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Castle Tours
Celtic Castles can plan a castle tour throughout the UK (England, Scotland and Wales), Ireland and France.
Are We Nearly There Yet?
We were up at the crack of dawn; our tour to Scotland was beginning. The journey from Todmorden in West Yorkshire to Stonefield Castle is scheduled to take around 6 hours...
What's The Story In Tobermory?
After saying our goodbyes at Stonefield Castle we are back on the road again... Glengorm Castle on the Isle of Mull is the next destination. Here we come!
The Black and Pink Castle
Driving off the ferry, the sat-nav system goes back on and so we head off to find Barcaldine Castle. The castle is ideally situated for a stay either before or after a visit to the Isle of Mull...
Rooftop Sunset
From Barcaldine Castle we are now taking a bit of a detour and headed back north again to Gourock to stay at the delightful Castle Levan. The journey takes us back past Loch Lomond...
Meeting our Customers at Culcreuch
Today's journey is one of our shortest only at just over an hour from Castle Levan to Culcreuch Castle. On the way we pass through Greenock and Port Glasgow before heading out into the country...
The Castle Ghost and The Missing Dummy!
Today is one of the longest journeys of our trip; the car is packed and we have a selection of snacks to keep us going! We are headed up past Fort William to allow for a stop at Inverlochy Castle.
In Search of The Loch Ness Monster
The journey from Tulloch Castle to Aldourie Castle Estate is only 45 minutes. However heading further north there are a few other castles that I have on my list to visit...
In the Heart of The Cairngorms
Next on the list is Dalmunzie Castle. The drive from the Aldourie Castle Estate to Dalmunzie Castle takes you right through the heart of the Cairngorms National Park...
The End of our Amazing Castle Tour
As we head back down the mountains, the journey from the Cairngorms is stunning; delightful scenery all around and winding roads leading us back down the hill...
Castles available to book through Celtic Castles
Scottish Castles
- Ackergill Tower
- Aikwood Tower
- Aldourie Castle
- Amhuinnsuidhe Castle
- Barcaldine Castle
- Blairquhan Castle
- Bonshaw Tower
- Borthwick Castle
- Candacraig
- Carlowrie Castle
- Castle Lachlan
- Castle Law
- Castle of Park
- Cluny Castle
- Corsewall Lighthouse
- Craigston Castle
- Craufurdland Castle
- Cringletie
- Crossbasket Castle
- Culcreuch Castle
- Culzean Castle
Scottish Castles
- Dairsie Castle
- Dalmunzie Castle
- Fasque Castle
- Fenton Tower
- Fonab Castle
- Forter Castle
- Glenapp Castle
- Glengorm Castle
- Inverlochy Castle
- Kincraig Castle
- Lochhouse Tower
- Mansfield Castle
- Melville Castle
- Mingary Castle
- Muckrach Castle
- Scone Palace
- Shieldhill Castle
- Springkell
- Stonefield Castle
- Thirlestane Castle
- Traquair Castle
- Tulloch Castle
Irish Castles
- Ashford Castle
- Ballinlough Castle
- Ballynahinch Castle
- Ballyportry Castle
- Ballyseede Castle
- Belle Isle Castle
- Cabra Castle
- Castle Leslie
- Cloghan Castle
- Clontarf Castle
- Crom Castle
- Dromoland Castle
- Fitzpatrick Castle
- Kilkea Castle
- Killahara Castle
- Lismore Castle
- Lough Cutra Castle
- Markree Castle
- Rincolisky Castle
- The Black Castle
- The Lodge at Ashford Castle
- Turin Castle
- Wilton Castle


text:
Placenta Accreta
Placenta accreta is the abnormal attachment of all or part of the placenta to the surface of the uterine wall. The placenta provides life support to the growing fetus.
eMedicineHealth Medical Reference from Healthwise
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
To learn more visit Healthwise.org
© 1995-2014 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
New Santa Cruz Carbon 29er sneak preview
by Chipps
February 2, 2011
Santa Cruz has just leaked pictures of its new 29er carbon hardtail. It doesn't have a name yet (that they're telling anyone anyway) and the details are deliberately vague, but they'll be doing a full launch at the end of March.
Basically it's a carbon 29er hardtail, with tapered head tube and wishbone back end. It features a normal threaded BB insert rather than the recent (and confusing) move towards multiple different press-fit BBs. It features a picture of a coctail glass and the name won't include the words 'boy' or 'knife'


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The Zambia government has started replacing obsolete military equipment in all defence forces units with modern and advanced military equipment, according to the minister of Defence.
Geoffrey Mwamba said the PF government has realized the need to upgrade its military strength by acquiring state of the art machinery.
Mwamba has been touring military bases doted across the country and feels the state of the defence forces needs urgent attention.
He said government is eager to facilitate the process of modernizing all units of the Zambia defense forces across the country.
He assured to address the accommodation and other working conditions for soldiers.
Recently, President Michael Sata said he was worried with the poor state of the defence force especially the Zambia Air Force (ZAF).
He said during the graduation of SADC defence college students that ZAF needed to acquire a new troop career to ferry soldiers to conflict zones.
In an apparent plea for increased military spending, the defence minister also declared that Zambia currently lacks the military capability to adequately defend itself.


text:
Monday's appeal to donors is just the beginning of the battle for the United Nations to obtain the necessary funds to deal with the Syrian crisis in 2014.
If the response to the funding request for 2013 is any indication, the international community will make promises to provide the $6.5-billion but will fail to keep many of them. Only 68 per cent of the $4.4-billion pledged to the United Nations for Syrian humanitarian relief in 2013 has been received, UN numbers show.
The biggest IOU comes from Britain, which pledged more than $700-million but to date has paid only $400-million. Among Europeans, the next biggest marker comes from Italy, which promised some $80-million but has ponied up just $25-million.
Overall, however, the Arab world accounts for the greatest shortfall. The United Arab Emirates still owes $263-million of the $310-million it pledged; Qatar owes a whopping $100-million of the $116-million it pledged; and Bahrain still owes every dinar of the $20-million it promised.
For the record, Saudi Arabia paid in full the $96-million it promised, and Kuwait paid up its pledge of $324-million.
The United States paid in full its commitment of $1.16-billion, while Canada paid all of the $131-million it pledged.


text:
Holiday Sweets for Those Who TweetBy
Indulgent and affordable, chocolate is a popular gift during tough economic times. Two-thirds of U.S. adults buy chocolate during the holidays, according to researcher Mintel International Group. Americans will spend more than $200 million on gift boxes, predicts market tracker Nielsen. And the shoppers most likely to buy chocolate this season, Mintel says, are millennials aged 18 to 24, such as Daniel Killeen. The 23-year-old associate at a Boston venture capital firm plans to spend as much as $75 on Teuscher's Swiss chocolates for his mother and grandmother.
Trouble is, younger consumers are famously tricky for manufacturers such as Kraft Foods, Nestlé, and Godiva to reach via traditional marketing. That's pushing many chocolate makers—long content to pitch consumers through magazine ads or supermarket promotions—online in search of youth with a sweet tooth.
In June, Switzerland's Lindt & Sprüngli hired its first digital marketing manager, a Panasonic veteran named Kate Dickman, who chats with consumers and provides product updates (such as details on its new Lindor truffles) via a blog, Twitter feed, and Facebook page. "Lindt is allowing the brand to be far more accessible than it has ever been in the past," says Thomas Linemayr, chief executive officer of Lindt USA. New York boutique chocolatier Jacques Torres is also embracing the Web. Besides the usual social media tools, he'll soon debut a live video feed from his factories that he hopes will wow serious chocoholics.
Last year, Yildiz Holding's Godiva Chocolatier showed that Web promotions can lure young buyers when it successfully launched a Facebook campaign featuring virtual chocolates that visitors could send to friends and family, says Chief Marketing Officer Lauri Kien Kotcher. When the recipient "opened" the cybergift, she and the sender were entered into a contest to win a free assortment of Godiva bonbons monthly for a year. Jenny Polledri, 23, a recent college grad in North Caldwell, N.J., says she usually doesn't endorse specific brands on Facebook but would "definitely" follow Godiva's page if it meant a year of free sweets. Godiva has also launched a loyalty program giving members samples and free shipping—popular draws for Gen Yers on tight budgets.
Chocolate makers are cutting prices, too. Nestlé's Wonka brand, based on the fictional chocolate factory owner, has a line of stocking stuffers priced from $3 to $5, with offbeat packaging that appeals to younger buyers and stands out in a sea of white rectangular boxes, says seasonal marketing manager Jeremy Vandervoet. He says millennials comprise a good chunk of the 780,000 fans of Nestlé's Wonka Facebook page.
New York's La Maison du Chocolat, which sells a $1,200 "Candy Cane Christmas Tree" that takes 18 hours to prepare, launched a Facebook page this season to encourage store visits. Michael Olsen, who runs the French company's Madison Avenue store, says about 30 percent of Maison's New York shoppers are under age 30. Many are students from Manhattan private schools who come for a chocolate fix after class. "We can talk about our chocolate until we're blue in the face," he says. "It's all about getting them into the stores to taste it."
The bottom line: Chocolate, a popular holiday gift, is a winner with Gen Y consumers. To reach those younger buyers, confectioners are using the Web.


text:
© 2013 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
Statement from managing principal owner Theodore N. Lerner on Commissioner Selig
By / MLB.com
"I am confident that Bud Selig's legacy will be a standard by which all future commissioners will be measured. The Commissioner should be proud of the accomplishments under his strong leadership. His legacy will have many chapters: Labor, economics, technology, and community initiatives, to name a few. In Washington D.C., however, there is no greater legacy than the one he wrote by helping to return our national pastime to our nation's capital."
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Weight Loss Exercise Plan
Weight Loss Exercise Plan
Weight Loss Exercise Plan: Deliberation, Purpose and a Few Muscles….
A while back I mentioned to a friend that my muscles hurt from a recent training session with my trainer, Alfred, she remarked "no pain no gain". I used to think that was a true statement and have always thought that in order for me to reap the benefits from a workout then I must be nearly crippled with stiffness and achy muscles afterward. What I am discovering is that pain doesn't necessarily mean that the workout was beneficial; what's beneficial is that the exercises you do are done appropriately. My workouts with Alfred this week have been low impact meaning that each exercise focused on specific areas of my body and are done with deliberation and purpose. Low impact does not mean that the exercises were in-effective; by focusing on specific areas of my body I am able to concentrate on developing those muscles in a more distinct way. Incorporating both high and low impact exercises in my workouts is not only beneficial for my physical development but it keeps me from getting stuck in a predictable routine.
Several days ago I found a "lump" on my upper right arm. Naturally I was a bit alarmed until I realized that there was an identical "lump" on my upper left arm. Standing there in my bathroom staring at myself in the mirror I realized that the "lumps" were nothing more than muscles I had developed over the past few months. Filled with excitement I shared my discovery with my husband and children; yay me! As I think about the importance of health and well-being I am reminded by the fact that this journey, this incredible life changing journey is nothing more than a series of purposeful, deliberate actions that are creating a healthy me; The making of Karla 2.0. Making the decision to get healthy was the first step and each day since has required a series of deliberate moments. It is because of those deliberate actions muscles develop, habits are broken, weight is lost and self-confidence appears.
No matter where we are in our life journey we must remember to face each day with purpose and deliberation. Life is a great adventure and by making the choice to live that adventure in a healthy, fit body you will be able to enjoy it to the fullest. Be aware. Be deliberate. Be purposeful. Be well.
Like my Weight Loss Exercise Plan? Read more:
- Importance of Healthy Living
- Meditation Weight Loss
- Drinking Water Lose Weight
- Save Money on Exercise Equipment – Free Exercise Videos Online
Check out Karla's 24 Day Advocare Challenge updates!


text: Hello Duncan, Tuesday, August 15, 2006, 2:37:50 AM, you wrote: > If it goes in that direction it'd be nice to consider the issue of > structures which cannot support a polymorphic map. Of course such > specialised containers (eg unboxed arrays or strings) are not functors > but they are still useful containers with a sensible notion of map. unboxed arrays - not if you using implementation from ArrayRef lib ByteStrings - can be also parameterized by its type elements, as i always suggested. of course, these elements should be unboxable and belong to the Storable class in order to allow peek/poke them there is also faking solution: type ByteStr a = ByteString instance Functor ByteStr (although i never tested it) -- Best regards, Bulat mailto:Bulat.Ziganshin at gmail.com


text:
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is back-ordered. We will ship it separately in 10 to 15 days.
Sliding adjustable soft rubber grip is comfortable and helps to eliminate hand fatigue.
Short handle, good quality white synthetic bristle for watercolor and acrylic paints.
Economically priced.
Brush Flat Shader - 8
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text:
Added to Shopping Bag
Red Multi Strand Beaded Necklace Abalone Teardrop Embedded Coral Stone
Listed by FashionJewelryForEveryone
Size: Jewelry Sets
Price: $10.00
Final Sale (Non-Returnable)
This item is "Final Sale" and may not be returned.
If your item was misrepresented in any way, file a Misrepresentation Claim within 4 days of delivery. Our team will review your claim and you may be eligible for a full refund.
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Other Red Multi Strand Beaded Necklace Abalone Teardrop Embedded Coral Stone
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Pay with Credit Card, PayPal, or Affirm.
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N591 Red Multi Strand Beaded Necklace Abalone Teardrop Embedded Coral Stone
Whatever you are looking for Confetti Jewelry you can get it from Fashion Jewelry For Everyone.An exquisite Necklace which is consisting of multi beaded strands Necklace holding Confetti Abalone Shell fragments mounted in teardrop Pendant is beautifully embedded this is unique style. This Necklace was professional hand strung each red bead.
Material : Red Beaded Multi Strands Together
Length : It is 19 inches long with button clasp with no extension
Pendant : Confetti Pendant - Abalone Shell Teardrop with Coral outline Abalone Shell Teardrop which is 2 inches long
Quality : 100 % Satisfaction Beautiful & durable jewelry
Year Purchased:
Tue 11/21/17 - Sat 11/25/17 (4-8 days)
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text:
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against a man charged with kidnapping and killing a 15-year-old Northern California girl whose body has not been found, the District Attorney's Office said on Monday.
Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said he made the decision to seek capital punishment against Antolin Garcia-Torres in the 2012 disappearance of Sierra LaMar after a "comprehensive review" by a committee of senior prosecutors.
"I have concluded that this defendant should face the ultimate penalty," Rosen said. He said he would not be making any additional comments to ensure that Garcia-Torres receives a fair trial.
Garcia-Torres has pleaded not guilty to murder and kidnapping charges in the Sierra case. He is also accused of attempting to kidnap three women during carjackings in 2009.
Messages for his attorneys were not immediately returned. Sierra's family was pleased with Rosen's decision, cousin Keith LaMar told the San Jose Mercury News (http://bit.ly/Sb3D6w).
"We're glad the DA has chosen to do the right thing," he said. "I don't personally feel society would be safe with someone like that back in it. The best result that could come out of this is that Sierra would come home to us and that hasn't happened."
Sierra, who remains missing, was last seen by her family leaving her Morgan Hill home for school in March 2012. Her school books, purse and clothing were found near a shed in a field about 2 miles from her home on March 18.
Garcia-Torres was arrested two months later, after authorities say they found Sierra's DNA in his car and his DNA in her handbag. Investigators seized Garcia-Torres' Volkswagen Jetta on April 7 from a trailer he shared with his mother, girlfriend and young daughter.
Garcia-Torres lived about 7 miles from LaMar.
Sheriff's officials have said Sierra and Garcia-Torres did not know each other. Her abduction is believed to be a random act of violence.
Rosen discussed his decision to pursue the death penalty with Sierra's family. Keith LaMar, who participated in the discussion, said Rosen told family members he was not using the death penalty as a bargaining chip that would be taken away if Garcia-Torres led investigators to Sierra's body.


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Does Garcinia Cambogia have caffeine in it?
Many individuals who are interested in losing weight with this natural extract are asking the question, "Does Garcinia Cambogia have caffeine in it?".
The short answer to this question is:
No, Garcinia Cambogia does not have caffeine in it.
Since Garcinia Cambogia comes from the Cambooge fruit, which does not contain caffeine, Garcinia Cambogia extract supplements do not have caffeine in them unless the manufacturer adds it. Garcinia Pure contains a concentrated dose of Garcinia Cambogia extract, and it does not have caffeine added to it. Upon observation of the Garcinia Cambogia ingredients label, consumers can see that Garcinia Cambogia is the primary ingredient in this weight loss supplement. To maintain the level of premium quality ingredients of this natural weight loss supplement, caffeine has not been added to Garcinia Pure.
What are the benefits of a caffeine free Garcinia Cambogia supplement?
If you have ever drank a cup of coffee too late in the evening you may have noticed that it can be nearly impossible to sleep at night. Caffeine is a natural stimulant, and most people agree that consuming caffeine in the morning is the best time. The last thing you want a natural weight loss supplement to do, is to have it keep you up all night due to high levels of caffeine stuffed into the extract.
Often times manufacturers will add caffeine to a weight loss supplement, in order to boost the body's metabolic rate. However, the addition of caffeine to a Garcinia Cambogia supplement can create unintended consequences.
For example, if you like to enjoy your morning cup of coffee, but you also take a Garcinia Cambogia weight loss supplement in the morning, your body may receive too much caffeine which can cause an unpleasant jittery affect. Likewise, individuals who choose to take Garcinia Cambogia in the evening may not desire a caffeine buzz.
Recognizing these facts, Garcinia Pure contains premium quality ingredients that are free from caffeine. This way you can lose weight and also get a good night sleep regardless of what time of day you take supplement. In addition to being able to take Garcinia Pure at any time in the day, you won't have to worry about interactions with other caffeinated beverages you may consume throughout the day.


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Learning Activity 1 - Due 9/27/15
The manager must be able to solve problems, communicate, and lead teams toward the completion of a task.
You are the manager of the northern branch of the Laurel City bowling alleys. The owner, Jill Espy, has 4 other bowling alleys around town. The average employee assigned to the concession stand of all the Laurel City bowling alleys lasts 3 years. However, in your branch the average employee lasts only 8 months. Jill is concerned about this huge discrepancy and wants to know your explanation for the difference and what you can do to correct the problem. Training new employees is costly to the company and this high turnover is costing her money that could be better spent elsewhere.
You have tried talking with your current concession staff and have learned that pay and scheduling may have some effect on the turnover rate. However, one person indicated that many of them do not know how to handle difficult customers. It made them not want to come to work.
From your reading this week on a manager's need to lead their people how would you solve this problem? Consider motivation techniques, mentoring or other ideas from you reading to effectuate a positive change. Think outside the box. Be sure to look at all your resources including those within the organization and those without.
Tutor Answer
Brown University
1271 Tutors
California Institute of Technology
2131 Tutors
Carnegie Mellon University
982 Tutors
Columbia University
1256 Tutors
Dartmouth University
2113 Tutors
Emory University
2279 Tutors
Harvard University
599 Tutors
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2319 Tutors
New York University
1645 Tutors
Notre Dam University
1911 Tutors
Oklahoma University
2122 Tutors
Pennsylvania State University
932 Tutors
Princeton University
1211 Tutors
Stanford University
983 Tutors
University of California
1282 Tutors
Oxford University
123 Tutors
Yale University
2325 Tutors


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These were the words spoken by the young man in this 2 minute video BELOW following his real life God Encounter. After you watch the video, read his story below and be blessed!
One of our Partners is a Psychologist and has a thriving practice where free prayer is offered to patients. A young man in his 20's (whom we led to Jesus 3 years prior) signed up for an appointment with us. He is a pharmaceutical Rep. having recently graduated from college and was diagnosed with MS 3 years prior. We were assuming he would likely be wanting healing prayer. When asked how we could best pray for him he replied, "Just do what you did last time…let's see what God says and does!"
We began our prayer by inviting Holy Spirit into our midst. SUDDENLY God poured out from heaven a mighty presence that filled the room. Both Joanie and I tangibly felt this SO getting up from our seats, we gently laid our hands on him.
He was instantly filled with the Holy Spirit. He began shaking and speaking in another language. It was AMAZING! We also prayed for healing from MS.
After a week, we were back to pray at the office for people again (a part of our ministry while we are in South Carolina) and his mom was there. The receptionist. She couldn't wait to tell us.
She said to us, when you all prayed for Aaron, he went home, and ran up his apartment stairs, he was so excited. He said "Mom, I realized, I just RAN up my apartment steps" something that could not be done with MS. Then he did it again. He was excited. "I thought to myself, one thing I cannot do with MS now is jump and touch the ceiling. He jumped, and jumped and jumped again!" Praise God!!!!
Please know that after viewing the video himself, Aaron enthusiastically said to us – "Spread the Word…I'm feeling great!" Friends THANK YOU for being a part of our ministry!


text:
|Rediff India Abroad Home | All the sections
Home > Sports > Stars We Spotted
Spotted: NBA player Stephan Marbury
February 21, 2008
Reader Nivas Jinka sent us this picture.
'We took this photograph when New York Knicks basketball player Stephan Marbury came to one of the stores to promote his clothing line. He was jovial & friendly with the baby (Abhinav). Nice experience indeed,' writes Nivas.
Thank you, Nivas, for sharing this picture!
If you encounter your favourite cricket/sports personalities, send us the photograph or video on firstname.lastname@example.com We will feature the best images right here on Rediff Sports or Rediff Cricket.
Please check more Reader photographs


text:
WARWICK, R.I. Rite Aid sold the never-occupied Brooks Pharmacy headquarters it acquired as part of its deal to assume the Brooks and Eckerd operations to the New England Institute of Technology on Thursday, according to published reports.
NEIT plans relocate its campus to the 25-acre site and includes the 285,000 square-foot headquarters building, on which construction was completed last year.
"In a surprising and unanticipated development just before Christmas, we renewed discussions with Rite Aid regarding the sale of the former Brooks building," Richard Grouse, NEIT's president, said in announcing the deal. "Rite Aid reconsidered an offer from the college, and a purchase and sale agreement has been negotiated and was signed today."
The terms of the deal were undisclosed.


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Keep your edge. Holly Paul, a recruiter at PricewaterhouseCoopers, stays competitive by "doing something different every few years. At PwC, I've moved five times and done seven different jobs in 18 years. Keeps me on my toes."
— Adapted from "Executive Profile," interview by Emily Mekinc, Washington Business Journal.
Canary in the coal mine. As head of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission in the 1990s, Brooksley Born warned about the perils of derivatives. Unfortunately, officials in Washington shouted her down, bringing on the Wall Street crash of 2008 a decade later. At 71, Born still advocates for reform.
— Adapted from "The Regulator Who Saw Danger," Penelope Wang, CNNMoney.com.
Ventilate. Startling new research from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory shows that normal levels of carbon dioxide indoors can hurt people's performance. Even 1,000 ppm of CO2—considered "a benchmark of good ventilation" can seriously impair thinking.
Advice: When making your workplace more energy-efficient, take care not to lock in more carbon dioxide.
— Adapted from "Elevated carbon dioxide may impair reasoning," ScienceNews.org.


text:
This nice convertible will stop while running.I open the hood and disconect ans elect. Piece call a module that is located behind or by the wipers case inside then I have plug and unplug for a couple times and the car will restart again and run for a couple days with no problems I will say it happens every two days. Also the front wheels make a lots of noise when turning I check for the stering fluid, however I do not know where the container for the fluid is located or if has one at all; can someone tell me the easy way to put transmission fluid to this car I can't find the hole where to pour the fluid and what tyoe of fluid needs. This nice cabriloet has over 140k miles the reader stop working after I got the car, however when it runs it runs very nice. The car has a complete tune up it is a 4 cyl. Automatic I check the trans. Fluid and looks like it was very low. Please help. My wife wants me to sell the car if I don't use anymore. It's been off the road for a couple moths some people say is the timing. Or the distributor.I think it has to be something electronic.
Thx a lot. Will appreciated your prompt response.
Best Rgds.
Antonio in New York :)
have the same problem?
Wednesday, September 26th, 2007 AT 8:01 PM


text:
What To Expect While Living In The Dorms…
A lot of people ask: Hey, what's it like living in the dorms?
And as I look back into their starry, wandering eyes, I give them the rapid, to-the-point, version on what life is like in the dorms.
Because I think that's what they want to hear…
Because I think that's what's best…
But it's not.
They want to know all the juicy details. They want to know what it looks like; how many rules there are; how many people are placed in a room, and so on and so forth…
Luckily, I've had the pleasure to live in Stockton (girls freshman dorm) for an entire school year. So, there's a good chance that I can answer every-single question you have.
BUT before I give you the honest truth on life inside the dorms, here's the room tour I promised last week. The video goes by quite fast, so if you blink, you might just miss it…seriously…
It's at the very top of the page ^^^^^
But here's the link below–just in case.
First things first: Girls will be girls…as boys will be boys…
There will be some nights when you just want to exile everyone in the dorm out onto the streets. There will be loudness; there will be chaos, and you can't escape it…Uh-huh, nope! That's the sweetness of living in a community style dorm. You'd think those cinder-block walls will block the sounds, but nah, that doesn't keep everything out–you will hear your neighbor, whether you're eavesdropping or you're just lounging around; trust me, it will happen! There might be a game of hallway Frisbee (I played it last year…it was stinkin awesome!) Or…there might be people lounging in the halls, skyping or watching netflix. Either way, life will be unfolding–EVERYWHERE–right before your eyes. I'd suggest taking a breath, drinking some tea, and forgetting that silence ever even existed. It's not too bad once you get the hang of it, and if it really bothers you, you can always invest in ear plugs. Or, you could join in–Hey, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!
Here's a picture of what the hallways will look like!
The truth about the bathrooms.
I can't say too much about the guys bathroom since I've never been inside of one, but I can say that they'll probably look identical to the pictures I post below.
As you can see, the bathrooms are nice and clean (the cleaning ladies clean everyday, Monday-Friday.) But during those TWO days that the cleaning ladies are away, the bathroom turns into all-chaos! There will be pranks: Once, a few stalls had plastic wrap all over it. Another time, there was guacamole on the toilet seats. 🙁
People will leave their food in the sinks…*Sigh*….and they'll remain there until a smelly odor arrives. The stalls WILL be clogged. I remember, last year, there was always this one stall that no one could use–it was like the toilet was allergic to toilet paper or something! It was excruciating. (Also, if any of those things do happen, tell your RA! He or She will know what to do!)
Also…please flush…no one wants to see all that nastiness!
The showers are also quite nice.
However, I can not stress enough, PLEASE wear shower shoes–you won't regret it, I promise!
On each floor in Snowbarger, Lampher, Stockton and Rice, a laundry room will be provided.
There's usually two washers and two dryers. Doing laundry is FREE–Praise the Lord–so don't worry about bringing quarters. As long as you take care of the washers and don't over fill, or under fill them, then they should work perfectly…for the most part.
AS a freshman, you're freedom is a tad bit limited–not because we don't trust you, but because we love you, and we want you to make good decisions. With that said, there will be a curfew, and you'll be required to check in with you're RA every night. Don't worry too much, though! It's not as bad as it seems, and if you're doing what you're supposed to do, then you'll be fine!
Also, there is this thing called open hours; the times fluctuate depending on what year you are in. In other words, the campus has allowed days where the opposite sex can be in your room–which is awesome because you can hang out with your guy friends or girls friends without going to the lobby all the time.
The "Real" Reason Why Pets Aren't Allowed.
Everyone one wants to bring their pets. Heck, everyday I think about going out and buying a dog. The truth is, life is lonely without your loyal companion, and no person can replace that. But honestly, it's college! If you really sit down and think about it, when will you have time to feed, and let your animals out? They'll feel neglected because you'll never be home, and they'll use the bathroom all over the place, and your neighbors will begin to complain about the smell coming from inside of your room. All of it is a hassle. If you really need to have someone to tell your inner thoughts to besides your favorite stuffed animal, you can always purchase a fish or a turtle! They don't exactly have fur, and they don't demand as much attention.
Meet my roommate and I's fish. His name is Bubbles!
As always, I hoped my blog enlightened you on something new!
Peace and Love,


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2013-01-10 / Obituaries
MONTEREY — Helen Virginia Rexrode, 76, of Monterey, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013 at Pendleton Manor in Franklin, W.Va. She was born Sept. 24, 1936 at Frank, W.Va., and was the daughter of the late Stephen Barnasky and Blanch Moats Barnasky. She had worked at Hanover Shoe Company.
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Full versions of news stories from the current issue and our extensive archives are available to online subscribers only. You can buy single issues from the link below.


text:
Ruby MRI
|Yukihiro Matsumoto (among others)
|Initial release
|Stable release
2.4.1 / December 25, 2016[1]
|Written in
|Operating system
|Ruby programming language interpreter
|Ruby License
Simplified BSD License
GNU General Public License (prior to 1.9.3)
Matz's Ruby Interpreter or Ruby MRI (also called CRuby) is the reference implementation of the Ruby programming language named after Ruby creator Yukihiro Matsumoto ("Matz"). Until the specification of the Ruby language in 2011,[citation needed] the MRI implementation was considered the de facto reference, especially since an independent attempt to create the specification (RubySpec) had failed.[2]
The latest stable version is Ruby 2.4.1.[1]
Yukihiro Matsumoto ("Matz") started working on Ruby on February 24, 1993, and released it to the public in 1995. "Ruby" was named as a gemstone because of a joke within Matsumoto's circle of friends alluding to the name of the Perl programming language.[3]
The 1.8 branch has been maintained until June 2013,[4] and 1.8.7 releases have been released since April 2008.[5][6] This version provides bug fixes, but also many Ruby feature enhancements.
The RubySpec project has independently created a large test suite that captures 1.8.6/1.8.7/1.9 behavior as a reference conformance tool. Ruby MRI 1.9.2 passed over 99% of RubySpec.,[7] MRI Ruby 2.2 crashed on one of the tests. As a result of the limited uptake by the MRI developers, RubySpec project has been discontinued as of end of 2014.[2]
Licensing terms[edit]
Prior to release 1.9.3, the Ruby interpreter and libraries were distributed as dual-licensed free and open source software, under the GNU General Public License or the Ruby License.[8] In release 1.9.3, Ruby's License has been changed from a dual license with GPLv2 to a dual license with the 2-clause BSD license.[9]
Operating systems[edit]
Ruby MRI is available for the following operating systems (supported Ruby versions can be different):
- Acorn RISC OS
- Amiga
- BeOS / Haiku
- DOS (32-bit)
- IBM i
- Internet Tablet OS
- Linux
- Mac OS X
- Microsoft Windows 95/98/2000/2003/NT/XP/Vista/7/8/10
- Microsoft Windows CE
- MorphOS
- OpenVMS
- Syllable
- Symbian OS
- Blue Gene/L compute node kernel
- Most flavors of Unix
This list may not be exhaustive.
- PowerPC64 performance
- Since version 2.2.1,[10] Ruby MRI performance on PowerPC64 was improved.[11][12][13]
Commonly noted limitations include:
- Backward compatibility
- Version 1.9 and 1.8 have slight semantic differences.[14] The release of Ruby 2.0 sought to avoid such a conflict between different versions.[15]
See also[edit]
- ^ a b naruse (2017-03-22). "Ruby 2.4.1 Released". ruby-lang.org. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
- ^ a b Brian Shirai (31 Dec 2014). "Matz's Ruby Developers Don't Use RubySpec and It's Hurting Ruby". Rubinius blog. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ^ Bruce Stewart (2001-11-29). "An Interview with the Creator of Ruby". linuxdevcenter.com. O'Reilly. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
- ^ shyouhei (30 Jun 2013). "We retire Ruby 1.8.7". ruby-lang.org. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
- ^ Musha, Akinori (2008-05-26). "Ruby Core: Ruby 1.8.7-preview4 has been released". Retrieved 2008-05-30.
The new version of Ruby includes many bug fixes, lots of feature enhancements and some performance improvements since 1.8.6 while maintaining stability and backward compatibility with the previous release to a high degree, although there are ongoing efforts that need to be done toward adopting RubySpec.
- ^ "1.8.7 NEWS". Retrieved 2008-05-30.
- ^ Yugui (18 Aug 2010). "Ruby 1.9.2 is released". ruby-lang.org. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
- ^ "Ruby License". ruby-lang.org. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
- ^ "Ruby 1.9.3 Release News". ruby-lang.org. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
- ^ Gustavo Frederico Temple Pedrosa, Vitor de Lima, Leonardo Bianconi (2015). "Ruby 2.2.1 Released". Retrieved 12 July 2016.
- ^ Gustavo Frederico Temple Pedrosa, Vitor de Lima, Leonardo Bianconi (2015). "v2.2.1 ChangeLog". Retrieved 12 July 2016.
- ^ Gustavo Frederico Temple Pedrosa, Vitor de Lima, Leonardo Bianconi (2014). "Specifying non volatile registers for increase performance in ppc64". Retrieved 12 July 2016.
- ^ Gustavo Frederico Temple Pedrosa, Vitor de Lima, Leonardo Bianconi (2014). "Specifying MACRO for increase performance in ppc64". Retrieved 12 July 2016.
- ^ Rick DeNatale (Dec 26, 2007). "Ruby 1.9 released". Infoq.com. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
- ^ Yusuke Endoh (24 Feb 2013). "Ruby 2.0.0-p0 is released". ruby-lang.org. Retrieved 22 February 2014.


text:
Channing Tatum was named 2012 People's "Sexiest Man Alive" yesterday, which received mixed reviews from some corners of the blogosphere. Some thought the magazine's annual title should've went to another, while others embraced and agreed with the announcement like Jonah Hill here.
Jonah tweeted this photo along with, "you've always been the sexiest man alive to me! (Congrats pal!)" congratulating his 21 Jump Street co-star's achievement in such a bromantic way. The two are working on a sequel for the hit film.


text:
Anticipation of Kyle Prater's announcement on Wednesday has caused the first days of September to feel more like early February.
And even though the immediate college football season is only days away, the country's No. 1 wide receiver – No. 2 nationally – has football fans thinking about the possibilities of what Prater can bring them in 2010.
There's no lack of drama surrounding the announcement, either. Prater, located in the heart of Notre Dame country, has a top five of (in alphabetical order): Illinois, ND, Oklahoma, Tennessee and USC.
Article Continues Below
For the Trojans, pairing Prater with recent verbal commitment Robert Woods would complete the most impressive duo of wideouts in the country for the 2010 Class.
And, when considering that the Trojans have missed on a number of big-time pass catchers over the past two seasons, Prater becomes an even bigger priority. Because of the lack of numbers - only one wideout in each of the last two classes - USC is poised to lose the majority of their receiving corps over the next 18 months.
Prater is no stranger to any of his remaining five programs. He made an unofficial visit to USC in early August and said that he was "amazed" by the experience, and this was after he revealed that the Trojans had a slight lead after his trip to Tennessee.
The announcement date was accelerated because Prater will graduate early from high school and enroll at his choice for the spring semester. With his body college-ready right now, combined with the experience he'll gain during spring practice, Prater appears poised to make an impact immediately.
Now the only one question remains: where will that be?
Tune into to USCFootball.com as we will have minute-by-minute updates from Prater's announcement set for 12:30pm PDT on The Peristyle, Sept. 2.
To become a member, click here!


text: BABY BLOOD a.k.a THE EVIL WITHIN Distributed by: Anchor Bay Entertainment Film Year: 1989 Film Length: 84 minutes Genre: Horror Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 theatrical ratio Colour/B&W: Colour Audio: French 2.0 stereo English 2.0 stereo Subtitles: English Film Rating: not rated Release Date: October 10, 2006. Rating: / Scare Factor: / Emmanuelle Escourrou (Yanka), Christian Sinniger (Lohman), Jean-François Gallotte (Richard), François Frappier (Deliveryman), Roselyne Geslot (Rosette) Written by: Serge Cukier & Alain Robek Directed by: Alain Robek Perrrrfect… Once again, Anchor Bay is releasing a few more horror films for you to sink your teeth into just in time for Halloween. Tagging the film Baby Blood as being "Uncut and fully restored for the first time in the U.S." This exploitation splatter fest film is a must-have for horror connoisseurs. Known in the U.S. as The Evil Within, this French film follows the present-day life of an unborn creature who has searched the Earth for the perfect host for billions of years. In the form of a parasite, it squirms into the voluptuous Emmanuelle Escourrou (Yanka) as she sleeps - do I need to say by what opening? When she awakens in the filthy room of her lover, the owner at Le Cirque Lohman, (Lohman's Circus), she soon learns she is impregnated by something unnatural. Feeling sick to her stomach, Yanka flees into the city and her actions become controlled by this evil within her. It speaks to her mind. She can't kill it because if she attempts to it causes her horrible pain by twisting her innards. Thus, she does what it tells her but it doesn't control her mind. It becomes a mother-child relationship, although hers is full of both love and hate for this creature. She accepts that she must keep it alive until it is born…and the only thing the baby eats is blood… Yanka is forced to go on a killing rampage of the men she meets in her isolation. With such horrible brutality the blood of her victims literally sprays all over the screen. Covered in the violet fluid from the flesh, she's appalled as she ingests the blood to feed the baby. …it grows and she kills until the day it is born. Despite being a low budget film, I found the relationship between Yanka and the unborn creature to be amusing. Most of the film is conversation between the two of them and the writers create a sort of sympathy for the creature for wanting to be loved and being afraid of loneliness. It strengthens the depiction of Yanka's struggle as to what to do with this creature. She wants to kill it but she's grown fond of the creation inside because it has become a part of her – despite the inhumane killings. Restored in its uncut presentation, fans of exploitation films will find plenty gore and nudity tied hand in hand. The "R-rated" U.S. version apparently is missing most of the gore and has many scenes in a different order. (Source about the R-cut: www.imbd.com). VIDEO QUALITY / Framed slightly under 1.85:1, the widescreen enhanced image is acceptable for large screen viewing. The print has considerable grain but it doesn't interfere with the viewing. Colours are muted: blood doesn't always look real, flesh tones can be pale, and a colourful vividness in the surrounding is absent. But one can tell this is because of the film stock used and the DVD presents the film well. On a good note, the image has bright daytime scenes and interior shots such as in Yanka's run-down apartment complex immediately following her escape from the Circus. They are nicely lit and detailed. Large details aren't awash by artefacts, but the finest ones are because of compression artefacts. Unfortunately, Anchor Bay just can't seem to shake the bad compression jobs on their DVDs. It seems all of their titles (at least the ones I keep watching – except for their *big* titles like from the Halloween franchise) are poorly compressed and care isn't taken to ensure they look good. Maybe they can't see it on a 20" monitor that is possibly being used by the compressionist, but Anchor Bay should review these titles and QC them on a larger screen too. But then, that's what I'm for…too bad it's after the release when nothing else can be done but to provide consistent feedback for future releases. So my note to Anchor Bay: your compression techniques needs BIG improvement!! NOW!! AUDIO QUALITY / Both French and English audio options are available and I chose to listen to the French track and read English subtitles. I can't stand listening to dubbed movies because the expression of the actors is never the same. It doesn't carry the same feeling. It's easy to ignore the subtitles because subconsciously I'm reading them while watching the film. The stereo sound design is ok. It's mostly midrange with effects and music. The treble isn't bright, but the spectral balance seems that way because of the lack of bass. Dialogue is mono and is firmly anchored in the middle of the screen between the left and right speakers. I didn't force the soundtrack in surround by using Dolby Pro-logic II but you could certainly use that option. I enjoyed the soundtrack's ambient music score that seemed to widen the soundstage a bit. The score really is just creepy music and creepy sounds and nothing more, but still helps carry the bit of suspense. TACTILE FUN!! ZERO / TRANSDUCER ON/OFF?: OFF No LFE = no tactile effects. SPECIAL FEATURES / The film's theatrical trailer is the only feature on this disc. You will also find trailers for The Evil Dead, Cemetery Man, Warning Sign, and Superstition. IN THE END... If a story of a fetus that desires blood is your…er, cup of blood, you won't be disappointed. Apparently this film has a similar theme as The Unborn and It's Alive!, two films that I haven't seen and I can't vouch for them. I can vouch for Baby Blood as being gruesomely and shockingly entertaining. Mike Osadciw September 23, 2006.


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by Nancy Zambell | December 13, 2011 2:03 pm
When I was growing up, the "Made in Taiwan" stamp was a reason for derision, as it denoted inferior quality goods. But those initial exports — which began stepping up in the 1960s — set the stage for the Taiwan of today: a growing economy, fueled by advancements in technology.
While China garners most of the attention of investors trying to cash in on Asia's tremendous growth of the past few decades, investors would be amiss not to recognize the growing importance of Taiwan on the world stage.
As I've pointed out in a recent article[1], in 2010, Taiwan was the fourth-fastest-growing economy in the world, with a GDP improvement of 10.8%. The slow global recovery took a bite out of that expansion this year, but Taiwan's GDP growth still is estimated to come in at about 4.5%, followed by a 4.2% increase next year.
From a largely agrarian economy, Taiwan's electronics and tech products now lead the country's exports and are forecast to rise by 3% to 5% next year. Taiwan supplies the majority of contract computer chip manufacturing (foundry services) to the world and also is one of the leading manufacturers of LCD panels. Taiwan also is one of the top manufacturers of DRAM computer memory, networking equipment and consumer electronics.
China is the biggest buyer and supplier to Taiwan, accounting for 28% and 13.2% of its exports and imports, respectively. But the U.S. accounts for 11.4% of Taiwan's exports and is its third-largest trading partner, scooping up as many electronics and consumer goods that our money can buy.
An additional boon to Taiwan's economy is from the growing significance of its foreign direct investment (FDI).
In 2010, Taiwan was tied for No. 29 in global accumulated FDI, with about $111 billion currently in-country. In just 10 years — since its accession to the World Trade Organization — the country has more than doubled the $44.8 billion it received during the almost 50-year period from 1952 to 2000!
The entry to the WTO has been the biggest boost to FDI, but the Taiwanese government also treats foreign firms very well, including offering mostly unrestricted trade-related capital flows, abolishing the 50% foreign ownership limit in 2001 (for most industries), and lifting the amount of portfolio investment in the majority of companies listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange. The government also offers investment incentives for monies put to work in several areas, including energy conservation and emerging or strategic industries.
Another huge impact on Taiwan's growth was the 2010 Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement the country inked with China to cut tariffs to expand trade between the two nations. It's working well, with China bringing in about $130 million to Taiwan last year. And Taiwan now is going to allow Chinese investors to buy up to 10% in Taiwanese tech companies and up to 50% in new tech-sector joint ventures — sure to spur even more expansion.
Consequently, foreign investment in Taiwan is booming. Through August of this year, FDI rose 13.04%, or $2.95 billion, over 2010. Most of that FDI is in the electronics and electrical industries, but funds also are being directed toward the banking and insurance services, chemicals, trade and basic metals.
About 400 foreign companies operate in Taiwan, and about 100 have set up a regional headquarters in the country — a number that is expected to rise to 300 by 2015, according to a recent government report. Those companies include Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT[2]), the world's largest producer of chipmaking equipment in the U.S., and ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ:ASML[3]), Europe's biggest semiconductor-equipment maker.
During last fall's Taiwan Business Alliance Conference, 32 foreign companies — including Dell (NASDAQ:DELL[4]), DHL International GmbH and Novartis (NYSE:NVS[5]) — signed letters of intent to invest in Taiwan during the 2011, to the tune of about $1.66 billion.
FDI from the U.S. and offshore monies from its multinationals contribute the largest portion (24%) of foreign funds to Taiwan, followed by Japan (21%).
Sounds good, doesn't it? A growing economy, significant increase in global trade and a rush to beat down the doors to invest directly in the country by hundreds of foreign firms — what's not to like?
Consequently, you might ask, "How does an investor get involved in this growth?"
Let me first say that, of course, investing internationally during a slow global recovery is a speculative venture. Europe's woes — as you've seen in the past year — have drastically affected stock markets around the world. And Asian stocks have been some of the worst hit. In fact, MSCI's EAFE Index (representing developed markets outside of North America, including Europe, Australasia and the Far East) is down 11.3% year-to-date.
So it might not yet be time to jump into Taiwan.
But that time is coming. And the good news is that the Taiwan Stock Exchange is vibrant and modern. Now 50 years old, it has 758 companies listed as of 2010 and enjoys a market cap of $784 billion. The exchange was one of the first global markets to embrace computerized trading, and recently has announced upgrades, to be completed by the end of 2013, that will allow algorithmic or high-frequency trading strategies to align it with other international exchanges.
Also, about 10 Taiwan American Depository Receipts are available to investors.
However, I would recommend that most folks who wish to participate in Taiwan's growth story concentrate on exchange-traded funds. That way you get diversification and a professional money manager who has some knowledge of the inner workings of the country and its corporations. I just think buying individual stocks in Taiwan right now, for most investors, would be an exercise in great risk thanks to global uncertainty.
More than 60 ETFs include Taiwanese businesses as part of their portfolio of Asian countries, but just a couple that focus exclusively on Taiwanese investments.
Both EWT and TWON are extremely volatile, with TWON more so because of its small-cap investments. Most investors would be more suited to owning a more macro-focused ETF that would include Taiwan but also allow you to participate in the tremendous growth across many Asian countries.
Very risk-tolerant investors, however, might want to move EWT and TWON onto their watch lists right now for a possible buy as soon as Europe's problems cease to be the major headlines of the day. Once global growth becomes less constrained, the Asian economies — particularly Taiwan — might offer some significant gains to the investor who can tolerate a high degree of risk.
As of this writing, Nancy Zambell did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
Source URL: https://investorplace.com/2011/12/taiwan-emerging-markets-investing-ewt-twon/
Short URL: http://invstplc.com/1aLLzs0
Copyright ©2017 InvestorPlace Media, LLC. All rights reserved. 700 Indian Springs Drive, Lancaster, PA 17601.


text: Interesting. I had brewed this once late yesterday. So today I got the second steep out of the leaf for my morning cup. The taste was very close to my remembrance of the Charleston Plantation Governor Gray. It was going down so easily I had the cup half gone before I realized. Nice.


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Wellsville The war with Iraq came home Wednesday for family and friends of a Wellsville soldier killed in action when a rocket-propelled grenade hit his vehicle.
Army Sgt. Jacob Butler, 24, was based at Fort Riley; he was single and had no children. A cavalry scout with the 3rd Brigade of the Army's 1st Armored Division, Butler's duties included taking point and performing reconnaissance.
Joe Butler, Jacob's twin brother, said his family was notified by the military at 11:45 p.m. Tuesday of what may be the first Kansan killed in action in Iraq.
"I just know for a fact that he died fighting for our freedom and doing something that he loves to do," Joe Butler said. "That's really all I can tell you."
As the news sped through this town of 1,600 people about 24 miles southeast of Lawrence, the home of Butler's parents, Cindy and James, became a gathering place for neighbors and relatives.
Neighbor Larry Averill, who lives about a quarter-mile from the Butler family, said the news suddenly changed his perception of the war, which had seemed distant just a day ago.
"I thought the war has come home -- next door," Averill said. "You hear about it on TV all the time. You don't expect it to be your kid or your neighbor's kid, but it was."
Joe Butler said his twin brother joined the Army in 1998. He was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, and later transferred to Fort Riley.
A former principal at Wellsville High School said Butler also had an older brother, Justin, and a younger brother, James.
About 15 vehicles were parked in the driveway next to Butler's parents home Wednesday afternoon.
Family and friends were gathering on a large porch behind the house _ a gray frame structure with red ribbon tied around the posts that run from the overhang to the porch _ talking among themselves and hugging.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Staff Sgt. Sheldrick McNeal of Fort Leavenworth said, "The family doesn't want to talk right now and they don't have a statement."
Debbie Nolke, who owns Nolke's grocery store with her husband, said Butler worked there for about four years while he was in high school. Butler started as a stock boy and eventually was locking up the store at night. Nolke said Butler was responsible and "a real hard worker."
She said she asked Butler's family about him each time they were in the store, but she heard about his death from a customer.
"Yesterday, they said he was guarding prisoners in Kuwait and today we heard this," Nolke said.
Librarian Becky Dodd said Butler used to carry her groceries out of the store.
"He wouldn't take a tip for taking out my groceries," Dodd said. "I tried, I remember that."
Randall Renoud, who was assistant principal when Butler graduated from Wellsville High School in 1996, said Butler was "an All-American kid who gave his all for America and I don't know that you can ask for any more than that."
Renoud described Wellsville as a "very patriotic" town and said Butler's death had made residents realize that common Americans were on the front lines fighting for the country.
Signs of Butler's death were already evident across the town Wednesday night.
A red floral cross was hanging in the window of American Legion Hall Post 194 with Jake Butler in gold writing on a black ribbon. Above it, a sign reading "In Loving Memory" was taped to the window. Four yellow ribbons adorn the front of the post and four yellow and black ribbons hang in front of the Day's Past antique shop across the street.
Shop owner Lynn Whitaker said she added black ribbons after she heard about Butler's death. Whitaker said she was at the post office when she heard the news.
"We just naturally started crying," she said. "It hit home."
At the Wellsville Public Library, names of 50 military personnel _ some active and some reserves _ were posted in the window. Butler's is marked with a yellow paper star, a black strip and an American flag.
Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius issued a statement Wednesday afternoon offering her condolences.
"My deepest sympathy goes out to the family of Sgt. Jacob Butler, who was killed while courageously serving his country," Sebelius said. "I want to encourage the Wellsville community to support Sgt. Butler's family through this terribly heart-wrenching time."
Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. We strive to uphold our values for every story published.


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A Free-Range, Local Chicken in Every Pot: Understanding the Local Food Movement
By Tracey Ryder
This article has been reprinted with permission from the Summer 2008 issue of The GreenMoney Journal, a leading newsletter on Green Investing and Business publishing since 1992. More information at www.greenmoney.com
Fresh, seasonal, local, organic—all terms that have become increasingly confusing to consumers as they make food-buying decisions. And with fresh foods now traveling an average of 1500 miles before they reach our plates, eaters have grown tired of eating tired food. What's a consumer to do with all the confusing choices?
Where do they find credible information about what's best for their health, their community, the environment? Edible Communities, a network of locally-owned and operated food magazines, publishes 50 titles each quarter in distinct culinary regions across the U.S. and Canada, all of which emphasize the importance of eating locally grown and produced foods. In the four years since it was founded, Edible Communities has grown to be the most trusted and influential media network dedicated to the local foods movement in the world today. Clearly, consumers are "hungry" for more knowledge in this area.
In his 1928 presidential campaign slogan, Herbert Hoover promised prosperity for all Americans when he pledged them "a chicken in every pot." Today, Edible Communities embraces the spirit of that slogan but with some tweaking: we want the chicken to be sustainably and humanely raised and for it to come from a local farmer. In fact, we take the concept so seriously that our company recently adopted Hoover's slogan as part of our vision statement, albeit with the "local and free-range" qualifications added for flavor.
Decisions we make about food, of course, are not only about personal preference or about being politically correct or environmentally friendly. They are also financial. I can't tell you how many times I'm asked about the economics of food, which often creates the most confusion when making food-buying decisions. Many families resist buying organic produce because it is usually more expensive than conventionally grown produce. Others will buy organically grown foods but do so at big box retailers, where prices are better, but the produce comes, for the most part, from a foreign country and requires of gallons of fossil fuel to transport it long distances.
More and more, we hear complaints about "the high cost of cheap food" meaning that fast food often seems cheap when we can take an average family through a drive-thru window in less than five minutes and get them all fed for twenty bucks. However, if you look at the longer-term view, you realize that the food they're eating was raised with less-than-healthful methods, both for our bodies and for the environment, has traveled thousands of miles using tons of jet or diesel fuel and has had the nutritional value processed out of it which can eventually lead to diabetes and other costly health issues down the road.
If you consider that eating fresh produce when it's in season always costs less due to the sheer abundance of it and that it always tastes better because you are eating it at the height of ripeness, it isn't always the more expensive food choice. Add to that the fact that it's been grown locally, often by someone who lives and shops in the same community you do, more of those food dollars end up staying within the local community instead of being shipped overseas—a true win/win for producers, eaters and for the communities we live in.
Not Just Another Return to the Land Movement
In addition to overseeing the publication of just over two hundred regional food magazines each year, I have the rare and wonderful opportunity to travel most of North America while talking with farmers and food artisans about the work they are doing and about the overall state of our food culture today. I also get to talk to many eaters. There are themes that emerge during our conversations over and over again, and unlike the return to the land movement of the 1960s, there seems to be less of a desire to disconnect from society and reject the establishment. Instead, there is a desire for cooperation and communication and to make today's food issues part of the mainstream vernacular. There is also a desire on the part of eaters to know where their food comes from and to know the people who grow it. In fact, both halves of the equation consider the local food movement to be part of a new mainstream, and they're willing to put forth great effort in making it so for generations to come.
Another difference in today's local food movement is that it's grounded as much in higher education as it is in common sense. Most farmers I meet today have come to farming after earning advanced degrees. They are well traveled and have many career opportunities. Yet they choose to try and earn a living in a profession where there is plenty of hard physical work, a dependency on favorable weather conditions (even when the world is experiencing more extremes in terms of climate change)—and one where you buy retail and sell wholesale. Why, you ask? Did those expensive educations to go waste? No college degrees are wasted on this group, yet they are tired of the "business as usual" approach to food and understand the value inherent in growing a product of value, both for the health of our bodies and for the health of the environment.
In his latest book, In Defense of Food, author and advocate, Michael Pollan, advises eaters to simply "eat food," as opposed to "edible food-like substances." Although he acknowledges that in another place and time that directive would sound like the "manifesto of a crackpot," his premise is that we need to "escape the so-called Western diet, whereby food has been replaced by nutrients, and common sense by confusion." Ironically, it seems to Pollan (and many others today), the more we have worried about nutrition, the less healthy we have all become. So, the best advice is to use common sense when making food choices.
What's Better, Local or Organic?
I'm most often asked which food is better, locally grown or organic. Clearly, my company is at the forefront of a movement that feels local food should be the priority, although we don't shun organics. The truth is that most small family farmers—those who we work hardest to support, that is—almost always farm organically but cannot afford the time or expense involved with going through the rigorous certification process. Therefore, the produce they grow is organic but can't be promoted as such because the farm is not certified organic. This is why we encourage our readers to ask farmers questions, which is obviously impossible to do if the farmer lives in China or if you're buying produce at a supermarket.
This is where local food really packs a punch—when the farmer growing your food lives in the same community you do, they are accessible. They won't lie to you. They answer your questions and share recipes with you. The wellbeing of their own family is as dependent on them using safe, sustainable practices as your family is. And for heaven's sake, don't be afraid to grow some of your own food for that matter. It's easy to stick a couple tomato plants in the ground, give them a little water and watch them grow. Just plant the things you love to eat the most and supplement the rest from your local farmers market. Knowing where your food comes from, which also implies a degree of trust in those who grow it, is a powerful thing. Use that power wisely to make better food choices.
Tracey Ryder is President and CEO of Edible Communities, Inc. (www.ediblecommunities.com), a publishing and information services company that creates editorially rich, community-based, local-foods magazines in distinct culinary regions throughout U.S. and Canada. Ryder, along with partner Carole Topalian, were recently named to the 2008 FOLIO: 40—the oldest, most comprehensive and most distinguished compilation of publishing industry innovators and influencers.
Reprinted with Permission from the Summer 2008 issue of The GreenMoney Journal, a leading newsletter on Green Investing and Business publishing since 1992. More information at www.greenmoney.com
Category: Lifestyle Choices


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Talented Boxer Holly Holm (33-2-3 boxing, 3-0 MMA) has signed an exclusive multi-fight with Legacy Fighting Championships. MMAFighting first reported the deal on Wednesday, with Legacy officials confirming the move last night.
The talented striker will compete at bantamweight and debut for the Texas-based promotion at Legacy FC 21. Holm last competed in MMA at Bellator 91, where she blasted Katie Merrill with brutal strikes until the referee called a stop to the fight in the second. The Team Jackson-Winklejohn product has won all three of her MMA fights with brutal kickboxing technique.
While the deal with the promotion is exclusive, Legacy FC president Mick Maynard was adamant that the company would not stand in her way if the UFC approached her.
Holm was notably absent from The Ultimate Fighter 18 tryouts due to her boxing obligations. The talented fighter has already shown she has a ton of potential as an MMA fighter early in her career, and will be one to watch in the WMMA ranks.


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Minus the Mick
Updated Feb 14, 2004 by Annejillian
Comment #1 Sunday, February 15, 2004 12:09 AM
Thanx in advance
Comment #3 Sunday, February 15, 2004 6:47 PM
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Models Affected: Approximately 89,527 units of the Safety 1st Complete Air LX, Safety 1st Complete Air SE, Cosco Alpha Omega Elite and the Eddie Bauer Deluxe 3 in 1 convertible. Only models manufactured from July 20, 2010, through May 18, 2011, are affected. Look for your child-safety seat's build date on a sticker or etched into the side or bottom of the seat.
The Problem: "The rear-facing belt path installation arrows are incorrect and could be potentially construed as pointing toward the forward-facing vehicle belt path location. Therefore, the affected seats fail to conform to the labeling requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 213, 'Child Restraint Systems,' "the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement.
The Fix: Car-seat manufacturer Dorel Juvenile Group will notify registered owners and provide free label kits and instructions.
What Owners Should Do: If your car seat is not registered, register it here. Owners may call DJG at 877-675-2355, or go to http://www.djgusa.com/USA/eng/. Owners can also call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at 888-327-4236 for more information.


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Matt Woods
Michael Dean Damron, Devon Stuart, Dean Johanesen
Burro Bar
100 E Adams St.
Jacksonville, FL, 32202
Here's the short story. Matt has been a figure in the East Tennessee music scene for the past ten years. Located in Knoxville, TN, he has performed in several bands as well as working as a solo artist. Matt has shared the stage with the likes of CAKE, Drivin' n' Cryin', Will Hoge, Kevn Kinney, Roger Clyne (of The Refreshments), Garrison Starr, Tim Lee, Mic Harrison (of the V-Roys and Superdrag), Doug Gillard (of Guided By Voices) , Two Cow Garage, Col. Bruce Hampton & the Code Talkers, Zac Brown, Graham Colton, Brian Vander Ark (of The Verve Pipe), The Features and a seemingly never-ending list of talented independent artists who aren't getting the widespread respect they deserve from points around the globe. Matt spent his earliest years with a band called Magpie Suite, which received a bit of notoriety around the southeast and produced three albums. Until recently, he worked devotedly with his latest band Plan A, where he wrote songs, sang, played guitars, played cards, drank beers, and often drove from show to show along the east coast in a big, brown van named Daisy. Plan A released and supported two full length albums between 2004 and 2009. Through solo performances and band appearances, Matt has averaged over 200 shows a year for the past few years, an average that would be higher if it weren't for a very unfortunate thumb-wrestling accident in the spring of '06. At home, Matt also performs in a duo called Adapted Wood with long time friend Tod Sheley every Monday night, and in several other projects featuring a number of talented musicians. He can also be found sitting in from time to time at random shows in the Knoxville area.
Michael Dean Damron
A giant, this Michael Dean Damron. Musically and physically, I saw on YouTube. Damron gave us intense, heartstopping rock with I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In The House, but after four cd's Damron said it was enough and he continued solo. That brought him to Rosa Records, for his second solo album Bad Days Ahead. Giant Damron delivered, with Bad Days Ahead a monster of a rock album. Think of those exceptional punkrock albums by Johnny Thunders -So Alone- and Richard Hell - Blank Generation, but also of Alex Chilton's Like Flies On Sherbert. Madness, chasing the devil, rambling rock. What else can you ask for? I love it! Heavy rootsrock songs comprise the first part of Bad Days Ahead; I Love The Rain, Bad Days Ahead and the super heavy Swear To God - which reminds me of John Cale's Mercenaries. Dangerous, that's what Damron is, but he also shows his mild/soft side when halfway through he takes the foot of the gas; but the intensity doesn't diminish. Cello and pedal steel are added to the base of guitar, bass and drums in dark, slow classy songs as Hallelujah, Ghost Moonshine and Baseball Season Ends Early. Rocksong Andy Gibb, that discusses the excessive use of coke, deserves a special mention. Michael Dean Damron doesn't make it easy on himself with this collection of intense rock songs, with this exiting musical diary. He also doesn't make it easy on the listener, but that listner will ultimately triumph. So, just like me, dive into this monumental rock album
Dean Johanesen is a storyteller, a craftsman and a touching performer. "There is a saying about only being as good as your last gig that sticks with me", Johanesen insightfully recollects, a saying he applies to his performing and songwriting. His powerful work ethic and craftsmen like musicality has quickly pushed Dean through the throngs of would be songwriters, solidifying his position as one of Sarasota Florida's finest musicians. Even his previous band, The Human Condition had a hard time keeping up with him. The silver lining is that Dean has the rare personal charm of a young Bruce Springsteen, able to touch many walks of life with a musical vision that paints a similarly compelling portrait of America.
With a single mom on the move, Dean traveled around a lot when he was young and has vivid memories of sitting in the backseat listing to 8 tracks of Dolly Parton, James Taylor and The Eagles while driving through the deserts of Las Vegas into the boroughs of New York. It wasn't all peaceful easy feelings however and after a number of step fathers and and name changes, Dean decided to acquire his grandfathers last name; Johanesen, as that was the one consistent male figure he could look up to.
After Dean landed in the Florida area, he sowed his musical oats with The Human Condition but soon realized through the stripped down storyteller songwriter shows that his music was having a more powerful effect on his audience when they could hear the meanings behind the songs and the lyrical delivery along with the intricacies of his guitar work. There was also a symbiotic yearning from the audience to hear more from the soft spoken troubadour and after some specified requests for solo acoustic sets, the ball began to roll. Since then Dean has toured Europe and found himself opening for Donovan Frankenreiter, Mason Jennings and Martha Wainwright. He has hit SXSW for three consecutive years and exposed his music to the entire east coast via FM radio.
Cutting out on his own enabled Dean the space to maintain the emotional integrity of the stories he yearned to tell, channeling his trials and tribulations into earthy tales that resinate at the same frequency as pop folk leaders Andrew Bird and The Civil Wars. The songs were intentionally tracked slower allowing the lyrics and delivery to breath. Thorugh themes of hurt and forgiveness, Johanesen keeps his loved ones alive by telling their story through song. A heavy handed honesty pervades on the upcoming release titled A Time and A Place, imparting the listener with the feeling of be being counseled by a good friend.
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A Talent for Deception
Lady Max Mallowan, wife of the distinguished archaeologist, is now over 120 years old, and if she was still with us, she'd be bringing forth to the world her 120th book. As any mystery buff worth their game of Clue knows, Lady Mallowan is also Dame Agatha Christie (knighted in 1971). And it is no mean feat, that after all these years, her appeal remains undiminished. The fact is, 36 years after her death in 1976, in the school of detective fiction she is still undisputed Head Girl.
To date, she continues to be outsold only by Shakespeare and the Bible; her works have been translated into over one hundred foreign languages. Plus, she's the author of the longest running play ever seen on the London stage, The Mousetrap. (Much more about that play later.)
Last year, HarperCollins, Christie's global publisher, reissued Agatha Christie: An Autobiography, originally published posthumously in 1977. They also published Agatha Christie: Murder in the Making: More Stories and Secrets from her Notebooks, by Christie expert John Curran. In addition, they are publishing a trade paperback edition of 2010's award-winning (Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards) Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks, also compiled by Curran. The notebooks are a veritable treasure trove of revelations about her books and how they evolved. They include previously unpublished material—and what gems! They are an intriguing look into the mind and craft of one of the world's most prolific and beloved authors.
There has always been a voracious demand for books by and about Christie, and many of her staunchest admirers have been fellow writers.
Let us begin with the distinguished poet, Robert Graves, speaking of Christie in a letter dated 1944 and quoted by P.D. James in her Talking About Detective Fiction:
Agatha's best work is, like P.G. Wodehouse and Noel Coward's best work, the most characteristic pleasure-writing of this epoch and will appear one day in all decent literary histories. As writing it is not distinguished, but as story it is superb.
Christie was a great admirer of Wodehouse and called him "the magician of Blandings Castle" in An Autobiography. As for P.D. James on Christie:
Above all she is a literary conjuror. Game after game we are confident that this time we will turn up the card with the face of the true murderer, and time after time her cunning defeats us. And with a Christie mystery no suspect can safely be eliminated, even the narrator of the story…at her best the ingenuity is dazzling. Her prime skill as a storyteller is the talent to deceive…she seduces us into deceiving ourselves. …And her clues are brilliantly designed to confuse….the reader is in general treated fairly and falls more often than not into a pit of his own devising…. Agatha Christie has provided entertainment, suspense and temporary relief from the anxieties and traumas of life for millions throughout the world and this is an achievement which merits our gratitude and respect.
Then there is the very versatile and talented Robert Barnard from his superb A Talent to Deceive: An Appreciation of Agatha Christie:
…the traditional whodunit is a popular fictional form that is viable, satisfying and stimulating in an entirely worthy way…Agatha Christie is a supremely gifted practitioner of this—we won't say art, but—craft….It is the wonderful simplicity of Agatha Christie's deceptions of the reader that keeps the stories of her classic period so fresh and readable. You always want to kick yourself at the end—rather than the author…. The great joy of reading vintage Christie is the knowledge that no holds are barred, that no one is exempt: it is when we forget this that she pulls her most dazzling tricks…. Christie's habitual procedures in her classic phase: the plot is meticulously thought through, not a detail is misplaced or without significance in the total scheme, and above all the reader has that satisfying sense that the clues have all been fairly and squarely placed in front of him—even if he has somehow been induced to look out of the window at the crucial moment of placing.
Julian Symons in Mortal Consequences called this
…her characteristic sleights of hand by which the reader is deceived into making what prove to be unjustifiable assumptions…. She shows us the ace of spades face up. Then she turns it over, but we still know where it is, so how has it been transformed into the five of diamonds?
Rex Stout was fond of saying that he refuses to die before her, "Because of what I would miss."
He didn't miss much: he died in 1975, a year before Christie. By the by, Christie called Stout's trusty leg man, Archie Goodwin, "A splendid character."
Then there's John Dickson Carr, himself no slouch when it comes to creating puzzles, who asserted that:
…she has probably invented more ways of bamboozling the reader than any other living writer. Any young writer would find a whole course of instruction by studying her novels: watching her deft characterization while in full view she palms the ace.
As for the Royals, Christie adored the Queen Mum and 'tis said it was mutual. Queen Elizabeth is also known to be an avid fan. Christie writes in her autobiography,
I will confess here and now that of the two things that have excited me most in my life the first was my car: my grey bottle-nosed Morris Cowley.
(She bought it with the ₤500 she received in 1923 for serial rights to The Mystery of the Mill House which she rechristened The Man in the Brown Suit.)
The second was dining with the Queen at Buckingham Palace about forty years later.
And in 1971 that Queen, Elizabeth, made her a Dame of the British Empire.
The best for last. From the Bedside, Bathtub & Armchair Companion to Agatha Christie:
Rx: Dr. Freud. According to Freud's daughter Anna, Dr. Freud had a great love for detective stories, especially following operations. Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers were special favorites.
I like to believe this charmed her, given her penchant for using wordplay as clues; toying with deliberate grammatical errors, mixing up names and their pronunciation; and generally sprinkling a healthy dose of so-called Freudian slips into her novels.
Lady Mallowan did not by any means spring full-blown into print. The first Christie, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, was several years in finding a publisher and then sat neglected for still another year before it appeared in 1920. Styles allegedly grew out of a wager with her sister. The story of the bet may be apocryphal. Still, it is unassailable fact that Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie (she married Archie Christie of the Royal Flying Corps in 1914) made full use of her first-rate knowledge of poisons due to war work in a Red Cross hospital, and came into her own with her very first novel.
Although The Mysterious Affair at Styles has a plethora of red herrings, her inventions of situations and skill in plotting are well developed. Her hand was much too liberal with clues, but it was still highly cunning work, even at this stage. There were some nice reviews of Styles, but it is fitting of Dame Agatha that the one that pleased her most appeared in The Pharmaceutical Journal. It praised "this detective story for dealing with poisons in a knowledgeable way, and not with the nonsense about untraceable substances that so often happens. Miss Agatha Christie," they said, "knows her job."
Of course, The Mysterious Affair at Styles is most famous for introducing the world to the inimitable sleuth, Hercule Poirot. By the time we meet him, he has retired from the Belgian police force but shows no predisposition to remain in retirement when an interesting case appears. A diminutive five-feet-four inches tall, Poirot is endowed with an egg-shaped head and catlike eyes that grow greener as the solution draws near. His upper lip is graced with a carefully waxed and meticulously twirled mustache. His most obvious characteristic is his dandyism. He dyes his hair. Vanity compels him to squeeze into pointy patent-leather shoes ill-suited to walking the grounds of the country houses where he most often does his sleuthing. Poirot says that in interrogations, he always exaggerates his foreignness. The person being questioned then takes him less seriously and in consequence tells him more. Relying upon his sharp brain—his "little grey cells"—he insists on "order and method," and his personal style emphasizes the pursuit of the psychological flaw. Poirot's raison d'étre, as it were, is epitomized by this declaration, "I have a bourgeois attitude to murder: I disapprove of it."
His first Watson was Captain Hastings. Stupid, naïve, ingenuous, and the perfect foil for Poirot. Christie tired of Hastings in 1937 with Poirot Loses a Client (U.K. Dumb Witness), and banished him to marriage and Argentina, bringing him back for Poirot's last case Curtain (1975).
As the years went by, Christie confessed to tiring of Poirot, calling him,
The detective who came to hang around my neck like The Old Man and the Sea.
In moments of irritation I point out that by a few strokes of the Pen (or taps on the typewriter) I could destroy him utterly.
He replies grandiloquently: "Impossible to get rid of Hercule Poirot like that. He is much too clever."
And so, as usual, the little man has the last word.
Of her sixty-six detective novels, Poirot appears in over half. He is also the star of numerous short story collections. Top drawer, as they say, is The Labours of Hercules (1947). John Curran, among others, called it Christie's greatest short story collection and perhaps one of the greatest collections in the entire crime fiction genre.
The turning point in Christie's career occurred in 1926 with the appearance of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. With it her position among the foremost crime writers in the so-called Golden Age of crime fiction became assured and indisputable. Its highly original solution precipitated a furor of a kind that any tradition-shattering "first" does. But as Dorothy Sayers, Christie's brilliant contemporary, put it, "It is the reader's business to suspect everybody."
There is also a curious real-life mystery associated with Roger Ackroyd. Seven months after publication, with the book a phenomenal success, Mrs. Christie disappeared. After a nationwide search she was found suffering from amnesia in a famous spa registered under the name of the woman with whom Archie was having an affair. After "rescuing" her, he persuaded her to give him a divorce. She weathered the crisis, and married Professor Max Mallowan in 1930. They remained happily married until her death. But she never recovered from the journalistic barbs that labeled her disappearance a publicity stunt, and remained relatively shy of the fourth estate all her life. Mysteriously, there is no mention of the incident in her autobiography.
In 1920, with Murder at the Vicarage, Christie introduced Miss Jane Marple, who seems, at first, to be a sweetly bewildered old lady—just an old pussy who knits constantly and needn't command our attention. Wrong! She is a steely-minded detective. Since her introduction she has placidly knitted her way through many a complicated case. She makes it a rule to believe the worst of everyone and she reports with regret that experience has confirmed her in this point of view. Miss Marple is the apple of Mrs. Christie's "I". Victorian to the core, she loves to gossip, and her piercing blue eyes twinkle as she solves the most heinous crimes with the use of analogies to life in her archetypal English village of St. Mary Mead. "So like little Jimmy T., you know, put a frog in his teacher's ormolu clock." And thereby hangs a grisly murder. As so aptly expressed in The Body in the Library by one of her ardent admirers, retired Commissioner of Scotland Yard Sir Henry Clithering,
Downstairs in the lounge, by the third pillar from the left, there sits an old lady with a sweet, placid, spinsterish face, and a mind that has plumbed the depths of human iniquity and taken it as all in the day's work. Her name's Miss Marple. She comes from the village of St. Mary Mead…and where crime is concerned she's the goods.
And again in A Murder is Announced:
She's just the finest detective God ever made. Natural genius cultivated in a suitable soil.
No Christie retrospective would be complete without the inclusion of Ariadne Oliver, Christie's alter ego. She is a recurrent character who is a detective-story writer. Her detective is Finnish, a vegetarian, and has an unpronounceable name, Sven Hjerson. She and Christie like well-cooked meals, comfortable shoes, Shakespearean names, and privacy. In each of the seven novels in which she appears, someone always takes the straight-man role, feeding her a line which allows her to assert a Christie policy or feeling. Oliver sits in an office at "a table on which were a typewriter…general confusion…and a large bag of apples." In her autobiography Christie claimed she worked in much the same conditions.
Most incredible of all statistics connected with the work of Dame Agatha is the fact that The Mousetrap, written by request as a radio play for the eightieth birthday of Queen Mary, was successfully transferred to the stage and is still running strong, having just celebrated its diamond (60th) anniversary. The ending of the play has earned her, once again, the title arch-breaker of rules, or mistress of the misleading clue. Audiences are admonished at the end of the play not to reveal same. I may be naïve, but I don't think anybody ever has. (The title, in case you were uncertain, is from Hamlet. "King Claudius: What do you call the play? Hamlet: The Mousetrap…. Tis a knavish piece of work: but what of that?")
This past January the theater critic for The New York Times, Ben Brantley, a lifelong Christie fan, went to see the play on the occasion of its anniversary. According to his article, the producers have recently announced that they had licensed 60 productions worldwide, and that for the first time the show would tour Britain. Meanwhile, the London production is booking "until doomsday." And according to the program for the show, if everyone who had seen it stood in line, the queue would reach Nairobi. There is nobody like this Dame!
I cannot completely ignore the films made from Christie's work although, alas, most of them should be ignored. Miss Marple has been portrayed in several films by that formidable actress, Margaret Rutherford, but I must bear witness for Marple fans the world over and declare that Rutherford, a super lady in her own right, was not (through no fault of her own) "our Miss Marple." The year 1945 saw the release of one of the very few classic screen versions of an Agatha Christie story, And Then There Were None. Based on her ingenious 1939 novel with the politically incorrect title, Ten Little Niggers, it was directed by the great Rene Clair and had an all-star cast including Judith Anderson, Barry Fitzgerald and Walter Huston. Agatha's favorite was the second undisputed classic Christie movie, Witness for the Prosecution. Made in 1957, it starred Marlene Dietrich, Tyrone Power and Charles Laughton and was directed by Billy Wilder. And while cinema was not kind to Poirot, there was one exception, the 1974 film Murder on the Orient Express. Directed by Sidney Lumet, it had a cast of luminaries including Albert Finney as Poirot and John Gielgud as the butler. It earned high praise from Dame Agatha.
Television has been kinder to Christie, although she did not possess a TV set until very late in life and disapproved of the medium, as she felt it had an adverse affect on one's quality of life. PBS's Masterpiece Mystery series continues to produce the most consistently well-done Christies. It is a shame she did not live to see David Suchet play Poirot—he is perfection, down to his very own, very authentic. mustache. In his introduction to Murder in the Making, Suchet writes that Curran "becomes himself the veritable Hercule—well…almost." Miss Marple didn't fare very well until 1984 when the BBC launched Joan Hickson as the ideal lady detective in The Body in the library. Recently, PBS introduced a new Miss Marple but Hickson is still the one, hands down.
So much for history. Herewith my sampler of vintage Christie titles (in addition to those cited above).
It is a maddening fact of the mystery buff's life that the works of English authors too frequently reach this shore with a different title. More than one of us has found himself buying The Boomerang Clue, say, only to discover it's already been read as Why Didn't They Ask Evans. For this listing I will use the American title; wherever there has been a title change, the English title will be cited in parentheses. Incidental intelligence: none of those queried in a brief survey of publishing types could explain the rationale for such title changes.
The Tuesday Club Murders (The Thirteen Problems) (1932). This is Miss Marple's second introduction to the public. This time it is via a group of short stories, several of them gems.
Murder in the Calais Coach (Murder on the Orient Express) (1934). This is a tour de force that gives Poirot license to let the murderer go. Impeccably clued, it holds up, with or without the movie. Don't miss the nifty manservant who sets his master's teeth in water before retiring.
It is worth noting that in 1934 Christie came out with a collection that included a short story titled "The Rajah's Emerald." In it, one James Bond, an Englishman with more luck than skill, solves the mystery. The story is mediocre but is included in The Golden Ball and Other Stories(1971).
The A.B.C. Murders (1936). This is a classic that might have been inspired by a remark of Father Brown, G.K. Chesterton's priest-cum-detective who once said, "Where to hide a tree but in a forest?" Poe's "The Purloined Letter" also comes to mind. Poirot is in his element, and the case nicely complements Murder in the Calais Coach.
Murder for Christmas (Hercule Poirot's Christmas) (1938). A mischievous old patriarch, tyrant and sinner gets his just deserts. This novel contains the oft-cited example of Christie's skill in clueing. Poirot asks the butler Tresillian (yes, Tresillian) whether the wall calendar has been changed since the murder. Tresillian walks over and peers at it. The reader wonders over the significance of the date and whether it has been changed, whereas the real fact of significance is that Poirot hereby establishes the state of the butler's eyesight.
The Body in the Library(1942). Dame Agatha takes a cliché and with great virtuosity makes it work. One of Miss Marple's best!
Crooked House (1949). Murder, madness and megalomania among an exceptionally dysfunctional family. In a specially written introduction to the Penguin paperback edition Christie wrote: "This book is one of my own special favorites. I saved it up for years…saying to myself 'One day when I've plenty of time, and really want to enjoy myself—I'll begin it.'"
A Murder is Announced (1950). Her fiftieth and super-smooth! Miss Marple is hostess, along with an assortment of her famous red herrings, all beautifully marinated. One of my favorites. Watch out for those real fake pearls.
Endless Night(1967). The creator of Roger Ackroyd does it again. "Mille tonerres," as Poirot would say—revealing more would be criminal.
Elephant's Can Remember (1972). Hercule Poirot and Ariadne Oliver reconstruct a crime for the sake of two young lovers. The title harks back to A Murder is Announced and the character in it who wrote Elephants do Forget.
Curtain (1975). Written in the 'forties, designed for publication after Christie's death but issued just before it. Poirot's last case and the old grand master's powers of invention and execution have never been stronger. The only flaw, one that has accompanied Poirot from the start, is Hastings. Otherwise, kudos.
And finally, one last delicious tidbit. In Murder in the Making there is a 1950 notebook entry which incorporates these details: THE CLUEDO CASE starring Professor Plum. Col. Mustard, Mrs. Peacock, Mrs. White, Miss Scarlet, Reverend Green. What Evidence? She saw Professor Plum in the library with the candlestick. Board game? Curran says:
What a wonderful idea – the ultimate deviser of detective puzzles adapting the classic country-house murder mystery board game.
As a certain Belgian might say, 'It gives one furiously to think, does it not…?'
Certainly Agatha Christie's durability is astonishing and there is no sign of it waning. Roger Ackroyd was murdered more than 80 years ago, yet there are still as many people as ever who care who killed him. She nourished our instinctive hopes that in the end right and truth will triumph over the evil and the obscure.
To close, I return to P.D. James for one of my favorite quotes about Dame Agatha:
I suspect that a traveler, stranded in an airport hotel overnight and finding in the bedside cabinet two novels, the latest winner of a prestigious literary prize and an Agatha Christie, would reach for the latter to assuage the half-acknowledged fear of contemporary travel and the discomfort and boredom of a long night.
Irma Heldman is a veteran publishing executive and book reviewer with a penchant for mysteries. One of her favorite gigs was her magazine column "On the Docket" under the pseudonym O. L. Bailey.
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LONDON, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Queen Elizabeth II, as Britain continues to mark her Diamond Jubilee, will become the first monarch to attend a Cabinet meeting since Queen Victoria.
Prime Minister David Cameron and his ministers planned to present the queen with a jubilee gift Tuesday, The Guardian reported. They contributed the money personally for the present.
While the queen is head of state, she is supposed to be above politics. Her role includes opening Parliament with a speech laying out the government's plans, meeting regularly with the prime minister for briefings and giving the royal assent to government actions.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9:15 a.m. and to last about 90 minutes. The queen will be an observer, sitting next to Cameron.
Monarchs have not regularly attended Cabinet meetings since the reign of Queen Anne, 300 years ago. Queen Victoria was the last to do so on a special occasion.
In July, Cameron hosted a lunch for the queen and four of his predecessors as prime minister.


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October 29, 2013
THE DALLES WAHTONKA cross country runners (pictured from left to right), Avery Cardosi, Emily Morin, Katie Burns, Molly Nelson, Maddie Wood, Caela Dunagan and Luisa Meyer stand shoulder-to-shoulder after amassing solid times to place second at this past weekend's 5A district meet in Pendleton. With their efforts, the Eagle Indian girls qualified for the state meet for the first time since Wahtonka and The Dalles merged schools.
Stories this photo appears in:
TDW harriers get over district hump
Girl's team has five finish in the top-13 to secure first state berth since school merger
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