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Price paid: $ 335.75
Purchased from: Steve's Music Store
Sound: I use a lightning and jazz pickup, and they work quite well with the amp on higher notes and at lower volumes. There's slight distortion, on higher volumes, but that doesn't really matter because you shouldn't be using this amp for gigs, but you can if you want to. The runble 25 works well with any style of music, especially jazz. // 6
Reliability & Durability: Obviously I would never not bring a backup, bit I couls probably depend on it if I needed to. I've had it 4 over two years and its never broken down or worn down. // 9
Overall Impression: I play anything that sounds cool and it works pretty well. I play an Ibanez Soundgear Electrib Bass and I have no regrets at all from buying this amp. Rumble 25 Rocks! // 9
Price paid: $ 189.99
Purchased from: Guitar Center
Sound: I'm using an Ibanez and a Fender bass with this amp and they both make great sounds. What this amp lacks in power, it makes up for in tone. I've also tried using a Boss bass overdrive pedal and a DigiTech bass synthesizer and they both sound great. Even without an EQ pedal it sounds pretty descent. It does tend to buzz when you turn it up too loud but that's barely noticeable when playing with a band, the only time I ever hear the buzz is when I play alone and I don't need to turn it up loud when alone. It doesn't have any built-in effects so I obviously can't comment on that. // 9
Reliability & Durability: This thing is built like a tank. You could probably whack it with a sledgehammer and not damage it (I wouldn't recommend that though). The speaker is nicely protected, not just the front but also from the back. I probably wouldn't gig it because of the lack of power but if I did, I feel confident without a backup (as long as the venue has a PA system I can mic up to). I've had this amp for about 6 months and it's had no problems. The speaker hasn't blown out yet and yes, I have cranked it up to max several times. // 10
Overall Impression: I play almost any kind of music and this amp does it all. Using a bass overdrive pedal to play some Motorhead sounds great, slapping to play some funk sounds great, using the bass synth play some prog sounds great. It it were stolen or lost I might buy it again but not without trying out some other amps first, I bought this thing on impulse but I have no buyer's remorse. I give it an 8/10 because of the lack of effects and an EQ with more than 3 knobs, it needs at least 2 midrange controls to get a better growl. I won't take away points for the lack of power because, after all, it's a practice amp. // 8
Price paid: C$ 200
Sound: The amp itself however makes some pretty pretty nice tones. I usually use a clean subtle bass sound and this amp accomplishes that quite nicely. Also, this amp is pretty quiet. Even with the volume on full (which isn't very loud) there is almost no buzz. I was surprised that there were next to no buzzes; I thought it would be a louder amp in terms of distortion, but I was wrong. There are no built in effects so no need to comment on that. // 9
Reliability & Durability: I probably wouldn't use this amp at a gig. The only way it would be loud enough is if I mic'd it through a heavier watt sound system, which I really don't want to bother doing. The amp has never broken down, but I don't use it a lot so it hasn't really had the chance. But it stays in relatively good condition and performs it's purpose fairly well. // 7
Overall Impression: I play mainly alternative rock/alternative metal. This amp is fine for me for practice. No gigging though. I've been playing bass for a few years and this amp is ok for practicing at home. This was my first bass amp and I really don't have any complaints about it at the time I bought it. I love the fact that it's portable and provides pretty good tone, but I hate the fact that it's quiet and not very versatile in terms of EQ. My favourite feature is the red underglow. I chose to buy this product mainly because I needed a bass amp to practice with. I would recommend this amp to beginner bass players who need something to PRACTICE with at home. // 7
Price paid: C$ 50
Purchased from: Kijiji - Used
Sound: I have a Peavey Millenium BXP 4 and it is pretty flexible in tone for a cheap bass. The sound through the amp is great and you can get a good variety of tones to suit your style/s. It is a clean amp and only distorts at high volume, and it is just a practice amp after all. It has more powerful big brothers for gigging. I actually use a DigiTech BP50 with it and can get a huge range of sounds. // 8
Reliability & Durability: I have not had a problem with this amp, and don't expect to. It is very rugged in construction as far as the cabinet goes, and the knobs and inputs are all fine. Even the red light that pulses in the bottom of the cab has not went out. I am pretty sure you take the bigger versions of this gigging and it would stand up to it. // 8
Overall Impression: I use this for recording, composing and just plain jamming and it is all I need. For the price I paid, it was a stupid good deal! I have been playing for 30 years, and this is a solid amp. For the price, I couldn't beat it. For $230 CDN at Long & Mcquade, I think I could do better, but then again, I am not a full time bassist, and I have limited needs, so I didn't do a lot of research. It is a good amp, and you can find lots used as I did, I am sure. I can recommend it as a great used amp! // 8
Sound: I use a Peavey Millenium BXP 4 bass with 2 straight line single coil pickups with it. It suits my styles quite well and has a clean sound and tone at higher volumes. The 10" speaker had a nice thump at low tone and nice clean highs. I often use a little DigiTech BP50 bass pedal with it for fuzz and other effects, and the amp works nicely with them. The headphone/line out is great for direct recording. // 8
Reliability & Durability: The amp is very solidly built, and the electronics/controls are solid and smooth. Would use it for small gigs no problem, as it is very transportable and its 25 watts would work in a small pub, I think. It's a solid state amp, and has been very dependable and low maintenance, and I think it would get you through most nights. // 8
Overall Impression: I've been playing guitar for decades, and some bass during that time. I own a dozen guitars and play hard/classic/prog rock and blues, and needed the amp primarily for recording. It had done me very well, and I love the effects loop. I am no fan of the flashing red light, but whatever. // 8


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Deciding when to end the life of a beloved pet is an extremely difficult decision-a decision based on love, but associated with fear, loss, and uncertainty. Am I doing the right thing? Will my pet suffer? What does the process entail? Should I be present? What happens afterward? Choosing the right time is a personal decision between you and your family, in consultation with your veterinarian. But fear about the process need not be a stumbling block along the path to this difficult decision.
Euthanasia is sometimes referred to as putting a pet "to sleep." This is a very apt description, because the intravenous injection induces immediate and deep unconsciousness that allows your pet to slip away gently and painlessly. The euthanasia solution contains several drugs that make this possible. First and foremost, it contains a strong barbiturate that is the equivalent of an overdose of sleeping pills. This drug acts immediately to induce a deep state of unconsciousness in which pain and anxiety are impossible. In most cases, the barbiturate alone would be sufficient, but euthanasia solutions also include drugs to stop the heart and/or respiration of the unconscious animal. Finally, these solutions generally include a prominent red, blue, or other dye, as a warning agent against the possibility of accidental injection.
Usually, the injection is given into the cephalic vein on the upper surface of the foreleg. If this vein is in poor condition (because of an illness or having been used for multiple previous injections), a vein on the inside or outside of the back leg may be used. Often, the area will be clipped free of hair to make the vein easier to locate. An assistant (or elastic tubing) will hold this vein off with gentle pressure by rolling the overlying skin to the side of the leg near the elbow. This will help distend this vein, and the needle is then introduced at a shallow angle directly into the vein. The pressure on the vein is relieved, and the injection is made. In rare instances, such as very small pets with tiny veins, a tube-like catheter with a very tiny needle can be used to assure that the injection is made slowly and accurately. The injected solution travels rapidly through the bloodstream, reaching the brain in a matter of seconds. On occasion, a pet's body may spasm or twitch after the solution is administered, but it is important to remember that this is unconscious, involuntary movement that is not associated with any anxiety or pain. A pet may also relieve its bowels or bladder afterward, but again this is an involuntary postmortem response.
A very difficult decision for many people is whether or not they should be - or wish to be --present during the euthanasia. They want to comfort their pet during these final moments, but are concerned about having this as the last memory of a beloved friend and family member. This is a very personal decision, and there is no right or wrong answer. However, several factors are important to consider:
As already mentioned, your pet will be unconscious almost immediately during the injection, greatly limiting any potential for anxiety or fear. If fear is still an issue, an antianxiety medication can be given to calm and soothe your pet before its trip to the vet.
Pets are very attuned to our emotions, so that they can become anxious in the presence of owners who are worried or distressed.
Vets and their employees love animals, and will make every effort to calm your pet and to make sure that the process is quick and painless, whether or not you choose to be present.
A good compromise for many people is to say their goodbyes as a family, and then leave the room, so that they have living memories of their pet. It may also be possible to ask a family friend to be present in your place, someone who is less emotionally involved but who can soothe your pet and oversee the process. If you feel the need to be present, try to focus on the fact that euthanasia is a compassionate decision that will remove the suffering associated with your pet's end-of-life ailments.
After the euthanasia is performed, your pet's remains will be preserved, usually by refrigeration, until they can be taken care of according to your wishes. You may decide on cremation or on individual or group burial. Pet remains are never used for teaching or for any other purpose. If you wish, you may take your pet's remains with you to handle at your discretion. If you do choose to bury your pet yourself, it's advisable to check into local laws and regulations beforehand.
What is in euthanasia solution?
Euthanasia solution contains a strong dose of barbiturates to induce a state of deep unconsciousness, as well as other drugs to stop the heart and breathing once unconsciousness has occurred.
How is this solution administered?
This solution is injected into a vein, usually the cephalic vein located on the upper surface of the foreleg. The area may be clipped free of hair to make the vessel more visible.
Should I be present?
This is a very difficult, personal decision that only you can make. However, bear in mind that pets feel no more pain than a needle stick, and that no matter what you decide, your veterinarian and his or her staff will make the process as quick, painless, and compassionate as possible.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Paradox Interactive has announced that the open beta for Salem: The Crafting MMO will launch today, Thursday, February 28th. The objective is, of course, to settle, thrive and stay alive in this unforgiving game world.
By designing Salem with less of a traditional MMO structure, and instead presenting players with a persistent community sandbox with high-stakes consequences for conflict, Paradox and Seatribe are allowing the Salem community to shape their own experiences. The in-game society that has sprung up during closed beta – including a bustling barter-based economy, vigilantes and mob justice, and rival settlements, have all happened as a result of players' choices and actions. With the new addition of more players during open beta, it will be fascinating to discover what the community ultimately makes of the world of Salem.
Get started on the open beta by heading to the official Salem site.


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Florida's Homeowners' Insurance Bill of Rights Signed Into Law
Governor Charlie Crist signed the property insurance reform "Homeowners' Bill of Rights" into law yesterday. It offers a number of protections and upgrades for Florida homeowners. In his letter issued to the public, Gov. Crist said "the bill contains many important consumer protections that will help keep insurance costs more affordable for Florida's homeowners."
The law goes into effect July 1, 2008, and makes the following changes:
- Extends the rate freeze for Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, the state's insurer of last resort, to January 2010.
- Allows single-family residential homes and condominiums with a replacement value of up to $2 million into the Citizens insurance pool.
- Requires Citizens' policyholders of property located in wind-borne regions and with an insured value of $500,000 or more to disclose the property's windstorm mitigation rating to prospective buyers.
- Increases fines for violations of the insurance code and for unfair trade practices by private insurers.
- Extends by one year to January 2010 a provision from last year's insurance bill that requires insurers to get state approval before raising property insurance rates.
- Requires insurers to notify state regulators 90 days before dropping more than 10,000 homeowners' policies in one year.
- Requires insurers to use state-approved methods to predict the risk of hurricanes, a key factor in setting rates.
While it does not completely solve all the problems causing rising insurance costs here in Florida, some of the requirements should help bring additional relief to residents who have seen their premiums sky rocket over the last few years.
About the Author
Benjamin Dona is the Broker and Owner of Gulf Coast Associates, Realtors in Bonita Springs, Florida. He holds two advanced degrees, an MBA and an MA, and has an extensive background in both business and marketing. In 1998, he founded Gulf Coast Associates, and formed a group of like-minded Realtor® associates dedicated to offering professional real estate services by concentrating on information, education and the use of leading edge technologies. He also is a much-quoted and read blog author, and a contributor to both national and international news outlets. Benjamin is a member of the National Association of Realtors, the Florida Association of Realtors, and numerous local real estate boards throughout Southwest Florida.
Contact Benjamin Dona at 239-948-3955


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Ningin | GirlyBubble | ZiggyTek | Wirebot | FlauntMe | SwanDiary | Rekuru | CrazySingleLife | HTCYou | OMGHaute | Reelwire.com | Funsauce.com
The popularity of netbooks still haven't waned. This time Nokia is jumping aboard the netbook train and hoping to cash in with some updated features and possibly Windows 7. The Nokia "Booklet 3G" will be an Intel/Microsoft-based netbook with 3G, built-in GPS, with 12-hour battery life and a weight of 2.75 pounds. There isn't much more on the details end. Nokia says they'll announce the specs and will have more details next week, on September 2nd. Check out the teaser pics after the break. More »
Apple has officially released Snow Leopard. The wait is over, so if you feel the need to upgrade to the latest Mac OS X software (which you should), then head over to the Apple store and pre-order a copy for yourself. It'll ship out this Friday. I'll eventually get the Snow Leopard OS X software but will hold off til they're in stores. There are three Apple stores in Manhattan, I can easily walk into any one of them and walk out within minutes.
Apple Store link: Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard More »
Looking to change up your apartment? Why not start with a faucet that offers a touchscreen technology with the ability to control water flow and temperature with the touch of a button? You can do that with the V-touch basin mixer. It offers a touchpad to control your sink and makes the temperature and water flow easy to read with red and blue dots behind the white Tecnoril material. This will give any kitchen a modern updated look but don't expect this kind of technology to come cheap. It'll definitely cost you a pretty penny. More »
Check out this new design by Brazilian designer Lucas Vieira. It's called the Coffee Office Workstation. Basically he designed a work space that's designed to look like a coffee mug. Now of course this requires getting rid of a lot of corners. There's enough space for a computer, and room to move. Check it out after the break. More »
Apple is in hot water after pretty much admitting they're the ones behind the Google Voice app rejection but now things are getting a little hotter for them, literally. The European Commission is making the Directorate-General for Health and Consumers ask Apple about the recent reports of exploding iPods and iPhones in Europe. Apple is complying with the request and had this to say:
"These are isolated incidents and… there is not a general problem," Apple said in a statement filed with the Commission. "For the cases which have been reported in the media, Apple [is] trying to get more information on the details of the incidents and will do tests as necessary to investigate the possible cause."
There have been three reported incidents in Europe that have health officials concerned. A teenager in France injured his eye, when the glass from his girlfriend's iPhone shattered. A Dutch man left his iPhone 3G in his car, only to find it had burned a hole in his car seat after it caught fire. And a man from UK was extremely upset when his daughter's iPod Touch exploded after he dropped it. In the case of the UK man, he claims that Apple asked him to keep quiet about the incident in exchange for a new iPod Touch. More »
If you're one of those people who's not easily disgusted and have a thing for skulls, then have we got the perfect gadget for you. Artist Ivan Mavrovic has designed a mouse made out of a sheep's skull. Yup that's right, you'll be pushing around a sheep's dried up head.
But don't worry the sheep skull design is not for sale, so you won't find it at your favorite electronic shop. The design is definitely unique and different but not one that would be appreciated by the masses. More »
Installing the Whitoken theme on your iPod Touch -
It seems like only yesterday that we were slobbering over the Whitoken theme for the iPod Touch. Well, today you can install this amazing theme with a little muss and fuss. The first step is to jailbreak your iPod with redsn0w and install Cydia, the app installer, and theme manager Winterboard. QuickPWN will take up the slack for you, showing you all the steps necessary to make your iPod look like the controller on the Axiom….CrunchGear
Solar-powered UFOs spotted in the canals of Osaka, Japan -
Alien spacecraft exist, and it seems all they want to do is keep our water clean. A pair of Solar UFOs have been built by Tokyo-based engineering group NTT Facilities for the Aqua Metropolis festival in Osaka, Japan. (Coolest name for a festival ever, or what?)
Despite how they might look, the solar-powered duo are monsters in their own right: they weigh in at 3.4 tons each, and they are five feet tall and 16 feet in diameter. The machines are equipped with filtration systems that pump fresh oxygen into the water by day, and are ringed by LED lights that turn on at night….Dvice
Zune HD Box Spotted in the Wild -
According to a Twitter tipster, this right here is the official Zune HD packaging. It's pretty much the same as previous Zune boxes, but with color, because the Zune HD is the rainbow of the Zune family…Gizmodo
Lucky Mac mini buyer got Snow Leopard disc in the box? -
If his story is to be believed (and it seems pretty believable), an anonymous tipster to Engadget Japanese got a nice surprise with his recent Mac mini purchase: a Snow Leopard install disc. It's one of those vanilla hardware-specific install discs, dubbing itself Mac OS version 10.6, and clearly packing the goods if the screenshots don't lie. This only adds confusion to the ship date, which has been listed as August 28th on Apple's online store, dubbed as "September" elsewhere, and obviously been totally disregarded in this specific case. No matter what, it looks like we won't have long to wait. Hit up the read link for a couple of Japanese-infused screencaps….Engadget
Microsoft To Stop Selling Office Over Word Issues? -
Microsoft is going to be out some serious cash after the case against them over patent infringement is finally settled. Canadian company i4i, sued Microsoft over the Office Open XML file format found in Microsoft Office because it infringed on one of their patents. This past Tuesday, Microsoft filed an injunction to delay the $290 it owes i4i over damages and asked to put a halt to a court order that asked Microsoft to stop selling Word within 60 days. Microsoft says if they're not allowed to sell Word, then they won't be able to sell the Microsoft Office software which would harm the company beyond repair…Ziggytek
Dynaudio, a leader in cool high-end speakers, are releasing some sweet customized speakers with five drivers built into their speakers. The Consequence Ultimate Edition offers five drivers in every speaker, for a very expensive price: $70,000.
While I can think of thousands of other things I can spend $70,000 on, if you want and can afford it, then you'll get it. Dynaudio does give you the option to choose your own kind of wood. They better let me choose my own kind of wood, if I'm going to be laying down 70 Grand. To be fair, these speakers look amazing and probably sound absolutely amazing. Check out the pics after the break. More »
Justin Timberlake is known for his music, not gadgets (we don't even know if he likes gadgets) but man if the guy could put his name on an MP3 player that looked like his new fragrance "Play" by Givenchy, I'd definitely want one. Check out the pics after the break and tell me you don't like the way that thing looks. Something would have to be done about the clear bottom, I wonder what you could put there, cuz you know no one wants to see wires or the insides of an MP3. Either way, when you see this in your department store, just know it's Justin Timberlake's fragrance, not an MP3 player or any new type of music player. More »
Microsoft is going to be out some serious cash after the case against them over patent infringement is finally settled. Canadian company i4i, sued Microsoft over the Office Open XML file format found in Microsoft Office because it infringed on one of their patents.
This past Tuesday, Microsoft filed an injunction to delay the $290 it owes i4i over damages and asked to put a halt to a court order that asked Microsoft to stop selling Word within 60 days. Microsoft says if they're not allowed to sell Word, then they won't be able to sell the Microsoft Office software which would harm the company beyond repair. More »
After the release of the famous iPhone 3GS, companies knew there was a money making strategy in making cases for the iPhone, especially cases that cater to the upgraded camera. The latest popular case is the Factron Quattro case for the iPhone 3GS. This case combines leather, carbon fiber, and stainless steel to form the ultimate protection for your phone. It is completely sealed so nothing can harm your phone.
The case itself costs $200 but if you would like to add additional lenses, then it will be an extra $15-$20. One of the biggest problems with the iPhone was the camera and how it couldn't zoom in or flash when the picture was taken. Well, these additional lenses allow you to zoom, and use Fish eye lens (extremely wide shots). Although the case and lenses are kind of bulky, it does seem reasonable for amateur photographers who don't want to leave their comfort zone, the iPhone. More »
Linux is big business -
Hot on the heels of the news of UNIX's 40th anniversary comes a Linux Foundation report entitled Who Writes Linux. This report investigates who is contributing to the Linux kernel, and how much: "Since 2005, over 5000 individual developers from nearly 500 different companies have contributed to the kernel. The Linux kernel, thus, has become a common resource developed on a massive scale by companies which are fierce competitors in other areas." Wow! Click through to see who's been contributing…CrunchGear
Wii Sports Resort 8-in-1 Pack Preserves Every Ounce of Summer Fun -
Summer may be on its way out, but the Wii Sports Resort kit makes sure the fun never ends. A ping pong paddle, wakeboard and row boat paddle attachment for the Motionplus?! Sign me up…Gizmodo
Google refutes USA Today report on blocked Skype application -
While Apple was busy batting away the FCC with its litany of reasons why its app approval process is totally hunky-dory, Google was apparently having its own VoIP-related firefight. It seems that an article in the USA Today which hit newsstands this morning alleges that the internet giant sought to block (dare we say reject) a full Skype application from making its way into the Android Market. The story claims that the application was neutered to become "a watered-down version of the original that routes calls over traditional phone networks" — which would obviously cast a decidedly malevolent slant to the benevolent company's policies…Engadget
The Evolution Of Apple's iPod Brand From 2001-2009 -
This September, we'll see the latest evolution in the Apple iPod line. It's being rumored that the iPod Touch and Nano will both offer cameras in the upcoming versions. The entire week we'll dedicate a post to the evolution of Apple products and while we wait for the iPod rumors to turn into reality, let's take a look back at the iPod, and how it evolved into the sexiest and the best music player in the world…Ziggytek
First available in German, the Biergert & Funk QLOCKTWO is a very different way of telling the time. The QLOCKTWO, now converted into the English language, writes the time in words so there are no hands or numbers on the clock. The clocks have a series of letters across the surface and when a specific time arrives, that time lights up in words.
Biergert & Funk clocks are available in a series of colors and cost a whopping $1,600. Just don't try to read the time while you're drunk cuz you'll never figure it out. For $1,600, I think I'll pass. I can find other clocks for much less. (Video after the break) More »
Today, AT&T responded to the FCC inquiry into the rejection of the Google Voice app in Apple's App store. AT&T claimed they had nothing to do with the Google Voice app getting rejected. Guess how Apple responded? They also denied rejecting the Google Voice App, but added they're still looking into the application because it replaces the iPhone's core mobile functionality and doesn't want the Google Voice app to replace the iPhone's interface.
AT&T didn't come out and say Apple rejected the Google Voice app or any other app for that matter, but hinted it was Apple's fault. Apple in this case didn't throw AT&T under the bus, but instead is making an excuse for "rejecting" the Google Voice application by saying they're still reviewing it aka we're telling you we're reviewing it so you can leave us the heck alone. More »
Microsoft waited til Sony released the Playstation 3 Slim to announce their own price cut. The Xbox 360 Elite is going to now cost $299, the same price as the new PS 3 Slim. Click more for the Wal-Mart ad.
(Via CrunchGear)


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Lindsay Steinbach
The Growing Value of Dollar Stores Online
Image from: Dollar Store Image / Shutterstock Shoppers may not associate dollar stores with ecommerce, as the cost of shipping is likely to exceed the price of most items sold in these stores. However, traffic to dollar store sites has been steadily increasing over the past few years, and more shoppers are turning to the web for increased value. The three main players in the space, Dollar General, Family Dollar,
A Mild Winter Brings Fewer Searches
Image from: ghido / Shutterstock For most parts of the country, this winter has been relatively snow-free. Here in Boston, we only had 6.8 inches of snow this January—compared to a whopping 60.8 inches last year. Many people are enjoying the break from harsh winter weather, happy to leave their heavy coats and boots at home. However, others are bemoaning the lack of snow, waiting for that one storm that
Barbies, Legos, and Tablets: Top Toys of 2011
Image from: zuender/Shutterstock As we enter the final days of November, children everywhere are finalizing their lists for the upcoming holiday season. I remember poring over catalogs and memorizing commercials as I decided what toys I had to have that year. These days, children not only use catalogs and TV for inspiration, but they can supplement their research with the Internet. I decided to take a look at our Compete
The State of Online Retail
This webinar and accompanying whitepaper provide an overview of online retail trends that have occurred during Q2 2011. We combined Compete's behavioral data with our Online Shopper Intelligence survey to understand how shoppers are navigating the world of e-commerce. We looked at overarching industry trends of site traffic and conversion rates to evaluate consumer behavior and changes from last year. We also delved deeper into the following topics: – The
It's 10PM; do you know where your shoppers are?
One of the many reasons people love online shopping is the freedom to place orders anytime, anywhere. We've all bought a pair of shoes at 3AM once, right? (Maybe that's just me.) I was curious to see how many people actually are shopping in the wee hours of the night, and what times of day are most popular for e-commerce. I broke down the day into one-hour segments, and looked
Holiday Toy Story–The Sequel
We wanted to follow up on our previous blog that highlighted the top 5 searched toys on ToyRUs this holiday season and look at where searchers went after they searched for these terms on the web. Top Site Visited Post Search – (10/10-11/27) Four out of five top destinations were intuitive to us, though we were surprised at Youtube being the #1 referred site for Nerf. Hasbro, the Nerf manufacturer
Shoppers turn to the web for Black Friday deals
As Thanksgiving grows closer, so does the official launch to the holiday shopping frenzy. Retailers open their doors as early as midnight on the Friday after Thanksgiving, offering massive deals and discounts. This day, also known as Black Friday, has become the unofficial start to the season of shopping. According to Compete data, consumers are increasingly turning to the web to find the best places to shop on Black Friday.
Do You Groupon?
In recent months, I've noticed the term "groupon" creeping into conversations with increasing regularity. The term comes from groupon.com, a website devoted to offering a new deal each day and built around the tagline of "collective buying power." The site is targeted to various cities across the country, and each day features a steep discount at a local establishment. In order for the groupon to be activated for that day,
Zhu-Zhu Pets: 2009's Hottest Toy for the Holidays
Every holiday season, the retail world eagerly anticipates that year's "it toy," the one item that sends parents on fruitless searches to every toy store in a 30-mile radius. This year, the winner appears to be the Zhu-Zhu Pet. These small, robotic hamsters have earned the top spot on many children's lists and are being sold out across the country. With not enough Zhu-Zhu Pets to meet the demand, many
Back-to-School Shoppers Hit Web Early
As a child, I remember the final weeks of summer meant only one thing: the first day of school was near. Students across the country will soon be forced to say goodbye to their carefree days of summer and return to the classroom. While children typically dread this time of the year, parents may be anxious for an entirely different reason: the expenses of back-to-school shopping. In these tough economic


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At the moment, we're experiencing a star-driven Renaissance in the NBA that's driving the league to heights not seen since the height of Michael Jordan.
LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Dwyane Wade top the list of superstars with a championship ring to their credit, while younger players such as Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose remain ringless for now.
In short, we're able to witness no shortage of future members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on a nightly basis in 2012.
Who's definitely in already? Who's close, but still has work to do?
Here are the 20 current NBA players who are locks to end up in the Hall of Fame someday, in alphabetical order.


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The digital revolution has transformed the traditionally low-tech librarian's job into a fascinating high-tech career. Graduates with online library science degrees are serious information professionals. An online library science degree can lead to a rewarding job in all kinds of educational and cultural institutions.
There are numerous benefits to an online degree in library science. You can study whenever and wherever you want, as long as there is Internet access. You can get your hands on the latest in educational and information technology. Your classmates may be from all over the country or the world.
There are many different kind of Library Science Degrees available online. You can earn an online MS in Information Systems or an Online PhD in Library Science. It's also possible to earn a Graduate Certificate in Business Applications or Distance Education.
With GradSchools.com you can filter your search for an online degree by master's, PhD or graduate certificate. It's also easy to filter your search by location so you can find the online library science degree that works for you!


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Quick Hits
- News Releases
- Reports
- River Levels
- Publications
- Vessel Registration Stats
- Yacht & Ship Broker Violations
Gloria Sandoval
Deputy Director of Public Affairs
(916) 651-7661
(916) 956-6814
Right Column
DBW Releases Non-Motorized Boating Report
Fastest Growing Segment of the Recreational Boating Community
Contact: Gloria Sandoval (916) 651-5692
cell (916) 715-1657
September 21, 2009
SACRAMENTO – Non-motorized boating has skyrocketed in California and is now the fastest growing segment of recreational boating in the state according to a report released today. Non-Motorized Boating in California, initiated by the Department of Boating and Waterways (DBW) to help address the lack of information about the demographic, shows that non-motorized boating contributed $1.7 billion to California's economy in 2006.
"This report tells us that the popularity of non-motorized boating is on the upswing and that we can expect thousands of new boaters to enjoy the waterways in the coming years," said DBW Director Raynor Tsuneyoshi. "Kayaking, canoeing and rafting are great ways to enjoy California's beautiful waterways, and this report will serve as an important planning tool for meeting boaters' needs."
The report, the first in depth study of non-motorized boating in the United States, provides information on all aspects of non-motorized boating, including the numbers and types of boats and participants, and the economic importance to the state. The report was conducted over a twelve month period during 2006 and 2007. Key findings include:
- An estimated 2.5 million Californians participate in non-motorized boating, generating more than 48 million non-motorized boater user days.
- About 1.7 million rafts, canoes and inflatable boats are now being enjoyed on California's waterways; this number is expected to continue to grow rapidly.
- Kayaks are the most common type of boat, followed by inflatable boats.
Research included in the report suggests that non-motorized activity has grown in recent years because it is relatively inexpensive. Growth can also be attributed to continued new participation among baby boomers as they near and enter retirement.
Prior studies have reviewed particular aspects of non-motorized boating, such as national boating participation rates or boating safety, but never a broad assessment at the national level or in any other state.
The Non-Motorized Boating in California report provides a new and better understanding of the social and economic benefits of non-motorized boating, and contains important information that organizations can utilize to mold policy and fiscal issues and improve boater safety and education, waterways management and public access. DBW's full report is available at http://www.dbw.ca.gov/Reports/N-M_Boating.aspx.
DBW enhances public access to California's waterways and promotes on-the-water safety through programs funded by vessel registration fees, boating fuel tax dollars and boating facility construction loan payments.


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How to Make a Birdhouse
by Griffin
Get some wood, nails and a hammer.
Put two pieces of wood together.
Use some nails and bang them into the wood with the hammer.
Do this again to make 2 more sides.
Make the roof.
Make the floor.
Put a little pole in the front for a bird to stand on.


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Fannie Mae is giving the mortgage servicing industry's handling of troubled government-backed loans a makeover. But it would rather do so in private.
The government-sponsored enterprise has acquired the rights to service hundreds of billions of dollars of loans and transferred responsibility for managing them to a select group of large subservicers, according to mortgage servicing insiders and analysts. It has specifically acknowledged only one such deal — the August purchase of servicing rights for a $73 billion pool of Bank of America loans — but industry participants believe more than a dozen others have already occurred.
Why the secrecy? Fannie is "under a lot of political pressure, and wants to keep everything" quiet, says Paul Miller, managing director of FBR Capital Markets.
To Fannie, yanking servicing rights from big banks has other appeal, Miller says. Fannie executives "don't like how Bank of America, or any other major servicer, is servicing the loans," he says. "The biggest servicers are totally dysfunctional and putting no resources into the process."
Even so, the secrecy of Fannie's deals has some worried that it is using government funds to further entrench itself in the mortgage market. Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle are howling about Fannie's lack of disclosure.
Longtime industry executives complain that Fannie could be cutting deals that wouldn't make economic sense in the private sector. At a time when many lawmakers are pressing to wind down Fannie and fellow GSE Freddie Mac, Fannie's servicing push is "a game plan for survival," says a former Fannie executive still in the industry.
Fannie dismisses such concerns. The recent servicing transfers are simply the best way to protect itself from losses resulting from botched loan management, says Amy Bonitatibus, a spokeswoman for the company.
"When we identify a segment of our loans where credit losses may be substantial with the existing servicer, we will facilitate a transfer to a specialty servicer that has capacity and expertise in handling high-touch loans," she says. "We currently work with four specialty servicers who have all helped us to reduce credit losses by working more closely with homeowners to prevent foreclosures."
The Federal Housing Finance Agency, which oversees Fannie and Freddie, has been as reluctant to discuss Fannie's acquisitions as Fannie has. The agency declined to reveal the terms of the Bank of America deal in September. American Banker subsequently submitted a Freedom of Information Act request seeking the documents pertaining to the contract and others like it. The FHFA's staff uncovered 4,000 pages of documents realated to the FOIA request but said not a single one was releasable, even in redacted form. American Banker has appealed the decision.
Adding to the secrecy concern is the fact that Fannie is handing its subservicing work to a small group of specialists whose top ranks include former Fannie officials.
"It's a fantastic deal for these subservicers," says David Stephens, chief financial officer of United Capital Markets, which provides consulting and hedging services to mortgage companies. "We're wondering what Fannie's motives are. Are they going to be a big competitor? All these questions are up in the air."
The subservicing industry is big and getting bigger. It currently manages portfolios containing roughly 1.1 million home loans, says Walter Investment Management, parent company of the specialty servicer Green Tree Credit Solutions. That number will grow to 3 million loans next year, it says.
Some of the specialty servicers' business will come from private investors or banks, but Fannie Mae already accounts for a significant and growing share of the volume. (The FHFA and Freddie Mac are considering getting into the specialty servicing business themselves but are yet to do so, servicing analysts and others say.)
An insight into the considerable role that Fannie and Freddie play in supplying specialty servicing business comes from Nationstar, a servicer that Fortress Investment Group built out of the home builder Centex's former affiliated mortgage operation. Of the total of $60 billion in loans that Nationstar has taken responsibility for servicing since 2008, more than 40% was sourced from a single GSE in the last two months of 2010, according to May securities filings. Nationstar has a "strategic relationship agreement" with Fannie Mae and says it believes it "will continue to benefit from our strong relationships with the GSEs" and other investors," the filings state.
The rationale for transferring the loans is the widespread view that servicing practices have exacerbated the mortgage crisis. During the boom years, servicing was consolidated among a handful of banks that were adept at processing mortgage payments in bulk.
When borrowers began to fall behind on their loans, however, the efficient system went off the rails. Major servicers were ill-equipped to handle large-scale defaults and lacked both the organizational capacity and financial incentive to develop them. The industry entered an ugly period in which Fannie lost money, servicers were fined for mishandling mortgages and borrowers missed chances to save their homes.


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For young people today, it is hard to imagine a time without HIV and AIDS. Future generations will be well aware of these conditions and the devastating impact they can have on the human immune system; however, just a few decades ago, HIV and AIDS were not well known or understood or even talked about. And, despite their spread, the truth is that HIV and AIDS have not been in this country very long. In fact, the first known case of AIDS only appeared in the United States in 1981.
So how did HIV and AIDS begin in this country and so quickly spread throughout the United States?
First, to clarify, HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, occurs when a person is exposed via unsafe sex or the sharing of needles. HIV attacks the immune system and leaves the body less able to stave off bacteria and combat infection. Many people with HIV do not have AIDS; however, they are at risk of contracting it due to their weakened immune system. A person with HIV who has one or more opportunistic infections, such as recurrent pneumonia, is considered to have AIDS.
While there are still many questions surrounding the origin of HIV, most researchers now believe that it initially began as a virus among primates in Sub-Saharan Africa. The virus then spread to nearby human communities, and from there, it gradually made its way across the world.
If you are wondering how a virus can spread hundreds and thousands of miles across the globe, the answer has a lot to do with our modern society. As transportation improved and people began migrating and exporting/importing more goods, the opportunities for infection increased. Contaminated blood products as well as intravenous drug use and multiple sex partners have played a role as well.
The spread of HIV also had a lot to do with the fact that people were unaware of the virus and how to protect themselves. Unlike certain sexually transmitted infections/diseases that come with obvious side effects, the symptoms of HIV can be insidious and take years to manifest in a person. Meanwhile, infected individuals might be unknowingly spreading the virus to other partners.
Luckily, in today's day and age, we know the importance of safer sex and STD testing. We can decrease the spread of HIV/AIDS in future generations and protect our bodies and sexual health by practicing safer sex and getting tested on a regular basis. The basic rules are: Always use condoms, limit your number of sexual partners, and ask your partners to get tested as well.
Currently, there are more than a million people living with HIV in the country today. One in five people are not aware of their HIV status. The number of HIV diagnoses did increase in recent years, but researchers and doctors believe that this is because more people were getting tested than in previous years. Since then, the rate of new diagnoses has stabilized, with around 50,000 new cases identified each year. Although this number is still a cause for concern, education and testing can help to ensure that people prioritize safer sex. Plus, with continued medical progress, it is very important to note that an HIV diagnosis is NOT a death sentence. Many people can and do live long, healthy lives with an HIV diagnosis.
If you have never been tested for HIV/AIDS, know that the process is simple and painless, and getting tested will remove that anxiety and fear from your life and your bedroom. Visit the National HIV and STD Testing Resources website through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to find a testing center near you.


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Guanabana Margaritas
Total Time
Prep 5 mins
Cook 0 mins
Guanabana nectar, with its sweet-acid vanilla taste, can be found in grocery stores under the Goya, Del Valle or Jumex label in the Mexican ethnic food section.
Ingredients Nutrition
- 1⁄4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 3⁄4 cup tequila (a good brand such as Cuervo Gold)
- 3 tablespoons Grand Marnier
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1⁄4 cup guanabana nectar (Goya, Del Valle or Jumex)
- 1 cup crushed ice
- coarse sugar, for coating the rims of the glasses
- 1 lime wedge
- Mix the lime juice, lemon juice, tequila, Grand Marnier, sugar and guanabana nectar in a large cocktail shaker.
- Add the crushed ice and shake until cold.
- Pour coarse sugar onto a small plate.
- Rub the edge of the rim of the glass with the lime wedge and dip into sugar.
- Use a cocktail strainer to pour the drinks into the glasses.
- Serve immediately.
Most Helpful
I ended up buying Guayaba (Guava) nectar instead of the Guanabana nectar by mistake. This turned out really good even with my error. I did add some extra nectar to sweeten it up a bit, but I'm sure it is because I used the wrong one. I can't wait to try this using the right nectar! EDIT: I bought some guanabana nectar and made these margaritas....OUTSTANDING! I had never tried this nectar before and I loved it! Thanks for the introduction to this new flavor!
Well Molly, this was awesome! I saw this recipe and was intriqued by Guanabana, never had it before. A few days later I saw some in the grocery store in the "Mexican" aisle. Figured it was some kind of sign. Well, I'm drinking about my 5th of these this week as I write this review. I like this recipe so much that I picked it as one of my top 2 favorites recipes of ZWT3! Thanks so much Molly!


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I would like to tap into your future with you. Let's take the journey and see what is in store for you through , happiness,marriage, money, career,past ,twinflame,soulmate,etc. There is so many areas we can cover in one session that you will be amazed. I don't sugar coat things to make you happy or to say things just to make you feel better.Why wonder if you are with the right one Life is to short to let things pass you by . If you are wondering if you should move on or stick with it Is it a waste of your time Is something going to come out of it I have your answers to those questions and much much more As I will unfold your life and your answers to your true happiness Is He/She the one to stay in your life Are we just friends Is there something better out there why have these questions weighing on your mind when I have the answers here for you What does destiny really have in store for you Please give me a try and you will be amazed as I specialise in love guidance psychic healing and tarot card readings.
I have had many years of experiance in this field i specialise in love guidance psychic healing and tarot card readings. I have helped over thousands of people around the world, through many aspects of there life.I give Spiritual Readings, Crystal card Readings , Aura cleansing,chakra balancing, card Readings Rune and Angel Guide readings..
I have 20 years of exp.I dedicated myself to help and advice people through all matters of life. I am 99.9% accurate in all my reading's. I have clients all around the World now allow me to help and guide you on a path of true happiness.
330 Reviews: 324 Excellent 5 Satisfactory 1 Unsatisfactory
Her last prediction came to pass, truly gifted lady, helped me so much in a difficult situation.
The connection with her was EPIC. Tuned in to my situation with no problems. I will be back!!
she made me feel so much better. Thanks but more important she remembered me and I love that she did that. she has more clients but to remember a client is significant. I will take your advise to heart. Blessing
Thanx a lot for being honest and giving me hope pleasure
She made an incredibly accurate account of the person in focus and the events surrounding her. It gave me peace of mind and a much needed morale boost.I have no doubt about the outcome she has predicted.


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From January 2017 all BULATS tests will be carried out online and the paper-based version will be withdrawn.
From the same date, Cambridge English Language Assessment will no longer offer the French, Spanish or German versions of BULATS. Alliance Française, Goethe Institut and... Read more
Please note that Certificated BULATS Online will no longer be available for UK visa application purposes after 30th June 2014.
A wide range of Cambridge English exams are approved by the UK Home Office for immigration to the UK, including Tier 1, 2, 4 and Spouse/... Read more
From 1 April 2013 all candidates taking Certificated BULATS will be required to have their photograph taken on the day of their test.
Those candidates taking the certificate for immigration to the UK will have their photo made available to the United Kingdom... Read more
"When assessing the business English skills for new employees, the first thing to consider is how much English language they need to know in order to carry out their roles effectively," writes Cambridge English Language Assessment's Simon Wright in a recent edition of HR Magazine.
To read... Read more
Two English Teaching Centres in Taiwan, who successfully incorporated BULATS into English summer camps for university students,have been praised by Cambridge English Language Assessment.
The centres in Central and Southern Taiwan, hosted summer English camps last year with the aim of... Read more


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This is the June 26, 2013 news archive. View today's 49ers rumors and news.
Civil lawsuit against Perrish Cox settled
profootballtalk.com Updated Jun 26, 2013
A civil lawsuit against San Francisco 49ers cornerback Perrish Cox stemming from an alleged sexual assault has been dismissed by a Denver judge, a formal step that implements a settlement reached between Cox and the alleged victim. According to the Asso…Share Tweet
Links: Darrell Bevell's 'problem'ESPN.com Jun 26, 2013Arizona Cardinals Raising Zona discusses Freddie Kitchens and the importance of the quarterbacks coach in today's NFL. San Francisco 49ers Is Vernon Davis really transitioning to wide receiver? Kevin Lynch of the San Francisco Chronicle: "Are the 4…Share Tweet
Texans need to do a deal with Antonio Smithprofootballtalk.com Jun 26, 2013The 49ers were able to clear some salary cap room, and keep their 3-4 anchor defensive end Justin Smith for another few years with a recent contract extension. Those details could provide a degree of framework for the Texans, who are trying to do the sa…Share Tweet


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1/1 Sun conjunct Pluto
New Moon 11 Capricorn, 6:14 am
1/2 Sun square Mars
1/3 Mercury opposite Jupiter
1/5 Sun opposite Jupiter
1/6 Mercury sextile Saturn
1/7 Mercury conjunct Venus
1/8 Mars square Jupiter
1/11 Venus sextile Saturn
Sun conjunct Venus
Sun sextile Saturn
Mercury enters Aquarius
1/15 Full Moon 25 Cancer, 11:52 pm
1/16 Venus square Mars
1/17 Mercury sextile Uranus
1/19 Sun enters Aquarius
1/24 Mercury trine Mars
1/25 Mercury square Saturn
1/29 Sun sextile Uranus
1/30 New Moon 10 Aquarius, 4:38 pm
1/31 Jupiter opposite Pluto
Mercury enters Pisces
All dates and times are for Eastern time zone, please adjust for your own locality.
The New Year begins with a bang with the Capricorn New Moon, featuring a lineup of five planets tightly grouped in the sign of discipline and achievement. Four of those planets and luminaries (Sun, Moon, Pluto and Mercury) are locked within a two degree range, which is very tight indeed. The presence of Pluto empowers us to manifest and ground our dreams into reality, and Mercury aids our ability to reason and process through the mind. For more details about this New Moon see my recent article.
For the first two weeks of January Mars will be in range of a square to Jupiter. When the motivation of Mars is expanded by the confidence of Jupiter, we often feel that we can do anything. Potential is greater than the present, and our vision is expansive and helps us to reach beyond the limited scope of what we normally believe to be possible. Still, under this influence there can be a tendency for us to take on more than we can handle. This is an ideal time to find balance between your homes and dreams and the reality of your abilities. Mars square Jupiter sometimes nourishing the ego, and when the ego is in ascendancy it can be more difficult to follow the true path.
Venus is retrograde until the end of the month, making this entire month the perfect time to reconnect with old friends and find ways to breathe new life into your current relationships and partnerships.
A week or two into January Jupiter begins to approach an opposition to Pluto that can be powerful in its manifestation potential when Jupiter's beliefs and positive influence bumps up against the power of Pluto to transform and regenerate. If we can harness and integrate these two forces, our ideas are nearly instantly converted to form. However, there is also the danger that our idea of what is possible may be inflated to a point where our ideals explode and we have to begin again. Jupiter will remain opposite Pluto until well into February.
A square from the Sun to Mars on January 2nd keeps the New Moon influence potent and the pressure for action remains insistent throughout the first two weeks of the month as Mars departs from the Sun and Venus but moves ever closer to a square to Jupiter.
The Sun and Mercury also interact with Jupiter and Mars between the 2nd and the 5th, a time of optimism and expansive ideas and plans. Jupiter can bestow too much of a good thing, so paying attention to details and adding a touch of practicality can be very helpful under this influence.
The Mars/Jupiter square peaks on the 8th but will remain in effect until the 13th or so. During this time Mercury, still in practical Capricorn, will harmonize with Saturn on the 6th and align with Venus on the 7th, helping to keep us grounded yet creative. This is a very fortunate time for business and to set the tone for the events of the coming year.
On the 11th the influence of the Sun, Saturn and Venus to stabilize us and fosters a gentle confidence (Venus) and a practical interest in the arts and money. Interpersonal relationships are favorable now so this is a good time to schedule meetings or conferences or challenging negotiations.
Mercury enters Aquarius on the 11th, awakening our minds to new possibilities and ways of thinking about the world. Aquarius is inventive and brilliant and since it rules technology this could be a good time to learn a new skill.
The Full Moon in Cancer on January 15th is somewhat less intense than the lunar events we have seen recently and certainly less powerful than the New Year New Moon! Cancer is the Moon's own sign and she is happiest there. This is a Full Moon to nurture and nourish yourself and your loved ones, and to relish the realm of feelings and emotions.
That's not to say there will be no challenges, because Mars squares Venus and pits our personal needs (Mars) with our need for connection (Venus), and this is exacerbated by Jupiter which can sometimes blow things out of proportion. But the Sun and Moon both harmonize with Saturn which helps to provide stability and a solid foundation, and a harmonious sextile from Mercury to Uranus adds an electric excitement and willingness to embrace change.
The next week is relatively uneventful until the 24th and 25th when Mercury is activated again with an energetic trine to Mars which bestows mental energy and forceful opinions, and squares Saturn which suggests that some of those opinions may not be welcomed everywhere. However, the discipline of Saturn helps to harness all of that energy into tremendous productivity.
Anything is possible on the 29th when the Sun harmonizes with a sextile to Uranus, but watch for the Jupiter/Pluto opposition at the end of the month. This is a time to be very mindful of our thoughts and longings, because you just might get what you wish for. Both of these influences are embedded in the chart for the Aquarius New Moon – a "double whammy" Aquarius influence because the Sun and Moon are both in a harmonious sextile to Uranus, the ruler of Aquarius. This is a time to shatter old paradigms and try something completely new. Break out of your routine and create something new in your life.
Relationships could be a bit problematic around this time with Venus, stationing as it prepares to turn direct, is in a conjunction to Pluto that will be in effect during the entire last week of January. Difficulties in partnerships will be resolved now, one way or the other, before Venus turns the corner to travel direct once again.
Mercury enters Pisces on January 31st and the brilliant electricity of the Uranus New Moon will be cooled somewhat as we are bathed with the gentle waters of Pisces and find some comfort in intuition and creative flow.
Enjoy this electric time, and as always if you have questions about how your own chart is affected you can contact me for a personal consultation.


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The Harry Fraud-produced intro to French's Mac & Cheese 3 mixtape gets a visual.
PREVIOUS: French Montana – Ocho Cinco f. Diddy, MGK, Red Cafe & Los (Video)
The Harry Fraud-produced intro to French's Mac & Cheese 3 mixtape gets a visual.
PREVIOUS: French Montana – Ocho Cinco f. Diddy, MGK, Red Cafe & Los (Video)
that voice sounds like the one from drake's over my dead body.
he spent a whole minute saying 'haaaaahhhhhh' 'montannaaaa' haaaaaah'
almost everything he does is unoriginal
It sounds ok to me, nothing special though
This dude gotta keep tight beats because he cant rap
production is dope. who's the broad?
Harry Fraud beats are so wasted on this joker. I really wish he produced for quality rappers more often. His stuff with Heems is incredible
Love Harry Fraud but this is a complete rip off of the Florence + the Machine original
This guy is complete garbage. How can anybody be a fan of his music?
Florence + the Machine - Only If For A Night
why just why...why ruin a great song...all he added was fuck, nigga, and some disturbing mumbling sounds
IF you white freaks stepped out your basement took off ur bum ass nerd headphones you would realize this nigga the hottest out right now, and making the best music HANNNNNNH
All I have to say is what a waste of a good beat. More power to you FRENCH MONTANA fans, but Im not buying into this gimmick. Seriously.
This sounds terrible
@HANNNH Im a black person and this sounds worst than the smell of garbage and blood combined
Everyone who said this song is a rip off: It's called sampliing. If you want to call this song a rip off, u might as well protest the entire hip hop/rap genre. It's been around for decades. Though, I do agree you that there was nothing creative done to the "new" beat.
French and meek hottest in the hood right now, yall dudes dont live on the east coast
Beat was okay, not flipped very originally. French was ehh, video was alright, but fuck all that... Who was that girl?? That's the real question lol
Great, another video where this dude doesn't rap.
I can understand the frustration but this and State of Mind were my favourite tracks off the tape, Fraud is a fucking beast though.
"French and meek hottest in the hood right now, yall dudes dont live on the east coast"
Hot garbage, yes for Frenchie. Meek is ok. Even people on the east coast call Frenchie trash. You don't need to be in the east coast to know what trash sounds like and I'm from BK.
the hate is real lmao. HAAAAAANNN!
french clowning on 50 for waiting for chief keefs music video but he has a fifth grader producing his lmao
I dont understand how French Montana could be from the bronx....I mean thats the mecca...the birthplace of hip hop. Plus the guy is Moroccan, where does the southern accent come from
hip hop can't stay the same forever bro, I actually never thought i'd say that. but it's a fact. and southern accent?
dis nigga been shot in the bead, prolly barley ever sleeps and does a fuck load of drugs. that also goes to all the people who complain bout how he sounds. ITS THE WAVE!
So, uh, when's the album coming Shia?
Chano will end his 2016 in a major way.
An awesome, and inspiring, message.
The LA spitter is ready for more success.
This looks like the craziest dispensary of all time.
Business As Usual for the SoSoDef duo.
A play on Dr. Dre & Snoop's 2001 film, The Wash.
Man, she can really, really rap.
A new video with BADBADNOTGOOD as Caesar's backing band.
Ho, ho ho.
"The racism in America—it's no longer hidden."


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Centered on Community
Albion College offers four-year tuition, room and board to as many as 10 first-year students who are Albion residents and attended Albion Public Schools in grades 6-8. Learn about the Build Albion Fellows Program
President Ditzler talks about the initiative on WBCK-FM
Reopening the Bohm: Read about a landmark internship for Andrea Walles, '15
Albion College's Sister City efforts earn a national award
Watch an expert panel discuss "Albion Tomorrow"
Listen to the Town & Gown podcast series
Our "Self-Study Year" Is Under Way
Dear Members of the Albion College Community:
The 2009-10 academic year will be a defining year in Albion history. We will begin to implement "Albion 2015," our strategic plan, and we will finalize our self-study for Albion's reaffirmation of accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. It will be a busy year, but I trust that it will also be a satisfying year.
We have now formally launched our "Self-Study Year" in preparation for a campus visit by the HLC accreditation team in November 2010. Those persons who will review Albion will be our peers—members of the faculty, administration, and staff of comparable or similar institutions outside of Michigan. In preparation for their visit and assessment, our self-study represents an opportunity for us to step back and to critically evaluate everything we do; through this process, we will identify ways we can strengthen our programs to ensure that they effectively prepare students for their future roles in society. Albion will emerge from the self-study process with a clearer vision, a stronger commitment to our values, and a renewed dedication to excellence.
As we conduct our work for the self-study, we will continually refer to the criteria of the Higher Learning Commission: to emphasize integrity; to clearly and compellingly articulate the mission; to make resource allocations looking to the future; to build and maintain a culture of assessment throughout the campus; to demonstrate teaching effectiveness and student achievement; to foster and support inquiry, creativity, and social responsibility; and, to serve internal and external constituencies in a fair, honest, and forthright manner.
The self-study will involve many of you in various ways throughout the coming months, and Provost Susan Conner and I want you to be aware of the goals and key steps in the process as we move forward. Albion is participating in the accreditation review through the HLC's Program to Evaluate and Advance Quality (PEAQ). Paramount in this process is Albion's commitment to our shared mission and the demonstration of how we are achieving that mission throughout our academic program and other operations. Much of the evaluation by the HLC team will focus on that commitment. Our mission statement, developed during the current strategic planning process, reads:
Albion College is an undergraduate, liberal arts institution committed to academic excellence. We are learning-centered and recognize that valuable learning takes place in and outside the classroom, on and off campus. We prepare students to translate critical thought into action.
It will be imperative that all members of our community know and understand the mission and use it as a touchstone in decision-making.
I would especially like to thank Provost Conner and the other members of the Steering Committee for their leadership of this self-study process on Albion's behalf, and I ask you to give them your full support as we get under way. If you have questions or concerns about the process, please contact Provost Conner or Dr. David Seely (Physics), the Steering Committee's faculty chair. We want to make this an open, inclusive, and collaborative process, and we welcome your involvement and insights.
Donna M. Randall


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Welcome to the next post in my Anticipated Books series for the second half of 2015. YA books have become a steady part of my reading diet. Some of my favourite authors are writing for this age group and there are just so many great titles out there. Consequently, I've had to spread my YA picks over three posts. This is the last one. For some of these I already have an (e)ARC or review copy, so they'll definitely be read and reviewed. And for the rest, I'll have to see whether I get the chance to get my hands on them! Read More …
Tag: Tor Teen
Anticipated Books (Winter-Spring) 2015: YA April-June
Welcome to the next post in my Anticipated Books series for the first half of 2015. YA books have become a steady part of my reading diet. Some of my favourite authors are writing for this age group and there are just so many great titles out there. Consequently, I've had to spread my YA picks over three posts. This is the second one. For some of these I already have an (e)ARC or review copy, so they'll definitely be read and reviewed. And for the rest, I'll have to see whether I get the chance to get my hands on them! Read More …
Anticipated Books (Winter-Spring) 2015: YA January-March
Welcome to the next post in my Anticipated Books series for the first half of 2015. YA books have become a permanent part of my reading diet. Some of my favourite authors are writing for this age group and there are just so many great titles out there. Consequently, I've had to spread my YA picks over three posts. This is the first one. For some of these I already have an (e)ARC or review copy, so they'll definitely be read and reviewed. And for the rest, I'll have to see whether I get the chance to get my hands on them! Read More …
Anticipated Books (Summer-Fall) 2014: YA October-December
We're almost there! Welcome to the penultimate post in my Anticipated Books series for the second half of 2014. Today I'm sharing the third and last part of my picks for books published for the YA crowd. For some of these I already have an (e)ARC or review copy, so they'll definitely be read and reviewed. And for the rest, I'll have to see whether I get the chance to get my hands on them! Read More …
Anticipated Books (Winter-Spring) 2014: YA April-June
We're almost there! Welcome to the penultimate post in my Anticipated Books series for the first half of 2014. Today I'm sharing the second half of my picks for books published for the YA crowd. For some of these I already have an (e)ARC or review copy, so they'll definitely be read and reviewed. And for the rest, I'll have to see whether I get the chance to get my hands on them! Read More …
Anticipated Books (Winter-Spring) 2014: YA January-March
Welcome to the next post in my Anticipated Books series for the first half of 2014. YA books have become a big part of my reading diet. Some of my favourite authors are writing for this age group and there are just so many great titles out there. Consequently, YA too has been spread over two posts. This is the first half. For some of these I already have an (e)ARC or review copy, so they'll definitely be read and reviewed. And for the rest, I'll have to see whether I get the chance to get my hands on them! Read More …
Anticipated Books (Summer-Fall) 2013: YA July-September
Welcome to the next post in my Anticipated Books series for the second half of 2013. YA books have recaptured my heart and I've had a lot of fun (re)discovering the diversity and depth of the books published for this age category. Some of the best books in or out of genre are being published in YA these days. Consequently, YA too has been spread over two posts. This is the first half. For some of these I already have an (e)ARC or review copy, so they'll definitely be read and reviewed. And for the rest, I'll have to see whether I get the chance to get my hands on them! Read More …
Anticipated Books (Winter/Spring) 2013: YA April-June
Here's the second half of my Anticipated Books YA post. For some of these I already have an (e)ARC or review copy, so they'll definitely be read and reviewed. And for the rest, I'll have to see whether I get the chance to get my hands on them.
Jennifer Archer – The Shadow Girl (Mystery, HarperTeen)
Sometimes I forget for an hour or two that she's with me. Sometimes I convince myself that she was only a dream. Or that I'm crazy.
For as long as Lily Winston can remember, she has never been alone. Iris, a shadowy figure who mimics Lily's movements and whispers in her ear, is with her always—but invisible to the rest of the world. Iris is Lily's secret.
But when Lily's father is killed in a tragic accident, his cryptic final words suggest that he and Lily's mother have been keeping secrets of their own. Suddenly, Iris begins pushing Lily more than ever, possessing her thoughts and urging her to put together the pieces of a strange puzzle her father left behind. As she searches for answers, Lily finds herself drawn to Ty Collier, a mysterious new boy in town. Together, Lily and Ty must untangle a web of deception to discover the truth about her family, Iris . . . and Lily's own identity.
Catherine Fisher – Obsidian Mirror (Fantasy, Dial Books)
The obsidian mirror. Its power is great and terrible. Men have been lost in it, the dead brought back to life through it, and the future annihilated by it. Or it will be, unless the mirror is destroyed. One has been sent from the future to do just that. One protects the mirror at all costs, obsessed with its power. One needs the mirror to find a murdered father and save his life. Only one can succeed.
The mirror can send you to the past, but it will not bring you back.
Jordana Frankel – The Ward (Science Fiction, Katherine Tegen Books)
Sixteen-year-old Ren is a daredevil mobile racer who will risk everything to survive in the Ward, what remains of a water-logged Manhattan. To save her sister, who is suffering from a deadly illness thought to be caused by years of pollution, Ren accepts a secret mission from the government: to search for a freshwater source in the Ward, with the hope of it leading to a cure.
However, she never expects that her search will lead to dangerous encounters with a passionate young scientist; a web of deceit and lies; and an earth-shattering mystery that's lurking deep beneath the water's rippling surface.
Helen Grant – Silent Saturday (Mystery, Random House Children's Books)
Seventeen-year-old Veerle is bored with life in suburban Brussels. But a chance encounter with a hidden society, whose members illegally break into unoccupied buildings around the city, soon opens up a whole new world of excitement – and danger.
When one of the society's founding members disappears, Veerle suspects foul play. But nothing can prepare her for the horror that is about to unfold when an old foe emerges from the shadows… No one is safe, and The Hunter will strike again…
Karen Mahoney – The Stone Demon (Fantasy, Flux)
The just-unleashed demon hordes have delivered an impossible ultimatum to the Order of the Crow: produce the Philosopher's Stone, or suffer a reaper storm of demonic tribulation. If alchemist's apprentice Donna Underwood can't recreate the mythical artifact, the world will be plunged into a devastating modern-day Dark Age.
Pitting her dangerously unpredictable powers against a vengeful demon king, two maleficent faery queens, and an immortal magus with his own shadowy agenda, Donna must be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice–but this time, even death may not be enough.
Emily Murdoch – If You Find Me (Contemporary, Indigo)
A gripping mystery – can Carey finally face the terrible secret she's been keeping?
A fluid, compelling and thought-provoking debut. Sisters, Carey and Jenessa, live with their mother in the heart of the woods – until Mum disappears and a social worker arrives with Carey's father. Suddenly the sisters must adapt to the wider world. But Carey is burdened by a terrible secret that she fears will destroy her new life and new relationships. Can the truth set her free?
Jennifer E. Smith – This Is What Happy Looks Like (Contemporary, Headline)
When 17-year-old Graham Larkin sends an email to a friend about his pet pig, Wilbur, the last thing he expects is a response from the other side of the country, from one Ellie O'Neill. As their online friendship blossoms, they begin to reveal more about themselves, but crucially leave out the truth about Ellie's past and Graham's career as a Hollywood heartthrob. But, now that they're together, it's impossible to keep their secrets for long and there's a lot to overcome if love is to blossom…
Scott Tracey – Moonset (Fantasy, Flux)
Justin Daggett, his trouble-making sister, and their three orphan-witch friends have gotten themselves kicked out of high school. Again. Now they've ended up in Carrow Mills, New York, the town where their parents–members of the terrorist witch organization known as Moonset–began their evil experiments with the dark arts one generation ago.
When the siblings are accused of unleashing black magic on the town, Justin fights to prove their innocence. But tracking down the true culprit leads him to a terrifying discovery about Moonset's past…and its deadly future.
Martha Wells – Emilie and the Hollow World (Fantasy, Strange Chemistry)
While running away from home for reasons that are eminently defensible, Emilie's plans to stow away on the steamship Merry Bell and reach her cousin in the big city go awry, landing her on the wrong ship and at the beginning of a fantastic adventure.
Taken under the protection of Lady Marlende, Emilie learns that the crew hopes to use the aether currents and an experimental engine, and with the assistance of Lord Engal, journey to the interior of the planet in search of Marlende's missing father.
With the ship damaged on arrival, they attempt to traverse the strange lands on their quest. But when evidence points to sabotage and they encounter the treacherous Lord Ivers, along with the strange race of the sea-lands, Emilie has to make some challenging decisions and take daring action if they are ever to reach the surface world again.
K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr – Loki's Wolves (Fantasy, Atom)
In Viking times, Norse myths predicted the end of the world, an event called Ragnarök that only the gods can stop. When this apocalypse happens, the gods must battle the monsters – wolves the size of the sun, serpents that span the sea beds – all bent on destroying the world.
But the gods died a long time ago.
Matt Thorsen knows every Norse myth, saga, and god as if it was family history – because it is family history. Most people in the modern-day town of Blackwell, South Dakota, are direct descendants of either Thor or Loki, including Matt's classmates Fen and Laurie Brekke. However, knowing the legends and completely believing them are two different things. When the rune readers reveal that Ragnarök is coming and kids – led by Matt – will stand in for the gods in the final battle, Matt can hardly believe it.
Matt's, Laurie's and Fen's lives will never be the same as they race to put together an unstoppable team to prevent the end of the world.
Alex Flinn – Towering (Fantasy, HarperTeen)
High in my tower I sit. I watch the birds fly below, the clouds float above, and the tall, green forest stretch to places I might never see.
Mama, who isn't my mother, has kept me hidden away for eight long years. My only companions, besides Mama, are my books – great adventures, mysteries, and romances, that I long to make my reality. But I know that no one will come to save me—my life is not a fairy tale after all.
Well, at least no one has come so far. Recently, my hair has started to grow rapidly and it is now long enough to reach the bottom of the tower from my window. I've also had the strangest dreams of a beautiful green-eyed boy.
When Mama isn't around, I plan my escape, even if it's just for a little while. There's something— maybe someone—waiting for me out there and it won't find me if I'm trapped here TOWERING above it all.
Dan Krokos – The Planet Thieves (Science Fiction, Starscape)
Two weeks ago, thirteen-year-old Mason Stark and seventeen of his fellow cadets from the Academy for Earth Space Command boarded the SS Egypt. he trip was supposed to be a short routine voyage to log their required spacetime for summer quarter.
But routine goes out the airlock when they're attacked by the Tremist, an alien race who have been at war with humanity for the last sixty years.
With the captain and crew dead, injured, or taken prisoner, Mason and the cadets are all that's left to warn the ESC. And soon they find out exactly why the Tremist chose this ship to attack: the Egypt is carrying a weapon that could change the war forever.
Now Mason will have to lead the cadets in a daring assault to take back the ship, rescue the survivors, and recover the weapon. Before there isn't a war left to fight.
Bennett Madison – September Girls (Fantasy, HarperTeen)
Critically acclaimed author Bennett Madison presents a darkly imaginative and painfully honest novel about oblivious parents, sibling rivalries, first loves… and mermaids. This modern reimagining is perfect for fans of the irreverent wit of Ned Vizzini and the seductive magic of Alex Flinn's retold fairy tales.
Lauren Miller – Parallel (Science Fiction, HarperTeen)
Abby Barnes had a plan. The Plan. She'd go to Northwestern, major in journalism, and land a job at a national newspaper, all before she turned twenty-two. But one tiny choice—taking a drama class her senior year of high school—changed all that. Now, on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, Abby is stuck on a Hollywood movie set, miles from where she wants to be, wishing she could rewind her life. The next morning, she's in a dorm room at Yale, with no memory of how she got there. Overnight, it's as if her past has been rewritten.
With the help of Caitlin, her science-savvy BFF, Abby discovers that this new reality is the result of a cosmic collision of parallel universes that has Abby living an alternate version of her life. And not only that: Abby's life changes every time her parallel self makes a new choice. Meanwhile, her parallel is living out Abby's senior year of high school and falling for someone Abby's never even met.
As she struggles to navigate her ever-shifting existence, forced to live out the consequences of a path she didn't choose, Abby must let go of the Plan and learn to focus on the present, without losing sight of who she is, the boy who might just be her soul mate, and the destiny that's finally within reach.
Chelsea Pitcher – The S-Word (Contemporary, Gallery Books)
Lizzie wasn't the first student at Verity High School to kill herself this year. But the difference is, she didn't go quietly.
First it was SLUT scribbled all over the school's lockers. But one week after Lizzie Hart takes her own life, SUICIDE SLUT replaces it—in Lizzie's own looping scrawl. Photocopies of her diary show up in the hands of her classmates. And her best friend, Angie, is enraged.
Angie had stopped talking to Lizzie on prom night, when she caught Lizzie in bed with her boyfriend. Too heartbroken to let Lizzie explain the hookup or to intervene when Lizzie gets branded Queen of the Sluts and is cruelly bullied by her classmates, Angie left her best friend to the mercy of the school, with tragic results.
But with this new slur, Angie's guilt transforms into anger that someone is still targeting Lizzie even after her death. Using clues from Lizzie's diary and aided by the magnetic, mysterious Jesse, Angie begins relentlessly investigating who, exactly, made Lizzie feel life was no longer worth living. And while she might claim she simply wants to punish Lizzie's tormentors, her anguish over abandoning and then losing her best friend drives Angie deeper into the dark, twisted side of Verity High—and she might not be able to pull herself back out.
Christian Schoon – Zenn Scarlett (Science Fiction, Strange Chemistry Books)
Zenn Scarlett is a bright, determined, occasionally a-little-too-smart-for-her-own-good 17-year-old girl training hard to become an exoveterinarian. That means she's specializing in the treatment of exotic alien life forms, mostly large and generally dangerous. Her novice year of training at the Ciscan Cloister Exovet Clinic on Mars will find her working with alien patients from whalehounds the size of a hay barn to a baby Kiran Sunkiller, a colossal floating creature that will grow up to carry a whole sky-city on its back.
But after a series of inexplicable animal escapes from the school and other near-disasters, the Cloister is in real danger of being shut down by a group of alien-hating officials. If that happens, Zenn knows only too well the grim fate awaiting the creatures she loves.
Now, she must unravel the baffling events plaguing her school, before someone is hurt or killed, before everything she cares about is ripped away from her and her family forever. To solve this mystery – and live to tell about it – Zenn will have to put her new exovet skills to work in ways she never imagined, and in the process learn just how powerful compassion and empathy can be.
Amy Tintera – Reboot (Science Fiction, HarperTeen)
La Femme Nikita meets Maximum Ride in this action-packed debut novel about seventeen-year-old Wren, who rose from the dead as a Reboot and is now the government's top soldier—until she is given an order she refuses to obey.
Sage Blackwood – Jinx: The Wizard's Apprentice (Fantasy, Quercus Children's)
Never stray far from the path is the rule every child in the Urwald Forest follows. Every child, that is, except a boy named Jinx.
Jinx is an apprentice to Simon, a wizard who is just a little bit evil. When one of Simon's spells robs Jinx of his ability to see other people's thoughts, he decides to head off into the forest to try recover his magic.
Jinx's mission brings him face to face with a very evil, soul-sucking wizard, the terrible Bonemaster. With help only from Elfwyn, who is cursed with a truth-telling spell, and Reven, who is far too polite to be useful in a fight, it looks like Jinx's magic could be gone forever …
John Carter Cash – Lupus Rex (Fantasy, Ravenstone)
Isyl and Cormo are two quail who must risk their lives when they are driven from their home by the crows when the Murder fractures over the decision of who shall rule the Tree. The disorder this brings to the region comes to the attention of the wolf Asmod and he sees an opportunity to make himself King. To restore order the quails must venture far from their home to seek an audience with a potentially dangerous ally, the hawk Pitrin. As the forest trembles with the approach of Asmod's army, the two quail will find themselves entangled in an epic struggle, as they fight to bring peace to the Field.
Cassandra Rose Clarke – The Pirate's Wish (Fantasy, Strange Chemistry Books)
After setting out to break the curse that binds them together, the pirate Ananna and the assassin Naji find themselves stranded on an enchanted island in the north with nothing but a sword, their wits, and the secret to breaking the curse: complete three impossible tasks. With the help of their friend Marjani and a rather unusual ally, Ananna and Naji make their way south again, seeking what seems to be beyond their reach.
Unfortunately, Naji has enemies from the shadowy world known as the Mists, and Ananna must still face the repercussions of going up against the Pirate Confederation. Together, Naji and Ananna must break the curse, escape their enemies — and come to terms with their growing romantic attraction.
Shannon Delany – Weather Witch (Fantasy. St. Martin's Griffin)
Some fled the Old World to avoid war and some fled to leave behind magic. But even the fiercely regulated New World—with its ranks and standards and emphasis on decorum—cannot avoid the power that wells up in certain people and influences weather and calls down storms. So the Weather Witches—those who can control the weather—are hunted by Testers and Wraiths and made to power the Grounded population's ships, their lights—their every luxury—in a time before either steam or electricity takes hold. Jordan Astraea, a high-ranking member of The Nine is from a flawless background with seemingly no taint of magic or witchery. But on the night of her seventeenth birthday celebration the Wraiths and the Tester appear and blame her for summoning an unscheduled storm. Taken from her family and near-boyfriend, Rowen, Jordan is sentenced to be Made—to become a Conductor—and be enslaved as a living battery for an airship. But breaking Jordan may prove the very thing the carefully constructed New World society cannot survive. And the chance of losing Jordan forever may make Rowen become the hero he would have never dared otherwise be.
David Fleming – The Saturday Boy (Contemporary, Viking Children's Books)
Eleven-year-old Derek Lamb likes superhero comic books, Saturday morning cartoons, and Chocolate Ka??Blams, but he'd gladly trade all of these things to have his father home. For as long as Derek can remember, his father has been in Afghanistan piloting Apache helicopters for the US Army. The letters they write to each other are all they have to bridge the distance—ninety-one letters to date. But just when Derek's best friend becomes his archnemesis, a time when Derek could use his father's advice most, the letters stop. Derek's whole life is on the brink of change and he doesn't even know it.
P.J. Hoover – Solstice (Fantasy, Tor Teen)
Piper's world is dying. Each day brings hotter temperatures and heat bubbles which threaten to destroy the Earth. Amid this Global Heating Crisis, Piper lives under the oppressive rule of her mother, who suffocates her even more than the weather does. Everything changes on her eighteenth birthday, when her mother is called away on a mysterious errand and Piper seizes her first opportunity for freedom.
Piper discovers a universe she never knew existed—a sphere of gods and monsters—and realizes that her world is not the only one in crisis. While gods battle for control of the Underworld, Piper's life spirals out of control as she struggles to find the answer to the secret that has been kept from her since birth—her very identity…
Imogen Howson – Linked (Science Fiction, Quercus Children's)
For years, Elissa has suffered nightmarish visions and unexplained bruises. Finally, she's promised a cure, and an operation is scheduled. But on the eve of the procedure, she discovers the truth: she's seeing the world through another girl's eyes. A world filled with wires, machines and pain. Elissa follows her visions, only to find a battered, broken girl.
A girl who looks exactly like her. A twin she never knew existed.
Elissa and Lin go on the run, but even after changing their looks and clothes, they're barely a step ahead of the government agents who are ruthlessly tracking them down. For Lin and Elissa are too valuable to let go, and the dark truth at the heart of it all is too shocking to risk exposing …
Elizabeth Knox – Mortal Fire (Fantasy, Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
Sixteen-year-old Canny Mochrie's vacation takes a turn when she stumbles upon a mysterious and enchanting valley, occupied almost entirely by children who can perform a special type of magic that tells things how to be stronger and better than they already are. As Canny studies the magic more carefully, she realizes that she not only understands it–she can perform the magic, too, so well that it feels like it has always been a part of her. With the help of an alluring seventeen-year-old boy who is held hostage by a spell that is now more powerful than the people who first placed it, Canny figures out the secrets of this valley and of her own past.
Stephanie Kuehn – Charm & Strange (Contemporary, St. Martin's Griffin)
Andrew Winston Winters is at war with himself. He's part Win, the lonely teenager exiled to a remote Vermont boarding school in the wake of a family tragedy. The guy who shuts all his classmates out, no matter the cost, because his darkest fear is turning into a vicious wolf, just like his father. But he's also part Drew, the angry young boy with violent impulses that control him. The boy who spent a fateful summer with his brother and teenage cousins, only to endure a family secret so painful it led three children to do the unthinkable. Over the course of one night, while stuck at a party deep in the New England woods, Andrew battles the pain of his past and the isolation of his present. Before the sun rises, he'll either surrender his sanity to the wild wolves inside his mind or learn that surviving means more than not dying.
Alex London – Proxy (Science Fiction, Philomel Books)
Knox was born into one of the City's wealthiest families. A Patron, he has everything a boy could want—the latest tech, the coolest clothes, and a Proxy to take all his punishments. When Knox breaks a vase, Syd is beaten. When Knox plays a practical joke, Syd is forced to haul rocks. And when Knox crashes a car, killing one of his friends, Syd is branded and sentenced to death.
Syd is a Proxy. His life is not his own.
Then again, neither is Knox's. Knox and Syd have more in common than either would guess. So when both boys realize that the only way to beat the system is to save each other, they flee. Yet Knox's father is no ordinary Patron, and Syd is no ordinary Proxy. The ensuing cross-country chase will uncover a society of rebels, test both boys' resolve, and shine a light onto a world of those who owe and those who pay. Some debts, it turns out, cannot be repaid.
Amy McCulloch – The Oathbreaker's Shadow (Fantasy, Random House Children's Books)
Fifteen-year-old Raim lives in a world where you tie a knot for every promise that you make. Break that promise and you are scarred for life, and cast out into the desert.
Raim has worn a simple knot around his wrist for as long as he can remember. No one knows where it came from, and which promise of his it symbolises, but he barely thinks about it at all – not since becoming the most promising young fighter ever to train for the elite Yun guard. But on the most important day of his life, when he binds his life to his best friend (and future khan) Khareh, the string bursts into flames and sears a dark mark into his skin.
Scarred now as an oath-breaker, Raim has two options: run, or be killed.
Sarah Jamila Stevenson – Underneath (Contemporary, Flux)
With New Agey parants and a Pakistani heritage, it might have been difficult for Sunny Pryce-Shah to fit in. Thankfully, she had her older, popular cousin Shiri to talk to–until now. Shiri's shocking suicide brings heart-wrenching pain and grief, and also seems to have triggered a new and disturbing ability in Sunny: hearing people's thoughts.
It's awful, especially when Sunny learns what her so-called friends really think of her. Feeling more comfortable with the Emo crowd, she tells them about her strange talent and uses it to help cute, troubled Cody. But when his true motives are revealed, she isn't sure whom to trust anymore. Sunny hopes to find answers in Shiri's journal. Was her cousin also cursed with this "gift"? Will Sunny end up like Shiri?
Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edgehill – Legacies
In the wake of the accident that killed her family, Spirit White is sent to Oakhurst Academy, a combination school and orphanage in the middle of Montana. There she learns that she is a legacy – not only to the school, which her parents also attended, but to magic.
All the students at Oakhurst have magical powers, and although Spirit's power hasn't manifested itself yet, the administrators insist she has one. Spirit isn't sure she cares. Devastated by the loss of her family, she finds comfort with a group of friends: Burke Hallows, Lachlan Spears, Muirin Shae, and Adelaide Lake.
But something strange is going on at Oakhurst. Students start disappearing under mysterious circumstances, and the school seems to be trying to cover it up. Spirit and her friends must find out what's happening – before one of them becomes the next victim…
Legacies is a YA fantasy, written by a well-oiled team. Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edgehill have written nine adult novels together in the Elves on the Road universe, all published by Baen. I've enjoyed all of those, so I was curious to see what they would make of a YA story. It's a Lackey novel, so I was always going to read it, but I was glad I read it as it was an entertaining story and I flew through it. Legacies is a classic magical boarding school story, though more X-men's Xavier Institute than Harry Potter's Hogwarts. I love these kinds of stories, where we get to explore the world with the protagonist and learn alongside them.
I liked Spirit. She's resilient, without just bouncing back from such a crushing loss as if it were no more than a misplaced notebook. I loved that first scene in the hospital with Neil, the med student/orderly, as I found it strangely realistic, both Spirit's depressed moping and Neil's kick in the behind. The story was filled with this kind of small details, such as Muirin needing to be needled into taking responsibility at the scrying or Spirit's needing to be reminded of her family to be shocked back into action in the final showdown of this book. However, despite not just 'getting over' her loss, Spirit does try and rebuild her life, even when this rebuilding doesn't come easily. Reading about Spirit's settling in at Oakhurst and forming friendships with her little cabal was a pleasure. I especially liked the descriptions of how the kids would try and get around all the restrictions and monitoring of their internet, email and IM use. I thought Muirin and Spirit's use of Orwellian 1984 lingo was brilliant!
Legacies definitely read as the first in a series. There is lots of introduction of the characters and setup of the world, though there is a lot which remains unclear; the premise of the grand war is still shrouded in mystery and it isn't even clear whether Dr. Ambrosius and the rest of the staff are good guys or part of the problem. Lackey and Edgehill also build up a definite triangle between Loch, Spirit and Burke, to be further elaborated upon in the next books, one presumes. Personally, I'm rooting for Burke to get our girl, as I love his steady dependability and his unfailing sense of fair play.
Unfortunately, the book contains lots of annoying loose ends too, such as Dr. Ambrosius' weird personality switches, which are mentioned a few times, but never explained. Or the real cause of Spirit's accident and how exactly are Spirit's parents connected to Oakhurst? What happens to Nick and Edgar; do they come back or are they out of school forever? While some of these issues will no doubt be addressed in coming novels, I would have preferred if at least the minor ones, such as the last one, would have been wrapped up in this book, instead of just being left by the wayside. Because I fear that some of these loose ends will never be tied up and while I don't mind ambiguous endings when they are deliberate, that doesn't always seem the case here.
Despite the loose ends, Legacies truly is a fun read, a story you can breeze through in a sitting and not regret the time spent on it. I'd recommend it to younger readers, Lackey fans and readers who like books in this sort of boarding school setting or 'education of the hero'-type novels.