretend not to.
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Connected Would Maybe
I would have liked maybe to be in architecture or painting, something connected to the fine arts.
More Truth Would
I speak truth, not so much as I would, but as much as I dare; and I dare a little more, as I grown older.
- Catherine Drinker Bowen

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
When Andrew Craig dies, he leaves his brother Jason a list of places that he wanted to visit but couldn't. Attending a school reunion, London, Stonehenge, these are all on the list and Jason is determined to cross everything off and work through his grief at the same time.
Closeted soap actor Mark Wesley is shocked when a blast from the past looks him up, and devastated when he realizes he will never have a chance to make things right.
Together Jason and Mark agree to work on the list. But what happens when Jason and Mark grow closer, when passion and even love begins to grow?
Was this what Andrew wanted to happen all along between his brother and his friend?
Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords | iTunes
Rainbow Gold Reviews - 10/10 - "....Beautiful and heartbreaking in one emotionally charged, well written novella.
There hasn't been a RJ Scott book that I haven't enjoyed, and I couldn't help but wonder, could this be the book that didn't work for me? Well I guess I will keep wondering because this wasn't that time....
....This novella, well I can't say enough good things about this one. I loved it and would highly recommend this to you if you are looking for a story with some heartache and a whole lot of love...."
Bike Book Reviews - 5/5 - "....This book is a lovely little treasure that I can't wait for you to read! Thanks Rj for another beautiful read that will be at the top of everyone's re-read list!...."
Click on cover to enlarge
Prism Book Alliance - 4/5 - "....Scott has the ability to write characters who are real without being over-drawn. She leaves many details just out of sight, because they are not essential to the core of her story. We are not handed great amounts of angst, nor are there horrific traumas unexpectedly revealed. Yes, there is a mystery that needs explaining; and there is sorrow in Mark's youth that needs to be exorcised. Scott gives us just enough to help us embrace both Jason and Mark for all the good things they are, and to understand their motivations as they rediscover each other through their shared love of Andrew and grief over his untimely death.
Romances can take many forms, and that variety is one of the things that appeals to me most about the genre. "The Bucket List," however, is pretty purely a romance. In its purity and simplicity lies its success. Sometimes, less is more...."
Love Bytes Reviews - 4/5 - "....RJ packed a lot in to a small space and I liked it all. A little plot, a little sex, a little travel, a little grief, and a little healing. She uses a delicate touch, giving us just enough drama from the past to keep in interesting, and some grief over Andrew's death, but it didn't get mopy. I liked it very much!
Oh yes… That cover? Hello! So pretty!...."
Multitaskingmommas Book Reviews - 4.5/5 - "....This is definitely one of the best and fastest read written by RJ Scott and, well, it left me feeling really, really good. Definitely one to add to that list or just go for broke, sit with a cup of tea and finish in an afternoon...."
Jason Craig cursed under his breath. How many times did he have to say the same thing? Why wasn't this guard listening to him?
"Excuse me, sir, I'm here to see Mark Wesley."
The guard ignored Jason for the third time. So far, the built-like-a-brick-outhouse rent-a-cop—Bill, according to his nametag—had let in a delivery of doughnuts, two bouquets of flowers, and the teased-blonde-haired interviewer from the local news station with a microphone in her hand and a cameraman following closely behind her.
The guard had let each of these in with a smile, and not for the first time, Jason wished he had thought about this in advance and maybe booked an interview—if it was at all possible to actually get an appointment with an actor on a closed set.
"Excuse me. Please," Jason tried again. This time, the guard actually looked down at him from his lofty six and a half foot height and frowned.
"I heard you the first three times, sir, but you need to move on now," he said. At least his tone was civil even if he hadn't deigned to really talk to Jason.
"I have to get in to see Mark Wesley," Jason replied.
"Join the line," Bill said. He nodded toward the group of thirtysomething women on what looked like some kind of MILF day out. They were all pointing and giggling and shrieking whenever the door opened. Jason sighed. He'd been lumped in with the fans congregating to catch sight of the stars. He wasn't a fan. Hell, he hadn't even watched anything Mark was in. According to the IMDB profile for Mark Wesley, he played some kind of rich-boy lothario who bedded and connived and generally filled the bad-boy role in a soap that had been running a very long time.
Who am I kidding? He might have looked at IMDB recently, but at the end of the day, he actually had somewhat followed Mark's career for years since Andrew, his brother, would mention things about Mark every now and then. He'd already known the boy who'd left town one night and never come back was now gracing the walls of many a fan's bedroom.
"Can I make an appointment, then?" Jason asked, a little desperate.
"You should write to the studio, sir. Meanwhile, you may want to go stand over there. Some of the actors will be out later to see their adoring fans as per usual." The guard sounded firm at first, but the second part of the sentence was dripping with sarcasm.
"I'm not a fan," Jason protested. He looked over again at the chattering women. A couple were staring at him and pointing. Shuffling his feet and suddenly feeling uncomfortable, he wondered where to start to explain so he could get in. "I tried to find out where Mark lived and wanted to track down his family…" He stopped. I sound like some kind of creepy stalker fan. "Look, can you just maybe give him a note for me?"
Bill looked like he was ten seconds away from calling the cops on Jason. That would be just freaking great. How would he explain an arrest record for stalking to the education board when he was back at school? Finally Bill motioned toward a pile of books and notes and teddies that sat on the chair in his small hut.
"You can add a note to the pile."
The pile? Jason didn't have time for a note to be added to any kind of disorganized heap. He had exactly two days to get in, talk to Mark, and get him to agree to number one on his brother's crazy-assed bucket list. The reunion is Saturday. We need to get home.
"If you could move away, sir," Bill said.
Part of Jason wanted to take a stand and not move, but rebellion wasn't really part of his makeup and he walked a few steps back. A voice to his side had Jason twisting on his heel. "Excuse me, my friend made me come over." Jason faced one of the women from the group. He forced a mask of civility into place. Never let it be said his mom didn't raise him right. "She thinks you are that Scottish guy from Days. You know, the one with the stepparents who turned out to be practicing voodoo and who ended up kidnapping the sister with the twins."
"I said you weren't him and that you were actually a lot better-looking than the Scottish guy, whose name I forget, Niall or Nick or something. Also, up close, you look way younger." She tilted her head and let out a soft tinkling laugh, then placed a hand flat on his jacket. Jason instantly stepped backward. He wasn't sure what Days was, but it didn't sound like a good thing, not the way the rest of the group of women were staring at him like he was a side of beef on sale at the market.
"No. I'm not. I just need to…" He trailed off as two other women from the group joined the first, all three laughing and giggling and touching him. They're touching me. Looking the guard directly in the eye, he hoped he telegraphed the sheer naked fear inside. Bill wouldn't even glance at him, but there was a definite smirk on his round face.
"You could be a soap star, though," Woman One simpered.
"Are you here auditioning?" Woman Two asked. She pressed scarlet-tipped fingers into his biceps and leaned into him. "Niiiice…"
"No, I'm n-not an, uhm, actor. I'm here to visit—" He took another step back when the remainder of the group joined the first three. Fifteen to one was not fair. It was only then, when he was surrounded, that the guard chose to intervene.
"Ten minutes, ladies," Bill said. "Then the cast are coming out for photos."
The group melted away from Jason like butter from a knife, and there were a lot of cackling laughs as they grouped around the narrow entrance and the gated hut the guard used. Resolving to get this sorted out, Jason excused himself as he passed by each woman and finally made his way through the heavily perfumed crowd and back to the guard.
"Please can you just tell him that Andrew Craig's brother is here?" he called over the raised voices and chattering.
"Andrew Craig?"
"Yes. Andrew Craig. I'm Jason, his little brother."
Seeming to take some kind of pity on Jason, Bill scribbled the name in a notebook. Jason wasn't sure what changed; maybe only barely making it out alive from a pack of rabid housewives was a badge of honor that Bill wanted to reward. Jason made his way back to the wall and away from the group. He didn't have to wait long. The door opened and people stepped out. Who had come out, Jason couldn't see over the small sea of women in heels, but there was a lot of excitement.
He went on tiptoes, but he couldn't see Mark, no one with dark hair, just two women and a blond man. Inspiration hit—maybe he could ask one of them to tell Mark he was here. He tried his best to make his way through, but the women had formed an impenetrable wall and he was too polite to shove. By the time Jason made it to the front, the door had shut and anyone from the show had gone.
Jason deflated, then decided he would wait for as long as it took for Mark to come see him. What he was waiting for, he wasn't sure. Was it to have the guard come get him? Had Bill even given the note to Mark? Was the actor aware he was here? When the women walked away, all with huge grins and two exchanging oohs and aahs of having had their breasts signed by the blond Adonis, Jason was left standing alone with only Bill for company. He looked up at the guard expectantly.
"I sent in the name," Bill said simply.
"And nothing. Mark's people have the note."
Mark's people? They wouldn't know the name Andrew Craig. What was the point in giving it to them? The name should be given to Mark. It had been so many years, but surely Mark would recall Andrew. "They won't know who Andrew is. Look, please. I need to see him. Can I write a longer note? To explain?"
"Like I said, they have your name."
Jason contemplated his next move. What if he told Bill why he was standing here? He'd already said he'd tried to find out where Mark lived and placed himself squarely in scary stalker territory. Would it help if he told Bill about Andrew dying? Would that get him any compassion points to get through the door marked Private? Grief washed over him, and the memory of his brother's voice filled his head.
"First thing, little brother. And this is the important one. Find Mark Wesley and make him see you. Explain to him. Tell him the keeper of his secrets has died. He'll know exactly what you mean. And for fuck's sake, get him to the reunion."
"My brother died," Jason said. Bill looked at him, and for a second, compassion softened his hard features.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"Mark was his friend… I have to…"
The guard shook his head. He'd probably heard all kinds of reasons as to why people needed to get inside the closed set. Seemed like bereavement wasn't going to swing it.
Mark Wesley slumped back on the closed toilet seat, and the last remaining ounce of energy left him in a noisy sigh. Two minutes' peace. That's all I want. But that wasn't happening.
Mark blamed Evan. His agent had told him how good this fly-on-the-wall documentary would be. Emma Watkins is at the top of her game at the moment, she'll give you good exposure.
What Mark hadn't realized when he'd signed up for it was that it meant being constantly followed around by her and her cameraman. Which in turn meant no time to himself. Including bathroom time. They'd followed him for two weeks solid already. Consigned to digital film was hours of him acting, learning lines, going for dinner, and sleeping. They also asked far too many questions that slid close to things he had agreed with his agent wouldn't become public.
"Mr. Wesley?"
Jeez. Did she never give up? She was inside the men's bathroom and outside his stall door. Quickly, he glanced up, expecting to see the cameraman leaning over the top of the stall next to him. He could see the headlines now: Soap Actor Takes Crap, full frontal pics page five. Didn't he even get a minute's peace in the men's room?
"I'll be out in a minute, Emma," he said. He was aiming for patience, but instead there was loosely restrained irritability.
"Just give a guy a few minutes to himself," Mark snapped. He heard the noise of her heels on the tiled floor, some muffled talking between her and the camera guy, and the sound of the closing door. One more hour, that was all he had to handle. Then she was gone to edit whatever she could from his boring life. Cautiously he opened the stall door and checked by the sinks. They really had left. He wouldn't put it past Emma to have faked leaving just so she got a shot of him doing up his fly.
Crossing to the sink, he washed his hands and checked himself in the mirror. His skin had the orange tint of makeup, and in this light he looked like he had a badly applied fake tan. Getting in the makeup chair every day was not one of the perks of the job. He loved his work, and getting paid well for what was essentially a nine-to-five job was a definite plus in his eyes. Didn't mean he enjoyed his privacy being disregarded, though. The door opened and rounded on the interloper with temper on his tongue, only relaxing when he saw it was his agent, Evan Rogers.
"If you don't get that woman out of my face—"
"Mark, I get that you're pissed—"
"She followed me into the goddamned bathroom, Evan."
"I'm just as upset as you are—"
"Bullshit, Evan. She hasn't followed you to film you taking a crap."
"She filmed you doing that?"
"No, fuck, I wasn't… I was just hiding…"
"I get it's been intrusive—"
"You don't know." He and Evan had even done some playacting for the documentary, pretend business meetings discussing film options. Make-believe film options. But still, a couple of meetings was nothing like the kind of intense focus that had been on Mark.
"Mark? You okay?" Evan looked concerned. He made sure the main door was completely shut and leaned against it. "Talk to me."
Mark sighed and rested his hands on the sink, bowing his head. "Yeah, just needed some space, is all." No sense in lying to the guy who guided his career and who was the only other person to know all, or nearly all, of his secrets. No point in arguing with one of his only friends in the business.
"Just another hour," Evan said. "You can do it." He grinned. "Imagine the vacation you can have on the proceeds from this work. It's money for nothing."
"And you," Mark deadpanned. Evan took a percentage of his earnings and would be doing okay off this documentary. Mark didn't begrudge him, though. Evan worked hard and had gotten him this gig as the resident bad guy in the number-one daytime soap. That in itself was kudos and had made Mark a nice bank balance that sat pretty much untouched. Mark shouldn't be shouting at the guy.
"I'm raising my rates," Evan teased. "I want to take you for enough money to get a five-star hotel and a private beach." He poked a finger at Mark's chest. "With several naked gorgeous women to choose from."
Mark smiled. Evan's rate was a standing joke. "Don't know what Mary would say about that. Ten years of marriage and you want a new woman?"
Evan wrinkled his nose. "I didn't say I would touch the scantily dressed women. Just to look at the menu. I'd have some naked guys for her as well." He snapped his fingers. "You should come and get yourself a guy."
The last he said in a whisper; even so, Mark frowned at him. They didn't talk about Mark's preferences in public. That was way too dangerous.
"Look, I'll be out in a minute," he said.
"No worries, I'll keep her off your back. But there was a reason I was looking for you. Some guy gave a note to Bill, and I wanted to let you know before you go back on set."
"What is it?" Mark was curious. Evan dealt with fan mail, passing the whole lot in bulk to Mark when Mark had time to actually look at it. He didn't usually pass over random individual notes.
"It's not just the usual, so I thought I'd run it by you first, and it mentions that town you used to live in."
"Cooper's Yard?"
"Yep. The guy says his name is Jason and that he's a younger brother of—hang on…" Evan checked the note. "Andrew Craig?"
Jeez. That was a shock from the past. Andrew Craig, from Cooper's Yard, and his brother Jason. God.
"It's been a long time since I've heard those names," Mark said. It really had been. Just after his fifteenth birthday, Mark had moved away from the town he'd lived in from birth. Even though he should probably have gone back and seen Andrew, explained things, he never had. Life got in the way. Andrew had his own life now, anyway, he was sure.
"You know him, then?"
"I remember Andrew Craig and his brother," Mark said. "From way back."
"Before the reinvention?" Evan asked gently. Mark frowned. He hated that Evan called it that, even though that was essentially what it had been. Rising like a phoenix, a new Mark Wesley had been created from the old one who had too many shitty memories.
"Yeah," he answered simply because he didn't need to elaborate at all. Evan knew more about that time than anyone else. Except for Andrew Craig.
"What do you want me to do? We can't let him on set as it stands; security won't pass him."
Mark considered the question. Andrew Craig was such a fond memory. They'd been as close as fifteen-year-old boys could be. Riding bikes around the neighborhood, climbing trees, noticing girls. Well, Andrew noticed girls. Not so much, Mark. Nope, he noticed boys.
He'd thought about his old friend sometimes. He knew how easy it would be to find where he lived and what he was up to. He never did, though. Never enough time, never the right moment. And the way they parted, what Mark had said? That was a memory he didn't want right now.
I wonder if Andrew ever thinks of me in return? And why is Jason here? What does he want?
Andrew Craig. The only boy Mark had ever told everything to. The only person who knew all of the secrets Mark had inside. Knew what had happened with his less than stellar family life. Knew he had liked boys over girls.
"Can you go out and tell him that I'll come find him when we finish. Tell him one more scene and I'm done."
"What about the rest of the interviews with Emma?" Evan looked down at the note and back up at Mark. Mark could tell he was calculating times and schedules in his head.
"They just need a last goodbye thing. I'm going to get that done, get this last take down." Inspiration hit him. "Tell security to let Jason through to Gino's, surely they can allow that. I'll be an hour; two hours, tops. See if he'll wait."
Evan nodded and left, and Mark stared at the wall, deep in thought. Maybe Andrew had asked his brother to look him up here in LA. Mark recalled Jason as a skinny kid with braces and the misfortune to trip over his own feet, but with the promise of so much more. The two brothers were close, though, Andrew and Jason, despite the usual sibling rivalries.
It had been so long since Mark had thought of the town that he had left behind. Cooper's Yard, population three thousand and a handful of change. Or of Andrew. Rolling his shoulders, he looked from left to right to remove some of the kinks in his neck and then left his haven to walk straight into a camera slap bang in his face.
"So talk us through this take," Emma said. Her voice was brittle. Clearly, Mark's hiding in the bathroom was a sore point.
Forcing civility into his voice, he began to explain why they had to retake the last scene, but at the back of his mind, he was thinking of other things. He couldn't wait for Gino's coffee, a Danish, and to meet up with Jason. He was intrigued by what his old friend's brother wanted, and maybe, just maybe, he could get an address and look Andrew up.
Gino's was a regular haunt for the cast of the many network shows filmed in the huge hangers on the Burbank lot. A person needed to pass through security to get in to the coffee shop, but it was outside the strict 'inner circle' studio guards. Somewhere for the actors, directors, camera guys, PAs, makeup people—anyone, really—just to meet and drink coffee. Mark opened the door and let out two guys from the local weather show who smiled and nodded to him as they passed. The wait gave him a few seconds to inhale the scent of coffee and for his taste buds to tell him it had been far too long since he'd had one of Gino's caramel macchiato specialties. Well, at least twenty-four hours too long.
He glanced around and discounted the people he recognized until his gaze landed on someone at a far table sitting with his back to the door. If that was Jason, then he had certainly grown, filled out, if broad shoulders were anything to go by.
"Hey," Gino said in greeting. The diminutive Italian rubbed harder at a spot on his immaculate counter and then stopped to get Mark's order. "What can I get ya?"
"The usual," Mark returned. Gino grinned, did his thing with the huge silver coffee machine, and passed the completed coffee to Mark, who exchanged the nectar for dollars.
"Drink," Gino encouraged.
"Thanks, Gino. God, I need this." Mark sipped the brew and burnt his tongue with scalding bitterness followed by a spark of sweet. Beautiful.
"You still got that blonde following you around the studio?"
Mark shook his head, then cast a glance around to see if anyone was close by and could hear. "No," he said quietly. "Thank God, it's all done now."
"Can't see as what she got from following you to drink coffee. I can see the headlines now"—Gino waved his hands in the air—"Actor Drinks Coffee, exclamation mark, exclamation mark."
"Actor Burns Mouth, more like," Mark pointed out and grinned. When Mark turned from the counter, he saw the guy in the corner had turned to face them and had an expectant smile on his face. Jason. He looked so much like Andrew, only with more red in his dark hair and with a wider smile. Mark smiled in return, sketched a wave, and then carefully weaved his way through abandoned chairs and half-asleep studio staff to reach the table his friend's brother had chosen to use. Jason stood and Mark looked up—and up—at the man who was at least a few inches taller than him.
"You grew into your legs, then, Stretch?" Mark said. The teasing caused Jason to smile, but it was a respectful smile and one that didn't quite reach his eyes. "It's been a long time."
"Hi, Mark," he said. He extended a hand, and Mark shook it firmly before placing his coffee on the table and sliding into the chair opposite. Jason really had grown into his height. Always kind of cute as a geeky adolescent, Jason had become a fine-looking man. Gone were the braces and the thick-rimmed glasses that never quite managed to stay on his nose. In their place was a beautiful smile with even white teeth, and a very clear view of Jason's sapphire blue eyes, exactly the same as his brother Andrew's eyes. His hair was longer, cut in the layers, and bangs fell nearly to his eyes even with the sculpted style. He must be thirty now? Hell, it made Mark feel old to be sitting opposite the kid he remembered at eleven or twelve.
"How are you, Jason?" Mark asked politely.
"I'm okay," Jason said. His tone belied the words, though. Instead of being calm and positive, it was actually tight. "You look… happy."
What a curious thing to say. "I like my job here, working here…" Stupid. Calm down. You've sat opposite a good-looking man before. Just never one that he'd known as a kid. "Do you want some more coffee?" He changed the subject.
Jason indicated the three coffee containers and the empty water bottle. "Any more and they will need to scrape me off the ceiling."
"I know the feeling. Coffee keeps me going all day."
Both men sat quietly, looking at each other, and Mark waited as long as he could before he decided to be the one to start talking.
"It's been a while, Jason," Mark began. "I'm sorry you had to wait outside. If I'd known you were coming, I could have got you on a studio tour, got you backstage or something. Hell, you could probably be an extra. Do you act?" He wasn't entirely sure where the verbal diarrhea was coming from, but Jason went from startled to shaking his head.
"I only came here because Andrew told me to."
"How is Andrew? I've been meaning to catch up. I can't believe it's been…" Mark trailed away. Something wasn't right. Jason's expression was bleak. Devastation cut deep into Jason's face, and his blue eyes held so much anguish. Why was Jason here? What did he want to tell Mark? He couldn't be here to tell him… It couldn't be.
"I'm sorry," Jason was saying. "Andrew passed away a few weeks ago. He'd had a mercifully short battle with cancer, and he died at home like he wanted to, surrounded by family." The words were rehearsed. Jason had probably said them so many times. No one used mercifully in a sentence for real.
Shock struck Mark dumb. Grief followed the shock, unbidden. Images of the Andrew he knew, the boy he remembered, superimposed themselves on Jason's sad expression, and it was all too much. Andrew had been the same age as him, both of them just into their thirties.
"He was only thirty-three," Mark managed to force out.
"I know," Jason responded in a low and level voice.
"But. He can't… We didn't…" Mark slumped back in his chair. This was impossible. This wasn't right.
"He left me a list of things he wanted me to do for him. Kind of a bucket list, I guess." He paused, then cleared his throat. "Top of that list was to find you and give you your own letter." Jason reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope that had seen better days.
He placed it flat on the table and nudged it gently with one finger toward Mark. In response, Mark pulled away sharply. His chair made a horrible screech on the linoleum, and it seemed that every person in the room turned to look at him. When all he did was sit absolutely still, they all lost interest and the general level of chatter increased again.
"I'm so sorry, Jason," he finally said. The letter remained where Jason had placed it, and Mark made no move to pick it up. "Losing a brother… jeez… I'm… It must be so hard. Was he married? Did he have kids?"
Jason nodded, eyes bright and worrying his upper lip his teeth. "He married Joanna three years ago and I have a two-year-old nephew, Harry."
"You do? He did?" Mark smiled through the pain in his chest. "A wife? And he left a child here, a permanent mark." He wondered if the toddler was a direct copy of Andrew, all mischief and sparkly-eyed and into everything. Mark had first met Andrew when they were little, but his memories of being so young were blurry. He wished he had photos, but his mom had burned everything a long time before she'd died.
"He said I have to wait for you to open the letter," Jason encouraged. Mark reached for the innocent-looking green envelope and turned it over to look at the closure. Sliding a finger from the corner, he soon had it open and tipped the contents onto the table. A condom and a square card. Picking up the condom, he placed it carefully in one hand. Tears clogged his throat as memory upon memory cascaded in his head.
"He always said… all I needed was…"
Andrew had been so serious. "Just promise me you'll always stay safe. Always use a condom."
Andrew's joking acceptance of Mark's sexuality had been welcome after so much angst, but Mark's voice choked in his throat. He couldn't finish the sentence. Jason reached out and placed a hand over his and squeezed before pulling away. Andrew had been his staunchest supporter when he'd revealed he was gay, well finally revealed, anyway. At first Andrew had been horrified, but that had been bad timing. After a while there was no hesitation in his old friend, just a whole new opportunity for teasing him. Hence the condom.
"'Course, I had to look hard for a pack of extra small," Andrew had added, which resulted in him and Mark wrestling in wet grass. The memory made Mark smile and want to cry at the same time.
"It's okay," Jason said. He'd probably done a lot of that. Sat listening to new grief from each person he told, then had to deal with helping those people come to terms. That wasn't fair at all.
Mark blinked back the emotion and slid the condom in his pocket at the same time Jason released his grip. Damn Andrew and his shout-out from the grave, his words from all those years ago spinning in his mind.
"You should just be honest, Mark. The people that judge you are the ones that don't matter. I'll never stop being your friend just because you want to kiss Danny Foster and not his sister Trisha."
Picking up the card, Mark turned it over and he blinked as he read the words, then reread them, not really believing what he was seeing.
Because apparently Andrew had seen fit to give him a ticket to the Cooper's Yard High School fifteenth reunion, their old high school in a town Mark had left too many years ago to recall.
God. No. He'd moved schools, and the last thing he wanted to do was ever set foot back in his old school again. The gymnasium was the scene of his humiliation, of the final nail, of the moment he screwed a lid tight on so many secrets. Why would Andrew give him a ticket to that?
"Fuck no," he managed to force out. Then his own disbelief was pushed to one side when Jason placed a card of his own on the table. That invite had Andrew's name on it.
"This is mine. He wanted me to go in his place."
Tears pricked Mark's eyes, but he was not going to let the shock make him cry, not in front of Jason, who looked so bleak but was being so damn strong.
"Are you going?"
Jason nodded. "He wanted us to go with each other. I guess he figures that seeing me and the two invites together would hold some sway in getting you to go. I have something I am supposed to read you now," Jason said uncomfortably. Mark looked up at him, confusion building. "It's the end of number four on my own list. Is it okay?"
Mark didn't want to know why this was number four, or what numbers one to three had been. Funeral arrangements? Music? Possessions? I feel sick. He nodded to indicate Mark should continue.
"Andrew wrote this himself just after he was first diagnosed, when he was going through his first treatments. Just in case you think any of this was done when he was near the end and his mind wasn't…" Jason stopped talking for a moment.
"It's okay," Mark encouraged.
"He says I need to say this exactly as he wrote it, so here goes. 'Mark, take these tickets and use them. The school is a much less scary place when you drive a Porsche and have made a life you can be proud of. Don't let them win with their dead dreams. Oh and mostly, make sure you meet my beautiful wife and my gorgeous son, you'll love them. Tell Harry all our stories so he knows his dad.'"
Jason finished and placed the letter back in a scuffed notebook where a small stack of letters were pushed tight and held with a band.
"That's pretty heavy stuff."
Jason shrugged. "I know."
Mark swallowed. Didn't matter how Jason tried to explain, fear held Mark tight and wasn't letting him go any time soon. Andrew had known what had happened at that school, so why would he even suggest Mark go back to the place that gave him so much misery?
"I really don't understand why he wants me to go back to a town that I hated, to a school I hated, to go to a damned party."
"There has to be some reason," Jason said. His tone was very calm, but there was a hint of trepidation. He was expecting Mark to laugh this off probably. After all, Mark and Andrew hadn't seen each other in a long while. Jason probably looked at him and saw an ex-friend who didn't care enough about Andrew to have even checked up on him.
Mark had so many emotions winding their way through him. All he wanted to do was get a bottle of whiskey and lose himself in grief for a few hours, remember what he used to be and the Andrew he recalled.
He moved Jason's ticket so it sat next to his, and seeing the two names next to each other was like a knife to the gut. He pushed Jason's ticket—Andrew's ticket—back toward him and turned his own ticket over and over in his hand. Then he looked into Jason's bright blue eyes and saw they held a combination of hope and despair.
Jason's grief and expectations were a weight on him, and regret, fear, sadness, and pity all fought for dominance. But at the end of the day, acceptance won. He was clearly in some kind of shock but his heart knew he would do this for Andrew.
"Okay," he said simply. "If that is what he wanted, if it helps, then I'll go."
Posted by RJ at Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Labels: Excerpts, London, Meredith Russell, The Bucket List
ShirleyAnn 14 January 2015 at 15:13
Love the cover and I can't wait to read the book!
LeeAnn 14 January 2015 at 19:03
So excited for this !
Laurie P 14 January 2015 at 20:10
Want this now, can't wait!
Tracy George 14 January 2015 at 21:00
Cover is stunning... I'm loving the sound of this book.
The book sounds great. Looking forward to reading it.
Marcine 16 January 2015 at 05:39
Yeah, I have been waiting to find out what happened on their trip. Only a little longer...


I am a copywriter at IBX as well as a spouse, parent, dog owner, and kind of meh cook. Just like a lot of people, I am always looking for ways to make my day-to-day life easier so I can spend more time with family, sneak in a little more exercise, and (hopefully) get more sleep.
Relatively speaking, we are a very clean society — some might even argue, too clean — but when it comes to handwashing, research shows that we're anything but.
As another flu season approaches, so too does the perennial debate about whether to get a flu shot or not. If you're among those who are on the fence each year, unsure what to do, here are some reasons why you may want to consider getting vaccinated.
1. Flu shots are often free.


text:
Courts + Law
Policy Watch Investigates
Rob Schofield
John Cole's Cartoon
Radio Commentaries
Defending Democracy
A project of the NC Justice Center
Trump has appointed judges at a breakneck speed. More are coming.
By Allison Stevens
- 1/6/2020
- in Defending Democracy, News, Top Story
Total862
President Donald Trump (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON — The GOP-controlled U.S. Senate heads into 2020 with few major legislative victories but a significant one on the judicial front: a dramatic reshaping of the federal bench.
Over the past three years, the Senate has confirmed 185 of President Trump's judicial nominees, more than any of the last five presidents at the same time in their presidencies. That tally includes a raft of nominees approved just before lawmakers left Capitol Hill for the holiday recess, including UNC law professor Richard Myers II's confirmation to North Carolina's Eastern District, previously the longest running vacancy in the federal court system.
Trump touted his judicial appointments — including the confirmations of two U.S. Supreme Court justices — as "the most incredible thing" at an Oval Office press conference the day after the U.S. House voted for his impeachment. "It's unheard of," Trump said of the appointments. "That's said to be the most important thing that a president has."
In addition to the two Supreme Court justices, the Senate has confirmed 50 circuit court and 133 district court judges, most of whom progressive groups have decried as far-right ideologues. Of those, the vast majority are white (85%) and male (75%).
So far, Trump's nominees comprise about a fifth of all federal judgeships and nearly a third of circuit court judgeships.
The conservative "takeover" of the federal bench — one of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) top priorities — has profound implications for LGBTQ rights, reproductive health, voting rights, environmental protection, access to health care and dozens of other issues, progressive activists say.
"We are really turning back the clock decades when it comes to these nominees," said Lena Zwarensteyn, a campaign director at the Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights.
Paul Gordon, legislative counsel with the liberal advocacy group People for the American Way, agreed. "It's a movement basically to repeal the New Deal," he said, referring to the package of progressive social reforms enacted in the 1930s.
The Senate's frenzy around judges comes in stark contrast to its approach to legislation.
Halfway through the 116th Congress, roughly 80 bills have been signed into law, some of which relate to routine or inconsequential items, such as issuing commemorative coins and naming federal buildings. That pales in comparison to recent decades, when roughly 300-500 bills became law during the full two-year session (and between 700-800 did in the 1970s and 80s), according to data compiled by the website GovTrack.
To be sure, the Senate has cleared some significant legislation, including a government funding bill that raises the age to buy tobacco products, hikes pay for troops and federal workers, and funds gun violence research. It also passed a defense policy bill that gives federal workers paid parental leave and creates a Space Force.
But the upper chamber has become known more for what it didn't do in 2019 than for what it did.
Democrats regularly refer to it as a "legislative graveyard" and point out that the House has passed more than 400 bills, including at least 275 with bipartisan support, that are sitting on McConnell's desk. These include legislation that would stiffen background checks on gun purchases, strengthen equal pay laws, reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act and more.
McConnell relishes his success in stopping bills passed by the Democratic-held House, even referring to himself as the grim reaper. "None of that stuff is gonna pass," he has said.
But he regularly boasts of his action on Trump's judges, tweeting recently: "In less than three years, President Trump has appointed and the Republican Senate has confirmed 50 circuit judges. That is already the most in any president's whole first term since 1980."
Erosion of norms
McConnell credits his progress on judges — which don't require House approval — to a rules change he engineered that slashes debate time on district court nominees from 30 hours to two.
The rapid pace of judicial confirmations is also due to an erosion of other Senate norms.
In 2013, Senate Democrats eliminated the filibuster against lower court and other executive branch nominees, which enabled them to clear the chamber with 51 rather than 60 votes. Republicans fired back in 2017, eliminating the filibuster against Supreme Court nominees.
The traditional "blue slip" process, a senatorial courtesy that in the past has enabled senators from a nominee's home state to block advancement, has also weakened in recent years.
Earlier this month, Lawrence VanDyke — a conservative who served in the Trump administration — was confirmed to one of Nevada's seats on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals despite objections from both of the state senators.
Another judge who cleared the Senate over objections from his home state senators is Steven Menashi, who now sits on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York. New York Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand objected to him, accusing him of working at the U.S. Education Department to undermine protections for survivors of campus sexual assault, fund schools that discriminate against LGBTQ students and weaken protections for students who were defrauded by their institutions.
Senate Democrats have opposed numerous other nominees this year, such as:
Chad Readler (6th Circuit), who as a Trump administration official filed a brief in support of GOP efforts to strike down the Affordable Care Act, including its protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Parts of the law were struck down in December.
Wendy Vitter (Eastern District Court of Louisiana), who has a history of advocating against abortion rights.
Sarah Pitlyk (Eastern District of Missouri), a staunch opponent of abortion, contraception and reproductive technologies such as in-vitro fertilization and surrogacy.
"All these nominees paint a picture," said Dan Goldberg, legal director at the Alliance for Justice. The administration doesn't want "fair-minded jurists," he said. "They want right-wing ideologues who will achieve their policy goals."
He and other progressive activists are working to curb the effort through organizing, media outreach, the publication of research and reports, research tools and awareness campaigns about the effect of judges on public life.
"We have to fix the courts," Gordon said. "And we can't do that unless voters understand the impact that these bad judges are having on them."
Allison Stevens is a reporter for The States Newsroom network, of which Policy Watch is a member.
Allison Stevens
Allison Stevens, DC Bureau Reporter, Allison covers the nation's capital for States Newsroom's network of news outlets. Her areas of coverage include politics and policy, campaigns and elections, and the Supreme Court.
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This mustardy/gold color has been in my visual recently. The gold dining room chairs and mustard yellow breakfast nook booth in LC's Penthouse really sparked my color crush. I keep seeing the most beautiful products in this hue. I love a version of yellow for fall. Are you crushing with me?


Award winning Australian owned property developer!
*Building image on the web page is an artist photo montage of some of Central Equity's previously completed projects.
页面上使用的图片为 Central Equity (澳洲中正) 部分已竣工项目的集合展示图 (建筑实景照片集合).
© 2019 Central Equity (澳洲中正) 版权所有.


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'A knot in your stomach': Kentucky suffers second-worst day for new coronavirus cases
Sarah Ladd
Admonishing Kentuckians to stop playing games and put on their masks, Gov. Andy Beshear on Tuesday reported 576 new coronavirus cases — the second-highest daily total ever in the state.
"This virus isn't playing, and neither are we," Beshear said at a press conference, adding that the new numbers should be "a knot in your stomach, because what we face is very, very real."
The numbers he reported Tuesday included six new deaths. And nine more children under the age of 5 have contracted the virus, Beshear announced. The youngest is an 11-month-old.
This comes a day after the state announced 11 other children under the age of 5, including a 4-month-old, had come down with COVID-19.
Kentucky now has 20,223 total cases and 635 total deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new daily cases in Kentucky is now 386, the highest since the onset of the pandemic, with the positivity rate for tests in that period at 3.95%. There are 243 people in the hospital and 90 people in the ICU.
"COVID-19 is attacking us," Beshear said in his opening remarks Tuesday. "And we are at war with this virus that threatens our lives, our livelihoods and our very way of life. In the midst of this great challenge, it's time to stop the silliness and the games. To put aside personal ambitions or grievances. It's time to live up to our morals and to our faith. ... We either come together, or we fall apart."
See also:Kentucky state senator has tested positive for the coronavirus
The highest single-day total of new cases in Kentucky was on May 5, when 625 cases were reported. But almost half of those — 309 — came from mass testing of inmates and staff at the Green River Correctional Center.
Earlier Tuesday, Indiana reported 662 new coronavirus cases and 13 additional deaths over the past 10 days, for a total of 52,685 cases with 2,582 deaths.
Beshear also condemned a photo in which Republican state legislators weren't wearing masks in a committee meeting a day after state Sen. Max Wise, R-Campbellsville, announced on social media he had tested positive for the coronavirus.
"We had almost every member of one political party's representatives and senators not wearing masks, not being 6 feet apart after having been potentially exposed, after having a mask mandate with record numbers of cases out there," Beshear said. "I'm not trying to publicly shame people, but we need leadership.
"And with even the president wearing one," he added, "this isn't right."
Following the meeting, the House and Senate Democratic leadership asked that masks be required during interactions and committee meetings.
Read this:McConnell wants next virus relief bill to help get kids back in classrooms
The group includes House Democratic Leader Joni Jenkins, Caucus Chair Derrick Graham and Caucus Whip Angie Hatton, as well as Senate Democratic Leader Morgan McGarvey, Caucus Chair Johnny Ray Turner and Caucus Whip Dennis Parrett.
"We are dismayed and disheartened by the fact no legislator was wearing a mask during the Government Contract Review Committee hearing less than 24 hours after one of our colleagues announced he had tested positive for coronavirus," the group said in a joint statement.
"The continued refusal of legislators to take precautions and wear a mask puts themselves and others at risk," it went on. "We are calling on House and Senate leaders to require masks during committee meetings and when interacting with legislative staff. Given the circumstances, such a request shouldn't be necessary, but given the behavior we've seen, it is clear we have no other choice."
J. Michael Brown, secretary of the state's Executive Cabinet, said there have been 624 positive inmate coronavirus tests in the state's 13 correctional facilities. Four inmates have died. Eighty-three staff members also have tested positive.
Cases at the Kentucky State Reformatory in La Grange have surged this week. On Monday, it went from reporting three cases to 52, including one death. On Tuesday, Brown said there were 55 positive cases, including 49 inmates and six staff members. Three are in the hospital.
At the Kentucky Correctional Institute for Women in Pewee Valley, 207 inmates are positive for the coronavirus as well as 19 staff members, Brown said.
"At this point," Brown said, "the entire institution has been tested, and the entire inmate population has been retested."
Beshear said there is no consideration at the moment of reducing the prison population again, but "we are watching as these cases spread."
See also:US attorney shuts down Louisville man's site advertising fake vaccine
Reach breaking news reporter Sarah Ladd at sladd@courier-journal.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ladd_sarah. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/subscribe.


The Christmas season always seems like a time to sing the good old songs.
Each year I have sung the carols and even played them on a trombone alongside a Salvation Army bell ringer in order to help raise money for the poor. Most popular of all these carols is "Joy to the World," which Isaac Watts based on the psalm for today, Psalm 98.
Psalm 98 calls for a new psalm! Since that call for something new is often sounded (Psalm 96:1, 33:3, 40:3; 144:9; 149:1; Isaiah 42:10) the point appears to be an important one. We could imagine that a good number of Old Testament people must have wanted to hang onto the "good old songs." But there was also a group who must have said, "We need to hear something fresh, new, and contemporary, so that we can hold on to the young people." And I did hear something new and fresh this year out on a football field in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Psalm 98 is one of seven psalms in the Bible that were used at a festival to celebrate God as King: 47; 93; 95; 96; 97; 98; 99. Many of these psalms contain the cry, "The Lord is king" (see 93:1; 96:10; 97:1; 99:1). These enthronement psalms, as they are called, are not to be confused with royal psalms, which are associated with events in the life of the king (Psalms 2; 18; 20; 21; 45; 72; 89; 101; 110; 132; 144). To put it another way, in the enthronement psalms God is the king. In the royal psalms, the king is the king.
The heading "A Psalm" designates this as a musical piece suitable for use in worship. The psalm itself calls for instrumental accompaniment, with both stringed (verse 5) and brass instruments (verse 6). The psalm divides into three parts: Praise to the Lord because of mighty deeds in the past (verses 1-3), praise to the Lord the ruling King in the present (verses 4-6), and a call to nature also to praise the Lord who will come in the future to set things right in the world (verses 7-9).
The gathered people of God are invited to sing a new song because the Lord "has done marvelous things." Biblical religion is a historical religion. This means that God has been acting through major events in the lives of God's people, like the exodus, the wandering in the wilderness and the conquest of Canaan (psalms like 136). Note that the word translated "victory" in the NRSV comes up three times in this first section. The Hebrew word is yeshuah, which can have the sense as "rescue, salvation" as well as "victory." It appears that this saving event was of such significance that the whole world knew about it (verse 3).
But the word can also be used as the basis for a proper name. The Old Testament name "Joshua" and the New Testament name "Jesus" are both derived from yeshuah. The Gospel of Matthew says that the angel said to Mary, "Y ou are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). And salvation, yeshuah, is what Christmas is all about.
That's the word that comes up in the New Testament as grace, or in Greek, agape.
This section indicates who is called upon to praise the Lord for the Lord's marvelous deeds. The psalmist thinks big. We ought to think of one of the photos of the whole earth taken from the Hubble space station. The writer calls for praises to go out -- from the entire earth! Stringed instruments (the lyre) as well as wind instruments (trumpets, horns) are to be used.
This final section of the psalm again indicates who should join in praising the Lord. The circle of the writer's imagination gets bigger and bigger. Here not only all the people on the planet are to praise God, but also the seas, the fish and the humpback whales (Psalm 8:8; 104:25). All are invited to give a cheer -- for God! And the hills are alive with the sound of music, and applause for the coming of the Lord.
The Italians have a fine word indicating what Psalm 98 is all about. It was Pope John XXIII who called the church to the task of aggiornamento -- new songs, a continued updating of old traditions to meet the needs and tastes of a new generation.
We are called to do no less. Christmas Day is a time to sing the old beloved carols -- but also to throw in a few newer songs, maybe even a Christmas message from a 500 piece marching band! Who knows what aggiornamento could look like? We are promised that a great day is coming, when the Lord will come to straighten everything out in our tired, war-torn, and warming world. And all creatures, humans, hills, mountains and marching bands are invited to join in a mighty hallelujah!


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Artesian named The World's 50 Best Bars champion 2014
By Holly Motion
Artesian at the Langham Hotel has been named the world's best bar for a third consecutive year at Drinks International's World's 50 Best Bars ceremony in London.
It beat off competition from New York's The Dead Rabbit Grocery & Grog.
Three London and three New York bars made up the top ten. Completing the top five, Nightjar finished in third while New York's Attaboy - the Highest Climber for 2014 - catapulted from 42nd to fourth place and Employees Only took fifth.
The results were announced by cocktail historian David Wondrich and drinks commentator, Tom Sandham at The World's 50 Best Bars awards ceremony held at Christ Church, Spitalfields last night (October 9) before a 500-strong crowd of the world's best bartenders, bar owners and industry experts.
The World's 50 Best Bars is an independent poll, voted for anonymously by 334 industry professionals from 46 countries.
Artesian, one of eight London bars to make the list, takes the title of both the Best Bar in Europe and the World. The Dead Rabbit Grocery & Grog climbed three places to claim the world's second best bar and best bar in North America. Highest New Entry was awarded to Canon. The Seattle bar enters the list for the first time in sixth place.
The Baxter Inn leapfrogged Black Pearl to clinch Best Bar in Australasia this year and High Five, from Tokyo, retains the Best Bar in Asia for a second year. Floreria Atlantico is again Best Bar in Latin America, finishing in 39th place.
Imperial Craft, though outside of the top 50, rounded off the six regional awards with Best Bar in Africa & the Middle East. The Tel Aviv bar replaced Zuma Dubai to take the title.
Twenty one of the bars were European, 16 North American, six Australian, four Asian and three Latin American.
There were 14 new entries this year. Other than those previously mentioned, Chicago's Aviary (13th), Elephant Bar at The Nomad (14th); London's White Lyan (20th); The Broken Shaker, Miami (22nd); Hemingway Bar, Prague (24th); Three Dots & A Dash, Chicago (27th); Trick Dog in San Francisco (33rd); Star Bar Ginza (40th); Cure in New Orleans (43rd); Amsterdam's Tales & Spirits (44th); Maison Premiere in New York (45th) and Williams & Graham in Denver (50th).
Speaking at the event, The World's 50 Best Bars editor, Hamish Smith said: "It's possible that Artesian's hat trick of wins will never be repeated. It takes a special kind of bar to win The World's 50 Best Bars poll, win again and then come back for more. Head bartender Alex Kratena says it's the fear that drives him – whatever it is, he and his assistant Simone Caporale are running a bar that has more ticks than there are boxes. Outlandishly imaginative cocktails in a five star setting with the kind of hospitality that makes every visit memorable - it doesn't get much better than that.
"Artesian may be the industry's darling right now, but the list, from 1-50, is packed full of great bars from all around the world. This year three of the top five were from New York but overall, London edged New York, eight bars to seven, making it the cocktail capital for 2014.
"In terms of countries the US dominated, providing 16 of the top 50. Along with New York, San Francisco, Chicago, New Orleans, Miami, Denver and Seattle are all home to bars that made the list.
"It was nice to see Attaboy climb 38 places – what an achievement that is. Cannon too, from outside the top 50 to no. 6. With 14 new bars joining list this year, it goes to show that being one of the World's 50 Best Bars is a temporary status, and underlines Artesian's immense achievement."
Hamish Smith outlines the process that determines The World's 50 Best Bars
If we had a FAQ page, "how do you do it?" would top the list of questions - and it's one we're always happy to answer. Our methodology is simple – we don't decide which are The World's 50 Best Bars, the industry does.
Now in its sixth year, The World's 50 Best Bars has become the most far-reaching and globally respected poll of its kind. While any kind of quantitative analysis has its flaws, the bar business is a maelstrom of voices that is hard to be articulated in any other way.
The best we can do is ask as many of the most knowledgeable people in the industry around the world and trust in their collective professional opinion.
There are no judging parameters, though there are a few conditions. We ask that at least two of the votes be for international bars and a minimum of three be from the voter's home country. This ensures that the list is international in its outlook and those who vote are regular travellers.
The rest is common sense. We ask that the voter doesn't have an interest in the bar they vote for, has visited it in the past two years and that the bar is still open. All votes are anonymous.
This year we've expanded our voting Academy by about 50% to 334 members. We didn't set an exact target at the beginning of the 2014 cycle, hence the untidy number, but we're confident we found the right people.
So who votes? In a word, the trade. While other bar lists are totally democratic, we are not.
This poll is run by the trade and, first and foremost, must be credible to the trade. What a spotty teenager with itchy Twitter fingers thinks is the best bar is of little interest to us.
Instead we have assembled what we consider to be the most knowledgeable and influential group of bartenders, commentators and industry trainers. Within that select group, all voters are equal.
Membership is fluid. Voters have to remain at the top of their game and at the forefront of the business to take part each year. While some will drop out, new bar personalities will emerge to take their place. Polling takes place in July each year, so if a bar opened around that time or shortly after, 2015 might be its year.
Keywords: tom sandham, artesian, david wondrich, black pearl, The World's 50 Best Bars, Christ Church, Spitalfields, The Dead Rabbit Grocery & Grog, Canon, Imperial Craft, Attaboy, Employees Only, High Five
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My Rhyme Time Collection Bag contains five colourful picture books filled with classic rhymes for children aged 3+ in a fabric bag.
Each book inside My Rhyme Time Collection Bag focuses on a different theme and features nursery rhymes centred around this theme. These include counting, playing, singing, bedtime and animal rhymes. Each book has brightly coloured illustrations to bring the nursery rhymes to life while simple text stands out to encourage children to read along and learn the rhyme. Books included: Five Little Ducks and other number rhymes, Incy Wincy Spider and other playing rhymes, Old Macdonald had a Farm and other singing rhymes, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and other bedtime rhymes, and Three Little Kittens and other animal rhymes.


Enter the magical world of the Assembly Square, with its elaborate facade and host of shops and amenities featuring unsurpassed details and surprises. Includes eight minifigures and a baby figure.
It's a hive of activity down at the bustling Assembly Square. The baker is serving cupcakes to hungry customers while putting the final touches to the wedding cake, the florist is arranging colourful bouquets and the photographer is taking a portrait of a mother and her cute baby. Outside, the café barista prepares the tables, while the fountain glistens in the sunlight that highlights the delightful facade of this magnificent building. Step inside and you'll discover a staircase leading to a well-stocked music store where you can buy a cool acoustic guitar, and a dental office where the reclining chair is so comfy you won't even notice the friendly dentist! Continue to the next level and you can practice your moves at the dance studio, visit the LEGO® fan at her model-filled apartment, or enjoy a tasty barbecue on the rooftop terrace. This amazing 10th anniversary addition to the LEGO Modular Building series is home to a multitude of stories and features a wealth of unsurpassed details and surprises!
Take a trip to the amazing Assembly Square, developed to celebrate ten years of LEGO® Modular Buildings, featuring a wealth of unsurpassed, intricate details and hidden surprises. Easy-to-remove building sections provide access to the highly detailed interior, comprising a ground level with a bakery, florist's shop and café, a middle level with a music store, photo studio and dental office, and an upper-level dance studio and apartment with access to a rooftop terrace with barbecue. The exteriorof the building features a detailed sidewalk with outdoor café furniture, fountain, streetlamps and a highly elaborate facade with beautifully detailed windows and doors, three buildable shop signs, spired tower and a decorative roofline. Collect and build an entire town with the LEGO Creator Expert Modular Building series 10243 Parisian Restaurant, 10246 Detective's Office and 10251 Brick Bank. Includes eight minifigures and a baby figure.
●Includes eight minifigures: a dentist, barista, baker, florist, music store assistant, dancer, photographer and a LEGO® fan, plus a baby figure.
●The three-level Assembly Square features an authentic, elaborate facade with detailed windows and doors, three buildable shop signs, spired tower, decorative roofline and a rooftop terrace, plus a detailed tiled sidewalk with a fountain, outdoor café furniture and two streetlamps. The highly detailed interior includes a bakery, florist's shop, café, music store, photo studio, dental office, apartment and a dance studio.
●Ground level features a bakery with counter, cash register, shelves, opening oven, wedding cake and assorted buildable pastries and treats; a florist's shop with counter, cash register, garden tools, flower arrangements, bouquets and a blue and yellow macaw parrot element; and a café with espresso machine, counter, bench seating and pie elements.
●Middle level features a music store with a buildable drum set, two guitars and saxophone element; photo studio with buildable classic camera and adjustable tripod; and a dental office with buildable reclining chair, waiting area, telephone and a sink.
●Upper level features a dance studio with buildable piano and reflective mirror element; an apartment with buildable foldout sofa bed, detailed kitchen, toilet, micro LEGO® train, modular buildings and Eiffel Tower, and access to a rooftop terrace with buildable barbecue, table and a neglected plant.
●Accessory elements include a ballerina skirt, Chihuahua, pretzel, ornamental chicken and candy. Also includes a buildable telephone, grill, baby carriage and buildable lamps.
●Remove the building sections to access the detailed interior.
●Adjust the camera tripod and take photos all around the square.
●Recline the dentist chair and reveal those pearly whites!
●Open the oven door to remove your freshly-baked pastries.
●Fold out the sofa bed and relax while you admire your modular buildings collection!
●Celebrate Modular Buildings with this awesome 10th anniversary LEGO® Creator Expert set!
●This set offers an age-appropriate build and play experience for ages 16+.
●With over 4,000 LEGO® pieces, this model will really put your LEGO® building skills to the test!
●New-for-spring-2017 decorated elements include a dentist torso, dentist window and 2x3 tile with the 10182 Café Corner box front.
●Includes lots of curved and corner angle tiles, garage doors used as box windows and LEGO®Technic excavator scoops used as roofing elements.
●Collect and build an entire town with the LEGO® Creator Expert Modular Building series 10243 Parisian Restaurant, 10246 Detective's Office and 10251 Brick Bank.
●Measures over 13" (35cm) high, 14" (38cm) wide and 9" (25cm) deep.


Here's some...retro? art of Harley Quinn. I don't really know how to describe the style (tissue paper decopougé? Marble fabric quilted?) but Harley's design takes very well to abstraction, I think. I could do without the triangle shoes, but the texture in the reds really makes it.
To quote The Joker: "I don't know if it's art, but I like it!"


Decks Alive gains great satisfaction in providing quality services to clients that enhance the built environment and add to the visual enjoyment of the surrounds of homes and businesses. We take great pride in our work and liaise closely with suppliers to ensure that products used are the best available, are durable and deliver attractive finishes for specific types of timber. Decks are a significant part of the outdoor living that Australians love and enjoy.


Once an insurance policy has been purchased and is gathering dust in a file drawer, all questions about the type of coverage that it provides are supposed to be over. Such questions should have been addressed and resolved before the premium was set, the policy was written, and the policyholder's check was cashed.
Yet, in certain circumstances, the scope of an insurance policy can change long after the policy was bought and paid for. One such circumstance is when courts suddenly decide that a particular type of coverage – a type that has been sold for years – now offends public policy and is unenforceable.
This issue is on the front burner in Texas with regard to the question of insurance coverage for punitive damages. Even though lower courts in Texas have held that such coverage is allowed, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently submitted a certified question about this issue to the Texas Supreme Court. In early November, that court heard heated arguments from policyholders and insurance companies about whether it offends public policy to allow such coverage. As of the date of publication, the case – Fairfield Insurance Co. v. Stephens Martin Paving -- had not yet been decided.


This PSA was made by a group of Publication Students Greg and Korinne. It is to spread awareness of teen depression.
These students were tasked with designing facilities for an animal of their choice. Their design had to accommodate a minimum of 25 animals. The students have chosen to research different breeds of cattle, horses, goats, dogs, rabbits, deer, and snakes.
Mr. Cribelli's 7th grade science class, using only newspaper, cardboard, and a variety of other objects, built towers for an class activity!
Our new website is live and we hope that it works great for the upcoming school.


This napkin is screen printed on 100% cotton. Made from flour sack cotton, these napkins are uniquely soft, absorbent and durable, meaning they work just like you expect a napkin to. Plus they're machine washable and safe to bleach allowing them to hold up to the messiest dinners!


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Q: How can I see what I am typing in telnet? When using telnet by using the command:
telnet <host ip> <port>

I can connect but then I cannot see what I am typing.
So I try:
telnet
set localecho
open <host ip> <port>

But this time it just hangs with the message:
Connecting to <host ip>...

How can I use telnet successfully after setting localecho?

A: It actually isn't hanging; it's just that, for some reason, it doesn't give any feedback to show that it's connected. If you start typing, you'll see that your input shows up in the upper-left hand corner of the window, overwriting what's already there. For example:
GET / HTTP/1.1rosoft Telnet Client

Escape Character is 'CTRL+]'

Microsoft Telnet> open example.com 80
Connecting To example.com...
You can see that I've typed GET / HTTP/1.1, overwriting Welcome to Mic.
(By the way, notice that I didn't have to type set localecho: for me local-echo was already on when I launched telnet without arguments, and I'm betting that for you it's the same.)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange