text:
There's only one thing I could be blogging about today.
Chantelle Houghton claims to have 'lost her appetite' after split with Rav Wilding and I find this rather distressing.
Just kidding. It was the Royal Wedding day today. The union of two people, very much in love, and very much adored.
I was so excited. More excited than even I had anticipated. I got up at 7am to freshly bake scones before the BBC coverage started at 8. With the scones cooling in the kitchen and myself washed and dressed I was ready to fetch my BlackBerry, settle on the sofa and begin tweeting and crying the day away. The excitement mounted as visions of the crowds played out across the screen. When William and Harry were first sighted leaving Clarence House the emotion all got too much for mother and I and tears were shed. But as the rest of the Royals and the Middletons continued to arrive at Westminster Abbey, there was and could only be one name on all of our lips. Kate.
It was her wedding day. She was about to marry the man she loved in the most beautiful gown and on top of that, she was to be watched by billions all over the world as she did so. As she became a princess. Now, if you can think of anything more fabulous or more terrifying please do get in touch.
Upon that first glimpse of Kate as she slid into her car with her father I let out a little yelp. White! The dress was white! As the car slowly moved off and begun it's journey to the abbey we got a better look at this Alexander McQueen creation. Her face completely covered in a delicately billowing veil, her arms and chest doused in a beautiful lace, the neck line just low enough for femininity and just high enough for appropriateness. A vision.
The ceremony was lovely. It was traditional, formal and emotional.
I couldn't help but notice the fact that both William and Harry had the constant expression that said: "I just farted but we can't laugh". I'd give my right arm to listen in on Harry's best man speech later.
As William and Kate (should I be calling her Catherine now?) left Westminster Abbey as newly weds to the roars of the crowds outside there was a real sense of joy and occasion. Everyone was happy. The Queen had a massive grin on her face. And Prince Harry looked as cheeky as ever as he left the abbey with Kate's sister Pippa on his arm.
[an hour later] The balcony scene! My favourite moment was Kate's exclaim of "oh wow!" as she stepped out and saw the volume of people that had come to greet them. I thought it was true example of her humility and will endear me to her forever. Not only that, but we got TWO WHOLE KISSES from the happy couple. More than we ever could have bargained for. They sure do spoil us. The kisses seemed genuine and loving, a huge contrast to that of Charles and Diana's.
My second favourite bit was them appearing later on in a decorated Aston Martin, fit with L plates and everything, and William himself driving. I thought that was ace. Fun. I think that's what they're going to bring to our Royal family.
Overall it really was a wonderful day. And I hope all the hundreds of receptions they have to attend and canapes they have to eat are equally as wonderful.
We laid on a spread here as well. Tea, and scones and cakes and sandwiches. Thank you William and Catherine, for a lovely bank holiday.
I wish them all the happiness in the world. It really couldn't go to a lovelier pair.
ps. did you know that Ellie Goulding was asked by the couple themselves to perform at the reception? If I'm honest, I can't quite decide who has the biggest honour.
Friday, 29 April 2011
Happy Widdleton day
Posted by Claire Maxwell at 18:32 0 comments
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
I said I was going to give you some news later on this week. Here we are, later on in the week, and I've got some news. You can't tell me I don't deliver.
(This blog is mostly for the benefit of my Grandpa)
I had a meeting with the bookshop again this morning. And they offered me a job! I'll be in training from next week and then from June I'll be working 3 or 4 days a week. Learning all the tricks of the trade, attending events, meeting people in the literary world, and reading reading reading. I'm excited, nervous and feeling positive. It's going to be so good for me to actually do some proper work and a bookshop is the perfect environment. It will be hard though. I am not accustomed to surfacing before 10am so you can expect a zombie like, no makeup-ed Claire for a good month or so.
Not only that, but I looked into booking a driving test today and was greeted with the radiant sight of a cancellation. For this Monday. Obviously this doesn't give me much time to practise, but the next possible booking was the end of August. Cancellations are like gold dust and you've got to snap them up while you can. Of course, I may have just invested 75 of my well earned pounds into a deep sense of loss and regret. But then again, I might pass and be free to run over small animals at my own pleasure.
I feel like things are moving on. This is good.
Next stop. Moving out. (Joking mother). (I'm not joking).
Posted by Claire Maxwell at 19:01 0 comments
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
Hello. Happy Easter. I hope you had a good one.
I won't bore you with too many details. Sometimes I get carried away and kid myself people are interested in what I had for breakfast this morning. Fruit and Fibre.
This weekend was nice. Gareth came to stay. We had a picnic and a barbeque on Saturday and listened to football commentary (?). On Sunday we had family over, sat and walked in the sun and were thoroughly entertained by the little ones. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Archie is super, and so is Mia. They are the sweetest little people I've ever seen and before I met them I didn't like children (in fact I still don't like children bar Archie and Mia), this is proof enough that they are pretty fantastic.
Gareth left yesterday morning to go and watch Bournemouth play. As a result I have felt a little blue. Not to worry though, it's nothing that can't be fixed by mountains of egg-shaped chocolate. What a fortunate coincidence.
I may have some news later on this week. Nothing very exciting. Particularly not for anyone apart from me. But if I haven't talked this up enough already, tune in later.
Have you had a nice Easter weekend? I do hope so.
Posted by Claire Maxwell at 10:53 0 comments
Friday, 22 April 2011
An Easter rest
I've decided to take this Easter weekend off blogging. As much as I adore imparting my words upon you all, I fancy a bit of time playing in the sun, eating chocolate eggs and doing not much else. I hope that's okay.
I've already begun my Easter weekend celebrations with brunch with my dear Eve this morning and a ladies 'pub crawl' this afternoon with my drunk friends. I'm relaxed and content and looking forward to seeing my boyfriend and my wee cousins.
Thank you Jesus, for dying on the cross. Because of this we get 2 whole bank holidays, and also get to go to heaven. Not much could be better than that.
Happy Easter.
Posted by Claire Maxwell at 18:50 0 comments
Thursday, 21 April 2011
A little piece of news and some animals
I had a meeting this morning with the owners of the Chorleywood Bookshop to discuss the possibility of me writing and blogging for them. It went really rather well and I am proud to announce I will now be writing book reviews for the bookshop's website, as well as hosting their very own blog. Between myself and the owners, Morag and Sheryl, we will be regularly updating readers and customers on author events, bookshop news, and what is hot in the literary world. Wit woo. As well as that, all my book reviews, the ones I post in this lovely place, will be live on their main website too. Hopefully to benefit both the bookshop and my readership. I'll keep you posted.
The rest of today I spent at the zoo with my granny, my brother, my uncle and my cousin. We saw animals. Of all shapes and sizes. There was a tiger that was showing off. I think he fancied me. There was a giraffe that was really struggling to get a melon out of a basket. It was using it's tongue and everything. There were meerkats that I fell for. Hard. They were just like the ones of the advert except TEENY TINY. And they didn't talk. They were super cute and one of them was using it's tail as a pillow. There was also a fish that had a really big chin. I think Harry and I may have given it self esteem issues with our words.
It was wonderful weather, it was lovely to see my granny, but my legs and my feet are not in a good way. My body parts cannot, and will never be able to, cope with exercise of even the lowest degree. Now please excuse me while I die a little bit.
ps. I realise my pictures are utter trollop. If you would like them to improve, please do not hesitate to buy me a camera.
Posted by Claire Maxwell at 22:49 1 comments
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
My day
Today was a funny old day.
I travelled home to London from Brighton. Actually, make that 'from Brighton to London' - that sounds better on the ear. However it did not go quite as I'd planned. But I guess not much does, when you're as innately disorganised and useless as I am.
My train was set to depart at 11.49. Plenty of time to wake, have a leisurely breakfast and pack all my things up before getting to the station with hours to spare. I could have even slipped in last night's episode of Campus, or written a poem. The world was my oyster.
But no, this is not how the morning played out. From now on, remind me often, that when there is some kind of deadline in my immediate or otherwise future, it is NOT safe to close my eyes EVEN FOR 3 SECONDS. I will fall into a deep sleep and not reawaken for 3 hours at least.
That is more how the morning played out.
So to cut a long story short I missed my train and had to call father to get him to transfer money into my account (I obviously have none of my own) so I could buy a new train ticket. And Gareth had to come to the station to calm me down by ruffling my hair a lot and telling me "this is why I nag you". I got a First Capital Connect train rather than my usual Southern choice because that was the cheapest. A warning: do not catch a FCC train do you wish to keep your hearing/sanity in tact, use a toilet, or smell anything other than train exhaust. It was not a pleasant experience. Not only that but I was so hungry my stomach started to eat itself.
I'm home now though and I've got an excellent few days and weekend ahead of me. I even get to see Archie and Mia on Sunday, my favourite smaller-than-average people in the entire world.
Posted by Claire Maxwell at 18:48 0 comments
Tuesday, 19 April 2011
The Notebook - by Nicholas Sparks (vs the film)
A few weeks ago Gareth and I watched The Notebook together. We cried, it was beautiful, etcetera, etcetera. Gareth then bought me the book and instructed me to read it (he wanted to know if the ending was different). So I set about doing just that.
This is not going to be a book review as such, more of a film/book comparison. But I've discovered something I have never known before. The exception to the rule. The anomaly.
There were a few things I noticed. Let me share them with you.
The time frame of the book was different to that of the film. It does start with the couple as elderly and in an old peoples home, but then the next time we hear of them, Noah has built his dream house and Allie is engaged to another man*. I don't have a problem with this format as such, but having seen the film already, I found it confusing. Of course, I am not blaming Nicholas Sparks for this. We learn of the summer they spent together only through Noah's thoughts and their reminiscing dialogue. Again, this doesn't prove too much of a problem but I would have liked to have witnessed it first hand. I think it would have made their relationship and loss of it seem far more poignant in the early stages of the book.
Now, there are only two books previously that I have read after watching the film adaptation. These were Bridget Jones' Diary and Eat, Pray, Love. As would be expected, the books would always hold a significant amount more detail, with the films missing minor plot lines and characters out. Film makers do only have 2 hours to portray a 300 odd page book. Therefore having already seen the film adaptation of The Notebook there were certain scenes I was expecting. The majority of which actually turned out not to appear in the book, and were apparently creations of the film director Nick Cassavetes and writer Jan Sardi. In the film, Allie puts up a fight when Noah first asks her out, but Noah persists by hanging off a ferris wheel, creating two characters that are clearly a match for one another and know their own minds. In the book, Noah and Allie's eyes meet and they fall in love in that moment. Call me a cynic, but love at first sight is a myth and the very idea makes me nauseous. There are countless examples of how the film makers have taken Nicholas Sparks' characters, and made them believable. Nicholas Sparks has created a love story that is just that... a story. There is no way that the reader will be able to relate, because it is fantasy, and the relationship between (book) Allie and Noah is downright irritating. Sparks treats us to endless paragraphs of devotional spiel about how much Noah adores Allie and how their love will conquer all. By page 50, we have heard everything Sparks has to say about the couple. They don't argue. Allie doesn't get angry when she finds out her mother kept Noah's letters from her for all those years. And rather than having the big climax scene where Allie screams through the rain "why didn't you write me?" and they share that kiss, she politely and quietly inquires the question over the dinner table, to which he responds in the same manner. Boring. So, unbelievably boring.
I have never, in all my 18 years and 10 months of life, read a book that is worse than it's film adaptation. But The Notebook just did it. Nicholas Sparks is so intent on writing epic love story after epic love story, he seems to have lost a grip on reality. And besides all else, he seems to have forgotten (or perhaps he never knew) what makes a good novel. I don't want to hear about a couple who are so ridiculously perfect for each other that their love can cure an irreversible illness. (Book) Allie and Noah don't exist. But I would like to believe that somewhere (film) Allie and Noah do. Because THEIR LOVE, that is real and honest and raw, is a truly beautiful thing.
ps. the ending was different. But although I've already spoiled the book for you, I think giving away the final sentence should be punishable by death.
*I'm sorry, there will be spoilers. Usually I would not endorse such a thing but in this case, if you haven't yet seen the film or read the book, you don't deserve the luxury of ignorance. Bit harsh, but whatever.
Posted by Claire Maxwell at 13:43 0 comments
Labels: books, pop culture
Monday, 18 April 2011
This weekend was spent in Brighton. Not that this is an irregular occurrence by any means, but we did manage to venture out into the big bad world more than we normally do.
On Saturday Gareth's dad and step mum came to visit and took us out for the day. We went east with the intention of visiting somewhere called Beachy Head (?). I had never heard of such a place but it sounded nice on the ears so I figured it was likely to be nice on the eyes too. If I'm honest, I don't think we made it to Beachy Head although I wasn't paying much attention so we could have done. All I know is, we had lunch at a little cafe and then walked a couple of miles to a lighthouse and back. The views were really wonderful and being right by Dover the cliff line was spectacular. I appreciated my surroundings and this is how I know I'm finally growing up.
We drove back to Brighton and had a cup of tea at the flat. Then we made our way to the Marina, somewhere I have never made the effort to explore before, and had a little walk by the boats. The sun was just setting beyond the harbor and Brighton really was stunning. I fell in love with it all over again. Then we went for an Italian where I was blessed with one of the most delicious pizzas I have ever tasted. My whole mouth just filled with saliva. The base was thin and crispy, yet the crusts somehow managed to retain their doughiness. The topping was simply a wonderfully fragrant tomato sauce beneath a sea of melted cheesiness, lumps of fresh mozzarella, red and yellow garlicky cherry tomatoes and rocket. Perfection on a wooden platter.
Sunday was the London Marathon and so we spent the morning watching it on the telly. My brother Jamie, was running it, so it held extra interest for me. My family had all gone into London to cheer him on and as I was not to be joining them, I used Twitter to rally the support. Late morning, Gareth and I went into town for a wander and to buy him some sunglasses. We walked around the shops, I spent a long time in Urban Outfitters browsing their book selection and had to be dragged away against my will. Then we went for a walk around the lanes, my favourite, and got some frozen yogurt. Then to the beach, where Gareth enjoyed talking to and smiling at the sea gulls. Next, we went for a walk along the pier, something regretfully we had yet to do despite Gareth having now lived here for 7 months. Disgraceful. It was tourist central, and we both agreed that although we were pleased to have now done it, we would not feel the need to venture back unless one of us suddenly had a dodgems based urge. We went and found a little coffee shop that boasted the 'best coffee in Brighton' and sat outside in the sun. It was, indeed, excellent coffee. The food looked good too. I was zonked by then, and spent the rest of the day on the sofa under the duvet watching telly. I went to bed at half 8 feeling a little rough, and slept on and off until 1pm today. Mother thinks I need to go to the doctor to test for anemia. I think I agree.
Jamie finished the marathon, and although is in a fair amount of pain, did extremely well. Very proud. If you see him, give him a little pat on the back. But not too hard, he's struggling to walk anyway.
Posted by Claire Maxwell at 17:38 2 comments
Friday, 15 April 2011
Eat, Pray, Love - by Elizabeth Gilbert
This book review is long over due. I read it about 4 books ago, so I'm not going to lie, it's slightly hazy.
Elizabeth Gilbert was going through an ugly divorce and this trip was an attempt to 'find herself' to find God and to understand the notion of 'balance'. It is autobiographical, which I love.
You might (you should) have read a previous Eat, Pray, Love inspired post by me. I wrote it following the 'Eat' section of the book, the section I later found to be my favourite of the sections. Have I said section enough times yet? It tells of Elizabeth's time in Italy, a time where she doused herself in all things pleasurable. She ate wonderful food, made wonderful friends and did not much else. For me, both intrinsically lazy and a lover of pizza, it sounded super. And I plan to go to Rome (and take a trip to Naples for that pizza) as soon as is humanly possible.
After Rome, Liz journeys to India, to an Ashram where she plans to learn the gift of meditation and peace. This section of the book left me feeling mixed. It was interesting, and I felt inspired by her pursuit for inner contentment, but the historical and spiritual elements (of which it was laden) lost me slightly. I found myself doing that kind of reading where you're reading, but you're not really reading, you're thinking about what's on telly that night and before you know it you've 'read' three pages and you have no idea what has just been said. Yeah, but that might just be me. India for Liz, was about discipline, and she seemed to find it rewarding. Maybe it's because I'm not disciplined, and do not yearn to be, but I have yet to plan a trip to an Ashram*.
Next up was Bali, Indonesia. Here, Liz found love. (Aahhh). She also learned how to balance pleasure and discipline. I enjoyed this final section of the book. It still didn't match up to Italy for me, but that could quite possibly be because I like what I know i.e. the western European world.
It was certainly interesting to learn about other cultures. And I did, reading this, far more than I have ever made an effort to. I've never read a travel book before and I have very rarely read a novel set in a country other than the UK or the US. Call me unadventurous, you'd be right, but this book did open my eyes to what else is out there. It made me want to travel more than I've ever wanted to travel (I've never wanted to travel). And I am now far more open to reading books that I would otherwise have discarded because I 'couldn't relate'. I would whole heartedly recommend this book. It is a story of self discovery, inspiration and contentment. Things we could all do with a little bit more of.
* it could also be because I am very much a Christian
Posted by Claire Maxwell at 14:11 1 comments
Labels: books, proper writing
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
My response to Kelvin MacKenzie
I have spent my day reading many articles, most of which respond to an article written by Harriet Thurley following an interview with Kelvin MacKenzie. To set the scene, let's begin by reading the original article, published in the Independent last Friday. Kelvin MacKenzie, former editor of the sun, states that "there's nothing you can learn in three years studying media at university that you can't learn in just one month on a local paper". He didn't get a degree, he left school with one O level and managed to walk into a newsroom and learn whilst 'on the job'. It is worth pointing out here that Kelvin MacKenzie got his first job at a paper (not to be rude, but) quite a long time ago, we must acknowledge that it would be not nearly as easy in this current job climate.
Roy Greenslade of The Guardian doesn't agree with MacKenzie, he says: "a university education is far better for journalists - and for journalism. It sharpens their critical faculties. It provides a great grounding in the basic skills. It is so good that many graduates are able to step straight into national papers." Blogger and sub-editor @substuff seems to lean slightly more towards MacKenzie's point: "educate yourself by finding out about the world. Work in it. If you're going to write about people, you need to give yourself the chance to be one first. Earn a wage, and blog about it. Write about it. Send stories to your local paper. Heck, send stories to the nationals." Although she herself, has a degree in English and an NTCJ qualification, knowing full well the painstaking hardship that comes with trying to land your 'dream job'.
And here I am, reading opinion after opinion, my head spinning with the sheer quantity of to-ing and fro-ing. It doesn't seem like there is any definitive answer. I have had a somewhat unorthodox eduction, having to leave school at 16 due to illness and attempting two A Levels via distance learning (which, may I just say, is bloody difficult). I've always enjoyed (nay loved!) writing and a career in journalism is my goal. How I get there though, is the million dollar question. University would be my last choice of routes, it is expensive and as much as I may be hounded for saying so, I agree with Kelvin MacKenzie. Hands on experience surely trumps three more years of theoretical classroom education. As much as there is, I'm sure, a handful of invaluable lessons learned at university, I am hesitant to think that they could not be learned elsewhere. For less of a price, and less of a chunk of your life. (I'd just like to make perfectly clear at this point that when I'm talking about University eduction, I'm talking about journalism degrees. If you want to be a doctor, I fully support your decision to get your degree).
If the world was like it was when Kelvin MacKenzie entered the media industry I would be a happy girl. Learning whilst doing is my kind of learning and that hefty pile of debt doesn't look too appetising either. I'm tempted by the NTCJ course. In fact I'm seriously considering it. I am well aware that there are many things that I need to learn before I have a hope of becoming a journalist and the NTCJ course seems to cover it. In ten weeks might I add. It's expensive though, and I have to wonder, will my prospective employer care that I have this neatly slotted under my belt? Or will he dismiss me upon seeing my lack of degree? I don't know. I suppose it probably depends on the employer. But it's a worry.
I have another grievance (sorry). So much journalism published these days is terrible. Either the punctuation is abysmal, grammatical errors and typos are splattered all over the page, or it's just plain boring. I can't help but wonder if this has something to do with people getting degrees, getting a theoretical knowledge of how to 'do' journalism, but still lacking that flair or that 'knack' as MacKenzie puts it, to really develop into a brilliant writer. I don't think you can learn to write in a classroom, I think that comes from practice and the honing of a natural talent. I also think that gaining a clear and full knowledge of the world around us is priceless. Otherwise, what are you going to write about?
I'd love to hear other peoples opinions on the matter. As you can probably tell from my ramblings above I have no conclusion. It seems that no matter what route we take it's going to be a struggle. It's a struggle I'm willing to go through though, and I encourage anyone with a passion for writing to do the same.
Posted by Claire Maxwell at 17:57 8 comments
Labels: proper writing
I made cake
I know I said I'd write about a book or a tv show. But I made a cake yesterday, and well, I'm not sure there is a more worthy blogging topic.
I bake quite a lot, mostly because I love to eat the produce. I am much more inclined to create something of a sweet nature than a member of the savory family. I'm not sure 'savory family' is a phrase ever used before, but let's roll with it. Cake, cookies, brownies, PUDDINGS. Heaven. And if you can eat them with a cup of tea, or drown them in single cream, I might have a cardiac arrest.
Okay, so, yesterday's cake. It was a rhubarb and orange loaf cake, and it had a ginger and almond crumble on top. I almost proposed.
Any cake with a crumble topping is okay by me. And this one, with ginger and flaked almonds that had become, sort of, crystallised after an hour of baking beside golden demerara sugar, well it was a special crumble I'll tell you that much. The sponge was light, moist and yellow. In it were two eggs white as well as your standard two whole eggs, the result being the delicate lightness. There's ground almonds in there too. I for one, have always been frightened of ground almonds, assuming it would make my precious cake taste like marzipan. Not cool. It doesn't, and I will never dismiss ground almonds again. It makes the sponge deliciously moist and succulent. The rhubarb and the orange zest added a wonderful tang and a freshness. I added more rhubarb than the recipe said, partly because I love rhubarb, but mostly because I don't read quantities and hate measuring. I liked the extra rhubarb, there was still plenty of sponge to go around, but the added fruit gave it more diversity, I felt. (La-di-da).
That was a nice paragraph to write. I love talking about cake.
Here is the recipe:
Rhubarb and orange loaf cake - from the Country Living magazine
175g butter, melted
225g caster sugar
2 medium eggs, beaten
zest of 1 orange
2 egg whites
225g self-raising flour, sifted
50g ground almonds
1 teaspoon baking powder
200g rhubarb, cut into 1cm pieces
for the topping
30g plain flour, sifted
20g butter
10g demerara sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
10g flaked almonds
1. Heat the oven to 180 C (160 fan oven) gas mark 4. Lightly grease and line a 900g loaf tin.
2. For the topping: rub together the flour and butter to form rough breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar, ground ginger and flaked almonds.
3. Whisk together the melted butter, sugar, whole eggs and orange zest until thickened. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff.
4. Fold the flour, almonds and baked powder in to the butter mixture, followed by the rhubarb.
5. Fold in the whisked eggs whites. Pour into prepared loaf tin . Sprinkle with the topping. Bake for 1 hour until risen and golden brown. Leave for two minutes. Then turn out to cool on a rack.
When I make it again, I will add more rhubarb again and also a few more flaked almonds on the top. They were wonderful.
ps. If you'd like me to start using pictures of the food I personally cook and nice artistic photos of my life. Why not buy me a camera?
Posted by Claire Maxwell at 12:35 2 comments
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Last night's dream
I couldn't sleep for ages last night, but when I did, I had quite a dream.
It begun with church. Me and Gareth went to church together, but it wasn't my church, it was a big church, with more than 20 people. For some reason I wasn't sitting with Gareth. Halfway through I realised I couldn't see him anywhere and figured "he must have legged it". I texted him: "where are you? Do you hate me?" No reply.
I had a feeling that something had gone on before, something that dream-Claire knew about, but I (real Claire, looking in) didn't. Have I lost you? Basically Gareth was already a bit pissy with me.
[end scene]
Then I found myself at the bottom of a hill. With the Rolfes and the Howards (the same Rolfes and Howards that were in my last dream post, they tend to creep into my sleep). We were eating fajitas, really massive ones if I remember rightly. Then there were other people there. Some people from my primary school, some from my secondary school, a former best friend I never see anymore, an ex boyfriend, and so on and so forth. Oh and One Direction.
What was just a grassy hill, became part of a massive castle. It felt like Greece.
This is where it gets a little hazy.
The castle became some kind of relationship therapy camp/refuge for the poor and hungry. This castle was quite the multi-tasker. There was a girl who was victim to domestic abuse with a baby. I came across her in a little hut having counselling. Then there was a girl, supposedly my best friend but I have never seen her before in my life, who was going out with Harry Styles from One Direction. They were obviously in for the relationship therapy. I was Harry's shoulder to cry on, even though I was his bird's best friend. He's fit though isn't he. I even got some hugging action.
Then I get a text from Gareth. Something like: "you're insane".
Harry returned the favour.
I remember thinking, "I like his curly hair", and then I woke up.
Things that definitely happened in my dream but I don't know how they fit into the main body: an assembly, One Direction were up against Winnie the Pooh and JLS in a 'most popular' competition, I walked through a big room with lots of ill people in it - I was told to leave as I was 'healthy', some people from school were playing bulldog, a boy hugged me.
Posted by Claire Maxwell at 13:00 0 comments
Monday, 11 April 2011
The following is unashamedly superficial and will annoy you
I am so over my face right now. And my hair. I cut my fringe a few days ago. Boy do I regret that. Word of advice to you: don't cut yourself a fringe. Trim it, fine. But don't start from scratch. And if you do, don't pick up the not-really-a-fringe-anymore between two fingers and just chop, without measuring or THINKING or anything. Please, just don't.
The picture above is deceiving as I'm raising my eyebrows. I've had to pin it back for the last few days. Not cool. Which brings me to my face. I don't pin my fringe back, because then people will witness my big face in all it's glory. Hair is kind of like a mask. Lose that, and I become a self pitying, insecure, annoyance. In all of your lives. So really, what I'm trying to say is, this fringe tragedy affects all of us and we should all pull together in this time of crisis. Something like that.
Time to pull myself together.
I need to get a grip.
There are many more things I could complain about right now. (lack of money/job/independence/boyfriend in the near vicinity/future prospects etc etc). You get the idea. I won't go into detail though as I've annoyed everyone enough already today, myself included. I'll be back tomorrow with either a book review or a telly programme review. How exciting.
Posted by Claire Maxwell at 15:26 0 comments
Sunday, 10 April 2011
Here's a wee run down of my weekend for you lovely lot.
May I firstly just say, what lovely weather we are having! I do hope April snubs the bad press it's been given in the past by surpassing all our expectations. I think sunny weather on the Royal wedding would set Britain up for 10 solid years of happiness.
Friday I worked my little socks off in the morning. For no other reason that I had been putting off pressing essays for far too long already. The afternoon, I subsequently spent reading and catching up on Neighbours. Isn't Neighbours juicy at the moment? And then in the evening went to watch a film in a coffee shop. Snazzy.
Saturday I went into London town with Becca. I do like London. Especially when everyone is wearing flip flops and smells like suncream. Except not the latter. I also don't like the underground in the summer, especially on Saturdays, it's hot and there are other people on the trains. Unreasonable. Have I started listing things I don't like again? Well fancy that, I do it and I don't even see it coming. It was a very nice day. London was doused in yellowy light and every tree was laden with blossom. We wandered around Notting Hill, browsing the shops and market stalls and I had my first taste of frozen yogurt. My personal preference was frozen yogurt with strawberries and mini oreos, and it was good.
If you're on Twitter. And follow me. You may have heard of an embarrassing incident thrust upon me. Walking along a busy street in Notting Hill we came across one of those human statue street entertainers, the kind you mostly find on Carnaby Street and in Covent Garden. I had my phone lightly balanced in the palm of my hand and was admiring him intently as I wandered by. 'BOO!'. Or a noise to that affect. And I screamed, loudly, and my phone flew into the air and smashed on the pavement in front of me. I picked up the phone, battery and back, disgruntled and humiliated but doing my best to 'style it out'. There were a lot of people around. Becca was standing close by laughing and taking pictures. I like to think statue-man felt guilty, he came and gave me a photo to make amends. I did not feel my dignity was amended and grunted some angry words at him before storming off. Gracious, me.
Trying to put my intense embarrassment behind me we then went to the Saatchi Gallery in the Kensington area. There were a fair few humorous art exhibits and that kept me happy while my feet, from hours of walking, were practically falling off they were in so much pain. My favourite bit though was the gift shop. I love gift shops and this one was superior to most. There were lots of comedic books that if I had more than £2 to my name I most certainly would have purchased.
Then we walked through Kensington, decided that this was the ideal place to live, and came home. Good day.
Today, otherwise known as Sunday, I have been to church and managed to not fall asleep. Score. Eaten a massive roast dinner, and sunbathed with my book. Oh and caught up on last night's So you think you can dance.
See you tomorrow I'm sure.
Posted by Claire Maxwell at 16:22 0 comments
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I need some ideas! He has so many toys already but barely plays with them.. So what is everyone getting their boys?
So far I have some Team Umizoomi coloring books and a Lowes tool set.
SAHM, H'Sing mama to Reilly (07/05/08), Gavin (10/05/09), and Savannah (09/30/12). :)
ARMY wife <3
Christina & Ben 8/24/06
SAHM to L 7/18/08 and L 6/30/11
My Pinterest Page
Real walkie talkies, guitar, playmobil fire station, various art/craft supplies, real drill and some wood scraps/nails for him to create/build with, puppets, and I don't know what else. We aren't done yet.
Mama to Cooper July 08, Peyton February 2011, and expecting baby # 3 in September. Going for a VBA2C!
From Santa and DH/I, Aaron is getting:
---Imaginext Eagle Talon Castle, Ogre, Dragon, and some of the guys to go with it
---Imaginext Pirate Ship
---Rescue Heroes Fire Truck
---Melissa & Doug Magnetic picture maker
---Fire and Ice Volcano
---4 Volcano books (he's really into volcanoes)
---M&D Large Sticker book & Pad
---M&D Large Coloring book
---M&D Lacing Animals/Shapes (he has fine motor skill delays)
---Cash Register w/ play Money
As a joint gift, both kids are getting:
---Marble Run set
---Cardboard Cottage (the kind you can color)
---Learning placemats
---Finger Puppets
My Mom is getting him an Innotab 2s with a few games and apps.
I have no idea what the ILs are getting him.

subset: commoncrawl


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In an Examiner exclusive interview, Jonathan Court, Senior Producer at Creative Assembly, gave a succinct "no." when asked if the upcoming tension-focused Alien title will feature any microtransactions.
Court also revealed just how important a role the Ridley Scott film will play in the world of Alien Isolation,
We wanted to capture the pace and atmosphere from the original Alien movie.
"It had such an impact on us," Court continued, "that when given the chance to make an Alien game we leapt at it and knew precisely the approach we wanted to take".
Alien Isolation aims to take the direction that many have been clamoring for, and from impressions thus far, the tone set in trailers thus far, certainly looks to deliver on that promise of claustrophobic terror.
"We didn't want the Alien to figure in the game as something you just shoot en masse," said Court, "we wanted a proper meaningful scary Alien".
For updated gaming news, headlines, and breaking stories, be sure to Subscribe, follow Joe on Twitter and Google+ and check out Joe's site at Hip Fire Gaming as well as the Hip Fire YouTube
For all of our latest exclusives, previews, reviews and features, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook. Game On.
Check out the F!rst for gamers application, a place where gamers gather to discuss games, lifestyle, and community, in one of the most positive places around.


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Link Building
Obtaining a diverse, high quality link portfolio one of the most important factors to obtaining higher rankings. Search engines use the quality and number of inbound links to your website in their ranking algorithms. They give considerable weight to the quality of your inbound links, placing importance on the reputation of the website linking to you. They also take more complex factors into account like human interaction - social bookmarking, sharing, and blogging. Establishing and maintaining a quality linking strategy will help improve your rank and raise your positioning.
G3 Group devotes considerable resources to ensure that our clients are well linked within the web. We research and maintain relationships with other websites that would be likely candidates to help a client increase and maintain a better link portfolio. Most often, our strategies involve a natural blend of links from various sources.
- Authority, topic related websites
- Top tier directories
- Social bookmarking
- News sites
- Article Directories
- Relevant forums & blogs
The following plans are designed for optimized websites looking to boost their ranking for specific keyword phrases OR maintain rankings they already have achieved. For non-optimized sites, link building is included in our SEO pricing.
Link Building Plans (month to month)
The following plans are designed to acquire a number of one-way inbound links to your website. These plans represent a sampling of the plans we've created for SEO maintenance. Articles written for you are 100% original based on your keyword topic. You are given the opportunity to review all articles prior to submission on your behalf.
How links work to help ranking
Links are very important to ranking because search engines have one goal in mind: to provide content that is relevant to the searcher's query. Sites that are well linked-to from other sites that provide relevant content, especially if the links are text links, tend to perform better in search engine results pages.
We work to achieve the goal of establishing your website as a strong member in your industry's Internet "community." We provide our clients with all details on our link acquisition including source, method and rank of the link obtained.


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- Remove all task assignments from the user you want to delete.
Important: You must also remove the task assignments which the user completed.
- Click Administration -> User in the left module bar.
- Select the user and click Delete.
- Click Administration > Softkeys in the left module bar.
- Select the softkey and click Delete or Deactivate.
If you deactivate the softkey, you can reactivate it later -- provided you have an unused Across license.


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National Post ·
Shortly before Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast on the morning of Aug. 29, 2005, the chief executive officer of Wal-Mart, Lee Scott, gathered his subordinates and ordered a memorandum sent to every single regional and store manager in the imperiled area. His words were not especially exalted, but they ought to be mounted and framed on the wall of every chain retailer -- and remembered as American business's answer to the pre-battle oratory of George S. Patton or Henry V.
"A lot of you are going to have to make decisions above your level," was Scott's message to his people. "Make the best decision that you can with the information that's available to you at the time, and above all, do the right thing."
This extraordinary delegation of authority -- essentially promising unlimited support for the decision-making of employees who were earning, in many cases, less than $100,000 a year -- saved countless lives in the ensuing chaos. The results are recounted in a new paper on the disaster written by Steven Horwitz, an Austrian-school economist at St. Lawrence University in New York. While the Federal Emergency Management Agency fumbled about, doing almost as much to prevent essential supplies from reaching Louisiana and Mississippi as it could to facilitate it, Wal-Mart managers performed feats of heroism. In Kenner, La., an employee crashed a forklift through a warehouse door to get water for a nursing home. A Marrero, La., store served as a barracks for cops whose homes had been submerged. In Waveland, Miss., an assistant manager who could not reach her superiors had a bulldozer driven through the store to retrieve disaster necessities for community use, and broke into a locked pharmacy closet to obtain medicine for the local hospital.
Meanwhile, Wal-Mart trucks pre-loaded with emergency supplies at regional depots were among the first on the scene wherever refugees were being gathered by officialdom. Their main challenge, in many cases, was running a gauntlet of FEMA officials who didn't want to let them through. As the president of the brutalized Jefferson Parish put it in a Sept. 4 Meet the Press interview, speaking at the height of nationwide despair over FEMA's confused response: "If [the U.S.] government would have responded like Wal-Mart has responded, we wouldn't be in this crisis."
This benevolent improvisation contradicts everything we have been taught about Wal-Mart by labour unions and the "small-is-beautiful" left. We are told that the company thinks of its store management as a collection of cheap, brainwash-able replacement parts; that its homogenizing culture makes it incapable of serving local communities; that a sparrow cannot fall in Wal-Mart parking lot without orders from Arkansas; that the chain puts profits over people. The actual view of the company, verifiable from its disaster-response procedures, is that you can't make profits without people living in healthy communities. And it's not alone: As Horwitz points out, other big-box companies such as Home Depot and Lowe's set aside the short-term balance sheet when Katrina hit and acted to save homes and lives, handing out millions of dollars' worth of inventory for free.
No one who is familiar with economic thought since the Second World War will be surprised at this. Scholars such as F. A. von Hayek, James Buchanan and Gordon Tullock have taught us that it is really nothing more than a terminological error to label governments "public" and corporations "private" when it is the latter that often have the strongest incentives to respond to social needs. A company that alienates a community will soon be forced to retreat from it, but the government is always there. Companies must, to survive, create economic value one way or another; government employees can increase their budgets and their personal power by destroying or wasting wealth, and most may do little else. Companies have price signals to guide their productive efforts; governments obfuscate those signals.
Aside from the public vs. private issue, Horwitz suggests, decentralized disaster relief is likely to be more timely and appropriate than the centralized kind, which explains why the U.S. Coast Guard performed so much better during the disaster than FEMA. The Coast Guard, like all marine forces, necessarily leaves a great deal of authority in the hands of individual commanders, and like Wal-Mart, it benefited during and after the hurricane from having plenty of personnel who were familiar with the Gulf Coast geography and economy.
There is no substitute for local knowledge -- an ancient lesson of which Katrina merely provided the latest reminder.


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Moe Koffman: The Swingin' Shepherd Blues
The Swingin' Shepherd Blues
Moe Koffman (flute)
Instrumental Gems of the Fifties (Collectors' Choice CCM-080-2)
Moe Koffman (flute), Ed Bickert (guitar),
Hugh Currie (bass), Ron Rully (drums).
Composed by Moe Koffman.
Recorded: Toronto, Canada, February 7, 1957
Rating: 92/100 (learn more)
As Canadian flutist Moe Koffman's 2-minute "Swingin' Shepherd Blues" swung for three months on the U.S. pop charts, he and his swingin' shepherds flocked their hit on TV robed as Franciscan friars, cowls and all. Although the connection between flutes, shepherds and Franciscans was never explained, Moe's follow-up "Little Pixie" sold well enough to make him a 1˝-hit wonder. As for why "Swingin' Shepherd Blues" became the token totem of late '50s jazz, it was probably the reverb. This track appears to have been recorded deep in the echoic catacombs of Carlsbad Caverns. Maybe the cowls were protection against bats.
Reviewer: Alan Kurtz
Tags: flute · jazz hit singles
Comments are closed.


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A British tourist has a "lucky" escape after plummeting from the 15th floor of a block of flats after a night out with friends.
08:50, UK, Monday 17 June 2013
A British tourist has survived a plunge from the 15th floor of an apartment block in New Zealand.
Tom Stilwell, 20, who is in the country on a working holiday, is said to be in a "satisfactory" condition in hospital after sustaining neck and back fractures and a broken wrist.
It is believed he may also have some internal injuries after the fall in Auckland.
According to the New Zealand Herald, Mr Stilwell's flatmate, Dave Thomas, 22, said his friend was speaking, although unable to remember falling from the building.
"He's absolutely fine ... He's a very lucky man," Mr Thomas said.
It is reported that Mr Stilwell had been out drinking with pals and had returned alone to his city centre apartment but was locked out.
He woke a neighbour in the flat directly above and asked if he could use her balcony to access his.
According to the paper, Geraldine Bautista, 28, said Mr Stilwell was "a little bit tipsy".
"I wasn't scared of him - he just requested 'can you please let me jump off from the balcony? I will not bother you just let me use your balcony ...'
"I never thought he would really do that. In my mind I thought 'Okay, I'll just let you see that it's really impossible (to gain access to his apartment)'. I didn't think he'd jump, because it's really scary."
Before she could react he had one leg over the railing.
"I asked him 'Are you all right? It's unsafe to jump over the rail'."
Describing the fall she said Mr Stilwell slipped from her grasp and plummeted "like a paper falling".
"He never said anything ... I grabbed his hand and then at that time ... he fell down. I thought I was dreaming. It happened so fast. It happened within seconds. I couldn't even scream for help."
He landed on the roof of an adjacent building after plunging about 13 floors.
St John Medical Director Dr Tony Smith told the paper that surviving falls from such heights was "extraordinarily unusual" but that the roof of the low-rise building far below likely broke Mr Stilwell's fall enough to save his life.
Mr Stilwell was at first listed as being in a critical condition but has improved to a satisfactory condition.
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Mar 23, 2012 8:40 AM
When we saw the New Romantics Nearly Famous Shift Dress ($118) at Free People, we fell in love. Shift dresses can be hard to pull off, especially if you have curves (and we have plenty, trust us). Luckily, this shift ends in a little bit of an A-line flare, so it flows with our curves instead of hiding them under a boxy silhouette. The nude lining under the white crochet overlay is more on the tan side, so rest assured, you won't look nekkid when you head out on the town in this cute number.
If you've got a product or service that you'd like to promote on Outblush, click here to find out about our advertising opportunities.
Outblush is a blog for girls who love to shop. Our staff digs up the best clothes, home stuff, beauty items, and more. New items are posted every day — bookmark us and check out:


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Career Stats
2010 (SENIOR): Played in 16 games and earned four starts as a senior ... finished the season with a .111 average and two RBI ... earned her first start of the season in the first game of the Hatter Invitational in Deland, Fla., against Rhode Island and hit a RBI double and scored a run ... tallied a RBI and scored a run in a start against Liberty (March 9) ... collected a hit in the series opener against South Carolina (March 20) ... scored a run as a pinch-runner against Troy (April 20). 2009 (JUNIOR): Played in 24 games and made two starts as a junior ... batted .050 with three runs and a stolen base ... tallied her first hit of the season at UAB on March 10 ... scored a run as a pinch-runner against Notre Dame on Feb 14 at the BAMA Bash ... drew a walk and scored a run in the night cap against Mississippi Valley State on March 12 ... made her lone appearance in the 2009 WCWS against No. 10 Arizona State on May 30 as a pinch-runner where she stole a base and scored a run ... the stolen base was her first of the season.
2008 (SOPHOMORE): Smith appeared in six games in 2008 making one start ... hit .200 (1 for 5) ... injured during the fall season and did not return to the field until mid-April ... saw her first action of the season in a start against Birmingham Southern on April 23, going 1 for 3 with a single ... came off the bench to pinch run in the second game of the super regional against Missouri ... pinch ran in the Women's College World series vs. two-time defending national champion Arizona as the Tide registered their first win over the Wildcats.
2007 (FRESHMAN): Smith played in 24 games and made three starts ... hit .208 on the season with one home run and five RBI ... also stole three bases ... went 2 for 3 with an RBI against Toledo on Feb. 17 ... had a career-high three RBI and hit her first career homer against Seton Hall on March 2 ... was 1 of 3 with a double and an RBI against Louisiana Tech on March 27
2006 (REDSHIRT): Smith did not see action during her first season at Alabama, taking a redshirt season.
HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Smith was a member of the Class 5A Section 6 All-Sectional Tournament Team in 2005 ... a Birmingham News Academic All-State Nominee (2005) ... HSSA Jennie Finch Softball Player of the Year Finalist (2005) ... Pell City High School MVP (2005) ... PCHS Softball Athletic Award (2005) ... a team captain and MVP of the Pell City High School team in 2004 as a junior ... also garnered 5A Section 11 All-Area Team honors in 2004 and was named to the Red & Blue Classic All-Tournament Team ... AHSAA North-South All-Star Team (2004) ... The Birmingham News All-Metro Honorable Mention (2004) ... Best Defensive Player Award University of Alabama Softball School (2004) ... ASWA All-State Honorable Mention (2004) ... helped her 2004 club team to NSA 18U State Championship ... as a sophomore captured the Pell City High School Offensive Award in 2003 ... earned All-County recognition in 2003 ... set state record for home runs (22) and batting average (.511) as a freshman in 2002 ... Jessica is the daughter of Rick and April Smith ... has an older brother, Wesley and an older sister, Calah ... started playing softball at age eight ... sister, Calah played softball at Bevill State Community College ... nickname "Mad Dawg" ... born on July 31, 1987 in Brandon, Fla.


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Check out the Off Duty Clothing they have for sale.
Auxillary Friends
This group meets at Headquarters on Tuesdays - 6pm
Next meeting is May 21st
Applegate Valley Fire District
1095 Upper Applegate Road, Jacksonville, OR 97530
Applegate Fire District Info
It is our mission to respond to the needs of our citizens in a professional manner by those dedicated to making
the Applpegate Valley a better place to live.
It is our vision to be recognized by our community as a group that is focused on teamwork, leadership, integrity, pride, professionalism, compassion, respect and functions as a highly reliable organization that consistently capitalizes on our number one asset - people.
Thank you Applegate Community!
The Applegate Fire District Local Option Levy passed with 74% Yes
Thank you for your support!
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Applegate Fire District #9, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the volunteers, staff and most importantly, the voters, for the successful passing of our recent operating levy.
The passing of the levy indicates you, the public, understand the need and are willing to support your Fire District, not only with your time but with your tax dollars. Your Fire District Board takes the responsibility of overseeing the District very seriously and strives to make sure your tax dollars are well spent.
Our job is made easier by the caliber of the Fire Chief, staff and volunteers. As a team, they provide the expertise, dedication and time to make this the finest Fire District any community could ask for!
We thank you, the voters, for supporting your district with your vote. We will continue to provide the best service possible and spend your tax dollars wisely.
Ed Temple, Board President
Nov 4, 2013
Smoke will be visible during the planned burns by BLM near Star Gulch and in the middle Applegate near Humbug.
Sept. 24, 2013 - FIRE SEASON ENDS
Several days of rain across SW Oregon has brought fire season to an end.
Please use caution when burning debris this Fall. Remember to call before you burn and do not burn on windy days. Keep the piles managable by not making them too large and always attend your burn pile.
Please stay safe, cautious and alert!
For more information about the Oregon Department of Forestry's fire season contact the unit office in your area:
· Medford Unit, 5286 Table Rock Rd., Central Point.
Phone: (541) 664-3328
· Grants Pass Unit, 5375 Monument Drive,Grants Pass.
Phone: (541) 474-3152
The following list are simple assessment steps that you can do to improve the survivability of your home during a wildfire.
For more information go to HIZ Assessments
For assistance in assessing your home, please give the District Office a call. Schedule a time for Chief Fillis or Ops Chief Wolfard to come out and assist you.
This is the time to get our fuel reduction done!
It takes a Community to be safe!
For assistance in assessing your home, please give the District Office a call. Schedule a time for Chief Fillis or Ops Chief Wolfard to come out and assist you.
This is the time to get our fuel reduction done!
It takes a Community to be safe!
Now is the time to check the batteries in your smoke alarms.
Replace smoke alarms that are older than 10 years old and batteries as needed. Early detection is key to your survival. Remeber to check your batteries in the your carbon monoxide detectors also.
Having a properly operating smoke alarm outside each sleeping area, knowing two ways out, when you get out - stay out, and having a meeting place is the safety message are all part of a family escape plan.
Does your Family have an Escape Plan?
Do you know two ways out of each sleeping area?
Have Smoke Alarms been installed and checked for working condition?
These are the simple things that you can do to ensure the
safety of your family.
Please contact Carey @ the District Office for more information.
are open to the public;
Next meeting Wednesday October 16, 2013-
6 pm at Station 1
For more information visit the Board Page.
Being prepared is your best defense
This is a great time to take care of the little things that you can do to improve your survivabilty during a wildfire event.
You will give yourself and your family a better chane of escaping harm during a wildfire by taking some of these precautions;
Assess your property and Home for Wildfire danger.
Call the District Office to make an appointment.
Post a visible address sign.
First one is always free from HQ...
Create a survivable space by reducing fuels.
Maintain reduced vegetation around your home.
Clean gutters and roofs of debris.
Remove tree limbs that overhang roof.
Creat a Family Escape Plan.
Think about your animals too!
Call the District Office to set up a Fire Safety Education that is right for you! Ask for Carey; 541-899-1050
Call or stop by the District Office and request a Home Assessment
You can find more tips on prevention from the Rogue Valley Fire Prevention Cooperative; rvfpc.com
Thank You!
Download Application Above. Now is the time to join the team and learn some valuable life skills! Fire Fighter Academy to start in Jan, 2013. Complete application and bring into the District Office.


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I hope you're able to join the movement with the National Day of Prayer. The "National Day of Prayer" is a great reminder that the most powerful and effective thing we can do to make things better is to pray! Prayer changes things like nothing else can, giving way to hope, and hope does not disappoint. Faith expressed through prayer releases blessings from heaven, allowing us to fellowship with God Himself as we witness Him answering our prayers! Simply put, God wants us to pray! If we are in trouble, if we are in need, we can pray in faith and expect God to answer us favorably according to His good and pleasing will! Don't know what to pray for? Ask God to help you pray, and He will do it! Today, will you invest in your country, in your family, in yourself by praying? Wherever you are right now, will you stop and pray? God cares for you and God is for you, and He wants to hear from you. "I call on you, my God, for you will answer me...hear my prayer. Show me the wonders of your great love, you who save...those who take refuge in you..." Psalms 17:6-7
In celebration of National Day of Pray, Aurelio F. Barreto III, Founder of NOTW (Not of this World) will allow you to purchase prayer gear for 50% off along with free standard shipping with $59 Continental USA orders only.
So take this time to reflect and shop for a great commission!
For More Information:
169 Radio Road
Corona, CA 92879


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Another interesting political race, from an agricultural standpoint, was the congressional contest in northwest and north-central Iowa between Republican Congressman Steve King—a frequent critic of the HSUS—and Democrat Christie Vilsack, former Iowa first lady and wife of U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack. King prevailed by a 53 to 45 margin. The other two percent went… Read more »
Live cattle down on outsides and traders waiting for cash
Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures were lower on spillover pressure from the outside markets and beef demand uncertainties. Also, traders are waiting for this week's cash business to get underway. December was down $.72 at $124.95 and February was $.52 lower at $128.85. Feeder cattle were lower on the same factors as the live… Read more »
Soybeans down on outside market pressure
Soybeans were lower on profit taking and technical selling, along with spillover from the outside markets. The dollar was higher with the Dow and crude oil sharply lower. That said – losses were limited by the solid commercial outlook. In any event, the trade's watching planting conditions across South America and getting ready for Friday's… Read more »
MO coalition says defeat a blow to HSUS
The defeat of Measure 5 in North Dakota is "an incredible blow" to the animal rights agenda of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), according to the chairman of the Missouri Farmers Care Coalition. The Coalition, which was formed in opposition to an HSUS-backed puppy mill ballot initiative in Missouri, offered its help to… Read more »
Wednesday midday cash livestock markets
Direct cash cattle markets remain fairly quiet at midday on Wednesday. There are a few bids reported in Kansas and Texas at $124 on the live basis but packer inquiry should increase as the day goes on. Asking prices are holding around $128 to $129+ in the South and $198+ in the North. Boxed beef… Read more »
The federal budget and the farm bill
How might the federal budget, moving forward, affect the farm bill in 2013? Some have warned that the cuts will be much steeper to the ag budget and that it's best to pass a five-year farm bill in the Lame Duck session of Congress before the end of this year. Food & Agricultural Policy Research… Read more »
Mild, dry weather on much of the Plains
On the Plains, warm, dry weather is maintaining stress on recently emerged winter wheat. Late-season warmth is especially notable on the High Plains, where Wednesday's temperatures will top 70° as far north as Montana. Across the Corn Belt, mild air is overspreading westernmost areas, including the middle Missouri Valley. In contrast, cloudy, showery weather is… Read more »
California, N.D. measures defeated
Two state ballot initiatives of particular interest to agriculture have been defeated. California's GMO labeling measure—Proposition 37—was defeated 53 percent to 47 percent. In North Dakota, voters handily rejected a measure Tuesday that would have created a felony penalty for malicious cruelty to a dog, cat or horse. The measure was defeated 66 to 34… Read more »
What you eat can help prevent heart disease
The American Heart Association has designated this as National Eating Healthy Day. Registered Dietician Kristen White with Hy-Vee Stores says there are other factors that affect heart disease and stroke but diet is a big one. White advises taking baby steps when it comes to eating healthier. HEALTHY LIVING PROGRAM – AHA National Eating Healthy… Read more »


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Water cooled alternators were introduced on high line production vehicles at the end of the twentieth century. With a high electrical demand of modern vehicles and limited engine compartment space, water cooled alternators were designed and introduced to production models to accommodate the electrical demand, reduce the failure rate due to excessive heat and not require more space in the engine compartment. These types of alternators can be found on Cadillac, Mercedes Benz, BMW and Range Rover.
Introduction to alternators, part ten, alternator components continued
Use your key for the next article


text: Glossary If this doesn't clear things up, just come in. We'll explain everything you need to know. A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Click the first letter of the term you're searching for to get an easy-to-understand explanation. Joint and Survivor Annuity - An annuity from which more than one person can receive regular payments. Upon the original annuitant's death, regular payments are made to the designated survivor. Joint Tenancy - A form of property ownership in which two or more individuals own property jointly. If one owner dies, the survivors are automatically entitled to the decedent's share of the property.


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Driving through the toll bridge without stopping to pay a toll is unfamiliar territory for motorists on the Natcher Parkway.
"I think that's gonna be good for the area. Its certainly pleasing for a whole lot of people they've had to stop, be inconvenienced and take home some money out of their pocket just to be traveling home," said Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher.
Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert said the removal of the toll roads will not only save people the hassle while traveling the Natcher. It will also provide new opportunities for South Central Kentucky.
"It also opens up economic development and makes it more attractive for the people down through here. I know its aggravating to have to stop and pay a toll and people do it everyday here," Nighbert said.
The Nov. 21, 2006, toll closing ceremony included the unveiling of signs to alert drivers that the 70-mile Natcher Parkway is no longer a toll-taking road.
Governor Ernie Fletcher officially brought an end to the toll-booth era by manning a bulldozer and destroying one of the toll booths.
"These toll booths are kind of a symbol of a road tax on people so to be able to tear that down and kind of take that away is a great feeling but as I said, I think I better keep my day job," laughed Fletcher.
For more information on the Audubon Parkway, log onto transportation.ky.gov/toll/audobon.htm. And for more information on the William Natcher Parkway, log onto transportation.ky.gov/toll/natcher.htm.


text: What Kind of Financial Aid is Available? Many students use multiple funding sources to help pay for school. There are three main types of financial aid: Loans, Grants, and Scholarships. Other financing opportunities can help pay for school. Questions? Contact the Regis University Financial Aid Office at 1.800.568.8932 or visit www.Regis.edu/financialaid. Scholarship Awards and Grants Apply for scholarships and grants to help finance your education. Student Loans Choose a loan type that best fits your needs. Student Employment Learn how part-time employment may be one compenent of your financial aid package. Financing Options Find tuition benefits and resources to finance your education. Regis Consortium Take classes at another college while maintaining your financial aid award at Regis.


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Wanted to share this article with my Examiner.com audience... but also wanted to make sure folks new that this website also has some wonderful resume templates and a FREE resume builder tool that might be helpful to many of you out there.
Would like to hear what folks have to say about the website services and this article.
Feel free to post your comments here on the Examiner.com
7 Tips for Attention-Grabbing Resumes
Craft Your Resume Like a News Story to Get Attention
By Rick Gillis, Salary.com contributing writer.
Salary.com URL: http://www.salary.com/7-tips-for-attention-grabbing-resumes/
Think Like a Journalist
Think of how many news articles you read daily. Now think about recruiters who review hundreds of resumes day in and day out. What makes the difference between an article -- or a resume -- that may be eagerly devoured in its entirety, and another that merely receives a passing glance? What has to happen in that 3- to 10-second span to garner attention and keep the reader engaged?
While the newspaper industry has fallen on hard times during the last few years, it behooves you to think like a journalist when crafting your resume. This mindset may enhance your chances of cracking the barrier between you and your next job, so here are some things you need to include to quickly capture the attention of employers.
See URL above for the entire article !!


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AnnaView apartments in Crete located in Mirthios Village at South Rethymnon region of Crete, just 3KM away from the famous sandy beach of Plakias.
View AnnaView Apartments in a larger map
Driving directions from airports to AnnaView apartments in Mirthios Village.
Coming from Chania airport to AnnaView Apartments in Mirthios, you will take the national road with direction to RETHYMNO for about 65 km (if you are coming from Heraklion airport you will take the national road with direction to RETHYMNO for about 80 km).
Mirthios Village / Plakias area / Agios Vasilios
|Home | Building | Balconies View | Bedrooms | KitchenRooms | SittingRooms | Garden | Anna's Family | Rates | Winter Holidays
|Contact-Us | Reservations | Location | Flights to Crete | Car Rental | Beaches Arround | Where to eat | Activities | Sightseeing


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Item: 2018825
| Model: BJ4070
(7 reviews)
Estimated Delivery: 3 to 5 Days
Shipping Included
Finished in an antique black, this media center features 1 large, open shelf in its center storage area to accommodate electronics and media equipment. Window-paned cabinet doors on either side open to provide access to an adjustable shelf and feature magnetic closures to keep them secured. The top of the console is capable of holding a wide range of TV sizes.Product Features:
(based on 7 reviews)
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Reviewed by 7 customers
Displaying reviews 1-7
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(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)
Works for me
By Kristin
from Baltimore, MD
Best Uses
Comments about BJs Wholesale Club Concord 52" Entertainment Center - Antique Black:
I purchased this media stand for my living room, which has a more contemporary decor. Assembly took awhile but once it was together it looked great and there's plenty of room for my mess of DVD's (cable hasn't been set-up yet). Some of the reviews mentioned a paint issue. Luckily I didn't have this problem, which is good because I didn't read those reviews until after I had purchased this sucker. All-in-all, happy gal.
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Was this review helpful? Yes / No
- You may also flag this review
No Problem with Finish
By Guitar Man
from Lewisville, TX
This TV Stand arrived quickly. Wasn't easy to assemble, but not too difficult. Went together in one hour. I didn't see any evidence of paint chips or rubbing off like in other reviews. Finish was a nice look. This stand is very sturdy and has a great look with my TV on top.
(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)
Entertainment piece
By Lola
from Queens NY
It is a nice piece of furniture, fits the description lots of assembling and various pieces of the furniture where chipped I think it had to do with the packaging disappointed
Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Paints rubs right off
By Fran the cat lady
from Preston CT
Although the assembly was painless, the paint was not. Some had come off during shipping. Some came off during assembly. I assembled on a rug and the paint rubbed rigth off.
Not great, but happy w customer service
By Jmatthews
from Toms river, nj
I love the look of this piece of furniture and it is sturdy once put together. But I was very upset bc there was paint missing on almost all the corners right out of the box, and the doors are uneven once put together. It took a little while to put it together which wasn't bad but once together we noticed all of the issues. I was upset and my husband didn't want to take it all apart to send back. But thankfully BJ's customer service took great care of us and gave us half back for all of the issues. I was very pleased that they gave us half back and we didn't have to bring it back, they made it very easy and painless to make sure I was happy. Even though I wasn't pleased with the condition it came in I would order more things from BJ's online bc they were so accommodating.
Perfect for a 50" TV
By Matt
from Massachusetts
Assembled in under an hour, everything fit perfectly.
not color shown in picture,
By 2boys
from massachusetts
We ordered this tv stand after months of searching. It is advertised by the manufacturer as antique black. It is not antique black. It is GLOSSY black. It also came missing paint on the top panel. After contacting the manufacturer there has still been no resolution to this problem. All they have said is that the unit no longer comes in antique black, even though their website cleary states that it does. I ordered this unit a week ago, and it is still in the box.
BJs.com uses several different shipping methods to best serve our Members. More than one shipping method is available for certain items. Please be aware that not all shipping methods are available for all items.* By clicking on the "Change" button in the "Shipping Methods" section of the "Final Order Review" page, you will be able to see a list of available shipping options. If a certain shipping method is not displayed, we regret that it is not available for that item.
* Shipping information is always approximate and may be based on information given to us by manufacturers and vendors.
Orders placed via these shipping options are not guaranteed to be delivered within a certain time frame. Standard Ground is generally the least expensive option.
Standard Ground: Standard Ground includes delivery via U.S. Priority Mail®, United States Postal Service®, UPS® Ground and FedEx® Ground.
Expedited Ground: Items upgraded to Expedited Ground will ship via UPS®, FedEx® Ground or a similar carrier. Expedited Ground is not available for all items.
2nd Day Air: Items upgraded to 2nd Day Air will ship via UPS®, FedEx® Ground or a similar carrier. 2nd Day Air is not available for all items.
Overnight: Items upgraded to Overnight will ship via UPS®, FedEx® Ground or a similar carrier. Overnight shipping is not available for all items.
Priority Overnight: Items upgraded to Priority Overnight will ship via UPS®, FedEx Ground® or a similar carrier. Priority Overnight is not available for all items.
BJ's selects the highest quality Merchandise for our Members and stands behind the products we sell. If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, you are entitled to a refund or exchange subject to the following guidelines. Please return your product to the nearest BJ's Club location or by following the instructions here.
Proper Conditions for Return and Credit
Returned merchandise must be in new condition with its original packing and accessories intact. Items purchased over 1 year ago will not be considered in new condition. If you are returning a product please check to make sure your return meets the following conditions:
We regret that BJ's cannot cover the cost of shipping for products returned due to buyer's remorse.
*Bulk online sales are final and cannot be returned; reference Terms of Use available on BJs.com by clicking here, or contact your BJ's business partner with questions.
If you have ordered one of these non-returnable items, please inspect the item carefully and if possible, refuse delivery of incorrect or damaged products. Once the item has been accepted it will be deemed to be the correct item and in good working condition. Any issues that arise after the item is signed for must be resolved through the manufacturer's warranty.
Please see BJs.com's return policy before initiating a return.
You may return your item at any BJ's Club location or by following the instructions below.
PLEASE NOTE: you will not be allowed to initiate a return beyond 30 days from your date of shipping. After 30 days, please contact member care for return instructions.
Damaged Orders
If a signature is required please inspect your package carefully before signing for it. If after accepting the package you determine that there are damaged or defective parts, please contact the manufacturer for replacement parts. For further assistance, contact BJ's Member Care. Do not discard the boxes or packing materials, as they may be needed to ship the item back.
Shipping Error
If you receive an incorrect product, please review your order information to be certain that there were no errors in the order process. If you determine that you received an item you did not order, please return your product to the nearest BJ's Club location or initiate a return online (see "Returning an Item" above for instructions).
Return Shipping Costs
If you refuse your delivery without inspection, miss your delivery appointment(s) or return a non-defective or undamaged product, you will incur original shipping charges along with actual return shipping fees. In the event that your returned merchandise was mis-shipped, damaged or defective, BJ's Member Care team will be happy to reimburse you for return shipping costs. Please contact BJ's Member Care and we will be able to assist you.
Item: 79886918 |
Model: BJ4070


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This Tuesday's new DVD and Blu-ray releases include some comedies you're sure to enjoy, from the family friendly "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2" to the Oscar-nominated (yes, Oscar-nominated) "Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa". Read about those movies and this week's other new releases below, and leave a comment at the bottom letting us know what you'll be watching.
Pick of the Week: "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2"
In this sequel to the animated comedy based on a popular children's book, scientist Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) is working for his idol inventing things for the betterment of society. But when he discovers that his machine is still up and running, churning out mutant food beasts, Flint returns to the island to stop it once and for all. Available for viewing in 3D. Runtime: 95 minutes. Rated PG for mild rude humor.
Other new releases:
· "Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa"
· "Last Vegas"
· "The Fifth Estate"
· "Rush"
· "Bonnie and Clyde"
Looking to rent or buy the latest releases? Find a Redbox, Blockbuster, or Family Video in the St. Louis area.
For more new releases, visit VideoETA, or feel free to email me. For updates on my latest articles, click the subscribe button at the top of this page. You can also follow me on the following websites:
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