text:
Alma - At 11,400 feet, the chilly mountain wind whistles through the blank windows of the abandoned Paris Mill, a ghostly relic from the mining boom and an improbable anchor for a modern-day land rush.
Here in Buckskin Gulch, 2 miles up a washboard road from the collection of false-fronted buildings of Alma, developers Bill Cincilla and Jeff Wright envision five new homes on some of Colorado's last affordable mountain real estate: patented mining claims.
"This is one of those rare opportunities where we have a unique site, just absolutely drop-dead gorgeous surroundings, where we can do something like this," said Cincilla, an engineer describing his first foray as a developer.
They have a contract on four adjacent mining claims that cover 94 acres and currently are listed together for $445,000, while similar undeveloped home sites 20 minutes away in Breckenridge fetch as much as $1 million an acre.
Cincilla and Wright are among a growing legion of real estate investors driven by high prices out of Colorado's resort towns and up into the nearby hills, where mining claims dating from the late 1800s remain available for development - and present a lingering conundrum for government agencies, conservation groups and historical preservationists.
"As our resort towns get overly crowded and built up, people are increasingly looking for their little slice of paradise," said Doug Robotham, Colorado director of Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit organization seeking to stem the modern-day incarnation of the land rush occurring throughout the West.
"It's an absolutely understandable motivation," he said. "These places are wonderful, spectacular, remote, surrounded by forest. But more and more, what we're seeing is people are building their cabins and not-so- cabinish second homes in really inappropriate places.
"And at some point," he said, "two or three cabins in the woods becomes 35 or 40 or 50, and in there you cross a threshold where you just fundamentally alter the character of these places. That's what we're trying to get ahead of."
Colorado has 24,653 patented mining claims totaling more than 1.2 million acres, according to statistics culled from public documents by the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Working Group.
Originally part of the national forests and other federal land, mining claims were carved out by prospectors and mining companies under the 1872 Mining Act, a still-standing federal law that allows the land eventually to be patented - turned over to private ownership and used for anything, which today includes houses, hotels and ski areas.
Sprawl is the biggest concern among critics, although new homes deep in the backcountry also bring with them a host of other problems, including environmental concerns and difficulties of fire protection.
For homebuilders, the appeal is evident.
"We just love it out here. Every day, it's different scenery - the way the light is shining on the mountains or the way the clouds are. Every day it's a different view," said Ivan Witts, who, with his wife, Debbie, is building his dream retirement home, a 4,200-square-foot log "cabin" on a wooded mining claim east of Wilkerson Pass near the Park County town of Lake George.
The Wittses gladly exchange solar panels for electric bills and a satellite dish for cable TV.
They don't even mind that their cellphones work only if they "lean their head out the door just the right way" and that they must plow the Forest Service road for a mile to reach their place after a storm.
"I like my privacy," said Ivan Witts, who moved from Decatur, Ill. "I love wildlife, and at my place I've already seen elk and bears and deer. I just prefer to be out looking at the pine trees in the mountains."
Searching for a secluded spot for weekend escapes, real estate agent Steve Leisle snapped up an old patented mining claim ringed by federal land - and only 2 miles outside his hometown of Silverton.
"It's not that Silverton is a big town, but it's still nice to get away from the crowd," said Leisle, an agent with Bobbie Carll Realty, which lists about 20 similar patented mining claims for sale.
Most claims are too remote or inaccessible for large portions of the year to find much of a market, Leisle said.
But claims on the edges of resort towns or linked to plowed roads are appealing to today's "weekend homesteaders," and even the remote ones are commanding higher prices among speculators and developers interested in trading them for additional space in town.
In Summit County, for example, developers are taking advantage of an aggressive program of redeeming backcountry mining claims for in-town density bonuses, allowing them to build additional units into their most lucrative projects.
"We're trying to protect and preserve these backcountry areas," John Roberts, manager of long-range planning for the county, said of the 5-year-old transfer program.
The Trust for Public Land also has been putting together deals, gaining control of about 8,500 of the 11,000 acres of claims in the Red Mountain area rimmed by Ouray, Telluride and Silverton and making a similar effort in the High Elk corridor between Crested Butte and Aspen.
In many cases the organization buys the land outright, but a number of landowners have donated their claims.
"When you turn 60, you start thinking about retirement, and you start also thinking about leaving something other than material possessions," Ginny Passoth of Denver said of three claims she gave up near the abandoned mining town of Scofield.
On four Park County claims, Cincilla and Wright want to construct "green" buildings that conserve energy and feature a wastewater-recycling system, and they would set aside the majority of the property as open space, including the adjacent Paris Mill.
First, though, they must persuade county officials to change the zoning from mining to residential, a contentious effort that is meeting substantial opposition from residents in Alma concerned about sprawl and their water supply as well as local miners fearful that the project could hinder future industrial efforts.
Spearheading the opposition has been Alma Mayor Mark Dowalager, who also serves on the planning commission but recused himself from voting.
"I don't see anyone from the town of Alma in support of this," he said, noting that the community gets its water directly from Buckskin Creek, below the mining claims. "I don't think their needs are more important than our needs."
Maury Reiber, who owns several mining claims in the area and represents the Park County Mining Association, also opposes the construction of houses because they will scare off any future mining operations.
Although Cincilla and Wright have gained the support of the Park County Historical Society because of promises to preserve the 1894 mill and two other mining structures, the county planning commission unanimously recommended rejection of the project.
Chairman Kent Kalb acknowledged that the potential for future mining - a coveted industry in the area - would be diminished by the presence of houses.
The last operating mine in the area, the Sweet Home, closed in 2004, but several companies have held on to their claims, knowing that plenty of ore remains if prices ever climb high enough to make it worthwhile to dig it out.
Still, Kalb lamented that the development might be the only way to ensure historical preservation.
"In the four years I've been on the commission," he said, "this may well be the most difficult case we've faced."
Staff writer Steve Lipsher can be reached at 970-513-9495 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Hickory Nut Cookies
From EatingWell: May/June 1995
Shelling hickory nuts is a labor of love—they are one of the hardest nuts to crack. You may substitute pecans, which are members of the hickory family. These helix-shaped cookies are easy to form; if you prefer round cookies, drop the batter by heaping teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheet.
Makes: About 2 dozen cookies
Active Time:
Total Time:
Nutrition Profile
Diabetes appropriate | Low carbohydrate |View Our Nutrition Guidelines »
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup chopped hickory nuts, (1 ounce)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large egg whites
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
You Might Also Like
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Coat 3 baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray. (Or use 1 baking sheet and wash and respray between batches.)
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add nuts and stir until the butter is lightly browned, about 1 minute. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Stir in granulated and brown sugars. Add egg whites, flour and vanilla; whisk until combined.
- Working with one baking sheet at a time, spoon a heaping teaspoon of batter to make a line about 8 inches long and 3/4 inch wide. Repeat to make 8 lines on the sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Bake until the cookies are well-browned on the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Working quickly using a metal spatula, remove a cookie and wrap it around a 3/4-inch-thick wooden dowel or fat wooden spoon handle. Once the cookie stiffens, slide it off and repeat with the next cookie. If the unshaped cookies begin to harden and stick to the pan, return the baking sheet to the oven for about 30 seconds to soften them. Bake and shape the remaining batter in the same manner.
Tips & Notes
- Make Ahead Tip: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Per serving: 42 calories; 2 g fat (1 g sat, 0 g mono); 3 mg cholesterol; 6 g carbohydrates; 1 g protein; 0 g fiber; 5 mg sodium; 13 mg potassium.
Carbohydrate Servings: 1/2
Exchanges: 1/2 starch
More From EatingWell
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When you surround yourself with healthy and delicious food,...
If you're trying to slim down, our low-calorie dinners to...
Recipe Categories
- Style/Theme
- Birthday
- Gifts
- Kid-friendly
- Make ahead instructions
- Picnic
- Potluck
- Vegetarian
- Type of Dish
- Baked Goods, bars & cookies
- Desserts, other
- Snack
- Ease of Preparation
- Moderate
- Total Time
- 1 hour or less
- Servings
- 8 or more
- Preparation/ Technique
- Bake
- Ethnic/Regional
- American
- Health & Diet Considerations
- Diabetes appropriate
- Low carbohydrate
- Publication
- May/June 1995

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Content Under Review
The content on the Web page you requested is currently under review. We are sorry for the inconvenience. Please contact the English Learner Support Division to request information regarding the page you are trying to access.
Page Title: LEP Student Subgrant Program Consortium Assurances
Web Address: http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/el/t3/lepconsortassurances13.asp


text:
AJ inspired me to take the plunge. Like him I have been helping crossfitters with their strength. I have my criticisms sure but overall I like the concept. If a box runs its facility correctly, crossfit can help just about anyone.
I joined Crossfit Chaparral which is really cool. It is the only nonprofit box. They are part of their church. The head pastor is the head coach as well. And he is in shape!


text:
Discover a selection of top forums legouniverse spyro's on the internet. Come to share your passion on forums legouniverse spyro's and meet other fans of legouniverse spyro's. Then, why don't you create your own forum of legouniverse spyro's ?
Prove your worth with quick desire. Ice and Earth. Electric. . . Fire. . .
spyrodragon, #spyro's, lair, forum, spyrodragon.com, spyro, cynder, cynderdragon, legend, tlos, spyro'slair


text:
Mature Content
This content is intended for mature audiences.Sign In To Confirm Your Age
or, enter your birth date.
Please enter a valid date format (mm-dd-yyyy)
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* We do not retain your date-of-birth information.
Love Out Of Lust by MissSoulsWatch
©2012-2016 MissSoulsMature Content
T.j, My heart (and other parts of me 😚) literally ache that I will never know you, spoil you, and give you everything for which you yearn! Better to hurt than miss what you've shared; you inspire the most intense desire and longing I've literally experienced in 36 years of my life but I hurt that I'll never be with you. So much of your art takes me places I didn't know existed. The art of a true goddess!
What I would give to inspire you.
What I would give to inspire you.
Wow, that's so meaningful... what can I say?
I just stay in front of a camera and do my best.
I just stay in front of a camera and do my best.
Thank you so much, with all my heart!
You're one of the reasons why I don't give up my passion!
You're one of the reasons why I don't give up my passion!
I'm amazed that you respond so quickly and eloquently. Much appreciated; I will buy your work as you are sincere and kind. Life is not fair. I'm quite confident I could earn your attention...given the chance...and spoil you, cherish you like never before. It's silly for a grown man to send a love letter to someone he's never met, on the other side of the world. Thats the power you have over me..I'm compelled, and I follow my feelings. I apologize for the long reply. I will stop. And please don't feel the obligation to reply. You are a wonder. Thank you T.j! Wishes and dreams have immense value too--those you've freely given me. So thank you once more.
that look you're giving and those eyes not to mention everything else....
Exceptionally Erotic!
"love out of lust" Is such a thing even possible? Or is it the natural basis of humanity? I wonder..lust burns low so quickly once sated, there is little time left for love.
you're a nice model! love the contrast in this photo!
Wonderfully erotic, wow. The story of arousal told in the nipples. You're looking out of frame, as if taking directions from a voyeur, who is telling you exactly what to do. Hot.
Thank you for your comments!!!!
This is the definition of beauty, because i think that look is the real center of the image, not the naked body. As always, you write poems with your images. Masterpiece.
Wow, thank you for your wonderful words my friend!
Honestly, i think the naked body is secondary, the expression of the face and your amazing super look is the REAL love out of lust! You´ve a new fan!
heiss, heiss, heiss
Erotism, sexuality, art!!!
amazing body!
Stunning image, strong, powerful, beautifully lit and soo sexy, great work
qu'est-ce que j'aime cette photo...
Ohh my i am loving and lusting at the same time
waterfall of sensuality...I love it..
Very sensual ....
Perfection! Amazingly beautiful!
na fein. wollt dem hirn (seit stunden im büro über irgend welchen mist sitzend) doch "nur" eine kurze verschnaufpause gönnen. und jetzt das! wer soll da konzentriert weiter/wieder arbeiten.
u r hawt!
u r hawt!
Danke sehr
Ich hoffe ich habe dich nicht zu sehr gestresst!
Beautiful as always. I love the contrast between the black background and your white skin. Great pose and composition!
Damn. This is beautiful.
intense gaze....a stirring of wild passion that will haunt me
Like that pose... eyes are powerful... concept is excellent... and lght beatiful!


text:
Join the 'Cutaneous Sporotrichosis' group to help and get support from people like you.
Cutaneous Sporotrichosis Support Group
Related terms: Sporotrichosis - Cutaneous
Our support group for Cutaneous Sporotrichosis has 1 questions and 3 members. Updated 12 Jan 2010.
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Information for Employers
The career counselors from the Hazleton, Lehigh Valley, Schuylkill, Wilkes-Barre, and Worthington Scranton campuses invite employers to take part in our Regional Career Exploration Expo at the Hazleton campus in Hazleton, PA.
The primary purpose of this event is to educate our students on the types of career options they have upon graduation as well as to give students an opportunity to network with employers and receive field-specific advice. The second purpose is to allow companies and organizations time to showcase potential internships and job opportunities.
This Expo is open to all Penn State students and alumni.
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Employer Arrival/Registration/Set Up
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Networking Lunch with Students
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. EXPO
Employers Register Here or email firstname.lastname@example.com for employers requiring alternate accessible registration.
For more information, please contact Karen Sofranko at email@example.com.
Directions to the Hazleton campusFAQs for Employers


text:
- Inhabitat – Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building - http://inhabitat.com -
NewWood Composite Panels are Made From 100% Post-Industrial Wood and Plastic Waste
Posted By Anne Masias On March 6, 2012 @ 7:58 pm In Architecture,Green Building,Green Materials,Innovation,Reader Submitted Content | 2 Comments
Elma, WA-based NewWood [1] Manufacturing has developed an innovative line of composite building panels that are made of 50% recycled plastic [2] and 50% recycled wood [3]. In the process, they've breathed new life into a town by employing residents of an area in Washington State that has been affected by chronic unemployment. Utilizing post-consumer and post-industrial wood and plastic waste, NewWood is dedicated to making "Better materials to build a better world." NewWood [1] makes for a superior building material because it is waterproof, insect resistant, durable and easy to use. NewWood cuts like wood and performs like plastic – and, of course, it's eco-friendly.
+ NewWood [1]
The article above was submitted to us by an Inhabitat reader. Want to see your story on Inhabitat [4]? Send us a tip by following this link [4]. Remember to follow our instructions [4] carefully to boost your chances of being chosen for publishing!
Article printed from Inhabitat – Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building: http://inhabitat.com
URL to article: http://inhabitat.com/newwood-composite-panels-are-made-from-100-post-industrial-wood-and-plastic-waste/
URLs in this post:
[1] NewWood: http://www.newwood.com/
[2] recycled plastic: http://inhabitat.com/ford-to-recycle-2-million-plastic-bottles-into-fabric-for-its-focus-electric/
[3] recycled wood: http://inhabitat.com/tag/reclaimed-wood/
[4] see your story on Inhabitat: http://inhabitat.com/submit-story
Click here to print.
Copyright © 2011 Inhabitat Local - New York. All rights reserved.


text:
Pittsford murder suspect attempts suicide in jailStaff Report | July 19,2013A Pittsford man awaiting trial in jail on a charge of murdering his girlfriend tried to hang himself in his jail cell, according to a Vermont Department of Corrections official.
Christopher Sharrow, 35, was taken to a Boston hospital after an unsuccessful suicide attempt, according to Al Cormier, superintendent of the St. Johnsbury jail where Sharrow has been incarcerated since his arraignment on July 8.
Cormier said he didn't know which hospital Sharrow was taken to, but he believed he was in stable condition.
Sharrow pleaded innocent to a second-degree murder charge brought by prosecutors who say he beat and strangled Kristen Parker, 32, who he lived with along with her three children. Sharrow is the father of two of Parker's children.MORE IN This Just InWHITE RIVER JUNCTION A New Hampshire man is expected to spend nine months in jail in his home... Full StoryA Ludlow woman denied threatening another female driver with a handgun while driving on Route 7... Full StoryA Rutland landlord will pay a $1,000 fine for filing false lead compliance documents. Full Story
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Index of content:
Volume 67, Issue 3, 17 July 1995
Thermally stable poled polyquinoline thin film with very large electro‐optic response67(1995); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.115424View Description Hide Description
Poled guest‐host polyquinoline thin films are shown to demonstrate both exceptionally large electro‐optic activity and long‐term stability. After an initial drop from 45 to 26 pm/V in the first 100 h, the electro‐optic coefficient r 33 at 26 pm/V remained for more than 2000 h.
Asymmetric Y‐junction wavelength demultiplexer based on segmented waveguides67(1995); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.115425View Description Hide Description
An asymmetric Y‐junction wavelength demultiplexer, with a segmented branch, was realized in Ti:LiNbO3. The device was fabricated in a single‐step lithographical process. Wavelength demultiplexing operation in the range 633 nm<λ<834 nm is demonstrated, with extinction ratios up to 30 dB. Insertion loss vary between a negligible value (far away from cutoff) up to 7 dB (near cutoff). Possible applications of the device are considered.
Preparation of crystalline beta barium borate (β‐BaB2O4) thin films by pulsed laser deposition67(1995); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.115426View Description Hide Description
Crystalline beta barium borate (β‐BaB2O4) thin films have been prepared on silicon (001) and sapphire (001) substrates by the pulsed laser deposition technique. The crystallinity of these films was found to depend sensitively on the deposition temperature. At a deposition temperature around 800 °C and in the presence of 75 mTorr of O2 gas, filmsgrown on Si(100) substrates are typically polycrystalline with x‐ray diffraction peaks along (104) and (001) orientations while the filmgrown on a sapphire (001) substrate is highly textured with (001) orientation (c axis) normal to the filmsurface. The filmgrown on sapphire (001) substrate exhibits a maximum effective second harmonic generation coefficient d eff of 2.2 pm/V, which is comparable to that of bulk β‐BaB2O4 single crystals.
Noise‐enhanced optical heterodyning in an all‐optical bistable system67(1995); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.115427View Description Hide Description
A new form of frequency‐selective all‐optical heterodyning at the difference frequency of two modulated laser beams, related to stochastic resonance, is reported. A noise‐induced enhancement of the heterodyne signal and of the signal‐to‐noise ratio has been predicted and observed in an all‐optical bistable system for the beams at different wavelengths.
Nonelectrooptic nonlocal photorefractive effect in a polymer composite67(1995); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.115428View Description Hide Description
The grating spacing dependence of photorefractive diffraction efficiency in an organic polymer composite is presented and discussed. The analysis of the grating spacing dependence of the refractive index modulation with the standard model of photorefractive grating dynamics is shown to lead to inconsistencies in determination of the maximum attainable index change. It is shown that the effects resulting from orienting of the composite's optically second‐order nonlinear chromophores in the periodic local field affect the formation of the refractive indexgrating.
Determination of nonradiative recombination coefficients of vertical‐cavity surface‐emitting lasers from lateral spontaneous emission67(1995); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.115429View Description Hide Description
A simple method to determine nonradiative recombination coefficients of vertical‐cavity surface‐emitting lasers is proposed and demonstrated. The dependence of the lateral spontaneous emission on the current density is used to determine the nonradiative recombination coefficients and the threshold carrier densities. In this scheme, the lateral spontaneous emission obtained from the nearest neighbor devices is analyzed. For 10‐μm diameter proton‐implanted vertical‐cavity surface‐emitting lasers, the obtained nonradiative recombination coefficient is about 1.8×108 s−1, responsible for 25% of threshold current density.
Investigation on the origin of the blue emission in titanium doped sapphire: Is F+ color center the blue emission center?67(1995); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.115430View Description Hide Description
Titanium doped sapphire (Ti:Al2O3) shows a 420 nm blue emission band whose corresponding excitation band lies at 244 nm. With the aim of ascertaining the origin of this blue emission, using synchrotron radiation we measured the vacuum ultraviolet to ultraviolet absorptionspectrum of titanium doped sapphire. It is suggested that the blue emission is due to a center other than a trivalent Ti3+ ion or a tetravalent Ti4+ ion, most probably an F+‐type color center formed in the crystal.
Second‐harmonic generation of blue light in bulk periodically poled LiTaO367(1995); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.115431View Description Hide Description
We fabricated a periodic domain structure in a 0.5 mm thick slab of LiTaO3 crystal by applying an external pulsed field at room temperature. Using a pulse dye laser with a pulsewidth of 8 ns and a repetition rate of 10 Hz, third‐order quasi‐phase‐matched second‐harmonic blue‐light generation is demonstrated by free propagation of a 862.6 nm fundamental Gaussian beam in a 4 mm long LiTaO3 slab, with a single pulse energy of 0.072 mJ and an energy conversion efficiency of 5.7%.
Third‐order optical nonlinearity and all‐optical switching in porous silicon67(1995); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.115432View Description Hide Description
The third‐order optical nonlinearity χ(3) of porous silicon has been measured using the Z‐scan technique. Intensity dependent absorption was observed and attributed to a resonant two photon absorption process. The real and imaginary parts of χ(3) have been measured at 665 nm and found to be 7.5×10−9 esu and −1.9×10−9 esu, respectively. This constitutes a significant enhancement over crystalline silicon. All optical switching based on nonlinear absorption is demonstrated.
Very intensive red light emission from C60 trapped in 13X molecular sieve67(1995); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.115433View Description Hide Description
Very intensive red light emission from C60 trapped in 13X molecular sieve has been observed, and it is attributed to the active forbidden transition of C60 anion due to the interaction of C60 with the sketch structure of 13X molecular sieve.
Improved AlGaInP‐based red (670–690 nm) surface‐emitting lasers with novel C‐doped short‐cavity epitaxial design67(1995); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.115434View Description Hide Description
A modified epitaxialdesign leads to straightforward implementation of short (1λ) optical cavities and the use of C as the sole p‐type dopant in AlGaInP/AlGaAs red vertical‐cavity surface‐emitting lasers (VCSELs). Red VCSELs fabricated into simple etched air posts operate continuous wave at room temperature at wavelengths between 670 and 690 nm, with a peak output power as high as 2.4 mW at 690 nm, threshold voltage of 2.2 V, and peak wallplug efficiency of 9%. These values are all significant improvements over previous results achieved in the same geometry with an extended optical cavityepitaxialdesign. The improved performance is due primarily to reduced optical losses and improved current constriction and dopant stability.
InAsSb/InAlAsSb strained quantum‐well diode lasers emitting at 3.9 μm67(1995); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.115435View Description Hide Description
Strained quantum‐well diode lasers emitting at 3.9 μm have been fabricated. The laser structure, grown on a GaSb substrate by molecular beam epitaxy, consists of compressively strained InAsSb active layers and tensile‐strained InAlAsSb barrier layers, surrounded by AlAsSb cladding layers. Broad‐stripe lasers have exhibited pulsed operation up to 165 K, with threshold current density of 78 A/cm2 at 80 K. The characteristic temperature is 30 K up to 120 K. The devices operated cw up to 123 K, and the maximum cw power at 80 K is 30 mW/facet. Ridge‐waveguide lasers have operated cw up to 128 K, with cw threshold current at 80 K of 35 mA.
Amorphous silicon/silicon carbide photodiodes with excellent sensitivity and selectivity in the vacuum ultraviolet spectrum67(1995); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.115436View Description Hide Description
An innovative family of thin‐film photodetectors optimized for the ultraviolet (UV)spectrum is presented here. The devices are made of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a‐Si:H) and siliconcarbide (a‐SiC:H) on glass substrates. At room temperature, the photodetectors exhibit values of quantum efficiency of 21% in the vacuum UV and 0.08% at 750 nm, without external voltage. The great advantage of this technology lies in the possibility to produce low‐cost, large‐area arrays of photodetectors on glass or flexible substrates. All these features candidate the a‐Si/SiC:H photodetectors as possible, concurrent to specialized commercial devices.
Subpicosecond ultraviolet laser ablation of diamond: Nonlinear properties at 248 nm and time‐resolved characterization of ablation dynamics67(1995); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.115437View Description Hide Description
Ablation of diamond by short UV pulses is reported. The ablation threshold for 500 fs pulses at 248 nm was found to be 0.6 J/cm2 (equal to a peak intensity of 1.1 TW/cm2). Intensity‐dependent transmission measurements from low intensities to 100 GW/cm2 showed that two‐photon absorption is the dominant nonlinearity in this range and the two‐photon absorption coefficient was measured to be (1.6±0.3) cm/GW. In the intensity regime above threshold (≳1 TW/cm2), however, low ablation rates indicate strong absorption by laser induced free carriers. The dynamics of diamondablation was investigated time‐resolved using pump probe transmission and pulse pair ablationmeasurements.Ablation with short pulses at 248 nm is also compared to ablation with 15 ns pulses at 193 nm.
Hypersound generation by resonant‐tunneling structure67(1995); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.115438View Description Hide Description
The possibility of hypersound generation by means of a double‐barrier resonant‐tunneling structure is suggested. The intensity of the generatedsound is estimated. Prospects for phononspectroscopy and acoustoelectronics based on the resonant‐tunneling devices are suggested.
Correlation of anisotropic strain relaxation with substrate misorientation direction at InGaAs/GaAs(001) interfaces67(1995); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.115439View Description Hide Description
We have investigated the effects of substrate misorientation towards (111)A, (111)B, and (011) on asymmetries in the strain relaxation of In x Ga1−x As, grown on (001) GaAs substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. For epilayers grown under conditions of two‐dimensional growth, we find large anisotropies in bulk strain relaxation and epilayer rotation about an in‐plane axis (epilayer tilt) in proportion to the degree of (111)A misorientation. The residual strain asymmetry is largest for the (111)A misoriented substrate (≳50%) and smallest for the (111)B misoriented substrate (<15%). At higher growth temperatures, the bulk strain relaxation becomes isotropic while the epilayer tilt remains sensitive to the offcut direction. At all temperatures, a preference for epilayer tilt toward the [110] direction for (011) misorientations is observed.
Atomic force microscopy imaging of transition metal layered compounds: A two‐dimensional stick–slip system67(1995); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.115440View Description Hide Description
Various layered transition metal dichalcogenides were scanned with an optical‐lever atomic force microscope(AFM). The microscopic images indicate the occurrence of strong lateral stick–slip effects. In this letter, two models are presented to describe the observations due to stick–slip, i.e., either as a static or as a dynamic phenomenon. Although both models describe correctly the observed shapes of the unit cell, details in the observed and simulated images point at dynamic nonequilibrium effects. This exact shape of the unit cell depends on cantilever stiffness, scan direction, and detector direction.
Free energy barrier to nucleation of amorphous‐to‐crystalline transformation selects the scale of microstructure of crystallized materials67(1995); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.115441View Description Hide Description
Experimental determination of the free energy barrier to nucleation of amorphous‐to‐crystalline transformation reveals a selection principle for the average scale of crystalline microstructure of partially or fully crystallized materials prepared by crystallization of the amorphous precursors: it is determined by the free energy barrier to nucleation, and minimization of the free energy barrier leads to the formation of the finest crystalline microstructure. It is found that the nucleation at the temperature at which an amorphous alloy is crystallized with the finest crystalline microstructure is an isoenergetic process, the free energy barrier to the nucleation of crystallites at that temperature is contributed only by the entropic change. A model is developed to explain these observations that may provide a unified principle for designing materials with desirable scale of microstructure.
Preparation of nitrogen containing carbon films using chemical vapor deposition enhanced by electron cyclotron resonance plasma67(1995); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.115442View Description Hide Description
A chemical vapor deposition apparatus enhanced by electron cyclotron resonanceplasma was employed to deposit nitrogen containing carbonfilms. In the apparatus, negative dc bias voltage was applied to the substrate for acceleration of positive ions toward the substrate. The deposition rate and nitrogen content of the film was found to be mainly dependent upon the deposition conditions. Although a large N2 flow rate and bias voltage contribute to inhibit film growth through surface sputtering of the substrate, an optimum [N2]/([CH4]+[N2]) flow rate of 0.67 and a bias voltage of 50 V promote nitrogen implantation into the growing films through possible nitrogen ion bombardment.
Implantation‐induced dopant diffusion in the framework of the droplet model of structural disorder67(1995); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.114627View Description Hide Description
A model for the annealing of implantation‐induced structural disorder is proposed. The phenomenon is treated on the basis of a physical analogy between point defectcluster formation/dissolution in a crystal and droplet condensation/evaporation in a saturated vapor. Explicit relationships are obtained for diffusion broadening and drift of the dopant profile upon disorder annealing. The predictions of the droplet model are compared with experimental data on boron in silicon and are found to be accurate better than within a factor of 2 in the temperature range 800–1050 °C.


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Tom Williams' Machine, Inc.
|Tom Williams' Machine, Inc. Patent applications
|Patent application number
|CASE FOR TRANSPORTING AND STORING A GARMENT - The present invention relates to a case for transporting and storing garments, especially collapsible garments, and especially petticoats. The case may be fashioned of a tubular housing usually maintained in an upright, vertical orientation. The housing includes a base end that may be flared outwardly to help stabilize the housing in an upright position. At least one end, and preferably both ends, of the housing are open whereby a garment, such as a petticoat, may be stuffed into the hollow interior of the housing. The interior of the housing is sized and surfaced such that the garment is maintained within the housing through compressive frictional engagement with the interior will of the housing. A case and garment combination is also disclosed. A method for transporting and storing a garment is also disclosed.


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Returns column privileges for the specified table on the specified linked server.
sp_column_privileges_ex [ @table_server = ] 'table_server'
[ , [ @table_name = ] 'table_name' ]
[ , [ @table_schema = ] 'table_schema' ]
[ , [ @table_catalog = ] 'table_catalog' ]
[ , [ @column_name = ] 'column_name' ]
[@table_server =] 'table_server'
Is the name of the linked server for which to return information. table_server is sysname, with no default.
[@table_name =] 'table_name'
Is the name of the table that contains the specified column. table_name is sysname, with a default of NULL.
[@table_schema =] 'table_schema'
Is the table schema. table_schema is sysname, with a default of NULL.
[@table_catalog =] 'table_catalog'
Is the name of the database in which the specified table_name resides. table_catalog is sysname, with a default of NULL.
[@column_name =] 'column_name'
Is the name of the column for which to provide privilege information. column_name is sysname, with a default of NULL (all common).
Result Sets
This table show the result set columns. The results returned are ordered by TABLE_QUALIFIER, TABLE_OWNER, TABLE_NAME, COLUMN_NAME, and PRIVILEGE.
|Column name
|Data type
|Table qualifier name. Various DBMS products support three-part naming for tables (qualifier.owner.name). In Microsoft® SQL Server™, this column represents the database name. In some products, it represents the server name of the table's database environment. This field can be NULL.
|Table owner name. In SQL Server, this column represents the name of the database user who created the table. This field always returns a value.
|Table name. This field always returns a value.
|Column name, for each column of the TABLE_NAME returned. This field always returns a value.
|Database username that has granted permissions on this COLUMN_NAME to the listed GRANTEE. In SQL Server, this column is always the same as the TABLE_OWNER. This field always returns a value.
The GRANTOR column can be either the database owner (TABLE_OWNER) or someone to whom the database owner granted permissions by using the WITH GRANT OPTION clause in the GRANT statement.
|Database username who has been granted permissions on this COLUMN_NAME by the listed GRANTOR. This field always returns a value.
|One of the available column permissions. Column permissions can be one of the following values (or other values supported by the data source when implementation is defined):
SELECT = GRANTEE can retrieve data for the columns.
|Indicates whether the GRANTEE is permitted to grant permissions to other users (often referred to as "grant with grant" permission). Can be YES, NO, or NULL. An unknown (or NULL) value refers to a data source where "grant with grant" is not applicable.
Execute permission defaults to the public role.
This example returns column privilege information for a table on the specified linked server.
EXEC sp_column_privileges_ex @table_server = 'Linked_Server',
@table_name = 'Customers', @table_catalog = 'Northwind'


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Skip to comments.The "Mother" of all IRAQ Map Links! (Must See!)
Posted on 03/23/2003 6:40:46 PM PST by vannrox
click here to read article
You ain't seen nothin' yet....
Interesting. Bamerni Airfield, north of Mosul and now said to be occupied by 5000 Turkish troops and a detatchment of Turkish tank forces, doesn't seem to be on that list of Iraqi airfield facilities.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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Archived Story
Madison Schools to compete in 2011 BEST CompetitionPublished 5:14pm Monday, September 19, 2011
Twenty middle and high school teams from across north Alabama, including Bob Jones High School and Madison Academy, are expected to travel to Decatur for the 2011 Tennessee Valley BEST (Boosting Engineering Science and Technology) robotics competition.
The competition begins Oct. 14 and concludes on Oct. 15 with the Game Day competition, taking place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Carlton Kelley Gymnasium located on the Decatur campus of Calhoun Community College.
BEST features two parallel competitions. A robotics game is based upon an annual theme with four teams competing at once in a series of three minute, round-robin matches. This year's theme is Bugs! The BEST Award is presented to the team that best embodies the concept of Boosting Engineering, Science, and Technology. Elements include a project summary notebook, oral presentation, table display and spirit and sportsmanship.
The competition officially kicked off Sept. 3, where participants received a robotics kit and will have six weeks to design and test their entry. The winning teams advance to the regional championship to be held Dec. 2-3, at Auburn University.
Area schools scheduled to participate in this year's competition include Asbury High School (Attalla), Academy for Science and Foreign Language (Huntsville), Athens Bible School, Athens Middle School, Baylor School (Chattanooga, Tenn.),Brookhaven, Oak Park and Cedar Ridge Middle Schools (Decatur), Buckhorn High School (Hazel Green), Decatur Austin Robotic Coalition, Decatur Heritage, Lindsay Lane Christian Academy (Athens), Liberty Middle School (Madison), Life Christian Academy (Huntsville), Priceville High School, Redstone Robotics – New Century Technology High School, Columbia High School, and Lee Engineering Magnet High School (Huntsville), Riverside Christian Academy (Fayetteville, Tenn.), Sparkman High School (Harvest), and Virgil Grissom High School (Huntsville).
Tennessee Valley BEST is co-produced by Calhoun Community College in Decatur and Auburn University's Colleges of Engineering and Sciences and Mathematics. For more information, visit www.calhoun.edu/TVBEST or contact Dr. Sue Mitchell at (256) 306-2655.


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Title: Losing It
Author: Cora Carmack
Series: Losing It #1
Genre: New Adult
Publisher: Ebury Press
Release date: 28th March 2013
As far as Bliss Edwards can tell, she's the last virgin standing, certainly amongst her friends. And she's determined to deal with the 'problem' as quickly and simply as possible.
But her plan for a no-strings one night stand turns out to be anything but simple. Especially when she arrives for her first class and recognises her hot new British professor.
She'd left him naked in her bed just 8 hours earlier...
I read the second book in this series (although they're stand-alone stories) ages and ages ago but it took me so long to get around to this one for some reason.
Protagonist Bliss is 22 and still a virgin although she really doesn't want to be any more. The problem is, even the thought of sex freaks her out. On a night out she meets this really hot British guy Garrick in a bar and decided to get it over with once and for all. However, she freaks out while he's naked in her bed and runs away. If that wasn't bad enough, Garrick actually turns out to be one of her teachers, albeit a stand in, and she has no idea what to do.
Losing It is a really funny book and I wasn't expecting it at all. Bliss is somewhat of a disaster when it comes to relationships or just men in general really and as she has no idea what she's doing, she messed up a lot. I felt bad laughing at her at some points but the situations she got herself into were just too funny. She has a great personality and is a bit quirky but she was interesting the whole way throughout this book so I really liked her.
Garrick certainly kept my interest however, he was sometimes a bit cringe worthy. Well, the writing was when it came to him because he seemed to be overly British. 'Love' was used far too much which was Garrick's pet name for Bliss and it really annoyed me towards the end of the book. I would have loved for him to just be British, have the accent but not be so much of a stereotype.
Although Bliss and Garrick clearly hit it off at the beginning of the book it is not a straight cut love story. Bliss is an awkward mess and Garrick has his own stuff going on, including the fact that he's actually Bliss' teacher for a while. I loved the chemistry between the two characters and the complications they had to face. The whole teacher/ student aspect isn't too bad either because Garrick is only a stand in and pretty close in age to Bliss. It wasn't as forbidden and taboo as it could have been which was good.
Losing It was a really fun read but there is also a great story there between Bliss and Garrick.
Della Sloane needs to get away from her normal life and who she has to be there. On an adventure on her own though she soon realises she doesn't know much, even how to pump gas. Luckily Woods Kerrington steps in to save the day but the chemistry between to two cannot be denied. Della isn't really Woods' normal type but he can't help himself and although they part ways he isn't able to stop thinking about her. When Della turns up in Woods' home town he cannot believe his luck but he's not single and has a decision to make.
What I thought
At the beginning of the book, Della is about to head off on a road trip after her best friend gets married. She's never been anywhere on her own and her best friends hands over the keys to her car and tells Della to go and find herself. Unfortunately though, Della doesn't have much experience in the world and soon finds that she doesn't even know how to put gas into the car. This is where she meets Woods and as she's trying to figure out who she is, she decides she can have a wild night with this guy and not worry about it afterwards.
I really liked Della from the very beginning. It's clear that she's been through something quite bad in her life. Snippets of her past are revealed and I couldn't help but feel for the girl. She's such a nice character to read about too though as she tries to make the best out of a bad situation and tries not to dwell on things too much.
Woods is set to take over the country club one day but is ruled by his father's decisions so feels like he is never really being himself. When he meets Della and is able to help her out, he cannot believe his luck when she openly suggests she wants a wild one night stand with him. When she leaves though, Woods cannot stop thinking about her, even weeks later.
Woods and Della were an explosive coupling and by far one of my favourite couples in any of Abbi Glines' books. The chemistry between them is fantastic and I couldn't get enough of them both. There is a lot of character development for the both of them as they get to know each other properly and begin to learn to trust one another.
Twisted Perfection also has a great plot. The plot has so many twists and turns that I didn't see coming. These twists made reading this book really exciting. There is also such an amazing ending to this book as it leaves the story on a massive cliff-hanger. It didn't take me long to get the second book though so I could find out what happened next.
When it comes to painting and decorating I'm certainly not terrible at it. Walls and papering I can do no problem but I cannot paint a straight line to save my life. Recently while decorating our small downstairs toilet I got stuck with the edges of the walls and ceiling. No matter how hard I tried I could not paint straight edges.
I tried using masking tape but quickly found that it was pulling off the paint elsewhere which wasn't good at all. After looking around online I found something called Frogtape. This is a painter's masking tape and I chose the one for delicate surfaces just to be safe. The roll cost £6 from Amazon but it is massive and covers over 40m. I guess it does seem expensive but not really if it works as well as it is supposed to. It is also really thick so I don't have to worry about going over it. The tape came in a bright yellow box which matches the colour of the tape itself. I love that the colour is so bright as it's easier to see than normal white masking tape.
The packaging states that this is the only tape that is treated with Paint Block which is why it is supposed to be so good at straight lines. This particular tape is to be used on delicate surfaces such as wallpaper, laminate, newly plastered walls and fresh paint that has had a minimum of 24 hours to dry. Other tape is available for paint that has had longer to dry, untreated wood and metal.
I found that the best way to apply the tape to the area you are painting is to cut it down into smaller strips. It would probably be better to use one continuous piece but I was having trouble keeping it straight this way so I just made sure the smaller bits overlapped well so that there would be no chance of paint getting through. The tape sticks down well to walls but a bit of pressure is needed to make sure there aren't any gaps.
After painting the area I was working on I removed the tape immediately as the product tells you to. The tape comes away from walls with ease although I did do it quite slowly just to be safe. No paint had bled through whatsoever and the line left was pretty straight. I say pretty straight because I didn't put the tape on well enough in some places so it was a little wonky. Luckily I was painting near a ceiling so you can't really tell anyway.
Overall, this tape is much better than masking tape for decorating and creating straight lines and worth the price tag.
As we had left over Argos vouchers from our wedding last year this was our first choice to buy a new cooker. I didn't want to have to pay for one in real money if I could get away with it. We went for the cheapest and most basic electric oven as the kitchen will be re-done eventually and I'll get a better one to match then. The model we chose was the Bush AE56S Single Electric Cooker in white. At the time of purchasing the cooker it was £170.99.
This is a very basic cooker and you don't get anything fancy with it. The cooker is very plasticy looking although it's obviously not made from plastic. The thing with cheap white appliances is that they look cheap and this cooker is no exception. Electric cookers are supposed to be installed by a qualified and registered electrician but my husband sorted ours out.
The cooker is 50cm wide so make sure it will fit in your kitchen before buying it. I do find the width to be a little smaller than I wanted but if it had been any wider it wouldn't have fit anyway. This comes with 4 'cooking zones' on the hob and a single oven with with two shelves. It also comes with a grill tray and handle.
The oven itself doesn't fit very much in as it only has a 53 litre capacity. I struggle to cook a Sunday dinner with a full chicken, roast potatoes and yorkshire puddings because I have to do things at different times. If you have a large family or cook quite a lot in the oven, don't buy this one.
The 'rings' do heat up quickly but they take a long time to cool down again. The top of the oven is a pain to clean though. The rings, if they get any food stuck to them, need a really good scrub. The white parts in between attract dust and dirt moves around it rather than coming off. There are 4 'rings' with this cooker and 2 are large and 2 are small meaning that although you can use 4 pans at once, they have to be the right size.
On the front of the cooker are 6 different dials. The first 2 control the oven and grill. You can choose different settings such as grill only, grill and oven, oven only etc. The next controls the temperature of the oven. The next 4 are for the hob and again, control the heat. The dials are extremely easy to use and they are laid out well.
All in all, this is a basic cooker and you do get what you pay for. At the time we needed something cheap and this is certainly that. However, it does it's job and it does it well so I can't really complain.
My rabbits are extremely spoiled pets.
My husband and I are getting ready to move house and that means a lot of packing is needed. I wanted all of the boxes to be clearly labelled and done so in a way that wouldn't rub off brown packing tape. My first thought was to buy a Sharpie permanent marker as they have such a good reputation. I had never owned a Sharpie before but was a little bit excited about buying one as I love stationary.
While I purchased my Sharpie permanent marker from my local Sainsbury's, they are widely available online and Amazon especially sell a huge range. For a pack of five black fine tipped permanent markers you can expect to pay around the £5 mark. You can also get larger packs and different coloured pens.
These pens do have a fine tip so they are great for a multitude of uses. Not only do they work really well on cardboard boxes but you can also use them to write on paper, CDs/ DVDs if you're copying them on your computer and really, anything else you can possibly think of. The black pen stands out on everything I have written on so far and although the tip is fine, it still works great when writing big letters. Also, the colour of the pen does not bleed at all so if you are writing something small, you can be sure that the words won't blend into one another. This can happen with a cheaper quality pen so paying that little bit more is really worth it.
It makes me quite sad that I don't really have much use for permanent markers as I would love to buy more of these. Like the Staedtler pens, I love having a collection of most of the colours that are on offer. A large pack of 24 pens with assorted colours only costs £12 on Amazon at the moment and I would definitely be buying them if I could think of something to use them for.
Sharpie pens also last really well. I have written on so many boxes so far and the pen hasn't even begun to fade which is fantastic. With cheaper permanent markers, they tend to run out of ink very quickly, especially when writing on cardboard but this is not the case at all with a Sharpie pen.
I really love my Sharpie pen and I'm so glad that I bought this over anything else.
About the book
Lila and Ethan: Forever and Always is a new adult novella by Jessica Sorensen and is part of the The Secret series. The novella was published on Kindle on 24th December and is 87 pages long. I received and ebook for review through NetGalley.
Lila Summers and Ethan Gregory are having the time of their lives while road tripping across America. They used to be best friends and now that they're more than than, Lila wants to know that it is forever. She can't imagine her life without him anymore but as soon as she brings up the subject of forever with Ethan, something changes.
Ethan definitely doesn't doubt his feelings for Lila and the idea of living without her scares him to death. He doesn't want to lose her, that's for sure, but he isn't sure if he is ready to make the commitment of forever with the chance of losing everything.
What I thought
Jessica Sorensen is one of my absolute favourite new adult authors and I have loved every book I have read by her so far. I couldn't click the request button quick enough when I saw this title on NetGalley not too long ago. As this is a novella and a sequel of sorts to The Temptation of Lila and Ethan, it can't be read as a stand-alone book.
At the end of The Temptation of Lila and Ethan, the title characters were finally happy together and planning to go off with one another road tripping across America. This is where the novella is set. Lila and Ethan are spending their nights under the stars and bathing in lakes but one of them is enjoying it more than the other. Both characters also have a conflict of emotions when it comes to their future together. Lila wants a forever with Ethan but as soon as she mentions marriage, things change between them and he becomes distant whenever she brings up the subject.
As short stories go, this one was great. There is a lot packed into the 87 pages and Sorensen manages to cover all bases. As someone who had already read The Temptation of Lila and Ethan, I felt an instant connection with the characters but new readers will find things quite confusing. I liked how Lila and Ethan were on an adventure, not only across America but also on an adventure with their emotions. As this novella is told in dual narrative, it was nice to see how each character was feeling and what was bothering each of them.
Not only is there a great deal of emotion but so much passion between Lila and Ethan. I couldn't get enough of the steamy scenes between the two, especially as there were some quite exciting situations they were in. The setting of the great outdoors was also something I loved in this novella. It was good to have a change from the seedy bar scene or that of a big city.
I really enjoyed reading this novella and it was a great addition to the series. I can't wait to find out what happens to Lila and Ethan next.
About the book
The Temptation of Lila and Ethan is a new adult book by Jessica Sorensen. It was published by Sphere on 8th May 2014 and the book is 320 pages long. I received an e-book for review through NetGalley.
Plot Synopsis
Lila has always been a well behaved girl who likes preppy boys and expensive clothes. Since her best friend Ella introduced her to Ethan though, she hasn't been able to stop thinking about him but he's exactly the opposite of the guys she normally goes for. Ethan has tattoos and is definitely a bad boy. He has never had trouble with the girls and can normally have his pick of them but he's never had anyone like Lila.
Ethan and Lila seem to be as different as they come, but they're drawn to one another for multiple reasons. After becoming really good friends, they have a strong friendship line drawn between them but do they both secretly want more? Will Ethan and Lila be able to get over their different upbringings and the secrets each of them fight to keep?
What I thought
The Temptation of Lila and Ethan is part of the 'Secret' series by Jessica Sorensen and as a lover of the other books, I couldn't wait for this one. There have been brief moments between Lila and Ethan before now and I had always hoped something would happen with them well before I knew they were getting their own book.
Protagonists Lila and Ethan come from completely different worlds. Ethan has had to struggle along while Lila comes from a wealthy family and her tastes reflect her upbringing. However, when Ella (from the other books) introduces the two, they instantly hit it off and become great friends. In this book, it was great to see how they both got along without Ella and Micha around. Lila depends on Ethan quite a lot to save her when she's in trouble and even though he's got a bad boy reputation, he's always there to save her.
Lila is the kind of girl who has to live by a certain set of rules in order to function properly. Unfortunately, these come from her uncaring parents who only want her to not make a fool of herself and the family. It was quite heart-breaking to read about how Lila was treated by her parents and how cold hearted they were towards her. Luckily though, Lila's parents aren't around as she's moved from California to Las Vegas. Now that she's free though, Lila acts out as she tries to figure out who she really is.
Over the course of the book, Lila and Ethan grow much closer as friends as secrets begin to come out. Ethan is the kind of guy who doesn't care what other people think of him, he's poor and just enjoys his life the way it is. He's such a rock for Lila even when she's a complete bitch towards him. Even though Ethan has a bit of a rough exterior, he is so sweet and lovely deep down. I couldn't help but absolutely fall in love with him.
Jessica Sorensen has such a talent for writing about broken characters but in a way that makes the reader care for them and hope that everything works out. Parts of this book were pretty hard to read due to the subject matter but I just couldn't help but to carry on. Sorensen's writing is addictive, along with her characters. I absolutely loved this book.
== About the book ==
You Don't Have to Say You Love Me is a contemporary adult novel by Sarra Manning. The book was published by Corgi on 3rd February 2011 and it is 560 pages long.
== Synopsis ==
Since university, Neve Slater has been in love with William. But, William is in LA and Neve has next to no self-esteem. As a larger lady she believes that she could never get a guy like William so she's spent the last three years slimming down and changing herself. Now she's changed, she can't wait for the day that William returns and falls madly in love with her. Only problem is, she's never had a boyfriend and needs to learn about having one... fast.
Neve needs someone to show her what being in a relationship is all about and she needs some experience with men in general. Max is a well-known player from Neve's sister's office and he's sexy as hell. Neve knows that she could never fall in love with someone like Max so he should be the perfect person to show her what to do with a man!
== What I thought ==
Sarra Manning, one of my favourite authors of young adult fiction also writes adult novels although I have never really gotten into them until recently.
At the beginning of the book, Neve is getting herself ready for distant love William's return to the UK. He's been off in LA for the past three years and she's been spending that time reinventing herself by slimming down so that he will fall in love with her. Poor Neve has never really had any confidence due to being overweight for the most of her life so she hasn't gone out there and had any experience with men. I instantly loved Neve. I'm not the slimmest of women and I could connect with her immediately. There have been times where I haven't felt the most attractive and I have put myself down a lot in the past.
Neve constantly put herself down throughout the whole book and by the way she spoke about herself, you would have thought that she was massive. Maybe she had been at one point but she also works with a personal trainer the whole time and is extremely careful about what she eats. It turns out that Neve is actually a smaller size than she thinks of herself as and this also shows how much pressure society can put on someone. Neve saw herself as something completely different than how other people saw her.
Just like Neve, I also loved the whole premise of the story. Neve needs a man to show her certain things and for her to practise on. Max is someone Neve meets through her sister Celia at a work party. He's incredibly good looking and he knows it but he shows an interest in Neve and they end up going home together. However, this really doesn't work out as he had planned and Neve feels so embarrassed. As she tries to apologise, and explains her situation with William, Max becomes even more interested and offers to become her 'pancake boyfriend' (you'll have to read the book to find out what that means).
As the two get to know each other better, the book just gets funnier and funnier. Max lives a completely different lifestyle to Neve and this introduces her to a whole new way of living. Max takes her out to swanky parties and work dos and even a WAG wedding at one point and the situations they get in are hilarious. It was also super sweet watching them get to know each other better. Max doesn't do girlfriends and Neve hasn't had a boyfriend so their whole situation is a big learning curve for the both of them.
Not only is this one of my favourite adult books by Sarra Manning but one of my favourite books of hers altogether. It's sweet, funny and romantic all at the same time. It has everything I could want in a book.
When we were looking at things to do in Orlando, we wanted something that was different from theme parks as we knew we'd get bored with them after a couple of days. High up on the most popular attractions in Orlando is Ripley's Believe It or Not Orlando Odditorium. I didn't really know what to expect but on the day we visited, all we really cared about was getting out of the sun and being somewhere cool for at least an hour.
== What is there to see? ==
To start with, I think I should give a bit of information about Robert Ripley, who travelled the world and collected so many oddities along the way. He has 27 different museums in 10 different countries and there is a claim that each is 90% different the all of the others. Having not been to any of the others, I can't say how true this claim is.
Anyway, as soon as you enter the building which looks as though it is half sinking, there are photo opportunities. While we were there, there was a ginormous statue of a really fat man which you can stand behind and pretend is your body. When you go through after paying, things only get even stranger. You will be seeing things you could have never imagined seeing as you walk through the museum. My photos don't seem to be in order so I can't actually remember the order in which we saw things but I'll explain some of the different sections of the museum.
Quite close to the entrance is a large interactive area which is aimed more at children than anyone else. There are pinball games on tablets which were actually great fun. Be warned though, these kept us occupied for ages and it might be hard to get children to step away from them. In this section there are soundboards, mirrors which show you in different shapes and sizes and also a fortune teller. This costs $1 a go which isn't a bad price and it is a little bit of fun.
One of my favourite sections was the strange animals (this is just after the slanted pool table room). This part is really weird. There are animals born with irregular features which you would just never expect to see such as a pig with six toes, a merman and two-headed animals. Although this section was really interesting, it was also a bit gross as some of the deformities are just gross.
As well as strange animals, there is also a whole lot about strange humans. Dotted all over the museum are statues of people who had weird things about them such as the most tattooed and pierced people, someone with massive lips, an Egyptian dwarf who was only 17 inches tall and a guy who can pop his eyes out of his head. I really enjoyed looking at these statues as these things/ people are things that you are never going to see in your day to day life.
Also throughout the museum are different pieces of art. There is one main section for this but there are also pictures dotted all over the place. You can see pictures such as Beyonce made from sweets, Van Gough painted in nail polish and The Mona Lisa made from bits of toast. I love this kind of thing because it shows just how inventive people can be with different items from around the house.
These are just a few of the things that you'll be able to find and see at Ripley's Believe It or Not Orlando Odditorium. While the museum was fun, there was a hell of a lot to read along the way. I can see kids just wanted to walk around it rather than reading all of the information available. I didn't even want to read about everything as that would have taken us hours and hours and I didn't have the energy for that. However, this place is certainly different.
== Address and getting there ==
8201 International Drive
Orlando, Florida 32819
As Ripley's is location on International Drive, it is extremely easy to find and to get to. You can take the I-Ride trolley north and stop at 17 or south and stop at green 9.
Ripley's has free parking.
== Opening times and prices ==
9am until midnight. 365 days a year but call for seasonal closing times.
Adults $19.99 plus tax
Children (4-12) $12.99 plus tax
Online discounts are available and you'll find discount vouchers all over Orlando.
== Facilities ==
Ripley's only has a toilet at the entrance of the attraction and the staff at the desk will advise you to go before you enter as you won't have the chance again until you leave. Ripley's is a pretty big place and can take ages to get around especially with children so I think it could definitely do with having at least one more set of toilets put in half way round.
There is a small gift shop at the end of the attraction but it doesn't really sell much that is interesting or worth the money to be honest. There was absolutely nothing that either me or my husband wanted to purchase. There are pictures and books about Ripley's available and a selection of toys though which the children will probably be interested in. You'll also be able to purchase drinks in the shop at the end.
== Overall ==
I really didn't think that Ripley's was worth the money. We didn't pay full price (we paid about $15 each). Yes, we spent a fair bit of time in here but mainly because it was too hot outside. I don't think I'd visit another branch of Ripley's if I were to go past one again.
About the film
Carrie is a 2013 horror film that was released in the UK on 29th November. The film is an adaptation of the 1974 novel of the same name by Stephen King and a remake of the 1976 film of the same name. Carrie is rated 15 due to language and violence and has a run time of 100 minutes.
At the time of Carrie White's birth, her very religious mother was in two minds about whether or not to kill her baby. She decided against it and years later, Carrie is now in high school but a very shy and an outcast to others around her. Carrie has been sheltered her whole life and her mother Margaret hopes to make sure that Carrie never sins or never does anything wrong.
During a day at school where Carrie gets her first period, she's ridiculed for the way she reacts although it isn't her fault that her mother never told her about what would happen to her body. Although extremely upset and shocked at her experience, Carrie manages to find something within her. She has the ability of telekinesis. Carrie's power goes from strength to strength and while things look up for her for a little while, her junior prom proves too much and the powers get out of hand.
Chloë Grace Moretz as Carrie White
Julianne Moore as Margaret White
Gabriella Wilde as Sue Snell
Ansel Elgort as Tommy Ross
Alex Russell as Billy Nolan
Portia Doubleday as Chris Hargensen
Judy Greer as Miss Rita Desjardin
Zoe Belkin as Tina Blake
Karissa Strain as Nicki Watson
Katie Strain as Lizzy Watson
Samantha Weinstein as Heather Shyres
Cynthia Preston as Eleanor Snel
What I thought
The 1976 version of this film is actually one of my all-time favourites and when I saw that it was going to be remade, I was quite excited. The trailer looked great and I thought it would be a good film.
Playing the lead role of Carrie White in this version is Chloë Grace Moretz who you may know from Kick Ass or Let Me In. She's a great young actress and one who I like a lot. However, the character of Carrie White requires someone who can play awkward and different with ease and I'm afraid that Moretz was not the right choice for the role. Throughout the film, I found myself getting more and more annoyed with Moretz as Carrie. The scenes where she is supposed to shy away and not know how to act socially were very hard to watch. Instead of Moretz playing an awkward character, her actions looked too forced and not natural at all.
Another thing about Carrie's character is the pain and torment that she has experienced throughout her life. The original actress of this role, Sissy Spacek was utterly amazing and she really did look tortured for the whole film. Moretz couldn't pull off this aspect of the role either unfortunately. Never did Moretz look pained or worried especially. One of the biggest scenes in the film is that of the prom and honestly, it was laughable. Moretz looked far from scary and possessed like Spacek did in the original and I wouldn't have been scared of her at all.
Although Moretz is a let-down in the lead, there are some notable performances in this version of Carrie. I really enjoyed Julianne Moore as Margaret White, Carrie's mother. Margaret was always an interesting character to me as she's someone who truly believes in her religion but lives in a place where not many others do. Moore plays Margaret extremely well and is absolutely bonkers! There is also Judy Greer who is best known for comedic roles but in Carrie she plays the role of the teacher who tries to help Carrie. Greer puts a good amount of empathy and care into the role and made the character very likeable.
As the plot goes, there aren't too many changes from the original, which is a good thing. I didn't want to see the film rehashed completely. However, there are a couple of differences. The original film spends a good amount of time watching Carrie getting used to her new powers and trying to figure out what is going on. In the original I really liked watching her powers grow slowly and her realising just what she could do with them. In this new version, this isn't the case at all. It seems that Carrie realises about telekinesis quite early on but she never really seems phased by what she can do. She also goes from being able to do something small to something massive in a matter of minutes. Carrie never appears to have a problem with what she can do and I was very disappointed with this. Her abilities were shown to be nothing strange.
As the original was released in 1976, the effects weren't anything impressive but I did like how simple things were. The 2013 version of Carrie has so many effects in comparison but that isn't a good thing in my opinion. There is far too much CGI put into this remake and it was not impressive at all. The final prom scene is far too elaborate and everything is blown out of proportion for it to be enjoyable. I enjoyed the original version of this scene far more as this film made the events look ridiculous and crazy instead of intense and scary.
As remakes go, this one should never have been made. My husband enjoyed it but he could barely remember the original and wasn't as big of a fan of it as I was. If you like the original, I would advise you to stay away from this one.
About the film
Runner, Runner is a 2013 thriller film. It has a run time of 91 minutes and is rated 15. The film was produced by many people, one of which was Leonardo DiCaprio.
Richie Furst is struggling to pay his way through Princeton after crashing out in his former job. When he attempts to win his tuition fees on an online gambling website, he believes that he's been swindled when he loses all of his money. With nothing left to lose, Richie heads to Costa Rica to confront the owner of the website, Ivan Block. Instead of just getting his money back, Ivan offers Richie a job and promises great wealth. To begin with Richie is having the time of his life and loves what he's doing but he soon realises that there is a lot more to Ivan and his business than meets the eye. Richie is right in the middle of Ivan's dirty dealings and it looks like he will take the fall for everything.
Justin Timberlake as Richie Furst
Gemma Arterton as Rebecca Shafran
Anthony Mackie as Agent Shavers
Ben Affleck as Ivan Block
David Costabile as Professor Hornstein
Sam Palladio as Shecky
Oliver Cooper as Andrew Cronin
Ben Schwartz as Craig
What I thought
I didn't know much about this film before going to see it apart from the fact that it starred Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake but those were good enough reasons for me to go and see it.
The plot surrounds Richie Furst who used to have a great job on Wall Street. Unfortunately, that ended and Richie goes back to college to complete his post grad. However, due to his past employment, he cannot get any help with tuition so he has to pay it all himself. Richie's character is extremely intelligent and figures that he can get sign ups to an online gambling website and receive a cut of everyone who signs up. But, the dean of Princeton threatens to expel him if he keeps it up. I liked how the beginning of the film set up the explanations of online gambling and the way that people chase money on there. But, after that, it all got a bit too crazy and unrealistic.
You see, Furst runs off to Costa Rica to confront the owner of the website face to face. He knows Ivan Block in incredibly hard to get to but figures it's worth a try anyway because he's desperate. Even though it's stated that Ivan Block is hard to get to, Richie seems to manage it with very little trouble at all. Playing Ivan Block is Ben Affleck who has had a bit of a bad run of acting jobs in the past few years. However, I quite liked him in this role for the most part. He plays a character that is quite smarmy and slick, who knows that he can do pretty much whatever he wants. Affleck acts cool, calm and collected for the most part but is also able to lose his temper and show the meaner, more devious side to him when he needs to. Even though he did a good job, there are loads of actors who could probably have done better.
Justin Timberlake hasn't had that many roles since hitting the film business but he does always manage to switch it up a little bit. In Runner, Runner Timberlake plays main character Richie Furst. I found Timberlake to be absolutely fantastic in this film. At the beginning he is confident, clever and doesn't see that he's doing anything wrong. It's only when he loses all of his money gambling online that he begins to change. He makes the change from Princeton student to wealthy and stylish very quickly which goes to show what money can buy you... a nice suit! Anyhow, Timberlake manages the transition pretty damn well and became more likeable as the film went on due to what was happening to him. However, I would have liked to have seen Timberlake lose it a little more towards the end of the film as he was too calm for what was happening around him.
Runner, Runner doesn't have the most complicated or exciting plot because basically, it's been done before. This is a film that doesn't really offer anything new which was quite disappointing. While this may not be an original film, it is still very entertaining. There is plenty going on throughout, even with a slow start, and there are little clues being dropped everywhere. I enjoyed watching Richie get to grips with his new life and to figure out exactly who he could trust around him.
There are also a few things that didn't make a whole lot of sense. Richie is supposed to be incredibly intelligent but he doesn't see what's going on around him until quite near the end of the film. He also should have been able to outsmart Ivan with ease or at least do more about what was happening. Not only that, but if he was so clever, he should have probably known that Ivan's offer was far too good to be true. Things like that just don't happen. It's a shame that such little issues let this film down.
While I did enjoy Runner, Runner, it could have been such a better film. The plot was quite standard and there were problems throughout. One to buy on DVD when it's cheap though.
About the film
Battle of the Year is a dance film that was released at the cinema on 15th November 2013 in the UK. The film has a run time of 110 minutes and is rated 12.
Each year, the USA sends a team of b-boys to the Battle of the Year, hoping to come back victorious only they haven't actually won for fifteen years! Dante Graham is promoting the current team but knows he needs to be the best in order to win. He hires friend and former basketball coach Jason Blake to step in and prepare the team. After losing both his wife and son, Blake is in a deep state of depression but Dante knows he's the only man for the job.
Instead of coaching the existing team, Blake decides to fire the whole lot of them and form his own new team instead. Can a brand new team of b-boys learn to work together to win the title?
Josh Holloway as Jason Blake
Chris Brown as Rooster
Josh Peck as Franklyn
Laz Alonso as Dante Graham
Caity Lotz as Stacy
Jon "Do Knock" Cruz as Do Knock
Ivan "Flipz" Velez as Flipz
Richard Carmelo Soto as Abbstarr
Terrence J as Himself
Sway Calloway as Himself
Anis Cheurfa as Anis
Weronika Rosati as Jolene
Alex Martin as Punk
Dominic Sandoval as Grifter
Steve Terada as Sight
Victor Kim as Aces
Jesse "Casper" Brown as Rebel
David "Kid David" Shreibman as Kid
What I thought
I can't actually remember this one being released here in the UK. I actually saw it while on holiday in Orlando with my husband last year. We both love a good dance film and we also wanted to get out of the heat for a couple of hours.
Josh Holloway stars as Jason Blake, an ex-basketball coach who suffered a huge loss which sent him into a deep depression. Holloway is fantastic has Blake. He has this darkened, hard exterior to him and comes across as a real hard-ass who doesn't really care much about anything anymore. When old friend Dante comes to him to ask for help, and to try to sort his life out, Blake doesn't want anything to do with the b-boy crew. He is quite happy drowning everything out with alcohol. Holloway is best known for his role in Lost and not really much else I don't think. It was great to see him in a film and for him to play a character with so much depth.
Not only does this film follow the story of Blake trying to get his life back together but also that of the b-boy team who will take on the Battle of the Year. As Blake fires the existing team, he has to find a whole new crew of b-boys and he only wants the best. After recruiting quite a large number, Blake lets them know that not everyone will make the team. He prepares to put them through the roughest training they will ever know. I really enjoyed this aspect of the film. There are a lot of different personalities within the recruits and that causes quite a lot of problems. The film also shows the attitudes of b-boys and how they think they must act in their profession. I know that a lot of b-boys come across as cocky and arrogant but that is apparently because they need to show that they're the best so that's how they act.
Battle of the Year got quite a bit of bad press and it didn't do very well at all here in the UK and some of that has to do with the cast. Singer Chris Brown takes one of the lead roles, playing a very sure of himself Rooster. After all of the stuff that happened with Rihanna not a whole lot of people are fans of him anymore and maybe that was why the film bombed. Regardless of what he did, I didn't mind Brown too much at all. I think he did a pretty okay job in his role and his dancing was up to the level of some of the other b-boys. He wasn't better, but he was still pretty good.
As plots go, this film isn't the most original. However, it is entertaining throughout and has some fantastic dancing if you're into that kind of thing. Also, most dance films focus on hip-hop and contemporary so it was nice to see a film focus solely on b-boying. The tricks that some of these guys can do are outstanding and I was pretty amazed by them. There are a couple of twists and turns throughout the film but not enough to make the plot truly shocking unfortunately.
This film was shown at the cinema in 3D but I have to say it really wasn't worth paying any extra for. There are only really a couple of moments where the 3D is really noticeable. The effect is used mostly when the b-boys are performing certain tricks but there isn't anything impressive enough to make it worthwhile. I don't really understand why dance films are in 3D as they don't have the same kinds of effects as big, action films.
Overall, I did enjoy this film but it wasn't worth paying for the 3D viewing and I certainly wouldn't buy the 3D DVD.
About the film
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones is a 2013 film adaptation from the book of the same name by Cassandra Clare. The film has a run time of 130 minutes and is rated 12A.
In New York, Clary Fray is going about her everyday life when she sees someone and something she shouldn't have in a club. Problem is, no one else around her can see what is going on. Clary is the descendant of a Shadowhunter, a group of half angel warriors who fight to destroy demons. After her mother disappears without warning, Clary is forced to ask for the help of other Shadowhunters as they may be the only ones who can help her. She is thrown into a new life filled with demons, vampires and werewolves, amongst other things, and must quickly learn to accept what she thought could never be possible.
Lily Collins as Clary Fray
Jamie Campbell Bower as Jace Wayland
Robert Sheehan as Simon Lewis
Kevin Zegers as Alec Lightwood
Lena Headey as Jocelyn Fray
Kevin Durand as Emil Pangborn
Aidan Turner as Luke Garroway
Jemima West as Isabelle Lightwood
Godfrey Gao as Magnus Bane
C. C. H. Pounder as Madame Dorothea
Jared Harris as Hodge Starkweather
Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Valentine Morgenstern
What I thought
The Mortal Instruments is a series of books that I absolutely love so when I heard about the film being made, I was a little wary about it. I had never heard of the girl playing the lead and the actor playing the male lead just didn't sit right with me. I had also heard bad things from others who love the books just as much as me.
City of Bones has quite a quick beginning. It doesn't take long for protagonist Clary to be introduced to the world of the Shadowhunters. While out in a club with her best friend Simon, she thinks she witnesses a murder than no one else can see but learns that the now dead man was actually a demon. Here, she meets Jace (a Shadowhunter) and he explains what is really going on although he is surprised she can actually see him. While I was thankful that the beginning of the film wasn't dragged out, I do think that Clary became all too okay with the changes in her life too quickly. I remember in the book that she took a while to get used to everything that was going on around her.
Speaking of Clary, Lily Collins plays the character and I was actually quite pleasantly surprised by her performance. Collins makes the character likeable while still being able to show strength and bravery. There are a few times where she comes across as a bit whiney but not overly and I was thankful for that. As someone I hadn't previously heard of, I was unsure about how well she'd be able to portray the role but she did a good job. Collins shows emotion well throughout the whole film and considering how much the character has to go through, she needed to show quite a lot. I think that Collins also dealt really well with the action scenes which I wasn't expecting.
As with the beginning of the film, the plot moves along at a quick pace. There is a lot going on in this film and it is pretty non-stop all the way through. As soon as Clary learns of the Shadowhunters and what they do, her life is filled with secrets, lies and demons. The fight scenes were pretty impressive and well done by all involved. There are quite a few characters in the film, not all of which are Shadowhunters. There are allies and enemies between different kinds of creature and I really enjoyed how this was explored. There is a whole host of supernatural creatures to get to know in City of Bones and it was interesting to see how they worked (or didn't) together to get things done.
As this is a film adaptation of a book, there are certainly things missing that I think should have been put in. People who have read the book might be a little disappointed to see some quite important parts missing but obviously, the film can only be so long so things needed to be cut. However, while I would have liked to have seen some things, I was still happy with the film overall. Author Cassandra Clare had a hand in writing the screenplay and watched over production so I guess if she was happy, then book fans should be as well. For me, casting was most of the problem rather than the plot and bits missing.
One thing that did get talked about a lot was the portrayal of Jace Wayland, Clary's love interest. Playing Jace is Jamie Campbell Bower. Now, for those who haven't read the book, I'm sure you will all find him to be great in the role. Jace is a character who is full of himself, cocky and very witty. Campbell Bower manages to get this part of the role absolutely perfect and he comes across as arrogant and as someone who loves himself. His acting skills are not to be frowned at and I do think he did a really good job. However, he still isn't the Jace I imagined. In my eyes, Jace was a bigger guy with a lot more muscle and Campbell Bower is quite slim although he did bulk up a bit for the role. It wasn't that I didn't like him though, he just wasn't perfect.
Overall, City of Bones wasn't nearly as bad as I had expected it to be. The plot moves at a fast pace and is exciting the whole way through. Even without my perfect choices in the casting, this is a really entertaining film and I can't wait for the sequel to come out.
When we visited Disney's Magic Kingdom, Orlando, one of the rides that I was looking forward to the most was the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. I didn't know what to expect but I love pirates so figured that this would be the ride for me.
This version of the ride was not the earliest as the original was built in Disneyland, California and opened in 1967. The version in Orlando didn't open until 1973 and then Tokyo and Paris in the years afterwards. In Magic Kingdom, this ride can be found in Adventureland along with a pirate tutorial run by Captain Jack Sparrow. You won't be able to miss this ride as it is housed inside a fortress with a big pirate ship banner outside. The fortress also has the message 'Dead men tell no tales'.
The queuing isn't too bad for this ride in comparison to others such as Space or Thunder Mountain and I found us moving along quite quickly. There are actually two queues to choose from which are pirates and soldiers although I really can't remember which we went down at the time. As you walk through the fortress and through an underground cavern to get to the actual ride you will be hearing the theme song, 'Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life)' the whole time and it does get quite annoying at times.
The reason the queue moves so quickly is because the boats you're in can hold about 25 people each as they have six rows and can comfortably fit 4 people in each. As this is a really slow moving ride, there are no safety harnesses or bars apart from there being quite high sides on each side of the boat. The beginning of the ride shows a waterfall with a projection of Davy Jones and then you carry on to a shipwreck and some pirate skeletons. There are a few ups and downs as you climb small hills in the boat so you really do get a feeling of being in a boat on the sea. After coming down the first hill, you'll have pirates firing cannons at the water and Captain Barbossa mumbling something or other about Jack Sparrow. The cannons were exciting and made the ride more than just seeing pirates on the sides.
Next up you slowly sail through a pirate town where they're all drinking rum and having a good time. If you keep an eye out you'll also see Jack Sparrow himself. The pirates are all singing Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life) which by this point I was so sick of hearing. The town is torched by flames and they're trying to escape from either their cells or their chosen drinking place. Towards the end of the ride you'll have the opportunity to see Jack Sparrow again as he's surrounded by a pirate's booty.
I hate to say it but I found this ride to be extremely boring. The ups and downs hidden in the water are very small and not all that exciting. As the boat moves so slowly, the ups and downs are also really slow and take quite some time to get over. But, this does mean that there is plenty of time to look around and take in all of the fantastic detail that this ride has to offer. The costume and explosions were great and there were so many pirates to look at, each of which was different looking and doing something different to the others. I think children will enjoy this much more than adults and both me and my husband were unimpressed.
I didn't even know that this ride is where the idea from the film Pirates of the Caribbean came from and since its release, certain characters such as Captain Jack Sparrow have been added and they weren't there before. As I didn't really like it with these additions, I think I would have disliked it even more before. It's a shame as this was one ride that I was really looking forward to.


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Scholarships, Honors & Awards
The Substance Abuse Program encourages, fosters and recognizes the outstanding achievement of its students through the following awards and honors:
The Bettie Dibrell Memorial Scholarship - This is a scholarship designed to assist students in the Substance Abuse Program achieve their educational goals thereby contributing to the education and support of others in this field in the passionate spirit of educator Bettie Dibrell. Scholarship applications are accepted every spring and will be due by March 15, 2016 for the 2016-2017 award. The 2015-2016 scholarship was awarded to Allison Myers. Congratulations, Allison!
Student Excellence Awards - These are the recent Substance Abuse Program students who were recognized at CPCC's annual Student Excellence Convocation, a celebration of the achievements of CPCC's outstanding students. Students are nominated by program faculty every spring. In May 2015, Monica Prestage was recognized as the SAB Program Student of Excellence. Congratulations, Monica!
Work Place Learning/Internship Award - Every spring CPCC presents awards to students who have excelled in their cooperative education/internship placements. In May 2015, one of our star SAB students, Joseph Hampton, received the CPCC Outstanding Co-op Student of the Year for the entire College. Congratulations, Joe!
Tau Upsilon Alpha Honor Society - This is the Kappa Chapter of the National Organization of Human Services Honor Society which inducts new members every spring.
Faculty Awards
SAB Instructor Tony Beatty was recognized in October 2014 for his long-standing service to the Addiction Professionals of North Carolina. Congratulations, Tony!
SAB Program Chair Frankie Tack (2nd from the right) received a CPCC Eyes on You Award in August 2015 for her outstanding support of Learning College Initiatives. Congratulations, Frankie!


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On Friday, [artist id="501686″]Britney Spears[/artist] took another teasingly small step in promoting her upcoming Femme Fatale album , releasing a video in which she announced that she'll perform on "Good Morning America" on March 29, the day the LP drops.
The short video clip temporarily calmed the increasingly anxious Britney fans, who had been wondering, "Where is Britney?" It's been six weeks since first single "Hold It Against Me" was released. Since then, Britney has hosted a Q&A session with fans on Twitter and premiered the song's video on MTV, but she's been largely missing from the public eye.
We know the pop princess is still busy putting the finishing touches to her album — she tweeted a picture of her and producer will.i.am at the recording studio recently — but it does strike us as strange that a mere month away from the album release, Britney has not done a single promotional interview or live performance.
In the months before releasing her last album, Circus, Brit had appeared at theVMAs and onstage at Madonna's Sticky & Sweet Tour , performed on the British "X Factor" and shows in France and Germany, and aired the revealing documentary "Britney: For the Record" on MTV.
So, why the relative silence this time around? Is Britney being shy, or maintaining an air of mystery until closer to the big reveal of her album?
"The girl's coming back, and her music's doing well," PR expert Howard Bragman told MTV News. "Coming back is a hard thing to do, and when you've been in the spotlight as long as Britney Spears has been, it's hard to maintain that. The fact that she's still relevant musically is quite a feat."
While Lady Gaga has performed on the Grammys and made appearances on "60 Minutes," "The Tonight Show" and "Good Morning America" since releasing "Born This Way," Bragman cautioned against comparing Brit and Gaga.
"Public relations, when done well, is not one size fits all," Bragman explained. "You've got to know who you're working with and what their DNA in the public eye is, and everybody has a different DNA in the public eye."
Perhaps Britney, now into the 13th year of her career, has decided that she doesn't have to go crazy working the promotional circuit, especially since she is a mother of two young boys. Unlike Lady Gaga and other relatively new pop stars like Katy Perry or Ke$ha, Spears has been there, done that and is no longer so hungry for success. She did her time on the nonstop promo circuit back in her … Baby One More Time and In the Zone days, and maybe she's content to let the music speak for itself now.
Or perhaps the worrying fans have jumped the gun, and her team is about to surprise us all with a slew of appearances and performances. All we know for sure is that, promotion or no promotion, Britney is still very capable of keeping us intrigued.