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Young Adult Books
They told fourteen-year-old Alex Rider that his uncle died in a car accident. Alex knows that's a lie, and the bullet holes in his uncle's windshield confirm his suspicions. But nothing prepares him for the news that the uncle he always thought he knew was really a spy for MI6Britain's top secret intelligence agency, and Alex is now being recruited to complete his final mission.
Marcus and Eddie are best friends. Marcus is black; Eddie is white. Stars of their school basketball team, they are true leaders who look past racial stereotypes and come out on top. But one night, and one wrong decision, will change their lives forever. Will their mistake cost them their friendship and their future?
Blade is practically invisible, perfectly alone, living only by his wits; just the way he likes it. Until the day a chance encounter sends his world crashing down around him and he finds himself on the run again.
Blade, Book 2: Out of the Shadows
Bleeding and dizzy, Blade wakes up to find himself in the hospital. But how did he get there? With enemies coming at him from all sides, it's hard to know who attacked him. But he knows that whoever it was will be back to finish him off. And quick. So he's gotta go. He's gotta break outta there. Not only to save his own life, but there's kindly old Mary and little Jaz to think about. Who's looking out for them? On the run, with grinks hot on his tail and gravely injured, Blade will have to gather all his strength just to survive. And with nowhere to hide, he needs to run. Because this time, if he plays dead, that's exactly how he'll end up.
Blade, Book 3: Fighting Back
Blade returns to The Best, the city he ran away from years ago. The city where he grew up and where the ghosts of his past lurk around every corner. And he knows people are trying to find him. Lord H, aka Hawkthe dangerous man Blade's been running from for yearswill have his vast network of thugs on the lookout. But Blade also knows The Beast is where Lord H brought little Jaz when he kidnapped her, and no matter what, he needs to rescue her.
When a shy high school student's body is found washed up on the shore of a quiet New England beach town, Terry Novak doesn't know what to think. Something just doesn't add up, so he decides to do some investigating with the help of his best friend, Abby. It doesn't take long before they learn that asking questions puts them in grave danger, and surviving is going to be a fight.
Adonis is a super jock and could not be more different than new kid Alan who wears lipstick and joins the fashion club. Adonis is more than happy to stay far away from Alan but when his teammates from the football team come up with a dangerous plan to humiliate Alan must decide if he wants to be a bystander or do what he thinks is right.
On New Earth, society is governed and conflicts are resolved in the arena of a fantasy computer game, Epic. If you win, you have the chance to fulfill your dreams; if you lose, your life both in and out of the game is worth nothing. When teenage Erik dares to subvert the rules of Epic, he and his friends must face the Committee and destroy their tyrannical rule.
Ghost is part of an anarcho-punk airboard gang who live to break the rules. And there's a good reasontheir world, Saga, has a strict class system enforced by high-tech electronics and a corrupt monarchy. Then Ghost and her gang learn the complicated truth; Saga isn't actually a place, it's a computer game, complete with a Dark Queen trying to keep everyone trapped inside!
Troy Billings is seventeen, 296 pounds, friendless, utterly miserable, and about to step off a New York subway platform in front of an oncoming train. Until he meets Curt MacCrae, an emaciated, semi-homeless, high school dropout guitar genius. Together, Curt and Troy will change the world of punk, and Troy's own life, forever.
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.
Fear: 13 Stories of Suspense and Horror
Turn the pages if you dare... In this collection of thirteen fabulously chilling stories from thirteen true masters of suspense, including five New York Times bestsellers and a number of Edgar Award nominees, all edited by none other than R. L. Stine, nothing is what it seems.
On July 4th, 1777, Fourteen-year old Jake Mallory wants nothing more than to get out from under the strict thumb of his father and see some adventure, but he must be careful what he wishes for. Over the course of four more 4ths, he finds himself in increasingly adventurous circumstances-from battling the British army to barely surviving on a prison ship to finally returning home, war-torn and weary, but hopeful for his and America's future.
Malcolm wants to get to the NBA ASAP. Roko wants to be the pride of his native Croatia. Crispin wants the girl of his dreams. M.J. just wants a chance. March Madness is in full swing, and there are only four teams left in the NCAA basketball championship. The heavily favored Michigan Spartans and the underdog Troy Trojans meet in the first game in the semifinals, and it's there that the fates of Malcolm, Roko, Crispin, and M.J. intertwine
Meet Billy Bloom, new student at the ultra-white, ultra-rich, ultra-conservative Dwight D. Eisenhower Academy, and drag queen extraordinaire. Actually, "drag queen" does not begin to describe Billy and his fabulousness. Any way you slice it, Billy is not a typical seventeen-year-old, and he takes a stand for outcasts and underdogs everywhere.
It starts with a phone call. "I'm dying," a voice tells Dusty. Who belongs to this strange voice and how has he gotten her cell number? Dusty wants no part of it, but becomes drawn in to this whirlwind mystery.
It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long - at least, up until last November, when Josh did something that changed everything. Things have been weird between them ever since, but when Josh's family gets a free AOL CD in the mail,his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn't been invented yet. And they're looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.
Ben, Dylan, and Gerry are still mourning their mother's death when their dad decides to buy a boat and take them on a year-long sailing trip. One morning, the boys wake up to discover their father has disappeared, and they are lost. What happened to him? Where are they? And what will they do with a treacherous storm looming on the horizon?
Miles has only lived in New Orleans with his dad, a musician, for a few months when Hurricane Katrina hits. Father and son haven't exactly been getting along. Miles is obsessed with football; his dad's passion is jazz. But when the storm strikes, they're forced to work through their differences to survive a torturous few days in the Superdome.
I am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to be Your Class President
Oliver's a mad evil genius on his way to world domination, and he's used his great brain to make himself the third-richest person on earth! Then Oliver's fatherhis archnemesismakes a crack about the upcoming middle school elections, and Oliver takes it as a personal challenge. Can this evil genius win the class presidency and keep his true identity a secret, all in time to impress his dad?
Incarceron is a prison so vast that it contains not only cells, but also metal forests, dilapidated cities, and vast wilderness. Finn, a seventeen-year-old prisoner, has no memory of his childhood and is sure that he came from Outside Incarceron. Very few prisoners believe that there is an Outside, however, which makes escape seems impossible. And then Finn finds a crystal key that allows him to communicate with a girl named Claudia. She claims to live Outside- she is the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, and doomed to an arranged marriage. Finn is determined to escape the prison, and Claudia believes she can help him. But they don't realize that there is more to Incarceron than meets the eye. Escape will take their greatest courage and cost more than they know.
Finn has escaped Incarceron only to find that he must defend his right to the throne from another challenger. His life and Claudia's hang on Finn convincing the Court that he is the lost prince, even though he has his own doubts about being the true heir.
Jim Thorpe, Original All-American
Jim Thorpe was one of the greatest athletes who ever lived. He played professional football and Major League baseball, and won Olympic gold medals in track and field. But his life wasn't always quite so easy...
John Lennon: All I Want is the Truth
John Lennon's turbulent childhood started in 1940 during a World War II air raid on Liverpool. From his rebellious rock and roll teen years to his celebrated career writing, recording, and performing music with the Beatles, John struggled to make sense of his lifeone that had turned from youthful angst to suffocating fame in almost a split second.
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect.
There's an extraordinary price for victory at Anooka High. An unlikely friendship between Kurt, a talented but emotionally damaged fullback, and Danny, a promising gymnast, is at the heart of an increasingly violent, steriod-inflused power struggle. When the unthinkable happens, they must look to each other for salvation.
It is the year 2129... and fame is all that matters.
Susan and her friends are celebutantes. Their lives are powered by media awareness, fed by engineered meals, and underscored by cynicism. Everyone has a rating; the more viewers who ID you, the better. So Susan and her almost-boyfriend Derlock cook up a surefire plan: the nine of them will visit a Mars-bound spaceship and stow away.
Louis Nolette is a fifteen-year-old Abenaki Indian from Canada who is recruited to fight in the northern Irish Brigade in the War Between the States. But war is never what you expect, and as Louis fights his way through battle after battle, he encounters prejudice and acceptance, courage and cowardice, and strong and weak leadership in the most unexpected places.
Award-winning author Elizabeth Partridge leads you straight into the chaotic, passionate, and deadly three months of protests that culminated in the landmark march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. Focusing on the courageous children who faced terrifying violence in order to march alongside King, this is an inspiring look at their fight for the vote.
Best friends and unofficial brothers since they were six, ninth-graders T.C. and Augie have got the world figured out, but that all changes when both friends fall in love for the first time. T.C. falls hard for Alé while Augie realizes that he's got a crush on a boy. It's not so clear to him, but to his family and friends, it's totally obvious!
In the West Bronx, three outcastsa homeless vet, a hearing impaired girl, and a teenage refugeebecome unlikely friends, but events beyond their control hurtle them towards a dangerous and potentially deadly end, breaking open their close-knit community and changing the lives of those living in the Orange Houses in explosive and unexpected ways.
Star quarterback Bobby Framingham, one of the most talented high school football players in California, thinks of his teammates as brothers. But they don't know that Bobby is gay. When he's outed against his will by a student reporter, Bobby must find a way to earn back his teammates' trust and accept that his path to success might be more public, and more difficult, than he'd hoped.
In Ponyboy's world there are two types of people. There are the Socs, the rich society kids who get away with anything and there are the greasers, like Ponyboy, who aren't so lucky. Trouble with the Socs, whose idea of a good time is beating up greasers like Ponyboy, is expected, but one night things go even further than that...
Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his lifedressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revengehe follows. After their all-nighter ends, and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are cluesand they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew.
It was an accident. He didn't mean to kill the security guard with his skateboardit was self-defense. But there's no one to back up his story. No one even knows he was at Paranoid Park. Should he confess, or can he get away with it? It's an ethical question no one should have to answer.
Cal was infected by a parasite that has a truly horrifying effect on its host. Cal himself is a carrier, unchanged by the parasite, but he's infected the girlfriends he's had since he dated the mysterious Morgan. All of have turned into the ravening ghouls Cal calls Peeps. The rest of us know them as vampires. And Cal must hunt them all down.
Thirteen-year-old Butterball doesn't have much going for him. He's teased mercilessly about his weight. He hates the Long Island suburb his mom moved them to and wishes he still lived with his dad in the city. And now he's stuck talking to a totally out-of-touch therapist named Liz.
Liz tries to uncover what happened that day on the playground - a day that landed one kid in the hospital and Butterball in detention. Butterball refuses to let her in on the truth, and while he evades her questions, he takes readers on a journey through the moments that made him into the playground bully he is today.
A mysterious epidemic holds the city in its thrall and the chaos is contagious?black oil spews from fire hydrants, rats have taken over brooklyn, and every day, more people disappear. but all that matters to pearl, Moz, and Zahler is their new band. they ignore the madness around them and join forces with a vampire lead singer and a drummer whose fractured mind can glimpse the coming darkness. will their music stave off the end of the world... or summon it?
Set against the gritty apocalypse that began in Peeps, The Last Days is about five teenagers who find themselves creating the soundtrack for the end of the world.
The dead body found in the river has nothing to do with Todd. Then he meets Rat, who offers Todd a gig at the drive-in theater. But hanging out with Rat leads to a host of perplexing questions. That corpse from the river is on Todd's mind, and no matter how he shifts the pieces around, Rat is always part of the puzzle.
Welcome to Anara, a world where relics emit technologically advanced powers, members of the old Order are hunted by the governing Watch yet revered by the people, and the great energy that connects all seems to also be destroying all. The only hope for the world lies in Galen, a man of the old Order and a Keeper of relics, and his sixteen-year-old apprentice, Raffi. They know of a secret relic with great power that has been hidden for centuries. As they search for it, they will be tested beyond their limits when faced with monsters-some human, some not-that also want the relic's power and will stop at nothing to get it.
Relic Master: The Lost Heiress
Even though Tasceron and its Emperor have fallen, there is a rumor that the heiress to the throne still lives. If so, her life is in grave danger, especially from the Watch. Galen and Raffi must race to find and protect her.
Relic Master: The Hidden Coronet
The coronet, a potent ancient relic, might be the only way to defeat the power that is destroying Anara. But it has been lost for centuries, and only legend tells of its whereabouts. Will Galen and Raffi be able to find it before the Watch does?
Galen and Raffi's quest has brought them to the Pits of Maar. There, below the surface of the world, in the deepest darkness, a most evil thing is waiting for them to come.
Noah and his friends go to a predominantly white neighborhood with a plan: steal a car, sell it to a chop shop, and make some fast cash, but that never happens. Instead, Noah, a teen father, is the victim of a vicious beating that leaves him with a fractured skull. Was the attacker just protecting his turf, or was this a terrible hate crime?
Martin was sitting on the front stoop of his apartment building minding his own business when he was arrested for something he didn't even mean to do. Five months later, he's still locked up on Rikers Island, in a New York City jail. Just when it seems things couldn't get much worse, Martin is caught between two warring prisoners, and his face is slashed. Now he'll be forever marked with a prison scar. One good thing comes from the attack: Martin is transferred to a different part of Rikers where inmates are required to attend high school. If Martin opens up to a teacher who really seems to care, perhaps he'll learn a lesson more valuable than any taught in class.
Teen Thrillers
Carver Young dreams of becoming a detective, despite growing up in an orphanage with only crime novels to encourage him. But when he is adopted by Detective Hawking of the world famous Pinkerton Agency, Carver is given not only the chance to find his biological father, he finds himself smack in the middle of a real life investigation: tracking down a vicious serial killer who has thrown New York City into utter panic.
When Gabe's parents leave town for the weekend, he lets his best, and only friend Dover convince him to break into his father's basement laboratory. Once inside, the boys make a shocking discovery, one that will turn a boring weekend into a hilarious madcap adventure: a smoking hot robot who, before the day is over, she'll expose a traitorous plot, catapult two geeky freshmen to high school fame, and try to assassinate Dr. Phil!
Rucker Park is a place where basketball's greatest pro players go up against street legends. Best friends Mackey and J.R. have waited their whole lives to win the basketball tournament here, but when the day of an important game arrives, J.R. is fatally stabbed. Now Mackey has a score to settle, but the killer is watching his every move.
For Matt and his sisters, life with their cruel, vicious mother is a day-to-day struggle for survival. But when the admirable Murdoch begins dating Matt's mother, life is suddenly almost good. But the relief lasts only a short time. When Murdoch inevitably breaks up with their mother, Matt knows he needs to take action. Can he call upon his hero? Or must he take measures into his own hands?
Equal parts romance and heart-pounding action, this novel will leave you absolutely breathless. Join teen Jake King, an adrenaline junkie turned hotshot firefighter, as he struggles with the one risk he cannot take: losing his best friend and secret love, the beautiful Salome Lee. But to Jake, firefighting is like breathing pure adrenaline. And if he doesn't stop soon, they could all get burned....
The Shadow Club starts simply enough: the kids who are tired of being second-best get together and, for the first time, talk about how they feel. But soon the members decide to play practical jokes on the first-place winners they envy, and things begin to spin dangerously out of control.
The Shadow Club doesn't exist anymore, but Jared and the ex-members are having a hard time shaking their reputation. When the new golden boy at school is the victim of a series of nasty pranks, everyone's convinced Jared is to blame. Determined to prove his innocence, Jared soon becomes wrapped up in a nightmare worse than anything the Shadow Club ever caused.
Mickey Bolitar's year can't get much worse. After witnessing his father's death and sending his mom to rehab, he's forced to live with his estranged uncle Myron and switch high schools.
A new school comes with new friends and new enemies, and lucky for Mickey, it also comes with a great new girlfriend, Ashley. Then Ashley vanishes without a trace. Mickey follows Ashley's trail into a seedy underworld that reveals that this seemingly sweet, shy girl isn't who she claimed to be. And neither was Mickey's father.
Sam's girlfriend Alicia drops a bombshell. Make that ex-girlfriendbecause by the time she tells him she's pregnant, they've already called it quits. Sam does not want to be a teenage dad, so he turns to his hero, skating legend Tony Hawk, because Sam believes the answers to life's hurdles can be found in Hawk's autobiography. But even Tony Hawk isn't offering answers this timeor is he?
The Slayer Chronicles: First Kill
The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod is sinking its fangs into readers every day. Now, Heather Brewer brings us the other side of the story, from the perspective of Vlads former friend turned mortal enemy: campire slayer Joss Macmillan.
Starting high school is never easy. Scott decides high school would be a lot less overwhelming if it came with a survival manual, so he begins to write down tips for his soon-to-be-born sibling. In the process, Scott manages to become involved in nearly everything the school has to offer. He has a hard time finding his place in the confusing world of high school AND keeping his sanity.
Ever wonder who was the first kid to keep a wallet on a big chunky chain, or wear way-too-big pants on purpose? What about the mythical first guy who wore his baseball cap backwards? These are the Innovators, the people on the very cusp of cool. Seventeen-year-old Hunter Braque's job is finding them for the retail market.
But when a big-money client disappears, Hunter must use all his cool-hunting talents to find her. Along the way he's drawn into a web of brand-name intrigue-a missing cargo of the coolest shoes he's ever seen, ads for products that don't exist, and a shadowy group dedicated to the downfall of consumerism as we know it.
The smell of Denmark, Tennessee, hits Horatio Wilkes the moment he pulls into town to visit his best friend, Hamilton Prince. And it's not just the paper plant and the polluted river that's stinking up Denmark: Hamilton's father has been poisoned and the killer is still at large. Horatio and Hamilton need to find the killer, but it seems like everyone in Denmark is a suspect.
Horatio Wilkes has come to the Scottish Highland Festival with his childhood friend Mac but before the Celtic festivities can get under way, Mac's grandfather and founder of the games, Duncan MacRae, is brutally murdered. All signs point to Duncan's son, Malcolm, as the killer, but Horatio has his doubts.
John "Spud" Milton takes his first hilarious steps towards manhood in this delicious, laugh-out-loud boarding school romp, full of midnight swims, raging hormones, and catastrophic holidays that will leave all readers in hysterics and thirsty for more!
Spud: The Madness Continues...
It's 1991, and John "Spud" Milton's journey to manhood is still creeping along at a snail's pace. Nearly fifteen, Spud's starting his second year at boarding school andto his utter mortificationhe's still a spud and life at school's about to get a whole lot worse.
Years ago, scientists began developing the ultimate military weapon: deadly sleeper assassins housed within the bodies of teenagers. Now Subject Seven, the dangerous alter-ego living inside a 16-year-old boy, has escaped the lab and is on a mission. His objective? To seek out others like him and build an army capable of destroying their creators.
Four thousand years ago the world's first super human walked the earth. Possessing the strength of one hundred men, skin impervious to attack, and the ability to read minds, this immortal being used his power to conquer and enslave nations. Now plans are in motion that will transport this super human to the present, where he'll usher in a new age of tyranny unlike anything the world has ever seen.
Tales of the Madman Underground
For years, Karl been part of what he calls �the Madman Underground��a group of kids forced (for no apparent reason) to attend group therapy during school hours. Karl has decided that senior year is going to be different. He is going to get out of the Madman Underground for good. He is going to act�and be�Normal. But Normal, of course, is relative when you have five after-school jobs, one dead father, one seriously unhinged drunk mother and a huge attitude.
Best friends Ray and Jose have escaped foster care and juvenile detention centers and now live on their own in an abandoned building located near Ten Mile River. They are closer than brothers until tension creeps into their relationship, and Ray must struggle to find an identity separate from Jose and try to envision a future for himself beyond Jose and Ten Mile River.
Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Bake, his classmate and crush, who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he�ll find out how he made the list.
High school senior Tyler Miller used to be the kind of guy who faded into the background, but since he got busted for doing graffiti on the school, and spent the summer doing outdoor work to pay for it, he stands out like you wouldn't believe. A string of events and changes have Tyler questioning his place in the school, in his family, and in the world.
It's Dade's last summer at home and college is a shining beacon of possibility keeping him afloat. Then he meets the mysterious Alex Kincaid, and falls in love for the first time. But just when true happiness has set in, tragedy shatters the dreamy curtain of summer.
One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens-both named Will Grayson-are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history's most fabulous high school musical.


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By JOSH SIGLER KOKOMO TRIBUNE
Kokomo Tribune
---- — When Tipton quarterback Austin Hooker went down with a broken arm in Week 2, the Blue Devils had to adjust their season goals.
Three straight losses to Rensselaer Central (9-7), West Lafayette (34-10) and Lafayette Central Catholic (14-7) left the team at 3-3. Hooker returned in Week 7 and Tipton appears to be rolling again, having won three straight against Sheridan, Twin Lakes and Delphi. The Class 2A No. 7-ranked Devils didn't expect to enter postseason play with three losses, but at the end of the day, a shot at a fourth straight sectional title still has a chance to become a reality with Hooker back under center.
"We have dealt with a lot of adversity this year but I'd like to think we've overcome it," Tipton coach Aaron Tolle said. "When Austin got hurt we put a positive spin on it. We challenged ourselves to get better defensively, in the kicking game and on the offensive line. We felt like if we got better in those areas, once we got Austin back we'd be that much better. Some of that has happened, and some of those questions are yet to be answered. We're staring two really tough teams in the face so those questions will get answered in the next couple weekends."
Tipton hosts Cass (5-4) tonight at 7 p.m. in the start of Sectional 35 play, a Kings' squad Tolle and the Blue Devils know well. Cass is the last team to hand Tipton a sectional loss, topping the Devils 15-0 in a rainy, windy sectional semifinal contest in Walton in 2009. The Kings went on to claim the sectional crown.
"You don't have to watch film to know that Cass is a team that's extremely disciplined and well-coached," Tolle said. "Coach [Scott] Mannering is one of the best coaches in the state, probably a hall of famer down the road. This is a huge challenge for us as a coaching staff. They're one of those programs that regardless of the amount of talent, they will be extremely competitive and be winners and not beat themselves. You're going to have to go out and beat them. We can't afford to make mistakes and give them opportunities to win. It's just a huge challenge."
The Kings had a four-game winning streak snapped in a 23-8 loss at Western last week. The win gave the Panthers a share of the Mid-Indiana Conference crown.
"We played better in the second half of the season, and sometimes that's hard to tell because our schedule is tough at the start of the year," Mannering said. "I was really disappointed in the way we played against West Lafayette and Northwestern in particular. The Hamilton Heights game I thought we showed some improvement. We got beat by a good Western team last week. We were in the ball game and had opportunities, but they deserve to be conference champs. We're above .500 right now and as good as we can be, and we hope that can carry us into [tonight]."
Leading Cass' wing-T offense is Gabe Welch, who enters postseason play with 855 yards and nine touchdowns on 116 carries. Brendan McGehee has also shown to be a formidable option on the ground with 70 carries for 525 yards and eight TDs. Payton Young has also performed well for a deep backfield with 77 carries for 500 yards and three TDs. Quarterback Owen Ohman is 24 of 50 through the air for 379 yards, six TDs and one interception.
"They're very balanced," Tolle said of the Kings. "They don't have that one go-to guy, but rather an offensive system. What that makes us have to do is be very disciplined at every position on defense. You have to be just as disciplined on defense as they are on offense, because coach Mannering will find the guys who aren't being disciplined and exploit them. It's a tournament ballgame, and who wants to practice more next week is what it comes down to."
Nate Hein leads Tipton's rushing offense with 139 carries for 849 yards and six TDs, while Brody Dell has added 117 carries for 639 yards and eight TDs. In just over four games of action, Hooker is 43 of 79 through the air for 629 yards, four TDs and one interception. He also has 44 carries for 263 yards and six TDs on the ground. Jake Devendorf is the teams's leading receiver with 28 catches for 382 yards and three TDs.
"They're very solid," Mannering said of Tipton. "They have a really good nucleus of players. They obviously throw it well and run the ball extremely well also, so it'll be tough to defend everything. It's a big challenge for us obviously. Western ran the ball on us very well and we have to improve that. At the same time, we have to be able to cover the deep receivers. Defensively it's a big challenge, so we have to play extremely well on the offensive side and on special teams."
Tipton boasts an area-best eight sectional championships, with Cass a close second with seven titles.
The Tipton-Cass winner will face the winner of the North Putnam (1-8) at No. 2 Central Catholic (8-1) contest next week.
SOUTHMONT (3-6) at TAYLOR (0-9)
In another Sectional 35 first-round contest, the Titans host a Mounties squad (7 p.m.) that is dealing with the loss of starting quarterback Devon Burton. Sophomore Jarrett Todd will start in his place and direct Southmont's option offense, which is led by running back Nathaniel Farabee, who has 170 carries for 818 yards and seven TDs on the season.
The Titans are looking to snap a 25-game losing streak.
"I've been impressed, particularly this week, with the extra bounce we have in our step," Taylor coach Eric Davis said. "Everyone makes a big deal about going into the tourney 0-0, and there's no doubt our kids have taken to that mentality. It's really shown up in practice."
Running back Dayne Tomlinson leads the Titans with 135 carries for 535 yards and 10 TDs. QB Jordon Lazaro is 47 of 142 through the air for 460 yards, four TDs and seven interceptions. Darian Stone is the team's leading receiver with 10 catches for 186 yards and three TDs.
"It's critical for one team to come out and set the tempo of the game, and we certainly want that to be us," Davis said. "Getting the ball rolling in the positive direction is huge for us. We have to be able to maintain possession and drive the ball to move the ball consistently. That's our best defense, having our offense on the field."
The Southmont-Taylor winner faces the Delphi (4-5) at Benton Central (1-8) winner next week.
BLUFFTON (4-5) at EASTERN (2-7)
Eastern welcomes Bluffton to Greentown in a 7 p.m. sectional matchup.
The Comets boast the area's best passing attack, led by QB Austin Bates, who is 128 of 240 through the air for 1,834 yards, 15 TDs and 12 interceptions this season. Cree Johnston has 40 catches for 545 yards and two TDs, while Will Porter adds 35 catches for 618 yards and seven TDs. Running back Papee Byers has been hampered by injuries for much of the season, but appears to be back at full strength just in time for the postseason. He ran for over 1,000 yards last year.
"I like the way we've gone about things offensively in the last seven weeks," Eastern coach Josh Edwards said. "There were some games where we just got outmanned. But, I think in games where we had similar competitive balance I like where we're at, especially now with getting Papee back and having most of the team healthy. If we can get a semblance of a running game going, that makes our passing game even better."
Bluffton has lost three straight since a 4-2 start to the season. The Tigers have shown balance on offense this season, led by running back D'Wayne Eskridge, who has 87 carries for 839 yards and six TDs. QB Malcom Marshall has completed 69 of 148 passes for 1,094 yards, nine TDs and seven picks. Marshall's favorite target has been Cody Harris, who has 32 catches for 502 yards and four TDs.
"We've got to slow them down," Edwards said. "Matchup for matchup it seems like a pair of pretty equally matched teams. They struggle in some of the same areas we do. They have a very good offense that has scored some points on some good teams. We have to make sure we get at least a handful of stops. If we can get a couple stops I think we can do some good things offensively."
The Bluffton-Eastern winner will face the Oak Hill (6-3) at Madison-Grant (3-6) winner next week.

subset: commoncrawl


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Longmont, CO, United States | Member Since 2011
"Too scientific"
Too much of the science and not enough to help someone overcome shyness. I appreciate the knowledge behind why I am shy -- but does not help me here and now.
"Not a fan"
Not really a fan. I cannot pinpoint why I was not really getting into this book, but it may have been the narrator. Plus, I don't understand the "vanity" part of the title.
"Relax with friends"
It seems like the characters could be your neighbor or your friend. I liked this book for something that was easy and not complicated. Light reading for the summer, but would be good to curl up by a fire in the winter. There are more books in the Elm Creek Quilt series, and I will pick up another one or two to relax with in the future.
I enjoyed Simon's autobiography - but I also enjoyed his short story. I love his imagination and creative flair, but he is down to earth and funny. Didn't realize that this was abridged version - so somewhat disappointed by that.
"Rules and schools are tools for fools!"
When you have a stressful job and just want a book to relax to - then this would be a good book for you. Yes, it is a children's book. However, it is enjoyable, and funny, and has some very interesting characters. It is not too complicated, it helps to zone out after work in the car on the way home. Some great quotes too.
"Made me laugh"
After reading YA and other items, this was the perfect "adult" book to get me back into more grown-up themes. The book was funny but truthful at the same time.
"Old fashioned fun"
I would describe this book as "old-fashioned." It was okay, and pleasant to read, but not griping. It made me smile in a couple of spots, and I think the narrator did a good job.
"Ahh, young love"
I liked this book -- may be closer to 3.5 stars. I think the author did a good job capturing the feelings of teenagers. However, I think I am burnt out on YA books - and need something more adult to read. Good book - would recommend.
"Slow, not very interesting"
Finally finished. Painfully slow. Not my style. Only interesting parts were last two chapters.
"Old radio program"
I listened to three episodes of X Minus One from Audible. The recordings reminded me of my uncle's love for old radio programs. Each episode was different and the character's brought the short stories to life. I would be interested in listening to more episodes.
"Pretty good"
I listened to three episodes of X Minus One from Audible. The recordings reminded me of my uncle's love for old radio programs. Each episode was different and the character's brought the short stories to life. I would be interested in listening to more episodes.
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Criminal Justice
Maryland gov signs bill abolishing death penalty; fate of 5 men on death row is uncertain
Posted May 2, 2013 12:35 PM CDT
By Martha Neil
Maryland's governor on Thursday, as expected, signed into law a bill that abolishes the death penalty.
The state is the first south of the Mason-Dixon line to end capital punishment, the Associated Press reports.
However, still uncertain is the fate of the five men still on death row, who are not covered by the new law. Gov. Martin O'Malley has the power to commute their sentences to life in prison and says he will consider doing so on an individual basis.
Reuters and the Washington Post (reg. req.) also have stories.
See also:
ABAJournal.com: "Maryland lawmakers abolish death penalty"
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This is a thought I've kind of bounced around in my head for a little while now and decided to try and put it out there.
Today when I was reading through the Heisman Pundits most overrated coaches in college football, there was one line that really struck a chord with me. In his blurb about Mark Richt, whom he has rated as the 8th most overrated coach in the country, he says
"Nice man. Program is very good. But will he ever win big when he's supposed to (like 2008)?"
This sort of thing really bugs me. When MSM types spout off on when a team is supposed to be good and criticize a coach for not having their programs succeed at the highest level when they are "supposed to".
To me it seems more like the Media monster likes to detract from the fact that their predictions and preseason assessments really have no validity or accuracy. Now I'm being a little hypocritical here because I sink my teeth into just as much preseason literature as the next fan, and I constantly feed the very beast that I'm being critical of. But what bothers me is when a program or coach gets blasted for having what if looked at objectively could really be seen as a decent season, just because they didn't live up to your inaccurate predictions.
I realize I'm quoting a blogger who was just trying to fill the hours and get some hits. But this could also be used to describe Bruce Pearl's squad this year. Did they underperform? Or did we simply over assess? Looking back on the year you could make the argument that we could have seen it coming. Losing your top 4 guards from the previous year as well as an experienced post player coming into his junior year and you're supposed to improve as a team?
In general I think we just need to be careful when we judge a coaches worth based on how they perform when they're supposed to be good vs. when they're not.


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The Keepers of Alexandria workshop comes to Cleveland. Join us to dedicate the John A. Wyatt Center for Humanities and Peace.
Columbus conference registration deadline extended! Register today! More lodging added at Ramada Inn. Why attend?
Attend the NAMTA Conference in Columbia, MD, October 9-12, 2014
New date for conference in Hartford, CT: April 23-26, 2015
Read July NAMTA ENews
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Grazia Silvana! Montessori Assistants to Infancy
The Montessori Children's House: An Introduction
See table of contents or sample pages from Montessori Algebra for the Adolescent by Michael Waski
NAMTA's purpose is to maintain Montessori traditions, and at the same time, to be on the cutting edge of innovative education. Accordingly, we provide the medium for study, interpretation, and improvement of Montessori education.
Research studies show that Montessori children are well prepared for later life academically, socially, and emotionally. In addition to scoring well on standardized tests, Montessori children are ranked above average on such criteria as following directions, turning in work on time, listening attentively, using basic skills, showing responsibility, asking provocative questions, showing enthusiasm for learning, and adapting to new situations.


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Well, we've made it through the first month of the season, and so far, the shortstopocalypse has not yet struck in St. Louis. It remains true that the Cardinals could stand to upgrade significantly at shortstop. However, this upgrade is not particularly urgent, both in comparison to the other issues this team faces in the bullpen and on offense, especially at leadoff.
A trade to improve at shortstop certainly remains a possibility, but any potential deal for a whiz bang new toy has to be evaluated in terms of how much we would lose. This team has potentially championship winning assets in its young pitching and hitting; is giving away 3 or so players out of Shelby Miller, Carlos Martinez, Michael Wacha, Oscar Taveras, Matt Adams, and Kolten Wong really worth it?
Maybe it will be. But it can't hurt to try some other options to strengthen the shortstop position organization wide first. Here are a few steps:
Let Pete Kozma Play
Draft More Pitching (Yes, Pitching)
Sign an International Free Agent Shortstop
Explore a Trade for Dee Gordon
1) Let Pete Kozma play out the year: Pete Kozma has not been a liability so far; he is still roughly league average thus far (better than Asdrubal Cabrera by a fair clip I might add). All those who would contend that one month is a small sample size--well, let's give him a full sample then. At the very least, Pete Kozma is playing us into better bargaining position if a trade situation ever came up; because of him we are not desperate. Further, he potentially gives us the opportunity to reinforce the high farm system or take on some other project options that may pan out and be cheaper then trading for a premier player. Here is a fair assessment of Kozma's performance so far...I agree, I'd give him a B.
2) Draft More Pitching: No the Cardinals shouldn't draft a shortstop. This draft class is particularly weak at shortstop this year, with below average first round talent and sparse pickings. It is deep in catchers and left handed pitching, and its not hard to find quality pitching anyway. The Cardinals should A) draft the best player possible and B) continue to focus on fostering the excellent depth they have in young pitching. If the time does come for a trade, any team is going to want one main thing from the Cardinals: pitching pitching pitching. If the Cardinals could score another Wacha or two in the first few rounds of the draft they will be that more able to sustain any trade that requires pitching prospects.
3) Sign an International Free Agent Shortstop: This is the better place to target a position of need, for two reasons. The Cardinals will be free to go out and bid on whoever they wish, without worrying about draft pick status and getting the best talent for your pick. Secondly, two of the top three international prospects this year are shortstops, at least according to this report over at SB Nation Minor League Baseball. Here are two scouting reports from their report, on Obipso Aybar-Lara and Gleyber Torres:
A) Obispo Aybar-Lara, SS, 6'0" 165lbs, R/R, Dominican Republic
Trainer: Jaime Ozuna
Age: 16.4 years
A potential five-tool shortstop with plus-plus speed (6.53) and above average raw power, Aybar-Lara is one of the premier athletes available for July 2nd signing period. Defensively he has the excellent range, actions, and plus arm-strength that has one former scouting director rating his defense as a future 6 or 7. He has a wiry and lean frame with lots of room to add muscle, and projects to hit for at least average power down the road. Aybar-Lara has a contact oriented approach at the plate and very good batspeed. He's an an exciting player with the potential to be a power-speed combo at the top of a lineup. Though he can play a little wild at times, Aybar-Lara brings a serious no-nonsense approach to every game. Aybar-Lara is currently being investigated by the MLB for allegedly misrepresenting his age. His trainers are representing him as 16 years-old, but some reports back in the Dominican Republic have him listed as old as 19. If the reports are true, he probably belongs in the late teens on this list, because even at 19 years old his tools are good enough to get a high six-figure bonus.
Comparison: Elvis Andrus
B) Gleyber Torres, SS, 5'11" 184lbs, R/R, Venezuela
Trainer: Ciro Barrios
Age: 16.6 years
Considered the top Venezuelan prospect in the 2013 class, Torres is a product of the Ciro Barrios camp that also trained last year's top prospect Franklin Barreto (Blue Jays). While Torres does not have Barretto's level of international success and experience on his resume, some scouts consider him to be the better overall prospect, due to his power and greater likelihood of remaining at short. Torres is a polished player with a high floor, and though he doesn't offer much projection, what he is right now is already pretty good. A smooth defender with above average arm strength and innate natural instincts on the infield, Torres is exactly what you would want in a shortstop prospect. Offensively, he has a clean swing and shows patience and a good approach at the plate. Scouts see Torres as being the type of hitter who could hit for average while adding 15-20 homeruns a year. Torres only below-average tool is his lack of pure footspeed (7.02), but he has much better range than one would expect from a player with that kind of 60-time. The Cubs are said to be the team most aggressive on him, offering a bonus as high as 2mm.
Comparison: John Valentin
Signing either of these players would have an immediate positive impact on our organizational depth at shortstop. I don't know much more than what these reports say, but I would tend toward Aybar-Lara, who may be late teens, in which case he wouldn't be as far off from being able to play. Additionally, I'm not sure what the status of Aledmys Diaz is, but earlier this year he was also considered a possible option out of Cuba.
4) Explore a Trade for Dee Gordon: Yes, I am aware of his performance last season. I'm aware of his defensive struggles, and his demotion to AAA. That's the point. Dee Gordon is a player with multiple elite level tools whose value has sunk as low as it possibly could. If there were ever a time that he could be obtained for low cost, that time is now. Depending on what the situation is for the Dodgers around the trade deadline, the Cardinals should at least put out feelers to see how cheaply they could get him--depending on the recoveries of some of the Dodgers starters, they could be looking for pitching help, and they're known to need 3B/Utility Infield improvements. From what conversations I've had with Dodgers fans, Joe Kelly could maybe draw some interest. This would be a low cost but risk/reward move--he may never live up to his potential, but IF HE DOES he is an impact leadoff hitter, a Jose Reyes lite. In regards to his defense: he has all the physical tools, a great arm...things just haven't panned out yet. Maybe Ozzie Smith could change that. If acquired, he should be left in AAA for the rest of the year and allowed to compete in 2014--at that point, we'll see if his disastrous 2012 was the result of an over-accelerated development, or an overrated potential. He wouldn't be the first player to find his true potential within the Cardinal Way.
Are any of these options slam dunks? Of course not--that's why they would be cheap. The great thing is, if they fail, the Cardinals are in no worse of a trading position to make the impact trades everyone likes to talk about. BUT: if they succeed (especially the Dee Gordon fantasy) the Cardinals solve their shortstop problem while keeping all those players we're loathe to part with. That may be worth a shot.


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North Carolina Tar Heels Women's Basketball News
North Carolina Tar Heels Women's Basketball Sports news continually updated from thousands of sources around the net.
6 hrs ago | Alabama Live
UAB releases its 2014-15 men's basketball schedule
UAB coach Jerod Haase will have the home team when the Conference USA men's basketball tournament comes to Birmingham in 2015.
North Carolina punter Tommy Hibbard has been a model of consistency since he took over the starting job in 2011 and will once again provide this team a unique advantage on special teams in 2014.
Live Chat: Talking University of Minnesota hoops with Amelia Rayno
This is Amelia Rayno's third season on the Gophers men's basketball beat. She learned college basketball in North Carolina , where fanhood is not an option.
North Carolina's preseason trip to the islands provided a glimpse into the potential of its highly touted freshman class.
UNC coach Larry Fedora on QB competition: Decision coming, but won't be public
At least, don't expect coach Larry Fedora to confirm who it is. Fedora on Monday after practice said that while he and his staff will make a decision on the starting quarterback before the first game, that decision will be kept private.
UNC No. 23 in preseason AP top 25
23 in the Associated Press top 25 poll, which released its preseason rankings on Sunday.
College basketball odds: Clemson vs no. 4 Duke
Clemson faces long college basketball odds as it travels on the road to face on of the elite teams in the country: Duke .
Tar Heels senior Norkeithus Otis ready to lead defense
CHAPEL HILL After a season-and-a-half of allowing game-changing plays, something changed on the North Carolina defense midway through last season.
North Carolina bounces back from disappointing Bahamas opener
Roy Williams' North Carolina Tar Heels were scheduled to play just two games in the Bahamas this weekend, and the quick trip from Chapel Hill did not get off to the best of starts.
Former Olympus standout Paulos making a name for himself here, abroad
Swingman took his talents to North Carolina to play on the collegiate level and has goals to play professionally overseas.
The defensive playmakers that drive Duke, UNC and NC State
Duke won a record 10 games and won the Coastal Division for the first time. North Carolina rallied from an abysmal start and beat Cincinnati in the Belk Bowl.
North Carolina's anticipated return to prominence got off to a bumpy start on Friday as the Tar Heels dropped its first preseason exhibition game to the Providence Storm, 84-83, at the Sir Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.
Attacker Alex Moore, the leading goal scorer on the USC women's lacrosse team last spring, has transferred to North Carolina for the fall semester and will take the field for the Tar Heels next spring, head coach Jenny Levy announced on Friday.
By the numbers: Penalty problems?
Haney isn't convinced North Carolina is ready to turn the corner, and while there are plenty of reasons for concern - the O line, the D line, the youth - he's got a different bone to pick with the Tar Heels.
UNC travels to Bahamas for exhibition games: things to watch
The Tar Heels, though, aren't waiting that long to travel to the islands. They left on Thursday afternoon for a preseason trip to the Bahamas, where they'll play exhibition games against the Providence Storm, on Friday night, and the Bahamas All-Stars, on Saturday night.
Q&A with Minnesota's new Director of Basketball Operations Nate Pomeday
This is Amelia Rayno's third season on the Gophers men's basketball beat. She learned college basketball in North Carolina , where fanhood is not an option.
North Carolina has optimism from a strong finish and motivation from watching a rival's surprise trip to the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.
Tigers no longer have USC to contend with for Huggins
DL Albert Huggins of Orangeburg-Wilkinson is the last man standing in South Carolina this recruiting season.
KU will welcome Roy Williams back to Allen Fieldhouse
I wasn't sure I would ever see Roy Williams in Allen Fieldhouse again. After he left KU to return to North Carolina just after KU lost in the national championship game to Syracuse, feelings were bruised.
Opponents/Game Times Set For Rainbow Wahine Showdown
North Carolina will take on Stanford on Friday, Nov. 28 at 8 p.m. ET in a rematch of the NCAA Regional Final contest that took place back in April on Stanford's campus.
They Greased Their Birdfeeder To Keep Squirrels Away. The Result? PURE HILARITY.
This Woman Looks Like She's Wearing Makeup. She's Not.
This Is The Craziest, Most Acrobatic Motorcycle Accident You'll Ever See
LAPD Cop: If You Don't Want To Get Shot, Don't Challenge Me
George W. Bush Just Took The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge And It's Pretty Hilarious
Could You Pass a US Citizenship Test?
Updated: Thu Aug 21, 2014 02:26 pm
Copyright © 2014 Topix LLC


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Posts Tagged Dublin
Brighter Days In Ireland
Posted by Richard Chapman in Cosmography on July 9th 2013
A hot day in Ireland – more special than Christmas. That feast arrives once a year, like it or not. Hot weather is significantly less dependable. If it comes at all, you know not the day nor the hour. Where the wind and the water currents of the Atlantic collide with land, weather is about as predictable as a fruit machine. So hot days are precious.
Which is why I gave up any idea of getting work done and went swimming. I had no choice.
It was lovely at the lake. The water hasn't got very warm yet, but it was fine for swimming. Mostly young people there, throwing themselves and each other in. Some had brought hurls and sliotars (hurling balls) and were practising in the water. The ball landed near me at one stage and I threw it back – or tried. Ever thrown something while floating in water? It's weird, and largely unsuccessful. I was throwing myself backwards as much as the ball forwards. Embarrassing.
I was impressed though by this positive attitude. Galway lost the Leinster Championship final yesterday, to underdogs Dublin. (No Galway isn't in Leinster – it's a long story.) Some might have wanted to forget about hurling for a while after that, but here these young guys were not just practising, but apparently developing an entirely new tactical approach that involves flooding the pitch to a depth of over two metres.
It may be romantic optimism brought on by the weather, but I see hope for the future in that.
Related articles
- Dublin shock All-Ireland hurling champions Kilkenny with replay win (irishcentral.com)
- Hurling! (daveshirer.wordpress.com)
This Is How It Begins
Posted by Richard Chapman in Politics on November 27th 2012
What James Reilly did was nothing special, just politics as usual. That's precisely why he has to go. What passes for usual politics in this country is the whole problem. Politics as usual is what we threw Fianna Fáil out for.
James Reilly is our Minister for Health, in case you're wondering. For the moment at least. And believe it or not, this has little or nothing to do with the Savita Halappanavar tragedy. There was a time when, as an actual doctor running the health service instead of a career politician, he seemed like a breath of fresh air. That chapter was brief, its ending a few months ago decidedly anticlimactic. His Labour party junior at the Department gave up, accusing him of manipulating health service priorities to bring investment and facilities to his own constituency. Documents released now appear to confirm this.
Is that not just the inevitable outcome of representative democracy? People expect their reps to bring back the goods. A little thumb on the scales.
No. A TD is not a warrior-champion, not a hunter. We're sending them to Dublin to represent us there, not to loot it. Government tends to look away when a minister slips some spoils to the folks back home. It helps keep the seat safe at the next election. For ministers, it helps them keep their job and its lavish pay – not to mention its influence. Public money is diverted for their personal benefit in an only very slightly indirect way. In other words, it's corruption. The sort of endemic, omnipresent corruption we used to mistake for normality.
But this is not a victimless crime. Favouring his own constituency disfavours the rest of the country. By taking a hospital from where it's needed most to where it's needed less he's reducing someone's chances of survival – and doing it for his own gain. Just like the worst sort of career politician.
We have had enough of this. He's got to go.
Related articles
- James Reilly Lies as he Distorts Reality (misebogland.wordpress.com)
- James Reilly backer owns controversial primary-care site (independent.ie)
- Fresh calls for Health Minister James Reilly to resign after latest 'stroke politics' revelations (irishcentral.com)
This – This – Will Fix The Economy
Posted by Richard Chapman in Humour, Politics on July 25th 2012
Estate agents insist that property prices in Dublin have stabilised. I remember the first time they said that, back in 2007. And they've stabilized regularly ever since.
But you can't exactly disagree. In a way, house prices are always stable. A house is always worth… about a house. A person can eat a lot or a little food, own a hundred cars or none, but houses tend to stabilise somewhere around the level of one per every two adults. Because try as you might, you can't live in much more than one house at a time. Logically then, housing ought to be one of the most stable commodities on the market. It's actually the rest of the economy that has been vigorously swung around this anchor point. During the housing boom, wages may have gone up on paper, but in house-buying terms they plunged through the floor.
Which gives me an idea… We need a new currency, right? The euro, well, it's lovely and all. I like the colours, and the handy map on the back. But the thing is, we just can't really afford it. Using the euro is like having a currency on the gold standard when the world is desperately short of gold. You can't have a functional economy when the standard unit of exchange is hen's teeth.
And what do we have plenty of? Why, houses! Too many houses, not enough euro banknotes. Think about it.
Of course you can't put houses in your wallet or bring them to the shops. There will still have to be tokens. But the base currency unit should be fixed to the value of the standard house – say the sort of small two-bedroom starter home that was produced like popcorn during the boom. Notes should be denominated in fractions of a house. That way, the price of a home can never run away from you. Save up 1,000 of the new thousandth-of-a-house notes, and you can exchange them for one standard house at your nearest branch of NAMA.
It won't stop people charging more than the standard house price of course, for bigger residences in better locations. But the existence of a perfectly adequate house at a fixed price – well, a price that money is fixed to – should act as a powerful stabilising influence. You'll be able to look at a property ad and say "Well it's a good house. But is it really worth two houses?"
The Land Of The Tree
Posted by Richard Chapman in Cosmography, Politics, Technology on July 5th 2012
My plan worked… well enough.
Of course I couldn't sleep on the bus in the end. But I had time to stretch in Dublin airport, drink a coffee to keep me awake until boarding and get my devices recharged. (The new terminal seems at first to be a building somehow designed without power points, but they do have them in the cafe upstairs in departures.)
I suppose I got about an hour's sleep on the flight. Slightly befuddled then, I managed to get lost inside Helsinki airport. I think due to a shortage of gates they let us out into the departures lounge; I should have realised this when the woman serving me coffee wished me a good flight. There was a lack of signage to the exit – people usually depart Departures in planes of course. I ended up in the international transfers sector, which had a door that only opens to you from the outside, presumably an anti-immigrant feature. I was trapped! The only logical escape was to take the next plane leaving the EU.
Fortunately, I wasn't quiet tired enough to be that logical. I waited. Some Chinese people entered, I snuck through and was free.
Not a lot to report after that. I met my friend, we played on the beach with her six-year-old daughter and her daughter's friend. We came home and I managed to stay politely awake through dinner, collapsing into bed around ten in the evening even though the sun was still shining.
It was still shining when I awoke. Well OK, I presume I missed a brief episode of darkness. Helsinki is not above the Arctic Circle. But it was now even hotter. We went to another beach, warmer and more sheltered, where Finnish families from the neighbourhood go to build sandcastles and paddle. This may be a colder country on average, but they have real seasons here. The summer they're complaining about is a hell of a lot better than the one we're complaining about.
I went swimming! In the Baltic. The water is lovely. Being almost enclosed it's a lot less salty than the ocean, so it was more like swimming in a lake. Except it was salty enough to allow me to float with no effort at all. Best of both worlds really.
And I arrived back to find that the world had changed. Though this was America's day officially (Greetings to the Home Of The Brave, from the Land Of The Tree) it was all going on in Europe. The EU Parliament has thankfully rejected ACTA, yet another attempt by Big Entertainment to curtail the Internet. They wanted us to choose between freedom and their profitability. We did.
But then at CERN they found the first solid evidence to confirm the existence of the Higgs boson. It's important? Well, it proves that the scientific theory we call the "Standard Model" doesn't have a huge flaw, that humans do have some idea of how it all works. It's a major step towards a complete understanding of how the universe works, and how it began.
Freedom, wisdom, and floating in a warm sea. Some days are OK.
Related articles
- Scientists Believe They Have Discovered the Higgs Boson! (electronics-lab.com)
- Elusive "Goddamn Particle" Finally (Officially) Discovered by CERN's LHC (dailytech.com)
- Higgs boson costs Stephen Hawking $100 bet (slashgear.com)
The Road To Finland 2
Posted by Richard Chapman in Humour on July 5th 2012
Dammit, I can't sleep. The hot sun won't stop streaming in through the window. What sort of lake-strewn, tree-befuzzed hell have I arrived in?
But wait, let's start at the beginning. Or at least, where I finished. Yesterday, in Café Wa, in Galway…
The best part of a journey is not to travel hopefully or to arrive, but the moment that comes just a little after you set out. I mean the one when it hits you that it's too late now to worry if you have all the right underwear and cables, there's no point in once again checking your ticket and passport. That ship has, perhaps literally, sailed. Finally you sigh and stretch and let the vehicle carry you.
The worst part conversely is the one before departure, when searching through pockets to confirm the presence of items you know are there is still a live option. And that's the stage I've reached. Essentially I'm writing this to keep my hands busy.
I would have been on a bus to Dublin now but for a last-minute change of plan. My flight leaves at the unthinkable hour of 7:40 a.m., meaning they expect me to check in at 5:40 – about the time I'm usually going to bed. If that sounds convenient to you, consider that I'm the sort of person who can't sleep until they're too tired to stay awake. This means that I have to do the hardest part – actually making sure I get on the plane – when I'm at my least conscious.
My idea was to go to Dublin this evening, stay awake till about 5, get up an hour before that and head to the airport. There was a flaw to this plan. At the bus station though I found that they run all night. New plan then: instead of trying and probably failing to sleep in Dublin – our much worse, falling to wake up – I would leave here at about 2 a.m. on a bus straight to the airport, arriving refreshed and in good time!
Only one possible drawback to this brilliant scheme – It leaves me with hours before my bus, and absolutely nothing left to do.
I wonder if I have an even number of socks.
Related articles
- The Road To Finland (i.doubt.it)
Sea To Ocean
Posted by Richard Chapman in Cosmography on April 4th 2012
We spent a lot on roads in this country. Probably more, with hindsight, than we really ought to have. So I can't help feeling ungrateful when I don't use them. Motorways – highways, autobahns, what you will – are convenient, sure. You can cruise along at 120k (75mph), faster than on ordinary roads. You can steer like you're on rails. You can sleep.
No wait, not sleep. That's the one you're not supposed to do. But honestly, if they wanted you to drift off at the wheel this is exactly how they'd design roads. They're so safe they're dangerous.
I spent last night at a friend's near Dundalk, close to the M1 that runs Dublin-Belfast. The M4 and M6 take you from Dublin to Galway, so I could have gone home entirely by motorway. The route makes a perfect right angle, but nevertheless it's what the satnav recommends.
I took the hypotenuse, the direct route across country via N-roads (national routes). At least, it would be direct if it didn't wind like a bastard. These roads live from bend to bend, forcing you not only to concentrate on steering, but to change your speed and even gear constantly. Though it must be said that these have also been the object of serious investment in recent years, with accurate lines and chevron markers on every bend. Driving them is hard, but not particularly dangerous.
This is the only way to see the country – insofar as there is anything to see in the midlands. Not counting a (very necessary) break then, it took me four hours to get from the Irish Sea to the Atlantic coast. I could've done it in an hour less by motorway, but dammit, it would've felt longer.
Here's some more pictures from the trip:
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- On The Road, On The Border (i.doubt.it)
Spontaneous Com… edians
Posted by Richard Chapman in Humour on November 27th 2011
Speaking of spontaneous things in Galway, our own Spontaneous Theatre People have gotten together with two other comedy outfits to form a sort of improv supergroup. I'm having a lazy Sunday, so here's their press release:
The Make-Up Artists Comedy Improv Tour – "A Tale Of Three Cities"
Hold on to your hats! If you live in Dublin, Limerick or Galway, 'A Tale of Three Cities' is coming soon to your City. Following an incredible impromptu 'improv jam' session at Electric Picnic in 2010, some of Ireland's top improvisers decided that there was too much fun to be had to leave it it that.
Plans were hatched, and they decided a three city comedy improv tour was in order. Members of No Drama (Dublin), Choke Comedy (Limerick) and The Spontaneous Theatre People (Galway) have joined forces and become the Improv 'Supergroup' known as The Make-Up Artists!
Improv Comedy is an incredibly exciting form of theatre. It is energizing for the audience and performers alike, and no two performances are ever alike.
The Make-Up Artists' show promises to be a great night of weird and wonderful comedy antics. All the scenes and games are unscripted, and many are based on the audience suggestions. It will have you on the edge of your seats wondering what could possibly come next, and delighted when you find out what does!
Dublin – Thursday 8th December, Doyle's Pub, College St
Show starts at 8.30pm, admission €10
Limerick – Saturday 10th December, The Belltable, O'Connell St
Show starts at 8pm, admission €10
Galway – Sunday 11th December, Upstairs @ The Townhouse Bar, Spanish Parade.
Doors at 8pm, admission €7/5
Any additional enquiries, email spontaneoustheatre (at) gmail (dot) com
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The Value Of Nothing
Posted by Richard Chapman in Politics on November 22nd 2011
So house prices in Dublin have reached half what they were at the height of the boom. That's a good sign. If they halve once more they'll be back to what they were pre-bubble. Look at the graph (ganked from the very interesting ronanlyons.com) if you don't believe me. Converted to 2011 money, an average house cost about €100,000 for decades. At the height of the boom it peaked at nearly four times that. Well over a third of a million, for an ordinary home.
Just one question springs to mind. What the hell were we thinking? Houses costing the price of a house, plus three other houses? Cars didn't quadruple in price in just a few years. Food didn't, even drink and cigarettes didn't. During boom times, market prices are supposed to fall behind rising incomes. Otherwise they wouldn't be called boom times, they'd be called mysterious outbreaks of rampant inflation. But during ours the cost of housing left incomes for dead. Clearly, the housing market is a deeply flawed one – almost an object model in fact of how capitalism goes wrong.
In theory the price of something is set by supply and demand, which is both efficient and ethical. Well let's pretend it is for now, it works well enough for most things. Why does it go wrong here? Because the supply and demand of housing is almost irrelevant to the housing market.
What does a house cost? It's an interesting question. A house in an appropriate location can be a very important asset, so in general people will spend the absolute maximum on a house they think they can afford. That's clearly unlike wine or cars or dinners or phones. So in short, the answer to the question "How much does a house cost?" is "Whadya got?"
Or more precisely, what can you raise? If easier money is available therefore, people will borrow more. They'll pretty much have to, as prices will rise to meet the available credit. Of course they have the option of only borrowing as much as they would have before prices went strange, but if they do they'll get a much worse house than they could previously have afforded, while those willing to avail of the softer terms will get the shorter commutes, the better school catchment areas, the safer neighbourhoods. Competing for their and their children's futures, it is hard to blame them for taking all that the banks and other financial institutions offered.
Speculation happens in such runaway markets of course. People will buy houses in the hope of selling them at a profit, just as if they were buying shares or gold or currency. Capitalism teaches that there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. The vast, vast majority however are buying houses because they need a house. And while some postponed purchasing in the hope that prices would come down, far more rushed into buying out of fear that they would not.
There are other factors, but we shouldn't overemphasise them. People had become better off, yes. But did your income double? Mine sure as **** didn't. The euro facilitated the boom because such an influx of credit would otherwise have exploded the currency, but it didn't cause it. Houses were said to be "historically underpriced", but even if you can bring yourself to believe a thing could be consistently underpriced for decades without anyone noticing, could it seriously be by a factor of two, even four?
And there was net immigration, that could have been expected to fuel the market. After all prices go up when demand outstrips supply. Only… Supply vastly outstripped demand. People were building houses up the sides of cliffs.
There are no two ways about it. We had a housing price bubble because we had an oversupply of credit. The blame rests squarely with the financial institutions that offered these loans. That is, all of them. Major banks should have known better and could have resisted. Had just a couple of lesser institutions been left to their excessive lending the larger banks would have lost custom, yes. But they would have survived. And minor institutions could not by themselves have super-inflated house prices.
But these lending practices were adopted by the whole industry, and quite literally they forced people to pay too much – far, far too much – for houses. There is a clear case for debt forgiveness therefore. There is also a case for punishment – though of the lenders who made the irresponsible loans rather than the borrowers who had little choice except to take them. And by punishment, I seriously mean prison sentences. There must surely be some law against business practices so reckless that they ruin individuals, families, even a whole country.
Isn't there?
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Reindeer Sandwich
Posted by Richard Chapman in Humour on July 30th 2011
I'm having a reindeer sandwich. This is not some bizarre sexual practice. It's a sandwich with reindeer in it. Makes a change. It was all I could do not to hum Christmas songs as I buttered the bread.
I've wanted to try reindeer since I was in Finland over a year ago, but didn't know enough Finnish to chance it. Their supermarkets are great, but they stock such a vast range of meat products that you feel they can't all be the parts of animals we think of as edible. Yesterday though I was in Ikea, where reindeer is helpfully sold in English.
Ikea is weird, isn't it? A vast warehouse full of what comedian John-Luke Roberts might describe as perfectly adequate furniture. Absolutely nothing was actually ugly, but I hardly saw a single thing I positively liked either. Some of the ceramic sinks were satisfactorily solid. The mattresses seemed excellent value. But I was expecting more somehow. And the Swedish names were nothing like as amusing as people make out.
OK… Except for a set of storage containers labelled Slubb. I enjoyed saying Slubb.
The deli section was rather a letdown too. There just wasn't that much variety, and I was expecting, well, a smorgasbord. I did get some pickled herring of course, and some fish roe paste in a tube which I dubbed 'The Antitoothpaste'. And then the reindeer. Smoked reindeer slices, which look rather like brown ham and, disappointingly, taste rather like brown ham.
So much for reindeer then – or 'pigs with antlers', as they may or may not be called in Finnish.
Five Facts To Help You Forget How Crap Today Was
Posted by Richard Chapman in Humour, Politics on July 13th 2011
Today yet another report on clerical abuse revealed yet more rape of children. The government says that child neglect is a thing of the past, but that the terms of the EU-IMF bailout deal require it to end the jobs of 200 Special Needs Assistants. That deal is supposed to get us back into the bond markets, yet following it has made these markets declare our bonds worthless. And the Euro is on the verge of collapse anyway, so it's actually all meaningless.
However the hottest news item of the day was a personal remark about someone's appearance made in parliament. Sometimes you just want to give up.
So I gave up. Unable to say anything meaningful about so much insanity, I went outside in the sun and painted the gateposts to match the wall.
I've decided that the colour is really 50% Grey – the shade exactly half way between black and white. I can like 50% Grey. (It's probably more like 53% really, but I choose to ignore this.) It reminds me of Photoshop, and it's a good mount card colour for black and white images. Anyway, it all looks nicer now that the walls and gateposts match. That at least was productive.
So here, instead of a proper post, are five things I learned today while drifting listlessly about the Internet:
1) There's a company in England that sells a handmade sports car called the "5EXi". Presumably this is a vehicle designed and built specifically for the needs of twats.
2) A disease called "nodding syndrome" is spreading in Africa. The symptoms include stunted growth, and a lack of neck muscle tone causing the characteristic nodding. No one yet knows what causes it.
3) Teapoy is a word of Indian origin meaning a three-legged table. By erroneous association with the word "tea", it is also used to describe a table with a container for tea. So if you were stuck on today's Irish Times simplex crossword, now you know.
4) There are now at least three people on Google+ posing as Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg. Well I guess that should be "at least two". One of them could be real.
5) There's a fashion currently for women's pants with the crotch hanging down at the knees. A friend in the States was prevented from boarding a bus because the driver considered them unsuitable attire. They call them harem pants, I think because women in harems wore them when they wanted their Sultan to leave them the hell alone.


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Parents beware, there's a new picture messaging app that's being used to sext and it could be on your child's phone.
It's called "Snapchat", and it allows users to send pictures to one another that will "self destruct" in just a few seconds.
And that's just the problem, Snapchat provides teens with a false sense of security that they won't get caught.
WGEM talked to numerous kids at Quincy Junior High Tuesday, many of whom were familiar with the app, and some saying they know kids who have used it inappropriately.
"They talk about it, it's not like it's a private thing," said Taylor Boyer, a student at QJHS.
"It can be really easy to send bad messages like that because you simply just take a picture," said Luke Fuqua, a student at QJHS.
"It's dangerous because you don't really know peoples screen names or how that picture could get out," said Abbey Gutierez, a student at QJHS.
And when parents heard what their kids could be doing on their cell phones, they were appalled.
"There are so many pedophiles in the world today that kids need to stop and realize what they're doing before they do so," said Michelle Lankford.
"I think it's terrible what they can do now a days," said Debbie Sheppard.
Snapchat claims to process more than 30 million messages a day, with more than 1,000 photos sent per second, and the majority of users are between the ages of 13-24.
The app could make it easier for teens to send sexual images to other users, without much fear of getting caught.
The sender can choose how long the message will be visible, up to 10 seconds, before it self-destructs.
But there's a loophole. Users can take a screen shot of the image, and save it on their phone.
"The person you are sending it to probably has just as much education on it as you do, and they can go on the Internet and find ways to save these messages," said Quincy Junior High School resource officer Brent Holtman.
Holtman says while many teens think this is harmless fun, it could have dire consequences.
"Basic child pornography, it's against the law it's a crime to have that in your possession, it's more of a crime to send that over the Internet, over the wires," said Holtman.
So parents what can you do to prevent your child from becoming a part of this craze?
First, set boundaries with your kids and explain to them the legal consequences of sending nude photos.
You can also download monitoring software such as "IRecover" that recovers all deleted pictures from iPhones and ipods, so you can ensure no inappropriate pictures were shared.
For more tips check out these links--
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Sudan, SPLM-N peace talks adjourned until next month
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Addis Ababa, 22 February 2014 (WIC) - The African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) chair, Thabo Mbeki, announced on Tuesday (February 18) that talks between Sudan's Government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N), over the conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states have been suspended for ten days.
Mr. Mbeki said the adjournment would allow delegates time to consult with their principals on proposals put forward by the AUHIP.
Mr. Mbeki gave no details on AUHIP's proposals but they are likely to be based on the UN Security Council resolution 2046 of last year referring to security, political, and humanitarian issues in the two areas.
The negotiations had been stalled over the Government insistence that the objective of the talks should be settlement of the conflict in the two areas while the SPLM-N delegation called for a wider approach to resolve Sudan's problems.
The two sides issued statements accusing each other's approach. The government delegation said the SPLM-N showed "no concern for the feelings, hopes and aspirations" of the people of South Kordofan, Blue Nile and the entire country and said any future discussions should focus on the two areas only.
According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the SPLM-N accused the government of refusing to allow access to the two areas for delivery of humanitarian assistance and said it only wanted a partial solution while the SPLM-N aimed to achieve comprehensive solution for all Sudan and to organize a constitutional conference.
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