text:
What goes on in Google's wasteland (and why you should care)
25th Nov 2009
Posted by Tim Ireland in Search Engine Optimisation
BBC – Michelle Obama racist image sparks Google apology: Google has apologised over a racially offensive picture of Michelle Obama which appears when users search for images of the US first lady. The image comes top of the Google Images results for "Michelle Obama". Google placed a notice over the picture titled "Offensive Search Results", saying: "Sometimes our search results can be offensive. We agree." But it refused to remove the image from its search. The White House has declined to comment.
Pardon me for jumping in on this debate (involving hahaha an African American hahaha portrayed hahahaha as a monkey hahaha), but I do believe I have something to add beyond a simple thought experiment:
1. The picture is no longer live at the page Google returns as the top result, therefore it fails the relevance test. All Google have to do is update their image database a little faster than glaciers move, and the problem goes away. Of course, the image may pop up again elsewhere, and the sites/pages that host it will have to be judged on their relevance, but at the moment they are defending a result without relevance, suggesting they haven't really put much thought into the matter.
2. Google are at present refusing to remove some 50+ false claims that I'm a convicted paedophile from their servers, using free speech as an argument (when they can be bothered to reply), but I doubt they've put much thought into this, either.
In January 2009, I published on this website compelling evidence that a 'terrorism expert' had been falsifying evidence of extremism while selling related stories to tabloid newspapers. In March 2009, that same 'terrorism expert', posing as a Daily Mail reporter, falsely claimed that I was a convicted paedophile when posting comments to somewhere between 50-100 Blogger.com-hosted websites.
Despite police involvement, plus repeated emails and phone calls over the space of many months, I have never received anything other than a stock email from Google in response to my many requests that they remove this material, posted in contravention of their Content Policy and Terms of Service.
The writer was clearly engaging in a campaign of harassment, and clearly guilty of outright impersonation, but the stock reply I received did not address either of these points:
Thank you for your note. Please note that Blogger is a provider of content
creation tools, not a mediator of that content. We allow our users to
create blogs, but we don't make any claims about the content of these
pages. We strongly believe in freedom of expression, even if a blog
contains unappealing or distasteful content or presents unpopular
viewpoints. We realize this may be frustrating and we regret any
inconvenience this may cause you. In cases where contact information for
the author is listed on the page, we recommend you working directly with
this person to have the content in question removed or changed.
(Unpopular viewpoints? Inconvenience? Fuck you, Google.)
Basically, what they are saying is that they don't own the content on Blogger.com weblogs, but even if I were to accept this answer (that refuses to acknowledge the dual violation of their Content Policy and Terms of Service following the use of their servers for harassment and impersonation) many of these comments are on abandoned websites and were posted anonymously; there is no way to reach the (absent) site owner and the comments cannot be deleted by the man who wrote them, no matter how much he might want to undo what he's done.
In short, the only visible owner (and potential beneficiary) of this content is Google Inc. who insist on maintaining vast swathes of wasteland for some reason.
Google is the only reason much of this information is still live…. and they refuse to even discuss the matter.
Is the content in keeping with the terms under which they host it? No.
Has anyone (other than Google) expressed a wish to maintain or defend the content? No.
Is it even relevant content? No.
So what the hell are Google playing at by continuing to host it, and how does this fit in with their 'do no evil' mantra?
UPDATE – Some good news… for Michelle Obama:
Guardian – Michelle Obama 'racist' picture that is topping Google Images removed: A blog hosting an offensive image of Michelle Obama with monkey features has removed it and posted an apology. The image, which has been appearing at the top of search results when the words "Michelle Obama" are put into Google Images, was posted on a blog called Hot Girls, which is hosted by the Google-owned blog service, Blogger. Hot Girls' owner has today removed the image, which appears to have originally been put up with a blog post on 21 October, and displayed an apology in Chinese with a very loose English translation. Google had refused to remove the offensive image from its picture search listings, despite complaints that it is racist, instead opting to run an ad next to it explaining its policy on how search engine results work. A spokesman for Google said that the Hot Girls blog and image may still temporarily appear when some users make Google Images searches but that it was coming out of the search engine's indexing system.
UPDATE – I'm reminded that Google's commitment to free speech has its limits.
An open letter to Lord (Michael) Ashcroft
24th Nov 2009
Posted by Tim Ireland in Tories! Tories! Tories!
Dear Lord Ashcroft,
Apologies for the open letter, but the better part of two months has been wasted going through the 'proper channels' on this matter, and your staff only appeared to show mild interest (at best) when there was a whiff of negative publicity in the air. I might have attempted to pass an email on through fellow blogger Iain Dale, but that man has proved to be thoroughly petty and untrustworthy in recent times (to the extent that he can't even be trusted to pass on a simple message, no matter how serious the matter might be).
So here I am, airing these rather sensitive questions in public. I regret if it causes you any embarrassment, but I humbly submit that if you have any issues with that, then you should take it up with the people you have manning the ramparts.
I am writing to ask about a man by the name of Dominic Wightman (aka Dominic Whiteman, aka Richard Walker) who claims to have conducted a meeting with you and gained funding for VIGIL, a "private intelligence-gathering network" focusing on "extreme Islamism," with an investigative/publicity remit including "Muslim faith schools, infiltration of police forces, immigration departments and local government by extreme Islamists… FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) and Muslim honour violence across the continent" (source).
Rather than waste any more time, I'll take us straight to the questions that need answering:
1 – Wightman claimed in July 2006 that he was in contact with your PA at the time to arrange a meeting with you personally in London*. Is this claim true?
[*If your diaries and records let you down, you can always check your passport, as you may have been out of the country at the time.]
2 – Wightman also claimed that this meeting was arranged specifically to discuss funding for VIGIL. Is this claim true?
3 – Wightman went on to claim that the meeting took place, as scheduled, on Thursday 20 July, 2006. Is this claim true?
4 – Wightman also maintained that he left that meeting with a generous promise of funding. (He described the result as being beyond his expectations**.) Is this claim true?
[**The exceeded expectations he told others of may have referred to some small amount of funding where none was expected, or funding on a faster timetable than expected, rather than any amount beyond his known expectations (which were, early in VIGIL's history, as high as £250,000) if, indeed, there was any truth to this claim at all.]
5 – Wightman then claimed that he went on to collect a cheque within 10 days of that meeting, implying heavily that it had come from you or your organisation. Is this claim true?
6 – Wightman went on to claim that subsequent delays in accessing the funds were the result of his/your wish to handle these funds discreetly through offshore trusts. Is this claim true?
Personally, I doubt that any of what Wightman claimed was true, but speaking as someone who has been taken in by Wightman, it would not surprise me if the meeting took place and he misrepresented the nature of that meeting and/or made false/misleading claims/implications about successfully obtaining funding from you.
I should stress that some of Wightman's claims and implications reach into a vague area involving a number of wealthy Conservatives who he blames in part for the collapse of VIGIL (alongside those who were 'greedy' enough to expect to be paid when a wage was promised) but yours is the only name that emerged alongside any specific claim of a meeting or funding.
You are therefore in a unique position to prove or disprove the veracity of claims that are central to Dominic Wightman's assertions about his past and present actions and intentions with regards to VIGIL and those involved (and/or his influence within the Conservative ranks, then or now).
Again, I recognise the potential for embarrassment and regret having to put you in this position, but there is a clear difference between being innocently taken in by someone like Wightman to any extent and (knowingly or otherwise) providing a conman with vital cover in order to avoid a few blushes, and I wanted to be sure that you were given a clear opportunity to do what is right.
I would, obviously, prefer that this matter were cleared up quickly with no remaining doubts or shadows, but if there are any confidential aspects to your answer(s), any fair and relevant request for confidentiality will be respected and honoured.
Tim Ireland
Graham Dudman plays the man
17th Nov 2009
Posted by Tim Ireland in Old Media
144371 commenthttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.bloggerheads.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2Fgraham_dudman%2FGraham+Dudman+plays+the+man2009-11-17+16%3A13%3A02Tim+Irelandhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.bloggerheads.com%2Fwp%2F2009%2F11%2Fgraham_dudman%2F
The following is the full, unedited and uncensored text of a letter from Graham Dudman (Managing Editor of The Sun) to the PCC, written in relation to the 'Alan Sugar terror target' story that was first revealed here at Bloggerheads to be based on fabricated evidence, a fact that was later confirmed by Jenvey himself in September 2009, after a hell of a lot of needless fuss.
I'm publishing the letter here after repeated appeals to Graham Dudman for an apology have met with nothing but silence, so the public might have a shot at (again) dealing with something the PCC refuse to address.
The short version is that Dudman turned a blind eye to evidence and instead attacked those presenting it (a tactic that regular readers of this blog will be quite familiar with given past adventures with various tabloid wannabes).
– | -
The Sun
1 Virginia Street
Telephone: 020 7782 4117
Fax: 020 7782 4029
Email: email@example.com
January 27 2009
Will Gore Esq
Press Complaints Commission
Halton House
20/23 High Holborn
Dear Mr Gore
Thank you for you letter of 13 January addressed to the Editor regarding an online complaint from the administrator of a website (www.ummah.com) ("the Website") concerning an article published by The Sun on 7 January. We have investigated the complaint and are now in a position to respond.
In his complaint, the complainant makes a number of claims suggesting that the article published in The Sun on January 7 is inaccurate. Most notably, he claims that the Website was accused by The Sun "of compiling a list of well known Jewish people to be targeted with a campaign of violence". In fact, what the article actually said was that:
"… Sir Alan Sugar is among the top British Jews feared [our emphasis] targeted by Islamic extremists …". Additionally, the article also made clear as early as the second paragraph that the list does not exist but that "fanatics called for a list… to be drawn up".
We believe that this inaccuracy suggests a mis-reading of what was published and the basis for it. The facts of the matter are that a posting was made on the Website by someone using the avatar 'Saladin 1970′ asking fellow users to help in order compile a list of individuals who support Israel. In response to a posting asking for a list of "top Jews we can target", 'Saladin1970′ provided a link to another website (www.thejc.com) which referred to a number of prominent British Jews including Sir Alan Sugar, Foreign Secretary David Milliband and the musician Mark Ronson, amongst many others. 'Saladin1970′ is not an avatar for either a journalist or an agent for The Sun, nor is he connected in some way to Glen Jenvey (the terrorism expert quoted in the article).
The complaint suggests that "the intent of the thread was to start a polite letter writing campaign to persuade the influential Jewish people that what Israel is doing in Gaza is wrong". With respect, we do not agree that the intent of the thread was simply to start a "polite letter writing campaign". It is clear from even just a cursory review that the Website carries numerous extreme views and is widely used by Islamic extremists to discuss radical and/or extremist subjects. We have reviewed both the thread which prompted the article and other threads on the Website and we have no doubt that it was reasonable for The Sun to describe the Website as a "fanatics website". For example, the Website contains one message board entitled "Does anyone here recognise Israel's right to exist" which contains threads that include quotes such as "Muslims are a patient people. Jews are a greedy people. Who will win in the end?" (posted by 'AbuMusaab' at 7:56am on 4 January 2009); "you are a fool if you think that the Muslims will let you live in peace" (posted by 'SunniHammer' at 8:39am on 4 January 2009); and "you won't find any peace until all of you thieves were kicked out from the Palestine inshallah" (posted by 'Ammarcool' at 9:56am on 4 January 2009). These are just three examples.
In light of this, in our view, to regard Islamic extremists as being in the business of sending "polite letters" is naive and extreme. This is based on the expert opinion of Glen Jenvey, an expert in radical Islam. In any event, as a matter of common knowledge, we are unaware of a single incident of Islamic extremists writing polite letters. It is quite obviously a euphemism which almost does not require expert opinion to establish.
Public Interest
The matters raised in the article are plainly matters of public interest. Exposing, even at the earliest of stages, a proposed conspiracy to cause harm to prominent British Jews is a matter that The Sun is and should be free to report. It is not the case that public interest is and can only be served by reporting such matters to the police.
Glen Jenvey
Central to the complaint is the suggestion that Glen Jenvey, the terrorism expert quoted by The Sun in the article is connected to (or in fact may possibly be) a freelance journalist called 'Richard Tims'. Additionally the complaint suggests that it was 'Richard Tims' who posted the thread on the Website using the avatar 'Abuislam' which is referred to in the article. We have spoken to Mr Jenvey regarding the complaint, particularly in relation to the allegation that he is in some way connected to 'Richard Tims'. Mr Jenvey has categorically denied that he is, or that he uses the name, 'Richard Tims' or, indeed, that he ever met anyone by that name. Mr Jenvey also denies that he ever posted any threads on the Website.
I can also confirm that The Sun has no association with any person called 'Richard Tims' and that this person (if he indeed exists) was in no way connected with the publication of the article on 7 January.
We should add that Mr Jenvey is an extremely well respected expert on terrorism who has contributed to various radio and television programmes in this country. In this respect, we make the following points:
1. As recently as November 2008 Mr Jenvey was interviewed by BBC Radio 4′s File on Four programme on the subject of "Violent Extremism". Mr Jenvey was introduced on air during that programme as "an investigator who has been monitoring extremist websites for years". Mr Jenvey has also contributed to articles for The Sunday Times and CNN amongst others.
2. The Sun has used Mr Jenvey as an expert on terror-related matters previously and has had no reason to doubt the veracity of his views.
3. John Coles (the journalist responsible for the article) was also assured by the South West News Service ("SWNS"), the news organisation which originally supplied the story to The Sun , that Mr Jenvey was a reliable expert. SWNS had dealt with Mr Jenvey on an earlier terror-related story and, in this respect, SWNS had been reassured by Conservative MP Patrick Mercer (Chairman of the House of Commons Counter-Terrorism sub-committee) that "Glen Jenvey is an extremely capable and knowledgeable analyst of fundamentalist matters and ought to be listened to. If he says that this is a risk worth looking at, then we must take it seriously. He and I have done quite a lot of work together, and he is a source of reference for me".
4. After speaking to Mr Jenvey, John Coles contacted the Community Sceurity Trust, the charity which oversees security for Britain's Jewish community, and was given the contact number for its security spokesman, Mark Gardiner (who is also quoted in the article). M Coles subsequently briefed Mr Gardiner about the story and specifically mentioned Mr Jenvey by name. At no point during this conversation, did Mr Gardiner suggest that Mr Jenvey was someone not to be trusted.
5. To confirm, Mr Jenvey was not paid for his contribution to the article.
The complainant would also be trying to discredit Mr Jenvey (and by implication the article published in The Sun on 7 January) without any foundation. In this respect, the complaint includes a link to a website (http://www.bloggerheads.com/archives/2009/01/glen_jenvey_has.asp) which contains a number of extremely serious allegations against Mr Jenvey. As well as the allegation that Mr Jenvey, 'Richard Tims' and 'Abuislam' are all one and the same, which I deal with above, the website also makes a number of personal attacks on Mr Jenvey. Those attacks include allegations, amongst many others, regarding Mr Jenvey's sexuality as well as claims that he is a paedophile (eg "or is it that he likes young muslin boys around?"). Mr Jenvey categorically denies that he is a paedophile. In this respect, we understand that Mr Jenvey has been in a stable relationship for the past 16 years. The website also contains a purported interview with an individual claiming to be Mr Jenvey's daughter. This interview is manifestly false. Mr Jenvey does not have a daughter.
Mr Jenvey informs us that when he has been critical of the Website in the past, he has been subjected to similar personal attacks. The allegations concerning Mr Jenvey on www.bloggerheads.com is again a tactic we understand that the Website has chosen to use before and, as before, they are based on false claims.
It is our view, from what I set out above, that the complainant has not been full and frank with the PCC, both as to the nature of the information discussed on the Website and the implication that Mr Jenvey was in some way responsible for posting one of the threads referred to in the article. This is a further matter which should be taken into consideration.
Without withdrawing any what I have set out above, I have arranged for the article to be removed from The Suns' website and I trust that this is now the end of the matter.
If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me. Indeed, if there are specific issues that you want me to address, then plea\se let me know.
Yours sincerely
– | -
If others wish to reproduce and/or fisk this letter, then feel free (but please ensure than you link back to this post, just in case there are any updates or corrections).
I offer the following observations in no particular order:
- Dudman can take that potential 'mis-reading' and "feared targeted" dodge and stick it right up his fundamental orifice.
- Note how it is taken as a given that Ummah.com is a hotbed of extremism, thereby rendering "polite letters" an "obvious euphemism" for something more sinister. This rampant bigotry alone blows apart any notion The Sun may wish to put about they were innocents duped by Jenvey. While The Sun may have apologised for 'inaccuracy' (while blaming Jenvey) they have failed/refused to withdraw or correct their description of Ummah.com as a "fanatics website", even though the only evidence produced to back this up was also provided by Jenvey and is extraordinarily thin, even if taken at face value.
(I recognise the anti-Semitic aspects of some of the quoted comments, but have seen worse hosted on YouTube, Twitter, Blogger, etc. – I haven't seen any of these described as a "fanatics website" in The Sun and I doubt I ever will… unless of course it's a result of this Murdoch-owned paper having another go at Facebook or any other social media provider it regards to be a direct threat to the Murdoch-owned MySpace.)
- In the paragraph citing what he sees as evidence justifying the description of Ummah.com as a "fanatics website" Dudman misuses the term 'avatar' and clearly confuses a 'message board' with a post/thread and describes responses within a thread as new 'threads', suggesting that he doesn't even have the basic understanding of a forum one might require to make a valid judgement of any online community of this type (that, or he's deliberately giving a false impression that this type of content is far more widespread on Ummah.com than the evidence suggests). Further, none of this evidence proves it is warranted to suggest that a "letter writing campaign" is anything but a threat of further lip-flapping, if it is to be regarded as a threat at all.
- The Sun claim that Jenvey was not paid for the story, but this is contradicted by the claim published on the SWNS website that they had sold this specific story of Jenvey's to The Sun. Perhaps what Dudman meant to say is that they paid SWNS, who then paid Mr Jenvey.
- Unlike other 'leading' bloggers, I take responsibility for the comments that appear on my website, but it cannot be stressed enough that the 'daughter' content did not originate on my site, and was instead repeated under comments as part of a background information dump by a well-meaning comment contributor. It was irrelevant to the body of the post, and was publicly dismissed as irrelevant the time. In this letter, Dudman only makes passing mention of the body of the post (i.e. the part containing key evidence showing their expert to be a fraud) and instead focuses on the comments underneath, greatly misrepresenting their content and context in many ways, not the least of which being:
- The 'paedophile' text (as with the other text about Jenvey's daughter) was mirrored information from another website posted to my website as a comment, and allowed as background only. It did not originate from me, nor was it highlighted, encouraged or expanded upon in any way. The Sun imply otherwise. Further, the text The Sun claim was published by me 'to discredit Glen Jenvey' does not accuse Glen Jenvey of being a paedophile, as a wider quote from that passage reveals ("'is bin laden a gay? or is it that he just likes young muslin boys around? is jihad a form of child sex?"). The comment is about Osama Bin Laden, and was originally posted to ummah.com under the name 'saddam01′, which according to Ummah.com is yet another alias of… Glen Jenvey! Yes, the 'paedophile' text wasn't *about* Glen Jenvey, and it was most likely written *by* Glen Jenvey!
(As many of you are aware, Glen Jenvey later went on to falsely accuse me of being a paedophile. Repeatedly. On hundreds of websites. What role this letter/accusation played in that decision and if Jenvey was confused enough to believe that I had done anything like that to him is unknown at this time.)
- It has been put to me by the PCC that the accusation that I called Jenvey a paedophile may have been an honest mistake resulting from an unfortunately-placed line-break in a print-out/fax, but my response to this is that – if this is the case – then The Sun appear to have taken no care before making this very serious accusation. Further to this, if it were an error in reading a print-out/fax, then it is clear that they did not look at the website itself. Therefore, they did not even look at the evidence I presented on my website in any depth before banking so much on their 'expert' and rejecting any notion he may have used the alias 'Richard Tims' (which he did) or posed as 'Abuislam' (which he also did).
- The Sun, who had a go at Gordon Brown for misspelling a name, cannot spell 'Muslim'.
- Note the sleight of hand (or unfortunate error) in the use of "the Website" in the final paragraph under 'Glen Jenvey'; the majority of people I've shown this to take to be a reference to Bloggerheads.com and not Ummah.com
- That they then go on to complain that "the complainant has not been full and frank with the PCC" is the height of chutzpah. If Graham Dudman suddenly drops dead from audacity, I recommend that he be immediately replaced by Iain Dale, who shares with him an equal if not greater capacity for (a) playing the man while playing the victim, and (b) taking bullshit to new and dizzying levels.
- The removal of the article from their website was far from the end of the matter. The Sun did not admit error or publish any form of correction until months afterwards, and even then it was nothing to write home about.
Graham Dudman has, since writing this letter, repeatedly refused to withdraw the false allegations he made about me in a clear attempt to draw attention away from his publication's failure(s) to act reasonably and responsibly. (Surprisingly, I find myself in a very similar dispute with Private Eye, and I look forward to addressing that properly soon after giving them more than ample time to reply.)
The PCC – the body currently speaking of the potential to 'regulate' blogs (more) – has at every stage refused to investigate or even publicly acknowledge the attempt by the Managing Editor of the The Sun to attack me instead of addressing the evidence I presented.
YouTube's priorities
13th Nov 2009
Posted by Tim Ireland in Consume!
144362 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.bloggerheads.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2Fyoutube%2FYouTube%27s+priorities2009-11-13+22%3A35%3A29Tim+Irelandhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.bloggerheads.com%2Fwp%2F2009%2F11%2Fyoutube%2F
Amount of time YouTube take to remove a video containing a glimpse of nudity from their servers after a possible/arguable violation of their Community Guidelines:
Less than 6 hours.
Amount of time YouTube take to remove my ex-directory home address from their servers (after it is posted as part of an ongoing campagn of harassment) after a clear and unquestionable violation of their Community Guidelines:
47 days (and counting… it's still there)
Seriously, WTF is with that?
YouTube Community Guidelines on nudity:
"There are exceptions for some educational, documentary and scientific content, but only if that is the sole purpose of the video and it is not gratuitously graphic."
YouTube Community Guidelines on harassment:
"There is zero tolerance for predatory behaviour, stalking, threats, harassment, invading privacy or the revealing of other members' personal information."
Me on YouTube:
Get your priorities straight, you dimwits. Age restriction would have been a more appropriate measure on this video that would have no cause to exist without an educational/documentary purpose. I'm staggered that you would rush to remove nipples within hours, but wait for well over a month before acting on the repeated/reported use of your servers for harassment.
Page 3 propaganda
13th Nov 2009
Posted by Tim Ireland in Page 3 - News in Briefs
144351 commenthttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.bloggerheads.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2Fpage-3-propaganda%2FPage+3+propaganda2009-11-13+11%3A52%3A49Tim+Irelandhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.bloggerheads.com%2Fwp%2F2009%2F11%2Fpage_3_propaganda%2F
Not a lot of people know, understand or appreciate what's been happening on Page 3 since 2003, so I made a video that explains it and includes all the evidence anyone could want that The Sun have been royally taking the piss and brainwashing their readers with boobage for well over 6 years now. Enjoy:
[MINI-UPDATE: Video now re-hosted at Vimeo. Please read this new post about YouTube's odd priorities if you have a mo... but check out the video first.]
Page 3 :: Girls + Words from Tim Ireland on Vimeo.
Apologies that it took so long to collect and collate this evidence (in between unconscionable attacks by right-wing thugs), but I would hope this video has been well worth the wait, and is successful in showing both the individual outrage and the cumulative impact of the propaganda on Page 3.
The video is, of course, an ART and is therefore designed to speak for itself, but it will also be playing part of a wider campaign to address this issue, just in time for 40th anniversary of the reinvention of The Sun, and the introduction of Page 3.
[A Page 3 girl first appeared on Nov 17, 1969. A Page 3 girl first appeared topless on that tabloid's first 'birthday'(Nov 17, 1970) wearing her.... hold on to your sides... birthday suit. They got away with that, so repeated the stunt the next year with a run of four topless models over four days (Nov 17-20, 1971), but it wasn't until later (1972-1973) that almost every Page 3 girl was topless. The Sun probably celebrate their Page 3 anniversary a year after their main anniversary so they get two hits from each major milestone, but in truth Page 3 has been with us since Nov 17, 1969. Pardon my pedantry.]
What follows is a draft of a long-overdue A4 insert for the media watch site The Sun: Tabloid Lies. It is designed to be left inside copies of The Sun, and its call to action is the core of the campaign that starts here:
Since 2003, the Page 3 feature in The Sun has carried an item called 'News in Briefs' instead of the usual pun-filled caption of days of yore.
Even the title itself is a lie; this 'news' item rarely carries news, and instead carries an editorial/opinion (an important distinction to make, especially when dealing with media owner Rupert Murdoch, the father of FOX News).
We are not saying that a young woman with her tits out is not allowed to have an opinion; far from it. We are instead asking, if Page 3 is as 'empowering' as some people claim, then why aren't these women allowed to choose which issue(s) they discuss and/or express their own opinion about that when appearing on Page 3?
At present, they are clearly often (if not always) compelled to echo/repeat the opinions of Rupert Murdoch, Rebekah Wade, Dominic Mohan, Graham Dudman, or whoever else is calling the shots that day. This is not empowerment; rather, it is exploitation.
We challenge The Sun to allow Page 3 girls to use their paid appearance(s) in that tabloid as a personal/political platform, just as they do for columnists such as Jeremy Clarkson, Jon Gaunt, Lorraine Kelly and Jane Moore.
If there is to be editorial content on Page 3, then it should be clearly labelled as opinion (not news) and it should always be the heartfelt, unprompted opinion of the woman whose name, face and tits are being used to sell the idea. End of.
Any standard less than this exploits these women and cheats the readers.
If you agree with that, simply talk to someone about it, or even better write/blog/email/tweet something about it… and then leave this insert inside another copy of The Sun for someone else to find.
Tim Ireland
13 November, 2009
PS – I do realise that my headline is potentially misleading, but if you read The Sun, then you should be well used to that by now.
More information (and downloadable copies of this pamphlet) available via:
http://bit.ly/page3 | http://www.bloggerheads.com | http://the-sun-lies.blogspot.com
NOTE – Even if I reach a million people with this message, The Sun will reach more people on a single day (with a single pair of tits) so please share a link to the video and this page with as many people as possible.
I'll be back shortly with more bloggage on this issue. Bring tissues.
The return of NAD-LIBS
10th Nov 2009
Posted by Tim Ireland in Tories! Tories! Tories!
NAD-LIBS work just like Mad-Libs, only they focus on the adventures of everyone's favourite Conservative MP, Nadine Dorries. (It's hard to think of a more fitting tribute, given her tendency to imagine or invent stuff that happens to her, often at random, if not according to her specific publicity needs at the time.)
Here are the story-sheets that are available so far. Simply click on the version you would like to play, print it onto an A4 sheet of dead tree, grab a pencil, and then find someone to play with*:
NAD-LIBS: Sheet# 2 – Nadine Dorries claims sexual harassment [DOWNLOAD]
The BIG HINTS for playing this game successfully include:
a) never try to play online, because it rarely works as well as it does 'live'
c) choose an audience that's at least dimly aware of our dimmest MP
d) alternatively, just find some children (or some people who think like children)
e) do not show or share any of the story to your audience until it is finished
f) specifically point out that you are publishing the output of a NAD-LIBS game when repeating any of the results online, or hot-shot lawyer Donal Blaney may serve you with a 'writ' or some other form of quasi-legal document written in official blue crayon.
(*Ooooh, Matron!)
Guy Fawkes Night 2009 [UPDATED with bonfire and fireworks footage]
5th Nov 2009
Posted by Tim Ireland in Guy Fawkes Night
144334 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.bloggerheads.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2Fguy_fawkes_night-2%2FGuy+Fawkes+Night+2009+%5BUPDATED+with+bonfire+and+fireworks+footage%5D2009-11-05+15%3A27%3A52Tim+Irelandhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.bloggerheads.com%2Fwp%2F2009%2F11%2Fguy_fawkes_night-2%2F
Previously, I've burned Tony Blair and Rebekah Wade in effigy. Last year, 'Bob' went up in flames and you got to join him (you lucky devils).
This year, I'd like to introduce you to 'Johnson':
As you can see, Johnson really hasn't got a leg to stand on, and all that's keeping him aloft is his over-inflated sense of importance.
There's more to come, so watch this space for updates. Have a happy Guy Fawkes Day, (almost) everyone!
UPDATE (06 Nov) – See this? This camera (plus carriage that I built last night) weighs 346 grams:
The two lightweight tether wires that go with it each weigh 25g. Using MATHS and SCIENCE (in the pursuit or ART) I have determined that I will require roughly 50 helium-filled latex ballons (with short kite-string ties) to lift it all; perhaps a little more to get the tether(s) nice and taut.
Happily, the good people from Party Ark have kindly donated the helium and balloons required for this project (and there's a strip-down plan for the camera/carriage should it prove to be overweight; this backup plan is entirely foolproof, because it involves the use of duct-tape).
If you take a look at what happened last year, you can probably work out the rest for yourself… and if you can't, then you haven't got long to wait.
More updates to follow. Watch this space.
UPDATE (07 Nov) – Yes, after capturing video footage inside the bonfire last year, this year we are attempting to capture video footage from ABOVE the bonfire.
Having done some further measurements this morning, I've decided to attempt video capture in two stages; initially some 9-10m above the ground (2-3m above the flames) and then 13m above the ground (which should capture the entire circumference of the bonfire). The 7m tether wire will be attached to the camera by a weak-point that is designed to burn or melt away once flames build to their expected peak. The camera and balloons are then expected to shoot up pretty quickly, so I have a double tether wire set to take this initial shock and keep it at the 13m height until the wire or fasteners finally give out (giving us a shot from the camera as it floats up, up, up away from the bonfire), or the balloons melt or burst in the thermal updraft (giving us a shot of the camera falling to its doom).
Our main enemy will most likely be wind (which will buffer the camera and/or put it off-centre), but nothing strong is predicted, and we're relatively shielded in a valley position.
Keep your fingers crossed, and watch this space for further updates.
UPDATE (08 Nov) – Gah! Even with all that lovely helium (from the good people at Party Ark), we barely got off the ground. Even if we did manage to do more than knock helplessly against the bonfire, the winds and the thermal updraft from the bonfire would have finished us in seconds, but we did salvage some footage:
Guy Fawkes Night Bonfire Camera II (2009)
We have a developing plan for next year that doesn't involving battling gravity. Until then, we return to our regular programming. Cheers all.
Glen Jenvey arrested? Patrick Mercer: "No comment"
5th Nov 2009
Posted by Tim Ireland in Old Media
The following is a transcript from a telephone interview conducted recently with Patrick Mercer:
Tim Ireland: Do you have any comment on your Parliamentary Question of February 2009, made in response to evidence produced by Glen Jenvey?
Patrick Mercer: I'm afraid I have no comment.
Tim Ireland: Do you have any comment on your staff using that same Parliamentary Question as collateral when peddling an 'exclusive' story to the Times and Dennis Rice Media?
Patrick Mercer: I'm afraid I have no comment.
Tim Ireland: Do you have any comment on reports that Glen Jenvey was recently arrested, and had his computers seized?
Patrick Mercer: I'm afraid I have no comment.
Tim Ireland: Are you in any way concerned about what police might find on those computers?
Patrick Mercer: I'm afraid I have no comment.
Tim Ireland: When did you last hear from Dominic Wightman?
Patrick Mercer: I'm afraid I have no comment.
Tim Ireland: OK, thank you. This re….*
(line goes dead)
1. At present we only have Glen Jenvey's claim that he was arrested to go on, and no specifics on what charges there are (if any). But if he was arrested, it would be fair to speculate that it relates to some of what Glen Jenvey published around June/July/August of this year and how that changed in the eyes of the law when he later confessed that he wasn't really a Muslim when he published it.
2. Neither the Times nor Dennis Rice Media saw fit to run with the story referenced above (even though – gawrsh! – it was fleshed out with a genuine Parliamentary Question).
3. This transcript is 100% accurate but, personally, I think that every answer could be improved with a little punctuation:
Patrick Mercer: I'm afraid. I have no comment.
Please be careful of your phrasing if mentioning Jenvey's claims of an arrest, and please remember that the story here is Patrick Mercer being taken in by not one but two 'amateur terrors experts' (more) during his tenure as Shadow Minister for Homeland Security, and then Chairman of the House of Commons Sub-Committee on Counter-Terrorism.
Inexplicably, he still holds the latter position, and seeks to shape the government's response to extremism and terrorism, when in my view he lacks sufficient wisdom or judgement to shape their response to party games and balloon animals.
UPDATE (01 Jan 2010) – News of Jenvey's arrest was finally confirmed in yesterday's Guardian. Details here.
To: John Rubinstein (of Rubinstein Phillips LLP)
3rd Nov 2009
Posted by Tim Ireland in Old Media
Hi folks. Pardon the housekeeping, but a certain dark corner needs a sweep and some daylight. On with the open letter:
Dear Mr Rubinstein,
I completely reject any notion that I have harassed or stalked your client in any legal sense that you can hope to establish, or that I intend to do anything that is not my legal and moral right.
Regarding language, you are wasting your breath on this tired old chestnut. It has taken months of harassment and threats of violence at the hands of people using your client's false accusations against me to bring me to the point where I use swear words to describe him. I would add to this that I take offence at some of the language your client uses (and the tone you took with me over my nationality).
Your client made accusations of stalking and harassment quite publicly and very dishonestly. Those public accusations are the primary reason I seek to make contact with him, as he refuses to stand by them on his site, but at the same time he will not withdraw them or issue any kind of correction, even though he knows they are being used against me in a wholly inappropriate manner. (This, I regard to be quite deliberate, especially in light of how he knowingly used a very similar tactic to libel the MP Tom Watson.)
Further, your client went on to spread these accusations privately, by his own admission.
At the time of the Tory Party Conference, my (ex-directory) home address was being widely published alongside your client's false accusations of stalking. I will assume you are not implying that my decision to contact him at this particular time was politically motivated, as this is beneath you (if not your client).
Contrary to what you claim, your client appears to have at the very least received communications from Dominic Wightman (in the form of comments) and, I suspect from his previous carefully-phrased denials, Glen Jenvey also.
I will give you the benefit of the doubt regarding what you report about your staff and assume that they have trouble telling the difference between aggression and frustration. I asked yesterday that you simply confirm receipt of my email, and your staff were insisting that this involve a phone call with you. I have no desire to be subjected to further patronising/xenophobic comments from you, and nor do I wish to open myself to accusations that I am somehow needlessly burdening your client with billable activities.
Getting away from the alleged discomfort of your staff and back to online 'toughs' repeatedly publishing my home address alongside your client's obviously false and quite strategic accusations of stalking:
I will continue to pursue this regardless of my limited time and resources until your client moves either way. I have little choice, and I will not tolerate him leaving an untested accusation out there, especially when he is aware that it is being used in this way.
Knowing what is happening and how it is disrupting my personal and professional life, your client is, in effect, using thugs in place of the courts. If he weren't, surely he would withdraw the accusation that he made publicly or test it in court. (Or, at a stretch, engage in a further 'trial by new media' that doesn't involve him engaging in lies of omission and/or hiding behind anonymous comments on his own website.)
You have asked me to stop calling/emailing your client. I have repeatedly asked your client to stand by his claims or withdraw them.
As for your repeated insistence that I use legal muscle to deal with this, your client has, by his past behaviour, left me in little doubt that he would only use this to imply that I am somehow guilty and/or a hypocrite and enemy of free speech:
In short, your client is a liar, and he has been lying since the beginning of this sorry affair, when he agreed to call Patrick Mercer, then didn't, then lied about that, then lied to his readers about his being 'stalked' to mask his own shameful conduct after he put politics (or some personal beef) ahead of principle.
I was being falsely accused of *paedophilia*, Mr Rubinstein. I do not take such accusations lightly, and I know exactly what is going on when your client, a self-proclaimed community leader, can't be bothered to make a single phone call to address that, and then almost immediately afterwards pulls out all the stops to play-act as a warrior against smears, refusing my calls and emails while knowingly libelling a political enemy and blogging rival as a smear-merchant.
That he would then (through you) go on to describe my concerns about being smeared as a convicted sex criminal as a "pre-occupation with accusations… of paedophilia" is the icing on the cake.
I contend that Iain Dale's accusation of stalking is nothing more than a political weapon. He uses it without shame, knowing that it led to attacks and threats directed at me from the very first day he first made it, and eventually escalated to a point that he (only privately) recognises is beyond the pale.
In light of this, I make no apologies for any attempt to contact him, or for calling him a 'bastard', because he's certainly been acting like one.
Tim Ireland
PS – You object to me contacting you, while insisting that I am free to publish what I please (within the law) on my website. So I have replied with this open letter on my website, and not burdened you with any emails or calls about it, lest I unwittingly distress you or your staff. Hope that's OK.
Right, now that's out of the way, I have some ART to attend to. Back soon.
How Iain Dale libelled Tom Watson (and me)
28th Oct 2009
Posted by Tim Ireland in Old Media
144303 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.bloggerheads.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2Fhow_iain_dale_l%2FHow+Iain+Dale+libelled+Tom+Watson+%28and+me%292009-10-28+16%3A22%3A06Tim+Irelandhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.bloggerheads.com%2Fwp%2F2009%2F10%2Fhow_iain_dale_l%2F
"I didn't libel Tom Watson. if I had done, he would have sued me." – Iain Dale (source)
Today, in the High Court, The Sun issued an apology to Tom Watson (more) and agreed to pay a "substantial sum in damages" (plus costs) for the "acute distress, humiliation and embarrassment" caused.
Take a look at what The Sun have apologised for specifically:
The Claimant was not copied in on, nor did he know about any of the emails between McBride and Draper until Friday 10 April, when the matter was first drawn by the media to the attention of Downing Street. He did not have any involvement in or knowledge of the "Red Rag" website. Accordingly, the Claimant did not lie when he publicly denied involvement by way of press releases issued first by him on 12 April and then on 14 April by Carter-Ruck solicitors on his behalf. (source)
The origin of the false claim that Tom Watson was CCed on the Draper/McBride emails is officially unknown; the person who first aired it via a mainstream channel was the Conservative blogger Iain Dale.
Iain Dale included the 'CC' claim in an article published by the Mail on Sunday on Sunday 12 April 2009. Iain's story has changed a few times, but let's take this recent version as gospel, just for laughs:
In the original text submitted to the Mail on Sunday I alleged that Tom had been copied in on the Damian McBride emails. I did so because I was told that by a senior Labour source that this was the case. I also published it on my blog in THIS post at 5.45 on the evening of 11 April. At 6.20pm I received a call from Guido Fawkes who told me that Tom Watson had not in fact been cc'd on the emails he had seen, although he was referred to. I immediately reworded the blogpost and wrote a replacement paragraph for the Mail on Sunday column, which was sent to them at 6.30pm. In retrospect, instead of amending the blogpost I should have written an Update at the bottom. However, I needed to get the Mail on Sunday piece corrected. Unfortunately, despite me sending it in what I assumed to be good time, the change wasn't made so the wrong paragraph was printed. This was cockup, not conspiracy." – Iain Dale (source)
If we're to believe Iain, then the urgent need to send a single email on early Saturday evening led to his failure to issue a correction on the original post for the rest of the night and all of the following Sunday and Monday (no correction was posted there until 11.30am on Tuesday 14 April, even though Iain managed to post a small 'clarification' elsewhere at 4.15pm on Monday 13 April) but the fact is that Iain had plenty of opportunities to issue a correction and chose not to.
In fact, at the time, he was knowingly deleting comments (mostly from me) asking him to post a correction, but I'll get back to that and more right after we look at the libel left standing:
1. The libel that remained (and is still present on his website)
Initially, Iain removed from the offending post the text that read; "Tom Watson, who sat next to McBride in the Downing Street bunker and was copied on on all the emails to Derek Draper" but left in place the following:
"Tom Watson is Minister for the Civil Service. What did he do when he received these emails? Did he berate Damian McBride and tell him to stop abusing his position? No. Instead, he either tacitly or overtly encouraged McBride to send more."
There was (and is) NO proof that Tom Watson received these emails at all, so it is false to assert that he was in a position to object and conclude that he "tacitly or overtly encouraged McBride to send more". The evidence simply doesn't support the premise. This passage was/is libel. End of.
This text was NOT removed from the body of the post until days later, and (in a classic indication of how careless Dale is with comments) remains live on his website even today:
One of Iain Dale's favourite tricks is to deny that something is libel on the basis that it is an honestly-held opinion (e.g. in his mind, this applies when he publishes claims that I am "clearly psychotic"). Here, he has taken it that one step further and based a (false) assertion of fact on that opinion, and he still doesn't recognise that it's libel. Extraordinary.
Further, this text (especially minus any correction) clearly gave the impression that the 'CC' claim stood, when instead it was based on nothing more than Iain Dale's certainty that Tom Watson must have known what was happening at a nearby desk on a colleague's computer, and here we come to the lie of omission:
2. The false 'CC' claim, and the lie of omission that followed
According to Iain's own account, the 'CC' claim was also live on his website for a short period on Saturday 11 April 2009 before Iain removed it…. but remove it is all he did. At the time he published no correction about his false 'CC' claim and (crucially) continued to publish comments (his own and others') that asserted Tom Watson's involvement as a matter of fact, not opinion.
Here you need to take into account the size and nature of the audience Iain was playing to at the time. Let's take the single day of Sunday 12 April; Iain's audience has jumped from average of 5,000 to 8,000 visitors on a Sunday to somewhere near 18,000 that particular Sunday (source). The following diagram – which is to scale – compares his enlarged circulation for that day to the approximate daily circulation of the Mail on Sunday on the same day (source), and The Sun on the next (source).
Exactly how these audiences overlap and where Iain's extra ~10K visitors came from on that day remains uncertain, but it's fair to assume that a good portion of them are likely to have arrived after being exposed to the false 'CC' claim, and it's fair to say that only a handful of them left corrected on that point for all of Sunday the 12th and most of Monday the 13th; indeed, according to Iain's own account, if you wanted to learn the truth before Tuesday, you needed to be (a) a journalist, (b) who asked about the 'CC' claim specifically
(Psst! This same diagram may also provide clues about Tom Watson's decision to sue over what was published in The Mail on Sunday and The Sun but not on Iain Dale's Diary, regardless of how influential Dale himself may have been in sharing/publishing the central falsehood.)
3. Deliberately careless comment moderation
Iain Dale did all of this with Blogger.com-hosted comment moderation turned OFF; this meant that comments would be published immediately, without being checked by Iain first.
If someone went too far in what they claimed about Tom Watson (or anyone else), then Iain Dale would allow them to run free for however long he was away from his screen, before erasing (some) comments without so much as an 'oops' for the record. This is not something he allows on his site when there are serious accusations levelled against him or his friends, but for some reason he thinks it's fair to subject political enemies to this risk when it suits him.
There were repeated instances of people taking advantage of the shoddy moderation over the long weekend, using the platform to launch attacks on Tom Watson, and even to imply that I was somehow involved with Draper/McBride. Iain Dale was repeatedly (and quite dishonestly) using 'sloppy' moderation to his advantage in this way while efficiently deleting all of my submitted responses, and refusing to acknowledge my emails or answer my calls.
(Further, this was happening at a time when someone was actively publishing false claims about me being a convicted paedophile, a valid concern that Iain charmingly describes as a "preoccupation" of mine.)
Iain Dale knows that – in blogging especially – deleting data after the fact is not the same as not allowing it to be published in the first place, especially when you have a choice to engage moderation controls and decide against it (for selfish if not downright malicious reasons). While the deleted comments may (eventually) be removed from Iain's website, they will have been read and retained by anyone subscribing to the relevant thread, and automatically syndicated on external websites beyond Iain's control within minutes of their publication. (I am sure that Iain knows all of these things and more because he is soon to appear as an expert witness, speaking on the subject of responsible comment moderation.)
But when the mob was at its height and calling for blood, Iain Dale not only maintained a major lie of omission but did so while playing it fast and loose in comments; he refused to address or correct false accusations levelled at Tom Watson (and myself) in his posts and under comments, he deleted comments calling for a correction of his earlier post, and he refused to engage comment moderation… until the moment he stood accused of libel and instead accused me of harassment. Then Iain engaged comment moderation (and re-introduced anonymous comments) before publishing dozens of comments alleging my involvement in criminal activity and making false statements about my mental health.
I cannot link to the relevant post, because Iain has since deleted it. But as with the CC claim, in the minds of many of his readers, the accusation stands and will continue to stand until he issues a correction.
Iain Dale not only libelled Tom Watson, he knowingly misled his readers about it.
Iain also libelled me in the process, and he refuses to issue a correction of the since-deleted post/ comments, even though he knows that his accusations are being used against me.
These are just two examples of Iain Dale knowingly using lies against his political enemies… and according to Iain's own standards, what I say must be true if Iain doesn't sue me, right?
"I didn't libel Tom Watson. if I had done, he would have sued me." – Iain Dale (source)
UPDATE – See also:
David Cameron: also putting political agenda ahead of principle


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A Lower Milford Township man recently avoided injury despite losing control of his car on the 5th Street hill in Upper Milford and smashing into a tree, according to police.
Michael S. Halasa, 62, was southbound on 5th Street at 9:51 p.m. July 6 when he failed to round a curve and lost control, according to Halasa went off the road and struck a mailbox in front of 4980 S. 5th St., hit a tree stump ripping it out of the ground before coming to rest after smashing into a tree.
Halasa was not hurt, police said, but his 2010 Hyundai Genesis received disabling damage to the under carriage.
He was taken into custody for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, police said. Those test results are pending, but he also was cited for driving too fast for conditions.

subset: commoncrawl


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Ko Olina, meaning place of joy, was the playground for Hawaiian royalty and is now the premier oceanfront resort on Oahu. Ko Olina is a 20 minute drive from the airport and centrally located between Waikiki and the famous North Shore.
This Ko Olina townhome is an exceptional value, with nearly 1200 square feet of living space. Our home is professionally decorated in an elegant island theme including artwork, ceiling fans and plantation shutters. The home has all the amenities of a well-equipped vacation villa.
There are three bedrooms upstairs and two and one-half bathrooms, a one-car garage and inviting patio with table and chairs. The stylish kitchen features stainless steel appliances and all the extras. The living room offers a relaxing couch and matching chair, beautiful wood furniture and a 50 inch Plasma TV with digital cable, DVD and Digital Video Recorder!
About the Villa!: PLEASE SEE CALENDAR FOR AVAILABILITY BEFORE INQUIRING. Ko Olina is an easy 20 minute drive from the airport and centrally located between Waikiki and the famous North Shore. With 1200 square feet of living space and no one above or below you, our home is decorated in elegant island style including artwork, ceiling fans & plantation shutters. It has 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, a 1 car garage, and a patio with comfortable seating. The stylish kitchen has stainless steel appliances and all the extras. The living room offers a relaxing couch & matching chair, beautiful wood furniture and a 50' Plasma TV with digital cable, DVD and Digital Video Recorder! The master suite offers a California king bed with high quality linens. The second bedroom has a day bed with two twins. The third bedroom has a very nice queen bedroom set. Beach toys, beach chairs, beach towels and boogie boards are in the garage. There is a four-seater golf cart for cruising to the beach at no extra charge!
Enjoying your Vacation!: PLEASE SEE CALENDAR FOR AVAILABILITY BEFORE INQUIRING.This beautiful beach & golf resort includes 4 secluded beach lagoons, a Five Star J.W. Marriott Resort and Spa, tennis and a Ted Robinson designed championship Golf Course, which plays host to the Senior PGA and LPGA. There is a 270 slip marina with whale watching, snorkeling and sunset charters along the reefs of this pristine coast. Oahu's premiere luau at Paradise Cove and wonderful restaurants including Roy's Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine overlooking the 18th green, are also part of this stunning resort community. Just down the road from the resort is the town of Kapolei with everything you may need. There is a Starbucks, Jamba Juice, grocery store, Blockbuster, Kmart, restaurants, cinema and more. There is an amazing water park for all ages called Hawaiian Waters! Great Outlet Shopping at Waikele is nearby too! See the whole island from this location or stroll down to your own beach paradise. Families are welcome!
All the Extras!: PLEASE SEE CALENDAR FOR AVAILABILITY BEFORE INQUIRING. We also offer goods and services which include various welcome packages, flowers, grocery shopping services, concierge/reservation services, airport pick up and drop off, catering and/or private chef, and much, much more! If you have a special occasion or just want to arrive and have everything taken care of, let us handle the details for you. Skies the limit...so challenge us with your wildest request! Not a believer yet? Be sure to read our Guest Comments!
Other Activities: boating, shopping, kayaking, day spa
|Rate Period
|Weekend Night
Last Minute Trips (<60 days)
Nov 26 2013 - Dec 13 2014
7 night minimum stay
High Season
Dec 14 2014 - Jan 4 2015
10 night minimum stay
My Standard Rate
10 night minimum stay
|Cleaning Fee
|$250.00 + Tax
|Tax Rate
|Standard Rates: 10 Day Minimum Reservation required if booked more than 60 days prior to arrival.
Last Minute Trips: If booked less than 60 days prior to arrival, then a 7 Day Minimum Reservation is acceptable.
High Season: Rates during the Holiday and New Years Season
Payment is usually accepted in the quoted currency (USD) unless the currency and the amount is specifically agreed in advance with the owner / advertiser.


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A team of students from the University of New South Wales in Australia is hoping to add another record to their mantel tomorrow. 23. The Sunswift team, which is comprised of about 60 engineering, business and support members, had previously set a Guinness World Record for the fastest solar-powered vehicle in 2011 after it reached […]+ Read More
Although electric and hybrid vehicles are gaining market share, one significant question remains: how can the used lithium-ion batteries be processed after their lifespan in a vehicle? A peer-reviewed Mineta National Transit Research Consortium report, titled Remanufacturing, Repurposing, and Recycling of Post-Vehicle-Application Lithium-Ion Batteries, offers three possible alternatives. Remanufacturing for intended reuse in vehicles by […]+ Read More
The industry is now one step closer to being able to manufacture lithium-ion batteries from North American-sourced battery grade lithium carbonate. RB Energy Inc. confirmed June 5 it has achieved continuous production of battery grade lithium carbonate (99.9 percent Li2CO3) at its Quebec Lithium operation located at La Corne, Quebec, Canada. RB Energy Inc. stated […]+ Read More
Ford and Samsung are working together on a dual battery system for hybrid and conventional vehicles. Ford Motor Company and Samsung SDI, an affiliate of Samsung Group, announced June 3 research on different levels of hybrid technology that they said could one day be produced in high volume on non-hybrid vehicles for greater fuel savings. […]+ Read More
Alcoa and Phinergy will unveil their jointly developed aluminum-air battery that they say powers electric cars to greater distances. An Alcoa-Phinergy electric car will take laps around the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve to demonstrate the technology, ahead of the Formula 1 Grand Prix Du Canada in Montreal. Why go with aluminum-air technology for batteries? Phinergy explained aluminum […]+ Read More
General Motors announced it is bringing all its electric vehicle battery building in-house with production of battery systems for the 2015 Chevrolet Spark EV at its assembly plant in Brownstown, Mich. This also means there is a new battery coming in the Chevy Spark EV. "Using our in-house engineering and manufacturing expertise enabled us to […]+ Read More
Lithium ion batteries are here to stay as the main choice for future hybrids and EVs, according to Navigant Research's Electric Vehicle Batteries report. The steady increase in sales of electric vehicles (EVs) has led to advances in EV batteries, particularly those using lithium ion (Li-ion) technology. While early hybrid vehicles featured nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) […]+ Read More
Tesla's gigafactory has echoes in the political spheres, but is also creating waves in the battery manufacturing and the mining industries. American Manganese Inc., a company mining in Arizona raw materials needed for EV batteries, added its views by stating where they would like to see raw materials sourced. According to the mining company, Tesla's […]+ Read More
Johnson Controls (JC) will focus on next-generation cooling systems for lithium-ion battery packs with the stated end goal bring to help save consumers money at the pump. Th company has signed a collaboration agreement with Fraunhofer Gesellschaft to develop the next generation of more energy efficient, cost effective cooling systems for vehicle batteries. Scientists and […]+ Read More


text:
Here's Sven Swift's compilation/mix for his collective, Error Broadcast. Art by the ill 96, once again.
"This is a mixtape summing up what popped up in my ears during the last six months. Raw experimental Hip Hop, electronic textures, unheard German Rap, all in a spendid mix. Most of it available for free.You can find loads of rare and unreleased EBC material, including cats AEED, The Great Mundane, Comfort Fit, Lambent, Chewy Benson and Benny B. Blonco. Feel free to spread this sixty minutes mixtape."
.01 AEED Coccospace *
.02 The Great Mundane We are the Magicians (Demo) *
.03 Comfort Fit Sneeze at You via ideology.de
.04 Architeq Sleeping Bear (TAKE Remix) *
.05 AEED Error Code *
.06 Phat Kat Nightmare (Dorian Concept Remix) via kindred-spirits.nl
.07 Pils Daddy Suff Shit via HHV.de
.08 Sichtbeton Platz und Kraft *
.09 Slomo + Lunte Anne & Thomas *
.10 Fabian Dellefant Games via ms.com/dellefant
.11 Daniel Maze Steampunk via serein.co.uk
.12 Caural SugarCaneGirlfriend via powerstripcircus.com
.13 Chewy Benson How Long *
.14 Lambent Toss the Coin *
.15 Benny B. Blonco Sweet Milk via moovmnt.com
.16 V.Mann + Serch Viel Gehört, Viel Gesehen via meetthekatze.com
.17 Gringo Starr fcaxlf (Glander Remix) via ideology.de
.18 Dimlite The Kids Will Understand via ms.com/dimlite
.19 fLako Footprints via upmyalley.net
.20 1000names 80's Debut via eklektikrecords.com **
.21 Fulgeance Absolute Beta via deadmagazine.de
.22 Juno Complex Dirty Chip Stack$ via ms.com/junocomplex
.23 ichiro Mori *
.24 Akira Kiteshi Albino Egg via thisistomorrow.blogspot.com
.25 .at/on Products Of Passed Days via bitlabrecords.com
.26 Zavoloka Nathnennia via nexsound.org
"Swift (l) is the coordinator of 12rec. Netlabel. Alongside Moritz "mo." Sauer, he supports the Netaudio scene with reviews and mixtapes of free music at Phlow Magazine. Swift is living in the North of Germany."
(AEED - SYNESTHESIA / artwork by 96 / out friday 07.08.09)
"Error Broadcast is a record- and a Netlabel. You can download all our releases in reasonable quality for free or purchase uncompressed audio.
To make you kids remember what it was like back in the days, every release is accompanied by a limited edition of vinyl 7"s with password to download exclusive tracks and remixes.
Error is the glitch that interferes with crept over mainstream Hip Hop, the increment of postmodernism.
Broadcast refers to Chuck D's idea of Rap as an alternative social organ. The term works as a tribute to traditional Golden Age Hip Hop the same as it underlines the collective's self-perception as "independent".
We are releasing contemporary experimental Hip Hop music."
make sure to also hit up these cats on their myspace


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Diana's writing takes you deeply to the scenes and people's lives. And the best thing is that every read-through gives you new perspectives and the books can be read again and again. And we also now have Claire's ring in our possession.
The translations in Finnish have been lagging behind. But now we have only a year to wait after the English publication. As Jari started to read the books in 2003, he read the first two novels in Finnish, but then had to buy the next books in English. Also, he found a new dimension in the books with the Scots language, which is not easy to translate into Finnish.
The Outlander story has been made to great music, check it out. Excerpts with Spoilers: Written In My Own Heart's Blood, Other Work in Progress. The latest development is that Starz Network together with Sony Television Pictures is making a 16 episode television series of the first book, Outlander. The company has enrolled the Scottish actor Sam Heughan for Jamie Fraser.
|Sassennach Club Quiz
|Outlander Series Google Earth
|Outlander Series Calendar
|Outlander Series Titles
|Annual calendar 2010
Other Outlander Sites
Ladies of
Outlander YouTube Channel
Outlandish Observations
Outlander Book Club


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By now you're familiar with the dispute between Versus and DirecTV. (if not, click here)
So if you're a DirecTV customer, and you want to watch the Capitals game on Tuesday, DISH Network has been kind enough to let us know which bars in D.C. will have the game on television, since they have DISH Network:
- Lucky Bar (1221 Connecticut NW)
- Cheesecake Factory (5345 Wisconsin Ave. NW)
- Awash Restaurant (2218 18th NW)
This list is in no way definitive … I haven't gone to the trouble of finding out which bars have cable or what packages they carry and so on. But if you're itching to get out and watch the game, it's a start.
Me? I'll be on my couch, since carrying Versus is one of the few things my cable provider does right.


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Summaryfull details
Internship offers in many countries
English-Spanish translation for "a kind of"
"a kind of" Spanish translation
a kind of
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, as a kind of compensation I should like to speak in English now.
Reading it should be widely recommended, as a kind of civic instruction manual for the future citizens of Europe.
That is also why we could not allow any exceptions, because if we had, we would in fact have been authorising a kind of tax haven in a particular sector.
Today has been a good day and, with the four reports, as a kind of final act, we close a period full of dedication to reforming the European Union.
Similar translations
Similar translations for "a kind of" in Spanish
Context sentences
Context sentences for "a kind of" in Spanish
This is intended as a kind of prelude to what will happen after full membership.
... they should keep quiet, because there we are a kind of living structural fund!
Three per cent is a kind of indicator of whether we are doing things correctly.
Too many continue to scrape together a living in a kind of La Bohème garret.
Too many continue to scrape together a living in a kind of La Bohème garret.
Politics is also a kind of voluntary work, at least when you are starting out.
Firstly, because neither the European Union nor Europe is a kind of isolated island.
Five years have gone by and all we have been able to achieve is a kind of armistice.
Thus, the communication could serve as a kind of guideline to Member States.
A kind of vision that certainly was not always of central importance in this Chamber.
A minute ago, you also talked about setting up a kind of coordination cell.
My response would be yes, we do need a kind of Marshall Plan for the whole region.
Some of them see in this nothing less than a kind of cultural imperialism.
the world -- a kind of presence which both nurtures community and supports
We are talking here about a kind of crazy 'urban policy' at Member State level.
What makes me optimistic is that in spite of everything we have a kind of consensus.
In this situation you would, in fact, have a kind of indirect declaration of war.
Is that being looked into or are we talking about a kind of wholesale deportation?
Mr President, this debate is really a kind of sad exercise in repetition.
I regard this high level of dioxin pollution as a kind of Waterloo in health terms.
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Have a look at the English-Portuguese dictionary by bab.la.


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Rover – The iPad Browser for Education
One Response to Rover – The iPad Browser for Education
Hi Ian, I came across your Priory Woods games 4 years back when my first son was diagnosed with ASD, I made pecs cards for them and this is how we started learning pecs. It took my son all but 20 mins as he loved the games you created so much!
Defiantly going to check out this browser now for his ipad, (just a note though the link above for Rover doesn't work)
Cheers from Australia.


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one and the same
Identical, as in Gloria's grandfather had been, at one and the same time, a physician at the court and a general in the army. This expression is an emphatic form of "the same." [Mid-1800s]
Dictionary.com presents 366 FAQs, incorporating some of the frequently asked questions from the past with newer queries.


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LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. — Laurel County Sheriff's Deputy Mikey Ashurst was dispatched to a possible fight in progress complaint at Corbin Manor Apartments, eight miles south of London, early Thursday, Jan. 2 at 2:13 a.m.
Prior to arrival at the scene, a vehicle, which was described as a grey Nissan Maxima, was given by Laurel 9-11- Dispatch and, as Deputy Ashurst pulled into the parking lot, he observed the suspect vehicle backing into a parking spot, and he initiated an investigation.
Ashurst questioned two subjects who had been in the grey Nissan Maxima. They had abandoned their car, but were found hiding in a closet of a nearby apartment. Both were determined to be under the influence and were arrested.
Billy L. Rediker, 42, of Balsinger Street, London, was charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence; driving on a DUI suspended license, first offense; and other traffic violations; Tina L. Lewis, 36, of Corbin Manor Apartments, Corbin, was charged with: public intoxication- controlled substance (a white powdery residue was found around her nostrils), and second-degree disorderly conduct. She also was charged on an outstanding Laurel County bench warrant for failure to appear in court.
Around the same time, Laurel 9-1-1 dispatch received another call about a male subject who was fleeing one of the apartments where the fight was reported to have occurred. As Deputy Ashurst was trying to locate the man, a woman came out of one of the apartments, advising him that a person she did not know was in her kitchen, washing blood off himself.
George A. Snelson, 42, of Oak Ridge Church Road, Corbin, was arrested and charged with alcohol intoxication; second-degree disorderly conduct; and resisting arrest.
Deputy Ashurst saw that Snelson was transported to Baptist Hospital for possible treatment. However, he tried to run away from the hospital several times while being treated.
All three subjects were lodged in the Laurel County Detention Center.
Ambulance Inc. of Laurel County assisted Deputy Ashurst at the scene.


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lyrics that didn't make the new album.
they say, "perfect doesn't last,"
even the brightest stars will flicker,
and the past is still the past, no matter how many times you try to get there,
the world will still move on,
we used to stop it, and I tried
to do it all alone without you, but I guess the magic died.
- sstm.
Short URL:


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http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/darchin ... -up-226671
Here's my two-fold view on this; first off, the only reason this fight is happening is because Arum knows better than to throw Donaire to the wolf (Rigo) again and he has to build up some confidence in him before he goes looking for bigger fish to fry.
We've already seen what this fight will look like in the rematch by the way VD fought in the first fight, he will get put to sleep again in the same fashion but probably even sooner this time around.
The other reason should be quite obvious which is easy money for Arum but I'll caveat on that by adding that Bob knows a win by KO in this fight will make Donaire look like he did prior to Nonito's loss to Rigo and who better to give you that human highlight reel KO than a run-in face forward styled fighter like Vic Darchinyan.
Hmmmm, it seems this formula that Arum is using is an ongoing theme in the fights he has lined up.
Your thoughts??


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Height: 6'2" Weight: 215 Age: 29 Experience: 6th season College: Michigan State Drafted: n/a
Posted: 7/29/2014 2:00pm et
Cleveland Browns QB Brian Hoyer (knee) is outperforming rookie QB Johnny Manziel so far in camp, and the starting quarterback job has been Hoyer's job to lose, as observed by Jason La Canfora. Hoyer looks crisper with his mental speed, including actions in the huddle, at the line and during plays. Hoyer is not gun-shy as his recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament continues 'to wow the Browns,' according to La Canfora. Manziel also has acted somewhat guarded around his new teammates.
Huddle Up: Hoyer is certainly the man if you need to draft a viable starting QB for right now, but Johnny Football still remains the best option for those fantasy GMs looking farther down the line.
Posted: 7/22/2014 1:12pm et
Cleveland Browns QBs Johnny Manziel and Brian Hoyer will know who is starting before the third preseason game, according to head coach Mike Pettine, though it could happen sooner. Pettine has expressed hesitation to name Manziel the starter immediately and thinks Hoyer's chances are underrated.
Huddle Up: The sooner the better for fantasy GMs, although many of whom are already banking on Manziel getting the bulk of the starts even if he doesn't win the job outright in the preseason.
Posted: 7/13/2014 10:39pm et
Cleveland Browns QB Brian Hoyer (knee) said he knows that he will be pushed by QB Johnny Manziel for the starting quarterback job but is looking forward to competing during training camp.
Huddle Up: Of all the QBs currently sitting No. 1 on an NFL depth chart, none is under the gun like Hoyer, who's going to have to immediately pick up where he left off left season -- and then some -- to hold off the wildly popular rookie and keep ravenously hungry Browns fans at bay.
Posted: 6/11/2014 11:51pm et
ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski said it is his opinion that Cleveland Browns QB Brian Hoyer will be the starting quarterback Week 1 because he is far ahead of QB Johnny Manziel in terms of understanding the offense.
Huddle Up: Plenty of time for Johnny Football to learn the offense and win the job, but there's also no reason to rush him in Cleveland--other than to help The Mothership fill their daily quota of Manziel stories.
Posted: 5/9/2014 12:22pm et
Cleveland Browns QB Brian Hoyer (knee) was informed by Browns general manager Ray Farmer via text message during the NFL Draft that the team would be selecting Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel, to which Hoyer responded by saying 'bring him on.' Browns head coach Mike Pettine said he expected such a response from a competitor like Hoyer.
Huddle Up: It would be a mild upset if Johnny Football isn't the Week 1 starter in Cleveland, but Hoyer showed enough prior to his injury last season to at least warrant the opportunity to compete.
Posted: 4/29/2014 11:23pm et
Cleveland Browns QB Brian Hoyer (knee) was limited in practice Tuesday, April 29. Hoyer did not participate in team drills but was assertive on the field. Hoyer said he believes he is the starter. 'Until someone tells me otherwise,' he said. 'I feel like I'm the starter for this team.'
Huddle Up: Hoyer appears to have the backing of new Browns coach Mike Pettine, who has said he would like to avoid starting a rookie QB out of the gate, but they'll be plenty of pressure if the Browns select a QB in the first round, particularly at No. 4 overall.
Posted: 3/23/2014 4:00pm et
Cleveland Browns QB Brian Hoyer (knee) expects to take part in the team's organized team activities (OTAs) in May.
Huddle Up: It's obviously early, but Hoyer looks to be the early favorite to open the season as the Browns' starter with the team also expected to spend a high draft pick on a rookie.
Posted: 2/9/2014 4:52pm et
Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan said he liked QB Brian Hoyer coming out of college and believes he has a chance to become a successful quarterback in the NFL.
Huddle Up: Expect at least 2 things this coming offseason with the Browns' QB situation: A newcomer (likely via the draft) will be brought in as the team's projected franchise QB and Hoyer will be kept around to bridge the transition and serve as a valuable backup.
Posted: 1/26/2014 11:46pm et
The Cleveland Browns are expected to pay QB Brian Hoyer the $250,000 roster bonus he is scheduled to receive in March.
Huddle Up: Hoyer's breakout season was cut short by injury, and he'll be in the mix to start 2014 with whatever QB the Browns' draft in May.
Posted: 10/12/2013 11:52pm et
The Cleveland Browns have placed QB Brian Hoyer (knee) on Injured Reserve, ending his 2013 season.
Huddle Up: Hoyer was playing well but now the Browns will have to go back to Brandon Weeden. Unless Weeden has improved dramatically over the last couple weeks, that's not good news for Cleveland or fantasy owners.
Posted: 10/4/2013 10:58am et
Updating previous reports, Cleveland Browns QB Brian Hoyer is believed to have torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee. However, MRI results aren't available yet.
Huddle Up: Still speculative at this point, but the injury didn't look good. Brandon Weeden would resume starting duties in Cleveland if Hoyer is out, with Jason Campbell in the backup role.
Posted: 10/3/2013 10:31pm et
Cleveland Browns QB Brian Hoyer was helped off the field after suffering a knee injury in the team's Week 5 game. He may have suffered torn ligaments and will not return.
Huddle Up: Hoyer was injured at the end of an 11-yard scramble on the second drive of the game, and he departed with 2 completions in 4 attempts for 25 yards and the fateful 11-yard run. He was replaced by Brandon Weeden, with Jason Campbell a healthy scratch. If Hoyer is seriously hurt, it would only be the latest cruel twist of fate for the Browns as Hoyer had been showing promise going 2-0 as a starter with 590 yards, 5 TDs and 3 picks.
Posted: 9/30/2013 12:35pm et
Cleveland Browns QB Brian Hoyer will start in Week 5.
Huddle Up: File this under: DUH. Hoyer has looked like Brett Favre in comparison to Brandon Weeden thus far.
Posted: 9/30/2013 12:53am et
Cleveland Browns head coach Rob Chudzinski said Sunday, Sept. 29, that he would not commit to QB Brian Hoyer as his starting quarterback for the Week 5 game against the Buffalo Bills.
Huddle Up: Come on. We all know it's Brian Hoyer. And that is good for the likes of Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron.
Posted: 9/25/2013 12:16pm et
Cleveland Browns QB Brandon Weeden is out for Week 4. He hopes to begin throwing later this week. QB Brian Hoyer will start again this week.
Huddle Up: Even when Weeden's thumb is better he's unlikely to get his job back. He can contact Trent Richardson about a good real estate agent and moving company.
Posted: 9/18/2013 10:03am et
The Cleveland Browns will start QB Brian Hoyer in Week 3. QB Jason Campbell will be the backup.
Huddle Up: A mild upset here, as Campbell came on in relief of Weeden last week and has more NFL experience than Hoyer. What a way to welcome Josh Gordon back to the lineup.


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CLEVELAND: How much longer will the Indians have to wait before Nick Swisher and Chris Perez return to the field?
Swisher might be in the lineup against the Twins tonight, but there is uncertainty.
"Swisher hit off a tee [Thursday], and it was good he came in to do that [on an off day]," manager Terry Francona said Friday. "He took batting practice today and felt really good. If he feels really good [today], we'll see."
Swisher has missed five games with a sore right shoulder, and taking swings in pain probably had something to do with his recent slump.
"When you have a guy who is out for four or five days, you want it to help," Francona said. "You don't want him to take an aggressive swing and the shoulder starts to hurt all over again."
The exact nature of the injury has never been revealed but apparently it will have to be dealt with for the rest of the season.
"I think he has to manage it all year," Francona said. "It will have to be part of his routine, and he knows that."
Until further notice, Swisher will be limited to playing first base. Right field is out for now because of the potential strain it could put on his shoulder.
"We're not going to do that right now, for sure," Francona said. "If we ever did let him go out to right, we would check with him and give him a heads up the day before."
In his last rehab assignment at Akron, Perez gave up five runs in a single inning, allowing three home runs, plus a double and single. He also hit a batter. Even so, Perez reported that he felt no pain in his shoulder.
"Chris threw a bullpen today and felt really good," Francona said. "He's going to Akron and throw a simulated game Sunday morning. He can't do it here, because we have something happening on our field.
"We'll revisit him after that. It looks like he'll make one more [rehab] outing, probably on Tuesday. This time it will be more like a true game for him as a closer, instead of him pitching in the first or second inning."
Perez probably will throw 30 pitches in the simulated game and 15-20 in his next rehab appearance, after throwing 20-30 warm-up pitches.
Sheldon Ocker can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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ccc — A recap of Friday night's prep action:
Tanner 69
Colbert Heights 13
Tanner set a school record for points scored in another region blowout. The record-setting point total could have been worse. The Rattlers led at halftime 56-0. Led by Hayden Stephens' four touchdowns, Tanner cruised to its 32nd consecutive regular season win. The two touchdowns conceded were against Tanner reserves.
East Limestone 24
Athens 12
East Limestone played mistake-free football against Athens in the Indians' third straight victory in the series. Athens out-gained East 284 – 201 in total yardage, but two turnovers inside their own 40-yard line turned out to be the difference in the game. Torren Haley and Jevon Turner combined for more than 100 yards and each scored a touchdown in the win.
J.O. Johnson 30
Ardmore 6
Ardmore's streak of 300-yard rushing games ended in Huntsville Friday as Johnson stacked the box to hold Ardmore to 41 yards on the ground. It was a two-point game entering the break before Johnson scored 22 unanswered second-half points to pull away.
Wilson 41
West Limestone 7
West Limestone dropped its third game of the season on the road to a much-improved Wilson team. The Wildcats carried a two-game winning streak into Friday's region contest. In order to make the playoffs, West will need to beat its remaining region opponents — Rogers, Priceville and Haleyville.
Madison Academy 62
Elkmont 0
Elkmont suffered its worse loss of the season at home to Madison Academy. The Red Devils have played two ranked teams already this season and still have Lauderdale County, Deshler and Wilson on the slate. Elkmont's best chance to pick up its second win of the season will be at Clements Friday.
Westminster Christian 45
Clements 7
Clements suffered another lopsided loss as Westminster Christian picked up another win in its first season playing in 3A. The Colts have been outscored 45-13 on average this season, but have scored in three consecutive games. Clements will host Elkmont Friday.


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News Article
What is a professional writer? Is it somebody who consistently turns out a certain quality level of writing? Is it somebody who is paid for their work? Is it a storyteller who keeps the reader enthralled as they weave their way through the imaginary scenarios and images they create on the page? Is it somebody who is a household name? If you answered yes to the above questions then you are talking about Gene O'Neill. Well, yes to all of the questions except the last one. But after 30 years he stands ready to make that one happen also. Here is part three of our interview with author Gene O'Neill.
So after 30 years in the writing world would you do something different if you were to do it again?
I don't think so. I think a lot of people look back on their lives and would like to redo them. I can think about some ladies I probably shouldn't have gotten tangled up with and they probably wish they hadn't gotten tangled up with me. Maybe I wouldn't have done some of those things. But the way that this mixed genre stuff is bigger nowadays and acceptable I wouldn't change things.
I'll give you an example of some of the fun stuff. I won't tell you the names of the two editors. I wrote a story once and sent it to a major science fiction magazine. They said this is really a great story but it's not for us. Send it over to so and so at Asimov's science fiction magazine. I did the same thing and they told me to send it back to the one I'd just sent it from. Both of them loved the story but said it wasn't for them. What I eventually found out was that neither one of them thought it was science fiction but that it was kind of a mix between science fiction and horror. The audience for those things in those days were two different audiences.
Nowadays how do you label yourself?
I don't care what they call me as long as they say he's a good writer. I know it has to do with sales so I want them to label mine as, "That guy writes a Gene O'Neill story." The few people who know me, they recognize voice and character and place in the story and they say that's a Gene O'Neill story. You can call me a mixed genre writer if you want. That's acceptable. I don't care as long as they preface it with that adjective "Good," because I do have some literary pretensions. I'm a pretentious asshole.
This is a real story about a gal that I influenced in writing. Before she became a writer she was the gal you called into when you called for dirty phone calls. That's who you talked to. What she first did was that she wanted to check your credit card. Then you said I want a grandma who has one leg and false teeth. Then she'd say, "We've got one of those." Whatever you asked for they had. Now if the mass market comes to me and says can you do this or that? Of course I can do that.
Do you have a genre preference?
My degrees are in psychology and I was always interested in the darker side of people. So probably whatever I write, if it is anything, it's toward the darker side. That's what interests me about people. I'm convinced that people aren't good and evil. They are a little bit of both. But if I'm fooling around with you, particularly if you're a lady, I'm more interested in your evil side. It's more complex and interesting.
Do you prefer psychological horror to supernatural horror?
I do. I write a little bit of supernatural horror, very little. A good horror runs the line between supernatural and psychological. If he's really good he lets the reader make a decision at the end of his story on whether it's both.
You pull a lot of your military service into your work. Why do you think that carries so strongly?
Because I was in a special unit. Everybody hears about the SEALS but few people know about the Marine Corps Force Recon. Some of those principles haven't changed since the early days on what you do and how you conduct yourself and what a good mission is and what a poor mission is. A good mission is a mission where nobody cranks off a round, nobody gets shot, you don't bring back anybody in a body bag or missing an arm or anything and whatever your mission was you accomplish it. Those things still apply. I was attached as an ordinance specialist, the first part of Vietnam before Kennedy even said we had Special Forces. The French were still there. Those French had been there for a hundred years. That was their home, those French.
So that all stayed with you very strongly and it permeates your writing.
Oh yeah. Some of the discipline I learned in the Marine Corps has translated and fared well for me in my writing. I'm on a couple of things with Author Lisa Morton where we're going to be under a gun, timing-wise. We have to finish in six to eight weeks and we are carrying along a young writer. They have to be finished and we have to, because their name is going to be associated with ours, and it has to be good. Those are the type of things where you're disciplined. I get up and do my exercises, my weights, all my stuff that I do and I work six days a week, seven when I'm on a deadline. Even today, when I'm with you, my beloved 49ers are playing and I love to watch those guys.
But this military thing didn't turn you, as a private citizen, into a hard ass as I've seen happen before.
Hell no. It never became "us and them" with me. In fact, I lived with natives for four months over there and I learned that we don't have all the answers nor is the American way always the right way to do things. I learned a valuable lesson there. I was a stupid 18 year old kid talking about communism and democracy.
From the bumper stickers you had read.
Yes. One of my guys who could speak the best English showed me his rice bowl and he said "You fill that up and I'll endorse whatever you want me to believe in." So I learned a simple lesson then. If you want virtue from a person you have to feed him first. A starving man doesn't necessarily have any virtue and a starving woman either. They can't be condemned for what they do to eat or survive. So some of the people that we left behind in Viet Nam, deserving honorable people, weren't all Americans some of them were also Vietnamese. There's over a million of them poor suckers over there that we left behind.
When I came back we were getting spit on but I understood some of the stuff and some of that went overboard.
But the guy that's a hard nose ... I had a chance to be a mercenary when I came back. These guys with short haircuts were recruiting my draft coming back from overseas. They said, "Look. All you'll have to do is drive some pipelines down in South America. Only we had to be able to field strip a fifty caliber machine gun, a Thompson sub-machine gun. We're gonna be shooting somebody's ass down there. We'd just gotten out, me and all my boys. I said "Naw, we ain't joining up. I don't care what they're paying." This was the end of '62 when it was a recession in this country. They were going to pay us big bucks, non-taxable, of about twelve bucks an hour. That don't sound like nothin' now. But it would be back in an American bank and we could draw against this. They would send us to Brazilia, I think that was the artificial city, for R&R. We knew a lot about R&R by the time we'd gotten back and that part of it was great. Getting shot at is no good. The R&R is wonderful.
If you could pass along one thought to writers trying to get published, in this day and age what would it be?
I'll give you a military metaphor. Get at your typewriter and write. As the rejections come flying over just duck them and ignore them just like somebody was shooting at you and keep writing.
How do you know if you have the talent or if you're spinning your wheels?
As soon as somebody starts paying you something to read what you've written then you know you're good. Because in our society nobody will give you two cents unless they think you can write really well. In our society real artists aren't paid what they are worth. But if anybody will pay you anything for your art that's the highest accolade that you can get. When they start paying you upfront – forget that being paid on publication – that's the real deal.
Read Part II here.
Gene can be found on Linkedin
Del Howison is a journalist, writer and Bram Stoker Award-winning editor. He is also the co-founder and owner of Dark Delicacies "The Home of Horror" in Burbank, CA. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Get us to the Expressive Arts Conference...
$250 raised
so far
Creative Care, a program offered through Creative Clay Cultural Arts Center, is a multidisciplinary arts in healthcare program.
In January 2012, Creative Care was awarded funding through the National Endowment for the Arts for the Arts for All Kids program at All Children's Hospital. Professional visual, dance, music, and literary artists are a full-time presence in the hospital and provide individual and group art experiences to pediatric patients, their families and hospital staff.
The arts have a vital role to play with children. Children have unique emotional and developmental needs that can be supported by weaving creative expression into the healing environment. Artistic expression is a developmentally appropriate means of communication for children as it allows them to express thoughts and experiences in a non-threatening way. Creative Care's aim is to impact the culture of the clinical setting through a consistent schedule of Creative Care artists rotating through patient care areas up to 40 hours per week. However, in order for this program to continue for the grant period we are looking for match-funding equaling $40,000. Creative Care is helping transform healthcare and positively influencing the lives of children. We need your help to continue this important work.