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James Frey lied. We know that now. He's admitted as much. Frey took it on the teeth in front of millions a few weeks back on Oprah, the titular host of which he'd duped, along with other readers, into believing really earth-shattering shit about his ability to have a root canal sans pain medication and the exact way some tragic girl he'd been putting the wood to offed herself.
As Frey was being clubbed like a baby seal, blinking and dazed, by writers from The New York Times and The Washington Post, Wack wondered if he ever thought, "Man, has O never read a rock 'n' roll biography? Those things are chock-full o' lies!" It's true. Wack reads lots of 'em.
By far, the most egregious of the rock bio fantasies is Mötley Crüe's The Dirt, where, if you counted, you'd find approximately ten lies per paragraph. We at Wack took the book, opened it randomly and picked the first lie we came upon on each page. We think a dressing down of Nikki Sixx is in order, Oprah-style!
M�tley Cr�e
Our findings follow.
1. Page 207, Nikki Sixx
"It was so funny to me that everyone thought I was dead that, as soon as I returned home, I walked to my answering machine and changed the message. 'Hey, it's Nikki. I'm not home because I'm dead.' "
Fact: Despite his attempt at machismo, Nikki didn't find his near-death funny in the least. He changed his answering machine's outgoing message to De La Soul's "Hey, How Ya Doin'," which was popular at the time.
2. Page 210, Mötley manager Doc McGhee
"Of course, Vince can't entirely be blamed for his behavior."
Fact: Yes, Vince can be blamed for his behavior. Entirely.
3. Page 303, Vince Neil on the death of his daughter, Skylar
"I drank, golfed, and passed out for what was probably another month. I was lost to the world. I put myself in Limbo: it looked like heaven and I felt like hell. One day I shot a seventy-six and became so excited that I scared myself. I wasn't supposed to be this happy. Skylar was gone. What was I doing? I was running, I was hiding, I was playing golf at a resort."
Fact: The paragraph above checks out, but conspicuously absent is Neil's love of badminton at this point in his life.
4. Page 247, Mötley manager Doug Thaler
"Ronnie James Dio changed my life -- twice."
Fact: Ronnie James Dio has never changed anyone's life. Even once.
5. Page 23, Mick Mars and Nikki Sixx meet for the first time at Magnolia Liquor on Burbank Boulevard, where Nikki works. They both deduce that the other looks like "the rock 'n' roll type" and exchange numbers.
Fact: Both would more accurately be described as "the asshole type."
6. Page 39, Mick Mars
"When I was in elementary school in the fifties "
Fact: Mick Mars attended elementary school in the 1800s.
7. Page 43, Tommy Lee is introduced into the narrative
"Duuuuuude. Fuck yeah. Finally. How much room is Nikki going to get, bro? Fuck. Dude, it's bad, but it's all good. All fucking good."
Fact: Tommy's first "dude" should be spelled with eight u's and not six. The rest is generally correct.
8. Page 420, Mick Mars on the love of his life, Robbie
"She wasn't into drinking or drugging or nasty stuff, and, consequently, she has helped me stay straight and narrow."
Fact: No woman could physically bring herself to be with Mick Mars without the aid of drinking, drugging or nasty stuff.
9. Page 78, Nikki Sixx
"I went to jail that night covered in smeared makeup, finger nail polish, and blood."
Fact: While generally correct, it should be noted that Nikki Sixx went virtually everywhere covered in smeared makeup, nail polish and blood.
10. Page 98, After being harassed by cops with chants of "Nice hair, girls!" Nikki, Tommy and Mötley drum tech Spidey lined up and each took a piss in the rolled-down window of the officers' squad car, outrunning the cops on foot shortly after.
Fact: Okay, so, Wack is having fun with all this just taking the piss out of the Crüe's braggadocio, but honestly, come on! Wack has been pulled over and ticketed for running a red light on a bicycle; meanwhile, these obviously recognizable eyesores are able to lose the law in a crowd after emptying their bladders in the back seat. Suuuuuuure. Please forgive our cynicism. Frey's got nothing on these guys.
Okay, we need to calm down. Tune in again next week when we pull apart "King of Easy Listening" James Taylor's accounts of heroin addiction in his memoir Long Ago and Far Away and claims by Shane MacGowan in A Drink with Shane MacGowan that he once brushed his teeth.
All hail R.E.M.! They were the jingle-jangle morning of indie rock, and their latest albums are not bad for a bunch of old farts. For all the great tunes, we have held our tongues in regards to goofy front man Michael Stipe. But no longer. For releasing yet another of these tiresome charity songs, this one for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, Stipe has earned himself a fatwa!
Stipe's Joseph Arthur-penned "In the Sun" is bland and, worse, mopey. Frankly, Stipe, the victims of Katrina could give two shits about your two-bit malaise. Sad-sack white folk know what you mean when you sing "Everybody Hurts." A person who found their mother's corpse by the smell of it in the wreckage of their home might tell you to sit down and cheer up. Have a Coke and a smile, Stipe (along with your celebrity guests such as Chris Martin and will.i.am). Next time, think about quietly donating the proceeds of a hit single instead of a self-indulgent public wankfest.
Fatwa! May "In the Sun" be the sunset of the charity song. May artists learn to do good works to get good feelings. It is written.
Ten of the worst rapper names possible
By John Nova Lomax
Rap names have got to be tough. You've got to either jack some famous gangster's name, or glom on to some hideously crime-ridden 'hood, or call yourself a "Pimp," "Hustler" or worse. It's a lot like the blues, one of the only fields of endeavor where the adjectives "blind," "peg-leg" and "cripple" in front of your name help enhance your cred and thus your sales. In both cases, what society at large would see as a handicap is a boon.
It got us thinking...These days, everyone in Houston's a rapper -- what if the people from the rich part of town wanted to start rapping and named themselves truthfully? At any rate, we came up with these ten H-town rap names you'll probably never see again.
10. Da Pearland Pimp
9. Cinco Ranch Souljah
8. Da Meyerland Murda Maab
7. Da Copperfield Killa
6. Tanglewood Terror Squad
5. Greenway Plaza OG Click
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4. Buffalizzle Speedwizzle
3. Piney Point Trillage
2. Dem Galleria Boyz
1. Macanudohouse


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Carol Stream (Ill.) Glenbard North junior quarterback prospect Evan Watkins (6-foot-6, 230 pounds) has added his second scholarship offer this winter. Watkins, who led the Panthers to the 2007 Cla...
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I expected this one to be a little strange, but I never thought it would look quite like this. After smashing a poor, defenseless little rabbit with a brick, a kid gets pulled into a hole by a giant bunny hellbent on revenge. The kid's mom immediately begins a blood-soaked quest to retrieve her son, an adventure that looks downright eerie and more than a little odd. Takashi Shimizu's "Rabbit Horror 3D" resembles "Marebito" more than it does "Ju-On", though I'm not going to complain about that one bit. "Marebito", while undeniably strange, was one hell of a trip, and I'm anxious for Shimizu to deliver something highly unusual once again.
Source: Twitch


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This is a finished dress tailored and photographed by eDressit.com. All rights reserved. Copying or otherwise reproducing this image is strictly prohibited.
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Whenever I encounter a new med I look it up here for the anecdotal side effects, good and bad. Very helpful.
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ParcelForce, FedEx, Royal Mail
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The Maschine Stand is an essential accessory for anyone using the Maschine. It fits both first generation Maschine models and the new black and white Mk2 hardware controllers, and includes a mounting adapter for use with standard drum hardware. Made of robust aluminum, with a black anodized finish and rubber pads for non-slip grip, the stand is designed to provide a strong hold, maximum visibility and improved ergonomics for both studio and stage.
Please note that the Maschine Stand is not compatible with the Maschine Mikro.
The Maschine Stand fits neatly into typical desktop environments, with just the right 15- angle for maximum visibility, ergonomic beat production and ultimate no-wobble, non-slip stability.
Locating pins prevent the hardware from shifting sideways and rubber pads front and back make sure the Maschine unit sits snugly on the stand. Down at the bottom, non-slip rubber feet hold the stand steady on your studio desktop.
The stand is rugged enough for any stage, and comes complete with a sturdy, die-cast mounting adapter, letting you mount your Maschine like a snare drum on standard 7/8" drum clamps.
Ideal for integrating the Maschine into your drum setup, or just to hold your Maschine at exactly the right height for optimum visibility and positioning when performing live.
- Includes metal stand for MK1 & MK2 Maschine and snare stand adaptor
- Purpose-designed for the Native Instruments Maschine
- Robust, aluminium construction with black anodized finish
- Perfect fit for Maschine, with ergonomic 15 degree angle
- Attach to drum hardware with included mounting adaptor
If you decide an equipment item is not suitable within 10 days of delivery, you can return it to us for a replacement or refund. Returns must be unused and in their original, undamaged packaging.
Gifts purchased between 30 November and 24 December may be returned by Friday 6 January 2016".
Some items are excluded from our money back guarantee, including:
• Computer software that has been unsealed or registered
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To arrange a return, just contact our customer service department on 020 7424 2800 or email us at firstname.lastname@example.com


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While I was at B.E.T. 106 & Park earlier this week, [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Machine Gun Kelly[/lastfm] explained to me exactly why he was arrested. He stated that some of the members of his crew, including himself, got into a fight. When somebody cracked a bottle over someone's head, that's when the police had to intervene.
He said that fortunately no one was seriously injured and he only had to spend about 8 hours in jail. At the end of the day, I guess MGK is truly living up to the meaning of his song "I'm A Wild Boy"!
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Women's Golf
Women's golf at Hoebridge Golf Centre is all about Fun & Friends! You don't have to be a member of a golf club to join in – you don't even need to own a golf club to get started! We offer learning opportunities that include free or low-cost beginner courses with qualified PGA Golf Professionals. We don't just focus on beginners, we have number of individual and group lessons available with qualified professions to get you to learn, improve and play golf!
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Women's Golf Lessons
Learn in a sociable and relaxed environment, taught by our PGA Golf Qualified Professionals. Specially designed lessons for women golfers looking to improve their skills or those that are new to the game.


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Gasparilla Parade
12 pieces
1 comments
52 solvesSolve puzzle
Tampa Bay Online photo. Gasparilla Parade has been a part of Tampa's Gasparilla celebration since 1947. for more information: http://gasparillapiratefest.com/history.shtml


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wikiHow to Start Your First Minecraft Survival World
Minecraft. The fantastic game that people all over the world love. So you have decided to play it on Survival. How do you start? Read on to find out!
1Find wood. Wood is the most used block in Minecraft, alongside dirt and stone. Once you have found a tree, break the wood and craft it into planks. If you cannot see any wood, walk around for a bit. Trees are practically everywhere, so it won't take too long to find one.
2Build a home. If you don't have a lot of wood, get some more or build it out of dirt. Don't make it too big to start off with, but you can improve it later. Still, make it big enough to fit all of the basic equipment inside- 5x5 or 6x6 is optimal.
3Craft a crafting table. You will need four planks of wood, which you can get from one piece of normal wood. The crafting table is by far the most used tool in Minecraft. Place it in your home or any other desired place.
4Craft the basic weapons and a bed. By now, the sun has nearly set. Monsters will spawn soon, so go to your crafting table and make: some sticks; a wooden sword; a wooden axe and a wooden shovel. Next, to make a bed you will need three wood planks and three wool. You get wool by killing sheep. If you don't want to kill sheep, make a stone pickaxe and get two iron. Smelt it in a furnace (you will need eight cobblestone to make one) and make some shears to shear sheep instead.
5Craft a bed and sleep. Place your crafted bed in your home and sleep in it. Sleeping in a bed allows you to skip the night, and set your spawn so if you die you spawn where you last slept.
- Well done: you have survived your first night! Now go forth, build a mansion, mine precious diamonds, and kill the evil enderdragon!
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- Breaking the bed makes it lose the spawn point.


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Galena Park (Texas) North Shore standout Najee Toran stands 6-foot-4, weighs in at 250 pounds, and has been mainstay in the trenches during his time in a Mustang uniform.
College coaches like what they have seen of his work on both offense and defense, and offers have come from Boise State, Houston, Oregon State, and TCU. From the sound of things more could be coming soon from the likes of Colorado, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Kansas.
"It's going good," Toran said of the recruiting process. "I don't have any new offers yet but it's going good. Teams are saying an offer is coming soon."
Article Continues Below
Right now defense appears to be an option, but most of his attention has come as an offensive lineman.
"Nebraska is looking at me on offense and defense. It just depends on what they choose," Toran said. "Other schools are looking at me for offense - either center or guard - but the defensive side is not out of the question."
Toran wants to play the position that will most help out his future program, but he does admit defense is his favorite.
"I always liked defense for the fact you're hitting somebody and hurting them," Toran said. "Putting them through a little bit of pain just gives you a rush."
This spring Toran was able to take unofficial visits to Houston, TCU, Texas, and Texas A&M, and as summer approaches he plans to check out a few more options.
"Oklahoma wanted me to come out to their camp this summer," Toran said. "I'm supposed to go out to Oregon State and Oregon. I don't know if I'll be at the camp but so far that's about the only camp I've planned on going to."
He plans to announce his decision before the 2013 season begins and he will be graduating early to enroll at his school of choice. He still has some thinking to do before making that choice, but there is one program currently at the top of his list.
"My No. 1 school is TCU right now," Toran said. "I'm real big on education and you graduate 91-percent of your players and make sure they get their degree, and you're a private school so I'm going to get more hands on with the teachers than I would going to another school. Football, when I went there they said it was like a family so I sat down and talked to some of the players. It was just a nice trip all around. I liked everything about it."


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10 Tips for Stylish Bookcases
Just about everyone has a need for a bookcase for storing reading material and other personal objects. Bookcases come in all shapes and sizes, from built-ins to free standing, but there's no need for them to be boring or basic. Here are ten simple ideas for adding a dose of style to your own bookcases at home.
Paint the Back. The easiest way to make your bookcases stand out is to paint the backs with a bold color. Not only does it make your accessories pop, it's a great way to add an accent color to your home office or library.
PaperBack. Wallpaper isn't just for walls, it can easily be adhered to the back of your bookshelves too. Peeking out from behind your accessories, wallpaper is sure to add a fun, whimsical, or sophisticated pattern to your space.
Trim It Out. Wallpaper always looks fabulous at the back of a bookcase, but who says you need to stop there? Adding a layer or two of decorative ribbon along the shelves is one more way to add interest to your storage solution.
Group a Collection. Decorative accessories look fantastic when grouped in multiples like these globes, and bookcases make it easy to bring your collections out on display.
Pretty up the Panels. Many bookcases have doors for closed storage below and they are one more opportunity to play with decorative pattern. Consider wallpaper, a stencil, or a free hand painted design to bring a whimsical or personal touch to your bookcases.
Organize with Baskets. The uniform use of baskets provides a much needed storage solution and also brings order and texture to your open shelving.
Contain Yourself. Keep smaller supplies at your fingertips with the use of pretty containers on display on your bookshelf. They are particularly useful in a craft room or a kid space where small toys or art supplies need corralled.
Skirt the Issue. Bookshelves offer one extra place to store important things but what if those things aren't necessarily pretty? No worries! String a lovely piece of fabric across the shelves you wish to hide and voila! Instant stylish solution to hide the less than attractive items.
Symmetrical Stacks. There's a beauty and rhythm to books stacked in symmetry. When in doubt on how to arrange yours, take a lesson from this display and the purposeful placement of books in stacks in most every cubby.
That's Personal. Bookcases aren't just for reading material, they're the perfect place to display your special mementos from your life and your travels. Adding meaningful decorative objects instantly personalizes a bookshelf beyond stacks of books.
Next time you pass by that free standing or built in bookshelf, look again – it may be that perfect place for you to add a bit more style to your home!
Have you thought of other creative ways to decorate your own bookshelves?
24 Responses to " 10 Tips for Stylish Bookcases "
April 25, 2012 at 7:19 pm , by Deb
I so love your many creative and doable ideas! You are such an inspiration and I use many of your ideas as I decorate and redecorate my home. Thanks and keep it coming!
April 26, 2012 at 6:09 am , by C.A. @ How To Be A Heroine
Kate – you always hit it out of the park. You have amazing style. Looking at all these pictures really makes me want to repaint our black Ikea expedit shelving. Of course it might just be more time efficient to just go and buy a white set – but I'm always looking for a challenge!
April 26, 2012 at 4:30 pm , by Marji Roy
Kate, I love these examples and they certainly have me looking at some of my shelves. I am eye balling the office shelves and thinking deep red background. Last year I added fans folded from wedding wrapping paper to the back of my hutch. It is beautiful cherry and I do not want to paint it but it was so
Dark. The fans added a new texture and some much needed white plus a contemporary oriental touch. Cost was a roll of wrapping paper. Add it to your list of interesting ways to back a shelf. Here is the link… http://www.ashbeedesign.com/2011/02/fan-flair-diy-project.html
April 27, 2012 at 11:48 pm , by Sherry burbach
Home Goods is my vacation. You show me things from around the world and do my shopping, My home has more sparkle and interest in every room not forgetting the usefulness of all the new kitchen stuff.
Like the bookcase suggestions, but I beat you to it a few months ago Everyone suggested that my pecan wood paneling in the family room is old fashion and I should remove it, instead I collected every book in the house and put up three shelves on one whole wall. I now have books and can showcase some of the special pieces I got at HG.. Alternating the things according to my overnight guests interests is lots of fun; especially since their bed is right under the display. The little spot light has a two fold purpose, to highlite the books and treasures, and then as a reading light.
I also like to hangout there when no one else is around.LOL Just bought a BIG silver shell so building on that is my next project. While i am still thinking about it, my little Maltese Lexi decided it is a good place to sit up and have her photo taken. which she loves to do. Thanks again for doing my world traveling for me, at 85 I "don't get around much anymore".
May 3, 2012 at 11:12 am , by Karen
This is great. Lots of good ideas. I hope you'll do one on kitchen island vignettes. That is always a challenge and I'd love to see some of your ideas for arranging a few decorative/useful items without too much clutter.
May 3, 2012 at 12:25 pm , by Becky
Oh my, sooooo many awesome ideas and so few bookshelves to apply them to!
May 3, 2012 at 2:12 pm , by Jen @ The Decor Scene
Kate as always you always find the perfect inspiration. Thanks for sharing. I recently added wallpaper to the back of my entertainment center and I love the look now. The dark cherry wood was just too dark for me and I didn't want to paint it. I couldn't see what was in there unless I turned on the lights inside the entertainment center. This piece also has glass doors on it, so the lighter wrapping paper really helped lighten things up and showcase what is behind the glass doors. Here is my link: http://www.thedecorscene.blogspot.com/2012/03/styling-entertainment-center-shelves.html
I would also love to see vignettes for a large kitchen island. I never know what to do with mine.
May 4, 2012 at 10:05 am , by Lisa @ Cozy Condo Living
Oooh. I hadn't thought about using ribbon. I'm going to have to try that on my Ikea bookcase. Thanks for the great suggestions all in one place.
December 20, 2012 at 9:55 pm , by Cathy D
I would really like to know the manufacturer and model # on these bookcases, and where they are available!
Any info on that?
Especially looking at the large white ones with square cubbies, the tall white one with vertical cubbies, and the natural finish one with cubbies on top and drawers at the bottom.
Many thanks!
April 7, 2013 at 1:58 pm , by joyce small
I want to paint an ugly espresso colored
book case in my living room.
How would yellow look in a soft
color not anything in bright yellow..
more like the color of a


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Rotterdam based-retailer Oqium teamed with Casio to release an exclusive G-Shock DW-5600. Each watch is featured in black with minimal Oqium branding and comes packaged with a matching Oqium t-shirt. Limited to 30 pieces per store (Rotterdam, Paris and Barcelona) with an additional 10 available online.
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LAKE BLUFF, IL -- George Richard (Dick) Schreiber, a pioneer vending journalist and past-president of the National Automatic Merchandising Association, died here in mid-December. He was 85.
Schreiber began a 25-year career in journalism as a reporter and columnist for newspapers in Ohio and Indiana. He became an instructor in writing, advisor to student publications and assistant to the Dean of Students at the University of Chicago in 1943. In 1946, he took what he believed to be a brief leave of absence to work with Billboard Publications (Cincinnati). He helped Billboard found Vend magazine, and served as its managing editor when it was launched in November, 1946. He subsequently became editor and publisher, and in 1967 advanced to vice-president and editorial director for Billboard.
While editor of Vend, Schreiber authored a special report on a lawsuit filed by a vending company in Washington, DC, charging Robert G. Baker, Secretary to the Majority in the U.S. Senate, with using his influence to affect the awarding of large vending contracts. The story was published in the October 1, 1963 edition; on October 7, Baker (a close associate of then Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson) resigned under fire, and subsequently was convicted of theft, fraud and income tax evasion. Schreiber received the 1963 Jesse H. Neal Award for Outstanding Journalism, and went on to author a book, The Bobby Baker Affair: How to Make Millions in Washington (Chicago, 1964). It sold more than 700,000 copies.
In mid-1969, NAMA executive director Thomas B. Hungerford died, and the association conducted a search for a successor. Schreiber was chosen for the post (see VT, November 1969), and took office on January 1, 1970. At that time, the chief executive officer's position was designated "president" rather than "executive director." He held the post until his retirement on January 1, 1988, and his long and effective service was recognized with the honorary title of president emeritus.
During his long term as president of NAMA, Schreiber led the association through a time of profound change during which it undertook groundbreaking initiatives in standardization, security and nutrition education, and public relations.
Schreiber always held the craft of writing in high regard. He authored Verses from the River Country (1940) and What Makes News? (1943), and then applied his knowledge of the vending industry to three important works, Automatic Selling (1954), A Concise History of Vending in the U.S.A. (1961), the book on the Bobby Baker scandal, and Vending for Investors: How to Spot Phony Deals (1994, rev. 1996).
Active in civic affairs, Schreiber served as Glenview (IL) Village president from 1965 to 1967, and was a member of the Chicago Area Transportation Study Group. He also devoted a good deal of volunteer time and energy to his alma mater, St. Joseph's College (Rensselaer, IN), and served as chairman of the college's board of trustees from 1970 to 1976. The institution awarded him an honorary doctorate in 1974, and recognized his long service by dedicating the G. Richard Schreiber Department of Humanities in 1987.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Veva; son George; daughters Susan Shorey and Ellen Hodge; and eight grandchildren.
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It's taken a few years, but finally Obama's fetish for drones has been outed. It is critical that what follows is an open and transparent debate over the place of these tools of extra-judicial killing, particulary because it seems everyone's getting them.
Finally drones are up for discussion. Forget that it took another Senate confirmation hearing and another strategically leaked document to get the drone-chat buzzing. The point is that one of the most insidious, clandestine, terrorist-creating developments in America's so-called 'War on Terror' (yes its back in beltway parlance) is up for scrutiny.
Ah, the morality of drone warfare. Big topic.
Are drones any more moral or immoral than dropping large bombs, causing huge collateral (read human) damage, and perhaps missing the intended target?
Is it better to execute suspects - note 'suspects' - and thereby avoid all that pesky paperwork that comes with arrest, trial and detention?
Is there a danger that when the operator who triggers the drone's kill capability is completely removed from the theatre of the 'war', that killing becomes as easy as playing a video game? It is asymmetrical warfare where the bloody horror of war is no longer in play for the aggressor, only for those who live with the constant buzzing of drones above, the menacing shadow and then the lethal force.
The leaked undated, unsigned "white paper" which provides the US political administration with the legal justifications for using drones to kill has really not provided any big surprises in its content, in that Obama was certain to have had legal justifications sorted for the 300 or so drone strikes he's authorized in his tenure so far.
It's pretty disturbing to realise that his legal advice is no less self-serving than that of the Bush administration's for the water-boarding and other 'enhanced interrogation' methods used at Guantanamo.
Even more disturbing is the foreign policy legacy of the self-professed liberal, humanitarian, equality-loving Obama's is in danger of becoming that he managed to out-drone all other contenders. Not sure if that's what the Nobel Peace people had in mind.
The white paper makes it very clear that the "President has authority to respond to the imminent threat posed by al-Qa'ida and its associated forces"; can use drones when "capture is infeasible, and the United States continues to monitor whether capture becomes feasible"; and the drone operation is "conducted in a manner consistent with applicable law or war principles" - whatever they may be interpreted to be.
Note there is no requirement for evidence, or even intelligence, that a target is actively involved in a plot against America.
What has alarmed Americans is that these powers allow the President to kill not just foreigners, but to kill American citizens, should they be suspected of being Al-Qa'ida operatives.
And that's the bit that gets me.
There doesn't seem to be much of a problem with the American President killing non-American citizens who MAY be plotting against the US. But kill an American citizen. Surely, some groups cried, Americans should know when their President can order their death.
Well the white paper sets that out for them. If a high level advisor to the President considers a person, even an American citizen, to be posing an imminent threat to the US, it is curtains. Death by bureaucracy as opposed to courts or courts martial has entered the building.
Drone fans argue in favour of the surgical precision vs that of conventional warfare, and that drones save truck-loads in American blood and treasure. Better to lose 5 - 10 family members of a suspected militant than 5 - 10 US troops on the ground.
There can be no doubt drones are genies well and truly out of the bottle, with about 70 countries now boasting some form of drone technology.
The US is still king of the killer drones, but that won't last for long. As with all war toys, from rifles to nuclear bombs, it's all about catch-up.
The UN is so concerned with the threat drones pose to legal and operational structures of war, adherence to international law, human rights law, international humanitarian law, and international refugee law, it has launched an inquiry into US, British and Israeli targeted killings by drone. The 'theatres' of these killings are not conventional war zones, because that's the thing - drones are a way of killing even when there is no symmetrical war going on. The UN inquiry is investigating drone deaths in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia and the Gaza Strip. No surprise Israel is refusing to co-operate with the inquiry.
What is dangerous is the US use of drones in areas that are not conventional war zones has become established precedent for others who justify everything in the name of security. No questions permitted.
And that's the good thing about the leaked white paper.
Finally, the incredibly secretive Obama administration has been outed on its killer drone fetish.
Ideally what should follow is some serious move to introduce oversight of the bureaucracy. Obama may be considered closer to the 'trust' end of the spectrum. Presidents to follow may not be.
At this week's Congressional hearing for the likely new CIA boss John Brennan, the candidate acknowledged there should have been more transparency surrounding the actual targets of drones, as well as those civilians who have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Brennan also declared he's more in favour of capturing terrorists alive than obliterating them. My suspicion is he will need to be reminded of that once he's in the big spy chair.
When he's there, Brennan is also going to find that America has a big problem on its horizon.
It seems to have no difficulty in executing those it considers a threat to US security.
What will its reaction be when another country, or indeed a non-state actor with drone technology of its own, decides America and its propensity to ignore the sovereign borders of others is actually a major threat itself?
What's sauce for the goose and all that. Just saying...


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Marco Polo Interview
|Marco Polo
|Next Project:
|Port Authority
|Marco Polo on Twitter
|Marco Polo's Website
Hip-hop was born on New York's streets but lately the beats have been moving slowly south. One man is determined to bring back the authentic boom-bap Brooklyn sound, Marco Polo. Marco moved to NY in order to work in the legendary Cutting Room studio, and he's used the skills he learned there to create his new album Port Authority. With features from hip-hop legends like Kool G. Rap and underground heat like Kardinal Offishall, Port Authority is a nod to hip-hop's roots that still sounds fresh. In an interview with DJBooth's Nathan, Marco declares war on shallow radio hits, explains the difference between producers and beat makers, and vows to lay off the ice cream in order to avoid the "old Italian man gut."
Listen to the Interview
Download Interview (MP3)
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Marco Polo Interview Transcription
DJ Booth: What up y'all, this is Nathan from DJBooth.net and with me today is Brooklyn based producer Marco Polo. Thanks for takin the time, how you doin?
Marco Polo: I'm doin good man, got some coffee in me so I'm ready to go.
DJ Booth: You're album Port Authority is set to drop on May 15th, what are you doin' to get ready for the release?
Marco: We're just trying to promote it as much as possible, we just dropped a video for one of the singles with Masta Ace called Nostalgia, you can check that out on my website www.marcopolobeats.com or myspace.com/marcopolobeats. I've just been doin' a lot of press and trying to spread the word about the record.
DJ Booth: You've said in other interviews that this album is your "Soul Survivor," what is it about that album that you're trying to emulate?
Marco: I'm definitely not trying to copy nothing, but it set out a rough blueprint for what I wanted to do… which is get some interesting collaborations, some posse cuts, just do a producer album. Not just have collaborations but have it flow from top to bottom. The thing I liked about Soul Survivor is from the intro, to the skits, to the beats that played after songs, it just tied together perfectly and inspired me when I was making Port Authority.
DJ Booth: You've mentioned the cut "Nostalgia" with Masta Ace. You've done a lot of work with him before, what is it about Masta Ace that made you want to collaborate again?
Marco: Ace is a legend to me; I'm a fan before anything else. When I was working in the Cutting Room in New York, when I first moved down from Toronto, he had come in for a Beatnuts session and I gave him a beats CD. He picked up a joint for Long Hot Summer and ever since then we've been collaborating. We really click in the studio and have similar ideas. "Nostalgia" ended up being the first record towards Port Authority and that lead to the video and ever since then I've been working with Ace. I've got a joint on his new album with Punch and Words and Strict, it should be dropping this summer. Besides all that you should see a couple more collaboration between me and Ace in the future.
DJ Booth: I think a lot of people have an image of the producer as someone who makes a beat and then shops it around to anyone who will buy it. Could you talk a little bit about the connection between a producer and a MC, what you look for in a MC, and the process of working with someone?
Marco: That's the typical way of getting your beats out, just sending CDs to as many people as possible. That's cool, that's how a lot of major label stuff goes down with producers sending beats to A&Rs and then they'll take the beat to the studio. There's never interaction with the producer and the MC in those situations and I don't like that. I like to be involved with the creation of tracks and especially for my album. I was lucky enough to be in the studio for most of the songs and collab and build on ideas to make the song as hot as possible. I've had the opportunity to be in the studio with cats like Masta Ace, O.C. and Large Professor, so we could bounce ideas back and forth. So if I'm doin' something with the beat the artist isn't feeling, or vice-versa something they kicked I think could be better. That's what makes the difference, when you're creating songs and that's what separates a producer from a beat maker, getting involved in the process from recording vocals to the mix to even mastering.
DJ Booth: Did you ever have a situation where an MC and you didn't connect, or an MC dropped something you didn't know about? How much influence do you have with what the MC puts down?
Marco: I've been fortunate in the last year for my album to be really involved. Because it's my album I'm not going to settle for anything less than perfect, or at least as close to perfect as we can possibly get. But there are situations where you're not involved and it's more of a business thing where you sold the beat and you'll get some input but not as much as you like. There has been some situations where an MC was spitting rhymes I wasn't really feeling or I thought could be better and I have spoken up about it and it's made the difference. There are times when that does happen and it sucks because you have to live with it for the rest of your life, every time you hear it knowing it could have been better, so I try and avoid that at all costs.
DJ Booth: You've definitely got some major MCs on the album, you mentioned O.C., Large Professor, Kool G. Rap's on there. Did you ever feel intimidated working with any of them?
Marco: There's a little bit of that just being a fan of their music, but I think these artists also have a respect for me and what I do. They were really open to my feedback and that makes the difference when making the track. I was lucky, working with someone like G Rap when he kicked his verse I had nothing bad to say, he killed it, then it was just up to me to do the arranging and make the mix sound good.
DJ Booth: Back to "Nostalgia" for a minute, in terms of hip-hop, what are you nostalgic for?
Marco: I grew up in Toronto and on the East Coast so I'm used to hearing that East Coast boom-bap, that's what I grew up listening to and that's what inspires my production. I miss that element of hip-hop and hearing it on the radio and TV like it used to be with acts like Wu-Tang Clan or Tribe Called Quest or Gang Starr. That really feeds my creativity, that era; a lot of that type of hip-hop's not being played these days so I definitely miss that aspect of it.
DJ Booth: What do think's caused that boom-bap New York style to fall off in terms of radio play and mainstream access?
Marco: It has a lot to do with the major labels and what they choose to promote and push. Somewhere in the last ten years it got lost in the shuffle and went a new direction. I do not hate on the stuff that's out now, I just think we need more of a balance. It's cool to have the south doing their version of hip-hop and New York doing party tracks or club tracks. I think the major labels definitely had something to do with that.
DJ Booth: One of the hottest tracks and one of the leading tracks on the album is "War" with Kardinal Offishall. Who are you declaring war on?
Marco: He's declaring war; we're declaring war, on exactly what I was just speaking on. What happened to that genuine hip-hop that we grew up listening to? A lot of artists today, there's no substance to their music, it's just something that may be hot for a month and then you'll never play again. It has no replay value, it's not timeless, and I think that was part of the song when Kardinal wrote it. That's what he had in mind and I support him on it.
DJ Booth: What are some of the timeless albums you heard that made you fall in love with hip-hop?
Marco: I'm a big DJ Premier fan so a lot of the stuff he's produced in the past for Gang Starr like Daily Operation, Hard to Earn, Moment of Truth. Pete Rock and CL Smooth's albums, Tribe Called Quest's albums, all the RZA Wu-Tang Clan albums like 36 Chambers, Liquid Swords, those are types of albums I have I mind when I'm making my stuff.
DJ Booth: In the wake of the Don Imus scandal, CNN has been running all these stories about how negative hip-hop is and what a destructive force hip-hop is. Can you talk about some of the positive things hip-hop's doing and how it's positively affected your life?
Marco: I haven't been paying attention to what's on the radio and TV, I've shut the world out for the last few years while making my album. But if we're talking about the stuff I used to love, you had groups like Native Tongues, which seems eons ago, they always had a positive twist on things and a positive spin on things that were happening life wise and how you could make them better. There was always a moral to the story as opposed to negativity. I think we need artists like that, and there's a few left like Common and Kweli, but I feel like that type of music is less heard these days.
DJ Booth: Now you're from Toronto originally. I'm not gonna lie, growing up in America we ignore Canada, so this is your chance to rep Canadian hip-hop, what's the U.S. missing?
Marco: Toronto's a small city, we can only get out so far, but we've had artists that have been representing hip-hop dope, ever since Maestro Fresh Wes back in the day, I'm sure that name is brand new to a lot of people. You had Madlib shout out Maestro Fresh Wes a year back. We've had guys like Kardinal and Socrates who got signed to Redman's label and has been doing production for a lot of people. We definitely have a strong scene, but Toronto has a lot of clones just like there are a lot of clones here. One of the issues I have with Toronto is there's a lot of talent and creativity and we need to do our own thing at times. I feel like Kardinal's an artist that's really represented Canada to the fullest with his slang and his style. It's a mix of hip-hop plus the West Indian and reggae influences that come from Toronto, so definitely check for Karidnal Offishall. He's doin' big things, he just signed with Akon's label, and he's a good ambassador for the Canadian hip-hop scene.
DJ Booth: Well maybe ten years from now Canada and the North will be like the Dirty South today, you guys will be on the map.
Marco: (laughs) I hope not.
DJ Booth: There's been a little confusion from fans with the label situation. You're signed to Soulspazm but Rawkus is doing the distribution. Could you talk about the label situation real quick?
Marco: There has been a lot of confusion. Technically on paper I'm signed to Soulspazm Records, I've been with them since I put out my first album with Pumpkinhead called Orange Moon Over Brooklyn. When Soulspazm lost their distribution with a company called Studio they needed a new distribution so they signed a deal to go through Rawkus and Sony Red. Since then my album's taken on a joint venture situation with Soulspazm and Rawkus. Rawkus has really started to rep the album hard and it's been an amazing thing for me to be with Rawkus. It's done great things for both of us in terms of them trying to come back and establish what they had. Definitely big shouts to Brian and Jared at Rawkus and Jim at Soulspazm for their support.
DJ Booth: If you could be part of their resurrection that would be dope.
Marco: If people see it that way that's dope. I think my album represents what people have come to expect and what they loved about Rawkus in the past and me coming out on Rawkus is a great combination.
DJ Booth: It's no secret you smoke a lot of cigarettes, Newports I think, and you talked about getting your caffeine fix on, what are some other vices or guilty pleasures you have?
Marco: Smoking and drinking coffee. For the record I don't want to advocate that or make it seem like something cool, it's just part of my life. I don't drink or do any drugs so it's one of my last vices. I'm a big food person so I love going and eating a big meal, especially because I'm Italian and my parents were born in Italy so you can catch me at the Italian spots. Ice cream is a weakness, nothing too bad, just simple things.
DJ Booth: I know when I have to write for a long time I need a large bag of Reese's Pieces to get me through, so I'm always interested in what other people do to keep 'em going.
Marco: I feel you on that, but I need to chill and start doing some healthier things. In older age the gut is kicking in, the Italian old man gut is happening, so I gotta start being more conscious of that shit.
DJ Booth: No longer the chiseled six-pack you've been rolling with?
Marco: Exactly!
DJ Booth: Believe me man I feel you. I really appreciate you taking the time with us today. I know you mentioned it earlier but could you hit people up with your MySpace address and where they can find out more about your music?
Marco: The MySpace is www.myspace.com/marcopolobeats and my personal website is www.marcopolobeats.com. If anyone wants to contact me for drops, interviews, beats, production you can e-mail me at firstname.lastname@example.com, and of course you can check me out at www.rawkus.com as well.
DJ Booth: Thanks again and I definitely got May 15th circled on my calendar.
Marco: Thank you, I appreciate it. Peace.


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As previously announced, Carhartt WIP will be opening its first US flagship store on October 27th. The new store will be located on Crosby Street in Soho and for the occasion they have teamed up with Hiroshi Fujiwara's fragment design on some store exclusive product.
Presented are beanies, t-shirts and pocket t-shirts, all featuring both the classic Carhartt logo and the fragment design logo, as well as an exclusive Carhartt NYC logo tag.
Carhartt WIP Store NYC
119 Crosby Street, Soho
New York City
Look out for the release this Friday, October 27th, 2011.
The entire line-up of items from the collaboration follow after the jump.


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El Paso's Best Rock of 2011 – As Voted by You!
A couple weeks ago, we asked you to tell us what you thought the best rock to come out in 2011 has been. We were blown away by your response, and you have created KLAQ's Countdown list for the year. We have the entire list for you now, as played on KLAQ over the New Year's Weekend!
Thanks for telling us what you like, and we look forward to hearing more from you in the coming year!
- Buy on iTunes & Amazon


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Paperweight collectibles. If there ever was a collectible that hollered "Art for Art's sake!" it was this one. Glass paperweights, with their colorful and complex designs, were always more aesthetic ornaments than functional objects to actually hold down paper or double as inkwells or toothpick holders.
So it's kind of curious that it took until 1925—long after the golden era of paperweight manufacturing 1845-1860 and despite the championship of royal collectors like Queen Victoria, Queen Mary, Empress Eugenie (Napoleon III's wife) and Empress Carlotta (Mexican Emperor Maximilian's wife)—for paperweights to be recognized as a legitimate, collectible art form.
The turning point came when Sotheby's, in 1925, held the first-ever auction of paperweights and sold 82 for a grand total of $588! Compare that to the collector Paul Jokelson's Pantin "Silkworms" paperweight going for $143,000 in 1984 and his "Bird in the Nest" paperweight selling for $182,600 at an L.H. Selman auction in 1990. And to the unique Clichy "Basket of Flowers" that fetched $258,000 at Sotheby's in 1990, the highest price ever paid for a paperweight.
Rarity and demand have ensured a steady appreciation in price, making antique paperweights a good investment. So also paperweights by modern masters like Paul Ysart and Paul Stankard. But, remember, fashions change and what is valuable today may not always remain so. That said, if you're going to start a paperweight collection, go for quality over quantity, and buy the best within your budget.
Some paperweight collecting tips:
Join paperweight collectors associations such as the Paperweight Collectors Association (formed by Paul Jokelson in 1954), Paperweight Collectors Association of Texas (formed on 28 June 1986), International Paperweight Society (formed in 1992) and Caithness Glass Paperweight Collectors Society (founded in 1976 by Colin Terris, the company's master paperweight artist). Subscribe to their newsletters, and attend seminars and lectures on paperweight collecting.
Visit museums with paperweight collections—the Smithsonian Institution, Corning Museum of Glass, Art Institute of Chicago, Bergstrom-Mahler Museum in Neehan Wis., Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, N.H., Forsyth Center Galleries at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.
Read books on paperweight collecting, paperweight manufacturing, paperweight artists and glass studios.
Learn about past and present paperweight manufacturers. To name a few—Clichy, Baccarat, Pantin and St. Louis from France, Bacchus of the UK and the New England Glass Co. of the USA. Some late 20th-century glass studios include Lundberg Studios, Orient & Flume, Correia Art Glass, Lotton & Parabelle Glass, and Royal Doulton with the Caithness brand. Well-known individual glass makers include Michael Kane, Rick Ayotte, Lewis Dean Woodruff and Charles Kaziun.
Learn to judge quality and rarity of a variety of paperweights. Paperweights come in different shapes—dome top with a flat or concave base and faceted or etched interiors, high domed, tall paperweights, egg shaped, pedestaled paperweights—and different types—Millefiori, Lampwork, Sulfide, Swirl, California style, Victorian portrait and Advertising paperweights and Silk Glass.
Attend the regular auctions conducted by L.H. Selman Ltd., Sotheby's, Christie's and Boisgirard and check past auction results to get an idea about value and pricing.
What paperweight collectors should know
• All handmade paperweights have variations or flaws in them. The more perfect the specimen, the higher its value.
• Discarded designs are in higher demand; limited editions not necessarily so.
• Provenance is necessary if the paperweight came from a famous or historic collection like that of Arthur Rubuloff, Evangeline Bergstrom and Robert Guggenheim.
• Grinding and polishing old paperweights to remove scratches or blemishes reduces their value.
• You can get paperweights at flea markets, antique shops and at online sites such as eBay, but very seldom the rare valuable ones. For those, contact a dealer specializing in paperweights. Some are Leo Kaplan Ltd, Pat McCauley and Alan Tillman.
WorthPoint – the premier Web site for art, antiques and collectibles


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Taliban denies Mullah Omar 'death'
Taliban officials in Afghanistan have denied that the group's leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, has died, claiming that a phone message and a posting on the internet were fake.
Zabiullah Mujahid said a text message sent to journalists on his behalf was the result of a phone hack.
"He is overseeing operations in the country," he said. He added that "outsiders must have hacked into Taliban phones and the website". Mr Mujahid blamed US intelligence agencies, saying they were trying "to demoralise the Taliban".
Rumours spread that Mullah Omar had died when the text message, allegedly sent from Mujahid, announced that the "Amir ul Mumineen", or "commander of the Muslim faithful", was dead. The title is reserved for the Taliban leader.
Afghan and coalition military officials also said they could not confirm the reports of his death.
Another Taliban spokesman, Qari Yousef Ahmadi, said: "Those agents who have been unsuccessful in Afghanistan are now trying to use these tactics to bring down the morale of the mujahedeen."
Mullah Omar has led the decade-long uprising against the US-led military coalition and the Afghan government of President Hamid Karzai. He ruled most of Afghanistan as leader of its Taliban government before the United States and its allies invaded on October 7 2001 in the wake of the September 11 attacks.
The decision to invade was tied to Mullah Omar's decision to shelter al Qaida's late leader, Osama bin Laden. The invasion ended Mullah Omar's nearly five-year rule of Afghanistan, a time when the Taliban government imposed a strict interpretation of Islamic law.
Women were barred from being educated and forced to cover themselves. Men were not allowed to shave and adultery was punished by stoning people to death.
Mullah Omar's exact age is not known but he is believed to be around 50.


text:
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Join Couchsurfing to see Paulina's full profile. It's free!
About Me
dance, dance, dance
"share and care" this is how the would should be, this is how i want to live. I grow up in two different countries and cultures so i feel home everythere.
Acctualy I am studying envrironmental ingeneering. yes that means i am an outdoor-freek, i go everywhere by bike, i do buy biological food and i go shopping to the secend hand store, i try not to use so much energy, and i try to do so much things as possible on my own. i belive that a world without money is possible.
due to my polish roots one of the most important thinks i life from are soups and the most important nourishment i am adding to almost everything i eat is BUTTER (slogan: no butter, no live!!!!) i cook almost every day, just because i am like good and healty food.
i dont have a specific genre of music i listen to. it is always depanding on my mood, the daytime and the situation. the music must fit. i listen a lot to music. its the2nd most important thing in live (yeaaa you got it: just right after butter ;) and i love dancing.
dont ask what the other person can do for you, ask what you can do for the other person.
Why I'm on Couchsurfing
hosting and cs-meeting,
I dont have so many surf experience jet, as I am mainly traveling with my tent or wwoof at farms.
the people I meet throug cs were great. never had a bad experience
dance, contact improvisation
nature, mountain, outdoor,
bike, hike, hichhike,
cultur, theater, books,
music, shake, live,
butter, butter, butter,
tea, coffee, sourmilk
sourdough bread, soups, pasta
eco, organic, low inpact,
tent, collective, eco-village
smile, laugh, sackasm
chill, catch a breath, think
- books
- theater
- dancing
- dining
- cooking
- coffee
- shopping
- traveling
- music
- outdoor activities
- cycling
- hiking
- wwoof
Music, Movies, and Books
Movies and books about live, people, problems, solutions, dreaming,..
A good book is when I can not put aside, because I started to be within the story.
I dont like movies with too much action, they are overloading me mentaly.
Music: everything, as long as good. further it is very depanding on the situation, mood, daytime,..
One Amazing Thing I've Done
every moment is amazing
Teach, Learn, Share
people that live their life in their own way.
Countries I've Visited
Albania, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Kenya, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tanzania, Turkey
Countries I've Lived In
Austria, Denmark, Poland, Sweden


text:
Being the diligent kind of person that I am, I figured that the most reasonable course of action while waiting to see someone about my toddler's speech delay would be to look up things that I can do with him at home in the meantime. There has to be more than just talking to him and reading to him, right? If there is, I have no clue what it is. So I turned to my good friend Dr. Google to see what kind of advice he could give me about dealing with a toddler's speech delay at home.
I shouldn't have.
I really, really shouldn't have. Not only did I not find any toddler parenting suggestions for overcoming a toddler language development issue, I found things that just scared me. Reading these things just...
I'm a genius. Literally. The husband? He's also a genius. Andy tested out at the high end of gifted. The things that I'm reading suggest that not only will Norton not be
an evil genius a world dictator with unparalleled intelligence above average, but he might actually have problems. I'd come across several articles stating that there is a correlation between a delay in toddler language development and problems with school when they're bigger. One article in particular lists "poor academic performance, psychological, psychosocial problems and other problems".
I'm not going to lie: when I read that, it terrified me. It just doesn't fit into what I had expected life with Norton to be. Now instead of debating on sending Norton to a Montessori school versus homeschooling, I'm wondering if I'm going to need to investigate which schools have the best special education program. Maybe this is just me making a mountain out of a molehill, but I am completely and utterly out of my depth on this one. I'm not finding any information that will really help me fix my toddler's speech delay.
So, really, I've found the perfect storm. An issue that I don't know much about, don't know how to fix and can't find out anything that I can do to help, have to wait to see a professional for guidance, and long term issues being linked to the problem (even if it's only through correlation and not causation). It just couldn't get any worse in terms of Google fail.
Have you ever dealt with language delay in toddlers? How did you help your toddler catch up? Have any of the long term issues shown up in your child?
ETA: We have an appointment with a language interventionist in two weeks. We'll see what happens!


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A local brewing company is giving beer drinkers the chance to enjoy a fresh ale for a good cause.
Flying Fish Brewing Company, based in Cherry Hill, NJ, officially released its Forever Unloved (F.U.) Sandy beer Saturday night. The hybrid wheat-pale ale, available only on tap, is now available at over 75 bars and restaurants.
Flying Fish made $45,000 from selling the kegs and will donate the entire amount to a Sandy relief charity.
Click here to see the full list of bars and restaurants where the beer is being sold.
Published at 12:06 AM EST on Feb 17, 2013


text:
Location: United States
Member Since: February 2011
Open for read requests: Yes
Featured by author
Book / Young Adult
Book / Young Adult
Profile Information
I'm really pissed right now. And I have some news to share with you. I am leaving booksie. So many people are getting plagiarized and guess what, getting accused of it! I guess people are paranoid now. So am I. But I never thought I would be accused of being plagiarized.
Forever After has accused me off copying her novel's story line. It is pathetic how some people on here will do anything to get attention. Like accusing people of plagiarizing when, guess what, its not even there.
I'm pissed because I am a experienced writer and have been working on this novel for quite some time. And then some little girl comes along and says I've copied her. Its so, so sad to see my own friends turning on me.
So that is why I'm leaving. Because no matter how you try, plagiarism will affect you somehow on this website. And I was accused of that. Let me explain something to you.
I know that it takes forever to write a really food piece. Trust me, I know. I'm aware of that, so stop acting like you know everything about it and actually consider that your not the only one who knows how to write something.
And my story line is nothing like yours.I started my opening with yelling parents about bills, because later on in the story, they are forced to become homeless. My story is a romance, super natural, and mystic happenings kind of book. Its not just teen fiction.
And I lied to you. I did not read your story. I skimmed through some parts. I have no idea what your story is about, other than your main character meets some guy at burger king. Yes, I read that in your summary.
So sorry if my storyline offended you. But don't go and whine over it on your profile like I'm the bad guy.
I don't have time for little girls to come and hate on me. Bring it on, girlie, but your not going to tell me what to do.
So shut the fuck up, and stop telling everyone that your story has more views and comments. I don't freakien care. It doesn't mean your better than anyone. So shut up.
Sorry if I'm not being polite, but if your not polite to me, then I'm not polite to you. Listen, go to your friends like Poisen Ivy Says and have them stalk me. I don't give a shit. If you little girlies think your going to be a bitch to me, you have thought wrong.
I'm so sorry to have unleashed this huge speech to my fans, who have nothing to do with this. I would still be here if they hadn't came into my life and caused drama. I will be removing my stories soon. I have no use with them anymore. I'm not proud of them anymore. They seem like crap to me now. I guess that is what happens when immature girls enter your life and try to be better than you. You give up on all hope.
When I first joined Booksie, it seemed warm and inviting. I guess I wasn't exposed to the reality that there is some people in this world who will do anything to bring you down. I'm leaving. I'm not coming back. My stories are being deleted to prevent them from getting plagiarized. I'm sick of this website. In the past few weeks, things have gone terribly wrong.
I do not copy people's valuable work. And I never will, no matter how much you want me to Forever After. I love you all. I will miss you. You guys have changed my life. Made it happier and more peaceful. I'm sorry to disappoint you all by ending my novels mid-way. Again, I love you all, and hope that you can survive on this website without being accused of something you didn't do.
Oh, and Forever After, I said I was leaving, but everything you post is still visible to me, don't forget that. I don't care if you cussed me out, which is a little immature on your part. If cussing is the only way you can get your point across, thats pretty sad. And I don't care that you told your friend that you were laughing while you were reading this. I don't give a shit. So carry on with your life knowing that your a bitch and you ruined someone's life.
Forget I ever existed. Besides, I'm just an "unexperienced" writer who has 'trouble getting fans" and "seemed pretty nice." (Quotes from Forever After and Poisen Ivy Says)
This is where you can leave a short message for the writer. All Quickees are public. To leave a private message, use the private.
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Marketing Articles
Marketing (general) Articles (click here for more)
Street Marketing for Small BusinessesBy: David Frey
It's 2:00pm on a Saturday afternoon and you're watching the Dallas Cowboys beat up on the San Francisco Forty-Niners. You faintly hear a knocking at your door but you ignore it because the Cowboys are in the "red zone" and are about to score again.
Again, you hear a knocking at your door and you grudgingly get up to go answer it. Before you open the door you look through your trusty peep hole that allows you to see who is bothering you on a relaxing Saturday afternoon. There he is, an energetic-looking young man with a big smile on his face.
You know what's coming next the sales pitch for something you don't want. But the young man catches your eye because he looks so clean cut. He has a nice shirt on with a tie and looks really happy. Finally, you decide to open the door.
As you do, the young man promptly extends his hand and says, "Hello, my name is Alex Gordon. I am trying to raise money for my college education and to do that I have teamed up with, Dezingers, the best local restaurant in the area. Dezingers is offering you over $500 worth of meals for free. It's really an incredible offer. Can I take a moment of your time to explain it to you?
You think to yourself, "I've seen Dezingers. They're giving away $500 of free meals wow! This clean cut young guy is working to raise money for his education that's impressive." You say to the young lad, "Sure, come on in."
Welcome to One-to-One Community-Based Street Marketing.
You have just witnessed (in your mind's eye) the power of one-to-one community-based street marketing. How many radio or newspaper advertisements can pull a football fanatic out of his chair, during an exciting football game, to see or hear your advertisement. The answer is none.
One-to-one community-based street marketing is powerful and effective because it searches and finds your prospect and delivers your marketing message face-to face. No other marketing medium has that power. Not even direct mail or the Internet.
It is said that consumers receive over 3,500 advertisements a day in one way or another. It is difficult for even the best marketer to cut through that much advertisement clutter. With thousands of advertisements being read, heard, or seen, your prospect can become dazed and confused. Those businesses that take their customers by the hand and demonstrate their value proposition will be the winners.
Most Any Product is a Good Candidate for Street Marketing
Most any common consumable product is a good candidate for street marketing as long as the offer is right. However, products and services that work the best are ones that the consumer already purchases such as oil changes, haircuts, or pest control.
The following are several popular items that do very well in the street marketing environment:
Not long ago I purchased a coupon package for a local car wash. The car wash offered me several free washes, carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, and even an engine cleaning for only $25. I knew that I needed to get my car cleaned and I figured I could make my money back in only two visits to the car wash. I bought it.
What are the Benefits of One-on-One Community-Based Street Marketing?
We've already mentioned how effective street marketing is because it cuts through the marketing clutter. But perhaps the biggest advantage is that it is extremely effective at driving customers to the local establishment sponsoring the campaign.
Think about it. Once you purchase a $25 set of coupons for a service, you're going to use that service to get a return on your dollar. So in essence, it's more effective to sell your coupons than it is to give them away as free gifts.
Another benefit is that when a new customer carries the coupon into the establishment and presents it to the service person, it acts as a flag to the business to give that new customer(s) the red carpet treatment. When your new customer has a great experience, they will come back again.
Who Walks the Street and Sells your Offer Door-to-Door?
A good college student that needs extra cash is a great candidate for street marketing. Depending on how you arrange the deal with your marketers, the person doing the door knocking can keep up to 100% of the profit! How good is that?
For instance, let's assume you were selling a dry cleaner coupon pack to residents for $20 and your closing ratio was 30% (not unreasonable for street marketers). It takes your street marketer one hour to hit ten houses in which people are home. As the street marketer, you close three of the ten houses and pocket $60. I don't know of one single college student that wouldn't knock doors for $60 an hour.
Strategies for Making Community-Based Street Marketing Work
It's not difficult to make community-based street marketing pay off big if you follow a few important strategies.
Strategy # 1 - Present an Irresistible Offer
The most important element of success for street marketing is the offer. If you can present an offer that is nearly irresistible you will have a high probability of success. If you understand your "total customer value" and your "customer acquisition cost," creating a great offer isn't hard.
If you know these figures you'll know how much products or services you can afford to freely offer and still make a handsome profit on backend sales (repeat visits, larger follow-on purchases, referrals etc.)
To develop your offer, sit down and write out a list of all your products and services. Now separate the basic products and services from the add-ons. Then start bundling your basic products and services with several add-ons using different combinations.
Strategy # 2 - Maximize Upsells
Structure the offer for maximum upsells. For example, offering a free rug shampoo and engine cleaning with a paid car wash forces the customer to pay for a car wash to get their free rug shampoo and engine cleaning.
Hint: When developing your offer (coupon sheet) you need to give away several basic offerings before you start bundling. For instance, if you are an oil and lube service consider giving away three oil changes free of charge, then bundle a paid oil change with other free add-ons. This allows the purchaser to clearly see that there is value even if they just cash in on a few coupons.
Strategy # 3 - Make It a Fundraiser
Consider using your offer as a fundraiser for a local high school. Local fast food restaurants use this tactic often. They allow the student to keep a portion of the proceeds, which shows support for the high school and at the same time giving the fast food restaurant a great reputation in the community.
But the most powerful part of using it as a fundraiser is that it gives residents a different, more powerful reason to buy your services. Who can resist a local high school student pounding the pavement to raise some money so they can have a uniform to play softball?
Another spin on this tactic if you don't want the fuss of setting up a joint venture with the local high school is to use a young college student. In their door approach script have them say, "Hi, my name is David Frey and I'm trying to raise money for my college education." Again, you've now turned a selling situation into a cause-related charitable donation, which dramatically lowers the barrier to purchase.
Strategy # 4 - Team Selling
Form your sales team into small groups of young people that attack a small neighborhood. Just knowing that your partner is on the other side of the street also knocking doors, will motivate your sales force. It's fun when the two street marketers get to the end of the street and compare notes (and sales!)
Strategy # 5 - Set Goals
Setting goals is another excellent way to keep your street marketers motivated. Because street marketing is a very results oriented marketing tactic that can be measure on a daily basis, it's easy to set, not only monthly or weekly goals, but also even daily and hourly goals.
For instance, you might set a goal for your marketer to contact 15 homes every hour. Another goal would be a "closing goal" that encouraged marketers to close four out of every five presentations for a 40% closing ratio.
Once you've developed a set of simple goals that are easy to understand and measure, stack rank your marketers and post results. The low performers will either be motivated to do better or quit. Both are acceptable results because you don't want low performers who aren't motivated to improve.
Don't forget to recognize your street marketers who are your top performers with rewards that they consider valuable whether it be money, a vacation, picture on the wall, dinner for two, or even a one week sports car rental.
Strategy # 6 - Have a Great Product and Give Great Service
Getting the coupon in the hands of your prospect is only the start. Once they redeem the coupon you must demonstrate high value. If you don't, you've just wasted a lot of money. You see your coupon is just a lead generator, nothing more.
Don't be confused; they are not customers just because they bought your coupon pack. They become customers when they've had a great experience with your product or service so when they come in to redeem their coupon, give them 110%. Make it a real "Wow" experience.
Make a Big Splash In a Small Pond
Many small businesses make the mistake of marketing too big. By this I mean, they take out ads in papers, on the radio, even on T.V that reach large areas, even outside of their market area. Before they know it, their marketing budget is blown and they have nothing to show for it.
Take a lesson from the real estate industry, choose a neighborhood and DOMINATE that neighborhood. Then move to the next neighborhood. Too many small businesses jump up and down in an ocean and expect to make a wave while they should be jumping up and down in a small puddle where they can make a huge splash. Street marketing is neighborhood and community based. It attacks the small puddles. But after dominating about five or six puddles, you'll start seeing big results.
Door-to-door, community based marketing is more effective at cutting through the marketing clutter than any other marketing tactic in existence. The offer presented at the door by your marketer is the biggest determinant of success. Consider using young adults who are trying to raise funds for college or a worthy cause. Send your marketers out in groups and set personal and team goals for them to achieve. Be ready to give you're your new customers the red carpet treatment so that they'll stay customers for life.
© Copyright 2002, David Frey
The author assumes full responsibility for the contents of this article and retains all of its property rights. MarcommWise publishes it here with the permission of the author. MarcomWise assumes no responsibility for the article's contents.


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Carmel Valley resident Lynn Flanagan's breast cancer support group held its annual holiday party Dec. 15 at Flanagan's home. Rather than hold a gift exchange for themselves, this group of breast cancer survivors each brought a sleeping bag to donate to Father Joe's Villages for the homeless. A total of 25 sleeping bags were donated. The members believe that "the best cure for one's own issues is to focus on the needs of others." Breast surgeon Dr. Michele Carpenter and Scripps Clinic oncologist Dr. Michael Kosty also attended the event.
Photos/McKenzie Images


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Wendell post (vol. 24:3) , December 2000
Includes articles on the continued problems at the Mormon Hollow Landfill, the future of the Meetinghouse, Lake Grove School's interest in buying the Fiske Pond property, Leonard Peltier's relevance in Wendell, a healing center proposed for the Fiske Pond property, landfill receives Toxic Action Center award for being an environmentally hazardous site, report from Wendell Regionalization Committee, news about the Meetinghouse, Selectboard minutes, tributes to residents Louis Traub and Joe Drozdowski, rate increase at the recycling center, an interview with Postmaster Anna Hartjens, low impact alternative cooking appliances, review of Ronzo's Bistro and local women publish a book about the recurrence of breast cancer.
Go here to read more about copyright.


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the handsome pony poop. :P
..dylan with poppy the cutie jack russell.
:D me, dyl & judy garland. da ginger chick. ;)
YAYA. yeeeeehaaaa
dylan garner wears: topman jumper
levis jeans
labour & wait belt.
navy issued boots.
i wear: velsoir bow tie in my hair.
rayban sunnies.
pink lil jacket ting chanel.
i will get back 2 u
about where my violet dress is from.
sheep skin coat=Tommy hilfiger.
never fully dressed scarf.
fuffy sheep bag J&M davidson


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Photographer's Note
Good Morning Everyone,
Our weekend visit to the Lake District began with a stop off at Wray Castle which is a mock castle, built in 1840, as a residence for Dr James Dawson, using his wife's inheritance. Seemingly, she took one look at the castle when it was completed and refused to live in it!
It is situated at the top of Lake Windermere, on the western edge, only a few miles from Ambleside. It has been owned by the National Trust since 1929 and though there were no contents when they inherited the building, the rooms are still worth exploring.
The National Trust put on lots of activities for children during the holidays and, when we were there, the car park was full and lots of youngsters were taking advantage of the opportunities.
The day was overcast so, I decide to show the castle in b&w, as the scene was already very monochrome.
There is an excellent link here which lots of further information about the history of the castle and some excellent interior shots.
Have a great day, Bev:-)
ikeharel, photographer_sg, timecapturer, Romano46, williamcoombs1, cornejo, No_One, mvdisco, ChrisJ has marked this note useful
Critiques | Translate
photographer_sg (4414) 2014-04-15 1:40
Hi Bev
Perhaps Mrs Dawson had wanted a cosy cottage instead of this imposing fortification :-).
Your picture is excellent especially with the fine monochrome treatment with fine details which remind me of the beautiful illustrations of old English classics. The framing is perfect and the chosen pov brings out the best in the sense of depth and height.
Thanks for sharing and have a nice day.
best regards
ikeharel (85010) 2014-04-15 1:44
B&W choise, due to grey sky aloft, was a good decision, Beverly.
The outlines and the details of the ancient fortified wall around the castle, are even in fine contrast to the main edifice.
Though it would be worth to see a bright-day colors version.
View upwards also gave it's mighty look, can imagine the knights standing atop on the turrets with spears at hands...
Best regards,
willperrett (12206) 2014-04-15 2:46
Hello Bev
Do you know, I don't think I've even heard of this place, which is strange as it looks as if it should be famous! Another cracking monochrome: it really makes sense to go for b/w in dull weather doesn't it? Nice thirdsy composition too.
timecapturer (49288) 2014-04-15 3:17
Hi Bev
a really wonderful looking castle this, it has all the elements that make it look both impressive and impregnable. Amazing to think it is not as old as it looks in this excellent B&W study. Like the tones and textures this medium brings out so successfully.
Regards - B.
Romano46 (18472) 2014-04-15 3:39
Ciao cara Beverley
oggi ti sei cimentata in un bianco e nero con un soggetto che ben si presta allo scopo.
Sembra di essere tornata ai tempi del medio evo e lo stesso POV scelto aumenta la suggestione.
Ottioma la composizione .
Ciao e buona giornata
snunney (113693) 2014-04-15 3:47
Hello Bev,
In those days, wives had little say as to how their husbands used their money. I can't say I blame her, it doesn't look very cosy! Black and white suits perfectly. The shot is well composed with the castle placed off-centre and the adjacent trees making an interesting frame.
Sergiom (96689) 2014-04-15 5:10
Bonjour Beverly,
J'aime beaucoup le point de vue et la contre plongée qui donne une belle ampleur à cette composition. Le château est bien beau et l'utilisation du noir et blanc donne un petit côté documentaire à l'ensemble.
holmertz (64602) 2014-04-15 6:44
Hello Bev,
Mock or not, this is still a fine castle, at least seen from this angle. But I understand the poor Mrs Dawson for refusing to live there. It would hardly have been a cosy home. Seen against the cloudy sky the turrets look quite impressive, and near the bottom the road creates a fine lower frame.
Kind regards,
williamcoombs1 (365) 2014-04-15 7:03
Hi Bev,
Another wonderful corner of England that you have rendered so well! I have lived in England and visited many times since, but your collection of photos brings some, to me unknown, wonders to the fore.
I love the POV and monochrome effect - they both convey stature and power so well.
All the best,
saxo042 (37974) 2014-04-15 7:12
Hi Bev,
There are no modern details here, so your choice of B&W clearly conveys a feeling of a very old picture. An interesting castle and an interesting note.
Kind regards
rychem (49261) 2014-04-15 8:56
This is like an illustration to a uncanny story, the B&W version emphasizes the mood, splendid photo
Gigidusud (21381) 2014-04-15 9:46
Hello Beverley,
Beautiful capture of the castle with nice B&W version and an excellent POV. Well done!
Have a nice evening.
cornejo (51046) 2014-04-15 10:29
Hi Bev, very good and interesting photograph of this interesting castle black and white, very well captured in this beautiful image with good sharpness and light. Very good and interesting job well done, congratulations my friend. Thanks for sharing this beautiful work.
Good night and happy week.
Best wishes from southern Spain.
lousat (103153) 2014-04-15 11:30
Hi Bev,a beautiful black and white version,perfect for this imposing view on this castle,looks like a pic taken in 1960,very well exposed to not burn the clouds and to don't loose the architechture detail,excellent work and interesting post.Have a nice evening and thanks,Luciano
marabu61 (11537) 2014-04-15 12:32
Hello Beverley
I think the black and white has been a good choice here, it gives the mock castle lots of character and lets it appear older than it really is. Well done indeed.
have a great day
No_One (4) 2014-04-15 13:02
Hi Bev,
Isnt is weird that people deciced to make a place like this modern times, but as a big fan of castles, I have to wonder, if I won the Euromillions, would I??? Certainly I've toyed with the idea of building an Irish Blenheim or Versailles, but not for me own use, more as something to leave to the generations of shutterbugs yet to come!
How surprising his wife did not wish to live here, I thought all ladies loved the idea of draughty halls, spider filled corners and hay spread round on the ground :)
LOvely idea to convert to B&W too, it suits this shot perfectly. The upwards point of view is very cool too, gives a nice Castle Dracula feeling to it.
Thanks as always
mvdisco (17798) 2014-04-15 18:21
Hi Beverly, Bonjour,
Magnifique prise de vue de ce superbe château (Wray Castle),
Bien présenté en Noir & blanc avec un beau contraste et lumière,
Excellent contre-plongé et détails..
tous mes compliments.
subhendu_bagchi (26091) 2014-04-15 23:34
Marvellous composition. You got a superb frame with those buildings. Great light and fascinating depth. Excellent conversation in monochrome. Superb shot. TFS.
Nicou (160001) 2014-04-16 7:11
quelle vue charmant château et architecture avec sa tour centrale sueprbe compo et iamge le NB colle parfaitement splendide vue.
Bravo et belle soirée
ChrisJ (126725) 2014-04-16 14:37
Hi Bev
A superb b&w image and a fine upward pov over the castle. Good sharpness and tonal range with excellent lighting contrasts and nice graphic elements. I like the angled pov and repetition of the 3 circular watchtowers. Have a nice week!
kathryn_weir (2056) 2014-04-23 1:46
Hi Bev,
A lovely B & W shot which works extremely well with that overcast and foreboding sky. I like your choice of LOV , low down so as to make the battlements and ramparts tower above.Great shot. It would be great fun to explore the empty rooms I am sure- I do wonder what Mrs Dawson took exception to- surely there could be worse places to live ?
Thanks for sharing
Photo Information
- Copyright: Beverley Robinson (Royaldevon) (48540)
- Genre: Places
- Medium: Color
- Date Taken: 2013-04-13
- Categories: Castles
- Camera: Nikon D-300, NIKKOR AF-S 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED DX
- Exposure: f/8, 1/50 seconds
- More Photo Info: view
- Map: view
- Photo Version: Original Version
- Date Submitted: 2014-04-15 0:02


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Interview: April 22, 2005
April 22, 2005
Bookreporter.com's Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight Team (Carol Fitzgerald, Joe Hartlaub and Wiley Saichek) interviewed Joseph Finder, author of COMPANY MAN. Finder talks about his inspiration for his latest thriller, why he especially enjoyed writing the character of Detective Audrey Rhimes --- his female protagonist --- and the similarities and differences between this novel and his previous bestseller, PARANOIA.
Bookreporter.com: What was your inspiration for COMPANY MAN?
Joseph Finder: After I wrote PARANOIA, about a young slacker who hates his job and is promoted way up the ladder in his new company, I decided I wanted to write about life from the other side --- from the top. I wanted my hero to be a CEO. You never see a CEO as a hero --- the CEO is always the bad guy. I thought it was time for popular fiction to have a CEO-protagonist. Once I made that decision, a lot of other things fell into place. What wrenching personal drama might be faced? What crisis at work? That's how I settled upon the storyline in which a guy who's the head of a corporation goes from being the most beloved man in town to the most hated, after laying off half his workforce. My novels always focus on the personal drama a character goes through --- that's what makes it interesting to me and, I hope, to the reader.
BRC: Readers will wonder if Nick Conover is based on anyone in particular. What's your reply to that?
JF: I was pretty careful not to model him on any of the many CEOs I interviewed for this book. I was able to talk to a lot of CEOs, at companies ranging from Steelcase to Kellogg's to a number of other corporations that don't want me naming names. But I took bits and pieces of the people I met, and then created a character who came from a blue-collar background, was a regular guy --- not a genius --- but a very likeable person.
BRC: COMPANY MAN is a novel loaded with situations that pose moral dilemmas and value issues, which contribute to rather than distract from the suspenseful elements. Did you set out to write the book knowing that these moral dilemmas were going to be posed, or did they evolve as you started writing?
JF: Yes, I started out knowing that my characters were going to face some tough moral choices. I wanted my CEO hero to deal with the same problems real-life CEOs sometimes have to face. Same with my police detective hero. I don't want to reveal too much here, obviously, but these kinds of tough choices are what give us a glimpse into the characters' inner lives.
BRC: Detective Audrey Rhimes is one of the most memorable characters in COMPANY MAN. Rhimes is a person of unabashed deep and abiding faith, who lives her beliefs every day, and every moment, of her life. She has qualities that are rare in most characters found in mainstream fiction. She is a catalyst for many of the positive things that occur in COMPANY MAN. What, or perhaps more accurately, who, was your inspiration for Audrey Rhimes? And will we perhaps see more of her in the future?
JF: I loved writing Audrey. I'd never written a character before who had a strong religious faith, and I realized that you rarely encounter such characters in fiction. In most popular fiction, a character with a strong religious affiliation is more likely to be a serial killer than a hero. Actually, she was inspired by two homicide detectives I interviewed for COMPANY MAN. One was a black woman on the Boston police force; the other was a retired homicide investigator who was with the Grand Rapids police. Both were strongly religious. I think a belief in God is what motivates a lot of homicide detectives to do their difficult work. My retired Grand Rapids cop source had a sign on his desk that said, "Remember: We work for God." I borrowed that for Audrey. I don't know if she'll appear in another book, but I hope so.
BRC: In an interview with Tom Perrotta, the author of LITTLE CHILDREN, on your website, you talk about the differences between COMPANY MAN and your last book, PARANOIA, and how the books are both similar and different. Can you share those insights with our readers?
JF: Unlike some writers who turn out the same book year after year, with only slight variations, I never write the same book twice. I'd find it too boring, and I think I owe my readers a new book each year, not a retread of last year's model. PARANOIA was told in the voice of a 26-year-old guy, very sardonic and wise-ass and ironic. COMPANY MAN is told in the third-person because there are two protagonists, not one --- a CEO and a homicide investigator --- and we root for both of them even though they're working against each other. Nick Conover, in COMPANY MAN, is older than Adam Cassidy in PARANOIA. Nick's a family man. Audrey's a childless woman in a failing marriage. But both novels have a lot of similarities too --- the same backstabbing at the workplace, the same scary intrigue, the same ironic humor. And both of them are about people and their relationship to their jobs. I think both books have a lot of funny stuff in them, and some scary scenes, and I think --- I hope --- that both are fast-moving and exciting.
BRC: One underlying plot in the book has to do with the remodeling of the kitchen in Conover's house to his deceased wife's exact specifications. In one scene in particular we see the "inner emotion" of Conover when he lays out in specific terms how the renovation must be completed. Did you intentionally create this remodel as a plot device to see "inside" Conover?
JF: Yes --- I wanted us to see Nick's devotion to his late wife, and how far it went. Here's a guy who doesn't care about how he dresses or what he spends money on, but since his wife was so concerned about renovating the kitchen of their big new house, he has to care too, in order to honor her memory. We see how torn he is --- ordinarily he'd never think about what kind of granite counter to use in the kitchen or what kind of appliances, but he wants every detail done just the way his late wife wanted. In other words, my intention was for us to see Nick grieving for his wife, but in a non-sentimental way.
BRC: You make strong and effective use of metaphors in COMPANY MAN, especially at its climax. Are there any authors who utilize metaphoric styles who have influenced you?
JF: Sure, but it's mostly the literary writers, ranging from Jonathan Franzen (THE CORRECTIONS) to Sue Miller (THE GOOD MOTHER) to Philip Roth to Saul Bellow. I'm writing popular fiction --- entertainment --- not Literature. But I think we thriller writers should feel free to borrow the best techniques used by our more literarily serious comrades. After all, we're all just trying to tell a story --- just in different ways.
BRC: Your last book PARANOIA was a huge success. Did that add any pressure to you as you sat down to write COMPANY MAN?
JF: Yeah, somewhat. Way more readers discovered me through PARANOIA, and I was aware that they'd expect a story every bit as good as that. I knew my publisher wanted something as appealing as PARANOIA too. But when I finally sat down to write the book, I just wrote it with blinders on, trying to do the best story I could.
BRC: In PARANOIA there was a lot of talk about the ending and "what happened." What are you hearing most from early readers of COMPANY MAN?
JF: Just about all of the early readers of COMPANY MAN loved the ending. There's a big twist at the end of the book that catches almost every reader by surprise. But most readers, I think, find the very last scene of COMPANY MAN more satisfying than the very last scene of PARANOIA, which was pretty controversial. I liked them both.
BRC: What are you working on now, and when can readers expect to see it?
JF: I can't say very much at this point. But it's another thriller set in a high-tech company, like PARANOIA, a very cool company. It's probably going to be set in Boston --- the first time I'll have an entire novel set in the city in which I live. The protagonist is younger than Nick Conover but older than Adam. And so far I'm liking it a lot.


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Bradford Information and Bradford Attractions
Bradford Information
Bradford is located in West Yorkshire immediately east of Leeds it's larger neighbour. Originally a booming textile city which went into serious decline in the mid-20th century.
Now it has developed a reasonable tourist industry
Bradford Attractions
Bradford Industrial Museum & Horses At Work
A museum about the industrial might of Bradford. Wool, mills machinery, steam engines and horses
National Museum of Photography Film & Television
5 floors of fascinating galleries dedicated to the world of photography, film and television.
Bradford Hotels
Click for Bradford Hotels
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© Copyright 2003


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Óleo e Gas Participações SA, the Brazilian oil company formerly known as OGX, on Friday said it would submit a new offer to sell assets in Colombia after that country's oil regulator rejected a prior proposal.
The new proposal, the company said in a securities filing, will seek to sell its remaining assets in the Vale Inferior do Magdalena region for a value of $30 million. The prior proposal sought to sell its VIM-5 and VIM-19 assets in that region in addition to the CR-2, CR-3 and CR-4 assets in the Cesar Rancheria region.
Separately, Oleo e Gas in a filing said its June output totaled 390,249 barrels, of which 271,280 came from the company's Tubarão Martelo field. The company also said its third well in the Tubarão Martelo field had begun production, with an average of 3,200 barrels per day. (Reporting by Juliana Schincariol; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)