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Classic Honeymoon |
Highlight: Hanoi City - Halong Bay - Danang - Hue City - Hoi An - Saigon City - Mekong Delta - Nha Trang SummarySo you're engaged...congratulations! One of the most fun parts about getting married is the planning that you could enjoy the honeymoon trip of a lifetime. ! Let's start by knowing that your honeymoon holiday is the most important one in our lives, and our wedding was a hard work and quite stressful at times. Vietnam is a truly attractive honeymoon destination for all of those that want to enjoy breathtaking landscapes. Vietnam is a perfect Honeymoon destination with so much to offer for a once in a lifetime holiday. Throughout the country there is something for everyone, from the wonderful coconut palm lined golden sandy beaches on the east coast, to the soaring mist shrouded mountains in the north; from the beautiful Mekong Delta with its patchwork of green rice paddy fields in the south to Dalat; Vietnam's most romantic destination known locally as the City of Eternal Spring is surrounded by forests, coffee plantations and colourful gardens. Vietnam is still somewhere not many people have visited but the hotels are of an international standard, reasonably priced and with friendly professional service. We have hand picked a selection of Romantic properties. These are in special, quiet, idyllic locations offering Honeymooners that extra special service. Vietnam is fast becoming one of the most romantic and fascinating destinations in Asia . Plan your most unforgettable and extraordinary honeymoon or wedding anniversary celebration in our country. We offer an array of attractive packages at the most romantic and luxurious hotels and resorts in Asia . Create your perfect honeymoon or anniversary with Green Trail Tours Emerging from its turbulent past at an incredible pace, Vietnam is now home to boutique hotels which draw from its colonial past, luxury pool villas with world class design and facilities, magnificent train journeys and private island escapes which offer the ultimate in romance. Imagine yourselves reclining in the luxury of your own swimming pool with a glass of champagne in hand watching the sun set across the bay or feasting on delicious Vietnamese cuisine during a private romantic dinner for two against the backdrop of your chic private villa. We can offer several romantic opportunities for honeymooners and others wishing to relight romance! Spectacular resort settings, unique romantic ambiance, luxurious decorated room that serves as your private oasis, fine dinning and excellent service will create some memories you can hold onto forever We offer special packaged holiday that you desire most for your honeymoon. If you really do want a dreamy vacation! Also, if you should have any special needs or interests, let us know. We are ready to assist you! So email us today with your wishes and let us plan exactly the honeymoon trip you want. We promise you a wonderful and romantic vacation - a great holiday, with quick arrangements, flexibility, discounted service and much more. Wedding in Vietnam As we have seen the different way of wedding such as wedding in the air during sky diving, under water wedding in ocean during scuba diving, wedding in the highest peak of the world, Mt. Everest during expedition any many more unique ways to cherish the moment for lifetime. The traditional vietnamese wedding is one of those experiences to gather. As mentioned earlier, wedding customs in Vietnam vary according to ethnic groups and we have tried to cover all most all different tradition as follows. Wedding customs in Vietnam vary according to ethnic groups. The traditional weddings in remote village weddings, they are very simple for very rich in culture. Silk Road Group makes your wedding and anniversary arrangements in Vietnam an unforgettable and affordable experience. Our wedding packages are organised to suit your dreams and desires. With personalised service will help you to custom design your wedding and anniversary plans. Our comprehensive wedding coordination team will ensure your wedding day in Vietnam will be truly unforgetable. The vietnamese wedding ceremony consists of two parts. on the first day the groom with his parents and a small group of family members or friends-goes to the bride's home to seek her parents' permission to marry her. often, the groom presents the traditional offering of betel leaves and areca nuts to the bride's family. after the groom has made this formal proposal of marriage, the bride's family makes a similar request to its ancestors at the family altar. on the second day, there is a celebration after the bride and groom performed certain rituals at an altar set up for the occasion. Wedding is very important to Vietnamese, not only to the couple involved, but also for both families. Thus, it is usually including quite a few formal ritual observances. The Wedding day is usually chosen well in advance by the groom and the bride's parents. Organizing a wedding is very important for a couple because it's an event that happens once in their life. So, the prepare carefully for the marriage ceremony. One day before the ceremony, both families build a frame made from coconut leaves in front of their houses. On the top of each frame, there is a small red board with these words in yellow: On the day of the ceremony, all the groom's family have to go to the bride's home on time because they chose the good time some months ago. The traditional gifts include betel and areca-nut, cake, and fruit. Then, the groom and the bride worship at the altar of ancestors. Next, the bride puts the ring onto the bride's finger, earrings into her ears, and a necklace onto her neck. The cost of jewelry depends on the groom's finances. The bride also puts a ring onto the groom's finger. A wedding banquet is scheduled in the evening at a hotel or a big restaurant. It is always a delight feast that all relatives, friends, and neighbors are invited. A music band is usually hired to play live songs. At the banquet, the groom, bride, and their family are once again introduced to the guests and everyone will drink a toast. Dinner will be served at the tables. During the reception, the groom, bride, and their parents will stop by each table to say thank to their guests. The guest in return, will give envelopes containing wedding cards and money gifts to the newly wedded couples along with their blessing. A lot of weddings nowadays are followed by a dancing party, which is opened by the groom and the bride's first dance. The party does not recess until very late at night. The newly wedded couples then leave for their honey moon. In conclusion, after the party, the bride belongs to the groom's family, and she will live with the groom for the rest of her life if nothing wrong happens to their life!! WEDDING CEREMONY
Detailed ItineraryClassic Honeymoon Itinerary in brief Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi Day 2: Half Day Tour + Day Spa (Meals: B) Day 3: Hanoi - Halong Bay (Meals: B, L, D) Day 4: Ultimate Cruising (Meals: B, L, D) Day 5: Halong Bay - Hanoi - Hue (Meals: B, L) Day 6: Hue (Meals: B) Day 7: Hue - Hoi An via Danang (Meals: B) Day 8: Hoi An (Meals: B) Day 9: Hoi An - Nha Trang (Meals: B) Day 10: Nha Trang (Meals: B) Day 11: Nha Trang (Meals: B) Day 12: Nha Trang - Saigon (Meals: B) Day 13: Mekong Day Tour (Meals: B) Day 14: Depart Saigon City (Meals: B) Detail Itinerary Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi Our representative/tour guide will meet and greet you at the airport upon arrival to Hanoi City - the capital city of Vietnam is an elegant city located on the banks of the Red River with tranquil Restored Sword Lake at its heart. North of the lake are the bustling streets of the Old Quarter, each street named after the trade that used to take place there. Much of the city was transformed by the French when it became a French protectorate in the 1880s and there are wide boulevards and large colonial buildings which are now home to government departments and foreign embassies. You will be transferred to your hotel in the city center to refresh. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi City. Day 2: Half Day Tour + Day Spa (Meals: B) 10:30 am: Pick up at your hotel in Hanoi. 4 hour orientation city tour including essential sights of the city like Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and historical relics of Presidential Palace, House on stilt and we will visit One Pillar Pagoda nearby. Next stop is the Temple of Literature - Vietnam's 1st University built in the 10th C". Break time for lunch at a stylish local restaurant and we will visit the Vietnam National History of Museum with good collection of prehistoric artifacts and everyday items of early history through eras and dynasties. an optional 1 hour foot massage at 15:00, today's class begins with a walk, accompanied by the Chef of the Spices Garden Restaurant, to the local market, where participants get a chance to learn all about Vietnamese ingredients. Cooking demonstration will be held one and a half hour and you will explore cooking techniques, alternative ingredients and fascinating kitchen myths of this unique culture. You can rolls up your sleeves in the kitchen to prepare a proper Vietnamese meal. Dinner will be served in the Spices Garden restaurant to sample all the different dishes prepared during the class. The rest of time at your own leisure. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi. Cooking class can be replaced by a spa treatment for 2 at a famous spa in the city - the Spa with lush gardens in a Vietnamese traditional house villa. Experience the history culture of Vietnamese traditional "SPA" that had already existed more that 1000 years ago.
Day 3: Hanoi - Halong Bay (Meals: B, L, D) Morning depart for Halong Bay, we go through the scenic countryside. The wondrous Halong Bay is truly one of Vietnam's most impressive scenic sights. Check-in and you are warmly welcomed by friendly crew members. A longer cruise at a relaxed pace with more time to get "off the beaten track" and discover the secrets of Ha Long and Bai Tu Long Bay, visit the fishing villages, explore by kayak, unforgettable dining. This worthwhile three day trip on one of our traditional junks offers the highest quality luxuries and comforts as you enjoy the truly wonderful Ha Long Bay. Cruise with us aboard this once in a life time experience. Day 4: Ultimate Cruising (Meals: B, L, D) Wake up at sunrise before breakfast, cruise Bai Tu Long, have the whole day exploring the islets and pocket lagoons by kayak or aboard. One of the meals can be served at a special place. Sleep aboard. Day 5: Halong Bay - Hanoi - Hue (Meals: B, L) This is your last day in the bay so enjoy it, breakfast, cruise, a short trip on a local rowboat to visit a floating fishing village called Vung Vieng, chance to learn more about the daily life here. Cruise ends at noon and our car will be awaiting to pick you up and transfer back to Hanoi and then we will head for airport for a short flight to Hue city. Check-in hotel in Hue city. Day 6: Hue (Meals: B) Touring the Imperial Citadel and we will take a leisurely boat trip on Perfume river to visit Thien Mu pagoda. Touring the countryside around Hue is a great way to discover the "real" Vietnam. The cultural, religious, and educational centre of Vietnam, Hue has a lot of historic sites waiting to be discovered. Visit the 500-year old village of Phuoc Tich with its worship halls and communal houses for a taste of ancient Vietnam. And stop at the historic Thanh Toan Bridge, one of two covered bridges remaining in the country and then we will drive to visit handicraft village of Phu Cam - the one of the best-known places for making conical hats for hundreds years. This guided tour will teach you more about these hidden gems and their legacy, as nearly all of them have direct links with the old Imperial Court. The houses are not only attractive, but they also are a great way to learn about the traditional beliefs and rituals of the Vietnamese people. Back to hotel. Overnight in Hue city. Day 7: Hue - Hoi An via Danang (Meals: B) This morning we drive to Hoi An, we will cross Hai Van Pass where you will have magnificent view of the China Sea. Stop at Lang Co to have break. Visit the fascinating Cham Museum, famous China Beach and the Marble Mountains en route to charming Hoi An. Known as Faifo to early Western traders, Hoi An Ancient Town is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century. Its buildings and its street plan reflect the influences, both indigenous and foreign, that have combined to produce this unique heritage site. At leisure for the rest of time. Overnight at hotel in Hoi An. Day 8: Hoi An (Meals: B) Known as Faifo to early Western traders, Hoi An Ancient Town is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century. Its buildings and its street plan reflect the influences, both indigenous and foreign, that have combined to produce this unique heritage site. In the morning, you will enjoy a walking tour with first stop is the bustling fish and vegetable market and then we will go through the Old Quarters to see the town's landmarks of Japanese Covered Bridge, ancient Assembly Hall, Phuc Kien Temple and then we take a river trip and you will enjoy the scenery along the Thu Bon River and the general view of Hoi An Ancient Town. It transforms itself at night, when many of the shops hang lanterns outside. We will transfer you back to the town and rest of time at your own leisure. Hoi An is well know for souvenir shopping with great prices and also famous for its large number of tailor shops, so if you want to get a cloth tailor made to measure, this is the time to do it. Overnight at hotel in Hoi An. Day 9: Hoi An - Nha Trang (Meals: B) Take morning flight to Nha Trang. Check-in hotel and free at your own leisure. Overnight at hotel in Nha Trang. Nha Trang is a large city by the sea in South-Central Vietnam. One of the most popular beach destinations in south Vietnam. Backed by beautiful rolling hills which descend into the mountains, and with a grand boulevard lining the beachfront, Nha Trang is reminiscent of Nice in France, yet in a sleepier, more peaceful manner. It is comprised of a number of large bays with beaches that stretch for miles, overlooked by a palace on the headland and protected from storms and rough weather by the islands at the mouth of the bay. Day 10-11-12: Nha Trang (Meals: B) Our special honeymoon package includes romantic dinners in different locations and unique activities, excursions for honeymooners. These arrangements make us different from other tour companies. (please kindly contact us for more information on the arrangements & honeymoon benefits) Day 13: Nha Trang - Saigon (Meals: B) Today we will take a short fly to Saigon - You will be met and greeted by our tour guide upon arrival to Ho Chi Minh City, which is formerly known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is a sprawling metropolis that is home to over 5 million people and a fast-paced city full of contrasts as street vendors selling fruit and vegetables can be seen next to glitzy western-style bars and boutiques. You will visit colonial-era buildings such as the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office and then rest of time will be at your leisure shopping in Ben Thanh market. Overnight at hotel in Saigon. Day 14: Depart Saigon City (Meals: B) Free at leisure until we will transfer you to the airport to take your flight onward. End of service. Departure & PriceThis is a sample itinerary so the cost really depends on your hotel choice, number of people in your group and time of travel. An indication of the cost for this itinerary is between US$2869 -US$5263 per person based on four people travelling in high season. We act responsibility by contributing to local communities, ensuring we work with reliable suppliers and paying our staff and guides a fair wage, so that you, the traveler, can sit back and enjoy your holiday in the knowledge that you have booked through a well established, professional, reputable and responsible tour operator. For more information about us please click here. Our teams are well trained, bursting with information and eager to help put together a customized quote for you so please send us your enquire. Inclusions of the tripAccommodation based on double/twin share All American breakfast served in hotels All private vehicles with chauffeurs All internal flights specified in the tour Private local tour guides (on-spot) Other meals included in the tour Entrance and visiting fees Boat trip if specified in the tour Mineral water during the tour Exclusions of the trip Visa to Vietnam (tourists must obtain before traveling to Vietnam) International flights to and from Vietnam Airport departure tax if required Travel insurance (trip, medical and personal) Daily personal expenses Early check-in or late check-out at hotels Tip and gratuity for local tour guides and drivers during the tour Get lost in so many choices? Let's make it easier! Fill out the form below to tell us your interests, your schedule and people in your group to Vietnam and/or countries around. Your private travel consultant in ''Green Trail Tours Co., Ltd '' will contact you within 0.5 - 23.5 hours to give you a proposal including a tentative itinerary tailor-made for you and the most competitive price GTT can offer. Not all information is necessary in this form, but the more you tell us, the better we can serve you.
We turn what you have in mind into fabulous experience!


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Tested by the Good Housekeeping Research Institute
Applegate Farms Chicken Pot Pie
Product Review
Participants thought this pie's crust tasted like burnt toast and that the filling "looks like chicken salad," but they said the flavor of the chicken was good, and appreciated the addition of herbs. applegatefarms.com.
490 calories and 23 g fat (10 g saturated) per 9-oz. serving.
GHRI Tested: Chicken Pot Pie
Special Offer

subset: commoncrawl


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July 13
Some may remember Gary Zukav, the Harvard University alum and Vietnam vet who, in 1979, made almost perfect sense of quantum physics in his book The Dancing Wu-Li Masters, which won the American Book Award in Science. A decade later he switched gears, leaving the physical world behind for even tougher subject matter. In The Seat of The Soul (1990), he contends that, for too long now, we've pretty much lived our lives according to the survival-of-the-fittest ethos, which suggests that humans take care of number one by overpowering everything else -- animals included -- through fear and intimidation. So how do we get beyond that? Through spiritual growth, of course. Zukav makes his case in easy-to-read prose that blends modern psychology and New-Age principles to explain the evolution of the soul and its existence in the afterlife. Zukav will discuss his best-selling book and signs copies at 7 p.m. at Nova Southeastern University, Assembly Bldg., 3200 S. University Dr., Davie. Admission is free. Call 954-723-0489.
July 14
After California hip-hop DJ Aaron Carter spent a couple of years immersed in the U.K. dance scene, he returned to the States and shared a rundown apartment in Los Angeles with his friend, a rock guitarist named Stephen James Barry. One day Carter was in his bedroom looping some dance tracks on a synthesizer when Barry picked up his guitar and began to play along. Both liked what they heard, and they formed Cirrus. Carter had no doubt come across U.K. techno bands like the Chemical Brothers, who were already experimenting with rock 'n' roll. But Cirrus doesn't just mix dance tracks with rock samples; both members sing and rap, and Carter plays bass while Barry splits his time between guitar and keyboards. Working with a minimal budget and equipment now considered obsolete, they recorded tracks for their debut album, Drop the Break, in 1997. The single "Superstar DJ" made Billboard's Top 10 dance chart, and with the addition of drummer-vocalist Rene Padilla, the group recorded its second album, Back on a Mission, in 1998. The title track appeared on the Mortal Kombat: Annihilation movie soundtrack, and the video has been featured on 120 Minutes and Amp. Padilla has since been replaced by a session drummer, who's on the road with Cirrus for its current tour, which stops tonight at the Chili Pepper, 200 W. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Cover is $5 to $15. Doors open at 10 p.m. Call 954-525-5996.


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See other Munich properties
MEININGER Munich City Center
Real Reviews
Real reviews from fellow travellers
These are trusted reviews from guests who have actually stayed here. We hope you find them helpful.
Note: we only give a property a rating once it has received a minimum of 3 reviews.
- Page:1/1
- " The shower room beak was stucked :( "
- 28 Jan 2015 Anonymous South Korea
- " Everything with the hostel was rather satisfactury. The kitchen was a little small but manageable if you go just a little off prime eating hours. Hostel is also really close to a train station and grocery store. A little further from the center than you would like--about a 30 min walk. Great place overall. I would stay again. "
- 08 Jan 2015 Sean USA
- " Very clean room!!! I loved here♥♥ "
- 12 Oct 2014 Anonymous
- " Really friendly staff, really happy to help. Definitely coming here next year "
- 18 Sep 2014 George
- " It was not difficult to find the hostel but it was not close to the main station as I expected. "
- 29 Jul 2014 Anonymous South Korea
- " Good: every bunk has a reading light and outlet; lockers available (but a bit small); communal kitchen; kind & competent staff; bathroom in your own suite; strong wifi; elevator available. --- Warnings: bring your own padlock; breakfast isn't free. --- I enjoyed my stay at Meininger Munich very much. The staff were very friendly and helpful, and everything was clean and comfortable. Definitely recommend! "
- 23 Jul 2014 Anonymous USA
- " Such a great place. I and my family loved it! Near from the city centre and really good atmosphere. "
- 13 Apr 2014 Fernanda Brazil
- " I booked a private room for the weekend. When I did the check in they informed me that there was a issue with the reservation and I would have to check out the next day and check in again to switch the rooms. OK. The first room that I got was OK, good size, private bathroom and double bed on hostel's first floor. The second room was pretty small, single bed and a bathroom that doesn't even has a good light in the shower. Despite the room size, everything was clean and in good conditions. "
- 11 Apr 2014 Jose Brazil
- " It was a pleasure to stay at this hostel. I wish I could stay longer that one night.... "
- 16 Mar 2014 Anonymous Greece
- " Meininger really felt more like a hotel than a hostel. Despite being in an 8-person room, I felt no sense of community from the other people or the staff. If you're traveling alone, don't stay here.; with friends, you should be fine. Our bathrooms were in our rooms which was kind of awkward, especially when it's shared among 8 people. It's the most expensive hostel I've staying in, and their breakfast isn't very cheap either. But, the rooms had lockers and it was an easy walk to the city center. "
- 14 Mar 2014 Parker USA


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- Elk
- Moose
- Caribou
- Mule Deer
- Antelope
- Dall's Sheep
- Stone's Sheep
- Rocky Mt. Bighorn Sheep
- Desert Bighorn Sheep
- Black Bear
- Brown/Grizzly Bear
- Goats
- Lions
- Whitetails
- Polar Bear/Musk Ox/Wolf
- Blacktail
- Varmint/Alligator
- Aoudad
- Coues Deer
- Wild Hogs
- Elk
- Moose
- Caribou
- Mule Deer
- Antelope
- Dall's Sheep
- Stone's Sheep
- Rocky Mt. Bighorn Sheep
- Desert Bighorn Sheep
- Black Bear
- Brown/Grizzly Bear
- Whitetails
- Goats
- International
- Coues Deer
Costa Rica Tarpon and Snook
The finest tarpon fishing on the planet! If you enjoy exotic destinations that are easy to reach, and love fighting fish that are, pound for pound, among the strongest in the world, then you've got to try the caribbean coast of Costa Rica. This lodge was built in 1988 on 50 acres of lush jungle on the banks of the famous Parismina River. The fishery offers exceptional spin and fly fishing for tarpon and snook. Guests report hooking several tarpon a day in the 50-100 pound category including some real giants!
The lodge features a pool, hot tub and spacious, well-appointed rooms with private baths. The gourmet meals are superb! A fine fleet of 21 foot v-haul ocean craft boats are custom built for these waters and are fully rigged with all of your tackle needs. A crew of experienced, English speaking local guides are dedicated to making your day on the water one you'll never forget.
Your day in paradise begins with the voices of the howler monkeys sounding the approach of dawn. A light knock on your door at 5:00 AM will let you know it's time to rise and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee is welcome. This close to the equator, fishing early, before the sun reaches full intensity is the practice. The early morning hours are refreshingly cool and provide good fishing. Breakfast is served at 5:30 AM and your guide will be prepared and waiting for your arrival at the dock. Chances are he already knows where the fishing action will be and you could have your first tarpon jumped by 6:00 in the morning. Normally you fish until 11:30 AM when your guide will bring you back to the lodge. Many folks like to take a dip in the pool or jacuzzi after a morning of fishing. A wonderful hot lunch is served at noon followed by one of the greatest ideas ever conceived, siesta! At 2:00 PM you head back to the docks where your guide once again will be ready and waiting. You will fish until just before dark. The lodge tries to pack as much quality fishing time into the day as possible. If you would like to surf fish before breakfast or after dinner, we can arrange for your guide to escort you.
Before dinner, cocktails and appetizers are served on the verandah or by the open bar, followed by a dining experience you won't soon forget. Fresh seafood and meats, local fares, exotic fresh fruits, pastas and heavenly desserts. After dinner, guests enjoy recounting the day's adventures or visiting the nearby National Park to observe giant nesting sea turtles.
2014/2015: $2,400/person for a 3-day trip
(Sat-Mon) $3,000/person for a 4-day trip (Tue-Fri)
$4,500/person for a 7-day trip (Sat.-Fri). Rates based on double occupancy. Add $400 for single occupancy/guide. Non-angler rate: 3-day $1,500, 4-day $1,750, 7-day $2,200.
The lodge operates 9 months of the year, closing in December, June and July. We recommend the months of January-May as best for tarpon, and August-November as prime for a combination of tarpon and snook.
Round-trip air charter from San Jose to the lodge, deluxe accommodations, all meals at the lodge, all beverages and professional guide service with fully-equipped center-console boats for each group of two anglers.
International airfare, hotel in San Jose, gratuity, license, $30/person terminal tackle, personal items
Fly to San Jose, Costa Rica, you will be met at the airport. Flights to/from the lodge fly on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Approximate License Costs


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MURPHY, Ore. — Keith Nehf tried to bring his granddaughter back to school after an orthodontist appointment, but came back to a school on lockdown.
"We thought it was a drill, and then with more texting of her girlfriends and other students, we found out it wasn't a drill, it was actually a lock in," said Nehf.
A student had reported to school administrators someone had entered the building with a knife. Hidden Valley High School Principal Daye Stone said the person was possibly looking for a student. It was then the school went into lockdown.
"We had confirmation that the person had left and was not in the building. They created a perimeter and ultimately apprehended this person," said Stone.
Nearby the school, a suspect could be seen in handcuffs. School officials said the suspect was not a student and believe there was a threat.
"Anytime an individual comes onto campus with a knife and shows it to another student, there's usually a reason," said Superintendent Patricia Adams.
An automated message was sent out to parents about the initial lockdown around 9:30am. When the all clear was given and school day resumed, parents also received a message. Officials said they are limited to what they can say in the recordings during a lockdown, but improving communication with parents will be looked at.
"One of the areas that we will address is how we can make this communication clear to parents with accurate information and to ensure that their child is safe," said Adams.


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The Buffalo Bisons organization was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former 'Voice of the Bisons' and Buffalo Baseball Hall of Famer BILL MAZER. Mazer passed away in a hospital in Connecticut last night at the age of 92.
The Ukrainian-born Mazer came to Buffalo in 1946 and after two years took over as the 'Voice of the Bisons.' Mazer dominated the airwaves in Buffalo, also broadcasting the hockey Buffalo Bisons, the All-American Football Conference Buffalo Bills and Little 3 Basketball. He also anchored TV sportscasts on WGR-TV when the station first signed on in 1954.
Mazer was inducted to the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000 and is also a member of the Buffalo Broadcaster Hall of Fame.
Mazer's broadcasting career spanned 60 years until his retirement in 2009. Upon leaving the Western New York area in 1964, he joined WNBC-AM in New York City where he was known nationally as 'The Amazing Bill Mazer" after pioneering the sports talk format that is the standard today. He also worked at WOR-AM, on CBS television's NHL and NFL coverage, on ABC and NBC TV game broadcasts and in radio at WFAN, WEVD and WVOX-AM.
Today on MiLB.com
Top Stories on MiLB.com
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- Path: Changing roles was relief to Hughes, Bucs
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News createt: 16-11-2010
Update On Myrna Smith
I am sad to report that Myrna continues to be very weak, her health is not good, & she sleeps most of the time. She is still getting dialysis three times a week. Myrna's friend Diane & I read her every card & note sent (address for cards is below). Please keep Myrna in your prayers. And please know that Myrna really appreciates all of the love, prayers & help you so generously send her way & she loves you for it.
The address for sending cards to Myrna is:
Myrna Smith, Room 408A
Canyon Oaks Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
22029 Saticoy Street
Canoga Park, CA 91303
Bank Account for Myrna Smith's Medical & Care Expenses:
● Send a check - U.S. funds only
● Payable to: Myrna Smith
●Mail to:
Premier America Credit Union
1776 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401-3297


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quote:but I lend more credence to reports of a yeti in the Himalayas. That's actually plausible.
quote:The mayor of a small town in Louisiana calls upon the bigfoot team to investigate unusual activity in his community. To lure in these mysterious creatures, the team deploys a new baiting technique and discovers convincing evidence themselves.
quote:tonight they will be in louisiana. I didnt know we had squatchy woods
quote:La Place Mike
quote:My favorite thing said on this show was when moneymaker said "we will use peanut butter as a bait because it is a known fact that sasquatch like peanut butter." I laughed my arse off.


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Want more? Choose from other designs or create a personalized Skin with your photos!
I'm really impressed! The product came before it was supposed to come. The package was in pristine shape and the cell phone skin I ordered is awesome! I'm very happy with it. Quick and dependable service with reasonable prices!Sarah Norman, United States


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Nathaniel Rateliff and Joe Sampson "Kill Our Friends"
A quiet Sunday afternoon in the Baker neighborhood. Nathaniel Rateliff and Joe Sampson, two of the city's finest songwriters, seated next to each other on a worn couch with a fading pattern. Just one guitar and two voices between them, as they sing a lovely little ditty, an uplifting ode about killing all their friends and burying them out of sight, with Erin Preston's capable lens capturing the whole thing. No commentary. No preamble. No frills. Just the singers and the song. As it should be. Really, it just doesn't get much better than this.
Follow Backbeat on Twitter: @westword_music


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We wanted to make history.
We wanted to make this an
epic thing filled with riots
and dangerous kissing
behind liquor stores,
feeling the thrill of
being chased to death,
having our hearts
beating on the edge.
Or perhaps, that was what I wanted.
Darling, you only wanted waffles,
sugary and tasty at 8 A.M;
holding hands while listening
to Harvey Milk on the radio.
"You gotta give them hope," he'd said.
You always liked a good
old-fashioned thunderstorm,
watching from the window
as it ripped open the sea
and spilled its foamy secrets
all over the harbor.
I don't know what inspired me to search on the band Oasis, well yeah obviously because I love that band, actually I meant I don't know what or who inspired me to search on the band Oasis at this exact moment. I was feeling really really low today and I finally found an outlet for my emotions. Thanks to whichever deity that is looking upon me.
When I was a kid, I used to get a lot of flack from adults at school and at home because I'm shy and they would say I was anti-social and criticize me, saying I had to make friends because it wasn't normal. So I'd step out of my comfort zone and try to approach people, which would only result in me getting bullied. I seriously only had one real friend who I met when I was 9 but we lost contact when I was 11.
Hey everyone. It's 12/13/12. I am now 15 as of November 30th. I'm going to start there :)
I had a great Thanksgiving week. It was awesome. I ate at my Grandma's house. Had turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, corn, rolls, and brownies. It wasn't the same without my cousin Frances but I'm getting better. I'm starting to accept that she's went to heaven. I'm okay now.
We ate then played Name Game. You write the name of a character on a strip of paper and put it in a cup. Someone will read all the names and you have to guess who wrote what name. The winner is the person who is last to get guessed or if no one remembers their name. It's so fun. We play it every family get together.
I don't really know where to start but there's something that I've never understood and I just want some form of clarification, I guess, though it might still be impossible for me to understand because I just feel so different from everybody else. But.. When I was between 10 and 13 I was molested by an adult I lived with at the time and some other stuff happened to me when I was 17 and 18 that were equally traumatic. I'm not "normal", by any means, especially when it comes to intimacy and relationships because I don't trust just anyone with my body.
Below in this journal entry is the story of how my parents found out about my sexuality or more or less how I came out to my family about it. I will admit that I was full of fear, sadness and self-loathing. But at least when I told them I had a heavy weight lifted off my shoulders and I felt better that I didn't have to hide it any more.
Well, I grew up In a small town in PA. A place where the words "gay" "bisexual" "lesbian" were rarely heard. And I live with my aunt and uncle. My parents were druggies. Doesn't bother me too much. But that's the least of my problem. Bisexual. Yup. That's what i am. its hard. especially for a middle school girl. I don't want to be this way. Being different. The harassment. It sucks. I'm damned to hell. I want soo badly to change. I want to be just like everyone else. to be able to say.. I'm gonna get married and have a husband, house, and kids!
I have a boring life. I'm lonely. I came out to my (only) friend on Sunday. I didn't want to actually directly let her know, so I played a game. I gave her a few hints and let her guess. She got it right on the first try. I told her that she could tell her boyfriend. By the way, she isn't heterosexual. I found out that she's pansexual. Night is when I think the most and day is when I'm tired and don't really have any thoughts. Last night, I was incredibly happy and proud about being gay and not being the only one who knows it.
I often think too much for my own good. today i found myself thinking about the ever on going debates about the meaning of life. my viewpoint on the matter is "it should remain unsolved"
"Not Knowing" keeps our minds thinking and when we think we create, discover, and innovate. if we were to solve every equation, answer every question, or fix every problem. life would be pointless. making the entire search for the meaning of life then pointless. mystery keeps us going. With new creations, innovations, and discoveries, we receive new ways to indulge and enjoy our life.
It is decision time. I have two options.
Live a lie my entire life to make my mother and grandmother happy, and keep everything in their perfect christian worlds perfect.
I could be myself and live without fear, without lying every 10 seconds and without hating myself, but also without a family.
Me and my parents have been living in another family member's house since we moved a while back. Things took a turn for the worst back then and my parents could no longer work in their chosen professions (and therefore couldn't afford the bills), so they moved here when a family member offered them to live in her house (which she wasn't currently using because she her job moved her elsewhere) and pay what they could. Today that family member lost her job and shit's about to go downhill real fast. I think. I mean, I can only imagine. I'm stressed out, my parents are stressed out.
What's the meaning of life? Seriously, no "42" answers. And if you can't think of one, isn't that a bigger dilemma?
I've come back a few times and visited what I have written here. Most of it was a lot of trying to prove to myself who I was, and denying that I wasn't what I wanted to be.
I looked back at the entry before this one - I quit high school three times. I went to a normal high school, left for legitimate reasons. Tried again, left for the same reasons, and the third time..
I left because leaving before left me in a position where I was to be doomed to be in Highschool until..
Uh.. Now.
I need to fucking fall in love.
Why is it so fucking hard.
I can't even feel that feeling anymore. It's all physical. Or about my ego. It's about competition, image, pleasure. Whatever.
I just want to fall completely ridiculously openly desperately in love with someone perfect.
But none of them are perfect. They're just stupid or clingy or boring or pathetic or useless or bitchy.
I had a dream last night. It's weird I can't describe it. But I hugged some imaginary boy I didn't know and cried. It felt real. I know dreams don't mean shit, but it reminded me when I wasn't single.
One day I literally decided it was time to start living my life for me and not for anyone else. Yesterday I bought a one way ticket to Hawaii. I plan to leave May 25th and stay for at least three months, if not longer. It is funny how this random event seems crazy to some, but to me it seems to be the most realistic decision I could have made. I don't look at this as a vacation or running away, I am finally living life!
As soon as the trip starts I will hopefully be able to post somewhat regularly on my site including photos.
I am easily amused. What will happen today will in no way shape the fact that the world will still turn tomorrow. Think about it, my problems will not be your problems. What I do today may not have any influence on you, but may alter me in many ways. We are strangely independent, yet similarly intertwined. I guess that is the magic in being abstract.
-Chelsea @ www.freedomuniversal.webs.com/
Perhaps one of my favorite videos of the moment is a mother who wrote a rap about her daily chores as a mother. Warning though- there is a bit of "colorful language" involved.
When I woke up this morning I didn't realize I'm gay, I've known that for some time now; but what I did realize is that slowly but surely the world is becoming more accepting of gays and lesbians. What more could I ask for? Well if you have read any of my previous posts you'll know I strive for equal rights. I wish like hell I could have been in DC this past weekend for the march for equality, but since I was unable to make it I am thankful for everyone who showed up and voiced their opinion.
Have you ever had one of those indecisive moments? For example, I have more homework to complete tonight than I care to mention, but now I am in the process of not only updating on Oasis, but trying to convince myself that seeing a movie (Julie and Julia) is a grand idea. So what am I indecisive about? Well should I stay or should I go? Ha, I'll probably go see the movie because I know myself well enough to know that even if it means I'm pulling an all nighter, I will not have late school work…no way, no how. So has anyone see Julie and Julia?


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- Access Genealogy - http://www.accessgenealogy.com -
Biographical Sketch of Jared Irvine
Posted By Dennis On In Missouri | No Comments
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family's story.
Enter a grandparent's name to get started.
Jared Irvine was one of the early settlers of Warren County. He married Mary Peebles, and they had Eliza J., Louisa, and John. Mr. Irvine served as a soldier in the war of 1812, when he was only sixteen years of age. He was captured in one of the battles and taken to Canada, and after his exchange he walked from Canada to his home in Kentucky. He was a member of the first grand jury of Warren County, and was a leading and influential citizen.
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Sunbelt Lawn & Tractor is conveniently located in Winter Park, Florida to service all of the Central Florida area. Our expert staff is available to help you with all yourĀtractor, implements, utility vehicles andĀlawn equipment needs.Whether you are in looking for service or repairs to your existing lawn equipment, or are in the market for brand new equipment, we can help.ĀOur Services include:Ģ Lawn MowersĢ Lawn EquipmentĢ TractorsWe are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and have weekend hours on Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 12 p.m.Call us or stop by today so we can get you started on your next lawn project!
Sunbelt Lawn and Tractor Inc. 6566 Unversity Blvd. Winter Park FL 32792 Phone: (407) 671-4439 Fax: (407) 671-2059 Toll Free Phone: (877) 233-6983


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Cutting and Seeding Peppers Video
Learn how to cut and seed a pepper.
Bell peppers are extremely versatile fruits. Yes, they are fruits that can be eaten raw or cooked in a variety of methods. Whatever preparation you use, the pepper must first be seeded and cut. To do so, hold the pepper on its side and trim off the top stem side and bottom leaving a rough cylinder. Cut the pepper in half, lengthwise revealing the seeds. Some of the seeds can be shaken out and discarded. For the remainder of the seeds and the ribs, place the piece skin side down on the cutting board and slide the knife parallel to the pepper down the length of the pepper. This will trim off the ribs and any attached seeds leaving a pepper that is ready to dice, slice, or julienned.
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San Diego State University professor Karen Cadiero-Kaplan, a leading scholar and longtime advocate for students, will lead the California Department of Education's efforts to help school districts across the state teach English learners effectively.
California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced her appointment last month and she will begin leading the department's English Learner Support Division beginning in mid-January.
Cadiero-Kaplan chairs the Department of Policy Studies in Language and Cross Cultural Education at SDSU, focusing on biliteracy and English language acquisition.
Karen Cadiero-Kaplan's appointment is just one example of how the university engages the San Diego region, a key initiative of The Campaign for SDSU. Whether it's supporting programs that contribute directly to San Diego's growth or building academic programs to prepare for the region's future, SDSU is an important community partner. Learn more about SDSU's community engagement and how you can contribute.
Addressing a growing need
Torlakson created the department's English Learner Support Division so schools could effectively address a growing need in communities across California.
"In a state where a quarter of students come to school needing to learn English, it's impossible to overstate the importance of being equipped to teach them," said Torlakson. "We have made great strides at the Department of Education, and, with Dr. Cadiero-Kaplan at the helm of those efforts, I have no doubt we'll make many more."
History of educating
Cadiero-Kaplan began her career teaching elementary and secondary special education, as well as English as a second language at the community college level. She went on to become a professor and a provider of professional development for teachers and administrators working with bilingual students.
She has a range of publications focused on the role of education and language policies in curriculum development and teachers' professional development, including "The Literacy Curriculum & Bilingual Education: A Critical Examination."
She also served as past president of the California Association of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (CATESOL), past vice president of the CATESOL Education Foundation and is the current president of Californians Together.
More about Cadiero-Kaplan
Cadiero-Kaplan holds a bachelor's degree from the University of San Diego in psychology and elementary education and a master's degree in cross-cultural education, special education and ESL from SDSU. She also holds a doctorate in curriculum development and instruction from Claremont Graduate University and SDSU.
Your official source for San Diego State news.
Check this site often for the latest news about SDSU events, people, research and more.
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Put simply, an injunction is a court order which either sets out something which someone is required to do, or something which they are prohibited from doing. An injunction can be sought as a stand alone procedure or as part of a wider dispute or court case.
Commercial injunctions are complex. Those looking for help with this type of legal proceeding should make sure they work with experienced and knowledgeable professionals who can effectively guide them.
Here at Clough & Willis Solicitors we have an expert commercial injunctions team who have the ability to work through even the most complex case.
If you are looking to obtain an injunction, or you have been served with one, contact Grahame Henry or Fiona Gaskell now on free phone 0800 083 0815 or by email firstname.lastname@example.com; email@example.com; for a free no obligation chat to see how we can help you.
Injunctions are a widely used legal solution which can be utilised in all kinds of cases, and common reasons for injunctions being issued include:
The nature of injunctions and what they are used for often means that our clients need us to move extremely quickly, and we have the knowledge and the skills to be able to offer swift solutions in all cases. For serious matters it is possible for our solicitors to obtain a commercial injunction within a day.
We act for companies and individuals seeking injunctions and opposing them, in matters in the High Court in Manchester and the Royal Courts of Justice in London. We have sought / opposed injunctions in defamation, insolvency, patent, directors' disputes and a variety of other commercial disputes.
Nigel Compsty, Managing Director
H Compsty & Son Ltd
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Director Sound Reduction Systems
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Nolan Redshaw Chartered Surveyors
Testimonial from Mr & Mrs Smith


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ByteBuffer is one of the sub class of abstract class Buffer in the "nio"
Buffer class has subclasses for each non-boolean primitive type:
If we compare these subclasses of Buffer, we will find them very similar.
ByteBuffer class provides two more capabilities that makes it more general than
other subclasses of Buffer.
These are methods absolute and relative get() and put() methods
and methods for creating view buffers. This class is also important for the use
of channels in java.
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Crow Island School
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Crow Island School
Location | 1112 Willow Road Winnetka, Illinois 60093 |
Coordinates | 42°6′2″N 87°44′45″W / 42.10056°N 87.74583°WCoordinates: 42°6′2″N 87°44′45″W / 42.10056°N 87.74583°W |
Built | 1940 |
Architect | Saarinen,Eliel & Eero; Perkins,Wheeler & Will |
Architectural style | International Style |
Governing body | Local |
NRHP Reference # | 89001730 |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | October 27, 1989[1] |
Designated NHL | December 14, 1990[2] |
Crow Island School in Winnetka, Illinois, is an elementary school significant for its progressive philosophy and its architecture. The design of its building was a collaboration between the Chicago firm of Perkins, Wheeler and Will and Eero Saarinen.[3] It currently serves kindergarten through fourth grade students.[4]
The school was established in 1940-41.[5]
The original jungle gym is located here, having been moved from Horace Mann School in 1940.[6][7]
The school was awarded the Twenty-five Year Award by the American Institute of Architects in 1971.[8]
It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1990.[2][9]
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2007-01-23.
- ^ a b "Crow Island School". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Retrieved 2007-10-11.
- ^ http://www.artic.edu/aic/libraries/caohp/perkins.html Oral History interview regarding design of school.
- ^ School website
- ^ School history website. Retrieved 2014-01-11.
- ^ "J" is for Jungle Gym from Winnetka, Illinois Historical Society
- ^ Crow Island School history
- ^ The American Institute of Architects. Twenty Five Year Recipients. Retrieved April 20, 2011.
- ^ Janice E. Tubergen (July 15, 1989). "National Historic Landmark Nomination: Crow Island School" (pdf). National Park Service. and Accompanying 16 photos, exterior and interior, from 1989. PDF (5.19 MB)
External links[edit]
This article about a property in Illinois on the National Register of Historic Places is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- National Historic Landmarks in Illinois
- Winnetka, Illinois
- School buildings completed in 1940
- Eero Saarinen structures
- Buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Cook County, Illinois
- Public elementary schools in Cook County, Illinois
- School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Illinois
- Illinois Registered Historic Place stubs


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by Heidi Hauser Green
January 02, 2008
Go, Mothering magazine!
According to The Patriot Ledger's Dana Barbuto, "more than half" of the images in Mothering magazine show mom breastfeeding baby. She thinks this is cause for concern. If you ask me, it is cause for applause. Over the decades since breast milk substitutes (a.k.a., infant formula) hit the market, images of babies with bottles in their mouths have become ubiquitous. They have become expected. Bottles have become associated with babies the way peanut butter is associated with jelly, Abbott with Costello, ants with picnics. The formula industry doesn't spend billions of dollars a year in advertising for nothing.
In fact, in an amazing turn of events (and thanks in large part to all of this slick advertising) bottle-feeding has come to be seen as normal, even more normal than breastfeeding. I cannot think of one other substitute that has so thoroughly replaced its original. Veggie burgers? No. Aspartame? No. Oleo? Don't get me started.
This is especially amazing because infant formula is a poor substitute for the real deal. Yes, I know. Babies who are fed formula live and grow and even thrive. (I did.) But there is no denying that formula—even as scientifically-engineered as it is today—still lacks the nutritional and immunological properties of human milk.
So, why do some take such offense at the sight of breastfeeding dyads? Common complaints are that the images make formula-feeding mothers feel "guilty" for not breastfeeding or, as Barbuto puts it, "unworthy of motherhood." In what seems like a topsy-turvy version of the three wise monkeys, these women don't want to see, hear, or talk about breastfeeding. (As if breastfeeding were "evil.")
Here's what I think: Breastfeeding is (trite as it may sound) best. As parents who want what's best for our children, we should weigh the many merits of breastfeeding when we make decisions about how we feed our babies. We can't do that if there is a moratorium on breastfeeding images and discourse.
The formula industry has been very effective in its efforts to fill TV screens, pediatrician's offices, and parenting magazines with images of formula-feeding mothers and their babies. There is no breast milk industry to spread the word about breastfeeding (although the national government has made a rather limited attempt.) If I can help to do so simply by talking openly about breastfeeding… well, it seems a very minor thing.
You know what? If there's one thing I have learned over the past five years, it is that much of parenting is about making choices. Will you circumcise your son? Vaccinate your daughter? Co-sleep with your baby? Use cloth or disposable diapers? Send them to public or private school? The list goes on and on. Breastfeeding or formula-feeding is just another one of those parenting decisions. We should be able to read about it and talk about it as we do the other decisions, without the baggage of hurt feelings.
And (dare I say it?) maybe we should give pro-breastfeeding discourse a bit of leeway. Through decades of marketing, the formula industry has given it a tremendous handicap.
Photo ©iStockphoto.com
Copyright ©2015 baby gooroo, inc.


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Marianas Trench Host Their Own Children's TV Show In 'Here's To The Zeros'
Watch now!
Who (Or What) Is A Cashmere Cat?
Our new fave artist
Quiz! How Well Do You Know This Year's Juno Nominees?
Test your knowledge
Jared Leto Loses His Long Locks: Good Riddance Or Great Tragedy?
Join the debate
January 12th, 2012
Double WOW. Literally, within hours of her birth, little Blue Ivy Carter AKA the daughter of hip hop royalty Beyonce and Jay-Z, has charted on Billboard's Top 100 Songs for the week with "Glory" (it debuted at number 74).
If you thought Blue was going to be famous…YOU WERE RIGHT! But could anyone have guessed how soon her claim to fame would come? We don't think anyone called it at less than seven days old. "Glory" is fully credited as Jay-Z featuring B.I.C. (his daughter's initials), with the songs featuring her first sounds of breathing and cooing after she was born.
If anyone's about to say "but isn't that weird?" or "isn't a baby to young for that?" we'll say no. Stevie Wonder did it back in 1975 (according to Billboard.com) with his new-born daughter Aisha on the song "Isn't She Lovely". However, Aisha doesn't get the honour of being the youngest Billboard charter since a) Stevie never actually credited her on the song and b) the song didn't even chart until two years after Aisha was born.
Blue Ivy has the wonder of 21st century technology on her side, not only getting a song recorded with her father in record time, but getting it across to the masses faster than Stevie Wonder could.
Enjoy a little piece of history and listen to B.I.C. make her musical debut below:
Glory – Jay-Z feat. Blue Ivy Carter by Warhol2011
Posted on Thursday, January 12th, 2012 at 12:38 pm by Michael and is filed under Blog, Celeb Life, Music, News.


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Tom and Michaela Kitchin opened their restaurant, The Kitchin on Edinburgh's Leith waterfront in 2006. The restaurant was awarded a Michelin star in 2007 followed by numerous prestigious awards including 'Best UK Restaurant 2011' and 'Best Restaurant in Scotland 2012'.
The Kitchin presents modern British seasonal cuisine influenced by French cooking techniques and an appreciation of the best quality ingredients available from Scotland's fantastic natural larder.
The restaurant's philosophy 'From Nature to Plate', is a true reflection of Tom's passion for the finest, freshest Scottish seasonal produce and the cooking at the restaurant reflects Tom's training under some of the world's best chefs blended with his own Scottish heritage.


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Connecticut officials have settled a zoning dispute over a little girl's pet bunny, after she was handed a cease-and-desist order for housing the 20-pound pet on property smaller than two acres.
According to North Haven zoning laws, families aren't allowed to keep rabbits and other livestock on land that spans less than two acres.
Support calls from across the country poured in for 7-year-old Kayden Lidsky, demanding she be allowed to keep her rabbit named Sandy.
North Haven First Selectman Michael Freda said Friday those demands have been met.
"All along I've said that little girl is not losing that rabbit," Freda told the Associated Press. "We have a ridiculous ordinance … and we're going to change it."
Prior to Freda stepping in, Kayden's father, Josh Lidsky, was prepared to appeal the town's cease-and-desist order.
"I'm happy it's over," Lidsky said. "I'm saddened that it had to go as far as it did. It's very tough for a 7-year-old to understand why people would do something like that. She's cried nightly."
Since news hit last week about the town's order nearly 4,400 people have signed an online petition on change.org urging the town not to force the family to give up the rabbit. Freda says the old ordinance was put into place 50 years ago when the community was largely farm related. It was designed to prevent people from raising and selling animals.
The new ordinance, Freda says, will allow rabbits to be kept as pets.
The Associated Press contributed to this report


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Apartment Living
Apartment living is a lifestyle not for the faint of heart. Millions of Americans dwell in apartment communities sharing their lives with family, friends and strangers. Step inside this microcosm of society and experience the adventure.
Yearly Archive for 2008
The Tip of the Iceberg
Last week I was reminded of how what lies on the surface is only a small portion of reality.
[Read More]
The Day After
Well, it's the day after Election Day and whether or not your candidate of choice won, the pre-election banter and ads are over.
[Read More]
Don't Quit
It's been quite a week.. but I'm baacccckkkk!
[Read More]
Too Much on My Plate
Ever have the problem of too many things to do and not enough hours in the day?
[Read More]
Thankful for Fridays
I am thankful that there is an order to our week.
[Read More]
Replacement Parts
Hello again after my absence of a few days.
[Read More]
Partnerships and Team Work
An apartment community is like a living organism or a small city or a sports team.
[Read More]
Red, Yellow and Green.. and it's not a stoplight
Yesterday I was out walking the dog (we are surrogate parents for a week), and I was admiring the fall colors on the trees.. and the leaves on the ground.
[Read More]
Frost on the Pumpkins
Yep, we had frost on the ground again this morning and more in the forecast for the weekend.
[Read More]
Homemade Soup
It's time to bring out the fall comfort food!
[Read More]
Show More


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Lenny Kravitz hates it when critics call him retro, contending that love, revolution, and smooching should belong to every generation. But the... More >>


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I was raised in an Orthodox Jewish household in New York, where the Old Testament was believed to be the literal word of the Almighty God and where we obeyed, as closely as we could, all 613 commandments elucidated within its holy pages. To us, God was not simply a concept, but a very real, everyday presence in our lives and our community. Which is to say, I know pornography. Hard-core, graphic pornography. My father had it buried beneath his mattress. My brother had it hidden under his dresser. Pornography, like God Himself, was everywhere. Sex was dirty. Pornography was worse.
The really bad news was this: God, my rabbis told me, could only grant me forgiveness for the sins I had committed against Him; sins I had committed against my fellow humans could only be forgiven by them personally. If they didn't forgive me, my rabbis said, when I died and went to heaven, God would cause me to suffer in the exact way I had caused them to suffer.
At the time, though only 14 years of age, I had already tired of the porn magazines I found in my house and decided it was time for full-motion video. I went to Times Square, where a group of women stood outside a porn shop, protesting and carrying placards. On one placard was a picture of a naked woman tied to a bed. She had a ball gag in her mouth and clamps on her nipples. I ducked into the store, spent every dollar I'd stolen from my father's wallet, hurried home, and hoped the videos wouldn't work.
They worked.
I wondered what was wrong with me. I wondered how many gang bangs I would have to suffer in heaven. Was it like an eye for an eye—a gang bang for a gang bang—or was it some sort of eternal gang bang that never ended? Would I be anally violated? Would I be spanked? Did they have ropes and ball gags and Ron Jeremy in heaven?
I decided to watch them again. If I did, and they didn't work for me, surely I would be forgiven.
I watched them again.
It has been a guilt-filled few decades.
A while back, I read that a pornographer named Max Hardcore, having been convicted of obscenity charges two years earlier, was serving time in a federal prison in Texas. A few Googles later, I learned that over the course of his career, Max had made hundreds of films, ranging from the mildly rough in his early years to the truly disturbing before his conviction. A few more Googles later and I was watching one of his scenes.
Ext.—Somewhere in California—Day. Open on wooden deck. A bright yellow couch. Max and his co-star appear. Max wears his trademark cowboy hat, white tube socks, and nothing else. The woman wears a ponytail and pink high heels. She lies supine on the couch, legs spread, her head tilted back over the armrest, mouth open. This video seemed to be about a 5 on the Max Hardcore 1-to-10 Scale of Fucked-Upitude. Still, it was shocking. It was outrageous.
I didn't want it to work.
It worked.
It wasn't any one thing they did, not one specific act or position, and I suppose with fantasy it never is; it's a triggering thought, a concept that runs through the mind at just that apical moment, and for me that triggering thought was this: I can't believe she's letting him do that.
I hoped the woman was okay. I hoped she was acting. I hoped she hadn't been forced. I wondered if the founders of Google knew they were contributing to an exploitative, misogynistic industry that lets strange men watch this woman do these strange things. I wondered if I could find her and apologize.
And I wondered, most of all, what the hell was wrong with me.
I told my friend Jerry* about Max Hardcore. When Jerry isn't practicing mixed martial arts, he works for the N.Y.C. fire department. I wanted my confession to be met with macho derision, which would shame me out of my shame.
Jerry, it turned out, has a Max Hardcore as well: sleeping-girl porn. In sleeping-girl porn, the woman pretends to be asleep while the man creeps into her room, undresses her, and does his thing.
"Is it like a rape thing?" Jerry wondered aloud about himself. "Do I want to rape someone? Or do I just think she'd never let me fuck her if she was awake, like I'm not good enough for her, like a low-self-esteem thing?"
I didn't know. A subgenre of sleeping-girl porn is drunk-girl porn, in which a girl drinks a tremendous amount of alcohol until she passes out. Then a man undresses her and does his thing. I asked Jerry if the drunk-girl thing worked for him, too.
"No, no, no," said Jerry with a disgusted shake of his head. "That shit," he insisted, "is fucked up."
I told Jerry that I want to locate the woman in the Max Hardcore scene, to ask forgiveness.
"Yeah," he said. "I'm sure that will cheer her right up."
The thing is, I don't like myself very much. I'm my least favorite person in the world, by a long shot, and if you knew all the dark, sick, demented things that go through my mind, you'd agree. I've wasted fifteen years in therapy with a shrink who spends an hour a week trying to persuade me to like myself even the tiniest bit more or to just loathe myself the tiniest bit less. We've made very limited progress.
And so while Jerry felt shame, I was sure his wasn't nearly as warranted as mine. Sleeping girls? Sleeping-girl porn was almost peaceful; she's having a nap. She's catching a few z's. Heck—she's Sleeping Beauty! Max is the Big Bad Wolf, though, and his Little Red Riding Hoods suffer through an ordeal. Which is why, later that evening, I decided to visit Paul Little, a.k.a. Max Hardcore, at the Federal Correctional Institution-La Tuna, just outside El Paso.
I needed to know we were different. I needed to know I wasn't him. I needed to know that whatever the hell was wrong with me was not as bad as whatever the hell was wrong with him.
A couple of thousand miles, I decided, wasn't too far to go to find someone I hated more than myself.
The TSA officer at JFK airport waves me forward through the metal detector. I am holding my breath, trying not to make any sudden moves, afraid she will stop me, inspect my bag, and find the image I had printed out from a scene of Max's. The image is of Layla Rivera, a recent Max Girl. A Max Girl is Max's Squeaky Fromme, his favorite, his something-like-a-girlfriend, the girl who gets to live in his California mansion and star in his films. In this shot, Layla's makeup is smeared across her face, her legs are spread, and Max's hand is inside her pussy.
What the hell is this? I imagine the officer asking me.
Doesn't look like nothing, she says. Do you hate women?
Hate women? I don't hate women.
What do you call this then?
That's...that's fisting. Some people call it handballing....
She grabs me by my shirt collar and slams me against the wall.
Why don't I handball your fucking face? she asks.
I pick up my bag and head to my gate.
* Jerry's name and some of his identifying details have been changed.
When I arrive at the prison early the next morning, Max meets me in the prison's busy visitation room. He is of medium height, with silver hair and an easy smile; with his cowboy hat off and his pants on, he looks like a dentist, like a salesman, like he'd be more interested in putting me in a Toyota than a porn film. He shakes my hand firmly (too firmly; did he hurt those girls, I wonder, did he squeeze them that hard?) and says, "Thanks for coming." I can't help cringing and wishing that the first sentence Max Hardcore said to me hadn't contained the word "coming." And that he hadn't said it quite so loudly.
We find an empty bench and sit down. Max tells me to call him Paul. Paul tells me he's glad I enjoyed his movie. I tell Paul that I feel like I jerked off to a crime.
"They know what they're getting into," says Paul.
"Do you ever feel guilty?" I ask.
I expect him to say no. I want him to say no. I want the guilt to myself. My guilt, at least, makes me better than him.
Paul shrugs and sighs.
"Sure," he says.
He nods.
"But they know what they're getting into," he quickly adds. "It's like boxing. You don't feel bad for the guy who loses; you don't wonder why they're in the ring."
"I don't watch boxing."
"Why not?"
"I feel bad for the loser," I say. "I wonder why they're in the ring."
"I have this board," Paul explains, "in my office. There are twenty Polaroids on it, each one showing what we're going to do in the scene. I tell the girl, 'See this? This is what we're going to do. First we're going to deep throat, then we'll do some puking. Are you okay with puking? Good. Then we're going to do some anal, then I'm going to fist you. Oh, you've never been fisted? Don't worry, we'll show you how. Then
I'm going to piss on you, then we'll do the pop shot.' "
I ask him if he ever shows them the twenty-first Polaroid, the one where they crawl into the corner, suck their thumbs, and think about how to kill themselves.
"It's not like that," he says. "I'm not Khan Tusion."
Khan Tusion is the notorious porno director of a series of films called Meatholes and Rough Sex. They are extraordinarily violent. There is choking. There is hitting. There is crying. In the videos, Khan masks his voice and obscures his face.
"Khan wants the girls to feel like shit," says Paul. "With Khan it's real. Khan hates women."
Paul is soft-spoken and often laughs at himself. I know it's all bullshit—he's in prison, he's on his best behavior. I try to picture him violating someone I love.
"I'm playing a character," says Paul. "I'm playing this average guy who can get these babes to do all this stuff. That's Max. But the minute the scene is over, I'm Paul. Ask anyone. Talk to Layla. Go see Layla. Ask Layla if you should feel bad."
It was time to go. Paul walked me to the door.
"I don't want people watching my films to feel lousy," said Paul. "I guess I just want them to be more like guilty pleasures, like eating chocolate. Is that the way you felt?"
"Kind of," I said. "Like eating chocolate made from babies."
It had been over two hours. I didn't hate him nearly enough. And it made me hate myself even more.
Ashley Blue saw the tunnel.
"I died," she says.
It was in a scene with Khan Tusion. He was choking her, and she says she saw the tunnel, the one people claim to see when they're dying. She woke up a few seconds later.
"He's more of a monster," she says. "Definitely."
Ashley was known as the female Max Hardcore; she and Max wanted to make a movie together, but no actresses would agree to be in it for fear of what might happen to them. Polaroid number twenty-one, presumably.
We are sitting in the den of Ashley's tiny ranch house, which sits only a few feet off the edge of an impossibly busy Los Angeles thoroughfare. The den doubles as her studio—she gives ever more time to painting since reining in her porn career. It is small and cramped, the walls covered with her paintings. The drawing table is buried beneath her charcoal-and-pencil sketches; a magazine featuring R. Crumb's drawings sits nearby. Her dog's collar jangles incessantly until she locks him in the bedroom, which, from what I can gather, is the only other room in the house.
Ashley Blue, whose real name is Oriana Small, is as physically un-porn-star-like as one can imagine: small, un-made-up, un-cosmetically-altered, and, for a man like myself on forty milligrams of Prozac a day, depressingly happy. It seems to me she should be more miserable, more guilt-ridden, and so it takes me a while to tell her why I am there: to admit that I watched a Max Hardcore scene, and that it did it for me.
Ashley laughs and tells me that she doesn't think there's anything wrong with it. She tells me that she doesn't think it makes me sick. But I'm sure she thinks I'm a pervert. I'm sure she's thinking, Why did I let this sicko into my house? I'm sure she's wondering where she left her Mace.
"Max, to me," she says, "is kind of a gag. It's all dressed up, he's got the things he likes to do. It doesn't seem as bad as Khan Tusion, where he wants the girl to really feel like a turd, and then he wants to pee on that turd. He really has problems."
Ashley says I have nothing to be ashamed of. I appreciate her saying so, but I've watched a few of her porn films, too—it has been a guilt-filled few decades—and so I'm silently wondering if I should ask her for forgiveness now or just wait for the afterlife and suffer through Anal Excursions 8 Starring Shalom Auslander then. Ashley says that she would worry more about guys who get off to "vanilla" porn—that she suspects they're dishonest or, worse, dull.
I tell her it doesn't matter. I tell her I still feel bad. I tell her about Jerry, who likes sleeping-girl porn.
"What about you?" I suddenly ask her. Has she—the star of White Trash Whore 30, Attention Whores 1-9, Gag Factor 10, Piss Mops 2, Girlvert 2-19, and many, many (many) more—has she ever gotten off to something that made her think, Jesus Christ, what the hell is wrong with me? Something that worked for her that she didn't know would, that made her wonder how the wires in her head got so bizarrely, disgustingly crossed?
She sighs. She shakes her head. And then, incredibly, Ashley Blue blushes.
"Incest," she says. She covers her face with her hands for a moment and lets her hair fall down in front. Mr. Natural watches from the cover of the magazine, amused by our self-contempt.
"Incest?" I ask.
Not real life, she adds, just the fantasy.
"Like when I see—oh God, this is so...When I see twin sisters or twin brothers," she says, "brother-sister...even a dad and son... that's where I feel like, I am so gross. That's such a crime. Anal, throwing up—I feel like I can justify everything in that, but I have no justification for the incest fantasies that I have."
She shakes her head, and the blush returns.
"I don't know why," she says.
She buries her face in her hands and laughs again, and the dam of our shame seems to break; we're laughing at ourselves, at our humiliation, at our own foolish, tortured humanity. She tells me about sisters and brothers, stepfathers and stepdaughters; about mothers "sharing the cock" with their daughters, about sisters doing the same with each other. On a roll of acceptance now, she tells me about her husband, a caring, sensitive photographer, a man who would never hurt a fly, who feels shame about the fantasies he has of men tying women up, having their way with them. I tell her that my shrink says the people who should feel guilt usually don't, and the people who shouldn't usually do. She goes back to talking about watching twin sisters sharing a man. "I kinda almost feel, oh, I wish I had a twin sister. I feel envious, and I feel it's really, really dirty," she says.
"I'm so glad I came here," I say.
She laughs. She shakes her head again.
"It's so," she says with a sigh, "disgusting."
Big Paul is Max's office manager and occasional bodyguard. He is a heavy-set Mexican-American man with a personable air, unless you're trying to touch Max's cowboy hat.
"I made sure nobody touched the hat," says Big Paul.
Big Paul has offered to show me around Max's home, high in the hills of Altadena, just outside Los Angeles, where he continues to run the business while Max is in prison. When I arrive, black trash bags line the foyer. Big Paul is in the process of throwing Layla out.
"Yeah," says Big Paul, "she's a troublemaker."
The trash bags are filled with Layla's clothes, all neon colors and high heels and spandex, waiting to be picked up. It looks like someone robbed a Frederick's of Hollywood, got home, and couldn't figure out why they'd robbed a Frederick's of Hollywood.
Big Paul shows me Layla's bedroom. On the wall hangs a large crucifix strung with rosaries and flowers. Beside it hangs a poster-sized still from one of her Max Hardcore scenes; Max, smiling and fully dressed, stands beside Layla, who is naked, legs spread, steel dental instrument forcing open her mouth. I ask him if girls ever got upset after a scene.
"Nobody is putting a gun to their heads," says Big Paul. "Any girl has the right to stop. You don't want to get pissed on? Don't do the scene."
Big Paul shows me to the garage, which also serves as the warehouse. Steel shelving units filled with DVDs line the walls. He seems to show no interest whatsoever in these films; he displays, it seems to me, a measure of disgust with them. And then, standing awkwardly in this porn-filled confessional, I tell Big Paul I watched one of these movies. He nods. I tell him it worked for me. I tell him I feel bad.
"You want any of these?" he asks.
"Um," I say.
"I'll hook you up," he says.
He pulls a few from the shelves—notably films like the ones that were shown to the jury, the films Max is serving time for—and hands them to me. I think about refusing them, but I don't want to offend him, and the yeshiva boy in me will kill me if I do.
I ask Big Paul if he has some sort of a box to carry them in—I'm staying at a nice hotel, after all. As he looks for one, I ask him if he has ever gotten off to something that made him feel ashamed.
He shakes his head and says no.
"I watch that soft shit," he says, "I guess I'm more of a foreplay, take your time, kissing, and then going at it kind of guy."
This is typically referred to as "bullshit," but the more I admit my own shame to Big Paul, the more Big Paul loosens up. Just as I'm thanking him for his time and making my way to the door, he stops me.
"Oh," he exclaims, as though he's only now remembered. "I do have a fat fetish. For fat chicks."
"Like 300 pounds?" I ask. "Four hundred?"
"No," he says with a wince, "not that big. Like 200. Nice chubby chicks. That turns me on, I don't know why."
He shrugs, runs a hand over his head as if he's confessed to a murder.
I ask him if he dates big women.
"I fuck them every now and then, but then I feel guilty. I feel disgusted. But yet I still do it." He swears to himself after that he'll never do it again, but when he's doing it, he just can't stop himself.
I ask him if he watches Max's videos. He shakes his head.
"Palos," he says of the Max Girls in Spanish. Sticks.
He's laughing now. The only thing that can make the moment even better is to declare roundly that others are worse than us.
"My brother-in-law," he says, "that's with my sister is into like 300 pounders." His sister is, alas, only 150, 155. "He always wants to feed her," says Big Paul with a laugh, "and I'm like, Fuck you.
"One day," he says, "I had him working here on the computer, and he was getting these chicks with, like, rolls on their legs, and printing them out, and I'm like, What the fuck are you doing?"
"You're not into that," I say.
He shudders.
"That's fucking sick, dude," he says.
Layla Rivera thinks I think too much.
I meet up with her one evening, almost two months after visiting Max in prison, at an upscale bar in Santa Monica. The bar is filled with mostly after-work business clientele in dark, formal business attire. Layla arrives wearing bright yellow four-inch platform heels and a matching bright yellow dress that would have been small on a toddler. The men and women at the table beside us titter and snicker. Beneath all her pornification, beneath the ludicrous implants, the heavy makeup, the garish spandex, Layla is a beautiful dark-skinned woman of Mexican-Polish-Hawaiian descent. She exudes insecurity, though, this supposed high priestess of shamelessness—she lowers her eyes when she speaks and twirls her hair nervously. Her clownish, superficial appeals to the predictable male sexual desires are having the opposite effect: I don't want to fuck her, I want to club her over the head, put her in the car, drive her out to the wild, and set her free, free of this bar, this city, this world. Go! Run free, Layla! Start over!
I confess to her I've seen her movies and that they worked for me. Not what Max did to her, but that she allowed him to do it. Her compliance. Her acquiescence. Her submission. I told her that I felt bad that the movies worked, and that I wished that they hadn't.
"It's for perverts and sickos," she says, looking down at her drink. "You're not a pervert or a sicko; that's why it disturbed you."
It didn't disturb me, I tell her. It worked for me. That's what disturbed me.
"Because you're normal," says Layla. "That's why it bothers you. If you were a pervert it wouldn't bother you."
She is sounding disturbingly like my shrink.
She adjusts her breasts, flips her hair, trying to be alluring but never quite making eye contact, always staring down at the table or her drink. I ask her what else I should know. Without looking up, she replies: "I don't know. I just know how to give blow jobs. Want a blow job?"
I decline. Politely.
"I'm so blowing you right now. Assess my blow jobs. Anytime."
I tell her I don't want a blow job, and I suspect Max put her up to it, and I feel bad. Every time the conversation lags, she offers me a blow job; and every time I say no, she responds with such genuine bafflement that I suspect Max didn't put her up to it, that this is just the way of the world in her world. Now I feel even worse.
The people at the table near us laugh loudly, and I assume it's at us. I ask Layla about Max. He has three rules for his girls, she says. The rules were written on a board and hung in his house.
" 'Don't get pregnant,' " says Layla, " 'don't get a fat ass, and don't fall in love.' Those are his major, major rules to live by, and you'll be fine. Because then you don't have to worry about your feelings being hurt, you don't have to worry about having a baby and getting fat, and you don't have to worry about not getting work, because you're skinny, so don't get fat."
The men and women behind us look over at Layla again and roll their eyes. What, I wonder, is their Max Hardcore? How dark are their dark corners? Does the smug little bald man in the blue tie like to get pissed on? Does the woman in her sharp red business suit like to get spanked, like to spank? How many of the respectable folks in this bar want nothing more than to go home, tie up their mate, and play Nazi and Jew?
"People who know Max," continues Layla, "love him."
"It's all an act," I say. (It probably isn't.)
I ask her what I asked Jerry and Ashley and Big Paul—if there's anything that does it for her that she feels ashamed of—and for once I want to hear that there isn't, that she really is okay with it, with all of it, that she's achieved some sort of Zen-like state of personal enlightenment, of sexual wisdom, a meditative state of Non-Self-Loathing and Un-Reproach.
"Me?" she says, still looking down. "No way, uh-uh. I do it all, whatever."
The people at the table behind us finally get up and leave. Layla watches them go. The bar seems empty, quiet. And at last she looks up at me and shrugs.
"Amateurs," Layla says.
She wrinkles her nose as if it's disgusting.
"Home videos," she says. "Just couples, you know. I like couples. It's real."
Missionary position, she continues, if she can find them.
"Lovemaking," she says quietly.
"You know?"
She shakes her head, and pulls up on her tube top. What am I doing, her motion seems to convey, in this ridiculous outfit?
The waitress comes by, hands me the bill, and glances with contempt at Layla. Layla disgusts the waitress, Big Paul's brother-in-law disgusts Big Paul, drunk-girl porn disgusts Jerry, Khan Tusion disgusts everybody. But nothing, if we're honest, disgusts us more than ourselves. Our truest selves. The selves we give in to when we watch sleeping girls, and brothers and sisters, and Max and Layla, and amateur couples together in bed (missionary style if possible). The selves who experience these flickering moments of pure acceptance—that's the real pleasure, isn't it, the real joy?—when Shame and Sin watch from a distance, blessedly, briefly silent. Maybe that's why we take such consolation in meeting other people with their own Max Hardcores, and, paradoxically, why we put our Max Hardcores in prison—because by declaring them obscene, we can tell ourselves that we are not.
"You think too much, I think," says Layla.
"You don't think?"
"I never think usually on a regular basis," she says. "I just don't think."
"About anything?"
"Usually. I just be."
"I can't stop thinking," I say.
"That could be bad for your health," says Layla. "Thinking too much."
"Do you read a lot?"
"Because it's thinking."
"It's in the category of thinking," says Layla. "Comprehending."
"Do you think you're not thinking about things," I ask, "because there are things you don't want to think about?"
"No. Because it doesn't need to be thought about. Just be."
I'd never thought about it that way before.
"You think too much," she says, getting up from the table and tugging down on the hem of her dress. "That's enough thinking for me for one day."
Shalom Auslander is the author of the forthcoming novel Hope: A Tragedy.


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