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Royal Hospital Chelsea
Chelsea History Festival 2020
From its fashion mavericks to iconic rock-star residents, Chelsea's heritage is worth celebrating. From 17-27 September 2020, the festival returns for its second year showcasing Chelsea's illustrious past with a programme of over 50 events featuring world-class speakers, authors and historians on a virtual and physical stage.
This year's festival will take place both virtually and physically with an exciting programme of talks, tours and events presented by three iconic institutions; the National Army Museum; the Royal Hospital Chelsea and Chelsea Physic Garden covering a broad range of content to suit every interest, from military to art history and social to natural history.
All virtual events will be free to attend, however must be booked in advance. Tickets for physical events are priced up to £15, with a 25% discount when booking three or more. To ensure you don't miss out, make sure you book your places as early as possible; bookings can be made here.
Highlights from the programme include;
Philippe Sands, one of the UK's most prominent human rights barristers, in conversation with James Holland discussing his most recent book, 'The Ratline: Love, Lies and Justice on the Trail of a Nazi Fugitive'
An evening with Bletchley Park; spotlighting its role in the Second World War
Ben Macintyre, one of Britain's most acclaimed historians, tells the incredible story of Ursula Kuczynski. Codenamed 'Sonya', she conducted some of the most dangerous espionage operations of the 20th Century, including planning an assassination attempt on Hitler and helping the Soviet Union build the atom bomb
Sir Michael Morpurgo will talk about how he turns the subject of war into fiction
Award-winning war reporter, Christina Lamb has worked in combat zones for over 30 years. Her new book, 'Our bodies, their battlefield', gives voice to the women of conflicts. She will be in conversation with world-renowned human rights lawyer Baroness Helena Kennedy, who has worked internationally with women in conflict zones
Martin Brown, illustrator of 'Horrible Histories', will take families on a journey from the bloody Battle of Waterloo to the frightful First World War and will get them drawing in a quick fire workshop
Love Changes Everything with Colin Thackeray
Sergeant Major Colin Thackery won the nation's hearts as he won Britain's Got Talent 2019 – for one night only, he'll perform at Cadogan Hall.
When the 89-year-'young' Chelsea Pensioner started to sing he brought tears to much of the audience's eyes. In his scarlet attire, with a row of war medals across his chest, he mesmerised the audience as he sung in memory of his beloved wife, Joan. Since the show, he has become the oldest person to sign a record deal.
This concert will see him sing his much loved BGT-winning songs and from his debut album, Love Changes Everything.
Tickets range from £22.50 to £39.50 – book yours here.
Twilight Tours
A must for lovers of history and architecture, join us for the Royal Hospital's first Twilight Tour on 4 March 2020.
A unique chance to tour the historic grounds by twilight, you will meet their founder, King Charles II, along with some other interesting figures from the Hospital's 300 year history. After, enjoy a complimentary glass of wine or soft drink at the exclusive Chelsea Pensioners Club.
Tours start from 6pm and 7pm and last 90 minutes, allowing for half an hour at the end in the museum and gift shop; book tickets here.
Chelsea History Festival
For history-buffs and budding-historians, the Chelsea History Festival will launch this October to bring the past to life through a programme of world-class speakers, historians and performers. The inaugural festival will take place from 9-13 October 2019 along the Royal Hospital Road at founder venues, the National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Chelsea and Chelsea Physic Garden. In it's first year, the Festival will host a programme of more than 35 free and ticketed events which include talks, concerts and family activities making history more accessible.
Headline Events
Wednesday – the event launches on Wednesday 9 October, on the 75th anniversary of Operation Market Garden, one of the most daring campaigns of WW2. Celebrated Arnhem veteran, Victor Gregg will be in conversation with bestselling historian Rick Stroud, followed by a lecture from Antony Beevor on the famous 'battle for the bridges'.
Thursday – join an evening performance of The Lark Ascending, featuring one of the world's leading lyric baritones, Roderick Williams, taking place in the Royal Hospital Chelsea's Wren Chapel.
Friday – Max Hastings headlines with a talk on his new book Chastised: The Dambusters Story, 1943 which will be published in September.
Saturday – the principal day of the Festival with over 20 scheduled events including the formidable Sonia Purnell with her New York Times bestseller A Woman of No Importance, history walks around the neighbourhood and David Nott sharing his experiences as a surgeon in Aleppo.
Global Champions Tour – 2-4 August
Global Champions Tour, one of Chelsea's sporting highlights of the summer returns to the Royal Hospital over the weekend of 2-4 August. The London leg of the world-class showjumping championships will take place at the iconic Royal Hospital Chelsea.
Number 14 out of 20 on the circuit, the competition will be at it's peak and will give you the opportunity to see the world's best show jumpers, including Olympic, World and Continental champions, battle it out.
To receive an exclusive 15% off your Grandstand ticket price, enter "GCTCADOGAN" when purchasing online.
Central London's First Edible Trail
29th July 2019 Evie Porter	Leave a comment
Find yourself along Chelsea's hidden gem, Pavilion Road, and you'll stumble upon Pavilion Road's Edible Trail, the first of its kind in central London.
From bananas and pomegranates, to apple and blackberry crumble ingredients, as well as flavoured teas – you can embark on a delicious tour for the taste-buds. Simply scan the QR codes which will take you through to some edible inspiration; recipes, foraging tips and highlights from the trail.
The worlds leading cross-collecting fair, Masterpiece, returns to its iconic setting of the historic Royal Hospital Chelsea this summer, 27 June – 5 July.
A highlight in the summer calendar for artists, art-lovers and art collectors, Masterpiece provides an unparalleled opportunity to discover exceptional works for sale from over 150 international artists. It is unquestionably a unique, international stage to enjoy an extraordinary breadth of cultural experiences.
Exhibitors span all eras and disciplines. Entry though scrupulous vetting, from 27 individual vetting committees, and thoughtful juxtaposition allow visitors to encounter beautiful works of art and be comforted in their decisions by the expert art dealers.
Enhancing the experience, guests can dine in pop-ups from London favourites, Le Caprice, Scott's Seafood & Champagne Bar, The Ivy Chelsea Brasserie and The Sloane Street Deli. Toast with friends on the Perrier-Jouet Champagne Terrace, exquisite champagnes to be savoured alongside stunning views of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Reservations can be made here.
An exciting programme of talks will also run through the week; some drop in, others pre-booked. The full list can be found here, but here is a selection of highlights to whet your appetite.
Architectural Digest: The Omnivorous Eye (Pre-booked); Mitchell Owens, the Decorative Arts Editor of Architectural Digest (US), in conversation with interior designers Rita Konig and Ben Pentreath on collecting widely and decorating with depth – Friday 28th, Lecture Theatre
Carl Faberge: A Restless Imagination – Friday 28th, Wartski, stand C1
Alfred Munnings: 1919 A Fresh start – Friday 28th, Richard Green, stand D21
An Enquiring Mind: Manolo Blahnik at The Wallace Collection (Pre-booked), Saturday 29th, 4pm, Lecture Theatre
Purchase your Masterpiece 2019 tickets here.


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2021 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS - The AMAs will air live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, Nov. 21, at 8:00 p.m. EST/PST on ABC. (ABC)
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© 2021 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
November 21, 2021 - CA: 2021 American Music Awards - Red Carpet

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Your iPhone camera is pretty damn good, but it's not as good as dedicated camera with a big lens. A smartphone rig earns you convenience and portability, but you give up quality and utility. That's where the DxO One comes in. It's a palm-sized camera assembly for iPhone and iPad that plugs into your Lightning port and gives your mobile photos a serious performance boost. The 1-inch, 20-megapixel sensor sits behind a nice lens with an f/1.8 aperture. The software offers a suite of shooting modes and gives you full manual control over the camera's operation. Plug the $499 DxO One into your iPhone and fire up the companion iOS app, and all of a sudden, the photo frame on your phone's screen suddenly looks closer to what you'd see in the viewfinder of a Nikon D.
The photos it takes are stunning, and the tiny device is discreet enough to carry on any outing. The build feels sturdy and the device is comfortable to hold when attached to the phone. The app is incredibly easy to use, and within moments of downloading, plugging the camera in, and firing it up, you're shooting photos that simply could not have been taken with an iPhone.
It's a $500 iPhone accessory, which is really steep considering you could get a capable pocket camera for around $600. But of course, that camera isn't going to let you use your smartphone for everything, and it's not going fit in your pocket as easily. We ran into some performance issues with the DxO One. It's slower than our testing committee liked, it crashed several times, and it was prone to overheating. At one point, it overheated, shut down, and we weren't able to wake it back up. Clipping it in easy, though I found it a little awkward to get it to switch on so it could be plugged in. You have to slide the panel covering the lens on the side down, hold it, and then the Lightning plug will swing out—don't try to force the plug to pop up!
6/10 - The DxO One was super fun to use, and the photos we took with it are beautiful. But it's a little expensive and a little crashy.


Working on One World Week throughout the year and seeing it culminate with the week itself in January each year was the most memorable experience.
I preferred living on campus, as that is where everybody was neighbours. I lived in Tocil my first year and in Claycroft my third year. The second year I lived in Leamington.
I was co-ordinator of One World Week, chair of the International Committee in the Students' Union and a helper at Orientation Week.
I have just got a new job with O&CO Communications Consulting, a leadership, strategy and communications consultancy.
After I graduated I returned home to Norway looking for a job. I immediately contacted the alumni office to gather the contact details of Warwick alumni in Norway and activate the alumni chapter there. Before I knew it I got a job in Geneva working as a communications consultant. Moving to Switzerland I knew nobody but realised that there had to be alumni there as well. Through LinkedIn and Facebook I traced about 100 alumni and started organising regular events. It has been a great way to reconnect with old friends and meet new friends with the same Warwick spirit and energy.
Every year we host six events in Geneva and Zurich. These are casual after work drinks or more formal dinners in the autumn where we bring together alumni and students about to depart to Warwick. Each time we meet, I leave feeling re-energized. I have met a few new alumni who were excited to find out that a chapter exists here in Switzerland, new phone numbers have been saved on my phone and lunches scheduled over the next week. By the time I get home, the alumni have sent pictures from the event and I forward them to the Warwick alumni chapter – as well as saving them on my computer. All the photos look the same – whether they were taken in Geneva or Zurich – people are either laughing or in deep conversation with each other. It is as if we all graduated the same year.
Have been back to Warwick since graduation? I went back to Warwick the year after I graduated to see One World Week, but living abroad makes reunions there difficult. But the events that we have here in Switzerland for Warwick alumni are just like reunions, but abroad.
Contact Ingrid if you want to attend or suggest an event in Switzerland or want to make contact with the alumni community there.


MAE SAI, Thailand — Rising waters prevented divers from moving deeper into a cave complex in northern Thailand flooded by heavy rains, forcing them to suspend their search Monday for 12 boys and their soccer coach who have been missing for two days, but officials said they believe they're still alive.
The rising water frustrated efforts by the rescuers, including navy SEAL divers, to search farther in the cave, which is thought to be about 6-8 kilometers (4-5 miles) long and contain some large chambers. By Monday evening, officials made the call to temporarily pull out.
"We went in a few kilometers and were able to enter a second chamber behind the entrance. In that chamber, there was an area where I saw shoes and bags left behind on the ground. We believe the students have gone further in," said Lt. Naponwath Homsai, a SEAL team member.
Bicycles, backpacks and soccer cleats the boys left behind remained at the entrance of the cave. The area was filled with soldiers and rescue personnel.
Mothers and other relatives of the missing boys held a prayer session Monday evening at the entrance to the cave, where there is a shrine with a statue of the Buddha. They laid flowers and then some walked inside, where their cries could be heard echoing off the walls.
"My son, come on out! I am waiting for you here!" one woman cried. Another kneeled down near the bicycles and prayed, asking "Where is my child?"
Despite heavy rain and rising waters, officials are hopeful that there are still safe spaces in the cave complex, Chiang Rai Deputy Governor Passakorn Bunyalak told a news conference Thursday afternoon.
Officials said parts of the cave were flooded under at least 5 meters (16 feet) of water.
Kamolchai Kotcha, an official at the forest park where the cave is located, said Monday morning that attempts to reach a large chamber about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the entrance of the cave had failed as the passage is extremely small, "flooded and covered with sand and mud."
In "The Caves of Northern Thailand," an online guidebook last updated this year, the cave is described as explorable only from November to June due to flooding. It says the cave has an "impressive entrance chamber" that is about 80 meters (260 feet) long and leads to an easy walk along "spacious passageways" that last for about a kilometer (half a mile).
"At the end of the marked path the passage enters a series of chambers, boulder collapses and boulder chokes where route finding can be difficult," it says.
After a few hundred meters (yards), the cave narrows to a passage 2 meters (6.5 feet) wide and 3 meters (10 feet) high, it says. After that area, the cave splits off into different directions, including several that lead to other chambers, pools of water or places with high "avens," shafts that reach the surface.
Anukoon Sorn-ek, a geographer and expert on the Tham Luang Nang Non cave, said divers have made it about 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) into the complex. He said the cave maintains a relatively stable temperature of about 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit).
"But they have to be found first," he said.


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Q: how to pass user created connection to hibernate is there any way, to restrict hibernate not to create connection of its own(what we define in hibernate.properties or hibernate.cfg.xml), instead i can create and pass the connection to hibernate for further processing.
The problem is that i need to set the ApplicationContext on the connection given that the i am using oracle connection. I know how to create a connection and set the applicationContext on to it.. but the problem is that i don't know how to force hibernate to use the connection that i have created.. Please help..

A: The right way to do this would be to use a custom implementation of  o.h.c.ConnectionProvider. In the getConnection() method, you will have the opportunity to cast the regular Connection into an OracleConnection and to do dark voodoo with it before to return it.
This interface has several implementations that you can extend to ease the work, depending on how you get the initial connection (e.g. from a Datasource).
This post in the Hibernate forums shows an implementation that could be used as a kickoff example (the poster is also doing black magic with an OracleConnection so it's a good example).

A: Have a look at this section of the Hibernate manual.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Job North Wales
2016 North Wales PA Pharmacology Intern:ADM007357
Merck & Co., Inc. Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A. known as Merck in the United States and Canada,
is an international health care leader with a diversified portfolio of prescription
medications, vaccines and animal health products.
These days, we have been building a brand new types of healthcare organization – one that is
prepared help create a healthier future for people.
Our capability to succeed depends upon the integrity, knowledge,
imagination, skill, variety and teamwork of a person as you. To the end, we make an effort to create an
environment of shared respect, support and teamwork. Within our worldwide staff, you'll have the
possibility to collaborate with skilled and dedicated peers while developing
and broadening your career.
Included in Merck's Future skill Program, the
Pharmacology department in the Merck Research Laboratories (MRL) invites
programs for 9-12 few days internships during the months of June-August, 2016.
For the duration of these internships, you certainly will work with
experienced pharmaceutical industry scientists to spot and verify
prospective medication targets; determine medicine candidates via up to date evaluating
strategies; define the biological results of medication prospects on separated
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and a chance to see when we will be the correct company for the long-lasting targets.
The intern roles will likely be situated in our laboratories
in Boston, MA, Kenilworth, NJ, North Wales, PA, or West Aim, PA.
If you're the kind of individual who thrives on
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- Presently signed up for a full time minimum of a BS/BA degree program in
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- Possess superior communication skills.
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multi-functional, team-oriented environment.
- readily available for a time period of 9-12 days beginningto go back to college in the autumn of 2016 upon conclusion associated with internship.
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page of guide from a teacher is imperative; you could attach it
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Source: jobs.sciencecareers.org
Pen y Pass, North Wales
North Wales Move Kick Starts Career | Hwb I Yrfa Wrth ...
Opportunity North Wales - A Regional Skills Overview
Peter Allen Fricker, OAM, (born 12 February 1950) is an Australian sports physician and administrator. He was a team doctor to several Australian Olympic and Commonwealth Games teams and Director of the Australian Institute of Sport between 2005 and 2011.
The Diana Award, is for inspirational young people aged between 9 and 18. It was founded in 1999 by the UK Government to act as a lasting legacy to Diana, Princess of Wales' belief in the power of young people to change the world.
Since 1999, over 36,000 young...
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Careers lon
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Graduate Programs London


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Conan: The Hour of the Dragon
The authorized edition edited by Karl Edward Wagner
Copyright 1977, by Glenn Lord
(out of 5 stars)
This is the only Conan novel REH wrote and also the only full length novel he ever completed. This edition was one of three Conan books (dear to my heart) put out by Berkley and Karl Edward Wagner, the other two being Conan:Red Nails and Conan:The People of the Black Circle. Unlike all previous editions of The Hour of the Dragon which were altered and/or edited in various ways for God knows what reasons, here is presented the original text as it appeared in Weird Tales. If you can find it, treasure it.
Another version was released under the title Conan the Conqueror as part of the "Conan the (pick an adjective)" series, but, given that the editors weren't even willing to keep the title, I know which version I'd prefer.
Chronologically, this is the final Conan story, set when he is king of Aquilonia. Intrigue is afoot when an evil wizard, Xaltotun, is raised from the dead in order to help bring about the death of Conan so that Valerius, exiled in neighbouring Nemedia, can ascend the throne of Aquilonia. The wizard, however, has his own plans for the Cimmerian and secretly keeps Conan alive in a dungeon. Conan escapes, of course, and sets off to find a magic gem which is the only thing capable of defeating Xaltotun. The bulk of the novel consists of this search and, as such, The Hour of the Dragon is basically a Hyborian road movie.
The Hour of the Dragon is my favourite Conan story, bar none. Now, I freely admit that may only be because it was the very first Conan story I ever read, but I also think it has something to do with the story's length. Unlike other Conan stories, here the sheer duration of the adventure increases the sense of grandeur and scale. There is a greater sense of immersion both in the reality and in the events themselves. When we reach the end, we feel we have really been through the wringer -- and gotten our money's worth.
At the same time, though, I am forced to admit that I don't understand why The Hour of the Dragon works so well. It shouldn't really. For one thing, it is extremely episodic, with many of the episodes lasting no more than a few pages. At one point, for example, Conan wakes to find himself threatened by ghouls. In two pages, he hacks them to pieces and rides off. This is plot? And yet, somehow we don't care. Perhaps the reason is precisely because the episodes are so short. We are swept along from one exciting adventure to another without time to ask ourselves how all this relates to the larger picture -- or whether Howard is just marking time until he has enough words to make a novel.
Another weakness is the lack of a love interest. Now I know there are many Conan fans who prefer the stories without "wenches", but I personally am a sucker for a pretty face. If for no other reason, I find a female character serves to soften the edges, offering much needed contrast to the plethora of often brutal and unsympathetic male characters frequently found in Conan stories. Then too, in amongst all the disembowelling, a lissome maid is always a welcome relief. There are a couple of women, but both are give short shrift. One, Zenobia, appeared scantily clad on the cover of Weird Tales. Given how tiny her part was, I think this shows I'm not the only one who wanted to see more of her.
A third weakness only became apparent to me after many years. There are very few truly memorable scenes. Nothing on the order of, say, the crucifixion scene in "A Witch Shall be Born", or...well, just about any scene in "The People of the Black Circle". The Hour of the Dragon is brimming with exciting scenes -- but not memorable ones. Somehow, here, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. We remember the overall experience, rather than the individual exploits.
But that, apparently, is enough, and The Hour of the Dragon works very well indeed. Wagner called it "one of the best novels ever written in the epic fantasy genre" and I certainly agree. But I find it all the more intriguing when compared with Howard's earlier Conan story, "The Scarlet Citadel", of which it is something of an expanded version. Intriguing, because I really don't like "The Scarlet Citadel". That earlier story was only the second Conan story to be published and Howard had not yet figured out how to make Conan fun. The first part reads like a nightmare version of a C.L. Moore story as Conan wanders through the aforementioned dungeon observing all manner of horrors. The second part is one prolonged battle scene, endlessly describing whose host smote who. Somewhere in the two years between "The Scarlet Citadel" and The Hour of the Dragon, Howard refined his craft and discovered a perfect balance between art and pulp. It affords a fascinating peek into the evolution of a master.
Howard wrote The Hour of the Dragon (in four months) at the behest of a British publishing house, in hopes he could finally become a full fledged novelist. Unfortunately, as described in the afterword, the publisher went under and Howard ended up selling the story to Weird Tales instead. The magazine published it in five issues, the last issue coming out only two months before Howard died. It was thus the last Conan story which he saw published.
Both the foreword and afterword by Wagner are wonderfully informative and recommended reading for anyone interested in REH.
Click here to visit Pulp and Dagger Webzine


Global towage operator Svitzer has hired the first 100% female crew for one of its tugs in the Dominican Republic.
The vessel, the 70-ton bollard pull Svitzer Monte Cristi, provides harbor towage services for ships in the port Santo Domingo.
Svitzer says the all-female crew in an industry typically dominated by men is part of a gender inclusion initiative and marks a milestone for gender diversity in the Latin American maritime industry.
"Many things that we presume to be done through physical force, in reality, only require technical intelligence and the right tools. Many may think that women do not have the ability to work on a powerful tug boat, but our crew has shown that this type of work is not exclusive to a specific gender. With dedication, it is very possible," said Chief Engineer of Svitzer Monte Cristi, Marysabel Moreno.
The team on board Svitzer Monte Cristi is led by Captain Maria de los Santos, accompanied by Chief Engineer Marysabel Moreno and supported by sailors, Paloma Montero, Loreanni Torres and Juana Custodio.
The General Manager of Svitzer Caribbean, Captain Dickson Rivas, and others at the company spent two years pursuing the project, focusing the team's energy on training.
"These women have become local icons for others and have proven to be an efficient and hardworking team," said Captain Eduard Medina.
Svitzer says it hopes the gender-inclusive initiative will help buck the historical predominantly male trend in the maritime industry. According to The International Transport Worker's Federation, it is estimated that only 2% of the maritime workforce is made up of women, most of them employed on cruises and ferries.
"However, in the Dominican Republic, you can now find women in the ranks of officers or captains directing vessels and performing maneuvers safely," says Svitzer.
"At Svitzer, we want to work actively to improve the opportunities and careers of our female colleagues and for those who work in the industry. Today, globally, the organization employs a total of 21 marine women who work on command positions to operational tasks," said Rivas.
Svitzer Monte Cristi was one of two Robert Allan-designed Ramparts 2400 SX tugs delivered by Sanmar Shipyards to Svitzer Americas in 2016.
The 24m vessels is equipped with a pair of Caterpillar 3516 C main engines, each producing 2,100kW of power at 1,600 rpm. The tugs feature Rolls-Royce type US 255 FP azimuth drives with carbon shafts turning 2,600mm diameter propellers, Caterpillar-supplied auxiliary generator sets, and fire-fighting systems supplied by FFS. The tugs have a top operating speed of 13 knots and can carry 78m3 of fuel oil and almost 12 tonnes of fresh water, as well as 4.4m3 of foam. The tugs are equipped with CJC off-line filters for fuel oil, main engine oil and thruster gear oil.


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The Mother of All Tours
Book tours are where readers get to meet their favorite authors, right?
Partly.
But we also get to meet you, and promote a favorite cause, see interesting places and eat good food. Let me tell you about some of the top stops on my upcoming tour for "Board Stiff," my twelfth Dead-End Job mystery. The book comes out just in time for Mother's Day.
"Board Stiff" passed the first hurdle and got a good review in Publishers Weekly. I hope there will be more, but I breathe a little easier once the verdict is in from the first major review. Publishers Weekly says "Board Stiff" is "entertaining . . . Viets shines at evoking Florida's vibrant landscape and even more colorful characters."
This is the ultimate beach book. I want you to feel like you're sitting on the sand when you read it. Newlywed private eyes Helen Hawthorne and Phil Sagemont must solve a murder at a crowded beach – with no witnesses. The trail leads to Helen's hometown of St. Louis.
"Board Stiff" debuts at the Malice Domestic Convention in Bethesda, Maryland. This is a big family reunion for traditional mystery lovers. Stop by the noon signing at the Hyatt Regency Hotel Saturday, May 4, for your copy.
Sunday, May 5, I'm signing with Femme Marcia Talley, and mystery writers Anne Cleeves, Denise Swanson and Frances Brody at the Five Dangerous Dames cocktail party at the Eastport Yacht Club. Treat yourself to mysteries and an amazing view.
Monday, May 6, I head up with the other dangerous dames to the Festival of Mystery in Oakmont, Pa. The festival is an international event with some fifty mystery writers from around the world. Sponsored by the Mystery Lovers Bookshop, the proceeds go to charity. Mystery readers arrive by the busload – and I'm not exaggerating.
Thursday, May 9, I'm in downtown St. Louis signing at the newly renovated St. Louis Central Library. Designed by Cass Gilbert, the same architect who did the U.S. Supreme Court, the redone library is supposed to look spectacular. I can't wait to see it.
Friday, I'm speaking in Festus, which used to be a country town. My, how it's grown. It's now a city-sized suburb of St. Louis with rabid book lovers. Festus took an old store and made it into a modern library.
Friday night, May 10, is a benefit signing for the St. Louis Regional Chapter of ALS – that's Lou Gehrig's disease. I'll personally donate 40% – $9.58 – for every copy of "Board Stiff" sold at the event, to the local ALS chapter. Diana Wunning, a friend and reader, has eleven people in her family with ALS. She chooses not to know if she has the gene, but campaigns constantly to find a cure for ALS, even traveling to meet with lawmakers in Washington. Can't make the event? Order your signed copy in advance from Diana at wunning@sbcglobal.net
Saturday afternoon, I'm talking at Barnes & Noble Ladue. That's always a party.
On Sunday, Mother's Day, I'm at Left Bank Books in the Central West End, one of the handsomest sections of St. Louis.
Then it's back home to South Florida for more signings. You'll find the details at
http://www.elaineviets.com/new/Events/default.asp
Can't make the signings?
Contact any store and order your autographed copy. Buy yourself a slice of summer.
Tags: " Elaine Viets, "Board Stiff, ALS, Barnes & Noble, book, Dead-End Job mysteries, Ladue, Left Bank Books, Malice Domestic Convention, Marcia Talley, mystery, St. Louis Public Library, tour
Rediscovering Deadlines
I've had two or three springs so far this year, in small doses. Since I've been traveling to promote my Fangborn novel, Seven Kinds of Hell, I've had warm spring in Houston, visiting Murder by the Book, a chilly Milwaukee pre-spring signing at Mystery One and hanging at Castle Crimespree, and a lovely Californian weekend at Mysterious Galaxy and WonderCon, which I described here. I'll be discovering what the weather's like next week at the Edgars Symposium in New York (where I'll be moderating the panel "Creatures We Write" with Femmes Toni and Charlaine (who is currently MWA president), my E(vil) T(win) S.J. Rozan, and Edgar-Nominee Ben H. Winters). And then to Malice Domestic, in Bethesda, MD where so many Femmes Fatales will be attending, and we'll be rooting for Femmes Catriona and Hank, who are both nominated for Agathas! (My own "Mischief in Mesopotamia" is nominated for Best Short Story! You can see all the nominees and read all the short story nominees here.)
At home, New England spring is traditionally on-again, off-again, and but the trees and flowers are finally starting to bloom. Alas, I'm on deadline, so the only time I see it is when I stick my nose outside to get the mail. I've taken pictures to gaze at, while I eat my writer-gruel, and it may be warm enough to crack a window, but for now, I'm chained to my desk. I've become withdrawn, obsessive, and immersed in several of my own little worlds.
This is a good thing.
For the first time in a long time, I have deadlines. Not self-imposed "would be great if I could finish by Bouchercon" deadlines. Real, publishing deadlines.
This is also a very good thing.
It's been a while since I've had a multiple-book contract, and I haven't had to schedule so much of my life around someone else's deadlines. Sure, there've been a few short stories that I had to get in on a certain time, but there's a big difference the occasional busy month and knowing three years in advance what you have to have done. Novels...also a lot different. Not just in that they're so much longer, but you need to think out the story arcs so far ahead. And because I'm writing three Fangborn short stories to alternate with the novels, I'm plotting many different aspects of the Fangborn world I'm building.
Plus, there are other projects I'd already agreed to. Plus convention travel. Plus, occasionally, Real Life. That's a lot of juggling, a lot of planning.
Because I'm a plan-aholic, at one point late last year, I took a look at my giant wall calendar, with all this year's travel and deadlines. I hyperventilated for five minutes, then went and ordered a notebook computer, which has been traveling with me. You can see it below; it's decorated appropriately (and if you're going to Edgar Symposium or Malice Domestic, I'll have "Fangborn" and "Fill in your own fanged creature" stickers to give away). It's worked out well; when I get home and get back to work, that half hour jotting notes for a story or blog in the airport is like a gift from the elves (the shoe-making kind, not the archery kind). It might not have seemed like much at the time, but getting the ideas down gives your subconscious a chance to work on it. Every little bit helps.
Busy is good, when you're a writer. I'm more than happy to be getting into the deadline-rhythm again, as long as I have Giant Wall Calendar and Very Small Computer on my side.
How do you cope with deadlines, writing or otherwise?
Keep Calm And Adore British Crime Lit
April has been a fantastic reading month, mainly, once again, due to the exquisite, delightful and oft-times gruesome imaginations of those crazy Brits. Oh, the erudition. The latent Latin in their genes. The turn of phrase o'er heath and moor. The turn of stomachs of modern autopsies. The monstrous cruelty of medieval hangings.
(crewel-ty is much less disturbing, photographically speaking, don't you think?)
I'd read the first two books in C.J. Sansom's excellent Matthew Shardlake series a while back. In the third book, SOVEREIGN, Shardlake, a humped-back lawyer who worked for Cromwell during the dissolution of the monasteries, must travel with King Henry VIII's entourage from York to London.
His job is to ensure the humane treatment of a prisoner, one allegedly involved with a group of anti-Henry conspirators and now on his way to the Tower. The nice gentlemen there just want to ask him a few questions. Heat up a few pokers. Crank the rack wheel, just to make sure it's working right. Shardlake isn't so sure he will make it to London alive himself after several brushes with death.
I enjoyed being in the world of the story so much, I read the next one in the series too. REVELATION takes place in London in 1543, two years after Shardlake's traumatic experiences on the York trip. He has vowed he will never again work on a case that involves the royal court, and he takes a lower-paying, zero-adventure job at Lincoln's Inn.
Religious factions are still at each others' throats, the poor are getting poorer, and Henry VIII has a new Catherine. When an old friend is found dead, his throat cut and his body submerged in a fountain, Shardlake and his assistant Barak search for the killer.
I'm reading the next one, HEARTSTONE, now. Can you tell I'm hooked? I even found a special coffee mug that has Henry and his disappearing wives on it.
Fast forward several hundred years to Victorian London ....
CLOCKWORK PRINCESS is the third in the Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare. It's actually a paranormal adventure romance, so not strictly historical. And it's more of a Young Adult type. And, well, although the books are set in London, I don't think the author is actually British. Still, I am absolutely crazy about these books.
The young heroes are Shadowhunters, a race descended from angels. Their job is to protect and defend humans against the warlocks, demons, evil gigantic wormslug things, and all other mean creatures of the underworld.
Trust me, buy and give the series to the teen readers in your life. After you read them and brush the cookie crumbs off the pages, of course.
Last month, I talked about a new author to me, Benedict Jacka, and his first book FATED. When I bought it, I also bought MIDNIGHT RIOT by another new-to-me author, Ben Aaronovitch.
Woo-weee, great cover, great book. And, you'll notice our own wonderful Femme Charlaine gave it a blurb. This is the first of a series, modern-day setting, about Peter Grant, a young constable just out of police training. At a crime scene, he meets a witness and realizes he's the only one who can see the guy. YAY - more paranormal London! This would make an excellent TV series. I sure hope the producers of the new SHERLOCK will take it on, so fans (me) will have something fun to watch during those long stretches of nothing much between Sherlock episodes.
That's me for now. What's new and exciting in your reading world?
Where the Bodies are Buried
I sent an email to a friend last week, telling her a reporter wanted to talk to her about me, and I added, "Just don't tell her where the bodies are buried." Of course, this was a reference to the saying, "Friends will help you move. A real friend will help you move bodies."
Just to clear the air on that issue, I've never buried a body, and unless my friends and readers are much more adventurous than I am, I'm willing to believe none of you have, either. So why are we so fond of that saying?
I'll tell you where the real bodies are buried: in our memories. All of us remember something painful, something we should feel remorse over, something shameful, or some incident that evokes all three of those reactions. I'm not going in for true confessions, here, but I'm willing to bet that something popped into your mind just then, something you'd rather not have in your memory bank.
Perhaps you can't even absolve yourself of something: but your best friend can do it. You don't have to be a hero to your true friend. I think your true friend will see you, warts and all, and still stick to you.
Maybe we should say, "Friends will help you move. A real friend will help you move a body. And the best friend will still like you afterward.
My favorite movie illustration? "Grosse Pointe Blank," where John Cusack's hit man is assisted by his high school buddy (Jeremy Piven) at their high school reunion, in disposing of the body of another hit man Cusack has dispatched with a ball point pen. (Maybe I have a macabre sense of humor, but that's my favorite touch, the ball point pen.) (Oh, and I guess there's no "maybe" about my sense of humor.)
So I wish all of you a friend close enough to absolve you of your less-than-noble moments, because I assure you . . . we all have them.
And by the way, if you need a body buried . . . I have a shovel. Just saying.
A Bouquet of Roses
It's flowers instead of words because words fail me this week. These are from my garden today, with love, to innocent victims of hate and heartlessness anywhere:
All-american Beauty
Rainbow Sorbet
Passionate Kisses
Cinquo de Mayo
and Eternal.
Now all together, with irises:
If only the people who name roses could just be in charge of everything.
(On Monday: Charlaine)
Vacationing with your characters
One of the great joys of writing a novel series is that, over time, you get experience new challenges right along with your protagonist. With each encounter that I share with my series protagonist, Tracy Eaton, I also learn more about the past that shaped her. You see, while we writers write these books, it's truly the characters that reveal what they want us to know about their lives.
I first met Tracy when she and her daffy mother, movie star mother Martha Collins, walked onto the page of one of my early short stories, "L.A. Justice (MURDER BY THIRTEEN/My first Derringer Award winner!)." Tracy presented herself to me as a mystery writer who desperately wanted to be an amateur sleuth, such as the one she wrote about.
Martha tossed a doozy of a first case into Tracy's lap. After learning she'd been framed for the murder of her latest boy toy, Martha begged her daughter, not to solve the murder, the way other amateur sleuths do, but to obliterate any connection to her before the police, the mob, the media, and her husband could learn of it. The way Tracy accomplished that task was highly unusual, to say the least.
Well, given the reality-challenged background that her mother provided, what else could it have been? I learned in that short story that Tracy's approach to crime solving was going to be highly unconventional. It has continued to be off-the-wall, although highly effective, in each of the four novels that have followed. I wouldn't have thought she
could top herself, yet she always has.
It's the past that shaped Tracy into the unconventional sleuth that she is that continues to intrigue me. In the course of this series, I've learned about the circumstances of her unusual birth (DEM BONES' REVENGE), the cause of the feud between Tracy's mother and her uptight mother-in-law (REVENGE FOR OLD TIMES' SAKE), and so much more.
And now, in the just-released REVENGE ON ROUTE 66, she has finally given me a look at the special times she and her father shared on their Route 66 road trips.
This book features various characters' memories of earlier outings on the Mother
Road, and I especially loved what Tracy shared about her second jaunt on Route 66 with her dad, aging Hollywood hunk Alec Grainger, when she was six years old, a trip that included a stay with his friend Lucy Crier in New Mexico, a woman who has now served many years in prison for murder.
I sat beside him, my little patent leather Mary Janes barely stretching beyond the deep bench seat. On my lap I held a lunch pail—the kind with the dome lid that workmen carry—beautifully painted, but with a misspelled Hollywood sign on an artificially green hill.
Dad beamed down at me. "It was nice of Lucy to give you one of her precious lunch pails for your birthday, wasn't it, Tracy? I've never known her to part with one of them for anyone. She couldn't very well give away all her decorative lunch buckets and still call her restaurant The Lunch Pail."
Moments later, Tracy asked…
"Why did those policemen keep coming to see Lucy?"
Dad hesitated. "That was because of her friend Billy Rob. You remember him from when you met him last year, right? Well, something bad happened to him the first night we were there, when all the police cars came and woke us up. Remember that, Tracy?"
I remembered his trying to distract me from the reason why all those police cars showed up that night.
"You see, honey, Billy Rob went to heaven. The policemen wanted to talk to Lucy about that. That's why they kept coming back."
Went to heaven. Sheesh! I was six, not stupid. I knew all about death—I had goldfish. We were always having toilet bowl funerals for them. I did wonder, though, where they would find a big enough toilet to flush Billy Rob.
Well, I'd always known Tracy had a unique take on things, and I saw now that it had started early. Then I learned something fundamental that shaped the person Tracy was to become:
"Daddy, Lucy didn't just give me the lunch pail, she gave me money, too."
While staring through the windshield, he shook his head. "Now why would she do that? She knows she can't afford it. The lunchbox was enough. How much did she give you?"
"Five dollars? That's too much."
"No, Daddy, it's—" I broke off suddenly, making an instantaneous choice not to correct him. The rush of keeping that first secret gave me a lifelong love of them.
Secrets and lies…the girders of Tracy's life, a vital part of every novel we've created together. I'd always realized she'd had a love of secrets, but I'd never known why. I might never have learned if I hadn't agreed to take this Route 66 jaunt with her.
Vacationing with your characters — I recommend it to every writer. You can't imagine what they'll show you.
Tags: Kris Neri, New Mexico, Revenge on Route 66, Route 66, Tracy Eaton mysteries, vacation
The Case of the Squeaking Cat(s)
Toby, my male rescue cat, was roughly 12-15 months old when I took him in, and he's been with me and Pippa, my female rescue, six months now. He's a big, cuddly guy, probably about 12 pounds, gray and white, with interesting gold marks around his eyes. He looks like he's got a light line of golden kohl around each eye -- perhaps an Abyssinian or a Siamese in his gene pool?
He's a cuddler, when he's in the mood. Most of the time he's a laid-back kind of guy, although he and Pippa (who weighs about 4 pounds) do like to wrestle, chiefly after I turn out the lights and try to go to sleep. Unlike Pippa, a calico who is the poster kitty for high maintenance, Toby is much more relaxed.
Until I sit down at my desktop computer in my office, that is. That's when the squeaking starts. And I do mean squeaking -- little high-pitched sounds perhaps designed to make me think he's in terrible danger and must be rescued at once. (Like a responsible pet owner, I had him neutered, but he had a high-pitched voice before that...)
Naturally the only thing that quiets the squeaks is some hearty head-rubbing. And, yes, I do know I'm enabling him by rewarding such behavior ... but what ya gonna do?
The only other times I hear such a chorus of squeaking ... in which Pippa joins of course ... are at breakfast and dinner. Then I get a duet of operatic proportions by duelling lyric soprano and countertenor. Renee Fleming and David Daniels could get a few tips from Pippa and Toby.
So if my editor wants to know why I'm running late on my latest book, well ...
"Board Stiff," my twelfth Dead-End Job Mystery, will be published this May. My editor sent me the first copy yesterday. I took my new book out of its bubble-wrap swaddling and admired its perfectly formed fingers and toes.
You'd think after a dozen mysteries in my South Florida series, I'd be used to the first look. Ho-hum. A new book. Yawn.
But I still get a thrill when I hold my latest mystery for the first time. I pick it up, admire shiny cover and carry it around. A lot of long days and sleepless nights went into making that book. And this baby was special.
I'd an easy time starting "Board Stiff," once I figured out Helen Hawthorne's newest Dead-End Job. I got the idea after I saw an article in the paper about cutthroat practices at the beach concessions. The struggle for tourist dollars is fierce in Florida, and some parasailing, surfboard, Jet Ski, and paddleboard rental operators actually sabotage their rivals. A few go so far as damaging equipment, shredding parasails or stealing boards. The vandalism is timed right before Spring Break, when the demand for beach concessions is highest and the operators will lose the most money.
For "Board Stiff," I took this competition one step farther and had it turn murderous. My character, Sunny Jim, owner of Sunny Jim's Stand-up Paddleboard Rental in mythical Riggs Beach, believes someone is plotting to ruin his business. He hires the PI team of Helen and her new husband, Phil Sagemont, to investigate. When an innocent tourist dies in what looks like an accident, Sunny Jim insists she was murdered. Helen and Phil, along with dozens of others, saw the tourist tumble off a paddleboard.
\But the medical examiner says she was murdered. Now the PI partners have to solve a murder with no witnesses and no weapon. The trail leads them back to Helen's hometown of St. Louis.
Nice plot, right? A sort of outdoor locked room mystery. I'd breezed halfway through the book, when I stopped and reread what I'd written so far.
The novel was going well, all right. Too well.
The story needed more tension. Helen and Phil were partners in life as well as in Coronado Investigations. Their marriage was happy.
Boring. Even the best marriage goes through tough times. The couple needed some serious trouble, but it had to be part of the plot. I couldn't create a complication just for the heck of it.
I changed the plot so they were on the verge of divorce. Now Helen had made a major mistake, one that could end their marriage and their new business. Would the marriage survive? Well, Helen had survived without a husband before – and so had this series. I'd just have to see.
Things were too easy on the mystery scene, too. Another series regular, Valerie Cannata, the Channel Seventy-Seven investigative reporter, sneaked a video camera out of the station to tape a bribery attempt at a restaurant. Once Valerie succeeded – and this Emmy-Award winning reporter always succeeded – Coronado Investigations could wrap up the case.
Predictable.
But what if Valerie failed?
The Femmes Fatales' own Emmy-Award winning reporter, Hank Philippi Ryan, told me what would happen to a reporter who "borrowed" a camera without station authorization. Since taping in Florida is illegal without both parties' consent, Hank explained silent taping. That's taking video, but no audio, and it's legal.
My plot was in ruins. My deadline was fast approaching. I rewrote the entire book.
Is it a better mystery? I'm waiting to find out what you think. "Board Stiff" will be out as a hardcover and an e-book in less than a month.
Have you ever torn up a project that was going too well?
Got 50 seconds? Check out the trailer for my new Dead-End Job mystery, "Board Stiff" here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppzz6vX8jvU
Tags: " Elaine Viets, "Board Stiff, beach, Dead-End Job Mystery, mystery., paddleboard
Facts Behind the Fiction!
Hank Phillippi Ryan: You know Hallie Ephron, of course. If you don't, go to her website RIGHT NOW and see what youre missing! (Of course, now, you're no longer missing it!)(She's third from left,(after mysterious blonde, and Jan Brogan) then me, then Bill Landay, and Barbara Shapiro and Chris Castellani.)
The storied and glorious Hallie has a new book out--fascinating suspense fiction, as always, with a tether in reality. She's getting asked about it all over the country--check her website for when she's visiting near you! But here's the scoop--before anyone else!
Facts Behind the Fiction:
Hallie Ephron's Inspirations for THERE WAS AN OLD WOMAN
Hallie Ephron: Yes, THERE WAS AN OLD WOMAN is completely fiction. I made up Mina Yetner, the 90-year-old woman who helps her neighbor's 30-year-old daughter figure out why her mother's house has turned into a hoarder's nest. And yet, and yet... both characters have a fair amount of me in them.
I made up Sparkles Variety where many scenes take place. And yet, and yet... there was a Sparkles Variety around the corner from where I live; it closed a few years ago (there were spangles in the sign.)
Over and over, writing this book, I drew from fact to create fiction. Here are some of the questions readers ask me:
Did a bomber really crash into the Empire State Building in 1945? Yes. It did.
Here's an excerpt from a vivid account of the moment in an excerpt from Hilton Obenzinger's "New York on Fire:"
B-25 Bomber Crashes into the Empire State Building July 28, 1945
Colonel Smith lowered the landing gear of the B-25 thinking he was about to land in Newark when through the fog he saw that he was heading directly for Radio City Music Hall. Quickly he began to raise his landing-gear tilting his nose up almost to a stall veering just past the buff-colored Salmon Building.
They say one of the secretaries in the Catholic War Relief Office on the 79th floor of the Empire State Building could see Colonel Smith's Clark Gable mustache as the cockpit filled up with limestone and chrome mullions from around the building's windows. Streams of molten high-octane fuel cascaded down the side of the building.
The GIs on the deck of the troopship on the Hudson shouted, The Japs are bombing New York with V-2s!
Why do so few people remember that crash?
Just a week later, the U.S. bombed Hiroshima.
Did an elevator operator survive an 80-story fall?
She did. The photo is of her recovering in the hospital. Here is an excerpt from Betty Lou Gower Oliver's obituary: "As a young 20 year old bride, Betty Lou Oliver was the elevator operator of elevator #6 in the Empire State Building when Lt. Col. Willian F. Smith's B-25 hit the north side of the building between the 79th and 80th floor on July 28th, 1945. Seriously injured, she was put in an elevator for evacuation to medical help. … "
The car and elevator operator plunged 1,000 feet (75 stories) into a sub-basement. The freefall of the elevator was broken by the massive coils of cables that had fallen to the bottom of the shaft. Despite suffering a broken back and legs, the operator survived. She had to be cut from the mangled wreckage. July 28th was supposed to be her last day on the job.
She recovered in less than eight months, and returned to Ft. Smith, AR, with her husband Oscar Lee Oliver. She had three children and seven grandchildren. She died November 24, 1999.
Was there a second survivor in the elevator?
Uh, no. I made that up. And to tell you why would spoil it for you.
Higgs Point in the Bronx, with its view of a marsh and Manhattan sky line -- is it a real place?
The details of the neighborhood are entirely fiction but geographically the place exists. Higgs Point is based on a neighborhood the Harding Park neighborhood in Clason Point at the southern tip of the Bronx.
It's across the water from LaGuardia, where the East River meets the Long Island Sound, and roughly where the Bronx Whitestone Bridge connects Queens and the Bronx. Like Higgs Point in the book, the real neighborhood has a tidal marsh, lagoons, and an anomalous collection of 1920′s bungalows and summer houses lined up on narrow streets, and a fantastic view of the Manhattan skyline.
A huge bonus was the neighborhood's history. The indigenous Siwanoy Indians, who were driven from the area in the 1700′s, called it Snakapins, meaning "land between two waters." At the turn of the 20th century, ferries brought summer-weary visitors there from Queens to swim on its beaches and enormous swimming pool (called The Inkwell because the water piped directly from the East River was that dark), play at its amusement park, and gamble, carouse at its saloons and casino, and rent tents on platforms lined up at the water's edge.
Did you draw from your own experience, writing a young woman whose mother is dying?
My mother died when she was 56; I was 23. Like the mother in the book, she'd been an alcoholic for decades, sadly at a time before treatments for depression had been developed and at a time when there was so much shame associated with being a woman and an alcoholic. I wanted to write about how complicated it is, losing a mother who, on the one level you love and admire enormously, and on another level you feel so relieved that finally "it's over."
Guilt, grief, anger -- they get all mixed up together. So yes, I drew plenty.
Wuthering Heights meets Afghanistan--?
"In their unsettling romance that crosses small town social lines as well as the oceans and continents between Vermont and Afghanistan, the lovers at the core of Abide with Me strip away all that is unnecessary as they seek the essence of true love: it may stumble, but it will always survive."
– Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain on ABIDE WITH ME
HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Okay, is this irresistible, or what?
Here's how Sabin Willett's editor describes his newest novel, ABIDE WITH ME: "In this novel inspired by Wuthering Heights, a small town bad boy forged by the fires of Afghanistan returns home, still burning with a romantic obsession nothing can quench."
But Sabin Willett is not just a novelist, and not just an attorney. In 2005, with colleagues at his law firm, he began representing Uighur prisoners at Guantánamo Bay. They were neither terrorists nor enemies Willett explains, but "Muslim refugees from China taken by mistake in the fog of war following the Afghanistan invasion in 2001. They were held for years because they could not be returned to China, and no other country would take them."
And in Guantanamo, he says, is where his new book was born. So—I wanted you to meet him!
HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Tell us about the book!
SABIN WILLETT: What happens when the boys we sent off to war come back? Not the college boys, not the Wall Street set -- the boys who lacked the chances, who went to Afghanistan for want of a better idea? What happens when a girl turns her back on the urgency of love, because the lover is not from the right world? And what if we throw these two questions together?
There is an old house in the town, a mansion in an old family for more than a hundred years. What is the strange pull and fascination of that house on the lovers? And what happens when this all happens in a small, gossipy town, where everyone knows everyone's business? That's Abide With Me.
HANK: What was the inspiration for writing it?
SABIN WILLETT: There were many. I wanted to write a serious love story—I had not done that before. Meeting young soldiers in Guantánamo triggered something in me, and some of the nights there found their way into episodes. The bowl of night, for example. The stars in Cuba are astonishing on a clear night, and I remember on a lonely night there being reminded of the first quatrain in Omar Khayyam—that in turn led me to picture a night in a mountain firebase, where a lonely soldier studies the stars. Williamstown, Massachusetts, suggested to me a look and feel of the Heights itself. Emma I created, but where creations like her come from, I can't say.
HANK: More about your work at Guantanamo in a minute, okay? You've said you love Wuthering Heights—but tell us more about how that percolated into this book.
SABIN WILLETT: I am fascinated by old houses that are in families for generations. With walk-in closets, and back stairs, and sleep porches; with attics and towers and nooks and crannies; with old boxes on shelves in the closets, and in the boxes, old letters, handwritten -- the ink fading. The house has a history; it becomes a character in the story.
I found myself writing a love story of impossibility, at the center of which lay a house. And at some point I said, well, this seems familiar. Why not have Em's sisters be Anne and Charlotte? Why not have the boy's background be mysterious, argued about, never explained? And, well, one thing led to another.
HANK: There's a level of..romance..that's not like your mystery novels. Where did that come from?
SABIN WILLETT: There's nothing more urgent than war, unless it be an impossible desire. So I thought, it's high time to write about both.
HANK: On a different topic--What compels you to advocate for the Uighur prisoners at Guantánamo Bay?
SABIN WILLETT: I got into that case mainly because the idea of sanctioned torture was abhorrent to me, and the idea of a prison beyond law equally so. Once I met the clients, the injustice riveted me, and it became very personal.
HANK: If you could make one change to the way soldiers reenter civilian life after returning from war, what would it be?
SABIN WILLETT: I don't have a good answer to this question. The transition to civilian life is too abrupt for most to manage, but I don't know what would improve that other than a national resolve never to go to war except where there is an existential crisis. I think what bewilders many soldiers is the idea that their return is unremarked, just as their experience in the war was unimportant to the people back home. That may be the intolerable thing.
HANK: I love thinking about how your brain works—do you think of yourself as a lawyer, or author, or activist? How do you organize your life?
SABIN WILLETT: Well, when you figure out how my brain works, would you send me a memo? How do I think of myself? A little bit of all three, but mainly as the guy with the plates. Remember the old Ed Sullivan show? No, you are far too young to remember the old television variety show, with goofy Ed Sullivan introducing pre-adolescent Beatles, and other acts. One of his familiar ones was the guy with the plates. The guy had a row of rods. On top of the rods, plates. The plates were spinning.
So long as they were spinning, they wouldn't clatter and fall to the floor and smash But when they slowed down, they'd begin to wobble, and then to teeter, and then... So the guy with the plates would race along his row of rods, topping up spin, rescuing wobblers. Plate to plate, spin to spin.
That's how I think of myself.
HANK: Too young to remember Ed Sullivan? Huh. Yeah, sure. In fact, I've described myself as a plate-spinner, too. So—questions for Sabin? And we're giving away a copy of ABIDE WITH ME to a lucky commenter!


Federal district judges on opposite coasts dealt setbacks to President Donald Trump's anti-transgender military policy on December 11.
In the Washington, DC, District Court, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly rejected a motion by the Justice Department in Doe v. Trump to stay her preliminary injunction that requires the Defense Department to allow transgender people to apply to join the service beginning on January 1.
In the Western District of Washington State, Judge Marsha J. Pechman refused to dismiss the complaint in Karnoski v. Trump, a lawsuit challenging the anti-transgender service ban, while granting the plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction against its implementation.
Also on December 11, US District Judge Jesus G. Bernal in California heard arguments in support of a motion for a preliminary injunction in Stockman v. Trump, a fourth lawsuit challenging the ban.
Judge Kollar-Kotelly's decision was predictable, given her October 30 ruling granting the preliminary injunction and a more recent ruling "clarifying," at the request of the Justice Department, that she really intended to require the Pentagon to allow transgender individuals to begin enlisting on January 1.
The case before Kollar-Kotelly was brought by the National Center for Lesbian Rights and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD).
The Justice Department offered the incredible claim that the January 1 deadline created an emergency situation, but its argument was significantly undercut by reports last week that the Pentagon had, in response to Kollar-Kotelly's earlier order, put into motion the steps necessary to comply.
The judge found this unconvincing, pointing out that the Pentagon has had almost a year and a half to prepare for this eventuality, dating back to former Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter's June 2016 directive spelling out a July 1, 2016, implementation date for allowing transgender people to enlist. That deadline was extended for six months by the current Pentagon chief, James Mattis.
In opposition to the motion, the plaintiffs had submitted a declaration by Dr. George Richard Brown, who has trained "approximately 250 medical personnel working in Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) throughout the military" in anticipation of implementing the enlistment policy, and a declaration by former Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, Jr., who stated that "the Services had already completed almost all of the necessary preparation for lifting" the enlistment ban as long as a year ago.
Kollar-Kotelly, however, noted the significant practical barriers that will continue to face prospective transgender enlistees. The Pentagon will require that transgender applicants show, generally speaking, that for at least 18 months prior to their applications they have been "stable" with regard to their gender identity. Nobody can enlist, for example, if they have undergone gender confirmation surgery within the past year and a half. Similarly, anybody first diagnosed as having gender dysphoria within the previous 18 months cannot enlist, since they will have to have certified by a licensed medical provider that they have been "stable without clinically significant distress or impairment" for at least 18 months since their diagnosis. And those under treatment, for example taking hormone therapy, will have to show they have been stable for at least 18 months since commencing therapy.
The plaintiffs in Karnoski v. Trump, pending in the district court in Seattle, are represented by Lambda Legal and Outserve-SLDN. They alleged four theories for challenging the policy: equal protection, substantive due process in the deprivation of liberty, procedural due process, and freedom of speech. Judge Pechman found that three out of these four theories were sufficiently supported by the complaint to deny the Justice Department's motion to dismiss the case, although she granted the motion regarding the procedural due process claim.
As had two district judges before her — including, as well, on November 21, Judge Marvin J. Garbis of the Maryland District Court — Pechman cut and pasted screen captures of the president's July 26 tweet announcing the policy into her opinion, and used particularly cutting language to reject DOJ's argument that the president's policy decision was entitled to the kind of judicial deference usually accorded to military policy decisions.
Addressing the DOJ's reliance on a 1981 Supreme Court ruling on whether the military can limit draft registration to men only, Pechman noted that its ruling there relied on "extensive review of legislative testimony, floor debates, and committee reports," and held "that Congress was entitled to deference when, in 'exercising the congressional authority to raise and support armies and make rules for their governance,' it does not act 'unthinkingly' or 'reflexively and not for any considered reason.'" In contrast, the judge found, "the prohibition on military service by transgender individuals was announced by President Trump on Twitter, abruptly and without any evidence of considered reason or deliberation." The deference accorded to the military's draft registration policy, therefore, does not apply to the president's policy.
Pechman's injunction, then, joins those by Kollar-Kotelly and Garbis. All three preliminary injunctions block the discharge of transgender service members while the case is pending and require the Pentagon to allow transgender people to begin enlisting on January 1. The injunctions by Garbis and Pechman also block the administration from refusing to fund transition-related health care, including surgery. In the face of this united front from the three judges, it seems likely that Judge Bernal in California will eventually issue a similar order.
Attention now turns to the courts of appeals that oversee these four district judges, where the DOJ is likely to continue filing appeals.
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Download FeeDog – Raising Puppies MOD v2.0.5 APK. This is the latest and updated MOD of FeeDog Raising Puppies. You'll get free shopping and unlimited coins in this MOD. Now buy unlimited food for Lucky and help him stay healthy. Moreover, with this MOD you will get '15,000' Coins for Killing an Enemy.
Before we move on, let me give you an overview of FeeDog Raising Puppies gameplay. This game has a pretty simple concept, all you have to do is take care of a dog whose name is Lucky. Moreover, you'll have more dogs as you keep on playing this game. The best thing about this game is that it will also help you in the real world since you'll get to know what is good food for a dog and which is not.
Not only you have to feed your dog, you also have to protect him from enemies. In order to make thing more exciting, you'll get a reward after killing the enemies. Now let's get back to the topic.
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Join us for one of the Jacksonville's best traditions, the Historic Springfield Tour of Homes, 2015 edition, presented by Wells Fargo.
The Tour of Homes is a two-day event, on both June 6th & 7th, from 12noon - 5pm, starting at 1501 N. Main Street.
> The Solomon Lodge, the historic family mansion of the Barnett family.
The venues are within walking distance to some, but others may wish to bicycle or drive.
If you purchase tickets EARLY (before June 6th) either online or at one of these local businesses, you receive $3 off each ticket. If you purchase tickets after the early period (after June 5th), tickets are regular price. Tour tickets are just $12.00 if purchased before June 6th, and only $15 if purchased on or after.
Tickets can also be purchased the day of the Tour at the starting point, 1501 N. Main Street, the office of Better Homes & Garden Real Estate.
Tickets purchased online will be redeemed at Will Call at the starting point. Children 12 & under are free.
A guided bicycle tour edition is also available for guests, FREE with purchase of a Tour of Homes ticket. In this extended version, Leigh Burnett of E2ride Bike Tours will guide guests throughout the neighborhood, highlighting notable history, stories and architecture along the way.
If you work up an appetite while enjoying the Tour, Uptown Kitchen & Bar and Three Layers Cafe are just a few blocks away. Uptown Kitchen & Bar (1303 N. Main Street) is newly renovated, with full bar, serving breakfast, lunch & dinner. Three Layers Cafe (1602 Walnut Street) has been named the Best Coffee House in Jacksonville, with delicious treats, snacks and relaxing wine bar. You can't go wrong either way. Want a cold treat? Bold City Pops will be stationed along the Tour route as well, serving a variety of handcrafted popsicles made with local ingredients.
The event benefits Springfield Preservation & Revitalization (SPAR Council), the 501c3 grassroots organization dedicated to preserving the character, while sparking revitalization, of the Springfield Historic District. The Tour of Homes has showcased the unique character of the community for 37 years, and is a major fundraiser for programming and services provide by SPAR Council. We're proud to have Wells Fargo as our title sponsor of the event, and community partner.
Or, call at (904) 353-7727 and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.


I'm back with another review from one of my fav brands Eve Pearl. I received the cutest little touch-up kit a while back. I had time to test it out at some long makeup wearing days like IMATS. Check out my review!
Eve Pearl recently debuted a new product called Invisible Finish Powderless Powder. Essentially, it will replace your regular face powder for touching up shine. The difference is that this is a non-greasy powderless powder.
It won't clog your skin but it will mattify, even texture and cover pores. I'd describe it as feeling like a solid primer in pan form.
I love that it's the size of her individual salmon concealers and comes with a mirror. It's the perfect size for slipping into your purse and it's small enough to even fit in your pocket!. I just use my finger to swipe a little bit onto my t-zone and i'm good to go. I also tested it out particularly on my nose - wow it really does cover my gigantic pores. It's a clear, universal shade so anyone can use it. You can also use it before makeup for a little anti-shine protection.
I know there are some other powderless touch up products on the market...honestly, I haven't tried them. But I've never gone wrong with my Eve Pearl products. Plus, this is more than a touch-up product - it's packed with Omega-3 and other awesome skin nutrients. Not only is it a great personal product, but if you're a MUA, think about how convenient it would be to carry just this one product to touch up your clients - so easy!
I suggest you give it a try!
Hey, I am thinking of buying it. I know it has a waxy consistency. How do you keep it sanitized if used for makeup on different people?


All ROOSEVELT MHP homes currently listed for sale in San Antonio as of 04/23/2019 are shown below. You can change the search criteria at any time by pressing the 'Change Search' button below.
"Located near Downtown and Mission Trails, Live and work space great for home office. 3800 sq ft two story building. large carport for 2 cars or more or RV parking. Near Major HWY, IH 281, I10 and 90. Yard is fenced with custom wrought iron and surrounded by beautiful landscaping. Great place to grow."


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We wandered off again this weekend. It started with David and I heading north to help our daughter and son-in-law paint the bedroom for their new baby due in approximately 3 months. Exciting times! We spent the night sleeping on one of those blowup double wide air mattresses that went flat at about 3 AM. Oh, well. Today we went into Boston for the 5th annual AD 20/21 show (Art and Design of the 20th and 21st Century) at the Cyclorama. It was our first visit to this show and we found lots to excite us, not the least of which was the building. The room was crowned by this impressive skylight.
I knew nothing of the history of this building but it was unique and visually fascinating. A quick Google search lead to a little history but I appreciated it as an incredible display space with an industrial period in its past.
Much of its charm came from that which was left raw.
But, I hadn't stopped by to see the building. I wanted to see the art and design and the first booth was a show stopper for me. It was the work of Jacob Kulin from Kulin Modern. I especially liked Three-Sixty which was a tryptic wall sculpture constructed of steel finished in black oxide and rust. It was three-dimesnional - half of what you see in the following photo is shadow lines.
Here is a view from the side. It is an incredible study of line and negative space.
Much of his work was a combination of industrial chic and sculptural principals.
He had also created a series of furniture designs that belong in my Branch series for sure. He has a group of tables at the show that combined different branches with differing barks along with other materials.
The following wall piece, Willow III is constructed of burnt bamboo and mahogany. I was impressed with the subtle gradations created by burning.
This Sunday wandering was another experience in being inspired by the creativity of others. I left having been exposed to new ideas, new materials, new processes. As always, its got me thinking!


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Northern College Based in Ontario Launches with TalkCampus
After recognising the ongoing impact the pandemic has had on students, Northern College of Ontario has introduced peer-to-peer support platform TalkCampus, allowing students to access a community of support while they continue to be discouraged from meeting in person.
TalkCampus is a welcomed addition to Northern College's existing student support services, filling a gap in the current framework by providing students with instant support from the ease of their phone, wherever they are, whenever they need it.
"It is in times like these [global pandemics] that we rise to the challenges presented and counter them with the resources and tools to help offset the compounding stressors we know await us. We are thrilled to welcome TalkCampus to our bank of resources to support student and campus mental health here at Northern College. TalkCampus compliments our current support services using a peer model of support".
Audrey Penner, President and CEO.
TalkCampus's real-time escalation of at-risk students back into the college was one of the key elements that made this such a valuable offering to the Northern College team. The platform keeps students safe through the use of unique machine learning classifiers, trained peer supporters and a team of professional and clinical staff 24/7. This combination of support allows TalkCampus to provide real time escalation and moderation at a massive scale, enabling students at risk to be identified within milliseconds and connected with timely, relevant support.
"The pandemic has dramatically changed student life over the past 18 months, and prioritising student mental health and wellbeing is crucial in helping students to succeed and benefit from their higher education. TalkCampus is proud to work with institutions like Northern College who are adaptive to the times, and are responding proactively to the needs of their students"
Andrew Welch, Head of Partnerships
TalkCampus is a 24/7 global peer support network for students. Supporting over 500,000 students worldwide with real-time moderation and escalation. If you would like to explore how TalkCampus can support your students we'd love to hear from you. Book a Demo - https://www.talkcampus.io
American University of Technology based in Lebanon Launches TalkCampus
SOAS University of London Launches with TalkCampus to Support Their International Student Population
Minnesota State Community and Technical College Launches with TalkCampus


With its rich manufacturing history, order West Side Chicago neighborhoods already have the prime infrastructure to take advantage of recent advances in American manufacturing. There are an estimated 200 manufacturers near Bethel's service area that produce annual sales of around $1.5 billion and employ a workforce of nearly 9, buy more about 000.
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|  TPWD News Release 20190326a                                            |
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[ Note: This item is more than three months old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references. ]
[ Media Contact: TPWD News, news@tpwd.texas.gov, 512-389-8030 ]
TPWD Fall Zebra Mussel Sampling Found No New Infested Lakes
AUSTIN - The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department found no new lakes infested with invasive zebra mussels during recent statewide early detection and monitoring. TPWD and partners monitor more than 60 lakes for early detection or population monitoring of zebra mussels.
"It's clear that boaters' actions can help to prevent the spread of zebra mussels," said Monica McGarrity, TPWD Senior Scientist for Aquatic Invasive Species Management. "We need their continued vigilance to protect the lakes we love. Keep cleaning, draining, and drying your boats and checking anchors for zebra mussels. If your boat has been stored in the water on a lake known to have zebra mussels, it will need to be decontaminated before it's moved to another lake. We ask boat owners, boat haulers and marinas to contact us for guidance on how to have the boat properly decontaminated."
In addition to finding no new lakes infested with zebra mussels in Fall 2018, they also haven't been found in a new river basin since June 2017.
"Right now, just five of Texas' 17 river basins have zebra mussels," McGarrity said. "Once zebra mussels spread to a new basin there is always potential for downstream spread, but a boat can move them downstream in a single day. Only boats, barges, and other equipment used in the water can transport zebra mussels upstream or to new river basins. We encourage all lake users to keep an eye out for mussels attached to other watercraft as well as on shorelines and docks and report them to us as soon as possible."
As of March 2019, 15 water bodies are listed as infested with zebra mussels, meaning they have an established, reproducing population; and six water bodies are listed as positive, meaning zebra mussels have been detected on more than one occasion. Eight water bodies are currently listed as suspect, meaning zebra mussels or their larvae have been found only once in recent history, with the most recent lake to be listed as suspect being O.H. Ivie Lake. A status map and full list of these lakes can be found on the TPWD website.
Additionally, zebra mussel DNA--a cautionary finding that doesn't indicate that live zebra mussels are in the waterbodies - has been found in several Texas lakes, including recently in Lake Amistad near Del Rio, which is managed by the National Park Service. This finding is a strong reminder that boaters need to be especially thorough on prevention measures when traveling to and from lakes.
In Texas, it is unlawful to possess or transport zebra mussels, dead or alive. Boaters are required to drain all water from their boat and onboard receptacles before leaving or approaching a body of fresh water to prevent the transfer of zebra mussels and other invasive species. Zebra mussel larvae are microscopic and can survive for days in residual water and adults can survive even longer out of water, especially in cooler months. The requirement to drain applies to all types and sizes of boats whether powered or not - personal watercraft, sailboats, kayaks, canoes or any other vessel used on public waters.
The rapidly reproducing zebra mussels can have serious economic, recreational and environmental impacts on Texas reservoirs and rivers. Zebra mussels can harm aquatic species, cause harmful algal blooms, cover rocks, beaches, hard surfaces with sharp shells, clog water intakes, damage or increase maintenance on facilities using raw surface water, and damage boats and motors left in infested waters.
Although TPWD and partners continually monitor for zebra mussels in Texas lakes, anyone who finds zebra mussels in lakes where they haven't been found before or who spots them on boats, trailers or equipment that is being moved is encouraged to help prevent new introductions of zebra mussels by reporting the sighting to TPWD immediately at (512) 389-4848 or by emailing photos and location information to aquaticinvasives@tpwd.texas.gov.
More information about zebra mussels can be found online at tpwd.texas.gov/zebramussels. A short instructional video on how to properly clean, drain and dry boats and equipment can be found on the TPWD YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/4jhz0KjNgdU.


I have three items in my store and I have it to add 9% tax on items purchased in Oklahoma. The tax is added to those items plus "including 9% tax" and stay that way until after I pick the shipper and go to the order confirmation page. At that point one of the items loses it's tax and it's "including 9% tax". The other two products keep theirs.
I've compared all three products pages in the back end and they all look the same.
On Global configuration, it's supposed to show the "including 9% tax" and I have it based on the customer's address.


Monday, February 13, 2017 was a game changer for the Bow River fishing community. The Calgary River Access Strategy was approved by City Council giving the fishing community two new boat ramps at Ogden Bridge and Inglewood and an upgrade at West Baker Park and Graves Bridge (Glenmore). Once the High Priority Access Points are completed by the fall of 2018, the drift boat angler will be able to fish the entire lower Bow River from West Baker Park in the North-West of Calgary downstream to Carsland.
Bow River Trout has played an important role in the stakeholder consultation process with Calgary Parks to develop the River Access Strategy and will continue to be consulted with river access site developments. We will also be working to improve access downstream of Calgary.


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Viking's pitching coach moves to top job
More news about: Salem State
Al Donovan is the 13th head coach for the Salem State baseball program.
Salem State athletics photo by David Le
Salem, Mass. - Al Donovan, who has served as pitching coach and recruiting assistant for the Vikings since 2015 has been named the new head baseball coach at Salem State University athletic director Peggy Carl announced Thursday. Donovan replaces Mike Ward, who resigned in July after four successful seasons.
Coaching moves in 2016
Ward resigns post
"We are excited that Al will be continuing on in the Viking family in this new role. His experience and enthusiasm for the program will be great assets as he takes the reins of this successful program. Throughout the search process, we were continually impressed by Al's baseball knowledge and his commitment to providing an excellent experience for our student-athletes. We couldn't be more proud that he surfaced as the clear choice to lead Viking baseball into the next phase."
As pitching coach, Donovan guided the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference's top ranked pitching staff over the past two seasons, helping Salem State earn back-to-back conference championships along with two NCAA Tournament bids.
A graduate of Central Connecticut State, Donovan was a standout pitcher for the Blue Devils, earning Division I All New England honors after transferring from Western Carolina, where he was named to the Southern Conference All-Freshman team after helping the Catamounts win the 1985 Southern Conference Championship. "I couldn't be happier being named head coach of the Salem State University baseball program. I want to thank athletic director Peggy Carl and associate athletic director Jason Doviak, along with the administration for selecting me. I owe a great deal of thanks to former head coach Mike Ward for what he has built over the past six years, making Salem State one of the top D3 baseball programs in the country. Our players have worked hard both in the classroom and on the field, highlighted by eight all-conference and 24 all-academic selections over the past two years.
Currently, Donovan is the owner and director of baseball operations for the North Shore Tigers, a highly competitive AAU baseball program. With over 20 years of experience, he has helped develop numerous high school players achieve success across all collegiate divisions. Prior to his involvement with AAU baseball, Donovan began his coaching career as an assistant at Central Connecticut State, where he worked with the pitching staff while also serving as recruiting coordinator. Donovan was also instrumental in the success of the North Shore Baseball League, where he played and managed before serving two separate stints as league commissioner. Donovan was elected into the North Shore Baseball League Hall of Fame in 2006.


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Home > Company Industry Overviews > DISH Network Corp
T-Mobile Opens a Brand New Revenue Stream
TVision starts at $90 per month
This month, T-Mobile (TMUS) launched its long-anticipated TV service, diversifying into the TV subscription market and opening another revenue stream apart from its principal business of selling wireless plans. T-Mobile's TVision Home, as the service is called, launched in a handful of states on April 14, and it will roll out to more markets in the coming months.
T-Mobile's TVision is an over-the-top video service akin to Dish Network's (DISH) Sling TV or AT&T's (T) DIRECTV NOW. The service offers more than 275 channels and over 35,000 on-demand movies and TV shows. Netflix (NFLX) is one of T-Mobile's content partners for the TVision service. T-Mobile has also drafted Viacom (VIAB) as a content partner.
T-Mobile's wireless customers can get TVision for $90 per month. For everyone else, the service costs $100 per month.
T-Mobile moves to capitalize on cord cutting
At the moment, T-Mobile derives most of its revenue from its sale of wireless plans. T-Mobile generated $11.4 billion in revenue in the fourth quarter, with its wireless service business contributing 72% to its overall revenue. The launch of TVision will open another revenue stream for T-Mobile and will allow it to capitalize on the cord-cutting wave.
According to eMarketer estimates, 33 million Americans had abandoned cable and satellite pay-TV subscriptions as of 2018, and the number is expected to top 55 million by the end of 2022. For cable and satellite TV companies such as Comcast (CMCSA) and Dish, this shift indicates a shrinking market. For T-Mobile, the shift indicates an expanding market for its TVision service.