text:
Characterization edition:
1. Unjustified non-canon (and when I say canon, I mean Season 2, because you can't take canon as a whole without running into multiple contradictions. So might as well stick with the only part of it that's somewhat consistent in its depiction of the characters) characteristics ascribed to either boy
2. Doormat!Blaine or doormat!Kurt…
…which is the actual reason I'm writing this post because I need to vent…
So imagine reading a decently written story with perfectly justified non-canon characteristics manifesting themselves in not so excellent treatment of the other part of Klaine. So far, so good. The story seems to be aware of the problem, so I am waiting for it to be addressed head-on… And then, as it usually happens, they go into a scene where the one treated unfairly basically flat out says what exactly is wrong with that. Yay! I'm excited. And then they go and make him apologize and completely diminish the wrongness of the other character's ways… And announce that he wasn't as bad all along. But he was portrayed as quite bad. At that point I usually get pretty mad because the writer decides to go into what is wrong with the doormat!character (not in terms of his being a doormat of course). I believe they imagine they give them equal standing or whatever that way. And it's awful because how is it equal to be made to apologize for the other person treating you awfully?!
Okay, rant over.
fanfiction blaine:- i am a caveman all american teen and i eat only unhealthy stuff with my BARE HANDS TEARING THROUGH IT LIKE THE MANLY ANIMAL THAT I AM
actual blaine:-
fanfiction kurt:- i use spoons and forks for everything and ew who touches fOOD ew thats what UTENSILS are for like ugh i am not eating tHAT IT HAS SO MANY CALORIES!!!!
actual kurt:-
fanfiction!kurt:- baby pengiun/blushing with sex - permanently
fanfiction!blaine:- a bumbling not-very-graceful adorable clumsy mess
fanfiction!kurt:- the most graceful precise fucker in the entire wooorld who never makes a misstep in the history of ever
Okay… So I wonder: what are their fanfiction characterizations based on? Is it stereotypes or personal preferences that inform people's choices? Also, Blaine's night clothing is another point of contention, I guess. (Because I love, love, love satin/silk pajamas and fancy robes… so I actually really prefer glee's version there, too.) And don't even get me started on Blaine's "brokenness" or his absolute "selflessness" to the point of complete self-sactrifice and self-erasure… Or either character being so much more mature than the other… And… many more… let's leave it at that.
There comes a time when you finally have enough brilliant stories to add to your recommendation list.
These stories are not ranked. But if they were, they would fit somewhere on my first recommendation post: Favorite Fanfic. So the Top 3 is now Top 6 and the order doesn't really matter, as you should read all of them because they are wonderful.
I'll also try to follow the same format, so the same disclaimers apply: Long Fanfiction Assessment Post and the whole Fanfiction Tag.
So, the stories:
Yeah, I also thought it was cute when I was a child and had no idea whatsoever how love or even the world, for that matter, function. But now… I'm still not completely sure why people would use the idea of love at first sight as just a shoddy excuse to form fatalistic types of couples that can't help but be together. How about actually wanting to be together? Love at first sight seems to feel an awful lot like a trap. And even if love may feel like that and oftentimes does, what is so good about it in these cases? Everyone may fall in love and feel trapped. I am, however, in no way obligated to think this is romantic. If you truly feel trapped, you should probably not even be together.
I don't know how this whole idea ties into religious beliefs, as you see, I don't have any, or into the idea of fate, which… well, suffice to say, I honestly don't feel is as trapping, what with compatibilism, and fate and personal choice actually coinciding, so that it doesn't even feel like fate, and so on (although, mind you, I don't quite believe in "fate," either). But whatever… What I am trying to say is that I find nothing inspiring about a couple that is together just as a result of a strange inevitability and the work of an irresistible force, especially when it seems the decision to be together is actually opposed to their wants. Or they just feel they have to be together and never actually question it in any way. Because it's love, man, and there is no escaping. Please!
So yes, inspiring couples rationally choose to be together because they know this is what they rationally want, not because they can see no other way, or because they feel compelled to love. The fatalistic type of love at first sight is unhealthy, borders on obsession and, ultimately, hurts the characters I love, who usually are presented as genuinely disliking each other, while being unthinkingly in an inescapable trap of a love. Mmm, exactly what I want for them, no doubt.
So from now, if a story doesn't put in the effort to try to give me reasons why two people love each other beyond the cliched they were made for each other, which leads to a train wreck of a relationship of apparent mutual dislike, inexplicably intense feelings and general dysfunction, I don't really want to read that story. Not even going into the whole issue of physical appearance versus the essence of a person and how first-sight love is eternally based on the former - because appearances can be quite deceptive, but we are not supposed to go anywhere beyond them at the time of that first sighting, are we.
So yes, I get really annoyed when people describe Kurt and Blaine's love as love at first sight (when it means what I've described above), because wow, of course, they don't really have any conceivable, rational reasons to love each other, and are not perfect for each other, at all - if they could only think about it… But they can't because it's love and nothing else matters. Actually, it does matter! They absolutely made a choice in deciding to be together. Also, they didn't cling to the other begging him to take them. In fact, they've always respected each other's choices and agency and right and ability to refuse or get away. But they choose to be together because they have a million reasons to be together, rational, tangible reasons. They can help it, they just don't want to. Also what happens when people in 'love at first sight' hurt each other? They can't leave, right? UGH! This totally sounds super healthy.
Disclaimer: I do realize this is not the only way to define and understand love at first sight. I do think it is a little absurd in all cases, but this is the only interpretation I'm absolutely opposed to. I also realize what I just described doesn't necessarilly have the element of first sight, but it's equally unhealthy without it, too. I do have some fanfiction and writers in mind when I'm writing this, but you'll have to come off anon and send me a personal message if you want to discuss the specifics. I do want to hear your general opinions on the matter, though, so feel free to submit and discuss in any way you find convenient. :)
"the cult harlequin novel thing Velvet Petels had going" <— See, I didn't get that reference. Definitely adds a very interesting layer to the whole story.
I also always change (Def)inition's and If I Die Young's places in my fanfic chart. They are both fantastic!
I haven't read the film noir fics. Now I really want to start reading them immediately. Ugh, I wish I wasn't super busy. But I'll definitely start as soon as possible. Thanks for the recommendation!
I hope that Left Over will get resolved at some point with everything about this world finally getting clear. It absolutely may. It's just that right now there are too many secrets and a complicated reality that I personally don't get the rules of. And the confusion is definitely starting to hinder my enjoyment of the story.
I've actually read Left Over and the sequel (still a WIP). I think it's all right. I had some objections to the way they get together and are obsessed with each other, but that actually sort of made sense within the universe. This story is quite confusing, though; so much so that reading it gets tiring after a while. I think that we as readers definitely need more information if the writer wants to keep us engaged.
Hm, interesting about Velvet Petals, Piercing Thorns. I actually didn't like that one:
1. It didn't sound like a historical fic to me, at all. Especially the language and the dialogue. Did people in that time talk or act like this? Maybe if we could travel back in time, we would, but I really don't think this is true of people who've never been to our time.
2. Kurt and Blaine are irresistibly sexually attracted to each other, so lots of sex ensues. But is there anything else between them? Only sexual attraction just doesn't work for me. I want them to want to be together, not feel they have to be together as they can't help it.
3. Then, we have the whole inequality issue and Blaine deciding everything for Kurt; even leaving him alone to fight in a war, with Kurt not being given any chance to object. I just need them to be equals in the way they treat each other and in terms of the control they have over their relationship.
So basically, it was the language, Kurt's oddly subordinate position to Lord Blaine, and the strange sex-love dynamic that put me off. Also, the totally subjective fact that I'm not the biggest fan of this writer's style, which is, of course, irrelevant to a productive discussion. Just wanted to mention it as it might be coloring my perception of her works in a bit more negative light than they deserve.
Have you read any phenomenal fics of late? It's been awhile for me. Do you have any recommendations?
Please, feel free to send opinions and recommendations my way. I'll be happy to discuss them.
Which is your absolute favorite Klaine fic and why?
Honorable Mentions
These are the stories that stayed with me for a long time, or really moved me, or made me think about their subjects extra hard, even though I found some serious flaws in them that put me off a bit.
9. Goodnight
Reasons: Adorable baby Kurt - daddy Burt story with a healthy side dish of super sweet baby Blaine and other baby characters. It's extremely sweet and sad and moving and well-written.
Problems: Only reason it is among the honorable mentions instead of the favorite stories is that it is not a Klaine story, which automatically lowers my level of interest. But it's oh, so worth reading!
Reasons: Phenomenal characterizations. One of my very favorite stories in that aspect. Both Kurt and Blaine are brilliantly written. The writing style in the whole story is superb, in fact. I love how it works as a drama rather than a comedy and goes for realism. And I certainly love that Kurt and Blaine find a way to solve their problems even in the dark, realistic, uncaring world they are confined to.
It made me think about the binary gender system and how ridiculous it is. I love that it did. This was also brilliantly done.
Problems: Tonal switch: got too optimistic at one point and subsequently everything fell into place. It wasn't so much earned as it was just granted. There was a break with realism in the pursuit of a happy ending which made the story sort of confusing. I also can never bring myself to actually like the presence of an obnoxious character like this story's Santana in Kurt and Blaine's everyday life. A quite enlightening pleasure to read overall, though.
11. Pretty Woman
Reason: Makes you think. Leaves you really confused. Keeps you reading until the last page because you can't predict what is going to actually happen. I am mostly fine with the characters. Even Kurt is a somewhat extreme version of himself. It reaches the right conclusions.
Problems: I figured out what was going on with Kurt and his self-esteem issues by about the time Kurt and Blaine got together, so I was just confused as to why Blaine couldn't figure it out and did not insist on psychiatric help for Kurt or didn't even go to a psychiatrist himself to ask for advice. It was pretty obvious Kurt needed professional help. Then again, why would Kurt even become that broken if he knew and had Blaine almost all along? I think the narrative was too apologetic of Kurt's actions, past and present. Blaine was just supposed to always support him or the story treated him as a terrible friend/boyfriend. Why wasn't Blaine entitled to feelings of his own? The whole situation cannot have been absolutely unproblematic for him. How about the whole cheating fiasco of the past? They never talked about it or what cheating meant. They never talked about what sex meant, for that matter either, or how much of it was "required," especially given their past and how Kurt had treated Blaine, which was also brought up a couple of times. Finally, we had their relationship going from totally platonic to absolutely physical with some consoling on the side when absolutely needed, usually followed by more sex. What happened to the pure friendship they shared? I just definitely needed more of Blaine for this story to work. He is not just a doormat support system for a spoilt, self-centered, broken character who wants to take and take, but treats giving as a huge burden that cannot fairly be imposed on him. Kurt wash't fair to Blaine and he didn't even feel the need to apologize or make amends.
Still, a very interesting story that broadens your understanding of ownership over one's own body and mind. It's also well-written and infinitely better and deeper than the book it is based on (which I tried to read out of curiosity but could never finish).
11. Little Numbers
Reasons: The format is brilliant, super relevant and interactive! It's a sweet, fluffy story for the most part.
Problems: Bringing in Ethan, the good, wonderful guy, just didn't work for me. It takes away from your happiness over Klaine. It changes the story from that of a couple of strangers who are lucky to find each other in a millions-of-people city because they are so good for each other to a story about these same strangers having to make a choice that would inevitably hurt people, a choice they didn't absolutely even need to make because they could have been happy even if they hadn't made it. These are essentially two totally different stories. Thus, Little Numbers just completely switches direction once it gets to the middle and leaves you completely dissatisfied with the outcome, given the earlier promise of sunshine and happiness and inspiration. I also disagree with the characterization of poor not-confident-enough Blaine, who doesn't know how to deal with things. Kurt and his never-ending doubts get annoying in the end, too.
The format is still worth giving the story a try, though. It's so interactive and uniquely contemporary, it's totally worth getting acquainted with.
Reasons: Brilliant characterizations of Kurt and Blaine. I just adore everything about these two boys and all of their interactions in this fic (save for the short period of non-interaction). They are the cutest, most adorable, innocent, wonderful people ever!
Problems: Too indulgent Kurtofsky sex taking up most of the narrative, albeit within an extremely disturbing context. Following Karofsky to the end. That whole thing was super hard to read. But Kurt and Blaine were so sunshine-bright adorable that they made even that extremely dark reality bearable, just barely.
13. Blackbird
Reasons: Brilliant Blaine characterization, ignoring the strange lack of self-awareness when it comes to his sexual orientation. A lot of frighteningly canon-reminiscent Kurt dialogue, even though he is so different from canon!Kurt in a lot of respects.
Problems: Kurt never becomes our beloved strong, moral canon!Kurt. The sex and the sexualization of their relationship in the last few chapters just doesn't work for me because it shifts the focus from their love and friendships and the way they function as a couple to their sex life which is supposed to reveal information about everything else?? I don't know. In vino veritas, which always makes me roll my eyes and wish for sober decision/conclusion-making - although this aspect is quite mild in this particular story, probably not really fair of me to even bring it up in connection with it.
Anyway, if you love canon!Blaine, you'll definitely love Blackbird!Blaine and enjoy being immersed in his thoughts for most of the duration of this story.
That's it, I suppose. All of my established favorite fanfiction stories and honorable mentions. The only story this list is missing is my favorite guilty pleasure story at the moment, Sovereign, which I am reading for the perfection that is Blaine in it, but am not sure how to rank just yet. One of the rare stories where even some of the sex scenes work for me because they reveal information about the characters and their changing/evolving relationships. Not all of them but some of them do. And as long as they do, they are hot enough to withstand easily. (Don't even ask me why I can't bring myself to like anything about gratuitous, indulgent sex descriptions that serve no narrative function. The serving no narrative function would be the key, I suppose.)
My problems with Sovereign would be: Why is Rachel so okay with being used? The gratuitous porn, of course, which is to be expected on the kink meme, of course, but I am just complaining on principle. Kurt sounding maybe a little OOC.
Other than that, great story so far that I am eagerly awaiting the updates to.
Reasons: Same writer as If I Die Young, so of course great writing. A little less so, but still, this girl is talented, trust me. Also reads more like a novel than a TV show. What I remember from reading this story many months ago is that you can absolutely trust the writer, she'll address all the issues you have with her story. Just wait for it.
Problems: Blaine's not wanting to share with Kurt and trying to deal with everything on his own. A little sloppy in terms of Kurt's characterization. But a great, sad story overall, complete with great writing and awesome characters.
5. The Sidhe
Reasons: One word: equality! There is no other story where you get more equal relationships than in The Sidhe. This is almost hard to believe given that one of our boys is a magical elf creature who is one of the most powerful people among the other magical elves. And still, Kurt does as much for Blaine as Blaine does for Kurt, even though Blaine has no magical powers. This is amazing to see. Two other reasons to read it: Klaine's legendary love and the great action story about their journey through fantasy lands. Such a well-built and very visual reality. It's original, fast-paced, torturous at times but in a very right way. Definitely a very enjoyable touching experience.
Problems: Wish there were more about the politics of this world and how Kurt finally changed its dynamics. Falling in love at first sight doesn't work for me in spite of the adorable explanation with the stars and the millions of realities and universes where Klaine end up together. Too much sex, which you can easily skip, since it doesn't add to the narrative and gets a little repetitious after a while.
6. Light in the Loafers from the Immutability verse
Reasons: The action takes place in the late 50s and everything historical is very well-researched. If you are even vaguely interested in gay history (but also racism and history in general), I am sure this whole verse will be an absolutely fascinating read for you. It is, in fact, one of the very rare fanfiction stories I have read twice. Even the characters' way of speaking, the expressions they use and so on are historically-based. So incredibly much to learn!
Great, deep characters and an amazing insight into their minds' workings. Kurt especially is a very believable version of our Kurt, had he been born in the 40s.
An absolutely heartbreaking story, too, just be warned. And very well-written. Very detailed. Great use of music and popular culture.
Problems: I have two major problems and both have to do with Blaine. Even given his extreme circumstances and absolutely intolerable father, I still think he is too OOC. But yes, at least, he has some reason to be so completely not himself. It's definitely explained. I'm just not convinced he'd be that broken in even such an awful reality. He just seems kind of passive compared to canon Blaine, which I find weird. The second problem is Blaine and sex, how uncomfortable it makes him but how he cannot stop thinking about it and jumping into it every chance he has, though he regrets is so much later. Also explained in the narrative, but still a little too extreme to be entirely believable.
Additionally, there is that one moment when Kurt or Blaine thinks he misses his constant interaction and conversations with the other, but we'd never seen them having so many amazing conversations. The telling instead of showing pitfall. But it only happens that once as far as I can remember.
7. All Shook Up
Reasons: Adorable 50s story. Very, very bittersweet. A horribly angsty chapter that almost killed me at one point. Doesn't go as deep into the realities of the time when the story is set as Light in the Loafers, but still gives you a general terrifying idea of what people do and think. The characters are adorable and sweet. The coda is absolutely perfect.
Problems: A little OOC. Blaine seems a little aloof and strange because we almost never really know what is going on with him, so he comes off as a little flat. But so does Kurt to a certain extent. The happy ending is not entirely happy, which is absolutely heartbreaking. There are some tonal changes within the story, not unlike in Glee. Still, a sweet, interesting story, definitely worth reading.
Reasons: Super adorable. Amazing Kurt-Blaine relationship. Only college-years fic I actually like. The wedding planning and the Klaine unusual friendship were the best things ever. So cute. Irresistibly adorable Kurt and Blaine, separately as well as together.
Problems: A little ridiculous, some drama for the sake of drama. Some cliched expressions. Not the best writing ever. But a lovely, enjoyable story overall.
So here we go. Check my klaine fanfiction tag before you start reading. Contains a lot of disclaimers and clarifications. :)
Without further ado, here is the list:
Important! For each of my favorite fics I'll write a brief list of things that I like ("Reasons" why it's on the list) about it and another one of things I don't like ("Problems").
1. First prize goes to Courtney and If I Die Young
Reasons: Brilliant writing. Perfect characterizations. Her Kurt and Blaine are arguably the most canon-compliant characters out there. She has such a good feel of who they are both as individuals and as a couple. Add to that the masterful dialogue, the emphasis on interaction, the deep emotions, the fact that everything is so genuine and real… We really get into their heads, into their lives, into their hearts. We truly live with them. I'm still amazed that she could accomplish such immersion experience with characters that are not her own. They are living, breathing creatures and the Kurt and Blaine we know and love. Also the writing… Great use of words and expressions, flowing dialogue, beautiful and meaning-ripe descriptions. So great overall! A million times, well done!
Problems: Occasional pacing breaks. Doesn't read like a purposeful succinct story, although every chapter does read like an episode, like a story in its own right. Given the fact that IIDY is based on a TV show, though, I guess the format works even if it's not exactly a novel-type format. Blaine and career plans based on trying to please his parents at first is a little OOC for me. I was glad Trip and Karofsky got together within the narrative, but treating the Tripofsky relationship as an epic love story doesn't work for me. Why are they even together? What can they possibly give each other that they cannot receive anywhere else? Especially given the contrast with Klaine… Not epic at all. Tripofsky taking over during the Blaine death-scare didn't work for me, because I didn't really get where it came from. Rachel, Burt, Finn, Wes could have done a better job (maybe together with Trip). The insistence of the narrative that we were made witness to all of Klaine's interactions for the duration of the story was a little weird at times because it didn't particularly make sense for them not to try to spend more time together or have more intimate moments and so on. Keep in mind that all of this is really nitpicky because the story is truly wonderful and contains the very best Kurt and Blaine out there, even if it's not absolutely flawless.
(Oh, one last thing, I hate it when someone tells the person they love to find another significant other after they die. People can actually live without a partner, you know. This just makes me irrationally annoyed, as in I-would-be-so-angry-with-someone-trying-to-pull-that-bs-with-me annoyed. It's my choice after all. It's not so easy to find epic love, and I want nothing less, so please, shut up. If I ever find such love I'll just want to be yours forever and ever and ever, even if you are not alive. Doesn't matter. I can be as happy (or happier) alone as I would be with a person I only kind of care about or even love. And it's my choice! The end. But this applies to a lot of stories and 'mature' pre-death notes, so not specifically about IIDY. Just had to get it out there.)
2. (Def)inition
Reasons: Beautiful writing. Unique style. Fully-realized world, to the point that it has its own media outlets and political system and reasons behind everything. In-depth analysis of trauma and PTSD. The extremely difficult dynamic of Kurt and Blaine's relationship given their positions, their own feelings and needs. Kurt's internal struggles. Kurt and Blaine who are to varying degrees different from their canon counterparts but are still Kurt and Blaine in a believable way given their very different circumstances. One of my favorite chapters was the young Blaine chapter. So I guess I embrace the characterizations in Def and can't wait to see who Blaine will be once he gets over the trauma and awful memories. Another reason I can't stop reading is that I can't totally see how romance can develop out of what we have Kurt and Blaine going through in this reality. I really hope Sarah won't take the easy way out and just jump a few years into the future when Blaine is healed enough and, having lived as a free man for years, is actually ready for a relationship with his former holder Kurt. I don't even know if it is possible, but I very much hope to see Kurt and Blaine as equals within the frame of a supposedly unequal relationship. Complicated solutions are so fascinating. But as I said, I am not sure such a thing is even possible and maybe a time jump and explicitly granting Blaine his freedom is the only way Klaine romance can work in that AU. Still a fascinating story, either way. One of the rare ones, where I agree the author can actually work on turning it into a novel, because the PTSD thing is just breathtakingly well-developed and the reasons behind the PTSD are very real and relevant to our society, too. I'll just say, Def definitely teaches you a lot of things and stop there. I absolutely love all the other characters, too. Also, I forgot to mention the brilliance of the close-psychic-distance POV narrative. It's so real and well-written. We are truly submerged in Blaine's thoughts, no matter how scattered and disconnected they are. This is not easy to do, because the author actually knows what is going on even if the character doesn't. So you have to be able to see it all through the POV character's eyes. And it's so hard. And I just love Sarah and Def for how masterfully the POV is done. Stunning, really!
Problems: One problem I can think of is potential out of character behavior as the healing continues. And potentially taking the easy way out as mentioned above. Or potentially making someone other than Kurt fully responsible for Blaine's healing. Just potential problems though, no actual ones so far. Can you tell I love this story? :) Make sure to read the extra stories set in the universe, too.
3. Lovesong
Reasons: Most beautiful, love-conquers-all story this fandom has produced. I find everything about it totally fascinating if completely heartbreaking at the same time. The brain injury, the recovery, the medical information… The familiarity the author has with the subject. What it takes to go through all of this. Kurt! The incredible strength of Klaine's love and connection. The optimistic tone despite the tragic circumstances. The reality of setbacks dispersed among the numerous small successes. Kurt's thoughts and feelings, his unconditional, unquestionable adoration of Blaine now, before, in the future (whatever it may hold), his holding onto what Blaine used to be, his dedication and eternal patience. Blaine's frustration. And love, love, love. The questions, the doubts, mainly coming from the readers: could I do this if I were them, would I even want to try, I wish I could do this if anything like that ever happened to my partner… The fact that there are almost no questions and doubts within the narrative. Because Klaine's function has always been to inspire, and nowhere else is it as fully realized as in this story. Favorite chapter: Hold on to the Sun. Also, as a whole, very nice, flowing, soft writing style.
Problems: Not impressed with the sex in the last chapter (found): the whole thing is getting a little redundant and porny in a somewhat cliched way. Pretty much love everything else about Lovesong. But it's so bittersweet, it's definitely hard to wrap your mind around it. I am also really wondering about Kurt and his career goals. Which of course makes me feel so bad about it all. So, so sad. But so beautiful.
1. Blaine is a doormat. He's supposed to take everything that Kurt throws his way and be happy about it. Never utter a complaint or even question Kurt's behavior even in the cases when Kurt is being self-destructive. Because questioning anything Kurt does or feels would equate to his being a terrible boyfriend.
2. Blaine is extremely broken, scared, unassertive, needs Kurt in order to exist. Would never even begin to pursue his dreams without Kurt. Is usually in the closet. Does everything to please those around him with total abandon, disregard for himself or even self-respect. I can't even begin to fathom what such an interpretation of Blaine's character can be based on. It makes no sense whatsoever. Or if he is confident, he's strictly playing a role. Until Kurt comes into his life to tell him what to do in order to be happy because Kurt know best. Just… Please STOP!
3. 1. and 2. together. Yay!
4. Blaine is a veritable knight in shining armor/literal prince or something of the sort, who saves Kurt countless times. So far, so good. But we never find out why Blaine falls for Kurt. Other than appearance, of course, which is not very canon-compliant overall. In canon Kurt and Blaine are both extremely strong in different ways and complement each other beautifully, facilitating the other's strength and confidence to shine through in any situation. Also, one of the best things about them is that they are equals through and through, which is somehow rarely the case in fanfiction where one of them is the king…
5. Kurt and Blaine are not equals - this gets its own bullet point because, omg, it's so annoying. This is the only complaint I am going to vent when it comes to porny fanfiction, too, because it altogether usually has just too many problems to enumerate (at least in my opinion).
6. Kurt "tolerates" idiot Blaine. When has Kurt had to tolerate Blaine in canon? He absolutely adores him with all that Blaine is, the same way Blaine adores Kurt. They may lovingly roll their eyes at each other occasionally, but they actually love each other even for those moments. They don't put up with each other, please!
7. Rapist/sex-crazed pushy boyfriend Blaine fics… Are you even watching the same show? Loving, sweet, wonderful, respectful Blaine would never ever in any world behave like that, as long as he is anything like himself. Writing him that way is really not all right. Blaine ever putting sex above Kurt's comfort is absolutely not canon-compliant. Don't even mention the redundant parking lot scene: Blaine thought Kurt was comfortable, that was the whole point.
8. Very logical behavior and dialogue from both Kurt and Blaine, but completely irrational writers' interpretations interspersed in-between present thoughts disguised as memories and character-analysis, which we are supposed to read as the characters' own thoughts. This is something I've seen some of the best fic writers do. It's so weird. Also, it directly contradicts the way their Kurt and Blaine behave and talk within the same story. Don't put your thoughts into the characters' heads. It's weird and annoying.
On the whole, people either love Kurt and don't care about Blaine or vice versa. I don't have an idea if this is the way fandoms usually function or if this is a specific problem of Klaine fandom, or just a specific problem of fanfiction as a genre… It's just really annoying. :(
So, if anyone has a fanfic recommendation that avoids all of the above-mentioned pitfalls, I'd very much like to read it. And yes, I've read/am reading a number of very good stories with good characterizations I've really enjoyed. The problem is, they are very rare.
About this time last year, after having been completely, madly in love with the perfection that is Klaine, I decided to finally see what fanfiction is all about. I've known about the existence of fanfiction ever since the Harry Potter days, when I was trying to find opinions on Snape online because nobody around me seemed to think there was something more to his trying to teach Harry to close his mind while torturing him after having killed Dumbledore. I think that was the first time I learned that fanfiction existed (maybe by then I knew about fanart? I am not sure.) I never read any Harry Potter fanfiction because I didn't want to read how it might go before it was out. I wanted the real deal. And I certainly never got the appeal of meddling with a story and trying to come up with your own version of how it should play out. Till this day, I do not regret that decision. HP is actually well-written and ties all ends. Except for, did Harry and Ginny have sex that spring they were together (or anything sexual for that matter)? - the thing is I honestly don't care. I desperately wanted Sirius to not be dead. But it was J.K. Rowling's story and she was the only one who knew 'the truth.' So I wasn't tempted to read, and it was fine.
Then the Klaine days came and the temptation was too strong (because it's a love story and because Glee leaves a lot to the imagination and a lot to be desired). I've always been terrible at not liking love stories - especially ever since a professor (whom I'll always resent for screwing so severely with my tastes - even though I dropped the class after only two meetings…) told me I was not supposed to treasure such stories or anything about them if I ever intended to start writing good prose - because, you see, I wasn't already a good writer because of the topic I had chosen for one particular story - which, btw, was more of a gender perception analysis than "an arousing treat for lonely women" or something along those lines. The trouble is he had some legitimate criticisms, too, which made it even harder to tell which of his words I should heed to and which I should ignore. Of course, it is not just that. We live in a society where love stories are generally and almost invariably dismissed as silly and unworthy of the attention of anyone who holds themselves in a position of intelligence and esteem in their own mind. They are for silly teenage girls who don't know better, because of course life has so much better things to offer than love. And then we have the whole sexual arousal aspect because of course the world revolves around sex and someone's sexual frustrations and "needs."
"Who even told you can make a good writer?" the professor asked. "They seriously shouldn't be allowed to teach here." Just imagine what would have happened if he were the first creative writing professor I had had. My whole life, expectations, aspirations, everything about me now would be different and so screwed up. He still managed to do damage and scare me off love as a serious subject of writing. Years later, having had only one fate-defying conversation with that entitled man, I am still struggling to reconcile my love of love stories with my serious-writing literary aspirations and even my tastes in literature/film etc. I starting to find my footing - there are love stories that I love and love stories that I abhor. There always were. But my senses and apprehension are so much keener now when it comes to love in art. Scary, I know.
Never let anyone tell you that you or anything about you is unworthy. It doesn't just hurt. It changes you in unforeseeable ways and sends you scuttling into a hole scared to be yourself and argue your opinions, feelings and tastes. So this is one of the main reasons why I'm going to start writing absolutely honest fanfiction reviews on this blog (not only book, episode, film, whatever-official reviews). Nobody should feel alone in their opinion, lost in their preferences, unworthy. There should be as many opinions online as possible because they all matter when they are well-argued and not the product of spite.
I obviously need to go back to school to be once again forced to write a wall of text that actually makes sense and logically leads from one point to the next, without the thought behind it crazily skipping around. But this is not school and I cannot be bothered with proper argumentative structure at the moment, sorry. This blog is about thoughts, not well-structured arguments. It's fragmented. It's scattered. But I hope it encourages even one sole person out there to be themselves.
That said, you need to know that I have very strong opinions about mostly everything. These are my opinions. You may disagree. By all means, do. Send me your questions and arguments. About anything. I love discussing. I even love arguing, so you know, go ahead, please. But unlike the reviews I would write the writers under their own texts, the reviews here will be heavily influenced by my own tastes, principles and opinions. And no, despite what I said, I am not the biggest fan of romance stories. You'll quickly figure that out, I'm sure.
So back to Klaine fanfiction, I was really enchanted at first. I didn't care about the quality, I just wanted to read about "Kurt and Blaine," anything as long as it's supposedly about them. A love story frenzy after a long period of abstinence, you see. I recovered, though. And disappointment struck.
Here is a list of what I care about in fanfiction:
1. Characterizations: I read it for the characters, so I really want them to be in character. It's not the story of any two young men who look like Chris and Darren that I am interested in. I am very specific in my appreciation of love and just about one form of its romantic manifestations: supportive, inspiring each other, making each other better, committed, adoring, EQUAL partners, who complement each other and feel wholesome and complete in their relationship, so that they can fearlessly devote themselves to outward aspirations. Everything that Klaine are. So I want Klaine, no less.
2. Writing style: this is both subjective and objective. Give me a text devoid of cliches, repeatedly raised eyebrows, darkening eyes and jumping stomachs. Too ornate prose can get tiresome and comic in no time. Grammar and vocabulary matter. I didn't even know people were so confuse about the difference between lying and laying before I started reading fanfiction. Effect/affect at least is a common mistake… Be careful.
3. Story: people throw themselves into writing things they can't possibly understand or feel, given their life experiences and reluctance to read their characters' emotions in their evolution. This results in cliched, empty fic that does not enrich the readers in any way and doesn't give them the satisfaction of having been through a real, genuine experience. This is the objective problem in the center of most romances: the total lack of authenticity. Plot is not just a device that helps you get your characters together. It's the life of those characters. So show us how they feel, explain how they progress from point A to point F or whatever, get into their heads and into their situations and if you have no idea how it really feels (not how it is supposed to probably feel) then don't write the thing.
4. Sex: it just doesn't work for me if it breaks the pace and does not enhance the story/characters. I am not a fan of porn in general. It's boring, repetitive, useless, over-indulgent. It can be made to work. I am perfectly all right with it if it's a seamless part of the story and brings something new to the table - which it most often does not. Are you adding it to a story because it reveals information, makes a point or is so seamlessly imbedded in the world you have created that it just makes some sort of realistic sense within the narrative, its presence is warranted by the structure, the naturalistic, graphic character of the story or leads to character development? Or is it in your story just because the same old sequence of actions and sensations and sounds always described in mostly the same way is supposed to be so perfectly sexually arousing and the readers, for whatever reason, want to be sexually aroused? Hence, my distaste for porn. Again, sex can work within a story. The truth, however, is that in about 98% of the cases I have come across it doesn't. "Every word on a trial for its life" is one of the main rules of writing. Every sex scene should be, too.
5. Showing, not telling: "Kurt and Blaine have such a great rapport," "they spent the day talking," "they have a lot in common," "they are best friends" - now let me show you how hot sex they have. I want to see them functioning as a couple. Glee denies me the opportunity because any interaction would be too sexual as they are gay, fanfiction denies me the opportunity because sexual is its default mode of operation. But how about why you want them to be involved sexually?
6. Things I personally dislike about life, relationships and fanfiction (the entirely subjective category, even if canon actually implies a lot of these things do not take place):
a. alcohol/substance abuse
b. sex=love, if-the-sex-is-brilliant-we-must-be-totally-made-for-each-other mentality. I may agree that sex can be one of a myriad expressions of love, dressing love into a tangible, physical form, something less abstract, though not by far. But there is so much more to love than sex and I want to see that playing out in a story about love.
c. sexual attraction=love, yeah right! Please! (see above) The best type of love is based on friendship, not sex.
d. pushing and begging for sex
e. kinky sexual practices: public sex, cameras, sex toys, pain as part of the pleasure, masturbation as an arousing factor rather than control mechanism, role play, simulated dub con, intense possessive sex that's supposed to resolve all sorts of problems in lieu of their actually talking about stuff, sex under the influence, begging in general, impersonal no-kissing sex, fetishes, one participant does everything while the other just waits, no questions asked and no reasons given as to why things happen the way they do (one of them exclusively tops without them talking about it etc.), leaving marks (I can't fathom what is supposed to be so sexy about something that hurts and looks ugly, plus needs to be hidden)
(Some of these things can work, it depends. But more often than not, they are out of character, cliche, plain weird or gross.)
f. dating/drinking/parties/not having time for each other: why are we trying to put ourselves into boxes, again, and lead the formulaic impersonal life of the next person? Give the babies some personality, individuality, agency, uniqueness. If you want them to feel like real breathing people, don't have them do everything according to somebody's rules as to how life should be lived.
g. Inequality, even when the dynamic is just slightly off-balance. This is why most prince-commoner Klaine fanfictions don't entirely work for me. Neither of the boys should be just an accessory to the other, who is all-powerful and important.
h. curse words in non-cursing contexts: if the dictionary says a word is offensive, don't use it, unless you want the character thinking or using it to come off as offensive. Simple as that. "Fuck" for example is classified as "vulgar slang" by the Oxford Dictionary of English, which in itself practically means "fuck" cannot be used interchangeably with "make love with" without the context getting offensive. And why would Kurt and Blaine want to offend each other or their relationship is totally beyond me; unless you are writing a very radical AU… and are going for one of them being offensive…
So, basically, that's it. :)
The reason why I myself don't write fanfiction is because those are not my characters and no matter how much one analyzes them, you can never be sure about the choices you make about things that were never mentioned in canon. Meta is nice and all, but all the meta in the world cannot make me confident I have such an intimate knowledge of a character I have not created that I can happily play with them and not someone else who's taken over them in the process of writing. Then, there is the whole issue of recreating the way they speak. And the problem with basically never having heard their thoughts. I just prefer original characters when it comes to my own writing.
I am fully aware that for these reasons, mostly all of fanfiction is actually original characters doing their own thing, their uncanny resemblance to Kurt and Blaine notwithstanding. But it's actually nice to read some fictional analysis of who these characters are and what they would do in so many different situations.
If nothing else, I've learned so much from fanfiction. It's been a wonderful and quite enlightening journey. So, thank you, for continuously dedicating time to the common entertainment and enlightenment, fanfiction writers. I really appreciate all the time and effort you've put into Klaine.
Everything I am going to write on this blog about your stories is just a personal opinion. It's not intended necessarily for you. It's for me and whoever out there might agree with me. So please, don't feel personally hurt by something I think. Too many people disagree. In fact, I might be one of the only two persons in the world who actually dislike the Hunger Games. So there you have it: my opinions are often unpopular. But even those with unpopular opinions deserve their voices to be heard and to feel that they are not alone.


text:
2007-02-07 / Front Page
Briarcliffe College honors Massapequa Park resident
At a recent gala celebration of its 40th anniversary, Briarcliffe College honored longtime supporter and current Board of Trustees Chairman Peter T. Affatato, of Massapequa Park, for his dedication to the college since its inception. "I've always believed that excellent, career-focused colleges are extremely important to our society," said Affatato, who began his career as an attorney in 1949.
You must be an online subscriber to view this story.
- Login to post comments

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Spotted: Aaradhya Bachchan
Aaradhya Bachchan spotted at Mumbai International Airport. Click on, for more photos of Beti B!
Abhishek Bachchan and AIshwarya Rai's daughter Aaradhya was born on November 16, 2011.
Scion of the First Family of Bollywood, Aaradhya is arguably the most popular celebrity kid of the country.
Here is a pictorial trip into the life of Baby B.
Other Galleries
latest entertainment news
» more entertainment news
Most Popular


text:
Is Jessica Simpson Financially Supporting Sister Ashlee?
9 Women Who Create A New Meaning Of Beauty
18 Famous People You Didn't Know Were Missing Body Parts
57 and 18! The Creepiest Celebrity Couple Ever
30 Child Stars Who Died Young
Celebrities Who Have Aged the Worst
Kim K and The Jenners Act Totally Shameless
Kendall Jenner Drops Her Famous Last Name
Inside Kim and Kanye's $20 Million Mega Mansion
54 Photoshopped Celebrity Before and After Photos
Kylie Jenners $1 Million Plastic Surgery Shocker
Donald Trump's Golf Course Denies Obama Tee Time
11 Celebrities Who Are Aging Backwards
Is It Easy To Be A Rich Mom?
Mismatched Celebrity Couples That Weirded Us Out
These Celebrities' Natural Hair Colors May Surprise You
Celebrities You Didn't Know Share Exactly the Same Face
24 Celebs Who Couldn't Stop Eating and Got Fat
NBA Star Ray Allen Is One Lucky Man
Stars Who Could Play Younger Versions of Other Stars
What Game? Kate Upton and Justin Verlander's PDA Fest
11 Celebrity Scandals We Forgot About
Rihanna Has One Major Flaw: Can You See It?
Proof Beyonce is Pregnant Again
Say Hello To Kim Kardashian's Boobs
Forever Alone: 40+ Celebrities Who Never Married
Paris Hilton's See-Through Purse is Filled With...
Kate Upton Shows Us Why Her Legs Are Famous
The Prettiest Celeb No-Makeup Makeup Looks


text:
Report by Lauren Lowrey - email | bio
Posted by LS
LUCAS COUNTY (WTOL) - More than 18,000 people are receiving unemployment benefits in Lucas County.
That doesn't include the people who have already exhausted all their unemployment, or even the people who were laid off and have since taken an hourly job to make a few bucks.
At The Source in Toledo, we talked with people, young and old, needing a job. Some people have been unemployed for several months. Others we spoke with need to take on a second job to make things work.
They're using the state's new database called OhioMeansJobs.com to apply for the more than 4,000 jobs available in Toledo.
So, the issue isn't whether there are jobs open, it's whether you have the skills to do them. For people who have made a career in one industry, that can be tough.
We talked with a workforce development manager at The Source about what industries will be profitable for this area in the future. He said the focus is on healthcare, the service industry, and the trucking industry.
730 North Summit Street
Toledo, OH 43604
FCC Public File
EEO Report
Closed Captioning
FCC Public File
EEO Report
Closed Captioning


text:
Tuesday, December 1st at 7 PM
Over the past few months, you have joined Darien Library's staff as we have visited England, Nigeria, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, China, and France - and even found a bit of time to have some truly inspiring conversations about books! Though there were a lot of differing opinions about the characters, the authors' intents, the plots, and even the book covers, all who participated in this year's Fall Book Discussion Series, Adventures for the Armchair Traveler, were able to settle on one single idea - that there is nothing quite like experiencing other cultures...other ideas...other lives...through a beautifully written word.
And whether or not you have read our selections for this series (Little Bee, A Golden Age, The Painter From Shanghai, and the one that seems to have generated the most love/hate relationships of them all - The Elegance of the Hedgehog), you won't want to miss out on the conclusion to our adventures in travel; it will surely be a treat for us all!
Our final destination is home - Darien Library, in fact! We welcome back one of our favorite speakers, Dr. Mark Schenker of Yale University, who will visit us on December 1st at 7:00 p.m. to give a fascinating lecture, "Imagined Travels to Real Places: How Fiction Connects Us to Places We've Never Been." We will learn about how fiction, more than simply visiting a country as a tourist, allows us to experience another place or culture so that we really understand...we "get it" and not just "get there." It will surely be a treat for us all!
Mark J. Schenker has been at Yale College since 1990. He is currently an associate dean of the College and dean of academic affairs. Born and raised in New York City, he received his Ph.D. in English Literature from Columbia University and has taught at Columbia, New York University, and Trinity College (Hartford). He was the recipient of the 2001 Wilbur Cross Award for Outstanding Humanities Scholar, presented by the Connecticut Humanities Council.


text:
Performance of the Bootstrap for DEA Estimators and Iterating the Principle
AbstractThis paper further examines the bootstrap method proposed by Simar and Wilson (1998) for DEA efficiency estimators. Some simplifications are provided, and we provide Monte Carlo evidence on the coverage probabilities of confidence intervals estimated by the method.
Download InfoTo our knowledge, this item is not available for download. To find whether it is available, there are three options:
1. Check below under "Related research" whether another version of this item is available online.
2. Check on the provider's web page whether it is in fact available.
3. Perform a search for a similarly titled item that would be available.
Bibliographic InfoPaper provided by Catholique de Louvain - Institut de statistique in its series Papers with number 0002.
Length: 40 pages
Date of creation: 1999
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:fth:louvis:0002
Contact details of provider:
Postal: Universite Catholique de Louvain, Institut de Statistique, Voie du Roman Pays, 34 B-1348 Louvain- La-Neuve, Belgique.
Related researchKeywords: ECONOMETRICS ; ESTIMATOR;
Other versions of this item:
- Simar, L. & Wilson, P.W., 2000. "Performance of the Bootstrap for DEA Estimators and Iterating the Principle," Papers 2, Catholique de Louvain - Institut de statistique.
- C00 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - General - - - General
- C13 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Estimation: General
ReferencesNo references listed on IDEAS
You can help add them by filling out this form.
CitationsCitations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
Cited by:
- Rajitkanok Puenpatom & Robert Rosenman, 2008. "Efficiency of Thai provincial public hospitals during the introduction of universal health coverage using capitation," Health Care Management Science, Springer, vol. 11(4), pages 319-338, December.
- Simar, Leopold & Wilson, Paul W., 2007. "Estimation and inference in two-stage, semi-parametric models of production processes," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 136(1), pages 31-64, January.
- Kerstin Enflo & Per Hjertstrand, 2009.
"Relative Sources of European Regional Productivity Convergence: A Bootstrap Frontier Approach,"
Regional Studies,
Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(5), pages 643-659.
- Enflo, Kerstin & Hjertstrand, Per, 2006. "Relative sources of European regional productivity convergence: A bootstrap frontier approach," Working Papers 2006:17, Lund University, Department of Economics.
- J Johnes & L Yu, 2006.
"Measuring the research performance of Chinese higher education institutions using data envelopment analysis,"
Working Papers
577428, Lancaster University Management School, Economics Department.
- Johnes, Jill & Yu, Li, 2008. "Measuring the research performance of Chinese higher education institutions using data envelopment analysis," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 19(4), pages 679-696, December.
- Johnes, Jill, 2006. "Data envelopment analysis and its application to the measurement of efficiency in higher education," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(3), pages 273-288, June.
- R. Amy Puenpatom & Robert Rosenman, 2006. "Efficiency of Thai provincial public hospitals after the introduction of National Health Insurance Program," Working Papers 2006-2, School of Economic Sciences, Washington State University.
- W. Cooper & L. Seiford & K. Tone & J. Zhu, 2007. "Some models and measures for evaluating performances with DEA: past accomplishments and future prospects," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 28(3), pages 151-163, December.
- Barros, Carlos P. & Liang, Qi Bin & Peypoch, Nicolas, 2013. "The technical efficiency of US Airlines," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 139-148.
- Aldea, Anamaria & Ciobanu, Anamaria & Stancu, Ion, 2012. "The Renewable Energy Development: A Nonparametric Efficiency Analysis," Journal for Economic Forecasting, Institute for Economic Forecasting, vol. 0(1), pages 5-19, March.
- Nazin, Vladimir, 2010. "Nonparametric estimates of technical efficiency of Russian banks and crisis impact," Applied Econometrics, Publishing House "SINERGIA PRESS", vol. 20(4), pages 28-52.
- Greta Falavigna & Roberto Ippoliti & Alessandro Manello, 2012. "Performance of the health care industry: the Italian case study," CERIS Working Paper 201216, Institute for Economic Research on Firms and Growth - Moncalieri (TO).
ListsThis item is not listed on Wikipedia, on a reading list or among the top items on IDEAS.
StatisticsAccess and download statistics
CorrectionsWhen requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:fth:louvis:0002. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.
For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: (Thomas Krichel).
If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.
If references are entirely missing, you can add them using this form.
If the full references list an item that is present in RePEc, but the system did not link to it, you can help with this form.
If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.
Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.


text:
CARTOON — Ricky Nobile looks at Jackson's odd couple
by Ricky Nobile
Published: November 22,2013
Login to your MBJ Insider account to access this content and much more
Become an MBJ Insider
By offering insightful coverage by award-winning reporters about Mississippi's companies and industries, we help you make smart business decisions, advance your career, and find new prospects. Build your business and outsmart your competition day after day by becoming an insider.
Ready to get started? Choose your delivery method:
Benefits of being an MBJ Insider
To sign up for Mississippi Business Daily Updates, click here.
FOLLOW THE MBJ ON TWITTERMy Tweets
Top Posts & Pages
- Lists
- UMMC reaching out after death of high school football player
- UPDATED: Jackson agrees to repay HUD $1.5 million for Farish Street blunders
- Mad Genius, Eyevox owner acquires Mississippi Film Studios
- Gov. Bryant intervening in same-sex couple's divorce
- Vicksburg mayor marries during lunch break
- Mississippi River mayors announce 'seed money' for waterfront developments
- McDaniel files legal arguments as he looks to overturn Cochran loss
- Tragedy for Jackson Prep: Football player Walker Wilbanks dies
- City leaders vote against offering insurance to one adult, possibly same-sex partner


text:
Two New DIFF Films Showcase UAE Involvement
Sun Dec 11,2005
Dubai, December 11, 2005: Two lesser-known but important stories from the UAE will make their world premiere at the second Dubai International Film Festival on Monday, December 12, the first full day of DIFF screening. Although the two films could not be more different in terms of subject matter, they both invoke a sense of shared responsibility for humanity and the environment. Kosovo: The Hand of Friendship brings to light the massive mercy mission undertaken by the UAE Armed Forces in Kosovo at the height of the crisis there, and Under a Desert Sun from UAE-based filmmaker Jonathan Ali Khan focuses on the twin issues of desert ecology and Arabian wildlife and the need to preserve them. Both films are expected to attract widespread attention at the ongoing Dubai International Film Festival. Under the Desert Sun, which opens tomorrow at the CineStar Cinemas at Mall of the Emirates, is a thought-provoking environmental documentary from the UAE that addresses the pressing need to preserve Arabia's wildlife. The first part of the film focuses on the deserts of the region and the surprising abundance of wildlife - birds, reptiles, mammals and foliage - that have adapted to survive there. Chief among them is the acacia, a remarkable plant that thrives in a range of desert ecosystems and provides desert inhabitants with the food and shade they need to survive. An oasis of life, the acacia is linked to the fate of species like the endangered Arabian gazelles. Photographed in stunning desert landscapes, Dubai-based filmmaker Jonathan Ali Khan's documentary also beautifully captures and tells the story of the oryx, the most romanticized of Arabia's inhabitants. After it was hunted to extinction in the 1970s, an international conservation campaign set out to reintroduce this beautiful desert antelope into the wild. Khan's film concentrates on the oryx's natural history and the recent conservation efforts in Saudi Arabia, Oman and Jordan. Under a Desert Sun, part of the Dubai Film Festival's Destination Documentary program, will be screened at 3.45 pm on Monday, December 12, at CineStar 1 at Mall of the Emirates, and again at 11.45 pm on Friday, December 16, at CineStar 7. The story behind Kosovo: The Hand of Friendship begins in 1999, when Serbian forces began once more the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo in an attempt to expel the Muslim population. The massacres and other atrocities committed forced more than 100,000 people from their homes, triggering a humanitarian crisis. Moved by the disaster, the UAE responded by moving relief agencies and defense forces into the region, beginning with a massive aid effort to house and feed 10,000 starving refugees. The UAE also took responsibility for building an airstrip, and eventually played a significant role in the international peacekeeping and reconstruction operations, even protecting Kosovars and civilian Serbs when they returned. As a permanent legacy, the UAE built a fully equipped modern hospital in the area which to this day continues to serve the needs and save the lives of the Kosovar people. Filmed by Gerry Nelson over three months in Kosovo and the UAE, Kosovo: The Hand of Friendship provides a remarkable insight into the forces behind the war in Kosovo and reveals some of the many forgotten acts of friendship that saved so many lives. The film is part of the Dubai Film Festival's cornerstone Operation Cultural Bridge program. The world premiere of Kosovo: The Hand of Friendship will be held at 9 pm on Wednesday, December 14, at the Madinat Theatre at the Souk Madinat Jumeirah, with several officers from the UAE Armed Forces expected to attend. An additional screening will be held at 6 pm on Friday, December 16, at CineStar 7 at the Mall of the Emirates. The second Dubai International Film Festival begins on Sunday and will feature 98 films including features, retrospectives and short films until Saturday, December 17. Tickets and the schedule of the Festival films are available on the Dubai Film Festival website www.dubaifilmfest.com, and tickets are also available at the DIFF Box Offices around the city. The Festival is presented by Dubai Media City and its Founding Sponsors are Dubai Duty Free, Dubai Properties, Emirates, Etisalat and the Madinat Jumeirah – the Arabian Resort. The Festival's Gold Sponsors are Bin Hendi Enterprises, National Bank of Dubai, Showtime, The Kanoo Group and The Palm Jumeirah; the Silver Sponsors are Filmworks, Motivate Publishing and Sony.


text:
From WENN.com
""I think it was instituted back with (George) Clooney, but there's a whole decompression you go through. After this, I get whisked away to somewhere in Wisconsin, and they talk me down for about a week... I think Matt Damon runs it now."" Actor Bradley Cooper jokes about stepping down as People magazine's 2012 Sexiest Man Alive. The new 2013 titleholder will be unveiled on Wednesday (14Nov12).


text:
46 U.S. Code § 7106 - Duration of licenses
(a) In General.— A license issued under this part is valid for a 5-year period and may be renewed for additional 5-year periods; except that the validity of a license issued to a radio officer is conditioned on the continuous possession by the holder of a first-class or second-class radiotelegraph operator license issued by the Federal Communications Commission.
(b) Advance Renewals.— A renewed license issued under this part may be issued up to 8 months in advance but is not effective until the date that the previously issued license expires or until the completion of any active suspension or revocation of that previously issued merchant mariner's document, whichever is later.
Source(Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 540; Pub. L. 101–380, title IV, § 4102(a),Aug. 18, 1990, 104 Stat. 509; Pub. L. 111–281, title VI, § 614(b),Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 2970.)
|Revised section
|Source section (U.S. Code)
Section 7106 sets a 5 year time limit on the validity of a license. It also requires a licensed radio officer to be in continuous possession of an FCC license.
2010—Pub. L. 111–281amended section generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "A license issued under this part is valid for 5 years and may be renewed for additional 5-year periods. However, the validity of a license issued to a radio officer is conditioned on the continuous possession by the holder of a first-class or second-class radiotelegraph operator license issued by the Federal Communications Commission."
1990—Pub. L. 101–380inserted "and may be renewed for additional 5-year periods" after "for 5 years".
Effective Date of 1990 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 101–380applicable to incidents occurring after Aug. 18, 1990, see section 1020 ofPub. L. 101–380, set out as an Effective Date note under section 2701 of Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters.
Termination of Existing Licenses, Certificates, and Documents; Applicability of 1990 Amendment
Pub. L. 101–380, title IV, § 4102(d),Aug. 18, 1990, 104 Stat. 510, provided that: "A license, certificate of registry, or merchant mariner's document issued before the date of the enactment of this section [Aug. 18, 1990] terminates on the day it would have expired if—
"(1) subsections (a), (b), and (c) [amending this section and sections 7107 and 7302 of this title] were in effect on the date it was issued; and
The table below lists the classification updates, since Jan. 3, 2012, for this section. Updates to a broader range of sections may be found at the update page for containing chapter, title, etc.
The most recent Classification Table update that we have noticed was Tuesday, August 13, 2013
An empty table indicates that we see no relevant changes listed in the classification tables. If you suspect that our system may be missing something, please double-check with the Office of the Law Revision Counsel.
|Description of Change
|Session Year
|Public Law
|Statutes at Large
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


text:
Wendy McElroy on Violence Against Women on the Dr. Laura Schlessinger Radio Show
Recorded: Thursday, February 6, 2014
Research Fellow Wendy McElroy appeared on the Dr. Laura Schlessinger radio show. McElroy discusses the falsified research, or so-called advocacy research on such topics such as college rape and domestic violence. The results, she says, is hysteria on college campuses and demonization of black males. Flawed statistics from this research have been used in legislation such as the Violence Against Women Act, according to McElroy.
Experts: Wendy McElroyType: RadioIssues: Civil Liberties/ Human Rights, Culture/ Society, Law Enforcement, Race Issues
Ivan Eland on Bahraini Opposition to Saudi-Bahrain Merger Plan
Recorded: Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Ivan Eland, Senior Fellow at the Independent Institute, discusses Bahraini opposition to Saudi-Bahrain merger plan on English Radio.
Experts: Ivan ElandType: RadioIssues: Culture/ Society, Democracy, Government Power, History (International)
Clifford Thies on the American Economic Association and Richard T. Ely
Recorded: Monday, November 28, 2011
The American Economic Association (AEA) takes pride in celebrating its founder Richard T. Ely. This pride is strange, given the character of Elys thought, which is revealed in The Independent Review article The Shaping of a Future Presidents Economic Thought: Richard T. Ely and Woodrow Wilson at The Hopkins by Gary M. Pecquet and Clifford F. Thies, as well as the Econ Journal Watch article Richard T. Ely: The Confederate Flag of the AEA? by Clifford F. Thies and Ryan Daza. In this podcast, Thies is interviewed by the economist Lawrence H. White and explores Elys ideas, values, and impact. Thies is the Eldon R. Lindsay Chair of Free Enterprise and Professor of Economics and Finance at Shenandoah University.
Experts: Clifford F. Thies, Lawrence H. WhiteType: RadioIssues: Bureaucracy and Government, Civil Liberties/ Human Rights, Collectivism, Culture/ Society, Economic History and Development (U.S.), Economic Policy, Economists, Government Power, Immigration, Political Ideology and Philosophy, Public Health/ Consumer Protection, Race Issues, Regulation and Deregulation, Religion, Science, Welfare
The Supreme Court and the Battle for Second Amendment Rights
Recorded: Thursday, July 22, 2010
In June 2008 the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a landmark ruling on the Second Amendment individual right to keep and bear arms with its Heller v. District of Columbia decision. Two years later, in June 2010, a second historic decision squeezed through the highest court in the land.
Experts: Stephen P. Halbrook, Donald E. J. Kilmer Jr.Type: Independent Institute EventIssues: Bureaucracy and Government, Civil Liberties/ Human Rights, Constitutional Law, Criminal Justice/ Prisons, Culture/ Society, Gun Control, History (U.S), Law Enforcement, Litigation, Political Ideology and Philosophy, Race Issues
Can the U.S. Withdraw from Afghanistan and Iraq?
Recorded: Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Part 1 |
Part 2
Civil strife in Iraq continues and instability may only increase after the January elections. U.S. withdrawal has become an acceptable strategy in Washington, but will it be tenable if violence escalates and Iraq unravels again?
Experts: Ivan Eland, Peter Galbraith, Charles V. PeñaType: Independent Institute EventIssues: Defense and Foreign Policy, Democracy, Diplomacy and Foreign Aid, Freedom, History (International), Politics, Terrorism and National Crises
What President Obama Should Learn from His Predecessors
Recorded: Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Amid the current economic and financial crises, President Obama may do well to remember the men who have come before him.
Experts: Ivan Eland, Andrew R. RuttenType: Independent Institute EventIssues: Civil Liberties/ Human Rights, Constitutional Law, Culture/ Society, Defense and Foreign Policy, Economic History and Development (U.S.), Economic Policy, Freedom, Government Power, History (U.S), Nationalism, Political Ideology and Philosophy, Politics, Race Issues, Terrorism and National Crises
Bush, Obama, and Presidential Power
Recorded: Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Part 1 |
Part 2
Part 3
Was George W. Bush the worst president ever? Ivan Eland examines Bushs presidency and those of his predecessors to determine if their policies promoted peace, prosperity, and liberty while upholding the Constitution they swore to protect.
Experts: Ivan Eland, Ron Paul, Richard ShenkmanType: Independent Institute EventIssues: Banking and Finance, Bureaucracy and Government, Civil Liberties/ Human Rights, Constitutional Law, Culture/ Society, Defense and Foreign Policy, Democracy, Economic History and Development (U.S.), Economic Policy, Freedom, Government Power, History (U.S), Nationalism, Political Ideology and Philosophy, Politics, Privacy, Terrorism and National Crises
A Gala for Liberty: The Independent Institutes Gala Reception and Dinner
Recorded: Tuesday, September 16, 2008
On September 16, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, actor and director Andy Garcia, and entrepreneur William K. Bowes, Jr. were honored at the Independent Institutes A Gala for Liberty. Each honoree received the Alexis de Tocqueville Award in recognition of their contributions to advancing the ideas and ideals of liberty, entrepreneurship, innovation, and peace.
Experts: William K. Bowes, Jr., Andy Garcia, Archbishop Desmond M. TutuType: Independent Institute EventIssues: Business, Civil Liberties/ Human Rights, Culture/ Society, Democracy, Diplomacy and Foreign Aid, Economic History and Development (International), Free Market Economics, Government Power, History (International), Latin America, Political Ideology and Philosophy, Race Issues, Religion


text:
Doernbecher Next
Doernbecher Next is a publication for the friends and supporters who help OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital achieve what's next.
Winter 2013 issue
Through the Looking Glass
When mental illness pushes kids out of control, Doernbecher psychiatrists help restore peace to their worlds. More
Cell Service
To find new cures, scientists need the right tools. A Doernbecher discovery is equipping researchers to develop new therapies for genetic disorders. More
Area of Greatest Need: How gifts are helping kids
Reach Out and Read helps kids succeed.


text:
For a better experience on your device, try our mobile site.
Join in with CBBC! Chat about shows and send us your pics.
Design a Wolfblood fan club banner
Send in a dance video for the CBB C-Troupe
Send us your Taylor Swift tribute videos
Send in a selfie and join the Badge Selfie Gallery
Sign in with your BBC iD, or Register
More news


text:
The Mystery Monkey of Tampa Bay appears to have decided south St. Petersburg suits him just fine.
The Tampa Bay Times reports the elusive Rhesus macaque hangs around a particular household, and his human pals do not want their names nor location made public.
"I first heard from [the husband] about seven months ago," said Times reporter Emily Nipps. "Finally around Christmas time, I started asking, 'well you do you think I could come see this monkey?' "
Now she has visited the family twice, and seen "Mr. Monk" both times.
LINK: Watch the Times' video of the monkey
"It's remarkable to see him around this house. It's kind of surreal," she said. "He looks like he really doesn't belong in the setting that he's in, but he looks comfortable, seems like he's at home."
Nipps said said neighbors are also aware of the exotic presence, and share the primary benefactors' discretion.
"They get a kick out of seeing him, he's not bothering anybody, he's not destroyed anything, so they're happy just letting him live in peace," Nipps said.
According to her, the couple in question read up on Rhesus macaques so they know what to feed him, and they have made no attempts to pet him or let him in their house -- although hearing him running all over the roof is strange.
Wildlife experts fear the food alone will eventually doom the monkey.
"They're really setting him up to die," said Vernon Yates, a wildlife rescuer who has been trying to trap the creature for years. "If he starts trusting people and he goes up to the wrong person and he bites, scratches them, law enforcement will shoot and kill him to be tested."
Yates says he still gets one or two calls a week about the monkey, all in the general area of south St. Petersburg, but in several different neighborhoods.
35 Skyline Drive
Phone: (407) 644-3535
Didn't find what you were looking for?
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2014 Fox Television Stations, Inc. and Worldnow. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy | New Terms of Service What's new | Ad Choices


text:
Congress took a significant first step toward continuing the work of the Second Chance Act today as the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to reauthorize the bipartisan bill.
The National Reentry Resource Center provides education, training, and technical assistance to states, tribes, territories, local governments, service providers, non-profit organizations, and corrections institutions working on prisoner reentry.
Recent Posts
Newspapers Urge Congress to Support Second Chance Act
As Congress prepared for its first formal discussion of reauthorizing the Second Chance Act this week at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, newspapers from across the country gave federal legislators a lot to think about.
A Common Language For Risk Assessments: Experts Convene in Washington
The event marks the first of a series of meetings that will focus on developing consistent risk and need definitions that can be used across multiple systems.
Researchers Examine Effects of a Criminal Record on Prospects for Employment
A team of researchers from Arizona State University recently conducted a three-year study on the impact of having a criminal record on employment-related outcomes, varying by race and gender.
Criminal Stigma, Race, Gender, and Employment: An Expanded Assessment of the Consequences of Imprisonment for Employment
This video from the National Institute of Justice features the findings of Dr. Scott Decker, Director of the Arizona State University School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, who studied the impact of having criminal record on finding employment.
California Counties Reentry Fellowship Announced
This unique position will focus on documenting how California's counties are addressing the challenges and opportunities presented by the state's prison realignment and implementation of the Affordable Care Act, and sharing "lessons learned" and best practices for the benefit of all of California's counties.
Register Now for Webinar: From Incarceration to Hope
This webinar will provide an introduction to and information on the reentry program of the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe, which focuses on improving life skills and employment opportunities for individuals in their community involved with the justice system.
Call for National Forum Applicants
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is now accepting applications for the National Forum for the State and Territorial Chief Executives (National Forum), which serves as a national health policy body for states and territories.
NAWDP 2015 Annual Conference Call for Proposals
The National Association of Workforce Development (NAWDP) is now accepting workshop proposals for its 2015 Annual Conference on May 4-6, 2015 in Las Vegas.
Core Principles for Reducing Recidivism and Improving Other Outcomes for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System
This webinar highlights key recommendations from the white paper, "Core Principles for Reducing Recidivism and Improving Other Outcomes for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System."
Reentry and Employment White Paper, Pilot Site Opportunity
This webinar provides policymakers and practitioners in the criminal justice, corrections, and workforce development fields with an overview of the recently published white paper, Integrated Reentry and Employment Strategies: Reducing Recidivism and Promoting Job Readiness.
Maximizing Medicaid: An Innovative Approach to Finance Health Care for Criminal Justice Populations
This webinar explains and clarifies the issues related to allowable uses of federal Medicaid funds for incarcerated individuals, and provides an example of how corrections departments can leverage cost savings as a result.
How Effective is Correctional Education, and Where Do We Go from Here?
This publication provides the results of a comprehensive evaluation on the state of correctional education programs for adults and juveniles.
The Debt Penalty: Exposing the Financial Barriers to Offender Reintegration
This paper from The Research and Evaluation Center at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice catalogues the different ways contact with the criminal justice system can lead to long-term financial consequences.
The Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) in the Lives of Juvenile Offenders
This study by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention examines the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their negative repercussions among youth involved with the juvenile justice system in Florida.
Recent Headlines
Mental Illness Program Could Transform L.A. County Justice System
Los Angeles officials announced Wednesday the launch of an alternative sentencing program aimed at diverting mentally ill, low-level offenders from jail into treatment, a project they hope will signal a dramatic shift for the county's criminal justice system.
'Ban the Box' Proponents Look to Clarify Misconceptions at Forum
A public forum Wednesday night on a proposal to "ban the box" on job applications in Columbia focused on dispelling common misconceptions about the plan.
Ex-con Launches Startup Aimed at Inmates
In 2007, Frederick Hutson was sentenced to 51 months in prison for distributing marijuana. The operation had been netting him $500,000 annually — and once he got to prison, he put his business acumen to use.
21 Bills Targeting Drug Abuse Unveiled by NJ Lawmakers
After more than a year of behind-the-scenes work, State Sen. Joe Vitale (D-Woodbrige) is scheduled to unveil a 21-bill package Wednesday aimed at addressing New Jersey's growing heroin and prescription drug abuse problem.
Inmates Graduate with Job Certifications
With a cumulative recidivism rate of 7.13 percent, CALPIA's CTE programs are some of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's most successful vocational training programs, said Michele Kane, with CALPIA.


text:
9 New Veggie Mash-Ups to Add to Your Repertoire
We're drooling over these recipes, made from broccoli, parsnips, cauliflower, and more that are part of an increasingly popular breed of mash-ups storming Pinterest. The best part? They don't skimp on nutrientsor flavor.
By Julianne Adams
Back Next
Courtesy of Toni Dash
Authentic Irish Colcannon
Colcannon is traditionally served on St. Patrick's Day, but it's simply too good to wait until March to eat. With a mix of potatoes, kale, scallions, and butter, this hearty dish is delicious—and filling enough to be served on its own.
Get the recipe at Boulder Locavore.


text:
Dr. Rebecca Hester is an Assistant Professor of Social Medicine and the Director of the Social Medicine Track in the Institute for the Medical Humanities. A strong advocate of social justice, Dr. Hester's interdisciplinary scholarship draws from the social sciences and the humanities to focus on questions of culture in medicine, the political economy of the body, and minority health and health subjectivity.
She completed her doctoral training in the Department of Politics at the University of California Santa Cruz with an emphasis in Latin American and Latino Studies. She received her Bachelor's degree in Spanish and Portuguese with an emphasis in Latin American Literature from the University of California Berkeley where she graduated with high honors. Dr. Hester also completed university course work in Mexico and France. She came to the University of Texas Medical Branch in 2010 after completing a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Her dissertation, Embodied Politics: Health Promotion in Indigenous Mexican Migrant Communities in California, which received the 2010 best dissertation in Latino Studies from the Latin American Studies Association, illuminates the moral and symbolic systems that are at work in community health promotion programs for indigenous Mexican migrants in California. Based on over two years of field work, her ethnographic study shows how culturally and linguistically competent health promotion programs attempt to deal with migrant non-normativity by teaching indigenous Mexicans to be "good," "healthy" neoliberal subjects who prevent risk by embracing and embodying an entrepreneurial spirit. Not only does the study provide a critical examination of the political economic imperatives that are being promoted and adopted under the guise of health, it also illuminates the ways that social norms are embedded in purportedly neutral scientific discourses.
Her current research continues to explore cultural and social aspects of health and medicine through two projects. The first is a two-year ethnographic study of the ways that academic medicine teaches notions of culture and cultural diversity to medical students. Specifically, this NIH-supported study identifies components of medical training at the University of Texas Medical Branch, one of the most diverse public medical schools in the country, that include critical, self-reflective discussions of power and ethical practice in medicine, especially as these are manifested in relation to racial and cultural difference. Rather than focus on the skill-set medical students acquire for effectively interviewing, examining or treating patients from culturally diverse backgrounds (important components of medical professionalism), this research concentrates on moments of medical training that address racial, cultural, and scientific authority as these are manifested in the practice of medicine.
The second avenue of research focuses on the social, ethical and political implications of microchips that have been embedded in humans for medical purposes. This line of research is specifically interested in the ways that microchips can be used for social control and tracking purposes, especially for minority populations.
In addition to her on-going research projects, Dr. Hester is co-editing a book on immigration, health and security in North America. The interdisciplinary book, entitled The Vital Security Complex: Health, Immigration and Security in North America, draws from a variety of fields including political science, social work, public health, history, and anthropology to show the inter-relation between immigration, health and security discourses and policies and their impact on the everyday lives and deaths of migrants. The book argues that there has been an increase in Latin American migrant morbidity and mortality in the northern hemisphere since the war on terror began in 2001 and the war on drugs began in Mexico in 2006. The authors in The Vital Security Complex link this upsurge in trauma, illness, disease and death to national security policies in both the U.S. and Mexico, policies which paradoxically propose to make communities more secure through their implementation. She recently received the Diebel Monograph Award to advance publication of this book.
Dr. Hester is an advisor to Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño, an indigenous Mexican migrant-led non-profit in California, as well as an advisor to Frente Indígena de Organizaciones Binacionales, a binational indigenous rights advocacy organization with offices in Oaxaca, Baja California and California. She serves on the board of director's at the St.Vincent's Hope Clinic and at St. Vincent's House, both in Galveston, Texas, and she is a member of the board of director's for the Health, Science and Society track of the Latin American Studies Association. As part of her community efforts, she is working with a team of faculty and students to develop a documentary on the sources of people's suffering on Galveston Island since Hurricane Ike. Dr. Hester is fluent in both Spanish and French.


text:
FoxNews.com alerted the U.S. Secret Service, which is declining public comment. Jeff Misenti, vice president and general manager of Fox News Digital, said FoxNews.com is working with Twitter to address the situation as quickly as possible.
"We will be requesting a detailed investigation from Twitter about how this occurred, and measures to prevent future unauthorized access into FoxNews.com accounts," Misenti said.
It took Fox News a solid eight hours to delete those tweets. Though, mind you, it was on the Fourth of July.
This kind of attack was expected after the government's response to governor Taseer's assassination. Because of the government's very weak response … it has encouraged the hardliners in society.Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies Amir Rana • Explaining how the response to the assassination of Salman Taseer, who fought a blasphemy law unpopular with Christians in the country, may have led to today's assassination of Shahbaz Bhatti. Before his death, Taseer fought in favor of a pardon for a Christian mother of four who had been sentenced to death for reportedly saying blasphemous things about Prophet Muhammad. After Taseer's death, Pakistani officials have stayed away from changing the law. Some feel that the effect of this has encouraged some to take more hardline approach to minority groups. Sigh. source (via • follow)


text:
As a Junior: Gamache appeared in 27 games, starting 21 and throwing in 127.1 innings… finished with a career best 3.74 ERA and 63 strikeouts, while going 4-17… struck out a career high eight batters at Murray State (4/20)… surrendered five hits and one earned run in an eight-inning loss at Auburn (2/15)… allowed two earned runs or less in 20 appearancesAs a Sophomore: Had a 2-7 record on the season with a 5.18 ERA in 78 1/3 innings pitched ... Appeared in 26 contest with 12 starts ... threw five innings while giving up three runs and striking out a career high six to pick up her first win of the season vs. Cleveland State (2/11) ... Had a complete game victory over Alamaba State where she gave up only one earned run and threw a season high 115 pitches (3/14) . tied her career high with six strike outs vs. Austin Peay (3/21)As a Freshman: Made an appearance in 21 contests while starting 10... Had 18 at bats... Recorded three hits and scored two runs... Tallied two doubles and one homerun... Posted two RBI and had a slugging percentage of .389... Made 18 appearances as a pitcher... Pitched five complete games
At Exeter West Greenwich HS: As a senior named to the first team all-division and all-state... Led Exeter-West Greenwich to the Rhode Island State title... Member of the second team all division squad as a junior... Received Honorable Mention as a sophomore... Named to the third team all-division during freshman campaign
Personal: Born in Middletown, R.I... Daughter of Dan and Jane... has one sister, Janel, 13, and two brothers, Dan, 20, and Reed, 17... Brother Dan was pick No. 182 in the 2011 Major League Baseball draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates... Cousin Alison played basketball at Southern Maine... Major is Human Performance and Sports Sciences... aspires to be an Athletic Trainer and coach... Birthday April 3


text:
Hi ALL - just sharing the good news - and, of course looking for support[:I] We got a positive last night - so that puts me at about 4 weeks. DUe in July - and I intend to make it that far this time. Yes, I am nervous, but mostly about telling people. I have seen this in discussion before, but it is so real now. Anyway, I have a dr. appt tomorrow - any thoughts?? Gee, I remember how carefree this stage of my last pregnancy was - hopefully I will relax and enjoy this one.
Ian 12/26/01 - 26 weeks


text:
Home / Academics / Theatre
As a theatre student, you'll gain experience in all aspects of theatre—producing, directing, acting, lighting, sound design, scenery and costuming—through a full season of productions each year.
Our season includes 3 to 4 faculty-directed productions each year, from Sophocles and Shakespeare to world premieres of new plays. Each season also includes RUSH, a student-produced dance exhibition, as well as other student-initiated productions.
Our annual children's show is presented to thousands of area schoolchildren and gives theatre students opportunities for exaggerated physical comedy.
The work of Northwestern's student playwrights hits the stage annually in a spring festival of original plays—both one-act and full length. Students also direct.
Students selected for DME collaborate with the company's director, Professor Jeff Barker, to script dramas from the Bible or develop original plays that explore contemporary issues. The plays are performed on request, as well as during tours across the U.S.
Black V is a student improv team that gives regular performances across campus and in the community.
More theatre events | Full calendar
More news
© 2014
Northwestern College. All rights reserved. 712-707-7000. 101 7th Street SW, Orange
City, Iowa 51041
Privacy policy | Feedback


text:
Barrick Gold's weak earnings raise concerns
Failure to bring production from low-cost mines into the production mix will put pressure on margins in the short term.
Barrick Gold announced a 50% to 60% increase in capital costs for its Pascua-Lama gold mine from the top end of the previously announced estimate of $4.7 to $5 billion, with first production expected in mid-2014 instead of mid-2013 as estimated earlier. This delay and cost escalation comes as a huge setback to the company, which claims that Pascua-Lama will be one of the world's cheapest gold mines once production begins.
Estimated to have a long life of 25 years, Pascua-Lama is crucial to Barrick Gold's future. The company has attributed increased costs to a combination of high inflation in Argentina and Chile, lower-than-expected contractor productivity, schedule extension and engineering and planning gaps. Project execution has been tardy due to the challenging physical environment at high altitudes and the company's decision to use in-house capabilities rather than outsourcing the work to external partners. Management is being put under the microscope for not having detected such serious problems earlier.
We expect total cash costs to be lower in the second half of the year if the company sticks to its promise of significantly higher overall production levels and lower cost mines contributing to a greater share of total company production. Failure to bring production from low-cost gold mines into the production mix will put pressure on margins in the short term. This could, however, be offset if gold prices rise which, in turn, would be determined by the general macroeconomic environment.
Rising costs are also a problem at its Lumwana copper mine. Barrick has blamed the previous owner Equinox for the same, alleging that the practices followed by them were less than satisfactory. Barrick is attempting to rectify those mistakes, resulting in cost escalations. On the other hand we believe that economic slowdown, particularly in China, has reduced demand and resulted in a fall in prices. Due to an extended strong price rally prior to the recent fall, we think that in the worst case a supply glut will hit the market on the back of increased output. This will lead to further correction in copper prices, impacting Barrick's margins in the copper business.
The $400 million Jabal Sayid copper project in Saudi Arabia, with an estimated 1.2 billion pounds of copper, will start production in the second half of 2012. The mine will add approximately 130 million pounds of copper annually. Thankfully, the total cash costs are expected to be much lower at $1.50-$1.70 per pound as compared to the average cost of $2.28 per pound this quarter.
Despite setbacks, Barrick Gold does possess very strong long-term productive assets and once Pascua-Lama and Pueblo Viejo come online, we expect it to perform well. And despite rising costs, Barrick's cost profile is much better than the industry average. In the short term, Barrick remains dependent on Goldstrike, Cortez Hills, and Veladero mines to generate attractive returns at prevailing prices. Rising energy costs will continue to put pressure on margins in the short-term.
We are currently in the process of updating our estimates for Barrick Gold in light of recent earnings.
More from Trefis
Copyright © 2014 Microsoft. All rights reserved.
Fundamental company data and historical chart data provided by Morningstar Inc. Real-time index quotes and delayed quotes supplied by Morningstar Inc. Quotes delayed by up to 15 minutes, except where indicated otherwise. Fund summary, fund performance and dividend data provided by Morningstar Inc. Analyst recommendations provided by Zacks Investment Research. StockScouter data provided by Verus Analytics. IPO data provided by Hoover's Inc. Index membership data provided by Morningstar Inc.
As geopolitical tensions threaten to spin out of control, investors are wondering how best to position their portfolios for the global turmoil.
Top Stocks provides analysis about the most noteworthy stocks in the market each day, combining some of the best content from around the MSN Money site and the rest of the Web.
Contributors include professional investors and journalists affiliated with MSN Money.
Follow us on Twitter @topstocksmsn.


text:
Chile's second-largest mobile operator, Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones SA, fell to a five-month low after agreeing to a $400 million Peruvian acquisition that will result in a dividend cut.
The company known as Entel retreated 1.8 percent to 9,628 peso at 11:20 a.m. in Santiago, the lowest level on a closing basis since Oct. 12. The Ipsa benchmark index fell 0.8 percent.
Entel, based in Santiago, agreed to buy Nextel Peru, a unit of Reston, Virginia-based NII Holdings (NIHD) Inc., according to a regulatory filing yesterday. Entel said it will pay for the acquisition partly by reducing its dividend payout to 50 percent of profit. The payout ratio was previously 80 percent, according to Banco Santander SA.
"While in the long run the acquisition might create value, the short run is likely to be challenging," Santander analyst Nicolas Khaliliyeh said in an e-mailed note today. "We expect a slightly negative market reaction."
NII shares surged 12 percent in New York to $5.11.
Nextel Peru's profit margins are lower than Entel's, and improving them will be a "major challenge," Santiago-based brokerage IM Trust SA said in an e-mailed note today.
To contact the reporter on this story: Eduardo Thomson in Santiago at email@example.com
To contact the editor responsible for this story: David Papadopoulos at email@example.com