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Help sought for $2.6 million in park damage
Congressional representatives ask for immediate release of emergency funds to salvage summer season
MILFORD — Pennsylvania's representatives are asking the federal government to help the national park in Pike County recover from those infamous back-to-back winter storms of March, Riley and Quinn.
In a May 31 letter to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, U.S. Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. and U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, both Democrats, said the Delaware Water Gap National Recreational Area sustained $2.6 million in damages based on initial assessments, which are expected to increase "once the park has the resources to conduct a comprehensive analysis." With the summer season already at hand, the representatives are asking the federal government to immediately release reserve NPS emergency funds parks in need, and to give the parks more than the limited window now in place to send projects out to bid and select a contractor.
They said their staffs recently conducted site visits in the park and have seen the devastation firsthand.
Several popular visitor use sites were devastated, including Dingmans Falls and George W. Childs Park, the representatives said.
"Damages to the trails at these locations currently exceed the million-dollar mark," they wrote. "As a result of the destruction, both sites will remain closed for the remainder of 2018, and Childs Park may even be closed for several years. Although the park is determined to re-open these key sites, most of the trails remain closed due to public hazard."
They said the National Park Service Northeast Region is competing for limited emergency funds for recovery and repair, which are "further strained by the severity and frequency of weather incidents and natural disasters that have occurred all across the United States and American territories in the past fiscal year."
The 66,741-acre recreational area "encompasses forested mountains, grassy beaches, ravines, ridges, waterfalls, the Delaware Water Gap, a section of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, and is home to diverse flora and fauna," they write, and is one of the top 25 most-visited national park units in the country, recording a record $3.4 million visits.
"Those visitors spent $113.5 million in communities within 60 miles of the park and supported 1,625 local jobs, resulting in a total economic output of $165.5 million," they said. "In addition, the park employs approximately 100 full-time employees with an additional 40-60 seasonal employees working between May-October. The park is an invaluable natural resource and heritage site, but the local economic impacts of the DWGNRA cannot be overstated. DWGNRA is the primary economic driver for Pike County and the greater northeastern Pennsylvania region, and the longer the majority of the park is closed and these damages remain unaddressed, the longer the local economy will suffer."
EntertainmentMilford Farmers Market opens Sunday
- May 21, 2019
ObituariesVincent J. Accordino of Milford, Pa., dies at age 79
- May 21, 2019
ObituariesBrendan James Kitchen of Dingmans Ferry, Pa., dies at age 19
- May 21, 2019
SportsDV defeats Coughlin in girls varsity lacrosse
- May 21, 2019
Local NewsPollution control project funded in Pike County
- May 21, 2019


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Nerd Lacquer!! I remember when Nerd Lacquer was like THE indie polish line! When Nerd stopped making polish for a while, people were selling polishes are skyrocketed prices. Thankfully, Nerd is back in production and prices are back to normal.
The Lando System was gifted to me by my AU nail mail pal, Leeanne. I have just a couple other Nerds so this polish is special for many reasons.
Nerds are all crellies with glitter, as far as I have seen. I don't think there's been a holo collection or a creme collection, but please correct me if I am wrong!
This polish has a lavender base with peach, white, pink, and lilac glitters. There is a tiny smattering of holo glitter, too. I used three coats for this mani.
The glitters are easy to get out of the bottle. I did store it upside down while I took off my previous mani, so I know that helped.
Time for a close up! Don't you just love polishes that create their own jelly sammiches?
Last look!
You can find Nerds on NerdLacquer.com. Have you tried this brand? What do you think?
Friday, June 17, 2016
Nerd Lacquer: The Lando System
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April 2019: Empties & Tossed Report
Empties & Tossed Report time! Empties first! I am still trying to use up small perfumes, which I finished two of in April. The G...
As you know, I am obsessed with face masks. I love sheet masks, peel off masks, overnight packs, on and on. If it says "mask" then...
I love pink polish. If I am going professional, my go-to is a baby pink. If I am going shocking, my go-to is a neon pink! Yesterday, I sh...
Perhaps I will lose a few followers for this, but I am over it. Trump is an awful President. He does not care to unite the country, and, qui...

subset: commoncrawl


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What the Fontaine?!: You never know what you'll hear next on this fun mix of tunes from across the decades and musical genres."
Agent Orange played Richmond again last night. I didn't get to see it, but they've been a blast the 3 or 4 times they've played here over the last coupla years. Yay fun! Anyway, I'm back at WRIR tonight 9-11pmEDT for another go-round of music and whatnot. Tune in.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/WhatTheFontaine
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Richmond-VA/What-the-Fontaine-on-WRIR-973-FM/273679064155
AIM: WhatTheFontaine Phone: 804.649.9737
Click here for tonight's podcast.
More playlists/podcasts: http://www.wrir.org/author/fontaine/
Meat Beat Manifesto – United Nations
Agent Orange – Everything Turns Grey
Iggy + Stooges – Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell
The Godfathers – She Gives Me Love
The Cult – Nirvana
Sex Pistols – Pretty Vacant
Devo – Through Being Cool
Kim Wilde – Kids in America
Lene Lovich – New Toy
B-52's – Party Out of Bounds
Misfits – TV Casualty
Echo + Bunnymen – Heads Will Roll
The Cure – A Forest
Joy Division – Heart and Soul
The Stranglers – No More Heroes [request]
Danielle Dax – Inky Bloaters
Siouxsie + Banshees – Christine
Tom Tom Club – Wordy Rappinghood
The Bonzo Dog Band – The Intro and the Outro
Monster Magnet – 2000 Light Years From Home [Stones cover]
Grinderman – Bellringer Blues
Weedeater – Mancoon
Night Birds – Killer Waves
Black Flag – Jealous Again
The Damned – New Rose [live]
Meatmen – Punkerama
Gang of Four – To Hell With Poverty
Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection
Public Image Ltd – Banging the Door
Echo + Bunnymen – Lips Like Sugar


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Leicester Police Apologises for Gobbledygook Punjabi Translation
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- Leicester Police Apologises for Gobbledygook Punjabi Translation
You might think translation errors only occur on an international level, but these kind of mistakes are made on local scale as well. Many a time this is down to trusting free online translation tools or going for the cheapest translation service you can find. Recently, Leicester police were forced to apologise to local Punjabi speakers for the translation used on a Diwali safety leaflet due to it being incomprehensible.
According to an article on the website of the Leicester Mercury, Leicester police have been embarrassed by the translation mistake. Leicester fire service, City Council and Crimestoppers had joined forces to publish a greeting card with safety tips for Diwali, i.e. the festival of lights.
As the festival has its origins in India, the leaflet was translated in a number of languages, including Punjabi, Gujarati, and Hindi.
The Gujarati and Hindi translations were correct, the Leicester Mercury says, but Punjabi speakers described the translation in their native language as "incomprehensible" as a number of sentences were grammatically incorrect and made no sense at all.
As 12,000 greeting cards were issued, the newspaper is not surprised that the police received a lot of complaints.
The idea behind the greeting card is very good, member of the Panjabi Arts, Cultural and Literary Council UK, Prof Dhillon, says. However, he believes the execution of the plan would have benefited from a little more effort. According to Dhillon, many Punjabi speakers have expressed their confusion to him and he believes the translation must have been executed in a great rush.
The Leicester Mercury states that a spokeswoman for the police also agreed that the quality of the Punjabi translation was very low.
She said that all translations were carried out by an external translation company that charged £42 for each text. Further distribution of the text has been put to a halt; however, according to the spokeswoman, most greeting cards have already been issued. She apologised to the Punjabi speakers and said the police will turn to the translation company to deal with the problem.
This was the first year that the Leicester police issued leaflets in foreign languages and according to the spokeswoman, the decision was made in order to make the information more widely accessible. For the Punjabi speakers, this unfortunately has not been the case…
:: This example shows that a cheap translation is not necessarily the best one. Have a read of "Can you afford a Cheap Translation?"
The news also highlights the importance of proofreading in the translation process, especially when a translation is going to be used in the public sphere. Had a Punjabi speaker checked the document prior to it being published, the mistake would have been identified and fixed – saving the police red faces and money.


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Driving Car Simulator
Sorry, this app is not available to download now.
Sorry, this app is not available to download now.
In this game you drive a car on the driver's seat. The view from the driver's cab, a third person. Realistic graphics, a large range of vehicles to suit every taste. You can select Left Hand Drive cars and right-hand drive. Also in the game you can choose the weather, time of day and the atmosphere - the fog of the night, clear weather during the day. In the car, you can change the speed (accelerate, decelerate), include the horn, turn on and off lights. If your child likes cars - set him driving a car simulator game, or play yourself. Good luck!


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☮ ღ ☼ Writers, Poets, Photographers, Musicians & Artists featured ☼ ღ ☮
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Death of a Sculptor; in Hue, Shape and color
In life, the artist loved women, almost as much as women loved him. Adored for his art, colorful personality, and sexual prowess, Bruce is mourned by the world. The multifaceted perspectives of his four ex-wives, the current wife, his new love interest, and their children narrate this pulse-pounding tale.
Posted by M.C.V. EGAN at 11:24 AM
Labels: #ArtandDeath, #ColorcodedRomances
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This resource helps with measuring heart rate and recovery rate over a training session. Pupils plot on a graph their resting HR and their HR during and after exercise. The differences in HR can be discussed and described underneath the graph. It could be used with a GCSE or HRE class and has an excellent curricular maths link.
One Comment on "Measuring Heart Rate and Recovery Rate"
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Fabulous Deluxe Quality Heat Resistant Wigs.
Whether youre looking for a deluxe fancy dress wig, are wanting to reinvent yourself to be the person youve always wanted to be or if you just fancy a change from the everyday hair you see in the mirror. We have something to suit! From short to long, straight to curly, parting or fringed. We have wigs in a range of colours from natural to neon or even two tone.
Fever Wigs, Style-able to be as individual as you are.


text: A simple science fair project by a young girl whom simply grew two plants. One plant was watered by normal boiled water (then cooled) the other plant was watered using water boiled in a microwave (then cooled). The plant receiving the microwave water died. I researched this, I am now throwing my microwave out.


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Samyang Optics Announces Partnership With US Electric Car Maker ZAP for Korea Market With Press Conference Extravaganza at the Grand Hilton Convention Center, Seoul, Korea
SEOUL, KOREA–(Marketwire – 01/27/10) – Samyang Optics Co. Ltd. (Korea: 008080) announced today at a special press conference extravaganza event held at the Grand Hilton Convention Center in Seoul, Korea, that it has signed a distribution agreement with California electric transportation pioneer ZAP (OTC.BB:ZAAP – News) for the exclusive rights to manufacture, assemble and market ZAP's complete line of electric trucks, vans, motorcycles, scooters and ATVs in Korea. This event was well attended by more than 500 people, with 150 people from the media, including media coverage by SBS, YTN, and MBN television stations in Korea.
This partnership is part of Samyang's broader strategic plan to enhance its core business with a new thrust in cleantech, focusing on Korea's increasing market opportunities in electric vehicles. The agreement establishes Samyang as ZAP's exclusive distributor and assembly partner, leading to potential manufacturing for its electric vehicles in Korea. The distribution agreement commits Samyang to set up manufacturing facilities and distribution hubs in Korea with annual procurement quotas. The electric vehicle bodies will be produced by ZAP's recently announced manufacturing partner, Zhejiang Jonway Automobile Co. Ltd., and use the electric power train technology and engineering designed by ZAP and produced by ZAP Hangzhou, the joint venture between ZAP, Holley Group and Better World International.
Samyang, known for its camera lens manufacturing business, held a press conference today to announce this new strategic core business strategy targeting global growth in clean technologies. Under the distribution agreement, Samyang has secured the exclusive Korean distribution, assembly and eventually manufacturing rights for ZAP's latest and upcoming electric vehicle models, including the ZAP Alias electric car and the recently announced A380 5-door electric SUV (sports utility vehicle), developed by ZAP and Jonway. Preproduction models of each were showcased in Korea for the announcement. Samyang will be taking delivery of ZAP's electric vehicles from ZAP Hangzhou until their facilities are equipped to begin assembly in Korea.
Samyang's Co-CEO Christopher Kang, MD established the framework of this partnership with ZAP's President Gary Dodd at the North American International Auto Show held recently in Detroit. Dr. Kang says, "Samyang decided to partner with ZAP because of its extensive industry knowledge in electric vehicle production and the breadth and maturity of its current line of electric vehicles." According to Mr. Dodd, the expansion of ZAP's market through this partnership with Samyang in Korea further solidifies its strategic goals of supplying electric vehicles to global markets.
The Ministry of Knowledge Economy for Korea has announced plans to commercialize electric vehicles with an investment of 400bn won (US$342.6m) by 2014 on research and development for high-performance batteries and other related electric vehicle subsystems. The Ministry of Knowledge Economy has announced a goal of capturing 10 percent of the global market for zero-emission plug-in cars by 2015 with the target of having all-electric vehicles comprise 10 percent of domestic sales of small-size cars by 2020. This partnership is focused on addressing this opportunity.
Attending the press conference today were Samyang Co-CEOs and Directors Christopher Kang, MD and Sang-Yoon Rhee, along with ZAP Chairwoman Dr. Priscilla Lu, ZAP CEO Steve Schneider, ZAP President Gary Dodd, ZAP Hangzhou CEO Raymond Yang, Jonway CEO Alex Wang, Junfeng Feng, VP of International Investments for the Yuhang District of China, home to ZAP Hangzhou, and other officials.
Samyang Optics Co., Ltd.
Samyang, located in Masan, Korea, is a developer of optical lenses and a range of applications for closed circuit television systems used extensively in highly important security settings such as casinos and banks, as well as government and commercial buildings. Founded in 1972, Samyang's securities are publicly traded on the Korean stock exchange. Samyang is an exclusive supplier for "Made in Korea" lenses to Sears and has made lenses for Nikon, Canon, Minolta and Yashica. In 2004 Samyang merged with Japanese optical device maker Seikou.
About ZAP
ZAP is one of the world's oldest electric vehicle providers, having delivered over 117,000 of a broad range of vehicles to more than 75 countries since 1994. ZAP supplies electric trucks and vans to military, government and corporate fleets and is an innovator of electric motorcycles, scooters and ATVs. The Santa Rosa, California based company offers some of the only electric city-speed cars and trucks in production today and is leveraging its accrued technology know-how in developing a cost effective high-speed electric car called the ZAP Alias. For further information visit http://www.zapworld.com.
About Holley Group
Holley Group is the parent of Holley Metering Limited, a global leader in electric metering with diversified businesses spanning pharmaceuticals, real estate, telecommunications and IT. Holley employs more than 12,000 people and over 800 R&D personnel worldwide. Headquartered in Hangzhou, Holley operates manufacturing in China, Thailand, Argentina and Uzbekistan. Holley products are sold through offices in major cities throughout China, India as well as South East Asia and the European markets. For more information, visit http://www.holleymeter.com/en.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, continued acceptance of ZAP's products, increased levels of competition, new products and technological changes, ZAP's dependence upon third-party suppliers, intellectual property rights and other risks detailed from time to time in the ZAP's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=1162864
ZAP Alex Campbell, English Language Only +1-707-525-8658 x 241 email@example.com Samyang Mr. Dong Hoon, Kim (Korean Language Only) +82-2-6005-8719 email@example.com
ZAP, Jonway Partner to Target China Electric SUV Market
Companies Agree to Develop, Manufacture and Market Electric Compact SUVs and Other Vehicles in China for Worldwide Distribution
SANTA ROSA, CA and TAIZHOU, CHINA–(Marketwire – 01/21/10) – US electric vehicle pioneer ZAP (OTC.BB:ZAAP – News) and China auto manufacturer Zhejiang Jonway Automobile Co. Ltd. announced a commercial agreement to produce electric sport utility vehicles (SUVs), cars and other electric vehicles in China for domestic and global distribution.
ZAP and Jonway partnered on the production of the 5-door Jonway A380 SUV, integrating the latest AC propulsion and lithium battery system technologies to produce a high performance mid-range electric vehicle (EV) that ZAP intends to offer to the fleet market in China. Jonway currently manufactures several thousand units per month of its A380 compact SUV in 3- and 5-door models and is expanding its product line with new model sedans and other automobiles.
The agreement with Jonway is part of a multi-phase business plan ZAP is implementing to target the China electric vehicle market. ZAP chose the Jonway partnership in part because last year Jonway produced one of the first vehicles made in China to meet international standards of quality, including ISO 9000, China Compulsory Certification (CCC) and most recently passing certification for import to the European Union. The Taizhou-based automaker markets and sells vehicles in China through a network of over 600 auto dealerships. Jonway has the capacity to produce up to 50,000 vehicles per year currently at its facilities in Taizhou with capacity and support from the government to expand as the business scales.
ZAP and Jonway believe the partnership will leverage ZAP's long-standing history in electric vehicles, experience in systems integration and worldwide sales for a broad range of EVs. Under the exclusive agreement, ZAP and Jonway take the electric drive systems designed by ZAP and integrate them into the reengineered EV SUV that will be produced by Jonway. ZAP will perform research and development of the core technology in Santa Rosa, California and license the technology for this partnership. ZAP and Jonway will jointly market and sell electric vehicles in China, North America and Europe to broaden market reach.
In 2009, China overtook the United States as the world's largest automobile market with sales increasing 46 percent from 2008 to 13.6 million vehicles in 2009, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
ZAP hopes to leverage a stimulus from the government for plug-in forms of transportation. The Chinese State Council General Office announced that it intends to raise its annual production capacity to 500,000 all-electric cars, hybrids and buses by the end of 2011. To stimulate the growth, China's Economic Construction Department has put in place a 60,000 RMB, approximately US$8,800, manufacturers subsidy per electric vehicle produced and sold in China.
About Jonway
Jonway is the trade name of Zhejiang Jonway Automobile Co., Ltd., an automobile manufacturer based in Taizhou, Zhejiang, China that currently produces two SUV models, the A380 3-door and the A380 5-door configurations. Zhejiang Jonway Auto is a subsidiary of Jonway Group, which has been a leader in the manufacturing of motorcycles, ATVs and related products for more than 20 years. In 2009, the Company sold more than 120,000 vehicles internationally in the European Union and the United States and has a capacity to build up to 400,000 vehicles annually. The Company recently began producing electric motorcycles and related vehicles. Jonway Group and its subsidiaries also produce motor parts, light building materials, air-compressors and plastic components while managing a portfolio of real estate holdings. Jonway Group owns several manufacturing subsidiaries throughout China with a total manufacturing space of 57.3 hectares employing more than 1,000 personnel.
About ZAP
ZAP is one of the world's oldest electric vehicle providers, having delivered over 117,000 of a broad range of vehicles to more than 75 countries since 1994. ZAP supplies electric trucks and vans to military, government and corporate fleets and is an innovator of electric motorcycles, scooters and ATVs. The Santa Rosa, California based company offers some of the only electric city-speed cars and trucks in production today and is leveraging its accrued technology know-how in developing a cost effective high-speed electric car called the ZAP Alias. For further information visit http://www.zapworld.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, continued acceptance of ZAP's products, increased levels of competition, new products and technological changes, ZAP's dependence upon third-party suppliers, intellectual property rights and other risks detailed from time to time in the ZAP's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=1158269
Contacts: Alex Campbell ZAP 707-525-8658 x 241 email@example.com Alex Wang Jonway +86 13968699888 email@example.com


text: Dr. Rubrake graduated from the Akron General Hospital School of Nursing in 1996 with a RN and from Akron University early a B.S. in Natural Science and a M.S. in Biology. She earned her MD in 1978 from the Medical College of Ohio. Moving to Texas, she did her internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Baylor College. Since them she has practiced Internal Medicine in walk in and office setting in the greater Boston area. She is also a graduate of the New England School of Acupuncture.


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Artist's description:
This artwork is a part of a greater project called ISO Zero. This cycle was created as a result of several years of artistic search towards radical minimalism. In this cycle, I return to black, the traditional colour used by Zen painters. However, I treat black as a total colour. Black, so much hated by Impressionists, becomes in my work a mirror in which the viewer confronts his reflection.
Materials used:
Mixed media on canvas
Supernova (2018)
Mixed-media painting by Jacek Sikora
- Mixed-media painting on Canvas
- One of a kind artwork
- Size: 47.24 x 59.06 x 0.87 in (unframed) / 47.24 x 59.06 in (actual image size)
- Ready to hang
- Signed on the back
- Style: Organic
- Subject: Abstract and non-figurative
This artwork is sold by Jacek Sikora from Poland


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Diesel Now Costs the Same as Regular Gasoline
The fact that diesel fuel was more expensive than gasoline was an argument against switching to diesel, even though diesels get about 25 to 30 percent better miles per gallon than the same size gasoline engine.
A year ago, when fuel prices were close to their all-time highs for the U.S. market, diesel was about 67 cents per gallon more expensive than regular gas, according to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report.
With diesel now at the same price as regular gas, diesel owners can start saving money on fuel costs right away. For instance, 12,000 miles of highway driving in a diesel that gets 36 mpg would cost about $337 less than the same miles in a gasoline-powered car that gets 26 mpg.
However, diesel owners still don't start saving money right away overall. That's because diesels are more expensive to build, and the German automakers that offer diesels charge a premium for diesel models.
For instance, the sticker price for the Mercedes-Benz R320 BlueTec diesel is $1,500 higher than the closest gasoline model, the R350 4Matic. For some cars, like the BMW 335d, the premium for the diesel model is a lot higher. Starting price for the BMW 335d diesel is $3,600 higher than the gasoline-powered BMW 335i.
Diesels account for a majority of sales in some European markets, and the European automakers are mystified by the fact that Americans are not stampeding to diesel.
Using cleaner diesel fuel, modern diesels are cleaner-burning, more powerful, and less smelly and smoky than the passenger-car diesels that were popular in the United States from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s.
Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen are all offering additional diesel models, in part to play catch-up with gasoline-electric hybrids like the Toyota Prius.
Until recently, stricter emissions rules in several states, including California and New York, made it impossible to sell diesels in those states. Besides better-performing diesel engines, what's changed is that cleaner diesel fuel became mandatory in the United States in 2006. Improved emissions-control technology also started coming on line last year.
With those changes, it's now possible to offer diesels in all 50 states. What's debatable is whether Americans really want them.
Chart: Energy Information Administration


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In this section:
Find out more about
fostering in your area
If you have a friend who you think might be interested in fostering, we can send them information
Helping children to be healthy
We work proactively to ensure the health care needs of children and young people are effectively identified. This is supported by accessing appropriate health care resources for our children and young people, including specialist services, if required, to meet their health needs.
"we also saw examples where cooperative working had produced good outcomes for children."
Care Inspectorate 2013
Our carers are expected to encourage children and young people to lead healthy lifestyles and we provide training and support to enable them to do this. Children and young people are given the opportunity to take part in a wide range of physical exercise in line with their individual needs.
"Young people told us they got healthy foods and could access many clubs and activities when living with their fostering family. This supported positive outcomes for children in relation to health."
Care Inspectorate 2013
We provide further training for carers on a range of health issues, including self-harm, drug and alcohol awareness and first aid.


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Original Press Release Link
The National Women's Political Caucus of California urge Congressional Tea Party candidate Craig Huey to immediately call for the recent sexist ad portraying his opponent, Janice Hahn, as a stripper to be taken down. Although Huey finally condemned the ad, it took him more than 24 hours and dozens of political leaders' influence to do the right thing. Yet even in his apology, he didn't ask for the ad to be taken down.
Huey's response to this extremely sexist ad isn't surprising. The Tea Party candidate is known for his extreme position on choice and women's health. "His anti-choice, anti-woman ideology is extremely relevant in this election," says Teray Stephens, President of National Women's Political Caucus of California. "As we are in the midst of an ongoing Congressional battle to eviscerate women's health programs, including a willingness to close down the government simply to defund Planned Parenthood, we need to elect progressive leaders, not people that will add a voice to the extremist agenda."
Huey's position on choice and women's health - undermining a woman's right to choose by putting doctors in jail for performing abortions, demanding adoption rather than abortion in all cases (including rape, incest and when the mother's life is in danger) and slashing legal life-saving reproductive health services - has no place in Congress.
If Huey is elected, he will support the Tea Party's extremist agenda, which will no doubt resurface in Congress next year, continuing the war on women, choice and critical funding for health services for men, women and children.
These sexist attacks also serve as a reminder that we must continue to fight for gender equity in politics. With more women at the table we will ensure that these attacks against choice and women's health are no longer a possibility. "The National Women's Political Caucus continues to strive for full equality, to ensure women have equal participation in the political process and have our interests fully represented and advocated for. This situation reminds us that we have a long way to go," says Stephens.
The National Women's Political Caucus proudly endorsed Janice Hahn who has had an esteemed career as a champion for women. In light of the growing attacks on women by extremists in Congress, NWPC supports election of Hahn who will stand up and fight any attempts to roll-back women's fundamental rights in America. On July 12, Janice Hahn is the clear choice for women and for the residents of the 36th District.


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Im looking for any used duck and goose decoys and rags for my 11year old son…...Anything would do just too get him started. Thanks guys…......W.F.
PM sent
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Hi John,jj2728 wrote:Welcome to the best die cast forum on the web John. You'll find many knowledgeable, enthusiastic and friendly collectors here. Was also impressed by your website. With very few exceptions, I am strictly a 1/43rd race car collector and since you are from NZ I'd be willing to bet that you may have in your collection a few cars that were driven by Bruce, Denny, and Chris. I'm also archiving my dad's extensive photo library that spans 65+ years of motorsport. I've attached a photo taken by him of Chris and the winning Ferrari 330 P4 during practice in 1967 at the Daytona 24 hours.
Thanks for your message. I'm really (pleasantly) surprised at the number of 'Welcome Messages' I have received from Members. I've joined many Forums over the years, but never had this number of responses to my 'Introductory' post.
Thanks too for the image of Chris Amon. Do you have a high-res copy as I would like to give it to Chris next time I see him.
Yes, being a Kiwi I am a big fan of the 'famous four' - McLaren, Amon, Hulme & Ganley - and have many of their cars in my collection. In fact I'm really surprised at the number of Kiwi-driven cars that Spark has modelled over the past few years. I have Spark models driven by Bruce McLaren, Chris Amon, Denny Hulme, Howden Ganley, Scott Dixon, Andrew Bagnall, Angus Hyslop, Rob Wilson, Roger Wills, Brendon Hartley, Shane Van Gisbergen, Earl Bamber and Chris van der Drift.


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We hope you have found what you are looking for.... Please scroll down to see your results, or use the search function to refined your search. Come back often, as we are constantly adding new businesses to our Holistic Directory, as well as speciall discounted Deals from variety of our vendors. As you can see all listings have email to friend function, social networking bookmarks etc; so you can share what you love with others. We encourage you to post reviews as well, as they are an invaluable feedback for others.
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1. Jay's Big Gym
phone: view phone(212) 568-2444
website: http://www.jsbiggym.com
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phone: view phone3476953861
website: http://joelsalsa.com


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Virginia teachers have a new online resource to help create lesson plans for their middle and high school students, reports the Associated Press. Gov. Tim Kaine says the state has partnered with Statistical Analysis Software (SAS) and its SAS inSchool division to provide the company's Curriculum Pathways collection of online resources to Virginia middle schools and high schools at no charge. Kaine says the additional resources will help teachers at a time when school divisions are cutting back. The software gives teachers content that meets state standards in English, history, science, mathematics, social science, and Spanish. It can be used in classrooms, virtual schools, small groups, and by individual students…
Virginia teachers get new online help
By eSchool News
August 11th, 2009


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6/17: Book Blitz + Review Option
No Greater Hell
by Jerrie Alexander
by Jerrie Alexander
Genre: Romantic Suspense
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6/17: Book Blitz
Writer in Waiting (Review - G/A)**
It's All About the Romance*
Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin'*
HeadTripping Books (Review - G/A)**
Nikkis Book Nook (Review - G/A)**
Just The Write Stuff*
I Heart YA Books*
Em & M Books*
Jen's Reading Obsession*
Book-Lover blog*
Southern Yankee Book Reviews (Review - G/A)**
EskieMama Reads (Review - G/A)**
For Love of Books4*
Addiction to Reading*
Books are Love*
Books on Fire Tours*
Bobbie's Book Blog and Reviews*
Danielle's Domain*
Evermore Books*
Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog*
Indie Impressions*
love to read romance books*
Naughty Book Eden*
Nerdy, Dirty and Flirty*
Nicole's Book Musings*
Read Review Repeat*
Hooked On Books Forever*
Muffy Wilson*
Reading Drinking and Relaxing*
Real Talk Book Talk*
Satins Bookish Corner*
Smut Fanatics Book Blog*
Spreading The Word*
SNS Promotions and Reviews*
Tea Time and Books*
Those Crazy Book Chicks*
Trina's Tantilising Tidbits*
Warrior Woman Winmill*


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This is what Ken Levine said, on air, during the 7th inning of today's Mariners game in Cleveland.
One of my co-workers telecommutes from Texas, and is a Rangers fan, so we have occasion to talk about more than just work, depending on the day. Today was one of those days, as Lucas Luetge loaded the bases in the 7th, because I was sure that that would be the moment when we would blow our four-run lead. And the Indians got a run in that inning, but not more than one. I relaxed a little, and my coworker let me know that he was headed to lunch, and I was prepared for the hollow victory of a 3-run game, a little push in the right direction before the team heads to Colorado for tomorrow night's early contest. Instead, the Mariners waited until the bottom of the 8th inning to blow our lead, with a Jose Lopez 3-run shot over the left field wall. Steve Delabar only sent Lopez three fastballs until Lopi got one he liked well enough to beat it out of the park.
And that was when it hit me; rather than be sad about these losses or even indifferent, I need to take the same position I did back in 2010, when even Cliff Lee couldn't save us. I just have to wear this. I have to buck up and wear these losses, and keep going to games and do what I've done in past years that haven't been very good. There's just no alternative. I love baseball, I love the Mariners, and it's time to put on my big girl boots again, and just see this through. We're not the Cubs, our fans have not been waiting nearly that long.
I think the reason these games have started to annoy more fans is the advent and spread of social media. Prior to things like Twitter and FaceBook, we could complain, but that complaining only went as far as your friends or family, and perhaps the people sitting around you in the stands at the games. I was a happier fan even in 2008, because I had no way yet of connecting with other fans and hearing, talking about, or being bombarded with their opinions on the team. But that has all changed now, and I have found myself getting a lot more irritated with things that might not have necessarily really broken my heart before. It's much easier to get angry with the way things are going, because you have a whole troop of people who see your reaction and can also instantly react themselves, and before you know it, you're in the middle of a massive Mariners-hating tornado that is pulling up your houes by the foundations and messing up your yard.
So while the Mariners labor through the bottom of the 9th, and I have to clock back in from lunch, I'm just going to sit here and listen to a baseball game. Because I have a strong heart, and I can take it.


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Indexing with Xaira
1. Introduction
This document describes in some detail the operation of the first of these systems only, and in particular how the information needed by the indexer is managed and passed to it.
The indexer makes as much use as possible of the tagging found in a corpus, but does not require the use of any particular DTD. For this reason, part of the input to the indexer must be a description of the tagging actually used in the corpus to be indexed, together with information about how specific elements are to be treated during the indexing process.
- one or more valid or well-formed XML files. There is no requirement for a DTD, but if one is invoked, the file must be valid against it.
- a single TEI conformant corpus header containing a Xaira Specification, as documented in 4. The Xaira Specification of this document. This must be a distinct file, unlike the documents making up the corpus, which may be spread across several different files, or contained in a single one.
The indexer expects to process only XML, using an appropriate character encoding. This may be UTF-16 or UTF-8, indicated by the appropriate byte order mark; or some other permitted encoding, as indicated by means of an XML declaration. Different files may use different encodings, provided that each has an appropriate declaration. A pre-processor is available in the Indextools utility which can be used to convert character encoding or file format as necessary.
A note on terminology may be helpful. We use the term
file to refer to anything stored and managed by an
operating system. It has a name (Xaira calls this its
#sysid) and may contain one or more parts of a
corpus. A corpus contains a corpus header, which
must be contained in a single file, and a corpus body, which consists of one
or more logical units called documents. Each document is
a well-formed XML structure, possibly including a DTD: it may be
stored as a single file, or it may be spread across several files. In
XML terms, each of these files is a distinct entity, and they are
combined to form a document by standard XML mechanisms such as XML
Xinclude or external entity reference. Xaira regards a corpus as being
composed of one or more corpus texts, each of which has a
distinct bibliographic reference or identifier.In the simplest case,
each document contains a single corpus text; it is however possible to
define multiple texts within a single document. In TEI terms, a
document is normally equivalent to a single <TEI.2> element
(comprising a TEI Header and a <text> element). A TEI
<text> element may however contain multiple corpus texts.
The indexer works by first tokenizing the input stream, that is, by recognising as word forms individual character strings in the text files (2. Tokenization). These word forms may be associated with one or more additional keys which use additional information to group related word forms, or distinguish amongst homonyms (3. Additional keys and lemmatization). Each occurrence of the resulting key is associated with its location in the corpus, and assigned a reference (4.4. Referencing occurrences) which the client can display when it is retrieved. Individual texts can be classified according to different descriptive taxonomies for use by Xaira's partition mechanism (4.6.2. Taxonomy definition, and codebooks may be defined to provide more comprehensible labels for any analytic codes used in the corpus (4.6.1. Codebook definition). The natural languages and the subset of Unicode characters deployed in the corpus may also be defined (4.8. Language and character set issues).
In what follows, we discuss each of these topics in general terms, and then state how the various options are specified in the TEI-conformant corpus header.
Up: Contents Next: 2. TokenizationSections in this document:


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When the Morton Family visited our magical island for their annual escape, we met up with them to capture these fleeting moments. For their Maui Family Portraits, this gorgeous group from the California coast wanted to not only grab shots of the quartet but wanted a primary focus to be on the kids. Max and Gigi are two bright and happy youngsters that couldn't have been any more well behaved during the session. With the kids growing up fast, the way our precious children do, we don't blame this mom and dad for wanting to freeze the moments of sweet innocence that we long for when our babies turn in to teenagers. Luckily, at six and eight years old, the Mortons have time to savor their angels. We are so glad we could help to that end. Thank you, Morton Family, for choosing the Karma Hill Photography team to be a part of these times to remember. We look forward to next time! Until then, Warm Aloha!!!
Maui Family Photographer: Cheynice of Karma Hill Photography
Location: Baby Beach
Time of Day: Morning


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Supportive coaching in the paradigm & techniques of Ipsalu Tantra Kriya Yoga
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Our Mentor and Coaching services are tailored to support both new and experienced students of Ipsalu Tantra Kriya Yoga.
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Our Coaching is designed to help you integrate the daily practice of the Cobra Breath as the foundation of your practice. Together you will use the techniques if Ipsalu Tantra Kriya Yoga to assist the transformation and unfolding along the way. We look forward to supporting you in your personal exploration of Ipsalu Tantra and helping you on your path to growth and raising your vibration, with the understanding that there will be no genital contact or sexual relation between the student and Mentor.
Tantra Bliss Practicum
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Learn Ipsalu Tantra Kriya Yoga with this series of lessons based on the timeless information found in the Tantra books " Jewel in the Lotus" and " A Method for Tantra Bliss".
All lessons include experiential sections and personal Tantra instruction.
- Lesson 1 – Being in the Tantric Energy Flow: An initiation into the Tantra Practice
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- Lesson 4 – Initiation into the Tantra Practice of the Cosmic Cobra Breath
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- Lesson 8 – Mysteries of the heart Opening to new connections of loving support.
- Lesson 9 – Polarities of Creation: The Tantra Practice of bringing the inner male and female energies into harmony.
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To schedule a Mentor Session
Sessions are held either by phone, Skype or in person (when geography permits) A brief phone consultation with the Mentor will explore your interests and create a schedule for your session(s).
Please call Claudia for information at 510-978-3444.


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Head for the hills!
DH and I took advantage of a free weekend to do something we've been meaning to do for a while–take a trip up to the Black Hills area of South Dakota. This isn't one of our 101-in-1001 travel items, but it should have been (we might have to substitute it for another one, though). Since I haven't been anywhere since Christmas (and then we just went home to visit) and it might be a little while yet till our proper celebratory vacation, it was much needed and surprisingly effective, even if it was just a two day trip.
The trip to the scenic location unfortunately required a six hour drive across the absolute bleakness of eastern Wyoming. However, DH and I kept ourselves entertained by listening to the Grand Ole Opry live and some old Hank Williams, Sr. recordings–huzzah for satellite radio. Finally we made it to our hotel and began exploring the area the next morning.
The Black Hills region, located in the southwestern corner of South Dakota, is characterized by dramatic granite hills and spires, rugged and inhospitable buttes, and rolling plains.
These granite hills are home to one of the most iconic monuments in America, Mount Rushmore.
DH and I visited Mt. Rushmore in the evening. We were tired and hungry after a long day and really debated whether to stay for the nightly lighting ceremony. While standing right there, we decided to look up and watch a video of the lighting ceremony on YouTube. So we got to see it while not actually having to stay to see the real thing.
Okay, okay. I'm kidding. Well, about the leaving part that is; I'm quite serious about watching the video. 😉 We poked around the gift shop long until it time for the show, so we stayed. It was quite patriotic and dramatic, and while it was late when it ended, we were glad we stayed. And at the end of the ceremony all the veterans were invited to the front to state their name and service, and a few helped take down the flag for the evening. It was quite a meaningful experience.
Earlier that day, we did some scenic driving in the hills. We walked through historic Deadwood, the iconic wild west town, and drove through Sturgis, motorcycle mecca. I personally didn't find it very exciting, but that's just me. We also drove east towards the Badlands, first stopping at Wall Drug in the city of Wall. This is quite possibly the most awesome tourist trap ever. Featuring five cent cups of coffee, free ice water, a tyrannosaurus rex, and home-made donuts, it's just about as close to Disneyland as you can come in the middle of nowhere. And of course, any day you get to sit on a large jackelope is a good day.
Moving on from the drug store took us to the Badlands themselves. This is an interesting geologic feature, a cross between the Grand Canyon and desert buttes. It really is quite desolate.
The next morning we spent driving around Custer State Park, which features both the granite hills and the rolling plains. The plains are home to lots of interesting animals like deer and pronghorns. We even saw a turkey and a roadrunner while there, two birds you don't just come across every day. However, there are two more notable creatures in the park. First is a very large herd of bison, which we were excited to see during our drive.
The other interesting herd is a pack of burros, the descents of a herd used by pioneers. Evidently, they are also called the "begging burros," for very obvious reasons. Say cheese, guys.
Our last stop on our way out of town was Wind Cave, a national park just south of Custer State Park. This is one of the longest caves in the world, with 138 miles currently explored but over 2,000 miles suspected to be lurking under just a few square miles above. DH and I took a cave tour (a mere two miles) before heading back home.
All in all, it was a great trip, short but full of interesting sights. We might have enjoyed another day to spread out our excursions, but we did everything we wanted to do and didn't feel horribly pressed for time. We also picked a great weekend to go; it had been very hot, but it was cloudy and cool all weekend. I think it rained at home the entire time we were gone, too, so I'm glad we got rain but didn't have to wade out in in.
It might be a little out of the way, but if you're ever in the area or can make the trip, I highly recommend it!


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Antiques & Interiors
A Little Off The High Street
For such a small town Arundel boasts
a huge diverse collection of antique shops.
Well, of course, there is the beautiful and internationally known,
Spencer Swaffer shop on the HighStreet.
Then there's Bridge Antiques Centre,
Then there's Bridge Antiques Centre,
Arundel Antique Buyers also in the High Street.
Antiquites and Nineveh House,
the converted chapel, can be found in Tarrant Street.
Is that it?
Oh no, no, no, my friend, that's by far not it.
That's just for starters.
Look beyond the main Arundel streets and
you will find a cornucopia of antiques warehouses.
Let's start with The Old Brewery Antiques Warehouses.
Hidden down a little alley, behind Arundel's Co-op
are the last remaining warehouses of the 19th
They house three large antiques showrooms.
French Loft.
Then there's Steve Lawrence at Harmony Antiques,
with a collection of English and French decorative antiques.
Next door are husband and wife team
Nass and Brenda who run Arundel Eccentrics.
Yep thats us
With a large collection of English and French decorative antique furniture.
They also decorate 19th century bamboo
furniture and chests of drawers using decoupage.
The quirky
but sophisticated look has not only attracted
national and international magazines,
but also Liberty in London.
Throughout this year Arundel Eccentrics
have had a large collection of their antiques on the
have had a large collection of their antiques on the
4th floor of the Regents Street store.
Coming out of Arundel
on the A27 going east is
The Vinery
Once a mushroom farm, the massive site boasts
not only well over 20 antique traders,
but a shipper
(Steve Belt Shipping)
and four furniture restorers including
plus the widest array of antique furniture
you will find for many miles.
If you are in any doubt that Arundel's off the
High Street antique traders should be given a second
look............this will blow you away.....
Regular exhibitors at Battersea Decorative Fair,
La Place is a trade only
emporium of beautifully sourced antiques
from the 17th C through to the contemporary 20th C.
Set up by Paula and Stephen Parkinson the creators of
Augustus Brandt Antiques (Petworth)
They have been featured recently in ELLE Decoration
Country, Cote Ouest and the Times Style magazine
all of which have admired their style and creativity
and endorsed the look they create
La Place work with some of the world's leading Interior
Designers, Decorators and private residencies.
Swedish, French & Italian painted furniture & lighting.
Martin and Mary Beany
Whether you are looking to decorate your home or business,
Clubhouse Interiors offer a huge range of
one-of-a-kind decorative pieces.
A fantastic showroom filled with antique and vintage furniture &
luggage, sports memorabilia and movie props – all of which are available to hire. Clubhouse Interiors
work with companies like Ralph Lauren.
Just take a look at this fantastic showroom........
And heres a taste of all the other 20 plus dealers at The Vinery.
Last but by no means least in Lyminster just on the outskirts of the town
With a stock that consists of over 400 mirrors,
the largest selection in the South of England and
within an hour or so from London they offer free delivery within a 50 mile radius. The selection
includes, Large/floor standing mirrors, Over mantel mirrors, Extra large antique
Mirrors, landscape/portrait mirrors, gilt /painted mirrors, decorative crested mirrors and pairs of
mirrors for any desired space for your home.
So, what do you think?
Is Arundel well worth looking
at as a destination for antiques not on the High Street?
Some of these warehouses are trade only and
by appointment but many are open to the public.
Go to their site for more details and opening times


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You are currently browsing the monthly archive for February 2007.
It's not bad enough that Global Warming is going to take away our summer vacations at our favorite low-lying coastlines, flood our harbor cities, and drop large chunks of Greenland and Antarctica into the ocean.
Now it's taking away books from children.
(Or a least it would be if the Canadian Government weren't so resourceful.)
I kid you not.
Check out this article from yesterday's Toronto Star about how the Canadian Government had to airlift 7,000 children's books into some of the most remote northern villages because the usual route of transport–winter roads–are too dangerous this year because of Global Warming.
It was quite a sight, according to one witness in the teeny town of Fort Sevren in Ontario. "It was spectacular! The sun was shining, it was 10 below and suddenly the big Hercules came swooping into view, tipped its wings from above 800 feet above us and out came eight parachutes with crates of books floating to the ground," said Bartleman from the tiny community about two hours from Hudson Bay."We all jumped on the back of snowmobiles and pulled sleighs out onto the ice to load up the books. Some of the children ripped open the boxes and started to read the books right there in the snow."
Someone better call Al Gore.
Here's the very last word on the whole scrotum debate, straight from the author's mouth, as it were.
Check out this thoughtful article, penned by Patron herself that ran in yesterday's LA Times, where she explains that part of the problem behind this whole scuffle is "fear of giggling". Well, that and the possibility that kids might actually learn something that will allow them to challenge adult beliefs and become their own persons.
"Fiction, especially, gives that reading child a tool to decipher the mysteries and paradoxes of being human. Give a child a nonfiction book explaining the cycle of life and death, and he may come to a cerebral understanding of the concepts. Give him "Charlotte's Web" and his heart will burst. He'll feel empathy in a deep and lasting way."
Okay, I've been so focused on my ire about the great scrotum debate that I totally missed this 2/21 article about parents behaving badly in an ongoing disagreement with the Miami Public School System over several books that Cuban-American parents say portray Cuba in too rosy a way.
Apparently, one parent, fed up with all of the red tape she and her fellow "concerned parents" are having to go through to remove [censor] books from the school library, simply decided to check the books out, and never return them.
My favorite quote: "'If you take it out and don't return it, no kid can read it,' Rodriguez, who is a member of the Concerned Cuban Parents Committee, said Wednesday. 'It's not censoring; it's protecting our children from lies.'"
Aye carumba.
Full disclosure: ABC participated in the filing of an amicus brief late last year along with ABA, ABFEE, and many other organizations in support of keeping the books in the Library as a part of the on-going legal debate in Miami. You can see the brief here.
Thanks to Bookshelves of Doom for the good catch.
Many thanks to all of the new readers who have been visiting the site and passing along links to the Kerfuffle post these past three days. I appreciate the many insightful ideas you guys have been sending my way in the form of comments and e-mails. It warms the cockles of my heart to know that saner heads can prevail when the timid and the confused lead us off the cliffs of absurdity.
Hello faithful readers. This review was actually the VERY FIRST review I posted to pixie stix, and I wrote it first because it was one of my favorite books last year. Unfortunately, that meant that it went up before anyone was regularly reading, and so it has gotten lost.
So, I am bringing it back one more time, BECAUSE IT'S THAT GOOD! It will even keep adults up late–I lost sleep over it–and it's a great choice for teen book clubs. Go get this book!
Life As We Knew It
by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Harcourt, October 2006, $17.00 HC
Core Audience: Most obvious audience is girls 14+ but should be hand sold to boys because it's so compelling
Strengths: Authentic writing, vivid post-apocalyptic scenario that will be an eye-opener for modern teens
Young readers today are so used to the comfort of technologies such as cell phones, e-mail, cable television, and the internet that most of them never stop to think about how vulnerable these luxuries are. Let alone things like electricity, food in the supermarket, gas at the gas station, and medical care at the local hospital. What I loved about this book is how effectively it shows how a breakdown in society can slowly strip away our creature comforts one by one until we are reduced to our most basic instincts for survival.
When an asteroid hits the Moon and pushes it closer to the Earth, the environmental catastrophe that results will change life on the planet forever. Unlike typical disaster movies like War of the Worlds or Independence Day, the believability of this book comes from the fact that the events take place over many months, and chronicle what a disaster might look like from the perspective of one family in one community. Told through the diary entries of a normal teen, this novel is so authentically written and so compelling that once you get into it, it will be hard to put it down. Even better, when you do put it down, it will take a few minutes to pull yourself back from the sense of impending disaster that this book will evoke in you. Ultimately, this book delivers a positive message about self-reliance and hidden strength, and it is one of my top picks for the year. Not only is it a great story, but it has an important message to send to young readers about not taking life for granted.
Rated: 9.0
Scrotum, scrotum, scrotum.
Go ahead—say it with me—scrotum.
There—that wasn't so bad, was it?
I must say, the tempest in a teapot stirred up by the press over this issue these past two weeks says a lot more about the state of information dissemination in this country than anything else.
Here's the anatomy of a kerfuffle:
1) An author (who also happens to be a public librarian) writes a quiet book about a smart and plucky girl who has a question about an anatomically correct word, and no adult to talk to about it because she has a tough home life
2) A prominent committee of librarians and acknowledged children's literature experts, working on behalf of a venerable and respected association, picks this relatively unknown book for a major award
3) A group of librarians from various parts of the country debate the worthiness of the committee choice on a closed list serv, and a few get really uppity about a certain word choice
4) A publishing magazine of record takes note and reports on the word and the debate, taking care to talk to people on various sides of the issue (2/15)
5) A national paper of record notices said article, and publishes a less than thorough report on the issue on its front page, fanning the flames of controversy, and capturing the attention of televised media. Kerfuffle is in full swing (2/18)
6) Media talking heads and blogosphere chime in (2/20)
7) The same paper runs a short op-ed piece to balance the scale, bemoaning the crucifixion of "a sweet, funny book", and throwing in references to The Music Man and Balzac. (2/21)
8 ) A publishing reporter for a national wire service decides to check up on the key players for a follow-up story about how the issue became a story in the first place, and finds inconsistency and hyperbole everywhere (2/22)
9) Embarrassed librarians backtrack
10) Much ado becomes nothing. Kerfuffle subsides
I think there are some important observations and lessons to take away from this whole soap opera.
I don't know about you, but here's what I've gleaned:
Words are powerful.
"Scrotum" is a powerful word.
So is the word "banned".
In the case of the first word, Susan Patron knew it was powerful. That's why she used it. It was a deliberate choice, and love it or not, there's nothing innately wrong with using an anatomically correct word. In a great little interview broadcast Thursday on the CBC radio show As It Happens (part 1, at 14:30 min.), Patron explains her use of the word and her feelings about the controversy it has provoked. (Intentional on the first count, and unrepentant and levelheaded on the second.)
Her character Lucky is a girl whose mother has died, and whose father doesn't want her. She is also a person who loves words and whose "brain was very complicated", so that when she hears the word scrotum, she turns it over in her mind and puzzles over its meaning. Says Patron: "Her life is complicated, but it's not all that different from the lives of so many kids growing up. They're just really struggling to find out about the world." A classic theme in children's literature, and hardly the stuff of inflammatory tabloid writing, yet here we are with our undies in a bundle. It's amazing the power one word has.
Talking frankly about body parts may make you uncomfortable. Clearly, it has made some librarians uncomfortable. But that has more to do with personal boundaries than any objective moral criteria. Where things get a little murky is when the person with the boundary issues is the gatekeeper for the community. All I can say is that I would rather have the book available and be able to make that choice for my own kid, instead of having someone make it for the whole community by keeping the book out of the library.
Which brings us to the second word, "banned".
Also a powerful word, and used a little less responsibly this week.
When this story first broke in a pretty level-headed article in Publisher's Weekly on 2/15, the gist was that Librarians were having some lively debate and strong feelings about the most recent Newbery winner. This is nothing new. Over the years there have been many MANY disagreements about whether a book chosen for the Newbery was the right book. History has also shown us that many past Newbery winners who may have not been the most obvious choice when they were picked have subsequently proved their brilliance. Madeline L'Engle's classic A Wrinkle in Time, for example.
In fact my friend, the wise and incomparable Anita Silvey, made an excellent point in conversation this past week when she observed that this debate may have more to do with people's opinions about the Newbery process than anything else, and scrotum was just a convenient peg to hang it on. (The last three Newbery winners have been criticized in certain circles for being a little obscure, and not to the taste of many young readers.)
I can't help but notice with amusement that no one has objected to another passage in the first chapter of the book that involves a man "who had drunk half a gallon of rum listening to Johnny Cash all morning in his parked '62 Cadillac, then fallen out of the car when he saw a rattlesnake on the passenger seat…" Apparently rum, drunkenness, and poor taste in automobiles have nothing on scrotums when it comes to getting people in a moral outrage. (I can't criticize the Johnny Cash. I love Johnny Cash.)
However, putting aside people's motivations for a moment, there is a big difference between lively debate, free expression of opinion, and banning a book.
This is something I would like to point out to Julie Bosman of the New York Times. In her FRONT PAGE article on 2/18 we see this statement: "The book has already been banned from school libraries in a handful of states in the South, the West and the Northeast, and librarians in other schools have indicated in the online debate that they may well follow suit."
Them's fighting words, alright.
No wonder the debate escalated to the TV talk-shows. Do a search this week for "banned book" and you'll find repeated references to it all over the media, stemming from this one NYT piece.
That's highly provocative, and in keeping with the overall inflammatory tone of the article. But here's my question: who exactly is banning the book? Which states? Which libraries? "The South, the West and the Northeast" is a pretty large area. Give me names, details.
Well here's the funny thing: in a subsequent discussion I had with AP publishing reporter Hillel Italie, who was gathering material for an article he put on the wire Thursday, he told me that when he went back an interviewed the librarians quoted in the original articles, he found no one who actually said they weren't taking the book. The best he could do was to find some librarians who were still making up their mind, and for sure no one actually said they had "banned" the book. "Even Nilsson [one of the instigators of the whole thing, see below], who complained of the book's 'Howard Stern-type shock treatment,' a reference to the lewd radio personality, told the AP that she is carrying it, although she questions whether it was worthy of a Newbery. Nilsson also said that she did not know of anyone who had refused to stock it."
I'll ask one more time….. who is banning this book?
The word "banned" is way too powerful a word for an organization like the New York Times to be throwing around. This is particularly true in a FRONT PAGE article that went to so little trouble to talk to the many authors, librarians, and other children's book lovers who are defending the book. Indeed, there were some spicy rebuttals in the NYT editorial pages including one from a librarian quoted in the article who resented "being portrayed as pledging 'to ban the book'". She goes on to explain that libraries have limited resources, and that every library has to make choices about choosing books that best serve the community. She's not interested in banning books, but that doesn't mean she picks up every book that's printed, even if it has a medal on the front. Coming from a very small town as I do, I know that that's true.
So Ms. Bosman, say what you like about Patron, at least she knows why she's choosing particular words, and is happy to explain it.
Read the entire book before offering an opinion
Do you think Larry King read this book? How about Barbara Walters? Hummm… yet they both had something to say about it this week, further fanning the flames in the mass media. I'm not even clear that many of the librarians who were chiming in this week, (and who were so prominently quoted in the press) had read the entire book. Afterall, the first appearance of scrotum comes on page 1. Those who felt incensed may not have read any further, even though the whole arc of the story rests on Lucky's honest question about the meaning of the word.
The most egregious case of hyperbole on this front came from the aforementioned Dana Nilsson, a librarian from Durango, CO who seems to have been at the forefront of the critical wave against the book. Her original post on LM-Net, (and quoted prominently in the NYT piece), compared Patron to a shock-jock.
"'This book included what I call a Howard Stern-type shock treatment just to see how far they could push the envelope, but they didn't have the children in mind,' Dana Nilsson, a teacher and librarian in Durango, Colo., wrote on LM_Net, a mailing list that reaches more than 16,000 school librarians. 'How very sad."'
Later on in my favorite quote of the article, and a masterpiece in ironic understatement, Nilsson goes on to say "'I don't want to start an issue about censorship,' she said. 'But you won't find men's genitalia in quality literature…At least not for children,' she added." For my part I would point her in the direction of Shakespeare and his codpieces, Brent Runyon's brilliant The Burn Journals, and Gary Paulsen's critically acclaimed and very funny Amazing Life of Birds among many others. (Check out this great list compiled by GELF magazine of other children's books with scrotums specifically.)
A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing, and it seems to me that Nilsson went on the record with her comments without taking time to thoroughly digest the story. Subsequently, the whole thing got away from her.
Apparently Patron agrees: "I'm sure that the person who wrote that did not finish reading the book. To be fair, if they had, they would understand that it was not at all used for shock value. It was very deliberately and carefully chosen, as a means for Lucky to…she is trying to grow up, she is trying to learn about the world …she is trying to get the tools she needs to survive emotionally in her little tiny town. And there is no one she can ask about what this word means so when [in a pivotal scene at the end of the book] she is finally able to ask her guardian the meaning of scrotum, the reader knows that we have come to a place of great trust. And that she has really found the parent that she can openly ask this question of, and get a truthful answer. Reading the whole book would give people the context they need."
As far as I can tell, the only people involved in this whole thing who ACTUALLY read the whole book are the author, and the Newbery Committee.
My money's on them.
What you say on a list serv may come back to bite you in the scrotum later
In this day and age, there is no such thing as a private conversation.
Especially if it involves a keyboard.
What's new here isn't the discussion or the controversy. As Kathleen Horning of The American Library Association's ALSC division, (which awards the Newbery) correctly points out in Italie's recent article "Librarians have these discussions all the time about books and ask each other, 'How are you handling this situation'".
This kind of debate has been happening for years anywhere that adults have to make decisions about what books to choose for children, be it in libraries, bookstores, or classrooms. There are children's book review magazines, tradeshows, review databases, booklists, experts, and trade associations. People who work regularly with children's books are constantly talking about the pros and cons of particular books. Everyone will have an opinion, they will all be different, and they will all be passionate.
What shifted here was that the debate leapt from the realm of private industry discussion to public discourse in the blink of an eye. I guarantee you that when those dissenting librarians made their posts to LM_Net, they weren't expecting to be defending themselves in the New York Times.
Those of us who work in the children's book industry have seen a tremendous shift take place with the rise of list servs, kid-lit blogs, and other electronic media. Where once there were a few established places that were the taste-makers on the subject of children's books (like The Horn Book, Kirkus, School Library Journal, Publisher's Weekly, and Booklist, to name a few), today everyone's a critic. An established kid_lit blogger can be given the same weight as a print reviewer with 25 years experience—in some cases more weight, because an electronic review is so immediate—and a book can take off if a buzz starts on a list serv, even if no official media outlet has reviewed it yet.
What this also means is that the press is paying attention, and a handful of comments can quickly be perceived as a trend. Once the kerfuffle starts, there's no controlling it. It's like a wildfire in dry sagebrush.
So ultimately what's the lesson here?
Should people be more aware that a private list serv isn't really private? Probably.
Should we stop offering honest opinions about books in the quasi-public sector, even if sometimes we're talking out of our butt? No.
Should children's authors stop using sensitive words for fear of offending someone? Definitely not.
Should committees stop picking difficult books that challenge young readers, (and apparently some older readers too?) Hell no.
The most salient thing I'm taking away from this whole episode is a reminder about the importance of being thoughtful before offering an opinion, and to keep in mind that old adage about pride going before a fall.
Like my grandfather used to say, "Opinions are like 'a**holes'; everyone's got one."
And at least half of us have scrotums, too.
Postscript 2/26: Of course, controversy sells, and in the end Patron and Simon & Schuster will come out on top. Many thanks to A Fuse #8 Production for catching this upbeat and positive 2/24 LA Times article with hometown lucky-girl Patron. Higher Power indeed.
Ever the gentleman, Neil Gaiman has a great post on his blog about how he loves librarians unconditionally, but thinks perhaps some of these scrotum-decrying ones might have gone over to the dark side.
Also, for those of you inclined to walk the walk on this whole subject, head over to Bookshelves of Doom and grab one of Leila's fabulous T's, as featured this week on Gawker. You go, girl!
Postscript 2/27: Check out this letter to the editor published in the 2/25 NYT from Kathleen Horning President of Association of Library Service to Children (ALSC), the division of ALA that awards the Newbery, and Cyndi Phillip, the President of the Association of School Librarians (AASL). Clearly these are the librarians Neil loves unconditionally, as we all should.
Also, head on over to From the Inside Out and check out the very wise guidelines for dealing with the press that Cyndi Phillip posted to LM_Net last week following the big dust-up. Many thanks to Liz B. at Pop Goes the Library for helping me find this.
Postscript 2/28: The very last word in the dust-up comes straight from the author's mouth in this life affirming LA Times article published yesterday. Apparently scrotum was, is, and will continue to be a children's literary tool.
I now declare this kerfuffle finished.
Apparently, MTV has (finally) caught on to the fact that there are some very good kids books being made into movies. I guess Holes, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Because of Winn Dixie, Harry Potter I-IV, and Charlotte's Web weren't really a trend, but somehow Bridge to Terabithia has pushed it over the edge.
Anyway, now that they've "caught the wave" so to speak, they have put together a pretty decent list of other kids books they think might be good movies.
Check it out on their website.
For me, the delicious irony of seeing Are You There God, It's Me Margaret? right next to Flat Stanley makes me laugh. Apparently, after quoting a line like "Are you there, God? It's me, Margaret. I just told my mother I want a bra. Please help me grow, God. You know where." the author had flat-on-the-brain.
Too funny.
Leap by Jane Breskin Zalben
Random House; January 2007; 272 pp; $15.99 HC
Core Audience: Girls and boys 10+ who like stories based in reality
Strengths: Alternating viewpoints; great writing that really captures all of the conflicting emotions of pre-adolescence
These days, there are so many books being written for the middle grade audience that have grand character arcs and larger than life storylines that it is easy for the quieter books to get lost among all the destitute orphans, the young wizards, and the wise-cracking goofballs.
Here is a lovely book about a group of friends growing up in Flushing, Queens, and what happens to their small community one year when one of them has an unexpected accident. It changes not only his life, but it subtly shifts and re-focuses the lives of everyone in the community.
When Daniel almost dies due to an allergic reaction during routine dental surgery in the days after 5th grade graduation, the neighborhood doesn't know how to react. Handsome, gifted and athletic, Daniel seems like the last boy who could have something bad happen to him. Soon it's clear that something bad has happened, and worse—it was his best friend's dad who was doing the surgery. It's not as if he died, say some, while others don't know what to think about the fact that Daniel cannot do many of the physical things he could do before, like walk without help, and swim on the school team. It is clear that his life and the lives of his family have changed radically. It's worse for Krista, who used to be Daniel's best friend, and who feels guilty for not reaching out to him now even though they aren't as close as they used to be. Torn between her old allegiances, her family, and her social life, she's not sure she can do the right thing even though she wants to.
Told in the alternating voices of Daniel and Krista, this novel perfectly captures all of the nuances of that transitional period between childhood and adolescence when identity is fragile, and alliances and feelings shift on a daily basis. In another author's hands this subject matter could easily go over the edge into melodrama, but Zalben uses a delicate touch and real empathy for her characters which keeps the overall tone hopeful without being saccharine. There is a great supporting cast and excellent development of character and place.
In the end this is a novel about real characters–both kids and adults–having real and complicated emotions, and it perfectly demonstrates the idea that sometimes we can only discover the value in our lives by taking a leap of faith.
So when you get tired of all the hype and silliness, Leap is just the novel to keep it real.
Rated: 8.0
Rainstorm by Barbara Lehman
Houghton Mifflin; April 2007; 32 pp; $16.00 HC
Core Audience: Young readers ages 3-7; Lovers of wordless picture books and mysterious keys
Strengths: Crisp illustration, magical and mysterious premise
You remember those days.
Days when you were stuck inside—alone—on a rainy day with nothing to do and no one to play with. Everything seems to take on the same drab feeling, and nothing feels interesting.
So it is with the character in Barbara Lehman's new book, Rainstorm. From the very start, on the cover of the book, we see our hero gazing forlornly out the window on a dark and blustery day. Although you can't see it on the flat illustration above, colorless spot-varnish raindrops fall from the leaden sky. Clearly this is no day for playing outside. There seems like nothing to do but wander aimlessly around the big house, kicking a ball for lack of anything better to do.
BUT—and there is always a "but" in Barbara's stories—things become a lot more interesting when or hero discovers a key under a chair, and in true Lehman style, the key unlocks an adventure bigger than any box, closet or trunk. This rainy day is about to get a whole lot more interesting.
For those of you familiar with Lehman's previous books, Museum Trip, and The Red Book, (which won a Caldecott Honor), you will recognize her crisp artwork, appealing visual style, and engaging wordless storytelling. I particularly love the way these books manage to surprise us with plot twists and magical elements while keeping the visual story from becoming overly busy or complicated. They are a masterful study in simplicity and restraint, and because of that they appeal to a wide range of ages. Subtle details, like the oppressiveness of the big house, they boy's tie, and his transformation once he finds the key are things to be discovered with each reading. For instance, why is there a blue sky in the INSIDE of the house on the cover?
As with all of her books, careful attention has been paid to the design and production of the book, so that it all works beautifully together. Details like the spot varnish raindrops on the cover, the larger vertical trim, and the thoughtful variation of frame and full-bleed illustration enhance the unexpectedness of the story. It is a pleasure to flip each page and see what happens next.
It is truly a wordless and wonderful adventure. I want to find one of those keys, too.
Rated: 9.0


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After each major gift, Excellence in Giving gathers qualitative and quantitative information to help you understand the results of funds provided. Specific outputs and outcomes are highlighted for you and your family to celebrate.
John Gay, an English poet, has said that "the luxury of doing good surpasses every other personal enjoyment." Excellence in Giving helps you experience joy in generosity as you respond to special needs and celebrate the positive outcomes of your gifts.


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Credit purchases by credit card through Verotel's online payment system.
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My hobby:
dancing.. traveling...
If I'm momentarily not online, then...
The best party, I ever attended
amsterdam arena
My favorite sport
i love tennis and formula 1
The best book, I ever read
a dark planet
I would love to live in this city
i want to live in Barcelona
My favourite music
i like classic and club music
My favourite dish
italian and frech
What I like most about sex?
sometimes i like smooth words and sometimes i like dirty talk
What do I dislike in sex?
receiving orders


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It's a bit of a drive out to Cape Point, but the view off Chapman's Peak Drive is our favourite and the hike to the Cape of Good Hope is also a highlight. There are so many cool things to do on this route that it really merits a two-day excursion, which we'd happily organise for you. You can still cram quite a bit into one day – we'll have to make some choices though!
This full day tour can also include optional stops and activities. You might like to stop in picturesque Simons Town, or Hout Bay where you can enjoy a 50-minute seal island cruise. We recommend a stroll through the world famous and beautifully tranquil Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, or for something a little more active horse riding on Noordhoek Beach, a surf lesson in Muizenberg, or kayaking with penguins! We can also arrange a wine tasting at Groot Constantia or Cape Point Vineyards to give you a taste of our exquisite South African wines. If you're lucky, you might get some of our famously cheesy jokes like these as well as your fill of scenic and penguin views!
If you're lucky, you might get some of our famously cheesy jokes like these as well as your fill of scenic and penguin views!
Q: Why don't you see Penguins in Britain?
A: Because they're afraid of Wales.
Q: Who is a Penguin's favourite pop star?
A: Seal.
Q: Why don't Penguins like rock music?
A: They only like sole.
There are a lot of cool spots for lunch, and we're always adding new favourites to our list. Let us know what you're keen for and we're sure to book somewhere that will delight. For more inspiration, keep an eye on our blog.
Once you've taken in the sights and tastes of the winelands we don't think you'll want to go home, but if your flight is non-negotiable we can drop you off at the airport after this excursion to catch your evening flight.
You'll be with us from 09hoo – 17h00, and in that time we'll generally visit three wine warms, some of which also offer champagne, olive oil, beer, chocolate or nougat tastings as well as interactive eco-activies, museums and monuments. We don't normally choose the farms until the day of the tour, as we like to chat to our clients on the way out to find out what kind of program would suit them. Having said that, we work on a basic formula that is sure to please: visit somewhere old, somewhere new, and somewhere with a view. We customise the trip on a mix of what you want and what we think would be cool based on the weather, wine preferences, group dynamic and which one of our winemaker buddies are available to wow you.
Over time, we have found firm favourites depending on who the client is – red wine lovers are different from champers-guzzling wedding parties, wine connoisseurs need to taste the really good stuff as opposed to wine snobs (read the French) who need to be handled with kid gloves. The Cape Winelands are so diverse that we're confident there's something for everyone – even if that doesn't mean wine! We also have our favourites when it comes to restaurants in the winelands, and rest assured we will reserve a top spot for you.
A driving tour of historic Stellenbosch is included and here it is possible to do a stop for a walk and shop around, to visit Oom Samie se Winkel, the town centre or even the university campus. The Stellenbosch Museum is great for a look at the history of our country and context for the culture of this amazing town and a visit to Doc Craven's statue is a must for rugby fans.
There are also the wonderful gardens of Rustenburg or Babylonstoren, the historic splendour of Vergelegen, the slave museum of Solms Delta and the Cheetah Sanctuary in Somerset West, to name just a few! Sometimes we visit the Taal Monument in Paarl or the Hugenot Monument in Franschhoek, and we can also, on request, stop at the Eagle Encounter at Spier. We love getting out there and finding something to blow you away.
Farms: we choose from Muratie, Ernie Els, Tokara, Del Aire, Grand Provence, La Petite Ferme, Middelvlei, Rust en Vrede, Solms Delta, and many others. We've summarized why these ones consistently make the cut for us to whet your appetite, or should that be awaken your palate?
A day spent visiting three of these, or other, wine farms concludes the three-day package.
Cost: R8,900 as a private tour for two people including all trips and activities, but excluding meals.We will also happily construct a bespoke tour for three days or more, and many of these ideas are also available as day trips!


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Papua New Guinea: 2017 Elections
Papua New Guinea national elections will be held in 2017 with polling open from 24 June 2017 until 8 July 2017.
Papua New Guinea (PNG) and New Zealand have a longstanding, friendly and growing relationship that includes regular political consultations, a large aid programme, strong business and commercial connections, and defence cooperation.
PNG is a rapidly growing economy, strategically bridging Asia and the Pacific. Growth has been driven in recent years by natural gas and mining (including gold and copper) projects that have provided new opportunities for local businesses and foreign companies. New Zealand is well known and well regarded in PNG, and our commercial presence there is appreciated by both business and government. An increasing number of New Zealand companies are entering the PNG market, and it's not unusual to find Kiwis in high-level management positions there.
Approximately 2,500 Kiwis live in PNG, and there's a growing number of Papua New Guinean alumni who have studied in New Zealand and continue to maintain their connections with us.
Mainland PNG and its 600 islands have a landmass of 463,000 square kilometres (almost twice the area of New Zealand at 268,000 square kilometres). Official statistics estimate the population at 6.7 million, although other estimates put this much higher. PNG has over 1,000 tribes (mostly Melanesian with some Micronesian and Polynesian communities) and more than 830 distinct languages are spoken. Most of the population are subsistence farmers, with just 15% living in urban areas.
Total trade in goods
$221.4 million
Exports to Papua New Guinea
|$207 million
Top exports: quicklime, mutton and lamb, clad iron or non-alloy steel
Imports from Papua New Guinea
$14.4 million
|Top imports: coffee, oil cake, sawn or chipped wood
US$16.06 billion
|GDP per capita
|(NZ GDP per capita is US$43,837)
|GDP growth
PNG is our second largest goods export market in the Pacific, after Fiji. Services are a growing part of the trade relationship with New Zealand companies increasingly engaged in consulting and helping with institutional and regulatory reform. New Zealand's private sector is engaged in PNG across a wide range of industries including communications, construction, aviation, engineering, energy and education.
The New Zealand Aid Programme works with PNG to achieve sustainable economic growth, reduce poverty and become a more secure and prosperous nation.
Find out more about our aid programme in PNG
Papua New Guineans may come to New Zealand to work in our horticulture and wine industries under the Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme. PNG's involvement in the scheme began with a pilot in 2011 and continues to grow with 58 Papua New Guineans participating in the scheme in the 2013-14 year.
Find out more about the Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme (external link)
New Zealand has a direct and enduring interest in the security, stability and prosperity of the South Pacific. Pacific leaders general turn to us in times of need, particularly in response to natural disasters. The international community expects New Zealand along with Australia to take the lead on security and other issues in the region.
New Zealand's defence relationship with Papua New Guinea is in good shape and is one of our strongest defence relationships in the South Pacific, with a busy and comprehensive schedule of engagements. The relationship is characterised by person-to-person links, frequent leader engagement and partnership through training and exercises.
What is important to the New Zealand Defence Force is that New Zealand is a trusted and valued defence and security partner of Papua New Guinea; that it supports the Papua New Guinea Defence Force to become a strong national institution that contributes positively to Papua New Guinea society and that it is an enabler to the enhancement of Papua New Guinea Defence Force capability and operational effectiveness.
Papua New Guinea national elections will be held in 2017 with polling open from 24 June 2017 until 8 July 2017.
New rules on South Pacific bottom fishing will significantly improve management of deep water fisheries and reduce the impact on the marine environment.
Remarks by Deputy Secretary Pacific and Development Group Jonathan Kings at event hosted by New Zealand Aid and Development Dialogues at Victoria University, Wellington, 5 July 2018


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Sundance making music
EmptyPatti Smith, Ingrid Michaelson, Mark Mothersbaugh, Tim Finn and Michel Gondry are among the many artists set to speak and perform at this month's Sundance Film Festival.
The Jan. 20 "Celebration of Music and Film" concert will bring several performers connected to fest features, including Smith ("Patti Smith: Dream of Life"), Jean-Michel Bernard and Gondry ("Be Kind Rewind") as well as the Everyothers ("The Guitar").
Michaelson, Finn and Smith lead the lineup of musicians performing each afternoon at Sundance's 10th annual Music Cafe. Charlotte Sometimes, Jessie Baylin, Peter & Gordon, Dusty Rhodes and the River Band, Sea Wolf, Butch Walker, Josh Hisle, Everest, Missy Higgins, Meiko and artists from the film "Slingshot Hip-Hop" are among the performers booked.
Such composers as George S. Clinton, Christopher Young, John Frizzell and Mothersbaugh will speak together with directors Amy Redford ("The Guitar") and Patrick Creadon ("I.O.U.S.A.") in the round-table discussion "Music and Film: The Creative Process" presented by BMI.
These and other music programs will be held Jan. 17-27 in Park City.


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Tagged: Black Cat
Statue Report: Ms. Marvel Bishoujo Statue
By Chris Troy
Possibly due to several minor disputes with my wife over the past few years, I've (rather impressively) held off purchasing one of the various Marvel Bishoujo statues; a line consisting of various Marvel Comics heroines based on the work of Japanese artist Yamashita Shunya. Space issues aside, (yay current bigger apartment) I found it hard to justify spending $60 on a very small statue, especially when your average Revoltech/Figma/Gunpla kit is cheaper and roughly the same scale. For the record, my wife has to this day not given me any crap for the Queen's Blade Revoltechs we own. However, since Kotobukiya started handling DC characters as well as marvel, the scale of the statues has grown while the price has managed to stay the same! And with entries like Black Cat, Catwoman, and Batgirl, the temptation to drop the money to buy one has grown as well! Then the Ms. Marvel Bishoujo Statue dropped, which made the line a ton more tempting. Granted, in terms of comics, I've read more- and probably prefer- both Cat-ladies and Ms. Gordon. I LOVE Ms. Marvel's design, and since it's a great big statue I couldn't resist picking one up. Continue reading


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"Just in time" thought Fraha as Abashai's elbow passed near her eyes, distant enough to not harm her. Her attack however didn't go as expected, she hoped to knock her partner down but he didn't even move. Thinking fast was one of the most important things in combat, she knew that from her Father's teachings. This made Fraha realize an important detail of her current combat. The man in front of her wasn't her brother, nor her Papa who would always threat her in combat as a teacher with a student, and in any case go easy on her.
Fraha understood that she was standing in front of an elder warrior, who had survived the desert working as a mercenary. Plus he was grown up, bigger, heavier and at least twice stronger physically than her. She had to keep that in mind for her next strike and keep focused despite the little of fear showing up punctually. So as her foot landed on the sand, sinking a bit, she twisted so that the second foot would stop on the sand in the right guard stance.
But her serious expression vanished as soon as she saw Abashai's gentle grin. He was complimenting her. Smart move from his part since Fraha, listening to those words, smiled full teeth back to him. "Why thank you! But to be fair I was kidding about being the Yahebah prot..!" Lowing her guard a bit to answer Fraha barely noticed the man's dash so when she started to move away his swing from the left was already incoming.
By instinct Fraha tried to block his blade but the surprise effect brought on of her hand away in search of balance leaving only one left hand against the swing. Aaauu!! was the audible sound coming right after the metallic "ching" of their blades colliding. It was too much, and so Fraha's blade simply made some resistance before she heard a rather wide lash on her buttocks. Straightening up the back in a flash Fraha jumped away, this time sideways in order to get off the dune. After a short flight, Fraha placed both feet and tilted the knees to slide down the dune in balance. You tricked me, but I won't fall for that more than once shouted she while rubbing slightly to ease the pain as she reached the bottom of the dune.
Fraha waited for him to come down raising the sword again this time though she assumed a different pose. Her left leg, which was standing behind, now lowed to the ground until the thigh was almost horizontal while the front leg was straight forward pointing Abashai. Her Wakizashi wasn't now pointing forward but turned so that the thumb would be facing the opposite side of the blade, which was now leaning with the flat part against Fraha's forearm which in turn was before Fraha's chest, ready to block. She had the right hand still free, which was at her side, relaxed for the moment.