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Books that Came My Way in April and May 2019
First of all, thanks to all of you for understanding my need to step back for a time. Thanks to the publishers, the publicists, and the authors for supporting my decision and giving me the time I needed to focus on other things.
My dad is home and is improving more than we dreamed to expect. His goal was to be strong enough to attend our son's graduation and party and he did both! He's completed all his at home therapy and isn't scheduled to see the doctor until August. I'm praying he continues to stay strong and healthy over the summer months.
Our son graduated from high school last month. May was a whirlwind month and some days I never imagined I would get everything done. But, we pulled it off and the party and all the ceremonies around graduation were so wonderful and joyous. We have been inundated with rain like much of the country, but thankfully, the day of his party was one of the nicest days we've had in a long time. Since the party was outside, we were so thankful for the gorgeous weather and all who came to celebrate with us.
I have just returned from a short trip to Northern Minnesota to celebrate a family member's graduation and am now on my way to Florida with our band and choir students. I'm one of the chaperones riding on a charter bus with teenagers for hours and hours. I've got books and headphones to help me stay sane! I can't wait to make some wonderful memories with our son, Bennett and of course, my dear mom friends.
Now on to the books…..bear with me, as I have two months' worth of books to share with you. There is truly something for every reader in this post and I hope you find something you will want to add to your to-read list. Happy Summer Reading!
By: Amanda Quick
I've never read anything by Amanda Quick before, but I know she is quite popular. I'll likely pass on this one and give it to our library.
An unconventional woman and a man shrouded in mystery walk a tightrope of desire as they race against a killer to find a machine that could change the world.
Former trapeze artist Amalie Vaughn moved to Burning Cove to reinvent herself, but things are not going well. After spending her entire inheritance on a mansion with the intention of turning it into a bed-and-breakfast, she learns too late that the villa is said to be cursed. When the first guest, Dr. Norman Pickwell, is murdered by his robot invention during a sold-out demonstration, rumors circulate that the curse is real.
In the chaotic aftermath of the spectacle, Amalie watches as a stranger from the audience disappears behind the curtain. When Matthias Jones reappears, he is slipping a gun into a concealed holster. It looks like the gossip that is swirling around him is true—Matthias evidently does have connections to the criminal underworld.
Matthias is on the trail of a groundbreaking prototype cipher machine. He suspects that Pickwell stole the device and planned to sell it. But now Pickwell is dead and the machine has vanished. When Matthias's investigation leads him to Amalie's front door, the attraction between them is intense, but she knows it is also dangerous. Amalie and Matthias must decide if they can trust each other and the passion that binds them, because time is running out.
MY EX-BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING
By: Wendy Wax
I've read WHILE WE WERE WATCHING DOWNTON ABBEY and A WEEK AT THE LAKE by Wendy Wax and enjoyed both. This would make a perfect summer, beach read.
Prized and stored away for safekeeping, the timeless ivory wedding dress, with its scooped neck and cleverly fitted bodice, sits gently folded in its box, whispering of Happily Ever Afters. To Kendra, Brianna, and Lauren it's a reminder of what could have been, the promise of a fairy tale, and a friendship torn apart. But as Kendra knows firsthand: it wasn't the dress's fault.
Once closer than sisters, Lauren and Bree have grown up and grown apart, allowing broken promises and unfulfilled dreams to destroy their friendship. A successful author, Lauren returns home to the Outer Banks, fiance in tow, to claim the dress she never thought she'd wear. While Bree, a bookstore owner, grapples with the realities of life after you marry the handsome prince. As the former best friends wrestle with their uncertain futures, they are both certain of one thing: some betrayals can never be forgiven.
Now on the eve of her daughter Lauren's wedding, Kendra struggles with a secret she's kept for far too long. And vows to make sure the dress will finally bring Lauren and Bree back together–knowing they'll need each other to survive the coming storm.
CITY OF FLICKERING LIGHT
By: Juliette Fay
I recently read GIRLS IN THE PICTURE by Melanie Benjamin which was about two women who worked in "flickers". Their story was fascinating and I'm interested in reading more about this piece of our history. I've read two books by Juliette Fay several years ago and knew that I wanted to read more by her. This one sounds like it's one I would really like.
It's July 1921, "flickers" are all the rage, and Irene Van Beck has just declared her own independence by jumping off a moving train to escape her fate in a traveling burlesque show. When her friends, fellow dancer Millie Martin and comedian Henry Weiss, leap after her, the trio finds their way to the bright lights of Hollywood with hopes of making it big in the burgeoning silent film industry.
At first glance, Hollywood in the 1920s is like no other place on earth—iridescent, scandalous, and utterly exhilarating—and the three friends yearn for a life they could only have dreamed of before. But despite the glamour and seduction of Tinseltown, success doesn't come easy, and nothing can prepare Irene, Millie, and Henry for the poverty, temptation, and heartbreak that lie ahead. With their ambitions challenged by both the men above them and the prejudice surrounding them, their friendship is the only constant through desperate times, as each struggles to find their true calling in an uncertain world. What begins as a quest for fame and fortune soon becomes a collective search for love, acceptance, and fulfillment as they navigate the backlots and stage sets where the illusions of the silver screen are brought to life.
PARK AVENUE SUMMER
By: Renee Rosen
Rosen is one of those authors who have been on my radar, but I haven't read any of her work yet. This one is receiving high praise and I'm anxious to dig in. I loved the movie, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, so this sounds like something I'd love to read.
Mad Men meets The Devil Wears Prada as Renée Rosen draws readers into the glamour of 1965 New York City and Cosmopolitan Magazine, where a brazen new Editor-in-Chief–Helen Gurley Brown–shocks America by daring to talk to women about all things off limits…
New York City is filled with opportunities for single girls like Alice Weiss who leaves her small Midwestern town to chase her big city dreams and unexpectedly lands the job of a lifetime working for Helen Gurley Brown, the first female Editor-in-Chief of a then failing Cosmopolitan Magazine.
Nothing could have prepared Alice for the world she enters as editors and writers resign on the spot, refusing to work for the woman who wrote the scandalous bestseller, Sex and the Single Girl. While confidential memos, article ideas, and cover designs keep finding their way into the wrong hands, someone tries to pull Alice into this scheme to sabotage her boss. But Alice remains loyal and becomes all the more determined to help Helen succeed. As pressure mounts at the magazine and Alice struggles to make her way in New York, she quickly learns that in Helen Gurley Brown's world, a woman can demand to have it all.
MISTRESS OF THE RITZ
By: Melanie Benjamin
Historical fiction based on real events and people plus WWII means it's a book I'm sure to love. I just finished reading THE GIRLS IN THE PICTURE by Melanie Benjamin and she truly knows how to share the true stories of our past in a compelling story.
Nothing bad can happen at the Ritz; inside its gilded walls every woman looks beautiful, every man appears witty. Favored guests like Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Coco Chanel, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor walk through its famous doors to be welcomed and pampered by Blanche Auzello and her husband, Claude, the hotel's director. The Auzellos are the mistress and master of the Ritz, allowing the glamour and glitz to take their minds off their troubled marriage, and off the secrets that they keep from their guests–and each other.
Until June 1940, when the German army sweeps into Paris, setting up headquarters at the Ritz. Suddenly, with the likes of Hermann Goring moving into suites once occupied by royalty, Blanche and Claude must navigate a terrifying new reality. One that entails even more secrets. One that may destroy the tempestuous marriage between this beautiful, reckless American and her very proper Frenchman. For the falsehoods they tell to survive, and to strike a blow against their Nazi "guests," spin a web of deceit that ensnares everything and everyone they cherish.
But one secret is shared between Blanche and Claude alone–the secret that, in the end, threatens to imperil both of their lives, and to bring down the legendary Ritz itself.
Based on true events, Mistress of the Ritz is a taut tale of suspense wrapped up in a love story for the ages, the inspiring story of a woman and a man who discover the best in each other amid the turbulence of war.
By: Claire Lombardo
I was thrilled to learn that Lombardo lives less than an hour from me and this is her debut novel. I'll be reading and reviewing her book and interviewing her for my gig at The Gazette. Stay tuned to a piece on this book in July! I love sweeping family dramas and this one is already getting rave reviews.
A dazzling, multigenerational novel in which the four adult daughters of a Chicago couple–still madly in love after forty years–recklessly ignite old rivalries until a long-buried secret threatens to shatter the lives they've built.
When Marilyn Connolly and David Sorenson fall in love in the 1970s, they are blithely ignorant of all that's to come. By 2016, their four radically different daughters are each in a state of unrest: Wendy, widowed young, soothes herself with booze and younger men; Violet, a litigator-turned-stay-at-home-mom, battles anxiety and self-doubt when the darkest part of her past resurfaces; Liza, a neurotic and newly tenured professor, finds herself pregnant with a baby she's not sure she wants by a man she's not sure she loves; and Grace, the dawdling youngest daughter, begins living a lie that no one in her family even suspects. Above it all, the daughters share the lingering fear that they will never find a love quite like their parents'.
As the novel moves through the tumultuous year following the arrival of Jonah Bendt–given up by one of the daughters in a closed adoption fifteen years before–we are shown the rich and varied tapestry of the Sorensons' past: years marred by adolescence, infidelity, and resentment, but also the transcendent moments of joy that make everything else worthwhile.
Spanning nearly half a century, and set against the quintessential American backdrop of Chicago and its prospering suburbs, Lombardo's debut explores the triumphs and burdens of love, the fraught tethers of parenthood and sisterhood, and the baffling mixture of affection, abhorrence, resistance, and submission we feel for those closest to us. In painting this luminous portrait of a family's becoming, Lombardo joins the ranks of writers such as Celeste Ng, Elizabeth Strout, and Jonathan Franzen as visionary chroniclers of our modern lives.
THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER
By: Patti Callahan Henry
I have her book THE BOOKSHOP ON WATER'S END on my to-read shelf. I like family dramas and secrets so I'm quite sure I'll like this one. Plus the cover is pretty.
Ten years ago, Lena Donohue experienced a wedding-day betrayal so painful that she fled the small town of Watersend, South Carolina, and reinvented herself in New York City. Though now a freelance travel writer, the one place she rarely goes is home–until she learns of her dad's failing health.
Returning to Watersend means seeing the sister she has avoided for a decade and the brother who runs the family's Irish pub and has borne the burden of his sisters' rift. While Alzheimer's slowly steals their father's memories, the siblings rush to preserve his life in stories and in photographs. As his secret past brings Lena's own childhood into focus, it sends her on a journey to discover the true meaning of home.
NATALIE TAN'S BOOKS OF LUCK AND FORTUNE
By: Roselle Lim
I knew nothing about this book when it arrived, but it certainly sounds like a fun read!
At the news of her mother's death, Natalie Tan returns home. The two women hadn't spoken since Natalie left in anger seven years ago, when her mother refused to support her chosen career as a chef. Natalie is shocked to discover the vibrant neighborhood of San Francisco's Chinatown that she remembers from her childhood is fading, with businesses failing and families moving out. She's even more surprised to learn she has inherited her grandmother's restaurant.
The neighborhood seer reads the restaurant's fortune in the leaves: Natalie must cook three recipes from her grandmother's cookbook to aid her struggling neighbors before the restaurant will succeed. Unfortunately, Natalie has no desire to help them try to turn things around–she resents the local shopkeepers for leaving her alone to take care of her agoraphobic mother when she was growing up. But with the support of a surprising new friend and a budding romance, Natalie starts to realize that maybe her neighbors really have been there for her all along.
THE PARIS ORPHAN
By: Natasha Lester
Publisher: Forever
Our book club received galleys of this one. This will be our August read. I haven't read anything by Lester, but her backlist looks like something I would definitely be interested in.
New York City/Paris, 1942: When American model Jessica May arrives in Europe to cover the war as a photojournalist for Vogue, most of the soldiers are determined to make her life as difficult as possible. But three friendships change that. Journalist Martha Gellhorn encourages Jess to bend the rules. Captain Dan Hallworth keeps her safe in dangerous places so she can capture the stories that truly matter. And most important of all, the love of a little orphan named Victorine gives Jess strength to do the impossible. But her success will come at a price…
France, 2005: Decades after World War II, D'Arcy Hallworth arrives at a beautiful chateau to curate a collection of famous wartime photos by a reclusive artist. It's the opportunity of a lifetime, but D'Arcy has no idea that this job will uncover decades of secrets that, once revealed, will change everything she thought she knew about her mother, Victorine, and alter D'Arcy's life forever.
SHE'S SO COLD
Murder, Accusations, and the System that Devastated A Family
By: Donald E. McInnis
Publisher: J & E Publications
I knew nothing about this one before it arrived, but this true story sounds horrifying and unbelievable.
Think this couldn't happen to your family? Think again.
In the winter of January 1998, the small town of Escondido, California, was horrified when the body of 12-year-old Stephanie Crowe was found brutally murdered in her own bedroom. The police used psychological manipulation to force three 14-year-old boys to falsely confess to the murder. She's So Cold traces the twists and turns of a real-life mystery which eventually changed the lives of fifteen people and cost a district attorney his job.
To protect children and teens from such manipulation in the future, McInnis proposes a new Children's Miranda Rights Warning and a Bill of Rights for Children who are being questioned as suspects. These proposals must be adopted in order to prevent minors from making false confessions that could destroy their futures.
She's So Cold is the story of a broken system. A system stacked against families and, most of all, against children.
Koa Kane Hawaiian Mystery #2
By: Robert McCaw
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
I have recently been seeing this one in the bookstagram world. I didn't know anything about the book or the author when it arrived. I'm not sure it is my type of book. I may pass this one on to the library.
A scrap of cloth fluttering in the wind leads Hilo police Chief Detective Koa Kāne to the tortured remains of an unfortunate soul, left to burn in the path of an advancing lava flow. For Koa, it's the second gruesome homicide of the day, and he soon discovers the murders are linked. These grisly crimes on Hawaiʻi's Big Island could rewrite history―or cost Chief Detective Koa Kāne his career.
The dead, a reclusive couple living off the grid, turn out to be mysterious fugitives. The CIA, the Chinese government, and the Defense Intelligence Agency, attempt to thwart Koa's investigation and obscure the victims' true identities. Undeterred by mounting political pressure, Koa pursues the truth only to find himself drawn into a web of international intrigue.
While Koa investigates, the Big Island scrambles to prepare for the biggest and most explosive political rally in its history. Despite police resources stretched to the breaking point, Koa uncovers a government conspiracy so shocking its exposure topples senior officials far beyond Hawaiʻi's shores.
By: Brit Lunden
Publisher: Chelshire
This is a novella to the following book THE KNOWING. I don't typically read in the fantasy/paranormal genre, but this book is just over 100 pages so for those new to paranormal fantasy, it would be easy to give it a try.
Clay Finnes is the sheriff of a small town in Georgia called Bulwark. Recently separated from his wife, all he can think about is what went wrong, and will Jenna ever come back to him. He's troubled by a bothersome reporter trying to build a story from what he thinks is a normal day in his life. Clay has to admit that the fantastical stories, told by an accident victim as well as unusual sightings of wolves, things are getting a bit strange. A visit to the ominous Gingerbread House makes him realize that his life as he knows it will never be the same.
THE KNOWING
A Bulwark Anthology – Book 1
Bulwark- a wall or stockade that protects or sometimes hides the truth from the outside world.
Bulwark, Georgia, isolated, hidden. Who knows what strange things can happen when the rest of the world can't see you? JB Stratton is alone in the world, and all he has left are the memories of his beloved Ellie. Dirt poor JB and wealthy Ellie feel an instant connection that is as intense and primal as the blood red earth of their home. Unseen roots connect them, pulling them into an impossible relationship. Will the memories of past lives help or hinder the path of their love? Based on the original novella Bulwark, by Brit Lunden, The Knowing continues the story of a town isolated from the rest of the world where the impossible becomes plausible, and logic is determined by reality.
By: Brittney Leigh
Publisher: Brittney Leigh
Bulwark, a quiet town… or is it? Four best friends, Sophia, Scott, Chloe and Chris, are just trying to manage their senior year at Bulwark high school when Sophia realizes that her feelings for Chris are really meant for Scott. Before she can deal with that though, the four friends then stumble upon Bulwarks darkest secrets when a spell is cast on Bulwark High. Students have been disappearing and no one has any clues as to their whereabouts. With a town curfew set and parents on edge, the four friends decide to take things into their own hands. Will they break the spell, or will Bulwark High and the town be changed forever?Based on Bulwark, a paranormal thriller by Brit Lunden, The Darkness is the eighth volume in the multi-author Bulwark Anthology.
DEEP WATER BLUES
By: Fred Waitzkin
Publisher: Open Road Media
Even though this is based on a true story, it doesn't sound a bit too intense for what I like to read.
Charismatic expat Bobby Little built his own funky version of paradise on the remote island of Rum Cay, a place where ambitious sport fishermen docked their yachts for fine French cuisine and crowded the bar to boast of big blue marlin catches while Bobby refilled their cognac on the house. Larger than life, Bobby was really the main attraction: a visionary entrepreneur, expert archer, reef surfer, bush pilot, master chef, seductive conversationalist.
But after tragedy shatters the tranquility of Bobby's marina, tourists stop visiting and simmering jealousies flare among island residents. And when a cruel, different kind of self-made entrepreneur challenges Bobby for control of the docks, all hell breaks loose. As the cobalt blue Bahamian waters run red with blood, the man who made Rum Cay his home will be lucky if he gets off the island alive . . .
When the Ebb Tide cruises four hundred miles southeast from Fort Lauderdale to Rum Cay, its captain finds the Bahamian island paradise he so fondly remembers drastically altered. Shoal covers the marina entrance, the beaches are deserted, and on shore there is a small cemetery with headstones overturned and bones sticking up through the sand. What happened to Bobby's paradise?
HAPPY MONEY
By: Ken Honda
This book helps you tidy up your bank account as Kondo did with your dresser drawers. I'm intrigued.
Ken Honda knows that getting rich quick is no way to achieve happiness. Too often, money is a source of fear, stress, and anger, often breaking apart relationships and even ruining lives. Now, with practical and accessible language, the Zen Millionaire (as he is known in Japan) clearly explains how to achieve a peace of mind when it comes to money, and how to decide which path you should take towards happiness.
Learn how to change your relationship with money by treating it as a welcome guest—allowing it to come and go with respect without questioning its motives or resenting its fluctuations. Understand and improve your Money EQ, look behind the myth of scarcity, and embrace the process of giving money along with receiving it.
By: Patricia McCormick
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
My nephew is a high school English teacher and told me I should read this book. It was available at Half-Price Books so I decided to purchase it with the money I earned from selling other books.
Lakshmi is a thirteen-year-old girl who lives with her family in a small hut in the mountains of Nepal. Her family is desperately poor, but her life is full of simple pleasures, like raising her black-and-white speckled goat, and having her mother brush her hair by the light of an oil lamp. But when the harsh Himalayan monsoons wash away all that remains of the family's crops, Lakshmi's stepfather says she must leave home and take a job to support her family.
He introduces her to a glamorous stranger who tells her she will find her a job as a maid working for a wealthy woman in the city. Glad to be able to help, Lakshmi undertakes the long journey to India and arrives at "Happiness House" full of hope. But she soon learns the unthinkable truth: she has been sold into prostitution.
An old woman named Mumtaz rules the brothel with cruelty and cunning. She tells Lakshmi that she is trapped there until she can pay off her family's debt – then cheats Lakshmi of her meager earnings so that she can never leave.
Lakshmi's life becomes a nightmare from which she cannot escape. Still, she lives by her mother's words – "Simply to endure is to triumph" – and gradually, she forms friendships with the other girls that enable her to survive in this terrifying new world. Then the day comes when she must make a decision – will she risk everything for a chance to reclaim her life?
Written in spare and evocative vignettes, this powerful novel renders a world that is as unimaginable as it is real, and a girl who not only survives but triumphs.
By: Kelly Corrigon
I already read and reviewed this one. But, I listened to it on audio and I wanted a physical copy to read and reflect on again. I used my Half-Price Books money to purchase it. The paperback is available now as well.
It's a crazy idea: trying to name the phrases that make love and connection possible. But that's just what Kelly Corrigan has set out to do here. In her New York Times bestselling memoirs, Corrigan distilled our core relationships to their essences, showcasing a warm, easy storytelling style. Now, in Tell Me More, she's back with a deeply personal, unfailingly honest, and often hilarious examination of the essential phrases that turn the wheel of life.
In "I Don't Know," Corrigan wrestles to make peace with uncertainty, whether it's over invitations that never came or a friend's agonizing infertility. In "No," she admires her mother's ability to set boundaries and her liberating willingness to be unpopular. In "Tell Me More," a facialist named Tish teaches her something important about listening. And in "I Was Wrong," she comes clean about her disastrous role in a family fight—and explains why saying sorry may not be enough. With refreshing candor, a deep well of empathy, and her signature desire to understand "the thing behind the thing," Corrigan swings between meditations on life with a preoccupied husband and two mercurial teenage daughters to profound observations on love and loss.
By: Catherine Steadman
Publisher: Ballantine Boooks
This was a Target Book Club choice. I probably would have canceled this choice, but I didn't get to it in time. I may save it for a gift as I'm not sure I'd like it. It sounds gripping but maybe just a bit too intense for me.
Erin is a documentary filmmaker on the brink of a professional breakthrough, Mark a handsome investment banker with big plans. Passionately in love, they embark on a dream honeymoon to the tropical island of Bora Bora, where they enjoy the sun, the sand, and each other. Then, while scuba diving in the crystal blue sea, they find something in the water. . . .
Could the life of your dreams be the stuff of nightmares?
Suddenly the newlyweds must make a dangerous choice: to speak out or to protect their secret. After all, if no one else knows, who would be hurt? Their decision will trigger a devastating chain of events. . . .
Have you ever wondered how long it takes to dig a grave?
Wonder no longer. Catherine Steadman's enthralling voice shines throughout this spellbinding debut novel. With piercing insight and fascinating twists, Something in the Water challenges the reader to confront the hopes we desperately cling to, the ideals we're tempted to abandon, and the perfect lies we tell ourselves.
THE WEEKLY PRAYER PROJECT
A Challenge to Journal, Pray, Reflect, and Connect with God
By: Scarlet Hiltibidal
I saw this one at Target and skimmed it. I like the layout and journaling/prayer prompts and since it had a discount with it, I purchased it.
Are you ready for a project that will actually change your life?
Challenge yourself to journal, pray, reflect, and connect with God with The Weekly Prayer Project. Fifty-two scriptures, one for each week of the year, explore different types of prayers found in the Bible, from prayers of gratitude and thankfulness to prayers of lament and intercession. Each week's journaling prompts will guide you to reflect on God's work in your life and to pray with intention. Walk through this book, and see your faith deepen and your joy soar.
GOODBYE, VITAMIN
By: Rachel Knong
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co
Another purchase from Half-Price Books with the money I earned. This one has been on my to-read list and I recently heard it mentioned again as a great read.
Goodbye, Vitamin is the wry, beautifully observed story of a woman at a crossroads, as Ruth and her friends attempt to shore up her father's career; she and her mother obsess over the ambiguous health benefits – in the absence of a cure – of dried jellyfish supplements and vitamin pills; and they all try to forge a new relationship with the brilliant, childlike, irascible man her father has become.
HOW NOT TO DIE ALONE
By: Richard Roper
Publisher: G. P. Putnam's Sons
This was a Book-of-the-Month choice. It reminds me a bit of books like A MAN CALLED OVE or ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE which I loved.
Andrew's day-to-day is a little grim, searching for next of kin for those who die alone. Thankfully, he has a loving family waiting for him when he gets home, to help wash the day's cares away. At least, that's what his coworkers believe.
Andrew didn't mean for the misunderstanding to happen, yet he's become trapped in his own white lie. The fantasy of his wife and two kids has become a pleasant escape from his lonely one bedroom with only his Ella Fitzgerald records for company. But when new employee Peggy breezes into his life like a breath of fresh air, Andrew is shaken out of his routine. She doesn't notice the wall he's been safely hiding behind and their friendship promises to break it down.
Andrew must choose: Does he tell the truth and start really living his life, but risk losing his friendship with Peggy? Or will he stay safe and alone, behind the façade? How Not to Die Alone is about the importance of taking a chance in those moments when we have the most to lose. Sharp and funny, warm and real, it's the kind of big-hearted story we all need.
By: Claire Gibson
This was also a Book-of-the-Month choice. I have the hardcover, but the paperback is also already available. I loved the synopsis of this one.
Duty. Honor. Country. That's West Point's motto, and every cadet who passes through its stone gates vows to live it. But on the eve of 9/11, as Dani, Hannah and Avery face four grueling years ahead, they realize they'll only survive if they do it together.
Everyone knows Dani is going places. With athletic talent and a brilliant mind, she navigates West Point's predominantly male environment with wit and confidence, breaking stereotypes and embracing new friends.
Hannah's grandfather, a legendary Army general, offers a stark warning about the dangers that lie ahead, but she moves forward anyway, letting faith guide her path. When she meets her soul mate at West Point, the future looks perfect, just as planned.
Wild child Avery moves fast and doesn't mind breaking a few rules (and hearts) along the way. But she can't outpace her self-doubt, and the harder she tries, the further it leads her down a treacherous path.
The world—of business, of love, and of war—awaits Dani, Hannah, and Avery beyond the gates of West Point. These three women know that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. But soon, that adage no longer rings true—for their future, or their friendship. As they're pulled in different directions, will their hard-forged bond prevail or shatter?
Beyond the Point is a heartfelt look at how our closest friends can become our fiercest battle buddies. After all, the greatest battles we fight rarely require a uniform.
THE OVERDUE LIFE OF AMY BYLER
By: Kelly Harms
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
I chose this book as part of the free Kindle First books offered through Amazon. You can choose a free book each month if you are a Prime member. I interviewed Kelly Harms back in October 2016. She was a delight to chat with. I've already heard great things about this book and I'm hoping to get to it soon.
Overworked and underappreciated, single mom Amy Byler needs a break. So when the guilt-ridden husband who abandoned her shows up and offers to take care of their kids for the summer, she accepts his offer and escapes rural Pennsylvania for New York City.
Usually grounded and mild-mannered, Amy finally lets her hair down in the city that never sleeps. She discovers a life filled with culture, sophistication, and—with a little encouragement from her friends—a few blind dates. When one man, in particular, makes quick work of Amy's heart, she risks losing herself completely in the unexpected escape, and as the summer comes to an end, Amy realizes too late that she must make an impossible decision: stay in this exciting new chapter of her life, or return to the life she left behind.
But before she can choose, a crisis forces the two worlds together, and Amy must stare down a future where she could lose both sides of herself, and every dream she's ever nurtured, in the beat of a heart.
AN AMERICAN PRINCESS
The Many Lives of Allene Tew
By: Annejet Van Der Zijl
Translator: Michele Hutchison
Publisher: Amazon Crossing
This was also a free book due to promotional credits through Amazon. From the choices I had, this was the most interesting. This woman has quite the history to share about her life.
Born to a pioneering family in Upstate New York in the late 1800s, Allene Tew was beautiful, impetuous, and frustrated by the confines of her small hometown. At eighteen, she met Tod Hostetter at a local dance, having no idea that the mercurial charmer she would impulsively wed was heir to one of the wealthiest families in America. But when he died twelve years later, Allene packed her bags for New York City. Never once did she look back.
From the vantage point of the American upper class, Allene embodied the tumultuous Gilded Age. Over the course of four more marriages, she weathered personal tragedies during World War I and the catastrophic financial reversals of the crash of 1929. From the castles and châteaus of Europe, she witnessed the Russian Revolution and became a princess. And from the hopes of a young girl from Jamestown, New York, Allene Tew would become the epitome of both a pursuer and survivor of the American Dream.
THE KITCHEN COUNTER COOKING SCHOOL
How a Few Simple Lessons Transformed Nine Culinary Novices into Fearless Home Cooks
By: Kathleen Flinn
Publisher: Viking
This was part of a Kindle Deal last week. I love the idea of the cooking school and think it will be a fun read and I'm hoping to get some cooking tips as well.
After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, writer Kathleen Flinn returned with no idea what to do next, until one day at a supermarket she watched a woman loading her cart with ultraprocessed foods. Flinn's "chefternal" instinct kicked in: she persuaded the stranger to reload with fresh foods, offering her simple recipes for healthy, easy meals. The Kitchen Counter Cooking School includes practical, healthy tips that boost readers' culinary self-confidence, and strategies to get the most from their grocery dollar, and simple recipes that get readers cooking.
WILD BIOS: AMELIA HAREHART
By: Courtney Acampora and Maggie Fischer
Illustrated by: Bonnie Pang
Publisher: Silver Dolphin Books
I first shared WILD BIOS: FRIDA CATLO with you and loved the concept of teaching about famous people from our history to our youngest readers.
Amelia Harehart never let any hopstacles get in her way!
Meet one of history's greatest figures in this adorable board book with an animalistic twist! Dive into the life of the brave pilot Amelia Harehart, and the glass ceilings she flew through. Breaking records and always setting new goals to achieve, Amelia Harehart was an inspiration. With hilarious puns and colorful illustrations, this clever board book brings her legacy to life for babies and parents alike!
A GNOME STORY
Adventures with Murphy McWoo
By: Michelle Schlicher
Illustrated by: Hanna Piepel
Publisher: Michelle Schlicher
Format: Picture Book
This Iowa author has written her first children's book. I previously read and reviewed two of her adult fiction books, HERE. I'm anxious to share this one with you.
A garden gnome comes to life for two imaginative young sisters. Little and big minds alike will enjoy this tale of finding your own creativity.
MARLON BUNDO'S A DAY IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL
By: Charlotte Pence
Illustrated by: Karen Pence
Publisher: Regnery Kids
I reviewed Marlon Bundo's first book, HERE. It was a great way to introduce kids to life with the Vice President. This one shares important landmarks around the capital all from the experience of the BOTUS (Bunny of the United States).
With the help of his "Grandma" Karen Pence, Marlon Bundo—also known as BOTUS (Bunny of the United States)—learns the true meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance as he tours the landmarks of our nation's capital. On his adventure, he learns what makes our country so very special—and so will you!
COUNT TO 10 WITH A MOUSE
By: Margaret Wise Brown
Illustrated by: Kirsten Richards
Publisher: Parragon
The much-loved author of GOODNIGHT MOON also wrote several other children's books. With her recent 100th birthday, these books are being shared to encourage a love of reading her books with a new generation.
Mouse really wants to learn to count so he can find out how many fingers and toes he has. He's spotted a hole in this counting book that's just his size and has crawled inside to start his adventure with numbers. So, slowly and carefully, turn the pages and learn to count with Mouse!
SLEEP TIGHT SLEEPY BEARS
Illustrated by: Julie Clay
There was a big sleepy bear and a little sleepy bear. Go through the motions with sleepy bears in Sleep Tight, Sleepy Bears, a sweet story from the hidden treasures of Margaret Wise Brown, author of the children's classics Goodnight Moon and Runaway Bunny. Yawn, stretch, sing and sleep tight with this book illustrated by Julie Clay.
Illustrated by: Antoine Corbineau
Published: March 19, 2019 (First Published in 1960)
Dig, dig, dig! A man and his shovel dig a tunnel under a river, into the country and through a mountain. Where will they dig to next?
WE ARE (NOT) FRIENDS
By: Anna Kang
Illustrated by: Christopher Weyant
Publisher: Two Lions
I previously reviewed Kang's book ERASER, HERE. It was such a great children's book that I can't wait to check out their newest book. This is part of a series titled You are Not Small.
Two fuzzy friends are having a fun playdate when a new pal hops in. As the day continues, each friend feels left out at times. It isn't so easy to figure out how to act when everything seems to change. With humor and heart, the beloved characters from Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner You Are (Not) Small navigate a friendship triangle as only they can.
20 RECIPES KIDS SHOULD KNOW
By: Esme Washburn
Photographer: Calista Washburn
Publisher: Prestel Junior
As a child, I loved reading cookbooks and trying new recipes. I still have a children's cookbook from my childhood.
Whether they're helping stir cake batter or producing their own YouTube cooking channel, kids of all ages are getting
increasingly busy in the kitchen. This cookbook features twenty classic recipes that are fun, healthy, adaptable, and easy to prepare. From banana bread and the perfect grilled cheese to breaded chicken and apple pie, each recipe is written in a clear, accessible style that young cooks of every level will be able to follow. The author is a young chef whose love of cooking developed from her own family's food traditions like baking popovers with her grandmother and Sunday-night pizza making. By teaching kids basic recipes that can be adapted in endless ways, this book is the perfect launching pad to finding their way around the kitchen–or launching their own cooking careers.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS ALMANAC 2020
Publisher: National Geographic Kids
I reviewed the 2019 Almanac last summer, HERE and the 2018 Almanac, HERE. I loved these books as a kid and still do as an adult.
Kids can have fun keeping up with our quickly changing world with the New York Times best-selling almanac, packed with incredible photos, tons of fun facts, crafts, activities, and fascinating features about animals, science, nature, technology, conservation, and more. There's a whole chapter full of fun and games, including activities, jokes, and comics. Practical reference material, including fast facts and maps of every country, has been fully updated. Homework help on key topics is sprinkled throughout the book.
To see all the posts featuring new books on my shelves, click HERE.
So many books, so little time!
Posted Under Amanda Quick, Anna Kang, Annejet Van Der Zijl, Antoine Corbineau, Bennett, board book, Bonnie Pang, Book Review, Brit Lunden, Brittney Leigh, Calista Washburn, Catherine Steadman, Charlotte Pence, chick-lit, Children's books, Christian, Christopher Weyant, Claire Gibson, Claire Lombardo, Courtney Acampora, Donald E McInnis, Esme Washburn, family, fiction, Fred Waitzkin, Hanna Piepel, historical fiction, journal, Julie Clay, Juliette Fay, Karen Pence, Kathleen Flinn, Kelly Corrigan, Kelly Harms, Ken Honda, Kirsten Richards, Maggie Fischer, Margaret Wise Brown, Melanie Benjamin, Michele Hutchison, Michelle Schlicher, Natasha Lester, National Geographic, New on the Stack, non-fiction, Patricia McCormick, Patti Callahan Henry, Rachel Khong, Renee Rosen, Richard Roper, Robert McCaw, Roselle Lim, Scarlet Hiltibidal, Wendy Wax
← Quick Lit: Mini Reviews of Some Recent Reads – April and May 2019 Edition
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© 2020 Sincerely Stacie. All Rights Reserved.


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Win the second world with 400 points for the Power Dash move.
To unlock the secret level at the end of the world, you must get all the "glowing things"
that give you points!!! no lie! i have the game myself!!
Having Zapper codes we dont have yet?


Yet another image that I thought would be easier to locate than it turned out!
Lots of information in the picture, especially about the Benson's Coaches excursions to Rhyl, Blackpool, Chester, etc. Struggling though to place the image - if coach pricing is by distance, then it's somewhere that's closer to Blackpool than it is to Llandudno, and that has the Ribble Valley between it and Blackpool.


St Andrew's Day in Scotland – Who Was St Andrew?
I HAVE often wished we made more of St Andrew's Day in Scotland. The name 'Andrew' is derived from the Greek word meaning 'courage'. Andrew is mentioned, and briefly at that, only four times in the New Testament. Andrew became the official patron saint of Scotland in 1320 at the time of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath. He is also the patron saint of Greece, Russia, Romania and Barbados. Andrew's patronage extends to fishermen, women wishing to become mothers, spinsters and old maids, singers and people with sore throats. He is also the patron saint of gout sufferers. Not for Andrew the showy outbursts of Simon Peter, his brother, nor even the close intimacy that John enjoyed with Jesus. I've always pictured Andrew as the strong but silent type; few words, yet in a sense more rock-like than his fiery brother.
If that is all you are going to say in the Bible – that's plenty. It makes Andrew one of the first Christian missionaries. Andrew acts as the messenger, the bridge, between people and Jesus. Later we read of Andrew, the Jewish man, bringing not other Jews but Greeks to Jesus. It is Andrew who goes boldly to the Saviour and tells Jesus that the Greeks wish to see Him. Andrew – the approachable apostle. Andrew is the apostle who issues invitations to come and see. 'Come and see' was what Jesus had said to Andrew by the Jordan when Andrew was not sure Who Jesus was. I recently spent a day with workplace chaplains, an excellent group of women and men. Their role isn't to bring people to faith, but to show care and compassion through their own faith to the people they work alongside in shops, lifeboat stations, fire stations, banks, sorting offices and many other places where many people who have little connection to the church work. One of the chaplains told me about a visit he had made.
The chaplain had bumped into the general manager of a company who always made time to have a chat with him. In the process of the discussion the manager happened to remark that out of his concern for members of his staff he was mentioning those who would benefit from a conversation with 'the chaplain'. It struck me that here was the general manager of a large company, bringing his staff to the chaplain, as Andrew brought people to Jesus. I have no idea of where this manager stands in relation to faith, but he was as much fulfilling the role of chaplain as the chaplain was. How many of our faithful congregation members do the same, unaware that they too are ' Andrews' without knowing it? Jesus did not wait in the Temple or the synagogue for people to come to Him. He went out to them. Andrew did not wait to be told to bring people to meet Jesus; he simply brought them to Him and let them make up their own minds. On November 30, perhaps we could celebrate St Andrew's Day not simply by 'doing something Scottish', but by bringing someone close enough to Jesus Who will be seen in our words, actions and graciousness, and letting them make up their own mind about the Man from Galilee.


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Family gives Lincoln Presidential Library a Bible that once belonged to the 16th president
Elder Robert D. Hales Honored as Pioneer of Progress
By	ChurchofJesusChrist.org · July 20, 2017
After being honored with the 2017 Pioneers of Progress President's Award, Elder Robert D. Hales walked—with determined effort—to the pulpit and said the greatest challenge in life is "enduring to the end."
"I think that enduring to the end is the greatest accomplishment, to be able to give everything you have got," said Elder Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in a video featured during the program. "It is like the coaches say, 'When you give everything on the playing field, you can't ask for more.'"
The Pioneers of Progress Awards—sponsored by the Days of '47, Inc.—were instituted in 1995 to recognize service and achievement in modern-day pioneering. Six Utahns were honored during this year's event, held in the downtown Salt Lake City Marriott Hotel.
KUTV reporter Daniel Woodruff introduced Elder Hales, noting the President's Award is not given every year and goes to someone who is "eminently deserving." (Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Most Reverend John C. Wester received the award in 2011.)
Woodruff said he asked an event organizer why Elder Hales was selected. In response the organizer lauded Elder Hales as friendly, warm, approachable, accepting, a pure gentleman, and finally, "someone with a tremendously positive attitude who has had to face tremendous challenges."
To read the full article on the Church News, click here.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Category Archives: Public Records
The Problem Of Focus: Viewing the Russian Interference Issue
At the risk of redundancy, please remember the findings and suggestions in the Cardin Report:
"Putin's Asymmetrical Assault on Democracy in Russia and Europe: Implications for U.S. National Security," finds that President Trump's refusal to publicly acknowledge the threat posed by the Russian government has hampered efforts to mobilize our government, strengthen our institutions, and work with our European allies to counter Putin's interference in democracies abroad.
Never before in American history has so clear a threat to national security been so clearly ignored by a U.S. president, and without a strong U.S. response, institutions and elections here and throughout Europe will remain vulnerable to the Kremlin's aggressive and sophisticated malign influence operations.
Notice the three elements incorporated in this introduction. We haven't mobilized our federal agencies into preventative action. We haven't strengthened our political institutions to prevent further incursions from Russia. Nor have we cooperated fully with European allies to prevent more interference.
The current occupant of the Oval Office and his apologists appear to define Russian meddling only in terms of electoral results, if the Russian interference didn't cause any change in the voting returns then there was no big problem, and hence no sense of urgency in addressing the Russian bots, trolls, and other efforts. There has been no cabinet level meeting to date during which the Russian Interference constituted a major agenda item. Recall AG Jefferson B. Sessions' statement last October:
"We're not," Sessions said, when asked by Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., if the government is taking adequate action to prevent meddling in its elections. "The matter is so complex that for most of us we're not able to fully grasp the technical dangers that are out there."
Sessions said he accepts the U.S. intelligence community's findings that Russia interfered with the 2016 election and may attempt to do so again. He said the Justice Department has been aggressively looking into the stealing of trade secrets in the private sector and noted that the FBI's computer experts are also highly trained.
"Are we at the level we need to be yet? I don't think so," Sessions conceded."
Sessions made the statement in mid-October 2017, if finger counting is correct that's 8 months since the onset of the current administration. Nor has the Cyber-security page on the DoJ been updated since that date. "Are we at the level we need to be yet?" I don't think so either.
The Department of Homeland Security also has a cyber-security component. DHS describes its concerns:
"Cyberspace and its underlying infrastructure are vulnerable to a wide range of risk stemming from both physical and cyber threats and hazards. Sophisticated cyber actors and nation-states exploit vulnerabilities to steal information and money and are developing capabilities to disrupt, destroy, or threaten the delivery of essential services."
The idea that the Russians might be profoundly interested in disrupting the delivery of essential electoral services doesn't seem to have moved to the top of the department's concerns, at least not to the point of making any special reference to those instances of interference. There is a draft of a DHS publication on cyber-security efforts (pdf) available online for the purpose of public comment, published this month. At this point let's review the Cardin Report summation of the problem, and then read a portion of the DHS Draft Report on what might be the same subject.
Cardin Report: "Mr. Putin has thus made it a priority of his regime to attack the democracies of Europe and the United States and undermine the transatlantic alliance upon which Europe's peace and prosperity have depended upon for over 70 years. He has used the security services, the media, public and private companies, organized criminal groups, and social and religious organizations to spread malicious disinformation, interfere in elections, fuel corruption, threaten energy security, and more."
DHS Draft 1-5-18: "Given the networked nature of the risks, real coordination is necessary to fully understand the problem and identify paths to solutions. While the information technology and communications sectors do actively work to understand security risks, sectors often are unable to coordinate well with other sectors. Even though some entities coordinate domestically or regionally, there are few global mechanisms to share information about threats, solutions, and their adoption and efficacy. In many cases, lack of clarity around roles and responsibilities has impeded collective action, resulting in security failures."
At no point in the draft does one find any specific reference to interference in political institutions and operations. A generous interpretation might be that political interference is included in the general category of infrastructure.
In short there's not much in the DHS Draft which would offer any Nevada voter, of any stripe, comfort as to the security of our political institutions, or our election processes. In fact, a quick reading of the draft leaves the impression that the issue of political cyber-security is left to the private sector, and market forces, whatever that might be.
Therefore, we're back where we started, with a federal Executive Branch unable or unwilling or un-directed to develop specific guidelines or regulations toward preventing Russian interference in political matters and a market (Google, Facebook, Twitter) adrift and stumbling around what they may perceive as business and public relations pot holes on the road to prosperity.
"Russian trolls sought to steer Facebook users toward events, even protests, around contentious issues like immigration. In its response to Congress, published Thursday, Facebook elaborated that Kremlin-aligned agents created 129 events on 13 of its pages. Roughly 338,300 unique accounts viewed these events, while 25,800 accounts indicated they were interested and about 62,500 said they would attend. "We do not have data about the realization of these events," Facebook explained."
"Google, meanwhile, previously informed Congress that it had discovered that Russian agents spent about $4,700 on ads and launched 18 channels on YouTube, posting more than 1,100 videos that had been viewed about 309,000 times."
"And Twitter told lawmakers at first that it found 2,752 accounts tied to the Russia-aligned Internet Research Agency. Last week, however, the company updated that estimate, noting that Russian trolls had more than 3,000 accounts — while Russian-based bots talking about election-related issues numbered more than 50,000." [Recode]
There does seem to be some movement from social media operations, however nothing in the draft appears to directly address any specific assistance to state and local governments trying to secure their election rolls, ballot security, and count integrity. Not to put too fine a point to it, but the DHS draft reads like it was crafted by the Chamber of Commerce not law enforcement agencies. A wide and highly generalized focus such as the one presented in the DHS draft doesn't exactly offer much satisfaction to those voters seeking an answer to the problem: What are we doing about Russian interference?
PS: "The Departments are requesting comment, asking for further insight into the issues and goals raised by the report, as well as the proposed approach, current initiatives, and next steps. The draft will be finalized based on adjudication of received comments before submission to the President. The final report is due to the President on May 11, 2018." <https://www.ntia.doc.gov/report/2018/report-president-enhancing-resilience-internet-and-communications-ecosystem-against>
Comments Off on The Problem Of Focus: Viewing the Russian Interference Issue
Filed under Nevada politics, oversight, Politics, Public Records, public safety
Tagged as cyber security, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, Internet Security, Russian election interference, Russian hackers
From Deep Throat to Deep Root: Republicans Careless With 200 Million Voter Files
Oh for the Olden Times when the Grand Old Party had its individual and collective knickers in a twist over Secretary Clinton's "carelessness" with State Department e-mails on <clutch pearls here> a private server… However, now we have to visit the Business and Technology section of the Washington Post to find the following:
"Detailed information on nearly every U.S. voter — including in some cases their ethnicity, religion and views on political issues — was left exposed online for two weeks by a political consultancy which works for the Republican National Committee and other GOP clients.
The data offered a strikingly complete picture of the voting histories and political leanings of the American electorate laid out on an easily downloadable format, said cybersecurity researcher Chris Vickery. He discovered the unprotected files of 198 million voters in a routine scan of the Internet last week and alerted law enforcement officials." (emphasis added)
Translation: Data mined information on 198 million Americans was collected, collated, compiled, and then left for 12 days in an UNPROTECTED STATE for the eyes of any and all — criminal identity thieves, criminal scammers, and anyone who didn't want to go to the bother of hacking into any server in any location. For 12 days all this information was out there, like the food on a buffet — those in line just had to recognize what was on offer.
Where are the calls for hearings? The Outraged cries for an investigation into how this could have happened? The questions as to how we might be able to guarantee something this horrendous doesn't happen again.
If a "good guy" could find this data during a "routine scan" what might happen when someone with less admirable intentions conducts a targeted scan of what's available on American voters?
Let this sink in.
Comments Off on From Deep Throat to Deep Root: Republicans Careless With 200 Million Voter Files
Filed under Politics, privacy, Public Records, Vote Suppression, Voting
Tagged as Cybersecurity, data mining, date breach, Internet Security, voter information data breach
America's Most Accomplished Looters: The Great Pension Robbery
The corporate media outlets are ever so fearful that the raw emotions unleashed by the fate of young black men at the hands of the police will lead to vandalism and looting… they are not so attentive to the wholesale looting conservatives have in mind for America's pension funds. The retirement savings of millions of Americans — The money scraped together from modest earnings over a life time — The funds intended to keep elderly Americans out of poverty.
The Financialists' attack on American pension funds encompasses both the public and private sector, and it is nothing less than A Great Pension Robbery.
The Public Sector Great Pension Robbery
Those, like the Arnold Foundation, who would like nothing more than to get their financialist mitts on public pension funds must first convince people that it would be "better" for the private sector to handle public employee pension funds, and to do so requires a concerted campaign of mis-information and dis-information about pension funds for public employees which are not associated with Social Security. This scam incorporates a multi-layered attack.
Layer One: Convince the general public that public sector employees are pigs at the taypayer's trough. The evidence for this line of assault is rather blatant. The media is only too pleased to provide outlier stories of high pensions such as "Retired Doctor Earns Highest Pension in Illinois History," [Fox Chicago] or "$204,000 per year, Is This Retired Cop's Pension Too High?" [Atlantic] or "Wall Street Isn't The Problem, The Benefits Are" [New York Times] and a steady drum beat of propaganda from the conservative think-tank network including the Manhattan Institute, Cato Institute, Heritage Foundation, etc. will eventually lead to headlines like "Half New Jersey Voters Say Pension Are Too High." [Courier Post]
Layer Two: A coterminous line of attack comes from those who want "transparency," or say they want "accountability" on the part of public pension funds so that the public will know exactly how much retirees are benefiting from their pensions. That there may be some very serious breaches of identity and financial information is given far less consideration than the idea that the publication of benefit amounts will result in little gold mines of outlier amounts which can be inserted into articles about "highest pensions," leaving out the part about average benefits, or the levels of training, education, seniority, and other factors which contributed to the pension. Nor is it made clear in many articles that the employees themselves have made contributions to the retirement plan. The impression is left that the taxpayers are footing the entire freight for "outlandish" pension benefits. The impression is false, fallible, but if repeated often enough rather enduring.
Layer Three: Convince the general public that public employee pension obligations are the cause of financial problems in the political subdivisions or governments. This assault requires that we ignore the gorilla in the corner – that local and state governments are saddled with enormous subsidies and tax breaks for corporations which dwarf the pension short-falls citied in the alarmist publications. [OurFuture]
Cities, counties, and states in this country are subsidizing corporations to the tune of $696 per family. [NYT] In the state of Nevada that adds up to to nice $33.4 million, or $12 per capita, or more specifically: $16.4 million in sale tax refunds, exemptions, or other sales tax discounts; $10 million in cash grants, loans, or loan guarantees, and $5.54 million in property tax abatements. State Tax credit, rebate, or reductions over $5 million have gone to Apple Inc., Switch Communications, Amonix, Enel North America Inc, Solargenix Energy LLC, and PowerLight Corporation. Other reductions have been given to Georgia Pacific, Sherwin-Williams, Western Dairy Specialties, General Motors, PPG Industries, Cardinal Health, Ford, Ocean Spray Cranberries, General Electric, Global Health Management, Ameriprise Financial, Johns Manville, ING Financial Services, Intuit Inc, and Starbucks Mfg Group. [NYT]
It's obvious that the arguments are being framed in terms of why public pension benefits must be cut in order to preserve services – NOT as public pension benefits must be cut in order to preserve tax credits, abatements, reductions, and rebates for corporations.
Layer Four: Convince the general public that public pensions must be "reformed" into defined contribution plans and that those plans could be more efficiently run by private financial interests. The predominant theme is that the current plan is "insolvent," and therefore must be reformed! Not. So. Fast. From the "If You Can't Dazzle Them With Facts Baffle Them With Bull Shit" Department, there's the RJ's editorial with these three instructive paragraphs:
But the best argument for pension reform is not how Nevada's fund compares to those of other states. It's how public employee pension benefits compare to the compensation and retirement options available to the taxpayers who fund the pension system. Which is to say they don't.
That's because the defined-benefit pension has all but vanished from the business world. Portable savings plans such as 401(k)s have taken their place, and many companies can no longer afford to provide matching contributions. Workers largely are on their own in saving for retirement, with the insolvent Social Security system as a backstop to poverty.
Yet they're also on the hook for the retirement of public employees, who can start collecting benefits after as few as 20 years of work. Already, taxpayer-funded pension contributions are squeezing public services such as public safety and education. Those contributions are creeping ever higher to ensure PERS can make good on its generous benefits, which are based on top salaries, not an average of lifetime earnings.
Let us parse: Having acknowledged that the Nevada system IS, in fact, solvent, the RJ dismisses that and hurries on to the rationalization for the Great Pension Robbery. Compare the pensions to the "taxpayers who fund the system?" Wait a minute. By this standard the public employee would only receive pension benefits equal to or less than the lowest pension benefit available to the general public. Or, a public employee with a master's degree in hydrological engineering would be a pig at the trough if he or she were paid benefits greater than a mechanic at Lou's Garage? On some alien planet this might make sense – just not on this one.
The second paragraph is just as interesting, and we'll return to it in another context in a moment, but for now we should note that what the editorial is arguing for is that government should adopt not the best practice (defined benefit plan) but the worst (defined contribution plan) and should do so because everyone else is doing it – ignoring the reason WHY it's being done that way. Defined contribution plans are good for the shareholders (read: institutional investors) in private corporations because they increase shareholder value – i.e. reduce personnel expenses. There is no "shareholder value" to be accomplished by slashing or "reforming" public sector employee benefits – there is only "austerity" on steroids, cost cutting so that the subsidies, and tax breaks for the corporations can be maintained.
And, notice once more – the argument is framed as if the pension obligations are squeezing the availability of services, NOT that the pension obligations are making it more difficult to balance a budget wherein revenue is restricted by low tax rates, tax credits, tax rebates, tax reductions, and outright subsidies for corporations. Those who argue for pension "reform" having no traction on the solvency element appear to be playing the Pig at the Trough Game combined with an unsustainable argument about equity.
The Private Sector Great Pension Robbery
Now that we've stuck a toe into the slime of defined contribution plans and 401(k) 'reforms' in the business sector, it's time to take a look at what the financialist robber (barons?) have in mind for those other taxpayers.
Yes, indeed, those 401(k) plans are popular, with the corporations, but that doesn't mean they are necessarily a good deal for the workers. Seeking Alpha, a popular financial blog, is a bit pessimistic about these plans:
"But, beginning in the 1980s and accelerating of late, we have gone off into a different direction. Most concerning to this conversation is the death of the pension, and the replacement of pensions with 401ks/IRAs, etc. Why is this concerning? Clearly, when you are forcing people who have no acumen and are hardwired to avoid risk to invest on their own to provide for their old age, that is a recipe for disaster. That would be fine, if the consequences for our society weren't so devastating."
All right, the idea of having financial novices in charge of their own pension plans isn't necessarily a good idea – you can call it 'Freedom' if you like, but it boils down to YOYO – you're on your own. And, in a world of volatile markets which may or may not be rigged against the little guy, the 401(k) notion is dubious at best. We might want to take a moment to look at this more closely – why is the 401(k) not the best way to insure the ability of seniors to stay out of poverty in their later years.
Most workers don't have enough money left over after basic expenses to invest in an individual pension plan, and now we have the numbers to prove it:
"When broken down to the individual level, those numbers add up to nowhere near enough money. According to a recent report issued by the National Institute on Retirement Security, the median amount a family nearing retirement has saved for their post-work lives is $12,000. As for the magical 401(k)? If a household where the earners are between the ages of 55 and 64 does have a retirement account, they barely hit the six-figure mark at $100,000—a far cry from $1 million we're told we need." [Salon]
Anyone who wants to get into the weeds of this argument needs to take the time to read the testimony of John Bogle, founder of the Vanguard group, before the Senate Finance Committee on September 16, 2014. (pdf) Among Bogle's suggestions we find, limited participation, and excessive management fees cited as problems for the 401(k) advocates. This finds support from other voices who note:
"Most middle-class savers end up either undersaving, overtrading, investing in excessively high-fee vehicles or some combination of the three. A small number of highly compensated folks now have lucrative careers offering bad investment products to a middle-class mass market based on their ability to swindle people." [Slate]
There are a couple of elements in the Great Private Pension Robbery which perhaps need a bit more explication. First, most people have no idea how much they are paying in management fees for their retirements investments. Secondly, most people have no idea how and why that management makes investment decisions on their behalf.
There are two kinds of fees charged, the management fee – usually about 1-2% depending on the size and structure of the plan, and the trading fee, based on the activity of the account. And most people don't have a clue how much they are paying and for what. [MJ] And, we are not speaking of some piddling amount in fees, as the study by Demos discovers:
"According to our fee model, a two-earner household, where each partner earns the median income for their gender each year over their working lifetime, will pay an average of $154,794 in 401(k) fees and lost returns.
A higher-income dual-earner household, one where each partner earns an income greater than three-quarters of Americans each year can expect to pay an even steeper price: (as much as) $277,969. "
Those fees and the accounts to which they are attached are extremely attractive for the denizens of the Wall Street Casino, and there's a little secret involved – there are cheaper ways of investing for retirement, but they aren't likely to be included in the pitch from the investment managers. Why? The explanation requires that the worker know the difference between "active" and "passive" management:
"Most funds are "actively managed" by managers who pick and choose stocks for their funds, and the fees for these services add up to about 0.93 percent on average — again, year after year, every year. Putting your 401(k) money in passive "index" funds, which simply and automatically track the returns of major stock market indexes, can cost as little as 0.14 percent per fund — less than one-fifth the average cost." [DFIC]
So, how much does an investment advisor have to tell the client? Not much, and they want to tell you even less.
Now we come to the part where public and private pension plans meet: How much does the management have to disclose to the retirement plan investor? In the state of Kentucky a public school teacher was summarily informed that he had no right to know the terms of the agreement between the Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System and the Wall Street wealth management firms handling the actual investments. The management trade group excuses this total lack of transparency saying, "secrecy is necessary and appropriate to protect the financial industry's commercial interests." [Moyers]
We might translate "financial industry's commercial interests," to something like the financial services industry's proprietary information including how much they are collecting and for what services rendered. If system wide information isn't available then how is the individual investor in a 401(k) plan supposed to find out what is going on?
The stance of financial management gives every appearance of being: Give us your money, and shut up. We're the experts here, and please just trust us to do the right thing – except …
"One casualty of the House budget talks to avert a government shutdown may be a proposed rule requiring investment advisers to act in the best interests of their clients, according to multiple House Democratic sources.
Labor activists and financial reform experts have heralded the rule as a critical step toward enhancing retirement security. The policy would impose a "fiduciary duty" on financial professionals who oversee retirement accounts, barring them from considering the potential profits of their own firm when choosing investments. Instead, investment managers would have to pick stocks, bonds and other assets based only on what was in the best interest of retirees." [HuffPo]
Get that? The financial professional is supposed to exercise a "fiduciary duty" to pick investments on how well the investment is likely to perform and NOT on the fee's the professional's firm could rake in. That simple rule has been drafted, attacked by the lobbyists from the financial sector, and is now a hostage during government funding debates in the House. Not only are investors in pension plans unaware of the terms and fees attached, they cannot assume that the investments in their plans were made with their best interests in mind. Just hand over the money – and keep very, very, quiet?
How To Pull Off The Perfect Heist
The elements for the Great American Pension Heist are all in place. On the public side of the ledger – convince the public that pensions and the potential pensioners are the problem – never the Wall Street debacle of 2007-2008 or the tax subsidies gladly handed out to corporations. Clamor loudly and at length about the need for pension "reform." Wait for a compliant legislature, city council, or other government entity to hand over the money – and then tell them they have no right to find out the terms of the management operations. Go quietly and no one will get hurt!
On the private side – Continue to tell workers that they'll be better off with their "economic freedom" to finance their own retirement plans with "flexibility," and they can use their money as they want – just make the management fee structure so complicated it takes a degree in Finance to figure it out, and then operate on the happy assumption that the financial professional's first duty is to his own firm's bottom line not with no specific obligation to cover the future retiree's bottom. Give us your money, pay us the fees, and just trust us! Go quietly, and no one will get hurt?
Additional information and references:
"Looting the Pension Funds: Wall St. is grabbing money meant for public workers," Rolling Stone, September 2013. "The Plot Against Pensions," Institute for America's Future. "The 401(k) Scam," Seeking Alpha, September 2014. "401(k)'s are a sham," Salon, August 2013. Testimony, John Bogle, Vanguard Group, Senate Finance Committee, September 2014. (pdf) "401(k) Plans are a Rip Off, Mother Jones, May 2013. "Hidden 401(k) fees: The Great Retirement Plan Rip Off," Daily Finance Investor Center, June 2012. "The Retirement Savings Drain, Demos, May 2012. "401(k) Fees are Robbing You Blind," My Daily Finance, April 2013. "Public Pensions and Hedge funds don't mix," Demos, October 2013.
Edit: Sorry for the confusion — "Layer Five" should have been Layer Four! Thanks for the proofreading, and maybe next time I'll remember the maxim "The Preview Button Is Your Friend!"
Comments Off on America's Most Accomplished Looters: The Great Pension Robbery
Filed under Economy, public employees, Public Records
Tagged as 401(k) plans, Financialism, financialists, retirement, retirement accounts, Wall Street
>Presidential Records Act: Nevada Delegation Votes to Open Records, Make Library Donor Names Public
>The House of Representatives has taken on a couple of important elements toward cleaning up some of the subterfuge and secrecy of the Bush Administration in H.R. 35 which rescinds the infamous Executive Order No. 13233, November 1, 2001. All three members of the Nevada congressional delegation voted in favor of the bill [roll call 5] The same cannot be said of our neighbors to the south; Arizona Republicans Flake, Franks, and Shadegg voted against the bill that would reverse the Bush Administration's decision to delay public release of records for years. The provisions of H.R. 35 also state that ONLY the president and former presidents can assert executive privilege over records and NOT former vice presidents, and the descendants of presidents. [AP]
H.R. 36 requires that donors to presidential libraries be made public. Again, all members of the Nevada delegation (Heller, Titus, Berkley) voted in favor of the bill. [roll call 6]
The House passed this legislation last session only to have the measures bottled up in the Senate.
desertbeacon.blogspot.com
Comments Off on >Presidential Records Act: Nevada Delegation Votes to Open Records, Make Library Donor Names Public
Filed under Bush Administration, Public Records
>Governor Gibbons vs. The Reading Public
The Reno Gazette Journal and political writer Anjeanette Damon have a point. The Nevada statutes pertaining to public records are useless for all practical purposes if an elected official (oh, say…the Governor?) can unilaterally decide which, if any, e-mails are subject to the provisions. "Scott A. Glogovac, attorney for the Reno Gazette-Journal, said "Public record law in this state clearly does not allow a governmental agency to issue a blanket denial of access in response to a citizen's request for multiple records in the possession of that agency." [LV Sun]
Nevada Revised Statutes chapter 239 sets forth how public records are to be maintained and which may be accessed. It is clear from the outset that the Legislative intent favors blanket access over blanket denial: "The purpose of this chapter is to foster democratic principles by providing members of the public with access to inspect and copy public books and records to the extent provided by law. The provisions of this chapter must be construed liberally to carry out this important purpose; and any exemption, exception or balancing of interests which limits or restricts access to public books and records by members of the public must be construed narrowly." (NRS 239.001) (emphasis added)
Is Governor Gibbons subject to this construction? Yes, according to NRS 239.005 – a "government entity" includes an elected or appointed officer of this state, or of a political subdivision of this state. The Nevada Administrative Code (NAC 239.690) holds that a "state agency" means an office, department, board, commission, committee, agency or any other subdivision of the Executive Branch of the government of the state of Nevada where records are make, received or kept. And the Governors communications clearly fall under the NAC definition of a "record:" …"official state record" means information created or received by a state agency under authority of law, regulation or other legal mandate or in connection with the transaction of public business that is preserved or appropriate for preservation by the agency or its legitimate successor as evidence of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations or other activities of the state agency, including, without limitation, all papers, unpublished books, maps, photographs, machine readable materials including audio and audiovisual materials, or other documentary materials, regardless of physical form or characteristics." [NAC] If the Governor is "transacting public business" then his records are subject to inspection – if he is not "transacting public business," then the question becomes: What is he doing using the facilities of his State office for personal business?
The Governor seems to understand that he cannot simply deny access to public records, since his attorney is arguing that it would be better if a judge sorted through the e-mails, determining which might be categorized as personal; and, "whether privacy, confidentiality or the best interests of the state outweigh the policy in favor of disclosure." [LV Sun] If extrapolated to its ultimate conclusion, this argument would yield a system in which public access to public records would be subject to a judicial filter; hardly a testimony to the liberal interpretation set forth by the public record statute. Worse still, if the Governor's argument that his office can determine, and a judge can affirm, that disclosure would "not be in the best interests of the state," then all public records could be closed, placing the burden of easing the restrictions on the public – in direct contravention of the intent to use the most narrow standards for restriction of access. Some of the Governor's other arguments are equally specious.
From the Governor's attorney: "The state Supreme Court has held that Nevada's broad public records law ensures access to "vital information about governmental activities, Spencer said, adding that materials "that do not concern the public business" aren't in that category. Spencer also said personal and "transitory" e-mails of "temporary importance" and "very limited administrative value" transmitted via the state's e-mail system aren't public records, according to a state policy. The same goes for e-mails that duplicate paper records, under the policy. As for any e-mails between the governor and first lady, Spencer said there's a "husband and wife" privilege in state law that blocks release of such communications unless both agree to the release. Spencer also said the state Supreme Court has held that records don't have to be made public if they're part of a "deliberative process" in government or would "unreasonably interfere with an agency's governmental function." [SFC]
The argument that materials that "do not concern the public business" are exempt prompts the question: Who determines which records "concern public business?" Can any member of the executive branch unilaterally declare stacks of documents or copious piles of e-mail "personal" and therefore restricted without review?
Again, who can make a determination that a record is transitory, temporary, or of limited value? The public record act doesn't actually say what the Governor thinks it says in this regard – the statute (239) describes which records must be retained and archived, not necessarily which can be opened or restricted.
The husband and wife restriction would surely apply if their communication is private, as in face to face, or via a private communications line. However, what if the "transmissions" are made using public facilities and equipment paid for by the taxpayers of Nevada? Further, isn't the burden of proof on the Governor to show that the communications are part of "a deliberative process," or would "unreasonably interfere with a governmental function?" He might be able to make this argument, IF members of the public as represented by the Reno Gazette Journal knew which communications were part of the process or functions – a determination they cannot make without at least seeing the logs in the first place.
District Judge Bill Maddox set a hearing date for Thursday, December 4th on this issue. Frankly, the Governor deserves to lose this round.
Comments Off on >Governor Gibbons vs. The Reading Public
Filed under Gibbons, Nevada, Public Records


Race dates for the 2016 season have now been posted here.
We would like to inform you that the pre-registration for the upcoming eight round of the ORCA Club Championship and second round of the RCCAOI 200mm National Championship has opened on https://events.orcaireland.ie/. We hope you find the system easy to use, if there are any issues please send a mail to luke[at]orcaireland.ie (replace [at] with @).
The event will take place on Sunday 5th July and is open to all on-road classes welcome. Normal event timetable will apply with registration at 09:00 and practice starting from 10:00.
We would like to inform you that the pre-registration for the upcoming third round of the RCCAOI 1/5 National Championship has opened on https://events.orcaireland.ie/. We hope you find the system easy to use, if there are any issues please send a mail to luke[at]orcaireland.ie (replace [at] with @).
The event will take place on Saturday 27th June and is open to all on-road classes welcome. Normal event timetable will apply with registration at 09:00 and practice starting from 10:00.
We would like to inform you that the pre-registration for the upcoming seventh round of the ORCA Club Championship has opened on https://events.orcaireland.ie/. We hope you find the system easy to use, if there are any issues please send a mail to luke[at]orcaireland.ie (replace [at] with @).
The event will take place on Sunday 21st June and is open to all on-road classes welcome. Normal event timetable will apply with registration at 09:00 and practice starting from 10:00.
We would like to inform you that the pre-registration for the upcoming second round of the RCCAOI 1/5 National Championship has opened on http://events.orcaireland.ie/. We hope you find the system easy to use, if there are any issues please send a mail to luke[at]orcaireland.ie (replace [at] with @).
The event will take place on Saturday 30th May and is open to all on-road classes welcome. Normal event timetable will apply with registration at 09:00 and practice starting from 10:00.


Ardis G. Egan Junior High School: Search homes, houses and land by Ardis G. Egan Junior High School in Los Altos CA. You can views homes and houses by distance, price, bedroom, bathrooms and square footage. Use the ?Near by? feature to find real estate for sale near a location in Los Altos CA including schools, restaurants, local attractions and more!


Live event tech has had an undeniable impact on the evolution of the industry. From the widespread integration of the cell phone to RFID adoption and management software which gives stunning levels of oversight, the past decade has seen the sector advance in leaps and bounds.
But it seems like we're just getting started. In this article, we'll look at some existing live event tech that is continuing to drive innovation and a myriad of emerging trends that are coming down the pipeline.
We have covered Facebook's algorithm changes extensively this year and have pinpointed it as being a key moment that live event marketing would take a dramatic shift. That being said, chatbots via Facebook Messenger still offer a lot of potential, particularly for getting traction on major announcements.
Primarily used as a mechanism to effectively and quickly answer customer queries, we're looking forward to seeing the bots being used by festivals to drop their lineups—particularly given that they have a 98% open rate and could potentially be the best way to subvert the restrictions coming from Facebook's algorithm.
Apps have become a crucial part of every major live event. Festivals, conferences, trade shows and sporting events have all been developing bespoke smart phones apps for years, but the next wave of technology in this sector promises to be considerably more than a digital version of the paper guide.
Companies like Aloompa, Greencopper, and Appmiral have been doing excellent work in the festival space. Pathable and Presdo Match have the conference space on lockdown, while DoubleDutch has been the big name in the consumer event sector.
We've been particularly impressed by Aloompa. The Nashville-based start-up has been gleaning increasingly interesting data from their widely used FestApp platform, and their integration with beacon technology is producing really compelling insights for detail-driven festival producers looking for growth in the 1's and 0's.
Playing a hand in security via Access Control, transactions via Cashless Payments and marketing via Experiential, the widespread integration of RFID has been arguably the biggest technological development in the live event space in the past decade.
With a host of applications and benefits derived from a singular piece of lightweight, easy-to-use tech, it's no wonder that RFID has become an integral element of events of all sizes and the platform driving the industry's embrace of big data. In the coming years, expect to see mandatory RFID registration become the norm as events look to build profiles on all attendees and get better insight into who's coming to their events.
For those still scratching their heads about the features and benefits of RFID, check out our 4-Step RFID Event Check Guide.
Bridging the gap between the on-site and off-site experience is a crucial element of brand integration into live events, and few channels offer that path like live streaming.
At the time of writing, Facebook Live is still delivering strong organic engagement, and other event verticals like conferences are coming live in a bid to expand their audience reach far beyond the confines of the event site.
Through channels like Boiler Room, Mixmag Lab and Be-At TV, the electronic music scene has widely embraced live streaming and was able to integrate major brands like Corona, Budweiser, Smirnoff and Ray-Ban. Electric Zoo and EDC have also experimented with using Facebook Live to announce their lineups.
Expect to see more experimentation with live streaming announcements as long as organic engagement is high.
While still very much in its fledgling stages and somewhat outshone by VR, the integration of AR into the live event tech space is something to keep a close eye on.
Coachella quietly demoed a cute augmented reality experiment last year which allowed fans to get a glimpse of a fun digital rendering of the festival site with their wristband package. This year they are back again with a significantly more sophisticated offering which should give you an indication of where we're heading, particularly given the Californian monolith's trailblazer status.
We have heard rumblings that AEG is actively exploring novel ways to integrate AR into the festival experience, with some major opportunities for brands to muscle in and get that highly prized engagement.
"There is nothing more important than access control and the only way to have real control is through a legitimate and fool proof accreditation system," explains Chad Ladov, founder of surveillance firm Unified Command and frequent Intellitix contributor.
Our friends at Lennd have been hard at work developing a powerful credential management system that is designed to manage the access infrastructure of major festivals and live events and give you a better vantage point of who's going where.
With reports from the UK of "fake security" scams and heavily publicized attempts to breach high profile sporting events, it has never been more important to take extra precautions to safeguard your event and better manage your credentials.
Looking for more content about live event tech?
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18/06/2020 19:38 vickeylalwani
"Akshay Kumar Has Come As A Demigod For Me," Says TV Actress Nupur Alankar, Struck By Financial Crisis
Akshay Kumar has bailed out TV actress Nupur Alankar from a very depressing financial crisis and the actress makes no bones in thanking him. Read this exclusive.
TV actress Nupur Alankar (of Reth, Pran Jaaaye Par Shaan Na and Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon) is overwhelmed having received a good amount of money from the superstar Akshay Kumar for extending a helping hand during her financial crisis.
As they say, it pays to talk. And Nupur did just that. Nupur shared her plight with her close friend Renuka Shahane. The crisis has been triggered by the ongoing lockdown, but it all began when Nupur's money got locked in the PMC bank crisis. Says Nupur, "Mummy's health crisis came during that period only and it had started to affect my own well-being. I never knew that Renuka's tweet would make such a difference. I have no words to thank Akshay for what he has done." Nupur's mother is suffering from Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD), rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and pulmonary hypertension.
Has she thanked Akshay? Replied Nupur, "Well, I sent him a text on whatever number I had. I don't think he's using that number anymore and I doubt if it was delivered. Anyway, I have no words to thank him. Will any amount of words be enough to praise him?
Renuka's tweets triggered off a call to her husband Ashutosh Rana. And trust me, Akshay has given more than I would've wanted. For now, I can look after my mother very well, including keeping a caretaker."
Nupur also went on to say that she's going to lie to her mother, now. "Look, Mummy feels that our entire PNC money has gone. I am going to show her my Bank Of Baroda account now, where Akshay's offering has been deposited- and tell her that the PNC crisis is partially solved and they're transferring our money from PNC to Bank Of Baroda. It will make her happy and decrease her worry."
"Akshay has come like a demigod for me," Nupur concluded.
Akshay has been instrumental in helping a lot, even otherwise. As far as the ongoing COVID-19 period is concerned, after donating Rs 25 crore in The PM Cares Fund, Rs 3 crore to BMC and Rs 2 crore to Mumbai Police (plus 1000 wrist bands to them in another generous gesture to detect symptoms of COVID-19), Akki (as he is fondly called) went ahead to help the needy members of the CINTAA by donating to the tune of Rs 45 lakh.
Trust Akshay Kumar to stand up for those who are in need and you will not be disappointed.
Ashutosh Rana
CINTAA
Mumbai Police
Nupur Alankar
PMC Bank
Renuka Shahane
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Mindfulness is the New Macho
When you think of macho characters, who comes to mind? James Bond, facing death regularly with a debonair disposition, only to make love to a gorgeous woman moments later? Steve McQueen, tearing through the streets of San Francisco in a Mustang? James Dean, the icon with a chiseled jawline who gave birth to the modern rebel archetype? An Italian man drenched in cologne with a motorcycle and a woman under each arm? Or perhaps it's a testosterone-fuelled wrestler who would threaten to give you brain damage by patting you on the back?
Our ideas of what make a man macho are largely determined by cultural stereotypes such as these. To those of us with perhaps a more sophisticated understanding of emotional intelligence, the emphasis on pride resulting from physical strength, emotional distance and ego fulfilment may seem a bit immature, if not totally ridiculous. However, these archetypes persevere, and there is an unquenchable thirst in many men's minds to be as much of a man as possible. We have, after all, evolved through competition; through being the strongest, most confident and capable individuals in the tribe.
We are living in a time when the lack of restraint on the macho man archetype has allowed one of the most egotistical men alive to ascend to the most powerful position in the world, mostly through strategic flaunting of his ego alone, with little real substance to offer.
Meanwhile, more and more men are finding direction in the ancient wisdom shared by people whose power was not created through prestige and idolatry, but, rather, through a commitment to self-realization. The transparency of the limits of machismo are increasingly apparent, and more men are seeking something real within, simple yet profound truths inside themselves and reflected in the words and actions of ancient sages such as Lao Tzu and Buddha.
In relationships, these men learn that they alone are responsible for their feelings and actions. They seek to understand their partners, and rather than try to fix their partner's issues with their own points of view, they know that the strongest thing that a man can do is to simply hold space for them. They learn to eschew emotional reaction by taking ownership of their experience, while creating a steady, grounding force with their energy to protect the household.
In business, rather than focusing on the competition, these men compete with themselves to do business honestly and with integrity, compassion, and a sense of purpose, knowing that every thought and every action they take creates a ripple effect which can either contribute to the creation or the destruction of their team and their business.
In so doing, these men prove themselves to be stronger than their macho brothers. Through dropping their need to prove themselves and committing to serving the highest interests of their health and their relationships, these men earn their sense of pride in each moment through living in deep integrity. The macho man is being replaced by the mindful man.
Watch the video version of this article by clicking on the image below
Sam Morris is based in LA. You can contact Sam and find out more about his Zen Warrior Training programme at www.zenwarriortraining.com
5 Ways Hatha Yoga Reduces Crossfit Injury
In the wellness world, people tend to find their niche and then they will defend that training modality with the ferocity of a lioness! It's rare to find crossover amongst training styles: with Yoga and Crossfit being two of the most fiercely defended.
5 Easy Ways to Start A Life of Mindfulness
We talk a lot about being mindful, and concentrating on leading a life that is so. But how do you get started? Practicing mindfulness and integrating it into your life can be tricky to begin with.
5 Lesser Known Tips For Back Pain
Back pain is estimated to affect 80% of the population at some point in life. Be it due to sitting long hours at a desk, as a result of stress, or simply by living too sedentary a life.
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Q: How to select value in input field with jquery? I'm trying to get the value in my input field to be put into my post statement to be sent to my php file to update the record without reloading the page. It works fine with static information that I put in but when I want to select what I have typed in the input box, i can't get it to work. Nothing happens.
<script src="../jquery.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
    function editItem() {
        catno = $("#catno").attr('value');
        id = $("#id").attr('value');
        $.post('writeToDB.php', {
            id: id,
            catno: catno
        });
    }
</script>
</head>
<body>
    <form id="foo">
        <input type="hidden" value="<?php echo $row_Recordset1['ID']; ?>" name="id"
        id="id" />
        <input type="text" value="<?php echo $row_Recordset1['CAT_NO']; ?>" name="catno"
        id="catno" onchange="editItem();" />
    </form>

I'm new to this javasrcipt world and jquery but I'm at the piont of pulling my hair out. I'm probably doing something really stupid
Thanks

A: Change
catno = $("#catno").attr('value');
id = $("#id").attr('value');

to
var catno = $("#catno").val();
var id = $("#id").val();

Use .val() to retrieve the value of an input.
You should also prefix your locally declared variables with var - this question/answer has a good explanation why

A: call val() method
id = $("#id").val();

val() method get the current value of the first element in the set of
  matched elements

so your code will be
function editItem() {
    var catno = $("#catno").val();
    var id = $("#id").val()
    $.post('writeToDB.php', {
        id: id,
        catno: catno
    });
}

A: Use .val() :
http://api.jquery.com/val/

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