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Charles Palliser, in Rustication, unravels a late 19th century mystery through the uneasy journal entries penned by Richard Shenstone, a 17-year-old opium addict who struggles daily with carnal appetites. Richard, after an abrupt suspension from college, seeks out residency in the drearily neglected English mansion where his mother and older sister reside after the death of their debt-ridden father. However, to much surprise, his early homecoming is unpleasantly received. Not only does he feel unwelcomed, he is refused any information regarding the sudden death in the family or their lack of funds.
Coinciding with his arrival, livestock vivisection begins and vulgar letters are sent to several neighbors which accuse, damn and threaten their recipients. Richard soon crosses paths with peculiar characters that become cagier with every encounter, from vicious socialites to a brutish dogfighter. At the center of much gossip is an earl's nephew who is both an eligible bachelor and next in line to receive his uncle's fortune.
Alone in his attempts to make sense of the town's secrets, Richard feverishly recounts his daily thoughts and conversations. However, his fickle opiate love affair interrupts his stream of recollections. As the crimes increase and worsen, he finds himself as the prime suspect and is determined to discover the identity of the true murderer.
Readers will recognize this marshy bleak town from Palliser's other Victorian novel, The Quincunx, but will find themselves intrigued as the jarring plot peels away like sour onionskin.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that the legions of Jane Austen fans are devoted to the woman and protective of her literary canon. The Austen Project is treading into this revered territory with the unveiling of a major new series of six authors reimagining all six of Austen's major works. The project launches with Joanna Trollope, often favorably compared with Austen, and her retelling of Austen's first published work, Sense and Sensibility.
Trollope presents the Dashwood sisters, Elinor, Marianne and Margaret, who, along with their mother, are all coping with grief and a dramatic reversal of fortunes following the death of their father. They have been removed from the family estate by the nefarious schemes of their brother's wife, Fanny. A relative offers a small home on his estate, but they still must adjust to life with no money, no inheritance and no beloved father. As they slowly come to terms with their new situation, the two elder girls embark on relationships. Sensible Elinor is enamored with Edward, Fanny's brother, who may be playing the field. Beautiful Marianne falls for local hottie and bad boy John Willoughby. While the storylines remain the same, Trollope successfully uses modern accoutrements to give weight to the girls' struggles. Tidbits of gossip are texted and scandals are revealed via viral videos adding contemporary realism to this timeless coming-of-age story. Another universal truth – when it comes to money and love, some things never change. This comedy of manners will appeal to Trollope fans, Austen devotees and romance readers.
Look for future titles in this exciting series to include Val McDermid's reworking of Northanger Abbey and Curtis Sittenfeld's take on Pride and Prejudice, both scheduled for publication in 2014. Learn more about the Austen Project here.
Winners of the 64th annual National Book Awards were announced last night at a black-tie dinner held at Cipriani Wall Street. This morning, the literary world is abuzz about James McBride's win in the Fiction category for his novel The Good Lord Bird. With a strong list of finalists, many considered McBride's novel to be an underdog. McBride seemed shocked by the win. He shared that writing the novel became an escape for him during a difficult season of his life. McBride also expressed his pleasure about the win, remarking, "Had Rachel Kushner or Jhumpa Lahiri or Thomas Pynchon or George Saunders won tonight, I wouldn't have felt bad because they are fine writers, but it sure is nice to get it."
Mary Szybist was presented with the Poetry Award for Incarnadine: Poems, her second collection of poetry. The award for Young People's Literature was given to Cynthia Kadohata for her novel The Thing About Luck. George Packer's The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America won the award for Nonfiction.
Congratulations to all the winners!
Aminatta Forna sets her newest novel, The Hired Man, in a rural Croatian village in the summer of 2007. As she did in her Commonwealth Writer's Prize-winning book The Memory of Love, Forna again examines people living in the aftermath of conflict and the insidious influence of violence which lingers long after the war has ended.
Duro Kolak is a middle-age man; small, quiet Gost is his hometown. He lives alone since the rest of his family, like many of the villagers, has moved away. Duro picks up odd jobs, hunts with his dogs, Kos and Zeka, and occasionally visits the pub. Change comes to Gost in the form of an English family who buy a shabby vacant house as a summer retreat and a real estate investment. Duro knows the house well, as it belonged to childhood friends, and he offers to help Laura and her teenage children repair the house. Duro also becomes the family's guide to insular Croatian culture.
Forna, through Duro, alternates the contemporary story of Duro, Laura's family, and the house restoration with the tangled back story of Duro and the Pavić family who were the previous owners of Laura's vacation home. Duro's reminiscing begins with his friends Krešimir and Anka Pavić with whom he swims and shoots pigeons. Idyllic memories these are not, and as the roof is repaired and an exterior mural uncovered on the Pavićs' old home, the reader is gradually led into the dark dynamics of altered friendships, a Gost before and during the disintegration of a country and the horror of ethnic cleansing.
Forna paces this elegiac work deliberately, allowing the two storylines to slowly coalesce into a narrative of love and war and a search for the truth. The Hired Man is a beautiful and brutal tale, built on the rotten foundation of war crimes barely plastered over by the new peacetime.
National Book Award winner and three-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Alice McDermott's first novel in seven years was definitely worth the wait. Someone is a thoughtful and heartbreaking look at one extraordinarily ordinary woman. Marie is first introduced to readers as a child of the 1930s, living amongst the Irish-American population of Brooklyn, awaiting the return of her beloved father from work. In this simple sketch, McDermott is able to immediately detail Marie's community and family. In a non-linear framework, the stories which make Marie's life are slowly pieced together much like mosaics in a stained glass window.
Marie lives with her brother Gabe and their parents in a Brooklyn brownstone. Gabe is destined for the seminary and Marie is hoping for a life as a wife and mother. Her only worry is that she will end up alone because of her plainness and quiet nature. Marie's keen observations and vulnerability reveal the internal life of a fascinating woman. From her brother's eventual loss of faith to her first heartbreak, from her parents' deaths to the changing nature of her neighborhood, the reader is invited to experience with Marie the impact everyday events have on a life.
Someone was one of 10 titles selected by five judges for this year's National Book Award long list. This marks another major achievement for one of this country's finest writers. In McDermott's hands, this seemingly innocuous and unimportant woman's life is drawn as a powerful portrait highlighting the fact that each of us has a story to share. This remarkable book is a beautifully written celebration of family, community and history. Readers will long remember and cherish this heartfelt tale which quietly encourages self-reflection, understanding and empathy.
The Beltway Sniper. The Green River Killer. The Boston Strangler. Great unease prevails in a community when there is a cold-blooded killer on the loose. Police work tirelessly and civilians are extra cautious about venturing out. But what happens when the investigation drags on without anyone being apprehended and the number of victims continues to climb? This is the story in Joyce Maynard's latest book, After Her, a novel as much about a serial killer as it is about the complicated relationships between parents, children and siblings. When sisters Rachel and Patty are teenagers, women begin turning up dead in the mountainous area just beyond their home in northern California. The killer, dubbed the "Sunset Strangler" because of his method and time of day he kills his victims, always seems to be one step ahead of law enforcement. The sisters' father is the local detective assigned to solve the case, and his spirits and physical health decline as the killer continues to elude capture. Eventually, public opinion turns against him, and he is removed from the case, leaving an unfinished chapter in his career. Thirty years later, his daughter Rachel is still trying to make sense — and make peace — with her now-deceased father's professional and personal struggles.
Maynard crafts a story that is family saga, history lesson and murder mystery melded together. There is suspense, but also poignant moments showcasing the lasting bonds of family. Ultimately, in order to find the missing piece of the puzzle, Rachel must confront unexpected secrets of her father's past. Maynard based After Her on the real-life case of the Trailside Killer, and the investigating detective and his family. On her website you can watch a trailer for the book with interviews with the real-life sisters behind the story.
Literary fans of something old and something new now have an opportunity to see, in person, the art masterpieces at the heart of two respected writers' novels. Tracy Chevalier's hugely successful Girl with a Pearl Earring and Donna Tartt's eagerly anticipated new novel, The Goldfinch, feature paintings by Dutch masters now on temporary display in the United States. Johannes Vermeer's beloved "Girl with a Pearl Earring" and Carel Fabritius's exquisite "Goldfinch" are currently part of a 15-painting exhibition on loan to the Frick Collection in New York until January 19.
Girl with the Pearl Earring, Chevalier's second novel, is about Vermeer's 16-year-old housemaid who becomes the subject of his painting. It was greeted with popular and critical success following its publication in 1999. In addition to some 4 million copies sold, the book was turned into a movie.
The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt's sweeping new novel, is part suspense thriller, part coming-of-age novel. It centers on a young man named Theo, whose life is changed forever following a bomb attack at a New York museum that leaves his mother dead and him in possession of a rare Fabritius painting.
Now at the final American venue of a global tour, the paintings are traveling for only the second time in 30 years as the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis in The Hague undergoes an extensive two-year renovation. Here is your opportunity to get up close and personal with the paintings behind the stories. Visit the Frick Collection for more information.
Maryland romance author Laura Kaye is launching her new Hard Ink series this month with Hard As It Gets. Becca Merritt is desperate. Her brother Charlie is missing. Before he disappeared, Charlie sent her a message that said, "Find Rixey, the Colonel's team, Hard Ink Tattoo." With no other options, Becca goes to Hard Ink Tattoo and finds Nick Rixey, a former member of her father's Special Forces team. Nick has no interest in helping the Merritt family. After Colonel Merritt betrayed Nick's team, they were ambushed, and the survivors' military careers were destroyed. Despite his feelings about Becca's family, Nick decides to start checking up on her. He gets drawn into the intrigue when he saves her from an intruder who breaks into her house. Soon, Nick is working with Becca and reassembling his old team to help her find Charlie and save him from an organized crime ring.
Set in Baltimore, Hard As It Gets is a strong start to Kaye's gritty new romantic suspense series, which will continue to follow the men of Hard Ink as they uncover the truth about the incident that destroyed their military careers. Filled with plenty of action and some steamy love scenes, this series and the hard-edged men of Hard Ink will appeal to readers who like Maya Banks' KGI series or Julie Ann Walker's Black Knights Inc. novels.
Earlier this year, Kaye's unlikely path to writing romance novels was the subject of a fascinating Huffington Post article. After sustaining a traumatic brain injury from an everyday accident, Kaye developed Post Concussion Syndrome. She began experiencing behavioral changes, one of which was newfound creative ability. Though she had never written fiction before, she wrote a 450 page novel in only 11 weeks! Kaye's unlikely injury was a twist of fate that led her to this unexpected new career.
Jo Baker's engaging new novel Longbourn focuses on the life of housemaid Sarah and her fellow servants for a behind-the-scenes retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Fans of Austen's novel will be intrigued by the lives of the underclass in Regency England, no less intriguing and dramatic than those of the gentry they serve.
Sarah, orphaned and raised almost as a daughter to housekeeper Mrs. Hill, fills her days from early morning to late night with the strenuous labor it takes to run a country household. Baker fills her novel with detailed accounts of the housemaid's chores, from emptying the chamber pots to heading to town in the rain and cold to purchase ornamental roses to decorate the Bennet girls' shoes. Readers will learn fascinating period housekeeping hints, like the fact that cold tea leaves sprinkled on floors will bind with dust, hair and insects, making sweeping easier.
Even as she supports the sisters in their complicated courtships, she dreams of a life of her own. She becomes flustered in her dealings with Mr. Bingley's handsome, flirtatious footman Ptolemy, the man charged with delivering letters. His goal is to open a tobacco shop one day. Mysterious James Smith, the newly arrived servant with hazel eyes and a secret cache of seashells, intrigues her as he lightens her daily work burdens and takes an interest in her. Sarah wonders "Could she one day have what she wanted, rather than rely on the glow of other people's happiness to keep her warm?" Longbourn is a book to savor almost as much as its inspiration.
Fannie Flagg's new novel The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion will remind readers of why they originally fell in love with her writing. The story's wit, wisdom and colorful cast of characters are utterly captivating.
Having just survived her three daughters' four weddings in less than two years, Sookie Poole is ready to enjoy some peace at last. She is looking forward to spending her days tending her birdfeeders, relaxing, traveling with her long-suffering husband Earle and caring for her eccentric mother Lenore Simmons Krackenberry. Her biggest concern these days is that one day she will go crazy like all the Simmonses do. There's a fine line between eccentric and crazy, and in the Simmons family they all end up in the Pleasant Hill Sanitarium eventually. Then, Sookie receives a certified letter and learns a shocking family secret. She begins to search for answers and learns much more about Lenore's past. Layers of the story unfold and Flagg takes readers back to 1943, Fritzi Jurdabralinski and the women who ran the Phillips 66 gas station in Pulaski, Wisconsin.
This story is a perfect fit for readers who enjoy novels by Adriana Trigiani, Rebecca Wells and Ann B. Ross. The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion is an absolute delight. Like Flagg's bestselling Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Café, this story moves between past and present, telling a family's story with effervescent humor and irresistible Southern charm.


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The article does an excellent job at framing both the pro and the con arguments on whether or not the United States should increase its emphasis on its relations with the EU at the expense of NATO. There are two main theoretical perspectives to analyze this issue: the English School of International Relations theory and Structural Realism.
The core idea of Realism is that, due to an anarchical international environment in which no state can ever be sure of another state's intentions, states must maximize their security by increasing their own relative power or by maintaining the balance of power. As it stands now, the United States either uses the NATO channels or goes directly to individual countries (which often benefits the big powerful ones like France and the UK as the article stated). Changing this would affect the balance of power in relations between the United States and Europe as well as within Europe, creating uncertainty that could breed conflict.
Overall, the change would result in a loss in power and influence on the side of the United States. For one, the US would only be a partner of the EU, not a member. This would by nature be a loss of influence for the US as it would be on the outside looking in, unable to have a say in the internal affairs of the European states, procedural rules of the organization, and a myriad of other things. Furthermore, the shift would put the collective European countries on an equal footing (more or less) with the United States. With NATO, the United States dominates policy as it is the biggest member. These two changes alone would make interactions between the United States and Europe less predictable, thereby creating uncertainty that could lead to conflict or chaos. Therefore, according to Realism, the United States should take steps to ensure its domination, because in doing so it will be securing order.
The problem is, there is a significant argument for the opposite as well, if one looks from the perspective of the English School. The English School stipulates that, over time, stable interactions between states will produce norms and institutions that will facilitate future cooperative efforts – in other words, over time they will become closer friends. The English School also states that there must be sufficient, regular interaction to build and maintain these. Failure in this regard could breed chaos.
The potential implications of the English School' assertions are vast. If Europe is indeed trending towards the EU as its primary international institution, which the article claims is what many Europeans want, then the United States stands to lose a lot more than its influence over European Policy – it would also lose the ability to effectively coordinate with the countries of Europe, which could lead to disorder. At best, coordination will become much more difficult if a good relationship between the EU and the United States is not firmly established. The United States' habit of treating the EU representatives like an afterthought compared to NATO and declining to attend summits the EU invites you to do not constitute the beginnings of a particularly warm relationship by almost any definition.
While it would lose a lot, the United States also has a decent amount to gain by switching towards the EU as the primary European partner. For one, the United States would not have to deal with a multitude of independent European states; it could coordinate not only military strategy like in NATO, but also economic and trade issues – all with just one body. According to the English school, this would constitute a tighter knit international society, meaning that coordination and cooperation would most likely be easier and more expedient than the current order. Furthermore, the EU was designed to deal with economic issues whereas NATO was designed for security coordination. Based on this, it follows that the EU would be better equipped for dealing with economic issues, which in some respects would be a major step up from NATO as most ongoing problems of the world are economic. It should be noted that, these benefits are contingent on the EU overcoming the weaknesses the article pointed out prior to the switch from NATO, namely its internal coordination problems and its inability "to think in geopolitical terms."
Considering the risks and benefits set forth by Realism and the English School, the best strategy for the United States is to hedge their bets – to continue to maintain the focus on NATO for the sake of maintaining our ability to dominate Europe, while at the same time being friendlier with the EU so as to establish a good history between the two. By taking this route, not only will the United States maintain its power for as long as possible, it will also be on good terms with the EU, thereby facilitating cooperation if NATO is eventually rendered obsolete. With this strategy, the US will come out in the positive overall in any circumstance.
We need Didomyk in here to spice up this forum
Sherry writes: "Violating a country's airspace or in this case American waters is a very different from stationing troops in another country." ----- According to Defense Department officials, one of the Russian submarines remained in international waters on Tuesday about 200 miles off the coast of the United States. The location of the second remained unclear.
Sherry writes: "Yes, you used the correct word "I think". You think this because it suits your preconceived notions, it does not mean it is true." ----- It could be true, it could be not, it could be a mix of both, we do not know a 100% but can assume.
@Joey the Reader
The Ukraine is an exception.
@Joe Reader
"The USA will have no problem with Russian troops in Cuba or Mexican." ----- Oh believe me, US will have a problem with that. Remember the fuss about 2 Russian submarines near US coast border not a while ago?"
Violating a country's airspace or in this case American waters is a very different from stationing troops in another country. Russian troops in Cuba or Mexico will not violate American waters or airspace. You are confusing two different issues. If American submarines and violated Russian waters there would have been a big fuss too.
"when Soviet troops left Eastern Europe, guess who moved in? That's right, NATO did, but why would they do so if you say the Cold War is over?
Eastern European countries applied for membership, "The West" didn't force them to join. They wanted to. So you need to ask why eastern Europea countries wanted to join Nato, not the "the west".
"I think these Eastern Euro countries that joined NATO were not concerned about Russia that much in the first place, but they used Russia as a boogieman to get some freebies."
Yes, you used the correct word "I think". You think this because it suits your preconceived notions, it does not mean it is true.
Sherry, I also wanted to point out that in some cases these states have been (or have been wanting to join) joining NATO without apporval of the people of these states. Take Ukraine, for example (I hope Didomyk doesn't read this), majority of population does not wish to join NATO, yet seems like Yuschenko (former president) had been going on full steam toward joining NATO without a consent of his people; it was going to be more of a political act, joining NATO that is.
The US will not be around to babyseat Europe forever so might as well start taking small steps toward building own transEuropean military alliance, instead of relying on someone else to provide security.
The confused commentary on this board seems to highlight why NATO endures. Yes the world has moved on since the founding of the alliance. Would it not be dissapointing were that not so?
However when two Security Council and EU members discuss military asset sharing this is seen as a power grab by the EU. When a British magazine (this one) examines the strengths of the mittelstand this is seen as a jibe.
The EU cannot agree on temporary sharing of one aircraft carrier. The US has provided a security umbrella for 60 years. As a European and a scyon of a military family I feel a deep sense of shame at this. I am not asking for unbridled gratitude at our partners. A sense of perspective would be appreciated coupled with some form of vision for the future.
The steady increase in strength of the European Parliament is a small sign of hope that a democratic pan-european platform can be built. Once we have that we can start lifting our side of the weight bar a little more perhaps.
Sherry writes: "The cold war is over." ----- I agree, yet US troops are still stationed in Europe, Asia, Japan, etc. Furthermore, when Soviet troops left Eastern Europe, guess who moved in? That's right, NATO did, but why would they do so if you say the Cold War is over? Doesn't make sense. If you say because of possible Russian invasion (which I do not recall happening for 20 years now, and counting), then maybe the Cold War is not over, at least not in West's mind?
"The Soviet empire is gone and so it is communism." ----- USSR is gone, but Communism still exist (China, Cuba).
"The USA will have no problem with Russian troops in Cuba or Mexican." ----- Oh believe me, US will have a problem with that. Remember the fuss about 2 Russian submarines near US coast border not a while ago?
You also write: "Really? Or is it the former Soviet republics who want to be part of Nato because they fear Russian control." -------------- Like I said before, it has been 20 years since the collapse of USSR and there is still no indication of possible Russian invasion of Eastern Europe. I think these Eastern Euro countries that joined NATO were not concerned about Russia that much in the first place, but they used Russia as a boogieman to get some freebies (airplanes, US dollars, tanks, gear) and they have been successful in doing so. Although, their military is still pretty bad because it takes real US pilots to patrol skies of Eastern Europe.
"Real security issues or imaginery security issues created by Russia's 19th century mentality while living in a 21st century world?" -------------- Same can be said about Eastern Ueero countries, yes?
I am not sure why the Americans are still in Europe. Of course might is right but Europe is mightier. The bottom line is that the West thinks that ultimately Russia, China and the Muslims will need to be tackled with. So instead of showing an olive branch the west bend upon fingering them at any opportune times resulting in hard feelings. You know they have bombs too and capable of producing the stealth drones.
And don´t forget Rocard, a former Socialist (like Attali, Strauss-Khan or Koutchner) turned NEOCON who also supported Sarkozy.
Since long the European Union has been punching below its real weight - well below its potential weight.This owes much to the failure of EU leaders to sell to their own peoples and the larger world the European ideal as envisioned by the founding fathers and successive generations of statesman-like politicians. Most deepened the economic and political project best exemplified in the Treaty that changed designation from EEC-European Economic Community to EU-European Union.Later in the creation of the now troubled single currency and the EU's two latest enlargement rounds from 15 to 25(2004) to 27(2007) member-States.
With the Western world severely knocked-down by the 2008 US triggered sub-prime crisis that led to the overwhelming financial meltdown, both the EU and the US remain far too busy finding their own bearings to afford entertaining each other meaningfully.
Indeed viewing it all in one big picture that combines many sub-images neatly conveys a critical juncture enveloping Europe and America.
Their taken-for-granted relationship is not threatened on fundamentals least of all is it beleaguered in any way. But unless both sides of the Atlantic resume sustained economic growth - especially an even spread across the EU's 27 members - already visible imbalances of sorts will increase.
I believe it falls mostly on the EU to demonstrate where it wants to be over the next 10 years.
Should it succeed in pulling itself together and moving forward as one despite every welcome difference setting member-countries apart, America will listen and value the EU for its real worth.If not the call from Pacific rim nations and beyond will strengthen further leaving Europe out to a sentimental line and NATO. Effectively pushing the EU into a secondary player status.
This might come about through practical evidence rather than any intentional policy shift.
Conversely, the EU which remains a formidable economic and trading bloc, still could secure its rightful place as seen from Washington.
It will, however, take far more purposeful leadership and renewed commitment in the European political project to achieve this.
In a nutshell a vision from Brussels extending well over and above today's lows that have so profoundly sagged Europe's ambition is utterly needed.
"Officials made no secret of Mr Obama's impatience with last year's summit in Prague, at which he had to endure speeches by 27 European leaders who all then vied for a photo-op with the new American president."
I weep for my continent. No, really, this is embarrassing.
European continuous involvement in NATO, led by the treacherous U.S. self interest, is at the end of the road. Internally Europeans agonize, and by no means unanimously, how to tackle U.S. grip on this for Europe purposeless organization called NATO – babysitting from Soviet communism is not needed anymore.
Time has changed; the protégé is strong and smarter than the mentor. Moreover, the mentor is suffering from a "brain drain" since the post war immigrating European mind is dying out and the subsequent generations grew up in an uneducated money grabbing environment conducive to produce Double U or Palin.
Probably another reason driving Europe and America apart is the way white Americans are being discriminated and treated like second class citizens when they try to geet a job. Americans of European ancestry are being insulted and discriminated just for their color. Quotas against Americans of European ancestry are usual in America. No wonder that the Atlantic Oceans is becoming wide as we have everyday less in common.
I forgot to add Glucksman.
German taxpayer will pay, pay, pay....
Ricky, until you can get a few German boy scouts together with a bow and arrow, zip it, suck it and langsam...
NATO is basically a Military American DICTATORSHIP. Something similar to India under British Rule. Just a Protectorate without Sovereignty as Defense is the most important show of Sovereignty.
When Jacques Chirac and Gerhard Scrhoerder tried to create autonomous European Defense Headqurters apart from NATO during the Iraq War, the U.S. the campaign calling Chirac and France anti-semites reached such ridiculous proportions that even the French Jewish community had to protest. Finally, a curious team of French from different parties (and curiously most of them Jews) who suddenly became conservatives led Sarkozy to victory: Strauss-Khan, Attali, Koutchner, Levy...Chirac and Villepin were forced to a kind of retirement from their own political party, as they were "separatist" (from America) Yes, Chirac was a French Patriot, not an American puppet like Karzai. And Americans didn´t accept that.
The same took place in Japan, when the last Prime Minister was elected with a program calling for American troops to leave Japan, first of all the American base in Okinawa. America´s Occupation troops didn´t accept that and the "elected" Prime Minister of Japan was fired. So much for their "sovereignty".
"The Russian armies were gone from Germany and other Warsaw Pact countries during Gorbachev."
Yes, they are gone because they were kicked out.
"The Americans promised to do the same. However, they forgot."
The USA did not promise to remove troops from Europe. The presence of US troops was crucial during the breakup of the Soviet Union when there was great political instability.
@Mr. Common Sense
" EU provides political support"
What political support does Europe give the USA ? To come and clean up the mess in Europe's backyard when the Balkans blew up in the 1990's?
"and supports American economy as its massive trade partner."
Countries trade with each other in order to sell and buy, it is a two way street. So since the USA is a massive trade parter for Europe it supports the European economy as well. Since China is a trade partner of Europe, it supports the European economy.
"if you think that USA can operate in the Middle East without logistic and political support of EU and Turkey in NATO."
Well, the USA is not near the middle-east, but Europe is. Iranian nukes can reach Europe but not America. So, in effect America has to be grateful to the Europeans for allowing them the privilege of doing Europe's dirty work by taking out Iranian nukes?
Just recently American drones took out some Turkish-German citizens who were training in Al Qaeda camps. Europe gives logistical support for its own self-interest to keep Europe safe. The Islamic terrorists in the middle-east hate Europe too. In fact France was a target of Islamic terrorism way back in 1990's long before 9/11.
"You are also lunatic if you think that eventual crisis in EU will not ditch American economy, too."
What does the economic crisis have to do with Nato?
Money talks: January 26th 2015: The Greek Revolt
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Church and state in Greece: A courteous distance
The Jaipur Literature Festival: Bigger than the canon
In graphics: Greece's elections
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Dec. 2 (Bloomberg) -- Chris Rupkey, chief financial economist at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd., Nicholas Colas, chief market strategist at ConvergEx Group, and Jeanne Branthover, managing director at Boyden Global Executive Search, talk about today's report showing job gains in the U.S. picked up last month and the outlook for the economy. They speak with Pimm Fox on Bloomberg Television's "Taking Stock." (Source: Bloomberg)
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Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 542
IRONWOOD - Bishop John Doerfler, of the Marquette Diocese, on Wednesday made a stop at All Saints Catholic Academy to celebrate National Catholic Schools Week with students, staff and community... Full story
HURLEY - The Iron County Board of Supervisors learned on Tuesday that mining company Gogebic Taconite was unable to make its lease payment for county property for its proposed mine site near Upson.... Full story
IRONWOOD - From singing German polkas to Finnish jokes, the night was filled with laughter and recognition during the 20th annual Joint Installation Chamber Banquet Monday night at Gogebic Community... Full story
SAXON, Wis. - Nearly 200 people dined on roast beef and all the fixings during a benefit dinner and gun raffle for the Saxon-Gurney Fire Department on Sunday afternoon. According to department members... Full story
WAKEFIELD — Residents in the city of Wakefield had their power restored on Saturday evening after power outages started early Friday night. The outages began momentarily on Friday afternoon, around 3:30 p.m. But by 5 p.m., power was out entirely... Full story
HURLEY - Gogebic Taconite provided information on its current work for a proposed mine near Upson, Wis., as well as possible reclamation ideas during an Iron County Mining Impact Committee meeting on... Full story
HURLEY - The Iron County Mining Impact Committee heard an update on funding sources for a mining impact analysis Thursday evening. Jason Laumann, of the Northwest Regional Planning Commission, talked... Full story
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IRONWOOD – About 1,000 people braved chilly weather to witness the fifth annual Ironwood Snowmobile Olympus at the Gogebic County Fairgrounds on Saturday, but poor visibility caused Sunday's races... Full story
BESSEMER - Andy Tingstad has seen many changes in both the court system and the community in his 32 years as District Judge for Gogebic and Ontonagon Counties. He retired effective Thursday at noon. T... Full story
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A building that was constructed by the Village of Ontonagon in the early 2000's as an incentive to bring business to the area has finally achieved that goal. In a special meeting Monday, the... Full story
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Three-parent baby
Three-parent babies are human offspring with three genetic parents, created through a specialized form of In vitro fertilisation in which the future baby's mitochondrial DNA comes from a third party.[1][2][3] The procedure is intended to prevent mitochondrial diseases including muscular dystrophy and some heart and liver conditions.[4] It is the subject of considerable controversy in the field of bioethics.
Alana's case[edit]
Alana Saarinen (born 2000) is a girl from the US conceived through an infertility treatment known as cytoplasmic transfer and has DNA from three biological parents. She is the daughter of Sharon and Paul Saarinen, and a third donor. (However, the first person born using cytoplasmic transfer was Emma Ott of Pennsylvania in 1997.)
Before Alana's birth, her parents had gone through four attempts to have a baby through numerous IVF procedures without success. The fifth attempt using cytoplasmic transfer succeeded. The treatment involved the transfer of a third donor's cytoplasm, containing healthy mitochondria, to Sharon Saarinen's egg with unhealthy mitochondria. The egg was then fertilized with Paul Saarinen's sperm. During the process of transferring DNA, some DNA from the donor was in the embryo. Ninety-nine percent of Alana's genetic material is from her parents, and her one percent is from the third donor. [5]
According to her mother, Alana is healthy and has a fairly normal life as a teenager such as playing golf and the piano, listening to music and hanging out with friends. Despite the success of Alana's case, cytoplasmic transfer technique was banned by the US Food and Drug Administration (in 2001) due to safety and ethical concerns. As the result of the pioneering infertility treatment, several research teams in the United Kingdom are currently requesting a regulatory approval for a similar technique called mitochondrial replacement. The technique would use a donor's healthy mitochondria to treat women at risk of passing on mitochondrial diseases to their children.[6]
The process, still in the research stage, is currently prohibited in the United States. China prohibited it after a woman tried to undergo the procedure.[7][8] Some research is also taking place in the United States, as well as the United Kingdom[4] where the government said they were planning to make the procedure legal in 2015.[9] [10]
The process of producing a three-parent baby, Three Parent In Vitro Fertilization (TPIVF), involves taking the nucleus of one egg and inserting it into the cytoplasm of another egg which has had its nucleus removed, but still contains mitochondrial DNA, and then fertilizing the hybrid egg with a sperm. The purpose of the procedure is to remove a nucleus from a cell with defective mitochondria and place it in a donor cell with healthy mitochondria, which after fertilization will contain a nucleus with genetic material from only the two parents.[7] There is more than one method of TPIVF. The two main methods are pronuclear transfer and spindle transfer; Spindle transfer is a process where the spindle of chromosomes taken from the mother's egg are placed into the donor egg and pronuclear transfer is the process described at the beginning of this paragraph.[11]
Although the donor egg is said to contribute only 0.1% to the genetic make up of the child, when examining the genetic material of these children there are still three identifiable genetic parents.[12] This is due to the fact that the donor egg came from a non-maternal relative. For the child to have only two identifiable genetic parents and still have undergone this procedure, the donor egg must have come from a maternal relative because maternal mtDNA is almost identical. Maternal relative egg donation is not commonly used, because if the female egg has a mitochondrial disease then it is highly likely that the maternal relatives inherited the disease as well.
Despite the promising outcomes of the two techniques, pronuclear transfer and spindle transfer, mitochondrial gene replacement raises ethical and social concerns. According to Darnovsky, an executive director of the Center for Genetics and Society, the technique procedures would involve modification of the germline, and modifications would pass on to subsequent generations.[13] Using Human embryos in vitro research are controversial because embryos are created specifically for research and the financial compensation of egg donors.[14] Implications for identity is another ethical concern that has psychological and emotional impacts on a child's life regarding of a person's sense of identity. It debates whether the genetic make-up of children born as a result of mitochondrial replacement affect their emotional well-being when they are aware that they are different from other healthy children conceived from two parents.[15] Safety and efficacy of mitochondrial DNA replacement are still unanswered.[16]
This section may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. The specific problem is: The subject may not be summarized in an encyclopedic manner. (September 2014) |
New York University researcher James Grifo, a critic of the American ban, has argued that society "would never have made the advances in treating infertility that we have if these bans had been imposed 10 years" earlier.[7]
Opponents argue that scientists are "playing God" and that children with three genetic parents may suffer both psychological and physical damage.[17] These critics include Alison Cook of Great Britain's Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority, who argues that bans were "written to protect the welfare of the embryo and the child."[7]
See also[edit]
External links[edit]
- Three-parent IVF needs more research, review says - BBC News article
- Short film with experts discussing the ethical / practical issues surrounding 'Three Parent Babies' / 'Mitochondria Replacement'
- Why We Should Approve 'Three-Parent' Embryos - Real Clear Science Article
- In depth: three-person IVF is about saving lives, not a slippery slope to eugenics - Wired Article
- 'Three-parent babies' cure for illness raises ethical fear - The Guardian Article
- Three-parent babies on the way, say IVF experts - The Independent Article
- 'Three-Parent' IVF Technique Set for Approval - Web MD Article
- Proposed IVF Technique Uses Three Parents - The ABC News Article
- THREE-PARENT IVF IS HERE, AND THERE'S NOTHING TO FEAR - An Al Jazeera Article
- ^ Keim, Brandon, Three-Parent Children: Reality or Technicality?, Feb 5, 2008.
- ^ Alleyne, Richard.'Three parent babies' take a step closer to reality, The Telegraph, Nov. 12, 2009.
- ^ Randerson, James. Scientists seek to create 'three-parent' babies The New Scientist Oct. 19. 2004
- ^ a b Three-Parent IVF Set to Go Ahead in Britain, Discover Magazine, June 28, 2013
- ^ "CNN.com - How far will couples go to conceive? - Mar 12, 2004".
- ^ "BBC News - The girl with three biological parents". BBC News.
- ^ a b c d Frith, Maxine. Ban on scientists trying to create three-parent baby, The Independent, October 14, 2003
- ^ "Now, a three-parent baby". Rediff. 14 October 2003.
- ^ Knapton, Sarah (17 December 2014) 2014 preview: Three parent babies given green light by government The Daily Telegraph, Retrieved 19 December 2014
- ^ Knapton, Sarah (1 March 2014) 'Three-parent babies' could be born in Britain next year The Daily Telegraph Science News, Retrieved 1 March 2014
- ^ "Background: Maternal spindle transfer". Retrieved 22 April 2014.
- ^ Françoise Baylis (2013) The ethics of creating children with three genetic parents, Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 26(6): 531-534
- ^ Darnovsky, M. (2013). A slippery slope to human germline modification. Nature, 499(7457), 127
- ^ Amato, P., Tachibana, M., Sparman, M., & Mitalipov, S. (2014). Three-parent in vitro fertilization: Gene replacement for the prevention of inherited mitochondrial diseases. Fertility and Sterility, 101(1), 31-35.
- ^ "CGS : 3-Person IVF".
- ^ http://ac.els-cdn.com/S1043276013001550/1-s2.0-S1043276013001550-main.pdf?_tid=057e4a48-5ae5-11e4-a0e4-00000aab0f6b&acdnat=1414090221_f91d28a4c4ca11ede355aca9305a4797
- ^ Check E (November 2005). "Gene study raises fears for three-parent babies". Nature 438 (7064): 12. doi:10.1038/438012a. PMID 16267521.


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Larry Babbin wins lots of frequent flier miles from American Airlines, but the points never appear on his statement. Now the company is giving him the silent treatment. Can these miles be saved?
Q. American Airlines ran a contest in which it gave away 25,000 frequent flier miles every day. I entered every day last month and "won" three times. I have email confirmation each day that I won and a written assurance that the miles would be deposited within seven days to my account.
It's been more than a month, but I haven't received the miles. American hasn't even posted the winners on the website, even though they are listed for every other contest American has had.
I've made three inquiries to American by email, to no avail. I know this problem pales in comparison to those I read about on your column, but for me this is a big issue. Any ideas for me? – Larry Babbin, Toms River, N.J.
A. You're both right and wrong about the magnitude of this case. As a general rule, I don't get involved in retrieving lost loyalty points, because it's a lot like chasing the wind. These miles are largely worthless.
But this isn't the time for a lecture on the negative value of frequent flier miles. The point – pardon the pun – is that American promised you something repeatedly, and in writing, that it failed to deliver. I have a big problem with that.
I can't think of any reason why American would give you the silent treatment after you contacted it. I think it owed you an explanation for why it was denying your prize, however useless the miles might have been.
I note that you were sending your complaints to a general address. I list the names of American's executives on my website – http://bit.ly/1dKHNde – and you might have tried appealing to them.
But before you did that, you might have reviewed the contest rules one more time. You would have seen that the contest was already over. But somehow, the site allowed you to enter the contest after it closed and as the only entry, you won several times.
Whose fault is that? Well, American should have made sure the contest was closed when it ended, so that's on them. You should have paid closer attention to the dates, if not when you entered, then when you complained about not getting the miles.
Still, a promise is a promise. American said you had won 25,000 miles, and I'm sure your multiple entries were nothing more than an innocent mistake.
I contacted American. A representative emailed you back, saying, "We value your business and will honor 25,000 miles to make sure your customer experience is positive." I love a happy ending.
Christopher Elliott is the author of "How to Be the World's Smartest Traveler (and Save Time, Money and Hassle)" (National Geographic). He's also the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine and the co-founder of the Consumer Travel Alliance, a nonprofit organization that advocates for travelers. Read more tips or contact him at his website: www.elliott.org.
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Shai Wosner's Rich, Transparent Piano Sound
Hear Wosner Play
Pianist Shai Wosner has been performing to critical acclaim for years, but he has only recently made his debut recording, titled Shai Wosner: Brahms and Schoenberg.
I recently saw Wosner in recital, and the first thing I noted about watching him onstage was that he wasn't a swooner. While music can have motion that seems to sway, some performers overdo their body movements, sometimes as part of showmanship. But Wosner focuses his energy directly on the keys, which helps him produce a deeply rich and penetrating sound without sacrificing nuance — as in the Intermezzo, Op. 116, No. 2 by Brahms.
Brahms' piano writing can be particularly difficult, because his musical structures are often dense. Some pianists may play all the notes correctly, but the sound can come out muddy. Wosner brings transparency to dense passages, revealing their intricacies while maintaining the overall impact of Brahms' characteristically thick textures. Wosner's performance of the Capriccio, Op. 116, No. 3 is a good example.
Brahms' Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel is a 19-minute work, as well as one of the main pieces of this recording. I have to admit that I've never really liked the piece until I heard this performance. It's a showcase for Wosner's variety of touch at the keyboard, and for the different musical worlds he creates.
It's more than touch, of course, that makes Wosner so impressive. His fingers are at the service of a keen musical mind and deep musical soul. He's downright thrilling in recital. So if you have the chance to see him, take it. You'll witness a young artist at the beginning of his career, who — decades down the line — will be spoken of as one of the greats.
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Brahms and Schoenberg
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There is momentum developing to litigate open source licensing violations, fueled in large part by the release this summer of GNU GPLv3, which set forth more aggressive enforcement provisions than its predecessor. Now, the SFLC is attempting to address the failure of companies to release source code for software based on GPLv2 licenses, said Black Duck Software CEO Doug Levin.
Full story »


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Catalog Maintenance Work and Withdrawal Statistics Sheet
To print form, see below and click on Excel Attachment.
Starting fy 2014/2015, please record total withdrawals of both number of titles and the number of volumes.
Recording Withdrawal Stats onto the Monthly Withdrawal Sheet
- When you submit your withdrawal sheets to Don, please supply a total amount for each category.
The stats sheet is split into two categories, withdrawn titles and withdrawn volumes.
- On the stats sheet the first row is where Mono or Serial withdrawn titles are recorded. The second row is where withdrawn volumes (pieces) are recorded.
- When recording a single title, mark once on the top row (mono or serial as appropriate) for a withdrawn title, and then under volumes in the second row record another mark for one withdrawn volume (piece).
Do not record a title withdrawn until the entire record is withdrawn from the catalog.
Multi parts or serials: record withdrawn volumes (pieces) in the second row under volumes.
- If there are any volumes left on the record do not count the title as withdrawn.
- Record one title withdrawn only when the title is completely withdraw from the catalog.
Multi parts or serials: record withdrawn volumes (pieces) in the second row under volumes.
- Bound volumes are recorded as one volume, do not count the individual volumes bound together.


text:
Book your room at VILA VITA Rosenpark
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Classic Double Room, 1 King Bed
Max Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child)Classic Single Room, 1 Double Bed
Max Occupancy: 1 guestLuxury hotel with 2 restaurants and full-service spa
Located in the heart of Marburg, this luxury hotel is within 1 mi (2 km) of St. Elizabeth Church, Town Hall, and Alte Universitat. Landgrafenschloss and Kaiser Wilhelm Tower are also within 2 mi (3 km).
Hotel Features
This smoke-free hotel features 2 restaurants, a full-service spa, and an indoor pool. Free buffet breakfast and free WiFi in public areas are also provided. Additionally, a health club, a bar/lounge, and a poolside bar are onsite.
Room Amenities
All 178 rooms feature thoughtful touches like espresso makers and pillow menus, plus free WiFi, free wired Internet, and LED TVs with satellite channels. 24-hour room service, minibars, and free bottled water are among the other amenities available to guests.
Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!VILA VITA Rosenpark
Hotel Amenities
In addition to a full-service spa, VILA VITA Rosenpark features an indoor pool and a health club. Dining is available at one of the hotel's 2 restaurants and guests can grab coffee at the coffee shop/café. The property also has a snack bar/deli. Guests can unwind with a drink at one of the hotel's bars, which include a poolside bar and a bar/lounge. Guests can enjoy a complimentary breakfast each morning. High-speed wireless Internet access is complimentary.
Business-related amenities at this 5-star property consist of a 24-hour business center and meeting rooms. Event facilities measuring 6574 square feet (611 square meters) include conference space. This luxury hotel also offers a sauna, a steam room, and a terrace. For a surcharge, the property provides a roundtrip airport shuttle (available on request) and a train station pick-up service. Onsite parking is available (surcharge).
VILA VITA Rosenpark is a smoke-free property.
- Snack bar/deli
- Train station pickup (surcharge)
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Free Wi-Fi
- Garden
- Total number of rooms - 178
- Number of floors - 4
- Number of buildings/towers - 6
- Indoor pool
- Poolside bar
- Steam room
- Sauna
- Full-service spa
- Spa treatment room(s)
- Complimentary newspapers in lobby
- Health club
- Coffee shop or café
- Bar/lounge
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Multilingual staff
- 24-hour front desk
- Porter/bellhop
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Elevator/lift
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Wedding services
- Coffee/tea in lobby
- Conference space
- Gift shops or newsstand
- Meeting rooms
- Valet parking (surcharge)
- Terrace
- Luggage storage
- Number of restaurants - 2
- 24-hour business center
- Conference space size (feet) - 6574
- Conference space size (meters) - 611
- Number of meeting rooms - 14
- Self parking (surcharge)
- Shopping on site
- Airport transportation (surcharge)
- Use of nearby fitness center (complimentary)
- Free breakfast
- Smoke-free property
Family Friendly Amenities
- Indoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Snack bar/deli
- In-room childcare (surcharge)
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
Available in all rooms: Free Wi-Fi , Free wired high-speed Internet
Available in some public areas: Free Wi-Fi
Room Amenities
- Hypo-allergenic bedding available
- Room service (24 hours)
- Climate control
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Phone
- Minibar
- Complimentary bottled water
- Daily housekeeping
- Turndown service
- Private bathroom
- Bathrobes
- Complimentary toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Slippers
- Bathtub or shower
- In-room childcare (surcharge)
- Iron/ironing board (on request)
- Satellite TV service
- In-room safe
- Desk
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Free Wi-Fi
- Free wired high-speed Internet
- Pillow menu
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
- Espresso maker
Where to Eat
A complimentary buffet breakfast is served each morning between 6:30 AM and 10:30 AM. An additional buffet breakfast is served daily (subject to charges).
Rosenkavalier - Overlooking the garden, this restaurant specializes in German cuisine and serves breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. Guests can enjoy alfresco dining (weather permitting). A children's menu is available. Reservations are required.
Zirbelstube - This restaurant specializes in regional cuisine and serves dinner and light fare. Open daily.
24-hour room service is available.
Nearby Things to Do
Recreational amenities at the hotel include an indoor pool, a health club, a sauna, and a steam room.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Golf lessons available nearby
- Golfing nearby
- Rafting nearby
- Water skiing nearby
- Hiking/biking trails nearby
- Mountain biking nearby
- Segway rental/tour nearby
- Bicycle rentals on site
Spa Services
The onsite spa has massage/treatment rooms. Services include deep-tissue massages, hot stone massages, Swedish massages, and massages. A variety of treatment therapies are provided, including aromatherapy, reflexology, and thalassotherapy. The spa is equipped with a sauna and a steam room.
Children under 12 years old are not allowed in the spa without adult supervision.
- Hot stone massage
- Deep tissue massage
- Swedish massage
- Steam room in spa
- Reflexology
- Manicures and pedicures
- Body scrubs
- Aromatherapy treatments
- Thalassotherapy treatments
- Sauna in spa
- Massages
- Body treatments
- Facial treatments
To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the "Special or Accessibility Requests" section of "Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel.
- Accessible parking
- In-room accessibility
- Accessible path of travel
- Accessible bathroom
Hotel Policies
Minimum check-in age is 18
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- All children are welcome.
- One child under 6 years old stays free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding. Children may not be eligible for complimentary breakfast, if one is offered.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available for EUR 35 per night.
- Free cribs (infant beds) are available.
Pets allowed, Only dogs and cats are allowed, Maximum number of pets per room 2
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
Service animals exempt from fees/restrictions
24-hour check-in
Parking height restrictions apply
- Resort fee: EUR 15 per accommodation, per night
- Self parking
- Valet parking
- Parking
- Self parking fee: EUR 15 per day (in/out privileges)
- Valet parking fee: EUR 15 per night
- Pet fee: EUR 15 per pet, per night
- Rollaway bed fee: EUR 35 per night
We should mention
This property offers transfers from the airport and train station (surcharges may apply). Guests must contact the property with arrival details before travel, using the contact information on the booking confirmation. Reservations are required for massage services and spa treatments. Reservations can be made by contacting the hotel prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation. A resort fee is included in the total price displayed. One child 6 years old or younger stays free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding. Children may not be eligible for complimentary breakfast, if one is offered. Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms. The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation. This property allows pets in specific rooms only (surcharges apply and can be found in the Fees section). Guests can request one of these rooms by contacting the property directly, using the contact information on the booking confirmation.
Awards & Affiliations
- The property is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts.
Sunday Special
Check the Rooms and Rates page for details of special offers for guests staying on Sundays.
National Rating
Hotelstars Union assigns an official star rating for properties in Germany. This property is rated 5 star Superior and is displayed on this page as 5.0 stars.
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Book your room at Comfort Inn Amish Country
Standard Room, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking
Max Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child)Standard Room, 2 Queen Beds, Non Smoking
Max Occupancy: 4 guests (up to 3 children)Hotel in New Holland with free breakfast and fitness center
Situated in New Holland, this hotel is within 6 mi (10 km) of Lapp Valley Farm, Intercourse Canning Company, and American Military Edged Weaponry Museum. Mascot Roller Mills and Kitchen Kettle Village are also within 6 mi (10 km).
Nearest Transport Options
Nearest Airports
Hotel Features
A fitness center, a 24-hour business center, and coffee/tea in the lobby are available at this smoke-free hotel. Free buffet breakfast, free WiFi in public areas, and free self parking are also provided. Other amenities include a 24-hour front desk, free newspapers, and gift shops/newsstands.
Room Amenities
All 69 rooms provide conveniences like refrigerators and microwaves, plus free WiFi and flat-screen TVs with cable channels. Guests will also find coffee makers, free weekday newspapers, and free local calls.
Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!


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Greek prime minister George Papandreou's announcement that the country will hold a referendum on the European rescue deal came as an unpleasant surprise to many. Jean-Claude Juncker, chairman of an informal group of European finance ministers, is dismayed that the decision was taken "without talking it through with his European colleagues."
Well, that's how democracy and sovereignty operate. The Greeks need to be allowed to make decisions about their future themselves. Arguably, the announcement marks the end of the deal negotiated by European leaders last week. Although it is far from obvious whether the referendum will be held or when, the ultimate outcome of the current turbulence is going to be a unilateral and unconditional default of Greece, and maybe its exit from the eurozone, regardless. And that would be a good outcome. In the end, these steps are long overdue, and the sooner they occur, the better.
Although Nicolas Sarkozy called it "a durable solution to the crisis," last week's deal was a sham. True, it contained a small dose of realism, as it imposed a 50 percent haircut on private lenders, thus reducing the burden of the Greek debt. If adopted, the haircut would hit the Greek banks hardest, which hold around one quarter of the total privately held debt. And under the most optimistic of scenarios, Greek debt would be at 120 percent of GDP by 2020, and hence still in sore need of further consolidation. That won't happen if Greece can't regain its competitiveness.
The deal also contained a commitment to help Europe's banking sector through Greek-debt restructuring by increasing the guarantees given to the European Financial Stabilization Facility from €440 billion to €1 trillion. But the EFSF is a flawed instrument — for the simple reason that the guarantees given to it by various European countries are not credible. Italy guarantees 18 percent of the total bonds and debt instruments issued under the EFSF, but it is not clear whether the country will even be able to repay its own debt. If worst comes to worst, and the EFSF needs countries to honor their guarantees, the whole edifice will unravel.
A Greek decision to scrap last week's deal will be a catalyst in the endgame that has been coming for some time. When Greece defaults and leaves the euro, European leaders might try to use the EFSF to save the banks from taking the full blow, or they might try to put in place a more robust bailout mechanism, perhaps with the European Central Bank acting as the lender of last resort. But that won't make much of a difference.
In 2008, TARP might have saved the banks, but it did so only at the cost of American jobs and growth. In the same vein, regardless of how many European banks tumble, Europeans need to brace for a recession. And it is not just the Europeans. The economic contraction that is likely to occur is not going to spare America — just as in 2008, when post-Lehman events led to a deep economic slowdown in Europe.
These events might affect the U.S. presidential election. A prolonged economic malaise and high unemployment will lower the bar for whatever Republican challenges Obama in the race next year.
In January of last year, Paul Krugman was still saying that "Europe is an economic success, and that success shows that social democracy works." In the next months and years, it will become much more difficult to make such claims. Let us hope that, in the coming years, the European-style welfare state will cease to be seen as a viable political platform — in the United States and beyond.
— Dalibor Rohac is the deputy director of economic studies at the Legatum Institute in London.


text:
Full title reads: "Hard Labour For Charity".
VS of people walking through streets with beds and wardrobes, they also carry a banner stating that the furniture was given to the Caledonian market in aid of the Mayor's fund.
We always welcome comments and more information about our films.
All posts are reactively checked. Libellous and abusive comments are forbidden.


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Allmand V series Vertical Tower
Better Roads Staff | May 17, 2010
A compact trailer including a seven section lighting tower that extends and retracts vertically.
Mast may be raised or lowered in just 20 seconds and does not lay down for transportation or storage. Mast and light fixtures stay within the footprint of the trailer even when lowered.
Vertical only design reduces shipping and storage costs as well as the potential for damage. In addition, the light fixtures can be adjusted from the ground to the angle and direction as desired before being extended, making accurate fixture adjustments fast and simple. Fixtures hold their adjusted position and can be operated at any height.
Safety is enhanced as the tower does not lie down and overhang the rear of the enclosure; design also eliminates potential pinch points.
Fluid containment trailer design reduces potential for accidental liquid spills. Ideal for use in environmentally sensitive areas; helps protect against costly cleanup and regulatory fines.
Includes SHO-HD lamp fixture with standard 1250 watt system. Produces 150,000 lumens per lamp.
Available as an option on the Night-Lite PRO series, Maxi-Lite series and standard on all Maxi-Lite EX models.
Allmand Bros. Inc., established in 1938, is a leading manufacturer of portable light towers, compact tractor loader backhoes, Port-A-Lite™ light stands, solar arrowboards and jobsite heaters. For more information, contact Allmand Bros. Inc., P.O. Box 888, Holdrege, NE 68949, call 800-562-1373, fax 308-995-5887, e-mail email@example.com or visit the company's Web site at www.allmand.com.
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Anyone try this? I am attempting to place a .45 ACP 3 die set to work on my 550B. I could have sworn I read on a forum anbout this working. It seems the powder feed system does not bolt up to the Lee die.
from the way it looks , I will be selling the Lee dies and buying Dillon. Thanks.


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Happy New Year!
Thanks for allowing us to be your destination for gardening and landscaping for over 50 years. We wish you a happy and healthy New Year!
Please note our new Winter Hours:
Gift & Garden Open Daily, 10 am - 4 pm
Closed Dec. 31 & Jan 1


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Recent Posts
- Dying Light release dates revealed, Be the Zombie mode free for all
- NIS releases nine new Operation Abyss: New Tokyo Legacy screens
- Etrian Mystery Dungeon LE, Protector detailed, contest announced
- Daedalic to bring new adventure title Silence to PS4
- Dying Light co-op spotlighted in new gameplay trailer
Fancy A Date?
Developer- and Publisher-specific Articles: Mythology
Supplementals: God of War – Sparta, Warfare, and Mythology (Pt. 2)
II. Warfare – Phalanxes, Phalangites, and Hoplites [Continue]
"In a world of near-constant warfare, a city-state had to have the mettle to back up its words."
Supplementals: God of War – Sparta, Warfare, and Mythology (Pt. 1)
The God of War series is about to be available in total for the first time on the PlayStation 3 with the release of God of War: Origins Collection. In honor of Kratos' many deity-smiting journeys, we're going to recommend some additional material to get to know more about the Spartans, including how they lived, how they fought, and the deities they worshipped.


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10 Mar 2013 | #1 |
HDD eraser software suggestion
I have an external drive that I no longer need and would like to comletely erase all the data. I could reformat but that dose not completely erase the data. The erase apps I've seen have all been intended to erase the C: drive and don't appear to have an option for an external drive. Any suggestions?
Thanks, Bill |
My System Specs |
10 Mar 2013 | #2 |
Hi Bill,
Delete the data from this drive as you normally would (or just format the disk as you normally would), and then run the in-built Windows cipher command as described below: Cipher Command - Overwrite Deleted Data in Windows This will overwrite the free disk space making any previously deleted data completely unrecoverable. It works on exactly the same principle as 3rd party applications that do the same thing. Regards, Golden |
My System Specs |
16 Mar 2013 | #3 |
You can use Eraser
Eraser | Eraser How to Securely Erase an External Hard Drive | eHow.com Any time you are going to wipe a drive, be VERY SURE you select the right drive letter! A Guy |
My System Specs |
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text:
Go Shopping
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- Buy 1 Mahonia Soft Caress inc c&p + gift wrap for £41.00 and save £3.50,
Available without giftwrap - Buy and save £4.00 on Rosmarinus officinalis inc c&p and gift wrap for £26.00
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Available without giftwrap - Save £13.00 & buy 1 Magnolia 'Sweet Valentine inc c&p and gift wrap for £85.00. Available without gift wrap
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Lunch at the Vean
Enjoy a 3 course lunch at The Vean this spring, then a stroll around Caerhays Gardens
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Romantic plants for a romantic day.
Castle and Gardens Open
every day from 16th February 2015
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Good to know - member of the pea family with vetch-like leaves. November flowering and sweet scent in a protected position.
Pests & Diseases - none.
Place of Origin - Portugal, Spain, Croatia.
Scented Plant: Scented flowers
Delivery Information
Estimated delivery between 04 February and 10 February 2015. Subject to all plants being in stock
Please note that orders will normally be despatched within 5 - 10 working days from receipt except in the busy Spring season when it may take up to 15 working days from receipt until despatch.
Regretfully we are not currently exporting any more orders out of the UK until the end of January 2015, or later, depending on the weather.
Orders can also be collected in person from our Nurseries, or some of our shows - just tell us during the checkout process.
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OBSERVING THE ANNUAL RITUAL of forecasters handicapping purchasing activity over the post-Thanksgiving weekend is like watching sports-television yammerers in the two weeks of fluff before the Super Bowl—and not just because America's media-industrial complex has turned both violent sports into overhyped spectacles of unselfconscious consumption.
It's also because once the game is played or the shopping done, the pundits suffer no level of accountability when wrong—in part because no real trust or money was ever riding on their predictions.
So, forget the little research firms peddling their gauges of Black Friday foot traffic and the TV reporters interviewing a mother and daughter clutching a new Wii at some Best Buy store. Let's look at what the markets have been suggesting about whether the stuff-buying spirits of the citizenry have been reawakened.
Among the relative handful of seasoned stocks that have made all-time highs (not merely 52-week ones) in recent weeks are some consumer names that might surprise those whose ears still ring with talk of burgeoning austerity and sobriety and thrift across the land.
There are Coach COH 6.171146461876028% Coach Inc. U.S.: NYSE USD38.71 2.25 6.171146461876028% /Date(1422553571216-0600)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 9521337 P/E Ratio 15.699186991869919 Market Cap 10048011014.1693 Dividend Yield 3.495598135680994% Rev. per Employee 272922 More quote details and news » (ticker: COH), Nike NKE 0.4822634229986068% Nike Inc. Cl B U.S.: NYSE USD93.76 0.45 0.4822634229986068% /Date(1422553521191-0600)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 847569 P/E Ratio 27.14782608695652 Market Cap 80614132678.9964 Dividend Yield 1.195814648729447% Rev. per Employee 528053 More quote details and news » (NKE) and Tiffany & Co. TIF -0.590370955011839% Tiffany & Co. U.S.: NYSE USD88.1664 -0.5236 -0.590370955011839% /Date(1422553553828-0600)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 379859 P/E Ratio 62.04929577464789 Market Cap 11472406922.251 Dividend Yield 1.7251163318579048% Rev. per Employee 402164 More quote details and news » (TIF), global sellers of premium-priced and almost totally nonessential items. Others include Amazon.com AMZN -0.35536836563456287% Amazon.com Inc. U.S.: Nasdaq USD302.83 -1.08 -0.35536836563456287% /Date(1422553571268-0600)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 1466474 P/E Ratio N/A Market Cap 142027094169.617 Dividend Yield N/A Rev. per Employee 726743 More quote details and news » (AMZN), Netflix NFLX 0.16272657415359582% Netflix Inc. U.S.: Nasdaq USD443.18 0.72 0.16272657415359582% /Date(1422553561191-0600)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 1172294 P/E Ratio 99.32432432432432 Market Cap 26731663005.7837 Dividend Yield N/A Rev. per Employee 2365560 More quote details and news » (NFLX) and Apple AAPL 1.2315497354956204% Apple Inc. U.S.: Nasdaq USD116.7301 1.4201 1.2315497354956204% /Date(1422553572561-0600)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 32544301 P/E Ratio 6.688393367638651 Market Cap 671651683064.58 Dividend Yield 1.6071123268934862% Rev. per Employee 2148260 More quote details and news » (AAPL), all fairly described as category-killing/better-mousetrap players beloved by consumers, with pricey stocks that seem never to want to go down.
The broader Standard & Poor's Retail Index is up 25% since Aug. 31. Macy's M -0.29280320542456467% Macy's Inc. U.S.: NYSE USD64.7 -0.19 -0.29280320542456467% /Date(1422553572192-0600)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 781677 P/E Ratio 15.16235294117647 Market Cap 22405672395.4547 Dividend Yield 1.9397889509621353% Rev. per Employee 161988 More quote details and news » (M), to grab almost randomly at important mall-store staples, isn't near an all-time high, but is up 48% since mid-July.
Which is to say, that, while the popular chatter was of double dips and belt-tightening and enduring consumer mood changes, the stock market was telling a story of global spending power and a refreshed ability among employed Americans to light up the cash registers in the fourth quarter, should they so wish.
The market's conclusion isn't terribly surprising, considering that October retail sales approximated what they were in August 2008, right before the Lehman shock, and aren't far from their all-time high monthly rate from 2007. What other cyclical clues have lately reached formerly unattained heights? Nominal U.S. gross domestic product. Copper prices. The Manheim Used Vehicle Index. Brazilian consumer confidence.
So signs of unheralded improvement in economic inputs aren't tough to find, for those inclined.
The question, as always, is whether the market has front-run the news, whether investors have fully positioned themselves for an upward bias for consumer spending as the annual buying binge begins. It's quite possible, and wouldn't be at all uncharacteristic of how retail stocks, even in flush times, peak early in the holiday season. Yet it doesn't appear that the relevant stocks have gotten too carried away to the upside, given that the retail index has essentially just returned to its April highs, as underlying sales and profit trends have improved notably.
The broader market is in a similar position, with emerging signs of too much optimism greeting better financial-market performance and firmer macro data. Investor surveys find the professional or highly engaged amateur investor rather upbeat—though maybe this is to be expected, closing in on a third straight winning month, with a mere 4% hiccup along the way.
Corporate insiders have been dumping shares at a steadily heavy pace. Sure, maybe uncertainty over future tax rates is at work, but this can't be put in the bullish column.
And if this market chooses to persist in confounding crowd expectations, after refusing to conform to expectations of a scary September-October period, it could well do so by embarking on a bout of anxious December volatility rather than cruising into year end on a wave of professional money managers' performance anxiety—and then by following the script of further gains in the historically bullish third Presidential year, as seems to be the recent consensus.
If things do get a bit rocky, it would most likely be because of Europe (specifically Spain) turning uglier and the authorities there losing the handle on the sovereign-support mechanism. Or (and?), it would be presaged by the super-strong credit markets finally softening up.
The folks at Credit Suisse point out that the last time credit spreads were this tight, the Standard & Poor's 500 was at 1500, or some 25% higher than now. Even with U.S. stocks including dividends up more than 9% this year, they're cheaper on trailing and forward earnings as profits and forecasts have grown faster.
So any backsliding wouldn't likely be an avalanche for these reasons. Still, stocks have followed central-bank generosity and credit improvement to rise back to the April highs this month, so any upset in those supportive forces wouldn't be easily ignored by equity investors.
NOT LONG AGO, Visteon wasn't seen as a business worth buying, even to sell for parts. The one-time captive supplier to Ford F 0.677731673582296% Ford Motor Co. U.S.: NYSE USD14.558 0.098 0.677731673582296% /Date(1422553565636-0600)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 15863283 P/E Ratio 9.229299363057326 Market Cap 55652014700.932 Dividend Yield 4.140786749482402% Rev. per Employee 802447 More quote details and news » (F) filed for bankruptcy protection in May 2009 and was viewed as infected with Detroit's old ills: high costs, crushing health-care burdens, too much exposure to a straitened North American car market.
This has all changed, largely through a dramatic restructuring in bankruptcy that has cleansed its balance sheet, slashed labor costs and reoriented the company toward the rapidly expanding Asia car market and some of the best-performing global brands.
Visteon emerged from Chapter 11 on Oct. 1. Since then, it has traded over the counter, currently changing hands on the pink sheets under the symbol VSTO. The company has no Wall Street coverage and is mostly owned by former creditors, but listing on a major exchange is expected soon. It trades erratically, but not always lightly, and at a price of 63.25, (up from the high 40s upon exiting bankruptcy) the debt-free company now has a stock-market value of more than $3 billion.
The majority of that value is attributable to Visteon's Asian interests. It owns 70% of Halla Climate Control, the leading Korean car air-conditioning supplier, which is publicly traded. And the company has 50% ownership of a series of Chinese joint ventures that make auto interiors and electronic systems.
David Markowitz left a hedge-fund career to spend most of 2009 working for the Treasury's auto task force, and last month launched a hedge fund, Oskie Capital, with a few partners. (That should be a nominee for Best New Hedge Fund Name of 2010, incidentally. "Oskie" is a verbal signal by a football player that tells teammates to block the nearest player after his team has won a turnover, a nod to the virtues of a good defense pivoting to effective offense.)
His firm is an investor in Visteon, which he considers about as misunderstood as it is well-positioned. Simply applying peer-group cash-flow multiples to Visteon's Halla stake and its Chinese ventures, Markowitz calculates that at the current share price, the core Visteon business is scarcely more than its forecast earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization for 2011.
Ford, Hyundai Motor (005380.Korea) and Kia Motors (00270.Korea) account for more than half of Visteon's sales, and they happen to be among the car makers posting the greatest market-share gains.
Markowitz's sum-of-the-parts analysis yields a plausible target value for Visteon of $79 to $90 a share, once the story is better broadcast and it gains an exchange listing.
There is always the risk that once formally listed, the stock will undergo some selling pressure from the former creditors who own most of the stock. But that would be a markdown to be welcomed by opportunistic investors.
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Martha Ann Deer (1867-1903) who married Samuel Martin Duncan is the daughter of Andrew Jackson Deer (1831-1883) and his second wife Nancy Ann Sullins. Andrew J. Deer is a brother of Reuben Deer (1823-1862). So your Martha is actually a niece of Reuben. Andrew and Reuben are sons of Lovel Deer (1801-1860) and Jane S. Jackson Deer (1797-1864). My ancestor Martha Ann Deer Lewis (1834-1861) is another child of Lovel and Jane. I hope this helps. Jonathan Ramey
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Protect Pancake from the flies and ants!
– Eliminate the bugs which try to eat your Pancake.
– By touching a bug, you can kill it.
– The bugs will increase with time.
– You'll lose the game if the bugs eat entire pancake.
– You'll win the game if you could protect your pancake until the clock says 0!
You'll get scores depend on how much pancake left.
– If you kill lots of bugs, you might see the Big one!?