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Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Book Review and Giveaway!!! A Hope Undaunted By Julie Lessman
Reading Julie Lessman's books is like sitting down for my favorite soap for an hour of guilty pleasure. Her books pack a powerful spiritual punch though, and unlike a soap opera, her characters actually learn from their mistakes and repent.
Her latest release is A Hope Undaunted. Below are some things she graciously shared with me.
1. Are there any scenes in AHU modeled after your own life?
As a matter of fact, there are two things I pulled directly from my own life. The first is mentioned in the opening scene where we find out that Katie O'Connor was made fun of in kindergarten because of skin condition she had, which consequently molds her into a champion for the underdog and women's rights. In that scene, an elderly nun asks Katie if she has leprosy in front of the whole class, and that kicks off a barrage of ridicule from her classmates, which is exactly what happened to me in the 2nd grade.
You see, when I was in half-day kindergarten, I attended all day because my sisters and brothers were in the upper grades, and my parents only wanted to make one round trip. As a result, I was the teacher's pet and so popular that kids used to fight over holding my hand. But when my parents moved me to a different school in 2nd grade, the switch was so traumatic that I broke out in psoriasis all over my legs and arms, forcing me to wear sweaters and knee socks year-round just like Katie O'Connor. The summer before I changed schools again in the 5th grade, I got angry about the psoriasis and stopped wearing knee socks and sweaters. Lo and behold, the psoriasis cleared up after being in the sun, and when school started I became "popular" again. I remember how the popular clique wanted me to join them, but I refused, choosing to hang out with the "rejects" instead because I wanted nothing to do with people who thought they were better than everyone else. It was a bitter lesson to learn, but one that has given me (and Katie O'Connor in the story) a soft heart for the underdog.
The second scene that is modeled after something in my life appears later in the book where Katie's sister, Faith, tries to talk her into turning her life over to God. Katie does not share her family's deep faith and is almost agnostic, which is a person who doubts the truth of religion. Here's a snippet of that scene where Faith talks to her about God:
"Katie," Faith whispered, "you say He's not real to you, that you're not sure He even exists. But right this minute, one of us is right and one of us is wrong ..."
Katie looked into her sister's face, as if compelled to listen by some strange force that pulled at her with a tentative thread of hope.
Wetness shimmered in Faith's eyes. "If it's me who is wrong, then I have lost nothing. Because even if I have believed in a lie or a fairy-tale, then that lie or fairy-tale has given me more joy, more hope and more strength than anything I have ever encountered. But if it is you who is wrong, Katie, I tremble to think that you will have lost everything—His joy, His peace, His hope …" Her voice softened to a bare whisper. "His salvation." She straightened then, her manner as sure as the conviction in her tone. "I repeat, Katie, one of us is right and one of us is wrong. Do it now, I beg of you—invite Him into your heart. Because truly, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain."
The above words that Faith speaks are exactly what I spoke to an agnostic friend of mine from work years ago, but Katie's response that follows in the scene below is taken from words I actually spoke in the privacy of my bedroom after a woman at work (the one who brought me to Christ) challenged me to ask Christ into my heart years prior:
Gripping her sister's hand like a lifeline in a stormy sea, Katie lifted her face to the ceiling while water seeped from her lidded eyes. Her voice quivered, but her resolve was sure. "God, Faith says You're up there, that You care for me and have a plan for my life. If You are … and I'm not just talking to a ceiling … will You show me? Reveal Yourself to me, Your love, Your purpose for my life. Please, God, come into my heart and make me the woman You want me to be."
2.) AHU is the fourth novel you've written revolving around the same family, with each previous novel spotlighting its own hero and heroine. Do you resonate with your heroine Katie in any ways differently than you've related to previous heroines?
Katie is actually based on my own 22-year-old daughter Amy rather than me, so I don't relate to Katie as much as I do to Faith (who is my spiritual self) or Charity (who is my passionate self before Christ) or Lizzie (who is my dreamer self), except for the ways I mentioned above. My Amy is in law school like Katie is and has a quick wit and a precise list as to what she wants in a husband, just like Katie O'Connor.
3.)There are quite a few kisses in AHU. Which one is your favorite and how do you feel it morally and emotionally changed your characters?
Oh, without question, the scene where Luke kisses Katie for the first time in the offices of the Boston Children's Aid Society is my VERY favorite. I love everything about it—Katie's attraction to Luke, his concern for her welfare and subsequent kiss, his shock over her passionate response followed by his shock over her slap of his face. That slap triggers something in him that changes his gentle concern to a hard and dominating kiss that's meant to insult her, but all it does is seal Katie's fate … and Luke's.
That single kiss changes Katie O'Connor forever, transforming her from a strong woman in control to a woman weakened at the knees by a man who suddenly controls her, at least emotionally. Morally it weakened her as well because where she once was involved with only one man, she now finds herself passionate about another at the same time, causing her to fall into Luke McGee's arms at the drop of a hat while she is still going with Jack. Emotionally, that kiss scares the daylights out of her because she does NOT want to be attracted to Luke or allow him to control her in anyway, especially in the arena of love. Nope, Katie has plans to marry Jack, a wealthy lawyer whom she has eating out of her hand … not a penniless street lawyer like Luke McGee who refuses to let her run the show.
Julie Lessman is an award-winning author whose tagline of "Passion With a Purpose" underscores her intense passion for both God and romance. Winner of the 2009 ACFW Debut Author of the Year and Holt Medallion Awards of Merit for Best First Book and Long Inspirational, Julie is also the recipient of 13 Romance Writers of America awards and was voted by readers as "Borders Best of 2009 So Far: Your Favorite Fiction" at http://www.borders.com/online/store/ListView_best2009favefiction. She resides in Missouri with her husband, daughter, son and daughter-in-law and is the author of The Daughters of Boston series, which includes A Passion Most Pure, A Passion Redeemed, and A Passion Denied. You can contact Julie through her website at www.julielessman.com.
One thing I love about Lessman's books is how she writes passion, both emotional and physical. Her stories never fail to drop me into drama and hook me until I reach the end.
When you read romance, what level of steam do you prefer? Have you read Lessman? If so, who is your favorite character in the O'Connor family?
Leave a comment to be entered to win a signed copy
61 comments:
- Wendy Paine Miller said...
Oh my, I had the honor of dining with Julie last Friday and I must say she's one of the most entertaining and awesome people I've ever met.
~ Wendy
- September 22, 2010 at 7:04 AM
- Sherrinda said...
Oh yes, I've read Julie's books and her "steam" is the kind of steam I love! She writes the best kissing scenes...sigh. I can't wait to read this one!!!
Don't enter me, since I won it on another blog! It's coming soon!!!! Yay!!!!
- September 22, 2010 at 7:08 AM
- Sherrinda said...
Oh yes, I've read Julie's books and her "steam" is the kind of steam I love! She writes the best kissing scenes...sigh. I can't wait to read this one!!!
Don't enter me, since I won it on another blog! It's coming soon!!!! Yay!!!!
- September 22, 2010 at 7:08 AM
- Jeanette Levellie said...
I've heard so many good things about Julie; I'd love to win one of her books! Please enter my name in the drawing, and thanks to both of you.
I like a little steam, to propel me onward, but not so much that I turn three shades of pink.
- September 22, 2010 at 8:39 AM
- Julie Lessman said...
JESSICA ... Thank you for your kind words and for hosting me on your blog today. And I apologize that this one slipped through the cracks on me. You can tell that I wrote it late last night because in the last sentence of the first paragraph of question 1, I left out the word "asks" after "elderly nun" and before "Katie," but I guess readers will get my drift. I gotta slow down, I think ... :)
WENDY!!! It was SOOOO darn good to meet you, girl, and that lunch was one of the best experiences I've ever had at a conference. The mix of woman there was THE BEST!! Hope to do a repeat next year!
Hey, SHERRINDA, I can't wait to read YOUR books because I DO know that you are are a girl who likes "steam." :)
JEANETTE ... My books are like misting your face over a warm pot of water ... not enough to turn your face red, but enough to give you a rosy glow! :) Good luck in the contest.
- September 22, 2010 at 9:07 AM
- Cindy R. Wilson said...
Bring on the steam! I had the opportunity to meet Julie briefly at the conference and she was just as fabulous in person as she sounds on paper. What was awesome, though, is how much everyone thought of her and her writing, which made me want to read her work even more. I've never read one of her books but this one sounds like it's right up my alley :)
I'd love a chance to read it! Thanks!
- September 22, 2010 at 9:16 AM
- Terri Tiffany said...
I have never had the pleasure to read one of her books but I love her tagline! It sounds terrific!
- September 22, 2010 at 9:37 AM
I like just about every level of steam, sometimes I'm in the mood for more, sometimes less. I've read all of Julie's books, and while I think Lizzie is my favorite because I identify with her most, I think Katie has the potential to steal that spot once I read this new book.
- September 22, 2010 at 10:09 AM
- Patti said...
I loved this description:
her characters actually learn from their mistakes and repent
Sounds like a great book full of lessons.
- September 22, 2010 at 10:30 AM
Great post, Jessie! And Julie, wonderful interview and testimonial. Thanks so much for sharing your heart with us!
- September 22, 2010 at 10:35 AM
- Jessica Nelson said...
Yay, you all are entered! :-) And Julie, thanks so much for stopping by! You can tell I rushed it on too 'cause I didn't even catch those typos! LOL I'll go in and fix them. I also need to put in some live links for people to click on.
Oh, and I met Julie at last year's conference. She's wonderful, very vibrant and warm!
- September 22, 2010 at 10:58 AM
- Diane said...
I have never read any of her books but see great reviews everywhere I look. I will have to check her out. I did put a link for her blog contest on my site so others can find her too. :O)
Awesome giveaway!
- September 22, 2010 at 12:02 PM
- T. Anne said...
Well since you compared it to the guilty pleasure of a soap I'm going to have to read this now! I really, really hope her novels are available for kindle!!!!! I'm ready to read this weekend. =)
- September 22, 2010 at 12:02 PM
- Jessica Nelson said...
Diane, when I grabbed a link from amazon, I noticed that she had quite a few reviews and all of them were 5s!! I think people really respond to how she writes.
T. Anne, LOL. I have no clue but you'll have to let me know what you think. :-)
- September 22, 2010 at 12:44 PM
- Michelle said...
I've read all of Julie's books, and I've loved every one! The level of steam is just right. I love how Julie describes it as "misting your face over a warm pot of water". That sounds just about right! :D
Who is my favorite character of the O'Connor family? Can I be diplomatic, and say that they're all my favorite? LOL! ;-)
Okay, I'll choose just one character, and go with Faith.
Thanks for a chance to win a signed book! I appreciate it!
scraphappy71 at sbcglobal dot net
- September 22, 2010 at 1:53 PM
- Jolene Perry said...
Wow. great interview, thanks for sharing!
- September 22, 2010 at 2:00 PM
- Cheryl Linn Martin said...
I haven't read Julie Lessman, but I love your description, Jessica! Exactly what would make me turn page after page! Thanks for the interview and the drawing. I enjoy reading your blog.
- September 22, 2010 at 2:48 PM
- Tamika: said...
Wonderful interview ladies:) I haven't had the privilege to read any of Julie's work, so please include me in the drawing!
- September 22, 2010 at 3:21 PM
- Jessica Nelson said...
Thanks for stopping by, Cheryl! I like reading yours too. :-)
Tamika, you're included!
Your welcome, Jolene. Thanks for commenting!
Michelle, I've loved all her books too! LOL I think Faith is the one I relate to the most, though Lizzie is next, but ask me to choose a hero and I'd flounder! They're all so...umm...you know. The B S-word. *grin*
- September 22, 2010 at 3:33 PM
- LuLu said...
AHU is the first Julie Lessman book that I have read and now I'm hooked! I would love to win a copy for my mom!
As for steam, I like emotional steam as well as a bit of passion, but I do like to use my imagination as well! I really loved Katie for all of her spunk and trouble...she reminded me of myself a bit, I didn't always obey quite so well as a teenager myself!
~Lauri M (lulu)
- September 22, 2010 at 4:03 PM
Bring on 'the steam.' I have loved ALL of Julie's books...and I am eagerly waiting to read Katie's story...thanks for the chance, Julie & Jessica :)
kmkuka at yahoo dot com
- September 22, 2010 at 4:21 PM
- Jessica Nelson said...
Lauri, you didn't obey, huh? *grin* Thanks for commenting!
Hi Karen, you're definitely entered. ;-) Thanks for stopping by!
- September 22, 2010 at 4:28 PM
- Elana Johnson said...
Wow, sounds like a great read! And I love it when there are personal things in the MS--so great to read about them here.
- September 22, 2010 at 5:14 PM
I would to read this book. I have psoriasis now and I know the little kids wouldn't understand it. When I was in grade school I had to wear very heavy clunky shoes that made a lot of noise when I went down the hall. Of course, everyone would turn around and stare at me!
Wonderful interview. Please enter me for this contest.
- September 22, 2010 at 6:25 PM
- Julie Lessman said...
CINDY!!! Oh man, I met SO many people, and your picture is SO small here, that my mind is in a fog -- where did I meet you and when??? Was it at the Seeker get-together in the lobby bar at night?? And you haven't read any of my books yet???? Well now, we are just going to have to remedy that, girl, and soon. So if you do not win here, PLEASE check out my website calendar for scads of giveaways I have going on now, okay?
TERRI ... You know, I could have SWORN that you won one of my books on Seekerville ... am I dreaming that???? I remember your picture and your name, I think, but then with my brain and memory, one never knows! Good luck in the contest.
HOLLY ... If you like Lizzie, I'm thinking that Katie won't be able to steal that spot from her sister because Lizzie is just so sweet and Katie is ... well, not exactly "sweet," ESPECIALLY to Luke McGee!! But I'd love to hear who wins out after you read AHU, okay?
- September 22, 2010 at 7:02 PM
- Julie Lessman said...
Hey, PATTI, I gotta tell you that every one of my books is chock full of life lessons I have learned because let me tell you, I have made a LOT of mistakes in my life. But God has always been so gracious to forgive and issue me that wonderful insurance policy of His--"All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose." That's me, and that's you, and all I do is write stories around that. :) Good luck in the contest!
ANITA ... you are more than welcome because "sharing my heart" is what I like to do best (particularly in my writing!) ... although my husband prefers to call it "shooting my mouth off" ... :)
JESSICA ... I still remember meeting you at the Seeker get-together in the lobby, girl, and you were missed this year, truly!
- September 22, 2010 at 7:08 PM
- Julie Lessman said...
DIANE ... Oh, I am SOOO glad you are seeing "great reviews everywhere you look," but don't check out the 1-stars on Amazon because they will scare you off with not-so-subtle references to "scum reading" and "smut." BUT ... if you are not adverse to a little passion (okay, a lot!!) in your romance and your relationship with God, then I'm the author for you! And thank you SOOO much for posting a link for my Facebook contest with a Kindle giveaway and lots of other prizes too! Good luck in the contest.
T. ANNE!!! You bet my novels are on Kindle, girl, so if you purchase one, PLEASE start with book 1, A Passion Most Pure, which was American Christian Fiction Writers' Debut Book of the Year last year. The reason is that these really are two series that need to be read in order to get the most out of them due to a number of big surprises in book 1. So if you win this contest, I will be happy to send you A Passion Most Pure, okay? Good luck!
JESSICA ... I do have a ton of 5-stars, especially on APMP (80), and let's face it, my family is big (13 kids), but even I can't rustle up that many sympathy votes ... :)
- September 22, 2010 at 7:16 PM
- Julie Lessman said...
MICHELLE!!! Honey, I can't write fast enough to keep you in new books to win, girl. You and Sherrinda (and Ann Miller) are multiple winners, which just proves that Sherrinda's reference to "cyber-stalking" my blog giveaways last year pays off!! And, girl, you are always so diplomatic, that I didn't know who your favorite heroine was!! I would not have pegged you for a "Faith" ... I see you a little bit sassier ... :)
JOLENE ... thanks for coming by and good luck in the contest!
Okay, CHERYL ... you're another one we need to get winning one of my books, girl! I'm loving Jessica's blog here because there are SO many of you guys who have never read me before, so that challenges me like you cannot believe!! I'm having tons of blog giveaways, so please check out my website calendar if you don't win here, okay? And good luck!
- September 22, 2010 at 7:35 PM
- Julie Lessman said...
TAMIKA ... another newbie to my books!!! WOW, Jessica, your blog is a virtual goldmine of new readers, so here's to a win, Tamika, and I'm glad you enjoyed the interview. Kind of wish I had included an excerpt of a love scene to hook you guys ... :)
JESSICA ... okay, I'm showing my age here (or my stupidity), but what does "B S" word stand for ???
LAURI ... what a very nice word -- "hooked"!! :) Thanks for reading my book, my friend, and here's to a win for you mom!
- September 22, 2010 at 7:53 PM
- Julie Lessman said...
KAREN -- one of my very favorite "steam lovers"!! Thanks for dropping by, girl, and let's see if we can't get you a signed copy of AHU ...
ELANA ... yep, I put lots of "personal things" in my books because nobody knows it's from my life, so I can get away with it! :) But, the life lessons are VERY real as a result, so hopefully others can learn from my mistakes.
ANONYMOUS ... oh, girl, my heart goes out to you because I remember those stares all too well myself. Katie rises above the ridicule and hurt, like I did, and hopefully you too. Kids can be so cruel! My kids were NEVER allowed to say anything unkind about anyone, and if they did, retribution was swift, ensuring they never made fun of anyone again. As a result, I have children who are sensitive to others, which makes my heart swell with pride.Good luck in the contest, my friend.
- September 22, 2010 at 8:47 PM
- patti said...
Dear ladies, Julie Lessman's romances are as good as they get. Of course, she recently convinced me to buy The Outlander, which I will crack open TONIGHT, and Laura Frantz's The Frontiersman's Daughter. CANNOT WAIT to see about the competition!
UNbelievably, today in Normal, Illinois, a woman at a potluck shared that Julie was her favorite writer and that she'd convinced a local store to carry her books. Now do you think I gave her some bookmarks? HUH? You bet!!!
Don't miss out on this book, which is also on my shelf, waiting, waiting...
- September 22, 2010 at 9:40 PM
- Jessica Nelson said...
Patti, too cool about that lady!!! I've actually seen Julie's books in my town library. Did I mention I live in a very, very small city? (seems like a town, but the sign says city) LOL
Julie, thanks so much for responding to everyone! You're awesome! And I'm a little ditzy. I meant the Big S-word (SEXY) *grin*
- September 22, 2010 at 9:56 PM
- Julie Lessman said...
PATTI!!! Wow, you're starting Diana G. tonight???? Man, you won't ever want to read me again -- she is AWESOME!! And Laura, too, so I know you are in for some late nights, girl!! And thank you for telling me about the woman at the potluck -- that is ALWAYS so fun to hear!! I miss you, girl -- how far is Normal again???
JESSICA ... grin ... now "sexy" I understand, and if I must say so myself, my heroes are definitely that. Sigh. :)
- September 22, 2010 at 10:21 PM
- Molly said...
I am a new Julie Lessman fan and am saddened at my self for NOT reading her books sooner! I've heard of amazing things about her and am going to HAVE to have ALL her books at some point! Thanks for this amazing giveaway...I am a new follower of your fabulous blog!
Mollydedwards AT yahoo DOT com
- September 23, 2010 at 9:59 AM
- Jessica Nelson said...
Hi Molly, thank you so much for stopping by and for following. :-) I'm collecting her books too! Don't feel bad though, I only started because I won the first one, but it was enough for me to buy the second. And now I'm making a collection. LOL
- September 23, 2010 at 4:28 PM
- Susan J. Reinhardt said...
Hi Jess & Julie -
Great interview! Writing a book can be a form of therapy.
I've read three of Julie's books and would love to win this one. Please enter me in the giveaway.
susanjreinhardt AT gmail DOT com
Susan :)
- September 23, 2010 at 9:14 PM
- Julie Lessman said...
MOLLY ... big smile here ... don't be sad, girl -- you're reading them now and that's all that matters, right? But I will admit that I'm a wee bit sad you didn't read them in order, but that will be the true test whether you like them or not -- if you can get through them already knowing the big surprises in book 1 A Passion Most Pure. WHICH, would be my pleasure to send you, so good luck!
JESSICA, that's what I like to hear -- book collectors -- especially when the books are mine!! :) Thanks, sweetie.
SUSAN!!! Always love seeing your name pop up, my friend, so thanks for coming by. And, yes, writing a book is definitely therapy ... at least for me! AND ... it's a great outlet for my passion for God and romance! Good luck in the contest, Susan, and I hope you like AHU.
- September 23, 2010 at 11:45 PM
- cynthia said...
I love all of Julie's books. They are full of passion, but not too much steam. ;) My favorite character--it's a toss up between Faith and Lizzie. I love how Faith can be so calm, yet she has a fiery side to her. For Lizzie I love how she could be so challenging. I can't wait to read about the latest sister. Thanks for the book giveaway.
cynthiakchow (at) earthlink (dot) net
- September 24, 2010 at 1:56 AM
- Julie Lessman said...
Hey, Jackie, you're making the rounds today ... good girl!! :) Now let's see if we can win you another book ...
- September 24, 2010 at 9:45 AM
- Deb Shucka said...
What a wonderful interview. Julie sounds like an amazing person in addition to being a gifted writer. Thank you for bringing her into my field of vision.
- September 24, 2010 at 11:03 AM
- Julie Lessman said...
Thank you, DEB, and you know what? You sound like a writer to me! Love the line "thank you for bringing her into my field of vision."
Hopefully you win in this contest, like the book, and then I'll be on your radar for a long, long time! :)
Good luck in the contest!
- September 24, 2010 at 12:11 PM
Well, since I'm a bit younger than all you wonderful ladies who seem to be commenting . . . I haven't read too much "steamy" books, LOL. The only "romance" books were probably Janette Oke books a couple of years ago (I love fantasy books, but I still enjoy historical fiction --thanks to American Girl books 10 years ago). I read a interview online (on the Writing for Christ blog, I believe) with Mrs. Lessman last month or so and I was touched by her testimony and the fact that she wanted to write books that had "passion with a purpose" --so ever since then I've been "blog hopping" entering all the giveaways I can find. =) I actually unknowingly downloaded "APMP" when it was available as a free Kindle book. So I read it soon after I heard about Mrs. Lessman's books. It was a bit more "steamy" than I was used to, but it was alright. ;-) I think that's a good enough level for me, LOLs --I wanted to go into the book and slap Colin sometimes though (even though he's cute =P) . . . that's me though, I hate when a guy takes advantage of the situation like that, so I didn't think it was romantic at all . . . I loved the last quarter of the book though (when I could finally enjoy it all). ;-) I liked Faith, but I'm curious about Lizzy, 'cause she seems to be like me a little bit. Oh, and you can't forget Patrick and Marcy --I loved their relationship, I thought it was an awesome example of a marriage (not that I would know, LOL). Anyways, thanks for doing this contest, and apologies for the super-long post!
- September 25, 2010 at 3:19 AM
I've read stuff like Tracie Peterson, Janette Oke, etc. that's considered western romances, I guess . . . I don't know about "steam level" . . . nothing too graphic? =) As long as it's in the correct context, I think I'd be okay with it. I haven't read any books by Julie Lessman yet, but my sister's got me entering all the contests she can find (wow, you typed a lot, girl, LOL). ;-)
Thank you for the opportunity to win!
- September 25, 2010 at 3:56 AM
- Jackie S. said...
Hey, Julie....another great interview! I am about half way through APMP and have the"rosy glow." Great book!! Please enter me for this one! Thanks muchly!
- September 25, 2010 at 9:23 AM
- Jessica Nelson said...
Hey, two Lady Dragon Keepers? LOL! Love your comments, thanks for stopping by. You'll definitely be entered, the both of you. *grin*
LOL Jackie! Gotta love that glow!
Hey Cynthia, thanks for commenting! I think I love reading Charity the most but I relate more to Faith and Lizzie.
Deb, Julie is really fun and I love her intensity for passion and God! Thank you for commenting. :-)
- September 25, 2010 at 9:52 AM
- Roxanne Sherwood said...
I love Julie's books. But Julie the woman is even more fascinating. Plus, she's a great prayer warrior. I'm so glad God is causing her career to blossom!
- September 25, 2010 at 1:10 PM
- Elizabeth@In Pursuit of His Excellence said...
Hi from NZ! I'm in the process of selling some of my books so that I can buy more of Julie's! I have only read the first two so far, and Faith is the character I relate to most. Loved book two as well and cannot wait to read them all!!
Thanks for the opportunity to win!
- September 25, 2010 at 3:43 PM
- Karen Lange said...
Great interview! So glad you both shared it with us. Always love to see where my favorite authors are coming from.
Have a blessed weekend,
- September 25, 2010 at 4:29 PM
- Julie Lessman said...
LADY DRAGONKEEPER!!! Hello again, my friend! SO glad to see you are back, trying to get the rest of the books. And if you are used to reading Janette Oke (WHO, by the way, I got to see at the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference last weekend!! She is LOVELY and SUCH a legend in this industry, truly), then yes, my books would seem a bit steamier, I'm sure, but you will be glad to know (as was my husband), that I toned the steam down just a hair in A Hope Undaunted ... at least from what it was in A Passion Denied, which I think is the "steamiest" of all my books, but only because there are a lot of love scenes between the married couples, which my publisher told me was A-OK!!
And LD, you wanted to "slap Collin"?? Grin, that's usually the reaction I get for Charity!! :) As far as loving Marcy and Patrick's relationship -- THANK YOU!! They are actually based on my relationship with my husband, which should tell you RIGHT NOW that it IS possible to have that kind of romance and communication in your marriage ... but ONLY with God in the center and applying His precepts EVERY STEP OF THE WAY!!
I cannot BELIEVE you apologized for your "super-long post" ... to ME, Queen of Verbosity and 500-page books!! Good luck in the contest, sweetie. :)
- September 25, 2010 at 6:42 PM
- Julie Lessman said...
KRISTIA ... uh, or should I say LD2??? :) Well, maybe I need ages here, especially if you guys are used to sweeter romance ... :/ But I honestly would say anyone 14 on up could read these books, although I'm sure some moms might disagree. But thanks for being such a good sister and trying to win a book for LD1! :) Good luck, LDs ...
JACKIE!!! Okay, now I'm confused ... haven't you read all my books already except for AHU???? Or are you just rereading APMP? And, YES, I LOVE that "rosy glow" you're talking about. I get it too, especially when I read A Passion Redeemed ... my favorite of the DOB series. But then Mitch has a way of stealing my heart ... sigh. Anyway, Jackie, did you know you just won ANOTHER book???? Check your e-mail, girl, will ya???
YEAH, JESSICA!!! A girl after my own heart. I absolutely LOVE Charity ... she makes me laugh every time she is in a scene, no joke! ESPECIALLY in the next book, A Heart Revealed. She is a STITCH!! You are gonna LOVE her, I promise!
- September 25, 2010 at 7:01 PM
- Julie Lessman said...
ROXANNE!!! OMIGOSH, girl, a blast from the past!! I missed you at ACFW this year -- you weren't there, were you??? Because you would be in BIG trouble if you did not stop by the Revell book signing to see me!! I would LOVE to hear what's going on with you, so can you e-mail me or catch me up on Facebook??? Good luck and hope to hear from you soon.
ELIZABETH!!! Girlfriend, we GOTTA get you book 3 of DOB and book 1 of WOC ASAP, so keep entering every giveaway, okay? I don't care HOW far away you are, you're included in the contest. Good look, sweetie.
AW, KAREN ... thank you for including me in your "favorite authors" -- that blesses me!! Good luck in this contest and you have a blessed weekend too.
- September 25, 2010 at 7:02 PM
- Jessica Nelson said...
Julie, you're so awesome to keep popping by everyday. :-) I can't wait to read Charity in the next books. I love her bluntness about sex too. :-)
Hey Karen! Thanks for stopping by. I hope you have an awesome weekend too! :-)
Elizabeth in NZ? As in New Zealand??? Too cool! Thanks so much for commenting and good luck selling those books! :-)
- September 26, 2010 at 8:25 AM
- Jessica Nelson said...
Hey Roxanne, I def. believe she's a great prayer warrior and am glad her career is taking off. :-)
- September 26, 2010 at 8:26 AM
I am so anxious to win one of your autographed books, Julie, that I am on this site as well. It would be the next best thing to meeting you in person at a book signing. Until then. . . I want you to know that I LOVE your writing style! Your books are addicting reads! God bless you!
char saltz (at) yahoo (dot) com
- September 26, 2010 at 2:19 PM
Oops! I'm sorry Mrs. Nelson. I guess left my username on there . . . I really do have a sister who's helping me (we're bookworms, so all I had to say is two words to get her to post, "free book." =)
Haha, Mrs. Lessman --long books are the greatest! I read the Kindle version of APMP, so I didn't know how many pages there were . . . From what I've seen, most readers rant about Charity, so I thought I'd give her a break, plus its just fun to give him a hard time (yes, I know he's a book character). ;-)
I don't like posting ages online, but I guess I can say my sister and I are in the . . . upper teen range (we're close in age too, so we call each other our "almost twin" sister sometimes). =D It's just that we haven't read too much that would be considered in the romance genre. Mostly fantasy and sci-fi (three of us siblings are total Star Wars fan-people --we know what happens after the movies, LOL).
Wow, I'd love to meet ANY Christian fic. author in real life . . . =)
Have a great day everyone!
(This is not a contest entry)
- September 26, 2010 at 9:07 PM
- Jennie Allen said...
No- but they sound great!
- September 27, 2010 at 12:31 AM
- Julie Lessman said...
JESSICA ... you love Charity's bluntness about sex too??? So do I ... uh, I wonder where she gets it from ... :)
CHARLOTTE ... go for it, girl, because this is definitely the way to win a signed book, truly!! And I would LOVE to meet you at a book signing too ... wish that were as easy as e-mailing or leaving comments!! Thank you for your kind support and words -- it means MORE than I can express. Good luck, sweetie.
LADY DRAGONKEEPER & SIS: You guys are too cute and really do need to win a book! Maybe this one is it ... ? :) And you and LD2 are Sci-fi fans and you read MY books??? WOW ... that's impressive!! And I'm glad you plan to give Charity a break and read her story -- she really is great and gets funnier (to me) in every book. But I will admit, there are some readers who absolutely hate her still, which makes me sad. :(
JENNIE ALLEN ... Always love it when a new reader stumbles onto one of my interviews, because it's fun to get their reactions when they read the first book A Passion Most Pure ... uh, that is, if they like it!! :) Good luck in the contest!
- September 27, 2010 at 1:10 PM
- Project Journal said...
I love, love, love the purple background you have going on now!! Purple's my favorite color : )
Hi again Julie!
I know I told you in my email, but can I reiterate how FUN it has been recently seeing you all over the place?? Everywhere I turn it's Julie this and Julie that. Difference is: it's not in the annoying way *grin* I've thoroughly enjoyed seeing you EVERYWHERE!
I've only read your first I regretfully say : ( That's why I keep popping up all over the place in hopes of getting another!! LOL!!
Talk to you later, hun,
- September 28, 2010 at 12:42 PM
- Project Journal said...
Ohp, forgot my email!!
- September 28, 2010 at 12:46 PM
- Jessica Nelson said...
Charlotte, you're entered! :-)
DragonKeeper, no problem! LOL You gotta do what you gotta do to get those entries in!!! *grin*
Hey Hannah! Thanks! I like the color too. :-)
- September 28, 2010 at 9:25 PM
- Julie Lessman said...
HANNAH!!! You've only read A Passion Most Pure???? HOLY COW, girl, you've got three books to go yet, so we better rustle up a win for you, I guess! Well, I'm glad you're posting those comments wherever you can because the odds are really good. Here's to a win, sweetie. :)
- September 29, 2010 at 4:59 PM


text:
People Behind KDE: Pino Toscano
For the next interview in the fortnightly People Behind KDE series we travel back to Europe, visiting Italy to meet someone who wants to enable you to read your documents and help you to do the math, who's "fiery" passion for KDE may be linked to his location - tonight's star of People Behind KDE is Pino Toscano.
A "do-it-all" developer
I'd like to warmly thank Pino for all his work in KDE especially in KDE-Edu. I very often ask his advice and assistance and he always answers my questions and helps me a lot when I don't know how to do this or that.
By Anne-Marie Mahfouf at Fri, 2007/03/16 - 5:00am
grazie Pino
By vincenzo at Fri, 2007/03/16 - 5:00am
Re: grazie
Grazie per il tuo impegno
By andrea at Wed, 2007/03/21 - 5:00am
Thanks Pino!
I really like what Pino is doing and watching its commits on weekly basis. He is spreading his words all over KDE ;-)
By Enrico Ros at Fri, 2007/03/16 - 5:00am
As always, it's nice to learn more about someone whose name has been assocaited with KDE but you're not sure where the main involvements are.
So, thanks Pino. Looking forward to okular.
By Simone at Fri, 2007/03/16 - 5:00am
Just want to drop a big thank-you for Okular. I love to see it improve, especially because it's predecessor (KPDF) was such a refreshing experience.
By Diederik van de... at Fri, 2007/03/16 - 5:00am
small question
maybe a dumb question, but what's the utility on the right side of his desktop? the one with CPU, Memory, swap, ...?
By .. at Fri, 2007/03/16 - 5:00am
Re: small question
That's my gkrellm, monitoring CPU, processes, global disks accesses, network and memory.
By Pino Toscano at Fri, 2007/03/16 - 5:00am
Thanks Pino
We on #kalzium and #kdeedu all know how helpful and knowledgeable Pino is! Sometimes I've used him as a better version of "Alt+F2 qt:" ;)
By Benoit Jacob at Fri, 2007/03/16 - 5:00am
Re: Thanks Pino
Pino has been one of the most helpful guys on IRC for sure. Thanks Pino.
By kunal at Tue, 2007/03/20 - 5:00am
grazie Pino for helping in KDE! and Linux !!!!!
By Shelton D'Cruz at Sun, 2007/03/18 - 5:00am

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Intellectual Ventures Sues AT&T, Sprint And T-Mobile; While Saying That Such Lawsuits Are Evidence Of Progress
from the that's-chutzpah dept
Along those lines, the folks at M-CAM who continue to call out bogus claims in patent lawsuits analyzed the patents in this IV lawsuit and found them... well... lacking:
Our systems found nearly 500 AT&T patents, with similar claims, that predate the fifteen asserted patents. Sprint Nextel also owns 12 patents that predate the asserted portfolio.M-CAM also questions the claims that these lawsuits have anything at all to do with innovation, and hint at more nefarious reasons for the use of a bunch of shell companies:
Is IV's patent litigation helping inventors or investors? Considering that the bulk of the patents in suit were each "acquired" from what the USPTO characterizes as a "merger" with a different relatively unknown LLC, we'll let you decide. Seems to us that it simply represents an attempt to use opacity and "hidden weapons" for a tactical assault having ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with innovation. In fact, these kinds of structures are also typically employed for tax "optimization" which is to say, to avoid paying taxes for any economic gains resulting from a successful assault, ahem sorry again, we mean "settlement".By the way, you may have noticed that Verizon is conspicuously absent from the list of mobile operators being sued here. That's because Verizon paid the entrance fee and is a "member" in the IV club... which apparently only cost the company $350 million. Oh yeah... and it then became an enabler. One of the patents in the new lawsuit... once was owned by Verizon.


text:
Selecting your vehicle's make, model, and year allows us to display only parts and items specific to your car's model and year.
Part# CH27183
Be the First to Review
OPGI Price: $65.99
Part Type: (A) Aftermarket product, usually an enhancement product
Years: 1964-1977
Sold As: PAIR
2018 Chevelle Catalog Page: 185
Add a custom touch to your classic with stainless steel emblems. Each emblem is laser-cut for accuracy and polished to a mirror finish for a long-lasting shine. Emblems are available in several versions, as shown. Installation is simple with the use of 3M heavy-duty double-faced emblem tape. GM-licensed.


text:
Earlier this year at the Roots Tech Family History Conference, I took a class about making videos and posting to You Tube. I had also purchased an I pad just before the conference. This class sparked my interest in video making as a means to share Family History plus I had just purchased the "i movie" app. I have posted my first attempt at a video. It may be hard to believe it took me all summer to do this. It wasn't so hard, but I had many interruptions plus had to figure it all out.
This first video is, "Noman's Lake, Western Australia. It is a short story about the early settlers of Noman's Lake, specifically my great grandparents, John Lee and Sarah Ann Lever. Here is the link: (If the link doesn't work, just search on the title at You Tube).


text:
Baking a tart is pure therapy. Nothing is more tempting than a buttery crust that tries to resist then succumbs and crumbles under your fork. The filling in that constant precarious state of limbo between liquid and wobble. The remainder down your top despite being as careful as you can be lifting it from plate to mouth, there is always that rebel smear or crumb making its departure down your front and hopefully is something you can rescue later.
There is nothing complicated about this tart, it is just the process takes a little longer. Nothing showy or stressful just a delightful holiday plodding at the stove.
I've suggested a pre-bought pastry in the interests of time here but please do make your own if you are willing. And the smell of it cooking brings the sort of reward we only dream about.
Sticky Brandy cream tart with spiced cranberry and quince jam
Serves 8 – 10
1 x 375g packet sweet shortcrust pastry (use Careme's)
1 ¼ cups cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons crème fraiche
½ cup caster sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons brandy
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
2 cups good quality cranberry jam
½ cup quince paste
3 tsp mixed spice
Grease and line a 25cm pie tin or rectangular tart tin with a loose bottom. Roll out the pastry then gently line the base of the pie tin and trim any overhang. Pop the lined shell in the fridge and let rest for 15 minutes.
Blind bake the base for 10 minutes or until slightly golden. Allow to cool.
While the tart shell is blind baking add the cream cheese, crème fraiche and sugar to a bowl and whisk until creamy. Add the eggs, yolks, brandy, vanilla and spice and process until smooth.
Melt the jam and quince paste in a small heavy saucepan with 1 tbsp water over moderately low heat, stirring until smooth. Spread half the jam over the base of the cooled pastry shell. Set aside until the jam layer sets then gently pour over cream cheese mixture.
Cover with foil and bake until the filling is set but still slightly trembly in the middle. About 40 minutes. Be careful at this stage as it will continue to set as it cools. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. Reheat the remaining jam and stir until smooth. Pour the remainder of the jam over the top of the cheese filling and spread evenly. Chill the tart in the fridge until cold. Just before serving, remove the tart from the pan. When slicing it works best to use a hot wet knife.


text:
High Res
View SDS sheet
Perfect for all wood crafts. Superior formulation over competition that actually contains wood to aid in accurate staining. Bonds soft and hard woods. When used with a clamp, bonds stronger than wood itself. Easily sandable, paintable, and stainable. Weather resistant. Safe and Non-Toxic.
CraftBond® Paper Craft Glue Gel
CraftBond® Fabric & Paper Glue
CraftBond® Tacky Glue
CraftBond® Tacky Glue 8oz.
Elmer's CraftBond® Fine Line Glue Pen


text:
How Stereotyping Yourself Contributes to Your Success...
By kalass
@kalass (611)
April 17, 2008 7:02am CST
You tried so hard. But you failed. You did not pass the test, you performed poorly in the interview or you missed your project goal at the office. Why? Is it that you were not capable? Or could something more subtle—and worrisome—also be at work? As it turns out, research shows that such performance failures cannot always be attributed simply to inherent lack of ability or incompetence. Although some have jumped to the highly controversial conclusion that differences in attainment reflect natural differences between groups, the roots of many handicaps actually lie in the stereotypes, or preconceptions, that others hold about the groups to which we belong. For instance, a woman who knows that women as a group are believed to do worse than men in math will, indeed, tend to perform less well on math tests as a result.
No responses


text:
Create advanced chat using [login to view URL] -- 2
Hi there,
I'm looking for a freelancer who is able to create this project:
This project will be cutted into 4 parts:
The first one is the user part, where the user can send messages and also interactions (by clicking on buttons in the front end). You will have to send it to the server (made with node.js).
The second part is the server. Here you will receive all the messages and the interactions by the users. You will have to check either yes or not the user is allowed to post messages. If yes, then you will transfer the message to the "final user".
The third part is the "final user". Here, you will send from the server to the final user the messages and the interactions on a dedicated page. The messages and the interactions will slide from the right to the left (like facebook live/periscope). But there is a very important point to notice here:
This chat will potentially receive hundreds of messages/interactions at a time. And we will do a kind of a parade of these interactions/messages on the "final user" page to make them readable by the final user. So if a message was sent more than X seconds before being displayed on the final user page, we have to skip it. This will allow us to display only "fresh" messages.
Please bid on this project only if you have the skills.
Thank you
5 威客就此工作平均出价 €167
Hello, This is not copy/paste message. I read your requirements. I am interested for this job. I have expertise in Wordpress, Laravel, Magento, AngularJS, Ruby on Rails, Core PHP etc. technologies and can work on 更多
Hello, I have experience building node.js applications utilizing socket.io. This is how I intend to complete this project: I would build a frontend using [login to view URL] to post user messages and interactions to node.js serv 更多
Hello, I would like to work for your project. I am experienced in node js ,express framework with strong javascript. I have also worked on socket io for chat service Please consider me for your project . 更多


text:
"The Evolving Curriculum -- Measuring Effectiveness of Change" is a compilation of articles and essays on efforts to reshape what and how colleges teach at a time of increased concern about how much students learn. The news and opinion articles -- collected in a print-on-demand booklet -- surveys the landscape of curricular development and learning assessment, examining trends and highlighting best practices.
Download the booklet here.
This booklet is part of a series of such compilations that Inside Higher Ed is publishing on a range of topics.
On June 26, Inside Higher Ed Editors Scott Jaschik and Doug Lederman discussed the topics raised in the booklet's articles and answered questions in a free webinar. To view the webinar, please click here.
This booklet was made possible in part through the advertising support of the Educational Testing Service (ETS).


text:
A Truth Journal: Late Night Jokes, Video: Syria, Government Shutdown, ObamaCare: From Denny: 4 funny video clips from Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel on the government shutdown, funny political memes to keep you laughing through Congressional Stupid.
Express your view of the government shutdown with the rest of frustrated America. More shirt and sweatshirt styles available for men and women. Come see!


text:
|PostgreSQL 9.4.20 Documentation
|Appendix E. Release Notes
Release date: 1998-12-18
This is basically a cleanup release for 6.4. We have fixed a variety of problems reported by 6.4 users.
A dump/restore is not required for those running 6.4.
Add pg_dump -N flag to force double quotes around identifiers. This is the default(Thomas) Fix for NOT in where clause causing crash(Bruce) EXPLAIN VERBOSE coredump fix(Vadim) Fix shared-library problems on Linux Fix test for table existence to allow mixed-case and whitespace in the table name(Thomas) Fix a couple of pg_dump bugs Configure matches template/.similar entries better(Tom) Change builtin function names from SPI_* to spi_* OR WHERE clause fix(Vadim) Fixes for mixed-case table names(Billy) contrib/linux/postgres.init.csh/sh fix(Thomas) libpq memory overrun fix SunOS fixes(Tom) Change exp() behavior to generate error on underflow(Thomas) pg_dump fixes for memory leak, inheritance constraints, layout change update pgaccess to 0.93 Fix prototype for 64-bit platforms Multibyte fixes(Tatsuo) New ecpg man page Fix memory overruns(Tatsuo) Fix for lo_import() crash(Bruce) Better search for install program(Tom) Timezone fixes(Tom) HP-UX fixes(Tom) Use implicit type coercion for matching DEFAULT values(Thomas) Add routines to help with single-byte (internal) character type(Thomas) Compilation of libpq for Windows fixes(Magnus) Upgrade to PyGreSQL 2.2(D'Arcy)
If you see anything in the documentation that is not correct, does not match your experience with the particular feature or requires further clarification, please use this form to report a documentation issue.


text:
Friday, March 23, 2012
Vinery Spiral Stakes Undercard Stakes Come Up Competitive
FLORENCE, Ky., March 22, 2012 – The Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes (G3) at Turfway Park Saturday is well supported by three undercard stakes, the Bourbonette Oaks (G3), one mile for 3-year-old fillies; the Rushaway Stakes, 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-olds; and the Hansel Stakes, 6 furlongs for 3-year-olds. All three boast competitive fields.
Bourbonette Oaks
New York-based trainer John Terranova is shipping in a pair of 3-year-old fillies for the undercard stakes, and both are the morning line favorite in their respective races.
"She's had some seasoning and she has had to travel—once to California and back and forth to Tampa for the Oaks—and ran well both times," Terranova said. "She can take her race with her on the road. She's a very smart filly, very classy. Nothing seems to bother her. The only X factor is that she hasn't run over a synthetic track yet. Like She's Ready Made (in the Hansel), she has trained very well over it but hasn't raced over it. Hopefully, it won't be an issue in the afternoon."
What might be an issue for More Than Love is her focus. That is why she will be outfitted with blinkers for the first time on Saturday.
"Going back to her last two races, I thought she was a little green," said Terranova. "Even in the Miesque, she got right up to the frontrunner, and she kind of waited with her when she should have gone right by her. She got up and won, but barely, and there was a lot more there. In the Florida Oaks there was no pace, and she set a very easy pace with no one to target. Coming down the stretch, she kind of had her ears going back and forth and she was following the lines on the turf. That caused her to veer out in mid-stretch and she was waiting on horses, or waiting on something, and it wound up costing her the race since she only got beat a nose. The blinkers have got her a little bit more focused—a little bit more responsive."
As he does in the Spiral Stakes with Heavy Breathing and Holiday Promise, Todd Pletcher has two contenders in the Bourbonette Oaks. Both are likely to attract considerable attention at the windows.
In Lingerie dazzled Turfway fans with a 6 1/4-length debut win on Jan. 14 before a second-place effort behind the highly regarded Zo Impressive in a Feb. 25 allowance at Fair Grounds.
"She was purchased privately after breaking her maiden impressively at Turfway," said Pletcher. "It seemed kind of logical to go back to a surface she's proven on. She's trained well. I think she lost to a very good filly last time and had a little trouble at the beginning. We feel like a little improvement on that and getting back to a surface she has already won on should be right up her alley."
Pletcher also will run Dancing Solo in the Bourbonette. The Giant's Causeway filly finished second last time out as the 3-5 favorite in an off-the-turf Gulfstream Park allowance on Feb. 8.
"She's a filly that last summer we felt performed better on turf in the morning, and then didn't quite do what we thought she would do first out," said Pletcher. "She showed some improvement at Keeneland on the synthetic. She's also had some success on the main track, but we feel like with the pedigree and a little bit of turf background it's (a good spot for) her."
Mike Maker sends Original Kitten to the Bourbonette, with Rosie Napravnik aboard for the first time on her first trip to Turfway. Original Kitten comes in to the Bourbonette off a maiden special sprint win at Turfway. She was second at Turfway at the Bourbonette's one-mile distance in her second start.
"She was getting out in her first couple of races," Make said. "I don't know what was in her mind then, but we added blinkers last out and she won."
D. Wayne Lukas believes his Red Jack will have to step up in the Spiral and he has similar expectations for his Bourbonette starter, Bourbonesque.
"We think she's got some talent but she's in the same predicament as Red Jack; she has to prove herself," Lukas said. "In her case I wish the race was longer. It may be a little premature to run her in a stake but we've made a living running horses where they don't belong, so we'll see."
Bourbonesque was third in her last start, a maiden special on the dirt at Oaklawn at 1 1/16 miles, and shows two bullet works at the Hot Springs track, one a best-of-25 four furlong work in :47.20 on March 16 and the other a three-furlong breeze in :35 flat a week earlier.
Hansel Stakes
Terranova's She's Ready Made is the 5-2 choice in the Hansel despite being the only filly in the field of nine. The primary reason Terranova chose the Hansel for She's Ready Made is surface.
"I wanted to get her on the Polytrack and see if that led us into a race like the Beaumont coming up at Keeneland," Terranova said. "I had her at Keeneland as a 2-year-old last year, and she trained well there. She's also bred well for grass, being by More Than Ready and out of a Stormy Atlantic mare. She was able to break her maiden on dirt but I don't think she has been at her best on it. She's a very nice filly, very fast, and I just want to see her get over the Polytrack."
Trained by Mark Casse, Lockout is the 3-1 co-second morning line choice with Hogy for the Hansel. Lockout has been off since October after three consecutive runner-up finishes, including the Swynford Stakes and the Grade 3 Grey Stakes, both at Woodbine.
"He's still a maiden but in the Grey he ran a great second to Prospective, our horse that just won the Tampa Bay Derby. We were looking for a spot to bring him back," said Casse.
Magical Season and Thomas Jefferson will represent Maker in the Hansel. Of Magical Season Maker said, "We considered the Rushaway for him but he ran second to Mr. Prankster in the sprint at Turfway (the Turfway Prevue) and then ran third to Mr. Prankster (in the one-mile WEBN Stakes at Turfway). It looks like his best will be sprinting."
Rushaway Stakes
One of the most intriguing 3-year-olds anywhere on Saturday's Turfway card is Rushaway 5-2 morning line favorite Flashy Dresser, who will stretch out to 1 1/16 miles after just a single start, a 6-furlong maiden race at Gulfstream Park on March 4 that he won by 6 3/4 lengths.
"We made a last-minute decision Monday to come up for this," said Flashy Dresser's owner and trainer Fred Seitz. "We were kind of perplexed as to where to place him. This just seemed like a good step forward to find out how good he might be. There's nothing in Florida that suits him for the next couple of weeks, so Florida was out. The Rushaway looked like a good spot where we could find out his distance ability or lack of ability to get the trip. He worked well on Polytrack at Keeneland last spring."
Flashy Dresser's win came against a field that included a full brother to Eight Belles and a half brother to Sky Mesa. The performance earned an excellent Beyer Speed Figure of 89.
"The track was playing slower that day," said Seitz. "He just kind of opened up on them suddenly. It was a pleasant surprise, though not a total surprise. That was a pretty good bunch of horses. To see him win like that was a nice development. He ran a 5 on the Thorograph sheets and a 9 on the Ragozin sheets, which kind of legitimizes the 89 Beyer."
Flashy Dresser drew the far outside post position in the field of eight. But Seitz sees that as a plus rather than a minus.
"Geometrically, there is a little bit of concern," said Seitz. "but from what I've seen on TVG and heard from other trainers as far as kickback, I'm not at all unhappy to be out there. He's not going to be used to having that in his face, so it might be an advantage to him as long as he doesn't get parked out too far."
In addition to Lockout in the Hansel and Stealcase in the Spiral, Mark Casse also has Dynamical and Bluedacious in the Rushaway Stakes. A son of Hard Spun, who won the Spiral Stakes in 2007, Dynamical was most recently third in the John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway.
"I thought he ran OK in the Battaglia," Casse said. "He was down inside and I think he got a little intimidated. Then he came out and it looked like he might be going to win, but he flattened out. When I sent him down there I thought he'd win it, but that was his first race on Polytrack and only the third race of his life. We think he's a really nice horse, a really talented horse."
"Bluedacious is a bit of an underachiever and gets himself in trouble. He's matured over the winter and I think he's better at three than he was at two, but we thought throwing him into the Spiral was too much to ask right now. If he does well in the Rushaway we'll look at the Blue Grass or maybe the Lexington."
Either horse could progress to the Derby, said Casse. "You're always thinking that way this time of year."
The Rushaway field of eight also includes Gung Ho, from the barn of Mike Maker. Gung Ho broke his maiden at Presque Isle in his second start and followed with a neck win in the Sunday Silence Stakes at Louisiana Downs. He stepped way up to try the Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland and finished seventh. That Oct. 11 race was his most recent race.
"He was supposed to go in the Breeders' Cup Turf but came up lame the week of the race and we had to scratch," said Maker. "He's been ready to go for a couple of weeks now."
Carded as the seventh of 12 races Saturday, the Hansel begins the four stakes on the card. The Rushaway goes as the eighth race, the Bourbonette as the ninth, and the Spiral Stakes as the 10th.
Read more articles in the Turfway category.


text:
Chad Coberly is victorious at the 2013 Macatawa Bay Melges 17 Spring Invitational
6 May 2013
The 2013 Macatawa Bay Melges 17 Spring Invitational was a weekend enjoyed by all on and off the water. Macatawa Bay Yacht Club hosted nine extremely close and highly competitive races with only one point separating the winner and the runner up.
Congratulations to Chad Coberly, 2012 Brownwater Regatta champion, sailing USA 3 who took the win with four bullets for the weekend! Coberly was highly contested the entire regatta. Steve Sission on Elevation Racing finished one back for the series despite winning five races this weekend. Third place finisher Casey Call had a great weekend on the water sailing USA 71. Call finished up day two with a 3-2-3 punch that solidified his spot on the podium separating himself from the rest of the fleet.
The fleet had a fantastic time with family and friends especially at the beach party at the Brand's and are looking forward to the Melges 17 Muskegon Opener happening next weekend, May 18-19, 2013!
TOP FIVE RESULTS (FINAL - After Nine Races)
1.) Chad Coberly, USA 3; 1-4-3-1-1-3-2-1-2=18
2.) Steve Sission, Elevation Racing; 3-1-1-4-3-1-1-4-1=19
3.) Casey Call, USA 71; 5-2-4-2-2-2-3-2-3=25
4.) Bob Heathcote, hellifiknow; 4-7-7-3-11/DNF-4-5-6-5=52
5.) Mark Bremer, true; 7-6-6-11/DNF-5-5-4-5-4=53
View Full Results


text:
- This event has passed.
Wild Out Wednesday
November 7, 2018 @ 10:00 pm - 2:00 am
|Recurring Event (See all)
An event every week that begins at 10:00pm on Wednesday, repeating indefinitely
Wednesday is Wild Out Wednesdays featuring an Angel Cast Show at 11 p.m. and our house DJ providing the soundtrack for dancing before and after the show.
- Amazing specials all night along
- Games and contests including prizes and giveaways
- Doors open at 10PM
- No cover for the first 50 guests with college I.D. till 10:30


text:
OnGuard 8005 Pitbull DT U-Lock with Cable
Item: 40-0082
Ideal for high crime areas, campuses, suburban and recreational areas, the 8005 Pitbull DT U-lock offers a very high level of theft resistance. X4P Quattro Bolt Locking Mechanism secures all four sides of the hardened steel shackle and resists attack from prying, jacking, pulling or cutting. Z-Key Cylinder with BumpBlok protects against misuse and renders bump keys useless. Heavy-duty cable easily threads its way through the bike frame and wheels.
- X4P Quattro Bolt Locking Mechanism delivers unequaled strength by locking the crossbar to the shackle on 4 sides, maximizing pull resistance
- Massive, 14mm ultra-hardened steel shackle is impervious to prying, jacking or cutting
- User-friendly Z-Key Cylinder with BumpBlok and rotating dust cover puts pickers, pullers and drillers out of business
- Round profile and smooth edges eliminate leverage points
- Double rubber coated crossbars and shackles protect delicate finishes and paint jobs
- Ultra-hardened, reinforced crossbar with anti-rattle bumpers
- Tough and weatherproof vinyl cable cover
- Anti-theft Protection offer
- Includes All Tube multi-position QR mounting bracket, 10mm heavy-duty flexible steel cable and 5 laser cut keys (1 LED micro-light and 4 extra grip keys)
- Micro-light key projects a bright white beam
- U-Lock Dimensions: 4.53 x 9.06"
- Cable Dimensions: 4' x 0.39"


text:
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
And Now, Live on the Silver Screen....
One of the great things about the changes happening in the publishing industry is the introduction of the book trailer. I definitely think it has great potential to drive sales...if used in the right way.
I have seen incredibly boring trailers, long-winded and dry. I've seen okay ones. And then I've seen ones that made me click over to read the book blurb.
Making a book trailer is hard work. Will anyone buy a book because of its trailer? Who knows? But I feel like a great, hooky trailer will generate interest in looking at the story. Which can lead to sales or at least some kind of buzz.
Below is my trailer. I had a really fun time making it, even though I'm not sure I utilized everything the best way. You can also check out my good friend Anita's blog where she hosts a Trailer Thursday every week.
Have you ever made a trailer? Thought about it? What do you look for in one, and do you think a great trailer could prompt you to explore the story more?
34 comments:
- Jessica R. Patch said...
I like it!! You did a great job. I like book trailers if they're done well. I love watching previews to movies at the theater so that may be why.
So do all authors have to make their own trailers or do marketing teams at pub houses do some? Curious.
Great job, Jess!
- November 9, 2011 at 7:18 AM
- Joanne said...
Great job, I can definitely see the conflict building in your story. I think that one of the most important aspects of a trailer is the same as a blog post, or query letter ... It has to say a lot in a very short time. Some go on for too many minutes, and I prefer ones like yours, under a minute, that effectively get that story across.
- November 9, 2011 at 8:00 AM
- Sandra Orchard said...
Great job, Jessica. It looks like you had a lot of fun with this. I don't go out of my way to watch trailers...have only looked at those of a few friends, so I guess I'd have to say they're not the tipping point for me in exploring a story more.
- November 9, 2011 at 8:22 AM
- Susan J. Reinhardt said...
Hi Jess -
I.Want.This.Book. Need I say more?
Susan :)
- November 9, 2011 at 8:32 AM
- Terri Tiffany said...
Wonderful! I love it!! You did a good job capturing the story since I read it I can say that:)) So happy for you!
- November 9, 2011 at 8:34 AM
- Julie Dao said...
You did such a great job!! This makes me want to read the book!
- November 9, 2011 at 8:39 AM
- Wendy Paine Miller said...
So fun to watch...makes it more real.
I made one for a book that will likely not be published. It took a good deal of time so I'm not in a hurry to create another until I have a contract (but it was fun).
~ Wendy
- November 9, 2011 at 9:23 AM
- Jessica Nelson said...
Jessica, I love movie trailers too!!!
Joanne, I agree. Anything over a minute and half feels too long to me.
Well Sandra, everyone is different. :-) My husband doesn't really like to watch movie trailers either (let alone book ones!) lol
- November 9, 2011 at 9:44 AM
- Jessica Nelson said...
Susan, no, you've said quite enough to leave me smiling for the day. :-)
Yay!!! Terri, I'm so glad to hear you say that cuz I wanted to try to capture the gist of the story.
Thank you, Julie!! :-)
Oooh, Wendy, is it up somewhere? I'd love to watch it! And why won't the book get pubbed? You never know... *grin*
- November 9, 2011 at 9:45 AM
- Erica Vetsch said...
That was lovely! I liked the suspenseful music. Very nice job!
- November 9, 2011 at 9:55 AM
- Jessica Nelson said...
Thank you, Erica. :-) I love the beginning of the song and the end the most.
- November 9, 2011 at 9:59 AM
- Eileen Astels Watson said...
Love the sound track and this is definitely catchy! I'm so excited to get to read this in paper book copy, Jessica.
Man, there's a lot to learn when you get published isn't there? Creating trailers, vlogging, marketing, . . . Oh boy, it's kind of scary to think about, actually!
- November 9, 2011 at 10:26 AM
- Jessica Nelson said...
Eileen, I KNOW. One day at a time, that's what I keep telling myself.
- November 9, 2011 at 11:30 AM
- Loree Huebner said...
Beautiful! Makes me want to read it...can't wait!
- November 9, 2011 at 11:41 AM
- Stacy Henrie said...
Great job, Jessica! Love the conflict. Sounds like a great read.
I haven't done a book trailer yet, but I love movie trailers and the idea of creating something similar.
- November 9, 2011 at 1:45 PM
- Julie Jarnagin said...
I love it! Can't wait to read the book!
- November 9, 2011 at 2:34 PM
- Sarah Forgrave said...
Oh wow, I love the flower picture at the end. Nice job, Jessica! :)
- November 9, 2011 at 2:46 PM
- Keli Gwyn said...
Kudos on your book trailer, Jessie. I'm impressed! Sounds like a great story filled with secrets and suspense.
- November 9, 2011 at 11:34 PM
- Anita Grace Howard said...
Aw, you sweet pal! Promoting my Thursday series when here I am being naughty and only having one this month. HEE
Two things about a trailer will get a book on my TBR pile: 1) short and hooky like yours; 2) dark and atmospheric enough to creep me out.
BTW, I love your trailer. I think you did a wonderful job matching pictures to text and summing up your story while leaving us intrigued. :) You know I'm first in line to buy it!!
- November 9, 2011 at 11:34 PM
- Angie Muresan said...
Jessica, that was wonderful! I can't wait to read your book.
- November 10, 2011 at 2:40 AM
- Linda Kage said...
Oh, cool!!!! I like your trailer, what a neat, dramatic end.
I'm hooked on book trailers myself. Don't know if I put together anything very good, but they're fun and addictive and make me happy, so I keep creating them!
- November 10, 2011 at 8:54 AM
- Jessica Nelson said...
Thanks Linda! They are very addictive, aren't they?? lol
Thanks Angie. :-)
Anita, so far I've really enjoyed the trailers you put up. Good taste, my friend.
Hi Keli!! Thank you for your sweet comment. The books isn't a suspense, but it does have elements of it in there. :-)
- November 10, 2011 at 9:03 PM
- Jessica Nelson said...
Thank you Loree, Julie and Sarah!
Stacy, it was super fun!! You should try it. Learning to use the Movie Maker and mix music with images was pretty interesting.
- November 10, 2011 at 9:04 PM
- Lauren F. Boyd said...
Awesome, awesome, awesome! Keep up the good work!
Thanks, too, for stopping by my blog! Great to see you, as always!
- November 10, 2011 at 9:16 PM
- Nancy said...
I have never seen a book trailer before. That first picture and the music and then the quick picture of the writer - it gave me chills. I think you got it right. I'm so impressed. The books sounds great, too.
- November 11, 2011 at 11:51 AM
- Jeanette Levellie said...
Oh, it's magnificent! I love it--it gave me goosebumps! Really.
I did think the credits were too fast. I like to see people's names who worked on something. We even stay to the last name at a theatre, so we can see all the credits.
I hired someone to do my trailer. I so admire you for doing your own!
- November 11, 2011 at 3:54 PM
- Patsy said...
Intriguing trailer.
- November 11, 2011 at 4:53 PM
- Kathryn Magendie said...
BB made my first trailer and I made the next one - the problem with them is I think they are too long. If I do another one, I'd make it very short and succinct like yours!
So happy for you, Jessica.
- November 12, 2011 at 12:45 PM
- Jennifer Shirk said...
Great job! Conveys your story and what it's all about in a short amount of time and makes me want to read the book. :-)
I think a trailer is a great idea! It can be used as a great promotional tool to create some buzz.
- November 12, 2011 at 8:05 PM
- Deb Shucka said...
What a wonderful trailer this is. Short, but powerful, and definitely left me wanting to read the book. Wishing you such good luck with this path and looking forward to following along with you as you travel and share.
- November 13, 2011 at 11:15 AM
- Karen Lange said...
Can't wait to read it! :)
- November 14, 2011 at 11:10 AM
- Michelle Teacress said...
I don't usually watch book trailers. I've seen some bad ones, and I feel so terrible for the author.
I watched yours though - I like the music a lot, and how well you summed up your book in such a short space of time. Good job. :)
- November 15, 2011 at 10:53 AM
- Katie Ganshert said...
That is AWESOME! How cool that you made it! I'm impressed!
- November 20, 2011 at 6:14 PM
- Janet, said...
I think you did a great job. I love the trailer! I also love movie trailers, they give you a sneak peak at what's coming, just like yours did with your book.
- November 30, 2011 at 8:51 AM


text:
Field Takes Overnight Lead at Melges 24 Atlantic Coast Championship, Bacardi Miami Sailing Week
8 March 2013
Miami, FL - Day two at Bacardi Miami Sailing Week turned out to be far better than expected, in terms of the weather that is. Eighteen Melges 24s enjoyed three races under glorious sunshine and moderate, but quite shifty breeze. Coming out on top, with four races on the scoreboard is a National and North American Melges 24 Champion - Alan Field on WTF, followed by Riccardo Simoneschi on Audi in second and in third, is Don Wilson on Convexity.
After a short on land postponement, the first race of the day got away clean with the exception of one OCS casualty. Cary Seigler's Rocksteady rounded the first mark hungry for speed with a very intense Melges 24 fleet hot on his transom. Bryce Ayres' Monsoon and Bent Dietrich's Kleine Rainbow were side by side down the spreader leg with many new teams finding clean air and a new gear at the offset. Riccardo Simoneschi's Audi in particular took advantage of the shifty 7-9 knots of breeze to advance forward and take the win. Field and Dietrich went head to head for the finish with WTF getting the upper hand for second. Dietrich settled for third.
In race two, Seigler looked to possibly get his due as he lead from the start through the next two legs only to be conquered in the end by Field. Seigler settled for second, while Simoneschi and crew on Audi finished in third place.
The final race of the day went to Alec Cutler aboard Hedgehog. Strong from the start, Cutler blistered the course with Wilson challenging the most right at the finish. Cutler easily took the win, followed by Wilson, and Simoneschi's Audi remained consistent finishing third once again.
The Corinthian Division is still going strong with no changes in the leader board. Catherine Evan's Mojito is still the overall leader. Rob Britts and crew on Hot Mess finished fourth in race one and holds steady in second while Curtis Jazwiecki on Gnarly Ruca remains in third.
Teams rounded out the day on the lawn at Coconut Grove Sailing Club chit chatting about the day's racing, but also warming up the next great challenge - The Melges Rocks Party! Everyone that attended the Melges Performance Sailing DeBrief presented by EFG Bank received an awesome Melges Rocks t-shirt. Mr. Moe's was packed - standing room only for teams that love their Melges boats and simply can't get enough of the greatest sportboat competition in the world! The U.S. Melges 24 Class Association sends special thanks to our friends in Zenda as well as Bacardi Rum for providing the great refreshments at the Melges Rocks Party! What an awesome party!
Saturday will be the final day of racing in Miami. Stay close as truly it will be the grand finale to what has been an amazing event!
Real-time updates will be posted online at the Official Facebook Page of the U.S. Melges 24 Class Association. Look for reports on who is winning and what is going on. Tune in and stay on top of all the latest news from Bacardi.
TOP FIVE RESULTS (After one race)
1.) Alan Field, WTF; 2-2-1-6=11
2.) Riccardo Simoneschi, Audi; 8-1-3-3=15
3.) Don Wilson, Convexity; 3-9-4-2=18
4.) Cary Siegler, Rocksteady, 7-5-2-10=24
5.) Catherine Evans, Mojito; 1-15-5-4=25
TOP THREE CORINTHIANS (After one race)
1.) Catherine Evans, Mojito; 1-15-5-4=25
2.) Rob Britts, Hot Mess; 6-4-6-16=32
3.) Curtis Jazwiecki, Gnarly Ruca; 14-12-11-11=48
View Full Results
View The Official Website of Bacardi Miami Sailing Week
View The Official Race Site (Results)
View Full Photo Gallery - JOY


text:
mostly blood and bones and pain
diary of a professional antagonist
Tag Archives: Suicide
My First Wife
I met her on Alcatraz. Her name was Nancy. To date, our marriage remains the most expensive hour of my life.
At the time, I was still what I now consider young and had just experienced the second major loss of my life, my old man, 'Burt'. He owned a construction company that had seen its fair share of troubles over the decades. Our relationship was testy at times. I was considered soft because as a teenager I took a few acting classes and preferred a pen to a chisel, but in truth, mano y mano, Burt wasn't up to much, and so I became useful whenever an angry client came by the house to settle up. I'd step in, turn on the water works in frantic despair, and wail pitifully until sympathy trumped vengeance.
In the year leading up to Burt's death my mother passed away and an apartment complex he erected collapsed, killing one person. He received a suicide note from some poor bastard who lost everything as a result of the same incident. All these things add up, I guess.
Even though I hated construction, Burt left the company to me when he hammered his last nail. He was well known, and his picture was in all the papers when he passed, so, given that I knew nothing about the business – which projects were active, who worked there, how to get an outside line on the office phone – I hopped on the first flight out of town, drank most of the way and arrived in San Francisco out of my mind.
My limited knowledge of San Francisco told me that it was full of hills, hippies and homos. I could have shacked up anywhere given the inheritance, but ended up taking a room in some dive in the Tenderloin area. Even back then it was a shit-hole area. A lobotomized geriatric checked me in to my room and told me that breakfast was a noun before staring at me for a solid minute after I made the mistake of laughing.
A sourdough bowl of chowder later, my stomach begged me for something normal, so I knocked back a fifth of Night Train, grabbed a second bottle, then hopped on the boat to Alcatraz; figuring the water was the best place to be if I was going to hurl. Walking 'The Rock' is still a blur. All I really remember is hearing something about Capone getting syphilis before I was shaken back to consciousness on a cot in one of the cells. Nancy was standing over me.
The journey back to the mainland was excruciating. Nancy talked about her folks all the way. How her Mother always joked that she just needed a good man to complete her. How her Father said she was one in a million. How Maw and Paw told her that family occasions were never dull when she showed up. I listened for two reasons. One, I needed something to focus on so I could stay conscious until I reached the hotel. Two, she had a big pair of tits, and an ass as thick and round as a bus wheel that made up for her average at best looks.
Nancy was still there when I woke up. My clothes were clean and pressed, and there was a big, fat, bloody steak and a cold one on the bedside table. This woman had me down. I asked why she did it. She said she saw something in me, something she needed then leaned in and kissed my cheek. My shoulder brushed against her breast and I got a half lob on. Later she told me that she was leaving for Vegas. I'd slammed six beers by then and thought, "fuck it, I've got money, time and a semi with ambitions."
Nancy listened to my sop story on the flight. She managed to bring booze onto the flight in a Coke bottle, so, as I got more and more wasted, I blabbed on and on. When I stopped talking she didn't offer any advice, didn't sympathize or ask how I felt, didn't tell me everything would be okay – I may have been drunk, but the simple fact that she didn't do any of these things made me think I loved her.
Nancy had to meet a business associate when we arrived, so we arranged to meet later at my hotel. I'd gotten rid of my emotional baggage and was feeling good, so I hit the strip hard. Somewhere in the middle of it all she returned. She laughed at how drunk I was, but not in a "you're a disgrace" kind of way, more like a woman who liked to see her man enjoy himself, and could get into the spirit of it, and, man but she could put away the booze. I'd hit the jackpot. Four cocktails later, and after she told me she'd done a pole dancing class, I proposed to her.
In the middle of the night we got married in a fun little shit-hole where Elvis now worked. I took Nancy back to my hotel room and got down to business. Basic instincts operate in all men even when hammered drunk, so I figured I'd have emptied my nuts into her in about three minutes before crashing. However, despite my best efforts, something went wrong.
It started when her dress fell away from her body. I wasn't confronted by heaving flesh, instead there was another layer of fabric tightly bound to her. I said, "what's this?" Nancy said, "my spanks". "Spanks?" "Yeah." She turned away from me and started to remove it. The only way I can describe it is that it was a like fat suit, except a thin suit, so when she took it off everything that had been so shapely and tight suddenly sagged and fell loose. "Fuck", I said.
There was a bra and panties embedded in rolls of fat, held together by skin that was anything but healthy looking. She removed the bra. Two things fell on to the floor from the bra. "What the fuck are they?" "My chicken fillets." "Chicken fillets? What the fuck?" My dick sagged when she tugged at her hair and removed a whole mess of extensions. Thin, greasy hair that fell just beneath her earlobes remained. When she turned around, I did my best to smile but then I looked down and saw a bulge in her panties.
When she next spoke, she was a he. "You've got two options here, Chuck. One, you sign a few papers, we annul this and never see each other or speak about this again. Two, we consummate this relationship, and if you don't think you can get hard, don't worry, I can." I thought about it and took option one. She, he, (s)he,
she… fuck it, Nancy opened the door and in walked an amenable looking solicitor, her business associate, who had a bunch of legal documents ready. As he laid them out on the bed I muttered that I should have known better than to pick up a chick in San Francisco. Nancy uttered a knowing laugh.
We hadn't met by chance. She tracked me to San Francisco after reading about my father's death in the paper. This was a revenge mission. Her mother died in the apartment complex my father built that collapsed. Her father later committed suicide, lost without his wife, and too proud to go live with 'Nancy', his estranged, cross-dressing son.
I signed the papers without further question, but I'll admit, even though I never wanted my Dad's company, it fucking hurt when I put down the pen and realized that I'd given away everything my old man ever worked for, the place where I knew him best, where our relationship was least strained and where I felt close to him.
Nancy didn't have that with her old man. Chemistry, hormones and whatever else separated them, and I guess in the end if this was the only way she would ever do right by her folks, then this was how it was going to be.
The next morning I woke up single again to the hangover from hell, with no prospects and no money. Nancy left me a one way ticket back home. I was already late for the flight. On the way to the airport my brain started to work again – it had been a while – and as the taxi pulled in at the set-down area I realized that the only reason I signed the papers is because I was afraid people I didn't give a shit about would find out that I married a dude in Vegas. I hadn't even stuck my dick in him, and who said he was really going to stick his in me? God damn it, I had no real reason to be ashamed.
In that moment I felt stupid. I took comfort in a cheap bottle. Nothing's changed since then. The decline continues.


text:
"On Long Island, postal emergency teams are in action with all contingency plans, like sending extra trucks to certain areas to get the mail delivered," said Connie Chirichello, a spokeswoman for the USPS. "Damage continues to be assessed on a daily — hourly basis."
Chirichello said that the Island Park post office was reopened on Nov. 3. If residents have any questions about mail, they can call (800) 275-8777.
Where can I do laundry?
If you can't use the machine of a friend or family member, there are nearby laundromats that are open.
Tub & Tumble Inc., at 1755 Peninsula Blvd. in Hewlett, is open 24 hours a day. The owners say it's best to come at night, when things are a little quieter. The phone number is (516) 295-5831.
A little closer to home is Bubbles Laundromat, at 310 Sunrise Highway in Rockville Centre. It opens at 7 a.m., and the last wash is at 6 p.m. (516) 255-5100.
Is the water safe?
With the scare caused by the contaminated water in Long Beach and the malfunction of the Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant, many residents are concerned about the quality of water in Oceanside and Island Park.
Officials say that the water in both communities is safe to use. However, a conserve-water order is still in effect. That means that residents should not leave faucets running, water their lawns or take long showers. Use water only when it is necessary.
Where are the police?
Some residents in blacked-out areas were concerned that they had not seen many police officers. But the Nassau County Police Department assures us that they are still here, and responding to calls. The NCPD is also being assisted by the National Guard and troopers from the State Police.
There are unmarked cars patrolling some of the hardest-hit areas, keeping an eye out for looters.
If residents have an emergency, they should still call 911. For non-emergency questions, they can call the 4th Precinct at (516) 573-6400.
What's going to happen to all the boats?
Sandy swept away many boats, some of which were still tied to their docks. They are among the largest and most cumbersome debris that needs to be removed.


text:
It is, apparently, lonely at the top of the list of the world's most intact Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons.
So for the 10th anniversary of Sue's exhibit debut at the Field Museum, the museum has procured some company for her: four life-size, interactive robot dinosaurs and a 3-D movie telling her life story went on exhibit Wednesday.
And although the movie isn't "Avatar" and the robots won't make anyone worry that the takeover is imminent, they are, nonetheless, impressive additions to the Field experience.
But be forewarned: They are still more new museum exhibits that demand an upcharge atop already hefty admission fees. Chicagoans can visit the "normal" parts of the Field for $8 to $13, depending on age and student status. An "All-access Pass," which gets you into the new "RoboSUE: The T. rex Experience" and the 3D movie "Waking the T. rex: The Story of SUE," plus the "Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age" and "Underground Adventure" exhibits, costs $16 to $25. (You could also buy a "Discovery Pass," good for general admission plus any one special exhibit, for $13 to $20.) Prices are slightly higher for non-Chicagoans.
The film, 23 tidy minutes in a third-floor theater, puts the Sue skeleton find in context, balancing re-creations of what her life might have been like with a look at how Field's paleontologists work and the story of the actual Sue discovery.
Some of the re-creations are grisly. A triceratops goes down, then dies slowly after a vicious neck bite, for instance, and the Sue character tears out and gulps down animal viscera, complete with sound effects.
If you can handle the moments of gore, glimpsing Sue's imagined life is engaging, and there's enough science in the fossil-discovery moments to make this feel meaty, if not full-on scholarly.
As for the 3-D, I'm not a particular fan of the form; I had enough of ugly glasses in the 1980s, thank you very much, and am not eager to don these communal pairs.
But it's not an over-the-top use of the technology, and having the extra dimension pays off during the shots in which the Sue skeleton, in its center-of-museum pose, suddenly gains flesh, comes to life and lunges at the camera lens.
The mechanical dinosaurs in "RoboSUE: The T. rex Experience" do less lunging.
On display through Labor Day right on the main floor, they are Japanese-made animatronic figures enhanced with interactive software by Dallas-based KumoTek, in consultation with the museum's specialists.
Perched on land-mass display areas, none of the creatures moves its feet. But the head, neck and tail movements, along with a lot of vocal posturing, should satisfy anybody who isn't hoping to see Godzilla tear up the exhibit hall.
What's really nifty is how they react to the visitors in front of them. Put four people too close to the triceratops' eggs, and it'll see them with cameras mounted in its eyes and give a warning roar. Approach the Tyrannosaurus rex, the aforementioned "RoboSUE," and it will take a big whiff to try to capture your scent, maybe let out a warning roar.
"They're so good at animatronics, these people" said Patrick Reinhofer, a third-grader from Park Ridge who attended a preview of the exhibits Tuesday. "It's even better than I expected."
In the end, endorsements like that may be the most important ones the new displays can earn.


text:
Artisan Soda Workshop by Andrea Lynn
I love fizzy water something fierce. I'd take my Soda Stream on vacation with me if I could. I've dabbled with making my own soda syrups and played with adding fresh juice to my glass, but lately I've been looking for something to shake up my soda game. Which is why I'm pretty sure Artisan Soda Workshop was written just for me. Seventy different recipes! And all of them easy-peasy to make in minutes! This may have been written for me, but don't worry: I'll share.
Quick Facts
• Who wrote it: Andrea Lynn
• Who published it: Ulysses Press
• Number of recipes: 70 recipes
• Recipes for right now: Cherry Cola Syrup, Natural Grape Syrup, Cranberry Orange and Ginger Syrup, Pear Grape and Honey Syrup, Pomegranate-Lime Syrup, Plum Shrub, Egg Cream, Apple Cider Rum
• Other highlights: All the recipes in this book are for making concentrated syrups, which can then be added to plain seltzer water to create your own soda. If you don't have a Soda Stream, soda syphon, or other means to carbonate water at home, you can use any of these syrups with store-bought bottled seltzer.
The recipes typically call for between 1/4 cup and 3/4 cup of sugar, with some of the recipes branching out into agave syrup, honey, and other forms of sugar. It's easy to adjust the sweetness level to taste either when you make the syrup or with the amount you add it to the glass. This is great for me and my husband since I tend to like my sodas less sweet while he has more of a sweet tooth.
I love the range of recipes in this book. There are soda basics like cola copycats and ginger ale, along with lots of interesting fruit and herb/spice combinations. Most are fruit-based—great for those times when you have one or two leftover fruits that need using up. I'm also really happy to see a few recipes for shrubs in here. I've fallen hard for this fruity vinegar drink, and I'm excited to have a few more flavors to try.
And P.S., don't forget that all these syrups make steller cocktail add-ins. I have big plans to hone my cocktail skills this holiday season and expect I'll be turning to the recipes in this book quite frequently
• Who would enjoy this book? Soda lovers, DIY-ers, cocktail makers
Find the book at your local library, independent bookstore, or Amazon: The Artisan Soda Workshop: 70 Recipes from Fountain Classics to Plum Vanilla, Rhubarb Basil, Sea Salt Lime & Much Much More by Andrea Lynn
• Visit the author's website: Andrea Lynn
• See more from Andrea Lynn on The Kitchn: Andrea Lynn's 5 Favorite Products from Trader Joe's: Cookbook Review
(Images: Emma Christensen)


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Welcome to EarthTurns
Pro EFA contains DHA and EPA, which are two of the most beneficial omega 3 fatty acids. DHA and EPA can both help to maintain the health of the nervous system. DHA is used to grow and develop the brain, and it can also help to reduce depression. EPA is used to stimulate hormones that can help to optimize brain function.
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Vitamin E can help to:
Directions: Suggested Use: Two soft gels daily, with food, or as directed by your health care professional or pharmacist.
Other Ingredients: purified deep sea fish oil (from anchovies and sardines),soft gel capsule (gelatin, water, glycerin, natural lemon flavor), borage oil (borago officinalis), natural lemon flavor, d-alpha tocopherol, rosemary extract (a natural preservative).
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Transparency Market Research Report Add " Triethylene Glycol (TEG) Market" - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 – 2019," to its database.
The Triethylene Glycol (TEG) Market was valued at USD 760 million and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 21.3% from 2013 to 2019 to reach an estimated value of USD 2,937.3 million by 2019.
The major factor driving the global market for TEG includes the growth of the global natural gas market and the growing demand for plasticizers in end use industries. Its increasing application as a solvent is also acting as a major factor driving the global market for TEG. However, volatility in raw material prices and regulatory issues associated with the production and use of TEG are expected to have a negative impact on the growth of the global market.
The growing demand of natural gas in the Asia Pacific region creates immense opportunities for major TEG manufacturers as natural gas dehydration represents the largest application of TEG and thus growth of natural gas in Asia Pacific will induce the TEG market in the region to grow.
Natural gas dehydration accounted for approximately 58.6% of the global TEG demand in 2011. Along with being the biggest market, it is also the fastest growing application market for TEG at a CAGR of 4.8% from 2013 to 2018. Other applications capture smaller amounts of market and are expected to remain stagnant till 2018. Some of the other application segments for TEG include solvents, plasticizers, polyurethane, humectants and polyester resins.
The global market for TEG is facing the threat of being oversupplied, mainly owing to massive capacity additions in the Gulf Council Cooperation (GCC) in recent years. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is the major consumer of TEG in the GCC. KSA accounted for approximately 63.4% of the GCC demand for TEG in 2011.
Some of the major participants in the global market for TEG include, SABIC (KSA), Dow Chemical (U.S.), Shell (Netherlands), Sinopec (China), Honam Petrochemical (Korea) and so on.
This research is specially designed to estimate and analyze the demand and performance of TEG in a global scenario. The research provides in-depth analysis of TEG manufacturers, trend analysis by segments and demand by geography. The report covers all the major product segments of the TEG market and provides detailed analysis, historical data and statistically refined forecast for the segments covered. The study presents a comprehensive assessment of the stakeholder strategies, winning imperatives for them by segmenting the TEG market as below:
Triethylene Glycol Market, by Application:
-Natural Gas Dehydration
-Polyester Resins
The report provides a cross-sectional analysis of all the above segments with respect to the following geographical markets:
- North America
- Europe
- Asia Pacific
- Rest of the World (RoW)
In addition the report also covers the TEG market for Gulf Council Cooperation (GCC) including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) with their TEG supply demand scenario.
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Seven police officers have been injured trying to gain control of a brawl at a western Sydney wedding reception.
Police say they were called to the reception on Railway Parade in Guildford where a number of people were fighting on the dance floor about 9.20pm on Friday night.
Do you know more? Or do you have a photo or video from the wedding? Let us know by sending an email to firstname.lastname@example.com
One officer was struck on the head from behind by a 19-year-old man as he was trying to break up the fracas.
Police had to use capsicum spay and seek assistance after guests turned violent as the man was being arrested.
Police from Cabramatta, Green Valley, the dog squad and region enforcement squad supported local officers from Fairfield to gain control of the situation.
Seven police officers suffered minor injuries.
Police said around 300 people were at the reception.
The 19-year-old was charged with assault police occasioning actual bodily harm.


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PM Sent...
No PM was there?
I have one i bought a week ago that im not exactly falling in love with. How much are you looking to spend?
I've heard that before from others owners that that are on the fence with this scanner. Could you tell me what your impression of it is?


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Kim Kardashian: I Do Not Have Butt Implants or Injections!
Kim Kardashian steps out while reportedly looking for a new DASH store location on Wednesday afternoon (February 19) in New York City.
The 33-year-old reality star took to her Twitter account later in the day to set some rumors to rest.
"I'm seeing all these nonsense tabloids claiming I have butt implants-injections. Get a life! Using pics of me 15lbs skinnier (before I had my baby) comparing to me now! I still have weight to lose," Kim said. "Anyone who has had a baby knows how hard it is to lose weight(especially the last bit of weight) & your body totally changes! Making fun of me pregnant & making fun of me trying to lose weight now shame on you. I'm not perfect but I will never conform to your skinny standards sorry! Not me. And BTW I've lost a lot so far & I'm proud of that! Don't give young girls a complex!"
We think you look great the way you are Kim. Don't listen to the haters!
15+ pictures inside of Kim Kardashian stepping out in the Big Apple…